Thursday College Football

[Wishboned]

Those SEC defenses are in full force so far. aTm has racked up almost 400 yards in the first half against South Carolina.

[manateepower]

South Carolina is the Notre Dame of the SEC.

[aurorasooner]

Those SEC defenses are in full force so far. aTm has racked up almost 400 yards in the first half against South Carolina.USCe D against the Aggies looks like ours did against aTm in Dallas. Except for 2 long pass defensive breakdowns by the aggie D, they would probably be skunking the 'cocks 31 zip.
I think the aggies will be better with this kid they've got at QB than they were with Manziel. The ole ball coach should be looking for a new S&C coach. Did USCe hire Mad Dog?

[Wishboned]

Devon Walker will be honored at halftime of the TU/Tulane game. He was the player that was paralyzed from a collision with another Tulane player right before halftime two years ago. He's going to thank the medical squads from both sides, as well as the paramedics and doctors who worked on him here.

He ended up with his Bachelor's and is going for his Master's.

[SoonerForLife92]

Yeah south carolina is surelllllyyyy a #9 team. Getting beat 38-14... Great now they'll both be overrated. South carolina and ole miss are ridiculously overrated every year.

[EatLeadCommie]

That is good news about DevonWalker.

Wake and ULM are onESPNU in a matchup that is setting offenses back 100 years. ULM is having a "camo out."

[EatLeadCommie]

Yeah south carolina is surelllllyyyy a #9 team. Getting beat 38-14... Great now they'll both be overrated. South carolina and ole miss are ridiculously overrated every year.

Ole miss is only overrated when they're good, which is about every 3-4 years

[BoulderSooner79]

aTm just went over half a hundred on eUSC. That can only mean one thing…

It's meltdown season!!!

[BigTip]

I am so ready for football.
I am getting excited just seeing the stands in this game full of red clad fans!

[birddog]

52-28 final. Thought cocks were a dark horse this yr. Kinda wish it was aggy that got woodshedded but I'm sure they'll get theirs soon enough. Very surprised how good the aggy qb was.

[SoonerMarkVA]

52-28 final. Thought cocks were a dark horse this yr. Kinda wish it was aggy that got woodshedded but I'm sure they'll get theirs soon enough. Very surprised how good the aggy qb was.

Sumlin keeps this up, and he's going to be the hottest commodity in the country. The whole "it's just JFF" claim will go out the window.

I'd love for him to get a job at a top tradition power.

[Mac94]

I'm so happy!!!!!!!!!!!! Stunned ... but happy!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

[aurorasooner]

Sumlin keeps this up, and he's going to be the hottest commodity in the country. The whole "it's just JFF" claim will go out the window.

I'd love for him to get a job at a top tradition power.Didn't aTm get the no 1 QB recruit out of Ariz or Cali who was supposedly in their QB race this year? I wonder how long he will stay in Collie Station on the pine before he bails? It seems to be the way of CFB QBs to think the grass is greener on the other side rather than sticking around.

[Snrinhouston]

52-28 final. Thought cocks were a dark horse this yr. Kinda wish it was aggy that got woodshedded but I'm sure they'll get theirs soon enough. Very surprised how good the aggy qb was.

Agree that Hill is good, just not sure how good. That Carolina defense was porous.

[Mac94]

Didn't aTm get the no 1 QB recruit out of Ariz or Cali who was supposedly in their QB race this year? I wonder how long he will stay in Collie Station on the pine before he bails? It seems to be the way of CFB QBs to think the grass is greener on the other side rather than sticking around.

Yup ... and we have 5 star Kyler Murray (legacy ... son of Aggie QB Kevin Murray) committed for 2015

[CK Sooner]

Give me a break...A&M has been a joke for a long time. Hell, they just had a Heisman winner and still look how far Sumlin got.

8-4 last year with Manziel (9-4) after beating Duke in their "bowl game" hahaahahaha

[BoulderSooner79]

I'm so happy!!!!!!!!!!!! Stunned ... but happy!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

I'll bet Cleveland Brown's fans are stunned and not so happy.

You mean Manziel is just a system QB ?! And not even the best one on his college team ?! Argh, we're gonna s*ck forever.

[Mac94]

I'll bet Cleveland Brown's fans are stunned and not so happy.

LOL ... happy for what Johnny gave us on the field ... and he was a great college QB ... but the jury is out on what he'll be in the NFL ... and that's Cleveland's problem. Even if for one game Hill just showed that Sumlin's system will be fine without JFF ... it works at this level.

[Mac94]

Give me a break...A&M has been a joke for a long time. Hell, they just had a Heisman winner and still look how far Sumlin got.

