College Football Week 6 recap

This was the funnest weekend college football has seen in my memory. With five teams in the top 8 dropping games, it was also the most upset filled week in the history of the AP poll. Now that the dust has settled, we are left with a slim group of unbeatens left standing, and plenty of amazing games and moments to charge into the next half of the season. I've provided my personal three takeaways from this weekend, in vaguely ranked importance.

Dak Prescott had a day for himself, with 5 TD's in a
rout of the Aggies. 

Most importantly, this will not be a season where being undefeated is a necessary qualification for playoff football. Thank God in his heaven. Perhaps one of the happier states outside of Mississippi on Saturday night was actually Oregon. After a disappointing egg laying by the Ducks (sorry) against an unranked Arizona team (again?!) Mariota and co. must have counted themselves out for yet another season. Another season where they don't run the table, another season where they don't contend for a national championship, another season… oh wait. With Oregon, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M all in the playoff conversation before this weekend, can we really cross them all off the list after losses? We can't, is the answer. Thankfully then, this year we'll have some outstanding one loss teams. I truly believe that those four top 6 teams that lost this weekend should remain in the playoff conversation as the season progresses, which is good for college football. So many strong teams dropped good games that we can eliminate exactly no one from the conversation, especially by the end of the season.

We're still talking about the Ducks, who enjoyed watching
Saturday: The Pac 12's last hope. 

Which brings me to my next important point; This weekend, while providing some fun highlight reel moments, (and some ridiculous stats, including a D1 game passing record from Washington St's Connor Halliday with 734 yards through the air… in a loss) also set up some humongous games in the upcoming weeks. Of particular note are Auburn at Miss St. (next weekend), then Auburn at Ole Miss, Notre Dame at Florida St, another matchup which will cull the ranks of the unvanquished. At this point, there won't be all too many. Baylor at Oklahoma on November 8th will decide the Big 12, and as of yesterday Baylor is in the fourth playoff spot. But again, what's so great about this weekend is that so many good teams lost that none of them are out of the conversation. These are some great match ups.

How many Division one records are set in a loss? 

and Auburn vs Texas A&M. A season ending Auburn at Alabama Iron Bowl could well be for all the marbles, depending on how this season unfolds. Here's hoping... After those first two games for Auburn, there will by necessity only be one undefeated team left of those three SEC teams, unless Auburn loses both games, in which case we have an amazing rivalry game on our hands. The perennial Miss St. Ole Miss at the end of the season would then become without a doubt the most important game in the history of the rivalry. The two teams from Mississippi have never been ranked in the top ten simultaneously, which is going to change in this week's AP poll. A non SEC game to keep on the radar will be

None of which are in the Pac 12. Oh, Pac 12. My once and future king, my favorite conference, my personal preseason pick, how you have let me down. You string me along, telling me this will be the season, a strong conference full of players who can read! I should have known then as I know now, it's simply too good to be true. I did in fact rank the Pac 12 as the strongest conference in college football before this season began, and boy do I look stupid now. In my defense, the computers agreed with me, and the SEC had lost just about every good quarterback it had (Prescott, you've taught me better by now, not to mention a little Nick Marshall laying a whupping on LSU). But the Pac 12 just isn't the conference it wants to be. Oregon can score and always has been able to, but they seem to be more effective at dropping 70 on FCS teams than winning important conference games. They talk a lot about making the next step, about contending for a national title, but they have to deal with upstart Wildcats run amok in their own conference first. Stanford is always a fundamentally coached football team with a top 5 defense, but quarterback play holds the Cardinal back, until Kevin Hogan learns to move his eyes a little for the love of God. (see below, they dropped a great game in Southbend, again.) 8th ranked UCLA lost an ugly game to the Utah Utes, and there's yet another Pac 12 team that talks a big national scene game but loses bad match ups. All these up and coming teams made me pick the Pac 12. I drank the koolaid. I figured this would be the year at least one of those three elite teams delivered on their promises. I can still remember UCLA coach Jim Mora, after good losses against great teams last year, angry as anything and going on about "there has to be a point where we start winning these big games, I don't care about looking good in a loss." Well, the Bruins haven't reached that point. Oh, and not to forget the fourth Pac 12 team we care about, the 16th Trojans coming in hot with a loss to Arizona State on a legendary Hail Mary. So not this year, for the conference. I was rooting for the West, I really, really was, but again they have disappointed their fans, which includes me. All told, top 25 Pac 12 teams went 0-4 this weekend, and that includes two top ten teams losing to unranked opponents. Not a good weekend, and because of it the conference probably won't send a team to the playoff.  

