1. Texas (AP #1) – Texas can claim two wins over big-time opponents (Oklahoma, Missouri) that are bigger than any other pair of wins in the country. Outside of those two shootouts, Texas has not allowed more than 14 points in a game, while racking up at least 38 points in every game.
2. Alabama AP #2) – Alabama seems to lose focus in the second half. They have allowed their last three opponents to crawl back into games after staking big first half leads. Tennessee will give them everything they have in another huge rivalry game.
3. Penn State (AP #3) – The good: Penn State has scored 38 points or more in every contest except one (20-6 win over Purdue) and allowed more than 17 points only once (38-24 win over Illinois). The bad: Penn State’s best wins are over Oregon State and Illinois. Their last three Big Ten opponents have a combined one conference win. Penn State may not be ready for a slugfest with Ohio State this weekend.
4. Florida (AP #5) – Still dangerous with Tebow at the helm. The Gators will have to be careful not to overlook Kentucky, with Georgia looming around the corner.
5. USC (AP #6) – Everyone seems to have forgotten the OSU demolition derby in the wake of USC’s Oregon State loss. Without a single true ‘test’ remaining, USC could sneak into the BCS title game amidst the SEC and Big 12 cannibalization.
6. Oklahoma (AP #4) – Maybe I was wrong about TCU being a ‘cake’ win. However, the defense is still a concern for Oklahoma.
7. Georgia (AP #9) – Georgia is still lacking that marquee win, but will have an excellent opportunity to get one when they travel to Baton Rouge this weekend to face LSU.
8. Ohio State (AP #10) – Is Ohio State this good, or was Michigan State that bad? The Spartans may have lied down a little at the end of that game, but the scoreline is impressive nonetheless. While I don’t expect Ohio State to make it all the way back to the BCS title game, a win over Penn State this weekend could ensure them a Rose Bowl berth.
9. Oklahoma State (AP #7) – Oklahoma State’s party could be over. Texas is coming to town, and if history is any indication, it won’t be pretty. Other than their win over Missouri, Oklahoma State has yet to face a reputable team.
10. LSU (AP #11) – The Tigers gutted out a tough road win at South Carolina after enduring a beatdown at the hands of the Gators. As mentioned above, this weekend is key game, as Georgia comes to Death Valley.
11. Utah (AP #12) – To be honest, I struggled with finding a team qualified for this ranking. Utah seems to have the best resume, with a couple of decent wins (Oregon State, Air Force) and no losses. Utah still has to play TCU and BYU, so if they win those games, Utah will be hard to ignore.
12. Missouri (AP #16) – Sure, they got crushed by Texas, but how many of these teams further down this list could hang with the Longhorns? I may be acting overly generous here, but until Texas Tech beats Missouri, I won’t rank Missouri behind them.
13. Texas Tech (AP #8) – When your best win is in overtime against Nebraska, it’s going to take awhile for me to warm up to you. Like I mentioned last week, four straight games against ranked teams will give the Red Raiders all the chances the need to make a statement.
14. Boise State (AP #13) – Boise State is clinging to that Oregon win, because it’s the only thing that will keep them afloat in the rankings for the rest of the season. A single loss will probably see them fall out of the top 25.
15. Pitt (AP #17) – A dark horse of sorts since losing their opener to Bowling Green, Pitt has slowly crept back into the thick of the race. Their early season win over Iowa is looking a little better, and even last week’s win over Navy is better than several teams ahead of them can claim.
16. Vanderbilt (AP #28)– Hanging with a top five or ten team shouldn’t plummet a team in the rankings, so I’ll leave Vanderbilt in roughly the same spot after they lost to Georgia last week.
17. Tulsa (AP #22) – Any team that scores 77 points has to be considered dangerous. Tulsa only has one game left against a team with a winning record (Houston) so I don’t expect Tulsa to improve its position.
18. Michigan State (AP #29) – Why the polls have Michigan State out of the ranking but Northwestern in the top 25 is beyond me, especially when you consider that Michigan State already beat Northwestern. Handily.
19. Georgia Tech (AP #21) – Georgia Tech may be taking steps to prove itself as the ACC front-runner. However, their remaining schedule is pretty brutal, as all five opponents have winning records.
20. TCU (AP #15) – TCU surprised everyone by crushing BYU. They have allowed more than seven points in only two games (Oklahoma loss, 31-14 win over Stanford). The competition, however, has been less than stiff.
21. Boston College (AP #23) – It could be a virtual tossup between GT, BC, and VT. Boston College beat Virginia Tech, but lost to Georgia Tech. Naturally, Virginia Tech beat Georgia Tech.
22. Virginia Tech (AP #27) – See above, but throw in a disappointing loss to East Carolina.
23. South Florida (AP #14) - Overrated in my book. A close early season win over Kansas is all that’s keeping them in the rankings.
24. Ball State (AP #20) – They do have a win over Navy, and at 7-0 they deserve a little bit of recognition. Their last two games (Central Michigan, Western Michigan) will be their hardest.
25. Kansas (AP #19) – Because there’s no one else, except maybe for Florida State.
Dropped out:
BYU – Some impressive scorelines, but against absolutely no competition. The demolition by TCU left no reason for them to be in the Top 25
Cal – Lost at Arizona (who lost to Stanford and New Mexico earlier this year) 42-27.
Oregon – Idle last week, but the OT win over a now-slumping Purdue didn’t seem reason enough to ignore the blowout loss to USC and close loss to Boise State.
North Carolina – Already on thin ice as it was, OT loss to Virginia shoved them out.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
College Football Rankings
At their very core, polls and ranking are incredibly meaningless. Most teams move up only if the team in front of them loses. It a team loses, they fall below every other team with the same number of losses. Generally, a team ranked in the top 5 that goes undefeated will have a much easier time reaching the national championship than an unranked team that goes undefeated.
To make matters worse, these polls comprise the majority of the formula that selects the two participants for the national championship game. My main problem is that voters are simply illogical. For example, after Florida lost to Ole Miss a couple of weeks ago, they moved out of the top ten and fell behind South Florida. In what world is South Florida a better team than Florida? Naturally, South Florida lost their next game, dropped in the rankings and order was restored.
I'll attempt to take a slightly more logical approach here - combining record, performance and strength of schedule.
1. Alabama (AP #2) - I was down on Alabama before the season started, but as one of only five remaining undefeated BCS schools, Alabama has done the most to distinguish itself. The demolition of Clemson looks less and less impressive, but Alabama was absolutely clinical in dismantling Georgia. The Tide won't have another true test until 11/8 @LSU.
2. Penn State (AP #3) - Also undefeated, Penn State hasn't really been pushed, including an impressive 48-7 win over Wisconsin. Nittany Lions fans have October 25 circled on their calenders - when Penn State travels to Columbus to face the Buckeyes.
3. Texas (AP #1) - The win over Oklahoma was nice, but Texas hasn't played any other decent teams this season. With its next two games at home against Missouri and Oklahoma State, I will certainly be willing to bump them up if they give impressive performances.
4. Florida (AP #5) - Anytime you beat the defending champions by 30 points, people have to take you seriously. The Gators are prone to their share of inconsistency (see: Ole Miss) but they have the talent to match up with any team in the country.
