Featured Games of the Week
USC at Ohio State
Last year this game was billed as the biggest game of the national season. It didn't come close to living up to the hype. This year though, the game exceeded all expectations that anyone could ever have had for it. The excitement that this game would lead to was built up by a totally even first half of play, each team heading in for the half with 10 points on the board (Stafon Johnson of USC and Daniel Herron of OSU each rushed in for a short score). That in itself was stunning as USC features a high powered offense and the Ohio State defense had trouble dealing with Navy last week.
In the second half, the results became even more surprising. During a punt attemept deep in their own territory in the third quarter, USC let off a high snap that the punter was forced to fall on in the end zone to prevent Ohio State from getting a touchdown out of it. With the score 12-10 at that point, Ohio State took the ball and marched it all the way down to the USC 7 yard line and kicked a field goal to make the score 15-10. Thats how the score was heading into the 4th quarter, where USC started with the ball and needed a touchdown to get the victory. After a quick three and out by each team to start the 4th, USC had the ball and something spectacular happened. True freshman quarterback for the Trojans Matt Barkley took command of this team like he was a redshirt senior. During the drive he worked the offense down the field, completed a 22 yard pass and a 26 yarder, and was even forced to sneak on 4th down to get the 1st down twice. Don't get me wrong, he wasn't alone on this drive, Joe McKnight was running like a madman. But Barkley was undoubtebly the star. He had poise like a senior despite being in one of the most unwelcoming enviroments in college football, and proved to everyone why he was so highly touted.
After getting the ball all the way down withing the OSU 5, Barkley simply handed it off to Stafon Johnson who was able to walk it in for a score. To make sure that Ohio State couldn't beat them with a field goal, the Trojans went for two and converted with a pass from the star freshman at QB to the star junior RB, and the Trojans sealed the victory.
Damn this was a good game. When Barkley is one day competing for the heisman within his college career, people will look back at the day that he marched his team into the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio and beat the Buckeyes as his first great game as a USC quarterback. Sure, his numbers weren't the best you'll ever see (15-31, 195, 0 TD's and 1 INT), but he did what alot of guys who put up big numbers cant do. He finished the game. He executed a game winning 4th quarter drive to perfection. He was clutch. He was tough. And he's well on his way to living up to his hype.
Notre Dame at Michigan
Remember how the Florida State vs Miami matchup on Labor Day looked and felt like an old school matchup when both schools were powerhouses? Thats how this one felt too, but midwest style. Everyone knew that Notre Dame was good, especially that passing game featuring Clausen, Tate, and Floyd (who proved that he's not gonna have a sophomore slump). But a game on the road against a rival is always different from a game at home against Nevada. Noone was quite sure exactly how good Michigan was. Sure, they took care of business last week against Western Michigan, but that was against Western Michigan, not Notre Dame. This game would tell us how good Michigan was, and whether this Notre Dame team would produce in a big game.
Notre Dame started the game off on the wrong foot. Despite a 70 yard drive all the way down to the Michigan 10 yard line, Notre Dame came away scoreless due to a missed field goal. Shortly after that, Michigan took the ball all the way from their own 21 yard line into the end zone and took the lead 7-0. After scoring a field goal it appeared that Notre Dame might get a chance to get a rythm going, but Michigan immediately took the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. All of that was in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Notre Dame appeared that they had begun to take control of the game as Clausen connected with both Floyd and Tate for scores and the teams traded field goals to go into the half 20 Irish, 17 Wolverines.
However, something that Rich Rodriguez said at halftime must have taken an effect on this Michigan defense as they limited Notre Dame to 2 three and outs during the 3rd quarter and recovered a fumble as well (Notre Dame only got to execute 9 plays in the whole 3rd quarter). Not only did they prevent Notre Dame from scoring, but Michigan also executed their own long (86 yard) drive for a TD pass by Forcier. In the early 4th, Michigan again scored on a 31 yard run from non other then the true freshman quarterback Tate Forcier, giving michigan a 31-20 lead. Notre Dame refused to quit though and rallied in the fourth, scoring a TD on a pass to Tate (2 point conversion was no good), getting an interception, and running it in with Armando Allen (2 point conversion was successful here).
