Editor's desk: College football is back in full swing
For the first time this season, it truly felt like a college football Saturday.
Noon
Most around this area were watching Michigan take on Mid-American Conference cellar-dweller Akron or UCLA against Nebraska.
While most expected the Bruins and Cornhuskers to be a good game, nobody, not even Akron fans, thought it would be a close one at the Big House.
The Zips have combined three wins in the last three seasons – that's 3-33 – and have not had a winning record since 2005. They went into Michigan and nearly pulled of the upset of the year, but missed a touchdown as time expired from inside the Wolverines five-yard line to let U of M survive 28-24.
Meanwhile, Nebraska let a 21-3 lead evaporate while an inspired UCLA team made a comeback and passed the Cornhuskers for a 41-21 win, a fate the Chippewas would later feel.
3:30 p.m.
The mid-afternoon games saw an offensive explosion.
Even Michigan State joined the fun starting at 2 p.m.. The Spartans might have found their quarterback in sophomore Connor Cook, who threw for 202 yards and four touchdowns with an offense that had less touchdowns than its defense in the previous two games.
The game of the day was going on between No. 1 Alabama and No. 6 Texas A & M and reigning Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Johnny Manziel.
Johnny Football and his Aggies didn't have enough this year to upset the two-time defending national champions as their 21-point fourth quarter comeback fell just short, allowing the Crimson Tide to roll to a 49-42 win.
No. 2 Oregon put on a display of its own, giving former CMU head coach Butch Jones his first loss as the head coach at Tennessee, 59-14. The Ducks have an average of 61.3 points for and nine points against.
7 p.m.
There were two marquee games for the evening slot, No. 4 Ohio State, who was without starting quarterback Braxton Miller, versus California, and No. 21 Notre Dame coming off its loss at Michigan against rival Purdue.
Neither game went as expected.
The Buckeyes and Fighting Irish were favored and they both won, but it was the way it unfolded that was a surprise.
Cal gave OSU all it could handle last season, and, being at home this season, the Golden Bears were poised for the upset.
That didn't happen. Instead, the Buckeyes looked strong with senior Kenny Guiton throwing for 276 yards and four touchdowns, leading his team to a 52-34 win.
The Irish didn't look as strong, needing a 21-point fourth quarter to finish off the Boilermakers 31-24.
10 p.m.
In the game CMU fans were waiting for, the Chippewas looked fantastic to start the game, jumping out to a 21-0 lead in Las Vegas.
Somebody should've told them that they weren't playing blackjack, because 21 didn't get them the win Saturday night, as UNLV ran ahead with 31 unanswered points to win 31-21.
The most controversial call of the night was the final in the Wisconsin versus Arizona game. With 15 seconds left on the Arizona State 13-yard line, Wisconsin kneed a ball down two points at the center of the field so it could spike the ball to stop the clock and set up an easy field goal.
Instead, the official failed to spot the ball for the Badgers and time expired, costing them the win.
