Week 4 2017

Results of Last Week's Games to Watch

1. #16 TCU Horned Frogs @ #6 Oklahoma State Cowboys 

Coming into this important Big 12 showdown, Oklahoma State was one of the hottest teams in the nation.   Through 3 non-conference games, the Cowboys scored an incredible average of 50 points per game on the talent and experience of quarterback Mason Rudolph, running back Justice Hill, and wide receiver James Washington.   Many believed that the only chance TCU had was to turn the game into a high-scoring shootout, which the Horned Frogs could not sustain.  The boys from Fort Worth were definitely the underdogs, or should I say, the underfrogs.

The early stages of the game was anything but a shootout.  The Horned Frogs struck first with a methodical 12 play drive that ended in a field goal.  Much to the surprise of the home crowd, the TCU defense forced Oklahoma State to punt after a series of six plays. The Horned Frogs offense, led by quarterback Kenny Hill and running Darius Anderson, also couldn't manufacture any points on their next drive and punted the ball.  TCU punter Adam Nunez kicked a good one, the ball bouncing around inside the ten yard line.  A member of the Oklahoma State punt coverage team unwisely touched the ball while failing to recover it, allowing TCU's Garrett Wallow the chance to regain possession of the ball inside the 10 yard line.  Despite the exceptional new field position, the Horned Frogs could only manage to tally a field goal. 

On the Cowboys' ensuing drive, the fireworks began with a 86 yard pass and catch between Mason Rudolph and James Washington, his top receiver.  The Horned Frogs responded with a long drive, powered by running back Darius Anderson and two personal foul penalties on the Cowboys.   On the 7th play, Anderson dashed through a big hole in the defensive line, cut back to the left, weaved around another defender, and made it to front left corner of the endzone before being pushed out of bounds.  

Justice Hill and Rudolph led Oklahoma State on a torrid pace down the field on the next possession, until the 9th play of the drive.  Defensive end Ben Banogu chased down a scrambling Mason Rudolph and knocked the ball out of his hands.  It was recovered by defender Jordan Brailford, a pivotal play to put it lightly.  With the ball in his hands again, Quarterback Kenny Hill led the Horned Frogs on a 9 play TD drive that ended with a beautiful lob to receiver John Diarse for a touchdown.

Oklahoma State's next drive ended in a field goal and that was the last points of the half. Leading by a score of 20-10 was not a position many expected the Horned Frogs to be in at the half, but they would show they were there to stay in the 2nd half.  Defensive tackle Chris Bradley intercepted an attempted screen pass by Mason Rudolph on Oklahoma's State first drive of the second half.  Six plays later and TCU was up by 17 points after another touchdown run by Anderson.  The margin between the two teams grew and shrank throughout the rest of the game, but the Horned Frogs never gave up their lead. Yet again, TCU pulled off an impressive road upset.

Final Score: TCU 44 Oklahoma State 31

2.  #17 Mississippi State Bulldogs @ #11 Georgia Bulldogs 

This game jumped onto my radar only to crash in a ball of flames.  The Georgia variety of Bulldogs dominated the game in its entirety.  Case in point: Georgia's first offensive play. Head Coach Kirby Smart decided to dip into his bag of tricks and call a trick play known as a flea flicker.  Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm handed the ball off to star running back Nick Chubb.  Chubb stopped before reaching the offensive line, turned around, and lateraled the ball back to Fromm.  By this point, the Mississippi State secondary was in disarray and Georgia receiver Terry Godwin was wide open.  Fromm lofted a perfectly arcing pass, Godwin caught it in stride, and he sped into the endzone.  Georgia had executed the flea flicker to perfection and the entire Mississippi State team looked as shell-shocked as their defense had on that play for the rest of the game.  Fromm added a second touchdown pass and Chubb scored two TDs as well.  Georgia would compile over 200 rushing yards and just over 400 total yards against a defense that completely stopped LSU's usually potent running game in the previous week.  Mississippi State managed a measly 3 points and, just like that, Mississippi State is back where they started: an afterthought in the SEC.

Final Score: Georgia 31 Mississippi State 3

Most Exciting Game of the Week 

Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Texas A&M Aggies 

Two of the last three games between these two tough SEC foes had gone to overtime. Would this time be any different?

Much as expected, the momentum swung wildly throughout the first half, mainly due to the up and downs in the play of the Arkansas offensive line, led by junior Connor Lanfear.  When they were playing well, running back David Williams had room to run and quarterback Austin Allen had time to throw.  Early in the second quarter, Arkansas built a two touchdown lead, but then their offensive production halted, allowing A&M to put together a string of 10 straight points to make the score 21-17 at the half.  

