2016-09-27 09:08

Well, this season looks like same-same but different than the last few.
Teams do rise and teams do fall, but what's really different?

We have week 4 in the book and have two fired coaches and several fired coordinators already.

The most prominent fired coach is Les Miles, former HC of the Louisiana State Tigers (known as LSU Tigers).
With a quite disappointing finish last weekend did LSU lose to Auburn, which was the last tip on the already fire-when-ready-button for Les Miles.
What happened?
Let's go back to last season, when LSU lost 3 in a row and Les Miles was basically having his last game at LSU at season final against Texas A&M.
LSU won barely, but won and Les Miles was carried on the players shoulders for celebration.
As consequence the coach was kept (his huge contract length and the resulting huge buyout might have had an influence here) and LSU won also the bowl game.
Instead of losing several underclassmen to the draft as usual, the team lost only 2 in 2015 and went into 2016 with a veteran loaded roster, a top level recruiting class and some hope to compete for the SEC, which means also for the national title.
Then came the 2016 season and LSU lost to Wisconsin, won against a FCS team and won barely against Mississippi State, a team many do believe to be one of the worst, if not the worst of the SEC West this season and which lost against Sun Belt member South Alabama in week 1.
The Auburn game came and LSU did trail 13-18 with almost nothing left on the clock.
The team did line up, the ball was snapped and the miracle happened, an LSU player caught a pass in the corner of the Auburn endzone for a seems-to-be-winning-TD.
Only that the snap was made with 0:00 left in the clock, so basically when the game was over.
After that call, which was correct, the TD was not given of cause and the Auburn Tigers won the game (and might have saved Gus Malzahns job, the HC of Auburn) and Les Miles was a few hours later fired.
After 4 weeks in the season did LSU fire one of their best coaches, ever. THAT's different. There seems to be no patience left in the game and no loyalty.
In an environment like this, even Bear Bryant would have been fired after the 1970 season, when the Tide went 6-5-1 and the team won their last SEC title 4 seasons ago.
What the AD then had miss would be 9 additional SEC titles and 3 national championships.
I'm not saying Les Miles would have done THAT, if he would have been kept.
I'm just saying that you should not fire your career winning coach after a bad start.
After the season, maybe, after a long chat about how he thinks to get the team back on track, but not after 4 games.
As interims coach was Ed Orgeron names, the DL coach. Orgeron was already HC in the past for Ole Miss and as interims HC of USC.

The second fired HC was Ron Turner of the Florida International Panthers, who did lose to Indiana, Maryland, UMass and at last to UCF.
That UCF game was a blowout.
Even here I can't understand the fast trigger move after 4 games.
A serious talk, sure. Firing him?
Not yet.
I'm not confident the team will play much better in the upcoming conference games under an interim coach (Ron Cooper, the DC).
Ron Turners firing came even BEFORE Les Miles firing.
The most amazing thing about this is, how Tuner even got the job at FIU, since his career record as HC is 52-91, including his 3 and 4 weeks at FIU.
A career losing coach, with his last HC gig at Illinois in 2004.

Let's have a look at the BLOCK OF GRANITE TOP GAMES FOR WEEK 4

Thu. Sept. 22 - 7:30 PM ET
#5 Clemson @ Georgia Tech
Not much to say here.
Clemson did put GT back into their place, giving them their 1st loss of the season in a good way.
It was NOT a dominant showing everyone was expecting from them at season start, just a win.
They did beat the spread of 9.5, but that's it.
Clemson will face Louisville next weekend, which might decide the Atlantic division.
The Yellowjackets will face Miami, which might seal their hopes for a division title contention early.
Clemson 26 - Georgia Tech 7 -> Jacks TOP GAMES Score: 8-7

Fri. Sept. 23 - 9:00 PM ET
USC @ #24 Utah
I said Utah would win by more than the spread of 3 and they won by 4 on a TD pass with 16 ticks left on the clock.
USC did not really play bad, they just did not play good enough to stop that last drive.
The Trojans did lead 24-10 in the 3rd quarter, but were unable to stop the Utes from coming back.
USC has lost now 3 of 4 in September, while the Utes are unbeaten.
The Trojans will face Arizona State, while Utah will play against Cal next weekend.
USC 27 - Utah 31 -> Jacks TOP GAMES Score: 9-7

Sat. Sept. 24 - 12:00 AM ET
#12 Georgia @ #23 Ole Miss
A close game I did expect and it became a crushing win by the Rebels which did send Georgia 13 spots down in the AP rankings (#25), having just lost once so far.
The Rebels, with 2 losses already, are the highest (and only) ranked team with 2 losses at #16, rising by 7.
I think we will see some readjustments on those ranks soon.
This game did look like a best-case-Ole-Miss vs a worst-case-Georgia game.
Many games are left to play and at the moment my gut feeling does see Georgia not done, but also not contending, while Ole Miss will lose at least another one, of not 2 more.
Ole Miss will play Memphis next, Georgia will play leading SEC East team Tennessee.
Georgia 14 - Ole Miss 45 -> Jacks TOP GAMES Score: 10-7

