It's time for the column that you don't need an online subscription to read, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Alan Malamud.
USC 35- Colorado 31: Not all games are masterpieces and this game was UG-LY. I'd say it was as ugly as an Elvis on black velvet, but that would be an insult to the artist who painted the Elvis on black velvet. The Trojans stumbled and bumbled their way through three quarters, before pulling off a cheap imitation of the Cardiac Kids and escaping with a W into the chilly Colorado night. The Trojans started off well, moving the ball 75-yards in :59 seconds to take a 7-0 lead on a 37-yard run by WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. Colorado then controlled the game until the fourth quarter. USC couldn't stop CU's rushing game, let Buffs QB Steven Montez escape every pass rush and failed to tackle anyone on a consistent basis. USC's big break to get back into the game came late in the third period when they were not flagged for roughing the passer. SC hit Montez late with the back of his head slamming into the turf. Montez exited the field to be checked out in the locker room. He then returned for the start of the final period and just wasn't the same player. Montez's decline along with the Buffs puzzling decision to abandon their running game set the stage for the Trojans to pull off the late comeback. SC QB Kedon Slovis hit WR Michael Pittman, Jr. with a 44-yard bomb up the sideline to cut CU's lead to three points with 8:08 to play. After trading punts, USC had one final chance to win the game. Slovis survived disaster with a both a fumble and ill-advised screen pass both bouncing the Trojans way. Slovis also overcame a sack on the drive. The game-winner came when Sovis hit Pittman on a crossing route and he took it 37 yards to paydirt. The Trojans defense held CU one more time and the comeback was complete. Slovis finished the game completing 30 of 44 passes for 406 yards and four TDs. Several Trojan receivers had multiple catches, but Pittman was the leader catching seven passes for 156 yards and two TDs. Colorado's offense torched the Trojans with Montez completing 27 of 43 passes for 324 yards and three TDs. He also ran for 45 yards and a TD as well. WR Laviska Shenault, Jr. grabbed nine balls for 172 yards and a TD in the tough loss.
Telling Stat: 42:40 and no W; Colorado led this game for 42:40 and didn't get the win.
Stanford 41- Arizona 31: Palo Alto, CA- Good things happen when you get your starting QB back. Stanford's KJ Costello had finally recovered from a concussion and a thumb injury on his throwing hand. The Stanford offense looked better than it has all season with him back under center. The porous Arizona defense may have also had something to do with the Cardinal looking good too. Costello completed 30 of 43 passes for 312 yards and three TDs to lead his team to victory. The Wildcats once again went with the QB tandem of Khalil Tate and Graham Gunnell to generate offense. Tate was 17 of 33 for 205 yards and a two TDs to go with 103 yards rushing on nine carries. Gunnell was merely perfect going seven for seven for 68 yards and a TD. After a frantic first half which saw Stanford take a 31-24 lead into the break, the defenses controlled the second half. The Stanford defense shutout Arizona in the fourth quarter to secure the much needed win for the Cardinal. The Cardinal forced a punt, intercepted two passes and held for downs once in the final stanza.
Telling Stat: 52/10/5:59=W; While nursing a 38-31 lead, Stanford got the ball, back with 12:17 to play. The Cardinal then marched 52 yards in 10 plays for a field goal to extend their lead to 10 points. The drive also took 5:59 off the clock to cut Arizona's chances of victory to almost zero.
Utah 35- California 0: Salt Lake City, UT- As of late, a team really has to bring their A-game to beat the Utes at home. Cal came to Rice-Eccles with third string, true frosh QB Spencer Brasch starting and that meant that Cal didn't have anything close to their A-game. The Utah defense shutdown Cal from the opening kickoff to the final gun. To say the Utes rendered the Cal offense inert is an understatement. They held the Golden Bears to 83 total yards, and six first downs. While that went on, the Utes offense crossed the double stripe four times and headed into the half with a 28-0 lead. The second half saw Utah tack on one more score before the game devolved into a glorified scrimmage with Utah subbing liberally along the way. Utah RB Zack Moss ran for 115 yards on 17 carries with two TDs and also racked up 89 yards receiving, while QB Tyler Huntley completed 11 of 17 passes for 214 yards and a TD in the easy easy win.
Telling Stat: 204/83; Utah's Zack Moss 204 yards form scrimmage easily dwarfed Cal's paltry 83 total yards in this yawner in Salt Lake.
