Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Week 4, 2017

Hey All,

The first Saturday of the fall has come and gone. Now it's time to relive that Saturday with another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Stu Nahan.

Summaries

USC 30- California 20: A young Cal team that started the season at 3-0 was ready and waiting for the Trojans at Strawberry Canyon. The Golden Bears gave USC everything they could handle in a first half that ended deadlocked at 13-13.  The Trojan defense kept USC in the game in the first half and allowed USC to win the game in the second half.  The Golden Bears missed a field goal to open the second half, then turned the ball on their next four possessions to allow USC to pull away.  Cal QB Ross Bowers made some ill-advised throws under heavy pressure and the USC secondary was happy to take what Bowers was giving them.  A field goal by PK Chase McGrath,  a TD run by RB Stephen Carr and a TD reception from WR Deontay Burnett put the Trojans up 30-13 early in the fourth quarter to put the game away. The Bears got a garbage time TD with 1:53 left which only served to upset a few folks in Las Vegas.  USC QB Sam Darnold  had a decent day, completing 26 of 38 passes for 223 yards with a pair of TDs and an interception. Bowers competed 22 of 50 passes for 303 yards, a TD and four big interceptions.
Telling Stat: 10 in 60;  USC kicked a 46-yard FG, forced a fumble on the Cal four-yard line then scored a TD in a span of 60 seconds to start the fourth quarter to pull away from the Bears.  

Utah 30- Arizona 24: The Utes picked up their first win at Arizona since 2011 with an opportunistic defense and superior special teams play.  They also got a little help from the young Wildcats who just couldn't take advantage of some golden opportunities. The Utes also overcame two huge injuries and an ejection as well to notch the victory.  The Utes held a 10-3 lead early in the second period when QB Tyler Huntley was sacked by UofA'a DT Tony Fields.  Huntley immediately grabbed his shoulder and it was clear his night and maybe his season was over. In stepped the backup QB, who just happens to be last year's starter and team captain Troy Williams. Williams guided the Utes the rest of the way and did better than the average backup.  He managed the offense well, completing eight of nine passes for 98 yards and a TD in relief.  The real story of this game was the Utah defense and Arizona's young QB.  UofA QB Brandon Dawkins showed flashes of great talent and made some great plays, but he failed to come through at critical times.  He did throw for 248 yards and a TD, while running for 90 yards and another score, but the threw three interceptions and fumbled once.  One of his interceptions was retuned for a 14-yard TD by Utah DB Javelin Guidry. He missed an absolutely wide open receiver for a sure TD. Dawkins then let the Wildcats down twice in the final 2:44.  After UofA recovered an onside kick, Dawkins took took off on a 15-yard run only to fumble the ball back to Utah.  UofA did force a Utah punt and with 2:07 to play, Dawkins threw his final interception to end the game.  As for the Utah defense they forced five Arizona turnovers, had two sacks and blocked two field goal attempts to hand the Utes the win.
Telling Stat: Truly Special Teams;  Utah made all three field goal attempts while blocking two of three Arizona field goal attempts and those six points were the difference in the game. 

Washington State 45- Nevada 7: It was WSU's fourth straight home game to open the season and the Cougars cruised to an easy win over the overmatched Wolfpack.  After being held for downs by Nevada on their opening drive, Wazzu scored five TDs on their final five drives of the first half to take a 35-0 lead at intermission.  Four of those five TDs came from the arm of QB Luke Falk, who would finish the game with five scoring strikes.  He completed 36 of 47 passes for 478 yards and those five scores with no interceptions.  His favorite target was RB James Williams who grabbed 10 aerials for 46 yards and a TD.  WSU WR Tavares Martin, JR. only caught four passes, but two were for scores and a total of 114 yards. The Cougar defense easily shutdown Nevada, forcing three turnovers and allowing the Wolfpack to gain only 151 total yards.
Telling Stat: Dialing long distance;  Wazzu's six TD drives covered 76, 64, 73, 86, 80 and 65 yards.

Washington 37- Colorado 10:  It was a cold, wet night in Boulder and the Huskies started a little cold as well.  The UW offense struggled through the first half, but the defense didn't. Washington held a 10-7 lead at the half.  In the second half, the UW defense got stronger and the offense woke up to overpower the mistake-prone Buffaloes. UW held a 17-10 lead midway through the third period, but CU QB Steven Montez never saw UW CB Myles Bryant who stepped in front of Montez's slant pass and took it back 35 yards to paydirt.  Washington suddenly had a a two TD lead and the Buffaloes never recovered.  UW's rushing attack then put the game out of reach with a pair of fourth quarter scores.  RB Salvon Ahmed scored from six yards out with 11:16 to play, then RB Myles Gaskin raced 57-yards for the game's final score four minutes later.  Gaskin finished the game with 202 yards rushing on 27 carries and two TDs.  UW QB Jake Browning competed 11 of 21 passes for 160 yards, aa TD and an Interception.  CU QB Steven Montez competed 21 of 27 passes for 171 yards, but he was intercepted three times which led to 10 points for the Huskies.
Telling Stat: 53/54; After giving up a 53-yard drive which led to a field goal on Colorado's first possession the second half, Washington held the Buffaloes to just 54 yards for the final 22:28 of the game.  They Dawgs defense grabbed a pick-six, held for downs once and forced three punts in that time span. 

Arizona State 37- Oregon 34: All the talk was about how Oregon was looking like Oregon again.  All the the talk was how the Ducks new HC Willie Taggart had changed the culture, and had the Ducks ready to whip ASU for the 11th straight time. The Sun Devils were reeling.  Their record stood at 1-2 with losses to SDSU and Texas Tech.  It was discussed how Oregon was going to slice and dice the Sun Devils.  Then, they actually had to play the game.  Oregon's defense looked more like the defense that played the second half v Nebraska than the one that easily handled also rans South Dakota and Wyoming. ASU raced out to a 17-7 lead and UO was forced to play catch up the rest of the way.  With 10:53 to play in the third period, UO was down 31-14.  ASU started the party early and the Ducks made a strong comeback.  The Ducks scored two TDs in a span of 3:10 and they trailed 34-28 at the start of the fourth period. The Quacks did finally catch up when QB Justin Herbert ran four yards for a go ahead score with 6:41 to play.  ASU got the ball back and refused to fold.  The Sun Devils drove 57 yards in 11 plays and PK Brandon Ruiz put ASU back in front for good with a 41-yard field goal.   ASU then held for downs twice in the final 2:33 to finish off the Ducks and record a major upset in the Pac 12. ASU QB Manny Wilkins threw for 347 yards and a TD, while RB DeMario Richard rushed for 64 yards and a TD. Wilkins favorite target was WR N'keal Harry who caught seven passes for 170 yards and a TD. For the Ducks, QB Justin Herbert passed for 281 yards and three scores. He also ran for 36 yards and a TD.
Telling Stat: One dimensional Ducks;  Arizona State held Oregon to 120 yards rushing, well below their season average.  That was a huge key to how ASU pulled the upset.

Stanford 58-  UCLA 34:  The boys from Palo Alto finally played their home opener for 2017 and it looks like the Cardinal found their missing offense in a big win over the bRuins.  This game turned out to be the classic showdown of UCLA's air attack v Stanford's ground assault.  In the end, the Cardinal ran their southern neighbors out of the building in the second half to come away with the win.  This game was a lot closer than the score indicated most of the way.  Despite two turnovers, UCLA held a 13-6 lead over the Cardinal thanks to a pair of field goals form PK J.J. Molson and 12-yard TD pass from QB Josh Rosen to WR Darren Andrews.  UCLA also had an early advantage after they knocked out SU QB Keller Chryst early when he was the vicitm of a hit that was flagged for targeting.  The bRuins lost a defender but had the momentum.  UCLA then forced a Stanford punt and looked to take control of the contest as they drove deep into Cardinal territory.  The Cardinal held on 3rd and Goal to force another UCLA field goal attempt.  Cardinal NG Harrison Phillips broke through the line and blocked the kick.  That block sparked the Cardinal offense.  Backup QB K.J. Costello then rose to the occasion to manage the Cardinal to touchdowns on six of their final seven drives of the game.  His ability to settled down and complete some passes helped Stanford truly get their rushing game going. UCLA could not stop  SU in the second half. RB Bryce love had a great night.  He carried the ball 30 times for 263 yard and a TD.  His backfield mate RB Cameron Scarlett chipped in with 86 yards on eight carries and three TDs. In the loss, Rosen competed 40 of 60 passes for 480 yards, three TDs and two interceptions. This was a physical game with plenty of cheap shots on both sides and the Cardinal also lost one player and narrowly escaped losing two players to targeting calls.
Telling Stat: 5/5, 348, 17;48:  Stanford's offense in the second half was truly unstoppable.  The Cardinal scored five TDs on all five of their second half drives, gaining 348 of their 595 total yards and holding the ball 17:48 T.O.P.

Observations

...66%; Four of the six games in the Pac 12 this week started at 7:00 PM or later.  Thanks, Larry Scott.

