.David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterSep 14, 2024, 06:14 PM ETCloseCollege football reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Grad of the University of Delaware.If college football were actually a comic strip, there would certainly've been a second last December, following the board disregarded an unbeaten Fla Condition group from the playoff, when Mike Norvell will possess concluded this was as bad as traits could possibly get, all while unknowingly standing underneath a piano perilously being uplifted to a 20th-floor window.Of course, after Florida State fell to Norvell's past institution, Memphis, 20-12 on Sunday, it is actually entirely possible the Seminoles will choose the piano to reality.Nine months earlier, Fla State had the globe's sympathy-- at least the parts of the world that do not chant "S-E-C, S-E-C" at wedding events, funeral services and also children's events. It was actually easy to just like that group. It was a team that combated more difficult after losing QB Jordan Travis, that gave all it needed to keep winning, that skipped its shot at the playoff not due to its personal oversights but as a result of the committee's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is no sympathy. There is actually only a peculiar mix of embarassment, disappointment and darker wit, like splashing an alcoholic beverage down the face of your pants.The named beneficiary of the board's selection was Alabama, and factors can possess easily switched towards a gloomy 2024 for the Tide, too. They dropped their championship game, swayed adieu to the greatest trainer in the sport's record, at that point viewed an exodus of players right into the site, featuring 5 that left for Tallahassee.And yet, on the exact same day Florida State struck a brand new nadir, Alabama flexed the same muscle mass it so commonly did under Scar Saban, annihilating Wisconsin 42-10 behind a five-touchdown performance from Jalen Milroe.In an even more merely world, Fla State could've gained a little bit of really good aura after the outrage of its playoff snub. In an extra fair planet, Alabama might, simply the moment, be actually dealt a bad hand.But university soccer has confirmed, time and again, it doesn't appreciate justness, but it does possess one heck of a sense of humor.So in Madison, the Trend concerned receive down.Alabama players hop all around during Dive Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 And also in Tallahassee, Florida State is ready to pack it up as well as pack it in.For Alabama, the roster turn over only opened space for brand new stars, like fresher recipient Ryan Williams, that captured four balls for 78 lawns as well as a touchdown in Sunday's gain. Williams is merely 17-- born merely 7 months just before Saban trained his very first activity at Alabama, not outdated enough to also bear in mind there was an opportunity something like an 0-3 start would be actually inconceivable at Florida State.For FSU, there is actually no crystal clear course onward. DJ Uiagalelei has been horrible, the ground video game has actually summoned little, the offending line that was actually expected typically be a stamina received manhandled through a Team of 5 plan, as well as the protection, which played its own absolute best game Saturday, still is full of holes. For the Seminoles, the only silver edging to extract from this difficult beginning to the period is it may have reduced the plan's media appraisal sufficient that it can escape the ACC for a basic departure charge as well as some Kohl's cash.Nine months ago, there may be a practical argument concerning the relative resumu00e9s of Alabama and Fla Condition. On Sunday, in the course of office breaks of the Trend's thumping of Wisconsin, it was possible to flip between ads for "9-1-1: Lone Celebrity" including a massive learn derailment and also an FSU activity featuring an even more terrible train wreck.To witness what's happened Florida State in the time since the committee provided its own judgment is tough to know, an avalanche of nonstop suffering generally reserved for "Found" motion pictures or even small climate concerns at LAX.But it costs taking into consideration exactly how entirely incomprehensible it is for Alabama to become listed here, also-- 3-0 with a road gain in Big 10 country just months after Saban's exit. Alabama has actually been actually the design for sustained greatness for a production, which uniformity was actually generally attributed to Saban's relentlessness. But also he reached out to an aspect in which it was time for something brand new, as well as but Alabama keeps plugging throughout-- one prevailing win after one more, as reputable as the sunrise.None of this is evidence the committee acquired its own selection right, certainly. That was last season-- a various group, a various opportunity. However it is verification that in this disorderly sport, effectiveness is short lived and chance usually encounters past like a Florida Condition linebacker overlooking a tackle at free throw line of scrimmage.And even at an area like Alabama, a course that has actually stood up certainly versus the winds of