Week 15, 2025

Hey All,

It's time for this season's final edition of Notes on a Big Ten Scorecard.  This season just flew by.  We still miss you, Alan Malamud. 

Summary 

Big Ten Conference Championship Game  

Indiana 13-  Ohio State 10: Lucas Oil Stadium- Indianapolis, IN- The #1 Buckeyes and the #2 Hoosiers squared off in a thriller last Saturday night.  Things looked scary right away for Indiana as star QB Fernando Mendoza was leveled on the first play form scrimmage and was down on the turf for quite awhile before making it off the field under his own power.  Just two plays later he was back in the game and all was well for him after that. The first scores of the game came off interceptions.  Indiana struck first turning their turnover in for a 3-0 lead on a 29-yard FG from PK Nico Radicic.  TheeeOSU then turned their turnover into a TD when WR Carnell Tate hauled in a 9-yard scoring toss form QB Justin Sayin.  The second quarter saw both teams trade FGs with Radicic making a 32-yarder and missing from 39 yards away while Buckeye PK Jayden Fielding sent a 30-yard kick through the uprights. The score stood 10-6 in favor of TheeeOSU at the half.  Its was close, but all looked good for the Buckeyes. They haven't lost many games when ahead at the half over the last few years.  Ahhhhhh, but this Indiana squad was tough as nails and wasn't fazed by their deficit.  The third quarter saw the Hoosiers take a 13-10 lead on 7-play, 88-yard drive.  Mendoza threw an absolute laser of a pass to the left corner of the end zone to WR Elijah Sarratt for the touchdown.  All of a sudden TheeeOSU was trailing in the second half for the first time all year.  The Scarlet & Gray seemed undaunted as they took 12 plays to travel 70 yards to the IU 5-yard line. It was here that they faced a 4th and 1.  The Buckeyes went for it and seemed to make the First Down on a sneak by Sayin.  However, the play was reviewed.  This is where the Fox broadcast failed us all.  They went to commercial during the review.  When they came back from the commercial break we learned that the play had been overturned and that Sayin's knee was down short of the line to gain for the First Down.  We never saw the explanation of the review, crowd reaction or anything except for a short blurb from analyst Joel Klatt and a freeze frame of Sayin's knee being down.  That was an epic fail for Fox.  The game moved onto the final quarter and Ohio Sate went on one of those drives that smacked of arrogance and complacency.  There did not seem to be any urgency in the drive.  They just melted the clock and took 15 plays to go 81 yards.  However, once again they faced a 4th Down in the shadow of the Indiana goal line. This time they sent Fielding out to boot a 27-yard FG from the right hashmark to tie the game.  He pulled the kick wide left and the Hoosiers had the ball back with a 13-10 lead and just 2:30 left to play.  IU managed to run down most of the clock.  The Buckeyes would get the ball back, but with only :19 left at their own 14-yard line with no timeouts.  Three plays later, Indiana watched the clock hit 0:00 and they started to celebrate their first outright Big Ten title since 1945.  For the Hoosiers, Mendoza completed 15 of 23 passes for 222 yards, a TD and an interception with WR Charlie Beck grabbing 6 of those passes for 126 yards.  In the loss for the kids from Columbus, Sayin completed 20 of 29 passes for 258 yards, a TD and an interception.  His backfield mate, RB Bo Jackson led all rushers with 83 yards on 17 carries.

Telling Stat: A = L; Ohio State never thought that Indiana had a chance to win the game. Their arrogance cost them a Big Ten title. 

Observations

...Ha-Ha;  I'm not a fan of either Alabama or Miami, but watching Notre Dame not make the playoff was  pretty funny. 

...Hypcocrisy reigns;  I love how the CFP selection committee refused to penalize Alabama for being being pounded in the SEC tile game by Georgia, but did penalize BYU for being worked over by Texas Tech in the Big XII title tilt.  Then the committee had the audacity to claim that conference title games don't matter.  Facepalm.  

...Some cheese and soda bread for their whines?;  Notre Dame threw a hissy fit after not making the playoff and has officially declined a bowl bid for the post season.  Whining Irish 

...Still whining;  Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua has now said that the ACC caused "permanent damage" to the relationship between ND and the conference for backing Miami for the playoff spot over them. 

ND lost to Miami. Case closed. Get over it.  Bitter Leprechaun

...Delcined as well;  Iowa State and Kansas State also have decline bowl bids for the reason that they have each lost their HCs. However, as ND declined a bowl with no repercussions, ISU and KSU will each pay  $500,000 fine to the Big XII for doing so. A costly staycation

...The upset heard around the FCS;  QB Tommy Rittenhouse hit WR Scotty Presson, Jr with a 2-point conversion pass with :55 left to lift Illinois State two a 29-28 win over the #1 ranked North Dakota State Bison.  NDSU has been the class of the FCS for years, dominating the division with a slew of national titles.  Ahhh, but not this year.  Illinois State advances to take on UC Davis in the FCS quarterfinals next week. 

...The Bloomington is on the Rose;  Indiana will play in the Rose Bowl in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff.  The only other time the Hoosiers played in the Grandaddy of them All, they lost 14-3 in the 1968 Rose Bowl to USC.  Some RB named O.J. scored both of the Trojans TDs. 

...Stiffarm Statue musings; Will Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza hold the line and claim this year's Heisman Trophy with his incredible season or will Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love take home the award? Mendoza should win it, but Love has history on his side as an RB has won the Heisman in every year that ends in a 5.  Check it out...

1935- Jay Berwanger- Chicago 

1945- Doc Blanchard- Army

1955- Howard Cassady- Ohio State

1965- Mike Garrett- USC

1975- Archie Griffin- Ohio State

1985- Bo Jackson- Auburn 

1995- Eddie George- Ohio State 

2005- Reggie Bush- USC

2015- Derick Henry- Alabama 

...Everyone Hates Clay;  6-6 Georgia Southern couldn't find a date for the Bowl Season.  The Eagles accepted a bid to play in the Birmingham Bowl, but nobody would go along with them.  7, yes 7 other teams rejected the bowl bid.  Finally, 5-7 Appalachian State accepted and will square off against GSU on  12/29.  Rejection 7

...Stark Reality;  It's clear that the current bowl system will cease to exist soon.  The BCS followed by the CFP has made this possible.  A further expansion of the CFP will all but kill off all the bowls that don't get absorbed as part of the CFP.  Long gone will be the days of middle aged men in loud polyester blazers proudly inviting teams to places like El Paso, Nashville, Memphis, Honolulu, and Orlando.  

...Wishful thinking;  It's time to eliminate the conference championship games.  They are just a waste of time and effort.  

...Switch it up, Gus;  Fox Play-By-Play man Gus Johnson was fixated on Indiana WR Charlie Becker's hometown during the Big Ten title game.  At least five separate times after a catch by Becker, Johnson informed us he was from Nashville.  Faceplam. 

...Fear the Owls;  The Kennesaw State Owls are 10-3 and C-USA Champs after beating Jacksonville State, 19-15 in the league title tilt. That's quite a turnaround for a Kennesaw State who went 2-10 in 2024 which was  their first year in the FBS. 

...My Annual Appeal;  The last regular season game in college football takes place this coming Saturday as Army and Navy square off in Baltimore this week.  This is one of the greatest rivalries in the sport and matches up kids who answered the call to serve their country. Remember the toughest thing a regular FBS player does all week is play football. For an Academy kid, it's the easies thing they do. This game is for bragging rights, glory and the honor of singing last. 

On, Brave Old Army Team. 

Anchor's Aweigh/Marine Hymn 

 

...Bad theory; The refs in the Big Ten are atrocious. Whereas then old Pac 12 refs were awful for calling every tacky-tack foul usually in a one-sided nature against one team, the Big Ten refs don't call anything. The Big Ten's "Just let them play" stance does a great a disservice to the game They need to find balance.

...Lupoi is their man; Cal has hired Oregon DC Tosh Lupoi to be the new HC of the Golden Bears.  Lupoi is a Northern California man. He's a grad of Concord De La Salle and played his college ball at Cal as a DL from 2000-2005.  Lupoi is a top notch recruiter and his first recruiting assignment is to keep Frosh sensation QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele from transferring.  Please! Please Don't Go!

...Cougars back at square 1;  For the second straight season, Wazzu has lost their HC. Lats year, Jake Dickert left the Palouse for Wake Forest, This year it's Jimmy Rogers leaving Pullman for Iowa State.  As Wazzu conducts another HC search, one of the most interesting rumors out there is that Rick Neuheisal and Jerry Neuhesial will be hired as a package deal as HC and OC.  Hmmmmmmmmmmm. 

