Week 12 Review
Week 12 Review
Week 12 provided plenty of cringe moments, you know, moments when you remember forever where you were and what you were doing when it happened. 9-11-2001, a day that will live in infamy, like Pearl Harbor, are good examples. Or, anyone watching the Alabama vs Mississippi State football game saw Tua Tagovaiola, unquestionably the most influential quarterback in the long and illustrious history of Alabama football, go down with a season-ending, and possibly, career-ending injury. He sustained a dislocated hip, a broken pelvis and a broken nose, all on one relatively innocuous play. He was writhing in pain, blood gushing out of his nose, his right leg held immobile at an odd angle. It hurt to watch his season end so abruptly. Even the highly partisan Mississippi State crowd acknowledged Tua as he was carted off. We all hope he’ll make a speedy recovery. Then there was the moment, called halftime, Baylor had built a huge lead over Oklahoma, only to vanish in the second half and allow Oklahoma to mount the biggest come back in OU history. It was brutal to watch for the Bear faithful. Sooner fans thought it was fantastic. The rest of us were left wondering how this could happen?
Alabama 38 vs Mississippi State 7– As mentioned, this game featured the Tua injury that has put the rest of the Alabama season in limbo. Alabama, under St. Saban, has built its national dominance on having a smothering defense and an offensive ground game that crushes the will of its opposition. Then Tua showed up and changed all of that. Since his emergence, the Bama philosophy changed to having a high scoring offense that just ran away from everyone. In the first half the Crimson Tide was doing what they’ve done, the offense was scoring quickly and at will. When Tua got hurt, they had to resort to the old way, pound you with the ground game and smother you with defense. Fortunately, Najee Harris was in the backfield and he played the best game of his young career, scoring four touchdowns. The Bama defense played like they were old-school Alabama defense, exhibiting their premier performance of the season. Granted, they were playing Mississippi State, which isn’t the most prolific offense around, but the defense still delivered. Next week, Alabama takes on Western Carolina, which should provide a good chance for back up QB Mac Jones to assume the mantle of leadership Mac played well replacing Tua. He didn’t do so well in spot duty against Tennessee, but here at CSF, we think the Mac Attack is legitimate and that he’s just been overshadowed. Alabama had little trouble winning the game, 38-7. Don’t count out Alabama out, they may not make the playoffs, true enough, but the higher the mountain, the greater the character of the one who conquers it. Alabama ain’t dead yet, and they are going to beat Auburn. Yes, I’m a Bama fan, so my view is tainted, – or so I’ve been told.
Georgia 21 vs Auburn 14- The Bulldogs are like Alabama was just a few years ago. There is nothing flashy about them, QB Fromm is good, but he’s mainly a game manager and he performs this mission like an experienced commander. The Dawgs show up and methodically beat you down. Except South Carolina, for some reason, they couldn’t get past the Gamecocks. Against Auburn, in the South’s Oldest Rivalry, Georgia did what they had to do to win. They built up a 21 point lead, only to allow the Plainsmen to come almost all the way back. As it stands, the Dawgs are headed to the SEC Championship game for the third straight year, where they will more than likely face LSU. It is not out of the realm of possibilities that they will beat the Bengals, but they can’t “almost” have a good game to do it.
Iowa 23 vs Minnesota 19 – The Gophers found out that rowing in someone else’s lake is difficult. The weakness in the Minnesota offensive line proved to be their undoing as they allowed six sacks by the Hawkeyes. In the first half, Minnehaha was nothing like the team that played last week. Their execution was so bad it was a wonder they got their pants on correctly before the game. Then again, maybe they didn’t get the britches on correctly, and that’s what caused them to play so poorly. Iowa, however, showed up to play. The Hawkeyes are tough on their home field and Ski-u-mah couldn’t get rowing in sync. As result, the Gophers have to beat Wisconsin to earn a trip to the Conference Championship game. The Badgers were going to be tough enough, but with the aura of invincibility gone from their neighbors, it’s going to be an especially tough out for Ski-U-Mah.
