This Saturday the Gators play their second SEC East opponent, the Volunteers from the University of Tennessee. Blount College, the predecessor of the University of Tennessee, was founded in Knoxville in 1794. In 1828, the school, then known as East Tennessee University, relocated to its current site. The university now enrolls over 27,000 students, including over 21,000 undergrads. Tennessee’s school colors are orange and white.
The Tennessee Volunteers have a long and successful tradition in playing football. The University of Tennessee’s football program began in 1891 and derives its nickname from its state’s moniker, “the volunteer state.” Tennessee is a charter member of the Southeastern Conference and has played in the SEC since 1933. The Vols have won 13 SEC titles, second all-time behind Alabama’s 23. Tennessee’s first conference title was won in 1938; the Volunteers' most recent was in 1998.
The Volunteers play home games in the colossal Neyland Stadium, which can seat in excess of 102,000 fans. Only Michigan Stadium, Beaver Stadium, Kyle Field, and Ohio Stadium exceed Neyland Stadium in capacity. The largest crowd to witness a Tennessee home game numbered 109,061 and saw the Volunteers defeat the Florida Gators 30-28.
The University of Tennessee claims six national titles, although only four (1938, 1950, 1951, and 1998) were granted by major polls and only two (1951 and 1998) were awarded by the AP. Tennessee has never produced a Heisman winner, although alums Johnny Majors and Peyton Manning are among the most famous runners-up for the award. The 1998 squad finished with a perfect 13-0 record, defeated Florida State 23-16 in the Fiesta Bowl, and secured the inaugural BCS national championship.
Florida and Tennessee first played one another in football in 1916, although the conference rivalry has only been played on an annual basis since 1990. The Gators and Vols have played a total of 43 games; Florida has won 24 of those games, while Tennessee has won 19. Tennessee won the first 10 games of the series and didn’t lose to the Gators until 1954. Since that year, the Gators have held a 24-9 advantage in total wins-losses. In addition, the Gators have not lost to the Vols since 2004. The rivalry peaked in intensity in the 1990s and early 2000s, when both teams dominated the SEC East division. Usually played early in the SEC season, the Florida-Tennessee game was critical for either team to win the conference championship.
Although the Pride of the Southland Band (Tennessee's marching band) and UT's fans are well known for playing and singing a cover of the Osborne Brothers' "Rocky Top" as a school song, their actual fight song is "Down the Field".
We're about a third of the way through the regular season now, and this week marks a turning point. No longer are most big teams playing over-matched opponents from lesser conferences. From here on we'll have multiple big-time match-ups every week to look forward to and many games will have conference implications. Last Saturday, we didn't have one game between two ranked teams. This Saturday, we get six.
The Gators are unranked, and so are their opponents, but let's start with them. Although Florida has won nine straight over the Volunteers, if the Gators have learned anything from 2013, it's not to overlook anyone. Tennessee should be a major challenge to the Gators, who have struggled heavily against competent opponents. Last week, the inspired Vols nearly defeated Georgia, a team many believe to be the class of the East, in Athens. Meanwhile, the Gators have had an extra week to rest and prepare, which should play to their advantage. However, Tennessee will have nearly 100,000 fans cheering them on in Neyland Stadium. Tennessee also has what may be the SEC East's best passer in Justin Worley. The Gator secondary will need to play better this game to stop Tennessee's potent passing attack. Florida's offensive and defensive lines should have the advantage over their youthful orange-clad counterparts, and will need to outplay them if the Gators are to leave Knoxville victorious.
Mississippi State looked impressive two weeks ago in Baton Rouge. Will they stay undefeated after they play Texas A&M this Saturday? And therefore never send to know for whom the cowbell tolls; It tolls for thee. Credit: Wesley Hitt
The Gators weren't the only team enjoying a week off last Saturday. The Mississippi State Bulldogs also had an extra week to prepare, which should come into play for the big game this Saturday in Starkville. The Bulldogs have a tremendous obstacle ahead of them in Texas A&M, though they should be capable of winning. A&M needed overtime to down a good Arkansas team, and MSU should provide a similarly difficult challenge for the Aggies.
The third SEC team that didn't play last Saturday was the one that needed a week off the least. Alabama is going to the Grove to play the highly-ranked Rebels of Ole Miss. Bama should have the advantage at nearly every position on the field, but Mississippi will have their home stadium. Still, I don't imagine the Rebels have enough to win and anticipate the Tide to roll again. Alabama should face a tougher test in two weeks, when they play the well-rested Razorbacks in Fayetteville.
The final SEC game between two ranked teams is the Tiger Bowl – Auburn and LSU. This year the game will be played in Auburn. Both teams are coming off a week of slaughteringinnocents. Auburn appears to have the better team this year, but one never knows exactly what's under that hat.
Kentucky and South Carolina play an interesting little game in Lexington. This is Kentucky's chance to prove their performance in Gainesville wasn't a fluke, and that they belong in the SEC East conversation. For South Carolina, this is a must-win. A loss here would be their third in-conference, a mark that seemingly eliminates them from the SEC championship race.
Elsewhere, Oklahoma is playing Texas Christian. This game is hard to predict, as neither team has played an opponent of Top 25 quality (although the Sooners did play Tennessee and WVU while TCU played Minnesota). The Horned Frogs are at home, but Oklahoma had an extra week to prepare. Advantage: OU.
The Stanford Cardinal will travel to South Bend to face Notre Dame. These teams seem evenly-matched, so the home-field advantage may decide the winner. Meanwhile in East Lansing, the Cornhuskers will play Michigan State. Despite their electrifying running back, the overall team quality of the Spartans may prove too much for Nebraska to overcome. Maryland is 4-1 and have looked better than many expected. Ohio State performed well enough against Cincinnati, but the Terps could pull off this upset at home.
