College Football Awards, Week 13 (2023) November 30, 2023
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: ACC, Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, B1G, Big XII, BYU, C-USA, Cal, CHip Kelly, Coastal Carolina, Colorado, David Braun, Deion Sanders, Drake Maye, Georgia, Hugh Freeze, Iowa, James Madison, Jim Harbaugh, Kirby Smart, Louisville, MAC, Mack Brown, Miami (OH), Michigan, Mike Gundy, Nevada, Nick Saban, North Carolina, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Pac-12, Ryan Day, SEC, Steve Sarkesian, Texas, Toledo, UCLA, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wolverines, Wyoming, Zak Zinter
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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: Hugh Freeze, Auburn
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Mack Brown, North Carolina
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: David Braun, Northwestern
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Chip Kelly, UCLA
Desperately seeking … anything: Deion Sanders, Colorado
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Arizona (defeated Arizona State 59-23)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Alabama (defeated Auburn 27-24)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Nevada (lost to Wyoming 42-6)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: BYU (lost to Oklahoma State 40-34)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: James Madison (defeated Coastal Carolina 56-14)
Dang, they’re good: Michigan
Dang, they’re bad: Nevada
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Louisville
Did the season start? North Carolina
Can the season end? Colorado
Can the season never end? Texas
GAMES
Play this again: No. 3 Michigan 30, No. 2 Ohio State 24
Play this again, too: No. 8 Alabama 27, Auburn 24
Never play this again: Virginia Tech 55, Virginia 17
Huh? Cal 24, No. 24 UCLA 7
Are you kidding me?? Kentucky 38, No. 10 Louisville 31
Oh – my – God: No. 3 Michigan 30, No. 2 Ohio State 24
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current (week 14)
Ticket to die for: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Alabama in the SEC championship game
Best non-Power Five matchup: New Mexico State vs No. 24 Liberty in the C-USA champ. game
Upset alert: No. 14 Louisville vs. No. 4 Florida State in the ACC championship game
Must win: No. 18 Oklahoma State vs. No. 7 Texas in the Big XII championship game
Offensive explosion: No. 5 Oregon vs No. 3 Washington in the Pac-12 championship game
Defensive struggle: No. 2 Michigan vs No. 16 Iowa in the B1G championship game
Great game no one is talking about: Miami (OH) vs Toledo in the MAC championship game
Intriguing coaching matchup: Steve Sarkesian of Texas vs Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State
Also: Kirby Smart of Georgia vs Nick Saban of Alabama
Week 13 Thoughts:
This rivalry week yielded so many great, close, nail-biting games. So many near-upsets that did not quite materialize, that no doubt tantalized many fanbases who were hoping that a key loss here and there would have bolstered the case for their team making it to the playoffs. Some random thoughts:
Michigan vindicated themselves against Ohio State. The Game itself was one that lived up the hype, as both worthy teams fought hard. At many moments, the game could have gone in different directions, but in the end, Michigan had to rally past a devastating injury of one of their own, Zak Zinter. Such a disaster clearly demoralized every Wolverine faithful in the Big House. What was amazing was that the team itself dragged itself up off the canvas, and once play resumed, on the very next play, they scored a touchdown. Rarely does even a talented team such as Michigan show such resilience. Should they win the upcoming B1G championship game in Indianapolis (now with Jim Harbaugh back on the sidelines), few teams shall have demonstrated that they belong in the playoffs as this Wolverine squad has.
North Carolina ended on a very low note. A team that started off so strongly and with such promise ended up sputtering at the end, losing to an in-state (practically cross-town) rival in NC State. Surely Mack Brown, let alone senior QB Drake Maye, did not envision losing the last four of six games this regular season.
Auburn had a golden opportunity to upset hated Alabama, at home. They had nothing to lose, and played like it for most of the game. They only lost the game in the end on a 4th-and-goal at the 31 yard line (no, really). Clearly Auburn squandered this incredible opportunity to shut down the Tide when they rushed only two defenders, and kept a third as a “spy”. In end, we saw example no. 236 of how the only thing that the “prevent defense” prevents is the implementer from winning the game. Translation: Auburn should have rushed at least a couple more men, obviously. Looks like Hugh Freeze’s defensive coordinator might be desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard along with UCLA’s Chip Kelly this week.
On to the Championship Week, and afterwards, let the endless playoff debates continue to a greater degree than they have already.