8-4 last year with Manziel (9-4) after beating Duke in their "bowl game" hahaahahaha

A&M does not have Oklahoma's history ... we haven't been one of the "blue bloods" of college football. I was on campus in the late 80's and early 90's when we were the big fish in the little SWC pond ... wanting to be a national power but never quite breaking down the door. Then came the Big-12 and for the most part A&M languished in the shadows nationally ... and even in the state of Texas. I don't know what A&M will be in the SEC ... but what we have done is more than so many gave us a chance to do. Top 5 finish ... a Heisman ... national pub like we've never gotten in our history ... recruiting classes like we've not really seen before. We may have been a joke at times ... but right now ... it seems to be us Aggies laughing more than anyone else.

[aurorasooner]

Rutgers up on the Pirate early 14-3, 2nd Qtr is about half over. Wazzu just hit a long pass and are inside the 10 FS-1

It looks like Fox has their (imo) 1st team of Brando and Joel Klatt calling the game. Wazzu scored and Rutgers answered quickly with a TD. It could be a track meet.

[ouwasp]

Tulsa just tied up Tulane 28-28 late in the 4th...

[ouwasp]

and then a Tulane back pops one for 73 yds....1st and goal...

[aurorasooner]

LOL
With 20 secs to go in the half and the announcers saying that it's not Leach's personality to take a knee, he throws it from his own 10 yard line and is still throwing it. Gets it up to the 50 and then a Rutgers player gets a stupid personal foul penalty with 1 second left in the half. It gives Washington ST. a chance for a long FG, but they barely missed it.

21-17 Rutgers at the half.

[CK Sooner]

A&M does not have Oklahoma's history ... we haven't been one of the "blue bloods" of college football. I was on campus in the late 80's and early 90's when we were the big fish in the little SWC pond ... wanting to be a national power but never quite breaking down the door. Then came the Big-12 and for the most part A&M languished in the shadows nationally ... and even in the state of Texas. I don't know what A&M will be in the SEC ... but what we have done is more than so many gave us a chance to do. Top 5 finish ... a Heisman ... national pub like we've never gotten in our history ... recruiting classes like we've not really seen before. We may have been a joke at times ... but right now ... it seems to be us Aggies laughing more than anyone else.

Again 8-4 and all A&M has done this year is played one game and beat a sub par SC.

Just saying...lets not get excited over 1 game.

First real test A&M has is Bama...we got a long time until that happens. If A&M beats Bama then I will say they are for real.

[Wishboned]

TU/Tulane in OT.

[Mac94]

Again 8-4 and all A&M has done this year is played one game and beat a sub par SC.

Just saying...lets not get excited over 1 game.

First real test A&M has is Bama...we got a long time until that happens. If A&M beats Bama then I will say they are for real.

I agree in that it's one game ... at the same time ... A&M has positioned itself to be something it hasn't really been in the modern era ... and that's really relevent nationally. You say 8-4 ... but remember ... when the SEC move was announced so many were saying A&M would be more like a 4-8 SEC team. That we'd get out heads smashed in week in and week out. So far we've done just fine ... certainly on par with some of our better years in the Big-12 while getting much more national attention and a huge recruiting boost.

[ouwasp]

Tulsa wins! 38-31

[dennis580]

I dont think the SEC is going to invite any more Big 12 teams into there conference

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Sumlin keeps this up, and he's going to be the hottest commodity in the country. The whole "it's just JFF" claim will go out the window.

I'd love for him to get a job at a top tradition power.better yet a pro team

[aurorasooner]

I know CFB fans like to spew when their team does well. I just remember that 1st games are sort of like bowl games with a lot of time to prepare.
I'm sure Spurrier (sp-?) or his DC didn't dream that a 1st year starter at QB would throw the ball ~ 60 times in this ball game and not throw a pick. The same for Saben and the 'Bama DC in the Sugar Bowl with TK having a career night.
In these type of games, you're never as good as you might look, and never as bad as you might have played, although it's fun to win one and declare your team as the Mohammed Ali of CFB, the greatest.
This is what is exactly different this year. While the 4 teams will have approx 3 weeks to prep for the Semis or the same as a normal bowl game, the 2 remaining teams will only have a week or not more than 13 days to prep for the finals.
While coaching staffs that have a good track record of coming up with quality game plans in their bowl games may do well in the semi-finals, they might not do so well with only ~ the normal week to prepare against a top-notch opponent in the finals.
It should be fun, especially trying to pick against the spread.

[Eielson]

Unfortunately, Bob Stoops knows how this will all end for Sumlin. Just ask Leavitt, Leach, Mangino, etc. Cursed.