Rutgers and Michigan play for the first time ever this Saturday in Piscataway. Against a struggling Wolverine team, Rutgers has a golden opportunity to pick up their first ever B1G Ten victory. Credit: Jim O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports
One last thing: this weekend Rutgers and Michigan meet for the first time ever. Why is this special? Well, the invention of football is attributed to students from Rutgers and the first football game ever was won by Rutgers (against Princeton, naturally) in 1869. Michigan, on the other hand, is the winningest program in college football history. Since their program began in 1878, Michigan has won 912 games (well ahead of Notre Dame's 878). So, it's the team that won the first game ever versus the team that has won the most games ever. It's incredible that in 135 years of coexistence these programs have never come head to head. It seems the Scarlet Knights have the edge this Saturday. While Rutgers hasn't exactly blown the doors off anyone, they are playing at home and appear more competent than this beleaguered Michigan team which can barely keep its head above water. State of Florida:
UCF (1-2) over Houston (2-2), 27-20 (UPSET)
Florida Atlantic (2-3) over FIU (2-3), 38-34
Florida (2-1) over Tennessee (2-2), 24-20
#1 Florida State (4-0) over Wake Forrest (2-3), 63-17
Georgia Tech (4-0) over Miami (3-2), 34-24
South Florida (2-3), BYE
Southeastern Conference:
#12 Mississippi State (4-0) over #6 Texas A&M (5-0), 31-28
#3 Alabama (4-0) over #11 Mississippi (4-0), 34-21
#13 Georgia (3-1) over Vanderbilt (1-4), 45-7
#5 Auburn (4-0) over #15 LSU (4-1), 23-17
Kentucky (3-1) over South Carolina (3-2), 24-17 (UPSET)
Arkansas (3-2), BYE
#24 Missouri (4-1), BYE
Top 25:
#2 Oregon (4-0) over Arizona (4-0), 45-28
#4 Oklahoma (4-0) over #25 TCU (3-0), 31-24
#7 Baylor (4-0) over Texas (2-2), 42-27
#8 UCLA (4-0) over Utah (3-1), 38-24
#9 Notre Dame (4-0) over #14 Stanford (3-1), 17-14 (UPSET)
#10 Michigan State (3-1) over #19 Nebraska (5-0), 38-28
#16 USC (3-1) over Arizona State (3-1), 31-21
#17 Wisconsin (3-1) over Northwestern (2-2), 30-21
#18 BYU (4-0) over Utah State (2-2), 34-17
Maryland (4-1) over #20 Ohio State (3-1), 31-28
#21 Oklahoma State (3-1) over Iowa State (1-3), 45-31
#22 East Carolina (3-1) over SMU (0-4), 52-3
#23 Kansas State (3-1) over Texas Tech (2-2), 38-28
Yesterday was not the best Saturday of the season. Only one Top 25 team was upset and no two Top 25 teams played another (though there was such a match-up on Thursday). We college football fans are still anticipating the epic clashes between SEC West powerhouses that await us this season. But hey, it was still more fun and interesting than most days in the world of sports. Actually, it was really fun, as there turned out to be quite a few great games that exceeded expectations.
Despite having lost to a wholly unimpressive Indiana team,
Missouri is the only team in the SEC East left undefeated in
conference play. (Credit: Bill Carter)
Only one team in the top-four (and that's the magic number with the playoffs) played last week. And it might be the worst team of the four, as of now, despite being ranked #1. This of course was Florida State, who played and defeated their conference nemesis, the North Carolina State Wolfpack. Now, watching the game, it appeared to me that both were surprisingly similar teams. Both had outstanding, electrifying leaders at quarterback. Both had over-matched defenses who struggled mightily to defend the pass and simply make tackles. But one team was just that much better. And that's why that team won.
I really can't add anything that hasn't already been said about Jameis Winston. His accuracy and decision-making consistently reaffirm why he won the 2013 Heisman so convincingly. He single-handily raises this Florida State team from being an ACC-championship contender to being a national-title contender. Had Winston been suspended for this game rather than last week's, Florida State probably would have suffered a conclusive defeat. Winston is irreplaceable to this FSU team. In this way he is much reminiscent of former championship quarterbacks like Tebow, Newton, and, well, himself last year. But make no mistake; he's even more important this year.
The spectacular effort of quarterback Jacoby Brissett was not
enough to lift his Wolfpack past the offensive juggernaut of
Jameis Winston and Florida State. (Credit: Grant Halverson)
The losses to Florida State's offensive line, secondary, and front-seven (plus the loss of Kelvin Benjamin) have all added up. This year's FSU squad cannot rely on suffocating defense and a particular play-making athlete to crush lesser opponents into submission. I know Rashad Greene and Nick O'Leary are great players. They both should get careers playing on Sundays. But they are to the Seminoles as Riley Cooper and Aaron Hernandez were once to the Gators. Great players... but they were no Percy Harvin. Even with Cooper and Hernandez (who both went on to successful pro-careers), the sans-Harvin 2009 Gator offense could not compare to their 2008 predecessors. Harvin and Benjamin were the kind of players defenses were forced to scheme around, and if they failed to do that, they were sure to pay dearly.
Florida State won, but in doing so gave up 41 points in regulation. By an AP-#1 team against an unranked opponent, these were the fourth-most points ever conceded, the third most in a non-overtime game, the most in a non-overtime game since 1981, and the most ever in a win. Additionally, this was the first time since Florida State's 2008 loss to Florida that over 40 points and 500 yards of offense were given up. It is not unheard-of for a championship team to concede so many points in 60 minutes, but it is very unusual. To illustrate this, I'll list the BCS champions and the instances in which they gave up the most points.
Year
Champion
Most Points
Conceded*
Opponent
Outcome
1998
Tennessee
33
Syracuse
1-point W
1999
Florida State
35
Georgia Tech
6-point W
2000
Oklahoma
31
Kansas State/
Texas A&M
10-point W/
4-point W
2001
Miami
27
Florida State
22-point W
2002
Ohio State
21
Texas Tech
24-point W
2003
LSU
24
Arkansas
31-point W
2004
USC
28
Stanford
3-point W
2005
Texas
38
USC
3-point W
2006
Florida
28
Arkansas
10-point W
2007
LSU
34
Alabama
7-point W
2008
Florida
31
Mississippi
1-point L
2009
Alabama
24
Virginia Tech
10-point W
2010
Auburn
43
Arkansas
22-point W
2011
Alabama
21
Georgia Southern
24-point W
2012
Alabama
29
Texas A&M
5-point L
2013
Florida State
34
Boston College
14-point W
*During 60 minutes of regulation
So, as you can see, only 2010 Auburn gave up more points than FSU did Saturday and went on to a championship victory. Florida State must defy the odds to bring in the trophy January with what appears to be a vulnerable defense. Next week, Florida State plays a mediocre Wake Forrest squad in Tallahassee. This time, expect the Noles to look a bit more like they did last season.
