College soccer Week 14 highlights – prime performs, video games, takeaways

We all have baggage. It’s the associated fee we pay for decisions made, experiences endured, a life lived. For some, it could be the lady who received away. Maybe it is the job they did not get. Or maybe it is the time you pretended to pee like a canine in the long run zone throughout an Egg Bowl. The level is, to reside life to its fullest is to grasp that remorse is a part of the bundle.

The excellent news, nonetheless, is there’s all the time an opportunity to do higher, to set down that baggage and discover one thing approaching redemption.

That’s what Saturday was purported to be about for Ryan Day, Mario Cristobal and Dabo Swinney. Week 14 was going to be a redemption story. Instead, the faculty soccer gods delivered distress.

Well, until you are a Michigan fan. Then it was all comedy.

A fast accounting of the place issues started Saturday.

It had been 1,442 days since Clemson made a College Football Playoff, however with a win towards South Carolina, the Tigers would’ve been poised to squeeze into the primary 12-team postseason and erase years of doubts about Swinney’s capacity to win within the trendy period of faculty soccer.

It had been 1,828 days since Ohio State beat Michigan, however on Saturday, the chances have been stacked so closely within the Buckeyes’ favor, some other outcome was unfathomable. This was an Ohio State roster as proficient as any in program historical past and a Michigan crew put along with duct tape and glue sticks.

It had been 7,672 days since Miami gained a convention championship. But the Hurricanes spent this season as the category of the ACC, lastly dwelling as much as the immense expectations which have adopted this system since its glory years, even when Miami has spent the previous 20 years as faculty soccer’s model of U2 — nonetheless releasing new work, however successfully only a nostalgia act.

It’s robust to say what number of days it had been since Cristobal correctly dealt with a late-game situation since you’ll be able to’t divide by zero.

Week 14 did not promise to erase each blemish, forgive each sin or rewrite historical past for anybody, but it surely supplied a bridge to someplace higher, some new timeline through which Day is not outlined by a single sport annually towards his rival, Swinney is not lamented as an previous man yelling at clouds and somebody beneath the age of 40 can keep in mind a time through which Miami mattered.

And on Saturday, Ohio State, Clemson and Miami noticed these bridges and opted to mild a flamethrower.

It’s arduous to say precisely the place issues went improper for Day and the Buckeyes in an excruciating 13-10 loss to Michigan. The gradual begins have been a signature of 2024, the results of a crew that is aware of it is adequate to flip a swap or, maybe, a results of so many midday kickoffs that even Gus Johnson’s voice began to go awry.

CAPTAIN JACK WITH THE INTERCEPTION 😱

UNBELIEVABLE PLAY FOR @OHIOSTATEFB 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RLD2Qwa3Tc

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 30, 2024

It’s definitely not on Day that Will Howard threw two brutal interceptions, that Jayden Fielding missed two quick kicks or that Sherrone Moore opened his desk drawer Saturday morning to discover a manila envelope marked, “For Your Eyes Only, Love and Kisses, C. Stalions.” But Day knew the stakes earlier than the season started, and Ohio State spent sufficient cash on this roster to complete third within the American League East, and Michigan was lacking two potential first-round NFL draft picks, and it nonetheless did not matter. The Wolverines managed simply 62 yards passing, threw two interceptions, had three totally different drives contained in the Ohio State 5 that did not finish in touchdowns and nonetheless gained. There aren’t any logical explanations for this, so it is honest then to maneuver to the following closest factor: Day is a Michigan sleeper cell put in as head coach in Columbus simply to infuriate the Ohio State devoted in some kind of elaborate “Manchurian Candidate” situation.

Regardless, the sport ended with a loss, with a brawl, with police intervening and pepper-spraying gamers, however no quantity of mace might burn away the photographs of the Wolverines celebrating on Ohio State’s area in what could be probably the most devastating loss within the rivalry’s historical past.

Michigan gamers on the sideline after the altercation between Ohio State and Michigan pic.twitter.com/m5tdgIOma4

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 30, 2024

At Clemson, there’s related frustration with a coach who has gained sufficient to have a protracted leash but additionally has climbed far sufficient out on a limb to endure the slings and arrows of followers and pundits and the occasional radio caller with some legitimate factors however restricted self-awareness.

Clemson has had so many probabilities in 2024. After being blown out within the opener towards Georgia, the tide turned again within the Tigers’ favor amid a six-game profitable streak. After a house loss to Louisville, the Tigers clawed their manner again up the rankings, thanks largely to attrition forward of them, and located themselves as the primary crew out getting into Saturday’s sport, with an opportunity for a signature win — it might’ve been Clemson’s solely respectable win this 12 months — towards red-hot South Carolina. The playoff was nearby, however provided that you could possibly see previous the imposing determine of LaNorris Sellers.

Clemson led by 4 with lower than two minutes to play, however the Tigers’ protection by no means had a solution for Sellers. He threw for 164 yards, ran for 166 and scored twice, together with a 20-yard run on a third-and-16 with simply 1:08 to play to present the Gamecocks a 17-14 lead.

The Tigers had their shot to win — or a minimum of ship the sport to extra time — however Cade Klubnik’s checkdown throw with 16 seconds left nicked off Phil Mafah’s arms and was picked off by Demetrius Knight Jr.

