There was a lot on the line for the Arizona Wildcats yesterday for both the team and Head Coach Rich Rodriguez. If the Cats were to win that game and have UCLA lose they would get a second shot at Oregon in the Pac-12. Well, Friday night in Santa Clara the Cats get that rematch with Oregon. Or should I say Oregon gets the rematch with Arizona since the Ducks are the ones who lost the first time? Either way, this will set up as a great match up.
On Friday, the Wildcats got the victory that they desperately wanted because they had not beat the Sun Devils in the last three years and made Rich Rod a very happy man. He finally beat his good friend Todd Graham and quieted the fans that were complaining about his inability to beat Arizona State. The Cats did not really come out and set the tempo or try to impose their will on the Devils. Neither team really did. Being in attendance at the game I started thinking that neither team wanted to win the game. Now, in reality, we all know that is not true, but based on the play that I observed it looked like both teams had eaten to much turkey the day before.
The only person on the Wildcat offensive team doing really anything was their quarterback, Anu Solomon. Out of the 129 total yards for the Cats in the first half, Solomon had 116 of those yards attached to him. The running game was going nowhere for the Cats. They had a grand total of 13 yards thanks to -39 yards for Solomon. It offset any yards that their great running back Nick Wilson had. Wilson had 54 yards at the half. That was all about to change in the second half though.
Defensively, Scooby Wright was doing everything he could to hold the Devils at bay. He had 12 tackles by the end of the third quarter and four of those tackles were for a loss. He was getting pressure on Taylor Kelly and those Sun Devil skill players. If Wright is not the defensive player of the year in the Pac-12 I don't know who is. This linebacker is the real deal and he plays hard and with a chip on his shoulder.
In the second half of the game the Cats really busted off some big plays, especially on the ground. Nick Wilson, the Wildcat running back, had a total of 178 yards on 24 carries, which also included a devastating run of 72 yards that killed the momentum that the Devils were trying to recover and use to take the game over. Wilson was amazing for the Cats. When they needed a big run, a run to keep the clock going, Wilson was the man for the Cats.
Getting to the end of the game was a bit of an adventure though for Arizona. They had a two score lead with about seven minutes left in the game and they let the Devils get some big plays and into the end zone to cut the lead to one possession. I started to wonder again if the Wildcats were trying to give this one away. Sometimes learning how to win with a young team is one of those growing pains a team goes through and that was evident on Friday with the Cats in waning minutes of the game.
Once the game was decided and Arizona stopped the Devils on the final fourth down of the game, the celebration was on in Tucson. The students stormed the field chanting " U of A, U of A, U of A!" and the humbled Sun Devils were getting off the field as quickly as possible. As Rich Rod was leaving the field, his wife or son came up to him and asked, "Did you know UCLA lost?" Rodriguez said. "That made me bounce a little more in the air." he replied.
He better have that bounce in his step this week because the Oregon Ducks will and they have unfinished business with the Wildcats. Game on in Santa Clara Pac-12 fans.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Scooby Wright: Wildcat Disruptor
You can never underestimate what a player has inside of him. Sometimes recruiters can't get around the tangible measurements that they want, but every so often a player comes out of nowhere and shows what it means to have heart. Scooby Wright, middle linebacker for the Arizona Wildcats shows that heart on every play and in every game for the Wildcats. He is starting to make a name for himself in the Pac-12 and around the country, and it would be in the Sun Devils best interest to make sure they have Scooby accounted for on every play on offense...
For the complete story go to www.cfbroundtable.com....
For the complete story go to www.cfbroundtable.com....
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Oregon State Beavers "Pump Up" 2014-15
An Oregon State football video to get you a little jacked for the Civil War...
Oregon Ducks |2014-2015| Pump-Up ᴴᴰ
A little Oregon Duck football video to get you pumped up for the Civil War...
Civil War 2014 Edition
Sometimes football games have a lot riding on them, sometimes they don't, and sometimes they have a mixed bag riding on them. This is the circumstance when we talk about the 2014 edition of the Civil War. Oregon State versus Oregon.
Oregon comes into the game rolling. They are by far the class of the Pac-12 based on their record and the way they go about winning their games. To me, Oregon can beat anyone of the three other teams in the college football playoff final four. The Ducks have one of the best, if not the best player in all of college football in Marcus Mariota. Mariota should win the Heisman Trophy this year and he is not an athlete that takes much maintenance in terms of worry about what they may do to end up on the news. I won't mention a certain ACC quarterback who just can't get out of his own way most of the time. Oregon has a backfield led by speed freak Thomas Tyner. Tyner is one of those guys that Oregon recruits to be a total game changer with his unique speed, however, for the Civil War game he currently listed as questionable because of shoulder and ankle injuries.
Should the Ducks worry? Not at all. Last week Marcus Mariota just turned around and handed the ball off to freshman running back Royce Freeman. Freeman, making the most of his opportunity ran for 105 yards on 17 carries. That's an average of over six yards a carry. The way the Ducks run their "basketball on grass" offense Freeman can have the same effect this week against the Beavers.
The Beavers come into this game needing a win to become bowl eligible. That is tall task to accomplish against the Ducks. This has been a season of injury for the Beavers. They have been injured on both the defensive and offensive line for a good portion of the year. When a coach has to patch up the line almost on a week to week basis there is no continuity for the offense to gain. It's made life for their quarterback, Sean Mannion very difficult. The loss of Brandin Cooks to the NFL didn't help either because he was a guy that defenses keyed on and still couldn't really stop, plus it opened up other receiving opportunities for the other Beaver receivers.
The defense has not been up to par either. As I stated, their defensive line has been banged up all year and thus has not got any pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They have allowed a ton of points and that puts pressure on the offense to score as well and when the offense isn't clicking, that doesn't always produce the wins the fans or coaches want.
The game on Saturday will be one of attrition for the Beavers. They have to figure out a way to score on the Ducks, who have been playing better and better as the season has progressed. They can't afford any more injuries during the week or during the game. They don't have the depth to compete with the Ducks. They just don't.
In the end, I see the Ducks winning this game fairly easily. It's been a great year so far for Oregon and a season of frustration for Oregon State. We shall see what happens. It is a rivalry game, so anything can happen, and if something crazy happens it will send shock waves through college football. However, I don't see it happening, but it is Corvallis and we know what happened a few weeks ago when a high ranked team came into town.
