NCAA Week 6: Good Snark, Bad Snark

Published on 9-Oct-2017 by Alan Adamsson

Football - NCAA    NCAA Football Daily Review

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NCAA Week 6: Good Snark, Bad Snark

Just when it seemed like Division I football needs a radical re-thinking, a glimmer of hope for the status quo comes along.

No, not the College Football Playoff considering an expansion to eight teams or something logical like that.

A Power Five upset happened.

Thank you, Iowa State, for providing the sort of glued viewing that usually only comes with watching point spreads these days.

That was the first -- and, if superstition or good taste prevail, could be the last -- time the Sooners will wear all-red.

Hopefully, the Cyclones' feat will be the harbinger of further Power Five upsets. Most of the big brands only have a two- or three-game season anymore. It's enough to spend the second half of blowouts wondering if some sort of super-conference set-up should be seriously considered.

Unless non-con scheduling gets more aggressive and/or September games become relevant again, no idea for change will be too radical.

Good SnarkHow about more points for your football dollar ... A seven-overtime battle doesn't come along very often, and who else but those feisty Western Michigan Broncos found themselves in the national spotlight again.

Not only did they outlast Buffalo's Bulls, 71-68, which set an NCAA record for total points in a game, they shoulda whipped out a cross-country scholarship for TE Donnie Ersberger's sister:

Apparently, having sister and the same number as her brother on her jersey just didn't have the juice she thought it would.

Bad SnarkThe parallel universe trap ... The Washington Huskies get slagged for a soft non-con schedule, and rightly so, but their degree of difficulty is offset this year by the fact that three of their opponents will face them after coming off bye weeks.

OK, one was Oregon State. Check. Next up: the Sun Devils in Week 7. The tough one will be Washington State for what could be the Northern Division crown.

If the Huskies get through all that and USC comes outta the South, the Trojans would also get an extra week to prepare.

Could be tough sledding.

Good Snark: Speaking of off to the races ... TCU's fought its way to the top of the Big XII with a step up when it counts defense and, this year, a bit of trickeration on offense. Witness slinger Kenny Hill morphing into good hands, better feet scamper master:

Dude also did the typical QB thing by rushing and tossing for TDs in their 31-24 victory over West Virginia. Triple threat is a thing again.

Bad Snark: Midfield mayhem ... What hath Baker Mayfield wrought?

First, North Carolina State's Brandon Chubb hocks a loogie on Florida State's midfield artwork after the Wolfpack upset the Seminoles. Now, a deleriously ecstatic Cyclone DB, Evrett Edwards, does a Mayfield on the Sooners home turf.

Hmmm. Lacks pinache. Then again, after 17 years, there's not much video to study on precedence.

Better to drop these silly histrionics altogether.

Good Snark: Sparty rises ... After an uncharacteristic 3-9 campaign last year, Michigan State is a factor in the Big Ten again.

Anything can happen in rivalries -- and Jim Harbaugh's gotta do better -- but the thought remains that the Wolverines have been playing the big-brand card this season.

The offense is just too iffy, banged-up QBs or no.

Bad Snark: Big Red Face ... Scott Frost is probably hiking his asking price with every Central Florida victory this season, and after Nebraska got left in the dust against Wisconsin, he could well tack a premium onto that contract total, too.

Mike Riley actually turned Oregon State into a respectable team back in the day, which was kinda cool for the Corvallis resident. But maybe that was lightning in a bottle.

Frankly, life away from the Beavers just didn't agree with him. Not with the San Diego Chargers, and now, not with Nebraska. Dude's a dead coach walking.

Riley never had three straight losing seasons with the Beavers, but odds are that won't be enough for him to be reconsidered there.

If he wants to be reconsidered there.

Good Snark: Wind sprints pay off ... Bowling Green finally notched their first win of the season, thanks to the sticky fingers and twinkling toes of DL Brandon Harris.

There the Miami RedHawks were, down 30-29 but knocking on the door. Less than two minutes were remaining in the game. It's the sorta situation that called for drastic action if the Falcons were gonna snap outta their funk:

This means only six winless teams left. Baylor is one of them. Odds remain that Kansas still has Sat 4 Nov circled on their calendar. That'll be the Jayhawks' likely only shot at a second victory this season.

Bad Snark: O Buffalo, where art thou? ... Colorado's the Pac-12 South defending champion. They had so many starters returning, dishing out playbooks was virtually an option.

They're now 0-3 in conference after Arizona discovered their backup QB, Khalil Tate, probably shoulda been their starting QB:

Snarkalicious: Catch of the day ... Maybe it's not Oregon State's season -- it rarely is -- but the Beavers do have elite talent here and there.

Healthy again, QB-turned-WR Seth Collins is one of them:

The kid's intense. May he catch many more.