4th Qtr Review Week 6

Last week Miami won an official review against Virginia Tech for the last play of the game. This week, Cal has outscored Miami for each of the first 3 quarters for a comfortable 18-35 lead.

To start the 4th, Cal adds a field goal to make it a 3 score game at 38-18. Number 8 Miami is looking at an almost certain upset. Buckle up, the Canes are not going down easy.

Miami answers with a 75 yard drive for a touchdown (25-38). Miami has a good pace on the drive but the clock is ticking. With less than 11 minutes left Cal gets the ball.

Cal’s drive starts at the 25. Miami is coming for Cal QB Fernando Mendoza with aggression. In doing so they incur a facemask penalty. This extends the drive with a first down. Cal produces less then 10 yards on the drive but takes almost 4 minutes off the clock.

Miami QB Cam Ward is driving. While managing the clock, Miami makes it down to the Cal 24 yard line in 8 plays. Ward is unable to find an open receiver on 2nd and 1. As he rolls left there is a wide opening. He takes it 24 yards for the score! It is now a 6 point game with a little over 4 minutes left.

Cal still has the lead (32-38). On what may be the most controversial play of the game, Miami’s Bissainthe puts a hard hit on QB Fernando Mendoza as he ran the ball on 3rd and 12. Mendoza is down. The official review rules no foul on the play. Cal punts and the Canes start at their own 25.

Miami, has made a good effort to close the score gap but with 1:16 left, the clock is a problem. Cam Ward takes no time in solving the problem with a 77 yard pass play to Xavier Restrpo. Miami earns an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty for kicking another player. Despite the 15 yard setback, Ward connects with Martinez for a 22 yard pass play for 1st and goal. Miami takes the lead with 26 seconds left!

Cal is unable to convert. Miami wins with 21 points scored in the 4th quarter for a big comeback and an upset save!

Staff Writer Andrew and I switched to this game after it was obvious that Washington was going to upset Michigan. USC is ranked 11. They have wins against LSU, Utah St and Wisconsin. They lost in a close game with Michigan. The Golden Gophers have a 2-3 record going into this game. USC is favored.

Granted, USC was shut out the first quarter but Minnesota only had a field goal. USC and Minnesota get a TD each in the 2nd. USC ends the half with a field goal to make it a tie game (10-10). USC goes up in the third quarter with a TD (17-10). The stage is set for the fourth.

USC starts on their own 4 yard line after the gophers punt at the beginning of the 4th. They make it down to the Gopher 36. QB Moss goes back to pass with a defender deflecting his throwing arm. Interception Gophers! The gophers put together a 3 minute drive that includes a 22 and 19 yard completions from Brosmer to Taylor. A pass interference call on another play gets the gophers to first and goal. QB Max Brosmer takes it in on a keeper. The gophers tie it up with the extra point (17-17) with 7 minutes left.

After a gophers punt, USC is held to a 3 and out that includes a sack and an intentional grounding call. They also incur an Unnecessary Roughness call on the punt. Gophers get to work early moving the ball downfield. USC slows progress making a goal line stop on 3rd down. This forces a 4th and goal situation on the 1 yard line. Gophers elect to go for it. Will the gophers go around or burrow through?

NO, its the brotherly shove! It is not clear if they make it. The refs do not call it a touchdown. Coach PJ Fleck takes it all the way up to 11 immediately. He marches onto the field and throws up his arms to signal a touchdown. His eyes are glowing as he holds back going full laser. He strongly objects and then strenuously objects repeatedly to the refs. The play goes to official review. Touchdown gophers (17-24)! There is less than a minute left. USC gets a few plays off but the last is an interception. The Gophers pull off an upset! Its their first top 25 home win in 5 years!

Number 4 Tennessee is the undefeated heavy favorite to win this game. Arkansas is coming off of a loss to Texas A&M. The Razorbacks had a close game with ranked Oklahoma State in week 2 but lost in overtime.

