Week 9, 2013

Hey All,

It is Tuesday, and that means another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Alan Malamud.

Summaries

USC 19- Utah 3: Some games are masterpieces that stand the test of time.  This game was ugly, it was an Elvis on black velvet that gets sold at the swap meet.  However, the depleted Trojans got a great effort from their defense to smother the Utes at the Coliseum.  The Trojan defense forced four turnovers, and held the Utes to just 201 total yards on the day.  The star of the game was USC PK Andre Heidari, who hit four of five field goals to lift the Trojans to victory.
Telling Stat: 4+4= W; USC forced four Ute turnovers and kicked four field goals to get the win.

Stanford 20- Oregon State 12: This was a defensive struggle of a game as the Cardinal did what they do best.  They hung on for a win with their rushing game and defense.  It was the Tyler Gaffney show for Stanford as he racked 145 yards on 22 carries and all three Stanford scores.  As for OSU, QB Sean Mannion threw for 271 yards and one TD in the loss.
Telling Stat: Passing on threes;  Oregon State passed on three field goal opportunities to go for it on fourth down.  They failed all three times.  

Arizona 44- Colorado 20: The Wildcats ran over around and through Buffaloes up in Boulder.  UofA RB Ka'Deem Carey was great again for the 'Cats running for 119 yards on 23 carries and scoring 4 TDs.  However, QB B.J. Denker had a big day too.  Denker threw for 265 yards and a score, but he also ran for 192 yards on just 15 carries.  As for Colorado, Sefu Liufau threw for 212 yards and a TD in the losing effort.
Telling Stat: They ran 'em over; Most of UofA 's 670 total yards in this game came on the ground.  The Wildcats ran for 405 yards on 50 attempts.  That's a nifty 8.1 yards per rush.

Washington 41- California 17: After having their heads handed to them in the last two weeks by Oregon and Arizona State, the Huskies beat up the Golden Bears to get back in the win column. UW QB Keith Price had a big night, completing 20 of 32 aerials for 376 yards and a pair of TDs, while RB Bishop Sankey had a huge game. He lugged the leather 27 times for 241 yards and  2 TDs.  That's a cool 8.9 yards per carry for those scoring at home. As for the Bears it was another week of big yards and no points as QB Jeff Goff threw for 336 yards and one TD.
Telling Stat: A lot in garbage time; 212 of Cal's 483 total yards and 10 of Cal's 17 points came after the Huskies had emptied the benches, up 38-7, late in the third quarter.

Oregon 42- UCLA 14:  For three quarters, the bRuins hung with the Ducks.  UCLA had kept the Ducks off balance for most of the day and trailed just 21-14 entering the fourth quarter.  Three fourth quarter TDs later, the Ducks looked every bit like the #2 team in the land and UCLA looked bewildered.  UO RB Byron Marshall proved to be a nightmare for the bRuins by rushing for 133 yards on 19 carries and hitting paydirt three times.  Meanhwile, the Duck defense kept UCLA in check by holding UCLA QB Brett Hundley to just 64 yards passing with one TD and two interceptions.
Telling Stat: One and done;  The Duck defense allowed 101 yards and one TD to UCLA in the first quarter.  The Quacks then held UCLA in check the rest of the way, allowing only 172 more yards and one more TD.

Notre Dame 45- Air Force 10: ND QB Tommy Rees came back from a neck injury to lead the Fighting Irish to a blowout of the Falcons.  Rees had a career day, completing 17 of 22 passes for 284 yards and 5 TDs. As for the flyboys form Colorado Springs, The Falcon offense was held in check by the ND defense. USAFA ran for 290 on the ND, but couldn't get anything going through the air, racking up a measly 49 yards passing.
Telling Stat: It was the defense; The ND defense created three turnovers, held for downs twice and forced four three-and-outs to make sure this game was never in doubt.

Observations

...Maybe they should use a courier;  Kansas should just think about sending special couriers to deliver the message to their opponents that they have the schematic advantage.  Because it was quite clear that Baylor did not receive the memo as they crushed KU, 59-14 last Saturday.

...Relax, Francis!;  Alabama HC Nick Saban ripped student organizations which resulted in having their block seating in the student section revoked for the Crimson Tide's next home game because a good number of the students left during their 45-10 blowout of Tennessee. Seriously, doesn't Nick have better things to worry about?

...That'll kill that east coast audience;  The Cal-Washington game didn't start until 8 PM last Saturday. Is the Pac 12 determined to make sure nobody watches the games?

...They used all they had;  How depleted was USC's roster against Utah?  The Trojans fielded 48 scholarship players, walk-ons filled the depth chart at TE, and WR, and used an injured player for half the game. Safety Dion Bailey, who started the game in street clothes due to an injury a week earlier,  went in at halftime, suited up and played the whole second half. Wow.

...Big number in little D-III; A shoutout goes to Western Connecticut RB Octavias McKoy who broke the NCAA all-divsion single-game rushing record with 455 yards on 43 carries in his school's 55-35 win over Worcester State. Somebody get that kid a whirlpool, a masseuse, and a case of Gatorade.

...Maybe they got the memo;  It's widely known that the Pac 12 is a flag-happy conference.  There was a lot of dialogue and outrage over how many flags are thrown in the league on the national level.  Somebody must have listened at Pac 12 headquarters.  Penalties were down this past weekend.  Two weeks ago, on average, there were 12 penalties called for 109 yards in each Pac 12 game.  This past Saturday there were 8 penalties called for 84 yards on average.  Hmmmmm.

...That's an off day I'd sign my team up for; The talking heads on ESPN said how Oregon had an off day v. UCLA.  I'll take off days that feature 555 yards of offense and 42 points anytime.  

...And then there were five; There are five winless teams left in the FBS.  They are Georgia State, Southern Mississppi, Hawaii, Connecticut, and Miami (OH).

...A surprise;  When USC lined up in the inverted wishbone formation on Saturday, I was stunned. That was the team's first new formation in years.

Quietly making noise;  Rice and Tulane are both 6-2 and 4-0 in C-USA play.

...Loud noises;  Cal's offense makes a lot of noise yardage-wise. They just don't score, and in a football game, that's a problem.

...He was seven feet tall on Saturday;  After three plus seasons as a walk-on on the scout team at Rice, little Jayson Carter got his big chance. Carter, who suffers from a genetic disorder that hinders his growth, is the smallest player in the FBS at 4-foot-9, 135 pounds.  Late in the fourth quarter of Rice's 45-7 rout of UTEP, Carter was sent in.  He took the handoff and nosed over right tackle for a 1-yard gain.  To me, Jason Carter is a giant.  Way to go, kid.

