Today's memorable sight from Ada--a few flakes of snow falling gently, and the mail carrier walking by, wearing shorts.
This weekend was the time for conference championship games and some special trophies:
This year's Civil War was much closer than the 1861-1865 model. #7 Oregon overcame #13 Oregon State in a thriller 37-33 to take the Pac 10 championship, a Rose Bowl bid, and, most important, the Platypus Trophy.
Big East: This year's River City rivalry game between #5 Cincinnati and #14 Pittsburgh was a thriller, by a Cincinnati touchdown in the last two minutes. Cincinnati squeaked by Pitt 45-44. Cincy had to come from behind and avoided overtime because Pittsburgh's holder failed to handle the snap on the conversion after a fourth quarter touchdown. Cincinnati preserved an undefeated season, a Big East championship, and clinched a BCS bowl bid. They also grabbed the Paddlewheel Trophy. Will Cincinnati's Brian Kelly be the new king of South Bend?
Big 12: The defenses ruled the night when undefeated and #3 ranked Texas met Nebraska. Texas finally won by kicking a field goal as time expired to edge Nebraska 13-12. Texas will meet Alabama in the BCS Championship game.
SEC: The most anticipated game of the weekend was the matchup of #1 Florida and #2 Alabama for the SEC championship. The occasion was a sad one for Tim Tebow and other Gators, as the Tide drowned the Gators 32-13. Alabama ran the ball very effectively, and Florida could neither run the ball nor stop the run.
ACC: CJ Spiller put on a show for Clemson, scoring four touchdowns and rushing for over 230 yards, but Georgia Tech wrecked Clemson with a fourth quarter touchdown to take the ACC championship and to claim a BCS bid. Final score, 39-34 Georgia Tech.
Conference USA: East Carolina, playing at home, upset #18 Houston 38-32 to take their second consecutive conference title. Is Skip Holtz headed for greater things that East Carolina?
MAC: Central Michigan quarterback Brian Le Fevour set an NCAA record for career touchdowns en route to leading his team to a 20-10 victory over Ohio U to take the MAC crown in a championship game sponsored by Marathon Oil.
Division IAA Playoffs: William and Mary routed Southern Illinois 24-3. Appalachian State staged a big fourth quarter comeback against Richmond, and App. State scored a touchdown in the last few seconds to creep past the Spiders, 35-31.
Our Teams in Non-Rivalry Games: #24 West Virginia defeated Rutgers 24-21. In a game in which both teams were apparently defenseless, Fresno State squeaked past Illinois 53-52. (I had to check to make sure that this was not a basketball score.)
Say What? #20 Southern Cal finished an unsatisfactory season with an upset loss to Arizona 21-17. Washington astonished #20 Cal 42-10.
Next week is the United Methodist choir cantata--the Vivaldi Gloria and Army vs. Navy.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Football Report, November 28, 2009
The weekends before and after Thanksgiving Day are the weekends for traditional rivalry games, and lots of those odd trophies that make college football such fun. A selection of trophy games are listed by their trophy:
Peace Pipe: Bowling Green turned the Rockets of Toledo into duds 38-24 in the I-75 Rivalry.
Lone Star Showdown Trophy: #3 Texas took over their battle with Texas A & M late 49-39. As a result, Texas earned a point toward the Lone Star Showdown Trophy, awarded annually on the basis of all sporting contests between the two schools.
Commonwealth Cup: The Virginia vs. Virginia Tech matchup was close at halftime, but Virginia Tech gradually pulled away in the second half to triumph 42-13.
Indian War Drum and Lamar Hunt Trophy: The Border War turned out to be a real barn burner this year. Mizzou trailed by 3 late in the fourth quarter, but a late punt to Kansas to the 3 yard line turned into a safety for Missouri. Mizzou then took the ensuing kickoff and moved the ball into position for a last second chip shot field goal to beat Kansas 41-39.
Territorial Cup: In the Duel in the Desert, Arizona dominated the first half, and Arizona State had tied the game in the fourth quarter before Arizona won with a last second field goal, 20-17.
Beehive Boot: #19 BYU had to go to overtime to overcome #21 Utah 26-23 in the Holy War. This should make BYU the best college football team in Utah and the winners of the Boot.
Bedlam Bell: Oklahoma dominated #12 Oklahoma State 27-0 in the Bedlam game.
Legends Trophy: Notre Dame vs. Stanford
Bronze Boot: Wyoming edged Colorado State 17-16 to win the Border War.
Our Teams in Rivalry Games that Lack a Trophy: #1 Florida started fast against Florida State in Sunshine Showdown and never looked back to win 37-10. Florida's victory made them the winners of the Florida Cup. Colorado was clearly outmanned against Nebraska, but the Buffs gave the Huskers a good game in Boulder before succumbing 28-20.
Our Teams in Non-Rivalry Games: Illinois ran into a buzzsaw at #5 U of Cincinnati, losing 49-36 to the Bearcats. Maryland fought hard but finished a disappointing season with a loss to Boston College, 19-17.
Upsets: West Virginia kicked a last minute field goal to beat #8 Pitt 19-16 in the Backyard Brawl. South Carolina quieted rumors of the demise of head coach Steve Spurrier and upended #15 Clemson 34-17. North Carolina State, who will not be going to a bowl game, blocked a last second field goal to edge #24 North Carolina 28-27. Mississippi State claimed the Golden Egg laid in the Egg Bowl by #25 Ole Miss 41-27.
Ranked Biggies Not Mentioned Above: In the Iron Bowl, #2 Alabama came back to narrowly beat Auburn 26-20 take the Foy ODK Trophy game. #6 Boise State remained undefeated 44-33 over Nevada. #4 TCU blew past New Mexico 30-10 to remain undefeated and take the Mountain West championship.
Playoff News: In the first round of the Division I Football Championship Series Playoffs, William and Mary clobbered Weber State 38-0. Richmond edged Elon 16-13. All four of the teams from the Colonial Athletic Association won their games in the first round of the playoffs.
Dept. of Defense: Navy vs. Hawaii way too late for me.
Undefeated and Untied This Week: Ohio Northern, Army, Emory, Peabody Conservatory.
