B&S Week 2 game-by-game recaps
Photo via Tennessee Athletic Communications
College football is some game, huh? Week 2 saw major upsets and what looked like wins on paper were anything but. Texas A&M was slayed by David, AKA Appalachian State, at home in Kyle Field. Outside the league, Touchdown Jesus was relegated to the fetal position after Notre Dame fell to MARSHALL in South Bend. Unbelievable stuff.
Let’s check out how the guys fared this week. By the way, we’ll be one game short because this merry band of scallywags forgot to include the Mississippi State-Arizona game in our previews. for the public record, both Bossman and Hammer picked Mississippi State to start out slow then pull away in the second half in our Week 2 preview show with Steven Willis. Some believe they were Zoltar the Fortune Teller in a past life.
The Waco Kid went ham on being a contrarian this week and he paid for it. Vandy over a Sam Hartman-led Wake? Pitt over Tennessee? Mizzou over K-State? Come on man. Get with the program.
Let’s hit the recaps.
#1 Alabama 20 - Texas 19
Bossman Slim: This was a war. And you know what, man? Credit to Texas. No one believed in the Horns to give Alabama a game, especially me, and they gave them all they could handle for 60 minutes, and that included having their backup QB play the majority of the game after Quinn Ewers went down with a sprained clavicle. While Texas came to play, Alabama looked extremely undisciplined, racking up FIFTEEN penalties for 100 yards on the day. Completely uncharacteristic of the Saban-coached teams we’ve come to know. Luckily for the Tide their defense held in the red zone and they have Bryce Young at QB who made plays at critical junctures to secure a win in the final minute. Credit to Will Reichard too who has steadied the Bama kicking game in recent years and nailed the final field goal to help Alabama escape. Alabama gets a tune-up next week against UL Monroe to get things back on track.
Hammer: I’ll be eating crow several times this week, so why not get this one out of the way? What a gritty performance by Texas. I said this was a game where Bama would name their score, which was so far off what actually happened. The Longhorns played well, especially on defense, and gave Alabama fits all day. DKR was rocking, and if a few things go their way, Texas wins this game. They did everything needed to beat Alabama, just came up short as Bryce Young willed Bama to a win late in the 4th. All that said, Bama looked bad. Here’s what concerns me about Alabama moving forward: 15 penalties, a lack of separation from wide receivers, inconsistent offensive line play, inconsistent coverage in the secondary, and struggling to get pressure on the opposing QB. I can’t recall the last time I saw a Saban-coached team look this undisciplined. There is time to fix these issues, at least when it comes to penalties, offensive line play and coverage, but this team did not look ready to play on Saturday. It’ll be interesting to see how this offense looks the rest of the way, because Young bailed them out big time yesterday. It’s only week two and the Tide came away with a win, so it’s not time to panic. Alabama will improve and still most likely win the SEC West, but this team is not who we thought they were just yet.
Waco Kid: Alabama looked horrible in this contest. The best defensive player in the nation, Will Anderson, lined up offsides 3 times in the first half alone. This was a telling tale of the whole game for the Crimson Tide. The secondary left open holes throughout the defensive backfield that a high school JV quarterback could exploit. And still the UT offense could not find the endzone. Everyone will say “oh they played a great game, if Quinn hadn't gotten hurt it would have been a blowout”. Really, because when Ewers left the game at the end of the first I seem to recall the Longhorns only having scored 3 points. You project that out and they would score less than they did with Hudson Card. That is no compliment to the Tide defense, they were as porous as I have ever seen with the offense looking like the Washington Sentinels in “The Replacements”. Neither team could score but neither defense could stop the other squad from moving the ball, which somehow ended up making for a low-scoring game. I mean Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young barely threw for 200 yards and only one score against a conference that has been known not to play defense. And the Crimson defense allowed over 5 yards per play, do the math, UT only needed two plays a series to advance the ball to a first down. If the Longhorns lose any of the games that Ewers is out for, the whole nation will have to hear about how good they would be if only… I think Card is a more than capable backup and when they lose 3-5 out of the 6 games QB1 is out, that is on Sark and the team, no one else. As far as Bama goes, Lord help the teams in the coming weeks that have to play them. Nick Saban will be on a tear and trying to prove a point. He will stomp opposing competition and eat his former employees like the Titans of Greek mythology used to feast on their spawn. Until that conference championship in Atlanta, there will be no more close games for Saban’s Southern Squad.
