2017 e-Systems College Football Pool – Week 3 Results

Train Right Open, Big Ben In.

They’re six seemingly incongruous words, but put together, they have a fond spot in the heart of every Florida fan. With nine seconds left on the clock, on their own 37-yard line, all the momentum of the game against them, and having squandered about 25 seconds of game time due to not calling a timeout when coming short of a first down on the previous play, the completely unexpected happened. The play call, “Train Right Open, Big Ben In”, combined with some scrambling and a really good Kordell Stewart impersonation by quarterback Felipe Franks, resulted in a 63-yard touchdown pass and an improbable 26-20 win for the Gators over Tennessee. It was the last six of 37 combined points between the teams in the fourth quarter after entering the period as a 6-3 slugfest. Oh, one other thing about that play, Train Right Open, Big Ben In. It was also the play call Florida used in 2015 to take the lead with 90 seconds to go in a 28-27 win over the Vols. The result of the play? A 63-yard touchdown pass. If I’m Jim McElwain, I know what play I’m calling next time from my own 37 against Tennessee with time running out…

Oklahoma State is scary this year. In their first three games, the aggregate first-quarter score has been Cowboys 59, opponents zip. Oklahoma State had 516 yards of total offense and 49 points against Pittsburgh – in the first half. They scored touchdowns on each of their first seven possessions. Quarterback Mason Rudolph had 423 passing yards in the first half alone, and ended the game with 497 after being pulled in the third quarter. Now the Cowboys enter their Big 12 schedule, and no team in the conference shy of their rivals from Norman seem capable of slowing them down. Bedlam on November 4 is going to be extra-special this year, and due to the reinstatement of the Big 12 Championship game, it might be the first of two games the Cowboys and Sooners play…

There is no better advice for coaches in college football than this: don’t punt the ball to Dante Pettis. The Washington wide receiver took a punt back 77 yards to the house against Fresno State in the first quarter of a 48-16 Huskies win. It was the eighth career punt return for a touchdown for Pettis, tying the NCAA record for a career with Antonio Perkins of Oklahoma and Wes Welker of Texas Tech. He also tied the NCAA record for consecutive games with a punt return for a score with three, having turned the trick against Rutgers and Montana in the first two games of the season. Colorado is the next team to try its luck against Pettis in his quest for punt return glory.

In small-school news, Slippery Rock’s Division II football program is probably best known for its strange school name, nickname (The Rock), and the tradition of having scores of its games announced at Michigan Stadium since 1959 (other large schools used to do it as well, but Michigan is the only one who has continued the tradition). But now they can add another bit of history: Marcus Martin, their senior defensive end. In a 33-7 win over Lock Haven, Martin had three tackles for loss and two sacks to bring his career totals to 79.5 TFL and 47 sacks, both career NCAA Division II records. He is only 6.5 sacks shy of the all-division NCAA record of 53.5, set by Mike Czerwien of Division III Waynesburg University. Given that he already has 6.5 sacks this year through his first three games, there’s a reasonably good chance that he’ll get there.

Congratulations to WarTiger91, who wins week 3 with 219 points! JagAL was second with 218, and AUBrian and AllySun each had 216.

Standings after three weeks:

Week four brings another large slate of games – 22, to be precise – so lots of points are at stake. Pick wisely! The first game this week is Temple at South Florida, Thursday, September 21 @ 7:30 PM ET, so make sure to get your picks in by then!