[Funny things about that table above: Arkansas is on there three times and Georgia Southern (of all teams!) scored more points against the incredible '11 Alabama defense than anyone else. Must be the triple-option... Also, several of the higher numbers on the table are outliers within their respective team's seasons ('98 Tennessee, '05 Texas, '08 Florida, and '10 Auburn had no other games where an opponent scored within seven points of their seasonal most-points-conceded mark).]
Let's see... what is there to talk about besides the defending champs? Well, in the state of Florida, South Florida played above expectations, but were doomed by a fumble on a promising late drive against the Badgers. Florida fans sat at home, happy to see their Gators not-lose but probably feeling a bit coulda-woulda-shoulda seeing former back-up Jacoby Brissett play an impressive game in a losing effort against FSU. FIU shocked UAB in Birmingham. Florida Atlantic won a close one, as I tenuously projected, against a better-than-you-might-think UTSA squad. Miami beat Duke in front a a very sparse night crowd in Sun Life Stadium. (I wonder if some high school games in Miami draw bigger crowds?)
Georgia was very lucky to win at home against the Volunteers. This shouldn't surprise anyone who's been following the UGA-UT rivalry in recent years. This is the third-straight year Tennessee's dropped a heart-breaker to the heavily-favored Dawgs (sound familiar, fellow Gator fans?). Texas A&M beat Arkansas in overtime by a score of 35-28 (just one field goal off my prediction). Alabama must be very wary of this Razorback team when they visit Fayetteville in a couple weeks. Missouri defeated South Carolina in eastern Columbia, coming back to win 21-20 after being down 20-7 with less than seven minutes to play. I was a little surprised by this somehow, to see Mizzou beat the East's tentative "favorite" a week after losing to a bad Indiana team at home. I'll say this now: expect any outcome in the East this year. And the West, for that matter. As it's been for the past decade or so, the SEC race is about impossible to predict at this point in the season.
I faltered with both my Pac-12 upset picks this week. Arizona State could not compete with UCLA in the second half after giving up a pick-six while in scoring range at the end of the first and going into halftime down 10. Washington played Stanford close, as I said they would, but couldn't pull it out against the vaunted Cardinal defense. State of Florida:
#19 Wisconsin (3-1) over South Florida (2-3), 34-10 27-10
UAB (2-2) over FIU (2-3), 38-7 34-20
#1 Florida State (4-0) over NC State (4-1), 31-24 56-41
Florida Atlantic (2-3) over UTSA (1-3), 28-24 41-37
Miami (3-2) over Duke (4-1), 34-31 22-10
Florida (2-1), BYE
UCF (1-2), BYE
Southeastern Conference:
#12 Georgia (3-1) over Tennessee (2-2), 42-20 35-32
Kentucky (3-1) over Vanderbilt (1-4), 31-14 17-7
#6 Texas A&M (5-0) over Arkansas (3-2), 38-28 35-28 (OT)
#5 Auburn (4-0) over Louisiana Tech (2-3), 52-17 45-17
#13 South Carolina (3-2) over Missouri (4-1), 34-24 21-20
#10 Mississippi (4-0) over Memphis (2-2), 42-21 24-3
#17 LSU (4-1) over New Mexico State (2-3), 45-10 63-7
#3 Alabama (4-0), BYE
#14 Mississippi State (4-0), BYE
Top 25:
#7 Baylor (4-0) over Iowa State (1-3), 41-24 49-28
#8 Notre Dame (4-0) over Syracuse (2-2), 38-17 31-15
#9 Michigan State (3-1) over Wyoming (3-2), 45-14 56-14
#15 Arizona State (3-1) over #11 UCLA (4-0), 31-24 62-27
Washington (4-1) over #16 Stanford (3-1), 21-17 20-13
#18 USC (3-1) over Oregon State (3-1), 38-21 35-10
#21 Nebraska (5-0) over Illinois (3-2), 45-31 45-14
#22 Ohio State (3-1) over Cincinnati (2-1), 31-21 50-28
#24 Oklahoma State (3-1) over Texas Tech (2-2), 42-24 45-35
#25 Kansas State (3-1) over UTEP (2-2), 45-20 58-28
The Gators are resting this week, so all the predictions here are impartial. Last week, I called three upsets. As it turns out, there were only two (among the games I selected), but I didn't pick either of them. This week, I'm doing the same: three upsets. Maybe I'll get one but I'm not at all confident in any of them.
This week's only match-up between ranked teams will be in Tempe. The Sun Devils will have to play without their star quarterback on Thursday. Credit: Matt York/Associated Press
The first upset to look for is #15 Arizona State over #11 UCLA Thursday night. Now if history tells you anything, it's that Arizona State is the Clemson of the West. They have a long history of under-performing, losing big games, and breaking the hearts of their fanbase. But sometimes everybody will catch a break, including the Sun Devils. This series is tied with 10 wins apiece since 1990 and ASU won last year in Pasadena. So far this season, the Sun Devils have played three over-matched opponents and won with some degree of ease. UCLA, on the other hand, has struggled far more than expected. They played closer than expected against some admittedly decent opposition, Virginia and Texas, but also just scraped by against Memphis. One big problem for both teams: their star quarterbacks have been injured. While Arizona State's will be out for this game, UCLA's may play (whether he'll be full strength is yet to be seen). I'm not confident, but I do believe the Bruins' luck just may run out in the desert.
Next, I'm looking again to the Pac-12 and for the Washington Huskies to upset Stanford in Seattle. If this match-up is anything like those of the past two years, it should be a close game. Last time these teams met in Seattle, the Huskies prevailed 31-28. Now, the Huskies did looked pretty shaky after their first two games this season (they beat Hawaii by just one point and pesky Eastern Washington by just seven). But after two blowouts, they managed to become 4-0 and should be pretty confident. But Stanford is a good team, the best Washington has faced. Yet, I'm not confident they'll have the ability to pull away from a probably inferior UW team on the road. The Huskies will keep it close and in the end, get the win at home. Maybe. I think.
The last upset I'm looking for is Florida Atlantic over UTSA. This battle-of-the-birds might be the toughest one to predict. The Roadrunners have had an extra week off to prepare for this one and have actually looked pretty respectable this season considering their 1-2 record. They also have a national championship-winning coach in Larry Coker. But they'll be travelling from their comfy home in the Alamodome to play the Owls in Boca Raton. The Owls were outscored 96-7 in their first two game... but this is understandable considering their opposition (Nebraska and Alabama). They then proceeded to obliterate Tulsa and lose a heart-breaker to Wyoming in Laramie. We'll see if the scrappy Owls can win again in South Florida.