5. Georgia (AP #10) - The Bulldogs had one bad half, but after watching them dominate Tennessee, I'm a believer. Sure, most teams could dominate Tennessee at this point, but the combination of Stafford and Moreno is tough to beat. Three consecutive games against ranked SEC opponents (Vanderbilt, @LSU, Florida) will tell the story for this team.
6. USC (AP #6) - USC will always have one or two letdowns a year, but it's hard to argue that teams like Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are better than USC. Outside of their surprising loss at Oregon State, USC has allowed a total of only 20 points in their four wins.
7. Oklahoma (AP #4) - The Sooners best win thus far has come against TCU, which isn't saying very much. Kansas will provide a tougher test this weekend, but without Missouri on the schedule, Oklahoma should breeze to an 11-1 record without much effort, even with games against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
8. Oklahoma State (AP #8) - They sure don't play much defense. OK State actually allowed more points against Troy and Texas A&M than they did against Missouri, so it remains to be seen if Oklahoma State is for real. A trip to Texas in two weeks should shed some light.
9. Missouri (AP #11) - Like Oklahoma State next week, Missouri faces a huge test against Texas this weekend. The win over Illinois is nice on their resume, because it's pretty barren otherwise. After Texas, Missouri has four consecutive games against the Big 12 'have-nots' so regardless of what happens against Texas, they'll probably end up back in the Top Ten.
10. LSU (AP #13) - Perhaps hard to justify ranking the Tigers here after they were so thoroughly dominated by Florida, but I couldn't in good conscience rank them behind unproven commodities like Utah and BYU. The defending national champs deserve a little bit of leeway, but games against Georgia and Alabama in the next month will ultimately decide their fate.
11. Michigan State (AP #20) - I'm somewhat surprised that Michigan State is ranked so low in the polls. They lost a tight one at Cal to start the season and have flown under the radar since then, with their only notable win a thrashing of Notre Dame. However, Javon Ringer is a true game-breaker for them. The Spartans host Ohio State this weekend, so we'll see if my opinion is justified.
12. Texas Tech (AP #7) - I'm not ready to completely respect Texas Tech. Their best win is over Kansas State, and they need overtime to beat Nebraska. Unfortunately for them, the hard part of their schedule is just beginning. Kansas, Texas, OK State, and Oklahoma await.
13. Utah (AP #14) - They are 7-0 with wins over Michigan and Oregon State, both of whom have pulled off some surprising wins of their own. They have arguably a better resume than Texas Tech, but I don't feel like changing it now.
14. BYU (AP #9) - Like Utah, undefeated. However, they lack any signature wins. Washington and UCLA don't carry the same weight as Utah's wins.
15. Ohio State (AP #12) - Maybe I'm being too hard on the Buckeyes, but they will have the chance to change public perception with upcoming back-to-back tough games against Michigan State and Penn State. For what it's worth, their best win is...Minnesota.
16. Boise State (AP #15) - Boise State boasts a nice road win over Oregon, but unfortunately there is little else to base their performance. With only three remaining games against teams with winning records (and hardly intimidating teams at that - San Jose State, Fresno State, and New Mexico State) it is safe to assume that we'll know as much about Boise State at the end of the season as we do now.
17. Vanderbilt (AP #22) - Ok, the SEC Bias is showing a little on this one. However, three SEC wins, including the pressure-packed win over Auburn, should be enough to earn their place in the top 25. Their performance at Georgia this weekend will show their true colors. A close loss might even move them up in my rankings.
18. Virginia Tech (AP #17) - The Hokies have quietly reeled off 5 straight wins, including Georgia Tech and North Carolina, since being shocked at home by East Carolina.
19. Cal (AP #25) - Close win over Michigan State to start the season has been overshadowed by their loss at schizophrenic Maryland. They also handled Arizona State two weeks ago.
20. Oregon (AP #33) - With two losses (USC, Boise St) Oregon is not receiving much love right now. They do have a road win over Purdue, and with upcoming road games at Arizona State and Cal, Oregon will have a chance to make a name for themselves.
21. Tulsa (AP #26) - Tulsa could be this year's Hawaii. They have scored 37 points or more in each of their six victories, although they have only held teams to under 20 points one time. Working against them is the fact that they have yet to beat a team with a winning record, but from here on out they only play two more teams with losing records. A trip to Arkansas could give them a 'name' win, even though Arkansas is lower-tier SEC team right now.
22. South Florida (AP #19) - They were shocked at home by Pitt, but South Florida carries a win over Kansas on its resume. They should challenge for the Big East title, but is that saying much?
23. Kansas (AP #16) - Kansas has made a living beating up on cupcake schools. Their best win is at home against Colorado, and they failed to score a 'big' win at South Florida. Back-to-back games against Oklahoma and Texas Tech will likely see the Jayhawks exposed as pretenders.
24. Pitt (AP #23) - Similar to Virginia Tech, Pitt has won four in a row since blowing their home opener to Bowling Green. Other than the South Florida win, though, their resume is pretty thin.
25. North Carolina (AP #18) - I'll be honest, I have no idea which ACC teams are good and which aren't. Right now, there are six ACC teams with only one loss. So this spot could just as easily go to Wake Forest or Georgia Tech.
Others receiving consideration - South Carolina, Cincinnati, Ball State, Georgia Tech, Minnesota, Wake Forest
To make matters worse, these polls comprise the majority of the formula that selects the two participants for the national championship game. My main problem is that voters are simply illogical. For example, after Florida lost to Ole Miss a couple of weeks ago, they moved out of the top ten and fell behind South Florida. In what world is South Florida a better team than Florida? Naturally, South Florida lost their next game, dropped in the rankings and order was restored.
I'll attempt to take a slightly more logical approach here - combining record, performance and strength of schedule.
1. Alabama (AP #2) - I was down on Alabama before the season started, but as one of only five remaining undefeated BCS schools, Alabama has done the most to distinguish itself. The demolition of Clemson looks less and less impressive, but Alabama was absolutely clinical in dismantling Georgia. The Tide won't have another true test until 11/8 @LSU.
2. Penn State (AP #3) - Also undefeated, Penn State hasn't really been pushed, including an impressive 48-7 win over Wisconsin. Nittany Lions fans have October 25 circled on their calenders - when Penn State travels to Columbus to face the Buckeyes.
3. Texas (AP #1) - The win over Oklahoma was nice, but Texas hasn't played any other decent teams this season. With its next two games at home against Missouri and Oklahoma State, I will certainly be willing to bump them up if they give impressive performances.
4. Florida (AP #5) - Anytime you beat the defending champions by 30 points, people have to take you seriously. The Gators are prone to their share of inconsistency (see: Ole Miss) but they have the talent to match up with any team in the country.
5. Georgia (AP #10) - The Bulldogs had one bad half, but after watching them dominate Tennessee, I'm a believer. Sure, most teams could dominate Tennessee at this point, but the combination of Stafford and Moreno is tough to beat. Three consecutive games against ranked SEC opponents (Vanderbilt, @LSU, Florida) will tell the story for this team.
