SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' college football reporter Paul Myerberg breaks down the upcoming playoff. USA TODAY Sports
Coaches make dozens of decisions in every game. Most of them aren't that noticeable. Some of them very much are.
Some calls can change a game. Some are just thrilling to watch. Sometimes it's not one call but an entire game plan. Sometimes — because college football is supposed to be fun — it's about trick plays.
Each weekend this season, USA TODAY Sports selected four calls from across the nation that we think ranked among the best decisions for the Amway Coach's Call of the Week. You, the fans, chose the best of the best.
From those winners, you now get a chance to pick the best of the year. There will be three weeks of semifinals, with four weekly winners from which to choose. In the week before the College Football Playoff title game, you will have a chance to choose from among those three winners for the single best call of the year.
Here are the second group of four semifinalists:
Voting closes at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 21.
Dan Mullen, Mississippi State
From Week 3: The Bulldogs were in command (Setp. 16) against No. 11 LSU 20-7 and driving again.
On third-and-1 from the LSU 45 — as described by Hugh Kellenberger of The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger — quarterback Nick Fitzgerald play-actions from a heavy formation and finds Keith Mixon for the 45-yard touchdown.
A beautiful call, a beautiful fake and a beautiful TD.
Clang, clang, clang went the cowbells, and the rout was on (Mississippi State won 37-7).
James Franklin, Penn State
From Week 4: The Nittany Lions were in an all-out struggle with Iowa (Sept. 23), on the road in a raucous Kinnick stadium. At night.
The Hawkeyes had just gone 80 yards on three plays in less than a minute to score a touchdown and take a 19-15 lead. No. 4 Penn State would have to go 80 yards in 1:42 and punch it in the end zone.
And so the well-coached Nittany Lions did, finishing with a brilliant 7-yard TD pass from Trace McSorley to Juwan Johnson on fourth-and-goal on the final play.
Gus Malzahn, Auburn
From Week 11: The Tigers created a little chaos in college football on Nov. 11 by whipping Georgia, the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff rankings, 40-17.
Auburn's defense stood tall, but the offense really rose to the occasion, piling up 251 yards through the air and 237 on the ground against the stingy Georgia defense, one of the best in the country.
RB Kerryon Johnson, with 167 yards on the ground, carried the load, but QB Jarrett Stidham did his part, including a keeper for a touchdown in the third quarter. On second-and-5 from the 7, Stidham faked the handoff to Johnson and sprinted untouched for six. All of a sudden the score was 23-7, and the Tigers never looked back.
Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Week 12: The Badgers, who put down pesky Michigan 24-10 on Nov. 18 to run their record to 11-0, aren't known as the most artful team in college football.
But a second-half touchdown that basically buried Michigan was stylish indeed.
On first-and-10 at the Michgian 32, freshman receiver Kendric Pryor scored on a flawlessly faked and executed end-around, giving Wisconsin a 21-10 lead and, for all intents and purposes, sealing the deal.
*Voting closes at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 21.
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