Tuesday, December 6, 2016

2016 Week 14

Hey All,  It's time for a roses filled edition of the column that makes Tuesdays go by a bit better,  Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Tom Kelly.


Summary

Pac 12 Championship Game

Washington 41- Colorado 10: To all those on the east coast who just woke up and saw the score on Saturday morning, it looked like an easy blowout by the Huskies. To those of us who watched it, it was a tough game that saw the Dawgs shut down the Buffalo offense and then grind it out on offense for the big win.  The Huskies came out fast and drove 65 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead when RB Lavon Coleman bulled in from a yard out.  The Buffaloes then got their first turn with the ball and disaster struck early.  On CU's fifth play form scrimmage, QB Sefo Liufau was sacked and injured.  The lower right leg injury that knocked him out v. Michigan happened again. Despite being attended to on the sideline, Luifau would go off to the locker room and not be seen ago until the third quarter. Meanwhile backup QB Steven Montez drove the Buffs to a game-tying score.  RB Philip Lindsay galloped in from three yards out and the game was knotted at 7-7 at the end of the first period.  The Huskies regained the lead when QB Jake Browning hit TE Darrel Daniels with a 15-yard TD pass.  The Dawgs carried a 14-7 lead into the half as both defenses controlled the rest of the second quarter.  Liufau returned to the game to start the second half much to the delight of the CU faithful.  However, that delight turned to misery quickly.  On the first play from scrimmage of the second half, Liufau's pass sailed through the hands of his target and was picked off by DB Taylor Rapp who took it back 35 yards to paydirt. Then, just four plays later, Rapp picked off another Liufau pass and the Dawgs turned that into a field goal to go up 24-7.  The game was essentially over at that point.  It was clear that Liufau was not at 100%.  His passes were off and he couldn't run the ball.  The already strong Husky defense got stronger and totally shutdown what was left of CU's offense. The UW offense took then ran clock and wore out the CU defense.  They put 17 more points on the board and took home the Pac 12 crown.   With Liufau hurt, the Washington defense held Colorado to just 163 total yards with Liufau completing only three of 13 passes for 21 yards and three interceptions. Browning didn't have a great day either, completing just nine of 24 passes for 118 yards an a pair of TDs.  It was the UW rushing attack that shined as the tandem of RBs Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman combined to tote the rock 47 times for 260 yards and a TD. 
Telling Stat: A nifty 50;  The Washington defense held Colorado to a paltry 50 total yards in the second half.  They also outscored the CU offense, 7-3, forced three interceptions, and held the Buffs to 0 yards or less on five of their eight second half posessions. 


Bowl Trivia: Michigan is taking on Florida State in the Orange Bowl.  Who was Michigan's QB the last time they played in the Orange Bowl?


Observations

...A different west for Brohm;  Western Kentucky HC Jeff Brohm is headed to West Lafayette, Indiana.  he is the new HC at Purdue. Brohm will try to resurrect a Boilermaker program that has been dormant since some guy named Drew Brees played QB there. 

...Feeling directional;  In addition to Michigan making a bowl, Western, Central and Eastern Michigan are going bowling too.

...A memo to Westwood;  bRuins pay to play at the Rose Bowl, Trojans get paid to play in The Rose Bowl.

...Idaho 2- 0;  Idaho and Boise State are going bowling while the state of Oregon stays home. 

...Academy Bowling;  Army, Navy and Air Force are all going to bowls for the first time since 2010. 

...To paraphrase The Bard;  A Rose Bowl, by any other path, still smells as sweet.

...Shhhh listen;  If you hold a Michigan helmet to your ear you can hear Jim Harbaugh whining.

...Haven't we met?; When Washington takes on Alabama, it will reunite the Huskies with their former HC and now Alabama consultant, Steve Sarkisian. Hmmmmmm.

...Just a rumor;  There is no truth to the rumor that Colorado used their all white uniforms as surrender flags in the fourth quarter of the Pac 12 Championship Game.

...Not news;  I don't think anybody thought LSU RB Leonard Fournette would stay around another year.

...A huge 180;  If Oregon hires current USF HC Willie Taggart, the Ducks would go form a point-a-minute-hyper-speed attack to a ground and pound Stanford style offense. Whoa.

...He's done; Cincinnati HC Tommy Tuberville has retired after four years at the helm of the Bearcats.  Trojan fans remember him as the HC at Auburn when USC beat the Tigers in the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

...Three below;  Three under .500 teams have made it to bowl games.  6-7 Hawaii will play in the Hawaii Bowl v. Middle Tennessee State.  5-7 Mississippi State will take on Miami (OH) in the St. Petersburg Bowl and 5-7 North Texas will take on Army in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

...Baylor Ruhles;  Baylor hired Matt Ruhle away from Temple to be their new HC.  Rule took a pretty moribund Temple team and got them playing well, but Baylor will be a different challenge.  The stigma of the scandal has created a toxic atmosphere in Waco. Oh, and recruiting has tanked too. Baylor just has one commit in their 2017 class so far. Good Luck, Matt.

...Head Buff Bandied About;  You know it's been a good year for Colorado HC Mike MacIntyre when he has to put out press releases saying that he is not leaving CU for another HC gig.

...0 for 2;  For the second consecutive season Cal HC Sonny Dykes has tried to leave Berkeley for another HC job.  This time he was turned down by Baylor.  When will the Cal administration just fire Dykes because he obviously doesn't want to be there?

...Not so hot;  Not hearing any of those Jim Mora leaving UCLA to take another HC job stories this year. We'll, thats what 4-8 does for you.

...Pete said it;  In his prep for Alabama UW HC Chris Petersen tweeted "Fortunately, the Seahawks are here in town. Maybe they'll scrimmage to get us ready for Bama."  On a Seattle radio show Monday, Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said, "Our boys will be ready for them, You wanna bring them out here?. Come on, bring em over here, coach."

Bowl Trivia Answer: Tom Brady led the Wolverines to a win in the 1999 Orange Bowl v Alabama. He threw for four TD passes that day.

Scandal in Bloomington

Amid all the playoff discuss  last week, the resignation of Indiana HC Kevin Wilson almost slipped under the radar.  Folks began to question why he would "resign" and take a 500,000 or so buyout on a contract with a few years and several million dollars left on it.  The backstory is in not pretty. According to the Indianapolis Star, in an internal investigation by IU, it was learned in 2015 that Wilson's treatment of injured players was not good. Evidently, Wilson demeaned injured players and in a few cases worked worth the trainers to put kids back on the field with serious injuries. After what seems to be a better handling of these problems by the IU football staff, it turned bad again this past November according to Indiana AD Fred Glass. That's what got Wilson released.  Heres' the link to the Indianapolis Star article.  Hurt Hoosiers

Ugly Uniform of the Week

Western Michigan wins for this grey nightmare.  Brown an Gold can be done in such a better way. SMH.



Pac 12 Bowl Quick Takes

12/27- Holiday Bowl- Washington State v Minnesota: Cougar fans are happy that they didn't get stuck in the Sun Bowl after their collapse in the Apple Cup. I think the Cougars speed beats Minnesota's power.

12/28- Foster Farms Bowl- Utah v. Indiana:  The Utah Utes are like the Utah Jazz of the 1980s.  They can't win ones that really matter.  Hence another middle of the pack finish in the Pac 12 South.  However, Indiana has had a good year, but with their HC now gone amid a scandal, I think Utah's defense stops the Hoosiers cold while the their offense grinds out a win.

12/29- Alamo Bowl- Oklahoma State v. Colorado: Will CU QB Sefo Liufau be healthy enough to play is the question here.  If he is, this could be a tight game, if not CU loses by a bunch. Either way, I see Okie State winning this old Big XII matchup.

12/31- Sun Bowl- Stanford v. North Carolina: This is a matchup of two good, but up and down teams.  Stanford comes in up winners of their last four games, while UNC comes down losing two of their last three games.  I think Christian McCaffrey sets a couple of Sun Bowl records and the Cardinal knock the Tar out of the Heels.

12/31- CFP Semifnial- Washington v Alabama: Hard to not take the Crimson Tide here. Three things exist that could help UW.  One. Alabama has faced one quality QB all year. Two, Alabama's offense is average at best. Three, could the Tide come in overconfident because this UW is a team that USC whipped at home?  I think this will be a lot closer game than anyone thinks.

1/2- Rose Bowl- USC v. Penn State: Trojans win a barn burner in Pasadena.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing

How long does it take for shutters to arrive?

There are at least four stations playing nothing but christmas music on SiruisXM.

Cold Santa Ana winds mess my sinuses up worse than the hot ones.

Looking Back

This has been quite a season my friends.  It started painfully at Jerryworld and ends in the Rose Bowl.  The one thing through the whole crazy ride has been that all of you have been through it with me.  This was my 43rd season spent watching the Trojans from my seat in the Coliseum.  The Coaches, players, wins and losses all come and go.  The friends and family that are a part of the tailgates, road trips, watch parties and game texting threads all make this game with the funny bouncing ball that much more fun.  So, to my far flung football family, I wish you all Very Merry Bowl Season.

Until next year,

Fight On! Beat The Lions!

-The Commissioner

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

2016 Week 13

Hey All,

It's time for the column you know you're waiting to read on Tuesdays, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.
We still miss you, Tom Kelly.

