College Football’s 50 Things We Have Learned Through Halloween, Part II

By Fred Mitchell, Tribune reporter

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CFB’s 50 Things We Have Learned, Part I

40. Gene Chizik and Auburn have been biggest disappointment

I was silly enough to think Auburn would go 10-3 and appear in a New Year’s Day bowl thanks to their new coaching staff. Instead they likely will be the exact opposite of that ridiculous projected record, thanks to an offense that makes the word inept sound respectable.

39. Optimus Klein is not human

This superstar and potential Heisman winner is unstoppable these days. There is nothing that can slow him down right now thanks to Bill Snyder just slicing and dicing apart opposing Big 12 defenses. Will K-State lose a game and whether or not they appear in the BCS title may be the only true questions up.

38. Geno Smith caught us by surprise, in more ways than one

Geno Smith was going bonkers for the first few weeks of the season as if he was competing against high school squads. The team and Smith has since fallen off the face of the earth thanks to some nagging injuries, a tough slate and a defense that couldn’t stop a paper bag.

37. Clemson is America’s most underrated non-SEC team

Name a team that has throttled as many opponents as Clemson and is outside the BCS top 10?

The Tigers should be ranked in the BCS top 10 because quite frankly they are among the 10 best and they may just have to prove that against South Carolina. Either way their offense is arguably the best in the country at the skill positions.

36. Computers have a major crush on the Pac-12

O, boy do the computers have a major crush on the Pac-12. Oregon State and USC lose and yet the barely drop in the BCS.  The Trojans took a decent tumble, but losing to four-loss Washington seemed like a gift to a Beavers squad that was miserable on offense all game long.

Either way, the Ducks are legit albeit there are still teams like Stanford that are getting treated as if they are worthy of playing in the Rose Bowl. They did nearly beat Notre Dame and did upset USC, but losing to Washington has to keep them nowhere near the top 10 in the BCS.

35. Florida State’s loss to NC State likely to cost them BCS title

The loss to NC State is devastating because Florida State would have stayed around the number three spot despite Kansas State and Notre Dame winning left and right. Maybe they would drop to fourth or fifth with the Ducks, but an undefeated 13-0 ACC Champion looks a lot better than a 12-1 with a loss to a potential five-loss Wolf Pack team.

While the Orange Bowl still looks great on New Year’s they may have not needed a loss potentially from the Irish or Wildcats (though potentially Ducks would have to still lose anyways, I can go all day) like they currently do.

34. Frank Beamer’s double digit consecutive streak of eight will end at eight!

The Hokies have owned the ACC every season essentially since they have left the Big East, but the struggles have been brutal this season. The lack of any sort of balance offensively has crushed them and Logan Thomas (and gang) has been a turnover machine (16 as team, 10 INT). Barring a miracle in which they beat FSU twice or Clemson in the ACC title game and a bowl victory, they will not get to double digits.

33. MAC Football is having bets year, ever (7-21 BCS)

I must be the first one to say it, but the MAC is the best it ever has been and it is because the defenses are finally putting a hat on a hat. Throw in the fantastic and productive offenses and there should be no shock in the fact that the likes of Northern Illinois, Toledo, Ohio and Kent State are worthy of being mentioned in the top 30-35.

32. Trayion Durham is America best kept secret

Kent State has seemingly their greatest team in program history, and while Roosevelt Nix is a beast on defense they have a brusing tailback that is an absolute monster. Standing large and in charge (6’0”, 260-pounds), Trayion Durham has 780 yards and 8 TD for the Golden Flashes. Kent State has only played in two bowl games in its entire history of a football program (1972, 1954) and they are a lock to appear in one this year thanks in large part to Durham.

31. Landry Jones and Sooners lack that special something

Landry Jones has a talented group of receivers, but they are not the usual talent where thye can just roll out of bed and hang 40 points on your typical BCS teams. While the transfers from Fresno State (Jalen Sanders) and Penn State (Justin Brown) are studs in their own right, they are still lacking the quick ryhtyhm offense and trust that you need to perform well under the limelight. Kenny Stills is a legit receiver, and Oklahoma isn’t garbage by any means.

Whether it be a struggling offensive line that fooled us since the Kansas State loss or whether the loss of Ryan Broyles is devastating, we have just not seen the production.

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