Utah St was in a tough situation vs San Diego St last week. They had called the previous week’s home game vs Fresno St “their biggest game ever” and lost that game and also had a Friday night game vs BYU on deck. SDSt dominated as you would expect. In fact, they scored TD’s on their first 4 poss going 58/10, 59/4pl, 70/7pl and 97/6pl to lead 28-0 while Utah St managed 3 FD’s in that span. USt’s only score came after SDSt fumbled a punt on their own 17 and the Aggies got a TD. SDSt finished with a 504-245 yd edge.

Turnovers were by far the key to the Iowa St 27-0 win. Iowa St benefitted from a 5-0 TO edge and 2 of the TO’s produced points as they basically got a 14 pt swing with a 94 yd IR TD and added a 25 yd IR TD in the 3Q. Northern Iowa had a 310-210 yd edge and twice had a chance to break the shutout. They went 67/14pl but on 4&4 were SOD at the ISU20 with 8:29 left and then went 81/11pl and on 4&gl from the 3 gained 2 yds and fumbled into the end zone for a TB.

Utah dominated San Jose St as the score shows. On their offensive play after a SJSt punt they got a 43 yd reverse for a TD. SJSt did get a 71 yd KR to the Utah 20 and got a 20 yd FG and only trailed 7-3. SJSt went out of their way to not kick to Shaky Smithson who had been the star of Utah’s special teams the previous two weeks with his returns. QB LaSecla hit a line drive punt into a teammate and it was returned 10 yards for a TD then they brought their regular punter back and his punt was blocked setting up Utah for a 24-yard TD drive. QB Jordan Wynn returned to the lineup for Utah and left after the 3Q first series with the Utes ahead 42-3.

Memphis took their opening drive 58/13pl for a 37 yd FG. Their 2nd drive was int at their own 47 and Warren hit a 57 yd FG for the Miners, 3-3. Memphis was SOD at the UTEP26 and UTEP was int’d at their own 20 setting up a MEM 20/3pl drive for a TD and Memphis led 10-3 at half with a 181-170 yd edge. UTEP got a 53 yd PR but on 4th & gl from the 1 fired incomplete. UTEP went 53/8pl for a TD to tie it at 10. Memphis was int but Warren missed a 37 yd FG. Memphis drove 62/15pl for a 35 yd FG and the lead, 13-10. Seven plays later Warren hit a 2nd 50 yarder of the game, a 50 yd FG to tie it at 13. Memphis had a 3rd & 4 but gained 2 yards and punted 42 yards to the 4 with 3:13 left. UTEP went 95/12pl and had a 1st & gl at the 2 and got an 18 yd FG on 3&1 on the last play of the game for the win.

SE Louisiana almost upset ULM. They took their opening drive 71/7pl for a TD and a 7-0 lead. After ULM tied it, SEL went 77/8pl but settled for a 28 yd FG and missed it. ULM got a TD when at midfield a pass went 39 yds to the 16 and it was fumbled forward into the EZ and ULM fell on it for a TD. SEL was SOD at the ULM34 late 1H. ULM did fumble on its own 14 and SEL got a TD on the next play and tied it and then got a 75/9pl drive for a TD with 2:08 left 3Q but missed the all important xp. ULM got a 47 yd TD pass with 14:34 left and the xp gave them the lead. ULM fumbled the punt at their own 35 but SEL was SOD on 4th & 3 and SEL’s last drive ended on an int at their own 27.

Baylor and Rice each went on a long drive with Rice getting a 42 yd FG and Baylor a TD and it was 7-3 when the game went to a 1 hr 6 min lightning delay. When they came back, Baylor punted and Rice was int’d and BU went 47/4pl for a TD then after a bad snap on a punt, BU took over at the Rice 16 and added a 33 yd FG. BU went 78/10pl and on 2nd & gl at the 5, settled for a 20 yd FG on the final play of the half to lead 20-3 with a 208-97 yd edge. There were 3 turnovers to open and Rice benefited from a 43 yd FG, 20-6. BU went 24/8pl with a 46 yd TD pass then went 89/14pl but missed a 26 yd FG. Rice went 80/10pl for a TD to make it 27-13 with 5:57 left but BU rec’d the onside kick and added a 37 yd FG (2:59). Rice gained 39 yds on their final garbage drive.

