Once again, an excellent Saturday. Conference play for most teams started, and it didn't disappoint. There were also some decent non conference match ups, but left some teams with questions still to answer.
Here is what I mean.
Many of you may think the Texas-UCLA game would be my "what in the bleep was that?!" game of the week. Sorry, you are incorrect. Now I will not say I expected UCLA to bring the hammer down on the Longhorns, especially in Austin, but I can't say I'm all that surprised. If you read past posts, you will see that I have not been overly impressed with Texas' offense, and mainly Garrett Gilbert's progression. I know he's young, and its only the fourth game of the year, but this is Texas we're talking about. A program with an elite coaching staff, paired with elite players, should be further along. But Texas was just exposed badly on offense by a team that looked even worse in their first two games. Where was the commitment to the run game I've been hearing so much about from Mack Brown? Way to commit to 85 yards for the game. That, paired with 5 turnovers on offense, will not win any games. When you are the team causing those turnovers, in this case UCLA, and only muster 291 yards of offense yourself but still put up 34 points, you can win. Texas will either respond, or falter this week against OU. Final score 34-12, UCLA.
Speaking of OU.
I guess the Sooners like to keep it close. After pretty much controlling the game, with a 24-9 lead early in the third quarter, the OU defense did what they do best. Let teams sneak back in the game, and hang around till the end. Just like Texas' run game, where is this stout OU defense I heard was going to be just fine this year. Cincinnati rolled up 461 yards of total offense, and moved the ball at will in the fourth quarter. If not for an OU recovery of a muffed punt in Cincinnati territory, that resulted in an OU score, this would have been a much different game. The Sooner offense is doing their part though. QB Landry Jones is playing excellent football, throwing for 370 yards and 2 touchdowns. Demarco Murray is playing well too, he hasn't gotten the chunks of yards like they had hoped, but he is productive and scores td's. They are going to need him next week. Final score 31-29, Oklahoma.
Some things never change.
As much as Florida hasn't wowed anyone so far this year, and Kentucky has surprisingly started 3-0, it didn't change anything. Florida had beaten Kentucky 23 straight times going into last week, and many thought this week might be just the time Kentucky could sneak one out. WRONG AGAIN! Complete domination, which is obviously never going to stop by Florida. Backup QB, running back, tight end, and jack of all trades Trey Burton scored 6 touchdowns! And yes when he scored out of the wildcat formation, they said that sure looked like Tebow. That is also never going to stop. Starting QB John Brantley is looking better, throwing for 248 yards and a score. And Florida is not short on play makers, so as much as I thought the Gators might fall this year, they just may not. Urban Meyer is finding ways to win. But I do know one thing that will change, and you'll see it in Tuscaloosa this week. Final score 48-14, Florida.
I don't know.
Why the College Gameday crew was in Boise for the game of the week. Because the game went EXACTLY as I thought it would. Oregon State shouldn't be ranked in the first place, but the #3 and #24 ranked teams should never qualify when the #1 and #10 teams are playing each other in a conference game! But everyone is on the Boise bandwagon these days, so I'm not really surprised. I really don't have much to say about the game, because I didn't want to watch it, and I didn't watch one second of it. I found out the final score and thought, "eh." When I did see highlights later, I figured out why Boise State never loses at home. That stupid blue turf, paired with their all blue uniforms, makes them invisible! Final score 37-24, Boise State.
Where did this come from?
Many of us thought the PAC-10 this year would be Oregon's to lose. But all of a sudden, Stanford has come roaring out of the gates, and are fresh off a trouncing of Notre Dame 37-14 in South Bend. They are currently ranked ninth in the country, and Andrew Luck is arguably playing better than any other quarterback in the nation. In case you don't remember, Stanford was 1-11 just four years ago. They are now sitting at 4-0 for the first time in 16 years, and visit earlier mentioned Oregon this weekend. If they win that game, Stanford could be sitting very nicely.
And when is it going to show up?
LSU's Jordan Jefferson has now thrown for less than 100 yards and no touchdowns for the third straight week, yet the Tigers are 4-0. It's the old cliche of a win is a win. With two receivers that were top 10 players overall coming out of high school, it should be producing more. If not for cornerback Patrick Peterson, LSU might have a little different record. He is almost single handily winning games for them. He shuts down the opponents best receiver every week, but that's not all. He has 2 interceptions, and returned a punt and blocked a field goal against West Virginia last week. If not for that, LSU probably loses. He even had 257 return yards in their opener against North Carolina, another game they squeaked out a win. So with the Tiger offense not doing really anything, you have to give a lot of credit to their defense and special teams. That can win you a lot of games anyway, but if they could get it going on offense, watch out. Still don't know how Jordan Jefferson hasn't progressed as a QB. Final score 20-14, LSU.
Speaking of winning.
Auburn, and especially QB Cam Newton, keep finding ways to win. After a grudge match, overtime win against Clemson two weeks ago, they welcomed in South Carolina. SC was also undefeated and playing their best ball so far under Steve Spurrier. After SC took a 20-7 lead in the second quarter, Auburn came storming back on the shoulders of Newton. This guy either runs or throws for key plays when they seem to need it most. He is still young, but is willing Auburn to victories. His stats are to the right in the player of the week section. South Carolina still played well, and they are still a team to keep an eye on. QB Stephen Garcia threw for 305 yards and three scores, not much more you can do there. The only knock on Newton is he may run too much. If a defense figures out a way to keep him contained, they have a good chance to win. But no one has been able to contain him yet. Final score 35-27, Auburn.
Wonder.
What would have happened if Denard Robinson played the entire game. In only nine minutes of action against Bowling Green, Robinson had 5 carries for 129 yards and two touchdowns. He went out late in the first quarter with an injury, but said after the game he will be fine for this week. He is maybe the most exciting player in the country. We want to see him play.
He did play the whole game.