6. USC (AP #6) - USC will always have one or two letdowns a year, but it's hard to argue that teams like Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are better than USC. Outside of their surprising loss at Oregon State, USC has allowed a total of only 20 points in their four wins.
7. Oklahoma (AP #4) - The Sooners best win thus far has come against TCU, which isn't saying very much. Kansas will provide a tougher test this weekend, but without Missouri on the schedule, Oklahoma should breeze to an 11-1 record without much effort, even with games against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
8. Oklahoma State (AP #8) - They sure don't play much defense. OK State actually allowed more points against Troy and Texas A&M than they did against Missouri, so it remains to be seen if Oklahoma State is for real. A trip to Texas in two weeks should shed some light.
9. Missouri (AP #11) - Like Oklahoma State next week, Missouri faces a huge test against Texas this weekend. The win over Illinois is nice on their resume, because it's pretty barren otherwise. After Texas, Missouri has four consecutive games against the Big 12 'have-nots' so regardless of what happens against Texas, they'll probably end up back in the Top Ten.
10. LSU (AP #13) - Perhaps hard to justify ranking the Tigers here after they were so thoroughly dominated by Florida, but I couldn't in good conscience rank them behind unproven commodities like Utah and BYU. The defending national champs deserve a little bit of leeway, but games against Georgia and Alabama in the next month will ultimately decide their fate.
11. Michigan State (AP #20) - I'm somewhat surprised that Michigan State is ranked so low in the polls. They lost a tight one at Cal to start the season and have flown under the radar since then, with their only notable win a thrashing of Notre Dame. However, Javon Ringer is a true game-breaker for them. The Spartans host Ohio State this weekend, so we'll see if my opinion is justified.
12. Texas Tech (AP #7) - I'm not ready to completely respect Texas Tech. Their best win is over Kansas State, and they need overtime to beat Nebraska. Unfortunately for them, the hard part of their schedule is just beginning. Kansas, Texas, OK State, and Oklahoma await.
13. Utah (AP #14) - They are 7-0 with wins over Michigan and Oregon State, both of whom have pulled off some surprising wins of their own. They have arguably a better resume than Texas Tech, but I don't feel like changing it now.
14. BYU (AP #9) - Like Utah, undefeated. However, they lack any signature wins. Washington and UCLA don't carry the same weight as Utah's wins.
15. Ohio State (AP #12) - Maybe I'm being too hard on the Buckeyes, but they will have the chance to change public perception with upcoming back-to-back tough games against Michigan State and Penn State. For what it's worth, their best win is...Minnesota.
16. Boise State (AP #15) - Boise State boasts a nice road win over Oregon, but unfortunately there is little else to base their performance. With only three remaining games against teams with winning records (and hardly intimidating teams at that - San Jose State, Fresno State, and New Mexico State) it is safe to assume that we'll know as much about Boise State at the end of the season as we do now.
17. Vanderbilt (AP #22) - Ok, the SEC Bias is showing a little on this one. However, three SEC wins, including the pressure-packed win over Auburn, should be enough to earn their place in the top 25. Their performance at Georgia this weekend will show their true colors. A close loss might even move them up in my rankings.
18. Virginia Tech (AP #17) - The Hokies have quietly reeled off 5 straight wins, including Georgia Tech and North Carolina, since being shocked at home by East Carolina.
19. Cal (AP #25) - Close win over Michigan State to start the season has been overshadowed by their loss at schizophrenic Maryland. They also handled Arizona State two weeks ago.
20. Oregon (AP #33) - With two losses (USC, Boise St) Oregon is not receiving much love right now. They do have a road win over Purdue, and with upcoming road games at Arizona State and Cal, Oregon will have a chance to make a name for themselves.
21. Tulsa (AP #26) - Tulsa could be this year's Hawaii. They have scored 37 points or more in each of their six victories, although they have only held teams to under 20 points one time. Working against them is the fact that they have yet to beat a team with a winning record, but from here on out they only play two more teams with losing records. A trip to Arkansas could give them a 'name' win, even though Arkansas is lower-tier SEC team right now.
22. South Florida (AP #19) - They were shocked at home by Pitt, but South Florida carries a win over Kansas on its resume. They should challenge for the Big East title, but is that saying much?
23. Kansas (AP #16) - Kansas has made a living beating up on cupcake schools. Their best win is at home against Colorado, and they failed to score a 'big' win at South Florida. Back-to-back games against Oklahoma and Texas Tech will likely see the Jayhawks exposed as pretenders.
24. Pitt (AP #23) - Similar to Virginia Tech, Pitt has won four in a row since blowing their home opener to Bowling Green. Other than the South Florida win, though, their resume is pretty thin.
25. North Carolina (AP #18) - I'll be honest, I have no idea which ACC teams are good and which aren't. Right now, there are six ACC teams with only one loss. So this spot could just as easily go to Wake Forest or Georgia Tech.
Others receiving consideration - South Carolina, Cincinnati, Ball State, Georgia Tech, Minnesota, Wake Forest
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Refuting the Illogical
Look, I understand that controversy sells. Say something that is blatantly wrong with enough brashness and you know that you will annoy anyone with common sense. There’s really nothing like saying something idiotic (The sun is blue!) and then refusing the listen to any logical arguments to the contrary.
I give you the case of one Gregg Easterbrook. The guys has basically made his living doing this, but last week he went a step further and claimed that Eli Manning was now a better quarterback than Peyton Manning. Seriously?
Here is one example: “Well, ponder this: Eli Manning is now a better quarterback than Peyton Manning. At the current rate, his career achievements will at least match, and perhaps surpass, his big brother's.”
What career achievements? The only comparable career achievement is Super Bowl wins: Both have one. So yes, if you extrapolate that over Eli’s career, statistically Eli might end up with more. But other than that, I don’t see how the two are anywhere close to comparable. And keep in mind that quarterbacks like Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson have also won Super Bowls.
Mr. Easterbrook claims that “[i]n terms of passing stats, the two players are approximately the same”. Really? Let’s take a deeper look into these approximately similar stats. For comparison’s sake, let’s throw out both players’ rookie season (Peyton’s was much better, by the way).
After his rookie season, Peyton rolled off six straight 4000+ yard seasons, with his QB rating never dropping below 84. In Eli’s first three full seasons (including last season’s Super Bowl win) his highest QB rating was 77 and his highest passing total was 3762.
In Peyton’s entire career, he has never averaged less than 7.0 yards per attempt in a season. Eli’s best average was 6.8 yards per attempt. In each of Peyton’s first three non-rookie seasons, he completed 62% of his passes. Since those three seasons, he has not dropped below 65%. Eli has yet to approach 60% in any season.
In Peyton’s entire career (again, excluding rookie season) he has thrown more than 15 interceptions only twice. Eli has already done it three times, in each of his first three full seasons.
These differences might seem insignificant, but when every Peyton Manning pass goes for an average of 1.5 yards further and he completes maybe three or four more passes per game (given the same number of throws) that is a pretty huge advantage. Throw in Peyton’s clear decision-making advantage and the intangible benefits of his vast knowledge of the offensive playbook and audibles, and Peyton is giving his team a significant advantage every time he steps on the field.