Arkansas' offense once again failed to produce any points on their first possession of the third quarter and that's all the opportunity Texas A&M needed.  Aggies freshman quarterback Kellen Mond completed a pass for 14 yards on the first play of the drive and a gutsy 4th down completion to retain possession of the ball.  Three plays later, on 3rd down, running back Keith Ford broke off a 23 run for a touchdown.

Now trailing by 3, the Razorbacks offense responded three possessions later with a 6 play TD drive fueled by a pair of 20 yard rushes by running backs Jordan Jones and Devwah Whaley and a 25 yard completion from Allen to David Williams.  The Aggies fired back, constructing a long 13 play drive that resulted in a 37 yard field goal by kicker Daniel LaCamera.  

Arkansas punted on their next drive and their lead remained at a narrow one point margin.  Texas A&M got the ball near midfield and the fireworks began.  On 3rd and 1, Keith Ford blasted through the line en route to a big 44 yard touchdown run.  In an effort to build a 7 point lead, the Aggies went for 2 with a trick play but failed.  Their lead remained at 5.  After this was a string of 3 straight touchdown drives.  First, Arkansas took the lead back on a drive that reached the endzone on the 7th play after a 44 yard pass and catch between Austin Allen and Jonathan Nance.  A successful pass from Allen to tight end Jeremy Patton on the 2 point conversion attempt gave Arkansas a 3 point lead.

Trailing once again, the Aggies didn't even have to snap the ball to score another touchdown.  Kick returner Christian Kirk caught the kickoff at his goal line and used simple straight line speed and a slight turn to the left to crank off an impressive 100 yard return touchdown.

The last of the 3 straight touchdown drives belonged to the Razorbacks. The drive started quickly with a beautifully-designed screen pass to tight end Evan Cantrell that went for 31 yards.  Following two unproductive plays, Allen lofted another deep pass to receiver Jonathan Nance who caught it inside the 5 yard line.  A simple handoff to David Williams, combined with excellent blocking of the Arkansas offensive line, resulted in another Arkansas touchdown.

This time the Arkansas kicker opted for a short kickoff so Christian Kirk would not have a chance to run another one back.  It was a smart tactic but it backfired when a member of the A&M return team corralled the ball and returned it just past midfield.  Only 3 1/2 minutes remained, and the Aggies were trailing by 3, but they had more than enough time with field position like that.  The resulting drive consisted of 11 plays, none more important than Mond's 2nd 4th down completion of the day, this time to wide receiver Damion Ratley.  Reaching the Arkansas 10 yard line with 8 seconds left, Head Coach Kevin Sumlin opted to go for a field goal instead of having his freshman quarterback risk one last throw into the endzone.  LaCamera converted the short field goal and the Arkansas vs. Texas A&M game was headed for overtime for the 3rd time in 4 years.

Texas A&M got the ball first in overtime and didn't take long to score.  A pass interference flag on Arkansas on the 2nd play moved the ball at the 10 yard line.  On the very next play, Mond fired a perfect pass to Christian Kirk for a touchdown.  

It was now Arkansas' turn.  Three straight productive run plays gave the Razorbacks a first down.  Could this game be destined for a second overtime?  Two plays later, however, the situation for Arkansas began to look tenuous.  They faced another 3rd down, this time a 3rd and 7.  The center hikes the ball to Allen, he drops backs, then spots a tight end in the back of the endzone.  Allen zings the pass as hard as he can and the pass looks like it might get there.  But defensive back Armani Watts has the pass read perfectly.  He zips in front of the tight end and catches the ball cleanly, becoming an instant hero.

The Aggies immediately stream onto the field, celebrating yet another close victory over the Razorbacks.

Final Score: Texas A&M 50 Arkansas 43 (OT)

Top Two Games to Watch: Week 5 

1.  #2 Clemson Tigers @ #12 Virginia Tech Hokies: 9/30 at 8 p.m. on ESPN

For the 2nd time in 3 weeks, Clemson takes a trip out of state to face a top 25 team.  Will the Tigers continue to prove they can be a national title contender even during a so-called "rebuilding" year?  Or will the Hokies score a season-defining upset that will vault them into the top 10?

My pick: Clemson

2. #5 USC Trojans @ #16 Washington State Cougars: 9/29 at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN  (DVR it)

A lot of the talk before the season regarding potential Heisman winners centered around USC senior quarterback Sam Darnold.  However, through 4 games, Darnold has thrown only two less interceptions than he had all of last season.  Will Darnold's mistakes finally catch up to the Trojans, giving the Cougars a chance to notch a huge upset?  Or will USC once again show that Washington State is nothing more than an upstart in the PAC 12?

My pick: Washington State