College Football Week 7: 25 Winners and Losers From Saturday's Action
College Football Week 7 has wrapped and every week I see heroes fall and also-rans fly. Saturday was no different. Expectations were thrown out the window, and college football again showed its intrigue.
You can never prognosticate correctly anymore. There are just too many similarities in talent in the top 25 to safely hold a grip on the top spot. Ohio State found this out this week as well as many others. So let’s take a break and sort it all out.
25: Winner Hawaii’s High Octane Offense
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Hawaii have become the NCAA’s prototypical air it out team. They just seem to put up big yardage by air at home. This Saturday was no different. Coming into the Nevade matchup, Hawaii had to know they would not completely stop the pistol offense that Nevada runs so well, so they went with plan B.
Hawaii gained 347 total yards. Two-hundred eighty seven of those belonged to QB Bryant Moniz who also threw three touchdowns on the day.
24: Loser Kevin Riley (Cal Golden Bears)
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Ask any Cal fan what they hate most these days, you will get the same answers. They hate Stanford as always but a close second in Cal QB Kevin Riley.
Riley had another pitiful showing on Saturday against USC. He threw two costly interceptions. One of which went directly into the hands of SC lineman DaJohn Harris. The Bears could never get anything going as they eventually shied away from even throwing the ball. This caused running back Shane Vereen to be locked up all day. Cheers to the final season with Kevin Riley at the helm.
23: Winner Matt Barkley (USC)
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Matt Barkley was a stark contrast to the ineffective Kevin Riley. He passed with precision and poise. Each touchdown pass was stunning. More often than not, the USC receivers would be covered well. In the end, it didn't matter. Each throw was delivered with pinpoint accuracy. Barkley would end up tying a school record by throwing five touchdowns.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22: Loser Nevada’s Momentum
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Nevada’s season has been a lot like their offense, it is always driving forward. That all came to a halt in Hawaii. The Wolf Pack lost for the first time this season and in doing so, dropped out of the top 25 rankings.
A quick look at the schedule causes me to cringe a little. I was confident they could keep their streak going until they met up with Boise State later in the season. The showdown will still showcase two fantastic offenses. It just won’t be for the stakes it could have been for.
21: Winner NCAA Overtime
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For all the griping we hear about the NFL and their less-than-stellar overtime model, it is amazing to know there is a system in place that works fine and is exciting to watch.
Oregon State lost a heart breaker to conference rival Washington on Saturday. What always boggles my mind is that college overtimes have not taken hold in the stubborn NFL. Essentially matching red zone possession for red zone possession, each team must stake their case on offense and defense.
This model greatly takes the arbitrariness that can occur in the NFL’s sudden death scheme. It is also more fun than watching a team run the ball into field goal range and kick for the win. Make them earn it I say.
20: Loser NCAA Fans
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These rankings are all about fun and entertainment. In the grand scheme of things, they pale in comparison to things that really matter.
On Saturday, Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand suffered a severe neck injury and is currently paralyzed from the neck down. It is times like these that we realize how dangerous a sport this can be and how quickly life can change. I am sure I am not alone when I send the best of wishes to LeGrand and his family.
19: Winner Josh Harris (Wake Forrest)
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The Demon Deacon may have been dealt a loss, but it was not because of their running back Josh Harris. Harris put together one of the better running performances of the day by posting 20 carries for 241 yards and two touchdowns.
It was a breakout game for him as he hadn't rushed for more than 100 yards all season.
18: Loser Air Force
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Much like Nevada, this season seemed to be rolling right for Air Force. That is until they ran into the brick wall known as San Diego State. Air Force lost a tight one that may lead to unraveling what looked like a very promising season.
In the end, the powerful, very lucrative run game of Air Force was just not enough. They needed this win desperately as they have TCU next followed by Utah.
17: Winner Iowa
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Playing away at Michigan could have been a trap. Sure the Hawkeyes were the No. 15 team. But they were playing away against a conundrum to defend in Denard Robinson.
Things just seemed to go Iowa’s way all day. Robinson would leave in the second quarter with an injury. At that point, he had already ruched for over 100 yards. Tate Forcier came in and seemed to show no rust, until the defense figured him out, picking two of his passes.
16: Loser South Carolina
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It was hard to hear the noise of this upset over the ousting of OSU. But South Carolina’s shocking loss was just a memorable. You just knew it would happen. The win against Alabama was just too good to be true. Now with three losses, the Gamecocks BCS hopes are all but gone.
South Carolina never thought they would run into one of the better offensive quarterbacks on the day. This brings me to:
15: Winner Mike Hartline Kentucky
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It takes all of your faculties to upset a No.10 opponent. Quarterback Mike Hartline gave his Wildcats all he had and then some.
Hartline threw for a career best 349 yards and four touchdowns. It would be the shot in the arm Kentucky would need to stun the Gamecocks out of the top ten.
14: Loser Florida Gators Season
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Things are not alright in Gainesville. The season has become undone and the once proud Gators find themselves at 3-3 and on the outside looking in.
They were never able to get any momentum going on offense. They also had no answer for Mississippi State’s ground attack. You can stick a fork in the Gators.
