College Football Awards, Week 8 (2024) October 21, 2024
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, Ball State, Bill O'Brien, Boise State, Boston College, Bret Bielema, Bulldogs, BYU, California, Cardinals, Charlotte, college football, Colorado State, Dan Lanning, Florida State, football, Georgia, Hurricanes, Illinois, Indiana, James Madison, Jeff Brohm, Josh Heupel, Kalani Sitake, Kalen DeBoer, Kennesaw State, Kenny Dillingham, Kentucky, Kirby Smart, liberty, Lincoln Riley, Longhorns, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Miami (Fla.), Mike Gundy, Mike Norvell, Navy, NCAA, NCAA football, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nico Iamaleava, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Red Grange, Rice, Riddell, Rutgers, Shane Beamer, South Caroina, Southern Miss, Steve Sarkesian, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Tulane, UCLA, UNLV, USC, Utah State, Vanderbilt, Wyoming
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Kirby Smart, Georgia
Honorable mention: Josh Heupel, Tennessee
Glad I’m not him: Steve Sarkesian, Texas
Ditto: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
Lucky guy: Kalani Sitake, BYU
Poor guy: Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Shane Beamer, South Carolina
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Lincoln Riley, USC
Desperately seeking … anything: Mike Norvell, Florida State
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Oregon (defeated Purdue 35-0)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Vanderbilt (defeated Ball State 24-14)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Charlotte (lost to No. 25 Navy 51-17)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Rice (lost to Tulane 24-10)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Indiana (defeated Nebraska 56-7)
Dang, they’re good: Georgia
Dang, they’re bad: Kennesaw State
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Texas
Did the season start? Nebraska
Can the season end? Auburn
Can the season never end? Indiana
GAMES
Play this again: No. 5 Georgia 30, No. 1 Texas 15
Play these again, too: No. 11 Tennessee 24, No. 7 Alabama 17
Never play this again: No. 16 Indiana 56, Nebraska 7
What? UCLA 35, Rutgers 32
Huh? No. 11 Tennessee 24, No. 7 Alabama 17
Are you kidding me?? Maryland 29, USC 28
Oh – my – God: No. 5 Georgia 30, No. 1 Texas 15
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 9)
Ticket to die for: No. 8 LSU @ No. 14 Texas A&M
Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four matchup: Oregon State @ California
Best non-Power Four matchup: No. 17 Boise State @ UNLV
Upset alert: No. 24 Navy @ No. 12 Notre Dame
Must win: No. 5 Texas @ No. 25 Vanderbilt
Offensive explosion: New Mexico @ Colorado State
Defensive struggle: Auburn @ Kentucky
Great game no one is talking about: Syracuse @ No. 19 Pittsburgh
Intriguing coaching matchup: Dan Lanning of Oregon vs Bret Bielema of Illinois
Honorable mention: Jeff Brohm of Louisville vs Bill O’Brien of Boston College
Who’s bringing the body bags? Florida State @ No. 6 Miami (Fla.)
Why are they playing? Liberty @ Kennesaw State
Plenty of good seats remaining: Utah State @ Wyoming
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Southern Miss @ James Madison
Week 8 Thoughts:
Last week was a tough act to follow. This week nevertheless delivered some good ones.
Let us address the 900-pound gorilla in the room by taking a look at the Georgia-Texas game. The Longhorns are still good, but the Bulldogs bested them last night anyhow. One takeaway is that neither team was able to handle its opponents’ front seven in the second half. The problem was, Texas was also unable to handle Georgia’s in the first half. Both teams have work to do to improve, with Georgia still probably having the bigger problem to deal with in terms of limitations of their own quarterback. Nevertheless, it was a good game.
Perhaps more of a thriller was Tennessee defeating Alabama at home. Nico Iamaleava seems to have marginally improved from the previous couple of games (he completed a monster pass with 1:33 left in the first half, for example, and made a clutch TD pass with 5:52 left in the game), but the real salvation for Tennessee came in their running game. The tradition of the fans of the winning team lighting cigars materialized in such a way to see a smokey haze ascend out of Neyland Stadium upon the conclusion of the game. As an aside, Alabama is 0-2 against teams from Tennessee this year. That cannot sit well among the Crimson-clad faithful in the Yellowhammer State.
Don’t look now, but Indiana University is now 7-0 after dusting Nebraska 56-7. At this rate, a projected record of 11-1 is not an unreasonable prognostication for the Hoosiers.
In other news, seeing Illinois don their 1920s-era throwback uniforms in honor of the 100th anniversary of Red Grange’s senior season there was a sheer delight to see. Yes, before the Galloping Ghost become the first superstar in the NFL, he was tearing it up on the gridiron for Illinois. Further props to Illinois for being able to recreate the vintage leather helmet graphic pattern on their modern-day Riddells.
Forget the last week’s prognostications: the actual offensive explosion this week turned out to be Miami at Louisville. The No. 6 Hurricanes triumphed in the end, 52-45. Imagine if the Cardinals had a slightly better defense. Not only would the outcome of the game likely been different, but their current record of 4-3 would likely be better as well.
College Football Awards, Week 5 (2024) September 30, 2024
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Air Force, Akron, Alabama, Army, Auburn, Ball State, Boise State, Bowling Green, Brent Pry, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Clemson, college football, Crimson Tide, Florida State, football, Georgia, Greg Schiano, Jalen Milroe, James Madison, Kalen DeBoer, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Kirby Smart, Lance Leipold, Lane Kiffin, Louisville, LSU, Mario Cristobal, Matt Rhule, Miami (Fla.), Navy, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Rutgers, Ryan Williams, SEC, Sooners, Temple, Texas, Texas Tech, Tigers, UConn, Utah State, Virginia Tech, War Eagle
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
Glad I’m not him: Kirby Smart, Georgia
Lucky guy: Mario Cristobal, Miami (Fla.)
Poor guy: Brent Pry, Virginia Tech
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: (inconclusive)
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Greg Schiano, Rutgers
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
Desperately seeking … anything: Lance Leipold, Kansas
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: James Madison (defeated Ball State 63-7)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Oklahoma (defeated Auburn 27-21)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Temple (lost to Army 42-14)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Virginia Tech (lost to No. 7 Miami, Fla. 38-34)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Kansas State (defeated No. 20 Oklahoma State 42-20)
Dang, they’re good: Ohio State
Dang, they’re bad: Buffalo
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Auburn
Did the season start? Ole Miss
Can the season end? Florida State
Can the season never end? Alabama
GAMES
Play this again: No. 4 Alabama 41, No. 2 Georgia 34
Play this again, too: Texas Tech 44, Cincinnati 41
Never play this again: James Madison 63, Ball State 0
What? N/A
Huh? Arizona 23, No. 10 Utah 10
Are you kidding me?? No. 4 Alabama 41, No. 2 Georgia 34
Oh – my – God: Kentucky 20, No. 6 Ole Miss 17
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 6)
Best game of the week: No. 9 Missouri @ Texas A&M
Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four matchup: Syracuse @ No. 25 UNLV
Best non-Power Four matchup: Colorado State @ Oregon State
Upset alert: SMU @ No. 22 Louisville
Must win: No. 12 Ole Miss @ South Carolina
Offensive explosion: Utah State @ Boise State
Defensive struggle: Navy @ Air Force
Great game no one is talking about: Rutgers @ Nebraska
Intriguing coaching matchup: Greg Schiano of Rutgers vs Matt Rhule of Nebraska
Who’s bringing the body bags? No. 15 Clemson @ Florida State
Why are they playing? N/A
Plenty of good seats remaining: Bowling Green @ Akron
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Temple @ UConn
Week 5 Thoughts:
Oklahoma @ Auburn
There are two types of teams that “can’t stand prosperity”. The typical type is one that is on a win streak but then inexplicably loses a winnable game. The atypical type is where a team that has been having a lousy season but then, in one game, is leading as an underdog for most of the 60 minutes, only to blow the lead in the last minutes of regulation.
