College Football: 50 Things We Learned in Week 4

Oh, what a weekend of college football!

We kicked off with a beatdown in Cincy and closed with the Warriors winning large across the big water, and in between we had upsets, narrow misses, romps, decisive victories and tremendous individual performances stretching from sea to shining sea.

If a full-tilt weekend of college football wasn’t enough, how about a 17-year-old kid leading a WAC team to push an SEC contender to overtime? And oh yeah, how about a pair of Big Ten teams losing to a team from the FCS and a perennial straggler from the Sun Belt? 

Finally, if that wasn’t enough to make you sigh and pat your full belly, how about a last-second fumble at the goal line, a 21-point third-quarter repeat from last season and a MAC team’s first-ever win over an ACC foe?

The following slideshow serves as a sweeping educational review of what was Week 4 of the 2011 campaign of college football and pins down 50 things we learned in 72 glorious hours of college football.

Louisiana Tech Is for Real

After losing to Southern Miss and Houston by a combined three points, we told you last week that Louisiana Tech was an improving team to look out for, but what it did in Starkville on Saturday night takes this recommendation to a new level.

Led by 17-year-old true freshman QB Nick Isham (the second-youngest QB to start in an FBS game), the La Tech Bulldogs pushed the MSU Bulldogs to overtime before they finally succumbed to the SEC 26-20 (on the road).

Louisiana Tech might be the best 1-3 team in the land, but the big question looms: Can the Bulldogs ever close out a game?

Tyrann Mathieu Is Unreal

LSU’s sophomore CB Tyrann Mathieu is as big a defensive playmaker as we’ve seen in recent years.

His stats thus far this season sing the praises of the 5"9", 175-pound New Orleans product: 31 total tackles, 22 solo, half a sack, two forced fumbles, one pass deflection, one interception and 16 return yards.

Even more impressive is the fact that he registered six total tackles (five solo) and the deflection and pick (plus return) in Week 4’s clash with West Virginia in Morgantown.

Mathieu’s deflection, subsequent interception and return to the goal line in the second quarter set LSU up for a touchdown and a 26-7 lead at the half. This kid is dreamlike.

LaMichael James Is Once Again the Top Rusher in the Land

After leading the nation in 2010 with 1,731 yards, Oregon’s LaMichael James reclaimed the top rusher crown in Week 4, edging out Week 3’s “thus far” season leader Marcus Lattimore by a mere two yards.

The top five shakes out with James at No. 1 with 613 yards, Lattimore at No. 2 with 611 yards, San Diego State’s Ronnie Hillman at No. 3 with 606 yards, Michigan’s QB Denard Robinson (the only non-RB in the top 20 other than Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez at No. 17) at No. 4 with 552 yards on the ground and finally Missouri’s Henry Josey at No. 5 with 533 yards.

Turnovers Matter

Well, it’s pretty safe to say that turnovers are decisive factors in the business of who wins and who loses college football games.

In honor of one of the most key of key stats, let’s take a look at the top five and bottom five teams in turnover margin through Week 4 of 2011.

At the Top

No. 1 Cincinnati: TO Margin: +3.50, Record: 3-1

No. 2 Rutgers: TO Margin: +3.33, Record: 2-1

No. 3 Utah: TO Margin: +3.00, Record: 2-1

No. 4 LSU: TO Margin: +2.00, Record: 4-0

No. 4 USF: TO Margin: +2.00, Record: 4-0

Top five overall record: 15-3

At the Bottom

No. 116 Iowa State: TO Margin: -1.67, Record: 3-0

No. 117 SMU: TO Margin: -2.00, Record: 3-1

No. 117 Tulsa: TO Margin: -2.00, Record: 1-3

No. 117 Western Kentucky: TO Margin: -2.00, Record: 0-3

No. 120 Notre Dame: TO Margin: -2.5, Record: 2-2

Bottom five overall record: 9-9

Conferences That Excelled

From a conference perspective, the big winners in Week 4 included the Big 12 conference, who not only got temporarily taken off life support but also went 3-0 in non-conference play this past weekend and lead the nation with seven undefeated teams still standing.

The Big East also performed well in the fourth stanza of 2011 with a 5-2 mark against non-conference foes. The losses were easier to digest with Pitt losing narrowly to Notre Dame and West Virginia going down with a fight to top-ranked LSU.

The Big Ten could have realistically been expected to achieve perfection in Week 4, and though 8-2 looks good on paper, Indiana’s loss to North Texas and Minnesota’s defeat to FCS North Dakota State were ugly enough to muddy any celebratory waters.

Finally, the SEC also scored a perfect 3-0 mark against non-conference opponents, with a big exclamation point for LSU’s huge win over West Virginia in Morgantown on Saturday night.

Nick Foles Is Ambidextrous

Arizona fell mightily to the Ducks of Oregon on Saturday night (56-31).

But that shouldn’t overshadow the fact that Wildcats QB Nick Foles made one of the most amazing individual plays of the season in the loss.

Foles’ achievement came in the third quarter, when he was being dragged down by two Duck defenders. In the process, he switched the ball from his throwing hand (his right) to his left and managed to complete a pass to RB Keola Antolin for 11 yards.

