Posted: September 30, 2014

A look back at Week 5 of the college football season.

1. I was high on UCLA entering the season, picking them to go to the playoff. I seriously reconsidered after seeing their first two games of the year. But Thursday night was a statement win. Perhaps I was too early to write them off. The next two weeks will tell with Utah and Oregon ahead. Mr. Hundley is going to need to play like he did Thursday for the Bruins. He is capable of it, so the Rose Bowl should be excited if it is unbeaten Oregon versus unbeaten UCLA.

2. Florida State struggled against NC State and giving up 41 to the Wolfpack does not seem like a good thing, but I am not off the Seminoles making the playoff. NC State may have the best offense on their schedule and there is not much left on that schedule that could trip them up with the possibility of Notre Dame. But Nole fans should not book their flights yet, FSU usually loses the game no one sees coming.

3. Raise your hands if you could foresee Northwestern beating Penn State. Ok, liars, put your hands down now. Northwestern has looked brutal in losing to both California and N. Illinois. Penn State has looked fairly good in starting 4-0. So of course the Wildcats win this one. Score one for the consistency of college football. But isn’t this what makes Saturdays so exciting.

4. Tennessee had a great chance to knock of the Bulldogs. They just could not stop Gurley when it really mattered. The Vols are much improved this year and could be a key factor in deciding the SEC East as they are going to win a game that no one expects.

5. Kentucky finally gets an SEC win knocking off the Commodores. The Wildcats went 17 SEC games without a win. The Commodores may be starting a similar streak as they look just dreadful.

6. I normally do not comment on games that are CollegeFootballQuest games as the full write up is forthcoming….but I must make one comment about the Michigan vs. Minnesota game. How could the Michigan coaching staff allow Shane Morris back into that game? Yes, I am piling on but I said this when I saw it live as it was clear Shane had a head injury. He played two plays without knowing what day it was. Even if you buy Brady Hoke’s statement that they did not know he had a concussion, it was clear to anyone who cared to look that he had a head issue. Even his teammates were trying to get him off the field. And then he reentered the game, when Gardner lost his helmet and had to come out. When it rains, it pours on the Michigan staff. All the way to the top.

7. Arkansas may not win a game in the SEC West, but they are a much improved team that could compete for a title in many other conferences. Too bad for the Razorbacks that they play in the NFC West.

8. Missouri came back from 20-7 down in the 4Q to beat the Gamecocks. Parity is on full display in the SEC East. The SEC East winner may have 3 loses. Is it a stretch to say that every SEC West team is better than every SEC East team? Maybe a little bit, but not much. How things have changed since the formation of the two SEC divisions when it was the complete reverse.