   

...He's baaaaaaaack;  In a story that went under the radar this weekend, new VaTech HC James Franklin will hire Brent Pry as his Defensive Coordinator. Pry is the guy Franklin just replaced as HC of the Hokies. Pry was fired from the HC job at VaTech back in September.  Ummmm What?  Ummm, Yes.  Whoa. Facepalm.  Pry Me a River

...Fall fades away;  All the decorations that are rich with fall colors have been put away and Christmas decorations of traditional red & green adorn the house now.  College football playoffs and bowl games lie ahead along with Christmas and New Year's celebrations.  Ahhh, but here's a little photo I took to remind me of the goodness of fall and college football's great regular season.  It will come around again before we know it.  

Big Ten Bowl Game Matchups 

Regular Bowls

12/13- LA Bowl: Boise state v. Washington.

12/26- GameAbove Bowl: Central Michigan v. Northwestern 

12/26- Rate Bowl: New Mexico v. Minnesota 

12/27- Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State v. Clemson 

12/30- Alamo Bowl: USC v TCU

12/31- ReliaQuest Bowl: Iowa v. Vanderbilt 

12/31- Citrus Bowl: Michigan v. Texas

12/31- Las Vegas Bowl: Nebraska v. Utah 

CFP Matchups

First-Round 12/19/25- James Madison at Oregon.

Quarterfinal 1/1/26- Rose Bowl: Alabama-Oklahoma winner v. Indiana

Quarterfinal 1/1/26- Cotton Bowl: Miami-Texas A&M winner v Ohio State

Keeping Up With Your Exes

Cal, under interim HC Nick Rolovich, will take on Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl. Rolovich where he was once the Hawaii HC.   Should be a good one.  Utah will take on Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl.  Arizona will face SMU in the Holiday Bowl and Arizona State will face Duke in the Sun Bowl.  Yes, the Sun Devils got the dreaded Sun Bowl bid.  Wazzu will face Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.  Stanford, Colorado and Oregon State will not be going to a bowl.    

Ugly Uniform of the Week

The Washington Huskies Hopps team get the not for this horrible lavender uniform.  UW is purple and gold. Where's the gold? Feels like an old ABA uniform. Hmmmmm

A Chicle of Wisdom 

The final card of the 1935 National Chicle football set that we will look at is #34 Bronko Nagurski.  This is the key card of the set.  It's a short print and easily goes for at least $10.000 in poor condition with a PSA graded 9 one going for $350,000 in an auction back in 2011. Coach Casey heaps praise on the Chicago Bears stalwart RB who would become a charter member of the NFL Hall of Hame in 1963. Here he is pictured with his Alma Mater, Minnesota's Pennant in the background.  It isn't a pretty card, but an important one in hobby history.  The 1935 National Chicle set was the only major set of football players released between 1894-1948.  Watch That Bronko Run

Departments

Low Score Game of the Week: Alliance, OH- The biggest upset in the D-III playoff occurred over the weekend as the John Carroll University Blue Streaks beat the Mount Union Purple Raiders, 10-7 in 2 OT. The #2 ranked Purple Raiders looked like they were gonna blow JCU out of stadium when QB Mike Maloney threw an 85-yard TD pass to WR Nick Turner on their opening possession.  The Purple Raiders never scored again.  The Blue Streaks tied the game in the third quarter when QB Nick Semtimphelter hit WR Shane Lidstriom with a 29-yard scoring strike.  In the first OT both teams missed field goals.  In the second OT, JCU PK Colin Schuler booted a 39-yard FG to give his team the lead.  Then Mount Union drove to the 4-yard line.  Faced with a 4th and 2 at the 4-yard line, the Purple Raiders went for it.  Maloney was stopped by LB Davon Badley a yard short of the 1st Down at the 3-yard line.  JCU had pulled off the upset win. They now will advance to the next round of the playoffs. 

Blowout Game of the Week: Radnor, PA- The Susquehanna River Hawks wiped out the Eastern University Eagles, 29-0.  The River Hawks held a slim, 8-0 halftime lead thanks to pair of FGs from PK Dominic Bourgeois and a safety.  However they would cross the double stripe three times in the second half to pull away for the win.  The most exciting of the River Hawks 3 TDs was an 80-yard fumble return by DB Xavier Maple.  

This Week'sThree Notes About Nothing...

Putting up the Xmas decorations is fun.

Mom's pot roast still rocks.

Speaking of pot roast, I'm now craving the Pot Roast sandwich from Urth Caffe. 

A Thank You Note

The time has come for my annual thank you to all who make this blog possible.  I thank you all for reading these weekly musings about the game with the funny bouncing ball.  Also, I give a special nod to my field agents everywhere. From Southern California, to the Midwest, South and across the globe, you all make this blog a labor of love.  Oh, and a special nod goes to my wife, family and tailgate family.  The games come and go, but it all wouldn't mean very much without having you all in my life to experience it all with. So, until next year folks, remember that this game of college football no matter how flawed it is, is still pretty damn awesome to play and watch.  We will meet again in this space next during the dog days of summer when it's time to take another ride on the Old Coaching Carousel. Unit then, peace. 

-The Commissioner 

Week 14, 2025

Hey All,

Here's hoping everyone had a Thanksgiving filled with family, food and football.  Now sit back and enjoy yet another edition of Notes on a Big Ten Scorecard.  We still miss you, Tom Kelly. 

Summaries

USC 29- UCLA 10: Los Angeles, CA- The first 40+ minutes of this game saw the Trojans sleepwalk into a 10-7 deficit to a 3-8 bRuin squad that had been manhandled, 48-14 by Washington last week.  SC started the game well by taking the opening kickoff and marching down the field on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off with a 5-yard TD run by RB King Miller who took the handoff from QB Jayden Maiava off left tackle, made one cut and powered thought he bRuins defense for the score.  The USC offense then went dormant. Most of the dormancy came from the fact that USC's top two receivers Ja'Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon did not start the game. They were both held out for the first quarter for disciplinary reasons by HC Lincoln Riley.  USC had two other chances to score in the half with two shots at field goals, but PK Ryan Sayeri had his first attempt from 38-yards away blocked and then he just shanked a 30-yarder wide right.  Meanwhile UCLA pressed their punchers chance in this game by stuffing USC''s rushing attack and scoring 10 second quarter points on a 2-yard TD pass from QB Nico Iamaleava to WR Kawazi Gilmer who ran a sharp slant route that left him wide open in the end zone and a 38-yard FG from PK Mateen Bhagahani.  The third quarter flew by as the SC defense kept UCLA off the scoreboard, but gave up a lot of yards in the process.  Just when USC fans wondered if their squad would ever score again, the Trojans marched 91 yards in 10 plays to take the lead.  The go ahead score came on a 32-yard strike from Maiava to Lemon in the right front corner of the end zone. Lemon was interfered with, but managed to haul in the pass for the TD.  After forcing a UCLA punt on the ensuing drive, the Trojans went up 21-10 ealry in the fourth quarter on a 2-yard rainbow of a pass just over the UCLA defenders to TE Lake McRee in the right corner of the end zone.  The drive was set up by a 35-yard punt return by Lemon where he hurdled a defender for the final five yards. The drive was also almost derailed by a horrible interception thrown by Maiava.  However, UCLA was flagged for both pass interference and roughing the passer which erased the errant toss.  The Trojan defense then held UCLA for downs on the ensuing drive which set up then offense to put the game away. Miller did the honors gaining all 65 yards of the drive. On the fourth play of the drive he took off through a giant gap over the left side and cruised 41 yards to paydirt to make the score 27-10.  SC then went for two with Sr. Walkon QB Gage Roy taking the snap out of the old Swinging Gate formation and completing a pass in a crowd to TE Walker Lyons for two points and a 29-10 lead.  The USC defense would assert itself one more time by making a goal line stand to keep the bRuins off the board with :46 left in the game.  For the Trojans, Maiava completed 21 of 29 passes for 257 yards and 2 TDs. He also ran 4 times for 10 yards.  Miller led all rushers by carrying the ball 17 times for 124 yards and 2 scores.  For the team that doesn't own the Victory Bell, Iamaleava completed 27 of 38 passes for 200 yards and a TD.  His favorite target was Gilmer who hauled in 10 passes for 73 yards and a score. 

Telling Stat: 30:18= W;  The USC defense shutout UCLA for the final 30:18 of the game to set the stage for a Trojan victory.  A victory that gives USC a 52-34-7 series lead over the Southern Extension Campus of the University of California.  