This marks the second time in three years Clemson had a practical shot on the playoff, solely to lose late to rival South Carolina.

Afterward, Shane Beamer gushed over the play of his quarterback and the resurgence of his crew, which was 3-3 in mid-October however is now arguably the most well liked crew within the nation. Beamer insisted South Carolina was a playoff crew, and it could be, however the resolution by the committee will not be simple. South Carolina entered the week ranked behind Alabama and Ole Miss, each of whom gained in Week 14 to maneuver to 9-3, and each of whom have head-to-head wins over the Gamecocks.

Perhaps mockingly, it is Clemson that is still answerable for its personal playoff future after Saturday’s catastrophe, and the Tigers can thank Cristobal for that.

All Miami needed to do Saturday was knock off Syracuse, and it might punch its ticket — to the ACC title sport and to the College Football Playoff. The Hurricanes even jumped out to a 21-0 lead, which ought to’ve been an insurmountable margin with Cam Ward on their facet.

And but, that is Miami — a program that flirts with catastrophe prefer it has had a half-dozen pictures of Fireball and defeat is ready tables on the Waffle House.

Syracuse turned its 21-0 deficit right into a 35-28 lead getting into the fourth quarter earlier than Miami fought again to tie the sport. But the Canes’ protection has been a crimson flag all 12 months, and on Saturday, it had no solutions for Kyle McCord, who threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns (and did not lose to Michigan).

McCord engineered a nine-play landing drive to place Syracuse up 42-35, however that also afforded Ward and the Canes greater than 9 minutes to match.

All of that ought to’ve simply been prelude to a different Miami win, as a result of Ward was as soon as once more distinctive. And but, that is Miami, the place playoff hopes spend an excessive amount of time on South Beach and get up wanting just like the Pop Tarts Bowl.

Ward engineered a 13-play drive, establishing Miami with a first-and-goal on the Syracuse 8, however then issues went haywire. An unsportsmanlike penalty pushed the Canes again, and a Ward completion and scramble arrange a fourth-and-goal on the 15.

That left Cristobal with a call: Put the sport within the arms of the perfect quarterback to ever put on a Miami uniform or, with 3:42 remaining, kick a area aim and go away it as much as your protection that has served as a maître d’ for Syracuse receivers your complete sport.

Cristobal selected ache.

The relaxation was solely predictable. Syracuse picked up three first downs and ran out the clock to maneuver to 9-3, a playoff crew in its personal proper had it not imploded towards a woeful Stanford crew again in September. Miami ceded its spot within the ACC championship to Clemson, might have misplaced its spot within the College Football Playoff and reminded the world that, even when U2 offers you its new album totally free, it is best to only go forward and delete it and transfer on along with your life.

And so Week 14 ended with out redemption for these most in want of a second act. It ended with Clemson flubbing its finest hopes, then being handed one other simply because the soccer gods get pleasure from seeing Swinney’s optimism squashed. It ended with Miami nearer to its previous than it had been in a long time, but nonetheless so removed from these glory years that the world rolls its eyes each time the dialog comes up once more. And it ended with Ohio State preventing Michigan, handing its convention title shot to Penn State and catching strays from Texas.

Members of the 2021 Ohio State recruiting class to beat Michigan:

Quinn Ewers

— /r/LonghornNation (@rLonghornNation) November 30, 2024

The faculty soccer gods might be merciless, and whereas redemption is all the time inside our attain, days like Saturday additionally remind us that our attain typically exceeds our grasp, and redemption slips by means of our fingers for a backbreaking interception much more simply than we care to think about.

Maybe Ohio State nonetheless makes the playoff and goes on a run.

Maybe Miami does the identical.

Maybe Clemson takes its luck to be within the ACC title sport and turns that right into a playoff berth of its personal.

Maybe.

So we’ll carry the bags a little bit additional, regardless of all of the grief and damage and anguish. Even if redemption stays painfully past our grasp, the worth of admission continues to be value it.

Jump to:
Irish finish strong | Texas reaches SECCG
Rivalry watch | Ducks dynasty
Cyclones in Big 12 title game | Pack go bowling
Herd win | Trends
Heisman five | Under the radar

Irish end sturdy

Jadarian Price got here on in reduction of an injured Jeremiyah Love and completed with 111 yards and a landing on 12 carries, whereas Xavier Watts (100 yards) and Christian Gray (99) every had lengthy pick-sixes within the fourth quarter to guide Notre Dame to a 49-35 win over USC that ought to lock up a house sport within the opening spherical of the playoff for the Irish.

USC finishes the common season at 6-6, and it has now misplaced 11 of its previous 19 video games — a monitor file that may’ve meant previous coaches wanted an Uber house from the airport tarmac. USC QBs had 12 interceptions this season, yet one more than the Trojans accounted for in Lincoln Riley’s first two seasons there mixed. Notre Dame has additionally now gained six of the previous seven video games within the rivalry.

On the victorious facet, the Irish have now gained 10 straight after a disastrous loss to Northern Illinois in Week 2 that appears extra like some kind of Tyrone Willingham-era fever dream looking back. Notre Dame has averaged 44 factors and almost 240 speeding yards per sport throughout that stretch.

