GAMES NOTES:
It was Tom Osborne day for Nebraska and he led them out of the tunnel. Taylor Martinez threw for 308 yards and NU scored on 4 of their first 6 poss with Minnesota crossing midfield only once before the middle of the 3Q. NU ended the half with a 2&gl at the 1 and opted to go for the td and was stuffed and ran out of time. NU had a 306-60 yd edge at the half. It was 38-0 when UM scored a td with 7:39 left and the Gophers rec’d a fumble at the 6 with 2:49 left and got a Gary 6 yd td run for a somewhat misleading 38-14 final.

Illinois now has a 13 game conference losing streak and have already clinched a losing season and it was another disappointing loss, this time against Purdue. UI finished with a 24-18 FD edge but PU had a 398-333 yd edge and PU kept their bowl hopes alive. UI was using co-coord Chris Beatty to call plays on 1st and 2nd down and then Billy Gonzales handled the QB’s on 3rd down. Just like their entire season, UI had their opportunities, they fumbled on their first 2 poss, the 2nd at the PU 36 yd line. After 4 punts, PU got their first FD of the game with 13:43 left in the 2Q. They had gone 3&out on their first 3 poss but PU hit a 31 yd FG. UI answered with a 54 yd FG and PU got a 29 yd FG with 2:55 left in the half to pull ahead 6-3. UI lost another fumble with 2:12 left 1H. The 3Q opened with 4 punts and PU got a 63 yd td pass for a 13-3 lead. UI went 69/10pl for a 16 yd td run to pull within 3. PU got a 63 yd run setting up a 6 yd td run 2pl later to go up 20-10. UI got a 95/13pl drive for a td with 3:29 left but PU recovered the onside kick and got 2 FD including a 4&2, 3 yd run to the UI17.

East Carolina was SOD at Tulane’s 40 on their first poss. TU got a 54/6pl drive for a td on its 2nd poss and then on 3&6 appeared to have a potential td but they ruled them down. I was listening to this game on the radio and the TU radio announcer went on for about 8:00 about what a horrible call it was and how he was not down and it should have been a big play for TU. Instead, on the next play, TU faked a punt and was stopped for no gain and EC went 47/5pl for a td. TU later went on a 63/14pl drive but settled for a 23 yd FG. The drive ate up 6:14. TU was at the EC17 when they settled for a 43 yd FG at the end of the half to pull within 14-13. They had a td pass on the previous play that was just tipped away at the last minute. Trailing 21-13 TU had a FD at the EC29 but on 3&9 took a 12 yd sk putting them out of FG range. TU’s next drive went 43/7pl but they again settled for a short FG, this one from 26 yards. EC was int’d at the TU9 on a pass that was tipped and fell to a DB that was lying on the ground. EC led 28-16 when TU got a td to pull within 28-23 but EC rec’d the onside kick and took a knee.

Massachusetts actually outplayed Buffalo in the 1H. They were SOD on 4&1 at the 1, settled for 39 and 32 yd FG’s and then interestingly, ripped off a 70 yd punt while UB got off a 29 yd punt so they started the drive at the UB42 and went 5pl for a td, 13-0 with :56 left in the half. UM had a 201-134 yd edge. UM was driving when they were int’d and ret’d 28 yds. UB was int’d right back. On a key play UB blocked a punt and returned it 33 yards for a td with 10:31 left 3Q to get back to 13-7. Still, UM got a 23 yd PR and earlier had 18 and 24 yd PR’s and a 3 yd td run put them up 19-7 with 6:49 left in the 3Q. UB then went 79/10p, 77/9, 80/15 all for td’s to get ahead, 29-19 with 2:00 left and UM’s last gasp ended on an int at the UB33.

