Here we are with Thanksgiving upon us. Here's a Turkey Day appetizer with yet another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Tom Kelly.
Summaries
UCLA 38- USC 20: Los Angeles, CA- In the last few weeks, the Trojans lost The Shillelagh back to Notre Dame, been knocked out of the CFP discussion and the Pac 12 title hunt. They have also now surrendered the Victory Bell bell back to UCLA in a game that was not nearly as close as the score indicates. The Trojans were dominated on both sides of the line of scrimmage by the bRuins. UCLA's defense set the tone early. In the first 13 minutes, the bRuins held USC for downs, forced a 3 and out, and then created a pair of turnovers. Those stops were turned into a 14-0 bRuin lead on a one-yard TD scamper from RB T.J. Harden and a 14-yard TD pass from QB Ethan Garbers to TE Hudson Habermehl. Habermehl was so wide open on the play that only the Coliseum torch was nearest defender. The second quarter did see USC fight back to close the gap to 14-10 thanks to one of the prettiest 74-yard TD passes you will ever see from QB Caleb Williams to WR Brenden Rice and a 34-yard FG from PK Denis Lynch. However Lynch missed an earlier FG attempt which helped highlight SC's inability to convert Red Zone opportunities into TDs. Coming out of the half, UCLA marched through the hapless SC defense on a drive that took 5:15 off the clock. The drive covered 65 yards in 15 plays and was capped off with a seven-yard TD pass from Garbers to Harden. Then 15 seconds later, UCLA put the game away when DB Alex Johnson scooped up a fumble by Trojan RB MarShawn Lloyd and and sprinted 11 yards to paydirt. The game was basically a glorified scrimmage after that with RB Austin Jones scoring SC's last TD of the regualr season with 3:52 left and the outcome of the game long since decided. For the bRuins, Garbers completed 18 of 31 passes for 155 yards and three TDs, while his backfield mate Harden lugged the leather 22 times for 142 yards and a TD. Her also caught a TD pass. In what was most likely his last game as a Trojan, Caleb Williams completed 31 of 42 passes for 384 yards, a TD and an interception. Rice led all receivers with 147 yards on eight catches and a TD.
Telling Stat: They dominated the trenches; Nothing says how UCLA controlled both sides of the line of scrimmage over USC than the fact the bRuins gained 199 yards rushing while SC gained only three.
Washington State 56- Colorado 14: Pullman, WA- The temp was in the high 30's at kickoff on Friday night in the Palouse, but the Cougars came out red hot on Senior Night and obliterated the Buffaloes. With a bold WAZZU emblazoned on their helmets the Cougars went up 14-0 quickly on a 15-yard TD run by Lincoln Victor and a 40-yard fumble return for a TD by DE Brennan Jackson. Colorado's porous OL got QB Shedeur Sanders sacked four times in his first ten plays. Then Sanders left the game in the second quarter with an injury and the rout was on. The Cougars led 42-7 at the half and then 56-7 after three quarters when Jackson got his second fumble return for a TD. This one covered 74 yards. CU RB Sy'Veon Wilkerson picked up a one-yard cosmetic TD late to end the scoring. WSU QB Cam Ward completed 18 of 30 passes for 288 yards and two TDs He also ran for a a pair of scores. WR Josh Kelly was Ward's favorite receiver catching six passes for 130 yards. CU's lone bright spot was WR/CB Travis Hunter who caught four passes for 82 yards and a TD.
Teling Stat: Lineman's dream comes true; WSU DE Brennan Jackson returned not one, but two fumbles for TDs in this laugher in Pullman.
Arizona 42- Utah 18: Tucson, AZ- It was a the final Pac 12 game ever at Arizona Stadium and the Wildcats went out in style with a big win over the Utes. On the opening drive of the game UofA marched 75 yards in eight plays and took a 7-0 lead on a perfectly executed double pass when WR Tetairoa McMillan hit wide open RB Michael Wiley with a 21-yard TD pass. On the ensuing drive, Utah had their punt blocked and taken in for a TD by Cats LB Anthony Ward for a 14-0 lead. Then following a Utah punt, the Cats drove 80 yards in six plays and went up 21-0 on a 32-yard pass from QB Noah Fifita to WR Montana Lemoniuos-Craig. Then following a third straight failed Utah drive, the Wildcats drove 72 yards to take a 28-0 lead on a pass from Fifita to Wiley that covered 31 yards. Seven seconds into the second quarter Arizona owned a 28-0 lead and had outgained Utah 227 yards to 18. From this point on, the game settled into a hard-hitting defensive affair with the Wildcats able to keep the Utes at bay. Things did get interesting at the end of the game when instead of taking a knee to kill the clock, Arizona threw a 51-yard TD pass to add an exclamation point to their big victory. For the now 8-3 Wildcats, Fifita completed 22 of 30 passes for 253 yards and two TDs. McMillan was Fifita's top target catching eight balls for 116 yards and a TD. Cats RB Jonah Coleman led all rushers with 90 yards on 14 carries and a score of his own. In the loss, Utah QB Bryson Barnes completed 31of 53 passes for 320 yards, two TDs and two interceptions.