And continues to roll along. My man Terrelle Pryor is flat getting it done. Against Eastern Michigan, he accounted for 348 yards and SIX touchdowns! Four passing, one rushing, and one receiving. He is making it look easy, which is never a good thing for opposing teams. If he continues to play this way, especially in big games, chalk up the Heisman, and maybe the national title.
Speaking of rolling along.
And who people still forget about, TCU. They sort of quietly put down a much improved SMU squad on the road in Dallas. I don't want to see it in another bowl game, but I do want to see Boise State and TCU play again, they are clearly the two best non AQ schools in the country, no one else is even close. QB Andy Dalton continues to play well, and people also forget the Horned Frogs(they didn't get the mascot part right) put out a good defense. They are the least talked about top five ranked team in the history of college football. SMU QB Kyle Padron gets the award for holding onto the ball way too long almost every play, then deserving to get his head ripped off. Get rid of it! Final score 41-24, TCU.
8th Grade basketball score of the week - Oregon over Arizona State, 42-31.
And a new edition.
The blowout of the week - Wisconsin over Austin Peay, 70-3.
The "what in the bleep was that?" game of the week.
Georgia came into this season as a dark horse pick to win the SEC East. Well, that wasn't very smart. Not to blow my own horn, but I didn't believe that for a second. The Bulldogs are now sitting at 1-3, and 0-3 in the conference. I have always respected Mark Richt as a coach, and thought he could rally the troops after a last minute loss to Arkansas last week. Uh, guess I was wrong on that one. They traveled To Mississippi State who has been a bottom feeder in the SEC for quite some time. Sure, second year head coach Dan Mullen will improve them, but they still are not very good. But not only did Miss State win, they had a 24-6 lead late in the fourth quarter. Huh? Georgia QB Aaron Murray is going through some growing pains right now, but is playing pretty well. He threw for 274 yards and a td, and no picks. But is not getting a lot of help around him it seems. They need AJ Green to return asap, although he is not the only answer to their problems. Final score 24-12, Mississippi State.
The no defense game of the week.
Ole Miss over Fresno State was not a defensive struggle by any means. And the Rebels were supposed to be strong on that side of the ball. Ole Miss went for 578 yards, while Fresno State totalled 420. Final score 55-38, Ole Miss.
Ok I'll talk about it.
The Hogs had their chance against Alabama. A 20-7 lead in the third quarter was not enough though. ESPECIALLY WHEN HOG RECEIVERS START DROPPING BALLS AND MALLET THROWS TWO SECOND HALF INTERCEPTIONS!!!! Ok sorry for yelling. But really, Arkansas could have won, but Alabama as usual, showed why they are number one. Mark Ingram is back in the Heisman talk already after his second week back. Arkansas could not slow him down at all, to the tune of 157 yards and two td's. Mallet had his moments, throwing for 357 yards and a touchdown. He could only muster 160 last year against the Tide. And the defense held Alabama to 20 points under their season average. So there are positives moving forward for the Hogs, but the game was there to be had. Final score 24-20, Alabama.
Until next week,
Nance
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
2010 - week 3
Even though on paper it wasn't the monster Saturday of match ups like last week, it turned out to be a nice day of football. There were some excellent games, and great individual performances. Let's get to it.
First game of the day.
Went to my Hogs. In Athens against Georgia, this was a must win for Arkansas if they want people to take them seriously. The preseason hype, accolades, and predictions are all for nothing if they don't win that game. After going up 24-10 late in the third quarter, the Hogs were in control of the game. Not easy to do in Athens. But just as soon as I wanted to start celebrating, that familiar defense from last year came rearing its head. All of a sudden, Georgia was playing with urgency, and moving the ball down the field at will, and grabbing momentum. The Bulldogs tied the game like that, WHAT?! With random objects in my hand ready to launch, I decided to keep my composure. So did Arkansas. With just under a minute to play, Ryan Mallet completed two passes to D.J. Williams for two first downs, then a third to Greg Childs, who broke a tackle and sprinted to the end zone for a touchdown! Goal one of the season accomplished, and critics silenced temporarily. Look at Mallet's stats in the player of the week section, he's putting it together. Georgia's high expectations this year are quickly going away, looking for answers. Final score 31-24, Arkansas.
Guess who's back.
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram returned to the playing field after a leg injury sidelined him for the first two games. I, and a lot of other people thought he would be slowly brought back, with limited carries, uh no. He technically had limited carries, but only because those 9 carries went for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Any thought of him being hampered at this point is out the window. See ya next week in Fayetteville. Oh yeah, Bama did play a game, against Duke, if you can call it a game. Greg McElroy still hasn't lost as a starting quarterback. Final score 62-13, Alabama.
Speaking of offensive production.
Oklahoma State is rolling up the yards and points. Their first three total yards game totals are 544, 522, and 722! Sure it isn't against conference opponents or anything, but it is still impressive. Other teams are not doing that against lesser foes. Wide receiver Justin Blackmon has 24 catches for 431 yards, and 8 touchdowns, through just three games! Are you kidding me?! By the way, has anyone else noticed that Okie State has a big time, play making receiver every year? QB Brandon Weeden, who did the baseball thing and is now 26 years old, threw for 409 yards and 6 td's just last week.Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorson, who came over from Houston where they also lit it up, is doing a fantastic job. Even when they get into the tougher part of their schedule, I don't see anyone slowing them down very much. The question for the Pokes is always can they hold up on defense.
Speaking of defense.