While it’s true that Peyton did not win any playoff games until his sixth season, he did lead the Colts into the playoffs in his second and third seasons. Eli achieved the same feat, leading the Giants into the playoffs in his second and third seasons. What people seem to forget is that since Peyton Manning took over as quarterback, the Colts have missed the playoffs only twice, and not since 2001.
What the Giants did last season was amazing, and Eli has played well this season (with the exception of last night’s bed-crapping against the Browns) but can you really argue that Eli is a better quarterback than Peyton? I mean, he didn’t even make the Pro Bowl last year and his team won the Super Bowl! That should say something about how good Eli is.
I’m not saying that Eli Manning won’t turn out to be a good quarterback, but based on what we’ve seen from him so far, I think it’s a little early to declare that he’ll have a better career than a guy who is without question one of the top quarterbacks of the last decade, if not the best.
(Note: In today's article, Mr. Easterbrook made no reference to the fact that his new golden child just threw 3 picks in a terrible loss to the Browns, while Peyton Manning had another stellar, mistake-free game as the Colts trounced Baltimore 31-3)
I give you the case of one Gregg Easterbrook. The guys has basically made his living doing this, but last week he went a step further and claimed that Eli Manning was now a better quarterback than Peyton Manning. Seriously?
Here is one example: “Well, ponder this: Eli Manning is now a better quarterback than Peyton Manning. At the current rate, his career achievements will at least match, and perhaps surpass, his big brother's.”
What career achievements? The only comparable career achievement is Super Bowl wins: Both have one. So yes, if you extrapolate that over Eli’s career, statistically Eli might end up with more. But other than that, I don’t see how the two are anywhere close to comparable. And keep in mind that quarterbacks like Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson have also won Super Bowls.
Mr. Easterbrook claims that “[i]n terms of passing stats, the two players are approximately the same”. Really? Let’s take a deeper look into these approximately similar stats. For comparison’s sake, let’s throw out both players’ rookie season (Peyton’s was much better, by the way).
After his rookie season, Peyton rolled off six straight 4000+ yard seasons, with his QB rating never dropping below 84. In Eli’s first three full seasons (including last season’s Super Bowl win) his highest QB rating was 77 and his highest passing total was 3762.
In Peyton’s entire career, he has never averaged less than 7.0 yards per attempt in a season. Eli’s best average was 6.8 yards per attempt. In each of Peyton’s first three non-rookie seasons, he completed 62% of his passes. Since those three seasons, he has not dropped below 65%. Eli has yet to approach 60% in any season.
In Peyton’s entire career (again, excluding rookie season) he has thrown more than 15 interceptions only twice. Eli has already done it three times, in each of his first three full seasons.
These differences might seem insignificant, but when every Peyton Manning pass goes for an average of 1.5 yards further and he completes maybe three or four more passes per game (given the same number of throws) that is a pretty huge advantage. Throw in Peyton’s clear decision-making advantage and the intangible benefits of his vast knowledge of the offensive playbook and audibles, and Peyton is giving his team a significant advantage every time he steps on the field.
While it’s true that Peyton did not win any playoff games until his sixth season, he did lead the Colts into the playoffs in his second and third seasons. Eli achieved the same feat, leading the Giants into the playoffs in his second and third seasons. What people seem to forget is that since Peyton Manning took over as quarterback, the Colts have missed the playoffs only twice, and not since 2001.
What the Giants did last season was amazing, and Eli has played well this season (with the exception of last night’s bed-crapping against the Browns) but can you really argue that Eli is a better quarterback than Peyton? I mean, he didn’t even make the Pro Bowl last year and his team won the Super Bowl! That should say something about how good Eli is.
I’m not saying that Eli Manning won’t turn out to be a good quarterback, but based on what we’ve seen from him so far, I think it’s a little early to declare that he’ll have a better career than a guy who is without question one of the top quarterbacks of the last decade, if not the best.
(Note: In today's article, Mr. Easterbrook made no reference to the fact that his new golden child just threw 3 picks in a terrible loss to the Browns, while Peyton Manning had another stellar, mistake-free game as the Colts trounced Baltimore 31-3)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Long Live the Fighting Nerds!
Congratulations Vanderbilt – you finally did it…
It’s been a long time coming, but Vanderbilt is finally establishing itself as a decent football team. Thanks to their 5-0 record and the nationally televised win over Auburn, the Commodores have rocketed up the rankings to #13 in the AP poll. Many of the computer rankings that are used to calculate the BCS rankings have them ever higher. It’s a virtual lock that they will qualify for a bowl (thanks to a home game against Duke), and at this point, it’s entirely feasible that Vanderbilt could win 8 or 9 games. Or is it…?
Does anyone remember the rapid ascension of South Carolina and Kentucky in last year’s polls? By week seven, the two teams were ranked #6 and #8, respectively, in AP Poll. The following week, both teams suffered losses that sent them into a downward spiral. Kentucky would then lose three of its next four to finish 7-5 before rallying to win its bowl game against a depleted Florida State, while South Carolina lost its next four to finish 6-6 and didn’t even go to a bowl.
Apparently Las Vegas is not convinced that the ‘Dores are for real either. Vanderbilt is currently a 3 point underdog in its road trip to Mississippi State, although the line did open at Even. With upcoming games against Georgia, Tennessee and Florida, not to mention road trips to Kentucky and a ranked Wake Forest team, Vanderbilt’s run may be at an end. They’ll certainly have the opportunity to make their case, but talk about Vanderbilt being an SEC ‘contender’ needs to stop right now. If they beat Georgia next week, then we’ll talk…
A few other lines worth noting:
Clemson at Wake Forest: -2.5
Clemson has been struggling lately, but they destroyed Wake Forest last year 44-10. Wake Forest isn’t exactly playing its best football, as they’re coming off of an embarrassing home loss to Navy.
Tennessee at Georgia: -13
Tennessee absolutely dismantled Georgia in their last meeting. The game was a mirror image of last week’s Georgia-Alabama game, when Tennessee raced to a 35-0 lead. I don’t expect that too happen this week, though, especially with all instability at the QB position. One thing to keep in mind: Tennessee’s defense is underrated. In fact, no team has gained over 300 yards of total offense against the Vols, despite their three losses.
LSU at Florida: -4
Florida is coming off a disappointing loss that exposed them as a two-man team (Tebow and Percy Harvin). LSU hasn’t really wowed anyone, which some might find surprising considering their #4 ranking. However, close wins over Mississippi State and an overrated Auburn team clearly haven’t impressed Vegas.
Penn State at Wisconsin: +5
The Great Nittany Hope of the Big Ten is a deserved favorite. Wisconsin is coming off of back to back heartbreakers against Michigan and Ohio State, while Penn State has been nothing short of spectacular. Their upcoming three-game stretch (Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State) could cement their status as top dawg. I expect Penn State to handle the Badgers, but they’ve disappointed before…
Arkansas at Auburn: -19.5
Auburn can barely score 19 points if you give them two games, so I’m skeptical that they could beat anyone with a pulse (ie not LA-Monroe) by more than 19 points. Arkansas is pretty gawd-awful, though, and could be just what the doctor ordered for the Tigers’ ailing offense.
