Loughdmouthings: Calm yer britches about the first poll; on UF job, and other witticisms
Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017
The panic started as early as one would expect.
Georgia hammers Florida, Penn State blows a lead and loses to Ohio State.
Georgia is ranked third in the polls, Penn State second. Georgia will move ahead of Penn State in the polls.
And Tuesday, the first College Football Playoff poll comes out. So in a paranoid region of a paranoid country, the wails begin around dinnertime Saturday that "they'll find a way to put Ohio State/anybody ahead of Georgia".
Because, of course, most everybody, from Mark May to Lou Holtz to the president of Scandanavia to every single referee in the land to most of the media - unless they've been to Athens, of course, and fell in love - to any and all of those on that playoff panel hate Georgia.
Hate Georgia. Jealous of Georgia. Don't look good in red or black. Whatever. It's there.
So there is great concern that Ohio State will jump Georgia in the first College Football Playoff poll.
This, of course, is absurd. Not that it could happen - because it won't - but because, ahem, it's the first damn CFP poll.
Valium, Xanax, a smack in the head. Do what's necessary to get a grip.
What's relevant is being pretty much in the top 10 for the first poll. If in the top four, it doesn't matter where, either, because it'll change.
Lose, and it changes. Simple as that, at least for Alabama and Georgia.
And here's a scenario to consider: Auburn maintains some sanity and is a one-SEC-loss team when Georgia visits. The Tigers would thus be amped because they could play Alabama for the division title if they beat Georgia.
Auburn is 13th nationally in total defense (yards per game), lead the league in fewest penalties, and are in the national top 30 defensively in first downs allowed, passing yards allowed, pass efficiency defense, and sacks.
That's pretty good.
Alas, that's still too far down the line. We're talking about current paranoia, not future paranoia, of which there is plenty of time to address.
Georgia will be No. 2. If not, so what? Take a breath. Find a real issue to get funky about.
The Bulldogs will be in the top four, and will stay that as long as they win, and if that lone loss is in Atlanta against Alabama and is as tight as their last meeting there, Georgia will remain in the playoff.
You want stress? Be a fan of Ohio State, Clemson, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Washington, Notre Dame, Miami, Penn State and TCU, among others. They're still in the hunt, but can't lose a game.
Georgia can lose to Auburn and still make it by beating Alabama, which does have to get by Auburn, whether the Tigers beat the Dogs or not.
Don't forget that Alabama plays LSU, the third incarnation of the Tigers this season, and a pretty good one. The Tide won 10-0 last year. This is unlikely a gimme for Bama.
Note: the first No. 2 of 2016 lost to a 6-5 team, dropped to fourth, and won the national championship.
Note: the first No. 4 of 2015 beat the first No. 1 of 2015 for the national championship.
Note: the 2014 national champion was No. 16 - I SAID 16 - in the first poll, 14th in the second, eighth in the third. Beat the first-week No. 5.
I SAID 16TH!
So go ahead and watch the show, do not white-knuckle the armrest or keep hitting "refresh" or whatever, and know that the polls start really mattering around the time we prepare for Black Friday.
Loughdmouthings
Dear ESPN.com: For the love of GOD, when I switch blaring, interrupting unasked-for video to "autoplay off", it means AUTOPLAY OFF." ...
Chip Kelly is high on the list of possibles for the Florida job, although a Yahoo story notes this:
"Hiring Kelly, who went 46-7 at Oregon, would come with an extra administrative step because of his NCAA issues in Eugene that included a show-cause penalty that’s since expired
"The SEC passed a rule this spring that says any coach “who has either engaged in unethical conduct or participated in activity that resulted in a major infraction” must have the school’s president or chancellor “consult with the commissioner” about the hiring. The rule was passed to give administrators pause before hiring a coach or assistant with NCAA issues, and it’s unknown how a school would be perceived by the league office or its peers if it’s tested."
Perhaps the conference is worried, and the school might be concerns. But fans don't care about any of that. They see "46-7" and standards go out the window.
Though that's not to say Kelly is as objectionable a candidate as, say, Petrino. ...
At some point Saturday, the Old Ball Coach got moving.
"Honey, get my visor. I gotta get over there." ....
Breaking news: really good high school football players players interested in playing for good college programs, visits this weekend. (Lather-rinse-repeat). ...
About an hour later Saturday, the Old Ball Coach said, "Honey, here, put the visor back in the vault. Even I can't salvage this." ...
In case you masochist Georgia fans were wondering, one-time - yet almost legendary - defensive coordinator Kevin Ramsey is head coach at Clark Atlanta, which lost 41-24 to Fort Valley State a few weeks ago. ...
Courtesy of Dwight Perry of the Seattle Time:
"Twelve Browns players — four running backs, three DBs, two receivers, two linebackers and a tight end — knelt in protest during the national anthem before an exhibition game last month.
"But no QBs. After going 1-15 last season, they’re apparently out of practice when it comes to taking a knee.