Cnotes College Football Week # 7 Rated Plays, Trends, News Etc. !!

[CNOTES]

Betting Recap - Week 6
October 11, 2015




Overall Notes


COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 6 RESULTS


Wager Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 48-8
Against the Spread 32-23-1


Wager Home-Away
Straight Up 35-21
Against the Spread 25-30-1


Wager Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 30-25-1


The largest underdogs to win straight up
Washington (+17, ML +600) at Southern California (Thu.), 17-12
Washington State (+15.5, ML +600) at Oregon, 45-38 (2OT)


The largest favorites to cover
Baylor (-46) at Kansas, 66-7
Mississippi (-46) vs. New Mexico State, 52-3


Top 25 Notes


-- The biggest upset of the day came in the Red River rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, as Texas (+15, ML +600) upended Oklahoma to save the job of head coach Charlie Strong for now. It was the third consecutive under for the Longhorns. ... Also in the Big 12, Baylor had no such troubles at Kansas, covering a 46-point number on the road, the largest road spread of the season. The Bears have covered in three straight games, and the 'under' cashed for the first time in five outings, mainly due to the struggles of the Jayhawks. ... Ohio State ran its record to 6-0 with a win over Maryland, but they have now failed to cover in five straight since their opening game win at Virginia Tech. Their 'over' was the first since Week 1, too. ... Georgia blew a huge lead at Tennessee, 38-31, and they also lost Heisman Trophy candidate RB Nick Chubb to what is likely a season-ending leg injury.


-- Florida continues to roll right along, snapping a two-game losing streak to Missouri with a 21-3 win in Columbia. The Gators are now 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS heading into a showdown at LSU next weekend. The 'under' has also cashed in three of the past four for Florida.


-- Alabama had its hands full for a while with Arkansas, trailing 7-3 at halftime in Tuscaloosa. However, the Crimson Tide offense showed up in the second half and the Tide grinded out a 27-14 victory to improve to 2-1 in the SEC. Still, Alabama is 5-1 SU but they're just 1-4 ATS over their past five outings against the number. The 'under' is also 4-1 during the span.


-- Boise State quietly moved into the Top 25 during the past week, and they'll stay there following a 41-10 thumping of Colorado State in Fort Collins. Since a 35-24 setback at Brigham Young the Broncos have won and covered in four straight. They have a short week before heading to Logan Friday to battle Utah State.


-- Michigan's amazing run continued, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. The Wolverines blanked Northwestern 38-0, and it was particularly impressive since the Wildcats had allowed a total of 35 points through their first five games. Michigan has now posted three straight shutouts heading into their rivalry game at home against Michigan State.


-- Notre Dame rebounded with a 41-24 win against Navy to move to 4-0 SU/ATS in South Bend. The Irish have also covered four straight games since their only non-cover of the season at Virginia back on Sept. 12. The Irish will host an angry Southern California team next Saturday.


Big Five Conference Report (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC)


-- Duke stepped out of conference and routed Army at Michie Stadium in West Point. The Blue Devils have won three straight since their lone setback to Northwestern Sept. 19, and the 'under' has cashed in eahc of their six games heading into a date with Virginia Tech in Blacksburg next weekend. ... No hangover for Clemson after their big win last weekend against the Irish, as the Tigers blasted Georgia Tech 43-24. The cover did snap an 0-2 ATS slid, and the 'over' ended a three-game 'under' skid. ... Wake Forest snuck past Boston College 3-0 in Chestnut Hill, as the 'under' is a perfect 5-for-5 for the Eagles. Boston College is averaging 6.0 PPG over the past four games, and they're allowing just 7.2 PPG through six contests.


-- Iowa celebrated their move into the Top 25 with a 29-20 win against Illinois. It was just the second non-cover in six games for the Hawkeyes. For the Illini, the 'over' was the first since their opener Sept. 5, snapping a four-game 'under' stretch. ... Minnesota has won four of their past five games, rebounding from a shutout loss at Northwestern last weekend. The cover for the Golden Gophers snapped a four-game non-cover streak. ... After a shocking loss at home to Iowa last week, Wisconsin bounced back with a 23-21 win at Nebraska. The Badgers have failed to cover in three of the past four, and the 'under' has hit in four in a row for Bucky's bunch.


-- Kansas State held a 35-17 lead at halftime against Texas Christian, but the No. 2 Horned Frogs outscored the Wildcats 35-10 in the second half to post a come-from-behind 52-45 win. TCU has scored 50 or more points in five straight games, and the 'over' is 4-1 during the span. ... Texas Tech bounced back after losses to TCU and Baylor, posting a 66-31 win against Iowa State. The Red Raiders have covered in four of the past five games, and the 'over' has hit in three straight and five of their six games overall. ... Oklahoma State has scored 30 or more point in five straight games, and they have covered three of their past four heading into a bye next week. They'll return Oct. 24 against lowly Kansas.


-- Utah and California did battle at Rice-Eccles in Salt Lake City Saturday, and the Utes held off the Bears 30-24. Cal was able to cover despite five interceptions from QB Jared Goff, and six turnovers overall. For Cal, the under has now cashed in three straight heading into a bye. They'll return on Thursday, Oct. 22, at UCLA. ... Oregon State was smacked around at Arizona, 44-7, failing to cover for the fourth time in five games.


-- In the SEC, Missouri's string of 'unders' is now a perfect 6-0. They slipped to 4-2 on the season, but they're dismal 1-5 ATS heading into their game at Georgia next weekend. Georgia has now failed to cover four of the past five games, too.


Mid-Major Report


-- East Carolina hit the road for Provo, falling 45-38 at Brigham Young. The Pirates have rattled off three straight covers, and four in the past five, and the 'over' has connected in five straight. ... After five straight unders to start the season, Connecticut saw the 'over' hit for the first time this season in a 40-13 win at UCF. ... Tulane was roughed up 49-10 at Temple, ending a two-game win streak. The 'over' has cashed in four straight games for the Green Wave.


-- North Texas was roughed up 66-7 at home against FCS Portland State, as the Vikings topped an FBS team for the second time this season. UNT slipped to 0-5 SU/ATS on the season, and will have a short week to prepare for a home game against Western Kentucky Thursday night. ... Marshall knocked off Southern Mississippi 31-10 Friday night for their fourth straight win. The Thundering Herd has covered in three straight, and the 'under' is 4-1 in their past five overall. ... Florida Atlantic slipped up 27-26 at home to Rice, and they're now just 1-3 ATS over the past four with the 'under' cashing in three straight. They'll host Marshall in Boca Raton next weekend.


-- In Sun Belt action, Appalachian State hit the road and covered a 15-point number against a bad Georgia State team, 37-3. The Mountaineers have alternated covers in each of their five games, and the 'under' is a perfect 5-0. ... Texas State and Louisiana-Lafayette hooked up for 76 total points, as the 'over is now 4-0-1 for the Bobcats this season. Texas State has allowed at least 49 points in four of their five games, and all four against FBS opponents. ULL has allowed 27 or more points in four of their five.


-- Fresno State slipped up 56-14 against Utah State, as the Bulldogs are 0-5 SU/ATS over the past five outings. The 'over' has also hit in four of the five games, as Fresno State's defense has been dinged for 45 or more points in those overs. ... San Jose State posted a 33-27 overtime win at UNLV, covering for the third consecutive game. They'll host San Diego State next Saturday, a team which went out to Hawaii and won 28-14.


Bad Beats


-- Anyone who had the 'over' in Baylor-Kansas (76.5) felt like they were in great shape with the Bears ahead 66-7 after three quarters. But a sure over turned into a losing ticket with a scoreless quarter.


-- 'Under' (47) bettors were holding their breath in the final moments of Illinois-Iowa, but a Hawkeyes field goal with 2:11 ended up helping 'over' bettors to a nice win.


