<grammarly-btn>This was another wild Saturday in the world of NCAA football.
The first weekend of Autumn brought good fortune for some and saw others fall by the wayside.
All though most of the top teams won their games, for some it was by the skin of their teeth. Yet, for others, they destroyed their opponents.
The Top 10
#1
Alabama 45 – Texas A&M University 23 (Did not cover the spread)
Regular SEC West match-up
Some of you will think I’m arrogant when I say this but, Alabama didn’t play their best game. There were a lot of mistakes and missed opportunities for the Tide in this game. TAMU was a worthy opponent that is well coached by first-year head coach, Jimbo Fisher. Fisher had his team ready for the Tide and able to execute a wonderful game-plan. The Tide was just too dominant to allow the Aggies game-plan to work. Literally, before we got into our seats well, the Tide had intercepted a TAMU pass and had scored a touchdown. While Bama was able to gain another over 500-yard game total offense, they also received 82 yards in penalties. Knowing how Coach Saban feels about penalties, I feel sorry for these guys this week. Three of the penalties were procedural, including one for having 12 men on the field! Mistakes like this drive Coach Saban bonkers and by the way, he looked on the sideline, I’d say he was pretty near there. Let’s hope this coming Saturday sees a less messy game for the Tide.
Alabama will host Louisiana Lafayette Rajun Cajuns 9/29/18 at 11:00 am
#2
Georgia 43 – Missouri 29 (Game was a push)
Regular SEC East match-up
This game was the tale of two different halves. In the first half, Georgia could do no wrong and Missouri could do no right. The Dawgs were able to score on both defense and special teams in the first half. The first TD came after Georgia recovered a Missouri fumble. The second was a blocked punt that was returned for six more Dawg points.
Missouri was able to show what they could do in the second half, scoring 22 points on the much-lauded Bulldog defense.
Missouri coach, Barry Odom stated that they had spotted Georgia 14 points or the game would have been a different story. The Tigers looked very good on both sides of the ball but it wasn’t enough to hold onto the mighty Georgia Bulldogs at least not this week.
Georgia will host the Tennessee Volunteers 9/29/18 at 2:30 pm
#3
Clemson 49 – Georgia Tech 21 (covered 16.5 point spread)
Regular ACC Match-up
The Clemson Tigers opened conference play against the “Ramblin’ Wreck” of Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Wreck recovered 7 of their 8 fumbles but gave up a TD when Clemson recovered a fumbled in the end-zone. Can we say, a fumble-fingered day?
The Tigers more than doubled the Yellow Jackets total yardage with 480 to 203 respectively.
Georgia Tech playing at home completed only 3 passes. The Yellow Jackets coach simple stated, “we got our tails kicked”. He was absolutely correct. Clemson went to Atlanta and kicked Georgia Techs tail in all aspects of the game.
Clemson is a team on a mission, first to the ACC Championship and then with lofty expectations of going to the National Championship again.
Clemson plays host to Syracuse 9/29/18 at 11 am
#4
Ohio State 49 – Tulane 6 (covered 37 point spread)
Cupcake Game
Head Coach Urban Meyers triumphant return to the field after his 3 game suspension for helping to cover one of his assistant coaches domestic abuse.
Buckeye QB Haskins completed 21 or 24 passes for 304 yards passing.
Ohio State was able to increase their depth chart and give live play time to many younger players in this outmatched game against the Green Wave of Tulane.
The Buckeye’s were able to gain over 500 total yards in 76 offensive plays.
Tulane’s lone Touchdown came early in the second quarter, the PAT was blocked.
Ohio State travels to Penn. State 9/29/18 at 6:30 pm
#5
Oklahoma 28 – Army 21 (did not cover the 32 point spread in overtime)
Regular Season Non-Conference Game
This game was ridiculous for Oklahoma. The Black Knights of Army beat the Sooners in every way possible except the scoreboard.
Army came into this game with the thoughts of victory! They marched onto the field with a wonderful game-plan and executed it!. Army had 26 first downs to Oklahoma’s 19. Army won the total yardage 379 to 355. Time of possession for Army, a whopping 44:41 minutes of the total 60-minute game. The Black Knights took the field and held it.
At the end of this game, Oklahoma fans gave the Army Black Knights a standing ovation to show their respect to them as soldiers both on the football field and on the battlefield.
Even though the Sooners came out the victor of this game, the poor showing against what should have been a lesser team dropped them from # 5 to # 6 in this week's AP Poll.
