Monday, September 14, 2015

Things I Learned - Week 2

Nicholas Eck

Another week in the books. Here is a recap of what I learned this past weekend in College Football.

YOU CAN'T SPELL "OVERRATED" WITHOUT S-E-C

Well OK, technically you can, but hear me out.

Last week, the Associated Press voters turned the SEC into the only conference in poll history to have 10 teams ranked in it's Top 25 (9 in ours). Most outside the Southeast scratched their heads at such praise to the conference, but the coaches in the SEC ran with it, and trumpeted the superior conference firepower. Then Week 2 happened.

Second-ranked Alabama had a very easy decision over underdog Middle Tennessee (and by very easy, think Ohio State-Hawaii), while sixth-ranked (7th in the Eck Poll) Auburn was taken to overtime, at home, by FCS power Jacksonville State. Number 19 Arkansas was embarrassingly dropped at home by Toledo of the MAC, followed by 23rd-ranked Missouri hanging on for a 27-20 win over an Arkansas State team that was on the wrong end of a 55-6 USC woodshedding in Week 1.

The non-conference kick-to-the-testicles day for the SEC was punctuated by 22nd-ranked Tennessee. Up 17-3 on No. 18 Oklahoma entering the fourth quarter, the Vols gave up a pair of touchdowns to send the game into overtime. The Sooners, on the road, scored two touchdowns in the two overtime sessions while the Vols managed just one in a gut-wrenching home loss that gives UT a 2-30 record vs AP-ranked teams since 2009.

At least No. 17 Texas A&M (56-23 over Ball State) and No. 14 Ole Miss (73-21 over Fresno State) stepped on the inferior opponent's throat and crushed their wills to live.

Based on results and not reputation, the SEC should have, at the very most, six teams in the newest AP Poll. And that is no slight to that conference or any of their teams; rather, that's a nod to some quality teams throughout college football, some that are (gasp!) better than some of the currently-ranked ones in the SEC.

YOU GO GIRL!

Following a Golden Flash touchdown late in the second quarter of the game against Delaware State, regular kicker Shane Haynes went out for the point after attempt. Haynes, though, called a timeout and, when the special teams unit went back out on the field, April Goss trotted out along with them.

And, as they say, the rest was history.

Goss became the second female to score in an FBS game. The first, Katie Hnida, originally on the roster at Colorado before transferring under what ultimately became controversial circumstances, was successful on two point-after attempts at New Mexico in 2003. Months prior to that, Hnida attempted an extra point in the Las Vegas Bowl - it was blocked - becoming the first female to play in a FBS game.

Congratulations to Goss for grabbing her piece of history.

YOU GO GIRL! PART DEAUX

Unbeknownst to many, or even most, people, the SEC made some of it's own gender history on Saturday.

The SEC oversees Sun Belt Conference officiating, and utilized a crew from that conference for the Texas A&M-Ball State game because of the large amount of home games the conference had this weekend. Sebrina Brunson was an alternate on that crew and, after halftime, took over an on-field spot on that crew.

A league spokesperson subsequently confirmed to the Associated Press that Brunson became the first female to ever officiate a SEC game. Kudos to the SEC for at least partially breaking down that barrier.

IRISH TITLE HOPES SNAPPED?

Entering the 2015 season, many and observer was viewing Notre Dame as a viable playoff contender. In a span of seven days, however, the Irish may have seen their postseason hopes dashed.

First, top running back Tarean Folston was ruled out for the remainder of the year because of a torn ACL suffered against Texas in the opener. Then, a week later, starting quarterback Malik Zaire sustained what will be a season-ending fractured ankle in the win over Virginia. And, suffice to say, it was a very painful way to have your season end.

So, for the remainder of the year, the keys to the Audi called the Irish offense, will be in the hands of redshirt freshman DeShone Kizer. Kizer did his part in relief of Zaire as he tossed a pair of touchdown passes to lift ND to a 34-27 win over Virginia.

That said, what would the Irish give for a do-over from Everett Golston on his transfer to Florida State? The Irish aren't out of playoff consideration by any stretch of the imagination, but twin losses to two big cogs of the offense makes it significantly tougher for the Golden Domers. Well, that and a schedule that includes games against Georgia Tech, Clemson, and USC.

HARBAUGH'S GONNA HARBAUGH

For the most part, it was a kinder, gentler Jim Harbaugh in Week 1. For the home opener, the khaki gloves came off.

Late in the second quarter of Michigan's win over Oregon State, a Wolverine was, wrongly as it turned out, flagged for roughing the punter. And, being the gentleman that he is, Harbaugh decided to gently point out that fact to the men in black & white.

And by "gently", I mean he stomped and tossed his playsheet and generally ranted and raved about what was admittedly a bad call. See the play and tantrum for yourself.



For some reason, I have the feeling that's not the last time we'll see an animated Harbaugh roaming the Ann Arbor sidelines.

NICE, JOHNSON

He'll get barely, if any, Heisman buzz, but what Matt Johnson has done the first two games of the season deserves some big recognition.

In the first two games of the season, and against Power Five teams Tennessee and Maryland no less, the Bowling Green quarterback has thrown for 915 yards and eight touchdowns. 491 of those yards and six of the touchdowns came during a career-high performance in BG's 48-21 upset of Maryland in College Park Saturday.

Perhaps the most impressive part of Johnson's early-season performance, even above the fact it has come against two P5 teams? He missed most the 2014 season with a hip injury that kept him out of spring practices this year.

Thanks in large part to Johnson, the Falcons will have to be considered not on the favorites in the MAC East, but one of the teams that could potentially grab the Group of Five's New Year's Six bowl bid.

SATURDAY RESET

Below is a quick recap on the weekend.

- Spartans clip Ducks, shows Michigan State will be firmly entrenched in the playoff discussion for the foreseeable future.
- And the young shall inherit the 'Horns: Jerrod Heard, freshmen lead Texas past Rice.
- No. 18 OU comes from behind, tops No. 22 Tennessee in double OT.
- Whoops Pie Sooie! Toledo shocks No. 19 Hogs.
- Critical mistakes cost Vanderbilt in upset bid of No. 10 Georgia.
- Wild fourth quarter - 39 points, 411 yards on scoring drives alone - sees Wazzou edge Rutgers.
- Ohio State's defense props up mostly lethargic offense in shutout win over Hawaii.
- Dalvin Cook helps No. 11 FSU overcome sloppy performance vs. South Florida.
- Georgia State wins first ever game vs FBS opponent in school history.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEKEND

I don't even have words for this (the white near the base is ashes).


Sign of the day at ESPN's College Gameday (Oregon at Michigan State)


By far, the helmet of the year.



IN CLOSING

Friday night, and in his first career start as a Sophomore, Dubois (PA) Beavers quarterback Matt Miller passed for what is believed to be a national high school record 782 yards, helped his team to 90 points....and lost. That's in large part because Meadville's Journey Brown ran for 722 yards and 10 touchdowns in leading his Bulldogs to a 107-90 win over Miller and the Beavers.

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