College Football Awards, Week 9 (2024) October 27, 2024
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Aggies, Air Force, Akron, Alabama, Army, Boise State, Boston College, Bret Bielema, Brian Kelly, Broncos, Buckeyes, Central Michigan, Chris Klieman, Cincinnati, Clemson, college football, Colorado, Cornhuskers, Dabo Swinney, Derek Mason, Ducks, Duke, Eastern Michigan, Florida State, football, Garrett Nussmeier, Happy Valley, Houston, Illinois, Jake Dickert, Jamey Chadwell, Jeff Brohm, Kansas, Kansas State, Kennesaw State, Kentucky, Lance Leipold, liberty, Louisville, LSU, Maine, Matt Rhule, Miami (Fla.), Middle Tennessee, Mike Elko, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Missouri, NCAA football, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, P.J. Fleck, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Ryan Day, San Diego State, SEC, SMU, South Carolina, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Tigers, UMass, UNLV, USC, Utah, UTEP, Vanderbilt, Washington, Washington State
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Mike Elko, Texas A&M
Glad I’m not him: Brian Kelly, LSU
Lucky guy: Chris Klieman, Kansas State
Poor guy: Lance Leipold, Kansas
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Ryan Day, Ohio State
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Jake Dickert, Washington State
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Jamey Chadwell, Liberty
Desperately seeking … anything: Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Miami (defeated Florida State 36-14)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Ohio State (defeated Nebraska 21-17)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Missouri (lost to No. 15 Alabama 34-0)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Vanderbilt (lost to No. 5 Texas 27-24)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Pittsburgh (defeated Syracuse 41-13)
Most improved from previous week: Nebraska
Dang, they’re good: Oregon
Dang, they’re bad: Central Michigan
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Liberty
Did the season start? LSU
Can the season end? Mississippi State
Can the season never end? Texas A&M
GAMES
Play this again: No. 14 Texas A&M 38, No. 8 LSU 23
Play this again, too: No. 17 Boise State 29, UNLV 24
Never play this again: No. 15 Notre Dame 51, No. 25 Navy 14
What? Houston 17, Utah 14
Huh? Akron 25, Eastern Michigan 21
Are you kidding me?? No. 14 Texas A&M 38, No. 8 LSU 23
Oh – my – God: Kennesaw State 27, Liberty 24
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 10)
Ticket to die for: No. 4 Ohio State @ No. 3 Penn State
Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four matchup: (they are all bad)
Best non-Power Four matchup: Jacksonville State @ Liberty
Upset alert: No. 10 Texas A&M @ South Carolina
Must win: No. 18 Pittsburgh @ No. 20 SMU
Offensive explosion: TCU @ Baylor
Defensive struggle: Kentucky @ No. 7 Tennessee
Great game no one is talking about: USC @ Washington
Intriguing coaching matchup: PJ Fleck of Minnesota vs Bret Bielema of Illinois
Honorable mention: Jeff Brohm of Louisville vs Dabo Swinney of Clemson
Who’s bringing the body bags? Air Force @ No. 21 Army
Why are they playing? Maine @ Oklahoma
Plenty of good seats remaining: Middle Tennessee @ UTEP
Plenty of good seats remaining, B1G edition: Northwestern @ Purdue
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? UMass @ Mississippi State
Week 9 Thoughts:
Thursday gave us a surprising upset in Kennesaw State, winless up to that point upsetting Liberty. Indeed, the Flames picked up their first loss of the season. Given how lopsided the matchup was on paper, that clearly merits this game as the biggest upset of the week.
Then Friday gave us two very engaging games, one wherein Louisville managed to gradually gnaw away at BC’s lead to where they eventually triumphed, 31-27, on the road, no less.
Later that night, the grandest Non-Power Five clash of the week occurred with UNLV taking on Boise State, wherein the Broncos had to fight hard to fend off the Runnin’ Rebels, 29-24.
Nebraska @ Ohio State
What to make of this game? A couple of weeks ago, Ohio State was considered a major favorite to win the national title. Then they lost to Oregon, on the road, in Autzen Stadium, which is a tough place to play and even tougher if it is a team’s first time there. But they still looked like playoff contenders.
Then, the Buckeyes had a bye week to lick their wounds before taking on Nebraska at home. While the Cornhuskers are no chump team, they are no Oregon or Georgia. Ohio State only scored 21 points against them, and the Huskers even led for 4:39 in the 4th quarter.
So what to make of all this? One can boil it down to two potential explanations. The first: the Cornhuskers have drastically improved under Matt Rhule as the season has progressed, especially within the past couple of weeks. At the same time, Ohio State is showing regression at running the ball and on the offensive line, and they had to extend themselves to beat a decent team.
The second potential explanation: Nebraska may have considerably improved, but they are not world-beaters. Ohio State got caught in a trap game while too many on the team were looking past the Huskers in anticipation of taking on Penn State in Happy Valley next week.
Occam’s razor, to which I generally subscribe, would suggest the latter. But seriously, if the Buckeyes are serious about giving the Nittany Lions their first “L” of the season, they need to work on their running game and their line play.
Illinois @ Oregon
The outcome of the Ducks defeating the Illini at home was hardly in doubt. Oregon got that job done and then some, 38-9. Nevertheless, Illinois put up a valiant effort in the process. Yet one cannot help but wonder as to why such a considerable loss only knocked Illinois down five positions, at the most, in the latest rankings. Yes, the Illini are still a good team, but after losing that badly yet to stay ranked (from about No. 19 to No. 24) is quite likely more of a commentary on the high esteem the voters have towards Oregon and less of the regard they may have for Illinois, which clearly has not diminished much, and rightly so.
LSU & Texas A&M
The SEC evening game on ABC certainly did not disappoint. But one of the biggest upsets of the week did occur, where the Aggies triumphed over the Tigers, 38-23. LSU was the higher-ranked team going in, and could have won. So what happened? Simply put, LSU’s QB play went South. Yes, Garrett Nussmeier did throw for 405 yards and two touchdowns. But he also threw three interceptions, all of which were at very inopportune times. It leads us to the biggest takeaway of the game, that Brian Kelly needs a better QB if he wants to take LSU to the promised land.