[BoulderSooner79]

LOL ... happy for what Johnny gave us on the field ... and he was a great college QB ... but the jury is out on what he'll be in the NFL ... and that's Cleveland's problem. Even if for one game Hill just showed that Sumlin's system will be fine without JFF ... it works at this level.

My point exactly. I enjoyed watching JFF on the field (except that one time) regardless of what I thought of him off the field. No true CFB fan could look away when he had the ball in his hand. But it was clear that not all of that would translate to the NFL and with the team around him now, maybe not much of it. I know it's just one game, but that Hill kid looked better in several ways. Calmer in the pocket, quicker to the find the open guy and accurate. He didn't make any Houdini escapes to buy 10 seconds time, but doesn't appear he'll need to. Spurrier may get on the Saban wagon with trying to change some rules next year.

[badger]

If that is what qualifies for a top ten SEC team, then chant S-E-C all damn day and wallow in your mediocrity.

Sorry Spurrier, I know you're Stoops' visor daddy and his twin boys' godfather, but wow wow wow uber fail what a way to end a home winning streak :(

[BermudaSooner]

Nice win for Tulsa. Helps out OU just a little bit as well. Way to go hurricane.

[Jacie]

Nice of Boise to lay down and let Ole Miss score 28 points in the 4th to make it look like they were blown out.

Did you know the Rebs got a trophy for that game?

As for A&M, better to be on winning side of that game (opening night, everyone watching) than to be SC (bye bye preseason Top 10 ranking and any chance of making the first ever D-1 playoff).

Poor Kenny Hill now has to wear the mantle of Kenny Football, passed to him by Johnny himself, how heavy will that weigh by the next game?

And did they say aggie wants to resume a series with the whorns? Be careful what you wish for, Mack's gone.

[Pride1Mom]

Nice win for Tulsa. What a shame to see such a small turn out for the first home game. Tulsa used to be a contender, but small schools do not have the money to compete or recruit against the bigger programs. Looks like you can just drive up next Saturday and buy a ticket at the gate!

[Bourbon St Sooner]

Funny how the sec was supposed to change the B12 schools, but it obviously the other way around. Can Mo win the sec east again? sec east is the old B12 North.

[Piware]

Glad I didn't put any money on aTm & S. Carolina. I would have gotten waxed.

[8timechamps]

I was not expecting A&M to roll South Carolina. That was a shocker.

Kenny Hill did look very good, but I noticed a couple of things:

1. A&M made a living on the slant routes last night, and South Carolina did NOTHING to stop that. They (S. Carolina) played zone almost the entire night, and although Hill was extremely effective hitting his targets on slants, Spurrier never adjusted. Carolina also never got a pass rush worth anything, and even on the occasion that they moved Hill out of the pocket, they were awful in coverage.

2. Neither defense looked that good. South Carolina has major issues in the secondary, and the lack of a playmaker on the defensive line just magnifies the issue. A&M has some very good athletes on defense, but they too struggled in the secondary. The Aggies did a solid enough job of limiting the run, but they were exposed plenty in the secondary. The Gamecock offense isn't a high octane, 40 points a game machine, but A&M made their passing game look much better than it was.

I was impressed with the way Kenny Hill played, and A&M looked better than I thought they would last night. However, I'm not going to assume the Aggies are championship caliber based off of one game. The Aggie defensive line is pretty stout, and will be better than last year, but they are going to have to improve in the secondary if they're going to win the big games this year.

[Mac94]

Kenny Hill did look very good, but I noticed a couple of things:

1. A&M made a living on the slant routes last night, and South Carolina did NOTHING to stop that. They (S. Carolina) played zone almost the entire night, and although Hill was extremely effective hitting his targets on slants, Spurrier never adjusted. Carolina also never got a pass rush worth anything, and even on the occasion that they moved Hill out of the pocket, they were awful in coverage.

2. Neither defense looked that good. South Carolina has major issues in the secondary, and the lack of a playmaker on the defensive line just magnifies the issue. A&M has some very good athletes on defense, but they too struggled in the secondary. The Aggies did a solid enough job of limiting the run, but they were exposed plenty in the secondary. The Gamecock offense isn't a high octane, 40 points a game machine, but A&M made their passing game look much better than it was.

I was impressed with the way Kenny Hill played, and A&M looked better than I thought they would last night. However, I'm not going to assume the Aggies are championship caliber based off of one game. The Aggie defensive line is pretty stout, and will be better than last year, but they are going to have to improve in the secondary if they're going to win the big games this year.

Can't disagree at all. The positive for us is that the defense had some moments of good play. Game one last year against Rice was a disaster and if just never got better. Yesterday we infused the defense with a number of freshman and while there we blown assignments and big plays given up ... there was also streaks of solid defensive play that can be built upon. And the schedule now allows us to work on us before we face Arkansas and the Mississippi schools. As the season goes on the youngsters should continue to get better.

