Week 9 Ruminations

[donovan]

Baseball is a summer sport, not to be played with umpires have to wear gloves. The Giants pitchers are making the ball look like undocumented Mexican Jumping Beans.

Oregon State v Washington...have no idea why Riley started Mannion. Vas had been doing a credible job. A guy gets a predicted six week recovery injury, he takes off two weeks, you start him, then you put in his backup and the game gets some pep. Washington played with mental toughness, OSU did not. Washington dominated the line of scrimmage the first half on both sides...you can never win if you can win the line of scrimmage....

Florida v Georgia...Florida played sloppy football because Georgia made it that way. Georiga's defense can carry that team right on through. Jarvis Jones is a one man wrecking team. He must be 6'14" tall. Derek listened to the game because he was getting so excited, he just got tired of wetting his pants in public. My compatriot, Mr. Billybud and I just do that as a consequence of life.

Notre Dame v Oklahoma...ND has become a well coached football team. Kelley is in charge and the players do what they have been coached to do and they play like the game is about the players. Oklahoma has Stoops...and we know who that is about.

FSU v Duke...You have to love Manual. And this year he has line support on both sides of the ball. Hard to really judge how good they really are when their schedule for strength hovers at the middle of the 124 teams...(My memory is ok on some things)...I suspect FSU will be in the top four at year's end.

Boise State v Wyoming...No one cares.

USC v Arizona...Barkley never learned the lesson..when you are walking down the road, with your friends and you pick up a dirt clod and throw it at the pole and hit the pole on your first throw, never pick up the second clod.

Ohio State v. does not matter with whom...At the end of this season the number one team in the country will be at Applebees watching the National Championship game. Spence will be winking at Mrs Spence hoping some good will come out of this season.

Toughest loss of the week...Arkansas v Ole Miss. Second half seem Ole Miss made adjustments that worked. Blocked punts are killers.

[billybud]

It is hard to tell about FSU....We know that they beat a good Notre Dame team in the bowl and are putting up some offensive numbers...but you are right that the SOS plays in some.

I think that the defense is pretty special...almost all teams are held to their lowest point total of the season...and only one team in the last 18 games scored more than 20 points.

When Manuel only completes 8 passes but for 282 yards and with an average 35 yards a catch, you wonder why the Noles wasted time just pounding the rock against Duke...not that 261 yards rushing is awful either.

I do predict that FSU will win their bowl game....

[Spence]

Ohio State v. does not matter with whom...At the end of this season the number one team in the country will be at Applebees watching the National Championship game. Spence will be winking at Mrs Spence hoping some good will come out of this season

They aren't good enough to be number one. We can claim that since we don't have to play anyone, but that won't make it true.

Ohio State has always been about defense. The offense is usually about the Rb's. The defense dominates. When the defense doesn't dominate we lose. I don't mind the offense adjusting. I wish it adjust to something other than the read option - which is just another version of what we have been running forever. I would like more of a no huddle version of the west coast offense. I hope I don't have to get used to having a team that plays the ole version of a defense. It, to me, is harder to watch than a 7-6 game.

I think Alabama is the best team in the country. I don't think anyone is close. As for the second best. Right now I think it is Notre Dame - as hard as it is for me to say that. I didn't think Oklahoma was as good as people think. I think the B-12 is as bad as the B-10. I think Oregon is number 3. They have a great offense. If Chip Kelly believed in any kind of defense, they would be number 2. I think Florida State is probably the fourth best team. Maybe not record wise, but I think they are according to talent. I think they are a year away of competing for a national title, though.

I also believe Florida could be inserted in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th spot. Based on talent. Florida has a strong team. I think they have a good coach who needs to get used to playing in the SEC before they get to the point they can win it.

[Grayghost]

As far as #1...it's not Ohio St. They are having a great season, but that defense has given up too many points. What makes them great is that they win in spite of that.

For me it's neck and neck between Notre Dame and Alabama. I've got Notre Dame right now with the slight edge, but it ain't definative. K. State is right up there along with Oregon.

Big congrats to Kent St. going into New Jersey and beating Rutgers. The MAC has some really good teams this year. It's not 2003, but close.

Also some props to the WAC. La Tech, San Jose St. and Utah St. are pretty good teams.

For Florida St., if they win out the rest of the year, that NC st. loss will haunt, but if some of those top 4 lose...

And we just wont talk about Cal...ugh.

[Spence]

As far as #1...it's not Ohio St. They are having a great season, but that defense has given up too many points. What makes them great is that they win in spite of that.

For me it's neck and neck between Notre Dame and Alabama. I've got Notre Dame right now with the slight edge, but it ain't definative. K. State is right up there along with Oregon.

Big congrats to Kent St. going into New Jersey and beating Rutgers. The MAC has some really good teams this year. It's not 2003, but close.

Also some props to the WAC. La Tech, San Jose St. and Utah St. are pretty good teams.

For Florida St., if they win out the rest of the year, that NC st. loss will haunt, but if some of those top 4 lose...

And we just wont talk about Cal...ugh.

I mostly think you are right. I think Oregon is behind Notre Dame - but just a little. I think K-State is over-rated. I give K-State the same kind of credit I give Ohio State - not bad teams in bad conferences. I know from seeing lots of Ohio State they are not close to a complete team. The defense is completely decimated by injuries to the point we have a fullback playing middle linebacker. They are playing better, but better isn't good. Offensively Ohio State is one dimensional. Granted that one dimension is very strong, but a good defense would shut off the run and force Miller to beat them with his arm - he can not.

