PREGAME SPEECH
All you need to know about the 2014 season so far is that Northern Illinois has as many wins (three) as the combined totals of Texas, Clemson, Georgia, Northwestern and Fresno State.
UTEP's Aaron Jones has more rushing yards (552) than Georgia, Wisconsin, Florida State or Pat Haden.
Boston College beat USC, East Carolina beat Virginia Tech and the Big Ten can't beat anybody.
And speaking of the Big Ten ...
The conference is now 1-9 against Power 5 opponents. Bowling Green just beat Indiana. Big 12 bottom-feeder Iowa State defeated Iowa. And your conference division leaders are Penn State in the East and Nebraska in the West.
Yes, just the way we all envisioned it.
Do you see a dominant team? I don't, but then again, the season hasn't reached puberty yet.
Oregon is 3-0, might have the best quarterback in the country, and hasn't scored less than 46 points in each of its three wins. But I'm waiting to see how it does on the road -- though, the road got a little easier, depending on the severity of UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley's elbow injury (the Ducks travel to the Rose Bowl on Oct. 11).
Oklahoma plays defense (Tennessee quarterback Justin Worley woke up in a cold sweat Sunday screaming the name of OU linebacker Eric Striker), but there were just enough moments during the Sooners' win over the Vols to give you a tiny bit of pause. I'm not saying OU can't run the table -- it can -- but dominant teams do better than 3-of-12 on third-down conversions.
Florida State is the defending national champion. Oops, you're not supposed to use that word defending around FSU coach Jimbo Fisher.
Anyway, the opening win against Oklahoma State was a challenge and the Sept. 6 victory against The Citadel was a survival test, what with some of the Bulldogs intent on damaging the MCLs and ACLs of Seminoles players. We'll get a better indication of FSU's domination potential this Saturday against Clemson.
Can Alabama be dominant worthy? Maybe, now that it appears that Blake Sims has established himself as the starter. The next four games on Bama's schedule (Florida, at Ole Miss, at Arkansas and Texas A&M) will provide answers.
Meanwhile, the Aggies are entering the question-and-answer portion of their schedule (an expected breather at SMU, followed by Arkansas in Arlington, at Mississippi State, Ole Miss and at Bama).
We know Baylor can win big over SMU, Northwestern State and Buffalo (and do so with or without quarterback Bryce Petty), but we've got a bit of a wait until the Bears travel to OU on Nov. 8. Between now and then, Baylor has three road games (at Iowa State, at Texas and at West Virginia) and two home games (TCU, Kansas).
And we'll get an answer about Auburn and LSU soon enough. They face each other Oct. 4 -- though, Auburn has a toughie Thursday night at K-State and LSU faces Mississippi State on Saturday.
FIRST QUARTER
In: Games that matter this week (FSU vs. Clemson, Bama vs. Florida, OU vs. West Virginia, Auburn vs. the University of Bill Snyder, LSU vs. Miss State, Va. Tech vs. Georgia Tech, BYU vs. Virginia, North Carolina vs. East Carolina, NIU vs. Arkansas, Miami vs. Nebraska, Cal vs. Arizona), Steve Spurrier's mastery over Georgia (16 wins, the most of any coach), Ole Miss' Bo Wallace (75.5 completion percentage, up by almost 11 percent from a season ago), questions (unfair, by the way) about why Hundley came back for another year at UCLA, Ohio State's J.T. Barrett (six TD passes, five in the first half vs. Kent State), BYU's chances of becoming a CFP final four contender, BYU quarterback Taysom Hill, Boston College (upsets USC despite being a 17-point 'dog), BC quarterback Tyler Murphy (the Eagles would like to thank Florida for the one-year loaner), Texas anguish (not only did the 1-2 Longhorns lose to UCLA at Jerry Jones World -- against the backup quarterback [Rick Neuheisel's son, Jerry] -- but they managed to kick off at the start of each half), Duke freshman running back Shaun Wilson, UCLA fourth-quarter leads (48-1 since 2007 when it leads after three quarters), West Virginia quarterback Clint Trickett, Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott (the QB triple: TD throw, run and catch), Florida weirdness (the rainout against Idaho ... the triple-overtime game against Kentucky), Arkansas running game (14 rushing TDs in 2013, 14 already in 2014).
Out: Virginia's ACC losing streak (ding, dong the streak is dead at 10), Virginia Tech's defense (wreak havoc against Ohio State, but give up 502 yards against East Carolina), the quarterback competition at Bama (the starting job belongs to Sims -- for now -- but Jake Coker will still get playing time), the Todd Gurley hold on the early Heisman race, Ohio State defensive end Noah Spence, Maryland coach Randy Edsall's membership in the Hurry-Up Offense Fan Club ("I think there's a problem in college football, I really do," he told reporters after West Virginia ran 108 plays to the Terps' 65 as WVU won 40-37), Georgia kicker Marshall Morgan's consecutive-made field goal streak, and me chirping about USC's chances of reaching the CFP.
