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Week 10 Review

Cigar Butts Week 10

We had some amazing football games Saturday and the effects will be felt throughout the rest of the season. The primary calamity was the implosion of playoff hopes for the Great White North Conference.

470Ohio State vs Iowa –  In a game that should have seen Ohio State walk all over Iowa the opposite happened. I told you, take away the Horseshoe and they’re as docile as a heel-hound! Presenting themselves as David of Old Testament fame, the Hawkeyes showed they were not intimidated by the mighty giant of the Great White North, slinging their stone and hitting Brutus right between his eyes. But that wasn’t sufficient:- they cut off his head and mounted the silver helmet on a spike. In the second quarter with the score tied 17 all, the Hawkeyes went on a tear, scoring 31 unanswered points. OSU had no answer. All they managed was to stand on the sidelines with bewildered looks. When the Buckeyes had the ball, J.T. Barrett was only completing passes to the team in the awesome black and grey uniforms. Iowa did their part of destroying Great White North hopes of having a representative in the playoffs. The greatest play of the game was when Iowa ran a fake field goal with a pass to the long snapper who ALMOST made it into the endzone! His own feet tripped him up, much to his chagrin. It was fantastic!

Penn State vs Michigan State – In the other game that completed the death blow to the conference’s chances for the playoffs, the Spartans overcame the Nittany Lions. PSU had a lead, 14-7, in the 231second quarter when there was a 3 and an half hour weather delay. That break served to benefit MSU greatly. The remainder of the game was back and forth with neither team being able to pull away. Instead, MSU hung around and shut down the Lions’ running game. This spotlighted  a glaring weakness in the Penn State offense. On the last play of regulation, Michigan State kicked a game winning field goal. Oh, Wisconsin is still undefeated, but they haven’t played one ranked opponent. They’re supposed to play number 25 this week. Too little, too late.

Auburn vs Texas A&M – In another tomahawk chop, we may have witnessed the end of the Sumlin era at College Station. The best the Aggies can do now is end up with a record of 8-4, or, 8-5 with a bowl loss. Same as last year, and the year before, and the year before, etc. This was a unacceptable standard that the President of the university declared to Coach Sumlin at the start of this season. A&M had a long afternoon competing with the Tigers. The spread offense wrecked havoc on the Aggie defense and Jason Stidham was throwing darts in his forward passing. For an all too familiar script, the beginning of the year started off great but is winding up disappointing as the Aggies fall to SEC West foes. Auburn spotted the Aggies 3 points in the first quarter, but scored at will thereafter. By the fourth quarter the defense of A&M was gassed and the best they could do was try to catch their breath. Maybe Coach Matt Campbell would be interested in leaving Iowa State for the expectant atmosphere of College Station.

IMG_4483LSU vs Alabama – The Crimson Tide did not turn in a dominant performance, but they did win, downing the traditionally tough Bayou Bengals, 24-10. This is an identical score by which Georgia bested South Carolina, so maybe it isn’t embarrassing. But the lack of a running game by Tide did cause me embarrassment. It could be that LSU’s defense is very good, and it is, but it isn’t THAT good. Fortunately, the Bama defense kept the Tigers in check. They contained the visitors’ passing attack, they bent but they didn’t break. The Crimson Tide offense is in trouble if they’re going to rely on QB Hurts to pull their pecans out of the fire. His passing is not up to the task. Some of his good passes were dropped, but he holds the ball way too long as he tries to read a defense, which winds up as negative plays. He was sacked too many times, or tried to escape the pressure resulting in getting tackled behind the line. Alabama needs to have a viable aerial threat, and Hurts is not. Maybe Tua will be available to come in and throw a pass or two. He’s been available all season but Saban calls on him rarely. Is there something I don’t know here?

Virginia Tech vs Miami – The Hurricanes have played an easy schedule and have benefited from winning against weak opponents. Saturday they came up against their first ranked team in VA Tech. This would either show that they were for real or merely a flash in the pan. Looks like they’re for real. The Canes took control of the game in the second quarter, building a lead of 14-3. At no time in the rest of the game did the Hokies threaten that lead. In the second half Miami scored a touchdown in each quarter, building their lead to 28-10. It is evident that the “U” will be making their first trip to the ACC championship game, as long as they keep winning, weak opponents or ranked foes.