Elsewhere:
One more interesting aspect to Week 9 was that a cluster of close, competitive games happened late at night. Colorado continues to surge under Coach Prime after a sluggish start to the season, defeating Cincinnati 34-23. Kansas and Kansas State slugged it out in a classic rivalry clash. Though the latter’s record is vastly superior to that of the former, you could barely tell that last night, as the Wildcats had to fight hard to come back against the Jayhawks, 29-27. Duke took SMU not only down to the wire, but into OT, and even then, the Mustangs only won by a point, 28-27. Out on the west coast, Washington State, who quietly grows stronger by the week, had to stage a 4th-quarter comeback over visiting San Diego State. It was a good week, and a unique one at that.
College Football Awards, Week 7 (2024) October 14, 2024
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Alabama, Arizona State, Army, Ball State, Billy Napier, Boilermakers, Boilers, Brent Venables, Bret Bielema, Brian Kelly, Buckeyes, Buffaloes, California, college football, Colorado, Crimson Tide, Dan Lanning, Deion Sanders, Ducks, Florida, football, Gamecocks, Georgia, Hawkeyes, Illini, Illinois, Iowa, Jedd Fisch, Jeff Brohm, Josh Heupel, Justin Wilcox, Kalen DeBoer, Kansas State, Kenny Dillingham, Kyle Whittingham, Longhorns, Louisville, LSU, Mario Cristobal, Miami (Fla.), Mississippi State, Missouri, NCAA, New Mexico, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Red River, Ryan Day, Ryan Walters, San Jose State, SEC, Sooners, South Carolina, Sports, Stanford, Steve Sarkesian, Sun Devils, Tennessee, Texas, Tigers, Trent Dilfer, UAB, UConn, UMass, USC, Utah, Utah State, UTEP, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Wake Forest, Washington, Wyoming
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Steve Sarkesian, Texas
Honorable mention: Dan Lanning, Oregon
Glad I’m not him: Brent Venables
Ditto: Ryan Day, Ohio State
Lucky guy: Bret Bielema, Illinois
Poor guy: Ryan Walters, Purdue
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Jedd Fisch, Washington
Desperately seeking … anything: Trent Dilfer, UAB
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Army (defeated UAB 44-10)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Georgia (defeated Mississippi State 41-31)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: UMass (lost to No. 25 Missouri 45-3)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Purdue (lost to No. 23 Illinois 50-49)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Iowa (defeated Washington 40-16)
Dang, they’re good: Texas
Dang, they’re bad: UMass
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Utah
Did the season start? Washington
Can the season end? UTEP
Can the season never end? Oregon
GAMES
Play this again: No. 3 Oregon 32, No. 2 Ohio State 31
Play these again, too: No. 8 Tennessee 23, Florida 17
No. 4 Penn State 33, USC 30
No. 7 Alabama 27, South Carolina 25
No. 13 LSU 29, No. 9 Ole Miss 26
Never play this again: No. 11 Notre Dame 49, Stanford 7
What? Arizona State 27, No. 16 Utah 19
Huh? Iowa 40, Washington 16
Are you kidding me?? No. 13 LSU 29, No. 9 Ole Miss 26
Oh – my – God: No. 3 Oregon 32, No. 2 Ohio State 31
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 8)
Ticket to die for: No. 5 Georgia @ No. 1 Texas
Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four matchup: Wake Forest @ UConn
Best non-Power Four matchup: UNLV @ Oregon State
Upset alert: No. 11 Notre Dame @ Georgia Tech
Must win: No. 7 Alabama @ No. 11 Tennessee
Offensive explosion: New Mexico @ Utah State
Defensive struggle: UCLA @ Rutgers
Great game no one is talking about: Nebraska @ No. 16 Indiana
Intriguing coaching matchup: Josh Heupel of Tennessee vs Kalen DeBoer of Alabama
Honorable mention: Jeff Brohm of Louisville vs Mario Cristobal of Miami
Who’s bringing the body bags? No. 2 Oregon @ Purdue
Why are they playing? Ball State @ Vanderbilt
Plenty of good seats remaining: Kennesaw State @ Middle Tennessee
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Wyoming @ San Jose State
Week 7 Thoughts:
We said, on this blog, that this week was going to be grand. Not to be self-congratulatory in the least, but we were more right than we realized.
This week was one of the most epic for college football in ages. To wit:
Friday evening started the weekend off interestingly, delivering an upset of No. 16 Utah at the hands of unranked Arizona State. Lesson learned: take the Sun Devils lightly at one’s own peril.
South Carolina, battered by Ole Miss the week prior, came off the mat to threaten Alabama within an inch of its life, taking the Crimson Tide down to the wire and losing only 27-25. Had the Gamecocks not botched a two-point conversion attempt, it is unlikely that Bama could have escaped intact.
Texas avenged its unexpected loss from last year, trouncing Oklahoma gradually over the course of 60 minutes of play, triumphing most convincingly 34-3. The Sooners’ only three points came early in the first quarter before the Longhorns’ defense and offense settled into their respective rhythms. In the process of this most ripping victory, Texas has, for now, vindicated its current standing as the No. 1 team in the nation.
Even the lesser-regarded teams got in on the act and delivered incredible games in their own right. Cal ventured across the country to Pittsburgh, and gave a valiant effort, only losing 17-15 to the No. 22 Panthers. Despite the loss, I am left convinced that Justin Wilcox is the best coach nobody has heard of.
Iowa decided to find this new thing called an offense, and blew out an unsuspecting Washington squad at home, 40-16. This blew more than a few minds, given that the Hawkeyes have been in more than a few defensive struggles as of late.
Purdue, earning its reputation as a punching bag, what with its hitherto dismal performances, suddenly found an offense as well. The timing was perfect, since the Boilermakers have become Illinois’ nemesis or sort in recent years. The Boilers took the 23rd-ranked Illini into overtime before coming up short in an expected thriller, 50-49.
