Each week, we’ll look back on what our expert analysts thought each team needed to do to secure victory in our NCAA Football broadcasts, brought to you by Pennzoil.
September 15th: Halftime score: Alabama 24, Arkansas 0
(Listen to Rocky Boiman’s Keys to the Second Half from our broadcast)
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Alabama: Rocky’s mission for Alabama was to keep doing what they were doing and get out of Fayetteville healthy.
Alabama Verdict: Alabama continued right where they left off when the second half began, scoring two touchdowns in the first four minutes to put any thoughts of an Arkansas revival to bed quickly and decisively. And, as far as we could tell, no member of the Crimson Tide left the field for any other reason that rest and getting some second- and third-stringers some work.
Arkansas: Stop the mistakes and get the ground game going.
Arkansas Verdict: First the Alabama offense marched the length of the field to score and take a 31-0 lead. Then Arkansas fumbled the ensuing kickoff –just the kind of mistake Rocky said they’d need to avoid. The Crimson Tide took advantage of the short field to take a 38-0 lead on T.J. Yeldon’s 1-yard plunge. It didn’t get prettier after that for Arkansas, who managed just 1.6 yards per carry on 37 rushing attempts and turned the ball over five times. The Razorbacks were shut out in Fayetteville for the first time since 1966.
Final Score: Alabama 52 – Arkansas 0
September 15th: Halftime score: UCLA 17, Houston 0
(Listen to Terry Donahue’s Keys to the Second Half from our broadcast)
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Houston: Terry said Houston needed to start having success on third down and they had to cut down on mistakes.
Houston Verdict: After going 3 of 12 on third down in the first half, the Cougars improved slightly in the second half converting 3 of 8 chances. But it wasn’t nearly enough as the turnovers kept on coming. David Piland threw picks on four of the first five Houston possessions of the second half — and five interceptions in all. The Cougars also lost a fumble – which UCLA ran back for a touchdown early in the first quarter. UCLA’s defense shut the Cougars down and the game was never close in the second half.
UCLA: Keep the good things going and start protecting the football.
UCLA Verdict: The Bruins turned the ball over twice more in the second half, but because their defense kept coming up big, it didn’t change the momentum of the game. Other than the miscues, UCLA continued to look good at moving the ball on offense, adding 259 second-half yards to the 308 they amassed before the break. The Bruins also dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for 41:14 and giving the defense plenty of time to rest up and be ready to force yet another Houston turnover.
