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[CNOTES]

Betting Recap - Week 7
October 18, 2015




Overall Notes


COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 7 RESULTS


Wager Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 41-16
Against the Spread 27-30


Wager Home-Away
Straight Up 35-22
Against the Spread 23-34


Wager Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 38-18-1


The largest underdog to win straight up
Georgia State (+14, +450 ML) at Ball State, 31-19


The largest favorites to cover
Toledo (-28.5) vs. Eastern Michigan, 63-20


Top 25 Notes


-- One of the most shocking endings you will ever see came from Ann Arbor, as Michigan State stunned Michigan 27-23. It's really difficult to sum up in words, but if you had Michigan State on the moneyline (+240) it was one of the sweetest betting wins of all time. We've all seen the highlights. With :10 left, Michigan was up three and going to punt it away to rag the clock. At that point Michigan State had a 0.2 percent chance of winning. Then, the punter bobbled the snap, flailed at the ball, deposited it into the arms of a Sparty defender and he was off to the races. And, it's cliche, but that's why they play the entire 60 minutes. ...


Memphis will be moving up in the rankings after they did the American Athletic Conference proud with a 37-24 win over Mississippi as a 10 1/2-point underdog at the Liberty Bowl. Memphis cashed +310-350 on the moneyline depending on your shop. ...


Iowa smoked Northwestern 40-10 in a Top 25 battle, as the Wildcats dropped their second straight. The Wildcats will be dropping out of the Top 25, while the Hawkeyes will be moving up. The Hawkeyes moved to 7-0 SU, 5-2 ATS and they're an impressive 3-0 ATS on the road. ...


Alabama lost earlier in the season to Ole Miss, but did you really see them losing a second game before Halloween? They went to College Station to take on the 12th man and Texas A&M and it wasn't even close. The Tide covered the five-point spread with ease, 41-23. Alabama has won four straight to deal their way back into the mix.


-- Florida lost QB Will Grier to a drug suspension, and they headed to Death Valley to face LSU. The Gators put up a good fight, falling 35-28 to Leonard Fournette and company, as the Tigers pushed at some shops and cashed in many others. A majority had it at six, so we'll consider it the second straight cover for LSU. It's the first time all season the Tigers have covered in back-to-back games, and the 'over' has now cashed in five straight for the Bayou Bengals.


-- Top-ranked Ohio State looked worse than they have all season -- in terms of their apparel. The Buckeyes wore non-traditional black uniforms with red numbers, a black helmet and red Buckeye stickers in their Black Night game against Penn State. For the first time since their opening night win at Virginia Tech the Buckeyes were able to pick up a cover.


-- Toledo is another team that is going to be moving up in the rankings following their 63-20 demolition of Eastern Michigan. The Rockets, already enjoying their first-ever season with wins over two Power 5 Conference teams, improved to 5-0-1 ATS. The biggest surprise was their 'over' result, the first in six games this season.


-- If you missed it Friday night, Boise State also forgot to tune in for their game at Utah State. The Broncos were never in it, down 45-10 at halftime before falling 52-26. Utah State's win was a nice +250 payday on the moneyline.


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


-- Miami-Florida got back on track with a 30-20 win against Virginia Tech. It was their second straight cover, annd the 'under' has cashed in three in a row for the Canes. ...


One of the best games of the day that flew under the radar was the Syracuse-Virginia battle. The Cavaliers pulled out the triple-overtime win, 44-38. It was a bad beat for some (see below). ...


Clemson solved the Boston College defense, doubling up the visiting Eagles 34-17. This game also featured a bad beat. ...


North Carolina pulled away from Wake Forest for a 50-14 win, as the Tar Heels are now 4-1 ATS over their past five games.


-- Another entertaining game to fly under the radar was the Rutgers-Indiana game, which was a 55-52 shootout in favor of the Scarlet Knights. But Hoosiers side bettors laying less than a touchdown thought it was in the bad with a 52-33 lead after 45 minutes. Again, see the bad beats. ...


Minnesota has fallen apart, losing two of their past three straight-up after a 48-25 setback to Nebraska. The Gophers were 3-1 SU, but they're now just 4-3. They are also a dismal 1-5 ATS over the past six games. They'll have two weeks to regroup before hosting Michigan in a nationally-televised night game.


-- If you were following the @TwitVI twitter feed Friday night, we were discussing Oklahoma's charter flight problems with United Airlines. Not one, not two, not three, but four planes were needed to finally take the Sooners from Oklahoma City to Manhattan for their game at Kansas State. The Sooners ended up getting in 12 hours late, and tucking in at their team hotel around 2am local time for a 2:30pm kick. The lack of sleep did not affect them in the least. Oklahoma pounded K-State early and often, winning a laugher 55-0 to take care of the 'over' all by themselves. ... Kansas handily covered a 33-point number, putting up a good fight in a 30-20 loss to Texas Tech.


-- Washington State continues their resurgence, putting a 52-31 pasting on Oregon State. The Cougs have won four of their past five games, and they have covered three straight heading into their game at Arizona next weekend.


... Arizona-Colorado bettors were bit by a bad beat on the total, as the Wildcats hung on for the 38-31 win. The Buffaloes have lost 14 straight conference games, worst in the FBS. However, they are getting close and it is just a matter of time before that streak ends.


-- The first game of the post-Steve Spurrier era was a success, as South Carolina picked up the 19-10 win against Vanderbilt. It was the first conference win against three losses for the Gamecocks. ...


Mississippi State was out of conference for the second straight game, and they cover against Louisiana Tech, 45-20. The under is 3-0 in three SEC games for the Bulldogs of Mississippi State, and 3-0 in their past three non-conference tilts.


Mid-Major Report


-- Houston continues to roll along, dropping Tulane 42-7 in New Orleans on Friday night. The Cougars have scored 34 or more points in each of their six games, and they have covered four of their past five games overall. ... Tulsa hung on for a cover at East Carolina in their 30-17 loss. The Golden Hurricane have dropped three of the past four, but they're 3-1-1 ATS over the past five games. The 'under' has been the play lately, cashing in three in a row. ... UCF picked up its first cover of the season, snapping an 0-6 ATS skid, in their 30-16 loss at Temple. The Golden Knights are 0-7 SU, and they host Houston next.


-- Marshall was favored by just a field goal at Florida Atlantic, as perhaps Vegas figured the heat and humidity of South Florida would get to the Thundering Herd. It didn't. They easily took care of business 33-17 in Boca Raton, as the Owls are now 1-4 ATS over their past five games. The Herd have now covered four in a row, and won five straight. ... Southern Mississippi put a 32-10 beating on Texas-San Antonio in Hattiesburg, and they're now 6-1 ATS this season as they are one of the more underrated values on a weekly basis.


-- The Central Michigan cover train continues to roll on, as they stomped Buffalo 51-14 in Mount Pleasant. The Chippewas might be just 3-4 SU, but they're a perfect 7-0 ATS on the season. ... Western Michigan got back to .500 with their second straight win at Ohio, 49-14. Suddenly P.J. Fleck's bunch have covered three of the past four and are playing good ball after a rough start. The Bobcats opened 4-0 ATS, but they're just 1-2 ATS over the past three.


-- Hawaii made three previous trips to the mainland, losing all three outings by a combined 121-0 score. They also lost at New Mexico, but just by a 28-27 score to cover for the first time since Sept. 12. ... San Diego State went up the coast to top San Jose State 30-7. After opening the season 0-4 ATS, the Aztecs have covered their past three.


-- Idaho went down to Troy and dealt the Trojans a 19-16 loss, their fourth straight setback. The Vandals have suddenly covered three of their past four.


... Georgia State hit the road for Ball State and scored the biggest upset of the weekend, winning as a 14-point underdog. The Panthers snapped a three-game losing streak, and are now a perfect 3-0 ATS on the road, while going 0-3 ATS at home.


Bad Beats


-- Clemson (-18) held a 34-10 lead in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, but Jeff Smith had a 1-yard plunge for the Eagles with 1:29 left to grab the backdoor cover for Boston College and kill Clemson side bettors.


-- 'Under' (51) bettors were sweating in the 'Cuse-UVA game, but the Cavaliers forced overtime with a game-tying field at the buzzer inr regulation. Then, the teams combined for 34 points to crush total bettors. The 'over' is now a perfect 6-0 for Syracuse this season.


-- Indiana (-6) side bettors figured they were sitting pretty at 52-33 heading into the fourth quarter, but then Rutgers outscored them 22-0 in the final 15 minutes to pick up the win. If you had the Scarlet Knights on the moneyline, congrats. The final dagger to the Hoosiers came with :00 on the clock with a 26-yard game-winning field goal.


-- Hawaii moneyline bettors, and 'under' (51.5) bettors were each angered with :55 left when New Mexico struck for a 28-yard touchdown, winning 28-27.

 

[CNOTES]

Temple, Memphis join Houston in Top 25
October 18, 2015


The American Athletic Conference wants to be considered closer in quality to the Power Five conferences than it is to its fellow Group of Five leagues.


That claim is backed up by the results this season, including an American uprising in the AP Top 25.


Memphis and Temple jumped into The Associated Press college football poll for the first time this season, joining Houston to give the American Athletic Conference three ranked teams for the first time in the history of the three-year old league.


Ohio State remained No. 1 in the AP Top 25 released Sunday. For the second straight week, six teams received first-place votes in the media poll, led by the Buckeyes with 28. No. 2 Baylor has 12, No. 3 Utah received 16, No. 4 TCU got three and No. 5 LSU and No. 6 Clemson each have one.


The Utes and LSU Tigers each edged ahead one spot after home victories on Saturday.


Michigan State stayed at No. 7 after its miracle against Michigan and Alabama is No. 8 after handing Texas A&M its first loss.


Memphis (6-0) had the big upset of the weekend against Mississippi. The Tigers 37-24 victory vaulted them into the rankings at No 18.


''It's one of the biggest wins we've had. It may be the most important based on where we are now,'' Commissioner Mike Aresco said Sunday. ''UCF's big win over Baylor (in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl) was really important because it gave us some instant credibility that year.''


Memphis has only been ranked two other times: For one week during the 2004 season the Tigers were 25th and in the final poll of last season they were 25th.


Temple (6-0) was ranked No. 22. The Owls are in the AP poll for the first time since the final 1979 rankings.


''I'm really proud of our players and it's a tribute to them that people have noticed how they have played to this point,'' Temple coach Matt Rhule. ''I am thrilled that we have been able to get off to a 6-0 start. But I'll repeat what I have said before, it's a long season and I'll be happier if we can finish the year ranked among the best in the country.''


No. 21 Houston is also 6-0 under new coach Tom Herman.


The American is what is left of the old Big East football conference after realignment stripped it of many of its top schools, such as Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Louisville. Aresco kept the conference alive by wooing a handful of Conference USA teams, including Memphis and Houston, and adding former independent Navy this season to create a 12-team conference.


The switch from the BCS to the College Football Playoff bumped the American into the Group of Five and out of the so-called power conferences that include the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference.


But the American has held its own against the Power Five this season, going 7-11 with wins against Penn State, Miami and Louisville. The Mountain West, Mid-American Conference, Sun Belt and Conference USA are a combined 9-73 against the Power Five teams.


''Our goal has always been to be viewed in the conversation with the so-called Power Five,'' Aresco said.


Aresco said he hopes coaching and a commitment from administrations that have been willing to invest in their football programs will help the American sustain success. The conference is stocked with coaches on the rise such as Rhule, Herman and Justin Fuente at Memphis, but keeping them around long-term could be tough.


For this season, the American is well-positioned to earn the spot saved for the highest ranked champion from the Group of Five in the New Year's Six bowls, but Aresco is thinking bigger.


''We want to be considered for the playoff spot,'' he said. ''We're not just content to be playing for a Group of Five spot on New year's Day.''


---


CONFERENCE CALL


SEC - 5.


Big Ten - 4.


Big 12 - 4.


ACC - 4.


American - 3.


Pac-12 - 3.


Independent - 1.


MAC - 1.


IN


Pittsburgh moved into the rankings at No. 25 and is off to a 5-1 start under new coach Pat Narduzzi. The Panthers are ranked for the first time since the 2010 preseason poll.


OUT


UCLA, Northwestern and Boise State each took their second losses of the season and fell out of the rankings.


UP


No. 10 Stanford and No. 12 Iowa each moved up five spots after decisive victories and against conference rivals.


DOWN


The biggest drops this week were all in the Southeastern Conference. No. 24 Mississippi fell 11 spots after being upset at Memphis. Texas A&M dropped six places into a tie for 15th after losing at home to Alabama. Florida fell five, from eighth to 13th after losing at LSU.


Michigan's excruciating last-second loss to the Spartans cost the Wolverines two spots in the poll. They are tied with Texas A&M at 15.


RANKED VS. RANKED


An elimination game in the SEC West is the only matchup of ranked teams this week.


No. 15 Texas A&M at No. 24 Mississippi.

 

[CNOTES]

Memphis relishes attention, opportunity
October 18, 2015


MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Long known as a basketball-crazy city, Memphis has a football team to love, too.


The undefeated Memphis Tigers jumped into The Associated Press Top 25 at No. 18 on Sunday, one day after an impressive 37-24 victory over then-No. 13 Mississippi at the Liberty Bowl.


It's a huge breakthrough for a program that's often been mediocre on the field and drawn lukewarm support. The ranking is the highest in school history and it's just the third time the Tigers have been nationally ranked at all.


Memphis (6-0, 2-0 American Athletic Conference) has won 13 straight games dating back to last season, which is the third longest streak in the country. But there was plenty of skepticism about that achievement because of the Tigers' so-so schedule.


That changed in a big way on Saturday.


Junior quarterback Paxton Lynch led a Memphis offense that was dominant for nearly the entire day. Ole Miss jumped to a 14-0 lead, but Lynch helped the Tigers respond with 31 straight points in a stunning rally. He completed 39 of 53 passes for 384 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.


It came in front of a crowd that topped 60,000 for the first time in nearly a decade. Players marveled at the atmosphere.


''When I first came here, there were not that many people in the stands and I come out there (Saturday) and there's not an empty seat out there,'' Lynch said.


It's the latest chapter in a remarkable turnaround for the Tigers under fourth-year coach Justin Fuente. Before the former TCU offensive coordinator arrived, Memphis was one of the worst teams in the country, with a 5-31 record over the previous three seasons.


Suddenly the Tigers can't be stopped.


Fuente, Lynch and the Tigers had gone mostly unnoticed on the national stage before Saturday's win. Now they're in the midst of an upstart AAC that has three teams - Memphis, Houston and Temple - in the top 25.


''I just told them: `You think there've been distractions before? Wait until now.''' Fuente said. ''I'm going to try and protect them as best I can, to protect the group. But I know those things are going to come and we've got to do a great job of handling it.''


The most immediate task for Memphis? Navigating a quick turnaround before a road game against Tulsa (3-3, 0-2 AAC) on Friday night.


A huge reason for the Tigers' dominance is Lynch. The 6-foot-7, 245-pounder has thrown for 1,919 yards, 13 touchdowns and just one interception this season. He's completing nearly 71 percent of passes.


Lynch said he's confident Fuente's leadership will help squash any urge to lose focus.


''We were playing hard whenever there were no distractions, so whenever the distractions are here, we have to put our head down and keep working,'' Lynch said.


Said Fuente: ''We talk about getting better and continuing to improve. That's not just a one-week thing. We'll have another challenge next week to continue to get better.''