-- Western Michigan held a 34-19 lead heading into the fourth quarter against Central Michigan, but the Chippewas outscored the Broncos 20-7 in the fourth quarter to earn the late cover.


-- The Georgia-Tennessee game was rough for side bettors of UGA. Georgia held a 24-3 lead in the second quarter, but the Vols had a great comeback in the second half. Still, the Bulldogs had a chance to tie it late, but WR Reggie Davis dropped a game-tying touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to seal UGA's fate.


-- If you had the 'under' (71) in Washington State-Oregon, you hated Washington State's game-tying touchdown with :01 left in regulation to force overtime, 31-31. Still, the game could have still ended favorably, but the two teams exchanged touchdowns in the first overtime to push the total over. It was a rough beating in the late-night game.

 

[CNOTES]

RECORD GOING INTO THURSDAY GAMES : ( 10/15/15)


CFB: 17 - 17 SATURDAY DAY /NIGHT


*****............................... 3 - 6
double play.........................6 - 6
triple play...........................4 - 1
blow out.............................3 - 3






COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECORD:


single play:.......................................25 - 25 - 1
double play:......................................38 - 37
triple play:........................................26 - 17
blow out:..........................................14 - 12
gow:.............................................. . ..1 - 0
gom:.............................................. . .0 - 0
goy............................................... .. ..0 - 0
upsets............................................ ....0 - 1
game of the day..................................1 - 1

 

[CNOTES]

Sarkisian takes indefinite leave of absence
October 11, 2015


LOS ANGELES (AP) Southern California coach Steve Sarkisian is taking an indefinite leave of absence, athletic director Pat Haden says.


Haden announced the decision Sunday after Sarkisian didn't attend practice.


Offensive coordinator Clay Helton will take charge of the Trojans (3-2, 1-2 Pac-12), who have lost two of their last three games. USC visits Notre Dame on Sunday.


Haden wasn't specific about the reasons for Sarkisian's absence, only saying the second-year coach is ''not healthy.''


Sarkisian publicly apologized before the season after he showed up drunk at a pep rally and made a slurred public statement.


Sarkisian is 12-6 leading the talented Trojans, who lost 17-12 to unranked Washington last Thursday.


Helton is in his second stint as USC's interim coach. He led the Trojans to a Las Vegas Bowl victory in 2013.

 

[CNOTES]

Maryland fires head coach Randy Edsall
October 11, 2015


COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) Randy Edsall has been fired as Maryland's football coach after the team's third straight lopsided defeat.


The dismissal, announced Sunday, comes in the middle of Edsall's fifth season with the Terrapins. Maryland is 2-4 and mired in a three-game skid in which the Terps have been outscored by a combined 122-34. Including an earlier defeat against Bowling Green, Maryland's four losses have come by an average of four touchdowns.


Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley will take over on an interim basis. Maryland has a bye this week before facing Penn State in Baltimore on Oct. 24.


Edsall went 22-34 after taking over for Ralph Freidgen before the 2011 season. He accepted the job after going 74-70 in 12 years at Connecticut.


Rumors of Edsall's dismissal began last week, shortly before Maryland lost 49-28 to No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday.

 

[CNOTES]

TCU, Baylor make statements in Kansas
October 11, 2015


MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) TCU and Baylor made a pair of statements in the Sunflower State on Saturday.


The Horned Frogs showed their fortitude in a dramatic comeback win at Kansas State, while Baylor unleashed its score-a-second offense in a romp at Kansas. The results saw the teams switch spots in the new AP Top 25 poll - Baylor is No. 2, TCU No. 3.


But both remained unbeaten. Both stayed in the thick of the Big 12 title hunt. And both kept their national championship aspirations alive.


''Win and advance. Win and advance,'' said Bears coach Art Briles, whose team led the hapless Jayhawks 52-7 by halftime, before the starters got the second half off in a 66-7 victory.


''We understand that anything can happen on any given day and our job is to go out and perform at a championship level,'' Briles continued. ''There are trap games everywhere, there is one always sitting out there. We have to make sure we compete and execute.''


The Horned Frogs (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) were almost lured into a trap by the Wildcats.


TCU coach Gary Patterson had warned his players all week not to take them lightly, and was concerned when he noticed them joking and laughing through practice. But nobody was joking when coach Bill Snyder's injury ravaged crew raced to a 35-17 halftime advantage, energizing the 23rd straight sellout crowd at the stadium that bears his name.


But the Horned Frogs are a veteran bunch, and not surprisingly, it was a pair of seniors who managed to calm everyone else down and lead their comeback in a 52-45 victory.


Trevone Boykin added another page to his Heisman Trophy resume, throwing for 301 yards and two touchdowns while running for 124 yards and two more scores.


One of his runs, a 69-yard sprint with 6:07 left, gave TCU the lead. And his 55-yard pitch-and-catch with Josh Doctson with 1:10 remaining ultimately gave the Horned Frogs the win.


''You take it one play at a time, one drive at a time and one quarter at a time,'' said Boykin, who tied Andy Dalton's school record with his 21st consecutive game with a TD pass.


''In the first thirty minutes of the game, we were pretty much nonexistent,'' he said. ''We came back after halftime - we really did some soul searching and tried to find ourselves.''


They managed to do it just in time.


The 18-point comeback was TCU's largest since 2005, when it rallied from a 34-16 deficit to beat BYU 51-50 in overtime. The Horned Frogs have now scored 50 points in five straight games, and have won 14 straight overall, second to Ohio State's 19-game streak.


''I'm just trying to win,'' Patterson said. ''I'm not trying to be the number-one team in the nation. I'm just trying to be an undefeated team, and now I'm trying to beat Iowa State. That is all we can control. We cannot control the voters or anybody else.


''I'm tired of hearing about style points. It is hard just to win.''


Unless, of course, you're Baylor visiting Kansas.


The Bears (5-0, 2-0) were so efficient in building their lead that they actually finished with a season-low 644 yards of offense. Seth Russell threw for 246 yards and three scores, but by playing only half, he failed to throw at least four TD tosses for the first time in six starts.


It wasn't just Russell putting up gaudy numbers in a half. Shock Linwood ran for 135 yards and a touchdown, giving him 2,852 yards for his career, second-most in school history. And Corey Coleman had a pair of TD catches, giving him 26 for his career, third-most in Baylor history.


''Those guys are phenomenal at what they do,'' Kansas coach David Beaty said.


Lest anyone think Baylor can only put up points, its overlooked and underappreciated defense also managed to hold the Jayhawks scoreless on their final 13 drives.


''We're starting to come together,'' Russell said. ''We don't take any game for granted.''


They can probably take a couple for granted with struggling West Virginia and Iowa State up next. But then comes the four-game stretch that will define its season: at Kansas State, Oklahoma, at Oklahoma State, and a trip to TCU on Nov. 11 that could decide the Big 12 title.


In the words of Briles, ''Win and advance. Win and advance.''

 

[CNOTES]

Nebraska's Riley apologizes for players
October 11, 2015


LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Nebraska is at the halfway point of the season, and there aren't many who believed the Cornhuskers would have just two victories after six games - especially the way they've been losing.


One way to view is that Nebraska is less than 20 seconds and an overtime from being 6-0. The reality is that new coach Mike Riley's team must win four of its last six games just to become bowl eligible.


The latest final-seconds loss came Saturday, when Wisconsin's Rafael Gaglianone kicked a 46-yard field goal for a 23-21 win - the fourth time the Huskers lost on the opponent's final offensive play.


''I'm sorry for those guys,'' Riley said of his players. ''I want to help them more, so we're going to keep working. That's going to be our coaches' job, just to keep working and get a good plan together and make it get better.''