#16 Arkansas 44 - South Carolina 30
Bossman Slim: I nailed the spread on this one, picking Arkansas by 14, I just didn’t think either team would score as many points as they did. It also played out similar to how I thought it would: Arkansas is a darn good football team and South Carolina just doesn’t have the horses yet to hang with a team like the Hogs. The Razorbacks were up 21-3 before South Carolina clawed back to get it within 5. Arkansas then scored on back-to-back drives to break the game open. The Hogs ran all over USC, posting almost 300 yards rushing on the day behind Rocket Sanders 156 yards, and 2 TDs. KJ Jefferson had another solid day through the air and on the ground. The defense gave up a bunch of yards through the air but held USC to just 40 yards rushing and sacked Spencer Rattler 6 times. Rattler posted a solid stat line but was shaky on turnovers, fumbling the ball 3 times and losing one while also throwing an INT. Arkansas is going to be a real threat in the SEC West while the Gamecocks still have much work to do. Arkansas has a cupcake in Missouri State next week while USC takes on Georgia….yikes.
Hammer: Turn that damn jukebox on, Razorbacks! Sam Pittman and the Hogs continue rolling. Give credit to South Carolina for not rolling over, they kept fighting back and never let Arkansas really put them away, but the Hogs were in control the whole time. KJ Jefferson is so good at operating the Kendal Briles offense as he went 18/21 for 162 yards and a TD through the air, along with 67 yards rushing and another TD. He is so in control and the Hogs have one of the most efficient offenses in the country right now. There remains some vulnerability in the Razorback secondary, mainly due to injuries, and Rattler took advantage of that, throwing for 376 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. South Carolina’s problem continues to be their complete inability to run the football. The Gamecocks only managed 40 yards rushing on 29 carriers, averaging a dreadful 1.4 yards per carry. Until that improves, the Gamecocks will be behind the eight ball in almost every game. You cannot compete in the SEC with numbers like that on the ground.
Waco Kid: In the previews I stated Spencer Rattler was good for at least 1 Int and 1 Fumble 👀. Nailed it. Rattler’s bad choices and poor protection of the football are predictable on a week-to-week basis. This begins the streak of last weekend’s SEC contests that were won or lost depending on the turnover margin. The outcome of this Arkansas-South Carolina game is most likely writing on the wall for the rest of the Gamecocks season. Will they make a bowl game? No, they will win 5 games at most and could go through the SEC with only 2 wins, those being Mizzou and Vandy. And if I am being honest both teams could beat a Rattler-led squad. On the other hand, goodness Arkansas looks like a legit contender. Sam Pittman has that damn jukebox turned up and the Razorbacks have finally found their groove. KJ Jefferson was a true leader in the backfield, showing off his arm strength and his running ability, all while impressing fans with the humbleness to know when it is another guy’s game to take over. Namely, Raheim Sanders against the Gamecocks. The piggy running back rushed for over 150 yards and 2 touchdowns on Saturday and has balanced out a passing attack that just a week before saw 223 yards through the air and 3 scores. The Fayetteville boys are here to stay and may challenge Alabama for the West. They first have to get through A&M in two weeks, which is always a good game, but this Pittmaster squad looks like the real deal.
#23 Wake Forest 45 - Vanderbilt 25
Bossman Slim: With Sam Hartman back at QB, Wake Forest smoked Vandy. Hartman posted a 300-yard 4 TD game through the air not missing a beat after being out the first two weeks. Vandy struck first at 3-0 and then it was Wake Forest in control the rest of the game. It was 45-18 with 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter. Mike Wright couldn’t get much going and was benched late in the 3rd quarter for freshman AJ Swann, who led two touchdown drives late in the game for the Commodores, really the only bright spots on the day for Clark Lea and co. Vanderbilt gets Northern Illinois next week who isn’t an automatic out, with ESPN matchup predictor giving NIU a 33% shot at winning the game.
Hammer: This is one of the few games this week that actually went similarly to how I predicted. Sam Hartmann returned for the Demon DEcons, and he had a great game. No rust for the veteran who went 18/27 through the air with 300 yards and 4 touchdowns. Vanderbilt moved the ball alright during the game, but really hurt themselves with three turnovers. I will officially label the Commodores a frisky from here on out. Don’t sleep on them, but they are a long way from competing in big-time games.
