It's time for the column that makes your Tuesday brighter even if your team ruined Saturday, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Tom Kelly.
Summaries
Oregon 56-USC 24: This game saw the Ducks claim the overall top spot in the Pac 12, while the Trojans saw HC Clay Helton turned into a fired coach walking. The Trojans started off in a familiar Helton pattern, They played a strong first quarter and jumped out to a 10-0 lead over the Quacks. Then, the second quarter happened. Poor play calls, ejections, a ton of penalties and just a lack of discipline and execution found the Trojans down 28-17 at the half. The key play that signaled the end of the competitive portion of the game occurred with :20 left before the half. USC had just scored to cut UO's lead to 21-17. Then, USC's braintrust eschewed a squib kick and kicked the ball deep to the Ducks. KR Mykael Wright fielded the kick at his own goal line and sprinted untouched through the coverage team for a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown. USC never recovered. The Quacks came out in the second half and put four more TDs on the board before USC put up a meaningless score on the board after UO had emptied the benches. Future #1 draft pick Justin Herbert QB'd his squad to the win, completing 21 of 26 passes for 225 yards and three TDs. The Duck defense did their job too. They picked off three SC passes and returned one of those for a TD. USC QB Kedon Slovis competed 32 of 57 passes for 264 yards and three TDs in the embarrassing loss.
Telling Stat: 56-7; After falling behind 10-0, Oregon whipped USC in every phase of the game, going on a 56-7 run before calling off the hunt in the final period.
Utah 33- Washington 21: Seattle, WA- The knock on Utah is that they just don't play that well away from home. The Utes erased a good portion of that sentiment with a tough road win over the Huskies. However, it didn't look good for the Utes early on as the Dawgs held a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter on a pair off TD passes by QB Jacob Eason. Utah then steadied themselves and fought back closing to within a point at halftime. Two field goals by PK Jason Redding and a nine-yard TD pass from QB Tyler Huntley to RB Zack Moss did the damage. UW seized the momentum to midway through he third period When Eason hit WR Hunter Bryant for a 40-yard TD toss. Utah's defense then made the play of the game to save their season. DB Jaylon Johnson intercepted Eason and took it back 39 yards for a TD with 3:16 left in the third quarter. The ensuing two point conversion attempt failed, but the Utes had the momentum and trailed the Dawgs by two at 21-19 to start the final period. The Utes offense then woke up. On their next two drives they marched 82 and 84 yards for touchdowns to take a 33-21 lead. Huntley and Moss did the honors with a pair of short TD plunges. The Dawgs did mount a late comeback, drawing to within 33-28 after Eason threw to WR Aaron Fuller for a three-yard score. However, the Utes recovered the ensuing onside kick and got out of Husky Stadium with huge road victory. Moss ran for 100 yards and caught passes for 41 more with a pair of scores to lead the winning effort, while Eason threw for 316 yards and all four Huskies TDs in the tough loss.
Telling Stat: Fourth quarter strong; Utah doubled up Washington in yards, (161-82), and points, (14-7), to grab a much needed win.
Oregon State 56- Arizona 38: Tucson, AZ- Last Sunday, Arizona HC Kevin Sumlin fired his Defensive Coordinator. That move proved to be ineffectual as the Wildcats gave up their most points in game all year in front of their home crowd to the Pac 12 juggernaut known as Oregon State. This game was truly a shootout as the Beavers gave up over 500 yards and 38 points to UofA. After a lackluster first period where the Beavers held a 7-6 advantage, the kids form Corvallis just couldn't be stopped int he second period. They hit paydirt on all four of their drives. A pair of short TD runs by RB Jermar Jeffferson, one from fellow RB Artavis Pierce and a 23-yard TD pass from QB Jake Luton to TE Noah Togiai left OSU to go into the half with a 35-19 lead. The teams traded scores in the second half with the Beavers never letting the Wildcats to get within serious striking distance of the lead. Luton completed 20 of 26 passes for 328 yards and three TDs, while the RB tandem of Pierce and Jefferson combined for 219 yards on 37 carries and four TDs. For UofA QBs Grant Gunnell and Khalil Tate worked together to complete 26 of 41 tosses for 378 yards and two TDs.
Telling Stat: By the bucketful; Oregon State torched the Arizona defense, with their average scoring drive covering nearly 72 yards to reach the end zone.
UCLA 31- Colorado 14: Pasadena, CA- The bRuins raced out to an early lead, then held on the rest of the way for their third straight win. UCLA's defense set the early tone, forcing a pair of three-and-outs and then picking off CU QB Steven Montez in the Buffaloes first three possessions. The UCLA offense took advantage of their opportunities and built up a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson sandwiched two TD tosses around a FG by PK JJ Molson to account for the 17 points. The rest of the game was a slog with both teams playing it even. UCLA missed several plays that would have turned the game into a blowout while Colorado could never make the key plays to get back into the ballgame. The bRuins did dominate the stat sheet, outgaining the Buffs by nearly 150 yards. While Robinson threw for 226 yards and two TDs, RB Joshua Kelley led all rushers with 126 yards on 35 carries with two TDs. Montez threw for 195 yards an a TD in defeat.