Clearly Auburn fell into the latter category. Going into the game against Oklahoma at 2-2, they already lost some games that many perceived to be winnable, namely Cal and Arkansas. That losing prompted some in the press to speculate that Auburn football had lost its way.
Yet things seemed to turn around against Oklahoma. The Tigers led most of the game until the Sooners scored at 8:34 in the 4th quarter, made the two point conversion, then broadened their lead to 27-21 when they kicked a field goal with 58 seconds left in the game. Though Auburn got the ball back, that amount of time was not enough for them to go the length of the field.
So, has the War Eagle still “lost its way”? Perhaps, but then again, this is the SEC, which is brutal top to bottom. A potentially more plausible explanation is that Auburn is down in talent during a season when its surrounding competition is especially “up”, from LSU to Georgia, from Alabama to Tennessee. Ole Miss was considered a top ten team prior to their upset loss at home to Kentucky, who in turn got spanked by South Carolina earlier this month.
Can they still turn things around and salvage the season? Anything is possible. The current problem for Auburn is, they have no time to lick their wounds, as the go on the road to Georgia next week. Speaking of…
Georgia @ Alabama
Despite being down 28-0 early in the 2nd quarter to Alabama, Georgia gradually roared back and even briefly led with 2:42 left in the game. Then Jalen Milroe’s 75-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Williams, along with a two-pointer, put the Crimson Tide back on top for good at 41-34.
Does this mean that Georgia’s playoff hopes are dashed on the rocks? Hardly, but they also have one of the toughest schedules of any team in the FBS this year (they still have yet to play Ole Miss, Texas, and Tennessee), and losing to Bama put them in the hole from the outset.
Nevertheless, should they make the playoffs, perhaps next time they’ll know better than to spot a top-ranked team four touchdowns before they decide to start playing football.
2023-2024 Bowl Games Preview December 18, 2023
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: ACC, Alabama, Alamo, Arizona, B1G, Big XII, Brent Musburger, Brian Kelly, Clemson, college, Crimson Tide, Fiesta, football, Georgia, Huskies, Iowa, James Franklin, Jeff Brohm, Jim Harbaugh, Kansas, Kentucky, Lane Kiffin, liberty, Lincoln Riley, Longhorns, Louisville, LSU, Luke Fickell, Michael Penix Jr., Michigan, Missouri, NCAA, Nick Saban, North Carolina, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Orange, Oregon, Oregon State, Pac-12, Penn State, Rose, SEC, Sugar, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Toledo, UNLV, USC, Utah, Washingon, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wolverines, Wyoming
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Bowl game season is now upon us again. While the bulk of the first day of games are not exactly eyeball-grabbing, there are a couple of potential interest, and many more that will keep us glued to the screen over the next couple of weeks. So, without further ado, let us sort out the good, the really good, the so-so, and the downright ugly. Note that the times of games are given in Eastern Standard Time. Note also that not all bowl game are listed below: some are so boring or pointless, it’s a waste to mention them.
Tickets to Die For:
No. 1 Michigan (13-0) vs No. 4 Alabama (12-1) in the Rose Bowl, Jan 1, 5:00 PM ESPN
Let us address the elephant in the room (see what I did there)? This game is going to be epic. Jim Harbaugh leads a Michigan team that is even stronger than the last Wolverine squad that won the national championship (1997). In the opposing corner is Nick Saban’s Alabama team, which has grown stronger and more formidable with each passing week. This game obviously doubles as an intriguing coaching matchup. No, it is not the first time that these coaching legends have faced off, either. The 2020 Citrus Bowl pitted the two together, with the Crimson Tide pounding the Wolverines 35-16. But that was then, this is now. Bama is not quite the juggernaut it was then, but could potentially return to that level. Conversely, the Wolverines are considerably stronger since then, leading to an irresistible force meeting an immovable object. Grab your snack food of choice and leave your belts behind, folks. This one could be a ‘dandy’ to remember in the Granddaddy of Them All! Also, can we please bring Brent Musburger out of retirement for this one?
No. 2 Washington (13-0) vs No. 3 Texas (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl, 8:45 PM ESPN
Let us not overlook this other matchup for the playoffs. In contrast to the above listed playoff game, this one is likely to be high-octane on both sides of the ball. Michael Penix Jr. leads an incredibly potent offense (they took down an incredibly strong Oregon squad not once, but twice with it). Meanwhile, Texas is no offensive slouch, either, with playmakers in their receiving corps that an also light up the scoreboard. Is there a potential mismatch? Sadly, yes, what with the Longhorns’ secondary being a potential gap in their otherwise strong defensive armor. Yet the Horns are bigger up front, on both sides of the ball. That potential for their front seven to make sufficient pass rushes to contain Penix might explain why Texas is favored by four points. Regardless, this matchup has the third-highest over-under of any bowl game this season at 63, and is an obvious double for an offensive explosion.
No. 5 Georgia (12-1) vs No. 6 Florida State (13-0) in the Orange Bowl, Dec. 30, 4:00 ESPN
Perhaps we are to call this the Consolation Bowl? How about the Spurned Contestants Bowl? Both teams had reasonable claims to be in the playoffs, if not the best claims compared to other teams. At any rate, on paper this matchup is very juicy. In reality, things are more complicated (aren’t they always)? The reason why the Seminoles got left out of the playoffs was not due to their record, but rather due to their recent performances. Yes, the reason behind that is a tragic one: their star QB, Jordan Travis, had a season-ending injury, in another illustration of the potential cruelty of November in the college game. Since then, their offensive output has plummeted. This leads me to predict, with a giant asterisk, that the Bulldogs could crush the Seminoles. The asterisk comes in the form of a mitigating factor: how motivated is Georgia to play up to their potential? This is more than a valid concern for college football postseason games in recent years, what with sit-outs (departing seniors not wanting to risk injury and thus risk NFL draft capital), players entering the transfer portal, etc. Perhaps those mitigating factors might even the odds after all.
Best Power Five vs. Non-Power Five Matchup
No. 8 Oregon (11-2) vs No. 23 Liberty (13-0) in the Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 1, 1:00 ESPN
This designation/categorization could not be more obvious. Too bad that the Ducks’ level of competition is orders of magnitude greater than that of the Flames. So, on paper, Oregon might crush Liberty, but it nevertheless could provide a nice laboratory experiment of what happens when a playoff-potential team pits itself against a stronger-than-normal mid-major team. Oh, and with an over-under of 65.5, this clearly doubles as an offensive explosion, too.
Best non-Power Five Matchup:
Toledo (11-2) vs Wyoming (8-4) in the Arizona Bowl, Dec. 30, 4:30 PM ESPN
The MAC champ butts heads with the Mountain West champ. Speaking of lab experiments, this one is interesting, too.
Upset Alerts:
No. 7 Ohio State (11-1) vs No. 9 Missouri (10-2) in the Cotton Bowl, Dec. 29, 8:00 PM ESPN
On paper, the respective rankings alone should make for a good game. But the sit-outs and transfers on Ohio State’s part leaves the game in Mizzou’s favor, but only by 2.5 points. On the other hand, many fans remain skeptical about the Tigers’ actual strength, since many their 10 wins came against under-performers in the SEC East. Can the remaining personnel for the Buckeyes overcome that narrow margin?
