College Football: 50 Things We Learned from Week 6

Whoa Nellie!

What a weekend it was in college football...letdowns, comebacks, upsets, blowouts, shutouts, perfection and sheer devastation.

Yes, friend, the sixth 72-hour block of the 2011 season was a delightful 52-course meal, but what did we learn after pushing back from the buffet and patting our satisfied bellies?

Indeed, once we arose from the couch of destiny with the soreness that only a long gridiron sit-in can produce, what do we know now that we didn’t know then?

The following slideshow serves as an educational guide, a highlight reel and a statistical tour de force by pinpointing 50 things we learned from the sixth full weekend of college football.

Grab a warm beverage, sit down in a cozy chair and prepare yourself for a quick trip around the beautiful landscape that complements the greatest team game in the land.

Mario Cristobal Is on Fire

Mario Cristobal took over as the head coach at Florida International in 2007, which was only five years after the Golden Panthers began fielding a football team and only two years after they moved into the Division I-A (FBS) ranks.

Cristobal’s first FIU product went 1-11 in 2007, improved to 5-7 in 2008, dropped to 3-9 in 2009 and went 7-6 in 2010, which included a Sun Belt Conference co-championship and a first-ever bowl win over Toledo in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.

FIU’s 27-17 victory over Akron this past Saturday gives the Golden Panthers a 4-2 start in 2011, which represents the best-ever opening record in the entire history of the program.

With remaining games at Arkansas State, vs. Troy, at Western Kentucky, vs. FAU, at ULM and at Middle Tennessee, Cristobal has the opportunity to lead FIU to its first eight-plus-win season in history.

Penn State Struggles to Score TDs in the Red Zone

Penn State hasn’t earned a 5-1 overall record in 2011 by virtue of racking up an obscene number of points on the scoreboard. In fact, the Nittany Lions' 21.5 points per game average this season ranks No. 95 in the nation.

One of the key elements of Penn State’s low point totals can at least partially explained by the fact that it is struggling to find the end zone from within the opponent’s 20-yard line.

To illustrate, when you dissect the Nittany Lions' 13-3 Week 6 win over Iowa, you find that they reached the red zone four times with the trips ultimately resulting in only one touchdown, two field goals and one interception.

Overall, Penn State is 11-of-23 or 48 percent in red-zone touchdowns thus far in 2011, which puts it among the bottom 20 teams in the country.

The Big 12 Is Alive and Well…For Now

After Missouri authorized its chancellor to pursue alternative options in terms of a conference home early last week, it looked like the Big 12 was destined to take another shot to the gut and possibly another round of rumors regarding its final demise.

Was it “all over” for the Big 12 all over again?

Well, it would seem the answer to that question is a finally a flat no.

Yes, as of last Thursday TCU has been tendered an offer to join the Big 12, and regardless of what Missouri opts to do next, the once dead conference looks to be moving on and forming something lasting...at least for now.

The Red River Rivalry Blowout Was of Historic Proportions

Oklahoma’s 55-17 beatdown of the young Longhorns in the 2011 edition of the Red River Rivalry represented the sixth-largest margin of victory for the Sooners in the 106-year history of the series.

Following are the most lopsided Oklahoma wins:

2003: Oklahoma 65, Texas 13 (52 points)

1908: Oklahoma 50, Texas 0 (50 points)

2000: Oklahoma 63, Texas 14 (49 points)

1956: Oklahoma 45, Texas 0 (45 points)

1973: Oklahoma 52, Texas 13 (39 points)

2011: Oklahoma 55, Texas 17 (38 points)

Texas leads the all-time series 59-42-5.

Five Teams Tie for the Most Vigilant Team in College Football

Cautious, vigilant, alert, careful, alert and guarded are all terms that aptly describe LSU, Texas Tech, Northwestern, Stanford and Wisconsin thus far in their current gridiron campaigns.

Why?

Well, the five teams have committed the fewest turnovers (thru Week 6) of any team in the nation.

How many?

Only three each.

Wearing a Bow Tie and Using the Term “Poster Child” Can Be Highly Questionable

In an annual presentation to the Ohio State faculty, president E. Gordon Gee claimed that OSU is the “poster child for compliance.”

The statement almost seems like it was whirled out of some lost episode of Fantasy Island and is at the very least ridiculous.

Isn’t this the same Buckeye program that has suffered through three instances of player suspensions in the last 10 months, including a new set of sanctions handed down just this past week?

Isn’t this the same program that has subsequently fired its legendary coach and lost its starting QB...the same team that has three losses in its six games for the first time since 2004?

Seriously?

It makes a body wonder whether such a statement can be attributed to denial, delusion or a potent combination of the two.

Shut Out the Lights

Three defensive units earned an elusive yet highly mouthwatering shutout in Week 6. Following are the pointless details.

