.David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterSep 14, 2024, 06:14 PM ETCloseCollege soccer reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Graduate of the Educational institution of Delaware.If college regulation football were actually an animation, there would certainly've been actually an instant final December, after the committee brushed off an unbeaten Florida State team from the playoff, when Mike Norvell will've concluded this was as negative as points could possibly receive, all while unwittingly standing beneath a piano perilously being actually raised to a 20th-floor window.Of course, after Florida State fell to Norvell's past school, Memphis, 20-12 on Sunday, it is actually completely possible the Seminoles would like the piano to reality.Nine months ago, Florida State had the planet's sympathy-- at least the portion of the world that do not shout "S-E-C, S-E-C" at wedding ceremonies, funerals and kids's celebrations. It was very easy to just like that staff. It was actually a team that fought harder after losing QB Jordan Travis, that provided all it had to always keep winning, that skipped its chance at the playoff certainly not due to its own blunders but due to the board's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is actually no sympathy. There is actually merely a strange mix of shame, frustration and also dark wit, like splashing a drink down the front end of your pants.The beneficiary of the committee's choice was Alabama, and things could possibly've effortlessly moved toward a gloomy 2024 for the Tide, also. They dropped their playoff game, swung farewell to the best trainer in the sport's past, at that point observed a departure of gamers in to the gateway, consisting of 5 that left for Tallahassee.And however, on the same day Florida Condition reached a brand-new low point, Alabama flexed the exact same muscular tissue it thus frequently did under Scar Saban, wiping out Wisconsin 42-10 responsible for a five-touchdown performance from Jalen Milroe.In a more merely world, Florida Condition might possess earned a little bit of good fate after the outrage of its own playoff snub. In a more decent world, Alabama might, merely once, be dealt a poor hand.But university volleyball has confirmed, regularly, it does not love fairness, but it performs possess one hell of a sense of humor.So in Madison, the Trend came to obtain down.Alabama players jump all around during the course of Dive Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 And in Tallahassee, Florida State prepares to stuff it up as well as pack it in.For Alabama, the lineup turn over simply opened space for brand new superstars, like freshman recipient Ryan Williams, that recorded 4 balls for 78 backyards as well as a goal in Saturday's succeed. Williams is simply 17-- born simply seven months prior to Saban trained his very first game at Alabama, not old enough to even always remember there was actually an opportunity something like an 0-3 start would be actually unimaginable at Fla State.For FSU, there's no clear course forward. DJ Uiagalelei has actually been dreadful, the ground activity has actually summoned little bit, the outrageous line that was actually supposed typically be a strength received battered through a Group of 5 plan, and also the defense, which played its greatest video game Sunday, still contains holes. For the Seminoles, the only silver lining to extract from this unpleasant start to the season is it might possess lowered the course's media valuation sufficient that it may leave the ACC for a common exit cost and also some Kohl's cash.Nine months back, there may be an acceptable controversy concerning the comparison resumu00e9s of Alabama as well as Florida Condition. On Saturday, during the course of business rests of the Tide's thumping of Wisconsin, it was actually feasible to turn in between adds for "9-1-1: Lone Celebrity" including a gigantic train derailment and also an FSU video game featuring a a lot more horrifying train wreck.To witness what is actually happened Florida Condition while due to the fact that the board supplied its own decision is actually tough to know, an avalanche of continuous misery generally booked for "Saw" flicks or small weather problems at LAX.But it's worth thinking about just how utterly incomprehensible it is actually for Alabama to be right here, as well-- 3-0 with a road succeed in Big 10 nation only months after Saban's exit. Alabama has been actually the design for continual effectiveness for a generation, which uniformity was usually attributed to Saban's relentlessness. Yet even he got to a point through which it was time for one thing new, and however Alabama continues connecting along-- one prevailing win after one more, as reputable as the sunrise.None of this is proof the committee obtained its own choice straight, naturally. That was actually last period-- a various group, a different time. But it is actually evidence that in this particular chaotic sporting activity, achievement is actually fleeting and also opportunity often run-ins past like a Florida Condition linebacker skipping a tackle at free throw line of scrimmage.And even at a spot like Alabama, a program that has stood