Monday Morning Football Frenzy

Friday Night Lights

* Nothing shocking about Friday night's results, though Baylor has a running back that scampered for over 300 yards. The kid was just a soccer player and us McCallie folk are hoping he goes back to that sport exclusively before the October 3rd game.

* The Big Blue got its second win of the year on Saturday afternoon over some Charlotte team. I'll always use space to brag about a McCallie win.

College Saturday

* My thoughts on the UAB game are up in another post. It is worth noting here that UCLA, the team that beat the Vols, lost to BYU 59-0.

59-0.

Someone pointed out that UAB is probably about as good as UCLA, but I don't buy that. The Blazers had one player, a tough Tebow-like QB, and little else. There defense is miserable, but Crompton still couldn't carve it up. I'm almost dreading Saturday's game with Florida.

* The Dawgs escaped South Carolina thanks to a terrible fumble on the goal line and the continued terrible quarterback play for Steve Spurrier. Knowshon Moreno is freaking fast and so much fun to watch. For whatever reason, though, the Bulldogs leave me wanting. They are like that movie "Crash" with all the big stars and connected storylines and social commentary that comes together to be a cheesy, lousy flick. The Dawgs have the players, coaches and pieces for a title run, but it just ain't working right now like it ought.

* Was Arizona State looking ahead to the Dawgs? The Sun Devils lost at home to UNLV? For the weekend, the Pac-10 was 0-4 against the Mountain West. Yeesh.

* At least it can boast the USC Trojans who are so much better than any team I've watched all year. They are all Knowshon fast, from the backs to the linemen. Poor Boeckman had no prayer back there most of the time (Terrelle Pryor sure looked legit though). Back to the Trojans, they have back-ups who would star for the Vols right now. Pete Carroll might be the greatest hire in college coaching...ever. His reign in L.A. has been unbelievable and it looks like they are loaded for several more years of dominance.

* Ohio State gets killed again by a good team. And they wonder why they get so little respect from us Southern folk.

* UTC improved from scoring 2 against Oklahoma to 7 against Florida State. The biggest improvement for the Mocs from these games is in their bank account.

* 3-2? Auburn and Mississippi State set back the sport of football back thirty years with its horrible effort Saturday night. Exhibit A for what sucks about the Spread Offense was on display in Starkville. All Auburn needed to do to win the game was run the clock out, but there they are in the shotgun (!) playing cutesy football against an inferior opponent. Sure enough, the War Eagles fumbled the ball on a bad pitch (!!!) and were only saved by an amazing interception on the next play.

I'm about two weeks away from starting an anti-Spread Offense blog. My hatred of it is admittedly irrational, much like my disdain of Van Morrison and people who put bumper stickers on their cars, but each and every game I'm watching the same offense being run by this week's offensive coordinating flavor of the month. How long until the Spread sits beside the Wing-T and Run & Shoot in the pile of relic football offenses?

The Pros

* Here is my take on the end of the Broncos/Chargers game: yes, the Chargers got hosed. Yes, it was a fumble and yes, Hochuli and his massive upper body blew it. However...the Chargers did NOTHING to cause that fumble. The ball slipped out of Cutler's hand in a freakish play. The Chargers did not force that error whatsoever. They did benefit from it (or should have), but the idea that they did what it took to win and had it stolen is a bit dubious to me. Besides, they could have stopped Denver from scoring, stopped Denver from converting the two-point conversion and successfully gotten into field goal range to win in regulation. It was an injustice, but not a colossal one.

* Look at all the 0-2 teams right now: Vikings, Chargers, Jaguars, Seahawks, Browns - these were all supposed to be playoff contenders. Crazy start to the season.

* The Titans/Bengals game was tough to watch in that windstorm, but it played right into Jeff Fisher's hands with his run attack and defensive unit. Did anyone else get the feeling from the post-game handshake that Fisher figures he'll never be shaking Marvin Lewis' hand again as the head coach of the Bengals? They are awful.

* How long until the Vikings trade for Jeff Garcia? Give up a 1st-rounder for him. Whatever it takes to get rid of Taterrible Jackson.

The Cowboys ought to handle the Eagles tonight, though Donovan McNabb has typically owned the Pokes. If Dallas wins, it sets up a great game next week between the Packers and Cowboys that could preview the NFC Championship game. Is Aaron Rodgers really this good?