 

[CNOTES]

Last-second magic common for Spartans
October 18, 2015


Move over, Little Giants. You too, Rocket.


Michigan State's latest last-second touchdown doesn't have a name yet, but even compared to the Spartans' previous dramatics under coach Mark Dantonio, this victory over Michigan was on an entirely different level.


''It's soaking in, but at the same time, it's probably just like it is on the other end,'' Dantonio said Sunday. ''A little bit (of a) `What just happened?' type of thing.''


In addition to all the victories - and all the strides Michigan State has made under Dantonio - the Spartans have also enjoyed their share of last-second celebrations. In 2010, Michigan State beat Notre Dame by scoring a touchdown on a fake field goal in overtime. That play was called ''Little Giants'' - and the following season, ''Rocket'' entered Spartans lore when Kirk Cousins heaved a pass that caromed to receiver Keith Nichol for a 44-yard TD that gave Michigan State a 37-31 win over Wisconsin.


Those wins were amazing, and obviously memorable, but beating Michigan is always different for the Spartans. And beating Michigan on a play like Saturday's is almost indescribable. Leading 23-21, the Wolverines lined up to punt from around midfield with only 10 seconds left, but punter Blake O'Neill fumbled the snap, and in the ensuing scramble, Michigan State's Jalen Watts-Jackson ended up with the ball and went 38 yards for a touchdown and a 27-23 win.


''Our players believed that they could block it or something would happen,'' Dantonio said. ''Something obviously happened.''


Watts-Jackson hurt himself on the play and had surgery on his hip Sunday at University of Michigan hospital. That was only part of the fallout from the game's extraordinary ending. A TV station in western Michigan apologized after a reporter who didn't see the final play told viewers that Michigan had won the game.


Michigan athletic director Jim Hackett showed concern for O'Neill when he released an open letter Sunday.


''Today I awake to the shocking reality that our community who care so much about this program would send hurtful, spiteful and vicious comments to one of our students. To be clear, such comments come from a small minority, none of whom are reflective of our institution,'' Hackett said. ''The program I know at MICHIGAN speaks about the team, the team the team. The people I have been associated with my whole life around this fantastic program - some whom are living and some whom have passed on - would never, I repeat never, spread blame.''


The Spartans remained at No. 7 in the AP poll Sunday, and Michigan fell three spots into a tie at No. 15.


Following Saturday's game, Dantonio admitted he felt a bit numb after what had just taken place. The Spartans have won seven of their last eight meetings with Michigan, but they were underdogs in this one because of how well the Wolverines were playing under new coach Jim Harbaugh.


Dantonio spoke a bit after the game about those famous finishes against Notre Dame and Wisconsin, and he was asked if he had a name for this one.


''We'll think of a good, catchy name,'' he said.


On Sunday, he said he was taking suggestions - and depending on how far the still-undefeated Spartans go this season, this touchdown could end up being one of the most dramatic finishes in the annals of college football, up there with Auburn's ''Kick-Six'' against Alabama a couple seasons ago - or even California's lateral-filled kickoff return to beat Stanford in 1982.


That thrilling ending - made famous because the Stanford band ran on the field during the return - is simply known as The Play. Now Michigan State has its own iconic moment to point to whenever its rivalry with Michigan flares up again.


''Honestly, it just felt like a dream,'' Spartans quarterback Connor Cook said. ''I've never felt anything like that.''

 

[CNOTES]

Spartans DB has surgery after key TD
October 18, 2015

Michigan State defensive back Jalen Watts-Jackson has had hip surgery a day after scoring the winning touchdown on the final play against Michigan.


The surgery at the University of Michigan hospital Sunday lasted more than three hours.


Watts-Jackson was in the right place to catch a floating football that Wolverines punter Blake O'Neill fumbled Saturday. He returned it 38 yards to lift the Spartans to a startling 27-23 victory.


He didn't have much chance to celebrate. The redshirt freshman appeared to land hard on his left hip after he was tackled into the end zone by Michigan tight end Jake Butt.


Joyous teammates jumped on Watts-Jackson as he lay on a maize ''M'' in the end zone. He was carted off the field and hospitalized.

 

[CNOTES]

Playoff Pulse: Michigan State miracle; Alabama rising
October 18, 2015


Michigan State needed a miracle to stay undefeated and keep its claim to the title best Big Ten team north of Ohio.


Alabama again looks like the best team in the Southeastern Conference, even if the Crimson Tide still need help just to win their division.


The College Football Playoff race is starting to come into focus. At the very least, a path can be seen for the teams in contention.


In a wild finish, right up there with Auburn's Iron Bowl Kick-Six or any Hail Mary, the seventh-ranked Spartans beat No. 12 Michigan 27-23 on a fumble return touchdown on the last play of the game. Wolverines punter Blake O'Neill fumbled the snap and Jalen Watts-Jackson grabbed the giveaway and went 38 yards for the score as time expired.


It is hard to know what to make of the Spartans (7-0), who came into the game not playing particularly well, but winning nonetheless.


''That's why football is loved so much in America,'' Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. ''It's because things like this happen. Every now and then, they happen.''


They played the Wolverines toe-to-toe in Ann Arbor and the schedule still sets up fairly well to arrive in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 21 undefeated and ranked in the top 10 when they play No. 1 Ohio State.


But we're getting to the point in the season where the how doesn't really matter. Connor Cook and Michigan State are unbeaten and if they stay that way, all the close calls probably won't keep them out of the playoff.


Of course, if they win the Big Ten with one loss, how does the College Football Playoff committee look at a game that very well should have been another L for the Spartans?


As for Michigan, the Wolverines look very much like legitimate Big Ten contenders and threats to Ohio State when the Buckeyes finish the regular season at the Big House.


Playoff hopes for Harbaugh's team? Don't count them out completely. It would take some wild races in other conferences also producing two-loss champions, but if a two-loss team is going to get into the playoff, why not one with a fluky loss like that and one the opening weekend at Utah?


There was nothing fluky about No. 10 Alabama beating No. 9 Texas A&M 41-23 in College Station, Texas. Running back Derrick Henry was a beast for the Tide and its defense had three interception return touchdowns.


If anything, the Tide's home loss to No. 13 Mississippi is looking more and more like fluke.


Until the Rebels, who lost at Memphis on Saturday, take another conference loss, the Tide is stuck behind them in the SEC West standings. No. 6 LSU leads the division at 4-0. The Tigers beat No. 8 Florida 35-28 in Death Valley and have control of the West race. A daunting November awaits, though, with Alabama, Mississippi and Texas A&M all left on the Tigers' schedule. A&M and Ole Miss play next week in what is essentially an elimination game for the SEC West race.


Though at this point it would be best for the SEC's playoff hopes if the Rebels, who lost at Memphis on Saturday, were cleared out of the picture.


---


ACC SHOWDOWN


No. 11 Florida State used a big second half to pull away from Louisville and No. 5 Clemson had a lopsided victory against Boston College on Saturday. The Atlantic Coast Conference divisional rivals are unbeaten and pointing toward a game of the year against each other in Death Valley on Nov. 7 that could ultimately decide a playoff spot.


---


G5 FAVORITES


The American Athletic Conference might have been the weekend's biggest winner.


Memphis' 34-24 upset of No. 13 Mississippi, combined with Utah State's 52-26 pounding of No. 21 Boise State on Friday night, creates a clear path for the American champion to earn a spot in the New Year's Six bowls as the best champion from a Group of Five conference.


The Tigers (6-0) can expect to be ranked when the new AP Top 25 comes out Sunday, joining No. 23 Houston (6-0) in the rankings. Temple (5-0), which beat Penn State, was playing winless UCF on Saturday night. Plus, Navy's only loss is against Notre Dame and Cincinnati has beaten Miami.


The American is 7-11 against the Power Five and 4-3 against the Atlantic Coast Conference. The other Group of Five conferences are a combined 9-73 against Power Five teams.


Memphis, Houston and Navy, all in the West Division, still have to play each other. Temple, in the East Division, only plays Memphis. Plus, the AAC has a conference championship game, so there is plenty of time for those teams to beat up each other.


No. 22 Toledo from the Mid-American Conference looks like the team in best position to slip into the New Year's Six ahead of the American champion. The Rockets (6-0) crushed Eastern Michigan 63-20 on Saturday. The meat of their conference schedule comes in November.


But for now the former Big East, which was picked apart by conference realignment and relegated to second tier of FBS when the playoff was created, is making a good case for being the best of the rest.

 

[CNOTES]

Different, and valid, cases for No. 1
October 18, 2015


(STATS) - Just when it appeared North Dakota State had the look of being the true No. 1 in the FCS, the Bison suffered the most stunning loss of the season Saturday against South Dakota.


The 24-21 thriller only heightened the feeling that the 24-team national playoffs will be outstanding following this wide-open regular season.


The postseason is not too far off, either, as the field will be announced five weeks from Sunday on Nov. 22.


Even though the playoffs will decide who finishes No. 1, during the season, the prospect of holding down those bragging rights still matter to those with a stake in it.


While there's debate across the FCS, the list of candidates is dwindling, and NDSU's loss should strengthen Jacksonville State's hold on the top spot in the STATS FCS Top 25 over the likes of Coastal Carolina, Illinois State and James Madison.


It's all subjective, of course, but results and strength of schedule are the biggest factors, and a strong cross-section of national voters take them into consideration before the release of the rankings each Monday.


The first few weekends of the season were particularly unsettled. An unusually high 10 teams garnered first-place votes after the first full weekend of the season, and when Jacksonville State moved to No. 1 for the first time in program history on Sept. 14, the voting was perhaps as tightly contested as it's ever been.


In last Monday's Top 25, the top five teams, including NDSU, still claimed at least one first-place vote.


Jacksonville State's case for No. 1 has been made with its first two games, a top-10 road win over Chattanooga and an overtime loss at Auburn, which has been followed by four straight pedestrian wins, including 42-13 at Tennessee Tech on Saturday. Another easy win appears on tap against Austin Peay, so the back-to-back matchups against Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 31 and at Eastern Illinois on Nov. 7 will probably be needed to solidify the 5-1 Gamecocks' status, as their Ohio Valley Conference doesn't have a strong history in the playoffs.


Coastal Carolina had a bye this weekend after falling a spot behind NDSU to No. 3. The Chanticleers (6-0) have become one of the more consistent teams in the nation under coach Joe Moglia and their nonconference schedule was pretty solid, including road wins over Furman and South Carolina State and home defeats of Western Illinois and Bryant. Their toughest games ahead are on the road in the Big South against Charleston Southern and Liberty, so they will earn a ton of respect if they run the table, which almost happened last regular season.


Fourth-ranked Illinois State had gradually hit on all cylinders, with tight wins at Eastern Illinois and Youngstown State and at home against Northern Iowa its key results. Add in a 38-2 rout of Missouri State on Saturday and the Redbirds have a piece of first place in the Missouri Valley, the toughest FCS conference.


The only top 5 team that can say it's beaten an FBS opponent is No. 5 James Madison, which won at SMU. The Dukes have the best record in the FCS at 7-0 - their bye isn't until Nov. 7 - but as well as quarterback Vad Lee and Co. are playing, their schedule hasn't been overwhelming. Their second-best win was at home against Stony Brook in CAA Football.


Everybody has his opinion on who should be No. 1 - hey, somebody might even want to put Harvard and its FCS-best 19-game win streak in there - but the resumes are so even that it's basically a case of nobody being right or wrong. Illinois State may have had the toughest schedule to date as a product of playing in the Missouri Valley. Jacksonville State can cling to what has been a growing margin in the No. 1 voting. Coastal Carolina and James Madison can say they're unbeaten.


It seems like the voters have the order right. Fortunately, the postseason will clear it all up.


---=


SECOND AND 10


Ten more observations from the FCS weekend:


- Is it possible Montana and Montana State, who are 3-3, will both be shut out of the playoffs? Montana State has been awful defensively within the Big Sky, allowing an average of 54.3 points in its three losses. Montana is the better team, but it also has the tougher remaining schedule, including a trip to Bozeman on Nov. 21. The Big Sky race is so different than expected with Southern Utah, Portland State and Weber State, who went a combined 7-17 in conference games last season, in it and Montana State, Northern Arizona, Cal Poly and Idaho State, who went a combined 22-10, not in it.


- The preseason predictions for national individual awards were North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz (offensive), Indiana State linebacker Connor Underwood (defensive) and Harvard's Tim Murphy (coach). Wentz is having a strong season, but midway through October, Lee at James Madison, Fordham running back Chase Edmonds and Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp appear to be the favorites.The defensive award is more up for grabs, although Underwood doesn't appear to be among the most serious candidates. Murphy is halfway home to a second straight unbeaten season at Harvard. If that happens again, he could become the favorite, although Portland State's Bruce Barnum and James Madison's Everett Withers are building cases as well.


- There's a big reason Edmonds is the FCS leader in touchdowns (19) and ranks second in rushing yards (1,046). At 5-foot-9, he's working in the land of the giants as the Rams' starting offensive line goes 6-8 (right tackle Sam Marlin as well as tight end Phazahn Odom), 6-5 (right guard John Boyd, center Ben Hartman and left tackle Anthony Coyle) and 6-4 (All-America left guard Garrick Mayweather).


- As Princeton fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, it left seven teams without a loss: James Madison (7-0), Coastal Carolina (6-0), Dayton (6-0), Jacksonville (6-0), McNeese State (6-0), Dartmouth (5-0) and Harvard (5-0). The longest losing streak in the FCS was snapped for the third straight week, this time Nicholls at 23 games as it beat Houston Baptist 38-17. It left seven winless teams: Cornell (0-5), Delaware State (0-6), Howard (0-6), East Tennessee State (0-6), Wagner (0-7), Austin Peay (0-7) and Mississippi Valley State (0-7).


- North Carolina A&T was left as the last unbeaten team in the MEAC title race by dispatching Bethune-Cookman 24-14 and getting help from Hampton's road win at Morgan State. Senior running back Tarik Cohen has rushed for more than 100 yards in four of the Aggies' five wins. The Aggies, of course, are motivated by last year's disappointing end, when they had control of the MEAC race heading into the final day of the regular season but lost to rival North Carolina Central and fell into the five-way tie for first place.


- With the likes of Dartmouth, North Carolina A&T, Southern Utah and Western Illinois knocking on the door of the Top 25, New Hampshire's run of 162 straight appearances in the rankings - the longest active streak in the FCS - is probably still safe despite a 34-18 loss at No. 24 William & Mary. Teams usually don't fall out of the rankings from the No. 19 spot and the Wildcats (3-3, 1-2 CAA) were helped by No. 16 Montana State, No. 21 Liberty and No. 23 Southeastern Louisiana losing.


- Just like last season, Sam Houston State has gotten it together after a sluggish start. Senior quarterback Jared Johnson's confidence hasn't been shaken despite him sharing time with UAB transfer Jeremiah Briscoe. The Bearkats (4-2) still control their fate in the Southland Conference because they will face front-running McNeese State and Central Arkansas, but both of those games will be on the road.


- Bo Pelini knows pressure, having faced the wrath of dissatisfied Nebraska fans in seven seasons there. But his veteran team's upperclassmen are really feeling pressure following back-to-back losses. They couldn't end the Penguins' playoff drought since 2006 when their squad collapsed in November 2013 and last year after great starts. At 3-3, Youngstown probably has to win four of the final five games in the Missouri Valley Conference.


