Week Four 2023

Hey All,

It is officially fall and here's the first edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard for the season that I hope you all find filled with turning leaves, family and football.  We still miss you, Joe Jares. 

Summaries 

USC 42- Arizona State 28: Tempe, AZ- The Trojans came into this one off a bye week and as 34.5 point favorites over a Sun Devils squad that had been humiliated by Fresno State last week.  So naturally, the Sons of Sparky played well enough to upset an out of sync Trojan team.  However, USC had enough talent to outlast ASU down the stretch.  QB Caleb Williams got SC out to a 7-0 lead when he stretched inside the  pylon on a one-yard run.  On Troy's second possession, Williams and RB MarShawn Lloyd messed up a  handoff and fumbled to give ASU the ball on the Trojans' 15-yard line.  Three plays later, RB Cameron Skattebo ran through the SC defense for a 15-yard TD to tie the game at 7-7.  From then on it was a back and forth affair that never saw SC pull away until the end.  The second quarter saw the Sun Devils execute well on some trick plays with the legs of Skatrebo and the arm of QB Drew Pyne to go into the half trailing SC by a count of 21-13.  USC started off the third period with a 53-yard FG from PK Denis Lynch. Just five plays later WR Elijah Badger hauled in a 25-yard TD pass from Pyne and a two-point conversion run from Skattebo. Suddenly SC's lead was just 24-21 with a ton of time left to play. A 36-yard FG by Lynch would give SC a 27-21 lead to end the third period.  USC Safety Calen Bullock picked off Pyne on the next drive and it looked like SC would get some separation from ASU.  That was not to be because after SC's drive stalled at the Sun Devils' 12-yard line, HC Lincoln Riley eschewed another FG attempt that would give his team a two score lead. Instead  he kept the offense on the field. Caleb Williams' fourth down pass to Michael Jackson III fell incomplete.  ASU now had momentum and the ball, but did nothing with it. Following an exchange of punts, SC DE Solomon Byrd stripped Pyne of the ball and De Romeo Height fell on the ball at the ASU 44-yard line. Two plays later, Williams hit WR Brenden Rice with a 29-yard TD pass and a 35-21 lead. ASU stayed in the game on their next drive.  Facing a Fourth and Seven from their own 48-yard line Pyne hit Skattebo in the flat and he rumbled 52 yards to paydirt.  With their lead cut to 35-28, the Trojans didn't waste anytime worrying about it. Williams needed just two plays to cover 75 yards and put SC up for good at 42-28.  The defense then took 12 plays to finally snuff out ASU's final scoring threat with 1:40 left on the clock. The offense was out of sync most of the night for the Men of Troy, but Williams still completed 20 of 31 passes for 322 yards and three TDs.  He also ran for a score.  Lloyd led all rushers with 154 yards on 14 carries.  For the Sun Devils, Pyne completed 21 of 36 passes for 221 yards, two TDs and an interception while Skattebo was the heart of the ASU attack.  The hard charging runner gained 111 yards on 20 carries with a TD and caught four balls for 79 yards and a TD too.  He also completed two of three passes for 42 yards and scored on a two-point conversion. 

Telling Stat: Off Night W; USC's offense converted only 3 of 10 third downs, lost the time of posession battle and looked out of sync all night, yet they still scored 42 points and gained 535 yards in a shaky win over ASU. 

Oregon 42- Colorado 6: Eugene, OR- Bluster, trash talk, bling and the rest of it that makes up the current Colorado football program arrived with much fanfare to Land of Nike this week. Talk of a Colorado upset ran rampant until kickoff. After kickoff is where all that talk died as Oregon did everything but smash Deion Sanders sunglasses at midfield to the delight of a raucous Autzen Stadium crowd. The first half saw QB Bo Nix lead the Webfoots to a 35-0 halftime lead.  RB Noah Whittington ran for the Ducks first TD from three yards out, then Nix threw TD passes of one, 16 and 36 yards to extend the Ducks lead to 28-0. He then capped off his huge first half with an 11-yard run to bring the lead to 35-0.  While UO was building their huge lead, the CU offense never got untracked.  Oregon would tack on another score to start the third quarter on a one-yard plunge by RB Jordan James.  After that, the game took on the look of a glorified scrimmage with Colorado getting their lone score well after the game was decided. Nix Fnished the game completing 28 of 33 passes for 276 yards, three TDs, an interception and a TD rushing. James, Whittington, and fellow RB Bucky Irving combined to gain 189 yards rushing on 25 carries with two TDs to spearhead the Ducks ground attack.  For the Buffs, QB Shadeur Sanders completed 23 of 33 passes for 159 yards and a TD.

Telling Stat: A rout by the numbers; At the half, Oregon had 35 points, Colorado had 22 total yards. 

Utah 14- UCLA 7: Salt Lake City, UT- Utah QB Cam Rising practiced all week and even warmed up before the game in full pads, but when the team came out from the locker room for the opening kickoff, Rising was in street clothes.  He and a several other key starters on both sides of the ball watched their teammates execute a very conservative gameplan and gut out a tough win.  UCLA star frosh QB Dante Moore couldn't handle the pressure from the Utah defense that stuffed the bRuins run game and dared him to throw.  Moore's biggest mistake dealing with the pressure came on the first play from scrimmage when Utah LB Karen Reid jumped a slant route and returned it 21 yards for a TD.  Utah extended that lead to a 14-0 halftime advantage when QB Nate Johnson capped off a 51-yard drive with a seven-yard TD pass to TE Landen King. The second half was a basically a standoff with the teams trading punts most of the time.  UCLA did finally break through and get on the scoreboard with 3:39 left in the game when WR Josiah Norwood hauled in a 17-yard TD pass from Moore.  The bRuins would get the ball back one final time deep in their own territory, but that drive would end on Utah's seventh sack of the game. The Utes offense, if you could call it an offense, held the ball for 34:28 and gained a total of 229 yards. Johnson completed nine of 17 passes for 117 yards and a TD.  The Utes held the ball for 34:28 and gained a total of 229 yards. Meanwhile, the hard luck Bruins gained 243 total yards with just nine of those coming on the ground.  Moore finished the game with 15 completions in 35 attempts, a TD and that costly interception.  

Telling Stat: A DC's dream;  The Utah Defense gave up seven points, scored seven points, forced eight punts, forced two turnovers and held for down three times in this game that took a shade over three hours to play. 

Washington State 38- Oregon State 35: Pullman, WA- It sure looked like Wazzu had run away with a win in the game billed as the Pac 2 Championship. The Cougars held a commanding 35-14 lead with 5:15 left in the third quarter.  WSU QB Cam Ward had thrown for four TDs, ran for another and looked pretty much unstoppable.  Then the Beavers made a furious comeback only to fall just short of victory.  Trailing 38-21 with 9:12 to play in the game, OSU QB D.J. Uiagalelei and drove his squad down the field and that resulted in a short TD run by RB Deshaun Fenwick to cut Wazzu's lead to 38-28. Wazzu then tried to put the game away with another score, but the Beavers made a goal line stand and took over posession on their own two-yard line with 3:58 left.  13 plays and 98 yards later, Uiagalelei found TE Jack Velling in the end zone for a TD to make the score 38-35.  OSU then tried and onside kick which was recovered by Wazzu. The Cougars then ran the final 1:10 off the clock and walked off with the victory. Ward completed 28 of 34 passes for 404 yards and the aforementioned five scores.  WR Josh Kelly caught eight of Ward's passes for 159 yards and three TDs. In the loss, OSU's Fenwick rushed for 101 yards and three TDs on 11 carries while Uiagalelei completed 17 of 34 passes for 198 yards, a TD and an interception.  

Telling Stat: One play; Wazzu's recovery of OSU's onside kick attempt with 1:10 left was the difference in the game. 

