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Week 12 of the university football season did not have the heaviest program on paper, but once the games started, we had some surprising results. The winners and losers of the 12th week saw their seasons change in the blink of an eye.
West Virginia being a victim of Oklahoma State and some other Top 25 defeated teams, we are certain to see changes in the rankings that will affect the image of the match and the playoffs.
Most of the best teams in the country have been tested before taking them away. But some of the top 11 teams made statements about their wins over their Top 25 teammates.
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There were a lot of things at stake since Texas hosted the state of Iowa on Saturday night. With their 24-10 win, the Longhorns prepared to try their luck to play again in Oklahoma or West Virginia. They would surely like to be able to avenge their defeat against West Virginia, but the possibility of beating Oklahoma again would also be alluring.
The Longhorns had a fascinating season. Almost all of their games were decided by a single score, with USC, TCU and Iowa State being the three furthest points. The offensive and the defense lack regularity, but it's a good team that has the talent to play with anybody.
It only remains Kansas at the Texas time and a win would make the Longhorns win 9-3 during the second season of Tom Herman. The opportunity to win the Big 12 Championship and potentially eliminate Oklahoma from the playoff race must be a major motivator for this program. This would also allow the Longhorns to play in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.
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Nick Wass / Associated Press
The surprising surprise of the superstar at the start of the season came from the attacking midfielder Anthony McFarland. The former 4-star prospect showed tremendous speed, power and balance on his way to her second consecutive 200-yard game. His monstrous performance against Ohio State placed Team # 10 in the final standings until the last game in overtime.
The 298 rushing yards of McFarland are the maximum that a team of Urban Meyer has ever bestowed on an individual. He started the match with a bang, since he had 155 yards in his first three carries. Part of that had to do with the particularly porous defense of the Buckeyes, but McFarland's game making allowed him to create a lot of yards.
His amazing story includes the fact that he missed his last year of high school because of a fibula and that he then made a red shirt for Maryland in 2017. His playing time was this season, but it now has more than 1,000 rushing yards. He is also the former son of "Booger" McFarland, star of the NFL and the LSU.
We will probably hear a lot about young Anthony McFarland for many years. He conferred on the plethora of athletes in the state of Ohio a mediocre appearance on open ground. Make sure that he earns praise and attention in the weeks to come and next season.
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Despite the win, it's hard to watch the two big names of Ohio State coaching staff and feel positively. Yes, the offense led by Dwayne Haskins was masterful at the appropriate time, but the Buckeyes are in a funky state since losing to Purdue. They were exposed as a good team, but deeply flawed, as they continued to be faced each week.
Head coach Urban Meyer was always on the sidelines, but he seemed to have real health problems as stress and mistakes accumulated throughout the match. Every time the camera went to Meyer, he leaned in disgust. Social media has taken note of this and, given Meyer's health problems, is now too difficult for him to manage without jeopardizing his own future.
The biggest problem for the Buckeyes on the field is defensive coordinator Greg Schiano and linebacker coach Bill Davis. Both have completely failed their young players this year. Maryland's interim head coach, Matt Canada, is known for her movement-based offensive and difficult calls, but the Buckeyes continued to fall into her trap with the distractions of the movement.
Schiano looked good when Ohio State had four first-round picks in the secondary and mid-round picks at the linebackers. But he and Davis have been terrible without this type of NFL talent at their disposal this year as they still have not corrected the lack of discipline in the gaps within the unit.
If Meyer stays beyond this season, he must consider reorganizing his defensive staff. Alex Grinch has been superb with Washington State and Larry Johnson is a legendary defensive lineman. But everyone should be on the hot seat.
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While the NFL is looking for new unique offenses exploiting the mismatches, it may have just witnessed Matt Canada's attempt to get into the pros. Or maybe Maryland will look to keep Canada past this season. Whatever the case may be, Canada's masterful offensive design and daring games have ensured that the Terrapins have more than an opportunity to defeat the Buckeyes.
Canada's ability to insist on the decision-making process of each defender in the space has led to great games. However, he often chose bad jobs, which led him to tour the country in search of a suitable job. It was not the problem at LSU last year and it was more than impressive this season with Maryland.
As a former linebacker to the Buckeyes, Joshua Perry tweeted, Canada unearthed the Buckeyes defenses with extreme accuracy, leading to 339 yards and five touchdowns. The only reasons the Terps lost are tied to their own limited play and the return of Dwayne Haskins worthy of Heisman. Canada has continually put its staff in a position to succeed against a deeper and more talented team – and has almost won.