A Reason to Give Thanks: Denver Broncos 26, New York Giants 6 on Thanksgiving night.
Peace Pipe: Bowling Green turned the Rockets of Toledo into duds 38-24 in the I-75 Rivalry.
Lone Star Showdown Trophy: #3 Texas took over their battle with Texas A & M late 49-39. As a result, Texas earned a point toward the Lone Star Showdown Trophy, awarded annually on the basis of all sporting contests between the two schools.
Commonwealth Cup: The Virginia vs. Virginia Tech matchup was close at halftime, but Virginia Tech gradually pulled away in the second half to triumph 42-13.
Indian War Drum and Lamar Hunt Trophy: The Border War turned out to be a real barn burner this year. Mizzou trailed by 3 late in the fourth quarter, but a late punt to Kansas to the 3 yard line turned into a safety for Missouri. Mizzou then took the ensuing kickoff and moved the ball into position for a last second chip shot field goal to beat Kansas 41-39.
Territorial Cup: In the Duel in the Desert, Arizona dominated the first half, and Arizona State had tied the game in the fourth quarter before Arizona won with a last second field goal, 20-17.
Beehive Boot: #19 BYU had to go to overtime to overcome #21 Utah 26-23 in the Holy War. This should make BYU the best college football team in Utah and the winners of the Boot.
Bedlam Bell: Oklahoma dominated #12 Oklahoma State 27-0 in the Bedlam game.
Legends Trophy: Notre Dame vs. Stanford
Bronze Boot: Wyoming edged Colorado State 17-16 to win the Border War.
Our Teams in Rivalry Games that Lack a Trophy: #1 Florida started fast against Florida State in Sunshine Showdown and never looked back to win 37-10. Florida's victory made them the winners of the Florida Cup. Colorado was clearly outmanned against Nebraska, but the Buffs gave the Huskers a good game in Boulder before succumbing 28-20.
Our Teams in Non-Rivalry Games: Illinois ran into a buzzsaw at #5 U of Cincinnati, losing 49-36 to the Bearcats. Maryland fought hard but finished a disappointing season with a loss to Boston College, 19-17.
Upsets: West Virginia kicked a last minute field goal to beat #8 Pitt 19-16 in the Backyard Brawl. South Carolina quieted rumors of the demise of head coach Steve Spurrier and upended #15 Clemson 34-17. North Carolina State, who will not be going to a bowl game, blocked a last second field goal to edge #24 North Carolina 28-27. Mississippi State claimed the Golden Egg laid in the Egg Bowl by #25 Ole Miss 41-27.
Ranked Biggies Not Mentioned Above: In the Iron Bowl, #2 Alabama came back to narrowly beat Auburn 26-20 take the Foy ODK Trophy game. #6 Boise State remained undefeated 44-33 over Nevada. #4 TCU blew past New Mexico 30-10 to remain undefeated and take the Mountain West championship.
Playoff News: In the first round of the Division I Football Championship Series Playoffs, William and Mary clobbered Weber State 38-0. Richmond edged Elon 16-13. All four of the teams from the Colonial Athletic Association won their games in the first round of the playoffs.
Dept. of Defense: Navy vs. Hawaii way too late for me.
Undefeated and Untied This Week: Ohio Northern, Army, Emory, Peabody Conservatory.
A Reason to Give Thanks: Denver Broncos 26, New York Giants 6 on Thanksgiving night.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Football Report, November 23, 2009
Today is complicated in Ada. Ada High's show choir, the Varsity Singers, is hosting their annual competition, the Music Feast. Also, Ada High's football team is in the third round of the playoffs in Findlay, Ohio, and it is, of course, the day of the Big Game--Ohio State vs. Michigan.
High School: Tonight, the Ada Bulldogs took on the #1 Blue Jays of Delphos St. John, last year's state champions in Division VI. Ada never trailed in regulation time, but Delphos scored a touchdown in overtime to overcome Ada's OT field goal and take the game 34-31. The loss to St. John was the only Ada loss for the season.
Division III: #18 Hampden Sydney ended the season for Randolph Macon College by swatting the Yellow Jackets 34-27 in a game that decided the conference championship.
Division IAA: Richmond, playing at home, scored a late field goal to take the first Capital Cup game over William and Mary, 13-10.
The Game: #9 Ohio State overcame a stubborn Michigan team in Ann Arbor to take the outright Big 10 championship and the Rose Bowl bid 21-10. Harvard beat Yale 14-10.
Trophy Games: It's a big weekend for trophy games, particularly in the Big 10. Purdue whipped Indiana 38-21 for Old Oaken Bucket. #13 Penn State ripped Michigan State 42-14 for Land Grant Trophy. #15 Iowa shut out Minnesota 12-0 to take Floyd of Rosedale, a statue of a pig. Sacramento State edged UC Davis 31-28 to claim the Causeway Carriage. Appalachian State took a close game from Western Carolina, 19-14, to retain the Old Mountain Jug. New Hampshire rallied to defeat Maine 27-24 and take the Brice-Cowell Musket. Cal chopped #14 Stanford 34-28 to claim the Stanford Axe.
Eating Cupcakes: #1 Florida 62, Florida International 3. #2 Alabama 45, Tennessee Chattanooga 0.
Great Wins: Missouri ended a three-game home losing streak by overcoming Iowa State 34-24. #16 Virginia Tech thrashed N.C. State 38-10.
Our Teams, Sadly: Colorado gave #12 Oklahoma State a game, taking the ball away four times, but Oklahoma State came back in the second half to edge Colorado 31-28. Florida State tried to give their game to Maryland, but the Seminoles drove for the winning touchdown in the last two minutes to pull out a 29-26 victory. Connecticut's touchdown overmatched Notre Dame's field goal in the second overtime to take their match 33-30. Is it the end for Charlie Weis? #18 Clemson clinched a spot in the ACC championship game by whipping Virginia 34-21. Clemson will face Georgia Tech in the ACC championship game. Arizona State turned the ball over 6 times in a 23-13 loss to UCLA. Tennessee became bowl eligible as Vandy ended an unsuccessful season with a 31-16 loss on Rocky Top.