- There's something to be said for players learning on the second unit and just needing the opportunity for playing time. Like Fordham in the Patriot League, Sacred Heart (4-2) graduated a large senior class (26) after earning its second straight Northeast Conference co-title and playoff appearance. But the RJ Noel-to-Tyler Dube passing combination is as good as ever and linebackers James Rentz and Kellen Sperduto are superb, providing just enough veteran savvy to lead the newcomers in what continues to look like a terrific conference race.


- The team of the week has to be South Dakota after its 24-21 win at No. 2 North Dakota State ended the Bison's Missouri Valley-record 26-game home winning streak. Quarterback Ryan Saeger came up huge in the win, which pulled fourth-year coach Joe Glenn within two of his 200th career victory.


---=


TOP 25 SCOREBOARD


No. 1 Jacksonville State (5-1, 3-0 OVC), beat Tennessee Tech (2-5, 1-3), 42-13


No. 2 North Dakota State (4-2, 2-1 Missouri Valley), lost to South Dakota (3-3, 1-2), 24-21


No. 3 Coastal Carolina (6-0, 1-0 Big South), Idle


No. 4 Illinois State (5-1, 3-0 Missouri Valley), beat Missouri State (1-5, 0-3), 38-2


No. 5 James Madison (7-0, 4-0 CAA), beat Elon (2-5, 1-3), 51-0


No. 6 Chattanooga (5-1, 3-0 Southern), beat VMI (1-6, 0-3), 33-27


No. 7 South Dakota State (5-1, 2-1 Missouri Valley), beat No. 11 Youngstown State (3-3, 1-2), 38-8


No. 8 Eastern Washington (4-2, 3-0 Big Sky), beat Idaho State (2-5, 1-3), 45-28


No. 9 Sam Houston State (4-2, 4-1 Southland), beat Abilene Christian (2-4, 2-3), 49-21


No. 10 Fordham (6-1, 2-0 Patriot), beat Holy Cross (2-4, 0-2), 47-41, in OT


No. 11 Youngstown State (3-3, 1-2 Missouri Valley), lost to No. 7 South Dakota State (5-1, 2-1), 38-8


No. 12 Northern Iowa (2-4, 0-3 Missouri Valley), lost to Western Illinois (4-2, 3-0), 24-19


No. 13 Richmond (5-1, 3-0 CAA), beat Rhode Island (1-6, 1-3), 37-12


No. 14 Eastern Kentucky (4-2, 3-0 OVC), beat Southeast Missouri State (2-5, 1-2), 27-10


No. 15 McNeese State (6-0, 5-0 Southland), beat Central Arkansas (3-3, 3-1), 28-13


No. 16 Montana State (3-3, 2-2 Big Sky), lost to No. 17 Portland State (5-1, 2-1), 59-42


No. 17 Portland State (5-1, 2-1 Big Sky), beat No. 16 Montana State (3-3, 2-2), 59-42


No. 18 Harvard (5-0), beat Lafayette (1-6), 42-0


No. 19 New Hampshire (3-3, 1-2 CAA), lost to No. 24 William & Mary (4-2, 3-1), 34-18


No. 20 Montana (3-3, 2-1 Big Sky), Idle


No. 21 Indiana State (4-2, 2-1 Missouri Valley), beat Southern Illinois (2-4, 1-2), 39-36


No. 22 Liberty (3-4, 0-2 Big South), lost to Monmouth (3-4, 1-1), 20-17, in OT


No. 23 Southeastern Louisiana (3-3, 2-2 Southland), lost to Stephen F. Austin (2-5, 2-3), 28-27


No. 24 William & Mary (4-2, 3-1 CAA), beat No. 19 New Hampshire (3-3, 1-2) 34-18


No. 25 Villanova (3-3, 2-1 CAA), beat Albany (2-5, 1-3), 37-0


---=


A LOOK AHEAD


The biggest matchups next Saturday involve conference unbeatens - Richmond at James Madison in CAA Football and Western Illinois at Illinois State in the Missouri Valley.


The schedule includes: Big Sky - North Dakota at Montana and Portland State at Cal Poly; Big South - Coastal Carolina at Monmouth; CAA - New Hampshire at Delaware and Villanova at Towson; Ivy - Yale at Penn (Friday night) and Princeton at Harvard; MEAC - Morgan State at North Carolina Central and Norfolk State at Bethune-Cookman; and Missouri Valley - North Dakota State at Indiana State, Northern Iowa at South Dakota State and Youngstown State at Southern Illinois.


Also: Northeast - Saint Francis at Bryant, Central Connecticut State at Sacred Heart and Duquesne at Robert Morris; Ohio Valley - Tennessee State at Eastern Kentucky; Patriot - Lehigh at Fordham; Pioneer - Jacksonville at Drake, Morehead State at Campbell and Butler at Dayton; Southern - The Citadel at Furman and Chattanooga at Wofford; and Southland - Central Arkansas at Lamar.


There's a FCS-FBS game but it's a mismatch - winless Wagner at BYU.

 

[CNOTES]

Red-hot Clemson opens as 5-point road favorite at Miami


Arguably, Clemson’s biggest road test the rest of the way is this week at Miami.


There hasn’t been a whole lot of talk about Clemson through the first seven weeks of the 2015 college football season. That could change soon if the Tigers keep it up.


Clemson is now 6-0 SU (3-3 ATS), and although Florida State looms large a couple of weeks from now, that game is at home. Arguably, Clemson’s biggest road test the rest of the way is this week at Miami.


The Tigers already own a victory over a solid Notre Dame squad, and on Saturday, they coasted past Boston College 34-17, failing to cash as 18-point chalk when BC put up an otherwise meaningless touchdown with 1:29 left in the game.


Miami (4-2 SU and ATS) bounced back from a pair of losses – including a near upset at Florida State – to best Virginia Tech 30-20 Saturday laying 3 points at home.


Johnny Avello, executive director of race and sports at Wynn Las Vegas, made Clemson a 5-point favorite.


“Clemson seems to have put it somewhat together after a couple of nailbiters against Louisville and Notre Dame,” Avello said. “One of the Tigers’ major issues has been turnovers, and because of that, their opponents are never out of it. Miami needs this ‘W’ to stay in the ACC Coastal Division hunt."


Texas A&M Aggies at Mississippi Rebels (-4.5)


Texas A&M (5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS) just hit its first bump in the road this season, though that bump came in the form of perennial national title contender Alabama.


The Aggies got thumped 41-23 as a 5-point home underdog Saturday.


Still, that doesn’t take A&M out of the SEC title picture yet. Mississippi, however, already got trounced at Florida (38-10 giving 6.5 points), and on Saturday, the Rebels were dealt a shocking 37-24 nonconference loss at Memphis as a 10-point favorite.


“Both of these teams’ national championship hopes were deflated on Saturday,” Avello said. “Texas A&M at least had an excuse, playing college football's elite, but Ole Miss didn't and took Memphis too lightly after having a 14-0 lead. The Aggies go on the road for the first time this year, where they have struggled in past years.”


Utah Utes at Southern California Trojans (-3)


Southern Cal (3-3 SU and ATS) has seen a once-promising season turn into a dumpster fire, with the lowlight being last week’s firing of coach Steve Sarkisian.


Yet interim coach Clay Helton and the Trojans gave Notre Dame a big fight on Saturday and will actually be favored against unbeaten Utah.


USC, a 6-point road ‘dog, ripped off 21 straight points to erase a 24-10 deficit and take a 31-24 lead five minutes into the third quarter, but the Irish rallied for the last 17 points of the game to win, 41-31.


Utah (6-0 SU, 4-2 ATS) is not only atop the Pac-12 but also in the early conversation for this year’s four-team playoff. The Utes dispatched Arizona State 34-18 as a 4.5-point fave Saturday.


“What a year for the Utes, as they continue to find ways to win,” Avello said. “The Utah run defense has been very difficult to penetrate – just ask Arizona State – so USC quarterback Cody Kessler needs to be super sharp in this matchup.”


California Golden Bears at UCLA Bruins (-5.5)


Beyond Utah, the Pac-12 is jumbled up at midseason, with Cal and UCLA both still in the mix in the North and South divisions respectively, heading into a Thursday night showdown.


The Golden Bears (5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS) took their lone loss the last time out, a respectable 30-24 setback catching 7.5 points at Utah on Oct. 10. Cal is coming off its bye.


The Bruins (4-2 SU, 2-3-1 ATS) got out of the gate with four straight victories, but they’ve stubbed their toes hard in the last two games. On Oct. 3, UCLA tumbled to Arizona State 38-23 giving 12.5 points at home, and a bye week did little to help the Bruins, as they got steamrolled 56-35 getting 6.5 points at Stanford on Thursday.


“Cal is having a very successful season, with the only setback a close loss to Utah,” Avello said. “UCLA has a two-game losing skid, as it did last year at this time of the season, and guess who the Bruins met? Yes, Cal, and the Bruins won a close one (36-34 as 6.5-point road faves). This game should attract good action, as it's the marquee college matchup on Thursday night.”

 

[CNOTES]

ACC Notebook: Who will emerge in Coastal Division?


Clemson and Florida State have largely operated under the radar in the national picture, but by crossing the mid-October mark with undefeated records they're about to enter the conversation -- at least until they meet each other.


That won't come until Nov. 7.


While Clemson and Florida State have clearly defined the upper portion of the pecking order in the Atlantic Division, it's not nearly so clear in the Coastal Division.


Pittsburgh, Duke and North Carolina are unblemished in league play in the Coastal Division, where some observers still want to sprinkle respect on Miami and Virginia Tech.


Pittsburgh has won three ACC games, with two of those coming on the road so that could set up nicely for the Panthers. Duke and North Carolina are only two games into their ACC slates, so there's plenty left to decide.


BOSTON COLLEGE (3-4, 0-4)


Game: Clemson 34, Boston College 17. Clemson QB Deshaun Watson threw for three touchdowns as the host Tigers prevailed. The Eagles hadn't allowed a touchdown in the past two games, but this time they scored two touchdowns and still couldn't win.


Takeaway: The Eagles are winless midway through their ACC schedule for the first time since 2012. The 17-point loss to Clemson was the most lopsided of this year's defeats after losing by 14 points to Florida State, by two points to Duke and by three points to Wake Forest.


The defense figured to have a tremendous chore against Clemson's weapon-filled offense. Boston College was up to the task at times, with two interceptions helping subdue the Tigers at times.


Boston College's offense remains ugly, particularly when considering that 10 of the team's points were set up after Clemson turnovers. The Eagles have turned to freshman QB Jeff Smith and maybe some continuity will be good for that unit. He threw for a touchdown and rushed for a touchdown in the Clemson game.


With only 87 passing yards, it's going to be difficult for the Eagles to keep up with many offenses. There were 80 yards in penalties against the Eagles, who have to be tidy in many areas to stick with the top teams in the ACC.


Next: at Louisville, Oct. 24


CLEMSON (6-0, 3-0)


Game: Clemson 34, Boston College 17. QB Deshaun Watson threw for three touchdowns with a season-high 420 yards and rushed for a touchdown against a defense that had been ranked No. 1 nationally. The home victory included 10 catches for 162 yards by WR Artavis Scott.


Takeaway: The Tigers might look like they're in cruise control and if Watson puts on dynamic offensive displays they might be tough to contain.


Watson had a so-so start to the season but he seems to be gaining momentum along with Clemson's aspirations for a special season


Watson's throwing targets are bound to be part of the key to his success. He connected with nine teammates for completions against Boston College and each of those teammates finished with at least 10 receiving yards. That type of diversity in the offense is what could make the Tigers extra difficult to defend.


The Tigers have made it halfway through the season without a hiccup, but it figures to be a more difficult closing stretch. There are four road games remaining on the schedule.


Clemson has ventured on the road only once and that was for a Thursday night assignment at Louisville. So the game at Miami will mark the Tigers' first Saturday away from home this season. It also signals the beginning of a four-game stretch with three road games.


Next: at Miami, Oct. 24


DUKE (5-1, 2-0)


Game: Didn't play during the past week.


Takeaway: The Blue Devils hold a three-game winning streak midway through the season.


The break came at an ideal time for Duke because the injuries were starting to pile up.


The Blue Devils lost DE Kyler Brown and S Deondre Singleton during the same series against Army. Brown is likely to miss at least one game with a knee injury, so even the time off wasn't enough to prevent an impact from his absence.


But Singleton and DT Carlos Wray, who also went out during that same third-period possession for Army, should be available for the Virginia Tech game.


Duke had worked up to a pretty good level before the open week on the schedule.


"We played cleaner," coach David Cutcliffe said. "Two games in a row where we hadn't turned it over. That's part of it. But from an assignment standpoint, from a technique standpoint, just cleaner."


Next: at Virginia Tech, Oct. 24


FLORIDA STATE (6-0, 4-0)


Game: Florida State 41, Louisville 21. QB Everett Golson threw for three second-half touchdowns and the host Seminoles overcame a 14-13 third-quarter deficit. RB Dalvin Cook had 163 rushing yards and two touchdown runs on 22 carries for Florida State.


Takeaway: The Seminoles remain atop the Atlantic Division in the ACC through the midway mark of its conference schedule.


The offense came to life in the second half against Louisville and that happened in large part because Golson's contributions proved to be productive.


Golson seems to be becoming a larger part of the game plan as the Seminoles move through the season. The transfer from Notre Dame took time to get adjusted, but the Seminoles have increased their point total in each week in their ACC games.


It helps Golson to have a player as productive as Cook, who has four games of 100 yards or more on the ground.


Florida State is 6-0 for the third season in a row. The Seminoles have clung to their penchant for strong second halves, something that was clearly obvious in their outings a year ago.


Next: at Georgia Tech, Oct. 24


GEORGIA TECH (2-5, 0-4)


Game: Pittsburgh 31, Georgia Tech 28. Pittsburgh K Chris Blewitt booted a 56-yard field goal with1:11 left to send host Georgia Tech to its fifth loss in a row. Georgia Tech tied the game on RB Marcus Marshall's 7-yard run with 1:35 remaining.


Takeaway: The Yellow Jackets are heading for a losing season unless there's a substantial turnaround. This is a quick fall for a team that was nationally ranked in late September.


The losing streak is the longest for the Yellow Jackets in 19 years.


The perplexing part is that some of the elements that have been so good to Georgia Tech in recent seasons under Paul Johnson have resurfaced. Consider that the Yellow Jackets cranked up 376 rushing yards against Pittsburgh and that would normally translate into a good result. Still, it didn't help Georgia Tech that Pittsburgh held almost a 10-minute advantage in time of possession.


Marshall gained 159 yards on 10 carries, scoring a pair of touchdowns. QB Justin Thomas was solid with 95 rushing yards in the latest game, but his passing touch has gone awry and he completed only 6 of 15 throws and he was intercepted once.


Half of Georgia Tech's four ACC losses have come at home and the next is another home assignment against unbeaten Florida State.


Next: vs. Florida State, Oct. 24


LOUISVILLE (2-4, 1-2)


Game: Florida State 41, Louisville 21. Florida State scored 31 second-half points to wipe out a 7-6 halftime hole and win at home. QB Lamar Jackson threw three touchdown passes to WR James Quick for Louisville.


Takeaway: The Cardinals had extra time to prepare for Florida State but it wasn't enough to keep the Seminoles in check.


Louisville has relied on its defense the past few outings and it looked like the Cardinals might be up the task for a while against unbeaten Florida State. By the time the Seminoles were done, they posted 510 yards of total offense on Louisville.