Alabama 34, Vanderbilt 0

The Crimson Tide also shut out North Texas 41-0 in Week 3 and ranks No. 1 in scoring defense, allowing a measly 8.4 points per game.

Nevada 37, UNLV 0

Nevada’s shutout of UNLV in Week 6 is its only one of the 2011 season, and it ranks a dismal No. 114 in scoring defense, allowing 37 points per game.

Temple 42, Ball State 0

The Owls' blanking of Ball State this past Saturday marked their first shutout of 2011, and they rank a sizzling No. 7 in scoring defense, allowing only 11.2 points per game thus far.

One of the Most Classless Acts of the Season

It pains me to write in a negative fashion about my own university, but the incident involving the vandalizing of Texas A&M’s buses in Lubbock prior to the Saturday night game between the Red Raiders and Aggies deserves calling out.

Though a few offensive supporters who are willing to commit illegal acts certainly don’t represent an entire fanbase, Tech enthusiasts have to be concerned about the negative culture of certain factions of their following.

It’s embarrassing, it was absolutely ridiculous and I for one am appalled by it.

There are few things in college football that are worse than a loss. This is one of them.

Conference Realignment Winner and Losers

2011 definitely sounded the bell for what has become a conference reshuffle extravaganza, and while we watch for the daily shift of teams, it’s almost easy to forget the fact that the programs that started the fracas are playing their first set of new conference foes.

Coming into Week 5, none of the major movers for 2011 had scored that sacred first win in their new association. Week 6 brought one of these teams a historic victory, while two will have to wait at least another week to taste sweet conquest.

Nebraska

After getting drilled by Wisconsin in the Huskers' first-ever Big Ten conference opener, Nebraska secured its first-ever new league win in its 34-27 comeback victory over Ohio State in Lincoln in Week 6.

Colorado

The Buffs lost to Cal in a Week 2 matchup that wasn’t a conference game due to it being a previously scheduled non-conference affair, so Colorado’s first-ever Pac-12 game was a 31-27 loss to Washington State in Boulder in Week 5.

Week 6 brought yet another opportunity for the Buffaloes to score a first-ever conference win, but Colorado didn’t survive its road trip to mighty Stanford and rode back to the airport with a 48-7 loss and an 0-2 conference record.

Colorado travels to Washington next Saturday to give the Pac-12 gauntlet yet another try.

Utah

After dropping games at USC in Week 2 and vs. Washington at home in Week 5, the Utes will have wait yet another week for their first-ever Pac-12 win after suffering a  35-14 defeat to Arizona State this past Saturday in Salt Lake City.

After a Week 7 road trip to Pitt for a non-conference game betwixt teams who like to leave, Utah will give it another college try when it visits Cal in Week 8.

First Encounters of the Pigskin Kind

Week 6 signals the portion of the season wherein almost every team is facing a conference foe, but despite this we were still treated to three first-ever meetings involving six FBS teams this past weekend.

Fumbling around in the dark, trying to figure out what the other team is going to do and making history...there is nothing quite like the proverbial “first time.”

Central Michigan at NC State (NC State 38, CMU 24)

Southern Miss at Navy (Southern Miss 63, Navy 35)

FIU at Akron (FIU 27, Akron 17)

Logan Thomas is a Dream Weaver

In the best “not so fast, my friend” play of the weekend, Miami’s Lamar Miller gave the Hurricanes an improbable lead with only 2:51 left on the clock on a 2nd-and-goal from the 30 to complete an “almost comeback” from a 21-7 halftime deficit at Virginia Tech.

But just as Miller looked liked the hero of the game, Hokies QB Logan Thomas scampered into the end zone on a thrilling 4th-and-1 from the Hurricane 19 to score a winning touchdown and ice Miami 38-35.

Thomas went 23-of-25 for 310 yards, three TDs and zero picks in the win.

It was probably the best game of the week, and Virginia Tech’s defense stepped up when it had to and was absolutely spurred on by a Hokie crowd that was crazed with delight.

This, friend, is what college football is all about.

It’s Been 38 Years Since Oklahoma State Scored So Many Points

The Cowboys trampled Kansas 70-28 on Saturday, and the 70 points are the most scored by an Oklahoma State team since 1973, when it hung up 70 points on Southern Illinois in Stillwater.

The ’73 Pokes went 5-4-2 with other wins over UT-Arlington, Arkansas, Kansas State and Colorado, the ties against Nebraska and Kansas and the losses to Texas Tech, Missouri, Iowa State and Oklahoma.

Winner of the O’Rourke-McFadden Trophy

The coveted O’Rourke-McFadden trophy has been awarded to the winner of the Clemson vs. Boston College game since 2008.

Though it’s not exactly your little Brown Jug the trophy has a great story behind it and legendary names inscribed upon it.