I don't know if you've ever heard me say defense usually wins. If a match up pits a good offense versus a good defense, I'm taking the defense every time. Well whaddaya know, Texas held Texas Tech to just 144 yards of total offense. Yes, the same Texas Tech who always puts up giant passing yards, usually in the 400 range just about every game, EXCEPT for when they play a good defense. Now before you say, "but Leach isn't there anymore," I'll still say that typically when Tech went up against OU, Texas, and anyone with a half decent defense, they usually lost. If I was a Tech fan, I would let Tuberville get rid of the offense that is so beloved in Lubbock(that offense that brought zero Big 12 championships), and change to his style of winning. He's a new head coach, let him do it his way. I'm still not sold on Texas' offense either though. Garret Gilbert right now to me only looks like a game manager, nothing more. I know he's young and inexperienced, but I'm not seeing much to convince me he can win a game on his own. He passed for 227 yards, which is nice, but with 3 interceptions. Ouch. To be honest, this game did very little for me in terms of what I can expect from either team. Final score 24-14, Texas.
Game of the week.
Goes to Clemson at Auburn. This was a slug fest, multiple players got hurt, and Clemson QB Kyle Parker looked like he wanted to curl up and die the entire second half after he took a shot to the back. After Clemson took a 17-0 lead in the first half, this game looked to be a bore. But credit Auburn for fighting back and scoring 24 unanswered points to take the lead in the third quarter. You could tell both teams wanted this game, and I like watching that. Auburn QB Cam Newton threw two picks but never gave up, eventually running and throwing his team back into the game. As I've already said about Newton, he's not the most polished player yet, but he is winning games. Both teams went over 400 yards of offense, but neither was enough for regulation. They needed to go to overtime to decide the outcome. After Auburn kicked a field goal to go up three, Clemson couldn't score and had a chance to tie it. But the Clemson kicker missed! Idiot! A bad ending to a great game. Final score 27-24.
It must be every other week.
With the Sooners. In week one they narrowly escaped Utah State 31-24. Then it was a complete domination station over Florida State 44-17, then another squeaker at home against Air Force last week. At least Air Force isn't a bad team. They seem to be able to run the ball on just about anybody. They came in to this game AVERAGING 423 yards a game rushing! Wow. But Demarco Murray can run the ball too, because if not for him, this would have been a different game. Murray scored all three of OU's touchdowns, two rushing and one receiving to go along with his 110 yards. He is having the season so far everyone expected him to. OU's defense is not however. They have now let two "lesser" teams crawl their way back into games. Air Force was 11-18 on third down conversions! Are you serious?! And you know what's coming, a run! At least Landry Jones is slowly losing his nickname. For the second straight week he has not thrown an interception, that will win close ball games like this one. Final score 27-24, Oklahoma.
Speaking of playing to expectations.
My man Terrelle Pryor is finally living up to the hype. He went 22-29 for 235 yards and two scores, and added another 35 rushing with a td. Sure it was against Ohio University, but he wasn't putting up these numbers last year against the same type teams. He seems to have fully progressed into a passer at this level. He makes all the throws, and hits his receivers on deep balls right in stride.Ohio State is rolling along, and if Pryor keeps playing this way, they will be in the national title, and he may win the Heisman.
Where is the love?
Boise State gets all the hype after their win over Virginia Tech, but TCU is somehow quietly ranked fourth in the country. The have two wins over big six schools Oregon State and Baylor, and play in a slightly tougher conference than Boise. I know Baylor is well, Baylor, but they put the beat down on them 45-10. QB Andy Dalton was 21-23, yes that's only two incompletions, for 267 yards and two td's. TCU's defense held Baylor QB Robert Griffin,one of the better quarterbacks in the country, to just 164 yards passing. Yes TCU also has a defense. So while most of you are riding the Boise State bandwagon, don't forget about the Horned Frogs. Final score 45-10, TCU.
STILL unimpressed.
Florida QB John Brantley got outplayed by Tennessee QB Matt Simms. If Simms had Brantley's supporting cast, this would have been a monstrosity blowout the other way. But, Florida does have the players that Tennessee does not have, so it was all for not. If not for Florida's defense and Jeff Demps, the Gators would be looking for answers. I'm anxious to see this team against a real opponent. They will not get blown out this year because of said defense and Jeff Demps, but they will not win those close ones like they used to. Who knows, maybe Brantley will get it going and I'll look like a moron, but he doesn't look that good to me now. Maybe the media shouldn't have hyped him up so much, oh wait, they always do that. And yes, I heard Tebow's name after the first five minutes of turning to the game! Final score 31-17 Florida.
What was that?!
The media has already given the Heisman to Michigan QB Denard Robinson after two games. Even though he played well again accounting for 345 yards and three td's, you wonder how people would feel if they lost to the University of Massachusetts! Another FCS, or I-AA school whatever you want to call them, almost pulled of another shocker. Shades of 2007 and Appalachian State came roaring back to the Big House. But thanks to Mr. Robinson, they survived. UMass rolled up 439 yards of offense and scored 37 points! Not good. Rich Rod started out this way last year going 4-0, but then crumbled mightily the rest of the way finishing the season 1-7. Are we going to have a repeat? 9th grade basketball score of the week. Final score 42-37, Michigan.
Who knows.
Kansas gets the award this year for the "I have no idea what kind of team they are." They lose to North Dakota State in week one, beat 15th ranked Georgia Tech in week 2, then lose to Southern Miss in week 3. Um, okay? If you're a big name team, watch out, if you're not, don't worry, they won't show up. I just don't see how you go up and down so much as a team. I mean, what are they doing? I gave way too much respect for Turner Gill last week for turning his team around so quickly. Only he must have kept it turning right back to where they started. Final score 31-16, Southern Miss.
Probably not feeling so hot.
Is Jeremiah Masoli. After stealing his way out of Oregon, he found himself at a 1-2 Ole Miss team that just lost to Vanderbilt. No, Vanderbilt is not good at all. All the while, Masoli's former team is 3-0 and looking like the best offensive team in the nation. Oregon AGAIN put up 69 points and 668 yards of offense, without Masoli. The Rebels could only muster 385 yards and 14 points. They have now lost two embarrassing games at home. I knew Masoli would not fit at Ole Miss, he is robbing the fans by losing to Vandy. Final score 28-14, Vanderbilt.
That just happened.