Next up is Saturday's visit to Minnesota (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten), which has won two straight over Nebraska. Last year's 28-24 loss to the Gophers in Lincoln was almost as deflating as any of the four this season. Minnesota took its first lead with 3:25 left. Nebraska looked to be on its way to the winning touchdown when De'Mornay Pierson-El fumbled inside the Gophers' 5-yard line, and Minnesota ran out the clock.


The Huskers have lost seven of their last 10, matching the program's worst 10-game stretch since the 1959-60 seasons. This year's four losses have come on a Hail Mary by BYU with no time left, in overtime against Miami and with 10 seconds left against Illinois and 4 seconds left against Wisconsin.


SMU in 2007 is the only FBS team besides Nebraska to lose four games in a season in the last 10 seconds or overtime, according to STATS records dating to 1996.


''Moving forward through this week the message is going to be, it's another week, it's a new life,'' defensive end Jack Gangwish said. ''We still have goals. You know we want to come out next week firing on all cylinders.''


Nebraska, at 0-2 in the Big Ten, already is two games behind Iowa in the West Division. The Huskers hadn't lost their first two conference games since 2008 in Bo Pelini's first season, and the only years since 1968 they haven't gone to a bowl were 2004 and 2007 under Bill Callahan.


The Huskers have been hurt by injuries on defense, and Riley said he expects the team's health to be much improved this week.


Still, Nebraska would have been in position to win the last two weeks if it could have made one more first down or played stronger defense as time was winding down.


''There's not anything you can say. You just drive on,'' quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. said. ''You can't dwell on the past, you can't sit up here and pout about what was happening last week, because we've got another opponent that's preparing for us.''

 

[CNOTES]

Michigan moving toward playoff contention


October 10, 2015


The rebuilding project at Michigan appears to be in overdrive while Georgia has been downgraded from College Football Playoff contender to promising team with a season slipping away.


The 18th-ranked Wolverines pitched a third straight shutout, hammering previously unbeaten and No. 13 Northwestern 38-0 Saturday to set up a huge rivalry game next week in Ann Arbor against No. 4 Michigan State.


The Spartans have owned Michigan in recent years, winning six of seven meetings. But this is Jim Harbaugh's Michigan. This looks like a very different bunch of Wolverines.


Michigan (5-1) has outscored its last three opponents 97-0 and 160-14 during a five-game winning streak since losing the opener at No. 5 Utah.


''The fellas really came out ballin' right from the start,'' Harbaugh said Saturday after the latest rout.


Harbaugh's arrival at his alma mater was the story of the offseason, but conventional wisdom was it would take the former Michigan quarterback at least a year to get the Wolverines back into the national championship conversation.


Well, now Michigan is a win away from barging into the thick of the playoff race seven games into the Harbaugh era.


While the Wolverines are trending up, No. 19 Georgia is sliding fast.


A week after getting crushed at home by Alabama, the Bulldogs let a 21-point lead get away at Tennessee, losing 38-31. Georgia also lost Heisman Trophy contender Nick Chubb to a knee injury on the game's first snap. The severity is still unknown, but coach Mark Richt was hopeful after the game that his star won't need surgery.


A bright spot, yes, but the last two weeks have been crushing for Georgia. So much was expected of Richt's team and the SEC East looked ripe for the taking this season, with Tennessee still growing up, Florida in its first season under a new head coach and Missouri doing some retooling after consecutive division titles.


With two SEC losses already, that division crown could already be out of reach for the Bulldogs.


''I feel like we're a resilient team and we'll be able to come back and move forward from this,'' quarterback Greyson Lambert said.


Home games against Missouri and Florida in the next three weeks will determine how the Bulldogs move foward.


---


SEE YA SOONERS


No. 10 Oklahoma is not out of the College Football Playoff race after being upset 24-17 by Texas at the Cotton Bowl, but the Sooners simply don't look like a team that is a real threat to run the table in a very competitive Big 12.


Oklahoma got pushed around on both lines by the Longhorns, which does not bode well for next week's trip to Kansas State, not to mention a November game at No. 3 Baylor.


Sooners fans have been beyond frustrated with coach Bob Stoops' program in recent years. Oklahoma, which owned the Big 12 for so long, has slipped into the pack.


Stoops revamped his staff in the offseason, bringing in offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley to rev up the Air Raid offense, but the Sooners are still stuck outside the elite programs in the country.

 

[Brix22]

Good reading, insight and info. Much thanks

 

[CNOTES]

USC fires head coach Steve Sarkisian
October 12, 2015


LOS ANGELES (AP) Southern California fired Steve Sarkisian on Monday, one day after the troubled coach was put on leave.


Athletic director Pat Haden made the move one day after determining Sarkisian showed up at school in no condition to lead practice, although Haden refused to reveal specifics about the coach's condition. Offensive coordinator Clay Helton was appointed interim coach Sunday.


The school hasn't been specific about Sarkisian's problems, but the second-year coach had an embarrassing public display in August at a pep rally where he appeared to be intoxicated while giving a speech. Sarkisian later apologized and said he had combined alcohol and medication, but promised not to drink again during the season.


''After careful consideration of what is in the best interest of the university and our student-athletes, I have made the decision to terminate Steve Sarkisian, effective immediately,'' Haden said in a statement.


''I want to add how proud I am of our coaching staff and players and the way they are responding to this difficult situation. Through all of this we remain concerned for Steve and hope that it will give him the opportunity to focus on his personal well-being.''


Helton, Sarkisian's offensive coordinator, will officially lead his first practice Tuesday as the Trojans (3-2, 1-2 Pac-12) prepare for their annual rivalry game with No. 14 Notre Dame.


Sarkisian went 12-6 at USC, where he was an assistant coach under Pete Carroll with the program's dominant teams of the past decade. He spent five years as Washington's head coach until 2013.


Sarkisian also in the midst of a divorce from his wife, Stephanie, and he recently sold a palatial house south of Los Angeles. They have three children.


The hallowed USC football program has endured turmoil for most of the past six years since Carroll left the school for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks in 2009.


After the tumultuous 3 1/2-year tenure of fired coach Lane Kiffin, Sarkisian and his players have made several public missteps during his short tenure. Sarkisian's coaching also faced widespread scrutiny after a 17-12 loss to Washington last week dropped the preseason No. 8 team out of the AP Top 25.


Sarkisian's former colleagues and opponents offered words of compassion and encouragement Monday after he began his leave. The school hasn't said whether Sarkisian is seeking treatment.


''It breaks my heart to see how this has gone,'' Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said on 710 ESPN radio in Seattle. ''But he recognizes it, and he's going to do something about it, so this is the day the turn occurs. I'm grateful for everybody around him that he's finally figured it out. We'll see nothing but good stuff to happen. It's going to take a long time, it's a big battle, and we'll pull for him all the way.''


Sarkisian never faced any public scrutiny for alcohol use in Seattle, although his enthusiasm for nights out became part of his identity among fans and media.


Washington athletic director Scott Woodward issued a brief statement: ''It is evident that Steve is dealing with a serious personal matter and we wish him the best in facing whatever challenges lay ahead.''


Chris Petersen was a candidate for the USC job won by Sarkisian, and the former Boise State coach replaced Sarkisian at Washington shortly afterward. Petersen then beat Sarkisian in their first meeting last Thursday, leading the unranked Huskies past USC 17-12.


''This is a tough job,'' Petersen said Monday. ''You just feel bad for the whole situation for everybody. We could talk a long time about that. It's hard enough to lose. It's a hard enough job when you're doing well, and when something doesn't go right in your situation and everybody piles on, I think it's very tough. Everybody has got their opinion now, and I don't think everybody knows exactly everything that goes on to have an opinion like that.''