Oregon comes into the game rolling. They are by far the class of the Pac-12 based on their record and the way they go about winning their games. To me, Oregon can beat anyone of the three other teams in the college football playoff final four. The Ducks have one of the best, if not the best player in all of college football in Marcus Mariota. Mariota should win the Heisman Trophy this year and he is not an athlete that takes much maintenance in terms of worry about what they may do to end up on the news. I won't mention a certain ACC quarterback who just can't get out of his own way most of the time. Oregon has a backfield led by speed freak Thomas Tyner. Tyner is one of those guys that Oregon recruits to be a total game changer with his unique speed, however, for the Civil War game he currently listed as questionable because of shoulder and ankle injuries.
Should the Ducks worry? Not at all. Last week Marcus Mariota just turned around and handed the ball off to freshman running back Royce Freeman. Freeman, making the most of his opportunity ran for 105 yards on 17 carries. That's an average of over six yards a carry. The way the Ducks run their "basketball on grass" offense Freeman can have the same effect this week against the Beavers.
The Beavers come into this game needing a win to become bowl eligible. That is tall task to accomplish against the Ducks. This has been a season of injury for the Beavers. They have been injured on both the defensive and offensive line for a good portion of the year. When a coach has to patch up the line almost on a week to week basis there is no continuity for the offense to gain. It's made life for their quarterback, Sean Mannion very difficult. The loss of Brandin Cooks to the NFL didn't help either because he was a guy that defenses keyed on and still couldn't really stop, plus it opened up other receiving opportunities for the other Beaver receivers.
The defense has not been up to par either. As I stated, their defensive line has been banged up all year and thus has not got any pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They have allowed a ton of points and that puts pressure on the offense to score as well and when the offense isn't clicking, that doesn't always produce the wins the fans or coaches want.
The game on Saturday will be one of attrition for the Beavers. They have to figure out a way to score on the Ducks, who have been playing better and better as the season has progressed. They can't afford any more injuries during the week or during the game. They don't have the depth to compete with the Ducks. They just don't.
In the end, I see the Ducks winning this game fairly easily. It's been a great year so far for Oregon and a season of frustration for Oregon State. We shall see what happens. It is a rivalry game, so anything can happen, and if something crazy happens it will send shock waves through college football. However, I don't see it happening, but it is Corvallis and we know what happened a few weeks ago when a high ranked team came into town.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Territorial Cup Week: Arizona vs Arizona State
It's here again. Territorial Cup week is upon us and this year there is a lot on the line. A berth in the Pac-12 Championship game is still a possibility for both squads. Getting to a decent bowl with a decent money payout are possible as well. Both teams are 9-2 and desperately want to ruin the rivals season and their chances at greater glory at the end of the year...
For the entire article go to www.cfbroundtable.com...
For the entire article go to www.cfbroundtable.com...
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Quick react: Sun Devils vs Washington State
Today was a big day for the Arizona State Sun Devils. They were beaten down from a previous weeks loss to Oregon State and the question going into this weeks game with Washington State was if they could respond and come out victorious. The answer was yes.
The Devils needed a win and to make a statement after that loss last week. At first, it appeared that the Cougars were the ones who were awake and the Sun Devils acting like they were still sleeping at home. The Devils came out sluggish and very uninspired. Their body language was very negative as well. They were not playing like an 8-2 team. Washington State was flying around on defense and making some plays on offense. The Cougars struck first and took a 7-0 lead. I was sitting there wondering if they were going to take that momentum and step on the gas pedal and get a bigger lead. I was kind of wrong.
The second quarter was full of scoring, however, the Cougars let the Devils back into the game during that quarter. Washington State had 21-7 lead and in span of a few minutes had given up that lead and the Cougs went into the locker room at half up 24-21. After seeing that first half, I was starting to wonder if the Sun Devils had it in them to come and win this game. At the same time I was wondering if the Cougars had it in them to continue onto a much needed win. I got my answer in the second half.
Now, I was not in the locker room at half time, but something was said to the defense of the Sun Devils because they came out simply started dominating Washington State. Washington State does not run the ball well, so if you can make your drops as linebackers and cover like defensive backs should then turnovers will happen and that is exactly what happened. Luke Falk, the quarterback for the Cougars threw 74 times, completing 45 passes for 601 yards, but had four interceptions and that cost Mike Leaches team in the end. Falk also lost a fumble and was sacked six times, so even though Falk threw for a ton of yards it was a long afternoon for the redshirt freshman quarterback.
I did come away liking the young quarterback from the Palouse. Mike Leach will have this young man for four years, so I see nothing, but improvement and big things for Falk. It'll be fun to watch his development over the next few years and see how many yards he throws for in his career.
The Sun Devils got their win and it sets up a huge game in Tucson against the Arizona Wildcats with possibly a lot on the line in terms of bowl position. I will be at the game next Friday and am anticipating a very chippy, hard fought game. I love November college football. Let's go Wildcats and Devils. Time to give the fans an epic Territorial Cup.
The Devils needed a win and to make a statement after that loss last week. At first, it appeared that the Cougars were the ones who were awake and the Sun Devils acting like they were still sleeping at home. The Devils came out sluggish and very uninspired. Their body language was very negative as well. They were not playing like an 8-2 team. Washington State was flying around on defense and making some plays on offense. The Cougars struck first and took a 7-0 lead. I was sitting there wondering if they were going to take that momentum and step on the gas pedal and get a bigger lead. I was kind of wrong.
The second quarter was full of scoring, however, the Cougars let the Devils back into the game during that quarter. Washington State had 21-7 lead and in span of a few minutes had given up that lead and the Cougs went into the locker room at half up 24-21. After seeing that first half, I was starting to wonder if the Sun Devils had it in them to come and win this game. At the same time I was wondering if the Cougars had it in them to continue onto a much needed win. I got my answer in the second half.
