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By The Pigskin Prognosticator, PubClub.com College Football Analysist
The (media) sharks, who have been waiting years for any signals of distress, are circling around the surf in Tuscaloosa, ready to devour any morsel that comes their way.
They are proclaiming the end (again) of the great Saban and the Alabama football dynasty simply because the team has a quarterback who can’t read defenses and is abysmal in the short and intermediate passing game, the offensive line spends more time standing over defenders who have penetrated the backfield than blocking them and the once-feared coordinators are now comprised of a too-young guy on offense and a too-old man on defense. Well they may have a point. To a point.
However, at least the less-than-high-Tide (so far) has played an opponent of significance rather than a series of is-that-really-a-school teams (Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, USC, etc) that cannot expose such weaknesses. At least one of those situations will change on Saturday with some more potentially intereting matchups making up Week 4 of college football.
Now onto this week’s games. All times Pacific because the Prognosticator lives on the West Coast.
Florida State at Clemson (9 a.m., ABC)
FSU, who art thou? The team that thumped LSU or the one that nearly got thumped by BC? Even taking into account that the Spears were looking back as well as ahead last week, it does give the once-fiesty Felines hope of clawing out a win. In the end, the Florida Indians have a much more potent attack than do the punchless hosts. Winner: Florida State
Auburn at Texas A&M (9 a.m., ESPN)
After being shell-shocked by Miami, the Cadets look to reload – or at least put up a good fight – against their agricultural conference mates. Jimbo is secure with his 75K golden parachute but the fans and alumni are as antsy as a batallian dug in on a hillside of fire ants. Win and the meida will incorrectly proclaim that this is the A&M team everyone has been waiting for, but lose and Chicken Little will be running around College Station for good reason. Winner: Texas A&M
Colorado at Oregon (12:30 p.m., ABC)
For all the lights, cameras and action the Neons have created there is one factor that tells more about this team than anything else: the 98-yard drive with the game on the line last week to win it. That’s not flash, that’s getting it done and it has to have the feathers flying in the land that pretty much created craft beer. The Waddlers have been tapping into the old-school scoring keg but have yet to taste a real opponent. The Buffs are not too buff on defense but they are not going back to the pasture when they give up touchdowns. Winner: Oregon
Ole Miss at Alabama (12:30 p.m., CBS)
Joey Freshwater returns to T-town (to the laughs and giggles of the savvy sorority girls) feeling like his ‘ol SC cocky self. Poking the GOAT isn’t exactly a solid strategy, tho. The attrition of assistants may have finally caught up with Nick Saban – two in particular, an offensive analysist now at UAB and strength coach Scott Cocharan who defected to Georgia with Kirby Smart – may be the most crucial. But it’s still Saban on that sideline and Joey will leave with his foot in his mouth and his visor over his eyes. Bring your popcorn! Winner: Alabama
Ohio State at Notre Dame (4:30 p.m., NBC)
The Bama Bashers are quick to point out that the Indiana Irish are doing much better without Tommy Rees than they were with him, while conveniently ignoring the fact that the schedule to date has yet to cause them to raise their fists in fine fighting fashion. The Acorns, who have yet to strike any fears around college football with thier own quarterback situation, will turn into the Leprechauns’ troublesome cousin, the Clurichaun. Winner: Ohio State
Iowa at Penn State (4:30 p.m., CBS)
The Hawks have actually managed to score a few touchdowns this early season, raising hope of some excitement in Iowa City. Although when they arrive in the Lions’ Den, they will find a team set on sending them back to last year’s offensive futility and fans fueled up on Monkey Boys. The white out in this one will be the mountain lion fur covering the visitors. Winner: Penn State
USC at Arizona State (7:30 p.m., FOX)
Troy is going to treat the little Devils like a rookie reporter, even tho its D may make the home fans get briefly excited about thier backup QB. The Caleb Calvary is going to kick up so much dust in the desert that there may be tunbleweeds blowing in the stands by halftime. Winner: USC
Cal at Washington (7:30 p.m, ESPN)
The Papa Bears often put up a pretty good fight against the Dogs tho it’s hardly like Tennessee’s problems going to The Swamp. The Sailgaiters will be sailing on a summer breeze, skipping along like a stone while the Berkeley Boys – who struggle mightily on offense and couldn’t kick a field goal if they moved the goal posts up to the line of scrimmage and lowered the crossbar – will quickly want to turn their their ship around. Winner: Washington
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