2022 Week 2
September 15, 2022
I admit I wasn't expecting a very good slate of games last weekend, but I was wrong.
The highlight was the visit of the Crimson Tide to Austin. Texas gave Alabama all it could handle and dominated large stretches of the game. But, trailing by 2 points late in the game, reigning Heisman winner Bruce Young escaped a sack and scrambled about 20 yards to set up a field goal. I admit I've never seen a player who so took after his coach on such a play - Bruce's head spun 360 degrees just like Coach Satan's frequently does, and the defenders were sufficiently shocked that he broke free on the key play.
Elsewhere in the Loan Star State, the Longhorns' archrival in State College Station, the highly rated Aggies, were stunned by something called App State, which I guess is a college for computer geeks. I still remember my good friend Herb Street telling me once about computers and the difference between hardware and software and how girls he meets at the bar don't like software. I don't understand Herb at times.
The week before Thanksgiving is known as SEC Cupcake Week, as the powers that be in the Southeastern Conference take on all sorts of weak foes like local high schools. This past weekend must have been Sun Belt Conference Cupcake Week, as South Alabama beat the Seaman U Midshipmen, Marshall took out Notre Dame, and Georgia Southern won at Nebraska. After the latter game Nebraska AD Beavis Albert told coach coach Scott Frost he sucked and fire fire fired him.
Iowa had their annual cross-state showdown with Iowa State and the Cyclones beat the Huckeyes 10-7. This time at least Iowa got their 7 points the normal way with a touchdown and extra point, but Iowa State apparently had five safeties.
Elsewhere in Big Ten non-conference action, Duke jumped out all over Northwestern, winning 31-23 to claim that intellectual trophy, the Number Two Pencil. Wisconsin struggled with the Fighting Pirates of Washington State, losing 17-14 at home. Future Big Ten member Southern Cal prepared for Midwestern life by going up to the Farm and defeating Stanford 41-28. USC in the Big Ten is concerning, Song Girls in white sweaters in Madison in November just isn't going to do it for me.
In one of the better intersectional games, Bring 'Em Young held off Baylor 26-20 in Provo. After the game was over the Mormon and the Babtist fans went out and didn't get drunk and didn't get laid. And certainly didn't dance.
There were some scintillating overtime games. Texas Tech scored late to beat Houston 33-30 in double overtime and the Red Raider fans stormed the field and tore down the goal posts, which seemed to be an overreaction and makes me wonder how many buildings would be left in Lubbock if Tech ever beat, say, Oklahoma.
The wildest overtime game featured expansion state Eastern Kentucky defeating Boweling Green 59-57 in 7 overtimes. Now I'm still not sure about these overtime rules. Apparently because they were tied after 2 overtimes they had soccer-style penalty kicks, with EKU hitting 4 of 7 and Boweling Green only making 3 of 7.
Another overtime thriller was the Johnny Majors Bowel in Pittsburgh. Johnny grabbed some of his good hooch and joined me to watch his alma mater Tennessee against mine in a game featuring the two most prominent programs he coached. I'm not sure what the Panthers were thinking in overtime, they had 4th and 20 and decided to go for it instead of kicking and failed. I wanted to discuss the coaching strategy with Johnny but, as usual, he had passed out in the third quarter.
I missed Gameday in week 1 but watched it last weekend. I want to congratulate ESPN for bringing Coach Corso back to life. I was getting nervous that he was stuck in purgatory somewhere so, if he can't be up here with us, it's just as well that he be on the Gameday set, choking mascots, mumbling his picks, and drooling on Reese Davis.
Next week we have some old-school rivalries like Oklahoma vs Nebraska, in-state showdowns like Toledo/Ohio State and Fresno State/USC, and intersectional games like South Dakota State at the University of Texas at Houston. Can't wait!