The award was actually initiated by the Boston College Gridiron Club to honor the efforts made by Clemson to welcome the Eagles to the ACC in 2005 and also honors the two schools' long playing history that stretches back to 1940.

Clemson and BC first met on the football field in the 1940 Cotton Bowl, a game headlined by the Tigers' Banks McFadden and the Eagles' Charlie O’Rourke, who are the trophy’s namesake and are represented by reproductions of leather helmets incorporated into the award.

Clemson won the ’40 Cotton Bowl 6-3, and the overall record between the two schools was 9-9-2 heading into their 21st meeting this past Saturday. Clemson triumphed 36-14 over BC to break the series tie and take home the fourth-ever O’Rourke-McFadden Trophy.

You Can’t Have a FCS Upset Without an FCS Game

After five weeks featuring FBS vs. FCS matchups and the resulting chance for the biggest of upsets, the 120 teams of the FBS (minus the 16 squads with a bye) all played FBS opponents in Week 6.

The drop-off has been slow and steady with 38 FBS teams taking on FCS teams in Week 1, 20 in Week 2, 16 in Week 3, 13 in Week 4, two in Week 5 and finally zero in Week 6.

The FBS holds an 82-7 advantage over the FCS thus far in 2011 with only eight inter-divisional games left to be played.

LaMichael James Registers Third Consecutive 200-Yard Game

Despite a fourth-quarter dislocated elbow injury in Thursday night's triumph over Cal, Oregon’s LaMichael James has ticked off yet another first by becoming the first Duck rusher to scamper for 200 or more yards in three straight games.

The streak began when James hung up 204 yards and three TDs on only 12 carries cs. FCS Missouri State in Week 3 and continued in Week 4 when he ran for 288 yards and two scores on 23 carries at Arizona.

In Thursday’s Cal game James had 166 yards in the first half and managed game totals of 239 yards and one TD on 30 carries despite the late injury.

The Ducks are No. 5 in the nation in rushing and have averaged 312.6 yards per game thus far in 2011.

The Big Quarter Winner for Week 6

The 2011 season has paid witness to a slew of games being decided by one gargantuan quarter of scoring that changes the face of a game and perhaps the destiny of a season.

Week 6’s top scoring in one quarter is highlighting by the following smokin’ performances.

Oklahoma State’s 35 first-quarter and 21 second-quarter points against Kansas: Cowboys win 70-28

Oklahoma’s 28 second-quarter points against Texas: Sooners win 55-17

Utah State’s 28 second-quarter points against Wyoming: Aggies win 63-19

Oregon State’s 27 second-quarter points against Arizona: Beavers win 37-27

West Virginia’s 23 third-quarter points against UConn: Mountaineers win 43-16

Purdue’s 24 first-quarter points against Minnesota: Boilermakers win 44-17

North Texas’ 24 third-quarter points against FAU: Mean Green win 31-17

Oregon’s 22 third-quarter points against Cal: Ducks win 43-15

Notre Dame’s 21 first-quarter points and 21 second-quarter points against Air Force: Irish win 59-33

Clemson Is 6-0 for the First Time Since 2000

The Tigers' 36-14 win over Boston College this past Saturday afternoon signaled Clemson’s first 6-0 start to a season since 2000.

The new millennium Tigers charged out of the gates to an 8-0 start only to lose two of the last three and drop a game to Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl to finish 9-3 in Tommy Bowden’s second campaign at Clemson.

The Tigers travel to Maryland next weekend to battle the Terrapins for a chance to go 7-0.

Florida State Is a Candidate for the Most Disappointing Team of the Year

After beginning the season ranked No. 6 and touted as the front-runner and favorite to win the ACC and perhaps make a national championship run, Florida State is suddenly 2-3 and out of the rankings altogether.

The Week 2 loss to No. 1 Oklahoma was bearable and definitely did not spell the end of the road to a championship, but consecutive 35-30 losses at Clemson and then at Wake Forest dropped FSU to 0-2 in ACC play and into a hole that may be impossible to rise out of.

Whether it was over-hype or underperformance, one stat that at least partially explains their demise is a No. 115 national ranking in rushing.

Yes, the Seminoles have averaged only 79.5 yards per game on the ground, and this combined with 11 turnovers (10 INTs) and 406 yards in penalties (No. 18 most in the nation) may have killed FSU’s lofty goals.

Weekly Casserole Recipients

The bigger meaning of a weekend jam packed with 52 FBS college football games is that there are 52 happy winners and then 52 miserable losers.

The blissful victors read the sports page with glee, watch the highlights on TV and lick their proverbial chops every time they repeat the final score, while the gloomy vanquished throng take 48 hours off from news coverage in order to lick their very real and very tender wounds.

Why not help a brother or sister out and show some love for your passionate football friend who has suffered a Week 6 loss?