Telling Stat; Flat for 15:07=L; Utah came out flat and fell behind down 28-0 just seven seconds into the second quarter. The Utes could not dig out of the hole that big.
Oregon 49 - Arizona State 13: Tempe, AZ- The yard formerly known as Sun Devil Stadium has been a house of horrors over the years for the Ducks. However, that was not the case this year as the Ducks had a first half where they did everything to the Sun Devils except snap Sparky's pitchfork in two and stab him with both ends. UO had six first half possessions and QB Bo Nix threw six TD passes to stake his team to a 42-0 halftime lead. TE Patrick Herbert and WR Tony Franklin caught two TDs each with WRs Gary Bryant, Jr. and Tez Johnson each grabbing one scoring toss. In little over one half's worth of work, Nix completed 24 of 49 passes for 404 yards and six TDs. Franklin led all receivers with 128 yards on catches with two scores. For the overwhelmed Sun Devils, QB Trenton Bourguet completed 20 of 37 passes for 142 yards while WR Melquan Stoval scored the Sons of Sparky's only TD on a 15-yard run.
Telling Stat: Long distance whipping; Oregon's seven TD drives covered, 75, 75, 67, 65, 74, 98 and 75 yards.
California 25- Stanford 17: Palo Alto, CA- It was an oddly tight one, but the Golden Bears came away with the win in the 126th Big Game and have retained ownership of The Axe for another year. The Bears never trialed in this one as they opened the scoring with a nine-yard TD pass from QB Fernando Mendoza to WR Trond Grizzell. Stanford cut into Cal's lead with a 44-yard FG from PK Josh Karty only to see the Bears take a 14-3 lead on the ensuing drive. Mendoza and Grizzell connected again for a score, but this one was far longer, covering 54 yards. A 54-yard FG just from Karty later in the second quarter would make the score 14-6. That's the way the score stood to until the teams traded TDs late in the third quarter. Cal RB Jaydn Ott powered over form a yard out to stake his team to a 21-6 lead only to have Stanford cut that lead to 21-12 on a 41-yard TD toss form QB Ashton Daniels to WR Tiger Bachmeier. The Cardinal then got into within six points of Bears when Karty hit a 50-yard FG to make the score 21-15. The Golden Bears just about put the game out of reach in the final period when with 10:19 left Mendoza threw and eight-yard TD pass to WR Jeremiah Hunter for a 27-15 advantage. Stanford 's last chance to get back into the game ended when Ashton's fourth down pass fell incomplete at the Cal 35-yard line. Mendoza then marched the Golden Bears 56 yards in 12 plays to kill the final 6:27 off the clock to secure the victory. Mendoza's line was a hero's one for sure as he completed 24 of 36 passes for 294 yards and three TDs. Grizzell caught seven of those completions for 136 yards and two TDs. For the Cardinal, Daniels completed 18 of 35 passes for 188 yards and a TD.
Telling Stat: No Red Zone For You!; The Cal defense didn't allow Stanford to cross into the red zone for the entire game. Stanford's deepest drive stalled at the Cal 26-yard line.