...He has a point;  Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh's rant about the pathetic condition of the Purdue visitor's locker room came off as a whiny complaint from a tool, but it is actually spot on. For a league that has such a huge TV contract, they can afford to have adequate facilities for visiting teams.

...In praise of lightning;  The folks at San Diego State have a new appreciation for lightning strikes.  The Aztecs were getting worked over at Air Force in the first half.  They are trailing 9-0 while heavy rain with high winds roared through Falcon Stadium. Then, lightning strikes in the area forced a weather delay. SDSU dried off, regrouped and pulled out a 28-24 win after the stoppage.

...63%;  TCU has converted 63% of their third down attempts this year, which is the best mark ever recorded by the NCAA through four games.

...Trivia time: Can you name UCLA's QB the last time they beat Stanford?

...Oddball stat: In the Oregon-ASU game, there was a period in the second quarter where the two teams combined for seven straight three-and-outs.

...No impact;  The NCAA put Rutgers on probation for two years last week.  As of last Saturday, nobody has noticed.

...His happy place; I bet Kevin Sumlin goes to bet every night happy for the fact that he is not Bret Bielema.

...He's got it;  Penn State's Saquon Barkley is easily the Heisman frontrunner after four weeks.

...Beating a dead zebra; Pac 12 refs were in fine form again this week.  In the six games involving Pac 12 teams, there were an average of 14 accepted penalties.  The low was a surprising six penalties called in the Washington-Colorado game and high of 25 accepted flags in the UCLA-Stanford game.

...And then there were seven;  There are seven winless teams left in the FBS.  They are Baylor, Bowling Green, Charlotte, Florida State, Georgia Southern, UMass and UTEP.

...Feels like old times;  Eight Florida players are facing felony charges today.  I didn't know Urban Meyer had come back to Gainesville.

...Not a chance;  If you predicted that Wake Forest and Duke would both be undefeated and that Florida State would be winless right now, you're a liar.

...Mean stat;  San Diego State has two more Pac 12 wins than six different Pac 12 teams.

...Market prices; If you really want to get into the stadium for a Pac 12 game, you can. According to ESPN, secondary market tickets for the USC-Wazzu game start at $44.  Thats the high for the league. Lowest priced ticket is ASU-Stanford.  For a mere nine bucks you can into Stanford Stadium.

...Memo to Kentucky;  You have nobody but yourselves to blame for your football woes.  Many years ago you decided that Adolph Rupp was more important than Bear Bryant.  The Curse of the Bear lives on in Lexington.

...Run out of the building;  UCLA has given up an average of 303 yards rushing per game on their last three trips to Stanford.

...Just a rumor;  There is no truth to the rumor that Oregon State was a seven point underdog v. their bye week.

...A bit too convincing;  Penn State HC James Franklin received "about 100 nasty messages" after comedian Keegan Michael-Key impersonated him on College Gameday.

...Trivia answer: Kevin Craft. (Who?)

...Just a little pettiness; There was an actual forfeit last Saturday.  Finlandia University, an NCAA division III team that just started playing the sport a couple of seasons ago cancelled their game with NAIA school Valley City State.  Usually cancelled games are just that, cancelled.  Oh, but not in the NAIA.  The NAIA awarded a 1-0 forfeit victory to VCSU over their NCAA foe.  Hmmmm.

NCAA Player in Desperate Need of a Name Change



Pac 12 Overreactions

Arizona will go 1-8 in Pac 12 play.
ASU is consistently inconsistent.
Cal is too young to break .500 in the Pac 12.
Stanford still ain't that tough.
Oregon has no defense.
Oregon State will go 0-9 in Pac 12 play.
USC will eventually stop playing to the level of their competition and that may not be a good thing.
UCLA's defense is weaker than their running game.
Utah can't run the ball.
Colorado has a weak O-line.
Washington can run the table.
Washington State just got Nevada's HC fired.

Ugly Uniform of the Week

Well, this week's winner was taken from the NFL ranks and follows this seasons's automatic qualifier for this award.  Wear all-yellow and you win.  Thanks, Los Angeles Rams.




Departments

Low Score Game of the Week: Reading, PA-  This week's game comes from the D-III ranks.  In a Middle Atlantic Conference clash, PK Christian Hagans booted a 29-yard field goal with :03 left to lift the Albright Lions to a 9-7 victory over the Widener Pride. Hagans game-winning kick made up for his missing a PAT and an earlier FG attempt.  Widener almost came away with the win depsite only gaining 145 total yards and making just 11 first downs.

Blowout of the Week: Burnaby, BC, Canada-  Hey, did you know that there's an NCAA school in Canada, eh?.  Simon Fraser University is the only Canadian school that is a member of the NCAA.  SFU is a member of The Great Northwest Conference in Division-III.  They hosted the Azusa-Pacfiic Cougars in a conference tilt and were trounced, 83-7.  APU's 83 points were a single-game scoring record for the conference. The Cougars actually scored their 83 points through three quarters.  APU emptied what was left of their bench in the final period and ran straight dive plays into the line to kill the clock. The Cougars ran for 396 yards and six TDs.  They also only threw 10 passes in the game.

Georgetown Football News:  New York, NY-  The annual battle for the Lou Little Trophy was actually a game discussed by the experts on College Gameday which broadcast from Times Square this past Saturday.  Well, the Fighting Blue Lions of Columbia used a 21-point second quarter to beat the Hoyas, 35-14. Columbia QB Anders Hill had a good day, completing 20 of 35 tosses for 158 yards and four TDs.  Up next for the Hoyas is trip to old RFK Stadium to take on the Harvard Crimson.

C.W. Post Press: Waltham, MA- Bentley Falcons QB Mack Lowrie proved to be unstoppable by the Pioneers defense.  He toasted the Post secondary, to hand the Pioneers their first regular season loss in over a year, 40-21. Lowrie completed 18 of 28 passes for 255 yards and five TDs.  Four turnovers hurt the Pioneers, with QB Yianni Gavalas throwing two interceptions that overshadowed his 290 yard, three TD performance.  Up next for Post is a chance to get back into the win column with a home date v. Assumption College.

Razorback Report: Jerryworld, Arlington, TX- Well, what his there to say?  The Hogs fell in OT to the Aggies, 50-43.  Is TAMU HC Kevin Sumlin's hot seat cooler?  Is Brett Bielema's hot seat in Fayetteville cranked up a few more notches?  They both look to be out of a job soon.

This Week's Three Notes About Eating in Santa Barbara...

Casa Blanca restaurant on State Street has a lively NFL Sunday game watching atmosphere and a great Tri-Tip Breakfast Burrito.

The Boat House on Hendry's Beach has stunning views of the Channel Islands and one of the most decadent appetizers ever... chowder fries. Yes, chowder fries.  

Mission Street Ice Cream and Yogurt features McConnell's Ice Cream.  That ice cream is some of the best I've ever had.  The salted caramel banana is amazing. 

Until Next Time, remember that a strong defense can carry a team until their offense comes around.

-The Commisisoner

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Week 3, 2017

Hey All,

It's time for another edition of the column that makes your Tuesdays great, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Alan Malamud

Summaries

USC 27- Texas 24 2OT: It's hard to describe this thriller at the Coliseum. I still can't wrap my head around it. I know the USC defense held Texas out of the end zone for the first 59:15 of the game, yet the Trojans needed a Sam Darnold, cool-as-the-other-side-of-the-pillow drive in the final :45 of regulation to send this game to OT thanks to the foot of true freshman, walk-on PK Chase McGrath.  Then, the USC defense came up huge in the second OT when DT Christian Rector ripped the ball out of UT QB Sam Ehlinger's hands and was recovered by his teammates.  The game would then end when the walk-on PK that nobody heard of, calmly nailed a 43-yarder to send the home crowd to the exits ecstatic with the win, but also frustrated and freaked out too.  This game left this intrepid reporter with some blatantly clear observations. One, USC's Wide Receivers need to step up their game.  Two, USC's defense is far better than last year's squad.  Three, Sam Darnold continues to be flat out tough as nails under pressure. Four, never underestimate the pride and toughness of one of college football's historical powers in a big game.  Texas should not have been in this game with the Trojans, but USC's miscues combined with the pride and intensity of the Longhorns turned this game into the thriller that it was. Sometimes, you just have to gut out a win when you aren't hitting on all cylinders and USC did that.  That's what championship level teams do.  USC is one of those teams.  Darnold finished the game with 397 yards passing, three TDs and two interceptions.  Texas QB Sam Ehlinger competed 21 of 40 passes for 298 yards with two TDs and two interceptions in the loss.
Telling Stat: 27 in 3:20; That was the total elapsed time of USC's scoring drives in this game.  10 USC points came in OT where no time runs and 10 more USC points came in the 19 seconds before the half and the final 45 seconds of regulation play. 