It’s a feat that has to be seen to be fully appreciated.

Paying the Price in the Polls

In this week’s edition of "how many spots a loss to a highly ranked team will cost you in the polls," we visit the case studies of West Virginia vs. LSU, Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State and Arkansas vs. Alabama.

In case No. 1, the AP-ranked No. 16 Mountaineers dropped six spots to No. 22 after losing to No. 2-ranked LSU; in case No. 2, the No. 8-ranked Aggies dropped six places to No. 14 after losing to No. 7-ranked Oklahoma State; and in case study No. 3, the No. 14-ranked Razorbacks lost four places by virtue of losing to No. 3-ranked Alabama.

In summary, a loss to No. 2 cost six places, a loss to No. 3 cost four spots and a loss to No. 7 cost six spots.

It’s absolutely an oversimplification, but it still isn’t very logical.

Nordly Capi Is Still the Nation’s Leader in Sacks

DL Nordly Capi didn’t score a sack in Colorado State’s narrow 35-34 Week 4 win over Utah State, but he still leads the nation in sacks with 5.5.

The list for sacks in 2011 is growing longer, and the race is heating up.

DE J.R. Collins from Virginia Tech is the sole owner of second place with 4.5 sacks, and a meaty group of defenders lies in wait behind the leaders with four total sacks each (LB Josh Hartigan from Colorado, DL Brett Roy from Nevada, DL Whitney Mercilus from Illinois, DL Derek Wolfe from Cincinnati, DE Kenny Anunike from Duke, LB Vontaze Burfict from Arizona State, LB Jeremiah Attaochu from Georgia Tech and DE Jadeveon Clowney from South Carolina).

This is anyone’s race to win.

Sometimes You Need a Big Quarter to Win

Wild back-and-forth contests are nothing new to college football, and Week 4 brought a basketful of goodies, if you’re into extreme winning.

Michigan State walloped Central Michigan 45-7 and scored over half its points (24) in a huge second quarter.

Temple shocked Maryland 38-7 and didn’t waste any time getting to work. The Owls scored 21 points in the first quarter and led 31-0 at intermission.

Ball State matched the Spartans' second-quarter point-o-rama by hanging up 24 points on Army in the second stanza. The Cardinals got their first-ever win over the Black Knights 48-21.

TCU refused to be left out of the second-quarter bonanza. The Horned Frogs put up 24, 17 and 14 points respectively in the final three periods of their 55-13 beatdown of FCS Portland State.

Oklahoma State’s 21-point third quarter performance over Texas A&M sealed the deal on its gigantic 30-29 road win over the Aggies. Alabama matched this feat by hanging up 21 in the third for a big 38-14 win over Arkansas.

On the minus side (at least for the BCS and FBS), Indiana spotted North Texas 21 first-quarter points and couldn’t (even after scoring 21 fourth-quarter points of its own) bring down the Mean Green. Minnesota never recovered after allowing a week-high 28 second-quarter points to FCS North Dakota State; the Golden Gophers lost 37-24.

Hot Seat Bowl Results

Saturday featured two hot-seat battles, wherein one beleaguered coach would walk away with a much-needed win, while the other would heap another costly loss on a season spinning out of control.

UCLA at Oregon State...aka Neuheisel vs. Riley

Rick Neuheisel scored a cool breeze in Corvallis by beating Oregon State 27-19 in Week 4, bringing UCLA’s 2011 mark to 2-2, while Mike Riley’s Beavers skidded to a 0-3 record thus far.

Georgia at Ole Miss...aka Richt vs. Nutt

O-X-F-O-R-D spelled relief for Mark Richt in Week 4. His Bulldogs picked up a much-needed win at Ole Miss (27-13), bringing Georgia to an even 2-2 mark in 2011. Meanwhile, Houston Nutt’s seat warmed up, and the Rebels' record dropped to 1-3.

The Top 25 Staying Power Phenomenon Extends Through Week 4

Though we all know that the poll system in college football is far from perfect, an interesting, less pursued flaw is that of unearned staying power.

Unearned staying power?

Yes, that’s the big early-season (Week 1 perhaps) win over a sometimes over-ranked opponent that catapults a program up the Top 25 and leaves it highly ranked week after week by virtue of playing a string of underwhelming opponents.

You can’t move down or out if you don’t lose, right? That’s true, even if you’re the only one not playing anybody.

We have two illustrations that this phenomenon is alive and well this season in college football, beginning with Baylor, which was barely a blip on the pollsters' preseason radar. That is, until the Bears knocked off AP-ranked No. 14 TCU 50-48 in Week 1 and climbed to No. 20 in the Week 2 voting.

Since moving into the Top 25, Baylor has won games over FCS Stephen F. Austin (48-0) and Rice (56-31). Baylor is now ranked No. 15 in the country.

Secondly, we have USF, which was similarly missing from the preseason polls. USF knocked off No. 16 Notre Dame in a turnover-fueled 23-20 Week 1 victory and was suddenly ranked No. 22.

