College Football Saturday: Upset Weekend Claims Oregon, Oklahoma

Well that didn’t take long. A week ago we observed that the only things standing between college football and sheer chaos were Les Miles’ team and Les Miles’ old team. By Friday night, his old team had fallen in Ames. Hello, pure, unadulterated ridiculousness.

Notice I said “ridiculousness” and not “chaos.” Technically, that’s because the chaos has already taken place. Because not only Oklahoma State, but also Oklahoma lost last weekend -- both in games called by Joe Tessitore, which is the funnest tidbit of all time -- the BCS title picture has actually become quite clear. It’s everything after the BCS title game that has gotten murkier.

At the beginning of the drive, Baylor contented itself with playing for overtime. But Bob Stoops called a time out in an attempt to get the ball back with seconds to go. Art Briles recognized the courtesy and graciously welcomed it, charging Griffin to make his way down the field by foot and by arm and end the Sooners’ national title hopes.

After the game, Baylor fans who’d spilled onto the field chanted, “HEIS-MAN” while surrounding Griffin. In the din, Erin Andrews told him they were chanting his name, but there’s really no difference at this point. Crown the man.

The SitRep usually summarizes operations in the college football theater. This week, due to a complete breakdown of communications on the battlefield, there is only this recording, left in the form of a voicemail from the front. We are efforting a recovery mission to assess what can only be estimated as damage of a catastrophic nature to all involved. Until new information is ascertained:

[MESSAGE RECEIVED: 00:02, 11/20/2011. TRANSCRIPTION COMPLETED 00:42, 11/20/2011]

The Cal Bears hung around for much of the game, heading into the half down by just a point and coming as close as seven in the fourth quarter in the Big Game. But the Bears ran out of real estate as Stanford kicked a field goal with three minutes to go to make it a two-possession game.

Cal did find the end zone on its next possession, but ran off all but 14 seconds of clock. The one-yard touchdown run cut the Stanford lead to three, 31-28, but Cal needed an onside kick and at least a field goal to force overtime.

In a day of craziness in the NCAA football world, two school bands managed to add to it. Baylor’s band at halftime decided to burst into a flash mob after their performance and judging by the music playing, they had a lot of Dr. Pepper while planning the flash mob, because they were having a real good time. Michigan’s band on the other hand decided to celebrate some of the internet’s best memes, such as Leeeeeeroy Jenkins! and Antoine Dodson.

As mentioned some of the Michigan band memes performed were the Antoine Dodson remix and the elusive double rainbow. Also covered were “We don’t speak Americano”, Dream Hands, and Lemmywinks.

For more on the NCAA football action, visit this StoryStream.

The Stanford Cardinal dominated the third quarter, putting up two touchdowns with the quickness to take a 15-point lead over Cal. But in the fourth, Cal has come storming back, cutting the Stanford lead to seven on a touchdown and two-point conversion. Could the wild night of college football carry over in the Bay Area?

Zach Maynard was the star of the show, putting the Bears into position with a 39-yard pass to C.J. Anderson. Cal began the drive with a 12-yard run following a hold on Stanford, quickly working its way down the field. Isi Sofele got the Bears down to the two with runs of one and four yards, before Maynard did his thing again.

The Stanford Cardinal headed into the half up by just one in the Big Game, leading Cal at the break, 14-13. But the Cardinal came out of the half and easily moved the ball downfield and into the end zone to widen the gap. After a shaky first half, Andrew Luck was back, completing five passes, including a four-yard touchdown toss.

Luck opened the drive with a nine-yard completion, followed by a 20-yard grab by Ty Montgomery. Facing a third and six later in the drive, he found Coby Fleener for 24 yards and a big first down. Once inside the 10, Stanford tried two runs before Luck found Levin Toilolo for the touchdown.

Back the other way we went! The Vols called time out with five seconds left, setting up a Hail Mary try. But there wasn’t one. UT just downed it. It was strange.

For more on this game, visit Vanderbilt blog Anchor of Gold and Tennessee blog Rocky Top Talk, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills.

All you need to know about LSU-Ole Miss: Les Miles called for the Tigers to start kneeling out the clock with five minutes left. The score was 52-3.

For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Baylor blog Our Daily Bears.

F--- It Weekend, brought to you by Lee Corso, has been bittersweet for many, but for Boise State fans, the entire display has got to be an absolute killer. So close, and hours away from what could’ve been the closest ever.

For more on this game, check in at Boise State blog One Bronco Nation Under God and Mountain West blog Mountain West Connection.

Here we see just why nobody believed Woods wouldn’t play. Via @jose3030:

For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Baylor blog Our Daily Bears.

via @jadande and staff from the Oregonian

It won’t ever rise to the level of fame enjoyed by Ron Cherry’s “He was giving him the business” call, but it should at least top the monthly “False start, the entire offensive line” proclamation on the list of most beloved referee statements.

Stay tuned here for Oklahoma-Baylor score updates and discussion.

For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Virginia blog Streaking the Lawn and Florida State blog Tomahawk Nation.

Head here for USC-Oregon score updates and conversation.

Oregon’s offense hasn’t gotten a whole lot going either, putting up 33 yards before reaching a fourth-and-eight conversion attempt in USC turf. The effort resulted in a dropped screen pass, and we might be looking at another of those slow starts by the Ducks.

For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit LSU blog And The Valley Shook and Ole Miss blog Red Cup Rebellion. Here’s the complete college football TV schedule, and stay tuned to SB Nation’s college football news hub for more.

The game is actually relatively important for both teams. Vanderbilt can clinch a bowl slot with a win, while Tennessee has to get a victory to have any chance of making the postseason.

For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Vanderbilt blog Anchor of Gold and Tennessee blog Rocky Top Talk. Here’s the complete college football TV schedule, and stay tuned to SB Nation’s college football news hub for more.

There was probably a moment, around the time that Mississippi State cut the Arkansas lead to 14-10, when State fans thought, “You know, we might have a chance in this thing.” That moment didn’t last long, as Arkansas promptly scored 30 unanswered points and cruised past Mississippi State, 44-17.

The win keeps the Hogs alive in the SEC West race, as well as preserving their long-shot hopes for a shot at the national title, as they prepare to face LSU next week. Mississippi State now has to win next week’s Egg Bowl against Ole Miss to go to the postseason.

Video after the jump.

We mock, but “where great teams come...TO DIE” is fantastic pregame hype rhetoric. This is clearly a superior video to Clemson’s, which is just Dabo Swinney’s favorite wacky moments from Home Improvement cut and looped for thirty minutes. Guys, Tim just put a snowmobile engine in a blender, and Jonathan Taylor Thomas is about to make a smoothie! Watch! It’s gonna go all over the ceiling guys!