Clemson's Tajh Boyd put himself into the Heisman race by throwing for 5 td’s and rushing for 3 on an 8 td game vs NC State. Boyd hit 30-44-426, ran for 103 and was responsible for every Clemson td. This was an interesting game as CU jumped to a 13-0 lead settling for 46 & 43 yd FG’s but NCSt rallied back and led 24-13 at the start of the 2Q. NCSt was SOD at the CU21 and then int’d in the EZ for a tb and fumbled at their own 32. CU took advantage of those opportunities to score 28 points in the 2H to lead 21-24 with a 441-364 yd edge. NCSt missed a 49 yd FG and was SOD at the CU25 on their first two 2H poss while CU got a pair of td’s to lead 55-24 but NCSt got an 81 yd KR to set up a 16 yd td run then after an int, went 6/1pl for a td to get back to 17. Boyd hit a 69 yd td pass with 1:39 left in the 3Q and NCSt went 56/10pl for a td with 14:20 left to pull within 17. Their next drive went 63/13pl and a 40 yd FG got them within 14. CU ate the 7:35 getting to the NCSt20 on a 50/14pl drive.

If you check out my computer’s projections for the game, you’ll see that I projected UCLA to beat USC outright. Last year USC won 50-0 and the game vaulted them, perhaps to this year’s preseason #1 (that and a win over Oregon). Matt Barkley hit 20-38-301 but Brent Hundley hit 22-30-234 and Jonathan Franklin rushed for 171. UCLA jumped out to a huge lead getting an int on the first play and driving 17/4pl for a td, going 84/18pl for a FG, after a fumble went 34/4pl for a td, after USC was SOD they went 74/11pl for a td and led 24-0. USC went 75/4pl and 56/7pl for a pair of td’s in the final 5:58 of the half to pull within 24-14 and UCLA only had a 234-216 yd edge at the half. UCLA fumbled the snap and the ball bounced around and USC fell on it for a td to start the 3Q but UCLA blocked a punt and drove 32 yards for a td, 31-20. USC missed a 44 yd FG and was int’d at the UCLA42. USC went 80/7pl to get within 3 but UCLA went on an 83/9pl drive for a 29 yd td run with 4:02 left. USC had a 38 yd FG blocked and then took over with :33 left and gained 50 of their yards on the final 6 plays, down 10.

Caleb Herring did hit 22-36-268 for UNLV but Brett Smith hit 25-33-412 for Wyoming. UW opened with a 71/8pl td drive. UW went 56/6pl for a 40 yd FG but UNLV blocked it and ret’d it 52 yards for a td, 7-7. At the half UW had a 407-175 yd edge missing a 24 yd FG after a 58/10pl drive. UNLV got a td with 1:01 left to make it 21-17 but UW went 75/5pl getting a td with :19 left in the half for a 28-17 lead. UNLV went 80/9pl but fumbled into the EZ for a tb. UNLV went 80/15pl for a td, 28-23 with 6:35 left and got the ball back at their 21 with 5:10 left and got a FD to the UW38 but on 4&11, threw incomplete and UW went 64/5pl running out the final 6:42 including a 66 yd run down to the 2 yd line.

Wisconsin's Montee Ball rushed 39x for 191 yards but had a crucial fumble at the goal line vs Ohio St. Wisconsin had a 360-236 yd edge and 20-15 FD edge but gave up a 68 yd PR td in the 1Q. UW’s 2nd drive was 69/10pl but on 4&2 from the 30, they opted to punt and it was 30 yds into the EZ. UW’s next punt was ret’d 68 yds for a td. They trailed 14-7 at the half but had a 201-151 yd edge. UW went 62/15pl on their 2nd 2H drive but missed a 40 yd FG. 3 punts. UW went 43/9pl. On 3&2 it looked like UW got a FD run to the 1, they reviewed the spot and the play stood. On the next play on 4th down, Ball reached the ball to the EZ and they hit it and caused a fumble or it would have been an NCAA record breaking 79 yd td. It was also just the 2nd fumble in over 700 carries. UW got a td with :08 left to force OT but after an Ohio St td, UW on 4&6, fired incomplete. UW did play the entire game without LB Chris Borland who was injured the previous week and is one of their best defensive players.

