Rivalry week wrapped up our 2016 college football season, and wow it was one for the books. Sophomore Running Back Derrius Guice(LSU) finished the regular season by rushing for 285 yards setting the single game rushing record at LSU which ended up beating out his fellow Junior Running Back Leonard Fournette(LSU) by one yard. Heisman runner Lamar Jackson(Lou.)was upset by the unranked Kentucky Wildcats. Then Michigan lost their three point lead and went into double overtime against Ohio State to then lose by THREE points 30-27. Though on top of all that-LSU, Texas, Baylor, FAU, Fresno State, Georgia State, Houston, Nevada, Purdue, and San Jose State all fired their head coaches during the 2016 season. With only four of those ten schools hiring a new head coach for the bowl game and 2017 season you wonder what chaos is going to happen in the off-season, or you might even wonder how much more chaotic can it get? As an LSU fan I say it can't get any more chaotic after what the Tigers have been through, but we'll just wait and watch me be wrong on that one. Well, anyways, as I can't predict who will go where or where each team will go I can catch you all up on the drama that went down in College Football this past week starting with the best division in College Football the SEC West:
SEC West:
Alabama was off to a rough start against Auburn, but with no surprise they came back and demolished them in the second half. The Tide with a 30-12 win secured their spot in the SEC championship on the third. Next we have LSU with a dominating win against the Aggies. The Tigers went into halftime with a solid 20-7 lead and then kicked it into high gear to score a total of 54 points and holding the Aggies to only 39. Then we have Arkansas who played Missouri. Now the Hogs were off to a great start in the first half with a 24-7 lead, but then they decided to check out. The Hogs went the entire second half without scoring at all and giving up 21 points to the unranked 3-8(now 4-8) Missouri Tigers. The Tigers pulled off the 28-24 win. Now we have the Mississippi State-Ole Miss match up. There’s nothing more I can say except the Bulldogs had a point to prove and they did just that. They demolished the Rebels 55-20 clinching the sixth spot in the SEC West.
SEC East:
The SEC Bulldogs took on the ACC Jackets and lost by one point giving the 28-27 win to Georgia Tech. Then the Vols were upset by unranked Vanderbilt 45-34. The tragedy that is the SEC East didn’t stop there. The Gators then lost to FSU in a 31-13 blowout. That wasn’t the worst one though. The Clemson Tigers not only came ready to eat, but they just handed South Carolina some Gamecock on a silver platter. The Clemson Tigers annihilated the Gamecocks with a 56-7 win.
Now we do have to give credit to two teams in this division - the Kentucky Wildcats and the Missouri Tigers. The Wildcats beat Heisman Runner Lamar Jackson and the #11 Louisville Cardinals 41-38. This victory was not a last minute field goal to clinch the upset though. The Wildcats scored first forcing the Cardinals to always catch up to tie it. Then their defense was able to put a stop to Lamar Jackson so their offense could take over in the final seconds of the game and leaving no time on the clock for the Cardinals. Next we have the Missouri Tigers. Missouri held off the Hogs 28-24 after a devastating first half. Though their defense was Hog hungry and absolutely destroyed Arkansas offense in the second half by not allowing them to score at all. Missouri’s offense held up their weight by rolling right over the Hogs defense and scoring three times clinching the 28-24 victory.
Big 10 East:
The faceoff of #2 Ohio State and #3 Michigan was a nail bitter. It didn’t come down to the final seconds. It didn’t come down to overtime, but it came down to a fourth down conversion in the SECOND overtime. Ohio State secured their spot in the Big 10 championship after barely surviving the Wolverines 30-27. Next we have Penn State and the Spartans, and it was almost as bad for Michigan State as it was for South Carolina. Penn State delivered Michigan State their ninth loss by clinching their spot in the Big 10 championship with a 45-12 win.
The 2016 season has been a rollercoaster for every team except Alabama. Are you really surprised? Nick Saban once again led them to a perfect season and most likely another National Championship win. Can anybody bring them down, and who would it be? As the obvious answer is no we will just have to wait until next season to see what team, if any, can finally bring Sabans reign to an end. Though if any team could do it, LSU would be the one.
LSU appointed their very own Ed Orgeron as Head Coach this past week, and that means big changes are coming to the Bayou. Coach Oeaux is in the works of negotiating with his old friend (Alabamas Offensive Coordinator) Lane Kiffin to come to LSU. Now with Head Coach Ed Orgeron who held Alabama to 0 points for three quarters and only losing by 10, hopeful Offensive Coordinator Lane Kiffin who is the best Offensive Coordinator in the country, and Defensive Coordinator Dave Aranda who is the best Defensive Coordinator in the country-LSU is set up to have a spectacular 2017 season with the top recruiting class in all of College Football. Will it be enough to bring down ‘Bama? That seems impossible right now, but Tiger nation knows Ed Orgeron is the right man for the job and knows he will Roll the Tide.
Watch out Alabama, the Tigers are coming for you - the real Tigers.
-Tiger Nation
