November 3, 2024
Some weeks it’s pretty much self explanatory and takes care of itself.
Penn State — Maybe I have the Nits too far up, since they were a slight underdog at home against Ohio State, which has owned them. As has just about every other top five opponent this century. You can look it up. And I’m not necessarily a James Franklin basher. But I know there’s a lot of them out there. The fatigue is setting in. Like with the Sixers. Anyway, this was maybe supposed to be different. It wasn’t. The final was 20-13. Last year it was 20-12. And last year’s Michigan game was 24-15. Do you see any pattern there? But I digress. They led 10-0 early. But they didn’t score any offensive touchdowns. And those four play calls when they had the ball first and goal at the Buckeye 5 with 5 minutes to go were brutal. Then they allowed the Bucks to run the remaining time off the block. Ugh. And OSU coach Ryan Day had dropped his last four against Top 5 teams. Oh well. At least Franklin is right about one thing: Barring an upset in their last four games, they will make the new 12-team playoff field. And maybe even get to host a game. I wonder if that’s going to be the good news, or not.
Kansas State — The 17th ranked team was favored by 13 at 3-5 Houston. It lost, 24-19. The Cougars scored two TDs in the final 11 minutes to pull it out. Shouldn’t happen. But it does. Every week.
Iowa State — The 11th ranked team was favored by two TDs over 5-3 Texas Tech at home. The unbeaten Cyclones were going for their best start in program history. Tech drove 71 yards to score with 20 seconds left to win by one. So maybe I should actually have listed them ahead of K-St.
Clemson — Just when I was starting to think Dabo was back, his also 11th-ranked Tigers lost at home to Louisville, 33-21. They were favored by 10. It was 26-7 after three quarters. Good thing they scored two TDs in the final six minutes. Hard to see this one coming. But that’s what tends to happen at this time of year. Trust me there will be more. It’s why FF exists.
Texas A&M — Coming off a big comeback win over visiting LSU, the No. 10 Aggies went to South Carolina, which was only a slight dog, and lost. Which in itself isn’t egregious. But the final was 44-20. The Gamecocks scored the last 27 points in just over the closing 30 minutes.
Dishonorable Mention
Pitt — Again, nothing too outrageous, except for the margin. Unbeaten Panthers were at one-loss SMU, in what was basically a pick-em game for first place in the ACC. Think about that. The Panthers lost, 48-25. Just seems at least a bit excessive. It was 34-3 in the third quarter. Pitt scored the final two TDs, in the last four minutes. By then most folks had stopped caring.
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