College Football: 50 Things We Learned from Week 7

Though the elite portion of the top 25 looked underwhelming in terms of matchups coming into Week 7, the bottom three quarters foreshadowed a treasure trove of magical football matchups.

This bowl of booty didn’t disappoint, making Week 7 rock like none before it ultimately set a lofty bar for the weeks that come after it.

It was the "week of the blemish” that saw three teams fall from perfection, two squads drop from the rankings and an entire slew of statistical achievements that played out against unscripted comebacks, dominating performances and, in some cases, a delicious dose of “more of the same” in the greatest of all our beloved team sports.

The following slideshow once again provides the reader a weekly touchstone by gently suggesting 50 educational items that we learned in the glorious and gut-wrenching seventh week of college football.

Ryan Broyles Is One of the Most Prolific Receivers in History

It’s fairly easy to pinpoint guys who are “beastly” or “ridiculous” on a weekly or even seasonal basis. Oklahoma’s WR Ryan Broyles surpassed all short term labels in Saturday night’s game against Kansas to become one of the greatest pass catchers of all time.

Broyles' (a senior from Norman, OK) 13 grabs for 217 yards against the Jayhawks pushed his career grabs to 326, making him the record holder for most passes caught in a four year span.

Purdue's Taylor Stubblefield previously held the mark of 316 catches from 2001-04. The big difference between the two statistically is career yards. Stubblefield earned 3,433 career yards in four years while Broyles has already racked up 4,244 with six games remaining.

Broyles also has a shot at total career receiving yards (5,005, set by Nevada's Trevor Insley from 1996-98) and total career touchdown receptions (60, set by Rice's Jarett Dillard from 2005-08).

Clemson is 7-0 For the First Time Since 2000

While three other undefeated teams in the FBS field tanked in the seventh week of the 2011 schedule, the Clemson Tigers scored 21 fourth quarter points to seal a 56-45 win over Maryland and retain their perfect record.

The last time Clemson was 7-0 was in 2000, when they went 8-0 before dropping three out of the last four games (including the Gator Bowl to Virginia Tech) to finish 9-3 under Tommy Bowden.

Clemson has North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, NC State and South Carolina left in their 2011 campaign.

What 1975 Michigan vs. 2026 Michigan State Would Look Like

Everybody knew that Michigan State was going to sport their Nike Pro Combat Rivalry Uniform’s for their Week 7 showdown with Michigan in East Lansing, but nobody but the Wolverines knew about their secret plans to throw it back.

Yes, it was a thriller in Spartan Stadium as Michigan State toppled Michigan, 28-14 this past Saturday. It was also a visual fiesta as we were afforded a glimpse of what the 1975 Wolverines would look like taking on the futuristic Spartans.

At least you could tell who Michigan was on the field while Michigan State could have easily been mistaken for Oregon by the casual observer.

Less Than 100 Yards Rushing Equals Big Game Loss

We’re a football nation that loves to see the big play, the mastery of the throwing and catching of the pigskin pill and the racking up of yards in generous quantities.

Rarely do we laud nor perhaps appreciate the importance of the ground game, the grinding out of boring and hard-earned rushing yards.

The following stats remind us that even if you can throw the ball, if you can’t run it you may be setting yourself up for a fall that does not include the elusive “W” for which you were looking.

Baylor: 430 yards passing, 50 yards rushing, 55-28 loss to Texas A&M

Michigan: 168 yards passing, 82 yards rushing, 28-14 loss to Michigan State

Ole Miss: 113 yards passing, 28 yards rushing, 52-7 loss to Alabama

Florida: 128 yards passing, 66 yards rushing, 17-6 loss to Auburn

A lack of success on the ground equals losses in big games, or should we restate our hypothesis to say that run defense equals big wins.

A.J. McCarron Is Not Your Typical First Year Starter

It’s hard to think of the QB of the 7-0 rolling Crimson Tide as underrated, but on a dominating team stacked with stars it may be easy to overlook what sophomore QB A.J. McCarron is not doing.

McCarron is 117/174 for 1380 yards and nine TDs in 2011. What he hasn’t done is throw a pick since the two he tossed in the opener against Kent State.

That’s right, A.J. McCarron has thrown 151 passes without an interception, making him a key part of a dominating 7-0, squeaky clean, Alabama super squad.

10 Teams Remain Undefeated

Coming into Week 7, 13 teams were perfect and even without any head-to-head match-ups between the unblemished, only 10 squads survived the weekend unscathed.

Michigan, Georgia Tech and Illinois were the Week 7 casualties, leaving the flawless roll call as follows: Clemson (7-0), Kansas State (6-0), Oklahoma (6-0), Oklahoma State (6-0), Wisconsin (6-0), Houston (6-0), Boise State (6-0), Stanford (6-0), LSU (7-0) and Alabama (7-0).

If two of these teams can retain perfection (especially if they’re a BCS team) they will more than likely be in the BCS title game (and we know that LSU and Alabama are destined to end a perfect season when they meet on November 5).

