AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2006 > September > 14 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFive prickly questions answered
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On a college football weekend like this, the best place to be is sitting on your couch with four televisions and a universal remote control. With seven games featuring two teams in the Top 25 plus the Bowden Bowl (Clemson vs. Florida State), there are a lot of questions that are going to be answered. Here are my Top 5.
1) Is Florida’s Percy Harvin all that? The early returns are that this kid is special and will give the Gators their best big play potential since the days of Ike Hilliard, Reidel Anthony, and Jacquez Green. Tennessee will be missing one of its starting defensive backs in Inky Johnson. Harvin has looked good against two very respectable defenses in Southern Miss and UCF. Now can he do it on a prime time stage?
2) Will Auburn’s John Vaughn be called upon to make a game-winning field goal against LSU? Last season Vaughn missed five kicks in Auburn’s 20-17 overtime loss to LSU. Vaughn got back to town and the outside of his apartment had been trashed. His response was to work harder and get better. Since that bad night in Baton Rouge he has made 10 of his 12 field goals. He got into shape, consulted with some kicking coaches, and has improved his range. He kicked a 55-yarder last week against Mississippi State. That’s the way an athlete -or any of us for that matter- should react to adversity.
3) Is Saturday’s game at Louisville the ultimate gut check for Miami? It says something about the state of Miami’s program that the Hurricanes are an underdog going into Louisville’s Papa John’s Stadium. The team that other teams once feared simply does not have that look of invincibility -some use the word swagger- that it once enjoyed. A Louisville player went public this week saying that Miami had lost its swagger, which is something an opponent would have never done in years past. Usually Miami responds when its manhood is challenged.
4) What’s going to happen at Clemson if the Tigers lose at Florida State? This was going to be Clemson’s year but now it looks like the dream of an ACC championship could be lost by mid-September. There are few college teams, if any, who have lost three key defensive starters by the second game. If things don’t go well in Tallahassee, where Clemson has never won under Tommy Bowden, can the Tiger coach hold things together for the rest of the season?
5) Can Southern Cal lay half a hundred on Nebraska? The Trojans were supposed to be in a rebuilding mode but they went to Arkansas on Sept. 2 and played a team that had been gearing up for them all summer. That final, in case you missed it, was Southern Cal 50, Arkansas 14. The Trojans took last week off to get well rested and will now entertain Nebraska. If this game is really competitive then it tells us that the Trojans are good, but mere mortals again. If Southern Cal wins big, they might start making their reservations for Glendale, Ariz., site of the BCS championship game.
Comments
By GT
September 14, 2006 05:23 PM | Link to this
The game is Auburn and LSU. It may be the best SEC game all year. FSU will thump Clemson because they have to get the taste out of their mouths from Troy last week. Florida beats the Vols simply because Fulmer is coaching. I am thinking Miami gets Louisville because the new boys on the block are running their mouths and Louisville still hasn’t proven anything outside the Big East and no cattle league. USC and Nebraska doesn’t even desire to be on the list. USC will have a bondfire going by half time. Get over Nebraska this is 2006. Auburn beats LSU in one of those games that put the SEC on the map.
By JCubby
September 14, 2006 05:48 PM | Link to this
Auburn, LSU or Georgia could be playing for the National Championship every year if they took USC’s place in the weak Pac 10.
By Dave
September 14, 2006 08:16 PM | Link to this
JCubby, you’re kidding, right? I mean, top SEC teams (Auburn, LSU, Tennessee) beating midling (the highly overrated in the preseason Cal team, though they did crush Minnesota at their place last week) to bad (Wazzou, Arizona) Pac 10 teams convincingly on the SEC team’s home field doesn’t say much about the relative quality of the conference. It just says that cross-country trips are a killer, unless you’re so much more talented that it doesn’t matter (i.e. you’re USC, and you’re playing Arkansas).