...A thriller in the ancient eight; In the  I'll have a splash more tea before heading to the yacht club conference, there was an actual heart-stopping thriller of a game played. Princeton beat Harvard 51-48 in triple overtime. Princeton QB Quinn Epperly hit WR Roman Wilson from six yards out for the game-winning score. The Tigers now are in the driver's seat for the Ivy League crown.

Ugly Uniform of The Week

Well, an old friend, the Maryland Terrapins are back to claim the title!  Check out this all red ensemble with the state flag helmet, sleeves and terrapin shell under layer.  The weird team name strip on the leg doesn't help either.

Departments

Crazy Game of the Week: Abilene, TX: In a game that featured 1,401 combined total yards of offense, the West Texas A&M Buffs beat the McMurray University Chaps, 90-57. Yes, 90-57.  The game featured 172 offensive plays, 68 first downs, 20 touchdowns, and 2 field goals. WTAMU QB Gabe Rodriguez threw for 344 yards and 5 TDs, while McMurray QB Dustin Vaughan threw for 452 yards and 6 TDs.  This game was a statisticians nightmare.

Close Game of the Week: St. Paul, MN: The Washington (MO) Bears got a 15-yard run by RB Cody Ratterman wit just 4:55 to play and escaped with a 7-0 win over the Macalester College Fighting Scots.

Razorback Report: The Hogs had last week off and will host Auburn this Saturday.

Tulane Times: QB Devon Powell threw a pair of TD passes and the Green Wave got a hard fought 14-7 win over Tulsa. The win keeps the Green Wave atop the C-USA West standings. Up next for Tulane is a trip to Florida Atlantic.

Horned Frog Headlines: In a game that featured a delay of 3 hours, 6 minutes, the Texas Longhorns wiped out the Frogs, 30-7. Casey Pachall, threw for 139 yards and an interceptions in his return at QB for the Frogs. Up next for the Frogs is a date withWest Virginia.

C.W. Post Press: Easton, MA- The Pioneers dropped another one. This time it was a 38-28 loss to the Stonehill Skyhawks. Post QB Steve Laurino completed 36 of 60 passes for 404 yards and 2 TDs in the loss.Up next for Post is a trip to Saint Anslem College.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing

The country gravy at our tailgate breakfast last Saturday was so good, it should be classified as a controlled substance.

Breakfast is always great at Pacific Diner.

Cake pops rock.

Until next week folks, remember that defenses do win championships. I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!!!!!

-The Commissioner

Week 8, 2013

Hey All,

It's another beautiful fall Tuesday morning and that means another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Alan Malamud.

Summaries

Notre Dame 14- USC 10: If you told me that the Trojan defense was going hold ND to 14 total points, keep the Irish scoreless in the second half and knock out their QB midway through the game, I'd be very confident that USC would win the game going away. Well, an incredibly poor Trojan O-line, a flag happy Pac 12 officiating crew and an awful night from PK Andre Heidari left the Trojans with a loss in South Bend.  The second half started with USC down 14-10. However, the poor SC offense and the Non-existent ND offense led to a scoreless second half that was nearly unwatchable.  The stars in this snoozer were USC RB Silas Redd who ran for 112 yards and his team's lone TD and ND QB Tommy Rees who threw for 166 yards and two TDs before being knocked out of the game early in the third quarter with a neck injury.
Telling Stat: No third downs= no offense; The two teams combined to convert just 6 of 27 third downs in the game and neither team converted a third down in the fourth quarter.

Oregon State 49- California 17: The Beavers went into Strawberry Canyon and caged the Golden Bears.  OSU QB Sean Mannion was great yet again, completing 35 of 45 passes for 481 yards and 4 TDs. Mannion's favorite target was WR Brandin Cooks who hauled in 13 balls for 232 yards and a TD. Cal Frosh sensation Jeff Goff wasn't very sensational in this one, throwing for just 220 yards and an interception on the evening. OSU RB Terron Ward had the best night of all the rushers by going for 36 yards and two TDs.
Telling Stat: It was an air war; 787 of the 936 total yards gained by both teams came via the pass.

Colorado 43- Charleston Southern 10:  Sounds like an SEC game with the CSU Buccaneers involved, but no it was a Buffalo program poaching on an FCS program for a feel-good win. For CU, QB Sefo Liufau made his first career start and had a decent day.  He completed 14 of 20 passes for 198 yards and a score while managing the offense well.  Liufau's teammate Michael Adkins II had a big day, rushing for 137 yards on just 13 carries and four TDs.  The Buffalo defense got to feel good about themselves, holding the Bucs to 196 yards of total offense and just 11 first downs on the day.
Telling Stat: it was over in 2:25; In a 2:25 stretch of the second quarter, Colorado scored two TDs to go up 22-3 on CSU and never looked back.

Arizona State 53- Washington 24: What once looked as a promising season for the Huskies went down in flames as they were forked by the Sun Devils down in Tempe.  ASU ran all over the Dawgs.  RB Marion Grice rushed 21 times for 158 yards and two TDs and QB Taylor Kelly ran for 84 yards and a pair of scores to go with 271 yards passing along with two more TDs through the air. Meanwhile, the ASU defense just shutdown UW.  They held the Huskies to 212 total yards and negative five yards rushing on the day.  QB Keith Price did throw for 217 yards and two TDs in the losing effort for the UW.
Telling Stat: 18 minutes of hell; After falling behind 7-0 to start the game, the Sun Devils scored 29 straight points over the last 18:01 of the first half to end this one early.

Stanford 24- UCLA 10: The bRuins and Cardinal have played some tight ones lately with the Cardinal always coming out on top and this one was no different.  Coming off their upset at Utah,  Stanford got back to playing their brand of football.  That brand means using a tough defense and a balanced offense to grind down their opponents.  With the game tied, 3-3 in the third quarter, the Cardinal put together two strong scoring drives that were topped off with WR Kodi Whitfield making an incredible catch for a TD on a 30-yard pass from QB Kevin Hogan and RB Tyler Gaffney crossing the double stripe from 1-yard out to take control of the game.  The bRuins did make it a tight game when WR Shaq Evans hauled in a three-yard TD pass from QB Brett Hundley. The Cardinal then held just a seven point lead up 17-10 with one quarter to play.  Stanford controlled both sides of the ball the rest of way capping off the scoring with another TD run by Tyler Gaffney with just 1:42  to play.  Gaffney was the workhorse for the Cardinal today lugging the leather 36 times for 171 yards and two TDs.
Telling Stat:  Not in this second half;  UCLA had dominated their opponents in the second half this season until this game.  Stanford dominated this second half, holding the bRuins to just 10 points while forcing two punts, and picking off two passes along the way.  

