Welcome to the eleventh edition for the junior season of The Hangover, where I recap the previous weekend in college football. This week, The Hangover comes to you from Auburn, Alabama, where I watched the Tigers almost come back from a 21-point fourth quarter deficit. There is a ton to parse through from this past weekend and what the results mean, so let’s dive in!
“Tua got hurt.”
Things had been going well up to that point on Saturday. The sun was shining in Auburn, and the temperature, while chilly, was more on the comfortable side than the cold. Work had been humming along–this was the rare week when there wasn’t much extra to do before kickoff–and everybody seemed in good spirits. Then, while standing on the field hours before Auburn and Georgia would battle it out, my co-worker Julia said those words.
“Tua got hurt.” When I first heard her, my initial thought was that it was the ankle again, but that he’d be back. Then, I recognized the tone with which Julia had uttered those three words. At the same time, I got a text from someone who works with the athletic department at Alabama. It was simple, just four letters that told me the dire nature of the situation.
“Sh**.”
*
The first time I saw Tua Tagovailoa play in-person was, coincidentally, the first game I ever worked, when Alabama traveled to Vanderbilt and beat up on the Commodores 59-0. With the score at 45-0 in the latter part of the third quarter, Tua made one of the best individual plays I’ve ever seen with my own eyes.
Instantly, I was enamored. I believed in Jalen Hurts, Alabama’s quarterback at the time, but this kid, the lefty from Hawaii, had my attention.
Fast-forward to the postseason, when Alabama had snuck into the College Football playoff as the four-seed. Rumors circulated that Nick Saban had created some packages for Tua ahead of the Sugar Bowl game against Clemson, but the need for them never appeared when the Crimson Tide smothered the Tigers 24-6. About a week later, I sat in the SEC section for the CFP National Championship game between Alabama and Georgia. When the Bulldogs pulled ahead 13-0 at the half with Hurts looking shaky to say the least, the overwhelming feeling in Mercedes-Benz Stadium was that it was time for Saban to make the change.
Nick Saban did just that, and the rest is history. Tua delivered for 166 yards and three touchdowns. It wasn’t perfect–there was a bad interception and the well-documented sack taken before the play that changed everything–but it was a spark and a glimpse at the potential of the lefty from Hawaii. Tua carried Alabama back, delivering key throw after key throw and showcasing the escapability of which we’d caught a glimpse in that garbage-time play against Vanderbilt. When the game went to overtime, Georgia made a field goal and Tua took a sack. Then, there was the play that changed everything, the play that made Tua an Alabama and college football legend.
All of these memories flooded back as more word came from Starkville, Mississippi, after Tua took a shot while rolling left throwing the ball away late in the first half up 35-7 on Mississippi State. The rumor was a dislocated hip, then a femur injury. Then, the full diagnosis was announced by Aaron Suttles from The Athletic–a dislocated hip with a posterior wall fracture. Tua was done for the season, and his time wearing the crimson and white was most likely over. My heart sank.
*
I’ve had the distinct honor to watch Tua live multiple times, thanks to Alabama season tickets, various jobs that have brought me to a city where Alabama is playing, and multiple trips to College Football Playoff games. His legendary status as a football player is well-known. He’s shattered multiple records, both in the college football history and Alabama history books. He may have lost the Heisman last year, but he out-dueled winner Kyler Murray in the Orange Bowl, when it mattered most. He brought the Alabama offense to the 21st Century, forcing the more ground-game oriented Nick Saban to adjust the offense and find offensive coordinators that fit his gifted quarterback’s still set.
Even still, it was Tua’s infectious smile and personality that changed Tuscaloosa even more. He’s in a bible study with my sister. He plays the ukulele and sings songs about his home state. He always played football with class, and never took the credit for his successes, instead thanking God and his teammates every time without fail. He was one of the good ones, and he still is. You’d hard-pressed to find a more respected player in college football.
*
The reports are good from Dr. Lyle Cain, Alabama’s team orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Cain has said twice in statements that he expects “a full recovery,” which means Tua’s NFL dreams aren’t gone because of this horrific injury that was, in the words of Nick Saban, a “freak thing.” Still, my heart breaks. Alabama’s heart breaks. College football’s heart breaks. One of the best people and players in the sport is done at this level, most-likely for good. Whether you like Alabama or hate the program, you can recognize the quarterback’s “legend” status. Tua Tagovailoa changed college football. He changed Alabama. He thrilled us with his abilities, and he stunned us with his highlight plays. Tua is a legend, in every sense of the word. And, if we did in fact see his final appearance in an Alabama uniform, then all we can say is thank you to a legend that, while fallen now, is surely to get back up and keep fighting very, very soon.
