I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving that was filled with family, food, football, and fun. Now here's your favorite column to read while eating one of those leftover turkey sandwiches, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Alan Malamud.
Summaries
USC 40- UCLA 21: The Trojans snapped a three-game losing streak to the bRuins and claimed the Pac 12 South Division title too as they manhandled the bRuins at the Coliseum. The USC defense harried, harassed and hit UCLA QB and Walmart Greeter of the Month Josh Rosen. They rattled the true freshman and he threw two interceptions and fumbled once which led directly to a USC score when DT Rasheem Green picked up that fumble and rumbled 31 yards to the end zone to put USC ahead for good at 26-21. After that, the USC offense took over and abused the bRuins for the rest of the game. USC extended their lead when WR Darreus Rogers made a great catch then stretched out over the goal line dragging a defender in the process to put his team up 33-21. The Trojans finished off the scoring and UCLA with an 11-play drive that drained the clock and the bRuins's spirit. USC QB Cody Kessler capped off the drive with a 7-yard TD pass to TE Tyler McNamara. Kessler finished the day completing 15 of 26 passes for 175 yards and two scores. The Trojans as a team ran for 235 yards with RB Justin Davis toting the rock 25 times for 130 yards. UCLA RB Paul Perkins ran for 95 yards and two TDs in the loss.
Telling Stat: 12:24/13:04; USC held the ball for 12:24 of the final 13:04 of the game with a dominating effort from their offensive line which abused UCLA's front seven all game long.
Oregon 52- Oregon State 42: The Beavers looked completely out of the game, trailing 31-7 at the half in Eugene. The Beavers got off the deck and mounted a furious second half rally, twice closing within three points of the Ducks before falling short as the clock ran out. UO QB Vernon Adams, Jr. completed 28 of 38 passes for 366 yards and three TDs which included the game-Clinching TD pass to WR Bralon Anderson with just over four minutes left. RB Royce Freeman had another great game for the Ducks, rushing the ball 27 times for 167 yards an a pair of scores. The Beavers were led by their rushing game with RB Ryan Nall rushing for 174 yards and a TD and QB Seth Collins rushing the ball nine times for 39 yards and three TDs.
Telling Stat: One Stop; The Oregon defense made only one stop in the second half, but it was a big one. They held for downs on their own 35 with 2:08 left to let the Ducks escape with a win.
California 48- Arizona State 46: While most of the country slept, a barn-burner was played in Berkeley. The Golden Bears came back to win this game after being down 27-10 to start the third quarter. The fourth quarter featured five lead changes with the last one coming as time expired when Cal PK Matt Anderson booted a 26-yard field goal to win the game for Cal. This game lit up the scoreboard and the stat sheet with the two teams combining for 56 first downs and 1,266 yards of total offense. Cal QB Jered Goff put up Kevin Falk-like numbers, completing 30 of 51 passes for 542 yards and five TDs. ASU's Mike Bercovici wasn't too bad in defeat, completing 27 of 43 passes for 395 yards and four TDs. Bercovici's top target was WR Devin Lucien who caught eight passes for 200 yards and three scores. WR Bryce Treggs of Cal caught five passes for 147 yards and a score.
Telling Stat: 38-19; Cal's 38-19 second half rally was made by their defense who held ASU to four field goals while Cal offense was busy scoring TDs.
Washington 45- Washington State 10: The Apple Cup is in the possession of the Huskies after they trounced a Kevin Falk-less Wazzu squad in Seattle. With WSU QB Kevin Falk out due to a concussion suffered last week v. Colorado, backup Peyton Bender looked every bit the true freshman in his first start. He had some flashes of brilliance. He threw for 288 yards and TD, but also threw two interceptions that were returned for TDs by the Huskies. The Huskies offense worked methodically against the Wazzu defense and built up a 17-3 halftime advantage. However it was the Dawgs defense that turned this game into a rout. Two interceptions returns and a fumble return sealed the win for UW. RB Myles Gaskin led the Huskies offense with 138 yards and two TDs on 32 carries.
Telling Stat: 21-7-7; The Washington defense outscored the Washington and Washington State offenses in the second half to make sure the Apple Cup resides in Seattle.
Utah 20- Colorado 14: In a driving snowstorm, the Utes held on for the win a week after being eliminated from the Pac 12 South race. In the bad conditions, it was the Utes defense and ability to run the ball that won the game. RB Joe Williams lugged the leather 34 times for 187 yards and a TD. The Utah defense held the Buffaloes in check until they pulled with a score late in the game. Then they forced a Colorado fumble with 2:28 to play to secure the victory. WR Nelson Spruce once again turned out to be the bulk of the CU offense catching five passes for 111 yards and a TD.
Telling Stat: +1; Utah turned it over three times, but forced four, including one on CU's final drive to win the turnover battle and the game.
Stanford 38- Notre Dame 36: It was Senior Night in Palo Alto and Senior QB Kevin Hogan led his team, on a game-wining drive that knocked the Fighting Irish out of the College Football Playoff. This game was a see-saw affair with the lead changing hands seven times. The Irish had their rushing game in high gear with RB Josh Adams gaining 168 yards on 18 carries with a score and QB DeShone Kizer gaining 128 yards on 16 carries and a TD of his own. For the Cardinal it was the arm of Kevin Hogan that carried the day. He completed 17 of 21 passes for 269 yards and four TDs. Hogan's favorite target was TE Devon Cajuste who hauled in five passes for 125 yards and a score. In the end it all came down to a 45-yard field goal attempt by SU PK Conrad Ukropina. Ukropina nailed the kick and Stanford had the win.