UCLA 42- Arizona State 32: Pasadena, CA- Could Chip Kelly's bRuins keep their momentum going after beating a vastly undermanned Stanford team last week? They could and they did at the Rose Bowl. The bRuins built up a 42-10 lead over the Sun Devils thanks to the duo of QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson and RB Joshua Kelley. Thompson-Robinson competed 16 of 23 passes for 176 yardman a pair of TDs, while Kelley almost couldn't be stopped by the ASU defense. Kelley gashed the Sun Devils for 164 yards on 34 carries and four TDs. The game was pretty much a rout until UCLA did what a lot of teams do with a big lead after three quarters. The bRuins took their foot off the gas and ASU scored 22 points in garbage time after the game was well out of hand. Sun Devil QB Jayden Daniels threw for 267 yards and three TDs, while RB Eno Benjamin was held in check all night gaining just 46 yards on 20 carries with one TD in the lopsided loss.
Telling Stat: Too little, too late; 127 of ASU's 383 total yards and 22 of their 32 pints came well after game was decided.
Oregon 37- Washington State 35: Eugene, OR- Not a lot of defense, some rather questionable calls by what passes for a Pac 12 officiating crew and great individual performances combined for an almost four-hour thriller of a game. Neither team could stop the other team's top gun. Wazzu had no answer for RB C.J. Verdell who lugged the leather 23 times for 257 yards and three TDs. Oregon had no answer for Cougar QB Anthony Gordon who completed 32 of 50 passes for 406 yards and three TDs. This game came down to who had the ball last and Oregon had it last. The Ducks got the ball back with 1:00 left after giving up a go ahead TD to Wazzu on a five-yard TD toss form Gordon to WR Brandon Arconado. UO started out their final drive well with a kick return by KR Mykael Wright that covered 36 yards to set up the Quacks at their own 39-yard line. Four completions by QB Justin Herbert later, UO has a first down and goal at the Cougs nine-yard line. The Ducks then ran down the clock and brought on freshman PK Camden Lewis for the game-wining field goal attempt. Lewis' kick was true and the Ducks kept their CFP hopes alive. The Ducks also picked up their first win over the Cougs in five years.
Telling Stat: The seven they didn't get; An first quarter interception that bounced out of the hands of WSU WR Brandon Arconado and into the hands of Verone McKinley in the Oregon end zone was the difference in the game.
Observations
...Never like this; I have never seen such a difference in the way teams play at home and away than in this year's Pac 12.
...Crickets in the corn; Funny how nobody talks about Nebraska anymore.
...They got there; With both teams having this week off, let's just appreciate the fact that undefeated Penn State going to undefeated Minnesota on 11/9 is a big game that none of us expected but will gladly watch.
...Haunting thought; Can't shake the feeling that USC will face Texas in the Cheez-It Bowl.
...#1 and two weeks; LSU has leapfrogged Alabama to the #1 spot in the AP poll. That adds a little more spice to the Tigers upcoming battle with he Crimson tide on 11/9. Hmmmmm
...Kha-Lousy; Did UofA HC Kevin Sumlin ruin Khalil Tate or was he ever really that good to start?Hmmmmmmm.
...Easy call; If Alabama, LSU and Ohio State are easily the top three teams in the country no matter which order you put them in.
...Hollywood recreated; This epic, yet not flagged, block by Michigan's Stephen Spanellis looked like something out of The Blindside. Enjoy. Drive! Drive! Drive!
...Bison stampede; North Dakota State is the biggest, baddest, toughest team in the FCS for a reason. They were able to focus on the road and grind out a huge win at South Dakota State despite all the hype created by the College Gameday circus coming to South Dakota State.
...20/20 hindsight haunts him; Regardless of what would have happened if he had had his interim tag removed, Trojan fans are delighting on roasting former AD Pat Haden on social media over his decision to hire Steve "Cutty Sark" Sarkisian instead Ed Oregon a few years ago.
...44.3+ 456.6 will get you canned; UofA Defensive Coordinator Marcel Yates was fired by HC kevin Sumlin. In their last three games the Wildcats have averaged giving up 44.3 points and 456.6 yards per game. Chuck Cecli will take over as the DC, which makes one wonder if the cheap shots taken by the Wildcats will now increase.
...It ain't the uniforms; Colorado is now 0-7 when wearing all black uniforms. What's their excuse the rest of the time?
...Staring into the college football abyss...again; The Pac 12 could be knocked out of the CFP for another year if Washington and USC take out Utah and Oregon this week. Thanks, Larry Scott.