Summaries

USC 45- Notre Dame 27: The Adoree Jackson show took center stage in the rain soaked Coliseum to lead the Trojans past the Fighting Irish. Jackson finished the game with 291 all-purpose yards.  He scored on a 52-yard pass reception, a 55-yard punt return and a 97-yard kickoff return. His scores were sorely needed as the Trojan offense sputtered at times due to the rain and a pride-filled ND defense. Lost in the performance of Jackson was SC RB Ronald Jones III gashing the Irish for 134 yards on 16 carries and topping the 1,000 yard mark for the season. USC QB Sam Darnold had an "off" game, but still completed 19 of 29 passes for 205 yards and two TDs.  For Notre Dame, RB Josh Adams had a huge day, rushing for 180 yards on 17 carries, which included a 74-yarder where he just rumbled through the center of the USC defense. QB DeShone Kizer was rushed and battered by the USC defense all day, but still managed to throw for 220 yards, a pair of TDs, and one huge interception that USC's Ajene Harris took back for a TD just before the half to give the Trojans some much needed breathing room.
Telling Stat: 14 in :17= Control;  USC was nursing a 10-7 lead late the first half when over a span of 17 seconds they got a 55-yard punt return TD by Adoree Jackson and a 33-yard interception return for a TD by DB Ajene Harris to boost USC to a 24-7 halftime lead and control of the game.

Washington 45- Washington State 17:  Pullman was rocking as the battle for the Apple Cup also happened to be the battle for the Pac 12 North. The home crowd envisioned their Cougars moving on to the Pac 12 title game.  The visiting Huskies dashed those hopes quickly when they moved out to a 28-3 first quarter lead and then cruised the rest of the way to victory.  UW QB Jake Browning threw three TD passes in that first period.  RB Myles Gaskin ran for UW's other first quarter score and the rout was on.  Without his security blanket, WR River Cracraft, WSU QB Luke Falk looked lost for most of the game.  Falk was held well below his season averages completing 33 of 50 passes for 269 yards, a TD and three Interceptions. WSU's reliable rushing attack was taken out of the mix as the Cougars were in such a deep early hole, they had to throw almost every down.  Browning finished the game completing 21 of 29 tosses for 292 yards and those three TDs for the Dawgs.
Telling Stat: Running Dawgs;  Washington once again started fast en route to a win.  UW outscored WSU 28-3 with a 244-65 yardage edge, while forcing a turnover, and a pair of punts in the first quarter.

Arizona 56- Arizona 35: The Wildcats came into this contest with a 2-9 record and playing for pride. ASU was playing for bowl eligibility.  On this night pride won.  The Wildcats ran over, around through, and in between ASU defenders en route to 511 rushing yards and a rivalry victory. Despite UofA's ground prowess, ASU managed to keep it close trailing just 35-28 midway through the third quarter. The Wildcats managed to pull away from then on, outscoring ASU 21-7 over the final 20 minutes to claim the victory and the Territorial Cup.  Three Wildcats rushed for over 100 yards on the game.  QB Brandon Dawkins rushed 12 times for 184 yards and two TDs. RB Samajie Grant rushed for 176 yardson 19 carries and three TDs, while his backfield mate RB Zach Green rand for 126 yards on 14 carries and two scores. For ASU, QB Manny Wilkins threw for 372 yards and three TDs in the loss.
Telling Stat: Wildcats running wild; Arizona averaged 10.6 yards per carry as a team in this game. UofA backs broke off individual runs of 52, 56, 63, 68, and 71 yards on the hapless ASU defense.

California 36- UCLA 10: In the cold and wet of Berkeley, the Golden Bears kept some faint bowl hopes alive with the arm of QB Davis Webb and the leg of PK Matt Anderson. Webb threw for 301 yard and a pair of TDs while Anderson connected on five field goals to lift the Bears.  However their best TD came when 330 pound FB Mailk Jackson "leapt" over from the one-yard line to put Cal up 19-7 midway through the third quarter.  While Cal's offense was kicking their way to a win, UCLA's offense was non-existent once again with the bRuins rushing for just 84 yards and gaining 260 total. Cal held ULCA to just 11 first downs and 3 of 13 on third down.  UCLA QB Mike Fafaul threw for 176 yards a TD and an interception in his last game as a bRuin.
Telling Stat: Just playing keep away;  Cal held the ball for 15:28 of the last 18:10 of the game to end UCLA's season. 

Oregon State 34- Oregon 24: In rainy Corvallis, Beaver RB Ryan Nall rushed for four TDs to lead OSU to their first win over Oregon since 2007. Nall finished with 155 yards to go with those four TDs and OSU ran for 310 yards as a team on the Quacks. Oregon QB Justin Herbert threw for 180 yards and a TD in the loss. The Beavers owned the fourth quarter, shutting out UO 13-0  to claim the win.
Telling Stat: The drop that started the celebration;  With :56 left, UO WR Jeremy Mundt dropped a fourth down pass in the end zone.  That drop sealed the win for the Beavers and started the celebration in Corvallis.

Stanford 41- Rice 17: The Cardinal finished off their regular season by running all over one of the worst defenses in the FBS.  RB Christian McCaffrey toted the rock 30 times for 204 yards and a TD. His backup RB Bryce Love rushed for 111 yards on seven carries with a TD against the punchless Rice defense. QB Keller Chryst efficiently managed the SU offense completing 11 of 16 passes for 154 yards and a pair of TDs. The Cardinal defense held the Owls in check all night allowing just 124 yards passing and 291 total yards.  RB Jowan Davis rushed for 49 yards and both of Rice's TDs in the loss.
Telling Stat: Defensive shutdown; While the Stanford offense was running up 266 yards and a 20-0 lead through the first quarter and a half, their defense was busy holding Rice to just 37 yards, forcing five punts and allowing just one first down. 

Observations

...Do they matter?  If Ohio State gets into the College Football Playoff, we will know that conference titles don't mean a thing. Wait, they don't mean a thing in the Big Ten and SEC. Does anybody think an ACC, Big XII, or Pac 12 team with Ohio State's resume would get a shot to get into the playoff?

...Pushed from the nest;  HC Charlie Partridge was fired after gong 9-27 in three years at Florida Atlantic. Don't be surprised to see him land on a big staff with his defensive knowledge.

...Feeling that special;  Trojan fans all are happy that Clay Helton was able to hire back John Baxter as his special teams coach this year.

...Happy thought; Oregon is the sole owner of last place in the Pac 12 North.

...Big brother having fun;  Okie State HC Mike Gundy joked that his WR Dede Westbrook has overcome the coaching of his position coach to become a great receiver.  Mike Gundy's younger brother Cale is the Oklahoma WR coach.

...Back burner title game;  With all the hubbub about Ohio State and Michigan, it seems the actual Big Ten title game featuring Wisconsin and Penn State is being ignored.

...Sorry Irish;  That rain wasn't holy water that fell on the Coliseum, it was coolant for the red hot Trojans.

...You know the Arizona State defense is heaving a bad game when;  Miss Arizona makes the best tackle of the night on an Arizona ball carrier. Unexpected Tackler

...The nature of the beast;  No matter if it was a 4, 8, or a 16 team playoff, there will always be those saying that not enough teams are in the college football playoff.  In hoops every year we hear about how some poor team got left out and there are 68 teams in The Big Dance.

...Older than statehood;  The Territorial Cup Trophy that is battled for by Arizona and Arizona State each year has been around since 1899 when the Grand Canyon state was still a U.S. Territory. That's why it's called the Territorial Cup.  The trophy predates Arizona statehood by 13 years.

...There is an O in C-USA;  The average score of the six C-USA conference games this week was 51-25.

...What a way to go out;  With a win this week, Idaho will go 8-4. Yes, Idaho.  The team that is dropping back down to the FCS level next year.  The school that has been a non conference whipping buoy of the Pac 12 for years will go bowling this year.

...That 70s week;  For the first weeks since the NCAA has made distinctions between major and non major colleges for football, three teams scored 75+ points.  Navy beat SMU 75-31, Middle Tennessee State beat Florida Atlantic 77-56 and Pitt beat Syracuse 77-61.  Wow.

...Two more gone;  San Jose State fired HC Ron Caragher Sunday and Nevada fired Brian Polian.  With the firing earlier this year of Fresno's Tim DeRuyter, that means a full 25% of the Mountain West Conference has fired their HCs.

...Some thoughts for those in Westwood to ponder ;  Your "Chosen One" QB may never play again, your HC has a worse record than Karl Dorrell with a 15 million dollar buyout, you are just 12-13 over the last two seasons, you haven't been to a Rose Bowl since last century and USC is on the rise again.  It may be time to dig up Sam Gilbert and start paying for basketball players again.

...Paging John Cooper;  Florida HC Jim McElwain is the first SEC HC to take his team to the SEC title game in his first two years. However that ain't good enough in Gainesville.  Losing twice to FSU and being blown out by Bama last year has him on the hot seat with Gator fans.

...Stumbling champs;  Wyoming and SDSU got smacked on their way to the Mountain West title game.  Wyoming gave up a school record 568 yards rushing in a 53-35 loss at New Mexico while SDSU got torched through the air by Colorado State in a 63-31 home loss.  So, the Cowboys will Face the Aztecs next with both teams having lost two of their last three games.

...The Buffs unsung hero;  Yes, HC Mike MacIntyre will get all the coach of the year honors in the Pac 12 and maybe nationally, but the best move he made was hiring former USF HC Jim Leavitt as his DC last year.

...You may not stay as HC if;  Your school's overlord and benefactor attends someone else's rivalry game.  Oregon Dark Lord of the Athletic Sith Phil Knight attend the Ohio State-Michigan game rather than the Oregon-Oregon State game this past weekend.  Now, HC Mark Helfrich has a meeting with Phil Knight puppet AKA Oregon AD Rob Mullens to "discuss his future" this week. So long, Mark.

...He gone;  Charlie Strong was ushered out of the Texas job by TCU this week.  Tom Herman is now officially in.  If there's anybody who doesn't think that Herman basically had the job from October on, I have some oceanfront property in Arizona for sale.

...Crying a River in Pullman;  Losing WR River Cracraft for the season three weeks ago has devastated Wazzu.

...Possession matters;  Rivalry trophies are great when your team has them.

...Just a rumor; There is no truth to the rumor that Tucson police were called over to campus to investigate the disappearance of ASU's defense shortly after kickoff last week.

