.David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterSep 14, 2024, 06:14 PM ETCloseCollege football reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Graduate of the Educational institution of Delaware.If college football were a cartoon, there will possess been an instant last December, just after the board shunned an unbeaten Florida Condition staff coming from the playoff, when Mike Norvell would certainly've concluded this was actually as negative as things could acquire, all while unknowingly standing beneath a piano perilously being elevated to a 20th-floor window.Of training program, after Florida State was up to Norvell's previous college, Memphis, 20-12 on Sunday, it is actually completely achievable the Seminoles would choose the piano to reality.Nine months earlier, Fla Condition had the world's compassion-- at least the aspect of the world that do not chant "S-E-C, S-E-C" at wedding celebrations, funeral services and little ones's gatherings. It was very easy to such as that team. It was a group that dealt with harder after dropping QB Jordan Travis, that offered all it had to maintain succeeding, that overlooked its shot at the playoff certainly not due to its personal mistakes yet because of the board's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is no compassion. There is simply an unusual mix of pity, aggravation and dark humor, like splashing a drink down the front end of your pants.The beneficiary of the board's choice was Alabama, as well as points could possibly possess easily moved towards a dismal 2024 for the Trend, too. They shed their championship game, swayed bye-bye to the best trainer in the sporting activity's past, then observed an exodus of players into the website, consisting of 5 that left behind for Tallahassee.And yet, on the same time Fla State hit a brand-new nadir, Alabama flexed the exact same muscular tissue it so typically performed under Nick Saban, obliterating Wisconsin 42-10 behind a five-touchdown functionality from Jalen Milroe.In an extra merely world, Florida Condition might possess gained a little bit of really good karma after the indignity of its playoff snub. In a more reasonable world, Alabama might, simply the moment, be actually dealt a poor hand.But university football has confirmed, regularly, it does not love justness, yet it carries out possess one heck of a sense of humor.So in Madison, the Trend related to receive down.Alabama gamers dive around in the course of Jump Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 As well as in Tallahassee, Florida State is ready to pack it up and also stuff it in.For Alabama, the lineup turn over only clearance for brand-new celebrities, like freshman receiver Ryan Williams, that caught 4 balls for 78 backyards as well as a touchdown in Sunday's gain. Williams is merely 17-- birthed simply 7 months before Saban trained his first game at Alabama, certainly not old adequate to also bear in mind there was an opportunity one thing like an 0-3 beginning would be unbelievable at Fla State.For FSU, there is actually no clear course forward. DJ Uiagalelei has actually been actually horrible, the ground activity has actually rounded up little, the objectionable line that was expected or else be a toughness got battered by a Group of 5 course, and also the defense, which played its own finest game Saturday, still has lots of openings. For the Seminoles, the only silver lining to take from this unpleasant begin to the time is it might possess decreased the course's media evaluation enough that it can escape the ACC for a conventional departure cost and also some Kohl's cash.Nine months earlier, there could be a sensible controversy regarding the comparative resumu00e9s of Alabama and Florida State. On Sunday, during the course of commercial rests of the Tide's thumping of Wisconsin, it was achievable to flip in between ads for "9-1-1: Lone Celebrity" featuring a substantial train derailment as well as an FSU video game including a a lot more terrible learn wreck.To witness what's become of Fla State in the time due to the fact that the board provided its judgment is actually hard to understand, an avalanche of nonstop anguish typically reserved for "Found" flicks or slight climate concerns at LAX.But it's worth thinking about how totally incomprehensible it is actually for Alabama to become right here, too-- 3-0 with a street win in Big Ten nation merely months after Saban's exit. Alabama has actually been actually the model for continual achievement for a generation, and that uniformity was usually attributed to Saban's relentlessness. But even he connected with a factor through which it was time for one thing brand new, as well as but Alabama goes on plugging along-- one dominant win after an additional, as reputable as the sunrise.None of the is actually proof the committee received its own choice straight, certainly. That was actually last time-- a various crew, a various opportunity. But it is actually proof that within this turbulent sporting activity, effectiveness is actually short lived as well as opportunity commonly run-ins past like a Florida Condition linebacker skipping a deal with at free throw line of scrimmage.And also at an area like Alabama, a