Arizona 21- Stanford 20: Palo Alto, CA- Road games are hard.  It doesn't even matter if your opponent lost to an FCS school the week before.  Arizona had to find a way to win their conference road opener after losing QB Jayden de Laura at the end of the third quarter to an apparent leg injury.  When the injury occurred, UofA found themselves trailing an inspired Cardinal squad 17-14.  So, how did we get to Stanford leading at this point?  They did it with solid defensive play and a two QB rotation.  Ashton Daniels and Justin Lamson split the signal caller duties all game.  The two would rotate in and out on different plays in almost every offensive series. That kept the Wildcats off balance on defense. The results were a 35-yard FG from PK Josh Karty and a pair of short TD runs from RB Sedrick Irvin and WR Bryce Farrell.  Meanwhile UofA's 14 points came on a 36-yard TD pass from de Laura to TE Tanner McLachlan and seven yard TD gallop from de Laura.  The fourth quarter began with Stanford driving down the UofA 34-yard line where Karty missed a 51-yard FG attempt to extend the Cardinal lead.  Arizona then took over the ball without the injured de Laura.  Backup QB Noah Fifita came in with the game on the line and led his teammates on a nine play, 67 yard march to take the lead.  Fifita completed two passes to give the Wildcats a 1st & 10 at the SU 19-yard line. Arizona kept the ball on the ground the rest of the way with RB D.J. Williams knifing into the end zone from two yards out for the go ahead score. Stanford did respond on the ensuing drive. They moved the ball to the Cats 27-yard line where they faced a 3rd & 16.  Daniels rolled out and completed a great pass for the first down.  Unfortunately he was three yards past the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball.  The penalty with the loss of down left the Cardinal no choice but to kick a FG and then try to get the ball back one more time.  Karty mad the FG to make the score 21-20, but Stanford never got the ball back.  UofA ran out the clock and escaped with their first win in Palo Alto since 2009.  For the winning Wildcats, de Laura threw for 157 yards and a TD before his injury. The combo of Daniels and Lamson combined to complete 18 of 32 passes for 246 yards and they ran the ball 20 times for 50 yards in the defeat for the Cardinal.

Telling Stat: The second, second QB was #1 in the clutch; UofA's Noah Fifita completed all four of his passes for 47 yards and ran twice for nine yards coming off the bench to lead his squad to victory. 

Washington 59- California 32: Seattle, WA- It's hard to win a game when you hand out turnovers like door prizes at a church social.  The Golden Bears took themselves out of this one early.  QB Ben Finley got the start over Sam Jackson V and he set the tone for failure by throwing an interception on the Bears very first drive. That interception was retuned for a TD by UW LB Edufan Ulufoshio.  Washington then forced a Cal punt on their second drive which Dawgs WR Rome Odunze promptly returned 83 yards for a TD.  Washington now led 14-0 before taking an offensive snap.  Finley led Cal to a TD on their next possession but, the PAT was missed by PK Michael Luckhurst. Cal then trailed 14-6.  That would be the closest the Golden Bears would be to the Huskies for the rest of the game.  Finley would throw two more interceptions in the first quarter alone.  Those picks were turned into 10 points by the UW offense that finally got to see the field.  Then in the second quarter Husky QB Michael Penix, Jr. torched the Cal secondary which led to the Purple Gang holding a 45-12 lead at the break.  The third quarter saw Penix, Jr. throw for one more TD before taking the rest of the game off.  Adding injury to insult, the Dawgs defense knocked Finley out of the game late in the period with a back injury.  The fourth quarter saw Cal pile up yards and points against the Washington backups well after the game was long decided.  Penix, Jr. completed 19 of 25 tosses for 304 yards, four TDs and an interception, while RB Dillon Johnson led all rushers with 66 yards on 10 carries and a TD.  Odunze had himself a day.  In addition to the punt return TD, he hauled in five passes for 125 yards and two TDs. His teammate, WR Ja'Lynn Polk caught eight balls for 127 yards and two TDs of his own. For the error-prone Bears, Finley completed 17 of 32 passes for 207 yards, two TD and three interceptions. 

Telling Stat: 3+ 1 in 1= L;  QB Ben Finley's three interceptions plus Cal giving up a punt return TD in the first quarter doomed the Golden Bears to defeat. 

Observations

...Trivia Time;  Arizona beat Stanford in Palo Alto in 2009. Who were the starting QBs for the teams in that game?

...A big hole in his boat; After their epic collapse against Northwestern, one has to wonder how much longer will the Minnesota admin keep rowing the boat for HC P.J. Fleck. 

...He said it; WSU HC Jake Dicker took Lee Corso and ESPN to task after his Cougars beat Oregon State in a game Corse called the "No One Watches Bowl." Hey Lee!

...33 the hard way; Iowa ran just 33 offensive plays in their 31-0 shutout loss to Penn State and those 33 plays netted just 76 total yards.  Faceplam. 

...And then there were five; Virginia, Sam Houston State, Connecticut, Buffalo, and Nevada are the only winless teams left in the FBS.  

...70;  The Dolphins hung 70 points on the Broncos last Sunday. That was the first time since the Redskins walloped the Giants, 72-41 back in 1966 that an NFL team has scored 70 points in a game.  

...She's got game;  Shenandoah Safety Haley Van Voorhis became the first female non-kicker to appear in a college game on any level when she saw action against Juniata college this past weekend. She's a Safety!

...Quietly making noise;  Fresno State is 4-0 this year and owns the nation's longest winning streak at 13 games. 

..They move the chains;  Kansas leads the nation with a 3rd Down Conversion rate of 60.5%. 

...Overlooked; While UW's Michael Penix, Jr is a heralded Heisman candidate, his counterpart across the Evergreen State, Cameron Ward of Wazzu is having an amazing season and is right behind Penix, Jr, in almost every statistical category.   

...Just a rumor; There is no truth to the rumor that the University of Iowa has changed its' name to I-wa because their O has been missing for years. 

...The Big Red W;  Shockwaves were sent through he Ivy League when Cornell PK Jackson Kennedy's 30-yard FG attempt sailed over the crossbar to hand the Big Red a 23-21 upset win over the defending Ivy League Champion Yale Bulldogs. 

...Memory of a generation; When us Gen X'ers were kids this CBS graphic let us know that another weekend in the fall was essentially over. 

...4th and Excellent; Army is an amazing 13 for 14 on fourth down conversions. 

...Misery on the Midway; How bad are the 0-3 Chicago Bears?  They are 3.5 point underdogs this week at home to Broncos.  Yes, those Broncos that just gave up 70 points to Miami last Sunday.  

...Perspective;  If an off day for USC's offense results in over 500 yards of offense and 42 points, I can live with it.

...In a nutshell;  Got this dispatch summing up Alabama's win over Ole Miss from our field office near Oxford, Mississippi. "Ole Miss did not capitalize on any of the opportunities Alabama gave them (in the first half). In the second half, Alabama did not give them opportunities and Nick Saban schooled his prodigal son. "

...Graphic evidence;  If anything shows how out of sync USC's offense was last week, check out this unexpected snap that nailed Caleb Williams in a sensitive spot v. ASU. Nads!

...Better luck the second time?; Syracuse is 4-0 for the second straight year. Last year they started out 4-0 and finished up at 7-6. Can they improve on last year's finish? We will wait and see. 

...It can't win;  The defensive scheme run by USC DC Alex Grinch just can't be relied on to win a conference title, much less a national title. 

...Day ranting into the night; After TheeeOSU beat Notre Dame on the final play of the game, Buckeyes HC Ryan Day went off on former Fighting Irish HC Lou Holtz who spoke disparagingly about his team.

Hey Lou!

...Trivia Answer;  In that game, which Arizona won 43-38, the starting QBs were Nick Foles for Arizona and Andrew Luck for Stanford.  The two combined to complete 61 of 86 passes for 838 yards and six TDs. 

...10x2 for ND;  Notre Dame had just 10 men on the field for the final two plays in their loss to TheeOSU. Here's a close up shot before the final snap where you can see where the defensive end over the left offensive tackle was missing.

Pac 12 Overreactions 

Washington might run away with the Pac 12 title.

A fully heathy Utah could be scary.

USC is a nine win team.

ASU will win five games.

Stanford is still a 1-11 team.

Arizona won't go bowling.

Wazzu playing on spite and anger is an eight win team.

UCLA's bye week is gonna feel really really long.

Oregon will lose to Washington.

Colorado is still a six win team.

Oregon State will beat Oregon. 

Cal is a 5-7 team. 

CFL Update

It's Toronto's world in the 110 yard league.  The Argonauts have already clinched the East Division title at 12-1 with five games left in the regular season. The West Division is a dogfight to see who will take the crown as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions stand tied at the top with identical 10-4 records. It is a down year overall for the league as nobody else in either division has a winning record.  To keep up with the CFL give the guys at 3 Down Nation a look.  3downnation 

Ugly Uniform of the Week

Notre Dame wins for this all-green ensemble that just looks like they tried to channel their inner Oregon and failed.

