Week 6: Utter Chaos
Results of Last Week's Games to Watch
1. LSU Tigers @ Auburn Tigers
Final Score: Auburn 41 LSU 7
From the start, this game wasn't even close. Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall was exceptional as a runner last year, but in the offseason he improved his passing skills drastically. He is now a complete quarterback, showing it in a perfect pass that was brought down by Sammie Coates in the above picture. Marshall and his offense shredded the LSU defense, and the LSU offense had NO answer. But Auburn better be ready for a pivotal game this Saturday on the road against a tough Mississippi State team.
2. Stanford Cardinal @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Final Score: Notre Dame 17 Stanford 14
This thrilling game was played in miserable windy and rainy conditions that had the fans in ponchos and made every pass difficult to complete. Notre Dame had a 10-7 lead late in the 4th quarter, but their defense was gashed on a 3rd and Goal play when a Stanford running back ran nearly untouched straight up the middle for a touchdown. With only 3 minutes remaining, the fans were hoping for a miracle and Fighting Irish quarterback Everett Golson would give them one. Leading the team down to the Stanford 22 yard line, Golson was trying to become the hero. However, 2 successive ineffective plays and a 3rd down sack forced the Irish into a last chance 4th and 11. With the game on the line, Golson scrambled to the left and fired a pass through the wind and rain into the back corner of the endzone and it was caught by tight end Ben Koyack. The Notre Dame faithful went into a frenzy, and the cold and rainy weather seemed less dismal for the next few hours.
3. Oklahoma Sooners @ Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs
Final Score: TCU 37 Oklahoma 33
With the fans in the stands itching for a victory, TCU's Head Coach Gary Patterson, quarterback Trevone Boykin, and a skilled defensive unit were not about to disappoint them. Due in large part to 2 TD passes from Boykin and 2 defensive TDs, TCU found themselves up by 4, late in the final quarter. But Oklahoma was began to drive down the field and needed just 1 yard to keep their hopes alive. However, with a "ribbit!" of defiance, the Horned Frogs defensive line jumped forward after the snap and dropped the Sooners running back in the backfield. Within minutes the fan would rush the field to celebrate TCU's 1st key conference victory since joining the Big 12 Conference in 2012.
Top 2 Most Exciting Games of the Week
1. Alabama Crimson Tide @ Ole Miss (Mississippi) Rebels
College Gameday, the nation's premier college football pregame show and the only pregame show that is fun to watch, was there in Oxford, Mississippi on Saturday. The guest on the show that day was pop star Katy Perry and she is a big fan of Ole Miss. Former head coach Lee Corso picked Alabama to win and as is his tradition he put the Alabama mascot's head on, which happens to be an elephant. (Why? I haven't the foggiest idea) Katy Perry did not like this at all, and after Corso bugged her for a minute with the elephant's flimsy trunk she could stand it no longer. Screaming, "No! Stop!" she reached over, yanked the elephant head off of Corso, and tossed it onto the ground. Perhaps it was a sign....
Anyway, due to some sloppy offensive plays and a costly fumble that was returned for a touchdown, the Rebels headed back to the locker room discouraged by Alabama's 14-3 lead. But they banded together as a team and came out for the 2nd half determined to finally beat Alabama.
The Ole Miss defense held firm during Alabama's first drive of the half and the offense would not waste the opportunity. Quarterback Bo Wallace marched the Rebels down the field and receiver Larry Treadwell capped it off with a great catch and brilliant run into the endzone. Alabama would manage a field goal on their next drive, bringing their lead to 7 points (17-10). Nothing much happened until midway through the 4th quarter, when Wallace found a wide-open receiver in Vince Sanders for a 34 yard touchdown. The game was all tied up and the Rebels fans began to think: "Is this finally the year we beat Alabama!"
