Hard to believe we're already five weeks into the 2011 season. It's flying by!! Random thoughts and observations from another exciting weekend of football:
Houston's record-setting - and record-chasing - quarterback Case Keenum was in action Friday night, helping the Cougars to a big win vs. in-state rivals UTEP. UH had two players cross the 100 yard rushing barrier, and Keenum, for a change, was featured in a support roll. Still, impressive numbers: 30-46 for 471 yards and 2 TDs for a QB Rating of 165.6. And, on the ground, he had a single carry for 18 yards. Solid day once more. Those are Heisman numbers, people.
Maybe South Florida aren't the best team in the Big East. The sixteenth-ranked team in the country went into Heinz Field on Thursday night and ran into the Pittsburgh Panthers and their RB Ray Graham, who had a whopping 226 yards and 2 TDs to open their conference account with a win. The Bulls were withered by the Panther storm, hardly getting anything rolling when they had the football. And that wasn't often. Pitt controlled the ball for more than 36 minutes.
In the space of two weeks, the Texas A&M season has fallen apart. Highly-ranked and highly thought of heading into their home game vs. Oklahoma State, they came out on the wrong side, giving up a huge half-time lead to the Cowboys. So, you'd think that the Aggies would play a full sixty minutes and not let it happen again this week, right? Wrong! Arkansas stormed back from an 18-point deficit to beat A&M at Cowboys Stadium. Huge loss for A&M. You wonder about their psyche now.
Huge win for Arkansas and their QB Tyler Wilson - or, as Urban Meyer called him on ESPN, Russell Wilson - who had a huge game: 30-51 for 509 yards and 2 TDs. He single-handedly brought the Razorbacks back in the second half, despite taking some huge hits early. Gutsy, signature win for Wilson and the Hogs after being destroyed in the second half last week vs. Alabama.
Out west, in a game devoid of defense, USC's offensive weapons went to work. QB Matt Barkley set a school record for passing yards: 32-39 for 464 yards and 464 yards. He also ran twice for 2 yards and a TD. His QB Rating was 210.7. Chief beneficiary of that excellent day was WR Robert Woods, the electrifying sophomore, who had 14 receptions for 252 yards and 2 TDs. Eye-popping numbers.
Kansas State continued an amazing season, beating #15 Baylor 36-35 in Manhattan. Baylor QB Robert Griffin threw his first INT of the season, and the Bears defense could not properly slow down the K-State offense when they really needed to. And so, the Wildcats are just moving along nicely, under the radar in the Big XII, perhaps readying themselves to make a charge at that crown. Don't sleep on them!
Michigan State beat Ohio State 10-7 in Columbus, making a bad season worse for the Buckeyes, who looked completely and totally inept on offense, achieving only 178 total yards all day against a Spartans defense that came into the game as the national leader in total defense. They had help today from a confused and out-of-sorts Buckeye team, who narrowly avoided their first home shut-out since 1982 vs. Wisconsin with a late score and struggled to make even the most basic plays while giving up nine sacks. For interim coach Luke Fickell, this was as bad as bad gets. It's a long road back now for the Buckeyes.
Clemson went into Lane Stadium and beat Virginia Tech 23-3. The hype surrounding the Tigers is real, people. They are the deserved ACC favourites now. Talk about a signature win for Dabo Swinney's program. That was it right there in Blacksburg today.
What about Michigan? It was a 58-0 demolition of Minnesota today, and, amazingly, their defense looked pretty handy, giving up only 177 total yards. But it was QB Denard Robinson who destroyed the Gophers, working his usual magic. He was 15-19 passing for 169 and two scores, and, on the ground, had 51 yards and 2 TDs on 6 rushes. Heisman numbers, people! And the Wolverines might be challengers in the Big Ten's Legends Division.
For those who didn't rate Wisconsin because they hadn't played anyone good...well, the Badgers played someone good, and they smashed Nebraska, the eighth-best team in the country, from pillar to post. Wisconsin was in control almost from the outset, winning 48-17. If it wasn't QB Russell Wilson (4-20 for 255 yards and 2 TDs, plus 6 rushes for 32 yards and a score) it was RB Montee Ball (30 rushes for 150 yards and 4 TDs) or the Badger defense (3 picks and 2 sacks). With Ohio State struggling, Wisconsin are undoubted favourites in the Big Ten.
In the space of two weeks, the Texas A&M season has fallen apart. Highly-ranked and highly thought of heading into their home game vs. Oklahoma State, they came out on the wrong side, giving up a huge half-time lead to the Cowboys. So, you'd think that the Aggies would play a full sixty minutes and not let it happen again this week, right? Wrong! Arkansas stormed back from an 18-point deficit to beat A&M at Cowboys Stadium. Huge loss for A&M. You wonder about their psyche now.
Huge win for Arkansas and their QB Tyler Wilson - or, as Urban Meyer called him on ESPN, Russell Wilson - who had a huge game: 30-51 for 509 yards and 2 TDs. He single-handedly brought the Razorbacks back in the second half, despite taking some huge hits early. Gutsy, signature win for Wilson and the Hogs after being destroyed in the second half last week vs. Alabama.
Out west, in a game devoid of defense, USC's offensive weapons went to work. QB Matt Barkley set a school record for passing yards: 32-39 for 464 yards and 464 yards. He also ran twice for 2 yards and a TD. His QB Rating was 210.7. Chief beneficiary of that excellent day was WR Robert Woods, the electrifying sophomore, who had 14 receptions for 252 yards and 2 TDs. Eye-popping numbers.
Kansas State continued an amazing season, beating #15 Baylor 36-35 in Manhattan. Baylor QB Robert Griffin threw his first INT of the season, and the Bears defense could not properly slow down the K-State offense when they really needed to. And so, the Wildcats are just moving along nicely, under the radar in the Big XII, perhaps readying themselves to make a charge at that crown. Don't sleep on them!
Michigan State beat Ohio State 10-7 in Columbus, making a bad season worse for the Buckeyes, who looked completely and totally inept on offense, achieving only 178 total yards all day against a Spartans defense that came into the game as the national leader in total defense. They had help today from a confused and out-of-sorts Buckeye team, who narrowly avoided their first home shut-out since 1982 vs. Wisconsin with a late score and struggled to make even the most basic plays while giving up nine sacks. For interim coach Luke Fickell, this was as bad as bad gets. It's a long road back now for the Buckeyes.
Clemson went into Lane Stadium and beat Virginia Tech 23-3. The hype surrounding the Tigers is real, people. They are the deserved ACC favourites now. Talk about a signature win for Dabo Swinney's program. That was it right there in Blacksburg today.
What about Michigan? It was a 58-0 demolition of Minnesota today, and, amazingly, their defense looked pretty handy, giving up only 177 total yards. But it was QB Denard Robinson who destroyed the Gophers, working his usual magic. He was 15-19 passing for 169 and two scores, and, on the ground, had 51 yards and 2 TDs on 6 rushes. Heisman numbers, people! And the Wolverines might be challengers in the Big Ten's Legends Division.
For those who didn't rate Wisconsin because they hadn't played anyone good...well, the Badgers played someone good, and they smashed Nebraska, the eighth-best team in the country, from pillar to post. Wisconsin was in control almost from the outset, winning 48-17. If it wasn't QB Russell Wilson (4-20 for 255 yards and 2 TDs, plus 6 rushes for 32 yards and a score) it was RB Montee Ball (30 rushes for 150 yards and 4 TDs) or the Badger defense (3 picks and 2 sacks). With Ohio State struggling, Wisconsin are undoubted favourites in the Big Ten.
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