Lest we forget...

We tend to look at the world in our own little time frame. It's all we have to go by (unless we read lots and lots of history). It's just human nature. This pertains to all aspects of life: politics, religion, global warming, racism, violence, wars, sex, drugs and rock-n-roll. These things all have scores if not centuries of history that shaped their current state. College football is no exception.

We often forget what happened in the recent and distant past and as such, are doomed to repeat it (as the saying goes). The Dec 15, 2014 issue of Sports Illustrated reminded us that college football voting and polls have a long history of problems (see below) . Based on this the future of it may get better...but it'll be a slow process.

Wk #15: D-Day

December 7 was d-day for a few teams. As the Final Four and the New year's Six were announced there was cheering and jeering. The format is new, the resultant cheering and jeering was not.

Bottom line...I think they got it right. I don't know that my picks would have been any different. Yea...FSU has had a lot of close ones, and yea...OSU's 1-loss was to a now non-ranked team, and yea...many are tired of seeing Bama on top (again). But you can't ignore the facts and facts are that these teams won lots of games and made some pretty impressive showings.

The experts weren't too far off from their pre-season predictions of the Final Four (see pciture below). Me? Well I had five pre-season predictions, one of which was that neither Bama nor anyone from the Big 10 would be in. Guess I've got some homework to do before next year's predictions.

The Big-12 needs 12 teams. They need to stop any whining, appeals and hiring PR firms and just get on the bandwagon. Both TCU and Baylor seemed well deserving of a better spot. But so were many other teams on certain Saturday's...just not every Saturday.

Wk #14: Remember when...

Yea...remember when Oklahoma and Notre Dame were in the playoff talk, when there was talk of three SEC-West teams in the playoff, when Todd Gurley was already granted the Heisman, when "What about BYU?" was a concern, when FSU's close calls and controversies would cause them to lose soon, and the talk that the worst SEC-West team could beat the best SEC-East? Seems so long ago.

But here are at season-end and all the controversial, smack-talking, unpredictable four months of college football draw to a close. There is still plenty to talk about and look forward to in the new playoff schedule but here are a few facts that now displace the thinking a few months ago:

• Todd Gurley will not win the Heisman (but he will likely have a nice NFL career).
• FSU did not lose a regular season game (but I think GaTech might take them in next weeks conference championship game).
• The SEC_West did indeed beat up on one another leaving sole Bama to carry the SEC flag to the playoff (if they get past unpredictable Mizzou).
• The SEC-West was not always outplayed by the SEC-East (Georgia over Arkansas, Georgia over Auburn bad, Mizzou over Arkansas).
• Oklahoma and Notre Dame and USC are back to the drawing board.
• BYU will have to wait another year as well (but their 2015 schedule holds way more water if they are up to the task).

Georgia lost a great nail-biter in OT. Once again it was down to play calling...on just a couple of plays. A different call likely would have been a different outcome. But hindsight is 20/20 and I know the coaches are thinking the same thing. Don't call for their heads just yet...they're growing from each miscue.

BYU looked well prepared and pulled it off down the stretch like prepared teams should. Pull ahead and stay ahead by playing both sides of the ball equally well.

Wks #12 and #13

Week #12 did not disappoint:

• With Gurley back in action Georgia shut down any hopes Auburn had. The Tigers scored on their first possession...and that was that. "Game control" defined.
• FSU pulls another rabbit out of the hat; this time in Miami. (How deep is that hat?).
• Bama pulls off the upset over MSU (as many expected). But deep down we all wanted to see a shift of power in the SEC-West to one of those Mississippi schools. Saban, of course, will have none of that on his watch.
• Arkansas ends its SEC losing streak in serious fashion with a shutout of LSU.

Week #13 was a little light with big name SECs (and others) having a cupcake party. Nonetheless there was still plenty of excitement:

• FSU wins in the final seconds (again) with a field goal against un-ranked BC.
• #8 Ole Miss shut out by Arkansas (their 2nd shut out against an SEC team in as many weeks). They are finally coming into their own. Can they keep up the pace in Missouri next week?
• Missouri is looking good down the stretch (dang it) and poised to co-headline the SEC Conference Championship for the 2nd time in their three years in the SEC. (Of course, I'm still pulling for an Arkansas upset to send Georgia there instead).
• UCLA is also showing up as the team everyone expected in August.
• Ohio State had a scare...but still winning and winning with true freshmen.
• Oregon continues their roll, Utah lost it's magic, so did Notre Dame.