No. 22 Clemson (8-4) vs Kentucky (7-5) in the Gator Bowl, Dec. 29, 12:00 PM ESPN
Sure, Clemson has a decent record, but the ACC proved weak this year. Yes, Kentucky took its fair share of lumps, but they did so in the SEC. Do not be surprised if the Wildcats overcome the Tiger’s 5.5 point favoring margin.
No. 16 Notre Dame (9-3) vs No. 19 Oregon State (8-4) in the Sun Bowl, Dec. 29, 2:00 PM CBS
In a rematch of the 2000-’01 Fiesta Bowl (another intriguing coaching matchup that pitted Bob Davie against Dennis Erickson), this time a blowout in Oregon State’s favor is not likely, as Notre Dame is favored by 6.5 points. But this game also pits Marcus Freeman, who has led the Irish to a respectable 9-3 year, against Trent Bray, whose team has performed brilliantly by Oregon State standards. Not only does this double as an intriguing coaching matchup, but one where the strength of the Pac-12 could be a bigger factor than the oddsmakers have initially considered.
Offensive Explosions:
No. 12 Oklahoma (10-2) vs No. 14 Arizona (9-3) in the Alamo Bowl, Dec. 28, 9:15 ESPN
When was the last time we saw a boring Alamo Bowl? Surely this one is likely to be anything but that. Oddsmakers give the over-under for this game at 62.5. On one side of the ball, this is Arizona squad is the strongest it has been since they beat Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl 25 years ago. On the other side is the only team that [barely] took down a tough Texas team. Then again, the Sooners also lost twice to weaker competition. Regardless, their ceiling is/was sky-high. But perhaps not anymore, since their QB, Dillon Gabriel, is now transferring to Oregon. Perhaps that accounts for the Wildcats being favored by three points. After, they have more than held their own in the Pac-12, which in turn has been at its strongest in recent memory.
Kansas (8-4) vs UNLV (9-4) in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Dec. 26, 9:00 PM ESPN
Yes, UNLV has played light years better this season than their typical annual performance. But Kansas has likewise played far more strongly then their respective typical performance, and against stiffer competition. Thus, the Jayhawks are favored by 12.5 points. One of two things could happen; either Kansas barely covers the spread, or, their superior line play truly takes over in the second half, leading to a gradual blowout. The over-under is 64.5, one of the highest of the bowl season, so expect some fireworks.
Georgia Tech (6-6) vs UCF (6-6) in the Gasparilla Bowl, Dec. 22, 6:30 PM ESPN
This game has the highest over-under of them all at 66.5, with UCF favored by 4.5 points. This is another example of two mediocre teams, when pitted against each other, giving fans a good game.
Defensive Struggles:
No. 17 Iowa (10-3) vs No. 21 Tennessee (21) in the Citrus Bowl, Jan. 1, 1:00 ABC
Once again Tennessee plays in their winter home (according to Steve Spurrier), this time against Iowa. The latter has made a name for itself with a stringy defense with hardly any offense. Perhaps this accounts for one of the lowest over-unders of this bowl season at only 36.5. The intriguing question becomes, can a mediocre SEC offense overcome what is considered a strong defense by B1G standards? Conversely, how much of mismatch occurs between a mediocre SEC defense and a pitiful B1G offense? That latter point likely accounts for why the Vols are favored by 8.5 points. That said, a nice bonus is the intriguing coaching matchup between Josh Heupel and Kirk Ferentz.
Great Games no one is Talking About:
California (6-6) vs Texas Tech (6-6) in the Independence Bowl, Dec. 16, 9:15 ESPN
The Independence Bowl is one of those reliable bowls that almost always delivers with a good bowl game. While traditionally a late December bowl game, this time they moved it up to nine days before Christmas. Regardless, when two mediocre teams get together, sometimes a great game happens. The Red Raiders are favored by only 3.5 points, so on paper, this game might deliver, too.
Georgia State (6-6) vs Utah State (6-6) in the Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 23, 3:30 PM ESPN
Speaking of close games going either way, the Panthers will certainly be out of their element playing in Boise, Idaho in late December, but Aggies should feel right at home in those Nordic climes. The latter factor might account for Utah State’s slight favoring by 1.5, but with an over-under at 62.5, hello potential offensive explosion despite the cold!
Miami (FL) (7-5) vs Rutgers (6-6) in the Pinstripe Bowl, Dec. 28, 2:15 PM ESPN
Perhaps the only reason that the Hurricanes are favored by only 1.5 points is because they are not used to playing in chilly NYC winter weather.
Utah (8-4) vs Northwestern (7-5) in the Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 23, 7:30 PM ABC
In what looks like a bargain-basement Rose Bowl (Pac-12 vs B1G), this game could deliver good value nonetheless, if only for the wrong reasons. Utah started off strongly but weakened with injuries, while all of us gave up Northwestern for dead earlier this year, only to see the Wildcats surge down the stretch. That Utah is favored by slightly less than a touchdown is a testament to how much Northwestern has improved throughout the season.
No. 18 NC State (9-3) vs No. 25 Kansas State (8-4) in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Dec. 28, 5:45 PM ESPN
Yes, like the 68 Ventures Bowl, the Pop-Tarts Bowl is actually a thing (played in Orlando, Fla., FYI). The oddsmakers favor Kansas State by three points, implying a close game throughout. The tenacity of both squads assures the reader that it will be hard-fought throughout as well.
Think There is Enough Red and Black?
Arkansas State (6-6) vs Northern Illinois (6-6) in the Camellia Bowl, Dec. 23, 12:00 PM ESPN
The Red Wolves are favored by only 1, with an over-under of 53.5. This is a game that could go either way, and stay close throughout regulation.
Intriguing Coaching Matchups:
James Franklin of No. 10 Penn State (10-2) vs Lane Kiffin of No. 11 Ole Miss (10-2) in the Peach Bowl
Dec. 30, 12:00 PM ESPN
The contrasting styles of these respective coaches notwithstanding, what adds to the intrigue is that Franklin himself used to coach in the SEC, leading Vanderbilt to successes undreamed of in the modern era of college football. On the other side of the ball, Kiffin has led Ole Miss to a solid season, albeit one with an inexplicable loss to Texas Tech early in the season. Perhaps it is Penn State’s consistency that has led the oddsmakers to favor the Nittany Lions in this matchup by 3.5 points.
Jeff Brohm of No. 15 Louisville (10-3) vs Lincoln Riley of USC (7-5) in the Holiday Bowl
Dec. 27, 8:00 PM FOX
Jeff Brohm has certainly made a smash debut in his first year at his alma mater, leading the Cardinals to their first ACC championship game. He faces off against Lincoln Riley, an offensive mastermind who nevertheless has not properly addressed his issues on defense. Oddly enough, even with an underperforming offense, Louisville is still favored by 7.5 points, which leads us to another question: is USC’s defense truly that bad?
Jerry Kill of New Mexico State (10-4) vs Jeff Tedford of Fresno State (8-4) in the New Mexico Bowl
Dec. 16, 6:00 PM ESPN
Jerry Kill has led the Aggies to some amazing, memorable wins this season, and to a rare (for the program) bowl game, one where they are practically on home turf. Meanwhile, Jeff Tedford has brought his unique offensive philosophy into Fresno to help revitalize the Bulldogs. This could likewise be a great game no one is talking about.
