Week Eight

 Hey All,

For a week without a lot of marquee games, there sure were some fun ones to watch.  Here's a look back at the weekend that was with another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Joe Jares.

Summaries

Notre Dame 31- USC 16: South Bend, IN- Even after a bye week to prepare, this group of Trojans still managed to make enough mistakes to drop their fourth straight game to a less than impressive band of Fighting Irish. The usual mistakes of the Clay Helton-Donte Williams era earmarked this loss.  Poor pass blocking, needless penalties, inability to convert in the red zone and poor clock management were all in evidence here. The game opened with ND marching on two long drives, yet only holding a 7-0 lead thanks to a dropped pass and a missed FG.  USC would then actually move the ball thanks to all-everything WR Drake London. However, miscues and drops left SC down 17-3 at half despite all the yardage gained. Yes, the empty calories offense was in full effect.  After ND had taken a 24-3 lead, the Irish seemed to take their foot off the gas and SC did what SC does and took advantage. The Trojans cut ND's lead to 24-16 with 8:51 left in regulation.  Hopes raised among SC faithful for a comeback were dashed immediately on the next possession by the USC defense who committed two 15-yard penalties and failed to stop ND at all.  QB Tyler Buchner ran for a three-yard TD to put the game away with 4:52 to play.  SC's last offensive drive died when QB Kedon Slovis was sacked and fumbled to commit his second turnover of the game. ND RB Kyren Williams was hailed as the second coming of Jerome Bettis for his 138 yards rushing and two TD on 25 carrries, while SC's Keyontay Ingram also had a good game, gaining 138 yards on 24 carries with a touchdown.  

Telling Stat: They can't finish;  USC managed only 16 points despite making five trips into the red zone.  Facepalm. 

Washington 21- Arizona 16: Tucson, AZ- Tickets were going for a blistering nine bucks a piece for this Friday night matchup between the underachieving Huskies and the winless Wildcats. Would Washington be the unlucky squad that would suffer the nightmare and be the team that UofA finally beats to end their 18-game losing streak? It sure looked like it. The Wildcats defense had allowed one scoring drive and had forced seven punts, while the offense got field goals of 34, 50, and 35 yards from PKs Tyler Loop and Lucas Havrisik along with a one-yard TD jaunt from WR Jamarye Joiner to build a 16-7 lead through three quarters. Plans for UW HC Jimmy Lake's tarmac party were being made by the Husky faithful when one play turned the game around.  On 1st and 10 at the UW 28-yard line, Wildcat QB Will Plummer had his pass intercepted by DT Tuli Letuligasenoa at the 29-yard line. The Dawgs then drove 71 yards in four plays to cut UofA's lead to just two points at 16-14.  RB Cameron Davis sprinted through the Wildcats for a nine-yard TD run.  The Huskies defense then forced the Wildcats to punt on their next drive.  The Dawgs then drove for the wining score traveling 82 yards in seven plays to take the lead for good. The game-wining score was an eight-yard pass from QB Dylan Morris to WR Rome Odunze.  The Dawgs then snuffed out Arizona's final two drives to escape Tucson with the win. Morris completed 13 of 21 passes for 217 yards and two TDs to lead the Huskies attack. RBs Steve Rocker, Jr. and Jalen John combined for 132 yards on 27 carries in what was UofA's 19th consecutive loss. 

Telling Stat: Double hook up gets the W;  Washington's stagnant offense got a 51-yard pass from QB Dylan Morris to WR Terrrell Bynum on each of their fourth quarter TD drives to set up the scores to win the game. 

Oregon State 42- Utah 34: Corvalis, OR- Utah came into this one having just worked over USC and ASU. They also owned the inside track to the Pac 12 South title.  Oregon State didn't care. The had also spanked USC recently and figured they could take care off the Utes.  Utah tested that theory early.  The Utes had the best of a back and forth first half that saw them take a 24-14 lead into the break.  Utah had scored on four of their first half drives and had another drive stall on the OSU two-yard line.  The Beavers then climbed back into this game with a strong third quarter.  In a matter of minutes the Beavers forged ahead of the Utes on a four-yard TD pass from QB Chance Nolan to WR Trevon Bradford and 27-yard blocked punt return by TE Luke Musgrave.  OSU now led 28-24. Utah would go up 31-28 on a 10-yard run by RB Tavion Thomas.  OSU would then go ahead for good when Bradfiord picked up another score on a 10-yard dash to paydirt.  A Utah missed FG on the ensuing drive was followed up by an eight-yard jaunt to the end zone from RB B.J. Baylor which put OSU up 42-31.  Utah would only muster a field goal down the stretch as the Beavers held on for the win. Baylor led all rushers with 152 yards on 19 carries and a TD for the victorious Beavers.  Ute QB Cameron Rising completed 22 of 36 passes for 267 yards and two TDs in defeat.

Telling Stat: 14 point swing dooms Utes;  Utah gave up a blocked punt for a score and were stopped on downs at the OSU two-yard line. Those miscues cost the Utes the game. 

California 26- Colorado 3: Berkeley, CA- The Golden Bears offense played one good half while their defense played a full 60 minutes in this game that wasn't nearly as close as the score indicates. Cal QB Chase Garbers led his squad to scores on all five of their drives in the first half.  Garbers threw pair of TD passes to TEs Keliki Late and Gavin Reinwald that covered 24 and 31yards. PK Dario Longhetto ended the other rather scoring drives with field goals of 49, 30, and 51 yards.  A 33-yard FG by Buffs PK Cole Becker in the middle of Cal's scoring drives led to a 23-3 Cal lead at the half. The second half was a glorified scrimmage with Cal getting a 33-yard FG from Longhetto to finish off the scoring. Cal's defense allowed Colorado to Cross the 50-yard line only twice all game with one of those two possessions ending at the Cal 49-yard line, while Cal's offense only found the Colorado Red Zone twice all game. Garbers was responsible for the only real offensive production in this snoozer.  He completed 22 of 30 passes for 225 yards and two TDs while also rushing for 96 yards on 10 carries.  Garbers 321 total yards tripled Colorado's total yards output as a team. 

Telling Stat: #7 passes ol' #22;  Cal QB Chase Garbers' 96 yards rushing moved him past Joe Kapp to become the all-time leader for most career yards rushing by a QB in Cal football history.  Kapp held the record for 63 years. Legends don't get surpassed easily. 

BYU 21- Washington State 19:- Pullman, WA- Last Monday saw Wazzu HC Nick Rolovich and four of his assistants get fired for not complying with the state of Washington's employee vaccine mandate. How would the Cougars respond to the firing?  Would they even show up against BYU who was looking to go 4-0 against the Pac 12 this year?  Well, everyone did show up for Wazzu including interim HC Jake Dickert in this tough loss in the Palouse.  The teams traded blows right at kickoff with Wazzu jumping out to a 7-0 lead on their first possession when RB Max Borghi slashed his way through the BYU defense 11 yards for a touchdown.  The Cougars in blue and white answered right back when RB Lopini Katoa found the end zone form three yards out to tie the game at 7-7.  The teams would then battle to a stalemate for the rest of the half.  BYU started the scoring again on the opening drive of the second half.  The Cougars marched 75 yards in 11 plays with RB Tyler Allgeier running four yards for a touchdown.  WSU looked to even it up on the next drive and almost did.  Borghi's 1-yard run put Wazzu within a point at 14-13.  The Crimson-clad Cougars then went for two and failed when QB Jayden de Laura's pass fell incomplete.  BYU then stretched their lead out to 21-13 on the very next drive. Allgeier did the honors again with slicing through Wazzu for a two-yard TD run.  Wazzu did comeback one more time with Borghi's third TD run of the game.  However, the point conversion attempt to tie the game failed. BYU got the ball back with 4:14 to play.  Allgeier toted the rock for all seven plays of the drive that ran out the clock.  Allgeier was the tabernacle for BYU, rushing the ball 32 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Borghi gained 83 yards on the ground with three TDs while  de Laura comforted 26 of 37 passes for 257 yards and an interception in the loss.

