Week 12 2016

Results of Last Week's Games to Watch 

1.  #11 Oklahoma State Cowboys @ TCU Horned Frogs 

After a short burst of scoring late in the first quarter, TCU found themselves trailing by a score of 7-6 thanks to a blocked extra point.  The Cowboys tallied a field goal with 3 minutes left in the 2nd  quarter, giving the Horned Frogs plenty of time to score before the half.  Running back Kyle Hicks and quarterback Kenny Hill led their team all the way down to the 1 yard line.  On 3rd and goal, they opted for a direct snap to the running back, typically a good play call in the redzone, but Hicks was stopped short of the goal line. TCU opted to go for it on 4th down and went with a direct snap again.  But this time Hicks was looking to pass.  He had a receiver open but completely missed him on the throw.  Why they didn't let their quality quarterback throw it instead is something I'll never understand.

That blunder was the turning point of the game.  Oklahoma State's defense clamped down in the 2nd half and their offense came up big.  The Cowboys scored three touchdowns in the 2nd half and rode off into the sunset with their 9th victory of the year.

Final Score: Oklahoma State 31 TCU 6 

Most Exciting Game of the Week 

#22 Washington State Cougars @ #10 Colorado Buffaloes

For these two teams to be at the top of their respective divisions in the PAC 12 Conference is truly astounding.  Each team is usually the laughingstock of the conference, the team that the mid and upper echelon teams beat up on.  The Cougars managed to get to a bowl game last year, due in large part to the passing skills of quarterback Luke Falk.  With Falk returning this year, Washington State appeared to be in a position to factor somewhat in the PAC 12 title race, but nobody even considered Colorado to be a team to watch.  After a loss to Michigan early in the year, the Buffaloes stampeded their way through the all but one of their games with solid defense and a determined running game, slipping up only slightly in a loss to suddenly hot USC.  Saturday's throwdown looked to be full of loaded fireworks just waiting for a spark.

Points exploded onto the scoreboard in bunches in the first quarter.  After a Washington State punt on the first drive of the game, Colorado drove the ball 81 yards in 12 plays.  The final play of the drive was a 9 yard TD burst by running back Phillip Lindsay, which would not be his last.

On the next possession, a very successful screen pass by Luke Falk and a long run by running back Jamal Morrow got the ball into the redzone for the Cougars.  On the next play, Falk completed a crisp pass to wide receiver Robert Lewis for a 14 yard touchdown.

After two inconsequential drives, the Buffaloes took the ball into Cougars territory.  Then the drive stalled and Colorado found themselves in a 4th and 2 situation.  A 4th down pass by Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau fell incomplete and the Buffaloes turned it over on downs.  Three snaps later, running back Jamal Morrow snuck out of the backfield on a passing play and sped toward the endzone.  Falk threw a perfect pass that fell into the arms of Morrow who took it the rest of the way for a 46 yard TD.

Scoring slowed in the second half for the Cougars and the Buffaloes kept the pressure on. On the third possession of the 2nd quarter, quarterback Sefo Liufau found his rhythm on the ground and through the air, completing 4 of 6 passes and running for 14 yards and a touchdown.

The only points for Washington State in the 2nd quarter was a field goal at the end of a long drive.

In the 3rd quarter, Colorado took the lead and began to wrest control of the game.  Two out of the three Colorado possessions in the 3rd quarter resulted in touchdowns, due to the explosive running of Liufau and running back Phillip Lindsay.  Each scoring drive ended in a Liufau touchdown run.  Sandwiched in between the Buffaloes' TD drives was a 7 play drive by the Cougars which ended in another short touchdown pass by Falk.

The noise level in Colorado's stadium rose slowly louder and louder in the 4th quarter. Now down by 4, Washington State reached the redzone on their next drive but ran out of momentum upon reaching the 18 yard line.  Soon forced into a 4th down, Cougars head coach Mike Leach decided to go for it.  Falk's ensuing pass was caught by Kyle Sweet a yard short of the first down marker.  Sweet attempted to reach the first down but was stopped by a brilliant tackle made by exceptional safety Nick Fisher.  

The crowd was really amped up now, knowing that the Buffaloes were closing in on their first win over a top 25 team in what seemed like forever.  However, the Buffaloes were unable to put the game away, as a minor injury to Liufau turned a potential touchdown drive into only a field goal.  The Cougars were still within a touchdown but the Colorado defense remained locked in and forced Washington State into their only three-and-out of the game.  