...After Herman; Now that Tom Herman has been snapped up, the new HC flavor of the Month is P.J. Fleck of Western Michigan.  Don't be surprised if he's on the Oregon sideline next year.

...Note to Jim Harbaugh;  I don't remember Bo Schembechler whining about the refs much.

...Pac 12 agenda?;  Colorado did not get a single penalty called against them v. Utah.  Hmmmmm.

...He Gone II; Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey looks to be headed to the NFL.

...A standing "O"vation;  Trojan fans are thrilled that Ed Orgeron go the LSU job. He was beloved at USC. I was lucky enough to talk to him a few times and hang out with him at a couple of USC fantasy camps. His energy is infectious and his upbeat manner always left me laughing.  Go get 'em, coach O.

...Bad hit; ACC referee Ron Cherry is not happy that ND is an associate member of the league after he got leveled by USC LB Michael Hutchings at the end of a play last Saturday.  Leveled
A Northern Champion

QB Henry Burris tossed an 18-yard TD pass to WR Ernest Jackson in overtime to lift the Ottawa Redblacks to a 39-33 overtime win over the Calgary Stampeders in the 104th Grey Cup.  That's not bad a for a team that came into the CFL in 2014.  Way to go, eh?

Canadian Football Trivia Tidbit

The Canadian championship trophy is called the Grey Cup because it was original commissioned in 1899 by Canada's governor general Lord Earl Grey.  He originally wanted it to be a hockey trophy, but some guy name Stanley stole the thunder on that one. So, he sent the cup to the football players.  Oh, and Lord Earl Grey is the same Earl Grey as in Earl Grey tea.

Great Trojan Photo of the Week

It's a pretty cool thing for Trojan fans to see their most exciting player Adoree Jackson with both rivalry trophies in hand.



Going Bowling

There are currently 75 bowl eligible teams for the 82 available spots. That means that seven sub .500 teams will go bowling according to my math.  ESPN says there are 80 slots, I say 82 counting that there are 41 bowls this year not including the National Title game. The Sun Belt still has a bubble teams in Louisiana Lafayette and South Alabama who could still reach bowl eligibility when they play this week.  So, that's 77 teams at best that will be bowl eligible.   Here's the list of the current group of 5-7 teams...

Power 5: Texas, Texas Tech, Cal, ASU, Ole Miss and Mississippi State
Non Power 5: SMU, North Texas, Akron, Northern Illinois, Nevada.

The fact that I'm writing about this still confirms the fact that there way too many bowl games.

Ugly Uniform of the Week

This Week BYU takes home the honors for this all-black ensemble.  One, the colors don't go together and two, BYU just can never ever look tough in any uniform.




Departments

C.W. Post Press: Brookville, NY- The great ride that was the 2016 season came to an end for the Pioneers as they lost 40-21 to the Shepherd University Rams in the second round of the Division II playoffs.  The game stood deadlocked at 7-7 after one quarter, then the Rams took control of the game in the second quarter behind three TD passes from QB Jeff Ziemba.  Throw in a couple of missed PATs and Shepherd led 26-7 at the break.  Post got back into the gam in the third quarter when they marched 96 yards in seven plays to cut Shepherd's lead to 26-14.  RB David White did the honors with a 5-yard TD run.  After trading scores, the Pioneers still trailed 33-21 in the fourth period when Ziemba threw his fourth TD pass of the Day to WR Billy Brown. That would be the game sealing TD for the Rams.  Zambia finished the day committing 25 of 35 passes for 375 yards and four scores. In the loss, Post QB Jeff Kidd completed 25 of 43 passes for 288 yards and a TD. Shepherd now advances to the D-II semifinals where they will face California of Pennsylvania. Post finishes the year at 12-1. That's the best record in school history and the Pioneers hosted two playoff games for the first time ever too. The Pioneers had a great year, they just came up a little short.

Razorback Report: Arknasas held a 24-7 lead at the half at Missouri, but couldn't hold on as the Tigers shutout the Hogs 21-0 for a 28-24 comeback win. RB Rawleigh Williams III had another good day, rushing for 117 yards and a TD on 25 carries while QB Anthony Allen threw for 348 yards, a TD and two interceptions. The last of which essentially ended the Razorbacks hopes of winning the game came on fourth and goal at the  Mizzou 5-yard line. Arkansas finishes the year at 7-5 and will wait for their bowl bid this week.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Moana is a really fun movie.

Thanksgiving leftovers are the best leftovers.

Toy trains around a Christmas Tree are always cool.

Until next time remember that a great special teams unit is indeed special.

-The Commissioner

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

2016 Week 12

Hey All,

It's time for the column that helps you through Tuesdays, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Mel Durslag.

Summaries

USC 36- UCLA 14: Due to some sloppy play on both sides of the ball, USC found itself behind 7-0 and 14-7 early to the their crosstown rivals.  Then, the USC defense completely shutdown the bRuin offense.  That enabled the still shaky USC offense to gradually put the bRuins away. Down 14-7, USC RB Ronald Jones II took a handoff, bounced outside and raced 60 yards to the end zone with the tying score.  USC would never trail again. By halftime Darnold had connected with WR De'Quan Hampton for his first ever SC TD and PK Matt Boermeester nailed a 30-yard field goal and USC held a 23-14 lead.  The second half just looked like an USC offensive film reel as the Trojans held the ball for 24:07 of the final 30 minutes.  The Trojans added 13 more points on a Hampton's second TD catch and two more Boermeester field goals. Darnold finished the game completing 25 of 36 passes for 267 yards with two TDs and a pair of interceptions. Jones II would finish with 121 yards on 18 carries and a pair of scores. UCLA QB Mike Fafaul threw for 181 yards and two TDs. Both of those TDs were caught by WR Jordan Lasley.
Telling Stat: It wasn't even that close; 70 of UCLA's 266 total yards came on their first drive of the game.  So, the USC defense held the bRuins to just 196 yards over the final 58:29. 

Oregon 30- Utah 28: This game looked like it would be a typical Utah-style grind it out win as they led 14-3 with :27 left in the third quarter. A little over 15 minutes of game time later, UO WR Darren Carrington II looked to have caught a TD pass from QB Justin Herbert with :02 left. The call on the field was that Carrington was out of bounds on the play, but it was being reviewed. About four minutes later, the call was overturned, Utah was down 30-28 and their Pac 12 South hopes were dashed.  Herbert finished the day completing 30 of 43 passes for 324 yards and three TDs, while RB Royce Freeman rushed for 129 yards on 20 carries. For Utah, QB Troy Williams completed 20 of 30 passes for 235 yards and a TD in the loss.
Telling Stat: A return spark;  Oregon's 27-14 game-winning run started when Utah's highly touted special teams broke down. UO PR Dillon Mitchell returned a punt 55 yards to set the Ducks up for the first score of their comeback.

Colorado 38- Washington State 24: This game was a see-saw affair with the Buffaloes having just enough to outlast the Cougars.  CU QB Sefo Liufau was pretty much unstoppable as he threw for 345 yards and ran for 108 yards and three TDs. Throw in 144 yards rushing from RB Phillip Lindsay and two TDs and you have most of the Buffs 603 yards of total offense. Wazzu's offense was held under their season averages by the CU defense but QB Luke Falk did throw for 325 yards and three TDs in the loss.  Wazzu's eight game conference winning streak came to an end in the loss as well.
Telling Stat: Chains factor;  Colorado converted on 13 of 21 third down attempts while holding WSU to just 4 of 15 third downs.  That was the difference in the game.

Oregon State 42- Arizona 17: It's official, Arizona is the worst team in the Pac 12.  The hapless Wildcat defense couldn't stop OSU QB Marcus McMaryion.  McMaryion completed 16 of 19 passes for 265 yards and five TDs. RB Ryan Nall led the Beavers rushing game, running for 124 yards on 23 carries and a TD.  Once again UofA's offense didn't do much as a trio of Wildcat QBs managed to throw for a paltry 188 yards and one TD.  One of those QBs, Brandon Dawkins also rushed for 88 yards in the loss.
Telling Stat: Long distance driving;  Oregon State's six scoring drives covered an average of 70 yards each.

Washington 44- Arizona State 18: The Huskies looked to be suffering from a post-Trojan hangover that included three turnovers in a truly sloppy first quarter. The Dawgs then shook it off and pummeled the Sun Devils.  A 3-0 UW lead to start the second quarter turned into a 24-0 halftime advantage behind two TD passes from QB Jake Browning and one-yard TD plunge by RB Lavon Coleman.  UW extended their lead to 30-3 to start the fourth period, but a couple of TD passes from QB Manny Wilkins to WR Jay Jay Wilson had the Sun Devils thinking comeback.  However, those hopes faded when Keishawn Bierria picked up the Sun Devils' on-side kick attempt and took it back 45 yards for the game clinching TD with 6:03 to play. Browning finished the game with 338 yards through the air and two TDs for the Dawgs while RB Myles Gaskin rushed for 127 yards on 16 carries and a TD of his own.  Wilkins finished with 227 yards and two TDs for the Sun Devils.
Telling Stat: They held their ground;  While Washington's offense looked lost and turned the ball over three times in the first quarter, the UW defense kept ASU off the scoreboard, allowing only nine yards and one first down to the Sun Devils during that span.

Stanford 45- California 31: It was "The Big Game" in Berkely and the resurgent Stanford Cardinal picked up their fourth straight win on the year and their seventh straight win over the Golden Bears to retain "The Axe" trophy.  The Golden Bears could not stop SU RB Christian McCaffrey.  He ran all over Cal for 284 yards on 31 carries and three TDs.  His 92-yard TD run gave Stanford a 10 point lead an control of the contest.  Keller Chryst continues to manage the SU offense well.  He threw for 198 yard and two TDs.  He also ran 16 yards for a score. For Cal, QB Davis Webb completed 34 of 57 passes for 393 yards and two TDs. RB Tre Watson rushed for only 60 yards, but id score two TDs for Cal.
Telling Stat: No Red Zone for the Blue; One again Cal ran up a lot of plays and yards, but only ran 11 plays in the red zone all game for 40 yards. 

