Before I go into the weekly breakdown, let me say that I am as shocked as everyone with regard to the Big 3 in Florida this weekend. I didn't expect Maryland to beat FSU, and I certainly didn't see that huge Chapel Hill upset coming. This is why they play the game.
Week 9 #1 OU (8-0) 38 Oklahoma State (6-2) 35
Fans in Norman let out a collective sigh as Oklahoma State kicker Jason Ricks missed a 49-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining. This was very nearly the third upset in four years to the pokes, as the Sooners came in with a full head of steam and fizzled early. Huge mistakes spotted the Cowboys 14 points early in the game, and gave them the lead early in the 2nd quarter. Jason White rallied the team to take the lead into the locker room, hitting Mark Bradley twice more for scores. Mark Clayton made up for his earlier mistake at the beginning of the second half, returning a punt 50 yards for a touchdown. Freshman Adrian Peterson pretty much took over the game, scoring the Sooners' final touchdown on a break away 80-yarder. He finished the day with 249 yards on 33 carries. Barry Sanders made the statement before the game that he might be tempted to vote for Peterson, and AD (All Day) Peterson showed why. The Sooner D lapsed in the second half, but OU escaped with their eighth straight win in Stillwater. They will need more than luck in College Station next week. The Aggies will be aching for revenge after last year's 77-0 shelacking in Norman.
This Week: @ Texas A&M
#2 USC (8-0) 42 Washington State (3-5) 12
The Men of Troy deserve an apple cup for their treatment of the Cougars in Pullman after demolishing the Huskies in Los Angeles the week prior. The Trojan defense was outstanding, blasting the Cougs and holding them to -9 rushing yards on the day. Wow. Outdistancing Wazzu 421-156, the Trojans nearly topped my list this week. Matt Leinart was surgical, hitting on 23 of 28 passes for 235 yards and 2 TDs. LenDale White led all rushers on the day with 77 yards on 16 carries with 2 TDs. Reggie Bush showed his versatility again this week, with a rushing TD and a punt return for a TD. Wazzu didn't even score until the third quarter, and the Trojans already had their 2nd and 3rd string in. I was very impressed with them. Another great performance like this, coupled with another subpar performance by OU may vault them into the top spot.
This Week: @ Oregon State
#3 Auburn (9-0) 35 Ole Miss (3-5) 14
The Auburn Tigers clinched the SEC West with a solid performance against the Ole Miss Rebels. This was a much closer game than the score would indicate, as Auburn only led 21-14 at the beginning of the 4th quarter. The Rebels put up a great fight, but in the end it was all about the Tigers, who managed to close out the game with two unanswered rushing TDs. Jason Campbell played well in this game, completing half his passes for 234 yards and a TD, running for 2 more. Auburn will play either UGA or Tennessee for the SEC Championship. The Tigers are off next week before hosting Georgia.
This Week: Idle
#4 Wisconsin (8-0) Idle
This Week: v. Minnesota
#5 Cal (6-1) 27 Arizona State (6-2) 0
This was the second straight shutout win for the Golden Bears, posting consecutive goose eggs for the first time since 1968. The Cal Defense is often overshadowed by the prolific offense, which again had a great game. Aaron Rodgers hit on 15 of 29 for 165 yards and a TD and JJ Arrington rushed for 188 yards on 30 carries with a TD, as the offense hurt the Sun Devils where it hurt most, on the scoreboard. It was the defense that really shined in this game, though, when Tim Mixon intercepted an Andrew Walter pass early in the third, returning it 58 yards for a TD. Cal continues to be tops among the 1-loss teams, and could conceivably have supplanted USC in the Pac 10 had one play gone differently in that game, but football is not a game of what-if. Their only hope now is for two teams to beat USC or for USC to be in the Orange Bowl (thereby freeing up the Rose).