In 1959 I was not alive to see it, but I’ve heard and read about it many times and have seen it on tape as Billy Cannon had a historic PR td that saved LSU’s season vs Mississippi. Another PR saved LSU in this game as they were on the verge of losing their 3rd game of the season. Ole Miss QB Bo Wallace passed for 310 yards. There were numerous times when LSU appeared to be beat. They trailed 14-7 after a 56 yd td pass. In the 2Q it was Ole Miss who trailed 17-14 but went 98/11pl and got a 1 yd td run with :50 left in the half to lead 21-17. At the half UM had a 296-174 yd edge. There were 3 consecutive int’s on 3 consecutive drives and UM then went 38/9pl for a 6 yd td to lead 28-20. After LSU tied it, UM went 65/4pl for a td to go up 35-28. Each team punted then Odell Beckham got his 89 yd PR td with 9:10 left to tie. LSU fumbled at the UM32 with 7:18 left, UM got 2 FD but missed a 53 yd FG with 4:18 left and LSU then went 64/9pl and got a 1 yd td run with :15 left for a 41-35 lead. They bobbled the xp on snap and was ng but Ole Miss gained 1 yd then tried the lateral play.

ULM’s record is now 7-4 which is the best since their 1993 record of 9-3. North Texas had a 30-26 FD edge and ULM only a 518-467 yd edge. ULM took its opening drive 80/14pl for a td then was SOD at the NT45. Each team was int’d and NT went 63/13pl for a 29 yd FG, 7-3. ULM went 72/12pl for a 7 yd td pass, 14-3 and NT got to the ULM24 but was int’d in the EZ with :16 left in the half. At the half ULM did have a 220-136 yd edge. ULM extended it to 28-10 and NT went on a 74/13pl drive but after a 1&gl at the 2, was SOD. ULM then went 99/4pl and got a 61 yd td pass to ice it, 35-10. Each team got a td and ULM on a 54 yd run by McNeal after recovering an onside kick. The td was with 2:45 left. NT went 52/11pl getting to the ULM13 at the end.

LA Tech's Colby Cameron came in with a 27-0 ratio and had his NCAA record streak of 445 passes without an int snapped. Utah St came in just 1-50 vs nationally ranked teams but knocked off #19 LT. Utah St appeared in control leading 34-10 but only finished with a 646-628 yd edge and LT had a 37-27 FD edge and would rally and force OT. Utah St came in with a defense that was 200 yards better per game. Utah St missed a 28 yd FG and LT missed a 44 yd FG in the 1H. LT was also int’d in the EZ so Utah St led 17-3. Utah St went 78/5pl for a td then LT fumbled the KO. Utah St got a 30/4pl drive for a 30 yd FG to lead 27-3. The next 4 drives were all td’s, 41-17 but LT got a 98 yd KR td then went 80/12pl for a td. LT was int’d in the EZ on 3&gl from the 11 with 4:44 left but went 86/8pl for a 7 yd td run to pull within 3. They forced a punt with 1:24 left and went 62/11pl getting a 32 yd FG on the final play to tie it. In OT, Utah St got a td and LT on 4&3, was stuffed for no gain.

Auburn had a 375-318 yd edge at the half vs Alabama A&M and led 35-0 as they went 66/10pl, 60/7pl and got an 86 yd td run by Mason, went 91/7 and 72/10pl for td’s on all five 1H poss. A&M opened the 3Q with an 88/10pl drive for a td and AU was SOD at the A&M33 but AU went 77/11pl for a td, 42-7. AU closed the scoring with a 60 yd IR td with 2:38 left. AU had a 341-22 yd rushing edge.

Kentucky’s new starting QB Jalen Whitlow hit 10-13-66 but keep in mind it was vs Samford. UK was playing its final home game for Joker Phillips who is a long-time member of the UK football program. Nineteen seniors were honored prior to the game but UK had been playing 46 frosh and soph. UK finished with a 455-102 yd edge and 22-9 FD edge as they went 69/14pl, 78/11pl for td’s on their first 2 poss, 14-0 and it was 31-3 at the half when they got a 25 yd FR td. They had a 262-52 yd edge at the half. UK ended the game at the SU1 taking a knee.