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Horns experience to SECCG

After 13 years, the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry is again. Someone ought to let the Aggies know.

Quinn Ewers threw for 218 yards and a landing, Quintrevion Wisner ran for 186, and the Texas protection dominated in a 17-7 win over the Aggies that punches the Longhorns’ ticket to a rematch with Georgia within the SEC championship sport.

The sport had most of the acquainted tones of the previous rivalry, from the raucous Aggie Yell on Friday night time to the normal Texas fan experience into the sport atop a bull whereas holding a canine. (Don’t get us began on Austin site visitors. It’s a circus.)

pic.twitter.com/4b4moNML3O

— no context faculty soccer (@nocontextcfb) November 30, 2024

Still, it needed to be a irritating consequence for the Aggies, who had an opportunity to attract to inside one rating late however opted to go for it on fourth down on the Texas 1, solely to be stuffed.

Texas is just like the wealthy, profitable highschool pal who comes into city for a go to and guilts you into inviting him to a celebration, just for all your mates to like him when you sit within the nook consuming Cheetos. After 14 years within the SEC, Texas A&M nonetheless hasn’t made a convention championship sport, whereas Texas is now headed to Atlanta in Year 1. Still, Cheetos are scrumptious.

The larger query for the Longhorns now could be whether or not they’ve discovered any approach to block Georgia’s move rush because the Bulldogs eviscerated the Horns’ entrance in a 30-15 UGA win on Oct. 19. Even with a loss, Texas possible hosts a house sport in Round 1 of the playoff, however it might be a blow for championship hopes to lose for a second time to Georgia.

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Rivalry watch

Florida State has been arguing for weeks to throw out the information, but it surely’s not till Week 14 that we are able to formally do it. It was rivalry week, which meant main drama and offseason bragging rights throughout the nation. Here’s the way it performed out.

Clean Old-Fashioned Hate

What was at stake: Georgia had a 30-game house profitable streak on the road and appeared poised to make the 12-team playoff with a win. Georgia Tech was trying to remind anybody exterior metro Atlanta it nonetheless had a soccer program.

Controversies: Officials appeared to overlook various key calls that helped Georgia, together with a potential crimson zone fumble, a potential tipped ball that may’ve negated a vital defensive move interference flag, a potential focusing on on a Haynes King fumble that possible price Tech the sport, an egregious maintain earlier than a Georgia extra time rating and Kirby Smart’s unconventional use of a Ford F-350 at fullback. Perhaps worst of all, by the point the groups had completed with eight overtimes, The Varsity was closed and the Jackets could not get chili canine like Brent Key had promised if all people tried their finest.

End outcome: The two QBs have been electrical, with King throwing for 303 yards, speeding for 110 and accounting for 5 touchdowns. Carson Beck topped 300 yards of offense, and he tossed 5 touchdowns. Ultimately, it got here right down to 2-point tries, as Georgia cashed in on a Nate Frazier run within the eighth extra time session to safe a 44-42 win. The sport underscores why faculty soccer ought to revisit its OT guidelines, which require dueling 2-point tries after the second body. Instead, we advocate 2-point tries within the third OT, a pie consuming contest within the fourth, a rock-paper-scissors competitors between the coaches at midfield for the fifth, the QBs taking turns making an attempt to clarify the ending of “Inception” within the sixth, Jimbo Fisher’s nephew wrestling every crew’s recruiting coordinator within the seventh, after which it strikes to a best-of-three “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe” with full “my mother” addendums in use.

Iron Bowl

What was at stake: Alabama hoped to maintain its playoff hopes alive with a win. Auburn hoped to safe a bowl bid with a win. Finebaum callers hoped to name for everybody to be fired on either side.

Controversies: Alabama gained, but when this was its assertion to the committee, it was hardly an emphatic one. The Tide turned the ball over 4 occasions — although Auburn turned these takeaways into simply six factors — that means the committee should dive again into the key file marked “How to explain why you’re putting Alabama into the playoff again this time” earlier than releasing the ultimate rankings subsequent weekend.

End outcome: Jalen Milroe accounted for 360 yards and three speeding touchdowns, and the Tide D held Jarquez Hunter to only 56 yards within the 28-14 win, their fifth straight within the Iron Bowl. The win helps take some warmth off Kalen DeBoer, who has suffered some ignominious losses in his debut season. Auburn, however, has now completed with a shedding file in 4 straight years (and hasn’t gained greater than six since 2019), one thing Hugh Freeze chalked as much as an unlucky mixture of his gamers doing dumb issues and him being too good at his job to correctly join with gamers who cannot respect his genius.

Territorial Cup

What was at stake: Arizona State might safe a visit to the Big 12 title sport with a win (with a little bit help elsewhere), whereas Arizona might try to forestall this sport being performed and as an alternative simply present highlights of final season.

Controversies: In true “Anchorman” trend, issues escalated rapidly: Arizona State scored 49, Sam Leavitt threw three touchdowns, and the Sun Devils murdered the rivalry with a trident.