Telling Stat: Self-inflicted scoring wounds don't heal;  Wazzu's two missed two-point conversion attempts cost them the game.  If the Crimson and Gray Cougars had just kicked PAT's, they had a real chance to win the game. 

Oregon 34- UCLA 31: Pasadena, CA- College Gameday came to Westwood. Bill Walton, the self-appointed good will ambassador for The Conference of Champions, was the guest picker.  A pro-bRuins crowd of the mid five figures partially filled the Rose Bowl for what turned out to be a pretty darn good game.  The game started off in typical fashion for the Ducks.  They again started slowly, falling behind 14-0 and it could have been worse if the Ducks hadn't gotten a gift interception from UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson.  The Quack Attack woke up on both sides of the ball and dominated the the middle portion of the contest.  While the defense held UCLA to three points, the offense scored 34 points to take a 34-17 lead into the fourth quarter.  It was then, the bRuins made a real game of it.  Despite being bruised and battered by the opposition, Thompson-Robinson led his squad on TD drives of 75 yards and 20 yards to cut the bRuins deficit to 34-31.  Then after, UCLA picked off Webfoot QB Anthony Brown for the second time in the quarter, it looked like the bRuins would win the game in dramatic fashion.  However, Thompson-Robinson would not be around for the finish.  All the big hits by the UO defense took their toll with one final one final blow knocking Thompson-Robinson out of the game.  That left UCLA's  fortunes in the hands of backup Ethan Garbers.  Ethan, the younger brother of Cal QB Chase Garbers, stepped in and completed two passes to set up the bRuins with a first down at the Oregon 39-yard line. Unfortunately, Garbers next completion went to the guys in the white jerseys. CB D.J. James came up with the game-saving interception and UO walked out of the Rose Bowl with a tough win.  Thompson-Robinson completed 22 of 41 passes for 220 yards with a TD and an interception in the loss.  UO RB Travis Dye had the most unusual stat line of the game.  He carried the ball 14 times for 35 yards with four touchdowns. At one point in the game he had a string of four straight runs for a touchdown.  

Telling Stat: The stopped the run;  The Oregon defense's speed on the edge and outside contain ability held the bRuins powerful rushing attack to only 110 yards rushing which was well below their season average.   

Observations

...A real bad buzz;  Princeton came away with an 18-16 win over Harvard in five overtimes last Saturday. It never should have gotten that far.  The Ivy League has admitted that an officiating error cost Harvard the win in the third OT. Time out?

...Obi-Troy Kenobi you're our only hope;  It's up to USC to keep BYU from going 5-0 v. the Pac 12 this season.  The Cougars come to the Coliseum on 11/27.

...He digs gummies; Gotta love this post game dialog on Halloween Candy with Mississippi State HC Mike Leach.  The Pirate Speaks

...Thanks dude;  It's very nice of Penn State HC James Franklin to eliminate himself from contention for the USC HC job. 

...Come on down!;  When Kansas took a 10-0 lead on Oklahoma last Saturday, the admin at KU opened the gates for all to come in and cheer on the Jayhawks free of charge.  The Jayhawks would lose 35-23, but seats were filled.  APB for fans

...Gone;  They have way more problems that just blocking, but Colorado fired OL coach Mitch Rodrigue Sunday night.  (Yes, his last name is Rodrigue.)

...Five the hard way; UNLV is 0-7, but five of their losses are by eight points or less. 

...Just a bit further south;  The best game this week in Southern California will not be at the Coliseum where USC takes on winless Arizona.  It will be in Carson at Diginity Health Park where the 7-0 SDSU Aztecs will take on 6-2 Fresno State. 

...This week's sign of the coming college football apocalypse;  You know things are reaching the end as we know it when even Dartmouth releases a video for their alternate helmet. SMH. A stinking tree

...Lubbock in his rearview mirror; Multiple sources reported early Monday morning that Texas Tech HC Matt Wells has been fired. Wells squads went 13-17 during his tenure and rarely beat a team with a winning record.  Current Red Raider OC and former QB Sonny Cumbie has been named the interim HC.

...Fun to watch;  The Detroit Lions may be the best winless team I've seen in a long time.

...Pitt is it;  Not since the days when some guy named Marino played QB for the Panthers has Pitt Looked this good.  If they go on to win the ACC, they'l make a New Year's six bowl only the second time since 1984. 

...Fall fun; It's that time of year when my chiropractor shows me video highlights of his son's flag football team.  The kid can spin like Barry Sanders did.  

...Hello Sparty!;  Gameday is headed to East Lansing this week for the battle of unbeatens between Michigan and Michigan State. 

...History class;  All of us who have played this crazy game owe a debt of gratitude to Lafayette's George "Rose" Barclay, who had the good sense to have, what is believed to be, the first football helmet made back in the early 1890s.  The Leopard who changed the game

...The duality of man; Gotta love a sport where you can see one game finish 20-18 in nine OT and another finish 70-56 in regulation. 

...Still going; Tuesday the 26th of October marks 752 days since Arizona last won a football game. 

...Did they loose by three?; UCLA HC Chip Kelly feels the 35-yard FG attempt ruled no good by the officials Saturday v. Oregon was actually good.  It was good

...Feeling Ames;  Why do I think Iowa State will win the Big XII?

A look at Conference Expansion or how C-USA became C-U-Later 

The power grab that resulted in the SEC's taking of Texas and Oklahoma from the Big XII has ended up crushing Conference-USA.  Here's how it happened:

The SEC raided the Big XII and took Texas and Oklahoma.

The Big XII then raided the American by taking Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston along with independent BYU.

The American then raided C-USA by taking Alabama-Birmingham, Florida-Atlantic, Charlotte, North Texas, Rice and Texas-San Antonio.

The Sun Belt is taking Southern Miss from C-USA as well. 

That leaves C-USA with just seven teams left out of 14.  

College football is a brutal business.

Pac 12 Overreactions

USC is a 4-8 team.

Arizona will go 0-12.

Utah as two more losses coming.

Oregon State will win the Pac 12 North.

Cal is happy that they get to play at Arizona on 11/6.

UCLA is an 8-4 team.

Oregon might be the most frustrating one-loss team in America.

ASU is just happy that most of their coaches haven't been fired yet.

Washington would be well to heed the old Japanese proverb that states, "Do not be fooled by your victory." 

Colorado will be held to single digits in every game from here on out. 

Stanford enjoyed fine cheeses and a good 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon on their bye week.

Wazzu just wonders why Nick Rolovich thought they weren't worth a shot.

Ugly Uniform of the Week:

Oregon runs away with it this week for this truly lame ensemble.  UO (Nike) folks claim these uniforms look like duck eggs.  I say they look someone stole a whole bunch of used tarps from Oregon painters local #10. 

Departments 

Low Score Game of the Week: Happy Valley, PA- How could the 20-18, nine overtime win by Illinois over Penn State not be this week's game?  This game had it all.  It had gray October skies, real grass, bone-jarring hits, tough runs, great catches, big injuries, dropped balls barely off fingertips, runners stopped inches short of the goal line, clutch kicks, and the drama of  NINE FREAKING OVERTIMES! Congrats to Illinois for hanging on for the upset in this physical and emotional grinder of a contest. 

Blowout Game of the Week: Lake Forest, IL- This game comes from the Midwest Conference in D-III.  The Lake Forest College Foresters destroyed the Grinnell College Pioneers, 79-0.  Lake Forest did everything but flatten the tires on Grinnell's team bus.  The Foresters out gained the pioneers 632 yards to seven.  Yes, Grinnell gained just seven total yards. QB Tre Stewart completed 19 of 26 passes for 347 yards and six TDs to lead the Forester's attack. Grinnell punted more times (9) than they total yards gained (7).  Wow.   