Arizona 35- Utah 24: The Utes had no trouble holding the Stanford running game in check last week.  They didn't stop the Wildcats rushing attack this week.  It was the Ka'Deem Carey show as the UofA RB gashed the Utah defense for 236 yards on 40 carries and the game-sealing TD with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats were in control of this game, up 20-7 to start the third quarter and had knocked out Ute QB Tyler Wilson early in the game. However, Utah mounted a comeback behind the arm of backup QB Adam Schultz who threw for 142 yards and a TD in relief of Wilson. The Utes scored two TDs to go back on top, 21-20 to start the fourth quarter, but never really threatened again.
Telling Stat: He could have had 300; UofA RB Ka'Deem Carey had a 66-yard TD run called back early in the game or he would have finished 302 yards rushing on 41 carries.  Hmmm.

Oregon 62- Washington State 38:  The Ducks rolled over the Cougars to stay undefeated on the season and further QB Marcus Mariota's Heisman campaign. Mariota had another ho-hum day, completing 23 of 32 passes for 327 yards and two TDs while running for 67 yards and a another TD.  Duck RB Byron Marshall also had a great day amassing 192 yards on 21 carries and three TDs.  However all the attention in this game shifted to Wazzu QB Connor Halliday who put up this Playstation-style stat line. Halliday completed 58 of 89 passes for 557 yards, four TDs and four interceptions. Well, this goes down as just another crazy game in the Pac 12.
Telling Stat: Why they threw so much;  Wazzu can't run the ball, that's why.  The Cougars were out rushed in this game, 383 yards to 2.  Yup, 383 to 2.

Observations

...This just in;  The police in South Bend are still pursuing a missing persons case.  It seems that many Trojan fans called into the police reporting that the USC offensive line disappeared from Notre Dame Stadium midway through the first quarter last week.

...Can't call him that anymore;  Back in the mid 1970's, Wazzu QB Jack Thompson was called "The Throwin' Samoan."  After Cougar QB Connor Halliday attempted 89 passes last week, Thompson's nickname just doesn't seem to fit anymore.

...Feeling suckered;  Yup, I drank the Kool-Aid.  I actually thought Clemson was that good.

...Quietly making west coast noise;  Yes, they were embarrassed by FCS power Eastern Washington, but Oregon State is 6-0 since then and tied with Oregon atop the Pac 12 North standings.

...Missing the lead dog;  Former Washington HC Don James died on Sunday at the age of 80.  James took a Husky program that was on the ropes and built it into a power.  I always had respect for his teams.  They were always tough and ready to play. From players Slick Tom Flick to Warren Moon to Spider Gaines to Jacque Robinson to Mark Brunnell, the Dawgs were always strong under his leadership.  R.I.P. Lead Dog.

...ESPN stupidity on display;  ESPN headlines reads, "The biggest threat to the SEC's BCS title streak is the SEC"  Gee, didn't know that.  Hint:  that happens in all the leagues right now. It's called conference play.  It's been around awhile.

...25 minutes, 36 seconds;  That's how long Oklahoma's hangover form losing to Texas last week lasted, before they took the lead and then slogged their way to a 34-19 win over Kansas.  The sad thing about that is for awhile there, KU HC Charlie Weis actually thought that OU got the memo about schematic advantage.  Sorry, Charlie.

...BCScrewed; Oregon got seriously hosed in the first BCS rankings. That stuff usually happens to the Pac 12, but maybe even more so now that most Pac 12 games are played after most of the country has gone to bed for the night.

...A moot point;  The Oregon-Stanford game most people have been looking forward to all year will lose some luster if the Cardinal lose this week at Oregon State.  I think that the Beavers have a great shot at the upset.

...Scratch 'em off the list; With Louisville losing to Central Florida last Thursday, there are no reasons left to watch an AAC game.

...And then there were six; There are six winless teams left in the BCS. They are Georgia State, Miami (OH), Western Michigan, Hawaii, New Mexico State and Southern Mississippi.  Southern Mississippi was crushed by East Carolina last week to extend their losing streak to 18 games.

...Not feeling South Beach; The Miami sanctions, or lack of sanctions rather, show just how bad the NCAA needs to be destroyed.

...Just how much he threw;  Here's a stat to put Wazzu QB Connor Halliday's 89 pass attempt night in perspective.  There were six other games this past week featuring Pac 12 teams.  None of those games featured as many total pass attempts combined between the two schools as Halliday threw by himself.  The closest to Halliday was when Oregon State and and Cal combined to chuck the rock 81 times in their game.


Ugly Uniform of the Week

Oregon's pink helmets were too easy to pick on, so this week's winner is Wyoming

This all gold ensemble for the brown and gold clad Cowboys is just awful.  These guys look like running penalty flags.


Special Section: My take on what's wrong with the USC offensive line

1. Poor fundamentals: This unit isn't well coached.  The lack of good fundamentals is especially easy to see in pass protection. O-linemen need to set up in a balanced stance for pass protection.  Meaning, that their feet are wide enough apart and their weight his evenly distributed over those feet. This group continually sets up with poor feet and with their weight too far forward.  That makes them easy to get thrown to side or their shoulders turned to give the defensive line a straight shot at the quarterback.

2. The O-line is in poor condition.  You can't use scholarship limits as an excuse to why these guys aren't in good enough shape.  Usually your starting five up front play every snap and should function as one unit with five moving parts. An O-line should get stronger as the game goes on. The O-line always has an advantage because...

A. They know where the play is going

B. They only have one job to do on each play

C. The more they are on the field, the more tired the defense should get

3.  The O-line got no help. Meaning that if the line is having a bad time, the play calling should have tried to negate this fact by throwing quick, three step drop passes like quick slants, skinny posts, and quick flips out of the backfield.  Also, the receivers never got much separation form the ND defenders in their pass routes which led to Cody Kessler holding the ball longer in the pocket. The longer a QB holds on to the ball, the longer the line has to block and breakdowns occur. 

So, add these three things up and you get an O-line that got flagged a lot because of the confluence of these three factors.  An out of shape line with poor fundamentals, that has too block too long ends up getting sloppy and committing bad penalties.