Louisville, having had something of a “Virginia problem” as of late, likewise rebounded after a tough loss to SMU and picked up the win on the road, in comeback fashion, no less.
Penn State ventured out to Los Angeles to take on USC in the Coliseum. The legendary venue showed up beautifully on TV, what with a packed house creating a “sea of cardinal”; the east stands decked out in full Trojans banner-regalia; the 4th quarter tradition of the lighting of the Olympic torch; it all blended together as a symphonic feast for the eyes. Better yet, the game surpassed the outward aesthetics. The Trojans came through on big plays to maintain a lead most of the game. But the Nittany Lions are nothing if not tenacious, gnawing away at the opposition throughout regulation, waiting to capitalize on the inevitable mistake. Penn State’s comeback was enough to take the game into OT, where they won by a field goal. On a grander scale, such a thriller of a game personified the amazing potential of new conference matchups made possible by the recent west coast additions to the B1G. Yes, it still feels like we’re in the Twilight Zone with the Big Ten having expanded this way, but such games make question whether being in such a “Zone” is so bad after all.
All these games listed, and we still have yet to note the night game thrillers!
To start off that segment, Tennessee finally got a major money off its back by defeating Florida in a close one, 23-17. Pundits have speculated on the inconsistent offensive output on the Volunteers’ part since they beat Oklahoma earlier this season. While those concerns are not unfounded, what made this game more of a nailbiter than considered ‘on paper’ is that Florida continues to improve as a team under the much-maligned Billy Napier. Perhaps giving Napier the ax so soon would be unnecessarily hasty. Regardless, the Volunteers have little time to celebrate, as the Crimson Tide comes calling next week. That matchup between Tennessee and Alabama shall be easily the most epic clash of those two teams in easily 30 years, if not more.
In another massive game, LSU took on Ole Miss in Death Valley. The level of play and intensity of rivalry directly harkened back to the high-stakes matchups between the two teams of the late 1950s when legendary coaches Paul Dietzel and Johnny Vaught helmed the respective squads. The Tigers’ huge, come-from-behind win is no doubt a monkey off Brian Kelly’s back, who still has yet to prove himself to everyone’s satisfaction in the most brutal of conferences.
Finally, the perhaps the biggest thriller of them all took place in Eugene, where No. 2 Ohio State ventured out to the west coast to take on conference newcomer, No. 3 Oregon. Not only was this matchup massive on paper, but teams’ performances lived up to the hype. In the end, the Ducks overcame the Buckeyes thanks to the latter’s clock mismanagement in the final seconds. But to zoom out the proverbial lens, this game’s outcome is not the end, only the beginning. Between the new 12-team playoff format, and the reformatted conference championship, if the two teams continue to live up to their potential, it is very likely their paths may cross again. Should that come to pass, perhaps that should favor the Buckeyes, who now have luxury to examine what went wrong and to take corrective action in anticipation of the next time. But in the meantime, they had better prepare to meet still-undefeated Penn State come Nov. 2.
Finally, Deion Sanders & CO (see what I did there?) delivered a highly competitive night cap. Seriously, the game kicked off at 8:15 local [Mountain] time: who in their right mind starts a game that late? Say what you want about Coach Prime, but after the first few games which were a comedy of errors, the team has suddenly gotten serious, having steadily improved during the last few games. This improvement has developed to the point where they almost triumphed, on the road, over consistently tough No. 18 Kansas State. Let us not give the Buffaloes up for dead yet, as they have a slate of challenging but winnable games throughout the remainder of their schedule.
College Football Awards, Week 4 (2024) September 23, 2024
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Air Force, Akron, Alabama, Appalachian State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, BYU, Chris Klieman, Cincinnati, Clark Lea, college football, Eliah Drinkwitz, Georgia, Houston, Illinois, James Madison, Josh Heupel, Kalen DeBoer, Kansas, Kansas State, Kent State, Kirby Smart, Lincoln Riley, Louisville, LSU, Mack Brown, Major Applewhite, Matt Rhule, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Mizzou, NC State, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Penn State, South Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC, Vanderbilt, Wyoming
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Josh Heupel, Tennessee
Glad I’m not him: Lincoln Riley, USC
Lucky guy: Eliah Drinkwitz, Mizzou
Poor guy: Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Chris Klieman, Kansas State
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Major Applewhite, South Alabama
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Matt Rhule, Nebraska
Desperately seeking … anything: Mack Brown, North Carolina
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Penn State (defeated Kent State 56-0)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Texas A&M (defeated Bowling Green 26-20)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Akron (lost to South Carolina 50-7)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: UCLA (lost to LSU 34-17)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Cincinnati (defeated Houston 34-0)
Dang, they’re good: Miami (Fla.)
Dang, they’re bad: Appalachian State
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Kansas State
Did the season start? Kansas
Can the season end? North Carolina
Can the season never end? Tennessee
GAMES
Play this again: No. 18 Michigan 27, No. 11 USC 24
Play this again, too: Utah 22, Oklahoma State 19
Never play this again: No. 9 Penn State 56, Kent State 0
What? No. 24 Illinois 31, No. 22 Nebraska 24
Huh? Buffalo 23, No. 23 Northern Illinois 20
Double-Huh? No. 18 Michigan 27, No. 11 USC 24
Are you kidding me?? James Madison 70, North Carolina 50
Oh – my – God: BYU 38, Kansas State 9
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 5)
Ticket to die for: No. 2 Georgia @ No. 4 Alabama
Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four matchup: Northern Illinois @ NC State
Best non-Power Four matchup: Fresno State @ UNLV
Upset alert: No. 19 Illinois @ No. 9 Penn State
Must win: No. 15 Louisville @ No. 16 Notre Dame
Offensive explosion: South Alabama @ No. 14 LSU
Defensive struggle: Air Force @ Wyoming
Great game no one is talking about: No. 20 Oklahoma State @ No. 23 Kansas State
Intriguing coaching matchup: Kalen DeBoer of Alabama vs Kirby Smart of Georgia
Who’s bringing the body bags? Mississippi State @ No. 1 Texas
Why are they playing? Holy Cross @ Syracuse
Plenty of good seats remaining: New Mexico @ New Mexico State
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Wagner @ Florida Atlantic
Week 4 Thoughts:
Offensive explosions are usually the hardest game to predict. No matter how one formulates the prediction, it has the least likelihood of coming true. The reason I bring this up is because this past week did not give us only one, or two, but several. Perhaps the most prominent – and inexplicable — was where James Madison beat North Carolina, 70-50, an outcome so embarrassing on the latter’s part that Mack Brown even suggested resigning after sustaining such a loss. But the day had offensive explosions elsewhere, too, if not quite as egregious. Clemson beat NC State, 59-35; Navy defeated Memphis 56-44; Monmouth upset Florida International, 45-42. Finally, out on the west coast, Washington State held on in two overtimes to defeat San Jose State, 54-52. Has there ever been such a horrible day to be a defensive coordinator?