Waco Kid: I thought Sam Hartman may make his return and have to brush off some cobwebs. I was wrong. You can see all of the stats above so I will not go into those again. He did play incredibly well though, and the Demon Deacons rallied behind their leader to a 2-0 start on the season. It looks like it could be Wake Forest’s year, with their only real competition coming on September 24th against the #5 Clemson Tigers. If they can somehow emerge victorious in that game, an ACC title and CFP berth could be a viable option when their regular season ends in November. Hartman will have to continue to put up spectacular numbers and carry this team on his back but he is a guy that everyone can feel good about rooting for so I am hoping for the best this season for the QB1 and this underdog of a team. Next week they play Liberty, a team that has not been the same animal since Malik Willis entered the NFL draft. This should be an easy win but if we’ve learned one thing so far this season, no team should be taken lightly.
Kansas State 40 - Missouri 12
Bossman Slim: Earth to Mizzou. What the hell was that? In our preview show on the Locked on Ole Miss YouTube channel, I said that Missouri is the Show Me State, and they need to show me what they’ve got. They showed me the opposite. This team isn’t ready for SEC play this year and it could get ugly in Columbia. Kansas State is a good football team, but Mizzou should not get blown out by a team like they. This one was never close. The Wildcats defense put the clamps on this Tigers offense and forced 4 INTs, 2 from Brady Cook and 2 from Jack Abraham. There’s a lot of soul searching to do for Eli Drinkwitz and this Tigers team. Mizzou gets one more tune-up with Abilene Christian next week before they hit SEC play.
Hammer: If Eli Drinkwitz isn't careful, things could get ugly in Colombia, MO. This was pitiful. Kansas State is a good team, but they should not be this much better than Mizzou. This game was 40-6 before the Tigers scored as time was expiring in the 4th quarter. A total smackdown handed down by the Wildcats, and it’s hard to see where Mizzou goes from here. Brady Cook looked very shaky going 15/27 with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He added 56 yards rushing, but unfortunately for the Tigers he was their leading rusher. Which brings me to the real issue, the Tiger offensive line. Missouri only had 94 yards rushing on 35 carries and they allowed 10 TACKLES FOR LOSS. Given how Brady Cook has looked throwing the ball in his short career, the Tigers have to be able to run the ball for any offensive success. And on defense the ghosts of 2021 showed up as Mizzou couldn't stop the run at all. Deja Vu. Kansas State steamrolled the Mizzou front seven en route to 235 yards rushing and four touchdowns. If Missouri wants to win a game in the SEC, they need to start showing improvement immediately.
Waco Kid: As I said in our preview, I was not going to bet against the Tigers until they gave me a reason. Well, Kansas State just gave me 40 reasons why I will not pick Mizzou for any other upsets this year. The black and gold are still in a rut and Drinkwitz does not have them moving out as quickly as I thought. Obviously, there is still some building that needs to be done and it seems as though the building blocks are not yet on campus or have not been found. Both QBs that played in the game each threw two interceptions a piece. That is not a stat line you ever want to be a part of. Starting quarterback, Brady Cook, only threw for 128 yards on the day. And that was against a Big 12 defense, which does not bode well for the Tigers who begin SEC play in just two weeks. The defense also allowed the Wildcat’s offense to run the ball straight down their throats. This will not translate well into conference play in the SEC, which is notorious for the ground and pound and wanting to control the line of scrimmage. KSU pushed the Mizzou D line backwards and showed no mercy. Hopefully, Missouri can figure out a solution to their line issues within the next week or so.
Appalachian State 17 - #6 Texas A&M 14
Bossman Slim: Year 5 of the Jimbo Fisher era is off to a disastrous start in College Station. After a shaky performance in Week 1 against Sam Houston State, the Aggies lackluster play finally caught up to them. App State walked into Kyle Field and slayed another giant after almost taking down UNC in week 1. The Mountaineers controlled the tempo game from start to finish, posting 41 minutes on time of possession to A&M’s 18. The Aggies looked listless on offense all day and only ran 38 total plays. The defense couldn’t get off the field and let App State convert too many third downs at critical points in the game. It was an abysmal performance across the board for a team that should not be in this position in Year 5 under Jimbo. It’s hard to pinpoint just one problem with this team right now, there are holes to fix everywhere. What’s worse: A&M must figure it out FAST, as a talented Miami team comes to College Station next week before they hit the meat of the SEC schedule with Arkansas, Mississippi State and Alabama to follow. They should free fall out of the Top 25 rankings on Monday.
