ACC & Big 12 Week 7 Recap: A Syracuse Stunner Plus Miami and Oklahoma Escape With Late Victories
Standings and Results
ACC
Atlantic Division | Overall | Conference | Last Week's Result |
---|---|---|---|
NC State | 6-1 | 4-0 | W, 35-17 at Pittsburgh |
Clemson | 6-1 | 4-1 | L, 27-24 at Syracuse |
Syracuse | 4-3 | 2-1 | W, 27-24 vs. Clemson |
Florida State | 2-3 | 2-2 | W, 17-10 at Duke |
Wake Forest | 4-2 | 1-2 | Did not play |
Boston College | 3-4 | 1-3 | W, 45-42 at Louisville |
Louisville | 4-3 | 1-3 | L, 45-42 vs. Boston College |
Coastal Division | Overall | Conference | Last Week's Result |
---|---|---|---|
Miami | 5-0 | 3-0 | W, 25-24 vs. Georgia Tech |
Virginia | 5-1 | 2-0 | W, 20-14 at North Carolina |
Georgia Tech | 3-2 | 2-1 | L, 25-24 at Miami |
Virginia Tech | 5-1 | 1-1 | Did not play |
Duke | 4-3 | 1-3 | L, 17-10 vs. Florida State |
Pittsburgh | 2-5 | 0-3 | L, 35-17 vs. NC State |
North Carolina | 1-6 | 0-4 | L, 20-14 vs. Virginia |
Big 12
Overall | Conference | Last Week's Result | |
---|---|---|---|
TCU | 6-0 | 3-0 | W, 26-6 at Kansas State |
Oklahoma | 5-1 | 2-1 | W, 29-24 vs. Texas |
Iowa State | 4-2 | 2-1 | W, 45-0 vs. Kansas |
Texas | 3-3 | 2-1 | L, 29-24 vs. Oklahoma |
Oklahoma State | 5-1 | 2-1 | W, 59-16 vs. Baylor |
West Virginia | 4-2 | 2-1 | W, 46-35 vs. Texas Tech |
Texas Tech | 4-2 | 1-2 | L, 46-35 at West Virginia |
Kansas State | 3-3 | 1-2 | L, 26-6 vs. TCU |
Kansas | 1-5 | 0-3 | L, 45-0 at Iowa State |
Baylor | 0-6 | 0-3 | L, 59-16 at Oklahoma State |
AP Top 10
1. Alabama
2. Penn State
3. Georgia
4. TCU
5. Wisconsin
6. Ohio State
7. Clemson
8. Miami
9. Oklahoma
10. Oklahoma State
Friday Night Shenanigans
Our Week 7 slate kicked off Friday evening with No. 2 Clemson heading north to face the unranked Syracuse Orange inside the Carrier Dome. The Tigers entered the matchup as 23.5-point favorites on the road, but the Orange had other ideas, shocking Clemson with a 27-24 victory.
2017 upsets by spread:
Howard (+45) beats UNLV
Iowa State (+31) beats Oklahoma
Syracuse (+21.5) beats Clemson
Troy (+20.5) beats LSU
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) October 14, 2017
As if the win, alone, wasn’t enough, the Orange also never trailed in the game against Clemson. The two teams traded scores the entire game with ties at 7-7, 14-14, 17-17 and 24-24, but a Cole Murphy 30-yard field goal with 9:41 remaining in the game gave Syracuse its final lead and the win.
Syracuse had lost all four of its meetings with Clemson since joining the ACC and had only beaten the Tigers once prior, coming in a 41-0 Gator Bowl victory in 1996 with a familiar name at quarterback.
Down goes No. 2 Clemson!
The only other time Syracuse beat Clemson, Donovan McNabb was under center (1996 Gator Bowl). pic.twitter.com/mwVk3cXIl5
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 14, 2017
This time around, the Orange offense was led by quarterback Eric Dungey, who tallied three touchdown passes including this long connection with Ervin Philips.
Syracuse is making it look easy against the defending champs ? pic.twitter.com/dRpNySOX3m
— ESPN (@espn) October 13, 2017
The win led to great moments featuring both the fans and the team. Following the loss, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney congratulated the entire Syracuse squad in the locker room, and also shared a nice exchange with ‘Cuse head coach Dino Babers during their postgame handshake at midfield. It was a classy gesture from the defending national championship head coach, for sure.