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 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 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 Week 8 Awards (2021) October 25, 2021
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Akron, Alabama, Appalachian State, Arizona, Arkansas, Army, Auburn, Badgers, Baylor, Brett Bielema, Bronco Mendenhall, Buckeyes, BYU, Clark Lea, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, Crimson Tide, Dave Doeren, Ed Orgeron, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Hawkeyes, Hoosiers, Hurricanes, Huskies, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, James Franklin, Jedd Fisch, Jeff Traylor, Jim Harbaugh, Jimmy Lake, Kansas, Kentucky, Lane Kiffin, Lincoln Riley, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, LSU, Mark Stoops, Mel Tucker, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Michigan State, Mike Leach, Mississippi State, NC State, Nebraska, Nittany Lions, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Old Dominion, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Sean Clifford, SMU, Spartans, Tennessee, Texas, Texas State, UCLA, UMass, UTSA, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Volunteers, Wake Forest, Washington, Wisconsin, Wolverines
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
Glad I’m not him: Ed Orgeron, LSU
Lucky guy: Jimmy Lake, Washington (hon. mention: Brett Bielema, Illinois)
Poor guy: Jedd Fisch, Arizona (hon. mention: James Franklin, Penn State)
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Jeff Traylor, UTSA
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Dave Doeren, NC State
Desperately seeking … anything: Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Arkansas (defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 45-3)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Oklahoma (defeated Kansas 35-23)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: UMass (lost to Florida State 59-3)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Kansas (lost to No. 3 Oklahoma 35-23)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Ohio State (defeated Indiana 54-7)
Dang, they’re good: Alabama
Dang, they’re bad: Vanderbilt
Can’t Stand Prosperity: NC State
Did the season start? Penn State
Can the season end? Akron
Can the season never end? SMU
GAMES
Play this again: Illinois 20, No. 7 Penn State 18 (9OT)
Play this again, too: No. 10 Oregon 34, UCLA 31
Never play this again: Florida State 59, UMass 3
What? Miami (FL) 31, No. 18 NC State 30
Huh? Appalachian State 30, No. 17 Coastal Carolina 27
Are you kidding me?? Iowa State 24, No. 8 Oklahoma State 20
Oh – my – God: Illinois 20, No. 7 Penn State 18 (9OT)
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 9)
Ticket to die for: No. 6 Michigan @ No. 8 Michigan State
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: Virginia @ No. 25 BYU
Best non-Power Five matchup: Fresno State @ No. 21 San Diego State also: No. 19 SMU @ Houston
Upset alert: No. 9 Iowa @ Wisconsin
Must win: No. 20 Penn State @ No. 5 Ohio State
Offensive explosion: Texas @ No. 16 Baylor
Defensive struggle: No. 1 Georgia vs. Florida
Great game no one is talking about: Purdue @ Nebraska
Intriguing coaching matchup: Mark Stoops of Kentucky vs. Mike Leach of Miss. State
Also: Bronco Mendenhall of Virginia vs Kalane Sitake of BYU
Who’s bringing the body bags? Kansas @ No. 4 Oklahoma
Why are they playing? (no game worth mentioning this week)
Plenty of good seats remaining: La. Tech @ Old Dominion
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Texas State @ Louisiana
Week 8 Thoughts:
Penn State vs Illinois
Two weeks ago, Penn State QB Sean Clifford’s injury at Iowa was literally a game-changer. After out-classing the Hawkeyes for almost three quarters, the Nittany Lion’s loss of their starting quarterback began a negative trend that allowed Iowa to stop their own bleeding and turn things around in a positive direction, resulting in a huge upset, of sorts.
Fast-forward two weeks to the present day. Clifford was back in the proverbial saddle, but no where near his former self. It showed with Penn State’s offensive struggles. They could muster only one touchdown in regulation, with the score tied at 13-13 with 0:00 left on the clock, and this against a mediocre – at best – Illinois team.
The game would go into a record nine overtimes, with five consecutive of them being scoreless. In the end, the Illini triumphed by managing just one more two-point conversion than the Nittany Lions.
My takeaway: unless Sean Clifford returns to full health, Penn State’s season is essentially lost.
Army vs Wake Forest
In what sane universe does the matchup between these two teams add up to an offensive explosion? The Demon Deacons – on a considerable roll, this year – triumphed over the Black Knights, 70-56.
Purdue vs. Wisconsin
My suspicions that Purdue’s ranking of No. 25 was suspect at best was confirmed, as the Boilers experienced a semi-drubbing at home by Wisconsin, 30-13. Conversely, the Badgers played as though their previous week’s woes are behind them. What we saw of that team yesterday suggests that they are playing back up to how we would expect a Wisconsin team to perform. This resurgence shall be put to the test next week when Iowa comes calling.