Observations

...Big enough town for the both of 'em;  Palo Alto now boasts a pair of Chrysts at QB.  Keller Chryst is now the starter at Stanford. His little brother Jackson is the starter at Palo Alto High.  For all our friends not familiar with the town, Palo Alto High is literally right across the street from Stanford.

...We did it just for you, coach;  It was really nice of UCLA to rush for a total of 55 yards on Jim Mora's 55th birthday Saturday night.

...This just in;  There is no truth to the rumor that

...You may be a bRuin; If your team stinks up your own home field so bad against your rival that the field is removed because of the stench. The Rose Bowl as of today.



...Ed was still wrong;  I see known Trojan-hater Ed Cunningham's favorite player, WR Chad Hansen played again for Cal and they still lost. I guess it was just USC he was supposed to beat if he had played.

...Hardware;  Lots of rivalry trophies will be handed out this week. The biggest bit of hardware is the 575 pound Fremont Cannon which goes to the winner of the UNLV-Nevada game.

...Lobos do run;  It's no shock that Army, Navy, and Air Force are in the top four of rushing yards in the  FBS.  However, the top rushing team in the FBS is New Mexico. The Lobos are averaging 342 yards a game on the ground.

...Not fired...yet; After numerous reports swirled around saying that Texas HC Charlie Strong had been fired on Sunday, Texas AD Mike Perrin put out a statement declaring that Strong had not been fired and will be evaluated following the Longhorns final regular season game this week v. TCU.  If Strong is fired, the buyout will raise Texas' total cost of having Strong as HC to a little over 30 million.  Ouch.

...Just didn't know;  I didn't know that the Colorado-Utah game has been given the title of "The Rumble in the Rockies." I don't care either.

...They need some of that tar from their heels;  North Carolina hasn't intercepted a single pass all season.

...They haven't met;  If WSU squares off with USC in the Pac 12 title game or UW takes on Colorado, the winner will have played 10 of the the 11 other schools in the league to take the crown.

...133 goes to the dogs;  Yale beat Harvard 21-14 in the 133rd edition of "The Game." The upset win snapped Yale's nine-game losing streak to the Crimson.  Also, the game was stopped for a few minutes due to some naked fans on the Yale side.  All I know is in the cold of New England, those folks had to be well-oiled.

...Cry me a river;  Notre Dame gets busted by the NCAA for a trainer who did homework for the football players and must vacate their wins from the 2012 and 2013 seasons. They are now appealing these "unfair" penalties. Aren't you the same school that had one of your own on the hit squad that hung sanctions on USC based on a single phone call that lasted less than three seconds?  SMH

...Thanks for the support;  I think the Territorial Cup trophy that Arizona and ASU play for should just be a bronzed athletic supporter.

...Rock-Chalk- WTF?; The writers at the Kansas page on SB Nation already posted a story on losing to Texas before the Jayhawks mounted their comeback.

...Can he come back?;  Thinking glasses ref should work the Utah-Colorado game.

...8 it is;  I think the Bowl Eligibility standard should be raised to eight wins.

...No Mom, he's my coach;  This is Oregon QB Coach David Yost.  No, really, he is. Looks like a Eugene local to me.



...Not in the US;  California is winless on the road this year with their only win away from Berkeley being a neutral site win over Hawaii in Australia.

...SC likes a challenge;  The 2017 non conference slate for USC is Western Michigan with their great HC PJ Fleck, Texas with a new HC, most likely Houston's Tom Herman and the bi-annual trip to Notre Dame.

...55 and a cloud of dust;  RB Joe Thomas, Sr., the father of Green Bay Packer LB Joe Thomas, Jr.  became what many to believe then oldest man to play in a college football game when he carried the ball four times for the South Carolina State Bulldogs.  The 55 year old senior was added to the SC State roster two weeks ago and got to play on Senior Day. Way to go, Joe!

...An Orange and Black shade of Ivy;  Princeton claimed the Ivy League Crown with a 38-21 win over Dartmouth. The Tigers finished the season at 8-2 overall and a 6-1 conference mark.

...A rematch;  Wyoming beat San Diego State, 34-33 Saturday.  If the Cowboys win at New Mexico or the Cowboys and Boise State both lose this week, Wyoming will have a rematch with SDSU in the Mountain West title game.

...Saint Sam;  USC QB Sam Darnold's great play has covered a multitude of sins by his offensive line.

...Not a great pair;  The Pac 12 and Big Ten each have a team that is 0-8 in conference play.  Rutgers is the Big Ten squad that averages just nine points per game on offense and has been shutout four times in league play with Ohio State and Michigan whipping them 58-0 and 78-0 in consecutive weeks.  Arizona us the Pac 12's cellar dweller with a 2-10 overall record. Their two wins were over Hawaii and comeback win over Grambling.

Going Bowling

There are 39 Bowl Games plus the three games of the College Football Playoff.  That means 82 teams will go bowling this year.  As of today there are only 65 bowl eligible teams. There are only 16 teams left on the bubble that could become bowl eligible and all of those as won't make it because some of them face each other this week. So, some teams with losing records will go to a bowl.  If this year is not the argument to cut the number of bowls, I don't know what is.


Ugly Uniform of the Week

This week's winner is Minnesota. The Gophers don't look Golden in this ensemble.  If you're gonna wear that much gold, you gotta have a dark color to offset it.  The white doesn't cut it. It looks like they only wore the top half of the uniform.





The FBS Power Five Conference Races

The ACC:  Virginia Tech wins the Coastal Division with a win over Virginia this week.  If they lose, then North Carolina could win the Coastal with a win over NC State.  Clemson is the Atlantic champ that will face one of the aforementioned two in the ACC title tile.

The Big XII: Winner of the OU-Okie State game will be the Big XII champ.

The Big Ten: If Wisconsin beats Minnesota this week, they claim the West crown.  If they lose and Nebraska beats Iowa, the Cornhuskers claim the crown.  In the East, a Michigan win over Ohio State makes them division champs.  Penn State needs to beat Michigan State and have Ohio State beat Michigan to win the East.  Ohio State needs to beat Michigan and have Penn State lose to win the East.

The Pac 12: Winner of the Washington-Washington State game wins the North.  If Colorado beats Utah this week they win the South. If Colorado loses, USC is the South winner.

SEC: Florida is the SEC East Champ and will face West Champ Alabama in the SEC title game.

Departments

C.W. Post Playoff Press: Brookville, NY- The Pioneers built up a 48-24 lead after three quarters, then held off a furious rally by Winston-Salem State and advanced to the second round of the D-II playoffs with a 48-41 victory.  The one-two offensive punch of QB Jeff Kidd and RB Malik Pierre led the way for Post.  Kidd completed 25 of 34 passes for 320 yards and four TDs.  Pierre rushed for 117 yards on 18 carries and three TDs. Post's next opponent is Shepherd University with game being played at C.W. Post.

Georgetown Gridiron News: Hamilton, NY: The Hoyas season came to an end Saturday with a 38-10 loss to Colgate. The Red Raiders defense set the tone for this game, holding GU to just 147 total yards and 35 rushing.  QB Jake Melville completed 17 of 31 passes for 245 yards and two TDs to lead the Colgate attack. Meanwhile, QB Clay Norris throw for 112 yards in the loss.  GU finishes the season at 3-8 overall and 0-6 in Patriot League play.

Razorback Report: It was a lightbulb buster on the scoreboard, but Arkansas held off Mississippi State, 58-42.  This game featured a pair of backs with four rushing TDs a piece. Razorback RB Rawleigh Williams III ran for 205 yards on 16 carries while MSU QB Nate Fitzgerald ran for 131 yards.  Fitzgerald also threw for 328 yards and two more scores.  Fun stat in this game is that the two squads combined to score seven TDs on eight total second half possessions. The Hogs finish the regular season with a trip to Missouri this week.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

I'm glad the first rain of the year came when I was home and not at work.

Larry, the Dr. Pepper guy cracks me up every time.

I'm ready to start watching some Holiday movies. I think Holiday Inn will be the first one.

I always look forward to Thanksgiving for the family, food and the football. Then I realized that I'm lucky enough to have that every week of the football season. That's pretty cool. Have a great Turkey Day folks.  Go eat, throw the ball around and hug somebody.

Until next time folks, being able to just run the ball at will is a beautiful thing.
-The Commissioner

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

2016 Week 11

Hey All,

It's time for the column that makes Tuesdays great, Notes on Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Bill Flemming.

Summaries

USC 26- Washington 13: ESPN's College Gameday came to Seattle for this game.  Lee Corso picked the Dawgs to trounce the Trojans. Small bits of Cardinal and Gold were among a vast sea of purple at Husky Stadium.  After all, this was Washington's coronation as a reborn national power with the Trojans as their victims for a beating on a national scale.  Only problem is that nobody told USC that.  USC QB Sam Darnold looked as cool as sSouthern California offshore breeze leading the Trojans offense over and around Husky defenders.  Meanwhile, the USC defense harassed, hit, hurried, sacked, and rattled  UW QB Jake Browning.  USC also shut down the Huskies rushing attack too.  When it was over, USC had walked out of Husky Stadium with a big upset win.  Sam Darnold did throw two picks, but he did complete 23 of 33 passes for 287 yards and a pair of scores.  RB Ronald Jones II more than quintupled UW's rushing yardage with 93 yards on 23 carries and TD.  The USC defense had their best game of the year.  DE Porter Gustin had a great game with two sacks, Adoree Jackson picked off two passes and the team blocked a field goal and forced a safety as well.  USC held UW to 17 yards rushing. They also held UW to just 34 yards on their final five possessions.
Telling Stat: 38:51;  Thats the length of time in this game that USC led the Huskies.  That amount of time was longer than the total amount of time Washington had trailed in their first nine games combined.

