Week 14 College Football Game Thread

[mabrowndog]

Games of note in blue. FCS playoff first-round games in red (9 thru 24 seeds).
 
Thursday, November 27                
07:30 PM     -     LSU at Texas A&M      -     ESPN / WatchESPN / espn3
07:30 PM     -     TCU at Texas      -     FS1 / FOX Sports GO
                
Friday, November 28                
11:00 AM     -     Northern Illinois at Western Michigan      -     ESPNU / WatchESPN
12:00 PM     -     Houston at SMU      -     CBSSN
12:00 PM     -     Nebraska at Iowa      -     ABC / espn3
12:00 PM     -     Western Kentucky at Marshall      -     FS1 / FOX Sports GO
12:00 PM     -     UCF at South Florida      -     ESPN2 / WatchESPN
01:00 PM     -     Akron at Kent State      -     espn3
01:00 PM     -     Ball State at Bowling Green      -     espn3
01:00 PM     -     Buffalo at UMass      -     espn3
01:00 PM     -     Toledo at Eastern Michigan      -     espn3
02:30 PM     -     Arkansas at Missouri      -     CBS / CBS Video
03:00 PM     -     Navy at South Alabama      -     espn3
03:30 PM     -     Arizona State at Arizona      -     FOX / FOX Sports GO
03:30 PM     -     Colorado State at Air Force      -     CBSSN
03:30 PM     -     Stanford at UCLA      -     ABC / espn3
08:00 PM     -     Virginia at Virginia Tech      -     ESPN / WatchESPN
08:00 PM     -     East Carolina at Tulsa      -     ESPNU / WatchESPN
                
Saturday, November 29                
12:00 PM     -     Cincinnati at Temple      -     ESPN News / WatchESPN
12:00 PM     -     Georgia Tech at Georgia      -     SECN / SECN Video
12:00 PM     -     Illinois at Northwestern      -     ESPNU / WatchESPN
12:00 PM     -     Kentucky at Louisville      -     ESPN2 / WatchESPN
12:00 PM     -     Michigan at Ohio State      -     ABC / espn3
12:00 PM     -     North Texas at UTSA      -     FSN affiliates
12:00 PM     -     Old Dominion at Florida Atlantic      -     NESN+ / CSNC+ / ASN
12:00 PM     -     Purdue at Indiana      -     BTN / BTN2GO Video
12:00 PM     -     Rice at Louisiana Tech      -     CBSSN / $CSLive Video
12:00 PM     -     FCS Playoffs: Sacred Heart at Fordham      -     ESPN-GP / espn3
12:00 PM     -     South Carolina at Clemson      -     ESPN / WatchESPN
12:00 PM     -     West Virginia at Iowa State      -     FS1 / FOX Sports GO
12:30 PM     -     North Carolina State at North Carolina      -     espn3 / ACC Network
12:30 PM     -     Syracuse at Boston College      -     FSN Affiliates / espn3 / RSN
12:30 PM     -     Louisiana Lafayette at Troy      -     espn3
01:00 PM     -     FCS Playoffs: Indiana State at Eastern Kentucky      -     ESPN-GP / espn3
01:00 PM     -     FCS Playoffs: Morgan State at Richmond      -     ESPN-GP / espn3
01:00 PM     -     Utah at Colorado      -     PAC-12 Network
02:00 PM     -     FCS Playoffs: SE Louisiana at Sam Houston State      -     ESPN-GP / espn3
02:00 PM     -     Idaho at Appalachian State      -     espn3
02:00 PM     -     Texas State at Georgia State      -     espn3
02:30 PM     -     FCS Bayou Classic: Grambling vs. Southern (@ New Orleans LA)     -     NBC / Video
03:00 PM     -     Wyoming at New Mexico      -     RSRM / RSNW / RSSW
03:00 PM     -     New Mexico State at Arkansas State      -     espn3
03:30 PM     -     Baylor vs. Texas Tech (Arlington)      -     (ABC / ESPN2) / espn3
03:30 PM     -     Florida at Florida State      -     ESPN / WatchESPN
03:30 PM     -     Michigan State at Penn State      -     (ABC / ESPN2) / espn3
03:30 PM     -     Minnesota at Wisconsin      -     BTN / BTN2GO Video
03:30 PM     -     Mississippi State at Ole Miss      -     CBS / CBS Video
03:30 PM     -     Notre Dame at USC      -     FOX / FOX Sports GO
03:30 PM     -     Rutgers at Maryland      -     ESPNU / WatchESPN
03:30 PM     -     San Jose State at San Diego State      -     CBSSN
03:30 PM     -     UAB at Southern Miss      -     NESN+ / CSCA / ASN
04:00 PM     -     Kansas at Kansas State      -     FS1 / FOX Sports GO
04:00 PM     -     FCS Playoffs: Liberty at James Madison      -     ESPN-GP / espn3
04:00 PM     -     FCS Playoffs: San Diego at Montana      -     ESPN-GP / espn3
04:00 PM     -     FCS Playoffs: South Dakota State at Montana State      -     ESPN-GP / espn3
04:00 PM     -     UConn at Memphis      -     ESPN News / WatchESPN
04:00 PM     -     Tennessee at Vanderbilt      -     SECN / SECN Video
04:30 PM     -     BYU at California      -     PAC-12 Network
06:00 PM     -     Louisiana Monroe at Georgia Southern      -     espn3
07:00 PM     -     Middle Tennessee at UTEP      -     NESN+ / CSBA / ASN
07:00 PM     -     Pittsburgh at Miami      -     ESPN2 / WatchESPN
07:00 PM     -     Hawaii at Fresno State      -     MWC Video /
07:00 PM     -     Wake Forest at Duke      -     ESPNU / WatchESPN
07:45 PM     -     Auburn at Alabama      -     ESPN / SECN / WatchESPN
08:00 PM     -     Oregon at Oregon State      -     ABC / espn3
08:00 PM     -     FCS Playoffs: Stephen F. Austin at Northern Iowa      -     ESPN-GP / espn3
10:15 PM     -     Utah State at Boise State      -     ESPN2 / WatchESPN
10:30 PM     -     Nevada at UNLV      -     ESPNU / WatchESPN
10:30 PM     -     Washington at Washington State      -     FS1
 

