Gaughan’s College Football Recap: UB Looks To Clinch, ND Rolls Syracuse

by Bob Gaughan, Buffalo Sports Page

Each week, Bob Gaughan wraps up the football weekend with a focus on UB and the national programs headed for the College Football Playoff.

UB At Bowling Green on Friday

UB heads to Bowling Green on Friday with the MAC East Championship riding on the game. The Bulls had their first poor performance of the year earlier this week in Ohio getting stomped 52-17. Nothing went right for the Bulls on offense or defense. Ohio rushed for 437 yards on the ground and dominated both lines of scrimmage. The loss dropped the Bulls to 9-2 on the season and 6-1 in MAC play. Bowling Green comes into the game having won back-to-back games. They topped Akron 21-6 behind two Jarret Doege’s TD passes. The Bowling Green offense can score. Doege has two more TD passes on the year than Tyree Jackson. It’s Bowling Green’s defense that has been the problem. Bowling Green has given up almost 40 points per game this year. It’s what made the firing of head coach Mike Jinks earlier this year curious. Jinks was an offensive guru and his offense was scoring. Jinks was replaced by defensive coordinator Carl Pelini (Bo’s brother). The defense has been the problem most of the year. If the Bulls win they will play in the MAC Championship game against Northern Illinois on Friday November 30th.

(3) Notre Dame 36 (12) Syracuse 3

This game seemed over in the first quarter when Syracuse lost starting QB Eric Dungey with an injury. Tommy DeVito replaced Dungey but struggled being sacked six times and throwing two picks. Offensively for the Irish Ian Book returned to the starting line-up and threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns. The game was played before a sellout crowd of 48,104 in Yankee Stadium. If the Irish beat a poor USC team next week then they will remain unbeaten and be in the college football playoff.

(10) Ohio State 52 Maryland 51 OT

The Buckeyes survive a poor performance on the road to improve to 10-1 on the season and keep their showdown next week with Michigan in place. Ohio State gave up 535 yards to an average Maryland team. The Ohio State offense did comeback from 14 points down in the third quarter. JK Dobbins rushed for 203 yards and QB Dwayne Haskins threw for 405 yards. Ohio State got the ball first in OT and scored on a 5-yard TD run by Haskins. Maryland responded right away in two plays for a score. Maryland interim coach Matt Canada decided to go for two and the win. QB Tyrell Pigrome missed a wide-open Jeshaun Jones in the endzone on the conversion try. Ohio State will need to play better next week to beat Michigan.

(11) UCF 38 (24) Cincinnati 13

A prime time game for a team that hasn’t lost in two years. The spotlight shined bright on UCF and they responded with a resounding victory over Cincinnati. McKenzie Milton threw for 268 yards and accounted for four touchdowns on the day. College Gameday was on campus to give UCF their much-deserved recognition. UCF has now won 23 straight games. The Bearcats made too many mistakes in the kicking game to win. Missed extra point, missed field goal and a blocked field goal blew open what could have been a closer game.

Quick Hits

*The Citadel was actually tied at halftime with Alabama before the Tide used a 27 point third quarter and rolled to a 50-17 win.

*Utah will play for the Pac-12 Championship after beating Colorado in the snow 30-7.

*Oklahoma State stormed back from a 31-14 halftime deficit to upset West Virginia 45-41. This was a disappointing loss for WV who now must beat Oklahoma next week to reach the Big 12 title game.

*UCLA’s victory over USC 34-27 drew only 57,000 people in the Rose Bowl. Shows you where both programs are currently. That’s the lowest attendance since 1950.

*Florida State kept bowl hopes alive with their biggest win of the year a 22-21 upset over Boston College.

*Clemson was down 6-0 to Duke after the first quarter. The Tigers scored the next 35 points to run away with the victory.

*Texas’s defense held Iowa State to only 210 yards of offense in a 24-10 win. The Longhorns can reach the Big 12 title game with a win over Kansas next week.

*Pitt clinched the ACC Coastal title with a 34-13 win over Wake Forest. Their prize is a showdown with Clemson.

*Two great rushing performances. Jonathan Taylor for Wisconsin rushed for 321 yards in a 3OT win over Purdue. Pooka Williams kept Kansas close in Norman. Williams rushed for 252 yards in a 55-40 loss to the Sooners.