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

Week 12, 2025

Hey All,

It's time for a rain-soaked edition of Notes on a Big Ten Scorecard.  We still miss you, Maclovio Perez. 

Summaries 

USC 26- Iowa 21: Los Angeles, CA- The rain fell heavy at times and just about all game long. It was the worst weather conditions at the Coliseum in some 40 years. The weather was dismal and so were the Trojans to start the contest.  A tough band of Iowa Hawkeyes took the game to the Men of Troy from the opening kickoff when they easily marched 69 yards in 7 plays to take a 7-0 lead when QB Mark Gronowski completed a 2-yard pass on 4th and Goal to WR Dayton Howard.  The USC offense sputtered on its' first pair of drives and that led to the Hawkeyes taking a 14-0 lead a little under a minute into the second quarter when Gronowski wedged his way across the goal line running Iowa's version of the Tush Push.  The Trojan offense then woke up and made the score 14-7 on a 75-yard drive that was aided by a 20-yard run from QB Jayden Maiava.  The TD to finish off the march was scored by RB Bryan Jackson who took the direct snap out of the Wildcat formation and raced straight up the middle for a 1-yard score.  However that didn't seem to upset Iowa. They just calmly went right back down the field on a 75-yard drive of their own and capped it off with Gronowski catching a 5-yard TD pass from WR Reece Vander Zee on the Philly Special.  That play brought a smirk to the face of usually reticent Hawkeye HC Kirk Ferentz.  Oh, and why shouldn't he smirk?  His QB had thrown TD pass, ran for a TD and caught a TD pass en route to a 21-7 lead and control of the game over the favored Trojans. Ferentrz ended up not having much to smile about after that as the Trojans rallied for the win. It started with a pair of FGs from PK Ryan Sayeri.  The first one covered 40 yards right before the half and the second one covered 28 yards right after the start of the second half.  Now SC trailed 21-13 and needed a stop to get back into the game.  The Trojan defense did just that forcing a punt.  Maiava then guided the offense to a TD to make the score 21-19.  WR Makai Lemon hauled in a 12-yards pass in double coverage in the left side of the end zone for the score.  The two-point conversion attempt failed and SC trailed 21-19 going late into the third quarter.  SC then got the best bounce of the game on Iowa's next possession when Gronowski's  3rd Down pass was deflected by CB Marceles Williams to DT Jahkeem Stewart for an interception and a 1st down at the Iowa 40-yard line.  Six plays later Jackson plunged across the goal line again and USC had a 26-21 lead with 13:36 left in the contest.  That's a long time to hold a slim lead and the SC defense did it.  Iowa's last offensive drive looked like they would retake the lead, moving 61-yard downfield.  Their drive stalled and they faced a 4th and 6 at the SC 29-yard line.  Gronowksi threw a great pass to WR Kaden Wetjen which looked to have given the Hawkeyes a 1st and Goal on the 8-yard line.  However, after further review Wetjen's foot barely was out of bounds and the Trojans took over on downs.  USC went out to kill the clock at that point but still faced the possibility of Iowa getting once last chance to score with a few seconds left.  However, while lining up for a 2nd and 7 at the SC 43-yard line, a flag was thrown in the direction of the Iowa sideline.  An assistant coach was called for unsportsmanlike conduct.  The first down that came from that and the 10 second runoff that went with it as well meant USC only had to take a couple of kneel downs to end the game. They took those kneel downs and walked away with the comeback win.  Maiava rallied from a slow start to complete 23 of 32 passes for 254 yards and a TD with Lemon catching 10 passes for 153 yards and a score.  RB King Miller carried the ball 19 times for 83 yards while Jackson only gained 14 yards on 4 carries but scored twice.  For the Hawkeyes, Gronowski completed 12 of 19 passes for 132 yards, a TD and an interception.  He also ran for 32 yards and a score. Oh, and he caught 1 pass for a TD too.  

Telling Stat: 0 for 33:24 = W;  The USC defense shutout Iowa for the last 33:24 to set the stage for this comeback victory.

Oregon 42- Minnesota 13: Eugene, OR-  HC P.J. Fleck and his band of boat rowers made the trip to Eugene and had their boats run aground and burned by the Ducks.  Even all of Fleck's sideline tantrums and histrionics could not hide the fact that his team's defense was no match for the Ducks offense.  The Webfoots raced out to an early 7-0 lead on a 1-yard TD run where RB Jordon Davison's second effort got the ball across the double stripe. Davison struck again on UO's next possession where he took the handoff from QB Dante Moore to the left side, made a nifty little cut and took the it 39 yards for a 14-0 lead.  Oregon got cute on a trick play on their next possession that resulted in a fumble.  UM cut the lead to 14-3 on a 46-yard FG from PK Brady Denaburg and some thought that Minnesota had a chance in this game, They didn't.  On the ensuing drive RB Noah Whittingon just kept grinding and somehow emerged from a pile of humanity near the Gophers 30-yard line and sprinted to the end zone.  It was now 21-3 Quacks.  Then Minnesota got another FG from Denaburg. This one was from 26 yards away.  Oregon then answered that FG with another TD.  This one was a 3-yard toss to the right corner of the end zone from Moore to TE Kenyon Sadiq. That would make the score 28-6 and that's where the score stood as game went into halftime.  The Golden Gophers showed signs of life to start the third period when they marched 80-yards in 10 plays to make the score 28-13 when QB Drake Lindsey capped of the drive with a pass to WR Javon Tracy 10 yards for a score.  Once again UO answered with a Minnesota's score with one of their own as Moore connected with Jeremiah McClellan for a 13-yard TD to make it a 35-13 game.  Early in the last stanza, RB Jay Harris knifed his through the Gophers 12 yards for a TD and a 42-13 lead for the Webfoots.  That score ensured that UO would win and move to 9-1 on the season.  When it was over, Moore had shredded the Minnesota secondary, completing 27 of 30 passes for 306 yards an a pair of TDs.  His favorite target was TE Kenyon Sadiq who hauled in 8 passes for 96 yards and a score.  Whittington led all rushers with 72yards on 8 carries and a touchdown. For Minnesota, Lindsey completed 19 of 32 throws for 138 yards and a TD.