Oklahoma 34 vs Baylor 31 – As soon as the whistle started the game, Baylor jumped on Oklahoma like a Sumo wrestler at a Sushi buffet. The Bears passed the ball with precision, ran with abandon, and the defense kicked the OU offense around like a rented mule. The Bears were in such control that I broke a Sutton rule, as in, I commented on the game before it was over. BU was so impressive I texted my cousin Carole-Robin, the former Bear, on how much this win was going to help her team. Oh, the penalties that follow when a cardinal rule is broken. In the second half, the OU Sooners were able to control the ball just about the entire 3rd quarter. The Bear offense ran, maybe, two or three play. By the end of the third quarter, the BU defense was completely gassed. Even if they had oxygen tanks on the sidelines, it wouldn’t have mattered because Baylor’s defense never got off the field long enough to use them. OU was 25 points behind and the question of the night was, would there be enough time for them to complete the comeback? As it turns out, there was, and they completed the biggest comeback ever…for them. Cousin Carole was a bit upset, just a bit. Baylor had this game, all they had to do was put together one solid drive, just one would have been enough to keep the lead, but, for some reason, they were the epitome of ineptitude. OU still has aspirations of making the CFB playoffs. BU had a glimmer of hope, but frittered it away.
LSU 58, Ole Miss 37 – Everyone knew the Tigers were going to win, but who knew they were going to allow the Rebels to score 37?
Ohio State 56, Rutgers 21 – Again, how did the Buckeyes give up 21 points, Northern Arizona School for the Blind shut out Rutgers, along with just about everyone else.
Clemson 52, Wake Forest 3 – It would have been nice for the Deacons to make the Tigers break a sweat, but they didn’t.
Oregon 34, Arizona 6 – The Wildcats were hopelessly outmatched, the Quack Attack is for real
Utah 49, UCLA 3 – Utah cannot lose if they want a trip to the conference championship game, and, well, they played like it.
Penn State 34, Indiana 27 – Anyone else notice that the Nittany Lions couldn’t put the game out of reach from the pesky Hoosiers, who were playing with a back up quarterback?
Florida 23, Missouri 6- For the longest time, neither team could score a touchdown. Field goals were the order of the day until the Gators finally got the ball across the goal line. Mizzou never did.
Wisconsin 37, Nebraska 21 – WisconsinRB Jonathan Taylor ran for over 200 yards as the Badgers shucked the Cornhuskers. Why should the “W’s” even attempt a pass?
Michigan 44, Michigan State 10 – In the battle of who was going to be the little brother, the Wolverines proved bigger.
Notre Dame 52, Navy 20 – The Midshipman were torpedoed and their ship sank beneath the Irish waves.
Memphis 45, Houston 27 – Wondering how long UM is going to keep their coach?
Iowa State 23, Texas 21 – As time expired, the Cyclones kicked the game winning field goal. Wondering how long ISU will keep their coach?
Oklahoma State 31, Kansas 13 – KU has gotten better, but they’ve still got a ways to go
West Virginia 24, Kansas State 20 – Seriously, how did the Wildcats allow WVU to win this game? KSU beat Oklahoma soundly
Pittsburgh 34, North Carolina 27 – The Tar Heels made it close, just as CSF said they would
Army 47, VMI 6- Nothing was stopping the Cadets
Virginia Tech 45, Georgia Tech 0 – In the battle of the Techs, Virginia’s beat Georgia’s.
Syracuse 49, Duke 6 – Never would have thought The Orange would beat the Blue Devils, much less beat them this badly.
Washington State 41, Stanford 22 – The Cougars destroyed Stanford, it wasn’t even pretty
Texas A&M 30, South Carolina 6 – Don’t worry, Gamecock fans, the USC-South admin has given Coach Boom their vote of confidence.
Oregon State 35, Arizona State 34- OK, neither team is setting the world on fire, but OSU-West Coast is ending the year on an upswing
USC 41, California 17 – The Trojans won, and, get this! There is still a chance they could make it to the Conference Championship Game, should Utah drop a game.
North Alabama 34, Gardner-Webb 30- YES! the Lions won! Roar Lions!