Elsewhere, look to see how Florida State faces the challenge of NC State in Raleigh. This is the first game of the season the Seminoles will be playing in front of a hostile crowd. The Noles are heavy favorites, but have yet to beat the spread this season. They struggled last week but will be improved with the return of starting-quarterback Jameis Winston. They also must overcome a certain Raleigh magic that has plagued the Seminoles for over a decade. The Noles and the Wolfpack have played annually since 1992. Since 1998, the Noles lead the series only 9-7*, making it one of the most closely contested annual series for FSU during the last 17 years. In Raleigh, the Pack have also won the last two games and five of the last eight against Florida State. But like the #1-Noles, the Wolfpack have not been particularly impressive in any game (other than a 49-17 rout of the South Florida Bulls in Tampa). State of Florida:
#19 Wisconsin (2-1) over South Florida (2-2), 34-10
UAB (2-1) over FIU (1-3), 38-7
#1 Florida State (3-0) over NC State (4-0), 31-24
Florida Atlantic (1-3) over UTSA (1-2), 28-24 (UPSET)
Miami (2-2) over Duke (4-0), 34-31
Florida (2-1), BYE
UCF (1-2), BYE
Southeastern Conference:
#12 Georgia (2-1) over Tennessee (2-1), 42-20
Kentucky (2-1) over Vanderbilt (1-3), 31-14
#6 Texas A&M (4-0) over Arkansas (3-1), 38-28
#5 Auburn (3-0) over Louisiana Tech (2-2), 52-17
#13 South Carolina (3-1) over Missouri (3-1), 34-24
#10 Mississippi (3-0) over Memphis (2-1), 42-21
#17 LSU (3-1) over New Mexico State (2-2), 45-10
#3 Alabama (4-0), BYE
#14 Mississippi State (4-0), BYE
Top 25:
#7 Baylor (3-0) over Iowa State (1-2), 41-24
#8 Notre Dame (3-0) over Syracuse (2-1), 38-17
#9 Michigan State (2-1) over Wyoming (3-1), 45-14
#15 Arizona State (3-0) over #11 UCLA (3-0), 31-24 (UPSET)
Washington (4-0) over #16 Stanford (2-1), 21-17 (UPSET)
#18 USC (2-1) over Oregon State (3-0), 38-21
#21 Nebraska (4-0) over Illinois (3-1), 45-31
#22 Ohio State (2-1) over Cincinnati (2-0), 31-21
#24 Oklahoma State (2-1) over Texas Tech (2-1), 42-24
#25 Kansas State (2-1) over UTEP (2-1), 45-20
#2 Oregon (4-0), BYE
#4 Oklahoma (4-0), BYE
#20 BYU, BYE
#23 East Carolina, BYE
*this figure include the 2007 Florida State victory, which was officially vacated
Another Saturday, another day of great football games and many unexpected thrillers. There were a few upsets during Week 4 and a bit of revenge for the usually downtrodden Big Ten. It appears that no team will emerge from the state of Florida so impressive or dominant as previous champions. But perhaps the Noles can stumble their way to greatness?
The Seminoles came into their conference opener against Clemson without their Heisman-winning quarterback and team-leader, Jameis Winston. Well, #5 did appear on the sidelines, but he wasn't wearing pads. Instead, the Noles started the very inconsistent Sean Maguire and came away victorious in a spectacular game.
Rashad Green was the savior for Florida State. His 74-yard
touchdown reception tied the game in the fourth quarter.
Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Now Clemson's admittedly not the best team in the country. Let's face it, they are an above-average ACC team. And Florida State did not win this game nearly as much as Clemson lost it (a sad historical trend for Clemson). For most of the night, Clemson out-played Florida State handily in Doak-Campbell Stadium. But a few crucial missed opportunities by the Tigers, probably some that Clemson's players will never get over, allowed Florida State to survive and fight another day.
The fact is, coming away with a win of any kind after going through the sort of locker-room chaos FSU did before Saturday is fairly remarkable. A notable measure of adversity was overcome in Tallahassee by these Noles, which should not be discounted by anyone.
A sans-Winston Florida State likely would have been defeated rather easily last Saturday by the handful of teams better than Clemson. But of course, they didn't need to beat a team better than Clemson. We may still question whether Florida State is a championship-worthy team. But with Winston back on the squad, Florida State will have their opportunity to prove themselves this fall, though they may not face a tougher challenge until the post-season.
One thing is clear by this point. If the 2014 Seminoles are to repeat and become national champions, their season will not be like their predecessors'. The 2013 Seminoles were an anomaly. Though a great and talented team, their schedule lacked any opponent of comparable worth until the final game. Their schedule was far-and-away the weakest of the BCS era. This resulted in a season of repetitive blowouts and noncompetitive contests. Until Auburn, only one game was decided by less than three scores. After just three games, this 2014 team has already seen more tribulations. The 2014 Noles season may turn out more like the 2006 Gators, who scratched and clawed their way to a 13-1 record and national championship. Those Gators won five games decided by less than one score and even lost a close game on the road.
Saturday night's game against Clemson was the first overtime game in Doak since 2003 (which was also the Noles' last overtime victory). FSU's last overtime game was the 2006 Orange Bowl.
The Tide proved a tier-above the Gators on Saturday. The
teams have not played a truly competitive game since the
Gators' last win in 2008. The Tide have won four-straight.
Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Like the Tigers, the Crimson Tide made many mistakes, played sloppily at times, and missed opportunities last Saturday against the Gators. Still, this was not enough to prevent them from rolling over the over-matched Florida team. The game was surprisingly close and at-least theoretically competitive through the first two-and-a-half quarters. The Gators managed to capitalize on three of the Tide's four turnovers and score 21 points (the game was tied 21-21 near the beginning of the third). However, the Florida offense was otherwise hapless throughout the contest. Additionally, the defense allowed a school-record 645 yards last Saturday. This adds to a list of dubious distinctions made by Muschamp-coached teams. Despite this, it was the offense that is primarily to blame for this defeat. While the defense created all the scoring opportunities, the offense could never sustain a drive and particularly struggled converting on third downs. Failing to keep the defense off the field, the defensive players wore down in the third quarter and were rendered helpless to the Tide's onslaught. The score ended 42-21, but one easily imagines a more embarrassing score had been avoided.
