Athlon Sports' most interesting stats from Week 13
Numbers and statistics are a huge part of college football. Every Sunday, reading updated box scores and stats is like Christmas for fans and media members. Some stats like total offense and total defense are overrated, but each help paint a picture for a team or particular game.
Whether the stats are historic, advanced or just an observation from a box score, Athlon Sports brings the most intriguing, important, historic and bizarre stats from around the weekend of college football action:
4: 200-Yard Rushing Performances by Alabama RB Derrick Henry in 2015
Alabama running back Derrick Henry added to his commanding lead in the Heisman race with a huge performance in Saturday’s 29-13 win over Auburn. A heavy workload (46 carries) was no problem for the junior, as he gashed the Tigers for 271 yards and one touchdown. Henry has rushed for at least 204 yards in each of Alabama’s last three SEC games and has four 200-yard games this year. The four 200-yard games tied Georgia’s Herschel Walker and Auburn’s Bo Jackson for the most in a season in SEC history.
4-0: Urban Meyer’s Record as Ohio State’s Head Coach Against Michigan
A week after losing to Michigan State in disappointing fashion, Ohio State took some of its frustration out on rival Michigan. The Buckeyes won 42-13 over the Wolverines on Saturday, improving coach Urban Meyer’s record to 4-0 against Michigan as the team’s head coach. In addition to Meyer’s 4-0 record against the Wolverines, the 29-point margin of victory is the third-largest total for Ohio State in Ann Arbor.
12-0: Clemson and Iowa Reach 12-0 After Wins in Week 13
Clemson and Iowa are the only remaining unbeaten teams in college football going into the final week of the regular season. With a 37-32 victory over South Carolina on Saturday, the Tigers improved to 12-0 and tied the school record for most wins in a season. For the Hawkeyes, Friday’s win over Nebraska moved coach Kirk Ferentz’s team to 12-0 for the first time in school history. The 12 wins are also the most in school history for Iowa.
37: Starters Used by Notre Dame in 2015
It’s no secret Notre Dame has been hit hard by injuries this year. Starting quarterback Malik Zaire, running back Tarean Folston, cornerback KeiVarae Russell and defensive tackle Jarron Jones are just a few of the players lost due to injury for the Fighting Irish this season. According to Notre Dame’s postgame notes following Saturday night’s loss at Stanford, coach Brian Kelly’s team has used 37 different starters this season. Considering how many starters this team has used, along with the loss of several key players due to injury, Brian Kelly should be in the mix for coach of the year honors after guiding this team to a 10-2 regular season.
23: Virginia Tech’s Bowl Streak Extends to 23 After Win Over Virginia
Virginia Tech’s 23-20 win over rival Virginia ensured long-time coach Frank Beamer would have one more game with the Hokies. Beamer announced his retirement in early November and entered Saturday’s game needing a win over the Cavaliers to extend a streak of 22 consecutive bowl appearances. The Hokies did just that, using a late field goal to take a 23-20 edge with less than two minutes remaining, followed by a defensive stand on Virginia’s final offensive drive to earn their sixth victory. The last time Virginia Tech did not play in a postseason game was in 1992.
4,000+/40+: WKU QB Brandon Doughty Again Throws for 4,000+ Yards and 40+ TDs
WKU’s Brandon Doughty is one of the nation’s most prolific quarterbacks, and the senior made history in Friday’s win over Marshall. In addition to helping the Hilltoppers clinch the Conference USA East Division title, Doughty threw for 370 yards and five passing touchdowns. The 370 passing yards pushed Doughty to 4,184 for the season, while the five touchdown tosses elevated his season total to 42. Doughty is just the third quarterback in FBS history to post consecutive seasons of at least 4,000 passing yards and 40 passing scores.
62: Baylor’s Passing Yardage Against TCU
Baylor’s late-November matchup at TCU was pegged as one of the best games of the college football season in August. However, due to injuries and losses by both teams, this matchup lost some of its appeal. And thanks to awful weather conditions, the offensive shootout most expected turned into a defensive struggle. Neither team had much success throwing the ball, as TCU ended with 148 yards on 18 completions and Baylor finished with 62 yards on seven completions. The 62 passing yards by Baylor was easily the lowest total under coach Art Briles and the fewest in a game since 2002 against New Mexico.
11-1: Florida State Coach Jimbo Fisher’s Record Against Miami and Florida
Winning rivalry games is essential for the long-term outlook at a program for any coach. That’s especially true in the state of Florida with the bragging rights between the big three programs – Miami, Florida State and Florida – along with the recruiting trail battles. Since taking over Florida State in 2010, Jimbo Fisher has guided the Seminoles to an 11-1 mark against Miami and Florida. Additionally, Saturday night’s win over the Gators gave Florida State its fourth consecutive season of at least 10 wins.
7: TDs Thrown by Memphis QB Paxton Lynch in the First Half Against SMU
Memphis finished a solid 9-3 season with an easy 63-0 win over SMU on Saturday. The Tigers scored 56 of those 63 points in the first half, as quarterback Paxton Lynch threw seven touchdown passes in the first two quarters. Lynch’s seven touchdown tosses tied a FBS record for the most in a half. The junior ended the day with just nine completions on 14 attempts for 222 yards and seven scores.
2: Teams That Finished 2015 Without a Win
It’s going to be a long offseason at UCF and Kansas. The Knights and Jayhawks finished 2015 with a zero in the win column and an 0-12 mark overall. Both programs are in the midst of change, as David Beaty completed his first season at Kansas in 2015, and UCF is looking for a new coach after George O’Leary retired during the season.
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