[Austroturf]

Syracuse made Stanford look very good by comparison against Notre Dame.  But, they dd play Clemson toe-to-toe for most of the game.

Yes, which made me think Syracuse would give Notre Dame a tough fight.  Sometimes it is difficult to use single games to gauge the strength of a team.  That Syracuse-Clemson contest may simply have been the Orangemen playing out of their skin and the Tigers having a comparatively bad game.  Whatever the case, Syracuse looked bad today and did not belong on the same field as Notre Dame.  In fact, if the Irish had converted on a few great opportunities early, the blow-out would have been far worse.

---

UCLA leading USC 28-27 early in the 4th quarter.  If the Trojans lose this game, Helton is toast, regardless of what happens next week against the Irish.

[Austroturf]

Syracuse made Stanford look very good by comparison against Notre Dame.  But, they dd play Clemson toe-to-toe for most of the game.

Yes, which made me think Syracuse would give Notre Dame a tough fight.  Sometimes it is difficult to use single games to gauge the strength of a team.  That Syracuse-Clemson contest may simply have been the Orangemen playing out of their skin and the Tigers having a comparatively bad game.  Whatever the case, Syracuse looked bad today and did not belong on the same field as Notre Dame.  In fact, if the Irish had converted on a few great opportunities early, the blow-out would have been far worse.

---

UCLA leading USC 28-27 early in the 4th quarter.  If the Trojans lose this game, Helton is toast, regardless of what happens next week against the Irish.

[OutsiderFan]

UAB plays at Texas A&M on ESPN2 after BC/FSU.  Why is this game interesting? Because UAB is #3 in Total D and #4 in Scoring D in FBS. If the Blazers hold their own against the Aggies, watch what Power 5 program hires their DC. I'm hoping it's Stanford, but probably not likely.

[OutsiderFan]

UAB plays at Texas A&M on ESPN2 after BC/FSU.  Why is this game interesting? Because UAB is #3 in Total D and #4 in Scoring D in FBS. If the Blazers hold their own against the Aggies, watch what Power 5 program hires their DC. I'm hoping it's Stanford, but probably not likely.

[Austroturf]

Bruins up one and driving after a horrible INT by Daniels.  6 minutes and change to go.  UCLA has to settle for a FG after fading in their drive, giving new life to the Trojans.  31-27 Bruins.

---

UAB plays at Texas A&M on ESPN2 after BC/FSU.  Why is this game interesting? Because UAB is #3 in Total D and #4 in Scoring D in FBS. If the Blazers hold their own against the Aggies, watch what Power 5 program hires their DC. I'm hoping it's Stanford, but probably not likely.

No, probably not.

---

Wow, USC looks bad in this game.  Kelley has nearly 270 yards rushing; and UCLA has the ball back with 4:55 to go leading by four.

[Austroturf]

Bruins up one and driving after a horrible INT by Daniels.  6 minutes and change to go.  UCLA has to settle for a FG after fading in their drive, giving new life to the Trojans.  31-27 Bruins.

---

UAB plays at Texas A&M on ESPN2 after BC/FSU.  Why is this game interesting? Because UAB is #3 in Total D and #4 in Scoring D in FBS. If the Blazers hold their own against the Aggies, watch what Power 5 program hires their DC. I'm hoping it's Stanford, but probably not likely.

No, probably not.

---

Wow, USC looks bad in this game.  Kelley has nearly 270 yards rushing; and UCLA has the ball back with 4:55 to go leading by four.

[d4cohn]

UCLA leading USC 28-27 early in the 4th quarter.  If the Trojans lose this game, Helton is toast, regardless of what happens next week against the Irish.

SC is not beating Notre Dame, so yeah, if you miss a bowl with this easy schedule, Helton absolutely deserves to lose his job.

[d4cohn]

UCLA leading USC 28-27 early in the 4th quarter.  If the Trojans lose this game, Helton is toast, regardless of what happens next week against the Irish.

SC is not beating Notre Dame, so yeah, if you miss a bowl with this easy schedule, Helton absolutely deserves to lose his job.

[Austroturf]

Game Over.  Daniels cannot convert on 4th and 4.  UCLA wins, USC drops to 5-6.  Helton likely gone.

---

Now we have to go down next week and silence the Bruins in the Rose Bowl.  Kelley got 289 yards against the Trojans.

[Austroturf]

Game Over.  Daniels cannot convert on 4th and 4.  UCLA wins, USC drops to 5-6.  Helton likely gone.

