A few Top 25 losses this week but no big surprises. 'Bama bested TA&M in the long-awaited re-match as four of the Top 25 fell...two of those losses were to other Top 25 teams. We now have five 1-loss teams in the Top 25 and three that just moved in (Fresno State, Michigan State, Arizona State).
'Bama and TA&M: I actually had TA&M by 3 for this one - I simply did not think that 'Bama looked good in their opener and TA&M had already had two games to get any kinks worked out. It was a great re-match but 'Bama controlled most of the game once TA&M got a little cocky. Sometimes I think Saban likes to let teams think they might beat him and then he very patiently, methodically pulls out the win. But it was fun to watch Johnny Football play and nearly pull off an amazing comeback. He is a most versatile player who can improvise on the fly and I've never seen anyone who can throw that accurate off-balance and on the run. He showed it's worth the hassle up putting up with his antics.
There were a few surprises: Purdue scared ND. TCU lost to TT. After chants of "Fire Kiffin" last week, USC tried to make a statement with their win. After rumors of "Fire Brown" last week, Texas could not make a statement and I foresee changes a coming to that program real soon. (BTW - SI did a great print article this week on the downward spiral of USC and Texas even though their resources far exceed many other programs). Wisconsin fell to un-ranked ASU and Nebraska fell to an up-and-coming team-to-watch UCLA.
E N D - Z O N E
'Bama and TA&M: I actually had TA&M by 3 for this one - I simply did not think that 'Bama looked good in their opener and TA&M had already had two games to get any kinks worked out. It was a great re-match but 'Bama controlled most of the game once TA&M got a little cocky. Sometimes I think Saban likes to let teams think they might beat him and then he very patiently, methodically pulls out the win. But it was fun to watch Johnny Football play and nearly pull off an amazing comeback. He is a most versatile player who can improvise on the fly and I've never seen anyone who can throw that accurate off-balance and on the run. He showed it's worth the hassle up putting up with his antics.There were a few surprises: Purdue scared ND. TCU lost to TT. After chants of "Fire Kiffin" last week, USC tried to make a statement with their win. After rumors of "Fire Brown" last week, Texas could not make a statement and I foresee changes a coming to that program real soon. (BTW - SI did a great print article this week on the downward spiral of USC and Texas even though their resources far exceed many other programs). Wisconsin fell to un-ranked ASU and Nebraska fell to an up-and-coming team-to-watch UCLA.
E N D - Z O N E
- The mighty SEC? We'll see. So far this year we have seen Georgia, Florida, Mississippi State and Tennessee lose to the ACC (twice) and PAC-12 and Big-12.
- Maybe I was wrong about Ohio State. A thumping of Cal, in Cal, without their star QB. They may change my mind yet.
- The big news this week was the SI report on pay for play (possibly) at Oklahoma State, Alabama and Tennessee. I'm a fan of the student athletes getting credit for their talents and what they bring to the school, but I am also a fan of following the rules. We've seen such infractions surface every year in some form or fashion for the last six or eight years yet the NCAA seems reluctant to force the issue, they take too long to make decisions and any sanctions they do enforce seem to have little effect. (OK...sometimes they get it right but it's a drawn out process).