Bring them a piping hot casserole, a steamy pot of soup or a sizzling skillet of something oh so cheesy...your benevolence might just perk the downtrodden up, and you’ll feel the warmth that only shared humanity can offer.

Week 6’s casserole Rota includes the following heartbroken fanbases: Cal enthusiasts, Longhorn buffs, Air Force admirers, the Gator Nation, Pitt followers, Hurricane trackers, the Red Raider nation, the state of Missouri, Midshipmen everywhere and ECU Pirate people.

The following factions may require some extra TLC in the form of a dessert and/or some hot crusty bread: UAB fans, Golden Gopher groupies, followers of Chief Osceola, Hoosier supporters, Jayhawk devotees, Arizona Wildcat addicts and Ohio State aficionados.

Three Teams Still Have Not Won a Game

This made be the most hurtful statistical slide in this presentation.

Seven teams hadn’t won through Week 4, six were yet to have a victory dinner through Week 5 and now that dubious number has dropped to three (previously winless Miami OH, Oregon State and Western Kentucky all won in Week 6).

Yes, a trio of teams have yet to sip from the chalice of sweet triumph: UAB (0-5), New Mexico (0-5) and FAU (0-5).

The Conference Power Rankings

If we take another stab at power ranking the conferences by the number of teams ranked in the AP Top 25 and then by their average ranking, we see that the Big 12 gains a one-team advantage over both the SEC and Big Ten in Week 7, and Conference USA makes its debut with Houston jumping in at No. 25.

Here are the results:

Big 12: six teams ranked/14.83 average ranking

SEC: five teams ranked/10.4 average ranking

Big Ten: five teams ranked/13.6 average ranking

Pac-12: three teams ranked/11.33 average ranking

ACC: three teams ranked/13 average ranking

MWC: one team ranked at No. 5

Big East: one team ranked at No. 13

C-USA: one team ranked at No. 25

Kansas State Is Really Good

Well, the Wildcats earn their first “really” honors of the year by capturing the Week 6 uni-really.

At 5-0 Kansas State is off to its best start in over a decade and currently sits tied atop the Big 12 standings with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

The Wildcats' No. 17 AP ranking in Week 7 marks their first break into the Top 25 since the middle of the 2007 season, when they made brief appearances at No. 24 and 25.

Kansas State is getting it done with a defense that ranks No. 17 in the nation in scoring, allowing only 16.6 points per game thus far.

To put this entire statistical revue into perspective, three of K-State’s five wins have come against No. 15-ranked Baylor, on the road against a good Miami FL team and then at home against Missouri, a team it hadn’t bested since 2005.

The Wildcats are quietly getting it done, but with a five-game stretch to close out the season that features No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 6 Oklahoma State, No. 21 Texas A&M, No. 22 Texas and Iowa State, Bill Snyder’s squad will be severely tested. If it passes, quiet is the last thing the town of Manhattan, Kan. will be.

Luke Kuechly Is Still RIDICULOUS

Hidden in the not so pretty folds of playing for a struggling team, Boston College’s junior LB Luke Kuechly continues to rack up tackles at an insane rate.

How insane?

Kuechly leads the nation in total tackles at 99 (the next closest is LB Brian Wagner from Akron with 81) and is also the solo tackles leader with 58 (the next closest is LB Trent Mackey at Tulane with 47).

Additionally, Kuechly has 7.5 tackles for a loss and one pick and a 23-yard return thus far this season.

Boston College is 1-5, but Luke Kuechly is on track to eclipse his 183 tackles from 2010 and break the NCAA career tackle record (545) and the all-time season tackle mark (193).

Mike Stoops Has the Hot Seat

The seat that has warmed up the most in college football in recent weeks has got to be Mike Stoops' stool down in sweaty Arizona.

The Wildcats' 1-5 start is their worst beginning since 2005, when they started 1-7 on their way to a 3-8 finish under then second-year head man Stoops.

Week 6’s loss to winless Oregon State had to do nothing but further roast the leader of a team that has gone 1-11 over its past 12 games (the only win was the 2011 opener against FCS Northern Arizona).

Ouch.

The Most Accurate Passer in College Football

Now that we have six weeks under our belts and enough time to start to accumulate some more meaningful stats, who is the most accurate passer in college football in 2011?

Well, with an 82.3 completion rate, the winner is none other than Robert Griffin III, who also leads the nation in passer rating at 230.3, TDs at 18 and has thrown only one pick on the entire season.

If this guy played for Alabama, Oklahoma, USC or Florida State, he’d be the greatest thing since sliced bread.

And the Heisman?

Well, it would already be his.

Oklahoma’s Achilles Heel Might Be Return Coverage

The Sooners looked fully dominant in their 55-17 triumph over Texas in this past Saturday’s annual playing of the Red River Rivalry, but amidst a statistical portfolio that it’s hard not be impressed with, what about the fact that Oklahoma gave up 248 yards in kick returns?

