The strangest factor with regard to the response to USC hiring Lincoln Riley a 12 months in the past had nothing to do with the faculty itself. Riley was a residence run. That a lot was apparent, and the one question appeared to be when he’d revive the Trojans program, not if. No, the true twist was inside the method whereby it was celebrated as a win for all of the Pac-12, a league so determined for nationwide relevancy that, even when its best staff made a lease extra probably to upend the power construction of the the rest of the convention, it was nonetheless a communal celebration. It was a win for everyone as a consequence of, after years inhabiting faculty soccer purgatory, the Pac-12 would as quickly as extra have an alternative for prime billing.
On Saturday, Riley and the Trojans delivered on that promise.
it is not that USC’s ticket to the faculty soccer Playoff is punched simply but. There’s nonetheless the small matter of a convention championship sport that awaits. however with the 38-27 win over Notre Dame in a extreme-time sport whereby all of the faculty soccer world was focused, there was a clear feeling that one factor seismic had modified.
Alabama‘s playoff hopes are on life assist.
Clemson‘s playoff hopes ended with a loss to South Carolina on Saturday.
Ohio State was dealt a doubtlessly lethal blow by rival Michigan in emphatic trend, too.
Oklahoma and Notre Dame, two of the completely different teams with as many playoff berths alone as a consequence of the Pac-12 has as a league, have prolonged since been afterthoughts.
And so right here we now have USC, the texture-good story of the season.
properly, maybe.
the very actuality is, USC might have stepped proper into a method extra fascinating position with its dominant win over the Irish. In a 12 months whereby Clemson, Alabama and Oklahoma did not dominate the headlines, on a Saturday when Ohio State misplaced to Michigan for the second straight 12 months and Brian Kelly, despised by 1000’s of followers who can’t pretty articulate why, obtained his comeuppance in direction of Texas A&M, the faculty soccer villainy vacuum was by no means so clear.
Enter the Trojans.
2:04
Caleb Williams throws for one touchdown and rushes for three in a spectacular efficiency as USC defeats Notre Dame 38-27.
The narrative actually suits. in any case, this might often very properly be a staff constructed with a checkbook, luring Riley from Oklahoma, who in flip, lured a quantity of key gamers through the swap portal (with some assist from hefty NIL affords) to utterly rework the roster after a 4-eight advertising campaign solely a 12 months in the past. it is a program poised to shrug off a century of historic previous to chase money inside the massive Ten, probably destroying the Pac-12 inside the method. it is a staff that rose up the rankings regardless of a mushy schedule and zero significantly spectacular wins till per week in the past.
want to root in direction of any particular person in a 12 months whereby Alabama and Clemson and Ohio State do not warrant that sort of consideration? USC optimistic makes for an perfect unhealthy man. And make no mistake, faculty soccer loves a nasty man. To be the heel is simply not a slight. it is an honor that is earned solely by teams that will command real ire on a nationwide stage.
the one draw again with this concept is that, as quickly as USC stats having fun with, the Trojans are awfully arduous to dislike, and Saturday was an perfect event of why.
Quarterback Caleb Williams might be primarily the most riveting participant inside the sport proper now. he is faculty soccer’s closest factor to Patrick Mahomes — although maybe that is not even an right comparability. he is extra simply like the dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, his every transfer feeling each completely executed and utterly improvised. He pinballed off Notre Dame move-rushers repeatedly Saturday, even his incompletions producing as a lot edge-of-your-seat pleasure as most QBs muster with a 50-yard bomb. He accomplished with 4 touchdowns.
with out Travis Dye, USC’s floor sport nonetheless ran roughshod over a ferocious Notre Dame entrance, with Austin Jones going for 154 yards. sure, USC lured Mario Williams and Jordan Addison into the fold through the swap portal, however Williams actually accomplished passes to 9 completely different receivers Saturday. there might even be an absolute wealth of riches inside the receiving corps.