Aren't You Upset: Syracuse upended #25 Rutgers 35-13. Northwestern built an early lead against #17 Wisconsin and then held on to win 33-31. Ole Miss resurrected their season when #10 LSU ran out of time in Oxford 25-23. Texas Tech could run the ball and Oklahoma could not, explaining the 41-13 margin of the Red Raiders over the Sooners.
Big XII News: Nebraska grabbed the Northern championship by beating Kansas State 17-3. #3 Texas is rolling over Kansas, so Texas will face Nebraska in the Big XII championship game.
Dept. of Defense: #19 BYU ambushed Air Force 38-21. Army edged North Texas 17-13. Army can even its record at 6-6 if it can beat Navy.
Undefeated and Untied This Week (In Some Cases Because Season Over): Navy, West Virginia, Northern Colorado, Ohio Northern, Washington U, Peabody Conservatory, Emory, Smith College.
High School: Tonight, the Ada Bulldogs took on the #1 Blue Jays of Delphos St. John, last year's state champions in Division VI. Ada never trailed in regulation time, but Delphos scored a touchdown in overtime to overcome Ada's OT field goal and take the game 34-31. The loss to St. John was the only Ada loss for the season.
Division III: #18 Hampden Sydney ended the season for Randolph Macon College by swatting the Yellow Jackets 34-27 in a game that decided the conference championship.
Division IAA: Richmond, playing at home, scored a late field goal to take the first Capital Cup game over William and Mary, 13-10.
The Game: #9 Ohio State overcame a stubborn Michigan team in Ann Arbor to take the outright Big 10 championship and the Rose Bowl bid 21-10. Harvard beat Yale 14-10.
Trophy Games: It's a big weekend for trophy games, particularly in the Big 10. Purdue whipped Indiana 38-21 for Old Oaken Bucket. #13 Penn State ripped Michigan State 42-14 for Land Grant Trophy. #15 Iowa shut out Minnesota 12-0 to take Floyd of Rosedale, a statue of a pig. Sacramento State edged UC Davis 31-28 to claim the Causeway Carriage. Appalachian State took a close game from Western Carolina, 19-14, to retain the Old Mountain Jug. New Hampshire rallied to defeat Maine 27-24 and take the Brice-Cowell Musket. Cal chopped #14 Stanford 34-28 to claim the Stanford Axe.
Eating Cupcakes: #1 Florida 62, Florida International 3. #2 Alabama 45, Tennessee Chattanooga 0.
Great Wins: Missouri ended a three-game home losing streak by overcoming Iowa State 34-24. #16 Virginia Tech thrashed N.C. State 38-10.
Our Teams, Sadly: Colorado gave #12 Oklahoma State a game, taking the ball away four times, but Oklahoma State came back in the second half to edge Colorado 31-28. Florida State tried to give their game to Maryland, but the Seminoles drove for the winning touchdown in the last two minutes to pull out a 29-26 victory. Connecticut's touchdown overmatched Notre Dame's field goal in the second overtime to take their match 33-30. Is it the end for Charlie Weis? #18 Clemson clinched a spot in the ACC championship game by whipping Virginia 34-21. Clemson will face Georgia Tech in the ACC championship game. Arizona State turned the ball over 6 times in a 23-13 loss to UCLA. Tennessee became bowl eligible as Vandy ended an unsuccessful season with a 31-16 loss on Rocky Top.
Aren't You Upset: Syracuse upended #25 Rutgers 35-13. Northwestern built an early lead against #17 Wisconsin and then held on to win 33-31. Ole Miss resurrected their season when #10 LSU ran out of time in Oxford 25-23. Texas Tech could run the ball and Oklahoma could not, explaining the 41-13 margin of the Red Raiders over the Sooners.
Big XII News: Nebraska grabbed the Northern championship by beating Kansas State 17-3. #3 Texas is rolling over Kansas, so Texas will face Nebraska in the Big XII championship game.
Dept. of Defense: #19 BYU ambushed Air Force 38-21. Army edged North Texas 17-13. Army can even its record at 6-6 if it can beat Navy.
Undefeated and Untied This Week (In Some Cases Because Season Over): Navy, West Virginia, Northern Colorado, Ohio Northern, Washington U, Peabody Conservatory, Emory, Smith College.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Football Report, November 14, 2009
If you checked the blog last weekend, or if you discovered the blank entry for last week, I'm sorry. We returned from dinner Saturday evening to discover that our home had been burglarized. There was no time, or interest, in blogging last weekend.
High School Playoff report. Ada won their first round game last weekend over Columbus Grove 34-0. Today's opponent was Carey High, and Ada won again, this time 14-7 in Findlay.
Division III: The Wilmington Quakers provided only passive resistance to the #13 Ohio Northern Polar Bears, losing to ONU 52-14. ONU finished their season 8-2 and has an outside chance to make the Division III playoffs. Washington U. finished their season with a 28-8 loss to #9 Case Western Reserve. Randolph-Macon whipped Bridgewater 33-23 and will finish their season next weekend vs. Hampden-Sydney. The winner of Randy Mac vs. H-S wins their conference and a spot in the Division III playoffs.
Division I-AA. #5 William and Mary edged #8 New Hampshire 20-17 with a late field goal to run their record to 9-1 for the first time since 1947. William and Mary plays #4 Richmond next weekend for the (newly named) Capital Cup and, perhaps, the Colonial Athletic Conference Championship. William and Mary has already clinched a spot in the playoffs. #4 Richmond clobbered helpless (0-10) Georgetown 49-10. The undefeated Montana Grizzlies clawed Northern Colorado 38-10.
Our Teams Triumphant: #10 Ohio State secured a trip to the Rose Bowl and clinched a share of the Big Ten title with a 27-24 overtime victory over #15 Iowa. Ohio State has won or shared the last 5 Big Ten titles. #1 Florida overcame a tough South Carolina defense to beat their old coach 24-14. Danario Alexander caught 10 passes for 200 yards and 3 TDs to lead Mizzou to a 38-12 defeat of Kansas State. With their victory, Mizzou became bowl eligible and severely damaged Kansas State's chances to win the Big 12 Northern division. #20 Virginia Tech drowned Maryland 36-9. #24 Clemson knocked off NC State 43-23.
