Conference Calls: Rivalry Week
LSU vs Arkansas: Sure, Arkansas won this nailbiter. And in the leadup to the game, all eyes might have been on Arkansas's dueling quarterbacks, brothers Casey and Nathan Dick. But the true star to emerge today was LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson. No, his numbers weren't electric -- 9 of 21 for 143 yards and 2 touchdown passes -- but they're downright remarkable for a true freshman. Jefferson ran for a respectable 50 yards and, moreover, showed versatility in the pocket, running tall for one long gain of 15. He looked good out there. If I'm Les Miles, I'm not feeling so sorry about my prospects after a tough year for Tiger quarterbacks.
But if I'm Arkansas, I'm feeling like I just fought an incredible fight against the defending national champions. And I did! In a season in which comfort has been hard to come by, Arkansas -- who finishes 2-6 in the conference and 5-7 overall -- can at least point to a number of very close finishes. They had a convincing victory against then #18 Tulsa and a victory over then #20 Auburn, and their losses were even closer: a one-point loss against Kentucky, a two-point loss against Mississippi, a three-point loss against Mississippi State. Their wild blowout losses? Versus #1 Alabama, #2 Texas, and #4 Florida.
#2 Texas vs Texas A&M: Should their be any doubt left as to whether #2 Texas quarterback Colt McCoy deserves to among the top contenders of any Heisman Trophy list after Texas's winning season, the numbers in McCoy's devastating performance against chief rival A&M say it all: 23 of 28 for 211 and 2 throws for TDs in addition to 49 yards and 2 TDs scrambling. Texas A&M, well -- certainly this franchise has seen better days. Texas, on the other hand, has had many winning seasons in recent years, and in one respect this season has been the winningest: McCoy threw for 3,445 yards, the most in any season in school history.
The BCS has no love for Texas, and the Burnt Orange Nation has spent the last few Saturdays in indignity, rooting uncomfortably for victories by the likes of Oklahoma in hopes of keeping its hard-won top-ranked spot in the BCS rankings. Enough is enough: give us a damned playoffs, President-elect Obama. In the meantime, coaches should take a closer look at McCoy, who has played extraordinarily well against the toughest schedule in all college football this year.
Photo used with permission under a Creative Commons license with Flickr user Davig A G Wilson.
Virginia vs. Virginia Tech: Was that Vic Hall playing offense for Virginia? Did the high-school quarterback turned cornerback turn in the team's first touchdown on a 40-yard run? Holy hell, is he pitching the ball? Hall was all over the place in this game, but Virginia Tech kept the Cavs (and the ACC Coastal Division title) firmly within sights, winning 17-14 after some big defensive stops.
Virginia quarterback Marc Verica threw a fairly dismal 8 of 14 for 77 yards and an interception. He is, it must be noted, a sophomore, and moreover a young quarterback on a team of youngsters: There are 72 underclassmen on the Virginia squad, making it the second-youngest squad in all college football. Unfortunately, it's no excuse in today's game, since there are also 72 underclassmen playing for the Hokies, who share the nearly-youngest-team distinction.
Kansas vs #13 Missouri: Easily the best game played in a week chock full of tough rivalry contests, Kansas's upset against #13 Missouri also represents the biggest upset since September -- back in week 5, when Oregon State beat then #1 USC, Mississippi beat then #4 Florida, and Michigan beat then #9 Wisconsin. Unlike that fateful week, tonight's snowy thriller, in which the teams traded the lead in the fourth quarter with fast offensive marches for a total of 28 points, has little effect on season outcomes. Missouri's trip to the Big 12 championship game is secured, and Kansas doesn't have a bead on a top bowl.
Tonight's game was a letdown compared to last year's Border Showdown, with Kansas ranked #2 and Missouri ranked #4 and the way to the Big 12 championship depending on the game. But junior-year Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing had a game that was personally historic: Playing through some significant pain (he got clocked something good in the last game), Reesing set four school records and finished with 375 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia: On the one hand, it was the 101st meeting of the Backyard Brawl, one of the best rivalries in the East. (The rivalry in this writer's opinion. Well, that is until Penn State comes to it's senses and decides to play a real team like Pitt instead of Akron every season. But I digress.) On the other hand, it was really a battle to see who could go to the vaunted Meineke Car Care Bowl. In either case, it epitomized the Big East season -- mostly unwatchable play from two underachieving teams, with a sprinkle or two of sweetness for old times' sake. Simply put: if you didn't graduate from either school, and you managed to make it through Pitt's 19-15 win over West Virginia without falling asleep, well, congratulations. No one can deny that you're a true college football junkie (either that, or you're a production assistant at ESPN who had to put the highlights together -- still, congrats).
As far as the game goes, well, it was as ugly as it gets. Four combined interceptions (plus one fumble). The two teams combining to go 6-23 on third down. Three failed two-point conversions, including a botched Pitt quarterback draw from the seven yard line. WVU tailback Noel Devine's 17 yards on 12 carries. Pitt's interception from the two yard line right before the half, and West Virginia's rudderless 3-3-5 defense. The lone bright spot? Pitt phenom running back LeSean McCoy. The sophomore was unstoppable in the fourth quarter, rushing for two touches in the last eight minutes and 183 yards on 33 total carries, which the Mountaineers could not stifle for the second straight year. The other McCoy -- who passed Tony Dorsett and Larry Fizgerald's record for most touchdowns in a Pitt player's first two years with his 35th yesterday -- says he'll be back next year, even though he's a consensus first round pick right now. I'm sure that Pitt fans are happy to hear that. Mountaineers fans? Well, not so much.
Aaron Morrissey contributed to this report.