The Longhorns Hold off Texas Tech in Austin

Austin, not Lubbock. No Graham Harrell. No Michael Crabtree. No problem, but wait. The Longhorns beat Texas Tech 34-24 on Saturday night; it wasn’t an emphatic win, it reminded me of their last season battle with Oklahoma State where they won 28-24. Revenge was on the mind of the Longhorns and the 100,000 plus screaming fans. And it was only fitting since last season’s matchup saw Crabtree erase their dreams of getting to the National Championship with a one second touchdown grab. With Texas Tech losing their playmakers, in Crabtree and Harrell, it was a no-brainer that the Longhorns were going to walk through their opponents. However, junior quarterback Taylor Potts was not going to be known as the stand-in for the graduated Harrell. He finished the night 42/62 for 420 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. On the opening drive, Potts marched the Red Raiders down the field with precision passing that made everyone notice, but the offense stalled and they got a field goal. He showed good zip and velocity on his passes all night. Usually when a team loses their playmaker, at whatever position, there is a drop-off but Potts clearly has command of the quarterback position and the offense. From the onset and throughout the night Colt McCoy was not himself. He threw a lot of errant passes that were either wide or high. Word came out of Texas that he was battling with flu-like symptoms (it seems like some Florida players got the flu bug as well and this contributed to their lackluster performance against Tennessee; I'm not buying the whole Florida thing) throughout the week so this attributed to his okay performance. But there is a difference with McCoy; he does not look like he is having fun out there like in ’08. Last year we saw pitch and catch from McCoy to his receivers. However, this season, he is getting off to a slow start and in the second half is when he comes alive. This really has to be a mental thing and, yes, the flu has something to do with his performance tonight but he is trying to live up to everyone’s expectations. McCoy needs to just play football and realize that this is your last year: have fun and let loose. McCoy was 24/34 for 205 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. One must believe that being sick and also the pressure of being a Heisman front-runner has not allowed McCoy to be himself with his playmaking ability. The Texas Tech offensive line played stellar in the first half. But it was only a matter of time until Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp figured them out and mixed up his blitzes and that allowed more hurries on Potts, to good results. The only touchdown in the first half was a 46 yard punt return by sixth year senior Jordan Shipley that gave Texas the lead 7-3 going into the second half. The second half saw a more relaxed McCoy and mixture of run and pass plays. The first drive of the third quarter was capped off by a 19 yard run by freshman running back Tre’ Newton to give the Longhorns the lead 17-3. Newton had 88 yards on the night, carrying the ball 20 times for a 4.4 yard per carry average and one touchdown. He showed toughness and will to win on his runs. He might not have the game-breaking speed of a Jahvid Best, but he was more than serviceable that night. Potts found junior wide receiver Lyle Leong on two touchdown passes on the night: One of his touchdown grabs was for fourteen yards that put the Red Raiders back in the game, pushing the score to 17-10. However, McCoy found sophomore Dan Buckner, who has good size at 6’4 and weighs 215 pounds, for a 25 yard reception to the Red Raiders one yard line and the drive was capped off by a one yard run by sophomore running back Cody Johnson for the touchdown. At this point it seemed that Texas was pulling away as the score would indicate, 24-10. Potts, not to be undone, comes right back with the second touchdown pass to Leong pushing Tx. Tech closer 24-17. The fourth quarter saw Potts getting picked off by Earl Thomas at Tx. Tech’s 20 yard line. At this point, I thought the game was over and so did the rest of the fans. But a high pass by McCoy that was intended for Malcolm Williams was intercepted by D.J. Johnson. On the ensuing drive, Sergio Kindle jacked up Potts with a tackle that jarred him and his helmet, and the ball loose for a Longhorn recovery. A three yard touchdown pass to Buckner ended a 6 play, 14 yard drive to give the Longhorns the lead, 31-17. Once again Potts, not to be denied, came back with a 22 yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Tramain Swindall on a broken coverage play by Texas to move them closer 31-24. On the next drive, McCoy and his team settled for 3 points to push them further ahead 34-24. On the final play of the game, Potts tries to convert a fourth-and-seven play, but the pass was broken up and the Longhorns escaped the comeback from the Red Raiders. Tx.Tech outgained the Longhorns with 414 total yards compared to 340. The Red Raiders wish they could take back the fourteen penalties that cost them a whopping 108 yards, and they were a dismal -6 rushing yards on the ground. Texas did not look like the second best team in the country when the dust settled in Austin, Texas. They have the Red River Rivalry coming up on October 17th, and Sam Bradford should be back, and the following two weeks they have away games at Missouri and Oklahoma State. They need to show the nation that they are deserving to be behind Florida in the rankings. However do not count out McCoy, he can get it done when needed and maybe the Red River Rivalry will be the game that he realizes how fun it is to play football, especially at a big school like the University of Texas.

