The Color & Pageantry Top 25

College Football

Top 25

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

OUT: South Carolina (12) and Southern Cal (24).

VOTES: South Carolina, Southern Cal, Missouri, Florida, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, Arkansas, Miami, Louisville, NC State, Marshall and Iowa.

NATIONAL ANALYSIS

You have to give Arizona State some credit, as they fired it all cylinders against UCLA with a backup signal caller and has the Bruins gasping for air early, but Bruin QB Brett Hundley unleashed his own aerial attack and blasted the Sun Devils 62-27.....Oklahoma State scored a home victory over Texas Tech....Northwestern finally played up their potential and thoroughly outplayed Penn State in Happy Valley, and thankfully, we can put to bed all the Nittany Lion false hoopla and quit rhetorically elevating QB Christian Hackenburg into something he is not....LSU and Ole Miss cruised to easy wins, or did they, as they games looked more constested than the score may indicate, in preparation for big tilts next weekend....The woes at Michigan are significant, getting their ass kicked on the field and having empty seats in the Big House, which will likely spell the end of the Brady Hoke era....Kansas fired the first salvo, dumping Charlie Weiss after the Jayhawks failed to score in a home loss to Texas.  Not sure what happened to Weis, but his last two stints and Florida and Kansas have been awful....Much improved Kentucky under Mark Stoops got an SEC win...BC was living high off their stunning smashing of Southern Cal, but got beat at home Colorado State, which was a buzzkill to be sure....Yale upended Army in overtime....Terry Bowden's Akron Zips went to Pitt and stunned the Panthers in a shocker....Arkansas faded late, losing to the Texas Aggies in Jerry's World, but the Hogs are making good progress....With Todd Gurley resting through large portions of the game, Georgia outlasted an much improved Tennessee team between the hedges, with the Vols QB firing it all over the place even after having to sit out much of the third period due to a shoulder....Improved teams Colorado and Cal fought it out in OT at Berkley, with Cal coming out on top 59-56...Cincinnati had some moments, but got clobbered by Ohio State...Mizzou scored two late touchdowns and beat South Carolina....Clemson beat UNC, but gave up a lot of points in doing so.....The Miami Hurricanes beat Duke in a defensive struggle, but it was a good win for the Canes.  Next week has several strong contests.

FLORIDA STATE ANALYSIS

It was another afternoon of horrors at Carter-Finley Stadium for the Florida State Seminoles.  Thankfully, this time however, the Seminoles got out of there with a win over a supercharged NC State Wolfpack.  Given the way the Wolfpack played, opening up a 24-7 first quarter lead and piling up 520 yards and 41 points.  The 24 first quarter points put up by NC State were the most the Seminoles had even given up in that quarter.  Errors by proven veterans, inclusive of a drop punt catch by Rashaad Greene and a late interception by Jameis Winston, proved most costly for FSU.  The up tempo played by NC State put the FSU defensive unit in peril, and on most occasions the defenders had great difficulty in making tackles, primarily against Wolfpack quarterback Jacoby Brissett, a transfer from the Gators.  Brissett looked like Ben Rothlesberger in this contest, one time eluding several tacklers,scrambling toward the sideline to throw back across the middle in traffic to find a receiver for a score.  In the first half, FSU was again getting whipped up front, and was unable to run the ball.  When you cannot run the ball on offense, and cannot stop to opposing team while on defense, is it any wonder you would find yourself behind. However, behind  Jameis Winston, the Seminoles continued to score points. As the game went on, the Seminoles became more effective running the ball and were starting to get some stops on defense.  Excellent play from two freshman, Lorenzo Featherston and Jacoby Pugh helped immensely as the Seminoles won the last three quarters 49-17.  It is hard to imagine sweating out a game when you score 56 points, but it was a rough afternoon indeed.  FSU remains top ranked, primarily because their top competitors are also flawed, but it will be short lived if issues with the defense and the offensive line are not taken care of.  A win is a win, and the school and ACC record 20 consecutive winning streak remains in tact.  At least for now.

NEBRASKA ANALYSIS

Nebraska, behind yet another spectacular performance by running back Ameer Abdullah, blasted upstart Illinois on Homecoming.  The Cornhuskers, sporting a one time Red Rising alternative uniform, which by any measure, were God awful, looked good on offense, gaining 624 total yards.  However, as good as Tommy Armstrong can be, not a long perfectly thrown bomb to Kenny Bell, he can toss mind boggling interceptions with the best of them.  His completion percentages remains poor, but his running skills are elusive and timely.  The Big Red will need better play from him if they are to present themselves for B1G Champions.  The defense has some poor moments, but also looked dominating at times.  The DL was strong, and DE Randy Gregory is nothing short of fierce.  Illinois can throw it, and the secondary looked shaky at times, but also came up with some big plays.  After some early success, the Illini got stuffed by the Blackshirts most often.  As ESPN notes, Ameer Abdullah has a streak of 17 games with at last 100 yards from scrimmage, the longest active streak in the FBS and fourth-longest streak for a running back in the last 10 seasons.  We will find out quite a bit as Nebraska travels to East Lansing to take on Michigan State next Saturday.  If Nebraska can protect the ball, I predict the Big Red will win rather easily.  That is a big if.

Be ROYAL

#Be ROYAL!