The first half of this game was heavy on defense and remarkably low on offense. On the first drive of the game, Arkansas made it down to the 1 but had to settle for a field goal on 4th down. That is the only score of the first half (0-3)! Of note, both teams punted 3 times in the first half.

The 3rd quarter is much more interesting. Tennessee came out strong and moved quickly with a TD on the first drive that included a 53 yard run from Sampson and also the 4 yard run to the end zone (7-3). Arkansas struggles with a sack and punts on a 3 and out. The ball comes back to Tennessee who scores again in short order (14-3). It looks like Tennessee is back. Arkansas is late to the party but they show that they can finish drives as well on a TD run by Jackson requiring an official review. With initial gains on the next drive Tennessee stalls and punts. The Razorbacks have possession going into the 4th.

Arkansas is forced to punt on a 3 and out to begin the 4th quarter. However they keep the drive alive when a Tennessee player makes contact with the kicker. Arkansas makes it into Tennessee territory and recovers their own fumble near the goal line. Tennessee again forces a field goal at 4th and short. An already close game gets closer (14-13).

Remember all the punts from the first half? That happens again, allot (punt x 5). At 3:20 the Razorbacks start a drive from their own 41. Arkansas is successful with running plays that eat the clock. QB Singleton takes the ball to the endzone on a keeper but misses the 2 point conversion. Arkansas goes ahead with 1:17 left on the clock (14-19).

Tennessee makes it interesting with a 42 yard completion on the next drive. A field goal won’t do it. The Vols have 6 seconds left on their own 20. Time runs out for QB Iamaleava as he runs toward the sideline looking for an open receiver.

Tennessee has company in their misery with 4 other upsets for top 11 ranked teams this week. Congrats to the Hogs! Go Hogs Baby!

Alabama was in our list last week when they maintained an upset victory against Georgia. Georgia made a valiant run at a comeback which made for a wild 4th quarter. With the upset win, Alabama is ranked number 1 in the country! Vandy is coming into the game with an overtime loss to Missouri the previous week. Alabama fans outnumber the home crowd Vandy fans in the stands!

In a shock to Alabama, Vanderbilt has the lead for 3 quarters. However, at the end of the 3rd, Alabama scores a touchdown on a spectacular 58 yard pass play to Williams. This closes Vandy’s lead to 2 points at 28-30. This is the momentum change Alabama needs.

Vandy’s current drive in the 3rd quarter takes them down to Alabama’s 12. But an offensive hold puts them back to the 22 for a 3rd and 13. Vandy is held to a field goal on this drive (28-33).

Alabama starts their drive from their own 35. Boom, Milroe connects with Dipree for a 20 yard gain. Next play, Boom, to Bernard for 16. Roll Tide! Alabama is in Vandy territory. However, Vandy puts a stop to the party. Milroe goes back for a pass and Capers forces a fumble. Vandy recovers.

Vandy is effective in moving the ball. They get down to the Alabama 6 yard line in a drive that included a 20 yard pass play from QB David Pavia to Skinner. Pavia connects with Johnson to finish the drive for a touchdown. Vandy is up 12 points with just over 5 minutes left (28-40).

Milroe goes to work managing the clock seeking big yardage gains. He hits Bernard on the sideline for 47 yards on 2nd and 5. Alabama is back in business. No fumbles this time. The Vandy defense forces Alabama into a 4th and goal situation. However, Williams runs it in to keep hope alive for Alabama to keep it a one score game (35-40).

In the end, Vandy shows up as the real deal with under 3 minutes on the clock. Alabama has all of their timeouts at the start of the drive with a clock stop at 2 minutes as well. However, Vandy is able to keep the clock rolling with 3 first downs. With all the timeouts gone for Alabama they add an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on to the finish. Vandy takes the victory formation! An amazing 4th quarter finish.

QB David Pavia’s inspiration is Johnny Manziel. So, it is an irony that the last time an unranked team beat a number 1 Alabama was Johnny Manziel with Texas A&M!