Luke Fickell of Wisconsin (7-5) vs Brian Kelly of No. 13 LSU (9-3) in the ReliaQuest Bowl
Jan. 1, 12:00 PM ESPN
It’s a good thing this is an intriguing coaching matchup, because, despite both teams underperforming this year (within the context of their respective capacities, that is), on paper, this game is mismatch. Yes, the last time these two met up was on Sept. 3 of 2016, and the Badgers won that one, 16-14. But these teams are different now. Whereas the Badgers are not as strong as there were then, the Tigers, under Kelly, could be, in time, poised for another championship run. These current trajectories add up to the logic behind LSU being favored by 8.5 points. That aside, what is even more intriguing than the coaching matchup is the pitting of the fan bases. Both sets of fans are the most obnoxious in their respective conferences, so it’s always fun to see them bounce off each other in a game like this!
What Could Have Been
Texas A&M (7-5) vs No. 20 Oklahoma State (9-4) in the Texas Bowl, Dec. 27, 5:30 PM ESPN
If the powers that be at Texas A&M did ax Jimbo Fisher so soon, we could have had one of the most intriguing, entertaining coaching matchups of the season, what with Mike Gundy on the other side of the ball. As things now stand, the Aggies are still favored by two points, which also makes it a great game no one is talking about.
North Carolina (8-4) vs West Virginia (8-4) in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Dec. 27, 5:30 PM ESPN
Speaking of what could have been, remember when North Carolina started out as a top-ten team? Seems like the might have sadly fallen. Now they have to settle to play in their own backyard, and yet, West Virginia is still favored by 6.5 points.
Why Are They Playing?
South Alabama (6-6) vs Eastern Michigan (6-6) in the 68 Ventures Bowl (no, really)
Dec. 23, 7:00 PM ESPN
Looks like a rather even matchup on the surface…until you find out that South Alabama is favored by 15.5.
UTSA (8-4) vs Marshall (6-6) in the Frisco Bowl, Dec. 19 9:00 PM ESPN
The Roadrunners are favored by 12 in this matchup. It might take a monumental effort on Marshall’s part, should UTSA show up in this game staged in the fourth-largest city within the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country.
Ohio (10-2) vs Georgia Southern (6-6) in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, Dec. 16, 11:00 AM ESPN
This game simply has mismatch (in the Bobcats’ favor) written all over it.
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?
Tulane (11-2) vs Virginia Tech (6-6) in the Military Bowl, Dec. 27, 2:00 PM ESPN
So let us get this straight: Tulane has an 11-2 season, and has a team almost as strong as the one that went undefeated in 1998, and yet: Virginia Tech, who was lucky to even qualify for a bowl game this year, is still favored by 7.5 points? To add insult to injury, let us not forget that the ACC is particularly weak with year. Is the American Athletic Conference that much weaker still?
No. 24 SMU (11-2) vs Boston College (6-6) in the Fenway Bowl, Dec. 28, 11:00 AM ESPN
In another head-scratcher, SMU (also in the AAC), who is ranked, plays BC (also in the AAC), in what is the latter’s home turf, in chilly New England winter weather, and yet the Mustangs are still favored by 11 points.
Bowling Green (7-5) vs Minnesota (5-7) in the Quick Lane Bowl, Dec. 26, 2:00 PM ESPN
To quote the great Yogi Berra, “It’s déjà vu all over again”. These same two teams, with the same respective records, played each other in this very same bowl game eight years ago. I can hear FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd mock this matchup and laugh at the irony of it all at the same time.
College Football Awards, Week 11 (2023) November 13, 2023
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Akron, Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Bulldogs, Cardinals, Cavaliers, Curt Cignetti, Duke, Georgia, Georgia State, Illinois, Iowa, James Franklin, James Madison, Jeff Brohm, Jim Harbaugh, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Lance Leipold, Louisville, LSU, Mack Brown, Mario Cristobal, Maryland, Memphis, Miami (FL), Michigan, Mike Elko, Mike Gundy, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, P.J. Fleck, Penn State, Purdue, SMU, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UCF, UCLA, UConn, Utah, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Volunteers, Wisconsin, Wolverines
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Jim Harbaugh*, Michigan
Glad I’m not him: James Franklin, Penn State
Lucky guy: Mack Brown, North Carolina
Poor guy: Mike Elko, Duke
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Lance Leipold, Kansas
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Curt Cignetti, James Madison
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Desperately seeking … anything: P.J. Fleck, Minnesota
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Kansas State (defeated Baylor 59-25)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Wisconsin (lost to Northwestern 24-10)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Stanford (lost to No. 12 Oregon State 62-17)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Virginia (lost to No. 11 Louisville 31-24)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: UCF (defeated No. 15 Oklahoma State 45-3)
Dang, they’re good: Georgia
Dang, they’re bad: Akron
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Oklahoma State
Did the season start? UCLA
Can the season end? UConn
Can the season never end? Alabama
GAMES
Play this again: No. 5 Washington 35, No. 18 Utah 28
Play this again, too: North Carolina 47, Duke 45 (2 OT)
Never play this again: No. 12 Oregon State 62, Stanford 17
What? No. 14 Missouri 36, No. 13 Tennessee 7
Huh? Arizona State 17, UCLA 7
Are you kidding me?? Texas Tech 16, No. 16 Kansas 13
Oh – my – God: UCF 45, No. 15 Oklahoma State 3
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current (week 12)
Ticket to die for: No. 5 Washington @ No. 12 Oregon State
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: none
Best non-Power Five matchup: SMU @ Memphis
Upset alert: Virginia @ Duke
Must win: Nebraska @ Wisconsin
Offensive explosion: UCLA @ USC
Defensive struggle: Illinois @ No. 22 Iowa
Great game no one is talking about: No. 18 Utah vs No. 21 Arizona
Intriguing coaching matchup: Jeff Brohm of Louisville vs Mario Cristobal of Miami (FL)
Who’s bringing the body bags? North Alabama @ No. 4 Florida State
Why are they playing? Georgia State @ No. 19 LSU
Plenty of good seats remaining: Sacred Heart @ UConn
Plenty of good seats remaining, SEC Edition: Vanderbilt @ South Carolina
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Abilene Christian @ Texas A&M
Week 11 Thoughts:
*Penn State vs Michigan
The Wolverines won in convincing fashion against a most worthy opponent, in one of the toughest places to play in the B1G. Moreover, they did it without Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines. Nevertheless, Harbaugh clearly did his part as a head coach throughout the week, as his players were well-prepared. Now, can Michigan appeal the B1G’s hasty ruling in time for Harbaugh to be present at the game for “The Game”?
Louisville vs Virginia
On paper, this game should have been a blowout. But the Cardinals triumphed by only a touchdown. All night long, Louisville’s defense had trouble containing Virigina’s QB. Where did he come from? Was he always the starter, or did he earn the starting job later in the season? Regardless, the Cavaliers must be the best 2-8 team in the country by far…either that, or the Cards took a night off and barely survived to tell about it.
Central Florida vs Oklahoma State
This game shall go down as the worst hangover outcome in living memory. It is also a reminder that the Cowboys have a disturbingly low performance floor.
Georgia vs Ole Miss
Everybody, yours truly including, has been saying that yes, Georgia is clearly a good team, but whom have they played? Well, the Rebels are a legitimately good team; they came into Sanford Stadium….and, the Bulldogs demolished them. It’s nice to see our hunches confirmed that Georgia belongs in the top two.
North Carolina vs Duke
The fabled UNC-Duke rivalry is starting to become more exciting on the gridiron than it is on the hardwood. This one ended with the Tarheels triumphing in 2OT, 47-45.
