Tweet
Thursday, Sept. 9
Troy 24, Missouri 14
Troy pulled off the huge upset despite having 7 less first downs and 43 less total yards. Missouri scored on their first two possessions but the Trojans held them to 62 yards the rest of the first half and they only had one drive that was over 40 yards for the remainder of the game. They enters Trojans territory only twice after their first two scores, resulting in an interception and a turnover on downs.
Friday, Sept. 10
Miami 16, Florida St. 10 (OT)
Florida St. was a field goal away from winning but the Hurricanes came up with a huge block and then tied the game to send it to overtime. The Seminoles scored their only touchdown on a fumble return as the Canes held the Florida St. offense to only 165 total yards and just 10 first downs. Miami held the ball for nearly 17 minutes longer despite running only 5 more offensive plays.
Boise St. 53, Oregon St. 34
The Broncos spotted Oregon St. a 14-0 lead but then ran off 34 straight points to take control. Boise St. only outyarded the Beavers 492-469 but 4 interceptions by Oregon St. led to 24 points. Boise St. controlled the ball for over 19 minutes longer and they were a perfect 8-8 in the redzone. The Broncos showed perfect balance, gaining 246 yards both through the air and on the ground.
Saturday, Sept. 11
Boston College 21, Penn St. 7
Total yards were dead even at 328 but Penn St. was the victim of 5 turnovers, three of which took place in Boston College territory. The Penn St. defense was a rock in the 4th quarter, holding the Eagles to 17 yards on 4 drives but 3 interceptions by the offense killed any attempt of a comeback. Boston College was in Penn St. territory only 5 times while the Nittany Lions enter BC territory 9 times.
Connecticut 22, Duke 20
Connecticut outgained Duke 402-245 but still needed 16 fourth quarter points to pull out the win. The Huskies made it inside the Duke 10-yard line 6 times but were forced to settle for 4 field goal attempts, missing one of those. Connecticut scored on their last 4 possessions after scoring only once in their first 8. Duke missed a 36-yard field goal with seconds remaining.
Louisville 52, Army 21
Louisville finished with 34 first downs and they were a solid 11-15 on third down. Army had 3 good touchdown drives but they gained only 117 total yards in their other 10 drives. The Cardinals were in Army territory in each one of their 13 drives as they finished a perfect 8-8 in the redzone. The Cadets played from a long field all day, starting their drives from their own 19-yard line.
Pittsburgh 24, Ohio 3
Ohio actually outyarded the Panthers 290-217 but Pittsburgh used an interception return for a touchdown and a key blocked punt to set up another score. Penalties were key for the Bobcats as they had a punt return for a touchdown called back that would have cut the Panthers lead to 3 late in the third quarter. Of Pittsburgh’s 17 drives, only 2 lasted more than 5 plays.
Syracuse 37, Buffalo 17
Syracuse finished with only 12 first downs but they used a blocked punt return and an interception return for touchdowns that broke the game open. Buffalo was also opportunistic on the defensive side as they returned two fumbles for touchdowns. The Bulls missed chances on offense, going into the Orange redzone 3 times but coming away with only one score.
Alabama 28, Mississippi 7
Alabama rushed for 221 yards on 47 carries (4.7 ypc) while holding the Rebels to 65 yards on the ground. Mississippi finished the game with only 9 first downs as they gained just 192 yards on the night. A costly fumble at their own 8-yard line from the Rebels gave Alabama a very short field setting up their 2nd touchdown.
Auburn 43, Mississippi St. 14
Auburn jumped out to a 43-0 lead, amassing 465 yards of offense. The Bulldogs could get nothing going on offense all day as they punted on their first 8 possessions. Auburn allowed only 81 yards rushing while gaining 283 yards on 41 carries (6.9 ypc) themselves. Mississippi St. gained 98 of their 271 total yards on their last 2 drives in garbage time.
Florida 49, E. Michigan 10
Eastern Michigan kept this game close for nearly a half as they pulled within 11 points late in the second quarter. However, Florida returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards to set up another touchdown. The Eagles controlled the clock by nearly 5 more minutes but penalties and a turnover in Florida territory killed early scoring chances. Eastern Michigan didn’t get past the Gators 48-yard line in the 2nd half.
Georgia 20, South Carolina 16
South Carolina jumped out to a 16-0 lead thanks to numerous Georgia mistakes but the offense was not able to move the ball enough to score. The Gamecocks got inside the Georgia 26-yard line 3 times in the second half but came away with no points. This included a 4th down stop at the Bulldogs 7-yard line. South Carolina was held to 73 yards rushing on 31 carries (2.4 ypc).