By GMan
September 14, 2006 08:59 PM | Link to this
Yeah Tony, Percy is the real deal. Down in Florida we call Percy Harvin the PH factor. He is outright sick. To watch him score in person on that 58 yard play was amazing. The guy is not only one of the fastest wideouts in the country, he can be physical as well. The question everyone is asking”Do you double cover Dallas Baker and leave Percy one on one”? He is a def cord. nightmare in coming up with a gameplan. #8 is special at UF recently. Grossman, Chad Jackson and now Percy.
By Chris Harper
September 14, 2006 10:55 PM | Link to this
Percy Harvin is all that and a BAG of chips!! All the doubters will get a treat this weekend. He’s not the new Reggie Bush, he’s PERCY HARVIN!!!
By Golden Domer
September 15, 2006 12:15 AM | Link to this
Let’s not forget about Notre Dame hanging a big one on Michigan this weekend. I give the SEC credit in that there is depth in good programs - but the for the most part - none of the teams are real National Title contenders.
Before you wimps write ugly things about ND to make you feel better. Look how well the SEC plays against USC, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State year in and year out. All of the schools I mentioned have big time winning records against SEC schools.
Yes - an SEC school maybe in the running for legit top 7 every year - and there are 5 that would be legit top 25 every year. But that’s it.
Alabama has been the only team in SEC history that has been a consistent national power. They are now merely mediocre.
Sure Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, LSU and Florida have had a run that will last a few years - but they have never been legit national powers year in and year out.
Hey, when Notre Dame, USC, Ohio State, or Michigan have a down year - it’s huge on a national scale. When Georgia or othe SEC pwoere of the moment has a down cycle - nobody notices or cares.
ND 34 - Michigan 14
By wsack
September 15, 2006 04:07 AM | Link to this
The reason why they talk about ND, USC, OSU Or Michigan when they have a down year is because there is no one else in those weak conferences to talk about. To bad they didn’t get to play Auburn when they went undefeated and got robbed at a chance to play for the NC.Looks like you are takin notice of the SEC!!! Good one Domer
By Jsonic
September 15, 2006 06:54 AM | Link to this
The real reason wsack that they talk about ND, USC, OSU or Michigan is that normally they are the teams that are twice as good (and interesting) as most teams in the SEC. I can hardly wait till Notre Dame plays LSU (It’s either next year or 08’). Finally a descent SEC team will get a good throttling at the hands of the Irish! I only wish it was the Poodles.
By Hick from the sticks
September 15, 2006 07:30 AM | Link to this
Domer,
I’m actually ecstastic that no mention of the Notre Dame/Michigan game was made in this silly article. Every other article I’ve read on tomorrow’s game keeps talking about the return of Hart, the return of Hart, the return of Hart, the return of Hart.
Yeah, it seems slightly one dimensional to me as well.
The naysayers are chomping at the bit for Henne to become “the quarterback he was meant to become” during tomorrow’s matchup. Some of these columnists are also leaning on thr fearsome front four of Michigan to put pressure on Brady Quinn.
Forgive my ignorance, but wasn’t it a true freshman from the small hamlet of Buford who ate the front four alive in South Bend when we were under “that other coach”? Do these naysayers honestly believe the only thing ND has going for them is Quinn? Penn State had our wide outs covered for most of the game on Saturday. Fine. Anyone else notice the unmentioned tight end?
I did.
Moreover, Quinn did as well.
Hart, Hart, Hart, Henne, Henne, Henne…
Jesus.
Did Michigan only dress out two players this year?
I don’t think Michigan is without talent. I think that Michigan is simply outgunned on both sides of the ball.
Notice how the naysayers aren’t speaking on the weakness in defense after only two weeks? I think Zibikowski and company may have heard the critics in the offseason. I’m certain they heard it from Weis.
Moreover, who the Hell has Michigan played thus far? After two weeks and they finally get a true test of their abilities?
Man, that’d be almost as silly as playing Arkansas, having a bye week and still being placed in the top 5.
Wait…
God bless and keep Irish football.
By Tom, Resident Georgia Fan
September 15, 2006 07:58 AM | Link to this
Golden Domer! Get your facts straight. Ohio State has never beaten an SEC team, even losing two straight to the lowly SC Gamecocks.
