Hey All,
We have reached the end. The end of what felt like the longest, lamest season in USC football history. Let's take one more look back at the weekend that was with one final 2021 edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Alan Malamud.
Summaries
California 24- USC 14: Berkeley, CA- This afterthought of a game was played in front of a sparse crowd that was largely made up of Cal students, both marching bands and folks who had to find a way to use their non-refundable plane tickets from a few weeks ago. The game itself was another frustrating affair as the Trojans dominated almost every statistical category yet came away yet again with a defeat. USC QB Jaxson Dart had decent game until the 7:07 mark of the third period with USC down 17-7. That's when he decided to run with the ball deep in Cal territory. He was leveled by a pair of Cal defenders. Dart left the game with an apparent concussion. As he was being helped off the field, he looked as if had no idea what stadium he was in. USC failed to score on the drive, botching a fourth down snap on the Cal three-yard line and then blew another red zone possession when backup QB Miller Moss fumbled while being sacked. Cal QB Chase Garbers then led the Golden Bears down the field for the game-clinching score. RB Chris Brooks had the honor of finishing off USC when he walked into the end zone from two yards out. Moss would then get the ball and lead a touchdown drive for the Men of Troy. He connected with WR K.D. Nixon from 16 yards out for the final score of the game and subsequently, the Pac 12 regular season. Brooks provided the scoring punch for Cal. He gained 49 yards on 14 carries with two TDs. Garbers completed 18 of 21 passes for 177 yards for the Golden Bears. As for the hapless Trojans, Dart and Moss Combined to complete 25 of 39 passes for 265 yards and two scores. RB Vavae Malepeai gained 107 yards on 18 carries to lead all rushers.
Telling Stat: -2+ 0/2+7= L; USC was -2 in turnovers, 0 for 2 in field goal attempts and scored only seven points in the red zone despite multiple trips to the red zone. Those three things cost USC a winnable game at Cal.
Pac 12 Championship Game : Utah 38- Oregon 10: Las Vegas, NV- For the last few weeks after being crushed in Salt Lake City by Utah, 38-7, it had been reported how Oregon was going to get revenge and trounce the Utes in the Pac 12 title game if given the chance. After all that bluster all we got last Friday in Sin City was a rematch of a mismatch. Utah physically dominated the Quacks again to claim their school's first Pac 12 title and berth in that Grandaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl. UO seemed disinterested in the game from the opening kickoff. Meanwhile, Utah built a 23-0 halftime lead on a two-yard TD blast from RB Tavion Thomas, a 34-yard pick six from LB Devin Lloyd, an 11-yard pass from QB Cameron rising to TE Dalton Kincaid and a 50-yard FG from PK Jadon Redding. The Utes would tack on two more scores on a four-yard TD run from RB T.J. Pledger and another short burst by Thomas. UO would finally cross the double stripe on a two-yard run form RB Travis Dye well after Utah fans had started placing Rose Bowl ticket orders. Thomas had a fine night, rushing for 63 yards and two TDs on 18 carries. As for the whipped Webfoots, Dye led all, rushers with 82 yards on 15 carries and that consolation score.
Telling Stat: 76-17; In their two games this season, Utah has outscored the Ducks, 76-17. In just the first half of both games, Utah whipped UO, 51-0.
Observations
...Can't see it; How the heck did Oregon go into Columbus and beat the Buckeyes this year?
...Utah State of mind; It sure has been a great year for the Beehive State on the gridiron. Utah is the Pac 12 Champion, Utah State is the Mountain West Champion and BYU is 10-2 with wins over both Utah and Utah State. Oh, and one of BYU's two losses is to Big 12 Champion, Baylor.
...Grounded Ducks; UO QB Anthony Brown has to be the worst Oregon QB since Norv Turner.
...He is right; I can't stand stand announcer Tim Brando, but the guy nailed it on the head when he went on a rant during the SC game about how awful the early singing day is for college football. It has caused a lot of chaos and needs to be eliminated
...Annie was right; The sun did come out Tomorrow. It's a new day at USC. It's time to sweep the last vestiges of the Clay Helton era into the dust bin of history and let hope take hold for a brighter football future under new HC Lincoln Riley. Fight On!
...A huge sell job; After HC Brian Kelly's abrupt departure, Notre Dame moved swiftly in promoting DC Marcus Freeman Toit he top job. Freeman had only been on ND's staff for this season and the PR people in South Bend have launched a massive campaign to sell their fan base on Freeman. Every day there's a new article or video telling folks how amazing he is. Oh, we will find out good he is right off the bat. ND hosts TheeeOSU to start the season.
...He's taking his talents to Coral Gables; One of the worst kept secrets in college football over the past few weeks was Mario Cristobal's expected return to his alma mater, Miami. Now he's left UO and Manny Diaz is out as the HC of the 'Canes. Bye Bye Manny Hello Mario
...More Mario; Evidently Mario Cristobal was offered a big contract extension by UO right before the Pac 12 title game and he declined to sign. Word is that made Phil Knight err uh UO very unhappy. As usual, Pac 12 columnist and Oregon honk John Canzano had the story. Uncle Phil Mad
...Hail to the Victors Valiant; It was pretty cool to watch the Wolverines smash Iowa for the Big Ten title. This intrepid reporter is also now looking forward to watching the Maize and Blue take on Georgia in the Orange Bowl.