Since beating the Irish (who remain wholly unranked), the Bulls have bested Ball State (37-7), FCS Florida A&M (70-17) and UTEP (54-24). The Bulls are now the No. 16 team in the nation.

This situation inevitably works itself out as conference play begins and the season moves along. However, you still have to feel at least a little bit sorry for undefeated teams like Illinois, Houston and Kansas State, who haven’t lost a game either (and in some cases have beaten better-quality opponents) but just can’t manage to get anyone to notice.

Cincinnati Is Golden at Nippert vs. Non-Conference Foes

UC’s 44-14 win over NC State in Week 4 extended an impressive streak: The Bearcats haven’t lost a non-conference game at historic Nippert since 2003, when they fell to Southern Miss 20-22 on their way to a 5-7 finish.

22 Teams Are Still Perfect

A full 33 teams were undefeated heading into Week 4. When the dust finally settled this past Sunday morning, only 22 perfect teams remained in the mix.

The honor roll features Clemson (4-0), Georgia Tech (4-0), Virginia Tech (4-0), Oklahoma State (4-0), Oklahoma (3-0), Baylor (3-0), Iowa State (3-0), Kansas State (3-0), Texas (3-0), Texas Tech (3-0), USF (4-0), Michigan (4-0), Nebraska (4-0), Illinois (4-0), Wisconsin (4-0), Houston (4-0), Boise State (3-0), Stanford (3-0), Florida (4-0), South Carolina (4-0), Alabama (4-0) and LSU (4-0).

A scary thought can be conjured up by contemplating the idea that if perfection is the surest way to the BCS title game, then the two opponents for the 2011-12 championship extravaganza are among the teams listed above.

Oregon State Is Off to Its Worst Start in 16 Years

Oregon State’s 0-3 start to 2011 marks its poorest foray into a campaign since 1996, when the Beavers lost five straight and finished the season 2-9 under then-coach Jerry Pettibone.

The Beavers have been riddled with injuries thus far this season, but their No. 112-ranked offense that averages only 15.7 points per game certainly hasn’t helped.

Oregon State travels to No. 25-ranked Arizona State in Week 5 to try to capture its first win in 2011.

Clemson Is Really Good

In the offseason, all the hoopla regarding the ACC (specifically the Atlantic division) was regarding the rising star of Florida State—a media frenzy that Clemson was forced to just sit, watch and wonder about.

Speed ahead four weeks into the season: Florida State is 2-2, and Clemson is 4-0 with a somewhat commanding early lead in the Atlantic race (it's beaten what was the big dog).

Yes, its win over Auburn was impressive, but the defending champs are a young team that has faltered this season. So how about Clemson now that it has knocked off the prematurely anointed FSU?

Sure, it was a game that fell directly after the huge loss to Oklahoma (shades of emotional hangover); yes, the starting QB was missing; and yeah, it was in Death Valley after all. But hey, have you watched Clemson play? They are winners.

It’s the No. 16-ranked passing offense, the No. 36-ranked rushing offense (can anyone scream “BALANCE?”) and a No. 66-ranked scoring defense that has held on to keep teams to an average of 25 points per game.

They’re undefeated, they’re fired up and next week they travel to Virginia Tech to prove themselves in yet another challenge—one that could have them break into the Top 10 for the first time since they came into the 2008 season ranked No. 9, only to lose to Alabama in the opener.

You Still Don’t Want to Schedule a Flight to Norman

In a monumental “note to self” for athletic directors and collegiate football schedulers nationwide...don’t return calls from a Norman, Oklahoma area code that queries about scheduling an exotic home/away or a "hell no!" home/home series with the Sooners.

Top-ranked Oklahoma’s Week 4 win over Missouri (38-28) marked the Sooners' 38th consecutive home win.

The last time the Sooners dropped a contest in nasty Norman? Well, that was back in 2005, when Oklahoma lost to TCU 17-10 in the season opener on its way to a subpar 8-4 finish.

Hungry for more? OK, shovel in the fact that the last time the Sooners lost to a conference foe at home was in 2001, when the Oklahoma State Cowboys rode into Norman and left with a 16-13 victory.

Norman—it’s the ultimate football “no-no.”

Balance Wins

How does a team that gives up 463 yards of passing on the road to a ranked team win the game 47-21?

Well, four turnovers sure don’t hurt, but neither does a good dose of balance.

Yes, LSU bested West Virginia in its showdown in Morgantown on Saturday night. One of the key elements of the win was an offense that ran for 186 yards and passed for 180.

Yeah, that 99-yard kickoff return late in the third quarter sure didn’t hurt, but offensive equilibrium may be an underrated stat and a real element in the Tigers' big road win.

FCS Grabs Three Wins Against the FBS in Week 4

After stating that the FBS (formerly Division I-A) was easily handling its opponents from the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) last week, the FCS scored three big wins over FBS foes in Week 4.

Putting the number in perspective, the FCS was 4-70 in 2011 against the FBS coming into Week 4 (a winning percentage of .054), while its 3-13 performance in Week 4 was a much healthier 19 percent.

Sure, the FCS is now only 7-83 against the FBS this season, but three games in one week is a big score, especially given that one of the opponents taken down was a Big Ten squad.