Telling Stat: Another +1; Notre Dame fumbled once deep in Stanford territory and that lost opportunity was the difference in the game.
Tough Turkeys 21- Cranberry Crushers 14 OT: It was another classic contest on the world's smallest field with some of the world's most inept athletes. The Turkeys were down 14-7 with under 30 seconds left when QB Jerick Beasley hit The Commissioner with the TD pass that tied the game. Then again in overtime, Beasley struck again finding Maureen Lenker for the winning score. The Cranberry crushers played a great game. Robert Weissler, Luci Ursich, and Margaret Lenker played valiantly in defeat.
Telling Stat: The Tough Turkeys have won two games in a row for the first time in this series.
Trivia Time: Who won the Grey Cup over the weekend? (Don't Google it!)
Observations
...And there are two; Kansas and Central Florida both finished the season at 0-12. The Jayhawks have now lost 15 straight games.
...Wasatch Blockers; BYU leads the nation with 12 blocked kicks.
...A beautiful Sunday; There' nothing like that Sunday after beating UCLA. All is right with the world again.
...Aztec gold; SDSU leads the nation in turnover margin at +20 this season.
...A possible double for the Air Force; If Air Force beats SDSU this week, they'll win the Mountain West Conference title. If Army beats Navy, Air Force will win the Commander-In -Chief's trophy.
...Quielty making noise; Wyoming RB Brian Hill has had a great season. Hill ranks seventh in the nation with 1631 yards rushing. The six names ahead of him are Henry, Fournette, Freeman, Elliot, Cook and McCaffrey. Way to go, kid.
...Don't need a scorecard; It'll be easy to know who's who in the ACC Title game. That Carolina Blue and Clemson Orange will be easy to recognize.
...Memo to the Choking One; Hey Josh, even your own teammates said you got rattled by the USC defense.
...No O, few wins; Boston College is the top of the NCAA rankings in almost every defensive category. Imagine what they would have done if they had an offense.
...A Stiffarm Statue for Bama; Bama's Derrick Henry has a stranglehold on the Heisman this year. However, I think Stanford's Chirstian McCaffrey should get a trip to New York too.
...Memo to Utah; You weren't brought into the league the win and claiming half a division title in which you were beaten by the team you're "tied" with is pathetic.
...Resumes all around; With the end of the regular season, many a college job is now open.
...This just in; UCLA still stinks.
...Memo to LSU; Now that you've bungled your way through this Les Miles situation, I have two words for you: Frank Solich. Go ask Nebraska how they've been since they fired him.
Special Section: Clay Helton loses the "Interim" Tag
I like Clay Helton. I Like the way he motivates the kids and how they love playing for him. However, is he the right guy for this big job? Only time will tell. I'll feel a lot better about him if he cleans house after the season and loses all of Sark's old drinking buddies. A new DC, OL, RB, and Special Teams coach is what is needed. Oh, and I would like to see Kennedy Polamalu brought back too. Go get 'em, Clay!
Ugly Uniform of the Week: Syracuse continued to make Orange an ugly thing with these togs v. Boston College last week. Ugh.
Trivia Answer: The Edmonton Eskimos beat the Ottawa Redblacks, 26-20.
Going Bowling
There are 40 bowl games this year, accounting for the playoff that means 78 teams total will go bowling. The problem with that is that there are not enough eligible teams. The NCAA will be giving waivers to some 5-7 squads to go bowling. There are currently 74 bowl eligible teams for the 78 slots. That means four, 5-7 squads will go bowling. If Georgia State and South Alabama both win this week, they'll be 6-6 and that would mean only two 5-7 teams will go to a bowl. I think of the 5-7 teams out there that Illinois and Minnesota and Kentucky have the best shot at a bowl waiver. After that who really knows? All I really know that this season proves that there are too many bowls.
Departments
Blowout Game of the Week: Alliance , OH- It wouldn't be the Division III playoffs without a total rout by the Mount Union Purple Raiders. The Raiders worked over the Albright (PA) Lions, 66-7 to advance in the playoffs. Mount Union RB Logan Nemeth ran over and around the Lions, racking up 185 yards rushing on 21 carries and three TDs. QB Taurice Scott got into the act too. He threw for 238 yards and two scores. The Raiders defense held the Lions to -23 yards rushing and just 11 first downs.
Close Game of the Week: Slippery Rock, Pa- Assumption College made a furious fourth quarter comeback, but fell to Slippery Rock, 41-39. Assumption was down 41-19 to start the final period, but after a 1-yard TD run by RB James Ward and two TD passes from QB Marc Monks to Ashton Grant, Assumption stood just a two-point conversion away from sending the game into overtime. However, Monks pass failed and Slippery Rock came way with the win. Monks threw for 365 yards and two TDs in the loss.
...And This Week's Three Notes About Nothing
I love Thanksgiving dinner, but the Sunday night leftovers dinner is the best meal of the year.
I guess it's time for Christmas music.
Got a great parking space in front of my Mom's house on Thanksgiving. It was a thanksgiving miracle.
Until next time, remember that teams that can run the ball win a lot of games.
-The Commissioner