Razorback Report: Fayetteville, AR-  After a few tough losses, the Hogs needed a cupcake game and they got it with the Arkansas Pine-Bluff Golden Lions.  The Hogs easily rolled to a 45-3 win where they led 45-0 at the break, then gave everyone their opportunity to win their letter in the second half. QB K.J. Jefferson led the Razorbacks attack with 194 yards passing and four TDs. Nine different Arkansas backs ran the ball for a total of 291 yards rushing in this rout.  Up next for the boys from Fayetteville is a bye followed by a home game with Mississippi State on 11/6. 

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

2-for-1 Candy sales this week can be a dangerous thing.

Still going with the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup as the best candy ever.

I still wonder if Linus will ever see the Great Pumpkin.

Until Next time folks, getting touchdowns int he red zone keeps everyone happy.

-The Commissioner 

Week Seven

Hey All,

From flying objects in Tennessee to a late night thumping near the Great Salt Lake to an untimely exit in the Palouse, it was another crazy week in college football.  Let's take a look back with another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Paul Zimmerman. 

Summaries 

Utah 35- Arizona State 21: Salt Lake City, UT-  The Sun Devils looked like they had the Pac 12 South division won and a spot in the Pac 12 title game all sewn up when they led the Utes, 21-7 at the half.  The Sun Devils defense had basically shutdown the Utes after allowing an early score.  They seemed in control of the game despite racking up a ton of penalties that kept them from building a bigger halftime lead.  Utah then came out for the second half and blew the doors off ASU.  The Utes only had the ball four times in the second half, but torched the Sun Devils for four touchdowns.  Utah scored on drives of 75, 68, 67, and 82 yards.  Utah's offense beat up the ASU defense for the final 30 minutes of play. While the Utah offense was busy going 292 yards and scoring 28 points, the Utah defense held Herman's kids to 82 total yards and zero points. For Utah, QB Cameron Rising completed 21 of 33 passes for 247 yards, two TDs and two interceptions.  In the loss, ASU QB Jayden Daniels completed 20 of 31 passes for 237 yards and two scores. 

Telling Stat: 38, 292, 19:16, 28 = W; Utah had the ball for 38 plays in the second half in which they gained 292 yards, held the ball for 19:16 and scored 28 points to take the inside track to the Pac 12 South crown.

Washington State 34- Stanford 31: Pullman, WA- This turned out to be the last game that Wazzu HC Nick Rolovich would walk the sidelines in the Palouse due his refusal to comply with the state of Washington's employee vaccine mandate. Nick went out with a bang. His cougars took a bite out of the Cardinal.  Trailing 13-0 to start the second period, the Wazzu offense heated up.  They put up three TDs and were held for downs once at the Stanford nine-yard line.  Only a blocked PAT kept the Cougs to a four point halftime edge at 20-16. WSU lengthened their lead to 27-16 late in the third period when RB Max Borghi ran two yards for a touchdown.  The fourth period saw the Stanford offense come back to life after being dormant.  SU QB Tanner McKee led his team on back-to-back touchdown drives. McKee did the honors by scoring one of the TDs on a QB Sneak and the other on an eight-yard TD toss to RB Austin Jones. Stanford led 31-27 and it looked like the Cougars had indeed Coug'd it again.  However, a funny thing happened on the way to loss column. Wazzu mounted a game-winning drive.  QB Jayden de Laura and Borghi moved the ball 70 yards in six plays with Borghi finding the end zone from two yards out for the winning TD.  Stanford's hopes of a game-winning drive died when McKee was sacked and fumbled the ball on his own 33-yard line. WSU DE Brennan Jackson recovered the fumble and the celebration started in Pullman. Jayden de Laura was a little bit better than McKee on the day throwing for 289 yards and three scores while McKee finished up with 273 yards and two touchdowns. The real shocker was that Wazzu out rushed Stanford 100 yards to 76 with Borghi leading all rushers with 89 yards and two TDs on 17 carries.

Telling Stat: Turnovers kill;  Wazzu won the turnover battle, 2-0 and the game.

UCLA 24- Washington 17: Seattle, WA- It was a tight game on Montlake, but it was clear that UW couldn't stop UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson.  Thompson-Robinson accounted for all of the bRuins three TDs.  He had scoring tosses to WR Sam Brown and TE Greg Dulcich, while also running for a score.  UCLA didn't turn the ball over and had that little extra all game when they needed it to pull out the win.  bRuin RB Zack Charbonnet led all rushers with 131 yards on 21 carries.  The Dawgs did manage to stay in the game, but their last chance to even the game up late in the final period disappeared when QB Dylan Morris' under thrown pass was snagged for an interception by DB Devin Kirkwood on the bRuins four-yard line. Thompson-Robinson ended the game with 183 yards passing and 87 yard rushing.  Morris threw for 184 yards, a TD and two interceptions in the loss.

Telling Stat: Turnovers kill-part II; UCLA picked off UW to start the game and to finish the game. That +2 turnover margin provided the W for the bRuins.

Colorado 34- Arizona 0: Boulder, CO- The tail-enders of the Pac 12 met for what started out as a snoozer in the shadow of the Flatiron Mountains.  The first half featured a pair of FGs that covered 19 and 37 yards from CU PK Cole Becker and a goal line stand by the Buffs defense that allowed them to take 6-0 lead into the intermission.  Then in a 1:14 second span of the third quarter, the Buffaloes blew the game open and never looked back. First, at the 6:46 mark, CU special teamer Trevor Woods not only blocked a UofA punt, but scooped up that blocked punt and took it back 36 yards for a touchdown.  Then at the 5:32 mark, OLB Carson Wells picked off QB Gunner Cruz and rumbled 50 yards to paydirt.  The PAT put the Buffs up 20-0. A 62-yard TD pass from QB Brendon Lewis to WR Brendan Rice and an 11-yard toss from Lewis to WR Dimitri Stanley finished off the scoring. Lewis had one of his better days of the year, completing 12 of 19 passes for 248 yards and two TDs. RB Jalen John was the lone bright spot for the Wildcats rushing for 71 yards on 11 carries.

Telling Stat: 745 the hard way;  Tuesday the 19th of October marks 745 days since Arizona has won a football game. The Wildcats losing streak stands at 18 games.

Oregon 24- California 17: Eugene, OR-  Once again the Ducks sleepwalked through most of a game only to come out with a W at the end.  The first two drives saw UO start the scoring with a 49-yard field goal from PK Camden Lewis.  Cal would then go on top 7-3 on the ensuing possession.  The scoring was handled by TE Jake Tonges who snagged a nine-yard pass from QB Chase Garbers. Both teams then went into an offensive tailspin. Through all the failed fourth down attempts, turnovers and punts the game stood tied at the start off the fourth quarter at 10-10.  The tying scores were by UO RB Travis Dye who scored a TD for the Webfoots in the second period and a 45-yard FG from Cal PK Dario Longhetto. Oregon's offense had sputtered so much that the Autzen home crowd started booing the Quacks loudly after each unsuccessful possession.  The booing got worse when Cal forged ahead 17-10 on a four-yard TD connection from Garbers to TE Gavin Reinwald. Falling behind seemed to be the thing that finally woke up the Ducks. On their next two drives, the Quacks drove 62 yards and 70 yards for what would be the game-tying and winning scores. The two TDs came on a 20-yard reception by RB Jaylon Redd and an 11-yard run by QB Anthony Brown. The Golden Bears weren't dead yet. They had one last shot to send the game to overtime. Cal moved the ball down to the Oregon seven-yard line where they faced a 2nd and 3.  Cal then ran seven straight plays in the shadow of the goal line.  UO's defense repelled every shot taken at them and held on for the win.  Brown finished this Friday night game with completions on 20 of his 28 passes for 244 yards and a TD.  He also ran for a score.  Dye led all rushers with 145 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown too.  Garbers completed 25 of 43 aerials for 247 yards and two touchdowns in the hard luck loss

Telling Stat: 7 stops to Berkeley;  We ain't talking BART stops here. Oregon's seven defensive stops on the goal line kept the Ducks season and Pac 12's playoff hopes alive. 