Telling Stat: 3s aren't 7s;  While Oregon was busy scoring TDs, Minnesota was settling for field goals and that is not a recipe for success. 

Indiana 31- Wisconsin 7: Bloomington, IN- The Badgers brought their tough defense to Bloomington with a little momentum after getting their first league win of the year over Washington last week.  Couple that with an IU team that was a little spent after their epic comeback at Penn State last week and it's not tough to understand how this one stood 10-7 Hoosiers at the half.  IU's 10 points came on a 31-yard strike from QB Fernando Mendoza to WR Charlie Becker and a 37-yard FG from PK Nico Radicic.  UW's TD came on a 45-yard pass from QB Carter Smith to TE Lance Mason.  The crowd was a little restless as the second half began at Memorial Stadium. They soon relaxed a little as Mendoza directed a 75-yard 9-play drive that ended with a 2-yard pass to TE Holden States. They relaxed a lot more when Mendoza threw his 3rd TD pass of the game, a 21-yard effort to TE Riley Nowakowski.  IU led 24-7 at that point and it was just a matter of putting the game away en route to becoming the first ever Indiana squad to start a season at 11-0.  The game was put away when Mendoza threw his 4th TD pass of the day WR Omar Cooper, Jr. from 5 yards out for a 31-7 lead.  Mendoza was nearly perfect on the day completing 22 of 24 passes for 299 yards and 4 TDs.  For the Badgers, Smith completed 9 of 15 throws for 98 yards, a TD and an interception.  

Telling Stat: 26+0 = W; The Indiana defense set the tone for their offense to take control of the second half by holding Wisconsin to 0 points and just 26 total yards in the final two quarters. 

Michigan 24- Northwestern 22: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL- It was a sunny fall day on the North Side of Chicago as the Wildcats looked to win their first game ever after 5 defeats at the Friendly Confines.  Michigan did everything to hand the Wildcats the win, but they wouldn't take it.  Michigan's first drive saw a TD run by RB Jordan Marshall wiped out on a holding call. Then PK Dominic Zvada missed a 34-yard FG attempt just a little wide right of the uprights.  Marshall would later put the Wolverines up 7-0 on a. 1-yard TD plunge across the double stripe to put the exclamation point on a 12-play, 91-yard drive.  NU would bookend FGs of 34 and 26 yards on either side of a Michigan fumble and the score stood 7-6 Wolverines at the half.  The Start of the third quarter saw the Maize & Blue score two TDs.  The first was on a 9-yard keeper from QB Bryce Underwood that was set up by a beautiful 65-yard run by Marshall off left tackle.  The second one came on an old school dive over the top from the 1-yard line out of the Power I Formation.  In between those TDs, Michigan fumbled away a Northwestern punt and that resulted in a 35-yard FG from Olsen, It was his third FG of the day.  The start of the final period saw NU QB Preston Stone cap off a 75- yard drive when he forced his way into the end zone on a QB sneak which made the score 21-16.  This is now when Michigan really tried to give away the game.  On the possession following Stone's score, Underwood's 3rd Down pass was picked off over the middle by DB Braden Turner who read it all the way and took the ball back down to the Michigan 6-yard line.  On the next play, RB Caleb Komolafe ran straight up the right side of the formation 6 yards for the go ahead TD.  The two-point conversion attempt failed, but the Purple and White now held a 22-21 lead with 12:05 left to play.  Michigan would turn the ball over on. their next two drives via another interception from Underwood and a fumble by RB Bryson Kuzdzal at the Wildcats 24-yard line.  However the Michigan defense forced a pair of punts off those turnovers.  Michigan had one final chance to win the game with 2:10 left to play with the ball at their own 37-yard line.  The Maize & Blue drove 50 yards win 11 plays and set up Zvada with a shot for redemption with :02 left.  Zvada's 31-yard kick sailed through the uprights, over the outfield bleachers and onto Sheffield Avenue.  Michigan escaped with a 24-22 win.  Marshall was the steady force for Michigan toting the rock 19 times for 142 yards and two TDs while Underwood completed 21 of 32 passes for 280 yards and two interceptions.  Underwood's favorite target was WR Andrew Marsh who grabbed 12 passes for 189 yards.  In the bitter defeat, Stone completed 13 of 27 passes for 184 yards for the Wildcats. 

Telling Stat: 5+2 ≠ L;  Michigan turned the ball over five times and missed two FG attempts, yet still won the game. Wow. 

Penn State 28- Michigan State 10: East Lansing, MI- The Battle for the Land Grant trophy also featured a battle between two teams still looking for their first Big Ten win of the season.  It was a gray day at Spartan Stadium that got little brighter for the Green and White as on their first offensive snap of the game RB Elijah Tau-Tolliver took the handoff off the right side, got past the line of scrimmage to the second level and was gone 57 yards down the sideline for a TD and a 7-0 Spartans lead.  The game was tied on the ensuing drive when RB Kaytron Allen took the direct snap out of PSU's Wild Lion formation and weaved his way 8 yards to the end zone.  MSU broke the tie in the second quarter when PK Martin Connington split the uprights from 24-yards out for a 10-7 lead.  MSU would never lead again.  Two plays after the FG, PSU QB Ethan Grunkemeyer spotted wide open WR Devonte Ross running past the Spartan secondary and threw a bomb that Ross caught at Sparty's 31-yard line and took it the rest of the way for a 75-yard TD and a 14-10 lead going into the break.  The third quarter was a defensive struggle with both teams gaining a total of 72 yards and punting 4 times.  The Fighting Paternos took control of the game in the fourth quarter when they sandwiched a 4-yard TD pass from Grunkemeyer to Ross and a 26-yard TD scamper by RB Allen around a Spartan fumble.  After stopping the kids from East Lansing one final time, the Nittany Lions took 2 snaps out of victory formation and claimed their first conference win of the year and the first win for interim HC Terry Smith who got a chilly Gatorade bath from his players as a reward.  For PSU, Allen was the star of the game, lugging the leather 25 times for 181 yards and 2 TDs while Grunkemeyer completed 8 of 13 passes for 127 yards and two scores.  For the Spartans, Tolliver was their top man, gaining 79 yards on 6 carries with a TD.