It’s been a long time coming, but Vanderbilt is finally establishing itself as a decent football team. Thanks to their 5-0 record and the nationally televised win over Auburn, the Commodores have rocketed up the rankings to #13 in the AP poll. Many of the computer rankings that are used to calculate the BCS rankings have them ever higher. It’s a virtual lock that they will qualify for a bowl (thanks to a home game against Duke), and at this point, it’s entirely feasible that Vanderbilt could win 8 or 9 games. Or is it…?
Does anyone remember the rapid ascension of South Carolina and Kentucky in last year’s polls? By week seven, the two teams were ranked #6 and #8, respectively, in AP Poll. The following week, both teams suffered losses that sent them into a downward spiral. Kentucky would then lose three of its next four to finish 7-5 before rallying to win its bowl game against a depleted Florida State, while South Carolina lost its next four to finish 6-6 and didn’t even go to a bowl.
Apparently Las Vegas is not convinced that the ‘Dores are for real either. Vanderbilt is currently a 3 point underdog in its road trip to Mississippi State, although the line did open at Even. With upcoming games against Georgia, Tennessee and Florida, not to mention road trips to Kentucky and a ranked Wake Forest team, Vanderbilt’s run may be at an end. They’ll certainly have the opportunity to make their case, but talk about Vanderbilt being an SEC ‘contender’ needs to stop right now. If they beat Georgia next week, then we’ll talk…
A few other lines worth noting:
Clemson at Wake Forest: -2.5
Clemson has been struggling lately, but they destroyed Wake Forest last year 44-10. Wake Forest isn’t exactly playing its best football, as they’re coming off of an embarrassing home loss to Navy.
Tennessee at Georgia: -13
Tennessee absolutely dismantled Georgia in their last meeting. The game was a mirror image of last week’s Georgia-Alabama game, when Tennessee raced to a 35-0 lead. I don’t expect that too happen this week, though, especially with all instability at the QB position. One thing to keep in mind: Tennessee’s defense is underrated. In fact, no team has gained over 300 yards of total offense against the Vols, despite their three losses.
LSU at Florida: -4
Florida is coming off a disappointing loss that exposed them as a two-man team (Tebow and Percy Harvin). LSU hasn’t really wowed anyone, which some might find surprising considering their #4 ranking. However, close wins over Mississippi State and an overrated Auburn team clearly haven’t impressed Vegas.
Penn State at Wisconsin: +5
The Great Nittany Hope of the Big Ten is a deserved favorite. Wisconsin is coming off of back to back heartbreakers against Michigan and Ohio State, while Penn State has been nothing short of spectacular. Their upcoming three-game stretch (Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State) could cement their status as top dawg. I expect Penn State to handle the Badgers, but they’ve disappointed before…
Arkansas at Auburn: -19.5
Auburn can barely score 19 points if you give them two games, so I’m skeptical that they could beat anyone with a pulse (ie not LA-Monroe) by more than 19 points. Arkansas is pretty gawd-awful, though, and could be just what the doctor ordered for the Tigers’ ailing offense.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Tennessee-Auburn Second Half
And let’s start up the second half!
15:00 – Auburn takes over on its own 20 after a touchback. They just flashed the passing numbers for the first half. Pretty paltry on both sides.
13:35 – Tennessee sack by Ben Martin! Auburn will have to punt after a three-and-out. The Vols will take over at their 35.
10:45 – Despite getting one first down (thanks to a penalty) Tennessee will have to punt at midfield. Nice punt! Downed at the three yard line. Maybe Auburn will fumble into their own end zone…
9:56 – I hate how the Auburn offense all stands up on the line of scrimmage and looks over to the coaches. It just looks weird…
8:50 – Nice defensive sequence, and Auburn goes nowhere. Auburns punts from their own end zone and it’s downed at Auburn’s 45. If Tennessee can’t do anything with this field position, they don’t deserve to win.
7:30 – Arian Foster is stopped just short of a first down on third down. Tennessee will punt from the Auburn 36. Lame… But, the punt goes out at the Auburn 3, so basically we’ll just repeat the last Auburn drive.
6:30 – So much for that theory. Auburn gets back to back first downs and Auburn is out to the 30. Chris Todd was able to complete a lob pass that should have been picked off at the ten yard line.
5:30 – Great…a QB scramble for a first down, followed by a personal foul out-of-bounds hit. Auburn is now on Tennessee’s 45.
4:30 – Chris Todd has all day to throw, but it’s picked off!! Dennis Rogan takes it all the way to the Auburn 37!
3:50 – The UT offense is just woeful. Back-to-back rushes net a loss of four yards. 3rd and 14.
3:08 – Ohh! Crompton scrambles and gets a first down, but he forgets to slide and gets nailed. Tennessee is within field goal range, but they need a touchdown.
1:50 – Gerald Jones has moves. Out of the G-Gun, he runs all the way across the field and back and nearly gets a first down on what should have been a loss.
1:00 – After a personal foul facemask penalty, Tennessee has first and goal.
0:00 – The third quarter ends, with Tennessee facing a third and goal on the two yard. Phillip Fulmer will have a little extra time to come up with a play here. Not that Hardesty up the middle will take him much time to come up with…
14:55 – Touchdown Hardesty!! Sweep left, and Hardesty outruns Auburn to the corner of the end zone. Tennessee decides to go for two, but Auburn sniffs it out. Auburn leads 14-12. I’d like to think they could have come up with a better play than a pass that doesn’t even go into the end zone on the two-point try. If Auburn scores another touchdown, Tennessee will be down two scores, but a UT field goal would still take the lead.
14:00 – Auburn faces a critical third and four. Bad pass, and Auburn will punt from their 35 yardline. Even if it had been completed, Tennessee probably would have stopped them short of the marker.
13:30 – Gerald Jones on the return! He takes it all the way to the Auburn 38. It looked like he signaled for a fair catch, but maybe he was just blocking the sun.
12:30 – Good defense by Auburn. Tennessee can do nothing, and they actually lose yards. A dropped screen pass hurt them, and once again the offense sputters. Tennessee decides to punt and Auburn takes over at their 11 after a fair catch. What a wasted opportunity…
11:00 – Both teams are looking poor offensively. Auburn faces third and long after Tennessee blows up a toss play.
10:50 – Auburn completes the pass, but it’s well short of the first down. Expect another punt here… and Gerald Jones returns it to the 42.
9:00 – Third and four, and another terrible Crompton pass. The throw goes well out of bounds, and once again Tennessee will have to punt after another three and out. They really need to take advantage of this field position at some point…
7:45 – This is one of the worst games I’ve ever watched. Auburn will punt on 4th and 18, after another three and out. Maybe these teams should get points for punts. The punt is downed on Auburn’s 45 yard line. This is starting to feel like déjà vu…
6:10 – You have got to be %#%@ kidding me. Tennessee fails again on third down. Another punt, and Auburn takes over on the 20.
5:55 – Burns is back in at quarterback for Auburn. He can scramble, but doesn’t seem to throw very well.
4:40 – Burns runs on three straight plays for negative yards, and once again Tennessee will get the ball back. The Vols take over near midfield.