Utah 49- Arizona State 26: The Utes came out pretty sloppy in this game and ASU looked ready to make them pay for it.  ASU held a 13-0 lead after the first quarter.  Would this be another one of those crazy Thursday night games?  Ummm, No.  Utah woke up, lit up the scoreboard on offense while the defense dominated the Sun Devils for the final three quarters and left Tempe with a big rout.  The Williams and Williams combination led the Utah offensive charge.  QB Troy Williams completed 21 of 37 tosses for 296 yards and four scores while RB Joe Williams ripped off 151 yards rushing and two TDs on just 15 carries. His best run was a 82-yard TD jaunt that left no doubt as to how much a lift he has brought to this Ute squad after his "retirement" a few weeks back. As for the Utah defense, DE Hunter Dimick spent most of the game in the ASU backfield. He had nine tackles, eight of those solo stops with five sacks and 6.5 tackles for a loss.  Dimick became tied for being the all-time career sack leader for the Utes.  He will soon stand lone for the Utes in that category.  He also is now the single-game sack record holder for Utah with his five sacks.  For ASU, QB Manny Wilkins threw for 309 yards, a TD and two interceptions in the loss.
Telling Stat: 3 out of 4 = rout;  After falling behind 13-0, and being outgained 177 yards to 38, Utah held ASU to just 13 points and 222 yards over the final three quarters while scoring 49 points and gaining 459 yards. 

Washington State 56- California 21:The Cougars came out and slapped the Golden Bears around.  Cal's offense did run up a ton of yards, but the Cougar defense played great and never really let Cal get into the red zone.  Meanwhile, the Cougar offense tore right through the Golden Bears.  WSU QB Luke Falk completed 36 of 50 passes for 373 yards and five TDs. WR River Cracraft caught nine of those passes for 87 yards and three TDs before leaving the game with a leg injury.  Falk's other target Gabe Marks hauled in seven passes for 87 yards and two scores.  Marks now stands as the Pac 12's career receiving leader with 295 catches.  That breaks the record of 294 held by Colorado's Nelson Spruce.  Cal QB Davis Webb threw for 425 yards and two TDs in the loss.
Telling Stat: 7/36/7;  The Washington State defense gave up 525 yards on 83 plays to Cal.  However, they only allowed Cal to run seven of those plays in the red zone for a meager 36 yards and one TD for the evening.

Colorado 49- Arizona 24: The Wildcats long nightmare of a season continued last Saturday.  Colorado took their turn to workover the Wildcats.  After a bit of a slow start, CU extended a 7-0 first quarter lead into a 28-10 halftime advantage.  The Buffaloes didn't look nearly as dysfunctional as they did v. UCLA last week.  QB Sefo Liufau looked to be back on his game, throwing for 213 yards and two TDs.  He also ran for a score.  RB Phillip Lindsay had another good game. He rushed for 119 yards on 25 carries and three TDs.  UofA's offense looked a lot better than it has the last couple of weeks, but the QB combo of Brandon Dawkins and Anu Solomon threw for only 155 yards and no TDs. Sammije Grant looked like he may getting the hang of playing RB for the Wildcats.  The converted receiver ran for 113 yards and a pair of scores.
Telling Stat: It only looked like a blowout;  Yes, this game had a garbage time element to it as Colorado pulled away from Arizona, but the this was a statistically closer game than it looked.  Most of Arizona's yards came as the game was still in doubt and Colorado did not empty the benches.  

UCLA 38- Oregon State 24: The bRuins got TDs from their offense, defense and special teams to hold off a pesky bunch of Beavers at the Rose Bowl. The bRuins fell behind early when Oregon State turned a fumble by RB Soso Jamabo into a 1-yard TD run by RB Artavis Pierce. UCLA then stormed back scoring 21 straight points with the last score being a blocked punt return by WR Jordan Lasley.  Oregon State did pull within three points of the bRuins with 8:39 left in the third quarter when DE Manase Hungalu took a fumble by QB Mike Fafaul back 40 yards for a TD, but that would be as close as the Beavers would get.  UCLA put the game away with just 2:14 to play when LB Randall Goforth took an interception back 40 yards of a TD.  UCLA's much maligned rushing game accounted for all of the bRuins offensive TDs with RB Jalen Starks crossing the double stripe twice on 10 carries. In the loss for OSU it was Pierce who led all rushers with 73 yards on 18 carries and two TDs.
Telling Stat: Dammed Beavers;  UCLA's defense held OSU's offense to just a field goal in the final 30 minutes to help keep the bRuins bowl hopes alive.

Stanford 52- Oregon 27: In his third game as a starter it looks like SU QB Keller Chryst has come into his own.  Christ completed 19 of 26 passes for 258 yards and three TDs in the Cardinal's rout of the Quacks.  RB Christian McCaffrey seems to be back in form as well.  He knifed through and around the hapless Oregon defense for 135 yards on 17 carries and three TDs.  Meanwhile, the Stanford defense gave up a ton of yardage to the Ducks, but forced four turnovers to turn what could have been a shoutout into a rout. RB Royce Freeman rushed for 111 yards on 20 carries and a TD in the loss for the Ducks.
Telling Stat: 6/7+2= Rout;  Stanford scored on six of their seven first half possessions and forced two Oregon turnovers to race out to a 38-13 halftime lead and send the Duck faithful home early.

Observations

...A quick fall;  Washington QB Jake Browning went from one of the best QBs in the nation to the second best QB in his own stadium Saturday.

...Dead Ducks;  With Stanford spanking Oregon over the weekend, the Ducks are now 3-7.  That guarantees them a losing record and no bowl game for 2016.  

...Cougar love;  There won't be a single Trojan fan this week who isn't rooting for Washington State to beat Colorado.

... The big 1;  Iowa State has not had a good year as their 2-8 record states, but their 31-24 win over Kansas was a boost to the program and their first Big XII win of 2016.

...Dawgs in the headlights;  The looks of shock and disbelief in the faces of the Washington's football players as they were losing to USC showed just how easily they thought they would handle the Trojans.

...86 years;  Washington State is riding an eight game wining streak.  Something they haven't done since 1930.

...Cardinal back in form;  Stanford looked like the Stanford we've been accustomed to seeing last week.

...Georgia State no longer on his mind;  Georgia State fired HC Trent Miles on Sunday.  Miles' record was 9-48 with the fledgling FBS program which caused the powers that be to pull the plug on his tenure.

...Eligible they are;  It's amazing how well the USC offense runs when the Tight End is actually used as an eligible receiver.

Just a rumor;  There is no truth to the rumor that after their latest loss, Oregon benefactor and Dark Lord of Bad Uniforms, Phil Knight told Ducks HC Mark Helfrich that he needs to clean his house up and be ready for potential buyers to view the property this week.

...There is a playoff team in SoCal;  The Redlands Bulldogs won the SCIAC with an 8-1 record and will travel to Belton, Texas to take on the 10-0 Mary-Hardin Baylor Crusaders in the first round of the D-III playoffs.

...Yeah, ok. What?;  Penn State has a good chance to win the Big Ten East Division.  They just have tailenders Rutgers and Michigan State on their slate.  If the Lions win out and Indiana or Ohio State beats Michigan, the Nittany Lions will go to the Big Ten title game.

...Madeit is his new name;  The name of the Pitt PK who nailed the 48-yard field goal to beat Clemson is Chris Blewitt.  Oh irony, you jokester.

...Feeling you Broncos;  Undefeated Western Michigan looks like the team that will earn that group of six New Year's Day bowl game.

...Not my job;  I'm so glad that I'm not on the College Football Playoff Committee this week.

...Not feeling the corn;  Jim Harbaugh has been to Iowa twice for games as a Wolverine.  Once as a player and once as an HC for Michigan and lost both games on a last-second field goal.

...Flying Eagles;  Eastern Michigan has been a football wasteland for many years.  However, the Eagles are 6-4 this year and bowl eligible.  Wow.

...Strength in the altitude;  The Mountain West Conference's Mountain Division boasts a 9-1 team in Boise State and three 7-3 squads in Wyoming, New Mexico, and Air Force.

...Bragging rights;  In the Pac 12 a couple of the rivalry games are on the list this week as Stanford takes on Cal in the "Big Game" and USC and UCLA renew their crosstown hostilities.

...Get that kid a chair;  San Diego State's Donnel Pumphrey needs a seat on the Hesiman Trophy stage.  All he's done this year is rush for 1779 yards in 10 games.  He's 347 yards away from breaking Ron Dayne's all-time NCAA career rushing record.

...No need to sit;  Hawaii HC Nick Rolovich got so mad at his team during their blowout loss to Boise State that he had the grounds crew remove the teams benches in the the third quarter.  I guess he felt that their lackluster showing didn't entitle them to a seat.

...This just in; Oregon stinks and their uniforms do too.

...They will drink Boilermakers at the tailgates;  The LSU-Florida QB matchup this week is Danny Etling v. Austin Appleby.  Both are transfers form Purdue.

...Ariz0na;  Arizona doesn't have a Pac 12 win this season and their game at Oregon State this week will decide who is the cellar dweller in the league.

...Back from the dead;  With all the upsets this past weekend, could the Big 12 be back in the hunt for a CFP spot?

...USC and Wazzu are the Pac 12's nightmare;  USC and WSU possibly meeting in the Pac 12 title game is commissioner Larry Scott's worst PR nightmare.  If SC wins, it's hard to sell USC on a national stage this year after their awful loss to Alabama.  If WSU wins the league, you will have a Rose Bowl team that lost to Eastern Washington.

...A great way to go out;  The Idaho Vandals are dropping back down to the FCS ranks next year after finding life too difficult in the FBS,  So, what have the Vandals done this year?  They are bowl eligible at 6-4 and are siting in the upper echelon of the Sun Belt Conference.

