Wednesday, October 9, 2024
2024-25 NFL Season (Week 4 & 5)
Monday, October 7, 2024
2024-25 NCAA (Week 6)
Monday, September 30, 2024
2024-25 NCAA Football (Week 5)
Games I watched (some of):
(2) Georgia 34-41 (4) Alabama
Okay, hard to imagine there's going to be a better game in NCAA this year. This game had all the thrills, the chills, the ups and downs, backs and forths. Alabama dominated the 1st half, I thought QB Millroe was amazing, truly in control against a defense that has been smothering planet Earth for half a decade, Bama moved the ball with ease and ran up the offense quickly. Too much too soon, it appears, because UGA dominated the 2nd half (and, yes, I thought Bama contributed mightily to the comeback by slacking off), even took the lead, forcing Bama to steal it back, and then the game ended with UGA coming up just short on another comeback. I thought QB Beck was brutal in the 1st half but made some real plays after halftime and the UGA offense in general came alive, too, this Bama offense might be suddenly revitalized by this. I fully expect UGA to still be around by season's end. Millroe is probably the top of the Heisman pool just like that and wouldn't be surprised if Bama was back at #1 on Monday. Still a lot of season left.
Kentucky 20-17 (6) Mississippi
Ole Miss was lined up for a big season: returning QB everyone loves, a good collection of veterans on both sides and an SEC schedule that dodges Alabama, A&M and Missouri (and catches Oklahoma, LSU and Florida in vulnerable positions). But you cannot--REPEAT: CANNOT!--lose to Kentucky. Especially at home. A sluggish game, which was the first clue that Kentucky was in it, felt like Ole Miss was the better team but also felt like UK might keep them down. Also, UK's offense was not bad, it was consistent and ate up enough clock that Ole Miss's woes were magnified. A coupla plays: a long bomb on 4th down that set up the fumble recovery to the end zone and next thing you know, the Wildcats are stealing it away from the Rebels. Then Ole Miss goes wide left on the tying FG and suddenly, there's no OT, just a big ol' L. Now the Rebels have to go to South Carolina, not gonna be easy, they better get their offense back pronto. I don't know if Ole Miss vanilla-ed their offense or just had a bad day, but they need to pull out all stops from here on (and beating Georgia would be nice, too) and that starts next week. As for UK, they've got a good L (Georgia) and a good W (@Mississippi), I dunno, that's not bad for UK, but I'm not forecasting wins at Knoxville or Austin.
(19) Illinois 7-21 (9) Penn State
This was pure sludge. Each team scored a confident early TD, then not much happened outside of missed FG's all over the place, until Penn State (sorta) blew it open late. Penn State has a serious meatgrinder of a defense but that offense still isn't overpowering (re: the Buckeyes have a real pain in the ass game coming, but they should win), so puncher's chance against the top tier is the best I can give them. The Illini are nice but they're not gonna beat the tippity top teams.
(21) Oklahoma 27-21 Auburn
Auburn came out hot, but once the Sooners put it together, they flew past the Tigers. This is not a vintage Auburn side. The Sooners aren't great either, but I think they're pretty good and going in the right direction.
Top 25
Handled their business
(1) Texas, (3) Ohio State, (4) Alabama, (8) Oregon, (9) Penn State, (13) Southern Cal, (14) Louisiana State, (16) Notre Dame, (17) Clemson, (18) Iowa State, (21) Oklahoma, (22) Brigham Young, (23) Kansas State, (25) Boise State
Won but did not impress
(7) Miami. I always think of Friday night as the show-off spot and if Miami was better than Va.Tech, they really should've come in louder and prouder here. They did well to claw back the W but they had a good shot at a convincing thumping and they did not do that.
(12) Michigan. Finishing off a conference foe usually impresses me, but Michigan is ranked too high to not dispatch Minnesota decisively. Being the defending nat'l champs is a major burden for this squad, remaining in the playoff chase is not gonna be easy.
(24) Texas A&M. I dunno, man, grudge match with Arkansas shouldn't faze me but the Aggies just don't look that strong to me. Their schedule is gonna start delivering body blows from here.
