Never let it be said that Dumpster Fires of the Week is a homer list or only goes after Oklahoma’s foes. No one is immune.
Dumpster Fires of the Week: Week 6
1. OU in Dallas
Suck-ass run defense against a one-dimensional offense? Check.
Terrible offensive line play against a terrible pass defense that neutralizes your only offensive weapon? Check.
Lose the turnover battle? Check.
Give up early momentum to keep an unstable underdog in the game? Check.
Completely fail to make a big stop on defense at critical moments of the game? Check.
There’s your Bob Stoops-led course on how to lose to your biggest rival in the middle of what should be a three-year losing streak.
2. USC in the Mausoleum
I’m talking about the listless, sleepwalking effort by the Trojans leading to their second home loss this season. A home loss to an unranked team has become an all-too-frequent result for USC lately.
Washington smacked around an ultra-talented USC squad who seemed confused about their offensive game plan on offense. On defense, UW ran at will against USC’s bigger, faster front seven.
Obviously, USC appears to be in crisis mode as the Trojans look for their third head coach in the last three years. (Regarding Coach Sark, I hope he finds the help he needs.)
3. Wake Forest vs. Boston College
Final score: 3-0. Once again, Wake Forest is partly responsible for perhaps the worst game of the year. (Last year it was Wake-Virginia Tech, which ended 0-0 in regulation.)
This year, we narrowly avoided overtime only by the grace of a 25-yard field goal by Wake. Somehow, I think if it had been a 26-yard attempt, we would have had that OT at 0-0. (Ironically, BC missed a 26-yard attmpt.)
Wake won despite gaining 33 yards on 26 carries and passing for 109 yards. The real star for the Demon Deacons was their punter, who averaged 49 yards per kick, compared with BC’s punter at 41 yards per punt.
4. Oregon
Team Nike is in real trouble. The offense is losing playmakers to injury, and the defense is a total mess.
The Pirate Ship Leach just plundered Eugene for the first time since 2010. Oregon has now lost three regular season games for the first time in since 2008. More losses are on the way with California and Utah up next. Even games against Washington and Arizona State look questionable.
5. Big 12 Refs
Yes, for the third week in a row, Big 12 refs make this list.
What incredibly obvious infraction did not get called – or even caught on review? Illegal forward pass in the TCU-Kansas State game, and it wasn’t close: KSU QB Joe Hubener was four yards past the line of scrimmage when he threw it.
The only guess here is that the refs thought it was a lateral, but the pass clearly went forward. Again, not even reviewed by replay.
The Clown College that is the Big 12’s officiating headquarters will be issuing yet another apology soon.
-Atlantasooner