FLORIDA STATE IS BACK... outside the top 25: Who could have ever seen this coming? Florida State overrated? You'll probably tell me next that Clemson is a national title contender. Oh, wait, they're both true?
Yes, again the prognosticators in the national media fell for the Seminoles and believed for some reason that they would somehow turn it around after losing one of the best QBs in their program's history in Christian Ponder. This week, their QB situation finally came back to bite them. True freshman QB Clint Trickett started the game after almost leading them to beat Clemson a couple weeks back in his debut, but threw 2 early interceptions and totalled only 28 passing yards before being pulled for the injured E.J. Manuel. Manuel came in and threw for 286 yards and 2 TDs, but also added 2 INTs. Four interceptions combined with the 115th rushing attack in the country is not a formula for success, even against Wake Forest. Wake Forest is somehow good again, and no you're not in a dream. They really did make a BCS bowl a few years back, and the way they're playing they have an outside chance at making one this year. QB Tanner Price threw for 233 yards and 3 TDs and RB Josh Harris ran for 136 yards on a mere 13 carries to lead the Demon Deacons to an upset victory. Wake Forest faces Virginia Tech this week, and if they win, could be the team to challenge Clemson in the ACC. I can't even believe I was ever in position to write that sentence, but thus is the nature of college football.
Slight Improvement! Texas A&M ALMOST blows game but doesn't: After two consecutive chokejobs, it sure looked like Texas Tech had a shot to make it 3 losses in a row for the A&M Aggies, but Texas A&M barely held on to win 45-40. The hallmark of this near chokejob was Texas Tech going for it on 4th down near their own 30 yard line, and failing to convert. Texas A&M received the ball at Texas Tech's 33 with 4:06 left in the game, so how did they respond? Well of course, they lost 7 yards in their 3 plays, and had to punt the ball back to Texas Tech after burning only 1:06 off the clock. Texas Tech drove down the field and scored a TD with :31 left in the game, and couldn't recover the onside kick. Now, I guess I'll actually acknowledge solid performances, since it wasn't all about Texas A&M trying to choke the game away (just mostly about that).
So remember how Tommy Tuberville said that Texas Tech would become a more balanced team? Yeah, he said screw that, and QB Seth Doege went 44/66 for 391 yards and 3 TDs. Doege has played phenomenally this year and really should be getting more national acclaim than he has to this point. Texas Tech RB Eric Stephens did top 100 rushing yards (22 rushes for 102 attempts) though. For Texas A&M, Ryan Tannehill has really taken more of a game-manager role this year than I expected. He went 16/26 for 188 yards and 1 TD, tacking on 9 rushes for 55 yards and 2 TDs. The Aggies have turned more to the option/zone-read looks as they saw them work against Arkansas and Oklahoma State. RB Cyrus Gray led the Aggies with 21 rushes for 116 yards. Don't get too used to these near or complete chokejobs by Texas A&M, because once they move to the SEC, they'll rarely even have the opportunity to choke away games, since that generally requires leading the game at some point.
Surprise, Luke Fickell is not Jim Tressel, and Joe Bauserman is not good: Ohio State must have seen the 28-year-old QB Brandon Weeden on Oklahoma State and thought that their ancient QB Joe Bauserman would be suitable, because it's the only explanation for not recruiting another passable QB to team with Braxton Miller. Miller actually led OSU to a 27-6 lead in the game, and then was injured and fumbled the ball to Nebraska. After that, Nebraska scored 27 straight, and Joe Bauserman put on a truly repulsive performance: 1/10, 13 yards, 1 INT. Combining that line with OSU's other road game, Bauserman is an uninspiring 3/24 for 26 yards and 1 INT. This offense is so bad they may struggle to keep up with Purdue this year. Luke Fickell's brilliance including having Joe Bauserman drop back eight times while OSU held a lead for some reason, and once throwing an interception. You have the talent equivalent of a 5-year-old child at quarterback, and Luke Fickell has yet to encounter this concept called knowing your limits. OSU could enter the Michigan game 5-6 and playing for their bowl lives, which would add a truly interesting dynamic to the rivalry, and would make Michigan a complete joke if they can't finally win this year.
Vote Denard for player of the week! Oh, you saw those 3 interceptions he threw? Yeah forget about those: For the second time this year, Denard Robinson threw 3 interceptions in a game, and is being nationally renowned for his performance because he accounted for a lot of yards in a Michigan win. Because they're in the Big Ten, Michigan actually has an outside shot at being 12-0 when the Big Ten Championship comes around.
They topped Northwestern 42-24 this past weekend in Evanston, IL. Northwestern looked like an unstoppable offensive force in the first half, leading 24-14 at halftime, and then yet again Michigan made solid halftime adjustments on defense, which has been a hallmark of their season to this midpoint. Defensive Coordinator Greg Mattison has clearly made a difference as he turned this set of outcasts into a legitimate defense, and at halftime turns them into the Baltimore Ravens defense. Michigan has outscored opponents 114-21 in the second half to this point in the season, which is the mark of a good team. While it scares me to say it, this Michigan team is good, and in a weak Big Ten, has a chance to make some serious noise. That is, until they face Wisconsin and get their faces kicked in.
- Western Kentucky won their first game of the year, taking down Middle Tennessee State 36-33 in 2OT.
- As noted earlier, Wake Forest upset Florida State 35-30, and vaulted themselves into ACC relevance.
- Steve Spurrier benched QB Stephen Garcia, and new QB Connor Shaw made him look brilliant, as South Carolina whooped Kentucky 54-3, thanks to 311 yards and 4 TDs from Shaw.
- Buffalo upset Ohio University 38-37 in a shootout, where both teams combined for 952 yards.
- Rutgers upset Pitt behind the play of true freshman QB Gary Nova, who threw for 174 yards and 2 TDs. Pitt was their typical selves, completely collapsing after a great showing in their drubbing of USF last week.
- Florida scored a whole 11 points against LSU and only lost by 30! Yeah, at this point in the year, I think it's fair to say that's an accomplishment.
- Temple dominated Ball State 42-0, limiting to them to 236 yards and forcing 3 turnovers.
- Connecticut trailed West Virginia 10-9 entering halftime. Then, almost like he plans this second half outburst every week, Dana Holgorsen's offense put up 34 points in the second half to win 43-16.
- Fresno State was embarrassed on national television, as Boise State jumped out to a 37-0 lead, and eventually won 57-7, limiting Fresno State to 9 first downs all night.
- Minnesota still plays football for some reason after last week's beating at the hands of Michigan, and lost by 28 to Purdue. It doesn't get much worse than that.
- Kansas played Oklahoma State and surrendered 56 points before halftime. Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden didn't even finish the first half because the game was so out of hand.
- Houston somehow held a team to only 3 points on offense, blowing out East Carolina 56-3.
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