Looking ahead to Week 12:
SEC:
It’s that unenviable time of year again: the time when SEC teams think that because their regular season schedule is somehow “tougher” than the rest of college football, that they are allowed to play an extra Roast Beef Tech-cream puff each year. That nadir of the season typically occurs in mid-November, and this time is sadly no exception. To wit: Chattanooga plays Alabama; Louisiana-Monroe plays Ole Miss; Georgia State plays LSU; New Mexico State plays Auburn. Snore.
Even Florida State seems to be following the SEC’s irresponsible example and playing, of all teams, North Alabama (Never heard of them before? Join the club.). The over-under for this game should be how many points the Seminoles score on their hapless victims.
Thankfully, and to half the conference’s credit, some SEC teams are actually going to [gasp!] play each other this upcoming week. Tennessee plays Georgia after being unexpectedly battered by Mizzou this week. Speaking of the Tigers, it’s Florida’s turn to get unexpectedly mauled by them. Kentucky also plays South Carolina, in what could be the best SEC matchup of the week, unless the Volunteers find a higher gear they have not yet discovered.
Northwestern vs Purdue
On paper, this game is insignificant, and yet: Northwestern just upset Wisconsin. Purdue just upset Minnesota, and in convincing fashion at that. So, what we have are two teams in a tough conference that have suddenly shown signs of life. This could be one of those “sleeper” matchups that could turn out to be good.
Kansas vs Kansas State
Despite Kansas getting unexpectedly stung by Texas Tech, assuming they pick themselves up after such a stunning upset, this could be the best battle for the Sunflower State in a long, long time.
Maryland vs Michigan
The Wolverines proved that they could more than just survive a game, against a tough opponent, with Harbaugh’s presence on the sideline. Can they survive yet again? If they do, will cracks start to appear in this currently impressive façade?
Georgia vs Tennessee
The Vols picked a bad time to have to lick their wounds after taking a shellacking…against Mizzou.
South Carolina vs Kentucky
The Gamecocks are coming off a blowout win over Vanderbilt. The Wildcats are coming off a beat-down from Alabama. Can Kentucky over their bad momentum and pull out a win, or can South Carolina build further on theirs?
Washington vs Oregon
With so many mismatches on TV this upcoming week, it is nice to see some Pac-12 teams stepping into the breach to fill a void. Get ready for another offensive explosion, in addition to the USC-UCLA rivalry game.
College Football Awards Week 7 (2023) October 19, 2023
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Alabama, Arizona, Army, Ball State, Chuck Martin, Clemson, Colorado, Dan Lanning, Dana Holgorsen, Deion Sanders, Duke, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia State, Houston, Illinois, Jake Dickert, Kalen DeBoer, Kentucky, Lincoln Riley, Louisville, LSU, Marshall, Maryland, Miami (FL), Miami (OH), Neal Brown, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Stanford, Tennessee, Toledo, UMass, USC, Virginia, Washigton State, Washington, West Virginia
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Kalen DeBoer, Washington
Glad I’m not him: Dan Lanning, Oregon
Lucky guy: Dana Holgorsen, Houston
Poor guy: Neal Brown, West Virginia
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Lincoln Riley, USC
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Chuck Martin, Miami (OH)
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Deion Sanders, Colorado
Desperately seeking … anything: Jake Dickert, Washington State
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Penn State (defeated UMass 63-0)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Colorado (lost to Stanford 46-43)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Purdue (lost to No.3 Ohio State 41-7)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Illinois (defeated Maryland 27-24)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Georgia (defeated No. 20 Kentucky 51-13)
Dang, they’re good: Penn State
Dang, they’re bad: Ball State
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Louisville
Did the season start? Colorado
Can the season end? Kent State
Can the season never end? Washington
GAMES
Play this again: No. 7 Washington 36, No. 8 Oregon 33
Never play this again: No. 6 Penn State 63, UMass 0
What? Arizona 44, No. 19 Washington State 6
Huh? Pitt 38, No. 14 Louisville 21
Are you kidding me?? No. 21 Notre Dame 48, No. 10 USC 20
Oh – my – God: Stanford 46, Colorado 43 (2 OT)
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 8)
Ticket to die for: No. 7 Penn State @ No. 3 Ohio State
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: (none)
Best non-Power Five matchup: Toledo @ Miami (OH)
Upset alert: South Carolina @ No. 20 Missouri
Must win: No. 16 Duke @ No. 4 Florida State
Offensive explosion: Miami (FL) @ Clemson
Defensive struggle: No. 17 Tennessee @ No. 11 Alabama
Great game no one is talking about: Marshall @ Georgia State
Intriguing coaching matchup: Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss vs Hugh Freeze of Auburn
Who’s bringing the body bags? Virginia @ No. 10 North Carolina
Why are they playing? Army @ No. 19 LSU
Plenty of good seats remaining: Charlotte @ East Carolina
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Toledo @ Miami (OH)
Week 7 Thoughts:
Washington vs Oregon
When was the last time we got excited about a regular season Pac-12 game? It has been close to two decades. This game pitted two potential playoff contenders against each other. With that much on the line, and talent to spare on both sides of the ball, that typically adds up to a good game.
It did not disappoint. Big plays and high drama abounded, and the game remained close throughout the 60 minutes. One takeaway? Michael Penix Jr. of Washington emerged as the better QB over Oregon’s Bo Nix, who is still very good.
Now that UW has clawed its way up to the No. 5 ranking, can it stay there? Its last four games are against USC, Utah, Oregon State, and Washington State, all presenting their own unique challenges. Let the real games begin.
Notre Dame vs USC
The big takeaway from this game is, USC is not as good as we thought they were, and ND is not as overrated as we thought they were. The Trojans still have not figured out this new thing called a defense, and their offensive business model revolves around exhorting Caleb Williams to go out and create plays out of thin air. Obviously, such a weak business model does not a national championship-caliber team make, and shame on Lincoln Riley for not making these key improvements.
Looking ahead to Week 8:
Ohio State vs. Penn State
Last week, there was hardly a competitive game on at noon. Not this time.
Another epic Big Ten showdown, in Ohio Stadium (the Holy Grail of football for the Midwest, bar none), no less. Better yet, it’s at noon EDT on FOX (meaning, Gus and Joel are on the call). Buckle up.
Alabama vs Tennessee
The Volunteers have been in slow recovery mode since their embarrassing (and frankly, head-scratching) loss at Florida. But now an even bigger, tougher test emerges.
Florida State vs Duke
Duke lost a heartbreaker to Notre Dame just a couple of weeks ago. Now they have an even tougher challenge to face, on the road, no less. We know that they are good. This game will tell us exactly how good (or limited) they are.
USC vs Utah
The classic matchup of an explosive offense meeting a tough defense. Which will win out?
Rivalry games that are anything but this year:
This might include Iowa vs Minnesota. Inexplicably, the Hawkeyes are 6-1 despite having zero offense, while the Gophers are only 3-3. The latter’s mediocre record appears just that, but in reality, the team looks like they are hanging by a thread. Sure, the teams are playing for the Floyd of Rosedale, but can this rivalry dynamic overcome Minnesota’s woes against a stubborn Iowa defense?
Conversely, there is Michigan vs. Michigan State. Historically a big brother vs little brother affair with little brother sometimes besting his seemingly larger sibling, This time, however, it seems as though the former is a giant about to crush a Lilliputian in the latter, who is in a self-inflicted state of disarray.
