National Recap: The End Of The Road

And with that, the college football regular season is over. Yes, I know the Army-Navy game is next weekend, but that's it. It's been... a long, strange year, but at the same time, it feels like it started yesterday. Sighs all around.

Games of Note

(1) LSU Tigers vs. (12) Georgia Bulldogs (in Atlanta, GA)
Final: LSU 42 - UGA 10

This game was basically a carbon copy of the LSU-Arkansas game. Georgia started quickly, but momentum turned on a Tyrann Mathieu special teams touchdown. After that, the #BEATEMDOWN was on.

(13) Oklahoma Sooners @ (3) Oklahoma St. Cowboys
Final: OSU 44-10

The Pokes set Oklahoma on fire almost immediately. How about this for a weird stat: OSU scored 44 points, but Brandon Weeden didn't have a single touchdown pass. Both Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith went for 100+ yards on the ground, as well as two touchdowns. It was an impressive victory for Oklahoma State, but ultimately not enough to vault them over Alabama into the national title game.

(5) Virginia Tech Hokies vs. (21) Clemson Tigers (in Charlotte, NC)
Final: CU 38 - VT 10

Just like everyone predicted, right? Virginia Tech is going to see Tajh Boyd in their nightmares, as he's eaten them up twice this year. This weekend, Boyd threw for three scores, and ran in another. The Clemson defense completely shut down the Tech running game, limiting David Wilson and Logan Thomas to only 32 yards and 2 yards, respectively. This is Clemson's first ACC championship since 1991.

(24) Southern Miss. Golden Eagles @ (7) Houston Cougars
Final: USM 49 - UH 28

Southern Miss must really be kicking themselves for losing to UAB and Marshall, because if they hadn't they'd be going to a BCS game. They went into Houston's home turf and dominated them from the first whistle to the last. Austin Davis basically did as he pleased, on his way to nearly 300 yards passing and four touchdowns. Happy trails to Case Keenum, who ended his sixth year of eligibility. Thanks for the highlights.

UCLA Bruins @ (8) Oregon Ducks
Final: UO 49 - UCLA 31

The game wasn't as close as the score would indicate. Gus Johnson would scream otherwise. The Ducks actually started fast for the first time in a while, but UCLA stayed in the conversation through a weird defensive touchdown, and maybe the prettiest catch of the year from Nelson Rosario. No matter, though, as the Ducks lock up their third straight Pac-10/12 title.

(22) West Virginia Mountaineers @ South Florida Bulls
Final: WVU 30 - USF 27

This felt an awful lot like one of West Virginia's games last year, where Bill Stewart ended up making pained faces as each team tried as hard as possible to lose. The Mountaineers ended up winning it on a last second field goal, and will be the Big East's BCS representative due to winning the three way tie between Louisville, Cincinnati and themselves.

Texas Longhorns @ (19) Baylor Bears
Final: BU 48 - UT 24

15-22 for 320 yards and two touchdowns, along with two more touchdowns on the ground against a defense that was ranked in the top ten before the game. Ladies and gentlemen, Robert Griffin III is your 2011 Heisman Trophy winner.