TWIF Notes 11/29/21

Welcome Back!

Rivalry Week was everything we all hoped it would be! There were exciting finishes, upsets, near upsets, and conference/division races decided on the field, and no weird tiebreaker rules had to be consulted. All-in-all a fantastic weekend of college football!

On to the recaps!

FBS Games

Ball State stomped Buffalo 20-3 to become bowl eligible. Buffalo ends their season at 4-8.

Western Michigan defeated Northern Illinois 42-21 to keep the Huskies from winning the MAC West title outright. 

Fresno State routed San Jose State 40-9 to keep alive their hopes of a MWC West championship, but it was not to be. The Spartans finish at 5-7.

Ole Miss won the Egg Bowl over Mississippi State 31-21.

San Diego State clinched the MWC West title with a 27-16 victory over Boise State, coming back from a 16-3 deficit.

Texas finishes 5-7 with a 22-17 win over Kansas State, breaking their 6-game losing streak.

Central Michigan finishes in a tie for 1st in the MAC West thanks to a 31-10 victory over Eastern Michigan, and wins the MAC Michigan Trophy.

Bowling Green won a battle of 3-8 teams when it beat Ohio 21-10.

Utah State clinched the MWC Mountain Division by routing New Mexico 35-10. The Lobos finish 3-9.

Iowa wins the Big Ten West with a 28-21 victory over Nebraska, as the Cornhuskers continue to find ways to lose close games, finishing the season at 3-9.

UAB won a battle of 7-4 teams 42-25 over UTEP.

Cincinnati stayed perfect on the season with a 35-13 win over East Carolina.

Arkansas cruised past Missouri 34-17.

UCF eked out a 17-13 win over USF in the War on I4, as the Bulls end their season at 2-10.

Coastal Carolina survived South Alabama 27-21 in overtime, keeping the Jaguars from earning bowl eligibility.

Air Force bombed UNLV 48-14, ending the Rebels' season at 2-10.

Utah demolished Colorado 28-13, as the Buffs finish their season at 4-8.

Iowa State destroyed TCU 48-14 to keep the Horned Frogs from going to a bowl.

NC State kept their hopes alive for an ACC Atlantic Title with a 34-30 win over North Carolina, but it wasn't to be as Wake Forest won their game.

Washington State pummeled Washington 40-13 to win the Apple Cup and send the Huskies to a 4-8 record, their worst since they were 0-12 in 2008.

Georgia pounded Georgia Tech 45-0 in a game that was not as close as the score indicates. The Jackets end their season 3-9, their 3rd straight season with 3 wins.

Michigan finally defeated Ohio State 42-27, and they did it in convincing fashion, clinching the Big Ten East championship in the process.

Wake Forest clinched the ACC Atlantic by stomping Boston College 41-10.

Baylor kept their Big 12 CG hopes alive by squeezing out a win over Texas Tech 27-24. Their hopes were realized when Oklahoma lost later that night.

Houston routed UConn 45-17 as the Huskies finish their season at 1-11, and without an FBS win.

Florida defeated FSU 24-21 to become eligible for a bowl. The Seminoles finish 5-7, and their last attempt at a win will be the worst executed onside kick attempt I've ever seen.

Maryland pounded Rutgers 40-16 to reach bowl eligibility and deny the same to their opponents.

Army jumped out to a big lead and then held on to defeat Liberty 31-16.

Navy sank Temple 38-14. The Owls end their season with a 3-9 record.

Kent State outlasted Miami, Oh 48-47 in overtime to win the MAC East.

Toledo crushed Akron 49-14, sending the Zips to a 2-10 record.

Miami, Fla demolished Duke 47-10 as the Blue Devils finish 3-9, and 0-8 in the ACC.

Rice won a back and forth affair between two 3-8 teams 35-31 over La Tech.

North Texas sent UTSA to a crushing defeat 45-23, ending the Roadrunners' hopes of a perfect season, and ending their own on a 5-game winning streak to earn bowl eligibility after starting the season 1-6.

