The week that was: Week 9 Top 25 Game Recap
From NCAA College Football Information & Resource
October 29, 2007
Week nine was a "quiet" week for college football as most ranked teams and except for one in the top ten, held their ground and avoided the upset bug that has plagued the upper-tier teams for the past few weeks now. Here are quick recaps for games played by the top 25 teams last weekend.
No.1 Ohio State def. No.24 Penn State, 37-17
Penn State (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) took an early lead at 7-3 with a two-yard score from Rodney Kinlaw but apparently that was as close as the Nittany Lions could get as Ohio State (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten) unleashed 21 unanswered points courtesy of three touchdown strikes from quarterback Todd Boeckman of 9, 16, and 15 yards to three different recipients. The Buckeyes padded the lead all the more with a 13-point barrage highlighted by an 24-yard TD interception return by Malcolm Jenkins. Boeckman finished the game going 19 of 26 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns with an interception while his counterpart Morelli went 12-for-21 for 111 yards with an interception. Ohio State was clearly on target on defense as it held Penn State to only 263 yards while gaining 453.
No.2 Boston College def. No.8 Virginia Tech, 14-10
Down by ten late in the fourth quarter, Matt Ryan led Boston College (8-0, 4-0 ACC) to a 92-yard drive in just over two minutes capped by a 16-yard TD pass to Rich Gunnell to put the Eagles on the board for the first time. Then with a stroke of luck, BC got the ball back on an onside kick attempt which was capitalized by Ryan who once again took his team 66-yards in seven plays puncutated by a 24-yard touchdown pass to Andre Callender to give the Eagles a stunning come from behind win. Ryan was 25-of-52 for 285 yards with a couple of touchdowns and pick-offs. Virginia Tech (6-2, 3-1 ACC) was led by QB Sean Glennon who went 15-of-25 for 149 yards and a score.
No.5 Oregon def. No.9 USC, 24-17
Dennis Dixon opened the scoring with a 2-yard TD run but USC (6-2, 3-2 Pac-10) caught up with the Ducks in the third and tied the game at 10-all. Oregon (7-1, 4-1 Pac-10) then strung up a couple of TDs from Jonathan Stewart, from 16- and 1- yard out to put the Ducks ahead for good. The Trojans tried a rally with a 14-yard David Ausberry score but had their comeback bid spoiled by Matthew Harper who had a pick-off to stop the Trojans' final drive. Stewart ran 25 times for 103 yards and two touchdowns, and caught two passes for 21 yards for the Ducks.
No.6 West Virginia def. No.25 Rutgers, 31-3
It was a dominating performance for West Virginia (7-1, 2-1 Big East) as they held Rutgers (5-3, 2-2 Big East) to only a field goal while scoring 31 of their own, 28 of which coming from a combined 4-touchdown effort by their two Heisman hopefuls, Steve Slaton (two short and a 38-yard score) and Pat White (1-yard run). The Mountaineers outran Ray Rice and the Scarlet Knights 254-183 with WVU linebacker Reed Williams doing damage on defense with 13 tackles.
No.7 Arizona State def. No.18 California, 31-20
Arizona State (8-0, 5-0 Pac-10) faced its toughest test this season, and it looked like the Sun Devils would falter as the Golden Bears raced to a 13-0 first quarter lead courtesy of a 13-yard Cameron Jordan fumble recovery for a touchdown and two Jordan Kay field goals. California (5-3, 2-3 Pac-10) maintained the lead at 20-7 after DeSean Jackson had a 21-yard TD catch in retaliation to Dimitri Nance's 11-yard TD run that put ASU on the board for the first time. However, the Sun Devils strung up 24 unanswered points courtesy of a 2- and 8- yard TD run from Nance, a 47-yard field goal from Thomas Weber, and a 12-yard TD catch by Kyle Williams to complete ASU's come-from-behind victory. Nance had 21 carries for 85 yards and three TDs and caught three passes for 47 yards.
No.20 Georgia def. No.9 Florida, 42-30
With the defending national champs' main offensive weapon playing hurt, Florida (5-3, 3-3 SEC) struggled to get their usual fluid offense going. Bulldog running back Knowshown Moreno ran 33 times for 188 yards and three touchdowns---a one-yarder that opened the scoring for Georgia (6-2, 4-2 SEC), a 10-yarder to end the first half, and a three-yarder that wrapped up the win for his team. Tim Tebow went 14-of-22 for 236 yards and a score while his counterpart Matthew Stafford connected 11 of his 18 passes for 217 yards and three scores.
Connecticut def. No.11 South Florida, 22-15
Connecticut (7-1, 3-0 Big East) had a jumpstart on South Florida (6-2, 1-2 Big East) with a 16-0 lead highlighted by a 23-yard score from Scott Lutrus' interception. But the Bulls retaliated with a run of their own courtesy of two Delbert Alvarado field goals and a ten-yard Matt Grothe touchdown rush. USF's final gasp, a Grothe pass was incomplete on 4th and goal, to give UConn the upset win. The two teams combined for 118 yards on 16 penalties with USF accouting for 79 of them. Running back Andre Dixon led UConn with 167 yards on 32 carries, and caught three passes for 42 yards.
