Why can’t the last few weeks of the college football season last just a bit longer? Can you believe it’s almost over already?
-The BCS race narrows further as Baylor lost to Oklahoma State. We’re now down to three unbeatens from the major conferences. Stay tuned.
-Congratulations to Duke on winning nine games for the first time since- are you ready for this?- 1941. That win also wraps up the ACC Coastal division title for the Blue Devils.
-He’s not getting much press, but Boston College RB Andre Williams is a beast. He’s rushed for 2,073 yards, averaging 6.5 yards per carry, and has found the end zone 16 times.
-I mentioned UCLA freshman linebacker Myles Jack in a game preview a month or so back. What I didn’t realize, at the time, is that he’s also been playing running back for the Bruins. Jack is a stud linebacker, with 56 tackles though his first eight college games. In his first game playing on the offensive, he had 6 carries for 120 yards and a TD, and played on defense in the same game. If coach Jim Mora decides to continue using him both ways next year, he’ll be a fun guy to watch.
-Nice to see Michigan LB Jake Ryan, after returning a few weeks ago from ACL surgery, nab a pick-6 early in the game yesterday. Both offenses struggled in this game, and ultimately Iowa’s defense was the difference.
-Minnesota linebacker Aaron Hill also had a pick-6 yesterday. The Gophers have now had seven non-offensive TDs this year, a school record. The Minnesota defense played an excellent game yesterday, but against a rugged Wisconsin defense, the offense struggled. Not having top WR Derrick Engel in the lineup due to a knee injury didn’t help. This is a young offense, and if the defense can withstand the loss of seniors Hill and DT Ra’Shede Hageman, the Gophers should be a good team again next year.
-Wisconsin, for their part, did enough to win the game. Linebacker Chris Borland tied the Big Ten record for forced fumbles in a season (14) and set a Badger record for fumble recoveries in a season (8) on the same play in the first half.
-Did you know Wisconsin running backs are averaging 5.3 yards before contact? That’s insane.
-In the Mountain West, Wyoming beat Hawaii 59-56. The total yards were 694-793. The teams combined for five turnovers. I’m wondering how many broken items fans of those teams have scattered around their living rooms this morning.
-Um, Oregon? You know that, technically speaking, the season isn’t over yet, right?
-Congratulations to Brian Kelly on becoming the first Notre Dame coach since Dan Devine to win eight games in each of his first four years in South Bend.
-Fresno State QB Derek Carr threw for 527 yards and 7 TDs against New Mexico. Incidentally, I think 527 is the number of times his brother was sacked as a rookie with the Houston Texans.
– Speaking of seven TD’s, Navy QB, Keenan Reynolds set an NCAA quarterback record by scoring seven rushing touchdowns, including the game-winner as Navy downed San Jose State 58-52 late Friday night in San Jose, Calif. Reynolds had 240 rushing yards in a game that went to three overtimes.
-Texas A&M’s defense had no answer for LSU. None. The Tigers were moving the ball at will. The LSU defense, however, had plenty of answers for Johnny Football.
-Missouri, with their win over Ole Miss, are still alive in the SEC East hunt, along with South Carolina.
– Aaron Murray tore his MCL in Georgia’s win over Kentucky. Sad news for the Georgia QB who certainly hoped for a bigger season this year, and now sees his NFL Draft stock likely drop as he recovers from this injury.
-Of course, the biggest story out of the SEC yesterday is Florida losing not just to FCS Georgia Southern, but a Georgia Southern team that finished the game with ZERO passing yards. I have to think Florida AD Jeremy Foley might be regretting his statement early this week that he was “one thousand percent” behind coach Will Muschamp. Coming up next for the Gators? A home game with Florida State. This is one of those rare cases where they’d probably be better off going on the road.
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