7-Step Drop: The Struggling State of Football in Florida
Saturday of Week 3 was a long day even by the standards of college football.
Through all the exciting action late into the early morning hours on Sunday, I could not help but think of a state that seemed to get overlooked in the midst of the thrilling finishes in Tuscaloosa and Los Angeles.
There are seven FBS programs in Florida, and nearly every one has significant issues as we close the book on the first quarter of the schedule. Nowhere is this more pronounced than in the state's three powerhouses.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Yes, Florida, Florida State and Miami all won in Week 3 to push their records to 3-0. But let's face it, these are deeply flawed teams that won't survive unblemished much longer. What has happened to football in the Sunshine State?
If anything, the 2015 season is making those national titles and BCS bowls feel like they came decades ago.
This has been a constant theme in the southern end of the state most of all. As some of the afternoon games were starting to wind down Saturday, I was surprised to see Miami comfortably in control against a Nebraska team that had gotten unlucky in its first game and appeared to still be a threat in the Big Ten West. On my drive over to the Rose Bowl to cover UCLA and BYU, I flipped on the radio and was shocked to listen in as the Cornhuskers stormed back in the fourth quarter.
The Hurricanes led by 23 points with less than nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter before Big Red came roaring back with three consecutive touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions to tie the game at 33. Blowing that kind of lead should not happen, ever, much less at a proud program like Miami.
"There won't be enough airspace above the stadium for all the planes," a radio analyst said before the game went to overtime, in reference to the planes flying above Sun Life Stadium with banners calling for head coach Al Golden's firing.
And though the Hurricanes sneaked out a win after Tommy Armstrong Jr. threw an interception in the first overtime, the collapse nevertheless added more fuel to the fire under Golden's hot seat. The program simply has not been on the right track for much of the past decade, and its issues are largely self-inflicted in nature.
Bad offensive decisions and stupid penalties (both safeties were ejected for targeting penalties) were the latest missteps against Nebraska and will only increase doubters' beliefs that this is Golden's last season in Coral Gables. Though he has been through a lot in taking over the program during a turbulent time, there's simply no excuse for the team to be in this state.
Golden can't blame talent, as Miami has more former players on NFL rosters than every school but LSU. He likely has the best quarterback in the state and skill position players to threaten anybody.
The Hurricanes' next four games—against Cincinnati, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Clemson—will go a long way in determining how the season ends up, but struggling in the first half against Florida Atlantic and collapsing in the second against Nebraska were not exactly encouraging sights for Miami fans.
Of course, the Hurricanes are not the only ones rumbling down a bumpy road. After surviving against East Carolina late, Florida escaped a trip to Kentucky with another victory in a contest that was not pretty by any stretch of the imagination.
The issues with the Gators in the Will Muschamp era have been well-documented, so it should not be surprising to see some of them carry over to the start of Jim McElwain's tenure. Still, where are the offensive linemen? Where are the game-changing wideouts? Those are in short supply in Gainesville, and it may be a while before they're back.
Tennessee represents a big test for UF on Saturday, but if the Gators keep playing at their current level, that game could be the start of a downward spiral. After the Volunteers come to town, there's a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents—Ole Miss, Missouri, LSU and Georgia—three of which are in the Top 10.
In Tallahassee, Florida State boasts the 10th-best team in the country, according to the Associated Press Top 25 poll. But the Seminoles, who stand seventh in the USA Today Coaches poll, are surviving on name value alone, as they have not played anywhere close to that level this season.
The latest sign came Friday in a dreadful game against Boston College in which the offensive line was once again shaky and Everett Golson couldn't get anything going thanks to several drops by his receivers. Running back Dalvin Cook remains a bright spot, but that's about it offensively. The defense posted good numbers, but that may have been due more to the Eagles' anemic offense.
When the bright spot of an ugly road win is the punting game, you know there's some work to do. The 2013 season of blowout victories is long gone, and that's surprising given that Jimbo Fisher and Co. have consistently outrecruited their opponents. Florida State has a ton of youth all over the board, but it looks like the Garnet and Gold are experiencing more than mere early-season struggles.
It's not just the big boys around Florida, either.
UCF is dead last in the country in total offense. Head coach George O'Leary has one foot out the coaching door—he is hoping to step aside after the season to be the school's athletics director, according to USA Today's Dan Wolken—and, oh yeah, the Knights lost to Furman on Saturday. Add in injuries and a lack of talent, and that Fiesta Bowl victory in January 2014 seems like decades ago.
Over at USF, things appear to be slightly better than the depths they reached in previous years, but the Bulls will still struggle to get to .500 this season. FIU still has Ron Turner (5-19 entering this year) at the helm, and FAU is 0-3 after a blowout loss to Buffalo at home.
That's a lot of programs struggling to put things together in 2015 despite sitting on a gold mine of high school talent. At some places, youth can be blamed. At others, coaching. The bottom line is things have to get better. It's looking like a long, long season in the state of Florida when it comes to college football.
Stats of the Week
- In Navy's first-ever league game, quarterback Keenan Reynolds rushed for a new American Athletic Conference record of five touchdowns.
- USC is just 3-3 in Pac-12 openers since Pete Carroll left campus.
- Records were set on either side of the Red River this week. Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield notched the school mark for total offense in a single game with 572 yards against Tulsa. Texas quarterback Jerrod Heard did the same, breaking Vince Young's mark with 527 yards against Cal.
- Ohio State media relations noted the Buckeyes had their streak of consecutive games with at least three touchdowns ended at 31 in a 20-13 win over Northern Illinois. Baylor takes over the active lead with 17 straight games with at least three touchdowns.
- The Mountain West Conference has lost 21 consecutive games to non-conference FBS opponents. Its last win was Boise State's victory over Washington by a field goal Sept. 4.
"11/1/97 - last time USC, Alabama & Auburn lost on same day. 6,531 days ago. HOF QBs who played next day? Marino, Elway, Moon, Young, Aikman.
— Jason McCallum (@JMacSC) September 20, 2015"
Quote of the Week
Kliff Kingsbury delivered a haymaker to Bret Bielema after Texas Tech beat Arkansas.
Tweet of the Week
"If you spot this person in Oxford give us a call. Could also be wearing houndstooth. pic.twitter.com/Pc1L5oQVcW
— Oxford Police Dept (@OxfordPolice) September 20, 2015"
Play of the Week
Sound from Saturday
Here's how it sounded on the California end when Texas missed an extra point that would have tied the game 45-45 with 1:11 remaining:
Pre-Snap Reads
Utah at Oregon
All eyes will be on the Pac-12 this weekend, and there will be plenty of interest in what could be a season-defining game for both teams in Eugene. The Utes once again have a tough team with plenty of experience but are still searching for a few more playmakers on offense to team with tailback Devontae Booker. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. will likely play for the Ducks, but he'll be limited with a broken finger, which kept him out of Saturday's win against Georgia State.
UCLA at Arizona
Bruins quarterback Josh Rosen looked like a true freshman for the first time against BYU on Saturday. How he bounces back will go a long way in determining whether UCLA is a contender or a pretender. The Wildcats defense may get a boost if linebacker Scooby Wright III returns, but it remains to be seen if he'll be 100 percent.
TCU at Texas Tech
This game was a laugher last season in favor of the Horned Frogs, who racked up 785 yards of offense and 82 points. Think the Red Raiders would like some payback? Kliff Kingsbury's squad looks like it's improved after beating Arkansas on Saturday, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes appears to be a budding star. TCU is reeling, having lost six defensive starters already this year.
Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
