CFB Week 5 Recap: Reality Bites

Oct 3, 2011

As the calendar flipped to October and the conference schedules started to ramp up this past weekend, some teams found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard at an inopportune time of year.

Though some of the losing teams will be able to recover from the stinging losses they suffered, either by winning their divisions or simply winning out, others that spit the bit will find themselves wading through the rest of the season with thoughts of ‘what might have been’ dancing in their heads.

In honor of these unfortunate underachievers, the theme of this week’s recap is the cult classic flick Reality Bites, about a bunch of Gen X college grads who don’t know what the hell to do with their lives once they’re thrust into the real world.

Whether or not these teams bounce back from their broken weekend to reclaim post-grad success remains to be seen. But right now most of these clubs must feel like they are struggling through another shift at the Gap.

USF- the Bulls entered the weekend ranked 16th and harboring thoughts of finally earning the BCS bowl bid that comes with winning the mediocre Big East. Then they got shredded like a julienne salad by Ray Graham (226yds, 2TDs) and the Pitt Panthers in a 44-17 throttling on Thursday night. The Bulls’ schedule will allow them to climb back to the top of the conference if they win out and the Panthers lose twice, but this loss could end up costing them that elusive BCS bid yet again.

Nebraska - you think the Cornhuskers are rethinking the idea to move from the Big 12 to the Big 10 now? Wisconsin gave Nebraska a rude welcome to the conference, bludgeoning the the Huskers with 233 rushing yards and intercepting quarterback Taylor “take me out of the Heisman race” Martinez three times in a 48-17 Badger beatdown. Nebraska could still win the B-10 Legends division, with contests against Michigan and Michigan State yet to come, but this loss had to deal a severe blow to their confidence and their BCS hopes.

South Carolina - another year, another demoralizing loss for the Ol’ Ball Coach in his new visor-stomping grounds. This game was supposed to represent payback as well as a changing of the guard for Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks, who were annihilated by Auburn in last year’s SEC title game. Instead USC laid an egg, managing just 289 yards against one of the most porous defenses in the nation in a 16-13 last-minute loss to the Tigers. And BTW Stevie, that giant-brimmed, plain white visor looks like something you get at a church flea market.

Florida - Spurrier’s former team fared no better at beating its nemesis than his new one did, as the good vibes brought on by Florida’s 4-0 start came to a crashing halt when Alabama manhandled the Gators, 38-10, in the Swamp. Adding injury to insult, UF quarterback John Brantley left the game with a knee injury following a sack, leaving him questionable for next week’s game at LSU. Say “Bye bye, Top 25″, Gator fans.

Baylor - we knew Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III was human; trouble for the Bears was, he picked a lousy time to show it. RG3 threw his first interception of the season in the waning minutes of the 4th quarter with his team leading Kansas State, 35-33, and the Wildcats went on to kick the game winning field goal minutes later in an entertaining game in Manhattan. Griffin still had a Heisman-worthy day (23-31, 346 yds, 5TDs), but that pick could be the difference between playing for the Big 12 title and playing in the Sun Bowl.

Virginia Tech - Clemson 23, Hokies 3? At Lane Stadium? File this one under the heading “didn’t see that coming”, as the Tigers dealt Va Tech it’s most embarrassing home loss in over fifteen years. Losing to 5-0 Clemson is nothing to be ashamed about, but letting a team come into your home and beat you at your own game – via defense, special teams and running the rock – had to be especially humbling for Beamer’s boys. The season now hinges on the November 10th meeting at Georgia Tech if the Hokies plan on winning the ACC title for the fourth time in five years.

Texas A&M - it turned out to be appropriate that the Aggies’ game against Arkansas was played at Cowboys Stadium. Because when the game got to crunch time, A&M folded in a way that would make Tony Romo’s pro team proud. For the second straight week, the Aggies gagged away a comfortable lead, turning a 35-17 halftime advantage into a demoralizing 42-38 defeat when the Hogs scored 25 second half points, including a rushing touchdown with just over a minute left. Amazingly the Aggies piled up 628 yards of offense – 381 on the ground- and scored five touchdowns in the first half and still lost. Coming on the heels of Oklahoma State’s 19-point comeback win last week at College Station, and in advance of A&M’s migration to the SEC next season, the Aggies not only have fallen, they might never get up.