Everytime you think the season could not get any crazier, another week of games is played and proves us wrong! After this season started the defenses have become non-existence, new teams are stepping up as contenders each week, and the drama with Jameis Winston never ends.
With that in mind, lets get into some thoughts this past week of college football.
1. Can we just move Mississippi State to #1? All they have done is beat LSU, Texas A&M, and Auburn while they were all ranked in the Top-10. The Bulldogs hung tough after Auburn spotted them a 21-0 point lead. Dak Prescott once again put himself at the top of everyone’s Heisman list with a 38-23 upset of Auburn. [Editor’s note: Not quite everyone’s. While Prescott was 18 of 34 passing for 246 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, Oregon’s Marcus Mariota was 17 of 27 for 210 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions.] Not to be outdown by their instate rivals, Ole Miss beat Texas A&M, 35-20.
Florida State beat Syracuse 38-20. The real news now is how Florida State will have Jameis Winston meet with the “Student Code of Conduct” group. The drama with this kid never ends. Sooner or later all of this will catch up with him and he will have to answer for his off the field antics.
2. We can all start to wonder if anyone knows how to play defense anymore. That thought crossed my mind when the score of Baylor 61 TCU 58 flashed across the ticker. Then it showed Notre Dame 50 North Carolina 43. During both games, the offenses rushed up and down the field. We strongly need to consider Baylor’s Bryce Petty and Notre Dame’s Everett Golson for the Heisman. Baylor scored 24 unanswered 4th quarter points to come from behind and win the game. Never say Never in Waco.
3. Alabama held on to beat Arkansas 14-13. If it weren’t for a blocked extra point, the game might have gone in Arkansas’ favor. All the off field drama might have been the cause for Alabama’s poor showing, or Arkansas is a way better team this year. Michigan State is known for defense, but didn’t really show it in beating lowly Purdue 45-31.
4. Oklahoma held on to beat a struggling Texas team 31-26. Oklahoma avoided consecutive losses thanks to a fast start. Oregon beat UCLA 42-30. Don’t let the score fool you. Oregon was winning 42-10 until the 4th quarter. Great game for Marcus Mariota and the Ducks to bounce back with.
Heisman front runner, Todd Gurley, was suspended for improper benefits. Georgia did not let this faze them as the pounded Missouri 34-0. Georgia is still on track to play in the SEC title game and possibly make the playoffs. Kansas still lost 27-20 to Oklahoma State but it seems they did better today after firing their coach Charlie Weis. Who’s next for the Jayhawks?
East Carolina’s offense finally cooled down against South Florida, but still managed to come from behind and win 28-17. Duke upset Georgia Tech 31-25 and won in Atlanta for the first time in 10 years. Good things are still happening for the Blue Devils.
The Arizona Wildcats apparently used the last of their nine lives against Oregon last weekend, falling to USC, 28-26. After missing a chance to tie on a two-point conversion following a touchdown with 1:07 remaining, the Cats recovered an onside kick and quickly marched into the red zone, only to miss a short field goal in the closing seconds.
At the way this season is turning out, I would not want to be a Top-5 team right now. No one is safe and the upsets are happening all around us. Look for the PAC-12, SEC, and BIG-12 continue to knock each other out of the playoffs each week. I am really hoping that both Mississippi teams go undefeated into their rival game at the end of the season. These are the moments we live for as college football fans.
NATIONAL NEWS:
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4. Kicker makes fun of coach at WVU
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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.