Telling Stat: Second half Shutout;  Penn State's defense forced 3 punts, caused a fumble and held for downs once to keep MSU scoreless in the second half. 

Illinois 24-Maryland 6: Champaign-Urbana, IL- This one at Zupke Field saw Illinois focus on stopping on Maryland's rushing attack and daring freshman QB Malik Washington to beat them.  The strategy worked out as the Orange and Blue defense kept the Terps in check as the offense put in a workmanlike effort with a score in each quarter to pull away for the victory.  The game stood 14-6 at the intermission. A 22-yard TD pass from QB Luke Altmyer to WR Hudson Clement and a 3-yard TD rumble from RB Kaden Feagin accounted for the Illini's points.  Maryland's 6 points came on FGs of 29 and 43 yards from PK Sean O'Haire.  There would be no more points for the Terps.  Illinois would add a second TD pass from Altmyer to Clement when the Maryland defense bit on a screen pass fake and left Clement more wide open than a Costco on Black Friday.  Up now 21-6 through 3 quarters, the Sons of Red Grange would add a 33-yard FG from PK David Olano to closeout the scoring.  In the win, Altmyer completed 15 of 25 passes for 172 yards and two TDs.  Clement caught both of those TD passes as he caught 3 passes total for 72 yards.  Feagin was the top ground gainer, racking up 81 yards on 14 carries with a TD.  Washington's day was ineffective at best for Maryland.  He completed 25 of 46 aerials for 238 yards and an interception. 

Telling Stat: They got off the field;  The Illinois defense  held Maryland to just 3 of 12 on 3rd Down Conversions and 0 for 2 on 4th Down Converisons to control the game. 

Washington 49- Purdue 13: Seattle, WA-  The Huskies were looking to bounce back after a devastating  13-10 loss last week at Wisconsin.  They would have to do it without a pair of their top skill players as RB Jonah Coleman and WR Denzel Boston were out due to injuries.  Purdue came into this one winless in Big Ten play and were hoping for that breakthrough win.  The first quarter was a slog with the Boilermakers hanging tough with the Huskies. They forced a UW fumble on the opening drive of the game, but were unable to make anything out of it.  The Purple Gang broke out to a 7-0 lead on a drive that featured a great one-handed catch by WR Omari Evans for 43 yards that setup his team in the red zone and a great recovery of an air mailed snap by QB Demond Williams, Jr. that he turned into a completion to TE Decker DeGraaf for a 1st and Goal at the PU 4-yard line.  RB Adam Mohammed plunged into the end zone from a yard out to cap off the drive and give the Huskies the lead.  What looked like a close game turned into a rout as the Dawgs found paydirt on their next five drives.  They scored on a two more short TD runs by Mohammed of 1 and 5 yards, and a 68-yard TD Run by RB Jordan Washington where he took the handoff over the right side and ran untouched to the end zone. The next pair of Husky TDs came on throws of 61 and 2 yards from Williams, Jr. to  WRs Audric Williams and Dezmen Roebuck.  The score stood 42-6 Huskies to start the final period. The last quarter was a glorified scrimmage.  When it was over Williams, Jr. completed 16 of 19 passes for 257 yards and 2 TDs while Mohammed gained 59 yards on 17 carries and 3 TDs.  For the Boilermakers, QB Malachi Singleton completed 16 of 28 aerials for 150 yards and a TD.  

Telling Stat: 35-3= Rout;  Washington turned a 7-0 lead into a 42-3 lead with a 35-3 run in which they outgained Purdue 281 yards to 59.

Ohio State 48- UCLA 10: Columbus, OH- One of the headlines coming into this game was that WR Carnell Tate would not play for TheeeOSU and that his teammate and fellow WR Jeremiah Smith would only see limited action against the bRuins.  Then the bigger headline that UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava wouldn't play due to a concussion dropped.  The latter headline dropped UCLA's chances of pulling an upset in Columbus from remote to zero.  Then Buckeyes raced out to a 27-0 lead at the half on a pair of 1-yard TD runs from RBs Bo Jackson and Isaiah West, an 11-yard TD toss from QB Julian Sayin to WR Bryson Rodgers and a pair of FGs covering 33 and 41 yards from PK Jayden Fielding.  Then the third quarter saw the lead stretched out to 34-0 when West again plunged scores the goal line from a yard out.  UCLA then actually scored when QB Luke Duncan threw an 18-yard TD pass to WR Kwazi Gilmer. However UCLA's happiness on the score was short lived as on the ensuing kickoff TheeeOSU KR Lorenzo Styles, Jr. took it back a full 100 yards for a TD and a 41-7 lead.  The teams would each put another score up in the final period to make the final tally 48-10.  For the Buckeyes, Sayin completed 23 of 31 passes for 184 yards and a TD in a little over one half's worth off work.  Jackson led all rushers with 112 yards on 15 carries and a TD.  For UCLA, Duncan completed 16 of 23 passes for 154 yards and a TD in the lopsided loss.  

Telling Stat: 15 is a while;  KR Lorenzo Styles 100-yard kickoff return TD was the first kickoff return TD for TheeeOSU in 15 years.  That last KO return happened in 2010 when KR Jordan Hall took one back in a 37-7 rout of Michigan. 

Observations

...Unacceptable;  The behavior by this Texas Sate Trooper towards A pair of South Carolina players during the Aggies home game v. the Gamecocks is completely out of line.  Its just makes you wonder what kind of crap has this guy pulled that the camera didn't catch over the years.  At least he got suspended for this. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Barney Fife Lives

...Just a rumor; There's no truth to the rumor that Purdue had accepted an invitation to join the new PAC 12 in 2026.  