North Dakota State 37, Minnesota 24

Sam Houston State 48, New Mexico 45 OT

Southern Utah 41, UNLV 16

Florida Celebrates Its Silver Anniversary Against Kentucky

No. 15 Florida’s 48-10 smackdown of the Wildcats in Lexington on Saturday afternoon marked the 25th consecutive Gator victory over Kentucky.

The last time Kentucky bested Florida was in 1986, when the Wildcats beat the Gators 10-3 in Lexington. The last time Kentucky won a game in Gainesville was 1979.

Yikes.

So does Florida present Kentucky with a silver “thank you for your hospitality” picture frame, or should the Wildcats offer the Gators a silver-laden “you are welcome and you suck” refrigerator magnet?

I don’t think Emily Post or Mrs. Manners ever covered this specific scenario.

Never Say Never...

Life teaches us never to “say never” because inevitably “never” occurs, and then we’re left eating crow and wondering how the impossible can become a reality.

For this week’s edition of “never say never,” you can have either Justin Bieber or the Fray singing in the background (or perhaps the James Bond theme song), but here are three Week 4 instances where "never say never" proved the implausible to be worthy of applause.

Maryland Has Never Lost to Temple

Coming into Week 4’s meeting with the Terrapins, the Owls were 0-6 against Maryland (the games were all played between 1998 and 2005), but Temple’s 38-7 win marked its first victory in the series and its first win over an ACC foe.

Duke Has Never Beaten Tulane

The Blue Devils' 0-2 record against the Green Wave was improved this past Saturday with a first-ever Duke over Tulane win (48-27) and a revival of a series that was last played in 1973.

Ball State Has Never Beaten Army

Ball State had dropped both of its previous meetings with Army (1999 and 2009), but the drought ended on Saturday when the Cardinals wrecked the Black Knights 48-21.

Never say never...

A Trio of QBs Now Leads the Nation in Picks

The top interception tossers through Week 4 have all thrown the ball to the other team seven times, and all have similar numbers in terms of attempts, but their teams’ results vary.

Stephen Garcia of South Carolina has thrown seven picks in 95 attempts (four came this week vs. Vandy), meaning that seven percent of his tosses have gone away for good. Despite the carelessness, the Gamecocks are a perfect 4-0 in 2011.

Michael Rocco of Virginia has seven interceptions in 119 attempts, meaning that six percent of his throws have scored picks for opposing defenses (three in Week 4's loss to Southern Miss), but his team has still managed a 2-2 record.

Finally, Marshall’s Rakeem Cato has seven picks in 117 attempts, netting him a six percent interception rate, but the Thundering Herd are just 1-3 in 2011.

Impressive Total Offense Stats Spawn Definitive Results

The top five teams in terms of total offense going into Week 5 of the 2011 season send a pretty clear message regarding whether or not offensive explosions equal wins:

Georgia Tech: 2,522 yards of total offense (4-0)

Houston: 2,340 yards of total offense (4-0)

Oklahoma State: 2,287 yards of total offense (4-0)

Oregon: 2,135 yards of total offense (3-1)

Wisconsin: 2,129 yards of total offense (4-0)

Move that ball!

Somebody Is Still Lying...

Even though the bleeding associated with conference hacking seems to have at least temporarily been abated, am I the only one with a solid hunch that the realignment surgery is far from over?

The Pac-12 says “12" is enough, the Big Ten is happy with "12,” the SEC wants to go no further than "14” and Big 12 members seem to think they’re committed (to each other, not an asylum) and settled with "10.”

Really?

How many times have we heard these sorts of seemingly sincere statements, only to—72 hours later—watch the rumors start flying again and then, suddenly, Oklahoma State’s much-anticipated conference series with North Carolina is back on the table?

I think the current climate of alignment/un-alignment/realignment and non-alignment has taught us to trust no one—until the ink dries on the paper.

Alabama Is SERIOUSLY Good in Its SEC Opener

Though the No. 3 Crimson Tide’s 38-14 win over No. 14 Arkansas was a huge thread in the fabric of the 2011 season, it also represents the extension of an impressive streak for the mighty team from Tuscaloosa.

Yes, Alabama’s win over the Hogs marks its 20th consecutive win in its SEC opener.

The Tide’s last loss in an SEC opener? Well, it was way back in 1991, when Alabama dropped a Week 2 road meeting with Florida (35-0), which also marked its only loss in what became an 11-1 season.

The Source of the Unprecedented Gusty Conditions on the Plains

The Weather Channel noted an interesting climatic pattern this past week, which likened itself to a huge exhale of emotional air across the Plains states.

The draft seems to have originated in Nebraska, and meteorologists from the Green Wave, Golden Hurricane and regular Hurricane consortium have officially released their findings in an exhaustive case study of the "said wind."

Apparently, per the science people, the gusty conditions are due to an advanced condition officially deemed a collective “gridiron-enhanced sigh of relief” that seems to be related to the fact that Nebraska is no longer a member of the ridiculous Big 12 conference.