Going Bowling

Currently there are 60 teams that are bowl eligible in the FBS.  There are also 37 other schools that are on the bubble for being bowl eligible.  Just by scheduling alone the number of bubble teams will whittle down and it looks like there won't be any sub .500 teams getting waivers for a bowl appearance this season.

Ugly Uniforms of the Week

This week we have two big winners and a third that  I was told I had to include on the list.

First up are the Maryland Terrapins who did their imitation of a blood clot with these uniforms.


Next up are the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame who's Shamrock Series uniforms were pretty ugly with one of the worst shades of gold ever worn.


Lastly, comes the Indiana Hoosiers whose uniform sleeves remind folks of a circus tent.  Their helmet sticker kinda failed too.  A lot of time on TV, the full sticker was not easy to read on the white helmet background.


Departments

Upset of the Decade: Alliance, OH- With :39 left, QB Anthony Moeglin connected with WR Julian Woods on a 24-yard TD pass to lift the John Carroll College Blue Streaks to a 31-28 win over the Mount Union College Purple Raiders. Coming into this game, Mount Union had won 222 of their last 223 regular season games and were riding a 112-game regular season winning streak. The Purple Raiders are the defending D-III Champions and have won 11 national titles in the past 22 seasons.  John Carroll claimed the Ohio Athletic Conference crown with the win. the Blue Streaks also get the league's automatic bid to the D-III playoffs making them the only other team to claim that bid besides the Purple Raiders in the history of the league.

Blowout Game of the Week: Bemidji, MN- Its that time of year for senior days and it was that day at Bemidji State. The Beavers of Bemidjii State grounded the Golden Eagles of Minnesota-Crookston, 76-13.  QB Jordan Hein completed only 10 of 23 passes, but those completions went for 278 tyards and four TDs.  18 different Beavers handled the ball on offense.  The Beavers led 35-0 at the half and scored 41 more points in the second half with PK Mike Hoffer making 10 of 11 PATs on the day.  I often cite Bemidji State as an example of a nobody team.  It was good to see these guys get a big win and finish their year at 8-3.

C.W. Post Press: Brookville, NY- After a couple of fumbles in the first quarter, the Pioneers found themselves down, 9-0 to the Assumption College Greyhounds.  Post then woke up and scored the next 37 points en route to a 43-23 win to claim the Northeast 10 football championship. The comeback started with a 33-yard TD pass from QB Jeff Kidd to WR Kyle Ward. The Pioneers then surged to a 16--9 haltime lead behind another Kidd TD pass and a field goal by PK Joey Tolgyesi.  The Green and Gold took control of the game scoring 21 straight point to start the second half.  RB Malik Pierre was the star here, returning the opening kickoff of the second half back 87 yards for a TD, then scoring on two more TD runs of two yards and one yard.  The win gives Post an undefeated season of 11-0.  That 11-0 record earned the Pioneers the #2 seed in the Division II playoffs.  They will host Winston-Salem State next week in a first round playoff game.

Georgetown Gridiron News: Washington, DC-  It was senior day at GU, but the Hoyas didn't have enough to stop the Bucknell Bison and lost 21-7.  RB Joey DeFloria staked the Bison to a 7-0 halftime lead when he scored on 14-yard run with :50 left in second period.  Bucknell held a 14-0 lead midway through the third period thanks to a 1-yard plunge by RB Chad Freshnock. The Hoyas did cut Bucknell's lead to 14-7 when WR Joe McLaughlin caught a 23-yard TD pass form QB Clay Norris.  However, that is as close as GU would get.  Bucknell got a game-sealing TD run form DeFloria with 2:05 to play.  The Hoyas had no answer for DeFloria who gashed the Hoyas for 150 yards on 31 carries and a pair of scores. The Hoyas offense woes continued in this game as they were held to 190 total yards and just nine first downs.

Razorback Report: The Hogs manhandled Florida last week, but had no such luck against the LSU Tigers.  The Tigers rushed for 390 yards with RB Derrius Guice going off for 252 yards on 21 carries and two TDs. In the loss, Arkansas QB Austin Allen threw for 210 yard, a TD and two interceptions. Up next for Arkansas is a trip to Mississippi State.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Bunz Burgers in San Pedro rocks.

I still love watching Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

My old LG plasma TV is still great to watch.

Until next time, remember that you have to know you can lose in order to be able to win.

-The Commissioner

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

2016 Week 10

Hey All,

It's time once again for the column that makes the work week brighter, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Ned Miller and staff.

Summaries

USC 45- Oregon 20: The USC defense forced there three-and-outs on Oregon's first three drives, while the offense built up a 17-0 lead and never really looked back in their rout of the Quacks.  USC RB Ronald Jones II took advantage of a weak Oregon rushing defense and lugged the leather 20 times for 171 yards and four TDs. His best run was a 66-yard jaunt where he broke through the line, faked a LB out of his jock and raced to pay dirt.  QB Sam Darnold had another impressive day, completing 28 of 40 passes for 309 yards, two TDs and one interception. The USC defense took what had become a potent Oregon offense of late and shut it down.  USC held the Ducks to just 85 yards rushing with speedster RB Royce Freeman being held to just 38 yards on 10 carries.
Telling Stat: No fly zone;  The USC defense held Oregon to just 115 total yards and six point in the first half which allowed the Trojan offense to build up a 24-6 halftime advantage that the Ducks couldn't come back from.

Colorado 20- UCLA 10: This game was ugly and not even Elvis on black velvet ugly.  This was like a Reno Hightower van special featuring Lady Di surrounded by sharks kind of ugly. This game featured 25 penalties for 224 yards.  11 of those flags were personal fouls, eight alone on Colorado.  There were also two blocked field goals and five turnovers.  In the end though, it was the Colorado special teams that made the difference .  PR Isiah Oliver returned a punt 68 yards for a TD with 5:27 remaining in the fourth period to put the bRuins away.  Neither team lit up the stat sheet.  CU QB's Sefo Lirufau and Steven Montez combined to complete 20 of 30 lasses for only 160 yards, no TDs and three interceptions. RB Phillip Lindsay led all rushers with 73 yards on 24 carries and one TD.  UCLA's Rosen-less offense generated even less with QB Mike Fafaul completing 15 of 29 for 185 yards a TD and an interception. UCLA's rushing game was non-existent again also with the bRuins rushing for a paltry 25 yards on 30 carries.
Telling Stat: 3 out of 4 is bad;  UCLA only managed to score three points off the four turnovers that Colorado handed them.  That cost the bRuins the game.

Washington 66- California 27: With 9:01 to play in the second quarter Cal QB Davis Webb completed a 14-yard TD pass to WR Chad Hansen.  The Golden Bears pulled within a point of Washington, at 21-20 and it looked like another Pac 12 shootout was at hand. However, the Huskies defense stepped up and took away Cal's weapons, allowing one garbage time TD the rest of the way.  Meanwhile, the UW offense sparkled.  Jake Browning had sliced and diced the Cal secondary, completing 19 of 28 passes for 378 yards and six TDs. The Dawgs ran the ball well too.  RBs Lavon Coleman and Myles Gaskin combined to rush for 182 yards on 23 carries and a pair of TDs.  In the loss, Webb completed 23 of 47 tosses for 262 yards, one TD and three interceptions for the Golden Bears.
Telling Stat:  A fine 39;  After giving up 20 points and 203 yards to Cal in the first 21 minutes of play, the Washington defense shutdown the Cal offense, allowing only 165 yards and seven points while forcing four turnovers over the final 39 minutes to help turn this game into a late night laugher in Berkeley. 

Stanford 26- Oregon State 15: In his second start, Stanford QB Keller Chryst fumbled three snaps, and looked lost on other plays, so the the Cardinal did what they do best, they ran the heck out of the ball and played defense.  Stanford ran the ball 58 times for 365 yards and held the ball for 39:04.  RB Christian McCaffrey rushed the ball 32 times for 199 yards and a TD.  The Cardinal didn't light up the scoreboard, but PK Conrad Ukropina connected on four of five field goal attempts, with a 52-yarder in the mix. Stanford's defense didn't really do very well.  The numbers look good as the Cardinal gave up 15 points and 266 total yards, however those numbers don't look so good when you see that OSU had the ball for a scant 20 minutes and ran off only 46 plays. In the loss, OSU QB Marcus McMaryion completed 10 of 24 passes for 137 yards, a TD and two picks.
Telling stat: The 29 grind; The Cardinal ran the ball 29 straight times on their final four drives to kill the clock and Oregon State's chances for a win.

Washington State 69- Arizona 7: The Cougars had a light workout on Saturday easily dispatching the  Wildcats in the process. Wazzu came out hitting on all cylinders, building up a 24-0 first quarter lead with three TD passes from Luke Falk and a FG by PK Erik Powell. The Cougs built-up a 38-7 halftime advantage to end the competitive portion of the afternoon. Falk ended the day with 311 yards and four TDs with his backup Tyler Hilinski throwing for 163 yards and two TDs in garbage time. 14 different WSU receivers had at least one catch in this rout with Tavares Martin, Jr. hauling in a team high nine passes for 66 yards and two scores.  UofA's QB situation looked pathetic once again as Anu Solomon, Khalil Tate and Brandon Dawkins combined to complete 11 of 23 passes for a paltry 128 yards, a TD and two interceptions. That ineffectiveness plus a poor rushing game led to the Cougars holding the ball for almost 40 minutes.
Telling Stat: 6-5 no pick 'em; Wazzu's QBs picked apart the Arizona defense and these stats show it.  Cougar QBs threw six TD passes, with only five incompletions and no interceptions v. the hapless Wildcats.

Observations

...Less than a Dullard;  With the bRuins loss to Colorado, HC Jim Mora now has a worse conference record than Karl Dorrell had when he was HC of the bRuins. Mora is now 24-19 in conference play, Dorrell was 24-18.