ASU vegetation the fork in Arizona Stadium 😈🔱@ASUFootball pic.twitter.com/F1sU4qJugA

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 30, 2024

End outcome: Kenny Dillingham has pretty much as good a declare for coach of the 12 months as anybody within the nation after turning this program round so rapidly. The 49-7 win was a powerful end to a 10-2 season, and whereas the committee has but to actually respect the Sun Devils’ résumé, it is greater than value consideration with or with out the convention championship. Arizona State’s two losses got here by a mixed 18 factors. One got here with out its beginning QB. It has three wins over ranked (at sport time) opponents. It has gained 5 straight. It’s arduous to argue there are 12 groups enjoying higher soccer at this time than the Sun Devils.

Egg Bowl

What was at stake: Ole Miss nonetheless had flickering playoff hopes if sufficient chaos occurred increased within the rankings. Mississippi State hoped to keep away from a winless season within the SEC. The excellent news for the Bulldogs, although, is they may nonetheless end with eight high quality losses to stay on the committee’s radar.

Controversies: No coach took the sphere using an ATV, and no gamers celebrated a landing by mimicking a canine introducing itself to a hearth hydrant. Seriously, if nobody’s going to present the opposing kicker a wedgie after an additional level, why even trouble enjoying this rivalry sport?

End outcome: Mississippi State led 14-10 on the finish of the primary quarter, however the Bulldogs could not discover any offense past that. Ulysses Bentley IV ran for 136 yards and a rating, and Ole Miss survived 26-14. A month in the past, it might’ve been inconceivable Lane Kiffin wasn’t both taking the Florida job or prepping for the playoff on Dec. 1. Instead, he’ll simply be doing what so many people might be doing this week: resodding his garden after Charlie Weis Jr.’s ill-fated try and deep-fry a turkey.

Governor’s Cup

What was at stake: Louisville was trying to snap a five-game shedding streak towards Kentucky whereas additionally securing the place of “second ACC team that blew a shot at the playoff by losing to Stanford.”

Controversies: Ale 8 is a mediocre ginger ale. There, we mentioned it.

End outcome: Isaac Brown led the cost with 178 speeding yards and a pair of scores within the Cards’ 41-14 win. One of the nation’s prime freshmen, Brown ends the common season with 1,074 speeding yards, 12 whole touchdowns, almost 1,500 all-purpose yards and a stable fourth-place end within the Kentucky Oaks.

Florida-FSU

What was at stake: Florida might end with seven wins and a rivalry win for the primary time since 2021. Florida State hoped that possibly this complete season was only a dream and it might get up to discover a wholesome Jordan Travis able to tackle the Gators in November 2023.

Controversies: After demoralizing Florida State on the sphere, Florida tried to mark its territory, a lot to Mike Norvell’s displeasure.

End outcome: Florida State’s season started 100 days in the past, 4,000 miles throughout the Atlantic with a top-10 rating and massive expectations. Florida’s season started per week later with an emphatic loss to Miami and an assumption that head coach Billy Napier could be fired. What a distinction a school soccer season makes. Florida’s protection held FSU to only 239 yards and gained 31-11 behind two touchdowns from DJ Lagway. The Gators completed the common season 7-5 with Napier’s job secured for 2025. Florida State can now flip its consideration again to its actual ardour: lawsuits.

Fremont Cannon

What was at stake: UNLV’s faint playoff hopes nonetheless flickered, with a win placing the Rebels into the Mountain West championship sport. Also the winner received tickets to see Cher on the Bellagio.

Controversies: Remember when UNLV’s quarterback give up as a result of he needed cash the college hadn’t paid after which UNLV simply inserted one other quarterback who was a lot better? The lesson: The home all the time wins.

End outcome: Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 168 and ran for 135, accounting for 3 touchdowns within the 38-14 win over Nevada. The Rebels at the moment are 10-2 with a rematch towards Boise State pending and a playoff berth on the road.

The Commonwealth Cup

What was at stake: Both groups could be bowl-bound with a win and likewise get entry to the loser’s seashore home in Virginia Beach. It’s three blocks off the seashore, however there is a corn gap set within the again storage shed.

Controversies: Virginia Tech was enjoying with out its prime two quarterbacks, whereas Virginia was enjoying with none actual hopes of ever getting the higher hand on this rivalry.

End outcome: Pop Watson threw for 254 yards and tallied two touchdowns whereas Bhayshul Tuten ran for 124 yards and two scores in Virginia Tech’s 37-17 win. The Hokies will go bowling and gained the Commonwealth Cup for the twenty third time up to now 25 tries, however in addition they really feel kind of like that meme of the man ignoring his girlfriend to take a look at one other lady who may look so much like Shane Beamer.

Old Oaken Bucket

What was at stake: Indiana wanted the win to successfully lock up its place within the College Football Playoff. Purdue was hopeful to make the sport value skipping a “MythBusters” marathon with a purpose to play.

Controversies: Indiana is poised to make the playoff, regardless of Purdue by some means being solely the fourth-worst crew the Hoosiers have performed this 12 months, simply forward of Charlotte and simply behind the Muncie Boy Scout Troop No. 214.

End outcome: Kurtis Rourke threw for 349 yards and 6 touchdowns, whereas Purdue threw for 54 yards and two interceptions. This could be embarrassing for Purdue if everybody wasn’t already targeted on basketball season.

Battle on the Bayou

What was at stake: Louisiana might lock up a 10-win season and a berth within the Sun Belt championship, whereas Louisiana-Monroe wanted a win to get bowl eligible. Also, the loser has to let Louisiana Tech crash on their sofa this offseason.