I mentioned it in my shout out, but I always have to go into more detail. A great back and forth game between Notre Dame and Michigan State ended in a way I've always wanted to see. With the score tied at 28, and both teams playing well, the game was headed for overtime. Notre Dame got the ball first, couldn't punch it in, and kicked a field goal to go up by three. Now it's Michigan State's turn, but they also couldn't get it in the end zone, and had to try for the field goal also. I don't know how many times I've said, "why not fake it here? The other team will never expect it!" Well guess what? The Spartans did it! On fourth down and lining up for an apparent 47 yard field goal, the Michigan State holder catches the snap, stands up and fires to a wide open receiver for a touchdown! AWESOME! Game over. What a call! I don't know why more coaches don't make that call. Final score 34-31. Michigan State.
Until next week,
Nance
First game of the day.
Went to my Hogs. In Athens against Georgia, this was a must win for Arkansas if they want people to take them seriously. The preseason hype, accolades, and predictions are all for nothing if they don't win that game. After going up 24-10 late in the third quarter, the Hogs were in control of the game. Not easy to do in Athens. But just as soon as I wanted to start celebrating, that familiar defense from last year came rearing its head. All of a sudden, Georgia was playing with urgency, and moving the ball down the field at will, and grabbing momentum. The Bulldogs tied the game like that, WHAT?! With random objects in my hand ready to launch, I decided to keep my composure. So did Arkansas. With just under a minute to play, Ryan Mallet completed two passes to D.J. Williams for two first downs, then a third to Greg Childs, who broke a tackle and sprinted to the end zone for a touchdown! Goal one of the season accomplished, and critics silenced temporarily. Look at Mallet's stats in the player of the week section, he's putting it together. Georgia's high expectations this year are quickly going away, looking for answers. Final score 31-24, Arkansas.
Guess who's back.
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram returned to the playing field after a leg injury sidelined him for the first two games. I, and a lot of other people thought he would be slowly brought back, with limited carries, uh no. He technically had limited carries, but only because those 9 carries went for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Any thought of him being hampered at this point is out the window. See ya next week in Fayetteville. Oh yeah, Bama did play a game, against Duke, if you can call it a game. Greg McElroy still hasn't lost as a starting quarterback. Final score 62-13, Alabama.
Speaking of offensive production.
Oklahoma State is rolling up the yards and points. Their first three total yards game totals are 544, 522, and 722! Sure it isn't against conference opponents or anything, but it is still impressive. Other teams are not doing that against lesser foes. Wide receiver Justin Blackmon has 24 catches for 431 yards, and 8 touchdowns, through just three games! Are you kidding me?! By the way, has anyone else noticed that Okie State has a big time, play making receiver every year? QB Brandon Weeden, who did the baseball thing and is now 26 years old, threw for 409 yards and 6 td's just last week.Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorson, who came over from Houston where they also lit it up, is doing a fantastic job. Even when they get into the tougher part of their schedule, I don't see anyone slowing them down very much. The question for the Pokes is always can they hold up on defense.
Speaking of defense.
I don't know if you've ever heard me say defense usually wins. If a match up pits a good offense versus a good defense, I'm taking the defense every time. Well whaddaya know, Texas held Texas Tech to just 144 yards of total offense. Yes, the same Texas Tech who always puts up giant passing yards, usually in the 400 range just about every game, EXCEPT for when they play a good defense. Now before you say, "but Leach isn't there anymore," I'll still say that typically when Tech went up against OU, Texas, and anyone with a half decent defense, they usually lost. If I was a Tech fan, I would let Tuberville get rid of the offense that is so beloved in Lubbock(that offense that brought zero Big 12 championships), and change to his style of winning. He's a new head coach, let him do it his way. I'm still not sold on Texas' offense either though. Garret Gilbert right now to me only looks like a game manager, nothing more. I know he's young and inexperienced, but I'm not seeing much to convince me he can win a game on his own. He passed for 227 yards, which is nice, but with 3 interceptions. Ouch. To be honest, this game did very little for me in terms of what I can expect from either team. Final score 24-14, Texas.
Game of the week.
Goes to Clemson at Auburn. This was a slug fest, multiple players got hurt, and Clemson QB Kyle Parker looked like he wanted to curl up and die the entire second half after he took a shot to the back. After Clemson took a 17-0 lead in the first half, this game looked to be a bore. But credit Auburn for fighting back and scoring 24 unanswered points to take the lead in the third quarter. You could tell both teams wanted this game, and I like watching that. Auburn QB Cam Newton threw two picks but never gave up, eventually running and throwing his team back into the game. As I've already said about Newton, he's not the most polished player yet, but he is winning games. Both teams went over 400 yards of offense, but neither was enough for regulation. They needed to go to overtime to decide the outcome. After Auburn kicked a field goal to go up three, Clemson couldn't score and had a chance to tie it. But the Clemson kicker missed! Idiot! A bad ending to a great game. Final score 27-24.
It must be every other week.
With the Sooners. In week one they narrowly escaped Utah State 31-24. Then it was a complete domination station over Florida State 44-17, then another squeaker at home against Air Force last week. At least Air Force isn't a bad team. They seem to be able to run the ball on just about anybody. They came in to this game AVERAGING 423 yards a game rushing! Wow. But Demarco Murray can run the ball too, because if not for him, this would have been a different game. Murray scored all three of OU's touchdowns, two rushing and one receiving to go along with his 110 yards. He is having the season so far everyone expected him to. OU's defense is not however. They have now let two "lesser" teams crawl their way back into games. Air Force was 11-18 on third down conversions! Are you serious?! And you know what's coming, a run! At least Landry Jones is slowly losing his nickname. For the second straight week he has not thrown an interception, that will win close ball games like this one. Final score 27-24, Oklahoma.
Speaking of playing to expectations.