Our Teams in Mourning: #5 Cincinnati edged West Virginia 24-21 to keep their undefeated season going. Kentucky scored late to put their game with Vandy out of reach 24-13. Colorado helped Iowa State to become bowl-eligible by losing their matchup 17-10. Boston College came from behind with a 70-yard touchdown drive to overcome Virginia 14-10 in a defensive struggle.
Trophy Games: Northwestern claimed the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk by beating Illinois 21-16.
Decided in the Bottom of the Ninth? Louisville 10, Syracuse 9.
The Unexpected: #14 Miami lost to North Carolina 33-24. #25 Stanford clobbered #11 Southern Cal 55-21. (Troy really fell this time!) Central Florida held off a comeback by #13 Houston to defeat the Cougars 37-32. Rutgers stomped #23 South Florida 31-0. Cal stunned #18 Arizona 24-16.
Department of Defense: The Cadets of Army beat the Keydets of VMI 22-17. Navy fried the Delaware Blue Hens 35-18. Air Force put down the Rebels of UNLV 45-17.
Too Late For Me: Arizona State vs. #14 Oregon. Notre Dame is trailing #8 Pitt 27-9 in the 4th quarter. #4 TCU is thumping #21 Utah 48-21 in the 4th quarter. If TCU remains undefeated, it will be interesting to see if they are selected to play for the national championship. Certainly they deserve to play in a BCS game.
High School Playoff report. Ada won their first round game last weekend over Columbus Grove 34-0. Today's opponent was Carey High, and Ada won again, this time 14-7 in Findlay.
Division III: The Wilmington Quakers provided only passive resistance to the #13 Ohio Northern Polar Bears, losing to ONU 52-14. ONU finished their season 8-2 and has an outside chance to make the Division III playoffs. Washington U. finished their season with a 28-8 loss to #9 Case Western Reserve. Randolph-Macon whipped Bridgewater 33-23 and will finish their season next weekend vs. Hampden-Sydney. The winner of Randy Mac vs. H-S wins their conference and a spot in the Division III playoffs.
Division I-AA. #5 William and Mary edged #8 New Hampshire 20-17 with a late field goal to run their record to 9-1 for the first time since 1947. William and Mary plays #4 Richmond next weekend for the (newly named) Capital Cup and, perhaps, the Colonial Athletic Conference Championship. William and Mary has already clinched a spot in the playoffs. #4 Richmond clobbered helpless (0-10) Georgetown 49-10. The undefeated Montana Grizzlies clawed Northern Colorado 38-10.
Our Teams Triumphant: #10 Ohio State secured a trip to the Rose Bowl and clinched a share of the Big Ten title with a 27-24 overtime victory over #15 Iowa. Ohio State has won or shared the last 5 Big Ten titles. #1 Florida overcame a tough South Carolina defense to beat their old coach 24-14. Danario Alexander caught 10 passes for 200 yards and 3 TDs to lead Mizzou to a 38-12 defeat of Kansas State. With their victory, Mizzou became bowl eligible and severely damaged Kansas State's chances to win the Big 12 Northern division. #20 Virginia Tech drowned Maryland 36-9. #24 Clemson knocked off NC State 43-23.
Our Teams in Mourning: #5 Cincinnati edged West Virginia 24-21 to keep their undefeated season going. Kentucky scored late to put their game with Vandy out of reach 24-13. Colorado helped Iowa State to become bowl-eligible by losing their matchup 17-10. Boston College came from behind with a 70-yard touchdown drive to overcome Virginia 14-10 in a defensive struggle.
Trophy Games: Northwestern claimed the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk by beating Illinois 21-16.
Decided in the Bottom of the Ninth? Louisville 10, Syracuse 9.
The Unexpected: #14 Miami lost to North Carolina 33-24. #25 Stanford clobbered #11 Southern Cal 55-21. (Troy really fell this time!) Central Florida held off a comeback by #13 Houston to defeat the Cougars 37-32. Rutgers stomped #23 South Florida 31-0. Cal stunned #18 Arizona 24-16.
Department of Defense: The Cadets of Army beat the Keydets of VMI 22-17. Navy fried the Delaware Blue Hens 35-18. Air Force put down the Rebels of UNLV 45-17.
Too Late For Me: Arizona State vs. #14 Oregon. Notre Dame is trailing #8 Pitt 27-9 in the 4th quarter. #4 TCU is thumping #21 Utah 48-21 in the 4th quarter. If TCU remains undefeated, it will be interesting to see if they are selected to play for the national championship. Certainly they deserve to play in a BCS game.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Football Report, October 31, 2009
High School Division: In an unusual Saturday night matchup, Ada visited Lima Central Catholic for the Northwest Conference championship. Both teams have clinched spots in the playoffs that begin next weekend. Ada defeated LCC 31-24 to complete an undefeated, untied regular season. Ada clinched the conference championship with the victory.
Division III: #19 Ohio Northern swatted the Yellow Jackets of Baldwin Wallace 49-6 in Ada. Sports Time Ohio carried the game late on Saturday night. Guilford upset favored Randolph Macon 20-13, despite a late comeback by Randolph Macon. Carnegie Mellon won their homecoming match with Washington U, St. Louis, 21-13.
Division IAA: #1 Richmond continued their unbeaten streak by demolishing Towson 42-14. #5 William and Mary easily overcame Rhode Island 39-14. Rhode Island ran for a negative 46 yards in the game, a William and Mary defensive record. Northern Colorado edged South Dakota 21-17.
National Games: #10 Oregon whipped #4 Southern Cal 47-20 at Oregon to end Southern Cal's national championship hopes. #3 Texas crushed #13 Oklahoma State 41-14.
Are You Upset? North Carolina's defense controlled the game as #14 Virginia Tech lost to the Tar Heels 20-17. South Florida, which had dropped out of the national rankings earlier in the season, upended #20 West Virginia 30-19. Auburn thumped #24 Mississippi 33-20. #21 South Carolina got rocked by Tennessee 31-13.
Nationally Rank: #7 Iowa, playing at home, tried very hard for three quarters to hand their game to Indiana. Their quarterback, Ricky Stanzi, threw 5 interceptions, including 4 in the third quarter, but Indiana finally collapsed and handed the game to Iowa 42-24. #18 Miami squeaked past Wake Forest 28-27.