It's nice that Jackson and Quick were able to hook up for scoring plays for the Cardinals. But take the 130 yards on five plays that those two were responsible for and the offense turned out to be ordinary far too often.


The good thing is that Jackson seems to be gaining a level of comfort even in a game in a hostile environment so that's something that could pay off later in the season.


The upcoming game against Boston College marks the only October home game for Louisville.


Next: vs. Boston College, Oct. 24


MIAMI (4-2, 1-1)


Game: Miami 30, Virginia Tech 20. QB Brad Kaaya threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns as the host Hurricanes never trailed in the ACC victory. Miami's defense held the Hokies to 261 yards of total offense, collecting three turnovers.


Takeaway: The Hurricanes are dealing with a brutal October schedule. They'll face an undefeated team for the second time in three weeks when Clemson visits.


The defense was good at times against Virginia Tech but the challenge from Clemson is likely to be on a whole different level.


The Hurricanes regularly have been involved in some high-scoring games so tightening up on defense is one of the priorities.


Kaaya has moved the offense well enough to keep the Hurricanes in games and he'll need to be particularly shape in the Clemson game.


Miami was left with less than 100 rushing yards against Virginia Tech, though partly a product of some loss-yardage plays. But providing some balance along with keeping the ball out of the hands of the Clemson offense is going to be critical for the Hurricanes.


Next: vs. Clemson, Oct. 24


NORTH CAROLINA (5-1, 2-0)


Game: North Carolina 50, Wake Forest 14. WR Mack Hollins caught three passes and they all resulted in touchdowns throws from QB Marquise Williams in the home romp. The Tar Heels scored 29 points in less than an 11-minute span of the second quarter to take control.


Takeaway: The Tar Heels have won five games in a row and they're shaping up as contenders in the Coastal Division.


They came off their open week in the schedule firing with an array of offensive weapons. They wanted to tweak some things during the break and that seemed to be the case because they appeared to have added some wrinkles.


Against a Wake Forest team that had posted a shutout of Boston College a week earlier, the Tar Heels racked up 538 yards of total offense.


North Carolina's defense was solid against a Wake Forest team that's limited on defense. The Tar Heels played without two defensive backs (including starting CB M.J. Stewart), who were facing a suspension for criminal charges lodged a few days earlier.


So it remains to be seen if there's a distraction brewing. On the field, everything appears to be going in the right direction.


Next: vs. Virginia, Oct. 24


N.C. STATE (4-2, 0-2)


Game: Didn't play during the past week.


Takeaway: The Wolfpack has found it much tougher once its ACC schedule began.


N.C. State took a two-game losing streak into the break in the schedule.


"We're a 4-2 team that needs to play better and will," coach Dave Doeren said.


At least there was no confusing message for the Wolfpack during their practice week following back-to-back losses.


Penalties and turnovers hadn't been a problem until the ACC schedule kicked.


There are numerous things to look at with QB Jacoby Brissett, who had been nearly flawless as the Wolfpack cruised through four non-conference games. Brissett has faced considerably more pressure in the pocket from ACC defenses in the games against Louisville and Virginia Tech.


The offensive line was hampered by injuries by the time the ACC portion of the schedule began. There's a chance some of those players could be back after the open week, so that could help the team regroup.


Next: at Wake Forest, Oct. 24


PITTSBURGH (5-1, 3-0)


Game: Pittsburgh 31, Georgia Tech 28. K Chris Blewitt's 56-yard field goal with 1:11 remaining snapped a tie and gave the visiting Panthers a victory. QB Nate Peterman threw for three touchdowns, one in each of the first three quarters.


Takeaway: The Panthers are gaining credibility each and every week and their of offense showed signs of generating some much-appreciated balance in the victory against Georgia Tech.


Pittsburgh picked up nearly 400 yards of offense in that game, a nice blend of rushing and passing. It goes well with a defense that has done much of the heavy lifting throughout the season.


WR Tyler Boyd made two touchdown catches against Georgia Tech and his stock continues to be high and he moves atop some school record lists for receiving. For a program that had built an identity for rushing the football last year, Boyd has been a key factor in the passing attack.


Pittsburgh moved into the national rankings for the first time in five years. Now it's a matter to see how the Panthers react with a bit of a bulls-eye on their backs.


The Panthers play the third of their four ACC road games in their next assignment at Syracuse. If they pass that test, they'll be in good shape with a nice selection of home games as the bulk of their remaining schedule.


Next: at Syracuse, Oct. 24


SYRACUSE (3-3, 1-1)


Game: Virginia 44, Syracuse 38, 3OT. The Orange failed to score in the third overtime session and paid for it when RB Jordan Ellis scored on a 3-yard run against a tiring Syracuse defense. Syracuse's third consecutive loss came when it was unable to protect a 10-point fourth quarter lead, with a Virginia field goal on the last play of regulation tying the score.


Takeaway: The good deeds from September have been vanished as the Orange is heading in the wrong direction and the difficult part of the ACC schedule has yet to kick in. Syracuse still has games against three teams that are without a conference loss.


The defense had been pretty good for chunks of the season, but the discouraging part was the inability to finish off Virginia. The Cavaliers converted on third and fourth downs on a 19-play possession that ate up nearly the final seven minutes of regulation. The 88-yard march resulted in a tying field goal.


It was the second time the Orange has entered overtime this season, but unlike the victory against Central Michigan this time there was an unfavorable result.


QB Eric Dungey made it through the entire game and that was a good thing for Syracuse in the sense that the Orange has been hindered by injuries at the quarterback position. But one of his fumbles was turned into a Virginia touchdown early in the game when the Orange had chances to build a larger lead.


Unable to defeat one of the ACC's struggling programs in Virginia means the Orange will have to fare better against higher-caliber competition in order to make something positive out of the season.


Next: vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 24


VIRGINIA (2-4, 1-1)


Game: Virginia 44, Syracuse 38, 3OT. The Cavaliers scored three of their touchdowns in overtime, including RB Jordan Ellis' 3-yard run in the third overtime for the victory. Virginia tied the game on the final play of regulation, with a 25-yard field goal as time expired to complete a comeback from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit.


Takeaway: The Cavaliers needed a victory in the worse way against Syracuse to maintain any reasonable expectations for a solid season.


It's still an uphill climb for the Cavaliers, who are trying to prevent another losing campaign.


QB Matt Johns threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass and another touchdown strike in overtime.


The most impressive part could have been a drive across the last 6:52 of regulation. The Cavaliers went 88 yards in 19 plays, settling for a field goal on the last play of regulation. It's the kind of offensive continuity that largely has been lacking for Virginia.


The Cavaliers have been desperate to find something uplifting so they'll have to make sure they carry the good feelings of the result against Syracuse in future games. There haven't been many outcomes to cherish in recent seasons for Virginia.


Defeating a relative ACC newcomer in Syracuse is one thing. Duplicating that against old-time rival North Carolina in the next game would be particularly special.


Next: at North Carolina, Oct. 24


VIRGINIA TECH (3-4, 1-2)


Game: Miami 30, Virginia Tech 20. The Hokies couldn't contain Miami QB Brad Kaaya's passing as he racked up 296 yards in the air. The loss came in Virginia Tech's first ACC road game of the season.


Takeaway: The Hokies never led in the game against Miami and they don't seem particularly equipped to post comebacks with an offense that lacks consistency.


Perhaps they can reverse that trend if QB Michael Brewer, who is back from a broken collarbone, can get back up to form. He played sparingly in the game against Miami, and he was responsible for one of the three interceptions throw by Virginia Tech quarterbacks.


Among the tough parts for Virginia Tech was that it scored 10 first-quarter points, then managed only that number across the final three quarters combined.


Now that Brewer has been back in game action, maybe the Hokies will figure out ways to maximize the practice time for the offense because that group needs all the work it can muster to find some continuity.


The defense lacks the type of edge that once existed for the Hokies, so they can't fall back on that when the offense sputters. Holding Miami to 99 rushing yards was an encouraging aspect of the latest game, but the Hurricanes were able to strike for enough big plays in the passing attack to neutralize that.


Virginia Tech was a major force in the Coastal Division during the early years of divisional play. Without topping a nationally ranked Duke team in the next game, the Hokies will be pretty much out of the picture by the midway mark of conference play.


Next: vs. Duke, Oct. 24


WAKE FOREST (3-4, 1-3)


Game: North Carolina 50, Wake Forest 14. North Carolina scored 29 second-quarter points on the way to the home victory. A pair of first-half touchdown passes by QB John Wolford gave the Demon Deacons a ray of hope but the defense couldn't hold up.


Takeaway: The Demon Deacons continue to have shortcomings on offense, but the defensive meltdowns against North Carolina were largely a new problem.


The defense had been a steading force for the Demon Deacons through the first half of the season. That fell apart under a deluge of big plays posted by North Carolina.


It didn't help that S Ryan Janvion, the most reliable player in the defensive backfield, didn't play after suffering an injury in practice during the week. His absence left considerable holes in experience in the secondary.


The Demon Deacons seem to be sorting out their quarterback situation based on who's healthiest. This time, it was QB John Wolford, who had been the starter at the beginning of the season and played exclusively in the 3-0 victory Oct. 10 at Boston College. QB Ke3ndall Hinton is dealing with a hip pointer, but he was summoned for some action in the North Carolina game because Wolford was banged up pretty good while absorbing some hits.


Wake Forest gave up slightly more than 16 points per game in the first six games, then surrendered 50 points in the loss to North Carolina.


Next: vs. N.C. State, Oct. 24


NOTES, QUOTES


--Clemson has long been known for having a huge homefield advantage. So when the Tigers set a school-record with their 14th consecutive home victory it might have caught some off guard.


"Winning 14 games in a row at home is a big deal," coach Dabo Swinney said.


Five of those victories have come this season. The next home game comes against Florida State on Nov. 7 in what is expected to be a huge showdown.


Among teams in the Atlantic Division, only Clemson, Florida State and Syracuse are without a home loss in ACC play (and Syracuse dropped a non-league home decision to LSU).


Across the board in the ACC, the homefield advantage has been rather limited at times. It might not get any better right away.


For games set for Oct. 24, probably only Louisville (vs. Boston College) and North Carolina (vs. Virginia) will be favored at home among the league's seven-game slate.


--The ACC hasn't made a big impact in the rankings, in part because there haven't been many breakthrough victories.


Clemson and Florida State have been ranked all season and Duke has slipped into the back-end of the poll for two weeks in a row. Pittsburgh joined the list with a 5-1 record.


Clemson's victory against Notre Dame is the most notable outcome for any of the league members. With undefeated records, Clemson and Florida State hold safe spots in the polls and even a loss wouldn't send them out of the rankings altogether at this stage.


Georgia Tech began the season as a nationally ranked team, but after four weeks the Yellow Jackets were gone. Their losing streak has stretched to give games.


A one-loss North Carolina team could be next to contend for a Top 25 spot.


"Our guys are playing well right now," North Carolina coach Larry Fedora said. "They're playing well as a team."


Still, the ACC doesn't seem positioned to be flooding the rankings with teams during the second half of the season.


--Quite a few ACC teams have shaky credentials heading toward late October when it comes to assessing bowl possibilities.


That list includes Louisville and Boston College. They're both saddled with four losses.


But for these two teams, there could be ways to escape the doldrums. They've both already faced Florida State and Clemson, a pair of undefeated teams in the ACC, so the slate doesn't look quite so daunting the rest of the way.


"I think you saw a window into the future," Boston College coach Steve Addazio said of his young players picking up valuable experience against Top 10 teams.


Yet for Louisville and Boston College, one of them will be stuck with a fifth loss because they meet each other in their next game. That means the window for mistakes is narrowing for both teams. They were both in bowls a year ago.


QUOTE TO NOTE:


"The game will humble you. We didn't play on defense anywhere near the level we did a week ago." -- Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson, whose team gave up 50 points to North Carolina a week after posting a shutout at Boston College.


STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL


FIVE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 7 IN THE ACC:


1. Pittsburgh is 3-0 in the ACC, putting the Panthers atop the Coastal Division as they've taken down struggling teams Virginia Tech, Virginia and Georgia Tech on the way to their first-place perch.


2. Florida State has it rolling again, and the Seminoles showed Louisville that it's going to take quite a bit more to join their level in the Atlantic Division.


3. Boston College scored a touchdown (two of them, in fact) for the first time in three weeks, but Clemson scored four touchdowns to remain undefeated.


4. Miami remains a mystery, but the Hurricanes can win along the way and defeating Virginia Tech again certainly qualifies as a good sign.


5. Virginia and Syracuse are a pair of programs looking quite shaky in recent years and it took three overtimes for them to sort out their meeting, with Virginia prevailing at home.

 

[CNOTES]

MAC Notebook: Rockets enjoying view from the top


Toledo remained unbeaten with an impressive 63-20 triumph over Eastern Michigan on Saturday. The No. 22 Rockets (6-0, 3-0 MAC West) scored 56 straight points, completing five touchdowns drives in five or fewer plays to set a season high for points, yards and passing efficiency.


"It was a lot of fun, especially on the offensive side," UT quarterback Phillip Ely said. "We haven't played a great game so far. I know we've been winning games, but on the offensive side, we haven't really played like we wanted to. I think we did a great job today. We just gotta keep it going."


The Rockets play at UMass on Saturday before starting a difficult stretch in November, but for right now, Toledo coach Matt Campbell is enjoying the view atop the West standings.


"I think where I'm really excited is to see that group continue to throw and catch the football with some consistency because it's something we're going to have to do down the stretch run," Campbell said.


About 35 miles south of Toledo, Bowling Green improved to 5-3 and 3-0 in the East Division. The Falcons, for a change, received a solid effort from their defense in a 59-10 rout over Akron at Doyt Perry Stadium. The defense held the Zips to 271 yards of total offense, and did not allow a point in the second half.


"This week we played a complete game," BGSU defensive lineman Terrance Bush said. "Everyone did their assignments, and there weren't many 'busts' in the secondary or in the front seven. It's nice to have a game where the defense gets praised."


Western Michigan might be the hottest team in the league now, posting a 49-14 win over Ohio in Athens. At 3-3 and 2-0 in the MAC West, the Broncos ran for 430 yards, with Jamauri Bogan rushing for a team-high 149 yards and LeVante Bellamy adding 135 yards.


Central Michigan and Northern Illinois stayed in the thick of the West Division race, as Central Michigan posted a 51-14 win over Buffalo and Northern Illinois crushed Miami.


AKRON (3-4, 1-2)


Game: Bowling Green 59, Akron 10: Bowling Green outscored Akron 31-10 in the second half to run away with a conference victory. The Zips managed just 104 yards passing and their two quarterbacks combined to throw two interceptions. The Zips did finish with 158 yards rushing, with Conor Hundley leading the way with 69 yards.


Takeaway: The Zips' defense is on a freefall after a solid start this season. The Falcons' offense is no match for most teams, let alone a struggling defense and an Akron offense unable to move the ball.


Next: Bye week.


BALL STATE (2-5, 1-2)


Game: Georgia State 31, Ball State 19: Georgia State scored 17 points in the second quarter and Nick Arbuckle scored on a 1-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter to cement a road win over Ball State.


Ball State quarterback Riley Neal passed for 218 yards and two touchdowns, while Jordan Williams caught seven passes for 68 yards and a touchdown for Ball State.


Takeaway: The Cardinals made too many mistakes and allowed 17 points in the second quarter to spoil a possible upset bid.


