The middle weeks of November always make me shrug. As the excitement of Closing Month focuses on teams playing for conference or national championships-- or simply trying to become bowl eligible-- college hoops tips off its regular season. Isn't there enough going on? Can't they push back opening weekend one week? Not to pull my "old codger", but when I was young they'd wait until the weekend before Thanksgiving for games-and we liked it! It doesn't help now that just about everybody plays through the last week of November-- this isn't 1985 when the Big Ten was wrapped up before Turkey day. Instead, you have non-conference games that get shoved to the side because 1/12 of a football season (usually a conference or rivalry game) takes precedence over 1/30 of a basketball campaign (usually against a non-conference foe on a lower level). Which brings me to the Maryland-Georgetown womens showdown. Has the feel of a Saturday December tilt, right? The perfect appetizer to conference play? No-- the Terps and Hoyas get shoved into a Sunday slot where the Redskins and Ravens have meaningful games (okay, Skins fans-- humor me here). I know the audience for womens hoops and the NFL isn't exactly the same demo-- but if you schedule that game for early November you're almost asking for it to be buried under Skinsationalism and Ravens coverage (working on a Ravens hybrid word...I will take suggestions). Meanwhile, the college football season still has two more regular season weeks to sort out.
Maryland (2-7) punted four times in the first quarter allowed Notre Dame to score on four of their six first half possessions... and the second half wasn't much better: the Irish scored on their opening drive...and then returned a pick six. A broken arm would then end Danny O'Brien's year as the team falls 45-21. With two games remaining in the 2011 season, one wonders what happened to a 9-4 team-- and what will need to happen between now and next Labor Day to get this program on the right track. Terrapin Triumphs-- DJ Adams saw his most serious action since the West Virginia game, tallying 55 yards rushing and a touchdown while catching two passes... Alex Twine tallied 12 tackles with one sack... Nick Ferrara averaged over 40 yards a punt. Terrapin Troubles-- 3 of 12 on third down while allowing the Fighting Irish to move the chains on 10 of 16 opportunities... the run defense allowed almost 6 yards a carry when adjusted for sacks... and no turnovers generated against a Notre Dame team that has had trouble hanging onto the football. Next Up: Saturday at Wake Forest.
Virginia (7-3) made a team bowl-ineligible for the second straight week, defeating Duke 31-21 in a game that had every inkling of a letdown. Kippy and Buffy raised the bar once again for their tailgate: Mollydooker "Blue Eyed Boy" Shiraz with pepperjack cheese on triscuits. Cavalier Congrats-- Michael Rocco threw two touchdown passes while the defense held the Blue Devils to 34 net rushing yards. Cavalier Concerns-- 6 of 15 on third down led to 6 three and outs in twelve possessions... 6 penalties... and the lack of a first half knockout punch won't help UVa as it transitions from lambs to lions on its November schedule. Next Up: Saturday at Florida State.
#9 Virginia Tech (9-1) owns Closing Month and usually owns Thursday Night: the two forces collided in VT's 37-26 victory over Georgia Tech. This matchup has played like an ACC Semifinal since divisional play began: either the Hokies or Yellowjackets have played on the first Saturday of December. Hokie Highlights-- Logan Thomas threw three touchdown passes while running for two more scores... David Wilson ran for 175 yards... VT converted 10 of 16 third downs-- and on two non-conversions followed with moving the chains on fourth down. Hokie Humblings-- Guess who scored first? Yes, VT was blanked in the first quarter 7-0. I can't think of a better team worse in the opening period. And the start of the college basketball season already has me thinking about how Seth Greenberg's team is on the bubble. Next Up: Thursday against North Carolina-- bring the Turkey Legs.
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