SECOND QUARTER
Guess who could be undefeated when it plays Ohio State on Oct. 25?
And if Team X beats the Buckeyes at home, guess who would be favored in its next four games, meaning Team X would be 11-0 entering its final game of the regular season (a home game against Michigan State)?
I know, it's not exactly an LSAT question, but the answer is Penn State.
The Nittany Lions got an injection of great news last week from the NCAA (bowl ban lifted, scholarships restored), and then followed it up with a come-from-behind win at Rutgers.
I've heard from USC followers (and to a lesser extent, Miami followers) who are enraged and confounded over the NCAA's decision to essentially commute Penn State's sanctions for time served. They accuse the NCAA of having a double standard, applying one set of penalties to the USC and Miami programs and another set of more flexible penalties against Penn State.
And they're right: The NCAA did a Peyton Manning, yelled, "Omaha! Omaha!" at the line of scrimmage and called a sanctions audible. Penn State was off the hook. Sort of. Was the NCAA inconsistent in its handling of those cases? Yes. Is the NCAA a cautionary tale of bureaucracy on steroids? Of course. Are NCAA president Mark Emmert's days numbered? Roger that.
And yet, despite its legendary bumbling, the NCAA got it right when it came to pardoning Penn State.
SECOND QUARTER -- PART II
Stay with me on this:
• For those who argue against reducing the sanctions, who say that the NCAA "owes it to the victims" of Jerry Sandusky's depravity, I respectfully disagree.
No amount of bowl bans, scholarship limits and financial penalties are going to heal the psychological wounds inflicted by Sandusky. The NCAA sanction commensurate with those victims' pain doesn't exist -- and never will. So let's quit pretending that this an Old Testament, eye-for-an-eye situation. It isn't. It can't be.
• For USC and Miami fans, I understand why they're frustrated with the NCAA's actions. But to compare their respective cases with Penn State's is like comparing a wristwatch with Big Ben.
Penn State's case was unprecedented. Penn State's penalties were unprecedented. Everything connected with the arc of this Penn State story is unprecedented.
To somehow suggest that Penn State is "getting away" with something is almost laughable. They've lost games, scholarships, postseason opportunities, $60 million in payouts and millions more in legal fees. Their iconic head coach was fired and then died soon thereafter. His statue was removed -- and a part of Penn State's pride was removed with it.
The school president is gone. The athletic director is gone. The coaching staff from Joe Paterno's reign is gone. The head coach who replaced Paterno is gone. Sandusky will spend the rest of his life in prison.
In short, there were no winners in this sad saga.
Sure, the Nittany Lions are eligible for a bowl, but they won't receive the usual full share from the Big Ten. And, yes, they now can begin recruiting to fill a full complement of 85 scholarship spots.
It's also true that the Nittany Lions can make a run at the Big Ten title. They can do it partly because of quarterback Christian Hackenberg, partly because of the present state of the conference, and partly because they now have something to play for.
But don't kid yourselves: It still will be seasons before Penn State's program will join the elite again.
HALFTIME
Nothing against Louisville (and I still think the Cardinals are a team nobody wants to see on their schedule), but I was half-rooting for Virginia this past Saturday. Or more precisely, I was rooting for UVA coach Mike London.
London has taken considerable heat in recent seasons, but has stayed true to his coaching style and personal beliefs. He has told anybody who will listen that the program is pointed in the right direction.
The win against Louisville proves that maybe he can read a football compass. And the sight of UVA fans storming the field proves they know a quality win when they see one.
It doesn't get easier for UVA. The Cavaliers leave Charlottesville for the first time this season for a road game at BYU.
THIRD QUARTER
Even with this latest victory against Purdue, it's still too early to consider Notre Dame a serious contender for one of those four coveted CFP semifinal spots. But the gap between being a CFP afterthought and CFP short-list member is closing fast.
The opening rout of Rice was nice, but expected. The shutout of Michigan was impressive, but let's face it, the Wolverines have more holes than a kicking net. And Purdue hasn't been a national factor since 2000, when it reached the Rose Bowl. The Boilermakers are 0-5 against Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly and 5-24 against ND since 1986. And since 2008, Purdue is 0-10 against nonconference opponents who are current members of the Power 5. (Geez, didn't mean to pick on the Boilers like this. Blame ESPN's ultra-efficient Stats & Information department.)