"It's a very disappointing loss," BSU coach Pete Lembo said. "We didn't play well in the second quarter on either side of the ball ... We shot ourselves in the foot execution-wise on offense and basic throwing and catching."


Next: vs. Central Michigan, Oct. 24.


BOWLING GREEN (5-2, 3-0)


Game: Bowling Green 59, Akron 10: Bowling Green senior quarterback Matt Johnson completed 25-of-30 passes for 357 yards and five touchdowns in a romp over Akron.


The Falcons outscored the Zips 31-0 in the second half, limiting Akron to 104 yards passing and intercepting a pair of passes. Bowling Green allowed just 271 yards of total offense for its best defensive performance of the season.


"I thought it was a total team win," Bowling Green coach Dino Babers said. "When you look at the stops the defense made, and you can't take away a blocked kid and a long return on special teams ... it's a very volatile combination when all three things are clicking like that."


Takeaway: Bowling Green had perhaps its best all-around game of the season, combining its powerful offense with a solid defensive effort and special teams showing. The Falcons have won 15 straight games against MAC East Division teams. Next: at Kent State, Oct. 24.


BUFFALO (2-3, 0-1)


Game: Central Michigan 51, Buffalo 14: Buffalo failed to score in the second and third quarters and Central Michigan quarterback Cooper Rush threw for 313 yards and four touchdowns.


The Bulls couldn't muster up a solid running game to keep Central Michigan's potent offense off the field, finishing with 92 yards rushing on 29 carries. Buffalo quarterback Joe Licata threw for 133 yards and one touchdown.


Takeaway: The Bulls are in a bad tailspin and can't seem to stop any teams lately, leading to another frustrating blowout loss. Buffalo's offense hasn't been able to run the ball lately, causing some problems for a leaky and tired defense.


Next: vs. Ohio, Oct. 24.


CENTRAL MICHIGAN (3-4, 2-1)


Game: Central Michigan 51, Buffalo 14: Jessie Kroll caught seven passes for 133 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Cooper Rush passed for 313 yards and four touchdowns to spark the Chippewas.


Central Michigan's defense had a solid showing in the win, holding Buffalo scoreless in the second and third quarters and just 92 yards rushing.


Takeaway: Central Michigan is a dangerous team, armed with a potent offense and solid defense. The Chippewas rebounded from a tough loss to Western Michigan, and still in contention for the MAC West title.


Next: at Ball State, Oct. 24.


EASTERN MICHIGAN (1-6, 0-3)


Game: No. 22 Toledo 63, Eastern Michigan 20: Eastern Michigan netted a pair of field goals in the first quarter and held Toledo scoreless in the opening quarter before Toledo exploded for 28 points in the second quarter.


Eastern Michigan quarterback Reginald Bell passed for 121 yards, but was sacked four times and threw an interception. Darius Jackson rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Eagles.


Takeaway: The Eagles played strong in the first 15 minutes, but came unglued in the final three quarters. Reginald Bell and Brogan Roback both took snaps, so a changing of the guard at quarterback might be in store for the next game.


Next: at Northern Illinois, Oct. 24.


KENT STATE (3-4, 2-1)


Game: Kent State 15, UMass 10: The Zips moved into a second-place tie in the Mid-American Conference East Division with a solid win. Freshman quarterback George Bollas, in his first start at Kent State, completed 20 of his 25 passes for 135 yards, including a one-yard touchdown pass to Charles Chandler.


"Our defense did a really good job and a lot of guys played and contributed," Kent State coach Paul Haynes said. "I'm proud of team effort. The defense did a very good job, but when your offense plays like it did and doesn't turn the ball over, you always have a chance to win."


Takeaway: Don't count out the Golden Flashes yet in the East Division race, not with a showdown against divisional leader Bowling Green this Saturday. The Golden Flashes aren't flashy or filled with playmakers, but they have a solid defense and rapidly improving offense.


Next: vs. Bowling Green, Oct. 24.


MIAMI (1-6, 0-3)


Game: Northern Illinois 45, Miami 12: Northern Illinois scored 21 first-quarter points and Miami failed to score a touchdown until the fourth quarter to drop its sixth game of the season.


Fred McRae hauled in a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Billy Bahl early in the fourth for Miami's lone touchdown. The RedHawks finished with 309 total yards, but Northern Illinois tallied 514 yards of total offense.


Takeaway: The RedHawks had nine penalties and Billy Bahl threw an interception and was sacked four times. Miami is stuck in another lost season, vying just to win games is a struggle.


Next: at Western Michigan, Oct. 24.


NORTHERN ILLINOIS (4-3, 2-1)


Game: Northern Illinois 45, Miami 12: Joel Bouagnon rushed for 134 yards and three touchdowns and Drew Hare passed for 203 yards and a touchdown to spark Northern Illinois to its first road win of the season.


The Huskie defense finished with four sacks and an interception, while only allowing a fourth-quarter touchdown.


Takeaway: The Huskies played solid, but not outstanding in a workmanlike win over a struggling Miami team. NIU's defense had a solid effort in the win, harassing Miami freshman quarterback Billy Bahl. The Huskies rushed for 311 yards and five touchdowns.


Next: vs. Eastern Michigan, Oct. 24.


OHIO (5-2, 2-1)


Game: Western Michigan 49, Ohio 19: Ohio junior Jordan Reid caught a career-high seven passes for 107 yards, but Western Michigan scored 28 straight points to runaway with the victory.


Derrius Vick passed for 167 yards and a touchdown, but Western Michigan's Daniel Braverman set the tone with a pair of second-quarter touchdown receptions.


"It's something I can't explain other than we'll have to take a look at the film to see where the breakdowns were," Ohio coach Frank Solich said. "It looked like we made it way too easy for them in the second half, whereas in the first half, we stopped the run very well and made a lot of good plays defensively. And offensively, we struggled to have any sort of consistency and that hurt a little bit. I don't like what transpired special teams-wise. They won the special teams game and that was also a huge part of it. So I don't really have an explanation. It was kind of baffling to me to see us fall apart against the run the way we did in the second half, so I'm very anxious to watch the film and see how that transpired.


Takeaway: After a scoreless first quarter, Western Michigan's offense was unstoppable for the final three quarters. Ohio entered the game one drive away from a perfect 6-0 record, but Western Michigan exposed the Bobcats with a potent offensive attack and further showed the imbalance in the league between the East and West Divisions.


Next: at Buffalo, Oct. 24.


TOLEDO (6-0, 3-0)


Game: No. 22 Toledo 63, Eastern Michigan 20: Toledo quarterback Phillip Ely completed 18 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns and Terry Swanson ran for 97 yards and a touchdown to keep Toledo undefeated.


The Rockets finished with 373 yards rushing and 238 yards on the ground. Toledo receiver Cody Thompson caught two passes for 110 yard and a touchdown and Corey Jones added seven catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.


Takeaway: The Rockets keep on winning big. The Rockets had a nice balance between the run and pass, with quarterback Phillip Ely playing at a high level through the first six games of the season. The Rockets have another easy contest next week, traveling to UMass before beginning a brutal four-game stretch of games against Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, Bowling Green and Western Michigan.


Next: at UMass, Oct. 24.


UMASS (1-4, 0-1)


Game: Kent State 15, UMass 10: Blake Frohnapfel passed for a season-low 171 yards and did not throw a touchdown, as the UMass offense only rushed for 86 yards in the loss.


Takeaway: For an offense that is known for scoring points in the last year and a half, UMass struggled moving the ball against a Kent State squad. The Minutemen scored all 10 of their points in the second quarter.


Next: vs Toledo, Oct. 24.


WESTERN MICHIGAN (3-3, 2-0)


Game: Western Michigan 49, Ohio 14: Western Michigan rushed for 430 yards on 44 carries to post an impressive win at Ohio. The Broncos averaged 9.8 yards per carry, with Jamauri Bogan rushing for 149 yards and LeVante Bellamy adding 135 yards.


Takeaway: Don't look now, but Western Michigan might be finally living up to their potential. The Broncos evened up their record after a sluggish start and are 2-0 in the MAC West Division. The running game is back, and the passing game has been steady all season.


Next: vs. Miami-Ohio, Oct. 24.


NOTES, QUOTES


--Central Michigan quarterback Cooper Rush passed for 313 yards and four touchdowns, completing 23-of-30 passes with one interception.


--Central Michigan receiver Jesse Kroll had a big day in the win over Buffalo, catching seven passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.


--Toledo scored 56 unanswered points in a blowout win over Eastern Michigan after trailing 6-0 early in the game. The Rockets racked up a season-high 611 yards of offense, with 238 on the ground and 373 passing.


--Toledo's offensive line has gone largely unnoticed most of the season. The Rockets' O-line did not allow a sack in the win over Eastern Michigan, and not allowed a sack for six straight games in a string of 206 pass attempts without a sack this season.


--Toledo running back Terry Swanson is proving to be capable fill-in for Kareem Hunt, averaging 24.2 yards on four carries in the win over EMU. He had a career-long 90-yard run in the second quarter to finish with a team-high 97 yards rushing.


--Western Michigan's Keion Adams finished with two-and-a-half tackles for a loss against Ohio. He added a career-high seven tackles for a loss.


--Western Michigan's duo of Jamauri Bogan and LeVante Bellamy both rushed for 100-plus yards against Ohio, marking the first time two WMU players had over 100 yards rushing since 2010.


--Northern Illinois junior running back Joel Bouagnon is a touchdown machine. He rushed for a team-high 134 yards and three touchdowns against Miami. For the season, he has 591 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.


QUOTE TO NOTE: "Our defense was spectacular, but when you look at the statistic see 430 yards rushing, that's our football team right there. That's a football team. When you can do that all the other stuff opens up. I'm really proud of our team." -- Western Michigan coach P.J. Flecking following a 49-14 road win over Ohio.


STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL


FIVE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 7 IN THE MAC


1. The two best teams in the Mid-American Conference might reside less than 45 minutes away from each other. Toledo, ranked No. 22, destroyed a hapless Eastern Michigan team on Saturday, while Bowling Green had its best defensive effort of the season. Don't be shocked if these two close rivals meet for the a second time this season in the MAC title game.


2. Western Michigan is improving every week. The Broncos have a dangerous mix of quality receivers and running backs. Unlike last season, when the Broncos relied on Jarvion Franklin, the WMU offense has three quality backs and can chew up clock with their running game. A 35-point road win over Ohio was definitely the biggest shocker in the conference this week.


3. Northern Illinois is not as powerful as some of its past teams, but quietly building momentum for a stretch run. Quarterback Drew Hare, for the second straight game, has been putting up big numbers in the passing game. Junior Joel Bouganon is a workhorse, with 10 rushing touchdowns this season.


4. Central Michigan destroyed a quality Buffalo team, notching a 51-14 triumph to keep in the thick of the MAC West Division race. The Chippewas can control their own fate if they run the table.


5. Kent State coach Paul Haynes is a doing a nice job this season with his program. The Golden Flashes are in second place in the MAC East Division following a 15-10 win at UMass. Kent State is relying on a solid defense and improving offense to stay in games. The Golden Flashes host East leader Bowling Green on Saturday. The defense will face their toughest test to date against the high-powered BGSU offense.

 

[CNOTES]

B]MW Notebook: Aggies, Aztecs emerge as title game favorites[/B]


INSIDE SLANT


Five out of six underdogs won Mountain West games last week with Utah State and San Diego State emerging from the rubble as the division favorites.


Utah State provided the biggest shocker with a 52-26 defeat of No. 21 Boise State in Logan, Utah. The Aggies collected seven first-half takeaways -- eight overall -- and led 45-10 at halftime. They beat the Broncos for the first time since 1997 to improve to 3-0 in conference play. The Aggies are in sole possession of first place in the Mountain Division.


Utah State coach Matt Wells called the win "maybe the greatest win in this program's history."


"It isn't the championship but it puts us in the driver's seat," he said. "We'll control our own destiny and that will be a challenge. It's a challenge our guys will gladly accept."


San Diego State took down upstart San Jose State on the road, 30-7. The Aztecs have won three straight games to open conference play after struggling to a 1-3 mark in nonconference play. Every other team in the West has at least two conference losses, giving San Diego State a strong lead.


The only favorite to win was New Mexico, which rallied to beat Hawaii and improve to 4-3. Previously winless Wyoming stunned Nevada, Fresno State roared back in the fourth quarter to beat UNLV and Colorado State broke out of its funk by beating rival Air Force.


Utah State plays at San Diego State on Friday.


AIR FORCE (3-3, 2-1)


Game: Colorado State 38, Air Force 23. Colorado State QB Nick Stevens torched the Falcons' pass defense for 296 yards and three touchdowns. The Rams scored 24 straight points to bust open a 14-13 game. Air Force fullback Shayne Davern scored on a 60-yard run but also left the game with an apparent knee injury. The Falcons lost to the Rams for just the second time in the past 10 meetings.


Takeaway: Air Force looked like a contender in the Mountain Division at one point. Now the Falcons likely need to beat Utah State and Boise State to have a chance.


Next: vs. Fresno State, Oct. 24


BOISE STATE (5-2, 2-1)


Game: Utah State 52, Boise State 26. The Broncos committed seven first-half turnovers and eight in the game. The eight turnovers were the most for the program since 1989. They trailed 45-10 at half, the worst first half for the Broncos since 1998. The critical stretch came in the final three minutes of the first half. The Broncos had the ball trailing by 14 points and were going to get the ball to start the second half. Instead of getting back into the game, they lost three turnovers and the Aggies turned each into a touchdown -- including a pick-six on the final play of the half.


Takeaway: Quarterback Brett Rypien finally looked like the true freshman he is with five turnovers. But he didn't get any help with poor blocking, receivers who weren't able to make difficult catches and a previously dominant defense that couldn't handle the poor field position it was dealt.


Next: vs. Wyoming, Oct. 24


COLORADO STATE (3-4, 1-2)


Game: Colorado State 38, Air Force 23. QB Nick Stevens, benched after two series a week earlier in the loss to Boise State, was given a vote of confidence by his coach and produced a terrific game in a rare rivalry win for the Rams. Stevens threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns. Coach Mike Bobo told Stevens before the game that he wouldn't be taken out this time. Joe Hansley caught a pair of TD passes and Jasen Oden Jr. scored two rushing TDs.


Takeaway: The win was the Rams' second in the past 10 meetings with their rivals from Colorado Springs. It also rejuvenated the Rams' bowl hopes.


Next: vs. San Diego State, Oct. 31


FRESNO STATE (2-5, 1-3)


Game: Fresno State 31, UNLV 28. The Bulldogs outscored the Rebels 14-0 in the fourth quarter to get their first conference win of the season. Marteze Waller scored the game-winning TD on a 38-yard run with 2:37 left in the game.


Takeaway: Fresno State snapped its five-game losing streak, which should be good for morale. The Bulldogs still will be hard-pressed to reach a bowl with road games against Air Force and BYU on the schedule. Kilton Anderson, the fourth starting QB of the season, contributed 193 passing yards, 78 rushing yards and two rushing TDs.


Next: at Air Force, Oct. 24


HAWAII (2-5, 0-3)


Game: New Mexico 28, Hawaii 27. Quarterback Austin Apodaca threw the game-winning TD pass to Dameon Gamblin in the final minute to cap an 80-yard drive for the Lobos. Hawaii could have clinched the win moments earlier but kicker Rigoberto Sanchez missed a 22-yard field-goal attempt. He had made kicks from 49 and 47 yards earlier in the game.