My man Terrelle Pryor is finally living up to the hype. He went 22-29 for 235 yards and two scores, and added another 35 rushing with a td. Sure it was against Ohio University, but he wasn't putting up these numbers last year against the same type teams. He seems to have fully progressed into a passer at this level. He makes all the throws, and hits his receivers on deep balls right in stride.Ohio State is rolling along, and if Pryor keeps playing this way, they will be in the national title, and he may win the Heisman.
Where is the love?
Boise State gets all the hype after their win over Virginia Tech, but TCU is somehow quietly ranked fourth in the country. The have two wins over big six schools Oregon State and Baylor, and play in a slightly tougher conference than Boise. I know Baylor is well, Baylor, but they put the beat down on them 45-10. QB Andy Dalton was 21-23, yes that's only two incompletions, for 267 yards and two td's. TCU's defense held Baylor QB Robert Griffin,one of the better quarterbacks in the country, to just 164 yards passing. Yes TCU also has a defense. So while most of you are riding the Boise State bandwagon, don't forget about the Horned Frogs. Final score 45-10, TCU.
STILL unimpressed.
Florida QB John Brantley got outplayed by Tennessee QB Matt Simms. If Simms had Brantley's supporting cast, this would have been a monstrosity blowout the other way. But, Florida does have the players that Tennessee does not have, so it was all for not. If not for Florida's defense and Jeff Demps, the Gators would be looking for answers. I'm anxious to see this team against a real opponent. They will not get blown out this year because of said defense and Jeff Demps, but they will not win those close ones like they used to. Who knows, maybe Brantley will get it going and I'll look like a moron, but he doesn't look that good to me now. Maybe the media shouldn't have hyped him up so much, oh wait, they always do that. And yes, I heard Tebow's name after the first five minutes of turning to the game! Final score 31-17 Florida.
What was that?!
The media has already given the Heisman to Michigan QB Denard Robinson after two games. Even though he played well again accounting for 345 yards and three td's, you wonder how people would feel if they lost to the University of Massachusetts! Another FCS, or I-AA school whatever you want to call them, almost pulled of another shocker. Shades of 2007 and Appalachian State came roaring back to the Big House. But thanks to Mr. Robinson, they survived. UMass rolled up 439 yards of offense and scored 37 points! Not good. Rich Rod started out this way last year going 4-0, but then crumbled mightily the rest of the way finishing the season 1-7. Are we going to have a repeat? 9th grade basketball score of the week. Final score 42-37, Michigan.
Who knows.
Kansas gets the award this year for the "I have no idea what kind of team they are." They lose to North Dakota State in week one, beat 15th ranked Georgia Tech in week 2, then lose to Southern Miss in week 3. Um, okay? If you're a big name team, watch out, if you're not, don't worry, they won't show up. I just don't see how you go up and down so much as a team. I mean, what are they doing? I gave way too much respect for Turner Gill last week for turning his team around so quickly. Only he must have kept it turning right back to where they started. Final score 31-16, Southern Miss.
Probably not feeling so hot.
Is Jeremiah Masoli. After stealing his way out of Oregon, he found himself at a 1-2 Ole Miss team that just lost to Vanderbilt. No, Vanderbilt is not good at all. All the while, Masoli's former team is 3-0 and looking like the best offensive team in the nation. Oregon AGAIN put up 69 points and 668 yards of offense, without Masoli. The Rebels could only muster 385 yards and 14 points. They have now lost two embarrassing games at home. I knew Masoli would not fit at Ole Miss, he is robbing the fans by losing to Vandy. Final score 28-14, Vanderbilt.
That just happened.
I mentioned it in my shout out, but I always have to go into more detail. A great back and forth game between Notre Dame and Michigan State ended in a way I've always wanted to see. With the score tied at 28, and both teams playing well, the game was headed for overtime. Notre Dame got the ball first, couldn't punch it in, and kicked a field goal to go up by three. Now it's Michigan State's turn, but they also couldn't get it in the end zone, and had to try for the field goal also. I don't know how many times I've said, "why not fake it here? The other team will never expect it!" Well guess what? The Spartans did it! On fourth down and lining up for an apparent 47 yard field goal, the Michigan State holder catches the snap, stands up and fires to a wide open receiver for a touchdown! AWESOME! Game over. What a call! I don't know why more coaches don't make that call. Final score 34-31. Michigan State.
Until next week,
Nance
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
2010 - week 2
Okay people, we are trying this blog thing for now. If you, or I don't like it, we'll go back to the "old" way. If you don't want to sign up for Blogger, let me know and I'll send this to you via email like I always have. Let me know your thoughts.
Also be sure to check out the websites at the top of the page, if you're ever not really sure as to what I'm talking about.
Anyway, what a fantastic weekend for football! This past Saturday was dubbed "Monster Match up," and let me tell you, it made me feel like a monster! At 2:30 there were three games that started that needed to be viewed by me, and I couldn't decide when to switch over to one game or the other. It was madness!
Here are the games I am talking about.
The first one I cared about was the Oklahoma-Florida State match up. Many Sooner fans were probably slightly concerned following last week's escape over Utah State, while FSU was riding high after their week one domination over Samford. And with Bob Stoops' brother Mark being the defensive coordinator for the Noles, skepticism was in the air. WRONG! OU came out firing from the start. Scoring on their first four possessions, in rout to a 34 -7 halftime lead. Clearly us idiots who think they know everything about football, were proven horribly wrong by Stoops(Bob) and the Sooners. They must have shown absolutely nothing in their opener, then brought it all out for this one. The offense was incredibly sharp, with everyone getting involved, and the defense held one of the top quarterbacks in the country, Christian Ponder, to just 113 yards passing, and picking him off twice. QB Landry Jones distributed the ball very well, throwing for 380 yards and 4 td's. OU receiver Ryan Broyles continues to pile up catches, grabbing 12 for 124 yards and a score. Now OU looks like a top ten team. Final score 47-17, Oklahoma.
Luckily.
