.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 an animation, there would've been a second last December, after the committee brushed off an undefeated Florida Condition group from the playoff, when Mike Norvell will've concluded this was as bad as things can receive, all while unconsciously standing up under a piano perilously being raised to a 20th-floor window.Of program, after Fla State fell to Norvell's former school, Memphis, 20-12 on Sunday, it is actually completely possible the Seminoles would favor the piano to reality.Nine months ago, Florida Condition had the planet's compassion-- a minimum of the component of the globe that do not chant "S-E-C, S-E-C" at wedding celebrations, funeral services and also youngsters's celebrations. It was simple to like that crew. It was a group that battled more difficult after losing QB Jordan Travis, that provided all it had to maintain winning, that missed its own shot at the playoff certainly not because of its very own blunders however due to the committee's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is actually no sympathy. There is actually simply a strange mix of shame, irritation as well as black humor, like spilling a beverage down the front of your pants.The recipient of the committee's choice was Alabama, as well as things can possess effortlessly changed toward a bleak 2024 for the Trend, too. They dropped their playoff game, waved adieu to the best trainer in the sporting activity's background, then viewed a departure of players into the website, featuring 5 that left behind for Tallahassee.And yet, on the exact same day Florida Condition reached a brand new nadir, Alabama bent the same muscular tissue it so frequently did under Nick Saban, wiping out Wisconsin 42-10 responsible for a five-touchdown performance coming from Jalen Milroe.In a more simply planet, Florida State may possess gained a little bit of really good karma after the outrage of its playoff snub. In an extra fair globe, Alabama might, only as soon as, be dealt a bad hand.But university football has actually confirmed, over and over, it does not love fairness, yet it carries out have one hell of a sense of humor.So in Madison, the Trend related to obtain down.Alabama gamers dive around in the course of Dive Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 And also in Tallahassee, Fla State is ready to pack it up as well as stuff it in.For Alabama, the lineup turn over merely opened space for brand-new stars, like freshman recipient Ryan Williams, that caught 4 receptions for 78 backyards and a goal in Sunday's gain. Williams is actually only 17-- birthed just 7 months just before Saban trained his initial video game at Alabama, certainly not outdated enough to even bear in mind there was actually an opportunity one thing like an 0-3 begin would certainly be actually unimaginable at Fla State.For FSU, there is actually no very clear pathway forward. DJ Uiagalelei has actually been actually horrible, the ground activity has rounded up little bit, the annoying line that was intended or else be a toughness got battered by a Team of 5 program, and the protection, which played its own finest video game Saturday, still has lots of openings. For the Seminoles, the only silver lining to extract from this miserable beginning to the season is it might possess lowered the plan's media assessment good enough that it can easily escape the ACC for a typical leave charge and some Kohl's cash.Nine months earlier, there could be a sensible dispute about the relative resumu00e9s of Alabama as well as Fla State. On Saturday, during the course of industrial breaks of the Tide's thumping of Wisconsin, it was feasible to flip between ads for "9-1-1: Lone Star" featuring a large train derailment and also an FSU activity featuring an even more horrible learn wreck.To witness what is actually become of Fla Condition in the time due to the fact that the board provided its own judgment is difficult to understand, a barrage of unending torment usually reserved for "Observed" films or minor weather condition concerns at LAX.But it costs considering how completely incomprehensible it is for Alabama to become right here, as well-- 3-0 along with a roadway succeed in Big Ten country only months after Saban's departure. Alabama has actually been actually the version for sustained greatness for a creation, and that congruity was actually typically attributed to Saban's relentlessness. But also he reached a point in which it was actually opportunity for one thing brand new, and also but Alabama keeps plugging along-- one dominant gain after one more, as trustworthy as the sunrise.None of this particular is proof the committee got its decision right, obviously. That was actually final season-- a different group, a various opportunity. However it is verification that within this chaotic sport, greatness is actually short lived as well as opportunity often run-ins past like a Fla Condition linebacker overlooking an address at free throw line of scrimmage.And even at an area like Alabama, a system that has stood defiantly versus the winds