Van Noy and the BYU Defense Took Over the Poinsettia Bowl

BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy's forced fumble and recovery in the endzone proved to be the decisive play of the game. (Kent Horner)

With San Diego State leading the Poinsettia Bowl 6-3 heading into the fourth quarter, someone had to step up and make the big play. BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy had already made a number of big plays earlier in the game, but he reminded the Aztecs of his presence down the stretch.

In the red zone, the BYU offense looked poised to at least tie the game up if they could not punch the ball in for the game's first touchdown. However, BYU quarterback James Lark's pass was intercepted by San Diego State cornerback King Holder at the two-yard line.

That's when Van Noy decided to take matters into his own hands. He rushed San Diego State quarterback Adam Dingwell in the end zone, forced a fumble and recovered it for a touchdown. The very next play from scrimmage did not go any better for the Aztecs. Dingwell fumbled the exchange from the center and Cougars cornerback Jordan Johnson emerged from the pile with the football. One play later, it was Jamaal Williams dancing his way into the endzone on a 14-yard run. A missed extra point made it a 16-6 BYU lead.

With the outcome of game still undetermined, Van Noy decided to finish San Diego State off. With just over six minutes to go in the game, Dingwell's pass was intercepted by Van Noy, who elusively returned it 17 yards for a touchdown. Van Noy's teammate Alani Fua added another interception of Dingwell on the Aztecs' next drive for good measure. When it was all said and done, the Cougars had decisively won 23-6.

The victory was not because of their anemic offense. Instead, it was their leader on defense that made it all happen. Van Noy wasn't only BYU's defensive MVP, but their offensive one as well. He finished the game with eight tackles, including three for loss and 1.5 sacks. Van Noy also had a blocked punt, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and two defensive touchdowns.

The Cougars defense had only had one defensive touchdown all season, but Van Noy came up with two when they needed them the most. He finished the season with 51 tackles, including 21.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. Van Noy is considering joining teammate Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah in entering the NFL Draft. He certainly gave the scouts watching plenty to think about. If this Van Noy's last game as a Cougar, he will long be remembered as the reason they won the 2012 Poinsettia Bowl.

College Football Week 7 Preview and Predictions

South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw dissected the Georgia defense and will look to do the same to the LSU unit Saturday. (AP Photo)

5. #10 Oregon State (4-0) @ BYU (4-2) - 3:30 PM EST, ABC/ESPN3

Oregon State has experienced its share of good news and bad news this past week. The good news is that they are off to a 4-0 start and have their highest ranking since 2001. The bad news is that in last week's win over Washington State, quarterback Sean Mannion injured his left knee and is expected to miss anywhere from two to four weeks.

The Beavers will travel to Provo to take on BYU. The Cougars have had their share of question marks at quarterback as well. Senior quarterback Riley Nelson has been out with a back injury. Freshman Taysom Hill had been playing his place, but injured his left knee in their win over Utah State. He has been ruled out for the season. Nelson is expected to return as the starter, but the Cougars could be in trouble if he is unable to go.

In place of Mannion, Oregon State quarterback Cody Vaz is making his collegiate starting debut. He has a difficult task set before him with having to play on the road against a tough BYU defense at home. Vaz will benefit from his pair of playmakers at wide receiver, Markus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks. Speaking of the Cougars defense, they will need to play very well, especially as they are lead by linebacker Kyle Van Noy.

Prediction: BYU 13 Oregon State 12

4. #15 Texas (4-1) vs. #13 Oklahoma (3-1) - 12:00 PM EST, ESPN

This is still one of the biggest rivarlies in college football. It just has a bit of a different feel this year. Rather than battling for control of the Big 12 race, both teams are simply trying not to fall farther behind #5 West Virginia and #6 Kansas State in the standings. Neither team is ranked in the top ten of the polls for the first time since 1999. The loser will have two losses just two weeks into October.

Oklahoma is finally starting to play better football. Starting quarterback Landry Jones is beginning to play better and is able to lead his team to victory. His wide receivers are finally finding some continuity with him as  well. Freshman Trey Metoyer and juniors Kenny Stills and Justin Brown have emerged as Jones' top targets. Defensively, the Sooners pieced together their best performance of the season last week in a win at Texas Tech.

Texas will look to contain Jones with their solid defense. The defense is anchored by defensive ends Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat. On offense, the Longhorns will look to control the line of scrimmage to create rushing lanes for their deep backfield. When playing up to their potential, they can control the ball and clock very well.