...He's Gone... to Blacksbriug ;  Former PSU HC James Franklin has been hired by VaTech. Orange and Red  

....1,000 or just short of it;  Ohio State's smashing of UCLA should have been the 1,000th win in program history,  But it wasn't because the Buckeyes were forced to vacate 12 wins from 2010 by the NCAA a few years ago. So officially it was win 988 for the Scarlet & Gray. 

...Big Sky Error;  The Big Sky Conference of the FCS has admitted to an officiating error that basically handed the game to Sacramento State in their 23-20 win over Idaho. A pass that was ruled a completion on the field then upheld upon review led to Sacramento State winning the game.  The pass wasn't anywhere close to being complete.  Check it out here.  Vandals Robbed

...Best In Bloomington;  Indiana went 11-2 last year and is currently 11-0 this year.  Only two other Indiana teams have ever won as many as 9 games in a season.  The Hoosiers went 9-0-1 in 1945 and 9-2 in 1967.  The '45 team did not play in a bowl game because the Big Ten did not allow teams to play in post season bowls at the time.  The '67 team lost 14-3 to National Champion USC in the 1968 Rose Bowl. 

...Locklsey locked in;  Maryland HC Mike Locksley has been given the the Tammy Wynette by his AD, Jim Smith.  Smith also promised more funding for the program.  Locksley-ed in

...Water logged all day;  10+ hours of rain and mud spent in our tailgate on campus at USC and at the Coliseum was good price to pay to see a win form the Trojans.  To sit through all that and lose would have been really awful.

...More football in a baseball park; In addition to Wrigley Field, Fenway Park hosted college football as well last Saturday as the Merchant Marine Academy pulled out a 39-38 win over The Coast Guard Academy to claim possession of the Secretaries' Cup.  Here's the happy bunch of Mariners. 

 ...It's win but; Georgia Tech HC Brent Key was not thrilled to say the least after his team comeback form a double digit deficit to beat hapless Boston College, 36-34.  His postgame interview was classic. He ain't happy

...Just a rumor;  There's no truth to the rumor that SoFi Stadium officials told UCLA to stay in Pasadena after their embarrassing loss at Ohio State. 

...Road woes in Maroon and Gold;  Minnesota is 0-4 on the road this year and has been outscored 152-33 in those games. 

...A little out of order;  Navy faces the prospect of playing in the American Conference title game on 12/6 then playing one more regular season game after that when they face Army the following week on 12/13.  However, even though both academies are members of the AAC, their annual matchup is not a conference game.  The conference gave the game special status as part of having both teams in the league. However, that begs the question of what happens if they both qualify for the AAC title tilt?  Would they face off two weeks in a row? Hmmmmmmmm

...He said it;  Texas Tech HC Joey McGuire mused after Tech's win over UCF, "Everybody is talking about QBs for Heisman, so we put him in at QB today for a TD."  McGuire was speaking of LB Jacob Rodriguez who has had a great 2025 campaign.  Rodriguez took a direct snap from the Wildcat formation and scored on a 2-yard TD run in the first quarter of the contest.

...Finance Bros Sacked;  UC Investments, a private equity firm looked like they had a $2.4 billion dollar deal done with the Big Ten, but USC and Michigan nixed the deal.  Denied  

...Sooners up, Horns down;  After Oklahoma's upset of Alabama and Georgia's throttling of Texas it's easy to see who is enjoying the move to the SEC more. 

...Lucky 13; It's theoretically possible for the SEC to have 13 bowl eligible teams this year.  

...The same dude;  Arch Manning is Malik Washington with more hype.  They are both just struggling young QBs. 

...MWC madness;  San Diego State v. New Mexico on Thanksgiving weekend will most likely be for a spot in the Mountain West title game.  

 

...Purple Pain; Northwestern is 0-6 in games played at Wrigley Field. 

...Had to feel good;  Nobody enjoyed Washington's 49-13 win over Purdue more than UW DC Ryan Wolters who went 5-19 as Purdue's HC in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. 

...Wish Book memories;  About this time of year kids of my generation and before were knee deep into the Sears Christmas Catalog.  Here's an old page for NFL jackets and caps. Still looks like a cool cap and jacket combo to me. 

Big Ten Overreactions 

Minnesota boats are not seaworthy outside of Minneapolis.

Oregon is primed for an upset.

UCLA needs a lot more than a new stadium.

Ohio State still is in cruise control.

Wisconsin still needs an offense transplant. 

Indiana is also in cruise control 

Iowa may be the best 4 loss team around.

USC has found a defense.

Michigan still doesn't trust the forward pass.

Northwestern will go bowling 

Penn State has a real shot to make bowl.

Michigan State is just flat out awful.

Maryland can't buy a break.

Illinois will be go 9-3 and nobody will care.

Purdue is happy basketball has started.

Washington still has non idea how they lost to Wisconsin.

Keeping Up With Your Exes

Oregon State lost again, Wazzu won and Colorado was off, Utah smacked Baylor, 55-28 and ASU and Arizona both won.  The Sun Devils and Wildcats are both 7-3.  Their meeting in two weeks could be one epic clash for the Territorial Cup. Speaking of rivalries, Cal and Stanford both had byes this past weekend and will square off in the 128th edition of the Big Game at Stanford Stadium this week. 

Grey Cup Update 

It was a wild one at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg where the Saskatchewan Roughriders held off the Montreal Alouettes for a 25-17 win.  The win Wass the 5th Grey Cup win in the history of the Roughriders.  I hear the gang down at Corner Gas is pretty happy with the win too.

Ugly Uniform of the Week

Tennessee takes the honors this week with this mismatching set of gray jerseys and pants that look like a prison team uniform.  

 

A Chicle of Wisdom 

This week's wisdom from the 1935 National Chicle football set comes form card #21 Cliff Montgomery.  Coach Casey praises Montgomery then goes on to give advice on the QB's position in a huddle. He then goes onto say when you should punt the ball.  That advice is a head scratcher now, but was a valid strategy at the time.