Are cupcakes healthy for the sport?

There was a lot of talk this past week about the way SEC schools have scheduled the so-called "cupcake" teams for late in the season instead of early (like in years past). This started with Whiner Meyer in 2006 or so when the SEC prohibited idle weeks before the big end of the season games (Iron Bowl, GA vs GaTech, etc.). College GameDay went so far as to have all four panelists rail on the playing cupcakes at all...that it was "bad for the sport" and such.

I disagree. If the big boys don't ever let the little boys play then how are the little boys going to get better? They won't. The rich will keep getting richer and the poor will never have a shot. We've all rooted for the underdog and sometimes the big boys are humbled by the underdogs. That is what is good for the sport. A little reminder that on any given Saturday you, too, can be beat by anyone.

So give the cupcakes a shot once or twice a year. They need the experience, they need the money and every little guy needs a chance to shine. Sure, schedule the best cupcake you can find* and who knows, maybe they'll teach you a thing or two.

*I'll pardon BYU for playing 0-11 Savannah State this year since it was a last minute schedule change due to a MWC opponent bowing out. 

Wk #11: Wow Week

Texas over #24 WVa. TAM over #3 Auburn. ASU putting up 55 on the Irish. #20 Georgia scoring 63 on Kentucky...who scared #1 MSU just two weeks ago. In the sport where nothing seems to be surprising anymore, it still is. I was calling spoilers on Friday but did not pick any of these. Forget the rankings. Forget all the hype about a playoff reducing the excitement of the regular season. Forget what you know...or think you know. None of it matters.

Bama and LSU did not disappoint, taking it to OT in Death Valley with the Tide emerging as the winner. TCU handled K-State with no problem and Ohio State made their case against MSU. And don't count out Baylor and ASU...yet. Georgia bounced back from the embarrassing loss to UF last week and in preparation for Gurley's return and a now-reeling Auburn next week. BYU was idle...again. (Is this independent thing really working out?).

Hang on...only four more Saturday's and we'll have the first-ever college football playoff ine-up to talk about. And with the SEC-West match-ups left along with all the conference championships there are many surprises lying in wait...we'll see.

Wks #9 and #10

Wk #9: The First Poll
The long-awaited first CFB Playoff poll was released this week. Long-awaited but once here it was rather anti-climatic. Another poll, patterned after existing polls we already read, and at this point in the season it doesn't mean a thing...especially since it was top-heavy with SEC-West teams that will knock each other out of the top spots over the next few weeks.

But it does give us something new to talk / whine / cheer / rant / fuss about for a week before the new poll comes out. But the only poll that matters is the one that comes out December 7.

(BTW...any good answers yet on why Condoleeza Rice is on the CFP committee?)

Wk #10: Any Given Saturday
This week started with the FSU - Louisville match-up on Thursday night. Once again the Seminoles go into the half looking sluggish and down a couple of scores only to come out a different team. IMHO a team can't keep that up an entire season and not get burned (OK...maybe Auburn). I still think they'll drop one...Boston College, Miami or maybe even Florida. Nonetheless, as much controversy as surrounds that program you still can't knock their abilities (OK...2nd half abilities). Their play calling and play execution is spot on and just enough for the W.

Georgia went in to the World's Largest Cocktail Party against the struggling Gators feeling good after two Gurley-less wins and 3-in-a-row against their border rival. Never count out your rival. Florida may be having a down year but that's when teams pull out all the stops and play like it's their last game. Georgia never had momentum and played flat and passion-less. I don't recall a game in recent memory where one team never at least seemed to have the mo going for them at some point. Muschamp's seat is a few degrees cooler and Mizzou is happy to be back on top of the SEC-East.

BYU desperately needed a win and should feel much better down the home stretch. It'll still be tough without Hill at QB but Stewart will do better now that he has a win (confidence) under his belt and the team has shed the losing streak. 