“They fled at precisely the key moment,” meteorologist John D. Swofford explained, “and in that light, the weather conditions are completely explainable.”

The Center for Climatic Studies at the University of Texas is currently challenging the hypothesis and has made claims to having sovereign propriety over moving air; if they can prove their case within the scientific community, they have clearly stated they won’t share any income gained from their findings.

A program associated with the events and subsequent issues will air exclusively on the Longhorn Network.

Oklahoma State Is Really, Really Good

It’s difficult to find a better way to beef up your gridiron résumé than by beating a Top 10 conference opponent on the road.

Add to this to overcoming a 17-point disadvantage with 21 unanswered third-quarter points against the No. 22-ranked defense in the country, along with having the icy veins required to close the deal, and you have the makings of a really, really good team.

The Cowboys are for real. If they can improve their defense and find just a bit more success on the ground, then they could boldly go where no Oklahoma State has gone before...to the BCS and beyond!

RGIII Still Has the Best Initials in Passing

Baylor’s Robert Griffin III went 29-of-33 for 338 yards, five touchdowns and zero picks in the Bears' 56-31 beatdown of Rice on Saturday—which was enough statistical superiority to keep Griffin at the top of the list in terms of national passer ratings.

Griffin weighed in at No. 1 with a rating of 236.2, Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson is at No. 2 with a 218.4 rating, Boise State’s Kellen Moore is No. 3 with 192.6, Florida State’s backup Clint Trickett is at No. 4 with 182.6 and Kansas’ Jordan Webb comes in at No. 5 with a rating of 181.5.

Casserole Recipients

Well, another full weekend of college football means we need to play good neighbor and serve up a piping hot dose of edible bereavement to the football faithful who have suffered a big Week 4 loss.

Yes, if you know a diehard fan from any of the following schools, pull out your Pyrex dish and whip up the prescribed amount of warm comfort food to soothe the very real pain that only a loss can inflict upon the truly passionate.

Week 4 casseroles go to Toledo Rocket fans, Pitt enthusiasts, Ole Miss buffs, Army devotees, Mountaineer revelers, all of Aggieland, the Men and Women of Troy, the Razorback nation, the followers of Chief Osceola and any team (from any state) called Miami.

Going above and beyond the call of compassionate duty, consider throwing in a serving of crusty bread for the fans of the following schools who suffered more than most: Maryland supporters, the people of Memphis, Golden Gopher followers, pigskin Hoosier enthusiasts and the Beaver nation.

Arizona Is Struggling Against FBS Opponents

In a stat that’s difficult to completely digest, the Arizona Wildcats have dropped their last eight consecutive games against FBS opponents...following are the details:

Sept. 24, 2011: vs. Oregon, 56-31

Sept. 17, 2011: vs. Stanford, 27-10

Sept. 8, 2011: at Oklahoma State, 37-14

Dec. 29, 2010: vs. Oklahoma State, 36-10 (Alamo Bowl)

Dec. 2, 2010: vs. Arizona State, 30-29 2OT

Nov. 26, 2010: at Oregon, 48-29

Nov. 13, 2010: vs. USC, 24-21

Nov. 6, 2010: at Stanford, 42-17

The last time the Wildcats bested an FBS opponent (or BCS opponent) was October 30 of last year, when they beat UCLA 29-21 in Pasadena. The last time they won a game was in Week 1 of the current season, when they shellacked FCS Northern Arizona 41-10.

If you feel the need to feel better about this information (and to quantify it for fairness), six of the eight opponents listed above were ranked in the Top 25 when the game was played, and five were actually in the Top 10.

Is it the road or the driver? Regardless, you see Mike Stoops’ team in a whole different light with the last bit of information.

Sammy Watkins Is Faster Than a Speeding Bullet (With Great Hands)

If you’ve watched any highlights of Clemson’s thrilling back-to-back wins over then-No. 21 Auburn and No. 11 Florida State, you no doubt watched Tiger QB Tajh Boyd hook up with team-leading receiver Sammy Watkins.

Not only can Watkins (a 6’1”, 180-pound freshman from Fort Myers, Florida) catch the pill, he is also scary fast and doesn’t just gain yards after the catch—he explodes down the field and out of the reach of would-be defenders.

Watkins has 433 yards and six TDs on 29 catches thus far in 2011, and if you’re wondering how these numbers stack up nationally, he’s No. 8 in yards and tied for No. 1 nationally in touchdowns.

Holy smokes.

Upward Mobility Report

Since we already took a gander at how far teams dropped in the AP poll after losing to a ranked opponent, let’s take a closer look at three teams who beat higher-ranked teams and try to gauge upward mobility trends.

No. 21 Clemson upset No. 11 Florida State on Saturday and moved up eight spots to No. 13, No. 7 Oklahoma State bested No. 8 Texas A&M and moved up two places to No. 5 and unranked Arizona State outlasted No. 23-ranked USC to find the No. 25 spot in the latest ratings.

Coaches Hot Seat

Though Mark Richt received some medicinal stool ice with a win over Ole Miss in Week 4, other gridiron leaders felt the thermostat turn up yet another notch on their perilous perches.