Pittsburgh vs Clemson
Speaking of sane universes (see: Army vs Wake Forest, above), in what sane universe is Pittsburgh ranked and Clemson unranked? This quandary is brought on by Clemson’s fearsome reputation which they have rightfully earned since 2015. This is why, despite this Twlight Zone-esque ranking of the two pitted teams, it still feels like an upset when the Panthers triumphed over the Tigers, 27-17.
Indiana vs Ohio State
The fact that Ohio State steamrolled over Indiana 54-7 does not mean that this was supposed to be a body bag game. Far from it. The Hoosiers, in truth, have a solid team this year. Indeed, the game could have been a “trap” one for the Buckeyes, as they face Penn State next week. What the results of this game thus shows is that Ohio State’s coaching staff has quietly and gradually made fine-tuning adjustments to their team as the season has progressed. If this game’s score is any indications, the Buckeyes’ ranking of No. 5 is legitimate, and this rate, they could make the playoffs yet.
Alabama vs. Tennessee
The Volunteers played with heart, and there is some talent there. But the Crimson Tide is still considerably better, talent-wise, and the score (52-24) demonstrated that. It shall take another good recruiting class or two from Josh Heupel to bring this bitter rivalry back up to the level of drama and stakes that it deserves.
Looking ahead: Michigan @ Michigan State
Two top-ten titans clash in East Lansing as a resurgent Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines take on a quietly-rebuilt Spartans squad led by up-and-comer Mel Tucker. How these teams perform against each other – as bitter rivals, no less – shall say much as to how far each respective team has come.
Penn State @ Ohio State
On paper, with one team ranked No. 5 and the other ranked No. 20, this sounds like it could be almost as good a game as Michigan State vs. Michigan, right? Wrong. While Ohio State is currently proven legit at their current ranking, Penn State has been struggling offensively since Sean Clifford’s injury at Iowa. If the Nittany Lions continue to struggle to put points on the board, this could be a rout in Ohio State’s favor.
Georgia vs. Florida in Jacksonville
Not to call too much attention, but there’s this World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party about to commence this upcoming weekend in Jacksonville. Georgia is currently ranked No. 1 (and rightfully so), but historically, Florida has given the Bulldogs fits in this game. Hence, it behooves us all to keep an eye on this game in case things get potentially interesting.
Ole Miss @ Auburn
Coming off a huge win over hated LSU, the Rebels now go into Auburn to take on ranked Auburn. This could be another great slugfest worth watching.
Texas @ Baylor
The Bears have proven to be a potent team. Texas’ offensive output has proven to be strong – for three quarters, at least. Regardless, get ready for a potential shootout in Waco.
Louisville @ NC State
Here is an interesting ACC matchup for fans. The Cardinals won over a cagey BC team in the rain. Now they venture into Raleigh to take on the Wolfpack, fresh from an upset loss at the hands of Miami (Fla.). Louisville passed a test (winning a game in adverse weather conditions) this weekend. Now can they pass an even greater one?
College Football Week 7 Awards (2021) October 17, 2021
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Air Force, Alabama, Appalachian State, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Army, BYU, Cal, Cincinnati, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, Colorado, Cyclones, Dabo Swinney, Dino Babers, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Greg Schiano, Herm Edwards, Iowa, Iowa State, Josh Heupel, Kansas, Kirby Smart, Kirk Ferentz, Lane Kiffin, LSU, Matt Campbell, Mike Gundy, Mississippi State, Nick Saban, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Pat Narduzzi, Pitt, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rice, Rutgers, San Diego State, Southern Miss, Steve Sarkesian, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA, UMass, Utah, UTSA, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Washington, Washington State, Wisconsin
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Kirby Smart, Georgia
Glad I’m not him: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Lucky guy: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Poor guy: Dino Babers, Syracuse
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Herm Edwards, Arizona State
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Pat Narduzzi, Pitt
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Desperately seeking … anything: Greg Schiano, Rutgers
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Alabama (defeated Mississippi State 49-9)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Oregon (defeated Cal 24-17)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Rice (lost to UTSA 45-0)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Purdue (defeated No. 2 Iowa 24-7)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Colorado (Arizona 34-0)
Dang, they’re good: Georgia
Dang, they’re bad: Rutgers
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Iowa
Did the season start? Arizona State
Can the season end? Southern Miss
Can the season never end? Cincinnati
GAMES
Play this again: No. 13 Ole Miss 31, Tennessee 26
Play this again, too: No. 12 Oklahoma State 32, No. 25 Texas 24
Never play this again: Virginia 48, Duke 0
What? LSU 49, No. 20 Florida 42
