Lone Star Excellence and Week 12's Legacy
Lone Star Player of the Week Candidates
Texas DB Jahdae Barron - The Longhorns’ Jim Thorpe Award DB of the Week put on a show in Fayetteville against the Razorbacks. He had seven tackles, 1.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL, an interception, one QB Hurry and one pass breakup in the Longhorns gritty 20-10 win over Arkansas.
Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson - Tyson’s performance against UCF in week 11 was just a precursor of what he did against #16 Kansas State in week 12. He had another two TD performance, but this time he snatched 12 passes for 176 yards and broke hearts on the road in Manhattan.
Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter - The Heisman candidate continued to bolster his resume with another wide ranging stat line and viral YouTube moments. The numbers? He had one carry for a five yard touchdown, in addition to five catches for 55 yards. He had three tackles and one interception as well. The YouTube moment? That catch on fourth down? Ridiculous.
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The CFB season is winding down, but the drama is heating up in conferences all across the country. A decent handful of teams reached bowl eligibility this past week, yet a few realized that the 12th game will be the end of their respective 2024 season.
The Dawgs came back barking after an embarrassing loss to Ole Miss in week 11, while the upper crust of college football held on, including Oregon’s nailbiter at Wisconsin. Let’s take a look back at Week 12, prepare for week 13 and examine who might have a shot at the Texas Bowl in five to six weeks or so.
Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Georgia - In the biggest game in the country, the Dawgs came out in the second half and dominated the game. QB Carson Beck found his groove, finally, as he got time to throw against the vaunted Tennessee defense. Then, the Georgia defense physically changed the game in the second half. That second half was the finest 30 minutes the Dawgs have played since beating Clemson in Atlanta to start the season.
Texas Bowl Honorable mention Team of the Week - Arizona State - The Sun Devils jumped out front of #16 Kansas State in Manhattan 21-0 in the first half and never looked back. WR Jordyn Tyson did a whole lot better than his elder namesake Mike Tyson, reeling in 12 passes for 176 yards and two TD. Jordyn (not Mike) has been as good as ever down the stretch of what has been a magical season for the Sun Devils.They went on to win 24-14 and kept their hopes alive for a Big 12 Championship berth.
Texas Bowl Player of the Week - The Longhorns’ Jim Thorpe Award DB of the Week put on a show in Fayetteville against the Razorbacks. He had seven tackles, 1.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL, an interception, one QB Hurry and one pass breakup in the Longhorns gritty 20-10 win over Arkansas.
Texas Bowl Honorable mention Player of the Week - Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson - Tyson’s performance against UCF in week 11 was just a precursor of what he did against #16 Kansas State. He had another two TD performance, but this time he snatched 12 passes for 176 yards and broke hearts on the road in Manhattan.
National Team of the Week - Stanford - I don’t know how you put into words HOW Stanford beat #19 Louisville on Saturday afternoon on The Farm. Miraculous? Stupendous? Ridiculous? Either way, the Cardinal trailed 35-28 with :48 seconds left, a backup QB in the game and an L all but assured. However, after Emmett Mosley V’s 25-yard TD catch, a fourth down stop with four seconds remaining, a 15-yard penalty on Louisville with one second left, a five yard penalty on a 57-yard field goal attempt and a 52-yard made FG by Emmet Kenney, the Cardinal pulled a magical win from the proverbial jaws of defeat.
Honorable Mention National Team of the Week - New Mexico - The Lobos program was mired in the muck last year after another losing campaign. Enter Bronco Mendenhall who’s given the program a jolt. On Saturday night, the Lobos gave #18 Washington State a jolt, knocking the Cougars, more than likely, out of a possible CFP berth. QB Devon Dampier was ridiculously good - 174 yards passing and a touchdown, 193 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a 38-35 upset win over the Cougars. In a battle with WSU QB John Mateer (375 yards passing, 65 yards rushing and five total TDs) Dampier took home the hardware and the win.
National Player of the Week - Clemson DE T.J. Parker - All Tomorrion “T.J.” Parker did on Saturday was ruin the Pitt Panthers offensive scheme all day at Acrisure Stadium. He finished with 4.0 sacks, 5.0 TFL, a PBU and a forced fumble in Clemson’s come from behind win. No FBS pass rusher has had more sacks in a game this year and his 5.0 TFLs were the most for a Clemson player in seven years, tied for the most for any FBS player in a game in 2024.
Honorable mention National Player of the Week (tie) - Penn State TE Tyler Warren - All Warren did in Penn State’s blowout 49-10 win over Purdue was snag eight receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown, tack on three rushes for 63 yards, including a 48-yard TD run, the longest of his career. Over the last 48 years, Warren is the only B1G TE with four rushing TDs in a season. That 48-yard sprint to the house was a beaut for the most diverse player in the B1G.