Wk #08: 3-and-Out

1. Jameis Winston and his antics are annoying and have taken way too much focus off the college football season. But he is one accurate, never-say-die QB well worthy of discussion for his talents on the field. If he can put a damper on his off-the-field antics FSU should ride out the rest of their schedule with relative ease.
2. BYU was a one-man team. Give credit to the D and Christian Stewart for stepping it up a few notches to fill the Taysom gap, but it is just not enough. The last two losses simply needed a Taysom punch play to seal the win.
3. Georgia was really good with Gurley...but they have been dominant without him thanks to their D and offense in general stepping it up a few notches. UGA was not a one-man team. Although they took their foot off the gas in the 2nd half against Arkansas they never gave up the steering wheel.

Wk #07: Chaos - Part 2

Not quite as chaotic as last week but just as exciting as we watched MSU continue its dominant attack, USC take down the last PAC-12 unbeaten, Baylor pull off a last-minute field goal against TCU, and both Bama and OU squeaking by their opponents. Who'd have thought that in mid-October we would see #2 vs #3 and this many Top 25 match-ups in two weeks? And next week doesn't slow down: FSU vs Notre Dame, TAM vs Bama, Kansas State vs OU.

Un-ranked in the pre-season and now #1, the Mississippi State-ment is real. Sure, FSU started there and hasn't lost. The rankings aren't perfect but they are a good indicator by October and MSU has dominated three Top 10 teams in as many weeks. Show me another team that has done that. "Give 'em bell" MSU fans...your team is the most deserving IMHO (currently).

Taysom-less BYU put up a good fight; better than what I expected. BYU will do OK the rest of the season now that the back-up QB has a little confidence and the defense stepped it up a notch. And Gurley-less Georgia didn't miss a beat. The talk in August was how deep they were at RB and this game showed it. And the defense sure did they're part in pitching a shutout.


Once again the "pay for play" comes into question. Once again we ask how schools and the NCAA can rake in so much moolah then turn around and suspend your money-maker for taking a little for himself. Gurley knew better, he knew the rules (as did the memorabilia con), and he knew that even antiquated, hotly-debated rules are still rules with potential consequences. Student-athletes live in a "fame no fortune" world run by NCAA suits. Given the same circumstances we'd all be tempted. We'll sure miss Gurley and his amazing abilities on the highlight reels...

The Devil Went Down to Georgia (R. Ruiz, Oct 2014)
The devil went down to Georgia, he was looking for a soul to steal.
He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind and willing to make a deal.
When he came across a young boy runnin' the ball and runnin' it hot.
The devil jumped up in his suit and tie and said, "Boy, let me tell you what."

"This here's a pretty good college but it can only bring you fame.
Your fortune I can give you if you'll just sign your name."
The boy said, "My name's Gurley and wrong as it may be,
I'll take your cash for my autograph and risk the Heisman trophy."

Gurley keep a runnin' that ball and making defenders fall,
Cause hell's broke loose on Georgia and the devil's gonna call. 
If word gets out they'll all say you sold your runnin' soul.
And the devil will laugh as the rankings take their toll.

The devil may have won this one, and then again maybe not.
Maybe the suits should change the rules and give the kids a shot.
Ship the devil out west where they think they're best at the game of Xs and Os.
Keep his big fat mouth far from the the south and all the future pros. 

Wk #6: Chaos is King

It started Thursday when un-beaten and un-ranked Arizona beat Oregon. Friday night a 2 - 2 Utah State took down un-defeated BYU. But the college football carnage had only just begun. When it was all said and done, five of the top eight had lost for the first time since the AP poll began (1936). I was already fast asleep when Utah pulled off the upset at UCLA and had just missed the ASU's hail mary win over USC. Only 10 un-beatens remain. Rankings schmankings...

 

Is the inaugural playoff picture clearer now? Not even close. It's way too early and we've been blatantly reminded that anything can happen. The pre-season predictions could still actually play out ... or not. But you're best guess right now is probably wrong.

Un-touched were Baylor and FSU with their soft schedules...so far. Baylor faces TCU and OU and OSU, while Notre Dame looms for FSU. Plus I think Virginia will give FSU a battle and if 5 - 0 GaTech keeps it up those two will face off in the ACC championship.

 

But what an exhausting weekend. Ole Miss over Bama. MSU torching TAM. TCU rising from the Big 12 ashes. Kentucky over SCAR ... really? I'm sure voters struggled today with where to place teams. How much do you really ding an SEC-West for a close loss? How much credit do you give Arizona for taking down #2? Both Arizona and GaTech were un-ranked but now 5 - 0 while pre-season Top 10 South Carolina now has three losses. Had Arizona or GaTech started high they'd be in the Top 10 today but instead halfway through the season they are only at #13 and #23, respectively. (And that is a huge jump for Arizona).

