Football 2015 - Week 10

The #5 TCU Horned Frogs got the week off to a start with a Thursday night game against West Virginia. It was a home conference game and a 40-10 rather easy win. TCU got off to a fast start and led 17-0 after one quarter. They then kind of fell asleep and were outscored 10-6 in the second period for a 23-10 halftime lead. Apparently Coach Patterson had a chat with the boys because the Mountaineers were shut out in the second half. The Frogs had 616 total yards, almost 300 more than West Virginia and almost 13 more minutes of possession. Horned Frogs Heisman candidate QB Trevone Boykin was 32/47 for 388 passing yards and three TDs. Just for good measure he also rushed for 84 yards and another TD. TCU remains undefeated at 8-0, 5-0, but the rest of their schedule is brutal. Next up is a trip to Stillwater to play the also undefeated #12 Oklahoma State Cowboys. There could be 150 total points scored in that game.


In the high school ranks on Friday, Bishop Kenny defeated Southside rival Wolfson 28-6. The schools are only about five miles apart. Wolfson didn't score until the fourth quarter when the score was already 28-0. Of course the Crusaders won the statistical battle, doing most of their damage on the ground. This was the last district game and improves BK's record to 5-4, 3-1. That puts them in second place in district 4-5A. Kenny's final regular season game is at Ridgeview in Orange Park.

Bell had the week off so they can prepare to be demolished at Southlake Carroll in the final regular season game. 

It was a good Saturday in the college ranks. Yes, South Florida lost but it was to Navy in Annapolis. Since my oldest son is a career Naval officer and I grew up in a Navy town, I had mixed allegiances here so whoever won, or lost, it would be OK. It was a close game for three quarters until Navy sealed it in the fourth. The score was 13-10 Navy at halftime and 17-16 Bulls after three. Then the Midshipmen scored 13 in the final stanza for the 29-17 win. It was a typical Navy game. They had 444 total yards and 428 of them were on the ground. Three Midshipmen rushed for over 100 yards. They had 69 rushes and only nine passing attempts. South Florida was the opposite with 208 passing yards and 62 rushing. Both teams only had one turnover. With that rushing attack, Navy held the ball for 39 minutes vs 20 for USF. This is Navy's first year competing in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and so far they are undefeated at 4-0 in conference play and 6-1 overall. Their only loss was to #15 Notre Dame. Meanwhile the Bulls fall to 4-4, 2-2 and now travel to East Carolina for another AAC game. 

Of course, the main event was the big Florida-Georgia rivalry game in Jacksonville. It was the 94th or 93rd meeting between the teams depending on which school's records you believe. The Dawgs lead the series 49-42-2. The game is held in Jacksonville and has been almost every year since 1933 although the first Jacksonville game was in 1915, 100 years ago. On to the 2015 contest. This year the #11 Gators came into the game as a very slight favorite. They easily covered the spread as they embarrassed the Dawgs 27-3. It was an ugly scoreless defensive game in the first quarter until Georgia muffed a punt deep in their own territory that Florida recovered in the endzone for a TD. The Gators pretty much sealed the victory in the second quarter with 14 more points. Besides the additional points they figured out that the Bulldogs could not move the ball or score. Georgia finally kicked a FG in the third quarter for their lone score. The last 30 minutes of the game were not very exciting. Statwise the Gators had almost 200 more total yards, almost 14 more possession minutes and four fewer turnovers. Georgia had five turnovers, four interceptions and one fumble. Not the finest hour for the red and black. Florida moves to 7-1, 5-1 and has a comfotable two game plus tiebreaker lead in the SEC East. Next up is a home game in Gainesville against Vanderbilt.

In the latest AP poll, there were no changes at the top. TCU remains at #5, Florida at #11. There are still several undefeated teams. The SEC has six teams in the top 25 and three in the top eleven. 

Light week for me in the NFL. The Jaguars had a bye week since they had to swim home from their victory in London last game. They go back to work in New York against the Jets.

My two other teams, Atlanta and Tampa Bay, played one another in an overtime division battle in the Georgia capital city. You never know in the NFL. Atlanta had only lost one game this season and TB was their usual mess. So of course the Bucs win 23-20 in OT. Tampa Bay should have won in regulation, but you know how they love to blow leads. The Buccaneers led by 17 with six minutes to go in the third quarter then let the Falcons score 17 straight points to tie it. The overtime was half way through when TB kicked the winning FG. In his up and down rookie year, QB Jameis Winston had a fair game going 16/29 for 177 yards and one TD. He also ran for a TD. Falcons QB, Matt Ryan, had a better day with a 37/49 for 397 yards with two TDs and one INT. Atlanta won everything but the game. They dominated the statistics except for one. Wait for it, the Falcons had four turnovers, the Bucs none. Atlanta falls to 6-2 and next go to the west coast to play the 49ers. Tampa Bay improves to 3-4 now host the NY Giants.

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