College Football Madness
So college football has finally started, and it had a lot of close games and upsets. Why don't we start with the close games, and then get to the thrillers.
#25 Oregon State vs #8 TCU
The Mountain West has had a long argument against the NCAA trying to get an automatic bowl bid, and they probably will in a year or two. But until then, they have to earn it.
TCU is on their way.
Andy Dalton ran for 2 touchdowns and threw for another as TCU beat Oregon State 30-21. Ed Wesley ran for a touchdown, breaking tackles, and a high snap gave TCU a safety.
Oregon State struck first on a Ryan Katz TD pass, but Dalton hooked up with Skye Dawson on a 51 yard pass to set up a TD. But in the second, Katz threw another deep TD, but Dalton hooked up with Jeremy Kerley to tie the game.
Right before the half Ed Wesley broke 2 tackles to score, and give TCU the lead at the half. But it didn't last long, as James Rodgers and Jacquizz Rodgers combined to set up a TD that tied the game.
However, Dalton led TCU down the field, and the Horned Frogs scored. And then their defense started working. A high snap caused a safety, and TCU had 2 more. The Frogs won 30-21.
Utah State at #12 Oklahoma
Oklahoma needed a 4th down conversion in their own territory and a 63 yard TD run from DeMarco Murray to hold off Utah State 31-24. Landry Jones connected with Ryan Broyles twice early on, and the Sooners took a 21-0 lead.
But Utah State didn't give up. Diondre Borel led 2 drives that resulted in 10 points, and USU cut the lead to 11. Borel hit Dontel Watkins for a 42 yard TD pass in the third, and USU only trailed by 4.
Then it was Oklahoma's turn. DeMarco Murray found a hole down the left side and took it for a 63 yard touchdown. Later in the quarter, Patrick O'Hara nailed a field goal to give Oklahoma a 31-17 lead.
But again, Borel led the Aggies downfield. He found Xavier Martin on a stop and go route for a touchdown. The Aggies were suddenly in the game again.
They had the ball near midfield with about 4 and half minutes left Jamell Fleming intercepted a Borel pass, and Murray converted on a fourth down and the Sooners won the game.
#13 North Carolina vs LSU
In probably the craziest game of the weekend, we saw a 20 point lead turn into one play that defined the game.
LSU struck first on a Russell Sheppard TD catch from Jordan Jefferson. But T.J Yates helped North Carolina pick up 10 points. However, Russell Sheppard ran for a TD, and the Tigers got a safety.
Patrick Peterson returned a punt down the left side for a touchdown, and Jordan Jefferson connected with Rueben Randle on a bomb downfield. LSU led 30-10 at the half.
In the third, North Carolina was held scoreless, and early in the fourth, they had the ball at their own 3. The game looked to be over.
But it wasn't. Yates hooked up with Jheraine Boyd for a 97 yard touchdown pass, and suddenly UNC had a chance. Later in the quarter, they got the ball back. Yates lofted a pass up high, and Erik Highsmith caught it. Then it was time to do the onside kick.
Casey Barth's onside kick was great, and UNC got the ball, but a fumble on fourth down by Yates seemed to give LSU the win. But Steven Ridley fumbled, and Quan Strudivant recovered for UNC. And Yates drove UNC downfield to the LSU 6.
Yates missed Zach Pinialto on second down, and UNC had one more chance. But Pinialto couldn't get it, and LSU won.
Upsets
North Dakota State vs Kansas
Ryan Jastram kicked a 44 yard field goal and a 32 yarder as North Dakota State spoiled Turner Gill's head coaching debut in 6-3 win. The Jayhawks had 295 total yards, and the Bison only had 168, but the Bison got help from Mike Sigers.
Sigers helped set up a field goal with a blocked punt, and the score was tied 3-3 at the half. In the third, Kale Pick fumbled, and North Dakota State recovered. Mike Sigers started the drive with a 12 yard gain, and the Bison took the lead.
However, Kansas drove downfield. They got to the Bison 7, but Matt Anderson intercepted a pass in the end zone. The Jayhawks got nothing else, and the Bison picked up a huge win, getting revenge for their 84-74 loss to Kansas in 2009 March Madness.
Jacksonville State vs Ole Miss
Jerimiah Masoli's debut turned into a game that was just to test out how Masoli could play into a game that meant everything to the Rebels.
Nathan Stanley threw 41 and 31 yard touchdown passes just 5:35 into the game. It looked like an easy win for Ole Miss. But Jacksonville State cut the lead to 7 with 9 minutes left in the second quarter.
Stanley threw another TD pass 2 minutes later, and he led Ole Miss on another TD drive. At halftime, Ole Miss led 31-10.
In the third, nothing happened until James Esco kicked a 44 yard field goal. Jerimiah Masoli led Ole Miss downfield, but Keginald Harris intercepted a terrible pass by Masoli. Calvin Middleton ran into the end zone to cut the lead to 11.