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New Mexico QB Devon Dampier - Dampier was ridiculously good - 174 yards passing and a touchdown, 193 yards rushing and three touchdowns - in a 38-35 upset win over the Cougars at home in Albuquerque. In a battle with WSU QB John Mateer (375 yards passing, 65 yards rushing and five total TDs) Dampier took home the hardware and the win. Those two QBs put on a damn SHOW!
Quick Kudos
…to SMU LB Kobe Wilson, ACC Defensive LB of the Week, who had a career-high 16 tackles in SMU’s tough win over Boston College.
…to Kansas for ruining BYU’s undefeated season in Provo. The Jayhawks got some help from BYU, but you make your own breaks and Kansas finally got one to go their way this time.
…to Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty for his 159 yards and three TD, giving him 1,893 yards and 26 TD in ten games, in a win over San Jose State. Could the Broncos get a bye in the CFP?
…to Coach Prime and the CU Buffaloes. My goodness, what a string of performances this year, culminating with one of their best in a blowout win over Utah.
…to South Carolina for another late fourth quarter magic show. Rocket Sanders 15-yard shovel pass TD gave the Gamecocks win number seven on the season.
…to Billy Napier and the Florida Gators for a massively impressive 27-16 win over LSU
…to Tulane for its blowout win over 7-3 Navy 35-0. The Green Wave are one of the hottest teams in the nation.
…to my man K.C. Keeler for his eighth win of the season, an OT CUSA win on the road at Kennesaw State, keeping CUSA Championship game hopes alive.
…to Dave Aranda and Baylor for their fourth straight win, this time on the road at West Virginia, scoring 49 in the process. Give me RB Bryson Washington all day, every day.
…to North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton for a 35 carry/244 yard/one TD day against Wake Forest. He was superb all day long.
Week 13’s Big games
#5 (10-0) Indiana at #2 (9-1) Ohio State - It’s the second most difficult test of the season for the Buckeyes with Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers coming to town. Those same Hoosiers are coming off of a bye week, Cignetti got a new contract extension and they’re playing with HOUSE money…just don’t tell them that. Cignetti’s Hoosiers are probably mad that they’re underdogs.
#6 (9-1) BYU at (8-2) Arizona State - On the schedule earlier in the campaign, this matchup looked like any old late season matchup, not a ton of juice for a few teams still growing and finding themselves. But, BUT, things have changed significantly in 2024 as this game in Tempe turns into some sort of play-in to the Big 12 Championship game. I LOVE seeing teams take THE LEAP as both have done this year in the Big 12.
#24 (9-0) Army v. #8 (9-1) Notre Dame - Yankee Stadium - Oh, man, throwin’ it back to a time when these teams met in Yankee Stadium, in the 40s, as the two best teams in the nation. They are a combined 18-1 and the one is on the Irish side, not Army’s. This is as fun a game as there is in college football ANY week, much less just this week. I don’t know what even happens if Army knocks off Notre Dame and how that plays into the CFP, but I’d love to find out if the Black Knights can do the unthinkable.
Texas Bowl Potential teams
Big 12 candidates
(6-4) Baylor - The Bears earned bowl eligibility with an impressive win at West Virginia. Dave Aranda’s crew withstood a difficult loss to the Colorado Buffaloes on a Hail Mary earlier this year and has won four in a row with two left to play.
(6-4) TCU - The Horned Frogs have been equal parts “brilliant” and “needs improvement” throughout the 2024 campaign. There’s a great chance for a split and a 7-5 finish for Spike Dykes’ TCU squad.
(6-4) Texas Tech - The Red Raiders might be one of the top ten more entertaining squads in all of college football. When they line up on Saturdays, there’s no telling what’s going to happen…and that always makes them intriguing for a bowl game.
Some work to do…
(4-6) Houston - the Cougars would be a perfect fit in the Texas Bowl, but need to sweep Baylor at home and BYU on the road. Tough one.
(4-6) UCF - one of the most talented 4-6 teams in the country, if there is such a thing, needs two wins - @ West Virginia and then at home at Utah.
SEC candidates
(6-4) LSU - The Texas Bowl loves having LSU in the bowl game and at 6-4, with eight teams with better conference and/or overall records, there’s a chance that LSU could be available.
(6-4) Vanderbilt - Now, I would love to see Vanderbilt in Houston for the first time and QB Diego Pavia would add some sauce to a Texas Bowl matchup for sure.
(5-5) Arkansas - The Hogs should beat La. Tech this weekend to get to bowl eligibility, but a tough road game at Missouri awaits in the final week of the season.
Some work to do…
(5-5) Oklahoma - All Oklahoma needs is one win for bowl eligibility, so what’s it going to be - a win over Alabama at home in Norman or on the road at LSU. Oh man, that’s tough!
(5-5) Florida - Billy Napier’s Gators have rebounded in a season when EVERYONE has been injured, or so it seems, to get back in bowl contention. But, it’ll take upsetting the hottest team in the SEC Ole Miss in Gainesville or beating rival Florida State in Tallahassee on the road.
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