Bad beat
(2) Georgia. I ain't worried about UGA, they are still firmly in the top 12, still in for a shot at top 4. And as weird as this game was, I think there's some good stuff for UGA in there, this could be a real shot in the arm for this squad.
(15) Louisville. Came up short on the road. Played well, would've been nice to get the W in South Bend.
(19) Illinois. Penn State just choked this offense out. The Illini are nice but the Nittany Lions got a killer D.
(20) Oklahoma State. Yikes! The Cowboys still have opportunities on their schedule but they got obliterated in Manhattan, suggesting that K State is the stealth power in this conference.
Not so good
(6) Mississippi. You don't understand: losing to Kentucky is two losses at once. Bad L, disappointing home conference L, but, man....it was Kentucky!
(10) Utah. Getting trucked by an Arizona team that has not looked good this season is a surprising outcome. At home, they were never in this game.
Next week's intriguing matches (huh, a whole slate of games that seemed like they would sound great, like, 3 months ago--looking at you, Clemson-Florida State! Instead, this NCAA's helpful reminder to clean out your garage and winterize the lawn mower. I'm cool with it, I need a baseball weekend):
(9) Missouri @ (25) Texas A&M (dang, even this one seems tarnished already but they are both ranked, so it'll make a difference)
(12) Mississippi @ South Carolina (interesting to see how Ole Miss bounces back from a disappointing home loss and whether the Gamecocks can get back on track with a good W)
Sunday, September 29, 2024
2024-25 NFL (Week 3)
Monday, September 23, 2024
2024-25 NCAA Football (Week 4)
Games I saw (some of):
(24) Illinois 31-24 (OT) (22) Nebraska
Fun game! I felt like Nebraska was the better team for the most part but they couldn't keep the momentum. On the other side, the Illini made plays late to keep the game going and then to seal the victory. Good road W for the Illini, disappointing showing for the newly returned to the top 25 Huskers.
(11) Southern Cal 24-27 (18) Michigan
Southern Cal started slow, took forever to move the ball and they didn't get stops on Michigan in the 1st half. Michigan's defense is legit but I think their offense is kinda rickety and for the Trojans to let them move the ball so effectively particularly before halftime, was a disappointing showing. Felt like the Trojans had righted ship after halftime, that offense was much more effective, but the D could not get stops down the stretch and one big run basically blew open the game for the Wolverines. Credit Michigan for playing hard and sticking to their game plan late, but Southern Cal is the better team and really should've won this match.
UCLA 17-34 (16) Louisiana State
Kept waiting for LSU to rise up and put their stamp on this game and after halftime, that's kinda what happened. But they let this anemic UCLA attack have much too much success moving the ball early on and the Tigers even had trouble finishing drives. LSU is clearly, easily, the better team and really could've/should've poured it on the Bruins. I am convinced that UCLA is not particularly good, still not sure what to make of LSU, some real ups and downs so far this season and I don't yet see what this side has to offer. (They better figure it out quick because the SEC onslaught is a-comin'!)
(12) Utah 22-19 (14) Oklahoma State
Utah controlled the game nicely, never really allowed the Cowboys to get any footing on offense and moved the ball well enough to choke off most of the clock. The scoreline isn't overwhelming but I really think Utah is the better team and played much better on this day. Oklahoma State is a nice team and while I like Utah, not sure if the Utes can hang in the 12-team playoff (though I suspect we will find out).
(6) Tennessee 25-15 (15) Oklahoma
Tennessee is really good, man, they're scary on both sides of the ball and the gauntlet at the top of the SEC has an extra competitor this season (well throw in Texas and Ol' Miss, too (I'll refrain from adding Missouri to this list)). Tennessee's offense wasn't dominant @ Oklahoma but it was effective and did well to control the game. And UT's defense is legit. This Oklahoma squad isn't as good as recent years but they're not bad and that they got thoroughly stuffed by the Vols was an impressive showing. Oklahoma will be back in the years to come but for now Tennessee is a legit contender to win it all.