Departments

Blowout of the Week: Owensboro, KY: The Quincy University Hawks hit the road and skinned the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers, 80-26. The Hawks set a Great Lakes Valley Conference record with their 80 points scored and 707 yards of total offense. Six different RBs piled up 445 rushing yards on the day with RB Sterling Ross running for just 77 yards, however he found the endzone four times.

Not So Close Game of the Week: Jackson State 1, Grambling 0.  That is the official score of the game Grambling forfeited last week due to player revolt last week.  There are plenty of articles out their on the situation and the horrible conditions under which the team was playing which included improperly washed uniforms that led to Staph infections on the team.  Needless to say that's a mess down there.  Eddie Robinson must be rolling over in his grave at the state of the program.

Razorback Report: The Hogs took a trip to Alabama and got rolled by the Crimson Tide, 52-0.  That is all.

Horned Frog Headines: TCU went into Stillwater and came out with a 24-10 loss to the Okie State Cowboys. This was a sloppy game featuring 8 turnovers and 18 penalties between the two squads.  The TCU offense never really got untracked as they behind 17-0 at the half and never recovered. QB Trevon Boykin did throw for 188 yards and run for 46, but his three interceptions hurt the Frogs greatly.

Tulane Times: The Green Wave was off last week.  They will host Tulsa this week.

C.W. Post Press: Brokville, NY: It was homecoming at C.W. Post and the Pioneers did not disappoint the home folks, as they crushed the Pace Setters, 58-0.  Post QB Steve Laurino completed 12 of 19 passes for 177 yards and four TDs to lead the way for his squad.  Post is now 3-4 on the season and will play at Stonehill College this week.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

The miniature golf course on Catalina rocks.

There's nothing worse than having your DirecTV go out on a fall Saturday.

A Milky Way is still a pretty cool candy bar.

Until next week folks, remember that if you don't have an offensive line, you ain't got nothin'.
-The Commissioner

Week 7 2013

Hey All,

It is Tuesday and that means another installment of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Mel Durslag.

Summaries

USC 38- Arizona 31: Coming off the Bye week firing of Lane Kiffin, the question is just how would the Trojans respond to the change?  They responded rather well as they raced out to a big lead, then held on at the end for a big win over the Wildcats.  The Trojans seemed in control of this one form the start as they held a 31-10 lead with 8:15 to play in the third quarter.  Then the Trojan defense tired and the Arizona offense came on strong.  Three of UofA QB B.J. Denker's four TD tosses came in the final 19 minutes and USC found themselves up by just seven with 4:08 to play. Then, USC RB Silas Redd, finally seeing some playing time after coming off a knee injury, lugged the leather seven times for 43 yards to kill the clock and preserve the win for ol' SC. UofA RB Ka'Deem Carey ran for 138 yards in the losing effort.
Telling Stat: Not that much in a while; USC's 38 points were the most scored by the Trojans since they racked up 38 on ASU last november.

Arizona State 54- Colorado 13: The Sun Devils cruised to an easy win over an overwhelmed Buffaloes squad in Tempe.  This one was over quickly.  In the first 11 minutes, ASU QB Taylor Kelly threw a TD pass, while RB Marion Grice ran for two TDs to go with a Zane Gonzalez FG and a Jalen Strong two-point conversion to go up 25-0.  The Sun Devils built up a 47-6 lead by halftime, then emptied the benches the rest of the way.  Kelly finished with 233 yards passing and two TDs in one half of work, while CU QB Sefo Liufau threw for 169 yards and a TD in the loss.
Telling Stat: Worse than it looked; 159 of Colorado's 268 total yards and second TD came in the fourth quarter when all of ASU's walk-ons were earning their letters.  

Utah 27- Stanford 21: The Utes traded blows with the Cardinal for the first quarter, then manhandled the boys form Palo Alto the rest of the way to record arguably the season's biggest upset.  Ute QB Tyler Wilson, the pride of San Clemente High, had a good day, completing 23 of 34 passes for 234 yards and two TDs. Ute RB Bubba Poole also did well, racking up 111 yards on 22 carries to keep the Stanford defense off balance. SU QB Kevin Hogan threw for 246 yards and a TD in the loss.
Telling Stat: They buckled down on D;  After giving up two Stanford TDs in the first quarter, the Utes shut down the Cardinal, forcing four punts, two fumbles and holding for downs once to pull off the upset.

UCLA 37- California 10: The bRuins were sloppy for stretches of this game, but they still easily whipped the Golden Bears. While the running game wasn't working for UCLA, the passing game was just fine. bRuin QB Brett Hundley hit on 31 of 41 aerials for 410 yards and three TDs. As for the UCLA defense, they took up residence in the Cal backfield for most of the night, making life miserable for Cal QB Jeff Goff.  Goff finished with just 215 yards through the air with no TDs and an interception.
Telling Stat: The D set the tone; While the offense had it's problems, UCLA's defense caged the Golden Bears, holding them to just four of 17 on third downs, forcing five three-and-outs, and making life hell for Cal QB Jeff Goff all night along.

Oregon State 52- Washington State 24: All looked good for the Cougars as they held a 24-17 after QB Connor Halliday hit WR Vince Mayle with a 4-yard TD toss with 4:50 left in the third quarter.  Then, the Cougars imploded turning the ball over six times in the final 19:50.  OSU took advantage of everyone of those mistakes and turned this potential upset into a rout.   Beaver QB Sean Mannion was awesome yet again, completing 34 of 51 passes for 493 yards and 4 TDs.  Meanwhilem, Halliday threw for 248 yards a YD and three costly interceptions in defeat.
Telling Stat: A glorious 4th for OSU;.  it was glorious  for the Beavers as they turned all those WSU turnovers into 35 points in the final 19:50 to run away with this one. 

Oregon 45- Washington 24: College Football Gameday came to Seattle.  The fans were primed for their blackout game as the crowd and the team donned all-black garb for the day.  The stands were rocking and Oregon still worked over the Dawgs.  UW put up plenty of offense and hung in there through three quarters, but the Duck juggernaut just kept rolling, putting up 45 points and 631 yards of total offense to run away with this one late. UO QB Marcus Mariota threw for 366 and three TDs and ran for 88 yards and another score to lead the Quack Attack.  As for the Huskies, RB Bishop Sankey was once again the star, toting the rock 28 times for 167 yards and a pair of TDs.
Telling Stat: A one man team;  UO QB Marcus Mariota ran up 454 yards of offense and four TDs in the game.  Washington as a team ran up 376 total yards and scored three TDs.