College Football Awards Week 6 (2023) October 11, 2023
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Air Force, Arizona, Auburn, Ball State, Brent Key, Brent Venables, Craig Bohl, Florida State, Fresno State, Georgia, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Jeff Tedford, Kentucky, Lincoln Riley, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisville, LSU, Mack Brown, Mario Cristobal, Marshall, Miami (FL), Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, San Jose State, Sonny Dykes, Steve Sarkesian, TCU, Texas, Toledo, UCLA, UMass, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Washington, Washington State, Wisconsin, Wyoming
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Brent Venables, Oklahoma
Glad I’m not him: Steve Sarkesian, Texas
Lucky guy: Brent Key, Georgia Tech
Poor guy: Jeff Tedford, Fresno State
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Lincoln Riley, USC
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Craig Bohl, Wyoming
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Mario Cristobal, Miami
Desperately seeking … anything: Sonny Dykes, TCU
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Michigan (defeated Minnesota 52-10)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: USC (defeated Arizona 43-41)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Virginia Tech (lost to No.5 Florida State 39-17)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Arizona (lost to USC 43-41)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Georgia (defeated No. 20 Kentucky 51-13)
Dang, they’re good: Michigan
Dang, they’re bad: Louisiana-Monroe
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Texas
Did the season start? Notre Dame
Can the season end? TCU
Can the season never end? Oklahoma
GAMES
Play this again: No. 12 Oklahoma 34, No. 3 Texas 30
Never play this again: No. 2 Michigan 52, Minnesota 10
What? Georgia Tech 23, No. 17 Miami 20
Huh? UCLA 25, No. 13 Washington State 17
Are you kidding me?? No. 12 Oklahoma 34, No. 3 Texas 30
Oh – my – God: No. 25 Louisville 33, No. 10 Notre Dame 20
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 7)
Ticket to die for: No. 8 Oregon @ No. 9 Washington
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: (none)
Best non-Power Five matchup: Wyoming @ Air Force
Upset alert: Auburn @ No. 23 LSU
Must win: No. 9 USC @ No. 10 Notre Dame
Offensive explosion: No. 17 Miami (FL) @ No. 14 North Carolina
Defensive struggle: Iowa @ Wisconsin
Great game no one is talking about: Marshall @ Georgia State
Intriguing coaching matchup: Mario Cristobal of Miami vs Mack Brown of North Carolina
Who’s bringing the body bags? No. 1 Georgia @ Vanderbilt
Why are they playing? UMass @ No. 6 Penn State
Plenty of good seats remaining: San Jose State @ New Mexico State
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Toledo @ Ball State
Week 6 Thoughts:
Texas vs. Oklahoma
The question on the mind of many football fans lately has been, “is Texas back?”. Well, we sure thought Texas was. They were certainly playing like it. Maybe they still are, but there are clearly some issues that remain to be resolved. Yes, Oklahoma was also ranked, and also undefeated. But the Longhorns were still favored, and given the intensity of this rivalry, losing leaved a feeling of disgust for the defeated team. Did Texas make too many mistakes early in the game? Perhaps. But those mistakes were, by that token, made early in the game, with plenty of game left to overcome them.
A bigger issue? Execution in the red zone. The Sooners made a goal line stand that will go down as part of the lore of this storied rivalry, denying the Longhorns entry into the endzone on four straight plays. Give credit to the Sooners for pulling off the upset. Also give credit to Steve Sarkesian for realizing what still needs work.
Kentucky vs Georgia
Where was this Georgia team the whole year? Apparently sleepwalking through the first five weeks of the season. Kentucky proved to be a more-than-decent team thus far. Yet, when they ventured down to Athens, the sleeping giant awoke. Long story short, Georgia finally decided to start playing football for the first time this year, and demolished a good Kentucky team in the process, 51-13.
Arizona vs USC
Do we get the feeling that USC is playing up, or down, to their competition?
Louisville vs Notre Dame
Notre Dame has proven that they are a good game, and can handle themselves well in big games. Maybe three big games in a row was too much. Either that, or Louisville is that good. Sneaky good, but certainly more than respectable. Every time the Cardinals have been put to the test, they have passed the test. Now, the test they just passed led to one of the program’s top-five all-time greatest wins (along with winning the 1991 Fiesta Bowl; beating No. 5 Florida State in a monsoon in 2002; defeating Florida in the 2013 Sugar Bowl, and beating No. 5 West Virginia in 2006).
Looking ahead to Week 7:
Oregon vs Washington
Next week will be a tough act to follow after this wild weekend. Nevertheless, this game will help determine the eventual champion for the Pac-12, which, safe to say, will be going out on the highest note conceivable. Seriously, has anyone witnessed this conference being this deep? Even Arizona, usually a perennial bottom-feeder in the conference, is competitive.
Which leads us to this game in Seattle. Both teams could make life very hard for most other teams in the top 10 right now. Either team could make a compelling case to be a playoff contender right now. Thus it is a safe bet that we’ll be in a for a ‘dandy’ of a game in Husky Stadium this weekend!
Miami vs North Carolina
This game has huge implications for the eventual ACC championship. The bonus is that coaches Mario Cristobal and Mack Brown will be going head-to-head.
Missouri vs Kentucky
Here is an interesting situation where two good teams are coming off losses and have no time at all to lick their wounds, as both teams see this as an opportunity to ‘get well’ on their respective opponent. Intriguing, no?
Notre Dame vs USC
Fans of the Gold and Blue are now exhorting the Irish to hang in there for one more week, the last game in a brutal schedule stretch, this time against USC. Will the Trojans discover this new thing called a defense? Because playing in South Bend these days is a less-than-ideal place to make that discovery while on the job. Nevertheless, in the meantime, the Trojans’ offense will keep ND’s defense’s collective hands full, so maybe that’s a wash, and thus a good game, after all.
Texas A&M vs Tennessee
Wait, Tennessee is still ranked? Apparently. Now is a good opportunity for them to prove they deserve it, as the Aggies, who narrowly lost to Bama this past weekend, come calling. What will Bobby Petrino have in store for his offense against the Volunteers?
College Football Awards Week 13 (2021) December 3, 2021
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Uncategorized.Tags: AAC, ACC, Alabama, Army, Auburn, B1G, Baylor, Bedlam, Big XII, Bryan Harsin, California, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Crimson Tide, Dana Holgorsen, Egg Bowl, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Houston, Indiana, Iowa, Jeff Monken, Jeff Traylor, Jim Harbaugh, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Luke Fickell, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Nevada, Nick Saban, North Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Paul Chryst, Penn State, Pitt, Pittsburgh, Purdue, rivalry, Ryan Day, SEC, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Tigers, Tom Allen, UConn, USC, Utah, UTSA, Wake Forest, week, Wisconsin
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Glad I’m not him: Ryan Day, Ohio State
Lucky guy: Nick Saban, Alabama
Poor guy: Bryan Harsin, Auburn
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Jeff Monken, Army
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Jeff Traylor, UTSA
Desperately seeking … anything: Tom Allen, Indiana
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Houston (defeated UConn 45-17)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Baylor (defeated Texas Tech 27-24)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Georgia Tech (lost to Georgia 45-0)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Auburn (lost to Alabama 24-22, 4OT)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Kentucky (defeated Louisville 52-21)
Dang, they’re good: Georgia
Dang, they’re bad: Colorado State
Another one bites the dust: UTSA
Did the season start? Wisconsin
Can the season end? Indiana
Can the season never end? Michigan
GAMES
Play this again: No. 5 Michigan 42, No. 2 Ohio State 27
Play this again, too: No. 3 Alabama 24, Auburn 22 (4OT)
Never play this again: Nevada 52, Colorado State 10
What? North Texas 45, No. 22 UTSA 23
Huh? LSU 27, No. 15 Texas A&M 24
Are you kidding me?? Minnesota 23, No. 14 Wisconsin 13
Oh – my – God: No. 5 Michigan 42, No. 2 Ohio State 27
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 13)
Ticket to die for: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 3 Alabama
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: (none)
Best non-Power Five matchup: No. 24 Houston vs. No. 4 Cincinnati
Upset alert: No. 19 Utah vs. No. 11 Oregon
Must win: No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 16 Iowa
They have the same record? USC @ California
Offensive explosion: No. 8 Baylor vs. No. 7 Oklahoma State also: Kent State vs Northern Illinois
Defensive struggle: (none)
Great game no one is talking about: No. 17 Pitt vs. No. 18 Wake Forest
Intriguing coaching matchup: Luke Fickell of Cincinnati vs. Dana Holgorsen of Houston
Week 13 Thoughts:
Rivalry week did not disappoint. Sure, there was the occasional lop-sided outcome (looking your way, IU-Purdue and Kentucky-Louisville, and others, too.), but so many matchups produced so many great games. The Ole Miss-Mississippi State game (the “Egg Bowl”, named after the golden football trophy that has long been dubbed “the golden egg”) on Thanksgiving started things off with a bang. Then on Friday, unranked Nebraska had a chance to knock No. 16 Iowa out of B1G West contention, and came up shy by only a touchdown. Coastal Carolina had to hold off lowly South Alabama: the Chanticleers defeated the Jaguars by only seven points.