The OU game was in hand, so I could switch it over to the Ohio State-Miami game. Two of the big name programs in all of the land, going at it in week 2. My man Terrelle Pryor, still has his critics, seeing if he can duplicate the big game performances. Well he did. Throwing for 233 yards and a td, and rushing for another 113 with a score. The other big name, Heisman watch list QB on the other side was Jacory Harris, who, well, didn't play as well. Harris threw four interceptions on the road against the number two team in the country. I don't know about you , but that won't win very many games. Ohio State also showed they were an elite team. Even after Miami returned a kickoff and a punt back for touchdowns, the Buckeyes were in control the entire game. Final score 36-24, Ohio State.
What turned out to be the best game.
Michigan-Notre Dame is a good rivalry, but has lost some luster in the last couple of years. Sure last year's game in Ann Arbor went right down to the end, but since there are no national implications to it whatsoever, it just doesn't have the wow factor. But even if Michigan or Notre Dame doesn't make it to BCS bowls this year, this was one heck of a game. Michigan took a 21-7 lead into halftime, with QB Denard Robinson running and throwing all over the place. But ND rallied in the second half to take the lead 24-21 on a 95 yard touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph! That's the wow factor I've been looking for! With just over three minutes left, Michigan gets the ball and goes right down the field, capped off by a Robinson two yard touchdown run with just 27 seconds left. The guy was spectacular. He is just a sophomore, and he has command of the Wolverine offense, and seems to run around at will. Granted, he hasn't seen a stellar defense yet, but still this was at Notre Dame, and in the final minutes. You have to give it to him. Rich Rod cools off the hot seat a little more. Final score 28-24, Michigan.
Up next.
The next big game of the day after that triple headed monster of games, was the Alabama-Penn State showdown. Oh who am I kidding, this game didn't excite me very much at all. Sure it looks good on paper, but did anyone really think Penn State had a chance? No you didn't. Penn State came to Tuscaloosa with a true freshman quarterback, and that still ever so slow Big 10 style of play. Once again, an SEC team handled them with ease. Who needs reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, when you have his "backup" Trent Richardson rushing for 144 yards and a td? The Nittany Lions only had 283 yards of total offense, and didn't score a point until the fourth quarter. Alabama's young defense seems to have answered the question of how good they're going to be. They picked off Penn State QB Rob Bolden twice, and held "star" running back Evan Royster to just 32 yards rushing. Joe Paterno is still somehow coaching, even though I swear he is secretly hooked up to a machine that keeps him standing. After the game, he told Nick Saban, "good game Bear." And yes, Bama QB Greg McElroy STILL hasn't lost a game as a starter since junior high. Incredible. Final score 24-3, Alabama.
Still unimpressed.
After a week one offensive showing that was downright horrendous, Florida, in my mind, has still not gotten it going. Yes they had 423 yards of total offense and scored 38 points against South Florida, but it wasn't until a 62 yard touchdown run by Jeff Demps again in the third quarter that started the offense. That td run only put Florida up 14-7, and Jeff Brantley again wasn't doing much through the air. I know it's not really time to panic in Gainesville, but I thought Brantley and the Gator offense was going to pick right up where that unnamed previous player left off. I'll believe it when I see it. Final score 38-14, Florida.
This week's "what the bleep" was that game?
Virginia Tech put up a great fight against Boise State in a loss last week. Tyrod Taylor cemented himself as one of the top play making quarterbacks in the country. Va Tech has been a top tier program in the country the last ten years, winning ten games almost every year, and a couple of BCS bowls in that span. So you would think even after a loss where they put everything out on the field, they could rebound and take care of business against James Madison. No not the person, the football team James Madison. Again, I have no idea where they are from, or what conference they play in. But the Hokies just threw in the towel I guess by losing at home to an FCS school. James Madison could only muster 235 yards of total offense, and still somehow won. Sorry Va Tech, but you might as well call it a year. Final score 21-16, James Madison.
Nice.
I mentioned it in my shout outs section, but I have to go more into the Kansas win over Georgia Tech. A 15th ranked Georgia Tech team, that won the ACC last year, just lost to a Kansas team that just one week ago lost to North Dakota State! WHAT?! Seeing the match up on paper, one would think the Yellow Jackets would completely run over Kansas in dominating fashion. But you have to give it to head coach Turner Gill, who somehow completely turned around the team's attitude, and pulled out a nice win, that a week ago looked impossible. I mean, they lost to North Dakota State! It was 6-3! I now have a lot respect for Turner Gill. Final score 28-25, Kansas.
I almost forgot.
About them in general. But the USC Trojans seem to be a bit of an afterthought. The wrath of God punishment that was brought down upon them, looks like it may be affecting them. By losing a few juniors and seniors to transfer, and a couple of incoming freshman commits, could hurt them more than we thought. Sure they all said the moral of the team was fine, and the focus was still there. But I'm not seeing anything to be real excited about. Sure they're 2-0, but this is USC we're talking about. The same USC that won 7 straight PAC 10 titles, and a national championship in the last ten years. The same team that this week squeaked out a win over Virginia(they aren't very good) at home. In week one, when I forgot to talk about them, they beat Hawaii, but allowed 588 yards of offense and 36 points. I feel sorry for QB Matt Barkley, who will most likely turn out to be an excellent player for them. But unless he stays for his senior year, he will not be able to play in a bowl game. If I were him, I'd bolt after my junior year and call it a day. He can thank Reggie Bush for that. Oh yeah there was a game. Final score 17-14, USC.
Wish I wasn't impressed again.
But South Carolina may have actually turned the corner this time. Every year you hear me talk about how the Gamecocks are so over hyped, and to let me know when they win more than 7 games. The Ole Ball coach has never really been able to get them over the hump. But after a complete game over Georgia, I may be eating my words. Freshman running back Marcus Lattimore is the absolute real deal, rushing for 182 yards and two touchdowns. And I'm afraid much ridiculed QB Stephen Garcia is playing some good football. The defense looks pretty legit as well. Holding Georgia's offense to 253 yards of offense. Being that these guys are in the SEC, I feel I may have to watch them a little more carefully than I would like. Final score 17-6, South Carolina.