of modification for 16 years right now, it is actually regularly better to value the benefits while you possess all of them. Due to the fact that if there is actually anything our experts've learned from checking out Florida State these past nine months it's this: It may regularly obtain worse.Jump to: LSU endures|Feel shifts|Arizona's hottest crew The 1st 56 minutes of Sunday's activity against South Carolina was far coming from pleasant for LSU.A set of unique crews gaffes, two turnovers and some big operates by Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers possessed the Tigers playing catchup commonly. South Carolina leapt out to a 24-10 top, observed LSU pull ahead of time quickly in the fourth one-fourth, then observed Rocket Sanders take off for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Jumping block rejects LSU punt, puts together South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II blocks out the LSU punt, which establishes a Raheim Sanders goal to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With lower than 4 mins to play, LSU tracked by four, and also Brian Kelly had actually looked at all six phases of agony: Aggravation, indignation, animosity, temper, inquiring to contact the manager and also, lastly, considering the implementation his players.But Garrett Nussmeier rode to the saving with his 29-yard completion to Kyren Lacy to boost a 55-yard goal travel to put LSU up 36-33. South Carolina had one last split at the gain, seeking a 49-yard basket as time expired, but it overlooked, giving Kelly an opportunity to celebrate a hard-earned win before going back to his office to enjoy film as well as shriek in to a pillow.Week 3 feel shiftsTrending down: Completing all your throwsThe really good information for Michigan QB Davis Warren is actually every successfully pass he threw in Michigan's 28-18 win over Arkansas State on Saturday was actually caught.The bad news is actually, 3 of all of them were seen through Arkansas State players.So, right here's where our company are actually with the standing up for champs: After decades rotating by means of a slide carousel of quarterbacks that succeeded their position through finding a golden ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were actually managed to two periods of J.J. McCarthy and also assumed probably factors had modified forever. Rather, Warren is averaging 6.1 yards-per-pass with 2 goals as well as six picks via three games.Now, USC gets on deck next full week, as well as Michigan is left trying to find an answer in between Warren or Alex Orji or even to hope there is actually one more QB tucked away in Jim Harbaugh's left storage locker behind those boxes tagged "signals for every challenger, 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 4th quarter Friday evening, and also UNLV distressed Kansas 23-20. It was actually the Rebels' second draw a Power 4 opponent already this period after discarding Houston in the opener. How exceptional is that? Getting In Sunday, Northern Illinois' trouble of Notre Dame was actually the only other Team of 5 draw an energy event foe.Like along with anything in Vegas, it is actually a little capability and a bunch of luck.play0:40 UNLV in some way formulates outrageous fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka stumbles the sphere, however in some way UNLV maintains things after the ball touches various Kansas players' hands.Still, it's secure to point out Barry Odom possesses the Rebels coming to a head at the correct time, with UNLV's purchases pitch to the expanding Pac-12 currently appearing rather sturdy: A large market, a really good staff, as well as access to myriad all-night snack bars. At that point all Odom needs to do is actually take that Pac-12 payout in potato chips, bet all of it on dark on a single roulette spin, double down two or three more times, as well as boost-- UNLV is actually having fun with SEC money.Land of the increasing Sunlight DevilsA year back, Arizona was the darling of the university soccer planet after a frisking 10-3 time, while Arizona Condition was actually a laughing sell pushed to begin a chorus of struggling quarterbacks potentially consisting of a couple guys they discovered standing by outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a distinction a year makes.Arizona swayed farewell to move coach Jedd Fisch, who left for Washington, and opened this period with pair of unimpressive gain New Mexico and Northern Arizona before being up to Kansas Condition 31-7 on Friday. It was Arizona's worst objectionable functionality since being shut out at Colorado in 2021. The Sun Devils, however, found a QB in Sam Leavitt as well as are actually using high after knocking off Texas State on Thursday 31-28, beginning 3-0 for the first time considering that 2019. Arizona State is actually the surprise team of 2024 up until now (unless you consider poor unpleasant surprises, which Fla Condition wishes you do not), and also Dillingham's turn-around of a program left in wreckage after the Herm Edwards era ended exactly as everyone said it will.