Hammer: Please sir, another helping of crow for me. The Aggies really let me down yesterday. Genuine question here: What in the hell is Jimbo Fisher even trying to do on offense? Cause I have no clue. They have no identity on offense. His offense has been the weaker unit every year in his tenure, and here we are in year five when he has a QB he recruited and groomed for three years, and the offense looks WORSE than ever. Appalachian State allowed UNC to score 63 points a week ago, and the Aggies managed just 7 points on offense (Achane kick return doesn't count). It’s a complete disaster offensively, and that falls squarely on Jimbo. Maybe this will finally force him to make some changes (I doubt it), but it’s impossible to play offense in college football in the year of our lord 2022 worse than Texas A&M did on Saturday. Without significant improvement on offense, this is a 6-6 team at best. On defense A&M looked decent, they just couldn't get off the field on 3rd or 4th down and were completely hung out to dry by the Aggie offense. App State ran 82 offensive plays compared to 38 for A&M. That is egregious for Jimbo and his staff. Aggies are lucky this final score wasn't worse. Appalachian State does deserve a ton of credit here as well. They played a phenomenal game, had a fantastic game plan, and executed it to perfection. They outplayed and outcoached Texas A&M, leaving with a $1.5 payday and a win. Things are looking up in Boone, NC.
Waco Kid: Stage 1: Denial
There is no way the #6 Texas A&M football team lost to Appalachian State by 7 points and allowed almost 200 total rushing yards by the Mountaineers. Surely, I read that wrong, it would be impossible for ASU to have possessed the ball for 42 minutes as opposed to TAMU’s 18. Achane and Smith must have been sick and the program covered it up. Haynes King and Jimbo Fisher must not have gotten enough sleep due to the excitement of the possibility of both Texas and Alabama looking bad on Saturday. If it wasn’t as hot the Aggies probably would have won the game.
Stage 2: Anger
King and Fisher suck, we should have never paid either to be a part of the program. Haynes got used like the underwear he was named after. Jimbo? More like Dumbo with those calls. Why would we not get the ball to Devon more? Why would we pass so many times with an inept quarterback? I’m going to go home and rip the head off of my ironic stuffed Longhorn.
Stage 3: Bargaining.
Please, since the Ags lost just let Baylor lose too. Please Mr. Musk, if you could just ban all UT fans from using Twitter for 7 days, I will never say anything bad about the social media platform again. In fact, if we could go ahead and make that a lifetime ban, that would be much appreciated. If we can just beat Miami, I will never upper deck an Austin toilet on purpose again.
Stage 4: Depression
I am just going to sit here and stare at the field while the App State Mountaineers celebrate their victory. They earned it and we suck, we will never win a football game ever again so I might as well watch someone else be happy. Haynes King’s ability to throw to an open receiver does not make me want to not cry and his 97 total passing yards did not make me lose faith in humanity. Jimbo’s game plan definitely makes me not want to watch football ever again. College Station will always be the land of what ifs and similar to the island of misfit toys.
Stage 5: Acceptance
The one stage every A&M faithful welcomes back like an old friend. Yes, we may have lost but we will beat Miami and win the majority of our SEC games. Texas still sucks and will lose to Kansas, Austin is still an overpopulated cesspool of dirty, non-bathing hippies, and I-35 will continue to be bogged down nuts to butts by Big 12 fans that cannot decide which Walmart shirt to wear this Saturday. Finally, next year is our year, even if next year never comes.
The five stages of grief were all experienced by Aggie fans throughout the past few days and now that the mourning time has passed nut up, bench King, start Johnson, find a passing and rushing game and Beat the Hell Outta Miami.
#24 Tennessee 34 - #17 Pittsburgh 27
Bossman Slim: What an awesome game. I picked Tennessee by 7 and was right on the money. Pitt jumped out to a 10-0 lead but the Vols fought back and took the lead 21-17 in the 2nd quarter. It was an all-out brawl for the rest of the game as both teams went back and forth and Pitt tied it at 27 late in the game. This was a gutsy, solid road win for Josh Heupel and the Vols to build on. Brick by brick in Knoxville and they’re on their way to making some noise in the East. Tennessee gets Akron next week before SEC play heats up with a showdown against Florida.
Hammer: Tennessee returned the favor here and handed Pitt a loss at home, just as the Panthers did to them a year ago. Massive win for Josh Heupel and the Vols to continue building momentum. This was a hard-fought win, where the Vols actually relied more on their defense than offense to win. The offense was solid overall and Hendon Hooker threw for 325 yards and two TDs, but it wasn't the high-flying offense we’ve become accustomed to. The Pitt defense played well and Tennessee needed their defense to come up big and they did. Tennessee held Pitt to 3.6 yards per carry and got off the field on 3rd down, allowing just 4 conversions on 18 third downs for Pitt. Kedon Slovis getting hurt certainly helped in this one but that’s football. Tennessee is quietly looking like the second or third-best team in the SEC East and getting a big win on the road should go a long way for that team’s confidence.
