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College Football Week 7 Rundown: Undefeated No More

15 Oct

It was another glorious week in college football. And while some teams maybe showing weakness Alabama continued to dominate and had not trouble handing Missouri a crushing loss, 42-10. Other tops teams didn’t have it so easy this week.

Notre Dame vs. Stanford, 20-13

I wasn’t the only one interested in this game, it garnered the highest ratings of the day. Notre Dame pulled out the win in overtime. Although no one would argue that Notre Dame is a strong team some would argue that they won the game based on a questionable call. Notre Dame had the lead in overtime 20-13 when Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor ran the ball and stopped at the goal line then turned and fell into the end zone. The refs said that Taylor stopped short but it appeared to be a touchdown. They did review the call and it stood as a stop short. So  I guess it pays to have the luck of the Irish.

Louisiana State University vs. South Carolina, 23-21

Louisiana seemed to be losing rank after last weeks loss to the Florida Gators but to prove everyone wrong they won a hard fought victory over undefeated South Carolina. The real star of the game was LSU’s Jeremy Hill who rushed for a career-best 124 yards and two TDs. This was really an offensive win for LSU who had 13 unanswered points in the second half. It also brought LSU back into the fold as being one of the teams to beat.

West Virginia vs. Texas Tech, 49-14

Just like South Carolina the undefeated rein of West Virginia came to end with their loss to Texas Tech. This was a shocking upset for West Virginia and star quarterback Geno Smith, seeing as how it’s been forever since Texas Tech was even ranked. But Texas Tech was a scoring machine scoring on the five of seven possessions in the first-half. It also proved that the bad defense on the side of West Virginia is going to be a real hurdle for the team. Smith usually scores so much that he saves the weak defense but this week it just wasn’t enough. Smith completed 29 of 55 passes for 295 yards and 1 touchdown. Smith just has to hope this trend doesn’t continue or he’ll be out of the running for the Heisman.

-M

 

 

 

 

 

College Football Rundown Week 6: Top Teams Go Down

8 Oct

It was another interesting week in college football. Let’s take a look at the most interesting games.

NC State vs. Florida State(3), 17-16

All I can say is WOW. As a North Carolina native I couldn’t be happier to see NC State rising up. It looked like in the first half that Florida State had this in the bag. But then at the very last moment, literally with 16 seconds on the clock, NC State’s quarterback Mike Glennon passed the ball to wide receiver Bryan Underwood for a 2-yard touchdown on the fourth down.  It’s leading a lot of people to question whether Florida State should have been ranked that highly in the first place?

It seems pretty obvious that the major problem with Florida State is in the coaching department. Coach Jimbo Fisher made the decision not to attempt a 51-yard field goal instead opting to punted the ball. If Florida had made the field goal they would have had a 9 point lead in the game instead they found themselves losing.

Louisiana State University(4) vs. Florida, 14-6

Most people’s money was on LSU winning this match-up. No one saw Florida quarterback Mike Gillislee coming. Gillislee ran for a career-high 146 yards and two touchdowns. This is the third game where Gillislee has run more than 100 yards. Florida came from being behind 6-0 after the first half to win. The physicality of Florida is what sealed the deal. It was a little unclear if Florida was so amazing or LSU was just that bad? There were a lot of fumbles, interceptions and drops on the LSU side. Time will if the Gators deserve a bump in the polls.

Duke University vs. Virginia, 42-17

It is pretty shocking to be actually talking about Duke football. When you want Duke tickets you usually can find football tickets because their team is notorious for sucking. What is even more shocking as Duke being good is that they did it without their starting quarterback, Sean Renfree, who is out with an injured elbow. Taking his place was Anthony Boone who in his first time starting threw 4 touchdowns. Who knows maybe Duke will become a football powerhouse but for now you can settle for them no longer being the butt of the joke.

-M

College Football Week 5 Rundown

1 Oct

It was another crazy week in college football. Let’s take a look at what happened.

West Virginia(9) vs. Baylor(25), 70-63

So what seemed likely a sleepy game actually ended up being the highest-scoring game in the history of the Big 12 conference. The star of the game was West Virginia’s quarterback Geno Smith. He had 656-yards and eight-touchdowns. It feels like they should just go ahead and give him the Heisman Trophy. This is not to say that Baylor’s quarterback didn’t give him a run for his money, Nick Florence, had 581 yards and five touchdowns. West Virginia has now moved to number 8 in the rankings. And if you are looking for an entertaining team than look no further than West Virginia.

