Statistically Speaking

A roundup of stats that caught my interest in the week before

Box Score Edition

Let’s play a little “Who won this game?”

First this, the team on the left or right?

Astute observers might have looked turnovers, and they would be right to do so. This was the results of the South Carolina – Vanderbilt game in which the ‘Dores posted a 24-17 victory over the Ole Ball coach. Once again turnovers proved to be the killer in a game the ‘Cocks outgained Vandy by 100 yards. It’s pretty tough to score 24 points on only 225 yards total offense, and 90 yards passing. Spurrier’s head must be near implosion.

Now what about this one? Was the right or left our winner?

Believe it or not, it was the team on the right, and that team with a measly 172 total yard was none other than the SEC’s own Crimson Tide against the Green Wave of Tulane. How did the Tide win this game 20-6, or even score 20 points? Special teams, as their two touchdowns came on an 87 yard punt return, and a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. The Tide were so inept on offense they even missed the PAT on the 2nd score.

So we ask ourselves – is Clemson THAT awful? Tulane should have won this game. And unless this is an aberration, Alabama won’t be threatening for anything in the SEC this year.

Now look at this gem –

The winner was the team on the right, allegedly a major college program. One can’t help think that, had the team on the left not turned the ball over 5 times, the supposedly premier program on the right might have lost this game, a game they won 26-14.

Unfortunately for the team on the right they find themselves in the Los Angeles Coliseum this weekend. Take USC and give the points over “major program” Ohio State, no matter how many you have to give. It is going to be a massacre.

Lastly, how about this?

Hard to believe this apparent rout actually went to overtime, but it took exactly that for the team on the left – South Florida – to edge out pesky Central Florida by a single OT score 31-24, despite outgaining the Golden Knights by 278 total yards.

Pretenders Watch Out

Three other games that caught my interest –

West Virginia, badly exposed in their loss to ECU, gained only 251 yards total offense. WVU is supposedly an offensively oriented club. Coupled with last night’s debacle at Rutgers, the Big East looks especially lame this year.

Although they lost 52-3 to Missouri, SE Missouri State gained 334 yards on the Tigers. This is a lower division school that went 3-8 last season. I’ll say it again – Missouri is in trouble this year, and I don’t want to hear about junk time. After 2 games they are 99th in the nation in total defense surrendering an average of 433 yards per game (nearly as bad as FIU at 488).

Lastly we have 12th ranked Texas Tech, who beat Nevada but were outgained 488-421 in the victory (35-19). No team ranked as high as 12th should be giving up nearly 500 yards on defense. Watch the Red Raiders also for trouble down the road.