The Sickos Synopsis - Our Weekly early 1900s style Old-Timey Recap for Week 3 - Syracuse/Purdue, Hampton/Howard, Fresno State/ASU, Kansas/Nevada, Pitt/WVU, Colorado/Colorado St and TCU/Houston

Here at the Sickos Committee, we really love the Old-Timey newspaper headlines from college football games from the 1920s and earlier. We wanted to do a weekly recap of some randomly decided games in this Old-Timey style of writing for the fun of it. Just try to imagine an old school news reporter reading this aloud to you on an old transistor radio. 

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Sept 16th. - West Lafayette, IN

Dino Baber’s boys from Syracuse, slid down from upstate New York to face Purdue Pete in West Lafayette. Last year, the tango between these two teams left both sets of fans flummoxed by the flood of foolishness they saw on the football field. Purdue saw their first drive end on a fourth down fumble that foreshadowed their problems possessing the pigskin. Then ‘Cuse crawled across the field on an 11 play 94 yard march capped off by a silky smooth Shrader sleight of hand which allowed him to waltz into the end-zone for an early 7-0 advantage. Two drives later, Purdue put the pill on the playing surface again and Cuse clambered to capture it. Syracuse then stepped downfield with the shifty Shrader scampering 35 yards for a 14-0 superiority. The Boilermakers brushed themselves off and bounded down the field finally finding precious points to put themselves down 14-7. A Cuse kick careened wide on the next drive giving promise to Purdue. However, the Boilers bungled the ball and it bounced back to the opportunistic Orange. Cuse then cruised to a 21-7 lead. A late first half proposition for Purdue points led to a picked off pass and the fourth Boiler blunder took us to halftime. The Boilers bounded out of halftime intercepting a poor pass and then drove down to slice the Syracuse lead down to 21-14. The teams then traded touchdowns on their next touches but the Boilers botched the extra point giving Cuse a 28-20 lead. Purdue forced a Cuse punt but couldn’t capitalize, failing on four downs. On the next drive, Syracuse’s Shrader skedaddled 28 yards to seal the success for Otto and the Orange.

Syracuse 35 -  Purdue 20    

Sept 16th - Washington, DC

In the HBCU world, two teams have battled for over a century to determine which is the pinnacle of the “Black Ivy League.” Hampton University and Howard University have both educated generations of students over their long and illustrious lifetimes. Starting in 1908, these teams met on the gridiron for the first time, with Hampton Institute’s Seasiders being the Howard Bison 6-0. Beginning a spirited rivalry has persisted into the modern day. Since becoming a university in 1984 the teams have dubbed their game “The Battle for the Real HU” and the teams have played each other tough 97 times and this year was no exception. The defenses started the show forcing the Pirates to punt to the eager Bison, who took their first possession into the end-zone. After a pair of punts, the Seasiders (a previous name for the Hampton football team) fumbled the ball away and the Bison score two plays later, taking a 14-point lead. Hampton finally gets on the board with a touchdown of their own, but the punting continues for three straight drives until the Howard Men punch the ball in to take a 21-7 lead. However, the Hampton Pirates, heroically, hounded the Howard defense and held their head high as they scurried into the end-zone to end the scoring for the half at 21-14 Howard with the lead. Half time came and the “Showtime” Marching Band the “Ohh La La!” dance line took the field! They put on a show that fan adored. Following Showtime, the Hampton University Marching Force came to the field and belted tune after tune of melodious magical music that the crowd dance to the time away. With the start of the second half, the teams resumed their scoring with Howard putting another touchdown on the board. Getting Hampton to punt, the Bison kick another field goal pushing their point total to 31. But after the ensuing kickoff the Pirates, using their aptly named offense of “Loot & Plunder” scored on a 97-yard touchdown run cutting the lead to 21-31. Howard takes the next drive into the red-zone but stalls and gets their final three points of the night. With time running low the Hampton Men furiously get a stop and the ball back and scoring a touchdown on 4th and goal they bring the game to 28-34. With their last grasp and a Howard punt the Pirates march down the field and score the final points of the game. With their change for victory on the line, the Howard Men run the hurry up and are intercepted immediately after they cross midfield. Ending the threat and answering the question, “Who is the Real HU?”

