September 29, 2024
Mike Kern’s Fraud Five
I’ve got to admit that when Georgia was down like 100-zip at Alabama I was considering maybe putting the Dawgs in even though they almost never lose in the regular season. But then we were treated to a wonderfully entertaining ending. So, let’s move on to the real stuff.
Mississippi — I know Kentucky almost beat Georgia at home. But when you’re an 18-point favorite at your place and ranked sixth, you shouldn’t be losing outright, by three, on a touchdown with just over two minutes left. And only score 17 points in the process. Good thing the Rebels scored first. Anyway, Kentucky hadn’t beaten such a highly ranked team since 1977 (at No. 4 Penn State).
Central Florida — Was favored by 14 over visiting Colorado, which admittedly has two great players but not enough of much else. Still, the Buffs won 48-21. Never trailed, actually. Should we mention this was a Big 12 matchup?
Utah — Utes were ranked 10th. But one week after getting a nice win at ranked Oklahoma State, they lost at home, 23-10, to an Arizona team that was coming off a 31-7 loss at ranked Kansas State. I know they were still without their really good starting quarterback, but still … they were stopped on four fourth downs. And they’re usually much better in Salt Lake City. It was Arizona’s Big 12 debut, by the way.
North Carolina — One week after giving up 70 at home to James Madison, lost at Duke 21-20. Which in itself ain’t so egregious. But they led 20-0 midway through the third quarter. Duke scored three TDs in the next 15 minutes. The only good news is that I gave out the Tar Heels getting two and a half on the weekly Saturday morning radio show I do from Parx Casino with Dick Jerardi. Sometimes it’s all about me and my record. Even if it’s for amusement purposes mostly, cause with all due respect how many of you out there really care?
Buffalo — One week after winning at Northern Illinois, which of course had already won at Notre Dame, the Bulls lost 47-3 at Connecticut, which was a slight fave. Doesn’t matter. Nobody should be losing by that much at UConn, unless it’s basketball season. Only points came on a 47-yard field goal as time expired in first half.
Dishonorable Mention
Florida State — Sorry. I know the Noles aren’t very good, but 42-16 at SMU, which was a TD fave? It was SMU’s ACC debut, for those keeping track.
And, the fact that it took roughly 10 minutes to decide the winner at the end of the Virginia Tech at Miami game, which ended on a Hail Mary that looked like it was caught by a Tech player and would have given the Hokies a big upset. But the call was overturned after a lengthy review, with both teams waiting to see what the verdict would be. The explanation was that a Miami player had touched the ball while he was out of bounds, which would have nullified the catch. And maybe that was the right call. And I’m all for getting it correct. But if it’s going to take that long, then maybe it wasn’t irrefutable evidence for a reversal. Maybe. It was just a bad look. And it just gives people with no horse in the chase a reason to think, rightly or whatever, that somehow maybe Miami got some benefit of the situation because it has a chance to make a run at the expanded playoff field. Oh well. It was ironic that the referee was the same guy who had the controversial non-call at the end of the Miami-Duke game in 2015. It happens.
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