Now, I was not in the locker room at half time, but something was said to the defense of the Sun Devils because they came out simply started dominating Washington State. Washington State does not run the ball well, so if you can make your drops as linebackers and cover like defensive backs should then turnovers will happen and that is exactly what happened. Luke Falk, the quarterback for the Cougars threw 74 times, completing 45 passes for 601 yards, but had four interceptions and that cost Mike Leaches team in the end. Falk also lost a fumble and was sacked six times, so even though Falk threw for a ton of yards it was a long afternoon for the redshirt freshman quarterback.
I did come away liking the young quarterback from the Palouse. Mike Leach will have this young man for four years, so I see nothing, but improvement and big things for Falk. It'll be fun to watch his development over the next few years and see how many yards he throws for in his career.
The Sun Devils got their win and it sets up a huge game in Tucson against the Arizona Wildcats with possibly a lot on the line in terms of bowl position. I will be at the game next Friday and am anticipating a very chippy, hard fought game. I love November college football. Let's go Wildcats and Devils. Time to give the fans an epic Territorial Cup.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Can Washington State Stay With the Sun Devils?
Every Saturday football players take to the field to do battle. Every Saturday players feel like they have a chance at winning. They should feel that way because of how competitive their mental make up makes them. This Saturday Washington State will be lining up against the Sun Devils of Arizona State and competing for another win.
In the Pac-12, the competition is so close that any team can beat any team on any given Saturday. This weekend is no different. The Washington State Cougars come to the desert for a big game for both teams. Washington State is trying to end the season with some more positive momentum after losing their starting quarterback to a broken leg. The Devils are trying to rebound from a devastating loss up in Corvallis last weekend. Thanks to the Beavers, the Pac-12 South division is a mess and the Devils are right in the middle of that same mess.
The Washington State Cougars are a dangerous, wounded team and that can be a very tricky team to beat. These types of teams are that are desperate like this can literally ruin a teams shot at glory. Just ask this same Sun Devil team. They experienced that against Oregon State. However, that is why you play the game. Once you lace the cleats up, the chance is 50-50. You win or lose.
Washington State will try and throw the ball all over the field. They have the second string quarterback Luke Falk to depend on. He is another, in a long line of Wazzu quarterbacks that know how to throw the ball. In his first full game against Oregon State he threw for 471 yards and five touchdowns. He tore the secondary up and got a much needed win, and a win on the road for the Cougars. Falk also threw the ball 61 times for the game. That makes a team fairly one sided to me, and if you look at the season stats for the Cougars that confirms that. They rank first in passing yards at 477 yards per game, but pretty close to last in rushing yards per game at a paltry 43 yards per contest. If you don't have a balanced attack it presents a lot of problems for your team because once you have your strength taken away from you, you have nothing to fall back on to to counter the other team. ASU will present that problem for the Cougars.
Defensively, it's been a struggle for Washington State as well. They ranking 118th right now in points allowed. They give up an average of 38 points per game, and coming into a game with a team that puts points on the board that may call for another long afternoon at Sun Devil Stadium for Mike Leach and his team. I watched this play against Nevada and the Wolfpack pushed the Cougars around the field all night. Figuring that it was early in the year I thought the Cougs would have that toughness problem fixed by this point in the season. They have not fixed that problem. The Cougars can score points, but they can't keep anybody out of the red zone and the end zone.
The chance of the Cougs winning this game isn't good. They just don't have the talent or depth to stay with the Sun Devils. In the end, the Devils should win this game going away. I'm predicting at least a three touchdown win for the Devils. The Devils need some momentum going into the Territorial Cup next week. The Washington State Cougars will provide that positive feeling for the Devils.
In the Pac-12, the competition is so close that any team can beat any team on any given Saturday. This weekend is no different. The Washington State Cougars come to the desert for a big game for both teams. Washington State is trying to end the season with some more positive momentum after losing their starting quarterback to a broken leg. The Devils are trying to rebound from a devastating loss up in Corvallis last weekend. Thanks to the Beavers, the Pac-12 South division is a mess and the Devils are right in the middle of that same mess.
The Washington State Cougars are a dangerous, wounded team and that can be a very tricky team to beat. These types of teams are that are desperate like this can literally ruin a teams shot at glory. Just ask this same Sun Devil team. They experienced that against Oregon State. However, that is why you play the game. Once you lace the cleats up, the chance is 50-50. You win or lose.
Washington State will try and throw the ball all over the field. They have the second string quarterback Luke Falk to depend on. He is another, in a long line of Wazzu quarterbacks that know how to throw the ball. In his first full game against Oregon State he threw for 471 yards and five touchdowns. He tore the secondary up and got a much needed win, and a win on the road for the Cougars. Falk also threw the ball 61 times for the game. That makes a team fairly one sided to me, and if you look at the season stats for the Cougars that confirms that. They rank first in passing yards at 477 yards per game, but pretty close to last in rushing yards per game at a paltry 43 yards per contest. If you don't have a balanced attack it presents a lot of problems for your team because once you have your strength taken away from you, you have nothing to fall back on to to counter the other team. ASU will present that problem for the Cougars.
Defensively, it's been a struggle for Washington State as well. They ranking 118th right now in points allowed. They give up an average of 38 points per game, and coming into a game with a team that puts points on the board that may call for another long afternoon at Sun Devil Stadium for Mike Leach and his team. I watched this play against Nevada and the Wolfpack pushed the Cougars around the field all night. Figuring that it was early in the year I thought the Cougs would have that toughness problem fixed by this point in the season. They have not fixed that problem. The Cougars can score points, but they can't keep anybody out of the red zone and the end zone.
The chance of the Cougs winning this game isn't good. They just don't have the talent or depth to stay with the Sun Devils. In the end, the Devils should win this game going away. I'm predicting at least a three touchdown win for the Devils. The Devils need some momentum going into the Territorial Cup next week. The Washington State Cougars will provide that positive feeling for the Devils.
Sun Devil Football 14' Pump Up (We Dem Boyz)
A pump up video for the Devil fans for this weekend against Washington State and to get them jacked for the Arizona game next weekend....
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Going Deep: Anu Solomon
Many things contribute to the success to the team. The offensive line, defensive line, coaches, and the quarterback. Having a good quarterback means that your team typically has a better than average shot at winning football games. Arizona has had that better than average chance when they have been taking the field this season with Anu Solomon....
For the entire column go to www.cfbroundtable.com..
For the entire column go to www.cfbroundtable.com..
