WINNEMUCCA - If you are a college football fan like I am, you had to be disgusted with some of the games last Saturday.
Some of the top schools country basically took the week off in scheduling FCS (used be I-AA) squads that resulted in glorified scrimmages.
Sure, it is a big payday for the smaller schools and players have the opportunity to play in stadiums that seat 90,000 to 100,000 people. But is it worth collecting upward of $1 million at the expense of embarrassing players?
Here is what you do. If a FBS (Division I) school schedules an opponent not in its same division, the win doesn't count toward the required victories to qualify for a bowl game.
We can start with Miami (Fla.) beating Savannah State 77-7 and they did it without the starting quarterback, who was injured in the first quarter. The fourth quarter was played with a 12-minute clock like they do in high school.
Quick - 10 points for anybody that can tell me where Savannah State is located. The payday for Savannah State was $375,000. If I think of Savannah, I think of my niece who lives in Reno.
A couple of years ago Florida International shocked Louisville, so I am thinking the Cardinals were not going to let that happen again. Louisville won the game 72-0 with a high school-like running clock beginning late in the third quarter. Depending on which side you talk to, a running clock was not agreed to, but many said Florida International was begging for mercy.
So when you ask a Florida International player his highlight of his college career, I don't think this game will be mentioned.
Next we have Ohio State beating Florida A&M 76-0. Buckeye backup quarterback Kenny Guiton threw for six first-half touchdowns.
If you look back at the news recently, the one thing Florida A&M was noted for was the suspension of its band due to a hazing death. The band returned this fall with just 145 members, which is less than half of the original 420 members. At least Florida A&M got a bit more money for its trip to Ohio, raking in over $800,000.
In addition, we had Florida State beat Bethune-Cookman 54-7 a week after scoring 61 points on Nevada, who by the way earned around the same $800,000 for its trip to Tallahassee. Another 10 points if you can tell me where Bethune-Cookman is located.
Washington also felt it needed the week off in beating Idaho State 56-0.
It just wasn't FBS on FCS violence, as teams in their own divisions recorded a number of lopsided outcomes. I guess Baylor needed to beat Louisiana-Monroe 70-7, while Iowa took apart Western Michigan 59-3. We can't forget Mississippi State beating Troy 62-7. UCLA was halfway nice, defeating New Mexico State 59-13.
Now not every team in the country took week four off. Fresno State and Boise State battled it out last Friday night in what was the best game of the weekend, with Fresno State winning 41-40.
UConn almost pulled off an upset of Michigan, only to see the Wolverines prevail late with 10 fourth-quarter points.
Notre Dame held off Michigan State 17-13 in a defensive battle that set back offensive football 75 years. USC had to fight off a tough Utah State squad in a 17-14 victory in Los Angeles. Utah State moved to the Mountain West Conference this year after watching the Western Athletic Conference implode and disband football.
If you were up late Saturday night you witnessed Utah knocking off BYU in the "Holy War". With the Utes now in the Pac 12 and the Cougars playing as an independent, the two will take a hiatus in their rivalry. Depending on who you talk to, it's each schools fault for letting the rivalry take time off.
For those schools who thought it was OK to do what they did to inferior teams, shame on you. Just remember when your professional aspirations fall apart who will be working for those guys you beat 77-0 that have college degrees and running companies.
Winnemucca Publishing sports editor Tony Erquiaga can be contacted at t.erquiaga@winnemuccapublishing.net.
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