thependulumswings

Week Eight, when teams have mostly played seven games, is in the books.  Speaking of playing games of seven, a few teams went “seven out” and crapped.  Dicey.  The nuggets are warm and ready for your consumption below.

1. We have a newcomer who fought their way into the top four of the AP College Football Poll.  Georgia’s loss was the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame’s gain.  Bama is alone and lonely at the top.  They won by “only” 29 over Mizzou.  THE Ohio St and Clemson each moved up a notch to nos. 2 and 3 respectively.  ND was lurking at 5 and now say hello at 4.  All four are undefeated.
2. Looking ahead ND’s next two are pretty easy before they close with Florida St (talented enough), Syracuse(the Power Five kryptonite), and USC (road game out west). Meanwhile THE has five left and needs to sweep their border friends Michigan State and Michigan.   If ND plays them “one game at a time,” good things might be in store.  Michigan looms large for THE.  However the game is in THE Horseshoe.
3.  In the span of two weeks LSU went from 5 to 13 to 5.  The whipsaw was due to a loss to a Florida team now ready for an Outdoor Cocktail Party (I think they stopped calling it that for politically correct reasons) and a 36-16 thorough thumping of last week’s no. 2 Georgia.  Moo State and homecoming are hangover hurdles waiting for LSU next week.  Then they take the annual week off to heal before a team named Bama heads to BR.
4.  Michigan is relevant again.  Jim Harbaugh is paid large coin not Bitcoin to get them there.  Last year is in Ann Arbor’s rear view mirror as this year’s squad stands 6-1 and number 6.  Several teams in the top ten swooned and Michigan said hello with their own thorough thumping of what seems to be an under achieving Wisconsin clan of Badgers.  Their first game loss to now #4 ND isn’t something to hang a Wolverine head about.  Watch out for Sparty next week.  I can hear the ESPN shrill’s shrill now.  Michigan is “on upset alert.”
5. Georgia slid six spots to number 8 after the LSU tailgating and the LSU team whipped UGA’s tail.  Question for Ga fans-who is the best team that their 6-1 team has beaten?  South Carolina?  UGA just said UGH!  Florida is chomping at the bit next.  One has to wonder if Ga. has as much experienced talent as last year’s group led by Sony Michel,  Nick Chubb, and Roquan Smith had that lost the NC overtime thriller to Bama.
6.  A trio of top ten teams lost, hence the top ten turmoil.  West Virginia acted like the West Virginia of years gone by as the Iowa St. Cyclones handed them their first defeat.  The strength of the Big 12 including Oklahoma and Texas lies ahead.  Washington dropped all the way to 15 with loss no. 2.  Washington St. appears at 25.  The PAC 10, with Oregon at 12, isn’t exactly packed with top 25 participants.  And, none crack the top ten.  Penn St. didn’t fear Sparty.  They should have.  Maybe the Wolverines will.  Mark D’Antonio thanks all of the experts who said he might be on the dreaded “hot seat.”
7. UCF, North Carolina St., Cincinnati, and USF are all still undefeated.  I think I just heard a group yawn.  UCF hasn’t lost in over a year.  Memphis came oh so close to shredding the narrative, but UCF prevailed by one 31-30.  They won while others ahead lost.  Yet they stayed at 10.  Is that their ceiling? It’s probably close.
8.  The Big Ten has spots 2,6,18,19, 23, and 24 in the Top 25.  That’s 6 in out of 25 or 24%.  That’s good stuff.  But one wonders if anyone is a real threat aside from Michigan and THE.  Penn St. has two losses and Wisconsin is trying to get the maize and blue helmet paint washed out of their jerseys.  Iowa is a quiet 5-1.
9.  Miami’s descent continued.   They began the year in the top ten and favored in Jerry Jones’ Palace in a coveted season kickoff opener spot against LSU.  After that loss and this week’s loss to Virginia they now garner a not so coveted spot in the dreary “others receiving votes” area.  Getting 38 AP writers to vote you into 31st place is no place for a team named after a storm that reeks havoc.  Going back to last year they are 5-5 in their last ten.  All together now……a.v.e.r.a.g.e.
10. Some early lines are out.  Some early thoughts about the early lines follow.  Michigan is -7 at Michigan St.  Sparty is calling Vegas.  Auburn is -3.5 at Mississippi.  The mythical hot seat that likely isn’t accurate went from Orgeron at LSU to D’Antonio at Mich St.  This week the focus is on Auburn and Chizik.  Lose at Oxford and you get to sit in it next.  Mississippi St. travels at plus 7 to LSU.  Take the touchdown and extra point.  Oregon is minus 1.5 at Washington St.  The Cougars are going to throw all they have at the Ducks.

Until a lucky seven days from now……..