LSU fans storm field celebrating huge win over No. 2 Georgia AP photo
It was another college football Saturday that saw the rankings shift like Teutonic plates after a Richter scale reading in the 8.5 range, which in this case traumatized the faithful of; Athens, Morgantown, Seattle, and Happy Valley.
Or to paraphrase Howard Cosell, “Down goes Georgia! Down goes West Virginia! Down goes Washington! Down goes Penn State!
That losing heap of playoff ash represented the Nos. 2, 6, 7, and 9 ranked teams in America.
We’ll begin in Death Valley where the “Ed Orgeron Pitchfork Society” has been officially disbanded, as LSU took the huge bite out the mighty Bulldogs of Georgia: 36-16, as the Tigers knocked off its third top-10 team of its extraordinary season. WOW!
And these “Sons of Billy Cannon” did it behind “Coach O’s” aggressive play-calling, converting 5- 4th down conversions, no turnovers, and running over and through the Dawgs like it was as soft as a stick of butter in the middle of Broadway on the Fourth of July, compiling a jaw-dropping 275-rushing yards.
As Hank Williams sang; “…. Big fun on the bayou “as Coach O watched in joy as the students stormed the field, and for the moment he could get elected governor.
Assumption grad and LSU kicker Cole Tracy makes one of his 5-field goals AP photo
[As a side note: LSU’s grad-student kicker, Cole Tracy, formerly from Assumption College, was a perfect Wade Boggsian 5-for-5 on his field goals. What a great story!]
From the sublime of Baton Rouge, to the ridiculous of Lincoln, as the Huskers of Nebraska fell the “smart-kids” of Northwestern in OT; 34-31.
The Wildcats needed a time-expiring 99-yard touchdown drive to get the game to overtime, which is another reason why “Coach Fitz,” Pat Fitzgerald is one of our favs.
Nebraska’s beleaguered coach Scott Frost AP photo
In the 129-year history of Big Red football, which stretches all the way back to President Benjamin Harrison, this is the first Nebraska eleven to begin a season 0-6!! Double Yikes!!
It also extends the losing streak of the “Sons of Bob Devaney,” which stretches back to last season, is now an eye-popping double digit; 10-games. DOUBLE YIKES!!
Somewhere Bo Pelini, and Frank Solich are smiling, as are the faithful of the undefeated Knights of Central Florida, the team Scott Frost left to return and coach his alma-mater.
On the local front, the Eagles of Boston College, behind its fill-in tailbacks David Bailey, and Ben Giles who rushed for a combined 219-yards, and a pair of TD’s, as the Boys from the Heights plowed the turf for a combined 251-yards easily handling the “woeful” visitors from Louisville.
The “Sons of Tom Coughlin” handled its assignment in the same business like way of a Goldman Sachs CEO does closing a small merger deal.
BC now finds itself one win away from bowl eligibility, and a legitimate chance for a very special season.
BC’s d-end Wyatt Ray’s grandfather Nat King Cole AP photo
[Note: BC’s d-end Wyatt Ray is the grandson of Nat King Cole, and the nephew of Natalie. “Ramblin Rose,” Very Cool!!]
ND’s QB Ian Book bails out the Irish AP photo
Back on the national front; the Irish got an unexpected scare from the Panthers of Pitt, before its starry QB Ian Book, in MVP-like fashion, found wideout Myles Boykin with a perfect 35-yard game clinching TD pass with 5:43 left on the clock, to nudge past the “Sons of Jackie Sherrill” 19-14.
The win preserved ND’s unblemished season, but more importantly, staying on course for a playoff invite.
The society may have been disbanded in Baton Rouge, but the pitchforks are being sharpened on the Plains of Auburn, as Gus Malzahn’s once highly rated Auburn Tigers, fell to the Volunteers of Tennessee: 30-24. Ouch!!
It was the Vols first SEC victory in its last eleven tries, and its first win over Auburn, since the “Prince” party year of; 1999. Yikes!!
It’s a good thing Malzahn has such a large contract buyout.
In one of the games of the year, it was a missed last second game winning field goal by Washington kicker Payton Henry, sending the game to overtime which gave the Ducks of Oregon a second life.
Taking full advantage of its life line, won the poll climbing, conference leading thriller; 30-27 win. WOW!!
While in Orlando, is anyone capable of sinking the “USS Winning Streak” aka The University of Central Florida, who captured its 19th in-a-row, coming from way behind, to beat the Tigers of Memphis: 31-30.
Good for them. Watch out below Miami and Oklahoma!
In the not dead yet department: the Spartans of Michigan State, who were on its way to the morgue, knocked off Penn State 21-17, and with its arch-rival Michigan marching into Sparty Stadium next Saturday, the once irrelevant and forgotten “Sons of Duffy” could, with a win, march right back into the national spotlight.
In Austin, the Horns of Texas, without its starting QB Sam Ehlinger for most of the game, held off a feisty bunch of Bears from Baylor; 23-17 and maintained its penthouse perch (4-0) in the Big 12 standings.
Former UMass and Northwestern head coach and Michigan D-coordinator Don Brown AP photo
And in another monster game from yesterday’s docket, the Wolverines of Michigan, behind its defensive chess master Don Brown (formerly of Northeastern, and UMass) utilized his Alert DeSalvo-esque D to snuff the visitors from Madison; 38-13, and in doing so, re-established the “Sons of Bo” as a serious threat, as long as it gets by the Spartans, to the Boys from Columbus.
Former KU Coach Charlie Weis – AP photo
Finally, as always, we close with our bloviating pal, Charlie Weis and the Jayhawks of Kansas, the last team that Charlie “fixed,” who had a bye this week, and thus didn’t add another notch into the column on the right. Sorry Charlie!
That’s it from cyber-space. We’ll be up and running with our analysis of week 8 Wednesday night. Until then, Peace and listen to the music. PK
Saturday Football 