Iowa 40- Nebraska 16: Lincoln, NE- This one played in freezing temps and some light snow flurries had all the makings of a shootout in the first half as the squads traded scoring salvos.  Nebraska drew first blood when RB Emmett Johnson gained all 90 yards on their first drive.  71 of those yards came when he took the handoff around the right end at his own 28-yard line and scooted down the right sideline. He was tripped up an finally ruled down on the Iowa 1-yard line.  On the next play he took the ball and went straight up the middle for the score.  Iowa then got on the board two drives later when PK Drew Steven split the uprights from 41 yards out to make the score 7-3. The Hawkeyes then took a 10-7 lead on their next possession. QB Mark Gronowski hit wide open TE D.J. Vonnhame right down the right seam of the defense for a 35-yard TD.  The Big Red tied the game at 10-10 on a 31-yard FG from PK Kyle Cunanan at the end of the first period.  Cunanan then hit a 29-yarder to give his squad a 13-10 lead with 13:53 left in the half.  The Huskers would never lead again.  Iowa took a 17-13 lead when RB Kamari Moulton bulled his way into the end zone on a three-yard run where he carried a couple of Husker defenders with him. Nebraska got a third FG, this one from 35 yards away to make the score 17-16, but Iowa crossed the double stripe one more time before the half when Gronowski scored on the Hawkeyes version of the Tush Push. Nebraska trailed 24-16, but the Huskers forced an Iowa punt to start the third quarter. This is when disaster struck for the Big Red.  PR Jacob Barney, Jr. muffed the kick at his own 10-yard line. He managed to pick up the ball only to be leveled by the Iowa coverage team.  The ball was popped free and went rolling into the end zone. It was covered by a Nebraska player for a safety.  Iowa now led 26-16.  The safety knocked the life out of the Cornhuskers. They never mentally recovered. The Hawkeyes took a 33-16 lead when Gronowski rumbled 6 yards for a TD.  Moulton would tack on the final score of the game when he made another 1-yard run to paydirt.  When it was over,  Gronowski completed 9 of 16 passes for 166 yards an a TD.  He also ran the ball 13 times for 64 yards and two more scores.  Moulton ran for 93 yards on 18 carries and a pair of scores of his own.  For the Huskers, Johnson was their offense, running for 217 yards and a TD on 29 carries.  

Telling Stat: Second Half Freezeout; Iowa held the ball for over 20 minutes in the second half and shutout NU 16-0 to claim the victory.  

Indiana 56- Purdue 3: West Lafayette, IN- Last year Indiana throttled the Boilermakers, 66-0.  This year the Hoosiers let the Boilermakers score.  That score came at the end of the first quarter on a 22-yard FG from PK Spencer Porath to cut IU's early lead to 7-3.  Indiana then went on to put up three TDs to take a 28-3 lead into the half.  IU ran up the lead to 42-3 in the third quarter before emptying their benches.  After it was over, Indiana had their first 12-win season in school history.  The Indiana QB Brothers of Fernando and Alberto Mendoza combined to complete 10 of 17 passes for 193 yards and 3 TDs.  They didn't throw much because they didn't have to.  The Hoosiers ran for 355 yards on 37 carries with 5 TDs.  RB Roman Hemby led all rushers with 152 yards on 12 carries and a TD.  His scoring run was for 82 yards and all he did was run right up the middle through a gaping hole, stiffarm one defender and continue on unmolested to the end zone.  Purdue QB Ryan Browne completed 25 of 47 passes with an interception for the hapless Sons of John Purdue. 

Telling Stat: A 1st Down average;  Indiana ran 54 total plays for 548 total yards. That's a nifty 10.14 yards per play against the porous Purdue defense. 

Ohio State 24- Michigan 9: Ann Arbor, MI- If this wasn’t the most overhyped, under delivering rivalry game this weekend, I don’t know what else was. Michigan couldn’t throw the ball and maintain drives. It’s been their Achilles heel all year.  TheeeOSU’s defense loaded up to stop the run and dared the Wolverines to beat them through the air.  They couldn’t.  The result was the Buckeyes gradually pulling away for the win in a contest that wasn’t very competitive. All the Wolverines could muster was 3 FGs against the Buckeyes.  Meanwhile TheeeOSU crossed the double stripe 3 times to put the game away.  Yawn.   

Telling Stat: No O for UM = L; TheeeOSU held Michigan to 163 total yards and just 1 for 9 on 3rd Down Conversions in this snoozer in Ann Arbor. 

Oregon 26- Washington 14: Seattle, WA- The Webfoots hung on for the win to go 11-1 and punch their ticket to the CFP.  The Webfoots held a 19-7 lead going into the last stanza thanks to a 1-yard TD RPO Keeper by QB Dante Moore and FGs of 46, 32, 37, and 51 yards by PK Atticus Sappington. UW's lone tally came on a 3-yard TD pass from QB Demond Williams, Jr. to WR Denzel Boston.  Then with 8:54 left in the game, Boston caught a 13-yard TD strike to cap off a 13-play, 69-yard drive. All of a sudden Oregon's lead was cut to 19-14.  The next time Oregon had the ball they faced a 3rd and 9 at their own 36-yard line.  The Husky faithful were at full throat urging their defense to make one more stop so the offense could get one more shot at pulling off the upset.  The crowd was silenced as were the Dawgs hopes of an upset when Moore hit WR Malik Benson on a crossing route and he split the defenders with his speed and went 64 yards for a TD.  The UO defense then held for downs and grabbed an interception on UW's last two possessions to secure the win.  Moore finished the afternoon with 20 completions in 29 pass attempts for 286 yards and a TD.  He also ran for a score.  Moore's favorite target was Benson who caught 5 passes for 102 yards and a TD.  For the frustrated Huskies, Williams, Jr. completed 15 of 30 throws for 129 yards, 2 TDs and 2 interceptions. 

Telling Stat:  4/4 > 0/0;  Oregon PK Atticus Sappington made all 4 of his FG attempts while UW PK Grady Gross never got a shot at trying one. That 12 point swing gave the Quacks the win. 

Minnesota 17- Wisconsin 7: Minneapolis, MN- It was a winter wonderland backdrop of falling snow and frigid temperatures as the Golden Gophers hosted the Badgers in the 135th battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe.  both teams had trouble finding their footing on the snow covered, slippery field turf. An early Badger fumble led to a 38-yard FG attempt for the Gophers, but PK Brady Denaburg's kick was partially blocked by DL Ben Barten of Wisconsin. The kick fell harmlessly for a touchback.  Denaburg got another chance to opening the scoring in the second quarter.  He made good, booting a 33-yarder through the high winds and snowfall for a 3-0 UM lead with 6:32 in the period.  Both team then traded TDs in the final 2:37 of the half.  First, Minnesota extended their lead to 10-0 when RB Darius Taylor burst through a crack in the Guard-Tackle gap on the right side and scampered 49 yards for a TD.  Then on the ensuing drive UW QB Carter Smith hit WR Vinnie Anthony for a 67-yard gain for a 1st Down at the Minnesota 8-yard line.  Four plays later, Smith hit RB Jackson Acker with a 1-yard toss for a TD.  He was originally ruled out of bounds, but the call was overturned and the Badgers were on the board. That made the score 10-7 For P.J. Fleck's Boat Rowers at the half.  The only score of the second half was set up by an interception.  UW QB Hunter Simmons threw an out pattern that was picked off by DB Jason Nester at the Minnesota 16-yard line. He returned it 86 yards before he was tackled at the Badgers 16-yard line.  Three plays later, QB Drake Lindsay threw a floater just over the coverage to TE Jameson Gears in the end zone for a 13-yard score and a 17-7 lead.  The defenses took over after that and nobody came close to scoring the rest of the way.  For the Golden Gophers, Taylor was the main man on offense rushing the ball 19 times for 100 yards and a TD, while Lindsay completed 18 of 24 passes for 90 yards and a score.  For the offensively challenged Badgers, Simmons and Smith combined to complete 17 of 27 passes for 182 yards, a TD and 2 interceptions.  

Telling Stat: Turnovers Kill;  Wisconsin gave the ball away 3 times and that was the difference in the game.   

