‘Critical’ recruiting period is progressing
Lobos return to practice, welcome in 12 prospects for visits
December is a crucial month in college football recruiting, and the 2017 recruiting class is a crucial one for New Mexico if the Lobos are to continue building on the success of this season and last.
This weekend, 12 recruits are in town for visits.
Each December since coach Bob Davie arrived, UNM has lagged behind its Mountain West Conference rivals in recruiting commitments. Colorado State has 15 or 17 toward the limit of 25, depending on which online source you’re looking at. New Mexico has two: San Antonio, Texas, high school quarterback Bryson Carroll and Saddleback College (Mission Viejo, Calif.) linebacker Karson Block.
As in the past, Davie said, the apparent recruiting deficit is of no concern to him.
“I think we’re better off letting the dust settle a little bit in recruiting,” he said after Saturday’s practice, the first for UNM (8-4) in preparation for a bowl game — site and date likely to be announced today. “We’re out there. We’ve totally evaluated, and we’ve totally recruited.
“I just think we’re best to be very patient and wait and see how specific situations work out. ... All that matters is that in the end we put the pieces together, and this is a critical recruiting class.”
Because many current Lobos are graduating this month, Davie said he and his staff might have slots for as many as 10 midyear junior college transfers. Such players would be able to
The College Football Playoff selection committee was given something to ponder by Penn State.
How much value does a conference championship have? How about a head-to-head victory? The Nittany Lions now have both of those over Ohio State heading into Selection Sunday.
“We just won the toughest conference in college football,” Penn State coach James Franklin said Saturday after the Nittany Lions beat Wisconsin 38-31 for the Big Ten title Saturday night in Indianapolis. “It’s on you now, committee.”
Championship weekend ended with a couple wild games, but mostly things fell into place with the top teams in the CFP poll prevailing.
No. 1 Alabama routed Florida 54-16 in the SEC title game, No. 3 Clemson held off Virginia Tech 42-35 for the ACC championship, and No. 4 Washington clobbered Colorado 41-10 on Friday night for the Pac-12 crown.
Of the three, Clemson had to work the hardest after almost blowing a 21-point lead but still should be feeling good about hearing its name called when the semifinals are set.
Ohio State was home, hoping it was safely in the field after being No. 2 in the committee’s rankings last week. But how safe are they now from a surging Penn State? The Nittany Lions (11-2) ran their winning streak to nine games by wiping out a 21-point deficit to beat Wisconsin.
The Nittany Lions, seventh in the last rankings, are the hottest team in the country that doesn’t call Tuscaloosa, Ala., home. They beat Ohio State in October. They won the division they share with the Buckeyes and now they are Big Ten champions for the first time since 2008.
Ohio State has three victories against top-10 teams, including road wins against Wisconsin and Oklahoma. Committee chairman Kirby Hocutt has said the margin between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes was not all that close.
What about now?
Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany was on ESPN earlier Saturday calling Ohio State a lock, basically lobbying for a second team from his conference. The committee has not been thrilled with Washington’s strength of schedule, but would it really dump the Huskies (12-1) for another Big Ten team after what happened Friday night?
And if it does, which one?
Michigan was fifth last week by a “razor thin” margin, Hocutt said, behind the Huskies.
But the Wolverines were home, too. Only Penn State was able to make a final statement out of the Big Ten, and what a statement it was.
In other games of note Saturday . ...
MWC championship
SAN DIEGO STATE 27, WYOMING 24: In Laramie, Wyo., Rashaad Penny rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns, and Donnel Pumphrey added 110 yards and one TD as San Diego State beat Wyoming for its second consecutive Mountain West Conference title.
Penny also gained 113 yards on two kickoff returns and 13 receiving yards for a total of 243 all-purpose yards for the Aztecs (10-3).
SDSU’s defense forced three Wyoming turnovers and held the Cowboys (8-5) to 2-for-14 on third down.
AAC championship
TEMPLE 34, (20) NAVY 10: In Annapolis, Md., Phillip Walker threw two touchdown passes and Temple’s defense stuffed Navy’s running game as the Owls claimed their first American Athletic Conference title.
After Temple (10-3) scored touchdowns on its first three possessions, protecting the 21-0 lead became substantially easier when No. 20 Navy (9-3, No. 19 CFP) lost standout quarterback Will Worth to a second-quarter ankle injury.
C-USA championship
WESTERN KENTUCKY 58, LA. TECH 44: In Bowling Green, Ky., Anthony Wales rushed for 209 yards and four touchdowns, and Mike White threw for 421 and three more scores as Western Kentucky defeated Louisiana Tech.
The Hilltoppers (10-3) and Bulldogs (8-5), who won the regular-season matchup 55-52 on Oct. 6, combined for 1,163 yards of total offense in the highestscoring championship game in C-USA history.
SWAC championship
GRAMBLING 27, ALCORN STATE 20: In Houston, Grambling (10-1) overcame a 17-point halftime deficit to defeat Alcorn State (5-6).
The Tigers won their first SWAC championship since 2011 and 24th conference title in school history.
Elsewhere
(7) OKLAHOMA 38, (11) OKLA. STATE 20: In Norman, Okla., Baker Mayfield passed for 288 yards and three touchdowns as Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma State in a matchup that decided the Big 12 champion.
Samaje Perine rambled for 239 yards on 37 carries for the Sooners (10-2, 9-0 Big 12, No. 9 CFP), who won their 10th Big 12 title under coach Bob Stoops.
Mason Rudolph completed just 11 of 25 passes for 186 yards for Oklahoma State (9-3, 7-2, No. 10 CFP).
(14) WEST VIRGINIA 24, BAYLOR 21: In Morgantown, W.Va., Skyler Howard threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score as West Virginia beat Baylor in their season finale.
Justin Crawford rushed for 209 yards to help the Mountaineers (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) to their first 10-win regular-season since 2007. They came from 11 points down in the first half to hand Baylor (6-6, 3-6) its sixth straight loss.
FORT HAYS STATE 45, EASTERN NM 12: In Copperas Cove, Texas, the Greyounds (7-5) were routed by the Tigers (8-4) in the Heart of Texas Bowl.
It was ENMU’s second consecutive defeat in the bowl. Shaquille Cooper ran for 146 yards for a TD for Fort Hays State and scored a TD.