Not missing him at all.
Oregon has been able to plug in Darren Thomas at quarterback in place of Jeremiah "The Thief" Masoli. In fact, it's safe to say The Ducks may have the best offense in all of the country. In their first two games, they have generated 1,167 yards of offense, and 120 points. The second coming on the road at Tennessee. The best running back duo also may reside in Eugene, with LaMichael James' "backup" Kenjon Barner taking a punt return 80 yards for a td, after he went for 173 and 4 touchdowns last week! And now that James is back from his suspension for assault, he was right back where he left off from last year, going for 134 yards and a score. Tennessee is in a bit of a rebuilding phase with a new head coach, but still had no answer as Oregon scored 45 points in the second half. Final score 48-13, Oregon.
Don't look now.
But Auburn may have themselves a quarterback. Cam Newton transferred in after a year at Florida, then a Juco stint, and has taken the reigns of the offense. I hate to say it, but the guy can play. He may not yet be a complete passer, but he can run, and he's big. He threw for 136 and a td, and ran for another 70 to will the Tigers to an escape on the road at Mississippi State. I don't know if Miss State is better than I thought, or Auburn isn't as good as most people thought, but without Newton, Auburn would have lost that game. Those annoying cowbells didn't seem to affect him, of course it doesn't seem to affect too many people considering Miss State has lost A LOT of games at home the last several years. Anyway, watch out for this kid, he is going to be a player. Final score 17-14, Auburn.
JV basketball score of the week - Wake Forest over Duke 54-48.
Last but never least.
The Hogs cruise, not as convincingly as I would have liked, over Louisiana-Monroe. Ryan Mallet is putting up Heisman numbers so far, 701 yards passing and six touchdowns. More importantly, a 73% completion percentage. The horrific defense from a year ago, that same defense that was ranked DEAD LAST in the SEC, has played extremely well. They have only allowed 5 points per game so far. But the real tests are coming, and coming fast. Final score 31-7, Arkansas.
Until next week,
Nance
Also be sure to check out the websites at the top of the page, if you're ever not really sure as to what I'm talking about.
Anyway, what a fantastic weekend for football! This past Saturday was dubbed "Monster Match up," and let me tell you, it made me feel like a monster! At 2:30 there were three games that started that needed to be viewed by me, and I couldn't decide when to switch over to one game or the other. It was madness!
Here are the games I am talking about.
The first one I cared about was the Oklahoma-Florida State match up. Many Sooner fans were probably slightly concerned following last week's escape over Utah State, while FSU was riding high after their week one domination over Samford. And with Bob Stoops' brother Mark being the defensive coordinator for the Noles, skepticism was in the air. WRONG! OU came out firing from the start. Scoring on their first four possessions, in rout to a 34 -7 halftime lead. Clearly us idiots who think they know everything about football, were proven horribly wrong by Stoops(Bob) and the Sooners. They must have shown absolutely nothing in their opener, then brought it all out for this one. The offense was incredibly sharp, with everyone getting involved, and the defense held one of the top quarterbacks in the country, Christian Ponder, to just 113 yards passing, and picking him off twice. QB Landry Jones distributed the ball very well, throwing for 380 yards and 4 td's. OU receiver Ryan Broyles continues to pile up catches, grabbing 12 for 124 yards and a score. Now OU looks like a top ten team. Final score 47-17, Oklahoma.
Luckily.
The OU game was in hand, so I could switch it over to the Ohio State-Miami game. Two of the big name programs in all of the land, going at it in week 2. My man Terrelle Pryor, still has his critics, seeing if he can duplicate the big game performances. Well he did. Throwing for 233 yards and a td, and rushing for another 113 with a score. The other big name, Heisman watch list QB on the other side was Jacory Harris, who, well, didn't play as well. Harris threw four interceptions on the road against the number two team in the country. I don't know about you , but that won't win very many games. Ohio State also showed they were an elite team. Even after Miami returned a kickoff and a punt back for touchdowns, the Buckeyes were in control the entire game. Final score 36-24, Ohio State.
What turned out to be the best game.
Michigan-Notre Dame is a good rivalry, but has lost some luster in the last couple of years. Sure last year's game in Ann Arbor went right down to the end, but since there are no national implications to it whatsoever, it just doesn't have the wow factor. But even if Michigan or Notre Dame doesn't make it to BCS bowls this year, this was one heck of a game. Michigan took a 21-7 lead into halftime, with QB Denard Robinson running and throwing all over the place. But ND rallied in the second half to take the lead 24-21 on a 95 yard touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph! That's the wow factor I've been looking for! With just over three minutes left, Michigan gets the ball and goes right down the field, capped off by a Robinson two yard touchdown run with just 27 seconds left. The guy was spectacular. He is just a sophomore, and he has command of the Wolverine offense, and seems to run around at will. Granted, he hasn't seen a stellar defense yet, but still this was at Notre Dame, and in the final minutes. You have to give it to him. Rich Rod cools off the hot seat a little more. Final score 28-24, Michigan.
Up next.
The next big game of the day after that triple headed monster of games, was the Alabama-Penn State showdown. Oh who am I kidding, this game didn't excite me very much at all. Sure it looks good on paper, but did anyone really think Penn State had a chance? No you didn't. Penn State came to Tuscaloosa with a true freshman quarterback, and that still ever so slow Big 10 style of play. Once again, an SEC team handled them with ease. Who needs reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, when you have his "backup" Trent Richardson rushing for 144 yards and a td? The Nittany Lions only had 283 yards of total offense, and didn't score a point until the fourth quarter. Alabama's young defense seems to have answered the question of how good they're going to be. They picked off Penn State QB Rob Bolden twice, and held "star" running back Evan Royster to just 32 yards rushing. Joe Paterno is still somehow coaching, even though I swear he is secretly hooked up to a machine that keeps him standing. After the game, he told Nick Saban, "good game Bear." And yes, Bama QB Greg McElroy STILL hasn't lost a game as a starter since junior high. Incredible. Final score 24-3, Alabama.