While the Pac-12 is not a partner conference of ours, upset losses by No. 8 Washington State later Friday evening and No. 5 Washington on Saturday night added to the movement in the polls this week.
Oklahoma Escapes in Wild Red River Showdown
The Texas Longhorns erased a 20-point deficit and held a 24-23 lead in the fourth quarter of their annual rivalry game with Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl, but the Sooners responded with a quick touchdown and held on to the 29-24 lead for the victory.
The winning drive was orchestrated by OU quarterback Baker Mayfield, who capped a three-play, 78-yard drive with the 59-yard game-winning touchdown seen below.
No. 12 Oklahoma defeats Texas in the Red River Showdown! pic.twitter.com/4GUtcRgDyW
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 14, 2017
Mayfield “rode off” into the sunset across the Cotton Bowl field following the victory wearing the golden hat.
Baker Mayfield waited patiently for possession of the golden hat…and then galloped off the field at the Cotton Bowl on an imaginary horse. pic.twitter.com/pz0viRbPkJ
— George Schroeder (@GeorgeSchroeder) October 15, 2017
On a side note, there were three FBS football games on the schedule this weekend featuring a team from Texas facing a team from Oklahoma: All three Oklahoma universities came out on top.
Coastal Contest Comes Down To Wire
The Miami Hurricanes used an impressive fourth down conversion and clutch field goal in the waning seconds of the game to knock off Georgia Tech for their second last-minute victory in as many weeks. After trailing 24-13 in the third quarter, the ‘Canes scored the game’s final 12 points.
Running back Travis Homer, making his first career start in place of the injured Mark Walton, could not be stopped, as the sophomore ran for 170 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and added 18 yards and a touchdown through the air as well. Early in the fourth quarter, with a hard rain coming down, Homer ran through and around the Yellow Jackets defense for a 27-yard touchdown that gave the Hurricanes a chance to tie the game with the impending two-point conversion.
Homer. Run. Hitter. pic.twitter.com/GDv4FWTKMz
— GO ‘CANES! (@83_87_89_91_01) October 15, 2017
The conversion attempt was no good, keeping Georgia Tech’s two-point lead in tact. The teams traded punts on the next five possessions before Miami took over on its own eight-yard line with two and a half minutes to play. Quarterback Malik Rosier led the Hurricane offense down the field into Georgia Tech territory before facing a 4th-and-10 with the game on the line. Rosier threw to Darrell Langham along the sidelines for an incredible 28-yard pitch and catch to move UM into field goal territory and keep the team’s victory hopes alive.
The Hurricanes ran the ball twice more from there, setting up a short 24-yard field goal that placekicker Michael Badgley poked through to keep Miami unbeaten on the year. Miami is now the ACC’s only remaining undefeated taem, and one takeaway from the Hurricanes’ game and season so far is their ability to play from behind:
“Miami had lost 17 consecutive games in which it trailed at halftime, dating back to Nov. 2, 2013” – This year they won all 3 games! #Canes
— Canes Football (@4feldman) October 15, 2017
Team Selection Committee Recap
The Florida Citrus Sports Team Selection Committee held its latest meeting of the 2017-18 season Monday morning at Camping World Stadium in the newly-renovated Varsity Club — and after another week of memorable college football action with over a dozen campus visits logged, there were more than a few exciting stories to go around. READ MORE >>>
Play of the Week
Through our football binge-watching over the weekend we found a pair of great plays. Tell us which play you think was more impressive from Week 7.
1) With the game on the line late in the fourth quarter, Miami wide receiver made an incredible catch on 4th-and-10 to put the Hurricanes in field goal territory to get the victory.
Darrell Langham came up with this INCREDIBLE catch on 4th down(!!!) to set up that GW FG for #Miami! #TheU #GTvsMIA pic.twitter.com/Yx5EyByWhg
— Chat Sports (@ChatSports) October 14, 2017
2) Texas Tech wide receiver T.J. Vasher makes an acrobatic catch to bring down a 53-yard touchdown grab and put the Red Raiders up 35-17 in the first half against West Virginia.
We agree with the graphic in the top-right corner. #SCTop10 #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/Q2wUjA7ohq
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) October 14, 2017
Which play was more impressive in Week 7?
- Darrell Langham's clutch fourth-down reception along the sidelines (0%, 0 Votes)
- T.J. Vasher climbing the ladder for a huge touchdown against West Virginia (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 0