 

[CNOTES]

Florida QB Grier suspended for PEDs
October 12, 2015


GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Florida quarterback Will Grier has been suspended one year for violating the NCAA's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.


The school announced the suspension at a news conference Monday and said it will appeal.


The eighth-ranked Gators are not facing a forfeiture of any wins. But the suspension could cost Grier 25 percent of his college eligibility, making the redshirt freshman a junior when he returns next October.


Grier, who gained 20 pounds in his first 18 months on campus, failed a drug test in the last two weeks. Grier said Monday he took an over-the-counter supplement, but did not specify which one.


''I did not check with the medical staff before taking it,'' Grier said during an emotional, minute-long apology. ''I really hope that people can learn from this, learn from my mistake. I'm really, really sorry to everyone. Just really sorry.''


According to NCAA rules, Grier will remain suspended during the appeals process. But he can practice with the team while he's ineligible.


The Gators play at No. 6 LSU on Saturday night, and sophomore Treon Harris will make his first start since the season opener.


Coach Jim McElwain said Grier made a mistake that could have been avoided by talking to the team's medical staff.


''You and I can both go get it,'' said McElwain, who said he learned of the suspension Sunday. ''Anyone in this room can. Anybody in this country can. The mistake is, and the lesson for whoever out there, make sure - just like we educate our guys now - you check with your medical staff before you put anything in your body.''


McElwain also did not identify what Grier took.


''Doesn't matter. Cough medicine. You have to know what you're putting in your body. Will admitted he didn't do it. I think that speaks for him. He's not putting it on anybody else. He's a stand-up guy. That's how he played the game and plays the game. He'll be back.''


Grier apologized to teammates before doing the same to Florida fans publicly.


''When you have an opportunity to sit down and visit with him and see the remorse and the sorrow, that's hard,'' McElwain said. ''That's really hard. As a coach, but more so as a human, to see someone go through that. It's not easy. But he knows we're here for him.


''It's a loss. But we also have other guys and we've got to move forward. Hopefully guys will learn from this and see, as he said, it's an opportunity through his choices. Hopefully some guys will learn from it.''


Grier and the Gators have been one of the most surprising teams in the country in their first year under McElwain, the former Colorado State coach and Alabama assistant. The Gators (6-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) already have matched last year's regular-season win total and have a commanding lead in the league's Eastern Division race.


Harris will be tasked with helping them stay there.


Harris started the opener and split snaps with Grier in the second week against East Carolina. He has not thrown a pass since. He is 19 for 27 for 269 yards and two touchdowns.


He played nine games as a freshman last season, completing 45 percent of his passes for 1,019 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions.


Former Vanderbilt receiver Josh Grady will serve as the backup against the Tigers (5-0, 3-0).


''We have two really good quarterbacks and have a package for another one,'' McElwain said. ''This is not an excuse. It happened. Things happen in life, and if you want to use it as an excuse, so be it. But that's not what we're going to do. We're going to have a great week of practice, we're going to play our tails off against one of the best teams in the country on their turf and this out to be a blast, man.


''This ought to be a celebration, this game, for what this is all about. This is fun. This is why we do it. If you don't like this, get out of it, man.''

 

[CNOTES]

Coach blaming himself for G-Tech's slide
October 12, 2015


ATLANTA (AP) It's gotten so bad for Georgia Tech that coach Paul Johnson can no longer count on his beloved spread option offense to run basic plays.


With the Yellow Jackets struggling as much as they in his eight-season tenure, Johnson huddled the team together Monday to discuss Football 101.


He's blaming himself and his assistants for poor coaching. He's blaming the players for poor execution.


''When you line up and you're trying to run an option play and the kids can't tell the difference between a 50 defense and a 4-3 and a 6-1, you've got issues,'' Johnson said. ''If you look and can't see if the guard is covered or uncovered, you've got issues.


''So you go back to basics and keep (repeating) it and hope they do that.''


There's plenty blame to go around as Georgia Tech (2-4, 0-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) prepares to host Pittsburgh (4-1, 2-0 ACC) on Saturday.


Junior quarterback Justin Thomas is trying to do too much. Linemen are missing basic assignments for an injury-riddled offense that played five true freshmen in last week's blowout loss at Clemson.


Four weeks ago, the Jackets were ranked No. 14 and favored to win at Notre Dame. Now they're riding a four-game losing streak and about to face a Pitt defense that ranks sixth in the nation.


Johnson has no plans to tinker with his offensive scheme. Instead, he wants Thomas and others to focus on the basics of the spread option to create more short-yardage scenarios on second and third downs.


Against Clemson, Georgia Tech had over 20 plays of zero or negative yardage. Johnson said he'd never called so many third-and-long plays in 19 seasons as a head coach.


''When it goes like that, if you're not careful, you lose a little confidence and so you start pressing and trying to do more,'' Johnson said. ''That's (what) makes it worse.''


Johnson has challenged Thomas, a second-team All-ACC selection last year, to trust himself more in the run game. He had a career-low 3 net yards rushing on 14 carries at Clemson.


To avoid that kind of meltdown again, Thomas must make better decisions and his teammates must block better.


''In this offense, you're the featured ball carrier, and it's not your job to dish it to everybody else,'' Johnson said. ''Now can (the defense) take that guy out? They can, but I'm not sure anybody has. We kind of take him out ourselves (by) not sealing inside and not looking to turn it'' up field.


Johnson has no plans to open up more of the playbook in hopes of finding solutions.


''We're not bad on third downs because of the scheme,'' he said. ''We led the nation and set an all-time record last year running the same plays. We've got to do them at a high efficiency and play better.''


Note: It appears senior long snapper Sean Tobin is out of a job. After watching the ball sail over punter Ryan Rodwell's head for a third straight week, Johnson replaced Tobin with Casey Wilson during the Clemson game. ''Do it once, shame on you,'' Johnson said ''Do it twice, shame on me. I don't think we'll do it again. He won't.''

 

[CNOTES]

Ole Miss back on the road against Memphis
October 12, 2015


OXFORD, Miss. (AP) During the summer it looked like Mississippi's game against Memphis would be little more than a speed bump for the Rebels before a five-game stretch against Southeastern Conference teams to end the season.


That's not the case anymore.


No. 13 Ole Miss (5-1, 2-1 SEC) travels to face undefeated Memphis (5-0) on Saturday in a surprisingly intriguing non-conference matchup. The Tigers haven't lost in a full calendar year, winning 12 straight games thanks to a stellar offense led by quarterback Paxton Lynch.


Now it's their chance to knock off a regional rival and a team from the SEC. The two schools are about an hour's drive apart and the connections run deep.


Ole Miss running back Jordan Wilkins is one of 11 players on the roster from the Memphis area. He said he knows several Tigers and has even had to engage in a little trash talk with his girlfriend, who is a cheerleader at the school.


Wilkins said Memphis' elevated status in the college football world only adds to the excitement.


''It's just natural that it hypes you up a little more when the game is competitive.'' Wilkins said.


It's also familiar territory for Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, who coached at a high school in Memphis for about a decade before a quick rise through the college coaching profession.


Freeze had nothing but praise for Lynch and fourth-year coach Justin Fuente, who is only 39 years old and viewed as one of the rising stars in the profession. Ole Miss beat Memphis 24-3 last season in Oxford.


''It's a quality, quality football team and they're playing with great confidence,'' Freeze said. ''And they have what a lot of us desire in a really sound, good quarterback. He's one of the better ones I've seen on film.''


Memphis was off last weekend, giving the Tigers nearly two weeks to prepare for Saturday's game. In some ways, Ole Miss had an off weekend too, breezing past New Mexico State 52-3 while resting several starters who were nursing nagging injuries.


Memphis hasn't had a problem scoring this season. The Tigers rank fourth nationally with 47.8 points per game.