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
The Playoff Poll
With every
week that the college football playoff final rankings draw closer we get weekly
debates on who belongs where. This week is no different for college football
fans. Oregon stays at number two in the final four, while Alabama takes the
number one spot on the basis of their victory over Mississippi State. I have no
problem with the final four teams that came out today.
The only
thing I would switch would be the order of the teams. Here is the order I would
have: 1. Oregon 2. Alabama 3. Mississippi State 4. Florida State. I simply think that Oregon
is the best team in the country with the best player in the country. Marcus
Mariotta is the difference maker for the Ducks and should win the Heisman at
the end of the season. He has put the Ducks on his shoulders and led them to
victories that will get them to the Pac-12 Championship game.
Alabama just
beat Mississippi State, but has a game with Auburn left in Tuscaloosa. They are
hot and gained a lot of confidence from beating a top four team. The Tide is
getting solid play out of their quarterback Blake Sims who has got better every
week since the first week. Dare I say that Lane Kiffin is having an impact on
the Alabama program? Who would have thought? However, the key for Bama is their
defense. Their defense can carry this team to a championship, it’s not the
offense. The offense is coming along much better now than it was earlier in the
year. However, that would be expected under Coach Saban.
Mississippi
State has played above its head all year. Nobody saw them coming at all. If
someone besides an MSU student or alumni tells you that they saw this coming
they are flat out lying to you. By losing on the road to Alabama by a close
margin they assured themselves of a spot in the top four positions in the poll.
They have a tough road to the final four playoff because if they win out, that
means Alabama gets into the SEC Championship game due to their win over the
Bulldogs. It’s going to be an interesting finish for Mississippi State no
doubt. They need to win and hope the Crimson Tide lose at some point.
Last, and
certainly, not least there is the enigma known as Florida State. They are a
curious team to me because they are undefeated, but are not playing like a top
four team. They get everybody’s best shot and are the ones with the win at the
end of the game. However, I would not have a problem with them being left out
of the top four at some point. If it wasn’t for an offensive pass interference
call with Notre Dame, they would have a loss. They came close again this past
weekend with a tight game with the Miami Hurricanes. Miami really should have
won that game, but didn’t make plays when they should have. Florida State did
and walked out of South Florida with a win. It just seems with every win they
get that is a struggle for them. Now, they lost a lot of some pretty good
offensive power to the NFL and that is apparent, but if you are a great team
you should work through the tough times to find the rhythm that is needed to be
dominant. I don’t think they have found that complete flow yet, and if they
lose in the next few weeks, then they are out. Nole fans are a bit nervous, but
if they keep winning the playoff committee will have them in the top four.
All in all,
the top four is solid. I would just switch the order of the teams is all I
would do. If the National Championship was tonight I would like to see an
Oregon/Alabama final game. In the end, all of this works itself out. As I have
stated before, I absolutely love the chaos that is happening before all this
dust settles.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Beaver Chaos
It happened again. There was a team that was flying high in terms of wins, confidence and just thinking that they were becoming something big. It is funny how this kind of thing has happened in Corvallis on more than one occasion. Now ASU feels the pain that USC fans have felt on a few trips to play the Beavers.
It was cold, bone chilling cold for the hardy fans of the Beavers, but they were ready for something special to happen at some point during the season. This has been one of "those" years for Oregon State. Injuries to the offensive line, defensive line, learning under a new offensive coordinator, and just not having the ability to make plays when they want to. It has added up to a frustrating year for the fans and coaches alike.
The Devils were not mentally ready for what happened. They may not have physically ready for playing in conditions like the terrible cold on Saturday night, but if you worth your weight in gold as a team, you find a way to deal with adverse conditions and win the game. Coach Graham had put the edict out that anybody complaining of the cold was to be put on the bench for a period of time, if not, for the entire game. I would have loved to seen Jaelen Strong or DJ Foster complain and Graham pulling the string on that. Something tells me that he probably would not have done the benching for those two guys, maybe a series, but not a game. Anyways, the Devils didn't look like themselves. Taylor Kelly looked so uncomfortable in the pocket, running the zone read plays, and just running around that I knew something could go wrong for the Devils. I believe that there is something to thought of warm weather teams going to the cold and it being an advantage for the cold weather team.
The Beavers were hungry, desperate, and flat out ready to do anything for a win. The Devils come out wearing thermals under their uniforms. Not Oregon State. They are bare armed and ready to do battle. There was something about the Beaver players mannerisms that caught my eye. They were bouncing around, yelling, screaming, and looking like they were the number six team in the country. The Devils were the exact opposite. They were quiet, barely moving around, and looking timid from the get go. Even though at half they were up ten and looked like they were in control. Looks can be deceiving.
Oregon State came out with the same enthusiasm as they did in the first half, but this time they made some adjustments in their offensive scheme. The Sun Devils blitz quite a bit. You live by the blitz. You can die by the blitz, and that is exactly what happened to them. The Beavers Sean Mannion, the all-time leading passer in Pac-12 history found a little rhythm thanks to max protection by his depleted offensive line. When you max protect against a blitz you have one on one with your receivers and if you are running the ball, all your running backs have to do is get past the defensive line and you have tons of open running space. The Beavers found that and exploited that during the game.
By doing this. The Beavers ripped the Devils hearts out and the Devils hopes of getting to the college football playoff. It was a magical night for Oregon State fans, coaches, and players who needed something positive to come from this lost season. Though the season is not lost for the Sun Devils, their big aspirations of the playoff are gone. Now they have to fight just to win their south division in the Pac-12. They are not in control of the division anymore and you can sense the disappoint in how people are talking today about the season.
Football can be a fickle game, a mysterious game, and a very frustrating game to play and watch. But, how I love the chaos that has ensued due to the Oregon State Beavers.
It was cold, bone chilling cold for the hardy fans of the Beavers, but they were ready for something special to happen at some point during the season. This has been one of "those" years for Oregon State. Injuries to the offensive line, defensive line, learning under a new offensive coordinator, and just not having the ability to make plays when they want to. It has added up to a frustrating year for the fans and coaches alike.
