Results of Last Week's Games to Watch
1. Western Michigan Broncos @ Northern Illinois Huskies
This Wednesday night contest gave viewers all the excitement one would expect from a battle of two of the best teams in the Mid-American Conference.
After a quarter and a half of play, the game was deadlocked at 14 points apiece. The most eye-catching play of the 1st half came when Northern Illinois defensive end Sutton Smith made his mark on the game. Smith is undersized for a typical defensive lineman yet more than makes up for it with speed and agility. When teammate Reece Goodard sacked Western Michigan's quarterback, the ball popped loose. Sutton Smith picked up the ball and with his speed it was no surprise that he turned the fumble into a touchdown.
Northern Illinois' chances of winning actually began to shrink when Western Michigan scored 14 straight points in the 3rd quarter. Now trailing by 7, the Huskies knew they had to take control of the 4th quarter and that's exactly what they did. Northern Illinois scored 2 touchdowns in the 4th quarter, the first on a touchdown run by star running back Jordan Huff and the second on a great touchdown pass by quarterback Marcus Childers. The Broncos did tally a field goal in the final quarter of play but this was simply not enough to deny the Huskies a victory.
Final Score: Northern Illinois 35, Western Michigan 31
Most Exciting Game of the Week
#19 NC State @ Wake Forest Deacons
Hoping to guarantee a 2nd place finish in the ACC Atlantic, the Wolfpack were taking this year's Wake Forest team very seriously. The Deacons had been hampered in previous years by lackluster offenses, but this year they were putting up over 31 points per game. Despite possessing a solid defense, the N.C. State offense, led by senior quarterback Ryan Finley, knew they would have to score plenty of points to have a good chance of winning.
This certainly helps to explain a decision made on N.C. State's first drive. After 8 plays, the Wolfpack had reached the Wake Forest 36 yard line but were facing 4th and 2. Instead of trying a long field goal, Head Coach Dave Doeren decided to keep the offense on the field to go for it. Finley threw the ball towards wide receiver Jakobi Meyers but the pass fell incomplete.
Wake Forest took advantage of the turnover on downs by flexing their muscles on offense. Quarterback John Wolford threw a pass on the 2nd play of the drive to receiver Tabari Hines, a completion which netted 39 yards. Three plays later, running back Matt Colburn broke a tackle in the redzone before dashing into the endzone for an 11 yard touchdown.
N.C. State responded with a long drive fueled by the determined running of Nyheim Hines and two completions by Finley that totaled 41 yards. Wolfpack running Jaylen Samuels sprinted into the redzone on an 11 yard touchdown of his own to even the score. John Wolford was still feeling it though, and the game was not tied for long. Wolford went 4 for 6 on the ensuing possession for 43 yards. The last pass got the ball across the goal line on a 21 yard play-action pass from Wolford to Hines.
The scoring ceased until the 2nd quarter when the Wolfpack clawed their way down the field on a 12 play drive that ended on a short TD run by 3rd-string running back Reggie Gallaspy Jr. Watching N.C. State score was something of a catalyst for the Wake Forest offense. The Deacons went 3/4ths the length of their field in 9 plays, taking the lead back on a 2nd TD reception by Tabari Hines. Soon after, the half ended.
Wake Forest's offense surprisingly went three-and-out on the first possession of the 2nd half. N.C. State seized the opportunity and startex off their drive with a 20 yard run by Samuels. Seven plays later, Finley fired a pass into the front left corner of the endzone where wide receiver Emeka Emezie, though well covered, hauled it in with one hand for the touchdown.
The scoreboard displayed the same numbers for a while due to 4 straight three-and-outs. The last three-and-out was committed by N.C. State deep in their own territory and the resulting punt set Wake Forest up with great field position. Wolford completed a deep pass to former high school classmate Chuck Wade on the first play of the drive to propel the Deacons into the redzone. However, Wake Forest would have to settle for a field goal after 3 unproductive plays.
N.C. State began their ensuing drive with a safe handoff to Jaylen Samuels. However, this would turn out to be anything but safe when Wake Forest linebacker Demetrius Kemp jarred the ball loose from Samuels' hands, after which Wake Forest recovered. But then the turnover bug bit the Deacons on the next play when Wolfpack defender Shawn Boone intercepted Wolford's pass.
The Wolfpack managed to hold onto the ball for the next 19 plays, thanks in large part to converting 3 third down conversions and a 4th down conversion, most of which occurred because of great decisions by Ryan Finley. Over 8 minutes after the drive began, N.C. State kicker Kyle Bambard made a 25 yard field goal to knot the score at 24 apiece.
When the Deacons scored a touchdown on their next drive in less than half as much time, it was clear which offense was performing better. The Wolfpack were having to stretch and claw for each yard whereas the Deacons were once again moving the ball at will. However, the momentum would begin to shift when N.C. State blocked the extra point.
Channeling that small victory into forward progress, Finley and the Wolfpack offense marched down the field slowly but surely. It was looking like N.C. State might score a touchdown and take the lead on the extra point! On the 14th play of the drive, receiver Emeka Emezie caught a pass from Finley and appeared to have enough speed to reach the endzone. But just before he did, Demetrius Kemp ran in and forced an even more important fumble. Wake Forest would recover the ball in the endzone, thereby taking control of the game.