Minnesota had a 23-12 FD edge vs Northern Illinois and a 470-378 yd edge. The game was 13-13 with 1:22 left 1H when the momentum changed. NI blocked a punt and recovered at the UM11 and 3 plays later with :03 left in the half, got a 10 yd TD pass for a 20-13 lead. UM kicked a FG in the 3Q to make it 20-16. NI RB Chad Spann rushed for a career-high 223 yards. His 30-yard run sparked a 67-yd drive for a TD, 27-16. UM went 52/12pl but on 4&2 were SOD at the NI21 and Spann got a 61 yd TD run 3pl later to ice it, 34-16.

The Arkansas St/Troy game was on TV and I have to admit, it was on my upper left hand spot in my 12-TV display and I must not have been paying too much attention to it after Troy jumped out to leads of 21-7 and 27-14. I did not realize until going through the play-by-play on Monday that this one came down to the wire and ASU actually took the lead with under 1:00 to go. Troy led 27-14 at the start of the 4Q and ASU went 78/10pl for a TD with 9:26 left. ASU was SOD on 4th & 3 at the Troy 30 with 5:26 left but got it back and converted on 4th & 2 and 4th & 4 then on 2nd & 5 with :57 left, got a 30 yd TD pass to take a 28-27 lead. Troy33 got 22, 18 and 10 yd passes on their first 3 plays down to ASU17. Most teams would normally set up for the game winning FG at this point but on 2nd & 10 Troy hit a 17 yard TD pass and got the 2 pt conversion with :22 left. ASU started on its 36 but was sacked on the final play of the game. ASU finished with over 200 yards both rushing and passing but Troy had a 505-450 yard edge.

Southern Miss/Louisiana Tech were tied at 3 at halftime with SM having a slim 199-178 yd edge. SM got their best 2 drives of the game to open the 3Q going 60/6pl for a 23 yd TD pass, 73/17pl for a 37 yd FG and a 13-0 lead. LT converted on 4th & 1 at the SM22 early 4Q and 2pl later got a 19 yd TD pass to pull within 13-10. A couple of key plays allowed SM to escape with the win. They returned the KO to the LT39 but punted on 4&9. SM was at their own 26 and the punt was blocked by Porter who had a chance to fall on it for the TD and it squirted away and was batted out of the EZ for a safety. If LT had fallen on it for a TD, they would have had the lead but SM fell on it for a safety. LT was at the 50 on 3&3 when they were int at the SM27. SM faced a 3&14 as LT burned their 2nd time-out with 2:21 left and it was obvious LT would be getting the ball back, in good field position with 1 time-out needing only a FG for the win. SM connected on a 56 yd pass to Bolden and took a knee.

Austin Peay made a game of it very early vs Wisconsin taking their first drive to the UW49 on a 22 yard pass before punting and their 2nd drive was 52/11pl for a 51 yd FG. They punted on their next 4 series and then UW’s offense was so dominant, they scored TD’s on all seven 1H poss and with backup QB Budmayr in scored TD on their first 2 poss of the 3Q. Their first punt came with 11:08 left in the game and it was due to a 15 yd pers foul which turned 3 & 4 into 3 & 19. True frosh James White rushed for 145 yards and John Clay rushed for 118 and Budmayr in relief hit 6-7-55.

In the 1H West Virginia had a 139-55 yd edge vs LSU. Normally those stats would lead to an upset but somehow they trailed the game 17-7. Two turnovers and a PR TD were key. WV fumbled at their own 7 and LSU on 4&1 got a TD. WV was int at their own 41 and LSU went on a 9 yd “drive” and got a 49 yd FG. Petersen who blocked an earlier 28-yard WV FG which would have put WV in the lead, returned a punt 60 yards for a TD and a 17-0 lead. It was 17-14 when LSU got their only offensive drive of the entire game going 72/14pl for a 23 yd FG on the first play of the 4Q, 20-14. WV missed a 48 yd FG with 10:47 left and their final 2 poss they were pinned at their own 7 and 9 yd lines and went 3 & out.

