Its time for another edition of the column that makes Tuesdays more fun, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Alan Malamud.
Summaries
Washington 28- USC 14: The well coached, disciplined Huskies got the win over the poorly coached, undisciplined Trojans in Seattle. The Trojans third string QB Matt Fink who shined in relief of Kedon Slovis last week, had a very tough outing which only showed Trojan fans why he was third on the depth chart in the first place. The Trojans and Dawgs traded punts on the first three series with UW gaining great field position thanks to SC P Ben Griffiths kicking a pair of balls that each netted a paltry 24 yards. Five plays later, UW took a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard plunge by RB Richard Newton. USC then set up UW for their second TD when Fink made his first of three throws to the guys in the purple uniforms. The Dawgs traveled 38 yards to go up 14-0 when WR Andre Bacellia recovered RB salmon Ahmed's fumble in the end zone. SC did cut the Huskies lead to 14-7. when Fink did something USC QBs never do. He actually kept the ball on an RPO and scored from three yards out. However, Fink was penalized for spiking the ball after he hit paydirt. UW took the extra 15 yards they were handed and drove into field goal range. PK Peyton Henry then put the ball through the uprights from 28 yards out on the final play of the half to give UW a 17-7 lead. The Huskies got the ball to start the third quarter and drove for another field goal to extend their lead to 20-7. What came next was the key sequence of the game. USC drove down to the Huskies 10-yard line thanks mainly to a 60-yard run by RB Stephen Carr. On second down Fink didn't hand the ball off on an RPO and instead threw an ill-advised slant route straight to UW CB Elijah Molden. The interception was a back-breaker as two plays later UW's Ahmed broke though the Trojan defense and raced 89 yards to hallelujah land. The Dawgs tacked on a two-point conversion to complete a 15-point switch that put the game away at 28-7. The Trojans did close the gap to 28-14 on the next possession when Fink hit WR Michael Pittman, Jr. with a 44-yard scoring strike. However, that would be as close as they'd get to the Huskies. Head scratching penalties, missed blocks, and Fink's third interception of the game killed off any final chances the Trojans had. USC's defense did hold vaunted UW QB Jacob Eason in check allowing him tom complete only 16 of 26 passes for 180 yards, but they allowed three rushing TDs on the day. Meanwhile Fink completed 19 of 32 passes for a meager 163 yards, a TD and three huge interceptions.
Telling Stat: -3 +P= L; USC QB Matt Fink's three interceptions and celebration penalty cost the Trojans 18 points in what was a winnable game in Seattle.
Stanford 31- Oregon State 28: Corvallis, OR- This game started late with a weather delay and the excitement in this game came late as well. With 6:14 left in the third quarter, Cardinal QB Davis Mills, who started in place on the injured K.J. Costello, connected with TE Brycen Tremayne for a 3-yard TD pass. The Cardinal now held a 21-0 lead and the OSU fans spirits were dropping faster than the temperature in Reser Stadium. Oregon State's stagnant offense then woke up and put four TDs on the board in their final four possessions. An 11-yard TD pass from QB Jake Luton to WR Isiah Hodgins, two TD runs by RB Artavis Pierce and B.J. Baylor TD run knotted up the game at 28-28 with 1:55 to play. (Sandwiched in that TD barrage was a "Stanford Special" trick play that saw Cardinal TE Colby Parkinson hit Mills for and eight-yard score. Stanford Special) So, with 1:55 left the Beavers kicked off and Stanford KR Connor Washington returned that kick to the 50-yard line. Three plays later Stanford had a first down at the OSU 14-yard line. Three plays after that PK Jet Toner nailed a 39-yard field goal wit :01 left to lift the Cardinal to victory. Mills was the man for Stanford completing 18 of 25 passes for three TDs and he caught Stanford's other scoring toss. For the Beavers, Luton competed 27 of 39 passes for 337 yards and a score while his favorite target Hodgins racked up 10 receptions for 162 yards and a TD. OSU ran the ball well too with Pierce rushing the ball 16 times for 141 yards and two TDs.
Telling Stat: 21/106/0; Oregon State had two first half drives that totaled 21 plays, covered 106 yards and resulted in 0 points which proved cost in a game where the Beavers outgained Stanford by almost 150 yards and racked up 10 more first downs.