Top 25
Handled their business
(1) Texas, (3) Ohio State, (5) Mississippi, (6) Tennessee, (8) Miami, (10) Penn State, (12) Utah, (16) Louisiana State, (17) Notre Dame, (18) Michigan, (19) Louisville, (20) Iowa State, (21) Clemson, (24) Illinois
Won but did not impress
(7) Missouri. OT to beat Vandy? At home? This is not how top 10 squads collect their pelts.
(25) Texas A&M. Fumbling around at home with Bowling Green (yes, Michigan fumbled around with them, too) is not a good look for a team that fancies themselves a top drawer side in the SEC (though I do not now--nor have I ever--considered them top drawer in the SEC).
Bad beat
(11) Southern Cal. I really thought they should've won at Michigan, but they started slow and ended sloppy. I still suspect they're the better team.
(14) Oklahoma State. You gotta win the home games in the conference but I think Utah is just a better squad, so this is a "bad beat".
(15) Oklahoma. Yeah, they need to handle conference foes at home, but, man, Tennessee is really good and I thought the Sooners' ability to even hang in this game was kinda impressive. Long climb up into the upper echelons of the SEC but I have faith the Sooners will get there (not this year, but, you know, eventually).
Not so good
(13) Kansas State. Yipes! Kinda got destroyed at Brigham Young, not a devastating L but not good if you want to stay in the top 20.
(22) Nebraska. Yes, I'm dubious of the Cornhuskers but if they're a for-real top 25 squad then they beat the Illini at home.
(23) Northern Illinois. Oh, a good W at Notre Dame will be remembered by alumni for years to come, but time in the top 25 can be fleeting.
Next week's intriguing matches:
(20) Oklahoma State @ (23) Kansas State (hmmmm....Big-12 opponents both coming off losses, loser leaves town, no?)
(15) Louisville @ (16) Notre Dame (interesting, feels like a nice bounce back W for the Irish is on their racket or will it be an impressive road W for the Cards?)
(2) Georgia @ (4) Alabama (here we go! Game of the year so far)
(19) Illinois @ (9) Penn State (nice test for the Nittany Lions, a foe they should beat but probably the toughest match of the year so far)
Saturday, September 21, 2024
2024-25 NFL (Week 2)
Games I saw (some of):
Bills 31-10 Dolphins
The story here is that QB Tua sustained another concussion and left the game (with the distressing cloud of retirement hanging over him) but before he left, honestly he was pretty terrible in this game. The first interception wasn't really his fault, but the second was and the third was Levis-level embarrassing and sealed the victory for the Bills. Where do the Dolphins go from here? Well, the talk is trading for Trey Lance (Cowboys) or even Bryce Young (Panthers), but neither of those seem like solutions to their problem, so the longer Tua is out the harder it'll be for the Dolphins to get anything going. As for the Bills, they moved the ball pretty well but frankly this game was over so quick, they didn't really do much. Last year the Bills went all in surrounding QB Allen with playmakers on both sides of the ball, but the offense was still mostly just Allen and the defense suffered injuries that ground them down to nothing by the time the playoffs came around. This year they're capped out of the star market, so its just Josh Allen hero ball and while that is terrifying on the one hand, it is probably theur best chance for success. So, while most think the Bills will take a step back (my pre-season picks had them out of the playoffs in the AFC), it is just as likely that the Bills reach their peak relying on Allen. Then again, Tua's travails show how dangerous it is to put all eggs in one basket.
Saints 44-19 Cowboys
Holy golly! The Saints just scored and scored and scored and then mailed in most of the 2nd half. After two weeks this Saints offense looks amazing and while I want to be skeptical, I dunno, they look damn good! As for the Cowboys, well they were out of this game so quick, it's almost like they weren't even there. I suspect the Cowboys are still pretty good but they were too good against the Browns and too terrible against the Saints, so not enough yet to get a feel for them. And the Saints, well, so far so good (and they are in a sorry division, so this could keep going).