Hampton 35 - Howard 34

Sept 16th. - Tempe, AZ

Rumors of Jeff Tedford’s demise remain utterly evidence-free as the salty sixty-something took his slobberin’ dogs to the desert to do battle with young Kenny Dillingham’s shaky Sun Devils. From the start, it was clear the mid-major visitors significantly outclassed their hosts in the hundred-degree heat. Fresno QB Mikey Keene completed six passes on the opening drive, culminating with a 19-yard TD toss to Jalen Moss, their third hook-up of the drive. Looking for answers, Arizona State backup QB Trenton Bourget threw two complete passes on his first possession, one to each team. Set up at midfield thanks to his largesse, the bullying Bulldogs of California’s bread basket drove down to the Devils’ doorstep before an untimely sack on 3rd down made a field goal the only sensible choice for Jolly Jeff. Having held their visitors to just 3 points off of the turnover, ASU mounted a solid drive, reaching Fresno’s 29 thanks to Bourget completing five straight passes. Then, in a grim omen for the dark lords of the night sun, Bourget took the snap and inexplicably dropped it behind his back in an unforced fumble. Though he picked it up and safely fired it out of bounds, Bourget came up limping in the wake of the play. Drew Pyne, one of many former Notre Dame QBs forced into service Saturday, trotted into the ASU backfield and immediately fumbled while being sacked. Fresno recovered, converting it into another field goal. The Daring Devils’ remaining drives in the half ended in another fumble, a failed 4th down attempt, and, looping back to the opening drive, another interception. They went a half of football without needing to punt once, which was not as fun as it might sound absent context. Fresno headed to the locker room up 16-0 despite missing a field goal as time expired.  ASU did end its punt drought on the first possession of the second half, then Pyne threw his second interception of the day, eventually being replaced by John Conover, who promptly showed he had just as much capability to throw interceptions as the other Devils quarterbacks, putting up two in the fourth quarter alone. Fresno completed the shutout easily, thanks in no small part to the stunning 8 turnovers gifted them by their gracious hosts.

Fresno State 29 -  Arizona State 0  

Sept 16th. - Reno, NV

Lance Leipold’s Lads from Lawrence launched themselves west to face the never-scared Nevada Wolf Pack in a knock-down, drag-out brawl in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada matching up two teams who had never once played each other. These teams’ fortunes have reversed in the last two years, with Leipold driving the long-woeful Jayhawks to a bowl game last year and off to a hot, unbeaten start in the campaign of two thousand and twenty-three, and Jay Norvell’s departure for Colorado State triggering a 12-game losing streak for Nevada. On paper, this was a mismatch strongly favoring Leipold’s high-flying and difficult to stop offense. But games are never won on paper, least of all in Nevada, and this was a fight to the very end. Joyous Jayhawk trigger-man Jalon Daniels marched the leggy birds straight down the field on the first drive of the game, but the script was torn up from there. The mighty Leipold offense mustered a mere 3 more points in the half and only managed to cross midfield a single other time across a blizzard-like barrage of punts. Nevada’s rambling rumbler Sean Dollars cashed in for 6 late in the first half, hitting jackpot on a three-yard scamper. The defensive struggle ended as the third frame of the game commenced. Nevada went three and out before both teams combined to score touchdowns on their next 5 possessions, covering 374 yards. But when destiny demanded defense most, the call was heeded. At long last, Kansas pushed back the Wolf Pack warriors with a much-needed three-and-out stop. Nevada produced a stop of their own, but their last chance drive crapped out on 4th down when a legion of Jayhawks jumped into the backfield for a loss of three yards. And just like that, the Biggest Little City in the World’s bid for the Biggest Little Upset of the season came to an end.

Kansas 31 -  Nevada 24    

Sept. 16th - Morgantown, WV 

The Pitt Panthers paraded down to meet the Mountaineers in Morgantown in a brouhaha called the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers first possession was promising as they progressed down for points to take a 3-0 lead. The Mountaineers couldn’t muster any movement and then put the pill on the playing surface as Pitt pounced on the pigskin. Fortunately, a poor pass by Pitt found the Mountaineers mitts two plays later putting them back in prime position for points. The Mountaineers muscled the moleskin mightily into the end-zone for a 7-3 lead. The Panthers pushed and prodded, procuring three more points to go into halftime down 7-6. After halftime, the Panthers punted and the Mountaineers mounted a masterful matriculation of the moleskin, ending up in the end-zone for a timely touchdown taking their total to 14 to Pitt’s 6. On the next possession, the Pitt passer Phil Jurkovec errantly fired to the ‘Eers who were eagerly awaiting to pick off the pass. West Virginia ventured to find a field goal to take a two possession prominence in the Brawl 17-6. The Mountaineers muffled any Pitt parlances for the remainder of the proving, intercepting another janky Jurkovec heave sending the West Virginia faithful in a most boisterous belting of Country Roads.

