Ka’Deem Carey had 366 yards and had 5 td’s. The old Pac-12 record was set by Washington St’s Rueben Mayes on Oct 27, 1984. Arizona was without QB Matt Scott and QB BJ Denker hit 12-14-136 and rushed for 44 on 9 carries vs Colorado. Decker fumbled the snap on the first play at his own 7 and CU got a td on the next play, 7-0. UA went 80/9pl and 64/8pl, 49/2pl for td’s on the next 3 poss with CU settling for an 18 yd FG, 21-10. CU still got a 73/13pl drive for a td with 2:44 left 1H to get to 21-17 and then Denker hit a 21 yd td pass with 1:11 left capping a 79/6pl drive. UA led 28-17 at the half with a 272-228 yd edge and UA again went 73/6pl, 49/7pl, 81/2pl for 3 td’s on 3 straight drives, 49-17. CU, trailing 56-31, was SOD on 4&gl at the UA9 with 2:54 left.

WKU RB Antonio Andrews rushed for 88 yards on 25 carries but had 340 all-purp yards. FAU had a 355-288 yd edge. WKU got a td with 3:58 left in the half to lead 14-7 but FAU went 88/13pl for a td with :14 left to tie it at 14. There were 5 punts to open the 3Q and WKU was int’d and FAU went 23/3pl for the go-ahead td. After WKU was SOD at the FAU43, FAU got a 47 yd FG 5pl later, 24-14. WKU went 63/4pl for a td then missed a 32 yd FG. FAU went 80/10pl for a td and a 31-21 lead with 3:04 left and WKU was int’d at their own 26 and ret’d 13 yds. With 1:55 left, FAU fumbled and WKU ret’d it 75 yards for a td to get within 3. FAU punted with :15 left and WKU2 was int’d and ret’d 9 yds for a td with :05 left.

Minnesota became bowl eligible with a 17-3 road win over Illinois. The Gophers have now won 4 consecutive games at Memorial Stadium. UM kept it on the ground with 15 passes, completing 9 for 78 yards but rushed 50x for 231 yards. IL has now dropped 12 straight Big Ten games. IL took their opening drive 88/9pl but settled for a 20 yd FG after a 1st & gl at the 8. IL fumbled the snap at the UM36 with 11:49 left in the half. UM got a 20 yd FG with 3:30 left to tie it and at the half IL had a 170-145 yd edge. The 3Q opened with 3 punts and UM after 2 FD’s, went for it on 4&1 and got a FD to the 14 and continued on a 51/11pl drive for a td. UM went 62/11pl but on 4&5 was SOD at the IL32. IL had one shot end on a 4&3 at the UM35 and their next drive on 3&inches they fumbled at their own 20 with just 3:31 left and UM would get a 13 yd td run on 3&3 with 1:34 left and UM won by 14 despite only having a 309-276 yd edge.

New Mexico had a 551-429 yd edge and 28-17 FD edge vs Wyoming. They were SOD on 4&4 at the WY23 and gave up 81/64 yd td passes. They trailed 21-7 at the half after missing a 34 yd FG on the 1H’s final play but were only outgained 308-247. NM fumbled at the WY13 to open the 3Q and settled for a 20 yd FG to trail 21-17 with :39 left 3Q. Each team drove for a td, 28-23. NM punted 69 yds for a TB on 4&17 with 2:02 left and got it back with 1:40 left but on 4&4 fired incomplete at their own 45.

The story of the Clemson/Maryland game happened prior to the game. MD was without their WR (Stefon Diggs), their top RB, leading tkl’r Demetrius Hartsfield (torn ACL) and were already down to their 5th string QB who was at LB 2 weeks ago. Naturally Clemson finished with 27-10 FD and 436-180 yd edges. The Tigers led 35-7 at the half although MD fumbled and it was returned 16 yards for a td and fumbled setting up a CU 53 yd td. CU did fumble a punt setting up a MD 18 yd td drive and CU fumbled at the MD2 with 7:21 left in the half prior to driving 66/9pl for a td. CU had a 310-90 yd edge. Backup QB Stoudt led CU 76/16pl for a td with 11:38 left, 45-10 and MD was SOD at the CU15 with 4:54 left.