13: Winner Texas’s Defense
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Texas showed they have a little something extra in the tank this week. Nebraska was the favorite coming into Saturday’s matchup, but the Longhorns turned the tables.
The key to the game was the intense defense from Texas. They limited Nebraska’s quarterback Taylor Martinez to just 67 yards. It was the first time this season he failed to throw for more than 100 yards.
12: Loser Texas A&M
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Jerrod Johnson and Texas A&M’s offense have been the lone bright spot in a very mediocre season. Saturday the Aggies were without even an offense to tout. The Missouri Tigers shut down any hopes that Johnson had for an upset.
Johnson kept his streak of a touchdown in every game this season in tact. It was largely uneventful as it cam midway through the fourth quarter when the game was all but over.
11: Winner Arizona’s Depth
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It is never good to lose your best player. That is exactly what happened to No.17 Arizona. Nick Foles had to leave the game due to a knee injury in Saturday’s contest. While the Wildcats will miss him for two weeks or so, they may be able to successfully rely on their running game.
Every great team is efficient in more than one area. Arizona showed that they don’t need Foles to get the win. Keola Antolin and Nic Grigsby combined for 142 yards and three touchdowns. This production may be enough to get them through the next couple of weeks. They will need Foles healthy though, when they play Stanford on November 6th.
10: Loser Oregon State
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This year’s parity in the Pac-10 is especially tough on conferences lesser teams. Oregon State was beat up by Washington and will now fall out of the top 25.
When you're a borderline team like the Beavers, every week is a daunting task. This week they had to face one of the multitude of great Pac-10 QB’s. Washington’s Jake Locker would torch them for five touchdowns. The only plus they had Saturday was the consistent production of Jacquizz Rodgers.
9: Winner Michigan State’s Momentum
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Another week, another great win for the Spartans. As each contest comes to a close, the Spartans look more like the real deal.
The game was close until the half. After which Kirk Cousins showed why the Spartans are to be taken seriously. He threw a fabulous 48-yard touchdown to the sound hands of B.J. Cunningham.
8: Loser Arkansas Razorbacks
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There was not much in the way of defense in this week’s Arkansas vs. Auburn matchup. It made the game that much more exciting. Unfortunately for Razorback fans, the loss has colored this team as a group that cannot close out a close game.
They lost a close game earlier in the season to then No.1 Alabama and could have pulled off a just as stunning upset here. The game was close until a late fumble sealed their fate as a middle of the pack team.
7: Winner DeMarco Murray (Oklahoma)
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Oklahoma is peeking right about now. Sooners fans hope it is not too early. But you cannot deny that after Saturday’s 52-0 drubbing they handed out, that they are firing on all cylinders. One component that woke up big time this week was DeMarco Murray. He ran for two touchdowns and caught one 15-yard Landry Jones pass. It was the fifth time this season that Murray ran at least two touchdowns in.
6: Loser Boston College
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If Boston College was going to make any noise in the ACC this year, this was to be the week. They had all the components of an upset in the making. Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder gave up the ball four times. One such mistake gave the Eagles a interception return for a touchdown.
As is consistent with the rest of their season, Boston College didn't have enough to hold onto the win.
5: Winner Auburn
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With all the upsets in college, it is quite comforting to see a top ten team go into a tough contest and hold their own. Auburn showed immense poise in their matchup with Arkansas. They never wavered, and like all good teams, looked for their chance to strike. The chance came in the fourth quarter with a pivotal fumble by Broderick Green that was taken to the house for six.
That would be all the momentum the Tigers would need to finish off the Razorbacks.
4: Loser Nebraska
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The flip side of a great team showing poise is one that completely loses its head amidst the pressure.
This was supposed to be the year Nebraska would punk Texas. It showed all the signs. Nebraska was an undefeated team at home. Texas has looked shaky this year and has not been able to gain momentum on a consistent basis. But the opposite happened. Texas looked like the better team all game. They never showed signs of giving the ball game away until a late Nebraska return touchdown for 95 yards. It proved too little too late.
3: Winner Boise State's BCS Chances
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Rumblings have the Broncos sitting nicely atop the BCS standings. If it is true, I immensely like their chances to retain that seating all season. This weekend showed that Boise State can take care of lesser opponents with ease. It just so happens that they have the tough part of their schedule largely behind them.
Their toughest opponents will come in the form of now unranked Nevada and Hawaii.
2: Loser OSU Buckeyes
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Seven days...the Buckeyes had the season by the scruff for just seven days. That is how quickly the tables are turned. The saddest part is they never even pushed Wisconsin to the brink. By half, the score was already 21-3, and OSU was quickly on their heels.
The loss could not have come at a worse time as OSU’s opponents are, save Iowa, all unranked. Wins against them do little to improve their station. This upset may have come too late in the season for the Buckeyes to regroup.
1: Winner Wisconsin Badgers
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The Badgers came out and showed the energy and speed that makes watching college football so exciting.
We knew coming into the game that John Clay may give OSU fits, but his running was for the better part of Saturday unstoppable. At certain times, he made the OSU line looked undersized as he pounded yard after yard into Buckeye territory.
Now sitting at No.10 in the AP poll, if Wisconsin can take care of Iowa next week, they will be clear-and-away contenders for the final push of the season.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