Georgia Tech 28, Clemson 24
The Yellow Jackets trailed by 10 points with less than 2 minutes to go but 2 touchdowns sealed the deal. Georgia Tech scored a touchdown, made a defensive stop and then were the beneficiaries of a muffed punt. Clemson outyarded Georgia Tech 474-363 but failed to make the yards when most needed. The Yellow Jackets went 12 consecutive possessions without scoring until 3 straight touchdowns in the 4th quarter.
LSU 53, Arkansas St. 3
LSU held the Indians to 201 yards of total offense and just 11 first downs. The rushing defense was strong gain, allowing 54 yards on 33 carries (1.6 ypc). The offense for the Tigers moved at will, averaging 7.7 ypp as they faced a third down situation only 98 times throughout the game. They scored on 8 offensive possessions yet the longest drive was only 7 plays long.
Louisiana Tech 24, Louisiana-Lafayette 20
The game ended for the Cajuns at the Louisiana Tech 7-yard line as time expired. The Bulldogs gained 497 yards of offense but early turnover almost cost them this game. The Bulldogs drove inside the Cajuns 10 yard-line on their first three possessions but came away empty handed due to three turnovers. They failed to enter Lafayette territory on only 2 of their 12 possessions.
Maryland 45, Temple 22
Maryland outyarded the Owls 471-346 and it was an efficient passing game that excelled. The Terps were 11-16 on third down and a perfect 5-5 in the redzone. Maryland entered Temple territory on every drive and if not for a missed field goal and a fumble, the score would have been much worse. The Owls gained just 70 yards in the first half and punted on their only 5 possessions.
Virginia 56, North Carolina 24
Virginia could not be stopped on offense, gaining 549 yards and scoring a touchdown on their first 6 possessions not including a kickoff return for a touchdown. The Tar Heels couldn’t stop the run as the Cavs pounded out 299 yards on 48 carries (6.2 ypc). North Carolina was stuffed at the Virginia 3 yard line in their first trip into Cavs territory and Virginia took over to make it a 21-0 lead.
Virginia Tech 63, W. Michigan 0
The Hokies racked up 487 yards of offense and were aided by 2 defensive touchdowns. Virginia Tech went three and out on their first drive then scored touchdowns on 8 of their next 10 offensive drives. Western Michigan got into Virginia Tech territory on 4 of their first 6 drives but a turnover and two missed field goal kept them off the scoreboard. They gained 3 yards on their first 5 possessions of the 2nd half.
Wake Forest 31, East Carolina 17
Wake Forest gained 584 yards of offense but the defense gave up 468 yards and needed a 4th quarter touchdown to seal the win. The Deacons let East Carolina back in the game, committing two turnovers in the third quarter that led to two Pirates touchdowns, cutting the lead to 7 points. East Carolina rushed for 236 yards on 23 carries, scoring on an 86-yard run that boosted their ypc average to 10.3 for the night.
West Virginia 45, UCF 20
The Mountaineers ran wild, gaining 235 yards on 45 carries (5.2 ypc) but penalties were an issue again as they committed 12 for 116 yards. They scored touchdowns on their last 4 drives in the first half after fumbling at the Central Florida 5-yard line on their first possession. West Virginia faced third down only 7 times as they averaged 7.3 ypp compared to just 4.2 for the Golden Knights.
Arizona St. 30, Northwestern 21
Northwestern outgained the Sun Devils 463-431 and had a much better balance but they were stopped on 4th down twice in Arizona St. territory. Their only turnover, a fumble at the Sun Devils 18-yard line, killed another drive late in the 4th quarter that could have given them the lead. Out of Arizona St.’s three field goals, two were 19 yards or less.
Cincinnati 45, Miami (Ohio) 26
The Bearcats got their offense going after not showing up last week, gaining 599 yards against the Redhawks. The Miami defense could not stop Cincinnati, who rushed for 341 yards on 43 attempts (7.9 ypc) and gained 9.1 ypp. The Redhawks only mustered 37 yards rushing on 24 carries (1.5 ypc). All 6 of Cincinnati’s touchdown drives were 60 yards and longer.
Fresno St. 45, Kansas St. 21
The Bulldogs held Kansas St. to only 180 yards on offense and 11 first downs while racking up 400 offensive yards themselves. It could have been even worse but Fresno St. committed 13 penalties for 113 yards. The Wildcats scored on an interception return to start the game and scored on a fumble recovery near the end of the game.