West Virginia 17 - Pitt 6.  

Sept 16th - Boulder, CO 

In-state rivals tend to have it out for one another when they meet on the gridiron. The Rocky Mountain Showdown is no exception. These two institutions of higher learning in the mountains of Colorado have met 92 times beginning in 1893, where the Colorado Buffs won the inaugural contest 70 to 6. Flash forward 130 years and the teams are still playing each other, and this year’s contest was one of the early season’s rowdiest, ravenous, and radiant games with both teams seeking a victory. Under first year head coach Deion “Prime” Sanders the Colorado Buffaloes welcomed their cross-state rival Colorado State Rams to town with much fanfare and back and forth talk. Before the game kicked off there was a scuffle before the game as the teams took the field, seeking to make their mark on the rivalry. Taking the opening kickoff, the Rams were forced to punt to the home team after getting stalled by penalties and negative plays. The Buffs responded on their first drive by throwing an interception, the first of six turnovers between the teams. On the subsequent drive, CSU takes the ball down and kicks a field goal, but a Colorado penalty gives the visitors a first down. After the offense comes back on the field the Buffs, full of bravado, broke down the offense, catch an interception and take it back for a pick six! But the Rams, unmoved, undeterred, and unafraid, march back down the field and secure their first touchdown of the night, knotting it up at seven. On the next drive the home team fumbles the ball away and the Rams take it back for a scoop and score, giving them the lead. The Buffs score once more before the end of the quarter and bring the score to a tie at 14 after the first 15 minutes. The second quarter is a series of punts but is punctuated by a perfect, precise, and punctual pass from Colorado State that sends them the game to the half with the Rams up 21-14. To start the third quarter, the Buffs punt the ball away and the Rams fumble it back. Following a Colorado punt, CSU took the ball down the field, but had their field goal attempt blocked by the home team. Not to be undone, the Buffs miss a field goal of their own, leaving the score unchanged. Forcing an interception, the Buffs take the ball back and turn it into three points. But the CSU Rams, steadfast, serious, search for success, and find it with a long touchdown pass pushing their lead to 28-17. But the Buffs defense stands stout, getting the back into the hands of their offense, twice. Leading to a field goal and a touchdown with a two-point conversion, tying the game and sending it to overtime. Once free football begins, the Buffs hold their end of the game and score in both overtime periods, stopping the Rams in the second, ending the game after the second OT. Bringing the Centennial Cup back to Boulder for the 68th time.

Colorado 43 - Colorado State 35 (2OT)

Sept 16th, Houston, TX

Texas Christian University and The University of Houston have shared a conference multiple times over their overlapping histories. First as members of the Southwestern Conference, then as members of Conference USA, and now as members of the Big XII Conference. The series is perfectly even 13-13 since their first meeting in 1976. Since then both teams have seen a myriad of highs and lows. Kicking this game off the Horned Frogs take the opening kickoff and in seven short plays, the Horned Frogs go the distance, and score a touchdown. The hometown Cougars, take their first crack at offense and score three on a field goal.  After a Cougar drive the ends on down, the TCU visitors punt the ball away. With Houston back in possession the Cougars proceed to progress down the field, but are unsuccessful in producing any points as they miss their field goal attempt. This was not held against them as the Horned Frogs threw an interception on their next possession. After another turnover on downs, the Men from Fort Worth begin to assert their dominance, scoring a field goal then forcing another turnover from the Battle Red clad Houston Cougars. They turn that turnover into another field goal and take a 13-3 lead. But the Houston Cougars, electric, exquisite, and exciting, take the kickoff back for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 13-10. But the Frogs take the next drive into the end-zone and reaffirm their lead over the home team. Following another field goal from Houston, the half ends with a 60-yard attempt from the Horned Frogs that missed the mark. Starting in the second half, the Horned Frogs began to close the door on the Cougars. Scoring a touchdown, then another field goal between several series of punts. The Cougars then fail to score a single point in the second half of the game, while the Horned Frogs score one last touchdown, taking their point total to 36. Ending the game there with a final interception of the Cougars.

TCU 36 - Houston 13