College football Saturday open thread

We'll blame it on the tryptophan because we realize only now that we should have devoted our open thread to yesterday as the 3 top teams in the BCS rankings were in action the day after Thanksgiving.


#1 Oregon pulled their usual second half okie-doke outscoring #21 Arizona 34-10 to win by a final of 48-29.



#2 Auburn spotted #11 Alabama a 24-0 lead in the first half only to stage a furious comeback to win at Tuscaloosa, 28-27 and which most likely cemented Auburn QB, Cam Newton's status as Heisman front-runner... barring, of course, any further revelations with respect to recruiting improprieties coming out of Mississippi State and/or cold feet by voters who don't want to be shown up again after voting for Reggie Bush.



The nightcap featured one of the most bizarre endings to a game we have seen in a long time as #19 Nevada upsets #4 Boise State. Tied at 31, Bronco QB Kellen Moore hooked up with Titus Young on a deep pass with just 2 seconds remaining on the clock setting up a very makeable 26-yard field goal for Kyle Brotzman who wound up missing it forcing overtime (anyone else here fooled by those short uprights there in Reno?). Getting the ball first in OT, Brotzman again missed a 29-yard field goal setting the stage for Nevada's place kicker Anthony Martinez to bang home a 34-yarder to give the Wolfpack a monumental 34-31 upset.

Say goodbye to any chances at a BCS championship game or, now, any BCS bowl game and say hello to the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise or the prestigious Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco.




The other games today:


Rich Rodriguez attempts to save his job as Michigan goes to #8 Ohio State.


#12 Arkansas hosts #5 LSU. With Boise St. losing, a win by the Tigers puts them at #4 or possibly #3 and in position to play in the championship game should either Auburn lose in the SEC championship game or Oregon lose the Civil War against Oregon State.

(Correction: We don't believe it's possible for LSU to play in the BCS title game since they did not win their conference. The BCS made this adjustment after both 2001 and 2003 Nebraska and Oklahoma respectively were crushed in the Big 12 title game by Colorado and Kansas State and then went on to get crushed in the BCS title game by Miami and USC respectively. Egg on everybody's face. Our love affair with the BCS can be traced back to these two debacles).



#3 TCU is at lowly New Mexico. As we alluded to just above, TCU needs some style points to pad their lead over LSU. If New Mexico keeps it close late, look for the voters to punish the Horned Frogs in the human polls. Boise State's loss last night was actually bad for TCU as well. Voters are looking for any excuse to keep an non-BCS school out of the national title picture.


Bedlam: #13 Oklahoma at #9 Oklahoma State.


USC hosts Notre Dame and is looking for their 9th straight against the tying Irish.


#6 Stanford hosts Oregon State on The Farm.


And deep into the heart of Saturday night, San Diego State looks to go 8-4, playing UNLV.




And finally, trick plays are getting more and more elaborate these days, wouldn't you say? Decatur Central demonstrates just how elaborate below: