DOWN GOES 'BAMA, DOWN GOES 'BAMA!

Crimson Tide upset by Johnny Football, Ducks rise to #1 in coaches’ poll (which doesn’t matter), and Irish claim the golden Iesus Hominum Salvator.  Go ahead, ask me how I came up with that last one.

Not a bad season for my alma mater, although I doubt head coach John Audino will concur.  In D-III it’s only a success if you make the tournament, which no four-loss team will ever do.  Yet considering the combined record of the four opponents to whom Union lost was 31-10, the young Dutchmen have a great deal on which to build next season.

Here’s how things went down on Saturday:

Union 34, RPI 28 (OT).  Long bus ride from Schenectady to Troy leaves Dutchmen exhausted, unable to get on the board until almost halftime.  See-saw scoring battle sees RPI having to settle for three field goals, though one is a school-record 50-yarder by sophomore PK Andrew Franks.  Two-point conversion with 3:44 remaining in regulation allows Enginerds to tie Garnet.  But sophomore Conner Eck saves the day with 31-yard toss to WR Kyle Reynolds to seal the deal in OT.

San Diego State 28, Air Force 9.  Fly Boys manage two more points than Army (see below), but that’s not enough.  Neither are advantages in total yards, first downs, and time of possession.  The Academy’s defense can’t shut down RBs Adam Muema or Walter Kazee, as Aztecs roll to their sixth straight win.  Falcon QB Connor Dietz is intercepted, has a fumble, and is sacked three times.  To make matters worse, team stops after the game at Dick's Last Resort in the Gaslamp Quarter and is subjected to repeated insults by wait staff.

Rutgers 28, Army 7.  A lot closer than the final score indicates.  A blown 4^th quarter long snap deflates the Black Knights, who proceed to lie down and roll over for Rutgers.   Scarlet Knight defense shines by blocking two field goals and recovering three fumbles, all on Rutgers real estate.  Bright note for Army is their ability to run effectively (281 yds.) against the nation’s 4^th-ranked rushing defense.  On the trip back to West Point, a plebe lineman is overheard asking coach Rich Ellerson if the bus will stop at the Hudson River.  Ellerson replies, "Of course, otherwise we'll make a hell of a big splash."

Troy 41, Navy 31.  Not exactly an upset, yet not exactly the way I expect it to turn out.  Deon Anthony, a backup QB, notches three TDs by mixing passes and runs.  Mid’s QB Keenan Reynolds has a big day, balancing 8-of-15 passing with 159 rushing yards including three scores.  But Navy gives up too many big plays, including a 62-yard Corey Robinson pass to B. J. Chitty and a 44-yard run by Anthony, both for scores.  It seems the Squid defenders joined the Navy so the world could see them.

2012 BYU Schedule

BYU 52, Idaho 13.  CUPCAKE ALERT:  Cougars roll up 537 yds. of total offense against hapless Vandals, who cough up the football five times, giving up a TD in the process.  Idaho QB Logan Bushnell is intercepted twice.  Counterpart Riley Nelson throws for 3 TDs, tying his career game-high while backup James Lark throws a fourth.

# 19 USC 38, Arizona State 17.  OK, so I got this one wrong.  Trojans, who end two-game losing streak, should have won anyway.  RB Curtis McNeal breaks open a 3^rd-quarter deficit with two TDs en route to a 163-yd. game.  Although he throws for 222 yds. and 3 TDs, Trojan QB Matt Barkley nearly gives away the game by chucking three INTs as well.  But he is trumped by Sun Devil QB Taylor Kelly, who is himself picked off three times in leading ASU to its fourth straight loss.  It's OK, both teams will get plenty of rest while watching UCLA play for the Pac-12 championship in a couple of weeks.

Wyoming 28, New Mexico 23.  Game proves adage that the difference between UNM football and Cheerios is that only one of them belongs in a bowl.  Are the Lobos really doormats, or is 2-win Wyoming just better than their record indicates?  Cowboys lead wire-to-wire behind the 4-TD performance of QB Brett Smith, two of which are reeled in by fave target WR Jalen Claiborne.  New Mexico, which has become overly dependent on its running game, holds onto the ball 16:30 longer than Wyoming yet can’t get closer than the final 5-point margin.