College football takeaways: Texas Longhorns falter in Big 12

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Tom Herman and the Texas Longhorns are still in decent shape to make the Big 12 title game despite their loss Saturday. (AP)

Sun, Oct 28, 2018

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Ten takeaways from a day of wild finishes and road upsets that helped weed out a few more College Football Playoff contenders:

'Is Texas back?'

Texas is not back.

Coach Tom Herman lost his mind as his team was losing a game it could not afford to drop and still remain in playoff contention, 38-35 to unranked Oklahoma State. Herman's meltdown and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the final minute — coupled with some wrestling-heel showmanship from counterpart Mike Gundy — punctuated a night when the on-again, off-again proclamations of the Longhorns' return to prominence were switched back to off.

If the two coaches had fought, as it appeared might happen for a few seconds, it would have broken the internet. Instead, alas, they shook hands and talked it out afterward. Now we'll see whether Herman is reprimanded or fined by the Big 12 office. Maybe Gundy as well. (After the game, Gundy claimed his initial charge onto the field was an attempt to de-escalate a melee between his players and Longhorns.)

Regardless, the league office surely wasn't thrilled to see its highest-ranked team flame out and leading coach of the year candidate have to be restrained by the officials at midfield.

Texas was tripped up by a terrible defensive performance in Stillwater. An Oklahoma State team that was held to 17 points by Texas Tech and 12 by Kansas State erupted for 31 in the first half on the Longhorns, then punched in one more late score to ice the game. Texas' road to 6-1 was filled with close wins (four of them by a touchdown or less, including the last three in a row) and wild in-game momentum swings, all of which hinted at a team not yet ready to dominate like an elite program.

Now the hints are replaced by cold facts. The Horns aren't ready for that level. Not yet. And now Oklahoma resumes its customary spot as the Big 12's leading hope to make the playoff.

Gators crash out of playoff race

Florida also was removed from the playoff race in a loss to Georgia that served as validation for two embattled Bulldogs: quarterback Jake Fromm and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.

Since No. 7 Georgia's 20-point loss at LSU, and through an open date last week, Georgia fans have been hollering for hyped freshman backup QB Justin Fields to take more snaps away from second-year starter Fromm. That was always a silly premise — Fromm came into the annual Cocktail Party game with an 18-3 record as a starter and was No. 5 in America this season in pass efficiency. But the noise was audible, especially surrounding Fromm's third-down stats for the season: an efficiency rating of 101.4, compared to 186.9 on first down and 196.9 on second.

Third down is the money down for quarterbacks, and Fromm wasn't getting it done. Especially against LSU, which was the worst game of his career.

The noise was more understandable when it came to Chaney, who mysteriously abdicated the running game at LSU and put too much on Fromm's shoulders against a great Tigers secondary. It wasn't the first time that Chaney had forgotten he had star running backs, occasionally under-utilizing the brilliant tandem of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel the previous two seasons.

But the criticism was quieted by a 36-17 whipping of No. 9 Florida, a game in which Fromm was excellent and Chaney's play calls almost all worked (notable exception: the flubbed goal-line sequence in the third quarter). The two worked especially well together in the fourth quarter, after Florida closed to wishing 23-17 and the pressure shifted onto the Georgia offense. The next two possessions were drives of 75 and 66 yards for touchdowns to put the game away.

Fromm completed three big third-down passes on those drives, on his way to finishing 17 of 24 for 240 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. That ended any semblance of a quarterback controversy in Athens. At least for a week.

Kentucky sets table for Georgia showdown

Georgia now moves on to play for the SEC East Division title next week — against Kentucky, of all teams. It will be the biggest home game for the Wildcats since 1950, when the head coach was Bear Bryant.

Actually it's the biggest Kentucky game anywhere since 1950. That's the last time Kentucky won the SEC championship.