The problem is their schedule hasn't exactly included college football's finest. A win over the Rebels would give Memphis a signature moment - and the national attention - it craves.


''Honestly, every week we're trying to prove something,'' Memphis receiver Phillip Mayhue said. ''We're just trying to prove that we're basically here. We're not a slouch. We worked hard and we're going to prove each and every week that hard work pays off.''


The game figures to be a difficult test for the revamped Ole Miss secondary. The Rebels shuffled players at several positions since star safety Tony Conner went down with a knee injury three weeks ago.


The newest lineup was fine against New Mexico State, but the Aggies didn't have anything near the firepower that the Tigers possess.


''All five of us mesh pretty well back there,'' Ole Miss safety Mike Hilton said. ''We have more experience, more speed out there now. We miss Tony, he was a big piece, but with the guys we have in place we are not losing a step.''

 

[CNOTES]

UNC aims to keep momentum going
October 12, 2015


CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina carried plenty of momentum from a big win into a bye week. If the Tar Heels can maintain it, they'll be able to keep talking about contending for a division title.


Heading into Saturday's game against Wake Forest, the Tar Heels (4-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) have won four straight after rallying from a huge deficit to win at Georgia Tech for the first time since 1997. That's also the last time UNC stood at 2-0 in the ACC, coming in Mack Brown's final season before taking over at Texas.


Coach Larry Fedora said the team spent the first part of its bye week correcting mistakes and tweaking the game plan before focusing on any prep work for the Demon Deacons (3-3, 1-2).


''I'm trying to distance everything from the past and just take the mistakes and learn from them and make sure this team understands who they are,'' Fedora said Monday. ''It doesn't matter that everybody made a big deal we hadn't won in Atlanta in (18) years. So what? This team hadn't played in Atlanta until that Saturday. So I'm really trying to get away from all those things.''


North Carolina started the year with a mistake-filled loss to South Carolina, but things have gone fairly smoothly otherwise. The defensive overhaul led by former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik has worked well enough to go from allowing 497.8 yards and 39 points per game last year to 357.2 yards and 18 points through five games.


UNC's offense has been so efficient that the Tar Heels have punted just 12 times, second fewest in the country to No. 2 Baylor (10).


And Williams has shaken off that rough opener, leading the Tar Heels in passing, rushing and receiving yardage in the 38-31 win at Georgia Tech on Oct. 4. The Tar Heels rallied from 21-0 down in that one, earning the biggest comeback in program history.


The schedule certainly sets up to give the Tar Heels a good chance to keep momentum going toward that goal of winning the Coastal Division. Next up is a Wake Forest team that has scored one touchdown in the past two games and is coming off a 3-0 win at Boston College, while the next game comes at home against Virginia - who has lost five straight to UNC.


''We understand that we haven't accomplished anything yet,'' linebacker Jeff Schoettmer said. ''Our two goals at the beginning of the year were state champs and Coastal champs. Neither one of those we've accomplished.''


Earlier Monday, the school announced two injuries.


Freshman defensive tackle Aaron Crawford will have season-ending surgery Thursday to repair a broken left foot suffered in practice last week. He had played in two games and the school will apply for a medical redshirt for him.


The school also said redshirt freshman tight end Caleb Samuel has ended his career due to a heart condition. He played in all five games.

 

[CNOTES]

Arizona State facing stiff challenge at No. 4 Utah
October 12, 2015


TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Arizona State has gotten its season back on track by playing its two best games of the season.


If the Sun Devils are to keep the momentum going, they'll have to play even better than they did the past two weeks.


With a road game against No. 4 Utah up next, Arizona State will have the double task of playing one of the nation's best teams in one of the country's most difficult places to play.


''We're going up against probably the best opponent that we've played all season,'' Sun Devils quarterback Mike Bercovici said Monday. ''We're excited about our match-up. We feel this is going to be a week that defines us as a program and as a brotherhood.''


Arizona State (4-2, 2-1 Pac-12) played inconsistently through its first four games, sandwiching wins over Cal Poly and New Mexico between an opening loss to Texas A&M and a blowout home loss to Southern California.


The Sun Devils finally started living up to expectations with a road win over UCLA, which was in the top 10 at the time, and controlled Colorado in a 48-23 home victory last Saturday.


The back-to-back victories put Arizona State back in position to reach one of its goals, winning the Pac-12 South.


But to do that, the Sun Devils will need to beat Utah (5-0, 2-0) and keep playing well the rest of the season. Arizona State beat the Utes last season in Tempe, but Utah is a better team this season and will be playing at home.


''Obviously, it's a very difficult place to play,'' Arizona State coach Todd Graham said. ''It will be very loud, a very challenging place. But that's going on the road in the Pac-12. That's the way it is. But obviously they're very deserving of their fourth ranking in the country.''


Utah was picked to finish fifth in the Pac-12, yet has become the team to beat at the midpoint of the season.


The Utes are physical on both sides of the ball, have one of the nation's best running backs and have hit their stride under coach Kyle Whittingham after a few years of struggling in the Pac-12.


''The thing I'm most impressed of on tape is watching how hard his players play on kickoff cover, how hard they play on defense, how hard they play on offense,'' Graham said. ''Every year it's a dog fight because he does such a great job. I've got a lot of respect for him. You can tell the character and toughness and fundamentals. They're very well-coached.''


A big key for Arizona State will be stopping Devontae Booker.


The Utah senior is an explosive runner and receiver out of the backfield who ranks ninth nationally with 171.8 all-purpose yards per game and 15th with 665 yards rushing. Booker ran for 222 yards and two touchdowns last week against California.


Arizona State has had some success against one of the nation's top runners already.


In the win over UCLA two weeks ago, the Sun Devils held Paul Perkins, the Pac-12's No. 2 rusher at the time, to 63 yards on 18 carries.


''Those two guys have got to be as good as there is in this league,'' Graham said. ''He's a powered, downhill runner, makes a lot of his yards straight ahead and cutting it back.''


The other key: Holding onto the football.


Arizona State was one of the nation's best teams at limiting turnovers last season, but had 13 fumbles through the first four games, losing seven. The Sun Devils have gotten better over the past two games with one turnover in each, both interceptions by Bercovici.


Utah is the nation's most opportunistic defenses, entering Saturday's game second nationally with a turnover margin of plus-10. The Utes have recovered five fumbles and intercepted 12 passes, including five last week against Cal's Jared Goff, one of the nation's top quarterbacks.


''Utah's a very opportunistic football team,'' Bercovici said. ''They've done a great job thus far. They play with energy and they play with passion, and that's something that we've got to match and surpass.''

 

[CNOTES]

Jim Harbaugh removes countdown clocks and won't look back
October 12, 2015


ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh acknowledged, albeit reluctantly, that the countdown clocks for Michigan State and Ohio State games have been removed from Schembechler Hall.


''Winning the next game is the goal,'' Harbaugh explained. ''That's the most important thing. There's nothing more important than that.''


Michigan State's football program, meanwhile, posted a picture on Twitter of its countdown clock Monday afternoon to help kick off a week of hype for a game that people beyond the state will probably pay attention to on Saturday.


The seventh-ranked Spartans (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) are coming to the Big House to play the surging, 12th-ranked Wolverines (5-1, 2-0) and the showdown holds more than provincial interest because both teams are ranked and potentially have a lot at stake this season.


Harbaugh has led a dramatic turnaround in his first year, matching last season's total number of wins under Brady Hoke with a five-game winning streak since opening with a setback at Utah. Mark Dantonio is 6-2 against Michigan, doing and saying all the right things to help Michigan State have its best stretch in the series in more than a half-century.


Michigan has historically dominated the series that dates to 1898, winning nearly two-thirds of the matchups.


The Spartans have flipped the script lately with their best stretch in the series in more than a half-century.


