Inside The College Football Boxscores Week 4 – Part 3

Fargo looks past the top line scores and goes deep into the box scores to get a better picture of what really happened for all of the FBS games the past weekend.

Marshall 42, Middle Tennessee 28

After a punt and an interception in the first five plays of the game, Marshall and Middle Tennessee erupted for five straight touchdowns with the Thundering Herd taking a 21-14 lead into the second quarter. The Blue Raiders then ran off 14 straight points to take the lead but Marshall took over with a 21-0 fourth quarter. The Blue Raiders were outgained by 73 yards but ran 23 fewer plays and outgained Marshall 7.8 to 6.3 yppl but had 12 penalties for 111 yards and were 3-11 on third and fourth down.

Louisiana Tech 30, Southern Miss 20

Southern Mississippi went three and out to open the game and Louisiana Tech scored two plays later for a 7-0 lead. The Golden Eagles responded with a four-play touchdown drive and after trading field goals, the Bulldogs regained their touchdown lead and then returned an interception for a touchdown and tacked on another score to take a 20-point lead at halftime. Southern Mississippi outgained the Bulldogs 514-339 but ran 23 more plays while four drives of 206 yards resulted in no points.

BYU 34, East Carolina 13

The defenses were the story in the first half as BYU had a 6-3 lead late in the second quarter and the Cougars then intercepted a pass deep in East Carolina territory and returned it for a touchdown. BYU scored the first touchdown of the second half and the Pirates could only respond with a field goal while the Cougars pulled away with another touchdown. BYU won the yardage by only 14 yards but that was on 17 fewer plays and it outgained the Pirates 7.0 to 5.2 yppl and won the turnover battle 2-0.

Washington 59, Washington State 24

The Apple Cup was a game for a while and then the Huskies took over and did not let up. Washington went ahead 14-0 on its first two possessions, the first off the opening kickoff and the second off an interception but the Cougars hung tough and pulled to within a touchdown at the end of the third quarter before the Huskies did not call of the dogs, winning the fourth quarter 28-0. Washington outgained the Cougars 471-304 on 12 fewer plays and scored on all eight possessions and once on defense.

Indiana 63, Illinois 10

Indiana blocked a punt for a touchdown to open the scoring and while Illinois responded with a three-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, the Hoosiers took over after that. They scored on their next possession and then added three second quarter touchdowns to take a 35-10 lead into halftime and then scored on four straight possessions in the second half. Indiana outgained the Illini 579-161 while holding them to 2 yards rushing on 20 carries (0.2 ypc) and nine first downs. Illinois was 1-10 on third down.

Miami (FL) 26, Florida 7

Miami took a 13-0 lead into halftime but Florida put together a long drive late in the third quarter to make it a one possession game yet the Hurricanes sealed it with an 80-yard, 11-play drive that took 7:12 in the fourth quarter. The Gators final four possessions resulted in 29 total yards while turning it over on downs three times. Miami held the Gators to 141 yard and seven first downs and did not allow a third down conversion in 13 attempts but its offense was not great with 344 yards on 4.5 yppl.

Vanderbilt 70, Georgia State 21

Vanderbilt spotted the Panthers a field goal to open the scoring and then scored the next 21 points in the first quarter. Georgia St. was able to go 75 yards to score a touchdown and the Commodores repeated by scoring the next 21 points in the second quarter. Vanderbilt neither punted nor committed a turnover while turning it over on downs twice as its only non-scoring possessions. They outgained the Panthers 635-290 and 8.9 to 4.3 yppl while the game was marred with 25 penalties for 208 yards.

Virginia 48, Stanford 20

Stanford went three and out to open the game and Virginia went 65 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead but the Cardinal did respond with their own touchdown to tie the game. It took Virginia one play to retake the lead on a 75-yard touchdown pass, the start of three straight scores to open up a 28-7 lead and it never relinquished the double-digit lead. The Cavaliers outgained Stanford 590-321 and 8.0 to 5.3 yppl and they held the Cardinal to 35 yards rushing on 31 carries (1.1 ypc).