Takeaway: The Rainbow Warriors scored points on the road for the first time this year. They should have earned a rare road win, too, but were done in by a missed chip-shot field goal.


Next: at Nevada, Oct. 24


NEVADA (3-4, 1-2)


Game: Wyoming 28, Nevada 21. The Wolf Pack fell behind a winless team by 21 points and couldn't do enough to complete a comeback attempt. They had the ball at the Wyoming 36-yard line in the final two minutes but quarterback Tyler Stewart was sacked on fourth down.


Takeaway: A disappointing season took an ugly turn for the Wolf Pack, who got beaten by a team that hadn't won in almost a year. The margin for error is small the rest of the season with road trips to Utah State and San Diego State the last two weeks.


Next: vs. Hawaii, Oct. 24


NEW MEXICO (4-3, 2-1)


Game: New Mexico 28, Hawaii 27. Backup QB Austin Apodaca drove the Lobos 80 yards for the winning touchdown, a 28-yard pass to Dameon Gamblin. Moments earlier, the Lobos caught a huge break when Hawaii missed a 22-yard field-goal attempt that would have all but ended their hopes. Apodaca was 6-for-10 for 70 yards on the winning drive.


Takeaway: The Lobos' four wins aren't exactly against the who's who of college football -- Mississippi Valley State, Wyoming, New Mexico State and Hawaii -- but they have a winning record and are two wins away from a possible bowl game. "My first thought right now is, we have to get better," coach Bob Davie said, according to the Albuquerque Journal.


Next: at San Jose State, Oct. 24


SAN DIEGO STATE (4-3, 3-0)


Game: San Diego State 30, San Jose State 7. The Aztecs surged into control of the West Division with a dominant road win against the Spartans. Star tailback Donnel Pumphrey contributed 207 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, San Jose State tailback Tyler Ervin -- the national leader in all-purpose yards -- was limited to 22 yards on 17 carries.


Takeaway: The Aztecs have opened Mountain West play with three straight wins by a combined score of 79-28 as their expected standout defense has shown up.


Next: vs. Utah State, Oct. 23


SAN JOSE STATE (3-4, 2-2)


Game: San Diego State 30, San Jose State 7. The Spartans were stifled all night by the Aztecs' defense as they missed an opportunity to gain control of the West Division race. Tailback Tyler Ervin, who has been dynamic all season, generated just 22 yards on 17 carries (and three catches for minus-1). Quarterback Kenny Potter threw for 113 yards and tossed a pair of interceptions. The Spartans finished with 148 yards of offense.


Takeaway: The Spartans need Ervin's productivity to succeed on offense. San Diego State found a way to take him out of the game. Ervin had been the national leader in all-purpose yards. "We need to hose off after this game," coach Ron Caragher said, according to the San Jose Mercury News. "You feel slime sometimes and you just need to hose off and not let the ugliness from tonight carry over into next week."


Next: vs. New Mexico, Oct. 24


UNLV (2-5, 1-2)

Game: Fresno State 31, UNLV 28. The Rebels squandered a two-touchdown lead and got outscored 14-0 in the fourth quarter to blow a chance for a conference road win. It was the second straight week that the Rebels were unable to hold onto a fourth-quarter lead. "That was an abomination," coach Tony Sanchez told the media afterward.


Takeaway: The Rebels would be in first place in the West Division if they had been able to close out the past two games. Instead, they're a long-shot to go to a bowl game. "For a long, long time in this program, we found a way to lose," Sanchez said. "It's been kind of the nature of who we are, and that's got to change."


Next: vs. Boise State, Oct. 31


UTAH STATE (4-2, 3-0)


Game: Score. Utah State 52, Boise State 26. The Aggies' defense forced eight turnovers, including seven in the first half. Star linebackers Nick Vigil and Kyler Fackrell were in the middle of much of the action with a combined 25 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and four quarterback hurries. Sophomore quarterback Kent Myers avenged his only loss as a starter with 220 total yards and four touchdowns (three passing).


Takeaway: The Aggies have shaken off a poor start to the season to become the team most expected them to be. A win this week at San Diego State would put them in the driver's seat for home-field advantage in the MW championship game.


Next: at San Diego State, Oct. 23


WYOMING (1-6, 1-2)


Game: Wyoming 28, Nevada 21. The Cowboys secured their first win since Nov. 1, 2014, with a fourth-down sack in the final two minutes as the Wolf Pack were driving for the potential tying TD. Quarterback Cameron Coffman was 18-for-20 for 213 yards and three touchdowns and tailback Brian Hill rushed for 188 yards.


Takeaway: Coffman and Hill have been two of the better offensive players in the Mountain West despite the Cowboys' struggles as a team. "I feel like we have finally figured it out," Hill said, according to WyoSports.net.


Next: at Boise State, Oct. 24


FIVE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 7 IN THE MW:


1. The Mountain West is likely out of the New Year's Six picture. Boise State's blowout loss to Utah State guarantees that the league champion will have at least two losses. And with the ugly nonconference performance by the Mountain West, that isn't going to be good enough to compete with the American Athletic Conference champion and possibly Toledo of the MAC.


2. Utah State coach Matt Wells is a rising star. Wells has dealt with repeated injuries at quarterback but keeps producing successful teams. In a Mountain Division everyone expected Boise State to dominate, Utah State is in position to win its second title in three years.


3. San Diego State is back on track. The Aztecs were a mistake-prone mess in the nonconference season but they're 3-0 in the Mountain West. By whipping San Jose State, they regained their preseason status as the West favorite.


4. New Mexico has stronger bowl hopes than Nevada. Bob Davie's Lobos have an almost hollow set of four wins, but they only need two more. Brian Polian's Wolf Pack have already lost to two of the Mountain West's worst programs: Wyoming and UNLV.


5. Boise State needs to regroup. The Broncos cruised through four straight blowout wins before committing seven first-half turnovers last week at Utah State. The 52-26 loss was arguably the Broncos' worst performance in 17 years.

 

[CNOTES]

Big 12 Notebook: Sooners take flight despite travel woes


INSIDE SLANT


The Oklahoma football travel party was delayed over eight hours as it waited on planes to be cleared for the charter flight the Sooners booked into Manhattan, Kan., for their game against Kansas State.


Oklahoma was scheduled to depart at 2:45 p.m. Friday, but the plane was late to arrive. Then, after boarding, a mechanical issue forced Bob Stoops' squad to get off the plane and wait for another ride. The problems only multiplied after that and the team did not arrive to its hotel until 12:15 a.m.


Barely 14 hours later, Oklahoma's game against Kansas State kicked off. Less than one minute in, the 19th-ranked Sooners established their dominance, breezing to an early touchdown en route to a 55-0 rout of the Wildcats and handing Bill Snyder his worst defeat as Kansas State coach, a span of 24 seasons and 288 games.


Oklahoma had recorded lopsided wins in the series many times over the years when Kansas State was among the nation's worst programs. But this outcome was the worst shutout defeat the Wildcats ever suffered at home and came after narrow losses suffered in the final minute against two undefeated teams, Oklahoma State and TCU.


So much for travel itineraries mattering a great deal.


The Sooners played video games, studied film and dined on fast food while waiting for their plane to depart from the Oklahoma City airport.


"Coach Stoops said fast food on Fridays from here on out," joked wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who caught a 22-yard touchdown pass just 64 seconds into the game.


The rout righted the Sooners (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) coming off a stunning loss to Texas a week earlier.


Oklahoma played fast and never bothered to substitute on the first series while racing 75 yards in five plays. It was the first time this season the Sooners scored on their opening possession.


"Defenses can't line up and do all their crazy stuff," said quarterback Baker Mayfield, who completed 20-of-27 passes for 282 yards and five first half touchdowns before he was replaced by Trevor Knight.


"I think I play better faster. I'm able to react and go on the run, and our guys like it when we play fast because the defense doesn't get set up."


Better not sleep on the Sooners. Particularly if they get little sleep themselves.


BAYLOR (6-0, 3-0)


Game: Baylor 62, West Virginia 38. Seth Russell joined former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III (2011) as the only Baylor players to pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 in the same game. Russell was 20-of-33 for 380 yards and five touchdowns and added 160 rushing yards and another touchdown on 14 carries. WR Corey Coleman caught three TD passes to boost his nation-leading total to 16. He had 10 catches for 199 yards as the No. 2 Bears boosted their FBS-best home win streak to 19 in a row.


Takeaway: Just halfway through the season, West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen did not hesitate to make this declaration regarding Coleman:


"The best player in college football," Holgorsen said. "You can put me on record for that."


The 5-foot-11 junior broke the Baylor record for TD receptions in a season with his fourth consecutive game scoring multiple touchdown catches, and his seventh straight with at least 100 yards receiving.


In doing so, the Bears avenged their only regular-season defeat from a year ago when they fell 41-27 at West Virginia, a point Baylor coach Art Briles emphasized during his postgame remarks.


"Really good win against really the only Big 12 team that we don't have a winning record against since 2011," Briles said. "That's a big deal for us as a program. We felt a lot of desire, a lot of need to clear our name. We didn't feel like we had a good name in West Virginia, so that was kind of our motivating factor."


Beginning with Coleman and Russell, the Bears' names are becoming household throughout America as Baylor attempts to position itself for the College Football Playoff. Although CFP ratings have not yet been released, the committee must consider Baylor long and hard since last year's setback against West Virginia left the Bears tied with TCU for the Big 12 title, and both were left out of the playoff.


"It's the best Baylor team I've ever seen," said Holgorsen, a long-time Big 12 assistant before becoming the Mountaineers' head coach.


Next: vs. Iowa State, Oct. 24.


IOWA STATE (2-4, 1-2)


Game: TCU 45, Iowa State 21. Sam Richardson passed for 251 yards and directed Iowa State to a quick start as the Cyclones led 21-14 after one quarter before going scoreless the rest of the way against the No. 3 Horned Frogs. After averaging 182 yards rushing in the previous three games, freshman RB Mike Warren was limited to 78 yards. WR Allen Lazard had a 74-yard touchdown reception and finished with 147 yards on five catches. The Cyclones allowed 31 unanswered points as TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin accounted for 510 yards and five touchdowns.


Takeaway: Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads is never reluctant to use trick plays to provide his team an early edge while hoping the Cyclones sustain momentum, particularly at home.


That was the case again against TCU. P Holden Kramer threw a 21-yard pass on a fake punt to help manufacture a touchdown on the opening drive. Later in the first quarter, after tying the game 14-14, the Cyclones kicked onside and recovered the ball, only to be penalized for illegally touching the football before it traveled 10 yards.


Nonetheless, the gambits gave both the Cyclones and their fans considerable life, which they rode to a 21-14 first quarter lead before going scoreless the remainder of the way. TCU's defense then stiffened and made it difficult on Warren, who has been one of the Big 12's most promising offensive newcomers.


The Iowa State defense also struggled, allowing 621 yards.


"It's very frustrating because I personally felt like we could have won the game," WR Quenton Bundrage told the Ames Tribune. "We sort of, kind of, let it slip out of our hands."


Maybe, but the Cyclones were playing short-handed in terms of comparable talent. That prompted Rhoads to execute first quarter trickery to get the game started in the Cyclones' favor and actually make it competitive well into the second half as Iowa State trailed by just 10 entering the final period.


"The blueprint is about execution," Rhoads said. "You are putting together a plan to win and the blueprint is about execution."


That goes for both conventional, and gadget, plays.


Next: at Baylor, Oct. 24.


KANSAS (0-6, 0-3)


Game: Texas Tech 30, Kansas 20. The Jayhawks pulled within three points on a fourth quarter touchdown reception by WR Tre' Parmalee and a touchdown plunge by RB Taylor Cox, but could not manufacture an upset as Texas Tech's Jah'Shawn Johnson returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown. QB Ryan Willis completed 35-of-50 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns in just his second start for the Jayhawks as a true freshman. Willis distributed the ball to nine different receivers, while RB DeAndre Mann added 107 yards on 15 rushes.


Takeaway: No coach will ever admit to a moral victory and David Beaty, in his first year directing Kansas, is among them. Still, the comeback bid the Jayhawks manufactured was exactly that as it injected some life into the moribund program Beaty took over.


"It shows hope," said WR Darious Crawley.


In particular, the Jayhawks have a freshman quarterback who is showing promise after making strides in just his second start. Willis engineered the second half comeback after a solid defensive effort in the first half, but little offense left Kansas staring at a 20-0 halftime deficit.


"I just love the kid's demeanor," Beaty said. "I think our kids gravitate to him. I think they really appreciate the fact that he loves the game."


Credit Beaty too. When he was hired as the Kansas coach, Willis had already committed. Beaty opted not to dump the quarterback, but instead kept him as the top-rated high school prospect signed in the Jayhawks' 2015 class.


Willis played two snaps in the season opener, but then did not appear for two games, leaving many to wonder when he would get back on the field. As it was, he dropped to third string, but injuries to starter Montell Cozart and backup Deondre Ford elevated Willis to the first team after the Jayhawks also lost the quarterback who had been named the starter in spring camp, Michael Cummings. Cummings tore an ACL in the spring game and will seek an NCAA medical hardship.


By throwing for 330 yards, Willis' output was the best by a Kansas quarterback since Todd Reesing in 2009. Still, the pick-six thrown late in the fourth quarter enabled the Red Raiders, favored by more than four touchdowns, to avoid an upset. That possession began at the Kansas 7-yard line with 4:47 left and the interception came on a third-and-6 call.


A favorable impression was made nonetheless, something the downtrodden Jayhawks sorely needed.


"I was like, 'You kind of remind me of a little Peyton Manning, man. Just keep throwing it. Just keep doing your thing, man,"' Crawley told the Topeka Capital-Journal. "As a true freshman, he's showing."


Next: at Oklahoma State, Oct. 24.


KANSAS STATE (3-3, 0-3)


Game: Oklahoma 55, Kansas State 0. The Wildcats managed only 110 total yards while allowing 568 to the Sooners as Bill Snyder, in his 24th season as coach, suffered his worst loss at Kansas State. QB Joe Hubener started for the Wildcats and came out throwing the football, even though Oklahoma ranked eighth in the Big 12 in rush defense. After going 4-of-14 for 39 yards with two interceptions, Hubener was replaced in the second quarter by Kody Cook, who started at wide receiver. Cook was 1-for-8 passing as the Wildcats finished 5-for-22 with three interceptions.


Takeaway: Play-calling for Kansas State was strange in the previous two games, both of which were narrow defeats in which the Wildcats allowed late scores against Oklahoma State and TCU.


Although Oklahoma was susceptible to the run, and coming in off a loss during which it allowed 313 yards on the ground to Texas, the Wildcats attacked through the air at the outset.


"I am not a game-planner, but if you saw the (Texas) game, I would have run the ball," said Oklahoma DE Matt Dimon. "That is what we thought they were going to do, but they came out slinging it. They had the wind. I didn't get a run-block until the eighth or ninth play. It was surprising, but I'll take what they give us."


An indicator for the kind of day it would be came on the first play of the Wildcats' second series. Hubener launched a bomb to wide-open WR Deante Burton, but the receiver appeared to slow down on his route and the ball fell incomplete just beyond Burton's grasp on what was a sure touchdown.


From there, Oklahoma stuffed anything attempted by Kansas State, which did not hand the ball to a running back until the first play of its fourth possession when Charles Jones was stopped for no gain.


