Great read. WHAT A GAME!! As a Duck fan the end of the season was disappointing. How ironic it that it came down to a one legged QB… It makes me wonder…”what if Nix didn’t get hurt in that UW game?”
SO MUCH RESPECT FOR CAM, KYLE AND THAT UTAH TEAM! That is one TOUGH QB!!
Apparently painting derogatory things like that On your nails DONT win you games. I think that speaks a lot to his character and maturity.
USC's season had been compiled with smoke & mirrors, a convenient schedule, and a very good offense when healthy. Utah's season had been compiled with great big hairy BALLS! they weren't the best talent on the field every week, but they competed hard and got the most out of their team (almost) every week. I'm a Duck fan and very disappointed in the end of our season, but Sh!t happens, and especially in college football it seems. Good luck to Utah in the Rose bowl. On a lesser note...it seems Mr. Williams has a lot of growing up and maturing to do.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ass-kicking Utah delivered to SC. The Trojans were finally exposed. Yeah, I know Caleb got dinged, but so what? Rising has a bad wheel, too. It was the Utah defense - adjustments made after Q1 - that won the game. Major props (again) to Coach Whit and his staff. I hope Coach Lanning stays in Eugene as long as Whittingham has stayed in SLC. And the Natty cash lost for the PAC? Don't care. Don't go away mad, USC. Just go away.
Excellent column. I’m not a huge Utah fan but nice to see USC eat some “humble pie”. Caleb didn’t look like a Heisman winner tonight. And Jonathan Smith definitely COY not Lincoln Riley, don’t you think?!😎
A great article, John. You are a gift to readers!! No one says it better. I hope Whittington gets coach of the year! If there is anything my Oregon Duck coach learns from this year, I hope it’s what the Utes and Beavers coaches showed him about building a team with character, not just number of stars on their recruit resume.
Pretty great to see that coaching and heart can still get it done in college football. Another win for John Henry over the machine. There may be a day when the mercenaries take over this sport, but it’s not today!
Absolutely right John. No hotdogs for the Utes. Just tough, hard nosed football players that are well coached. The adjustments made by Utah on both sides of the ball after the first quarter were amazing. Better coach and superior talent.
The Oregon Civil War and SC Championship losses proved that simply throwing money at the portal for coaches and players will give a great season, but not win the important games.
So both games just slowed the whole NIL/portal madness. Both showed that its coaches that build culture that stand longevity, and the players don;t quit.
Had both the Ducks and SC won, it would have much larger implications than just who won, it would have changed all of college football.
It took Smith's team to take out the Ducks to make sure the Utes played the SC, and it took Whittingham's team to take down SC... had it worked any other way (SC vs Ducks, everyone would have lost in college football)
Great Game! I am very happy for Utah. They make the most with what they have, which are 30-35 ranked recruiting classes year after year with 4-5 4-star players and no 5-stars (I believe talent makes a difference in FBS football). When a team can play up to Top 10 with 30th level talent, that is coaching. USC has Top 10 talent every year, but manages to play down, not up. Coaching. My team, the Beavers, can look at Utah and aspire to their performance. OSU which has been in the 50s or 60s in recruiting talent and as bad as 80s under Anderson (barely FBS level talent) can probably get to the 30s, maybe high 20s, but not the teens in recruiting. Coaching will need to make up the difference. Thankfully, the Beavers, like the Utes, have a great head coach and quality staff.
Another example of tradition conflicting with the playoffs. I'll take tradition again. Fans should want and appreciate a competitive conference such as the PAC-12. A regular season of infighting among ranked teams.
Also as a Buckeye I'd like to thank the committee and the Utes for keeping hope alive.
i agree David but officials should have given USC an unsportsmanlike for the 'fuck utah' that Caleb Williams painted on his fingernails. They gave UTAH an unsportsmanlike for one of their players removing his helmet to celebrate after he scored. I am so disappointed in USC and in particular Williams and then Riley who allowed it. Terrible role models for our children.
Or, a Unsportsmanlike penalty on USC, for the shove out of the end zone after the last Utah score. Cheap. PS Chip, love your Sports books when i was younger, :).
Nicely done John! Excellent analysis. Both Withinham and Smith have shown what real coaching can accomplish. It's a shame that most observers prefer to focus on glitter.
I know many people had said that USC winning would be the best for the conference. But I think every person in the Pac-12, other than USC’s fans, breathed a huge sigh of relief to see that team get humiliated last night. I don’t even care that it hurts Oregon’s end of year bowl prospects.