Arizona State 27, Baylor 24

No lead was more than a possession for either team throughout the whole game although Baylor only had one lead which did not come until the fourth quarter and it was just a one point lead. The Sun Devils and Bears then traded touchdowns late in the quarter until Arizona St. went 49 yards and hit the game winning 43-yard field goal as time expired. The Sun Devils outgained Baylor 400-357 but ran 18 more plays and the Bears had the yppl edge at 5.8 to 5.0 but they lost the turnover battle 3-0.

Texas 55, Sam Houston 0

The final score tells the story as it was never a game with Texas scoring a touchdown on six of its first eight possessions while adding a pair of field goals in there before taking the foot off the gas with a pair of late punts on its final two possessions. Sam Houston punted on nine of 11 possessions not counting the final end of game drive and the furthest it got was the Texas 42-yard line before an interception. When it was all said and done, Texas outgained the Bearkats 607-113 and 8.8 to 2.2 yppl.

ULM 31, UTEP 25

UL Monroe struck first with a touchdown concluding a three-play, 96-yard drive but the Miners responded with a 73-yard touchdown pass on their first play after getting the kickoff. The Warhawks then scored the next 24 points to pull away but UTEP tried to make a game of it as it put up 18 points on three drives of 78, 67 and 77 yards but threw two interceptions on its last two possessions. UL Monroe outrushed UTEP 250-33 but was outpassed 409-149 in a very unbalanced game from both sides.

UTSA 17, Colorado State 16

A suspect coaching decision cost Colorado St. a chance for at least overtime as it tied the game with 29 second remaining but with a UTSA penalty on the extra point, the Rams took the point off the board to go for two points and missed it. The Roadrunners opened the scoring on a 76-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter and never lost the lead. Colorado St. outgained the Roadrunners 407-345 but ran 15 more plays and was outgained 5.8 to 5.4 yppl while committing 11 penalties for 115 yards.

Colorado 37, Wyoming 20

After a pair of Wyoming punts sandwiched around a Colorado punt, the Buffaloes got on the scoreboard first, going 85 yards on 13 plays to take a 7-0 lead. The Cowboys responded with a solid drive down to the 10-yard line but had to settle for a field goal and Colorado then ran off 21 straight points to pull away. They had a sloppy end to the second half as they had a three and out, a fumble at the Wyoming one yard line and a blocked field goal attempt. Colorado outgained Wyoming 8.4 to 5.2 yppl.

San Diego State 34, California 0

The score shows a shutout but California was able to move the ball but lacked execution. The Golden Bears turned it over on downs at the Aztecs two-yard line on their first possession and it continued as they missed a field goal, coughed up a fumble, threw a pair of interceptions in a four-play stretch, one returned for a touchdown and turned it over on downs again. California was outgained by only 32 yards although it ran 21 more plays and was outgained 6.3 to 4.0 in yppl and was -3 in turnovers.

USC 45, Michigan State 31

Michigan St. kept this one close early as it was a 17-10 game late in the second quarter before USC went 88 yards and took a 14-point lead into halftime and then scored on their first second half possession. The Spartans got one touchdown back then recovered a fumble on the Trojans next play and cut it to seven points but the Trojans pulled away after that. USC outgained Michigan St. 523-337 while rushing for 289 yards on 40 carries (7.2 ypc) but was guilty of 11 penalties for 82 yards.

Fresno State 23, Hawaii 21

Hawaii opened up a 9-0 lead late in the second quarter with the offense generating only 69 yards as the defense got a safety and then returned a fumble 37 yards for a touchdown. The third quarter was not much better with 85 yards in three possessions but the Warriors got two field goals and still had a lead but Fresno St. took an eight-point lead following a pick six. Hawaii scored with 10 seconds left but missed the two-point conversion. The teams were separated by only seven total yards.

SUBSCRIPTIONS