As a voter you gotta ask yourself how you missed the mark that far. You missed it because it's college football and the exciting, gut-wrenching, unpredictable, week-to-week is why we love it.

I love GameDay, a good laugh and taking risks. But this celebrity picker and college football game virgin  may have been a little too far out on the limb for most of us football fans.

Wk #5: Houdini

This was escape week for many teams:

• FSU escaped by NC State. An injured defense, a slow-start offense and continued off-field asshattery indicate a loss or two in the near future.
• UGA escaped Tennessee for the second straight year. A slow-start was eventually erased by 2nd-half Gurley heroics. But the man can't carry the team all year.
• SCAR did not escape from un-ranked Missouri. This leaves the SEC-East in an interesting position that will not be much clearer until Mizzou plays Georgia in two weeks.
• UCLA escaped from their hum-drum, win-by-a-hair 3 - 0 start and finally showed their wares. They are once again being talked about.
•  TAM escaped losing to a very-much improved Razorbacks team. Though winless in the SEC since last year Arkansas is bound make a statement win by Halloween.
• Washington State losing to Utah after being down by 21. Utah did not escape the "lose the first PAC-12 game of the season" bug that has haunted them four years straight.

Wk #4: Close Calls

Yes - they are all vulnerable and right now no one looks dominant. FSU went to OT to win. Oregon pulled it off in the last quarter. SCAR had to make a big-time comeback to win. Auburn sneaked by (again). Bama was tied with UF in the 3rd quarter. LSU almost made an amazing comeback...but didn't. Hard to believe right now that any of the Top 10 will emerge unscathed.

We are about 1/3 of the way through the season and here is what we have learned:

• Of the SI pre-season Top 10 only Ohio State has dropped out.
• Of the 126 teams:
• 25 remain undefeated
• 7 of those are in the PAC-12
• 5 are in the SEC-West division
• 10 are left out of the Top 25
• Jamies Winston has had one too many hits to the head.
• Jameis Winston didn't get the message he was not to play on Saturday...but the rest of the world did.
• Jameis Winston will not win another Heisman...ever.
• Auburn can now pass - and even pass it deep. Beginning in October they begin a tough SEC gamut...really tough.
• Mississippi State has been under-rated. But the next two games (TAM and Auburn) will tell all.
• BYU is poised to run the table (really) if they keep their head on straight. But they still have work to do. Good enough to win but not dominant.

Apology

A few weeks ago I railed on Urban Meyer for scoring 66 against an FCS team. Now this past week my favorite coach (Mark Richt) did the same thing...except it was an FBS team. I recognize that sometimes the other team is just really, really bad. Plus - there is nothing sweeter or more elusive to a defense than a shutout. Even your 3rd string players want that and will give it their all. Sorry, Urban.

Wk #3: Statement Week

CFB never fails to remind us that even the best predictors are not always correct. Four teams in the T25 fell this week, three of them to un-ranked teams. Ohio State tried to make a statement after losing last week by beating up on Kent State 66 - 0 (just stop it, Meyer). Virginia did make a statement with their win over #21 Louisville (remember they almost beat UCLA in week #1). Boston College made their presence known taking one from USC. SCAR stated that they are not the team we saw in week #1. And ECU plainly stated that they are not to be ignored.

BYU struggled getting to 3 - 0. Coming off the big win at Texas they were a little cocky and not quite as precise as the first two games. That caught up with them and they almost gave the game away. They take on Virginia this week who beat #21 Louisville.

The UGA and SCAR game did not disappoint. Twas a game of two young defenses, two well executed offenses, various questionable penalty calls, and close measurements. In the end, it came down to which defense was not the worst. SCAR held strong when it counted most and got the W. And once again, UGA is chasing SCAR and counting on them to lose. A tough slot to be in and one they've been in many times lately. But hang in there Dawg fans...a 3-point loss to a ranked division rival in their house won't count much down the home stretch.

Yes - the masses will second guess UGAs play calling in the final minutes. I will not. We don't know the ins and outs of what is going on in the heat of the battle. Doing just the opposite of what the opponents (and fans) expect works as often as it doesn't. UGA coaches took the risk and it didn't pay off this time. Hindsight would say feed it to Gurley, burn the clock and take the go ahead touchdown...even if it takes four tries with Gurley. But I'm sure when the call came in that it made sense at the time.

