1. Now or never
The easy thing to do is avoid what is at all cost. That way, what could be isn’t so devastating if it happens.
Welcome to Butch Jones’ world, everyone. He’s the latest Tennessee coach to try and stop this unthinkable losing streak to Florida. Four Vols coaches are part of it, with Jones having lost two of the 10 straight games.
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That said, Jones decided earlier this week that he’d fall back on coaching clichés to address the Big Orange Monster in the room.
“It’s a big game,” Jones said, “because it’s the next game on the schedule.”
The next game, huh?
They’ve lost every way imaginable in the last decade, some more daunting and haunting than others.
By one at home (2006, 2014), by 39 on the road (2007). To the new Florida coach (Urban Meyer, 2005; Will Muschamp 2011), and with the new Tennessee coach (Lane Kiffin, 2009; Derek Dooley, 2010; Butch Jones, 2013). And, of course, with the old Tennessee coach (Phil Fulmer, 2005-08).
They’ve lost at night, in the day, in the rain, in the brilliant sunlight. The worst part of all for Vols fans: it’s not like Tennessee has done much vs. Florida prior to the 10-game losing streak.
Since 1990, when the teams began playing each other every season (and not coincidentally, Steve Spurrier’s first season at Florida), the Gators are 19-6 vs. the Vols.
This is not “the next game.” This game means everything for Jones’ program at this very moment.
It’s not just the losing streak; it’s the losing streak coupled with the way the Vols blew a 17-point lead to Oklahoma earlier this month in their first measure-of-the-program game. Losing to the Gators on Saturday in Gainesville won’t just be another loss to a hated rival, it will be another gut punch to a program trying to find a way back to the SEC elite.
If Tennessee can’t beat Florida now — with the Gators rebuilding with a new coach and an offense that is painful to watch — when will it happen?
2. One down, one to go
So Kliff Kingsbury and Texas Tech last week took care of one indignant slap in the face. This week’s payback for Tech’s suddenly confident coach: TCU.
It was TCU that last year scored 82 points and had 785 total yards on Tech in a rout at Fort Worth, where the Horned Frogs were still chucking it late in the fourth quarter.
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“As a defense, it’s your job to stop it no matter the circumstances,” says Texas Tech defensive coordinator David Gibbs, in his best Butch Jones coachspeak impression.
A week ago, Gibbs said this about Arkansas — whose coach, Bret Bielema angered the Tech staff by telling Texas high school coaches in the offseason of their plan to “kick your ass” if you don’t line up with a fullback in a tight end (a direct shot to teams who run spread offenses):
“If I were Arkansas, I’d run the ball right down our throats the way we play run defense.”
Last weekend, Texas Tech’s rebuilt defense — Gibbs is its sixth defensive coordinator in six seasons — did enough to slow down the Hogs and contribute to a fairly easy 35-24 upset.
TCU, which hasn’t covered well in the back end all season — and last weekend gave up 508 yards and 37 points to SMU — will get its toughest test yet with the Red Raiders and QB Pat Mahomes (9 TD, 3 INT, 66 percent completions).
3. Find yourself again
Texas has found a quarterback in Jerrod Heard, and in some sick irony, now can’t play defense.
This, of course, is a much bigger problem for Charlie Strong in Year 2 at Texas than anything. Strong’s background is defense; he was been one of the game’s best coordinators as an assistant, and his defenses at Louisville were terrific.
In three games this season, the Longhorns have given up 110 points and 1,537 yards. In each of the three games, Notre Dame, Rice and California each rushed for more than 200 yards.
That’s not Texas Tough, as Strong said he’d bring to Austin. That’s a whole lot of soft going into Saturday’s game against Oklahoma State, which is averaging 42 points (and more than 500 yards of offense) per game.
4. Perils of the road
There’s a big buzz in Tucson: Scooby Wright, Arizona’s All-American linebacker, is a game-time decision to play after injuring his knee in Week 1.
While it’s good theater to talk about the return of an elite player and how it impacts the game, this key Pac-12 South Division game has more to do with UCLA freshman QB Josh Rosen playing on the road in the conference for the first time.
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You can’t simulate the wild atmosphere Rosen will experience Saturday night in Tucson. After being protected from tough environments for the better part of the first three weeks (UNLV was easier than high school environments Rosen played in last year), Rosen gets thrown into a wild pit on Saturday. Good luck, kid.
5. The set up
West Virginia has played nobody and QB Skyler Howard and the Mountaineers defense have been almost perfect.
Why should you care about this, you ask?
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Because if WVU can take care of rival Maryland this weekend and continues its near-spotless play, it sets up a month-long stretch of games that will dictate the season for a talented team many are overlooking in the Big 12.
After Maryland, WVU has games at Oklahoma, vs. Oklahoma State, at Baylor and at TCU in the month of October. All four teams could be unbeaten at the time of their game against West Virginia.