More Week Twelve Thoughts
-The prevailing question surrounding Tua’s injury is why he was in with Alabama up 35-7 on Mississippi State late in the second quarter. Nick Saban said that they were trying to get some practice for the two-minute drill in, and that the series would be Tagovailoa’s last of the game. Look folks, if you’re criticizing the decision by Saban to keep Tagovailoa in the game with such a large lead, I don’t have time for you. To paraphrase what Tom Fornelli said on a recent episode of the Cover 3 Podcast for CBS Sports, if we start coaching and making decisions based on the possibility of players maybe getting hurt, then we should just cancel the sport. Tua got hurt, and it was a freak thing unrelated to previous injuries. Nobody knew this would happen, least of all Nick Saban. I imagine that if Saban has ever cried in his life, last night was the time. I’m sure he was sitting at home with Mrs. Terry, feeling sick to his stomach about his quarterback. There’s nobody in the world besides Tua who feels worse about the injury than his head coach. Still, Saban’s move to keep Tua in for one more drive wasn’t the wrong choice. He was coaching to win and make his players better, like he does every week. Unfortunately, the worst possible thing happened on that final, fateful drive.
-In non-injury news, two undefeated squads went down on Saturday. Minnesota’s run ended with a 23-19 loss at Iowa and Baylor blew a 28-3 lead against Oklahoma and fell 34-31. What does this mean for both teams’ playoff dreams? In my opinion, the Gophers is fine. Win out and beat Ohio State or Penn State in the conference title game, and one-loss Big Ten champion Minnesota is probably in the CFP. It’s a much more dicey situation for Baylor, which is what makes Saturday night’s collapse all the more maddening. When you’re undefeated in a Power Five conference and can’t crack the top twelve, I have a hard time believing the Bears can work their way back into playoff consideration even if they win out, win the Big 12, and avenge the loss to Oklahoma.
-Last week, we gave Mark Dantonio from Michigan State the coveted Idiot of the Week “honor.” This week, we regretfully say that it’s time for a change in East Lansing after a 44-10 loss to rival Michigan, in which Michigan State was out-gained 467-220. It just isn’t working anymore for the Spartans. Things are stale, and it’s time for Michigan State to either let go of Dantonio or for the 13th-year head coach to leave.
-As mentioned above, I watched as Auburn almost pulled an Auburn before Bo Nix missed an easy pass in the flat late in the fourth quarter. Georgia won 21-14, and my opinion about both teams didn’t really change. Georgia’s defense is dynamic, but the offense lacks the pop necessary to win a shoot-out should any game reach that level. On the other hand, Auburn has a dominant defense front and a secondary that can occasionally rise to the moment. Still, Bo Nix is young and the offense isn’t explosive. I think Nix will eventually become a good, maybe even great SEC quarterback, but he just isn’t ready yet. Still, the Georgia win locks up a bid to the SEC Championship against probably LSU, so we may have an answer about the Bulldogs’ ability to go toe-to-toe with an elite offense very soon.
-Another newly-ranked team fell on the road to an unranked opponent Saturday. #19 Texas lost to Iowa State 23-21 in Ames, meaning that teams that fit the category are 5-9 this season (it should be noted that Appalachian State did beat Georgia State 56-27 on Ssaturday). Keep this trend in mind when you make your picks each weekend.
-Despite my earlier musings, Baylor isn’t technically eliminated from CFP consideration. In fact, the list didn’t lose a single team, so we’re still at 11 squads with legitimate hopes for a spot in the College Football Playoff: 10-0 LSU, 10-0 Ohio State, 11-0 Clemson, 9-1 Georgia, 9-1 Alabama, 9-1 Oregon, 9-1 Utah, 9-1 Oklahoma, 9-1 Penn State, 9-1 Minnesota, and 9-1 Baylor.
Gray’s Top Ten
- LSU
- Ohio State
- Clemson
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Oregon
- Oklahoma
- Utah
- Minnesota
- Penn State
The top ten has adjusted, except at the top. LSU still leads the way, although there are legitimate concerns about the Tigers after Ole Miss ran for 400+ yards on Saturday. If John Rhys Plumlee is making the LSU defense look silly on keepers, what could Justin Fields or Jalen Hurts do? Ohio State stays at the two spot with the big game against Penn State, who I have tenth, looming. Clemson smothered Wake Forest 52-3, proving once again that the Tigers might have the best defense in the country. Georgia moves up into the four spot after the Auburn win, with Alabama falling down to five after the Tua injury. Oregon comes in at six, and Oklahoma leap-frogs Utah to seven after the comeback in Waco. Minnesota stays in the top ten, despite the loss to Iowa, and Penn State remains ranked tenth in my poll after a tough victory over a legitimately good Indiana team.
Next Four Out: Michigan, Florida, Notre Dame, Baylor
Coach of the Week
It’s time to give a little respect to what Jonathan Smith is doing up at Oregon State. Last year in his first season in Corvallis, Smith led the Beavers to a 2-10 record with only one win in Pac-12 play (a 41-34 overtime thriller at equally-bad Colorado). The average margin of defeat in Oregon State’s eight conference play losses was 27.1 points. That was the average. This season, Smith has found some magic thanks to quarterback Jake Luton. Saturday, Oregon State held off Arizona State 35-34, stopping a two-point attempt from Herm Edwards’ Sun Devils to improve to 5-5 on the season and 4-3 in the Pac-12. Smith’s squad has beaten UCLA, California, Arizona, and the aforementioned Sun Devils, with those first three wins coming on the road. Oregon State finishes the year at Washington State and at Oregon, so a bowl bid is a big if, but the signs of improvement are clear in Corvallis. Jonathan Smith has the Beavers headed in the right direction.
