Rumblings

Rumblings from the weekend in college football…

As I expected, Auburn bounced back from their unexpected loss to Arkansas to take care of business against the Florida Gators. This leaves one unbeaten team in SEC play: the Arkansas Razorbacks. It also leaves five undefeated teams in BCS conferences: Ohio State, Michigan, USC, West Virginia, and Louisville. USC has two tough games remaining, against Cal and Oregon. Ohio State and Michigan play each other at the end of the season, and West Virginia and Louisville play each other next Thursday night.

There were two upsets of significance in the Top 25 yesterday. The Vanderbilt Commodores went between the hedges and defeated the 16th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs, 24-22. Vandy had lost 58 games in a row to ranked opponents before yesterday. The Bulldogs are struggling in a huge way. In Bloomington, Indiana, the Indiana Hoosiers shocked the #15 Iowa Hawkeyes, 31-28. Indiana is now 4-3. There are two non-conference losses the Hoosiers would like to have back, as they lost consecutive games to Connecticut and Southern Illinois while coach Terry Hoeppner was absent due to emergency brain surgery. If the Hoosiers can win two of their three games with Michigan State, Minnesota, or Purdue, they can make it to a bowl game for the first time since the Lincoln administration.

Down in Little Havana, there was a fight at the Orange Bowl, during last night’s game between Miami and Florida International. The video is here. The fight was instigated by a FIU player when he tackled the holder after an extra point was made. Chaos ensued. On the video, former Cane and color analyst Lamar Thomas represents The U with class, stating on the air that he’d like to get on the elevator, go down on the field, and take care of business, and that they ought to continue this in the tunnel after the game. Same old Miami we all know and love. Word for FIU: If you can’t beat them on the field, beat them off of it.

My Sooners beat Iowa State, 34-9, but it felt like a loss, as Adrian Peterson suffered a broken collarbone as a result of diving into the end zone, and is out for the season. If he is smart, he will declare for the NFL draft, and become an instant millionaire. The Sooners now have four dangerous road games in the Big XII, with trips to Missouri, Baylor, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State. At this point, an 8-4 finish and trip to the Alamo Bowl looks like a successful season. What was once a successful 2003 recruiting class, featuring Peterson and Rhett Bomar, has disintegrated. These are not the best of times in Norman, Oklahoma.

Big XII rankings for this week:

1. Texas: Bevo rolls on. Next stop: Nebraska
2. Nebraska: Are they ready for Bevo?
3. Oklahoma: Currently here by default. Their season is radically changed with AD’s injury.
4. Texas A&M: What a difference two weeks make. Strong win to knock Mizzou from the ranks of the unbeaten.
5. Missouri: All good things must come to an end.
6. Baylor: Yes, they gave up 63 to Texas. However, they are better than the teams below them this week.
7. Iowa State: Has completed the toughest part of their schedule.
8. Texas Tech: Lost to Colorado. Enough said.
9. Oklahoma State: Big win at KU. Need two more wins for a bowl.
10. Kansas: Slipping fast at 3-4. Didn’t need yesterday’s loss.
11. Colorado: Finally gets a win. Will be hard to deal with the rest of the way.
12. Kansas State: Someone has to be in the basement, and this week is their turn.