Category: College Football

Looking back on Montlake: LB Carson Bruener

Carson Bruener has followed in his father’s footsteps and left a legacy of his own at Washington.

When Washington Huskies fans hear the name Carson Bruener, they immediately think of legacy, Washington royalty, and faithful. The son of tight end Mark Bruener, a captain of the 1991 national championship team, Bruener’s mother, Traci, was also a cheerleader for the Huskies as part of a long line of alumni that includes both parents and his two older sisters and after six years of being on Montlake, Carson soon will join them in that honor.

Bruener’s five years at Washington are a milestone. He joins his teammates Kamren Fabiculanan, Alphonzo Tuputala, Cameron Davis, Drew Fowler, and Jacob Bandes as they close in on their final game for Washington after wearing the purple and gold for six seasons.

The former Redmond High School standout surprised his parents with his decision to stay home, as the frontrunners for their eldest son were Oregon and Utah until the offer from Washington came in.

Now a team captain just like his father, Bruener is undoubtedly the quarterback of defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s unit and is known to triple-check things while going through installs the night before a game, dialing in on calls and checks. He has stayed on through three different coaching changes and has forged a strong connection not only with head coach Jedd Fisch to help his transition to Seattle but with linebackers coach Robert Bala, too.

Buener didn’t see any action in the COVID-shortened 2020 season but quickly proved himself as a mainstay at linebacker in 2021, playing in 11 games and starting 5, making his Husky debut in the ill-fated loss to Montana.

His first impact game came against Arkansas State, where he tallied 8 tackles, 1 for a loss. In his first career start, he wreaked havoc against the Stanford offense, tallying an eye-popping 16 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.

2022 brought more success for Bruener, as he finished No. 5 on the team with 45 tackles, including 4 stops in Washington’s Alamo Bowl win over Texas. He was named the coaches’ defensive skill player of the week after the win over Colorado and the special teams player of the week in a non-conference victory over Portland State.

He was named an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention during Washington’s dream season in 2023, starring in the Huskies’ rain-soaked victory at Oregon State, where he had a season-high of 14 tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup, lifting the Huskies to a crucial win and a spot in the Pac-12 championship game.

He played in all 15 games, was the No. 3 tackler on the team with 86, and was named the Special Teams Most Valuable Player at the team’s postseason awards banquet.

2024 elevated Bruener to a large role as a leader. Voted as a team captain by his teammates, he became the leader of the linebacker corps. He was named to the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award and has played through pain all season after sustaining an AC joint sprain in his shoulder during the Apple Cup in September.

He didn’t miss any time, bouncing back quickly with the help of head trainer Tom Reed and trainer Jacqui Carrell. During the second series of Washington’s next game against Northwestern, he grabbed his first interception of the season and recorded 6 tackles to earn Washington their first victory in the Big Ten.

To the man who donned his father’s No. 85 Rose Bowl jersey before the national championship game in Houston, one that his father also faced Michigan in, we say thank you, and we are grateful for your time on Montlake.

https://www.instagram.com/carson_bruener/p/DC7ndddynBT/?img_index=1

Kirk Herbstreit blamed both Michigan and Ohio State for ‘classless’ fight

Kirk Herbstreit has weighed in on the Michigan-Ohio State brawl.

ESPN college football analyst and former Buckeyes quarterback Kirk Herbstreit has thrown in his two cents on the fight that broke out after Michigan-Ohio State on Saturday.

Herbstreit is an Ohio State legend, but he condemned actions from both sides of the brawl during ABC college football coverage on Saturday evening.

“Hate to see this at the end of the game,” Herbstreit said about the ordeal. “Just the whole throwing the flag at the middle of the field, Ohio State’s reaction — just classless on both sides.”

While it’s hard not to roll your eyes a little at people getting upset about planting a flag on an opponent’s field, it all dissolved into a bunch of unnecessary nonsense in the end.

However, good on Herbstreit for being willing to call out his alma mater for their role in the fracas, at least?

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Syracuse’s Fran Brown hilariously took credit for getting Clemson into the ACC title game

Dabo Swinney probably doesn’t see it entirely that way, but Fran Brown is at least partially right.

The ACC championship game next weekend is set, and while we already knew No. 9 SMU would be playing for a title in its first season in the conference, Saturday’s games led to No. 12 Clemson officially being the Mustangs’ opponent.

And it’s all thanks to Syracuse — at least, according to the Orange’s head coach Fran Brown.

The No. 6 Miami Hurricanes would have advanced to the ACC championship game to take on SMU if they beat Syracuse on Saturday. But they didn’t. They lost, 42-38, for their second conference and overall loss this season, which put Clemson — which lost, 17-14, to No. 15 South Carolina on Saturday — in the conference title game instead.

To that, Brown says, you’re welcome, Clemson. And he hilariously pointed that out in his post-game interview after declaring: “Syracuse is back!”

“Hey, Dabo Swinney! Congrats! I got you in, baby!”

Swinney probably doesn’t see it entirely that way, but Brown is at least partially right that the Tigers wouldn’t be playing for a championship if Syracuse lost.

