Weekend review (part 2)
Purdue 42, Minnesota 35 (2OT) Recap - Box score
While the Golden Gophers were able to win this battle, I'm not sure either team will win the war. Glen Mason beat Purdue for the first time as Minnesota's head coach, and in the process, the Gophers knocked off the team that had a relatively easy shot at the Big Ten title (Purdue doesn't play Ohio State or Michigan).
Purdue has left behind its basketball-on-grass offense and turned to the wishbone shotgun attack, and the Boilermakers no longer are a great passing team. Purdue is a good running team, but the Boilermakers were lining up against a great running team, the best in the country. Minnesota dominated the line of scrimmage against the country's top rushing defense, and Laurence Maroney ran for 217 yards on 46 carries.
Minnesota is 4-0, but Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio State are next.
Wisconsin 23, Michigan 20 Recap - Box score
Barry Alvarez struggled with Michigan throughout his career, but he finally beat Lloyd Carr in his last try.
What a great call to run the quarterback draw from the 4 in the final minute. With all eyes on running back Brian Calhoun, Wisconsin quarterback John Stocco scampered into the end zone.
With Wisconsin and Minnesota winning, there's been a real shakeup in the pecking order of the Big Ten. Even Penn State at 4-0 wants a crack at the crown.
Michigan is left to wonder about another "championship" season lost and another game that it coulda, woulda, shoulda won. This team seems much too talented to have lost to both Notre Dame and Wisconsin.
Notre Dame 36, Washington 17 Recap - Box score
This result isn't about better coaching by Charlie Weis but about a better team at Notre Dame. Weis' Irish offense got its balance back against Notre Dame's former coach, Tyrone Willingham, and an overmatched Washington defense.
Brady Quinn continued to impress running the West Coast offense, and Jeff Samardzija looks to be another breakout Irish star.
Texas Tech 63, Indiana State 7 Recap - Box score
I've chosen not to write much about Texas Tech – it hasn't played anybody. But I just can't ignore the numbers Mike Leach's offense is putting up.
If you're going to play the worst schedule in the country, you should put up the best numbers. And the Red Raiders have, averaging a nation-best 66.3 points and 653 yards per game. Cody Hodges is completing more than 75 percent of his passes.
Folks, I don't care if you're playing against a bunch of blind penguins, those are tough numbers to put up.
I would have waited until after Tech's first conference games to acknowledge its success, but I've got a feeling the Red Raiders are going to put up similar numbers against Kansas, Nebraska and Kansas State the next three weeks. Keep your eye out for the Red Raiders; I really do believe they're better this year than they've been.
Alabama 24, Auburn 13 Recap - Box score
At 4-0, Mike Shula finally has begun to prove to the Crimson Tide fans that he is the right coach for the job. Nobody took over a more difficult task than Shula did with Alabama's probation and loss of scholarships.
With a tough defense, veteran quarterback Brodie Croyle and a strong running attack, Alabama has become the dark horse to win the SEC West. I see seven wins for sure for the Tide, but the real measure of success for this team will come down to how it does against Florida, Tennessee, LSU and Auburn. Two or three big wins there and Mike Shula might need to start wearing that houndstooth hat.
As for Houston Nutt, he definitely is on the hot seat. There has been a lot of talk about former Arkansas player Butch Davis coming back to coach, and as a former coach, I can assure you that that kind of gossip ain't good.
UCF 24, Marshall 13 Recap - Box score
George O'Leary finally got his first win as Central Florida snapped the nation's longest losing streak at 17 games. Just last week, UCF traveled down I-4 for a game against its perceived rival, South Florida, in Tampa. The Bulls beat the Golden Knights badly.
After that game was the first time I'd seen a lot of negative articles about O'Leary at UCF. But seven days after that loss to USF, UCF won its first Conference USA game. And if you know about the tough-minded O'Leary, you know things will only get better.
AND FINALLY ...
Florida 49, Kentucky 28 Recap Things can't be that bad when the only thing Urban Meyer had to complain about was the play of the second-teamers in the second half.
Georgia 23, Mississippi St. 10 Recap D.J. Shockley has quietly and confidently done a more than adequate job of replacing David Greene.
Miami Fla. 23, Colorado 3 Recap With four of the next five games at home, Miami has a great chance to be 7-1 heading into its showdown with Virginia Tech that could decide the winner of the Coastal Division of the ACC.
California 41, New Mexico St. 13 Recap It took a game and a half, but the Golden Bears found a quarterback in Joe Ayoob. In this game, they showed they can thrive even without standout running back Marshawn Lynch. The Bears will be primed to give USC a battle down the road.
Michigan St. 61, Illinois 14 Recap The Spartans are no longer a dark horse in the Big Ten but a serious contender. Drew Stanton is not only the best quarterback in the state; he's the best in the Big Ten.
Arizona St. 42, Oregon St. 24 Recap The Sun Devils are so explosive on offense that they should be undefeated, but they have to show they can really stop somebody on the other side of the ball.
Iowa St. 28, Army 21 Recap I can forgive a letdown against Army, but the Cyclones need to come out ready to play in Lincoln.
Virginia 38, Duke 7 Recap It's easy to forget about the Cavaliers, but they still are in the thick of things in the ACC.
Boston College 16, Clemson 13 (OT) Recap Tom O'Brien and the Eagles split their back-to-back games against the Bowdens. There's not a better ball-control team in the country than BC.
Penn State 34, Northwestern 29 Recap What a beautiful come-from-behind victory. Last year the Nittany Lions never would have had the offensive weapons to rally like this.
West Virginia 20, East Carolina 15 Recap I thought coach Rich Rodriguez was all about throwing the football, but this Mountaineer team is 4-0 and more about defense and the kicking game.
TCU 51, BYU 50 (OT) Recap What a game. Need I say more?
Vanderbilt 37, Richmond 13 Recap I wonder if the Vanderbilt players are going to know what to wear when they go bowling.