And the protection — the maligned unit that almost coughed up a lead to UCLA per week in the past — regarded unbelievable. In USC’s loss to the Utah Utes on Oct. 15, it was tight finish Dalton Kincaid who did the majority of the damage, catching sixteen passes for 234 yards. absolutely USC would have its arms full with Michael Mayer then, proper?
Mayer had a wonderful sport — eight catches, ninety eight yards and a pair of touchdowns — however he hardly dictated the movement, and for rather a lot of of the second half he was a mirage. His final touchdown obtained here as USC regarded to merely run out the clock.
Notre Dame’s power run sport, sturdy tight finish play, stout protection — it is the poor man’s mannequin of what Georgia and Michigan current, and it proved no match for USC. How satisfying might these Trojans be inside the playoff then?
And in the end, is simply not that worth rooting for?
we have seen so many semifinal blowouts, so many mismatched video games, so few actually fascinating matchups inside the playoff and such a small regional footprint for the largest video games. however whether or not you want them or hate them, the Trojans are most actually fascinating. extra very important than that, Saturday proved that this USC staff is de facto good.
Michigan beats Ohio State with mannequin and brazenness
the good factor with regard to the showdown Saturday between No. 2 Ohio State and No. three Michigan is that it was not merely a matchup of playoff contenders in a heated rivalry sport, however such a stark distinction in types.
Ohio State is the sports activities automotive, all flash and pace with extra expertise place expertise than the frequent massive Ten staff has in a decade.
Michigan is a Jeep, a rugged machine designed for brute stress. The Wolverines win not by sprinting previous opponents, however by working over them.
And if that had been the script that performed out Saturday — and, for a lot of the foremost half, it was — the Buckeyes might be headed to the massive Ten title sport.
as a substitute, Jim Harbaugh’s staff confirmed it is miles from a one-trick pony. On Saturday, Michigan was Meryl Streep, effortlessly slipping proper into a mannequin new position, safe in direction of sort and having fun with the half completely.
in the end, in truth, Michigan nonetheless ran the ball for 252 yards, compelled two Ohio State turnovers and held the Buckeyes to 5-of-17 on third and fourth downs, however that was merely the denouement. Michigan obtained through the air, through mannequin, pizzazz and an virtually comical diploma of brazenness from Harbaugh that he has not often proven inside the midst of his teaching profession.
Blake Corum suited up, however he touched the ball simply twice inside the sport. as a substitute, Michigan relied on quarterback J.J. McCarthy to ship the massive performs.
again in September, Harbaugh gambled on McCarthy as his starter, benching the QB who took the Wolverines to the faculty soccer Playoff in 2021, Cade McNamara, in favor of the extra versatile sophomore. For a lot of the season, the gamble paid minimal dividends, with McCarthy deferring to his run sport in a collection of fully formulaic wins in direction of lesser opponents, like a poker participant checking many instances ready for simply the becoming hand to go all-in.
Saturday, McCarthy was dealt one ace after one other.
coming into the sport, Michigan had simply 12 completions of 30 yards or extra all 12 months. in direction of Ohio State, McCarthy delivered 4 of them, collectively with touchdown throws of sixty nine, seventy five and forty five.
And if McCarthy’s shredding of an overmatched Ohio State secondary wasn’t passable, Michigan used its linebacker-turned-working again to throw a 15-yard bounce move on third down in what was much less a play name and extra akin to slipping a whoopee cushion onto Ryan Day’s seat simply as he sat down for Thanksgiving dinner. It was designed to embarrass as a lot as to succeed. Such is the good factor a pair of rivalry like this one.
certainly, it was unhealthy passable that even Michigan’s punter was dunking on the Buckeyes.
– climate was good
– We had been taken critically
– They did not have the fluAny extra excuses?