Arizona State 24- California 17: Berkeley, CA- It was another edition of Pac 12 after dark where in the road teams were a dismal 2-16 in the last 18 Friday night contests. Somebody didn't tell that to ASU who with a strong rushing effort from RB Eno Benjamin and a huge injury to Cal QB Chase Garbers left Strawberry Canyon with a win. ASU's Benjamin opened the scoring when he rumbled 11 yards to give the Sun Devils a 7-0 lead. Cal answered with a TD to tie the game at 7-7. The score was a 16-yard TD strike form Garbers to WR Trevon Clark. Then, the key play of the game came with 1:56 to play in the half. Garbers was forced to scramble on a pass attempt and had his ankles slapped together from behind by an ASU defender. Garbers hit the turf on his throwing shoulder and stayed down. Garbers was done for the game and would watch the second half on the Cal sideline with his shoulder heavily wrapped. In for Garbers came Devon Modster, the UCLA transfer. Modtser did get Cal into the red zone with his first pass, then threw a pick on his second pass into the ASU end zone to kill the drive. Cal got the ball to start to the third quarter and ran the ball 12 straight times to drive 63 yards and take a 14-7 lead on RB Chris Brown, Jr.'s one-yard run. ASU answered right back with a TD rive that covered 50 yards and ended with a a four-yard TD rumble by Benjamin. Both sides traded punts and hard hits with Cal taking a 17-14 lead after cashing in a FG off a fumble by ASU QB Jayden Daniels. ASU put another TD on the board on the ensuing drive. The Sun Devils traveled 75 yards in 12 plays with Benjamin racking up his third score of the game on a three-yard blast. Modster was ineffective in place of Garbers and the Golden Bears were held for downs by the ASU defense on their final two possessions. A 43-yard FG by PK Christian Zendjeas finished off the scoring for the boys form Tempe. Benjamin was the man for ASU gaining 100 yards on 29 carries with three TDs. Daniels only threw for 174 yards, but he killed Cal with his legs, rushing for 84 yards on 12 carries. Garbers threw for 117 yards and a score before being hurt while Modster competed only five of 14 passes for 23 yards and an interception in relief.
Telling Stat: 21/30= L; After taking the lead 14-7 to start the third quarter, the Cal offense was held scoreless the rest of the game by ASU The Sun Devils held the Golden Bears to 30 yards on just 21 plays over their final five possessions to hang a big L on Cal.
Utah 38- Washington State 13: Salt Lake City, UT- The Utes bounced back after their loss to USC last week by throttling the Cougars at Rice Eccles Stadium. The much maligned Utah secondary controlled Wazzu's potent Air Raid offense that was averaging nearly 500 yards a game to just 252 yards. Cougar QB Anthony Gordon completed 30 of 49 passes but was never allowed to get into a rhythm by the Utes. Meanwhile, the Cougar defense that got gashed last week for 67 points couldn't stop Utah QB Tyler Huntley. He completed 21 of 30 passes for 334 yards and two TDs and he ran for 31 yards on six carries and two more scores. Utah shutout WSU, 17-0 in the second half to put this game away. The Utes picked off two passes, held for downs once and watched the clock run out on the Cougars final drive to grab the win and stay in the Pac 12 South race.
Telling Stat: Dialing long distance; Utah's average scoring drive in this game lasted nine plays and covered 65 yards. Arizona 20- UCLA 17: The bRuins came into this one high off their epic comeback win last week at WSU to take on a Wildcat team hobbled by injuries. Arizona QB Khalil Tate and RB J.J. Taylor were out of the lineup due to leg injuries. UCLA started the game looking like they'd blow the Wildcats out of their own yard, traveling 85 yards in 12 plays to take an early 7-0 lead on the a two yard scoring toss from QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson to TE Matt Lynch. UCLA's offense then went dormant for the rest of the half. UofA moved the ball between the 20s but couldn't do it the red zone where UCLA forced two field goals by Wildcat PK Luke Havrisik and held a 7-6 halftime edge. The second half started out withh a bang for UofA after UCLA tacked on a field goal to take a 10-6 lead. QB Grant Gunnell hit WR Daruis Smith for a 75-yard TD on a busted coverage by the bRuins. UCLA would retake the lead, 17-13 on a three yard jaunt by RB Joshua Kelley. However, on the drive the bRuins would lose Thompson-Robinson for the rest of the game when he went down with a leg injury. Arizona would take the lead back for good at 20-17 when RB Gary Brightwell crossed the double stripe from 10-yards out with 10:51 left. UCLA backup QB Austin Burton led his squad down the field on a drive that would have sent the game to overtime, but PK JJ Molson's 39-yard FG attempt sailed wide right with :34 left and the Wildcats had the win. Gunnel had a good game filling in for Tate, completing 29 of 44 passes for 352 yards and a TD. Kelley spearhead the UCLA attack with 127 yards and a TD on 27 carries in the losing effort.