Destined to be a physical football game

(That was a great game against the Irish, by the way. In 35 degrees and pouring rain, it felt a lot like the battle of Helm's Deep, and Golson won it on 4th and 11 with under a minute remaining with a perfect touchdown pass to a wide open Ben Koyack, 17-14. Wet conditions (neither team ever really passed effectively) and great defense were the story in a physical and important football game, that has now gone a little overlooked in such a tumultuous weekend.)

So Mississippi can celebrate for a week, and ditto for Auburn fans, all of whom are sitting pretty at the top of the Sec West. But that conference will look a whole lot different in three weeks, with only one unbeaten remaining in all likelihood. The losers this week shouldn't be too bummed either. In short, the only fans who should bail on this season are fans of Brady Hoke, who's so gone it's not even funny. Michigan dropped to 2-4 with a truly atrocious showing against Rutgers, 24-26. Michigan sucks. But beyond that, there's a lot of great things happening in this sport. Here's to an awesome weekend in college football, and many more to come. Cheers.

Highlights from the BCS National Championship Game

One of the big ones, I'd say.

A couple things we can take out of this one: 

Well obviously, the Coaches' Trophy has left the SEC! For the first time in about seven years, mind you, and I am delighted to write that one. I am also thankful that there ended up being an SEC representative in this game. If you recall, it was close to looking like Ohio State vs. Florida State, in which case we would have a bunch of SEC homers on our hands whining about the flawed BCS and how the best teams were all in the SEC and how they prevented each other from punching a national championship ticket and how this and how that… I would have tired pretty quickly. Only a well timed upset from the staunch Spartans in the Big 10 title game let Auburn make it. 

Now Jameis Winston isn't the most eloquent of athletes perhaps-no who are we kidding, he refutes any value the American dream places in a collegiate education. However, one must grant that he won that game, late. He didn't play all together too well, but he brought home a victory on the biggest night of the year, and for that sole reason, we have to commend him as a great player. Those last two drives proved not only that he will be a great quarterback, but in fact that he is. 

The SEC is not the only conference out there anymore. Between, of course, the ACC, but also the Big 10, the Pac 12, and even the Big 12 (thanks for the upset Sooners!), things look more level in college football than they have in a long time. Hopefully we see this trend continue, as it is good for the sport to have more than one relevant conference. 

Ultimately, we should be grateful for a great game. It feels like the BCS went out the way it should have, with a great, well watched, relevant championship game between two quality opponents and a couple national superstars. Here are a couple more quick photos

Despite a heroic effort, Marshall and his Tigers fell just short

I agree, I think, but honestly I couldn't tell you. Regardless, a great quarterback... 

…Because of plays like this one. Chris Davis is a great cornerback who couldn't repeat the feat. 

… and this one. We have to hand it to the kid.

Well deserved, for sure

BCS National Championship Preview: Auburn (12-1) vs Florida State (13-0)

        The witching hour approaches. No amount of dramatic ESPN commercials, (you know the type)  blindingly complex photo collages, or sports center hype can quite prepare me for this one, this pinnacle of collegiate competition, this sacred night. As some networks would have it, life will pause for four hours on Monday night, and it may not resume after that. My apologies, but I felt it was better to clear out the poetry before we go any further. One fell swoop, that type of thing.

        So this will be a good game of course, a matchup we all want to watch. Florida State was flirting with a ticket here all season long, while Auburn on the other hand was certainly a late comer to the party. But both teams deserve to be here, Auburn with a timeless late victory over the best team in the country (and a huge title game loss from the Buckeyes) and the Seminoles after having played stellar football for four months. Although this is not the end of the championship game as we know it, it is true that we will never again see a game like this, where both teams are elected in and have not won playoff games to get here. That's a good thing, I think most everyone is happy to wave goodbye to a flawed BCS system, but still, the nostalgia deserves mention I should think. The spread here is (as of Sunday afternoon) 8.5 points against Auburn, fairly reasonable I find.