— Brad Robbins (@__BR91) November 26, 2022
maybe as surprising as Michigan’s position reversal on offense was the method whereby Ohio State merely cashed in its chips down the stretch. The Buckeyes mustered simply three factors inside the second half, turned the ball over twice and watched as Michigan’s Donovan Edwards reeled off touchdown runs of seventy five and eighty five yards on consecutive drives. Had Ohio State saved the sport shut, fought to the prime, took Michigan to the brink — maybe there’d nonetheless be an low-cost case to place the Buckeyes into the faculty soccer Playoff.
as a substitute, the epitaph on their season will be taught, “misplaced by 22 at residence to that staff up north.”
it is arduous to know what this means inside the larger picture for Michigan. final 12 months, the Wolverines made the playoff, however their destiny always felt all however assured, a sacrificial lamb simply blissful to dwell prolonged passable to get a free journey to South seaside earlier than getting whipped by Georgia.
Saturday confirmed one factor extra to the 2022 incarnation although. whereas Day punted away possibilities to close the hole inside the second half, Harbaugh appeared like a hedge fund supervisor on a heater at a Vegas craps desk — all gasoline, no brakes, tipping the waitress with $one hundred funds on every modern glass of two% milk she brings (which is what we assume Harbaugh could be consuming in Vegas). whereas Ohio State was unable to maneuver the foothills in its souped-up sports activities automotive, Michigan confirmed it’d sling it throughout the sector, then run it down your throat. And whereas the Buckeyes had been knocked from their place atop the itemizing of contenders for Georgia’s throne, Michigan might properly have delivered an announcement that reverberates past massive Ten nation. This staff is for exact.
Gamecocks ice the ACC
There was a time, two full weeks in the past, when the South Carolina offense was a massive quantity. This was a distinct period, in truth, again earlier than our prolonged nationwide nightmare ready for Taylor Swift tickets and properly earlier than Matt Rhule might discover Nebraska on a map. many people had solely seen “Black Panther: Wakanda with out finish” twice. rather a lot has modified since then.
again in these darkish days of mid-November, South Carolina was embarrassed by Florida 38-6 and its offense was in shambles.
however now, the Gamecocks have the most latest offense inside the nation and Spencer Rattler all of a sudden appears to be like like … properly, 2020 Spencer Rattler.
After throttling No. 5 Tennessee sixty three-38 final week, the Gamecocks positioned on an encore efficiency by toppling No. eight Clemson for the foremost time since 2013, 31-30, and effectively ending the ACC’s playoff hopes inside the method.
zero:forty one
South Carolina’s particular teams recuperate the fumble to regain administration in ultimate minutes.
Rattler was dazzling as quickly as extra, ending 25 of 39 passes for 360 yards and two touchdowns whereas including a third on the underside.
Clemson’s DJ Uiagalelei, nonetheless, was a massive quantity, ending eight of 29 throws, as a consequence of the Tigers turned the ball over thrice whereas losing a 14-zero lead.
Will Shipley ran for 132 yards on the underside, however had simply two carries on Clemson’s ultimate 4 drives.
Now, the ACC championship sport will attribute two teams that each misplaced their rivalry video games to close out the 12 months, with North Carolina shedding to NC State 30-27 Friday night in double further time.
South Carolina, nonetheless, will wrap the common season with a possible prime-25 rating and passable cachet to warrant some extreme buzz heading into their bowl and past. The Gamecocks obtained eight common-season video games for the foremost time since 2017 and snapped a seven-sport shedding streak to the Tigers — handing Dabo Swinney his first residence loss in forty one video games as well.
TCU makes playoff assertion
The playoff committee has spent the previous few weeks mentioning all of the failings in TCU’s sport. The Horned Frogs simply have not obtained impressively passable to wow anyone.
On Saturday, nonetheless, Sonny Dykes principally held the severed head of Cy the Cardinal aloft and yelled, “Are you not entertained?”
TCU destroyed Iowa State sixty two-14 behind three touchdown passes from Max Duggan and a protection that compelled three turnovers and scored twice.