So again, here's another true freshman quarterback, with his team down and time running off the clock (there was only 2:19 left when Michigan recieved the ball), attempting to lead his team to victory. And again, the freshman mans up and showed everyone why he was chosen to start. On the last 57 yard drive from Michigan, Forcier accounted for 52 of the yards. With 22 seconds left on the clock, Forcier dropped back and threw a perfect pass into the end zone... just to have it dropped by his reciever. No matter, Forcier dropped back again on the next play and threw another strike that was caught by his reciever (Greg Matthews) with only 11 seconds left in the game. After one play by the Notre Dame offense (a catch by Golden Tate accross the middle that ran out the clock), Forcier was cheered and surrounded by reporters. He was the most impressive player on the field, more impressive than top recievers, running backs, and the top quarterback recruit from 3 years ago. Sure he wasn't highly touted like Clausen or Barkley were, but he's good and believe me, this Michigan crowd will sing "Hail to the Victors" after many, many more wins due to the gutsy performance of this kid.
Other Games
North Carolina at UConn
You hate to see it when a team gets beat by themselves. UConn was SO very close to beating this ranked North Carolina team. They led the game 10-0 going into the fourth quarter and from there they should have worked hard to play perfect football to win this game. They didn't. This UConn defense allowed first a field goal and then a touchdown on long drives (78 and 76 yards) to let North Carolina tie the game up in the 4th (the offense had a measly 3 and out between North Carolina's two scoring drives). Then, the UConn offense did one of the stupidest thing that it could possibly do with a game tied late in the 4th quarter. Deep in their own territory and faced with a serious pass rush, the UConn offensive line got caught with a holding call in their own endzone. That my friends, is a saftey. 2 points and the ball went to North Carolina as a result of that, and the Tar Heels simply ran out the clock for the remainder of them game. Without lapses in concentration or defensive laziness and compliance, UConn could've made the papers for winning over a ranked team. Instead, they'll make the papers for losing due to a saftey because of a holding call in the end zone. They say that there's no such thing as bad press, but that's bad press.
Houston at Oklahoma State
This game was expected to be a shootout (Both teams have prolific, top 5 in yards gained offenses), and it was. NOONE expected the shootout to end in an Oklahoma State loss, but that's what happened. How did Houston do it? Simple. They took complete advantage of all the weaknesses on this Oklahoma State defense and they executed their gameplan on offesne. What did they do this week that Georgia couldn't do last week? They shut down Oklahoma State's greatest weapons, Dez Bryant and Kendall Hunter. Bryant only caught five passes for 86 yards (NO TOUCHDOWNS) and Hunter only ran for 29 yards. To shut down two of the best players at their position is incredible, impressive, and makes Houston all deserving of going home with this victory. After this loss, Oklahoma State should abandon any hope of winning, or even getting to, a BCS bowl game. If they can't beat Houston, how are they gonna beat Texas? What was Oklahoma's biggest mistake? Trying to take on Texans in a shootout.
Quick Thoughts
-Central Michigan did work against Michigan State in East Lansing. Dan LeFevour (QB for CMU) is very able to take a whole team on his shoulders. He is now the MAC all time leader in total offense (he surpasses Byron Leftwitch during the game).
-Badger fans should consider themselves lucky. Wisconson BARELY snuck away with the W after 2 overtimes against Fresno St in Madison.
-Texas was barely leading at the half against Wyoming. If it wasn't for a late first half Colt McCoy TD, they would've gone into the half down 6-10. Not a big deal, but something to watch. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, and every other team that thinks they have a chance against Texas is gonna study up on that first half of the game to search for a weakness.
-Whats with Big Ten teams losing or almost losing at home? Does home field advantage mean nothing anymore?
- D.Wash
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