 

Departments 

Low Score Game of the Week: Claremont, CA- We got to the D-III SCIAC where a couple of the tail enders of the league finished their seasons with a battle in the rain and muck at Zinda Field.  A small gathering of fans and family saw the Stags of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps beat the Laverne Leopards, 5-0.  A 21-yard FG by CMS PK Sam Brewer in the third quarter and a safety from LB George Kruger who tackled RB Tyler McCown in his own end zone with 1:57 left in the game.  This game was a mud bowl with Claremont holding Lavenre to 27 total yards of offense.  Here are the highlights.  Mud Bowl

Blowout Game of the Week: McPherson, KS- We got to the NAIA ranks and the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference where the McPherson College Bulldogs crushed the Sterling College Warriors, 85-0. After a scoreless first quarter McPherson exploded for 38 second quarter points to put this one away by halftime.  Bulldog QB Ryan Markarian completed 20 of 32 passes for 407b yards and 5 TDs.  

Razorback Report: Baton Rouge, LA-  Here we go folks, once again the Hogs held a second half lead only to see it evaporate in a 23-22 loss at LSU.  The Hogs last chance to win the game went awry as PK Scott Starzyk missed a 48-yard FG attempt with 5:08 to play.  Up next for Arkansas is the Broyles-Royal Bowl as they travel to Austin to take on Texas. 

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Never have been a big fan of rain.  

Why does every package get delivered right after you've left the house?

It's been grilled cheese and tomato soup kind of weather around here lately. 

Until next time folks, remember that teams have to learn how to win. 

-The Commissioner 

Week 11, 2025

Hey All,

It's time for a better late than never edition of Notes on a Big Ten Scorecard.  We still miss you, Alan Malamud. 

Summaries 

USC 38- Northwestern 17: Los Angeles, CA- Coming off a short week of rest the Trojans took on a Wildcat squad off a bye at the Coliseum last Friday night.  The Wildcats were ready for SC as the teams traded TDs with the Trojans being unable to stop the NU rushing game.  The score stood 14-14 with USC's two TDs coming on a 7-yard TD pass from QB Jayden Maiava to WR Makai Lemon and a 6-yard scramble to the end zone from Maiava where he trucked a Wildcat defender on the goal line.  SC's second score was made possible by a fake punt that featured 3rd string QB Sam Huard, wearing the same #80 as Punter Sam Johnson wears, throwing a 16-yard pass to WR Tanook Hines for a first down. After forcing a Northwestern punt, the Trojans averted total disaster with another big play from Maiava.  With 3:25 left in the second quarter, Maiava took the shotgun snap, rolled right and dumped a pass off to his TE.  However, NU DT Najee Story had dropped off the line of scrimmage and intercepted the pass on the SC 25-yard line. He then rumbled towards the end zone.  Maiava hit Story right before he crossed the goal line.  The ball popped free and and ended up rolling out the back of the end zone for a touchback.  On the next play, USC RB King Miller took the ball on 1st and 10 from the 20 and bolted 55 yards to the NU 25-yard line.  Two plays later, Miller ran around the left end almost untouched 12 yards for a TD and a 21-14 Trojan lead.  Northwestern never recovered from that sequence of plays.  The USC defense went on to stuff the Wildcat offense the rest of the way allowing just a FG while the Trojan offense continued to score.  SC got a 10-yard TD pass which featured an absolutely amazing grab from WR Ja'Kobi Lane, a 4-yard TD run by Lemon on a nifty little misdirection play and a 22-Yard FG from PK Ryan Sayeri to put the game away. 

Telling Stat: 14 point switch = W;  The 14 point switch that occurred when Northwestern fumbled a pick six out of the end zone for a touchback coupled by USC's immediate TD afterwards changed the game.  

Indiana 27- Penn State 24: Happy Valley, PA-  Indiana was supposed to win this in blowout fashion. However the Fighting Paternos showed great heart and pride in almost pulling off the upset over the Hoosiers.  The first quarter was a see-saw affair.  IU opened the scoring on their third possession of the game on a 3-play drive that covered 68 yards.  The drive started with a 53-yard bomb to WR Charlie Becker who was tackled at the PSU 15-yard line.  The drive finished when Mendoza avoided the rush, stepped up in the pocket and then ran 18 yards up the middle for a TD and a 7-0 lead.  Penn State tied the game on the ensuing possesion when a 43-yard pass from QB Ethan Grunkemeyer to WR Trebor Pena moved the ball to the IU 13-yard line.  A couple plays later RB Nick Singleton blasted up the middle from the 2 yards out to tie the score at 7-7.  Then it began to look like the Hoosiers would run away with the game.  A ticky-tack holding call on PSU led to a 28-yard FG from PK Nico Radicic and 10-7 IU lead.  Disaster struck the Lions on their next possession when Grunkemeyer hit RB Kaytron Allen with short pass. Allen fumbled and IU took over the ball on the PSU 22-yard line.  RB Kaelon Black made the most the fumble by rumbling across the goal line from a yard away to give the Crimson and Cream a 17-7 going into the half.  The Lions turned over the ball to start the second half when Grunkmeyer's 2nd Down pass was tipped and picked off by LB Aiden Fisher. That turnover resulted in a 31 yard FG from Radicic and 20-7 lead for Indiana.  It looked like the Lions were whipped.  However they got off the deck and mounted a serious comeback.  They wrapped a 36-yard FG from PK Ryan Barker and a 1-yard run for a TD around an Indiana punt to make the score 20-17 11:36 left in the contest.  The Nittanys needed a stop to have a shot to win the game and they got an epic one that set Beaver Stadium rocking.  On 2nd and 8 from the IU 27-yard line, PSU DB King Mack read Mendoza's. eyes and raced over to sideline and picked off a deep out pattern at the Indiana 44-yard line.  Penn State would take the lead when Grunkemeyer threw a beautiful screen to Singleton who sprinted through the Hoosier defense for a TD and 24-20 lead.  After forcing a punt by the Hoosiers on the next drive, The Blue and White could not run out the clock. That left IU with 1:15 left and the ball at their own 20-yard line.  Indiana then put a signature win on their resume when Mendoza led his team down the field 80 yards in 10 plays with WR Omar Cooper, Jr. making one the best catches anyone has seen all year.  How he managed to get a toe in and maintain control of the ball is beyond me.  Indiana then held on for the final :13 to stay undefeated and grab the school's first ever win at Penn State. Mendoza had a fine game, completing 19 of 30 passes for 218 yards, a TD and an interception.  Becker had a breakout game himself. He caught 7 of Mendoza's passes for 118 yards.  For the still winless in Big Ten play Lions, Grunkemeyer completed 22 of 31 tosses for  219 yards, a TD and an interception. Singleton accounted for all 3 of PSU's TDs in the bitter loss. 

