AP
1. That Vandy could win the SEC East. I know, I know. You're going to say I'm getting "caught up in the hype," perhaps hypnotized by what had to be the headiest set of signs in GameDay history ("What's worse: Auburn's offense or the economy?"). Yes, the Commodores barely squeaked by an Auburn squad with that aforementioned anemic offense. Yes, they only gained 263 yards of their own (albeit with their backup quarterback leading the way.) But have you seen the rest of Vandy's schedule?
The 'Dores are 3-0 in the SEC and play at least two more teams -- Mississippi State and Tennessee -- they should beat (when's the last time you could say that?) The other three are Georgia, Florida and Kentucky. Vandy's probably not going to win in Athens -- but Georgia's probably going to lose another conference game. The Kentucky game is a toss-up. That leaves Florida in Nashville. The 'Dores nearly beat the Gators in both 2005 and '06, and this team, unlike those Vandy squads, doesn't fold, outscoring foes 58-10 in the second half. Anything's possible.
2. That the Big 12 is the new Pac-10. After shredding a host of overmatched early opponents, the Big 12's gaggle of star quarterbacks played their first conference foes Saturday -- and did more of the same. Texas Tech's Graham Harrell against Texas A&M: 38-of-51 for 454 yards and six TDs. Oklahoma's Sam Bradford against Baylor: 23-of-31 for 372 yards. Missouri's Chase Daniel against Nebraska: 18-of-23 for 253 yards and three TDs. Texas' Colt McCoy against Colorado: 23-of-30 for 262 yards. And so on and so on.
Once these guys start playing each other, beginning with next week's Texas-OU showdown, we're likely to see a whole lot of aerial shootouts a la the Pac-10 of the late '90s, when, on any given week, Ryan Leaf would face Brock Huard or Cade McNown would face Akili Smith. Things may get a little tougher for the Big 12's passers, but Texas isn't going to suddenly shut down Bradford or Daniel, nor is Mizzou likely to shut down McCoy the following week. Get ready for a whole bunch of big games getting decided by scores like 44-41.
3. That Georgia Tech can, and will, pass. When Paul Johnson was named the Jackets' new head coach last winter, bringing his vaunted flexbone offense with him, several returning or incoming wide receivers bolted. Demaryius Thomas was not one of them, and Saturday against Duke, his patience paid off. QB Jaybow Shaw completed nine passes on the day, all of them to Thomas, who turned those catches into 230 yards and a touchdown in the Jackets' 27-0 win. Thomas caught seven balls in the previous four games.
Tech (4-1) is exceeding all expectations in Johnson's first season, and we're seeing his offense evolve in front of our eyes. In their last game, the Jackets gashed Mississippi State to the tune of 438 rushing yards in a 38-7 win. With the Blue Devils stuffing as many as nine in the box to counter the run, Shaw went to the air and exploited Thomas' one-on-one matchups. And the defense bottled up Duke's previously productive offense. An early loss to Virginia Tech puts the Jackets in a hole in the ACC's Coastal Division, but they'll likely be in the race until the end.
4. That Oregon State is the best 2-3 team in America. A week after knocking off top-ranked USC, the Beavers went to Salt Lake City last Thursday and nearly did the same to 15th-ranked Utah before falling on Louie Sakoda's 37-yard field goal as time expired. Unlike the USC game, where Oregon State stormed out of the gate, then weathered a Trojans comeback attempt, the Beavers fell behind 20-9 then rallied to go ahead 28-20 in the final two minutes before succumbing to the Utes' remarkable last-second surge (11 points in 1:29).
I don't know what happened against Stanford and Penn State, but these past two games we've seen an entirely different Oregon State offense. Freshman RB Jacquizz Rodgers had another big night, netting 101 yards rushing and 82 yards receiving, while QB Lyle Moevao was 21-of-31 for 313 yards and two TDs. Beavers fans can take heart in one thing: Their team started 2-3 the past two seasons as well and went on to a combined 15-2 mark after that.
5. That the Big East may have an unranked champion. The conference's last two unbeatens met humbling demises this weekend: USF lost at home to a Pittsburgh team that five days earlier trailed Syracuse into the fourth quarter while UConn got housed 38-12 at North Carolina. Meanwhile, Cincinnati is down to it third-string quarterback, and West Virginia needed a last-minute defensive stand to survive 1-4 Rutgers.
In the latest coaches poll released Sunday, USF was the lone remaining Big East entrant at 20th, but I can't imagine the Bulls, nor any other conference team, is going to make it through the rest of their schedule unscathed. It's anyone's best guess who will earn the league's automatic BCS berth (could be West Virginia, could be Cincy, could be Pitt, could be USF, could be UConn), but unless that team goes at least 10-2, there's a very good chance it will finish the regular season unranked. Who's ready for a Virginia Tech-UConn Orange Bowl?
Anna Trebunskaya
Irina Shayk
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Famous Foot Faults
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We learned a few more things - One is that those of you who laughed at me, or called me an idiot late last season when I said Ohio St could easily lose three or four games this season were wrong, wrong, wrong. I think Penn St & Mich will both be tough games, but OSU will win both.
We learned that the Big East is no more deserving of an automatic bid than some of the mid-major conferences. We learned that Mizzou has too weak a defense to be ranked in the top ten. We learned that it will take at least this season for Auburn to install their new super duper defense. Did I miss anything?
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (1737)
of course, Pitt is ranked 24th in the AP poll
coreybower
Total Comments (14)
sorry, I meant it will take this season for Auburn to get their offense on the field.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (1737)
We learned that when the SEC has 5 teams in the pre-season Top 10 it proves that they have the best conference in football, but when those teams actually play their games and get to be exposed as the over-rated hack conference that they are, it no longer matters. The Big-12 has 5 teams in the Top 10. SEC fans, make a comment about that!