Huh? Utah 35, No. 18 Arizona State 21
Are you kidding me?? Aurburn 38, No. 17 Arkansas 23
Oh – my – God: Purdue 24, No. 2 Iowa 7
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 8)
Ticket to die for: LSU @ No. 13 Ole Miss
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: BYU @ Washington State; also, No. 16 Wake Forest @ Army
Best non-Power Five matchup: No. 15 Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State; also, No. 22 San Diego State @ Air Force
Upset alert: UCLA @ No. 10 Oregon
Must win: Wisconsin @ Purdue
Offensive explosion: (inconclusive)
Defensive struggle: Syracuse @ Virginia Tech
Great game no one is talking about: Clemson @ Pittsburgh
Intriguing coaching matchup: Nick Saban of Alabama vs Josh Heupel of Tennessee
Who’s bringing the body bags? Kansas @ No. 4 Oklahoma
Why are they playing? UMass @ Florida State
Plenty of good seats remaining: Washington @ Arizona
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Arkansas-Pine Bluff @ Arkansas
Week 7 Thoughts:
Oklahoma State vs Texas
For the second week in row, Texas has blown a 4th-quarter lead to a ranked opponent. Here’s a fairly disturbing stat to back up this observation. In the 4th quarters of games against Oklahoma and then Oklahoma State, the Longhorns have been outscored 41-7. Head coach Steve Sarkesian clearly has his work cut out for him on that side of the ball. On the other side, it wouldn’t hurt to work on his offense’s performance, either, as scoring only 7 points in those two quarters combined is clearly unacceptable.
Purdue vs Iowa
File this under “Boy, did we get that one wrong/Boy, we didn’t see that one coming”. In what could have potentially been a “body bag” game for Iowa, given Purdue lackluster performance against Minnesota two weeks earlier, the Boilermakers actually showed up to play, and both thrilled their faithful fans and stunned the college football world in the process.
There are many layers one can slice-and-dice this game and the surrounding conditions that came with it. Start with the premise of Iowa’s No. 2 ranking prior to said game. Yes, they were undefeated, but that alone came about under questionable circumstances. In the prior game against Penn State, the Hawkeyes were being outclassed by the Nittany Lions for more than half the game, before the latter’s quarterback was out of the game’s remainder due to injury.
Even had that injury to Penn State’s QB not occurred, and somehow Iowa would have righted the ship anyhow, I nevertheless must propose a thought experiment. If an undefeated Iowa team (that of this season) were to go head-to-head against a one-loss Alabama team (likewise the current team of this season), which squad do think would emerge victorious? Answering ‘Alabama’ would be a no-brainer. Would it not thus be logical that the Crimson Tide be ranked ahead of the Hawkeyes, not withstanding the teams’ respective records, going into this week?
All that aside, the sad fact of the matter is that the Hawkeyes failed to live up to the prestigious ranking that had attained. To close out the broadcast coverage, one of the commentators for ABC observed that “Purdue out-Iowa’d Iowa”. Say what you will about head coach Jeff Brohm, but he put the extra week that he had with last week’s bye to very good use in preparing to take on this strong foe.
Going forward, it shall be very interesting to see how each of the two teams react to this big upset. This time, the Hawkeyes have the bye, with their next game after that being a surprisingly winnable one against Wisconsin. Indeed, the remainder of their schedule is all winnable. Can they bounce back to seize such a opportunity, and to make a great season out of things regardless? Last I checked, 11-1 for a program like Iowa is a great achievement.
For Purdue, can they stop celebrating long enough to re-focus and properly prepare for what lies ahead? Many treacherous teams await the Boilers, starting with Wisconsin next week.
Kentucky vs Georgia
Kentucky is a great team, but face it: Georgia is that much greater. This was plainly discernable going into the game, and the outcome therefore surprised no reasonable party. That said, the Wildcats acquitted themselves well by covering the spread in the last minutes of the game.
Ole Miss vs Tennessee
For the first time in a long time, it felt as though Tennessee was returning to its glory days of the 1990s and early 2000s. Neyland Stadium was positively electric last night when Ole Miss came calling. They put up a valiant effort against a loaded Rebels team headed by their own former head coach, Lane Kiffin. Despite being outmanned, in the end, they were only several yards shy of the opportunity to tie the game at the end of regulation. It’s never a disgrace to lose to a better team, and, moreover, if the players continue to buy in to Josh Heupel’s vision, and the latter can bring in another good recruiting class or two, the Volunteers could continue to be on the upswing and legitimately bring back their glory days.
All that said, shame on the Tennessee fans who threw everything from water bottles to golf balls onto the field near the end of the game. That is very classless; it reflects poorly on the fan base, and on many southern fans at large; the perpetrators of such a classless act need to see the error of their ways, and if some degree of ostracization to help guide them to the light is what is necessary to do so, then so be it. Tennessee fans, do better and be better, so as to be worthy of such aforementioned glory days, should they return.