It was TCU’s first win by elevated than 10 factors since beating Oklahoma by 31 on Oct. 1, and it sealed an perfect common season for the Horned Frogs, who’ll transfer on to the massive 12 title sport with an alternative to emphasize their method into the faculty soccer Playoff — till in truth the committee finds that a forty eight-level win over the previous-place massive 12 staff is simply not as spectacular as a 22-level loss to Michigan. obtained to understand these extreme quality losses, and albeit, it is an exact knock on TCU that it would not have any of them.
certainly, right here is the very definition of irony: What if TCU loses the massive 12 title sport subsequent week, then is handed by Ohio State inside the committee’s ultimate rankings?
that will imply that the Horned Frogs misplaced out on a playoff berth to Ohio State in 2014 as a consequence of the massive 12 did not play a title sport … then misplaced out on a playoff berth to Ohio State in 2022 as a consequence of it did.
Rivalry roundup
it is rivalry weekend. So, how did amongst the numerous much less aggressive rivalry video games go? we have you ever coated with a full rundown.
Iron Bowl: Alabama forty nine, Auburn 27
Scene: Clenching a glass of scotch and sweating nervously, Boo Corrigan stares out the window of his room on the Gaylord lodge, the place the playoff committee is ready to fulfill one ultimate time.
under, a low fog hangs over a graveyard. Lightning flashes. A thunder crash booms.
all of a sudden, the underside begins to maneuver. From the modern grime bursts a clenched fist with championship rings on every finger.
“My God,” Corrigan gasps. “it’d’t be.”
Into the moonlight, the visage is apparent. it is him. He lives.
Who beat up Saban? pic.twitter.com/yUaJLl8c1J
— Anita (@neetsark) November 26, 2022
okay, so it is nonetheless a protracted shot, however we’re not writing off Nick Saban. the particular person is indestructible.
As a side observe: Bryce youthful belongs in ny for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. He will not win it, however he has been unimaginable.
The rivalry previously usually recognized as a consequence of the Civil wrestle: Oregon State 38, Oregon 34
Oregon led this sport 34-17 with thirteen minutes to play.
Oregon State led by 4 with eight minutes to play and by no means regarded again.
How is that this potential? It was a sheer comedy of errors. There was the forty three-yard run Oregon allowed that arrange a essential third-quarter TD. There was the geese settling for a discipline objective after having the ball with first-and-objective on the ten. There was the massive kick return and face masks penalty that arrange one other Beavers touchdown. There was the fumble on the two recovered by Oregon State. There was the failed fourth-and-1 conversion that gave Oregon State the ball again as quickly as extra deep in geese territory.
however elevated than something, there was this man. he is not the hero Oregon State deserved. he is the hero it wished.
Oregon State is clearly main Oregon by dozens of hats pic.twitter.com/LcfctJYZ9S
— purple Scott 🏈 (@red_scott_fb) November 26, 2022
Governor’s Cup: Kentucky 26, Louisville thirteen
Will Levis threw two touchdown passes and the Wildcats obtained the Governor’s Cup for the fourth straight 12 months — all by double digits. What this means for Scott Satterfield’s future at Louisville could be the massive question for Cardinals followers, nonetheless the extra very important question for everyone else: How is the trophy for this sport not simply an outsized bottle of Pappy Van Winkle?
clear, outdated school Hate: Georgia 37, Georgia Tech 14
Georgia Tech scored on its first possession and led this sport properly into the second quarter. By any low-cost metric, that is an limitless success. (observe: actually worthwhile this sport would’ve been an unreasonable metric.) in the meantime, Georgia can now completely flip its consideration to the SEC championship sport, the place Stetson Bennett can accomplish the one factor he has but to do in his profession.
outdated Oaken Bucket: Purdue 30, Indiana sixteen
The Boilermakers secured a go to to the massive Ten championship sport with the win Saturday. Purdue is unranked. Purdue in its historic previous has 9 wins as an unranked staff in direction of prime-two opponents, elevated than double one other program inside the nation. Purdue will play a possible second-ranked Michigan subsequent week. What might go improper?
