RANDOM THOUGHTS FROM 9-29

[Eric]

It's been weird the last few weeks. I think you can't walk into a game with expectations about how much you're supposed to blow the opponent out by. People think of teams as having consistent characteristics when really, you never know when some weird combination of flukes is going to make for a tight game. I watched a lot of the Ohio / UMass game near the end and UMass, who has been terrible this year, hung with Ohio, who is by far the best team in the conference, for four quarters. I don't really know how to explain it because UMass is flat-out bad and Ohio isn't terrible. This same thing applies to Towson/LSU. I saw Kent State pound Towson and all of a sudden Towson is giving LSU problems for one half of football? Just bizarre.

Also, Middle Tennessee State beat Georgia Tech by three touchdowns. This is the same MTSU team that got beat by McNeese State at home to open the season. Another game that has a very weird feel to it is Purdue and Marshall. Marshall was every bit the equal of Purdue in this game, but you couldn't tell by the box score. They lost 51-41, but they gave up two pick sixes on back to back drives on bad-but-not-terrible decisions by Rakeem Cato. That resulted in a 14 point swing and they never sniffed the lead. Odd stuff like that happens in every game.

[WoVeU]

It's been weird the last few weeks. I think you can't walk into a game with expectations about how much you're supposed to blow the opponent out by. People think of teams as having consistent characteristics when really, you never know when some weird combination of flukes is going to make for a tight game. I watched a lot of the Ohio / UMass game near the end and UMass, who has been terrible this year, hung with Ohio, who is by far the best team in the conference, for four quarters. I don't really know how to explain it because UMass is flat-out bad and Ohio isn't terrible. This same thing applies to Towson/LSU. I saw Kent State pound Towson and all of a sudden Towson is giving LSU problems for one half of football? Just bizarre.

Also, Middle Tennessee State beat Georgia Tech by three touchdowns. This is the same MTSU team that got beat by McNeese State at home to open the season. Another game that has a very weird feel to it is Purdue and Marshall. Marshall was every bit the equal of Purdue in this game, but you couldn't tell by the box score. They lost 51-41, but they gave up two pick sixes on back to back drives on bad-but-not-terrible decisions by Rakeem Cato. That resulted in a 14 point swing and they never sniffed the lead. Odd stuff like that happens in every game.

Telling the nephew yesterday that Marshall didn't get out played. In fact they clearly out played Purdue in the 2nd Half. In fact I think Marshall could win the conference.

[billybud]

The match ups are different each week...and emotion plays in.

I watched WVU struggle to get by Maryland 31-21 and then watched WVU blow up with 70 points in the Baylor shootout ...what's going on?

Match ups is what is going on.

USF, like Maryland does with WVU, makes their entire season if they can beat a rival. USF will play FSU harder than any other team....and both WVU and FSU played a classic trap game on the road after an emotional win over a rival.

While LSU-Towson seems to be a head scratcher.. it was Towson's time in the sun, their Superbowl,,,they played with a lot of emotion. Same with GT-MTSU.

Really good teams can overcome the traps...like the Buckeyes did beating UAB in a tougher than thought game. UAB had been thumped 49-6 by South Carolina and 39-29 by Troy prior to the Ohio State game.

[Vileborg]

Georgia Tech has been struggling even by Georgia Tech struggling standards. Middle Tennessee has been coming on since that loss.

LSU has not been playing well.

Virginia Tech has been struggling. Cincy has not.

Duke starts their real schedule soon.

Texas defense is going to have to step up big to win that one.

Is Miami back? No, their schedule is going to make them look better this year because it's falling apart. 9-3 is doable but they have to go into South Bend next Saturday and host Florida St. two weeks later. It they get caught looking past UNC it could get ugly.

[Derek]

Ole Miss gave Alabama a run for their money. It was not a blowout.

During the first quarter, I thought Ole Miss might end up taking it, their defense was really standing firm for a few drives.

[Brian Roastbeef]

This weekend I watched a team score 70 points and somehow not cover. For that matter I saw a team score 63 and not win. A buddy of mine who is bartender where I watched the start of that game (with a Philly steak ) bet on West Virginia. My idle response was simply "What was the over/under on that?" Never expected it to be such a foreboding question...

I also saw a lot of golf. Great Ryder Cup this weekend... Sorry, I was a bit of a heretic.

[Spence]

This weekend I watched a team score 70 points and somehow not cover. For that matter I saw a team score 63 and not win. A buddy of mine who is bartender where I watched the start of that game (with a Philly steak ) bet on West Virginia. My idle response was simply "What was the over/under on that?" Never expected it to be such a foreboding question...