Eric Hosmer

For the first time since 1985, behind Eric Hosmer and former 'Husker Alex Gordon, the Kansas City Royals are playoff bound!  Along with George Brett, I celebrate.  #TakeTheCrown

Playing Ball

Derek Jeter

Without question, sports has always been deeply embedded in the fabric of our nation.  Lessons that are learned on the diamond, in the gym and on the gridiron assist participants in all aspects of their life. Discipline, responsibility, teamwork, perseverance, passion, work ethic and sportsmanship are among the many attributes on display.

Last evening at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter played his last home game in Yankee pinstripes in front of an adoring crowd.  Jeter, who had previously announced he would be retiring at seasons end, had been on a farewell tour which ended for the home crowd on this evening threatened by rain.

You see, this was special.  Jeter will not be considered the best Yankee of all time, as there are legends of the first order for this storied franchise, but Jeter is no doubt among the best.  However, it is worth noting that Jeter is representative of all the aforementioned attributes you can find in a player.

With the media focusing on so many stories about players in various sports who  are having difficulties like the rest of society, fans and parents can point to Jeter to see an example of doing it right.  Jeter, an instant Hall of Famer when eligible, is a class act, and what went on last night was story book.

Jeter hit a walk off single to score a run and give the Yankees a victory of AL East Champion Baltimore.  The Orioles players and staff did not seem to mind, as they were taken in by the events of the evening that put a smile on sports fans everywhere.  Jeter thanked and congratulated the Orioles.

For those who embrace the romance of the game, and those who appreciate the example Jeter set in the world of professional sports, we can all tip out hat to one of the best, Derek Jeter.


The Yankees are not my favorite baseball team, but I do like them and have great appreciation for their storied history.  My favorite team is the Kansas City Royals, with whom the Yankees had legendary battles with in the late seventies and early eighties.

It has been quite a long time since Kansas City was relevant in the game, owning the longest post-season drought in MLB, or any major sport for that matter.  But, behind Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer, the long drought appears on the brink of ending.

The Hunt for Blue October. My family and I really enjoyed attending a Kansas City Royals game a couple of weeks ago as they attempt to make the postseason for the first time since 1985. Alex Gordon hit a two run homer to knock of the Texas Rangers.

Optimism is high, and with another victory or two, the Royals will be in postseason.  I hop they can make it. #Be Royal #KCR

Kauffman Stadium at The Harry S. Truman Sports Complex, Kansas City MO

Ante Up

Elisabeth Hasselback

A Facebook post, firing vile commentary directed at FOX & Friends co-host Elisabeth Haselback, alerted me that the progressive propagandists are stirring up the low information crowd once again.

On FOX & Friends, Hassleback hosted a conversation between two pundits about a proposal in Utah about young students having to pass a citizenship test.  Hassleback queried whether such a testing mechanism should be utilized before a citizen could vote, which is a legitimate inquiry.

With that question, Hasselback was described by the left as guilty of aiming to bring back Jim Crow laws, which would according to the author of the article linked in the Facebook post, supposedly hammer African Americans.  Hasselback's inquiry was not even remotely an attempt to suggest such a thing, rather an implication asserted by the author of the article. 

During the discussion on FOX, it was the pundit from the right, Whitney Neal, who found the idea of a test unnecessary, instead championing the idea of school systems investing in more educational opportunities in the arena of civics and government.  I agree completely.

It has been well chronicled, that although we continue to spend increasingly enormous amounts on public education, those investments are spent without receiving an adequate return on investment. 

Again in reference to Aldous Huxley, our citizenry, particularly a great deal of representatives of our young people in their high school and college years, are drunk on sea of irrelevance.  They know what the Kardasians are up to, who the new upcoming rapper on the scene is, but have no idea who their congressman is, or who the United States recently began bombing.

And they do not seem to care; with the lack of intellectual curiosity quite alarming.


On the subject of a minimum set of standards with respect to voting, I am open to investigating some options.  I cannot recall the exact source of the following quote, but is fixed firmly in the seat of truth.

A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.

With over 50% of the citizenry receiving some sort of governmental assistance, we have reached the point described in the above referenced passage.  Even if this was agreed upon as the proper direction for our government, the efforts are unsustainable for a country that is arguably insolvent.  For those who champion an increase in taxation as a remedy, it is noted the significant increase in taxation needed would fail to solve the issue anyhow, because when you tax something, you get less of it.

We are a free society, but there is a responsibility that comes with being a citizen of the United States of America, and it is clear the a large segment of our society is disengaged from the political process, which allows those in the arena of governance to expand control over the ill-informed.

Those of us who are informed are outnumbered by those who are not adequately educated in the process, and now by those who are receiving governmental assistance.  Many of these individuals and families are not in real need, just taking advantage of the system, which makes it more difficult to provide assistance to those who are in real need of help, a worthwhile endeavor.

Some skin in the game seems required.  To restrict voting to only those who own property seems limiting, and too radical as a criteria.  A testing system Hassleback queried about appears easily infiltrated by those with unsavory objectives. 

Perhaps the best qualifying mechanism would require that you are either a full time student, a senior citizen receiving social security having already paid into the system, sane individuals documented with legitimate handicaps, a member of the military or an individual who is employed and pays income taxes.  Individuals who fail to meet that criteria and receive governmental assistance would be ineligible. That would limit those voting to those who have skin in the game.

In addition, you must have an ID to vote.  This requirement is not racist, degrading, unfair or political in nature.  Adequate identification is required for many things, driving a vehicle of particular note, and would go a long way in the elimination of voter fraud.  One man, one vote.