Trophy Games: Air Force easily overcame Colorado State 34-16 to take the Ram-Falcon Trophy. In the game that both schools no longer want referred to as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, #1 Florida trounced Georgia 41-17 behind 4 touchdowns by Tim Tebow to retain possession of the Okefenokee Oar.
Our Teams: Mizzou's defense produced 8 sacks and grabbed 4 turnovers in mopping up Colorado 36-17. Mizzou was one of only two Big 12 North team to win, because the other four teams played to Big 12 South opponents, and only Nebraska was able to win (over Baylor, 20-10.) The South has risen again. Duke came from behind to beat Virginia 28-17. Duke is in the ACC title hunt, while Virginia will be home for the holidays. Cal narrowly defeated Arizona State 23-21. Former Ada Bulldog Zac Dysert ran for two touchdowns and passed for another to lead Miami to its first victory of the season over Toledo 31-24. Downtrodden Illinois surprised Michigan 38-13. The game turned in the first half when an Illinois defensive back ran down a Michigan wideout who was about to score at the Illinois 1 yard-line, and Illinois held Michigan off for 4 tries from the Illinois 1. Vandy stayed with Georgia Tech into the third quarter, but Georgia Tech pulled away 56-31. #25 Notre Dame bashed Washington State 40-14.
Eating Cupcakes: Clemson walloped Coastal Carolina 49-3. #17 Ohio State jumped on New Mexico State 45-0.
Department of Defense: Temple swamped Navy 27-24.
Undefeated and Untied This Week: Army, Peabody Conservatory, Emory.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Football report, October 24, 2009
This week, we have a guest co-blogger, Hannah. We are staying at her house.
High School Football: #3 Ada High continued their undefeated season, beating Delphos Jefferson 33-6, primarily by passing the ball. Next week, Ada will travel to Lima Central Catholic for the game that will decide the Northwest Conference championship.
Division III: #20 Ohio Northern clobbered John Carroll at Ada 35-14. Washington U (St. Louis) used a strong defensive effort to overcome the Battling Bishops of Ohio Wesleyan, 26-14 in Delaware, Ohio.
Upset Alert: Iowa State rearranged the Big 12 North standings by upending Nebraska 9-7 at Lincoln. Nebraska helped the Cyclones by turning the ball over 8 times, including 4 times inside the Iowa State 5. Unranked Clemson upended #8 Miami of Florida 40-37 in overtime in Miami. Unranked Texas A & M overwhelmed #21 Texas Tech 52-30. Unranked Tennessee had two field goals blocked that could have beaten #2 Alabama, so the Vols lost 12-10. #7 Iowa barely escaped from Michigan State unscathed, 15-13.
Our Teams Triumphant: #1 (or #2) Florida remained undefeated by beating Mississippi State 29-19 in Starkville, Miss. #18 Ohio State righted the ship by whomping Minnesota 38-7. Pryor played better, and Minnesota helped the Buckeyes with serious mistakes on both sides of the ball. #22 West Virginia overcame a Connecticut team that was still mourning the stabbing death of their cornerback, Jasper Howard, 28-24. #5 William and Mary outperformed James Madison 24-3 at homecoming in Williamsburg. #1 Richmond whipped #14 U of Massachusetts 34-12.
Unfortunate Happenings: Kansas State took over the lead in the Big 12 North by defeating Colorado 20-6 in Manhattan (the Kansas one). Purdue, made more confident by last week's beating of Ohio State, whipped 1-6 Illinois 24-14. Illinois has now lost 5 straight games by double-digit margins. Duke evened its record at 3-3 by beating Maryland 17-13. #11 Georgia Tech wrecked Virginia 34-9 in the rain at Charlottesville. (Hannah napped as we watched this one.) Weber State overcame Northern Colorado 28-20 in Greeley. #13 Penn State completed four touchdown passes in downing Michigan 35-10 in Ann Arbor. San Diego State outdistanced Colorado State 42-28 behind 6 TD passes from the quarterback, Lindley. #23 South Carolina beat Vandy 14-10 in a defensive struggle. Vandy's only TD came on a kickoff return. #3 Texas led Mizzou 41-7 late in the 4th quarter in Mizzou's homecoming game. Texas scored 3 touchdowns in the first quarter and never looked back.
Ranked vs. Ranked: #10 TCU dominated #16 BYU 38-7 in Provo. #25 Oklahoma defeated #24 Kansas 35-13.
Odd Trophies: This blogger has become aware that the game for the Little Brown Jug (Minnesota vs. Michigan) will not be played this year. Even worse, the game will also not be played next season. Alarming! In the Keg of Nails game, #5 Cincinnati hammered Louisville 41-10. In the Holy War, Notre Dame edged Boston College 20-16 for both the Frank Leahy Trophy and the Ireland Trophy. Tiger Bowl (no trophy): LSU 31, Auburn 3 late in the 4th quarter.
Department of Defense: Rutgers 27, Army 10. #19 Utah edged Air Force 23-16 in overtime. Navy 13, Wake Forest 10 in a mild upset.
Too late: Arizona State trailed Stanford 7-0 in the first quarter.
Undefeated and Untied This Week: Randolph Macon College, Virginia Tech, Emory, Peabody Conservatory. So are the Denver Broncos, who are undefeated and untied for the season so far.
High School Football: #3 Ada High continued their undefeated season, beating Delphos Jefferson 33-6, primarily by passing the ball. Next week, Ada will travel to Lima Central Catholic for the game that will decide the Northwest Conference championship.
Division III: #20 Ohio Northern clobbered John Carroll at Ada 35-14. Washington U (St. Louis) used a strong defensive effort to overcome the Battling Bishops of Ohio Wesleyan, 26-14 in Delaware, Ohio.
Upset Alert: Iowa State rearranged the Big 12 North standings by upending Nebraska 9-7 at Lincoln. Nebraska helped the Cyclones by turning the ball over 8 times, including 4 times inside the Iowa State 5. Unranked Clemson upended #8 Miami of Florida 40-37 in overtime in Miami. Unranked Texas A & M overwhelmed #21 Texas Tech 52-30. Unranked Tennessee had two field goals blocked that could have beaten #2 Alabama, so the Vols lost 12-10. #7 Iowa barely escaped from Michigan State unscathed, 15-13.