Terrance Broadway threw for 258 yards on 23-33 and Louisiana had a 582-415 yd edge but only beat WKU by 4. UL had a 287-205 yd edge at the half but needed 23 yd FG on the 1H’s final play to tie it at 10. WKU led 20-17 and got an int with 11:52 left and went 68/11pl for a td, and led by 10 with 6:00 left, 27-17. UL went 72/11pl and got a 4 yd td pass with 2:43 left but WKU rec’d the onside kick at the 48. They went 3&out punting to the 7 with 1:32 left and UL went 93/8pl and got a 14 yd td run by Broadway with :38 left. WKU got 2 FD to the UL35 but spiked it and fired incomplete on the final play.

Oklahoma St WR Isaiah Anderson was supposed to be the next deep threat but had a hand injury and had just 123 yards receiving all season as he missed the start of the year. In their final home game, Anderson broke out for 174 yards on 4 rec’s and 3 long td’s vs Texas Tech. Zack Craig blocked a pair of punts, returning one for a td. It was tied at 7 as TT got a td at the start of the 2Q but OSU went 70/4pl, 40/2pl (after int), 24/4pl (after punt blk) and 66/1pl with a 66 yd td pass to Anderson to go up 35-7 with 6:18 left in the half. TT went 95/13pl and got a 2 yd td pass with :15 left to pull within 35-14. OSU opened the 3Q with an int and went 38/7pl for a td then after a 32 yd punt went 32/7pl for a 51 yd FG and led 45-14. OSU was SOD at the TT35 and after a fumble, went 22/5pl for a td and a 52-14 lead. It was 59-14 when TT went 75/12pl for a td with just 2:51 left.

Idaho had a 469-424 yd edge and 22-21 FD edge but trailed 20-3 at the half and they missed 59 and 54 yd FG’s. At the half, UTSA had a 311-167 yd edge. ID went 79/11pl for a td and 35/7pl for a td after UTSA was SOD and then 81/10pl but settled for a 22 yd FG after a 1&gl at the 2 when they could have taken the lead. UTSA went 74/5pl and blocked a punt and went 21/4pl for a td to go up 34-20 with 7:05 left. Idaho got a td with 5:01 left but fumbled the punt at their own 37 with 3:41 left and UTSA got a FD and ran out the clock.

Who would have thought at the start of the year that UTEP would have been favored at Southern Miss? SM actually finished with a 532-359 yd edge and 19-16 FD edge but UTEP only trailed in the 1Q by scores of 7-0 and 10-3. After that, the worst they were was tied. UTEP went 82/8pl and then after an int, 53/3pl drives for td’s to lead 17-10 and led 20-17 at the half as they got a 26 yd FG with :32 left. UTEP did have a 243-219 yd edge at the half. The 3Q featured just 3 drives as SM went 63/12pl for a 36 yd FG and then went 45/11pl but punted. UTEP got an 80/5pl drive for a td to lead and after 2 punts, SM got a 81 yd td pass, 27-27. Golden returned the KO 98 yards for a td, 34-27. SM14 went 86/7pl for a td but the 2 pt conversion pass was int’d with 2:43 left. They kicked off deep and UTEP got 2 FD’s and took a knee. UTEP’s Blaire Sullivan in his first road start hit 9-17-155 and was the team’s leading rusher with 98 yards on 19 carries.

Where was this guy all year? Iowa St turned to Sam Richardson who had not attempted a pass all year at QB vs Kansas. Richardson hit 23-27-257 yards and rushed for 43. It was KU’s final home game of the year and Charlie Weis called it one of the most important games he’s coached in college. Richardson came in on the 3rd series of the game with his team down 7-3 and engineered an 89/10pl drive for a td, 10-7. KU got a 55 yd td run and ISU punted on their next poss but then after a 29 yd PR went 39/4pl and after a fumble went 42/5pl for td’s then went 80/9pl for a td on its fifth poss, 51/6 on the 6th to lead 38-14 with 1:01 left in the half. ISU had one of its most productive offensive performances with 548 yards while KU had 441.

