What was looking like a rather mundane slate of games got better as the day went along. Here are my ten takeaways from Saturday September 8th.
- Jimbo Fisher has every right to be irate. The Texas A&M Aggies gave the 2nd ranked Clemson Tigers all they could handle, losing 28-26 in College Station. The Aggies got absolutely screwed. First of all, it didn’t look the fumbled ball went into the end zone and out of the back of the end zone. It looked like it went left of the pylon. Thats issue number one. Issue number two, is the terminology of replay/review. The third issue is why a fumbled ball out of the end zone results in a touchback. The rule needs to be changed. Period. I wagered on Clemson and even I was mad.
- Kellen Mond grew up before our very eyes. Mond put on a Manziel type performance, going 23-for-40, for 430-yards and 3-touchdowns. To have a night like that, against a Clemson front-four, speaks volumes about his potential. This kid is good. Mond, Kellen Mond.
- The SEC West looks elite, again. Alabama won by 50, scoring over 50-points for the second straight week. Auburn dropped 60-plus, LSU won 31-0, Mississippi State won by 21 in Manhattan and Texas A&M took #2 Clemson to the wire. The SEC West is the best division in the country. I have them ahead of the B1G East. The SEC West is 5-deep right now.
- The Georgia Bulldogs look hungry. Very hungry. This is a team that went into Williams Brice and slapped around South Carolina. What really stood out was the speed of the Georgia receivers and the intensity of the defense. I predicted Georgia would go 12-0 this year, but I also predicted South Carolina to push the Dawgs to the brink today. That wasn’t the case. Kirby had this team flying around. There is nobody capable of challenging Georgia in the East.
- I’m not sure what Jeremy Pruitt said during the Vols second consecutive weather delay but man did it work. The Vols led ETSU 10-0 before heading back into the locker rooms at Neyland stadium due to adverse weather conditions but when the Volunteers re-emerged they were a completely different team. And speaking of team, this was a team effort. UT scored in all 3-phases of the game. A blocked punt for a TD, a pick-six for a score and efficiency offensively. Jarrett Guarantano went 8-for-13 for 154-yards. Kelley Chryst was 3-for-3 for 70-yards 1-TD. The Vols might have found a short yardage back in Jeremy Banks who pounded it in twice for touchdowns. Tennessee did what good teams do, crush a weaker opponent. Now let’s do the same thing vs UTEP next week. Don’t tell me the Vols can’t beat Florida in 2-weeks at Neyland. They can. They absolutely can. And I think they will.
- At this rate Oklahoma and West Virginia are on a collision course in the Big12 and right now the Sooners look like a CFB Playoff team. Kyler Murray has stepped in for Baker Mayfield and Lincoln Riley’s offense hasn’t missed a beat. “Hollywood” Brown is a burner and CeeDee Lamb is just as good. Good luck slowing this offense down.
- Can you say “Let Down Game?” That’s exactly what Notre Dame gave you today. After a big win against Michigan, the Irish were lethargic against Ball State, pulling out a 24-16 win, as a 34-point home favorite. Up next for ND? The 2-0 Vanderbilt Commodores and Kyle Shurmur! I’ll be very intrigued to see what the line opens at. But be careful, Vandy fans, don’t fall victim to recency bias.
- People better slow their roll on Dan Mullen at Florida. The Gators lose at home to Kentucky, 27-16, as a 13-point favorite. Mullen is a good coach. But the thought that he would restore Florida instantly just isn’t true. He’s not a savior. He’s not Urban. He’s not Spurrier. Again, good coach, 70-47 lifetime, but let’s slow down. Granted, it is VERY difficult to win at Mississippi State, so credit to him for what he did, however, in 8/9 seasons in Starkville he finished 4th or worse in the SEC West (2014-2nd place-lone exception-w/Dak Prescott). The Gators are still searching for an offense, 9-years after Tim Tebow.
- K.J. Costello, Bryce Love and David Shaw led Stanford to a dominant win over USC. The PAC12 looks down, but the Cardinal look strong. I’m a HUGE David Shaw fan. I would love to see Stanford make the CFB Playoff.
- Congrats to Jim Harbaugh on a 49-3 beatdown of a J.V. program in the state of Michigan. He deserves an extension. Jim Harbaugh is so good. Did you know he once coached in a Super Bowl and recruited Andrew Luck? Way to go, Harbs.