Wild, Wacky Week Five

It was a wild ride for many of the ranked teams this week. Nine of the AP Top 25 were defeated including five of the top ten. #20 Missouri is probably very happy they were idle this week.

#1 Southern California (4-0) escaped in a squeeker over Washington (2-3) 27-24.

#2 LSU remains undefeated at 5-0 with a 34-9 victory over Tulane.

#3 Oklahoma took it on the chin in the high altitude of the Colorado Rockies. The traveled to Colorado and the Buffaloes came back with 20 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters to beat the Sooners 27-24. The go ahead field goal was made with 0:02 on the clock. It was the second time this season the Buffaloes got a “walk-off” field goal to win the game.

Unranked Auburn lead for most of the game but needed a field goal with 3 seconds remaining to defeat #4 Florida 20-17. Coach Tommy Tuberville figured out how to defense the Gators’ Tim Tebow: don’t let him have the ball. Auburn ran 77 offensive plays to Florida’s 61. They also had 320 net yards versus the Gators’ 312. The loss ends Florida’s 11 game winning streak. Their last loss? To Auburn.

All the press #5 West Virginia (4-1) has gotten the last year or two must not have impressed #18 South Florida (4-0). Last year the beat the Mountaineers in Morgantown. This year they whipped ‘em in Tampa, 21-13. The Bulls are now 4-0 and the Mountaineers fall to 4-1.

#6 California (5-0) scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to defeat #11 Oregon (4-1) 31-24. And the Golden Bears needed every point. Even then two late interceptions of Dennis Dixon passes and a freak play were needed to overcome the Ducks. With 22 seconds to play, a fumbled ball by Ducks’ receiver Cameron Colvin that rolled free just short of the goal line and went through the end zone resulting in a touchback thereby preventing a Ducks’ score is the only thing that preserved the victory.

Unranked Kansas State (3-1) knocked off #7 Texas (4-1) by a score of 41-21. K-State ran back two kick returns (one a punt and the other a kickoff) for TDs and an interception for another.

#8 Ohio State (5-0) defeated Minnesota (1-4) by a 30-7 score.

#9 Wisconsin (5-0) held on to defeat Michigan State (4-1) by a score of 37-34 even
thought the Spartans out gained the Badgers 564 net yards to 461.

Unranked Maryland (3-2) powered over #10 Rutgers (3-1) 34-24. The Terps lost their starting QB to a concussion late in the first half but backup Chris Turner led the way to 20 second half points as Maryland overcame a 17-14 half-time deficit. The Terp defense held Ray Rice to just 97 yards on 21 carries. Sixty-eight of those yards came in the first quarter.

#11 Oregon came thiiissss close to upsetting #6 California. But didn’t. (See above.)

#12 Boston College (5-0) continues to have an unblemished record with its 24-14 defeat of Massachusetts (4-1).

#13 Clemson (3-1) fell to Georgia Tech (3-2) in a close contest 13-7.

#14 Kentucky (5-0) Andre Woodson threw his first interception in a very long time but he also threw for 301 yards and 5 TDs in leading the Wildcats over Florida Atlantic (3-2).

#15 Georgia (4-1) was having a tough time with Mississippi (1-4) until they put up 21 points in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs won 45-17.

#16 South Carolina (4-1) scored the final 21 points in their contest with Mississippi State (3-2) and pulled out a 38-21 victory.

#18 South Florida (4-0) beat #5 West Virginia (4-1)

#19 Hawaii's Rainbow Warriors (5-0) traveled to Moscow, Idaho to take on the Vandals (1-4). Colt Brennan threw for two TDs and ran for one. Brennan was 31 for 50 for 395 yards before giving way to backup Tyler Graunke. The Warriors’ defense returned two interceptions for TDs. The final score was 48-20.

#20 Missouri (4-0) had the week off.

#21 Penn State (3-2) fell to Illinois (4-1) 27-20.

#22 Alabama (3-2) lost to Florida State (3-1), 21-14.

#23 Arizona State (5-0) easily handled Stanford (1-3) 41-3.

#24 Cincinnati (5-0) traveled to the west coast and drummed San Diego State (1-3) 52-23 and it wasn’t that close as the Aztecs tacked on 13 points in the final quarter. The Bearcats’ Ben Mauk threw for a career-high 4 TD passes—in the second quarter—as the Bearcats rolled to 30 first downs and 547 yards total offense.

#25 Nebraska (4-1) downed Iowa State (1-4) 35-17.

Unranked Purdue (5-0) defeated Notre Dame (05) 33-19.
In the Big East
Unranked (so far) Connecticut improved to 5-0 by beating Akron 44-10.
Syracuse (1-4) lost to Miami (Ohio) (2-3) by a score of 17-14.
#18 South Florida(4-0) defeated #5 West Virginia (4-1) 21-13.
Maryland (3-2) defeated #10 Rutgers (3-1) 34-24.