Three Teams are Still Winless

An injustice to their respective fan bases, three teams remain winless through seven weeks of play.

The list remains untouched from last week when the same three teams were saddled with the unsavory “O-fer” tag and the dishonor roll is as follows;  UAB (0-6, lost to Tulsa 37-20), New Mexico (0-6, lost to Nevada 49-7) and FAU (0-6, lost to Western Kentucky 20-0).

Texas A&M Will Now Finally Leave the State of Texas

The Aggies are finally leaving Texas in 2011. We’re not talking about their much lauded move to the SEC, we’re talking about leaving the state to play a football game.

Texas A&M is yet to play a football game outside the Texas state lines this season. After the Aggies' 55-28 win over Baylor in Week 7’s final Battle of the Brazos in College Station, A&M will pack their bags and head north to Iowa State to face the Cyclones in Week 8.

The Aggies will have to get used to a lot more travel hours next year when the join the SEC. From a scheduling standpoint it’s still up in the air as to whether they’ll play any in-state games outside of those in College Station.

When’s the last time that happened?

Never Say Never

In this week’s edition of never say never we have a surprising number of "never before" feats for finally being in the meat of conference play.

Miami FL has never won a game in Chapel Hill. Prior to Saturday’s meeting, the Hurricanes had never triumphed over North Carolina in Chapel Hill.  In a stat that’s hard to completely digest Miami was 0-4 in Chapel Hill before knocking off the Tar Heels 30-24 in Week 7.

Texas has never lost to Oklahoma State twice in a row. Coming in to the Cowboys/Longhorns showdown in Austin on Saturday, OSU had never beaten Texas twice consecutively in their 25-game series. Not only did Week 7’s 38-26 Oklahoma State victory represent the Cowboy’s first ever back-to-back win over the Horns, it is also the only the fourth time they’ve ever beaten Texas.

New Mexico has never lost to Nevada. In what is officially dubbed “The Battle of the Wolves” the Wolfpack has never triumphed over the Lobos. That is until they whipped them 49-7 this past weekend. The win puts the all-time series at 1-2-1, in favor of New Mexico.

SMU has never beaten UCF. Prior to Saturday’s rematch of the 2010 Conference USA title game between SMU and UCF, the Mustangs had never bested the Knights in three previous tries.  All that changed with SMU’s 38-17 Week 7 win in Dallas.

UTEP has never won in the Superdome.  Before Saturday, the Miners were 0-2 against Tulane on their home turf, which made Saturday’s 44-7 beat down of the Green Wave in New Orleans a first ever affair.

WKU has never beaten FAU. In this battle of acronyms, FAU has dominated Western Kentucky. Prior to Week 7, the Owls held a 3-0 all-time advantage over the Hilltoppers. All that changed when WKU scored its first ever win over FAU, pitching a 20-0 shutout on their way to a 2-1 record in conference play.

Eastern Michigan is Making a Move

Eastern Michigan’s 35-28 victory over Central Michigan this past Saturday (fueled by a 21-point fourth quarter score fest) gives the Eagles their best start since 1995.

Yes, EMU is 4-3 for the first time since they achieved the same opening mark 16 years ago on their way to 6-5 record under then coach Rick Rasnick.

The Eagles are riding their unprecedented success on the shoulders of a running game that ranks No. 15 in the nation. With 229.1 yards per game, EMU is anchored by a trio of players who all have gained over 400 yards each thus far in the season (Javonti Greene, Dominque White and QB Alex Gillet).

What’s even more impressive is the fact that the three losses came to the likes of Michigan (31-3), Penn State (34-6) and Toledo (54-16).

What’s at stake for EMU this season is an opportunity to make only their second bowl appearance in school history and their first since 1987 when they upended San Jose State in the California Bowl.

If that’s not enough to get your head spinning, remember that for third year head coach Ron English the four wins represent twice the total wins he’s had at the helm of Eastern Michigan (he was 2-22 coming into the 2011 campaign).

Tuesday Games are Just Around the Corner, Literally

With Week 7 in the books, Week 8 signals the beginning of the mid-week college football games so loved by non-football spouses, yearning for a couple nights off from the greatest of all games.

The saturation begins this Tuesday, October 18 when FIU travels to Arkansas State for a Sun Belt showdown at 8 p.m. on ESPN 2.

Weeks nine through 12 feature both Tuesday and Wednesday games (all televised). Things drop off with a final Tuesday night game in Week 13 that marks the end of the mid-week festivities.

Homecoming Sweeps

Week 7 marked 16 FBS team’s homecoming festivities. Though custom dictates that teams schedule a somewhat winnable opponent, there was plenty of grade A football for returning alumni around the country.