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Gus Johnson’s call of the Michigan-Ohio State ending was a mess

The legendary Fox broadcaster is starting to sound like a shell of himself.

At his best, Gus Johnson elevates any game he broadcasts.

His excitement is pure, his commentary is smooth and his joy at watching athletes make plays is palpable.

At his worst, the Fox play-by-play man is a caricature of himself. As much as Johnson’s fans tune in to his games ready for his signature emoting, the reality is that he sometimes comes off as someone so concerned about his next catchphrase or narrative that he misses what’s happening right in front of him. This is the cardinal sin of a play-by-play man, of course. The best broadcasters are merely role players. Gus Johnson is, often regrettably, the main character of his broadcasts.

Saturday in Columbus was a cursed combination of those flaws. Johnson was so quick to tie a cute ribbon on Michigan’s 13-10 upset at No. 2 Ohio State game that he missed the actual fracas unfolding on the field.

As soon as the game ended, Johnson got a little petty by saying Michigan “didn’t have to cheat this time” — a nod to the Connor Stallions scandal, which, aside from being a cheap shot, doesn’t even feel like the biggest part of this win.

This was a five-loss Michigan team upsetting a highly ranked Ohio State program that made clear all week how important it was to beat the defending national champions. Ryan Day compared losing to Michigan to the death of his father. The Buckeyes were 21-point favorites.

Which is not to say Johnson needed to bring up any of that, just that the Stallions drama was so far removed from this game.

But it got worse moments later when Michigan and Ohio State began to brawl. Wolverines players attempted to plant a block M flag at midfield only for a some Buckeyes to rush over and rip it down.

Johnson’s view of the fight was that it resulted from “an unsportsmanlike gesture by Michigan.” Every bit of evidence we’ve seen since the scuffle makes that feel like a real stretch.

For starters, flag planting after big wins has been around in college football for years. For another, Texas did it to Michigan earlier this year (in a game broadcast on Fox by Gus Johnson, no less). Michigan planted a flag at The Shoe in in 2022, as well.

But Johnson’s “unsportsmanlike” comment ignores the fact Ohio State was already halfway off the field before players ran back to confront Michigan.

That might not have been apparent to those watching at home, but Johnson was in the broadcast booth high up above the field with a clear view. It’s his job to explain what’s happening. His failure created a false narrative that wouldn’t be corrected until after the millions of fans watching at home had already flipped the channel.

It was not lost many that Johnson’s “unsportsmanlike” comment occurred mere moments after he made a Stallions joke as Michigan celebrated.

Johnson is certainly divisive and, honestly, he’s just the latest in a very long line of A-list sports broadcasters to fall into that category. Yet it’s his self-inflicted errors that keep detracting from legitimately fun moments like when his voice broke during an Ohio State interception in the end zone.

That’s Gus Johnson at his best. Now he’s often his own biggest distraction, and what a shame it is.

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Notre Dame Week 14 highlight: Xavier Watts seals the deal at USC with record-setting pick-six

Notre Dame seals the win thanks to Xavier Watts going 100 yards.

Although [autotag]Christian Gray’s[/autotag] 99-yard pick-six appeared to seal the deal for No. 5 Notre Dame against the USC Trojans, there was still enough time left that it was possible, if not likely, that the Trojans could get two scores and tie the ball game.

Fighting Irish safety [autotag]Xavier Watts[/autotag] said “nah” to all that.

Watts stepped in front of a [autotag]Jayden Maiava[/autotag] pass in the end zone and took it the entire 100 yards for a pick-six touchdown — the second one of that length in Notre Dame history.

It was one drive after Gray’s 99-yard pick-six.

Notre Dame will likely be headed to the College Football Playoff after the second pick-six all but snuffed out a USC comeback.

The Irish did concede another USC touchdown by playing soft in the final minute, but USC didn’t have enough time to get another two scores — which it would need just to tie.

Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts (0) celebrates picking up a Virginia fumble during a NCAA college football game at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend.

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Notre Dame Week 14 highlight: Christian Gray’s pick-six at USC spells redemption

Notre Dame’s Christian Gray may have redeemed himself after a tough day in Southern California.

Notre Dame cornerback [autotag]Christian Gray[/autotag] has been picked on by the USC Trojans all day.

Now he may have saved a playoff berth for the No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish with a 99-yard pick-six.

The Trojans have had success with long passes all day and they were in the midst of a possible game-tying drive when the intended receiver fell down and Gray plucked the pass out of the air.

Gray managed to keep his knee off the ground and weaved his way to the end zone. There was a penalty on the play but it was assessed to USC.

If Notre Dame holds on for the win, Gray’s play will obviously be huge.

Notre Dame defensive lineman Donovan Hinish (41) and cornerback Christian Gray (29) celebrate Louisville coming up short on a fourth down during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Louisville at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in South Bend.

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Notre Dame Week 14 highlight: Riley Leonard finds Mitchell Evans for key TD

Notre Dame got a key TD catch from Mitchell Evans.