improvement for 16 years now, it is actually constantly much better to cherish the benefits while you have all of them. Given that if there's anything our company have actually profited from watching Florida Condition these past nine months it's this: It can easily regularly get worse.Jump to: LSU survives|Vibe switches|Arizona's best team The first 56 minutes of Saturday's game versus South Carolina was far coming from pleasing for LSU.A collection of exclusive groups gaffes, 2 turnovers and also some huge runs by Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers possessed the Tigers having fun catchup usually. South Carolina jumped bent on a 24-10 top, viewed LSU draw ahead of time for a while in the 4th quarter, then observed Spacecraft Sanders blow up for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Leaping block rejects LSU punt, puts together South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II blocks the LSU punt, which sets up a Raheim Sanders goal to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With lower than 4 moments to participate in, LSU tracked by 4, and also Brian Kelly had actually undergone all 6 stages of trouble: Irritation, indignation, hostility, rage, asking to speak to the supervisor as well as, eventually, reflecting the execution his players.But Garrett Nussmeier rode to the rescue along with his 29-yard fulfillment to Kyren Lacy to jumpstart a 55-yard goal drive to place LSU up 36-33. South Carolina had one final split at the succeed, seeking a 49-yard basket as opportunity ended, however it skipped, providing Kelly a chance to celebrate a hard-earned succeed just before returning to his office to check out movie and howl into a pillow.Week 3 feel shiftsTrending down: Finishing all your throwsThe good information for Michigan QB Davis Warren is every pass he threw in Michigan's 28-18 get Arkansas State on Sunday was caught.The bad news is, 3 of all of them were caught through Arkansas Condition players.So, here's where we are actually with the defending champs: After years rotating through a carousel of quarterbacks that won their placement through locating a gold ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were actually alleviated to 2 seasons of J.J. McCarthy and also thought perhaps points had actually altered forever. As an alternative, Warren is balancing 6.1 yards-per-pass with two touchdowns as well as six choices by means of 3 games.Now, USC is on deck upcoming full week, and also Michigan is actually left behind trying to find a solution in between Warren or Alex Orji or to really hope there is actually yet another QB tucked away in Jim Harbaugh's deserted locker behind those cartons classified "indicators for every single opponent, 2020-2023." Trending up: UNLV's situation for Pac-12 expansionMatthew Sluka led an 18-play, 75-yard goal push that chewed 9:31 off the appear the fourth one-fourth Friday night, and UNLV distressed Kansas 23-20. It was the Rebels' second gain an Energy 4 enemy currently this season after pouring Houston in the opener. Just how impressive is that? Going Into Sunday, Northern Illinois' upset of Notre Dame was actually the only other Team of 5 draw an electrical power association foe.Like along with just about anything in Vegas, it's a little bit of skill as well as a lot of luck.play0:40 UNLV in some way creates outrageous fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka messes up the round, however somehow UNLV retains possession after the round flairs numerous Kansas players' hands.Still, it's risk-free to state Barry Odom possesses the Rebels reaching the top at the correct time, along with UNLV's purchases pitch to the broadening Pac-12 right now looking quite solid: A major market, a really good crew, and access to myriad all-night snack bars. At that point all Odom needs to have to do is actually take that Pac-12 payout in chips, wager everything on dark on a singular live roulette twist, double down two or even three more opportunities, and boost-- UNLV is actually enjoying with SEC money.Land of the climbing Sun DevilsA year earlier, Arizona was actually the beloved of the college football world after a skylarking 10-3 time, while Arizona State was a laughing inventory forced to start a chorus of struggling quarterbacks possibly consisting of a married couple individuals they found waiting outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a difference a year makes.Arizona swayed bye-bye to head instructor Jedd Fisch, who left for Washington, as well as opened this period with 2 unexceptional sway New Mexico and Northern Arizona before being up to Kansas Condition 31-7 on Friday. It was Arizona's worst offensive performance given that being shut out at Colorado in 2021. The Sun Devils, however, located a QB in Sam Leavitt and also are using higher after desisting Texas Condition on Thursday 31-28, beginning 3-0 for the very first time since 2019. Arizona State is the shock group of 2024 up until now (unless you consider bad shocks, which Fla Condition hopes you do not), as well as Dillingham's turn-around of a course left behind in mess after the Herm Edwards age finished exactly as everybody stated it would.