College Football Odds and Sods: Elimination Weekend Lived Up To Hype
By Ty Duffy
Some weekends, finding something to write about is a chore. Other weekends, not so much. Elimination Saturday? Exposure Saturday? Survival Saturday? Saturday at the Guillotine? Good times were had by all, except those partial to teams that lost. Did we witness the apex of the 2014 season on Saturday? Unclear. But, this whole playoff thing is way more fun than waiting for FSU to lose.
Auburn has coasted on one-score fortune. The 10th time in the regular season under Gus Malzahn, it turned on them. The Tigers adjusted and roared back in the second half. But, fumbling it away twice, they could not find that final touchdown. Perhaps their seventh toughest game was a sandwich game against a talented, too hastily written off young team. That’s why, at least intellectually, Auburn should still be in the playoff hunt at 10-2. Could road wins at Georgia and Alabama upset the committee’s win-loss apple cart?
LSU kept it tight and ugly against Alabama. The Tide triumphed and, to the lament of gamblers who read the game correctly, covered 20-13 in overtime. Championships can come down to a few plays. This week, Alabama made them. Well, except for the missed field goal and fumble that #narrative can now white-wash. The most efficient offense this game produced was Blake Sims completing 44 percent of his passes and averaging 4.6 yards/attempt. This was the SEC, so great defense.
Oregon rolled over Utah 51-27 at Rice Eccles. That will be the lasting impression, deservedly. The Ducks proved the much better team. Momentum can be critical, however. One can’t help but wonder whether that game goes differently if Kaelin Clay holds onto the ball to put Utah up 14-0. Nonetheless, Oregon won and will probably be playing for a playoff place in the Pac 12 title game. They may not be the only one.
Arizona State, in their “Desert Fuel” uniforms, dumped Notre Dame with some high-octane defense. The Sun Devils sacked Everett Golson seven times and forced four interceptions, two getting run back for touchdowns. The defense was supposed to be the weakness this season. Todd Graham’s team could be 11-1, if it can beat Arizona (his agent may already be on the prowl), making the title game a play-in game. Notre Dame’s road trip was a tough ask after Navy. Or, the Irish still haven’t beaten a very good team this year. Pick your explanation.
The Big 12 should have a playoff team. But, we don’t know who that will or should be. TCU overwhelmed Kansas State 41-20 at home. The Horned Frogs out-rushing the Wildcats 334-34 renders deeper analysis unessential. Their toughest opponent left is Texas. TCU probably finishes 11-1 with a strong playoff resume. But, then there’s Baylor. The Bears jumped all over Oklahoma 48-14, with the “Big Game Bob” trend trumping “Baylor on the Road.” Baylor beat TCU head to head, albeit narrowly after a miracle fourth-quarter comeback at home. The Bears still have Kansas State left, but do not play a true road game.
Ohio State made a statement, torching Pat Narduzzi’s unit in a convincing 49-37 win in Spartan Stadium. The Buckeyes looked like a bonafide playoff team. The trouble will be convincing anyone they deserve to be there. The Virginia Tech loss hurts. The Buckeyes, playing no one, can’t do much to help. We’re debating whether Minnesota should count as a decent non-conference win for TCU. Minnesota would be Ohio State’s second-best win.
For Michigan State, it was a missed opportunity. For Michigan State fans, it was a rude reacquaintance with traditional Michigan State fandom. This Spartan team may be only the 9-3 or 10-2 team one would have projected with their attrition from last year. Not a terrible situation.
The Good
Crowd Surfing… West Virginia hit the road primed for a letdown. Texas took advantage, handling the Mountaineers 33-16 in Austin. Johnathan Gray ran for 101 yards and three touchdowns on just 10 carries. This was the Longhorns’ first big win of the Charlie Strong era. The postgame celebration was a bit more apropos than the Gatorade bath after North Texas.
Decided Schematic Advantage… Kansas won a Big 12 game in emphatic fashion, dispatching Iowa State 34-14 at home. Fans rushed the field and tore down the goal posts. Statlers and Waldorfs will point out how pathetic rushing the field after beating Iowa State is. But, with just three conference wins since Mark Mangino left in 2009, let the kids have a moment.
Operation Muschamp Escape… Florida beat Vanderbilt 34-10 for a second-straight SEC win. The Gators averaged 6.0 yards/play of bonafide offense and even threw the ball 22 times. If the Gators can beat South Carolina and Eastern Kentucky, they will be 7-3 heading into Florida State. Would Muschamp still be a goner at 8-3 with wins over Georgia and FSU?
The Not So Good
Still waiting out that Kirk Ferentz buyout… The Hawkeyes took a 7-0 lead in the 1st quarter. Then Minnesota out-scored them 51-7 the rest of the way. Iowa averaged 3.7 yards/play and turned the ball over three times. They are 6-3, but against a schedule where Minnesota has been by far their toughest game.
M00N… The Wolverines and Wildcats combined to average 3.6 yards/play. The scoreboard was stuck at M00N until midway through the third quarter. These teams started drives seven times in opposing territory and scored on one of them. This is the B1G, so that is terrible offense. Northwestern students acted wisely.
You May be Sensing a Theme Here… Penn State and Indiana produced a potent 4.11 yards/play during the Nittany Lions 13-7 win. The teams converted 7/35 third and fourth down conversions. James Franklin termed the win “beautiful,” which surely delighted the folks looking for a logical quote.
Vine of the Week
The violent jock strap snap by an LSU player was a new one.
Dance Party of the Week
Jerry Kill getting down and funky after beating Iowa.