USC @ Michigan
Typically when these two teams have played each other, it is in the Rose Bowl, and not just the stadium, but the actual “Granddaddy of Them All”. This time, the Trojans ventured into Ann Arbor, Mich, to take on the Wolverines. Such amazing new matchups in hitherto atypical settings are now a hallmarks of the newly expanded Big Ten. USC caused everyone to take notice during their win over LSU at the beginning of the season. The game lived up to its hype in every way, with Michigan pulling off the upset win.
Three takeaways from this game: Michigan, despite rebuilding, still has a strong defense. Granted, Texas made mincemeat of them a couple of weeks earlier, but now they are starting to play to form.
Second, Michigan might be rebuilding to an extent. Jim Harbaugh is no longer there. But they have been wise to emulate Harbaugh’s winning business model of a run-oriented offense and gritty, disciplined defense. Thus, they are in a position to continue to be a force in the conference foreseeably. Also, USC’s season is far from over. They can still climb their way back into playoff contention, with a partly favorable schedule paired with enough very good teams at home (Penn State and Notre Dame) to appear credible in the eyes of the football pollsters.
Georgia Tech @ Louisville
The Yellowjackets proved they are a dangerous team with some of their previous wins this season. That is why Louisville demonstrated – for now – that they deserve their current ranking of No. 15, despite a few unforced errors throughout the game. But while their win over Georgia Tech was a nice one, they must work extra-hard to prevent such unforced errors this week, as they play Notre Dame in what could be one of the best games of Week 5.
Tennessee @ Oklahoma
The Volunteers proved that they are the real deal. Not only did they win on the road in a hostile environment, but their winning score of 25-15 understates the way they gradually dominated as the game progressed. The most decisive factor of the game was Tennessee’s dominant front seven, which shut down the Sooners’ running game (OU managed only 33 total yards on the ground). While Tennessee’s rushing attack only added up to 59 yards, that is still better for one. But for another, that left both teams to rely more on the pass, wherein the Vols proved to be more adept.
Key takeaways: the fact that OU held Tennessee to only 25 points speaks well to their defensive talent and valiant efforts, and other teams in the conference should take notice, including Texas three weeks hence.
Also, the Volunteers passed a key test, but arguably tougher tests remain, as they are scheduled to play both Alabama and Georgia later in the year, giving us more memorable games to which to look forward. But the potential is nevertheless there to be one of the greatest Volunteer teams ever, should they live up to it.
Looking ahead:
No. 20 Oklahoma State @ No. 23 Kansas State
Two good teams coming off losses now go head-to-head. Nothing like two good teams butting heads who are hungry to avenge the previous week’s losses: this could be a good one.
No. 15 Louisville @ No. 16 Notre Dame
Ironically, this could be Notre Dame’s biggest test yet, as Texas A&M proved to be a bit overrated as the season began.
No. 2 Georgia @ No. 4 Alabama
Let’s be honest: we live for matchups like these. Adding additional intrigue is Georgia likely keen to avenge their loss to the Tide in the playoffs last year.
College Football Awards, Week 12 (2023) November 22, 2023
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: ACC, Alabama, Appalachian State, Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, B1G, Billy Napier, BYU, Clemson, Colorado, Cyclones, Deion Sanders, Duke, East Carolina, Eliah Drinkwitz, Florida, Georgia, Hawai'i, Hugh Freeze, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, James Madison, Jeff Brohm, Jeff Traylor, Jerry Kill, Jonathon Brooks, Kalen DeBoer, Kansas, Kansas State, Kyle Whittingham, Lance Leipold, liberty, Longhorns, Louisville, Mark Stoops, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, NC State, Nebraska, New Mexico State, North Carolina, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Purdue, Qwinn Ewers, Ryan Walters, South Carolina, Tarheels, Tennessee, Texas, Tulane, Tulsa, Utah, UTEP, UTSA, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Washington, Washington State, Wolfpack, Wyoming
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Kalen DeBoer, Washington
Glad I’m not him: Lance Leipold, Kansas
Lucky guy: Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri
Poor guy: Billy Napier, Florida
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Deion Sanders, Colorado
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Jeff Traylor, UTSA
Also: Jerry Kill, New Mexico State
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Hugh Freeze, Auburn
Desperately seeking … anything: Ryan Walters, Purdue
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Alabama (defeated Chattanooga 66-10)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Oklahoma (defeated BYU 31-24)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Hawai’i (lost to Wyoming 42-9)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Maryland (lost to No. 3 Michigan 31-24)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Arizona (defeated No. 22 Utah 42-18)
Dang, they’re good: Oregon
Dang, they’re bad: Purdue
Can’t Stand Prosperity: James Madison
Did the season start? North Carolina
Can the season end? Auburn
Can the season never end? Georgia
GAMES
Play this again: No. 5 Washington 22, No. 11 Oregon 20
Play this again, too: No. 21 Kansas State 31, No. 25 Kansas 27
Never play this again: No. 8 Alabama 66, Chattanooga 10
What? Appalachian State 26, James Madison 23, OT
Huh? Virginia 30, Duke 27
Are you kidding me?? Clemson 31, No. 20 North Carolina 20
Oh – my – God: New Mexico State 31, Auburn 10
Told you so: No. 16 Iowa 15, Illinois 13
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current (week 13)
Ticket to die for: No. 2 Ohio State @ No. 3 Michigan
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: none
Best non-Power Five matchup: UTSA vs No. 24 Tulane Also: Jacksonville State @ NM State
Upset alert: South Carolina @ Clemson
Must win: Washington State @ No. 5 Washington
Offensive explosion: No. 11 Oregon State @ No. 6 Oregon
Defensive struggle: No. 16 Iowa @ Nebraska
Great game no one is talking about: North Carolina @ NC State
Intriguing coaching matchup: Jeff Brohm of Louisville vs Mark Stoops of Kentucky
Honorable Mention: Deion Sanders of Colorado vs Kyle Whittingham of Utah
Who’s bringing the body bags? No. 17 Arizona @ Arizona State
Why are they playing? Liberty @ UTEP
Plenty of good seats remaining: Tulsa @ East Carolina
Plenty of good seats remaining, B1G Edition: Indiana @ Purdue
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Vanderbilt @ Tennessee
Week 12 Thoughts:
Maryland vs Michigan
The Terrapins played the Wolverines reasonably close, losing by only a touchdown, 31-24. Is this close score on account of the matchup being a trap game for Michigan? They just came off a big win in Happy Valley, and must now prepare for “The Game”. If the matchup against Maryland does not scream “trap game”, what does? Moreover, did Jim Harbaugh’s absence hurt Michigan’s performance that much? Or, were the Wolverines simply playing their cards close to the vest, without giving away any major secret plays, while executing a very conservative game plan? I personally suspect the latter.