Voting is perhaps the most important role of the citizen, and protection of the integrity of the process is integral to the efficiency of the process.

I say everyone ante up. What say you?

Curtailing Prosperity

Unable to get his proposals passed through Congress and against the will of the American people, who view climate change among the least important issues, President Obama on Tuesday announced a series of executive actions to combat Global Climate Change.

As reported by Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit, Obama ordered all federal agencies to begin factoring “climate resilience” into all of their international development programs and investments. The action is expected to complement efforts by the federal government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to the White House.

Global Climate Change (GCC), formerly Global Warming but with a new name due to cooling temps across the globe, may well be the biggest hoax of all time, inclusive of tulip value in Holland in the 1600's.

GCC serves as a vehicle to reduce sovereignty, and transfer wealth on a global scale.  The sanctions placed on US corporations, which are not followed by other countries such as China, restrict commerce, limit production and increase costs of generating product.

If you think America stole her wealth on the backs of other less wealthy counties, utilizing a mechanism such as GCC to serve as a governor on America while collecting and transferring wealth to less productive countries, is a dream come true.

And it is coming true, as with the media along for the ride, the ill informed American citizen has no idea of the macroecomic issues plaguing the generation of prosperity for Uncle Sam.

America is indeed being transformed.

Obama finds our Constitution a flawed document; "a charter of negative liberties, which says what the states can’t do to you, what the Federal government can’t do to you, but doesn’t say what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf.”

Limited by the Constitution and faced with defeat from Congress and SCOTUS, he will go it alone. 

President Obama, curtailing prosperity.

Unlawfully to be sure.

McNaughtonart.com

The Joke Is On US

On an evening a couple of weeks back, President Obama spoke to nation regarding the terrorist group ISIS running roughshod over most of Iraq from their apparent bases in Syria. ISIS is a major concern to most knowledgeable Americans, and the speech by Obama was of keen interest.

You might think this would be a tough speech for Obama, who although vehemently opposed to US military interaction, faces few if any alternatives than to use our armed forces to stop this legitimate threat to peace across the globe.  In addition, it has been Obama who has arrogantly informed us that he kept his promise by leaving Iraq and decimating al Qaeda.

Yes, I am aware ISIS is a direct offshoot of al Qaeda, the group the administration boasted about dismantling.  Like most everything else from the White House; nothing but propaganda.

Speaking of that, the speech opened up, not with commentary on the rising threat of evil we are facing, but a couple of minutes on how his policies has strengthened our economy, created more jobs than any recent administration and expanded opportunities for working class families. A complete fabrication of the truth.

If that was not insulting enough, Obama delivered a few moments of commentary in his routine condescending manner that Islam is not in any way a root of this problem, rather a peaceful religion we as Americans should embrace as part of our national fabric.  I wish I were joking.

Actually, the joke is on us.

Obama has had it wrong from the get go, and if as James Madison told us, Americans were armed with knowledge, this transformative dovish narcissistic neophyte would have never been elected once, much less, twice.

The US interaction with Iraq, both times, was regrettably the correct course of action.  Under the surge, we gained victory in Iraq and gave their people a shot at establishing a sovereign nation of freedom.  They needed continued support, but under Obama, after telegraphing a timetable, he directed our premature departure, snatching defeat from victory.

Without the presence of the US in the region, the opportunity for al Qaeda to resurface was presented.

The actions taking place in the region were predictable, and President Bush informed the nation what we would be in store for if we departed the region prematurely.  Take a listen:


Bush was ridiculed (that Alinsky technique is omnipresent is it not ) relentlessly, but he was absolutely correct.  You just heard the evidence.

Come to think of it, looking back at the scorecard, although the media delivers propaganda to the contrary, Obama fails miserably to GOP leaders on the issue of foreign policy.  Here are three significant examples.

The laughing stock of all progressive land, it turns out Sarah Palin accurately predicted that Obama would implement policies which would project weakness and create an environment in which Russia would consider invading the Ukraine.  Bingo.

Way prior to the current activities surrounding ISIS, the US Military has suffered more deaths in Afghanistan under Obama than under George Bush. There is no daily count on CNN, and Cindy Sheehan is not protesting at various gold communities across the fruited plain, but those facts continue to be stubborn.

During the last presidential campaign, VP Joe Biden tried to scare everybody that if Romney was elected, he would bomb Syria, something Obama would never do.  Until now.

Also during the last presidential campaign, Obama failed to identify Russia as an enemy, degrading Mitt Romney, who said Russia was "without question our number one geopolitical foe" by saying the 1980's called and want their foreign policy back.  Idiot at large, that Obama.

This all would be a Saturday Night Live skit if these issues were not deadly serious, pun intended. If Obama continues to play games and does not get serious about the increasing evils we face, sooner than later, our way of life will be threatened.

I pray our nation remains safe, but should an attack occur,  you will know exactly what enemies to blame; foreign and domestic. No Joke.

Organizational Deception

Is bombing ISIS in Syria "just some part of an organizing the Arab world adventure" asks Glenn Beck. Sure looks like it. If we have placed a stranglehold on their income streams ( oil ) I missed it.  Obama reluctantly engaged in this process, seemingly designed more for toppling Assad in Syria rather than crushing ISIS.

Pay attention to actions, not rhetoric.  The organizational deception underway stretches the mind, and is very troubling to say the least.