Sat. Sept. 24 - 12:00 AM ET
#13 Florida State @ South Florida
I made an upset pick with the Bulls and that went wrong.
Why?
Because of the Bulls inability to stop the run.
FSU did run all over the Bulls and did score on almost every drive, having only a fumble once, a game ending drive and 3 punts on 14 regular drives.
Add 2 Bulls interceptions to that and you have a hard time winning such a game.
The bad news for the Seminoles fans are, that Florida State got 35 points against them and the 2 interceptions did help to prevent more.
South Florida seems to get back into contention mode in the American, but are far from being a school like FSU, in all aspects.
I think FSU fans should be worried for this season.
That Louisville loss might be only the start. The next 4 games are as it looks at the moment, the toughest stretch to come.
South Florida will play Cincinnati next, FSU will play UNC.
Florida State 55 - South Florida 35 -> Jacks TOP GAMES Score: 10-8

Sat. Sept. 24 - 12:00 AM ET
#11 Wisconsin @ #8 Michigan State
Well, I have to admit I was surprised after I read the score info.
Badgers won, which was not the surprise, winning by 24 points, THAT was the surprise, on the road.
MSU will have to do much better to stand a chance against the other big teams in their division.
Wisconsin did officially send in the we-are-contending-card with that win, but will have to play the other contenders soon.
They have a brutal October run, facing Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa and Nebraska.
Good luck with that.
If they are still unbeaten after THAT, they are not only contending for the Big10, they are contending for the National Title.
MSU on the other hand does only face mid level to low level teams in October, so they might get their team going for THEIR brutal games, in November.
Wisconsin 30 - Michigan State 6 -> Jacks TOP GAMES Score: 10-9

Other interesting games:

Sat. Sept. 24 - 3:30 PM ET
#19 Florida @ #14 Tennessee
I got a PM from a Gators fan stating "Florida would win this, but everyone can have their own opinion".
For 1 half it looked like the Gators will eat the Vols alive, but a 35-7 2nd half did end the Gators winning streak over the Vols.
The SEC East does still look weaker than the West and the last word is not spoken on the East winner.
For now Tennessee is prime suspect to win the East.
Why did pick the Vols? Because both teams did have pros and cons and in doubt I pick the home team.
Nothing personal against the Gators, which did lose 38-28.
Jacks interesting games Score: 12-5

Sat. Sept. 24 - 7:30 PM ET
Oklahoma State @ #16 Baylor
OK, Baylor has NO problem on the field.
It looks like Briles is not missed and Baylor will content for the Big12 crown, again.
Oklahoma State is at the moment less likely to win the conference and might sink to mid level.
Baylor win 35-24.
Jacks interesting games Score: 12-6

Sat. Sept. 24 - 8:00 PM ET
#7 Stanford @ UCLA
Great game and Stanford barely won this on the final drive.
The score does not reflect the game.
UCLA lead 13-9 when Stanford had 2nd and goal with 28 ticks left on the clock.
In need of TD the Cardinals did pass and completed it for a TD.
UCLA did try a comeback within 24 seconds left, but fumbled the ball and a Stanford player did return it for a TD, for the final score of 22-13.
Jacks interesting games Score: 13-6

Sat. Sept. 24 - 9:00 PM ET
#17 Arkansas @ #10 Texas A&M
Texas A&M become officially the leading contender beside Alabama for the SEC West with that big win.
Tied at the half did the Aggies outscore the Razorbacks in the 2nd half and won 45-24.
Jacks interesting games Score: 13-7

Sat. Sept. 24 - 1:30 PM ET
Pitt @ North Carolina
The Panthers did suffer on their defense and allowing that final play with time running out.
The Pass-TD was caught, the extra point was good, the win was secured for the Tar Heels, winning 37-36.
Jacks interesting games Score: 14-7

And some other results which might be interesting:
Eastern Michigan won against Wyoming 27-24. Best start at 3-1 for the Eagles since 1995.
Iowa State won their first game of the season against San Jose State 44-10.
Iowa barely won against Rutgers 14-7. Something is not clicking as last season for the Hawkeyes.
Minnesota won against Colorado State 31-24 for a 3-0 start.
Virginia won their 1st game of the season against Central Michigan 49-35.
Western Illinois (FCS) won against Northern Illinois 28-23. NIU of a 0-4 start, which might let Rod Carey already feeling some heat under his chair?
Appalachian State won against Akron 45-38.
Boise State did beat Oregon State 38-24.
BYU lost to West Virginia 35-32 and WV is now the only team beside Baylor inside the Big12 to be unbeaten so far.
Duke won against Notre Dame in a high scoring game 38-35. If I would be Brian Kelly, I would at least start thinking about the exit scenario. Notre Dame at 1-3 right now.
Wake Forest won against Indiana 33-28 and are surprisingly unbeaten at 4-0.
Vanderbilt barely won against Western Kentucky 31-30 in OT. WKU went for 2 on their final play in OT and was intercepted.
Tulsa won against Fresno State 48-41.
Colorado did win against Oregon 41-38. The Buffalos might be the surprise of the season, at least inside the PAC12.
Washington did stay unbeaten by beating Arizona in OT 35-28.
Central Arkansas (FCS) won against Arkansas State 28-23. Arkansas State now 0-4, which is not the expected result after 4 games. I feel a hot seat.
Troy did destroy New Mexico State 52-6.
South Alabama did stop the 2-point-conversion in OT to win against Nicholls (FCS) 41-40.
Middle Tennessee won against Louisiana Tech 38-34.
Army lost their first game of the season against Buffalo 23-20 in OT.
Kentucky did beat South Carolina 17-10.
Memphis did slaughter Bowling Green 77-3.
Tulane won against Louisiana-Lafayette 41-39.
Idaho wins in OT against UNLV 33-30.
Arizona State did score just more points than Cal and won 51-41.

Tags: Block of Granite