Our Teams Triumphant: #1 (or #2) Florida remained undefeated by beating Mississippi State 29-19 in Starkville, Miss. #18 Ohio State righted the ship by whomping Minnesota 38-7. Pryor played better, and Minnesota helped the Buckeyes with serious mistakes on both sides of the ball. #22 West Virginia overcame a Connecticut team that was still mourning the stabbing death of their cornerback, Jasper Howard, 28-24. #5 William and Mary outperformed James Madison 24-3 at homecoming in Williamsburg. #1 Richmond whipped #14 U of Massachusetts 34-12.
Unfortunate Happenings: Kansas State took over the lead in the Big 12 North by defeating Colorado 20-6 in Manhattan (the Kansas one). Purdue, made more confident by last week's beating of Ohio State, whipped 1-6 Illinois 24-14. Illinois has now lost 5 straight games by double-digit margins. Duke evened its record at 3-3 by beating Maryland 17-13. #11 Georgia Tech wrecked Virginia 34-9 in the rain at Charlottesville. (Hannah napped as we watched this one.) Weber State overcame Northern Colorado 28-20 in Greeley. #13 Penn State completed four touchdown passes in downing Michigan 35-10 in Ann Arbor. San Diego State outdistanced Colorado State 42-28 behind 6 TD passes from the quarterback, Lindley. #23 South Carolina beat Vandy 14-10 in a defensive struggle. Vandy's only TD came on a kickoff return. #3 Texas led Mizzou 41-7 late in the 4th quarter in Mizzou's homecoming game. Texas scored 3 touchdowns in the first quarter and never looked back.
Ranked vs. Ranked: #10 TCU dominated #16 BYU 38-7 in Provo. #25 Oklahoma defeated #24 Kansas 35-13.
Odd Trophies: This blogger has become aware that the game for the Little Brown Jug (Minnesota vs. Michigan) will not be played this year. Even worse, the game will also not be played next season. Alarming! In the Keg of Nails game, #5 Cincinnati hammered Louisville 41-10. In the Holy War, Notre Dame edged Boston College 20-16 for both the Frank Leahy Trophy and the Ireland Trophy. Tiger Bowl (no trophy): LSU 31, Auburn 3 late in the 4th quarter.
Department of Defense: Rutgers 27, Army 10. #19 Utah edged Air Force 23-16 in overtime. Navy 13, Wake Forest 10 in a mild upset.
Too late: Arizona State trailed Stanford 7-0 in the first quarter.
Undefeated and Untied This Week: Randolph Macon College, Virginia Tech, Emory, Peabody Conservatory. So are the Denver Broncos, who are undefeated and untied for the season so far.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Football report, October 17, 2009
If the thinking in the blog today seems a little crisp, it is because temperatures have been 20 degrees below normal here for a week (highs in the 40's), and we are all a little cold in Ada.
High School division: #4 ranked Ada remained undefeated this week by outdistancing the Allen East Mustangs 55-20 at Ada War Memorial Stadium. The AE district neighbors Ada on the west, so this is a backyard brawl. New Ada QB Heath Jackson ran for 4 TDs and passed for 4 more in the victory. Lima Central Catholic, a bigger school, will battle Ada for the Northwest Conference championship later this season.
Division III: Randolph Macon shut out Hampden Sydney 19-0. #19 ranked Ohio Northern beat Marietta soundly 41-10 at Marietta. Washington U (St. Louis) suffered a close defeat, 24-20 at home. On the good side, John Watts of Wash U won the Division III men's singles championship in tennis.
National Big Games: #25 Notre Dame gave #6 Southern Cal a battle before losing 34-27 for the Jeweled Shillelagh. #19 Georgia Tech completed only one pass but put on a rushing clinic in the second half to upset #4 Va Tech in Atlanta. This game has no trophy, but perhaps should be called the Tech Trophy game. #3 Texas beat #20 Oklahoma 16-13 in the Red River Rivalry at the Texas State Fair. Texas thereby won three trophies: the Golden Hat, the Red River Shootout Trophy, and the Governors' Trophy. Last year's game was an offensive display, but this one was defensive and sloppy. Oklahoma QB and preseason Heisman Trophy contender Sam Bradford reinjured his shoulder early in the game and may be out for the season. #2 Alabama depended on defense and 246 rushing yards from Mark Ingram to overcome #22 S. Carolina 20-6.
More Trophy Games: Undefeated #11 Iowa beat Wisconsin 20-10 at Wisconsin to take the Heartland Trophy and sole possession of the Big Ten lead. West Virginia bested Marshall 24-7 in the Friends of Coal Bowl, taking the Governor's Cup.
Upsets: Purdue, previously 1-5, upended #7 Ohio State 26-18. The Buckeyes were ghastly on offense, giving up 5 turnovers and 5 sacks. Kentucky 21, Auburn 14.
Our Teams: Both Colorado and Colorado State faced nationally ranked opponents. Colorado upset #17 Kansas in Boulder 34-30, perhaps saving coach Hawkins' job. Newly chosen starting QB Tyler Hansen was the difference for the Buffs. Unfortunately, Colorado State got the expected result, losing at #12 TCU 44-6. Virginia seems to be salvaging its season, overcoming Maryland 20-9 in a rivalry game. Clemson played its best game of the season, clobbering Wake Forest 38-3. Florida needed a last minute field goal to overcome Arkansas 23-20. Undefeated Richmond whupped Maine 38-21. Arizona State defeated Washington 24-17. Since Washington defeated USC earlier, that means that . . . Wait, no it doesn't. Northern Colorado even won, beating winless Idaho State soundly 30-7.
Disappointments: Georgia vanquished Vandy 34-10. Illinois, now a surprising 1-5, lost to an improving Indiana team 27-14. Mizzou scored all of their points in the first half, then lost their edge and the game in the second half at #16 Oklahoma State, 33-17. Mizzou can take consolation that both Kansas (see above) and Nebraska (Texas Tech 31, Huskers 10) lost.