Observations

...Rolo rolled out of Pullman;  WSU HC Nick Rolovich isn't the HC anymore after failing to comply with the state of Washington's employee vaccination requirement.  Four equally unvaxed assistants were also canned.  Here's the official video statement from WSU AD Patrick Chun. Rolo Out. Now here's the Wazzu printed press release

...Tennessee Tumult, Tosses and Stupidity;  Here's the bare bones on what transpired at Neyland Stadium when Tennessee fans lost their minds over the fact that they were going to lose to Ole Miss and former HC Lane Kiffin.  This story doesn't mention that Kiffin was hit with a golf ball that he then kept as a souvenir.  Nuts in Knoxville 

...Brewer-hoo;  Everyone associated with the Utah program has to wonder why QB Cameron Rising wasn't their starter from the start of this season over current transfer portal inhabitant, Charlie Brewer. 

...Worse than UConn;  Thanks to UConn's 21-15 nail-biter of a win over the Fighting Future Hedge Fund Managers from Yale, UNLV and Arizona are the only winless teams left in the FBS.

...The game just leveled up;  Michigan State is 7-0, but four of the last five games on their slate are v. Michigan, at Purdue, at TheeeOSU, and v. Penn State. 

...Get a turnover, take a pull;  Speaking of UNLV, the Rebels have maybe outdone every other school that has a celebration prop on the sidelines with this huge slot machine. One Armed Bandit

...He never listened to Crash;  UofA QB Gunner Cruz hurt his thumb against Colorado when he stiff armed a defender with his throwing hand. He's now out for the season and that leaves UofA with one scholarship QB. 

...In an Aztec state of mind;  SDSU is 6-0 and the best team in California.

...Under the bus;  First year Illinois HC Bret Bielema told everyone just how bad his team is in this presser yesterday. We stink!

...Not a great pair to draw to;  USC is ranked 79th in the nation in scoring defense allowing 27.33 points per game.  Who is ranked 78th?  Cal at 27.00 points per game.  Sigh.

...Lucky Dutch; Just follow this tweet and the photo below it to see just how close this Dutch soccer stadium came to a true disaster. One can away

...Gameday coming...to the Rose Bowl;  College Gameday will be at the Rose Bowl for Oregon -UCLA this week.  Just when I didn't think SC football could feel more irrelevant this year.  Facepalm. 

...A train helped row the boat;  Purdue's upset of Iowa suddenly gives Minnesota a good shot at winning the Big Ten West.  The Golden Gophers Don't face Michigan, Penn State or Michigan State from the East down the stretch and have already beaten Purdue. their game on 11/13 at Iowa will most likely decide the division crown.  

...Oh Canada!;  Huzzahs and Hip-Hip-Hoorays are in order for Simon Fraser University for picking up their first win in over two years with a 30-3 victory over Montana St. Northern.  Simon Fraser is the only Canadian University that plays football in the NCAA. 

...Academy trio;  There are 130 football teams in the FBS.  The three lowest ranked in terms of passing yards per game are Air Force, Army and Navy.  Gotta love that consistency. 

...A natty and gone;  To quote the great Andy Sargentee from the film The Amateurs, "The highs and lows in this business come very quickly."  That quote leads us to Coach O who will no longer be the HC at LSU just two years after leading the Bayou Bengals to the national title. Wow. No regrets

...Utterly disappointed;  I'm sad Army couldn't pull the upset at Wisconsin last week. I'm more sad that Army threw the ball six times. That's just way too many times. SMH.

...The excitement is building;  Can you feel it?  The big UTSA-UTEP showdown is only weeks away. 

...Rock bottom prices;  According to ESPN, you can get tickets for the Washington at Arizona game this week for nine bucks a pop. 

...Pac 12 after noon?;  Yes, there is a Friday night game in the Pac 12 this week, but all five Saturday Pac 12 contests kickoff before the sun sets in the west.  Three games are at 12:30 pm and two are at 4:30 pm Pacific Daylight Time.  Whoa. 

...Walker is a runner;  Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III is the leading ground gainer in the FBS with 997 yards rushing in seven games.

...The Visor is ice cold;  Not only did Lane Kiffin keep himself and his team cool during the whole incident at Neyland Stadium, he calmly caught the last thing thrown at him as he exited while his security forces ducked around him. Then later, he tweeted his clutch catch back into the face of Volunteer fans.  Throwing Savage Shade

Pac 12 Overreactions

Arizona will embarrass somebody instead of themselves one week.

Washington will loose the Apple Cup.

ASU still has another embarrassing loss coming up.

Cal will beat Stanford unless Mel Mothershed's crew is reffing the game.

USC shocked the experts and didn't lose to the bye week, but I hear that result is under further review.

Wazzu HC Nick Rolovich will last longer in Pullman than anybody thinks.

UCLA won't lose to Oregon.

Oregon State is Holiday Bowl bound.

Utah will play the no-respect card to a berth in the Pac 12 title game.

Colorado is happy for an FBS win.

Stanford wonders if Mel Mothershed has ghosted them . 

Oregon will start telling their team that kickoffs are an hour earlier than scheduled.

Ugly Uniform of the Week

The Florida Gators win for this all-orange look they wore at LSU.  They may call them throwbacks with some fondness,  but the older alums don't care for that look.  Way back when Charley Pell was named HC of the Gators prior to the 1979 season he changed the uniforms to this all-orange look.  Pell came from Clemson and UF fans were disgusted that their team had been made to look like Clemson. This intrepid reporter isn't a fan either. 

Departments 

Low Score Game of the Week: Geneva, NY- This week's game comes from the Liberty League in D-III.  The Hobart and William Smith Statesmen held on for a 10-9 win over the mighty Engineers of Renssselaer Polytechnic Institute. Nursing a 10-3 lead in the fourth quarter, the Statesmen gave up an 11-play, 48-yard drive that ended in a four-yard TD pass from RPI QB George Marinopolous to WR Vinnie McDonald. The ensuing PAT attempt was blocked by LB C.J. Calero. Hobart held the Engineers off the scoreboard the rest of the way for the win. RB Rayshawn Boswell gained 146 yards on 18 carries to power the Statesmen offense. 

Blowout Game of the Week: Deborah, IA- We stay in D-III with a game in the American Rivers Conference.  The Wartburg Knights walloped the Luther College Norse, 67-0.  Wartburg started off the scoring a little over minute into the game with a blocked punt return for a TD that started a scoring barrage that saw the Knights take a 47-0 lead into the half.  RB Hunter Clasen led all rushers with 135 yards on nine carries with a touchdown.  Wartburg as a team rushed for 310 yards and six TDs.  The Wartburg defense held other to -1 yard on the ground and just six first downs in the rout. 

Razorback Report:  Fayetteville, AR- Games are just not falling the Razorbacks way. Whether by bad plays, coaching decisions or poor officiating. The Hogs dropped a 38-21 game to Auburn they could have easily won.  Next up for Arkansas is a cupcake game v. Arkansas-Pine Bluff. 

A Farewell Note About My Dog...

This past Sunday at 6:17 PM I got the call from my daughter Julia.  Our dog Trekker II died.  She had a rough week or two with a fall, but seemed to be on the mend.  However, she went to sleep on Sunday and never woke up.  I, like the rest of the family, was devastated. Everyone who knows me, knows I was never a dog person. That part of me changed when I officially had two kids and a dog in my life when I got married in 2014.  Trekker never fetched, she was a herding dog.  She had a knack for stealing burgers and cookies and my heart.  After my car wreck in 2015, she stayed at my side as I healed from my injuries. She made a great companion on car rides around San Juan Capistrano and for walks in the neighborhood. I never knew what the phrase,"Happier than a dog with its' head out the window", meant until I saw Trekker on our car rides. I will miss miss you pups.  I hope you are now in a place where your head is out the window and you have plenty of burgers to eat and green grass to run on.  Rest peacefully, my big hearted friend. 

