Great College Football Games

Great College Football Games were what Saturday was all about. There were not a lot of push-ups for the Oregon mascot this week. The sixth ranked Wisconsin Badgers were scoring like they were trying to beat the Hoosiers’ basketball team. The old Ball coach Steve Spurrier showed world how a South Carolina Gamecock can make sandals of a Florida Gator, and get to the SEC title game for the first time in school history. Cam “I am” Newton and the Auburn Tigers passed the test the Georgia Bulldogs threw at them, and the payoff was a trip to the SEC title to face the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks did not score their usual 50 plus points in the game against the California Golden Bears. California held the offensive juggernaut to only 317 yards. Everyone in the land needs to get a hold of this film and start copying or implementing similar defensive schemes to slow down the Ducks. Ducks narrowly escaped defeat with 15-13 victory.

LaMichael James did not surpass 100 yard rushing mark; he was held to just 88 yards, and he did not see the end zone, a usual occurrence for him on game day. Darron Thomas had 155 yards in the air with one touchdown pass.

Golden Bears’ Shane Vereen 114 yards on the ground were not enough to bring California a victory. The Ducks’ BCS Title hopes are alive and kicking, but I am sure they much prefer the blowout 50 point victories than the nail-biter they were in on Saturday.

Badgers ran the Hoosiers ragged without the best offensive weapon John Clay due to a sprained knee. The 83 points scored, were the most points scored in the Big Ten in 60 years. Ohio State was last team to score 83 back in 1950. Hoosiers could only muster up 20 points and fans’ desire to see Wisconsin during basketball season.

Badgers had two running backs with over 140 yards rushing, Montee Ball with 167 yards and 3 touchdowns, and James White with 144 yards and 2 touchdowns. Nate Tice got in on the action with scoring run of 17 yards. Badgers make their living on playing smash mouth football and out of the 598 yards of total offense, 338 yards was from their ground game. Wisconsin’s Quarterbacks did well as Scott Tolzien passed for 181 yards along with three scores, and Jon Budmayr threw for 79 yards with one touchdown to his credit.

With a 36-14 victory over the Gators, the 22^nd ranked South Carolina Gamecocks will meet the 2^nd ranked Auburn Tigers in their first trip to the SEC Title game. The Gamecocks destiny was put on the shoulders of their workhorse running back Marcus Lattimore. With 44 rushes from the scrimmage, the Gamecocks’ mindset was they were going to really ride his momentum until wheels fall off. Lattimore ripped the 24^th ranked Florida Gators’ defense for 3 rushing scores and 217 yards.

South Carolina defense held the Gators to only 227 yards of total offense. As the game went on, it was evident the Gators was clearly the second best team on field; although, many had the Gators favored to win and play Auburn for the SEC Championship. If the Gamecocks can upset the hot Auburn Tigers then it will send the BCS rankings into total meltdown mode.

Cam Newton was his usual spectacular self against a Georgia Bulldogs team that played tough the whole game. The score is really not an indicator of how close this game really was. Georgia played well but they did not have Cam Newton and he was definitely the difference maker despite all of the chaos is swirling around allegations and investigations of his recruiting process and grades. Newton found the end through the air and with his feet. Newton passed for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns. Newton also led the Tigers’ ground game with 151 yards and another 2 touchdowns. Take Newton away from the Tigers, The team would be average at best, and would not be in the conversation of who will be next College Football National Champion?

Georgia put up valiant effort until the fourth quarter. A.J. Green showed why he considered the best wide receiver in College Football with 9 catches and 164 yards receiving. Two of those nine grabs were for touchdowns. Quarterback Aaron Murray did good job keeping the Bulldogs close; however, his 273 yards passing and three touchdowns was not enough to pull off what would have been the biggest upset in College Football this season.

Auburn SEC title game is etched stone already; however, for the BCS title, they must beat Alabama Crimson Tide. A loss to the Crimson Tide would dash any hope they have of playing for a National Title in January 2011.

College Football proves that it is great to be at the game or in your living room enjoying the great play of the spectacular returns, circus catches, and smash mouth up the gut running. The few games above saw a lot of electrifying play and fun part next Saturday, we the fans get to do it all over again; therefore, the fans can look for more great college football games.