Last year Derek Dooley was filmed in the locker room basically saying the one thing they do every year is ‘kick Vanderbilt’s butt’ (that’s putting it nicely) and Vanderbilt had its biggest margin of victory over Tennessee since 1954. UT has not had 3 straight losing seasons since 1909-1911 and misses out on a bowl consecutive years for first time since 1976-’78. VU only led 13-10 at the half. After the game, UT’s HC Dooley was fired. VU finished with a 442-303 yd edge. UT led 7-6 until VU got a td with 3:12 left in the half and UT got a 27 yd FG with :14 left. At the half UT had a 226-152 yd edge. VU opened the 3Q with an 85/3pl, 54/2pl drives for td’s then after UT faked a punt, was stopped at its own 19 and VU was int’d in the EZ. VU went 59/11pl for a td and UT went for it on 4&2 at their own 32 and was stopped and after VU got a 71 yd td pass with 9:52 left, UT got an 81 yd PR td with 6:15 left but VU rec’d the onside kick and got 2 FD and ran the clock.

West Virginia would put up 778 yards, Stedman Bailey had 13 catches for 205 yards and 4 td’s and Tavon Austin rushed for a school record 344 yards and had 572 yards, a Big 12 record. WV still lost their 5th straight game and trailed by 2 td’s a good portion of the game but Oklahoma would need a late comeback to pull out the win. Oklahoma had leads of 10-0, 24-10, 31-17, 38-24 (11:54 3Q). OU was int’d at the WV3 (13:23) and missed a 37 yd FG at the end of the half. WV took the lead 43-38 with 7:12 left. OU went 79/7pl for a td but the 2 pt failed with 4:10 left, 44-43. WV went 92/3pl and got a td and 2 pt failed, 49-44. OU went 54/6pl and got a 2 yd td pass with :24 left and WV only got out to the 49.

Kansas St came in #1 in the country and in control of its bid to get to the National Title game. Baylor had not beaten an opponent ranked as high since a 13-7 win over #2 Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl back in 1957. Nick Florence hit 20-32-238 yards and Lache Seastrunk rushed for 185. BU jumped out to a 28-7 lead but KSU got a td and a 23 yd FG on the final 1:47 of the half to get back in it at 28-17 and appeared poised to make their comeback but BU kept pouring it on and led 45-24 when KSU was int’d in the EZ with 1:10 left in the 3Q and Seastrunk got an 80 yd td run, 52-24. KSU was SOD on 4&gl at the 1 with 7:51 left and BU went on a 40/10pl drive that ate up 7:19 and the fans stormed the field. BU did have a 580-362 yd edge and 29-21 FD edge.

Another big game for the BCS upheaval this past weekend was Stanford upsetting Oregon. UO came in with a banged up D and SU had a QB in Kevin Hogan who was making his first road start. Hogan showed outstanding poise hitting 25-36-211 yards and had 37 yards rushing. SU earlier in the year had knocked off #1 ranked USC and would knock off their 2nd #1 team on the season (AP). UO came in with a 13 game win streak (nation’s longest) and was playing at home in Autzen and this one was for control of the Pac-12 North. Kenjon Barner had just 66 yards rushing. UO’s 2nd drive had a 77 yard run by Mariota on the sideline and had RB Thomas turn to look, he could have blocked the last man and UO would have had a 92 yd td. Instead he simply opted to run ahead of Mariota and Mariota was tkl’d from behind. Then the Ducks were stopped on 4&2 at the SU7. SU went 93/13pl for a td. UO was SOD at the SU38 (7:04 2Q) and SU was SOD on 4&1 at the 41 with 4:13 left. That allowed the Ducks a 59/3pl drive for a td with 3:26 left to tie it. On their last drives of the half, SU was int’d at the Duck16 (:42) and UO was int’d at the SU30 (:13). UO took their 2nd drive of the 3Q 95/16pl for a td and then SU fumbled at their own 39 but UO missed a 42 yd FG. SU fumbled at the Duck20 with :14 left in the 3Q then went on a 49/10pl drive and missed a 42 yd FG blowing 2 opportunities in the RZ. They converted on 4&1 at the Duck10 and on the next play got a 10 yd incompletion but it was overturned and ruled that TE Ertz got his shoulder in the EZ for the td to tie and that play happened on FD so they would have had 3 more chances to score. In OT Maldonado missed a 41 yd FG for the Ducks and SU almost blew their opportunity as they fumbled and 2 Ducks had a shot at the ball but couldn’t recover and SU got a 37 yd FG for the upset.