Iowa 17, Iowa St. 10
Both teams did an excellent job against the run on defense, allowing the opposite offense to gain only 1.9 ypc. Iowa drove 49 yards on their first possession to score a touchdown and it ended up being their longest drive of the day. The other touchdown came after they pinned the Cyclones deep in their own territory forcing a punt. Iowa St. was driving to end the game but were stopped at the Hawkeyes 33-yard line on 4th down.
Kansas 63, Toledo 14
This game was over midway through the first quarter after a Kansas interception was turned into a touchdown for a 21-0 lead. The Jayhawks scored touchdowns on 6 of their 8 first half possessions and added another on a fumble return. The Toledo offense could do nothing right in their first seven possessions, going 3 and out on three of them and turning it over on three others.
Michigan St. 24, Cent. Michigan 7
Michigan St. only outgained the Chippewas by 76 total yards but they were able to put just enough drives together to pull away. Six of their eight 2nd half possessions resulted in 3 and out while the other two were touchdown drives. Central Michigan ended the first half with an 85-yard drive but it stalled at the Spartans 10-yard line and they missed a field goal that would have pulled them within a touchdown.
Middle Tennessee 31, Akron 24
Akron outgained the Blue Raiders 502-403 but three turnovers and a missed field goal turned into 21 Middle Tennessee St. points, including the game-winning touchdown with 2:03 remaining. The ensuing possession saw the Zips get stopped at the Blue Raiders 18-yard line as time expired. Akron was only 3-6 inside the redzone while Middle Tennessee St. was 4-4.
Notre Dame 28, Michigan 20
Note Dame spotted Michigan a 9-0 lead at halftime before their offense finally woke up. The Irish only outyarded the Wolverines by 17 yards but they turned two second half turnovers and blocked punt into three touchdowns. Michigan made it inside the Note Dame redzone three times in the first half but had to settle for three field goals. The Irish held Michigan to 56 yards rushing on 30 carries (1.9 ypc).
Ohio St. 24, Marshall 21
Ohio needed a 55-yard last second field goal to pull this one out. The Buckeyes did outgain Marshall by 113 total yards as Marshall has only two decent offensive drives on the day, one which ended on 4th down at the Ohio St. 10 yard line. The other two Herd touchdowns came off turnovers where they needed only 13 combined yards for the two scores. Ohio St. had the ball for only 10 minutes in the entire 2nd half.
Purdue 59, Ball St. 7
Another offense explosion for the Boilermakers as they gained 599 total yards while holding Ball St. to only 197 yards. Purdue scored on all but two possessions and one of those ended at the Cardinals 10-yard line as time expired. Ball St. punted on their first 9 drives before scoring a touchdown with 5 minutes left in the game.
UCLA 35, Illinois 17
UCLA only outgained the Illini by 25 total yards but they scored two touchdowns off turnovers. Illinois had a chance to go up 7-0 but were stopped on 4th down at the Bruins 4 yards line. UCLA then drove 96 yards to take the early lead and scored on their next possession to take control. Illinois was in Bruins territory 8 times but scored just 3 times.
Wisconsin 18, UNLV 3
Wisconsin held the Rebels to only 174 yards of offense and stopped UNLV on 12 of their 13 third down attempts. UNLV got into Badgers territory only twice, both resulting in field goal attempts and making one. The Badgers tallied only 276 yards of offense themselves but they misses early chances of scoring by missing two field goals and getting stopped at the Rebels 1-yard line on their first 3 possessions.
Florida Atlantic 20, North Texas 13
Florida Atlantic surprised again by defeating North Texas by 7 points despite outgaining the Mean Green 457-281. The Owls had 6 drives of 50 yards or more but were stopped twice without scoring inside the North Texas 10-yard line and settling for a field goal at the 2-yard line. North Texas didn’t get inside the Florida Atlantic 25-yard line until late in the 4th quarter. The Owls scored the winning TD with .29 left.
Oklahoma 63, Houston 13
The Sooners spotted Houston a 7-0 lead before running off 63 unanswered points en route to the blowout. The Cougars looked good marching 80 yards on their first drive but managed just 202 yards the rest of the game. Oklahoma racked up 583 yards of offense including 276 yards rushing on 49 attempts (5.6 ypc). Houston ran for just 61 yards on 37 carries (1.6 ypc).
