1) The reason I started writing my collective thoughts the next day is because people, in general, often overreact in the immediate moments following an event. I wanted to give myself time to sit on my thoughts. Last night is the perfect example why. I sat here and watched Clemson miss big play after big play. Deshaun Watson looked terribly off, especially in the first half. Despite not putting BC away - more on that later - the Tigers came away with a 17-point victory. Watson finished with 420 yards passing, four total TDs, and Clemson racked up 532 yards on a defense that through its first six games was allowing 140. This was a much better game looking back now than in the moments after the win.
2) However, I am disappointed in Clemson's lack of killer instinct. Against Power 5 teams, Clemson has struggled to put opponents away. After going up 20-10 on Louisville and finally getting some separation, the Cards returned a kickoff to cut it right back to three points. Clemson never was able to pull away, but won by that margin. With a 21-3 fourth quarter lead against Notre Dame, the defense gave up chunk play after chunk play. The failed 2-point attempt at the end prevented the Irish from sending the game to OT. Even a 19-point win over Georgia Tech should have been much larger. Clemson led 40-10 going into the fourth quarter, but the Tigers allowed two more TDs in the final frame. And finally against BC, there were moments when it was 27-10 that I felt like this team should've stomped on their throats and raced out a 41-10 lead. But it never happened. That killer instinct needs to be found, now.
3) It was mentioned by several beats at the game that BC was the first team to get any kind of push up front on Clemson's D-line. While that doesn't sound great, it doesn't bother me either. The Eagles are big and physical up front, and always have been. Outside of the FSU game, I don't foresee another game in the trenches where Clemson will get pushed around. With that said, Clemson held BC to 159 total rushing yards.
4) That's now 34 straight wins over unranked opponents, 14 straight wins at home, and 9 straight overall for the Tigers. Keep on Clemsoning, Dabo.
5) Not much to say about a 55-0 shellacking by OU at Kansas State. Perhaps the most dominating win against Power 5 team in the Bob Stoops era. Of course, it comes on the heels of the most embarrassing loss in his tenure. Is the Texas game a fluke and the Sooners really are a Top 10 team? Or will it be more Jekyll and Hyde by this OU team? Next week is a home game against Texas Tech, a team who struggled to put away mighty Kansas.
6) Was I the jinx? When Michigan State's pass fell incomplete on fourth down with 1:54 to go, I tweeted, "BIG win for the BIG Blue in the BIG House against a BIG Ten opponent. #everythingisBIG." Little did I know, Sparty had other plans. The epic turn of events that transpired as time expired will be thrown into the same echelon with The Iron Bowl's "Kick 6" two years ago. It's hard to put into words how to feel about it when it's something that's never happened before. I feel awful for the Michigan punter. He panicked. I probably would have tried to do the same thing in his shoes. Hindsight is, hold onto the ball and take the loss of yards and turnover. It didn't happen. And now Michigan has to turn the page, while MSU can build off one of the most improbable wins.
7) How 'bout them Tigers? No, not Clemson. Memphis! On the second play of the game, No. 13 Ole Miss took a 7-0 lead. They led 14-0 after the next series. Then, Memphis happened. Paxton Lynch and the Tigers settled in and reeled off 31 unanswered points en route to a 37-24 win, the program's biggest. They not only knocked off an SEC school, but it's one that most of the Ole Miss alumni base resides in Memphis. It was a big win, too, for the American Conference, and an even bigger blow to the SEC. The job Justin Fuente has done at Memphis is remarkable. The Tigers had seven wins in his first two seasons combined. They won 10 games last season and are 6-0 now, riding a 13-game winning streak. This could be the Group of 5 team that ends up in one of the Big 6 Bowls, but Houston could have something to say about that Nov. 14.
8) Speaking of the SEC, can we all just agree that the SEC West isn't the best and greatest division in football? After LSU and Alabama - which I will remind you lost to Ole Miss at home, who subsequently lost to Memphis - the division is at best average. Texas A&M and Ole Miss were the next best teams, but humbling losses yesterday prove neither are ready for the spotlight. Arkansas, Mississippi State and Auburn are lost causes. It doesn't get much better in the East. Florida put up a great fight at LSU, but fell short. Georgia, Missouri and Tennessee aren't deserving of Top 25 rankings. Vandy, Kentucky and South Carolina are at the bottom of the food chain, once again. It's just an average-at-best conference that ESPN would like you to believe is talented and deep.
9) Quick hits: Baylor continues to impress. The Bears look like they are on a mission and are destroying anyone and anything in their way ... Ohio State finally looked like the team many expected. However, one dominating win over a mediocre Penn State still doesn't justify a No. 1 ranking in my book ... Utah remained unbeaten with a solid win over Arizona State. The Utes trailed 18-14 going to the fourth, but outscored the Sun Devils 20-0 to close the game.
10) The showdown between FSU and Clemson Nov. 7 is nearing. Just two games stand in our way. But we don't like to look past this week. Beat Miami.
-BtW
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