Bob Stoops moved past Bud Wilkinson on Oklahoma’s career victory list. Baylor was held to a season low 172 yards passing. A check at philsteele.com team pages shows OU held BU to 158 yards below their season average and actually held their opponent to a 4th season low on the year. They are allowing foes 150 ypg less than their season average. They got those numbers despite the fact that BU got a late garbage td, to make the final respectable. OU had leads of 14-3 in the 1Q scoring on 75/11 and 75/12pl drives and it was 28-17 at the half with a 303-181 yd edge. After BU closed it to 28-26 but missed the 2 pt conversion, the Sooners went 75/12pl for a td then 65/3pl for a td. OU, up 42-26 punted with 6:08 left and Baylor would convert on 3&8 and 4&1, 3&10 and 4&5 on an 80/19pl drive for a td and 2 pt conversion with 1:26 left and OU recovered the onside kick.

It is possible that Texas A&M’s upset of Alabama last week knocked the SEC from the National Championship game. If there are two undefeated’s at the end of the year among Kansas St, Notre Dame and Oregon, those two will be playing in the National Title game and a 1-loss SEC Champ will be playing in the Sugar bowl. Ironically it was Big 12 transfer, Texas A&M, that did them in with their hotshot QB Johnny Manziel. A&M had already lost vs both LSU and Florida and those two were at home but this one was on the road and still A&M jumped out to a 20-0 lead. Bama did finish with a 431-420 yd edge and rallied back to 20-14 at the half and 20-17 late 3Q. A&M went 63/16pl to add a 29 yd FG but then went 51/6pl and missed a 37 yd FG which should have put them up 2 scores. Bama fumbled at the A&M34 and A&M went 66/2pl for a td and a 29-17 lead. Bama went 94/9pl getting a 54 yd TD pass to Cooper with 6:09 left then got the ball back. They got a 54 yd pass to the 6 yd line and appeared poised to keep their Title hopes alive but on 4&gl from the 2 threw an int, then jumped offsides on 4&2 when A&M was going to punt with :40 left and A&M took a knee. Manziel is at the front of the Heisman race after hitting 24-31-253 while rushing for 92.

Evidently is doesn’t matter who starts at QB for Oklahoma St. Clint Chelf became the 3rd starter this year and he was the 3rd string QB and hit 22-31-292 with a 4-1 ratio vs West Virginia. Wes Lunt sat out the game after suffering an apparent concussion but Lunt also had some turnover problems in his starts. This one meant something to Oklahoma St as Dana Holgorson was the Cowboys OC before leaving for WV and many wondered if he took his offense with him but Gundy showed that his offense was superior. Also, the DC for WV is long-time OSU asst Joe DeForest. While WV finished with a 479-443 yd edge, the Cowboys led throughout. They jumped out to 14-0, 21-7, 31-14 leads and it was 31-17 at the half. OSU did get a 96 yd KR td after WV, with backup QB Paul Millard in as Smith lost his helmet, hit a 4&13, 37 yd td pass for WV’s first td. WV got as close as 31-24 but OSU had leads of 38-24 and then up 41-34 went 80/8pl and 39/3pl, the latter after WV was SOD on 4&6, one of many 4th down attempts for the Mountaineers. Trailing by 21, WV on 4&gl from the 5 fired incomplete after blocking a punt to set up that drive.

Tom O’Brien has a solid record after a loss and NC State simply dominated Wake Forest. They had 26-9 FD and 428-185 yd edges. While the Wolfpack clinched bowl eligibility, WF still has Notre Dame and Vanderbilt on deck. NCSt missed 52 and 50 yd FG’s on their final 2 drives of the half and only led 17-6 but got a 100 yd KR td to open the 3Q then went 69/8pl for a td and 14/5pl for a 49 yd FG to lead 34-6. NCSt ended the game at the WF19 taking a knee as Mike Glennon hit 25-41-258.

San Jose St had a 37-0 lead at the half and 419-131 yd edge vs New Mexico St and went 75/2pl for a td to open the 3Q, 44-0 and rolled to a 47-0 lead with NMSt getting a 9 yd td pass with :42 left to avoid the shutout.

