Tuesday News & Notes
On Friday night it was 35-14 Boise St at the half but surprisingly the Broncos only had a 300-244 yd edge. Boise only led 21-14 when they recovered a fumble at the Utah St 9 and got a TD on the next play. Boise then took over with 1:33 left in the half and on a crucial 3rd & 10 gained 17 yards on a run. That kept the drive alive and they went 83 yards in 10 plays for a TD to lead 35-14. In the second half Boise led 42-21 but would add a 52 yard FG then an 80/9pl drive for a TD with 9:49 left. Utah St’s last shot ended being SOD at the Boise 38 and Boise took a knee at the 11 to end it.

There were a couple of key plays that helped Bowling Green get their 16 point margin against Akron. The Zips went on a 68 yard, 10 play drive for a 27 yard FG. Akron fumbled at the BG12 and trailed 7-3. The Zips drove 86/17pl, converting on 4th & 2 at the BG12 for a TD to take a 10-7 lead. After Bowling Green was SOD on a QB sneak on 4th & goal at the 1, Akron’s Alexander bounced outside on an inside run and was tackled in the EZ for a safety to make it 10-9 at the half with Akron having a 214-186 yard edge. BG opened the 2H with 73/14p, 68/4pl and 54/8pl TD drives. Later Akron got a 34 yard TD pass to pull within 30-20 with 10:50 left but BG returned the onside kick 41 yards for a TD, 36-20. At the end of the game, Akron had a 4th & goal at the BG 7 but fired incomplete.

Marshall did not have RB Darius Marshall (1,054 yd) or Mackey semifinalist TE Cody Slate for their game versus SMU. Marshall ended up with two 100 yard rushers as Martin Ward had 136 yards on 25 carries and Terrell Edwards-Maye had 113 on 22 carries and Aaron Dobson added 122 yards in receiving on 4 receptions. Marshall never trailed in the game and led 34-24 after a TD with 2:01 left. MU had an interception wiped out by roughing the passer and the Mustangs got a TD on the next play with :40 left for the final 3 point margin.

Indiana had 23-15 FD and 462-329 yard edges, but after coming into the game leading the conference in TO margin, the Hoosiers had a 4-0 turnover deficit. QB Chappell was sacked and fumbled on the 3rd play and Purdue got a 19 yard TD drive. Indy went on a 9 play drive and had a 48 yard FG blocked and early in the 2Q they missed a 31 yard FG after a 75/8 pl drive. Indy was intercepted at the Purdue 33 and trailed 21-0 but took over with 1:58 left in the half and drove 53 yards in 7 plays for a TD to get back in it, 21-7. Purdue got an 87 yard KR TD to open the 2H to lead 28-7. Indy, trailing 31-21, was SOD at their own 33 on 4th & 8 with 2:31 left and PU got a 31 yard TD pass 3 plays later. In the final 2:09 Indy drove 69 yards in 9 plays but fumbled into the EZ for a TB from the 2.

North Texas had a 221-53 yard edge over Army at the half but punted from the Army 41, was intercepted at the Army 11, fumbled at the Army 19 and at the end of the half got to the Army 34 and only led 7-3. In the 2nd half they fumbled at the Army 20, was intercepted at the Army 16 but after a 68 yard TD run, led 13-10 with 7:11 left. Army was then SOD on 4th & 3 at their own 36. NT attempted a 33 yard FG but it was blocked and returned 23 yards. On the next play QB Steelman ripped off 55 yard run to the 7. The Black Knights got a TD 2 plays later for the win with 1:43 left. Fittingly, NT’s day ended on an interception at the 40 with 1:31 left.

Nevada, even with Boise St on deck, dominated. They led 42-6 at the half and increased it to 63-6 early 4Q. Nevada fumbled a punt on their own 14 to set up a New Mexico St 3 play TD drive. After Nevada was SOD on 4th & 2 at the NMSt12 with 6:42 left, the Aggies drove 88 yards in 10 plays getting an 11 yard garbage TD pass with :17 left.

Fresno very nearly lost to Louisiana Tech. They trailed 28-24 for 3Q’s and went on a 16 play drive but settled for a 23 yard FG with 12:50 left and still trailed by 1. After LT fmbl’d at the FSU43, Fresno punted with 10:11 left and 4:54 left. FSU got their last shot taking over with 2:21 left in the game. They faced a 4th & 10 at the LT46 and converted for a FD with :36 left and 4 plays later got a 35 yard FG on the game’s final play to escape.

There have been a lot of controversial 4th down attempts in recent weeks including one in the Cal/Stanford game. Cal had their opportunities to win this game big. In the 1H Cal had a 71/9pl drive result in a 21 yard FG after dropping a TD pass on 3rd & goal from the 4. They went 62 yards in 13 plays but Riley was intercepted at the SU9. They had an 85/14 pl TD drive and despite trailing 14-10 at the half, had 14-7 FD and 212-144 yard edges. One of Stanford’s TD’s came on a 19 yard drive after a blocked punt. Cal went 92 yards in 11 plays and 72 yards in 10 plays on their first two drives of the 3Q to lead 24-14. Stanford got a TD with 7:01 left to pull within 31-28 and after Cal punted the controversial call happened. Stanford faced a 4th & 8 on its own 23 with 3:32 left and still had all 3 time-outs. They went for it but Luck fired an incomplete pass. Cal got 1 FD and nailed a 28 yard FG with 2:42 left to lead by 6. Stanford got to the Cal 13 but now needed a TD and Luck was intercepted at the Cal 3 with 1:36 left.