If you don't get the Rose Bowl, does the bowl really matter? Sun, Holiday, Alamo, Vegas....they are all the same level. The Sun is in El Paso, not great for traveling fans. But it is Dec 30 which extends the coaching period by a couple weeks over earlier bowls.
Agree Ken, I have been a big college fan for sixty plus years, and now after the first quarter on TV I am losing interest in the game because it doesn't live up to the hype.
Unless a healthy Rising beats UofO. And a healthy Williams was a lot better until he wasn't healthy anymore, especially when his #1 RB was also healthy. Health always matters, and for everyone. There are what-ifs at all 7 bowl-eligible teams, and a couple of others, that we will never know the answers to.
Utah was playing with many subs. What's the subjective point, your injuries are worse than mine??!!
Kuithe lost for the year. Kincaid obviously wasnt full strength. Best WR Vele didnt run any routes. 1st team RB last yearTavion Thomas, quit. Rising gimpy. On defense, Jonah Ellis and Filinger out.
The health situation is not a "lame" excuse, it (and depth and rehab and health management) is a significant factor. My point was that Utah (and a lot of others) did also have health issues, ones that the Utes dealt with with some considerable success. This in response to the point that a healthy Oregon and a healthy Nix would have made a difference. Of course it would have.
It is LAME. It is like saying if the team hadnt fumbled or threw a pick they would have won the game. It is part of the game so subjective arguments of this is really just excuses.
The 1972 undefeated Dolphins played with Earl Morrral after game 4 and still won all their games.
lol. i thought you were being sarcastic. it works either way I think. FYI, there is an edit button it is to the right of 'collapse'. just hover over the 3 dots.
Great read. WHAT A GAME!! As a Duck fan the end of the season was disappointing. How ironic it that it came down to a one legged QB… It makes me wonder…”what if Nix didn’t get hurt in that UW game?”
SO MUCH RESPECT FOR CAM, KYLE AND THAT UTAH TEAM! That is one TOUGH QB!!
Apparently painting derogatory things like that On your nails DONT win you games. I think that speaks a lot to his character and maturity.
USC's season had been compiled with smoke & mirrors, a convenient schedule, and a very good offense when healthy. Utah's season had been compiled with great big hairy BALLS! they weren't the best talent on the field every week, but they competed hard and got the most out of their team (almost) every week. I'm a Duck fan and very disappointed in the end of our season, but Sh!t happens, and especially in college football it seems. Good luck to Utah in the Rose bowl. On a lesser note...it seems Mr. Williams has a lot of growing up and maturing to do.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ass-kicking Utah delivered to SC. The Trojans were finally exposed. Yeah, I know Caleb got dinged, but so what? Rising has a bad wheel, too. It was the Utah defense - adjustments made after Q1 - that won the game. Major props (again) to Coach Whit and his staff. I hope Coach Lanning stays in Eugene as long as Whittingham has stayed in SLC. And the Natty cash lost for the PAC? Don't care. Don't go away mad, USC. Just go away.
AMEN! DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU IN THE AS*!
Utah was the better team tonight. The classier one too. Wonder if the BIG thinks they’ve picked the wrong team?
No
Excellent column. I’m not a huge Utah fan but nice to see USC eat some “humble pie”. Caleb didn’t look like a Heisman winner tonight. And Jonathan Smith definitely COY not Lincoln Riley, don’t you think?!😎
Agree now. Absolutely.
A great article, John. You are a gift to readers!! No one says it better. I hope Whittington gets coach of the year! If there is anything my Oregon Duck coach learns from this year, I hope it’s what the Utes and Beavers coaches showed him about building a team with character, not just number of stars on their recruit resume.
Coach Lanning came from the #1 team in college football with an excellent coach. He doesn’t need to “learn” anything from the Beavers or Utes!
I’m an old man and I hope I never stop learning. 🙂
Hats of to the Utes...”Back-To-Back!”
Pretty great to see that coaching and heart can still get it done in college football. Another win for John Henry over the machine. There may be a day when the mercenaries take over this sport, but it’s not today!
Yo are right, it was a great win for me! lol
(not often I see my name in print)
Absolutely right John. No hotdogs for the Utes. Just tough, hard nosed football players that are well coached. The adjustments made by Utah on both sides of the ball after the first quarter were amazing. Better coach and superior talent.
The Oregon Civil War and SC Championship losses proved that simply throwing money at the portal for coaches and players will give a great season, but not win the important games.
So both games just slowed the whole NIL/portal madness. Both showed that its coaches that build culture that stand longevity, and the players don;t quit.