Of Interest: On Thursday night, #8 Cincinnati beat #21 South Florida in a battle of second string QBs. South Florida had lost their starting QB to an injury earlier in the season, and Cincinnati's Tony Pike left the game in the third quarter when the plate stabilizing the left forearm that Pike broke last season shifted. Cincinnati's backup QB promptly scored on a 75 yard TD run, cementing the victory. Minnesota at #14 Penn State. Penn State often uses the White Out (fans wearing white) to back their Nittany Lions. Mother Nature supplied the white out this weekend with several inches of unseasonably early snow. Penn State did manage to win their homecoming game 20-0 over Minnesota with stifling defense.
Eating Cupcakes: Michigan 63, Delaware State 6.
Department of Defense: Air Force shut out Wyoming 10-0. Temple beat Army 27-13. Navy roared back from a 21-7 halftime deficit to outscore SMU 38-35. George H.W. Bush was Navy's honorary captain for the game.
Undefeated and Untied this week: William and Mary, Peabody Conservatory, University of Mary Washington, Emory.
As a final note, today is my wife's 29th birthday. It seems like she was 29 last year also, but I forget. At any rate, being married to her enriches all of the good times and makes sure that I can overcome all of the tough things in my life. I love her deeply, and without her . . . well, let's just not go there.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Football Report, October 10, 2009
High School Division: The Ada Bulldogs have lost their all-star QB, Mitchell Faine, for the season with a torn ACL. Their parade keeps marching, though, as they spoiled the homecoming of the Crestview Knights with a 48-15 beatdown on a rainy night in Ohio. The Bulldogs ran more than they passed from their spread formation to get the win. Ada is 7-0 and is ranked #4 in Division VI Ohio H.S. football. (As really dedicated Bronco fans will remember, former Bronco Kory Lichtensteiger was a Crestview Knight.)
Division III: In the homecoming game, #17 ONU assassinated the Student Princes of Heidelberg 38-7. Anne Lippert, recently retired Academic Vice President, was grand marshal of the homecoming parade. Randy Macon overcame Frostburg St. 23-19. Wash U lost at #11 Wabash 31-12.
Game of the Week: Tim Tebow returned to action after his concussion, leading #1 Florida against #4 LSU in Baton Rouge. The Florida defenders were the real leaders, though, as Florida beat the Tigers 13-3.
Victorious: #5 Virginia Tech crushed Boston College 45-14. The defense and special teams of #9 Ohio State overcame a previously undefeated Wisconsin squad 31-13. Wisconsin held the ball for more than twice the time Ohio State had it but still lost. Arizona State beat Washington State comfortably 27-14. Richmond 21, James Madison 17. William and Mary took advantage of winless Northeastern 34-14. Virginia treated Indiana roughly, 47-7, in Charlottesville.
Goofy Trophy Games: Troy claimed the Paladium Trophy by beating Middle Tennessee 31-7. West Virginia comfortably overcame Syracuse 34-13 to capture the Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy. Fresno State beat Hawaii 42-17 for Golden Screwdriver in Hawaii.
Untoward Happenings. At the end of the third quarter, #24 Mizzou led #21 Nebraska 12-0 in a rainy game in Columbia. Mizzou should have quit while they were ahead, as Nebraska rode two interceptions to a 27-12 comeback win. Their 27 point outburst was the largest 4th quarter comeback in Nebraska history. Nebraska claimed the Victory Bell in this matchup. Army outgunned the Commodores of Vanderbilt 16-13 in overtime at West Point. Illinois changed starting quarterbacks, then gave up on the new starter and lost to Michigan State 24-14. Illinois has only won 1 game this year. Hapless Northern Colorado lost to Portland State 23-18. On the upside, UNC Women's volleyball leads their conference. Utah defeated Colorado State 24-17 in frosty Fort Collins. Maryland gave up 35 points in the first half and could not overtake Wake Forest, losing 42-32. Colorado led #2 Texas 14-10 at halftime, but the Longhorns overpowered the Buffs in the second half to win 38-14.
Upsets: Arkansas outpointed a defenseless #17 Auburn team 44-23.
Squeaked Past: #16 Kansas 41, Iowa State 36. Kansas has Colorado next week and should return to form. Bowling Green slipped past Kent State 36-35, scoring the winning touchdown with 5 seconds to go. #25 South Carolina 28, Kentucky 26. #15 Oklahoma State 36, Texas A & M 31. In a great game, #12 Iowa held off Michigan 30-28 to keep alive Iowa's hopes for a Big 10 title.
Other Stories of Interest: Sam Bradford returned to the lineup to lead #19 Oklahoma over Baylor 33-7. #3 Alabama defeated #20 Ole Miss 22-3.
Dept. of Defense: Navy overwhelmed Rice 63-14. #10 TCU overcame three turnovers and the weather to beat the stubborn Air Force Falcons 20-17.
Florida Weather Service: The Florida State vs. Georgia Tech game was delayed for more than an hour by lightning. The game itself was a barn burner with Georgia Tech outscoring Florida State 49-44. The Georgia Tech QB Nesbitt made the play of the game. Florida State had forced a GT fumble and a Florida State defender had scooped up the ball to return it. Nesbitt stole the ball back from the Florida State defender and allowed the Georgia Tech drive to continue.
Undefeated and Untied this week: Southern Cal, Georgia State, University of Cincinnati, Smith College, Peabody Conservatory, and Emory.
Brrrr. The National League Division Series game between the Rockies and Phillies at Denver had to be postponed because of snow flurries and cold temperatures. Is the baseball season too long?
The Other Football: The United States clinched a spot in the World Cup by beating Honduras 3-2. The US team overcame political instability, a hostile crowd, and a determined Honduras team to claim the victory.
Presidential: The United States leads the President's Cup golf match 12 1/2 to 9 1/2 with the singles matches to come. Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods have played like champions to lead the US team. Eight points are yet to be determined, so the US cannot relax.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Football Report October 3, 2009
High School Division: Even without their injured star quarterback, Mitchell Faine, the Ada Bulldogs were way too much for the Paulding Panthers, 55-6. Substitute QB Heath Jackson returned the opening kickoff for a TD, and away they went.