Penn State 40- Rutgers 36: Piscataway, NJ- It was a sunny, crisp and cold fall afternoon at the State College of New Jersey where  this battle for bowl eligibility got underway.  Both teams entered the game at 5-6 with the winner getting the prize of bowl eligibility. It was a shootout of a game where the offenses threw haymakers at a pair of haggard defenses.  Rutgers lit up the scoreboard first when RB Antwan Raymond ran off left tackle 20 yards for a TD and a 7-0 lead. PSU tied it up on their first possession.  QB Ethan Grunkemeyer hit wide open TE Andrew Rappleyea at the RU 38-yard line and he rumbled down the sideline the rest of the way for the score.  The Nittany Lions then took a 14-7 lead.  RB Kaytron Allen took a handoff this own 25-yard line and wasn’t stopped until he was tripped up at the Rutgers 20-yard line.  That led to a an 11-yard TD jaunt though a gaping hole by RB Nick Singleton. The TD by Singleton was his 54th as a Nittany Lion moving past Saquon Barkley to become the school’s all-time leader in touchdowns.  The score would be tied 14-14 by the Scarlet Knights when QB Athan Kaliakmanis scored from a yard out on Rutgers version of the Tush Push.  The big plays kept coming in the second quarter. when PSU's Allen broke a couple tackles en route to a 15-yard TD run. Rutgers then tried to send the game to the half at 21-21 when Kaliakmanis hit WR D.T. Sheffield at the PSU 6-yard line and he waltzed in for the tying score. I say tried because PSU got into FG range in just 23 seconds.  PK Ryan Barker made a 29-yard FG  to make the score 24-21 Lions at the half.  The Blue & White would extend their lead to 27-21 on a 31-yard FG to start the third quarter.  Kaliakmanis then put RU ahead 28-27 when he threw a laser of a slant pass to WR K.J Duff for a 16-yard TD.  After another long run by Allen on the ensuing possesion, the Nittanys had a  st and Goal from the 2-yard line. Singleton got the ball on a nifty little misdirection play and slipped through the line for a TD.  The 2-point conversion try would fail and the scoreboard read PSU 33- Rutgers 28 as the final quarter began.  The kids from Jersey would take the lead again.  Kaliakmanis hit an uncovered Raymond on a perfect wheel route that covered 46 yards on the catch and run for a TD.  The following 2 point conversion try was good and Rutgers now led 36-33 with 13:33 left in regulation play. To this point the defenses hadn’t made an impact in the game. Then Penn State’s did and it changed the game. However they had some help from the Rutgers offense.  With 7:37 left Rutgers had a 2nd & 8 just outside of the PSU 35-yard line.  A score here would most likely send Rutgers bowling. Instead,  Kaliakmanis went to pass and the ball just popped out of his hands.  Lions Db Amare Campbell scooped up the loose ball and took it 62 yards the other way for the go-ahead score.  Rutgers had one final shot to win the game, but Kaliakmanis was tackled short of the first down on a keeper on 4th and 1 at the Penn State 28-yard line . The Fighting Paternos then ran out the clock  and moved to 6-6 on the season. For the now bowl eligible Nittany Lions,  Allen lugged the leather 22 times for 226 yards and a TD while backfield mate Singleton gained 86 yards on 9 carries with 2 trips to the end zone .  Grunkemeyer had an efficient evening completing 17 of 21 tosses for 209 yards and a TD.  For the Scarelt Knights,  Kaliakmanis completed 16 of 22 passes for 338 yards, 3 TDs and 1 disastrous fumble. Raymond had great night rushing for 188 yards on 29 carries with a TD. He also caught 2 passes for 62 yards and a score.  

Telling Stat: 1 is the loneliest number; The only turnover of the game doomed Rutgers to defeat. 

Michigan State 38- Maryland 28: Ford Field, Detroit MI- In the warmth of the dome that is the home of the Detroit Lions, the Spartans got their first Big Ten win of the year in what would be HC Jonathan Smith's last game on the sidelines for the Green and White.  This one saw MSU take a 10-0 lead on the Terps via a 2-yard TD toss off play action to TE Kai Rios from QB Alessio Milivojevic and a 25-yard FG from PK Martin Connington. The Spartans spent the rest of the game staying just ahead of the Terps who were nipping at their heels all the way to the end.  Sparty led 24-14 in the middle of the third quarter when Terrapin QB Malik Washington threw a perfect back shoulder pass to WR Shaleak Knotts in the left corner of the end zone for a 25-yard TD strike to make the score 24-21.  On the ensuing kickoff, KR Alante Brown broke four tackles before getting a key block to spring him and he didn't stop running until he reached the end zone for a 92-yard return.  MSU now led 31-21.  A little over a minute later, Maryland cut the score to 31-28. Washington threw a laser up the left hashmark 24 yards to WR Jalili Farooq for the score that got the Terps back within 3 points.  However, they would never get closer as the Spartan defense forced a missed field goal, held for downs and picked off a pass on the Terps final three drives to seal the win.  MSU did get one final TD to put the game put of reach when Milivojevic threw a 10-yard TD pass to WR Omari Kelly with just under 2 minutes to play.  For the 1-8 in Big Ten play Spartans, Milivojevic had a great day, completing 27 of 39 aerials for 292 yards, 4 TDs and an interception.  For the Sons of Testudo, Washington put up video game numbers, completing 38 of 61, (yes 61!), passes for 459 yards, 3 TDs and an interception. His favorite targets were Farooq who caught 10 balls for 110 yards and 2 TDs and Knotts who hauled in 8 tosses for 139 yards and a score. 

Telling Stat:  Special Teams Woes= L;  Maryland's special teams allowed a kickoff return for a TD and missed a FG.  That 10-point swing was the difference in the game. 

Illinois 20 Northwestern 13: Champaign-Urbana, IL-  Upwards of 8 inches of snow fell during the day at Memorial Stadium which along with 22 MPH winds kept most of the crowd for this one at home, which led to University of Illinois officials to close down half of the stadium. All remaining die hard fans were packed into the west side of the stadium for the 119th edition of this rivalry. The first quarter saw each team possess the ball only one time.  Northwestern forced an incompletion from QB Luke Altmyer on 4th Down to stop the Illini on downs at the NU 17-yard line.  15 plays and 9:48 later, PK Jake Olsen kicked a low line drive with the wind at his back for a 35-yard FG and a 3-0 lead for the Wildcats.  Northwestern found themselves down two RBs after the first series.  Starter Chris Komolafe never saw action as was held out as a game-time decision due to injury and backup Joseph Himon II was hurt on his second carry of the game and did not return.  However, after the schools traded second quarter TDs, the Wildcats held a 10-7 lead and looked to add to that lead before the half when QB Preston Stone's 2nd Down throw from his own 31-yard line was broken up by Illinois DT Josh Kreutz and intercepted by DB Tywan Cox at the NU 48-yard line.  Five plays later, RB Kaden Feagin did his best Walter Payton imitation diving over from the 1-yard line out of the Power I-Formation for a TD and a 14-10 Illini lead at the intermission.  The snow stopped falling in the second half and the defenses took over. The teams managed three field goals in the final two periods.  PK David Olano drilled a 47-yarder in the third quarter for Illinois.  In the final period, Hansen made a 26-yard kick to make the score 17-13 before Olano made one from 27 yards out make the score 20-13 with 3:00 left in the game. Northwestern had one last chance to send the game to OT, but Stone's 4th down pass fell incomplete deep down the left sideline. One kneel down later and Illinois had the win and possession of the Land Of Lincoln trophy.  For the now 8-4 Illini, Altmyer completed 10 of 15 passes for 136 yards, while RBs Feagin and Ca'Lil Valentine combined to gain 87 yards on 19 carries and 2 TDs. For the now 6-6 Wildcats,  Stone complerted 19 of 36 passes for 163 yards, a TD and 3 interceptions.  RB Robby Preckel played valiantly as a 3rd string RB, rushing for 82 yards on 22 carries.

Telling Stat: 4 + 2 = L; Committing 4 turnovers plus having to settle for two field goals cost Northwestern the game. 

Observations

...The Lane Train has departed; Well, the college football world waited while Lane Kiffin decided if he'd stay as the HC at Ole Miss or bolt for LSU.  The real story was the decision by Kiffin was made a while ago to head to LSU.  According to our field agent in Oxford, the Ole Miss Admin and boosters topped the dollar figure proposed by LSU and he still left.  The big drama was that Kiffin was trying to lead the Rebels into the playoff and still work for LSU at the same time. Yeah, that wasn't gonna fly with everyone at Ole Miss no matter how hard he begged and cajoled.  For SC fans, just think of how he begged and cajoled to keep his job as he was being Tramac'd by Pat Haden way back when.  Lane could have been a legend in Oxford with a statue built in his honor and revered for generations in the Magnolia State. Now, he's just persona non grata. Rebel Fans gathered at the airport to tell Lane what they thought of his leaving. Venting Their Anger

...While Lane begged; The SEC had three other HC positions filled as early signing day looms.  Florida hired Tulane HC Jon Sumrall who is being allowed to coach the Green Wave in the American Athletic Conference title game and possible playoff appearance. (Shrug).  Arkansas hired Ryan Silverfield from Memphis to be the new Boss Hog and Auburn hired Alex Golesh from USF to be next Man of the Plains. Oh, and Ole Miss made current DC Pete Golding their new full-time HC. 

New Gator,  Silver Head Hog, Golesh On The Menu, Rebel Lifer

...While Lane landed in Baton Rouge; Kentucky had a big meeting between the Admin and HC Mark Stoops.  The rumor of Stoops' tenure in the Bluegrass State coming to an end proved to be true as he was fired on Monday.  His buyout is 37.7 million dollars.  Stoops went 82-80 in Lexington. Bluegrass Goodbye   Addendum: Kentucky has hired Oregon OC Will Stein as their new HC. New Bluegrass Baron

...Final Lane Note;  LSU does play at Ole Miss in 2026.