Here's a look back at some memorable Michigan-Michigan State games:


1990: The top-ranked Wolverines were stunned and sour after Desmond Howard was tripped - or defended - by Eddie Brown as he caught and dropped a 2-point conversion, allowing unraked Michigan State to hold on for a 28-27 win.


1995: Unranked and Nick Saban-led Michigan State capped a comeback with an 11-play, 88-yard drive that ended with Tony Banks' 25-yard pass to Nigea Carter with 1:24 left for a 28-25 win to beat the seventh-ranked Wolverines.


1999: No. 11 Michigan State held on to beat No. 3 Michigan 34-31. The Spartans took a 17-point lead into the fourth quarter and won by just three after Tom Brady, who was alternating with Drew Henson, threw two TD passes over the last eight-plus minutes.


2001: T.J. Duckett caught a game-winning, 2-yard touchdown lob from Jeff Smoker with a still-disputed second left in what is infamously remembered at the ''Clock Game,'' to give the unranked Spartans a 26-24 upset against No. 6 Michigan.


2003: No. 11 Michigan beat No. 9 Michigan State 27-20 thanks to Chris Perry's 219 yards rushing and a score on 51 carries and John Navarre's third TD pass that gave the Wolverines a 17-point lead in the fourth.


2004: Braylon Edwards caught a third TD in triple overtime to lift the 12h-ranked Wolverines to a 45-37 win over unranked Michigan State after trailing by 17 points in the fourth quarter.


2007: Michigan's slide in the series started after its 15th-ranked team beat the unranked Spartans 28-24. ''Sometimes, you get your little brother excited when you're playing basketball - let them get the lead. And, then you come back,'' former running back Mike Hart said after helping the Wolverines overcame a 10-point deficit midway through the fourth. Dantonio, who was in his first year, later lashed out and said, ''pride comes before the fall.''


2012: The 23rd-ranked Wolverines beat unranked Michigan State 12-10 - their only win in a seven-year stretch - after Brendan Gibbons kicked a 38-yard field goal with 5 seconds left and limiting Le'Veon Bell to 68 yards rushing on 26 carries.

 

[CNOTES]

Oklahoma's road back after Texas loss starts at Kansas State
October 12, 2015


NORMAN, Okla. (AP) Despite Oklahoma fans' shock and disappointment following last Saturday's 24-17 loss to rival Texas, their Sooners are in virtually the same position they were in before the game.


The schedule presents multiple chances to get back into the playoff picture. Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) still has yet to play No. 2 Baylor, No. 3 TCU and unbeaten No. 16 Oklahoma State. The 19th-ranked Sooners still have big-time goals, and they are using Ohio State's example from last season as a rallying cry.


''If you look at it, not many teams at all go undefeated,'' Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield said. ''Last year, Ohio State won the national championship and they lost to a Virginia Tech team at home. They got it going, and they fought back. You can't harp on the losses. It can either make you better or make you worse.''


The route back to the playoff hunt starts Saturday at Kansas State.


''It's simple,'' Stoops said. ''Like I said a year ago, we won this game (against Texas) and didn't end up having a great year. Two years ago, we lost this game and ended up going on and winning the Sugar Bowl. So we'll see. All you can do is get ready to play this week and be the best we can and make improvement and take it game by game.''


Traditionally, Oklahoma bounces back well. The Sooners haven't lost back-to-back regular-season games since 1999, a span of 34 straight wins following losses. They'll face a formidable Kansas State squad that lost a 52-45 heartbreaker at home against TCU last Saturday.


''We're going to be ready for a Kansas State team that's going to give us their best shot,'' Mayfield said. ''They took TCU down to the wire. It's just a tough environment to play at. We've just got to be ready to come in there with the right attitude and be hungry.''


How the Sooners lost to Texas is as big an issue as the score. Mayfield was sacked six times and the Sooners rushed for just 67 yards on 37 carries. Center Ty Darlington said the offensive line can't accept numbers like that.


''I think a lot of it is the tone we set as leaders and what you accept every day in practice and the level of intensity and the level of competiveness that you approach every day with,'' he said. ''Especially where we're a pretty young group. and even the guys that aren't younger are inexperienced. But by this point, we're almost halfway through the year. You can't just keep saying inexperienced.''


Darlington believes the Sooners will recover.


''What it's going to take from here on out is an incredible level of character,'' he said. ''Our character gets revealed in times of adversity. This is definitely an adverse situation, but at the same time, all is not lost. We have a lot of our goals still out in front of us, and we're going to have a lot of opportunities to prove who we are.''

 

[CNOTES]

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier retiring, effective immediately


South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier told his players and coaches Monday night that he is retiring immediately, sources told ESPN.com, and the plan is for somebody else to coach the team the rest of the season.


Spurrier's retirement was first reported by SI.com.


An interim coach will be named Wednesday, sources said.


Spurrier, the Gamecocks' all-time winningest coach, also informed South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner of his decision to step down, sources said. This came after the Gamecocks lost their fourth straight SEC game Saturday to LSU.


Spurrier, 70, was close to stepping down at the end of last season after the Gamecocks dipped to 7-6 on the heels of three straight 11-win seasons and three straight top-10 finishes nationally, but he elected to return. The Gamecocks have lost eight of their past nine SEC games dating to last season.


They are 2-4 overall this season and 0-4 in the SEC, sitting seventh in the SEC East.


One possibility to coach out the rest of the season for the Gamecocks is current defensive coordinator Jon Hoke, who is in his first season with the Gamecocks.


Spurrier, fed up with the age questions and critics suggesting that his best coaching days were behind him, went on the offensive before the season.


"We were 11-2 and ranked fourth in the country this time a year ago, and nobody said a damn word about my age," Spurrier said. "Now, a year later, I'm suddenly too old, and we're on our way down.


"I just want our fans to know that we're going to have a good team and recognize that it's our enemies saying these things about Spurrier being washed up and we're not going to be heard from again. Gamecocks out there need to know that I'm going to be here five or six more years, and away we go."

 

[CNOTES]

Tuesday's Top Action
October 12, 2015



ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES (2-3) at SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS (3-2)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Arkansas State -6

Two teams trying to remain unbeaten in the Sun Belt will collide on Tuesday night when Arkansas State visits South Alabama.

Both schools opened conference play on Oct. 3 with victories, as the Red Wolves knocked off 22-point underdog Idaho 49-35 while the Jaguars pulled off the 24-18 upset at 6-point favorite Troy. Arkansas State is 2-3 ATS this season, and has been trounced in both road games, 55-6 at USC and 37-7 at Toledo. South Alabama (3-2 ATS) was pummeled in its last home game on Sept. 26, falling 63-13 to NC State, but opened the season with a 33-7 win over Gardner-Webb in Mobile, AL.


These schools are meeting for the fourth straight season with the Red Wolves winning all three previous contests (2-1 ATS), including 45-10 last year and 17-16 when the Jaguars hosted in 2013. Both teams are staring at some negative trends for Tuesday, as Arkansas State is 0-13 ATS after gaining 300+ rushing yards in its previous game since 1992, and 21-39 ATS off a home win in that same timeframe. But South Alabama is 6-14 ATS at home under head coach Joey Jones, including 2-6 ATS as a home underdog.

After missing three games, the Red Wolves expect to get starting QB Fredi Knighten (groin) back for Tuesday. The only new injury for either team is Knighten's teammate OL Daniel Keith, who is doubtful with an ankle injury.

Arkansas State's offense has been strong this season with 30.4 PPG on 394 total YPG, and these numbers have increased to 42.0 PPG and 451 total YPG over the past three contests. The team has done this through great balance with 193 rushing YPG on 4.4 YPC and 202 passing YPG on 6.6 YPA.

