The Sunday Blog, Week XII

By
Pat Dooley
-
7
235

I’m not sure what to do.

As a Heisman voter, no clue. In my personal top 25 poll, befuddled. Even my Biletnikoff and Lombardi votes have been muddled.

Isn’t college football great?

I was talking to someone Saturday about the games that were going to be played Saturday night and I was lamenting that they weren’t great on one of those nights when my family was out of town and I had unlimited control of the remote.

When will I learn?

THE NOT-READY-FOR-PRIME-TIME
COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 25

1. Notre Dame: Best team in the country? No way. But what are you going to do?

2. Alabama: Two wins from a return to the BCS title game.

3. Ohio State: I’m not sure how, but the Buckeyes keep winning.

4. Florida: Basing this on body of work. And I know Georgia beat the Gators.

5. Georgia: Again, I know Georgia beat Florida. But who else did the Bulldogs beat?

6. Oregon: I am totally blown away by 14 points at home.

7. Kansas State: Not that I picked Baylor but I had a feeling about that game.

8. LSU: Probably the most entertaining game on Saturday was LSU-Ole Miss.

9. Florida State: Semis look like they’re headed for the Orange Bowl.

10. Texas A&M: Johnny Football continues to amaze.

11.South Carolina: Wofford? You struggled to beat Wofford?

12. Clemson: The Tigers’ defense took the day off but it didn’t matter.

13. Stanford: Gotta hand it to David Shaw, he knows what he’s doing.

14. Nebraska: Another nice win for the Huskers.

15. Oklahoma: Defensive-minded Bob Stoops must be losing it.

16. UCLA: When the Bruins hired Jim Mora, how many people thought it was crazy?

17. Oregon State: The Civil War suddenly looks like it will be a contest.

18. Louisville: Let’s see if the Cardinals can finish Strong.

19. Michigan: Denard Robinson at tailback? What a novel idea.

20. Texas: Game vs. Kansas State lost some sizzle.

21. Rutgers: A 10-3 win is still a win.

22. Northern Illinois: The team nobody wants to play in a bowl game.

23. Oklahoma State: Didn’t see the destruction of Texas Tech coming.

24. Utah State: Hey, being unbeaten in that conference is too a big deal.

25. Kent State: Google Dri Archer if you want to see an amazing run.

THE SEC FOUR-PACK

1. If you want to be an SEC coach, there are some rules you have to follow. No. 1 is — don’t get seal-clubbed by Vanderbilt. I like Derek Dooley. Great last name. But Tennessee athletic director Dave Hart had no choice. Let’s see, Bruce Pearl’s orange blazer and Dooley’s orange pants are both available. Maybe Shakes the Clown will be the next Tennessee coach.

2. Alabama fans knew this was coming. They knew that somehow they’d be back in position to win another national title. They knew it last year when they lost to LSU and this year when they lost to A&M. On Saturday night, they flooded The Strip in Tuscaloosa to celebrate the losses by Kansas State and Oregon. They knew all along. One thing, Tide fans — your team looked very vulnerable against the pass against LSU and A&M. Georgia can throw it.

3. Meanwhile, Georgia fans are giddy as well because they know they can play in their first-ever BCS title game if they can beat Georgia Tech and Alabama. And Florida fans — when they aren’t sending me e-mails about how awful their team is — have to be rooting for Auburn and Georgia Tech don’t they? It’s still possible.

4. Among the votes that are in flux right now — SEC coach of the year. Will Muschamp took a 7-6 team and has it within one win of an 11-1 season. Kevin Sumlin turned A&M around. But what about James Franklin, who had a miserable start to the season but has his team within a win over Wake Forest of going 8-4? Tough call.

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7 COMMENTS

  1. One offensive TD against Jacksonville St??? FSU defense is gonna feast on Gator instead of Turkey, unless the same Noles team that showed up against NC State is in Tally Saturday, otherwise it’s Capitol One Bowl for the Gators.
    Still amazed at how ACC fans brag about their conference, do they realize Clemson’s best win was against Ball St?

  2. This offense reminds me of 1988 and 1989…AWFUL..I agree with Kevin, as much as I like to play the “what ifs” to end up in the BCS Championship game, it isn’t going to happen…FSU is overrated and has played a mediocre schedule, but the Gator offense should have scored at least 40 yesterday. They won’t get at least 10 on the Noles………Really! Coaches comments in the presser will NOT be an incentive for top notch receivers to go to UF..”We decided after the interception, to just GO WIN the game””? Against a D2 school with a terribe defense… Frustrating!

  4. How much was the Jacksonville State game like Bowling Green???? Hopefully coaches have something up their sleeve!

    Also I say we should invite Jax State back to the swamp annually. They brought their full band and put on a pretty nice halftime show (I think). Someone needs to tell their band director that if you’re only going to play to one side of the stadium, you shoud play to the side that has the name of the University on it!

    Lastly, how many SEC schools sent their whole band to games at the swamp this year? Maybe one.

  5. The knock on Boise St. has always been they don’t deserve national recognition because they play in a mediocre conference; why shouldn’t the same be said for FSU, all this recent talk and articles about their #1 ranked defense is a joke; have you seen the teams in the ACC, they stink, most will end up with a losing record or .500 at best; yet we are to be impressed with the Noles defense?