Week 13, 2022

Hey All,  

Thanksgiving has come and gone, but you can still relive the past weekend that was in college football with yet another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Jim Murray.

Summaries

USC 38- Notre Dame 27: Los Angeles, CA- Pundits all week said how USC couldn't possibly stop Notre Dame's rushing attack.  One of them even tweeted out that the Fighting Irish would run for 850 yards on Trojans. They said USC's hopes for the CFP would be dashed by the Domers.  Funny, it just didn't turn out that way. The game was tight most of the evening, but SC took the ball on the opening kickoff, drove 75 yards in eight plays for a TD. That opening score came on a 11-yard pass from QB Caleb Williams to WR Tahj Washington.  The Trojans had the lead at 7-0 and would never trail in their victory over the Fighting Irish.  SC led 17-7 coming out of the half.  ND had the ball to start the second half and promptly drove to the Trojans 23-yard line.  On first down from the 23-yard line, ND QB Drew Pyne fumbled.  Trojan LB Ramen Goforth recovered the fumble. Seven plays later RB Raleek Brown sped to the corner of the end zone from five yards out and the Trojans now held a 24-7 lead. ND would never dig out of that hole.  ND would score to cut into the Trojans lead only to see Caleb Williams engineer another drive to extend the lead and keep the Irish at bay.  ND's last chance to make things uncomfortable for SC died when the Trojans safely recovered an onside kick with 1:02 to play.  The clear difference in the game was Caleb Williams.  The top candidate for the Stiffarm Statue frustrated the Domers with his ability to keep plays alive.  He completed 18 of 22 passes for 232 yards and a TD to go with 35 yards on nine carries and three scores. Williams' teammate RB Austin Jones led all rushers with 154 yards on 25 carries.  As for the vanquished Irish, they were held to just 90 yards rushing by the Trojan defense.  However, QB Drew Pyne torched the SC secondary, completing 23 of 26 tosses for 318 yards and three TDs with an interception and a fumble. 

Telling Stat: 14 point swing; ND QB Drew Pyne's fumble early in the third period sunk his team.  Instead of getting a TD to cut SC's lead to 17-14,  the Trojans took the turnover and scored to take a 24-7 lead that they would not relinquish.

UCLA 35- California 28: Berkeley, CA- It was an interesting back and forth game between the kids form Berkeley and their Southern Campus little brothers. UCLA piled up yards and points, but Cal hung in there thanks to big plays. Cal scored four TDs while entering the red zone once all game. Cal QB Jack Plummer threw long TD passes of 46, 38 and 22 yards.  He also threw an eight-yard TD pass for Cal's only red zone score in the final period. The real story of the game was UCLA's ability to run the ball and Cal's inability to hold on to it. The bRuins pummeled the Bears with 352 yards rushing on 64 carries. Cal, who didn't have many ball control problems all year, turned the ball over twice.  The second of those turnovers came with a little over a minute to play. It was fumble by RB Jadyn Ott that ended Cal's last chance to win the game. The bRuins got out of Strawberry Canyon with a little harder than expected victory.  QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson completed 21 of 30 passes for 189 yards and a TD while also running for 88 yards and two more scores.  bRuin RB Zach Charbonnet led all rushers with 119 yards on 24 carries and a TD.  For the Bears, Plummer completed 24 of 34 passes for 294 yards and four TDs.

Telling Stat: Nine for Westwood;  UCLA has won nine games in a season for the first time since Jim Mora guided the bRuins to a 10-3 mark in 2014. 

Arizona 38- Arizona State 35: Tucson, AZ- For the first time since 2016 The Territorial Cup resides in Tucson. It was a barn burner of a contest that featured a brawl between the mascots in the middle of the game and and a fight between the actual players at the end of the game that resulted in five ejections. In between the brawls, both squads played some pretty good football. The teams traded interceptions in a defensive first half that saw ASU take a 14-10 lead into the break on a four-yard run form RB Xazavian Valladay and a TD pass from QB Trenton Bourget to WR Elijah Badger that also traveled four yards.  UofA 's 10 points came on a 51-yard gallop to the end zone from RB Michael Wiley and a 29-yard FG from PK Tyler Loop. The third quarter saw both offenses come to life and trade scores with the Wildcats getting the better of it.  Their running game asserted itself in the third period with Wiley breaking off TD runs of 12 and 72 yards to go with a nine-yard ground strike from RB Jonah Coleman. ASU got another Bourget TD pass and a 1-yard plunge into the end zone from Valladay at the end of the quarter. The score stood 31-28 Wildcats to start there final stanza. ASU's defense forced a quick punt and then their offense drove 65 yards in eight plays to take a 35-31 lead on Bourget's third TD pass of the day.  UofA then drove for the game-winning score on a drive that saw the Sun Devils pick up 29 yards in penalties when they committed pass interference and a face mask.  RB DJ Williams slashed into the end zone from six yards out to cap off the drive. The Sun Devils had two more chances to win. the game, but the Wildcats forced a fumble on a sack of Bourget then intercepted Bourget on ASU's final drive to end the game.  For the winnng Wildcats, Wiley was almost unstoppable lugging the leather. He had 12 carries for 214 yards and three TDs.   His QB, Jayden de Laura completed 12 of 23 passes for 200 yards.  For the now Territorial Cup-less Sun Devils, Bourget completed 37 of 49 passes for 376 yards, three TDs, two interceptions and a fumble while Valladay gained 97 yards on 24 carries and two TDs.

Telling Stat: Turnovers kill;  ASU turned the ball over five times and that was the reason they lost.  

Oregon State 38- Oregon 34: Corvallis, OR- With 4:46 to go in the third quarter, the Ducks held a 31-10 lead over the Beavers.  It looked like the Webfoots had stamped their ticket to the Pac 12 title game.  This edition of the rivalry formerly known as the Civil War seemed firmly in the win column for the Men of Oregon.  Then, the great Beaver comeback of 2022 happened. It was a comeback that was made possible by a special teams error, an incredible kickoff and some hubris from UO HC Dan Lanning.  Up 34-24 with 12:24 to play and punting from his own goal line, UO punter Alex Bales muffed the snap.  The Beavers tackled Bales at the two-yard line.  Two plays later OSU QB Ben Gulbranson snuck in to cut the Duck lead to 34-31.  The ensuing kickoff from OSU PK Everett Hayes hit at the UO one-yard line and backed up like a perfect chip shot in golf.  A forced return by the Ducks pinned them at their own 10-yard line.  The Quacks moved the ball out to the 29-yard line where they faced a fourth down and one.  Instead of punting Lanning kept his offense on the field.  UO QB Bo Nix was then nailed for a one-yard loss. That put OSU in business at the Quacks 28-yard line. Four plays later, RB Isiah Newell rumbled six yards to the end zone to put the Beavers up 38-34.  Oregon had one last shot to win the game and drove to the shadow of the OSU goal. The Beavers then dammed up the end zone.  OSU's completed a great goal line stand when Nix's fourth down pass fell harmlessly to the turf.  A first down and a few kneel downs later, OSU had the upset victory.  Not a great deal of aerial offense for the Beavers in the win as Gulbranson completed just six of 13 passes for 60 yards and two interceptions. However, OSU did own the running game, with seven backs combining for 268 yards on 43 carries with five TDs.  For the devastated Ducks, Nix completed 27 of 42 passes for 327 yards and two TDs. 

Telling Stat: Short fields help to make a comeback;  OSU three fourth quarter TDs came on drives of 36, 2 and 28 yards. 

Utah 63- Colorado 21: Boulder, CO- The Utes ended their regular season in grand fashion with a destruction of the hapless Buffaloes in Boulder.  Utah built up a 14-0 lead in the first quarter then put up 28 points more in the second quarter to take a 42-0 lead into the break.  Three TD passes from QB Cam Rising, two rushing scores from RB Ja'Quinden Jackson and one ground score from RB  Micah Bernard accounted for the 42 points. The second half saw the Utes empty their benches and the Buffs find the end zone a few times well after the game had been decided. Rising finished the game completing 17 of 19 passes for 234 yards and three TDs.  Jackson toted the rock 10 times for 117 yards and three TDs to lead all rushers. For the now 1-11 Buffaloes, QB Maddox Kopp completed 15 of 28 aerials for 123 yards and a TD.

Telling Stat: Not a Fab Four;  Colorado has lost their last four games by an average of almost 42 points per game. 

Washington 51- Washington State 33: Pullman, WA- Most of the nation was sound asleep as the Huskies took back ownership of the Apple Cup.  Oh, the Dawgs also got the extra benefit of eliminating Oregon from the Pac 12 title game to go with their victory. The first half was basically an offensive exhibition with the teams combining for 635 yards of offense and 55 points.  UW held a 28-27 going into the third period.  The second half saw Wazzu not be able to keep pace with the Huskies despite forcing a couple of turnovers.  Up 44-33 with 1:28 left, the Purple Gang held the Cougars for downs.  A couple of plays later RB Wayne Taulapapa put snuffed out any remaining hopes of a Cougars victory when he took a handoff to the house from 40 yards out. The player of the game was easily Husky QB Michael Penix, Jr.  He completed 25 of 43 passes for 485 yards with three TDs and an interception.  He also ran for 34 yards and two more scores. His backfield mate, Taulapapa ran for 126 yards on 13 carries and score of his own.  For the Cougars, QB Cam Ward completed 33 of 52 passes for 322 yards and two TDs.  

