Thursday Night Update - Ole Miss Falls | THE HONORABLE

Thursday Night Update - Ole Miss Falls

After being dominated by a so-so South Carolina team, the Ole Miss critics were validated as South Carolina held on for its first ever top 5 win at home. For the fourth week in a row, and the first time since 1990, a top 5 team has fallen. I have said it before and will say it again; we are barreling our way towards a repeat of 2007. The difference this year versus 2007 is the lack of dominating teams towards the top. I tend to think 2007 were more shocking sheer upsets. The losses this year from the top teams are just from teams that really don't seem that good - at least not like BCS title contenders.

Outside of Florida and arguably Alabama (and I said this before the season even started) - there are very few across the board title contending teams without glaring flaws or weaknesses OR have earned those lofty rankings. Even Florida seems vulnerable after the Tennessee game, and Alabama held an overwhelming statistical advantage against Virginia Tech yet didn't put that game away until late into the fourth.

After watching Ole Miss fall, I suspect we could have another team fall this weekend in Penn State. They have struggled mightily against Iowa since 2000, even at home. Not to mention California visiting Oregon won't be any cakewalk. Neither Ole Miss nor Penn State has done much to validate their lofty rankings, but the problem is who has? If Ole Miss can only must 248 yards against South Carolina, they are in for a long night against vaunted Alabama whether the game is in Oxford or not.

That being said - every weekend is seemingly bringing the fall of a title contender and the rise of an underdog. So don't worry Mississippi - the season isn't over just yet. Win out from here on, who knows where you'll end up come BCS selection time.

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September 25, 2009 12:32 PM ET

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Penn Should hopefully prove it tomorrow night! Question for you - How do you make your posts in paragraph form? I copy from my blog and they come in as one big paragraph. Please let me know if you can help.

THanks

psalman1982

Hackensack , NJ

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September 25, 2009 07:25 PM ET

Cal will win and prove it belongs in the elite status. Ole Miss never deserved a top 10 ranking, but got credit for being in the SEC.

Face it sportswriters the SEC is Fla and Alabama, and the rest are no better than the also-rans in other conferences.

smart alec

Total Comments (712)

September 26, 2009 09:16 AM ET

#1 - Once you've pasted, shift+enter the paragraphs and text how you want them. Each shift+enter inserts a line break that won't go away once you post, as a plain enter will. #2 - I do agree that being in the SEC boosted them, and so did beating the eventual national champion Florida, and slapping around a Texas Tech team that was not the same after the 65-21 Oklahoma crunching (they barely survived Baylor the next game). I'd also say that other than 2006-2007 (SEC of course), with 2006 especially, no conference has seemed THAT dominate over any of the others. It's all in perception. And, even in 2007, the national champion LSU had two losses to teams it should have beaten, with or without injuries (especially Arkansas at home).