Miami (FL) vs Louisville
The Cardinals, by the hardest, pulled off a win in Miami. Mirabile dictu, in his first year at the helm at Louisville, Jeff Brohm has clinched a spot in the ACC championship game against Florida State.
Auburn vs New Mexico State
In the O-M-G upset of the year, the Aggies (the ones in Las Cruces, not College Station) have defeated the Tigers 31-10. Surely this is the greatest win in the history of the program for New Mexico State, and surely this is Auburn’s most ignominious loss in at least, say, 45 years.
Iowa State vs Texas
In the upset alert that was not, the Longhorns proved many a doubter wrong and triumphed, fairly convincingly, in Ames. Texas’ recent loss of running back Jonathon Brooks to an ACL tear last week seemed to doom their running game. The two most recent games indicated inconsistencies in their offense overall. The Cyclones’ defense was known to be stingy, especially at home. On top of all that, the weather for this game was colder than what the Longhorns are used to back in Austin. And yet, the Horns still proved the doubters wrong. This time, there was no close call. QB Qwinn Ewers executed more consistently than in the past couple of games, the running game was still there, and the defense made some big plays when needed. Make no mistake: winning by 10 points in Ames in the latter part of November is a rather impressive feat.
Northwestern vs Purdue
Leave it to Purdue to find new ways to disappoint its fans. This team could not even beat a mediocre Northwestern team. Is it too early to speculate that Ryan Walters is Darrell Hazell 2.0? Conversely, the Wildcats, whom everyone gave up for dead earlier in the season, is now bowl-eligible.
Looking ahead to Week 13:
(Yay, it’s Rivalry Week!)
Michigan vs Ohio State
A.K.A., “The Game”. It all comes down to this. Or does it? The winner is in the driver’s seat for the playoffs. Too bad the B1G has not yet wised up and allowed the two teams with the best records in the conference to play each other for a matchup.
Purdue vs Indiana
Meanwhile, it’s a race to the bottom in the B1G as the two play for the Old Oaken Bucket.
Louisville vs Kentucky
The Wildcats have had the recent upper hand in the Governor’s Cup rivalry, winning the last four. Having just clinched a berth in the ACC championship, the Cardinals’ Jeff Brohm is surely out to make a statement and halt that trend.
Oregon vs Oregon State
This could be one of the hardest-fought, high-scoring “Civil Wars” of recent memory. Buckle up, and enjoy!
Illinois vs Northwestern
The Wildcats, now with six wins, are technically bowl-eligible. The Illini are now fighting for bowl-eligibility, and this is their last chance. Such is a great example of two mediocre teams pitted together can make for a potentially great game.
South Carolina vs Clemson
Speaking of fighting for bowl eligibility, the Gamecocks, sitting at 5-6, are in the same position as Illinois, though they are have a tougher task to make it to the six-win mark, since they face the Tigers.
That said, having passed something of a test against Kentucky, perhaps South Carolina might now pass a slightly harder one.
NC State vs North Carolina
No doubt that the Tarheels did not predict they would be sitting at only 8-3 at this point. Oddly, the Wolfpack has the same current record. Moreover, how ironic is it that, going into this game, NC State is the ranked team?
