Disclaimer: Bandwagoning is not a ranking of the best or worst teams, the biggest wins or worst losses. It’s instead an inexact assessment of the emotions experienced by various fan bases following their most recent game. There is nothing scientific about this. As a matter of fact, the only science involved would be through the donation of any brains that take this seriously.
JUMPING ON: All hail the Pac-12! Long live the Pac-12 – or at least let it die a glorious death! That seems to be the direction the Conference of Champions is headed as it nears oblivion. In what will be its last season – unless abandoned schools Oregon State and Washington State manage to create a new variation of the brand – the Pac-12 is having a season for the ages. It has three teams in the Top 10 and five in the Top 15, any of which could be a legitimate threat to not only make the College Football Playoff but win a game or games.
The doomed league has some of the most elite players in the nation in quarterbacks Caleb Williams of Southern Cal and Michael Pennix Jr., of Washington; four of the top-scoring offenses in the nation; three elite defenses; and an intriguing group of coaches ranging from Chip Kelly and Dan Lanning to Kyle Whittingham. The biggest threat to this narrative before the postseason is the league cannibalizing itself.
JUMPING OFF: Plenty of folks leaped off the Colorado bandwagon after the Buffaloes were pummeled by Oregon. And more will head for the exits after this weekend unless visiting Southern Cal lays an egg as a three-touchdown favorite. However, it was unreasonable to think the hype and hoopla could maintain such levels for a program that was 1-11 last year and hasn’t had a winning season since 2016.
The 2023 Buffaloes are still a flawed team with serious personnel gaps no matter how advanced of a makeover they’ve undergone since Deion Sanders rolled into town. Most notably along the lines, where you can’t overestimate the importance of developing players for years. Still, three wins is quite an accomplishment and it will still be the story of the year if the Buffaloes make it to a bowl game. Regardless, the realistic bar will rightfully be much higher in future seasons thanks to the glimpses we’ve seen during the first month of the Coach Prime Era.
SEATS GOING FAST: Florida State already had plenty of hype heading into the season and validated it by opening up with a convincing win over LSU. But the preseason expectations wouldn’t get bonafide unless the Seminoles beat Clemson, which it did via overtime and in Death Valley, no less.
The Seminoles now look like the alphas of the Atlantic Coast Conference not just because of that victory, but also because Clemson doesn’t look like the Clemson teams of the past decade. And QB Jordan Travis has the type of game and flair to capture the attention of Heisman Trophy voters. After all, how many players can say they’ve drawn the ire of Joe Exotic – aka “The Tiger King” – in a trademark dispute?
PLENTY OF ROOM LEFT: Kansas, Kentucky, and Missouri are all undefeated and yet few people are buying stock in any of the programs. All three have pummeled some overmatched opponents, looked uninspired in wins over others, and/or had a close call that shouldn’t have been a close call.
Still, undefeated is undefeated and each has an opportunity this week to validate its record. Kentucky hosts Florida and Kansas is at Texas. Missouri plays Vanderbilt, which kinda counts. BTW: The three schools have combined for 6,395 wins and 12 national championships in men’s basketball.
JUMPING ON: Penn State … Pregame speeches going viral … “College Gameday” in Durham … Florida WR Luther Burden … Miami … The ghost of Utah QB Cam Rising … Kickers … Notre Dame’s all-green uniforms … South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler 2.0 … Having 11 players on defense.
JUMPING OFF: Trolling Nick Saban … Auburn’s offense … Saying Ohio State is soft … Megacontracts for coaches … Tennessee QB Joe Milton … Wake Forest ... Three-quarterback systems … Being a new member of the Big-12 … Iowa’s offense … 10 a.m. ET kickoffs.