Ohio State(14) vs. Michigan State(20), 17-16

Ohio State has started the season 5-0 but it definitely has not been smooth sailing. So it seems like nothing compared to Geno Smith but Ohio’s quarterback Braxton Miller was definitely very impressive. Miller had 315 yards and one touchdown.One of the most impressive moments was Miller’s 63-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith in the third quarter. It’s too bad Ohio State isn’t eligible for Bowl this year.

Nebraska(22) vs. Wisconsin, 30-27

Nebraska is officially the king of comebacks.Wisconsin had a 17-point lead at the end of the first half only to have it dissolved by Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez. Who had four straight scoring drives that brought home the win. Martinez ran for 107 yards and threw for 181 yards and two touchdowns. If only NFL teams could do this.

Florida State(4) vs. South Florida, 30-17

This game was surprisingly close despite the fact that Florida State should have just killed it. Florida State was having some scoring trouble. It was until the 5:09 in the third quarter that Florida State managed to get two touchdowns and a field goal. So Florida State remains on top but this game shows a some weaknesses.

-M

 

 

 

 

College Football Rundown: Week 4

24 Sep

It is hard to believe that we are already a month in college football season. This maybe because we are all to drunk to remember the games but how fun would it be to watch a game sober? So here is what we learned this week in college football.

Florida State vs. Clemson, 49-37

This was definitely the most exciting game to watch of the weekend. Things didn’t look good for Florida State who trailed in the second half 28-14 but boy did they make a comeback. Thanks should primarily go to Florida State’s quarterback EJ Manuel who just secured himself a nice spot in the NFL draft. Manuel finished with a career-high 380 yards and a career-high 102 yards rushing. He helped his team score 35 points and take the lead in the second half.

Notre Dame vs. Michigan, 13-6

Notre Dame is 4-0 for to start the season. A lot of people are hailing the return of the Notre Dame as football champions. But I think we need to remember that they are not playing in the ACC for football for a reason. Notre Dame didn’t want to face the tougher teams in the ACC rather opting to be king of the midwest, which isn’t a huge achievement. Notre Dame had no problem beating Michigan. Notre had a lot of help from Michigan’s quarterback, Denard Robinson. He threw four interceptions that looked more like passes to Notre Dame’s defense. Robinson added to his amazing performance with a fumble and no touchdowns. So I wouldn’t be jumping on the Notre Dame National Championship band wagon just yet.

Alabama vs. Florida Atlantic, 40-7

There has yet to be a team that can really challenge number 1 Alabama. In fact I kind feel bad for team’s like Florida Atlantic who have to play them. So yeah just waiting to see a good game when it comes to Alabama . . .

Oregon vs. Arizona, 49-0

Oregon is another really strong team. This is the fourth game where they have scored more than 42 points. Needless to say it was a terrible night for Arizona quarterback Matt Scott. It’s always sad when you play a powerhouse and you don’t score. Scott only completed 50% of 44 passes for 210 yards and with three interceptions. One of the interceptions led to a 54 yard touchdown for Oregon running back Ifo Ekpre-Olomu which really had to sting.

Oregon State vs. UCLA, 27-20

This was UCLA’s first home game of the season and their first loss. UCLA was favored to win this game so no one really saw Oregon State coming. Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion had a great game throwing 24 for 35 with 379 yards passing, with two touchdowns and an interception. For UCLA the game came down to poor decisions in the second half. But I still believe they have time to turn it around and start winning again.

USC vs. California, 27-9

It was good to see USC rebound this week after a loss to Stanford last week. Although USC won quarterback Matt Barkley didn’t have a stellar game. Barkley completed 22 of 34 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Which means still aren’t looking good for him to win the Heisman Trophy. It was a true ass whopping of California which would be great if they were anywhere as good as  Standford.

 

-M

 

 

College Football Rundown Week 3

17 Sep

This week in college football the magic number for top ranked teams was 52. Both Florida State(4) and Alabama(1) won their games 52-0. Florida State beat Wake Forest and Alabama beat Arkansas. But it wasn’t smooth sailing for all teams this week.