Salvation of the State

 

"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives." --James Madison, 1822

The world is on fire; without question.  The list of items headlining media outlets of truth are mind boggling to be sure.  Among the long very long list of worrisome items for the citizenry to absorb are the following:

* The US National Debt grew more than a trillion dollars last year, and is now at approximately 18 trillion.  This is just the number released by the government, with the actual number far exceeding this amount. The debt could never be repaid without extensive monetary operations, which cannot be effectively engaged upon with the horrendous economy we currently have.  Monetizing the debt, currently underway, is only postponing the real pain.

* The economic woes in China are deepening, with the government initiating a "stealth QE" to combat a liquidity crisis.  If you think their woes would not have an affect on our economy, you are mistaken.

* The number of Americans on food stamps has eclipsed 46 million, which is approximately 15% of the total population.  There are long term issues resulting from potential workers remaining out of the workforce, on the public dole, for an extended period of time if one seeks a fully employed population.

* The unemployment rate is reported to be decreasing, signaling good economic conditions.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The administration changed the calculations on how the number is figured for starters, and have been counting part time workers within the number.  The real unemployment rate is in the low teens, and has been for several years, the longest such period of grief since The Great Depression.

* The Russian Bear is growling, with Russia flexing muscle by invading sovereign nations, causing a major disturbance in the Ukraine and creating plenty of economic concerns involving our dollar as we try to implement sanctions on them. Of course, there is no plan or policy formatted to deal with the issue, so we are forced to react to the hand Vladimir Putin deals us.  Some reset?

* A Malasyian Boeing jetliner which vanished from the sky in March remains unaccounted for, and nobody seems to care.  The media has moved on, and so have the public.

*The southern border remains wide open by design, with the Obama administration orchestrating the rush of tens of thousands of folks, inclusive of children, to enter the country through the border. An effort to share the wealth and create large numbers of citizens dependent on governmental assistance, this action was essentially an immigration reform bill which bypassed a vote in Congress.  Nice trick by the progressives without the knowledge of the majority of voters, except among those lovely children entering the US through the southern border were untold numbers of terrorists, who may have been trafficking various forms of lethal weaponry.

James Madison was quite correct.  Bureaucrats in Washington, some who are adverse to the principles which were central to the founders, are governing, and transforming, America right under the nose of those among the citizenry who Aldous Huxley noted would be drunk on a sea of irrelevance.  If in doubt, please the following segment from "The O'Reilly Factor", where correspondent Jesse Watters invites college students to enter his, or our, world.

America is in real trouble.  Remember those famous words from the inaugural address by President John F. Kennedy, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country?"  There is a responsibility that comes with being a citizen of this great country, and it requires more than keeping up to date with pop culture, obtaining any and every entitlement available and adopting nihilism as a philosophical doctrine.

 

As Madison accurately noted, our citizenry must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives, to help ensure the future not only for ourselves, but our children and grandchildren.  After all, as the inscription above the main entrance to Nebraska's beautiful State Capitol reads: "The Salvation of the State is Watchfulness in the Citizen."

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.

Right on Rush. Like Rush, I have no idea what the majority of the GOP stands for or the basis of their principles as many of their decisions are in opposition to limited government and free market principles, which is what I consider to be part of the foundation of the Republican party.

Rush Limbaugh

False Argument of Minimum Wage

Facts are indeed stubborn.  Given the economic facts we have seen continuously seen for decades regarding the minimum wage, it should be clear the argument is not about "working families"; but rather a political agenda. Once again, the minimum wage is not a wage designed to support "working families" and raising it reduces employment.

Over at Zero Hedge today, a chart showing retail trade offers a notable emerging difference between states that recently hiked the wage and those that held firm. Retail is most telling, as the indusrty has among the highest level of these type of workers.

Retail Trade/Chart via Zero Hedge

Again, raising the wage hurts the very people the propaganda tells us it will help.  In the macro, it reduces the efficiencies of firms, raising costs and restricting their abilities to add workers, which is an overall drag on economic production regionally and thus nationally.

Fast food workers recently went on strike to obtain higher wages, not due to their hard work on the job, but because of the perception that they deserve it and the corporate employer can afford it. In an interview with Business Insider economist, Paul Krugman thinks the overall costs of raising the wage would not cause as many issues as most think.  Krugman fails to recgonize the adminstration he advocates for has no right to direct the capital of private firms through social engineering. Economically, why cause any issues? Why not reduce encumbrances firms face limiting the obstacles faced in advancing growth? 

Unless, of course, you have other objectives.

Common sense would dictate that government intervention in this arena is designed to help the workers and help the economy grow, but that is a farce.  Government mandated wage levels, along with price controls, are impediments to growth.  Therefore, the goals are not economic, but politically driven, with the plans set forth in the Cloward and Piven Strategy the objectives.

Free market capitalism, with limited governmental restrictions on business, is without question the best path to prosperity.  Under the current administration, fees, taxes and government regualtions have increased while freedom and prosperity have decreased.

In the form of the old argument regarding the minimum wage, now you have an example of why.

The Color & Pageantry Top 25

College Football

Top 25

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

OUT:  Virginia Tech

VOTES:  Oklahoma State, East Carolina, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, Mississippi State, Texas Christian, Washington, Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Kentucky, Arkansas and Penn State.