UCLA held on to yet another close win to stay un-defeated. But it was a W over struggling Texas. We'll see what they are really made of when they take on ASU.

Really? I've never seen THIS happen before.

Wk #2: Too Weak

There was indeed some excitement this week but many teams played down a level. It was, as Mark May of ESPN put it, "Stat pad Saturday." Winning scores in the 70s and losing scores of 0 were the result of a few games. Great for padding the stats and checking out your 2nd string, but an embarrassment for the other team.

BYU padded a few stats...but against Texas. At halftime it was anybody's game but BYU did what they oft failed to do last year: made adjustments. And those adjustments paid off in the 2nd half. Yes - there are those that will say BYU was playing an injured / suspended Texas. But remember - that was only the Texas offense. BYU's 41 points came against a Texas defense that was not playing injured / suspended. The Coaches Poll is still unsure about BYU (ranking at #27) but they snuck into the AP at #25. Keep playing like the last two games and they'll see a single-digit ranking (as long as their opponents win a few).

OSU lost. No surprise to me. It has been a whine of mine for a year or more that OSU was held in such high regard (high ranking). Lots of wins but they never looked that great or dominant so their fall to an un-ranked VaTech didn't surprise me on bit.

Also - Oregon had a scare. UCLA not looking as sharp as expected. Nebraska pulled off the win in the final minute. With the exception of MSU the entire Big10 looks in disarray.

Wk #1: Re-thinking

After this first week of the long awaited play-off season, there is some serious re-thinking going on out there. Dang near every sportswriter had FSU and 'Bama in the playoff championship but Week 1 put some question marks on those two programs...

FSU held on to win and were it not for a fumble recovery they may have lost that game. One play away from losing to a non-ranked is not the FSU people were expecting. And Saban and the boys played about the same, finally pulling away in the end but not before a few thousand fans were sweating.

TAM showed that a few years of great recruiting and coaching pays off even though the one-man Johnny Football show left town. A seamless transition - just what a great coach expects. SCAR had their hat handed to them and they've got some work to do. UCLA struggled with a Virginia team that went 2 - 8 last season. They'll need serious OL improvement to allow their playmaker QB shine. OSU and LSU looked rusty and unprepared, even though they pulled out Ws.

We'll see a lot more of this guy.

Georgia played like a team just glad to be healthy and injury-free and have the chance to showcase the talent they couldn't last year. And that they did. They unveiled a deep backfield that will have defensive front fours huffing before half-time. Smart adjustments to their defensive scheme and offensive play calling garnered them a 2nd half shutout, an offensive explosion and the win over a very good Clemson team (beware FSU).

BYU played like they wanted to win. They brought and executed a good game plan and made well timed adjustments. (And it didn't hurt that they showed up a day earlier than last year's east coast first game debacle in Virginia). They proved they can still throw (and catch) the ball, play up-tempo when it makes sense and slow down if necessary, and have a successful, balanced attack. The 150 yards of penalties? So what - first game jitters and just proof they are playing with some passion (thank heaven). They'll give Texas a good run next week.

END-ZONE

From Andy Staples at si.com:

"...Going into a season, we don't really know anything. That's the beauty of this sport. Even the safest assumptions can be turned upon their heads on an annual basis. We can't draw any real conclusions until October, but the constant guessing is half the fun....".

Off-Season 2014

Get up! It's Gameday (almost).

Here are a few headlines that caught my attention since January:

• There is a new poll in town: the Grantland Rice Super 16. I'll view it only out of curiosity. I'm a Coaches Poll fan since it is made up of people who live college football day in and day out.
• The new College Football Playoff (CFP) committee. I like to think this group will help build the foundation for what we all know will become a bigger and better playoff. Only three questions:
• Who was the selection committee for the selection committee?
• Were these folks on a ballot, vying for a spot or were they approached?
• How did Condoleeza Rice get on this gig? The others have some association with the sport but she never played. (She did oversee sports at Stanford and hired Tyrone Willingham. But does she watch enough to make playoff level decisions?)
• There were two 8th grade commits to LSU. One is a nephew of Koy and Ty Detmer. LSU has a serious long-term vision and they are putting it in place.
• And, of course, the lawsuit.
• I read both sides. I do think the NCAAF (BCS) was a big scam (read "The Six Billion Dollar Scam"). But both arguments have some merit and I think this is a good, baby-step move in the right direction. Highly paid players may take away from the sports passion. But this is just enough to be more fair, not be highly paid or remove passion.
• Click HERE for a summary on the Northwestern "players as employees" case.
• Click HERE for a summary of the O'Bannon ("pay for play") trial.
• And you gotta love Jon Stewart's take on all this: click HERE.

