The 2018 college football regular season has come to a close and it went out with quite the bang. From Friday night thrillers to the highest scoring game of all time, week 13 was quite the roller coaster.
Here are the top five studs and duds from the 13th and final week of the 2018 college football regular season.
Stud: Eric Dungey
The Syracuse Orange didn’t fare too well against No. 3 Notre Dame last week, but they bounced back with a big win against a ranked Boston College team. The Orange won’t be playing in a New Year’s Six bowls, but they can still celebrate one of their best seasons in a long long time.
Quarterback Eric Dungey accumulated 396 total yards and six total touchdowns in an offensive clinic. BC has largely kept opposing offenses in check this year, but the Eagles surrendered 42 points against their rivals from New York.
Dud: Virginia Falling on Fumbles
Virginia hasn’t beaten Virginia State since 2003 and in week 13 it looked like they were finally going to knock off their arch rival, but they let it slip away…literally. Two brutal fumbles—on each side of the ball—went the Hokies way and as a result, the 15-year streak continues.
Late in the fourth quarter while down by seven, the Hokies fumbled the football, but two Virginia defenders were unable to jump on it, allowing it to be fallen on in the end zone by Hezekiah Grimsley.
In overtime, Virginia was inside the 14-yard line with a chance to win the game, but quarterback Bryce Perkins fumbled the ball on a botched exchange and the Hokies jumped on it for the win.
Stud: Iowa State’s Comeback
It hasn’t been a great season for No. 25 Iowa State, but they ended the season with a bang. The Cyclones were down 18 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter but rallied with two scoring drives and a clutch fumble return touchdown.
Runningback David Montgomery ended up with 149 yards and a trio of rushing touchdowns while wide receiver Hakeem Butler racked up 144 yards and a touchdown reception.
Dud: Pitt
The Pittsburgh Panthers will be playing in the ACC Championship, but that speaks more to the weakness of the ACC Coastal than it does to the quality of Pitt. The committee showed them some love by ranking them at 24, but in week 13 they were soundly routed by the Miami Hurricanes.
The team only put up three points and looked abysmal offensively. Pitt only turned the ball over once, but their usually dominant running game was held in check to only 69 yards. Kenny Pickett did not look sharp with a 14.4 quarterback rating.
Stud: Will Grier and Kyler Murray
Defense is optional in the Big 12. West Virginia and Oklahoma faced off for the right play Texas for the Big 12 title so naturally, both teams went ahead and dropped 50+ points on each other.
Defense might not be the Big 12’s strong suit, but the two quarterbacks were fantastic none the less. Will Grier and Kyler Murray combined for 903 yards and nine total touchdowns. Murray is right there in the Heisman race with Tua and Dwayne Haskins.
Dud: Michigan
So much for Michigan’s revenge tour. The Wolverines finally got their chance to take on their arch-rivals, the Ohio State Buckeyes, but they were completely blown out in all phases…again.
Urban Meyer once again got the best of Jim Harbaugh. Michigan’s defense came into the season boasting the nation’s top defense but allowed 62 points to Dwayne Haskins and company. Michigan’s offense turned the ball over twice and could never hit the big play. The Wolverines’ special teams play was also questionable as they allowed a blocked punt and numerous other momentum-shifting plays.
Stud: Penn State’s Defense
It has been a season of gradual improvement for Penn State’s defense, but they looked dominant on Saturday against the Terrapins. Last week Maryland dropped 51 points on the Big Ten East champion Ohio State Buckeyes, but in week 13, Penn State held them out of the end zone.
The Nittany Lions also recorded five sacks and held star running back Anthony McFarland to just 12 yards on six carries. The team now awaits a potential New Year’s Six Bowl.
Dud: USC
USC’s final game was a perfect representation of how their season unfolded. They jumped out to a quick 10-0 against the third-ranked team in the nation but then collapsed as their offense devolved from explosive to head scratching.
JT Daniels looked sharp early on but got worse as the game progressed. The Trojans’ defense allowed just under 500 yards despite holding Notre Dame to 24 points and won’t be playing in a bowl game as a result.
The Fighting Irish have now all but clinched a berth in the 2018 College Football Playoff.
Stud: Washington
Washington isn’t the playoff threat they were hyped up to be in the preseason, but their somewhat disappointing 2018 campaign will still result with a berth in the PAC-12 Championship and at least a Northern Division title. The Huskies won yet another Apple Cup with a 28-15 win over the Washington State in the snow.
Dud: Any Sense of Sanity in LSU @ Texas A&M
LSU and Texas A&M squared off in the highest scoring college football game of all time on Saturday night. The Aggies defeated the Tigers in a 74-72 thriller that went to SEVEN overtimes.
Both defenses fell apart in overtime, but once the two sides were forced to go for two, the defenses continued to make stops, ultimately resulting in a seemingly endless streak of overtime periods.
It was a fantastic game and perfect representation of why the NCAA has a far superior overtime to the NFL, but it lacked all common sense and sanity…which is the best kind of college football.