Missouri came in against Syracuse with an 18 game win streak vs non-conference opponents, the school’s best in the modern era. Missouri suspended star DT Sheldon Richardson who is one of the best DT’s in the league and SU would roll up 508 yards vs them. Missouri actually appeared on their way to a comfortable win as they went 87/4pl with a screen pass to Green-Beckham going 70 yards for a td and then 75/7pl for a td on their 2nd series to lead 14-3. They extended it to 17-3 with 6:30 let in the 2Q but SU went 75/11pl for a td with 3:05 left in the half to make it 17-10. At the half MO had a 282-207 yd edge. The 3Q opened with 4 punts. SU went 70/6pl for a td to tie it. MU missed 2 key FG’s, the first a 42 yd’r with 10:26 left in the game but then drove 79/6pl for a td and a 24-17 lead. SU went 75/7pl for a td, 24-24. SU was int’d at the 50 and MU got a 46 yd FG that gave them a 27-24 lead with 1:52 left after on 3&1 having a low snap forced them to run. SU19 got 2 FD and then on 4&10 got a 17 yd pass to the 31. It looked like they would settle for a FG in OT but hit a 17 yd pass on the next play with :20 left to pull out the win.

Sean Mannion made his 2nd return to the starting lineup for Oregon St. The first time he was rusty and threw 4 int’s and OSU lost to Washington. This time he threw for 325 yards and 4 td’s. Cal came in having given a good effort vs Oregon the week before and having clinched a losing season and had little left in the tank. Cal got a td with 6:30 left in the 1Q to tie at 7 but the Beavers were int’d a the Cal23 on their first poss then scored td’s on their next 2, punted, then scored td’s on their next 2 poss, punted, then scored a td on their final poss of the half getting a 6 yd pass with :59 left for a 35-7 lead. They scored td’s on 3 of their first 4 2H poss to blow it open 55-14 and after a punt went 40/5pl for a td with 2:24 left showing no mercy to Jeff Tedford in a 62-14 win.

David Fales continued his fine season hitting 25-34-305 yards for San Jose St. BYU QB Riley Nelson did hit 28-51-335, one of his better passing games in his career. If you look at the final stats, BYU had a 422-364 yd edge but SJSt actually scored td’s on their first 3 poss vs an outstanding BYU D. They went 65/4pl with a 51 yd td pass, 75/9pl and then 71/11pl for 3 legitimate long drives to take a 20-0 lead. Their 4th poss went 56/10pl and they were int’d at the 18. SJSt had a 295-140 yd edge at the half and perhaps in more of a protect mode with a 2 td lead, SJS’s offense punted on their five 2H poss and BYU would put together a 38/7pl drive but fumbled at the SJS28, went 51/11pl but was int’d at the 6, went 74/12pl but on 4&gl from the 6 were SOD with 5:10 left. They then went 46/7pl for a 20 yd td pass to get within 6 with 2:36 left, rec’d the onside kick and got to the Spartan 21 with a FD but was sk’d for a 9 yd loss and fumbled and SJSt recovered at the 36 and took a knee 3x.

Ka’Deem Carey rushed for 204 yards for Arizona and Matt Scott returned to the lineup but only hit 12-27 passing for 160 yards and rushed for 74 vs Utah. He had missed the previous game with a concussion. Carey was coming off a week where he had 366 yards and 5 td’s. UA jumped to a 17-7 lead but Utah got a td with 3:45 left in the half to pull to 17-14. UA had a 1st & gl at the Utah7 but Scott fumbled at the end of a 3 yd run and they didn’t score with :12 left in the half. At the half UA had a 301-215 yd edge. Utah took its 2Q poss 57/9 for a 25 yd FG then went 66/7pl for a td and the lead. UA went 75/11pl for a td and the lead. Utah faked a punt on 4&6 and was SOD at its own 41 and 4pl later UA got an 18 8yd td pass to make it 31-24. Utah, down 7, faced a 4&4 at its own 26 with 3:29 left and opted to go for it and gained 3 yds. Five plays later UA tacked on a 24 yd FG with 1:15 left and Utah would get 50 yards on the game’s final 6pl getting to the UA10, down 2 scores.