...Other turn of the Coaching Carousel ;  Michigan State fired HC Jonathan Smith after two lackluster seasons and has hired former Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald.  The Right Fitz For the Job

...A new bRuin HC; It looks like UCLA will name James Madison HC Bob Chesney as their new HC after JMU's season ends either in the Sun Belt title game or the CFP.  Patience In Westwood

...Hosed in Albuquerque and San Diego;  The Mountain West Conference went to a computer driven tie-breaker procedure to break a four-way tie atop the league standings in order to determine the two teams that would meet in the MWC title tilt this week. The computer spit out that UNLV will face Boise State for the third year in a row in the title game.  Boise already beat UNLV, 56-31 on 10/18.  Yawn.  New Mexico and San Diego State got the short end of the stick by the computer.  Hosed

...The Bulldog's bite; Yale was down 42-14 in the third quarter at Youngstown State in the first round of the FCS Playoffs.  The Bulldogs then scored 29 unanswered points to beat the Penguins, 43-42.  RB Josh Pitsenberger ran the ball 32 times for 209 yards and three TDs, including the game-winner with 2:47 left in regulation.  After the knocking off the #15 Penguins, Yale gets a trip to #2 Montana State next week.  

...Dialing 1-1-1;  Michigan State TE Kai Rios made his only reception count in the Spartans win over Maryland.  His official stat line was 1 reception for 1 yard and a 1 TD.  

...Mean Trivia Quiz;  What do Charlotte, Oklahoma State, Purdue, UMass, Arkansas and Georgia State all have in common? 

...Jackrabbits in the snow; South Dakota State's Jack Smith and his teammates celebrate a TD by diving into the snow bank in back of the end zone after he scored a TD in the Jackrabbits blowout win over New Hampshire in the first round of the FCS playoffs. Brrrrrrrrrr!

...And then there was one;  UMass finished the season at 0-12 making them the only winless team in the FBS for 2025.  

...Just Incredible; You have to see this amazing one-handed grab by Rutgers WR K.J. Duff v Penn State. Speared!

...They quietly made noise;  While nobody noticed, Hawaii went 8-4 this year. 

...They are going Bowling!; After this past weekend's games only 80 of the 82 bowl slots could be filled by bowl eligible teams.  That cleared the way for both Delaware and Missouri State, (Yes that Mo State  team that USC decimated to start the season), to play in a bowl. Both schools had the record to be bowl eligible, but were barred from playing in a bowl in their initial year in the FBS  by the NCAA's transition rule.  However, the lack of bowl eligible teams triggered the clause in the rule that allows both school to fill the available bowl slots.  A Good Thing!

...Mean Trivia Answer; They all went winless in conference play this year. That's a brutal 0-50 aggregate record in league play. Ouch. 

...He saids it; Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz discussed his plans for the this week after his Hawkwyes throttled Nebraska, 40-16.  "I'm not going to do shit this week, pardon my French."  

...7-5 and title bound; Duke went 7-5 overall, but 6-2 in ACC play.  Ahhhh but Pitt losing and SMU losing set up a 5-way tie for second place in the league.  Duke won the conference tiebreaker based on strength schedule and will face Virginia in the league title tilt on Saturday.  Wow.

...Tied;  Wazzu beat Oregon State, 32-8. That means the teams split their two games against each other and tied for the Pac 12 title with 1-1 league records.  Sigh. 

...The Independents were tough;  We all know Notre Dame went 10-2 this year, but the only other Independent school, UConn went 9-3 with their three losses by a total of 13 points. 

...A rarity;  ESPN actually has a positive article about USC. It's how the Trojans have forged what should be the #1 recruiting class in the nation as the early signing period starts on Wednesday.  The Sleeping Giant Awakens

...Gee, they underachieved;  Georgia Southern HC Clay Helton announced the firing s of a couple assistants after the Eagles finished the season a disappointing 6-6. Not Surprised

Big Ten Overreactions 

Indiana will finally face a challenge after 12 weeks in cruise control.

Ohio State will finally face a challenge after 12 weeks in cruise control.

USC is one case of food poisoning away from 10-2. Sigh.

UCLA is just a 3-9 team without a Victory Bell.

Purdue is worse than anyone could imagine.

Michigan needs to realize the forward pass is legal. 

Washington still wonders how they lost to Wisconsin.

Wisconsin needs an offense their defense cane be proud of.

Minnesota wants all home games for 2026.

Oregon doesn't have the secondary to win the national title.

Nebraska is lucky to be 7-5.

Iowa bored opponents to death to get to 8-4. 

Michigan State did not finish 18th in the league. Thats a win.

Maryland could be really good next year.

Northwestern's 6-6 record is better than anyone expected.

Illinois managed to lose 4 games with 19 returning starters.

Rutgers is this year's almost team. They almost won a lot of games.

Penn State will win their bowl game. 

Keeping Up With Your Exes

The Territorial Cup resides in Tucson after Arizona beat ASU, 23-7.  Utah beat Kansas 31-21 after getting a pick six on a gift of an interception by Kansas.  Colorado finished 3-9 after being beaten, 24-14 by K-State.  Stanford was trounced by ND, 49-20.  And, oh those California Golden Bears held on for a 38-35 upset win over SMU to knock the Poines out of the ACC title game.  Thats quite a 1st win for interim Cal HC Nick Rolovich.    

Ugly Uniform of the Week

Whatever shade of blue and gold UCLA wears these days is just an ugly color combination. Especially when being left in the dust by the Cardinal & Gold of USC. Fight On!

A Chicle of Wisdom

This week's wisdom comes from 1935 National Chicle football car #13 Homer Griffith.  The Trojan legend of Howard Jones' Thundering Herd at USC had an S added to his last name by the card maker in error, but what's not in error is the praise the Coach Casey gives to Homer and fullbacks everywhere. 

Departments

Low Score Game of the Week: Holland, MI- We got to the D-III playoffs where the Wisconsin-La Crosse Eagles held on for a 9-7 win over the Hope College Flying Dutch.  The snow fell all game and points were hard to come by as this one stood scoreless at the break.  The Eagles got all their points in the third quarter on a 4-yard TD run by RB Gabe Lynch  and a 25-yard FG from PK Michael Stack.  Hope got back into the game with 3:49 left in regulation when QB Alex Thole threw a 4-yard TD pass to TE Skye VanderKuyl. Hope's last hope to win the game was shattered when Thole faced a heavy rush on 4th and 3 at the WLC 39-yard line. Thole's pass in the face of the rush was incomplete and WLC took over on downs with :57 left.  

Blowout Game of the Week: River Falls, WI-  We stay in D-III where the Wisconsin- River Falls Falcons rudely escorted the Chapman University Panthers out of the playoffs, 58-7.  The kids from SoCal just could not handle the snow, cold and URF QB Kaleb Blaha.  Blaha completed 17 of 23 passes for 227 yards and 4 TDs.  He also ran for 81 yards on 15 carries and a TD.  The Falcons raced out to a 34-7 lead at the half and never looked back, emptying their benches along the way to victory.   

Razorback Report: The Hogs once again had a lead and fell to defeat to end their season at 2-10 with a 31-17 loss at home to Missouri. With new HC Ryan Silvefield on campus, the Hogs Admin needs to empty a brinks truck and buy a boatload of defensive studs for their new HC. 

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

There ain't nothing like that full, fat and happy feeling after Thanksgiving dinner.  

Now it's time to take down the fall decorations and set up for Christmas.

Foghorns in the AM, followed by warm afternoons and chilly nights will be the norm here for a while. 

Until next time folks, remember that rivalry wins are always beautiful in their joy, no matter how ugly they may look on the field.

-The Commissioner

Week 13, 2025

Hey All,

Here's hoping everyone has a great Thanksgiving this week as we look back at the weekend that was in college football with yet another edition of Notes on a Big Ten Scorecard.  We still miss you, Bill Jauss. 