Problems also mounted for the Wildcats defensively. Oklahoma scored at will, claiming a 35-0 halftime margin on five touchdown passes by QB Baker Mayfield.


"All of us are embarrassed," said Snyder, whose worst loss previously came in his third season (1991) when the Wildcats lost 56-3 at Washington.


"I can't remember being involved in a game like this since 1989, the first year we were here, and I don't know if we had one that bad during that first go-round. I'm not smart enough to really put my finger on it. I feel badly for the guys in the locker room, but we weren't prepared to play, and it's more than the emotional preparation. We all share in it and it's my responsibility."


Next: at Texas, Oct. 24.


OKLAHOMA (5-1, 2-1)


Game: Oklahoma 55, Kansas State 0. Baker Mayfield completed 20-of-27 passes for 282 yards and the first of his five touchdown strikes (all in the first half) came 64 seconds into the game. The No. 19 Sooners raced to 30 first downs and generated 568 total yards while also holding the Wildcats to 110 yards and seven first downs. While Oklahoma's passers did anything they wanted through the air, the defense snagged three interceptions while holding Kansas State to 45 yards passing on 5-for-22 accuracy.


Takeaway: Following a disturbing loss to Texas a week before in the Red River Rivalry, the Sooners needed to recover and did so convincingly. Just one Kansas State series crossed into Oklahoma territory and it ended on a missed field goal.


"That was probably the best game we've played as a team in a long time -- offense, defense and special teams," said defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. "That was the great part about this win. It was a team win. Last week, it was a total team loss in all facets of the game."


Stoops' brother Bob was even more succinct after improving to 16-1 in games that followed the matchup with Texas, and also rose to 6-0 against Kansas State in Manhattan, where both he and Mike once served as assistants under Bill Snyder.


"It's one of our better ones, complete that way," Bob Stoops said.


The aggravating element is the performances came back-to-back. Now critics are left to wonder what kind of team Oklahoma possesses. Certainly the potential is there to compete with virtually any team, including a pair of Big 12 clubs ranked among the nation's finest, No. 2 Baylor and No. 3 TCU. But the stinker at Texas remains a curiosity.


"We talked about it," CB Zack Sanchez told the Tulsa World after grabbing two interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown. "It wasn't that guys weren't ready (for Texas). Bad things happened real fast, and it's hard to get back up after those things. But we have to do a better job of limiting those bad things, and after they do, bouncing back."


Against Kansas State, there was no need to recover. Oklahoma dominated the entire game and managed its first Big 12 shutout since a 52-0 win over Iowa State in 2010.


"We had been itching to get back on the field after last week," Sanchez added. "Everybody was fired up and ready to play. We definitely had the edge and probably a little more today."


Next: vs. Texas Tech, Oct. 24.


OKLAHOMA STATE (6-0, 3-0)


Game: Idle.


Next: vs. Kansas, Oct. 24.


TCU (7-0, 4-0)


Game: TCU 45, Iowa State 21. QB Trevone Boykin again bolstered his Heisman Trophy credentials with 436 yards passing and four touchdowns as the No. 3 Horned Frogs claimed their third road win in four weeks. WR Josh Doctson added 190 yards receiving and two touchdowns, breaking his own school records for receiving yards and TDs in a season as TCU used 31 unanswered points to put away the host Cyclones. A 3-yard touchdown run by Boykin provided a 17-point advantage with 14:36 remaining and he followed with a TD strike to Doctson six minutes later. The win was the 15th in a row, a TCU record.


Takeaway: After several weeks of dealing with injuries that created a patchwork defense, TCU coach Gary Patterson is finally expressing some frustration over the tight games the Horned Frogs seem intent on playing.


"I think I'm just going to start not coming out until the second half," he said. "We might be the worst first quarter defense in college football right now. After that, they seem to wake up."


Iowa State scored on the opening possession and added two more touchdowns to gain a 21-14 advantage after the first period. The Horned Frogs then administered a shutout the remainder of the game and soared into sole possession of first place in the Big 12, a half-game ahead of two other unbeaten teams, Baylor and Oklahoma State.


The early jitters not only were felt by the Frogs' defense, but also Boykin and company.


"The first half was kind of rough, but it was mainly we needed to just settle down and play our game," Boykin said. "The defense came up with stops. The only thing we can do on our side of the ball is try to score points."


Boykin generated 510 yards of total offense and accounted for five touchdowns, boosting his career total to 104 TDs, a TCU record. He completed 84.4 percent of his passes, the best completion rate of the season, going 27-of-32.


Still, the slow start was reminiscent of Big 12 games at Texas Tech and Kansas State which the Horned Frogs had to squeak out in the final minute for victories. TCU plays at home in three of its remaining five games and will have additional time to prepare for an Oct. 29 matchup against West Virginia.


"We have to quit playing tentative when we go on the road," Patterson said. "It's really three ballgames we've played like this. Once we get them settled down and get into rhythm, it's been OK."


Next: vs. West Virginia, Oct. 29.


TEXAS (2-4, 1-2)


Game: Idle.


Next: vs. Kansas State, Oct. 24.


TEXAS TECH (5-2, 2-2)


Game: Texas Tech 30, Kansas 20. SS Jah'Shawn Johnson returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown with 4:07 remaining as the Red Raiders halted a concerted upset bid by the Jayhawks, who scored two touchdowns earlier in the fourth quarter to pull within 23-20. RB DeAndre Washington gained 90 of his 160 rushing yards in the fourth quarter as Texas Tech evened its Big 12 record with a second straight win. QB Patrick Mahomes, who led the Big 12 in passing yardage going in, threw for 359 yards but was sacked five times by a Kansas defense that came in allowing an average of 45 points.


Takeaway: An early kickoff on the road against arguably the worst team in a Power-5 conference proved to be an unfulfilling challenge for Texas Tech. And the Red Raiders almost paid dearly before Johnson's interception return blunted the Jayhawks' fourth quarter rally.


"I thought we had mature players who could get it done and handle it," Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "But we're playing with those young wide receivers that all got nervous and started dropping balls, and (Kansas defenders) walked down, played man and we couldn't win."


Kingsbury was referring to winning the matchups, though the outcome of the game eventually was in question too, a development that disappointed the Tech coach.


"I mean, it was a disaster," Kingsbury added. "The quarterback (Mahomes) didn't play well at all. DeAndre was the only guy that took us on his back at times and got it done."


The loss was the 51st for the Jayhawks in their last 54 Big 12 games which reflects just how difficult it can be to play in a stadium that is half-full at best.


Still, it's not like Texas Tech is a team accustomed to beating league opponents after finishing 4-8 last season with a 2-7 league mark last year. Those victories were against Kansas and Iowa State by a collective total of 14 points.


A second-quarter injury to OT Le'Raven Clark, an All-American who caught a two-point conversion pass, proved devastating to the Tech line, which had trouble protecting Mahomes. Although he will undergo more medical tests, Clark was withheld in the second half as a precautionary measure.


The Texas Tech offense was limited to three second half points, settling for a 25-yard field goal from PK Clayton Hatfield late in the third quarter following a 68-yard drive. The Red Raiders benefitted from three missed field goals and a missed extra point by Kansas.


Next: at Oklahoma, Oct. 24.


WEST VIRGINIA (3-3, 0-3)


Game: Baylor 62, West Virginia 38. Skyler Howard completed 18-of-37 passes for 289 yards, four touchdowns and an interception but it was far from enough to keep pace with the No. 2 Bears. WR Shelton Gibson scored on a 70-yard strike at the 12:45 mark of the first quarter to tie the game at 7-7, but the Mountaineers played from behind the rest of the way and remain winless in the Big 12. Gibson added a 100-yard kickoff return for West Virginia's last score. RB Wendell Smallwood added 89 yards rushing, ending a three-game streak of 100-yard performances.


Takeaway: With 692 yards to go with its 62 points, Baylor pretty much produced what it came in averaging, although the Bears could have tacked on another score in the final seconds and opted to take a knee instead.


Afterward, the West Virginia staff could only credit Baylor and shrug over the performance, though the Mountaineers blew first half scoring opportunities that could have tightened the 27-17 deficit they faced at the break.


"Baylor's got a great team, they've got great confidence and they're really good on offense," defensive coordinator Tony Gibson said. "Are we 62 points bad defensively? I guess against them we are. It's not like we gave them any free ones."


West Virginia came leading the country with 13 interceptions through five games. Still, the Mountaineers are short-handed with S Karl Joseph, an influential All-Big 12 senior, out for the season with a knee injury suffered in practice prior to the Oct. 10 loss to Oklahoma State.


Without Joseph, who had three picks in the season opener, the Mountaineers failed to disrupt Baylor quarterback Seth Russell, who accounted for 380 yards passing and 160 rushing, with no turnovers.


"If they let us play with 14 (defenders), maybe we'd be able to get it done," Gibson added. "We had 11, and we didn't. We weren't good enough."


After scoring on their fourth play from scrimmage, the Bears added TD drives that consisted of seven, six, eight, one, seven and eight plays. The longest march required three minutes, 14 seconds, and was executed by Baylor backups.


"We've got some young guys and some inexperienced guys who will continue to improve," West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said. "With the experience they have on offense, we can't outscore them. We've got to have them have an off day where they miss throws and we create some turnovers. Clearly, we didn't have that."


Next: at TCU, Oct. 29.


NOTES, QUOTES


--Baylor seems capable of doing virtually anything at will on offense, in large part because it can. Still, there are adjustments the Bears make depending on the strategy of opponents.


In their 62-38 romp over West Virginia, the Bears encountered a tight grouping of defenders as the Mountaineers stacked the box with as many as seven defenders to take away Shock Linwood.


Although the Big 12 rushing leader had some trouble getting going, which is often how the Bears loosen defenses to make their passing game more effective, they still managed to rush the ball. QB Seth Russell found openings on keepers, gaining 160 yards on 14 carries.


"It's basically pick your poison," Russell said. "That's the way I like to look at it. If we continue to executive with our deep balls, and we hit a couple, which was good, (the runs) softened them up. As long as we're able to continue to run the ball and throw the ball, we'll be able to come out on top."


In addition to stacking the box defensively, West Virginia wanted to control the clock. Still, Baylor scored in such a hurry -- and so often -- that the plan backfired. The longest it took the Bears to convert on any of their eight touchdown drives was three minutes, 14 seconds, and that was on a march executed by their reserves.


WR Jay Lee added TD receptions of 36 and 52 yards to go with three scoring grabs from WR Corey Coleman. And, if you're wondering about Linwood, he still managed 84 yards and one touchdown, though his 4.4-yard average was somewhat pedestrian.


--TCU has battled injuries all season, including setbacks to Ty Slanina and Kolby Listenbee that thinned the Horned Frogs' receiving corps. Another wideout, freshman KaVontae Turpin, was injured in the first quarter at Iowa State.


That placed even more responsibility on WR Josh Doctson, a standout TCU can ill afford to lose. But Doctson lay hurt on the field for a few minutes also in the first quarter. Eventually he popped up and ran off the field, but soon headed to the locker room for additional treatment.


Doctson eventually returned, to the relief of his teammates and was back playing at his usual star level, leading TCU with 10 receptions for 190 yards and two touchdowns as it clubbed Iowa State 45-21.


"It's a huge difference when you don't have the best receiver in college football on the field," said QB Trevone Boykin. "When we're going, it's a big missing piece, but it's an opportunity for other guys to step up and make plays."


Still, none of the Frogs can match Docton's production. After his quick recovery, Doctson finished the first half with seven catches for 129 yards. He eventually bettered his own school record for receiving yards in a season (1,018) by boosting his season total to 1,067. His school-record 12th touchdown catch of the season came in the fourth quarter when he raced to paydirt with a 42-yard score.


Injuries remain an issue for TCU because of the need to groom backups, particularly on defense. At the halfway mark, Boykin approved the growth he has seen from that unit while affecting the Frogs' tendency to outscore opponents.


"We're playing with a lot of young guys on the defensive side of the ball," Boykin stressed while looking ahead to a bye week. "We get some off time for those guys and who are getting more reps at practice. It's a huge confidence boost for those guys."


--Kansas has so many issues to address that special teams seem to get lost in preparation. For that, the Jayhawks suffered in their upset bid against Texas Tech.


Three missed field goals and a missed extra point cost them 10 points, which happened to coincide with the Red Raiders' margin of victory in the 30-20 defeat.


Problems began when Matthew Wyman missed from 52 yards just two minutes into the game. Wyman also missed another attempt, while freshman PK Nick Bartoletta field to connect on a 22-yard chip shot as well as a PAT.


"It's a situation where it's absolutely, unbelievably disappointing for our coaches, our players," said David Beaty, the Jayhawks' first-year coach. "There was a technique flaw, and you know what, we don't get to whine and complain."


Instead, the Kansas staff must correct the kicking flaws, along with numerous other deficiencies that began to smooth out somewhat behind a strong performance from QB Ryan Willis.


Still, missed kicks can adversely affect the offensive strides the Jayhawks showed are possible.


"All those kids that were involved, those guys wanted to make those things just as much as anybody else," Beaty said.


If there was a bright spot on special teams, it was that Wyman replaced Eric Kahn as the Kansas punter and averaged 42.3 yards on three attempts. Net punting has been another issue for the Jayhawks and prevented them from flipping field position.


"I punted, like, three times in high school. Two out of three were good," Wyman said. "We'll bounce back. We work hard. I blame it on myself, these misses. Just mental errors."


QUOTE TO NOTE:


"We know we've got to start faster. That's something that we all know, and you can see it. Everybody knows it, so that's just something we're going to have to work on over (an off week). We don't come out, of course, and plan to start like that. It's just something that happens, but it's something we are going to fix. We're going to fix it." -- TCU DE Josh Carraway.


STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL


FIVE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 7 IN THE BIG 12:


1. Oklahoma regained its swagger by handing Bill Snyder his worst defeat in 24 years as Kansas State's coach. The Sooners rolled to a 55-0 road shutout, holding the Wildcats to 111 yards and allowing them to cross midfield only once. Nice rebound for OU coming off a stunning defeat against arch-rival Texas.


2. TCU again struggled at the outset, falling behind by a touchdown after one quarter at Iowa State before holding the Cyclones scoreless over the final 45 minutes. QB Trevone Boykin continued to build his Heisman Trophy credentials as the Horned Frogs claimed their third league road win in four weeks.


3. Baylor remains unstoppable on offense as QB Seth Russell and WR Corey Coleman hooked up repeatedly as the Bears rolled past West Virginia. The win avenged the only defeat Baylor suffered in Big 12 play last season. The Mountaineers crammed the box defensively yet Russell answered with 160 yards rushing.


4. Kansas actually showed signs of life as QB Ryan Willis, a true freshman, passed for 330 yards and led the Jayhawks on a fourth quarter comeback bid against Texas Tech. A pick-six by the Red Raiders' JahShawn Johnson halted the rally, but first-year coach David Beaty has at least found his quarterback.


5. Kansas State is in shambles under Bill Snyder, a rare position for the veteran coach. Play-calling remains questionable as the Wildcats tried to establish their aerial attack early on against Oklahoma after the Sooners allowed 313 yards rushing the week before against Texas. Kansas State was bad defensively too.

 

[indiana]

C/note........sure appreciate all you do here at the RX...........continued success with your action...........indy

 

[CNOTES]

Obama offers condolences to Harbaugh
October 19, 2015


ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) President Barack Obama has given his condolences to Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh following the Wolverines' stunning loss to Michigan State.