Telling Stat; Double the fun;  Washington got the thrill of winning back the Apple Cup and knocking Oregon out of the Pac 12 title tilt all in the same game.

BYU 35- Stanford 26: Palo Alto, CA- What ended being the last game on the sidelines for Cardinal HC David Shaw was yet another loss in this lost campaign up on The Farm.  The Cougars found paydirt on each of their four first half possessions. QB Jaren Hall accounted for the first score on a 19-yard run, then RB Hinckley Ropati raced 43 yards through the Cardinal defense for the second TD.  That was followed by two TD catches by TE Isaac Rex on passes of 1 and 43 yards.  A pair field goals by SU PK Josh Karty and a one-yard TD run by RB Mitch Glieber left the score 28-12 Cougars at the break.  Both defenses dominated the third quarter.  However, BYU would get one more score, a 28-yard run from WR Puka Nacua to start the final quarter. BYU now led 35-12 and that would be enough of lead for the Cougars to hold off a late Cardinal comeback bid. For the victorious Cougars, Hall connected on seven of 11 passes for 93 yards and two TDs while RB Christopher Brooks rushed for 164 yards on 23 carries to spearhead a BYU rushing attack that gashed Stanford for 358 yards on 50 carries. In the loss, Cardinal QB Tanner McKee completed 31 of 40 passes for 313 yards and a TD.  

Telling Stat: They dialed long distance;  BYU's five TD drives covered, 75, 75, 75, 73 and 87 yards. 

Tough Turkeys 7- Cranberry Crushers 7: San Pedro, CA- It was a rough and tumble tilt at Yube Ursich Field.  Elbows were scraped, bodies hit the ground, and flags were pulled off those that didn't have the ball in another tight defensive thriller.  After picking off a Tough Turkeys pass, the Cranberry Crushers took a 7-0 lead on a TD pass from Robert Weissler to Margaret Lenker on their first series of the game. That's the way the score stood until just over two minutes to play when Tough Turkeys tied the game. A short pass from Maureen Lenker to Lee Ursich was the game-tying score. Fun was had by all.  

Telling Stat: Flagged 'em down;  The addition of sets of flags for the players to wear ended most disputes over where a players was marked "down" on each play.

Observations 

...A youngster at the helm; Arizona State has hired Oregon OC HC Ken Dillingham as the next HC of the Sun Devils.  Dillingham is an ASU alum and is just 32 years old. He's Home

...Four letter agenda;  After Nick Saban sounded off on how Alabama needs to be in the CFP, watch for ESPN to sing Bama's praises all week.  I'm sure the directive has already come down to all the talking heads. 

...A cool credential;  This pic is a shot of the credential given to USC recruits for the game last week. I edited the player's name off it. If you're a Trojan you know what is cool about this credential.  For everyone else, it's a mock up of the Trojan head with a ruby on it that's placed on the Jeweled Shillelagh rivalry trophy for each Trojan victory over the Fighting Irish. 

...He's human after all; Stanford PK Josh Karty missed a PAT wide left in the second quarter v. BYU last Saturday.  It was his first miss of the year.  Karty had been perfect all year to that point on FG and PAT attempts.  

...It is his to lose; At this point of the season, the Heisman Trophy is within USC QB Caleb Williams' grasp.  He just need to seal the deal this week. 

...New Rhuler in Lincoln; Former Carolina Panthers HC Matt Rhule is now the new headman of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. His contract is for 74 million dollars over eight years. New Corn King

...10-2 and silence;  Penn State is 10-2, ranked 11th in the nation and nobody cares outside of Happy Valley. 

...Freeze on the plains;   Auburn has hired Hugh Freeze away from Liberty University to be their next HC.  This is the same Hugh Freeze that lost his job as the HC at Ole Miss back in 2017 because a number of the calls on his school-issued cellphone were to an escort service. Can't wait to see the signs at Auburn road games in 2023. 

...Messing with Joseph Smith; The Stanford Band took a few shots at the Mormon religion in their halftime show v. BYU last Saturday and the athletic department has issued an apology.  This is the second time an apology to BYU has been issued.  Back in 2004, the Stanford Band did a halftime show on Polygamy. Seriously folks, it's Stanford. The band that has been banned from Disneyland, Notre Dame and almost everywhere else.  Just take the jokes, beat the hell out of the football team on the field and move on. Apology

...Bonked; Iowa State Long Snapper Drew Knoblauch air mailed this punt snap in the second quarter v. TCU and hit the Center Judge.  Check it out here. Botched!

...Firings List;  Tulsa fired HC Philip Montgomery who had gone 43-53 insight seasons with the Golden Hurricane.  Western Michigan is firing HC Trim Lester who went 37-32 in six seasons with the Broncos. UNLV fired HC Marcus Arroyo after three seasons. His Rebel teams went 7-23 overall.  Florida Atlantic fired Willie Taggart after going 19-18 in three seasons with the Owls. 

...Not since JR;  USC HC Lincoln Riley has become the first head man at Troy to defeat both UCLA and Notre Dame in his first season since John Robinson did it in 1976. 

...Staying in Minneapolis;  The Paul Bunyan Axe stays with the Minnesota Golden Gophers after their 23-16 win over the Wisconsin Badgers.

...Trojan Trivia;  USC went 11-1 in 1976 with a win over Michigan in the Rose Bowl.  Who beat the Trojans that year?

...The Purple Rose of Pasadena;  If USC beats Utah in the Pac 12 title game, most folks think the Grandaddy of Them All will send Washington an invitation to play at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains on January 2nd. 

...Speaking of Roses; The fate of the Rose Bowl and its' role in the expansion of the College Football Playoff should be known according to the folks at Sports Illustrated.  They say the Rose Bowl wants to host a semi-final two out of every three years. A Roses Roadblock?

...12 and done;  After 12 years on The Farm, Stanford HC David Shaw is hanging up his whistle.  Shaw went 96-54 in his Stanford tenure. The last two years saw his Cardinal squads go just 6-18 overall and 3-15 in Pac 12 play.  

..,A Golden farewell; Cal's loss to UCLA marked the end of a broadcasting era as Joe Starkey called his last game for Cal.  Starkey has been the radio voice of the Golden Bears since 1975.  In those 48 years at the mic, he only saw Cal claim a share of two Pac 8/10/12 titles and never saw them make it to the Rose Bowl. However, Starkey was a class act in the booth all those years.  He did experience a great deal of success as the radio play-by-play man for the San Francisco 49ers during the Bill Walsh- George Sefiert years, but everyone knows that Joe is a Golden Bear at heart. Happy retirement and Roll on, Joe Starkey.

...0 for North America;  Northwestern went 1-11 this year with their only win coming over Nebraska in Dublin, Ireland. 

...Badgers not fickle on Luke;  Cincinnati HC Luke Fickell is now the HC at Wisconsin.  Many thought that Fickell would one day lead TheeOSU, however it was the Badgers who snapped him up. Word is that Fickell will get six million a year to walk the sidelines of Madison. 

...Disciplined Middies; Navy is number one in the nation with fewest total penalty yards and fewest total penalties committed this year.  

...He's gone;  Pac 12 Referee Mike Mothershed has retired.  Cheers of joy could be heard from Pullman to Tucson and all Pac 12 points in between when the announcement was made during the UCLA-Cal game. Glasses Ref now has a retirement buddy.  

...Mediocrity;  Georgia Southern is bowl-eligible with a 6-6 record.  That's the greatness of HC Clay Helton on full display. 

...Pac 12 head scratchers;  Cal still wonders how they lost to Colorado the same way Washington wonders how they lost to ASU and how UCLA wonders how they lost the Arizona. 

...No zeroes;  For the first time in awhile, nobody will go winless in the FBS.  However there were four teams that went 1-11. Those teams are USF, Northwestern, UMass and Colorado. 

...Trivia Answer; The Trojans lost the 1976 home/season opener to Missouri, 46-25.  Two years later the Tigers would upset Notre Dame, 3-0 in the Irish's home opener. 

...The last time;  On many a college campus this past weekend and the weekend prior many football players played their final game ever.  The joys, sorrows, work and just plain fun of playing the game is out of their loves forever. While they may never line up together again as brothers against a common foe, what they will always have is the bonds they've formed and the love of the game.  It is just those things that keep the game going.  That's how teammates from many years ago can have a chance meeting and all the years melt away and they see each other as those young men who played the game for the love of it.  It is indeed a grand game.  

The Power Five Title Game Matchups 

(Note: all times PST)

Friday 12/2  

Pac 12: Utah v. USC- Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV -5:00 PM on Fox

Saturday 12/3

Big 12: Kansas State v. TCU- AT&T Stadium, Arlington TX- 9:00 AM on ABC

SEC: LSU v. Georgia- Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA- 1:00 PM on CBS

Big Ten: Purdue v. Michigan- Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN- 5:00 PM on Fox

ACC: Clemson v. North Carolina- BofA Stadium, Charlotte, NC- 5:00 PM on ABC

Pac 12 Overreactions

Washington has found their next Don James

Arizona is an eight win team next year.

Wazzu needs a defense.

Colorado needs a complete rebuild from the AD on down.

Cal still doesn't know how they lost to Colorado. 

Oregon State has found their next Mike Riley.

Utah fans and admin live in fear of Kyle Whittingham's eventual retirement.