Looking ahead: Oklahoma State @ Iowa State
Can the Cowboys now handle their own prosperity? They are currently undefeated, ranked No. 8, and now head up to Ames, Iowa, where lately many ranked teams have gone to die. The Cyclones are never to be taken lightly under head coach Matt Campbell. Can he prepare his already-strong team to take down an undefeated foe? Can Oklahoma State’s head coach Mike Gundy prepare his squad to be ready to face proven giant-killers? We’ll find out shortly.
Clemson @ Pittsburgh
Queue the theme music from “The Twilight Zone”. In this upcoming matchup, the Pitt Panthers are ranked (No. 23), whereas the Clemson Tigers are not. It should thus be a very interesting matchup at Heinz Field.
Tennessee @ Alabama
No time for the Volunteers to lick their wounds after a close, emotional loss to Ole Miss. Now they must travel to Tuscaloosa to take on their traditionally most-hated rival. Such is life in the SEC.
LSU @ Ole Miss
Speaking of hated rvials, there is never any love lost between these two. While recently this rivalry has been a bit one-sided in LSU’s favor, the Rebels are now the favored team, and could make this season full of questions for LSU and their head coach Ed Orgeron (who was previously the head coach at Ole Miss) all the more painful. Then again, the Tigers pulled off a mild upset win over Florida, which leads many discerning fans to believe that this game could be a reasonably even, tough matchup on paper after all.
Final thought: can we bring back the “Twlight Zone” theme music for a second? Because Cincinnati is now the No. 2-ranked team in the country. Ponder that for what it is worth.
College Football Week 5 Awards (2021) October 9, 2021
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Alabama, Arkansas, B1G, Bayou Bengals, Big Ten, Boise State, Boston College, Brian Kelly, BYU, CHip Kelly, Cincinnati, Clemson, Dave Clawson, David Shaw, Ed Orgeron, Florida, Houston, Iowa, Iowa State, James Franklin, Jimbo Fisher, Kansas, Kentucky, Kirk Ferentz, Lance Leipold, Lincoln Riley, Louisville, LSU, Luke Fickell, Mario Cristobal, Mark Stoops, Memphis, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, North Texas, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Red River rivalry, Red River Showdown, Rutgers, South Alabama, Stanford, Steve Sarkesian, Temple, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Tigers, Tulsa, UCLA, UConn, UMass, Virginia, Wake Forest, Western Kentucky, Wildcats
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Better late than never.
COACHES
Wish I were him: Luke Fickell, Cincinnati
Glad I’m not him: Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
Lucky guy: David Shaw, Stanford
Poor guy: Mario Cristobal, Oregon
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Dave Clawson, Wake Forest
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Chip Kelly, UCLA
Desperately seeking … anything: Lance Leipold, Kansas
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Iowa State (defeated Kansas 59-7)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Clemson (defeated Boston College 19-13)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Rutgers (lost to No. 11 Ohio State 52-13)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Western Kentucky (lost to No. 17 Michigan State 48-31)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Nebraska (defeated Northwestern 56-7)
Dang, they’re good: Alabama
Dang, they’re bad: Kansas
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Oregon
Did the season start? UCLA
Can the season end? Tulsa
Can the season never end? Iowa
GAMES
Play this again: No. 7 Cincinnati 24, No. 9 Notre Dame 13
Never play this again: Tennessee 62, Missouri 24
Play this again, too: Kentucky 20, No. 10 Florida 13
What? Mississippi State 26, No. 15 Texas A&M 22
Huh? Arizona State 42, No. 20 UCLA 23
Are you kidding me?? Kentucky 20, No. 10 Florida 13
Oh – my – God: Stanford 31, No. 3 Oregon 24
NEXT WEEK
rankings are current AP (week 6)
Ticket to die for: No. 4 Penn State @ No. 3 Iowa
Next-best game of the week: No. 21 Texas vs No. 6 Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: North Texas @ Missouri
Best non-Power Five matchup: Boise State @ No. 10 BYU
Upset alert: No. 21 Texas vs No. 6 Oklahoma; also, LSU @ No. 16 Kentucky
Must win: No. 13 Arkansas @ No. 17 Ole Miss
Offensive explosion: No. 18 Memphis @ Houston
Defensive struggle: LSU @ No. 16 Kentucky
Great game no one is talking about: Virginia @ Louisville
Intriguing coaching matchup: Steve Sarkesian of Texas vs. Lincoln Riley of Oklahoma
Who’s bringing the body bags? No. 11 Michigan State @ Rutgers
Why are they playing? Temple @ No. 5 Cincinnati
Plenty of good seats remaining: South Alabama @ Texas State
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? UConn @ UMass
Week 5 Thoughts:
Notre Dame vs Cincinnati
Sure, the Bearcats have had some big wins before, but this one felt differently. For the first time in living memory, if ever, Cincinnati was A) a top-ten team that B) defeated another top ten team, and C), accomplished this on the road, in a hostile place to play. As corny and hackneyed as it may sound, this win had to be the greatest in the history of the UC program. Good job, Luke Fickell.
