It's your final time this season to have your Tuesday made a little brighter by Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Ned Miller and Staff.
Summary
Pac 12 Championship Game
Stanford 41- USC 22: The Trojans had a puncher's chance to claim the Pac 12 title, but the Cardinal proved to be too strong for the Trojans and took that final step towards Pasadena. USC could not stop SU RB and potential Heisman winner Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey did everything in this game except sing the national anthem. He rushed for 207 yards, caught passes for 155 yards, threw for 11 yards and piled up 149 return yards. He also scored a rushing TD, a receiving TD and threw for a TD. The Trojan defense didn't have a clue how to stop him and it showed. The Trojans fought hard and actually held a 16-13 lead in the third quarter then the roof fell and Stanford went on a 28-6 run to end the game. USC QB Cody kessler threw for 187 yards and a TD, while RBs Justin Davis and Ronald Jones II combined to gain 149 yards with a TD in the loss.
Telling Stat: 462 isn't an area code; It's the all-purpose yardage gained by Christian McCaffrey in the game. That stat tells it all.
Observations
...A matter of perspective; If your team is on offense it's a rub route, if your team is on defense , it's a pick.
...Late games=no stiffarm statue; The rotten Pac 12 TV deal that includes so many late games may have cost Stanford's Christian McCaffrey the Heisman. Not even the whole west coast stayed up to see him play, much less anyone form the rest of the country. Thanks, Leisure Suit Larry Scott.
...Out of place; The Big XII not having a conference championship game in this era really does a disservice to the league.
...Houston has a problem; The University of Houston's firing Contemporary Security Corporation after their "employees" beat several fans at the AAC Championship Game Saturday is way overdue. The thugs from contemporary have done this crap for years without retribution.
...An extra xmas present; I am hoping that 5-7 Nebraska beats UCLA in the Foster Farms Bowl. That kind of bRuin embarrassment would be the gift that keeps on giving.
...Expected, unexpected; I expected former SC HC and current alcoholic Steve Sarkisian to sue USC to get some money. What I didn't expect was USC's blistering statement against Sark yesterday. Usually the school, as big businesses do, doesn't comment on pending litigation.
...The 5-7s; Minnesota, Nebraska, and San Jose State earned bowl bids at 5-7 because they were not enough bowl eligible teams to fill the 80 bowl slots this year. There are way too many bowls.
...Golden Bear self-destruction; The powers that be at California are thinking of passing a rule that all student athletes have to carry a 3.0 to play at Berkeley. Wow, and as if Sonny Dykes needed another excuse to leave Strawberry Canyon. SMH.
...Mountain West anger; With 40 bowl games, how do two teams from the same conference end up in the same bowl? Colorado State and Nevada from the MWC will face each other in the Arizona Bowl. Oh, and the Arizona Bowl is the only bowl not nationally televised. Heck, most of the state of Arizona won't get to see this game. Wow.
...Everything's Archie; Ole Miss has finally made it back to the Sugar Bowl. I don't want to say it's been a long time between Sugar Bowl berths for the Rebels, but it has. The last time they were in the Sugar Bowl Archie Manning was the game's MVP.
..Another long drought ended; Iowa has made it to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1991. The Hawkeyes had Nick Bell, Haden Fry and stand up tight ends then.
...That'll teach him; Georgia sure taught Mark Richt a lesson. After being fired as the UGa HC, he took the Miami job a day or so later. Bye Bye Dawgs, Hello The U.
...Should have been more; I don't mean to sound arrogant, wait I do, I think 24 spots on the All-Century Team Football Team for the Pac 12 is actually a low number for USC. The Trojans should of had 30 at least.
...Pac 10; Pretty cool to see the Pac 12 get 10 teams in bowl games.
...El Paso Millinery ; I'm really looking forward to Wazzu HC Mike Leach donning one of the ridiculous sombreros like Lane Kiffin had to wear at the Sun Bowl. Can't wait for that picture because Lane rocked the look so well.
Ugly Uniform of the Week: No real contenders this week for the title. Everyone looked pretty decent. So here's a throwback shot from 2013 where UTEP went for the CalTrans look.
Departments
Low Score Game of the Week: Charleston, SC- The Charleston Southern Buccaneers
scored 14 second quarter points and the defense made it stick for a 14-6 win over The Citadel in the second round of the FCS playoffs. RB Mike Holloway was the offensive star for the Bucs, gaining 120 yards on 13 carries and scoring both TDs on runs of 32 and 41 yards. The Bucs defense held the Citadel to only 267 total yards which is about half of their usual production. In fact, the Bulldogs only had one drive longer than 10 plays in the entire game. Charleston Southern moves on to face #1 FCS seed Jacksonville State next week.
Close Score Game of the Week: Oshkosh, WI- The Warhawks of Wisconsin-Whitewater stopped a two-point conversion attempt and then made one final defensive stop to beat the Wisconsin-Oshkosh Titans, 31-29. The win avenges the Warhawks only loss on the season and lets them move on to the D-III semi-finals where they will face Mount Union (OH). RB Jordan Ratliffe gained 164 yards on 34 carries and scored two TDs to lead the Warhawks offense. Whitewater held a 31-16 lead going into the final period and played just enough defense to win hold on for the win.
And now This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...
Trader joe's Bacon Cheddar Cheese is dangerously good.
I left my xmas doormat our all year and now it's in season again. Cool.
How long does it take for personalized license plates to show up? SMH.
And this year's final note...
Another year of this column has now come and gone. It was another crazy one for my Trojans who seem to have a lot of those lately. It was pretty crazy for me too. As I was hanging upside down in my Sequoia on I-5 on August 31st, one of the goofy thoughts that raced through my mind after all the truly important ones did was that I'd have to tell my sister that she'd have to drive us all to the season opener on Saturday. Yeah, I guess I'm a little off. I'm also very lucky. Lucky enough to be able to take this game with the funny bouncing ball seriously. I'm also lucky enough to have a pretty great group of family and friends who love this game like I do. It's the shared experience with my extended "Tailgate Family" that makes every football season special. So, now I thank you all and wish everyone a happy holiday season, bowl season and a great 2016.
-The Commissioner
