.David Hale, ESPN Personnel WriterSep 14, 2024, 06:14 PM ETCloseCollege football reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Grad of the Educational institution of Delaware.If university football were actually a comic strip, there would certainly possess been a moment last December, following the board snubbed an unbeaten Florida Condition team from the playoff, when Mike Norvell would certainly've ended this was as negative as traits might receive, all while unwittingly standing up under a piano perilously being actually raised to a 20th-floor window.Of course, after Fla Condition fell to Norvell's past college, Memphis, 20-12 on Saturday, it is actually entirely achievable the Seminoles will favor the piano to reality.Nine months earlier, Florida State had the globe's compassion-- at the very least the parts of the world that do not chant "S-E-C, S-E-C" at wedding ceremonies, funeral services and also little ones's celebrations. It was actually very easy to as if that team. It was a group that combated harder after losing QB Jordan Travis, that gave all it had to keep succeeding, that missed its own shot at the playoff not as a result of its very own errors yet due to the board's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is no compassion. There is merely a strange mix of embarassment, disappointment as well as darker humor, like spilling a cocktail down the face of your pants.The named beneficiary of the board's decision was Alabama, and also traits could possibly've conveniently changed towards a dismal 2024 for the Trend, also. They lost their playoff game, swayed farewell to the greatest coach in the sport's past, then found an exodus of gamers in to the website, consisting of five who left for Tallahassee.And yet, on the same day Fla State hit a new low point, Alabama flexed the exact same muscle mass it therefore usually carried out under Nick Saban, wiping out Wisconsin 42-10 responsible for a five-touchdown functionality from Jalen Milroe.In an even more only world, Fla Condition might've gotten a little really good karma after the indignity of its playoff snub. In a more reasonable globe, Alabama might, simply once, be given a poor hand.But university soccer has actually verified, again and again, it doesn't respect fairness, however it performs have one heck of a sense of humor.So in Madison, the Tide came to receive down.Alabama gamers dive around during the course of Dive Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 As well as in Tallahassee, Fla Condition prepares to pack it up and pack it in.For Alabama, the roster turn over simply opened space for new celebrities, like fresher receiver Ryan Williams, who caught four balls for 78 lawns as well as a goal in Sunday's gain. Williams is actually simply 17-- birthed just seven months before Saban coached his 1st video game at Alabama, not outdated sufficient to also bear in mind there was actually a time something like an 0-3 begin will be actually unthinkable at Fla State.For FSU, there is actually no clear road ahead. DJ Uiagalelei has actually been bad, the ground game has rounded up bit, the offensive line that was actually meant otherwise be actually a stamina got manhandled by a Group of 5 plan, as well as the protection, which played its finest game Saturday, still hases plenty of gaps. For the Seminoles, the only silver edging to derive from this awful beginning to the period is it may have decreased the program's media evaluation good enough that it may escape the ACC for a regular leave fee as well as some Kohl's cash.Nine months earlier, there might be a reasonable controversy about the relative resumu00e9s of Alabama and Florida State. On Saturday, during the course of office breaks of the Trend's thumping of Wisconsin, it was possible to turn between ads for "9-1-1: Lone Celebrity" including a gigantic train derailment as well as an FSU activity featuring an even more horrifying learn wreck.To witness what's become of Fla State in the time because the board provided its verdict is difficult to know, a barrage of ceaseless torment commonly set aside for "Saw" motion pictures or even slight weather concerns at LAX.But it costs looking at exactly how absolutely incomprehensible it is for Alabama to be here, also-- 3-0 along with a roadway gain in Big Ten nation simply months after Saban's departure. Alabama has actually been the model for continual greatness for a creation, and also uniformity was actually typically credited to Saban's relentlessness. Yet also he connected with a factor through which it was opportunity for one thing brand-new, and also however Alabama keeps on plugging along-- one prominent succeed after one more, as reliable as the sunrise.None of the is actually verification the committee got its decision right, of course. That was actually last time-- a various group, a different time. But it is actually verification that in this particular disorderly sport, greatness is actually short lived and option usually encounters past like a Fla State linebacker overlooking a tackle at the line of scrimmage.And also at a location like Alabama, a system that has stood defiantly versus the winds of improvement for 16 years right now, it is actually always much