Georgia vs. Arkansas
Arkansas may be a legitimately strong team this year, but Georgia is considerably stronger. The 37-0 score in favor of the Bulldogs demonstrated how much stronger. So far this year, the top two of Alabama and Georgia appear to have separated from the rest of the pack. If these shadows remain unchanged, it will be one memorable game in Atlanta come early December. That matchup may seem routine by now, but the evenness of it will make the [potential] game exciting nonetheless.
Kentucky vs Florida
The last time Kentucky beat Florida at home (or any time, perhaps?) was in 1986, when the late Jerry Claiborne (part of Bear Bryant’s “coaching tree”) was the head coach. Thirty-five years later, the Wildcats have suddenly, almost stealthily come onto the scene as a force to be reckoned with in the SEC East.
Looking ahead: LSU @ Kentucky
Now that the Wildcats have demonstrated they are not to be taken lightly this year, can they maintain, even build upon their success? An ideal test comes up at home this week. LSU is strong, but inconsistent, with recent close losses starting to raise questions about Ed Orgeron’s coaching abilities – as well as his tenure – in Baton Rouge. Can they overcome their tough loss to Auburn from last week by redoubling their efforts and leave Lexington with a win? Conversely, can Kentucky maintain their focus and intensity after such a huge win on their home turf? Mark Stoops’ challenge is to get his team to stop celebrating and to re-focus on preparing for yet another challenging foe, in what is, oddly, a winnable game. Fun facts: the last time the Wildcats beat the Bayou Bengals was 2007, in Lexington, when LSU was undefeated, and it happened in triple-overtime. If that is not enough, LSU nevertheless eventually went on to win the national title anyhow in what amounted to the craziest of roads to the BCS that year.
Iowa vs Penn State
We are currently in the Big Ten “Twilight Zone”. Don’t believe me? Well, imagine, if you will:
There are two teams currently ranked ahead of Ohio State (who is nevertheless back in the AP Top Ten). Moreover, they are both ranked in the top five. The kicker? Neither of them are Michigan, Michigan State, or Wisconsin. Penn State earned its prowess by defeating a tough Auburn team. Iowa has earned its high ranking and according respect with wins over tough opponents and consistent play thus far. Indeed, if the latter wins, they could control their own destiny to Indianapolis come early December. Moreover, the two teams are led by two of the best coaches in the business. Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz could arguably win anywhere, what with his no-nonsense style and consistency of product in a talent-barren landscape for this immediate environs. Meanwhile, Penn State’s James Franklin has an almost Presidential quality to him, has been mentioned as a legitimate candidate for the vacant USC job, and has the big personality to fit it. It all shapes up to be a massive showdown in Iowa City, fittingly following the one in Dallas during the previous time slot.
Texas vs Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown
For more than 20 years, regardless of discrepancy of rank (if even notable at times), or how lop-sided the game may sometimes be at the end. As the game begins, there are few atmospheres more electric in the entire sport than Texas vs Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl during the second Saturday of October. This one has new intrigue, what with Steve Sarkesian bringing new energy and new offensive ideas into the Longhorn program against a good Sooners team led by Lincoln Riley that nobody seems to know exactly how good. After this game, questions shall likely be answered, namely: just how good is Oklahoma? Do they belong in the top ten, or even the top five? For Texas, was the loss at Arkansas a temporary stumble against a surprisingly good team, or does it show that Sark has a longer way to go in re-stabilizing the program than previously thought? These shall likely be answered, with perhaps new questions raised at that time, after the final second ticks off the clock in Dallas. The key for Texas shall be to do what West Virginia did to Oklahoma earlier this year, before the Mountaineers collapsed late in the fourth quarter. A stronger, more consistent replication of WVU’s 3 ½ quarter performance from that game could ensure that the Horns take home the Golden Cowboy Hat.
