The Color & Pageantry Top 25

College Football

Top 25

1.      Florida State, 3-0, 1
2.      Alabama, 4-0, 2
3.      Auburn, 3-0
4.      Oklahoma, 4-0, 4
5.      Oregon, 4-0, 5
6.      Baylor, 3-0, 6
7.      Texas A&M, 4-0, 7
8.      Notre Dame, 3-0, 9
9.      Michigan State, 2-1, 10
10.    Mississippi, 3-0, 11
11.    UCLA, 3-0, 12
12.    South Carolina, 3-1, 13
13.    Georgia, 2-1, 14
14.    Nebraska, 4-0, 16
15.    Stanford, 2-1, 15
16.    Mississippi State, 3-0, NR
17.    Louisiana State, 3-1, 8
18.    Wisconsin, 2-1, 17
19.    Arizona State, 3-0, 19
20.    BYU, 3-0, 20
21.    Clemson, 1-2, 24
22.    East Carolina, 2-1, NR
23.    Kansas State, 2-1, 18
24.    USC, 2-1, 22
25.    Oklahoma State, 2-1, NR

OUT:  Missouri (21), Florida (22) and Ohio State (25)

VOTES:  Duke, Florida, Ohio State, Texas Christian, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Arkansas, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Penn State and Iowa.

NATIONAL ANALYSIS:

It is amazing how the top teams, albeit winning for the most part, are struggling mightily in the early going this season.  Defending National Champion Florida State has looked vulnerable, even with Jameis Winston. .... Alabama does not look as powerful as they have been in recent seasons, although they threw up 645 yards against the Gators, which is the most the Gators have given up in the history of the program and will turn the temp up on the hot seat....Auburn looked grounded at K-State on Thursday.  Each team dropped a touchdown pass, but as the Wildcat placekicker missed three field goal attempts, the Tigers found a way to get the win....Oregon held on to win at Washington State, but without QB Mariota, I doubt they would have gotten the W....I had Mississippi  State ranked after week one, but I sold their stock when they gave up 34 points to UAB, but the Bulldogs took it to LSU at Baton Rouge, opening up a huge lead then holding on to dump the Tigers, who are a year away.  State has some mighty fine pieces, including quarterback Dak Prescott.....If they can keep their coach, as the goings on at Michigan, which included a hapless 26-10 home loss to Utah on Saturday, surely have the UM administration looking to make a coaching change......Arizona scored 36 points in the fourth quarter to defeat upstart Cal.  The Cats needed a Hail Mary pass on the last play, and the comeback is an NCAA record for a team trailing as the fourth quarter began.....Just when we thought Mizzou might be a player in the SEC, they go out and lay an egg at home against Indiana, who although is decent on offense, lost the previous week to Bowling Green. Ouch!.....Arkansas continues to look like they may be an issue in the SEC West....Much of the nation was stunned to see Georgia State up 14-0 at Washington, but the Huskies awoke and scored 45 in the second half to win going away.....BYU held on to beat a much improved Virginia team out in picturesque Provo... South Carolina had a lot of trouble at Vanderbilt, who is off to a horrendous start....New Mexico outlasted New Mexico State....Cincinnati, considered a serious sleeper on the national stage, struggled to defeat Miami (OH), who owns the nation's longest losing streak.....OU used a strong third quarter to distance themselves from pesky West Virginia at Morgantown, winning 45-33....East Carolina left North Carolina dizzy, piling up a mind boggling 795 total yards in dismantling the Tar Heels 70-41.  With a potential opening at Florida, many thought UNC Coach Larry Fedora might be the guy, but after this tarring, take him off the list, and forget about North Carolina taking it up a notch this fall to challenge for the ACC Coastal, as we unfortunately thought they might do.....Thoughts and prayers with ESPN's Reece Davis, who lost his father. We are fans of Reece.

ESPN Gameday was in Tallahassee, and given the Jameis Winston developments, as usual, the signs were stellar.

NEBRASKA ANALYSIS:

Twenty seasons ago, Nebraska used a punishing pass rush and a power running game to take command of the Miami Hurricanes in the famed the 1994 Orange Bowl.  Cory Schlesinger of Duncan provided two fourth quarter runs from his fullback position,  and most of the demons associated with the stunning loss the top ranked Cornhuskers suffered to Miami after a failed two point conversion eleven seasons earlier were exorcised.  Members of that team were welcomed back to Memorial Stadium, even with full participation in the heart pounding tunnel walk, as Nebraska hosted Miami in Lincoln for the first time since Vince Ferragamo was  signal caller.  It was a glorious evening.

Seemingly reflective of those glory teams Nebraska fielded, the Cornhuskers utilized a turf eating rushing attack led by brilliant tailback Ameer Abdullah.  Behind stellar play from the big uglies, Abdullah left no doubt of his Heisman candidacy, spinning out of tackles turning short gains into long runs by gathering sought after yards after contact.  The Hurricanes had been statistically strong against the run in 2014, notably behind top linebacker Denzel Perryman, but the Canes had no answer for the 'Huskers.