Observations

...And then there were eight; There are still eight winless teams left in the FBS.  They are Connecticut, Temple, Southern Mississippi, New Mexico State, Miami (OH), Western Michigan, Hawaii and Georgia State.

...Company for the Nittany Lions;  Western Michigan becomes the first team to join sanctioned Penn State as not being eligible for a bowl when they were smacked 33-0 by Buffalo last weekend.  The loss dropped WMU to 0-7 and makes them ineligible for a bowl in 2013.

...Oddball stat of the week;  The Time Of Possession stat in the UCLA-Cal game was an even  30:00/30:00 split. Hmmmmm.

...They didn't lose;  Woo Hoo!  Southern Mississippi did not lose last week and extend their 17-game losing streak because they were on a Bye.  However, I do need to debunk the rumor that the boys in Las Vegas installed the Bye as a 10-point favorite over the Eagles.

...Not in a long time;  I haven't seen a line as battered and gun-shy as Cal's offensive line in a long time.

...An exciting train wreck;  The four overtimes in the Michigan-Penn State game were incredibly exciting and also a total train wreck.  Seriously, the ball is put at the 25-yard line for a reason.  To get just three field goals and one TD in four OTs is an epic offensive fail.

...A snail's pace;  Does the Big Ten have an aversion to recruiting elite speed?  There are better odds of finding a Rhodes Scholar at ASU than a fast player in the Big Ten.

...What price victory?; Missouri pulled off an impressive 41-26 win at Georgia to remain undefeated on the season, but lost QB James Franklin for the rest of the season with separated shoulder. The rest of the season just got really really tough for the Tigers.

...Yes, He's that good; Just how good is UO QB Marcus Mariota? You can do everything right on defense and he still can beat you anyway.  If he's not  the front-runner for the stiffarm statue, I don't know who is.

...Feeling Addazio; I'm not a fan of moral victories, because they are just losses after all.  However, BC is starting to scare the heck out of the ACC and I'm diggin' the change of the culture at Boston College.  HC Steve Addazio's team is getting better as the season wears on.  I'm starting to think Eagles may take flight in a major way in a season or two under his tutelage.

...Lame excuse; ESPN's Rece Davis and Lou Holtz declared that Stanford lost last week because it was midterms last week up on The Farm.  Really?  So, no other school takes midterms?  what a load of garbage.

...They can't be serious;  But, yes the are in a big southern way.  Bristol Motor Speedway will host the Tennessee- Virginia Tech game in 2016.  Will the endzones be banked?  Can players draft off each other to run faster?  Will there be time outs or pit stops?  This whole thing is just weird.

...What price victory- Part II;  Now that Texas whipped Oklahoma last week, are the Texas fans really happy that Mack Brown is still roaming their sidelines?

...A word of thanks; Thanks go to Lane Kiffin for carrying himself with class in his interview on College Gameday.  It's hard to get your dream job, then have it all go down the drain.  Good luck, Lane.

Quietly making noise; Don't look now, but Tulane is 5-2 overall and 3-0 in C-USA play.

...It must have not made it;  The memo to TCU must have been not made it through the TCU spam filters or they would have known that Kansas had the schematic advantage over them last week.  How else do explain TCU's 27-17 win over the Jayhawks? Oh well...

...Davis and Blanchard didn't do this; What a day for Army RB Terry Baggett.  Baggett had a career day, rushing for 304 yards and 4 TDs on just 18 carries to lead the Black Knights to a 50-25 win over Eastern Michigan. The 304 rushing yards are the most in a game this year in the FBS and are now the most in a single game in USMA history.  Way to go, kid!

 ...The missing element;  It was great to see optimism and positive energy back in the Coliseum last week.  Felt like an old friend came back to watch the game with us all.  Thanks, Coach O!

Ugly Uniforms of the Week

Tulsa and UTEP win for these two awful sets of togs last Saturday

UTEP's All orange looks like CalTrans jumpsuits run Amok and Tulsa's weird stripes and chrome helmet is just bad on multiple levels.

Departments

Blowout of the Week: Maryville, MO- The Bearcats of Northwest Missouri State crushed the Bronchos of Central Oklahoma, 72-10. The Bearcats did it in a balanced way by rushing for 323 yards and passing for 364.  QB Trevor Adams completed 18 of 21 passes for 246 yards and three TDs in one half's worth of work to lead Bearcat charge. Meanwhile, the NWMSU defense held the Bronchos to zero for 14 on third down conversions on the afternoon.

Close Game of the Week: Union, NJ- The College of New Jersey Lions got a big play to hold for a 7-0 win over Kean University. The Lions went up, 7-0 early when RB Victor Scalici scampered 15 yards to paydirt with 7:16 to play in the first quarter.  Kean mounted one final push to try and force overtime,   driving 93 yards in 17 plays, but DB Matthew Fleck stopped QB Robert Meade at the one-yard line on fourth and goal to preserve the win.

Razorback Report: The Old Ball Coach took his South Carolina squad into Fayetteville and they beat up Arkansas, 52-7.  The Hogs went up early in this one, 7-0 when RB Alex Collins scored from six yards out, but that was the last time the Razorback offense was heard from all day.  The Razorbacks would finish with just 248 total yards of offense with a mere 30 of those coming through the air.  Meanwhile, the Gamecock offense was hitting on all cylinders as QB Connor Shaw threw for 219 yards and three TDs.  SoCar also ran the ball well, racking up 277 yards on the ground against an Arkanasas defense that spent way too much time on the field.  Up next for the Hogs is a trip to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama.

C.W. Post Press: Springfield, MA- Things just aren't getting any better for the Pioneers this year as they dropped another game.  This time, it was a 21-0 loss on the road at American International University. The Pioneers have dropped to 2-4 overall and are now just 1-4 in Northeast Athletic Conference play.  Up next for Post is Homcoming v. Pace.

Tulane Times: The Green Wave moved to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in C-USA play with a triple overtime victory over the East Carolina Pirates. This was weird game as there wasn't an offensive TD scored until ECU tied the game on a two-yard run by RB Vintavious Cooper to send the game to OT with 1:48 left in regulation. The Green Wave won it when PK Carlos Santos kicked his fifth field goal of the game, a 42-yarder, split the uprights after ECU PK Warren Harvey missed from 34 yards out.
Up next for Tulane is a home date with Tulsa.