Yes, this number was obviously bolstered by the Longhorns' Fozzy Whittaker’s 100-yard dash for a TD in the second quarter, but is the soft coverage just a one-off, or do Boomer Sooner fans have something to toss and turn about?

Well, Oklahoma has given up over 100 yards in kickoff returns to every opponent this season with the exception of Florida State, to whom it gave up 97.

The Sooners allowed 157 kickoff return yards by Tulsa, 104 by Mizzou, 148 by Ball State and then 248 by Texas.

Perhaps it’s not a stat that sets off alarm bells, but it could well be an area that potentially kills Oklahoma in a close game.

Wake Forest Is 3-0 in Conference Play for the First Time in School History

The Demon Deacons' 35-30 victory over No. 23 Florida State earns Wake Forest its first 3-0 conference start in school history.

The Deacons' 4-1 start marks their best start since 2008, when they beat Clemson in early October to achieve the same mark on their way to an 8-5 finish, which included a 29-19 win over Navy in the EagleBank Bowl.

Wake Forest travels to Blacksburg next weekend to take on Virginia Tech.

Connor Shaw Will Be the Gamecocks Starter for at Least Another Week

Connor Shaw took over under center for South Carolina in Week 6 after senior QB Stephen Garcia threw two TDs and six INTs combined in the Gamecocks' win over Vandy and narrow defeat to Auburn.

Shaw, a 6’1”, 204-pound sophomore from Flowery Branch, GA, may have at least temporarily secured the starting job with his 26-of-39 performance for 311 yards, four TDs and no interceptions in the Gamecocks' 54-3 Week 6 beatdown of Kentucky.

South Carolina hits the road in Week 7 and visits Mississippi State, where Shaw will have a chance to lead the Gamecocks to victory once again.

East Carolina Is the Most Careless Team in College Football

The 2011 Pirates are the antithesis of the LSU, Texas Tech, Northwestern, Stanford and Wisconsin squads.

Why?

Well, as careful as the above five have been with the football (they lead the nation with only three turnovers each), ECU has been equal parts reckless.

Yes, East Carolina leads the nation in turnovers thus far in 2011 with 21 (10 fumbles and 11 INTs).

A Bye Week Isn’t Necessarily a Very Good Thing

Logic tells us, and history confirms, that coming off a bye week is normally an advantage in college football.

But as every rule is made to be broken, Week 6 bore witness to teams coming off a bye week only to find a rash of losses and disappointments under their pillows.

How many?

Well, bye teams went 2-11 in Week 6.

The Winners

Oklahoma State (vs. Kansas), won 70-23

UCF (vs. Marshall), won 16-6

The Losers

Vanderbilt (at Alabama), lost 34-0

Iowa (at Penn State), lost 13-3

Missouri (at Kansas State), lost 24-17

Florida State (at Wake), lost 35-30

Cal (at Oregon), lost 45-13

San Diego State (vs. TCU), lost 27-14

Wyoming (at Utah State), lost 63-19

UNLV (at Nevada), lost 37-0

ULM (vs. Arkansas State), lost 24-19

Ohio State Is This Week’s Texas A&M

Many Buckeyes fans approached their beloved team's Week 6 visit to Lincoln, Nebraska with a good measure of trepidation and anxiety, feelings that began to wash away when Ohio State surprised onlookers by charging to a 20-6 halftime lead over the No. 14 Cornhuskers.

But in a very Aggie-esque fashion, the Buckeyes let their first-half lead slip away, ultimately allowing the Huskers 28 second-half points on their way to a thrilling 37-24 comeback victory.

For Buckeyes fans it was excruciating to watch, while for Nebraska enthusiasts it represented a pretty little package containing their first-ever Big Ten conference win, their first-ever win over Ohio State and the biggest comeback in the storied history of the Husker program.

Wow.

Illinois Is Making History

After their 41-20 victory over Indiana on Saturday the Illini are 6-0 for the first time in 77 years.

The last time Illinois went 6-0 was 1934, when it went 7-1-0 overall with its only loss of the season in a 7-3 Week 7 loss at Wisconsin.

The Illini host Ohio State next weekend with an opportunity to make their first 7-0 start since 1927, when they went 7-0-1 and won both a Big Ten title and a third national championship (the tie came in Week 3 against Iowa State).

Illinois’ only true 7-0 start came in 1923, when the Illini went 8-0 on the season and captured a Big Ten title and the program’s second national championship.

All three Illini teams mentioned here (1934, 1927 and 1923) where coached by Robert C. Zuppke, who went 131-81-12 in his 29 seasons at Illinois (1913-41) and was the coach of all four Illini national championship teams (1914, 1919, 1923 and 1927).