Here are the results of Week 7 homecoming contests, celebratory teams were 10-6 this past Saturday:

Wisconsin (vs. Indiana):  Wisconsin wins 59-7

Penn State (vs. Purdue):  Penn State wins 23-18

Missouri (vs. Iowa State): Missouri wins 52-17

Maryland (vs. Clemson): Clemson wins 56-45

Cal (vs. USC):  USC wins 30-9

UConn (vs. USF):  UConn wins 16-10

Rutgers (vs. Navy):  Rutgers wins 21-20

Marshall (vs. Rice):  Marshall wins 24-20

Fresno State (vs. Utah State):  Fresno State wins 31-21

San Jose State (vs. Hawaii):  San Jose State wins 28-27 

Central Michigan (vs. Eastern Michigan):  Eastern Michigan wins 35-28

Ohio (vs. Ball State):  Ball State wins 23-20

Temple (vs. Buffalo): Temple wins 34-0

Kent State (vs. Miami OH): Miami OH wins 9-3

Bowling Green (vs. Toledo):  Toledo wins 28-21

Louisiana-Lafayette (vs. North Texas): ULL wins 30-10

Cal has lost Six Straight Conference Games

Cal’s 30-9 loss to USC on Thursday night marked the Golden Bears’ sixth straight loss to a Pac-12 foe.

Cal hasn’t beaten a conference opponent since they knocked off Washington State 20-13 on November 6, 2010 in Pullman. Their win in Week 2 over Colorado was a non-conference game due to its previous scheduling as such.

The Golden Bears will have to win three of their six remaining games to match their 3-6 conference record from last season, their worst conference mark since they finished with the same record in 2007. If they don’t score three league wins they risk their worst mark since going 0-8 in 2001.

Cal faces Utah at home next weekend before traveling to UCLA. Then they host Washington State, Oregon State and finish the season with road trips to Stanford and Arizona State.

Bowling Green and Toledo are Near and Dear, but Not Nearest

The Toledo Rockets had to travel just 23 short miles of beautiful Ohio roads to face the Falcons of Bowling Green this past Saturday (the Rockets won 28-21). The two rivals are among the nearest geographic neighbors in all of the FBS.

Who is closer?  Well, would you believe eight sets of teams?

San Jose State and Stanford—17 miles apart

Duke and North Carolina—15 miles apart

UCLA and USC–13 miles apart

Akron and Kent State–15 miles apart

Washington State and Idaho—9 miles apart

Michigan and Eastern Michigan—8 miles apart

Miami and FIU—7 miles apart

Rice and Houston—5 miles apart

To Whom to Send a Bouquet

If you’re anything like me you’ll have a huge to-do list to take care of before Week 8 of college football gets underway.

Regardless of how busy your week might be, don’t forget to send some bereavement flowers, a “sorry for your loss” greeting card or perhaps a warm, hearty casserole to the following fan bases who might need a pick me up after what happened on the football field in Week 7.

On our condolence Rota for this week are: Ole Miss fans, Hoosier backers, Wolverine addicts, Yellow Jackets, the Fighting Illini, Baylor Bear groupies, people of the Swamp, Cal fans, Pitt buffs, the entire US Navy, Central Michigan followers, all residents of Colorado, Beaver backers and the people of the Fear the Fork campaign.

Russell Wilson is the Top Rated Passer in College Football

Wisconsin’s transfer phenom QB Russell Wilson went 12/17 for 166 yards, one TD and zero picks (he also ran twice for 42 yards) last Saturday in the Badgers 59-7 beat down of Indiana, enough to make him the top tosser in college football.

Wilson’s 210.9 passer rating is tops in the nation, giving him an edge over Baylor’s Robert Griffin III at 205.7, Stanford’s Andrew Luck at 180.5, Boise State’s Kellen Moore at 179.7 and Washington’s Keith Price at 177.9.

The Most Penalized Teams in the Nation

By now we’ve all seen a couple of games that include flags being thrown left, right and center. Which teams top the country in terms of penalties through seven weeks of play?

In terms of penalty yards per game Arizona State is tops with 80.7 while in terms of actual penalties per game Florida State and Florida tie to lead the nation with 8.7 flags per game.

Who has racked up the most total penalties thus far this season?  That honor also goes to the Gators, who have a whopping 61 total penalties in seven games. The most penalized team in total yards assessed is Arizona State with 565 yards.

The Least Penalized Team in the Nation

Now that we know who has been flagged down the most times thus far in 2011, which team has shown the most discipline and control and are the least penalized team in the FBS ranks?

In terms of least penalty yards assessed per game, Navy is tops with a mere 22.8 yards per game. The Midshipmen also lead the nation in terms of the fewest actual penalties per game with a very minor 2.3 flags per game.

Navy also has the honor of having the fewest total penalties with 14. They score a complete victory in the low penalty sweepstakes by also having the least total yards lost with just 137.

Quote of the Week

In reference to LSU’s sophomore CB Tyrann "honey badger" Mathieu (a fearless animal that has been known to rob bee hives and eat cobras), Tiger defensive coordinator John Cavis quipped “Oh, I love me some honey badgers.”