The Devils were not mentally ready for what happened. They may not have physically ready for playing in conditions like the terrible cold on Saturday night, but if you worth your weight in gold as a team, you find a way to deal with adverse conditions and win the game. Coach Graham had put the edict out that anybody complaining of the cold was to be put on the bench for a period of time, if not, for the entire game. I would have loved to seen Jaelen Strong or DJ Foster complain and Graham pulling the string on that. Something tells me that he probably would not have done the benching for those two guys, maybe a series, but not a game. Anyways, the Devils didn't look like themselves. Taylor Kelly looked so uncomfortable in the pocket, running the zone read plays, and just running around that I knew something could go wrong for the Devils. I believe that there is something to thought of warm weather teams going to the cold and it being an advantage for the cold weather team.
The Beavers were hungry, desperate, and flat out ready to do anything for a win. The Devils come out wearing thermals under their uniforms. Not Oregon State. They are bare armed and ready to do battle. There was something about the Beaver players mannerisms that caught my eye. They were bouncing around, yelling, screaming, and looking like they were the number six team in the country. The Devils were the exact opposite. They were quiet, barely moving around, and looking timid from the get go. Even though at half they were up ten and looked like they were in control. Looks can be deceiving.
Oregon State came out with the same enthusiasm as they did in the first half, but this time they made some adjustments in their offensive scheme. The Sun Devils blitz quite a bit. You live by the blitz. You can die by the blitz, and that is exactly what happened to them. The Beavers Sean Mannion, the all-time leading passer in Pac-12 history found a little rhythm thanks to max protection by his depleted offensive line. When you max protect against a blitz you have one on one with your receivers and if you are running the ball, all your running backs have to do is get past the defensive line and you have tons of open running space. The Beavers found that and exploited that during the game.
By doing this. The Beavers ripped the Devils hearts out and the Devils hopes of getting to the college football playoff. It was a magical night for Oregon State fans, coaches, and players who needed something positive to come from this lost season. Though the season is not lost for the Sun Devils, their big aspirations of the playoff are gone. Now they have to fight just to win their south division in the Pac-12. They are not in control of the division anymore and you can sense the disappoint in how people are talking today about the season.
Football can be a fickle game, a mysterious game, and a very frustrating game to play and watch. But, how I love the chaos that has ensued due to the Oregon State Beavers.
Beavers Chop Down the Devils
People dream all the time about doing spectacular things. Some dreams are big, some are small, but everybody has a dream. The Arizona State Sun Devils had a dream. Their dream was about making it into the college football playoff and they had reason to believe that it just may come true. Enter, a trip to Corvallis, Oregon where dreams of opposing teams have gone up in smoke on more than a few occasions. It happened Saturday night for the Devils....
Read the entire article at www.cfbroundtable.com...
Read the entire article at www.cfbroundtable.com...
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Moving Coaches
It starts every November. People start talking about what coaches might be on the move to a better destination or the coaches that may be fired. In the Pac-12 there may be a few changes. The changes may come in Corvallis and in the desert...
Read the whole article at www.cfbroundtable.com....
Read the whole article at www.cfbroundtable.com....
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
A Chance to Help
On a day like today, Veteran's Day, when people take a chance to reflect on how lucky we are to have the freedom that we have in the United States we should also think about how lucky we are to have the ability to just live life.
Some people don't have that option to just live life and it's heartbreaking for people around them, like their spouses and kids. Cancer can take away the simple joy of life, but people like Christy O'Connor May are tough as nails. Christy is a woman I went to high school with and has had the unfortunate thing of cancer strike her down.
She's had to spend a couple of months in the hospital away from her kids and husband. The type of cancer that has affected her is rare form of internal melanoma cancer at stage four. She is now at home with her family, but part of this cancer has attacked her spine and has left her paralyzed from the waist down. Christy is a fighter and will continue this fight with her kids and husband. She has been getting regular chemo and radiation treatments to battle this disease. She'll be having a CT scan to see how effective these treatments have been on shrinking and halting the progress of the cancer.
The other aspect of having cancer is the financial burden it places on a family. Like many other people who suffer from any type of cancer, Christy and her family are suffering financially. Just paying bills and making life comfortable for her daughters is a struggle right now. Any type of feeling normal is not there right now for her and her family.
With this being said, Christy and her family are pretty private people. Any type of donation you can give the May family is/will be greatly appreciated. As you can only imagine, the family is struggling to adjust to their new normal.
Here are some links to help out:
1. http://www.gofundme.com/mayfamily
or if you live in close to Portland, Oregon and can give the family a meal:
2. http://mealtrain.com/0gelv
Thank you for any kind of support you can give the family in this time of need. Spread the word and the help.
Some people don't have that option to just live life and it's heartbreaking for people around them, like their spouses and kids. Cancer can take away the simple joy of life, but people like Christy O'Connor May are tough as nails. Christy is a woman I went to high school with and has had the unfortunate thing of cancer strike her down.
She's had to spend a couple of months in the hospital away from her kids and husband. The type of cancer that has affected her is rare form of internal melanoma cancer at stage four. She is now at home with her family, but part of this cancer has attacked her spine and has left her paralyzed from the waist down. Christy is a fighter and will continue this fight with her kids and husband. She has been getting regular chemo and radiation treatments to battle this disease. She'll be having a CT scan to see how effective these treatments have been on shrinking and halting the progress of the cancer.
The other aspect of having cancer is the financial burden it places on a family. Like many other people who suffer from any type of cancer, Christy and her family are suffering financially. Just paying bills and making life comfortable for her daughters is a struggle right now. Any type of feeling normal is not there right now for her and her family.
With this being said, Christy and her family are pretty private people. Any type of donation you can give the May family is/will be greatly appreciated. As you can only imagine, the family is struggling to adjust to their new normal.
Here are some links to help out:
1. http://www.gofundme.com/mayfamily
or if you live in close to Portland, Oregon and can give the family a meal:
2. http://mealtrain.com/0gelv
Thank you for any kind of support you can give the family in this time of need. Spread the word and the help.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Ducks and Devils for the Pac-12 Title?
There is a lot of football still to be played in the month of November, but it's not to early to start dreaming of great match-ups in the Pac-12 Championship game. As it stands right now, it looks like the Oregon Ducks and the Arizona State Sun Devils will be challenging for the crown in the Pac-12. I, for one, would not be disappointed in that scenario playing out.