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Brody Schmidt / Associated Press
During the collapse of Stillwater West Virginia in the second and fourth quarters of Stillwater, there were a handful of key games that ruined any chance this team would qualify for the playoffs. Just a week before confronting Oklahoma No. 6, the Mountaineers succumbed to their porous defense and offensive bounds. Their 45-41 loss at the last minute was a painful reminder that each team can lose in conference.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys bounced back after a mediocre first half, having had tremendous success on the field. Not only were they able to build consistent discs, but they also disrupted the timing of Will Grier's attack and forced the mountaineers to start driving further on their own territory. The strategy yielded 10 points to the Mountaineers in the fourth quarter, but opened a small window to allow the Cowboys to get a late advance.
West Virginia hemorrhaging yards and then could not make a productive pass game when he needed it the most. Grier was stuck with short passes in high winds, again exposed as having a middle arm on a stage where he had to perform downhill passes. His last pass in the end zone was easy to beat and his chances at Heisman were reduced to zero.
At present, the Mountaineers play as detractors to the Sooners bid. It was a disappointing defeat, especially considering the quality of their match in the first period.
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John Raoux / Associated Press
The Kansas Jayhawks have decided to recruit the Miles, the former LSU head coach, according to Sports Illustratedof Ross Dellenger. Although the likely hiring makes the headlines and seduces occasional fans, it should however worry the interested parties. The end of Charlie Weis' career should not be as bad as that of Charlie Weis, but it is fair to say that the Jayhawks have taken the easy path of mediocrity with The Mad Hatter.
Miles was a good recruiter at LSU, but he no longer has the local elite talent from which to choose who bled the colors of his school. He was commissioned to recast a Big 12 backplane as a 65-year-old player who never understood how to build a modern offense. His talent development problems and the identification of stars in the making led to his death at LSU.
And this move is pretty much the same for sports director Jeff Long. He hired Dave Wannstedt at Pitt as well as Bobby Petrino and Bret Bielema at Arkansas. He likes the big names who have exploits in their records, but he does not identify what is best for the situation.
Long and Kansas should have been looking for innovation. Appealing to a budding offensive star could have given them their own Matt Rhule, Matt Campbell, Tom Herman or Jeff Brohm. Instead, they will let Miles try for a few years and then start the whole process over again.
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Butch Dill / Associated Press
The other great attraction of attention was at first a shock: Alabama and The Citadel. For a half, the Citadel has pretty much mastered the control of the balloon to keep it away from the scarlet tide& # 39;offense, which led to a score of 10-10 at halftime.
Of course, the tide shattered them in the third quarter because they are just too good. Tua Tagovailoa continued her incredible season by completing 18 of 22 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns. But the Bulldogs need credit for highlighting the effectiveness of the triple option in case of talent discrepancy.
The Citadel tried only two assists the whole match, both falling incomplete. Instead, he challenged Nick Saban's defense with throws and transfers based on leverage readings. The result was a total of 275 rushing yards in 60 races. The Bulldogs have probably earned respect for the No. 1 Scarlet Tide.
Other small schools should know how to find an inefficient market and exploit it. The Bulldogs only have 4 to 6 players a year, but they have a plan that takes the teams off guard. He has also worked for the Navy and the Army for many years.
Our hats are made for you, the citadel.
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Brandon Wade / Associated Press
Unfortunately for the Houston Cougars, college football fans and quarterback Eriq King, the incredible playmaker was lost for the remainder of the 2018 season when he was torn meniscus right knee Thursday night, because of Houston ChronicleThat's Joseph Duarte. The injury was of the non-contact variety, occurring on a transfer. King is certainly not a loser, but rather the fact that he was injured.
He has been an elite producer for cougars. He is among the best touchdown scorers in the country and finished the year with 2,982 passing yards and 36 touchdowns. He added 674 yards rushing. King had a legitimate chance to go to New York for the presentation of Heisman.
The Cougars were able to win comfortably without King against Tulane, but it is an expensive injury. At 8-3, this team is ready to get a decent bid. But unless first-class rookie Clayton Tune suddenly appeared, the excitement around the team took a major hit.
Let's hope that King will be back to 100% for the 2019 season and will be able to continue doing magic on the field.
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Keith Srakocic / Associated Press
CCA's Coastal Division continues to produce unexpected results. When the Pittsburgh Panthers comfortably beat Wake Forest, 34-13, they became the sixth different Coastal winner over the past six seasons. None of the champions have claimed the crown more than once during this period. Virginia would be the last team that could continue the series in 2019.
The way the Panthers have reached this point is particularly impressive. With a 6-1 conference record and a winning streak of four games, they are the perfect example of a team that improves as the season progresses. They still had a negative points differential until last week, which highlighted their unconventional trajectory to win the division.
