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.