Oklahoma St. 38, Tulsa 21
The Cowboys continued to be a one-dimensional team by rushing 60 times and passing only 8. They ran for 276 yards on 60 carries (4.6 ypc) thus chewing up nearly 10 more minutes of the clock. Oklahoma St. ran off 39 straight points after the Golden Hurricane took an early 7-0 lead. Tulsa scored 2 garbage touchdowns late where they gained 47% of their total yardage.
TCU 44, SMU 0
The Horned Frogs dominated on both sides, outgaining SMU 562-170 and doubling their first down output 26-13. The Mustangs rushed for a putrid 6 yards on 30 carries (0.2 ypc) and they got no further than the TCU 23-yard line. Three Mustangs turnovers led to 3 touchdowns for TCU and SMU gained only 45 total yards in the second half.
Texas 22, Arkansas 20
Texas jumped out to an early 9-0 lead but Arkansas did a good job of not letting it get out of hand. They actually outyarded the Longhorns 458-409 but Texas used a strong running game to hold on. The Longhorns ran for 259 yards on 46 carries (5.6 ypc). Arkansas had two chances late but fumbled at the Texas 7-yard line with 2:42 left and then were intercepted in Texas territory as time expired.
Texas A&M 31, Wyoming 0
The Aggies outgained Wyoming by 300 yards and held the Cowboys to –3 yards rushing on 26 carries (-0.1 ypc). Despite the big amount of offense, Texas A&M had only one scoring drive of more than 40 yards, as they used an 84-yard pass for a score and returned an interception for another. They were stopped twice at the Cowboys 2-yard line on downs.
California 41, New Mexico St. 14
The Bears racked up 611 yards of offense while holding New Mexico St. to just 212 total yards. The big discrepancy was in the running game as Cal rushed for 336 yards on 41 carries (8.2 ypc) while holding the Aggies to 37 yards on 36 attempts (1.0 ypc). New Mexico St. took a 7-6 lead early in the 2nd quarter but then was held to 68 yards until a garbage touchdown late.
Colorado 20, Washington St. 12
This is the most deceiving final score of the weekend as the Cougars held Colorado to only 125 yards of offense and 7 first downs while gaining 402 yards of offense themselves. The Buffaloes scored their touchdowns on a blocked punt and an interception return. Their two field goal drives totaled only 47 yards. Washington St. missed two field goals, fumbled twice including once at the 2-yard line as the game ended.
Indiana 30, Oregon 24
The second most deceiving final score showed Oregon with a 495-198 yard advantage as they held Indiana to only 71 yards through the air. 7 turnovers were the obvious difference as the Hoosiers scored their first 20 points off 4 fumbles and added another field goal off a turnover on downs. Their only other score was a kickoff return for a touchdown. The Ducks had 3 chances in the 4th quarter but got nothing after entering the redzone twice.
New Mexico 27, Texas Tech 24
Texas Tech outgained New Mexico 495-315 and they had 32 first downs but costly turnover and penalties kept them from the win. The Lobos scored 10 points off turnovers and while the Red Raiders entered New Mexico territory on 8 of their last 10 drives, they only came away with two scores. New Mexico kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to pull out the victory.
Southern Cal 49, Colorado St. 0
The Trojans racked up 553 yards of offense while the Rams didn’t do themselves any favors by committing 6 turnovers, leading to 35 USC points. Four of those turnover occurred in USC territory with two happening inside the Trojans 15-yard line. USC ran for 322 yards on 45 carries (7.2 ypc) while Colorado St. rushed for only 48 yards on 27 carries (1.8 ypc).
Utah St. 14, Idaho 7
The Vandals outgained Utah State 235-223 and dominated the time of possession by nearly 14 more minutes. They held the Aggies to just 58 yards rushing on 25 carries (2.3 ypc). Idaho had a chance to force a tie but they were stuffed at the Utah St. 15-yard line late in the game. The Vandal offense was unable to capitalize on five Aggie turnovers.
Utah 23, Arizona 6
Utah won by 17 despite outgaining the Wildcats by just 14 yards on offense. Arizona had plenty of chances as they finished just 2-5 inside the redzone, missing a field goal and committing two turnovers inside the Utes 8-yard line. Utah gained only 105 yards in the second half with their only touchdown coming on an eleven-yard drive off an interception.
Stanford 37, BYU 10
BYU took a 10-0 lead but Stanford held the Cougars to 226 yards the rest of the way. BYU committed 7 turnovers that led to Stanford’s last 23 points. One of the other Cardinal touchdowns came on a 99-yard kickoff return. The teams combined for only 103 yards rushing. The Cougars also hurt themselves with 14 penalties for 125 yards.