...An idle rise; On their bye week, Baylor has ascended to the top of the Big 12 standings after Oklahoma's choke job at Kansas State.
...Let it sink in; Indiana is bowl eligible and USC is not right now.
...2 and Oh, um wow; Didn't catch this when it happened in the game, but MLB did. World Series Flashers Banned
...Didn't take long; As soon as the Oklahoma loss went final, the SEC pundits started screaming how it clears the way for two teams from that conference to make the playoffs. SMH.
...Smashed 'em; Michigan did everything to Notre Dame but flatten the tires on the team bus as it left Ann Arbor.
...One for the Mad Hatter; I can't do Kansas' improbable win over Texas Tech justice. Just follow the link, read the story, watch the video. No words
...Gameday for the Ponies; College Gameday will be in Memphis this for the AAC clash between undefeated SMU and one loss Memphis. Go Mustangs!
...Suddeenly, it hit him; Watch Auburn DE Big Kat Bryant face an injury to slow down LSU last Saturday. I think Rodney Dangerfield's injury in Caddy shack was more believable. Let's compare. First, Auburn Timber! Now, Rodney Looks broken to me
...They didn't like the call; A very suspect pass interference call was made against Michigan Against Notre Dame. The fans let the refs know of their displeasure by pelting the field with maize towels. The drive ended in a ND TD and the fans let Irish TE Cole Kmet know they didn't like his TD catch either.
USC will continue to play at the level of their competition. Sigh.
Cal may go winless the rest of the year.
Stanford will make the Sun Bowl to the relief of the rest for the league.
Washington will beat Utah this week.
Arizona still won't make a bowl.
Oregon won't make the CFP.
UCLA is a contender in the Pac 12 South.
Arizona State will make the Cheez-It Bowl.
Colorado won't win another game the year.
Wazzu will beat Washington this year.
Utah still needs more offense.
Oregon State will finish at 5-7.
Intriguing Uniform of the Week
Can't decide if I love it or hate it, but Minnesota's Gold and Grey look will get your attention.
Low Score Game of the Week: Rapid City, SD- This game comes from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in division II where in conditions that were described as "brisk" the South Dakota Mines Hardrockers relied on their defense for an 8-7 victory over the the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys. Upon reading of the game recap, "brisk" in South Dakota meant a game time temperature of 40 degrees with 40-50 MPH wind gusts which brought a wind chill factor in the low 30s. The 1,121 hearty souls who attended the game saw NMHU RB James Budgett break off an 87-yard TD run midway thorough the third period for a 7-0 lead. A few minutes later, the Orediggers got on the board with a safety off a blocked punt. The game stayed that way until the Hardrockers defense came up big again. DB Chandler Callejo scooped up a Cowboys fumble to set his offense for the wining score. SD Mines drove 33 yard in eight plays tow in the game on a five-yard TD pass from QB Toby Smith to WR Ian Anderson with just :21 left on the clock.
Blowout Game of the Week: Grand Forks, ND- This game comes form the Northern Sun Intercollgiate Conference in Division II. In the second half of a double header of football action at the Alerus Center, home of the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, the University of Minnesota- Crookston Golden Eagles were thumped, 81-0 by the Minnesota State- Mankato Mavericks. The Mavericks ran all over the Golden Eagles. they racked up 386 yards rushing on 38 carries with nine TDs. Kaleb Sleezer led all rushers with 135 yards on in carries and a TD. The Mavericks defense held the Golden Eagles to just 106 total yards and eight first downs. Oh, and tickets to this game were 10 bucks and the parking was free.
C.W. Post Press: New Britain, CT- The year of pain continues for the Post Sharks as they were drubbed 28-0 by the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils. The Sharks were held to a paltry 142 total yards in the loss. The only interesting thing about this game was that the game as played on at Arute Field. Arute Field is named after Jack Arute, Sr. who donated the land for the first stadium win the CCSU campus. Jack, the now retired, ABC sideline reporter is the grandson of Jack, Sr.
Razorback Report: The Hogs traveled to Tuscaloosa and provided a bye week before their actual bye week to Alabama, The Razorbacks put up token resistance in a 48-7 loss to the Crimson Tide. Arkansas will host Mississippi State this coming week.
This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...
Bison burgers are pretty darn good.
The whipsaw effect of Santa Ana's then cooler weather here will get a lot of folks sick.
I don't really want to fall back this weekend.
Until next time, remember folks that mediocre teams play to the level of their competition.
-The Commissioner.