How the 7-1 Cats reached this point is anyone's guess, because their comeback win at Missouri on Saturday defied belief and explanation. SEC Network analyst Matt Stinchcomb called it "the butt-ugliest win I've ever seen." It ended on a walk-off/push-off touchdown on an untimed down , after a controversial pass interference flag against Missouri cornerback DeMarkus Acy in the end zone on an incomplete Kentucky pass for Ahmad Wagner extended the game. The winning score, a pass from Terry Wilson to C.J. Conrad, came after Conrad chucked a Missouri defender to get separation and make the catch.

It was the only offensive touchdown of the game for Kentucky, which had not been able to throw the ball all season — until it absolutely had to in the final minutes against Missouri on Saturday. Then Wilson completed six straight passes to drive 81 yards for the winning touchdown.

The miracle victory left head coach Mark Stoops so giddy that he crowd surfed on the hands of his players in the visiting locker room. Stoops was under some fire coming into this, his sixth season, but that has all evaporated after years of recruiting improvements finally paid off in a tough, veteran team capable of winning close games and big games.

And games that appear hopelessly lost as well.

Kentucky plays Georgia with massive SEC implications on the line next week. (Getty)

Missouri's misery continues

Missouri fans will angrily add the pass interference call — and the subsequent no-call — to their historical canon of aggrieved football moments. But they should direct most of their ire at their own team, starting with the coaching staff.

Linebacker Brandon Lee was asked afterward if he envisioned any way for Kentucky to have a chance to win after Missouri took its 14-3 lead in the fourth quarter. His answer, according to PowerMizzou.com : "Only way I imagined it is if we done something stupid, and that's what we did."

Boy, did they.

There was the offensive play call that defied belief with 91 seconds left, Mizzou up 14-9, and Kentucky down to its last timeout. On third-and-2, offensive coordinator Derek Dooley dialed up a pass play. It fell incomplete, stopped the clock and allowed the Wildcats to keep a timeout they would desperately need after a sack of Wilson on the final drive. Running the ball was the only smart option in that situation, and Missouri didn't do it.

And there were the repeated defensive gaffes on the final drive, ranging from blown coverages to mystifying blitzes that left receivers open all over the field — making the throws easy for a quarterback who isn't a good passer.

The loss leaves Missouri 0-4 in the SEC, and it drops Odom to 6-14 in league play as the Missouri coach. After this season he will have to replace a four-year starting quarterback. The Odom odometer might be rolling toward the expiration on his warranty.

Colorado blows lead in stunning fashion

There were blown double-digit leads all over the place Saturday — Stanford against Washington State, Missouri against Kentucky, Tennessee against South Carolina — but those are chump change compared to the complete collapse of Colorado against abysmal Oregon State.

This was the worst gag of the season.

The Buffaloes led 31-3 in the third quarter, at home, against a 1-6 team that hadn't beaten an FBS opponent since 2016. That's when the Colorado defense stopped playing.

"We were rolling," said Buffs coach Mike McIntyre. "And the wheels just rolled right off."

Oregon State's final six possessions produced four touchdowns and a field goal. Quarterback Jake Luton, who hadn't played since mid-September, came off the bench to throw for 310 yards and three touchdowns, leading one long drive after another. The tying score came with 29 seconds left — but the Beavers had the go-ahead extra point blocked and the game went into overtime.

Oregon State scored easily again in OT, and Colorado's possession ended inside the Beavers' 10 with no points. It could be the kind of program-turning victory Jonathan Smith was looking for in his first season at OSU — and it could wreck Colorado's attempted return to relevance. The Buffaloes (5-3) have now lost three straight, and bowl eligibility is no sure thing. This loss was a throwback to the bad old days from 2009-15, when Colorado was largely hopeless.

Change coming at Miami after Boston College loss?

Less than a year ago, Miami vaulted to No. 2 in the country after an electric victory over Notre Dame. Hard Rock Stadium pulsated like a South Beach after-hours club, a throbbing organism of organic energy. But just as quickly as Miami emerged in Richt's second season, it has fallen apart. And all that energy seems like a distant memory, as Miami's swagger has been pounded out of the program after another listless loss.

