Month One is Done

Clemson: Showed some cracks that others will expose.
Alabama: Back on top...for now. LSU and Auburn are prepping.
Ohio State: Enough with the high scores already. Let your 2nd string guys get some reps before the 4th quarter.
Georgia: Hope that rest did ya good. Still got a long row to hoe.
BYU: Starting RB out for season. Starting QB out for a while. Lose a close one and sitting at 2-3. Ugh...
Florida: Voters are fearful of putting you up there.
LSU, Auburn, Wisconsin, Oklahoma: Not much respect...yet.
SMU: Wow...in the top 25. Kudos!

Now We're Rolling

Utah was exposed, SoCal found yet another great QB hiding on the bench, and we can now just write Michigan off for 2019.

Utah did not have an answer for USCs 3rd string QB who has been sitting the bench for three seasons. If he was this good, and he was, didn't the coaches know that already? USC may have found an answer for what was looking to be another dismal season. With UW and ND ahead they needed a spark and they got it. No idea what happened to the vaunted Utah defense. They were a no show.

The Georgia - Notre Dame game lived up to the 5-year hype. Georgia pulled it off with a little help from the fans (see NDs false start stats) and a 3rd quarter defense that had been idling the first half. But Georgia did not look ready to take on the likes of Bama, Clemson or even LSU - yet. They've got work to do.

The other top teams took care of business but with seeing UCF go down, the UCLA comeback, you gotta wonder if one of those top teams will also slip up.

BYU played about the same as they did in the OT win over USC - but they were simply outmatched against a UW offense that executed a near perfect game.

And to sign off - why does OSU continue to run up the score on lesser teams. Do they think anyone cares? It is shameful in this day and age. It's a carry-over form the Whiner Meyer years (who also did it at UF and UU) and it should be stopped. It's soooo 1970s.

Week 3 Excitement

Week 3 is not much of a factor in the playoff scheme of things but it was rather exciting.

• BYU pulled off another win in OT over the [erroneously] ranked USC Trojans. This was the most put together and complete BYU team I've seen in a long, long time. The offense was consistent and played four quarters while the defense stepped up their game against a very capable passing game. BYU has go tot feel good about their chances with #22 Washington next week.
• Iowa and Iowa State had a showdown until the end.
• Penn State had a scare with Pitt but showed they have work to do.
• ASU is showing some life hanging in there with Michigan State.
• Maryland was...well maybe can be....or we just don't know yet. There's something there we're just not sure what.
• Florida showed some depth in a last minute win over Kentucky. They'll need it with Franks out for the season.

Playoffs

Clemson is just on cruise control. Bama "just" has to prep for showdowns with LSU, Auburn and likely Georgia. The LSU - Auburn will be a factor as will Georgia - Florida and Georgia - Notre Dame next week. OSU has a fairly easy road ahead. Oklahoma has a few tests (Texas and OK State) but are looking every bit as good as the last two years. And Utah appears to be the only hope for a PAC-12 entry. The dark horse: maybe OK State.

2019 Start-Up

Two weeks in and things are already shaping up (Or, are they?).

Clemson looks to run the table since they're biggest threat (TA&M) is already behind them and the 2nd biggest threat (Syracuse) washed out against Maryland last week.

And what's up with Maryland? Who saw that coming? Where are they headed?

BYU put up a good fight in the annual Holy War with Utah ... for the first half. But then Utah just seemed to get better with every down and BYU leveled out. Again - sparks of potential and excitement but no sustained fire. The Tennessee takedown was fun and will give them some confidence as they play USC and UW back-to-back.

My Playoff Prediction
As usual, it's Clemson and the SEC champ to start. Oklahoma has the offense to get it done and I'm going with 2nd place SEC for the fourth spot. I don't think OSU can pull it off, Michigan is already waning, and Texas needs another year.

Which SEC teams? Georgia seems to have most everything in place if a few inexperience freshmen step up on defense. They have a little refining to do before the ND date but they'll be just fine. Bama will be Bama with talent and depth and strategy but I don't "feel" it this year. This may be the ultra rare year that Bama needs to rebuild with so many new coaches and a growing field of teams that have been able to scare them (and beat on occasion). And don't count out LSU or Auburn with their newfound QB talent.