Troy 24, Missouri 14
Troy pulled off the huge upset despite having 7 less first downs and 43 less total yards. Missouri scored on their first two possessions but the Trojans held them to 62 yards the rest of the first half and they only had one drive that was over 40 yards for the remainder of the game. They enters Trojans territory only twice after their first two scores, resulting in an interception and a turnover on downs.
Friday, Sept. 10
Miami 16, Florida St. 10 (OT)
Florida St. was a field goal away from winning but the Hurricanes came up with a huge block and then tied the game to send it to overtime. The Seminoles scored their only touchdown on a fumble return as the Canes held the Florida St. offense to only 165 total yards and just 10 first downs. Miami held the ball for nearly 17 minutes longer despite running only 5 more offensive plays.
Boise St. 53, Oregon St. 34
The Broncos spotted Oregon St. a 14-0 lead but then ran off 34 straight points to take control. Boise St. only outyarded the Beavers 492-469 but 4 interceptions by Oregon St. led to 24 points. Boise St. controlled the ball for over 19 minutes longer and they were a perfect 8-8 in the redzone. The Broncos showed perfect balance, gaining 246 yards both through the air and on the ground.
Saturday, Sept. 11
Boston College 21, Penn St. 7
Total yards were dead even at 328 but Penn St. was the victim of 5 turnovers, three of which took place in Boston College territory. The Penn St. defense was a rock in the 4th quarter, holding the Eagles to 17 yards on 4 drives but 3 interceptions by the offense killed any attempt of a comeback. Boston College was in Penn St. territory only 5 times while the Nittany Lions enter BC territory 9 times.
Connecticut 22, Duke 20
Connecticut outgained Duke 402-245 but still needed 16 fourth quarter points to pull out the win. The Huskies made it inside the Duke 10-yard line 6 times but were forced to settle for 4 field goal attempts, missing one of those. Connecticut scored on their last 4 possessions after scoring only once in their first 8. Duke missed a 36-yard field goal with seconds remaining.
Louisville 52, Army 21
Louisville finished with 34 first downs and they were a solid 11-15 on third down. Army had 3 good touchdown drives but they gained only 117 total yards in their other 10 drives. The Cardinals were in Army territory in each one of their 13 drives as they finished a perfect 8-8 in the redzone. The Cadets played from a long field all day, starting their drives from their own 19-yard line.
Pittsburgh 24, Ohio 3
Ohio actually outyarded the Panthers 290-217 but Pittsburgh used an interception return for a touchdown and a key blocked punt to set up another score. Penalties were key for the Bobcats as they had a punt return for a touchdown called back that would have cut the Panthers lead to 3 late in the third quarter. Of Pittsburgh’s 17 drives, only 2 lasted more than 5 plays.
Syracuse 37, Buffalo 17
Syracuse finished with only 12 first downs but they used a blocked punt return and an interception return for touchdowns that broke the game open. Buffalo was also opportunistic on the defensive side as they returned two fumbles for touchdowns. The Bulls missed chances on offense, going into the Orange redzone 3 times but coming away with only one score.
Alabama 28, Mississippi 7
Alabama rushed for 221 yards on 47 carries (4.7 ypc) while holding the Rebels to 65 yards on the ground. Mississippi finished the game with only 9 first downs as they gained just 192 yards on the night. A costly fumble at their own 8-yard line from the Rebels gave Alabama a very short field setting up their 2nd touchdown.
Auburn 43, Mississippi St. 14
Auburn jumped out to a 43-0 lead, amassing 465 yards of offense. The Bulldogs could get nothing going on offense all day as they punted on their first 8 possessions. Auburn allowed only 81 yards rushing while gaining 283 yards on 41 carries (6.9 ypc) themselves. Mississippi St. gained 98 of their 271 total yards on their last 2 drives in garbage time.
Florida 49, E. Michigan 10
Eastern Michigan kept this game close for nearly a half as they pulled within 11 points late in the second quarter. However, Florida returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards to set up another touchdown. The Eagles controlled the clock by nearly 5 more minutes but penalties and a turnover in Florida territory killed early scoring chances. Eastern Michigan didn’t get past the Gators 48-yard line in the 2nd half.
Georgia 20, South Carolina 16
South Carolina jumped out to a 16-0 lead thanks to numerous Georgia mistakes but the offense was not able to move the ball enough to score. The Gamecocks got inside the Georgia 26-yard line 3 times in the second half but came away with no points. This included a 4th down stop at the Bulldogs 7-yard line. South Carolina was held to 73 yards rushing on 31 carries (2.4 ypc).
