Gaughan: College Football Recap: Bulls Big Win, Bama Rolls

by Bob Gaughan, Buffalo Sports Page

Each Sunday, we’ll recap the college football weekend with a focus on the top teams, big games, upsets and locally, the UB Bulls.

UB 42 Rutgers 13

The historic season for the UB Bulls continues as for the first time ever UB beat a Big 10 opponent. It was all so the first time UB has won two road games against non-conference opponents in the same season since joining the FBS in 1999. UB took control in the first quarter with a couple of big plays. Tyree Jackson hit Anthony Johnson for a 42-yard touchdown to give the Bulls a 7-3 lead. Jaret Patterson on the next series ran in from 42 yards out and the Bulls never looked back. Patterson had a career game with 104 yards on 14 carries. Jackson hit Charlie Jones and Tyler Mabry for first half TD’s as well. The Bulls led 35-6 at halftime and the game was essentially over. Jackson has now thrown 15 touchdowns on the season, which is a new career high for him. The Bulls have won seven straight games going back to last season. The defense forced six three and outs in the first half against the over-matched Scarlet Knights. The Bulls have scored at least 35 points in every game this year. Next up for UB is a tough contest against Army at UB Stadium. Army almost pulled off a huge upset. The Black Knights controlled the clock and had number 5 Oklahoma on the ropes. The Sooners pulled off a tough 28-21 victory in overtime.

(1)Alabama 45- (22) Texas A&M 23

Tua Tagovailoa passed for 387 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Tide to victory. Jalen Hurts better realize the controversy is over as to who the best QB at Alabama is. Tagovailoa makes more big plays for the Tide offense. Nick Saban is now 13-0 against his former assistants. Jimbo Fisher was Saban’s offensive coordinator at LSU from 2000-2004. This was Alabama’s first win against a ranked team this year.

(7) Stanford 38 (20) Oregon 31 OT

Stanford had no right winning this game. Oregon flat out blew it. Oregon was up 24-7 in the third quarter and ready to add more points when the momentum changed. A muffed snap allowed Stanford’s Joey Alfieri to scamper 80 yards for a defensive score. Instead of 31-7 the score was now 24-14. Coach Mario Cristobal should be on the hot seat for deciding not to just take a knee with about a minute to play and the Ducks clinging to a 31-28 lead. He decided to run and the Ducks fumbled. Stanford tied the game with a field goal as time ran out and won it in OT. It was a brutal decision.

(18) Wisconsin 28- Iowa 17

Playing Iowa at home at night is a tough task. The Badgers rallied for a needed victory after being upset last week by BYU. QB Alex Hornibrrok threw a 17-yard TD pass to AJ Taylor with 57 seconds left to propel the Badgers in the lead 21-17. Iowa should have won the game. The Hawkeyes looked like the better team most of the night but turnovers killed them. Iowa was minus three in turnover margin.

Quick Hits

*Notre Dame switched QB’s and it proved the right move. Ian Book rushed for 3 TD’s and threw for 3 more in the Irish’s 56-27 blowout of Wake Forest.

*Georgia’s defense is for real. The Bulldogs forced three Drew Lock turnovers in a 43-29 win in Missouri. Lock is considered one of the best QB’s in next year’s draft.

*Texas gets their biggest win in the Tom Herman era. The Longhorns upset (11) TCU 31-16. This ended a four game losing skid against TCU. Texas QB Sam Ehlinger is fun to watch.

*Look out for Kentucky. The Wildcats controlled the line of scrimmage to improve to 4-0 with a 28-7 upset over (14) Mississippi State. Benny Snell ran for 165 yards and all four touchdowns.

*Biggest shocker of the day may have been Texas Tech blowing out (15) Oklahoma State 41-17 in Stillwater. Tech’s opening loss to Mississippi is a distant memory after beating Houston and the Cowboys in consecutive weeks. Alan Bowman threw for 397 yards and 2 TD’s. He looks like the next Red Raiders gunslinger QB.

*Virginia Tech was a 29-point favorite going into winless Old Dominion. This is the same Old Dominion team that lost 52-10 opening week to Liberty. Somehow the 13th ranked Hokies didn’t show up. The Monarchs pull off their biggest win in school history 49-35.