Oregon has wasted Uncle Phil's money this month.

USC has found their next Pete Carroll.

ASU will hit the transfer portal hard this offseason.

UCLA is Alamo Bowl Bound.

Stanford might drop football.

Rivalry Quiz

Just match the rivalry game with the trophy associated with that rivalry.

1. USC-UCLA                              A. Bridger's Rifle

2. Indiana-Purdue                          B. Fremont Cannon 

3. Nevada- UNLV                         C. Territorial Cup

4. Minnesota- Wisconsin              D. Iron Skillet 

5. Arizona- Arizona State             E. Victory Bell

6. SMU- TCU                               F. Paul Bunyan's Axe

7. Utah State-Wyoming                G. Old Oaken Bucket

Ugly Uniform of the Week

Going to the NFL for this hideous look worn by the Cleveland Browns.  These togs are just so bad. If the 1975 Cleveland Indians all-red polyester uniforms made the players look like running blood clots, then what do these uniforms make the Browns players look like? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Departments

Low Score Game of the Week: Des Moines, IA- In the NAIA Quarterfinals, the Grand View University Vikings came form behind for a 10-7 win over Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders.  The Blue Raiders took a 7-0 lead in the first period on a four-yard run by RB Kobe Blecher.  Grand View tied it up early in the second quarter on a five-yard TD toss from QB Johnny Sullivan to WR Damon Street. Then the teams fought to a standoff all the way until the 2:54 mark of the final quarter when PK Nathan Hamilton split the uprights from 48 yards out to put the Vikings ahead to stay.  The Blue Raiders had a chance to win the game, but WR Manny Scott was stopped at he Grand View two-yard line as time ran out. 

Best Game (Almost) Nobody Saw Last Week: Golden, CO- After falling behind early 21-7, the Colorado Mines Orediggers came back to beat the Minnesota State Mavericks 48-45 to advance to the Division II Quarterfinals. The Game featured almost 1,000 yards of offense and plenty of big plays.  CSM QB John Matocha completed 21 of 37 passes for 307 yards and four TDs in the win, but MSU QB Hayden Ekern competed 22 off 37 passes for 377 yards and four TDs in the tough loss.  

Razorback Report: Columbia, MO- An up and down regular season ended on a down note as the Razorbacks fell to Missouri, 29-27.  QB K.J. Jefferson completed 20 of 27 passes with two TDs and an interception while also running for 38 yards and another score in the loss. Up next for the Hogs is to wait and see which bowl game they end up in to finish the year. 

Rivalry Quiz Answers: 1-E, 2-G, 3-B, 4-F, 5-C, 6-D, 7-A

This Week's Three Notes About Thanksgiving...

It was a large gathering this year and one of the most fun ever.

The profound silence at the table about 15 minutes into the Thanksgiving meal is an interesting thing. The collective full, fat and happy feel of the room is very cool. 

Our Sunday dinner of Thanksgiving leftovers is easily the best meal of the year.   

Until next time, remember teams that run the ball well, win the big games. 

-The Commissioner 

Week 12, 2022

 Hey All,

It's time for the column that makes your Tuesdays feel like Thursdays, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Loel Schrader

Summaries 

USC 48- UCLA 45: Pasadena, CA- Most of the LA media picked the bRuins to take this game and one washed up hack for the LA Times even proclaimed that UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson was the better QB entering this game.  In the end, the pundits were wrong as the Trojans pulled out an incredible win at their second home, the Rose Bowl. The game didn't start out well for SC as their first two drives netted the Trojans 100 yards and no points as a failed fourth down conversion and a partially blocked field goal left the score at 0-0 midway through the first quarter.  The bRuins would then sandwich a pair of TDs around an interception of Trojan QB Caleb Williams. SC found themselves down 14-0 with 1:47 left in the quarter.  The rest of the half saw the Trojans dig themselves out of that hole and get back into the game.  Trialing 21-10 with 3:48 left in the second quarter, SC would cut the gap to 21-20 thanks to an eight -yard TD run by RB Austin Jones, two interceptions of Thompson-Robinson and a 49-yard field goal from PK Denis Lynch. The field goal got an assist from UCLA HC Chip Kelly who called a timeout to ice Lynch just before he missed his first attempt from that distance. Lynch's second kick barely cleared the crossbar and SC trailed just one point as the break. The first half of the third quarter saw SC forge ahead and never trail again.  After giving up a UCLA FG, the Trojans would get a TD on a 35-yard pass from Williams to WR Jordan Addison. Then SC forced the bRuins to fumble on their own 18-yard line and cash that fumble in for a TD when Jones crossed the double stripe from two yards out.  Now up 34-24, the game turned into a slugfest with the teams trading TDs until the 6:38 mark of the fourth quarter when UCLA TE Michael Ezeike hauled in a three-yard pass from Robinson to cut SC's lead to 48-45.  The Trojans needed to answer that score with another score or at least run out the clock the get the win.  They SC offense ran the clock down, but didn't score.  The Trojans then had to punt for the first time in the game.  USC fans hearts were in their throats as UCLA took over the ball on their own 11-yard line with 2:15 left to play and two timeouts in their pocket. The bRuins moved the ball out near midfield.  Then on 3rd and 5 from the their own 43-yard line, Thompson-Robinson never saw Trojans DE Korey Foreman as he threw the ball.  Foreman intercepted the pass.  The Trojans were elated, the bRuins were crushed.  A Caleb Williams run and three kneel downs later, the game was over.  The Trojans won the game, earned a spot in the Pac 12 title game and took back possession of the Victory Bell.  Williams finished the game with two TDs in the air, one on the ground and 503 total yards of offense.  His 503 yards are the most by any player in the history of the rivalry.  Jones led all rushers with 120 yards on 21 carries and two TDs while Addison led all receivers with 178 yards on 11 receptions and a TD.  For the now eliminated from the Pac 12 title game bRuins, Thompson-Robinson completed 23 of 38 passes for 309 yards, four TDs and three huge interceptions.  He also fumbled once.  His backfield mate, RB Zack Charbonnet had his streak of 100-yard rushing games snapped, gaining 95 yards on 19 carries. 

Telling Stat: One timeout and a second FGA= W;  The timeout taken by UCLA HC Chip Kelly to ice PK Denis Lynch backfired.  Lynch would have missed his first attempt at the FG had the timeout not been called.  Lynch's make on the second try was the difference in the game. 

Washington State 31- Arizona 20: Tucson, AZ- Much was made during the week leading to this game about how former Wazzu and now current UofA QB Jayden de Laura couldn't wait to get on the field and beat his old teammates.  Well, the Wazzu defense had the last laugh in this one that ended up not being as close as the score indicates.  The Crimson and Grey defense held UofA for downs twice in Cougar territory which let the Wazzu offense build up a 21-6 halftime lead.  The 21 points came on a four-yard TD pass from QB Cam Ward to RB Nakia Watson, a 17-yard sprint to paydirt from Ward and a two-yard run by Watson.  The game turned into stalemate for the first part of the third quarter, then the Cougars defense picked off de Laura three times in three minutes.  One of those picks was returned 35 yards for a TD by CB Derrick Langford, Jr. to put the Cougars up 31-6.  That proved to be a hole that the Wildcats couldn't claw their way out of.  They would put 14 more points on the board, but their last score came with 1:16 left and the game already decided.  The Ward-Watson combo for Wazzu combined for 115 yards rushing and two TDs on 23 carries.  Ward also completed 25 of 36 passes for 193 yards and a TD as well.  For the Wildcats, de Laura completed 28 of 46 passes for 357 yards, a TD and four interceptions.

Telling Stat: Not a Fab Four;  QB Jayden de Laura's four second half interceptions wiped out any chance the Arizona had to comeback to win this game. 

Oregon State 31- Arizona State 7: Tempe, AZ- The Beavers offense used their now familiar mortar and pestle approach on the Sun Devils slowly grinding them into desert dust in a convincing victory.  A five-yard run by RB Damien Martinez and 21-yard TD pass from QB Ben Gulbranson to TE JackVeiling gave the Orange and Black a 14-7 halftime lead. The third quarter saw the Beavers run away from ASU.  Martinez notched his second rushing TD of the game on a run of 12 yards.  Gulbranson would then run eight yards for a score on OSU's next drive to put his squad ahead 28-7.  OSU would add a 28-yard FG form PK Everett Hayes to make the score 31-7 while the defense keep ASU shutout for the rest of the second half to ensure the win.  Martinez led all rushers with 138 yards on 22 carries and two scores.  Gulbranson was efficient again, completing 15 of 21 tosses for 188 yards and a TD. For the now 3-8 Sun Devils, RB Xazavian Valladay was the lone bright spot, rushing for 109 yards on 13 carries and a TD. 

Telling Stat: 42 for the W;  Oregon State ran the ball 42 times on ASU for 222 yards which kept the clock running and the ASU offense off the field. 