With 6:17 left in, Coty Blanchard found James Shaw for a touchdown. However, they didn't make the 2 point conversion, and an Ole Miss field goal gave the Rebels an 8 point lead with 2:55 to play.
Marques Ivory led the Gamecocks down field, and he connected with Alan Bonner with 18 seconds left. Bonenr got into the end zone, and Ivory hit Laray Williams in the back of the end zone for 2. The game went into OT.
Jacksonville State got the ball first, and Ivory hit Bonner to give JVST a 41-34 lead. But Masoli led Ole Miss to the goal line, where Brandon Bolden scored on fourth down. Ole Miss scored on Enrique Davis's 2 yard touchdown. Jacksonville State got pushed back 5 yards, and it was the Gamecocks ball with 4th and 15 at the 30.
Blanchard broke a tackle, and he lofted a pass 39 yards into the end zone, and Kevyn Cooper caught it with one foot down. Coach Jack Crowe decided to go for 2. Blanchard avoided a blitz on the right end, and Calvin Middleton caught a shovel pass and got into the end zone. The Gamecocks had won!
Other scores
Florida sloppy in 34-12 win over Miami Ohio
Riley Nelson throws 2 TD's in starter debut as BYU beat Washington 23-17.
Oregon destroys New Mexico 72-0 with 720 total yards.
Ryan Colburn picks apart Cincinnati as Fresno State beats Bearcats.
Blaine Gabbert leads Missouri to 23-13 win over Illinois.
Daniel Thomas ran all over UCLA as Kansas State beat UCLA 31-22.
Keenan Allen ran all over UC Davis as Cal beat the Aggies 52-3.
Top 25 (will be re-updated after other games are finished)
1 Alabama
2 Ohio State
3 Boise State
4 Nebraska
5 TCU
6 Oregon
7 Texas
8 Virginia Tech
9 Iowa
10 Miami Florida
11 Florida
12 Florida State
13 Wisconsin
14 Oklahoma
15 Arkansas
16 Auburn
17 Stanford
18 Georgia
19 Utah
20 LSU
21 North Carolina
22 Michigan State
23 USC
24 Notre Dame
25 Nevada
Others
Texas A&M, Missouri, Navy, Penn State, California, Houston, Washington, Oregon State, Boston College, West Virginia, Fresno State, Pittsburgh, Michigan, Kentucky, Kansas State, Connecticut, Northwestern, Oklahoma State
#25 Oregon State vs #8 TCU
The Mountain West has had a long argument against the NCAA trying to get an automatic bowl bid, and they probably will in a year or two. But until then, they have to earn it.
TCU is on their way.
Andy Dalton ran for 2 touchdowns and threw for another as TCU beat Oregon State 30-21. Ed Wesley ran for a touchdown, breaking tackles, and a high snap gave TCU a safety.
Oregon State struck first on a Ryan Katz TD pass, but Dalton hooked up with Skye Dawson on a 51 yard pass to set up a TD. But in the second, Katz threw another deep TD, but Dalton hooked up with Jeremy Kerley to tie the game.
Right before the half Ed Wesley broke 2 tackles to score, and give TCU the lead at the half. But it didn't last long, as James Rodgers and Jacquizz Rodgers combined to set up a TD that tied the game.
However, Dalton led TCU down the field, and the Horned Frogs scored. And then their defense started working. A high snap caused a safety, and TCU had 2 more. The Frogs won 30-21.
Utah State at #12 Oklahoma
Oklahoma needed a 4th down conversion in their own territory and a 63 yard TD run from DeMarco Murray to hold off Utah State 31-24. Landry Jones connected with Ryan Broyles twice early on, and the Sooners took a 21-0 lead.
But Utah State didn't give up. Diondre Borel led 2 drives that resulted in 10 points, and USU cut the lead to 11. Borel hit Dontel Watkins for a 42 yard TD pass in the third, and USU only trailed by 4.
Then it was Oklahoma's turn. DeMarco Murray found a hole down the left side and took it for a 63 yard touchdown. Later in the quarter, Patrick O'Hara nailed a field goal to give Oklahoma a 31-17 lead.
But again, Borel led the Aggies downfield. He found Xavier Martin on a stop and go route for a touchdown. The Aggies were suddenly in the game again.
They had the ball near midfield with about 4 and half minutes left Jamell Fleming intercepted a Borel pass, and Murray converted on a fourth down and the Sooners won the game.
#13 North Carolina vs LSU
In probably the craziest game of the weekend, we saw a 20 point lead turn into one play that defined the game.
LSU struck first on a Russell Sheppard TD catch from Jordan Jefferson. But T.J Yates helped North Carolina pick up 10 points. However, Russell Sheppard ran for a TD, and the Tigers got a safety.