Losing to Nick Saban's Alabama in Tuscaloosa (and as big underdogs, no-less) is nothing to be ashamed of. However, seeing the way the Gators played, there are legitimate concerns among Gator fans that the program will regress into total mediocrity this season. The Gators now get a week of rest before heading to Knoxville and attempting to get their season back on track. The Gators will look to improve their offensive and secondary play against the Volunteers.
In an absolute shocker, the #18 Missouri Tigers fell to the unranked Indiana Hoosiers, 31-17. This may be the most embarrassing non-conference loss by an SEC team this season. Besides Indiana, other Big Ten schools like Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Nebraska impressed. Surprisingly, South Carolina struggled against a very weak-looking Vanderbilt. Considering the results posted by Florida, Missouri, and South Carolina last Saturday, the power-imbalance between East and West in the SEC appears as large as ever. A surprising result within the West was Mississippi State's 34-29 stunner over LSU in Tiger Stadium. The Bulldogs withstood a furious fourth-quarter comeback by LSU to win their first game in the annual series since 1999 (snapping a 14-game LSU win-streak) and their first in Baton Rouge since 1991.
Across the nation, the BYU Cougars topped the Virginia Cavaliers. It now appears that relatively little stands between BYU and a perfect (regular) season. Still, the Cougars must face UCF in Orlando, Nevada at home, Boise State in Boise, and Cal in Berkeley, so the odds of 12-0 are still not in their favor. Oregon thwarted Wazzou's upset bid, 38-31, in the Palouse. An egregious no-call pass interference aided the Ducks during WSU's last drive.
State of Florida:
South Florida (2-2) over Connecticut (1-3), 17-16 17-14
Louisville (3-1) over FIU (1-3), 45-17 34-3
Florida (2-1) over #3 Alabama (4-0), 34-31 42-21
Florida Atlantic (1-3) over Wyoming (3-1), 30-27 20-19
UCF (1-2) over Bethune-Cookman (2-1), 42-10 41-7
#1 Florida State (3-0) over #22 Clemson (1-2), 41-30 23-17 (OT)
#24 Nebraska (4-0) over Miami (2-2), 27-16 41-31
Southeastern Conference:
#5 Auburn (3-0) over #20 Kansas State (2-1), 44-14 20-14
#13 Georgia (2-1) over Troy (0-4), 56-7 66-0
#6 Texas A&M (4-0) over SMU (0-3), 52-3 58-6
#18 Missouri (3-1) over Indiana (2-1), 48-17 31-27
Arkansas (3-1) over Northern Illinois (3-1), 38-24 52-14
#8 LSU (3-1) over Mississippi State (4-0), 31-14 34-29
#14 South Carolina (3-1) over Vanderbilt (1-3), 45-6 48-34
Kentucky (2-1), BYE
#10 Mississippi (3-0), BYE
Tennessee (2-1), BYE
Top 25:
#2 Oregon (4-0) over Washington State (1-3), 45-13 38-31
#4 Oklahoma (4-0) over West Virginia (2-2), 35-26 45-33
#11 Michigan State (2-1) over Eastern Michigan (1-3), 52-3 73-14
#19 Wisconsin (2-1) over Bowling Green (2-2), 38-14 68-17
Virginia (2-2) over #21 BYU (4-0), 27-24 41-33
#7 Baylor, BYE
#9 Notre Dame, BYE
#12 UCLA, BYE
#15 Arizona State, BYE
#16 Stanford, BYE
#17 USC, BYE
#23 Ohio State, BYE
#25 Oklahoma State, BYE
Week 4 Record: 14-5 (74%)
Season Record: 33-12 (73%)
This year the Gators' rotating opponent from the SEC West is the Alabama Crimson Tide. The University of Alabama began operation in 1831. It was built in Tuscaloosa, then the capital of Alabama. After being almost entirely destroyed by Union forces during the Civil War, the university was rebuilt and re-opened in 1871. Today, almost 35,000 students are enrolled at Alabama, with over 29,000 being undergraduates. The school colors are crimson and white.
The Crimson Tide are the most successful college football program in the American South. Few schools can truly rival the accomplishments of the Tide. Alabama began playing in 1892 and became a charter member of the Southeastern Conference in 1933. Before 1933, Alabama won four Southern Conference championships. Since joining the SEC, the Tide have won 23 conference championships, 10 more than Tennessee (second among SEC teams). Alabama won the first-ever SEC championship in 1933 and most recently topped the conference in 2012. Even more impressive, Alabama claims 15 national titles, although only 10 are recognized by a consensus sources. The Tide play in one of the country's largest venues, Bryant-Denny Stadium. Bryant-Denny can host just under 102,000 spectators. One of the stadium's namesakes is Paul "Bear" Bryant, the winningest coach in SEC history and Alabama legend.
Alabama's 10 national titles recognized by either the AP or Coaches' polls were won in 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, and 2012. Surprisingly, the Tide have produced just one Heisman winner, Mark Ingram in 2009. Of the previously mentioned national champions, four (1961, 1979, 1992, and 2009) went undefeated.
The Gators and the Tide have played a total of 36 games; the first was in 1916. Despite this long history, they have never met on a consistent basis. Of the 13 SEC charter members, Florida has only played Mississippi, Sewanee, and Tulane on less occasions. However, the teams have met on many occasion in the SEC Championship Game. Alabama leads the series with 23* wins to Florida's 14. On the seven occasions the teams have met for the conference championship, the Gators have won four times.
This week I will only be predicting 19 games, due to the large number of Top 25 teams resting this weekend. I'm only calling three upsets, though, as always in college football, you should probably expect more. As a sixteen-point underdog, Florida must play above expectations (or Alabama must play below them) to complete the upset. Alabama is coming off two straight weeks playing completely over-matched opponents. Will the Gators be the third to be drowned by the Tide?
The two other upsets I expect involve East Coast teams going into the Rocky Mountains. If Florida Atlantic and Virginia play well, they should defeat Wyoming and BYU. Both teams are coming off surprising wins, and must not be distracted by their past victories.