Troy scored on their first 3 poss and led 21-0 early vs Navy and there were actually a lot of points left off the board in this game. Troy had a 32-21 FD edge and 597-487 yd edge. Troy took its 4th poss 57/10pl and got a FD at the Navy15 but was int’d at the 8. Troy scored a td on their 5th poss to go up 28-14 and Navy made it 28-21 at the half with Troy having a 358-301 yd edge. Troy actually punted for the first time with 12:20 left in the 3Q and it went 38 yards to the 1 yd line Troy went 59/7pl for a 25 yd FG, 31-21. Navy got a 59 yd td run to pull within 3 and Troy went on a 74/6pl drive but fumbled at the 1. Navy fumbled at the Troy47 and Troy went 47 yards for a td. Each team went on a long drive for a short FG with Navy getting a 27 yd’r after a 10 play drive and Troy a 23 yd’r after an 11pl drive to go back up by 2 scores with 2:20 left and Navy was SOD at the Troy31.

Air Force had a commanding 24-15 FD and 393-268 yd edges but had four turnovers and were SOD 3x and missed a 42 yd FG and the TO’s led to 21 points and AF would actually lose by 19 to San Diego St. AF took its opening drive 66/13pl and settled for a 22 yd FG. Trailing 7-3 AF was SOD at the SDSt29 which was like a turnover but wasn’t counted. AF was SOD again, this time on 4&4 at the SDSt24 and missed a 42 yd FG on the final play of the half and trailed 14-3. SDSt returned a fumble 52 yards for a td to open the 3Q then after another fumble drove 35 yards for a td, 28-3. After an int, AF went 13/3pl for a td, 28-9. AF went 49/11pl but was int’d in the EZ then for the 3rd time was SOD, this time on 4&8 at the SDSt15 with :38 left.

At the start of the year, Terry Bowden said his goal was 2 wins for Akron and this was clearly the one he had circled as the #2 win. Massachusetts took advantage of 4 int’s and a blocked punt, their first blocked punt set up a -1 yd drive for a 23 yd FG. Akron was int’d from the UM20 and UM went 91/10pl and got a 26 yd FG to lead 6-0. Mass got another int and went 22 yards for a td to lead 12-0 and an int with 1:33 left in the half at their own 22 set up a UM 35 yd FG and they trailed 15-0. At half UM had a 225-193 yd edge. Akron trailed 15-7 when they were int’d from their own EZ and returned to the 1 and UM got a td to go ahead by 15 with 3:59 left. Akron went 60/9pl for a td with 2:27 left and kicked off deep. They forced a UM punt but Akron (14) got 1 FD and on 4&2 from their own 44 was SOD. It was Massachusetts’ first win as an FBS team.

Oregon St/Stanford were battling to keep alive their chances for the P12 North Title as if either won out they would win the North. Stanford dominated early. They went 93/13pl and 80/10pl for td’s to lead 14-0 but OSU rattled off 23 straight points pulling within 14-10 at the half then getting a 75/10pl td drive and got a 42 yd FG after an int and a 44 yd FG to lead 23-14. SU started Kevin Hogan and he made a big play. On 2&6 from the OSU40 he was almost sacked but got off a screen pass which went 40 yards for a td. SU was int’d at the OSU30. On 2&13 Vaz pumped faked as he brought the ball down, he fumbled and SU went 29/6pl for a td for the 27-23 lead. OSU was SOD at their own 31 with 1:54 left and SU got the close 4 point win.

Georgia Tech and North Carolina had the highest scoring game in ACC history and it was remarkable as at the half it was 29-28. By the end of the 3Q it was 58-43.The previous record was 110 points when Virginia beat Tulane in 1968, 63-47. GT’s 68 points set a school record for points in an ACC game and GT did finish with a 588-497 yard edge. UNC jumped out to a 14-7 lead and led 29-28 at the half with a 304-287 yd edge but GT got a 100 yd KR td to open the 3Q. UNC got a 78 yd td pass and its first play to take the lead 36-34. After GT went 70/10pl for a td, UNC was int’d and GT got a FG. UNC tried a fake punt and GT got a 27 yd td run to make it 51-36 and after an 18 yd PR, GT went 42/5pl to go up by 22, 58-36 and won by 15.

Oregon had its entire D-line go out with injury during the game at points, QB Marcus Mariota, top RB Kenyon Barner all were injured and Cal came in with a reputation for slowing down the UO offense. Despite the fact that Cal was without starting QB Zach Maynard and star receiver Keenan Allen, the Bears actually played the Ducks tough in the 1H as it was 17-10 when Cal missed a FG with 2:02 left in the half. UO got a 69/8pl drive for a td with :44 left in the half to lead 24-10 and UO had a 287-193 yd edge. UO was SOD at the Cal26 to open the 3Q and Cal went 74/9pl for a td and Cal had the ball back but was int’d at their own 35 and UO got a 35 yd td, 31-17. Cal was SOD on 4&12 at the UO36 and UO went 64/5pl for a td then got td’s on their next 3 poss on 56/7, 25/4 (after int) and 71/11pl drives to win by 32, 59-17.

