National landscape, week seven

Waters are becoming less muddy I guess. And now that we're in the thick of it, and despite knowing that some two and maybe even three loss teams will make the playoffs, it sure feels like some one loss teams need to prove their worth.

1. Texas (bye)
2. Oregon (bye)
3. BYU (bye)
4. Clemson (bye)
   
5. Ohio State (hosts)
6. Georgia (hosts)
7. Alabama (hosts)
8. Texas Tech (hosts)
9. Notre Dame
10. LSU
11. Penn State
12. Boise State

The biggest game of the weekend brought us the best game of the season. The Ducks outlasted the Buckeyes and have solidified their bye week, at least for now. To round out the Big10 I kept Ohio State at 5 and dropped Penn State down to 11.

The Big12 has three undefeated teams in BYU, Texas Tech, and Iowa State. I'm keeping BYU as the conference winner, kept Texas Tech at 8, and considered letting Iowa State in. I've felt like Utah would play themselves back into contention, but their loss to Arizona State Friday night is gonna leave them hunting for a bowl game. BYU (probably) has the easiest path to a bye week in the playoffs. But along with Texas Tech and Iowa State, I think Kansas State and Arizona State are in contention.

ACC...each week I feel Clemson stakes a better claim than Miami. We'll see if the Tigers can hold it together.

ACC Lite...will it be Notre Dame's last week in the standings? They have trips to GA Tech and then Navy in the next two weeks. Win those as well as a 11/23 home game against Army and they may just survive that home loss to the Salukis.

Boise State Cruised through Honolulu, and they may very well keep cruising all the way to their season finale against Oregon State. As a reminder, the Broncos' only loss is to Oregon, by a field goal.

Lastly, the SEC. The only real change was swapping Ole Miss for LSU. I still feel it's more likely the SEC gets just three teams in the playoff bracket. Texas seems the only shoe-in. Bama is on a couple shaky wheels, and it's hard to believe LSU is good enough defensively to carry them into a playoff bid.

And with our Dawgs, the next month's gauntlet will prove we're deserving, or not.

Anyway, as always, we close this weekly post with this: Those are at least some intriguing matchups in Round 1. $till not $old on making the $ea$on thi$ long. But I'd watch, and I gue$$ that'$ why they expanded, right?

Digesting Miss State

Let's start with the bad. Our secondary was exposed. To be fair, we couldn't develop a pass rush after we made them a one-dimensional offense. But every time we committed to a blitz, our secondary couldn't stand up to the task.

Burnt toast!

So it was nice to see Ellis Robinson gets some snaps late in the game. The true freshman may need to grow up fast if we are to challenge the meat of our schedule starting Saturday night in Austin.

The good. The offense found a groove. Carson trusted his playmakers downfield. That rollout where he flung it to the endzone and Dillon Bell caught it for the touchdown...that's what we've been waiting to see. The screens and check downs are still there, but our offense used the entire field Saturday which was nice to see.

The short of it is this: we're not the team we were hoping for. It was discouraging to give up so many long passes and touchdowns. Mississippi State is not a good football team and they're depending on a true freshman quarterback. Have seen a lot of people lament on Muschamp not being on our sideline any longer. But I prefer Brooks' point:

I answer this question as Kamari Lassiter, Javon Bullard, and Tykee Smith are in the midst of starting for yet another week in their rookie seasons.

The harsh reality is… you aren’t as good because you aren’t as good.

I’ll get more into the answers on tape this week. https://t.co/oyT0gJwVE7

— Brooks Austin (@BrooksAustinBA) October 13, 2024

National landscape, week six. The Tide falls.

For the second week in a row, the Alabama Crimson Tide is the lead story, and the biggest cause for the poll's shuffle. Vandy held the Tide down, inspiring the Fighting Sam Pittmans to take down the Vols.

So here we go:

1. Texas (bye)
2. Oregon (bye)
3. BYU (bye)
4. Clemson (bye)
5. Ohio State (hosts)
6. Georgia (hosts)
7. Alabama (hosts)
8. Texas Tech (hosts)
9. Penn State
10. Ole Miss
11. Notre Dame
12. Boise State

Michigan and Tennessee fall out of this week's poll after losses to Washington and Arkansas respectively. In their place I've moved Ole Miss back in, as well as Notre Dame.

It's not that I'm sold that both of those teams will make it in the end, but I couldn't find another team to go in ahead of them. Miami's gonna get caught paying off referees eventually, so I couldn't put a 2nd ACC team in. 