Although South Florida is playing as a favorite at home against UConn, I consider that game a virtual toss-up. Both teams should struggle this year against tougher competition, making this game a crucial opportunity for a win. Florida State is a heavy favorite against Clemson, though they have yet to cover the spread on any of their games. While I certainly believe they are the more talented team, Florida State may not be as great as they were last year (though they still may well be good enough to run the table and win again in Dallas). Playing in Tallahassee favors the Noles; both teams have had two weeks to prepare for this signature ACC match-up. State of Florida:
South Florida (1-2) over Connecticut (1-2), 17-16
Louisville (2-1) over FIU (1-2), 45-17
Florida (2-0) over #3 Alabama (3-0), 34-31 (UPSET)
Florida Atlantic (1-2) over Wyoming (2-1), 30-27 (UPSET)
UCF (0-2) over Bethune-Cookman (2-0), 42-10
#1 Florida State (2-0) over #22 Clemson (1-1), 41-30
#24 Nebraska (3-0) over Miami (2-1), 27-16
Southeastern Conference:
#5 Auburn (2-0) over #20 Kansas State (2-0), 44-14
#13 Georgia (1-1) over Troy (0-3), 56-7
#6 Texas A&M (3-0) over SMU (0-2), 52-3
#18 Missouri (3-0) over Indiana (1-1), 48-17
Arkansas (2-1) over Northern Illinois (3-0), 38-24
#8 LSU (3-0) over Mississippi State (3-0), 31-14
#14 South Carolina (2-1) over Vanderbilt (1-2), 45-6
Kentucky (2-1), BYE
#10 Mississippi (3-0), BYE
Tennessee (2-1), BYE
Top 25:
#2 Oregon (3-0) over Washington State (1-2), 45-13
#4 Oklahoma (3-0) over West Virginia (2-1), 35-26
#11 Michigan State (1-1) over Eastern Michigan (1-2), 52-3
#19 Wisconsin (1-1) over Bowling Green (2-1), 38-14
Last Saturday, the Gators won their fourth overtime game in history. In addition, it was the third Gator-overtime game I have personally witnessed (I have seen all three since Vanderbilt in 2005). To mark the occasion, I'm providing a brief summary of overtime and the Gators' history with this heart-stopping way to end a game.
Before 1996, when a college football game ended with an even score after 60 minutes of play, the contest was decided a tie. Sometimes, a tie felt like a loss for fans of both teams. Seeking to end ambiguity and to give every game a definitive victor, the NCAA implemented the use of overtime procedure during the 1995 post-season. On November 25, 1995, Illinois and Wisconsin became the last Division 1-A teams to tie (3-3 in Madison). The first overtime game was the 1995 Las Vegas Bowl, a game won by Toledo 40-37 over Nevada.
Sam Boyd Stadium outside Las Vegas was the site of the
first-ever Division 1-A overtime game, won by Toledo.
The rules of overtime have essentially remained the same since its inception. Each team is given a possession on their opponent's 25-yard-line. The offense is given an opportunity to score a touchdown or a field goal. A safety or a touchdown scored by either defense automatically ends the game. Assuming neither defense scores, the team with more points after each is given a possession wins the game. If the score remains equal, another period of overtime begins and each team is allowed another possession. This sequence repeats until one team outscores another during an overtime period. Beginning with the 1997 season, extra-point kicks were disallowed after the second overtime period, forcing teams to attempt two-point conversions beginning with the third overtime period. This rule change was made in an attempt to shorten overtime games.
College football overtime rules favor teams with good stamina, roster depth, field-goal kicking, and short-field offense/defense. Unlike professional football overtime, long-field driving ability will not determine an overtime winner in college football. Punting and kickoffs play no role whatsoever in college football overtime.
The Gators had an inauspicious introduction to overtime when they faced the Tennessee Volunteers in 1998. The then-#2 Gators came into Neyland Stadium to face the #6 Vols before a crowd of nearly 108,000. Regulation ended with the score tied 17-17. Tennessee hit a field goal on their first possession, but Florida missed theirs. The Volunteers won 20-17. Ultimately, this game determined the SEC champion, as the Gators would not lose another conference game all season (in fact, they dominated the remainder of the SEC). The Gators would go on to lose to Florida State but win the Orange Bowl, finishing 10-2. Tennessee would go on to defeat Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl and win the national championship. The next season the Gators went into overtime against Alabama in Gainesville, only to lose 40-39.
The 2002 Florida-Auburn game marked the end of an annual rivalry that had been played every year since 1927*. The Gators began the game well and when "We Are the Boys" was sung after the end of the third quarter, they were up 23-7. But the Tigers were driving and would soon make it 23-15 with a touchdown and a two-point conversion with 13:38 left. A 56-yard touchdown connection between Jason Campbell and Ronnie Brown would get the Tigers within two with only 5:05 on the clock. Improbably, Campbell would convert his second conversion of the day by running it in, tying the game 23-23. With just 30 seconds left, Auburn had the ball on the Gators' 7-yard-line with the score still tied. With just seconds remaining, the Tigers hoped a 23-yard field-goal would be enough for the win. However, the kick was blocked and the game went into overtime. The Gators got the ball to begin overtime, but could not gain yards on their first two plays. It was 3rd and 10, with the Gators on the Auburn 25. The ball was snapped to Rex Grossman in the shotgun, who stood in the pocket long enough for Taylor Jacobs to slip by the Tiger secondary. Jacobs caught the ball in stride in the middle of the end-zone, putting the Gators up by a touchdown. Now it was Auburn's turn, and they needed seven or more. After three plays, the Tigers got down to the Gator 20, but it was still 4th and 5-to-go. Campbell stepped back to throw, but facing pressure, chose to run for the first. The elusive quarterback wasn't fast enough, as Clint Mitchell chased him down before he could get the five yards. The Gators escaped, 30-23.
One of the more exciting games in the past decade was the Florida-Vanderbilt game of 2005. The Gators were ranked #13and were 6-2, having just defeated the #4 Georgia Bulldogs (the eventual SEC-champs) in Jacksonville. Florida was coming back to the Swamp for homecoming against what many expected to be an easily-defeated Commodore squad. Vandy started the season with four straight victories, inspiring hopes of a first bowl appearance since 1982, but a surprising loss to Middle Tennessee State sent their season into a tailspin. The Commodores came into Gainesville just 4-4, but were led by future-Pro Bowl quarterback and Santa Claus-nativeJay Cutler. The 'Dores were eager to defeat their first ranked opponent since 1992 and the Gators in Gainesville (Vandy had not defeated Florida since 1988 and not in Gainesville since the teams' first meeting in 1945).