Telling Stat: 1/3 is Fun;  Indiana won their first game ever at Penn State and just their third overall against the Nittany Lions in a series that goes back to 1993 when PSU joined the Big Ten.    

Ohio State 34- Purdue 10: West Lafayette, IN- Things started sluggishly for the Buckeyes as Purdue held a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter on a 40-yard FG from PK Spencer Porath.  On the ensuing drive, TheeeOSU got it together and marched 75 yards in 9 plays. They took a 7-0 lead when RB C.J. Donaldson  made a 1-yard plunge into the end zone.  The Buckeyes would never give the lead up. In fact, they would go out to a 24-3 halftime lead on a 35-yard TD toss from QB Justin Sayin to WR Jeremiah Smith, a 3-yard TD run by backup QB Lincoln Kienholz on a keeper over the right side and 49-yard FG from PK Jayden Fielding just before half.  The third quarter saw Sayin' throw a bad pass across his body that was picked off by Purdue DL C.J. Nunnally in the Boilermaker end zone on 3rd and Goal. That interception snuffed out the only scoring threat of the period. The Scarlet and Gray erased any hopes of a Purdue miracle upset with a 45-yard FG from Fielding and an another 12-yard TD plunge from Donaldson.  The score then stood at 34-3 Buckeyes with 6:19 to play.  PU would get a late TD on TheeeOSU's subs to round out the scoring.  For the now 9-0 Buckeyes, Sayin completed 27 of 33 passes for 303 yards, a TD and an interception. In the loss, PU QB Ryan Browne completed 10 of 20 passes for 76 yards and an interception.

Telling Stat: Foundation for a W;  After giving up 85 yards and a FG on Purdue's first two drives, Ohio State's defense gave up only 31 more yards and zero points until the benches were emptied and the game was well in hand. 

Rutgers 35- Maryland 20: Piscataway, NJ- This game was a fight between teams hoping to keep their bowl hopes alive. The Scarlet Knights prevailed in what was easily their best game of the season.  A workhorse and balance were key to the Rutgers victory.  The workhorse was RB Antwan Raymond who lugged the leather 41 times for 240 yards and a TD while the balance was provided by QB Athan Kaliakmanis who completed 13 of 20 aerials for 229 yards, 4 TDs and 2 interceptions.  Rutgers didn't have that balance as QB Malik Washington was most of the offense for the Terps.  He completed 15 of 28 passes for 98 yards, a TD and an interception, but also ran the ball 8 times for 164 yards and a score.  This was a tight game with Rutgers holding a 21-17 lead at the break.  The second half saw the defense of the Scarlet Knights shutdown the Terrapins to pave the way for the win.  While the RU offense was busy putting up two more TDs on board via a 14-yard pass from Kaliakmanis to WR Ian Strong and a 5-yard gallop form Raymond, the defense held Maryland to 81 total yards and 3 points.  

Telling Stat: 229= W;  While neither team could stop the run, (the teams combined for 561 yards rushing on 78 carries), it was the passing of RU's Athan Kaliakmanis 229 yards and 4 TDs that won the game. 

Oregon 18- Iowa 16: Iowa City, IA-  There was a raucous crowd at Kinnick Stadium in a the cold and rain that greeted the Ducks last Saturday.  There was also a pretty good group of Hawkeyes that were hoping to upset the Quack Attack. When all was said and done it was Iowa's own special teams gaffe that would end up costing them the game.  UO came into this one without most of their receiving corps due to injuries and would lose more skill players as the game went on.  The game would be a fistfight in a phone booth as both teams dedicated themselves to running then ball and passing when they had to.  The first big break of the game came in the first quarter when Hawkeye long snapper, Bryant Worrell, air mailed a snap wide and over the head of punter Rhys Dakin.  Daikin did his best to catch up to the ball, but all he could do was force the ball out of his own end zone to prevent a TD. It was a safety and a 2-0 lead for the Ducks. The Webfoots were able to extend their lead to 9-0 early in the second quarter.  QB Dante Morre led an 8-play, 82-yard drive that was capped off by a RB Dierre Hill who took the handoff from Moore, went left and weaved his way through the Iowa defense 19 yards for the TD.  Iowa then answered that drive with a TD of their own on the ensuing possession. The Hawkeyes ran the ball 8 straight times to get to midfield.  On the 9th play, QB Mark Gronowski threw 38-yard strike to WR Jacob Gill.  The next play saw Gronowklsi throw a 3-yard TD toss to TE D.J. Vonnahme.  Oregon would extend their lead to 12-7 with a 46-yard FG from PK Atticus Sappington on the last play of the half.  Iowa was poised to take the lead in the third quarter, but fumbled on the Oregon 13-yard line.  That led to another FG from Sappington. It was form 40 yards out and UO led, 15-7 heading into the final quarter.  Iowa forged a comeback when they got a school record 58-yard FG from PK Drew Stevens to cut Oregon's lead to 15-10 with 12:39 left.  Iowa then forced an Oregon punt only to get the ball at their own 7-yard line.  The Hawkeyes then drove 93 yards for the go-ahead score.  Gronowksi did the honors on a QB draw to put Iowa up 16-15.  The following two-point conversion attempt would fail. That left Oregon with 1:52 left on the clock and all their time outs with one last chance to win the game.  The Webfoots marched down to the Iowa 21-yard line where Sappington would have a chance to win the game from 39-yards away.  He tucked his kick just inside the left upright and you could hear Kinnick Stadium go dead silent as the kick sailed over the crossbar.  The Ducks escaped Iowa with the win.  In the win, Moore completed 13 of 21 passes for 112 yards and an interception, while RB Noah Whittington led all rushers with 118 yards on 17 carries.  For the Hawkeyes, Gronowski completed 10 of 18 for 138 yards and a TD.  He also ran for 25 yards on 12 carries with a score.  