And love him some he should, as Mathieu snatches the ball from offenders like a honey badger in a beehive. He has already amassed three strips (two returned for touchdowns), two picks, 42 total tackles (29 solo, five for a loss), 1.5 sacks, five broken up passes and four forced fumbles through seven games.

Mathieu is already a legitimate Heisman contender. Even though a defender hasn’t won the bronze statuette since Michigan CB Charles Woodson did so back in 1997, Mathieu has the skill set and the team affiliation to be a once in a decade type player.

Boise State Needs to Play SOMEBODY

Boise State entered Week 7 at 5-0 and ranked No. 5 in the AP and No. 6 in the USA Today poll. Although they’ve been nothing short of dominant you have to ask yourself who they’ve really played.

The Broncos are now 6-0 after whipping up on Colorado State, 63-13 on the road this past Saturday. They rank No. 7 in points, with 44.3 points per game and No. 8 in points against, with only 14.5 points allowed per game. But again, who have they played?

The obvious answer is Georgia, who was ranked No. 19 in the opener. But they haven't been listed among the best 25 teams in the land since (though they’ve rebounded nicely and are now 5-2).

After beating the Bulldogs soundly, the Broncos have gone on to play Toledo, Tulsa, Nevada, Fresno State and Colorado State, who combine for a 16-16 record. None have been ranked and only one has a winning record.

You could make similar remarks about Wisconsin and Stanford, but those teams are going to play somebody among their tricky conference slates. That leaves Boise State hanging their entire “we belong” hat on their November 12 game against TCU (who is 4-2 and in rebuilding mode).

You can’t say that they aren’t good, because they are.  But how good could they be if they don’t play near the type of schedule that other top 10 teams will face?

Red Zone Winners and Losers

Texas’ near miss against No. 6 Oklahoma State last Saturday served as a reminder of how critical it is to score touchdowns when you reach the opponent’s red zone.

The Longhorns lost 38-26 to the Cowboys. Part of the story is that they had the ball inside OSU’s 20 three times and walked away with only one TD, one field goal and a turnover on downs.

Suddenly 21 potential points became 10 in a game that was decided by 12. That’s huge.

Here are the best and worst teams in terms of percentage of red zone visits resulting in a touchdown through seven weeks of play:

At the Top

Wisconsin: 87.88 percent

Utah State: 83.33 percent

Texas Tech: 81.82 percent

Stanford: 80.65 percent

LSU: 80 percent

Oregon: 80 percent

At the Bottom

UAB: 20 percent

San Jose State: 36.36 percent

Central Michigan: 41.18 percent

Louisville: 41.67 percent

Memphis: 41.67 percent

Texas A&M is Really Good, But Their Pass Defense is Not

This week we award the Aggies a conditional “really good” award that recognizes their improvements in holding on to a lead in the second half of games. But faithful fans should be warned of a potentially troubling pass defense.

The Aggies made dispatching both Baylor and Texas Tech look fairly simple. But their pass defense ranks last out of 120 teams nationally by virtue of giving up a whopping 361.3 yards per game through the air.

Texas A&M has a good team that looks to be building momentum. They rank No. 22 in passing yards, No. 16 in rushing yards and are No. 5 nationally in rushing defense.

But with Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas State and Texas still left to play, improving the pass defense will be the key to the Aggies' last season in the Big 12 being a successful one.

Week 7 Special Award Winners

Though you could easily come up with a dozen deeds deserving special mention in the week that was Week 7 in college football, here’s three special commendations worth honoring.

The Sloppiest Game of the Week Award—Hawaii at San Jose State was a game that featured 12 total turnovers (three INTs and three fumbles for each team); the Spartans won the turnover fest 28-27.

The Best Comeback of the Week Award—Clemson, who scored 39 second half points to earn a comeback victory at Maryland that ultimately preserved the Tigers perfect record (7-0).

The You Should Punt or Go For It Award—Texas Tech, who followed last week’s special teams performance—that included giving up a blocked field goal for touchdown in a five point loss to Texas A&M—with two blocked field goal attempts to Kansas State in a 41-34 loss. 

The Quickest Way to Want to Drop Your Chicken Wing

FX seems determined to make college football fans think twice about their eating habits by having Weight Watchers sponsor their in-game statistical bar.

There is absolutely nothing that will make you drop that greasy, saucy and calorie ridden chicken wing quicker than stats that are blazingly brought to you by Weight Watchers.

 Come on man, what’s next? The college football scoreboard presented by Tampax?

End Zone Lock Outs

Of the 50 FBS contests in Week 7, only two games ended in an offensive stalemate for one of the valiant competitors. Following are the scoreless details.

Temple 34, Buffalo 0—The Owls blanked the Bulls in Week 7, earning their No. 2 ranked scoring defense (allowing only 9.6 points per game) their second straight shutout on the season (Temple beat Ball State 42-0 in Week 6).

Western Kentucky 20, FAU 0—The Hilltoppers shut out the Owls 20-0 to score not only their second victory on the season, but also their first ever shutout as a member of the FBS (WKU joined in 2009).