Departments 

Low Score Game of the Week: Washington, DC- This game comes from our nation's capitol where the Alfred University Saxons held on for a 9-6 road win over the Catholic University Cardinals. In the first quarter after being held out of the end zone on a goal line stand, Alfred took an early 2-0 lead when they caused a fumble that resulted in a safety at the end of the first quarter.  The Cardinals managed to take a 6-2 lead into the half despite the 20+ MPH winds and near constant rainfall.  Cardinal PK Connor Gill provided the second quarter points on FGs of 31 and 24 yards.  Alfred then took the lead for good in the third quarter when RB Max Freeman IV burst thought he Catholic defense for a 10-yard TD run.  Catholic had one last chance to send this game to OT but Gill's 35-yard FG attempt with :19 left sailed wide.  

Blowout Game of the Week: Davidson, NC-  This week's game shows what happens when an FCS school hosts and NAIA school. The Davidson Wildcats crushed the St. Andrews Knights, 84-6.  The Wildcats were even handed in their beatdown of the Knights.  They scored 42 points in the first half and another 42 points in the second. 15 different Davidson backs combined to carry the ball 54 times for 463 yards and nine TDs, while QB Cleland Coulter completed 10 of his 11 pass attempts for 149 yards and two TDs. 

Razorback Report: Baton Rouge, LA- The Hogs are quickly earning the title of an almost team as they almost won for the second straight week, losing to LSU, 34-31.  The Hogs tied the game at 31-31 with 5:06 to play, but then let LSU march 72 yards in nine plays to Arkansas three-yard line. With :03 left,  PK Damian Ramos nailed the 20-yard FG as time ran out to give the Bayou Bengals the win. In the bitter loss, Hogs QB K.J. Jefferson completed 21 of 31 aerials for 289 yards, three TDs and two interceptions. Up next for Arkansas is a trip to Jerryworld to play Texas A&M.

This Week's Three Things About Nothing...

It's fun to see Halloween decorations starting to go up in the neighborhood.

Flat tires and working on the waterfront go hand in hand.

Fall has officially arrived and I dig it.

Until next time, remember that good teams find a way to win on the road. 

-The Commissionner 

Week Three 2023

Hey All,

The final week of summer is here for 2023 and with that comes another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Mal Florence.

Summaries

Utah 31- Weber State 7: Salt Lake City, UT- With Cam Rising still sidelined, QB Nate Johnson was named starter for the first time in his Utah career and the freshman responded with a solid, workmanlike effort to lead his squad to a 31-7 win over the Wildcats. The Utes defense rendered the Wildcats offense inert for most of the game which enabled Johnson to use his arm and his legs to lead his team to victory. He completed 13 of 21 passes for 193 yard and a TD while rushing for 71 yards on 16 carries and another score.  Utah held a 17-7 halftime advantage on a 1-yard run from Johnson, a 37-yard FG from PK Joey Cheek and a 13-yard TD pas from Johnson to WR Money Parks.  A two-yard scoring jaunt from RB Jaylon Glover and a 23-yard pick six from DB Lander Barton gave the Utes a 31-7 lead in the third period. The fourth quarter saw Utah sub out their first teamers to rest for their matchup next with UCLA. Weber State RB Chris Jackson provided the Wildcats lone highlight when when scored on a two-yard run in the second quarter. 

Telling Stat: Throttled;  Utah held Weber State to 127 total yards on just 42 plays in this yawner at Rice-Eccles.  

Oregon State 26- San Diego State 9: Corvallis, OR-It was beautiful late summer day at Reser Stadium between two determined squads.  The Beavers had that little bit more talent and toughness to outlast their opponent from the Mountain West Conference.  This was a hard hitting contest that saw the Beavers nursing a 6-0 lead in the early stages of the second period due to a pair of FGs that covered 48 and 44 yards off the foot of PK Atticus Sappington. OSU then got to a 12-0 lead when QB D.J. Uiagalelei threw a  backwards pass LT Joshua Gray who rumbled three yards into the end zone untouched for a touchdown.  The two-point conversion try that followed came up inches short to leave the Beavers up 12-0 with 8:32 in the second quarter.  SDSU then put a scoring drive together to finish the first half. PK Jack Browning was good from 52 yards out to make the halftime score OSU 12- SDSU 3.  The third quarter saw the kids from Corvallis extend their lead to 19-3 on a one yard trip to paydirt from Uiagalelei.  SDSU's offense came alive in the final period when they cashed in an OSU turnover for a score.  RB Jaylon Armstead smashed his way through the Beavers defense on a six-yard TD run.  The ensuing two-point conversion attempt failed, but the Aztecs trailed just 19-9 with 9:01 to play.  The OSU faithful was getting nervous in the stands at Reser Stadium. Their worries lasted a grand total of 13 seconds. After the kickoff following Arnstead' score on first and 10 from their own 25-yard line, Uiagalelei hit WR Anthony Gould with a bubble screen at the line of scrimmage and the speedy WR took it 75 yards for the game-clinching touchdown.  SDSU fell apart after that throwing a pick and missing a field goal on their final two drives.  Uiagalelei had an uneven game but managed to complete 14 of 30 passes for 284 yards, a TD and an interception. He also ran three times for 17 yards and a score. RB Damien Martinez led all rushers with 102 yards on 15 carries for the Beavers.  For SDSU, QB Jalen Mayden completed 20 of 32 passes for 256 yards and an interception in the losing effort. 

Telling Stat: They bent but didn't break;  The Oregon State defense gave up over 300 yards, but allowed only two Aztec drives to cross their own 20-yard line. 

California 31- Idaho 17: Berkeley, CA- The home crowd at Strawberry Canyon sat in stunned silence as their Golden Bears trailed the Vandals, 17-0 midway through the second quarter.  Then Cal remembered they were Cal and that Idaho was Idaho and they fought back to claim the win over their old foe from the Pacific Coast Conference days. In the final 5:38 of the quarter, Sam Jackson V threw TD passes of 20 and 36 yards to WRs Jeremiah Hunter and Triond Grizzell to cut the Idaho lead to 17-14 at the intermission.  Then just four minutes into the third period Jackson raced 27 yards to the end zone to put Cal up for good at 21-17. The Golden Bears tacked on a one-yard TD run from RB Isiah Infanse and a 39-yard FG from PK Michael Luckhurst to finish off the scoring.  Jackson completed 12 of 23 passes for 108 yards and two TDs while also running for a score. Infanse paced Cal's ground attack by lugging the leather 22 times for 137 yards and a TD. For the losing side, Vandal QB Gevani McCoy completed 28 of 46 passes for 279 yards and an interception while running the ball 11 times for 56 yards and a TD. 

Telling Stat:  Almost 40 of nothing = W;  After giving up 17 straight points to start the game, the Cal defense stiffened and kept the Vandals off the scoreboard for the final 39:08 of the game.

Washington 41- Michigan State 0: East Lansing, MI- With all the fallout and turmoil in the MSU program this past week with the suspension of HC Mel Tucker due to sexual harassment allegations, the answers to two questions would be made clear after kickoff.  One, to what degree would the Spartan team be affected by the scandal and two, would Washington's focus on the game suffer from all the outside news?  The answers are a large degree for the first question and a resounding no to the second as the Huskies worked over the Spartans in short order.  After forcing a Spartan punt to start the game, the Dawgs drove 55 yards in four plays to take a 7-0 lead on a one-yard TD run from RB Germie Bernard.  A couple drives later, UW would take a 14-0 lead on a five-yard toss from QB Michael Penix, Jr. to TE Jake Westover. Leading 14-0 to start the second quarter, Penix, Jr. then proceeded to slice and dice the team that resides on the banks of the Red Cedar.  Penix, Jr, threw three more TD passes to put the Dawgs up 35-0 at the half.  Westover caught two of those TD tosses and WR Ja'Lynn Polk caught the other one.  UW would add two FGs in the third period, then empty the benches the rest of the way.  In three quarters worth of work, Penix, Jr. completed 27 of 35 passes for 473 yards and four TDs.  WR's Rome Odunze and Polk combined for 298 yards receiving and a TD on 13 receptions.  For the rudderless Spartans, QB Noah Kim completed 12 of 31 passes for 136 yards and an interception. 

Telling Stat: Not even that close;  99 of Michigan State's 261 total yards and only touchdown came on their final drive of the game. That was well after Washington had emptied the benches. 