California 27- Stanford 20: Berkeley, CA- This 125th edition of The Big Game featured a Cal comeback win over the Cardinal. There was also an unusual play to end the game too. It wasn't nearly as dramatic as forty years ago when "The Play" was forever etched into the minds of football fans everywhere.   However, Cal did need some late heroics to come from behind to grab the victory and retain possession of the rivalry trophy known as The Axe.  The Cardinal which had trouble gaining yards, much less scoring points lately jumped out to a surprising 7-0 lead on the game's opening drive. With a depleted running back group thanks to a pair of season ending injuries and a transfer, Safety turned RB Mitch Leigber scored the first TD of the game on a plunge from one yard out.  Both offenses sputtered the rest of the half with a 42-yard FG by Stanford PK Josh Karty and Cal just able to muster a a pair of field goals covering 54 and 38 yards form Cal PK Dario Longhetto.  The Cardinal held a 10-6 lead at the break.  Then, after they forced a Cal punt to start the third quarter, they drove 71 yards in 11 plays to extend their lead to 17-6.  The TD came on a nine-yard pass from QB Tanner McKee to WR Elijah Higgins.  Cal's offense would remain dormant for the rest of the period.  Then in a stretch of a little over four minutes in the fourth quarter, the Golden Bears would rise up and take control of the game. Cal cut Stanford's lead to 17-12 when QB Jack Plummer threw a one-yard TD pass to TE Monroe Young. Then five plays later, LB Jackson Sirmon picked up a Stanford fumble and rumbled 37 yards to the end zone to give Cal a 20-17 lead. Cal would not trail again.  The Golden Bears would put the game away with :58  left when RB Jadyn Ott plunged over from a yard out to give Cal a 27-17 lead.  Here's where we get the weird last play to end the game.  With a few seconds left, SU HC David Shaw sent the field goal unit onto the field.  He let Josh Karty try to break the school record with a 61-yard FG attempt.  Karty who had not missed a kick all year, nailed this one too and the game ended at 27-20.  It was weird to see Stanford players rush to congratulate Karty while Cal was celebrating the win on the other sideline. Plummer completed 23 of 43 passes for 280 yards, a TD and two interceptions while Ott led all rushers with 97 yards on 18 carries and a TD for the victorious residents of Strawberry Canyon.  For Stanford, McKee finished the game with 29 completions in 45 attempts, a TD and an interception. Leigber didn't do too bad for a converted Safety rushing for 83 yards and a TD in the painful loss. 

Telling Stat: All categories but the big one in The Big Game;  Stanford led every statistical category in this game, but the scoreboard and in the end, the final score is all that really matters. 

Washington 54- Colorado 7: Seattle , WA- Would the Huskies suffer a letdown after upsetting the Ducks last week?  Could the Dawgs also be caught looking ahead to their Apple Cup matchup at Wazzu next week?  A firm NO was the answer to both those questions. The Husky offense scored on five of their six first half possessions and picked up a safety on a botched punt snap by the Buffaloes to take a 33-0  halftime lead.  The Dawgs put up 14 more points the third quarter before emptying the benches while a good portion of the home crowd departed for the warmth of the local pubs in the area. In a little under three full quarters worth of work QB Michael Penix, Jr. complerted 19 of 31 passes for 229 yards an a TD while RB Willie Tualapapa gained 107 yards on 11 carries and two TDs to spearhead the Huskies offense. For the bottom-dwelling Buffs, QB J.T. Shrout completed six of 18 aerials for 120 yards, a TD and an interception. 

Telling Stat: 0 as in zero chance;  The Washington defense took any chance away of Colorado being competitive in this game in the first half by holding the Buffs to zero points and 60 total yards. 

Oregon 20- Utah 17: Eugene, OR- The Ducks faced a tough task in taking on the Utes.  They hoped to bounce back form their loss to Washington last week and get back in the Pac 12 title hunt with a win.  They were supposed to try and accomplish the feat without QB Bo Nix who was injured late in the game vs. the Huskies last week. However, a hobbling Nix did start and led his squad to a huge win over Utah.  It also helped that this game was at Autzen, because it is well known that Utah just isn't the same team on the road as they are at home.  The Webfoots built up a 17-3 halftime lead thanks to a 10-yard TD jaunt from RB Bucky Irving, a TD pass that covered four yards from Nix to WR Troy Franklin and a 30-yard FG from PK Camden Lewis.  The third quarter belonged to the Utes as their defense made it a 17-10 game when LB Karene Reid scooped up a fumble by UO WR Dont'e Thornton and raced 11 yards to paydirt. Then later in the quarter, the Utes offense finally put together a good drive and marched 86 yards in 13 plays to tie the game at 17-17.  WR Jaylen Dixon did the honors when he took the ball on a jet sweep and sped 18 yards down the sideline for the touchdown. UO would take the lead again on a 15-play 52-yard drive that culminated with a 41-yard FG by Lewis that made the score 20-17 with 11:17 to play. The rest of the game saw the Duck defense hold for downs twice and intercept Utah QB Cam Rising to wrestle victory away from the team from Salt Lake City.  For the Ducks, the hobbled Nix completed 25 of 37 passes for 287 yards with a TD and an interception.  For the Utes, Rising completed 21 of 38 passes for 170 yards and three interceptions.

Telling Stat: Two yards= W;  Oregon QB Bo Nix ran the ball only twice in the game, but his second carry of two yards picked up a first down with only 1:43 left to play. With Utah out of timeouts, Nix took a knee twice and kept Oregon's Pac 12 title game hopes alive. 

Observations 

...He nailed it;  USC radio play-by-play man Pete Arbogast absolutely nailed the call on Korey Foeman's interception of bRuins QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson that stamped the Trojans' ticket to the Pac 12 title game. Intercepted!

...Simply true; Rivalry games are incredible when your team wins.

...A serious rival;  Located only 17 miles apart, Lafayette and Lehigh have met 156 times on the gridiron.  The rivalry goes back to 1884. The schools used to play each other twice a year and one year they squared off three times.  The winning team keeps the game ball from each victory.  I'm told a stroll through either school's collection of game balls is a crash course in the evolution of how footballs were made over the past 136 years. 

...Mess of the West;  Iowa, Purdue, and Illinois all still have a chance to win the Big Ten west and have the chance to lose to either Michigan or TheeeOSU in the Big Ten title game.  Wow. 

...One and done;  Pomona Pitzer was whipped 51-24 by Linfield in the first round of the D-III playoffs. The loss eliminates the state of California from the D-III playoffs. 

...19:09 and 93;  Anybody else realize that for the first 12:31and the last 6:38 of the USC-UCLA game there were no points scored?  That means the 93 points in the game were scored in just 41:51 of game time.  

...They need hardware;  Hawaii beat UNLV, 31-25. When these schools play each other, they need a trophy that features a big resort hotel on it. It cold be called the Tourist Trap Trophy.  This intrepid reporter thinks that's a winner. 

...Triple runners; The Big Ten boasts the top three rushers in the FBS.  RBs Chase Brown of Illinois and Mohammed Ibrahim of Minnesota have both eclipsed the 1,500 yard mark this season.  Michigan's Blake Corum is the third place rusher with 1,457 yards. 

...Undefeated under the capitol dome;  The Sacramento State Hornets beat UC Davis, 27-21 in the Causeway Classic to go a perfect 10-0 in the regular season. The Hornets are the Big Sky Conference Champions and are the #2 seed in the FCS playoffs.  They have a bye this week and will face the winner of the Richmond-Davidson game on 12/3. 

...lost in the shuffle;  Did anybody notice that Vanderbilt beat Florida last Saturday?  That means that Vandy is on a two-game SEC winning streak. Holy Moly!

...Big Sky meets The Central Valley;  Boise State will face Fresno State in the Mountain West title game on 12/3.

...A tale of two conferences;  four of the top ten team in scoring offenses in the FBS are in the Pac 12 while four of the top ten teams in scoring defense are in the Big Ten. 

...Next season for good reason;  Virginia has canceled this week's season finale v. VaTech in the wake of the shooting death of three players back on 11/13.  The Cavaliers won't take the field again until next season.

...An American showdown; Cincinnati hosts Tulane this week with a spot in the AAC championship game on the line.  The winner will most likely face UCF in the title tilt. 

...Handsome Dan stands alone;  Yale came back to beat Harvard, 19-14.  Couple that win with Princeton's 20-19 loss to Penn and Yale is your Ivy League Champion for 2022.  Bulldog Bulldog Bow Wow Wow!  

...Need a full four;  For the last two weeks the Wazzu offense has taken the second half off while winning both games. The Cougs will need a full four quarters of offense if they want to upset Washington this week. 

...Forgotten;  Penn State will likely finish at 10-2 and nobody cares. 

...The stat barely held up;  UCLA was 0-2 this year when they threw the ball more times than they ran it.  Make that 0-3 now.  The bRuins passed the ball 38 times v, USC and ran it 37 times. Hmmmmmm.

...Painfully over; Talk about a bad beat, Stanford's meaningless field goal on the last play of the game v. Cal meant the total points of the game was 47.  The Over/Under was 46.5.  Howls coming form the desert could be heard all the way to Strawberry Canyon after that kick sailed through the uprights. 

...Rock bottom futility; In their last three games, Colorado has been a 30+ point underdog.  They have failed to cover the spread in any of those games. 

Pac 12 Overreactions

UCLA will lose to CAL 

Washington still has no idea how they lost to ASU.

Stanford doesn't care if you took the under. 

Road Utah and home Utah are still two completely different teams. 

Wazzu will find a way to “Coug it" in the Apple Cup.

Colorado might want to join the Mountain West Conference.

Oregon State just might beat Oregon this week. 

USC wishes they stopped that two-point conversion a few weeks ago.