Trekker II 2010-2021

Until next week folks remember that things change, sometimes in ways you weren't really ready for.

-The Commissioner

Week Six

Hey all,

It sure was an exciting Saturday.  Notably less exciting if you're a Trojan fan.  As USC and by definition the Pac 12 slips into the depths of mediocrity, it's time for another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Tom Kelly.

Summaries

Utah 42- USC 26: Los Angeles, CA- So, it was another home game and another pathetic defensive effort by USC that led to another historic win by an opponent on the fabled Coliseum turf. It was Utah's turn to exercise a ghost v. USC by slapping the Trojans around for a full four quarters to grab their first win in LA since 1916.  USC's chuck and duck offense along worth an anemic rushing game produced just three points by the 8:22 mark of the second quarter.  Oh, USC had gained over 150 yards, but USC's inability to make key plays and a missed field goal left them trialing the Utes, 7-3.  USC then took the ball and did drive for their only lead of the game when Slovis connected with his tunnel vision target, WR Drake London from 20 yards away for a TD.  USC would never lead again.  Utah would go on a 28-0 run that covered then end of the first half and beginning of the second half to put the Trojans away.  The Utes score just before halftime seemed was the back breaker for USC.  With :17 left, the Utes had no timeouts and needed to gain a good 10-15 yards to get into FG range.  On 4th and 1 from the USC 37, the Trojans secondary fell for Utah's flea flicker and watched helplessly as WR Devaughn Vele hauled in a perfectly thrown TD pass.  The Trojans showed no heart in the second half as the only thing that could stop Utah was the Utes themselves.  QB Cameron Rising sliced and diced the SC secondary, completing 22 of 28 passes for 306 yards and three TDs while RB Tavion Thomas ran for 113 yards on 16 carries and a TD of his own.  For the hapless Trojans, Slovis completed 33 of 53 passes for 401 yards, two TDs and an interception. A good portion of Slovis' output came in garbage time. London caught 16 balls for 162 yards and a TD. 

Telling Stat: 11:47/28/4/267= Blowout;  In an 11:47 span of the second and third quarters, Utah scored 28 points on four drives that covered 267 yards to blow USC out of the Coliseum in impressive fashion.  

Washington State 31- Oregon State 24: Pullman, WA- This game ended up being a barn burner in the Palouse thanks to a failed gamble by the Beavers and some much needed defense at the right times by Wazzu.  Nursing a 10-3 lead to start the second half, OSU faced a 4th and 8 at the 50-yard line. OSU tried a fake punt. Punter Luke Loecher's pass fell incomplete and the Cougars took over at midfield.  Seven plays later, RB Max Borghi crossed the double stripe on a three yard run and the game stood tied at 10-10.  Wazzu then got that much needed defense.  The Beavers had taken the ensuing kickoff and marched down to Cougars eight-yard line.  On 3rd and 6, OSU QB Chance Nolan had his pass tipped and picked off by DE Brennan Jackson.  That interception ignited a scoring barrage that would see both teams trade TDs for the next five drives.  That would take the game to the 5:20 mark of the final period with WSU leading 31-24.  Oregon State then started what looked like another TD march, but the drive bogged down at the Wazzu 23-yard line.  On 4th and 19 from the 23, Nolan connected with RB Trey Lowe who took the desperation dump off pass and weaved his way through the the Cougars.  Lowe's great effort came up one yard short and Wazzu took over on downs within the shadow of their own end zone. A kneel down later and WSU had pulled off the upset. QB Jayden de Laura spearheaded the WSU offense completing 32 of 46 passes for 399 yards, three TDs and an interception.  OSU's offense was once again led by their rushing attack with RBs B.J. Baylor and Deshaun Fenwick both cracking the 100 yard mark.  Fenwick also scored two TDs to go with his yards. 

Telling Stat: 5 stops = W;  The much maligned Wazzu defense held Oregon State for downs three times and picked off two passes which was the difference in this game. 

Arizona State 28- Stanford 10: Tempe, AZ- Friday nights are usually pretty frightening for ranked Pac 12 teams over the years.  That was not the case this time as ASU ground out a win over the Cardinal in front of a rowdy Sun Devil Stadium crowd.  ASU opened the scoring with a nine-play, 87-yard drive that ended in a 51-yard scoring dash by QB Jayden Daniels. Stanford evened things on the ensuing possession thanks to a six-yard TD toss from QB Tanner McKee to WR Elijah Higgins. Not happy being tied, the Sun Devils marched 75 yards the next time they got the ball for a TD.  RB Rachaad White powered into the end zone from the six-yard line for a 14-7 ASU lead.  The boys from Tempe would never trail again.  After forcing a Cardinal punt, Sparky's kids drove 80 yards for another TD to take a 21-7 with 10:24 to play in the second quarter. The score came on a 22-yard reverse by WR Elijah Badger.  Both defenses took over with Stanford generating the only offensive score for the remainder of the game when PK Ryan Sanborn split the uprights from 32 yards away to cut the Cardinal deficit to 21-10 with 7:34 left in the third period.  While ASU's offense sputtered over the final 39 minutes or so of the game, their defense did the work to secure the win.  With 2:38 left in the third quarter, DB Jack Jones picked off McKee, then pitched it back to fellow DB DeAndre Pierce, son of ASU DC Antonio Pierce, who weaved his way 27 yards to paydirt.  That score gave ASU a 28-10 lead.  Stanford would gain yards, but never would never seriously  threaten to score again. Daniels had another good dual threat night, completing 14 of 23 passes for 175 yards and rushing 13 times for 76 yards and a score.  White led all rushers with 96 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown.  McKee was Stanford's offense. He completed 27 of 45 tosses for 356 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions.  

Telling Stat:  One dimension is the wrong dimension;  Stanford was held to 32 yards rushing by Arizona State. Forced to rely on the pass, the Cardinal folded under ASU's pass rush and tight coverage that produced three turnovers and a score. 

UCLA 31- Arizona 16: Tucson, AZ- Just how would the bRuins bounce back from being smacked around at home last week?  They turned to their ground game to put away the pesky winless Wildcats. UCLA did look vulnerable to an upset when QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson was picked off just before halftime by UofA S Gunnar Maldonado. The Wildcats didn't turn that pick into points, but they did go into the intermission trialing by a just single point at 14-13.  The teams traded field goals to start the third period.  It was here with UCLA leading 17-16 that their defense took over the game, while the offense just kept pounding the ball on the ground.  Thompson-Robinson capped off a nine-play 75-yard drive with a four yard TD scamper to extend the bRuins lead to 24-16.  With 7:48 left to play, UCLA put the game out of reach when RB Brittain Brown raced untouched through the Wildcat defense for a 48-yard touchdown.  The bRuins forced a UofA fumble on the next possession and the capped off the scoring with PK Nicholas Barr-Mira's second FG of the night.  It was good from 43 yards out.  Brown and RB Zack Charbonnet both cracked the century mark on the ground and Thompson-Robinson collected two scores with his legs.  For the still winless Wildcats, QB Jordan McCloud completed 21 of 30 passes for 182 yards and ran for 21 more on eight carries.

Telling Stat: Second half shutdown; UCLA held Arizona to a measly three points in the second half while forcing two turnovers and recording three sacks in this win in the desert. 

Observations

...Another choice;  Here's my wife's selection of fictional football HC to be USC's next leader.  She picked coach Molly McGrath from Wildcats.  We know coach McGrath can take a bad team and make them better.  That makes her worth a shot. My wife also said that the cheerleaders from the movie have to come with her. 

...Just a rumor;  There is no truth to the rumor that USC is a seven point underdog to their bye week. 

...Even worse in Tucson;  UofA QB Jordan McCloud who had taken the starting QB job from Gunner Cruz will now miss the rest of the season after suffering ankle and knee injuries v. UCLA. Done

...Schadenfreude really is fun;  Watching Oklahoma comeback to rip the heart out of Texas and their HC Steve "Cutty Sark" Sarkisian felt really good.