Summaries

Oregon 42- USC 27: Eugene, OR- So now we get to dissect another bad loss to a ranked team on the road in the Lincoln Riley era. It was a sunny but crisp day at Autzen Stadium where the score stood knotted at 14-14 with 14:52 left in the second quarter.  USC had just tied the game on a double pass where WR Makai Lemon threw an absolute laser to the front right corner of the end zone to WR Tanook Hines who made a great leaping grab. At this point SC was hanging with the Ducks and it looked like the game would go down to the wire.  Then SC's substandard special teams reared its' ugly head and the Webfoots took control of the contest. After forcing the Ducks to punt, the Trojans did not move the ball either and were forced to punt as well.  Punter Sam Johnson got off a low line drive kick that traveled a good 10 yards ahead of the converge. I use the term coverage loosely here because both gunners were already blocked out of the play as the punt was received. UO PR Malik Benson fielded the ball cleanly, made one move and was gone down the left sideline 85 yards for a TD.  On the ensuing drive USC QB Jayden Maiava was picked off UO DB Ify Obidegwu. That set up the Quacks with a 1st and 10 at the SC 29-yard line.  USC held and forced a 44-yard FGA from UO PK Atticus Sappington.  His kick sailed wide and doinked off the left upright. However, there was a flag.  Trojan LB Demsan Stephens II had hurdled the Center to try and block the kick. That's a no-no.  Oregon was handed a fresh set of downs and 5 plays later RB Bryce Boettcher found the end zone from a yard out to make the score 28-14 quacks.  SC had a chnace to score before the half, but PK Ryon Sayeri clanked his 27-yard attempt off the right upright and Ducks led at the half, 28-14.  The second half saw the SC defense assert itself holding for downs and grabbing an interception on Oregon first two drives.  The interception by Safety Kennedy Urlacher led to a 52-yard TD drive aided by a PI call on Oregon.  Maiava capped off the drive with a 4-yard TD pass to Lemon.  The Men of Troy trailed 28-21 with 5:48 left in the 3rd quarter and things felt little tense in Duckland.  Ahhh, but the SC defense could not get a stop.  Oregon marched 75 yards in 7 plays with QB Dante Moore throwing a strike right down the right hash to wide open TE Kenyon Sadiq for a 28-yard TD and a 35-21 lead.  The Trojans would answer with a 58-yard scoring drive that was aided by two PI calls.  Seriously folks, Oregon's DBs are the worst unit on their squad.  The drive ended with a 9-yard TD strike to TE Lake McRee.  Then, Riley decided to go for two. The pass from Maiava was dropped by TE Walker Lyons and SC trailed 35-27.  Oregon then imposed their will on USC to put the game away.  The Webfoots ran the ball on 9 of 11 plays on a march that covered 79 yards.  The game-clinching TD was scored on a 9-yard rumble to the end zone by RB Noah Whittington.  When it was over, Whittington led all rushers with 104 yards and a TD on 19 carries while Moore completed 22 of 30 passes for 257 yards, 2 TDs and an interception.  His favorite target was Sadiq who caught 6 passes for 72 yards and two scores.  For the lackluster Trojans, Maiava completed 23 of 45 passes for 306 yards, 3 TDs and 2 interceptions.   The trio of Trojan WRs, Hines, Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane combined to catch 19 passes for 283 yards and 3 TDs.  

Telling Stat: Not So Special Teams;  USC sent a kickoff out of bounds, hit a punt returner who signaled for a fair catch, doinked a FGA, allowed a TD on a punt return and committed a penalty that extend an Oregon drive which led to a TD.  Those gaffes killed any hopes USC had for winning this game.

Ohio State 42- Rutgers 9: Columbus, OH- The Buckeyes got off to one of their typical slow starts as of late, but just kept grinding to pull away for the win and seriously damage Rutgers hopes of going to a bowl. The Scarlet & Gray led 14-3 at the half on nifty little 15-yard TD run by RB Bo Jackson and a 7-yard TD toss from QB Justin Sayin to WR Barndon Inniss.  After punting to start the third quarter, the Buckeyes would score four straight TDs to put this one away and turn their focus to Michigan next week. The 4 second half scores were an 11-yard hookup between Sayin and TE Max Klare, a 10-yard jaunt from Jackson, a 5-yard burst up the middle from RB C.J. Donaldson and 49-yard sprint to paydirt late in the game by RB James Poeples.  Rutgers one TD came on a 1-yard dive by RB Atawan Raymond long after the game had been decided.  When it was over, Sayin completed 13 of 19 aerials for 157 yards and 2 TDs.  Jackson was the leading rusher with 110 yards on 19 carries and 2 scores of his own. For the Scarlet Knights, Raymond rushed for 52 yards on 15 carries with a TD.  

Telling Stat: Never a threat;  The Ohio State defense held Rutgers to just 147 total yards with only one drive reaching penetrating the Buckeye 20-yard line. 

Northwestern 38- Minnesota 35: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL.- Would Northwestern finally get a win at Wrigley Field and become bowl eligible in the process?  Would Minnesota finally get a road win this year?  Those were the big questions as this one kicked off at the Friendly Confines.  Minnesota held a 28-13 lead with 12:42 left in the third quarter. They capitalized on a muffed punt by the Wildcats with a 28-yard TD toss from QB Drake Lindsey to WR Javon Tracy.  Minnesota HC P.J Fleck was very pleased with his boat rowers.  Then, the Wildcats got off the deck and wrapped a pair of TDs and a 2-point conversion around a missed field goal by the Golden Gophers and score stood tied at 28-28 as the fourth quarter began.  Both teams resembled tired boxers at this point throwing haymakers at each other as the clock wound down.  NU took a 35-28 lead on a 2-yard TD toss from QB Preston Stone to RB Caleb Komolafe.  Ahhh, but Minnesota answered right back when WR Le'Meke Brockington caught an 8-yard scoring pass from Lindsey to knot the game at 35-35.  The Purple & White now needed a big drive and they got it.  They traveled 59 yards in 11 plays to take a 38-35 lead on 33-yard FG from PK Jack Olsen with :53 left in regulation.  Minnesota then got a 44-yard kickoff return from KR/DB/WR Koi Perich.  Five plays later, PK Brady Denaburg lined up for a 40-yard FG attmept to send the game to OT.  His kick started off wide left and stayed wide left. Northwestern finally got a win at Wrigley and became bowl eligible as the clock hit triple zeroes. For the Wildcats, Stone completed 25 of 30 passes for 305 yards and 2 TDs while Komolafe lugged the leather 22 times for 129 yards and a TD to top all ground gainers.  As for the receivers, Hayden Eligon II and Griffin Wilde combined to catch 18 of Stone's throws for 238 yards and a score.  For the hard luck Gophers, Lindsey completed 20 of 30 passes for 264 yards and 4 TDs.  Tracy caught 4 of his passes for 87 yards and 3 scores. UM's Swiss Army knife, Koi Perich racked up 230 yards on kickoff returns to go along with 10 tackles from his DB position.  

Telling Stat: 0 fro 2 = L;  Minnesota PK Brady Denaburg missed FG attempts of 48 and 40 yards and that was the difference in the game. 

Iowa 20- Michigan State 17: Iowa City, IA-  The first half in this one that was played under darkening skies at Kinnick Stadium was a pure defensive battle.  The most exciting things that happened in the first quarter were a pair of punt returns by WR Kaden Wetjen.  The first one covered 45 yards and dug Iowa out of their own end zone.  The second one was for 62 yards and a TD.  Wetjen took the kick near the left hash at his 38-yard line, made a pair of Spartans miss and then ran a long diagonal right to the the 15-yard line where he evaded one final tackler and ran straight to the end zone for the score.  While the Iowa offense remained dormant for the rest of the half, the Spartans put together a 14-play, 78-yard march that ended with a 27-yard FG from PK Martin Connington.  Iowa would get one final chance to score in the half when DB Zack Lutmer picked off MSU QB Alessio Milivojevic at the Spartan's 43-yard line with :06 left in the half. PK Drew Stevens would then end up with a 53-yard FG attmept to widen Iowa's lead, but his kick sailed just wide left and the Hawkeyes were forced to settle for a 7-3 lead at the break.  The third quarter saw the Iowa offense continues to sputter while Spartans turned an Iowa fumble into a 10-7 lead then a 17-7 lead on a pair of TD passes from Milivojevic to WR Crishon McCray.  The first was a 45-yard bomb down the left sideline and the second one was a 5-yard rainbow to that same left corner of the end zone to beat an all-out Iowa blitz.  The final period started with the Spartans on the brink of their first Big Ten win of 2025. It ended with an Iowa comeback and Sparty still winless in league play.  A 26-yard FG from Stevens put Iowa within a TD early in the quarter, but the Hawkeyes still trailed 17-10 with just 2:55 left to play.  Then Wetjen struck again. Why Michigan State punted the ball anywhere near him is a mystery.  Wetjen took the punt and raced 40 yards to give his squad a 1st and 10 at the MSU 28-yard line with 2:37 left.  5 plays later, Iowa QB Mark Gronowski threw a 13-yard fade route to the right corner of the end zone where WR Jacob Gill made a fantastic catch.  After Stevens PAT, the score stood tied at 17-17 with 1:29 left in regulation.  After forcing another punt by Sparty, the Hawkeyes had the ball on their own 21-yard line with :34 left.  Would this game go to OT? No.  Gronowski hit on passes of 19, 6 and 29 yards to set up 44-yard FG attempt on the final play of the game.  Stevens' toe met leather on the right hash and he curved it perfectly down the middle for the winning score.  In the win, Gronowski completed only 12 of 22 passes for 147 yards, a TD and an interception, but he did run for 57 yards on 11 carries.  Hawkeye RB Kamari Moulton led all rushers with 78 yards on 18 carries.  For the frustrated kids from East Lansing, Milivojevic completed 25 of 42 tosses for 255 yards, 2 TDs and an interception. 

