It’s time for another edition of “Spencer’s Sunday Thoughts” – a weekly column focused on college football headlines in Iowa, the Big Ten, Big 12 and beyond. Here’s what’s on my mind this week:
I’m not lying when I tell you that I thought Iowa State would have some trouble with the Bearcats, but I didn’t think that the Cyclones would play as poorly as they did in the first half in the upset loss.
Cincinnati scored the first 17 points of the game before Iowa State found the end zone, and expanded their lead to 31-7 before Rocco Becht ran in for a score on an untimed down on the last play before halftime. Give credit to the Cyclones for battling back in the second half to make it a nine-point game, but the Bearcats put the game on ice with an 82-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter.
Iowa State couldn’t get the run game going at all in this one, netting just 151 yards as a team. Becht threw the ball 48 times, completing 30 passes for 314 yards and two scores, and ran for two more touchdowns in the game, but when the defense can’t get stops, a good day like that will almost always go to waste.
We’ve seen Matt Campbell’s teams respond to adversity in the past, and we will see if they can do it again next Saturday as the Cyclones visit Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes.
Big Ten Notes:
No question, the story in the Big Ten (and nationally) is UCLA’s stunning upset of seventh-ranked Penn State. The Bruins had never led in a game this season going into Saturday’s game at the Rose Bowl, but took the opening kickoff and drove 11 plays in 75 yards to take a 7-0 lead, and expanded that lead to 27-7 at halftime. Even when the Nittany Lions made it a game in the second half, UCLA did something they hadn’t shown all season – show fight – and seal the win.
Just how bad was this loss for Penn State? The Nittany Lions are the first team in 40 years to enter as a top-10 opponent and lose to a team that was 0-4 or worse in that game. That such scenario has only happened three times in history, including yesterday’s loss. For what it’s worth, Penn State was also a 24-and-a-half point favorite over the Bruins and lost straight up.
Not only does James Franklin lose the big games, now he loses the insignificant ones, too.
Elsewhere – Illinois got to 5-1 with a 43-27 win over Purdue. Luke Altmyer was great, completing 19-of-22 passes for 390 yards and a score.
Neither quarterback played particularly well in Nebraska’s win over Michigan State in Lincoln, but Emmett Johnson’s three touchdown runs helped the Huskers hold off Sparty in the end. The Aidan Chiles Experience continues for Michigan State, with the Spartans’ signal caller running for two touchdowns, but only passing for 85 yards and throwing two picks in the loss.
In Ann Arbor – Michigan fell behind early, but wore Wisconsin down in the end 24-10. Justice Haynes ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns, while Bryce Underwood threw for 270 and a score.
Wisconsin started third string quarterback Hunter Simmons instead of Danny O’Neill, but got similar results. Luke Fickell apparently thinks you can bankroll timeouts from week to week, too.
Iowa/Wisconsin next Saturday will certainly be one of the football games of all time.
National Notes
Penn State’s loss takes the cake as the upset of the week, but the Nittany Lions were not the only ranked team to lose in week 6.
Florida saved Billy Napier’s job for another week, beating Texas in The Swamp 29-21. Arch Manning was picked off twice in the loss, as the preseason #1 team in the AP Poll fell to 3-2. When you add in Penn State’s record, the top two teams in the preseason rankings are a combined 6-4.
Florida State dropped their second straight game, falling to Miami at home 28-22, and 16th ranked Vanderbilt played #10 Alabama tough, but lost in Tuscaloosa 30-14.
What stood out to you in week six? Send me an email – spencer@kgymradio.com or find me on social media to continue the conversation.
Spencer Wagen is the host of “Spencer on Sports”, weekdays from 4-6 PM on 1600 ESPN. You can follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @SWOnTheRadio