...Dude is excited; Arkansas HC Sam Pittman is so excited to take his Razorbacks to the Outback Bowl that he ended his Zoom interview about the bowl game with, "Go Hogs! Bloomin' Onions, baby!"
...Not since Coryell; Not since the days when Don Coryell was the HC has San Diego State had this big a chance to become a power in their conference. Throw in a new yard to play in SD starting next year and the Aztecs could easily own the town with no Chargers around.
...A game of inches; If the end of the Big 12 title game didn't live up to that old saying, then nothing can.
...They can't wait for that first Big 12 meeting; BYU has a pretty darn good resume as mentioned above, but what does that great season get them for being an independent school with no bowl-tie ins? The Independence Bowl. Facepalm.
...The Pirate and his ex; HC Mike Leach will lead his Mississippi State squad against Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl. I wonder if Craig James will make an appearance. Hmmmm
...Flash against Crash; I'm really looking forward to the Sugar Bowl where Ole Miss will take on Baylor.
...They took off the tag; In all the hubbub last week, I was remiss in not mentioning that Jake Dickert had his interim HC tag removed and is now the full-time HC at Washington State. Gotta love a guy that wears the old classic plain Wazzu W cap.
...Four letter hypocrisy; Hearing Kirk Herbstreit and other ESPN talking heads praise the playoff committee for placing Cincinnati in the playoff was sickening. Other G5 teams have had great seasons before and were shafted by the committee. The prime proponent of the shafting was ESPN. We all know one thing for sure. If one of 12-0 Cincinnati's wins wasn't over 11-1 Notre Dame, we'd all have seen the Fighting Irish make the playoff.
...Annual plea; There is one last game remaining in the FBS regular season. Army and Navy renew their great rivalry this coming Saturday. It is the battle of brothers. Brothers who have chosen to serve and come together for each other on greater battlefields than just a gridiron. The pageantry is amazing from the march in of both Cadets and Midshipmen to the annual prisoner exchange to the many reunions of the kids and their families who have not seen each other in months. So, I say tune in and watch a great piece of Americana. On, Brave Old Army Team Anchors Aweigh, Marine Battle Hymn
Pac 12 Overreactions
USC is hoping for a big stocking full of flipped recruits for an early Christmas present.
Utah just realized they aren't getting an allotment off 80,000 Rose Bowl tickets.
Oregon just wonders how Uncle Phil lost Mario.
Bowl Games
Here's the Pac 12's Bowl Slate
12/18- Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl- Utah State v. Oregon State
12/28- Holiday Bowl- UCLA v. NC State
12/29- Alamo Bowl- Oregon v. Oklahoma
12/30- Las Vegas Bowl- Wisconsin v. Arizona State
12/31- Sun Bowl- Washington State v. Miami
1/1/2022- Rose Bowl- Utah v. Ohio State
CFL Update
After a rousing pair of games, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will take on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 108th Grey Cup at Tim Horton's Field in Hamilton, Ontario. The Ti-Cats got to the Grey Cup by upsetting the Toronto Argonauts, 27-19 in the Eastern Final and Winnipeg came from behind to knock off the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Western Final to punch their tickets to the big game. The guys at 3 Down Nation do a great job covering the CFL. Give 'em a look, eh. CFL!
Cool Uniform off the Week
San Diego State got smashed in the Mountain West Championship Game, but man they have rocked these cool uniforms for good year or two. The epic Aztec design on the helmets alone is pretty legendary.
Departments
Close Game of the Week: Sacramento, CA- The Big Sky Champion Sacramento State Hornets saw their title dreams fade as they fell to the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, 24-19 in the second round of the FCS playoffs. SDSU jumped out to a 24-3 half-time lead over the Hornets. Sac State made a valiant comeback in the second half, but just couldn't get out of that halftime hole. RB Isaiah Davis paced the Jackrabbits with 108 yards and two TDs on 19 carries. Sac State's Jake Dunniway completed 26 of 43 passes for 331 yards, a TD and two costly interceptions in the tough loss.
Blowout Game of the Week: Naperville, IL- This game comes from the D-III Quarterfinals where the North Central Cardinals structurally dismantled the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers, 55-6. Cardinals RB Nathan Greenfield rushed for 143 yards on 20 carries with two TDs while backfield mate QB Luke Lehnen competed 13 of 17 passes for 197 yards and three TDs. North Central's reward for crushing the Engineers is a semi-final date with Mighty Mount Union.
Razorback Report: The Hogs are going bowling! Arkansas will take on Penn State in the Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on January 1st. Woo Pig Sooiee!
This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...
Putting up Christmas decorations has been fun this year.
Trader Joe's Chocolate covered Joe's Joe's still rock.
Fog horns fill the air here most days this time year and it just feels right.
Time to say good-bye until 2022
I am always grateful to everyone who reads and contributes to this blog each year. The games come and go, wins and losses pile up, but family and friends are what matter most in this endeavor. You all make it fun. I now wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We will meet again in this space next summer when it's time to take a trip once again on the ol' coaching carousel. Peace.
-The Commissioner