After falling to Boston College, 27-14, on Friday night, Miami's free fall from relevancy continues. They've lost six of their past eight games to Power Five teams, including back-to-back flops against Virginia and Boston College. Miami started the season No. 8 in the polls and they'll wake up Sunday fourth in the ACC Coastal (5-3, 2-2). Richt mustered about as much energy as anyone from Miami showed all night in brushing off a question about the program's sharp decline: "We got beat. We got beat."

The Eagles torched Miami's defense for 433 yards, a daunting amount considering the Hurricanes had the country's No. 2 ranked defense. But it wasn't just BC dominating both sides of the line of scrimmage, it was the gap in energy and creativity. BC juiced up their offense with trick plays, including two passes by receiver Jeff Smith that went for 58 yards to help them stake a 17-7 halftime lead. Miami slogged through the game with Malik Rosier, who can politely be considered limited at this point. (Richt said there were plans to use backup N'Kosi Perry, but "it was one of those games we couldn't do it.") Rosier finished 18-for-35 with two interceptions and Richt, the play caller, couldn't test the defense vertically because of Rosier's pedestrian arm.

Miami quarterback Malik Rosier looks to pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Boston College in Boston, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

That left Miami's offense vulnerable and predictable, and Richt with few good answers. And it's likely even more uncomfortable that Richt's son, Jon, is the quarterback coach when the position is a glaring detriment. (Miami AD Blake James hinted at changes when speaking to The Athletic after the game: "We need to get better now, and I know Mark and our coaches are aware of that and I'm confident they will make the changes needed to put us in the best position to win our remaining games."

These Hurricanes have taken on the personality of Richt, which is likely giving Georgia fans flashbacks. His postgame analysis of Miami's energy and effort landed somewhere between naïve and disingenuous, as Miami had more talent and got pushed around, out-schemed and outhustled all night. From the moment Miami got off the bus, they showed few signs they wanted to be there.

"I thought the guys fought hard and were excited about playing, and they played with a lot of heart and a lot of spirit to the very end," Richt said. "When it went to zero, they stopped fighting, that's a good sign for us."

It's baffling that anyone could have seen good signs from this loss. The only glaring signs were that change is coming.

Florida State implodes … again

This disaster of a Florida State season officially has an indelible symbol – the Gillian Flynn book "Dark Places." It appeared in a television shot from FSU's 59-10 home loss to Clemson, the worst home loss in school history. The cameras found a shirtless professor reading a book alone in the stands, seemingly oblivious to both the game and attention. The book was from the popular author Flynn, who wrote both "Gone Girl" and "Sharp Objects." ( The Athletic later ID'd the shirtless gentleman as Bruce Thyer , a professor in the college of social work).

You don't need a doctorate in literature to see the thematic tie-in for "Dark Places" and this Florida State season, where each week there seems to be some new depth. FSU's 49-point defeat ties for the biggest loss in school history. The Seminoles are 4-4 and will be underdogs in their final four games – at NC State, at Notre Dame, Boston College and Florida. There's a strong possibility they don't win two of those and snap the program's 36-year bowl streak.

First-year head coach Willie Taggart appeared to hit a breaking point after the game, as he accused some of his players of quitting after the game. "This can't be tolerated," Taggart said. "One thing you can't do, you can't quit." He added later to reporters: "Mentally, we're a weak football team."

Taggart's initial season at Florida State has been an abject disaster, and he's been wise to point the finger at himself. Again, Florida State looked completely undisciplined, as it committed 16 penalties — think about that number — for 134 yards. (Northwestern entered the weekend with 23 on the season.) Florida State was No. 110 nationally entering the game and managed to double their average.

With the athletic director who hired him, Stan Wilcox, off to a new job at the NCAA, there will be a lot of pressure on Taggart to make significant changes in staff this offseason. FSU has been so incompetent and hopeless that it could undercut the recruiting momentum Taggart initially brought to Tallahassee. ( FSU in No. 14 in Rivals.com rankings , but their game film from this season doubles as negative recruiting propaganda.)