Horned Frog Headlines:  TCU had a bit of trouble, but still managed to beat he schematic advantage himself, Charlie Weis and the Kanasa Jayhawks in Fort Worth.  QB Trevone Boykin provided the bulk of the offense for TCU, throwing for 173 yards and one TD, while also rushing for 71 yards and another score.  As for the TCU defense, they shutout the Jayhawks in the fourth quarter and held KU to just two of 16 on third down conversion for the afternoon.  Up next for TCU is a trip to Oklahoma State.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Having the batteries of two remotes go out at the same time on a football Saturday could be cause for losing one's man card.

Fever Pitch is still a pretty cool movie.

Chicken Fried Steak is a classic, classic meal.

Until next time folks, remember that it is really a good thing when you use the entire field in the passing game.

-The Commissioner

Week 6. 2013

Hey All,

It is Tuesday!!!!!  That means another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Jim Murray.

Summaries

Oregon 57- Colorado 16: With 9:35 left in the first quarter, Colorado held a 10-8 lead over Oregon and spirits were high in Boulder. Then, reality set in and the Ducks crushed the Buffaloes the rest of the way.  UO QB Marcus Mariota kept his Heisman campaign rolling along by completing 16 of 27 passes for 355 yards and five TDs while also running for 43 yards and two more TDs. That's a seven TD day for Mariota. Meanwhile, the Duck defense penned up the Buffaloes by not allowing a third down conversion in the game.  Yes, the Buffs went 0-15 on third down.
Telling Stat: Tough Duckin' Defense; After giving up 10 points and 144 yards in the first 5:25 of the game, the Duck defense held Colorado to 7 points and 230 yards over the last 54:35 of the game.

Washington State 44- California 22:  The Golden Bears are the gift that keeps on giving for their opponents this season.  Another five Cal turnovers helped Wazzu to victory.  Wazzu QB Connor Halliday made good use of those turnovers as part of his big day.  Halliday completed 41 of 67 passes for 521 yards and three TDs. The Cougars also got something rare for a Mike Leach offense, they scored two rushing TDs.  RBs Jeremiah Laufasa and Teondray Caldwell both crossed the double stripe from the ground.  As for Cal, QB Jeff Goff completed 33 of 59 aerials for 504 yards and a pair of scores in the loss.
Telling Stat: Gift wrapping a loss; Of Cal's five turnovers in the game, three were inside their own 10-yard line.

Stanford 31- Washington 28: This was the best game of the day in the Pac 12 as the Huskies almost pulled off a second straight upset over the Cardinal. The Huskies outplayed the Cardinal in many phases of the game, especially defensively where they held Stanford to just 279 total yards and just 4 of 14 on third down conversions.  However, the Dawgs were playing catch up from the start thanks to SU WR Ty Montgomery who took the opening kickoff back 99 yards for a TD to give a the Cardinal a quick 7-0 lead. In this see-saw battle, UW QB Keith Price and RB Bishop Sankey both played well as Price threw for 350 yards and two TDs, while Sankey ran for 125 yards and two TDs of his own. As for Stanford it was Montgomery who sparked the Cardinal.  In addition to his kickoff return TD, he totaled 204 yards in kick returns and also caught a TD pass to lift his squad to the victory. However, Washington still had a chance to either win or send send this game to overtime, but Price's fourth down pass WR Kevin Smith for a first down deep in Stanford territory was overturned by the replay booth and declared incomplete, allowing the Cardinal to escape the upset.
Telling Stat: A pick and a review;  Two plays kept the Huskies from victory. The first play was when a Keith Price pass was tipped and picked off on the Stanford five-yard line with 6:11 left in the game.  The second was the overturned reception that killed Dawgs last gasp with 1:16 to play.

UCLA 27- Utah 24: Salt Lake hasn't been kind to the bRuins, as they were trounced in their last trip to Utah two years ago.  It didn't look for good them this year either as they found themselves tied with the Utes tat the 13:23 mark of the fourth quarter after DB Keith McGill rambled 19 yards on an interception return.  However, the bRuins pulled themselves together down the stretch and came away with the win. UCLA QB Brett Hundley had a decent night throwing for 211 yards and a score while also rushing for 85 yards and another TD.  As for the Utes, QB Tyler Wilson did throw for 288 yards and a pair of TDs, but his six, yes six, interceptions opened the door for the bRuins to avoid the upset.
Telling Stat: The big six; We're not talking about Christy Mathewson here, Utah QB Tyler Wilson's six interceptions single-handedly gave UCLA a shot to win this game.

Notre Dame 37- Arizona State 34: In a game played at Jerryworld, in Arlington TX, the Fighting Irish got a good win in a game that had no real flow to it.  The Sun Devils took and early 6-0 lead in this one behind a pair of PK Zane Gonzalez field goals, but didn't manage to get back into this one until they tied it up at 27-27 with 8:18 to play.  The Irish then put the game away with a 25-yard field goal by PK Kyle Brindza and a 14-yard pick six by LB Dan Fox. The Sun Devils got a cosmetic TD with 11 seconds left to make the score closer.  ND QB Tommy Rees threw for 279 yards and three TDs in the victory.  As for ASU, QB Taylor Kelly completed 33 of 47 tosses for three TDs with two interceptions in the loss.
Telling Stat: They won it on the ground; Notre Dame out rushed ASU 145 yards to 65, That edge contributed greatly to ND's nine minute edge in time of possession.  That edge kept ASU's powerful offense off the field, helping to ensure an ND victory.

Observations

A stud loose in the Palouse; Wazzu senior CB Deone Buchannaon is a bigtime talent at CB.  He covers like a blanket and has four interceptions in the Cougars last four games. Looks like he'll be playing on Sundays next season.

The kid can throw; Cal Freshman QB Jeff Goff now owns four of the top five passing days in Golden Bear history.  In Cal's loss to Wazzu, he set Cal's single game passing record with 504 yards, breaking Pat Barnes old record of 503 in a four-overtime game v. Arizona State back in 1996.

Circling the date; The date is October 26.  The game is Oklahoma at Baylor.  Both teams should be 7-0 going into this one and who doesn't want to see Baylor's 70 point a game offense v. Oklahoma's defense?  Be sure to set those DVRs folks.

Just that fact; I still think it's cool that the Texas-Oklahoma game is still listed as one of the official events of the Texas State Fair.

Like they weren't there;  Maryland showed up to Florida State in all-white uniforms that made them look ghostly in appearance.  They played that way too.  They virtually didn't lay a hand on the Seminoles all day, losing 63-0.

They just didn't get the memo;  I guess Texas Tech didn't read the memo that Kansas had the schematic advantage last week or the Red Raiders wouldn't have crushed the Jayhawks, 54-16.  Oh, well.