On the ensuing kickoff, the Crimson Tide special teams came undone, as they did last year in their famous loss to Auburn. Returner Christian Jones fumbled the ball, and it was recovered by Ole Miss at Alabama's 31 yard line. 5 plays later, Wallace got a 3rd TD pass to running back Jaylon Walton thanks to a great play call. But the extra point was blocked and Ole Miss was holding on to a 6 point 23-17 lead. A touchdown and successful extra point could win the game for the Crimson Tide! Alabama quarterback Blake Sims and receiver Amari Cooper got their team down to the Ole Miss 32. On 1st down, Sims took a shot to the endzone, but a Rebels defensive back caught it in the very back of the endzone. But did he get a foot inbounds? Originally, the referees said no but upon review it was clear that the defensive back got his left foot down in the endzone a half second before his right foot landed out of bounds. The referees overturned the call, and a Ole Miss victory was assured. Soon, the fans rushed the field and lifted their fearless quarterback Bo Wallace onto their shoulders, celebrating a heroic and historic win!
Final Score: Ole Miss 23 Alabama 17
2. Arizona Wildcats @ Oregon Ducks
Coming into the game, the Ducks were favored by over three touchdowns over the upstart Wildcats.
In the 1st half, both teams were sloppy, struggling to get their offenses in rhythm. The only touchdown was scored early in the 2nd quarter by Oregon, and they coasted to a 7-3 halftime lead. But after the half, the Wildcats came out of the locker room with their claws out and would soon turn the game into a back-and-forth affair. In just over 3 minutes, the Wildcats bounded down the field and scored on a short run by running back Nick Wilson. Then, the Ducks offense woke up, an in just under 3 minutes, scored their own touchdown on a short pass by quarterback Marcus Mariota. Thus provoked, Arizona's offense and defense worked together for 14 straight points on another short TD by Wilson and a deep pass from QB Anu Solomon. After all that, Arizona found themselves leading on the road 24-14 at the conclusion of the 3rd quarter.
Not wanting to have their national championship hopes dashed by the Wildcats for the second year in a row, Marcus Mariota and the Ducks redoubled their efforts. They scored 10 straight points on their next two drives and knotted the game up at 24 with 8 minutes left. The best option for Arizona was to put together a touchdown drive while simultaneously taking as much time as possible off the clock, which is just what they did. In a slow, yet methodical way, the Wildcats sauntered down the field. However, after two largely ineffective plays and a third down sack, it seemed the drive was over. After making the sack, senior Oregon linebacker Tony Washington showboated to the middle of the field and carried on a bit too much for the referees' liking. He was flagged for a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and Arizona was back in business. With the help of another Oregon penalty, Arizona made it down to the 1 yard line and punched it in for the go-ahead touchdown.
With only 2 and 1/2 minutes left the crowd at Oregon's Autzen stadium was silent, stunned that Arizona was close to beating them again. Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota attempted to lead his team back from the brink, but it was not to be. On a scramble to the right, Mariota was sacked and stripped of the ball by skilled Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright. Scooby recovered the ball and the Wildcats were on their way to 2nd straight upset of Oregon. Well, Scooby-do-be-do!
The Ducks are back to being overdressed pretty boys to me. Check out the photo at the top of this section, again. I'm all for supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but there are better ways to do that than to have pink all over your uniforms.
Final Score: Arizona 31 Oregon 24
Top 2 Games to Watch: Week 7
1. No. 2 Auburn Tigers @ No. 3 Mississippi State Bulldogs: 10/11 at 3:30 p.m. on CBS
Will the Bulldogs chew their way through another SEC West division team or will the Tigers balanced offense get the better of them?
My pick: Auburn
2. No. 9 TCU Horned Frogs @ No. 5 Baylor Bears: 10/11 at 3:30 p.m. on ABC or ESPN 2
In this crucial battle between two unbeatens, will the tough defense of TCU help them achieve a 2nd straight upset of a Big 12 Conference foe, or will Baylor defend their turf by continuing to light up the scoreboard?
My pick: TCU
Final Word
This weekend was absolutely crazy for college football. No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 Alabama, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 6 Texas A&M, and No. 8 UCLA all lost this weekend. Not to mention Arizona State's miracle victory over no. 16 USC on a Hail Mary. (see this link: http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=400548275) Fans of TCU, Kentucky, and of course Ole Miss all stormed the field to celebrate home upsets. The playoff picture for this year has been forever changed.
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