UCLA 59- North Carolina Central 7: Pasadena, CA- The bRuins brought in the the Eagles from the HBCU ranks for a light workout and a paycheck in front of a smattering of fans at the Rose Bowl. UCLA jumped out to a 35-0 lead in the first quarter on TD passes that covered 67 and 30 yards form QB Dante Moore, a one-yard TD rumble from RB Carson Steele and two TDs runs that covered 57 yards and one yard from backup QB Collin Schlee. UCLA subbed liberally form the start of this game and just about everyone on the roster earned their letter in this laugher.  In about one half of play, Moore completed eight of 12 throws for 182 yards and a pair of TDs. Meanwhile anybody who could carry the ball, did so for UCLA.  13 bRuins combined not carry the ball 39 times for 404 yards rushing and six TDs.  For the woefully overmatched Eagles, QB Walker Harris completed 12 of 18 passes for 114 yards, while RB Chris Mosely scored NCCU's only TD in the fourth quarter.  

Telling Stat: Over early;  UCLA held a 35-0 lead and outgained UNCC 258-56 after the first quarter of play.  

Washington State 64- Northern Colorado 21: Pullman, WA- The Cougars extended their record to 3-0 after a dismantling of the Golden Bears of the Big Sky Conference.  Wazzu found paydirt on their first six drives to take a 43-7 lead into halftime. Four of those six first half tallies were TD passes from QB Cameron Ward. None were short throws either as they covered 37, 28, 18 and 31 yards. Oh, and he threw for a two-point conversion and ran eight yards for score too.  Ward took the second off and the Cougars tacked on 21 more points with the backups before fully draining their bench in the final stanza.  Ward finished the day with 20 completions in 26 attempts for 327 yards with four TDs to go with 12 yards rushing and an another TD.  WR Lincoln Victor was Ward's favorite target grabbing six passes for 119 yards and two TDs. UNC QB Jacob Sirmon completed 16 of 24 passes for 171 yards and two scores for the overwhelmed Golden Bears.

Telling Stat: They dialed long distance; Wazzu's TD drives covered 75, 70, 64, 42, 64, 74, 93, 75, and 80 yards in this rout in the Palouse.  

Oregon 55- Hawaii 10: Eugene, OR- The Ducks made up for their slow start last week against Texas Tech by racing out to a quick 24-0 first quarter lead en route to a whipping of the Warriors.  Just :58 in to the game Webfoot QB Bo Nix threw a 49-yard bomb for a TD to WR Tez Johnson. A 43-yard FG by PK Camden Lewis along with a 22-yard TD scamper form RB Jordan James and a 1-yard TD pass from Nix to WR Treason Holden accounted for UO's 24 first quarter points.  The Quacks would open up a 34-0 lead on a 22-yard FG from Lewis and a three-yard run from James. Hawaii would get a 29-yard FG from PK Matthew Shipley just before the half to make the score 34-3 UO at the break.  The Men of Oregon would add 21 more second half points as most of the Autzen Stadium faithful left for the craft breweries and pubs of the greater Eugene area.  In three quarters of play Nix was good on 21of 27 passes for 247 yards and three TDs while James and fellow RB Noah Whittington combined for 141 yards and three TDs on just 12 carries.  Hawaii QB Brayden Schager completed 27 of 43 aerials for 131 yards, a TD and an interception in the lopsided loss.

Telling Stat: Stalled chains;  Hawaii was held to just 2 of 14 on third down conversions. 

Arizona 31- UTEP 10 : Tucson, AZ- While the rest of the college football world was focused on Colorado's narrow escape against Colorado State, the Wildcats ground down the Miners in battle of old Border Conference foes. UofA opened the scoring seven seconds into the second period when QB Jayden de Laura there an 18-yard TD pass to WR Tetairoa McMillan.  UTEP would cut the Wildcats lead to four points when PK Buzz Flabiano spit the uprights from 25-yards out.  7-3 would be as close as UTEP would ever get to UofA.  The Wildcats would go up 14-3 on a three-yard trip the end zone by RB Michael Wiley with 1:23 to play in the second quarter.  The second half would see Arizona put 17 more points on the board to extend their lead to 31-3 before the Miners would get a cosmetic score with 1:32 left in the game. de Laura was very efficient against the school formerly known as Texas Western University by completing 23 of 29 passes for 285 yards and three TDs. Wiley would lead all rushers with 83 yards and a TD on 17 carries. For the now 1-3 Miners, QB Gavin Hardison completed 15 of 31 tosses for 228 yards. 

Telling Stat: They did bear down; After giving up a field goal, the Arizona defense kept UTEP out of the end zone for the final 58:28 which allowed their offense to go win the game.

Sacramento State 30- Stanford 27: Palo Alto, CA-  After Stanford's absolute beatdown at the hands of USC last week, pundits wondered if the Cardinal would bounce back and get a win against new HC Troy Taylor's former squad and Big Sky Conference defending champion Sac State Hornets.  Ummm, they didn't. Long story short here, the game was tied at 23 all with 1:32 to play when Hornet QB Kaiden Bennett threw a 49-yard TD pass to RB Marcus Fletcher to stun the Cardinal and their several dozen fans that attempted fill the Stanford Stadium stands. A few plays later, the Hornets walked off the field with a big win.  Bennet was the Sac State offense. He completed 21 of 33 passes for 279 yards, a TD and a pick while also rushing for 100 yards on 13 carries and another score.  For the hapless Cardinal, QBs Justin Lamson and Ashton Daniels combined to complete 11 of 24 passes for 207 yards a TD and two picks. 

Telling Stat: They moved the chains;  Sac Sate converted on 11 of 16 third downs and outgained the Cardinal by almost 100 yards in this upset on The Farm.

  

Colorado 43- Colorado State 35 2OT: Boulder, CO- The Deion Sanders hype train reached epic proportions last week at the base of the Flatiron Mountains. ESPN's College Gameday and Fox's Big Noon Kickoff set up on the CU campus and 60 Minutes spent the whole week with Primetime.  The week leading up to the game featured chippiness between the two HCs and a pre game alteration on the field.  At kickoff the Buffs sideline was packed with celebrities.  This game had the feel of a coronation for Sanders as his squad was expected to easily smash the 0-1 Rams as 23 point favorites. Then, a funny thing happened on the way to the coronation.  Colorado State came to play. They were prepared and attacked the Buffaloes with a nasty streak not seen since a 1970's Raiders-Steelers game.   CSU was hit with 17 flags for 182 yards which included a ton of personal foul calls and a targeting ejection.  The two teams combined to commit 27 fouls for 269 penalty yards.  Several players were injured including CU's two way star Travis Hunter who was leveled after an incomplete pass and sent to the hospital.  In the middle of this mayhem a very sloppy but good game took place. The teams traded defensive scores and TD passes to end the first period tied at 14.  CSU held the Buffs scoreless in the second quarter, while they took a 21-14 lead on a 15-yard TD pass from QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi to WR Louis Brown IV. The third quarter was a scoreless battle which set up a crazy fourth period.  Following a 20-yard FG from CU PK Alejandro Mata, CSU found three end zone on a 35-yard pass from Fowler-Nicolosi to TE Dallin Holker. Then up 28-17 CSU got conservative on offense and switched up their defense which opened the door for a Colorado comeback. A 41-yard FG from Mata and a 98-yard TD drive and two-point conversion sent the game to overtime.  The teams traded TDs in the first OT. The second OT saw CU take a 43-35 lead on an 18 yard TD pass from QB Shedeur Sanders to WR Michael Harrison and a two-point conversion pass WR Xavier Weaver. CSU had a shot tie the game, but on second and goal at the Buffaloes four-yard line, the Rams were incorrectly called for an illegal blindside block.  CSU could not overcome the 15-yard penalty and Colorado escaped with the win. For the now 3-0 Buffaloes, Shedeur Sanders completed 38 of 47 passes for 348 yards, four TDs and an interception. His prime target was Weaver who caught nine balls for 98 yards and a score.  For the hard luck Rams, Fowler-Nicolosi completed 34 of 47 passes for 367 yards, three TDs and three interceptions. 

Telling Stat: 17 + -2= L; Colorado State outplayed Colorado most of the game, but committing 17 penalties and being -2 in turnovers lost the game for the Rams.  

 

Fresno State 29- Arizona State 0: Tempe, AZ- The Ken Dillingham era at ASU is now off to a 1-2 start after the Sun Devils were humiliated at home by the Bulldogs.  Minus starting QB Jaden Rshada who will be out 4-6 weeks with an injury, the Sun Devils offense fell apart under backup QBs Drew Payne, Trenton Bourguet and Jacob Conover.  Payne and Bourget were both injured in the game, while Conover remained helathy, but the three of them managed to throw five interceptions. Add three fumbles to that and the Sun Devils committed a total of eight turnovers that the kids from the Central Valley turned into 15 of their 29 points.  This score could have been much worse, but Fresno State's offense wasn't any kind of juggernaut.  ASU's defense forced Fresno to attempt seven field goals.  The Bulldogs made five of those kicks. PK Dillon Lynch was accurate on kicks from 39, 30, 29, 50 and 33 yards.  His misses came from 53 and 45 yards away. Fresno's two TDs came on a pair of TD passes from QB Mikey Keene.  The first one was a 19-yard toss to WR Jalen Moss and the second was a 42-yard scoring strike to WR Jaelen Gill. Keene finished the game completing 32 of 49 passes for 281 yards and two TDs.  For turnover happy ASU, all three QBs combined to complete 17 of 37 passes for 188 yards and five interceptions. 

