Florida State and Penn State on the Brink
It was a busy week on the Southbound Sports Show. Matt and I covered a wild NFL weekend, then spent most of the episode on a college football season where the coaching carousel is already spinning.
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The NFL’s Overtime Weekend
There were three overtime games in the NFL this week. Jesse Minter’s decision to take the ball first in overtime is the one I’m proudest of, because it’s exactly what we’ve been saying on the show: take the ball and you get a shot at three possessions. Matty B was surprised by Jayden Daniels’s first game back, when he ripped off some long runs. But the Commanders mismanaged the end of overtime. They ran a slow-developing play instead of spiking the ball, let about 20 seconds run off, and ended up with no clean shot at the winning field goal. The Giants also tied, and Jameis Winston looks like the right call over JJ McCarthy for now.
Several games also ran long, and every one after the early slot started late. That’s a real problem for networks that want to promote the next game. I also think ESPN’s habit of focusing almost entirely on its Monday night game is hurting the league. If the game is a dud, viewers don’t come back.
Penn State’s Disappointing Year
I had high hopes for Matt Campbell in his first year, and so did a lot of Penn State fans. But the offense is bad, the recruiting isn’t as strong as promised, and the team plays Michigan this week. Michigan’s offense is also a mess, so it could be a painful game to watch. I’d still say Penn State isn’t firing Campbell. They gave James Franklin a decade, and they’re locked in with Campbell for a while.
The Hot Seat
Florida State plays Miami this week, and it could be the first big domino to fall. Matty B thinks Mike Norvell’s seat is piping hot, partly because Florida State needs an athletic director first, and you don’t want to hire the football coach before the AD. Oregon’s Dan Lanning is rumored to be in trouble after losing to UCLA, but at 51–10 I don’t see how you fire him. And I’d still want Michigan to go after UCLA’s Chesney, though he may have no reason to leave if UCLA gives him what he needs.
Why Coaches Keep Leaving Good Jobs
Matty B made the point that once you reach your first major job, it might be time to cash out and ride it. Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU for more money and is now getting criticized for losing to Kentucky. Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma right before the SEC move and then saw USC head to the Big Ten. Harbaugh is another example: he could have stayed at Michigan and had a Saban-style run.
The Rankings
I still don’t buy the SEC’s rankings. Notre Dame and Miami look like the most consistent teams right now, and Georgia is my third. With all the SEC losses, the league’s schedule didn’t hold up the way the polls suggested.
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