College Coaches In Big Bowl Games Showed No Faith In Their Defenses

College football coaches in these bowl games have either an inordinate faith in their quarterbacks or a total lack of faith in their defenses. Let’s start with Florida State versus Michigan. Florida State’s defense had held Michigan to just three field goals with about a minute left in the third quarter. FSU had the ball deep in their own territory and they had one of the premiere backs in football, Dalvin Cook. Cook only torched the Wolverines for over 200 yards on 23 touches, including a 71 yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. But FSU elected to let quarterback Deondre Francois throw the ball. Unfortunately, he threw a pick-six which totally changed the momentum and nearly cost FSU the victory.

Next we go to Washington versus Alabama. Washington’s defense had held Alabama in check all first half, despite the fact that ‘Bama was winning the battle of field position. With just under two minutes left in the half and the Crimson Tide leading only 10-7, Washington started a drive from inside their 10. A couple of running play actually got first downs and the Huskies had moved the ball out to just beyond the 30 yard line. Alabama was giving Washington the run and protecting against the pass. Of course, Washington played right into their hands, deciding to go to the air to perhaps get in field goal range. QB Jake Browning’s first pass to the sideline should have been intercepted but was dropped by the Alabama DB. But Browning tried again with a swing pass and gave up a pick-six. So, rather than going into halftime having been badly outplayed but just down 10-7, the Huskies walked off the field down 10 and never got any closer.

Down in Texas at the Cotton Bowl, Western Michigan was down 17-10 early in the fourth quarter. Their defense had just forced a Wisconsin punt and they started the drive from inside the 5 yard line. QB Zach Terrell made an ill-advised pass over the middle that was intercepted at inside the 15. Wisconsin scored to make it a two touchdown game and WMU was never able to get closer than that original 7 point deficit again.

Finally, we go to the Rose Bowl. After a furious USC comeback, the game was tied with 1:20 to go when Penn State got the ball in their own territory. I’m pretty sure they made one first down with Saquon Barkley running the ball. Barkley ran for 194 yards for the game. Penn State decided to go for the win and let Trace McSorley throw the ball. On second down, McSorley had a receiver wide open but threw up a duck that hung up so long the defender was able to get over and make a play. The pass should have been intercepted but was dropped by the USC safety. So they tried it again on third down and McSorley threw up another duck that was intercepted by Leon McQuay who ran it all the way back to the Penn State 33.. That set up USC’s game-winning field goal as time expired.

Coaches seem to thing their quarterbacks can run a two-minute drill from deep in their own end like Tom Brady or Aaron Rogers. But most quarterbacks aren’t Sam Darnold and they make mistakes, big mistakes. What’s especially frustrating is that, with the exception of Penn State, all those teams that threw the big interception were underdogs. Keeping the game close would only have added to the pressure that the favorites felt, perhaps forcing them into the big mistake. Everyone agrees that Nick Saban is a master. And Saban was happy to just keep punting the ball and letting his defense, which is admittedly awesome, win the field position game. Perhaps the other coaches might have shown the same faith in their own defenses.