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Did you notice the full moon which started to increase in size every night this weekend?
Actually, the moon will not officially be in its full phase until tonight (January 13). This one is called the “Wolf Moon” as (theoretically) wolves howl more at this time of year.
Perhaps they are either cold, hungry, or bored (or a combination of the three).
The Texas Longhorns football coach has millions of fans howling at him
After the wild conclusion of Friday night’s College Football Playoff semifinal game in Dallas, there are plenty of Lone Star wolves howling at University of Texas head coach Steve Sarkesian.
Let’s reset the stage.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Texas and Ohio State were tied at 14-14. The Buckeyes then drove the ball 88 yards in 13 plays using seven minutes to take a 21-14 lead.
Texas immediately responded and moved downfield to the Ohio State 1-yard line with just under four minutes to go in the game. On first down, Texas ran the ball up the middle for no gain.
No sweat! There were three more chances to get the touchdown, right?
The second down play will go down as one of the most questionable calls of the college football season. Quarterback Quinn Ewers tossed the ball to the left to running back Quintrevion Wisner who ran sideways across the field and out of bounds for a six yard loss.
After the game, an Ohio State defensive player acknowledged that they expected the toss-sweep play after seeing it used near the goal line during earlier Texas games.
Give the Buckeyes’ defense an “A” for doing its homework before the game!
With third down and goal now at the Ohio State 7-yard line, Ewers fired an incomplete pass into the end zone to bring up a crucial fourth down and goal play.
As Longhorns fans held their collective breath, Texas QB Quinn Ewers (who started his college career at Ohio State before transferring to Austin) was pressured – by his former Buckeyes roommate!
Yes, none other than 260-pound linebacker Jack Sawyer knocked the ball out of his old buddy’s hands, picked it up and rumbled 83 yards for a final touchdown to seal Ohio State’s 28-14 win.
Texas Longhorns – players, coaches, fans in the stands, and millions more watching on television – were absolutely stunned.
They still are today.
If you happen to encounter a sad Longhorns fan this week, don’t mentioned the words “Arch Manning”. The team’s highly touted back-up quarterback wasn’t given a chance to run the ball in for a tying touchdown after his team reached the one-yard line.
The 12-team College Football Playoffs – #7 seed Notre Dame vs. #8 seed Ohio State for the championship!??
As the new 12-team College Football Playoff seeds were announced, the lone unbeaten team in the field (13-0 Oregon – the #1 seed) was the only ranking which everyone agreed was correct.
After that, the questions abounded.
I haven’t seen more seeds falling than when trying to eat a slice of watermelon during the summer.
If the CFP’s projected seeding positions had been correct, the national championship game should have pitted #1 Oregon against #2 seed Georgia.
Instead, it will be #7 seed Notre Dame playing #8 seed Ohio State in the championship game in Atlanta a week from now (Monday, January 20) at 6:45PM CST on ESPN.
Time for a Wolf Moon Monday math quiz!
If you think that the CFP selection committee blew it, the prognosticators in Las Vegas have now established the #8 seed as a nearly 10-point favorite over the #7 seed in next week’s title game.
But isn’t #7 seed Notre Dame now 14-1 and #8 seed Ohio State 13-2?
One might logically believe that the team with one loss might be a favorite over an opponent which has two losses, right?
Au contraire! We’re using Wolf Moon Math in this year’s College Football Playoffs!
You see, Notre Dame (which edged #6 Penn State 23-20 last Thursday night in the other semifinal) has won 13 straight coming to the championship game against Ohio State.
The Fighting Irish have beaten seven nationally ranked teams this season (including #2 CFP seed Georgia).
That should matter. However, in today’s special Wolf Moon Math lesson, it doesn’t.
Ohio State is that same team which lost – at home – as a 20-point favorite on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to a 6-5 Michigan Wolverines team. Don’t you remember?
Apparently, the oddsmakers just love a good redemption story. There’s nothing like being embarrassed by your biggest rival to light a fire under a football team and its head coach.
In their three playoff games, Ohio State has played with fire in their eyes for their embattled coach, Ryan Day, and for themselves. The Buckeyes have won by 25 points over #10 seed Indiana, by 20 in beating #1 Oregon, and 14 points over #5 Texas.
Will Ohio State keep its “angry Buckeyes” streak going against Notre Dame or will the Fighting Irish borrow Michigan’s playbook and run the ball enough to win the title?
Field goal “doinks” through at buzzer for Washington and Jayden Daniels
Former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Washington Football Team into the NFL playoffs Sunday night. The rookie quarterback engineered a methodical trip down the field to use the final five minutes of regulation time to set-up a game winning field goal attempt.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez (a former Arizona State Sun Devil and the sixth kicker used by Washington this season) launched a 37-yard attempt as time expired.
It faded to the right, hit the right upright, and somehow dropped through to give visiting Washington a 23-20 win at Tampa Bay.
Perhaps the almost-full Wolf Moon was already having a spooky effect on the football in a game which ended just after 11PM EST on Sunday night.
With the win, Jayden Daniels (the runaway favorite for NFL Rookie of the Year) will take 13-5 Washington into Detroit next weekend to play the NFC’s top seeded Lions.
It’s definitely Wolf Moon Monday for the LA Rams as they travel to Arizona for a “home” NFC Wild Card playoff game tonight
As the devastating fires continue to rage around the Los Angeles area, the NFL wisely moved the Rams’ playoff game with the Minnesota Vikings to nearby (?) Phoenix, Arizona.
The 375-mile move down I-10 East to play the game in Arizona seems quite practical. The NFL along with the Rams and Vikings players want this game to be played.
The conditions in the Ram’s home city are still too uncertain, though.
In yet another oddly ironic moment, Monday night’s game will be played in the Arizona Cardinals home known as State Farm Stadium.
The insurance giant has been in the news in California during the past week. The company canceled hundreds of insurance policies in the Pacific Palisades area during early 2024 – due to the area being prone to, yes, extreme fire danger.
Yes, that definitely qualifies tonight’s football game as being weird enough for this Wolf Moon Monday edition.