...Not a good pair of sixes;  Cal's 66 points allowed tied the the school's modern record for most points allowed.  The last time the Golden Bears allowed 66 points was in a 66-0 loss to Alabama in 1973.

..,Anchors Away on New Year's Day;  Here's the scenario for Navy, yes Navy to get a New Year's six bowl game.  If the middies win out, they will be 12-2 and AAC Champions. If Western Michigan and Boise State lose down the stretch, they could get the New Year's Day nod.

...The argument against; The UCLA-Colorado game was a prime example of just why there should never be Thursday night games.

...Not much impact;  Two week back, ESPN's analyst Ed Cunningham, a former Husky and known Trojan-hater, declared that SC couldn't beat Cal if injured WR Chad Hansen had been in the lineup for the Golden Bears.  Well, he was back in the lineup for Cal's game v. UW.  That didn't work out so well for the Golden Bears I see.  Hmmmmmmmm.

...Much Aggie-ado about nothing;  After Texas A&M's upset by Mississippi State, it sure makes all that whining about Washington not being in the top four of the playoff ranking look pretty silly. The Aggies drop form the spotlight may accelerate with QB Trevor Knight now out for the season with a shoulder injury.

...A rare opportunity;  If UCLA wins this week and Notre Dame wins their next two games, USC would have the opportunity to beat both of their arch-rivals in consecutive weeks and kill both their chances for becoming bowl eligible as well.

...Don't mess with the Middies; Navy HC Ken Niumatalolo talks about how his team is regarded and doesn't like it.
            "They look at us as a team in white suits with nice uniforms. They would pat us on the head like we were nice house pets or something, but we're a good football program. Don't be confused by our uniforms. We're going to hit you in the freakin' mouth."

...It's big now;  Who would have though that Wazzu's game at Colorado on 11/19 would be one of the big games this year in the Pac 12?

...6-3 ho-hum;  USC's season opening thrashing by Alabama has many a Trojan fan not really too enthused about USC's current five-game wining streak.

...It's small now; In a corollary thought, who would have thought that the Stanford-Oregon game would be meaningless now?

...Huskies-wan you're our only hope; With Washington being the Pac 12's lone hope for the CFP, look for the Dawgs to be protected by the officials for the rest of the season.

...Buh-Bye;  It look's like Mark Helfrich's stint as HC of the Oregon Ducks is near an end.  Oregon athletic benefactor and Lord of the Athletic Sith, Phil Knight has said that he'll personally pay 10 million a year for new HC.

...The desert can be a cold, cold place;  As his seats gets hotter with mounting blowout losses, Tucson has become a cold place for Rich Rodriguez.  Even the UofA student newspaper the Daily Wildcat is advocating for his firing.

...Gunslingers play on the edge;  USC QB Sam Darnold has that gunslinger bravado that he can get the ball into any space at any time, which scares most Trojan fans several times a game.

...Next is a bad thing;  Next is bad when facing the Buckeyes after a loss under Urban Meyer.  Not only do they beat the heck out of you, they send your QB out on a stretcher.

..Memo to Baylor HC Jim Grobe;  People care as much about your teams' distractions and problems about as much as your football players cared about their rape victims.

...Skittles-worthy;  The Marshawn Lynch injury cart bobblehead rocks.



...Rare Cougar air; Wazzu can move to 7-0 in conference play for the first time ever with a win over Cal this week.

...Something's got to give;  Iowa State travels to Kansas this week in big battle of the tailenders of the Big XII.  The winner, and there has to be one, will get their only Big XII win of 2016.

...Invisible;  Arizona State had a bye last week.  Anybody notice?  Didn't think so.

Ugly Uniform of the Week

This Week's winners are the Ohio State Buckeyes for these throwbacks.  Seriously, is this Ohio State or Norther Illinois?  The plain crappy helmets clinched it for me.




Departments

Blowout of the Week:  Ada, OH-  The Polar Bears of Northern Ohio University scored on their first seven drives en route to an 80-3 thumping of the Wilmington College Quakers. QB Will Freed of Carlsbad, CA completed 15 of 17 passes for 264 yards and five TDs in a little over 30 minutes work.  RB Christian Williams played only the first half, but ran for 103 yards on 17 carries with three TDs.

Low Score Game of the Week: Ithaca, NY- It was senior day for the Ithaca Bombers and they didn't disappoint the home folks.  With 5:34 left in the first quarter, QB Wolfgang Shafer hit WR Will Gladney with an 8-yard TD pass.  The Bombers made the score hold up for a 7-0 win over the Buffalo State Bengals.  The Ithaca defense held Buffalo State to 195 total yards and didn't allow the Bengal to run a single play in the red zone.

C.W. Post Press: North Andover, MA- The Pioneers finished off their regular season with a 64-7 win over Merrimack College.  QB Jeff Kidd returned from injury to throw for 21 of 30 passes for 266 yards and two TDs in one half of play. The Pioneers are now 10-0 and will host Assumption College next week in the Northeast 10 Championship Game.  Earlier in the year Post went on the road defeated Assumption 19-18. This game has the makings of a real barn burner with the winner getting a slot in the D-II playoffs

Georgetown Gridiron News: Washington, DC- Clay Norris got the nod at QB this week for the Hoyas.  He completed 25 of 37 passes for 185 yards and ran for 40 more, but the Hoyas fell 21-20 to Holy Cross.  The Hoyas two TDs came on a 100-yard kickoff return by KR Michael Dereus. and a 4-yard run by Rb Alex Valles.  The GU defense held the Crusaders scoreless for the final 30 minutes, but the Hoyas last chance for a comeback Norris' pass was picked off by DB Kyle Young with 1:49 to play.

Razorback Report: Things haven't been so great for the Hogs of late, but they came out Saturday and dismantled the Florida Gators, 31-10.  RB Rawleigh Williams gashed the Gators for 148 yards on 26 carries and pair of TDs. The Arkansas defense had a great game holding the Gators to 12 yard rushing and not allowing an offensive touchdown. Up next for the Razorbacks is a home game with Coach Ed Oregon and his LSU Tigers.

Shoutout to the Northsiders

Congratulations to the Chicago Cubs and their fans for winning the World Series for the first time since 1908.  As Pete Rose said after they won, "It's great for the Cubs to get a win in their new ballpark. To help my Chicago fan friends celebrate please click and enjoy this selection from the great Bill Murray and a few friends.
Go Cubs Go

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

I wish the weather would decide if it's gonna be fall or just stay summer.

The Sunday after moving the clocks back to standard time always feels disjointed.

I'm so happy that as of today, I will see no more political flyers in my mail.

Until Next Week, remember folks that good teams win big games on the road.
-The Commissioner

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

2016 Week 9

He All,

It's time for that final look back at Last weekend's week that was with another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Owen Bird.

Summaries

USC 45- California 24: Despite turning the ball over three times and racking up 13 penalties, the Trojans still managed to put up 45 points and gain 629 yards of total offense to make it a baker's dozen over the Golden Bears. USC QB Sam Darnold, the pride of San Clemente High, continued to impress as he completed 18 of 25 passes for 231 yards and five TDs.  The Trojans shredded Cal's run defense as well with RBs Ronald Jones II and Aca'Cedric Ware combining to rush for a 353 yards on 38 carries and a TD. Cal QB Davis Webb had a subpar night hitting on 33 of 54 passes for 333 yards and two TDs. The USC defense had a great game too. They held Cal to about 20 points under their season average despite not getting much of a pass rush on Davis Webb.
Telling Stat: 1/2 a red zone;  USC's defense held Cal under their season scoring average by protecting the red zone.  USC only allowed Cal to run 15 total plays in the red zone with none of the plays occurring inside USC's 10-yard line.

Washington 31- Utah 24: ESPN College Gameday made a rare appearance in the west. Salt Lake City was buzzing with the chance to take down the undefeated Huskies.  However, it was not to be, as a rare kicking game mistake let the Huskies escape Rice-Eccles Stadium with a win. With 9:07 left, Utah had tied the game when TE Evan Moeai grabbed a 24-yard TD pass from QB Troy Williams. The teams then traded possessions until Utah faced a fourth down deep in their own territory with 3:25 to play.  Punter Mitch Wishnowsky outkicked his coverage.  UW PR Dante Pettis shook one tackle, then found a wall of blockers in front of him and he streaked down the field 58 yards to the end zone.  UW had a 31-24 lead and the game in hand.  Offensively, the Huskies showed a balanced attack with QB Jake Browning completing 12 of 20 passes for 186 yards and two scores, while RB Myles Gaskin carried the ball 19 times for 151 yards and a TD.  In the loss, Utah QB and former Husky, Troy Williams completed 14 of 31 passes for 163 yards and two TDs.  RB James Williams led the Utes rushing attack with 172 yards on 35 carries and a TD.
Telling Stat: 58 hidden yards;  Dante Pettis' 58-yard punt return TD was the difference in this game that featured two evenly matched squads.

Stanford 34- Arizona 10: An Arizona squad that is still decimated with injuries despite getting two QBs back was no match for a Cardinal squad that had a healthy Christian McCaffrey return to the lineup.  McCaffrey gained 225 all-purpose yards and scored three TDs to lead the Cardinal attack.  Meanwhile, UofA got spotty play form QB Brandon Dawkins who completed only 5 of 15 passes for 116 yards, a TD and an interception.  UofA also used QBs Anu Solomon and Khalil Tate.  However, they failed to complete a pass and rushed for a combined 15 yards on the night. Dawkins led the Wildcats in rushing with 65 yards as WR Sammjie Grant started at RB due to a significant number of injuries to that position group. For Stanford, QB Ryan Burns was benched in favor of Keller Chryst who completed 14 of 30 passes for 104 yards and two TDs. The Stanford defense forced three turnovers to further shutdown UofA's stunted offensive attack.
Telling Stat: (-QB) + O RBs= L;  Arizona's woeful quarterback play plus having no active running backs equaled a loss for the Wildcats.  

