Written by: Drew Duff
Ball State Sports Link Member
Wow. If you were one of the many people watching all that college football had to offer this past Saturday, then I imagine you had the same response. To say the least, it was a wild week that left fans craving more action. Week Six was filled with stunning victories and intense games that left every fan biting their nails. I’m here to help sort out some of the madness witnessed this weekend. Here are two things to take away from Saturday’s slate of games.
- Rivalry games never disappoint
Here’s something to always remember about rivalry games: it doesn’t matter how good a team has been up to that point in the season. Anything goes when two teams play who hate each other just for existing. There were plenty examples of this on Saturday, the first being one of the most bitter rivalries in the entire country.
Oklahoma vs. Texas, referred to as the Red River Rivalry, has been a heated game since the teams first met in 1900, and this weekend was no different.
It is safe to say that the Longhorns have had a rough season. Going into Saturday, Texas was 1-4 on the year, including an embarrassing 50-7 loss at TCU the week before. Rumors had been circulating that second year head coach Charlie Strong would have to fight hard to keep his job.
He must have took it to heart, because Texas played their best game of the year against the 10th ranked Sooners. After upsetting Oklahoma 24-17, Coach Strong admitted that his team didn’t have much pride that week, but was impressed with the way they battled back. Just goes to show that anything can happen during a rivalry.
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/653188459910311936/photo/1
We head from the Big 12 to the SEC for the next rivalry game, as 19th ranked Georgia took on Tennessee in Knoxville. These teams were two founding members of the conference, with match ups dating back to 1899. The Volunteers had lost three of their last four games, and blew 14 point leads in two of them. They were a team down on its luck with something to prove.
With Georgia leading 24-3 with 3 minutes left in the first half, things looked bleak for Tennessee, but the Volunteers banded together and outscored the Bulldogs 35-7 from then on. QB Josh Dobbs accounted for five total touchdowns in the 38-31 comeback victory.
Next, we’ll go out of the Power Five and into one of the most underrated conferences in the nation, the MAC. Saturday featured the best rivalry in the conference as Central Michigan traveled to Kalamazoo to take on Western Michigan. These two teams first met back in 1907 and always play a competitive game filled with high emotion.
The Broncos took advantage of two early turnovers from the Chippewas and jumped on top. They led 34-19 heading into the 4th quarter. Central Michigan then proceeded to score three 4th quarter touchdowns and nearly stole the game, but Western held on with the final score tallying 41-39. It was quite an offensive showcase, as the teams combined for 959 yards and 48 first downs.
Hopefully you know now that you can never pass up a rivalry game. The players are always filled with adrenaline and play their hearts out.
The next takeaway from Week Six has become quite a national story.
2. Jim Harbaugh is an absolute mad man
By now, you must know how well Michigan has performed this season. The numbers the Wolverines are putting up have turned from downright impressive to numbers one would put up in Dynasty Mode in NCAA 2014. I admit I’m a little biased being from Michigan, but even the most confident Ohio State fan has to be scared. I’ll break down their success by the numbers:
- Michigan has outscored their opponents 160-14 since the Week One loss to Utah (who is now #1 in this week’s ESPN College Football Power Rankings).
- With their 38-0 Homecoming win over #13 Northwestern, they have shut out three consecutive opponents. The last time that happened was when Kansas State did it in 1995.
- To add on to the last stat, two of the three teams Michigan shut out were ranked in the top 25. This is a first in college football history.
- Michigan’s defense ranks 1st in the country in 3rd down percentage at just 18.9%.
I could go on, but I think you catch my drift. The Wolverines have also been slowly putting it together on offense. QB Jake Rudock looked much more comfortable in the pocket this Saturday than he has all season, missing just 5 of 23 passes. Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Tim Drevno use the running game to pound the ball and wear out the defense, as Michigan ranks 4th in average time of possession at nearly 35 minutes per game.
What Jim Harbaugh has been able to do after just six games is incredible, and they aren’t even his own players. Once he gets his type of recruits, the Wolverines will be able to compete for a national championship. I believe that Michigan will win their next game against 7th ranked Michigan State, and will win the rest of their games leading up to Ohio State. Look out for Ohio State vs Michigan. That game will have playoff implications this season.
Week Six of college football was certainly one to remember, and the good news is the season is only half way over. Look out for more exciting college football action in the upcoming weeks, and check chirpcitybsu.com for an inside look on all sports.
