Oct 11, 2010
In typical college football fashion, just when you think you’ve got all the teams figured out, along comes an upset or three to throw everything out of whack.
One week after dismantling SEC foe Florida to retain a firm grip on the number one spot, the Tide rolled into Columbia, South Carolina and got a taste of its own medicine, as the Gamecocks deconstructed the myth that Alabama was unbeatable by knocking off the error-prone defending national champions, 35-21.
It was the first time the Gamecocks had ever beaten a top-ranked opponent, and it marked the first regular season loss for ‘Bama in 19 games. It wasn’t that South Carolina beat ‘Bama that was so surprising – this was the Tide’s third straight game versus a ranked opponent – it was the way it manhandled them and forced steady Nick Saban to abandon his game plan that shocked the college football world.
Quarterback Stephen Garcia (17-20, 201 yds, 3 TDs), RB Marcus Lattimore (109 tot yds, 3 tot TDs) and WR Alshon Jeffery (7 recs, 127 yds, 2 TDs) did most of the damage offensively, but the Gamecock defense also did its part, holding the vaunted Tide rushing attack to a mere 64 yards and harassing Bama QB Greg McElroy so fiercely that the junior was sacked 8 times in losing his first game since middle school.
But the main reason this result was so significant is because it was the first big win of Coach Steve Spurrier’s Gamecock career. Since he arrived in Columbia in 2005 he was expected to resurrect the program and turn it into a perennial title contender, like he did at Florida in ‘90s. But one disappointing season after another left many people believing that turnaround was never going to come, and the Old Ball Coach would eventually slink away to greener pastures (and fairways) to enjoy the fruits of his labor.
Suddenly, all that has changed. The 4-1 ‘Cocks jumped to #10 and are leading the SEC East, and they are a lock to get the conference title game if they beat the reeling Gators next month. And with Garcia, Lattimore, and Jeffery (who was a wizard on Saturday) all underclassmen, this team has the talent to be – dare I say it – legitimate BCS title contenders this year and next.
Unless they lose to Kentucky next week.
Meanwhile the loss dropped the Tide all the way to #8, and ‘Bama might not get a rematch with S.C. in Atlanta since it now sits behind undefeated LSU and Auburn in the tough West division. But with games remaining against both those opponents, their fate rests in their own hands. And how great would it be to see a pissed off Nick Saban hell-bent on revenge take on an ultra-cocky Steve Spurrier with a trip to a BCS bowl on the line?
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The loss by ‘Bama plus four other ranked teams shuffled the rankings quite a bit, with Ohio State moving into the top spot and Oregon, Boise, TCU and Nebraska all moving up to round out the top five. But with conference play heating up and 13 unbeatens left, there will be ample opportunities for a number of teams to claim they’re #1 before all is said and done.
Let’s recap some of the other games from the weekend, and what’s in store for the title contenders:
– Ohio State earned the #1 spot by crushing Indiana for Jim Tressel’s 100th win as coach of the Buckeyes. Terrelle Pryor had the best passing game of his career, throwing for 334 yards and three TDs, and the OSU defense held the high-scoring Hoosiers to 30 points below their per game average. But with a date at Camp Randall Stadium against the punishing ground game of the Badgers up next, the stay at the top could be brief for the Bucks
-Oregon looked less-than-impressive in beating woeful Wazzu, 43-23, but it did have two key players get hurt – QB Darron Thomas to a shoulder injury and RB/KR Kenjon Barmer to a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit early in the game. Though they have a secure hold on #2 for now, it will be a miracle if the Ducks make it through their tough PAC-10 schedule unscathed.
-#3 Boise State (57-14) and #4 TCU (45-0) both spanked weak opponents, but these two non-AQs still don’t have a lock on a BCS Championship berth. The Broncos have just one ranked team left on their schedule and the Frogs have two, so unless a bunch of the remaining unbeatens lose, it’s going to be tough to make a case for one of these schools to jump ahead of a power-conference club.
-Nebraska kicked off the weekend with a 48-13 drubbing of Kansas State Thursday night, and Taylor Martinez may have vaulted to the top of the Heisman race with his awesome performance (241 yards & 4 TDs rushing, 369 total yards and 5 total TDs) against the previously undefeated Wildcats. If the Huskers survive the trio of Texas, Oklahoma State and Missouri in the next three games, they could be booking a trip to Glendale in January
-6-0 Michigan State climbed to #13 with an impressive 34-17 beatdown of the Wolverines in Ann Arbor. With Coach Mark Dantonio inspiring his team from the press box, the Spartans defense stymied Michigan time and time again, picking off QB Denard Robinson three times and holding the Heisman hopeful to just 84 yards rushing, 97 below his average. A Halloween eve date at #15 Iowa is the main obstacle standing in the way of an undefeated season for Sparty
-Even though it remains unbeaten, #7 Auburn likes to make things interesting, as once again it needed a last second field goal to defeat an unranked opponent. This time it was a 37-34 victory over winless Kentucky; last time it was an overtime winner against plucky Clemson. Squeeze in a comeback from 20-7 down to beat South Carolina, and common sense says these cardiac cats aren’t long for staying undefeated, especially with #11 Arkansas and #9 LSU up next
-speaking of LSU, the Mad Hatter somehow pulled another miraculous win out of his bag of tricks, as the Tigers upended Florida with a thrilling 33-29 win in Gainesville. One week after a comical finish led to a game winning touchdown against Tennessee, Les Miles caught the Gators off guard with a fake FG with: 35 left, leading to another last second touchdown that stunned Gator nation. But the undefeated Tigers have little chance of finishing the season unblemished – Auburn, Alabama and Arkansas loom on the horizon
- #16 Florida State gave birthday boy Jimbo Fisher his first marquee win as coach of the ‘Noles with a 45-17 beatdown of the sloppy ‘Canes. The loss knocked Miami out of the rankings and put FSU on track for a potential BCS bowl game, and provided it can beat Florida to end the season, FSU could be the kings of the Sunshine State once again. And wasn’t it ironic that the game began with Miami missing a field goal wide left?
So it was another wild week in the wonderful world of college football. And I must say it was WAY more entertaining than those boring MLB playoffs.
Well, except for that New Mexico/New Mexico State snoozer. Lincecum’s gem may have topped that one.
Post Tags:BCS, coach steve spurrier, college, columbia south carolina, defending national champions, loss, Nick Saban, ranked opponent, SEC, Week
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by: J Rose
more by: J Rose