On Saturday, even greater action took place. Neither Florida nor Florida State has had much of a season, but they certainly gave fans a good fight in The Swamp, with the Gators winning, 24-21.
But The Game itself delivered. Michigan finally got a major monkey off its back in beating Ohio State for the first time since 2011. With such a rivalry and a game of such high stakes (a conference championship berth and also a potential playoff bid on the line), there was plenty of drama to go around, and all the while, Michigan Stadium was rocking, both during, and very much after the game. The crowd of fans gathered around the FOX crew outside of the stadium post-game rivaled that of crowds at ESPN’s College Gameday, pre-game.
Speaking of the B1G and conference championship berths on the line, Wisconsin had the chance to win Paul Bunyan’s Ax and also to lock up the B1G West by beating Minnesota. PJ Fleck and the boys had other plans. The Golden Gophers won the day, 23-13, and the Ax along with it. That upset made Iowa’s win the previous day all the more significant, as now they’ll represent the B1G West in Indianapolis next weekend.
In a quasi-rivalry game, Michigan State and Penn State duked it out in the snow in a high-scoring slugfest, with the Spartans winning closely, 30-27.
If we are to be reminded of anything, it’s that the Iron Bowl is always a great game, no matter how much one team may struggle and no matter how high the other may be currently flying. Case in point: this year’s Iron Bowl looked like it might have been a lop-sided affair, what with Alabama’s top-five ranking and Auburn not even ranked. But crazy things have happened against the Crimson Tide in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Last night’s game was one of them. Auburn led most of the game in a defensive struggle. Going into the 4th quarter, it was 10-0 in favor of the Tigers. The Tide managed to score 10 points that quarter to tie things up at the end of regulation. It took four overtimes to finally decide the game, with Alabama triumphing in the end. Ironically, it took a hobbled back QB’s understandably limited performance for Alabama to have even a shot at winning this game.
Speaking of getting monkeys off one’s back, Oklahoma State certainly came through against Oklahoma in last night’s edition of the Bedlam Series. In what was a back-and-forth shootout for much of the game, the Cowboys held the Sooners scoreless in the 4th quarter (a considerable stepping up of OK State’s defense), while they themselves scored 14 points to triumph, 37-33.
Other great games took place elsewhere, and it all amounted to a wonderful Rivalry Week that shall no about long be remembered. But now, it is time to look ahead.
Looking ahead to Week 14:
Michigan vs. Iowa in the B1G Championship game (Indianapolis)
This will be a different Big Ten championship game from what we are used to. Reason being, Wisconsin is not in it. Kidding aside, neither is Ohio State or Michigan State. Nope, Michigan crashes the party for the first time, ever, too. I wonder how Iowa’s and Michigan’s bands will sound like when they play the Star Spangled Banner together. It will be a beautiful sound to hear and a sight to behold in any case.
Oh, and all Michigan needs to do is close the deal, and they could make it to the playoffs. No pressure.
Georgia vs. Alabama in the SEC Championship game (Atlanta)
This is Georgia’s opportunity to remind everyone that they are the legit No. 1 team. Conversely, if Alabama has any hopes of crashing the playoffs, they need to get through the Bulldogs in order to attain that prize. Needless to say, that’s a huge ask.
Questions also abound: was the Crimson Tide looking ahead to Georgia, and thus were caught off-guard by sputtering Auburn? Or did Alabama arrive in The Plains with the War Eagle fully on their minds, only to come out flat anyhow, and lucky to escape back to Tuscaloosa with a win? If their underperformance yesterday is any indication, they could wind up as cannon fodder for the Bulldogs.
Conversely, Georgia would be wise to prepare as if they shall be in the fight of their lives, because, well, because Alabama, that’s why.
Baylor vs. Oklahoma State in the Big XII Championship game (Arlington, Texas)
Credit the Big XII with two things: one, they get it right by selecting the contestants for their conference championship game. Forget these silly divisions: simply select the top two best teams, and let them slug it out. Okay, “slug” might be too strong a word since this is the Big XII, which defensively is almost a pillow-fight of a conference (Oklahoma notwithstanding). Nevertheless, the Bears vs. the Cowboys should be a marvelous matchup.
The other thing that the Big XII gets right is selecting the best possible location within their geographic footprint in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. To be sure, the B1G and SEC have gotten it right, respectively, for a long time in that same regard, with the former playing in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy (which is perfect for the B1G), and now Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the SEC in Atlanta (before then, they played in the Georgia Dome: perfect in either case).
Houston vs. Cincinnati in the AAC championship game
When was the last time we all looked forward to the AAC championship game? Perhaps starting now. If you’re not, you should. Cincinnati is undefeated and could earn a coveted playoff berth if they win out. Meanwhile, Houston has but one loss, has played very strongly as of late, and could be a likely spoiler.
No neutral site here: the two teams shall be duking it out in the Bearcats’ home field of Nippert Stadium. As an undefeated team, UC has earned this advantage.
Pittsburgh vs. Wake Forest in the ACC championship game (Charlotte)
What, no Clemson? Correct, no Tigers in this ACC championship. Nevertheless, we ought not to overlook this game, as it too could be a great one, pitting (if you’ll pardon the pun) two teams that are focused and tenacious. Yes, bring out the popcorn for this one, too!