The Arizona-ASU game will come down to whoever has the ball last. 

CFL Update 

The Grey Cup belongs to the Boatmen.  The Toronto Argonauts scored the final 10 points of the game and upset the two-time defending champion  Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 24-23.  Second string QB Chad Kelly led the Argos to the win coming off the bench for a struggling starter McLeod Bethel-Thompson. He drove the Argos for the wining score. However it was the Toronto defence that made the play of the game when they blocked Winnipeg's FG attempt with :45 seconds left. Blocked!   What a game eh?

Ugly Uniform of the Week

Sometimes a helmet can ruin a uniform. By going with yellow helmets v. Stanford, the California Golden Bears channeled their inner West Virginia with this look.  They won the game but lost the uniform battle. 

Departments

Low Score Game of the Week: Easton, PA- This week's game comes form the Patriot League of the FCS. The Lafayette Leopards crossed the double stripe twice in the first seven minutes to take a 14-0 lead over the Lehigh Mountain Hawks.  The Leopards defense then made that lead hold up the rest of way for a 14-11 win in the 81st meeting between these old rivals. Lafayette's first score was a 71-yard run by freshman RB Jamar Curtis.  The second was a 51-yard pick six by senior LB Billy Shaeffer. Lehigh did cut Lafayette's lead to 14-9 early in the fourth period, but wouldn't get any closer on their own. Their last two points came when Lafayette took an intentional safety while running out the clock in the shadow of their own goal line. Leopard HC John Troxell became the first Lafayette HC to win his initial game v. Lehigh in 41 years.  

Blowout Game of the Week: Cleveland, MS-  In the first round of the D-II playoffs, the Delta State Statesmen whipped the Fayetteville State Broncos, 51-0. QB Patrick Shegog completed 14 of 22 passes for 137 yards and a TD while also running for 62 yards and another score to pace the Statesmens' offensive attack. The Fayetteville State defense forced four turnovers to set their offense up with short scoring drives.  Delta State will take on West Florida in the second round of the playoffs this week. 

Razorback Report: Fayetteville, AR- The Hogs took Ole Miss to the woodshed in a 42-27 thrashing of the Rebels that wasn't even that close.  Arkansas held a 42-6 lead early in the third period and coasted the rest of the way.  Hogs RB Raheim Sanders ran over, around and through Ole Miss for 232 yards on 24 carries and three TDs.  His backfield mate, K.J. Jefferson returned from injury and completed 17 of 22 passes for 168 yards and three TDs. He also ran for 47 yards on eight carries. Up next for the now bowl-eligible Razorbacks is their regular season finale at Missouri next week. 

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

I'm looking forward to putting up my model train next week.

I miss the era when baseball cards were just 20 cents a pack. 

Until next time, remember to eat a bunch of turkey and hug the ones you love this week.

-The Commissioner 

Week 11, 2022

Hey All, 

It's time for yet another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Bud Furillo. 

Summaries

USC 55- Colorado 17: Los Angeles, CA- It was slow, ugly, defensive and frustrating. That's what the first quarter of this game was.  USC had gained a few yards of offense while the Trojan defense allowed the Buffaloes to move the ball enough the to kick a short field goal. Throw in an intentional grounding penalty by the Buffs in their own end zone for a safety and the Trojans found themselves trailing, 3-2 to start the second quarter. Then, the Trojans offense would find themselves.  USC would buildup a 26--3 lead at the half, but it came along with a devastating injury.  With 2:45 left in the period, USC RB Travis Dye had is left leg twisted underneath him at the end of a play.  Dye was carted off the field and placed in an air cast. The injury is season ending. The Trojans would got to on hang 29 more points on the boys from Boulder in the second half.  Highlights of the half for USC included a beautiful no-look toss from QB Caleb Williams to RB Austin Jones for a score, a nifty run for a two point conversion by Holder Will Rose who then did a pretty cool backflip in the end zone and backup QB Miller Moss throwing the first TD pass of his Trojan career. Williams finished the game completing 14 of 26 passes for 268 yards, three TDs and an interception.  He also ran for two scores. For the now 1-9 Buffaloes, RB Alex Fontenot was a bright spot with 108 yards on 20 carries and a TD.

Telling Stat: 16-0; USC has never lost to Colorado.  

Washington State 28- Arizona State 18: Pullman, WA- The Cougars dominated the Sun Devils in the first half, then made a big lead it stick in the second half to become bowl-eligible for the seventh time in the last eight years. ASU QB Trenton Bourget had an awful day.  He completed only three of 10 tosses with an interception, He also had a fumble that ended being a loss of 25 yards after his teammates recovered it on their own one-yard line.  Wazzu capitalized on ASU's ineptitude with three short TD jaunts of two, five and two yards by RB Nakia Watson and a two-yard TD toss from QB Cameron Ward to WR Leyton Smithson.  The Cougs held a 28-0 lead at at the break then almost gave the game away late.  Emory Jones came of the bench at QB for ASU and wrapped a pair of TD passes around a short TD burst from RB Xazavian Valladay to cut their deficit to 10 points late in the final quarter. But, the Sun Devils would get no closer as their onside kick attempt failed with under a minute to play.  A couple of kneel downs later and WSU had the win.  Watson's three TDs were apart of a 20 carry, 116 yard performance for the Cougars.  His backfield mate, Ward completed 22 of 37 passes for 219 yards and a TD.  For the now bowl-ineligible Sun Devils, Jones completed 15 of 23 aerials in relief of Bourget and Valladay led all rushers with 134 yards on 21 carries and a TD.

Telling Stat:  They dug a hole;  The abysmal first half by Arizona State's offense cost them the game.  They were shutout, gaining just 56 total yards and never crossed midfield. 

Oregon State 38- California 10:  Corvallis, OR- The Golden Bears had their Pac 12 road losing streak extended to 15 games after they were beaten in a variety of ways by the Beavers. OSU built up a 21-0 lead  on a short sneak by QB Ben Gulbranson, a five-yard TD run by RB Jam Griffin and a 55-yard punt return for a TD by PR Anthony Gould.  Cal would get their only TD of the game when CB Jeremiah Earby picked up a Beaver fumble and returned it 33 yards to paydirt.  The Beavers ball control offense extended their lead to 31-7 in the third quarter on a 49-yard FG by PK Everett Hayes and an eight-yard TD pass from Gulbranson to WR Tre'Shaun Harrison. Cal's offense did manage to score in double digits when  a 36-yard FG attempt by PK Michael Luckhurst split the uprights with 12:30 left in the final quarter. The Beavers tallied their final score shortly after that when Gulbranson threw short TD pass to TE Jack Velling. Gulbranson had a workmanlike night completing 15 of 23 passes for137 yards and two TDs. He also ran for a score.  For the moribund Bears, QB Jack Plummer completed 22 of 34 passes for 147 and an interception. 

Telling Stat: A not so nifty 50;  Oregon State's defense allowed Cal to run only 50 plays on offense for a total of 156 total yards. That works out to an anemic 3.12 yards per play.   

Washington 37- Oregon 34: Eugene, OR- This slugfest at Autzen was truly a drama in three acts.  The first act took up the entire first half and saw QB Michael Penix, Jr. and the Huskies run off time consuming drives that kept the Ducks heralded offense led by QB Bo Nix off the field for the most part.  A 13-yard TD run from RB Willie Taulapapa and two FGs by PK Peyton Henry paced the Dawgs to a 13-10 halftime lead.  The Ducks 10 points came on a 10-yard TD run by Nix and a FG by PK Camden Lewis. The second act saw the teams combine for 35 points in the third quarter. All the scores covered long distance whether they were big play strikes or or long multi-play drives. The Huskies took to the air for most of their yards while the Webfoots took to the ground for the bulk of their yardage.  Oregon held a 31-27 lead going into the final period which featured a full 11 minutes of scoreless football followed a huge interception thrown by Penix, Jr. on the Oregon one-yard line. Instead of throwing the ball away on fist and goal, Penix Jr. tried to thread a needle with a pass that got tipped an intercepted.  With the lead and now the ball, Oregon looked to run off some clock and boy did they.  After chewing up about 11 minutes off the clock and traveling 89 yards, the Ducks faced a third and five at the Huskies 10-yard line.  Nix took off on a keeper and was nailed low after a two-yard gain.  Nix would be helped off the field with an ankle injury. The Ducks then made a 26-yard FG to take a 34-27 lead.  On the ensuing possession, Penix, Jr. threw a 62-yard TD pass to WR Taj Davis to tie the game up at 34-34.  A very quiet Autzen Stadium watched backup QB Ty Thompson come in for the injured Nix and hand off three times. After those runs, UO faced a fourth and one at their own 34-yard line.  They went for it and failed.  RB Noah Whittington slipped while making a cut in the backfield and lost a yard.  Four plays later Henry booted a 43-yarder to put the Dawgs up for good, 37-34.  Nix came back out for Oregon's last chance to tie/win the game, but his final pass fell harmlessly to the Autzen Field turf and the Huskies had the win. Penix, Jr. completed 26 of 35 passes for 408 yards, two TDs and a interception, while Nix finished the game completing 19 of 27 passes for 280 yards and two TDs.  He also ran for a TD.  UO also had two RBs both eclipse the 100-yard mark with Bucky Irving rushing for 143 yards on 19 carries and Whittington running for 108 yards on 20 carries with a TD. 

