CigarSmokinFootball

Week 3 Cigar Butts
Some people called this weekend separation weekend, and there’s a point to be made for that. Others called it the Overrated Teams Exposed Weekend. That’s a valid argument, too. But here at Cigarsmokinfootball, we like to think it was a typical heart-stopping, breath-taking, incredulous weekend of the greatest show on earth, college football!

 
Florida State vs. Louisville– The Cardinals came into this game with a mission, and they were not to be denied – again. Louisville was going to beat Florida State in football! I don’t know if that included absolutely crushing every aspect of the Florida State game, and giving the Noles the worst defeat their program has ever suffered, but Louisville was going to BEAT THEM UP! The Lamar Jackson-led Cardinals mounted an offensive attack that completely overwhelmed FSU. There was nothing, Nothing, the Seminoles could do to stop them. QB Jackson threw for one touchdown and ran for four more. His run-pass option plays had no option at all;- he wanted the glory and he got it. The Cardinals now lead the ACC and it’ll be interesting to see how they handle the spotlight. I suspect they’ll relish it.

 
Army vs UTEP– Speaking of rolling right along, have you paid attention to the Black Knights of the Hudson? The Cadets marched all over the Miners of El Paso. Army scored 66 points, the most points they’ve scored since 1958, when my dad was a Cadet, and that was last century, before girls! Army even threw a couple of passes, and, get this, they completed them! The Black Knights are now 3-0 and loving it!
Ohio State vs Oklahoma- The Sooners needed this game to reestablish their national title aspirations after losing to Houston. The Buckeyes didn’t care what OU needed, and Alabama-North walked right over Stoops’ charges, 45-24. OSU had passed their first test of the season with flying colors. After the game was delayed for over an hour by celestial fireworks (lightning), the Garnet and Silver team outplayed the Crimson and Cream in every aspect of the game. It was a complete domination. Oklahoma might have been a bit overrated, just a little. Or they could have been vastly overrated. Or, Ohio State could be very, very good.

 
USC vs Stanford- When preparing to play Stanford, you know you have to stop Christian McCaffrey. The entire defense should know where he lines up every play, where he is at all times. The Trojans didn’t do that, McCaffrey was all over the field, and he enjoyed a monster game. He ran the ball, he caught passes, he returned punts, and I suspect he supplied water and Gatorade to his teammates during timeouts. This led to the rest of the Cardinal team playing better and the result was never in question as the USC squad fell for the second time in three games. Those two losses were to Alabama, the original, and Stanford, the tree, so it doesn’t mean USC is any slouch.

 
Alabama vs. Ole Miss– The Rebels jumped all over the Tide in the first half. I mean, Ole Miss was surfing on the Crimson Tide! If anyone had doubts about Mississippi QB Chad Kelly’s skills, they should have been silenced in the first half Saturday. This kid is good, as in, extremely good. If the Rebels had a whisper of a running game, they would be unstoppable, but they don’t, and that cost them. Alabama does have a running threat, and putting together long drives wore out the Ole Miss defense. Alabama did not play like the number one team in the nation. Hurts’ QB play was terrible! If it weren’t for a few turnovers, Bama would have sustained another loss to the Rebels. I heard someone say this was payback for last year’s five Alabama turnovers. Whatever, Alabama needs to improve drastically in all phases of their game.

 
Texas A&M vs. Auburn– The Daughter enjoyed this game;- anytime her team beats Auburn, she’s happy. She’s happy anytime A&M beats anyone, except Bama, and I’m having doubts about her on that one. Trevor Knight was the key to the Aggie victory. He finally had the type of game like he played against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl when he was a member of the Sooner squad. The Tigers had no answer for the hot-handed Knight.

 
Short Smoke Cigar Butts
Georgia escaped Missouri, and we do mean escaped.

 
LSU opened up a big lead against Mississippi State, only to let them come back and almost win

 
Tennessee was favored over Ohio but the Vols struggled mightily to win

 
North Dakota State pulled off a huge upset, beating Iowa, at Iowa. Go Bison!

 
Michigan State ruined almost any chance Notre Dame had of making the playoffs. Only the Legion of Sportswriters can save the Irish now….hee hee

 
Wisconsin shouldn’t have had that much trouble beating Georgia State

 
California brought Texas down to earth by handing the Horns their first loss

 
Nebraska went Duck hunting and downed Oregon

 
Florida won against North Texas, but losing Del Rio might cost them against Tenn next week

 
Arkansas had no problem with Texas State

 
Miami blew Appalachian State out of the Mountaineer stadium

 
And North Alabama defeated Valdosta State. Roar Lions!