Houston Receives Props for Its DEFENSIVE Performance Against ECU

When you hear that the Houston Cougars are 6-0 and ranked in the Top 25, you no doubt immediately conjure up thoughts of the Cougs rising on the shoulders of a prolific passing game led by senior QB Case Keenum...and you’d be exactly right.

But don’t forget to give a little credit to Houston’s defense, which in Week 6 held an opponent to three points for the first time since 2004.

Yes, Houston’s 56-3 win over East Carolina this past Saturday represents its best defensive performance (on paper) since it beat Tulane 24-3 on their way to a 3-8 finish in 2004.

It’s hardly a defensive revival in Houston, but what happens if Keenum rockets the ball downfield for quick scores and the Cougs “D” holds opposing offenses to under 25 points?

Never Say Never

In this week’s edition of never say never, we have three shining examples that illustrate the beautiful fact that every college football “no you can’t” is destined to one day become an “oh no you didn’t!”

Nebraska has never beaten Ohio State

The Cornhuskers had never beaten the Buckeyes in two previous tries (1955 and 1956, both in Columbus) and finally scored a win over Ohio State this past Saturday with a thrilling 34-27 comeback win in Lincoln.

Army has never lost a game in Oxford, Ohio

Prior to this past Saturday, the Black Knights had only visited Oxford, Ohio once previously, in 1996, when they bested Miami OH 27-7.

Army dropped their first-ever game at the Cradle of Coaching in Week 6, and its 35-28 defeat marked the RedHawks' first victory in 2011 and earned Miami a 3-2 lead in the all-time series against the Black Knights.

FAU has never lost in Denton

Coming into Saturday’s matchup between the two Sun Belt programs, the FAU Owls were a perfect 4-0 against North Texas in contests played in the Denton, Texas Sun Belt.

Ultimately FAU finally fell short in Denton, and the Mean Green scored their first-ever win over the Owls at home via a 24-point third quarter that resulted in a 31-17 North Texas victory.

Overall, FAU leads the series 6-2, and Saturday’s UNT win was only its second-ever in the series.

Oklahoma Is Really, Really Good

This week’s bi-really award goes to the Oklahoma Sooners, who brought Texas to its knees in Week 6’s Red River Rivalry.

Yes, the Longhorns are young and were exposed in the Cotton Bowl (and so was I in 1995), but this was a rivalry game (where anything could happen) against a fast and loaded undefeated foe.

Oklahoma torched Texas 55-17, and don’t forget that it's played some worthy opponents on its way to a 5-0 mark.

All this makes its No. 11 ranking in scoring (42.5 points per game) and No. 14 ranking in points against (15.3 points per game) even more impressive (keep in mind, Missouri, Florida State and Texas).

The Sooners are the real deal, and though they’ll be challenged in the weeks ahead, this is as good an opportunity as Oklahoma has had recently to order the big cheesy enchilada off the El Futbol menu.

Oklahoma is really, really good.

Offensive Balance Wins Games

One of the more underappreciated statistical approaches to determining how teams earn consecutive victories is offensive balance, or running and passing at about the same success level, thereby allowing both to be done well.

Sure, this method is watered down and leaves out huge factors such defense and turnovers, but it’s still worth visiting.

To illustrate, LSU is 6-0 and has averaged 177 yards passing per game and 172.6 yards running per game...balance equals victories.

Yes, Illinois is also 6-0, and it's averaged 223.8 yards passing per game and 209.8 yards running per game...balance equals victories.

How about 5-0 Wisconsin? Well, it's averaged 280.4 yards per game through the air and 242.6 yards per game on the ground...balance equals victories.

Want to check out Alabama’s stats? OK, 208.2 yards per game passing and 229.8 yards per game rushing...balance equals victories.

To wrap things up, we’ll give up the antithesis in this oversimplified argument: Florida State has averaged 328 yards through the air per game and only 79.5 yards on the ground...it's 2-3.

Craig James and Mike Patrick Like to Exaggerate

The ESPN dynamic duo of James and Patrick is a colorful pair of announcers who probably won’t get a third team member assigned to their broadcast booth due to the fact that nobody could possibly get a word in edgewise.

Saturday afternoon’s coverage of the thrilling Miami FL at Virginia Tech game was no exception, as the two combined to put the “color” back in color commentary.

When there was a lull in the chat fest, fabricated statements like “most beautiful venue in college football,” “rarely will you see two QBs play this good in one game,” “as entertaining a game as we have seen in years” and “one of the best games I’ve ever seen” not only filled dead air—they also made you scratch your over talked-to head.

Sure, some of those statements may have been at least half true, but when you stitch exaggerations and embellishments together, you often manufacture a quilt of verbosity.

Southern Miss 63, Navy 35...The Implications

The Golden Eagles’ blowout victory over Navy in Annapolis represents a significant statistical mark in two ways.

First, Southern Miss’ 63 points are the most hung on a Midshipmen team since NC State scored 65 on its way to a 65-10 rout of Navy in 2002 (the Middies finished the season 2-10).