Arizona 63- UTEP 16: The Wildcats needed to jump start their struggling offense and they did just that in El Paso.  After a scoreless first quarter, UofA exploded for 35 second quarter points to take a 35-9 lead over the Miners into the break.  UofA QB Brandon Dawkins Threw for  TDs of 2 and 36 yards and ran for TDs of  5 and 3 yards to go with a 63-yard punt return by PR Shun Brown in the 35 point barrage. If that scoring barrage didn't send the crowd home early, Dawkins then lit the scoreboard up again with a 13-yard run and a 1-yard pass in the third quarter to really empty the place out.  Throw in two more Wildcat scores after the benches emptied and the rout was complete.  Dawkins' day was his best yet. He completed 18 of 21 passes for 155 yards and three TDs, while also rushing for 133 yards on 14 carries and three more TDs. QB Zack Greenlee threw for 104 yards, a TD and an interception in the lopsided loss.
Telling Stat;  288-218;  Arizona's Brandon Dawkins gained 70 more yards than UTEP's entire offense in this laugher. 

Memphis 48- UCLA 45: After a sluggish first quarter, this game turned into a shootout with the Memphis Tigers having the more efficient gunslinger.   bRuin QB Josh Rosen, lit up the stat sheet.  He completed 34 of 56 passes for 463 yards and four TDs.  He also ran for 32 yards and a TD. However, he did throw two interceptions.  The first one he threw was retuned for a TD and that was the difference int he game.  Meanwhile, Memphis QB Riley Ferguson completed 23 of 38 passes for 398 yards, six TDs and one interception on the day.  When it was over, the two squads combined for 93 points, 57 first downs, and 1,193 yards of offense.
Telling Stat: No third downs needed;  Memphis walked away with the win here despite converting on just 3 of 12 third downs.  

Colorado 41- Northern Colorado 21: The Buffaloes squared off against the Bears from Greeley for the first time since 1934.  CU overcame three turnovers, 14 penalties for 114 yards and having two defenders ejected on targeting calls to pull out the win.  Northern Colorado had no real answer for Buffs QB Steven Montez. He completed 29 of 41 passes for 357 yards and four TDs to lead the CU offense.  He also scrambled well, gaining 68 yards on 10 carries which further frustrated the Bears defense.  CU's real rushing standout was RB Phillip Lindsay who lugged the leather 26 times for 151 yards and a TD. UNC stayed in the game due to their opportunistic defense, closing to within a TD of the Buffaloes early in the third period.  However, that's as close as the Bears would get as the CU defense shutout their FCS brethren for the rest of the game.  UNC QB Jacob Knipp threw for 202 yards, three TDs and a pick in the losing effort.
Telling Stat: 27:28 of 0= a W;  The Colorado defense shutout UNC for final 27:28 of the game to push the Buffaloes to a 3-0 record.  

Washington State 52- Oregon State 23: The Beavers hung around into the third quarter with the Cougars.  They trailed 28-16 midway through the third stanza, but WSU scored 21 points in a five minute span to put the Beavers away.  Wazzu QB Luke Falk bounced back from being injured last week v Boise State in fine fashion.  He completed 37 of 49 passes for 396 yards and six TDs.  OSU QB Jake Luton did not live up to his preseason hype once again. He threw for only 179 yards with no TDs.  OSU's standout was RB Rian Nall. He gained 118 yards on 15 carries and scored two TDs.
Telling Stat: Almost all between the 20s; Oregon Sate did run 70 plays and gain 354 yards on the WSU defense, however the Beavers only ran three of those plays for 30 total yards in the red zone.

Oregon 49 - Wyoming 13:  This one was billed as a tough road stop for the Ducks as they would have to battle the altitude in Laramie and Wyoming's star QB and NFL prospect Josh Allen.  The Ducks handled the altitude and Allen with ease in blowout fashion. after establishing a 14-10 lead after the first period, UO put up 28 unanswered in the second quarter to officially end this game at the half. Duck RB Royce Freeman just couldn't be stopped, rushing for 157 yards and three TDs on 30 carries. His backfield mate Kani Benoit only carried the ball eight times, but he ran for 48 yards and two TDs.  Quack QB Justin Herbert didn't have a bad day either.  He completed 18 of 29 tosses for 251 yards, a TD and an interception.  As for Josh Allen, he was harassed all night by the Oregon defense, being held to just 9 of 24 passing for 64 yards and an interception.
Telling Stat: Stuck in the Corral; The Oregon defense kept Wyoming penned up all night. The Cowboys only ran 56 offensive plays in the whole game. The Ducks had taken 59 snaps by halftime. 

Texas Tech 52- Arizona State 45: After a one hour weather delay in Lubbock, The Red Raiders and Sun Devils played another shootout to rival last year's 68-55 affair.  Texas Tech had the upper hand in the first half, rolling out to a 35-17 halftime lead behind five TD tosses from QB Nic Shimonek.  ASU's defense got its' act together in the second half, slowing Tech down just enough to allow their offense to mount a comeback.  TD runs by RB Karen Ballage and Frank Darby along with a short TD pass from QB Manny Wilkins to TE Kyle Williams left ASU trailing, 45-38 to start the final quarter.  ASU then tied the contest with 9:52 left when Wilkins hit WR N'Keal Harry with a 21-yard TD pass. Both teams then traded punts with ASU getting the better of the field position.  Texas Tech started their game-winning drive at their own 10-yard line.  Shimonek marched his Red Raiders down the field on a 12 play drive to win the game.  WR Dylan Cantrell tallied the winning points when he took a handoff on a sweep and crossed the double stripe from three yards out.  ASU's last chance to send the game to OT ended when Wilkins fourth down pass sailed incomplete from his own 17-yard line. Nic Shimonek had himself a game.  He completed 37 of 50 passes for 543 yards and six TDs.  His two favorite targets were Keke Coutee and Dylan Cantrell.  Coutee grabbed 12 passes for 186 yards and a TD, while Cantrell caught eight passes for 160 yards and two TDs.  For the Sun Devils, Manny Wilkins competed 27 of 41 aerials for 326 area and three scores. His two favorite receivers were the combo of Harry and Williams.  N'Keal Harry caught 13 passes for 148 yards and a TD, while Kyle Williams caught seven balls for 111 yards and two scores.
Telling Stat: They made a play;  With ASU facing a 3rd-and-15 from their own 32, Texas Tech defenders Zach Barnes and Eli Howard combined to sack ASU QB Manny Wilkins for a 15-yard loss to effectively snuff out ASU's last chance to win. 

Washington 48- Fresno State 16:  Stop me if you've heard this before.  The Huskies get off to very quick start and blew out another weak out of conference team at home. This past Saturday's victim was a Fresno State squad that just got smacked by Alabama the prior week. WR Dante Pettis had himself a day to remember.  He scored four TDs.  He caught three TD passes from Jake Browning which included a 73-yarder.  He also ran another punt back for a TD. This return covered 77 yards.  Oh, and he was completed a pass for 36 yards.  He finished the day with 204 all purpose yards.  Browning worked into the third quarter and completed 19 of 22 passes for 255 yards and four TDs before the benches were emptied.  There was no Fresno State offense to report.
Telling Stat: 9:39; That's how long took Washington to jump out to a 27-0 lead and end this game quickly.

Utah 54 - San Jose State 16: San Jose State decided that they wanted to trade giving up 50+ points for a paycheck for the second week in row.  The Utes were happy to oblige the Spartans, rolling up 501 yards of offense in the process. The Utes started off sluggish, settling for three field goals and fumbling once on the first quarter.  Up 9-3 in the second quarter, the Utes put together three TDs to put this game out of reach. Two TD passes from QB Tyler Huntley to WR Darren Carrington and a five-yard TD jaunt from RB Zack Moss staked Utah to a 30-13 halftime advantage. Huntley threw two more TD passes in the seance half as the Utes cruised to the win.  Huntley finished the game with 30 completions in 41 passing attempts for 341 yards, four TDs and an interception.  Huntley also led all rushers with 53 yards on 14 carries. The RB Tandem of Zach Moss and Devonta'e Henry-Cole combined to rush for 86 yards and two TDs on 16 carries.  SJSU QB Josh Love threw for 183 yards and a TD in the loss.
Telling Stat: They couldn't move the chains;  Utah kept the SJSU offense in check all game and especially on third down.  The Spartans converted only one third down in 13 attempts.  

San Diego State 20- Stanford 17: Stanford entered what many folks still like to call Jack Murphy  Stadium hoping to right their ship after losing last week at USC.  SDSU had other ideas.  The Aztec defense made the Stanford's power rushing offense look as outdated as the wishbone.  SDSU held Stanford to 254 total yards and a paltry eight first downs. The Aztec offense didn't take much advantage of this defensive effort.  In fact, the sons of Montezuma were trailing  17-13 with 6:03 to play. Then, they put together their best drive of the year.  Four plays into the drive it looked like things would go dark for Stanford.  Then, everything went dark.  The lights went out at The Murph. After around an 18 minute delay, the lights were on and the game resumed.  SDSU picked up where they left off and scored the go ahead touchdown when QB Christian Chapman completed a short toss to TE David Wells. Wells  rumbled eight yards to paydirt. The SDSU defense put the final nail in Stanford's coffin when DB Kameron Kelly picked of SU QB Keller Chryst with 48 seconds left.
Telling Stat: Aztec sacrifice;  The SDSU defense cut the heart out of the Stanford offense.  The Aztec defense was so tough that Stanford only racked 18:46 time of possession and ran just 41 offensive plays.