3:20 – Crompton’s numbers for the day: 8/22 for 67 yards. Needless to say, Tennessee goes three and out after the pressure rattles Crompton on second and third down. I have no more adjectives to describe the shittiness that I am witnessing. Cunningham is Tennessee’s MVP right now, and his punt is downed on the five yard line.
2:14 – Auburn faces a third and five after a nice run by Mario Fannin to avoid losing yardage. A first down here might win the game for Auburn. Timeout on the field…
2:14 (still) – Did Tennessee just call back to back timeouts? I’m confused…If so, that is beyond stupid…
2:00 – And Auburn converts… This must be game over…Tennessee is out of timeouts. Nice pass by Burns, and I think that’s Auburn’s only first down of the quarter.
0:00 – Auburn kneels down, and that’s it. No additional comments needed. Just awful...
15:00 – Auburn takes over on its own 20 after a touchback. They just flashed the passing numbers for the first half. Pretty paltry on both sides.
13:35 – Tennessee sack by Ben Martin! Auburn will have to punt after a three-and-out. The Vols will take over at their 35.
10:45 – Despite getting one first down (thanks to a penalty) Tennessee will have to punt at midfield. Nice punt! Downed at the three yard line. Maybe Auburn will fumble into their own end zone…
9:56 – I hate how the Auburn offense all stands up on the line of scrimmage and looks over to the coaches. It just looks weird…
8:50 – Nice defensive sequence, and Auburn goes nowhere. Auburns punts from their own end zone and it’s downed at Auburn’s 45. If Tennessee can’t do anything with this field position, they don’t deserve to win.
7:30 – Arian Foster is stopped just short of a first down on third down. Tennessee will punt from the Auburn 36. Lame… But, the punt goes out at the Auburn 3, so basically we’ll just repeat the last Auburn drive.
6:30 – So much for that theory. Auburn gets back to back first downs and Auburn is out to the 30. Chris Todd was able to complete a lob pass that should have been picked off at the ten yard line.
5:30 – Great…a QB scramble for a first down, followed by a personal foul out-of-bounds hit. Auburn is now on Tennessee’s 45.
4:30 – Chris Todd has all day to throw, but it’s picked off!! Dennis Rogan takes it all the way to the Auburn 37!
3:50 – The UT offense is just woeful. Back-to-back rushes net a loss of four yards. 3rd and 14.
3:08 – Ohh! Crompton scrambles and gets a first down, but he forgets to slide and gets nailed. Tennessee is within field goal range, but they need a touchdown.
1:50 – Gerald Jones has moves. Out of the G-Gun, he runs all the way across the field and back and nearly gets a first down on what should have been a loss.
1:00 – After a personal foul facemask penalty, Tennessee has first and goal.
0:00 – The third quarter ends, with Tennessee facing a third and goal on the two yard. Phillip Fulmer will have a little extra time to come up with a play here. Not that Hardesty up the middle will take him much time to come up with…
14:55 – Touchdown Hardesty!! Sweep left, and Hardesty outruns Auburn to the corner of the end zone. Tennessee decides to go for two, but Auburn sniffs it out. Auburn leads 14-12. I’d like to think they could have come up with a better play than a pass that doesn’t even go into the end zone on the two-point try. If Auburn scores another touchdown, Tennessee will be down two scores, but a UT field goal would still take the lead.
14:00 – Auburn faces a critical third and four. Bad pass, and Auburn will punt from their 35 yardline. Even if it had been completed, Tennessee probably would have stopped them short of the marker.
13:30 – Gerald Jones on the return! He takes it all the way to the Auburn 38. It looked like he signaled for a fair catch, but maybe he was just blocking the sun.
12:30 – Good defense by Auburn. Tennessee can do nothing, and they actually lose yards. A dropped screen pass hurt them, and once again the offense sputters. Tennessee decides to punt and Auburn takes over at their 11 after a fair catch. What a wasted opportunity…
11:00 – Both teams are looking poor offensively. Auburn faces third and long after Tennessee blows up a toss play.
10:50 – Auburn completes the pass, but it’s well short of the first down. Expect another punt here… and Gerald Jones returns it to the 42.
9:00 – Third and four, and another terrible Crompton pass. The throw goes well out of bounds, and once again Tennessee will have to punt after another three and out. They really need to take advantage of this field position at some point…
7:45 – This is one of the worst games I’ve ever watched. Auburn will punt on 4th and 18, after another three and out. Maybe these teams should get points for punts. The punt is downed on Auburn’s 45 yard line. This is starting to feel like déjà vu…
6:10 – You have got to be %#%@ kidding me. Tennessee fails again on third down. Another punt, and Auburn takes over on the 20.
5:55 – Burns is back in at quarterback for Auburn. He can scramble, but doesn’t seem to throw very well.
4:40 – Burns runs on three straight plays for negative yards, and once again Tennessee will get the ball back. The Vols take over near midfield.
3:20 – Crompton’s numbers for the day: 8/22 for 67 yards. Needless to say, Tennessee goes three and out after the pressure rattles Crompton on second and third down. I have no more adjectives to describe the shittiness that I am witnessing. Cunningham is Tennessee’s MVP right now, and his punt is downed on the five yard line.
2:14 – Auburn faces a third and five after a nice run by Mario Fannin to avoid losing yardage. A first down here might win the game for Auburn. Timeout on the field…
2:14 (still) – Did Tennessee just call back to back timeouts? I’m confused…If so, that is beyond stupid…
2:00 – And Auburn converts… This must be game over…Tennessee is out of timeouts. Nice pass by Burns, and I think that’s Auburn’s only first down of the quarter.
0:00 – Auburn kneels down, and that’s it. No additional comments needed. Just awful...
Tennessee-Auburn: First Half
Auburn! Tennessee! Gametime!
If the last three games have been any indication, expect lots of Tennessee penalties, missed tackles and underthrown passes. Auburn’s offense hasn’t exactly been firing on all cylinders either lately, with only two offensive touchdowns in their last two games.
This could be an ugly one. Maybe not 3-2 ugly, but I doubt that both teams will hit 20 points.
15:00 – Kickoff! Tennessee receives a short kick and gets out a few yards to the 25 yard line. No penalties or fumbles so far. Not a bad start.
14:48 – Wow, Arian Foster up the middle for a three yard gain on first down. I think we’ll see a lot of that today.
14:00 – Auburn only rushes four and still gets pressure on third and long, forcing a Tennessee three-and-out. The punt is shanked and Auburn gets the ball on their own 45.
12:30 – On third down, an Auburn receiver runs backwards after a short catch and looked to be stopped short of the first down, but they give it to him anyway. First down, Auburn.
11:30 – Holy crap! Florida is losing to Ole Miss! 31-24 with three minutes to go.
11:15 – Nice tackle! A failed halfback pass results in about a ten yard loss, and The Auburn player’s helmet get knocked back another ten yards. Auburn has to punt and it rolls all the way to the Tennessee four yard line. Luckily it had already touched an Auburn player and Tennessee takes over near the 20.
9:40 – Florida update! Florida has just scored, but the extra point is blocked. The Gators still trail 31-30.
8:40 – Bad pass on third down, and Tennessee will have to punt again. Crompton looks to be limping a little. At least they managed to get one first down on this drive. Auburn takes over on their own 30.