NATIONAL ANALYSIS:

After losing a hard fought game at South Carolina, East Carolina caught the well coached Hokies read their press clippings and took out VT at Blacksburg. Don't look now, but if the Pirates beat UNC on Saturday, they can run the table....Ohio State was miffed at getting spanked by Va Tech and blasted Kent Sate....Georgia scored plenty, but failed on a few field goals and could not stop the rushing attack of South Carolina, pushing the Ccocks back into contention when the Dawgs could have sent them packing....BYU is looking better by the weekend.....UCLA is not playing well, and may have lost their QB Brett Hundley for some time due to an elbow injury. After a tough win vs. Texas, who BYU dismantled, the Bruins inexplicably look very vulnerable as Oregon State comes to town....USC, off a strong win at Stanford, got freight trained by a Boston College rushing attack nobody knew existed, giving up over 450 yards and losing going away.  Considering USC has an All America candidate at DT, this is a head scratcher......Florida needed three overtimes, and got clock help, to outlast a much improved Kentucky team. The Gators may catch Bama napping, but all the drunken Gator faithful here in The City Beautiful should quickly cancel their irrational National Championship hopes....Arizona State took out Colorado, but now have a limping quarterback....If you joined me in thinking FSU has made a terrible decision regarding uniforms, and they have, you may have been seething in looking at the home uniforms the Fighting Irish wore vs. a Purdue team that rose up for the occasion.  I know a lot of the youngsters like all these uniform alterations, but the traditionalists like myself hate them, and what Notre Dame wore on Saturday were beyond awful...TCU bombed a decent Minnesota team.....Virgina upset Louisville, giving Hoo Coach Mike London a much, much needed win.....Missouri opened up on UCF in the third quarter, dusting the Knights, who are not bad; so Mizzou may be a contender.....OU jumped all over Tennessee, who is improving but not there yet.

FLORIDA STATE ANALYSIS:

The top ranked Seminoles were off this week, getting a much needed rest before hosting Clemson in Tallahassee on Seminole Saturday Night.  It will likely decide the ACC Atlantic Division. Go 'Noles.



NEBRASKA ANALYSIS:

After Ameer Miss at Lincoln against McNeese State a week ago, questions surrounded the Cornhuskers as tehy hit the road for the first time in 2014, playing a late contest at Fresno State.  The Bulldogs, who had not lost at home in two seasons, lost a lot of talent and had been blasted on the road against Southern Cal and Utah, sitting at 0-2 for their home opener. The Big Red started strong, with QB Tommy Armstrong hitting WR Jordan Westerkamp on a 70 yard TD before the sellout crowd settled in their seats.



'Husker HB Ameer Abdullah/photo coutesy of FresnoBee.com

Shortly thereafter, Heisman hopeful Ameer Abdullah ran 57 yards for a touchdown and before you knew it, Nebraska led 24-5 at the half.  With a large contigent of Huskers looking on, The Big Red won convincingly 55-19.  DE Randy Gregory played some, as he battled an upset stomach which may have had as much to with the 100 heat as anything else; but he wreaked havoc early and often. The offensive line played better this week, but there remains plenty of room for improvement.  TA inched his completion percentage up, but it is nowhere near where it should be.  It was very late, a 10:37 PM EST kick, and it was 100 degrees at kickoff, but Nebraska did what it had to do to put another victory in the books.  Now, Miami comes to town, and although this is not the Hurricane teams of old, they have plenty of talent and speed.  On a day celebrating the 1994 national championship team, suffice it to say this is a MUST win for Nebrasaka. If Nebraska fails to protect the ball and is assessed a batch of mindless penalties, the Canes will win.  Miami has a great tailback and a pair of speedy and good wideouts in Dorsett and Coley, so if Randy Gregory and the Husker D-Line fail to get to the frosh signal caller, it could be a long day.  Let us hope the Huskers are well prepared for this game, and with a victory, could move on to focusing on a potential B1G title. #GBR.

NEVER FORGET

The World Trade Center

Islamic terrorists remain committed to killing us. Unfortunately, they have made significant inroads across the globe this past year, with the Muslim Brotherhood gaining influence and ISIS engaged in a bloodthirst massacre across Iraq.





Have you forgotten?



Windows on the world



Evil spit in our face on the morning of September 11, 2001. As America sought comfort on this horrendous day, most found God watching over us. We had faith, which helped us through the incredible grief. With evil lurking all around us, we found love, courage and faith standing tall in the fire.

Although this is a day of remembrance, we must never forget!

I have not forgotten. Never Forget! Political correctness be damned, we must remain committed to taking out evil wherever it exists, foreign or domestic.




GOD BLESS AMERICA

*PORTIONS REPRINTED FROM 9-11-11 BLOGPOST.

The Color & Pageantry Top 25

College Football

Top 25

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

OUT:  Oklahoma State and Mississippi State.

VOTES:  Louisville, Missouri, Oklahoma State, North Carolina, Duke, Mississippi State, Washington, Iowa, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Minnesota, Miami, West Virginia Marshall and Texas Christian.