Prediction: Oklahoma 31 Texas 27

3. #17 Stanford (4-1) @ #7 Notre Dame (5-0) - 3:30 PM EST, NBC

Even without former star quarterback Andrew Luck, Stanford hasn't really missed a beat offensively. The main reason why is the consistency of running back Stepfan Taylor. He is a workhorse who isn't afraid to get  into the trenches and pick up tough yardage. Quarterback Josh Nunes has improved over the course of the season. The Cardinal might see just how far along he is developed if the score is close near the end of the game.

Notre Dame is undefeated on the season, but has yet to receive some of the accolades of other teams in similar positions. One of the reasons might be that they aren't blowing teams out of the water, expect for last week's 41-3 blowout of Miami (FL). They grinded out their wins over Purdue, Michigan State and Michigan. However, wins are wins and that's what the Fighting Irish have been getting this season.

The Fighting Irish defense has been rock solid this season. They are led by linebacker Manti Te'o, who is having a fabulous season. If he and the rest of the defense can contain Taylor, they should be in good shape. The other aspect of Notre Dame's game that is starting to emerge is their rushing attack. Senior Cierre Wood just needed to get himself going after missing the first two games of the season due to suspension. Last week against the Hurricanes, he rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns.

Prediction: Notre Dame 27 Stanford 17

2. #22 Texas A&M @ #23 Louisiana Tech - 9:00 PM EST, ESPNU/WatchESPN

Texas A&M was supposed to open their season at Louisiana Tech. However, Hurricane Isaac came through and postponed the game until now. When it originally happened, no one probably thought anything of it. But now both teams are ranked and the game has been thrust into the national spotlight. Both teams boast big time offenses, so this one has shootout written all over it.

The Aggies have improved drastically since their loss to Florida. Quarterback Johnny Manziel's emergence as one of the most exciting players in the SSC is a major reason why. His dual threat nature has kept opposing defense off guard and guessing all season long. Another Aggie who is starting to shine is freshman wide receiver Mike Evans. He has 32 catches for 412 yards on the season. Evans' size could create a matchup problem for Louisiana Tech.

With an undefeated record, including wins over Houston, Illinois, and Virginia, Louisiana Tech has rightfully broken into the polls and national spotlight. The Bulldogs have legitimate BCS buster power. This makes the game against Texas A&M even more important. Quarterback Colby Cameron runs an efficient offense. His completion percentage of 68.3 and the fact that he hasn't thrown an interception are quite impressive. The other Bulldog to take note of is senior wide receiver Quinton Patton. He already has 34 receptions for 532 yards and five touchdowns on the season.

Prediction: Louisiana Tech 45 Texas A&M 42

1. #3 South Carolina @ #9 LSU - 8:00 PM EST, ESPN/WatchESPN

Steve Spurrier finally looks like he has a South Carolina team good enough to win the school's first ever SEC title. Last week, the Gamecocks slammed then-No. 5 Georgia 35-7. Life doesn't get an easier for them though as they have to travel to Baton Rouge to take on LSU at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers rarely lose at home and even more rarely lose two in a row, coming off a loss at Florida.

South Carolina is a balanced team from top to bottom. Offensively, they are led by two of the best players in the SEC. Quarterback Connor Shaw is a dual threat danger that is capable of taking over at anytime. His ability to read defenses and analyze what is taking place is another strength of his game. The other star player is running back Marcus Lattimore. He already has nine rushing touchdowns this season.

LSU is still in control of their own fate in the SEC schedule. The Tigers defense has been as solid as years past. Linebacker Kevin Minter has been doing it all for the Tigers. Last week, he set a new school-record with 17 solo tackles. The difference in this year's LSU team is that the offense continues to struggle. In two SEC games so far this season, they have only managed score a combined 18 points.

Prediction: South Carolina 17 LSU 9

It Ain't Over Until It's Over

The First Four tipped off the NCAA tournament in style tonight. The President of the United States Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron were attendance to watch the game and festivities in Dayton, Ohio. The one thing we learned tonight is the old saying, it ain't over until it's over, sure is true.

The first game featured a pair of 16 seeds who were vying to get a chance to play against the #1 overall seed Kentucky. Western Kentucky was the only team to make the NCAA tournament despite having a losing record. They did what they had done all year which is fall behind early. Mississippi Valley St. took control behind some hot shooting by Kevin Burwell. The Delta Devils built the lead to 16 late in the second half. But as I said earlier, Western Kentucky did what they did all Sun Belt Conference tournament. The Hilltoppers rallied to go ahead on T.J. Price's three-point play with 33 seconds left. It will be all Bluegrass State second matchup between the University of Kentucky and Western Kentucky.