It was a tough loss for Georgia versus Kentucky. In the 1st half UGA completely dominated. They not only led 20-6, but they had a 286-63 yard edge. UGA had 4 TO’s in the 2nd half. They fumbled the 3Q opening KO and UK got a 14 yard TD drive and later after an interception UK got a 9 yard TD drive to actually take the lead, 34-27 with 9:55 left. UGA went 68 yards in 10 plays and had a 3rd & goal at the 1 and was poised to tie it but fumbled with 2:21 left. UK punted with 1:52 left but UGA was intercepted at the 50 on the next play.

Despite starting 3rd string QB Austin due to injuries Hawaii had a 23-14 FD edge versus San Jose St and a 405-277 yard edge. QB Kyle Reed came off the bench for SJS and sparked them on an 80 yard 8 play drive for a TD late in the half to tie it at 7. With the game tied at 10, Hawaii missed a 31 yard FG with 3:48 left. SJS was almost in FG range when on FD from the 44 they fumbled at the end of a 5 yard run to the 39 with :47 left. In OT, UH got a 5 yard TD run and SJS, on 4th & 9, fired incomplete.

Perhaps a key to the Clemson/Virginia game being closer than expected was the fact that Boston College had lost to North Carolina earlier in the day which basically wrapped up a berth in the ACC Title game for CU, which was their goal coming in. In the 1H, it was tied at 14 when CU settled for a 21 yard FG and after a fmbl CU added a 24 yard TD pass with 1:52 left to make it 24-14. Virginia, however, on the last play of the half got a 23 yard TD pass to pull within 3. Clemson went 66 yards in 6 plays for a TD then 34 yards in 9 plays for a 24 yard FG to lead 34-21 late 3Q. After Clemson missed a 52 yard FG with 7:29 left, Virginia’s last two drives they were SOD on 4th & 14 at the CU34 and QB Sewell was sacked on 4th & 25 at the VA45.

It was another tough loss for UTEP who outgains almost all of their conference foes by significant margins, but keeps ending up on the short end of the scoreboard. UTEP had a 395-227 yard edge versus Rice but was done in by a 6-1 turnover deficit. The Miners led comfortably 20-10 but on their opening TD drive went for 2 and failed which would prove to be costly. UTEP turned it over on their first two 3Q possession but still led 23-17 when they added a 40 yard TD pass with 12:04 left. They went for 2 and again failed and only led 29-17. Rice went 53 yards in 8 plays for a TD then UTEP fumbled its 2nd KO of the game. The first fumble resulted in a Rice 27 yard FG in the 2Q and this one resulted in a 26 yard, 4 play drive for a TD, 30-29. UTEP was at the Rice 12 on FD when Buckram appeared headed to the endzone but fumbled into the endzone for a TB with 5:02 left. UTEP had it on the Rice39 but Buckram fumbled again at the end of a 1 yard run with 2:03 left and the Owls ran out the clock.

Nebraska had a punting edge vs Kansas St as Alex Henery averaged 45.5 on six punts including a 61 yard punt to the 3 and a 46 yard punt to the 1. At the half K-State trailed 10-3 but had a 146-133 yard edge missing a 51 yard FG on the final play of the half. NU scored a TD to open the 3Q to lead 17-3 and K-State ran 22 plays on NU’s side of the field on their first 3 poss of the 2H but they fumbled at the 1 yard line, missed a 32 yard FG and on 4th & 19 at the NU41 punted. K-State’s final poss ended on a 4th & 12 incomplete pass at the Nebraska 27.

A senior always wants his final home game to end with something to remember and Tennessee DT Wes Brown accomplished it. The Vols led 24-16 and had just been SOD at the Vandy 25 with :26 left. On 3rd & 3 Vandy threw a short pass which DT Brown not only intercepted but bowled through a couple of would be tacklers and lumbered into the EZ for a 25 yard TD with just :03 left in his final home game. Tennessee did have 201 yards rushing and 221 passing while Vandy had just 123 and 174 respectively.

Oregon escaped again. Arizona went on an 83/9 pl drive in the 1Q but on FD fumbled into the EZ for a TB. They trailed 14-10 at the half despite a 206-181 yard edge. Leading 17-14, Arizona settled for an xp-like 24 yard FG which they amazingly missed. The Wildcats led 24-14 early 4Q when UO drove 79/10pl for a TD. On their next drive Oregon got a 43 yard FG bounce off the crossbar but it went through and it was tied at 24 with 8:02 left. The Cats hit a 71 yd TD pass to make it 31-24. On 4th & 4 UO was SOD at its own 44 but Arizona, on 3rd & 16, was intercepted in the EZ. The Ducks faced a 3rd & 12 with 1:06 left and the hometown UA fans began lining the field to charge it after the game. The Ducks converted however with an 18 yard run to the 28. UO got a 4th & 4, 8 yard pass to the Arizona 15 with :23 left then with :06 left, a 9 yard TD pass. The Ducks went on to win it with a TD run in 2 OT’s.