This Week: v. Oregon
#6 Texas (7-1) 31 Colorado (4-4) 7
The Longhorns just can't throw the ball. Vince Young is like another running back (he rushed for 2 TDs), but he just can't get it done through the air (71 yards on 8/15 with 2 interceptions, one for the Buffs' only TD). Cedric Benson had a huge game with 141 yards on 32 carries and 2 TDs, but the Horns looked one dimensional yet again. If they were able to throw the ball well, they would likely be the most dangerous team in the country. As it stands, they are only the second-best one-loss team. Their only consolation is that they still have a chance to win the Big 12 South if the Sooners lose (remember 2001, anyone?) and they will likely go to a BCS game if the Sooners don't lose. Either way, Texas must continue to win.
This Week: v. Oklahoma State
#7 Tennessee (7-1) 43 South Carolina (5-3) 29
The Vols gave their faithful an early scare, giving up a safety and 2 FGs to fall behind 8-0, but QB Erik Ainge led them back to score a TD and take the tie into the locker room. After that it looked like it was going to be all Vols, as they continued on their way to racking up 29 unanswered points, but the Game cocks rallied, scoring to make it 29-15. Their rally fell short, however, as Tennessee managed to keep themselves in the driver seat for the SEC East. If they win out (and with Vandy and Kentucky as their only remaining hurdles, they probably will), they will face Auburn for the Championship.
This Week: v. Notre Dame
#8 Michigan (8-1) 45 Michigan State (4-4) 37
This was a truly great intrastate matchup. It was in the big house, but the Spartans came out and controlled the game early, taking a 17-10 lead into the locker room at the half, and extending that to 27-10 early in the second half. Michigan woke up, after that, though, scoring 20 unanswered points, before Michigan State tied the game at 30 to head into overtime. After 3 Overtimes, a spectacular diving catch by Braylon Edwards allowed the Wolverines to keep their hopes alive in the BCS. Edwards, who commented afterward that this was why he stayed at UM for his senior season, was spectacular on the day, catching 11 passes for 189 yards and 3 TDs. Freshman running back Michael Hart continued to state his case with 224 yards rushing on 33 carries with a TD. Michigan managed to stay 1/2 game ahead of undefeated Wisconsin in the Big Ten standings, just more proof that everyone should have a conference championship game.
This Week: v. Northwestern
#9 Georgia (7-1) 31 Florida(4-4) 24
The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville lived up to its reputation, as the Gators were this close (fingers held about an inch apart) from pulling it off again and proving that Ron Zook did not deserve to be fired. As it stands, the haters all had just enough fuel for their case after this game ("See, Bubba, he can't win the big game." -- spits into coke can). I take a bit of personal exception to this situation, remembering how the haters got Gary Gibbs fired at Oklahoma after a few lackluster seasons. The end result was that Bob Stoops came in four years later to resurrect OU, but the terrible chasm that the Sooners suffered was enough to weed out the boo birds. I think UF needs to experience this, so they put away some of their hate. At any rate, the game was a pretty good one, and the big timers that Zook recruited in made big plays to bring them very close to making it 7 in a row against UGA. Chris Leak hit 22 of 34 for 247 yards and 2 TDs and Ciatrick Fason ran for 139 yards on 17 carries. Andre Caldwell had 81 yards receiving with a TD, as well. In the end, though, David Greene (15/23 for 255 with 3 TDs) and the Bulldog experience pulled this game out to keep Georgia tied for the lead with Tennessee for the SEC East.
This Week: @ Kentucky
10 Miami (6-1) 28 North Carolina (4-4) 31
Who outside of Chapel Hill could have ever guessed that this could happen? Miami looked like they were ripe for an upset, but not to the Tarheels. Miami was outdistanced on the ground 279-77, and still almost pulled it out, but they fell one defensive stop short, with Connor Barth booting a 42-yard field goal through the uprights on the final play of the game in the most shocking upset of the weekend. Miami only remains in the top 10 on the strength of their other outstanding performances this year. They still stand a good chance of winning the ACC in their first year in the conference.
This Week: v. Clemson
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