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 10 (2023) November 6, 2023
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Air Force, Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Army, Brian Kelly, Cal, Caleb Williams, Cardinals, Chris Klieman, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, Cowboys, Dino Babers, Duke, East Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Georgia State, Huskies, Illinois, Indiana, James Madison, Jedd Fisch, Jeff Brohm, Kansas State, Kirby Smart, Lane Kiffin, Longhorns, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, LSU, Luke Fickell, Maalik Murphy, Marcus Freeman, Matt Rhule, Memphis, Michael Penix Jr., Michigan, Middle Tennessee, Mike Gundy, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nick Saban, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, P.J. Fleck, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Sam Houston State, Sooners, South Carolina, South Florida, Steve Sarkesian, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas, Texas State, Trojans, Tulane, Tulsa, UConn, UNLV, USC, Utah, Vanderbilt, Wildcats, Will Howard, Wisconsin, Wyoming
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Nick Saban, Alabama
Honorable mention: Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Glad I’m not him: Brian Kelly, LSU
Lucky guy: Steve Sarkesian, Texas
Poor guy: Chris Klieman, Kansas State
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Jedd Fisch, Arizona
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame
Desperately seeking … anything: Dino Babers, Syracuse
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Oregon (defeated Cal 63-19)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Tulane (defeated East Carolina 13-10)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Purdue (lost to No. 3 Michigan 41-13)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: East Carolina
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: James Madison (defeated Georgia State 42-14)
Dang, they’re good: Alabama
Dang, they’re bad: Arizona State
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Air Force
Did the season start? Oklahoma
Can the season end? Middle Tennessee
Can the season never end? Oregon
GAMES
Play this again: No. 22 Oklahoma State 27, No. 9 Oklahoma 24
Play this again, too: Memphis 59, South Florida 50
Never play this again: No. 17 Tennessee 59, UConn 3
What? Army 23, No. 25 Air Force 3
Huh? Arizona 27, No. 24 UCLA 10
Are you kidding me?? No. 22 Oklahoma State 27, No. 9 Oklahoma 24
Oh – my – God: Clemson 31, No. 15 Notre Dame 23
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current (week 11)
Ticket to die for: No. 3 Michigan @ No. 11 Penn State
Honorable Mention: No. 10 Ole Miss @ No. 3 Georgia
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: none
Best non-Power Five matchup: Wyoming @ UNLV
Upset alert: No. 17 Tennessee @ No 12 Missouri
Must win: No. 17 Tennessee @ No 12 Missouri
Offensive explosion: No. 20 USC @ No. 6 Oregon
Defensive struggle: Pittsburgh @ Syracuse
Great game no one is talking about: Texas State @ Coastal Carolina
Intriguing coaching matchup: Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss vs Kirby Smart of Georgia
Who’s bringing the body bags? Tulsa @ No. 21 Tulane
Why are they playing? UConn @ James Madison
Plenty of good seats remaining: Sam Houston State @ Louisiana Tech
Plenty of good seats remaining, SEC Edition: Vanderbilt @ South Carolina
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Holy Cross @ Army
Week 9 Thoughts:
Oklahoma State vs Oklahoma
The Bedlam Series went to hiatus on a high note in Stillwater. Plenty of drama, mistakes, and big plays to go around on both sides of the ball, with the Cowboys, in the end, giving their hated rival a massive sewage burger to eat as the Sooners are departing for the SEC next year. It is the sort of game fans would dream of to transpire in T. Boone Pickens Stadium.
Texas vs Kansas State
This game was the week’s upset alert, and the suspicion almost came true. Granted, the Longhorn’s backup QB Maalik Murphy is but a freshman, but one cannot thrown even two INTs against a tough team like Kansas State and expect to win the game. And yet, Texas did, by the hardest. It helped that the defense came through with the game on the line in OT, making a key stop on 4th down with a sack to KSU QB Will Howard. It also helped that Texas did a decent job of establishing the running game through stretches of the game, with 230 yards and two rushing touchdowns. But going forward, Murphy needs to work on his completion percentage and turnover prevention.
Tennessee vs UConn
Looks like the Volunteers got their annual November SEC body bag game in early this year, since most of the rest of the conference will be getting theirs in come the 18th instead. Commendably, on that day, Tennessee plays Georgia, so at least there will be one game in the SEC worth seeing that weekend.
Louisville vs Virginia Tech
Granted that the Hokies are not very strong this year, but it is impressive nevertheless how the Cardinals demolished them all the same. It is shaping up to be one memorable year as Jeff Brohm’s inaugural season as head coach of his alma mater.
USC vs Washington
That a memorable shootout occurred in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is no surprise. That Trojans QB Caleb Williams was not able to win despite a nearly-flawless performance was tragic. We can blame USC’s inept defensive coordinator for the bulk of the losses up to now, but this time, to be fair, it is hard to overcome the formidable Huskies QB Michael Penix Jr.
Other games:
One thing to notice was the small upsets throughout the Big Ten this week. Indiana upset Wisconsin at home; Illinois pulled out a win on the road against Minnesota; and Michigan State, despite their self-inflicted disarray, managed to upset Nebraska. What does one want to bet that one of those losing teams anticipated taking home an “L” that week? Looks like Luke Fickell, P.J. Fleck, and Matt Rhule are also looking for sunglasses and a fake beard right now.
Looking ahead to Week 11:
Penn State vs Michigan
The Wolverines roll into Happy Valley to take on the Nittany Lions. This will be Michigan’s first real opportunity to prove they belong in the top three, if not the No. 1 spot.
Tennessee vs Missouri
This game could determine the solid No. 2 in the SEC East after clear leader Georgia.
Georgia vs Ole Miss
This is the other “ticket to die for” of the upcoming week. The Rebels have quietly worked their way up the rankings to No. 10. Granted, there is often a considerable discrepancy in talent between teams of those respective rankings, but this will be a good test for both squads.
Utah vs Washington
As good as Utah’s defense is, it will likely be not enough to contain Washington’s offense.
Oregon vs USC
Poor USC. First they lose a heartbreaking shootout at home to Washington, now they have to travel up to Eugene, where their defense is likely to receive its worse pommeling yet (and that’s saying something). But now that Lincoln Riley has axed his feckless DC Alex Grinch, perhaps the Trojans’ D might see some gradual improvement.
Duke vs North Carolina
One of the most venerable rivalries in the ACC is about to commence its latest football edition. With two good teams this time around, it’s likely to be a good one.