USC Pulls Ahead of the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe

With 106,033 (an attendance record) screaming fans in the Horseshoe, this was unlike any place that true freshman quarterback Matt Barkley has played. Scrimmages and practice could not have prepared Barkley for Saturday’s night game in the hostile environment of Buckeye Nation. Even though he wasn’t spectacular nor was McKnight, they both worked in tandem to push USC ahead of Ohio State. Public perception has been that Ohio State cannot hang with the big boys: they have lost miserably to the likes of Florida, LSU, and USC. The last time Ohio State beat USC it was in the 1974 Rose Bowl. And this loss by Ohio State marks the sixth time they lost to a top 5 ranked team. One must remember though, if there was any time to hit The Men of Troy in the mouth and take a win, this was the time. Pete Carroll brought his boys into Columbus with a new offensive and defensive coordinator, a true freshman quarterback, and also lost one of his down-field threats Ronald Johnson to a broken collarbone. From the onset, this was a highly contested game where the defenses hung tough. On the third play of the first quarter, Terrelle Pryor threw an interception that was run back 51 yards by linebacker Chris Galippo. Stafon Johnson finished off this drive, scoring six points on a two yard run in the endzone. It was evident that Ohio State was not going to be intimidated like they have in previous years. Pryor came back with a pass to Sanzenbacher for 58 yards and that set up a 2 yard run by Daniel Herron for six points. The Buckeyes went 6 plays gaining 72 yards that took three minutes and thirty-one seconds off the clock. The game stood tied at 7-7 for the rest of the first quarter, both defenses playing good sound football. The beginning of the second quarter found The Buckeyes on fourth and goal on USC’S one yard line, and Tressel elected to go for the field goal instead of punching it in for 6 points. I cannot blame Tressel because it is always good to get points on the board; it’s better to get some points than none. Holding a 10-7 lead, the Buckeyes and Trojans would trade back and forth with unsuccessful drives. With Ohio State being up 15-10 in the fourth quarter at the 7:29 mark, it seemed improbable that USC would come back for the win. With USC backed up on their 10 yard line because of a sack by Devon Torrence on Barkley and then a delay of game, no one saw what was going to happen next. On third and 9, Barkley hits McKnight who shuttles off a 21 yard gain. This would cap off a 14 play, 86 yard drive that lasted six minutes and ten seconds. The touchdown was scored by Stafon Johnson bouncing the run to the outside for six points and the two point conversion pass was made by McKnight to seal the win. In this drive, Barkley went 3/5 for 55 yards and McKnight had four rushes for 23 yards. The Trojans got on top 18-15 with a minute and five seconds left. On the last play of the game, fourth and ten, Pryor heaves up a pass with three Trojan defenders around one Buckeye receiver. The ball was batted down and the game ended for the Buckeyes. No one can find fault with the phenomenal job that Ohio State’s defense did in this game. The only problem was the offense could not score when needed in USC’s territory. But credit the young linebackers for USC by playing a solid game and the rest of the defense as well. Pryor did not look like Vince Young, in the 2005 National Championship game, where he made the Trojans defenders look like they had concrete in their cleats. Carroll’s defense did not let him run circles around them and contained him in the pocket forcing him to beat them with his arm. McKnight ended the night with 60 yards on 16 carries, averaging 3.8 yards per carry, nothing jaw-dropping at all. And Barkley went 15/31 for 195 yards with one touchdown and one interception. These stats are not going to be noted as the highest passing totals, by any stretch, but what will remain in everyone’s mind is the control and poise by the true freshman Barkley. And on the flipside of things, McKnight gained good, tough yards on the ground. Pryor finished the night 11/25 with 177 yards and one interception. He showed moxie and a will to win, and no one can find fault with this kid. He came to play. At the end of the night, Ohio State had 265 total yards and the Men of Troy had 313 yards. The Buckeyes can take a moral victory away from this game, but I know the players and staff wish it was a victory on the field. If anything, I know this does not go a long way in changing perception of the Big Ten and Ohio State but this was a start, especially since they stayed in the game until the final seven minutes of the game. This close call might serve Pete Carroll and his team well. This will cause the Trojans to take every team seriously and not look ahead to big matchups. Maybe this year they will not have that let down game they seem to have every year where they lose to the likes of Stanford, UCLA or Oregon State. The only real offensive powerhouse they need to look out for is Cal and those two teams meet on October 3rd.