Secondly, the Golden Eagles' 63-point performance was the biggest score fest Southern Miss has enjoyed since 1987, when it racked up 65 points on Louisville in a 65-6 beatdown on its way to a 6-5 finish.

The ULL Ragin’ Cajuns Are Worth a Second Look

Despite nabbing a new head coach off Dan Mullen’s staff at Mississippi State, Louisiana-Lafayette had a fairly dismal outlook coming into the 2011 season.

Phil Steele predicted the Ragin' Cajuns would finish dead last in the Sun Belt Conference, Athlon had them at No. 8 (out of nine) and Sporting News had them dead last as well.

Hardly the stuff that compels you to rush out and purchase season tickets.

However, after six weeks of play they are 5-1 overall and 3-0 in Sun Belt play and are off to their best start since 1988, when they started 5-1 and went on to finish the season 6-5.

In Week 6 the Cajuns beat perennial Sun Belt front-runner Troy 31-17, marking their first victory over the Trojans since 2005.

Want to be more impressed?

Well, if ULL wins a couple of more games, it'll make a bowl for the first time in the history of its program.

It's beaten Kent State (MAC), FCS Nicholls State, FIU, FAU and Troy; the loss was to highly ranked Oklahoma State; and it has North Texas (2-4), WKU (1-4), Middle Tennessee (1-4), ULM (1-4), Arkansas State (4-2) and the Pac-12’s Arizona left to play.

I’m not saying, but maybe Mark Hudspeth has got something worth keeping an eye on down there in south Louisiana.

The Old Man Has Still Got IT

Kansas State’s Bill Snyder has his second Wildcat football revival well under way in Manhattan, Kan.

Snyder’s first restoration project started back in 1989, when he took over a KSU program that hadn’t won more than six games since 1954 and transformed it into a team that enjoyed nine-plus-win seasons 10 out of 11 times from 1993 to 2003.

After three years away from football, Snyder returned to Kansas State in 2009 and led the Wildcats to their first six-plus-win season in four seasons in 2010, and he has his 2011 squad off to its first 5-0 start since 2000, when it shot out to a 6-0 start on its way to an 11-3 finish that included a Big 12 North title and a win over Tennessee in the Cotton Bowl.

Bill Snyder turned 72 this past Friday and still has what it takes to produce winning football teams.

The Cotton Bowl Is Still a Great Venue

With the multimedia extravaganza that is Jerry Jones’ Cowboys Stadium lurking just across town, it’s intriguing that the Red River Rivalry has a deal sealed with the historic Cotton Bowl through 2015.

The Cotton Bowl at Fair Park became the host of the annual Oklahoma and Texas meeting in 1932, and despite the offer of more modern digs, the game still graces the historic stadium each year.

This past weekend was no different, as the 50-yard line spit the Sooners and the Longhorns into two distinct yet conjoined throngs all who paid witness to Oklahoma beating Texas by a score of 55-17.

Outside the field house the Texas State Fair rages on, and every conceivable item is fried up in delicious grease except for the iconic Ferris wheel.

In a world where the shiny gloss of new trumps the legendary, it’s comforting to know we can count on the Cotton Bowl stadium being around as a major venue for at least a few more years.

Ticket Prices Can Have Subliminal Messages

After unranked SMU toppled No. 20 TCU in Week 5, shots were fired from the Mustangs’ June Jones, who says his comments were misconstrued by the Frogs’ Gary Patterson, who went off on SMU and basically turned off the valve to further assistance (i.e. advice).

The situation was made worse by remarks made by jubilant SMU players, who were obviously ecstatic about being the reason the Horned Frogs were out of the polls for the first time since the middle of the 2008 season.

Well, TCU could be further offended, or perhaps SMU should be awarded a marketing commendation for the resulting pricing of the last four home games of the 2011 season.

Yes, Ponies fans need only pony up $40.33 to see the final four home games (UCF, Tulane, Navy and Rice) of 2011.

What’s the significance of $40.33 other than it’s a real bargain?

Well, the Mustangs beat the Horned Frogs 40-33.

That, friend, is a beautiful reminder of how passionate people are about college football.

Texas’ Youth Is Finally Exposed

Well, the gig was finally up for undefeated and youthful Texas, which had reached the ranks of perfection and a No. 11 ranking by playing a string of underwhelming opponents.

It’s not necessarily the Longhorns' fault that they won consecutive games against teams that haven’t performed as well as others, but the scenario definitely produces an illusion that seems to be dominance.

The Longhorns were 4-0 and ranked No. 11 coming into their annual meeting with No. 3 Oklahoma, and though they are talented, their youth was exposed against a stacked Sooner team that walloped Texas 55-17.

