Marcus Mariota has a rough night (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)
Stanford 26 Oregon 20
Back in the olden days when there was only 3 TV networks, a late Saturday west coast loss by 6 points to a ranked opponent may have not hampered a team's chance at a national championship. But this game was on Thursday, prime time, and everyone in America saw it. It's only one loss but the way they lost probably crushed their hopes of making it to the BCS Championship Game.
Stanford took the football and just ran it down Oregon's throats for 3 plus quarters until they were up 26-0. The Ducks got some garbage points at the end including a return of a blocked field goal but nobody was fooled by the final score.
BTW, I heard some guys on the radio brag about picking this upset last month. Oh yeah? Well, guess who picked it back in August (much to some Ducks fans dismay). B)
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The top four teams still in contention to play in the BCS Championship Game (remember...crazier things have happened):
Alabama 9-0 (@MSU, cupcake, @Auburn, SECCG)
Baylor 8-0 (Texas Tech, @Okl St, @TCU, Texas)
Florida State 9-0 (Syracuse, Idaho, @Fla, ACCCG)
Ohio State 9-0 (@Illinois, Indy, @Michigan, B1GCG)
Dangling by a thread, hopin' 'n' prayin':
Auburn 9-1
Michigan State 8-1
Missouri 9-1
Oklahoma State 8-1
Oregon 8-1
Stanford 8-1
Eliminated fer sure:
Oklahoma 7-2
Miami 7-2
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Will either of these guys be with their current team next season? (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
Vanderbilt 34 Florida 17
Why did the Gator cross the road? So he would not have to watch this terrible Florida team continue to implode.
Vanderbilt may have just saved their season by winning at Florida for the first time since 1945. The Gators outgained the Commodores in total yards 353 to 187 and more than doubled-up the first downs 26 to 12. However,t it was the turnovers that doomed the blue and orange. Vandy converted three Tyler Murphy three first half interceptions into touchdowns and built a 24-3 lead that the Gators could not overcome.
The victory was their fifth of the year with games against Kentucky, Tennessee, and Wake Forest. Win one of those games and they become bowl eligible for the third consecutive season under coach James Franklin. Last season was the first time the Commodores had ever gone to a bowl in back-to-back seasons.
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The special little Black-Out jerseys fail yet another team. (Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports)
Virginia Tech 42 Miami 24
Let's face it: to this point Miami was playing WAY over their heads. Beating Florida (4-5) back in September looks much less impressive in November.
After a curbstomp by Florida State (41-14) last week, Virginia Tech almost matched the score as the Hurricanes fumbled (fumbled punt return, fumbled kickoff return) and bumbled ('Caines punter Pat O'Donnell's knee touched the ground as he fielded a low snap) their way to a second straight loss. The Hokies (7-3) converted three Miami mistakes into touchdowns on the ensuing drives and it was all over but the crying.
Tech's Logan Thomas continues to impress passing 25 of 31 for 366 passing yards and two TDs. Trey Edmunds added four touchdowns on 74 yards rushing.
P.S. Thanks for the SOS, Hokies.
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Former Alabama OC Jim McElwain has Colorado State at 5-5 and one win away from bowl eligibility. Rams running back Kapri Bibbs had 30 carries for an astounding 312 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 38-17 win over Nevada.
CSU finishes @ New Mexico (3-6), @ Utah State (6-4), and home versus Air Force (2-8).
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Grab Bag:
Baylor 41 Oklahoma 12 - The Sooners were able to dictate action early, stifling the Bears and limiting them to a field goal in their first five possessions. However, uncreative play-calling and a lackluster Oklahoma offense could not find the end zone and UO finished with only 87 rushing yards for the game. This allowed Baylor to right the ship behind the running of Shock Linwood - 182 yards on 23 carries and turn this game into a rout.
Pitt 28 Notre Dame 21 - The Irish should have lost to the Panthers last year. Pitt has righted that wrong. TIMBER! Notre Dame (7-3) falls out of the rankings.
Duke 38 NC State 20 - David Cutcliffe's Blue Devils are suddenly 7-2 and have a good shot at winning the ACC Coastal Division. Duke DB/KR DeVon Edwards had a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD, two interceptions returned for TDs in the win over the Wolfpack.
Kansas State 49 Texas Tech 26 - A couple of weeks ago, the Red Raiders were 7-0 and ranked (snicker) number 10. Today they are 7-3 and looking at 5 straight losses to end the season. They host Baylor and play at Texas to round out their season.