In the Big 10, Oregon hosts Ohio State this weekend. I doubt I drop the loser out next week. They'll probably just swap spots. Penn State impresses a little more each week and they travel to USC this weekend.

And if Ole Miss survives a night game in Baton Rouge, they'll have proven me right. For this week at least.

As for the SEC, I think in the end the committee will likely (at least try to) keep the conference at three teams. I just can't put a Miami ahead of Ole Miss. Who else is worthy? Iowa State? I just can't see it.

I do see a chance for Utah to move back into the picture. The Utes host both BYU and Iowa State next month.

So a lot to be settled in the next couple months. And it starts this weekend!

the Friday Misery doesn't want Abuurn's company

If a group of young men decide to use paint to express their school spirit, it is generally praised and welcomed by other fans. If said paint is to be used to spell words, it adds a delicate layer of importance in regards to placement.

Trust me, I was once the "W" in DAWGS for a winner take the SEC conference crown matchup in Stegeman Coliseum between Hugh Durham's basketball team and LSU's Tigers. And sure enough, when the camera did aim in our direction, the five of us were in the correct order. There was no confusion as to why we were rooting for "DWASG" or "ADSWG".

Then there's these dipshits from the plains.

Hey, any idiot can throw a roll of toilet paper...you know, in the event their War Eagle Tiger Plainsmen win a tackle football game. But it takes a special group of mouth breathing, illiterate dumbasses to misspell their school's name whilst calling so much attention to themselves with painted bare chests.

the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry

This game used to define friendly rivalry. These football programs have a history intertwined and woven into the very fabric of their being. Most notably: Vince Dooley was an Auburn man before he moved to Athens; and Pat Dye was a Georgia guy before settling in West Opelika.

Good boy Magillicuddy! (via)

There was even a time about 10 years ago when the series record was not only tied, but the total points scored were remarkably close. Georgia at Auburn in 1996 produced the SEC's first tiebreaker. Uga V tried to take a bite out of Auburn's Robert Baker, which brought the Georgia team out of the doldrums and we came back from a 28-7 deficit to force the OT.

But time has not been kind to this Auburn football program. They are the team you thought of when you were ever posed the question: would you rather win a national championship and then go through years of CFB purgatory, or have a consistent team that always at least makes a bowl game?

They paid Cecil Newton for his son, won the natty, everyone bailed, and they're on their fifth head coach since winning the 2010 BCS trophy. Worse than that, they've become whiny little pissants that get to play two home games against Georgia in back to back years. They not only yell obscenities at a coach on his way out, but also on his way in! 

They're miserable humans. I mean I don't approve of what Harvey Updyke did, but I get it. It's tiring listening to them complain when a call doesn't go their way, when they can't figure out which shoe is for their right foot, who their true mascot is, why their personal pan pizza is SOOO hot, and when it turns out the story their coach having an illicit affair was falsely reported by one of their own!

Maybe misery does love company, but go kick rocks Auburn fan. Sick of your shit!

10th Magnolia Avenue freeeezze out!

It's so fitting that Auburn bought out Harsin's contract just to bring in noted slut shaming Mr. School Issued Burner Phone, just so they could beat Saban's mighty Alabama. You know, the way Freeze did when he was racking up NCAA violations at Ole Miss. How's it working out? Well, Bama beat the War Tigers last season by a field goal, Freeze finished his inaugural season on the Plains at 7-6, then Saban retired.

And it's been downhill since for the little war tigers and Coach Freeze. Instead of developing quarterback talent, ol' Hugh has taken to bad mouthing his personnel to the media, radio show listeners, his wife, their equipment crew, or just about anyone who will listen. Or at least pretend to.

You weep reap what you sow little brother! This is the resume for the guy you hired:

1. engaged in rampant recruiting violations at Ole Miss
2. blamed a former coach for the violations, thereby opening up a defamation lawsuit by Houston Nutt
3. Nutt's attorneys then discovered the escort service calls, dating back to when he landed in Oxford
4. And definitely worst of all, while head coach at Liberty, DM'd a sexual assault survivor that had been critical of the school's hiring of Baylor's former AD who had been part of its unchecked sexual assaults by Baylor student athletes.

Wow. But this is the fanbase that celebrated Trooper's towel and Fairley's late hits. So we hope you are ready for your whoopin' Barners! Then you can continue to enjoy your stroll through Purgatory. Now, let's bow our heads...Lord, please keep Coach Freeze away from Chip Towers' Toppers this weekend. And please let his team's offense continue to be abundantly inept at protecting the football. Amen!

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In memory of the great Senator Blutarsky. He did not care for Auburn. Sir, I hope you enjoy this one from your spot upstairs. Go Dawgs!