Telling Stat: The Nine that ain't fine;  Yes ASU turned the ball over eight times.  However, they did turn the ball over on downs once too. The Sun Devils managed to turn the ball over on nine of their 13 possessions in the game. Wow. 

Observations

...Pac 2 Showdown;  The battle for whose best of what's left happens this week as Oregon State travels to Pullman to take on Wazzu.  

...He will be gone; Michigan State has begun the process of firing HC Mel Tucker. Moving On 

...Poking the bear;  Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin at least two times this week publicly wondered who is calling the defensive plays for Alabama.  He believes St. Nicholas of Tuscaloosa has secretly demoted his DC Kevin Steele. Ole Miss plays at Bama this week. Ticking of Nick

...On, Brave old Coach; Army HC Jeff Monken has received an extension to be at Army through the 2027 season. Winning five of his last seven games v. Navy was big factor in Monken recieivng that extension. 

...He can fetch; Juice Kiifin is a Golden ReTeever. Hotty Toddy Puppy!

...An early frost in Florida;  Florida put Tennesee's SEC title hopes into a deep freeze in the Swamp.  I'm sure that Vols fans have already googled "Josh Heupel buyout clause." 

...Speaking of Orange;  Syracuse is 3-0 after taking Purdue down, 35-20.  The Orange have a date with Army this week before taking on Clemson to start ACC play on 9/30.

...Speaking of teams that beat Purdue;  Fresno State is 3-0 and has wins at Purdue and Arizona State. Odd thing is that their smallest margin of victory was a three point win over FCS power Eastern Washington. Hmmmmmm 

...Cheap is cheap;  Fox Sports One hasn't sent announcers to college football venues for awhile, but they reached a new low Saturday when they had Play-By-Play man Alec Faust and Color Analyst Petros Papadakis call two games on Saturday from their remote location.  The pair called the SDSU-OSU game then later on called the Fresno State- ASU game.  FS1 didn't even give them a wardrobe change.  Faceplam. 

...NSFW Warning;  The West Virginia fans added some interesting lyrics to the Neil Diamond classic, Sweet Caroline for last Saturday's rivalry game with Pitt. Eat What?

...A loaded slate;  This upcoming weekend of games is as loaded as last weekend's slate was dull.  Ohio State at Notre Dame, Iowa at Penn State,  Florida State at Clemson and UCLA at Utah are just a few of the matchups I'm looking forward to this week. 

...Tough W's  Maryland has fallen behind 14-0 to start their last two games, but managed to rally and win both contests. 

...Feeling the heat in Tempe;  After a horrible 1-2 start, ASU HC Ken Dillingham has taken over play calling duties for the Sun Devils. 

...Campbell was hot; Not talking soup here,  Iowa State HC Matt Campbell was held back by his own team from going after a fan who heckled him after the Cyclones were upset, 10-7 by Ohio U.  Funny thing is that holding Campbell back was the best block Iowa State made all day. Hot Seat  

...Embarrassment of riches;  The number of great QBs in the Pac 12 is staggering.  The Stiffarm Statue seems to be lock to remain in the west another year. 

...A mess in green;  His teammates can say anything they want to the media and make a great show of supporting New York Jets QB Zach Wilson, but how many of the players truly believe they can win with him under center? 

...An origin story;  With Fall arriving this Saturday I found a story on a weather event we have all heard of that has been known as St. Martin's Summer in Europe and England long before it got its' North American name. Old Farmer's Almanac

...Ivy Rarity;  Princeton made the long trip out west to California and beat the University of San Diego, 23-12 last Saturday. 

...Just rumor; there's no truth to the rumor that ASU has checked to see if former QB Jake Plummer still has any eligibility left. 

...Western Dogfight;  The Mountain West Conference might be a battle all the way to the end with Fresno St., Air Force, Wyoming, SDSU, Boise St and UNLV all in good position for a title run.

...Winless goodness;  The Patriots are 0-2 and I am really ok with that fact. 

...One for the books;  Missouri PK Harrison Mevis booted an SEC record 61-yard FG as time expired to lift the Tigers to a 30-27 victory over Kansas State.  He broke the previous league record by one yard. That record was held by three players.  Fuad Reveiz of Tennessee booted a 60-yarder in 1982 while both Georgia's Kevin Butler and Florida's Chris Perkins each nailed 60-yarder in 1984. 61!

...A rumble for six;  I do dig a big man with skills. Watch OSU LT Joshua Gray find the end zone. A Big Six!

...Rooting in the press box;  ESPN Play-by-Play man Mark Jones couldn't have been rooting harder for Colorado last week if he tried. All he was missing was Chip's Costume and some pom poms. Facepalm.  

...Because I begged the question;  The record for longest field goal ever made in a college game belongs to Abilene Christian PK Ove Johansson who, in 1976,  booted a 69-yarder against East Texas State (Now known as Texas A&M Commerce).  Here's the film... Oh Yay for Ove!

...Old school football;  I love it when Penn State lines up in the T Formation down on the goal line.

...A lot older school football;  The Philadelphia Eagles QB Sneak formation looks like an old mass momentum formation from the 1890s.  Somewhere Walter Camp is smiling.

Pac 12 Overreactions 

USC is happy that Colorado has drawn all the attention in the Pac 12.

Washington's offense is the best in school history.

Colorado is a six win team.

ASU is depressed that they won't play Stanford this year.

Utah is a four loss team without Cam Rising.

Cal could win a lot of games if their offense and defense would play well at the same time.

Oregon State is the new Stanford.

UCLA will lead every game in rushing yards. 

Stanford is a 1-11 team.

Arizona is a bowl team in almost any other conference.

Oregon wishes every game was at home.

Wazzu is an eight win team.

Ugly Uniform of the Week

This week's winner is UTSA with this all-orange kit they wore v. Army.  

Departments

Low Score Game of the Week: Chicago, IL- We head to the NAIA ranks where the #5 ranked Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats held on for a 16-15 win over the #15 ranked St. Xavier Cougars.  IWU held a 14-7 lead in the the third quarter before the teams traded safeties on a pair of penalties for intentional grounding in the end zone. Down 16-9 with 4:21 to play in the fourth quarter, St Xavier got a great return on a bad IWU punt and had a First and 10 at the IWU 20-yard line. Four plays later, Cougar QB Stuart Ross hit WR Matt Chavers for a 16-yard TD pass to make the score 16-15.  The Cougars then went for the two-point conversion and IWU DB Luke Bays picked off the pass for the two-point attempt to save the win for the Wildcats.  IWU QB Xander Stokes threw for 175 yards with a TD and an interception while his backfield mate, RB Williams Dedarrian led all rushers with 121 yards on 32 carries and a TD of his own.   

Blowout Game of the Week: Hillsboro, OR- A couple of weeks ago Portland State was hammered 81-7 by Oregon. Last Saturday the Vikings of the FCS' Big Sky Conference handed out an epic beatdown of their own with a 91-0 win over tiny North American University of the NAIA.  How small is NAU?  Well, they are not even a full member of an athletic conference for football, they are just associate members of the Red River Athletic Conference.  PSU led 63-0 at the half and was up 91-0 after three quarters.  The Vikings held NAU to -23 total yards and two first downs. 

Razorback Report: Fayetteville, AR-  The Hogs jumped out to an early, 14-0 lead only to see the visiting BYU Cougars erase that lead.  The game was a back and forth affair the rest of the way with BYU winning the fourth quarter, 7-0 and the subsequently the game, 38-31.  Without the services of starting RB Rocket Sanders, the Hogs still ran for 177 yards as a team with RB AJ Green leading all rushers with 86 yards and two TDs on nine carries.  QB KJ Jefferson completed 24 of 35 passes for 247 yards, a TD and an interception in the loss.  For the victorious Cougars, former USC and Pitt QB, Kedon Slovis completed 13 of 25 passes for 167 yards and two scores.  Up next for Arkansas is a trip to Baton Rouge to take on LSU.  