Land of Lincoln Trophy: Illinois forty one, Northwestern three
maintain in thoughts when Northwestern surprised Nebraska in Week zero? The Wildcats scored 31 in that sport. They did not prime 24 in a single other sport all season. inside the month of November, Northwestern scored a grand complete of twenty-two factors. maybe we ought to not have been making satisfying of Iowa all this time. The Hawkeyes are the 2000 St. Louis Rams in contrast with Northwestern.
Paul Bunyan’s Axe: Minnesota 23, Wisconsin sixteen
What to make of Minnesota’s season? The superior metrics cherished the Gophers all 12 months. actually worthwhile video games, nonetheless, was troublesome. After a 4-zero start, Minnesota topped 23 factors simply twice — in direction of Rutgers and Northwestern. nonetheless the Gophers did shut out the common season on a extreme observe Saturday, worthwhile the axe for a second straight season after Wisconsin had dominated the rivalry for a lot of the earlier 25 years. As a side observe, we admire all rivalry trophies that will even be used to fell a tree. extra schools ought to think about getting trophies from residence Depot.
Land Grant Trophy: Penn State 35, Michigan State sixteen
Penn State obtained simply, permitting the Nittany Lions to have fun with a trophy that is actually solely a bunch of issues Joe Paterno as quickly as current in an outdated storage unit that he caught collectively using a glue stick and duct tape. Anyway, the very important factor right here is the Nittany Lions at the second are 10-2 and formally depend as a very good win for Ohio State as a consequence of it makes its case to nonetheless be invited into the playoff.
The Eighth further time Cup: Texas A&M 38, LSU 23
okay, we made that identify up, however after the 2018 seven-further time sport between these two teams, it feels acceptable. as a substitute of a trophy for the winner, Jimbo Fisher’s nephew can simply sucker punch the shedding coach. There’s an complete lot of potential right here. Let’s maintain workshopping.
On the sector, the Aggies pulled off the lovely upset behind 215 yards and two touchdowns from Devon Achane, who has primarily been like Paul McCartney in Wings this season. he is a generational expertise. everyone else? A bunch of session musicians. nonetheless, it was the becoming combination to topple the Bayou Bengals, whose playoff hopes had been nixed inside the loss. Will this lead to a three-12 months contract extension for Jimbo Fisher? Jimmy Sexton is making some calls as we converse.
The (completely different) Governor’s Cup: Kansas State forty seven, Kansas 27
The Wildcats punched their ticket to the massive 12 title sport, the place they’re going to search for barely revenge in direction of TCU. Deuce Vaughn accomplished with 229 yards of offense, Will Howard threw for two touchdowns, and the okay-State offense had elevated than 200 yards passing and speeding.
however let’s take a second right here to recall that, at one level, Kansas was 5-zero. “faculty GameDay” went to Lawrence. The world felt like a safer, elevated place. in the end, Kansas finishes the common season at 6-6, which seems like a disappointment after the latest start. nonetheless it is actually immense progress for a staff that was extremely satisfying all season prolonged and one which has real set off for optimism transferring forward. someplace, a now-grown youngster Mangino is pondering of starting a household of his personal, understanding he might have barely youngster Lance Leipold sometime. And all will most probably be proper with the world as quickly as extra.
The no-identify rivalry: Tennessee fifty six, Vanderbilt zero
How have these schools had one hundred thirty years to current you a very good identify for this sport and it is by no means occurred? on the very least, the winner ought to get possession of the photo voltaic Sphere. This 12 months, thankfully, the sphere stays in Knoxville, as Tennessee dominated in its first sport with out Hendon Hooker, counting on a floor sport that accounted for 362 yards and 6 touchdowns. If Tennessee hadn’t fallen aside in direction of South Carolina final week, the Vols’ playoff hopes would actually be trying pretty sturdy proper now. in the meantime, after worthwhile again-to-again SEC video games, Vandy was again to being Vandy. however we really feel assured that Clark Lea’s promise that the Commodores could be primarily the easiest staff inside the nation will come to fruition subsequent 12 months.