University of Southern California vs. Stanford, 21-14

Nobody saw this coming despite the fact that Stanford has beaten USC the last four times they have met. Everyone just assumed that top ranked USC would have no problem taking home the win. A lot of people felt without Andrew Luck as their quarterback Stanford was going to have a rebuilding year. Stanford blew that notion out of the water on Saturday.

So what happened? Was USC over hyped and Stanford underrated? The answer is yes. USC has been pumped up in the national scene a little too much. Although they have won their first two games against Hawaii and Syracuse they were not easy wins. USC simply had no response to Stanford’s defense. Not only that but USC couldn’t run the ball. USC’s quarterback, Matt Barkley, had 20 out of 41 passes completed for 254 yards, two interceptions and not a single touchdown. Barkley who famously returned this year to lead the Trojans to a championship and maybe score the Heisman Trophy for himself is not looking like he going to have the year he had hoped for. USC has already fallen out of the top 10 in the polls.

Meanwhile on the Stanford side running back Stepfan Taylor just upped his value. He ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns. So I expected we will be hearing more about him.

Ohio State vs. California, 35-28

If you want to watch good football than just find an Ohio State game. Like any good movie you are never confident that the Buckeyes will prevail. The deal was sealed for Ohio State when quarterback, Braxton Miller, made a 72-yard pass to Devin Smith with 3 minutes and 26 seconds left for a touchdown.  Then Christian Bryant had an interception ending California’s chances of winning. It was a frustrating game for California that missed three field goals, including two in the second half. Not only that but California also had a touchdown called back by a penalty.

Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh, 35-17

This is definitely the big upset of the week. Pittsburgh lost it’s first two games and entered this game as the ultimate underdog against number 13 ranked Virginia Tech. It was just sloppy football the whole way through for Virginia Tech. At one point Pittsburgh led 21-0. Virginia Tech’s quarterback, Logan Thompson, had a terrible game with three-interceptions. Thompson completed just 14 of 31 passes for 265 yards. Virginia Tech has a lot to improve on before taking on Bowling Green this week. They have no running game and lack a strong offensive strategy.

-M

 

 

 

 

But You Are No Where Near the Atlantic Coast?

12 Sep

Notre Dame has decided to join the Atlantic Coast Conference in every sport except for football. It was a move that was expected since the ACC singed a 15-year TV deal with ESPN worth $3.6 million. Notre Dame wanted to get in on the action but didn’t want to loose it’s lucrative football TV deal with NBC so decided to keep football out of the mix. Although I am not sure how a school can join a conference but leave certain sports out. . .

This news comes after Syracuse and Pittsburgh decided to join the ACC. Somehow Syracuse and Pittsburgh make more sense in the ACC than Notre Dame which is clearly in the midwest. Last time I checked Indiana is no where near the Atlantic Ocean. But I guess they are stuck now because the ACC is charging schools $50 million to leave the conference.

Is it just me or are these conferences kind of operating like mob organizations?

-M

College Football Week 2: A Few Pieces of Glitter on a White Wall

9 Sep

There is so much football happening that it is hard to know where to begin. So I’ll just start. I’m only going through the most news worthy games.

UCLA vs. Nebraska, 36-30

This is shocking because UCLA hasn’t even been ranked since 2007. Since upsetting No. 17 Nebraska, UCLA has earned a spot at No. 22 on the AP list. For UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns in his first home game. The game was tied 24-24 after the first half but UCLA’s defense came back strong allowing just 106 yards after halftime. So this could be change in the fortune of UCLA.

Arkansas vs. Louisiana-Monroe, 34-31

So we all knew this was going to be a rough season for Arkansas after losing coach Bobby Petrino after his extra material motorcycle affair. But I don’t think anyone predicted it would be this bad. Saturday night Arkansas managed to blow a 21-point lead in the second half to loose in overtime. Part of LM success came from their quarterback Kolton Browning who had 481 yards and four touchdowns. Not only that but Arkansas lost their quarterback Tyler Wilson during the game to what is being called an “above the shoulder” injury. And it it unlikely he will be returning next week for their match against Alabama. Now Arkansas has fallen in most polls from the top 10 to more than 20.