---

Now we have to go down next week and silence the Bruins in the Rose Bowl.  Kelley got 289 yards against the Trojans.

[chrisk]

If Michigan loses to Indiana, we will look back on Michigan's last drive before half.  Had ball 1st and Goal inside the 10 without any timeouts.  Snapped the ball and threw to a TE tackled inbounds. Refs couldn't spot the ball in time for Michigan to spike it and they didn't score, trailing Indiana 17-15 at halftime.

Harbaugh's brand new field bowl kicker did go 6-6 today.

[chrisk]

If Michigan loses to Indiana, we will look back on Michigan's last drive before half.  Had ball 1st and Goal inside the 10 without any timeouts.  Snapped the ball and threw to a TE tackled inbounds. Refs couldn't spot the ball in time for Michigan to spike it and they didn't score, trailing Indiana 17-15 at halftime.

Harbaugh's brand new field bowl kicker did go 6-6 today.

[needle]

My gut tells me Helton gets another year. He did sign an extension, reportedly through 2023, about nine months ago.

https://www.si.com/college-football/2018...-extension

[needle]

My gut tells me Helton gets another year. He did sign an extension, reportedly through 2023, about nine months ago.

https://www.si.com/college-football/2018...-extension

[JJJ]

And don't overlook Yale vs. Harvard.  Harvard is up by 4 w/ about 3 minutes left in the 3rd.  Two 5-4 teams battling in an ancient rivalry.  ;-)
And they're playing in Fenway!

Just now saw this article re. Yale vs Harvard. You can't make this stuff up.

College football rivalry games inevitably make 20-something-year-olds do stupid things. Wonderful, badass, crazy, stupid things. And Saturday’s Harvard-Yale game took the wonderful stupidity to new heights.

Harvard running back Devin Darrington was on his way into the end zone for a fourth-quarter touchdown to put the Crimson up seven points when he decided to flip off the nearest Yale defender

The referees penalized Harvard for taunting, wiped the touchdown off the board, and brought the ball all the way back to the 18-yard line. The Crimson eventually had to settle for a field goal.
Why the middle finger wiped out the TD
Had Darrington waited until after he crossed the goal line to flip the bird, the touchdown would have stood. The penalty would have been assessed on the ensuing kickoff.
But because he couldn’t wait, and raised his middle finger during the field of play, the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty brought the ball back from the spot of the foul.

http://www.yahoo.com/sports/harvard-runn...55618.html

[JJJ]

And don't overlook Yale vs. Harvard.  Harvard is up by 4 w/ about 3 minutes left in the 3rd.  Two 5-4 teams battling in an ancient rivalry.  ;-)
And they're playing in Fenway!

Just now saw this article re. Yale vs Harvard. You can't make this stuff up.

College football rivalry games inevitably make 20-something-year-olds do stupid things. Wonderful, badass, crazy, stupid things. And Saturday’s Harvard-Yale game took the wonderful stupidity to new heights.

Harvard running back Devin Darrington was on his way into the end zone for a fourth-quarter touchdown to put the Crimson up seven points when he decided to flip off the nearest Yale defender

The referees penalized Harvard for taunting, wiped the touchdown off the board, and brought the ball all the way back to the 18-yard line. The Crimson eventually had to settle for a field goal.
Why the middle finger wiped out the TD
Had Darrington waited until after he crossed the goal line to flip the bird, the touchdown would have stood. The penalty would have been assessed on the ensuing kickoff.
But because he couldn’t wait, and raised his middle finger during the field of play, the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty brought the ball back from the spot of the foul.

http://www.yahoo.com/sports/harvard-runn...55618.html

[BostonCard]

Garner Minshew... wow

[tweet]https://twitter.com/cfbonfox/status/1064031289932574720?s=21[/tweet]

That’s in the half.

BC

[BostonCard]

Garner Minshew... wow

[tweet]https://twitter.com/cfbonfox/status/1064031289932574720?s=21[/tweet]

That’s in the half.

BC

[Austroturf]

And don't overlook Yale vs. Harvard.  Harvard is up by 4 w/ about 3 minutes left in the 3rd.  Two 5-4 teams battling in an ancient rivalry.  ;-)
And they're playing in Fenway!

Just now saw this article re. Yale vs Harvard. You can't make this stuff up.

College football rivalry games inevitably make 20-something-year-olds do stupid things. Wonderful, badass, crazy, stupid things. And Saturday’s Harvard-Yale game took the wonderful stupidity to new heights.

