Results of Last Week's Games to Watch
1. #6 Ohio State Buckeyes @ #10 Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Buckeyes took the lead before their offense ever took the field and they never gave it up. Safety Damon Webb caught a deflected pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown. Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. responded relatively well by leading his offense on a drive that was long but only resulted in a field goal. From there, the Ohio State offense took control of the game. Quarterback J.T. Barrett, running backs Mike Weber and Curtis Samuel, and Ohio State's talented corp of receivers, tore the Nebraska defense to shreds.
The Buckeyes scored on every possession of the first half, scoring three touchdowns and a field goal. Add that to the defensive touchdown, and the Buckeyes owned a 31-3 lead at the half. Due to another interception return for a touchdown and more offensive touchdowns, Ohio State managed to double their point total in the second half. Meanwhile, the tough as nails Buckeye defense clamped down on every aspect of Nebraska's offense and didn't allow them to score another point.
The Buckeyes scored on every possession of the first half, scoring three touchdowns and a field goal. Add that to the defensive touchdown, and the Buckeyes owned a 31-3 lead at the half. Due to another interception return for a touchdown and more offensive touchdowns, Ohio State managed to double their point total in the second half. Meanwhile, the tough as nails Buckeye defense clamped down on every aspect of Nebraska's offense and didn't allow them to score another point.
Final Score: Ohio State 63 Nebraska 3
This dominating victory will surely look good to the College Football Playoff selection committee. However, the Buckeyes will still have to go through That Team Up North, the Michigan Wolverines to be exact, if they are to reach the playoffs.
2. UCLA Bruins @ #21 Colorado Buffaloes
After consecutive touchdown drives by each team midway through the 1st quarter, it looked like this game could be the high-scoring affair that I thought it would be. But things can change in a hurry in college football and the offensive production slowed down to a crawl. At the end of the 3rd quarter, the teams had a whopping 10 points apiece. Colorado kicker Chris Graham booted a 37 yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to give the Buffaloes their first lead since the 1st quarter.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Bruins were forced to punt yet again. The UCLA punter kicked it away to Colorado returnman Isaiah Oliver. Oliver caught it cleanly, took advantage of three excellent blocks, and beat two other defenders to the edge. He had only the punter left to beat. The punter whiffed on the tackle, and Oliver soon strode into the end zone. With that, it was clear the game was done and dusted.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Bruins were forced to punt yet again. The UCLA punter kicked it away to Colorado returnman Isaiah Oliver. Oliver caught it cleanly, took advantage of three excellent blocks, and beat two other defenders to the edge. He had only the punter left to beat. The punter whiffed on the tackle, and Oliver soon strode into the end zone. With that, it was clear the game was done and dusted.
Final Score: Colorado 20 UCLA 10
With this win, Colorado remains atop the PAC 12 South Division standings. Whether this surprising Buffaloes team will be the South Division champions at the end of the year will depend on how they do in their final two games against tough division foes Washington State and Utah.
Most Exciting Game of the Week
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Navy Midshipmen
A football game between Notre Dame and Navy has been an annual tradition since 1927, making it the longest uninterrupted series in college football. Notre Dame has won the lion-share of the games, including a 43 game winning streak from 1964 to 2006. On a side note, the game this was actually played on the home field of the Jacksonville Jaguars, partly because Jacksonville is home to three naval bases. Navy's football stadium is not large enough to accommodate the large crowd that attends this game every year.
Navy's runs the rarely used triple option offense, where nearly every play is on the ground. The quarterback has the option to hand it off to the fullback, run it himself, or pitch it to a running back. To be successful, the offense needs to gain 3 to 4 yards a play. Doing that against a weak Notre Dame defense would be that difficult.
The game started off in exciting fashion as Notre Dame quarterback Deshone Kizer led his team down the field on a 10 play 75 yard drive that ended when he threw an excellent 36 yard TD pass to wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr.
It was now time for Navy quarterback Will Worth to have his turn. After eight productive runs and a personal foul penalty on the Fighting Irish, the Midshipmen were in the redzone. On each play there are four players in the backfield, the quarterback, two running backs and the full back. On the ninth play of the drive, Will Worth faked a handoff to the fullback, then ran to the left with running backs Calvin Cass Jr. and Darryl Bonner. Worth lateraled the ball to Bonner while Calvin Cass Jr. made a block that sprang Bonner for a 16 yard touchdown.
Notre Dame tallied a field goal on their next drive, but the scoring halted for a short time until the middle of the 2nd quarter. Navy had the ball and the first play was a big one. Will Worth found a gaping hole in the defense and ran 60 yards before being tackled at Notre Dame's 20 yard line. Seven plays later, Worth barreled into the endzone on a short TD run.
Tired of being a part of losing efforts, Deshone Kizer was determined that the half would have a positive ending for the Irish. Notre Dame running backs Josh Adams, Tarean Foster, and Dexter Williams also stayed focused and helped ensure the drive got off to a good start with their aggressive running. Later in the drive, Kizer was the focal point picking up big chunks of yardage with his legs and finished the drive off with a short TD pass to wide receiver Durham Smythe. Only 30 seconds remained in the half and the Irish had secured themselves a 17-14 lead.
Navy got the ball first in the 3rd quarter and they took full advantage of the opportunity. Running back Chris High converted the first and only 3rd down with a 17 yard rush, but a botched snap backed the Midshipman up two fathoms, I mean yards. But on the next play, Calvin Cass Jr. was rewarded for his key block earlier in the game when he was pitched the ball. He beat the defense to the edge and ran for a 37 yard touchdown.
