“I don’t have a good feeling about this Doug.”- ChargersTV Radio Host
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Good evening, folks. It’s a chilly night in Utah where the Utes just came back to win in dramatic fashion over Kansas St. Utah proved quite resilient to overcome the double-digit deficit. What a game for Coach Whitt and those home fans. There is no doubt that it was special for more than a few. I may know one or two. If one of them is reading this–‘how do you do?’
Ok, ok…Just warming the fingers. Penn St is smashing Nebraska 37-10 right now. Woof. Emmett Johnson 154 Total Yards but no TD’s. The Penn St Running Backs are the story in this one.
- Kaytron Allen 160 yards and two td’s
- set the Penn St all-time rushing record tonight
- Nic Singleton 94 total yards 2 TD’s
Penn St ran straight through this Nebraska defense.
Let’s see if one of the offenses in this game tonight can do the same.
It’s Washington at UCLA.
It’s Live Thoughts with Whit late on Saturday night.
Cookies and coffee to go along with football. Demond Williams and the Washington Huskies taking on Nico and the UCLA Bruins inside the Rose Bowl.
Washington Impact Players:
- LB Zach Durfee
- LB Jacob Lane
- leads team in TFL and Sacks
- CB Ephesians Prysock
- S Alex McLaughlin
- Leading tackler
This is a defense that surrenders 313 yards/ game on average.
OFFENSE 34.3/ ppg
On Offense we are looking at QB Demond Williams, the dual running backs: Coleman and Mohamed, and Denzel Boston to catch the most balls.
UCLA
I just don’t know. Is this a game they can win? Absolutely. How they do it? It’s up to them. If this is a game where the playbook gets opened up and Nico gets time to sling it, then it would be anyone’s game.
The smart move would be to control the clock and keep Demond off the field and keep it low-scoring. Coach Tim Skipper is clever. Interested to see their approach.
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THE GAME is kicking in about sixty seconds. A perfect night in Pasadena. Hazelnut Coffee and Chocolate Cookies in the den.
Let’s watch some football.
–UCLA Kicking off wearing the home blue and gold and Washington in the away white with gold helmets. This won’t be a play-by-play kind of night but I’ll pop in when necessary.
–Both teams dinged with injuries. Our main guys are cleared to play.
-Denzel Boston beat his man on a go route but the pass was just out of his reach. Washington Punts on the first drive.
-This UCLA crowd is sparse but feisty. The band is loud. Similar to some high school crowds in terms of numbers.
Reminds me many old Liberty Bowl nights where there were far too many empty seats. Some of those Tigers teams were fun to watch. Used to sit third row at the 50 for about 15 dollars. Always on the visitor’s side. I like watching the visiting coaches. Tommy Tuberville’s antics were my favorite.
–UCLA Turnover on downs at the 36 on 4th and 4.
–It’s important during this commercial break to understand that the great Sheriff Bell is sometimes channeled through these keys. Every sentence doesn’t have to be read in lightning speed. Sometimes, you just have to slow it down a little, so the story can marinate. I’m certainly no Cormac McCarthy, but on a night such as this, I may be typing with the sort of inflection his great character from NO COUNTRY would.
–So far, this game has been back and forth between the 20’s. Four minutes to go in the 1st.
-I don’t think much can be changed in the CFP after this week. Pitt beat Georgia Tech. Everyone else won.
–Points. It’s a Field Goal. 3-0 Washington late in the first quarter. Grady Gross dead center…END of the 1st.
–Good Gracious Jeremiyah Love. What a day today. Syracuse isn’t the best defense, but they are A defense and against said ‘defense’ he ran for 171 yards and three touchdowns on a mere eight carries. Video Game numbers.
–AND another GOOD GRACIOUS to Diego Pavia. Over 500 yards and six touchdowns today against Kentucky. That’s huge. Vanderbilt vs Tennessee next week is going to be tasty.
-3-0 UW and slow cooking…what else?
Who am I ranking 11th and 12th this week?
Vandy, BYU seem logical.
- OSU
- UGA
- IU
- ORE
- A&M
- OU
- MISS
- ND
- TTU
- BAMA
I had previously ranked GT and USC, but with both failing me today, I have to fill the spots. USC and GT will fall out of my Top16 this week that’s for sure. Probably for the season. It was fun rooting for both teams. GT still may have a shot in the ACC Title game.
Vandy has wins over bottom of the league SEC teams and have lost their big games but boast a 9-2 record and in any universe, a 9-2 SEC school garners respect.