NATIONAL ANALYSIS:

Many major teams are struggling mightily.  Not sure what is going on with UCLA, but they struggled again at home against Memphis, giving up 35 points, which will obviously not get it in the rugged PAC 12...Iowa needed two scores in the final three minutes to nip Ball State....Michigan State appeared ready to go for the win at Oregon after some early miscues scoring 24 second quarter points, but the Ducks got the offense firing and ran going way against Sparty at Eugene....Notre Dame looked marvelous in destroying Michigan, and seat under Brady Hoke is now boiling...Larry Coker has UTSA rising, and they almost took our Arizona....Pitt is off to a good start, while Wazzu is not....North Texas humiliated SMU...Purdue got clocked by Central Michigan...Iowa State, a week after getting thumped by North Dakota State, almost upset K-State...Southern Cal went to The Farm and took out Stanford, not an easily performed task, and the Trojans look real good....Miss. State could not easily escape UAB, while South Carolina did control East Carolina ahead of biggie vs. Georgia on Saturday...Northwestern is in free fall, and has been since the union nonsense arose shortly after getting dumped at home by Ohio State...Va. Tech came to Columbus and took out Ohio State with authority, looking mighty impressive while doing so...Ole Miss blasted Vanderbilt in Nashville, and it seems James Franklin got out just in time....BYU went to forty acres and sandblasted the Texas Longhorns, and it looks bad in Austin at the moment...North Carolina, expected to contend for the ACC Coastal Title, is as shaky a 2-0 as you can find, unless you check out Texas Tech or NC State....Oklahoma State, feeling salty after strong performance against FSU, did not overwhelm Missouri State as easily as expected... Kansas jumped all over SE Missouri State than held on to win 34-28... We will find out more this week.

NEBRASKA ANALYSIS:

Ameer Miss.  This was the extremely appropriate headline from the Lincoln Journal Star on Sunday, grabbed from a fan from their Twitter feed. With apologies to a heads up fumble recovery by guard Mike Moudy, senior tailback Ameer Abdullah practically won this game single handily, breaking umpteen tackles, spinning out of grasp of three defenders, scoring from 58 yards out to ice the game for Nebraska with :20 seconds remaining.



Icing the game against D-1AA McNeese State with :20 seconds remaining.  Ouch!

Although McNeese State is a highly regarded D-1AA team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers were five touchdown favorites.  With the Big Red sleep walking, it became apparent somebody forgot to inform the Cowboys they were supposed to play dead.  On this cool, beautiful day without a cloud in the sky, McNeese State out coached and outplayed the 'Huskers in front of the Sea of Red. It was sad.

 

Nebraska had an opportunity from inside the Cowboy 10 to go up 21-7, but 'Husker quarterback Tommy Armstrong threw into double coverage at the goal line resulting in  a 98 yard pick six to allow McNeese State to tie the game.  Armstrong was erratic all day, and the play calling by OC Tim Beck was nothing short of atrocious.  Other offensive issues included the loss of two starting wide receivers, Kenny Bell with a groin and Jamal Turner, who seemed to be being force fed the ball early, with a ruptured achilles, and dismal play from a supposedly improved offensive line, who looked lethargic failing to generate any push and who was unable to adjust to the speed of the Cowboys slanting defensive front.  Armstrong, likely at the hands of OC Tim Beck, failed to take what the defense gave him, and missed on several long range passes with wide open receivers.  The amount of points left on the field needs a calculator.

 

 

Defensively, it was a perplexing afternoon.  McNeese State only gained 338 yards on the day, but from the stands it felt like 500.  The Cowboys drove 95 in the fourth for a field goal (after a one yard touchdown run was nullified by penalty), and if their backs were able to corral a steady flow of screen passes Nebraska failed all day to address, the yardage total for the Cowboys would have significantly bloated.  One of the reasons for optimism for Nebraska heading into the season was a perceived strength of the their defensive tackles.  Sadly, outside of just a few plays, they were virtually invisible.  Although Marcus Newby has moments and Greg McMullen played well at DE, and freshman Joshua Kalu looks special, McNeese State displayed a level of comfort on the line of scrimmage all day, which as pointed out by Steven M. Sipple of the LJS, turned to confidence.  Nebraska was not sure what to do, while McNeese State, no matter who was at the helm of their quarterback platoon, was eager to do what it could do.

 

While never behind in the ball game, Nebraska should feel fortunate to have won this game.  Nebraska bogged down on offense when it was needed most; in the second half. The Big Red generated just two first downs, a red alert of red alerts.  After McNeese State tied the game late in  the fourth, the Big Red posted a few three and outs. Imagine that, considering a historical perspective, and noting they were not facing the old vaunted defenses of the Miami Hurricanes.  It was McNeese State.

 

Ameer Abdullah's touchdown run after catch is among the best plays to win a game ever at Memorial Stadium to be sure.  The game was clearly on the line, and Abdullah came up huge.  Heisman huge.

 

The pessimist could infer that the Husker coaching staff is in over their heads, and that point can be well supported. An optimist may be thankful McNeese State exposed Big Red weaknesses and gave them a much needed wake up call.

 

Had Nebraska lost on Saturday, I would have called for the termination of the entire coaching staff.  We are in year six of the tenure of Bo Pelini, and the standards set forth for the Nebraska football program far exceed being involved in a game expiring tussle with McNeese State.

I remain hopeful that this team can break through, for I believe the talent is there.  But, my patience is thin, much more so after flying up from Florida to witness this debacle in person.  With a late night road contest at Fresno State on Saturday, a high risk low reward spot on the schedule, we will learn quite a bit. 

I know Ameer Abdullah will show up.