ODU defeated Charlotte 56-34 in a battle of 2 teams trying to gain a bowl berth.

Texas State survived Arkansas State 24-22 to finish 4-8. The Red Wolves are 2-10.

Georgia State got to 7 wins with a 37-10 victory over Troy, denying the Trojans a chance at a bowl.

Appalachian State routed Georgia Southern 27-3, sending the Eagles tumbling to a 3-9 record, their worst since going 2-10 in 2017.

Southern Miss pummeled FIU 37-17 as the Golden Eagles end their season at 3-9 and the Panthers end theirs at 1-11, and without an FBS win.

New Mexico State finally got an FBS win with a 44-27 victory over UMass. The Aggies end up at 2-10, the Minutemen at 1-11.

Hawaii dominated Wyoming 38-14 to reach 6 wins.

Alabama outlasted Auburn 24-22 in 4 overtimes in the Iron Bowl. The Crimson Tide never led in regulation, and trailed by 7 with 97 yards to go on their last possession. The Tigers gave a courageous performance, but came up just short.

Oregon clinched the Pac 12 North, and a rematch with Utah, with a 38-29 win over rival Oregon State.

Michigan State survived Penn State 30-27.

WKU clinched the CUSA East by demolishing Marshall 52-21.

Illinois destroyed Northwestern 47-14, ending their season at 5-7 and sending the Wildcats to 3-9/

Purdue stomped Indiana 44-7, and the Hoosiers finish their season 2-10, and 0-9 in the Big Ten, their worst overall season since they were 1-11 in 2011 (Kevin Wilson's 1st year), and their worst conference record since they were 0-9 in 1984 (Bill Mallory's 1st year).

Tennessee but a bow on their turnaround season with a 45-21 win over Vanderbilt, and the Commodores are 2-10, and winless in the SEC for the 2nd straight season.

Virginia Tech ruined Virginia's day with a 29-24 victory in their annual rivalry game.

Minnesota denied Wisconsin from winning the Big Ten West by defeating the Badgers 23-13 as both teams finish the regular season at 8-4.

Tulsa earned bowl eligibility with a 34-31 upset over SMU.

Louisiana squeaked by ULM 21-16 as the Warhawks finish 4-8.

Arizona State crushed Arizona 38-15, sending the Wildcats to a 1-11 record, the most losses in one season in their history.

LSU upset Texas A&M 27-24 with a late TD pass. The Bayou Bengals are now bowl eligible.

Middle Tennessee defeated FAU 27-17 in a contest between two 5-6 teams.

West Virginia survived an upset attempt by Kansas 34-28, getting to 6 wins for the 2nd year in a row. The Jayhawks finish at 2-10.

Oklahoma State shut down Oklahoma in the 2nd half to win 37-33 and deny the Sooners from making the Big 12 CG.

Pittsburgh routed Syracuse 31-14 as the Orange fall short of earning a bowl bid.

Kentucky pounded Louisville 52-21 as the SEC went 3-1 against the ACC in their annual rivalry games.

Clemson shut out South Carolina 30-0, the ACC's only win over the SEC in 4 tries on this day. The ACC finished 3-7 against the SEC for the year.

Memphis eased by Tulane 33-28 to earn bowl eligibility. The Green Wave finish at 2-10.

Notre Dame crushed Stanford 45-10, sending the Cardinal tumbling to a 3-9 record.

Nevada stomped Colorado State 52-10 as the Rams end their season at 3-9.

BYU won their 5th game over a Pac 12 team with a 35-31 win over USC. The Cougars went 5-0 against the Pac 12 this season, and 6-1 against P5 competition. The Trojans suffered their 7th loss and will not be going to a bowl.

UCLA routed California 42-14, sending the Golden Bears to their 7th loss.

That's all for this week.  Come back tomorrow for my updated Power Rankings! Follow me on Twitter (@pbanderson)

Until next time, may you and your loved ones be blessed!