Oregon St has been significantly outgained in each of their first 3 games. Against Boise St they were outgained 474-233 but a couple of key plays kept them in it. First of all, Boise St went on a 70/12pl drive and had a 1st & gl at the 2 and later went 36/7pl and 67/12pl but on all 3 drives, they settled for short FG’s. OSU got a 54 yd PR for a TD and then B2B key plays kept them within 2 TD’s. BSU fumbled a punt at their own 31 late 3Q and 2 plays later Katz threw a pass that should have been int’d but was caught by Catchings but he fumbled. It went into the EZ and Halahuni recovered for an OSU TD.

The situation favored Cal vs Arizona as the Cats were off an upset of a Top 10 team while Cal was off a loss. As you can tell by the score, the game was a defensive struggle and the 1Q featured 5 punts and was scoreless. Cal recovered a fumble at the Arizona 28 and would settle for a 25 yd FG to lead 3-0 and later drove 53/11pl for a 40 yd FG, 6-0. Arizona’s only scoring threat of the 1H was at the end when they got to the Cal13 but on FD Foles was int in the EZ with :38 left. Cal got off a 19 yd punt early 3Q which allowed Arizona a zero yard drive for a 46 yd FG, 6-3. Cal had a couple of chances to put this one away. Tavecchio had a 33 yd FG bounce off the left upright with 1:28 left in the 3Q. Cal was at the Ariz8 when they gained 2 yards on 3&3 and settled for a 23 yd FG, 9-3 (11:02). AU did have a 48 yd FG come up short but Cal went 47/11pl with 2:37 left the game clinching 47 yd FG by Tavecchio went wide right. Arizona got a 51 yd pass to the 12 and a 3 yd TD pass with 1:11 left and int Cal at their own 32 to escape with a 1 pt win.

New Mexico continues to get blown out on a weekly basis. The Lobo’s are being outscored by an average of 56-10. Tarean Austin became the first true frosh QB to start a game for NM since 1988. Austin hit a 48 yd TD pass on NM’s 2nd drive to give them a 7-0 lead and that would be their highlight for the game. UNLV scored TD’s on 4 of their next 6 poss on drives of 58, 22 (after 18 yd IR), 53 & 65 yds and even missed a 48 yd FG on the final play of the half. UNLV took their 2nd 3Q poss 60/4pl for a TD and added a 40 yd FR TD to lead 42-7 with 4:14 left in the 3Q. The next 7 poss were punts and then each team went on a long drive that included a 4th down conversion. UNLV got a 24 yd FG with 5:23 left and NM on 4th & 9 opted for a 42 yd FG with :20 left to pull them “within” 45-10.

Turnovers were a key factor in the Arizona St game but it is a bit of a misleading box to see ASU with a 29-19 FD edge and 597-380 yd edge as 260 of their yards came in the 4Q after they had already been down 42-24. Also 4 of their 7 turnovers happened after they were down by 18. Oregon got a 39 yd IR TD to take a 14-7 lead and ASU did miss a 47 yd FG and was SOD at the UO7 in the 1Q. ASU, after an int, got a 28/1pl TD pass and actually led this game 24-14 with 3:36 left 1H. Showing how explosive UO is, they went 80/8pl for a TD with 2:21 left then 80/3pl for a TD with :48 left to take a 28-24 lead. UO fumbled the opening KO of the 2H at their own 19 but ASU fumbled it back at the 2. A 32 yd FR TD by UO put them up 42-24 with 4:57 left in the 3Q. ASU went 69/8pl for a TD then fumbled at the Duck32 (:06 3Q), punted (12:48), was int’d in the EZ (10:07), int’d at the Duck11 (7:01) and int’d at their own 32 (1:31).