7:40 – Third and one coming up.
7:25 – Sigh. After about three missed tackles, Brandon Tate reels off a 15 yard gain.
5:35 – What kind of defense is that? Auburn completes a nice 15 yard pass amidst mass confusion in the UT secondary. Maybe there are getting distracted by all the arm-flapping coming from the Auburn sidelines. They must have about five different people sending in signals.
4:15 – Another Auburn first down, on a third down conversion. They’ve marched down to the Tennessee 17 yard-line.
4:00 – Final score: Ole Miss pulled it off! What does this say about Tennessee? They lose to UCLA and Florida, and those teams turn around and lose to even scrappier teams.
2:52 – Touchdown Auburn! Robert Dunn hauls in a 20 yard TD pass in the middle of the end zone, and the touted safety Eric Berry didn’t give him much resistance. Auburn leads 7-0.
2:45 – Not a bad return by Dennis Rogan. The Vols take over at the 30.
1:15 – Crompton completes his first pass of the day!! First down! Montario Hardesty follows it up with a great 15 yard run, with a nice cut and spin move.
0:00 – End of the first quarter. Tennessee ends with an incompletion as a result of a miscommunication between Crompton and receiver Denarius Moore. Of course, that was preceded by a false start. This game has been pretty boring so far…
15:00 – The second quarter starts up, and Tennessee has gotten down to the Auburn 30. Unfortunately the drive stalls and Tennessee is forced to kick a field goal. This will be about a 48 yard field goal.
14:08 – He nails it! Tennessee cuts the Auburn lead to 7-3.
12:20 – Despite the best efforts of Tim Hawthorne, Auburn is forced to punt, and Tennessee takes over at the 20. Hawthorne nearly brought in a one-handed catch on third and ten, but can’t quite reel it in.
11:15 – The G-Gun formation comes into play! Gerald Jones takes the direct snap and reels off a 22 yard run, making a couple of Auburn players miss along the way.
10:00 – A dangerous Crompton pass, and Tennessee avoids disaster. Tennessee is driving, though, and is down to the Auburn 18. Third and three coming up.
9:00 – Geez. Another bad route/miscommunication/bad throw, and it’s fourth down. 35 yard field goal attempt by Daniel Lincoln and it’s good! Auburn 7, Tennessee 6. Eventually Tennessee is going to need some touchdowns.
7:30 – Auburn stalls at midfield and will be forced to punt. It rolls all the way down to the 5 yard line and UT will take over. I wouldn’t expect much out of any drive that starts inside the ten, especially with the typically conservative UT offense.
7:00 - @%#$#%^!!!!! Arian Foster fumbles the handoff and Auburn recovers the ball in the end zone. Unbelievable. Auburn leads 14-6. It’s hard to imagine anything easier than a handoff, but somehow they screwed it up. The announcers are blaming Crompton…
5:45 – Tennessee looks dead out there. Three and out, which ends with a batted Crompton pass. Auburn takes the punt and starts from their own 35.
5:00 – Auburn’s backup QB is tearing up Tennessee. Kodi Burns is un-tackleable. At least for the guys in orange… Two defensive linemen miss sack opportunities, and somehow Burns completes a pass for a first down. This follows a 15 yard Burns QB scramble.
2:50 – Third and four inside Tennessee’s 20. The pass is dropped and Auburn will go for the field goal. 35 yard attempt…and no good!! Tennessee is still within striking distance.
1:05 – Three and out for the Vols. Crompton gets nailed on third down after a designed QB draw. Auburn will have time to add to their lead, since the punt probably won’t go over 35 yards.
0:52 – Chad Cunningham’s punt is almost blocked, but he gets it away and Auburn takes over at their 20. Auburn looks content to run out the clock.
Halftime! Tennessee is still in it, but it’s hard to see them pulling out a victory unless they can get the passing game going, or generate a turnover or two.
If the last three games have been any indication, expect lots of Tennessee penalties, missed tackles and underthrown passes. Auburn’s offense hasn’t exactly been firing on all cylinders either lately, with only two offensive touchdowns in their last two games.
This could be an ugly one. Maybe not 3-2 ugly, but I doubt that both teams will hit 20 points.
15:00 – Kickoff! Tennessee receives a short kick and gets out a few yards to the 25 yard line. No penalties or fumbles so far. Not a bad start.
14:48 – Wow, Arian Foster up the middle for a three yard gain on first down. I think we’ll see a lot of that today.
14:00 – Auburn only rushes four and still gets pressure on third and long, forcing a Tennessee three-and-out. The punt is shanked and Auburn gets the ball on their own 45.
12:30 – On third down, an Auburn receiver runs backwards after a short catch and looked to be stopped short of the first down, but they give it to him anyway. First down, Auburn.
11:30 – Holy crap! Florida is losing to Ole Miss! 31-24 with three minutes to go.
11:15 – Nice tackle! A failed halfback pass results in about a ten yard loss, and The Auburn player’s helmet get knocked back another ten yards. Auburn has to punt and it rolls all the way to the Tennessee four yard line. Luckily it had already touched an Auburn player and Tennessee takes over near the 20.
9:40 – Florida update! Florida has just scored, but the extra point is blocked. The Gators still trail 31-30.
8:40 – Bad pass on third down, and Tennessee will have to punt again. Crompton looks to be limping a little. At least they managed to get one first down on this drive. Auburn takes over on their own 30.
7:40 – Third and one coming up.
7:25 – Sigh. After about three missed tackles, Brandon Tate reels off a 15 yard gain.
5:35 – What kind of defense is that? Auburn completes a nice 15 yard pass amidst mass confusion in the UT secondary. Maybe there are getting distracted by all the arm-flapping coming from the Auburn sidelines. They must have about five different people sending in signals.
4:15 – Another Auburn first down, on a third down conversion. They’ve marched down to the Tennessee 17 yard-line.
4:00 – Final score: Ole Miss pulled it off! What does this say about Tennessee? They lose to UCLA and Florida, and those teams turn around and lose to even scrappier teams.
2:52 – Touchdown Auburn! Robert Dunn hauls in a 20 yard TD pass in the middle of the end zone, and the touted safety Eric Berry didn’t give him much resistance. Auburn leads 7-0.
2:45 – Not a bad return by Dennis Rogan. The Vols take over at the 30.
1:15 – Crompton completes his first pass of the day!! First down! Montario Hardesty follows it up with a great 15 yard run, with a nice cut and spin move.
0:00 – End of the first quarter. Tennessee ends with an incompletion as a result of a miscommunication between Crompton and receiver Denarius Moore. Of course, that was preceded by a false start. This game has been pretty boring so far…
15:00 – The second quarter starts up, and Tennessee has gotten down to the Auburn 30. Unfortunately the drive stalls and Tennessee is forced to kick a field goal. This will be about a 48 yard field goal.
14:08 – He nails it! Tennessee cuts the Auburn lead to 7-3.
12:20 – Despite the best efforts of Tim Hawthorne, Auburn is forced to punt, and Tennessee takes over at the 20. Hawthorne nearly brought in a one-handed catch on third and ten, but can’t quite reel it in.
