News/Commentary

Saturday Reminded Us Repeatedly of Why We Love College Football - Weekend Recap

October 16, 2022 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff

On Saturday, the number of unbelievably competitive games and crazy finishes reminded us over and over again why college football is such a beloved sport. Players echoed that love with sheer emotion that ranged from tears to jubilation, and fans exclaimed their love by pouring onto the field to celebrate victory in Knoxville, Fort Worth, Salt Lake City and even Boulder.

Here are some tweets from the day.

You get the idea.

Three games this week matched teams from the Super 16 Poll against each other. First and foremost was No. 3 Alabama visiting No. 6 Tennessee in an SEC showdown that lived up to all of the hype. in the end, it came down to Alabama missing a go-ahead a 50-yard field goal with only 15 seconds left, and Tennessee driving 45 yards in 13 seconds to set up the 40-yard knuckle-baller that limped through the uprights. The resulting 52-49 win for the Volunteers healed all wounds from 15 years of futility and set off pandemonium in Neyland Stadium with fans rushing the field and tearing down the goal posts.

Simultaneously, No. 8 Oklahoma State was fighting for its life at No. 12 TCU and, like Alabama, came up short with the Horned Frogs winning 43-40 in double-overtime. TCU had trailed by 17 in the first half and the comeback victory led to another episode of fans storming the field, even after the school was fined for allowing the same thing to happen after its win over Oklahoma two weeks ago.

Just to make things even more exciting, Wisconsin and Michigan State were in overtime in a game that ultimately went the way of the Spartans in the second extra period, 34-28.

Meanwhile, No. 5 Michigan needed no dramatics to hand No. 10 Penn State its first loss, 41-17 in Ann Arbor.

Using the AP Poll as the measuring stick, there were three more matchups of Top 25 teams.

No. 20 Utah handed Lincoln Riley and No. 7 USC their first loss of the season 43-42 in Salt Lake City, and the fans stormed the field. Cameron Rising scored on a-yard TD run to cut the Trojans' lead to one with 48 seconds left. The Utes could have played for the tie but, without hesitation, lined up to go for two and the lead. Who else but Rising would run the ball into the endzone for what ultimately became the game-winning points. The Utah helmets that honored late players Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe, who died nearly a year apart from gunshot wounds, were hand-painted (airbrushed).

No. 18 Syracuse moved to 6-0 for the first time since 1987 with a 24-9 win over No. 15 NC State in the Dome, and the fans stored the field. QB Devin Leary did not play for the Wolfpack who announced prior to the game that he would have surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle and be done for the season.

And last but not necessarily least, No. 22 Kentucky took down No. 16 Mississippi State in Lexington, 27-17. The fans did not storm the field.

In a contest that had nothing to do with rankings, Colorado played its first game since firing Karl Dorrell two weeks ago and gave interim head coach Mike Sanford a 20-13 overtime win over CAL in his debut. The Buffs were were winless 15-point underdogs at kick-off and the victory led to thousands storming the field in celebration.

The scene was repeated in Statesboro after Georgia Southern ended James Madison's undefeated season with a 45-38 win over the No. 25 Dukes.

SEE: Complete Picks and Scores

FCS vs. FBS

There will be 118 FBS vs. FCS matchups this season with App State, Army and Marshall each playing two such games, and 115 other FBS schools playing one apiece.

Two of this season's final 8 FBS-FCS matchups took place on Saturday when liberty edged Gardner-Webb 21-20 and Army dispatched Colgate 42-17. 

The FBS is 104-8 vs. the FCS this year, and 1,678-148 (.919) since we began tracking this in 2003.

Here are the FCS wins in 2022:
September 2: William & Mary 41, Charlotte 24
September 3: Delaware14, Navy 7
September 10: Weber State 35, Utah State 7
September 10: Incarnate Word 55, Nevada 41
September 10: Holy Cross 37, Buffalo 31
September 10: Eastern Kentucky 59, Bowling Green 57 (7 OT's)
September 17: Southern Illinois 31, Northwestern 24
September 24: Sacramento State 41, Colorado State 10

Streaks

CLEMSON - Won 13 straight over-all (FBS longest); Won 37 straight home games (FBS longest).
Last: Won 34-28 at Florida State on Saturday, October 15.
Next: Hosts Syracuse on Saturday, October 22.

CINCINNATI: Won 18 straight conference games (FBS longest).
Last: Won 28-24 vs. USF on Saturday, October 8.
Next: at SMU on Saturday, October 22.

GEORGIA - Won 9 straight true road games (FBS longest).
Last: Won 55-0 at home over Vanderbilt on Saturday, October 15.
Next: Plays Florida in Jacksonville on Saturday, October 29.

MASSACHUSETTS - Lost 10 straight to FBS schools (FBS longest).
Last: Lost 34-7 at home to Buffalo on Saturday, October 15.
Next: Hosts New Mexico State on Saturday, October 29.

VANDERBILT - Lost 24 straight conference games (FBS longest).
Last: Lost 55-0 at Georgia on Saturday, October 15.
Next: Visits Missouri on Saturday, October 22.

NEW MEXICO STATE - Lost 21 straight road games (FBS longest).
Last: won 21-9 at home over New Mexico on Saturday, October 15.
Next: Hosts San Jose State on Saturday, October 22.