College football is a reality show. Each week, we see story lines unfold and the playoff picture comes a little bit more into focus. Still, in the first month of the season we’ve seen the coaching carousel begin and several teams begin to tell us who they are.
Here is what we learned from week three of college football.
ALABAMA IS FRIGHTENING – AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY
Alabama is a good team. They scored all the points they needed to beat Louisiana-Monroe in four minutes after Will Anderson’s pick-6. But man, those penalties are a problem.
When you commit a pre-snap penalty on the first play of the game, discipline is an issue. As the conference schedule approaches, Alabama’s offensive line still hasn’t gelled. It’s terrific that linebackers and the secondary are chomping at the bit to hit somebody, but that’s translating into dumb flags that could cost a game against Georgia or even Tennessee.
Yes, it’s only week three. Yes, Alabama still won by a comical margin. But improvements need to be made if this team wants to win another championship, and the Tide travels to Fayetteville in 12 days.
AUBURN SHOULD JUST TAKE THE YEAR OFF
There’s not a lot that can be said of Auburn’s blowout home loss to Penn State this weekend. They couldn’t move the ball at home for the second straight week, they can’t cobble together 15 minutes of competent quarterback play, and the SEC buzz saw is knocking on the door.
Auburn will lose more games this year, but this loss will stay with the team. What’s happening down there isn’t moving in the right direction. When Tiger fans celebrate their band not leaving the stadium or how nice they were to opposing fans instead of anything on the field, it’s not a good trajectory.
Of course you were nice to Penn State fans. What are you going to do? Trash talk when you’re down by four touchdowns?
Auburn should just take the year off. And Liberty coach Hugh Freeze should start looking for real estate in Lee County.
OTHER SEC ACTION: GEORGIA IS GOOD AT FOOTBALL
Georgia looks like a better football team every week. Their defense again held its opponent to single digits despite lining up against a competent quarterback, albeit one wearing a South Carolina jersey.
Texas A&M bounced back after last week’s embarrassing loss to beat No. 9 Miami at home. That’s great for the Aggies, but Jimbo Fisher’s offense is flat and can’t score the points they need to win games in the SEC.
Is Tennessee back? They’ve blown out two cupcakes and showed their mettle on the road in a win against Pitt. They’re not a playoff team, but the Vols are doing what they’re supposed to. And that’s the most we’ve seen out of Tennessee in decades.
Kentucky has an excuse to be optimistic about their season. Fans should enjoy it while it lasts because Georgia will make them looks like, well, Kentucky when the two meet in November.
As always, Arkansas is a weird, inconsistent team. They can look like a top 10 team or they’re a squad that needs all 60 minutes to come back against Missouri State. Their next big test is next week when they play Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Florida visits Tennessee in a quintessential 2:30 p.m. CBS game.
Clemson visits Wake Forest in a game that will probably decide the ACC’s Atlantic Division.
The Arkansas – Texas A&M game will end stupidly in a score of 11 to 9 1/3.
Missouri visits Auburn and Vanderbilt travels to Tuscaloosa.
What did we get wrong? What games are you looking forward to? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram. Listen to Throw the Flag below or wherever you get your podcasts.
(Courtesy of 256 Today)
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