Brain Droppings

It was a pretty fun weekend of football. I was able to attend the UGA game and then get in front of a TV to watch the rest of the big match-ups until drifting off to sleep in the middle of the Oregon/Wazzou game. We're 1/4 of the way through the season and things are continuing to shake out. Sunday was also a pretty spectacular NFL day as well. Usually, I'm watching the Falcons with a keen eye on my fantasy team but with the Birds winning on Thursday night I paid attention to a little more of the League. If I can say one thing through 4 weeks of CFB and 3 weeks of NFL, I can say this: If you know what's going to happen next, you're kidding yourself. It's why football has become the most popular sport in the country. There is no way anyone had Cleveland beating the Saints last week and just when everyone thinks Missouri was the team to beat in the SEC East, they lose to Indiana. Craziness.

1) Thuds - Mizzou - The aforementioned Tigers were being touted as the best team in the SEC East with both Carolina and UGA having an early SEC loss. Then they lost to a team that hadn't beaten a ranked opponent since 2006. It could've been a look ahead to an important meeting with the Gamecocks this week, but a good team has to find a way to win that one. BTW, who would've thought that Indiana would have the best win for a BIG 10 team so far this season. Florida's Defense - I don't understand why anyone thought that Florida's offense would be any different. Jeff Driskel had given no indication at any point he was the answer at QB before he got hurt last year. Why would anyone think that would change. However, Florida's defense has always been solid. Not on Saturday. Alabama torched the Gators for a record amount of yards and 42 points. Coach Boom had no answer. If the Tide could hang on to the ball in the first half, this game would've been a blood bath. Well, it was still a blood bath. Clemson - The only team that may be more Georgia than Georgia is Clemson. You've got the ball on the one inch line. Hey, let's go shotgun here. Ok, you don't have a package where the QB gets under center. I'll buy that. Then you get an interception and really only have to run the clock out to win the game with what you would think is a gimme FG (there were actually no gimmes for that kicker). But instead of giving him the chance, you manage to fumble with less than 2 minutes left after gaining a first down in the red zone. But you still have a chance in OT. But you go shotgun again on 4th and 1 and lose a yard. Ouch. It was one thing to get torched by UGA in the opener. It's another thing to have the #1 team in the country beat (in a conference game) and let it get away. Wow. Also, FSU rushed for negative yards until the OT. How good does the UGA rushing attack look now?

2) Studs - Amari Cooper - When Alabama broke my heart as a UGA fan two years ago in the SEC Championship, the person that stood out to me most in that game was Cooper. You could tell how fast he was. Then he had a bit of a Sophomore Slump. Can't say that now. He was a baller in that game against the Gator's D and a lot of it was against what many thought was one of the nation's best corners in Vernon Hargreaves. I'm a homer so I'd still rate Todd Gurley a nose ahead of him as the best player in the SEC and possibly the nation. Nick Foles - Props to my Fantasy QB for taking a nasty cheap shot and then getting back up and leading the Eagles to victory in the NFL. The play resulted in a bench clearing brawl. It appeared Foles was going to have to head into the locker room but cleaning up the fight gave the trainers enough time to help him shake the cobwebs out. Plus, my fantasy team really needed that extra TD. Thank you sir. Dak Precott - The Miss State QB committed to the Bulldogs early and stayed true even when mighty LSU came in with a late offer. His reward thus far had been one victory in the SEC West over anyone not named Ole Miss or Arkansas. Then, on Saturday night, Prescott led the Bizarro Bulldogs to an impressive win in Death Valley leaving a very talented LSU team and their fan base stunned. Things don't get easier for Dan Mullen's crew since they're in the West. In fact, LSU may be 6th best team in the West but wins at night don't come easy when you visit Baton Rouge.

3) Playoffs - Other conferences are making it difficult to keep teams in it. Barring something amazing, the Big 10 is all but eliminated from contention. The ACC was on the brink with FSU on the ropes the other night. My problem with that game was that I know Jameis would've made a difference. I'm just not sure how big that difference would have been. Oregon was perilously close to getting beat by the Pirate Mike Leach and the Washington State Cougars. I still don't think a committee will let two teams into the playoff from one conference but at this point how can you not? If there is a one loss SEC West team and they only get beat by the SEC Champion from the West, how do you leave them out, right now? I'm still sticking to one team from each league but it's getting tougher. (1) Alabama - dominant in a win against the Gators. I'm beginning to question how good A&M's victory over South Carolina is now. The Tide jump the Aggies (2) Oklahoma  - Nice win against a game WVU club. (3) Oregon - Still the best in the PAC-12 (4) Florida State - Hard to leave them out until they lose, which they probably won't

4) Next Week - ESPN's Gameday is going to South Carolina for their match up with Missouri which sounded like a good idea until Indiana beat the Tigers. I'm not sure a loss eliminates South Carolina from East contention quite yet, but it would hurt. UGA needs to handle an improving Tennessee squad to re-establish itself as a contender. Arkansas and A&M match up in a battle of styles. On the west coast, Stanford faces a Washington team that at one point was losing to Georgia State by 2 TDs. UCLA and Arizona State also meet in a an interesting affair. A win puts UCLA back in the conversation. A win for the Sun Devil's starts a conversation.

5) SEC Power Rankings
     14) Vanderbilt - Showed signs of life. Still lost.
     13) Kentucky - Had a chance against the Gators and end up stuck here.
     12) Florida - If they don't have a defense, then they can't win games
     11) Tennessee - A big opportunity against a UGA team that is known to lose a game like this every now and then.
     10) Arkansas - A big game against a top flight opponent. We'll find out soon if the Hogs are really out of the cellar.
      9) LSU - A lot of talent but it looked young most of the night against State
      8) Missouri - Losing to Indiana really hurts the perception of this up and coming team.
      7) Ole Miss - We'll know how real the Rebels are in two weeks against the Tide.
      6) Georgia - I think the Dawgs are even with Carolina but I'll put them here since they got beat by them,
      5) South Carolina - Steve Spurrier doesn't think they're very good and he's the coach. Their defense certainly is not very good.
      4) Mississippi State - Great win for the program but a long way to go.
      3) Auburn - Really shouldn't have beaten K-State but got it done. Much tougher teams looming on a really tough road schedule.
      2) Texas A&M - The Carolina defense they torched in the opener isn't as good as advertised. However, A&M may still be that good.
      1) Alabama - Regaining their throne for now. Very impressive win against the Gators. The problem is: How good are the Gators?