You Can't Win 'em All

Well, 20-7 this week, (40-13, overall). At least I'm consistent. Let's review.

We'll again start with the losses.

The Biggest Upset: Kansas 13 - Missouri 3. Alright, let's see, record-setting performance against Nebraska--check. Perennial flop--check. Seems like Missouri hit all their goals early this year. Catch-phrase of the game: "Brad Smith pass--incomplete." Forteen for thirty-seven. Of course, the nine penalties for 92 yards and only 33 yards rushing didn't help either.

I Guess This Isn't the Year: Iowa State 42 - Texas A&M 14. From preseason props galore to this. Does anyone else find it ironic that Tennessee met Texas A&M in the postseason last year and both teams are now considered among the top contenders for disappointment of the year? Funny how things work out like that.

A Little Bit Short: Georgia Tech 10 - Clemson 9. So, that wasn't really the play call on 4th and 8 and the game on the line, was it? A 2-yard pass? I don't know who to laugh at, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden or senior QB Charlie Whitehurst. I hate losing a pick by 1 point, but I'd at least like to think they were trying.

I Own You: South Carolina 16 - Tennessee 15. So Spurrier doesn't have any of his own players, and he still knocks off the Vols in Knoxville. I know Rick Clausen isn't exactly an offensive powerhouse, but bringing in Ainge really didn't help. Tennessee seemed out of sync the whole game, but at least, in that regard, they are consistent. South Carolina should not have won this game, but Tennessee just couldn't put the nail in the coffin.

Its All About the Stats: Arizona 29 - Oregon State 27. Apparently Oregon State likes accumulating yards, but really doesn't care much for winning. 436 yards passing, and 654 yards of total offense. That's almost twice as many total yards as Arizona. So how could they lose, you ask? Well, six interceptions seem to slow you down. Tack on twelve penalties and a fumble and the Beavers lose to the hapless Wildcats.

Now on to the more memorable wins.

The Shoot-Out That Never Was: Michigan 33 - Northwestern 17. It was 27-17 Michigan at half-time. Where'd the offense go in the intermission? I was looking forward to a high-scoring affair coming down the last possession, ala Boise State-Louisville '04. I guess Michigan's defense had other plans.

Murphy's Law 101: Texas 47 - Oklahoma State 28. If it could go wrong in the first half, it did. Texas was not completely outplayed, but they couldn't catch a break to save their lives. In the second half, however, Vince Young cut loose, and OK State was done for. As USC before it, Texas proved it won't fold under pressure. Unfortunately, unlike USC, Texas will be penalized for it in the polls.

Okay, Coach, Is It Time to Win Yet?: UCLA 30 - Stanford 27 (OT). Ha, Stanford! You thought you could prove me wrong two weeks in a row! Look at you now!! I don't know about the rest of the country, but I'm taking a nap during the first three quarters of the USC-UCLA game.

Now for some randoms notes and rants.

1. Apparently the option pass is alive and well in college football. I watched eleven games last weekend and saw four attempts. Georgia tried a RB to QB pass. Auburn had a WR to WR pass, as did South Carolina and Clemson. What the hell? At what point do opposing coaches realize that this is becoming standard in the bag of offensive tricks. If a team has one, single trick play, this is it. I'd like to see some variety in my trickoration, personally. Bring back the Annexation of Puerto Rico!

2. Someone needs to inform officials that everyone on the field is playing football, including the kicker and quarterback. This is not two-hand touch. Roughing the passer is probably the most overused penalty in the game. I understand the importance of protecting the quarterback, but if the guy hasn't come out of his follow-through when he gets drilled, he had it coming. If he's cutting up the sideline, he deserves to be rendered unconscious. Kickers are almost as bad. They typically fall down for no reason anyways just to draw a flag, but it's getting particularly bad. In the Texas Tech-Baylor game, one player actually ran into the Baylor kicker. The kicker flops. The Texas Tech player tries to help him up, but the kicker refuses to get up, playing dead until he sees some yellow on the field. This hit had all the viciousness of a bunny rabbit. The answer--15 yrd roughing the kicker. You've gotta be kidding me.