The Back Nine comes at you after a weekend that included spending some time with Carlos Alvarez and Dr. Michael Gannon and running into Joakim Noah near the O-Dome. So all was not lost.
10. I'm not sure if there has ever been a more star-crossed player at Florida than John Brantley. He came to UF with so much promise, sat behind arguably the best player in college football and then when he got his chance he was stuck in an offense that was mot manageable for a player with his skills. And when he finally gets Charlie Weis as his coordinator — a match made in heaven — he suffers the ankle injury in the biggest game of the year. You can't help but feel for Brantley. And for Jeff Driskel, who gets his first start at Death Valley. The good news for Driskel is that it's not at night. The bad news is that LSU leads the ball-hawking SEC in turnover margin at plus-12.
11. It's hardly a revelation, but if you're going to be a contender in the SEC (which means you are also a contender for the national title) you had better have a good offensive line. Last year, Auburn had as good an offensive line as I've ever seen. Alabama had an incredible line the year before. Florida's 2008 champions included two first-round draft picks. I know Will Muschamp talks about it being a line of scrimmage league and it is. The reason it is a line of scrimmage league is because the defensive linemen on the elite teams in this league are incredible and you better have something to counteract them. Florida did not on Saturday night.
12. Things are not going well for Dan Mullen in Starkville. After last year's success, Mullen tried to build off it with preseason optimism. He talked about going to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game. Well, he can because he'll have that day off. Mississippi State is 0-3 in the conference and now Mullen is talking about just trying to get bowl eligible. South Carolina, Alabama and Arkansas still await on the schedule, but there are a pair of cupcakes and Kentucky, an SEC team with its own brand of icing and sprinkles. It could come down to the Egg Bowl to see if the Bulldogs are bowling. If they go 5-7, it would be a huge step back for Mullen.
13. The Back Nine pointed out this summer what a big day Oct. 1 was for the SEC East, its chance to show that it wasn't just fodder for the West. While Georgia did its part by beating MSU, the other three matchups showed how the West still rules. The West now has three teams in The Associated Press top 10 and four in the top 15. It's not just the toughest place to play in America, it's the only thing that could keep the SEC from winning a sixth straight national title.
14. So is Texas back? We find out this week when the Longhorns take on Oklahoma. The key for Texas this season may end up being the benching of Garrett Gilbert. Too many people were sold on him because he came into the national title game against Alabama after Colt McCoy's injury and didn't throw up all over himself. But there are some guys in college football who have it and some guys who don't.
15. I know Tennessee is building some momentum but over the next four weeks the Vols play Georgia, LSU, Alabama and South Carolina. It's another example of how the unbalanced schedule favors Georgia this year. One thing for sure, the East is up for grabs.
16. The Dream Team is 1-3 and the Lions are 4-0. The Steelers appear to be in trouble. San Francisco may win the NFC West by default. Tennessee is 3-1 after losing eight of its last nine games a year ago. I'm always going to be a college football fan first, but the thing that makes the NFL interesting is the way teams can look so good or so bad in the preseason and then end up the opposite. That, and Aaron Rodgers getting 57 points for my fantasy team. Is that a record?
17. The Tweet of the week comes from Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis — “I feel bad for nebraska . . Couldn't win in the big 12, then go to the big 10 and can't win. maybe conference usa would be a better fit.” Ouch. If there is a football god Okie and Nebraska will play in a bowl game this year.
18. Now that I have retired from radio work, the iPod gets a heavy workout daily instead of sports talk. I mean, I can go to the gym or Publix to hear Gator fans complaining. Try these downloads — “Holdin On To Black Metal” by My Morning Jacket, “Modern Man” by Arcade Fire and for the old school in you a very underrated song by the band that changed everything, “I Want To Tell You” by The Beatles.
Contact Pat Dooley at 352-374-5053 or at dooleyp@gvillesun.com. And follow at Twitter.com/Pat_Dooley.
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