California 27- Mississippi 16: Things looked pretty good for the Rebels as they had intercepted Cal QB Ross Bowers twice on the way to building up a 16-7 halftime advantage. Then Cal's got downright defensive about things and shutdown the Rebels the rest of the way to pave the way for a comeback win.  Bowers decided it was better to throw to his own guys and guided his squad on scoring drive to open the third quarter.  He capped off that drive with a 19-yard TD pass to WR Vic Wharton III to bring Cal within two points of Ole Miss.  Then, Cal took the lead for good on a 19-yard field goal buy PK Matt Anderson. Another FG by Anderson  would give Cal a 20-16 lead with 3:44 to play.  On the ensuing drive, Cal put the game away when LB Cameron Goode picked off Rebel QB Shea Patterson and returned it 32-yards for a TD.  Bowers finished the game with 24 completions in 47 attempts for 236 yards, a TD and two interceptions.  For Ole Miss, Patterson completed 26 of 44 passes for 363 yards, two TDs and three interceptions.
Telling Stat: Second Half Shutdown; In the final 30 minutes, Cal's defense shutout Ole Miss while scoring a TD of their own to put this game firmly in the win column.

Observations

...9-12-09;  That was the date of the Kansas Jayhawks last road win.  After losing to Ohio U on Saturday, the Jayhawks road losing streak stands at 42 games. That is three shy of the NCAA record.

...2-0; Wonder what the prop bet would be in Las Vegas to see if the SDSU will finish with more Pac 12 wins than Oregon State.

...It's fun, eh?;  Sometimes, you have to be reminded just how much fun it is to run with the ball. Thank you, Calgary Stampeders of the CFL.  Please forward to the 3:55 mark of this video.
The Happy Punter

...Tough but true;  Stanford is winless in North America this year.

...Travelling woes;  We all forget to pack something when heading out on a road trip.  UCLA forgot to pack their defense.

...Definiton of frustration;  My recording of the USC-Texas game ends right before  the second OT period begins.

...Quietly making noise;  Vanderbilt is 3-0.

...Just can't do it;  Most of USC Punter Reid Budrovich's punts are like in-store sale items;  Nasty looking and non-retrunable.

...A double edged pitchfork; Arizona State leads the Pac 12 with 13 QB sacks, they also lead the conference in sacks allowed with 15.

...Fashionably late;  The Ivy League has finally started play this past weekend.

...That is a challenge;  Mississippi State HC Dane Mullen was asked about what challenges his squad will face this coming Saturday vs. Georgia.  His response was, "You mean besides all the 5-star (UGA) players?"

...Definition of embarrassment;  Nebraska cut an 820,000 dollar check to lose to Northern Illinois.

...Just a rumor;  There is no truth to the rumor that USC's wideouts didn't go over the film of the Texas game because they kept dropping the key to the film room.

...A Big Four in Pullman;  By guiding his Cougars to victory over Oregon State, Luke Falk became the first Wazzu QB to ever notch four victories over a single opponent.

...A little shine off the penny;  Not matter how good SDSU has been the last two seasons, the Aztecs' upset of Stanford takes USC's win over Stanford down a few notches.

...The kid is nails; Utah PK Matt Gay is perfect this season.  He's hit on all 11 field goal attempts, including a 56-yarder and is also a perfect 11 for 11 on extra points too.

...Memo to Fresno State;  It must be sad to not even claim moral victories anymore, but your AD is happy because the checks don't bounce. Oh, and at least you can tell the playoff committee about how good Alabama and Washington are.

...Must be that time of year;  It must be football season if I'm spending time online reading newspapers like the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

...Cancelled; Occidental College cancelled their home opener with Pacific University (OR) due to a lack of players.  According to the press release by AD Jaime A. Hoffman, "Since last week's game against the University of Puget Sound, the size of the roster has diminished to the point that we cannot effectively field a team this weekend." Oxy's next scheduled game is September 30th.  No decisions have been made as to whether the Tigers will take the field for that game yet.

...Teams on a mission;  Right now, Oklahoma State and Penn State are looking pretty focused and hard to beat.

...The kid nailed it... twice;  Here's a video you need to see to believe. Double Kick

...Further Definiton of embarrassment;  Nebraska HC Mike Riley was given a contract extension before losing to Northern Illinois.

...Ugly quickly; Massachusetts is already 0-4 and will most likely be 0-6 at the end of September.

...Just a rumor; There is no truth to the rumor that BYU has equipped their offense with personal GPS units to help them find the end zone.  BYU has scored just one TD in their last 14 quarters of play, and just three TDs total this year.

Pac 12 Week Three Overreactions

California is looking as good as it did in the early days under Jeff Tedford.
Colorado will bore three Pac 12 teams to death.
Oregon's offense will average 49 points a game.
Todd Graham will be fired soon at ASU.
Washington will score a special teams touchdown every week.
USC's wide receivers will cost the Trojans at least two games.
UCLA has no defense.
Washington State will eventually have to play a road game.
Rich Rodriguez will have to be physically restrained during an Arizona game.
Oregon State will go 0-9 in Pac 12 play.
Utah is almost as boring as Colorado.
Stanford ain't that tough.

Funny Uniform Picture of the Week

Thanks for the laugh, Louisville.




Departments

Low Score game of the Week: Athens, WV- This week's award winner comes from the Division II ranks.  Specifically, the Mountain East Conference where with 6:35 to play in the fourth quarter, DB Jeremiah Johnson picked off a pass and returned it 35 yards for a TD to give the Mountain Lions of Concord University a 7-0 win over the University of Virginia- Wise Mountain Cavaliers. Concord needed their defense to win this game as their offense was held to 131 total yards and just seven first downs.

Blowout of the Week: Albion, MI- Our blowout comes from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.  The Albion Britons walloped the Concordia University (WI) Falcons, 79-7.  QB Kyle Thomas had a great day, competing 20 of 26 passes for 344 yards and two TDs.  Thomas also ran for 62 yards on seven carries and another score. The Britons ran up 40 first down and 746 total yards of offense.

Georgetown Football News: Washington, D.C.- The Hoyas found themselves down 14-0 at the half to the Marist Red Foxes.  The Hoyas did mount a comeback that should of at least sent the game to overtime.  However a blocked PAT and a missed two-point conversion late in the final period sent the Hoyas down to defeat, 14-12.  GU QB Tim Barnes competed 21 of 40 passes for 217 yards and a TD. He also sacked four times.

C.W Post Press- Part I: West Haven, CT- In a great omission last week, the Pioneers of Post did not get covered.  Well, this intrepid reporter did miss a barn-burner.  University of New Haven PK Danny Stock's 27-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left as time ran out and the Pioneers held on for a 35-34 victory over the Chargers. Post QB Yianni Gavalas completed 41 of 54 passes for 405 yards and four TDs in this shootout.

C.W. Post Press- Part II: Brookville, NY- This past Saturday was a little easier for the Pioneers.  They whipped the Stonehill College Skyhawks, 51-16. The Pioneers did trail, 16-13 midway through the second quarter before scoring 38 unanswered points to turn this game into a rout. QB Yianni Gavalas had another big day, completing 35 of 43 tosses for 406 yards and a TD.  Post also ran the ball well.  seven different Pioneers combined to carry the ball 41 times for 223 yards and three scores. Up next for Post is a trip to Waltham, MA to take on Bentley University.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing

It's always fun to watch cruise ships leave the harbor.

Late September through October is the prettiest time of year in California.

You just can't beat the simplicity of ham and eggs for a great breakfast. 

Until next time folks, remember that you always need a little luck to win a bunch of games.

-The Commissioner

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Week 2, 2017


Hey All,

As hurricanes hit and the summer comes to a very hot and wild end, take a little time to enjoy another edition of your favorite column,  Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Mal Florence.

Summaries

USC 42- Stanford 24: The Trojans hit the field last Saturday against Stanford with many doubts after their lackluster win over Western Michigan in an overheated Coliseum the week before. The Trojans left no doubt about how good they can be after their aggressive beatdown of the Cardinal.  The Trojans dominated this game on both sides of the ball. USC's, young O-line repeatedly opened huge holes for the running game while protecting QB San Darnold well. Their efforts let USC's talent roll.  RB Ronald Jones II toted the rock 23 times for 116 yards and two TDs.  His tough inside running made RB Stephen Carr look even faster as he gained 119 yards on 11 carries and made one reception out of the backfield where his stutter-step left a poor Cardinal DB looking for his jock afterwards. Then, Sam Darnold played like Sam Darnold. He hit on his first 11 passes en route to competing 21 of 26 passes for 316 yards four TDs and two interceptions. On the defensive side of things, it seems the Trojan defensive line played most of the game in the Stanford backfield. DE/LB Uchenna Nwosu had periods of the game where he just couldn't be blocked.  The Trojan defense swatted a few passes and nailed Stanford QB Keller Chryst at every opportunity.  For the Cardinal, RB Bryce Love is a pretty good replacement for Christian McCaffrey.  He ran for 160 yards on 17 carries with a chunk of those yards coming on a 75-yard TD run early in the contest.  Chryst had a decent night throwing competing 15 of 28 passes for 172 yards and a pair of TDs,  He didn't really have much time to throw the ball most of the game.
Telling Stat: They took the air out of the ball; With a 28-17 lead heading into the third quarter, USC killed the clock, holding the ball for 21:01 in the second half to snuff out any chance for a Stanford comeback.