Jets 24-17 Titans
Another week of watching the Titans....*sigh* Well, they are a tougher, more physical team than I expected in the post-Vrabel era but with QB Levis, they have put a cap on how effective that offense can ever be. Levis is not a disaster but he's not good, every good move he makes will invariably be followed by a backward step. It took the Jets a while to get going--again, up against a tougher D than they expected--but once they did, they controlled the game to the close. I still think the Jets can be really good but they aren't there just yet, so the ceiling is hard to figure. The Titans are a tough out but won't win a lot of games.
Bengals 25-26 Chiefs
Fun game, though I thought the Bengals had their chances to put this game away and they didn't rise to the task. The Chiefs (re: QB Mahomes) made the plays down the stretch to steal the victory but they still don't look like the mighty Chiefs (and I suspect they won't all year long). The Bengals are better than their 0-2 record, but how much better is hard to see.
Bears 13-19 Texans
I liked QB Caleb, he's unorthodox (he's got weird foot work, which is either his downfall or his super power, I haven't decided yet) but he is a rookie and the team is still glitchy on offense. I like the Bears D but it, too, needs work. The Bears are frisky but not very good. The Texans are good but haven't shown that they can reach their peak. I like QB Stroud, he spreads the ball around nicely, and the D is nice but not great. Felt like they should've stomped the Bears, not sure why they didn't.
The rest of the slate:
Bucs 20-16 Lions. The Bucs look spunky, the Lions don't look as good as it feels like they should be.
Colts 10-16 Packers. Man, this was on the table for the Colts and they didn't take it, so are they just not any good? Good W for the Packers, with QB Love out indefinitely, they need to sneak every victory they can (so far so good).
Niners 17-23 Vikings. Hmmmmm....the Vikings had the highlight of the week, a 97 yard bomb to WR Jefferson. But that aside, I'm surprised the Niners couldn't get their offense going. West teams coming east is always tough but the Niners looked so good to me against the Jets last week, I thought they would just roll through this.
Seahawks 23-20 (OT) Patriots. The Pats are feisty, but the Seahawks are, too. A win on the road is always good. The Pats are one of those teams that won't win games but will cover spreads.
Giants 18-21 Commanders. NYG becomes the first team to ever score 3 TD's while giving up 0 TD's and still lose. Look at that score line....who scored the TD's?
Chargers 26-3 Panthers. The Panthers suck, one of the worst teams of all time. The Chargers are still just chugging along.
Browns 18-13 Jags. Well, QB Watson looked okay but what happened to the Jags? I think they might suck.
Raiders 26-23 Ravens. Uh-oh. Ravens are 0-2 and if they can't beat the Raiders at home, then things are not looking good for them. As for the Raiders, well, their D plays hard and QB Minshew with some nice weapons isn't a bad offense. The Raiders might actually be kinda good.
Rams 10-41 Cards. The Cards offense has looked pretty good so far (second only to the Saints?) and they clearly brought it here. The Rams have offensive line problems and their suffering through injuries on the offensive side. Good W for the Cards, tough L for the Rams.
Steelers 13-6 Broncos. Looks like a slog of a match. The Steelers have a really good D and an offense that should be able to run the ball a little. Not sure what the Broncos have just yet, seems like not much so far.
Falcons 22-21 Eagles. I saw none of this but I know the Falcons came back late to steal. The Eagles still look like the stagnation machine it was in the 2nd half of last season. The Falcons should/could have a nice offense, we'll see if they can keep QB Cousins upright.