Washington 22- Oregon State 20: Corvallis, OR- The Huskies clinched a spot in the Pac 12 title game with a hard fought win in a constant downpour at Reser Stadium. The Dawgs owned the first half building up a 22-10 lead on TD passes of 12 yards and 38 yards from QB Michael Penix, Jr. to WR Rome Odunze, a five-yard TD run from Penix, Jr, and a safety. The second half looked like the Dawgs would put the game away when CB Jabbar Muhammed picked off OSU QB D.J. Uiagalelei at Beavers 22-yard line. However, the OSU defense stiffened and then celebrated when UW PK Grady Gross pushed a 39-yard FG attempt wide. Then OSU, with the aid of a PI call on the Huskies, moved the ball 78 yards in 16 plays to make the score 22-17 on a five-yard TD run from RB Damien Martinez. On their next drive, OSU was forced to settle for a 35-yard FG from PK Atticus Sappington to make the score 22-20. After OSU forced another UW punt, the Beavers seemed primed to send the Dawgs down to defeat. However, OSU's drive stalled at their own 47-yard line where they faced a 4th and five. Uiagalelei's pass fell incomplete and they gave up the ball with 2:08 to play. The Huskies needed a first down to kill the clock, but their offense had been held to a paltry 26 yards in the second half. The Dawgs needed a play and they got one. Penix, Jr, and Odunze connected for a gain of 19 yards to put the game in the win column. Three kneel downs later, the Huskies walked out of Reser Stadium undefeated and with their national title dreams intact. Penix, Jr. finished the night completing 13 of 28 passes for 162 yards and two TDs for the 11-0 Huskies. Uiagalelei completed 15 of 31 passes for 164 yards and two interceptions while Martinez carried the ball 26 times for 123 yards with two TDs in the tough loss for the Beavers.
Telling Stat: A stop and a pass; Despite being thoroughly outplayed the entire second half, Washington got the stop they needed on defense and the pass reception on offense they needed to remain undefeated.
Observations
...Flipside of the argument; USC HC Lincoln Riley keeps insisting how his team was just a few plays away from being undefeated. SC was also a few plays away from being 5-7 or 4-8 too.
...Last dances; UCLA will host Cal in the last regular season game in Pac 12 history. The game kicks off at 7:30 PM at the Rose Bowl and will air on ESPN. The last ever football game on Pac 12 Network will be Notre Dame at Stanford which kicks off at 4 PM.
...The Apple Cup goes on; While the Pac 12 dissolves, Washington and Washington State gave agreed to keep their rivalry going until at least 2028. More Apples
...No glamour, all glory; Washington QB Michael Penix's Heisman moment wasn't flashy or jaw-dropping or highlight reel worthy. It was just a completion on third down in the pouring rain to keep the Huskies undefeated and their CFP hopes alive. That in itself is glorious.
...Bronze medalists; Penn State will once again finish third in the Big Ten East.
...7 and rising; Utah QB Cam Rising has announced he'll return to Utah in 2024 for his seventh season in college football. Rising started his career many moons ago as a freshman signal caller riding the bench at Texas for HC Tom Herman. Wow.
...Bad mental gymnastics; Pundits arguing how a one loss Alabama team should theoretically make the playoff over a one loss Texas team are nuts. Texas beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa. That's all that matters.
...D only for the win; Iowa has won the Big Ten West and clinched a spot in the league's title tilt despite scoring only 118 points in league play. It's amazing what a strong defense in a bad division can do for you.
...That bad; USC's defense has allowed 419 points this year, the most ever in school history.
...Mediocrity rewarded; It possible that the ACC will have 11 bowl teams with six of those teams sporting a 6-6 record.
...Turnaround turning point; In Arizona's great turnaround of a season, the injury to QB Jayden de Laura was the turning point. If he never gets hurt, Noah Fifita never gets his chance to lead the team.
..It is truly the Land of Enchantment; New Mexico State going into Jordan-Hare and whipping Auburn was pretty cool. Evidently, Auburn bought a bran muffin instead of a cupcake for $1.85 million with the way the Aggies offense went right through their defense.
...Many ways; According to an unnamed official in the Big XII there are still over 100 different scenarios that could play out as to who will make championship game going into the final weekmof the regualr season. Get used to it folks. With leagues abandoning divisional play and having too many teams to play a true schedule where all teams play each other, this will be th order of the day, not the exception.
...82 years; The Pittsburgh Steelers announced the firing of OC Matt Canada on Tuesday. So what's the big deal? Coaches are fired all the time in the NFL. Well, this was the first midseason coaching change for the Steelers since 1941 when then part owner of the team, Bert Bell fired himself as HC after the team started the season at 0-2. Bell would go on to be Comissioner of the NFL from 1946-59.
...Viva Las Vegas; If UNLV beats San Jose State this coming Saturday, they will earn a berth in the MWC title game.