The Cougars diminishing hope evaporated when they saw Liufau come back into the game.  Liufau completed 3 of 3 passes on the next drive and shut the door for any potential comeback.  On the 8th play of the drive, Lindsay took the handoff, darted through the gap opened by the offensive line, and blasted into the secondary.  A defender met him at the 5 yard line, but Lindsay kept his legs churning and rumbled into the endzone.  

Four minutes of game clock later, Colorado fans rushed down the hill at one end of the stadium and onto the field to celebrate with a herd of Buffaloes that continue to turn heads.

Final Score: Colorado 38 Washington State 24

Top Games to Watch: Rivalry Week 

1.  #5 Washington Huskies @ #25 Washington State Cougars: 11/25 at 3:30 p.m on FS1

Will the Huskies jump their way back into the championship race with a win over a disappointed Cougars team?  Or will Washington State finally win back the Apple Cup, the trophy that goes to the winner of this game every year, and achieve a gigantic step forward for their program?

My pick: Washington 

2.  #21 Florida Gators @ #16 Florida State Seminoles: 11/26 at 8 p.m on ABC

Will the Gators chomp their way to their 9th win of their season with their potent running game and rock solid defense?  Or will the Seminoles win the Sunshine State rivalry for the 2nd year in a row?

My pick: Florida

3. #3 Michigan Wolverines @ #2 Ohio State Buckeyes: 11/26 at Noon on ABC 

Once again, the Big Game has massive championship implications.  The winner is a virtual lock in my opinion for a playoff spot.  Will the Buckeyes' offense get back to their high scoring ways and forge the path to a playoff spot?  Or will the Wolverines achieve a victory with their great defense and opportunistic offense.

My pick: Ohio State!!!  

Extra Point

Dedicated to my friend BJ

#23 Florida Gators @ #16 LSU Tigers

The Gators trailed 7-3 at halftime, but were fixing to change things.  The Tigers got the ball first in the 2nd half and clawed their way to the Gators' 3 yard line.  On 2nd and Goal, LSU quarterback Danny Etling scrambled to his right, looking to complete a short pass to running back Leonard Fournette.  But Fournette slipped as a result of a legal block and Etling was forced to try to run it in himself.  Etling reached the 1 yard line but was blasted out of bounds by Vosean Joseph  using the hardest tackle I have seen all year. Fournette was tackled in the backfield on the next play and the Tigers chose to kick a field goal.  But the holder fumbled the snap and just barely had enough time to loft a desperation lob into the endzone.  The ball eventually hit the turf and LSU came away with nothing.

Taking possession of the ball at the 2 yard line, the Gators were not in the best position. So, head coach Jim McElwain called a long pass play to try get out of the shadow of their own goal posts.  Gators quarterback Austin Appleby lofted a pass 45 yards down the right sideline to wide receiver Kyrie Cleveland.  Cleveland snagged the ball, shook off an attempted tackle and galloped the rest of the way for a 98 yard touchdown.

After this breathtaking series of events, Florida held a 3 point lead.  Fast forward to 3 minutes left in the 4th quarter, and the Gators had a 16-10 lead.  Once again, LSU reached the redzone on the back of running back Darrius Guice.  After a 2nd and Goal rush by Guice, the Tigers were only 3 feet from a victory.  The 3rd and Goal play was a handoff to the fullback.  The middle of the Gators defensive line pushed through the Tigers offensive line and stopped the fullback for no gain.

Three seconds remained.  4th and Goal.  The game hung in the balance.  The play was a quick pitch to Guice.  The path straight ahead was blocked.  Guice cut to the left and tried to leap in the endzone.  Two Gators knocked him down at the 1/2 yard line.

The Florida players and coaches streamed onto the field, their faces jubilant.  A goal line stand to remember! Hats off to a spectacular defensive effort.

Final Score: Florida 16 LSU 10

My Top 6 

1. Alabama Crimson Tide 

The spot reserved for the team that hogs the championships and are slowly making the championship hunt predictable and increasingly dull.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes 

Although they barely survived a close rivalry game with Michigan State, I can't dock them for getting the job done.

3. Clemson Tigers

They clinched the ACC Atlantic division with win over Wake Forest and look to be a legitimate playoff caliber team. 

4. Michigan Wolverines

A well-coached team with a scary defense and a balanced offense.  Ohio State better be ready for them.

5. Washington Huskies 

Fortunately for the Huskies, somebody did slip up.  Louisville fell flat in a shocking 36-10 loss to the unranked but nonetheless determined Houston Cougars.  Whoever loses the Ohio State-Michigan game will most likely fall out of the top 4 and the Huskies will rise up another spot.

6. Wisconsin Badgers 

A similar team in many respects to Michigan but with less talent and one more loss