But three of their defeats came in ranked teams, and the fourth was tight in North Carolina. The development of quarterback Kenny Pickett has been decisive, but the defense has also been significantly improved most weeks. The unit has won shots on goal, making it one of the few teams capable of handling varied styles.
Congratulations to Head Coach Pat Narduzzi and the Panthers. After clashing with the Miami Hurricanes next week, they will face Clemson for the VAC title.
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Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press
Now at 10-0 and winners of 23 consecutive games, the UCF Knights and their rankings have reached a breaking point. They took care of business against a quality team from Cincinnati, and a decent but non-threatening USF team is waiting for the Knights in their regular season finale. It's time for the series committee to give them respect for their rankings.
Maybe the Knights are not among the top four, but they are certainly close. The arguments against them are valid, but it is also unfair to ask them to perfectly predict which teams plan several years to have a chance to qualify for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, in Saturday's 38-13 win, quarterback McKenzie Milton was again masterful. His ability to manipulate his throwing motion to make moving passes is unique and dangerous. He cut out a well-trained defense with repeated pieces games.
Adrian Killins Jr., the versatile playmaker, also had a memorable evening on television in prime time. He is a threat as a runner and receiver with his blazing speed, but most of his damage has come as a receiver. He set a high season with four receptions, totaling 82 yards and two touchdowns.
Hopefully the committee finally gives UCF the respect it deserves by placing it in the Top Six. Anything less would be an indictment on an imperfect process that will only continue to reward the Power Five teams and anyone else.
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David Zalubowski / Associated Press
The Colorado Buffalos continued their infernal spiral by bowing 30-7 at home against Utah. The Buffaloes were 5-0 to start the season but lost six straight games, all in conference. It is possible that they may lose again next week against Cal and miss the season of cuts despite their inspiring start.
Their overly conservative offensive continued to thwart the talented duo of quarterback Steven Montez and wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. Although Montez was defeated on Saturday, while Utah defenders lobbied throughout the match, the season has deteriorated while their commitment to the pass attack has diminished. All too often, they find themselves facing situations of third and long on which to improvise for Montez – in vain.
It is possible that Mount go after the year. I've had conversations with agents who are of the opinion that he will try his luck in the NFL. Of course, the late struggles of the team could change things for him.
Another thing to note is that Colorado mascot Ralphie the Buffalo did not show up for the third time in 11 years, according to the Pac-12 show. She could not run because of the snow, which was probably a precaution on the part of her managers. It was a sad afternoon as local fans missed the beloved buffalo and then suffered a painful home defeat.
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Howard Simmons / Associated Press
The most intriguing match of the week was supposed to be between Notre Dame and Syracuse, but the Irish fighters again separated from their competitors in the first half. After the Syracuse No. 3 12 36-3 win, only a mediocre team from the USC opposed an undefeated regular season for the Irish. If they manage to finish the Trojans next week, they should sign their ticket for the college football playoffs.
Not only that, but the Irish also seem to be the third best team in the country. Winning every game should be valued, and their victory against Michigan is great. One of the royalties of football is back in the main lines.
The Irish defense has been phenomenal and the inclusion of Ian Book at the quarterback has changed the direction of their season as no one could predict. The 292-yard Book Clinic this week included two first-half outings during which he distinguished the Orange defense as if they were running a seven-in-seven summer drill.
This team did everything to win a playoff spot. Another victory and the Irish must be present.
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Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press
In an aesthetic battle of classic college football uniforms, the Chip Kelly UCLA Bruins were victorious against the US Trojans. After an exciting fourth-quarter game at 13 points for the Bruins after a six-point deficit, the spin-offs of Trojans head coach Clay Helton seem perfectly clear. Helton's tenure with the Trojans could be over after his team's fourth defeat in five weeks.
Expectations for Trojans should never have been so great given the depth of alignment and the youth occupying key positions. But there has been no growth and it is probably impossible to get a bowl bid for 5-6 USC since Notre Dame goes to town next week. If the Trojans had always held 5-6 but had managed in the end of the season, Helton might have had a chance to survive, but it had been a disappointing choice from the start.
USC has to make big case and leave his comfort zone for his next coach, so he has to dismiss Helton. A newcomer, such as Matt Campbell, from the state of Iowa, should also be welcomed if the Trojans can not get a more established figure. But they can not tap into familiar names for comfort.