Georgia Tech 28, Clemson 24
The Yellow Jackets trailed by 10 points with less than 2 minutes to go but 2 touchdowns sealed the deal. Georgia Tech scored a touchdown, made a defensive stop and then were the beneficiaries of a muffed punt. Clemson outyarded Georgia Tech 474-363 but failed to make the yards when most needed. The Yellow Jackets went 12 consecutive possessions without scoring until 3 straight touchdowns in the 4th quarter.
LSU 53, Arkansas St. 3
LSU held the Indians to 201 yards of total offense and just 11 first downs. The rushing defense was strong gain, allowing 54 yards on 33 carries (1.6 ypc). The offense for the Tigers moved at will, averaging 7.7 ypp as they faced a third down situation only 98 times throughout the game. They scored on 8 offensive possessions yet the longest drive was only 7 plays long.
Louisiana Tech 24, Louisiana-Lafayette 20
The game ended for the Cajuns at the Louisiana Tech 7-yard line as time expired. The Bulldogs gained 497 yards of offense but early turnover almost cost them this game. The Bulldogs drove inside the Cajuns 10 yard-line on their first three possessions but came away empty handed due to three turnovers. They failed to enter Lafayette territory on only 2 of their 12 possessions.
Maryland 45, Temple 22
Maryland outyarded the Owls 471-346 and it was an efficient passing game that excelled. The Terps were 11-16 on third down and a perfect 5-5 in the redzone. Maryland entered Temple territory on every drive and if not for a missed field goal and a fumble, the score would have been much worse. The Owls gained just 70 yards in the first half and punted on their only 5 possessions.
Virginia 56, North Carolina 24
Virginia could not be stopped on offense, gaining 549 yards and scoring a touchdown on their first 6 possessions not including a kickoff return for a touchdown. The Tar Heels couldn’t stop the run as the Cavs pounded out 299 yards on 48 carries (6.2 ypc). North Carolina was stuffed at the Virginia 3 yard line in their first trip into Cavs territory and Virginia took over to make it a 21-0 lead.
Virginia Tech 63, W. Michigan 0
The Hokies racked up 487 yards of offense and were aided by 2 defensive touchdowns. Virginia Tech went three and out on their first drive then scored touchdowns on 8 of their next 10 offensive drives. Western Michigan got into Virginia Tech territory on 4 of their first 6 drives but a turnover and two missed field goal kept them off the scoreboard. They gained 3 yards on their first 5 possessions of the 2nd half.
Wake Forest 31, East Carolina 17
Wake Forest gained 584 yards of offense but the defense gave up 468 yards and needed a 4th quarter touchdown to seal the win. The Deacons let East Carolina back in the game, committing two turnovers in the third quarter that led to two Pirates touchdowns, cutting the lead to 7 points. East Carolina rushed for 236 yards on 23 carries, scoring on an 86-yard run that boosted their ypc average to 10.3 for the night.
West Virginia 45, UCF 20
The Mountaineers ran wild, gaining 235 yards on 45 carries (5.2 ypc) but penalties were an issue again as they committed 12 for 116 yards. They scored touchdowns on their last 4 drives in the first half after fumbling at the Central Florida 5-yard line on their first possession. West Virginia faced third down only 7 times as they averaged 7.3 ypp compared to just 4.2 for the Golden Knights.
Arizona St. 30, Northwestern 21
Northwestern outgained the Sun Devils 463-431 and had a much better balance but they were stopped on 4th down twice in Arizona St. territory. Their only turnover, a fumble at the Sun Devils 18-yard line, killed another drive late in the 4th quarter that could have given them the lead. Out of Arizona St.’s three field goals, two were 19 yards or less.
Cincinnati 45, Miami (Ohio) 26
The Bearcats got their offense going after not showing up last week, gaining 599 yards against the Redhawks. The Miami defense could not stop Cincinnati, who rushed for 341 yards on 43 attempts (7.9 ypc) and gained 9.1 ypp. The Redhawks only mustered 37 yards rushing on 24 carries (1.5 ypc). All 6 of Cincinnati’s touchdown drives were 60 yards and longer.
Fresno St. 45, Kansas St. 21
The Bulldogs held Kansas St. to only 180 yards on offense and 11 first downs while racking up 400 offensive yards themselves. It could have been even worse but Fresno St. committed 13 penalties for 113 yards. The Wildcats scored on an interception return to start the game and scored on a fumble recovery near the end of the game.
