CFB Week 6 from the Armchair
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by JB82
There was just so much from on campus to discuss on Saturday that I just couldn't cram it all into the forthcoming edition of the Armchair Weekend in Review. So, this reporter decided to break the notable happenings down into little bite-size pieces. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the All-Nite Images, collegiate style...
The Red River Shootout
When you think rivalries, what do you think? New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox? Army-Navy? Well, when it comes to pure hatred, Texas-Oklahoma puts most if not all of them to shame. The 2007 "Red River Shootout", held in Dallas as always, has usually been a make-or-break game for one of the teams at this stage in the schedule. Well, with both the Sooners and Longhorns losing last weekend, someone's losing streak would be extended to two before the day was out.
In the end, it was the Longhorns who suffered that fate, as Sam Bradford led the Sooners to a 28-24 win at the Cotton Bowl. The Sooners QB got 244 yards passing and three touchdowns off Bradford's arm.
Comeback on the Bayou
This past Saturday was known as "Gut-Check Saturday", due to the number of ranked teams that lost the previous week. Florida was one of those teams, and looked to get back on the winning track. However, the task would be arduous as Urban Meyer's team would have to do it in Baton Rouge, home to top-ranked LSU.
For a while on Saturday, it looked as though the ninth-ranked Gators would upset the Bayou Bengals on the road, but nobody figured that Jacob Hester would get all the glory in the end. Hester scored the game winning TD with over a minute left, adding a two-yard carry to his total of 23 for 106 in a 28-24 win over the Gators. Guess the national title's up for grabs now...
No Death in Death Valley for the Hokies
Clemson's players did the traditional touching of Howard's Rock on their way down to the field, only to get rocked by Virginia Tech, 41-21. The Hokies continued their turnaround from a dull 1-1 start thanks mostly to special teams. Victor Harris and Eddie Royal returned a record-tying 100 yard kickoff and an 82-yard punt respectively in the game.
Who else got pantsed in a tight one?
Rutgers' 2007 season has been a marked departure from the surprise season last year. In 2006, the Scarlet Knights' undefeated run ended at Cincinnati's hands with a 30-11 road loss at the Bearcats. This year, Cincy went into Piscataway and played the Knights to a seesaw battle that ended when Rutgers QB Mike Teel was picked off in one of the four turnovers the Bearcats defense forced in a 28-23 win.
Picking up the pieces
West Virginia returned to their winning ways big time with a 55-14 pounding of Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. All this despite Heisman Trophy candidates Steve Slayton being held to just 69 yards and quarterback Pat White pulling a chest muscle in the third quarter.
Upset city, baby!
There were two upsets involving Southern California's top two college football programs:
- Before their tilt with second-ranked USC, Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh engaged in a little smack talk saying that this season would be Pete Carroll's last and head to the NFL afterwards. Well, even though it looks like Carroll will remain at USC, Harbuagh got the last laugh as Trojans QB John David Booty got twice as many picks as touchdowns and Cardinal (not Cardinals) wideout Mark Bradford scored the game-winner with under a minute left to seal a 24-23 upset win. The Trojans hadn't lost at home in a 35-game span dating back to September 29, 2001. The opponent in that game: Stanford. What incredible irony!
- Meanwhile, across town, UCLA became Notre Dame's first victim of 2007 with a 20-6 loss to the Irish. Jimmy Clausen only got 84 yards passing, but they really didn't need him as Brandon Walker nailed both of his field goals.
Odds and Sods ... CFB style!
- Another team that didn't necessarily need their quarterback's arm to seal a win was Illinois, whose signal caller Juice Williams helped put the squeeze on Wisconsin, rushing 14 times for 92 yards. Running back Rashard Mendenhall hit paydirt three times as the Illini knocked the Badgers from the ranks of the undefeated, 31-26 in Champaign.
- Kudos from the 'Chair to Danny Woodhead, who became the NCAA's all-time all-divisions rushing yards leader, setting the bar at 7,441 yards Chadron State (Nebraska)'s 21-0 win over Western New Mexico. Woodhead passed Grove City College (Pennsylvania) great R.J. Bowers and his mark of 7,356 yards and got 208 yards on the day.
That's all for this portion of the AWIR; more to come on Monday...