Clemson vs NC State – In a fantastic game where the teams slugged it out with each other, the Wolfpack traded haymakers with the South Carolina Tigers. In the third quarter Clemson pulled ahead, only to have NC State265 come back and make a game of it. Clemson scored a touchdown with 6 minutes left in the game to put it out of reach, winning, 38-31. Pack fans say the officiating favored their opponents by a considerable edge, Coach Dorean said he wished the officiating could have been better. Must have been really bad, cause North Carolina fans aren’t passionate about their football, are they?

Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State – This game lived up to its name, it was pure bedlam. There wasn’t much defense as the teams combined for 114 points and more than 1,400 yards. Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph both gave stunning performances with Mayfield emerging the winner, just as he said he would. He passed for a school-record of 598 yards and five touchdowns. Rudolph passed for 448 yards and five touchdowns, but he had two critical turnovers in the second half. At the end of the first half, the score was tied, 38-38! Both teams were able to score touchdown after touchdown. In the second half OU pulled ahead and held the lead, not that their defense was holding the lead, but their offense kept scoring more than the Cowboys. The Sooners won, 62-52, in a game that saw the end of OSU hopes of making the playoffs, and put Mayfield in the driver’s seat of the Heisman Trophy race.

Army vs Air Force – The Army Cadets ran all over the Air Force Falcons, winning by a 21-0 tally. In Colorado. At altitude. And the Army goes rolling along! Over hills, over dales, we will hit the dusty trails, and the Army, goes rolling along! The streak continues! CSF writes about the Black Knights and the Black Knights win! Wait’ll you see what we have to say about Navy! (That’s my capital “N” in Navy. My editor refuses to capitalize that word)

Cigar Ashes

Memphis continued its winning ways against Tulsa. Where is Memphis Coach Norvell going to end up next year? Florida? Nebraska? Texas A&M? Follow Fuente to VA Tech when Fuente takes Florida gig?

Temple upset Navy, 34-26. HA! HA! (Army beat Temple)

Utah put UCLA into the PAC-12 basement

Georgia beat South Carolina but they didn’t dominate them like they should have. They only beat the Gamecocks the same as the Tide beat LSU, 24-10.

Notre Dame won and people love the Irish, but did anyone notice that Wake Forest scored 37 points? Maybe there is a chink in the armor. (By the way, I don’t love the irish, and I’m somebody)

TCU got back to winning, prepping for Oklahoma by taking down Texas, 24-7

Iowa State’s winning streak ended at four as West Virginia upended the Cyclones, 20-16. I still believe the Campbells (Matt Campbell) are coming,

Mississippi State beat UMass but the Bulldogs were extremely fortunate to eke out a victory.

Washington State came from behind to beat Stanford. Saw it, saw it right off!

Missouri destroyed Florida, 45-16. UF has quit

K-State beat Texas Tech, 42-35, in overtime. Should have seen that one coming cause Bill Snyder wasn’t sweating.

Baylor finally won a game, overcoming Kansas, 38-9. Finally. It’s about time.

Purdue walked over Illinois, 29-10

Florida State slipped by Syracuse, 27-24, and I do mean slipped.

Virginia finally got that 6th win beating Georgia Tech, 40-36. Now the Cavs can go a bowling.

Northwestern added to Nebraska’s sorrows, 31-24

Ole Miss somehow beat Kentucky, 37-34. Three points is three points.

Arkansas won by one point 39-38 over winless Coastal Carolina. How’s that seat feeling Bielema?

Wyoming beat Colorado State, 16-13, in a real blizzard. It’s true, a BLIZZARD, and not one from DQ.

Coach Jones will declare Tennessee the Champions of Something since they beat Southern Mississippi, 24-10. Maybe Champions of Burning a Redshirt in Game nine of twelve.

Washington sloshed over Oregon, 38-3. You’d think Webfoots could do better in the rain. The Huskies are still the best hope for the PAC-12 to get into the playoffs, but it’s a better hope than the Great White North has. Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh wants the playoffs expanded to 16 teams this year.

USC stopped Arizona’s run, 49-35.

Minnesota did not row their boat against Michigan, losing, 33-10. Does Michigan ever play outside the Big House?

Arizona State beat Colorado, 41-30. Colorado, Colorado, why does that sound familiar? Oh, that’s where Army beat Air Force Saturday, 21-0. Have I mentioned this before?

North Alabama did not do well against West Florida losing 30-7

 

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