The bright spots for Ohio State is the offensive line and the defensive line. Both are playing very well and the defensive line is as good as anyone in the country. Ohio State doesn't have much depth and needs a couple good recruiting classes to get well. The fact that they are undefeated has more to do with who they have played instead of how strong a team they have.

[Derek]

Donovan, I lost count of how many prognosticators were saying that Florida played sloppy and that's why Ga won. It's becoming kind of predictable. The talking hair-do's and other writers have their favorite teams, and when they lose, it's just playing sloppy.

I'm still impressed with Oregon, and believe it will be Oregon and Bama in the NC game. I'd like to see Ga win the East and at least get a consolation prize BCS game against K-State or ND.

[Eric]

Thinking about that last play, if the Florida defender doesn't leap into the endzone, they still have to:

1. Punch the ball into the endzone.
2. Get the two point conversion.
3. Keep Georgia from scoring during the remainder of regulation.
4. Win the overtime

So while that's a huge play that could have cost them the game, "could have" is the operational term. Florida played about as well offensively as they do almost every game. They have a tough defense, but the offense is almost always sloppy when they run into a good defense. A lot of people looked at the box score and saw them hang up 44 points on South Carolina. What they didn't see was that they did this while gaining 183 yards. They played a great game defensively and on special teams, and that's what you'll get out of Florida. So I don't think saying they played "sloppily" is a good excuse.

[Dossenator]

Yet another week Ark dominates the first quarter and when the other teams make adjustments the wheels fall off the bus. Ark has started 17 freshman at some point this season due to mostly injuries....most in college football. Ark lost two more players yesterday: RB Knile Davis and TE Chris's Gragg (for how long who knows).

I am sure everyone saw Marcus Lattimore's injury. Man that was gruesome to see. Latest report I read says he broke his femur, broke his tibia, cracked his knee bone, and tore all 4 ligaments in the knee. I feel bad for the kid.

[armchairqb]

I am sure everyone saw Marcus Lattimore's injury. Man that was gruesome to see. Latest report I read says he broke his femur, broke his tibia, cracked his knee bone, and tore all 4 ligaments in the knee. I feel bad for the kid.

Prayers do go out for him and his family.

I don't think the B12 is as bad as the B10. But no B12 team can hang with Alabama, including K-State.

Brian Kelly was masterful at using the talent he had at Cincinnati and he's pretty close to that point at ND now (whether I like it or not). That was a large win for the Fighting Irish.

Louisville just continues to win. Their competition isn't top tier, but it's nowhere near softball. Great coaching job by Charlie Strong in 2012.

Congrats to Kent State on being a Top 25 opponent for the first time in their football history. They still have some worthy MAC East competition left in 2012: at Miami(OH), at BG, home against Ohio. The West gets decided 11/14/12 as Toledo visits N. Illinois.

[Dossenator]

Reports out of South Carolina have no mention of the broken bones first reported. They say Lattimore suffered dislocated knee and torn ligaments. They seemed optimistic he could recover and play again. It was gruesome to watch. Those that have the stomach for such things can find the video on YouTube. His leg looked mangled and it is hard to believe there is not multiple breaks. I remember Willis McGahee suffering ate edible knee injury I the orange bowl I believe and he is still an NFL running back. I hope for the best with Lattimore.

[Spence]

Reports out of South Carolina have no mention of the broken bones first reported. They say Lattimore suffered dislocated knee and torn ligaments. They seemed optimistic he could recover and play again. It was gruesome to watch. Those that have the stomach for such things can find the video on YouTube. His leg looked mangled and it is hard to believe there is not multiple breaks. I remember Willis McGahee suffering ate edible knee injury I the orange bowl I believe and he is still an NFL running back. I hope for the best with Lattimore.

McGahee suffered the injury in the 2002 national championship game with Ohio State at the Fiesta bowl. At the time they thought he would never play again.

[Vileborg]

There were several games I was glad I was wrong about.

Penn St. has been on a tear as of late. I figured there was no way OSU beats them after struggling with Purdue but I was happy to be wrong.

Same thing with Georgia. They struggled to put away Kentucky who's only win of the year came early against Kent St. Florida was on a tear and down they went and I was happy to be wrong.

Huskies are 4-4 and knocked off two top 10 teams. They may make it to a bowl game after all but what a road getting there.

We were due for an upset Saturday and I think this classifies. It could have been worse but several survived close scares

[billybud]

I'm a Georgia fan....got a smile on my face. A Gator loss brings some glee into every Nole's heart and adds a litle spring to the step.

[Derek]

I think this article sums up what you guys are saying about upsets and why it makes College Football so much better than anything else (at least to me, I hate the pros).

And take Georgia out of the equation, it does not matter what team he's talking about. the same would apply.

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2012/georgia-bulldogs-win-over-florida/

[warrriorsfan808]

Yet another week Ark dominates the first quarter and when the other teams make adjustments the wheels fall off the bus. Ark has started 17 freshman at some point this season due to mostly injuries....most in college football. Ark lost two more players yesterday: RB Knile Davis and TE Chris's Gragg (for how long who knows).

I am sure everyone saw Marcus Lattimore's injury. Man that was gruesome to see. Latest report I read says he broke his femur, broke his tibia, cracked his knee bone, and tore all 4 ligaments in the knee. I feel bad for the kid.

I pray his injuries are not that horrendous. I hope he returns to the field soon!