Telling Stat: Perfect when he needed to be; Arizona's Grant Gunnell was a perfect 6 for 6 for 130 yards and a TD on the two scoring drives that gave the Wildcats the win over UCLA.
Observations
...Only the weather won; This result comes form the NAIA where the William Penn (IA) Statesmen played to a 7-7 tie with the Central Methodist Eagles in a Heart of America Conference contest. With 2:17 left in the second quarter, severe weather rolled into Okalaoosa, Ia. After a little over an hour and numerous lightning strikes in the area, the officiating crew and coaches agreed to end the game and call it a tie.
...Moving up in class; Utah State travels to LSU this week. Whoa.
...Anyone need an expensive doorstop?; Ricky Williams' 1998 Heisman Trophy is hitting the auction block and nobody can say anything about it. Williams' trophy was the last one awarded before winners were required to sign an agreement forfeiting their right to sell the stiff-arm statue.
Going once, going twice...
...Shucked over; Ohio State did everything to Nebraska except rip Tom Osborne's name off the field at Memorial Stadium in their 48-7 beatdown of the Cornhuskers.
...Hey mom, I made it on ESPN!; I'm sure this kid is the most popular guy in his dorm and received a choice phone call or two from his folks. Credit for catching this goes to my wife who said, "Run that back about 30 seconds, look at the upper right corner of the screen."
...On pace for 2K; Okie State RB Chuba Hubbard leads the nation with 938 yards rushing through five games this year. That puts him on pace for over 2,200 yards this year.
...Connections to drown his sorrows; UCLA PK J.J. Molson has the connections to drown his sorrows after missing a FG attempt to send the bRuins game with Arizona into OT last Saturday. He's related to the Molsons of Canada's Molson brewing empire.
...Done in by his own; USF HC Charlie Strong saw his Bulls get worked over, 48-21 by SMU. The SMU QB That threw for three TDs and ran for another was his old QB when he was the HC at Texas, Shane Buchele.
...Life ain't easy in stripes; This happened back on 9/21, a ref was taken to the hospital when a cannon blast at a Maine Maritime Academy game hit him in the head. Kaboom
...Removing Ash from the fire; The Big Ten dumpster fire known as Rutgers took some ash out of that fire when they fired HC Chris Ash last Sunday. Ash's tenure was pretty rocky in New Brunswick where his teams stumbled to an 8-32 record. The speculation is that former HC Greg Schiano will return to roam the sidelines of the state college of New Jersey once again.
...32 years; After whipping USF over the weekend, the SMU Mustangs are now ranked in the AP top 25 poll for the first time since the program received the death penalty form the NCAA in 1987. Being #24 never felt so good in Dallas.
...Girl has skills; Didn't think you could find such quick hands at a wedding. Intercetpted!
...The Fork Travels; ASU is 2-0 on the road v. ranked teams this year.
...An angry Pirate; Wazzu HC Mike Leach went off on his team in the post game presser after his Cougars were trounced by Utah. He called his said "Fat, dumb and entitled" among other things. Roasted Cougs
...Not rambling', just wrecked; I don't think new Georgia Tech HC Geoff Colins thought he'd be staring down getting just one win in his first season at the helm. The Yellow Jackets are 1-3 after dropping a 24-2 decision at Temple. Ouch.
...Not a chance; Yeah, it would have been cool to watch North Carolina upset Clemson, but there is no way I can ever, ever, ever, root for a Mack Brown coach team.
...A high five; There are five undefeated teams in the Big Ten. The most unlikely of those five undefeated teams is Minnesota. The Gophers have a chance to start 8-0 according to this article in the Pioneer Press. 1941
...NCAA in scramble mode; While everyone started freaking out over California Governor Gavin Newsom singing a bill that would allow NCAA athletes in California to start making money off their name and likeness in 2023, Florida said "Hold my beer' and now has a similar bill moving through its' legislature that would allow NCAA athletes in their state to start earning money in 2020.
...Just a rumor; There no truth to the rumor that USC is 14 point underdog to their bye week. The real spread is only 8 1/2 points.