Controversies: Why does Louisiana get to drop the Lafayette and simply go by the state identify, however ULM has to maintain the Monroe? This sport ought to actually resolve who will get to be “Louisiana” annually and the opposite faculty has to go by ULM or ULL.

End outcome: Zylan Perry rushed for 150 yards and two scores, and the Ragin’ Cajuns’ D picked off three passes in a 37-23 win. For ULM, it is a irritating end to a season that began with the Warhawks at 5-1 however ended on a six-game shedding streak.

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Ducks dynasty

The No. 1 crew within the nation may additionally be the least attention-grabbing at this level.

Oregon gained once more Saturday, 49-21 towards Washington, to complete the common season at 12-0. Yawn.

Since their dramatic 32-31 win over Ohio State on Oct. 12, the Ducks have mainly been the work-from-home man who was instructed he needed to begin going into the workplace once more. They present up, swipe their badge, seize a espresso, say good day to Denise in accounts receivable, Dillon Gabriel throws a pair touchdowns, then they’re house in time for “The View.”

So it was Saturday, with Gabriel accounting for 3 touchdowns, Jordan James working for 99 yards and the protection holding Washington to 244 yards whereas racking up 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. The 10 sacks on this sport have been greater than rival Oregon State has all season, which ought to be a enjoyable reality for Ducks followers to convey up with Beavers followers this vacation season.

Oregon now will get Penn State within the Big Ten title sport, a results of Ohio State’s implosion towards Michigan.

The Nittany Lions had no bother with Maryland, incomes a dominant 44-7 win capped by a 15-yard landing move with no time left on the clock that riled Mike Locksley.

It might have been a little bit of showmanship by Penn State, however however, if James Franklin had blindfolded his QB, handed him a soccer, spun him round a dozen occasions and despatched him on his manner, he nonetheless may’ve scored on this Maryland protection.

The query now could be whether or not Penn State can provide Oregon an actual sport after the Ducks have gained 5 of their previous six by a minimum of 20 factors. Franklin’s file in massive video games towards top-10 opponents might be one thing somebody ought to search for earlier than the sport. There could be a narrative there.

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Cyclones land title sport berth

Iowa State is headed to the Big 12 championship sport, probably attributable to a 29-21 win over Kansas State on Saturday however possible as a result of persons are out to get Deion Sanders.

Rocco Becht accounted for 3 touchdowns within the win over the Wildcats, and mixed with BYU’s 30-18 victory over Houston, the Cyclones locked up a shot to play Arizona State for what is sort of definitely the league’s solely playoff bid.

That leaves Coach Prime and Colorado on the surface wanting in, which is an actual slap within the face. First, voters snubbed Travis Hunter for the Thorpe Award and instructed Ashton Jeanty might nonetheless win the Heisman Trophy. Then they refused to present Hunter a second Michelin star regardless of his beautiful tackle a deconstructed duck confit. And now this. When will the bias finish?

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Pack go bowling

Hollywood Smothers ran for 2 touchdowns, together with a 2-yarder with 25 seconds to play to safe a 35-30 win over North Carolina — NC State’s fourth straight within the rivalry — and bowl eligibility for the Wolfpack.

Jacolby Criswell’s 47-yard landing throw to Omarion Hampton with 1:51 to play had given UNC a late lead, however the Wolfpack engineered a six-play, 75-yard drive for the win. Hampton completed with 185 speeding yards, 78 receiving yards and a pair of scores, placing the ending touches on a season that may’ve had him in Heisman consideration if he performed for anybody higher than North Carolina.

This was the potential farewell for Mack Brown, too. In his second tenure with the Heels, the college introduced he wouldn’t be retained for 2025. This got here after he threatened to give up after a depressing loss to JMU this season, then insisted he’d return earlier this week. Now, Brown will retire to a lifetime of quiet solitude, the place he’ll work on his memoirs and have a tendency to his backyard till a ragtag bunch of UNC boosters arrive at his door within the 12 months 2039, insisting he come out of retirement for one final job, at which period Brown will tip again his cowboy hat, stare off into the center distance, take a swig from a bottle with a cranium on the label and, in a gravelly, world-weary voice, announce, “I’m in.”

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Herd rumbles previous JMU

Marshall was down 17-0 at halftime however roared again for a 35-33 win over James Madison to say sole possession of the Sun Belt East.

Marshall managed simply 261 yards within the sport, 121 fewer than JMU, and the Dukes had an 11-minute edge in time of possession. But James Madison’s missed 2-point conversion strive within the second extra time interval proved to be the distinction.

Marshall’s lone convention loss got here by a degree to Georgia Southern, but it surely additionally misplaced to Virginia Tech, which is fairly embarrassing.

The Thundering Herd will face Louisiana within the Sun Belt title sport — although it will not be till someday Sunday when pc composite rankings are tabulated earlier than anybody is aware of who’s the house crew, because the two groups did not play one another. The lack of a tiebreaker decided by a sequence of “Yo mama” jokes looks like an actual missed alternative for the Sun Belt.

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Regular-season vibe shifts

We’ve reached the tip of the common season, and whereas every week has featured some seismic shifts within the faculty soccer panorama, some traits have simmered simply beneath the floor. We’re wanting again on these delicate, however important, development traces as we put a bow on 2024.