College Football Awards, Week 13 (2019) November 25, 2019
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Air Force, Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Army, Auburn, B1G, Baylor, Buckeyes, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, college, Colorado, football, Gary Patterson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Hawaii, Herm Edwards, Iowa State, James Franklin, Kansas State, Kevin Sumlin, Lincoln Riley, Mario Cristobal, Maryland, Memphis, Michigan, Minnesota, Navy, NCAA, Nebraska, Nick Rolovich, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Old Dominion, Oregon, Penn State, Rice, Rutgers, Ryan Day, Samford, San Diego State, SMU, Sonny Dykes, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Tom Herman, Troy, UCLA, UMass, USC, UTEP, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Ryan Day, Ohio State
Glad I’m not him: James Franklin, Penn State
Lucky guy: Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
Poor guy: Gary Patterson, TCU
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Sonny Dykes, SMU
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Nick Rolovich, Hawaii
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Mario Cristobal, Oregon
Desperately seeking … anything: Tom Herman, Texas
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Auburn (defeated Samford 52-0)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Georgia (defeated Texas A&M 19-13)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Maryland (lost to Nebraska 54-7)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: TCU (lost to No. 9 Oklahoma 28-24)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: USC (defeated UCLA 52-35)
Dang, they’re good: Alabama
Dang, they’re bad: Troy
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Oregon
Did the season start? Texas
Can the season end? UMass
Can the season never end? Ohio State
GAMES
Play this again: Arizona State 31, No. 6 Oregon 28
Never play this again: No. 5 Alabama 66, Western Carolina 3
What? Colorado 20, Washington 14
Huh? Hawaii 14, San Diego State 11
Are you kidding me?? Navy 35, No. 25 SMU 28
Oh – my – God: Arizona State 31, No. 6 Oregon 28
NEXT WEEK
(rankings are current AP (post-week 14, pre-week 14)
Ticket to die for: No. 2 Ohio State @ No. 13 Michigan
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: none
Best non-Power Five matchup: No. 19 Cincinnati @ No. 18 Memphis (Friday, Nov. 29)
Upset alert: Kansas State @ No. 22 Iowa State (hon. mention: No. 5 Alabama @ No. 15 Auburn)
Must win: No. 12 Wisconsin @ No. 10 Minnesota
Offensive explosion: No. 9 Oklahoma @ No. 21 Oklahoma State
Defensive struggle: inconclusive
Great game no one is talking about: Wyoming @ Air Force
Intriguing coaching matchup: Kevin Sumlin of Arizona vs Herm Edwards of Arizona State
Who’s bringing the body bags? No. 4 Georgia @ Georgia Tech
Why are they playing? Rutgers @ No. 8 Penn State
Plenty of good seats remaining: Texas State @ Coastal Carolina (dishon. mention: Rice @ UTEP)
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Charlotte @ Old Dominion
Week 13 Thoughts:
Baylor vs Texas
Once again the Longhorns disgraced themselves with tepid outputs on both offense and defense. The Longhorns had such high expectations going into the season. Now, they sit at 6-5. What happened? For starters, they graduated lots of experienced players after their Suger Bowl win. This year, they have a young team, made younger with lots of injuries on defense and at running back. For that, they need time for the injuries to heal. Much more systemic are the questions of Texas’ identity on offense. For that, they cannot excuse injuries. Nor can they excuse their lack of player development despite good recruiting classes during Tom Herman’s tenure. So how can they do better? Three things: develop an offensive identity; do better at developing your players; also, learn to get out of your own way. Oklahoma and A&M have figured out how to do so: what is Texas’ excuse?
Ohio State vs Penn State
The game was a good game, and it should not have been as good as it was. Some key mistakes, namely turnovers in the 3rd quarter, allowed for Penn State to come within less than a touchdown of the Buckeyes. Ohio State will have to button things up better if they expect to defeat their bitter rival up north come rivalry weekend. Such urgency for discipline is even greater for the B1G championship game in Indianapolis, be it Wisconsin or Minnesota. This is a reminder that the road to the playoffs still has a critical amount of potholes that only vigilance shall help avoid.
All that said, on to Rivalry Weekend!