The Underrated Award Goes To…The Ohio State Defense

Many would argue that the key to the Buckeyes' 17-7 win over No. 16 Illinois was the notion that the Illini were overrated. Don’t let that idea overstate the valid argument that Ohio State’s defense is worthy of a tip of the hat.

Coming into week 7 the Buckeye defense was ranked No. 36 in rush defense (116.67 yards per game), No. 17 in scoring defense (17.8 points per game), No. 22 in passing defense (191.5 yards per game) and No. 22 in total defense (308.2 yards per game).

Illinois, on the other hand, ranked No. 31 in points scored (34.7 points per game), No. 69 in passing yards (221.5 yards per game) and No. 13 in rushing yards (226.2 yards per game) coming into their matchup with Ohio State.

So, how did the Buckeye defense do? Illinois scored just seven points, had only 169 yards of passing and 116 yards of rushing.

Are you still not convinced that the Ohio State offense was the real hero?  Freshman QB Braxton had only one completion in four attempts for 17 yards of total passing. The Buckeyes ran for 211 yards in addition to the defense's three turnovers, lending a very big hand in the 17-7 win.

Say what you want to about their anemic offense, but the OSU defense is keeping the Buckeyes afloat (if that’s what you want to call a 4-3 mark).

The Bizarre Love Triangle

In reports that surfaced early Saturday,  Boise State has showed its commitment to the MWC by participating in the unanimous vote to join up with the C-USA to make the first ever super-non-BCS conference (who hopes to earn BCS status, possibly stripping it from the Big East in the process).

At the same time, the Big East is offering the Broncos at least a short term guarantee of being an AQ school.

The Big East has BCS AQ status through at least 2013 when the BCS redoes its TV contracts and re evaluates who is in and who is out. That's tempting to other schools like Navy, Houston, SMU, UCF and Air Force, who currently have no clear map to the money trail.

Houston, SMU and UCF were also there for the unanimously approved hook-up with the MWC (but they were on the other end of the phone, with the C-USA) making the “bizarre love triangle” more than a dance club hit from the 1980s.

That was a time when Texas Tech was still a member of the Southwest Conference—before Arkansas bolted for the SEC, signaling the demise of the SWC, the rise of the Big 12 and the eventual divorce of Texas A&M from the state of Texas via a defection to, you guessed it, the SEC.

Oh the intrigue.

Penn State Squeaks By Again

The Nittany Lions may be the least impressive one-loss team in the nation.

They’re 6-1 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play. Throwing out a 41-7 blowout win over FCS Indiana State in the opener, Penn State has beaten its five other opponents by an average of 10.6 points per game.

In terms of wins against conference foes, the Nittany Lions have a combined total margin of victory of 21 points. We’re talking Indiana, Iowa and Purdue (not Michigan State, Wisconsin and Nebraska).

Penn State’s 28-16 home victory over 3-3 Purdue this past Saturday makes you wonder what will happen when they meet up with Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and even Northwestern (this coming weekend) as the season rolls on.

Winner of the Illibuck Turtle

The second oldest trophy in the storied Big Ten, the Illibuck trophy, has been awarded to the winner of the Ohio State and Illinois game since 1925.

The original prize was a live turtle which was selected for its symbolic longevity representing the permanence of the rivalry itself. Ironically, the turtle died in 1927 and was replaced with the first of 10 wooden tortoise prizes.

Ohio State took home the 2011 Illibuck by virtue of besting Illinois 17-7. The Buckeyes lead the all-time series 63-30-4.

Virginia Is Off to Their Best Start Since 2007

Virginia’s shocking 24-21 win over No. 12 Georgia Tech earns the Cavaliers a 4-2 record. It marks their best start since 2007 when they went 5-1 through their first six games on their way to a 9-4 finish. They would lose to Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl.

The Cavaliers' four wins equals their total victories from 2010 and eclipses their three wins in 2009.

Michigan State’s First Paul Bunyan 4-Peat in 50 Years

Sparty’s 28-14 triumph over No. 11 Michigan on Saturday marked only the fourth time in history that Michigan State has beaten the Wolverines on four consecutive occasions—he other three being stretches from 1934 to 1937, 1950 to 1953 and 1959 to 1962.

The current Michigan State seniors have never suffered a loss to Michigan. Conversely, the current Wolverine seniors have never sipped from the chalice of in-state victory against the Spartans.

Michigan State has never upended Michigan for the Paul Bunyan Trophy five years in a row but the Wolverines lead the all-time series 67-32-5.

Solo First Dance

With the conference schedules fully underway across the nation, one lone matchup represents a first ever meeting. It is also an in-league game, at least for now.

Boise State vs. Colorado State: The Broncos win the first ever meeting between the two, 63-13 in Fort Collins, CO.

ULM Beats Troy: The Historical Ramifications

Though on the surface Louisiana-Monroe’s 38-10 victory over Troy this past Saturday may not seem worthy of any special recognition, when you dig a little deeper you find a literal goldmine of historical firsts.

