Loading ...
« Saturday Morning College Football Breakfast Burrito, Week 7 | Main | Texas takes over the #1 spot »
A celebration of college football upsets
By Vince Mullins | October 12, 2008
which now seems to be a weekly occurrence…
Number one is not safe. Nor is being ranked third. Nor is rating as the fourth best team in the nation and having the leading Heisman Trophy candidate at QB wearing the jersey of a fallen teammate. The only reprieve in the top four was having the week off to witness the carnage.
#5 Texas took out #1 Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout Rivalry in a game for the ages, 45-35. The quarterbacks proved deserving of all the pregame hype, but the standout to me was the receiving and returning of Texas Jordan Shipley (right, Icon SMI). Shipley has fought back from years of nagging injuries and had his coming out party with numerous big plays, but none bigger than the kickoff return for TD that immediately halted any Sooner momentum.
FCB pollsters thought that OU would benefit more from this game, with Alabama right behind that (which I suppose was a vote for Texas?).
#2 Alabama may be at home wondering aloud if they get the top spot this week in the polls, or do the Longhorns leapfrog past them? Open letter to Alabama faithful - don’t sweat it, check the calendar. Keep up the great work in the SEC, notice Texas’ schedule over the next month and bide your time.
More on the Gators returning to the national title picture, and the Pokes stealing #1 dreams at The Zou after the jump.
Number three LSU Tigers had its freshman QB in his first road start visiting the Swamp, the location of the mind-numbing Ole Miss upset two weeks ago. With revenge and redemption on their minds, we should have known the Gators would romp and they delivered the butt-kicking of the day, 51-21. Granted, the Tigers reacted strongly after getting hit early, but the Gators dominated for most of the clock. Too much speed in the backfield for just about any defense to deal with as world-class sprinters Percy Harvin, Jeff Demps and Brandon James hit you from all positions along the formation. The Gators were my pre-season pick for the title and return to that spot this week (Doesn’t mean they deserve the #1 ranking, if that makes any sense).
Finally, the upset closest to home was the Oklahoma State Cowboys taming the AP #4 Missouri Tigers (not the best mascot for the day, yes?), 28-23. At their home field, Mizzou had won 18 of the last 19 only adding t the improbable nature of the game which was much more defensive than expected. It was Zac Robinson (right, Tulsa World), not Chase Daniel, who played like a Heisman Trophy contender, completing 19-for-28 for 215 yards and two long touchdowns while running for one. RB Kendall Hunter stole the show on the ground with 154 yards on the ground. Pokes fans usually have the Gator Bowl in their sites, but looking ahead they should be favored in all but two games (road tilts at Texas and Oklahoma) so perhaps they should aim a bit higher.
If the theme of upsets is destined to continue, this week perhaps Missouri gets back in the hunt with a win at Texas? TCU hosts unbeaten BYU on Thursday for all the country to see. Less likely the moribund Michigan Wolverines might step up when they visit Penn State? Perhaps Ole Miss plays spoiler again if Alabama gets complacent?
Stay tuned - that is what makes this sport so damn much fun to watch. Of course I may have felt differently if my teams were not the upsetters but rather the upsettees…
Topics: Big 12, College Football, SEC, The Trend is Your Friend, Vince Mullins |
Comments are closed.
