Nov 19 College Football Recap

The difference in the Tech / Duke game came down to the lack of irrefutable video evidence when Tech scored on the final play of the first half. Though ruled a touchdown, it sure looked like the knee was down before the ball crossed the goal line. After Duke scored to cut the lead to seven, my blood pressure rose when Johnson called a pass play on first down. Once again, the incompletion made it second and ten. Thankfully Roddy Jones and Tevin Washington broke off long runs.

Washington’s wobbly passes still scare me. He went 5-11 because the receivers were so wide open, dropped balls in their hands, or made sensational catches. This week’s announcer wasn’t impressed, either. The passing did open up the running game, but Duke’s defense just wasn’t that good. The Blue Devil passing game was spot on, though they couldn’t run much. With the second-string D-back (#27) injured, the third-stringer (#21) looked pretty good: he may be the best of the bunch.

Georgia will be able to pass as well as Duke, and run the ball much better…with or without Isaiah Crowell. If Tech falls behind, Johnson will surely pass…and things could get even worse for Tech. Georgia’s pass rush will leave little time for Washington, and the Dawgs’ pass coverage may be the best Tech has seen all year. Tech can’t afford to turn the ball over or commit multiple personal foul penalties, like they did against Duke.

When UGA fell behind 10-3 early to Kentucky, I knew the vultures would be out looking for Richt’s head, had they lost. ESPN got good play from his extended postgame kiss. This week’s GT/UGA game should be good. I still think Georgia wins…they’ve played the tougher schedule.

Turnovers killed Clemson again. Three straight first half TO’s put the Tigers in a hole, further firing up NC State. Clemson could never get the running game going, and QB Tajh Boyd seems to be slumping. South Carolina is back on a roll, and QB Connor Shaw has hit his stride. Virginia Tech is playing much better than when Clemson beat them back on October first. What should’ve been an undefeated season may end with four straight losses. Saturday Will might go to the Clemson game in Columbia.

Speaking of irrefutable evidence, ESPN stopped the video to show the Wolfpack tight end’s foot out-of-bounds AND the ball still having not crossed the pylon. The play was not overturned, though it hardly mattered: NC State would’ve had a first down on the one yard line.

Four of the top eight lost this weekend. At least one of the top three will lose this weekend. The next two Saturdays will be interesting, but its doubtful one challenger to LSU will stand out from the rest.

I was watching GameDay when Lee Corso let the F-word slip. I immediately wondered if I’d actually heard what I heard. Chris Fowler immediately responded by saying “What the hell!” and Kirk Herbstreet cracked up. Thankfully C and M didn’t hear it. Later I saw where former UGA kicker Rex Robinson had mentioned it on Facebook, and AJC.com said Corso had quickly apologized. Wonder if he’ll get the boot at year end. David Pollock is waiting in the wings.

Earlier I changed the channel to watch the climatic Fenway Park scene from Fever Pitch, when Drew Barrymore makes her mad dash across the outfield grass, around Johnny Damon. Ceil demanded I turn back to GameDay to watch celebrity picker Carl Lewis.

Loved the Lions receiver’s touchdown celebration, recreating the flash mob dance from the AT&T train station commercial. Too bad the announcers had no clue, but ESPN did for the replay.

Saturday morning I let Anna drive home from the Stinky Kroger. First she mistook the wiper control for the gear shift, which was funny. Then it took her a bit to stop stomping on the brakes. But eventually she made it.