College Football Week 14 Awards December 7, 2015

A game where Michigan State was favored turned into a low-scoring, high-drama nail-biter that the Spartans had to win to earn their spot in the Playoffs.  (Photo:  Aaron Doster, USA Today Sports)

(Note:  All rankings are current CFP [week 14] unless otherwise noted.)

COACHES

Wish I were him: Mark Dantonio, Michigan State

Glad I’m not him: Rod Carey, Northern Illinois

Lucky guy: Bill Snyder, Kansas State

Poor guy:  Art Briles, Baylor

Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Willie Fritz, Georgia Southern

Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Rocky Long, San Diego State

Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Art Briles, Baylor

Desperately seeking … anything:  Dennis Franchione, Texas State

TEAMS

Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Troy (defeated Louisiana-Lafayette 41-17)

Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Baylor (see below)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Texas State (lost to Arkansas State 55-17)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t:  Texas (see below)

Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did:  Georgia State (defeated Georgia Southern 34-7)

Dang, they’re good: Stanford

Dang, they’re bad:  Louisiana-Lafayette

Can’t Stand Prosperity:  Baylor

Did the season start? Baylor

Can the season end?  Texas State

Can the season never end?  Clemson

GAMES

Play this again:  No. 5 Michigan State 16, No. 4 Iowa 13

Play this again, too:  No. 1 Clemson 45, No. 10 North Carolina 37

Never play this again: Troy 41, UL-Lafayette 17

What? Georgia State 34, Georgia Southern 7

Huh?  Kansas State 24, West Virgina 23

Are you kidding me?  No. 4 Michigan State 16, No. 4 Iowa 13

Oh – my – God:  Texas 23, No. 12 Baylor 17

NEXT WEEK

Only one game, and it is the annual Army vs. Navy game. God Bless America!

Week 14 Random Thoughts:

Order seems to have triumphed over chaos this week.

Exhibit A: Michigan State vs. Iowa. What should have been a fete accompli for the Spartans turned out to be a knock-down, drag-out, high-drama affair. While that might not have been good for Sparty Nation’s collective ticker, it was certainly great for TV and for fan of good football nationwide. Plus, in the end, Michigan State triumphed, as well they should have, and have now earned their rightful place in the CFB Playoffs.

Exhibit B: Top-ranked Clemson had to work very hard to fend off a hungry, formidable North Carolina squad (no, really!). Despite the Tarheels threatening to win the contest at different points throughout the game, in the end, the Tigers triumphed by the equivalent of a touchdown and a two-point conversion. The Tigers are no in position to win their first national championship since 1981, when Danny Ford was the head coach.*

*But first, they must win their playoff semi-final game. Still, they’re in the Playoffs.

Exhibit C: Despite USC’s strong performance in recent weeks with new coach Clay Helton at the helm, Stanford played to form and potential, and won strongly over the recently formidable Trojans.

Exhibit D: The AAC championship game between Houston and Temple was poised to be one for the ages, at least within the context of the conference. The Owls, historically a gutter program, have become a respected team under head coach Matt Rhule. Let us not forget that they took Notre Dame to the wire this year. In the other corner was Houston, who became surprisingly formidable this year under head coach Tom Herman. While it was certainly a possibility that the No. 22-ranked Owls could have won the game, the No. 19-ranked Houston reigned victoriously in the end, 24-13, in a score somewhat commensurate with the respective rankings, if not a little biased towards the Cougars’ side.

Exhibit E: Given recent team performances over the past, say, three years, one would think that the SEC Championship game between Alabama and Florida would have been a rout in favor for the Crimson Tide. But first-year coach Jim McElwain has turned the Gators around to respectability already, allowing many to believe that the Tide’s triumph was not necessary a given. But was good as No. 15 Florida was, and as valiant as the team’s effort was, No. 2 Alabama won in convincing fashion, 29-15.

The verdict:  With no major upsets for the top-ranked teams, no major chaos ensured for the CFP selection committee. Clemson, Alabama, and Michigan State all passed their tests, and now — along with Big XII champ Oklahoma — they will proceed to the playoffs, where they shall truly play for keeps.