National landscape, week five. The Tide rises!

This week finds another shakeup in my poll as well as the SEC. Alabama's 1st half beat down followed by its 4th quarter resiliency forces Texas out of the top spot. Beating Georgia is a quality win. The Longhorns defeat of Michigan (even though that one was on the road) isn't nearly as shiny.

Let's get straight to it.

1. Alabama (bye)
2. Oregon (bye)
3. BYU (bye)
4. Clemson (bye)
5. Texas (hosts)
6. Ohio State (hosts)
7. Georgia (hosts)
8. Michigan (hosts)
9. Tennessee 
10. Texas Tech
11. Penn State
12. Boise State

Sticking with four teams in the SEC. Ole Miss could play their way back in, but Missouri has the easier path. Alabama goes from 7 to 1 as they look the most ready for a post-season run. Meanwhile, Texas drops from 1 to 5, and therefore Georgia drops from 5 to 7. Tennessee stays put.

From there, things get muddy quickly.

In the Big10, I'm sticking with Oregon getting the conference's bye. Ohio State and Penn State I believe will be the other contenders. The Nittany Lions move into this week's poll thanks to UCF's loss to Deion Sanders' ego Colorado. Indiana and Michigan lead the conference with 2-0 records.

Over in the Big12, Utah's loss takes them out completely. I suspect they'll remain in contention however. And I hope the Utes bounce back, because after BYU there is Texas Tech and Colorado. The Red Radiers grab the 10 spot with the toss of a coin.

Lastly, I'm giving the Group of 5 spot to Boise State. The Broncos are the highest ranked G5 team in the AP, while UNLV is ranked in the Coaches Poll. I went with the Broncos because Ashton Jeanty is chasing record books and a Heisman trophy, not NIL money (that I know of).

Anyway, as always, we close this weekly post with this: Those are at least some intriguing matchups in Round 1. $till not $old on making the $ea$on thi$ long. But I'd watch, and I gue$$ that'$ why they expanded, right?

Digesting Alabama

My first point is most important, to those that wanna blame Mike Bobo...was this your first experience watching a football game?

We had the correct game plan. We didn't have the proper execution. And while you can, in some manner, blame the coaches for the latter, you cannot blame them for the former.

via

We needed to be aggressive offensively. We needed to stretch the Crimson Tide defense. And we did just that with two deep balls on the opening drive. After a drop by Smith, and a catch by Lovett that was negated by an offensive pass interference call. After that, the offense spent roughly 23 minutes of game clock as a shell of itself.

Defensively, I'm perplexed as to how to defend Jalen Milroe. Back in December we frequently spied him, sometimes with two linebackers. That didn't work. Heading into Saturday night's contest, I thought we'd have more success since (I thought) he didn't have as many weapons. We played a lot of zone coverage to keep our eyes on the ball, and he still torched us.

Kudos to DeBoer and his staff. Kudos to the Alabama players. The Tide knocked us to our knees before we got to the second commercial break.

But hats off to our team for not giving up. That second half was an epic turnaround. Beck shook the cobwebs loose. Lawson Luckie had his best game. And Bobo had Alabama on their heels. 

And we had the lead for about 13 seconds. Then it was over.

Hopefully a Homecoming matchup against Auburn can provide a reset. Although it seems a reset at least started in the halftime locker room Saturday night.

the Friday Misery is like Tyler Simmons...onside!

On September 18th, 1965 the Georgia Bulldog offense pulled off an infamous hook and lateral against the Crimson colored Tide for a touchdown inside the beautiful confines of Sanford Stadium. Tide fans argued that Georgia tight end Pat Hodgson's knees were down prior to said lateral, which is perhaps why Hodgson was so open on the next play for a 2-point conversion.

Dawgs won 18-17.

history teaches us nothing

Why bring up that game in 1965, which was even a few years before I was born? Because that's the only Georgia-Alabama game I think of prior to 2002, when Billy Bennett helped us to a win in Tuscaloosa to prove we were "man enough". For two teams that have met 73 times, there hasn't been much history to speak to. After that 2007 "one and done" overtime victory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama has dominated the series. Until Indy saw Bryce Young complete that beautiful touchdown pass to Kelee Ringo, they had won seven straight.

One night in Indy

The teams have played in seven different cities. And Indianapolis is the only one where we have a winning record against the Tide. Tomorrow night marks just the 11th time we've played them in Tuscaloosa (and we're looking for just our 3rd win btw). 