 

[mabrowndog]

Here's the SoSH FCU Weekend Preview - Rivalry Edition.
 
Also, Infield Infidel with an interesting take on why we may never see an 8-team FBS playoff.

 

[Kremlin Watcher]

Texas is going to beat the Cockroaches tonight.
 
That is all.

 

[canderson]

Yes, yes the are. Then SFA will upset Northern Iowa.

 

[mabrowndog]

Looking at the mid-major conference chases:
 
* AAC - It's wide open here, with a trio of one-loss teams. Memphis (6-1 conf) finishes up vs UConn. Central Florida (5-1 conf) plays at South Florida on Saturday and then at East Carolina next Thursday. Cincinnati (5-1) is at Temple and then hosts Houston next weekend. Oddly, the three title contenders have played only one game between them this season, with Memphis beating Cinci, 41-14.
 
* C-USA - Unbeaten Marshall (11-0, 7-0 conf) has the East Division wrapped up ahead of Middle Tennessee (6-5, 5-2 conf). The Herd, which closes out against Western Kentucky, has also clinched home field for the conference title game. In the West, leader Louisiana Tech (7-4, 6-1 conf) hosts Rice (7-4, 5-2 conf) in a winner-take-all match for the division.
 
* MAC - The West is still up for grabs on the final weekend with the three best teams in the conference -- Northern Illinois, Western Michigan & Toledo -- all tied at 6-1, but NIU controls its own destiny.
 
Beat WMU, and the Huskies advance to the title game vs Bowling Green (5-2 in MAC play and the only East team over .500 in-conference). An NIU loss means Toledo (by virtue of its earlier 20-19 win over WMU) can take the crown by beating Eastern Michigan. Otherwise, WMU earns the championship slot as the only 7-1 team.
 
* MWC - It's a similar story here with Colorado State, Boise State & Utah State all 6-1 in the Mountain Division. BSU has the edge, having beaten CSU 37-24, and can win it outright by beating USU on the blue turf. A Broncos home loss means the Rams (by virtue of their 13-10 win over USU) can grab the division by winning at Air Force. Otherwise, the Aggies take it.
 
SDSU and Fresno lead the West Division with their mediocre 4-3 marks, but the Bulldogs have the head-to-head 24-13 win over the Aztecs. A Fresno win over Hawaii clinches a title game berth. Otherwise, SDSU can take it by beating San Jose State.
 
* Sun Belt - In its first year of FBS competition, Georgia Southern (7-0 conf) has clinched the title in my eyes. However, by league rule they've only clinched a share -- even though they've already beaten Appalachian State, the only team to defeat second-place LA-Lafayette (6-1) in conference play. So while a GSU loss to LA-Monroe coupled with a ULL win at Troy would leave both schools at 7-1, the Eagles would have the common opponents edge -- a factor the conference doesn't recognize as a tiebreaker.

 

[canderson]

That was an asskickng.

 

[Kremlin Watcher]

That was a fucking disgrace. I am embarrassed to be a Texas person tonight.