For one, they are the two hottest teams in the conference. They are winning the games they are supposed to win and stepping up and winning games that have a higher quality opponents. For example, the Ducks step up and beat a very talented Michigan State team in the third game of the season at home. I still think that the Ducks win that game even if the game was in East Lansing. The Ducks also go down to Pasadena and beat the hell out of the Bruins. That game was a showcase for the Ducks star quarterback Marcus Mariotta. He beat the Bruins threw the air and with his legs combining for four touchdowns in that game. It was a Heisman type of game for him. Finally, they got rid of the Stanford curse. The Cardinal had bullied the Ducks the last couple of years, but Mariotta was not going to let his team lose a third game in a row. They showed Stanford who was the better team this year. Game was not even close. So for right now, the Ducks and their fans are starting to whisper about a trip to Santa Clara for the conference championship.
The Devils are doing things a little more unconventional. Winning with a back-up quarterback, a Hail Merry pass, win in overtime, and winning with their defense. They started this run with their back-up quarterback, Mike Bercovici. What did this kid do? All he did was lead the Devils to wins over USC, which was won on the Hail Merry at the end of the game, Colorado, and a thrashing of Stanford. They showed the Cardinal that speed can beat brawn. That was the game everybody stood up and took notice of the Sun Devils because of the impressive nature of the win. Bercovici was throwing for 300 and 400 yard games as a replacement for Taylor Kelly. Against Utah, they grind out a win in overtime despite giving up a lot of yards on the ground to the Utes, and finally, they are winning with this flying around, in your face kind of defense. The defense took passes to the end zone this past weekend against a highly touted and ranked Notre Dame team. Very impressive defense in Tempe right now.
The thing that builds up this match up is that these two teams do not play each other during the regular season. Both teams have speed at the skill positions and on defense. I would give an edge to the Ducks at the quarterback position because Marcus Mariotta is simply that good. He may be the first quarterback off the board in May's NFL Draft. The O-Line for both is a wash to me because there have been injuries and both teams are getting players back slowly to shore up the offensive line. Defensively, I like the Devils. They are flying around, smacking people in the face with a little attitude. Coaches always say to football players: "Go play with bad intentions." That is what the ASU defense is playing like. The Sun Devils have bad intentions when they step on the field.
In the end, I see the Ducks winning by like a touchdown or field goal. I think Mariotta makes a big difference. However, I could also see the Devils winning by the same amount. I'll go with the Ducks if this match up happens, but this would be an unbelievable match up to watch. Here is to hoping that we get a game the whole Pac-12 would want to watch.
For one, they are the two hottest teams in the conference. They are winning the games they are supposed to win and stepping up and winning games that have a higher quality opponents. For example, the Ducks step up and beat a very talented Michigan State team in the third game of the season at home. I still think that the Ducks win that game even if the game was in East Lansing. The Ducks also go down to Pasadena and beat the hell out of the Bruins. That game was a showcase for the Ducks star quarterback Marcus Mariotta. He beat the Bruins threw the air and with his legs combining for four touchdowns in that game. It was a Heisman type of game for him. Finally, they got rid of the Stanford curse. The Cardinal had bullied the Ducks the last couple of years, but Mariotta was not going to let his team lose a third game in a row. They showed Stanford who was the better team this year. Game was not even close. So for right now, the Ducks and their fans are starting to whisper about a trip to Santa Clara for the conference championship.
The Devils are doing things a little more unconventional. Winning with a back-up quarterback, a Hail Merry pass, win in overtime, and winning with their defense. They started this run with their back-up quarterback, Mike Bercovici. What did this kid do? All he did was lead the Devils to wins over USC, which was won on the Hail Merry at the end of the game, Colorado, and a thrashing of Stanford. They showed the Cardinal that speed can beat brawn. That was the game everybody stood up and took notice of the Sun Devils because of the impressive nature of the win. Bercovici was throwing for 300 and 400 yard games as a replacement for Taylor Kelly. Against Utah, they grind out a win in overtime despite giving up a lot of yards on the ground to the Utes, and finally, they are winning with this flying around, in your face kind of defense. The defense took passes to the end zone this past weekend against a highly touted and ranked Notre Dame team. Very impressive defense in Tempe right now.
The thing that builds up this match up is that these two teams do not play each other during the regular season. Both teams have speed at the skill positions and on defense. I would give an edge to the Ducks at the quarterback position because Marcus Mariotta is simply that good. He may be the first quarterback off the board in May's NFL Draft. The O-Line for both is a wash to me because there have been injuries and both teams are getting players back slowly to shore up the offensive line. Defensively, I like the Devils. They are flying around, smacking people in the face with a little attitude. Coaches always say to football players: "Go play with bad intentions." That is what the ASU defense is playing like. The Sun Devils have bad intentions when they step on the field.
In the end, I see the Ducks winning by like a touchdown or field goal. I think Mariotta makes a big difference. However, I could also see the Devils winning by the same amount. I'll go with the Ducks if this match up happens, but this would be an unbelievable match up to watch. Here is to hoping that we get a game the whole Pac-12 would want to watch.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Is the Impossible Happening?
Some times in sports crazy things happen that nobody saw coming. That crazy thing may be happening at Arizona State. The Sun Devils are defying the odds and attempting to get into the college football playoff. With their win over Notre Dame on Saturday they stepped closer to their dream.... for more on this go to www.cfbroundtable.com
Saturday, November 8, 2014
The Irish Game Experience
For the first time today I had the experience that many people have had over the years. That experience? Attending a Notre Dame football game. Granted, attending the game at Notre Dame stadium would have added a whole other level to this afternoon, but still having been in the same stadium as the Golden Dome helmet and having field access gave the experience added juice.
Notre Dame was in town taking on their host, the Arizona State Sun Devils in a match up of top 10 programs. Getting to the stadium early was great. Once through the security check, I simply walk to the field and I'm snapping pictures quickly, watching network people set their cameras up, and getting a feel for the atmosphere.
The Notre Dame entourage is something to behold. The equipment that they bring is second to none. Even appeared to bring their own cooling system to Tempe today. The first thing that I come into contact with was the "Golden Dome" helmets. Now, in all honesty, I'm not an Irish fan. I respect the what they have done in their storied history, just not fan for other reasons. However, seeing the helmet in person was different altogether. Knowing the history of this piece of equipment gave me a whole level of respect for the program. It may seen rather funny to you, but I saw what all of their fans feel when the Irish take the field. Admittedly, it was weird for me to sense that.