Senior RB Michael Gordon is coming off a monster performance against Idaho where he ran for 221 yards on 26 carries (8.5 YPC) and three touchdowns. Gordon was also effective in last year's romp over South Alabama with 77 rushing yards (3.7 YPC) and a touchdown.

Senior QB Fredi Knighten was the best player on the field in that 2014 meeting with 266 total yards (186 passing, 80 rushing) and 3 total TD. His return will be key for this team moving forward, as his statistics this year are so bad (19-of-46, 41% completions, 183 yds, 4.0 YPA, 2 TD, 3 INT) because they were against Power 5 opponents USC and Missouri. Another senior, WR JD McKissic, is the third-most important part of this offense with a team-high 27 catches, including at least four receptions in each game.

Defensively, this unit has surrendered 32.2 PPG on 391 total YPG, and these numbers have ballooned to 46.0 PPG and 493 total YPG on the road. The biggest deficiency has been stopping the run (170 YPG on 4.8 YPC), as the Wolves' 221 passing YPG allowed is on just 53% completions and 5.7 YPA. They have also done a great job of forcing mistakes with 10 turnovers in the past four contests, including three last week. This trend could continue against a Jaguars team with 11 giveaways, including 3 TO in three different games so far.

South Alabama turnovers have limited the offense to 22.6 PPG and 375 total YPG this year. Time of possession is a subpar 27:59 average with the ground game churning out only 138 YPG on 3.8 YPC. But sophomore RB Xavier Johnson has been outstanding versus non-Power 5 opponents with 46 carries for 354 yards (7.7 YPC) and 4 TD in three such games. Johnson carried the football just seven times for 28 yards in last year's loss at Arkansas State.

QB Cody Clements (52% completions, 1,131 pass yds, 7 TD, 6 INT) has eclipsed 200 passing yards in four straight contests but the senior has not completed more than 58% of his passes in any game so far. He has relied mostly on two targets, with junior TE Gerald Everett (23 rec, 350 yds, 5 TD) and junior WR Josh Magee (13 rec, 326 yds) combining for 57% of the South Alabama receiving yards this season. No other receiver even has 100 yards in 2015.

On defense, the Jaguars have allowed 32.6 PPG on 405 total YPG, and have been especially weak in stopping the run (205 YPG on 5.1 YPC). Defending the pass hasn't been much better though with opponents completing 58% of their throws for 200 YPG (6.7 YPA). But after forcing only two turnovers in a three-game stretch, South Alabama recorded three takeaways in their upset at Troy last week.

 

[CNOTES]

Cue the carousel, coaching changes come early


Spurrier never intended for it to end like this, but the alternative is coaching the season out, losing to Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers in the final game and failing to make a bowl for only the second time since he arrived (2007) at South Carolina. His final game ended up being a 21-point road loss at LSU that was moved from Columbia to Baton Rouge due to flooding. Because they were displaced and the preparation was so off, Spurrier's Gamecocks really had no chance. To make matters worse, true freshman Lorenzo Nunez, by far the team's top QB, sat with a sprained throwing shoulder. Former walk-on Perry Orth ends up being Spurrier's last starting quarterback, a far cry from Danny Wuerffel, Shane Matthews or even Stephen Garcia or Connor Shaw.


Now it sounds like Nunez will also miss this weekend's home game against Vanderbilt, which means South Carolina could lose outright to the only SEC team on its remaining schedule that it can realistically beat. Spurrier wanted no part of that.


The Gamecocks have already been outscored 147-76 in four conference losses and still face trips to Texas A&M and Tennessee in addition to a home date with Florida. Spurrier is cutting his losses, sparing himself the indignity of potentially losing to Vandy, an opponent he's beaten six straight times. He won't have to watch Kevin Sumlin run up the score on him in Texas or fall victim to a Tennessee program he once terrorized and trash talked.


Spurrier is giving up his front row seat to watching the much improved Gators ride into town with a new head coach now walking in his former footsteps. He won't have to see Swinney, who he had beaten five straight times prior to last year's loss, get in one last lick. This is walking away for pride's sake, and it wouldn't be like the Spurrier we've come to know to let his shield of bravado be melted away by being foolishly prideful and sticking around. Why give any of his rivals the satisfaction? .


He saw Bobby Bowden pushed out at FSU. His old punching bag Philip Fulmer at Tennessee was ran out of town too. Here, he's the one stepping down, doing it so abruptly that it gave the college football world whiplash. Who can get away with pulling something like this? Kansas State's Bill Snyder and Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer lead a very short list.


The iconic Spurrier managed to get the likes of Jadeveon Clowney, Alshon Jeffery and Marcus Lattimore to play at South Carolina. Although it's been a down year, he'll leave his successor some talent in the cupboard and a program that's in a better place than it was when he inherited it. He won 86 games in 10-plus years and had consecutive 11-win seasons from '11-'13, making the Gamecocks relevant. As he steps down, only Bear Bryant has won more SEC games. As strange as it sounds,Spurrier can quit with his head held high.


You'll definitely hear critics pipe up over the next few days and accuse Spurrier of bailing on South Carolina when it needs him most, but contrast his departure with the dismissal of Steve Sarkisian at USC, Randy Edsall at Maryland and Dan McCarney at North Texas. Spurrier got unprecedented results and hung around for over a full decade. Edsall underachieved drastically. Sarkisian did less with more talent and departs as perhaps the most wasteful coach in USC history. That he leaves in disgrace due to a drinking problem serves to mask what an awful job he did in every area but recruiting.


McCarney's record at UNT in Denton was 0-5 this season. His Mean Green was outscored 246-74 following a 66-7 loss to FCS member Portland State that spelled the end of his tenure. Edsall was embarrassed by his AD and left hung out to dry after a 2-4 start. Never mind that he put together back-to-back winning seasons that ended in bowl losses. He played scapegoat and sacrificial lamb too perfectly. Same goes with Sark. USC AD Pat Haden wouldn't have had as easy a time firing a coach who didn't come up short on the field. Instead, patience and compassion went out the window.


In the business of college football, loyalty is often imaginary. Winning is all that matters. You're only as good as your last success. Spurrier knew there wouldn't be many good times ahead and cut his losses instead. His body of work trumps all else, including an unceremonious exit. The farewell tour wasn't necessary. Thanks for the memories, Coach.


NCAA Football Week 6 recap snapshot


Best games:


1. TCU 52 Kansas State 45, 2. Tennessee 38 Georgia 31, 3. Utah 30 Cal 24


Best players:


1. Luke Falk, Washington St.: 50-74 505 yds 5 TDs at Oregon, 2. Trevone Boykin, TCU: 20-30 301 yds 2 TD, 11-124 rushing yds, 2 TD vs. Texas, 3. Josh Dobbs 25-42 312 yds 3 TD, 118 rushing yds, 2 TD vs Georgia.


Best plays:


1. TCU WR Josh Doctson caught a 55-yd TD pass from Boykin with 1:10 left to snap a 45-45 tie in Manhattan. 2. Utah stops Cal QB Jared Goff on 4th and 5 from the 21-yard-line to remain unbeaten when Boobie Hobbs made a great play to break up a would-be first down. The Utes secondary dominated with five interceptions. 3. FSU's Dalvin Cook made it clear that he was 100 percent, running 72 yards to open the scoring against rival Miami, part of a 222-yard rushing night in a 29-24 win


Best coaching jobs:


1. Coming off an embarrassing loss to TCU, Texas head coach Charlie Strong got his Longhorns to regroup and deliver their best performance of the season in a shocking upset of Oklahoma. 2. With a 38-0 rout of Northwestern, head coach Jim Harbaugh registered his third consecutive shutout and provided an eye-opening win over the undefeated Wildcats in Ann Arbor. 3. Although the Ducks look like a shell of themselves, going into Eugene and emerging with a win the way Washington State's Mike Leach managed in a 45-38 comeback OT win at Autzen Stadium is a terrific victory.