Idiot of the Week
For the most part Saturday, Rich Rodriguez called an excellent game against LSU. After all, as noted above, the offense ran for 400+ yards and collected 614 total yards. Still, there’s one sequence of play-calling that has been rattling around in my brain since I heard it on the radio and later watched it on DVR. Down 44-30, Ole Miss had a first and ten at the LSU 27 yard-line with 6:45 to go in the fourth quarter. On the previous play, like so often during the game, John Rhys Plumlee had executed the zone read to perfection, that time giving it to the running back Snoop Conner for a gain of twelve. Already on that drive, the Rebels had run for 44 yards on eight carries. So, what does Rodriguez do? Here’s the sequence:
1st and 10: Roll-out pass from Plumlee batted down by an LSU defender. To be fair, the receiver in the flat was open.
2nd and 10: Quick pass in the flat for a three-yard gain.
3rd and 7: Another called pass, and Plumlee has the running back Ealy down the seam for a touchdown. He doesn’t see the open man and scrambles for a yard, although the play is negated by a holding penalty.
3rd and 17: A deep pass toward the endzone from Plumlee. Incomplete.
4th and 17: A pass from Plumlee well over the heads of two Ole Miss receivers crossing over the middle.
So yes, five plays and zero zone reads or designed runs. Sometimes, coordinators try to get cute. If Ole Miss keeps doing what they’d been doing, maybe they score a touchdown to make it 44-37. Maybe the defense comes up with another turnover. Who knows? Unfortunately, we never got the chance to find out. Three plays after the turnover on downs, Joe Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase on a short pass over the middle that the receiver broke open for a 61-yard touchdown that iced the game.
150 Corner
I was struggling a bit when thinking about what to put in the 150 Corner. Then, I came across the YouTube account of Charlie Parker, a sports enthusiast who has 1.29k subscribers, and his six part video series “Best College Football Endings of the 2010s.” I started part one and, before I knew what happened, it was 3 am and I was wrapping up part six. These videos contain pretty much every single competitive, insane, and controversial finish in college football from this decade. Hats off to you, Charlie Parker. You’re doing God’s work.
Random Rankings
This week at RR HQ, we figured it was time to dip our toes back into breakfast food. How do you like your eggs? There are so many ways to enjoy this delicious breakfast food, although our list of favorites was easy to rank. Note: we did not receive counsel from Julia Roberts’ character in Runaway Bride for this list.
So, without further adieu, here is our random ranking of eggs. As usual, this list is final. Please direct all anger and hate mail if you’re a lover of sunny-side-up eggs to the same special corporate filing cabinet used by Michael Scott in the pilot episode of The Office.
1. Scrambled with cheese
2. Omelette
3. Deviled
4. Poached
5. Over-easy
Other Random Ranking of the Week: appearances by CBS field producer Laura Dunham during the SEC on CBS broadcast.
1. LAURA ON HORSE
2. LAURA IN FACE PAINT
SEC Power Rankings
The injury to Tagovailoa changes things at the top. If you’d asked me Saturday morning, I would’ve said Alabama would beat Georgia on a neutral field. Now? I’m not so sure. Here’s how The Hangover sees things stacking up in the conference where it just means more.
- LSU (LW: 1)
- Georgia (3)
- Alabama (2)
- Florida (4)
- Auburn (5)
- Texas A&M (6)
- Tennessee (7)
- Kentucky (8)
- Ole Miss (10)
- Missouri (9)
- Mississippi State (11)
- South Carolina (12)
- Vanderbilt (13)
- Arkansas (14)
So Who’s Ready for Next Week?
As the playoff picture becomes clearer, every game matters more and more. Here’s what’s coming up in Week Thirteen. Note: the rankings shown are from this week’s AP Poll, since the updated CFP Rankings will come out Tuesday.
#9 Penn State at #2 Ohio State, 11 am CT on FOX
#11 Minnesota at Northwestern, 11 am CT on ABC
Illinois at #19 Iowa, 11 am CT on Big Ten Network
Texas A&M at #4 Georgia, 2:30 CT on CBS
Texas at #13 Baylor, 2:30 CT on FS1
#12 Michigan at Indiana, 2:30 CT on ESPN
#21 SMU at Navy, 2:30 CT on CBS Sports Network
Pittsburgh at #25 Virginia Tech, 2:30 CT on ESPN2
UCLA at USC, 2:30 CT on ABC
Arkansas at #1 LSU, 6 CT on ESPN
#6 Oregon at Arizona State, 6:30 CT on ABC
Tennessee at Missouri, 6:30 CT on SEC Network
TCU at #8 Oklahoma, 7 CT on FOX
#7 Utah at Arizona, 9 CT on FS1
That’s it for this edition of The Hangover! We’ll be in Athens next week for Georgia-Texas A&M. Until next time, football fans!