Oklahoma welcomes the Baylor Bears 9/29/18 at 2:30 pm
#6
LSU 38 – Louisiana Tech 21 (did not cover the 21 point spread)
Cupcake Game
Cupcake game or was it? For the Tigers of LSU, it turned into a fight after they came in overconfident, according to LSU head coach, Ed Orgeron. Coach O stated, "We won the game, but it wasn't good enough," obviously, we're not happy." Orgeron said his team let down in the second half and could not stop the La.Tech Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs won the total yardage competition 417 to 409. La. Tech’s offense was on the field for over 27 minutes.
This letdown happens frequently after big, emotional wins like the Tigers have had this season. With wins over then, top-10 ranked Miami and Auburn. The upset win over the then #7 ranked Auburn Tigers was draining emotionally and physically.
LSU hosts Ole Miss 9/29/18 at 8:15 pm
#7
Stanford 38 – Oregon 31 (covered the 2 point spread in overtime)
Regular Pac-12 Conference Match-up
Stanford had to come from a 17 point deficit at the half to carry the Oregon Ducks into overtime. The 20th ranked Ducks were supposed to make this a close game and a close game it was.
Statistically, offensively Oregon won this game hands down. The Ducks had 524 yards of total offense to the Cardinal 398 yards. The biggest problem the Cardinal had was 3 turnovers with 2 fumbles and 1 interception thrown.
The Ducks were up 14-0 in the second quarter when Arcega-Whiteside scored on a 13-yard pass from Stanford QB Costello.
The Ducks went into half-time celebrating their domination, it was to be short-lived as the Cardinal came out to score 14 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter. At the end of the regulation play, it was 31-31. Stanford scored first in OT to make it 38-31. Oregon was intercepted in the end-zone to end the game.
Stanford travels to Notre Dame 9/29/18 at 6:30 pm
#8
Notre Dame 56 – Wake Forest 27 (covered the 7.5 point spread)
Regular Non-Conference Game
This game may have changed my mind about Notre Dame. I have contended that the Fighting Irish had been over-rated all season. They played to their ranking in this game. Even though Wake Forest is far down the ACC totem-pole, they are still a Power 5 ACC contender and they were playing at home.
The Irish had a QB change with Ian Book taking over the position from Brandon Wimbush. Notre Dame’s offense had been struggling with less than 300 total yards average per game. With Book at the helm, they amassed a total 566 yards! Before this game, ND hadn’t scored more than 24 points in a game this season. Notre Dame was able to increase it’s passing game to 9 yards/pass this game.
Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson stated "Notre Dame outplayed us. They outcoached us. They out prepared us. They were just more ready to go than us today, and they showed it. The score's probably closer than the game was."
Notre Dame will play host to the Stanford Cardinal 9/28/18 at 6:30 pm
#9
Auburn 34 – Arkansas 3 (29.5 point spread covered)
Regular SEC West Match-up
Arkansas stinks this year. That about sums up this game.
Auburn came into this game after an emotional loss to LSU the week before. It could have been devastating for the Tigers but they tied up their cleat laces and went back to work.
The Special Teams did a phenomenal job for the Tigers. They scored off a 96-yard kickoff return and a partially blocked punt set up another touchdown.
Even though this was a rout for Auburn, their passing game showed signs of weakness as the protection for QB Stidham broke down. Stidham was sacked 4 times.
The Razorbacks and the Tigers had only 13 first downs each. The Razorbacks actually had more total yardage than the Tigers with 290 to Auburn's 225.
Auburn’s Stidham said, “we found a way to win this” and he is right. They struggled but found a way, mainly with the help of special teams.
Auburn invites Southern Mississippi on 9/29/18 at 3:00 pm
# 10
Penn State 63 – Illinois 24 (covered the 28 point spread)
Regular Season Big10 Match-up
I remember the Fighting Illini of Illinois as a force to be reckoned with, especially in the 1960’s and 80’s. This had been the home of 8-time pro-bowler, Chicago Bear linebacker, Jim Butkus.
But, alas, things do go in cycles and the Illini cycled out of Big10 contention with only 5 bowl appearances since 1999.
Penn St. on the other hand are coming back into their own under the leadership of coach James Franklin. Penn States running back Miles Sanders rushed for greater than 200 yards and 3 touchdowns on the Nittany Lions way to thrashing the Illini. The Nittany Lions were able to put up 591 against a struggling Illinois team.
A couple of things Penn State needs to clean-up is racking up more than 70 yards of penalties and turning the ball over twice. They will not be able to do make mistakes like this against Ohio St. this coming Saturday.
I hope the Illini can find a way to overcome their obstacles and be a contender in the Big10 again.
Penn State welcomes Ohio State 9/29/18 at 6:30 pm
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