Notre Dame and USC are engaged in a shootout in Los Angeles, but the No. 5 Fighting Irish have given themselves a little bit of separation after quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] found tight end [autotag]Mitchell Evans[/autotag] for a 23-yard touchdown reception.

The score, and the preceding drive, followed a stand by the Irish defense after Leonard tossed an ill-advised interception. USC had a shot to tie the game, but failed to convert on fourth down.

Notre Dame responded with a 3-play, 62-yard drive that burned 1:06 off the clock and ended in the Leonard-to-Mitchell connection.

The pass followed a 35-yard run by [autotag]Jadarian Price[/autotag].

Notre Dame tight end Mitchell Evans (88) jumps up to make a catch that would later be ruled incomplete during a NCAA college football game against Florida State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in South Bend.

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Notre Dame Week 14 highlight: Riley Leonard’s legs carry Irish into end zone at USC

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has another rushing touchdown.

Notre Dame quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] is as much of a running threat as the running backs he shares a backfield with.

Leonard gave the lead back to the No. 5 Fighting Irish as they take on the USC Trojans on the road.

He did it with a 2-yard touchdown run that ended a 6-play, 75-yard drive that took 2:39 off the clock. He also had a 24-yard scamper on the drive.

Notre Dame is in a back-and-forth battle with USC in Los Angeles.

Nov 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quaterback Riley Leonard (13) throws a pass against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

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Ryan Day forces Ohio State to decide if beating Michigan is more important than the College Football Playoff

Ryan Day and Ohio State have reached a crossroads.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day made his priorities very clear when he was first announced as Urban Meyer’s successor in Columbus.

“Win the rivalry game and then win every game after that,” Day said, in that order, at his 2018 introduction.

It was a great quip, for sure, but there’s no mistaking the truth behind it. Michigan may represent the game, but it’s not the last game of the year. It’s not the Big Ten championship or the College Football Playoff.

That mentality has put Day and Ohio State in a fascinating position on Saturday after Michigan — a three-touchdown underdog — handed the No. 2 Buckeyes a fourth consecutive defeat in the rivalry game, 13-10.

The problem with institutions telling their fan bases that beating one single team is more important than anything else is that, after long enough, they start to internalize it.

So now what?

Put extremely simply: Ohio State must decide if a four-game losing streak to Michigan is more important than any of Day’s accomplishments. If the answer is yes, the next question is can Ohio State do any better than its current head coach?

Ohio State, with it’s $20 million dollar roster, is 10-2 and almost certainly heading to the College Football Playoff for the fourth time under Day. Was that money well spent if it doesn’t come with a victory over The Team Up North?

How then to square the Buckeyes’ primal need to beat Michigan with the reality of modern college football? A College Football Playoff appearance is worth significantly more than a single win over Michigan. The extra cash dolled out to participants cannot be understated on the eve of revenue sharing in college sports.

Those are the metrics that are supposed to matter. Yet earlier this week, Day upped the pressure on The Game when he said losing to the Wolverines was comparable to the death of his father. Senior Buckeyes talked about the pain of having never beat the Wolverines. It all makes for a wildly uncomfortable situation.

The current coaching market is thin, and while fans are already demanding Mike Vrabel come home, there’s no guarantee he will — or even that it would provide an upgrade. There’s certainly no guarantee Ohio State will have another run of playoff appearances like Day has provided.

These hypotheticals don’t cool off Day’s seat any, of course, but this is the discussion happening among Ohio State boosters and officials.

If the lasting imagine in Columbus is the Buckeyes’ coach standing still as his players brawl after another Michigan loss, it’ll reinforce the idea that Ohio State must “win the rivalry game and then win every game after that.” It’ll also overshadow everything else Day’s done for the school — all the titles, the elite recruit wins and the players he’s sent to the NFL.

Day has beaten Michigan before, and while it seems like an eternity since the Buckeyes won this game, Ohio State was 17-3 over the Wolverines for the first 20 years of this century.

So now we’re left to wonder how Ohio State navigates the rich pain of remaining one of the sport’s elite programs who still can’t seem to satisfy its fan base.

Will a single Saturday in November outweigh banners that hang forever? We’ll find out soon enough.

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Notre Dame Week 14 highlight: Jadarian Price gives Jeremiyah Love a break, races to the house

Notre Dame gets an early second-half touchdown from Jadarian Price.

After Notre Dame running back [autotag]Jeremiyah Love[/autotag] had a relatively routine 5-yard run, he was pulled from the game to get a breather. Fellow running back [autotag]Jadarian Price[/autotag] got the call on the next play and took it 36 yards to the house.

This all came on No. 5 Notre Dame’s first drive of the second half at USC.

The run ended a 6-play, 75-yard drive that took 2:22 off of the clock.

Love and Price have been a potent 1-2 punch in the Fighting Irish backfield all season, and once again the two have combined to do some damage.

Nov 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jadarian Price (24) scores a rushing touchdown as Army Black Knights defensive back Josiah Banks (25) and defensive lineman Cody Winokur (93) pursue during the second half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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