During the offseason I had just one weekend blog but each week during the season I will take a look at the Top 25 performances from the just completed week with a little analysis as well as a quick review of the past weekend. On Monday I will give you my News & Notes where I delve deeper into every game that was played this past weekend, breaking down individual drives and giving you misleading finals and other interesting tidbits.

As far as my game grades go after the 2008 season was completed I devised a power ratings system, which lets me analyze at what level each team played during an individual game. This “game grade” takes into account the yards rushing, yards passing, points scored, rushing yards allowed, passing yards allowed and points allowed and factors them in against the opponent played and even factors in the site the game was played at.

With all these factors taken into consideration you will see teams that lost the game having a better individual game grade than teams that beat them simply because the team they played was superior and much less was expected of them. Read more…

East Carolina did have a 461-266 yd edge vs Tulane but TU actually led 10-7 at one point after an 11 yd punt set them up for a 47/2pl TD drive. It was 17-13 at the half and 27-13 when TU was SOD on 4&9 at the EC44. EC went 56/5pl getting a TD with 2:11 left to go up 34-14.

Arizona St did score 3 TD’s in the 1Q and led 21-0 vs a banged up Colorado team. Tyler Hansen did not start but came off the bench in CU’s 3rd series and threw for 285 yards. ASU only had a 522-420 yd edge. They led 31-7 at the half and it was 34-7 when CU was SOD on 4&gl at the ASU1. CU then fmbl’d the punt at their own 13 and ASU got a TD to go up 41-7 but CU answered with a TD with 12:45 left, 41-14. CU was SOD on 4&2 at the ASU49 with 8:23 left and ASU went 51/5pl for an 8 yd TD run with 6:20 left. Hirschman came in at QB for Colorado and they went 70/7pl. On 2&11 from the ASU15 Ford got a 12 yd run to the 2 but fmbl’d.

Air Force lost QB Tim Jefferson in the 1Q but Connor Dietz filled in well and even though he only threw 1 pass, he rushed 6 times for 87 yds. AF, despite being in a flat spot, did lead 35-0 at the half with a 240-115 yd edge. New Mexico fumbled the punt on their own 24 and was int’d with 3:06 left in the half setting up an AF TD with 1:55 left. NM was int’d at the AF14 and missed 40 and 30 yd FG’s on their 3 poss in the 2H resulting in a 42-0 shutout. Read more…

East Carolina did have a 461-266 yard edge vs Tulane but TU actually led 10-7 at one point after an 11 yard punt set them up for a 47/2pl TD drive. It was 17-13 at the half and 27-13 when TU was SOD on 4&9 at the EC44. EC went 56/5pl getting a TD with 2:11 left to go up 34-14.

Read more…

During the offseason I had just one weekend blog but each week during the season I will take a look at the Top 25 performances from the just completed week with a little analysis as well as a quick review of the past weekend. On Monday I will give you my News & Notes where I delve deeper into every game that was played this past weekend, breaking down individual drives and giving you misleading finals and other interesting tidbits.

As far as my game grades go after the 2008 season was completed I devised a power ratings system, which lets me analyze at what level each team played during an individual game. This “game grade” takes into account the yards rushing, yards passing, points scored, rushing yards allowed, passing yards allowed and points allowed and factors them in against the opponent played and even factors in the site the game was played at.

With all these factors taken into consideration you will see teams that lost the game having a better individual game grade than teams that beat them simply because the team they played was superior and much less was expected of them.

Top 25 Game Grades (Team Performances) Week 9

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California had the situational edge over Utah at home, off a Thurs night loss while the Utes had just travelled to the East Coast and were now on the West Coast. At the half Cal had a commanding 20-0 lead and 223-27 yd edge and it was 34-0 in the 4Q. Utah got a FG and then took over with 3:46 left and got a 64/6pl drive for a garbage TD with 1:06 left which made the stats respectable as Cal had a 389-114 yd edge prior to that drive.

Southern Miss had the situational edge vs SMU as they were off of a bye, at home, in front of a sellout vs an SMU team off a big game with another big game on deck. In the 1H SM only had a 210-174 yd edge but did have a 15-7 FD edge. They scored a TD and a FG in their first 2 poss to lead 10-0 and they were int’d at the SMU15 and fmbl’d at the SMU18 on 2 other drives. It was just 13-3 and SMU had a 3&gl at the 5 when they were int’d in the EZ. Six plays later SM got a 55 yd TD run with 7:30 left and then 2pl later a 41 yd IR TD with 6:54 left to blow it open, 27-3. SM finished with a 28-14 FD edge.

Navy QB Proctor was inj’d early but Miller hit 5-12-126 yds and rushed for 36 on 13 carries. East Carolina’s Dominique Davis broke the single game record with 26 straight compl (23, set in 1998 by Tee Martin of Tenn vs S Carolina and later tied by Aaron Rodgers of Cal vs USC). The first 3 drives of the game were 10, 9 and 15 plays but resulted in 2 missed FG’s and SOD and it was a scoreless 1Q. EC finished with a 32-23 FD edge and EC led 17-7 at the half and 31-21 in the 4Q but Navy got a TD on a 37 yd pass from Miller with 7:51 left to actually lead, 35-31. EC got a 77/15pl drive for a TD with 2:14 left. Navy lined up for the game tying 42 yd FG but instead of OT the FG hit the upright. Read more…

During the offseason I had just one weekend blog but each week during the season I will take a look at the Top 25 performances from the just completed week with a little analysis as well as a quick review of the past weekend. On Monday I will give you my News & Notes where I delve deeper into every game that was played this past weekend, breaking down individual drives and giving you misleading finals and other interesting tidbits.