11:15 – The G-Gun formation comes into play! Gerald Jones takes the direct snap and reels off a 22 yard run, making a couple of Auburn players miss along the way.
10:00 – A dangerous Crompton pass, and Tennessee avoids disaster. Tennessee is driving, though, and is down to the Auburn 18. Third and three coming up.
9:00 – Geez. Another bad route/miscommunication/bad throw, and it’s fourth down. 35 yard field goal attempt by Daniel Lincoln and it’s good! Auburn 7, Tennessee 6. Eventually Tennessee is going to need some touchdowns.
7:30 – Auburn stalls at midfield and will be forced to punt. It rolls all the way down to the 5 yard line and UT will take over. I wouldn’t expect much out of any drive that starts inside the ten, especially with the typically conservative UT offense.
7:00 - @%#$#%^!!!!! Arian Foster fumbles the handoff and Auburn recovers the ball in the end zone. Unbelievable. Auburn leads 14-6. It’s hard to imagine anything easier than a handoff, but somehow they screwed it up. The announcers are blaming Crompton…
5:45 – Tennessee looks dead out there. Three and out, which ends with a batted Crompton pass. Auburn takes the punt and starts from their own 35.
5:00 – Auburn’s backup QB is tearing up Tennessee. Kodi Burns is un-tackleable. At least for the guys in orange… Two defensive linemen miss sack opportunities, and somehow Burns completes a pass for a first down. This follows a 15 yard Burns QB scramble.
2:50 – Third and four inside Tennessee’s 20. The pass is dropped and Auburn will go for the field goal. 35 yard attempt…and no good!! Tennessee is still within striking distance.
1:05 – Three and out for the Vols. Crompton gets nailed on third down after a designed QB draw. Auburn will have time to add to their lead, since the punt probably won’t go over 35 yards.
0:52 – Chad Cunningham’s punt is almost blocked, but he gets it away and Auburn takes over at their 20. Auburn looks content to run out the clock.
Halftime! Tennessee is still in it, but it’s hard to see them pulling out a victory unless they can get the passing game going, or generate a turnover or two.
Beginning of the End
OK, the beginning of the end has already started for Tennessee, when they only went into halftime with a 7-3 lead against UCLA despite intercepting 4 Kevin Craft passes.
However, things are about to get much, much worse for Tennessee. Fresh off an embarrassing home loss to Florida, Tennessee heads off to Auburn to face what must be a very pissed-off Tiger team. Losing a last-minute thriller to a top five team (on your home turf no less) should have these guys fired up and ready to prove themselves. But which Auburn team will show up? The team that took a 14-3 halftime lead against LSU? Or the one that was outscored 23-7 in the second half of that same game? Will it be the defense that shut out Mississippi State? Or the offense that could manage one measly field goal?
Oddsmakers don't appear to be to sure, since Auburn is currently only a 6.5 point favorite. For reference, Georgia is also a 6.5 point favorite over Alabama, and no one is writing off the Tide at this point. Tennessee has been down this road before, and they always seem to win one game that no one expects them to. Sure, they lose a lot more games they "should" win, but this looks like one of those times when they could surprise people. They were in this same position last year when they were 2-2 and ambushed a ranked Georgia team 35-14. Even in that ill-fated 5-6 2005 season the Vols managed to give LSU their only regular season loss. Maybe I'm giving myself false hope, but Auburn seems ripe for an upset.
In other big games, of course all eyes will be on Alabama-Georgia. Well, everyone who doesn't actually have plans to go out. What's with all these 8:00 kickoffs? Arkansas travels to Texas in what would have been a great game last year, but instead should be a slaughter this time around. A couple of Big Ten games could help shape the upcoming season. Rising star Penn State will hope to keep their momentum going against Illinois, while Wisconsin heads to Michigan. If either of those teams loses (especially Penn State), it will be a dark day for the Big Ten. That conference is at the end of its rope. They NEED Penn State to do well. OSU has already been embarrassed on the national stage. Michigan State always seems to be a dark horse, but the opening loss to Cal will ultimately hold them back. With Michigan in re-building mode and the rest of the teams worthless (Northwestern, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue) the Big Ten cannot afford for Penn State to slip up.
Small-conference fans (and SEC fans) will be cheering for TCU as they face Oklahoma. I can't claim to know much about TCU, but they're ranked in the top 25 for some reason so I guess they must be decent. Apparently going undefeated against three teams with a combined 4-9 record and a DII school is all it takes to get ranked these days.
Oh yeah, USC lost. Can't say I'm surprised. At least we don't have to hear any more talk about how this is the greatest team in the history of USC.
Well, since I'm planning to watch the Tennessee game anyway, I'll jot down some of my thoughts about it. However, if it's too painful, you may only get highlights from the first half. Go Vols...
However, things are about to get much, much worse for Tennessee. Fresh off an embarrassing home loss to Florida, Tennessee heads off to Auburn to face what must be a very pissed-off Tiger team. Losing a last-minute thriller to a top five team (on your home turf no less) should have these guys fired up and ready to prove themselves. But which Auburn team will show up? The team that took a 14-3 halftime lead against LSU? Or the one that was outscored 23-7 in the second half of that same game? Will it be the defense that shut out Mississippi State? Or the offense that could manage one measly field goal?
Oddsmakers don't appear to be to sure, since Auburn is currently only a 6.5 point favorite. For reference, Georgia is also a 6.5 point favorite over Alabama, and no one is writing off the Tide at this point. Tennessee has been down this road before, and they always seem to win one game that no one expects them to. Sure, they lose a lot more games they "should" win, but this looks like one of those times when they could surprise people. They were in this same position last year when they were 2-2 and ambushed a ranked Georgia team 35-14. Even in that ill-fated 5-6 2005 season the Vols managed to give LSU their only regular season loss. Maybe I'm giving myself false hope, but Auburn seems ripe for an upset.
In other big games, of course all eyes will be on Alabama-Georgia. Well, everyone who doesn't actually have plans to go out. What's with all these 8:00 kickoffs? Arkansas travels to Texas in what would have been a great game last year, but instead should be a slaughter this time around. A couple of Big Ten games could help shape the upcoming season. Rising star Penn State will hope to keep their momentum going against Illinois, while Wisconsin heads to Michigan. If either of those teams loses (especially Penn State), it will be a dark day for the Big Ten. That conference is at the end of its rope. They NEED Penn State to do well. OSU has already been embarrassed on the national stage. Michigan State always seems to be a dark horse, but the opening loss to Cal will ultimately hold them back. With Michigan in re-building mode and the rest of the teams worthless (Northwestern, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue) the Big Ten cannot afford for Penn State to slip up.
Small-conference fans (and SEC fans) will be cheering for TCU as they face Oklahoma. I can't claim to know much about TCU, but they're ranked in the top 25 for some reason so I guess they must be decent. Apparently going undefeated against three teams with a combined 4-9 record and a DII school is all it takes to get ranked these days.
Oh yeah, USC lost. Can't say I'm surprised. At least we don't have to hear any more talk about how this is the greatest team in the history of USC.
Well, since I'm planning to watch the Tennessee game anyway, I'll jot down some of my thoughts about it. However, if it's too painful, you may only get highlights from the first half. Go Vols...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)