College Football Awards Week 9 (2023) November 2, 2023
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Aggies, Akron, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Brent Venables, Brian Kelly, Clemson, Cougars, Dabo Swinney, Dan Lanning, Dana Dimel, Ducks, Duke, East Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Houston, Indiana, Jacksonville State, James Madison, K.C. Keeler, Kalen DeBoer, Kansas, Kansas State, Kent State, Kyle Whittingham, Lance Leipold, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nick Saban, North Carolina, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rich Rodriguez, Sam Houston State, SMU, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Tulane, Tulsa, UCLA, UConn, USC, Utah, UTEP, Utes, Wake Forest, Washington
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Dan Lanning, Oregon
Honorable mention: Lance Leipold, Kansas
Glad I’m not him: Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Lucky guy: Dana Dimel, UTEP
Poor guy: K.C. Keeler, Sam Houston State
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Kalen DeBoer, Washington
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Rich Rodriguez, Jacksonville State
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Brent Venables, Oklahoma
Desperately seeking … anything: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Florida State (defeated Wake Forest 41-16)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Washington (defeated Stanford 42-33)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Michigan State (lost to No. 2 Michigan 49-0)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Indiana (lost to No. 10 Penn State 33-24)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Kansas State (defeated Houston 41-0)
Dang, they’re good: Oregon
Dang, they’re bad: Tulsa
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Oklahoma
Did the season start? North Carolina
Can the season end? Sam Houston State
Can the season never end? Louisville
GAMES
Play this again: Kansas 38, No. 6 Oklahoma 33
Never play this again: SMU 69, Tulsa 10
What? Northwestern 33, Maryland 27
Huh? Arizona 27, No. 11 Oregon State 24
Are you kidding me?? Georgia Tech 46, No. 17 North Carolina 42
Oh – my – God: Kansas 38, No. 6 Oklahoma 33
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 10)
Ticket to die for: No. 13 LSU @ No. 8 Alabama
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: Jacksonville State @ South Carolina
Best non-Power Five matchup: South Alabama @ Troy
Upset alert: No. 25 Kansas State @ No. 7 Texas
Must win: No. 10 Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State
Offensive explosion: No. 5 Washington @ No. 24 USC
Defensive struggle: Arkansas @ Florida
Great game no one is talking about: No. 23 James Madison @ Georgia State
Intriguing coaching matchup: Nick Saban of Alabama vs Brian Kelly of LSU
Who’s bringing the body bags? Purdue @ No. 2 Michigan
Why are they playing? UConn @ No. 19 Tennessee
Plenty of good seats remaining: Kent State @ Akron
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Campbell @ North Carolina
Week 9 Thoughts:
Kansas vs Oklahoma
Was this the only competitive game for this weekend’s noon EDT time slot? Not quite. Penn State vs Indiana, far from the “body bag game” it could have been on paper, was incredibly competitive until the past few minutes of the game. This particular game, though, was competitive throughout, with Kansas surprisingly leading the bulk of the time, and, even more so, surprisingly winning. Was this a trap game for the Sooners? Were they thinking about playing their hated in-state rival, Oklahoma State, the following week? That would not be logical. At this point, the Jayhawks are a stronger team than the Cowboys, so the recipe for a trap game does not come together for this head-scratcher of an upset, but signature win for the program under Lance Leipold.
Utah vs Oregon
The Utes may have hitherto passed numerous tests, but not this one. Oregon clearly had the winning formula to exploit what very few weaknesses Utah’s proven defense had, and the final score proved it, 35-6, in Rice-Eccles Stadium, of all places. Furthermore, the Ducks are not going away anytime soon. Already having clawed their way back to the No. 6 spot in the AP polls, this apparent second wind could carry them to an epic clash for the Pac-12 championship.
Texas vs BYU
In contrast to Oklahoma’s close call against UCF last week wherein this week they clearly did not bounce back, Texas clearly did over BYU after their close call last week at Houston. Or did they? A 35-6 triumph over the Cougars should be as convincing as any on paper, given the consistent discipline and tenacity of the visiting team. Yet concerns remain: the Longhorns’ red zone inconsistencies persist. Most disturbing was their inability to punch it in from the goal line on a particular drive, a carbon-copy scenario of point off the board against hated OU in Dallas just a few weeks earlier. Above all else, Texas needs to fix their goal line offensive woes if they have any aspirations for the playoffs.
Louisville vs Duke
Nobody is going to dispute that Duke is a very respectable team, never to be taken lightly, and only narrowly missing a chance to beat Notre Dame a few weeks prior. Yet the Cardinals demolished the Blue Devils anyhow. Even notwithstanding the trap game loss at Pittsburgh, it is amazing the team that Jeff Brohm has built in his inaugural season coaching his alma mater, a squad that is already beyond bowl-eligible. A winnable stretch of three games remains, then they close out the season with a potential slugfest against in-state rival Kentucky. This is a team worth keeping one’s eye on as high-stakes November approaches.
Looking ahead to Week 10:
South Carolina vs Jacksonville State
The Gamecocks have struggled mightily this year, and now, an intriguing test approaches. Is Jacksonville State that good at 7-2, or have their seven wins come from Group-of-Five cupcakes? This game will be an interesting test of respective strengths. Also intriguing: the Gamecocks will be playing the Gamecocks.
Ole Miss vs Texas A&M
The Aggies’ offense has been up and down this year. If it is up for this game, this could be a potentially high-scoring game.
Texas vs Kansas State
Sure, Texas just notched a convincing win, but the Wildcats just mauled the other Cougars (Houston), 41-0. Now would be a good time for the Longhorns to fix their goal line offensive woes, or they had better be prepared to be upset at home.
Oklahoma State vs Oklahoma
The Badlam Series game comes early this year. The Sooners might come into Stillwater with a renewed focus after being blindsided by Kansas this past weekend. At the same time, the Cowboys are slightly down from previous strong years. It might not be a pretty sight for the Cowboys.
Tulane vs East Carolina
The Green Wave and the Pirates have polar-opposite records (7-1 and 1-7), respectively. When was the last time that Tulane could be enjoying a body bag game?
Alabama vs LSU
Brian Kelly’s Bayou Bengals take on Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. What more do we need to add to convince ourselves that this is likely the game of the week?
USC vs Washington
Get ready for some offensive fireworks, West Coast-style.
Arizona vs UCLA
The Wildcats have already knocked off ranked teams back-to-back. Can they three-peat?
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.
