After an opening weekend that saw eight FBS teams lose to FCS opponents[1], every team in the nation needs to be on high alert. No. 25 Oregon State and Kansas State’s losses, in particular, sent shockwaves through the country, but is the biggest upset of them all still yet to come?
No. 7 Texas A&M hosts back-to-back FCS runner-up Sam Houston State on Saturday, a contest the Bearkats have every right to believe they can win.
NCAA RE-RANK: Our list 1-125[2]
Watching their counterparts knock off FBS opponents should inspire the fourth-ranked team in the FCS, who will want to keep up with its division brethren. The program has three wins against FBS opponents in its history, the last coming at New Mexico in 2011.
Meanwhile, the Aggies have a number of factors working against them.
– Their defense, which gave up 21 points in the first half last week against Rice, remains depleted due to suspensions. Linebacker Steven Jenkins, defensive end Gavin Stansbury and cornerback De’Vante Harris — all starters — sat against Rice and will miss Saturday’s game due to violations of team rules.[3]
– Starting cornerback Deshazor Everett will sit out the first half after being ejected because of a targeting penalty. Defensive lineman Daeshon Hall threw a punch at a player against Rice and was also ejected.
– With a handful of reserves forced into action, the Aggies could have their hands full against a prolific Sam Houston offense. The Bearkats averaged 40 points per game in 2012, second in the FCS and won their season opener 74-0 against Houston Baptist.
– With the much-anticipated rematch against No. 1 Alabama next week, Texas A&M is surely looking ahead to that game. Though you’ll get the same “we’re taking it one game at a time” shtick from every coach and player on the planet, nobody isn’t thinking about the biggest game of their life.
– Finally, will A&M have a hangover from the unpleasant ending to the season opener? After returning from his first-half suspension, defending Heisman winner Johnny Manziel was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct in the fourth quarter and promptly benched.[4]
Coach Kevin Sumlin appeared to be chastising Manziel out as he walked to the sideline and was candid with ESPN after the game[5] about his feelings on his quarterback’s actions.
TOP 25 STOCK WATCH: Winners, losers in the Coaches Poll[6]
Although the suspensions may be an actual problem, Sumlin downplayed the Manziel incident during his media availability Tuesday.
“When he came off the field, I basically made two statements to him, neither one of which should he have responded to,” Sumlin told reporters. “They weren’t questions. They were direct statements and I can’t repeat them right now.
“What’s amazing to me is the perception that he ignored me. The worst thing that could have happened was for him to reply based on what I told him.”
So yeah, maybe the Manziel thing is an imaginary issue.
These two teams faced off last season in College Station, the week after the Aggies’ stunning win over Alabama. A&M jumped out to a 47-0 lead early in the third, but took its foot off the gas and ultimately let the Bearkats finish the game with 28 unanswered points.
An upset of such magnitude this week may seem unthinkable, but with the perfect storm brewing, it’s certainly not impossible.
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Western Michigan now has an in-house DJ on game day. His name his “DJ Illmix” because, of course it is.
Head coach P.J. Fleck described what Illmix brings to the table. He’ll “provide the best gameday experience in all the land. In all the country. In all of the Mid-American Conference.”
Then the 32-year-old started doing stuff like this:
Miley Cyrus would be proud.
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– Might future mass realignment result in the “realignment of the coaching profession”? Dan Wolken takes a look how a superdivision could mean a glass ceiling[7] for head coaches at non-power conference schools.
Alabama receiver Kenny Bell(Photo: Marvin Gentry, USA TODAY Sports)
– Oh the footprint of social media. Alabama wide receiver Kenny Bell released a string of tweets Tuesday afternoon that made it seem like his time with the Tide was over[8]. Nick Saban said he gave Bell a “personal day” and Bell later returned to Twitter to retract his earlier statements.
– Meanwhile, starting at the 1 minute 30 second mark of his Tuesday news conference[9], you start to wonder if Saban is talking to reporters or his players. Always fascinating.
– The Big 12 makes it easy for fans to watch replays[10] of full games in less than an hour’s time. Pac-12 Network[11] does, too.
– Notre Dame is going to more ACC-centric schedule in the future, but Michigan and Michigan State still want a piece[12] of the Irish.
– Speaking of Michigan, CBSSports.com’s Bruce Feldman[13] spent a lot of time with Wolverines quarterback Devin Gardner this summer, and he caught up with him again for a Q&A[14].
– Bucky Brooks of NFL Network offers his scout’s-eye-view take[15] on Johnny Manziel, Jadeveon Clowney, LSU QB Zach Mettenberger, Buffalo LB Khalil Mack[16] and Eastern Washington QB Vernon Adams (who is only a sophomore, by the way).
-Not football, but sadly, Butler’s beloved mascot Blue II passed away[17] of congestive heart failure Saturday.
Jesse Yomtov, a USA TODAY Sports writer and producer is on Twitter @JesseYomtov[18]
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PHOTOS: USA TODAY SPORTS COACHES POLL
References
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/09/03/fcs-teams-beating-fbs-teams-happy-where-they-are/2759449/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/09/03/college-football-re-ranking-1-125/2758001/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2013/09/01/texas-am-aggies-suspensions-looking-ahead/2753939/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/08/watch-johnny-manziel-throw-his-first-td-of-the-season/ (ftw.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/08/31/johnny-manziel-issued-unsportsmanlike-penalty-criticized-on-espn/2751639/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/09/03/top-25-stock-watch-biggest-jumps-dips-in-week-1-coaches-poll/2756809/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/09/03/effect-of-superdivision-on-foootball-coaching-profession/2759303/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2013/09/03/alabama-wr-kenny-bell-says-via-twitter-hes-leaving-team/2759369/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://video-embed.al.com/services/player/bcpid1949044313001?bctid=2647836004001 (video-embed.al.com)
- ^ http://www.footballscoop.com/news/10742-the-big-12-is-doing-something-other-conferences-should-copy (www.footballscoop.com)
- ^ http://pac-12.com/live (pac-12.com)
- ^ http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-spt-0904-big-ten-football-20130904,0,4965762.story (www.chicagotribune.com)
- ^ http://www.cbssports.com/writers/bruce-feldman (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/bruce-feldman/23459363/devin-gardner-has-come-a-long-way-for-michigan (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000237550/article/dont-throw-johnny-manziel-out-with-the-trash-talk (www.nfl.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/mac/2013/07/23/university-of-buffalo-football-khalil-mack/2578817/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/bigeast/2013/09/03/butlers-beloved-english-bulldog-mascot-blue-ii-passes-away/2759477/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://twitter.com/jesseyomtov (twitter.com)
