The Sunday Blog is under the weather this morning in Lexington but Bloggies need their Sunday fix before the NFL games so we press on.
A special shout-out to Bryant Moniz of Hawaii who tied an NCAA record with seven touchdown passes in the first half late Saturday night. Among the holders of the record are Doug Johnson and Terry Dean. You remember those days? So does Steve Spurrier.
And while we sometimes question where we are as a society because of the advanced technology, it was great to be able to watch so many games in the Kentucky press box on my laptop. Tired, ill, but full of college football knowledge.
Well, full of something.
THE NOT-READY-FOR-PRIME-TIME
COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 25
1. LSU: Won a neutral site game against Oregon, won at Mississippi State, won at West Virginia. The Tigers deserve the top spot.
2. Oklahoma: Sooners trailed at home for first time since 2007 but Landry Jones (448 passing yards) rallied Okie.
3. Alabama: When Bobby Petrino says his team was beaten in all three phases of the game, he wasn’t kidding.
4. Stanford: After an open date, Stanford gets the next best thing — UCLA.
5. Boise State: The beat goes on.
6. Wisconsin: Badgers look like Russell Wilson has been in the system for four years.
7. Oklahoma State: Great rally by the Cowboys against Texas A&M.
8. Nebraska: Struggled with Wyoming early before pulling sway.
9. Oregon: Good news for Ducks — no more SEC defenses.
10. South Carolina: Gamies are winning ugly but it beats not winning ugly.
11. Florida: Titanic duel with Alabama this week.
12. Texas A&M: Couldn’t hold first-half lead but that’s still a good team.
13. Virginia Tech: Hokies have been less than impressive but Clemson in next.
14. Arkansas: ’Backs won’t be the last team to get destroyed by Tide.
15. South Florida: We’ve seen great Septembers by Bulls before. Can they sustain it?
16. Baylor: Kind of under the radar since the first week but putting up numbers.
17. Texas: We’re about to find out if the Longhorns are any good.
18. Clemson: One caveat — those two big wins were at home against a shell of the national champs and a team without its starting quarterback.
19. TCU: Horned Frogs still have defensive questions.
20. Michigan: Denard Robinson should be moved to tailback.
21. Illinois: In typical Ron Zook fashion, the Illlini struggled a week after a big win.
22. Georgia Tech: Paul Johnson has the Wreck humming.
23. Florida State: Now the schedule gets really easy for the Seminoles.
24. Michigan State: Spartans can still have a big season.
25. West Virginia: No couches were burned in the making of this poll.
THE SEC FOUR-PACK
1. Kentucky is really bad. You saw how bad Saturday night. It was a nice performance for the Gators but the Wildcats are really bad. They’re so bad that two columnists in Kentucky questioned Sunday morning whether or not Kentucky should try to make a jump to another conference where it could be competitive. Mark Story of the Lexington Herald Leader pointed out that Kentucky is one of four BCS schools without a nine-win season since 1984 (Duke, Vandy and Indiana are the others). Next up for the Wildcats — at LSU. What’s the over/under on first downs in Baton Rouge for Kentucky?
2. Steve Spurrier must feel like he’s finally arrived at South Carolina. His team beat an unbeaten team Saturday night to go to 4-0 … and the Gamecocks got booed by the home crowd. South Carolina’s offense was described by the head ball coach as “putrid.” Which made it the second most smelly offense on the field. Vandy may have some new life under James Franklin but the offense still looks awful. By the way, can the Sunday Blog get the Melvin Ingram for Heisman movement going?
3. In the off-season, I thought Arkansas had a shot to win the national title. The one thing I didn’t like about its schedule was that it had to go to Alabama early. Bobby Petrino may want to rethink playing cupcakes for three weeks to prepare for a game like that because his team looked overwhelmed on the big stage. Gator fans could not have been encouraged by watching the Tide steamroll Arkansas, but every game is its own game.
