Weekend Wrap

OMG Moment of the Week

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly has that "deer in the headlights" look these days.

By MIKE DAROZA

CFRT Editor

Brian Kelly's Notre Dame team doesn't seem to be able to cash the check his mouth wrote back in December.

Shortly after Kelly bolted Cincinnati for the head coaching job at South Bend last winter, he was asked some pretty tough questions regarding his new job.

Can Notre Dame regain its former elite status in college football?

And if so, how long would it take?

Give Kelly credit, he spouted some pretty bold answers for one of the most storied programs in college football that had posted a 16-21 record over the previous three seasons.

Kelly's answer to whether or not the Fighting Irish would regain its place among the college football upper echelon?

He said that it wasn't a matter of IF Notre Dame would win another national championship, but instead was only a matter of WHEN.

Hmm...

Then, in response to how long it might take, Kelly said that while most coaches have a five-year plan for turning around their programs, he was operating on a five-minute plan.

Something tells me he's not on schedule.

Notre Dame fans were hoping Brian Keely would be a considerable upgrade to former Irish coach Charlie Weis, who guided  Notre Dame to a pitiful mark of 3-16 against teams with a .500 record.

And that "something" is the product - not much different at this point in time than former Irish fall guy Charlie Weis displayed - Notre Dame is putting on the field these days.

Saturday's loss to visiting Tulsa had to be the low point so far.

Can you imagine what Knute Rockne would say about losing - in South Bend - to The Golden Hurricane?

And it's not only that the Irish lost 27-25 to Tulsa, it was how they lost.

It was bad enough that the only offensive touchdown The Golden Hurricane managed came in the first nine minutes of the game (Tulsa scored their other 20 points on two field goals, a blocked extra point, an interception return and a punt return), but even with a great chance to pull out the win, Kelly made a fatal, Les Miles-like mistake.

Late in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame had a second-and-8 from the Tulsa 19, but instead of simply preparing for a field goal, Irish back-up QB Tommy Rees tossed an interception in the corner of the end zone.

Notre Dame kicker David Ruffer hasn't missed a field goal (18-for-18) in more than two and a half years.

The kicker - every ounce of pun intended here - was that from The Golden Hurricane 19-yard line, Notre Dame kicker David Ruffer (one of the best kickers in the nation who hasn't missed a FG in two and a half years!) would have had a easy chip-shot, 36-yard attempt to win the game.

OMG.

Gameballs

Florida's Chas Henry was possibly the happiest citizen in Gator Nation following his game-winning field goal in OT against arch-rival Georgia

The Emancipation Kick-Limation

After being thrust into a job he hadn't applied for, Florida punter-turned-placekicker Chas Henry finally found himself on the right side of heartbreak against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday.

The last time we saw Henry, he was pulling the ball wide right in the Gators' 10-7 Homecoming loss to Mississippi State.

At one point, Henry had missed six in a row before converting on a FG in the fourth quarter against Georgia.

But in overtime, with the game on the line and squarely on the back of the much-maligned kicker, Henry drilled the 37-yard attempt that ended the Gators' three-game losing streak.

Texas coach Mack Brown hasn't enjoyed the view of the scoreboard lately.

Bear Market

Baylor's 30-22 win over Texas ended a 12-game losing streak to the Longhorns and gave Baylor their first win over their in-state Big XII brother since 1997.

The Bears' victory also marked the first time they were able to defeat Texas in Austin since 1991.

Again, turnovers spelled disaster for the Longhorns, as they coughed up the ball twice.

Texas has now lost three in a row at home, the first time that has happened since 1997.

Roy Helu, Jr. became the first runningback in the proud history of Nebraska to rush for more than 300 yards in a game.

Say Helu to the Record Book!

Nebraska, historically known for its mammoth offensive lines and their storied runningbacks, surprisingly never had a runningback go over 300 yards in a single game.

Until Saturday.

Roy Helu, Jr. ran for 307 yards and three TDs on 28 carries in the Cornhusker's 31-17 upset of Missouri.

Helu also became the first and only back to gain more than 300 yards in a game this season.

Headscratchers

State of Misery

Ladies and gentlemen I introduce to you, the state of Washington, home of the Washington Huskies and the Washington State Cougars.

Say hello to the loss column, a big fat goose egg and a miserable 83-0 weekend.

That's right, not one, but both programs were slammed on Saturday.

The Huskies were shut out by Stanford, 41-0, while the Coug's were blanked, 42-0, by Arizona State.

But don't worry, an all-points-bulletin has been launched in search of the whereabouts of competition in The Evergreen State.

Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham (black hat) appears to be giving the "choke" sign to Florida kicker Chas Henry just seconds before Henry's game-winner.

Choking on Character

As we mentioned earlier, Florida's Chas Henry broke out of his slump of bad field goal attempts by drilling an OT game-winner against Georgia on Saturday.

Well, prior to the play, Sun Sports replays show Bulldogs' defensive coordinator Todd Grantham with his hands around his neck apparently telling Henry he was about to choke on the kick.

Henry got the last laugh, but the lasting impression Grantham gives sportsmanship and the overall sport college football is no laughing matter.

Things seem to be going from bad to worse for North Carolina coach Butch Davis.

William & Mary? Really?

Is there anyone out there that still thinks Butch Davis will be the coach at North Carolina next season?

I mean, the NCAA investigation and sure-to-come USC-like (or worse) sanctions were bad enough, but needing a fourth-quarter rally to beat....William & Mary?

Double yikes.

The Tar Heels were actually down 17-7 with just over eight minutes remaining before scoring two TDs to escape..."The Tribe."

Up next for UNC?

Florida State, Virginia Tech and NC State.

Triple yikes.