Worst coaching jobs:


1. As stated above, North Texas' McCarney lost 66-7 at home to Portland State in a result that can only mean one thing -- his team quit on him. 2. UCF's George O'Leary remained winless despite getting starting QB Justin Holman back, falling 40-13 at home to UConn. Considering he let UConn head coach Bob Diaco become the subject of national ridicule by claiming no knowledge of the silly CIvil Conflict rivalry the new Huskies coach wanted him to embrace, it serves O'Leary right that he got embarrassed at home. Expect him to step down at season's end. 3. Fresno State's Tim DeRuyter saw his team outscored 49-7 over the last three quarters in a 56-14 loss to a Utah State squad forced to play backup Kent Myers for the injured Chuckie Keeton..


Close calls and bad beats: This one hurt. Central Michigan and Western Michigan put on a great show in Kalamazoo, but I was on the Broncos side against the Chippewas and tasted a nasty beat. Laying 5, Western was up all afternoon and led 31-19 entering the 4th, but allowed the Chips to claw back into it. Leading 41-39 as they looked to run out the clock, WMU got inside the 10-yard line and passed on a field goal on 4th and 3, going for the game-clinching first down. Top WR Corey Davis made a great grab at the goal line to get the first down, but was clearly down short of breaking the plane. With the first down secured, the Broncos just took knees to run out the clock on a 41-39 win. It was definitely a cover that got away.


Pitt was laying somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-9 at home against Virginia and dominated the first quarter, leading 17-3. It was the type of game where it looked like they could and should go up double-digits and maintain a firm grip on the cover, but ended up winning just 26-19.


Wisconsin and Nebraska played a teeter-totter game that could've gone either way and featured multiple lead changes inside the final five minutes as the cursed 'Huskers lost for the third time this season on the game's final play. Kicker Rafael Gaglianone, who had missed a 39-yarder with 1:26 left. Nebraska failed to get a first down, the Badgers utilized their timeouts correctly and Gaglianone came through from 46 yards. Wisconsin was favored anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 and won 23-21. Money line works best for small road favorites.


Oklahoma State's OT win at West Virginia, Notre Dame laying two TDs against Navy, BYU -9.5 against ECU and Florida State laying 6-ish against Miami all came down to the final few minutes as drama ruled Saturday night. TCU nearly got a backdoor cover they had no business flirting with on Kansas State, but went into victory formation after recovering a Wildcats fumble inside the 5-yard line.


The cover that you're telling your friends about for weeks came thanks to Troy, which was getting 30/31 at Mississippi State and trailed 45-14 in a game where they were down 38-0 at the half. The Bulldogs clearly took their foot off the gas, but still had Troy beat until the Trojans sent out kicker Jed Solomon to make a 21-yard field goal with just 27 seconds to go, covering the spread (45-17) and aggravating all chalk-eaters.


Key injuries:


Georgia RB Nick Chubb (Knee, OFY), USC C Max Tuerk (Knee, OFY), UCLA WR/S Mossi Johnson (Knee/OFY), Wisconsin Austin Traylor (Arm, Out 4-8 weeks)

 

[CNOTES]

Week 7 Notebook
October 13, 2015




Monday provided perhaps the wildest day of news in recent college football history when three bombshell stories rocked the campuses in Gainesville, Columbia (S.C.) and Los Angeles.


In terms of this season, the biggest story is the 365-day suspension of Florida quarterback Will Grier, who has led the Gators to a shocking 6-0 start as a redshirt freshman.


Grier has been suspended for taking an over-the-counter supplement that's banned by the NCAA. The substance is not considered a steroid, just a performance-enhancing drug. The suspension will extend into next season and Grier won't be able to play in UF's first six games of 2016.


Treon Harris will take over as the starting QB. Harris, a true sophomore from Miami, has a 5-2 record in seven career starts. He could easily be 7-0 if not for a pair of special-teams blunders in last year's overtime loss to South Carolina and a pick-six at FSU that wasn't Harris's fault.


Harris isn't the pure passer that Grier is, but he throws a good long ball and can make plays with his legs. He also has plenty of experience. For his career, Harris has an 11/4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and three rushing scores.


Harris has appeared in three games this season, completing 19-of-27 passes (70.4%) for 269 yards and two TDs without an interception. He has rushed 10 times for 63 yards.


Grier had connected on 65.8 percent of his passes for 1,204 yards with a 10/3 TD-INT ratio. He had also run for a pair of scores.


Florida had the look of a serious national-title contender with Grier. Will the Gators resemble that team with Harris steering the ship? Only time will tell.


Harris won't be intimidated by Tiger Stadium. As a true freshman, he was the catalyst in a 10-9 come-from-behind win at Tennessee. Harris has also started in Tallahassee against FSU and in Jacksonville vs. Georgia.


Before news of the suspension broke, LSU had been installed as a six-point favorite after opening at five. Many books still have the game off the board, but The Wynn adjusted LSU to a seven-point 'chalk.' Most offshores had UF as a 7.5-point underdog late Monday night.


A few hours after Steve Sarkisian was fired at Southern Cal, the other USC on the East coast saw its Ball Coach retire effective immediately. On the one hand, it's surprising that Steve Spurrier would quit in the middle of the season.


Then again, Stephen Orr Spurrier has insisted for more than a decade that he wouldn't hang around if his ball plays quit working. He's always said he would get out of the way and let a younger guy give it a shot.


When he stepped down at Florida, fans were extremely disappointed with an 11-2 season and a blowout win in the Orange Bowl. In recent weeks at South Carolina, a portion of the South Carolina fanbase had grown disgruntled.


The Gamecocks had never won 11 games in a season in more than 100 years of fielding a football team. On The HBC's watch, they won 11 three consecutive times from 2011-2013.


In 2014, however, South Carolina went 7-6 after losing three games in which it led by double-digit margins in the fourth quarter. When the Gamecocks lost by 32 at Georgia a week after falling at home to Kentucky, it became apparent that Spurrier's window to win a championship at South Carolina had expired.


He gave it hell, though. South Carolina won the SEC East in 2010 and nearly won the division in 2013. During two seasons in which the Gamecocks lost Marcus Lattimore to season-ending knee injuries, Spurrier led them to a 9-1 record without the star running back.


Spurrier retires with a 228-89-2 overall record in three career stops at Duke, Florida and South Carolina. He won seven SEC's during his 12-year tenure at UF and took South Carolina to nine bowl games in his first 10 years. Spurrier won the national title at UF when the Gators smashed arch-rival FSU by a 52-20 count at the Superdome in New Orleans on Jan. 2 of 1997.


During his run at Florida, Spurrier went 11-1 against Georgia and 8-4 against Tennessee. During his time at South Carolina, he beat Clemson five times in a row by double-digit margins. It is only the five-game winning streak the Gamecocks own over Clemson in history of the bitter rivalry. His greatest accomplishment may have been winning the ACC at Duke in 1989.


The initial news about Sarkisian broke on Sunday when he was forced to take an indefinite leave of absence. The Southern Cal coach had reportedly showed up at work Sunday morning under the influence of alcohol.


Southern Cal AD Pat Haden made the decision to fire Sarkisian official Monday afternoon. Sarkisian is the second head coach who worked under Pete Carroll during his dynastic run with the Trojans to be fired by Haden, who should also be on the hot seat if he isn't.


Sarkisian went 12-6 at USC.


Southern Cal plays at Notre Dame this weekend. Clay Helton will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season. He held the same post after Ed Orgeron left at the end of the 2013 regular season, leading the Trojans to a 45-20 win over Fresno State at the Las Vegas Bowl.