The next thing that made the pre game experience great was actually meeting that damn Leprechaun mascot that they got going all around the stadium at different times. I did think to myself that this is a young man who is probably helping his way through school by dressing up as a leprechaun for thousands of fans every weekend. More power to him I say. He was incredibly nice and took a few pictures with me and as well as hundreds of other fans before the game started.
As kickoff got closer, the team as a whole came out onto the field to start stretching. As the team came out together to get warmed up the Irish fans start chanting "Lets go Irish". That was a moment that hadn't happened all year in Sun Devil Stadium with the opposing teams fans. It certainly showed me that these were a different type of college football fan. They support their team regardless of circumstances, no fair weather fans with Notre Dame, and they know the game of football. Irish fans know a good play call when they see it and certainly know when the coach makes a bad decision. They let the coach know when they are happy with the team and when they are not pleased with the program.
In the end, the Sun Devils win the game and dash the playoff hopes of Notre Dame. However, I walked away with a greater sense of respect for a football team that I usually do not root for. I understand why Irish fans are arguably the most passionate in college football.
Notre Dame was in town taking on their host, the Arizona State Sun Devils in a match up of top 10 programs. Getting to the stadium early was great. Once through the security check, I simply walk to the field and I'm snapping pictures quickly, watching network people set their cameras up, and getting a feel for the atmosphere.
The Notre Dame entourage is something to behold. The equipment that they bring is second to none. Even appeared to bring their own cooling system to Tempe today. The first thing that I come into contact with was the "Golden Dome" helmets. Now, in all honesty, I'm not an Irish fan. I respect the what they have done in their storied history, just not fan for other reasons. However, seeing the helmet in person was different altogether. Knowing the history of this piece of equipment gave me a whole level of respect for the program. It may seen rather funny to you, but I saw what all of their fans feel when the Irish take the field. Admittedly, it was weird for me to sense that.
The next thing that made the pre game experience great was actually meeting that damn Leprechaun mascot that they got going all around the stadium at different times. I did think to myself that this is a young man who is probably helping his way through school by dressing up as a leprechaun for thousands of fans every weekend. More power to him I say. He was incredibly nice and took a few pictures with me and as well as hundreds of other fans before the game started.
As kickoff got closer, the team as a whole came out onto the field to start stretching. As the team came out together to get warmed up the Irish fans start chanting "Lets go Irish". That was a moment that hadn't happened all year in Sun Devil Stadium with the opposing teams fans. It certainly showed me that these were a different type of college football fan. They support their team regardless of circumstances, no fair weather fans with Notre Dame, and they know the game of football. Irish fans know a good play call when they see it and certainly know when the coach makes a bad decision. They let the coach know when they are happy with the team and when they are not pleased with the program.
In the end, the Sun Devils win the game and dash the playoff hopes of Notre Dame. However, I walked away with a greater sense of respect for a football team that I usually do not root for. I understand why Irish fans are arguably the most passionate in college football.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Prime time Devils
There are times in a teams play during any given year that they have a chance to make a statement to the rest of the country and more importantly, the college football playoff committee. That time comes tomorrow afternoon against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish... Are the Devils ready for this challenge? I believe that they are.
For whole article.. go to www.cfbroundtable.com. Thanks for the support!
For whole article.. go to www.cfbroundtable.com. Thanks for the support!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Trap Game for the Ducks?
It's November. That means big games with big implications. One game that is not getting more build up is the Oregon/Utah game. Oregon is coming off an impressive win and exorcising some demons in their beat down of Stanford. Utah is coming off a disappointing showing in Tempe in which they had control of the game, lost it, and eventually lost the game to the Arizona State Sun Devils in overtime.
Arguably, the Ducks are playing some of the best football in the Pac-12 and in the country. Ever since that loss to Arizona in Eugene then Ducks have been hitting on all cylinders. Their game against California was a blowout in which Marcus Mariotta took over with this feet and arm and put the Golden Bears in his rear view mirror. The great play culminates in a blowout win over Stanford last weekend.
The concern that some fans may have is this Utah game. The Ducks finally get the monkey off their back in Stanford and they put everything into that game. It showed. The Ducks put the Cardinal away rather quickly and easily. Can the Ducks do the same thing with Utah? On the road? I believe they can. I do think that the Ducks may struggle for a possession or two, but in the end the Ducks should win the game comfortably.
The Oregon defense has played pretty well since that Arizona loss and if they show up against the Utes it'll be pretty easy for the Ducks to win the game. The key to beating the Utes is shutting the run game down. Their running back Devontae Booker is a violent, tough runner and is going for his sixth straight of over 100 yards in a game. The Ducks shut him down, the Utes will be toast. Their quarterback Travis Wilson is not a player that will make defensive backs quiver in their boots. He couldn't hit any receivers against ASU, so I don't expect him to do the same thing against the Ducks. He only threw for 57 yards in Tempe. If he throws for over 100 yards I would be surprised based on what I have seen in person.
All in all, this game could be a little bit of struggle for the Ducks, but not to the point of Utah being able to score with the Ducks. All that energy Oregon put into the Stanford game will show early, but in the end, the Ducks will win comfortably. Marcus Mariotta will make another statement in terms of being a Heisman contender in this game.
November is here. Let's sit back and watch the fun really begin!
Arguably, the Ducks are playing some of the best football in the Pac-12 and in the country. Ever since that loss to Arizona in Eugene then Ducks have been hitting on all cylinders. Their game against California was a blowout in which Marcus Mariotta took over with this feet and arm and put the Golden Bears in his rear view mirror. The great play culminates in a blowout win over Stanford last weekend.
The concern that some fans may have is this Utah game. The Ducks finally get the monkey off their back in Stanford and they put everything into that game. It showed. The Ducks put the Cardinal away rather quickly and easily. Can the Ducks do the same thing with Utah? On the road? I believe they can. I do think that the Ducks may struggle for a possession or two, but in the end the Ducks should win the game comfortably.
