Another week is in the books, and it looks like we finally have some separation between contenders and pretenders across the board nationally. Some teams seriously under performed, which has been a growing theme over the last two weeks, leaving us with a very small list of teams that look like they could push for a national title, including Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, and possibly Washington. Here are my seven major observations from the week that was in week five...
Point One: Are we really going to have to endure another Alabama/Clemson run in 2017?
The answer is...probably. Who on Earth will step up to shut down the Tide or the Tigers in the SEC or ACC in 2017. When you look at both leagues, top to bottom, they are mostly made up of average programs with little in the way of challenges. The ACC has an entire division that looks average, at best, and nobody really is in the class of Clemson in their own division. The SEC is made up of stuck in the mud programs that tried so hard to become Alabama, that they all sabotaged themselves with their efforts to emulate instead of being original, and they were never that great to begin with outside of a couple of programs. With that in mind, maybe we see Penn State making a push, but not really. Maybe we see Oklahoma making a push, but they feel vulnerable. Washington? We all saw the egg they laid when having a chance last season. So, Alabama and Clemson it is until we see something better come along.
Point Two: Is anyone west of the Rockies watching PAC-12 After Dark?
The PAC-12 has become incredibly irrelevant these days. They have the worst bowl agreements in the Power Five, and they have the worst TV agreements, with all marquee games either getting stuck on a weekday, or late on a Saturday night, when most people have burned out on football after a day full of it. With nobody watching the games in the Midwest and East region, expect no polling love, and no major award hype until this issue gets resolved moving forward. It is time for the league execs (I'm talking to you, Larry Scott) to stop treating your programs like a bunch of prostitutes, and start making yourself relevant again by playing games in what passes as prime time on a Saturday, which is 12:30 PM local time on the west coast.
Point Three: Bryce Love is the real deal, but because of Point Two, nobody cares.
Bryce Love is the first 1000 yard back of the season, but if you are no on the west coast, or a member of the media that has to know these things, nobody knows or cares. You so rarely hear his name in Heisman conversations, and Stanford feels off the grid once again in 2017. Love should not be penalized for playing in a crappy Power Five conference with a horrible TV deal. He is the best back in the nation right now, and that is a fact.
Point Four: The Over/Under on coaches being fired this season is set at 24.
24 coaches could find their ways out of jobs before the end of the season. I would bet on the under at this point, as the pool is exceptionally weak for replacement candidates, but some schools can no longer afford to wait it out. Look for the SEC to lead the way in fired coaches for Power Five leagues, but there is some bad football being played out there in 2017, and some boats are going to sink.
Point Five: The September coach of the year has to be Gary Patterson.
Patterson already has wins against Arkansas and Oklahoma State in 2017 after a down year by TCU standards since Patterson became the head coach of the Frogs. As of now, nobody else in the Big 12 outside of Oklahoma State, who already has a loss to TCU in league play, can really give Oklahoma a good push for their money in 2017. For how far the program has come in the last year, Patterson is my Coach of the Month for September, and is hurtling towards a possible Coach of the Year vote.
Point Six: Offensive, Defensive Players of the Month
This was difficult at only one spot, and that was WR. Baker Mayfield is our September QB of the Month, Bryce Love is our RB choice, while Courtland Sutton of SMU is our WR choice after moving SMU to an impressive 4-1 start.
On defense, we choose Anthony Wimbush of Ball State (7.5 sacks leads the nation) at DL, Frank Ginda of San Jose State at LB (14.5 Tackles per game), and Jalen Davis (5 INTs, 3 TDs) of Utah State at DB.
Point Seven: Is San Diego State the NY6 favorite?
It would seem that while the Aztecs look like the best choice, some flat performances over the last two games (Air Force, Northern Illinois) have them looking a bit vulnerable in their role as the highest ranked G5 team in the nation. USF has looked equally flat at times this season, leaving UCF as a complete dark horse to steal the spot. Look for the Knights to gain momentum in the AAC East race, as they hurtle towards a showdown with USF later this season.
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