As far as my game grades go after the 2008 season was completed I devised a power ratings system, which lets me analyze at what level each team played during an individual game. This “game grade” takes into account the yards rushing, yards passing, points scored, rushing yards allowed, passing yards allowed and points allowed and factors them in against the opponent played and even factors in the site the game was played at.

With all these factors taken into consideration you will see teams that lost the game having a better individual game grade than teams that beat them simply because the team they played was superior and much less was expected of them.

Top 25 Game Grades (Team Performances) Week 7

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Stanford turned the ball over 3 times all year but had 2 TO’s in the 1H vs Washington St. As usual, SU struggled a bit in the 1H, in fact the FD’s were even at 8 and SU only led 10-7. SU would score TD’s on 3 of their first 4 2H poss to go up 31-7. WSU was SOD on 4&8 at the SU9 with 10:31 left. SU went 91/12pl getting a TD with 4:26 left to make it 38-7. WSU gave Jeff Tuel the start as he ret’d from his collarbone inj but they brought in Marshall Lobbestael and he guided the Cougars 80/12pl for a TD with :14 left to make it 38-14 but Montgomery ret’d the ensuing KO 96 yds for a TD on what turned out to the be the final play of the game and SU won by 30.

Things did not look good for Virginia Tech early as Wake Forest had a 10-0 lead and a 122-2 yd edge after 1Q but VT would dominate the 2Q with 3 TD’s, the 3rd coming after WF was int’d at their own 27 with :30 left in the half and VT went for it on the last play of the half and got a TD run by Thomas. VT had a 207-41 yd edge in the 2Q and opened the 3Q with an 80/6pl drive for a TD and rolled to a 38-17 win with a 473-320 yd edge. Read more…

During the offseason I had just one weekend blog but each week during the season I will take a look at the Top 25 performances from the just completed week with a little analysis as well as a quick review of the past weekend. On Monday I will give you my News & Notes where I delve deeper into every game that was played this past weekend, breaking down individual drives and giving you misleading finals and other interesting tidbits.

As far as my game grades go after the 2008 season was completed I devised a power ratings system, which lets me analyze at what level each team played during an individual game. This “game grade” takes into account the yards rushing, yards passing, points scored, rushing yards allowed, passing yards allowed and points allowed and factors them in against the opponent played and even factors in the site the game was played at.

With all these factors taken into consideration you will see teams that lost the game having a better individual game grade than teams that beat them simply because the team they played was superior and much less was expected of them.

Top 25 Game Grades (Team Performances) Week 7

Read more…

TCU took its opening drive 36/7pl for a 47 yd FG. San Diego St went 72/16pl but a 31 yd FG had a bad snap and on 4&8 they gained 5 yards. TCU went 91/9pl and on 3&6 got a 39 yd TD pass, 10-0. SDSt went 74/6pl but fumbled into the EZ for a TB. TCU went 58/7pl and was int’d at the 15 and ret’d 23 yds and a personal foul brought it to the TCU47. SDSt was int’d 3 plays later at the 24 and ret’d 26 yards. TCU went 50/5pl for a 31 yd TD pass, 17-0. TCU went 61/11pl but on FD from the SDSt17 was int’d in the EZ. The Frogs had a 281-144 yd edge at the half. TCU got 2 FD’s and punted to open the 3Q and the Aztecs on 3&8 were int’d and returned 22 yds to the 10. TCU settled for a 21 yd FG, 20-7. TCU fumbled the punt at their own 15 and on 3&11 SDSt got a 16 yd TD pass, 20-0. SDSt went 77/10pl and got a 4 yd TD pass, 20-14 (13:39). TCU punted and SDS got a 3&12, 20 yd pass to the TCU49 but was int’d and ret’d 19 yards (10:08 4Q). TCU went 49/9pl and got a 4 yd TD run, 27-14. SDSt was SOD at their own 44 on 4&1, SOD at their own 33 on 4&10 and TCU then got a 24 yd run to the 5 but fumbled. SDS was SOD at their own 14 on 4&1. Read more…

During the offseason I had just one weekend blog but each week during the season I will take a look at the Top 25 performances from the just completed week with a little analysis as well as a quick review of the past weekend. On Monday I will give you my News & Notes where I delve deeper into every game that was played this past weekend, breaking down individual drives and giving you misleading finals and other interesting tidbits.

As far as my game grades go after the 2008 season was completed I devised a power ratings system, which lets me analyze at what level each team played during an individual game. This “game grade” takes into account the yards rushing, yards passing, points scored, rushing yards allowed, passing yards allowed and points allowed and factors them in against the opponent played and even factors in the site the game was played at.

With all these factors taken into consideration you will see teams that lost the game having a better individual game grade than teams that beat them simply because the team they played was superior and much less was expected of them. Read more…