In this last iteration of game reviews, we take a look at some of the dumbest ways teams ended up winning. Sometimes, teams may need to pull one out of thin air just to survive a close win. Others get the refs for assistance or just Deus Ex Machina all over the place. Whatever it is, the ways these teams won these weeks will make you go, How is that even possible?!
Week 13:
UMASS @ Georgia: Georgia wins 59-21
You might think that this is just your typical Georgia beatdown on a lower-tier opponent. Well, turns out, like Alabama has its South Floridas, Georgia gets its own in UMass, a team that’s always on the brink of such despair. Even with the Minutemen seemingly keeping close with the Bulldogs in the 1st half, only being down by 1-2 touchdowns, eventually, the floodgates came crashing in. Even if they got their act together at the end in order to prepare for the championship, UMass now gets to act like the stubborn bug you can’t seem to get rid of until you spray it to death.
Illinois @ Rutgers: Illinois wins 38-31
I was actually at this game, and it seemed like we were able to win easily. The Fighting Illini were about to kick a field goal to possibly tie the game…until it had shanked right due to the wind. Fans were going insane, announcers were rampaging, everything seemed to align in place AS THE SCARLET KNIGHTS WOULD GET THEIR FIRST RANKED WIN SINCE…
And then Greg Schierano called a timeout, negating the play altogether.
Ok, that’s fine. It’s a 4th and long anyway, so as long as we put the entire defense in the back just to make sure that-
They proceed to convert on it and score a touchdown, winning the game… in pain.
Air Force @ Nevada: Air Force wins 22-19
Do you wanna know how the Air Force would end up winning this game? They never completed a pass once. That’s right, taking CFB back to almost the 1900s, the Falcons didn’t get one single yard, as well as tacking on an INT, but managed to somehow beat the Wolf Pack on the back of RB Owen Allen, Dylan Carson, and their QB Quentien Hayes, putting up a rushing touchdown. Making the old world of CFB so proud by playing football how it used to be, on the ground.
Week 14:
Georgia Tech @ Georgia: Georgia wins 44-42(8OT!)
Oh hey, it’s Georgia again! And this time, taking on their supposed rivals down in Atlanta, this should be another straightforward win, right? This isn’t even a rivalry at this point. All it is is just-
Overtime
Forgot to mention, these Yellow Jackets love to play spoiler when it comes to upsets this year. They came to play, and even if they did choke multiple leads, they still find themselves battling it out in the 1st overtime..
Then the second…then the third…the fourth…and the fifth…zzz
Wait, it’s only the 8th overtime, and we’re still going? Gosh, just put some guy to score on Georgia, doesn’t matter, we NEED OUR SEC TEAMS TO WIN! Here, Nate Frazier, you get the final score as a freshman, just get us out of here!
Jacksonville St @ Western Kentucky: Western Kentucky wins 19-17
Western Kentucky needed this win to participate in the Sun Belt Championship game, surprisingly at Jacksonville State’s arena the following week…against Jacksonville State. Good for them; they managed to scrape out a close win as the Hilltoppers managed to eke out an extra two points. You’d think that getting two weeks’ worth of film as well as already playing the same team you just beat should constitute another easy win, especially for the championship, right?
Well, it doesn’t. It turns out that the Gamecocks just ended up resting that game. They took home the CUSA championship next week, 52-12.
Purdue @ Indiana: Indiana wins 66-0
I’m just sorry for the Boilermakers at this point. Indiana, coming off a heartbreaking loss against Ohio State, decided not to hold back and take off their steam against…Purdue. What did you expect them to do, rest their starters? They wouldn’t even play until next month, by then. Just some extra aggression needed against CFB’s worst team, that’s all.
