2011 NCAA FOOTBALL WEEK 4 RECAP

BAYOU BENGALS CONTINUE TO RUN THE GAUNTLET

Morris Claiborne (17) returns a kickoff 99 yards giving LSU
a 34-21 lead over West Virginia. (Photo by Jeff Gentner/AP Photo)

Beating three ranked teams in the first month of the season is impressive. However, beating all of those teams away from home is even amazing.

The LSU Tigers continue to impress everyone this season and after defeating West Virginia, 47-21.

In terms of yards, the Tigers gave up 533 total yards and allowed Geno Smith to carve them up for 463 passing yards. However, LSU got the Mountaineers where it counted most—the turnover battle.

LSU’s defense forced four turnovers, while the offense did not commit any.

The Tigers led by double-digits for most of the game, but when Mountaineers freshman running back Dustin Garrison scored to cut the deficit to six points, LSU needed a spark.

On the ensuing kickoff, Morris Claiborne provided it on a 99-yard return for a touchdown that shifted momentum back to LSU’s side.

Of the return LSU head coach Les Miles said, “Morris Claiborne’s return was right on time, and we were able to finish it off. We made some mistakes, but we overcame that adversity. We have a real strong road personality, but no matter the environment, we are capable of playing.”

Combined with the wins earlier in the season to Oregon and Mississippi State, the Tigers were voted in as the No. 1 team of the Associated Press Top 25 media poll and moved into a tie for second with Alabama in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW…

Jacory Harris was ruled down at the 1-yard line and it changed a possible Miami Hurricanes win to the Kansas State Wildcats preserving a 28-24 victory.

Jacory Harris winds up a yard short from giving Miami a victory.
(Photo by J Pat Carter/AP Photo)

The exciting play was the climax in a game that got better as it went along.

The Wildcats led at halftime and held a 21-10 advantage with 3:40 left in the third quarter, but Harris and Miami did not give up.

Nearly a minute later, Lamar Miller’s 59-yard touchdown run cut the deficit down to four and Harris found Travis Benjamin to give the Hurricanes the lead early in the fourth.

Kansas State reclaimed the lead when sophomore running back John Hubert scored from two yards out with 10 minutes remaining.

Despite the very close loss, Harris passed for 272 yards and two touchdowns. However, the story was the near touchdown.

“We have no one to blame but ourselves,” Miami head coach Al Golden said. “We have to execute. That’s on us. We didn’t get it done.”

Miami will play Bethune-Cookman this week.

COWBOYS GIVE AGGIES A PARTING GIFT TO REMEMBER

Even though, Texas A&M will be going to the SEC next season, Oklahoma State wanted to give the Big 12 departing member something to remember first.

The Cowboys trailed by 17 at halftime and stormed back with a 21-point third quarter to defeat the Aggies, in front of a stunned audience at College Station.

In the second half even when things went wrong (such as Justin Blackmon’s fumble that would have sealed the game), Oklahoma State found ways to battle out of it.

Brandon Weeden set three Oklahoma State passing records
against Texas A&M. (Photo by Nate Billings/The Oklahoman)

Senior quarterback Brandon Weeden threw for 438 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cowboys, and Blackmon caught 11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown despite the embarrassing gaffe.

The Aggies sealed their fate after committing four turnovers in the second half and will have to put that performance behind them this week in Arlington against Arkansas.

WEEK 4 PREDICTIONS

Alabama 37, Arkansas 27
Oklahoma St. 38, Texas A&M 35
Florida St. 21, Clemson 17
LSU 24, West Virginia 10

WEEK: 3-1 (.750)
SEASON: 9-4 (.692)

PREDICTIONS FOR WEEK 5

No. 14 Texas A&M 20, No. 18 Arkansas 17 (in Arlington, Texas)
No. 13 Clemson 31, No. 11 Virginia Tech 29
No. 3 Alabama 28, No. 12 Florida 21
No. 7 Wisconsin 17, No. 8 Nebraska  10