Waco Kid: As pointed out by Bossman Slim, I was the only one to choose Pitt as the winner. I could not be more unapologetic for this pick. The Panthers took an early lead and ended up losing in OT. This wasn’t a bad pick, just a poor draw of the cards. One thing that was proven, both Tennessee and Pitt are forces to be reckoned with this season. Vol quarterback Hendon Hooker has been playing like a Heisman candidate and the nation is starting to take notice. Against an above-average Pittsburgh defense, Hooker threw for over 300 yards and two TDs. Would it have looked better if he found the end zone a couple more times? Of course, but when you have an RB that scores twice, you really do not need to rely completely on the passing attack. Between this game and last, the streetwalker under center has thrown for nearly 550 yards. That is just through two contests. The defense also won the turnover battle which we have seen has the utmost importance in every game this season. The secondary forced an interception out of top transfer QB Kedon Slovis, who looked almost unstoppable against West Virginia. After a decade of West dominance, it looks as though the East may now not only have the best team in the SEC but could be all around better. With teams like Tennessee, Kentucky, and Florida, the division has had a renaissance not seen since the emergence of the Alabama dynasty in 2010. The real UT has a snoozer next week against Akron, maybe get Joe Milton in there and let the second team show just how much depth the checkered orange and white has this season.
#20 Kentucky 26 - #12 Florida 16
Bossman Slim: I’ve been saying I’m not sold on Will Levis, and after this one, I’m still not. He made a good throw for a 55-yard TD to Dane Key, but was average the rest of the game. The good news for the Wildcats is that they don’t need Levis to be perfect to win - we learned they can beat you in a myriad of different ways. On Saturday night in The Swamp, it was the defense who stepped up forcing 2 Anthony Richardson INTs (one that Keidron Smtih took to the house for six) and holding AR-15 to only 4 yards rushing on the night. They also got two huge stops on 4th down in the 4th quarter that put the Gators on the ropes. Florida was a little overhyped after that Utah win, and Kentucky is for real. Winning in the Swamp without your top running back and two other RBs injured is no small feat. Mark Stoops is now the winningest coach in Kentucky history, and what a fitting way to give him that crown. Kentucky has everything in front of them. They get Youngstown St. next week while Florida takes on a bad USF squad.
Hammer: Alright…and here I will take my third and final course of crow. Desert crow, if you will. I thought Florida and Anthony Richardson would prove to be too much for Kentucky in a close game. I never should have doubted Mark Stoops. I doubted Will Levis, and I think that is warranted especially considering he didn't play that well (13/27, 202 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT), but what I failed to account for was the Kentucky defense and Stoops’ ability to gameplan on that side of the ball. The Wildcats shut down any Heisman hype that Anthony Richardson was prematurely getting. Forget about that Gator fans, because Kentucky just dominated Richardson to the tune of 14/35 for just 143 yards and two interceptions. But surely AR15 ran well, right? Negative, he had 4 YARDS RUSHING (and don't call me Shirley). Those two picks were the difference in the game as one was returned for a TD and the other was returned inside the five-yard line. 14 points directly off interceptions is a tough pill to swallow. Welcome to the SEC, Anthony Richardson. Great win for Kentucky in a hostile environment.
Waco Kid: Well this one surprised me, I thought for sure after last week’s win over #7 Utah, the Florida Gators had proved that they were hungry for the East this year. It seems Kentucky is hungrier. The Wildcats were playing down their starting running back and one of their backups which should have given the Gators a leg up on the competition. Instead, Mark Stoops forced Anthony Richardson to throw the ball rather than run rampant and the Florida quarterback’s lack of progression in the passing game was evident from the get-go. Richardson threw two interceptions and was highly ineffective through the air only connecting on 14 passes for an average of ten yards. The opposing gunslinger was not much more effective but was able to not turn the ball over quite as much, SEC teams won and lost all weekend based on the turnover margin and the Blue and White came out on top in this one. Florida moves on to face an easier team in the South Florida Bulls, while UK gets Youngstown State at home. These matchups should rejuvenate both teams after an emotionally and mentally taxing East showdown.