better to cherish the good things while you possess all of them. Given that if there's everything we've picked up from watching Fla State these previous 9 months it's this: It can constantly get worse.Jump to: LSU makes it through|Ambiance changes|Arizona's most popular group The very first 56 mins of Sunday's game against South Carolina was actually far coming from pleasing for LSU.A series of special teams gaffes, 2 turn overs and also some significant runs through Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers possessed the Tigers having fun catchup usually. South Carolina hopped out to a 24-10 top, viewed LSU pull ahead of time quickly in the 4th quarter, after that found Spacecraft Sanders take off for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Jumping block refutes LSU punting, puts together South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II blocks the LSU punt, which establishes a Raheim Sanders touchdown to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With lower than four moments to play, LSU trailed through four, and Brian Kelly had actually gone through all six phases of sorrow: Aggravation, indignation, violence, temper, inquiring to contact the supervisor and also, finally, evaluating the execution his players.But Garrett Nussmeier used to the saving along with his 29-yard finalization to Kyren Lacy to trigger a 55-yard goal drive to place LSU up 36-33. South Carolina had one final crack at the gain, trying a 49-yard field goal as opportunity ran out, however it overlooked, giving Kelly a chance to celebrate a hard-earned win before returning to his office to see movie and howl into a pillow.Week 3 atmosphere shiftsTrending down: Completing all your throwsThe good updates for Michigan QB Davis Warren is actually every successfully pass he threw in Michigan's 28-18 win over Arkansas Condition on Saturday was caught.The bad news is actually, 3 of all of them were found by Arkansas Condition players.So, listed here's where our company are actually along with the defending champs: After many years revolving with a carousel of quarterbacks that won their posture through discovering a gold ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were actually handled to two periods of J.J. McCarthy as well as presumed possibly things had actually altered permanently. Rather, Warren is actually averaging 6.1 yards-per-pass with 2 touchdowns and also six selections by means of 3 games.Now, USC is on deck following full week, and also Michigan is actually left behind searching for a solution between Warren or Alex Orji or even to wish there's an additional QB tucked away in Jim Harbaugh's abandoned locker responsible for those boxes classified "indicators for every enemy, 2020-2023." Trending up: UNLV's case for Pac-12 expansionMatthew Sluka led an 18-play, 75-yard touchdown push that ate 9:31 off the clock in the fourth one-fourth Friday night, and UNLV dismayed Kansas 23-20. It was actually the Rebels' 2nd gain an Energy 4 opponent presently this season after dumping Houston in the opener. Just how exceptional is actually that? Getting In Sunday, Northern Illinois' distress of Notre Dame was the only other Team of 5 get a power association foe.Like with just about anything in Las vega, it is actually a little skill as well as a ton of luck.play0:40 UNLV in some way comes up with wild fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka screws up the ball, yet in some way UNLV maintains belongings after the sphere touches numerous Kansas gamers' hands.Still, it's risk-free to mention Barry Odom possesses the Rebels coming to a head at the right time, with UNLV's sales pitch to the broadening Pac-12 currently appearing rather solid: A large market, an excellent group, and accessibility to myriad all-night smorgasbords. Then all Odom requires to perform is take that Pac-12 payout in chips, wager all of it on black on a singular roulette twist, double down 2 or 3 more opportunities, and also boost-- UNLV is actually playing with SEC money.Land of the rising Sunshine DevilsA year back, Arizona was actually the favorite of the college football planet after a skylarking 10-3 period, while Arizona State was a laughing stock required to start a carolers of struggling quarterbacks probably featuring a couple guys they discovered waiting outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a variation a year makes.Arizona swung adieu to head trainer Jedd Fisch, who left behind for Washington, as well as opened this season along with 2 ineffectual wins over New Mexico as well as Northern Arizona prior to falling to Kansas Condition 31-7 on Friday. It was Arizona's worst annoying performance because being actually shut out at Colorado in 2021. The Sun Devils, on the contrary, located a QB in Sam Leavitt and also are using high after eliminating Texas State on Thursday 31-28, starting 3-0 for the very first time considering that 2019. Arizona Condition is actually the unpleasant surprise group of 2024 up until now (unless you consider negative shocks, which Florida Condition hopes you don't), and Dillingham's turnaround of a course left behind in disarray after the Herm Edwards era ended precisely as every person said it would certainly.