another big college day

In an effort to write something, anything, last Saturday night, I did my own little opinion piece on where we were after one of the most topsy turvy days we've had in college football in a long, long time.

So, since it's Saturday night still, and despite what the date says on this post, this was begun on October 11th, with seven minutes left in the day.

Last weekend, I harkened that we don't know jack. I still think that, but we do know a little more than we did. Observations:

First... State is King
Mississippi State is the best team in the country. They put a whoopin' on what I was considering the best team in the country, Auburn, and even though they won 38-23, it wasn't that close. State just tore up the Tigers in every way, storming out to a 21-0 lead, then holding on, answering Auburn every time they tried to mount a comeback. 

Second... I Was Wrong
Last week I said that Miss State was good, Ole Miss was lucky... well, I was wrong. Ole Miss is good. They beat up on Texas A&M, in College Station, in another game that wasn't close. I think State is still better, and Ole Miss has looked very good against two teams that are reeling (A&M this week, Alabama last week), while State has defeated three teams that, at the time, were nearly at the top of their game--LSU, A&M and Auburn.

Third... Defense? Defense, anyone?
Baylor and TCU are insane. Texas Christian was up by 24, and yet Baylor come back and win. However, as someone on Facebook put it, any team that gives up 58 points and still wins doesn't deserve to be ranked very high... true, but what a game anyway. 

Fourth... Florida State Does Their Thing
I didn't see a second of the Florida State/Syracuse game, except for what was featured in a few highlights... FSU is FSU. They look great against mediocre teams. They are the cream of the ACC, but would be probably 4th or 5th in the SEC West... maybe 2nd or 3rd in the Pac 12... and maybe 2nd or 3rd in the Big XII. But playing in the ACC, they are going to run the table. I think they'll beat a decent Notre Dame team next week and beat their chests about how good they are.

Sidebar... I started to write a paragraph about why Jameis Winston should be benched until his legal issues are resolved, but after four paragraphs, I decided that would be tomorrow's post. So look for that.

Fifth... Zona Too High
Watching Arizona and USC... I was dubious when Arizona went from like, unranked, to 10th, because they beat Oregon... and they are now looking like they aren't a Top 10 team.  Cause 60 seconds ago, they lost to USC 28-26 on the feet of three missed field goals. So there's that.

Sixth... Alabama is in Trouble
They play sloppy, the offense is a shell of what it was, and the defense is really the only thing keeping them going... but the mystique is gone. Alabama is no longer, at least for this season, the unbeatable powerhouse they once were. I think they'll end up with three losses this season... having already lost to Ole Miss, I see them losing to Mississippi State and Auburn, for a 9-3 year in which the Tide Nation loses its mind, called for Lane Kiffen's head and a small part of them start questioning if Saban can get it done anymore. Hashtag HAAAYPAAWWWLLLL... Finebaum on Monday should be a hoot.

Seventh... Sooners and Dawgs
Oklahoma and Georgia both looked good. Oklahoma let Texas hang around far too long, but because it's a rivalry game, I kinda let that go. Boomer Sooner kept Texas down, leaving them at 2-4 for the first time since 1956. Georgia, in losing Todd Gurley for his stupid suspension, just obliterated Missouri on the road, 34-0. They dominated that game in every possible way. 

Eighth... Sparty and the Ducks Again
Michigan State won their game as needed, Oregon smashed UCLA in the mouth, and only Oregon has a shot at the Football Final Four. Cause Michigan State shouldn't have given up that many points to Purdue, winning 45-31.

Finally, The Gators Are Just Awfule
LSU came into Gainesville, into The Swamp, a place where it used to be hard to win for the road team, a place that was loud and obnoxious and boisterous and now, LSU comes in and handles Florida. I watched the last part of that game in disbelief as screwed up here, screwed up there, and dropped a game winning pass into the end zone that, no joke, I could have caught. They are terrible. Will Muschamp is as good as gone.

My new top ten...
1) Mississippi State, 6-0
2) Ole Miss, 6-0
3) Florida State, 6-0
4) Baylor, 6-0
5) Notre Dame, 6-0
6) Auburn, 5-1
7) Georgia, 5-1
8) Oregon, 5-1
9) Alabama, 5-1
10) Oklahoma, 5-1

My Football Final Four this week... 1) Mississippi State... 2) Florida State... 3) Baylor... 4) Oregon or Ole Miss... though if the Pac 12 champ as 2 losses, they won't get in over a 1 loss SEC team...


Read "Why FSU Should Bench Jameis Winston"