And then there were eight; There are eight winless teams left in the FBS. They are Temple, New Mexico State, Hawaii, Western Michigan, Miami (OH), Massachusetts, Georgia State, and Southern Mississippi.  Southern Mississippi is currently riding the longest losing streak in the FBS.  They've lost 17 straight games.

The end of Mack Brown; If Oklahoma humiliates Texas in the Red River Rivalry game this week at the Cotton Bowl, will Texas HC Mack Brown find himself playing golf with Lane Kiffin next week.   I think so.

Mrs. Fields would be proud;  One of the coolest things done so far by USC interim HC Ed Orgeron is that he brought cookies back to the training table.  Heck he even served them to the team after the first practice after Lane Kiffin's firing. Coach O's  best line about the move was, "If you give a lineman a cookie, he's happy."  As a former lineman, I have to agree.

Not feeling Condoleeza;  I don't see how Condoleeza Rice got on the committee to pick the four teams for the FBS playoff in the 2014 season.  This is not a knock on gender or race.  I'm talking about experience. I want football lifers on this committee. People who eat, drink, sleep, and live the game.  I want people who've felt the sting of the battle and have forgotten more football than I have ever known.

Not the wings they wanted; Tailgaters on Florida's Flavet Field got a scare when an ad banner plane crashed in the middle of their tailgates.  Nobody was injured, including the plane's two occupants, but the crash does give new meaning to the term "hot wings."

It took two weeks;  Two weeks for Ole Miss to go from the Penthouse to the Outhouse.  Two weeks ago Ole Miss was ready for a showdown with Alabama.  They got spanked by 'Bama, lost this past week to Auburn and now have a major scandal on their hands after a group of players attending, "The Laramie Project", which dealt with the brutal death of Matthew Shepard, were observed heckling the performers with homophobic slurs.  Losing and intolerance seem to be traditions at Ole Miss.

If the phone doesn't ring it's USC;  Evidently, individuals posing as representatives of USC have been reaching out to coaches regarding the vacant HC position.  In fact, Tony Dungy went on the Dan Patrick radio show saying he had been contacted about the job, but wasn't interested. Funny Tony, it seems USC isn't interested in you either.

Old men running;  With all the up tempo, speed, speed, speed, 90-play-a-game offenses out there in college football, the referees are being run ragged.  The refs need to get their cardio up.

Earmuffs time;   Syracuse HC Scott Shafer cussed out Clemson HC Dabo Sweeney from across the field after Clemson went for it on fourth down, up by 28 point in the fourth quarter.  The video shows Shafer saying, "F--K YOU DABO! YOU MOTHER--KER!   As a former player and sarcastic blogger, I was shocked to hear such language on a football field.

Special Section

Worst Uniform for a Traditional Power Ever

Notre Dame wins this hands down with with this uniform they wore v. Arizona State last Saturday

Let me list how epically bad this uniform is

1. Hey, Notre Dame! Your school colors are Navy Blue and Gold!
2. All One color uniforms are not good looking at all, especially all-whites.
3. The green they chose for this uniform is hideous.
4. The green socks and green cleats with gold under soles makes it worse.
5. The mirror finish jersey numbers and shamrock on the helmet make the uniform look like a rejected design form a football dance number at the Tony Awards.
6. You are Notre Dame!  Everyone knows who you are.  You don't need alternate uniforms to get your name out there.  You are not Maryland or Oregon!
7. Hey, Notre Dame!  You school colors are Navy Blue and Gold!

Departments

Blowout of the Week: Canyon, TX- It was homecoming and the West Texas A&M Buffs crushed the Central State Marauders, 72-0.  Buffs QB Dustin Vaughan had a great day, completing 33 of 41 passes for 438 yards and seven TDs.  The Buffs are Division II team that plays in the Lone Star Conference.

Close Game of the Week: Newton, MA- The team that brought the huddle to college football, the Gallaudet College Bison held on for a tough, 7-6 win over the Mount Ida Mustangs.  Trailing, 6-0 with 2:10 to go on the third quarter, Bison RB BJ Flores scampered 12 yards for the go ahead touchdown. The Bison barely held on for the win when a 33-yard field goal attempt by the Mustangs fell short with :15 left to play.

C.W. Post Press: Brookville, NY- Another week, another loss for the Pioneers as they fell to Merrimack College 26-21.  Post QB Steve Laurino throw for 218 yards and a two TDs in the loss.  Post os now 2-3 on the season and 1-3 in Northeast 10 conference play.

Razorback Report: The Hogs went to Florida and fell to the Gators, 30-10. Things looked good for the Hogs as they had a 7-0 lead to start the second quarter, then the Gators woke up.  Florida ground down the Hogs slowly working their way towards the win.  Florida QB Tyler Murphy was the big start in the game, throwing for 240 yards and three TDs

This week's Three Notes About Nothing

I wonder why this year's Honeycrisp apples aren't as good as last year's crop.

If you need a sugar fix, the Candy Baron in Laguna Beach rocks.

Yes, I'm saying this, the Brussels Sprouts at the Cork Bar are awesome.


Until next week folks, remember that defensive football is a game of reaction. If you pause to think, you're beaten.

-The Commissioner

Week 5 2013

Hey All,

It's Tuesday, so it must be time for another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Jim Murray.

A note on the side bars:  The Departments Section of the blog was not updated this week as well as the quote from Our Field Office, because the blogger program would not save any changes. Yes, i'm really frustrated over this.  I did everything except reconstruct the blog from scratch to get it to work.  Sorry, folks.

Summaries

Arizona State 62- USC 41: At halftime, except for a couple of mistakes, the USC offense had come alive and the Trojans trailed 20-14.  Then, the wheels came off and the Sun Devils blew the Trojans out of Sun Devil Stadium and USC HC Lane Kiffin out of a job.  ASU shredded the Trojan defense for 42 second half points.  ASU QB Taylor Kelly seemed unstoppable as he completed 23 of 34 passes for 351 yards and three TDs.  The Trojans did show some fight down the stretch with RBs Justin Davis and Tre Madden both eclipsing the 100 yard mark and combining to score four TDs in the loss.
Telling Stat: A fateful third quarter;  ASU's offensive explosion in the third quarter ended the game and Lane Kiffin's USC career.  At the end of the third quarter, USC AD Pat Haden, Associate AD J.K. McKay and school president Max Nikias all left the sidelines to decide Kiffin's fate.