A lot of pride on display 

       What we have here are two teams with two stories. Florida State, proven and tested, early and often, a lock for a while now.With a Heisman winning leader at quarterback, the "team of mastery"is not, as some suggest, flawless, but certainly at times appears to be so. Invincible? We said Alabama was as well. This is the type of team we usually see in these games. The popular young leader, a talented offense, a dominant defense, a storied program with a history and high expectations. So these typically dominant Seminoles will face the upstart Tiger squad: unranked at the beginning of the season, with a prayer perhaps of a winning record, and certainly no hope coming out of the mighty SEC. They did not receive a vote in the preseason AP poll. And yet, they plowed through their season, wins stacking up like pancakes at an IHOP. Finally, as they approached elite status, a timeless matchup against a storied rival loomed large on the schedule. The Iron Bowl was set to be a battle for the ages, and most thought a lopsided defeat was in store for the upstart Tigers, still a team riddled with question marks. A game, a rivalry for the ages, to end the season, and they pulled off the upset. Some have called this one of the biggest wins in the history of the sport, and I agree without reservation. They handed Alabama a loss. I was stunned, along with the rest of our college football nation. Everything about this game was remarkable, cementing its place firmly in college football history, and certainly in the minds of the Auburn fan base. We won't forget for a long time.

Not quite as cool, and War Eagle is vastly preferable. 

        All this rolls into what should be a great game. The Seminoles think, perhaps, that they should win. The Tigers know, perhaps, that they are outmatched, but after beating the Tide, also know that they can beat the best team in the country. Undoubtedly, Alabama was a better team than the Tigers (let's shelve, for the moment, their recent upsetting loss to Oklahoma, though props to the Sooners) but Auburn won. It is that simple, and I can't help thinking, can they do that again?

A formidable unit

        So, to business. (I write that briskly, rolling up the sleeves). Some interesting pro-Florida numbers and tidbits. Heisman winners usually win on this stage. The last two have, (Mark Ingram for Alabama and Cam Newton for, all together now, the Tigers in 2010) so Famous Jameis is looking to go three for three. Some question Auburn's defense, particularly against the pass, and so it begs the question. Will they hold up if Winston brings his best passing game? That passing game, the likes of which we all saw on display against Clemson or Miami, two humongous statement wins this year for the freshman and his team, is tough to beat. The Seminoles can also boast the best scoring defense in the country this

He shows up when it counts, every time. 

year, allowing a paltry 10.7 points per game all season. That's an important stat, maybe one of the most important ones. Auburn's passing game lacks magic, so without really having to respect him through the air, the Seminole defense is probably pretty excited to get to work on Nick Marshall and his triple option. Remember, such Seminole stats have come against a decent schedule all year long. Of course, most opponents are cupcakes, but the same can be said for any powerhouse in the country. This season, this defense allowed 14 points against a then 7 Miami and before that, 14 against a then third ranked offensive power Clemson. Those are big games and big showings from the defensive unit of Florida State. Finally, Florida State's weakest moment this season has been a 48-34 victory over Boston College. That's the closest margin of victory by far this year for this team. The better the team, the better the Seminoles have looked.

        Auburn, I regret to say, wilts a little when held up to the same scrutiny. Their defense by conventional standards has been mediocre. Though they have found the big stops all year long, they rank 95th nationally in yards per play allowed (5.96), by far the worst of any team ever to reach the BCS National Championship Game. They also rank last in passing defense in the SEC. Of course, one look at the quarterbacks they have faced this year might offer some solace to Auburn fans, as this year has seen Johnny Manziel, Zach Mettenberger, AJ McCarron, and Aaron Murray, 4 SEC studs who make most defenses look terrible. Additionally Auburn has allowed a much more comforting, respectable 24 points per game this season, so perhaps all the big plays they let up don't always translate into big points. Regardless, this is at best a solid defense, good in the red zone and bad out of it. Realistically, that won't be enough to stop Jameis Winston and his offensive powerhouse. So if Auburn is to win, then, it will be on the backs of two young men, Nick Marshall and Tre Mason.

He'll have to do that a lot on Monday night. 

Mason was a dark horse for the Heisman this year, after several huge games including a SEC title game performance we will probably never see again. If you missed it, he ran for over 300 yards on 46 carries and four touchdowns en route to a 59-42 pounding over Missouri. It is entirely possible that that performance (the best ever for a running back by far in the SEC title game) holds the top spot in the record books for a very long time. He bested the old mark for yards on the ground in this game by over 100 yards. Meanwhile Nick Marshall has had a long road to this game, including some switching of schools and a junior college stint, even, after leaving Georgia. Everyone may love the guy, as well they should (I've heard much about his soft spoken Southern accent, his humble demeanor, etc etc) but I don't see him scoring 40, and that may be what it takes.