4. Remember Jordan Jefferson? I didn’t think so. Man, when was the last time you even heard his name. Jarrett Lee has been very efficient as the LSU quarterback and he’s the opposite of the guy who threw seven pick-sixes two years ago. He threw three touchdown passes against West Virginia. Sometimes it just takes time to grow an SEC quarterback.
Hey Pat,
I’ve always thought Arkansas can’t WIN BIG GAMES…once again-they proved me right…OH-FSU FANS…ha,ha,ha!!! O V E R-R A T E D!!!!
Gators (nitpicking here) should be 10th…FLORIDA (albeit Kentucky) FINALLy ran smoothly with all 8 cylinders FIRING insynch!!!! I gotta’ say-THANK YOU COACH MUSCHAMP AND WEISS for putting FLORIDA back ON-TRACK…I was IMPRESSED AGAIN with O-LINE & D-LINES…(LINE O’ SCRIMMAGE LEAGUE) and the D.B.’s looked more COMFORTABLE in their play!!! The Offense ran packages we all KNEW they had (Burton and Rainey at QB) effectively and presents ‘bama some MORE LOOKS TO PREPARE FOR when they ROLL into THE SWAMP!!!! I am also IMPRESSED with Weiss’s calls -HE SHOWED US WHY HE DOESN’T LIKE TROWING LONG TO W. R. ‘S -they are scared to catch a pass they NOW THEY SHOULD CATCH!!! IF YOU CAN TOUCH IT -CATCH IT-Dunbar-come on, man!RAINEYL AND DEMPS ADN GIlLISLIE (when he isn’t STRIPPED BY REF.* lol) & FUMBLE) ran better than they have all year so far!!!!! GO GATORS!!! BRING ON ‘BAMA!!! PLAY LIKE LAST NIGHT, GATORS, AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ‘HANG with’ THE TIDE!!! MUSCHOMPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO GATORS!!! hey FSU-ha,ha,ha,ha,!!!!!
Solid win on the road last night, but now the season really starts. No big penalties and no turnovers and we have a shot against Bama. They DO NOT need any help from the opposing team.
Go Gators!
It was Kentucky.
Really tired of Alabama spanking opponent after opponent . But for Gators to
do decent Brantley will have to pick them apart with first set of passes 10+
yards downfield . He must lead the receivers to stretch-snatch the pass out of midair . And they must grab it secure. Only this will adequately free up Demps & Rainey to do the damage we need to compete with ‘Bama ..
It’s a two-step plan. One, take away the run. Two, let Charlie play paper rock scissors with Kirby. I think the Gators will win this week.
Having watched ‘Bama it would seem that we’ll have a hard time winning unless we can get some downfield receptions. They are the fastest defense we’ll see to date – and perhaps all year – and will likely shut down Rainey/Demps if we can’t stretch the field. Good news is that they are a running team – and not a passing team – so our defense is well suited to force them into playmaking as well. Thank goodness Julio Jones is a Falcon and not still at ‘Bama! Go Gators!
This week will will find out how far along our young team has matured. Go Gators beat Bama.
I am sure that Gainesville will be invaded by arrogant Bama Fans – many of whom never went to any university. Hopefully our Gator Fans will show poise.
GO GATORS!
I just hope this game is competitive. Unlike the last two. I think everyone has overlooked how bad our offense is at times. The holes won’t be as big for rainey and demps this week.
This week will be epic! I think if our scared receivers can step up this week we should win a tight battle. Last year we could had won that ball game but that jump pass killed our spirit. We can play with anyone GO GATORS!!!! We can beat BAMA and LSU!!!!!!
If you can beat those guys the East is yours. I’ll be a Gator fan this week.
Have to strike early, that is the key. Get down 10-0/14-0 early – its over. We have to play like we have nothing to lose – because we don’t. We are suppose to go 8-4 and finish 20ish. Bama is suppose to be holding crystal. We will be the first team they have faced that likes contact as much as they do. I’m calling the upset UF-30 Bama-16. Heard it here first!
Pat, here’s a song for your ipod. I wouldn’t say it’s a great song, but it’s catchy and done by a talented guy. Patrick Stump’s “This City.”