...Bayou Blues;  Sadness reigns in Baton Rouge where LSU was listed as a possible trap game for Kentucky last Saturday.  There was no trap as the Wildcats crushed LSU, 42-21. 

...Forking the competition;  ASU has the best defense in the Pac 12.

...Fiesta for Utah;  As you know by now, Utah got their first win over USC in Los Angeles since 1916.  That was five years before construction on the Coliseum commenced and seven years before the USC ever set foot in the Coliseum to beat Pomona on October 6th, 1923.  So where did SC play their home games in 1916?  According to the USC media guide, HC Dean Cromwell's Trojans played their home games at Fiesta Park.  Fiesta Park was located at 12th and Grand in downtown L.A. Fiesta Park operated from 1894-1916 and hosted everything from the L.A. Auto show to horse races to soccer and the Fiesta de Los Angeles that featured an annual parade and a celebration of springtime.  The Fiesta de Los Angeles was discontinued during World War I and the grandstands were transported to USC's Bovard Field.  

...Where have you gone, John McKay;  After losing 37-19 to Tennessee last Sunday, The Jacksonville Jaguars losing streak stands at 20 games. They are just a handful of losses away from tying the dubious mark of 26 straight losses set by the 1976-77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

...This just in; UNLV stinks.  The Rebels are 0-5 and have been outscored 182-93 this seasons. They are just thankful that UConn grabs all the worst team of 2021 headlines. 

...This week's sign of the Trojan football apocalypse;  I should have known it was gonna be a bad evening for USC when I arrived at my seat in the Coliseum and saw there was large pile of animal crap (at least I hope it was animal crap), halfway down our row. I've seen a lot of things at the Coliseum since 1974, but I'd never seen that.  That pile seems to sum up USC's efforts at home this year perfectly.  

...Shoutout for up north;  Monday was Thanksgiving Day in Canada.  The holiday goes back to 1879  in order to celebrate the bounty of the harvest and other blessings.  American Thanksgiving is pretty much the northern version food-wise, except that roast beef and ham find their way to Canadian tables along with turkey.  Also, a great deal more fall vegetables like several varieties of squashes and yams are consumed. 

...There's no crying in baseball; However, there was a whole lot of whining over the ground rule double that "cost" the Rays a run in extra innings v, the Red Sox  in game three of the ALDS.  The rule has been on the books for forever.  It happens a couple of times every year at least, it just happened to occur in the playoffs this time.   

...Didn't see that coming;  In two weeks the matchup of the year in C-USA could feature undefeated UTSA v. one loss UTEP. Wow. 

...Not gutsy;  If you're a well-liked HC like Arkansas HC Sam Pittman, you get praise for going for two against Ole Miss last week.  He was called gutsy for the move.  It wasn't gutsy, it was stupid.  This ain't 1986, it's 2021. He should have just kicked the PAT and headed to OT. SMH!

...Ivy down the road; Looking forward to Dartmouth at Harvard on 10/30.  I think that will be the game that decides the title in the Ancient Eight. 

...Franklin my dear, I don't give damn;  This intrepid reporter is getting sick of hearing about how Penn State HC James Franklin is the lead candidate for the USC job.  One, the guy has won just one Big Ten title in eight years. Two, his teams fail on the road against ranked opponents.  Lastly, The dude lost to Clay Helton in the 2017 Rose Bowl.  Seriously, the man watched his team blow a two touchdown lead in the fourth quarter to Clay Helton! Facepalm. 

...A tale of two backups;  Oklahoma backup QB Caleb Williams subbed in for the struggling Spencer Rattler and led the Sooners to an incredible comeback win over Texas. Williams accounted for 300 yards of offense and three TDs.  Meanwhile, Penn State's Ta'Qua Robinson subbed in for injured starter Sean Clifford and had an awful day.  He did run for a TD, but threw two interceptions, overthrew many receivers and looked lost on the field.  He also couldn't get the offense ready to snap the ball, as the Nittany Lions committed eight false starts with Robinson at QB. Three of those false starts occurred in a row on his first series in the game. 

...Incognito Sparty;  Their schedule has been pretty weak, but Michigan State is 6-0 and seems to be improving each week under HC Mel Tucker.  

...The old ballgame;  Man, I love October baseball.  Playoff games bathed in beautiful fall daylight are a great treat.

...No route 101 on their map;  Alabama's upset at the hands of Texas A&M snapped a 100-game winning streak against unranked opponents for the Crimson Tide. 

...So long, Kevin;  Georgia Southern DT Kevin Whitley has been removed from the team after this public display of stupidity.  Idiot

...Air Raid is junk food;  I heard this about the stats of air raid QBs and thought it was brilliant.  Air Raid QBs pile up an incredible amount of stats no matter what happens in the game.  Those stats were compared to junk food.  They're just empty calories.  

CFL Update 

It ain't a great year for The Commissioner as even his CFL team stinks.  The Edmonton Elks are 2-6 and firmly entrenched in last place in the CFL West.  The mighty Winnipeg Blue Bombers are still running away with the division with an 8-1 mark.  The Toronto Argonauts hold a slim one game lead over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL East.  I now will make another shameless plug for the folks at 3 Down Nation for their great coverage of the league of the frozen north. CFL Eh! 

Pac 12 overreactions 

USC is a 3-9 team.

Arizona will beat USC.

The Pac 12 South is ASU's to lose.

Utah is a an 8-4 team.

Oregon State has reverted to form and will finish 7-5.

UCLA will lose to Washington by 14 points.

Colorado won't score more than 17 points in any game on their remaining schedule.

Cal will almost win the rest of their games.

Stanford will only go as far as the Pac 12 refs will take them.

Oregon wonders why nobody is talking about them. 

Wazzu will make the inaugural Los Angeles Bowl.

Washington fans will never understand why a GA was promoted to DC.

Ugly Uniform off the Week

Kent State wins for this athletic gold ensemble.  It's bad to be West Virginia and wear that awful all athletic gold uniform, it's worse to be Kent State and imitate it.  Yuk. 

 

Departments 

Best Game Nobody Saw This Week: Silver City, NM- The Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds were down as much as 17 points, but managed to pull of an epic comeback with two TDs in the final minute to beat the Western New Mexico Mustangs, 50-47.  The game that is named the Green Chile Bowl provided more punch than a good green chile burrito.  There were 97 points scored despite the first score not coming until the 1:55 mark of the first period. ENMU RB Justin Mayfield ran for 234 yards on just 16 carries and two TDs while his QB, Nathan Valencia completed 24 of 34 throws for 329 yards and five TDs.  For the hard luck Mustangs, QB Devin Larsen completed 23 of 40 passes for 294 yards and five TDs.  

Blowout Game of the Week: Odessa, TX- It was Oilfield Night at Ratliff Stadium.  Yes, the same Ratliff Stadium made famous in the book and subsequent movie and TV show all named Friday Night Lights.  This time the lights were on Saturday as the University of Texas Permian Basin Falcons wiped out the Lincoln University Oaklanders, 75-0.  Never heard of either school? Neither had this intrepid reporter. UTPB  became a school in 1973 and their football program has been around since 2015, while Lincoln University has been around since 1919, but this is their first year on the gridiron.  A 99-yard punt return for a TD on the opening kickoff by RB Jayvon Davis set the tone for the game.  The Falcons would rush for 317 yards and five TDs, while the defense scored on two interception returns. QB Suddin Sapien threw for two TDs and ran for one more to lead the Falcons attack. 

Razorback Report: Oxford, MS-  What a heart stopper of game it was at Ole Miss.  The Razorbacks fell 52-51 to the Rebels thanks to a poor decision to go for two at then end of the game instead of kicking the PAT to send the game to OT.  Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson had himself and incredible day.  He completed 25 of 35 passes for 326 yards and three TDs. He also ran for 85 yards on 20 carries with three more TDs on the ground. Up next for the Hogs is a home date with the Auburn Tigers. 