Had both the Ducks and SC won, it would have much larger implications than just who won, it would have changed all of college football.
It took Smith's team to take out the Ducks to make sure the Utes played the SC, and it took Whittingham's team to take down SC... had it worked any other way (SC vs Ducks, everyone would have lost in college football)
Great Game! I am very happy for Utah. They make the most with what they have, which are 30-35 ranked recruiting classes year after year with 4-5 4-star players and no 5-stars (I believe talent makes a difference in FBS football). When a team can play up to Top 10 with 30th level talent, that is coaching. USC has Top 10 talent every year, but manages to play down, not up. Coaching. My team, the Beavers, can look at Utah and aspire to their performance. OSU which has been in the 50s or 60s in recruiting talent and as bad as 80s under Anderson (barely FBS level talent) can probably get to the 30s, maybe high 20s, but not the teens in recruiting. Coaching will need to make up the difference. Thankfully, the Beavers, like the Utes, have a great head coach and quality staff.
Another example of tradition conflicting with the playoffs. I'll take tradition again. Fans should want and appreciate a competitive conference such as the PAC-12. A regular season of infighting among ranked teams.
Also as a Buckeye I'd like to thank the committee and the Utes for keeping hope alive.
Go Bucks. Go Beavs. Go Utes.
By the way, props to the officiating crew for not be a topic of conversation - whod’ve thunk?
GO DAWGS
i agree David but officials should have given USC an unsportsmanlike for the 'fuck utah' that Caleb Williams painted on his fingernails. They gave UTAH an unsportsmanlike for one of their players removing his helmet to celebrate after he scored. I am so disappointed in USC and in particular Williams and then Riley who allowed it. Terrible role models for our children.
Or, a Unsportsmanlike penalty on USC, for the shove out of the end zone after the last Utah score. Cheap. PS Chip, love your Sports books when i was younger, :).
well spoken, Chip
GO DAWGS
Are you serious? SMH
always 😎
GO DAWGS
Nicely done John! Excellent analysis. Both Withinham and Smith have shown what real coaching can accomplish. It's a shame that most observers prefer to focus on glitter.
I know many people had said that USC winning would be the best for the conference. But I think every person in the Pac-12, other than USC’s fans, breathed a huge sigh of relief to see that team get humiliated last night. I don’t even care that it hurts Oregon’s end of year bowl prospects.
If you don't get the Rose Bowl, does the bowl really matter? Sun, Holiday, Alamo, Vegas....they are all the same level. The Sun is in El Paso, not great for traveling fans. But it is Dec 30 which extends the coaching period by a couple weeks over earlier bowls.
Just goes to show that you need to max out in the NIL market and recruit a roster full of five-stars to win in major college football.
Agree Ken, I have been a big college fan for sixty plus years, and now after the first quarter on TV I am losing interest in the game because it doesn't live up to the hype.
Yes. Should read ‘don’t need.’ My bad.
Did you leave out the word DONT. Does USC have as many 4/5 stars as Mighty Oregon? Oh and where is Oregon these days?
nursing a QB that beat Utah on one leg. A healthy Nix and we beat Wash. and OSU
a healthy QB and the Ducks ARE the class of the Pac 12
Unless a healthy Rising beats UofO. And a healthy Williams was a lot better until he wasn't healthy anymore, especially when his #1 RB was also healthy. Health always matters, and for everyone. There are what-ifs at all 7 bowl-eligible teams, and a couple of others, that we will never know the answers to.
Utah was playing with many subs. What's the subjective point, your injuries are worse than mine??!!
Kuithe lost for the year. Kincaid obviously wasnt full strength. Best WR Vele didnt run any routes. 1st team RB last yearTavion Thomas, quit. Rising gimpy. On defense, Jonah Ellis and Filinger out.
The injury excuse - LAME
The health situation is not a "lame" excuse, it (and depth and rehab and health management) is a significant factor. My point was that Utah (and a lot of others) did also have health issues, ones that the Utes dealt with with some considerable success. This in response to the point that a healthy Oregon and a healthy Nix would have made a difference. Of course it would have.
It is LAME. It is like saying if the team hadnt fumbled or threw a pick they would have won the game. It is part of the game so subjective arguments of this is really just excuses.
The 1972 undefeated Dolphins played with Earl Morrral after game 4 and still won all their games.
I remember you from SB Nation.
Bo Nix ran a lot. Getting dinged is part of that deal.
Yes. I left out the word 'don't.' My bad.
lol. i thought you were being sarcastic. it works either way I think. FYI, there is an edit button it is to the right of 'collapse'. just hover over the 3 dots.