Colorado 37- Texas State 3:  It took the offense about 40 minuites to warm up, but the Buffalo defense held The Bobcats from San Marcos, TX in check from the get go in Boulder.  CU's special teams started the scoring when WR Laviska Shenault picked up the fumble from fellow CU WR Isaiah Oliver on a punt return and raced 55 yards to the house for a TD.  A 2-yard jaunt by QB Steven Montez gave CU a 14-0 lead at the break. The squads traded field goals to start the third period, then the Buffs offense woke up and scored the final 20 points of the game to finish off the Bobcats.  RB Philip Lindsay rushed the ball 26 times for 87 yards and scored a TD to lead all runners.  QB Steven Montez competed 19 of 31 passes for 299 yards and an interception for the Buffs.  Texas State had no real offensive production to speak of.
Telling Stat: Wait for us;  While the Colorado offense took the scenic route to 37 points, the Buffalo defense walloped the Bobcats.  They allowed no drive longer than seven plays, forced two turnovers and held Texas State to 2-of-15 on third down conversions.

Oregon 42- Nebraska 35:  It was all smiles in Eugene as the Ducks built up a 42-14 lead over The Cornshukers.  The Ducks held a 389-186 yardage advantage and punted only once in the first 30 minutes.  UO QB Justin Herbert had thrown three TD passes and RB Royce Freeman had two rushing TDs. The Ducks lead seemed so comfortable that Phil Knight even quit calling plays from his private box.  Then, the second half happened.  The Nebraska defense shut down the Quacks.  They forced four punts, created two turnovers and helped cause a missed field goal.  Meanwhile, the Huskers offense started to gel.  Two third quarter TDs came when WR Stanley Morgan, Jr. hauled in two TD passes from QB Tanner Lee. Oregon nursed a tenuous 14-point lead until the Huskers drew within a score with 2:47 left. RB Mikale Wilbon slammed over the double stripe from two yards out.  A rattled Duck squad then went 3-and-out.  The Big Red had a first down at their own 43-yard line when Lee threw his fourth pick of the game.  A grateful Duck squad ran out the clock and escaped with the win.  Lee finished the game competing 19 of 41 aerials for 3TDs and four costly interceptions.
Telling Stat: 14-7;  Oregon scored two TDs off turnovers to Nebraska's one and that was the difference in the game.

UCLA 56- Hawaii 23:  After jumping out to a 2-0 start for the season with wins over such powers as UMass and Western Carolina, Hawaii jumped up in class to take on the bRuins at the Rose Bowl.  UCLA dismantled the Warriors with ease.  UCLA showed no signs of hangover after their comeback win over Texas A&M. bRuin QB Josh Rosen completed 22 of 25 tosses for 329 yards and five TDs on his way to the win. One of his favorite targets was WR Darren Andrews who caught three of Rosen's tosses for scores. WR Theo Howard caught a team high seven passes for 110 yards and a score of his own. Hawaii did pile up a bunch of yards and some points on UCLA, but most of that action occurred well after the game was out of reach. RB Diocemy Saint Juste gained 154 yards on 27 carries in the lopsided loss.
Telling Stat: 28:57;  That was the amount of garbage time in this game after UCLA went up 42-7 on the Warriors to start the third quarter.

California 33- Weber State 20:  The Golden Bears got a big win on the road at UNC last week.  As the fourth quarter started at Memorial Stadium, it looks like they were about to incur an embarrassing home loss to the Wildcats from the Big Sky Conference.  That's when Cal RB Patrick Laird took over the game.  Laird carried the ball nine times in the final period for 115 yards and two TDs to put the game away for the boys from Berkeley.  At the 9:37 mark of the 4th, Laird scored from a yard out to give Cal a 27-20 lead.  He then iced the game with a 73-yard TD jaunt with 1:48 to play.  Laird finished the game with 191 yards and three TDs on 12 carries.  For Weber State, QB Stefan Cantwel threw for 431 yards and ran for 61 yards with a TD in the loss.
Telling Stat: They bent, but didn't break;  Twice in the fourth quarter Weber State put together long drives only to be held for downs by the Cal defense. The Wildcats were stopped on Cal's 13 and 5-yard lines on those two drives. 

Washington 63- Montana 7:  The Dawgs took on FCS power and Big Sky foe Montana and made them look like... well.. an FCS team.  UW did what the did in a lot of games last year.  The offense hit the ground running and wasn't stopped.  They built-up a 21-7 lead in the first period on a 1-yard run by QB Jake Browning, a 4-yard TD run by RB Miles Gaskin and a 67-yard punt return for a TD by PR Dante Pettis.  The offense then put 14 points per quarter the rest of the way for the easy win.  Browning led the Dawgs offense by cooly competing 22 of 26 tosses for 259 yards and two scores.  Eight different UW RBs combined to lug the leather 37 times for 213 yards and five TDs. The Husky defense limited the overmatched Grizzlies to 162 total yards.
Telling Stat: Not even that close; Montana's only score came on a pick six thrown by UW QB Jake Browning.  The UW defense shutout Montana. They forced seven three-and-outs in the game and created turnovers on three other drives by the Grizzlies in this laugher.

Minnesota 48- Oregon State 14: After a stumbling, bumbling win over Buffalo to start their season, the Golden Gophers came to Corvallis and skinned the Beavers. Minnesota jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead on a 67-yard TD pass from QB Conor Rhoda to wideout Tyler Johnson. The Beavers fumbled on their next two possessions and Minnesota turned those miscues into 10 more points behind a 2-yard run by RB Shannon Brooks and a 26-yard field goal by PK Emmit Carpenter. OSU got off the deck and closed the gap to 17-14 behind a 16-yard pass from QB Jake Luton to WR Jordan Villain and short TD burst from RB Trevorris Johnson. That three point deficit would be as close as OSU would get to the Gophers the rest of the way.  The Gophers scored the final 31 points off the day to coast to victory. Minnesota RB Shannon Brooks led all rushers with 91 yards and three TDs on 17 carries. He was part of a Gopher rushing attack that ran the ball 58 times for 253 yards on the Beavers.  UM ran so swell that QB Conor Rhoda only attempted eight passes, but he completed seven of those for 158 yard and a TD.  Jake Luton finished the day with 16 completions in 28 attempts and a TD.
Telling Stat: Second half smackdown;  Not only did Minnesota shutout Oregon State, 28-0 in the second half. The Gopher defense dominated.  They only allowed one first down, and 35 total yards. 

Utah 19- BYU 13: The Utes came to Provo for the latest edition of the Holy War and walked out with their seventh straight win over the Cougars.  QB Tyler Huntley pretty much was the offense for the Utes.  He accounted for 389 of Utah's 430 total yards.  He completed 27 of 36 aerials for 300 yards, ran for 89 yards and scored Utah's only TD. The special teams and defense were stars for Utah too.  PK Matt Gay hit on all four of his field goal attempts while the Utah defense was busy holding BYU to 233 total yards.  Tyler Mangum led what could be called an offense for BYU with 170 yards passing, one TD and three interceptions.
Telling Stat: Not an elite eight;  BYU RB Ula Tolutau's 1-yard TD run in the third quarter v Utah was the Cougars' first TD in eight quarters and only their third TD of the season. 

Washington State 47- Boise State 44 3OT:  At the 10:53 mark off the third quarter it looked like Wazzu had "Couged It" in another early season game.  Boise held a 31-10 lead and WSU QB Kevin Falk was injured.  So, what did Wazzu do?  They just pulled off the second straight 30-plus point comeback in two weeks by a Pac 12 team.  Backup QB Tyler Hilinski competed 25 of 33 passes for 240 yards and three TDs to pace the huge comeback bid.  While Hilinski was doing his thing, the WSU defense shutdown the Broncos.  In the final 23 minutes of regulation, Wazzu held BSU to 21 yards and scored on a pick six from LB Peyton Pelluer. The teams traded FGs and TDs in the first two overtimes, then the WSU defense held Boise to another FG to start the third extra frame.  Hilinski went to work and hit RB Jamal Morrow who made a mad 22-yard dash which ended with him diving over the pylon for the game-winning TD.
Telling Stat: He outgunned 'em;  Tyler Hilinski's 240 yards passing in under two quarters was three yards more than BSU's QBs threw for all game.   