 

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Quality Cold Cuts from a butcher shop is a great thing in life.

One sign of good suburban living is having a well-organized kitchen drawer of Ziplock bags.

The Fifth Avenue candy bar is still a great treat if you can find it.

Until next time, remember that every game is counts. 

The Commissioner

Week Two 2023

Hey All,

Happy Tuesday! It's time again for yet another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Alan Malamud.

Summaries 

USC 56- Stanford 10: Los Angeles, CA- If this game was a movie script, the title would be Over in 30 Minutes.  The USC offense, defense and special teams came out with a ferocity not seen in the Coliseum in a long time and crushed the Cardinal in short order.  USC went up 7-0 on a 21-yard TD run by QB Caleb Williams that capped off an eight play, 75-yard drive to open the game. Three plays later, SC had the ball again at the SU 19-yard line after an interception by DB Max Williams.  RB MarShawn Lloyd turned that pick into six points less than a minute later when he found the end zone on a five-yard run. After an exchange of punts, the Trojans started out a drive from their own seven-yard line. 12 plays later RB Austin Jones found paydirt from a yard out and the rout was on.  SC would score 28 more points in the  second quarter to take a 49-3 lead into the half.  The much maligned Trojan defense throttled the Cardinal in the first half allowing just three points while forcing two turnovers and knocking Stanford's starting QB, Ashton Daniels out for the rest of the game.  Two of SC's four second quarter TDs came from 75 yards out.  One was a punt return TD by freshman phenom, Zackariah Branch and the other was a bomb from Williams to WR Brenden Rice.  The second half turned into a glorified scrimmage with SC QB Miller Moss subbing for Williams at the start of the third period.  However, the SC defense did manage to make make a goal line stand to keep the Trees out of the end zone in the third quarter before allowing a TD in the final stanza.  In one half of work Williams compared 19 of 21 passes for 281 yards and three TDs. He also ran for a score. Lloyd led all rushers with 77 yards on nine carries and a TD of his own. For the hapless residents of Palo Alto, QB Justin Lamson completed eight of 18 passes for 121 yards and ran for 36 yards on 10 carries. He also scored his team's only touchdown.  

Telling Stat: 49 is oh so fine;  USC's 49 first half points were the first time the Trojans scored 49 points in half since the second half of the 1974 Notre Dame game. 

Utah 20- Baylor 13: Waco, TX- Utah came into the triple digit heat at Baylor still without the services of QB Cam Rising and several other key starters, but managed to escape Waco with a win. Baylor came into this one after being embarrassed by the Texas State Bobcats a week earlier. The Bears had the upper hand in this one as they were nursing a 13-6 lead to start the fourth quarter.  Utah's offense has been held in check, managing only one long FG drive and getting their other FG off a Baylor turnover.  However, the Utes stayed in striking distance and managed to tie the game on a drive led by QB Nate Johnson.  Johnson marched his squad 88 yards in 15 plays to tie the game with 1:59 to play when he ran right though the middle of the Baylor defense for a TD from seven yards out.  Baylor then got the ball back and had their chance to win the game when disaster struck.  On third down and 16 at their own 20-yard line BU QB Sawyer Robertson saw his pass intercepted by S Cole Bishop.  Six plays later, RB Jaylon Glover found the end zone from 11 yards out and the Utah had their first lead of the game at 20-13.  However, Baylor wasn't dead just yet.  A 47-yard pass from Robertson WR Hal Presley gave the Bears a first down at the Utah 22 with :01 left.  Sawyer's pass on the next play fell incomplete as the Baylor bench and fans howled for a pass interference call.  No flag fell and Utah escaped with the win.  For the Utes, Johnson completed six of seven passes for 82 yards and ran for 32 yards and a TD.  His backfield mate, RB Ja'Quinden Jackson led all rushers with 129 yards on 19 carries. For the now 0-2 Bears, Robertson completed 12 of 28 passes for 218 yards and two huge interceptions.

Telling Stat: 0 in 22:48;  Utah's defense shutout Baylor over the final 22:48 of the game, which allowed their offense to find a way to win.     

Colorado 36- Nebraska 14: Boulder, CO- The Buffs have been the toast of college football since beating TCU and they remain that way after gradually pulling away from a Cornhusker team still is needed of an offense donor.  The game was a scoreless stalemate until late in the second quarter. At the 5:32 mark, Husker QB Jeff Sims fumbled a snap at his own 29-yard line. Colorado turned that miscue into a 31-yard FG from PK Jace Feely to take a 3-0 lead.  On the ensuing possession, Sims threw a pass to the wrong color jersey and Colorado had a first and 10 at the Nebraska 30-yard line. Buffs QB Shedeur Sanders then threw a 30-yard TD pass to WR Tar'Varish Dawson for a 10-0 lead.  CU tacked on another FG from Feely to go up 13-0 at the half.  It might as well as been a 50-0 halftime lead, because you just knew the Cornhuskers did not have an offense capable of coming back.  And they didn't.  Sims ran for a 57-yard score to start the second half to cut the deficit to 13-7, but CU just pulled away.  The Buffs overpowered a Nebraska defense that was on the field too long. Sanders threw for another TD and then ran for one to put this game firmly in the win column.  Sanders completed 31 of 42 passes for 393 yards and two TDs while running for another for the media darling Buffaloes.  Sims threw for 106 yards and rushed for 67 and a score in defeat for the Huskers.  

Telling Stat: They couldn't move the chains;  The Colorado defense held Nebraska to just 4 of 13 on third down conversions and 0 for 2 on fourth down conversions.

Washington 43- Tulsa 10: Seattle, WA- While they didn't execute nearly as well as they did against Boise State last week, the Huskies still did more than enough well to put a hurt on the Golden Hurricane.  The Dawgs hit the ground running by taking the opening kickoff and driving 65 yards in just six plays to take a 7-0 lead on a two-yard TD toss from QB Michael Penix, Jr. to WR Rome Odunze.  Washington then sandwiched another TD around a 44-yard FG from Tulsa's Chris Meyer.  The second UW Score came on a 27-yard run from WR Ja'Lynn Polk. The game then got a little ragged at this point for both squads. Turnovers and turonvers on downs filled the second stanza, but UW would tally one more score when Penix, Jr. hit WR Jalen McMillan from nine-yards out. Throw in a two-point conversion and the Dawgs would go into the half up 22-3.  The Huskies crossed the double stripe twice more in the third quarter to take a 36-3 into the final period.  The fourth quarter served as garbage time with each team tallying one final touchdown.  Penix, Jr. finished the afternoon with 28 completions on 38 attempts for 409 yards, three TDs and an interception.  McMillan and Odunze combined to catch 15 of Penix, Jr.'s passes for 227 yards and two TDs.  For Tulsa, QB Roman Fuller completed 12 of 18 passes for 85 yards and a TD.

Telling Stat: 40:10 for the win; Despite their lackadaisical play at times, the Husky defense held Tulsa scoreless for a 40:10 span from midway through the first quarter to a few minutes into the fourth quarter to ensure victory.  

Oregon 38- Texas Tech 30: Lubbock, TX- Coming off their 74 point win over Portland State last week, the Ducks were a bit surprised to be trailing, 7-0 to Texas Tech just a few minutes into the game. After all, the Red Raiders blew a late lead last week in a loss at Wyoming. They should not have been a tough matchup for the Sons of Nike.  However, the Red Raiders made this a back and forth affair that came down to the final drive.  Up 20-18 with 6:45 left in the third quarter, the Red Raiders held Oregon on downs at their own 17-yard line.  They then marched down the field in just four plays extend their lead to 27-18 when QB Tyler Shough threw a 34-yard TD pass to WR Jerand Bradley.  UO answered that score with a 17 play, 75 yard TD march that cut Tech's lead to 27-25. The TD was three-yard gallop across the double stripe from RB Bucky Irving. After that, it became a battle of field goals. PK Camden Lewis kicked a 23-yarder to give the Webfoots a 28-27 lead only to see Tech PK Gino Garcia give his squad the lead at 30-28 on a 45-yard kick on the next possession.  Undaunted, the Quacks drove into FG range on their next drive and Lewis was good from 34 yards to grab the lead back at 31-30.  That left Texas Tech with 1:10 left to try and win the game, but the Red Raiders managed to throw not one, but two interceptions during that timespan to hand the Webfoots the win.  The first one was returned 45 yards for a TD by LB Jeffrey Bassa and the second ended the Red Raiders last hope to send the game to OT.  For the Ducks, QB Bo Nix completed 32 of 44 passes for 359 yards and a pair of scores, while Shough competed 24 of 38 passes for 282 yards, three TDs and three interceptions.  He also ran for 101 yards on 23 carries and another TD. 

