4 Hard Downs: 4 of Top 10 Down, Ain't Too Proud To Beg & Bama Holding That L

Vandy Won, Play Through It, Seeing Friends...Having Friends & ND looking like Birdman

First and foremost: Kudos to my guy Stephen Hartzell for saying that this weekend would get buckwild. We talked about it on CSN and he was 100% correct. We had not one, not two, not three, but four Top 10 teams go down. Plus add in USC, who was #11, go down to Minnesota and 5 Top 11 teams got sent home packing.

We learned that anyone can get it. Iowa slowed Ohio State down for a half and then ran out of gas. UCLA did similar against a Penn State team we are all still figuring out; 27 minutes of UCLA playing good football and then Penn State hulked up.

Speaking of hulk, let’s go ahead and SPOT THE BALL!!!

1st Down: Vandy Won This Game Straight Up

Everyone is going to center the losers. However the winners of this contest, in Nashville, are the Commodores. That’s who should get the spotlight. Great gameplan from Clark Lea and staff and an amazing effort from Diego Pavia

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He put on for his team and his gente.

Vandy did some very cool things that I’m sure will be adopted by other teams going forward. Their use of the option on several levels.

Thanks SECNet

Reversing out and noticing Alabama doesn’t respect Pavia. The option where Bama targets Pavia and lets the RB run free. The option where Pavia and RB are covered but then the shovel is left untouched for the first down.

But the pièce de résistance is the long option. Swing is the give. Pavia is the keep. The backside throw is the pitch. Gorgeous. Using all 53 1/3 of the field and get Bama buttnaked.

And they did.

2nd Down: Muddied Picture Helps ND

Texas A&M beat the #9 team in the country handedly

The Irish are up to 11. We will talk about it on The Format more, but after this chaotic weekend the Irish are just watching buildings fall around them while they have the high ground.

As the picture gets muddier, the Irish seem to get cleaner as a playoff team.

The way that they make it is everyone else messes up, and they don’t.

This team out here like Birdman doing the hand rub.

Short and sweet for ya.

3rd Down: Whatever Happened To Pride, Power & Being A Badass Motha?!

Begging seems to be the greatest currency in college football

Much like TLC or The Temptations, No WR or QB is too proud to beg for a flag.

I hate it.

Begging for DPI on bad throws. Begging for DPI on throws where if you just tried you could make the catch. Begging for DPI on a ball you didn’t even know was coming to your direction. Begging for DPI on a ball, nay, prayer, the QB just tries to get near you.

Hate it.

Begging for targeting is another very complicated manner.

This shouldn’t be a penalty you beg for at all. However, we’re seeing it. And thanks to the visuals, they’re getting it.

It sucks dude.

I’m not here saying targeting isn’t a thing. I am siting here saying glancing blows, incidental helmet to helmet or the RB/TE ducking their head to protect themselves or deliver the blow and colliding shouldn’t be the thing that gets a guy kicked out of the game.

4th Down: Hanging With The Boys!!

I got to see two of my best friends this weekend. I remembered that I am the “short king” of the group because one is 6’2” and the other is 6’4” and I’m 5’11.5” on a good day (I claim 5’10” to make men who lie about their height feel bad).

One of my buddies used to watch Top Gun every night when we got home from Pantana Bob’s in Chapel Hill. Until yesterday, I did not realize it was “Playing With The Boys” and not, as I put in my IG story, “Hanging With The Boys.”

So I’m dumb.

My mistake, but in general fun was had. Ballantyne Bowl and just hanging with two of our favorite families, six total kids plus our wives. Kids running wild. There were rocks getting thrown. Kids dumping water on their heads. Kids dumping water on other kids’ heads. Kids drinking water out of the dog buckets. You know, the usual.

I don’t see my friends very often. I see my wife’s friends a lot. I see my kid’s friends’ parents a lot. But I don’t see my friends much at all. So this was a really cool Sunday to just see some friends, not in a work capacity, and remember what it is like to even have friends.

Say what’s up to your friends, maybe buy them a koozie from HITD, and gird your loins for this upcoming holiday season.

Cheers!!!