Notable seat temperature increases after this weekend include Houston Nutt, whose loss to Georgia brings Ole Miss to 1-3 on the season and 23-19 in his tenure there, and Mike Locksley of New Mexico, whose Lobos lost to FCS Sam Houston on Saturday, bringing their record to 0-4 this season and 2-26 under Locksley.

Also under fire are UAB’s Neil Callaway, who suffered a Week 4 loss at East Carolina, bringing the Blazers to 0-3 in 2011 and 15-36 in the Callaway era, and Oregon State’s Mike Riley, who holds an overall record in Corvallis of 69-57 but whose Beavers' loss at home against UCLA this past Saturday drops OSU to an 0-3 start in 2011.

Update: Mike Locksley of New Mexico was fired on Sunday. His final record after two-plus years as the Lobos head coach was 2-26.

Will Anyone Be Eligible for the Coaches Poll Next Year?

With USC ineligible to be ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll through 2011 due to NCAA sanctions, you have to wonder how many teams will be missing from one of the two major polls in 2012.

Seriously, if prime sanction targets Miami FL, South Carolina, Ohio State and Oregon get suitably zapped, what will a legitimate Top 25 look sans a bunch of the big dogs?

Yet another byproduct of the messy, yet well-covered Sanction-Gate is utter confusion in the Coaches Poll (i.e. some teams’ rankings and therefore points are overstated due to other teams missing completely due to eligibility but still playing and still winning games).

A Sophomore Leads the Nation in Receiving Yards

Who has the most receiving yards going into the fifth week of the 2011 season?

Justin Blackmon of Oklahoma State? Michael Floyd of Notre Dame? Kendall Wright of Baylor? Ryan Broyles of Oklahoma? Sammy Watkins of Clemson?

Well, no, no, no, no and no.

None of these guys are even among the top five, which leads us to believe there may be some new names in ball-catching that we need to get acquainted with.

Here are the top five receivers in the nation through Week 4.

Keenan Allen, Cal

The sophomore from Greensboro, N.C. caught 10 passes for 197 yards in the Week 4 loss to Washington, and his 30 catches for 498 yards thus far in 2011 lead the nation.

Jordan White, Western Michigan

A senior from Cleveland, Ohio who caught 14 balls for 132 yards in the loss to Illinois on Saturday, his 495 yards on 43 receptions is No. 2 in the land.

Robert Woods, USC

The sophomore from Carson, Calif. caught eight passes for 131 yards in Saturday night’s loss to ASU, and his 41 grabs and 492 yards are No. 3 in the land.

Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech

A junior from La Vergne, Tenn., Patton caught 11 balls for 87 yards in the Week 4 OT loss to Mississippi State, and his 475 yards on 29 catches thus far give him the No. 4 spot nationally.

Deon Long, New Mexico

The freshman from Washington, D.C. grabbed nine passes for a whopping 209 yards in the defeat to FCS Sam Houston on Saturday, and his 474 yards on 24 catches earn him the No. 5 slot.

Ironically, the entire top five plays for teams that ultimately lost their Week 4 matchups.

ACC Expansion Announcements Don’t Enhance On-Field Performance

The ACC went 3-4 in Week 4 against non-conference opponents, and the losses included the ugly beatdown of NC State at the hands of Cincinnati (44-14), a very ugly loss to a MAC team that had never won against the ACC (Temple 38, Maryland 7), Virginia’s 24-30 loss to C-USA’s Southern Miss and Miami’s last-second heartbreaker defeat to Kansas State.

In the winning column for the ever-expanding Atlantic Coast federation were two victories over C-USA opponents (Duke beat Tulane, and Virginia Tech bested Marshall) and Boston College’s first win in 2011, which came against FCS (for now) UMass.

Saying “I’m Sorry, We Were Wrong” Sometimes Just Isn’t Enough

The 1-3 Toledo Rockets have faced three BCS opponents in 2011 and lost all three games. First there was the “almost upset” loss to Ohio State and then the beatdown by Boise State, which was followed by Week 4’s defeat at Syracuse.

Though there was a glimmer of hope in each defeat, the loss to the Orange was different. With just over two minutes left to play, Syracuse found the end zone to take a 29-27 lead over the Rockets and kicked the obligatory extra point—and this is where everything went pear-shaped.

The kick was originally called good and then reviewed and confirmed as an extra point—but the truth is, the replays showed that the ball was clearly wide of the fluorescent uprights.

This wouldn’t have mattered in the outcome of the game until Toledo managed a final drive and a field goal that pushed the game into overtime. That field goal would have won the game if the Syracuse extra point had been correctly declared null and void.

Syracuse went on to win the game in overtime, and afterward the Big East released the following statement:

"

After studying the videos of the Syracuse extra point attempt at 2:07 of the fourth quarter, we have concluded that the ruling on the field that the kick passed between the uprights was incorrect, and that the replay official made an error in failing to reverse that ruling. In reviewing the video, we have determined that the angle from behind the kicking team shows conclusively that the ball passes outside the right upright.

Our review of the process determined that the replay official mistakenly focused his attention on the sideline angle, which proved to be distorted. We are confident that our officiating staff will learn from this situation in order to prevent a recurrence.