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Notably cooler mornings have announced that fall intends to stay awhile.

Halloween decorations may actually be purchased this year.

Rose is Rose is a pretty cool comic strip.

Until next time remember that aren't any quick fixes for a team that lacks heart.

-The Commissioner 

Week Five

 Hey all,

As the Pac 12 moves into its' annual downward spiral that leads to missing the playoffs yet again, here's another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Loel Schrader. 

USC 37- Colorado 14: Boulder, CO-  After being embarrassed last week at home by Oregon State, the Trojans took to the road against perennial Pac 12 doormat Colorado and got a much needed win.  The USC passing offense resembled a game of three flies up.  Trojan receivers didn't get much separation form the Buffs secondary but used their size and leaping advantage to make catches and gain yards.  WR Drake London was once again QB Kedon Slovis' favorite target.  He hauled in nine passes for 130 yards with an amazing one-handed TD grab that gave SC a 10-0 lead late in the first period. USC extended their lead to 20-0 midway through the second period on a 46-yard TD catch and run from WR Michael Trigg and a 44-yard FG from PK Parker Lewis.  Colorado cut SC's lead to 20-7 right before the half on a one-yard TD run by RB Deion Smith. CU was able to take advantage of a short field after SC RB Keaontay Ingram fumbled on SC's 48-yard line.  The Buffs would never get any closer to the Trojans.  USC methodically took the Sons of Ralphie out of the game in the second half. The Trojans would score 17 points off three CU turnovers to put the game away.  USC also helped drain the second half clock with their rushing game.  Yes folks, USC actually ran the ball well. The Trojans rushed for 218 yards on 35 carries for a nifty 6.22 yards per carry average.  Ingram led all rushers with 124 yards on 14 carries.  Defensively, SC shutdown CU's offense holding the Buffaloes to 242 total yards.  However,  CU QB Brendon Lewis racked up his largest passing total of the year, connecting on 10 of 17 tosses for 162 yards and one touchdown.  

Telling Stat: Can't convert, can't run, can't win; USC held Colorado to 1 of 10 on third down conversions, and just 2.2 yards per carry ensuring that the Buffs would not come close to a win against the Trojans. 

Washington State 21- California 6: Berkeley, CA-  One play defined this game and maybe this season for the Golden Bears.  Trailing, 7-6 in the first quarter, Cal forced Wazzu to punt.  The Punt was blocked by Cal defender Nick Alfiti.  Wazzu up-man Ron Stone, Jr.  picked up the blocked kick and ran for a Cougars first down. WSU continued the drive and tacked on a TD to take a 14-6 lead.  The Golden Bears then held Wazzu to one score the rest of the way, but could never get their offense going and fell to defeat in Strawberry Canyon.  Cal did generate a few good drives, but they were held for downs three times and turned the ball over once.  WSU didn't put together a great game, but they were that little bit better than Cal. WSU QB Jayden de Laura completed 25 of 41 passes for 219 yards with three TDs and two interceptions.   Cal's Chase Garbers completed 14of 30 aerials for 152 yards and an interception in the tough loss. 

Telling Stat: 52:16 for the win;  Wazzu's much maligned defense held Cal's sputtering offense scoreless for the final 52:16 in this snoozer of a contest. 

Arizona State 42- UCLA 23: Pasadena,CA- This game was billed as a shootout of a contest that would challenge stat keepers abilities and cause some lights to blowout on the scoreboard. The second quarter lived up to that billing.  The first quarter was a stalemate and the second half belonged to the Sun Devils.  The first quarter saw the schools trade field goals after drives stalled on each other's goal lines.  The second quarter saw things pick up as UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson capped off a 75-yard drive with a TD pass to WR Kyle Phillips. ASU answered back in seven plays when RB DeaMonte Trayanum scampered into the end zone from six yards out. UCLA went back ahead, 20-17 with a 21-yard FG by PK Nicholas Barr-Mira after their drive lost momentum on the ASU three-yard line. The Sun Devils would take the lead for good when QB Jayden Daniels hooked upon with WR Ricky Pearsall for a 54-yard catch and run touchdown.  UCLA cut their halftime deficit to just one with a 26-yard FG from Barr-Mira on the final play of the first half.  ASU came out in the second half and reduced the bRuin offense to a lone serious scoring threat in the final 30 minutes.  The Sun Devils extended their lead when RB Rachaad White took off through the bRuin line and rumbled 49 yards to paydirt.  Trayanum would knife into the end zone to tack on the two-point conversion.  ASU led 32-23.  UCLA tried to mount a comeback, but the ASU defense played great modern defense.  They allowed yards, but basically choked off most of the bRuins potential extra yardage with sure tackling and at least two men on every ball carrier.  ASU's biggest defensive play of the game came when they stopped Thompson-Robinson on fourth and goal from the two with 13:35 left to play. The Sun Devils offense then went into long march mode against the tired bRuin defense. They marched 96 yards in 11 plays.  White had the honor of putting the bRuins away when he crossed the double stripe from a yard out.  ASU would add a late FG to make the final score 42-23. Daniels had a fine game for ASU, completing 13 of 19 passes for 286 yards and two TDs. He also ran for 45 yards on six carries.  White and Trayanum combined for 126 yards rushing on 25 carries and three TDs.  Thompson-Robinson completed 21 of 32 tosses for 235 yards and a TD.  He also ran the ball 19 times for 96 yards in the loss.

Telling Stat: Can't do it alone = 18-0;  The Arizona State defense systematically took weapons away from UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson and forced him to beat them by himself.  He couldn't.  That's why ASU shutout UCLA 18-0 in the second half. 

Oregon State 27- Washington 24: Corvallis, OR- Last year's game between these two teams came down to a flat out awful spot by Pac 12 officials.  A spot that cost the Beavers a first and goal and helped UW to a 27-21 win.  This year, the spot was correct and the Huskies poor execution cost them the game at Reser Stadium. This game was played tight with each squad trying to muscle the other into submission. The Dawgs were up 24-17 with 6:35 left in the fourth quarter when Oregon State RB B.J Baylor dashed 27 yards for a TD to tie the game. UW's next drive stalled at their own 46-yard line.  Facing a fourth and one, the Huskies gambled and lost.  QB Dylan Morris was stopped short on a sneak.  The measurement showed   he was indeed short and that almost brought the house down in Corvallis. Four plays later, OSU had a 1st and 10 at the Huskies 20-yard line. With 1:26 left, the Dawgs decided to lay down and let the Beavers score to get the ball back for one last shot to send the game to OT.  It didn't work.  RB Deshaun Fenwick only got to the eight-yard line before going going down.  The OSU coaches spotted the lay down and then refused to take the easy TD after that play. The Beavers then just used the next three plays to drain UW's remaining two time outs and the clock.  With :03 left, PK Everett Hayes made a 24-yard FG to lift OSU to victory. Baylor led the Beavers attack with 111 yards rushing on 20 carries and two touchdowns. RB Sean McGrew toted the rock 16 times for 104 yards and two scores in the loss for Washington.

Telling Stat: No air required;  Oregon State beat Washington despite completing only seven passes for 48 yards.  

