Return of the Good...Bad

Good: MSU’s Croom finally on right track.

Bad: Poor Tommy Tuberville, this may be his worst Auburn team.

Good: I know the season is only three games old, but Michigan State looks good, especially in light of everyone else in the Big 10 struggling.

Bad: I can’t remember the Big 10 ever being this weak.

Good: Michigan finally gets a W.

Bad: Could this be the worst Notre Dame team since Gerry Faust walked the sidelines? Didn’t these guys play in BCS bowls the past two years?

Good: Florida was very impressive against Tennessee.

Bad: Outside of LSU and Florida, the SEC looks a little mediocre.

Good: I am starting to warm up to Flutie and James on Thursday night. Flutie knows his stuff.

Bad: Lou Holtz still blows, but at least I don’t have to hear any Notre Dame crap out of him.

Good: Darren McFadden is the best SEC running back since Bo Jackson.

Bad: To bad Arkansas has the worst QB in the conference.

Good: The Contenders – USC, LSU, OU, Florida, Penn State, Cal, Wisconsin, Texas, West Virginia, Rutgers, OSU, South Carolina, Clemson, Michigan State, BC, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Purdue, Mizzu, Kansas, Texas Tech, Hawaii, Uconn, South Florida, Cincinnati, Indiana, Air Force, Oregon

Bad: Poser Material – Cornholers, Hogs, Georgia Tech, UCLA, Louisville

Good: Little guys rising up.

Bad: Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn and Arkansas are a combined 0-4 in conference play.

Good: Duke ended its 22 game losing streak.

Bad: The victim? Northwestern, which lost 34 in a row in the early 80’s.

The Best: LSU’s defense, #1 in the nation in numerous categories including total defense, passing efficiency defense and scoring defense.

The Worst: Orenthal -

Behind the Woodshed

Thoughts on the Game

The 2007 version of the LSU Fighting Tigers football team is very, very good. Admittedly, Virginia Tech is not as good as advertised. But for LSU to lay 48 points on the Hokies vaunted defense is incredibly impressive. Matter of fact, this was the worst beating suffered by Virginia Tech in 25 years.

The defense looked tremendous once again and the offense showed much more in week two than in Starkville. Against the Virginia Tech defense, ranked #1 in the country the last two seasons, the Tigers piled up 598 yards and 48 points. This was no fluke. LSU’s first two drives of the game netted over 165 yards and 14 points. Flynn has done a great job of managing the offense over the last two weeks. He has accounted for two passing TD’s and one rushing. But more importantly, he has ZERO turnovers. His poise in the pocket will be the difference in LSU’s season.

With so many playmakers on offense and a suffocating defense, why is Flynn so important? Because in my mind, LSU’s biggest foe this season is itself. If the Tigers remain focused and play within the game plan, the LSU will head to New Orleans 13-0. Flynn’s experience and game management will force the opposition to drive the field against LSU’s nasty defense, a losing proposition for all but the best offenses in the country.

The Polls

This week gives us another reason the polls are unfair and inherently biased. The only way you leave USC #1 is because you THINK the Trojans are the best team in the country, no other reason. We KNOW LSU has looked magnificent the last two weeks, is obviously loaded with talent and well coached. If USC crushes Nebraska next week then move them back to #1. But thru two weeks, LSU’s body of work clearly outclasses anyone else in the country.

Les to the BIG BLUE MAFIA

With Lloyd Carr’s Wolverines at 0-2, vultures are circling in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The common thought amongst fans and talking heads is that Les Miles is on the top of Michigan’s list and he’d “walk to Ann Arbor” to take the head coaching job. As Corso would say, “not so fast my friend!”

Why?

1. The Big Ten is way down. It is not impossible for Michigan to rebound and make a run at the Rose Bowl.

2. Lloyd Carr has a lot of stroke at UM. I don’t see him getting fired for one poor season after going 11-0 last season before falling to OSU and USC.

3. Let’s say Michigan does make a change. Let’s also say LSU makes a run at the National Title. Will the Wolverines sit around and wait until after New Years to name a new coach? Can they afford to wait and name a head coach less than 30 days before national signing day? Remember, Michigan’s last game is on November 17th, 6 or 7 weeks before the BCS games. I have also heard that a faction at UM does not want Miles. So the offer may not come even if Carr steps down.

4. Would Miles take the job if offered? I know he’s a Michigan guy, but he has LSU rolling. Plus, if LSU makes the BCS Title game in New Orleans, would he be willing to become a lame duck before the biggest game in his career? He can stay at LSU as long as he wants and become a legend in Baton Rouge.

5. LSU would assuredly throw more money at him forcing Michigan to match. Carr and Miles make about the same right now (approximately $1.4 million per). Michigan is one of the arrogant upper class of college football, are they willing to get into a bidding war with an obviously inferior school from the deep south? Think about it, for all his success, Miles has yet to win a conference or national championship. In his time at Michigan, Carr has won five Big Ten titles and one national championship.

No one knows what will happen at this point. Let’s just enjoy the ride and worry about next season after this one is over.

Week 1 Random Musings

* How in God’s name is Lou Holtz still on TV? He’s a huge homer for Notre Dame and half the time he is choking over his own tongue. He is just flat out annoying and sucks the life out any show he appears on. Matter of fact, he just stated that the ’07 Domers will win 10 games this season. Are you kidding? Trade him to NBC so I never have to watch him again.

* If I could pick any coach to run my program, I’d take Steve Spurrier in a heartbeat.

* I can’t wait for Bama to drop a game they should win and the resulting implosion from Saban and the Tide faithful.

* USC v. LSU would be a great Championship Game. Booty returns to Louisiana for his final game. LSU plays at home for all the marbles. The game that should have been played after the 2003 season will finally come to fruition. Bourbon Street would be insane.

* LSU is going to win 10 or 11 games and the SEC Title.

* There are about 10 teams that could win it all. The difference between those teams is minimal. One injury to a key player, a let down one week, or just plain bad luck can change the course of their season.

* College Gameday is really fallen off the last few years. Too much fluff and other junk.

* Thursday night football booth went into the toilet this year. Herbstreit out, Flutie and Craig James in…yuck.

* I understand the shooting at Virginia Tech was a horrible event for everyone in Blacksburg, but ESPN’s coverage was ridiculous. At one point of the broadcast I couldn’t help but think, “hey, they scheduled a football game and an actual football game broke out.” I’m all for paying respect and being sensitive to the situation, but at a certain point, the pain suffered by the victims and their families is cheapened by the media overkill.

* Michigan’s loss at home was a big wakeup call for everyone that thinks they can roll out the hat against I-AA teams.


* After watching Virginia Tech flop around for 60 minutes Saturday, I feel much better about LSU’s chances this weekend.

* For the first week of the season, there were a number of entertaining games. Auburn v. K-State went down to the wire. UT v. Cal was a track meet for most of the night. Colorado State v. Colorado went into OT. Mizzu v. Illinois was wild from start to finish.

* Notre Dame is going to blow this season. I can’t wait for that Duke v. Notre Dame game on NBC on November 17.

* Oklahoma looked awesome this weekend. A run for the National Title may be in the cards for the Sooners.

* Speaking of looking awesome, the Mighty Spartans DESTROYED UAB this Saturday. Michigan State has a legitimate shot to make a bowl game this season despite a brutal schedule (at Wisconsin, at Ohio State, at Iowa, Michigan, and Penn State)

* Click here for the LSU recap and Video Highlights