Still Jet-Laggin'

Back from a terrific weekend of golf and brotherhood in St. Augustine, FL.  In-between raindrops, Smack Daddy had a couple of decent drives, one highlight reel putt, and splash-landed a tee shot on the par-3 7th hole.  My team finished at 1-under 71, but the winners were a full twelve shots under par.  As always, several notable quotes came out of the gathering, none of which can be repeated here.

Here's a roundup of the college and prep football action as culled from sources way more reliable than I.

Hobart 41, Union 20.  It seems as if nobody can stop the juggernaut that is Hobart football, and Steven Webb in particular.  The senior RB notches his 14th consecutive 100-yard rushing game and goes over the 1,000 yd. total rushing plateau for the second straight year.  The Statesman offense averages over 7.3 yards/play in the first half compared to Union's 4.  LB Devin Worthington is 1.5 tackles away from the all-time Hobart record, and the special teams unit gets credit for three blocked punts.  Leading 41-6 in the 3rd quarter, two Hobart drives stall as a result of turnovers.  Final two Garnet TDs come against Hobart scrubs.  Before anyone feels sorry for the Statesmen for being undefeated and yet still unable to rise above #7 in the polls, just know that all six teams above them are also undefeated, as are five below them. 

Anthony LaCoste befuddles Black Knights

Air Force 42, Army 28.  I don't even know why I'm even writing about this game.  I'm probably the only one reading The Smack that didn't see it on TV!  As predicted, the altitude as well as the punishment dished out by RB Anthony LaCoste highlights a Falcon ground game that provides plenty of late-game headaches for visiting Army.  LaCoste has 263 yds. and three TDs, compared to just 341 yds. total for the entire rest of the schedule.  QB Angel Santiago returns with 8-of-14 completions plus three rushing TDs in his return to the Black Knight lineup from injury.  Air Force's Nate Romine, allowed to transfer credits from this fall's "Unarmed Combat I" class at The Academy, has a nice day filling in for all those other dudes who violated the honor code or were carted from the field on a stretcher.  Romine completes seven of eight passes for 111 yards.

Notre Dame 38, Navy 34.  The Middies keep it close the whole way, but in the end it's the Irish defense which holds down the rushing totals for Keenan Reynolds and company.  Notre Dame QB Tommy Rees continues to make Irish faithful forget Nate Golson by completing 12 of 20 passes for two TDs.  Play that breaks Navy's back is a 4th down reverse, stopped cold, turning the ball over to the Irish who run out the clock and possibly play themselves back into the Top 25. 

Eagles dance the Hokie Pokie

Boston College 34, Virginia Tech 27.  Another upset, but don't blame Hokie QB Logan Thomas who throws for 391 yds. and two TDs.  VaTech's defense just sees too much RB Andre Williams, who rushes for 166 yds. and two TDs of his own.  Starting with the end of the 3rd quarter, Eagles get a touchdown pass, kick a field goal, force an interception, and produce a takeover on downs to put away the Hokies.  After scoring a TD and forcing a 3-and-out of their own late in the game, Thomas fumbles with just under a minute to play and sends Tech to its second consecutive loss and likely out of the Top 25.

USC 31, #16 Oregon State 14.  If the Trojans had been playing up to potential for the past two years, this would have been a no-brainer from the start.  Coach Ed Orgeron continues to audition for next year and has his charges playing very well, especially on defensive side of the football.  Beaver QB Sean Mannion enters the contest having been intercepted only three times all season, but the Trojans pick him off three times and hold him to just 268 yds. passing.  All told, USC shuts out OSU the entire second half while racking up 489 of total offense.  Coaches appear brilliant with their choice of QB Cody Kessler to steer the ship, as Kessler goes 17-for-21 including five completions (and one TD) to WR Marqise Lee.

Another long day for the Panthers

Western Kentucky 44, Georgia State 28.  Game marks Bobby Petrino's first return to the Georgia Dome since resigning abruptly as the coach of the Atlanta Falcons after Week #13 six years ago.  While neither team has the right to brag, it's same old-same old for the Panthers.  QB Ronnie Bell, back from a brief benching, throws 26-of 41 and has two TDs but also gets picked off twice.  Defense can't stop Hilltoppers' RB Keshawn Simpson who runs for four TDs on just 10 carries and 25 total yards.  A late 19-yard TD pass and a recovered onside kick fail to narrow the margin for the Panthers, who continue oh-fer-'13.

Sanford 33, South Portland 32.  And just like that, South Portland's season is over.  Both teams score substantially more than in their first match-up, but this time Sanford relies almost entirely on a running game led, surprisingly, by FB Nick Love (24 carries, 148 yds., TD).  As expected Riot QB Duncan Preston plays his heart out, throwing for four TDs and running for another.  Controversy arises over a 3rd quarter 73-yard run by RB Edward Michetti, when Riot defenders appear to strip the ball away just before Michetti crosses the goal line.  But officials rule that the ball breaks the plane before Michetti loses it, and the score stands.  A last-ditch 2-point conversion fails for SP and Sanford advances to the semi-finals for the first time in 10 seasons.

Puyallup 59, Rogers 35.   No surprise, just disappointment for a good Rogers team which rallies to a 21-21 tie before the end of the first half only to be buried after intermission.  QB Grayson Madland throws for two TDs and runs for another, and LeGrant Pegram gets the juices flowing for Ram fans with an electric 93-yard kickoff return.  But nobody measures up to the Rams' QB Brandon Illies who throws for a record seven TDs on the day.  Three of those passes are hauled in by WR D. J. Winter.

NOTE:  Oregon plays Stanford on Thursday night.  Be right back with the next edition of The Smack.