After that 2007 Dawgs' win, Saban went on to dominate Richt and Smart teams to the tune of 8-1. We never beat him in the SECCG in four tries, 2012 being our best chance. If it weren't for the National Championship win over Alabama, we would have a serious complex. They lead the series 43-26-4, but it's the recent history that draws the most frustration. The Richt teams getting dominated in 2008 and 2015. Then Kirby raised the bar, but the Tide still found ways to squirm into a win. (For reference, look back at the two 2018 matchups. Ugh.)

But that was then, and this is the Friday before the young season's biggest game. Coach DeBoer leads the Tide now, while Saban spends weekdays on the golf course. DeBoer's resume is a quick read, but shows he succeeds wherever he goes. Our beloved Coach Smart meanwhile is the second longest tenured coach in the conference.

This week I have seen some people suggest the series between these two teams is a rivalry. I disagree, at least not in the way of the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party or the Third Saturday in October. No, I see this as a series that, until recently, was rather ho-hum. Minus the occasional hook and lateral, it was likely to put Dawg fans to sleep.

We're awake now though, right?

prelude to a new era

I think it happened in the Benz Dome that fateful night January 8th, 2018. Kirby's Dawgs fought hard, but Bama prevailed.

It was devastating. The Georgia Bulldogs' first National Championship since Herschel's separated shoulder was in our grasp. And then the Mighty Sabanites pulled it away. Fists were clenched. Tears welled. Dreams dashed. We found breathing to be an arduous task.

Our coach, was our player

But that game showed us that we had a coach that could form a team of contenders. And we knew he could not only stand toe-to-toe with his godfather, but was much younger. Indianapolis came and went. Back 2 Back happened before our eyes.

And now Saban has retired, thus the commencement of the Crimson Tide Kalen DeBoer Era.

both here and now

While Kirby didn't cut his coaching teeth in Tuscaloosa, it was his home turf from 2007-2015. While he was trekking through Athens-Valdosta-Tallahassee-Baton Rouge-Athens again-Miami on his way to Tuscaloosa, Kalen DeBoer was building championship NAIA teams in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He's known as an offensive mastermind, even before coordinating an Indiana offense that averaged well over 400 yards per game!

But he's never faced Them Dawgs. Much of his team helped defeat us in last year's SECCG, sure. But what pours from the heart of our head man, forms itself into his team's constitution.

So gimme Kirby effin' Smart. He's not afraid of Tuscaloosa, a title town he helped build the infrastructure for. He's not afeared of their copy-cat lights and some Dixieland Delights. And he for damn sure ain't gonna shy away from a dude named Kalen.

Hold your head up high fellow Dawg fans...our coach is a Dawg and not a pachyderm! Now let's bow our heads...dear Lord our God, we pray for those that have been in Helene's nasty path. And this is a big one tomorrow night, so provide a path to sack that Milroe a few times. And Carson Beck can take it from there! Amen, and Go Dawgs!

Midweek thoughts on Georgia & Alabama

The closer the kick to Saturday night's game gets, the better I feel. It's going to be a slugfest. Don't get me wrong. But I think we bow up and take their punches before dealing our own.

For that reason, I like Brooks' keys to the victory for Georgia Saturday night. Milroe and his offense is explosive and they will undoubtedly make some big plays, but I think we can both minimize them in both frequency and explosiveness.

And the best way to do that is to maintaining rush lane integrity. Don't let Milroe out of the pocket easily. Brooks calls it a "dirty pocket". Meaning, contained havoc. Brock Vandergriff broke containment a few times up in Lexington. I've said before, Milroe can turn those yards into touchdowns.

It's always important to protect the football, especially on the road. At night. On national TV. But I hope we see Beck take some shots. If he and Bobo can stretch this defense, we can pound them. They're riding high after their drubbing of Wisconsin. Not only is our team much better, but we're deeper and more experienced for big time national games.

Maybe it's off base to type this, but I look at our opening win against Clemson as a much bigger deal. I think we're a team with a chip on our shoulders. Let's tee it up and see if Bama can knock it off.

National landscape, week four. Longhorns in it for the long haul.

The further we get into the season the more some things take shape. Clemson has clearly put the opening week beat down behind them. Auburn is still better at making excuses than fielding a functioning SEC quarterback. Florida can show a pulse playing in the likes of Starkville, MS.

Take a moment and let that one simmer. 😉

Similarly, Texas lost it's starting quarterback, but hasn't lost its step. At all. Of course, it helps when said starter's backup has a last name of Manning. But still, they have looked the part. Their only solid opponent was Michigan, whom they manhandled. But they've done what they were supposed to do against the others, including the cupcakes.