Telling Stat: 1+1 = L;  The injury to QB Bo Nix and the fourth down fall by RB Noah Whittington cost Oregon the game.

Utah 42- Stanford 7: Salt Lake City, UT- It was below freezing at kickoff at Rice-Eccles Stadium, but the home Utah crowd got a little hot as they watched the Cardinal take an easy 7-0 lead on a short QB sneak by Tanner McKee.  The Utes would slowly get their offense on track and forge a 14-7 halftime lead on a nine-yard TD pass from QB Cam Rising to TE Devaughn Vele and four-yard run from RB Tavion Thomas. Then the the third quarter came and Utah remembered that are much better than Stanford and put the game away.  Rising and his backup Nate Johnson combined to throw three TD passes to three different receivers in the period to pace the Utes to a 35-7 lead. The final period was an exercise in what not to do when you're behind as Stanford was held for downs on a drive at the Utah 11-yard line that chewed up 7:17 of the final 8:25 off the clock. The highlight of the quarter was a 36-yard sprint to the end zone by Thomas for Utah's final score. Rising completed 20 of 33 aerials for 219 yards, two TDs and an interception while Thomas lugged the leather 22 times for 180 yards and a two TDs of his own. For the woefully overmatched Cardinal, McKee completed 11 of 23 passes for 155 yards. 

Telling Stat: Not offensive;  Stanford was held to 177 total yards and just 22 yards rushing by the Utah defense which gave their offense the time it needed to bury the Cardinal.

Arizona 34- UCLA 28: Pasadena, CA- A funny thing happened to the bRuins on the way to their crosstown clash with USC on November 19th.  They didn't take care of business last Saturday and suffered a crushing upset a the hands of the Wildcats.  The crowd of several thousand at the Rose Bowl saw UofA take a surprising 14-0 in the first quarter on a 10-yard TD run by RB Michael Wiley and a 22-yard TYD catch by Wiley on a pass from QB Jayden de Laura.  The stunned bRuins fought their way back to tie the game on a one-yard run from RB Zach Charbonnet and a 51-yard scoring strike from QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson to TE Hudson Habermehl.  UCLA fans breathed a sigh of relief thinking their squad had woken up and would take control of the game.  The bRuins didn't.  On the ensuing drive de Laura crossed the double stripe on a there-yard run to put the Wildcats up 21-14.  UCLA looked to tie the game up just before the half, but Thompson-Robinson fumbled on the UofA 20-yard line with :17 left in the half. The fumble was recovered for UofA by USC transfer, Hunter Echols. UCLA had the ball to start the second half and drove down to Wildcats 27-yard line. The drive stalled and a field goal was attempted by PK Nicholas Barr-Mira.  The kick was blocked.  However, the Wildcats cold do nothing with the ball after and UCLA would tie the game at 21-21 with 3:38 in the third period on Charbonnet's second one-yard TD run of the game. That set up a fourth quarter that saw the Wildcats take the game away from the bRuins.  After a 35-yard FG by PK Tyler Loop put the Wildcats up 24-21.  UCLA then got the ball and drove for their only lead of the game.  Charbonnet capped off a nine-play 65-yard rive with his third rushing TD of the day to put his squad ahead 28-24.  The crowd was uneasy but thought their bRuins had finally tamed the Wildcats.  Ummmm No.  de Laura led the Wildcats on an 82-yard drive to take the lead for good. On 4th and 4 from the UCLA 17-yard line, de Laura found WR Tetairoa McMillan in the end zone for the go ahead TD.  The bRuins then did the unthinkable. They went for it on 4th and 6 form their own 36-yard line.  They failed.  UofA turned that fail into a another three points on a 23-yard FG from Loop. More importantly, the Wildcats left UCLA with just 1:07 left to try and win the game. Facing 4th and 10 from the Arizona 29-yard line, Thompson-Robinson's throw to end zone proved to be just out of reach of his receiver.  The Wildcats had won.  For the victorious Wildcats, de Laura completed 22 of 28 passes for 315 yards and two TDs. He also ran for a score while RB Michale Wiley gained 97 yards on 21 carries with a TD. He also caught a scoring pass.  For the bRuins, Thompson-Robinson completed 26 of 39 passes for 245 yards, a TD and he fumbled once while Charbonnet led all rushers with 181 yards on 24 carries and three TDs. 

Telling Stat: Three big stops for the win;  The Arizona defense held UCLA without a point on three possessions that ended in the shadow of their own goal line to win the game. 

Observations

...That time of year;  The games matter more and the weather shows us that fall is waining and winter is near.  Heaters have replaced misters on the sidelines and parkas are draped around shoulders.  Snow flurries and chilling rain play havoc with field conditions. It's my most wonderful time of the year.  

...Must be the shoes;  Isn't it funny that Oregon RB Noah Whittington's Nike cleats might have caused his slip and fall on fourth down to just about kill the Ducks chances to beat the Huskies?  Uncle Phil must be very unhappy.

...Worth recording;  I'm thinking that Wazzu's game at Arizona this week will be a pretty darn good one.  It will be fun the see UofA QB Jayden de Laura take on this former team in the desert.  

...Just a rumor; There's no truth to the rumor that Texas A&M's NIL collective has entered the Transfer Portal. 

...13-0 and out;  If TCU finishes the regular season at 13-0, I'm sure the Playoff Committee will tell use all how the Horned Frogs aren't more deserving of a playoff berth than a two-loss LSU. 

...Hot mic fun;  Evidently someone let their feelings known on how bad they thought the refs were in the Kansas-Texas Tech game and those comments made it over the airwaves.  Facepalm. A valid assessment

...A true arms race;  The QB talent in the Pac 12 this year is flat out amazing.  At least six different QBs have a case to be named to the All-Pac 12 first team.   

...A deserved celebration;  It took a little longer this year, but with Philadelphia losing to Washington on Monday night, the remaining members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins popped the champagne and toasted the fact that they are still the only NFL team to finish with a perfect record. Perfection turns 50

...Piggybacking on Perfection;  Back in 1972, USC fielded what many call the greatest college football team ever.  Back in '72 then Wazzu HC Jim Sweeney was asked if USC was the best team in America.  Sweeney answered, "USC is not the number one team in the country, the Miami Dolphins are better."  

...Tarps stay;  UCLA is keeping four huge tarps that cover seats for their rivalry game with USC this week.  The capacity of the Rose Bowl is knocked down to a little over 70,000 with he tarps.  I guess the UCLA admin was afraid that USC fans would snap up all those seats. Facepalm. 

...Quietly making noise;  Duke is 7-3. 

...The catch you missed; This intrepid reporter is sure you all saw plenty of great catches over the weekend, but did you see this one from Toronto WR Brandon Banks in the CFL Eastern Final last Saturday?  It was amazing. Had it all the way

...A court filing;  Former Wazzu HC Nick Rolovich has filed a lawsuit against Washington State University, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and WSU AD Patrick Chun over his dismissal from his job for refusing to follow the stat'e vaccine mandate.  Hmmmm.  No Jab, No Job

...There's no O in Cal;  With their offense struggling greatly for the most of this year, Cal HC Justin Wilcox has fired OC Bill Musgarve and OL coach Angus McClure. 

...A big ask; I asked a young cousin of mine, (single digits in age) what was the one thing he wanted most for Christmas.  He said he wanted Santa to bring, "A autographed Babe Ruth rookie card."  I'd like Santa to bring me that too. 

...A reckoning at 7,000 feet;  Actually more like 7,165 feet in Laramie, where Wyoming will host Boise State. The winner will most likely become the champion of the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference.  Laramie will be a balmy low 30s by kickoff with 18-20 MPH winds.  Brrrrrrrrrrr.

...Head shakers;  Connecticut, Kansas and East Carolina are bowl eligible.  Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Nebraska are not. 

...Common fail;  Clemson and North Carolina are both 9-1 and the class of the ACC .  Each teams' only loss is to Notre Dame. 

...Playoffs! We are talking about playoffs;  Divisions II and III of the NCAA and our friends in the NAIA start their playoffs this coming Saturday.  The FCS level jumps in a little later. 

...Another program gone; Whittier College announced they were dropping their football program on Monday.  The news came as a total shock to those associated with the program.  The team wasn't very good, but they had a full roster of 76 players and outside financing though NIL deals for the team.  That leaves California's only D-III league, the SCIAC, with just six football members. Sigh. 

...That look; I still think Utah HC Kyle Whititngham looks constipated on the sideline.

...More open mic;  Enjoy this bit of earthiness on the field mic from the Arizona-UCLA game. Exasperation

...Carnage;  The Big Ten West is still a mess.  Purdue, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota are all 4-3 in league play. It is conceivable for this race to finish in a four-way tie with all teams having identical league and overall records.  Wow. 

...He wasn't thrilled;  Mississippi State HC Mike Leach really wasn't into this halftime interview. Whatever

...Four baby, four!;  Over in Kings Point, NY, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy beat the Coast Guard Academy, 41-33 to notch their fourth straight win in the rivalry and retain possession of the Secretaries' Cup. Go Mariners!

...Seven not three; While most of the awful headlines from this past weekend centered on the three Virginia football players who were shot and killed by a former teammate, there was another mass shooting in Idaho.  Four Idaho students were found shot and killed in house near the University of Idaho campus.  While we mourn the football players, these other four students need your mourning too.   