Sandy Underpants
Los Angeles, CA
Total Comments (2795)
we learned that UConn losing their QB for the season was a big deal
coreybower
Total Comments (14)
sandy, two big wins against to helpless opponents does not make the season. Sure they have put up gaudy numbers - but against what? Its been like clubbing baby seals. The big questions will be answered when OU, Texas and Mizzou meet teams a. with a defense, b. that can field a running game that both exposes their terrible defenses and keeps those offenses sitting on the bench.
As for the "hack" SEC, we'll see who is still hanging around at the end of the season. This early in the season, chest thumping over rankings is futile. Lets wait and see how it washes out. I believe last season the Big 12 was looking oh so great, but had a few problems in the end. I believe at the end of the year there was only one Big 12 team left in the top 5. So might be a little early to celebrate quite yet.
BruceS1G
Pelham , AL
Total Comments (7634)
The SEC is a hack conference? First off, you can't count. The Big 12 has 4 teams (not 5) in the Top 10 versus the SEC's 3. Next week, both conferences will have 3 each in the Top 10 as long as there are no major upsets (the winners of OU/Texas and LSU/Florida will be in the top 10 while the losers will not). The Big 12 and the SEC both have half of their respective conferences in the Top 25. Basically, the Big 12 and the SEC are the two legit conferences this season and we are about to watch them cannabilize themselves (a process the SEC already started while the Big 12 starts next week). The only difference is the Big 12 scores will be like 50-52 while the SEC scores will be 14-6. The league of shoot outs and the league of grudge matches; take your pick.
rdf2Diego
Houston , TX
Total Comments (66)
The Florida State offense is making big strides. 250+ rushing yards with the youngest O-line in the country. 3 freshman and 2 sophs.
Seminole Bob
Tallahassee, FL
Total Comments (8)
@Sandy Underpants - my comment: Unlike the Big 12, SEC didnt take September off to have a few pillow fights with vastly inferior competition. SEC has had 5 major head-to-head engagements already...3 where both teams are ranked and 2 of those between top ten opponents. The Big 12 will get a taste of the same starting next week. You cant keep 5 teams in the top ten when they all play each other.
TexasDawg777
Irving , TX
Total Comments (18)
We also learned Stewart wasn't paying attention to the Big 12 schedule.
2.
"Texas Tech's Graham Harrell against Texas A&M: 38-of-51 for 454 yards and six TDs. "
Not that it would have mattered, but it was against Kansas State and not Texas A&M.
Jake Daniels
Greencastle , IN
Total Comments (2)
"2. That the Big 12 is the new Pac-10... Get ready for a whole bunch of big games getting decided by scores like 44-41".
That's because none of the Big 12 teams have a defense that will take them to the National Championship, or if Oklahoma runs the table - which is likely, win it. I foresee a repeat of 2003 and 2004, and it will be, again, either a SEC team or USC. Why has the SEC and USC dominated college football for the past 6 years? Strong defenses, with respectable offenses.
mj says abc sux
Columbia, MO
Total Comments (24)
Great example of a left coast idiot. Only would we hear this kind of a stupid comment from someone in Los Angeles.
That overrated hack conference owns 3 of the past 5 BCS Championships, including the last 2. Hack on that!
KingFootball
Total Comments (4725)
How could any conference keep 5 teams in the top 10? They play each other! The SEC and Big 12 are head and shoulders above the rest.
KingFootball
Total Comments (4725)
This Sandy Underpants is also the same person who claims that USC would beat half of the NFL teams. So, that should put some perspective on his/her posts. Of course, that was before they got ran over by a 1-2 Oregon State team.
KingFootball
Total Comments (4725)
SEC "hack" here, commenting on the Big 12 fan above.
OK, you're right! It's not that SEC teams are losing, it's that Auburn has lost to Vandy, Florida lost to Ole Miss, and Georgia got blown out at home (even though it was to Alabama). You can say it's because your conference is so tough when the top half lose to the bottom half. That's closer to mediocrity than dominance.
That said, let's wait till the Big Ten teams play each other at the top. What may be going on is the bottom half of the SEC is closer to the top half, than the bottom half of the Big 12 is to its top half.
For now, kudos to the Big 12. Barring any upsets, you should be considered the top conference until we can see how the bowl games shake out. Of course, that's subject to change if LSU or Bama blow out Mizzou or Oklahoma in a BCS bowl game.
Jayddrew
Total Comments (152)
for sandy underpants - An ESPN reporter has already commented on the soft exhibition schedules of the undefeated Big 12 teams. No further comment is necessary.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (1737)
Sandy boy is a USC fan.
KingFootball
Total Comments (4725)
I forgot about Pittsburgh showing signs of life. Is there anyone out there who thinks Pitt will finish in the Top 25?
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (1737)
Lets see Those 5 Teams: Georgia, LSU, Florida, Alabama, Auburn. Georgia is a decent team that lost to a good team (Alabama). LSU is untested and undefeated ( Auburn doesn't count as I will eplain later) but that will change when the play Florida next week. Auburn, in my opinion shouldn't even be ranked this week. Alabama has beaten 2 decent teams on the road and gutted one out at home against previously undefeated Kentucky. Finally Florida shot iteslf in the foot in its only loss of the season, to a SEC opponet in Ole Miss. So you see that it isn't that these teams are overrated or hacks as you like to call them. They are simply a good conference and are beating up on each other. Once OU, Texas, Mizzou, and Texas Tech start actually playing REAL opponents in eachother, using your logic the loser of the OU - Texas game next week will be a hack and so will the entire big 12.
IzzyFox
Total Comments (14)
Take what Sandy Underpants says with a grain of salt. He also stated that USC would beat half the NFL teams.
KingFootball
Total Comments (4725)
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