Mike Kern’s Fraud Five – Week 2 Edition

September 11, 2022 –

Please, take a number

Nebraska — Repeat offender. And believe me it was tough to knock Texas A&M and/or Notre Dame out of the top spot. Or is that bottom spot? Anyway, the Huskers were 24-point faves at home over Georgia Southern. Not Georgia. And gave up 48 points, including the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds. It broke a streak of 214 wins at home when the Huskers score more than 35 points. Nebraska hosts Oklahoma next with interim coach Mickey Joseph running the team replacing Scott Frost who was relieved of his duties as head coach. The school paid double the buyout amount because they do so prior to October 1st. Oh, well. Can somebody get Urban Meyer on speed dial?

Texas A&M — I know Appalachian State ain’t bad. And it isn’t FCS any more. But the Aggies, who were ranked sixth, were favored by 17 at College Station. And promptly scored 14. Holy Jimbo Fisher. Maybe they were looking ahead to that showdown with Alabama in another month.

Notre Dame — Guess Paul Finebaum was right. The Irish aren’t that good after all. Maybe there was a hangover after losing a close one at Ohio State. But regardless, it’s not a good look to be losing at home to visiting Marshall when you were favored by three TDs. They only scored 21, and one TD came with 14 seconds to go. Ugh. They had beaten 42 straight unranked opponents. Marcus Freeman becomes the first ND coach to lose his first three games, if you count last year’s bowl game after Chip Kelly left for LSU. And his team led in the second half of all three. I don’t think this was the plan.

Wisconsin — Shouldn’t be losing at home to Washington State when giving 17. And you only score 14. The guy who scored both visiting TDs was a Wisky transfer. Ugh. And the Cougars’ coach is a Wisconsin native. Double ugh. It happens.

Iowa — Not so much for losing at home to Iowa State, 10-7. The week after you beat FCS South Dakota State, 7-3. It’s for having one TD, one FG, an extra point and two safeties in 120 minutes.

Dishonorable Mention — Florida. It’s almost OK to lose at home to Kentucky, a team you used to dominate that is actually good now and flies way too far under most radars, even if you were favored by 6 coming off a big statement win over Utah. But Gators were up 16-7 in second quarter and didn’t score again. Swamp that.

Alabama — Well, almost. Never mind. That’s not the way FF usually works. But good thing the Texas quarterbacks were either out or playing hurt, and that the Tide’s Heisman Trophy QB played like one on their final two drives when they absolutely had to have it. Sometimes you have to survive some close calls along the way. Horns know they should have won. As does Nick Saban.