The Deacons did go three-and-out on their ensuing possession, giving the Wolfpack a tiny chance to mount a game-winning drive with 41 seconds. Seconds slipped off the clock too quickly for N.C. State and their chances soon rested on a half-baked Hail Mary attempt. Finley's final pass was intercepted and Wake Forest were declared the winners.
This weekend many top teams faced opponents they could easily dominate, sometimes referred to as cupcake teams. However, N.C. State's schedule served them up a slice of black [Wake] forest cake, a late-season dish that did not taste sweet to the Wolfpack.
Final Score: Wake Forest 30, N.C. State 24
This certainly helps to explain a decision made on N.C. State's first drive. After 8 plays, the Wolfpack had reached the Wake Forest 36 yard line but were facing 4th and 2. Instead of trying a long field goal, Head Coach Dave Doeren decided to keep the offense on the field to go for it. Finley threw the ball towards wide receiver Jakobi Meyers but the pass fell incomplete.
Wake Forest took advantage of the turnover on downs by flexing their muscles on offense. Quarterback John Wolford threw a pass on the 2nd play of the drive to receiver Tabari Hines, a completion which netted 39 yards. Three plays later, running back Matt Colburn broke a tackle in the redzone before dashing into the endzone for an 11 yard touchdown.
N.C. State responded with a long drive fueled by the determined running of Nyheim Hines and two completions by Finley that totaled 41 yards. Wolfpack running Jaylen Samuels sprinted into the redzone on an 11 yard touchdown of his own to even the score. John Wolford was still feeling it though, and the game was not tied for long. Wolford went 4 for 6 on the ensuing possession for 43 yards. The last pass got the ball across the goal line on a 21 yard play-action pass from Wolford to Hines.
The scoring ceased until the 2nd quarter when the Wolfpack clawed their way down the field on a 12 play drive that ended on a short TD run by 3rd-string running back Reggie Gallaspy Jr. Watching N.C. State score was something of a catalyst for the Wake Forest offense. The Deacons went 3/4ths the length of their field in 9 plays, taking the lead back on a 2nd TD reception by Tabari Hines. Soon after, the half ended.
Wake Forest's offense surprisingly went three-and-out on the first possession of the 2nd half. N.C. State seized the opportunity and startex off their drive with a 20 yard run by Samuels. Seven plays later, Finley fired a pass into the front left corner of the endzone where wide receiver Emeka Emezie, though well covered, hauled it in with one hand for the touchdown.
The scoreboard displayed the same numbers for a while due to 4 straight three-and-outs. The last three-and-out was committed by N.C. State deep in their own territory and the resulting punt set Wake Forest up with great field position. Wolford completed a deep pass to former high school classmate Chuck Wade on the first play of the drive to propel the Deacons into the redzone. However, Wake Forest would have to settle for a field goal after 3 unproductive plays.
N.C. State began their ensuing drive with a safe handoff to Jaylen Samuels. However, this would turn out to be anything but safe when Wake Forest linebacker Demetrius Kemp jarred the ball loose from Samuels' hands, after which Wake Forest recovered. But then the turnover bug bit the Deacons on the next play when Wolfpack defender Shawn Boone intercepted Wolford's pass.
The Wolfpack managed to hold onto the ball for the next 19 plays, thanks in large part to converting 3 third down conversions and a 4th down conversion, most of which occurred because of great decisions by Ryan Finley. Over 8 minutes after the drive began, N.C. State kicker Kyle Bambard made a 25 yard field goal to knot the score at 24 apiece.
When the Deacons scored a touchdown on their next drive in less than half as much time, it was clear which offense was performing better. The Wolfpack were having to stretch and claw for each yard whereas the Deacons were once again moving the ball at will. However, the momentum would begin to shift when N.C. State blocked the extra point.
Channeling that small victory into forward progress, Finley and the Wolfpack offense marched down the field slowly but surely. It was looking like N.C. State might score a touchdown and take the lead on the extra point! On the 14th play of the drive, receiver Emeka Emezie caught a pass from Finley and appeared to have enough speed to reach the endzone. But just before he did, Demetrius Kemp ran in and forced an even more important fumble. Wake Forest would recover the ball in the endzone, thereby taking control of the game.
The Deacons did go three-and-out on their ensuing possession, giving the Wolfpack a tiny chance to mount a game-winning drive with 41 seconds. Seconds slipped off the clock too quickly for N.C. State and their chances soon rested on a half-baked Hail Mary attempt. Finley's final pass was intercepted and Wake Forest were declared the winners.
This weekend many top teams faced opponents they could easily dominate, sometimes referred to as cupcake teams. However, N.C. State's schedule served them up a slice of black [Wake] forest cake, a late-season dish that did not taste sweet to the Wolfpack.
Final Score: Wake Forest 30, N.C. State 24
Top Games to Watch: Rivalry Week
1. #1 Alabama Crimson Tide @ #6 Auburn Tigers
Will the Auburn Tigers dethrone the vaunted Crimson Tide in epic fashion like they did in 2013 when Chris Davis returned a missed field goal 100 yards on the last play of the game? Or will Alabama win again and continue their boring dominance that is making college football more and more like the predictable and uninspiring game played by the NFL?
2. #2 Clemson Tigers @ South Carolina Gamecocks
Can the Tigers continue on the trail to appearing in the College Football Playoffs for the third year in a row by winning their final game of the season? Or will South Carolina trip up Clemson and remove one of the few teams who have a reasonable chance at challenging the Tide from the playoffs?
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