Iowa 17, Iowa St. 10
Both teams did an excellent job against the run on defense, allowing the opposite offense to gain only 1.9 ypc. Iowa drove 49 yards on their first possession to score a touchdown and it ended up being their longest drive of the day. The other touchdown came after they pinned the Cyclones deep in their own territory forcing a punt. Iowa St. was driving to end the game but were stopped at the Hawkeyes 33-yard line on 4th down.
Kansas 63, Toledo 14
This game was over midway through the first quarter after a Kansas interception was turned into a touchdown for a 21-0 lead. The Jayhawks scored touchdowns on 6 of their 8 first half possessions and added another on a fumble return. The Toledo offense could do nothing right in their first seven possessions, going 3 and out on three of them and turning it over on three others.
Michigan St. 24, Cent. Michigan 7
Michigan St. only outgained the Chippewas by 76 total yards but they were able to put just enough drives together to pull away. Six of their eight 2nd half possessions resulted in 3 and out while the other two were touchdown drives. Central Michigan ended the first half with an 85-yard drive but it stalled at the Spartans 10-yard line and they missed a field goal that would have pulled them within a touchdown.
Middle Tennessee 31, Akron 24
Akron outgained the Blue Raiders 502-403 but three turnovers and a missed field goal turned into 21 Middle Tennessee St. points, including the game-winning touchdown with 2:03 remaining. The ensuing possession saw the Zips get stopped at the Blue Raiders 18-yard line as time expired. Akron was only 3-6 inside the redzone while Middle Tennessee St. was 4-4.
Notre Dame 28, Michigan 20
Note Dame spotted Michigan a 9-0 lead at halftime before their offense finally woke up. The Irish only outyarded the Wolverines by 17 yards but they turned two second half turnovers and blocked punt into three touchdowns. Michigan made it inside the Note Dame redzone three times in the first half but had to settle for three field goals. The Irish held Michigan to 56 yards rushing on 30 carries (1.9 ypc).
Ohio St. 24, Marshall 21
Ohio needed a 55-yard last second field goal to pull this one out. The Buckeyes did outgain Marshall by 113 total yards as Marshall has only two decent offensive drives on the day, one which ended on 4th down at the Ohio St. 10 yard line. The other two Herd touchdowns came off turnovers where they needed only 13 combined yards for the two scores. Ohio St. had the ball for only 10 minutes in the entire 2nd half.
Purdue 59, Ball St. 7
Another offense explosion for the Boilermakers as they gained 599 total yards while holding Ball St. to only 197 yards. Purdue scored on all but two possessions and one of those ended at the Cardinals 10-yard line as time expired. Ball St. punted on their first 9 drives before scoring a touchdown with 5 minutes left in the game.
UCLA 35, Illinois 17
UCLA only outgained the Illini by 25 total yards but they scored two touchdowns off turnovers. Illinois had a chance to go up 7-0 but were stopped on 4th down at the Bruins 4 yards line. UCLA then drove 96 yards to take the early lead and scored on their next possession to take control. Illinois was in Bruins territory 8 times but scored just 3 times.
Wisconsin 18, UNLV 3
Wisconsin held the Rebels to only 174 yards of offense and stopped UNLV on 12 of their 13 third down attempts. UNLV got into Badgers territory only twice, both resulting in field goal attempts and making one. The Badgers tallied only 276 yards of offense themselves but they misses early chances of scoring by missing two field goals and getting stopped at the Rebels 1-yard line on their first 3 possessions.
Florida Atlantic 20, North Texas 13
Florida Atlantic surprised again by defeating North Texas by 7 points despite outgaining the Mean Green 457-281. The Owls had 6 drives of 50 yards or more but were stopped twice without scoring inside the North Texas 10-yard line and settling for a field goal at the 2-yard line. North Texas didn’t get inside the Florida Atlantic 25-yard line until late in the 4th quarter. The Owls scored the winning TD with .29 left.
Oklahoma 63, Houston 13
The Sooners spotted Houston a 7-0 lead before running off 63 unanswered points en route to the blowout. The Cougars looked good marching 80 yards on their first drive but managed just 202 yards the rest of the game. Oklahoma racked up 583 yards of offense including 276 yards rushing on 49 attempts (5.6 ypc). Houston ran for just 61 yards on 37 carries (1.6 ypc).