Notre Dame's schedule is its best friend ... and worst enemy. Because of the degree of difficulty (remaining games against the likes of Stanford, North Carolina, at Florida State, Navy, at Arizona State, Louisville and at USC), the Irish would win a strength-of-schedule fistfight against, say, Baylor. That could come in handy when the CFP selection committee issues its weekly ranking beginning in late October.
But first, Notre Dame has to keep winning. It will be favored against Syracuse on the road (East Rutherford, N.J.) in two weeks. And likely will be favored at home against Stanford and then against the Tar Heels. FSU in Tally? 'Dogs.
The point is, the Irish have CFP opportunities because of their SOS. Win out and I'm not sure how you could freeze out a team that beat six ranked opponents (as of Sept. 12), and traveled to the east, the west and the south.
"It's amazing seeing how much we're growing each and how much we want to be better," said Notre Dame defensive lineman Sheldon Day. "I don't know the word to describe it. It's just amazing."
Said Kelly: "Our schedule is daunting. There's a lot in front of us. We're playing a lot of young players [18 redshirt juniors, 20 first-year players]."
But Kelly isn't afraid to admit that he likes the potential of the Irish.
"They don't play with a lot of baggage," he said. "I like the fact that they just go play football. They just check all that at the door, and [I] really just like the way they play."
THIRD QUARTER -- PART II
It helps that quarterback Everett Golson is playing like he wants an all-expenses-paid visit to New York in mid-December for the Heisman ceremony. Golson hasn't been flawless, but he's been close (64.6 completion percentage, no interceptions).
Golson went 600 days from his last start (the BCS National Championship against Alabama in the 2012 season) to the Aug. 30 game against Rice. The absence was self-inflicted. He missed the 2013 season after being expelled for academic misconduct. He was readmitted to Notre Dame last December and began classes in January.
"Being here at such a prestigious school like Notre Dame, I think you almost live in a false sense of reality," Golson said. "Everything was going good here. Academics are great. Football, it's one of the premier programs in college history ... But when you step outside of that, you really hit life. For me, I hit it hard. I'm thinking I was going to be able to come back and for [Notre Dame] to tell me, 'No,' then it's like, 'OK, what do I do now?"'
Answer: make amends, work harder, become a new and improved version of Everett Golson.
"Two different guys," said Kelly of the difference between the 2012 Golson and the 2014 Golson. "Maturity. And that maturity came from learning from his mistakes. When you step up and take full responsibility for your mistakes, you can only help to be a better person. And he's a better person."
FOURTH QUARTER
And the Heisman goes to ... Georgia's Gurley. But the others are closing fast.
Also in attendance for the presentation ceremony: Oregon's Mariota, Texas A&M's Kenny Hill, Notre Dame's Golson, Florida State's Jameis Winston, Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah, Baylor's Bryce Petty, Arizona State's D.J. Foster.
In a parallel universe where all the other Heisman candidates decide to quit football for soccer: Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper.
POSTGAME SPEECH
Top 10
1. Oregon
The Ducks travel to Washington State. They've beaten Wazzu seven consecutive games and nine out of the past 10.
2. Oklahoma
If you're a Sooners fan, be a little bit nervous about a night game at Morgantown. Be more nervous about the Mountaineers' offense. Sooners RB Keith Ford will be out at least two to three weeks with an ankle injury.
3. Florida State
Clemson comes to town. Nobody knows if Clemson's defense also will make the trip. If it does, maybe this one get interesting.
4. Alabama
The Tide begins its SEC schedule. The Gators haven't beaten Bama in Tuscaloosa since 1998. Be careful, Tide -- Florida sort of has an offense again.
5. Texas A&M
A bye week ... facing winless SMU -- same thing. No wonder former SMU star Eric Dickerson is so mad.
6. Baylor
The Bears don't play until Sept. 27 at Iowa State. That gives Petty more time to get healthy.
7. Auburn
K-State and Snyder will have had almost two weeks to get ready for Auburn's offense.
8. LSU
Freshman running back Leonard Fournette is becoming more of a factor. Just in time for Mississippi State.
9. Notre Dame
Didn't play particularly well against Purdue. It wasn't because the Irish were looking ahead to the Sept. 27 Syracuse game.
10. Ole Miss
Off this week. Then play Memphis at home. Then, if the Rebels don't screw that up, they'll be undefeated when Alabama comes to Oxford.
Waiting list: UCLA, South Carolina, Georgia, Michigan State, BYU.
POSTGAME LOBBYING
Who's in:
Oregon vs. Bama -- This would be the first-ever meeting of the two programs. Pretty cool.
Oklahoma vs. FSU -- Jimbo Fisher is 0-2 against the Sooners and the Seminoles have lost six consecutive games to OU dating back to 1976.