What did we learn this weekend?
- BNG is heavily anti-BC. Well, that’s fair. But I say this because I want to talk about BC. Notre Dame is next on the schedule, a team flying high off its first win and second game in a row where its offense showed life. Matt Ryan is seventh in passing attempts this season, but 37th in passing efficiency. Lucky for him, Andre Callender has been averaging over five yards a carry on the ground and over 10 yards per catch. Want to hear a shocker? Boston College has a great offensive line. Like I said, only six teams have attempted more passes than BC, but the Eagles have given up just six sacks this year (tied for 13th in the country).
Obviously, the key for Notre Dame in its win over UCLA was turnovers, seven to be precise. Boston College is 7th in turnover margin. The 140 total yards the Irish had against UCLA won’t win you many games. I still like BC easy.
- Mind games work. “There is no question in my mind that USC is the best team in the country and may be the best team in the history of college football,” Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said last week. “As a sort of college football historian, there’s no question that this SC team ranks right up there.”
Guy is a genius. I really believe he said this to lull Southern California. Did he think Stanford could win? If he was a realist, probably not. But if USC let down its guard and won by three touchdowns instead of six, like Vegas predicted, then that’s a victory in itself.
But, we all know what happened. Maybe he lulled the Trojans into a deep sleep and they turned the ball over five times. It’s just funny that the Trojans double up Stanford in yards and still lose by a point. Just another notch in the crazy college football belt of this year.
- The SEC is too tough. It won’t be easy for South Carolina, but the Gamecocks could be poised for a rematch with LSU in the SEC Championship game. We’re six weeks into the season and the Baton Rouge bunch is the only unbeaten team in the conference. We all knew the SEC was a giant scrum, but this is ridiculous.
- The polls are stupid. I want to ask every AP voter in the country this question: If Oklahoma and South Florida played on a neutral field five times, what would be the outcome? Do they really think USF would win at least three times? I guess so, based on the No. 6 designation for the Sooners and 5 for the Bulls. The voters also think that Florida would lose to USF in a similarly staged battle? Florida loses to the top country in the land, on the road, by a late touchdown, and they’re suddenly out of the Top 10? I can’t agree.
- Dennis Erickson is under appreciated. The Arizona State coach has won two national titles, led something like five different teams into the Top 25 and gets no love for it. We all know the Sun Devils can chuck the ball around the field and put up points with the best of them. So what’s different about this year’s team? Try defense. No. 7 in scoring, No. 9 in rushing and 20 in total defense. That’s a far cry from 2005 when the Sun Devils were 114 in total defense. The road ahead is tough for ASU, but it should really hope for 10 wins. Pick up one against Oregon, Cal or USC and the Devils have a lot to be proud about.
That’s all for now. I have to get ready for the Yankees tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow with how a poll should look.
Comments (3)
Adam, Is the USF / Florida questions on your list of question to ask Grothe? How about the relaxed academic standards at USF that have helped their recruiting efforts allowing them to come from NO program to Top 10 program?
Seriously, give USF props. They did beat a TOP 5 team and they're poised to absolutely destroy your Rutgers juggernaut.
The polls are having an extremely tough year... But fans want rankings, how else are you going to do it?
I think it would be awesome if BC lost to ND or VT, Ohio State lost to Wisc. Ill. or Mich., Cal. lost to UCLA or ASU and LSU loses to Kentucky, Auburn or 'Bama. Imagine a year with NO unbeatens and a half dozen one loss teams.
The carnage would be hilarious.
And OK was supposed to crush Boise State in their bowl game too. How did that work out?
Adam, I agree that the polls are stupid, they should not come out until mid October, but we all know that that will never happen. ASU 10 wins? Where can I sign up for that right now? (laughing) Of course, that has to include the last regular season game in that 10. And I in all honesty don't think they should be rated as high as they are. Offense too inconsistent, but, hey they have a better record than USC. And as I have already stated, at least the voters now have a legitimate reason to put LSU #1, although they will get beat, too. Their offense stinks.