Virginia  Idaho 

The Band Is Out On The Field!  

This Saturday Stanford and Cal will meet in Berkeley for the 125th edition of their rivalry known as The Big Game. It also marks the 40th anniversary of one of the wildest endings ever to a football game which has gone down in history simply as The Play.  Who can forget Cal announcer Joe Starkey's radio call of The Play?  This year's Big Game will be the last Big Game called by Starkey. The Bay Area legend, is retiring from the broadcast booth at the end of the season.  Starkey has called everything from the NHL to the USFL, but has been the radio voice of Cal football since 1975.  His voice will be greatly missed. Here's a video of the full game, but it is the only one I've ever found with the full end of the game.  Fast forward to the 1:25:00 mark. 5 Laterals

Pac 12 Overreactions

None needed this week, let's just celebrate the annual completion of the Pac 12 Circle of Suck. UCLA's loss to Arizona made this year's version complete. Oh, it is Pac 12 cannibalism at its' finest.  This who beat who starts at the the top and works clockwise in an endless loop of pain. 

CFL Update 

The great matchup is set! The Toronto Argonauts will face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan in the 109th Grey Cup on 11/20. The Argos outlasted the Montreal Alouettes, 34-27 in the Eastern Final and the Blue Bombers gutted out a tough 28-20 win over the BC Lions in the Western Final.  The Blue Bombers are trying for their third consecutive Grey Cup victory. No team has won at least three straight Grey Cups since the Edmonton Eskimos were in the middle of their epic run of five straight wins from 1977-82. 

Ugly Uniform of the Week

Is there any doubt? that Human Hi-liter look from Oregon wins!  They need to just burn these awful things.  

Departments

Low Score Game of the Week:Wayne, NE- This week's game comes form the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in Division II and features a school from Nebraska the actually wins football games. The Wayne State Wildcats held off the Minnesota State Moorhead Dragons, 10-7 to better their record to 9-2 on the season. PK Alex Powders' 23-yard FG in the second quarter proved to game-winner as the Wildcats defense thwarted a late FGA and stopped the Dragons on fourth down in their territory on their final two drives to secure the win. 

Blowout Game of the Week: Ripon, Wi- It's tough to pick on a school two weeks in a row, but something is seriously wrong with Lawrence University in Division III.  The Vikings finished their season at 0-10 getting blown out in Midwest Conference play, 82-0 by the Ripon College Red Hawks. The Vikings only made three first downs and gained just 26 total yards on the day. The Vikings have now been shutout in five straight games and have been outscored 290-0 during that span. 

Razorback Report: Fayetteville, AR-  The Hogs did not have the services of their injured starting QB, but they still had a great chance to beat LSU. However, a couple of key coaching decision cost the Razorbacks in their 13-10 loss to the Bayou Bengals. Two ill-advised attempts to convert on fourth down were the difference in this game. The first came early when the Hogs eschewed a chip shot field goal after an LSU turnover and were stopped in the shadow the LSU goal line.  The second time came in the third quarter when instead of punting and pinning the Tigers deep, the Razorbacks went for it and set up LSU on a short field for their only TD of the game. Up next for the Arkansas is a home game with Ole Miss. 

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Late season Santa Ana winds really mess up my sinuses. Heck, in-season ones do too.

The length of the season for Trader Joe's seasonal items seems to be about a week and a half now. 

A good flannel shirt is an essential thing life.

Until next time, remember that most game are won when one team does the simple things well. 

-The Commissioner 

Week 10, 2022

Hey All,

It's tine for that column that makes your Tuesdays feel like Saturdays, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We Still miss you, Joe Jares. 

Summaries 

USC 41- California 35: Los Angeles, CA- It might have been a bit of an omen that things would not go easily for the Trojans against the Golden Bears when Traveler had to dodge the Trojan Marching Band in the pregame show.  However, despite falling behind early 7-0, the Trojans did manage to take a 20-7 lead into the half thanks to one-yard sneak from QB Caleb Williams, a 12-yard TD run by Travis Dye and a seven yard TD catch by WR Michael Jackson III. The Trojans would the extend that lead to 34-14 to start the final period thanks to another TD reception from Jackson III where he took a short pass and sprinted through the Cal defense for 59 yards and an eight-yard TD catch from WR Tahj Washington. Then the fourth quarter began. Cal's offense woke up and started riddling the SC defense with QB Jack Plummer's passes. With 2:31 to play the Bears cut SC's lead to just six points on a four-yard run from RB Jaydn Ott and a two-point conversion pass from Plummer to WR Monroe Young.  The Trojans then needed to run out the clock and Williams was to man make that happen.  On 4th and 1 from Cal 43-yard line, Williams snaked his way through the Cal defense for 15 yards and a first down.  A run from RB Travis Dye and two kneel downs later, SC escaped with the win. Despite being without his two top receivers again this week, Williams completed 26 of 41 passes with four TDs while also running for 38 yards one seven carries and another score.  Williams's favorite targets were Jackson and Washington.  Jackson caught five balls for 115 yards and two TDs while Washington grabbed seven passes for 112 yards and a TD.  Meanwhile, the SC defense did its' best to turn Cal's Plummer into the second coming of Aaron Rodgers.  Plummer completed 35 of 49 aerials for 406 yards with three TDs and an interception. 

Telling Stat: He's a thriller;  USC WR Michael Jackson III broke California with two TDs in a breakout game where he picked up the slack left after both of SC's top WRs sat another game due to injury. 

Washington 24- Oregon State 21: Seattle, WA- Wind gusts up to 40 MPH greeted both squads as they took they field at Husky Stadium. A few bad calls and a delay of 25 minutes due to a power outage early in the fourth also were hurdles for both teams to contend with.  In the end, the Huskies had just enough to outlast the Beavers.  That just enough came in the form of a 18 play, 92-yard drive that ended with PK Peyton Henry making a 22-yard FG with :08 left to win the game. The Beavers held a 21-14 lead to start the third period, but couldn't hang on for the win.  QB Michael Penix, Jr. completed 30 of 52 passes for 298 yards, a TD and an interception for the Dawgs. For the Beavers, RBs Damien Martinez and Deshaun Fenwick combined to rush for 144 yards and two TDs on 24 carriers. 

Telling Stat: They owned the 4th;  Washington shutout Oregon State, 10-0 in the final quarter, outagaining the Beavers 136 yards to 51.  The Dwwgs defense also forced a fumble on OSU's final drive to seal the win. 

Oregon 49- Colorado 10: Boulder, CO- The Bo Nix showed sponsored by Nike rolled into Boulder and did everything but plant a Webfoot flag on top of the Flatiron Mountains in their rout of the Buffaloes. The Quack QB sliced up the Buffs secondary completing 20 of 24 passes for 274 yards and two TDs, while running for two scores and also catching a score. The Buffs didn't have much luck stopping the Ducks running game either with RB Bucky Irving toting the rock 11 times for 120 yards. UO LB Noah Sewell also scored on a one-yard run and OT Josh Conerly, Jr. caught a TD pass. So, the Ducks just toyed with CU for a full four quarters. In the loss, CU QB J.T. Shrout completed 17 of 34 passes for 247 yards, a TD and two interceptions. 

Telling Stat: 7 of 9 = Rout; Oregon scored TDs on seven off their first nine drives to run away with this game.  The Ducks other two drives ended in a punt and a turnover on downs at the CU five-yard line. 

Utah 45- Arizona 20: Salt Lake City, CA- When snow covered Rice-Eccles Stadium earlier in the week, it seemed to be a sign that the Wildcats would have a tough time in Salt Lake City.  Honestly, nobody really thought the Utes would have a tough time with UofA and they didn't.  The only surprise in this game is that Utah actually wore helmets that didn't depict deceased players. The Utes used their rushing game to wear down the Wildcats and control the clock.  The Utes held a 31-10 through three quarters thanks to four TD runs by three different RBs and 27-yard FG by PK Jadon Redding. The fourth quarter saw the Utes extend out to 45-10 lead before their second teamers allowed a late 10 points from the Wildcats. Utes RB Ja'Quinden Jackson led all rushers with 97 yards on 13 carries with a TD. QB Cam Rising was back in the lineup for Utah and completed 13 of 25 passes for 151 yards and a TD.  For UofA, QB Jayden de Laura completed 10 of 20 passes for 159 yards.  He also ran for a score.

Telling Stat: They ground it out;  Utah held the ball for 37:59 by rushing for 306 yards on 55 carries en route to the win.  

Washington State 52- Stanford 14: Palo Alto, CA- The Cougars came to The Farm looking to snap a three-game losing skid and the Cardinal did every thing they could to help their friends from the Palouse do just that. The first quarter saw the Stanford defense implode as Wazzu built up a 21-0 lead on a three-yard run from WR Leyton Smithson, a three-yard TD pass from QB Cam Ward to WR Adrian Glover and 15-yard scamper by Ward. Stanford would cut that lead to 21-7 when QB Ahston Daniels scored form a yard out.  However, that would be the lone highlight for the Cardinal in the first half.  Stanford's offense then proceeded to fumble on four of their next five drives. Wazzu would turn three of those turnovers into TDs with DB Jaden Hicks returning one of those for a TD.  The Cougars went into the intermission with a 42-7 lead. The competitive portion of the contest was over at that point.  The second half was basically 30 minutes of garbage time.  Ward completed 16 of 32 passes for 176 yards and two TDs to go with 38 yards and a TD on five carries. His backfield mate, Make Watson just couldn't be stopped by the Cardinal, rushing for 116 yards on 16 carries and a TD.  For the hapless Cardinal QB Tanner McKee completed 23 of 40 passes for 236 yards. 

