This could be the best Saturday we have had in college football this season. The upset bug was at work all around the country. We are really starting to see who are the contenders (Alabama, Oregon, FSU) and the pretenders (Clemson, Georgia, LSU). Team stocks are rising for the contenders and falling for the others. We had teams in the SEC say enough is enough and we will no longer lose to the big time programs; the SEC has a mutiny on their hands, and the order of top dogs is crumbling. We know who the true leader of the ACC is after Saturday, while out west Oregon has proven they are the team everyone is trying to keep up with.
Let’s get into the scores and thoughts from this past week of action:
1. Alabama showed that they still know how to play defense by shellacking Arkansas, 52-0. Despite the rest of the SEC giving up on defense, Alabama still shows they got it . . . bring on Oregon.
Missouri showed the SEC that they can get things done, even without their starting QB. The Tigers not only beat Florida but probably cost someone their job today, with a 36-17 win. Missouri held Florida’s offense to only 151 yards and showed they can get it done on both sides of the ball. After today’s upsets, the SEC East is Missouri’s to lose.
Ole Miss beat LSU, 27-24, on a last second field goal to secure a big win for Coach Hugh Freeze. This loss will send LSU fans into a frenzy, as their season continues to unravel. Ole Miss will use this win to build some momentum and position themselves for a better bowl game.
SEC Quick Hits: Vanderbilt went against everything we know about football and upset Georgia, 31-27. Mark Richt better update his resume. The upset bug also hit College Station as Auburn went in and beat Johnny F. and his Aggies, 45-41. Tennessee secured their first big win in the Butch Jones-era by beating South Carolina, 23-21. Up is down, left is right, and the SEC is so unpredictable this year. The SEC is finally” beating up itself,” and possibly out of two BCS bowl bids.
2. Ohio State avoided the upset against Iowa, winning 34-24, to remain the only unbeaten team in the B1G. The B1G is having such a down year all around, Ohio State will need some magic to get into the title game if Oregon and Bama continue their winning ways.
B1G Quick Hits: Michigan quarterback Gardner had a career day in passing. He passed for more than 500 yards vs Indiana, but Michigan needed every yard to put away the Hoosiers, 63-47. Northwestern continues to fall, as they lost to Minnesota, 20-17. Michigan State beat Purdue, 14-0, in a defensive struggle. Wisconsin continues to run all over opponents with its 56-32 win over Illinois. If it wasn’t for Pac-12 officials, Wisconsin could be in position for a possible at-large BCS bowl bid.
3. The bleeding has finally stopped for Clemson. I think the only highlight in the game for the Tigers, was running down the hill before kickoff. FSU flexed it’s muscle and put the rest of the ACC, and the nation, on notice, with a 51-14 drubbing of Clemson. Jameis Winston showed he will be a Heisman finalist and has FSU “BACK!”
FSU has a lot to cheer about after Saturday’s big win.
ACC Quick Hits: Duke got one step closer to bowl eligibility, with a 35-22 come from behind win over Virginia. “FIRE MIKE LONDON” can be heard chanted around campus. Georgia Tech ran all over Syracuse, 56-0. That kind of win will boost the confidence of Paul Johnson’s option attack. Maryland continues to fall by losing to Wake Forest, 34-10. Mr. Randy Edsall better right the ship fast before the season spins out of control. Pitt pulled out a win over FCS foe Old Dominion, 35-24. After today’s beat down in Death Valley by FSU, the ACC has been put on “WINSTON ALERT!” It is going to be a long 4 years for FSU’s opponents.
4. Another one bites the dust. UCF was playing that song on their flight home after upsetting Louisville, 38-35, in dramatic fashion. Louisville can only hope to win their conference now and possibly a BCS match up. Teddy Bridgewater’s Heisman campaign also took a big hit after a loss like that. Leaders lead when their team is in need. Voters will put their votes elsewhere after that game.
American Quick Hits: Houston lost a nail bitter to BYU, 48-47. The Cougars were the last AAC undefeated team until today. SMU got a much-needed win over Memphis, 34-29. When will the Pony Express return to it’s Glory Days? Temple got their first win of the season by beating Army, 33-14. Cincinnati continues to put together a good season, with a 41-16 win over UConn. What have we learned today about the Big East . . . I mean American Athletic Conference? It is still just mediocre. Don’t expect much out of them for the rest of the season.
5. Baylor got back to it’s high-scoring ways, with a 71-7 win over Iowa State. Let’s see if they can keep that pace up vs Texas and Oklahoma. Art Briles is doing something right down there in Waco, and the rest of the nation needs to take notice. It has been impressive, but Baylor has yet to really play anyone. I think the notice will begin when they drop 70 points on the Sooners.
BIG-12 quick hits: Texas Tech remains undefeated with a come-from-behind win over West Virginia, 37-27. The Red Raiders are a force to recon with this season. It should be a great match up when they face Baylor this season. Oklahoma State made a quarterback switch and it paid off with a 24-10 win over TCU. Oklahoma struggled for a 34-19 win over Kansas, but is struggling to find its offensive groove this season.
6. The Pac-12 has been a pleasant surprise this year. We have had Oregon not only dominating opponents with offense but also getting the job done with defense. Oregon halted the Air Raid offense tonight with a big win over Washington State. Duck fans will have an exciting next two weeks with games vs UCLA and Stanford.
Pac-12 Quick Hits: And speaking of the Cardinal they showed us that the Utah game was just a fluke, with a 24-10 win over UCLA. Stanford hopes to keep pace in the Pac-12 North and have a shot to appear in the Pac-12 title game. Arizona State manhandled Washington, 53-24. The Huskies are sinking, while Arizona State is rising each week. I still think the Devils are running the poor man’s version of the Oregon offense. USC lost another to Notre Dame, 14-10. The Trojans continue to keep us guessing about who they will go after to be the next coach. Colorado got a free 43-10 win over FCS Charleston.
What an exciting weekend of college football. The SEC has proven to be mortal and crumbling with each week. The Big-10 has nothing really left to show us outside of Ohio State. Baylor and Texas Tech are the top of the BIG-12 and can score some points. FSU showed us they are a step above everyone else in the ACC, and possibly the nation. Oregon showed that despite a slow start, they can overcome and still rack up a lot of points, while the rest of the Pac-12 slugs it out.
The season is not over yet, but Alabama and Oregon seem to be on a collision course for the title game. FSU would like a say in that after today, while Ohio State will just be lucky to gain some national respect for a weak B1G.
NATIONAL NEWS:
1. College Football Mailbag
2. Upset Saturday
3. Lee hurt . . . again
4. Grambling mess
5. FSU truck report
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Jeff Hostetler may not have won a Super Bowl with the Giants ( though his uncle of the same name did). He has been an obsessed college football fan living in Florida ever since the Gators beat FSU in the Sugar Bowl to earn the UF’s first national championship.
Ever since Jeff has immersed himself in everything possible related to college football. He enjoys watching, writing, playing, and otherwise obsessing over all things football. A graduate of the University of Florida, he brings a perspective to FishDuck free of our extreme green & yellow homerism glasses to look at the current landscape of collegiate athletics.