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After arguably the best weekend of the entire season – rivalries, conference-deciding games and more – delivered in spades, there were more than a few villains on display across three days’ worth of football. We’ll start at the top, with one of the worst teams in the entire FBS.
Kansas: The Jayhawks were beaten 45-14 by Kansas State on Saturday afternoon to ensure that KU becomes the first ‘Power 5′ program since Washington in 2008 to go winless. It really isn’t that long ago – less than a decade, in fact – since KU and Missouri played that epic Border War game under lights at Arrowhead Stadium when they were both ranked in the BCS Top 25.
Remember Todd Reesing and that great KU squad? The Jayhawks have fallen a long, long, long way since then.
Navy: The Midshipmen couldn’t get their vaunted ground game going, held to less than 150 yards, and quarterback Keenan Reynolds had to throw much more than he’s done this season. It wasn’t a recipe for success: the Middies fell 52-31 to Houston on Black Friday, meaning they miss out on a berth in the American Athletic Conference championship. The loss would also seem to signal the end of Reynold’s Heisman campaign.
Michigan: Rhe Wolverines seemed primed to beat Ohio State – or, at least challenge their rivals – this year, and after a fairly competitive first half, there was still that chance of a big win for Jim Harbaugh in his first year coaching at Ann Arbor. Then came the second half, and an offensive explosion from J.T. Barrett and Ezekiel Elliott. The Buckeye quarterback and running back combined for five scores, and the Wolverine defence had no answers, losing 42-13.
Florida: The Gators had a real chance to send a message that they belong in a New Year’s Six Bowl by beating in-state rivals Florida State, but it didn’t happen. Just as soon as those articles about the FSU-UF rivalry becoming national relevant once again, Florida went and laid an egg. Their offense was non-existent and their defence was on the ragged edge simply because they were on the field so much. The 27-2 loss to the Seminoles makes this game seem closer than it really was.
Of course, Florida have a chance to turn it around in the SEC Championship Game next weekend, but anyone who saw this game – or even the highlights, if they could be called that – realises that it isn’t likely. The Gators simply aren’t in the same league as Alabama. Just as the SEC East isn’t in the same class as the SEC West.
Josh Rosen: finally, the true freshman quarterback for UCLA looked like a true freshman quarterback. He threw an interception and lost a fumble on consecutive possessions after the Bruins took a 1-point lead in what had been a very close game to that point. It was basically over from there. Of course, Rosen will learn from his first taste of the Los Angeles rivalry, but he could scarcely have picked a worse game in which to have arguably the worst game of his season. What made it more shocking is how surgical he’d been in recent starts. I expected more.
Washington State: A good season and a Bowl berth for the Cougars won’t quite dull the pain of a disastrous 45-10 loss to Washington on Friday. Their high-flying offense was grounded without injured quarterback Luke Falk, and seven turnovers – two pick six touchdowns and a fumble return for a touchdown among them – ensured the Apple Cup was headed to Seattle rather than Pullman.
Rutgers: Up 31-13 to Maryland at the half, the Scarlet Knights somehow managed to lose 46-41 to cap probably the worst season – when you take into account on-field and off-field issues – that the school has seen in a long time.
Notre Dame: The Irish had a lead with thirty seconds to go, but their defence and special teams couldn’t maintain it. A 15-yard facemask call on the kick-off return, followed by a coverage bust that saw Stanford’s Devin Cajuste make a big catch, and two plays later, the Irish watched Conrad Ukropina kick the game-winning field goal. And head coach Brian Kelly was caught – not for the first time – swearing at one of his players along the sideline. The last few minutes of what was effectively a playoff elimination game weren’t great for Notre Dame But wonderful for everyone who dislikes the program.
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys came in off the back of a listless defeat to Baylor seven days ago, and followed it up by laying an egg against a rampant Oklahoma squad. There’ve been some lopsided Bedlam contests over the last few years, but this 58-23 belting was one of the worst. The Cowboys were scarcely in this one.
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