Oklahoma St. 38, Tulsa 21
The Cowboys continued to be a one-dimensional team by rushing 60 times and passing only 8. They ran for 276 yards on 60 carries (4.6 ypc) thus chewing up nearly 10 more minutes of the clock. Oklahoma St. ran off 39 straight points after the Golden Hurricane took an early 7-0 lead. Tulsa scored 2 garbage touchdowns late where they gained 47% of their total yardage.
TCU 44, SMU 0
The Horned Frogs dominated on both sides, outgaining SMU 562-170 and doubling their first down output 26-13. The Mustangs rushed for a putrid 6 yards on 30 carries (0.2 ypc) and they got no further than the TCU 23-yard line. Three Mustangs turnovers led to 3 touchdowns for TCU and SMU gained only 45 total yards in the second half.
Texas 22, Arkansas 20
Texas jumped out to an early 9-0 lead but Arkansas did a good job of not letting it get out of hand. They actually outyarded the Longhorns 458-409 but Texas used a strong running game to hold on. The Longhorns ran for 259 yards on 46 carries (5.6 ypc). Arkansas had two chances late but fumbled at the Texas 7-yard line with 2:42 left and then were intercepted in Texas territory as time expired.
Texas A&M 31, Wyoming 0
The Aggies outgained Wyoming by 300 yards and held the Cowboys to –3 yards rushing on 26 carries (-0.1 ypc). Despite the big amount of offense, Texas A&M had only one scoring drive of more than 40 yards, as they used an 84-yard pass for a score and returned an interception for another. They were stopped twice at the Cowboys 2-yard line on downs.
California 41, New Mexico St. 14
The Bears racked up 611 yards of offense while holding New Mexico St. to just 212 total yards. The big discrepancy was in the running game as Cal rushed for 336 yards on 41 carries (8.2 ypc) while holding the Aggies to 37 yards on 36 attempts (1.0 ypc). New Mexico St. took a 7-6 lead early in the 2nd quarter but then was held to 68 yards until a garbage touchdown late.
Colorado 20, Washington St. 12
This is the most deceiving final score of the weekend as the Cougars held Colorado to only 125 yards of offense and 7 first downs while gaining 402 yards of offense themselves. The Buffaloes scored their touchdowns on a blocked punt and an interception return. Their two field goal drives totaled only 47 yards. Washington St. missed two field goals, fumbled twice including once at the 2-yard line as the game ended.
Indiana 30, Oregon 24
The second most deceiving final score showed Oregon with a 495-198 yard advantage as they held Indiana to only 71 yards through the air. 7 turnovers were the obvious difference as the Hoosiers scored their first 20 points off 4 fumbles and added another field goal off a turnover on downs. Their only other score was a kickoff return for a touchdown. The Ducks had 3 chances in the 4th quarter but got nothing after entering the redzone twice.
New Mexico 27, Texas Tech 24
Texas Tech outgained New Mexico 495-315 and they had 32 first downs but costly turnover and penalties kept them from the win. The Lobos scored 10 points off turnovers and while the Red Raiders entered New Mexico territory on 8 of their last 10 drives, they only came away with two scores. New Mexico kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to pull out the victory.
Southern Cal 49, Colorado St. 0
The Trojans racked up 553 yards of offense while the Rams didn’t do themselves any favors by committing 6 turnovers, leading to 35 USC points. Four of those turnover occurred in USC territory with two happening inside the Trojans 15-yard line. USC ran for 322 yards on 45 carries (7.2 ypc) while Colorado St. rushed for only 48 yards on 27 carries (1.8 ypc).
Utah St. 14, Idaho 7
The Vandals outgained Utah State 235-223 and dominated the time of possession by nearly 14 more minutes. They held the Aggies to just 58 yards rushing on 25 carries (2.3 ypc). Idaho had a chance to force a tie but they were stuffed at the Utah St. 15-yard line late in the game. The Vandal offense was unable to capitalize on five Aggie turnovers.
Utah 23, Arizona 6
Utah won by 17 despite outgaining the Wildcats by just 14 yards on offense. Arizona had plenty of chances as they finished just 2-5 inside the redzone, missing a field goal and committing two turnovers inside the Utes 8-yard line. Utah gained only 105 yards in the second half with their only touchdown coming on an eleven-yard drive off an interception.
Stanford 37, BYU 10
BYU took a 10-0 lead but Stanford held the Cougars to 226 yards the rest of the way. BYU committed 7 turnovers that led to Stanford’s last 23 points. One of the other Cardinal touchdowns came on a 99-yard kickoff return. The teams combined for only 103 yards rushing. The Cougars also hurt themselves with 14 penalties for 125 yards.