FLORIDA STATE ANALYSIS:


Nick O'Leary

The Seminoles did what they had to do, winning in dominating fashion over The Citadel, scoring in seven of eight possession and finding opportunity to play quite a few young players.  TE Nick O'Leary had a big game, and it would seem he can be a huge weapon for FSU moving forward. Make a mental note as the Seminoles did not have a turnover in the game, with Dalvin Cook and some of the young receiving core getting much needed work. Coach Fisher noted the excellent play by DE Demarcus Walker vs. Oklahoma State continued, and he has the look of becoming a great player. Perhaps the biggest story coming out of the game was not what you would have expected. On social media, a member of The Citadel offensive lineman bragged about aiming to hurt members of the FSU defensive line, and they were successful as Eddie Goldman, Nile Lawrence-Stample and Justin Shanks all left the game with injury.  Outside of this being outside the lines of moral code within the athletic community, this may be potentially harmful to FSU, as a strong Clemson team comes to town in  couple of weeks.  Early indications are the players will be healed up by then, for which we are thankful. Meanwhile, The Citadel has suspended indefinitely the player involved, the right move indeed as protection of the integrity of the game must be protected.  It is noted, with the win over Citadel, FSU broke their record for the longest winning streak in school history at 18 games.  FSU has a bye week in advance of Clemson, a game the Seminoles must win to take control of the ACC Atlantic division.  Early returns suggest FSU is ready for the challenge.  In another note, the new home uniforms are far inferior to our uniforms we have worn in recent seasons, and most everyone in the stadium, as I am told, were not pleased.


The New Look

Privacy under the Obama administration is becoming extinct. 

It seems the citizenry does not much care, as many post daily activities on Facebook and Twitter accounts. Even private emails are game to become public.  It is all seemingly innocent, until someone thinks it is not, with the latest example involving the owner of the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. The aftermath of such things is really getting out of hand.

Be careful. Big Brother Is Watching You. It's the new look.

The Color & Pageantry Top 25

College Football

Top 25

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

OUT: North Carolina, Washington and Iowa.

VOTES:  North Carolina, Washington, Iowa, Michigan, Louisville, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Texas, Duke, Arizona, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Marshall, Miami, Minnesota, West Virginia, Texas Christian and Tennessee.

NATIONAL ANALYSIS

To break in the season in on the newly formed SEC Network, the youthful Texas Aggies, behind a dazzling performance by redshirt freshman quarterback Kenny Hill, blasted South Carolina in Columbia.  The Gamecocks had no answers for the Aggie attack, an eye opener to be sure...Boise State played tough for a while, but faltered late as Ole Miss pulled away...Rutgers went out west to Seattle and upended Wazzu.....On Saturday, each of the top ranked teams with quality opponents struggled on the opening weekend.  Alabama pulled away from West Virginia, who comported themselves well against the Crimson Tide, and make no mistake, although ranked second because nobody is better, this BAMA team is not as strong as recent Tide teams.....Auburn battled Arkansas before pulling away, and the Hogs look improved....OU bombed La Tech, but QB Trevor Kinght was not all that impressive.....UCLA struggled mightily at UVA, scoring three defensive touchdowns, and although UVA and their recent top 30 recruiting classes is much better than the experts think, the Bruins appear to have offensive issue centered up front....Oregon ran everywhere, but gave up some yards and points to a horrible team in South Dakota....Michigan State opened strong while Ohio State, who lost ground in the rankings primarily due to the preseason injury to QB Braxton Miller, was behind Navy in the third and although talented, is not anywhere near a title contender.....Georgia, seemingly unwilling to hand stellar RB Todd Gurley the ball (4 first half carries) erupted in the second half behind Gurley pulling away from Clemson with authority after a halftime tie...In the Swamp, thunderstorms, a persistent downpour and lightening strikes led officials to terminate the Gator game, which is ridiculous as they could have played it on Sunday....Most of the experts expected Fresno State to be a decent team, but Southern Cal demolished them at the Coliseum on a gorgeous day, and perhaps the Trojans are stout.....Northern Iowa gave Iowa all they could handle in Iowa City, and although it was expected in week one to have to issues, this was much to close for comfort for an Iowa team expected to be a challenger for the B1G Title....Northwestern was another B1G team expected to have good season, but they got punked at lowly Cal, which was no doubt surprised many...Over in Ireland at the Croke Classic, UCF found their starting QB in the third period and came back to lead Penn State late, but fell anyhow with a last second FG....North Carolina woke up after falling behind Liberty in the third, and this was not impressive for a team looking to take control in the ACC Coastal...Missouri won a tough one against South Dakota State, who has a punishing rushing attack...Texas looked good in the debut of coach Charlie Strong....Wisconsin ran all over LSU, but got tired, got limited QB play and lost their two top defensive tackles to injury, which allowed LSU late to punish the Badgers with an interior running game as LSU came back from a 24-7 deficit to win at Houston....UTSA, coached by Larry Coker, dominated Houston at Houston in a very impressive victory....Baylor romped SMU in the new confines, with George W. Bush and RGIII along for the coin toss....In what was expected to be a coin flip game, Tennessee blasted a decent Utah State team in Rocky Top, led on defense by an outstanding performance by All America linebacker AJ Johnson, who also was a bullet on the kickoff coverage team.....Louisville controlled Miami, who looked very weak on the offensive line, and the Cardinal appear to have potential.