Harvard running back Devin Darrington was on his way into the end zone for a fourth-quarter touchdown to put the Crimson up seven points when he decided to flip off the nearest Yale defender

The referees penalized Harvard for taunting, wiped the touchdown off the board, and brought the ball all the way back to the 18-yard line. The Crimson eventually had to settle for a field goal.
Why the middle finger wiped out the TD
Had Darrington waited until after he crossed the goal line to flip the bird, the touchdown would have stood. The penalty would have been assessed on the ensuing kickoff.
But because he couldn’t wait, and raised his middle finger during the field of play, the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty brought the ball back from the spot of the foul.

http://www.yahoo.com/sports/harvard-runn...55618.html

Yes, I saw that and figured he had just flipped the bird a bit too early.  Cross the line and commit the obscene gesture, you only lose some yards on the kick-off.

[Austroturf]

And don't overlook Yale vs. Harvard.  Harvard is up by 4 w/ about 3 minutes left in the 3rd.  Two 5-4 teams battling in an ancient rivalry.  ;-)
And they're playing in Fenway!

Just now saw this article re. Yale vs Harvard. You can't make this stuff up.

College football rivalry games inevitably make 20-something-year-olds do stupid things. Wonderful, badass, crazy, stupid things. And Saturday’s Harvard-Yale game took the wonderful stupidity to new heights.

Harvard running back Devin Darrington was on his way into the end zone for a fourth-quarter touchdown to put the Crimson up seven points when he decided to flip off the nearest Yale defender

The referees penalized Harvard for taunting, wiped the touchdown off the board, and brought the ball all the way back to the 18-yard line. The Crimson eventually had to settle for a field goal.
Why the middle finger wiped out the TD
Had Darrington waited until after he crossed the goal line to flip the bird, the touchdown would have stood. The penalty would have been assessed on the ensuing kickoff.
But because he couldn’t wait, and raised his middle finger during the field of play, the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty brought the ball back from the spot of the foul.

http://www.yahoo.com/sports/harvard-runn...55618.html

Yes, I saw that and figured he had just flipped the bird a bit too early.  Cross the line and commit the obscene gesture, you only lose some yards on the kick-off.

[d4cohn]

And Utah becomes the final team to win the Pac-12 South for the first time. All 6 teams in the division have won at least once,
with the two LA schools winning twice. Who would have thought, given landscape in college football in early/mid 2000's, that SC would generally be a middling team in a division, and only win that division twice in first eight years (one year due to ineligibility), and the North would be consistently dominated by one of Washington, Oregon or Stanford?

[d4cohn]

And Utah becomes the final team to win the Pac-12 South for the first time. All 6 teams in the division have won at least once,
with the two LA schools winning twice. Who would have thought, given landscape in college football in early/mid 2000's, that SC would generally be a middling team in a division, and only win that division twice in first eight years (one year due to ineligibility), and the North would be consistently dominated by one of Washington, Oregon or Stanford?

[Austroturf]

Garner Minshew... wow

[tweet]https://twitter.com/cfbonfox/status/1064031289932574720?s=21[/tweet]

That’s in the half.

BC

473 yards on 43-55 passing and 7 TDs.  That is both a tribute to Minshew and his mastery of the air-raid offense and an indictment of Arizona's defense, which gave up 605 yards and 69 points, while the Wildcat offense turned the ball over 4 times.  Not a good look for Sumlin and his team.

---

And Utah becomes the final team to win the Pac-12 South for the first time. All 6 teams in the division have won at least once,
with the two LA schools winning twice. Who would have thought, given landscape in college football in early/mid 2000's, that SC would generally be a middling team in a division, and only win that division twice in first eight years (one year due to ineligibility), and the North would be consistently dominated by one of Washington, Oregon or Stanford?

It was also interesting to note yesterday that the USC-UCLA game had no Pac-12 consequences.  None.  Back in my dim, distant youth, the battle for LA was often the highlight of the Pac-8 season and regularly had conference ramifications.  Yesterday, we saw a bowl-ineligible Bruin team do just enough right to keep a struggling Trojan squad from reaching bowl eligibility.  Notre Dame will likely seal USC's fate next Saturday and keep both of these schools out of the post-season.  When was the last time that happened?  Technically, it happened in 2010 when USC (8-5) was ineligible for the post-season and UCLA (4-8) simply did not have enough wins.  But the last time both teams failed to get a bowl bid based on regular season performance was back in 1999, when USC finished 6-6 and UCLA 4-7.  I guess back then they had far fewer bowls; and 6-6 teams were not a lock for the post-season.  Stanford won the Pac-10 that year and lost to #4 Wisconsin 19-7 in the Rose Bowl.