Houston 19- Arizona 16: After battling Hurricane Harvey last week, Houston went to Tucson and got their first win over a feisty young bunch of Wildcats. This game was a see-saw affair. Both teams traded field goals in the first quarter and TDs in the second quarter.  UH took control of the game for good with their second TD of the period just before halftime on a 3-yard run by RB Dillon Braden. The Cougars only scoring of the second half came from their defense early in the third quarter when they forced a fumble by UofA QB Brandon Dawkins that was recovered by one of his OL in the end zone for a safety. Arizona's defense did their job by keeping UH off the scoreboard.  The Wildcat offense just couldn't put enough plays together to win.  The Wildcats did get two field goals to close the gap, but it wasn't enough.  UofA's final two drives ended in an interception and a turnover on downs deep in their own territory.  Houston QB and Texas A&M transfer Kyle Allen completed 25 of 32 passes for 225 yards, a TD and two interceptions. For the Wildcats, Dawkins completed 17 of 29 passes for 178 yards and ran for 26 yards on 13 carries in the losing effort.  The win was the first as a HC for Houston's Major Applewhite.
Telling Stat: They set the table and nobody came; The Arizona defense shutout the Houston offense in there second half, holding the Cougars  to just 118 yards and forcing two turnovers.  UofA's anemic offense just couldn't seal the deal.

San Diego State 30- Arizona State 20: The Rashaad Penny Show featuring the Aztec defense took center stage in the Valley of the Sun. Penny got the scoring started for the night when he took a handoff on 3rd-and-6 from his own 5-yard line and raced 95 yards to paydirt.  ASU then answered with an 85-yard drive to even the score at 7-7 when Penny struck again.  He took the ensuing kickoff and went 99 yards to give SDSU the lead for good.  Penny burned the Sun Devils again later in the third quarter when QB Christian Chapman found him for a 33-yard scoring strike. ASU finished the scoring with a TD that put them within striking distance with 8:34 to play, but defensive miscues, penalties and one of the worst hurry-up offenses ever run wiped out any hopes for a win.  When the dust settled, Penny torched ASU for 353 all purpose yard and all three Aztec TDs. QB Manny Wilkins threw for 298 yard and two big interceptions to lead the ASU attack.
Telling Stat: 10 for the win;  With their lead cut to 10 points with 8:34 to play, SDSU ripped off a 10 play, 45-yard drive that shaved 5:46 off the clock to ensure victory for the Aztecs. 

Observations

...Home field disadvantage; Ohio State and Oklahoma have squared off against each other four times. The visitor is 4-0 in the series.

...A couple of other guys to add.; USC football writer Dan Weber wrote that somewhere John McKay is smiling after the way the Trojans ran over Stanford. I know John Robinson loved it and somewhere Howard Jones is smiling too.

...He was right;  When WSU HC Mike Leach was asked as he ran off the field for halftime what he would have to do on defense to comeback against Boise State, he said, "Play offense."

...Taking it back;  Many analysts with short memories keep saying this week how USC out-Stanforded Stanford.  Wrong.  USC took its' traditional identity back after too long an absence.

...Bold prediction; SDSU will make it to the Mountain West Championship Game again. The Aztecs are a good team in a bad West Division.  All the other good teams in the league are in the Mountain Division.

...Sackless Beavers;  Oregon State has failed to register a QB sack through three games this season.

...A sieve in the desert;  ASU has given up 13 sacks in two games.

...All good now;  I was on a team as a young mediocre player that gave up 10 sacks in one game.  I now don't feel so bad after Auburn gave up 11 sacks v. Clemson.

...Dead last;  There are 130 FBS teams this year.  Through this point of the young season, the worst pass defense of those 130 teams is Theee Ohio State University. The Buckeyes are giving up 403 yards game through the air. Ouch.

...8, 8:30, 9;  Those were the kickoff times of the Washington State, Arizona and ASU games this week.  Thanks, Larry Scott.

...He just didn't want to be a Pirate; East Carolina DC Kenwick Thompson has been "re-assigned to a non-coaching role."  Can't find fault with the move. The Pirates are 0-2 and have given up 1252 yards in their two losses.

...Laundry on the carpet;  The Pac 12 refs are in midseason form. For the 11 games featuring Pac 12 teams over the weekend, there were 146 accepted penalties.  That breaks down to a shade over 13 flags per game for 118 yards.  Thanks, Larry Scott.

...They will come, dude;  SDSU drew over 46K at Qualcom for their home opener two weeks ago and will easily draw over 50K for their upcoming tilt with Stanford after the Aztecs manhandled ASU last Saturday.

...Memo to North Carolina;  Don't worry Tar Heel fans, Midnight Madness is only a couple of months away.

...Get your Power Five win here; With their 17-10 loss to UTSA, Baylor has handed two straight programs their first ever win v. a power five school.

...3rd and Yuma; How bad was ASU's offense v. SDSU last week?  At one point in the fourth quarter, the Sun Devils faced a 3rd and 42 situation.  Crazy thing is after an offsides call against SDSU, the Sun Devils converted with a 53-yard TD pass.

...This just in; Notre Dame HC Brian Kelly is a jerk.  He's also a jerk that will be not coaching in South Bend much longer.

...One for my father; Slippery Rock won their season opener, defeating West Chester, 49-42.

...Not one for me; Occidental got spanked, 61-6 in their opener at Puget Sound.

...Never saw that before;  I'll let the title of this video from the Mississippi State-Louisina Tech game speak for itself. How a team gets 3rd-and-goal from their own 7-yard line.

...Take it easy, Francis; OU's Baker Mayfield needs to quit channeling his inner Johnny Manziel.

...Memo to Baylor fans;  Changing QBs won't help.  You just stink.

...Hmmm; Imagine what Georgia might have done to ND if their starting QB had played.

...He was his own worst enemy. In an NFL note, Arizona Cardinals TE Jermaine Gresham had a TD  reception called back on a holding penalty committed by...Jermaine Gresham.  He held his defender on his release off the line at the snap of the ball.

He Wrote It

The San Francisco Chronicle's Bruce Jenkins wrote a fine final paragraph of his story on USC's win over Stanford, "And the band played on. Oh, did the USC band play on, unveiling the same tired riff every 18 seconds or so. It's not a bit tedious to Trojans' fans however, and on a night like this- recalling so many unstoppable USC performances of the past- even the slightest quibble seemed hollow."  The Chronicle

Pac 12 Week 2 Overreactions

Rich Rodriguez will soon be fired at Arizona.
ASU QB Manny Wilkins won't make it through October.
Colorado is a very boring team.
Oregon will fold against a physical team.
Oregon State will go 0-9 in Pac 12 play.
USC can run the table.
UCLA can't run the ball.
Cal has started playing like Cal again. Take that any way you wish.
Stanford isn't that tough.
Washington will lose at Colorado.
Wazzu can win the Pac 12 North.

Ugly Uniform of the Week

There is a theme here.  Wear all-yellow uniforms and win this award. This week's honoree is Appalachian State.



Departments

Low Score Game of the Week: Ellendale, ND- The Grinnell College Pioneers got a pair of TD runs by RB Carson Dunn and a safety to hold off the Trinity Bible College Lions, 15-6.  Grinnell held Trinity to jut 44 yards rushing and 5 of 13 on third down conversions to grab the win.

Blowout Game of the Week: Golden, CO- in the home of Coors Beer, the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers whipped the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys, 70-0. The Orediggers ran up 673 yards of offense with 462 of those yards coming on the ground. RB Cameron Mayberry gained 189 yards and scored 3 TDs on a mere 11 carries.  The Oredigger defense was pretty outstanding.  They held NMHU to nine yards rushing, 181 total yards and 2 of 13 on third down conversions.

Georgetown Football News: Buies Creek, NC- The Hoyas got a 32-yard fumble from LB John Williamson with 1:27 to play to pull our a 16-10 win over the Fighting Camels of Campbell University. The Hoyas got the win despite being thoroughly outplayed the whole game.  It is fitting the defense won this game,  GU's offense totaled only eight first downs and held there ball foe only 25 minutes.  Next up for the Hoyas wis a home date with the Marist Red Foxes.

Razorback Report: The Hogs showed little offense and their defense got worn down in a 28-7 loss to TCU that really wasn't as close as it looked. The Horned Frogs took the rushing game away from Arkansas, holding the Hogs to just 129 yards rushing.  They also held the Razorbacks to just 4 of 14 on third downs.  The Hogs inability to convert led to them only running 53 plays in the contest. Up next for the Hogs is date at Jerryworld with Texas A&M on 9/23.

This Week's Three Notes about Nothing...

Vernor's Ginger Ale is pretty good.

Nathan's Hot Dogs rock too.

Why are there nutrition facts on a bottle of water?

Until next time folks, remember that running the ball well wins most games.

-The Commissioner


Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Week 1, 2017

Hey All,

I hope all of you enjoyed a great Labor Day Weekend.  Even though summer will hang on for a couple more weeks, the traditional end of summer is upon us and the true first weekend of the football season has come and gone.  Let's celebrate these things with another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Bill Fleming.