Still unimpressed.
After a week one offensive showing that was downright horrendous, Florida, in my mind, has still not gotten it going. Yes they had 423 yards of total offense and scored 38 points against South Florida, but it wasn't until a 62 yard touchdown run by Jeff Demps again in the third quarter that started the offense. That td run only put Florida up 14-7, and Jeff Brantley again wasn't doing much through the air. I know it's not really time to panic in Gainesville, but I thought Brantley and the Gator offense was going to pick right up where that unnamed previous player left off. I'll believe it when I see it. Final score 38-14, Florida.
This week's "what the bleep" was that game?
Virginia Tech put up a great fight against Boise State in a loss last week. Tyrod Taylor cemented himself as one of the top play making quarterbacks in the country. Va Tech has been a top tier program in the country the last ten years, winning ten games almost every year, and a couple of BCS bowls in that span. So you would think even after a loss where they put everything out on the field, they could rebound and take care of business against James Madison. No not the person, the football team James Madison. Again, I have no idea where they are from, or what conference they play in. But the Hokies just threw in the towel I guess by losing at home to an FCS school. James Madison could only muster 235 yards of total offense, and still somehow won. Sorry Va Tech, but you might as well call it a year. Final score 21-16, James Madison.
Nice.
I mentioned it in my shout outs section, but I have to go more into the Kansas win over Georgia Tech. A 15th ranked Georgia Tech team, that won the ACC last year, just lost to a Kansas team that just one week ago lost to North Dakota State! WHAT?! Seeing the match up on paper, one would think the Yellow Jackets would completely run over Kansas in dominating fashion. But you have to give it to head coach Turner Gill, who somehow completely turned around the team's attitude, and pulled out a nice win, that a week ago looked impossible. I mean, they lost to North Dakota State! It was 6-3! I now have a lot respect for Turner Gill. Final score 28-25, Kansas.
I almost forgot.
About them in general. But the USC Trojans seem to be a bit of an afterthought. The wrath of God punishment that was brought down upon them, looks like it may be affecting them. By losing a few juniors and seniors to transfer, and a couple of incoming freshman commits, could hurt them more than we thought. Sure they all said the moral of the team was fine, and the focus was still there. But I'm not seeing anything to be real excited about. Sure they're 2-0, but this is USC we're talking about. The same USC that won 7 straight PAC 10 titles, and a national championship in the last ten years. The same team that this week squeaked out a win over Virginia(they aren't very good) at home. In week one, when I forgot to talk about them, they beat Hawaii, but allowed 588 yards of offense and 36 points. I feel sorry for QB Matt Barkley, who will most likely turn out to be an excellent player for them. But unless he stays for his senior year, he will not be able to play in a bowl game. If I were him, I'd bolt after my junior year and call it a day. He can thank Reggie Bush for that. Oh yeah there was a game. Final score 17-14, USC.
Wish I wasn't impressed again.
But South Carolina may have actually turned the corner this time. Every year you hear me talk about how the Gamecocks are so over hyped, and to let me know when they win more than 7 games. The Ole Ball coach has never really been able to get them over the hump. But after a complete game over Georgia, I may be eating my words. Freshman running back Marcus Lattimore is the absolute real deal, rushing for 182 yards and two touchdowns. And I'm afraid much ridiculed QB Stephen Garcia is playing some good football. The defense looks pretty legit as well. Holding Georgia's offense to 253 yards of offense. Being that these guys are in the SEC, I feel I may have to watch them a little more carefully than I would like. Final score 17-6, South Carolina.
Not missing him at all.
Oregon has been able to plug in Darren Thomas at quarterback in place of Jeremiah "The Thief" Masoli. In fact, it's safe to say The Ducks may have the best offense in all of the country. In their first two games, they have generated 1,167 yards of offense, and 120 points. The second coming on the road at Tennessee. The best running back duo also may reside in Eugene, with LaMichael James' "backup" Kenjon Barner taking a punt return 80 yards for a td, after he went for 173 and 4 touchdowns last week! And now that James is back from his suspension for assault, he was right back where he left off from last year, going for 134 yards and a score. Tennessee is in a bit of a rebuilding phase with a new head coach, but still had no answer as Oregon scored 45 points in the second half. Final score 48-13, Oregon.
Don't look now.
But Auburn may have themselves a quarterback. Cam Newton transferred in after a year at Florida, then a Juco stint, and has taken the reigns of the offense. I hate to say it, but the guy can play. He may not yet be a complete passer, but he can run, and he's big. He threw for 136 and a td, and ran for another 70 to will the Tigers to an escape on the road at Mississippi State. I don't know if Miss State is better than I thought, or Auburn isn't as good as most people thought, but without Newton, Auburn would have lost that game. Those annoying cowbells didn't seem to affect him, of course it doesn't seem to affect too many people considering Miss State has lost A LOT of games at home the last several years. Anyway, watch out for this kid, he is going to be a player. Final score 17-14, Auburn.
JV basketball score of the week - Wake Forest over Duke 54-48.
Last but never least.
The Hogs cruise, not as convincingly as I would have liked, over Louisiana-Monroe. Ryan Mallet is putting up Heisman numbers so far, 701 yards passing and six touchdowns. More importantly, a 73% completion percentage. The horrific defense from a year ago, that same defense that was ranked DEAD LAST in the SEC, has played extremely well. They have only allowed 5 points per game so far. But the real tests are coming, and coming fast. Final score 31-7, Arkansas.
Until next week,
Nance
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