Taggart has a long way to go to pull this group from those dark places.

One Florida State fan turned to his book during their 49-point loss to Clemson on Saturday at home. (ABC)

Potential Clemson thwarter emerges

Some of the credit for Miami's Friday night flop needs to go to Boston College, which did everything the Hurricanes didn't. Offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler brought a creative and aggressive game plan that set the tone early, including two passes by receiver Jeff Smith that led to 58 yards on separate scoring drives. ACC Preseason Player of the Year A.J. Dillon reverted to form after missing two games with an ankle injury, carrying the ball 32 times for 149 yards.

But the most glaring difference between Miami and Boston College on Friday night came from effort and enthusiasm, as BC's aggression and energy proved distinct throughout the chilly night. "That's probably was the biggest thing, how hard we played in that game," Addazio told Yahoo after the game.

Considering the Red Sox played in the World Series on Friday night — and kept playing for four hours after Miami-BC ended — there was a raucous environment at Alumni Stadium. That could end up being the site of the trickiest game ACC favorite Clemson has remaining on its schedule. BC's performance in Blacksburg, Virginia, next week against Virginia Tech will ultimately determine the stakes for the Nov. 13 game with Clemson. BC could well be ranked, and a healthy Dillon, a full house and a cold day could provide a challenge for Clemson.

"Lot of pride," Addazio said. "Lot of pride. We have a good football team this year. We came back tonight and stood tall and swung at them hard, and we'll continue to do that."

USC flounders as Helton's seat heats up

As the wheels fall off this USC season, the last positive statistic the Trojans could cling to came from a 19-game home win streak. Amid tepid fan interest on Saturday at the Coliseum, USC fell to Arizona State, 38-35, marking the first home loss since Clay Helton became interim coach in 2015.

Helton's job status has increasingly been a part of the coaching carousel discussion, as USC fell to 4-4 on the season and at 3-3 is a game behind Utah in the Pac-12 South. Helton had an in-game decision that came back to haunt him against ASU on Saturday. Helton elected to pass on a potential game-tying field goal with more than 10 minutes remaining and USC got stuffed on a fourth-and-1 play deep in Arizona State territory. A flurry of crazy events in the final minutes, including a Manny Wilkins 45-yard touchdown run, led to USC coming up three points short.

USC had no answer for Arizona State's N'Keal Harry, who had four catches for 95 yards, including a miraculous one-handed grab while he laid out with his back parallel to the ground. He also returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown, accentuating his reputation as one of the most explosive players in college football. USC's third-string quarterback, Jack Sears, played admirably in his pinch-hit start, throwing 20-for-28 with two touchdowns. But in the end, another loss for the Trojans will only increase the grumbling around Los Angeles.

Surprise conference shakeups

Two unlikely favorites to play in their conference title games registered big victories on Saturday. First was Northwestern, which has lost to both Duke and Akron at home this season but may well end up facing Michigan or Ohio State in the Big Ten title game. Northwestern is alone in first place in the Big Ten West after trouncing Wisconsin, 31-17. The Wildcats looked much better at home against the Badgers than they did on the road against Rutgers last week. Northwestern rolled despite three interceptions from Clayton Thorson. They can credit another giant game from freshman tailback Isaiah Bowser, who ran for more than 100 yards for the second consecutive week. Bowser finished with 117 yards on 34 carries, giving a shot to the anemic Northwestern run game.

Virginia could be an even bigger surprise. The Cavs handled UNC to go to 6-1 and 4-1 for control of the ACC Coastal. The Nov. 23 game between UVA and Virginia Tech is projecting to have the Coastal title on the line. (Tech and Pitt are both 3-1 in the league.) The Cavs lost at Indiana early in the season, but have found a groove under JUCO transfer Bryce Perkins, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in the 31-21 victory over North Carolina.

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