This all doesn’t add up to the Longhorns being a bad football team; instead, they can be more aptly defined as a young team that is improving but was totally uncovered (and laid out in bare naked fashion) by one of the best teams in the nation.

Georgia Tech Is 6-0 for the First Time Since 1966

Georgia Tech held off Maryland in Week 6 to score its first true 6-0 start since 1966, when the Yellow Jackets finished 9-2, including a 27-12 loss to Florida in the Orange Bowl.

The Georgia Tech squad to come closest to the mark since then was the 1990 team that opened the year 5-0 but tied North Carolina 13-13 in Chapel Hill in Week 6 on its way to an 11-0-1 finish, an ACC title and its fourth national championship.

The Yellow Jackets travel to Virginia next weekend to face the Cavaliers.

13 Teams Are Still Perfect

Heading in Week 4 we had 23 undefeated teams, and that number dropped to 15 after five full weeks of action.

Now that the dust has settled on Week 6, only 13 teams remain unscathed (losses by Texas and Texas Tech account for the reduction).

The roll of honor consists of Clemson (6-0), Georgia Tech (6-0), Kansas State (5-0), Oklahoma (5-0), Oklahoma State (5-0), Michigan (6-0), Illinois (6-0), Wisconsin (5-0), Houston (6-0), Boise State (5-0), Stanford (5-0), Alabama (6-0) and LSU (6-0).

Don’t forget, friend, history tells us that our 2011-12 national champion’s name is somewhere in the list of teams above.

Scintillating.

The Gainers, the Losers and the Tossers

This week’s AP poll movement report is fairly brief due to minimal losses among Top 25 teams (and zero among the Top 10), which resulted in a fairly stable ranking list from Week 6 to Week 7.

Following are the major gainers, losers and tossers.

The Gainers

West Virginia +3 (up from No. 16 to No. 13)

South Carolina +3 (up from No. 18 to No. 15)

Illinois +3 (up from No. 19 to No. 16)

Kansas State +3 (up from No. 20 to No. 17)

Arizona State +4 (up from No. 22 to No. 18)

Baylor +5 (up from No. 25 to No. 20)

Texas A&M +3 (up from No. 24 to No. 21)

Michigan State: moved back into the rankings at No. 23

Houston: moved into the rankings for the first time at No. 25

The Losers

Texas -11 (down from No. 11 to No. 22)

Auburn -9 (down from No. 15 to No. 24)

The Tossers

Florida: from No. 17 to completely out

Florida State: from No. 23 to completely out

Florida, Florida State and Miami Are All Unranked for the First Time in Forever

Sunday, October 9, 2011 marks the first time that the major Top 25 polls are devoid of Florida, Florida State and Miami FL since December 6, 1982.

That’s 10,534 days or 28 years, 10 months and three days since the “big three” from the Sunshine State have shared the unsatisfying feeling of being unranked together.

The Gators finished the 1982 season 8-4 and unranked, the Seminoles went 9-3 and finished at No. 13 in the AP and the Hurricanes were 7-4 and unranked back in ‘82.

The last time all three finished the season unranked together?

The Announcer at Williams-Brice Got Tired of Saying “First Down Gamecocks”

Who do you think leads the nation in highest average number of first downs per game?

Well, the leader is offensively prolific Oklahoma State, which has averaged 29.6 first downs per game thus far in 2011.

This number does nothing but amplify the loftiness of South Carolina’s 32 first downs against Kentucky this past Saturday.

Yes, the Gamecocks thumped the Wildcats 54-3, but 32 first downs is fairly significant for a team that averaged only 17.6 in its other five contests.

Wow.

Nordly Capi Should Have Gone to Your School

It’s hard not to want to bring up Colorado State’s sophomore DL Nordly Capi every week...he’s just sick.

Here’s the latest on the kid from Ocoee, Fla.:

He is No. 1 in the nation in sacks with eight.

He is No. 1 in the nation in forced fumbles with five.

He is tied for No. 10 in the nation in tackles for a loss with nine.

Holy Toledo...this guy is insane!

LSU Is Really, Really, Really GOOD

The Week 6 tri-really goes out to an LSU team that made beating its fourth Top 25 opponent of the year look easy.

Sure, they were at home in festive Baton Rouge, and yeah, the Gators had a serious deficiency at QB, but the Tigers simply made dispatching Florida look simple.

They held the Gators to 100 yards rushing (Florida had previously averaged over 200 yards per game), and they outgunned Florida in every major statistical category, including over-served fans.

LSU is physically scary, and it’s no flimsy argument to claim that it is the best team in the country right now.

What about Stanford, Wisconsin, Alabama and Oklahoma?

Well, the Crimson Tide come closest by virtue of beating three ranked teams, while Oklahoma has bested two Top 25 opponents, Wisconsin has defeated one and Stanford hasn’t even played anyone in the Top 25.

It’s hard to argue that.