Delay of Games, Gonna Cost You Five Yards

It's been a long week for BFS, going back to work after such a long, pleasant summer break.  Teaching school wouldn't be so tough if it weren't for those pesky students!  Return of the mid-afternoon nap as well as the early morning exercise walk has made me ti-red.  Undaunted, late being better than never, here's a look back at what happened during Week #2.

 

The United States of College Football

Utah State 52, Air Force 20.  No need to dispatch Mr. Hough to Puyallup, Utah State has more than enough to spank the Falcons in C-Springs.  Aggie QB Chuckie Keeton throws five TD passes to as many different receivers before being shown his Barcalounger just before the end of the third quarter.  Not as happy for Air Force’s Jaleel Awini.  Making his first start, "A-Win" begins with a fumble and ends being replaced by Karson Roberts.  Roberts proceeds to demonstrate the value of offensive balance by throwing a 37-yard TD strike to Jale Robinette midway through the final quarter.   Word to The Academy:  don’t fake a punt from your own 32 yard-line.

Ball State 40, Army 14.  Too many penalties and turnovers--and too much (BSU QB) Keith Wenning--spell defeat for The Point.  Cadets actually have only one fewer yard of total offense than the Cardinals, but Wenning out-guns Angel Santiago to the tune of 325 to 49 yds. in the passing department.  On the bright side, RB Larry Dixon has a 71-yd. TD run on his way to 107 total rushing yards that included a second score.  Alas, for the 17^th consecutive year, Army cannot start its season 2-0.

Navy 41, Indiana 35.  Here’s what emotion and a very good option quarterback can do for an underdog.  Not having defeated a Big TenSixteen opponent on the road since 1979, the Middies show sympathy for coach Ken Niumatalolo, whose mother passed away earlier in the week, with a Herculean effort.  Navy holds possession at a rate of 2-to-1, wearing down the Indiana D to the extent that the Hoosiers call timeout just to stop the clock and catch their breath.  Don’t blame Hoosier QB Kevin Sudfeld, who completes 31-of-42 for 363 yds. and 3TDs.  Navy is only service academy to notch a W this week, proof that skipping Week 1 is worthwhile.

BYU 40, #15 Texas 21.  This story isn’t just how well the Cougars play, rather how gruesome is the display put on by the Texas defense.  The day after witnessing his team cough up 550 yds. rushing, worst performance ever by a Longhorn team, head coach Mack Brown fires defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, a personnel move rarely seen in college football.  BYU’s Taysom Hill may not resemble your prototypical Cougar QB, going only 9-for-26 through the air.  Yet in rushing for 259 yds., Hill exemplifies the emphasis being placed on the so-called “read-option” offense that has even made its way to the NFL.  Texas and the Top 25:  BOOM, outta here.

Boston College 24, Wake Forest 10.  The name of the Eagles’ game is deeee-fense.  BC forces three turnovers and has two monumental goal-line stands in handily defeating the Demon Deacons in Chestnut Hill.  Even with a bad hammy that causes him to miss the entire previous week of practice, RB Andre Williams has 209 yds. rushing on 35 carries.  Wake coach Jim Grobe says, “They’re no Presbyterian.”

Washington State 10, #25 USC 7.  Stop me when you’ve heard this before:  the Trojan defense can’t prevent the offense from turning the ball over and Lane Kiffin can’t coach.  How’s that QB platoon system workin’ for ya, coach?  Marqise Lee:  7 catches for 27 yards…really?  Sorta disproves the adage that defense wins games.  A red zone in the Colliseum parking lot was touched up to read “Fire Lane Kiffin” .  USC and the Top 25:  BOOM, outta here.