My 2014 Predictions

• Florida State will not repeat. Their soft schedule will take them far but they'll be schooled in the end.
• Alabama will have  "down" (re-building) year for the first time in years.
• The PAC-12 highly touted and loaded offenses will beat up on one another...but a playoff team will emerge. I'm guessing UCLA.
• Defense will reign once again in the SEC now that Manziel, Mettenburger, Moore and McCarron are playing on Sundays. 
• The Big 10 won't be part of the playoff...neither will Alabama.

Though I'm a big fan of UGA and BYU I will have my eye on a few other teams this year. (Oddly enough, four are from the PAC-12):

• Utah: I'm curious how Whittingham will handle his hot seat year, especially in a loaded PAC-12 conference.
• Washington: I want to see if Peterson can duplicate what he did at Boise State.
• USC: I just like Sarkisian's style of coaching and want to see how he transfers that back to USC.
• UCLA: I just want to watch Brett Hundley (my pre-season Heisman favorite). 
• Texas: I really like Charlie Strong, his background and his commitment to success and I want to see if he can bring that program back.

END-ZONE

Autonomy given to the Power 5? I'm not sure that is such a good idea. I like the limitations they put in place but too much power in too few hands usually spells trouble. Can't we all just get along?

Bowl Season Wrap Up

"The day after Alabama's dominant win over Notre Dame in last year's BCS National Championship, Bovada released 2013 national title odds. Alabama was an obvious favorite at 5/1, and Oregon, Ohio State, LSU, Texas A&M, and Florida rounded out the top five. Tied with Florida at 14/1: Florida State. And tied with Georgia Tech and Iowa at 200/1: Auburn. College football always plays out just like we expect, doesn't it?" (SBNation.com, 05 Jan 2014).

Yahoo! Bowl Pick 'Em Contest 2013-14

And that pretty much sums up the final season of the BCS system. Of course, we now have another system to whine about, and college football would not be the same without some whining. But the final BCS season worked out OK and the bowl season was fantastic. Well, except for my inability to predict the winners (see picture).

BYU and Georgia shared the same bowl fate - a loss. And for the same reasons: sluggish play. Neither looked excited or prepared to be there. Both had chances to win down the stretch but couldn't execute. Poorly prepared and a disappointment to fans. BYU made zero halftime adjustments being content to stick to the hurry-up offense and maintain their #2 ranking as the team that runs the most plays...failing to recognize that running the most plays does not win games. Oddly enough, both teams are pre-pre-season ranked by USAToday in the Top 25. Georgia because they "should be healthy" again and BYU because they have a "light schedule".

Texas A&M vs Duke was a great final show for Johnny Football. Duke owned the first half and surprised us all. But A&M coaching made the right adjustments at halftime which resulted in one of the best comebacks of the season.

Oklahoma over 'Bama was the surprise of the bowl season. Yahoo! noted that 95% of respondents bet on 'Bama to win (as did I). Where has Oklahoma been all season? Who was that QB? Where was that speed and those receivers and that play calling all season? How did they not win the Big 12? They are ready for next year. And Saban will come back waaaay upset after losing two in a row for the first time in five years. Last time that happened (also in the Sugar Bowl against an unsuspecting Utah team) 'Bama started their reign as kings. (Hey...did Saban really hire Kiffin? Was he on crack?).

And, of course, the title game. High powered offense Florida State over Auburn and their unforgettable worst-to-first season of miracle plays. What a great game and ending to another fantastic season. At half it was as I predicted: the soft schedule FSU had all season was catching up with them and they were no match for an Auburn team who worked their way to the top. But, alas, I was incorrect again. For FSU coaching made adjustments that worked (including using towels to hide play calling). Got to hand it to coaching staffs like FSU and A&M that can go into half-time losing and bring out a completely different team.