No.12 Kansas def. Texas A&M, 19-11
Brandon McAnderson rushed for a career-high 183 yards and two touchdowns to help Kansas go up 8-0 for the first time since 1909. Kansas (8-0, 4-0 Big 12) streaked to a 19-0 lead in the fourth as the Jayhawks limited Texas A&M's (6-3, 3-2 Big 12) 5th ranked rushing offense to 56 yards through three quarters. Scott Webb, who had one blocked and one hooked field goal in the scoreless first half, and McAnderson shared the scoring load with two field goals and two TD scores, respectively.
No. 13 Missouri def. Iowa State, 42-28
Missouri (7-1, 3-1 Big 12) only broke away in the third quarter with a ten-yard touchdown catch by Martin Rucker and a 17-yard run from Jeremy Maclin to put the game out of Iowa State's (1-8, 0-5 Big 12) reach at 42-21 in the fourth. Chase Daniel completed 28-of-37 passes for 250 yards with a score and a pick-off for the Tigers who were outgained by the Cyclones, 389 yards to 366.
Mississippi State def. No.14 Kentucky, 31-14
Just two games after making headlines with a stunning upset of the LSU Tigers, Kentucky (6-3, 2-3 SEC) was on the losing end of an upset win after bowing to Mississippi State (5-4, 2-3 SEC) 31-14. The Wildcats offense could not get anything going as they turned the ball over six times, two of which led to ten third quarter points for MSU. Running back Christian Ducre led the Mississippi State onslaught with 19 carries for 119 yards and a score along with five receptions for 30 yards.
Tennessee def. No.15 South Carolina, 27-24 OT
Tennessee (5-3, 3-2 SEC) was off to a fast start as they scored three TDs in the first half with short runs by Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty, and a five-yard Josh Briscoe catch to put the Vols ahead 21-0. South Carolina (6-3, 3-3 SEC) however, who finished the game outgaining Tennessee by 84 yards, retaliated in the second half with a Blake Mitchell rush TD and an 8-yard scoring strike to Kenny McKinley along with a 29-yard scoring run from Cory Boyd. The Vols forced overtime courtesy of a Daniel Lincoln 48-yard field goal and won the game with another---a 27-yarder also from Lincoln before Ryan Succop missed his 40-yard attempt that nailed the upset win for the Volunteers.
No.16 Hawaii def. New Mexico State, 50-13
Colt Brennan, who went 29-of-46 for 425 yards, started the game with an interception on the opening play but redeemed himself thereafter as he completed his next 10 passes, two of which resulting to scores to put Hawai'i (7-0, 4-0 WAC) ahead and never looked back since. Brennan's counterpart, Chase Holbrook managed to move the New Mexico State's (4-4, 1-2 WAC) offense fairly well but could not deliver in the red zone. He finished the game going 37-for-52 for 328 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.
No.17 Texas def. Nebraska, 28-25
Husker Nate Swift caught two TD passes early on to put Nebraska (4-5, 1-4 Big 12) ahead 17-3 late in the first half. The Longhorns however answered with their own 25-0 blast courtesy of two Ryan Bailey field goals and three Jamaal Charles TD runs of 25, 86 and 40 yards to give Texas (7-2, 3-2 Big 12) the lead for good. Nebraska cut the deficit to three but could not get any closer as Texas let Charles, who had 290 rush yards on 33 carries, ran out the clock.
No.19 Michigan def. Minnesota, 34-10
Michigan (7-2, 5-0 Big Ten) was Hart-less but it played with all heart as it trounced Minnesota (1-8, 0-5 Big Ten) after outgaining the Gophers 561 to 231. The Wolverines trailed by 10 at the onset of the game but rained 34 consecutive points on the Gophers highlighted by Mario Manningham's 40-yard TD reception to put the game away.
N.C. State def. No.21 Virginia, 29-24
Donald Bowens had 11 catches for 202 yards while Daniel Evans threw for a career-high 347 yards and three touchdowns and the North Carolina State Wolfpack (3-5, 1-3 ACC) defense held on in the Cavaliers' final play to preserve a 5-point upset win over 21st ranked Virginia (7-2, 4-1 ACC).
No.23 Auburn def. Ole Miss, 17-3
Down by a touchdown at 10-3, Mississippi (2-7, 0-6 SEC) had a promising drive anchored on back-up QB Brent Schaeffer which unfortunately turned disastrous as Patrick Lee had an easy pick-off at the endzone to set up Auburn's final score, a 34-yard scoring pass to Rod Smith from Brandon Cox to put the game away for the Tigers (6-3, 4-2 SEC).
Sources
- "CollegeTOP25.com Consensus Rankings". CollegeTOP25.com,
- CFN Staff "Week 9 Scoreboard, Picks and Game Recaps". CollegeFootballNews.com, October 27, 2007