- TD WASHINGTON! Demond Williams burst on a scramble to the left. 10-0 UW
He’s a fun player to watch when he feels confident. I still think he’s got Heisman potential. Maybe next season. He’s on the right team and in the right system to put up the right numbers. Now, you just have to win the big games. He looked as good as anyone on that run.
So, Vandy is a candidate. Who else? BYU. The Cougars have beaten everyone but Texas Tech including 8 win Arizona, 9 win Utah, a good TCU, and Cincinnati on the road just now.
11.BYU 12. Vandy sounds about right for this week.
–FUMBLE Washington recovered. Demond Williams back on the field. 8:43 2nd Q
–Jonah Coleman 3.93 GPA via the NBC Broadcast. Well done!
This game is a semi sweet dessert ending the day of tasty games. Let’s stay on the rankings.
- OSU
- UGA
- IU
- ORE
- A&M
- OU
- MISS
- ND
- TTU
- BAMA
- BYU
- VANDY
- MIA
- UTAH
- TEX
- VOLS
That’s the top 16 teams as I see them right now. Next week’s result will hinge this one way or the other.
- Texas vs Texas A&M
- Tenn vs Vandy
- OSU vs UM
The results in these games matter. Well, things matter in all of the games regarding the ranked teams, but in these three games specifically, the playoff implications matter the most.
–For the CFP I’ll take Miami as the ACC rep and I’ll follow the committee and move Tulane to the 12th seed and represent the G5.
- FG UW 13-0.
So, that makes the CFP 12 as follows:
- OSU
- UGA
- IU
- ORE
- A&M
- OU
- MISS
- ND
- TTU
- BAMA
- MIA
- TUL
BYU, Vandy, Texas, Tennessee, and Utah on the outside looking in at the moment but all with chances to improve their position.
BYU can win the BIG12 Championship game and get in…
–HUGE play UCLA. INT #21 Martin picked off his old high school foe Williams, and the Bruins take over on the 22. 13-0 UW 2:32 2nd Q
-UCLA lack cohesiveness on offense. The young O-line is struggling to find its rhythm against this tough Washington front. This is a game that is good for the future, Make the mistakes now and improve for next season. Several underclassmen at O-Line tonight for UCLA. It’s just worth noting as to why Nico is not getting any time to throw and UCLA is being blanked.
There are several things that can happen that can shake the playoff tables. Notre Dame losing to Stanford or Alabama losing to Auburn could open opportunities for other teams to get in as an at-large. Palo Alto has the power.
- TD WASH SCOOP and Score. Its Alex McLaughlin. A failed fake FG by UCLA led to a 59 yard defensive score the Washington leading tackler. His second def TD of the season. 20-0 1:44.
–So, many things we will not know until the last kick of the season, but it sure is fun to speculate in the meantime.
For me, this is the ‘lose one more game and you are out of the playoffs’ list.
- Texas Tech
- Texas
- Notre Dame
- BYU
- Utah
- Vandy
- Tennessee
- Michigan
–UCLA offense in shambles. The O-line is getting shredded. A lost fumble bailed out by a defensive holding penalty. But Nico is running for his life on every play. This game is crawling towards the half.
-I know my take on Texas Tech might be harsh, but I think they need to win out to get into the playoff as I see the Big12 as a one-bid league right now. That could change. It all depends on next week’s results.
–20-0 UW at half. Hundreds and hundreds of UCLA Bruin fans look disappointed. Beautiful, but disappointed. Well, some were–the camera is finding more than a few beautiful UCLA Bruin Fans.
-I don’t see a way back for UCLA in this one the way that offensive line is playing. Washington is going to win but perhaps that’s been obvious a while.
-It’s about 10:30 here in the mountains. Far past my bedtime.
–Stanford beat Cal 31-10. Big win before the massive game with the Irish next week.
I’ve got a big Arsenal game in the morning. Perhaps, I’ll wrap this early. Perhaps not. TBD. The cup is dry, and the mouth is as well. I must refresh.
–Some ice-cold water will do just fine.
–After a deliberation that lasted about as long as a sneeze, I think I’m done with the oblong for the day. This has been fun. If UCLA comes back to win 21-20, I’ll take the credit for being the jinx and you’re welcome beautiful Bruin fans in advance…The hundreds that are in attendance.
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Arsenal plays in the Round Game tomorrow at 9:30. It’s the North London Derby. That’s where I’ll be.
Until then, this signs off the brief and incomplete coverage of the Washington at UCLA game on Peacock. I’m taking the pragmatic approach and hitting the snooze button.
Find the Humor and Keep on Movin’
Whit W.