To start, in the 13-game history of the series the road team has never won. That all changed when the Warhawks scored 35 second half points to topple the Trojans on the road in suitably named Troy, AL.

Secondly, and again until this past Saturday, ULM had never bested Troy in back-to-back contests. That achievement has now been sealed by adding last year’s 28-14 triumph in Monroe to this year’s first ever victory at Troy.

Both teams are now 2-4.

The Aggies vs. Longhorns Series Is Over

According to a report by ESPN published on Friday, Texas’ AD DeLoss Dodds has informed Texas A&M’s AD Bill Byrne via e-mail that the Longhorns are booked through 2018 from a non-conference schedule which looks to signal the end of the 117-year rivalry between the two.

The situation is a direct result of the Aggies defection to the SEC combined with Texas’ uncertainty regarding the future of the Big 12 and the scheduling implications.

The series began in 1894 and has operated in consecutive seasons since 1915. Texas leads the Aggies with the overall mark of 75-37-5.

Sadly, the November 24 meeting between the two in College Station this season may be the last for quite some time.

New Mexico Is Not a Road Team

In a statement that won’t shock a whole bunch of folks, New Mexico is struggling on the road.

Though you might immediately think to yourself, “yeah, and they’re bad at home too,” the Lobos' road record is awful enough to make mention of all on its own.

Including New Mexico’s Week 7 loss at Nevada (49-7) the Lobos have lost 18 straight road games which means that their last road victory came two and a half years ago in 2008.

Yes, New Mexico last won a game away from Albuquerque on September 27, 2008 when they beat in-state rival New Mexico State 35-24 in Las Cruces.

The last time the Lobos won a game outside of the state of New Mexico? That was a year earlier in 2007 when they beat San Diego State 20-17 at Qualcomm Stadium.

Ouch.

Clemson is Really, Really Good

Many times the difference between a good season and a great season is winning a few games that look to be over by virtue of playing hard all the way to the final whistle.

This is exactly what Clemson did when they scored 39 second half points to ice Maryland on the road in Week 7. It's even more impressive when you consider the fact that Illinois, Georgia Tech and Michigan all suffered their first losses of the season to teams over which they were favored.

Clemson may not display the dominance of LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, Wisconsin, Stanford or even Boise State, but they’re flat out getting it done against every opponent they meet.

The next test for the Tigers is a Week 8 clash with a very good North Carolina team in Clemson.

Michigan State—Holy DEFENSE!

At 4-1 and struggling to stay afloat in voters’ minds in the top 25, it was easy to forget that Michigan State led the nation in total defense coming into Week 7, allowing only 173.4 yards total offense per game.

To illustrate the effectiveness of State’s “D” they faced off this past Saturday with a Wolverine squad that averaged 200.5 yards passing, 257 yards rushing and 38 points scoring offense. Michigan State held them to 168 yards passing, 82 yards rushing and 14 points, resulting in a 28-14 MSU upset victory.

If that doesn’t impress you, how about the fact that the Spartans scored seven sacks in the second half alone? Seven sacks in one half.

Go Green. Go White. Go Defense.

Next week, Michigan State’s top ranked offense hosts Wisconsin’s No. 3 ranked scoring offense. Provocative.

New Conference Updates

Nebraska became the first squad with a new conference home in 2011 to score a first ever league game victory. They earned a thrilling comeback win over Ohio State in Week 6, leaving three teams still looking for their first new home win.

Here’s an update:

Utah faced Pitt this past Saturday (they won, 26-14) which means they will have to wait until next Saturday to score their first ever Pac-12 victory when they travel to Cal.  The Utes are currently 0-3 in new conference play, dropping games to USC, Washington and Arizona State.

The Boise State Broncos opened their first ever MWC campaign with a 63-13 beat down of Colorado State in Fort Collins this past Saturday and are now 1-0 in conference play.

The Buffaloes were 0-2 in Pac-12 play coming into Week 7 (losses to Washington State and Stanford) when they hoped to score their first ever conference win over Washington in Seattle. 

The Huskies 52-24 beat down of Colorado this past Saturday means the Buffaloes will have to try yet again for their first ever Pac-12 win next weekend when the Ducks come to Boulder for a Saturday afternoon showdown.

13 “We’re Already There” Teams

Through seven weeks of play, 13 teams have already surpassed their win totals from last season, making these squads the biggest turnaround stories of the 2011 season.

Vanderbilt: 2010 record 2-10, 2011 record thus far 3-3, six regular season games remaining.

Clemson: 2010 record 6-7, 2011 record thus far 7-0, five regular season games remaining.

Wake Forest: 2010 record 3-9, 2011 record thus far 4-2, six regular season games remaining.

Washington State: 2010 record 2-10, 2011 record thus far 3-3, six regular season games remaining.

Cincinnati: 2010 record 4-8, 2011 record thus far 5-1, six regular season games remaining.