[Austroturf]

Garner Minshew... wow

[tweet]https://twitter.com/cfbonfox/status/1064031289932574720?s=21[/tweet]

That’s in the half.

BC

473 yards on 43-55 passing and 7 TDs.  That is both a tribute to Minshew and his mastery of the air-raid offense and an indictment of Arizona's defense, which gave up 605 yards and 69 points, while the Wildcat offense turned the ball over 4 times.  Not a good look for Sumlin and his team.

---

And Utah becomes the final team to win the Pac-12 South for the first time. All 6 teams in the division have won at least once,
with the two LA schools winning twice. Who would have thought, given landscape in college football in early/mid 2000's, that SC would generally be a middling team in a division, and only win that division twice in first eight years (one year due to ineligibility), and the North would be consistently dominated by one of Washington, Oregon or Stanford?

It was also interesting to note yesterday that the USC-UCLA game had no Pac-12 consequences.  None.  Back in my dim, distant youth, the battle for LA was often the highlight of the Pac-8 season and regularly had conference ramifications.  Yesterday, we saw a bowl-ineligible Bruin team do just enough right to keep a struggling Trojan squad from reaching bowl eligibility.  Notre Dame will likely seal USC's fate next Saturday and keep both of these schools out of the post-season.  When was the last time that happened?  Technically, it happened in 2010 when USC (8-5) was ineligible for the post-season and UCLA (4-8) simply did not have enough wins.  But the last time both teams failed to get a bowl bid based on regular season performance was back in 1999, when USC finished 6-6 and UCLA 4-7.  I guess back then they had far fewer bowls; and 6-6 teams were not a lock for the post-season.  Stanford won the Pac-10 that year and lost to #4 Wisconsin 19-7 in the Rose Bowl.

[Mick]

It was also interesting to note yesterday that the USC-UCLA game had no Pac-12 consequences.  None.  Back in my dim, distant youth, the battle for LA was often the highlight of the Pac-8 season and regularly had conference ramifications.  Yesterday, we saw a bowl-ineligible Bruin team do just enough right to keep a struggling Trojan squad from reaching bowl eligibility.  Notre Dame will likely seal USC's fate next Saturday and keep both of these schools out of the post-season.  When was the last time that happened?  Technically, it happened in 2010 when USC (8-5) was ineligible for the post-season and UCLA (4-8) simply did not have enough wins.  But the last time both teams failed to get a bowl bid based on regular season performance was back in 1999, when USC finished 6-6 and UCLA 4-7.  I guess back then they had far fewer bowls; and 6-6 teams were not a lock for the post-season.  Stanford won the Pac-10 that year and lost to #4 Wisconsin 19-7 in the Rose Bowl.

I remember USC won the national championship 5 times during my teenage years in the 1970s...then didn't have another one for 23 years, in 2002.  UCLA had Prothro, Pepper Rodgers, Dick Vermeil and Terry Donahue in the 1970s, all with significant winning records.

[Mick]

It was also interesting to note yesterday that the USC-UCLA game had no Pac-12 consequences.  None.  Back in my dim, distant youth, the battle for LA was often the highlight of the Pac-8 season and regularly had conference ramifications.  Yesterday, we saw a bowl-ineligible Bruin team do just enough right to keep a struggling Trojan squad from reaching bowl eligibility.  Notre Dame will likely seal USC's fate next Saturday and keep both of these schools out of the post-season.  When was the last time that happened?  Technically, it happened in 2010 when USC (8-5) was ineligible for the post-season and UCLA (4-8) simply did not have enough wins.  But the last time both teams failed to get a bowl bid based on regular season performance was back in 1999, when USC finished 6-6 and UCLA 4-7.  I guess back then they had far fewer bowls; and 6-6 teams were not a lock for the post-season.  Stanford won the Pac-10 that year and lost to #4 Wisconsin 19-7 in the Rose Bowl.

I remember USC won the national championship 5 times during my teenage years in the 1970s...then didn't have another one for 23 years, in 2002.  UCLA had Prothro, Pepper Rodgers, Dick Vermeil and Terry Donahue in the 1970s, all with significant winning records.