And then there were two
The semifinals were a mixed bag – one very exciting game and one blowout. Here are my brief thoughts that will hopefully refresh your enthusiasm after a ten day gap. And for the record, I went 2 for 2 in my picks.
Miami 31 – Ole Miss 27
This was a great game with plenty of lead changes and excitement.
- Not that Ole Miss played badly, but it is clear that the SEC is no longer the dominant conference. And while I don’t put much stock in bowl game wins, the SEC’s postseason performance across the board was not impressive. That conference doesn’t have the top teams, and there’s nothing in this season’s performance that would lend credance to the claim that it is still the deepest conference.
- Likewise, Miami’s performance clearly highlights that the ACC is not the doormat conference it has been portrayed to be. Thanks to NIL and the portal, parity is in full force for the FBS.
- Miami looks really good, although I could do without the Michael Irvin and Ray Lewis sideline shots.
Indiana 56 – Oregon 22
This was a tough game to watch unless you were either a Hoosiers fan or one who simply loves to marvel at superior execution.
- The stat line, with the exception of turnovers, would indicate that this was a close game. It was not.
- For a brief minute, Oregon’s touchdown drive response to IU’s pick six gave me some hope that the Ducks might be able to hang. They could not. A rented mule took less abuse than the Oregon offense.
- Cignetti was still all business even as the Hoosiers rolled. Clearly, he is not satisfied with just getting to the National Championship.
This Week
- I would be stunned if Indiana lost this game despite this being a home game for the Hurricanes.
- Indiana just doesn’t make many mistakes. They have eight fumbles this year of which they have lost all of one. That is Miami’s biggest hope; that the Hoosiers have an uncharacteristically bad game. I do not believe the Canes can beat the Hoosiers straight up.
- Indiana has been dominant, but they have been tested. It makes them even more dangerous for Miami. The Hoosiers will not wilt if things go badly for them via turnovers or injuries. For the Hurricanes, however, this is a distinct possibility. This game could get very ugly for Miami if they aren’t careful.
What’s a Steeler fan to do?
I know this is a college football blog, but it’s my blog and I am Steelers fan so I am going to weigh on the Mike Tomlin resignation.
- By any statistical measure, Mike Tomlin, is a very good coach. Is he an all-time great, top five? No but, he is HOF caliber and anyone who argues otherwise, is analytically deficient. End of story – it isn’t even worth showing the data.
- It was, unfortunately, time. The Standard is to win Superbowls in Pittsburgh and Tomlin’s teams hadn’t smelled a Superbowl in years. He was a victim of his own success, overachieving with a group of quarterbacks that could be charitably characterized as “gamers”. This created a situation where drafting a top QB was nearly impossible.
- The Tomlin career highlights and memory reels have been hitting my media feeds hard. I am left with an admiration for his achievements as a coach, his straight talk, and his class.
Last week’s loss to the Texans was rough, but beating the Ravens the week before was awesome. The highs outweighed the lows in the Tomlin era.
Thanks for the memories, Coach. T.
Tree