Trending down: The Group of 5

Week 14 started with the Group of 5 in place not solely to steal a first-round playoff bye from the Big 12, however maybe swipe a second playoff bid, too. Tulane checked in ranked forward of all Big 12 groups apart from Arizona State, however a trio of brutal turnovers deep in Memphis territory scuttled these playoff goals. The Tigers topped the Green Wave 34-24, successfully ceding the Group of 5’s playoff bid to the Mountain West.

Ultimately, that the Group of 5 missed out on a press release alternative to swipe a bid from the Big 12 ought to come as no shock. The wealthy proceed to get richer in faculty soccer, and the road of demarcation has by no means been wider. Despite San José State’s win over Stanford on Friday, the non-autonomy faculties completed with a woeful 9-88 file towards the Power 4 within the common season — simply the Group of 5’s worst efficiency in a long time.

Indeed, look again on the 2004-2013 period, simply earlier than the demise of the Big East, and groups exterior the BCS conferences upended the massive boys greater than 22% of the time. From 2014 by means of 2021 — submit realignment however earlier than the consequences of NIL and the portal have been totally felt — these groups nonetheless gained 20% of the time. Over the previous three years although, the non-power faculties have only a .153 win share towards the Power 4/5.

Trending up: Buying your manner right into a convention

Turns out, coming in at a critical low cost wasn’t such a foul transfer for faculties determined to seek out greener pastures in 2024.

Oregon will enter championship weekend because the No. 1 crew within the nation regardless of getting solely about 40 cents on the greenback to play within the Big Ten, and SMU now seems to be like as near a certain playoff crew because the ACC is able to producing after successfully electing to play within the ACC totally free.

The Mustangs knocked off fellow bargain-bin addition Cal 38-6 on Saturday. Kevin Jennings threw for 225 yards and two scores for SMU, and Brashard Smith accounted for 134 yards from scrimmage and a pair of touchdowns.

SMU is now poised to win an ACC title in its first 12 months whereas Miami — convention championship free since 2003! — watches, and it has occurred largely due to Miami transfers reminiscent of Smith, Jahfari Harvey and Elijah Roberts.

And if Miami followers weren’t already of their sixteenth straight hour of listening to deal with music at a membership off route A1A, that may actually trouble some individuals.

Trending up: Big 12 sizzling seats

A month into the season, the most well liked seat within the Big 12 was at Baylor, the place Dave Aranda’s Bears have been 2-4. But Baylor has now gained six straight after Saturday’s 45-17 thumping of Kansas. QB Sawyer Robertson has blossomed right into a star, tossing 4 TDs within the win. He has made 66% of his throws with 17 landing passes, 4 picks and almost 1,600 yards passing through the win streak.

Aranda’s job is protected, however different coaches at the moment are feeling the warmth.

After UCF turned the ball over 4 occasions in a 28-14 loss to Utah, Gus Malzahn noticed the writing on the wall and jumped ship to change into the offensive coordinator at Florida State. Mixing Malzahn’s QB historical past with Florida State’s run of terrible QB play by anybody not named Jordan Travis actually units the stage for switch Thomas Castellanos to guide the nation with 106 interceptions subsequent 12 months in Tallahassee.

Meanwhile, West Virginia’s Neal Brown and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy did not precisely finish the 2024 season with fireworks.

Gundy’s Cowboys have been steamrolled by Colorado 52-0 on Friday, ending the season 0-9 in Big 12 play. Gundy is an establishment at Oklahoma State, and he is the nation’s second-longest-serving head coach, however this season’s implosion could be sufficient to persuade either side it is time for a recent begin — like going to the barbershop and at last trimming away an out-of-style haircut and attempting one thing utterly new.

Brown was on the recent seat getting into 2023, however West Virginia completed a stunning 9-4, seemingly ending any hypothesis over Brown’s job safety. But this season has been a little bit of a step again, with an unsightly loss to rival Pitt and a 52-15 trouncing in Saturday’s sport towards Texas Tech. West Virginia will go to a bowl, however the expectations have been a lot increased this season.

And then there’s Scott Satterfield at Cincinnati. The Bearcats fell to TCU 20-13 on Saturday, their fifth straight loss to complete 5-7 after a 5-2 begin to the 12 months. Cincinnati is now 8-16 beneath Satterfield, together with a 4-14 mark in convention play.

On the opposite hand, all might return and be within the Big 12 title sport in 2025 as a result of your complete convention is mainly similar to enjoying roulette at 4 a.m. at a riverboat on line casino in Shreveport. There is not any logic to what’s occurring, anybody can win massive and everyone seems to be kind of embarrassed to be there.

Trending down: Goalpost theft

Perhaps probably the most entertaining development of the season has been followers celebrating with the theft of goalposts — from Georgia Tech followers bringing the goalposts to a campus pond, to Arizona State tearing down the goalposts, placing them again up when officers added time again onto the clock, then bringing them down once more solely to be taught there is not any our bodies of water within the desert through which to deposit them.

But it was Tennessee and Vanderbilt who did the goalpost celebrations finest in 2024.

