Wednesday’s roundup: One-loss teams face the pressure
No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 2 Florida State will whittle the field of unbeatens in major college football when they meet Saturday night in Tallahassee, Florida.
Big game for sure, but the loser can take heart that its playoff hopes, while damaged, won’t be destroyed.
For playoff contenders that have already lost once, such as Alabama and Oklahoma, elimination is likely one misstep away.
Now that’s pressure.
The seventh-ranked Crimson Tide could find a tonic for an ailing offense when it returns home to face No. 21 Texas A&M and its forgiving defense. Alabama, which looked like an offensive juggernaut in its first four games, has scored only three offensive touchdowns in the last two. The Tide followed an upset loss at Mississippi with a one-point win at Arkansas.
A win is a win and there is no such thing as a bad one, but at the risk of getting Tide coach Nick Saban angry again, it’s only fair to note that Alabama hasn’t played especially Alabama-like. More Alabama-ish.
“Everyone wants us to win 60-0, and that’s just not possible,” Tide offensive tackle Austin Shepherd said.
A second SEC West loss could put the Tide into the odd role of spoiler down the stretch.
Like Alabama, No. 11 Oklahoma lost two weeks ago (at TCU) and rebounded with a win that didn’t quite signal all is well with the Sooners.
Texas had Oklahoma in trouble. Credit the Longhorns, but Oklahoma will need to do better at home against No. 14 Kansas State to avoid a second Big 12 loss.
If not, the Sooners will be buried before Halloween.
Have it your way, kid
Former Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson says Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston needs to make some changes in his life, but Jackson is done trying to help.
Jackson said on the Jim Rome Show Tuesday Winston has not listened to his guidance in the past and now Jackson has no plans to reach out again.
Jackson said, “I’m the type of person, I will go out of my way to help anybody. … (But) if you can’t take that advice and learn from it, then I’ve got nothing else to do with the situation. You’re on your own.”
Both are from Bessemer, Alabama; Winston has said he looked up to Jackson.
Winston is facing a code of conduct hearing after a former FSU student said he sexually assaulted her in December 2012.
Louisville injury
Louisville junior running back/kick returner Corvin Lamb will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn right ACL.
It’s the second season-ending knee injury for Lamb, who played in just two games as a sophomore following a left ACL tear against Eastern Kentucky.