Kristi Malzahn's "SHUT UP!" of the Week goes to the Oregon Ducks. Kristi sez: You want Bama, huh? How about beating the Palo Alto brainiacs first and then we'll talk.
* 58 teams are now eligible for one of the 70 bowl openings. 30 teams are no longer bowl eligible.
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- Baylor's top WR Tevin Reese is out for year after having surgery on a dislocated right wrist injured in the 41-12 win over Oklahoma on Thursday night. This is a HUGE loss for the Bears as Reese has been averaging 25 yards per catch and 103 receiving yards per game to go with 8 touchdowns.
- Taylor Martinez's long career as quarterback at Nebraska might be coming to a premature end. According to his father, Taylor has a "debilitating injury" near the ball of his left foot suffered in week one that has not fully healed. He has been limited to four games this season because of injuries to his shoulder, hip, abdomen and foot.
- The Florida Gators lose yet another starter to injury. Sophomore linebacker Antonio Morrison will miss the rest of the season with torn cartilage in his knee. (Muschamp needs to fire whoever in charge of pre-game stretching).
- FSU better pray Jameis Winston does not get hurt because backup QB Jacob Coker had surgery Tuesday to repair meniscus damage in his knee. Coker was injured in the second half of Florida State's 59-3 win over Wake Forest in a non-contact injury. He will not return this season.
- Pile on the misery at Texas because the Longhorns will be without RB Johnathan Gray and DT Chris Whaley for the rest of the season. Leading rusher Gray suffered a right Achilles injury that will require surgery. Whaley suffered a left knee injury in the first quarter against West Virginia. Texas finishes vs #12 Oklahoma State, vs Texas Tech, and at #5 Baylor.
- It was not a good week for guys named "Tevin". Indiana RB Tevin Coleman is likely out for the Wisconsin game. It was unlikely the Hoosiers (4-5) were going to upset the Badgers, but this loss is too much to overcome. The sophomore has 958 yards and 12 touchdowns so far this season, scoring in all 9 games.
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THURSDAY, NOV 14:
Georgia Tech at Clemson 6:30 CT/7:30 ET, ESPN - Not as exciting as last Thursday but the Yellow Jackets triple option could give the Tigers problems. Additionally, Tech has a pretty decent defense.
FRIDAY, NOV 15:
Washington at UCLA 8/9 ESPN - This could be an interesting watch with two potential future NFL QBs in the Bruins Brett Hundley and Huskies Keith Price.
SATURDAY, NOV 16 Highlights:
Ohio State at Illinois 11am/12pm ESPN- I'd rather watch...
Troy at Ole Miss 11am/12pm ESPNU- a tune-up for #9 Missouri next week.
Florida Atlantic at Southern Miss 11:30am/12:30pm no TV - FAU!
Kentucky at Vanderbilt 11:21am/12:21pm SEC TV - Don't blow it, Vandy.
Georgia at Auburn 2:30pm/3:30pm CBS - "The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry". The series record is 54-54-8.
Miami (FL) at Duke 2:30/3:30 ESPNU- If you get a chance, check out the upstart Blue Devils (7-2, 3-2). See Grab Bag above.
Syracuse at Florida State 2:30/3:30 ABC- This game should be over by the first commercial break.
Michigan State at Nebraska 2:30/3:30 ESPN2- Keep an eye on Sparty. They have a good D and could challenge Ohio St. in the B1GCG.
South Alabama at Navy 2:30/3:30 CBS Sports Network - Navy (5-4) is one win away from bowl eligibility.
Utah at Oregon 3:00/4:00 FOX Sports 1 - How do the Ducks react to their loss to Stanford?
Florida at South Carolina 6:00/7:00 ESPN2- South Carolina looks to get back to Atlanta.
Texas Tech vs. Baylor 6:00/7:00 FOX - Can Baylor handle the spotlight?
Stanford at USC 7:00/8:00 ABC or ESPN2- Trees vs. Orgeron futbawl!
*** Only three more regular season games! ***
Alabama at Mississippi St 6:45pm CT / 7:45pm ET, ESPN(Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe-Rowe-Rowe your boat)
Chattanooga at Alabama Nov. 23, 1pm/2pm PPV
Alabama at Auburn Nov. 30, TBD