"

I understand that the issuance of this notice is the only real damage control the Big East could offer Toledo, but in reality it does nothing to reward a good MAC team that has played valiantly against three higher-ranked foes.

It’s the difference between a 1-3 and 2-2 start, which makes a huge impact to a team that is trying to achieve back-to-back bowl seasons for the first time since 2004-05.

The replay scheme is intended to cover the human error that is inevitable in officiating, but the system clearly let Toledo down this past Saturday. If this same scenario happened at Alabama or Texas, this would be the biggest story of the week (or year).

Bad Times in Oxford

If you are a resident of a town named Oxford and you took a short drive to the local gridiron arena this past Saturday, you drove home with a big “L” pasted on your windshield.

Folks from Oxford, Ohio watched their Miami RedHawks lose 37-23 to Bowling Green and drop to 0-3 in the process, while the fine people of Oxford, Mississippi celebrated at the picturesque Grove only to watch their Rebels lose to Georgia 27-13 and drop to 1-3 on the season.

In total, the FBS football cities of Oxford are now 1-6 on the season, and their only win came against FCS Southern Illinois in Murphysboro, Illinois.

Indiana...Not So Good

We all know the Hoosiers started 2011 with a new coach and a very, very young team, but even those cold, hard facts make the ugly 1-3 start difficult to swallow.

Indiana was a team that needed to win the early games to try to get ahead on a schedule that includes at Wisconsin, at Iowa, at Ohio State and at Michigan State, but early losses to Ball State and then Virginia made hope start to fade.

A Week 3 win over FCS South Carolina State turned out to be only a short-lived reprieve from the sting of defeat that continued with yet another blow dealt by the first-ever program loss to a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

Yes, North Texas (which has won 11 games over the past five seasons) beat Indiana 24-21 last Saturday.

The Hoosiers spotted the No. 110-ranked Mean Green offense 21 points in the first quarter, and then even a 21-point Indiana run in the fourth quarter couldn’t ward off an ugly loss.

Why do I get the feeling that the Big Ten portion of the slate might not be pretty?

The New Favorite Phrase in College Football

Our source “asked to remain anonymous given the sensitivity of the discussions.”

It’s the faceless source, the mysterious font of knowledge and probably the most overused phrase in college football in 2011.

“Due to the sensitive nature” of the subject, the shrouded informant can’t be disclosed, but he can tell us that Missouri has been offered a spot in the SEC, Navy and Air Force are on tap for the Big East, BYU is going to the Big 12, Rutgers and UConn are next to the ACC and the SEC and Pac-12 aren’t looking to further expand...for now.

It’s mostly half-truths and innuendo that later is discredited, but that is a scenario that frankly works better when the source doesn’t have a name or a face to field the blame.

What a bunch of malarkey.

The Fantastic Finish Is Alive and Well!

Collegiate sports seem to offer more thrilling game finishes than any subset of sports in our great nation. Week 4 served as a scrumptious reminder that the implausible conclusion of college football games is alive and well.

Texas Tech iced Nevada on a 4th-and-goal pass play from the Wolf Pack 4-yard line with fewer than 40 ticks left on the clock to end a not-so-defensive struggle that featured a combined 1,003 yards of total offense and a final score of 35-34.

Washington held off a final drive by Cal that ended dramatically on a Golden Bear 4th-and-goal incompletion from the Husky 2-yard line with only 20 seconds left on the clock, preserving a 31-23 Washington victory.

In probably the best finish of the day, Kansas State stopped Miami (FL) QB Jacory Harris on 4th-and-goal from the Wildcats 1-yard line with less than a minute remaining. Though the play was initially called a touchdown and looked to be a fumble, the review booth ultimately prevailed, and Kansas State held on for a thrilling 28-24 win.

Illinois Is 4-0 for the First Time Since 1951

Illinois’ narrow 23-20 win over Western Michigan on Saturday represented far more than a huge “Whew!” on the part of relieved Illini fans; it also marked the first time Illinois has started a season 4-0 in 60 years.

That’s right—the last time the Illini were 4-0 was 1951, a campaign Illinois finished 9-0-1 and Big Ten champs under coach Ray Eliot.

The tie? Well, that was a 0-0 scoreless draw to Ohio State, who finished the season 4-3-2 under a first-year head coach by the name of Woody Hayes.

First Dances Are Fun

Week 4 brought 26 dance partners together for the first time in history, filling the 2011 dance card with 13 new matchups in a single week.

Foxtrots, two-steps, moonwalks, salsas, tangos, waltzes, tap numbers and freestyles were on the program for Week 4. Following are the “first time” pairings and the initial rumbas' results.

FAU at Auburn: Auburn twisted like it did last summer over FAU, 30-14.

Indiana at North Texas: North Texas out-foxtrotted Indiana 24-21.

ULM at Iowa: The Hawkeyes put the moves on ULM 45-17.

Kansas State at Miami FL: K State out-danced the Hurricanes 28-14.

UTEP at USF: USF skipped to Lou’s son 52-14 over UTEP.