Stanford 31- Oregon 24 OT: Palo Alto, CA- Oregon once again played to the level of their competition.  This time that dangerous trait went along with a clock management error and those pesky Pac 12 refs to cost the Quacks a game. The Cardinal built up a 10-0 lead in the first period.  A 25-yard FG by PK Joshua Karty and an 18-yard TD pass from QB Tanner McKee to WR Brycen Tremayne were the scores.  UO cut the deficit to 10-7 on a a 3-yard TD gallop by QB Anthony Brown a few seconds into the second quarter.  Stanford would take a 17-7 lead into the intermission When RB Isaiah Sanders crashed into the end zone from two yards out. The Webfoots woke up in the third quarter.  A one-yard TD run from 47th year senior C.J.Verdel and a 22-yard FG from PK Camden Lewis sent the game to the final stanza tied at 17-17.  The Ducks defense had shutdown Stanford, allowing just one first down in the second half.  So, it was no surprise, when UO seemed to go ahead for good.  Brown did the honors with his second rushing TD of the game. After forcing another Stanford punt, it looks like UO would run out the clock and escape Palo Alto with the win. However, a funny thing happened on the way to 5-0 .  With 2:11 to play and and facing a 2nd and 18 at the Cardinal 47, the Ducks threw a pass instead of making Stanford burn a timeout with a run call. The pass fell incomplete.  SU then stuffed the next play, a running play, and used their second timeout.  After the Ducks punt. Stanford had a 1st and 10 at their own 13 with 1:53 left to play and one timeout left. The Cardinal then drove the for the tying score with a little help from bad Duck decisions and the refs.  The Ducks gave Stanford 30 yards in penalties to help them move down the field.  Both penalties were the norm for calls of targeting and roughing the passeer.  The roughing call wasn't much of a hit, but anytime the QB takes a short to the face, the flag will fly. Six plays later, the Cardinal faced a fourth and goal at the Ducks 4-yard line.  Mckee's pass fell incomplete as time ran out. Game over? No, there was a flag.  Oregon was called for defensive holding in the end zone. Crazy thing is that the DBs from both teams had "aggressively covered" receivers with impunity until that play.  McKee calmly threw a TD pass to WR Elijah Higgins on the extra untimed down to send the game to OT.  In the OT, Stanford had the ball first and covered the 25 yards in six plays with McKee connecting with WR John Humphries for 14-yard scoring strike. UO's offense looked completely lost in their half of the OT. Brown's fourth down pass was caught out of bounds and Stanford had the upset win.  McKee was the Stanford offense.  He completed 20 of 36 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns.  Brown threw for just 186 yards, but ran the ball 12 times for 35 yards and two scores. 

Telling Stat: 1 pass for the L;  With as many things that did happen in this game, Oregon's choice to pass on their last drive in regulation instead of making Stanford burn all their timeouts cost them the game. 

Observations

...One last score;  My next fictional HC choice for USC is Nate Scarboro from the Mean Machine in The Longest Yard (1974).  Ol' Nate can coach 'em up and even give you a clutch TD catch.  He also knows just how much every single game matters. 

...Time waster; If you want spend a few fun minutes running your mouse around a website, go here. Rocky

...Just a rumor;  There was not a SigAlert in Pasadena late Saturday night.  It was just that the streets around the Rose Bowl were clogged for a few minutes while bRuin "fans" were busy jumping off the UCLA bandwagon.  

...Pac 12 style; The Big XII might just implode like the Pac 12 does every year.  

...17;  This intrepid reporter was just 17 years old the last time Kentucky beat Florida in Lexington.  

...Feeling Columbus;  Colorado HC Karl Dorrell tapped into his inner Woody Hayes and shoved a photojournalist's camera down after Dorell's Buffaloes fell to USC last Saturday.  CU AD Rick George apologized for the incident.  Woody is smiling

...Spanning the globe;  This week's online newspaper reads included the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Roanoke.com and the El Paso Herald Post.

...Illegal use of Urban; Urban Meyer's antics in an Ohio bar got him caught for Backfield in Motion.  Just ask Mel & Tim. First link is to the story. Not smart. Second link is to the old song for a MoTown Tuesday feel. Throw that flag  

...1-2 baby blues; UCLA is now 1-2 since Classes began in Westwood. Hmmmmmmmm

...Flag 12; even with the UW-OSU game only seeing five flags thrown for 29 yards, the league still averaged 13 penalties for 116 yards per game. Wow. 

...Just beautiful;  Especially on a perfect fall afternoon, Boulder has to be one of the prettiest locations to play a game in all of college football. 

...Hoping for more;  Let's hope the Penn State- Iowa game lives up the hype it will receive this week. A repeat of 2003's  6-4 Iowa win would be pretty boring. 

...Let the big men eat; VaTEch's offensive line grabbed the coolest NIL deal ever. BBQ!!!!!!!!!

...Car, corndogs or chicken;  During a game, ASU HC Herman Edwards' facial expression looks like he's either the old guy at the mall who can't remember where he parked his car or the old guy in the food court who can't decide between Chick-Fil-A or Hot Dog on a Stick.  

...They stand alone;  Oregon State sits alone in first place in the Pac 12 North.  

...Miners doin' work;  Mighty UTEP is 4-1 and 1-0 in C-USA play after a 28-21 win over Old Dominion. The win over the Monarchs snapped a 15-game conference losing streak for the boys with the pickaxes. 

...Holding that Tiger;  If the ACC title game was this week it would feature Wake Forest v. Pitt.

...5-0 but those pants;  Michigan thumped Wisconsin to go to 5-0, but man those blue pants gotta go.  Michigan without a lot of maize just doesn't look like Michigan.  

...The Toilet Bowl is real;  This week 0-6 UConn will take on 0-6 Umass. 

...Time for a new sport;  Indiana QB Michael Penix Jr. suffered a separated throwing shoulder against Penn State.  It could be his fourth season ending injury in four seasons at IU. 

...Junkyard Dawgs;  Georgia has scored more points on defense than they have allowed this year. 

...London calling; Enjoy this epic photo of SC's Drake London making a great one-handed catch for a TD v. Colorado.

Pac 12 Overreactions

UCLA is a 7-5 team.

Utah is just happy to play televised games. 

Arizona will lose 62-7 to UCLA.

USC will eventually find other receivers than Drake London.

Colorado will fire Karl Dorrell at the end of the season.

Cal is a 1-11 team.

Oregon State will win the Pac 12.

Washington is Sun Bowl bound.

Arizona State will drop two very winnable games down the stretch.

Stanford's game at Oregon State on 11/13 will decide the Pac 12 North.

Oregon fans will be discussing clock management for years.

Wazzu still has no offense.

Cool Helmet of the Week: 

Arizona State broke out these red iridescent helmets v. UCLA and they were pretty great looking.

Departments 

Low Score Game of the Week: Indianapolis, IN-  This week's game featured a real dogfight in the Pioneer League of the FCS.  The visiting Drake Bulldogs held on for a 6-3 win over the Butler Bulldogs. The first half of this game was played in a steady rain.  Butler PK J.J. Waddas generated the only scoring in the first half with a 40-yard FG with 1:37 left in the second quarter.  Trailing 3-0, Drake RB Robinson Cross put the only TD of the game on the board when he galloped in from four yards out with 4:53 left in the third period.  Butler threatened on the ensuing drive to retake the lead, but Drake DT Max Johnson forced Butler QB Nick Orlando to fumble on the Butler one-yard line.  LB Declan Carr recovered that fumble in the end zone for a touchback. Butler's offense wouldn't cross midfield again.  Drake improved to 1-1 in league play with the hard fought win.

Blowout Game of the Week: Slippery Rock, PA- This week's game comes from D-II. In a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference contest,  Slippery Rock demolished Clarion College, 75-0.  QB Andrew Koester completed 20 of 22 passes for 328 yards and five TDs to help Slippery Rock build up a 55-0 halftime lead. Keoster's backup, Noah Giver wasn't too bad either.  All he did was complete 11 of 13 passes for 114 yards and two scores in mop up duty. 

Razorback Report: Athens, GA- The Hogs had an absolutely awful day at Georgia. A miserable first quarter was all it took for Arkansas to fall behind, 21-0 en route to a 37-0 beating. Now the Hogs move onto next week, where they will travel to Ole Miss to take on Lane Kiffin's Rebels.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are still my favorite candy, but Twix still holds a solid second place for me. 

I think the folks at the corporate levels of Trade Joe's have an underlying belief that all TJ's have to be put in areas with the worst parking lots possible. 

The Family Circus is still one of the best comics ever to grace the comics section.  

Until next time folks, remember that just because your team beat a lousy team it doesn't mean that your team is getting any better. 

-The Commissioner