 

'Husker Heisman hopeful Ameer Abdullah loose vs. 'Canes

Tommy Armstrong, sans a pair of poor turnovers, played well and distributed the ball most effectively.  The passing game was good, with Kenny Bell making big plays, which will be needed down the stretch. On the stop side, there were some very strong plays from the Cornhuskers.  Up front, Nebraska was strong with Randy Gregory, Greg McMullen, Vincent Valentine and Maliek Collins.  But, while David Santos had a very good game, his cohorts at linebacker did not, which allowed Miami to move the ball all evening.  The Hurricanes young freshman quarterback has a bright future, but he should have been better corralled.   The secondary was good, and I continue to notice freshman Joshua Kalu making big plays, which may result in him being All B1G if he is not careful.

 

Miami has athletes, and punishing them the way the 'Huskers did, even if the Big Red gave up way to many points and yards, is just what the doctor ordered for this team.  If the team can continue to improve next game out, Homecoming versus Illinois, a huge opportunity will greet them in East Lansing in two weeks.  Are the Cornhuskers up to the task?  From what I have seen, I like the matchup.

 

FLORIDA STATE ANALYSIS
 

With ESPN Gameday on hand as Florida State was about to play the most important game of the season against ACC Atlantic Division foe Clemson, knuckle brain Seminole quarterback Jameis Winston faces suspension for making obscene comments in the FSU student union.  By itself for a normal student, this juvenile action would perhaps by laughable.  But for Winston, who cannot seem to grasp he is not a normal kid and lives in a fishbowl as the quarterback of the defending National Champions and the current Heisman Trophy winner, this type of conduct is not acceptable.  Given Winston was appropriately not charged in a sexual assault case last fall, and particularly considering the current temperature given the swirling media sharks surrounding the National Football League, these comments which degraded women should not consider leaving his mouth.  Sadly, Winston does not get it and is beyond tone deaf.  As such, he was suspended for the first half.  Then, late Friday night, he was suspended for the full game. Winston is a knucklehead but FSU is lacking adequate leadership in the administration, inclusive of AD Stan Wilcox, as he remained absent from the media all weekend.  This is not adequate leadership, and I have been calling for heads to roll in the administration up there for some time.

Sean Maguire, and Elite 11 prospect from Sparta, NJ, was called upon to direct the Seminole offensive attack against the Tigers, who sport a top defensive front seven.  Maguire struggled early on, but of particular concern was horrendous play of a most veteran offensive line.  Stellar tackle Cameron Erving lost his battle with Tiger pass rusher extraordinaire Vic Beasley most of the night, and even our top guards were not playing well.  With a weakness at center, the Seminoles were not generating any type of running game which was crucial to allowing Maguire to evolve.  Meanwhile, although there were breakdowns, the defense was playing well and kept FSU in the game.  The Seminoles made halftime adjustments that were helpful and noticeable, as the long passing game was not much of an option in the first half.  Short passes mixed in helped open things up a bit in the second half, and Maguire found stellar wide receiver Rashaad  Greene for a 74 yard touchdown pass. 

 

 

Touchdown Florida State!  Rashaad Greene once again!

Mistakes from Clemson helped FSU win, but it also took plays that do not show up on the stat sheet, like one DE Chris Casher made. Clemson had a chance to potentially break the game open with a first and goal, but hiked the ball over the quarterbacks head and then missed a short field goal.  With the ball approaching the red zone late, FSU DT Eddie Goldman caused a fumble which resulted in a turnover. The game reached overtime, with Clemson up first.   The FSU D rose up, forcing a fourth and one.  The Tigers, whose kicking game was a significant issue, went for it.  A slow developing handoff to the Clemson running back was met by Eddie Goldman, who busted into the backfield to make the hit, cleaned up by Terrance Smith and Tyler Hunter, to cause Clemson to lose overtime possession without a score, which is a killer.  With the strong kicking game FSU has, it seemed game over.   It was, with Karlos Williams running twice, the second a touchdown from twelve yards out.

The Seminoles were fortunate to win the game, but that is what teams engaged in a nineteen game school record winning streak do.  While the game played by Mcguire is much appreciated, the game ball, and a slew of tomahawks, go to DT Eddie Goldman.  I see you Eddie!

Maybe Winston, who will be back at NC State this week provided there are no additional ill conceived outbursts , can act responsibly for the remainder of the season, which potentially could bring the Seminoles another national title.  The coaches and players are quite fond of Jameis, and a lot of little kids are watching, so I really hope he can turn the corner and act in a manner those of us cheering for him can be proud of.  Thus far, his actions are mixed at best, and there is little rope left for future shenanigans.