Telling Stat: 1/4 = W;  Iowa's offense played one good quarter of football and it was enough to win.

Michigan 45 - Maryland 20: College Park, MD- Michigan was basically twice as good as Maryland and that was reflected in the final score.  Maryland played a strong first quarter, keeping the score knotted at 7-7.  However, the Wolverines relied on their formula of a strong rushing game, strong defense and just enough passing to outclass the Terps over the final three quarters.  The Maize & Blue bracketed two TDs around a Maryland interception to take a 21-7 lead.  The TDs were a 2-yard burst over left tackle by RB Bryson Kuzdzal out of the I Formation on 1st and Goal and a tunnel screen from QB Bryce Underwood to WR  Donaven McCulley who flowed his wall of blockers to paydirt.  The score stood 21-7 Michigan early in the second period.  Maryland would cut their deficit to 21-10 at the half with a 34-yard FG from PK Sean O'Haire.  Michigan then took control of the game in the second half with three straight TD drives.  All scores were on the ground. Kuzdzal crossed the double stipe from 19 yards out through a gaping hole over right tackle and on a 1-yard run where he barely stretched the ball over the edge of the goal line. The third TD came on a 6-yard TD on a misdirection handoff where RB Jasper Parker rumbled and stumbled his way to the end zone.  Lost in the shuffle of those TDs was a 29-yard FG by O'haoire for the Terps.  UM PK Dominic Zvada would tally the Wolverines final points with a 46-yard FG with 7:20 left in the game.  Maryland added a cosmetic score in garbage time to round out the scoring for the game.  For the now 9-2 Wolverines, Kuzdzal toted the rock 20 times for an even 100 yards and three scores.  That's a nifty 5 yards per carry average  for the non-math majors out there.  QB Bryce Underwood completed 16 of 23 passes for 215 yards and two scores to further aid the Wolverine attack.  For the now bowl ineligible Terrapins, QB Malik Washington completed 19 of 39 tosses for 210 yards, a TD and an interception.

Telling Stat: They moved the chains;  Michigan converted on 12 of 14 3rd Down Conversions to dominate this game.  

Penn State 37- Nebraska 10: Happy Valley, PA- It was Senior Night at Beaver Stadium and the senior class that has suffered through a bitterly disappointing season, that included seeing their HC James Franklin fired, took a boat load of frustration out on the visiting Cornhuskers.  After a huge run of 52-yards by RB Emmett Johnson set up the Big Red with a 1st and 10 at the PSU 11 on the first drive of the game, it looked like it might be a long night for the Fighting Paternos.  However the Lions made a stand, stuffing Johnson on 4th and 1 on the two-yard line.  Then the PSU offense took over and marched 98 yards in just 7 plays for a 7-0 lead.  PSU RB Kaytron Allen set up the score with a 52-yard sprint down the left sideline that gave his squad a 1st and Goal at the NU 4-yard line.  Two plays later QB Ethan Grunkemeyer hit TE Andrew Rappleyea with 4-yard pass for the TD to cap off the drive.  PSU would hold a 10-3 lead after an exchange of FGs.  PSU's Ryan Barker connected from 25-yard out while NU's Kyle Cunanan split the uprights from 31-yards away.  The Blue & White took a 17-3 when RB Nick Singleton took a handoff and pushed his way for a 4-yard score right through the heart of the Nebraska defense.  On the ensuing drive, a pair special teams gaffes by the Huskers led to a commanding lead for the Nittany Lions.  Forced to punt from their own end zone, PSU PR Trebor Pena took the kick at the NU 49-yard line. He ran left around the coverage for 21 yards where he was forced out at the 28-yard line.  Pena was  also knocked down out of bounds by a member of the coverage team and that resulted in a personal foul for a late hit that moved the ball half the distance to the goal. That set up the Lions with a 1st and 10 on the Cornhuskers 14-yard line.  A couple plays later, Singleton had his second score of the game as he went through a gaping hole off left tackle for the TD and a 23-3 lead.  The PAT failed and PSU took a 23-3 lead into the half.  The Lions got the ball to start the second half and went down the field 75 yards in 8 plays to go ahead 30-3 on a 3-yard TD run from Allen where the left side of the O-line knocked just knocked the Nebraska D-line halfway to Pittsburgh.  The competitive portion of the game was over at this point.  The teams would trade TDs down the stretch but Penn State had put this one firmly in the win column with a long time left to play in the second half.  For the Lions, Allen lugged the leather 25 times for 160 yard and two scores. His 160 yards vaulted him past Evan Royster as the all-time career rushing leader at Penn State with 3.954 yards.  Lost in Allen's record-setting effort was the fact that Grunkemeyer had a near perfect game completing 11 of 12 passes for 181 yards and a TD.  For the shell-shocked Huskers, Johnson ran for 103 yards on 19 carries while QB T.J. Lateef completed 21 of 37 passes for 187 yards.

Telling Stat: 4th Down Woes= L;  Penn State held Nebraska to 1 for 6 on 4th Down Conversions to send the Huskers to defeat.  

Wisconsin 27- Illinois 10: Madison, WI- A funny thing happened on the way to an 8-3 record for the Illini.  They were out hustled and outclassed by a Badgers Bunch that's been on the national offense donor transplant recipient list since the season began.  The frustrated Illini would have to settle for a 7-4 record in a loss to the Sons of Bucky.  Special teams changed the course of this game.  Trailing, 17-10 with 10:17 left in the game. Illinois was forced to punt from their own 27-yard line.  The snap was low and fumbled by Punter Keegan Crimmins.  He scooped up the ball only to be leveled at the 14-yard line by Safety Charlie Jarvis.  Four plays later Badger RB Darion Dupree took he direct snap from center and bulled his way over a couple of defenders into the end zone for a 24-10 lead.  After that, the UW defense held for downs twice while the offense added a 32-yard FG from PK Nathan Vakos to make the final score, 27-10. For the Badgers Dupree was the workhorse gaining 131 yards on 17 carries with 2 trips to the end zone.  For the Illini, QB Luke Altmyer completed 21 of 35 passes for 248 yards and ran for 20 yards on 13 carries and a score.  He was also sacked 5 times as well.  

Telling Stat: The Chains were still;  Illinois was held to just 4 of 13 on 3rd Down Conversions and 0 for 3 on 4th down conversions by the gritty Wisconsin defense.    

  Washington 48-UCLA 14: Pasadena, CA- The small gathering that featured mostly Washington fans saw their Huskies work over the bRuins on Senior Night a the Rose Bowl.  The first quarter looked like this would be a defensive battle as both offenses sputtered.  UW held a 3-0 lead on a 36-yard FG from PK Grady Gross at the end of the opening stanza thanks to a UCLA fumble on their own 20-yard line.  This wouldn't be the only time the Sons of Westwood would hand the Huskies the ball.  After a 25-yard TD jaunt right up the gut by QB Demond Williams, Jr. handed UW a 10-0 lead, the bRuins would fumble again when UW DE Deshawn Lynch knocked the ball out of QB Nico Iamaleava's hands at the UCLA 45-yard line. Lynch recovered the fumble he forced and that led to another FG by Gross.  it was a 22-yarder and UW led, 13-0 with 5:46 in the second quarter.  Then UCLA looked like they were going to get back into the game after  Williams, Jr's errant toss was picked off by his old high school teammate, Cole Martin. Martin returned the ball down to the UW 24-yard line.  The bRuins drive stalled but they had a chance to get some points before the behalf when they sent out PK Mateen Bhaghani for a 45-yard FG attempt. Instead, UCLA then ran the one of the worst fake field goal attempts of all-time.  UCLA's holder took the snap and pitched the ball to Bhagahani who looked like he had no idea the ball was coming to him.  The ball bounced off him and Husky Safety Alex McLaughlin picked up the loose pigskin and raced untouched 59 yards for a TD.  Washington took a 20-0 lead into the half.  The bRuins were toast after that.  Williams, Jr. ran for a TD and then threw for one to start the second half to stake his team to a 34-0 lead. UCLA had also injury woes added to their scoreboard woes when Imaleava was buried on a sack.  He was removed from the game and did not return.  The rest of the game was garbage time with a number of family and friends of the players and the UCLA band being the only folks left in the stands when it was over.  Williams, Jr.  Had a fine game, completing 17 of 26 passes for 213 yards, 2 TDs and an interception to go with 56 yards rushing on 6 carries and two more scores.  His backfield mate,  RB Adam Mohammed led all rushers with 108 yards 21 carries.  For UCLA, Iamalaeva completed only 5 of 11 passes for 81 yards and a TD. 