...He's Gone; Syracuse has parted ways with HC Dino Babers. Babers went 41-55 in his time with the Orange. Buh-Bye Babers
...More Land of Enchantment; Fresno State was eliminated from the Mountain West title race when they fell at home to New Mexico, 25-17.
...Fear the Goat; When you're Navy and you beat the East Carolina Prates, you are obligated to announce the victory in this manner.
Pac 12 Overreactions
USC is just a 7-5 team.
Arizona with a chance to win the Pac 12 title and still not go to the Rose Bowl is so very Arizona.
UCLA is a few pick sixes away from the Pac 12 title.
Oregon is out for revenge, not just wins.
Washington State will finish 5-7 when a bowl game seemed certain in September.
Cal wishes they just kicked the extra point v. USC.
ASU has no idea who they are on offense or defense.
Oregon State should not be ranked higher than Arizona.
Washington is winning all the close ones like goos teams do.
Colorado's September was great, but not nearly as great as Earth, Wind and Fire's September.
Utah will put 60 on Colorado this week.
Stanford will be a lot better next year.
Le point sur la Coupe Grey/ Grey Cup Update
Félicitations aux Alouettes de Montréal qui ont marqué sur une passe de touché de 19 verges du QB Cody Fajardo au WR Tyson Philpot avec :11 à jouer pour battre les Blue Bombers de Winnipeg, 28-24 dans la 110e Coupe Grey. Il s'agissait de la première victoire de la Coupe Grey pour Montréal depuis 2010. Les Alouettes ont éliminé les deux équipes ayant la meilleure fiche en saison régulière dans l'Est (Toronto) et l'Ouest (Winnipeg), pour remporter le championnat de la LCF. Allez les Alouettes !
Congratulations to the Montreal Alouettes who scored on a 19-yard touchdown pass from QB Cody Fajardo to WR Tyson Philpot with :11 left to beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 28-24 in the 110th Grey Cup. It was the first Grey Cup win for Montreal since 2010. The Alouettes knocked off both the teams with best regular season record in the East (Toronto), and the West (Winnipeg), to claim the championship of the CFL. Go Alouettes!
Cool Helmet of the Week
Anytime Washington State embraces their inner WAZZU with a helmet design, it's great. Go Cougs!
Departments
Low Score Games of the Week: Midland, TX- In a an upset in the D-II Playoffs, the mighty Beavers of Bemidji State Beavers went on the road and beat University of Texas Permian Basin Falcons, 10-3. A 15-yard TD pass from QB Brandon Alt to WR Mike Wandemaker in the second quarter and a 20-yard FG from PK Marko Jovisic gave the Beavers a 10-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter. UTPB didn't get on the scoreboard until there was :41 left in the game on a 44-yard FG from PK Rafael Vargas. Bemidji State then recovered the onside kick that followed and the claimed the upset win. The Beavers will now take on Central Washington in the second round who were also upset winners over Western Colorado.
Blowout Game of the Week: Naperville, IL- In the first round of the D-III Playoffs the Cardinals of North Central College extinguished the Blazers of Belhaven University, 65-0. The Cardinals built up a 35-0 halftime lead thanks mostly to QB Luke Lehnen who threw for three TDs and ran for one more. The Cardinals then put the game away for good when WR/KR Joey Lombardi returned the second half kickoff 93 yards for a TD. North Central held Belhaven to just 125 total yards allowing just one Belhaven drive to cross the 50-yard line. North Central will now face Trinity (TX) in the second round.
Razorback Report: Fayetteville, AR- It was cupcake week in the SEC and Arkansas moved to 4-7 on the season by whipping FIU, 44-20. Down early, 13-7 the Hogs built up a 31-13 halftime lead. The second half turned into a glorified scrimmage with Hogs tacking 13 more points on the board. QB K.J. Jefferson completed 15 of 28 passes for 187 yards and three TDs. The Hogs got their rushing game going, gaining 323 yards on 54 carries and a TD. Top next for the Razorbacks is their season finale where they will host the red hot Missouri Tigers.
This Week's There Notes About Nothing...
Pepperidge Farm Egg Nog cookies are really good.
When did grocery stores stop stocking Boysenberry jam?
Rainstorms followed by Santa Ana winds here is a pretty crazy thing.
Until next time, remember to have a Happy Thanksgiving. It's the best holiday of the year. It's just about family, food and football and that's pretty special.
-The Commissioner
