Alabama vs. Mississippi State Week In Review
By Mike Gibbons
Nov 16, 2013; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs running back LaDarius Perkins (27) advances the ball and is chased by Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Xzavier Dickson (47) during the game at Davis Wade Stadium. Alabama Crimson Tide defeat the Mississippi State Bulldogs with a score of 20-7. Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
What happened!?!?!
No, not the stinker of a game we played. We all know what happened there. What happened on the MSU interception and the Yeldon fumble? We had no clue, as there was only a single replay from ESPN followed by zero discussion of whether (a) Taveze Calhoun was, in fact, in mid-long jump when he picked off the pass or (b) Yeldon had plopped his bum on the turf before the fumble. We tried to DVR replay the pick at halftime, but our booth review result was inconclusive. It’s fine if the refs got it right, but Brad and Todd could perhaps acknowledge that every single human watching was saying, in unison, “Uh, no replay?”
Dead horse that will be beaten repeatedly:
Hey, did you see that play Auburn made against Georgia? Didja? Hey, Auburn scored a miraculous play! Lemme show you a video. While not to diminish the excellent UGA documentary “How Not to Play DB on 4th and 28 With a Desperation Heave Coming Your Way,” that video will be shown more than the Zapruder film. And yes, it would be entirely different if it were an Alabama play, much the way it does not annoy me when Todd Blackledge takes a few minutes out of the game to go to The Waysider. Dining out elsewhere? BOOOORRING! Life as a homer is good.
Nick’s halftime complaint:
So we were in the midst of trouncing Kentucky 28-0 a few weeks back, and Nick pretty much announces to the nation he is considering euthanizing the entire team and possibly some coaches. We lay an egg against a subpar opponent in Starkville, and Nick’s reaction? “Meh, we could probably play a little better.”
Manufactured stat of the day:
AJ McCarron passed for 187 yards. Georgia’s current unemployment rate? 8.7 percent. A cheap shot by Mr. McCarron at Coach Richt, or just another wink and a nod to the always subtle master game manager? Let’s go with the latter.
Palmetto Trash Talk:
We got it, Gamecock fans. Go Auburn. Just like you drew it up. My Facebook feed Saturday night was proof that there was not a single Gamecock fan watching the Florida game for the first quarter.
I nailed it:
Auburn winning on a 4th and 28 Hail Mary. Oh, wait, I mean South Carolina over Florida. Because what I really needed here in the Palmetto State was a bunch of Gamecocks with their eyes on the prize. Time to warm up the tried-and-true, “Gamecocks – the team that once celebrated the 20th anniversary of a 10-2 season.”
I did not see this coming:
Stanford stumbling, especially after the Trojans were fired up in the tunnel by Vince Young’s career doppelganger, Matt Leinert. It would be one thing if Leinert were getting them pumped up for a party at the Playboy Mansion, but football? Dude, we’ve seen your last few years.
Duke? Miami lost to Duke? Hey, Miami, remember when we were talking about your return to Swaggerificness? Yeah, you just lost to Duke. The NCAA should reconsider its penalty and add “Was Previously Ranked in Top 10 and Lost to Duke” as another offense. For that crime, they deserve the death penalty, resuscitation penalty, and second death penalty. And that’s two years in a row Duke has hung 40+ on Miami. And don’t argue that Duke is 8-2. Unless the ball is round Duke should not be scoring 48 on Miami. It just imbalances the football world.
This week I predict:
The Auburn touchdown pass reaches 49 trillion views on YouTube.