up certainly against the winds of adjustment for 16 years now, it's constantly much better to appreciate the good things while you have them. Considering that if there is actually anything our team have actually gained from seeing Fla State these past nine months it's this: It can always obtain worse.Jump to: LSU endures|Vibe shifts|Arizona's best crew The 1st 56 minutes of Sunday's game versus South Carolina was far from positive for LSU.A series of unique teams gaffes, pair of turn overs and also some big operates by Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers had the Tigers having fun catchup commonly. South Carolina hopped bent on a 24-10 top, found LSU pull in advance quickly in the 4th quarter, at that point saw Rocket Sanders explode for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Jumping block refuses LSU punting, establishes South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II blocks the LSU punting, which establishes a Raheim Sanders touchdown to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With lower than four mins to participate in, LSU trailed by 4, and also Brian Kelly had actually undergone all six phases of trouble: Irritation, indignation, violence, rage, inquiring to talk to the supervisor and also, finally, speculating the completion his players.But Garrett Nussmeier rode to the rescue along with his 29-yard finalization to Kyren Lacy to trigger a 55-yard goal travel to put LSU up 36-33. South Carolina possessed one final fracture at the succeed, attempting a 49-yard basket as opportunity ran out, but it missed, providing Kelly a possibility to celebrate a hard-earned gain prior to coming back to his workplace to see movie and yell in to a pillow.Week 3 feel shiftsTrending down: Finishing all your throwsThe excellent news for Michigan QB Davis Warren is every pass he threw in Michigan's 28-18 sway Arkansas Condition on Sunday was actually caught.The bad news is, 3 of them were actually gotten through Arkansas Condition players.So, here's where our team are with the standing up for champs: After years rotating by means of a carousel of quarterbacks that succeeded their placement by finding a gold ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were managed to two periods of J.J. McCarthy and believed possibly factors had altered completely. As an alternative, Warren is actually averaging 6.1 yards-per-pass along with two goals and six picks through 3 games.Now, USC performs deck upcoming full week, and also Michigan is left behind looking for a response in between Warren or even Alex Orji or even to really hope there's one more QB stashed in Jim Harbaugh's deserted storage locker behind those packages classified "signs for every single enemy, 2020-2023." Trending up: UNLV's situation for Pac-12 expansionMatthew Sluka led an 18-play, 75-yard goal drive that chewed 9:31 off the clock in the 4th quarter Friday evening, as well as UNLV upset Kansas 23-20. It was actually the Rebels' second get an Electrical power 4 rival already this period after pouring Houston in the opener. Exactly how excellent is that? Getting Into Sunday, Northern Illinois' trouble of Notre Dame was actually the only various other Team of 5 gain an electrical power event foe.Like with just about anything in Las vega, it is actually a little bit of capability as well as a considerable amount of luck.play0:40 UNLV in some way creates wild fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka screws up the round, however somehow UNLV preserves possession after the sphere touches various Kansas players' hands.Still, it's safe to say Barry Odom has the Rebels coming to a head at the correct time, with UNLV's sales pitch to the growing Pac-12 currently appearing rather solid: A major market, a good staff, and also accessibility to myriad all-night buffets. After that all Odom needs to have to carry out is take that Pac-12 payout in potato chips, bet everything on dark on a solitary roulette spin, double down pair of or 3 even more opportunities, as well as upsurge-- UNLV is actually playing with SEC money.Land of the increasing Sun DevilsA year back, Arizona was the favorite of the university regulation football world after a frisking 10-3 season, while Arizona State was a laughing supply obliged to start a carolers of battling quarterbacks probably including a couple people they found standing by outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a difference a year makes.Arizona waved bye-bye to head coach Jedd Fisch, who left for Washington, and also opened this season along with 2 ineffectual wins over New Mexico and Northern Arizona prior to being up to Kansas Condition 31-7 on Friday. It was Arizona's worst offensive performance since being locked out at Colorado in 2021. The Sun Devils, on the other hand, found a QB in Sam Leavitt and are actually riding higher after eliminating Texas Condition on Thursday 31-28, starting 3-0 for the first time due to the fact that 2019. Arizona Condition is the surprise group of 2024 thus far (unless you consider negative surprises, which Fla State wishes you do not), as well as Dillingham's turn-around of a plan left in mess after the Herm Edwards era finished precisely as everybody said it would.