What’s it like to play for Alabama? Here’s a hint: Saban reamed everyone out because they only won by five touchdowns! (65-31) He pointed out that you don’t really “win” if you allow 31 points.
So there’s that.
Now back to reality.
There were a few upsets this week:
#5 LSU lost their first game, to #22 Florida
#7 Oklahoma lost their first game. They lost a typical Big 12 shoot-out (48-45) to the Longhorns (#19). There’s not a lot of defense in the Big 12, is there? I imagine Austin was jumping on Saturday night. Texas/OU weekend was always a crazy time in Austin, even when it was an away game for the ‘Horns, and especially after a Texas win.
#8 Auburn picked up a second loss against Mississippi State, and it was not close. Auburn never scored a TD in the 23-9 rout.
#13 Kentucky woke up from their dream. They lost to the Aggies in OT.
#14 Stanford got absolutely clobbered by unranked Utah, 40-21.
UCF continued to win. That’s about a thousand in a row. They were undefeated last year, including a Peach Bowl win over Auburn, and they are undefeated again this year. They are kind of the small-time Alabama, as they win every game by a mile (48-20 this week). So do you think they are in the top ten? Not yet. They are #12, but the losses by three higher-ranked teams should vault them up to #9 or #10, so a tip of the hat to them for rising that high out of a non-major conference. Of course, the other side of the coin is that Sagarin’s computer ratings place them much farther down (29th in the country) because of their weak competition. (They are ranked 158th in “difficulty of schedule.”)
Everybody is in awe of UCF, and they should be, but no one ever mentions it was Scott Frost who got them to that level of confidence and play. Scott is now at Nebraska, trying to rebuild a program ruined by 4 successive “good enough” coaches. He is bringing the Huskers along just like he did the Knights. Yes, NU is 0-5 but Scott’s program works. It worked for the Knights and it will bring NU back to prominence.
The problem with playing ‘good enough’ football is that at some point, everything becomes good enough and that’s how a powerhouse team like the 1970-71, 1994-95 and 1997 National Championship Huskers get to where they are today.
Good Enough just ain’t Good Enough!