Upsets, Close Games, and More
There was a mixture of everything this past weekend. The upset (FSU falling to N.C. State), the defensive struggle (Florida over LSU), the shootout (West Virginia over Texas), and the blowout (South Carolina over Georgia). It made for an interesting Saturday in college football because of what affect it had on the rankings. #3 #4 and #5 all lost on Saturday. My picks took a hit this weekend as well. I finished 3-3, giving me a 24-11 record on the season. Who let me down?
Biggest shocker of the week had to be FSU falling to N.C. State. If that wasn't it, then it had to be that FSU only scored ONE TD all game. And if that still isn't enough, it must have been that FSU didn't score a single point in the entire second half. This is a team that has averaged 45+ points a game. Now, for the second week in a row, they were held way below their average. The warning signs were there last week with the offense. However, if there was anything FSU could count on, it was the defense, right? Nope, the defense played terrible in the second half. Just a complete breakdown on both sides of the ball. Perhaps the most embarrassing part for FSU fans has to be all the fans calling for Jimbo to hire an offensive coor. Really? Okay, just ignore all the missed throws earlier in this game that would have put N.C. State away. Jimbo Fisher is being called out for his conservative play calling, but nobody wants to point at the execution, or lack there of.
I won't say that Fisher didn't make some questionable calls down the stretch, but when his team hasn't executed all game long, that starts to hang around in your mind when calling plays. It affects your play-calling when your guys aren't playing well. Call it what you want, but the players are as much to blame in this game as the coaches. It just so happens that his questionable calls came at the worst times of the game. Tough game for the Noles and it better serve as a wake up call. Playing anymore games like that one will result in more losses for sure.
I'm done picking Nebraska. They have so much potential, but they play so inconsistent. Husker fans better hold on.....it's going to be a roller-coaster the rest of the season for Nebraska.
Is South Carolina that good? Or did Georgia have a bad game? I picked Georgia because their offense looked like it could score on anybody. Honestly, I thought South Carolina would slip up a little bit in this game. I am going to say that South Carolina is that good right now. The Gamecocks' defense just swarmed Georgia. There was never a moment where it looked like Georgia could get back in the game. It was 21-0 early in the first half and Spurrier was calling Atlanta for reservations for the SEC Title Game. South Carolina has to be the clear cut favorite to win the SEC East, for now. Florida looks solid, but solid won't cut it against South Carolina right now.
Those were my three losses for the week. Who helped my picks this week?
How about the Florida Gators? Some see this as an upset. Others, including myself, would say that this was expected. Believe it or not, LSU was favored in this game. Now that the game has been played and the new AP poll has been released, there are many who are upset that LSU is still in the top 10. I am one of those people. LSU is by far the most overrated team in the country right now. Not to take away any credit from Florida for winning this game, but I think even LSU fans were predicting LSU to lose. The Tigers have looked terrible all season long. They may have a good defense, but if your offense can't score, it doesn't matter.
Notre Dame keeps winning. My only concern for Notre Dame at this point in the season? They haven't played a true test yet. Miami has a terrible defense, but at some point they have to start getting some credit. The Irish haven't given up a TD in a month. That is impressive.... I don't care who you are. Maybe it's better to be lucky than good.
West Virginia looks like a team on a mission. Geno Smith can't be stopped. Texas thought their defense could slow him down, and they were wrong in a big way. Sure it was a close game, but a win is a win. Until a team steps up and proves otherwise, West Virginia has the best offense in the country. Their defense may be terrible, but with an offense like this, it doesn't matter. That's not to say it won't catch up with them, but for now, it doesn't look like anybody can go toe-to-toe with them and win.
Reader questions segment coming this week. Send in your questions, comments, and/or reactions to this weekend's action. jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post to www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day
Updated Poll Question: Who deserves to be #1 in the first BCS Rankings of the 2012 Season?
Thanks for reading.
Biggest shocker of the week had to be FSU falling to N.C. State. If that wasn't it, then it had to be that FSU only scored ONE TD all game. And if that still isn't enough, it must have been that FSU didn't score a single point in the entire second half. This is a team that has averaged 45+ points a game. Now, for the second week in a row, they were held way below their average. The warning signs were there last week with the offense. However, if there was anything FSU could count on, it was the defense, right? Nope, the defense played terrible in the second half. Just a complete breakdown on both sides of the ball. Perhaps the most embarrassing part for FSU fans has to be all the fans calling for Jimbo to hire an offensive coor. Really? Okay, just ignore all the missed throws earlier in this game that would have put N.C. State away. Jimbo Fisher is being called out for his conservative play calling, but nobody wants to point at the execution, or lack there of.I won't say that Fisher didn't make some questionable calls down the stretch, but when his team hasn't executed all game long, that starts to hang around in your mind when calling plays. It affects your play-calling when your guys aren't playing well. Call it what you want, but the players are as much to blame in this game as the coaches. It just so happens that his questionable calls came at the worst times of the game. Tough game for the Noles and it better serve as a wake up call. Playing anymore games like that one will result in more losses for sure.
I'm done picking Nebraska. They have so much potential, but they play so inconsistent. Husker fans better hold on.....it's going to be a roller-coaster the rest of the season for Nebraska.
Is South Carolina that good? Or did Georgia have a bad game? I picked Georgia because their offense looked like it could score on anybody. Honestly, I thought South Carolina would slip up a little bit in this game. I am going to say that South Carolina is that good right now. The Gamecocks' defense just swarmed Georgia. There was never a moment where it looked like Georgia could get back in the game. It was 21-0 early in the first half and Spurrier was calling Atlanta for reservations for the SEC Title Game. South Carolina has to be the clear cut favorite to win the SEC East, for now. Florida looks solid, but solid won't cut it against South Carolina right now.Those were my three losses for the week. Who helped my picks this week?
How about the Florida Gators? Some see this as an upset. Others, including myself, would say that this was expected. Believe it or not, LSU was favored in this game. Now that the game has been played and the new AP poll has been released, there are many who are upset that LSU is still in the top 10. I am one of those people. LSU is by far the most overrated team in the country right now. Not to take away any credit from Florida for winning this game, but I think even LSU fans were predicting LSU to lose. The Tigers have looked terrible all season long. They may have a good defense, but if your offense can't score, it doesn't matter. 
West Virginia looks like a team on a mission. Geno Smith can't be stopped. Texas thought their defense could slow him down, and they were wrong in a big way. Sure it was a close game, but a win is a win. Until a team steps up and proves otherwise, West Virginia has the best offense in the country. Their defense may be terrible, but with an offense like this, it doesn't matter. That's not to say it won't catch up with them, but for now, it doesn't look like anybody can go toe-to-toe with them and win.Reader questions segment coming this week. Send in your questions, comments, and/or reactions to this weekend's action. jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post to www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day
Updated Poll Question: Who deserves to be #1 in the first BCS Rankings of the 2012 Season?
Thanks for reading.
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