We'll know for sure after Georgia visits Austin next month, but for now they remain my top team in the SEC.

Scanning the other conferences and Group of 5's...Clemson continues to roll. Even with the loss compared to Miami's 4-0 record, I have the Tigers winning the ACC and getting the conference's only bid. In the Big10, staying with Oregon. Then I have Ohio State at 2a and Michigan at 2b. Ohio State's schedule thus far has been empty calories, but Michigan's loss to Texas still weighs heavier than its win over USC Saturday. Penn State also in the mix for the 2nd or 3rd Big10 playoff spot. 

Admittedly, this is where I go solely on what I have read or seen in just Sunday morning highlights. I can see the Big12 getting two spots, likely between these three teams: Utah, BYU, and UCF. Kansas State and Oklahoma State both lost, but they play each other this weekend. So the winner could get back in the mix. And the Group of 5 is a crapshoot between UNLV and Liberty, with NIU, Boise State and Memphis hanging around.

Enough of the plodding and the plotting. Here's this week's bracket:

1. Texas (bye)
2. Oregon (bye)
3. Utah (bye)
4. Clemson (bye)
5. Georgia (hosts)
6. Ohio State (hosts)
7. Alabama (hosts)
8. Michigan (hosts)
9. Tennessee 
10. BYU
11. UCF
12. UNLV

A few changes this week. Most notably, put Tennessee in as the last SEC team over previously seeded Ole Miss. Both could get in, but right now I'm sticking with four SEC teams and the Vols added to their resume with the win in Norman. Michigan gets the third Big10 spot ahead of Penn State this week. And BYU and UNLV get in instead of NIU and Boise State.

Anyway, as always, we close this weekly post with this: Those are at least some intriguing matchups in Round 1. $till not $old on making the $ea$on thi$ long. But I'd watch, and I gue$$ that'$ why they expanded, right?

National Landscape, week three. The Dawgs lose a first round bye.

Once again, this week brings some changes. Although I'm not overly concerned about this Georgia team, I do admit it now feels less likely we can go undefeated. The Dawgs' schedule is just brutal and the offensive line is down a starter and looked road weary already Saturday night.

So I'm shaking up my SEC stance this week. I'm moving Texas up to the top, which drops Georgia significantly. And I'm also shying away from my confidence in the SEC getting five teams in. To put it as concisely as I can, I think Georgia, Alabama, and Texas are my clear favorites to compete for the conference crown. And I think all three get in the playoffs. That leaves Ole Miss, Missouri and Tennessee on a second tier, and maybe only one of them gets in.

Why? Of those three, Tennessee has the hardest path. They get Bama at home, and go on the road against their other two ranked opponents - Oklahoma this weekend, and Georgia in November. Missouri - away games against A&M and Bama, home against Oklahoma. Ole Miss - home against Oklahoma and Georgia. It's early I know, but it feels like these three need to shove their way onto that first tier to guarantee a spot come December.

Lucky for them, there's still a LOT of football to be played.

In the ACC, I'm sticking with Clemson over Miami. And I still don't see a second team making the playoffs. In the Big10 however, Oregon finally showed some hope for a post-season run in their win over a pesky Oregon State team. I'll keep Penn State and Ohio State in, but move the Ducks up to a 1st round bye. And in the Big 12, Kansas State's rout of Arizona put them on my radar. But I'm keeping Utah as both the Big 12's conference champ and only seed in the bracket.

The only thing left to decide: if I scale the SEC's seedings down from five to four, who gets the other spot. At this point I'd have to go with the Salukis, as NIU's victory over Notre Dame is the Group of 5's biggest win thus far. In fact it only looked better after the Fighting Irish laid waste to the Boilermakers this past weekend. But keeping an eye on Toledo and Memphis here too.

Onto the bracket:

1. Texas (bye)
2. Oregon (bye)
3. Utah (bye)
4. Clemson (bye)
5. Georgia (hosts)
6. Penn State (hosts)
7. Alabama (hosts)
8. Ohio State (hosts)
9. Ole Miss
10. UCF
11. Boise State
12. NIU

Yes, I know that Tennessee and Missouri are likely better than (probably) both Group of 5 teams. But it's September 18th, and I prefer to recognize NIU's play on the field rather than reward something...I don't know...something like an onside kick in the 1st quarter when you're up 30-0.

Anyway, as always, we close this weekly post with this: Those are at least some intriguing matchups in Round 1. $till not $old on making the $ea$on thi$ long. But I'd watch, and I gue$$ that'$ why they expanded, right?