A 16-point come-from-behind is impressive of all, but BYU thought they could do better. Iona, the nation's top scoring team, did not disappoint in the first 16 minutes of the game, pouring in 55 points. The Gael's lead grew to as much as 25, but they did not score the last 4:30 of the first half. It turned out that was a premonition of what was to come in the second half. BYU started getting hot from the field. The Cougars also turned on some stifling defense to hold Iona to just 17 second half points. The win gave BYU the largest comeback win in NCAA Tournament history. As the #14 seed, the Cougars have now earned a matchup against Marquette on Saturday.

Weekend Special: Who Should be on Upset Alert?

Saturday's Games to Watch

West Virginia @ #4 Syracuse - 1:00PM, ESPNU

The key matchup here will be how Syracuse handles West Virginia star Kevin Jones inside. The Orange are without Fab Melo once again, so they will need their other big men to step up defensively and on the glass. Jones as been an absolute force in Big East play this season. If the Mountaineers have a shot at the upset, they will need Jones to be that stellar again.

Texas @ #7 Baylor - 1:00PM, CBS

Texas is an improving young team that is fully capable of pulling an upset. However, they will play an angry Baylor team that is coming off its first two losses of the season. If they Bears exploit their advantage inside, they should get the win.

#16 Mississippi State @ #13 Florida - 1:30PM, ESPN3

Mississippi State has the size and strength inside to possibly give Florida some trouble. The Gators guards have been playing great and their team defense has stepped up in a big way as of late. This game should give us a better picture of both teams chances in March.

#5 Kansas @ Iowa State - 2:00PM, ESPN

This is a popular upset pick among the experts. Iowa State has an edge on the perimeter with their great guard play. They also have a big man in Royce White, who is capable of holding Kansas stud Thomas Robinson in check. The Hilton Coliseum should be on a full tilt, so Kansas is going to have to play very well in order to exit as the victors.

Middle Tennessee @ Vanderbilt - 2:00PM

This is a statement game for Middle Tennessee. They have a 20-2 record overall and are 9-0 in Sun Belt Conference play. However, this is there last chance to get a signature non-conference win. Vanderbilt has had their ups and downs all season. It will be interesting to see how they play against an amped up Blue Raiders team.

Cincinnati @ Rutgers - 6:00PM, ESPN3

Cincinnati was cruising having won 10 out of 11 games. But then they dropped their last two prior to this one. Rutgers has had their moments this season and have shown signs of hope for the future. The Scarlet Knights would love to get another quality win under their belts. It will be interesting to see how the Bearcats bounce back. If they are going to be a serious contender, this is a must win game.

#20 St. Mary's @ BYU - 9:00PM, ESPNU

St. Mary's convincingly won the first matchup of these two teams. The Gaels are currently looking like the favorites to win the West Coast Conference. BYU is currently sitting square on the bubble. They have a solid record, but a lack of quality wins. If they were able to pull the upset here, this would be a big step in the right direction.

Marshall @ Memphis - 9:00PM, CSS

Both of these teams are near the top of what is a crowded Conference USA standings. Marshall had some solid wins early in the season and even competed well at the Carrier Dome with Syracuse. As of late, the Thundering Herd have stumbled a bit, losing three in a row. On the other hand, Memphis is playing some of its best basketball right now. The Tigers are winners of eight of their last nine. This is an intriguing matchup with clear conference implications.

Sunday's Games to Watch

Notre Dame @ #19 Connecticut - 12:00PM, ESPN3

Connecticut won the previous matchup in South Bend in convincing fashion, but much has changed since then. Notre Dame upset Syracuse handing them their first and only loss of the season so far. The Fighting Irish are playing with a lot of confidence right now. Conversely, Connecticut has lost four out of their last six. The Huskies are looking to return to form. This is another statement game for both of these teams.

#22 Michigan @ #3 Ohio State - 1:00PM, CBS

Everyone normally talks about this rivalry in reference to a football game, but this is matchup of two Top 25 teams among the top of the Big Ten. Michigan has had their ups and downs, but are 3-2 against Top 25 teams, including a big win over in-state rival Michigan State. Ohio State has looked dominant at times, but there has also been a couple of pitfalls in their schedule so far this season. The Buckeyes will look to Jared Sullinger to lead the way once again. He is coming off a big game in a win over Penn State.