Rutgers: 2010 record 4-8, 2011 record thus far 5-1, six regular season games remaining.

Wyoming:  2010 record 3-9, 2011 record thus far 4-2, six regular season games remaining.

Houston:  2010 record 5-7, 2011 record thus far 6-0, six regular season games remaining.

San Jose State:  2010 record 1-12, 2011 record thus far 3-4, five regular season games remaining.

New Mexico State:  2010 record 2-10, 2011 record thus far 3-3, six regular season games remaining.

Eastern Michigan:  2010 record 2-10, 2011 record thus far 4-3, five regular season games remaining.

Bowling Green:  2010 record 2-10, 2011 record thus far 3-4, five regular season games remaining.

ULL: 2010 record 3-9, 2011 record thus far 6-1, five regular season games remaining.

4 “We’re Not Going to Get There” Teams

The opposite of the previous slide is that there are four teams who have already played themselves into a hole so deep that they can’t reach last year’s win total, regardless of what they do.

Auburn: 2010 record 14-0, 2011 record thus far 5-2, five regular season games remaining.   

Ohio State: 2010 record 12-1, 2011 record thus far 4-3, five regular season games remaining.

TCU: 2010 record 13-0, 2011 record thus far 4-2, six regular season games remaining.   

Nevada:  2010 record 13-1, 2011 record thus far 3-3, six regular season games remaining.

Stop 6 on the Conference Tour Is Sweet for the Toads

TCU had been a member of the Southwest Conference since 1923. When the league dissolved in 1996 the Frogs started a conference membership tour that finally came full circle last Monday when they joined the Big 12 that left them behind 15 years earlier.

The big purple bus made stops at the WAC (1996-2000), Conference USA (2001-04) and Mountain West (2005-2011) followed by a “drive by” the Big East (2012 almost) on their way home to the Big 12.

If you include the Southwest Conference, the Big East and now the Big 12, the Horned Frogs have been members of six conferences over the past 15 years.

It reminds me a lot of the six historic flags that have flown over the state of Texas (Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America and the USA).

Really, it’s the same concept, raise the flag when you join up and the lower it and raise a new banner when a new government takes over.

What’s even more remarkable is the fact that TCU has nine Southwest Conference titles, two WAC crowns, a Conference USA title and three MWC championships.

Watch out Big 12…you’re next.

Kansas State Is 6-0 For the First Time Since 2000

After upending Texas Tech 41-34 last Saturday night in Lubbock, K-State is 6-0 for the first time in just over a decade.

The 2000 Wildcat squad went on to enjoy an 11-3 record that included a Big 12 North Divisional title,  a narrow three-point loss to Oklahoma in the in the Big 12 title game and a win over Tennessee in the Cotton Bowl.

If Kansas State can beat Kansas on the road in Week 8 they will rise to 7-0 for the first time since 1999 when they stormed out of the gates to a 9-0 start on their way to an 11-1 record.

3 Streaks Live for Another Season

Regardless of the shifting that has gone on at the top of the major conferences, Week 7 paid tribute to the continuation of three long running streaks that had a legit chance of ending in 2011.

First, USC’s 30-9 drubbing of Cal on Thursday night represented the eighth straight Trojan win in the series.  The Golden Bears' last win over USC came in a triple OT thriller in 2003. USC leads the all-time series 64-29-5.

Secondly, Georgia’s narrow 33-28 escape at Vanderbilt on Saturday marked their 10th consecutive win in Nashville.  The last time the Bulldogs lost in Music City was in 1991 when they fell to Vanderbilt 27-25.  Georgia leads the all-time series 52-18-2.

Lastly, Ohio State’s shocking 17-7 upset at No. 16 Illinois on Saturday afternoon heralded the Buckeyes ninth consecutive win in Champaign.  The last time the Illini got the better of Ohio State at home was in 1991 when they sent OSU packing with a 10-7 loss.  The Buckeyes lead the all time series 63-30-4.

Ronnie Hillman is a Beast

San Diego State’s sophomore RB Ronnie Hillman continues to rack up an obscene number of yards. His 172 rushing yards in the Aztecs' 41-27 win over Air Force on Thursday night was his sixth 100-plus yard performance of the season.

Hillman ranks No. 6 among runners nationally in total yards and is tied for No. 7 in rushing TDs with 10.

Hillman posted 1532 yards on 262 carries in his freshman season and has already gained 833 yards on 145 rushes in 2011.

With six games left to play this season (and the real possibility of a bowl appearance), Hillman is on track to at least meet his yard production from his freshman season.

If he keeps pace (and gains a bit more than his current average) he could have an outside opportunity to make a run at the NCAA four-year career rushing record.

The mark is 6,397 yards and is held by Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne (1996-99), leaving Hillman 4,032 yards to gain in two and a half years.

If Hillman plays out his complete career with the Aztecs that means he would need to gain an average of 134.4 yards per game for the next 30 games.