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The phrase "high career" is an impressive feat, but it is particularly noteworthy when a talent such as Jonathan Taylor can say that he has created one. The Wisconsin running back has set a new personal best in the yard rushing against Purdue in triple overtime. He had 321 yards and three touchdowns, including the winning goal of the 47-44 victory.
Taylor is at 1,869 rushing yards in the season and has Minnesota on the bridge next week while he is trying to hit 2,000. That looks like 1,977 last year except that he achieved this total in fewer races (299-228) and has two more touchdowns. He deserves a trip to New York for the presentation of Heisman.
What has been forgotten is that Taylor has accumulated 496 yards with a quarterback playing. It is always produced because the defenses had even more reasons to seize it. His physical run led Purdue to soften at the end of the regulation period and Wisconsin scored 34 of its 47 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. An average back does not do it.
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Michael Wyke / Associate Press
It was difficult to find 25 teams to rank. There is a clear decline after the Top 12 and another shortly after, it is impossible to differentiate between teams with a few defeats. As the Group of Five's competitors climbed, they also suffered setbacks.
Wednesday night, Ohio University erased Tyree Jackson and the Buffalo Bulls. The victory of the 52-17 Bobcats probably ended the 9-2 Bulls' attempt to finish the regular season in the Top 25.
The UAB Blazers' 9-2 had a phenomenal year but were castigated by Texas A & M at Kyle Field, 41-20. The Aggies, now 7-4, are a good team, so it would have been a declared victory for UAB. As with Buffalo, it will be difficult to place UAB in the Top 25 with two losses.
Boston College, No. 20, has tilted to Florida State, one of the worst losses of the day, given the difficulties of the Seminoles this year. The defeat of the Eagles could allow Pitt or NC State to be in the Top 25. No. 24, Cincinnati lost 38-13, but their efforts against UCF may not lead to a fall. The Bearcats have been tough and competitive, and they are in the top 25. It's not as if the list of deserving candidates is much better.
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The TCU Horned Frogs, who had to play with their third quarter and their last purse, still managed to impose 16 to 9 on the road to Baylor to improve their score to 5-6. While this is not a good season for legendary coach Gary Patterson, he is at a World Cup eligibility win for the 17th time in 19 seasons. And he almost achieved this feat with an alignment covered with injuries.
Up to Grayson Muehlstein, the fifth-year senior quarterback, the Horned Frogs have kept the basics. Muehlstein played his role effectively, but only finished six times in his career. When Michael Collins, the starter, suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter, it seemed that Baylor had the advantage. But two long touchdowns (65 and 37 yards) wide receiver Jalen Reagor sealed the win.
Patterson failed to get one of his disadvantages, nor the explosive offense of previous years. But his team is competing with talented opponents despite his injuries. Most programs would collapse while having to fill as many positions.
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Michael Hickey / Getty Images
The Lovie Smith-Illinois era continues to embrace, the program losing its seventh place in nine games. Sitting at 4-7, Illini will again fall short of a bowl offer. What is worse for Smith is the mediocrity of his defense, given his defensive coaching pedigree.
The Illini have allowed at least 46 points in all but one defeats this year, and three teams have suspended more than 60. This is not a good program, and these are the types of moves that lead to layoffs thoughtless.
Defensive issues can be related to youth but also to patterns. Teams parade into the field for points, often scoring distances of three or four minutes. Smith must adapt by dropping more defenders into space instead of relying on his basic defense to play.
There is no clear answer on what to do. Smith has cachet but has also produced nothing of interest during his three year tenure in Illinois. The administration may want Smith to be more of a figurehead like Herm Edwards for Arizona State.
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Wade Payne / Associated Press
Missouri was very skeptical when it hired Derek Dooley as offensive coordinator in January. The experiment was as follows: Dooley's pro style experience could benefit future coach and NFL quarterback Drew Lock, but that would certainly limit his production and team potential. Part of that was justified, but the partnership seemed much better in recent weeks.
Dooley's return to Neyland Stadium was triumphant as the Tigers hit the Volunteers 50-17 behind Lock's arm and allowed them to run efficiently. Although Dooley is far from being a good head coach for Tennessee (15-21 record from 2010 to 2012), the offensive struggles for the Post-Dooley Volunteers have shown that their problems were deeper than him.
Lock continues to replenish good games. The 6 "4", 225-pounder has a strong but average-level arm and has battled conference opponents in his career, but he has had some of his best performances in each of the last three weeks, totaling 760 yards. , seven touchdowns and two inclined interceptions.
Missouri is probably heading for a decent bowl game. Although the Tigers were not ranked, they were competitive in all of their games, with the exception of two, and could easily attempt to win ten victories if they were not near defeats against South Carolina and Kentucky.
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