Auburn 24 - San Jose State 16
Bossman Slim: Trouble on the Plains. Have you heard that before? Auburn was a 22.5-point favorite and eeked out a win at home over San Jose State, a team that was 5-7 last year. TJ Finley threw an INT and couldn’t find the endzone through the air but was able to get one on the ground. Robby Ashford came in on the second drive of the game and threw a pick of his own. This one was 17-13 going into the 4th quarter. Not good if you’re an Auburn fan and Tigers fans were expressing their frustration on social media. This one needs to get turned around right now because there is no breather for the Tigers. They have Penn State in Jordan Hare next week.
Hammer: Not a whole lot to say here. Auburn is not a very good football team at the moment and they don’t have a QB. Finley was shaky once again, going 13/20 for 167 yards and one interception. I think we’ve seen a big enough sample size between his time at LSU, last year and so far in 2022 to know that Finley isn’t the guy. Ashford was effective running the ball and finished with 61 yards to lead the Tigers in rushing, but didn't get much of an opportunity throwing the ball, attempting just 3 passes. I’m not sure what Harsin is doing at QB but unfortunately for the Tigers, I don’t think they have a very good QB on the roster. So pick your poison at this point. Bigsby struggled to find running room in this one, totaling just 51 yards on 13 carries, which would concern me the most as an Auburn fan. To have a chance in the SEC, Auburn will need to rely on Tank and that means he needs blocking. I hope he finds some but I’m not holding my breath.
Waco Kid: Yikes, it was just an all-around bad showing for the SEC this past weekend. Most years the conference is one of the best from top to bottom, this year it is starting to look top heavy with Georgia separating itself from the pack. Auburn is usually one of those teams that are mid to high mid-tier in the Southeast but it looks like they could be in for some trouble. TJ Finley is just not the guy and if Bryan Harsin wants to stick around, which may not be up to him, he is going to have to find a viable option at quarterback. This was another game that a conference quarterback could not seem to hold on to the ball. Finley and backup Ashford both threw a pick against SAN JOSE STATE. This isn’t cross-state rival Alabama, this is a team paid to lose to the Tigers. Unless War Eagle can find its war chant and a competent guy behind center the only hope they may have will come from the rushing attack led by Tank Bigsby. He’s one of the best in the nation to do it so why not put a guy like Zach Calzada behind center, a proven SEC quarterback, and hand the rock to Bigsby with the occasional deep threat Calzada provides? Keep defenses honest, whereas now they can stack the box and dare Finley to throw. The Blue and Orange get Penn State next week and I expect the turnovers for both squads to be high and the play to be sloppy purely based on the two somewhat decent teams both have faced. If there is even a shot for AU they have to change up their offensive scheme.
Mississippi State 39 - Arizona 17
Bossman Slim: An all-around good team win for the Bulldogs. Will Rogers took care of business throwing for 4 TDs and the Mississippi State defense frustrated Arizona QB Jayden de Laura all night forcing 3 picks. State can clean up the turnovers themselves, losing two fumbles and Rogers threw a pick in the 2nd quarter. Mississippi State let Arizona hang around in the first half before pulling away as expected. Mississippi State gets LSU next week in Death Valley for their first big test.
Hammer: The Bulldogs took care of business in a tricky road test. Arizona is not a good football team, but they are improving and play really hard. Any road win at night against a power five opponent is nothing to sneeze at, especially this early in the year. Cowboy Will Rogers continues to quietly put up some of the best numbers in the country, tossing for four touchdowns, one pick, and 313 yards on the night. The Bulldog defense dominated this game up front, only surrendering 40 yards rushing on 22 attempts by the Wildcats. This Mississippi State team is good, do not sleep on them.
Waco Kid: The PAC-12 sucks, maybe even worse than the Big 12. The only team that is worth any type of praise is I guess USC. Honestly, I think most of that is probably Lincoln Riley hype anyway. So was I surprised to see Mike Leach and his ‘Dogs beat up on some cats? No. Will Rogers showed out once again and now has 9 TD passes on the season. No one seems to be mentioning Rogers as the silent assassin who keeps killing defensive backfields. I am sure all of that will change when they play Brian Kelly and LSU next week. If Rogers continues his solid play, analysts will all be calling for his name to be on the Heisman watchlist. The Bulldog defense also looked like a high-caliber squad forcing three interceptions and dominating the line of scrimmage. Next week will tell us just how good Leach has his boys playing and if they can come away with a win in Death Valley, all bets are off in the West. It will be a showdown week to week between Alabama, Arkansas and MSU.