The Oregon defense has played pretty well since that Arizona loss and if they show up against the Utes it'll be pretty easy for the Ducks to win the game. The key to beating the Utes is shutting the run game down. Their running back Devontae Booker is a violent, tough runner and is going for his sixth straight of over 100 yards in a game. The Ducks shut him down, the Utes will be toast. Their quarterback Travis Wilson is not a player that will make defensive backs quiver in their boots. He couldn't hit any receivers against ASU, so I don't expect him to do the same thing against the Ducks. He only threw for 57 yards in Tempe. If he throws for over 100 yards I would be surprised based on what I have seen in person.
All in all, this game could be a little bit of struggle for the Ducks, but not to the point of Utah being able to score with the Ducks. All that energy Oregon put into the Stanford game will show early, but in the end, the Ducks will win comfortably. Marcus Mariotta will make another statement in terms of being a Heisman contender in this game.
November is here. Let's sit back and watch the fun really begin!
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Conner Halliday
Football can be rewarding. Football can be cruel. Well, this past weekend, the cruelness of the gladiator sport reared its ugly head again and the timing couldn't have been worse for Washington State.
Their quarterback Conner Halliday suffered a season ending injury as he broke his ankle... to see the whole article go to www.cfbroundtable.com... thanks for the support.
Their quarterback Conner Halliday suffered a season ending injury as he broke his ankle... to see the whole article go to www.cfbroundtable.com... thanks for the support.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
What did we learn in the Pac-12?
Another Saturday gone, another Saturday we learned some things. The Pac-12 can be so fickle with what happens on any given Saturday afternoon or evening. After seeing who beat who yesterday, here are a few observations about how all this may shape out.
Let's start with UCLA, for as much as they have struggled this year, they are sitting in second place in the Pac-12 South division at 7-2 and just beat the upstart Arizona Wildcats 17-7. The defense finally showed what people at the beginning of the season thought that they could do. They shut down an Arizona offense that had been putting up some big numbers on the scoreboard and on the stat sheet. Brett Hundley also totaled 320 yards in this game. He had 189 in the air, 131 rushing and when your quarterback does that, your team will have a lot of success as well. However, it was the defense that won this game for the Bruins. Even Head Coach Jim Mora thoughts so, "Today, was the first game that I felt defensively like we did what we were supposed to do on every play." Being in second place is not a bad place to be right now, especially if things play out to where they might win the division because of their win over ASU. Anything can happen.
Onto Oregon. Clearly, to me Oregon is the class of the whole conference. Right now, they are putting points on the board just like people are accustomed to. They are playing with a lot of confidence on both sides of the ball. Oh, and the one thing that other Pac-12 teams don't have. Marcus Mariotta. The Duck quarterback is playing extremely well. He is throwing the ball well and he is also running through defenses with his amazing speed. To me, he is the deciding factor for the Ducks. He threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for another two touchdowns. The 45-16 victory over Stanford got that monkey off his back and now he is looking confidently to the rest of the season. "To get this win was huge. It will build a lot of momentum heading into the rest of the year." Mariotta stated after the game. Look out Pac-12, the Ducks are starting to quack pretty loud right now.
Let's go down to Arizona State. This version of the Devils are pretty good. I'm not ready to say that they are great yet. Being in attendance at their victory last night against Utah I was encouraged to see the up tempo going for them in the first half, but they could only muster six points out of it in the first quarter and were only up by a touchdown at half. They had held Utah running back in check, but that changed in the second half. The up tempo was gone, Utah was getting more pressure on Taylor Kelly and Booker was running for 146 yards in the game. The play calling was questionable for the Devils as well, but in the end they had the stat that matters. They had the win. They need to clean up some things on offense if they want to hang with a team like Oregon.
All in all, it was a good weekend for the Pac-12. Oregon is the team that probably gets into the playoff. The south division is still open to possibilities as to who wins it. It's November, so anything is possible and with rivalry games happening during this month, that "anything" aspect will or can come into play. Here's to more chaos happening.
Let's start with UCLA, for as much as they have struggled this year, they are sitting in second place in the Pac-12 South division at 7-2 and just beat the upstart Arizona Wildcats 17-7. The defense finally showed what people at the beginning of the season thought that they could do. They shut down an Arizona offense that had been putting up some big numbers on the scoreboard and on the stat sheet. Brett Hundley also totaled 320 yards in this game. He had 189 in the air, 131 rushing and when your quarterback does that, your team will have a lot of success as well. However, it was the defense that won this game for the Bruins. Even Head Coach Jim Mora thoughts so, "Today, was the first game that I felt defensively like we did what we were supposed to do on every play." Being in second place is not a bad place to be right now, especially if things play out to where they might win the division because of their win over ASU. Anything can happen.
Onto Oregon. Clearly, to me Oregon is the class of the whole conference. Right now, they are putting points on the board just like people are accustomed to. They are playing with a lot of confidence on both sides of the ball. Oh, and the one thing that other Pac-12 teams don't have. Marcus Mariotta. The Duck quarterback is playing extremely well. He is throwing the ball well and he is also running through defenses with his amazing speed. To me, he is the deciding factor for the Ducks. He threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for another two touchdowns. The 45-16 victory over Stanford got that monkey off his back and now he is looking confidently to the rest of the season. "To get this win was huge. It will build a lot of momentum heading into the rest of the year." Mariotta stated after the game. Look out Pac-12, the Ducks are starting to quack pretty loud right now.
Let's go down to Arizona State. This version of the Devils are pretty good. I'm not ready to say that they are great yet. Being in attendance at their victory last night against Utah I was encouraged to see the up tempo going for them in the first half, but they could only muster six points out of it in the first quarter and were only up by a touchdown at half. They had held Utah running back in check, but that changed in the second half. The up tempo was gone, Utah was getting more pressure on Taylor Kelly and Booker was running for 146 yards in the game. The play calling was questionable for the Devils as well, but in the end they had the stat that matters. They had the win. They need to clean up some things on offense if they want to hang with a team like Oregon.
All in all, it was a good weekend for the Pac-12. Oregon is the team that probably gets into the playoff. The south division is still open to possibilities as to who wins it. It's November, so anything is possible and with rivalry games happening during this month, that "anything" aspect will or can come into play. Here's to more chaos happening.
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