Portland State at TCU: The Horny Toads boogied over Portland State 55-13.

Tennessee State at Air Force: Air Force waltzed vs. Tennessee State 63-24.

Sam Houston State at New Mexico: Sam Houston shook its booty in an overtime “last dance” over New Mexico.

Georgia State at Houston: Houston bopped Georgia State 58-0.

UCF at BYU: BYU out-tangoed the Knights 24-17.

UC Davis at Hawaii: Hawaii did the hula all over UC Davis 56-14.

Cal Poly at Northern Illinois: NIU hip-hopped over Cal Poly 47-30.

South Alabama at Kent State: The Golden Flashes flash-danced South Alabama 33-25.

For Texas A&M, It Was Déjà Vu All over Again

The 2010 Aggies were 3-0 coming into their meeting with Oklahoma State in Stillwater and blew a 21-7 first-half lead by giving up 21 third-quarter points, ultimately losing by three points (38-35).

Improbably, an eerily similar scenario played out in Week 4 when the two tangoed again, only this time the game was in College Station and the stakes were much higher, as now it was the No. 7 Cowboys visiting the No. 8 Aggies.

This time around the Aggies sported a 20-3 advantage at half and again allowed 21 third-quarter Cowboy points. The Aggies ultimately lost to the Cowboys, this time 30-29.

Two years, 42 third-quarter points, a 41-10 total advantage blown and two huge season-rocking losses...

Uncanny.

Chris Rainey Is Ridiculous

In one of the best individual performances of Week 4, Florida’s Chris Rainey turned what looked to be a blown play into a healthy gain in the first quarter of the Gators' 48-10 shellacking of Kentucky in Lexington.

Rainey looked to be caught by Wildcat defenders on the sideline and ran east-west and then north-south for a lights out 27-yard gain, setting up the Gator “O” for its third touchdown.

In all, the senior ran 15 times for 105 yards, which brings his season total to 411 and his career yardage to 2,014.

Seven Teams Have Zero Wins

Through the first four weeks of the 2011 season, we still have seven squads that haven’t yet tasted from the chalice of victory.

The walk of shame roll comprises UAB (0-3), Miami OH (0-3), New Mexico (0-4), Oregon State (0-3), FAU (0-3), Western Kentucky (0-3) and Middle Tennessee (0-3).

Oregon State is the only BCS team in the nation that has yet to win a game in 2011.

Hair Problems Equal Losses or Losses Equal Hair Problems?

In what has to be considered one of the more compelling philosophical questions of the season: Does bad hair equal a defeat in a big game? Or instead, does the slow process of a painful loss equal bad hair?

Our follicly ally askew case studies in Week 4, Dana Holgorsen from West Virginia and Mike Sherman from Texas A&M, proved that either way bad hair can certainly be the offspring of a gut-wrenching defeat.

One shouldn’t forget that a hat, gel or pocket comb can come in handy—even in the most stressful of situations.

Colorado Is Not a Good Road Team

The Buffaloes' 37-17 road defeat to Ohio State in Week 4 pours salt on an old wound for Colorado fans...the Buffs are 0-7 since 2005 against non-conference road teams.

In fact, the last time Colorado won a true road game (throwing out neutral wins in Denver over Colorado State) was in 2007, when it outlasted Texas Tech 31-26 in Lubbock.

Overall, the Buffs are 0-19 in their last 19 road appearances.

Ouch.

Home Team Has a Big Edge

Home field is definitely a huge advantage in the ranks of college football, and Week 4 was no exception to this golden home-cooking rule.

Hosts went 36-22 against visitors last weekend, netting the keepers of the turf a .620 winning percentage over the travelers.

How the Conferences Stack Up After Four Weeks of Play

Wondering how the FBS conferences stack up now that the biggest portion of the non-conference celebration is complete?

Well, look no further, as following are the leagues listed in order of winning percentage thus far in the 2011 campaign:

Big 12: 28-4 or 87 percent

Big Ten: 34-12 or 74 percent

SEC: 34-13 or 72 percent

Big East: 21-9 or 70 percent

ACC: 28-17 or 62 percent

MWC: 18-12 or 60 percent

Pac-12: 26-18 or 59 percent

C-USA: 21-24 or 51 percent

MAC: 23-28 or 45 percent

Sun Belt: 11-21 or 34 percent

WAC: 10-20 or 33 percent

LSU Is Really, Really, Really Good

Well, we’ve awarded the prizes of “really good” (Clemson got the nod) and “really really” good (hail to Oklahoma State), but what about Week 4’s champion of the distinguished title “really, really, really good?”

For me, the tri-really is fairly obvious: The Bayou Bengals are the worthy recipient of the label “best team in college football.”

Why?

Try a 4-0 September that featured road wins over three ranked opponents (No. 3, No. 25 and No. 16), and hold on for these stunning stats: ranking No. 18 in scoring offense and No. 14 in scoring defense in the process.

That’s right—LSU played three road games (one was more fairly labeled as neutral) against three Top 25 teams (and one FCS foe), averaged 38.8 points per game on offense and held its opponents to 14.3 points per game.

Stunning, Les Miles, stunning.