I also saw a lot of golf. Great Ryder Cup this weekend... Sorry, I was a bit of a heretic.

I can't believe the USA lost that lead. Unbelievable.

[Brian Roastbeef]

I can't believe the USA lost that lead. Unbelievable.

I'm mostly surprised at Kuchar and Snedeker. Both were great with the putter the past couple of days but just collapsed today. Mickelson is always better in team play...

I bet when Love put Tiger to anchor he was expecting the match would have been long decided. 1 over for him in his half. His Ryder Cup record has never been great, but he never had anything close to consistency this weekend.

Overall I still thought it was some great golf. Poulter is a grinder out there, and I have to respect that in anybody.

[Spence]

I can't believe the USA lost that lead. Unbelievable.

I'm mostly surprised at Kuchar and Snedeker. Both were great with the putter the past couple of days but just collapsed today. Mickelson is always better in team play...

I bet when Love put Tiger to anchor he was expecting the match would have been long decided. 1 over for him in his half. His Ryder Cup record has never been great, but he never had anything close to consistency this weekend.

Overall I still thought it was some great golf. Poulter is a grinder out there, and I have to respect that in anybody.

Poulter was great. Team USA played so well this week, it is just a shame they couldn't slam the door. You kind of had that feeling they were in trouble though after the finish on Saturday.

[Dossenator]

Arkansas has played 2 SEC games and been outscored: 110-10
Arkansas has been outscored in the 2nd quarter of games this year: 65-42
Ark Total defense in country: 116 of 120
Ark Scoring defense in country: 113 of 120
Ark Pass defense in country: 117 of 120
Ark Rush Defense in country: 67 of 120
Ark Tackle for loss in country: 84 of 120
Arkansas leads the nation in turnovers: 120 out of 120 schools (15 lost, 2 gained)

What A&M did to Arkansas:
716 total yards (498 passing, 218 rushing) and averaged 9.1 yards per play. Manziel had 557 total yards and 4 TD's. 12 players caught a pass.

Arkansas scores at the end of the first quarter in games:
1. Ark 7 vs Jacksonville State 7 (tied)
2. Ark 7 vs ULM 7 (tied)
3. Ark 0 vs Bama 7 (losing but in game)
4. Ark 10 vs Rutgers 0 (winning)
5. Ark 10 vs A&M 7 (winning)
What gives? Do they run out of juice? Coaches not making in game adjustments? Kids forget how to play? Kids just give up? Wish I had the answers? Arkansas has played well in first quarters but are getting beat 65-42 in 2nd quarters!!!! And 28 of those Ark points came against Jax State in 2nd quarter. That is just unreal.

[Brian Roastbeef]

Poulter was great. Team USA played so well this week, it is just a shame they couldn't slam the door. You kind of had that feeling they were in trouble though after the finish on Saturday.

Yeah,.and then the European sweep in the frontloaded early matches (vs. Watson, Simpson, Bradley, Mickelson) was a game changer + Lawrie making quick work of Snedeker. Getting those points on the board early had to boost the rest of the European team, especially considering some of the streaky types of guys they had later on. Have to assume that it was the difference that enabled Garcia to pull through, or Molinari to gut out that half with all of the media attention that usually surrounds Tiger.

I enjoy the way the team dynamic plays into golf with the Ryder and Presidents Cup matches. It really brings out the personalities of some of the guys on the tour, usually for the better. Watson and Simpson are a known bromance, Dufner and Zach Johnson a good fit. Mickelson always works with the younger guys, and is out there as a cheerleader for every match after he's done with his round. With all of the movement to bring golf into a point system with the FedEx cup and all that, it's good to see that the tradition of the event keeps it important in the eyes of all of the guys out there. I hope it stays that way.



Anyhow back to football, that issue with Arkansas really came to a head last week. I really liked Rutgers going into it, especially getting 8. I watched the first quarter and figured I was wrong. Head into the 2nd and it was like a completely different game. I thought they subbed in the guys from Savannah State when nobody was looking. Even in the La-Monroe upset they gave three good quarters.

Beyond that, there wasn't really much of anybody that impressed me a whole lot this week. LSU giving up 22 to 1AA. Oregon, for all of their muscle flexing last week let Wash St. hang around with them. FSU beat USF, but didn't impress. Louisville looked sloppy out there and somehow got themselves in a hole against Southern Miss. they had to climb from. I think winning ugly was the theme of the week.

[Eric]

In Louisville's defense, they had that monsoon they had to play in. That would be difficult for a number of teams.

[Spence]

In Louisville's defense, they had that monsoon they had to play in. That would be difficult for a number of teams.

It would be alright for my team and your team. We can't throw the ball anyway.