...And then there were three; There are just three winless teams left in the FBS. Akron, New Mexico State and Rice are all 0-5.
...Gloom and doom report; Phil Steele's Twitter feed seems to be nothing but a giant injury report.
...Really?; Tennessee isn't naming their starting QB for their game with Georgia this week. It doesn't matter whoever gets the start will lose by 40. SMH.
...Double thuds; Nebraska has had five kicks blocked this season, that makes them the NCAA leader in blocked kicks allowed. Ouch.
...Not your usual suspect; The Ragin Cajuns of Louisiana are the number three rushing team in the FBS averaging 314 yards per game on the ground.
...A matter of time; Just about everyone knows what kind of player Vontaze Burfict has been all the way back to his high school days. To see him receive a rest of season suspension for his hit on Indianapolis TE Jack Doyle isn't a shocker. I'm sure it will be appealed and by Burfict and the NFLPA. Gone
The Big 150
My wife happened to ask me last week how many of these blogs have I put out? After a short bit of research I discovered that this week marks the 150th edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. It's kind of cool to hit that number in the 150th year of college football.
Ugly Uniform of the Week
Wisconsin wins for this weird sort of throwback design. Yuk.
Awkward Football Photo of the Week
UCLA searching for wins in all the wrong places. Facepalm.
Pac 12 Overreactions
Stanford is still a four win team.
USC may not win another road game this year.
WSU is going to have the most painful bye week ever.
Arizona State will drop two more home games.
Cal won't win another game without Chase Garbers at QB
Colorado will beat Arizona by three TDs this week.
Oregon State will go 1-11.
UCLA will go 2-10.
Arizona will not go to a bowl this year.
Oregon is the best team the Pac 12.
Washington will lose at Stanford this week.
Utah will not win the Pac 12 South.
Departments
Best Game Nobody Saw This Week: Dallas, PA- In a four overtime thriller, the Misericordia Cougars downed the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen, 35-32. The game went to Overtime after LVC PK Nick Bentz made a 35-yard field goal with :55 left in regulation play. The first OT was pretty exciting with Cougars QB Brady Williams getting picked off by the Dutchmen's CB Brendan Yetter. However, Lebanon Valley didn't score either as Bentz's 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked. The teams traded TDs in the second and third OTs with both teams misfiring on two-point conversion attempts in the third OT. In the fourth OT period, LVC got another field goal, this time a 31-yarder to take a 32-29 lead. Then Misericordia drove down to the Dutchmen's one-yard line. RB Eric Jeffries went then found paydirt on the next play to give the Cougars the hard fought win. It was the Cougars first win of the year.
Blowout Game of the Week: Naperville, IL- This week's game comes from the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin in the D-III ranks where the North Central Cardinals crushed the North Park Vikings, 77-0. Cardinal QB Broc Rutter was nearly perfect hitting on 16 of 17 passes for 334 yards and four TDs. The Cardinals also ran the ball well to with nine different ball carries gaining 306 yards on 39 carries and five TDs. The North Central defense held NorthPark to just 117 total yards and eight first downs for the afternoon.
C.W. Post Press: Staten Island, NY- The Wagner College Seahawks used a 17-point second quarter to propel themselves to a 24-14 win over C.W. Post. The game stood tied at 7-7 to start the second quarter after Post WR Jake Bofshever hackled in a 38-yard scoring toss form QB Clay Beathard. The a pair of TD runs by Wagner RB Steve Alexander and a 48-yard FG by PK Eric Silvester put the Seahawks in control fo the game. Both defense pitched a shutout in the second half with thinly scorn coming on a 67-yard blocked field goal return by Post LB Grant Ibeh. Post was held to just 86 total yard sin the second half. Up next for Post is a trip to Pittsburgh to take on Duquesne University.
Razorback Report: Jerryworld, Arlington, TX- It was another barn burner at the Death Star between the Razorbacks and the Aggies and once again the Hogs were on the wrong side of the scoreboard. Down 31-27, the Hogs last chance to pull the upset died at the Texas A&M 19-yard line when QB Ben Hicks' fourth down pass fell incomplete. Up next for the Razorbacks is a much needed bye week.
This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...
Suddenly, it's fall.
If DISH has anymore programming disputes, I'm going to be down to just the Home Shopping Network and Buzzer for viewing options.
I need to start grilling more salmon.
Until next time folks, I'll remind you to do what I do in the very first blog, so keep your head on a swivel and your pad level low.
-The Commissioner