 

[mabrowndog]

In case you missed it, last weekend M.I.T.'s football team remained unbeaten (10-0) while winning its first playoff game in 120 years (and that one was more of a de facto nature), 27-20 at Husson in an NCAA D-III first-round matchup.
 
Today they're in Dover, Delaware, and will face East region top seed Wesley College, ranked #4 nationally in the D-III coaches' poll, tomorrow at noon.
 
The victor advances to face the winner of 2E-seed Hobart vs 3E-seed Johns Hopkins next weekend. This is a 32-team tournament and the D-III champion will be crowned on December 19 -- before the first FBS bowl game is even played (translation: fuck you, greedy intransigent FBS assholes, and your pathetic little 4-team sham).
 
Earlier this week, the Engineers made the Wall Street Journal. This morning they're gracing the NY Times and LA Times. And it's all for something other than earth-shattering, brain-straining scientific breakthroughs or pulling brilliantly creative pranks on Harvard.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

I never knew that Arkansas had so many fans in Georgia. Of course, needing the Hogs to beat Missouri so the Dogs win the East tends to bring out the best in UGA fans.

 

[soxfan121]

I never knew that Arkansas had so many fans in Georgia. Of course, needing the Hogs to beat Missouri so the Dogs win the East tends to bring out the best in UGA fans.

 

 
Go Hogs. 

 

[Infield Infidel]

Western Kentucky has put up 35 on Marshall with 13 mins left in the first half. 35-21. Marshall has thrown two picks. 
 
the two teams combined for 49 points in the first quarter, on seven passing TDs. Every 1st qtr drive was either a TD or a Marshall INT

 

[canderson]

7:45 minutes to go in the 2nd, WKU leads Marshall 42-35. About 2 minutes ago it was 42-21.

 

[Infield Infidel]

that game is being played at ludicrous speed. 

 

[BigMike]

Whoo Hoo,   F*** those other games,  I think I am sticking with this one until it is over.
 
We are Marshall..

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

Randy Moss and Troy Brown playing WR for the Herd.

 

[canderson]

WKU scores, Marshal then scores on first play after the kick return.

This game is nuts and will feature a few more brawls I'd think.

 

[mabrowndog]

Northern Illinois trailed 21-10 at the half, but it's been all Huskies since and they've got a 3-point lead with under a minute to play. They just got a sack-forced fumble to stifle what may have been Western Michigan's last chance. Five WMU turnovers today.
 
EDIT - Huskies inside the Bronco 5 now.
 
EDIT - The TD seals it. Fifth straight MAC West title for NIU, and they'll head to Detroit next weekend to face Bowling Green for the conference championship.

 

[Greg29fan]

Pelini had better not survive this time

 

[mabrowndog]

So despite 4 Hawkeye turnovers, Iowa's punking Nebraska 24-7.
 
EDIT - Heh. Figures my post would follow Greg's. Earlier today, the ESPN analysts were playing their sympathy violins for Pelini because the poor guy had to coach a team without an injured Abdullah for much of the season. To which I say, unless you lose your stud QB there's no way you can use injuries as an excuse. You either build a team with enough depth and redundancy to win, or you don't. He hasn't.

 

[Greg29fan]

Nebraska losing on offense, defense, special teams, and coaching.  A fitting end to the Pelini Era.

 

[BigMike]

Officials completely butcher a safety call in the UCF USF game
 
QB drops back to between the 1 and 2 yard line.  Defensive player grabs the QB, spin him around backwards in the sack,  the QB knee touches the goaline with the ball in the endone, as the QB either fumbles or throws the ball underam backwards
 
Grounding is called on the field and as the ball was in the end zone when it left his hand,  ruling was Safety..  Officials review, and say play stands.      Baffling  Forward progress where the Sack happened was clearly outside the one yard line.  Every week you watch these games baffled by how incompetent officials are

 

[mabrowndog]

So... WKU & Marshall have played 7 minutes of the 2nd half and there's been NO SCORING YET.
 
The dream of a 98-84 final score is dead.

 

[BigMike]

yeah I have watched a full 15 minutes of the game so far and it is 7-7 since I tuned in, :angry:

 

[mabrowndog]

Marshall loses leading receiver Davonte Allen (6 rec today for 141 yds) on his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the game.
 
What a stupid fucking idiot.

 

[Greg29fan]

Iowa goes full idiot and Nebraska leads

 

[mabrowndog]

Iowa goes full idiot and Nebraska leads

 
Yup. Pelini getting bailed out.

 

[mascho]

On the bright side @fauxpelini lives on

 

[mabrowndog]

Hawkeyes on the doorstep. Less than 3:00 to go.
 
