Fargo looks past the top line scores and goes deep into the box scores to get a better picture of what really happened for all of the FBS games the past weekend.
LOU 28, JMU 14
Louisville outgained the Dukes by only one yard 264-263 and the Cardinals erased a 14-6 deficit by scoring the last three touchdowns of the game and by using only six offensive plays to do so. They scored on a 64-yard touchdown pass, a fumble recovery by the defense in the endzone and on a 78-yard touchdown run. James Madison controlled the clock by over 14 more minutes but were hurt by two turnovers, the other taking place in the redzone while committing 12 penalties for 95 yards.
MD 20, NIU 9
Maryland never trailed but led by just four points early in the fourth quarter before going on a 77-yard drive to score the final touchdown for the 11-point win. The Terrapins outpassed Northern Illinois 254-91 while gaining 13.4 yards per completion but they went just 4-12 on third down and were only 3-6 in the redzone. The Huskies rushed for 180 yards on 48 carries (3.8 ypc) which gave them the time of possession edge by just over seven minutes which kept the game close and low scoring.
PSU 34, FIU 0
Penn St. was ahead only 10-0 at halftime even though it went into Florida International territory on all six drives. In the four non-scoring drives, the Nittany Lions punted once while missing a field goal and turning it over on downs twice. Penn St. scored on all four possessions in the second half where it crossed midfield and overall outgained the Lions 409-290. The Lions were inside the Penn St. 40-yard line four times but threw an interception, turned it over on downs twice and ended the game at the 38-yard line.
LSU 23, LT 7
LSU led by only 10 points late into the third quarter despite going into Louisiana Tech territory in its first six possessions while gaining 296 total yards as it was forced to punt twice, missed a field goal, threw an interception and had to settle for a 23-yard field goal. The Tigers defense allowed 154 total yards with 74 of those coming in garbage time with the Bulldogs scoring their lone touchdown with 4:02 remaining. LSU had the ball for close to 37 minutes but averaged only 4.9 yppl.
ORE 69, OKST 3
Oregon scored on its second play from scrimmage and never looked back as the Ducks racked up 631 total yards while gaining 10.2 yppl. It was the epitome of balance with 312 yards rushing and 319 yards passing and they scored a touchdown on eight of their first 10 possessions with the exceptions being a missed field goal and a turnover on downs as Oregon punted only twice, their last two possessions. The defense was just as impressive as the Cowboys managed only 211 yard and crossed midfield just two times.
TEX 38, SJSU 7
Texas managed only 14 total yards in its first two drives resulting in two punts but the Longhorns scored touchdowns on their next four possessions, all touchdown passes from Arch Manning. Texas outgained the Spartans 472-273 while nearly doubling them up in yppl 7.3-3.8 but the offense still struggled on third down, going only 2-12. San Jose St. could have been in the game if not for four turnovers, three on consecutive possessions that led to 21 points with Texas needing just 71 yards on those scores.
CLEM 27, TROY 16
Clemson came out slow as it fell behind 16-0 midway through the second quarter and the Tigers could only manage a field goal before halftime. It was a different story in the second half as the Tigers went 75 yards to score a touchdown to open the second half and then the defense took over with a pair of interceptions and a stop on fourth down on three straight Troy possessions that led to 17 points. Still, Clemson only outgained the Trojans 316-300 and Troy was hurt by committing 10 penalties for 97 yards.
ILL 45, DUKE 19
Illinois broke open a close game as it led by one point at halftime but outscored Duke 31-6 in the second half. The Illini took the opening kickoff after halftime and went 75 yards for a touchdown and then forced three turnovers in the next four Duke possessions and turned those into 21 points. The Blue Devils actually outgained Illinois 439-419 despite running 10 fewer plays and having the ball over 12 minutes less but four turnovers and a turnover on downs wasted 180 of those offensive yards.