Patrick Peterson returned a punt down the left side for a touchdown, and Jordan Jefferson connected with Rueben Randle on a bomb downfield. LSU led 30-10 at the half.
In the third, North Carolina was held scoreless, and early in the fourth, they had the ball at their own 3. The game looked to be over.
But it wasn't. Yates hooked up with Jheraine Boyd for a 97 yard touchdown pass, and suddenly UNC had a chance. Later in the quarter, they got the ball back. Yates lofted a pass up high, and Erik Highsmith caught it. Then it was time to do the onside kick.
Casey Barth's onside kick was great, and UNC got the ball, but a fumble on fourth down by Yates seemed to give LSU the win. But Steven Ridley fumbled, and Quan Strudivant recovered for UNC. And Yates drove UNC downfield to the LSU 6.
Yates missed Zach Pinialto on second down, and UNC had one more chance. But Pinialto couldn't get it, and LSU won.
Upsets
North Dakota State vs Kansas
Ryan Jastram kicked a 44 yard field goal and a 32 yarder as North Dakota State spoiled Turner Gill's head coaching debut in 6-3 win. The Jayhawks had 295 total yards, and the Bison only had 168, but the Bison got help from Mike Sigers.
Sigers helped set up a field goal with a blocked punt, and the score was tied 3-3 at the half. In the third, Kale Pick fumbled, and North Dakota State recovered. Mike Sigers started the drive with a 12 yard gain, and the Bison took the lead.
However, Kansas drove downfield. They got to the Bison 7, but Matt Anderson intercepted a pass in the end zone. The Jayhawks got nothing else, and the Bison picked up a huge win, getting revenge for their 84-74 loss to Kansas in 2009 March Madness.
Jacksonville State vs Ole Miss
Jerimiah Masoli's debut turned into a game that was just to test out how Masoli could play into a game that meant everything to the Rebels.
Nathan Stanley threw 41 and 31 yard touchdown passes just 5:35 into the game. It looked like an easy win for Ole Miss. But Jacksonville State cut the lead to 7 with 9 minutes left in the second quarter.
Stanley threw another TD pass 2 minutes later, and he led Ole Miss on another TD drive. At halftime, Ole Miss led 31-10.
In the third, nothing happened until James Esco kicked a 44 yard field goal. Jerimiah Masoli led Ole Miss downfield, but Keginald Harris intercepted a terrible pass by Masoli. Calvin Middleton ran into the end zone to cut the lead to 11.
With 6:17 left in, Coty Blanchard found James Shaw for a touchdown. However, they didn't make the 2 point conversion, and an Ole Miss field goal gave the Rebels an 8 point lead with 2:55 to play.
Marques Ivory led the Gamecocks down field, and he connected with Alan Bonner with 18 seconds left. Bonenr got into the end zone, and Ivory hit Laray Williams in the back of the end zone for 2. The game went into OT.
Jacksonville State got the ball first, and Ivory hit Bonner to give JVST a 41-34 lead. But Masoli led Ole Miss to the goal line, where Brandon Bolden scored on fourth down. Ole Miss scored on Enrique Davis's 2 yard touchdown. Jacksonville State got pushed back 5 yards, and it was the Gamecocks ball with 4th and 15 at the 30.
Blanchard broke a tackle, and he lofted a pass 39 yards into the end zone, and Kevyn Cooper caught it with one foot down. Coach Jack Crowe decided to go for 2. Blanchard avoided a blitz on the right end, and Calvin Middleton caught a shovel pass and got into the end zone. The Gamecocks had won!
Other scores
Florida sloppy in 34-12 win over Miami Ohio
Riley Nelson throws 2 TD's in starter debut as BYU beat Washington 23-17.
Oregon destroys New Mexico 72-0 with 720 total yards.
Ryan Colburn picks apart Cincinnati as Fresno State beats Bearcats.
Blaine Gabbert leads Missouri to 23-13 win over Illinois.
Daniel Thomas ran all over UCLA as Kansas State beat UCLA 31-22.
Keenan Allen ran all over UC Davis as Cal beat the Aggies 52-3.
Top 25 (will be re-updated after other games are finished)
1 Alabama
2 Ohio State
3 Boise State
4 Nebraska
5 TCU
6 Oregon
7 Texas
8 Virginia Tech
9 Iowa
10 Miami Florida
11 Florida
12 Florida State
13 Wisconsin
14 Oklahoma
15 Arkansas
16 Auburn
17 Stanford
18 Georgia
19 Utah
20 LSU
21 North Carolina
22 Michigan State
23 USC
24 Notre Dame
25 Nevada
Others
Texas A&M, Missouri, Navy, Penn State, California, Houston, Washington, Oregon State, Boston College, West Virginia, Fresno State, Pittsburgh, Michigan, Kentucky, Kansas State, Connecticut, Northwestern, Oklahoma State
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