For the 2nd straight week Auburn overcame a double digit 2Q deficit. Auburn actually got a 54 yd TD run by Newton on their first drive for a TD and a 7-0 lead. SC did drive 80/6pl for a TD to answer 7-7. Much was made of South Carolina’s four TO’s in the 4Q but Auburn turned it over two times in the 1H and SC took advantage of a short field with 44/7p and 47/7pl drives for TD’s to lead 20-7 with 6:16 left in the half. Auburn would drive 76/12pl for a TD with :46 left. Auburn opened the 3Q with a missed 52 yd FG but then drove 80 yards for a TD. SC got a 69-yard pass to Jeffery setting up a TD to retake the lead, 27-21. Auburn went on a 73/15pl drive but missed a chip shot 23 yd FG. They got a fumble on the next play and went 26 yards for a TD and the lead, 28-27. SC QB Garcia was sacked and fumbled at the AU47 and AU went 53/9pl for a TD. Possibly because Garcia was dinged up on the sack, Shaw came in at QB and led them 49/6pl to the 25 but they were int’d at the 11 with 3:19 left. SC got it back after a punt and was at the Auburn 18 when a pass into the EZ was knocked out of Jeffery’s hands and Washington int’d it just catching it before it hit the turf with :33 left. SC came in leading the SEC in rush D allowing just 55 ypg rush but Auburn rushed for 335 on them.

Hawaii was expected to blow out Charleston Southern and that they did. In the 1H UH had 6 TD’s which all came on drives of 5 plays or less in less than 2:00. They used 5 different QB’s in the game including rFr Graves who came in for 1pl and the first pass of his career went 90 yards for a TD in the 3Q to make it 63-7. UH had a 49-7 halftime lead and rolled up 414 yards of offense but Charleston Southern did have 170 yards offense in the 1H as they missed a 48 yd FG and were also stopped on 4&1 at the UH36 and on 4&1 at their own 48.

Rebel fans had to have been thinking “we’ve seen this before” as Mississippi had a big halftime lead at 27-10. Keep in mind they have blown some big halftime leads all season long including losing 2 games straight up. Brandon Bolden took care of matters. He got a 71 yd TD run on the first play of the 3Q to make it 34-10 and Jesse Grandy got a 51 yd PR to put UM up 41-10 ensuring there would be no blowing of the 2H lead. Bolden rushed for 228 yards on 19 carries. Normally Fresno St comes in a solid dog in games like this vs BCS schools but many were calling for Mississippi to be upset and they were only favored by 2 pts so FSU was not in their normal true underdog role. The game was 48-24 when FSU would get 2 TD’s to pull within 48-38 with 3:20 left but Mississippi recovered the onside kick and Bolden’s 14 yd TD run with :35 left made the final 55-38.

Houston was without their top 2 QB’s but Broadway hit 19-28 although for just 174 yards as UH stuck with the ground game. They jumped out to a 21-0 lead but it was actually 28-23 in the 4Q. Leading just 28-23 UH got a 25 yd TD run by Beall to make it 35-23 then got a 42 yd IR TD with just 2:50 left to go up by 19. UH led 21-0 when they fumbled at the Tulane 39 with 7:39 left in the half. Tulane would go 61/8pl for a TD then after another int, got a 36 yard TD pass 2 plays later to make it 21-14 with 2:50 left in the half. UH went 54/7pl for a TD with :39 left and had a 271-136 yd edge. UH missed a 47 yd FG and Tulane made a 29 yd FG, 28-17. Tulane had a 50 yd FG blocked at the end of the 3Q but then surprisingly went 92/11pl for a TD to pull within 28-23 with 9:19 left (2ptng). UH was sk’d twice and punted on 4th & 25 and a 38 yd PR had Tulane at the UH30, down 5 but they had an offensive face mask and a sack and a delay force a 3rd & 46 and they were int’d. UH went 37/5pl for a TD then had a 42 yd IR TD with 2:50 left for the final margin.