Telling Stat: Special Teams win championships;  Three FG's from PK Atticus Sappington and a Safety on a punt handed Oregon the win.   

Wisconsin 13- Washington 10: Madison, WI- The Badgers brought the same defense they had at Oregon a couple weeks ago back for their home game with the Huskies.  And just like a couple of weeks ago, they trailed by a TD at the half.  However, this time as the weather deteriorated in the second half, it was the Huskies that faded down the stretch and the Badgers got their first Big Ten win of 2025.  The score stood 10-3 Dawgs at the break.  Here's how we got there.  After a scoreless first period which saw both offenses get stopped for downs, Wisconsin PK Nate Vakos opened up the scoring with a 42-yard FG from just inside the left hash. Then Husky PK Grady Gross nailed a 42-yarder of his own also from just inside the left hash.  Wisconsin's next drive stalled and then on 4th down the Purple Gang broke through the line and LB Anthony Ward blocked the punt.  The Dawgs recovered the ball on the Badgers 1-yard line.  2 plays later, QB Demond Williams, Jr. threw a beautiful back shoulder fade to WR Denzel Boston for a TD and a 10-3 lead.  Then when it looked like the Huskies had a chance go up two TDs at the half, Williams, Jr. threw a bomb down the right sideline which was picked off by CB Ricardo Hallman.  After the half, Washington was forced to fumble on a strip sack deep in his own territory.  The ball was recovered by Badgers DE Mason Posa on the Huskies 7-yard line.  Two plays later, QB Carter Smith took the shotgun snap, ran around left end and powered his way 2 yards to paydirt.  The game now stood tied at 10-10.  Now the rain that was starting to fall at Camp Randall turned into that pleasant term for awful weather called Wintry Mix.  On their next possession, the Huskies went backwards and were forced to punt from their own 5-yard line. The Badgers ended up with the ball at the Washington 36-yard line.  22 yards and six plays later, Vakos booted one through the snow and rain 32 yards for a 13-10 lead.  The Dawgs then drove into long FG range.  The Badgers special teams then made the play of the game when OL Ben Barten got one of his big mitts up and blocked the kick.  After that it was both defenses asserting themselves with the Badgers making one final stop of the Huskies with 1:08 left to secure the victory.  The win snapped the Badgers 6-game losing streak.  In the win, Smith only completed 3 of 12 passes for 8 yards, but the ran ball 15 times for 47 yards and a TD.  In the loss, Williams, Jr. completed 20 of 32 passes for 134 yards, a TD and an interception.  

Telling Stat: 2+1= W;  Wisconsin forced 2 turnovers and blocked a Washington FGA. Those plays were the difference in the game. 

Nebraska 28- UCLA 21: Pasadena, CA- The Rose Bowl was filled with a sea of visiting Nebraska fans waiting to see if their Huskers would bounce back after being beaten at home by USC the previous week. It was also a homecoming for backup QB T.J. Lateef who played his high school ball at Orange Lutheran.  He played in place of injured starter Dylan Raiola who is out for the year with a broken fibula.  Lateef turned out to be one key piece of a battle that featured his arm and backfield mate RB Emmett Johnson's legs v. The arm and legs of UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava. The Big Red led 21-7 at the half. They got those 21 points on a 2-yard TD pass from Lateef to WR Jacory Barney, Jr., a 56-yard toss from Lateef to Johnson where Johnson took a short dump off and raced down the sidelines and a 1-yard plunge from Johnson.  UCLA's lone tally came on a 1-yard run from RB Jalen Berger.  Nebraska scored again on the first drive of the second half on a 40-yard TD pass from Lateef to Johnson. That made the score 28-7 and it looked like NU would hang 50 on the bRuins.  However, UCLA got back into the game on the ensuing drive when Iamaleava hit RB Anthony Woods with a short pass at midfield and he sprinted past the NU defense 45 yards for a TD.  UCLA's defense responded by shutting out Nebraska the rest of the way.  The game got real tight with 4:54 left when Iamaleava connected with RB Anthony Frias II at the NU 9-yard line. Frias II found paydirt from there and it was a 28-21 game.  Ah, but UCLA would not ge the ball back again.  Nebraska killed the clock with a 9-play drive that covered 36 yards to kill the clock.  For the victorious Cornhuskers, Lateef completed 13 of 15 passes for 205 yards and 3 TDs while Johnson toted the rock for 129 yards on 28 carries and a TD.  He also caught 3 passes for 103 yards and two scores.  For UCLA, Iamaleava completed 17 of 25 throws for 191 yards and two TDs.  He also ran for 86 yards on 15 carries.

Telling Stat: Obvious fact;  Nebraska's one extra scoring drive was the difference in the game.  Seriously folks, this one was as statically even as you could get.  Even the time of possession was a 30:00-30:00 split. 

Observations 

...It's illegal now; Big Ten says SC should have been penalized for having two players with the same number at the same position when 3rd string QB Sam Huard executed a fake punt and threw for a first down v Northwestern last week. Hmmmmmmm.  My only argument is why would SC get penalized on that play?  SC had not punted yet, wouldn't a penalty come only on SC's second punt when Sam Johnson actually did become the second player to play the position with that number?  Ahhhh semantics.  

...He may be gone; Big vibes around Texas right now that HC Steve Sarkisian is headed to the NFL.  A key sign all be if the Longhorns recruiting class starts to fall apart in the coming weeks. 