MSST 24, ASU 20
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 17-0 lead and then the Sun Devils flipped the switch on both sides. Arizona St. was forced to punt on its first four possessions then threw an interception and turned it over on downs before ending the first half with a field goal before running off 17 straight points to open the second half, gaining 228 yards on four possessions. Mississippi St. managed only 76 yards on five possessions after its third score but then went 77 yards in five plays to score the game winner with 30 seconds left.
USF 18, FLA 16
South Florida pulled off a second straight upset against a top 25 team as it kicked the game winning field goal as time expired. It was an ugly game as points were at a premium as the defenses forced seven field goal attempts total as only two touchdowns were scored, one of those coming on a 66-yard touchdown pass. Three Florida field goal drives tallied 202 yards while three South Florida field goal drives used 210 yards as the teams combined to go 10-28 on third down while committing 20 total penalties.
OU 24, MICH 13
Oklahoma jumped out to a 14-0 lead at halftime but Michigan pulled to within seven points on the first play from scrimmage in the second half on a 75-yard touchdown run. The Sooners then went three and out but forced a Wolverines three and out and then took their next possession 51 yards in only five plays to go back up by 14 and held on. Take that big Michigan play away and it gained only 213 total yards in their other 55 plays (3.87 yppl) and it went just 3-14 on third down.
ISU 16, IOWA 13
Defense ruled in Ames as Iowa and Iowa St. combined for 452 yards while totaling 14 drives that were seven plays or fewer. It was a 6-3 Cyclones lead late in the second quarter when they forced an interception and had to go only 18 yards to take a 13-3 lead but the Hawkeyes went 85 yards to pull back within three on a touchdown with 27 seconds left before the half. The second half produced only six points as each team had the ball only three times apiece as time of possession was coveted.
BAY 48, SMU 45 (2OT)
This was one of the best early games as Baylor and SMU closed the third quarter tied at 24-24 when the Mustangs took a touchdown lead early in the fourth quarter then forced a fumble two plays later and scored again to go up by 14 points. Baylor then went 72 yards to cut it back to a touchdown, forced a punt and then went 82 yards for the tying score with 34 seconds left and then won in double overtime as the Mustangs missed the tying field goal. Baylor outgained SMU 601-458 but that was on 28 more plays.
TA&M 44, USU 22
Texas A&M jumped ahead 7-0 on its second possession but Utah St. took the ensuing kickoff and went 75 yards in nine plays to pull within one after missing the conversion try but Utah St. then ran off the next 23 points to take a 24-point lead at halftime and it was ball game after that. Texas A&M dominated as it outgained Utah St. 554-250 while controlling the line of scrimmage by winning the rushing battle 235-78. Utah St. was in too many third and long, going just 2-14 no thanks to 11 penalties for 72 yards.
MISS 30, UK 23
Kentucky used a pair of Rebels turnovers in the first quarter to jump ahead 10-0, only needing 48 yards of offense to score twice before Mississippi went on a 20-3 run, scoring on four of five possessions following those two interceptions in a span of four plays. The Wildcats tied it back up but the Rebels put the game away with a pair of long drives to go up 10. Mississippi outgained Kentucky 455-359 but those two turnovers along with 86 penalty yards slowed down the potential of the offense.
ALA 73, ULM 0
Alabama shook off its lethargic effort against Florida St. as it showed no mercy, outgaining UL Monroe 583-148 while scoring on every possession, including touchdowns in 10 of 11 drives. It was domination at every level as the Crimson Tide threw for 371 yards while rushing for 5.9 ypc, they won the turnover battle 3-0 and time of possession by nine minutes while going 9-12 on third down, converting both fourth down opportunities. The Warhawks were expectedly outclassed but got a good pay day at least.
IU 56, KENN 9
Indiana came out slow against Old Dominion last week and it was not a great overall effort but the Hoosiers made up for it here as they rolled over Kennesaw St. as they won the yardage battle 593-271 and had 28 first downs while allowing just 10. Indiana was efficient through the air, going 21-28 for 280 yards (10.0 ypa) while rushing for 313 yards on 39 carries (8.0 ypc) while it faced only nine third downs, converting five of those. Kennesaw St. ran only 53 plays and was just 2-13 on third down.