Telling Stat: Turnovers Kill; Texas Tech was -4 in turnovers and that cost them the game.  

Washington State 31- Wisconsin 22: Pullman, WA-The Badgers came to the Palouse to avenge last year's embarrassing upset loss in Madison. However, the Badgers found themselves trailing the Cougars 24-9 at the half thanks to two TD tosses by WSU QB Cameron Ward that covered one and four yards along worth a two-yard fumble return for a TD by DE Brennan Jackson and a 46-yard FG from PK Dean Janikowski.  Then the second half came and Wazzu nearly Coug'd it.  The Sons of Bucky owned the third quarter with a two-yard TD run form RB Chez Mellusi and a 16-yard TD pass from QB Tanner Mordecai to WR Skyler Bell. Wisconsin failed on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, but they trailed just 24-22 entering the final period. The fourth quarter seemed to be moving in the Badgers favor, but a fumble by Melliusi was recovered by WSU DB Jackson Lataimua at the Cougars 43-yard line with 9:39 left.  Ward then engineered a 10-play, 57-yard TD drive to put the game away. RB Nakia Watson broke through the Wisconsin line from a yard out to put WSU up 31-22.  The Cougar defense then held for downs at their own 46-yard line to extinguish  the Badgers last chance to comeback.  Ward finished the game with 20 completions in 32 passing attempts for 212 yards and two TDs. He also ran for 43 yards on 17 carries. In the tough loss, Mordecai hit on 25 of 40 aerials for 278 yards and a touchdown. 

Telling Stat: He took ownership of the game;  On Wazzu's game-clinching drive, QB Cam Ward accounted for 45 of the 57 yards.  His run of 14 yards on third and one at the Wisconsin 15-yard line set up the winning score.   

Mississippi State 31- Arizona 24 OT: Starkville, MS- It was a a very emotional night at Davis Wade Stadium where the Bulldogs played their first game after the sudden death of HC Mike Leach last December.  New MSU HC Zach Arnett had his team ready and they took an early 14-0 on a 23-yard TD pass from QB Will Rogers to WR Lideatrick Griffin and one-yard TD plunge from RB Jo'Quavious Marks.  UofA did get back in it despite the fact that QB Jayden de Laura kept throwing passes to the other team. The game stood tied at 21-21 when de Laura threw an 11-yard TD pass to Tetairoa McMillan. After MSU took a 24-21 lead on a 36-yard FG from PK Kyle Ferrie, the Wildcats needed a drive to at least force the game to overtime and they got it. de Laura started off the drive with a 49-yard pass to McMillan to put the ball at the MSU 27-yard line.  Four plays later, PK Tyler Loop split the uprights from 36 yards out to send the game to OT.  In the OT MSU had the ball first and Rogers saved what looked like a disastrous set of downs when he threw a 29-yard scoring strike toWR Jeffrey Pittman.  The Wildcats half of the OT would not go so well. de Laura was forced to scramble on 4th an 10 from the 25-line.  He was awarded the first down only to have the call reversed by replay as he was found to be down just short of the line to gain. At that point the cowbells reached deafening levels in Starkville. In the win, Rogers completed 13 of 17 tosses for 162 yards an three TDs while his backfield mate, Marks lugged the leather 24 times for 123 yards and a score of his own.  In the tough defeat de Laura competed 32 of 46 passes for 342 yards, two TDs and four interceptions.

Telling Stat: Turnovers kill part II;  Arizona found out that you can't be -4 in the turnover department and win a game.

UCLA 35- San Diego State 10: San Diego, CA- Last week, UCLA had a two QB problem as neither starter Ethan Garbers or heralded freshman Donte Moore took control of the offense in a tough win over Coastal Carolina. This week there was no problem as Moore got the start and shredded the SDSU defense.  UCLA got on the scoreboard first when Moore took advantage of a busted Aztec coverage and hit WR Josiah Norwood over the middle for a good 15 yards and the WR took it the other 66 to paydirt.  SDSU answered with  drive of their own to tie the game at 7-7 when QB Jaylen Mayden found WR Mekhi Shaw for a 21-yard score.  That would be the last time the game was truly competitive.  Moore led UCLA on two classic Chip Kelly drives that covered 75 and 68 yards to take a 21-7 lead.  RB Carson Steele scored the first of the TDs won a 14-yard jaunt and RB T.J. Harden scored the second one when he ran through a hole you could drive a truck through for a 59 yards.  The bRuins would take a 28-10 lead into the break on Moore's second TD toss of the day. It was a 24-yard pass to WR Logan Loya. SDSU did have a major chance to get back into the game when Moore fumbled near his own goal line.  The Aztecs recovered for what looked like a touchdown, but a very questionable review of the play overturned the TD and placed the ball outside the the goal line. Three plays later, Mayden's pass was intercepted by LB Darius Muasau in the end zone for a touchback.  Moore then drove his bRuins 80 yards in seven plays for another TD.  Moore hooked up with RB Carsen Ryan for a six yard score.  Moore then took the fourth quarter off as Carson Schlee played out the garbage time at QB.  Last week's starter, Ethan Garbers never saw the field.  Moore completed 17 of 27 passes for 290 yards and three TDs, while Steele and Harden combined to rush for 175 yards and two TDs on 21 carries.  For the Aztecs, Mayden completed 19 ion 37 passes for 196 yards, a TD and three interceptions. 

Telling Stat: Nowhere to run; UCLA held SDSU's usually strong running game to just 63 total yards on 33 carries.  Thats a nifty 1.9 yard per carry. 

Oregon State 55- UC Davis 7: Corvallis, OR- The Beavers celebrate a near fully completed remodel of Reser Stadium with an easy rout of the Aggies from the Big Sky Conference of the FCS.  After a UC Davis interception on their opening drive,  Oregon State scored one play later when RB Damien Martinez took a handoff and raced 64 yard to the end zone. A few minutes later, OSU QB D.J. Uiagalelei knifed into the end ozone form three yards out and the competitive portion of this contest was all but over.  Another TD pass by Uiagalelei and 65-yard punt return for a TD from PR Silas Bolden highlighted a 24 point second period that would give the Beavers a 38-0 lead at the intermission.  The second half saw Uiagalelei and most of the starters watch all their teammates earn their letters against the overmatched Aggies. Uiagalelei threw for 107 yards and two TDs and ran for another in one half's worth of work. Meanwhile eight different Beavers combined to rush for 269 yards on 37 carries with three scores. For Davis, QB Grant Harper completed four of seven passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.   

Telling Stat: Never a threat;  75 of UC Davis' 166 total yards and their only score came after OSU had built up a 55-0 lead. 

Auburn 14- California 10: Berkeley, CA- This game was a grinding defensive struggle that Auburn didn't deserve to win, but then again, neither did Cal with the way they kicked this one away.  Cal was snake bit form the start when on the third play form scrimmage Aubrun QB Payton Thorne fumbled on his own 35-yard line.  Cal LB Jackson Sirmon scooped up the ball and took it back for an apparent touchdown.  The TD was apparent to all but the one ref that whistled the play dead at the 35-yard line instead of letting it run its' course.  That call cost the Golden Bears four points as they were only to turn that turnover into a 39-yard field goal by PK Michael Luckhurst.  That would be the last good thing to happen to Luckhurst all night.  He would go on to miss three other field goals attempts and have a good one that covered 52 yards wiped off the board by a holding call.  Through all those misses and three turnovers by the offense, the Cal defense was stellar.  They forced four turnovers and held Auburn to just 230 total yards.  However, after Luckhurts's third missed kick, they gave up the game-winning TD drive.  It was the only long drive they gave up all game while clinging to a 10-7 lead. The Tigers marched or rather stumbled 69 yards in 10 plays with Thorne hitting TE Rivaldo Fairweather with a 5-yard TD toss to take the lead with 6:31 left to play in the final period.  Cal's last shot to overcome all their mistakes and pull out a win ended when QB Sam Jackson V's pass was intercepted in the end zone.  For the Tigers, Thorne completed nine of 14 passes for 94 yards, two TDs and an interception. For the hard luck Golden Bears, Jackson completed 14 of 27 passes for 126 yards and two interceptions while RB Jaydn Ott rushed for 78 yards and a TD on 20 carries before an ill-advised attempt to hurdle Auburn defenders resulted in an injury that knocked him out of the game in the third quarter. 