USC vs. Syracuse, 42-29

The game almost didn’t finish because of delays due to lightning and looming thunderstorms. There was a delay after the first half for over an hour, which was tough a new thing for the Southern California players. The rest actually helped USC resurge in the second half. USC’s quarterback Matt Barkley matched his own school record with six touchdown passes and threw for only 187 yards. The big mistake for Syracuse was the decision to punt the ball in the 4th quarter. Syracuse was at the 49th-line and decided to punt the ball. The ball ended up in USC wide receiver Robert Woods hands who took it back to the 4 yard line and set up a touchdown which pretty much ended the game for Syracuse.

Alabama vs. Western Kentucky 35-0

Alabama is still ranked number one and had no trouble defeating Western Kentucky. Alabama’s quarterback racked up some good numbers easily. AJ McCarron completed 14-of-19 passes for 218 yards and had 4 touchdowns. Western Kentucky fumbled away any chance they could have had to score in this game.

-M

 

 

 

 

 

College Football Weekend Rundown

2 Sep

The time of year is upon where mid-day drinking out of the back of pick-up truck is no longer just a red neck thing to do, it’s a point of college pride. Yes college football season has begun. If you didn’t watch all the games here is what you missed:

Ohio State vs. Miami (Ohio), 56-10

After the first quarter when Ohio trailed Miami this game got much less interesting. Ohio has a new coach Urban Meyer,previously coached the Florida Gators to two National Championship victories, got off to a good start. Ohio quarterback Braxton Miller had  350 yards and led  three straight second-quarter touchdown drives.

Ohio University vs. Penn State, 24-14

Poor Penn State as if things couldn’t get any worse for them. It was looking up for Penn State who lead by 11 at halftime. But slowly that lead was chipped away by Ohio quarterback Tyler Tettleton who had three touchdowns in the second half. Penn State hasn’t lost an opening game since 2001. Penn’s new coach Bill O’Brien told everyone it was his coaching that was lacking, although I’m not sure anyone really blames him.

Alabama vs. Michigan, 41-14

I can tell you one person who is crying over Michigan’s loss. Boxer Floyd Mayweather bet $2.9 million on Michigan winning in Vegas. Everyone is hoping that Mayweather will go broke so he will have to face Manny Pacquaio. But it’s going to take a lot of betting to make that happen. Mayweather got $32 million for his last fight. I’m not sure why Mayweather beat that number 8 ranked Michigan would take down number 2 Alabama. Despite losing Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson on offense Alabama seemed to do just fine. It was a crushing loss for Michigan who only had 269 yards while Alabama finished with 431 yards. Maybe Michigan should get new uniforms to start because they are really not working on so many levels.

Univ. of Southern California vs. Hawaii, 49-10

This was just a sad match up. USC sacked Hawaii’s quarterback Sean Schroeder five times. USC’s quarterback Matt Barkley passed for 372 yards and four touchdowns. It was a strong start for the number 1 ranked USC.

(more…)

Burning Offer Letters Doesn’t Make You Cool

15 Jun

There has been a trend lately in college sports of burning offer letters from rival schools and posting the pictures on Twitter. It started with Michigan commit Logan Tuley-Tillman who burned his offer from Ohio State. After posting the pictures on twitter Tillman received several death threats from Ohio fans. Things even got as bad as Tillman’s mom getting nasty messages on Facebook.

So in the end maybe not the best idea to burn you offer letter and post it on Twitter? Of course this has started a trend of burning offer letters. Brigham Young University commit Brayden Kearsley took a picture of him burning his offer letter from Utah.

I want to make it really clear when you burn an offer letter you just look like a jackass. Someone is offering you money to play a sport at their school not insulting you. It’s the equivalent of burning money. Let’s try to stay classy young recruits.

-M

Ward is Back . . . On TV

1 Jun

It was just March 14 that Hines Ward retired from dancing the Pittsburgh Steelers. Everyone was very sad to see him go. Now it seems he will be back in the football world. This time he will be analyst for NBC Sports. You can catch him on NBC’s Football Night In America on Sundays and NBC Sports Network’s college football studio show on Saturdays.

-M

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