course that has actually stood certainly versus the winds of adjustment for 16 years now, it's regularly far better to cherish the advantages while you possess them. Due to the fact that if there's just about anything our company've profited from seeing Florida Condition these past nine months it's this: It can easily always obtain worse.Jump to: LSU endures|Feel shifts|Arizona's trendiest staff The first 56 moments of Saturday's video game against South Carolina was far from pleasurable for LSU.A collection of unique staffs gaffes, 2 turn overs and also some huge operates through Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers had the Tigers playing catchup commonly. South Carolina dove bent on a 24-10 top, found LSU draw ahead of time quickly in the fourth quarter, then saw Rocket Sanders blow up for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Leaping block denies LSU punting, establishes South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II obstructs the LSU punt, which puts together a Raheim Sanders touchdown to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With lower than four moments to play, LSU trailed by 4, and also Brian Kelly had actually undergone all 6 stages of anguish: Frustration, indignation, animosity, rage, asking to talk to the manager as well as, ultimately, pondering the execution his players.But Garrett Nussmeier rode to the saving along with his 29-yard completion to Kyren Lacy to start a 55-yard touchdown travel to put LSU up 36-33. South Carolina possessed one final fracture at the gain, trying a 49-yard basket as time expired, but it missed, providing Kelly an odds to celebrate a hard-earned win just before going back to his workplace to view film and also shriek right into a pillow.Week 3 vibe shiftsTrending down: Completing all your throwsThe excellent updates for Michigan QB Davis Warren is every elapsed he threw in Michigan's 28-18 get Arkansas State on Saturday was actually caught.The bad news is actually, three of them were found by Arkansas Condition players.So, listed below's where our company are along with the speaking up for champs: After years revolving by means of a carousel of quarterbacks that succeeded their posture through finding a golden ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were handled to 2 periods of J.J. McCarthy and thought maybe traits had actually changed once and for all. Instead, Warren is averaging 6.1 yards-per-pass with two touchdowns as well as 6 choices through 3 games.Now, USC performs deck following week, as well as Michigan is actually left behind searching for an answer between Warren or even Alex Orji or even to wish there is actually yet another QB stowed away in Jim Harbaugh's abandoned locker behind those boxes tagged "signals for every single enemy, 2020-2023." Trending up: UNLV's case for Pac-12 expansionMatthew Sluka led an 18-play, 75-yard goal drive that ate 9:31 off the clock in the fourth one-fourth Friday evening, as well as UNLV dismayed Kansas 23-20. It was the Rebels' 2nd draw a Power 4 challenger already this time after pouring Houston in the opener. How remarkable is that? Going Into Saturday, Northern Illinois' distress of Notre Dame was the only other Team of 5 gain a power conference foe.Like with everything in Las vega, it is actually a little bit of ability and a ton of luck.play0:40 UNLV somehow generates outrageous fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka messes up the round, yet in some way UNLV preserves ownership after the round touches various Kansas players' hands.Still, it's risk-free to mention Barry Odom has the Rebels topping at the correct time, along with UNLV's sales sound to the increasing Pac-12 now looking pretty solid: A large market, an excellent crew, and accessibility to myriad all-night snack bars. At that point all Odom requires to accomplish is actually take that Pac-12 payout in chips, wager it all on black on a singular roulette spin, double down pair of or even three even more opportunities, and advancement-- UNLV is actually playing with SEC money.Land of the rising Sun DevilsA year back, Arizona was the favorite of the university soccer world after a skylarking 10-3 period, while Arizona Condition was a laughing stock forced to begin a carolers of straining quarterbacks probably including a couple men they located standing by outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a variation a year makes.Arizona swayed farewell to move instructor Jedd Fisch, that left for Washington, and opened this time with two unimpressive sway New Mexico and also Northern Arizona just before falling to Kansas State 31-7 on Friday. It was Arizona's worst objectionable functionality due to the fact that being locked out at Colorado in 2021. The Sunlight Devils, meanwhile, discovered a QB in Sam Leavitt as well as are actually riding high after desisting Texas Condition on Thursday 31-28, beginning 3-0 for the first time because 2019. Arizona State is the shock staff of 2024 so far (unless you count negative shocks, which Fla Condition wishes you don't), and also Dillingham's turn-around of a course left behind in wreckage after the Herm Edwards age finished precisely as everyone mentioned it would certainly.