College Recap: Week 11 - College Football News, Tips And Picks

College Recap: Week 11
By Tom Hanson
Posted: 4:00 am PDT 2006-11-13

The Scarlet Knights must be smiling.

Rutgers not only knocked off Louisville on Thursday, it watched as handful of one-loss teams fell out of the national championship picture Saturday.

It's being called "Upset Saturday," but "Shakeup Saturday" may be more appropriate. The undefeated Scarlet Knights are pinching themselves

No. 4 Texas and Colt McCoy fall to Kansas State. No. 5 Auburn is exposed by Georgia. No. 6 Florida should've lost to the 'Ol Ball Coach.

And No. 8 Cal can't get by Arizona.

The BCS picture never looked so fuzzy. The pollsters have to be scratching their heads.

Rutgers, which won straight up for the fourth time despite being an underdog, started the week No. 13 in the BCS. And it's conceivable that the Scarlet Knights could jump all the way to No. 4 or No. 5. They jumped to No. 7 in the AP poll.

Florida, saved when Jarvis Moss leaped and blocked the final second 48-yard Ryan Succop field goal, will move to No. 3 by default. But the Gators should feel fortunate. Succop missed an extra point and had another field goal nullified because of a penalty.

But even Steve Spurrier says those are the things you need to win a national championship.

"This could be the year of the Gators," said the 'Ol Ball Coach.

Texas' loss was compounded by the loss of McCoy on the opening drive of the game. McCoy scored on a 1-yard plunge but got pinned under the pile and hurt his shoulder. Texas head coach Mack Brown knows that his team's title hopes are gone.

"One thing about Texas," Brown said. "There's never a good time to lose."

Auburn got stifled by the Georgia defense. It's not a good sign when a wide receiver, Courtney Taylor (51 yards on two reverses), is your leading rusher. But the Tigers didn't make any excuses for the crushing defeat.

"They had an answer for everything we did," said Auburn QB Brandon Cox. "It seemed like everything we did ... didn't work."

Cal's loss to Arizona could be attributed to looking ahead to the USC clash this Saturday. But it was Bears QB Nate Longshore who looked bad with three interceptions. Cal did appear to have won the game with 2:18 remaining on a 63-yard Longshore to DeSean Jackson TD pass. But after further review, replays showed that Jackson stepped out of bounds at the 41-yard line. RB Marshawn Lynch also had a 79-yard TD run negated by a block in the block.

"Things happen," Lynch said.

Rutgers was hoping for just that --things to happen.

Next on the Scarlet Knights' wish list: USC falls to Cal this weekend. Then Notre Dame falls to USC the following week. Arkansas falls to LSU in Little Rock in two weeks and then turns around and beats Florida in the SEC Championship Game.

You might say that's a lot of ifs, but look what happened on one day.

But Rutgers may actually control its own fate. If the Scarlet Knights can beat West Virginia in Morgantown, it may be hard for the pollsters to snub them. If Rutgers ends the season undefeated and doesn't play for a national championship, Tony Soprano may put out a hit on someone.

FINALLY HERE: Michigan and Ohio State haven't even played, and people are already crying for a rematch.

If Michigan beats Ohio State, it might only make sense for those two play again in Glendale, Ariz. on Jan. 8. Then again, if Ohio State barely beats Michigan, the Wolverines might have a case since they're playing in a hostile environment.

If the Buckeyes beat Michigan, they'll become the first team to play in three 1 vs. 2 matchups in a single season.

Ohio State beat then No. 2 Texas earlier in the year. There's this week's clash against No. 2 Michigan. And then the national title game.

Does it get any bigger then Saturday in Columbus. The last time two teams from the same conference played in a 1-2 game was 1987, when Oklahoma and Nebraska did it.

"It's going to be the biggest game of probably everybody's life on this team," Michigan running back Mike Hart said. "We're undefeated, they're undefeated, we're playing for a Big Ten championship and a chance to go to the national championship, so I don't think there's a bigger game out there."

HEISMAN BATTLE: Ohio State QB Troy Smith and Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn matched TDs on Saturday. Smith, the consensus Heisman favorite, matched a season high with his TD throws. His numbers weren't spectacular, 12-for-19 for 185 yards, but Smith and the Buckeyes continue to win.

This week's matchup against Michigan will be make or break for Smith. If Ohio State wins, Smith can have a mediocre performance and still win the Heisman. But if Ohio State loses and Smith gives up a pick or two that cost them the Buckeyes the game, he can kiss the national title and the Heisman goodbye.

Quinn's team might not be the best, but he continues to rack up the stats. Quinn had 207 yards to go with his quadruple TD performance. Quinn could steal the Heisman with a victory and a big performance against USC.

Arkansas' Darren McFadden is the new Heisman sleeper. He's certainly the MVP of the SEC. In beating Tennessee, McFadden lined up at running back, quarterback and wide receiver. He ran for 181 yards and two TDs. For good measure, he also threw a TD pass.

"He's such a threat," said Razorbacks head coach Houston Nutt, who used McFadden at quarterback in the shotgun formation.

BOWDEN BLUES: Wake Forest had never beaten Florida State. The Demon Deacons came into Tallahassee as an 8.5-point. But it's the Seminoles who are red in the face this morning after a 30-0 embarrassing loss.

"We were just inept," FSU head coach Bobby Bowden said. "I've never seen anything like it."

What's more surprising? Florida State's fall or Wake Forest's rise.

The 'Noles need one more win with two games remaining to become bowl eligible. Luckily someone scheduled Western Michigan before facing Florida.

Wake Forest is making a case to be part of the BCS picture. A win against Maryland gets the Demon Deacons in the ACC Championship in Jacksonville, and who knows after that -- another trip to Miami for the Orange Bowl?

Boy what a crazy year. We're talking about Wake Forest playing in a BCS game.

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