Another One Bites the Dust, and I Mean, Really Bites the Dust: At Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, hopes for a BCS title flared fiercely for unbeaten Iowa (#4). That is, until Northwestern (6-4) showed up. The Hawkeyes instantly put up 10 points, and almost everyone said "game over" and changed the channel. In the second quarter, however, the Hawks' flashy young gun Ricky Stanzi was stripped and sacked in his own end zone by Corey Wootton and went down with a severe ankle injury. Marshall Thomas recovered the fumble, and after the fickle football pendulum swung, Iowa was unable to score again the whole game, making Northwestern (who hasn't beaten anyone ranked in five years), that's right, bowl-eligible. Iowa, who has trailed in the fourth period four other times this season and miraculously pulled out wins, simply ran out of gas this time. As for the Hawks, Stanzi has undergone ankle surgery and is doubtful for the rest of the season. (ESPN, Big Ten Blog) Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz dejectedly stated afterwards, "Anytime you lose your quarterback, that's not good." Uh, really? I honestly cannot think of a more obvious statement than this. Other things Second and One expects to learn from Coach Ferentz: The Pope is Catholic. The sky is blue. Food that is in the microwave will come out hot unless your microwave is broken.
Pac-10 Pandemonium: Oregon caused quite the rankings kerfuffle when they defeated USC. Where should they be ranked? Should they be ranked ahead of Boise State despite losing to them? What happens to USC? Oregon then squared off against solid, six-and-two Stanford - and lost in a game where a combined 93 points were scored. This game was a greater shootout than the Matrix trilogy. Toby Gerhardt, who holds the records for both "highest number of rush yards/game at Stanford" and "whitest running back imaginable" burned up the scoreboard with three scores and 223 yards. On the other foot, err, hand, Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli threw for three TDs and ran for one. Jumpin Jehosophat, these guys are more offensive than rotten food in your fridge.
Toby Gerhardt and the Stanford Cardinal* feasted upon the ducks on Saturday. Source: AP, Marcio Jose Sanchez.
This is Why You Go For It: The University of Cincinnati Bearcats are incredible. After star QB Tony Pike's injury, #5 is the epitome of perseverance. In Saturday's embittered skirmish with UConn, the Bearcats showed extreme intestinal fortitude in going for it twice on 4th down - and converting both attempts. The UConn Huskies, incidentally, also went for it twice in similar situations, converted both attempts, and almost won. Other fun facts: Cincy's backup QB Zach Collaros passed for an eye-popping 480 yards in a game where the team accumulated 711 yards of total offense. Judas Priest, these guys are more offensive than smelly feet!
Fresh From the Bakery: Ever notice there are teams that just do not match up well? Navy and Notre Dame. The Midshipmen were ND's doormat for 43 years, finally winning in 2006. And in 2009, Notre Dame dominated first downs, total and passing yards, and third down conversion rate, and still lost the game. Why? The Irish turned the ball over three times. When you're trying to earn a BCS bid against an unranked, independent opponent, you've got to hold onto the ball! The strategies in this game were vastly different. ND had 452 yards passing. Navy had 348 yards rushing. Both under 60 yards in the other category. Suffering Succotash, these guys are more offensive than Howard Stern!
Special Teams that are Truly Special and not Special: Michigan, who is in extreme disarray, hoped to become bowl-eligible against the Purdue Boilermakers, whom Second and One follows as "the most schizophrenic team in the whole BCS." Purdue is the team that put up 52 points one week and then dropped one to a relative cupcake two weeks later. This team ground #7 Ohio State into a fine powder and blew them away, and then lost 37-0 to Wisconsin two weeks later. This kind of schizophrenic. (Indy.com)
Beginning what was to become a furious 3rd quarter comeback against the Now-Extinct Wolverines, Purdue threw the playbook at Michigan. Runs that looked like passes, passes that looked like runs, jailbreak screen formations, sending enormous, mostly-blocking tight ends 50 yards downfield to catch the ball, and other such insanity. Capping one such drive, Purdue RB Ralph Bolden ran 10 yards for 6 points, and the Boilermakers lined up after the extra point to return the ball to Freshman Messiah Tate Forcier...but the ball bounced ten yards into the air and was promptly recovered by Purdue. Surprise onside kick! The very next play, Elliot found WR Cortez Smith in the end zone from 54 yards out. And there's 14 points in nine seconds. It would be safe to say that the Wolverines did not know what hit them and probably still don't. Onside kicks are normally viewed as desperation maneuvers saved for the end of a game when raising the white flag is almost certain. Pulling one out when nobody expects it - and executing to textbook perfection - is a genius maneuver that breaks monotony and jazzes up the entire team. Especially when the team in question, who has not beaten Michigan at Michigan since 1966, wins it 38-36! Fun Fact: The last time Purdue and Michigan met, Purdue won in a game where 90 points were scored between the two contestants. Mighty Minced Oaths, these guys are more offensive than belching at the dinner table!
This has not happened since the Johnson Administration. This has not happened since before the moon landing. This has not happened since before the Internet. Source: Purdue Exponent
Football Nuttery at Work, Round N: I conclude this entry by describing an incident that happened yesterday afternoon. For appropriate background, the Football Team at the University Where I Work won this past weekend, but was the victim of a few outrageously bad ref calls along the way, including one for "kick catch interference." After watching replays of this incident over and over, I concluded it was a bogus call: the designated return man tripped into the turf and was untouched. The distance between the defender flagged for interference and the ball was approximately the same distance between Missouri and Moscow. As the boys still ended up winning, I grumbled and put the incident out of my mind. On Monday afternoon, I began the task of sorting through a pile of paperwork that I would swear has been mating on my desk, and went to visit the head of my research group about a serious matter contained in said paperwork. As I was turning to leave his office, he stops me cold and says "So. How 'bout that kick interference call?" Tension gone! Fans: sometimes, a little pigskin pitch can help file the most frustrating of forms!
NFL news tomorrow, including a few woeful thoughts on the Bears/Cards disaster.
*Why is this singular? Shouldn't it be "cardinals" or a modifier (e.g. "cardinal sin?") Why is their logo a tree? What is going on with this team, anyway?
EDIT: I realized I had to get some facts about UConn/Cincy straight. After the cleanup on aisle 9, things are the way they should be.
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