By Josh
September 15, 2006 09:40 AM | Link to this
ND people seem to forget that they haven’t been a legitimate powerhouse in a LONG time. Listening to them talk, you would think that they have actually won a bowl game in the last decade.
By GT
September 15, 2006 10:12 AM | Link to this
Who’d Georgia beat in the Sugar Bowl, was it Penn State or was it ND? Maybe it was both of them.
By Jsonic
September 15, 2006 10:12 AM | Link to this
OK Josh, at least we don’t pretend to be a powerhouse like the Poodles always think they are. So bring on your Western Kentucky’s and UAB’s. Notre Dame’s schedule might have teams that are weak like Army and North Carolina as well but at least there is a history there. Don’t think W. Kentucky or UAB as fine as schools as they are have ever had a tradition ripe football program.
By Go Blue
September 15, 2006 10:39 AM | Link to this
UM - 27 ND - 24
By Jsonic
September 15, 2006 11:20 AM | Link to this
Notre Dame-35 Michigan-14
By jackets fan
September 15, 2006 11:38 AM | Link to this
I don’t want to start a conference war here. But SEC fans need to stop with this supremecy thing. USC thumps Arkansas two seasons in a row to the tune of 70 and 50 pts. With Bush, Leinart, White, without, it doesn’t matter. Then SEC teams struggle to score 30 on Arkansas. LSU-19, SC-14, UGA-23, Bama-24, Vandy-28, and the lone 30 spot belonged to Auburn-34. It doesn’t matter that USC plays in the Pac-10 that is perceived to be weaker. They’re still better than any SEC team. And West Virginia thumped UGA too. So the SEC isn’t the end-all be-all of college football.
By AFinPC
September 15, 2006 12:43 PM | Link to this
Jackets fan…lol…You of all people shouldn’t be talking about football or conferences or coaching for that matter…UTAH and 40 that’s all I’m saying. Tell me the last time Arkansas was an SEC power…1 year..1!! Did you forget who the ACC champ was last year?? The Criminoles!? All I’m saying about the Pac-10 is it’s easy to see gold on a pile of coal…Happen to catch that Boise St.-Oregon St game? And those “great” USC teams never hung more than 24 on Auburn either…unlike Oklahoma.
P.S. The ACC sucks!!
By Play that funky music whiteboy
September 15, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this
Well well well, I know all of you knew I would get involved here! As an ND Alum, but a native son of the South, I’m going to give my take on this. I feel Barnhart left out ND vs. UM because he doesn’t feel it to be a game of note - remember last week he predicted a two touchdown spread over Penn State, he must think ND is going to really whip Michigan. Tony leaving ND out of this is actually a ringing endorsement.
GT - UGA beat Notre Dame riding Buck Belue’s 1 for 18 passing performance (look it up!) - but he did have a guy wearing #34 running the ball too. Penn State beat the Dawgs the following year.
On to the SEC debate, Golden Domer - you are dead wrong in your SEC assertions. Pete Carrol gets on his knees every night and thanks God that he didn’t have to play LSU in 2003 or Auburn in 2004 (way to show up overrated Oklahoma). Notre Dame is a magnificent institution with a deep, rich football tradition - but so are so many SEC schools (UGA, Auburn, Bama, LSU, UT, Florida, and even Ole Miss). Do I think ND is better, of course, but you can’t convince me that many of the schools in the SEC aren’t lined up tied for second! Go Irish.
By Josh
September 15, 2006 02:03 PM | Link to this
Jsonic,
I’m actually a GT alum. I wasn’t trying to stick up for UGA or the SEC, but I get so sick and tired of pompous ND fans who act like they are always THE team to beat. You have a mediocre year, but get into a good bowl. In the bowl game, you are shown for what you really are. That’s why you have lost your last EIGHT bowl games. You are no longer a football powerhouse. After this year, you may be a force once again, but first you have to prove yourselves, just like every other team in football. If you do, I will be glad to give you credit.