Oregon 55- California 16: The monsoon like conditions in Eugene didn't affect the Quack Attack one bit as they ran over around and through the Golden Bears.  The weather did affect Cal though as they gave the explosive UO offense short fields by turning the ball over five times.  UO QB Marcus Mariota threw for 114 yards with two TDs and ran for another score in this laugher.
Telling Stat: A not so fantastic four;  Cal fumbled on their first four possessions of the game, which the Ducks used to help build up a 27-0 first quarter lead.

Stanford 55- Washington State 17:  The enthusiasm in the Palouse for Wazzu's great start was crushed by the Cardinal when they crushed the Cougars at Century Link Field, in Seattle.  Up 17-3 at the half, Stanford put the game away by scoring 31 straight points to open the second half.  SU QB Kevin Hogan had a another good day by completing 16 of 25 tosses for 286 yards and three TDs.  The Cardinal offense as a whole was it's usually efficient self converting on 7 of 15 third downs and holding the edge in time of possession.  For the Cougars, QBs Connor Halliday and Austin Apodaca combined for 322 yards passing and 2 TDs in the loss.
Telling Stat: Gone in 15 minutes; Gone were Wazzu's chances of winning this game when Stanford's defense held for downs once, forced two punts and returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the third quarter.

Oregon State 44- Colorado 17: The Beavers notched their fourth win in a row by taming the Buffaloes in Corvalis.  In the gusty winds and rain, OSU QB Sean Mannion calmly went out and threw for 414 yards and a school record six TDs.  Meanwhile, the Beaver defense easily shutdown a Colorado offense that truly looked like it hadn't played in three weeks.  CU QB Connor Wood threw for two TDs with two interceptions for just 146 yards in the loss.
Telling Stat: When it didn't matter;  14 of CU's 17 points and 160 of the Buffaloes 300 total yards came in the fourth quarter after OSU had built up a 38-3 lead and emptied the benches with the game well in hand.

Washington 31- Arizona 13: The Huskies washed away the Wildcats in a windy rain-soaked afternoon at the newly renovated Husky Stadium. The Huskies seemed in control of the game from the outset, but found themselves holding just an 18-13 lead with 5:14 to play in the third quarter after UofA QB B.J. Denker dashed 7-yards to paydirt.  The Husky defense then stood up and shutout the Wildcats the rest of the way, while the Dawgs offense got a pair of TD runs by RBs Bishop Sankey and Jesse Caller to seal the victory.  Both squads featured RBs led up to their billing in this one as UW's Bishop Sankey ran for 161 yards and a TD on 40 carries and UofA's Ka'Deem Carey ran for 132 yards on 30 carries and a TD as well.
Telling Stat: Tough Dawgs down the stretch; The Husky defense held on down twice , forced an interception and held while the clock ran out to put this one in the win column for the Purple Gang.

Oklahoma 35- Notre Dame 21: The Sooners won the turnover battle and the game in South Bend.  OU took advantage of three ND turnovers and turned them all into touchdowns. The Bell-dozer,  OU QB Blake Bell completed 22 of 30 passes for 232 yards and two TDs in the victory.  On the fipside, Irish Q Tommy Rees had a bad day.  He did throw for two TDs, but also threw three interceptions and for a paltry 104 total yards. ND RB George Atkinson III kept his squad in the game by rushing for 148 yards and a TD in the contest.
Telling Stat: They used picks to dig themselves an early hole; QB Tommy Rees threw a pair of interceptions leading to two quick Oklahoma TDs that put ND in a 14-0 hole that they never recovered from.

Observations

...The name rings a bell ;  When Vanderbilt takes on Missouri this week, Commodore HC James Franklin will find something familiar about the Mizzou quarterback.  Why? Well, because his name is James Franklin also.

...8-6-6;  It's not a new area code.  It's the rankings of three of Georgia's first four opponents this season when they faced them.  The Dawgs went 3-1 in the first four weeks after facing #8 Clemson, #6 South Carolina, and #6 LSU along the way.

...Just can't wait;  I can't wait for the Oregon-Stanford game this season.

...And then there were 10; There are 10 winless teams left in the FBS in 2013.  They are Connecticut, USF, Temple, New Mexico State, FIU, Southern Miss, Umass, Miami (OH), Hawaii and Georgia State.

...Forked; I think ASU just scored again on USC.  Wait, no, it's just a bad flashback.

....He runs like his dad too; Stanford's final TD in their 55-17 rout of Washington State came on a 22-yard scamper by Barry Sanders Jr.

...Washington's Gold chrome finish helmets looked absolutely beautiful in the rain v. Arizona.

...Two pink slips;  UConn HC Paul Pasqualoni was fired this past Sunday too after going 10-18 in 2 1/2 season up in Storrs.

...He lost the hero's worship;  How hot is Mack Brown's seat at Texas now?  Well, The Tyler Rose himself, Earl Campbell told a Fox news affiliate in Texas "I think it's time"  that Brown be fired.

...Another week another helmet;  ASU is breaking out a new helmet for their game v.Notre Dame at Jerryworld in Arlington, TX this week  here it is...

...When politics screw up the game;  The government shutdown could have an effect that nobody expected.  That effect being the cancellation of this week's Air Force- Navy game at Annapolis. Due to the shutdown, the Department of Defense has suspended all intercollegiate athletic competitions at its' three service academies.  Navy and Air Force will notify fans by Thursday if the game will be played or not.

Special Section

Let's talk about Lane

The thing most of us hoped for after last week's embarrassment at the hands of ASU finally happened.  Lane Kiffin was fired and for the first time in Trojan history an interim head coach is in place.  Here's my final words on Kiffin as he waits for his taxi at LAX.

1. I really hoped he could have gotten it together.  He's a young guy that had great potential. If he hit it right, he could have been at SC a long, long time.

2. He had to go now because the downward spiral of the program was increasing speed.  The morale all over was low and the team was dead.  If Lane was kept on for the Thursday night game v. Arizona, the Coliseum would have been an ugly, ugly place.

3. When the media hates you, you have no cushion.  Lane never got the media on his side.  He was such a moribund, morose guy to the media.  So, they cut him no slack. I attended a pair of USC fantasy camps during the Pete Carroll era and Lane was hilarious.  He had a great personality. He was energetic and you saw his deep love of the game.  Why he never let that come out as a head coach, I'll never know.

This week's Three Notes About Nothing

A's burgers is becoming a hangout for me.

It's amazing what you can put in a football helmet nowadays

The back-to-back episodes of Modern Family were awesome last week.