Division III: Washington U (St. Louis) walloped Rhodes 23-0 at home. Randolph Macon wideout Earl Peoples caught a conference record 20 passes for a school record 295 yards as the Jackets beat Washington & Lee 21-13 on Parents' Day at R-M. Proud Peopleses. #16 Ohio Northern edged Muskingum 37-34. Former Ohio Northern All-American Jason Trusnik was AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his play for the NY Jets against the Tennessee Titans last week.
Important Victories: Maryland broke through in the second quarter and then held on for a 24-21 victory over Clemson at home. Virginia Tech, in a down performance after beating Miami, overcame a determined Duke team 34-26. In the oldest rivalry in the South, Virginia won its first game by beating formerly nationally ranked North Carolina 16-3 at Chapel Hill. #9 Ohio State downed the Hoosiers 33-14 in Bloomington. Notre Dame outscored the Washington Huskies 37-30 in overtime.
Games of the Week: Miami's back. #17 Miami defeated #8 Oklahoma 21-20 in Miami. After beating each other senseless for 57 minutes, Georgia and LSU scored 3 TDs in the last 3 minutes as #4 LSU squeaked by #18 Georgia 20-13. #7 Southern Cal whomped #24 Cal 30-3.
Tough Days: In the oldest rivalry west of the Alleghenies, #10 Cincinnati overcame Miami 37-13. According to the recap, former Ada High star Zac Dysert, in his second start kept Miami in the game with a performance reminiscent of Findlay resident Ben Rothlisberger's. Despite recovering 4 WVU fumbles, Colorado lost to the Mountaineers 35-24 in a sloppy game by both teams. Undefeated #2 Villanova dumped #5 William and Mary 28-17 in Philly. Northern Arizona was more north than Northern Colorado 35-27. #15 Penn State handled Illinois 35-17. #21 Ole Miss outplayed Vandy 23-7. Oregon State beat Arizona State in Tempe for the first time in 40 years, 28-17.
Oddball Trophies: Michigan State takes the Paul Bunyan Trophy 26-20 over #22 Michigan in overtime. Wisconsin edged Minnesota 31-28 in a two for the price of one game, winning both Paul Bunyan's Axe (notice a theme here?) and the Slab of Bacon. In the matchup for the Old Wagon Wheel, #20 BYU comfortably outpointed Utah State 35-17. Brown took the Governor's Cup over Rhode Island 28-20. In the Battle for the Iron Skillet, #11 TCU was beat SMU 39-14. Nevada (Reno) killed UNLV 63-28 in the game for the Fremont Cannon.
Department of Defense: Tulane 17, Army 16. In the first matchup leading to the Commander-in-Chief Trophy, Navy overcame Air Force 16-13 at Annapolis.
Matchless This Week: Florida, Mary Washington U., Mizzou, Richmond, Peabody Conservatory, and Emory.
Rocktober: The Rockies have clinched a playoff spot and have a chance to take the Western Division title from the Dodgers.
Division III: Washington U (St. Louis) walloped Rhodes 23-0 at home. Randolph Macon wideout Earl Peoples caught a conference record 20 passes for a school record 295 yards as the Jackets beat Washington & Lee 21-13 on Parents' Day at R-M. Proud Peopleses. #16 Ohio Northern edged Muskingum 37-34. Former Ohio Northern All-American Jason Trusnik was AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his play for the NY Jets against the Tennessee Titans last week.
Important Victories: Maryland broke through in the second quarter and then held on for a 24-21 victory over Clemson at home. Virginia Tech, in a down performance after beating Miami, overcame a determined Duke team 34-26. In the oldest rivalry in the South, Virginia won its first game by beating formerly nationally ranked North Carolina 16-3 at Chapel Hill. #9 Ohio State downed the Hoosiers 33-14 in Bloomington. Notre Dame outscored the Washington Huskies 37-30 in overtime.
Games of the Week: Miami's back. #17 Miami defeated #8 Oklahoma 21-20 in Miami. After beating each other senseless for 57 minutes, Georgia and LSU scored 3 TDs in the last 3 minutes as #4 LSU squeaked by #18 Georgia 20-13. #7 Southern Cal whomped #24 Cal 30-3.
Tough Days: In the oldest rivalry west of the Alleghenies, #10 Cincinnati overcame Miami 37-13. According to the recap, former Ada High star Zac Dysert, in his second start kept Miami in the game with a performance reminiscent of Findlay resident Ben Rothlisberger's. Despite recovering 4 WVU fumbles, Colorado lost to the Mountaineers 35-24 in a sloppy game by both teams. Undefeated #2 Villanova dumped #5 William and Mary 28-17 in Philly. Northern Arizona was more north than Northern Colorado 35-27. #15 Penn State handled Illinois 35-17. #21 Ole Miss outplayed Vandy 23-7. Oregon State beat Arizona State in Tempe for the first time in 40 years, 28-17.
Oddball Trophies: Michigan State takes the Paul Bunyan Trophy 26-20 over #22 Michigan in overtime. Wisconsin edged Minnesota 31-28 in a two for the price of one game, winning both Paul Bunyan's Axe (notice a theme here?) and the Slab of Bacon. In the matchup for the Old Wagon Wheel, #20 BYU comfortably outpointed Utah State 35-17. Brown took the Governor's Cup over Rhode Island 28-20. In the Battle for the Iron Skillet, #11 TCU was beat SMU 39-14. Nevada (Reno) killed UNLV 63-28 in the game for the Fremont Cannon.
Department of Defense: Tulane 17, Army 16. In the first matchup leading to the Commander-in-Chief Trophy, Navy overcame Air Force 16-13 at Annapolis.
Matchless This Week: Florida, Mary Washington U., Mizzou, Richmond, Peabody Conservatory, and Emory.
Rocktober: The Rockies have clinched a playoff spot and have a chance to take the Western Division title from the Dodgers.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Blogging season
In case you were seeking a blog with a consistent theme, this is probably not it. This project began with college football, and during the season, there will be college football reports. Other thoughts on a variety of other topics will probably creep in too, and I will probably be as surprised as you when they do.
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