Apple Cup: Washington fifty one, Washington State 33
in a single other 12 months, with much less extreme-profile opponents, maybe at a faculty passable of the nation stayed as a lot as watch, Michael Penix Jr. could be a Heisman contender. The Washington QB continued his prolific season with elevated than 500 yards of offense and 5 touchdowns in a win over Washington State. It was Penix’s third sport with 4 hundred yards passing and his tenth with elevated than 300 yards through the air (whereas ending one other at 298). Penix led Washington to 704 yards of offense in direction of the convention’s best protection. The Huskies look like a prime-10 staff.
past the implications in Washington, the win — mixed with Oregon’s loss and Utah‘s routing of Colorado — means the Utes will go to the Pac-12 championship sport for a rematch with USC. The Trojans could be a clear-decrease playoff staff in the event that they had been to avenge their lone loss (which obtained here on a 2-level conversion), however they’re going to want to get your hands on an reply for Cameron Rising, Dalton Kincaid and the Utes’ explosive offense.
There’s additionally this: The Pac-12 has six teams with 9 wins or extra and might make an low-cost case as a consequence of the nation’s best convention (as prolonged as you pay utterly no consideration to Colorado).
Heisman 5
What had been a massive-open race for rather a lot of the season now seems all of the method down to 1 man: Caleb Williams. the the rest of the pack stays to be deep and gifted, however every has run into tough waters finally, however Williams retains plugging alongside. pretty a lot as good as a quantity of of his opponents might be, it is arduous to argue that he is not been primarily the most entertaining participant in faculty soccer this 12 months.
1. USC QB Caleb Williams
Not solely is Williams the clear favourite to win the Heisman now, however he is shortly constructing a case as primarily the easiest of the Lincoln Riley winners, too.
through 12 video games in 2017, Baker Mayfield had 4,342 yards, forty two touchdowns and 5 turnovers.
through 12 video games in 2018, Kyler Murray had 4,527 yards, forty eight touchdowns and 9 turnovers.
through 12 video games this 12 months, Williams has 4,063 yards, forty 4 touchdowns and three turnovers.
but one extra sport left to go earlier than the trophy is handed out, however in the end, that debate might come all of the method down to what occurs after.
1:32
Caleb Williams does a very important job to maintain the play alive for the completion, tops it off with a TD run later inside the drive after which strikes the Heisman pose.
2. Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud
Stroud threw for 349 yards and two touchdowns Saturday, however he additionally threw two picks and, for the second straight 12 months, misplaced to rival Michigan. Stroud’s case for the Heisman stays to be a very good one, however with no probability to play but one extra sport on a championship stage, it is arduous to think about he can overcome Williams for the best spot.
three. Texas RB Bijan Robinson
He has been off the nationwide radar for a lot of the season, however there is not any question at this level that Robinson is amongst the numerous sport’s best gamers. His 179 yards and two touchdowns inside the win over Baylor put Texas in place to make the massive 12 title sport Friday, and he is hit one hundred yards in 9 of his previous 10 video games. In equity, it does really feel bizarre to write down good issues about Texas, however that is simply how good Robinson is.
4. Alabama QB Bryce youthful
the place would Alabama be this 12 months with out youthful? His 2022 candidacy feels very associated to Jameis Winston in 2014 or Lamar Jackson in 2017 — gritty, good, fully spectacular, however simply not as magical as a consequence of the previous 12 months. an complete lot of which might even be pinned on a lesser supporting safe and a midseason damage although, and the ultimate phrase takeaway stays that youthful is simply an extremely spectacular quarterback and worthy of a spot in ny.
