Gathering Thoughts, Again

Again, these are in no particular order. Much like my work schedule these days. Another 8pm kickoff on Saturday night, followed by a four-hour game, leading to a midnight start for the one-hour Seminole Postgame show...feh. At least they won, and we got to turn the clocks back.

There's a good line in there somewhere about Florida State "turning the clocks back," but I'm too freaking tired to think of it.

-Florida State's game notes prior to the Boston College trip claimed that the Seminoles had never beaten a 2nd-ranked team on the road, and we dutifully reported that fact on the air. At least one FSU fan called me on Monday to correct that stat: the phrase "regular season" would have helped.

As in, the Sugar Bowl following the 1999 season, when top-ranked Florida State beat 2nd-ranked Virginia Tech for the national championship. Technically, a road game, and certainly, a win. Good catch by all.

However, it remains that the win at BC was Florida State's first over a number two in the regular season, and their first road win over a top-5 opponent (again, in the regular season) since that same 1999 campaign, when the 'Noles beat Florida in their season finale. So a good win, is what I'm saying.

Now, the question: was it a tease, or have the Seminoles figured something out?

On Monday's "Tailgate Overtime," I leaned towards the latter, and I think it starts up front, with the offensive line. That unit, much-maligned and oft-injured over the last five years, protected Drew Weatherford to the tune of 354 passing yards to seven different receivers and no interceptions. And even though the 'Noles weren't able to run the ball terribly well against the Eagles, it's worth noting that Antone Smith has gained 323 of his 643 rushing yards this season -- almost exactly half -- just in his last three games. Something is clicking up front.

Also worth noting that, perhaps because of that confidence in the offensive line, Smith has three straight games of 20 carries or more, after going the first six games of the season without reaching that number once. Rushing offense + quarterback protection + Mickey Andrews' man-eating defense = upset.

As one longtime University of Florida football season ticket holder said to me on Sunday: "I wasn't worried about Florida State until I watched them against Boston College. I'm worried about them now."

Game on, dude.

-How much harder can South Florida fall? Three weeks ago, we were talking about the Bulls as a Cinderella team in the BCS National Championship Game. Today, they're 7th in the 8-team Big East Conference, and get this: they're actually behind Florida State in the BCS standings.

Double feh. Raise your hand if you thought that was possible three weeks ago. Now, all of you with your hands raised? You're lying.

-Has anyone noticed that UCF's Kevin Smith is the number two rusher in the nation? He's ahead of Arkansas' Darren McFadden, ahead of Rutgers' Ray Rice, ahead of Michigan's Mike Hart and Oregon's Jonathan Stewart and a bunch of other guys you've heard of. However, he's behind a guy you've never heard of: Tulane's Matt Forte, who's putting up monster numbers for a 2-7 Green Wave train wreck. Tulane has losses this year to Army, UAB, and Memphis, among others -- and the Forte kid has rushed for over 200 yards in five of their nine games. Where did he come from?

And on that note, Kevin Smith played his high school football in Miami -- where were Florida, Florida State, and The U when Smith was being recruited by UCF?

Go read his bio. Smith is on pace to shatter every UCF rushing record in the books (among the few he doesn't hold already). Think he wouldn't fit into a backfield in Gainesville, Tallahassee, or Coral Gables?

-On the live "After Party" chat at sunsportstv.com after Monday night's show, I was asked what teams I'd like to see in the BCS Championship Game if I could pick them. Easy answer: LSU and Oregon. To me, those are the two most talented teams in the country, and it would be a hoot to watch. Oregon is an SEC team playing in the Pac-10 -- speed and more speed. Any chance we can move the Ducks into the SEC West?

That is all for now. Check local listings for Thursday night, as the FSN Nike High School Football Game of the Week will come from Tallahassee, as Lincoln squares off against Godby in a city rivalry. Your announce team: me, Brady Ackerman, and Terry Norvelle. Gotta go mine some stats.

See you on TV.