So, I see the crystal football leaving the SEC. Florida St. 35-Auburn 27.

SEC Championship Preview: Missouri vs. Auburn

Battle of the athletes at QB

The SEC title game, for the past 6 or 7 years, has sent its winner to the national title game, where said SEC champion always wins big. But this year, incredibly as it seems, that probably will not happen. In all likelihood the SEC's run of 7 straight national champions is officially over. I don't want to bring up that whole issue right now, but the bottom line is that this game, whatever the implications of victory might be, will be a good matchup. If you had said that the SEC title game would involve these two teams (neither of which received a single vote in the preseason AP top 25, much less was ranked) I would have pointed you kindly to the nearest mental hospital. Missouri and Auburn combined for just 2 conference wins last season. But here we are, and undeniably the Tigers (both of them) deserve to be here. They are not the most talented teams in the SEC, but they have won the games that count and have played great football all year. To be honest, I place priority on watching Ohio State vs. MSU, the Big 10 title game this weekend, if only because better talent will be on display. That said, this will be fun to watch.

The Tigers… oh wait… Mizzou has consistently improved this year. Initially picked 6th in the East (so, last) after a dismal 5-7 record in 2012, the Tigers have come back from behind to win in 6 games this season, including 3 games in which they have won in the last 30 seconds of play. It's just been that type of season. Their one loss this year came in double overtime against South Carolina, without senior stud quarterback James Franklin. Redshirt freshman Maty Mauk however quickly stepped in when he went down, showing remarkable poise in several games throughout the season. Week by week they steadily climbed in the rankings, as Mauk turned in plenty of clutch performances, but the onus is now on Franklin again to get the job done. After he impressively outplayed Johnny Manziel and his Aggies to punch the ticket to the SEC title game (a 28-21 victory last week), Franklin looks to do the same against Auburn on Saturday. He does have a 1,000 yd rushing season under his belt, so we know he is dual threat, but his main potential is through the air: he has almost 2,000 passing yards this season in just 8 games.

James Franklin needs to step up big on Saturday

Meanwhile, Auburn is obviously coming off the biggest win in the past 5 or so years of regular season college football. That would seem like hyperbole, until you remember that the Iron bowl is one of the top 5 rivalries in the sport, and that Alabama hadn't previously lost in almost 3 years. If senior cornerback leader (and… field goal returner?) Chris Davis has caught his breath yet, the defense should be raring to go against the Tigers for the title on Saturday. They certainly proved they could make the big stops when they needed to against the Crimson Tide, and I see that carrying over into Saturday. If you can stop TJ Yeldon when it counts, then you can play defense against anyone. Coach Gus Malzahn deserves a crazy amount of credit here. His War Eagles (a much better mascot, by the way, Tigers is overused and sounds like the local high school squad) failed to win an SEC game last year. Not one, en route to a 2-14 season. He went from that to undeniable success all season, capped by a huge win in a huge rivalry game, one of the biggest regular season wins in the program's rich history. A cool note: Auburn now possesses the Iron bowl game football, at an estimated value of $50,000 and quickly climbing.

Works 60% of the time, all the time.

So now, what do I see happening here? Last week's Iron bowl was not only incredibly entertaining, but we also learned something about Auburn's offense. That "triple option" run is really, really effective. It is in no way like an academy style triple option but rather quarterback Nick Marshall can either handoff to his stud running back Tre Mason, keep it and run, or keep it and throw a little shovel or screen pass. Auburn runs this a lot, approaching every play at times, but it didn't stop working last Saturday even against the Nick Saban coached squad. Normally Saban would have adjusted impressively, but here he was unable to and Auburn rode that set of plays to victory. You may have noticed that on about 50% of the plays they ran, the clearly faked out the cameraman. He would follow the wrong man. This was not just funny, it showed how effective this style offense can be. Maybe Auburn with Nick Marshall at quarterback isn't an incredible passing team, but they get the job done. They just proved that they can beat the best team in the country using this system, so go with what works I guess. I don't see Missouri doing what Alabama couldn't, so to keep it simple I go Auburn 31-Missouri 20.