Telling Stat: Too little too late;  82 of UCLA's 207 total yards and only offensive score came after Washington had built up a 34-0 lead. 

Observations 

...Should he stay or should he go?; It's not often that The Clash gets paraphrased in this blog. Actually this the first time, but it seems apropos in the ongoing saga of Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin.  He has the Rebels in line for a berth in the CFP. He is a living legend on campus and if he stays a statue will be built in his honor and stories of his tenure will handed down for generations.  If he leaves, he'll be looked at as a greedy guy who may have just thrown his whole career away.   

...Territorial Fireworks;  The Arizona-Arizona State game should be a barnburner in Tempe.  Both squads are 8-3 and have gotten better as the season has gone on. 

...He's Gone;  Cal parted ways with HC Justin Wilcox after his Golden Bears were whipped by Stanford, 31-10 in The Big Game.  Just gotta say, it's gonna be hard to find a good replacement for Wilcox.  Cal's NIL and financial situation makes UCLA look fiscally stable.  Not so Golden of a Bear

...Never saw this before;  Penn State RB Nick Singleton had the paint knocked off his helmet as he took the ball into the teeth of of the Nebraska defense last Saturday. Chips Flyin'

...That's hard to do;  Minnesota KR/DB/WR Koi Perich piled up 230 yards in kickoff returns against Northwestern, but he never scored.  In fact, he even returned one kick 93 yard and didn't find paydirt. 

...Unbelievable;  Two UAB Players have been released form the hospital after being stabbed by a teammate in the team facility just hours before the Blazers game with USF last Saturday.  Shocked

...Hypocrisy on hold;  The Ivy League finally relented this year and will let their champion play in the FCS playoffs.  That champion is Yale who worked over Harvard, 45-28 to claim the first ever FCS playoff spot for the Ancient 8.  Yale will take on Youngstown State in the first round of the playoffs.  Bulldog, Bulldog, Bow-Wow-Wow!

...But wait, there's more;  Despite the loss, Harvard got an at large big into the FCS playoffs.  They will face Villanova next week in the first round. 

...Cellar Dwellers;  Looks like Purdue will finish 18th and last in the Big Ten.  The Boilermakers will likely finish 0-9 in conference play and 2-10 overall after facing undefeated Indiana this Friday. 

...And his mom too?;  Yet another Georgia player has been arrested for a high speed driving incident.  Backup OL Nyier Daniels is facing a boatload of charges after attempting to flee from the police in Commerce, GA on Sunday.  He was a dismissed from the team by HC Kirby Smart and the incident also involved Daniels' mother who hindered the efforts of the police.  Wow.  150 MPH

...Appalling;  It's appalling to see just how bad USC's special teams are.  Almost makes you think John Baxter is still around. 

...Cincy Mea Culpa; Cincinnati has officially apologized to BYU and the church of Latter Day Saints for derogatory chants towards them by their fans at Nippert Stadium during the Beartcats loss to the Cougars. Profane Bearcats  

...A full stat sheet with a qualifier;  USC LB Desman Stephens II who committed the leaping over the center penalty that let an Oregon drive end not with a missed FG, but a TD was praised for making a ton of tackles in the game.  Most of his tackles were at least 5 to 7 yards downfield.  That's not great for a MLB.   

...Tail Enders Battle; In the MAC, winless Umass takes on 3-8 Bowling Green this week.  The loser will claim last place in the league. 

...Let Duke do it; While UCLA ran a horrible fake FG, Duke got it right and it led to the winning score in their 32-25 win over North Carolina.  The bRuin Botch and the Duke Dandy

...He said it;  Oklahoma HC Brent Venables had this to say after his Sooners gutted out a 17-6 over Missouri, "It's not pretty, but this is not a beauty contest. This is football."

...Maybe it s a beauty contest;  Notre Dame treated football like one Saturday, running up a 70-7 win over hapless Syracuse to grab some style points as they stay in the hunt for a CFP spot. 

...On, you mighty Bobcats!;  Montana Sate beat Montana in the rivalry game known as The Brawl of the Wild.  The Bobcats also won the Big Sky Conference title in the process.    

...Mountain West Mayhem;   New Mexico, San Diego State, Boise Satte and UNLV all have a chance to make the MWC title game.  SDSU plays at New Mexico this week, while Boise plays at Utah State and UNLV plays for the Fremont Cannon at Nevada.   

...Not easy; Even in a large conference it's hard to have multiple teams go winless in league play. The Big Ten may accomplish that feat this week as Michigan State and Purdue are both 0-8 in league play and will not face each other this year. 

...42 for 0-0;  42 years ago this week Oregon and Oregon State played the worst gave ever in their rivalry when they combined for 11 fumbles, 5 interceptions and 4 missed FGs in a scoreless tie. The game was so bad it has been labeled the Toilet Bowl.  Just Bad Football

...He's back;  Embattled former Baylor HC Art Briles has been hired to be the HC at D-II Eastern New Mexico. The Greyhounds call Portales, NM home and play in the Lone Star Conference. 

...Tammy Wynette sighting in Tallahasseee;  Florida State HC Mike Norvell will return for a seventh season with the Seimnoles.  Tammy Sings  

Big Ten Overreactions

Oregon is barely a playoff team, but they are one nonetheless. 

Wisconsin is thrilled to have scored 27 points. 

USC is ashamed to have scored just 27 points. 

Illinois is a disappointing 7-4.

Washington still can't believe they lost to Wisconsin.

UCLA's Neuheisal bubble has burst.

Penn State will go bowling. 

Nebraska is a bad 7-4. 

Minnesota never wants to play another road game.  

Northwestern is a feel good story.

Ohio State's defense is special.

Rutgers is gonna Rutgers every week. 

Michigan hopes the spirit of 1969 is alive.

Maryland needs an O-Line.

Michigan State can't buy a break.

Iowa is lucky to be 7-4.

Keeping Up With Your Exes 

Stanford owns The Axe after their 31-10 thrashing of Cal in the Big Game.  Utah escaped an L, posting a 51-47 comeback win over Kansas State. ASU spanked Colorado, 42-17 and Arizona whipped Baylor, 41-17.  Wazzu fell in the final quarter at James Madison, 24-20 and Oregon State had a bye. 

Ugly Uniform of the Week

Gotta go with Oklahoma this week as its was their turn to break out the prison gray ensemble this week v. Missouri.  OU's  Crimson and White is iconic..  They just don't need a gimmick uniform. 

A Chicle of Wisdom 

This week's wisdom comes from 1935 National Chicle football card #19 Ralph Kercheval.  Coach Casey gives advice on how to punt the ball, using Mr. Kercheval here as an example of fine punting form.  

Departments 

Low Score Game of the Week: Spokane, WA- This one comes from the first round of the D-III playoffs where the SCIAC Champion Chapman University Panthers held on for a an 18-16 win over the Whitworth University Pirates.  Up 12-10 with 4:18 left in the game, Chapman QB Tyler Pacheco connected with WR Kade Zimmerman for a 28-yard TD and a 18-10 lead.  Whitworth then drove 62 yards for the potential game-tying score when WR Taylor Wells caught a 6-yard pass from QB Deacon Dietz as the clock hit 0:00.  On the 2-point conversion attempt that followed the score Chapman Safety Jacob Gaudi broke up Dietz's pass and the Panthers got the win and now advance to the second round of the playoffs.  The Panthers will take on Wisconsin- River Falls next week.  

Blowout Game of the Week: Wheaton, IL-  We stay in D-III where the Wheaton College Thunder crushed the Crown College Polars, 76-14.  It was the first ever-playoff game for Crown College and Wheaton quickly escorted them out of the playoffs with a 34 point first quarter.   UP 48-7 at the half, Wheaton tacked on 21 more points in the third quarter before fully emptying the benches.  Thunder QB Mark Forucci completed 14 of 16 aerials for 214 yards and 3 TDs to lead his team to victory. Wheaton now will play at Wartburg College in the second round next week. 

Razorback Report: Austin, TX- The Broyles-Royal Bowl went the way of the Longhorns as the Razorback defense did its' best to make Arch Manning look like a Heisman candidate as they fell to Texas, 52-37. The Hogs season will mercifully end next week with Arkansas hosting Missouri.    

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Do you ever wonder how the garbage collectors can make sure your bin is upside down when they leave?

See's Pumpkin Pie Truffles are the bomb. 

I still remember where my best parking spot was at Del Amo Mall before the internet arrived and made brick and mortar stores mostly obsolete.

Until next time folks, remember that special teams win championships.

-The Commissioner