The game was closely fought through the first half, and the score was all tied at 14-14 going into the second. But Vanderbilt fumbled twice in their own territory in the 3rd quarter, and the Gators seized the opportunity, making it a 28-14 game going into the final quarter. Both teams scored touchdowns, so the score was 35-21, with the Gators leading and only 4:11 left in the game. Much of the student section had left by this point, confident in their team's victory and hoping to celebrate a homecoming win early. Unfazed, Cutler lead the 'Dores down the field for a score, but only 2:16 was remaining and Vandy still needed seven more points to tie it. Vandy was forced to attempt an onside kick; the ball was kicked towards the Florida side, and after bouncing off a Gator player, was recovered by Vanderbilt. Jay Cutler shocked a sold-out homecoming crowd in the Swamp by driving down the field, eventually lazering a pass to Earl Bennett, tying the game with less than a minute remaining. Jack Cutler, Jay's father, was in the crowd, mocking the Gators with the chomp.
The game was sent into overtime even at 35-35, and while the Gators were reeling, the Commodores were confident. Cutler had abused and exploited weaknesses in the Gator secondary all night, and the Gator corners needed to step up at some point to stop the passing onslaught. Vandy got the ball first in OT and methodically used Cutler's passing and Jeff Jennings's rushing to roll into the end-zone for a score. But the Gators had their own gunslinger in Chris Leak. Rushing and passing out of the spread, Leak tossed a short pass to Chad Jackson, who sprinted down for the score. Starting the second period, the Gators got the ball for an attempt to score. On the second play of the possession, Leak rolled right, waiting to find the open man. Seeing him, Leak hurled a perfect spiral over 30 yards to the very corner of the end-zone. There in the spot was Jemalle Cornelius, who snagged the ball for the go-ahead touchdown. Now it was Jay Cutler's turn, and he had a chance to win one for the ages. On the first play Cutler zipped the ball left-field to Marlon White, but in front of him was Reggie Lewis, who Cutler had picked on all night. Lewis held onto the interception, ending the game 49-42 and earning the Gators their hardest fought victory over the Commodores in years.
Even in a rivalry heralded as one of the greatest in the sport, the 2010 contest between the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs stands among the best. By the time of this Florida-Georgia game, the seasons of both teams were in shambles. Despite the plethora of talent on both teams, each had been heartbroken, humiliated, and thoroughly disappointed. Both were meeting unranked (the first such occurrence since 1979) and had little hope for a championship, meaning a win in Jacksonville over their hated rivals was the greatest prize left in the season. Remarkably, with the help of Trey Burton's talents and the blundering of the Dawgs, the Gators stumbled into a 21-7 halftime lead.
However, the 2010 Gator offense could never remain competent for too long. They struggled through the 3rd quarter as the Bulldog offense brought the game within five points. With future-pro Caleb Sturgis out for the season with a back injury, the Gators were using punter Chas Henry as a placekicker. Although a great punter, Henry was an understandably inconsistent kicker. However, Henry nailed a 34-yarder to put the Gators up 24-16 with 10:48 left. Yet Aaron Murrary and the Dawgs stormed back, putting up six after a quick drive. Murray got two more on a scramble to tie the game. The Gators got the ball back and somehow Burton got loose, dashing for a 51-yard score. Now the Bulldogs had to score to tie it. Undaunted, Murray drove his team down the field, eventually zinging it 15 yard to A. J. Green and a tie ballgame with 4:36 on the clock. Neither team could score again in regulation, and the game went into overtime tied 31-31 (the first overtime in the history of the rivalry).
Murray had been lighting it up for most of the second half, and was looking to score as his team got the ball first in OT. But Murray's luck wouldn't go on forever. The young quarterback threw the ball into triple coverage, where it was intercepted by Will Hill. A return for a touchdown would win it for the Gators, so Hill ran for his life towards the goal line 75 yards away, evading the Georgia offensive players as best as could. Hill got blocks, ran, leaped, and dodged... finally he tumbled into left pylon. However, upon review the officials found Tavarres King had pushed Hill out at the four-yard-line. If the Gators needed to win the hard way, then they need to win the harder way. The Gators had to start again on the Bulldog 25. They could only gain a few yards after three plays, and were betting it all on the punter to win it. The ball was set on the left hash and Henry lined up for the 37-yard kick. Henry nailed it and gave the Gators the 34-31 win and completing one of the greatest games ever played in this storied rivalry.
What looked like a week slated with mediocre games and mismatches turned out to be a week full of nail-biting thrillers and an unexpected number of upsets. Why does this continue to surprise us who watch college football? This happens all the time! And that's why we love the sport. First, we'll start with the Gators...
HOLY [EXPLETIVES NOT USED ON THIS BLOG]! Not many outside Kentucky expected this game to be close and even less expected it to go into overtime. This was the first time in the 65-game series that Florida and Kentucky were tied after the 60 minutes of regulation. This was also the sixth overtime game in UF history and the fourth overtime victory since OT rules were established in 1996. It was the first triple-overtime game in Florida football history. This was the sixth game decided by one score during the Gators' ongoing 28-game win streak (the others were in 1988, 1993, 2002, 2003, and 2007). Unfortunately for Kentucky fans, they will have to wait another year for a chance to end the streak.
Demarcus Robinson caught the game-tying pass to send
the game into double-overtime.
(Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
Florida's secondary has been exposed to be a potential weakness. Gator corner Jabari Gorman was repeatedly exploited by Wildcat quarterback Patrick Towles for his mismatch against receiver Garrett Johnson. Despite this, corner Vernon Hargreaves III and safety Brian Poole were extremely effective defensive backs throughout the game. The Gator defense had numerous opportunities to pick off the errant passes of Towles, and did successfully intercept three balls. Kentucky's air raid offense should be fun to watch for fans of pass-heavy football. The Gators missed their starting left tackle D.J. Humphries, as they struggled to pass protect for most of the night. The offensive line was generally more successful run-blocking, especially after halftime. Jeff Driskel struggled with his accuracy throughout the first half. However, receivers on both teams had many dropped passes. The Gator running backs proved to be reliable, particularly Matt Jones, who put up 156 yards on 29 carries and scored the game-winning touchdown. However, the player of the game was sophomore wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, who came into the game with 11 career receptions for 146 yards. Against the Wildcats, Robinson recorded 15 receptions (including two for touchdowns) for 216 yards.