Harbaugh tells The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press that he and his wife, Sara, met with the president Monday at the White House following an appearance with first lady Michelle Obama at a higher education awareness event.


He says Barack Obama watched Saturday's 27-23 loss to the Spartans and told the coach it ''was a tough way to lose a football game.''


Leading 23-21, the Wolverines lined up to punt with 10 seconds left, but punter Blake O'Neill fumbled the snap. Michigan State's Jalen Watts-Jackson ended up with the ball and went 38 yards for a touchdown with no time left on the clock.

 

[CNOTES]

Backup QB Walsh contributes for OK State
October 20, 2015


STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) Although he is considered a backup, senior quarterback J.W. Walsh has still been a major contributor to No. 14 Oklahoma State's success so far this season - both in red zone situations and as a leader and mentor.


Mason Rudolph is the starter, winning the job over Walsh last spring, but Walsh has excelled in limited action, helping the Cowboys (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) score on 28 of 29 trips inside the 20-yard line, ranking third in the nation in red zone efficiency.


''J.W. is a big part of our offense and a big part of our football team,'' Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. ''We need to expand his role as much as possible. It's not as easy as what people think, but he has success when he's in there.''


OSU comes off its bye week and prepares to face Kansas (0-6, 0-3) at home on Saturday, and Walsh will likely have an impact in the most crucial situations once again. He was a major reason that Oklahoma State emerged from its last outing on Oct. 10 with a win.


Walsh scored the game-winning touchdown on a 2-yard run, on fourth down in overtime, to lift the Cowboys to a 33-26 victory at West Virginia after they squandered a 17-2 halftime lead. He also threw a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Blake Jarwin earlier in the contest.


Overall on the season, Walsh has completed 9 of 13 passes for 61 yards and five touchdowns, while also rushing for 90 yards and three scores on 21 carries - with almost all of his snaps coming in the red zone. He has accounted for at least one touchdown in every game.


''I wish he could do more because he deserves to be in there more, and he's good for our offense,'' Gundy said. ''(But) I don't want to be disruptive with the flow that Mason has in the game. And I'm not sure I have the answer for that. But he's played very well and we've been very successful when he's been in there.''


Perhaps even more valuable for the Cowboys, though, has been Walsh's leadership. As a fifth-year senior who started 10 games over the previous three seasons, fashioning a 7-3 record, his team-first attitude sets a positive example that commands instant respect in the locker room, and his enthusiasm on the sidelines is a constant source of inspiration to his teammates.


''He's a leader for us,'' Rudolph said. ''He's a veteran guy, he's been around here for a while, he knows how it works, he knows what it takes to win games, and he provides leadership for not only the offense, but the entire team.''


Additionally, Walsh, also known as ''J-Dub,'' has served as a mentor to Rudolph, a sophomore who is still learning lessons on a weekly basis.


''J-Dub's a great guy,'' said Rudolph, who threw a career-high three interceptions against West Virginia, although he also ranks 16th in the nation with 1,892 passing yards this season. ''He's got a lot of experience, playing in the different atmospheres that I've played in this year, so he's just got the experience factor, and he's able to kind of shoot me some knowledge and some help in different situations.''


That Walsh has been so supportive to the guy that took his job, in his final year of college football, demonstrates impressive character.


''He's an unbelievable person,'' offensive lineman Zach Crabtree said. ''He's a winner, and will do anything, at all costs, to win a game. J.W. doesn't care if he's touching the ball, if he's not touching the ball, if he's getting plays, if he's not getting plays.


''At the end of the day, he wants to win football games. Not to speak for him, but that's just what he sells to us as an offense, `I'll do whatever it takes to win.' He's a great leader.''

 

[CNOTES]

Alabama rolling after team meeting
October 19, 2015


TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) The wins, points and big defensive plays have been piling up for No. 8 Alabama.


The Crimson Tide's muscle-flexing hot streak began with a players only meeting convened after a loss filled with blunders and aborted comebacks.


Since then, the Tide (6-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) has rolled over two top 10 teams on the road with help from a barrage of defensive touchdowns. The blunders have been mostly committed by the other team and as for comebacks, Alabama only trailed once in the past four games - by four points against Arkansas at halftime.


''When we do what we need to do, we don't feel like anybody can beat us,'' defensive end Jonathan Allen said, when asked about the theme of that team meeting. ''When we execute to the best of our abilities, and play physical up front and on the back end we feel like we're a tough defense to score on. If they can't score, they can't win.''


Alabama, which hosts Tennessee (3-3, 1-2) on Saturday, has certainly looked like Nick Saban's typical formidable team in winning four consecutive games by a collective score of 140-47.


The Tide has forced 11 turnovers, returning four interceptions for touchdowns, during that four game stretch. Alabama has coughed up the ball six times after No. 23 Mississippi forced five and cashed in on a couple of bombs for scores in a 43-37 win. One of those was deflected off a helmet and on another, the Rebels appeared to have an ineligible lineman downfield.


Regardless, Alabama players held a meeting where Allen said a number of team leaders spoke their minds. Linebacker Reggie Ragland said evidence that the message has sunk in abounds even when the TV cameras aren't around.


''Ever since then, guys have been on each other,'' Ragland said. ''Guys that never would talk are talking. Guys that were lazy aren't being lazy any more. We're doing our jobs. Everybody's doing our job and if we keep doing that, we'll be a tough team to beat.''


Wins over then-No. 8 Georgia and then-No. 9 Texas A&M pushed coach Nick Saban past Bear Bryant in one category. He now has more road wins over Top 10 teams than the college football icon, going 6-1 at Alabama.


Tennessee, meanwhile, is coming off an open date after rallying to beat Georgia.


Volunteers coach Butch Jones said the turnovers in the Ole Miss loss were the main difference in Alabama's play.


''They're playing the same way they played. They just have taken care of the football better, and they're playing with a lot of confidence right now,'' Jones said.


There are plenty of differences beyond cutting down the turnovers, though. Alabama set a school record with three interception returns for touchdowns against Texas A&M. Freshman Minkah Fitzpatrick had two of them and also scored on a blocked punt against Georgia. Eddie Jackson took one pick 93 yards against the Aggies and another 50 yards versus the Bulldogs.


The four interception returns for touchdowns ties the 2008 team for the most in Saban's tenure.


Tailback Derrick Henry has run 85 times for 479 yards over the past three games. Like his team, quarterback Jake Coker has played his best in the big road games.


Saban was noncommittal when asked if the loss led some players to focus in more. He'd prefer to discuss the present, anyway.


''I know we have a lot of competitors on our team that were not satisfied with that performance and we have tried to get better,'' he said. ''But my point of emphasis is `Where are we now? What do we need to do to get better?'''

 

[CNOTES]

Hokies give QB duties back to Brewer
October 19, 2015


Michael Brewer is once again Virginia Tech's starting quarterback.


He played in relief of struggling Brenden Motley in the Hokies' 30-20 loss at Miami on Saturday. It was his first action since he broke his left collarbone in Virginia Tech's season-opening loss to No. 1 Ohio State.


The Hokies (3-4, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) host Duke (5-1, 2-0) on Saturday.


Offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler said the time is right to make the change.


Motley had thrown just three passes in his career when he was called on to replace Brewer against the Buckeyes. He acquitted himself nicely despite his inexperience, but struggled against the Hurricanes, throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble.


Brewer played the fourth quarter, throwing for one touchdown and also getting intercepted.


''Over the last couple of weeks, he was able to obtain some practice reps and try to get the glitches out of his shoulder injury,'' Loeffler said of Brewer. ''And I think in the time he's been gone, Motley's done an excellent job. He stumbled Saturday and it's just the right time for Virginia Tech to have Michael as our quarterback.


Brewer started all 13 games for the Hokies last season. When he was hurt against the Buckeyes, the Hokies trailed 21-17 but had just crossed into Ohio State territory. With Motley taking over, the Hokies faded, 42-24.


Brewer was cleared to return to practice in a non-contact capacity a few weeks ago, but was only given medical clearance to get back into game situations last week. Loeffler said he never considered starting the senior.


''I think this week of practice will be essential for him,'' he said. ''Like I said, after having the type of injury that he had, to throw him in the mix right off the get-go was not right, not fair. The fact of the matter is ... Brenden Motley was doing a phenomenal job and has done a phenomenal job being in the situation that he was in.''


Wide receiver Isaiah Ford had clearly developed a good chemistry with Motley. The sophomore leads the Hokies with 32 receptions for 497 yards, and he leads the ACC with seven touchdown receptions, but he said with Virginia Tech struggling to get its season moving in the right direction again, the change to Brewer makes sense.


''We've got to go out and prepare hard just like we do every week,'' Ford said Monday. ''With him being back, maybe he'll give us kind of a boost of confidence if anything. Like I said last week, though, we never lost our swagger.


''But there's just little things that need to be fixed and we need to fix them this week.''


Ford and tight end Bucky Hodges each caught scoring passes from Brewer last season as the Hokies edged the Blue Devils 17-16, but Duke arrives this season with some of the best defensive numbers in the country.


Duke ranks fourth in total defense, and second in pass defense, allowing less than 145 yards per game.

 

[CNOTES]

Florida holds 'all call' for kickers
October 19, 2015


GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Florida's kicking situation has gone from depleted to desperate.


The 13th-ranked Gators sent out an ''all call'' for kickers Monday after Jorge Powell was injured at LSU. Powell was run over during a kickoff. And with top kicker Austin Hardin also dealing with a leg injury, coach Jim McElwain has few, if any, other options on his roster.


So Florida took to Twitter ''looking for walk-on kickers.'' The team asked for any interested and eligible students to visit the football office by 4:30 p.m. Monday for a tryout.


The good news for the Gators (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) is they are off this week before playing rival Georgia (5-2, 3-2) in Jacksonville on Halloween. So they have extra time to get healthy or get a walk-on up to speed.

 

[CNOTES]

TCU's Boykin putting up big offense
October 19, 2015


Trevone Boykin is separating himself from the nation's other prolific quarterbacks. He's the only one to go over 500 yards in total offense three times. No other QB has done it more than once.


The TCU quarterback's latest 500-yard game came in Saturday's 45-21 win over Iowa State.


He now owns three of the top nine single-game totals this season. His 527 yards against Texas Tech ranks No. 5, his 510 against Iowa State is No. 7 and his 504 against SMU is No. 9.


Boykin's average of 425.6 yards ranks second to Bowling Green QB Matt Johnson's 428.3.


The senior from Dallas has recorded seven of the top 10 total-offense games in TCU history.


---


Some other notable statistics:


STANFORD STAR:


Christian McCaffrey's 369 all-purpose yards against UCLA last Thursday are most in the nation this season. He rushed for a school-record 243 yards, caught a pass for 4 yards and had 122 kick return yards, with 96 coming on a first-quarter return that ended with him brought down at the UCLA 4. The son of former NFL receiver Ed McCaffrey leads the FBS with 253 all-purpose yards per game.


BALL-HAWKING AGGIES:


Utah State had eight takeaways in its 52-26 win over then-No. 21 Boise State and rose to fourth nationally in turnover margin at plus-1.5 per game. The eight takeaways were the Aggies' most in a game since at least 1993, according to the school. Utah State has at least three takeaways in four straight games and 95 in its last 43 games.


COUGAR CRAZINESS:


Mike Leach's ''Air Raid'' offense is averaging 485.3 yards a game at Washington State, and no team has completed more passes than the Cougars. You'd think there would have been some really big plays along the way. But the Cougars remain the only team in the nation to not have a play from scrimmage of 40 yards or longer. In fact, only 13 teams have had fewer than the Cougars' nine plays of 30 yards or longer. The quick, short-pass offense is sixth in plays of 10 yards-plus, however, with 123.


NATIONAL LEADERS:


LSU's Leonard Fournette is the nation's top rusher at 200.3 yards a game. Florida State's Dalvin Cook is second at 159.2. Bowling Green's Johnson is the national passing leader at 413 yards a game. TCU's Josh Doctson is the leading receiver at 152.4 yards a game.


QB RUSHING RECORD:


Jason Vander Laan of Division II Ferris State set the NCAA all-division record for career rushing yards by a quarterback. The junior ran for 161 yards against Ohio Dominican to increase his total to 5,218 yards in 40 games. Wofford's Shawn Graves (1989-92) held the previous mark of 5,128 yards. Vander Laan also has 70 career TDs rushing, two shy of the Division II record for most by a quarterback.

 

[CNOTES]

Clemson faces tough tests on the road
October 19, 2015

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) No. 6 Clemson is hitting the road, stepping out of its comfort zone and focused on duplicating the success the Tigers have had at home.


The Tigers (3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) have started 6-0 for the third time in five seasons with all but one of their contests in the cozy confines of Memorial Stadium. Now, they're faced with back-to-back road trips, starting Saturday at Miami (4-2, 1-1).


Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said the players seem prepared to take on the challenges that come with playing away from Death Valley, where the Tigers have won a school-record 14 straight at home with last week's 34-17 win over Boston College.


''We've had a lot of fun at home, but to do what we want to, we've got to win on the road,'' Scott said Monday.


Clemson struggled in its lone chance off campus, holding off Louisville 20-17 in a way-closer-than-expected contest on national TV where the Tigers figured to make their case as one of the country's top teams.


Instead, quarterback Deshaun Watson struggled to move the offense and Clemson was held to its fewest points of the season. Still, the 6-foot-3 sophomore leads the ACC with 14 touchdown passes, three of those coming this past Saturday. Watson was named ACC offensive back of the week, throwing for a season-high 420 yards in the win over Eagles.


''Obviously, Louisville, we got a taste of it and didn't play our best game,'' Scott said. ''But I don't think it was a situation where we came home and said, `Our guys are scared to death to play on the road.'''


Watson said the oddity of a midweek game and opening ACC play led to a sluggish performance. There won't be a similar slow start against the Hurricanes, he said.


''I think we're ready. I think we're prepared,'' Watson said. ''It doesn't matter where we play. We have a standard that we play to and wherever we go, we're going to take that standard and perform.''


The road, though, hasn't been kind to the Tigers in recent years.


Clemson is 17-4 in its past 21 games - all those defeats coming in true road games. That record also includes two neutral site games when Clemson defeated Ohio State in the Orange Bowl after the 2013 season and Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl last December.


Miami enters off a 30-20 victory over Virginia Tech where it forced four turnovers and rebounded from its loss a week earlier to rival Florida State. Clemson presents as difficult a challenge as the Hurricanes have faced, Miami defensive lineman Chad Thomas said.


''We've got our focus on heavy next week,'' he said. ''Practice, we've got to go hard in practice. We've got to go to meeting rooms, major flim. That's just the next game and we've got to take on the challenge.''


Players say they understand what they must do to attack the challenge.


Center Jay Guillermo, who won his second straight ACC offensive lineman of the week award Monday, said the location of the game can't affect the rock-solid approach Clemson has taken all season.


''We missed some opportunities at Louisville for sure,'' he said. ''But we always try and prepare the same and have the same mentality, matter where we're playing. We'll be all right.''


Scott said that also means not thinking about Clemson's high ranking or implications each game has on its College Football Playoff chances. The Tigers come off a dominant showing over the Eagles, the coordinator added, yet slipped a spot in the Top 25.


There's too much of the season left for Clemson to think about piling up points to pass some experts' eye test, Scott said.


''From a big picture standpoint, I don't really see a situation where if we take care of our business in our league,'' he said, ''there's not a big concern on our part that we'd get left out.''