Monday, September 16, 2024
2024-25 NCAA Football (Week 3)
Games I saw (some of):
(1) Georgia 13-12 Kentucky
WTF was that? UGA really kinda sucked in this game, they finally got RB Etienne going in the 2nd half (well, a little bit) and at least he secured them the TD they needed to win. But, man, the Bulldog defense didn't stop the run or the pass--UK is not exactly a barn burning offense--and the Bulldog offense mostly sputtered and I thought QB Beck played maybe the worst game of his collegiate career. So is Kentucky better than we thought? Well, they can't be as bad as they looked the prior week at home to South Carolina. But, I don't think that was it. I think I have recounted this memory on here before but here goes again: back in the Nick Saban days when Alabama was murdering everyone (right before Georgia started murdering everyone), the Tide rolled into Lexington and dropped a 51-3 ass whoopin' on the Wildcats. It's easy to look at the score and say 'Alabama is really good and Kentucky really sucks' and most of the time that would be the proper takeaway. But, no. What happened was the Tide brought their A-game because they were afraid of Kentucky; they could've put forth no effort at all and won 27-10 and no one would've thought anything of it, but Saban wanted to send a message and the message was 'that Kentucky squad is gettin' kinda good and I don't wanna fuckin' lose to them!' So Saban pulled out all the stops and embarrassed the Cats. So when UGA comes in and plays the worst game they've played in a decade, they're saying 'Kentucky sucks so bad they can't possibly hang with us', which, again, most of the time would be correct. But, UGA kinda got lucky here. They were not the better team for most of this match and, yes, one good drive is all it took to secure the victory...but....one good drive is all they had against a team they clearly had zero respect for. Now, I understand their attitude, I had already completely given up on this Kentucky squad and now I'm forced to kinda take them seriously again (for a while). But instead I think I'll just look sideways at the Bulldogs and keep an eye on their upcoming games: @Alabama, @Texas, @Ole Miss, Tennessee at home and, hell, Georgia Tech to close the season might not be the biscuit they thought it would be. Just sayin': keep an eye on Georgia, they don't look like they're into it this year.
(4) Alabama 42-10 Wisconsin
Only kinda vaguely paying attention to this one because every time I looked up the Bama running game was gashing the Badgers and putting up TD's. Not a vintage Wisconsin side, but an impressive thumping by the Tide. (Speaking of vintage: they retired Ron Dayne's number before the game and my man showed up in shorts and a t-shirt; I'm not exactly a dapper dressed myself but that ain't a good look for a Heisman winner)
(16) Louisiana State 36-33 South Carolina
South Carolina made big plays and kept the Tigers off balance, but when LSU finally settled down and played, they really were the better team. I've watched LSU a coupla times and I've generally been impressed but they also feel schizophrenic, like they can win or lose just about any time anywhere. As for South Carolina, that nice win in Lexington felt like the start of something big, but the 2nd half of this game reminded us that the Gamecocks are middle of the pack.
Top 25
Handled their business
(2) Texas, (4) Alabama, (5) Mississippi, (6) Missouri, (7) Tennessee, (9) Oregon, (10) Miami, (12) Utah, (13) Oklahoma State, (14) Kansas State, (15) Oklahoma, (16) Louisiana State, (18) Notre Dame, (23) Nebraska
Won but did not impress
(1) Georgia. WTF? UK's D-line had some nice moments and UK's running game did, too. But the Bulldogs never should've let this game stay in jeopardy for so long.
(17) Michigan. Didn't exactly dominate Arkansas State at home, kinda fell apart in the 4th quarter! Not saying the Wolverines aren't good, they've still got plenty of talent on the defensive side, but this title defense is not gonna be easy and they clearly do not have the offense to go too far.
Bad beat
(20) Arizona. I watched a bit of Arizona the previous week not exactly lighting it up against Northern Arizona and I can't say I was shocked to see that Kansas State handled them rather easily. I'm putting this as a bad beat but it is also quite possible that Arizona just isn't as good as they were last season.
(24) Boston College. BC is kinda spunky but so is Missouri, so going on the road and hanging with an SEC powerhouse (-ish) is not a bad showing. This is not a bad L.
Next week's intriguing matches:
(24) Illinois @ (22) Nebraska (I dunno, man, Nebraska back in the top 25? I'll believe it when I see it--and the Illini ain't exactly appointment viewing either, this may be the peak for both of these squads this year)
North Carolina State @ (21) Clemson (The Wolfpack won't roll over to the Tigers, this is a good test for Clemson to see if they're for real)
(11) Southern Cal @ (18) Michigan (a conference game? Uh....okay, should be fun)
(12) Utah @ (14) Oklahoma State (two blue collar, lunch pail squads going at it, we'll see who earns the W)
(6) Tennessee @ (15) Oklahoma (another conference game? The Vols are looking pretty good and though the Sooners haven't really gotten going yet, I got a feeling they might blow up in this game; curious to see who shines out in this one)