College football fans are looking for excitement this time of year, and Rivalry Week did not disappoint.
Friday night brought yet another upset in an already tumultuous year, as the unranked Arkansas Razorbacks scored a stunning 50-48 triple-overtime upset over the No. 1-ranked LSU Tigers.
For the Razorbacks, who were 7-4 coming into the game, the victory wasn't much more than a great way to end their sub par season on a high note. The game had far greater implications for the Tigers, who suffered their second loss of the season and were knocked out of contention for a BCS national championship.
Overtime has not been friendly to LSU this season. Both of their losses - the other to the then-No. 17 Kentucky Wildcats on Oct. 13 - came in three extra sessions. But whereas the Tigers led the Wildcats for most of the game and relented only in the fourth quarter, this time, LSU trailed the Razorbacks for the majority of the game. The Tigers needed some late-game heroics - a fourth-and-goal touchdown strike from quarterback Matt Flynn to wide receiver Demetrius Byrd with 57 seconds remaining - just to send the contest to overtime.
But despite LSU's valiant effort, it was Heisman hopeful Darren McFadden of the Razorbacks who stole the show. McFadden did plenty of damage from the running back position, rushing 32 times for 206 yards and three touchdowns. But the junior also made key plays lining up as the quarterback in Arkansas' "Wild Hog" formation, notching three completions for 34 yards and a huge fourth-quarter touchdown. He was nearly unstoppable, and his versatility contributed greatly to the Razorbacks' victory.
After starting the season 3-3 and losing three of four matchups against ranked teams prior to the Tigers, Arkansas managed to salvage a decent season by finishing 8-4. But more importantly, the Razorbacks threw a huge wrench in the BCS standings. With the Tigers' loss, there are now a slew of new contenders vying for a trip to the National Championship Game in New Orleans in January.
One of those teams is the No. 4 Missouri Tigers, who won their border clash on Saturday against No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks, 36-28, in what was considered the nation's game of the week.
Quarterback Chase Daniel was the driving force behind the Tigers' offense, completing a remarkable 40 of 49 pass attempts for 361 yards and three touchdowns. In addition to putting his team in the driver's seat for a bid to the title game, Daniel's standout performance thrust him into the conversation for the Heisman Trophy.
At this point, McFadden and Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow lead the race. But Daniel's big-game performance against Kansas, coupled with a strong showing in next weekend's Big 12 championship game against the Oklahoma Sooners, could give the junior the edge.
But Rivalry Week showcased much more than a monumental upset and a two-versus-four showdown. The week also featured four other matchups between two ranked opponents, three of the four going to the higher-ranked team.
The exception was the matchup between the No. 11 USC Trojans and the No. 7 Arizona State Sun Devils. The Trojans cruised to a 44-24 victory, leaving them in good position to win an unprecedented sixth straight Pac-10 title and possible Rose Bowl bid.
After a tight first quarter, the Trojans led 17-14. But after the Sun Devils tied it up with a field goal early in the second quarter, the Trojans locked down on defense and unleashed an arsenal of offensive weapons, putting up 17 unanswered points before cruising to a 20-point victory.
With 508 total yards on offense, USC nearly doubled ASU's offensive output of 258. The running game was the deciding factor, as the Trojans out-gained the Sun Devils by a whopping count of 133 yards to 16. ASU managed 243 yards in the air but was hit hard with pressure from the Trojans' defensive line, which accumulated six sacks in the game for a loss of 40 yards.
With the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors left as the only undefeated team in Div. I, a national title picture filled with uncertainty and a Heisman race without a standout candidate, the 2007-2008 season has been a wild one. And although there is less than a week remaining before the BCS announces its two national championship opponents, nothing is certain.
