Fox News Flash top sports headlines for November 7
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There are Saturdays during the fall when leaving the couch is a sin. Errands can be pushed back a day, and the grocery store run should be completed before most are awake.
That was the type of Saturday Week 10 of the college football season was.
Running back Ollie Gordon II (0) of the Oklahoma State Cowboys celebrates with fans after rushing for 271 yards with two touchdowns against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Boone Pickens Stadium Oct. 28, 2023, in Stillwater, Okla. Oklahoma State won 45-13. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
It’s a beautiful thing to wake up knowing that Top 25 matchups fill the day from morning well into the night.
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The college football slate started with Kansas State almost ending Texas’ College Football Playoff hopes and wrapped up with USC quarterback Caleb Williams likely finishing his collegiate career without a CFP appearance.
Quite a bit happened in between. So, let’s look at what was learned from Week 10.
Dabo Swinney should have "Tyler from Spartanburg" question his salary every week
The Clemson Tigers were in a world of hurt heading into Saturday’s matchup with Notre Dame.
Clemson prepared for the Fighting Irish with a 2-4 record in the ACC, coming off a loss to N.C. State and in the midst of its worst season in over a decade.
Head coach Dabo Swinney had railed against expectations for weeks as his offense struggled to score points.
And then "Tyler from Spartanburg" lit a fire under the Tigers.
On Monday, Tyler called into the weekly "Tiger Calls" radio show with Swinney and questioned his salary in a down year.
Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers takes part in the team walk before taking on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Memorial Stadium Nov. 4, 2023, in Clemson, S.C. (Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
"So, I’m curious. Why are we paying you $11.5 million to go 4-4?" the caller asked Swinney after questioning his coaching hires and saying he sensed "arrogance."
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And boy did Swinney respond. In a five-minute rant, Swinney ripped the caller, lamenting the lack of appreciation from fans considering the success the program has had under his leadership.
"And what’s happened at Clemson is we’ve won so much — it used to be the fun is in the winning — now, even when you win, people like you complain and criticize the coaches and question everything," Swinney said.
"To answer your question, I started as the lowest-paid coach in this freaking business," Swinney added. "And I’m where I am because I've worked my a-- off. Every single day. And I ain’t gonna let some smart a-- kid get on this phone and create this stuff."
Swinney moved past legendary coach Frank Howard in all-time wins at Clemson (166) as the Tigers snapped a two-game losing streak in a 31-23 win over Notre Dame.
"If Clemson’s a stock, you better buy all you freaking can," Swinney said. "Buy right now."
Clemson Tigers running back Phil Mafah (7) during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Clemson Memorial Stadium Nov. 4, 2023, at Clemson, S.C. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Running back Phil Mafah rushed 36 times for 186 yards and two touchdowns as Will Shipley sat out with an injury.
"We all had a chip on our shoulder," Mafah said.
Nice work, Tyler.
College football will miss the Bedlam rivalry
Since 1910, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have played each other for in-state bragging rights.
One of the more underrated rivalries in college football came to an end Saturday, at least for the foreseeable future.
With Oklahoma heading to the SEC in 2024, the Bedlam series will come to an end as the two schools will play in different conferences. And Oklahoma State’s non-conference slate is scheduled out until the 2030s.
"The SEC eventually will go to a nine-game schedule. I’m sure Oklahoma has a Power 5 team they’re playing every year. We would have a difficult time matching up with them in nonconference. We’re scheduled out through ’37. We’re not responsible to change what we do because they left the conference," Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy told Action Network in July. "It’s real simple. They chose to get into the SEC. That’s the choice they made."
If Saturday was the finale, it sure ended on a fun note.
Head coach Mike Gundy of the Oklahoma State Cowboys talks with head coach Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners before their Bedlam game at Boone Pickens Stadium Nov. 4, 2023, in Stillwater, Okla. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
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The Cowboys ended Oklahoma’s CFP hopes in a thrilling 27-24 victory that gave Gundy his 100th Big 12 coaching win. He became just the third coach to reach the century mark.
"It’s a big game," Gundy said. "And it’s good for the Oklahoma State people to finish Bedlam with a win. Period."
The loss was the second in a row for the Sooners and ended any hope of a playoff berth in Brent Venables' second season as head coach in Norman.
"I'm really hurt for our guys," Venables said. "They really laid it on the line. We didn't always play great today. We had too many critical mistakes against a good football team. But I loved the fight, the grit of the team, to give ourselves a chance at the end."
College football needs more in-state rivalries, and the end of Bedlam is a dark day for the sport.
Predictions of Nick Saban and Alabama’s demise were wrong – again
The first three weeks of the season brought a flurry of questions about the future of Nick Saban and Alabama football.
Following a loss to Texas and an ugly 17-3 win over South Florida, fans took to social media to express their discontent.
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"Checked all the way out. Go retire and enjoy life Coach Saban. You’ve done more than enough for us. It’s time," one user on X wrote in reaction to Saban walking into the tunnel after beating South Florida.
"Yeah Nick Saban is done with this team," another college football fan added.
It was all premature.
Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide during pregame warmups prior to facing the LSU Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium Nov. 4, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Crimson Tide have ripped off six straight wins after the lackluster performance in Week 3, including Saturday’s victory over LSU.
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Alabama has found a way to win with an offense that looks much different from the previous years, rushing for 288 yards in a 42-28 win over Brian Kelly and the Tigers.
"Probably as close to a complete game as we’ve played all year, and we needed to play a game like that," Saban said.
Despite the slow start to the year, Saban has Alabama sitting in its usual spot — at the top of the SEC West with a CFP berth still a real possibility.
Saban is the greatest coach in college football history. Next time his team looks like it’s taken a step back, fans should take a pause before using the word "retirement."
USC’s defense kept them out of the playoff
The biggest question mark for USC heading into the 2023 season was whether the defense could get enough stops as the offense rolled.
The answer is in. It could not.
Head coach Lincoln Riley fired defensive coordinator Alex Grinch Monday after the USC defense surrendered 575 yards and 52 points to the Washington Huskies.
The Trojans gave up 101 combined points in the last two games and allowed an average of 34.5 points per game, second most in the Pac-12.
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USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, left, next to head coach Lincoln Riley, looks up at the scoreboard after Washington scored in the second half at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum Nov. 4, 2023, in Los Angeles. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
"We simply weren't making the progress I think we all expected to make," Riley said Monday, per ESPN. "It just felt like it was in the best interest of our program."
Even with an offense scoring the second most points per game in the country (45.5), the Trojans have lost three of the last four games as the defense simply has not been good enough.
"I knew it was a decision that was the right decision at this time and point, but certainly didn't make it easy," Riley said. "But I am that committed, and we are all that committed to playing great defense here, and whatever it takes to get that done, that's what we're going to do."
Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams can enter the NFL Draft after the year and will more than likely never have played in a CFP game.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report