Random Thoughts From Around the Country: Week Six

UPSET CITY!

With such great potential for chaos this past Saturday, the upsets just did not materialize. Last week I posited the following poll question:
Of these games, which is most likely to be an upset this week?
* UCLA at Utah (Thursday) - Bruins 34-27.
* Ohio State at Northwestern - Closer than the score indicates as OSU scored on a flubbed flea-flicker at the buzzer. 40-30
* Georgia Tech at Miami (FL) - The U 45-30
* TCU at Oklahoma - Okie 20-17
* Kentucky at South Carolina - SC 35-28
I should've added a sixth option: None of the above.
Most of these games were pretty close but there was no chaos this past weekend. BTW: Some of you wanted to add Maryland-FSU but that did not happen as the Noles dominated from whistle to whistle 63-0.

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Georgia 34 Tennessee 31 - OT

Many of us predicted UGA was due for a letdown. However, few believed that this Tennessee team could pull off the upset. But it almost happened. In the first overtime, Tennessee's Alton Howard dove towards the front right corner of the end zone in what was initially ruled a touchdown. After "further review" it was clear that Howard had lost control of the ball before crossing the end zone line. Instead of a touchdown, the play was ruled a touchback and a big goose egg for the Vols.

Georgia is fortunate that Tennessee is where they are right now. By all rights, the Dawgs should've lost that game in Knoxville along with a shot at a National Championship. A Vols win would've been a big step ahead for Butch Jones' team. But alas, we still have plenty of LOLs for the men in orange.

As for UGA, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away as running back Keith Marshall and wide receiver Justin Scott-Wesley will both miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligaments in their right knees. Wide receiver Michael Bennett also injured his right knee and will miss Saturday's game with #25 Mizzou. Georgia already has WR Malcom Mitchell on the shelf and Todd Gurley is recovering from a sprained left ankle.

Auburn 30 Ole Miss 22

Speaking of letdowns... After Bama broke their little hearts last week, Ole Miss came out flat versus Auburn getting themselves into a 27-9 hole that led to their second straight loss and subsequent dropping from the Top 25 rankings. Prepare to start hearing the babble-hype about Auburn now that they are 4-1 and beat a "ranked" team - that is until they head to College Station Oct 19.

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Hey, who is in charge here? Oh, you are? Sorry, Mr. Clowney. (Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports)

Steve Spurrier Has Lost Control of...

Jadaveon Clowney is back in the spotlight and not in a good way. On Saturday, the All-American defensive tackle dressed out, went through the motions, and then tapped out of the Gamecocks game with Kentucky complaining of pain from strained rib muscles. Then came word that Clowney may not even play against Arkansas.

What should have been a masterful junior campaign for Clowney and South Carolina is turning into... well, a circus. A string of mysterious illnesses and injuries have limited his time spent on the field. When he is on the field (don't blink!), he often seems ineffective.

The whispers that he is faking these ailments or intentionally dogging it are coming out of the shadows and into the bright light of day. Some say he should suck it up and get on the field. Others question his level of commitment. The main theory making the rounds is that he is protecting himself from potential injury that could jeopardize his NFL career. This whole thing has got to have NFL GMs wondering

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LSU flexes their muscles (Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports)

SEC Cachet

The following undefeated teams are ranked below one-loss #7 UGA, #9 Texas A&M, and #10 LSU:

# 11 UCLA
# 12 Oklahoma
# 13 Miami (FL)
# 15 Baylor
# 18 Michigan
# 20 Texas Tech

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Grab Bag:

Stanford 31 Washington 28 - Another close one that could've caused some chaos went the way of the favorite. The Huskies outgained the Cardinal 489 yards to 279 but an opening kickoff return for a Stanford touchdown and a 4th down stop inside 1:30 prevented the upset.

Florida State 63 Maryland buckshot - That Jameis Winston is looking awful good - again. He was 23 of 32 for 393 yards, 5 TDs and 0 INT. Winston is starting to look like a Heisman frontrunner. Up next, Clemson October 19.

UCLA 34 Utah 27 - If someone told you an unranked team would throw 6 interceptions against the #12 ranked team, how many touchdowns do you think that ranked team would win by? Five? Six? If that ranked team is UCLA the answer is one.

Indiana 44, Penn State 24 - Aww, the poor li'l Nittanys. Let's give them some more scholarships back.

* Ridiculous Game of the Week: Baylor 73 West Virginia 42 - 1258 total yards combined by both teams (864 for Baylor).

SOS:

Virginia Tech 27 North Carolina 17 - The Hokies (5-1) keep on winning and are now ranked #24. Logan Thomas had a second impressive game in a row throwing 19/28 for 293 yds, 3 TDs, 0 INT. Up next: Pitt, Duke, @ BC. I foresee 8-1.

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Coming Up:
Rutgers at Louisville (Thursday) 6:30pm CT / 7:30pm ET - The Cardinals one-game season begins.
Oklahoma vs. Texas (in Dallas) 11am CT / 12pm ET - The question isn't can the Sooners defeat Bevo for the fourth straight Red River Rivalry but can Texas hold the Sooners to under 54 - something they have NOT done the past two years.
Missouri at Georgia 11am CT / 12noon ET - This game is suddenly very interesting.
South Carolina at Arkansas 11:21am CT / 12:21pm ET - Gamecocks, you are on upset alert.
Florida at LSU 2:30pm CT / 3:30pm ET - Likely an elimination game for one of these two one-loss teams.
Oregon at Washington 6pm CT / 7pm ET FoxSports1 - An elimination game for the Huskies and maybe the Ducks.
Texas A&M at Ole Miss 7:30pm CT / 8:30 PM - The Rebs are looking at 3 straight losses.

(Photo by CB969)
* Alabama at Kentucky on October 12 is at 6pm CT / 7pm ET

* Arkansas at Alabama on October 19 is at 6pm CT / 7pm ET, ESPN or ESPN2

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ELIMINATED FROM BCS CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENTION:

Ole Miss
Arizona State
Utah
Maryland
Georgia Tech
Notre Dame
Wisconsin
UCF
Minnesota
Colorado
NC State
Arkansas
West Virginia
Army
Boston College
Duke
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Penn State
TCU
Tennessee
Texas
SoCal
Virginia
Wake Forest
Boise State
Brigham Young
California
Iowa
Iowa State
Kansas State
Kentucky
Mississippi State
North Carolina
Oregon State
Pittsburgh
Purdue
Syracuse
Vanderbilt
Washington State