Telling Stat: W+3+1= L;  The bad whistle, three missed field goals and the one good one taken off the board by penalty add up 16 points. Those 16 points would have been more than enough to beat the Tigers. 

Oklahoma State 27- Arizona State 15: Tempe, AZ- The Cowboys used a combo of three quarterbacks and a stingy second half defense to grab a win in the Valley of the Sun.  ASU owned a 15-10 halftime lead on a 13-Yard TD scamper from RB Cameron Skattebo, a 65-yard TD pass from QB Jaden Rashada to WR Elijah Badger and a two-point conversion from Skattebo. The second half saw Okie State render the ASU offense insert while their offense scored the final 17 points the game to earn the win.  WR De'Zhaun Stribling caught a there-yard pass from QB Gunnar Gundy for the go ahead score in the third quarter.  Then, a 22-yard field goal from PK Alex Hale and a 16-yard TD pass from QB Brennan Presley to WR Garrett Rangel in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach.  The Cowboy QB trio of Gundy, Rangel and Alan Bowman combined to complete 22 of 32 passes for 191 yards and two TDs. Rashada completed 16 of 29 passes for 167 yards a TD and an interception in the loss for ASU.  

Telling Stat: 2nd half shutout; Okie State's defense forced two punts, held for downs three times and picked off a pass to keep ASU off the scoreboard in the second half. 

Observations

...Always uncomfortable;  On the sidelines Utah HC Kyle Whittingham looks like a guy who has come to realize that eating gas station sushi was a poor decision and the nearest restroom is two miles away. 

...Extreme buyers remorse;  Don't know how anyone affiliated with Texas A&M isn't regretting the hiring of Jimbo Fisher. 

..Good Cheddar;  Evidently Cougar Gold is a fine sharp cheddar cheese produced on the Wazzu campus.  Heck even most of these Wisconsin fans give it a thumbs up.  Dairy Goodness 

...Not in along while;  Haven't seen a USC team come out with that kind of killer instinct in years. Wow. 

...Devastating;  This picture I grabbed off the internet shows the worst bad beat I've ever seen in Fantasy Football ever. I have no idea who the person who lost is, but I feel so sorry for them. 

...A win put in perspective;  SC's 66-14 win over Nevada in week one feels a little different after the Wolfpack was hammered 33-6 at home this week by Idaho of the FCS.  

...He's gone; Michigan State HC Mel Tucker has been suspended without pay after being accused of sexually harassing a sexual awareness advocate and rape victim, Brenda Tracy.  Off the sidelines  This most likely end up with Tucker fired without cause and MSU canceling the remaining 80+ million dollars left on his contract.  

...Trap game;  A lot of folks in Big Ten Country are looking forward to Iowa at Penn State on 9/23.  The Nittany Lions need to not look past their Big Ten opener at Illinois this week. 

...Big man with skills;  Colorado Mesa OL Cooper Mumford threw a TD pass against University of San Diego.  He's got a cannon!

...Blah week; This upcoming week in the Pac 12 has only one marquee matchup and that game is now diminished a bit to say the least. That matchup is Washington at Michigan State. Sigh.

...Just a rumor; There's no truth to the rumor that the ACC has rescinded their invitations to Stanford, Cal and SMU after last Saturday's games.  

...He's from the North Side; The Bears and Packers opened up the season 28 years ago and this happened. I remember watching this live and it still flips me out.  High School Baller

...Schadenfreude;  I'm thoroughly enjoying Alabama losing and Boise State being 0-2.

...Please read this next sentence in your best Dean Wormer voice;  Committing five turnovers a game is no way to go through life, Arizona.

...Some relief; For those of us who aren't fans of the DJ who's been at the SC games the last couple of years, watching him get reprimanded by the Ref was pretty cool. It was the best thing I've seen from a Pac 12 ref at the Coliseum in years. Scolded!

...A win for the Pac 2; Oregon State and Washington State took the Pac 12 to court and got a restraining order granted to keep the league from holding any board meetings until further notice. The two remaining Pac 12 schools want to prevent any votes about the future of the league by those schools who are leaving.  TRO

...Pretty happy now;  I think Colorado has pretty much gotten over losing Mel Tucker to Michigan State a few years ago.

.,.Achilles is a bar tab;  Aaron Rodgers torn Achilles fed into the joy and then sadness in this Wisconsin bar.  Pay Up!

...The world is upside down; Army threw a 59-yard touchdown pass last Saturday v. Delaware State. 

...Chowder heads;  SUNY Maritime beat Massachusetts Maritime, 14-7 to win their rivalry game known as the Chowder Bowl.  I just want to know since the New York school won, do they celebrate with Manhattan style chowder? 

...That just wrecked your new car feeling; In the weather delay in the Notre Dame- NC State game, the brand new scoreboard at Carter-Finley Stadium shorted out after a lightning strike. It never really recovered.  Zapped! 

...His old squad;  Stanford HC Troy Taylor will look across the sideline and see his old team as the Cardinal host Sacramento State this week.

..Thus just in; UCLA QB Dante Moore is really good. 

...Rivalry week!;  This Saturday New Mexico and New Mexico State will face each other in the 113th edition of the Rio Grande Rivalry. This series dates back to 1894. That's 16 years before New Mexico became the 47th state. 

...Breakfast of Champions; Notre Dame didn't have enough food for their team during the almost two hour weather delay at NC State, so the training  staff went out to stadium concession stands and bought hot dogs and brats for the them.  On behalf of hot dog lovers everywhere, I salute you, Notre Dame. 

...Fashionably late;  With the summer season winding down in Newport, the Ivy League becomes the last conference to start their season this week. 

Pac 12 Overreactions

Colorado is an eight win team.

Oregon just wanted to give Puddles some rest this week.

USC will go as far as their defense takes them.

Cal is UCLA with a better defense.

UCLA is Cal with a better offense. 

Utah is the Iowa of the Pac 12.

Oregon State is a 10-win team. 

Stanford will go 2-10.

Arizona needs a rushing game.

Wazzu is sneaky good.

ASU is a 5-7 team.

Washington is so happy they aren't Michigan State. 

CFL Update

Up in the Great White North, the Toronto Argonauts (10-1) and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (10-3)  have both clinched playoff berths while enjoying comfortable leads atop the East and West divisions. Meanwhile the Commissioner's favorite team, the Edmonton Elks are 3-10 and have taken up residence in the cellar of the West Division.  

Most Debated Uniform of the Week

This blackout look by Kansas caused quite a debate between my wife and I last Friday night.  She liked it and believed that if schools can use white as a background color then black should be ok to use as well in that capacity. I just rejected it on principal because if black is not part of your school's main color scheme, then you should not be wearing all-black uniforms.  You all can judge for yourselves.

Departments 

Low Score Game of the Week: Brockport, NY- We go to the D-III where the Susquehanna River Hawks got some late heroics to pull out a 6-5 win over the SUNY-Brockport Golden Eagles. Thanks to a blocked punt for a safety earlier the fourth quarter, Susquehanna trailed 5-3. Then needing a miracle, the River Hawks faced a third and nine at the 50-yard line with :15 left on the clock.  QB Josh Ehrlich then provided a miracle when his pass found WR Kyle Howes for a 49-yard gain to put Susquehanna on the Brockport one-yard line with two seconds left. PK Christopher Colas then came in and sent an 18-yard field goal through the uprights to propel the River Hawks to victory.  The River Hawks had to find a way to pull out the win despite holding Brockport to 135 total yards and just seven first downs. 

Blowout Game of the Week: New London, CT-  The Coast Guard Academy Black Bears evened their season record at 1-1 with a 93-24 dismantling of the Anna Maria College Amcats. The Black Bears got out to a 35-0 lead in the first quarter, enjoyed a 56-10 lead at half and then led 70-24 win the third period before tacking on another 23 points to finish off the day. CGA QB Joey Armentrout completed 12 of 19 passes for 374 yards and four TDs in this laugher before an announced crowd of 724. 

Razorback Report: Fayetteville, AR- It was not pretty, but the Razorbacks managed to find their way to a 28-6 win over the Kent State Golden Flashes.  The methodical Hogs scored a TD per quarter to achieve victory. QB K.J. Jefferson completed 13 of 19 passes for 136 yards and two TDs to pace the Hogs offense. Up next for the Razorbacks is home date with BYU. 

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Of all the Halloween themed food that is out, I do dig the Halloween Oreos.

The Arnold Palmer is still a great drink.

It's just about time to change the doormats and garden flags out for fall.

  

Until next time, remember that losing the turnover battle is the easiest way to lose a game. 

-The Commissioner