There is only one word in the English language that can be usedto succinctly describe this weekend's college football games:Unbelievaradatastacular. OK, so it's not a real word, but you getthe idea. This weekend, we saw six games featuring ranked opponentssquaring off against one another, and not one of these games wasdecided by more than 12 points.
TOP 25 BREAKDOWN: One of the most anticipated games of theseason featured two California rivals, the first-ranked USC Trojansand the No. 7 California Bears. California picked up more thantwice as many total yards as USC did, obtained more than twice thenumber of USC first downs, and controlled the football for over 37minutes of the game. But when the game clock ran out, the Trojanmen had the last laugh, winning the game 23-17.
California QB Aaron Rodgers was nearly infallible throughout thegame, completing 29 of 34 passes for 267 yards and a touchdown.Rodgers tied an NCAA record by completing his first 23 passes ofthe game, a mark first set by Tennessee's former standout QB TeeMartin, and broke an NCAA record by completing 26 straight passesover two games. He dominated his USC counterpart and Heisman Trophyhopeful Matt Leinart, who was 15 of 25 for 164 yards, with two TDsand an interception.
With less than two minutes left in the game and USC up 23-17,Rodgers had led his team to the Trojan nine yard line with afirst-and-goal situation. But the USC defense, after having beensmoked by Rodgers throughout the first 58 minutes of the game, heldtough. They sacked Rodgers once and forced three incomplete passes(three of Rodgers five incompletions came on the last stand).
"Anybody watching this game knows we really dominated the game,"Rodgers said during the post-game interview. "We just came up alittle short in the score."
Another rivalry this weekend was the infamous Red RiverShootout, pitting the No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners against thefifth-ranked Texas Longhorns, in a game characterized by steadfastD. At halftime, the Sooners were up 3-0.
But in the second half, Oklahoma proved that they were the bestteam in the Big 12, winning the game 12-0. After putting up anotherFG in the third quarter, Kejuan Jones ran for a fourth quarter TD,nailing the coffin shut on the Longhorns.
The one man that provided any type of serious offense for eitherteam was Oklahoma's true freshman RB, Adrian Peterson. Taking thespotlight off of last year's Heisman winner, Sooners' QB JasonWhite, who finished with 113 passing yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs,Peterson tore apart the Texas defense, running for 225 yards onjust 32 carries.
"I'm just glad he's on our team," Sooners wideout Mark Claytontold ESPN. Oklahoma's win was its fifth straight in Red RiverShootouts.
Another great game, overshadowed by the two already described,was between the third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs and the No. 17Tennessee Volunteers. Tennessee's freshman QB Erik Ainge was thedifference, amassing 150 yards in the air and 2 TDs and leading histeam to a 19-14 win. With a loss like this, the Bulldogs will nowhave to play great football to get back to where they once stood inthe national rankings.
Elsewhere, No. 6 Auburn pounded Louisiana Tech 52-7, No. 8Florida State was without quarterback Chris Rix but managed tosqueak by Syracuse 17-13, and the ninth-ranked Virginia Cavalierstopped Clemson 30-10.
No. 12 Florida fell victim to twenty-fourth ranked LSU as LSU QBMarcus Randall threw a TD pass with ten seconds remaining in thegame, putting his team up for good, 24-21. The fourteenth-rankedMichigan Wolverines defeated thirteenth-ranked Minnesota by a scoreof 27-24, thanks to a TD with less than two minutes remaining.
Elsewhere, the fifteenth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes fell victimto No. 16 Wisconsin by a count of 24-13. The loss was Ohio State'sfirst home loss in 19 games.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING: This weekend we saw the end of the threelongest losing streaks in all of big-name college football. FormerSan Diego Chargers head coach Bobby Ross won his first game at Armythis past weekend, defeating Cincinnati 48-29. The win snappedArmy's 19-game losing streak. Army's victory left the nation'slongest losing streak to both East Carolina and Louisiana-Monroe,teams which had lost nine straight games. ECU knocked off Tulane,while LA-Monroe defeated Idaho, leaving the nation's new longestlosing streak to the University of Central Florida, which, afterthis weekend's loss, has lost nine straight games.
