Black Friday college football fallout: BCS race, division titles and more

Embattled Nebraska coach Bo Pelini might have sealed his fate during Friday’s 38-17 loss to Iowa. Pelini criticized a quiestion by sideline reporter Quint Kessenich during a halftime interview and picked up a personal foul for throwing his hat at an official. He then held a press conference in which he swore about the call that made him throw his hat, blamed the local media for the negativity surrounding the program and practically dared his athletic director to fire him. As if losing at home to Iowa for the first time since World War II wasn’t enough.

Fresno State entered Friday’s game against San Jose State with an undefeated season and potential BCS bowl berth still in play. It left with neither. The Spartans dropped 736 yards (736 yards!) of total offense on the Bulldogs in a 62-52 upset win. The Bulldogs’ usually-potent offense sputtered to a halt after halftime: Fresno State scored just 11 points in the second half, and eight of those didn’t come until a garbage time touchdown in the game’s closing minutes.

For the first time since joining the SEC in 1992, Arkansas finished winless in conference play after a 31-27 loss to LSU Friday. It was a rough first season for Bret Bielema.

So, yeah, tough year in Fayetteville.

Two division winners were crowned on Friday. Marshall won the East Division in Conference USA with a 59-28 win over Eastern Carolina, while Bowling Green locked up the MAC East Division with a 24-7 win over Buffalo. The Falcons will now have a shot to end Northern Illinois’ perfect season next week as they play in the conference title game.

Washington came into the season with a lot of expectations. After seemingly knocking on the Pac-12’s doorstep for a couple of years, this was supposed to be the year the Huskies broke through and returned to the national relevancy.

While that didn’t happen, head coach Steve Sarkisian did reach the eight-win mark for the first time ever with UW following a 27-17 Apple Cup win over Washington State.

Miami finished its regular season with a 41-31 win over Pitt, giving the Hurricanes nine wins on the campaign. Al Golden has done quite the job with the Hurricanes despite having to deal with NCAA sanctions.

Pete Lembo has also done a commendable job at Ball State. The Cardinals got their tenth win of the year Friday, crushing Miami (Ohio) 55-14. With all of Lembo’s success the last two years, you have to wonder if bigger programs may come calling in the coming weeks.

Washington won the Apple Cup for the fourth time in the last five years with the aforementioned 27-17 victory over rival Washington State, but it was hardly the day’s only rivalry game. Oregon needed a touchdown with 29 seconds remaining to take the Civil War over Oregon State. Iowa won the Heroes Trophy for the first time with a 38-17 win at Nebraska. Central Florida got a 52-yard touchdown pass with less than five minutes remaining to knock off rival South Florida. In the day’s other Florida-based game, FAU beat cross-town rival FIU 21-6 to earn bowl eligibility.

• Thanksgiving weekend TV schedule: Iron Bowl leads Hate Week

• Five things Auburn will need to beat Alabama

• Why We Hate: Beautiful guide to Ohio State-Michigan

• College football news | MSU mascot had leg broken by ESPN TV cart

• Long CFB reads | The night Baylor died in Stillwater