The goalpost made it to the Tennessee River 😅

(by way of @BassickMath) pic.twitter.com/opA250PXME

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 16, 2022

Absolutely dying on the police helicopter night time imaginative and prescient of the Vandy aim posts going into the river… the youngsters tumbling over every ledge 💀 pic.twitter.com/KoXmOnBTc7

— Christopher Oven (@Chris_Oven) October 8, 2024

On Saturday, the 2 met with a lot on the road. Tennessee wanted a win to all however lock up a playoff berth. Vandy wanted a win to make sure a profitable season for the primary time since 2013.

The Commodores jumped out to the early lead, but it surely was the Vols who celebrated when it was over. Nico Iamaleava threw 4 touchdowns, Dylan Sampson ran for 178 yards and Tennessee overcame an early deficit with a 36-23 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Tennessee, which was in a do-or-die scenario getting into Week 14, now could also be poised to host a playoff sport after losses by Ohio State and Miami.

Sadly, Vols followers didn’t tear down the goalposts to have a good time the possible playoff bid, as making an enormous factor of beating Vanderbilt is like bragging about figuring out all of the phrases to “Shake It Off.” It’s nothing to be pleased with, and it is undoubtedly going to harm your status with the opposite dads. And no, this isn’t a private story, so cease asking.

Holding regular: Big Ten custom

This was purported to be the 12 months the Big Ten lastly developed right into a convention with trendy offenses. Wisconsin and Purdue had Air Raid coordinators, Penn State introduced in Andy Kotelnicki to rejuvenate its assault, 4 groups arrived from the Pac-12 and Iowa put in a brand new sport plan to switch Brian Ferentz’s playbook that was simply 23 pages repeating the sentence, “What if punts?”

So, how’d it go?

Well, protected to say someplace Ferentz is reenacting the Leo DiCaprio meme from “Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood,” pointing at his TV and yelling, “What if punts!”

On Friday, Iowa gained its eighth sport of the season — one fewer than it had a 12 months in the past with Ferentz calling performs, regardless of scoring 120 extra factors — by beating Nebraska 13-10 with simply 5 first downs and 164 whole yards.

5 first downs. Won. Sure. pic.twitter.com/SqQxkpcst8

— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) November 30, 2024

Iowa accomplished eight passes, averaged 1.9 yards per rush, and will have paused the third quarter for a bunch nap time, and but it nonetheless gained as a result of that is what the Big Ten is all about. Oh, and likewise as a result of Nebraska accepted the Big Ten’s phrases and circumstances with out studying them and did not notice it is now completely barred from profitable a detailed sport. The loss was the Huskers’ twenty third by a TD or much less up to now 4 seasons.

As for the remainder of the league?

Those Air Raid coordinators at Wisconsin and Purdue have been each fired. The new Pac-12 groups all averaged fewer factors per sport in convention play in 2024 than 2023 and, cumulatively, averaged 10 fewer factors per sport in Big Ten play than they’d within the Pac-12 in 2023. Penn State is headed to the Big Ten title sport, however nonetheless failed to attain an offensive TD towards Ohio State and completed the common season with 46 fewer factors than it had final 12 months.

And all of those numbers add as much as this: It’s not Ryan Day’s fault. This league simply hates groups that attempt to rating.

Trending down: Postgame routines

This season, we realized that Syracuse coach Fran Brown punishes himself after losses by refusing to bathe as a result of, as he famous, “washing is for winners.”

We additionally realized that Oklahoma coach Brent Venables celebrated his win over Alabama by spending $94 at Taco Bell, an quantity that we hope additionally included the colonoscopy.

Sure, this forces us to ask a number of massive questions.

For one, had Syracuse misplaced to Miami on Saturday, would Brown have gone shower-free till the bowl sport? Luckily, he did not must reply that, as Syracuse prevailed 42-38 over Miami, shifting to 9-3 in Brown’s first season as head coach. Had it not been for a brutal loss to Stanford, the Orange would have an intriguing playoff résumé, together with two wins over ranked opponents and a visit to the ACC title sport within the offing.

Another: How a lot is an excessive amount of cash to spend at Taco Bell? Clearly $94 is an excessive amount of, because the extreme beefy bean burritos had Venables off his sport Saturday in Oklahoma’s 37-17 loss to LSU. After the sport, Venables introduced he would punish himself for the efficiency by consuming $1.99 value of meals from Arby’s.

Trending up: Stadium naming rights

Before the season kicked off, Pitbull purchased the naming rights to Florida International’s house area, altering from its former identify, “No, no, This is FIU; You’re Looking for FAU’s Stadium; Yeah, It’s About an Hour North, Just Take the Turnpike to 95 to Exit 48” Field.

Turns out, it was a clever funding for Mr. 305. FIU toppled Middle Tennessee 35-24 on Saturday, shifting to 4-2 on the 12 months at Pitbull Stadium, whereas ending 0-6 on the highway.

With this in thoughts, Kent State might be promoting stadium naming rights to its stadium to its most iconic native musicians, Devo. Next season the Golden Flashes helmets will all simply be these bizarre crimson Mayan-temple-shaped hats from the “Whip It” video.

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Heisman 5

The largest query is whether or not greater than two gamers want an invitation to New York at this level. It’s a two-man race, and solely one in every of them goes to get one final shot to impress voters earlier than the award is handed out.

1. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty

Four gamers have rushed for extra yards in a season than Jeanty. Three of them gained the Heisman. The one who did not — UCF’s Kevin Smith in 2007 — was the lone member of that checklist from exterior the Power 5. If that is the road of demarcation for Jeanty, that is a disgrace. He went for 192 yards and three touchdowns towards the No. 1 crew within the nation, so any suggestion that his numbers are the results of a weak schedule appear absurd. His worst sport of the season got here towards an FCS opponent after he received simply 11 carries. He has 9 video games of 150 yards or extra. He has scored 29 touchdowns. He has Boise State not simply poised for the playoff however a first-round bye. No, he would not additionally play cornerback, however he’d in all probability be fairly good at it if he did.

2. Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter

After Friday’s 52-0 win towards Oklahoma State, Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders mentioned Hunter was the clear favourite to win the Heisman and that anybody who argued in another way had an agenda. He has some legitimate factors. Hunter completed Friday with 10 catches for 116 yards and three touchdowns, plus an interception, a sort out and two passes damaged up. What Hunter has accomplished this season is otherworldly, one thing that has by no means been accomplished in faculty soccer historical past. But he has performed three defenses ranked among the many prime 50 in adjusted EPA (anticipated factors added) per sport this season (18 catches, 191 yards, no touchdowns) and confronted only one opponent that was prime 30 in passing EPA (Baylor). If we’re holding schedule towards Jeanty, we should always do the identical for Hunter.

3. Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo

Skattebo completed Saturday’s blowout of Arizona with 21 carries for 177 yards and three touchdowns, giving him 1,866 scrimmage yards and 19 touchdowns this season. In the playoff period, the one different energy convention participant with 1,300 speeding yards, 400 receiving yards and 19 whole touchdowns in his first 12 video games was Dalvin Cook in 2016. And as a result of Skattebo missed a sport, he truly has accomplished that in 11.

4. Miami QB Cam Ward

For a lot of the previous month, Ward has been enjoying the Ralph Nader function within the two-man race for the Heisman between Jeanty and Hunter. Saturday’s loss to Syracuse in all probability dropped Ward to full Green Party standing, nonetheless. The lengthy odds are hardly honest. Ward has been distinctive this season, and he was glorious once more in Week 14, throwing for 349 yards and two scores. And if Mario Cristobal had given him a shot on fourth-and-goal, Ward may’ve added one other real Heisman second to his résumé. Instead, he’ll in all probability getting an invitation to New York, a dinner at Sbarro and an opportunity to observe Jeanty or Hunter settle for the {hardware}.

5. South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers

Sellers is 245 kilos of utter physics-defying ridiculousness, and he confirmed it many times Saturday towards Clemson, working for 166 yards and two touchdowns, together with the sport winner.

Checking in on the newest LaNorris Sellers scramble… pic.twitter.com/PeuT8bszth

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) November 30, 2024

Afterward, Shane Beamer insisted Sellers was “the best player in the country” and ought to be on anybody’s Heisman checklist. So, we’re obliging. But it isn’t simply bluster, both. Take a have a look at this comparability.

Past seven video games:
Ward: 5-2, 82.0 Total QBR, 66% completions, 20 touchdowns, three picks, 2,372 whole yards
Sellers: 6-1, 80.5 Total QBR, 68% completions, 19 touchdowns, 4 picks, 2,174 whole yards

Sellers’ entrance into the dialogue was a bit too late to win the Heisman, however he has made the season a heck of much more enjoyable for the previous two months.

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Under-the-radar play of the week

Maalik Murphy screwed up the ultimate play of regulation in Duke’s sport towards Wake Forest, however he and receiver Jordan Moore improvised a bit, turning a 5-yard route right into a game-winning 39-yard landing with no time left on the clock, upending Wake Forest 23-17.

WALK-OFF TOUCHDOWN FOR DUKE!

WHAT A GAME 😈 @DukeFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/B44AGXUOAS

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) November 30, 2024

The Blue Devils completed the sport with 5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss, one other stellar day for what has blossomed into some of the aggressive defenses within the nation.

Duke finishes the common season 9-3 with 4 wins vs. groups contained in the state of North Carolina (Elon, UNC, NC State and Wake) in Manny Diaz’s first season in Durham.

And if Cooper Flagg mentions any of this in his subsequent information convention, Duke followers might be very excited to study it for the primary time.

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Under-the-radar sport of the week

Like “Wicked,” Saturday’s Jacksonville State-Western Kentucky sport was simply three hours of backstory to set the stage for the extra important sequel.

Unlike “Wicked,” this one truly had an thrilling ending (although sadly it did not contain Rich Rodriguez belting out “Defying Gravity”).

Caden Veltkamp, whose identify feels like he ought to be the inheritor to a household tuna-canning dynasty however is definitely the QB at Western Kentucky, led a 10-play, 44-yard drive within the last two minutes, and Lucas Carneiro drilled a 50-yard area aim with three seconds remaining to safe a 19-17 win.

That area aim secured WKU’s spot within the Conference USA title sport towards … Jacksonville State.

Had Jacksonville State prevailed, Sam Houston State would’ve made the title sport. Instead, the Hilltoppers have a shot to win the league for the primary time since 2016.