College Football Awards, Week 11 (2019) November 11, 2019
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Sports.Tags: Alabama, Alabama State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Bi1G, Big Ten, Bill Mallory, Central Florida, Chad Morris, Cincinnati, Commodores, Copper Bowl, Ed Orgeron, Florida, Florida State, Floyd of Rosedale, Gators, Georgia, Hoosiers, Houston, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, James Franklin, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Les Miles, Lincoln Riley, Louisville, LSU, Luke Fickell, Maryland, Matt Campbell, Memphis, Michigan State, Mike Gundy, Minnesota, New Mexico State, Nick Saban, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Penn State, Rutgers, Scott Satterfield, TCU, Temple, Texas, Tulane, Tulsa, UCF, UCLA, UMass, Utah, Vanderbilt, Washington, Western Kentucky, Wisconsin
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COACHES
Wish I were him: Ed Orgeron, LSU (hon. mention: P.J. Fleck, Minnesota)
Glad I’m not him: Nick Saban, Alabama
Lucky guy: Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
Poor guy: Matt Campbell, Iowa State
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Scott Satterfield, Louisville
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Luke Fickell, Cincinnati
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: James Franklin, Penn State
Desperately seeking … anything: Chad Morris, Arkansas
TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Ohio State (defeated Maryland 73-14)
Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Michigan State (lost to Illinois 37-34)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Vanderbilt (lost to No. 10 Florida 50-0)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t: Oregon State (lost to Washington 19-7)
Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did: Western Kentucky (defeated Arkansas 45-19)
Dang, they’re good: LSU
Dang, they’re bad: UMass
Can’t Stand Prosperity: Penn State
Did the season start? TCU
Can the season end? Northwestern
Can the season never end? Ohio State
GAMES
Play this again: No. 17 Minnesota 31, No. 4 Penn State 26
Never play this again: No. 1 Ohio State, Maryland 14
What? Tulsa 34, UCF 31
Huh? Texas 27, No. 16 Kansas State 24
Are you kidding me?? No. 2 LSU 46, No. 3 Alabama 41
Oh – my – God: No. 17 Minnesota 31, No. 4 Penn State 26
NEXT WEEK
(rankings are current AP (post-week 11, pre-week 12)
Ticket to die for: No. 5 Georgia @ No. 13 Auburn
Next-best game of the week: No. 24 Indiana @ No. 11 Penn State
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: none
Best non-Power Five matchup: Tulane @ Temple
Upset alert: UCLA @ No. 8 Utah
Must win: No. 8 Oklahoma @ No. 10 Baylor
Offensive explosion: No. 18 Memphis @ Houston
Defensive struggle: Kentucky @ Vanderbilt
Great game no one is talking about: Texas @ Iowa State
Intriguing coaching matchup: Les Miles of Kansas vs Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State
Who’s bringing the body bags? No. 2 Ohio State @ Rutgers
Why are they playing? Alabama State @ Florida State
Plenty of good seats remaining: UMass @ Northwestern
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? UIW @ New Mexico State
Week 11 Thoughts:
Alabama vs LSU
What more can be said about this dramatic and incredibly consequential game? On paper, was it LSU’s victory really an upset? They were ranked No. 2 in the polls ahead of Alabama at No. 3, after all. So what made the Tigers’ win an upset? Call it a mental block. Call it a [proverbial] monkey on LSU’s back. They had, after all, lost to the Crimson Tide eight straight times, often with national championship aspirations on the line. This time, they finally won, and now, the Tigers control their own destiny to Atlanta and to the Playoffs as well.
Minnesota vs Penn State
The Golden Gophers have earned their biggest win in more than a decade. They currently lead the Western Division of the Big Ten. While they control their own destiny to the conference championship, they have a challenging road ahead if they want to make it to Indianapolis. Their next game is at No. 18 Iowa, a border rivalry where they play for one of the most prominent trophies in college football, the Floyd of Rosedale. After a respite against a down Northwestern, they close out the regular season at home against Wisconsin. The Badgers alone are a tough out, and they usually are the perennial Western representative in the B1G championship. Factor in the border rivalry and the fact that both teams play for the Paul Bunyan Axe (have you seen the size of that thing?), and one is apt to anticipate a high-stakes, high-drame showdown in Minneapolis come Nov. 30. But first, the Gophers have to win their other remaining games, starting with Iowa, which is never easy these days, Floyd or no Floyd.
Florida vs Vanderbilt
This blowout only merits mention because the Commodores attempted a “sad field goal” and failed. The definition of a “sad field goal” is if your team is down by more than two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and yet you go for a field goal anyhow. That sounds sad just saying it, does it not? Well, Vandy attempted the saddest of field goals as they were down 49-0 to Florida in The Swamp late in the 4th quarter. Instead of going for it with nothing to lose, they attempted a sad field goal, which went wide left. Like a train wreck, you can’t not watch.
Looking ahead: Indiana at Penn State
When was the last time that Indiana was ranked in football? Give up? It was 1994. Bill Mallory was the head coach at that time. He built a decent program, too, winning the 1991 Copper Bowl. But his labors went unnoticed because IU was more basketball-obsessed than it is today, which saying something. Frankly, I don’t hold out much hope for the Hoosiers, but if they put up a fight against wounded Penn State, it should be an entertaining game.
intellectualgridiron 