5. TCU QB Max Duggan
There’s one factor rewarding a pair of Heisman finalist who opened the season on the bench. that might actually be the story for Duggan, who threw for three extra touchdowns in Saturday’s win over Iowa State that secured an undefeated common season for TCU, and it is going to current hope to all of the the rest of us spending time on life’s bench, understanding that Heisman contenders can blossom after Week 1 and guys who write snarky faculty soccer columns every Saturday do not usually attain their peak till their mid-50s.
under-the-radar sport of the day
So maybe UTSA‘s comeback in direction of UTEP did not carry the identical significance on the nationwide stage as a consequence of the Oregon State win over Oregon, nonetheless it was nonetheless pretty wild.
UTEP scored on its first 4 possessions to go up 24-zero. Then UTSA decided to play.
The Roadrunners scored on a sixty five-yard Frank Harris TD move, obtained a decide-six, then scored on their first three drives of the second half to tie the sport at 31.
amongst the numerous ridiculousness of the frenetic comeback was this wild — or maybe actually good — play that turned an monumental buy for UTEP proper into a drive that ended with a punt.
sport might have turned on the best (?) private foul ever.
UTEP QB runs for forty five yards. Grabs defender’s facemask at finish. No massive deal, proper? nonetheless gained 30. however UTSA defender then grabs horse collar, which is an offsetting penalty. full play is worn out.
— Mike Finger (@mikefinger) November 26, 2022
UTEP nonetheless had a shot to retake the lead, establishing store with a foremost down on the UTSA 14, however Calvin Brownholtz tossed his second INT of the sport to finish the drive.
in the end, UTSA drilled a 28-yard discipline objective as time expired, sending the Roadrunners to their tenth win of the season.
under-the-radar play of the day
Nate Cox‘s ultimate throw of Nevada‘s 27-22 loss to UNLV had extra drama than most (however notably, not all) Siegfried and Roy reveals.
First off, had been you conscious that there is a rivalry trophy for the winner of the Nevada-UNLV sport every 12 months? It seems redundant since Las Vegas is the leisure capital of the world and Reno is a spot to discover an low-cost steak and get rid of proof, so no trophy might matter all that a lot in figuring out which campus is extra healthful. however alas, right here we’re.
In any case, this 12 months’s installment of the Wayne Newton Trophy* obtained here all of the method down to the ultimate drive, and Nevada almost pulled off the sort of miracle ninety-12 months-outdated chain-smoking ladies dream of whereas having fun with the nickel slots.
(*observe: okay, we made that up. The exact trophy is a life-sized rendering of the Blue Man Group having fun with rock, paper, scissors mounted atop Celine Dion’s unique tour bus.**)
(**observe: okay, we made that one up, too. the true trophy recognized as a consequence of the Fremont Cannon and was as quickly as utilized by the mafia to fend off worthwhile outdoors the Golden Nugget.***)
Nevada trailed 27-sixteen with decrease than seven minutes to play however engineered a 12-play, seventy five-yard touchdown drive that included a fourth-and-5 conversion to pull to inside 27-22.
UNLV’s ensuing drive went nowhere, and the Rebels punted.
Nevada obtained the ball again with 2:05 remaining, managed 12 performs and had a shot on the sport winner on a fourth-and-1 from the UNLV 5 with 7 seconds to go. Nate Cox’s move to Jamaal Bell regarded like a potential completion — with one official signaling touchdown and one other waving it off — however in the end, the decision was incomplete, and UNLV held on for a 27-22 win.
(***observe: okay, we do not know if the cannon was utilized by the mafia both.)
Freeze ends chilly
Liberty opened the 12 months eight-1, its lone loss approaching a failed 2-level try in direction of Wake Forest.
Since then, nonetheless, the wheels have come off, and Hugh Freeze seems to nonetheless be flying down the freeway, rims sparking, bumper hanging off, en path to Auburn.
If the Freeze period at Liberty is over, there might be an exact argument that this departure, following a forty nine-14 loss to New Mexico State, is method extra embarrassing than the one at Ole Miss.
Freeze is in talks to take the vacant head-teaching job at Auburn, which three weeks in the past might’ve appeared a residence run lease for the Tigers.