Louisiana-Lafayette Is Bowl Eligible

ULL’s 6-1 start in 2011 simply cannot be overstated. Only one win stands between the Cajuns and their first six-plus win season since they went 7-4 in 1989.

This also means that it is realistic to think if ULL scores just one more victory that they will be invited to a postseason game. That may not ring any bells until you realize that they haven't played in a postseason bowl game since 1970.

Standing between ULL and destiny are games at Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State, Arizona and at home against ULM.

Holy Toledo!

The Hot Seat Thermometer Through Week 7

Last week spelled the end of Arizona’s Mike Stoops turn on the steamy coaches’ hot seat. He was relieved from his duties at the helm of the Wildcats after a 1-5 start after dropping the last five games of 2010.

The following list measures the thermometer for five of the remaining blistering chairs in college coaching.

Neil Callaway, UAB:  2011 record 0-6, overall record in 4.5 seasons 15-39, last win November 20, 2010 over Memphis, most recent game a Week 7 loss at Tulsa, 37-20.  Thermometer: Rising Quickly.

Jeff Tedford, Cal: 2011 record 3-3 (0-3 Pac-12), overall record in 9.5 seasons 75-45, last conference win November 6, 2010, most recent game a Week 7 loss vs. USC 30-9. Thermometer: Steadily Rising.

Rick Neuheisel, UCLA:  2011 record 3-3 (2-1 Pac-12), overall record in 3.5 seasons 18-25, only winning season 2009 (7-6), most recent game a Week 6 win over Washington State 28-25. Thermometer: Stable for at least six days.

Houston Nutt, Ole Miss:  2011 record 2-4 (0-3 SEC), overall record in 3.5 seasons 24-20, last SEC win October 2, 2010 over Kentucky 42-35, last divisional win November 21, 2009 over LSU 25-23, most recent game a Week 7 loss to Alabama 52-7. Thermometer: Rising Quickly.

Mike Riley, Oregon State: 2011 record 1-5 (1-2 Pac-12), overall record in 10.5 seasons 70-59, last back-to-back wins October 2 and 9 2010 over Arizona State and Arizona, most recent game a 38-28 loss to BYU. Thermometer: Heating Up.

Who Gained, Who Lost and Who Is out

In this week’s AP poll movement report we see a Top 10 that remains completely imtact from the Week 7 rankings, followed by a swath of movement among the bottom 15 ranked teams.

Following are the highlights:

Biggest Gainers

Kansas State: Up five slots from No. 17 to No. 12

Michigan State: Up eight slots from No. 23 to No. 15

Texas A&M: Up four slots from No. 21 to No. 17

Auburn: Up five slots from No. 24 to No. 19

Houston: Up four slots from No. 25 to No. 21

Washington: In the AP for the first time this season.

Georgia: Back in the AP for the first time since the preseason AP. 

Biggest Losers

Michigan: Down seven slots from No. 11 to No. 18

Georgia Tech: Down eight slots from No. 12 to No. 20

Illinois: Down six slots from No. 18 to No. 24

Arizona State: Down six slots from No. 18 to No. 24 

Out

Baylor:  Ranked No. 20 in Week 7 and now out of the rankings.

Texas:  Ranked No. 22 in Week 8 and now out of the rankings.

Will Muschamp’s 2011 Halloween Costume

College football fans got an early glimpse at Will Muschamp’s 2011 Halloween costume that was suddenly put on public display after a highly questionable muffed punt call in the first quarter of last Saturday evening’s game with Auburn.

Apparently TMZ has reported and the officials from the said contest have confirmed that Florida’s Muschamp will be trick or treating as Bo Pelini, of whom he does an excellent impression.

The Conference Power Rankings

Through seven weeks of play, here are the conference power rankings based on number of teams in the AP Top 25 followed by their average rankings.

SEC—Six teams ranked/11.6 average ranking

Big Ten—Five teams ranked/14.6 average ranking

Big 12—Four teams ranked/9.5 average ranking

Pac-12—Four teams ranked/15.5 average ranking

ACC—Three teams ranked/14.6 average ranking

MWC—One team ranked at No. 5

Big East—One team ranked at No. 11

C-USA—One team ranked at No. 21

LSU is Really, Really, Really Good

It’s hard to overstate how well LSU has played thus far in 2011. They’re 7-0, they’ve faced four ranked teams (three away from home), they’ve played four games outside of Baton Rouge. They are No. 20 in scoring (38.4 points per game) and No. 7 in scoring defense (11.7 points per game).

The Tigers are No. 6 in rushing defense, No. 15 in passing defense. Though they’re passing game hasn’t dazzled, they have managed almost 200 yards per game on the ground.

These guys are getting it done all over the field and they’re making it look pretty easy.

LSU is really, really, really good and they’ll have to continue to play well to survive No. 3 Alabama on the road on November 5.

They also have to keep kicking to run the table of remaining opponents, including No. 24 Auburn (next weekend in Baton Rouge) and No. 10 Arkansas (the finale, also in Baton Rouge).