NEBRASKA ANALYSIS

In the opening game at Lincoln, the Cornhuskers did not turn the ball over.  This is a big takeaway, as the turnover bug has been a major thorn in the side for the Big Red under Coach Pelini, with turnovers in 26 straight games.  Although team captain Kenny Bell volunteered to assume punt return duties only to fumble one out of bounds, ball protection was stellar.  In aggregate, this was perhaps the best opening performance of the 'Huskers in the Pelini era.  The Big Red ran a balanced attack offensively, scorching FAU for almost 800 yards of total offense.  Quarterback Tommy Armstrong had his best performance in my view, distributing the ball with confidence to the weaponry the Big Red has.  Ameer Abdullah was brilliant on this day running for about two and quarter averaging about ten yards per tote, and cleary established himself as an All America candidate. Both Imani Cross and Terrell Newby looked good as well.  The big ugiles were crisp and looked to have cohesion.  Jordan Westercamp stepped up, demonstrating what the comments from practice over the years have described.  Demornay Pierson-El,  a true freshman, looked like he has special qualities and could now assume punt return duties.  Meanwhile, it is time for the alarm clock to go off for Jamal Turner.  Kenny Bell got two catches and a long ball. It was a very strong performance for the offense to be sure.  Defensively, on a down note, standout DE Randy Gregory left early in the first with a knee, and the severity of the injury, not considered severe at first glance, is not known.  Greg McMullen played well, and it appears he may be ready for a breakthrough, and Jack Gangwish played well also.  In the interior, Vincent Valentine and Maliek Collins were strong.  Kevin Maurice played well when he got in as well.  David Santos, Johs Banderas and Zaire Anderson each made some plays and looked good at linebacker.  Trevor Roach made play when he got in. Byerson Cockrell was impressive in the secondary, which was stellar all day.  Drew Brown drilled his only FG effort. Everything clicked on this day for the Big Red.  Although this was FAU, who has Florida athletes that can run, Nebraska was expected to win easily on this day.  Even so, this was a top performance, the best of the Pelini era, which can springboard the 'Huskers with confidence moving forward.  This team can win the B1G, although the health of DE Gregory is key as the depth at that spot is not strong.

FLORIDA STATE ANALYSIS

Although the Seminoles led start to finish in the Cowboys Kickoff Classic at Jerry's World in Dallas on their Dallas to Dallas tour, after building an uneasy 17-0 lead, they were fortunate to come away with the win.  There were issues everywhere for the Seminoles.  Offensively, Jameis Winston, although having some good throws and an excellent 28 yard touchdown run, was very average, seemingly unable to really find anyone other than standout wideout Rashaad Greene to throw to.  Greene was beyond stellar, hauling in over 200 yards in completion yardage and posting an explosive touchdown run after a short pass which really helped at that juncture of the game.  Karlos Williams was disappointing, and Mario Pender looked better, but their lack of performance was likely tied to the pitiful performance of the offensive line, a unit with four starters with over 20 start under their belt.  While Oklahoma State was strong up front on the stop side, the o-line looked awful and the inability to run the football cost FSU dearly. Nothing came easy for the Seminoles on offense, helped in yardage totals by three long passes.  The defense was not any better.  Of course, FSU lost DC Jeremy Pruitt to Georgia, and Charles Kelly has taken over, but there is cause for concern.  The Pokes are young on offense, and are potent; however, down the stretch FSU had great difficulty stopping Okie State. Mario Edwards had one good play, a huge 14 yard sack, but looked lethargic and perhaps should permanently move inside, although it is noted he played almost all snaps against the high tempo Cowboy attack.  DE Chris Casher was held out due to academics, and Demarcus Walker played very well in his spot.  Terrance Smith recorded some big plays, but his linebacking counterparts were invisible.  Nate Andrews and Jalen Ramsey were everywhere, but got worn down and had cramping issues.  PJ Williams made some plays at corner, including perhaps the defensive play of the night where he upended Cowboy quarterback JW Walsh, causing a fumble which Williams recovered.  Roberto Aguayo is money at field goal efforts, but punting remains a huge negative.  FSU was idiotic on kickoffs, and late in the game with the outcome in question, gave the Cowboys excellent field position a couple of different times.  Oklahoma State appears to be much stronger than the experts thought, with #2 JUCO junior newcomer Tyreek Hill throwing up 278 all purpose yards and JW Walsh feeling it. However, the 'Noles looked like a team that have thoroughly read all the preseason magazines declaring them the strong favorite to repeat as National Champions, seemingly forgetting the hard work, discipline and desire it takes to become a champion.  Perhaps the leadership of players from last year, most notably LaMarcus Joyner, are missed more than we realize.  There is much work to do  for the Seminoles to reach the levels of last years team, and the talent is there.  Great teams find a way to win, and the Seminoles did that, but this type of performance will not cut it down the stretch.  Practice Monday would be a good time to address some of these issues, and I hope offensive line Rick Trickett is in attendance, for the performance of that veteran group was not acceptable.  FSU would fall from their #1 ranking, but those immediately behind them in the polls struggled as well.

FSU QB Jameis Winston/(Photo: Tony Gutierrez/AP)

It is also worth noting the new uniforms looked awful, with the facemasks looking purple on my new 60 inch LG HDTV.  The gold is not the same as we have previously worn as well.  I thing whoever is responsible for these changes, which include the Seminole Head logo, should be fired immediately.

From ESPN's College Gameday, which I hope the FSU brass comprehended.