Now? properly, arduous accountable Freeze for the consequence Saturday. New Mexico State had solely overwhelmed one FBS staff by 35 or extra beforehand 20 years, so clearly the Aggies had been due.
Saturday was the cherry on prime of the embarrassment sundae Liberty has loved the previous three weeks. First obtained here a loss to UConn, getting the Huskies bowl-eligible for the foremost time as a consequence of the Taft administration (observe: We did not actuality-look at that, nonetheless it feels proper). Then obtained here a loss to a 2-eight Virginia Tech staff that hadn’t obtained since mid-September. And now, an absolute demolition by New Mexico State.
in truth, there’s method extra that can go into Auburn’s ultimate decision than merely three principally meaningless video games. The very important factor on The Plains is to make optimistic that the Tigers get a coach who will fortunately buy a $forty million buyout in 2025.
primarily the most faculty soccer factor to happen Saturday
New Hampshire obtained its first-spherical sport inside the FCS playoffs fifty two-forty two in direction of Fordham, and tailback Dylan Laube obtained to celebrating early.
Laube’s 87-yard touchdown run inside the foremost quarter put UNH up 7-zero, however he did not trouble with the complete 87 earlier than extreme-fiving teammate Brian Espanet, who was trailing him down the sector.
He gave his teammate a extreme-5 earlier than scoring the TD 😅 pic.twitter.com/noX4qP1O4C
— ESPN faculty soccer (@ESPNCFB) November 26, 2022
this might often very properly be a a lot elevated various to have fun than the now fully by-product pretend hamstring pull. however right here is a very good elevated thought: a extreme-5 heading into the prime zone however then tuck your arm inside your jersey and make it look simply like the extreme-5 was so emphatic, your arm fell utterly off. we have executed that with toddlers and it always kills.
massive bets and unhealthy beats
Clemson closed as a 14.5-level favourite in direction of South Carolina on Saturday, which ought to’ve been a optimistic factor for the Tigers. Dabo Swinney was sixty two-1 straight up when favored by two touchdowns or extra. Alas, the Gamecocks do not care about historic previous. They solely care about melting faces and masking spreads. South Carolina obtained outright, a money line payout of +430.
One bettor dropped $753,535 on a money line wager on Ohio State at -315. That wasn’t all that good.
Largest reported Michigan-Ohio St sport: $753,535 Buckeyes moneyline (-315). wager was positioned Friday in New Jersey with @WynnBET. it is going to win $239,214.
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) November 26, 2022
Michigan’s win will make for rather a lot of tough Sunday mornings in Ohio, and no decrease than one in Las Vegas.
Trailing 31-10, Oregon State’s hopes of beating rival Oregon appeared slim. Vegas agreed. The dwell odds on the sport topped out at +2500 at Caesars Sportsbook, that means a $one hundred wager on the Beavers to win would’ve paid $2,500. and that is precisely what occurred, as Oregon State erased a 17-level deficit in 5 minutes of movement inside the fourth quarter and obtained 38-34, giving any bettors who nonetheless had religion a nice payday.
After subsequent week’s championship video games, the faculty soccer Playoff committee will decide primarily the easiest teams inside the nation. however bettors needn’t wait that prolonged to know who primarily the most worthwhile teams of the season had been.
primarily based on closing traces, Oregon State and Tulane each delivered massive outcomes for backers this season, going 10-2 in direction of the unfold. TCU (9-2-1), Penn State (9-three), UConn (9-three), Ohio (9-three) and Tennessee (9-three) additionally paid safe dividends.
On the flip side, inside the event you had been searching for to fade a staff, you’d possibly not have executed elevated than Miami or Colorado, every of whom accomplished 2-10 in direction of the unfold this 12 months. Nothing goes with a miserable season pretty like shedding money for anyone who believed in you.
And when it obtained here to betting totals, nobody was a safer wager than the Kentucky Wildcats, who went under the quantity in eleven of 12 video games this season. Houston dealt with the completely different finish of the spectrum, hitting the over in 10 of 12 video games.
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