Summaries

USC 49- Western Michigan 31: They officially said the temp was 98 degrees at kickoff at the Coliseum. However, the weather gauge at the Old Gray Lady was pegged over 100 and so were most people's Weather Apps when their phones weren't shutting down because of the heat.  Western Michigan looked every bit as good as they were last year, but USC had more left in the tank and avoided the upset at the hands of the Broncos.  USC looked impressive on its' first drive, marching 75 yards in six plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 16-yard run by RB Ronald Jones II.  Then they went mostly dormant until the end of the third quarter. The USC defense spent a great deal of time in the heat unable to stop a Broncos rushing attack that ate up lots of clock, but didn't produce many points. TD runs by RB Jamauri Bogan and QB Jon Wassink gave WMU a 14-7 lead early in the second period. That lead became a 14-14 tie at the break thanks to another TD run by Ronald Jones II.  Down, 21-14 late in the third quarter, USC went on a 35-10 run to avoid the upset and leave the heat of the Coliseum with a win.  Four of the five TDs scored by the Trojans were on the ground as USC's O-line had finally worn down the Broncos front seven. A TD run of 11 yards by SC QB Sam Darnold, scampers of 1 and 52 yards for scores by true freshman RB Stephen Carr and a 37-yard dash to paydirt by Ronald Jones II put the Trojans ahead to stay.  SC's final score was a 37-yard pick six by DB Marvell Tell III. The Trojans won this game despite being sloppy in many areas from dropped passes to being out of position on defense to poor special teams coverage.  This game was a lot closer than it looked.
Telling Stat: They won the 4th Quarter +;  USC dominated the final 19:04 of the game, outscoring WMU 35-10 while outgaining the Broncos 388-64 in the process to come away with the victory.  

Utah 37- North Dakota 16: Utah started slow but kept grinding and eventually pulled away from the team formerly known as the Fighting Sioux. The Utah defense did their job, keeping the North Dakota offense in check so that the Ute offense could find its' way.  The offense did just that. QB Tyler Huntley competed 23 of 32 passes for 227 yards and a TD to go with 70 yards rushing on 18 carries and two more scores to lead the way for Utah.  RB Zach Moss also had a good night, rushing for 128 yards on 22 carries and a score.  For UND, QB Keaton Studsrud threw for 175 yards and score in the loss.
Telling Stat: Clamping down for the W; After giving up a TD early in the fourth period, Utah held North Dakota to just 41 yards over the final 14:10 to ensure the victory.

Arizona State 37- New Mexico 31: ASU jumped out to a 14-0 lead midway through the first period thanks to a 7-yard TD run by Karen Ballage and a 53-yard TD pass from QB Manny Wilkins to WR Jalen Harvey. Then the Sun Devil offense took the rest of the first half off.  The Aggies scored two TDs of their own in the second quarter. They trailed at the half, 14-13 due to a blocked PAT. The ASU offense then showed agin inn the third quarter to put 16 more points on the board to take a 30-13 lead in to the final period.  The Sun Devil defense put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter when DB Kobe Williams picked of an errant Aggie toss and returned it 49 yards for a TD. NMSU did mount a comeback scoring three TDs in the final 8:27, but the last score came on the final play of the game. Manny Wilkins was the offense for ASU competed 22 of 27 aerials for 300 yards and a pair of TDs.  RB Karen Ballage was held to 79 yards on 18 carries, but two of his carries were for TDs.  NMSU's Tyler Rogers completed 40 of 57 passes for 398 yards, three TDs and two interceptions in the losing effort.
Taking time off;  New Mexico State made this a close game when ASU took the final 9:33 off. NMSU outgained ASU, 201 yards to 34 and scored the game's final 18 points. 

Washington 30- Rutgers 14: The Huskies made their first cross-country trip for a regular season game in a little over a decade and looked thoroughly jet-lagged for the first half.  Rutgers took a 7-0 lead early on a three yard TD pass from QB Kyle Bolin to WR Janarion Grant.  The Scarlet Knights held UW's offense in check for the first half allowing only 76 total yards.  However, Rutgers went into the half trailing, 10-7 thanks to a fine effort by the UW defense and a 61-yard punt return for a TD by UW's Dante Pettis. The Dawgs offense did wake up in the second half with QB Jake Browning finding WR Lavon Coleman for a 7-yard TD pass. He also hit RB Myles Gaskin for an 18-yard score. Throw in a 23-yard FG from PK Tristan Vizcaino and the Huskies held a 27-7 fourth quarter advantage and control of the game.
Telling Stat: Dawgs with bite; The Washington defense did their part, shutting out Rutgers for a 41:37 second span to allow the UW offense to get on track to bring home a win.   

Colorado 17- Colorado State 3: In the game known as The Rocky Mountain Showdown, flags flew more than footballs and tempers flared amongst the CSU coaches and faithful. Three Colorado State TDs were wiped off the board due to penalties.  Two were taken off with offensive pass interference calls and one with a hands to the face call. It was definitely a Pac 12 crew working the game with 17 total flags for 179 yards.  CSU was nailed 10 times for 120 yards. Meanwhile, as laundry littered the field, some actual football was played. The first half saw all of the scoring as CU took a 17-0 lead on a 45-yard scamper by RB Phillip Lindsay, a 39-yard FG by PK James Stefanou and a 31-yard pass from QB Steven Montez.  CSU's lone score came on a 31-yard FG by PK Wyatt Bryan.  The second half was a penalty filled scrimmage with CSU turning the ball over three times, while the Buffs committed two turnovers and missed a field goal. There's no way to hide how ugly a game this was.
Telling Stat: 3+3=L;  Colorado State's three points plus three TDs called back equaled a loss to Colorado.

California 35- North Carolina 30: Cal football has been a pretty sad spectacle of late.  Not much hope was held out for the Golden Bears to travel across country to Chapel Hill and beat North Carolina in a game that started at 9:20 AM California time. However, that's just what Cal did.  The Bears found themselves down 17-7 late in the first half when QB Ross Bowers hit WR Vic Wharton with a 67-yard TD strike. The Bears then took the lead in the third period when Bowers connected on another long TD pass, finding WR Patrick Laird with a 54-yard scoring aerial. UNC retook the lead just before the the third period ended when WR Thomas Jackson scored on a four-yard pass from QB Chazz Surratt.  Cal retook the lead for good on a 20-yard TD pass from Bowers to WR Jordan Duncan. Then they put the game away when RB Vic Enwere crossed the double stripe form one-yard out.  UNC's last gasp was a one-yard TD run by Surratt as time expired that made the final score look closer than it really was.  Bowers finished the game with 363 yards passing and four TDs.  The Tar Heels top player was RB Michael Carter who gained 94 yards and scored 2 TDs on 11 rushing attempts.
Telling Stat: A pair of 11s for the win;  Cal put together a pair of 11-play, 70+ yard TD drives in the fourth quarter to put away North Carolina.   

Oregon State 35- Portland State 32: After being whipped last week by Colorado State, The Beavers returned to Corvallis for their home opener against a Portland State bunch that gave BYU all they could handle last week. Portland State stayed even with OSU the whole game and took a 32-28 lead with just 2:43 left to play.  The Beavers used two QBs most of the game, but the game-winning drive was executed by Jake Luton who competed 18 of 25 passes for 235 yards, a TD and an interception on the day.  OSU took a 35-32 lead when Luton hit WR Isaiah Hodgins from 17 yards out for the go ahead score. After the Beavers reclaimed the lead, PSU drove close enough for a field goal attempt to send the game to OT, but PK Graycen Kennedy's 46-yard attempt sailed wide as time ran out. PSU's Jalani Eason was the best player on the field.  The Viking QB completed 11 of 18 passes for 164 yards and two TDs and also ran for 95 yards and two more scores on 11 carries.
Telling Stat: Four missed conversions= Loss; Portland State missed one PAT, had another blocked and failed on a pair of two-point conversions which doomed the Vikings upset chances in Corvallis.

Oregon 77- Southern Utah 21:  The Willie Taggart era started with a bang in Eugene as Oregon KR Tony Brooks-James returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown.  The Quacks then kept scoring like folks used to vote in Chicago; early and often.  When it was over, the Ducks had piled up 703 total yards, 37 first downs and 77 points.  Duck QB Justin Herbert completed 17 of 21 passes for 281 yards and a TD to lead all passers.  UO RBs Royce Freeman and Kano Benoit combined to carry the rock 30 times for 257 yards and seven TDs. The greatly outmanned Southern Utah Thunderbirds from the Big Sky Conference were led by QB Patrick Tyler who threw for 197 yards and a TD.
Telling Stat: 13 seconds; That's the length of time it took for Oregon to take a 7-0 lead and basically end the competitive portion of this game.

Washington State 31- Montana State 0: In yet another matchup between the Pac 12 and the Big Sky Conference, Wazzu passed their way to a much needed win.  It was a much needed win because Wazzu had lost their prior two season openers to Big Sky members.  The Cougar defense shut down the Bobcats from start to finish allowing only 7 first downs and 143 total yards.  Wazzu QB Kevin Faulk sliced and diced the Bobcats, competing 33 of 39 tosses for 311 yards and three TDs.  WR James Williams was his favorite target.  He caught 13 passes for 163 yards and two scores.  RB Jamal Morrow led all rushers with 89 yards on 10 carries and a TD of his own.
Telling Stat: They worked quickly;  WSU's defensive shutdown of MSU left them with a light workload.  The Cougar defense was on the field for only 47 plays. The average Bobcat drive lasted only five plays and  covered a little over three yards.   