Washington State 35- Oregon State 31:  At halftime, Wazzu trailed the Beavers, 24-6 and it looked like the Cougars' feel-good story had come to an abrupt end.  Then the third quarter happened.  The Cougars shut down OSU and tallied 22 straight points to take a 28-24 lead into the fourth quarter.  OSU RB Ryan Nall put OSU back on top, 31-28 after with a three-yard TD jaunt.  That TD was made possible when the Beavers recovered PR Kaleb Fossum's fumble at his own three-yard line. Wazzu then jumped back ahead immediately when QB Luke Falk hit WR Robert Lewis with a one-yard pass.  WSU would hold that 35-31 lead the rest of the way for the win. Falk had another ho-hum day passing for 415 yards and five TDs. WR Gabe Marks was once again his favorite target, snagging eight aerials for 110 yards and two TDs.  For the Beavers, Nall rushed for 131 yards and two TDs, while QB Marcus McMaryion threw for 327 yards and a pair of scores.
Telling Stat: A tale of two Cougars; After a first half where WSU had given up 24 points and 398 yards, the Cougar defense shined in the second half. They held OSU to 7 points and 107 total yards.  WSU forced five punts, held for downs twice and allowed one TD drive of three yards in OSU's final eight drives.

Oregon 54- Arizona State 35: It looks like they've found a new QB-RB combination in Eugene.  The QB, Freshman Justin Herbert torched the Sun Devils secondary, completing 31 of 42 passes for 489 yards and four TDs,.  The RB, Tony Brooks-James toted the rock only nine times. but he gained 132 yards and scored a TD. Those two along with a surprisingly decent defensive effort from the quacks set up this blowout win.  It is a win that snaps a five-game losing streak for the Quacks. ASU used Dillon Sterling-Cole at QB with starter Manny Wilkins out once again after being injured last week v. Wazzu.  Sterling-Cole passed for 302 yards and a TD, but his three interceptions really hurt ASU's cause. Injuries did not help the Sun Devils either. When LG Stephon McCray was injured early, that left ASU down 10 starters for this game.
Telling Stat: Turnovers kill;  Oregon scored 14 points off three ASU turnovers. The Ducks defense  also snuffed out ASU's final drive with a third interception to seal the victory for UO.

Observations

...Rushing is fundamental; It doesn't matter how great a passing offense you might have, you still have to run the ball to win.  Case in point, in his tenures at Texas Tech and Wazzu, Mike Leach's record as HC is 66-18 when his Air Raid offense runs the ball for 90+ yards in a game.

...2K on Montezuma Mesa;  SDSU RB Donnel Pumphrey has 1,469 yards with four games left in the regular season with a good shot at breaking the 2,000 yard mark. It's about time he got a little publicity.

...Ragtime Cowboy Joe is getting rowdy; Wyoming handed Boise State their first loss of the season and are now in first place in the Mountain Divison of the  Mountain West Conference.  The Cowboys now have an inside track to the MWC Championship game.

...Hurry up and lose;  The SC-Cal game went so long on Thursday night it reminded of one of those bugs you swat and swat and spray and spray and won't die.  Cal calling a time out down 21 points with 22 seconds left did help form this assessment.

...Their Sunday Gig;  The Raiders picked up and NFL single-game record 23 penalties Sunday.  I had no idea the Pac 12 refs also worked on Sundays.

...One for the Orange and Black; It was a battle of the tail-enders in the SCIAC, but the Occidental Tigers beat the Whittier Poets, 56-38 to claim another win in the storied rivalry and grab possession of the trophy known as "The Shoes".

...SC knows how it feels; Cal HC Sonny Dykes made a big deal about how Cal had to go on the road and play a game at SC on just six days rest with SC coming off a bye.  Well, where were the sympathetic ears when USC had to play Stanford team on the road when the Cardinal were coming off a bye, then had to play at Utah six days later? Hmmmmmmmmm.

...Someone ok'd this;  The UTSA football teams are known as the Roadrunners.  They were sporting new helmets with a "BIRDS UP" sticker on the back of helmets.  I can see a lot of "Birds" coming their way now.

...Cardinal upswing;  Don't be surprised to see Stanford go 3-1 or 4-0 down the stretch.  The Cardinal will face four of the six worst defenses in all of the FBS in their final four games.

...Streaking series;  USC's win over Cal was their 13th in a row over the Golden Bears.  Oregon's win over ASU was their 10th straight over the Sun Devils.

...Only a rumor;  There is no truth to the rumor that several Pac 12 officials have been scheduled for Tommy John surgery due to throwing too many flags this season.

...A good nod;  It's good to see that Oregon State and Duke are sporting uniforms this year to salute their 1942 Rose Bowl squads.  The 1942 Rose Bowl was the only one not played in Pasadena.  Fears of Japanese attack forced the game to be moved to Duke.

...This just in; ASU stinks.

...There's no O in Buckeyes;  Theee Ohio State University better find an offense or Michigan will wipe the floor with them this year.

...Eating their own;  The Big XII had an "Uh-oh" weekend when Texas and Okie State upset the league's only undefeated teams, Baylor and West Virginia.

...The Anti-Oregon; Feeling a lot of love for Craig Bohl who came in as Wyoming a couple of years ago and declared that the team has just two uniforms.  One home, one road is all you need.

...Ummm, it's cool I guess;  I like the copper chrome helmet ASU broke out for their game at Oregon. Only problem is that it's not their school colors at all.





...Not even his six;  Duke's leading rusher, Jela Duncan tore his achilles celebrating a teammate's touchdown and will miss the rest of the season.

...Back from the dead;  After being embarrassed by Houston and being crushed at home by Ohio State, Oklahoma is now 6-2 with a 5-0 league record and is in first place in the Big XII.

...Bulled over;  I don't think anybody expected USF to take it to Navy the way they did last week.  Good news for Navy fans is that they may see a rematch of these teams in the AAC title tilt.

...Penciled in; I have Clemson penciled in for the College Football Playoff.  With their win over FSU, I don't see another serious threat in their way.

...Go Coach O;  I would love to see LSU beat Alabama this week. Hell,  I'd like to see anybody beat 'em.

...Upward Dawgs;  Everyone out west knew Washington was good, but their win at Utah finally garnered the Dawgs some national respect.

Ugly Uniform of the Week

This week's nod goes to Iowa State.  I love Cardinal and Gold.  How did you screw it up this bad, Cyclones?


Departments

It is not often that in this section that the next three games all happened in the same league.  Here's to Division II's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for hitting this rare trifecta.

Low Score Game of the Week: Gunnison, CO- PK Nathan Taylor from 34 yards out with 2:59 left in the third period to give the  CSU-Pueblo Thunderwolves a 10-7 lead over the Western State Colorado Mountaineers.  The Thunderwolves made that lead stick and came away with the 10-7 win.  Pueblo forced two punts and held for downs on the Mountaineers final three drives to secure the win.

Blowout of the Week: Las Vegas, NM- The first half wasn't kind to the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys. They trailed the Colorado Mesa Mavericks, 38-14 and were looking to get back into the game.  Well, that didn't happen.  The Mavericks tacked on 49 more points in the second half and whipped the Cowboys, 87-14. RB David Tann was had a big night for Mesa, lugging the leather 27 times for 273 yards and four TDs. That's a nifty 10.1 yards per carry for the non-math majors out there.  In all, Mesa rushed the ball 66 times for 708 yards.  They also gained 225 yards through the air for a total of 933 yards of offense. The Mavericks made 40 first downs and never punted.

Best Game Nobody Saw Last Week: Rapid City, SD- In the first Overtime period, Fort Lewis QB Bo Coleman crossed the double stripe for a two-point conversion,  Coleman's two-pointer gave Fort Lewis a 53-52 win over the South Dakota Mines Hardrockers.  The teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of offense and 51 first downs. FLC rushed for 415 yards with RB Drake Griffin rushing for 168 yards on 22 carries and four TDs.  Coleman ran for 141 yards and passed for 141 yards with two TDs rushing and one passing.  In the loss, SD-Mines QB Evan Sanders passed for 230 yards and four scores.

C.W. Post Press:  Brookville, NY- The Pioneers wrapped up the Northeast-10 regular season title with a 35-17 over the Pace University Setters. Post trailed the winless Setters early, 3-0.  Then, with QB Jeff Kidd still out due to injury, the Pioneers used their three-headed rushing attack of QB Mike Campbell and RBs David White and Malik Pierre to grind down the Pace defense and control the game. White toted the rock 20 times for 117 yards and two TDs, while Campbell rushed for 81 yards and Pierre ran for 41 yards and a pair scores.  Campbell also threw for 136 yards and a TD.  The 9-0 Pioneers will finish out the regular season next week at Merrimack College.  After that, they will host the NE-10 Championship Game the following week.

Razorback Report: The Hogs were on a bye this week and will host the Florida Gators on 11/5.

Georgetown Gridiron News: Easton, PA- It was another week and another loss in the Patriot League as the Hoyas fell to the Lafayette Leopards, 17-3. Leopards drove to break a 3-3 tie in the third period when QB Drew Reed galloped into the end zone from seven yards out to put the Leopards up, 10-3.  On the ensuing possession, Hoyas QB Brock Johnson, (yeah with that name, he is from Newport Beach), threw an interception and Lafayette turned that into another TD in just three plays.  RB Tyler West carried the ball twice and scored form 17 yards out to the put the Leopards in total control with a 17-3 lead.  GU managed just 11 first downs and 174 total yards on the stingy Lafayette defense.  Up next for GU is a home date with Holy Cross.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Mom's meatloaf never disappoints.

Being able to hand over a sword to my sister to conduct the Trojan Marching Band at her birthday party was a priceless moment.

Overcast hot and humid is not my preferred October weather.

Until next week folks, remember that watching a game with good friends always makes the games better.

-The Commissioner