Washington did finish with a 437-188 yd edge and 22-9 FD edge vs Utah. RB Bishop Sankey rushed for 162 yards on 36 carries and Utah remained winless on the road. Austin Seferian-Jenkins broke the school record for receptions by a TE as he and 7 vs Utah and moved ahead of Mark Bruener who had 95 in his career. UW only led 14-8 at the half. Utah had taken their 2nd poss 63/5pl for a td and went for 2 and got it, 8-0. Utah was int’d with 5:54 left in the half and UW drove 61/8 for a td to lead 14-8 at the half with a 219-119 yd edge. Utah was SOD at their own 43 and UW went 43/4pl for a td. After Utah went 61/9pl for a td to get back to 21-15, Utah muffed a punt and UW went 46/5pl for a td, 27-15. UW’s last drive started with 12:41 left and ate up 8:33.

Nevada had a 27-26 FD edge but Fresno did finish with a 500-404 yd edge. Robbie Rouse rushed for 261 yards but turnovers were the key factor here. NV missed a 38 yd FG. Fresno went on a 13pl drive but was SOD at the NV14. NV was int’d and ret’d 34 yds for a td and trailed 14-7 but battled back to lead 21-14 with 4:41 left in the half. Tied at 21, NV missed a 29 yd FG on the final play of the half. NV was pinned at their 18 and on 3&12 was sk’d and fmbl’d and FSU fell on it for a td. They got an int 6pl later and drove 58/9pl for a td then got a 26 yd IR td so 3 TO’s = 17 pts in 6:15 and FSU led 38-21! After kick/catch interference on a punt, FSU went 55/8pl for a td, 44-21. NV got a td with 4:21 left an FSU rec’d the onside kick at the 49 and got 2 FD to the NV11.

It was a dominating game for BYU vs Idaho but not as much as some backers would have liked. BYU put up 28 pts in the 1Q scoring on 5 of their first 6 poss. BYU did wrap up the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec 20th as they became bowl eligible. BYU led 42-7 when they missed a 28 yd FG with :21 left in the half and those 3 pts hurt them. BYU rec’d a fumble at the ID23 and on 4&10, got a FD to the 13 but instead of kicking a 30 yd FG, opted for the td and dropped a td pass on the final play of the half. BYU had a 367-139 yd edge at the half. BYU fumbled into the EZ for a TB with 2:07 left in the 3Q but when they got a 31 yd FG with 1:50 left to put them up by 42 points, ID25 just went 3&out and punted but with :06 left BYU fumbled at their own 18. Surprisingly ID didn’t try to run a play and instead kicked a 35 yd FG for a 52-13 final.

UCLA/Washington St was an odd game. At the half UCLA was in command, 37-7 but WSU actually had a 220-218 yd edge. WSU took their first drive 53/9pl and UCLA not only blocked a 39 yd FG, they returned it 68 yards for a td. WSU went 58/10pl and had a 33 yd FG blocked. UCLA used its 3rd special teams play, a blocked punt to recover at the WSU10 but fumbled and WSU went 75/7pl for a td to tie it at 7 and at this point WSU had a 181-12 yd edge but it was tied. The 4th special teams play for UCLA happened when they kicked off leading 14-7 and WSU fumbled the KO and UCLA went 24/4pl for a td. Halliday was pinned at his 8 after an illegal block on the special teams and was tackled for a safety and after the free kick, UCLA went 41/2pl for a td then WSU fumbled and UCLA returned it 40 yds for a td with 1:18 left in the half, 37-7. After UCLA punted to open the 2H, the next 3 poss were td’s. The following 3 poss were punts. WSU went 96/9pl for a td with 6;25 left. WSU took over with 3:17 left and went 80/5pl and got a td and 2pt conversion to pull within 8 with 1:31 left but UCLA recovered the onside kick. Thanks to that 80 yd drive, WSU had a 524-334 yd edge and 30-18 FD edge.