As I am writing this, Alabama is clinging to a 6 point 4th quarter lead over Arkansas. It looks like Alabama will probably pull off the win. Bryce Young looks good, but Alabama’s defense is nothing to boast about, and the Crimson Tide cannot run the ball. So much has happened today, I figured I would write a little something about what’s on my mind. Let’s start with the Heisman race.
Ohio State absolutely smashed Michigan State today. The Buckeyes were up 49-0 at halftime.
Let me repeat that. The Buckeyes were up 49-0 at halftime! (In a top 10 match up, mind you). That is insane.
The defense played very well, so I want to give them accolades as well, but we cannot dismiss CJ Stroud’s dominant performance. Stroud went 29/31 for 393 yards and six touchdowns. Oh, and that was only in the first half. Stroud only played one more possession in the second half before being “benched” for the rest of the game.
Right now, Bryce Young is absolutely destroying Arkansas through the air as he just connected to Jameson Williams for another touchdown. So far, 561 yards passing on the day, that is crazy. Heisman moment? Uh, maybe, but I’m not sure. There is clearly a SEC bias in sports media (really more of a Alabama bias but that is another conversation). I beg to ask the question, is Bryce Young benefiting from having a sub par defensive showing today, and no running game? Stroud realistically could have thrown for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns today. Not even kidding. Sound crazy? It should, but go look at his first half stats referenced earlier. He would have only needed another ~ 300 yards and 4 touchdowns in the second half.
But, when you are up by damn near 50 at halftime, there is no need to play through the second half. Then I hear Chris Fowler discussing the Heisman race with Kirk Herbstreit, and Fowler was asking the question if Ohio State has too much talent around Stroud, so does that hurt Stroud’s Heisman resume? Yes, Ohio State’s WR room is stacked, but was anyone making this argument when Joe Burrow was going nuts in 2019? Or what about Mac Jones last year when he was having a good year?
Anyways, point is that it is a statistical award. Both CJ Stroud and Bryce Young are immensely talented, but if Ohio State continues to blow teams out by halftime, Stroud won’t be able to keep up with Young statistically. Sorry Stroud, your chances of winning may hurt a little if you guys keep rolling like this.
The second thing on my mind today, why the hell does the SEC continue to schedule cream-puff games so late in the year?
Texas A&M 52 – Prairie View 3
Georgia 56 – Charleston So. 7
I hope that both teams enjoyed their by weeks. I guess one positive is that you jump out to a big lead then bench your starters so that no one gets hurt. I think this is shameful scheduling, and the SEC loves to do this every year. I also think that this does no good for these SEC teams, other than preventing injuries. Georgia really hasn’t been tested all year, and playing Charleston Southern is not a good tune up game for the inevitable SEC Championship game against Alabama.
I’ll leave you with this, my favorite tweet of the day. Fox Sports comparing Georgia’s and Ohio States halftime scores, one going against an unranked and mismatched team, and one in a top 10 matchup, LOL.