EDIT - No Husker defender picked up the backfield swing route, and he waltzes in.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Arkansas scores on their first drive. The Tigers get a FG with a little over fourteen minutes left in the second quarter. Hogs up 7-3.

 

[mabrowndog]

Now it's Iowa's turn to play horrendous defense. Jesus. Nebraska gets an armored car escort to the red zone with under a minute left.

 

[BigMike]

Marshall goes for the FG on 4th and goal from the 1 foot line behind by 10.
 
Obviously a stop there basically kills you,  but wow,  I just don't see how you don't go for it

 

[mabrowndog]

Iowa nearly pulls off the hook & lateral, but they'll head to OT.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

The WKU/Marshall game is awesome.  It's 59-52 WKU right now, after a Marshall FG with 5:20 left.  For those that don't follow like a complete junkie, Hilltoppers QB Brandon Doughty is pretty fucking good.  He's got 450 yards and 7 td's today, but that's not really a crazy game for him.  He had a 569 yard, 6td performance in the opener, and followed that up with 593 yards, 4td a few weeks later. He's now over 4,200 yards and 43td's on the season.  Meanwhile, their RB, Leon Allen also has 30 carries for 221 yards today.  Some may remember I talked about a couple weeks back, when he went off for 33 carries and 345 yards against Army.
 
That said, if Marshall loses this game, I'm going to feel terrible for their Senior, QB, Rakeem Cato.  He's a four year starter, with over 13,000 yards passing and 120+ touchdowns, and if the SI story on him earlier this year is true, he is a fantastic kid, who made it through some really tough shit to get where he is.  Seeing him throw 4 interceptions today really sucks (to go along with 5td's) because that will be the reason they lose, if they do. 
 
They just forced a punt though, so they are getting the ball back with 3 plus minutes to go.  I really hope this one goes into OT at 59 apiece.
 
FTR, the spread on this game was something like Marshall -21, which was about as easy money as you will ever find.  WKU plays everyone tough.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

Damn, Marshall gets a receiver behind the defense, and Cato overthrows him.  

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Hogs up 14-3 with seven minutes left in the second quarter

 

[Deathofthebambino]

Touchdown Marshall.  Extra point pending.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

The tight end that caught that touchdown is the brother of UMASS QB, Frohnapel. His brother transferred from Marshall to UMass and was playing well this year before he got hurt a couple weeks ago. 
 
Now they are looking at it.  May have been down before reaching over the end zone.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

I think he might have been down, but I don't think there is an angle that's conclusive enough to overturn it.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

Extra point is good.  59-59.  39 seconds left.

 

[mabrowndog]

Wow, they allowed the Marshall tying TD to stand despite his left elbow clearly being down before he got the ball across with his right hand.
 
59-59 with 39 secs left.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

Arizona gets a strip sack touchdown on the first series against ASU.  Winner gets Oregon in the conference championship.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

And Nebraska escapes 37-34 in overtime.

 

[mabrowndog]

Nebraska prevails in OT, 37-34.
 
Pelini hangs on by the skin of his scrotum.

 

[mabrowndog]

Marshall intercepts at midfield with 10 secs left.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

Holy shit.  WKU comes out running the ball with 39 seconds left.  They get a couple good plays, and then decide to throw.  Tipped ball, picked at midfield by Marshall.  10 seconds left.  Marshall ball.  Time for a shot at a long play, stop the clock and try to kick a long field goal.

 

[Greg29fan]

Never gonna get rid of Pelini.  The shitty Big Ten is his gift that keeps on giving.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

I completely disagree with that running play by Marshall.  They got about 14 yards, and so, it would be like a 57 yarder from here.  I don't think the kid has the leg for that, so they are going to have to take a shot at the end zone with 4 seconds left.  I would have tried to throw a 20-25 yard pass.  They had a timeout so the whole field was open for Cato to throw it.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

Wow.  Cato had a man wide open down the sideline and overthrew him.  No idea how he got that open.  Would have been the winning td.

 

[Hambone]

Arizona gets a strip sack touchdown on the first series against ASU.  Winner gets Oregon in the conference championship.

fUCLA owns their fate.

 

[BigMike]

Really,  with the amount of replays we have had on every other score.    No replay on the tightrop walk for the first TD in OT?
 
He took about 5 steps which were borderline
 
Play was about a1 yard pass on 2nd and 1 from the 25.  DB spun the receiver around on the missed tackle, but somehow receiver stayed inbounds apparently. And took at least 5 strides right on the edge
 
Now amazing catch for WKU,  and a TD.   WKU going for the 2.    WKU with the win.    Marshall dreams end