College Football Awards Week 12 (2021) November 24, 2021
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Uncategorized.Tags: Alabama, Arkansas, Army, Auburn, Bedlam, Boise State, Bryan Harsin, Buckeyes, BYU, Cardinals, Cincinnati, Clemson, Cornhuskers, Crimson Tide, Dan Mullen, Duke, Egg Bowl, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Hawkeyes, Houston, Indiana, Iowa, Jeff Traylor, Kansas, Kentucky, Lane Kiffin, liberty, Louisville, Mario Cristobal, Maryland, Mel Tucker, Michigan, Michigan State, Mike Leach, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico State, North Texas, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Old Oaken Bucket, Ole Miss, Oregon, Paul Chryst, Purdue, Rutgers, Ryan Day, San Diego State, Scott Frost, Shane Beamer, Sooners, South Carolina, Steve Sarkesian, TCU, Temple, Texas, UAB, UConn, UMass, UNLV, USC, Utah, UTEP, UTSA, Wake Forest, Wildcats, Wolverines
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Ryan Day, Ohio State
Glad I’m not him: Mel Tucker, Michigan State
Lucky guy: Paul Chryst, Wisconsin; also: Shane Beamer, South Carolina
Poor guy: Scott Frost, Nebraska; also: Bryan Harsin, Auburn
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Dan Mullen, Florida
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Jeff Traylor, UTSA
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Mario Cristobal, Oregon
Desperately seeking … anything: Steve Sarkesian, Texas
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Notre Dame (defeated Georgia Tech 55-0)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: San Diego State (defeated UNLV 28-20)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Duke (lost to Louisville 62-22)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Arkansas (lost to Alabama 42-35)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Ohio State (defeated Michigan State 56-7)
Dang, they’re good: Ohio State
Dang, they’re bad: Temple
Another one bites the dust: Wake Forest
Did the season start? Florida
Can the season end? Texas
Can the season never end? Houston
GAMES
Play this again: No. 15 Wisconsin 35, Nebraska 28
Play this again, too: TCU 31, Kansas 28
Never play this again: No. 1 Georgia 56, Charleston Southern 7
What? Missouri 24, Florida 23 (OT)
Huh? South Carolina 21, Auburn 17
Are you kidding me?? Clemson 48, No. 10 Wake Forest 27
Oh – my – God: No. 23 Utah 38, No. 3 Oregon 7
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 13)
Ticket to die for: No. 4 Ohio State @ No. 6 Michigan
also: No. 13 Oklahoma @ No. 9 Oklahoma State
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: (none)
Best non-Power Five matchup: Boise State @ No. 19 San Diego State
also: Army @ Liberty
Upset alert: Nebraska @ No. 17 Iowa; also: South Carolina @ Clemson
Must win: No. 15 Wisconsin @ Minnesota
They have the same record? Florida @ Florida State
Offensive explosion: No. 13 Oklahoma @ No. 9 Oklahoma State
Defensive struggle: Maryland @ Rutgers
Great game no one is talking about: UTEP @ UAB
Intriguing coaching matchup: Mike Leach of Missisippi State vs Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss
Who’s bringing the body bags? No. 1 Georgia @ Georgia Tech
Why are they playing? No. 24 Houston @ UConn
Plenty of good seats remaining: UMass @ New Mexico State
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? No. 22 UTSA @ North Texas
Week 12 Thoughts:
So here we thought that No. 7 Michigan State lining up against No. 4 Ohio State in The Horseshoe was going to be the barn-burner of the week. Let us all briefly pause while we laugh at ourselves for such an erroneous prognostication. It is not as if the Spartans are a bad team. Nothing could be further from the truth. Rather, the Buckeyes are simply that much better.
Let us put it in greater perspective. Two top-four teams but their opponents senseless, 56-7. One was the aforementioned Buckeyes. The other team was No. 1 Georgia. The latter’s flattened opponent was Charleston Southern (yes, an FCS team), while the former was, again, top-ten Michigan State.
Let us now thus ask ourselves: which of those two wins is [considerably] more impressive? The obvious answer is that for Ohio State, and is thus proof-positive that the Buckeyes are a legit playoff team. All they have to do is close the deal against Michigan in the Big House next week. To be sure, that is not the easiest of tasks, but if they do so, their case should be all the stronger.
Notice that Kansas almost got their second consecutive conference win. Looks like the Jayhawks are no longer the instant win on the schedule that everyone usually hopes to have.
A quick side note: we now have all those pointless body bag games played by SEC teams are behind us now. Thank heavens.
Finally, with Oregon, for all intents and purposes, knocked out of playoff contention, can we* all get over ourselves and acknowledge that Cincinnati belongs in the Top Four for the playoffs?
*By “we”, I really mean the Playoff Committee. Seriously, in light of recent events, Cincinnati belongs in the playoffs. Make it happen, guys.
Looking ahead to Week 13:
Rivalry Week is now upon us. Let us drink it in with full enjoyment.
Indiana @ Purdue
If Purdue wins, at home, to their traditional rival, they shall accomplish two things. For one, they reclaim the Old Oaken Bucket trophy (fun fact: that bucket was found on a farm in the same county where I graduated from high school) But more importantly, they shall finish the regular season with eight wins for the first time since 2006. Not a bad consolation prize to shoot for, given that Purdue is out of contention for the BIG West division.
Penn State @ Michigan State
Not a traditional, bitter rival, you observe? Okay, not in the strictest sense. Bu-ut, anytime two tough Big Ten teams get together, it becomes a rivalry in the moment. This should be a great game in any case, so let us enjoy it accordingly.
Alabama @ Auburn
This was going to be a great game. Probably not now, though, in light of Auburn coming up short at South Carolina. If the Tigers have the same offensive miscues against the Crimson Tide, Alabama will crush them without remorse. More the pity, too, for a good Iron Bowl is always a hallmark of a memorable Rivalry Week.
Houston @ UConn
Not so much a rivalry game, this is a weird juxtaposition for the head coach – in this case, Dana Holgorsen – of a non-Power Five team having to play the role of pitiless executioner during Rivalry Week, as it’s almost a given that Houston shall demolish the Huskies.
Nebraska @ Iowa.
Do not let the lop-sided matchup of records fool you. Yes, Nebraska is unranked at 3-8, whereas Iowa is no. 17 with a 9-2 record. But the Cornhuskers lost to Wisconsin on the road by only a touchdown in yet another heartbreaker for them. Anyone who has witnessed Nebraska’s performance these past several weeks would notice a team that has become increasingly strong, and could possibly flip the script at home this Friday.
Georgia @ Georgia Tech
This used to be a decent rivalry game. Not right now, though. If Notre Dame managed to crush Georgia Tech 55-0, what is an even tougher team in Georgia going to do to them?
Louisville @ Kentucky
Louisville lost a heartbreaker to a down Clemson team earlier this month. Immediately afterwards, they bounced back and played “on fire”. Meanwhile, Mark Stoops is coaching one of the strongest Kentucky teams in recent memory. The Cardinals seem to have peaked just in time to give the Wildcats a tough game in Lexington. We shall see.
BYU @ USC
Wait, doesn’t that matchup sound like a bowl game? That’s how good it sounds on paper. Too bad that, in reality, USC sports an anemic 4-6 record. The game could still be interesting regardless.
Ole Miss @ Mississippi State
With so many rivalry games already, it might be easy to overlook this one. If so, one would deny oneself a great game. So many memorable “Egg Bowl” games capped off my family’s Thanksgiving Day evenings in style, and this one could be a ‘dandy’ among the others in this longstanding rivalry. Lane Kiffin’s Rebels are currently ranked no. 8 in the AP poll, while Mike Leach’s Bulldogs can take down a stronger team at a moment’s notice should the latter ever let down its guard. Be sure to make this game part of your Thanksgiving tradition!
Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State
Notwithstanding the Sooner’s loss to Baylor on the road two weeks ago, the Sooners are still a tough team. The catch is, this time, Oklahoma State could be better still. On top of that, the game takes place in Stillwater this time. So sit back and enjoy another memorable game in the Bedlam Series!
Ohio State @ Michigan
There’s a reason this storied rivalry is simply called “The Game”. And this time, The Game should live up to its storied hype. Michigan is officially out of its head-scratching slump from the previous couple of seasons, playing back up to the potential a Jim Harbaugh-coached team should possess. Out of the opposing corner, Ohio State is currently playing like yet another Playoff-contending team, and carries all the legitimate prowess that comes with that well-earned status. A worthy challenger on its home field ties to knock off the playoff-ranked team: let The Game begin.
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