Telling Stat: Turnovers kill;  Turning over the ball four times after they were already down 21-7 wiped away whatever comeback chances Stanford had against the Cougars. 

UCLA 50- Arizona State 36: Tempe, AZ- Trenton Bourget news of being the established starting QB for the Sun Devils filled the pregame stories this week as he gave the Sun Devils a real shot at upsetting the bRuins.  Then, as the game began, the story quickly turned to the UCLA not having Pac 12 leading rusher RB Zach Charbonnet in the lineup.  Charbonnet was on the sideline in uniform with his left arm and calf wrapped.  He never played and the he didn't need to.  QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson and WR turned RB for this game Kazmeir Allen more than picked up the slack as they accounted for most of the bRuins 402 rushing yards that were hung on the ASU defense. UCLA came back from an early 10-7 deficit to build up a 35-10 lead on the Sun Devils early in the third quarter.  ASU then mounted a comeback and cut their deficit to just 42-36 with 6:24 to play.  However, UCLA was able to put the game away seven plays later when RB Colson Yankoff found paydirt from one-yard out. A two point conversion followed and UCLA won by 14 points.  Allen ran for 137 yards on 11 carries with a TD and Thompson-Robinson ran for 120 yards on 10 carries with two TDs.  Thompson-Robinson also completed 13 of 20 passes for 169 yards, two TDs and an interception.  For the Sun Devils, Bourget completed 38 of 49 aerials for 349 yards, two TDs and an interception. 

Telling Stat: Ground Control; UCLA gashed the ASU defense for 402 yards rushing on 42 carries.  That's a nifty 9.6 yards per carry.   

Observations

...Paging Mr. Allen; USC RB Travis Dye has a rushing TD in eight straight games for the Trojans, the longest such streak since Marcus Allen in 1981. 

...They move the chains;  At 56.6% Minnesota leads the nation in third down conversion percentage. Hot on the Gophers tails are a trio of Pac 12 schools.  Washington, UCLA and USC rank 2nd, 3rd and 4th converting on 54.6, 54.1 and 53.3 % of their third downs respectively. 

...Easy like Sunday morning; I'll say it again, it doesn't get much better than rolling out of bed on Sunday morning, plopping on the couch and turning on NFL RedZone.  

...Begs the question;  If five of the top ten leaders in scoring defense are Big Ten teams, does it that mean that those defense are all incredible or that Big Ten offenses are just weak?  Hmmmmmmmm. 

...Blocking Irish;  Notre Dame has blocked six punts this year, that leads the nation. 

...Tom calling;  As USC's defense was collapsing in the fourth quarter against Cal, the voice of old Trojan radio legend Tom Kelly's words rang in my ears saying, "The Trojans just can't stand prosperity!"

...A new record;  In case you missed it, SMU beat Houston 77-63. The 140 total points make this the highest scoring game in NCAA history that did not go to overtime. The teams combined for 1,352 yards of offense, 65 first downs, and 154 plays from scrimmage. Wow. 

...Still undefeated?;  Clemson is still undefeated in ACC play. How?  Well, despite Notre Dame's affiliation with the league, games between the Irish and full ACC members only count towards your overall record. 

...Schadenfreude in action;  The happiness throughout the land experienced by millions of fans when Alabama lost to LSU felt like the celebrations when the Empire fell in Return of the Jedi. 

...Huge mess looming; Six of the seven teams in the Big Ten West are separated by a total of two games in conference play. Illinois is 4-2, four teams are 3-3 and Nebraska is 2-4.  Gonna be a wild next few weeks.    

...Irsay you say, Idiots I say;  The Irsay family has owned the Baltiomore/ Indianoplis Colts since 1972 and have been a just a dysfunctional group to say the least.  Now, Jim Irsay continues the stupidity with the firing of HC Frank Reich and the hiring of Jeff Saturday as the interim HC.  Reich deserved to finish the year. Saturday comes in as an interim HC without being a member of the current coaching staff.  This makes as much sense as when Robert Irsay, Jim's father, moved the team from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984. Facepalm. 

...American worth watching;  8-1 Tulane hosts 7-2 UCF in a huge game in the AAC this week.  Winner has the inside track to the league crown.  

...An earth shaking win;  The Crowd at Tiger Stadium shook literally shook the ground twice during the Bayou Bengals upset of Alabama.  Purely Seismic

...Two now, win later;  The new strategy move driven by analytics that has taken the football world by storm is that when a team is down late in the game by 14 points and they score a TD to cut into the lead, they go for two points right away to cut that that deficit to just six points. Then presumably go ahead later on a standard PAT after another TD. It sure flies in the face of traditional which wisdom dictates not going for two unless you have to.  It was done twice in the Pac 12 last week and it is crazy to watch. 

...Not feeling Bully; South Florida has fired HC Jeff Scott following the Bulls 54-28 loss to Temple.  The Bulls are 0-5 in AAC play and 1-8 overall this year.  Over the past three seasons USF had gone a dismal 4-26 under Scott's tutelage. 

...He's not gone; Despite earlier reports this week, West Virginia HC Neal Brown has not been fired.  This may just be a just a few weeks like when everyone knew Bryan Harrison was going to canned at Auburn. Stay tuned.  

...It ain't either or;  There has been quite the debate in the USC message board world as to whether the lack of talent or DC Alex Grinch is to blame for the Trojans defensive woes.  It's both.  Even with transfers the defense has a woeful lack of talent. That's due to the recruiting malpractice of the former coaching regime.  Secondly, the defensive scheme is just bad.  Grinch has never produced a top 10 defense.  

...A really fast brick wall;  Nobody has a defense like Georgia.  

...The little engine that couldn't;  Purdue's Boilermaker Special that leads the team onto the field at Ross-Ade Stadium stalled while trying to lead the team out.  The football team stalled too, losing to Iowa by a score of 24-3. Stalled!

...They did win the game;  Iowa did beat Purdue as mentioned above, but if all of Iowa's offensive woes this year could be summed up in one play, this one is it.  Facepalm

...A season ends;  With the World Series over, the stark reality hits hard in my backyard. The corn didn't grow, Shoeless Joe never showed up and my Angels had another losing season.  Well, there's always next year. 

Pac 12 Overreactions

Oregon will go 12-1 and miss the College Football Playoff.

USC is a 9-3 team. 

Cal now thinks they have a real offense.

The difference between home Utah and road Utah is staggering.

The Arizona-Arizona State game could be epic this year. 

Stanford wonders how they beat Notre Dame. Really, we all do.

Washington thinks they can beat Oregon.

Colorado will think it is warm on Friday night at the Coliseum.

UCLA's chip on their shoulder is a mile wide. 

Oregon State wishes games were just 59 minutes long this year. 

Washington State is Sun Bowl bound. 

CFL Update 

The playoffs have started and the Conference Final games are set.  Montreal took care of Hamilton, 28-17 and will travel to Toronto for the East Conference Final.  The BC Lions beat the Calgary Stampeders, 30-16 and will travel to Winnipeg to take on the Blue Bombers in the West Final.  

Ugly Uniform of the Week

I was gonna put SMU's awful black and blue uniforms in this section, but after the Ponies scored 77 points in them, they became pretty. So, this North Texas uniform makes a second appearance in a couple seasons.  These slime neon green togs they wore this past weekend brings two things mind.  One, the uniform looks like a really bad redesign of the old Washington Federals of the USFL.  Two, the helmet looks like a possible logo for a South American airline.  Ugly.

Departments 

Low Score Game of the Week: Little Rock, AR: With 10:53 left in the second quarter at old War Memorial Stadium, QB Jacob Wood hit WR Kanyn Utley with a 21-yard TD pass to give the Hendrix College Warriors a 6-0 lead over the Rhodes College Lynx. The PAT would fail, but six points would be enough for the Warriors to grab a 6-0 victory.  The Warriors held the Lynx to just 172 total yards en route to the shutout. The win saw the Warriors move 2-4 on the year in the Southern Athletic Association in Division III.  

Blowout Game of the Week: Appleton, WI-  We stay in Division III and more specially the Midwest Conference where the University of Chicago Maroons crushed the Lawrence University Vikings, 60-0.  RB Nick D'Ambrose ran for 147 yards and three TDs on 21 carries to lead a Maroons rushing attack that totaled 315 yards on 52 carries with six TDs.  The Chicago defense held Lawrence to 61 yards of total offense and three first downs for the afternoon.  Lawrence is now 0-9 on the year and has been shutout in each of their last four games. 

Razorback Report: Fayetteville, AR-  Arkansas suffered a devastating 21-19 upset loss to the Liberty Flames. Yeah, seriously they lost to Liberty.  Oh well, the Hogs host LSU this week. Hmmmmm

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Hot homemade soup on a cold day is a beautiful thing.

Everyone in town is waiting for the seasonal See's Candies popup store to open. 

I'm such an old man homeowner that turning back the clocks is a signal to me to check the smoke alarm batteries and change the furnace filter.  Maybe I need to see Dr. Rick. 

Until next time, remember that the other team can't win if they don't score.

-The Commisisonner