The Week That Was: Week Eleven

Games of the week

1. Southern Miss at UAB: This one had a lot at stake. If the Blazers won they would clinch the CUSA West division and the Golden Eagles are fighting for their bowl lives. This game went back and forth with both teams trading the lead and that get us to overtime at Legion Field. Southern Miss would be held to field goal but then the heart of UAB’s team Spencer Brown busted off a run and took it into the endzone for the win. The Blazers are going to the CUSA title game and this game was a classic.

2. North Texas at Old Dominion: 28-0. That’s how much the Mean Green lead by in this game. Mason Fine had yet another great performance for North Texas but the Monarchs weren’t going away. They would come storming back to score 17 points in a row and then would trade scores back and forth. In the 4th quarter the score would sit at 31-27. Old Dominion would go on a drive and with 15 seconds left running back Lala Davis would punch it in the endzone and seal the win for his team. ODU wins 34-31.

Honorable mention: Fresno State at Boise State

Top Dogs

1. Ryquell Armstead- RB, Temple: The Owls gave Houston their second loss in a row and it was in large part because of Armstead. He rushed for 220 yards and SIX touchdowns. No that’s not a typo.

Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

2. Darnell Mooney- WR, Tulane: The Green wave got a huge win to keep their AAC west title hopes alive and Mooney was a big reason why. He had six receptions for 217 yards and two touchdowns.

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

3. Brent Stockstill- QB, Middle Tennessee State: The Blue Raiders won again and are keeping their CUSA title game hopes alive in the process. Stockstill was outstanding against UTEP, he had 352 yards and four touchdowns.

Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

4. Caleb Evans- QB, UL-Monore: The Warhawks are going bowling!!! They clinched that with a win over South Alabama and a big game from their quarterback. Evans has 367 yards and two touchdowns.

Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

5. FAU’s Running back duo: This is the second week in a row that Whyte and Singletary are on this list and rightfully so. The Owls got a win over Western Kentucky and they ran all over them. Whyte had 163 yards and two touchdowns. Singletary had 148 yards and two touchdowns and became the first running back to break 4,000 career yards in School history.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Upsets of the week

1. Temple over Houston: Houston was coming off of a loss against SMU and Temple was coming off a loss of their own against UCF. The Cougars still had a lot to play for including a AAC title game berth and Temple was looking to keep their small AAC title game hopes alive. We already mentioned the day that Armstead had for Temple but it was the Houston defense for the second week in a row that would cost them. Houston scored 49 points but that wasn’t enough because they just couldn’t stop the ground game from the Owls. Temple gets the win 59-49.

Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

2. UNLV over San Diego State: What has happened to the Aztecs? After a few double digit win seasons in a row San Diego State has taken a step back. UNLV came into this game after giving San Jose State their first win of the season and rumblings of a coaching change as well. The Rebels would go on the road and hold the Aztecs offense to just 24 points which is good considering they gave up 50 last week. UNLV takes the win, 27-24.

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In the dog house

1. Rocky Long- HC, San Diego State: I AM NOT CALLING FOR THIS MAN’S JOB. Okay now that I got that out of the way the Aztecs just took a bad loss. A really bad loss and it’s not the first time this season. Rocky Long’s program has sustained high levels of success but has taken a dip this year so that lands him here.

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

(The next two I’m calling for the programs to go a different direction)

2. Scott Montgomery- HC, East Carolina: He’s made this list a lot and as much as I was pulling for it to work out it doesn’t appear that it will. The Pirates lost again, this time to Tulane. While they looked competitive it was too little, too late. The writing is on the wall with this one and I’m expecting ECU to have a new head man in 2019.

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3. Shawn Elliot- HC, Georgia State: Here’s another repeat in the dog house but also another hire that I hoped would work out. The Panthers are coming off of another loss and while Elliot may get another year to turn things around I don’t see it happening. They’ve regressed since he took over and regressed weekly this season.

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Tweets of the week

1. I would be okay with this!

2. Florida State’s fan base isn’t taking the season very well BUT only one of these teams is bowl eligible... it’s not FSU.

3. OOOO BOY! Chuck Martin is not pleased.

Final Thoughts

1. The best story of 2018: In case you didn’t know already, it’s the UAB Blazers. It’s become common knowledge but it’s worth repeating. This program was dead just four years ago and just in its second year of being back it has won the C-USA West and is on pace to host the conference championship game. In a season that’s been full of really cool things, this one stands out. The Blazers are not only winning but they’re ranked nationally for the first time since 2004. The city of Birmingham should wrap their arms around this team and it looks like they’re starting to.

2. What a way to go out: Old Dominion will open 2019 in a brand new stadium. But in this, the final season at Foreman field/S.B. Ballard Stadium that’s been open since 1936 the Monarch fans have seen a win over a ranked Virginia Tech team and now a comeback win for the ages over record setting North Texas. If you’re gonna go down, you might as well go down swinging. With a likely win over Rice on the way, the 2018 season was a fitting ending to the story.

3. The Sun Belt needs shuffling: So I know this is beating a dead horse but these divisions are not balanced. All due respect to ULM and Lousiana but the 3 best teams in the conference all sit in the East. Doesn’t mean something crazy won’t happen in the title game but moving Troy to the West seems like a good place to start.

Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

4. A prime time moment: UCF will host Cincinnati this upcoming Saturday night. But not in just any game, THE prime time 8pm game on ABC. This may be the biggest regular season exposure that a group of five school has ever received and it’s the right program to get it. The win streak, being ranked #12 and now getting college gameday on campus. What a run it’s been for the Knights. Speaking of College Gameday...

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

BONUS

HEY ORLANDO...YEAH THEY’RE COMIN’ TO YO CITAAAY