*The State of Mississippi must be smiling from ear to ear this morning. After an unparallelled Saturday last week that saw both Ole Miss and Miss State beat top 10 teams, they backed it up with another excellent performance. Ole Miss went to Kyle Field and beat the pants off of the Aggies. The score in the 4th quarter was 35-7 before A&M added some window dressing. The Rebel Defense forced 3 turnovers including a pick 6. They also limited the Aggies to 1.5 yards per rush. This unit is really, really freaking good. In Starkville, the Bulldogs took down Auburn 38-23. This was a sloppy game including 8 total turnovers. Dak Prescott threw 3 INTs but MSU was able to overcome them with a sturdy ground game and stout defense. Personally I would like to see both of these teams go undefeated, and meet in the Egg Bowl to decide who wins the SEC West and who goes to the playoff. Then again it is completely possible that both of these teams make the playoffs in that event.
* Baylor beat TCU 61-58 Saturday afternoon/evening, in ridiculous, come from behind fashion. I have a few points on this game. First, this game was entirely too long. A 2:30 start should not end after 7, as this one did. This game illustrates the need to have a running clock, similar to the NFL. This would at least make games more manageable length wise for TV and fans. I have to think it would make things far more palatable all the way around. Secondly, the game was won in suspicious fashion. I have long been critical of Big 12 officiating and their inequity showed in this game. TCU went for a 4th down where a questionable call was not made. On the following possession, Baylor had a nearly identical 3rd down and got the call. It was absolutely horse shit and it essentially decided the game. I hate it when the zebras essentially decide the game. Third, am I supposed to be impressed with a win in which you allowed 58 points? I am not. If I am on the committee, I absolutely consider the fashion in which the game is won. A good, playoff worthy team, does not allow 58 points to anyone. A win is a win, I suppose, but color me not impressed with the Bears Saturday.
*I made a lot of preseason predictions. Some are hits, and others, well, not so much. One of which was that UCLA would be awesome, a playoff contender, and certainly the winner of the Pac 12 South. Well I was 100% wrong on all accounts. The Bruins are the biggest underachiever in College Football this season. They have been terribly inconsistent, and at times, downright poor. Saturday they took it on the chin to Oregon. Dont let the final score fool you, at one point in the 4th quarter it was 42-10. Oregon only faced 7 3rd downs all afternoon!!! Kudos to the Ducks for beating this dog in every conceivable way. That is what good teams do. Perhaps the Bruins were taking notes.
*Say what you want about Charlie Strong and his heavy handed approach in Austin. The man can coach a defense. He has already turned the Horns into an excellent group. Texas out gained Oklahoma by 250 yards and limited them to just 1 3rd down conversion in the loss at Fair Park in Dallas. That is what happens when a team gives up both a kickoff return and a pick 6 in a ball game. The point is, the Texas Defense is already there, thanks to coach Strong who has this unit playing with an edge. The rest of the club needs work, and lots of it. Going forward I am confident he will make the other units competent and along with a stout defense, make UT a winner.
*Is the honeymoon over in Lubbock for Coach Bro? After showing a lot of promise last season, Texas Tech has had a rough first half to 2014. Their 2 wins were over Central Arkansas and UTEP by single digits. Their 4 losses are by totals of 21, 10, 32, and most recently 3 to West Virginia at home. That is not a good trajectory. I realize Kingsbury got an extension, but this start cannot give a whole lot of hope to the Red Raider faithful. If you are a Tech fan, please weigh in.
STOCK UP
Miss State- This is the best team in the country right now.
Ole Miss- A case can be made that they should be number 1 after such an impressive road showing.Duke- A road defeat of a ranked foe lands the Blue Devils on the stock up list.
Minnesota- The Golden Gophers are 5-1 and 2-0 in league play for the first time since ’04.
Washington- A solid, sound defeat of a conference opponent. UW is 5-1 and looking good.
Notre Dame- 6-0 again. A date with the Noles looms.
STOCK DOWN
Illinois- Another conference game in which they were not competitive. Is Tim Beckman going to get canned?
Missouri- Getting shut out at home makes one wonder why this team was ranked to begin with.
Oklahoma State- Any team that come close to letting Kansas beat them deserves to be on the stock down list.
Texas Tech- Coach Bro has no answers in Lubbock.
Vanderbilt- a 1 point win over Charleston Southern including 0 2nd half points. Jeees.
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College Football Junkie 2015 
Outstanding article. No mention of outrageous officiating from ESPN or SI. The Baylor win has an asterisk.
Jim, I have long believed that Big 12 officiating is the worst. Its typically inconsistent and a few schools seem to always get the calls. Was there foul play Saturday? I doubt it, but that does not mean that the officiating wasnt inadequate. I also have a hard time stomaching the style of ball that I wistessed Saturday. I believe great teams play both sides and there was very little of that in Waco. I am now cheering for someone, anyone to knock off the Baylor Bears. I simply do no want to see them in the playoff.
Thanks for reading Jim.
Dak Prescott had two interceptions. Still too many for him and he will admit it. MSU’s third interception was a pass from the punter on a fake punt.
Those picks were both completely unnecessary. He was trying to force the ball into spots. He just needs to live to play another play. Im sure Coach Mullen will use those picks as a teaching point. Thanks for the input.
and a nice article. I will bookmark and continue to visit here.
Thank you sir.