There were a few notably games in the SEC. Although a heavy underdog, I picked Massachusetts to pull off the upset against Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt barely pulled out the win by scoring the 34 points I predicted of them (though UMass could only score 31). Arkansas also won, although that was not a clear upset, as the Vegas line shifted in their favor late last week. I did not expect South Carolina to win (and what a win it was!), although Spurrier's team made Florida's path to Atlanta a little bit easier. Still, the SEC is wide open. The Gamecocks' win leaves Florida and Missouri the only undefeated teams in the East. Alabama scored 52 points, as I predicted.
Easily the most shocking result of the week (to me) was Boston College's 37-31 triumph over USC. Former Gator quarterback Tyler Murphy put up an astonishing 191 rushing yards in his effort to down the Trojans. This is certainly the highlight of former Gator OC Steve Addazio's career as a head coach. East Carolina and Virgina both pulled off upsets against Virginia Tech and Lousiville, respectively. Although I did not call the upsets, I did expect both games to be close and thus was not surprised by the ultimate results. However, the Pirates and Cavaliers have no time to revel in their victories, as both teams have tough games again next Saturday. State of Florida:
Pittsburgh (3-0) over FIU (1-2), 52-7 42-25
#20 Missouri (3-0) over UCF (0-2), 31-24 38-10
Miami (2-1) over Arkansas State (1-2), 38-14 41-20
South Florida (1-2) over NC State (3-0), 24-21 49-17
Tulsa (1-2) over Florida Atlantic (1-2), 35-10 50-21
Florida (2-0) over Kentucky (2-1), 44-9 36-30 (OT)
#1 Florida State (2-0), BYE
Southeastern Conference:
Massachusetts (0-3) over Vanderbilt (1-2), 37-34 34-31
Arkansas (2-1) over Texas Tech (2-1), 42-38 49-28
#6 Georgia (2-1) over #24South Carolina (2-1), 31-17 38-35
#14 Mississippi (3-0) over Louisiana-Lafayette (1-2), 38-10 56-15
Mississippi State (3-0) over South Alabama (1-1), 49-20 35-3
#3 Alabama (3-0) over Southern Miss (1-2), 52-0 52-12
#10 LSU (3-0) over Louisiana-Monroe (2-1), 45-7 31-0
#4 Oklahoma (3-0) over Tennessee (2-1), 38-17 34-10
#7 Texas A&M (3-0) over Rice (0-2), 56-13 38-10
#5 Auburn (2-0), BYE
Top 25:
#25 BYU (3-0) over Houston (1-2), 45-7 33-25
#8 Baylor (3-0) over Buffalo (1-2), 45-13 63-21
#2 Oregon (3-0) over Wyoming (2-1), 52-10 48-14
#9 USC (2-1) over Boston College (2-1), 35-13 37-31
#11 Notre Dame (3-0) over Purdue (1-2), 48-10 30-14
#12 UCLA (3-0) over Texas (1-2), 34-17 20-17
#15 Stanford (2-1) over Army (1-1), 38-10 35-0
#16 Arizona State (3-0) over Colorado (1-2), 45-16 38-24
#17 Virginia Tech (2-1) over East Carolina (2-1), 31-24 28-21
#21 Louisville (2-1) over Virginia (2-1), 30-23 23-21
#22 Ohio State (2-1) over Kent State (0-3), 35-14 66-0
Never mind the lack of Week 1 and Week 2 predictions. We're starting with Week 3 because it's the first week I've thought of doing this. Now you may wonder what predictions I would have gotten right in the first two weeks. Assume many, but that's mostly because there weren't many upsets. Notably I would have picked Georgia over Clemson and Virginia Tech over Ohio State. However, I also would have failed picking the Michigan State-Oregon game and the USC-Stanford game. But enough of the would-have-beens, let's see how I do picking this week's games.
Admittedly, this week's schedule of games isn't particularly interesting on the surface. I've only picked a few upsets. But look closer and you'll see I've predicted several close games. Look for Missouri, Virginia Tech, and Louisville to be tested. Each is facing a one-loss opponent, but those were "high quality" losses to respectable opponents.
Oh, and one last thing, I will always be picking the Gators to win, whether I believe they likely will or won't. So just disregard that prediction if you only looking for the fair and unbiased ones. I don't want any investment in a Gator loss.
State of Florida:
Pittsburgh (2-0) over FIU (1-1), 52-7
#20 Missouri (2-0) over UCF (0-1), 31-24
Miami (1-1) over Arkansas State (1-1), 38-14
South Florida (1-1) over NC State (2-0), 24-21 (UPSET)
Tulsa (1-1) over Florida Atlantic (0-2), 35-10
Florida (1-0) over Kentucky (2-0), 44-9
#1 Florida State (2-0), BYE
Southeastern Conference:
Massachusetts (0-2) over Vanderbilt (0-2), 37-34 (UPSET)
Arkansas (1-1) over Texas Tech (2-0), 42-38 (UPSET)
#6 Georgia (2-0) over #24South Carolina (1-1), 31-17
#14 Mississippi (2-0) over Louisiana-Lafayette (1-1), 38-10
Mississippi State (2-0) over South Alabama (1-0), 49-20
#3 Alabama (2-0) over Southern Miss (1-1), 52-0
#10 LSU (2-0) over Louisiana-Monroe (2-0), 45-7
#4 Oklahoma (2-0) over Tennessee (2-0), 38-17
#7 Texas A&M (2-0) over Rice (0-1), 56-13
#5 Auburn (2-0), BYE
Top 25:
#25 BYU (2-0) over Houston (1-1), 45-7
#8 Baylor (2-0) over Buffalo (1-1), 45-13
#2 Oregon (2-0) over Wyoming (2-0), 52-10
#9 USC (2-0) over Boston College (1-1), 35-13
#11 Notre Dame (2-0) over Purdue (1-1), 48-10
#12 UCLA (2-0) over Texas (1-1), 34-17
#15 Stanford (1-1) over Army (1-0), 38-10
#16 Arizona State (2-0) over Colorado (1-1), 45-16
#17 Virginia Tech (2-0) over East Carolina (1-1), 31-24