North Dame wouldn't go down without a fight, and responded with a 10 play TD drive that culminated in another passing touchdown by Kizer. Faced with another 3 point deficit, the Navy offense would have to put up more points. Loss of yardage on first or second down usually spells trouble for any triple option offense. But that's exactly what happened on the 4th play of the drive when Darryl Bonner was tackled way in the backfield for a six yard loss. Thankfully for the Midshipmen, Will Worth has also proven himself as a good passer.
He passed on 2nd down to Jamir Tillman for a 9 yard completion, but a subsequent run for a loss of one set up a 4th and 6 punting situation. Navy punted the ball, but Notre Dame was dealt a 5 yard too many men on the field penalty. Now faced with a 4th and 1, Navy head coach Ken Niumatololo decided to go for it. The Navy quarterback proved his worth, pun intended, by muscling forward for a two yard gain. Navy lost yardage on two other plays of the drive but were able to overcome it with gutsy 3rd down runs. With 12 minutes remaining, Worth scored his second touchdown of the day.
Notre Dame's next drive looked promising but stalled in the redzone. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly elected for a field goal try instead of going for it on 4th down. Kicker Justin Yoon nailed the short field goal but Notre Dame still trailed by a point. As their style of offense is known to do, Navy got 3 first downs while using up most of the clock. But with 80 seconds left, Navy found themselves in a 4th down bind. They weren't close enough for their field goal kicker and a punt wouldn't do much in terms of field position. So Coach Niumatololo went for the bold move: attempting a pass. On the crucial play, Worth fired a pass to wide receiver Jamir Tillman for the game-clinching first down.
Having closed his eyes during the play, Niumatololo breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time since 2010, the Midshipmen would be able to celebrate a win over the Fighting Irish. Soon the players were reveling in the knowledge that they could now be numbered among the few Navy players who had actually experienced a victory over Notre Dame.
Final Score: Navy 28 Notre Dame 27
Top Two Games to Watch: Week 11
1. #25 Baylor Bears @ #11 Oklahoma Sooners: 11/12 at Noon on ABC
Will this rivalry game result in a 7th straight win for the Sooners or will the Bears claw their way out of a downward trend in which they have lost two straight games?
My pick: Oklahoma
2. USC (University of Southern California) Trojans @ #4 Washington Huskies
Will the Huskies remain at the pinnacle of the PAC 12 Conference by beating traditional conference power USC or will the Trojans jump back into PAC 12 title contention with an upset victory?
My pick: Washington
Jonathan's Top Ten
Although the College Football Playoff Committee is in charge of picking the top 4 teams at the end of the year that will make it into the playoff, I though I would put together my own top 10 list. I will update most if not every week.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
Although I dislike the Tide exceedingly, I cannot deny them the top spot. They have one of the toughest schedules of any team and have not lost a game.
P.S. To those who missed my first post I ever wrote 3 years ago, it will explain why I will never root for the Tide. Here's the link: (http://collegefootballrulez.blogspot.com/2013/12/thank-you-auburn.html?m=1)
2. Clemson Tigers
With head coach Dabo Swinney captaining the ship and spectacular duel threat quarterback Deshaun Watson at the helm, the Tigers have navigated rough waters to reach an undefeated 9-0 record. They have survived every opponents' best shot, weathering each storm with a combination of efficient offense and determined defense. If Clemson and Alabama keep winning, the Tigers and the Tide will battle each other in the championship game for the second straight year.
3. Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines are tough and mean, stomping weaker teams into the dust with overpowering defense and an offense that can strike at any moment. However, other than a close battle with Wisconsin, Michigan has not faced as high a level of competition as Clemson has. But I still don't envy the coaching staff trying to prepare their players to face this team.
4. Washington Huskies
Athlon Sports Magazine predicted that Washington would have a break out year and boy were they right. They've beaten the best of the PAC 12 and done it with style. They blew out a highly regarded Stanford team and went on the road to a loud environment and beat Utah. I don't think they are as good as the top 3 teams, but they definitely deserve this spot.
5. Ohio State Buckeyes
After suffering an upset loss to Penn State on the road, the Buckeyes beat a pesky Northwestern team by 10. They followed that up by running over Nebraska. Just like two years ago when they won the championship, Ohio State is climbing steadily back toward into playoff contention.
6. Louisville Cardinals
Although the Cardinals are led by the amazing athlete known as Lamar Jackson, a dynamic quarterback that has made mincemeat of defenses all year, I believe Ohio State is just a hair better because of how firmly they crushed Nebraska. Louisville will need help if they are to make the playoffs.
7. Auburn Tigers
Auburn powerful running game, fueled by a stable of running backs, has sparked a rebirth of the Tigers football program. Additionally, quarterback Sean White, not to be confused with the famous snowboarder, leads the SEC in passing efficiency. Their defense might be just as good as LSU's, a team that just held Alabama to only 10 points. The Tide better be ready to face these Tigers.
8. Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers have a solid running game and a good defense but I don't think they'll be making the playoffs this year.
9. Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners have a great offense but a lackluster defense. Their two losses at the start of the year are like a stone tied to their feet concerning their playoff chances.
10. West Virginia Mountaineers
Sneaking in at #10 are the West Virginia Mountaineers. I probably would have had them at #8 had they not lost to talented but usually underwhelming Oklahoma State. They are a good team worthy of a spot in a quality bowl game.