A&M shouldn't win the west this year ... but coming into the season I was thinking we'd be looking at a 7-5 transition yr between Manziel and the coming of age of our recruiting classes. Last night gives hope that we can win 8 .. 9 ... maybe 10 if things go right. Really nice for a transition year.

[BoulderSooner79]

I agree with most of that, 8time.

Hill still looked good, even if the SC defense helped him. Multiple times, I could see him going through is reads quickly and making the right choice. It wasn't always the first guy that was open. If he can do that in a first start, in a big game on the road, I expect him to be solid.

First games can be weird. I fully expect that to be the worst showing by SC defense in both points and yards for the season.

A&M will put up points against almost everyone, but I'm sure a few coaches will come up with schemes to give them problems. And when that happens, their weak defense will cost them the game.

[8timechamps]

Can't disagree at all. The positive for us is that the defense had some moments of good play. Game one last year against Rice was a disaster and if just never got better. Yesterday we infused the defense with a number of freshman and while there we blown assignments and big plays given up ... there was also streaks of solid defensive play that can be built upon. And the schedule now allows us to work on us before we face Arkansas and the Mississippi schools. As the season goes on the youngsters should continue to get better.

A&M shouldn't win the west this year ... but coming into the season I was thinking we'd be looking at a 7-5 transition yr between Manziel and the coming of age of our recruiting classes. Last night gives hope that we can win 8 .. 9 ... maybe 10 if things go right. Really nice for a transition year.

I really thought this would be a 6-6 kind of year for you guys, but after watching last night's game, I think this could be a 9-10 win year for the Aggies. I knew Hill was a great athlete (OU recruited him too), but you never know how that translates to the college level. He looked very poised the entire game. You guys will cause fits in the SEC with your offense.

What impressed me the most about Hill was his commitment to throwing the ball. There were many times he could have pulled it down and ran, but he was really determined to win with his arm. That's not very common from a kid that young, starting his first game.

A&M has a very good D-line, and there are some players in the secondary that are very gifted. Now it's just a matter of gaining experience, which will just take some time. Like you said, there were some streaks of solid defensive play, so there's certainly something to build on and look forward to, and that's got to be exciting (especially after last year's defense).

A&M could very well contend for the west, but I'll need to see some more football before I'm sold.

[8timechamps]

I agree with most of that, 8time.

Hill still looked good, even if the SC defense helped him. Multiple times, I could see him going through is reads quickly and making the right choice. It wasn't always the first guy that was open. If he can do that in a first start, in a big game on the road, I expect him to be solid.

First games can be weird. I fully expect that to be the worst showing by SC defense in both points and yards for the season.

A&M will put up points against almost everyone, but I'm sure a few coaches will come up with schemes to give them problems. And when that happens, their weak defense will cost them the game.

I wasn't so much shocked that A&M won, it was more that SC looked so bad. Some of that is because A&M played well, and some of it is because Carolina just played bad. Like you said, first games are weird, so it's hard to project the season based on what we saw.

I just wonder why S. Carolina was ranked so high coming into the season. Clearly they have a lot of question marks, and it's going to be interesting to see how they respond after this loss.

I read somewhere that they switched to the 3-4 defense this year. I'm sure it was done in preparation of the high scoring offenses starting to show up in the SEC, but there's going to be some growing pains.

[BoulderSooner79]

I just wonder why S. Carolina was ranked so high coming into the season. Clearly they have a lot of question marks, and it's going to be interesting to see how they respond after this loss.

Easy - Spurrier. He had led them to three 11 wins seasons in a row. I remember us being ranked in the teens before the '05 season after we graduated *everybody*. That was just the Stoops and OU brand in play. (Or else folks thought that AD could play offense, defense and special teams).

[8timechamps]

Easy - Spurrier. He had led them to three 11 wins seasons in a row. I remember us being ranked in the teens before the '05 season after we graduated *everybody*. That was just the Stoops and OU brand in play. (Or else folks thought that AD could play offense, defense and special teams).

Just another example why preseason polls are worthless.

[BoulderSooner79]

Just another example why preseason polls are worthless.

Maybe not worthless for all the guys that stole money from the eUSC homers on the betting line. :highly_amused::highly_amused:

[Mac94]

A&M could very well contend for the west, but I'll need to see some more football before I'm sold.

I'll leave it to the more rabid texagers to predict western conference runs and more for this year. I just want us to play hard and improve week to week. Auburn, Bama, and LSU will be very tough ... and with our youth mistakes should be expected. But I like the attitude the kids showed and the defensive effort.