Telling Stat: 17-0 and over; UCLA's hot start put Colorado in a hole that they could never climb out of.
Observations
...Route 56; I don't think anyone thought that both Oregon schools would hang a 56 spot in road victories last Saturday.
...Angry money; Young know you're despised as a head coach when boosters raise 17 million to have you fired. Florida State boosters ponied up 17 large to rid themselves of Willie Taggart in the second year of his five year contract. Wow.
...This just in; Arizona football really really stinks.
...Just a rumor; There is no truth to the rumor that Oregon has interest in Willie Taggart returning to Eugene.
...Mascot failure; Long Beach State has officially changed their mascot from the 49ers to the Beach for all sports other than baseball. So yes, they are now the Long Beach State Beach. Facepalm.
...They let the other people go; USC's kick coverage team parted wider than Red Sea on MyKael Wright's 100-yard kickoff return. I thought I even saw Moses in the stands, but it was just an old guy with this hands raised in disbelief, screaming obscenities as the return occurred. (Note; that old guy may have been me.)
...Decision time; What is more surprising this year, the fact that Baylor is 8-0 or that Kansas is 3-6? Hmmmmm
...Bristol stumped; NFL HOF WR Randy Moss had to scramble early Sunday morning when his private plane landed in Bristol, Tennessee and not Bristol, Connecticut. SMH. Wrong Way Moss
...Not on the list; USC special teams coach John Baxter will not be a finalist this year for the Broyles Award.
...The other feel good story; While Minnesota is the feel-good story of the year so far in the Big Ten West, the Big Ten East has one of their own with Indiana. The Hoosiers are 7-2 and will most likely go 8-4, as they face Penn State, Michigan and Purdue down the stretch. The Hoosiers haven't won eight games since 1993 when Bill Mallory roamed the Bloomington sidelines.
...On the outside; Almost nobody is rooting for Penn State to beat Minnesota this week.
...Not much goodness; In 121 seasons of Indiana football, the Hoosiers have won eight games or more in a season just seven times.
...Wilson!; USC's 32 points loss to Oregon was the Trojans most lopsided loss to the Ducks in 104 years. The 1915 Trojans led b y HC Ralph Glaze were beaten 34-0 by the Webfoots. Back in 1915, the Coliseum hadn't been thought of yet and Woodrow Wilson occupied the White House.
...The Kernel rules; Concordia-Moorhead College is known the Cobbers and their mascot is named Kernel Cobb. Enjoy this pic of Kernel Cobb.
USC will go 6-6.
Utah doesn't have to kick themselves for losing to SC anymore.
UCLA won't beat Utah.
Arizona might just drop football.
Oregon State will make a bowl.
Washington has become irrelevant.
WSU, ASU, Cal and Stanford enjoyed their peaceful weekend off.
Colorado will not make a bowl.
Oregon still won't make the CFP.
Ugly Uniform of the Week
This week's winner are the Cleveland Browns. What happened to the time when the Browns uniforms weren't as offensive as their on-field play?
Crazy Game of the Week: Bluefield, WV- We go to the Mid-South Conference in the NAIA where the St. Andrews Knights raced out to a 16-7 first quarter lead over the Bluefield Rams. The Knight and Rams then traded off scores for the last three quarters in a 70-54 win by the Knights. The two teams combined to run 155 plays for 1,167 total yards of offense. St. Andrews QB Aidan Wilder completed 29 of 51 passes for 456 yards and five TDs in the win.
Blowout Game of the Week: Pineville, LA- It's time for Mary Hardin-Baylor's annual appearance in this blog. The UMHB Crusaders crushed the Louisiana College Wildcats, 82-0. The Crusaders dominated form start to finish, and emptied the benches early with RB Tommy Bowden crossing the dibble stripe three time in nine carries. The Wildcats were held to 151 total yards of offense and never crossed the 50-yard line in the defeat.
C.W. Post Press: Moon Township, PA- The Sharks held a 17-14 lead over the Robert Morris Colonials, but where shutout 14-0 in the second half and lost 28-17. The Sharks are 0-8 on the season overall, and finished conference play at 0-7. Next up for the Sharks is a trip to Philadelphia and a matchup with FCS power Villanova.
Razorback Report: The Hogs got worked over by Mississippi State last Saturday, 54-24. The Hogs will host Western Kentucky next week. That is all.
This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...
MRI's are lame.
Trader Joe's dried, sweetened orange slices are way too good.
I guess people in San Pedro have given up stopping at stop signs permanently.
Until next time folks, remember that you have to run the ball to win.
-The Commissonner
