Despite this not being the most marquee match ups week ...
The has been some really solid football played.
Pitt threw everything they had at Clemson. Coming back from 17-7 at the half, the Panthers fought with perseverance to tie things up 17-17 late in the 4th quarter.
Getting the ball back, going down and scoring a FG to take a 20-17 lead looked like they may have sealed the game away, with only 1:36 left.
Alas, but it would be for naught.
Clemson stormed back, scoring rather quickly, with a 50 yard TD run by QB Cade Klubnick, giving the Tigers a 24-20 lead with only 1:16 of game time remaining.
Pat Narduzzi played to protect the Field Goal, but didn't hold the ball well to run the clock. Yarnell was sacked twice in that last series, just before they kicked the FG. But they gave Clemson enough time to do something.
Disheartening for Pitt, is they had held Clemson from scoring the entire second half, until that last drive with only a minute and a half left. Giving up a TD in 20 seconds had to be the most deflating thing, not just for their sideline, but the stadium, as this game was played in Acrisure Stadium.
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Boston College / SMU was really worth the watch ...
Being down by 10 much of the game, the Eagles flipped the scoreboard and took the lead 21-20, clearly seizing the momentum.
Midway through the 3rd, SMU scores a TD, and a 2 point conversion to give them a one possession lead, 28-21.
Putting up another FG, SMU reestablished a 10 point lead, making it feel like the game might have been decided.
Holdup!
BC was not finished. Making their way back across the goal line, getting within 3 points. All they need is one stop, and they may even win this thing.
SMU would not be denied the win, however. Gambling down on the Boston College 5, they go for it on 4th down, taking the ball into the end zone, putting the score out of reach at 38-28, with just 8 seconds left on the clock.
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An off sides penalty vs Louisville, followed by an Unsportsman Like Foul, took Stanford from an immanent Overtime, to giving them an opportunity for a Game winning FG attempt.
Louisville led most of the game. Thought, Stanford just kept hanging in there. When the game seemed decided, the California Cardinal whittled away at the lead, until they finally tied things up at 35.
The Kentucky Birds did just about everything they could to help Stanford's cause.
Sure enough, two penalties were the major deciding factor, as the setup for a last second FG with the game tied 35-35, and It's Good!
Louisville proves why you need to stay focused, and play disciplined from whistle to whistle.
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There's gonna be a lot of disgruntled football fans complaining about refs coming out of the state of Nebraska.
There was no guarantee that if they get the PI call, that they score on the next play. But the penalty would have occurred in the end zone, putting the ball on the 2 yard line.
The Huskers also needed a 2 point conversion, had they gotten the TD, just to take things into Overtime.
That being said ...
If I could have played Receivers like that, and not had Pass Interference called on me, then I could have started for a D1 Program too.
0:05 left in the game.
1 Play, ball thrown to the inside right side of the end zone.
The ball is behind the receiver but easily catchable.
The DB visibly grabs the WR's jersey with both hand, not even remotely unnoticeable.
Tugs and holds the Receiver from getting back to the ball.
A second DB dives in there and makes the Interception with no time left.
No Flag
This was one Hell of a competitive game.
Mostly, it was one offensive mistake after another that stifled each team.
In the end, you don't want to see such a good game end in such an illegitimate way.
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LSU goes Down ...
It felt like this was going to be the outcome.
There were moments when it seemed as though the Tigers might establish control.
The lizards just kept on playing with intensity. And, 'Round about the 4th quarter, it began to feel obvious.
Explosive plays won the day.
This game stayed close up til near the end.
Early in the 4th, the reptiles went 45 yards in 3 plays to go up 20-13.
LSU moved the ball, but struggled once they got past the 50.
Settling for a FG, it didn't look good for them. They needed a big Defensive play to generate momentum.
Instead, the swamp bellies moved the ball 75 yards in 3 plays, going up by 11, with just 3:48 left on the game clock.
Then the flurDah! D-Front harassed Nussmeier, getting pressure, forcing bad throws and sacking him. He got squashed on a play that they took him off the field and put him through concussion protocol.
Seriously, here are two teams on completely opposite trajectories.
flurDah! has been steadily improving, showing he players are really starting to buy into the system, and development is unmistakable.
LSU, on the other hand, is continuing to slide backwards.
Just a couple of weeks ago, they were tied with Texas A&M for first place in the SEC.
They have since lost 3 in a row, falling to 9th place in conference.
Conversely, with tonight's win, the reptiles are one victory away from Bowl Eligibility.
And they still have fsu before season's end.
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Oh, Missouri ...
You almost had them.
You scored a TD with merely 1:10 left in the game, to take a 30-27 lead. You even got the 2 point conversion to make it a 3 point lead, just in case they were able to manage FG range to tie things up.
Giving up a TD with 15 seconds left, is simply devastating.
Let's not overlook Shane Beamer's turn around of the South Carolina program.
These guys weren't going to give up. And they got the "W".
In the meanwhile, Mizzou falls to 3-3 in the SEC, most assuredly knocking them out of Conference title hopes.
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And Now ... ... ... ...
Mountainman, I'm not sure whether to be disappointed for you, or happy for you.
I know you want Brown out. And if he keeps winning, it'll hard to get rid of him sooner than later.
This was a close game for quite some time. And it had a feel like things could go either way. Especially when the `Eers found the end zone to finish out the 3rd quarter.
Then there was a series of busted plays and mistakes.And Baylor pulled away with it, without making it look difficult.
Maybe someone could make a case for, things just went bad on the road ... but this was In Morgantown.
Forcing those last points under a minute while being down by 21 felt just, sad.
The final score looks bad enough, and that doesn't even show how bad of a loss by poor performance in the 4th quarter he game really turned out to be.
MM, my hope for you, is a Lump of Coal on Brown's stocking, and a Bright, Auspicious new head coach under the Mountain Tree, this Christmas.
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Games on right now ...
Tennessee / Georgia
Boise State / San José State
Wisconsin / Oregon
Cincinnati / Iowa State
Wake Forest / North Carolina
South Alabama / Louisiana
Are all competitive.
The night's not over yet.
.
.
.
I’ll let the emojis do it.