College Football Week 11 Awards (2021) November 14, 2021
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Uncategorized.Tags: ACC, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, B1G, Baylor, Big XII, Bryan Harsin, Buckeyes, C-USA, Cincinnati, Clemson, Dana Holgorsen, Florida, Georgia, Houston, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, James Franklin, Jayhawks, Jim Harbaugh, Kansas, Kentucky, liberty, Longhorns, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, Luke Fickell, Matt Campbell, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Pac-12, Penn State, Pittsburgh, SEC, Shane Beamer, SMU, Sonny Cumbie, Sonny Dykes, South Alabama, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Steve Sarkesian, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UConn, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Glad I’m not him: James Franklin, Penn State
Lucky guy: Sonny Cumbie, Texas Tech
Poor guy: Matt Campbell, Iowa State
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Shane Beamer, South Carolina
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Dana Holgorsen, Houston
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Bryan Harsin, Auburn
Desperately seeking … anything: Steve Sarkesian, Texas
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Alabama (defeated New Mexico State 59-3)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Florida (defeated Samford 70-52)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: UConn (lost to Clemson 44-7)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Kansas (defeated Texas 57-56)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Louisville (defeated Syracuse 41-3)
Dang, they’re good: Ohio State
Dang, they’re bad: South Alabama
Another one bites the dust: Oklahoma
Did the season start? Florida
Can the season end? Indiana (also: Texas)
Can the season never end? Baylor
GAMES
Play this again: No. 6 Michigan 21, Penn State 17
Play this again, too: No. 15 Ole Miss 29, No. 11 Texas A&M 19
Never play this again: No. 2 Alabama 59, New Mexico State 3
What? Mississippi State 43, No. 17 Auburn 34
Huh? No. 15 Ole Miss 29, No. 11 Texas A&M 19
Are you kidding me?? No. 13 Baylor 27, No. 8 Oklahoma 14
Oh – my – God: Kansas 57, Texas 56 (OT)
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 12)
Ticket to die for: No. 7 Michigan State @ No. 4 Ohio State
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: (none)
Best non-Power Five matchup: SMU @ No. 5 Cincinnati; also: Louisiana @ Liberty
Upset alert: Nebraska @ No. 18 Wisconsin; also: No. 3 Oregon @ No. 24 Utah
Must win: No. 7 Michigan State @ No. 4 Ohio State; also: Texas @ West Virginia
They have the same record? Florida @ Missouri
Offensive explosion: No. 10 Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech
Defensive struggle: Illinois @ No. 20 Iowa
Great game no one is talking about: Virginia @ No. 21 Pittsburgh
Intriguing coaching matchup: Luke Fickell of Cincinnati vs Sonny Dykes of SMU
Who’s bringing the body bags? Charleston Southern @ No. 1 Georgia
Why are they playing? Prairie View A&M @ No. 11 Texas A&M
Plenty of good seats remaining: Southern Miss @ Louisiana Tech
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? New Mexico State @ Kentucky; also: Wofford @ North Carolina
Week 11 Thoughts:
Lots of great games and lots of head-scratchers for week 11. On one hand, we were treated to great games such as Michigan @ Penn State, then Texas A&M @ Ole Miss in the evening. But we also saw a number of games that left us scratching our heads. Not the least of the latter was Texas’ shocking loss to Kansas, at home. Apparently, the defense decided to take the night off, allowing the Jayhawks to score a total of 57 points in the game, and to snap Kansas road losing streak in the conference that began back in 2008. No, really. Even Steve Sarkesian acknowledged that the Longhorns played a bad first half of football, spotting KU three touchdowns before they decided to start playing in earnest. It is quite clear where he needs to make adjustments both now and in the offseason.
That aside, Michigan is playing incredibly well right now: this is easily their best team since 2016. Ohio State is also playing up to their potential. No “Spoilermakers” for Purdue yesterday, but in all fairness, it was too much to ask them to pull off two massive upsets in back-to-back weeks. Moreover, the talent gap was too much to overcome for Purdue, as the Buckeyes were firing on all eight cylinders and demonstrated that they belong in the playoff discussion.
As for the No. 1 team, Georgia demonstrated their continued worthiness of their current top ranking by beating – in methodical yet convincing fashion – an increasingly formidable Tennessee squad.
Looking ahead to Week 12:
It’s the time of year again. This time around, week 13 will be Rivalry Week. That means that the week before then, week 12, will have lots of games that, frankly, should not even be on the schedule. The SEC is the worst offender at this, scheduling body bag games that are ludicrous on the very surface of things. To be sure, some already had their easy-gimmies this week, and they have seized the opportunity to play more worthy opponents. Case in point, Alabama plays No. 25 Arkansas, in what could amount to a decent game. Also, and oddly, Missouri and Florida, who unbelievably have identical records at 5-5, play each other this weekend in what could be a competitive game, even though, on paper, it shouldn’t be. South Carolina might be a relatively weak team in the conference, but at least they are playing Auburn.
But then there are the clear mismatches. The wrinkle this year is that some look even on paper because of similar records, but the reality is, the talents gaps are a mile wide. This includes by Louisiana-Monroe playing LSU, and South Alabama playing Tennessee, and Prairie View A&M plays Texas A&M. Tennessee State plays Mississippi State as well. In each of these cases, the question “why are they playing” practically screams in our minds. If that is not enough, New Mexico State, at 1-9, plays Kentucky, in what is perhaps the most lop-sided matchup of all that week, save for Charleston Southern – of all teams – playing No. 1 Georgia. If they Bulldogs are serious about remaining at the top of the heap, perhaps they could do better than schedule a cupcake team so late in the year. Indeed, much of the SEC could do better in that regard, and should.
Meanwhile, the B1G gets a pass. No body bag game for those teams, they keep playing other teams within their conference. Purdue plays Northwestern; Rutgers plays Penn State; Illinois plays Iowa; Michigan plays Maryland; Minnesota plays Indiana; Nebraska plays Wisconsin. Best of all, Michigan State plays at Ohio State in what is clearly the game of the week.
Similar credit is due to the Big XII teams that are playing each other this upcoming week, as well as to the Pac-12, American Conference, C-USA, Mountain West, and Sunbelt teams who do the same, respectively. The ACC teams also deserve credit for keeping up the conference schedule, save for one or two (looking your way North Carolina: you can do better than play Wofford).
intellectualgridiron 