Mark Ingram Seals the Win for Alabama against the Hokies

With 74,000 plus fans in the Georgia Dome on Saturday night, Alabama made a statement against the consensus best team in the ACC. Who would have thought that this game would have been an offensive explosion? There were many experts that thought a score of 14-7 or 9-3 would have been the norm because of the stellar defenses of Alabama and Virginia Tech. But that was not the case as the scoreboard read 34-24 in favor of the Crimson Tide, at the end of the night. After last season’s embarrassing loss to Utah in the Sugar Bowl, to the tune of 31-17, there was redemption on the mind of Nick Saban and his squad and boy did they show it. Junior quarterback Greg McElroy was not all-world on Saturday night but showed his mettle as he got over the hump and gained the victory. He had one interception because of the pocket collapsing and a defender hit his arm as he was throwing the ball. McElroy did well for his first primetime start ending the night 15/30 for 230 yards and one interception. With the departure of John Parker Wilson to the NFL, it was expected there would be a drop-off in the quarterback category, but he delivered a good performance and showed confidence. Miscues and penalties had allowed Virginia Tech to stay in this one. A dynamic 98 yard return by Dyrell Roberts got the Hokie nation excited, hoping this would sway the momentum in their favor. But a fumble by running back Ryan Williams allowed ‘Bama to score three points. The Crimson Tide defense has to be noted for its stellar performance as well. ‘Bama defense aggravated quarterback Tyrod Taylor all night. Taylor only had one run play late in the second half; the containment and pressure by Alabama deterred him from using his legs. Even though this defense gave up 24 points, they showed they are one of the best defenses in the SEC. I was rightfully impressed last Thursday night with South Carolina’s defense as well. Even with the good performance by McElroy and the defense, the stellar performance by sophomore running back Ingram was one for the ages. This compact back ran for 150 yards on 26 carries with an average of 5.8 yards per carry. Ingram display burst and speed shuttling through the defensive line and linebackers of Virginia Tech. He also had 3 catches for 35 yards and the last catch scored the game-winning touchdown for ‘Bama. In the ’08 season, you could see the potential and game-breaking quality when he shared time with the now departed Glenn Coffee. Watching Ingram, one must say that he probably is the best running back in the SEC: he has the best combination of speed, acceleration and power. Equally good was Roy Upchurch who was running on a mission until he fumbled and was pulled from the game. Upchurch gained 90 yards on 7 carries with a 12.9 average per carry on the ground. Alabama had 498 total yards compared to 155 yards by Virginia Tech. This was total domination, and they could have scored more if it wasn’t for penalties or not capitalizing on plays in the Hokies’ redzone. Taylor was 9/20 for 91 yards with no interceptions. The team only rushed for 64 yards on 31 carries, Williams was the only significant runner gaining yards on the ground. The receivers pulled down 9 passes for 91 yards on the night, with a 10.1 yard average per catch. Running back Williams added to this total with 2 catches for 42 yards. Alabama should their true mettle in their season opener against Virginia Tech. Maybe this will be the year they knock off Florida in the SEC Championship game: with McElroy coming along, a decent running game with Ingram (his left knee was iced at the end of the game, so we will have to keep an eye on him) and Upchurch and a stellar defense, this team could be the second best team in the SEC. Before ‘Bama can think about Florida they have to get past Ole Miss, LSU, and finish the season with Auburn (which they cannot look past).