...Pasadena in their rearview mirror;  Looks like UCLA is moving their home games from the Rose Bowl to SoFi Stadium.  When that will happen could be soon, but there is the little matter of the fact that the bRuins have a lease that runs until 2044 with the Rose Bowl.  The Rose Bowl and the City of Pasadena has filed a restraining order to block the move.  Wilted Roses 

...They are done;  After a postgame fight between D-III schools Guilford and College and Averett University, the schools and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference have come to an agreement to end both schools seasons.  They will both forfeit their final game of the season. Read the statement here form the league.  From the ODAC

...Keep it tucked in boys;  Colorado QB Julian Lewis was taken down by his hair by West Virgina LB MarShon Oxley last Saturday.  Yanked!

...Pain is universal;  Every fan base complains. some of the more fun thread titles taken from fan message boards across the country this week were...  Fire the whole staff!,  We paid for a team this bad, and Defense cant't stop a fart.   

...Under for the L; In all 3 of Washington's losses they have been held to under 300 yards of total offense. 

...Half century first;  I've been going to the Coliseum for 50 years, however last Friday was the first time I encountered a feral cat  during a game.  In the last of the third quarter, all sudden my leg was hit and my foot stepped on as a feral cat barreled down the aisle and then disappeared from sight.  Hmmmmmm

...And then there was 1;  With Sam Houston State's upset of Oregon State last week that leaves UMass as the only winless team in the FBS.  

...The few, the beaten, the bowl ineligible;  There are six Power Four conference schools that are ineligible for a bowl this year.  They are Arkansas, Purdue, Syracuse, Boston College, Oklahoma State and Colorado. 

...Stiffarm Statue Vibe;  As of this week, my Heisman frontrunner is Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza. The kid is nails in the clutch.  

...They are 1 and 1;  The San Jose State passing combo of QB  Walker Eget and WR Danny Scudero lead the FBS in passing yards and receding yards.  Eget has thrown for 2,941 yards while Scudero has 1,126 yards receiving.  

...The fall is real;  Watching Oregon State lose at home to then 0-8 Sam Houston State shows just how badly damaged the breakup of the Pac 12 has been for the Beavers. 

...Tusk explained;  Trojan faithful all know the song Tusk and how the SC band collaborated with Fleetwood Mac for the iconic tune.  ESPN took a stab at the history of the song, so to speak, with this article. Mick, Tony and Art

...He wants it all;  Former LSU HC Brian Kelly has rejected the admin's buyout offers and will seek the full 54 million dollars he is owed by the school.  It's always the money  

...Twice is a first;  For the first time in school history Rutgers has consecutive 1,000 yard rushers.  Antwan Raymond ran the ball last Saturday 41 times for 240 yards v. Maryland to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark for the season. In 2024, current Chicago Bears rookie sensation Kyle Monangai rushed for 1,279 yards for the Scarlet Knights.  

...He said it; West Virginia HC Rich Rodriguez said he likes giving his team opportunities to compete, but said about himself, "I'm too old to do anything else other than play pickleball."  

Big Ten Overreactions

Indiana is a a one-and-done in the CFP.

Penn State has lots of heart and no offense. 

Ohio State is sleepwalking through games.

Purdue is an almost team. 

USC just needs to keep grinding.

Northwestern needs receivers.

Rutgers will still go 5-7.

Maryland is two years away.

Wisconsin also has lots of heart and no offense.

Washington is an 8-4 team.

Oregon is thankful for a bad snap.

Iowa is 10 points away from 9-0.

UCLA can't stop the run.

Nebraska can't stop a running QB.

Keeping Up With Your Exes

Cal became bowl eligible at 6-4 with a 29-26 upset win at Louisville over the #15 ranked Cardinals.  Meanwhile Stanford lost a tough one at North Carolina, 20-15.  Arizona also became bowl eligible with a 24-20 win over Kansas and Colorado became bowl ineligible with 29-22 loss at West Virginia.  

CFL Update

A pair of 3's decided the conference finals in the Great White North.  In the Eastern Final, the Montreal Alouettes held on a for a 19-16 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.  In the Western Final, the Saskatchewan Roughriders held on for a 24-21 win over the B.C. Lions.   The means this coming Sunday at 3 PM Pacific  Standard Time, Montreal will take on the Roughriders in the 112th Grey Cup.   

 

Uniform Gift of the Week

Kansas City Chiefs QB and Texas Tech alum designed and then gifted these splashy togs to the teams last week for their game with BYU.

A Chicle of Wisdom

This week's wisdom from the 1935 National Chicle football set comes from card #18 Mike Mikulak.  Coach Casey cautions us as to how a member of the backfield can't tip off where a play is going.  He then speaks of Mikluak's ability to be at top speed at the start of each play. 

Departments

Low Score Game of the Week: Columbus, OH- This week's game comes form the Ohio Athletic Conference in D-III where the Muskingum University Muskies rallied for a 7-3 win over the Capital University Comets. Comets PK Ethan Graham gave Capital a 3-0 lead ob the final pay of the  first half with a 23-yard FG.  Then with 10:58 left in the fourth quarter, Muskingum RB Riley Woodie crossed the double strip form a yard out for the game-wining TD.  Woodie ran for 100 yards on 28 carries to lead all rushers.  

Blowout Game of the Week: New Wilmington, PA- It was Senior Day at Westminster College and what it was as the Titans spanked the Terriers of Hiram College, 76-0.  QB Quentin Goode completed 11 of 14 passes for 132 yard and a TD  while RB Clayton Cannon Jr. ran for 69 yards 10 carries with 3 scores to lead the Titan attack.  The Westminster defense held Hiram to 6 yards rushing on the day. 

Razorback Report:  The Hogs were thankfully off this week and will travel to LSU next week.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...

Getting handed a small sample of piping hot potato nuggets to munch on while waiting for your order at Slavko's is one of the great pleasures in life. 

I can't believe it's mid-November.  Where did October go?

Foghorns are a daily wake up call nowadays. 

Until next time folks, remember that teams that run the ball well win more games.  

-The Commissioner