Arizona 62- Northern Arizona 24: In another Pac 12-Big Sky matchup, the Wildcats hosted their in-state brethren from Flagstaff. The Wildcats had a few defensive breakdowns which led to UofA holding on to just a 21-14 lead late in the first half.  Then, the UofA defense woke up, the offense kept scoring and a blowout was the result.  No Wildcat gained over 100 yards on the ground, but as a team they rushed for 506 yards. QB Brandon Dawkins had a very unusual stat line.  He rushed seven times and completed only seven passes out of 13 attempts, but led the Wildcat offense with 181 yards from scrimmage.  He also accounted for three TDs; two rushing and one passing.  For NAU, QB Case Cooks completed 21 of 38 passes for 306 yards and a pair in interceptions in the loss.
Telling Stat: 3:49 to Tuscon; Arizona scored 13 points in the final 3:49 of the second quarter to take control of the game with a 34-14 lead at intermission.

UCLA 45- Texas A&M 44: With 4:08 left in the third quarter, Texas A&M held a 44-10 lead over UCLA and all looked good in Aggieland.  The bRuin fans were checking Zillow to see of Jim Mora's home had been put up for sale and rain was falling on the Rose Bowl. Then, the TAMU offense went into a shell when starting QB Nick Starkel was injured. That kept an Aggie defense on the field that thought the game was basically decided.  UCLA didn't think it was over and mounted one of the largest comebacks ever in a span of just 19:08.  After looking thoroughly rotten for most of the game, bRuin QB Josh Rosen started hitting everything in sight.  He threw four TDs in the final period, including the game-winner with just :43 left on the clock. You can't have a great comeback without help on the other side.  TAMU's play calling was just awful during their collapse.  Their failure to just run the ball and kill clock greatly aided the bRuins victory effort.
Telling Stat: Long drives for the win; UCLA's comback was not a cheap one.  Their five late TD drives covered 75, 85, 96, 74, and 66 yards. 

Observations

...Rocky Mountain Anger;  The Denver Post's Mark Kiszla wrote a column about the flag festival that was the Colorado-Colorado State game.  Here's the link.  Mile High Flag Festival  I feel his anger, but I think he hasn't watched much Pac 12 football lately.  The refs are this bad most of the time.

...Hyperbolic announcing;  ASU's radio commentator described how WR John Humphrey used his "world class speed" to burn the New Mexico State secondary on a 60-yard TD catch.  Nobody has needed world class speed to burn the NMSU secondary in a long, long time,

...Just a hunch; Something tells me that the real estate listings in College Station, TX area will increase by at least one home by the end of the season.

...Vessel Assist;  The Minnesota team and faithful are all-in on HC PJ Fleck's "Row The Boat" mantra, but this Gophers team may need a motor for the boat after their lackluster win over Buffalo.

...Carnage in Atlanta;  Florida State lost QB Deondre Francois for the year worth a broken knee cap, but Alabama lost starting OLBs Terrell Lewis (elbow) and Christian Miller (torn biceps) for the season too.

...Wrap and grab;  USC found out that arm tackles didn't work against Western Michigan and they sure as heck won't work against Stanford this week.

...They came west;  In a rare cross country trip for an FCS team, the Colagte Red Raiders from the Patriot League came to California and hung a 20-14 loss on Cal Poly SLO.

...Irish luck; ND should roll over Georgia with the Bulldogs QB out due to a knee injury.

...When 11-0 ain't much; The Pac 12 went 11-0 last weekend, But how impressive is that when five of those wins were over FCS opponents?

...Great call;  I loved that Georgia Tech HC Paul Johnson went for two v. Tennessee.

...Crapped out in Vegas;  I bet nobody from UNLV could even be comped to a bargain buffet ticket after their 43-40 loss to FCS also-ran Howard.

...Never again;  USC should never allow any September home game to start before 5 PM.

...This just in; Baylor stinks.

...No respect;  Idaho has opened up as a 6 1/2 point underdog to UNLV this week.

...Anchors Aweigh;  Navy sunk Lane Kiffin's home debut as Florida Atlantic's HC with a 42-19 win over the Owls.  Lane will get his first road loss this week as he leads the Owls into Camp Randall Stadium to face Wisconsin.

...Feeling the wide open spaces;  The Pac 12 seems to have adopted the Big Sky Conference as their FCS little brother.

...Now, it gets serious;  Yes, Fresno State you pounded that football power Incarnate Word, 66-0 to go 1-0.  Remember that feeling as you head off to Alabama this week.

...Baylor redux;  It must have been pretty surreal for current Liberty AD and former Baylor AD, Ian McCaw to watch his new school pull off the massive, 43-40 upset of his old school.

Pac 12 Week One Overreactions

Utah still plays to the level of their competition.
ASU has no defense.
Washington's Jake Browning has no pocket awareness.
Colorado is not what they were last year.
Cal has found their next great QB in Ross Bowers.
Oregon State will go 0-9 in Pac 12 play.
USC only has one good receiver.
Oregon is an offensive juggernaut.
Washington State has an elite defense.
Arizona has no passing game.
UCLA's Josh Rosen will last the full season.
Stanford ain't that tough.

Ugly Uniform of the Week

They were the winner last week in a preview for this week and won this week going away. Yes, the Michigan Wolverines win for the hideous all-maize uniforms they wore v. Florida.




















Special Section: Jake Olson

For those of you not familiar with the story, Jake Olson is a true Trojan Hero.  Jake was huge Trojan fan in the Pete Carroll era who as a 12-year old went blind due to cancer.  He never let that stop him form pursuing his football dream.  He became a long snapper for Orange Lutheran High School and then walked on at USC. After USC scored to put the game away v. Western Michigan Saturday, Olson was put in to snap for the PAT.  His snap was true, the kick was good and Jake had fulfilled his dream. No matter what happens the rest of the way, this will be my favorite USC play for a long, long time.  Here's a couple of video links to relive the moment. I just love this photo of Jake leading the USC Trojan Marching Band in Conquest during the postgame concert.


Jake snaps! 
Jake Postgame


From Our Field Office In Honolulu, HI

...The CFL is just his side gig; Before recently being named the new HC of Hamilton Tiger-Cats, June Jones was the AD at the Hawaiian prep powerhouse known as the Saint Louis School. Well, he didn't really leave.  He still is the AD of SLS and has people in place at "Associate Director" positions for both Athletic and Development at the school to handle the day-to-day duties while he is gone.  Those associates have been keeping him informed of what's going on as he runs the Tiger-Cats. That information was distributed to the SLS family through an email. Jones will be back to SLS when the CFL season ends. I give credit to Jones for finding a great way to escape the Canadian winter.

Departments

Low Score Game of the Week: Glassboro, NJ-  PK Tyler Knighton connected on field goals of 21 and 32 yards to lead the Rowan Profs to a 6-0 win over the Widener Pride. The Rowan defense was stout, holding Widener to -15 yards rushing, 131 total yards and just five first downs for the afternoon.

Blowout of the Week: Collegeville, MN- We start off this year with the biggest blowout in the history of this department. The Johnnies of Saint John's University almost hit triple digits in a 98-0 destruction of St. Scholastica.  Yes, the final score was 98-0.  The Johnnies only gained 560 total yards, but they had many short fields due to averaging around 25 yards per punt return. SJU did empty their bench too. 97 different Johnnies saw the field in this laugher.  Meanwhile, CSS gained only 52 total yards and were held to -7 yards rushing.  SJU could have broken the century mark, but just ran out the clock deep in CSS territory.

C.W. Post Press: Brookville, NY-  The Pioneers continued their winning ways from last year with a 42-13 season opening thrashing of the Virginia Union Panthers.  The Pioneers fell behind early, trailing 7-0 after one period of  play.  VUU RB Aaron Baker found paydirt form three yards out to stake the Panthers to the early lead.  Post dominated the middle two quarters, outscoring VUU, 35-6 to put a stranglehold on the game.  New Post QB Yianni Gavalas was sharp, completing 15 of 22 tosses for 273 yards and four TDs. Aside form their lone TD, VUU's other points came on a pair of field goals by PK Jefferson Souza.  Up next for the 1-0 Pioneers is their Northeast 10 Conference opener at the University of New Haven.

Razorback Report: The Hogs opened up their 2017 campaign with an easy, 49-7 thrashing of the Florida A&M Rattlers. Arkansas RBs Devwah Whaley and Chase Hayden cabinet to lug the leather 26 times for 180 yards and two TDs while QB Austin Allen efficiently completed 14 of 19 throws for 135 yards and a touchdown.  Up next for the Hogs is a home date with old SWC foe TCU.

Georgetown Football News: The Hoyas don't start their season until September 9th where they will take a trip to Bules Creek, NC to take on the Campbell Camels.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

I love Tri-Tip tacos.

A comfortable couch is a true luxury.

There's still a pretty good thrill in finding a couple of bucks in an old jacket pocket.

Until next week folks, remember that most teams make their greatest improvements in the second week of the season.

-The Commissioner