Orange Blooded [3334]
TigerPulse: 100%
Posts: 2543
Joined: 11/30/13
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Post-game/weekend thoughts
Sep 30, 2018, 1:47 PM
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So turned on the DVR to watch the game last night after having to only follow the ESPN gamecast on my phone as a way to see what was taking place & sweating out the win that way.
*Despite the lost fumble on the opening drive, I felt that the offense under TL was moving pretty good. With how the running game was going, had TL not been injured, I'm sure we would've ripped Syracuse to shreds in the 2nd half.
*The play that TL got hurt on - the side of me wearing the orange tinted glasses wanted a flag. The more rational side thinks it was just a bang-bang play: you had a defender trying to make a stop, a young QB trying to make more of a play & left himself open for contact. It sucks, hopefully TL will be back & healthy for next week, & hopefully will use it as a learning experience to protect himself as the season goes on. Honestly, I was more mad about the hit he took after he had already got rid of the pass and was driven to the ground prior to the missed FG attempt than that 1.
*What can you say about the efforts of Etienne & the running game. Obviously Syracuse's run defense was a chink in their armor. Etienne was just a workhorse out there, Choice did a great job, Feaster (even though he didn't do as great I was expecting him to) had some clutch runs on the game winning drive. If Etienne isn't at least All-ACC after the season, then the people that decide post-season accolades are drinking lead paint.
*Chase Brice - felt he wasn't asked to do too much given the circumstances of the game, his stat lines won't blow anybody away, but what more could you have asked for him. Big time pass completion on the 4th down conversion then followed it up with a big time run on his on. Not bad for a guy who probably would've been considered 5th string prior the the QB exodus. Really hope he'll build on this & uses it to push himself & be ready to step in at a moment's notice should it be required later on this season & there not be a dropoff.
*I know I saw a lot of OL complaints on the board & definitely saw some worrisome play, but also say some positive plays from them as well, especially on the majority of the game winning drive. Hope they will get better as the year goes on especially knowing what the end goals of our team are & what they will have to face in order to achieve them.
*Defense - tale of 2 halves in terms of the yardage given up. Gave up some big plays on the back end which definitely concerned me. But props need to be given for having held Syracuse to only 16 points in 1st half given the scoring opportunities and putting the clamps on them in the 2nd half. They had something to prove after last years game, weathered that early storm, & gave our offense the chance to win it late.
*Turnovers need to be addressed and fixed. Amari's muffed punt in the 4th kept the defense from pitching the 2nd half shutout & could've been disastrous. He really had a rough day. Was fortunate that TL's fumble only resulted in 3 points for them the other way.
*KB situation - I felt that he made an emotional, knee-jerk reaction with everything. He had been given more than a fair shake to be starter and still could've been a leader behind the scenes and a key contributor. He was at home sulking while his teammates needed him yesterday and for that (despite what CDS has said @ 1 point about he would be welcomed back), I don't see KB returning. He quit on his team & sure there are many in the program that feel that way & wouldn't welcome him back with open arms. It was a serious source of unneeded drama leading up to the game and IMO, the team doesn't need to deal with it moving forward.
For everything that went wrong, our players & staff did what was expected of a championship team, and that was find a way to overcome the adversity and win.
Nationally...
*know we're on outside looking in of the CFP according to a few pundits after yesterday's game. Our boys just need to take care of business and continue to win, but I do believe we don't have much (if any) margin for error and will need things to weed themselves out along the way.
*Pissed off that Penn State didn't win last night and put Ohio State behind the 8 ball in the CFP hunt. I felt all the stuff that happened with OSU would galvanize them for a run w/ the talent they had & with Penn State letting them off the hook, OSU is geared up to make a run. I know they still have to play @ Michigan State and against Michigan, but looks like best hope there is Ohio State manages to lay an egg somewhere along the way like they've had the tendency to.
*Notre Dame, unfortunately, is now a legit CFP contender after beating Stanford. On paper, it looks like the Irish should win out, which is gonna spell trouble for at least one P5 champion. Looks like our best hope for them to take a loss & fall down the CFP pecking order lies with their games @ Virginia Tech and against Syracuse.
*Washington looks the role of Pac-12's best chance to get a CFP participant after ND's smackdown of Stanford. They are gonna need alot of help though in my opinion. Colorado could make a case if they continue to win out, but if there are multiple unbeatens, Colorado will have the weaker resume and could get bumped aside for a 1 loss team. Washington-Stanford and Washington-Colorado will make/break the Pac-12's playoff chances.
*Big 12 is a hard one to read. Obviously think that an unbeaten and/or one-loss Oklahome or West Virginia is their best case scenario. Only way I don't see a Big 12 team making the CFP is if they cannibalize themselves in the league schedule, starting with the Red River Showdown this upcoming weekend. Best bet for them falling to wayside - Texas winning the B12, but takes a conference L along the way to add to the Maryland loss.
*SEC - just don't see Alabama losing a game rest of the year. The media will try to sell us on the LSU game, but until the clock is all zeros after the 4th quarter and LSU has more points than Bama, I will not give the fighting Ed Orgeron's the benefit of the doubt. And I just don't see Auburn having enough this year to get it done 2 years in a row and overcome the revenge factor Bama will have. Georgia has a 4 game stretch of @ LSU, vs Florida, @ Kentucky, and Auburn - I don't see them going unscathed during that stretch considering they have 2 rivalry games and have to go on the road to Baton Rouge and to now their biggest threat to the SEC East in Kentucky (anyone else see UK-Georgia deciding the SEC East at beginning of the year?). The media wants Bama and UGA back in the CFP so bad it isn't funny. The only way I think that doesn't happen: 1) Unbeaten Bama vs 1 loss UGA, Bama wins or 2) Both teams enter with 1 loss. Part of me really hopes someone will upset the balance & finds a way to keep both them out & only 1 SEC team at best makes it.
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