The Gamecocks' Defense Holds off North Carolina State

With 57,000 people in attendance at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, South Carolina made a statement about their team and SEC defense. North Carolina was expecting big things from Russell Wilson, their returning sophomore quarterback who threw for 17 touchdowns last year to one interception. However, this night belonged to the Ol’ Ball Coach and his squad. There was no denying on the opening Thursday night of college football that South Carolina was a different team than the ’08 season. From every snap of the ball, whether it was Stephen Garcia making good plays with the football or running back Brian Maddox, there was a renewed commitment to playing hard-nosed football. Mind you, Garcia is not Tim Tebow or Jevan Snead, but he showed poise in the pocket and made good decisions with the ball down the field. You even saw his wheels as he made good plays on the ground, running the football. From the opening snaps, the Gamecocks showed a commitment to running the ball. This was smashmouth football that wore down the N.C. State defense. This was Garcia’s second season as the starting quarterback, and he showed confidence and maturity in being a field manager. He had only one bad play where he did not put enough air on the football and it was intercepted by Defensive End Mike Lemon. Garcia ended the night with 13/22 for 148 yards and one interception; he had 8 carries for 16 yards with an average of 2.0 yards per run. Garcia hooked up with three different receivers, but I was most impressed by the physical play of Tori Gurley (true freshman). He has great size at 6’5 and weighing 227 lbs. He knows how to use his size to his advantage and is physical catching the ball and gaining yards after the catch. Garcia took some hits from defenders, challenging them instead of sliding down out of harm’s way. Brian Maddox ended the night with 23 carries for 68 yards and a 2.9 average per carry. Though his numbers and Garcia’s are not impressive and won’t elicit any players of the week awards, the true grit they showed to fight for every yard was impressive. Garcia did his best Tebow impression by running into defenders and Maddox hit the hole and kept his legs churching for more yardage. However, the most impressive aspect of this game was South Carolina’s defense. Steve Spurrier’s defense was stout at the point of attack. They continue to harass Russell Wilson all night. Linebacker Eric Norwood had eight tackles on the night and two sacks on Wilson. The defense only allowed 59 yards on the ground by North Carolina State and the Gamecocks’ secondary only surrendered 78 yards through the air. N.C. State only had 133 yards on the night. Wilson ended up 12/23 for 74 yards. He finished the night with -17 rushing yards on 11 attempts. The Gamecocks clearly did not let him make any plays with his feet like he is known for. Last year he had an average of 3.3 yards on the ground for a total of 275 yards and 4 touchdowns. I’m sure the Wolfpack had revenge on their mind as last year’s season opener against South Carolina was an embarrassment as they lost 34-0. But the Gamecocks proved too much, defensive-wise for Russell Wilson and company. The thing that worries me is that South Carolina was unable to punch sevens on the board with their many chances in North Carolina State territory. They are going to have to find their offense when they play the likes of Florida, Georgia and the other SEC teams on their slate. But for now, South Carolina showed their commitment to defense and playing sound football.