.David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterSep 14, 2024, 06:14 PM ETCloseCollege football reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Grad of the Educational institution of Delaware.If college regulation football were a comic strip, there will possess been actually a second final December, just after the board disregarded an unbeaten Florida State group coming from the playoff, when Mike Norvell would've ended this was actually as poor as factors could obtain, all while unknowingly standing underneath a piano perilously being lifted up to a 20th-floor window.Of training program, after Florida Condition fell to Norvell's previous institution, Memphis, 20-12 on Sunday, it is actually entirely feasible the Seminoles would certainly like the piano to reality.Nine months back, Florida State possessed the world's compassion-- at least the component of the planet that do not chant "S-E-C, S-E-C" at wedding celebrations, memorial services and children's gatherings. It was simple to such as that crew. It was actually a group that dealt with harder after shedding QB Jordan Travis, that provided all it had to always keep winning, that overlooked its chance at the playoff certainly not as a result of its very own oversights yet due to the board's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is no sympathy. There is actually merely a strange mix of embarassment, stress and also black humor, like splashing a drink down the face of your pants.The named beneficiary of the committee's choice was actually Alabama, and traits could possibly possess easily shifted towards a bleak 2024 for the Tide, as well. They dropped their championship game, swung adieu to the best trainer in the sport's past history, after that found an exodus of players into the portal, including 5 that left for Tallahassee.And yet, on the same day Florida State struck a new low point, Alabama flexed the very same muscular tissue it therefore typically performed under Scar Saban, wiping out Wisconsin 42-10 responsible for a five-touchdown functionality from Jalen Milroe.In an even more simply globe, Fla Condition may've made a little bit of great fate after the outrage of its own playoff snub. In a much more reasonable globe, Alabama might, only the moment, be dealt a negative hand.But college volleyball has actually proven, repeatedly, it does not care about fairness, yet it carries out have one heck of a feeling of humor.So in Madison, the Tide concerned acquire down.Alabama players jump about during the course of Dive Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 As well as in Tallahassee, Florida Condition prepares to stuff it up and also stuff it in.For Alabama, the lineup turnover simply opened space for brand-new superstars, like freshman receiver Ryan Williams, who captured four receptions for 78 gardens as well as a touchdown in Saturday's win. Williams is actually just 17-- birthed only 7 months prior to Saban trained his initial activity at Alabama, not aged adequate to even keep in mind there was an opportunity something like an 0-3 begin would be actually inconceivable at Florida State.For FSU, there's no clear pathway forward. DJ Uiagalelei has been actually horrible, the ground activity has actually rounded up bit, the offensive line that was actually meant typically be actually a durability obtained battered through a Group of 5 system, and the defense, which played its own absolute best video game Sunday, still has lots of gaps. For the Seminoles, the only silver edging to take from this awful beginning to the period is it may possess reduced the plan's media assessment good enough that it may get away from the ACC for a common leave cost and some Kohl's cash.Nine months back, there might be a reasonable argument regarding the comparison resumu00e9s of Alabama as well as Fla State. On Saturday, throughout office breaks of the Tide's clunk of Wisconsin, it was feasible to turn between ads for "9-1-1: Lone Celebrity" including a huge learn derailment and an FSU game featuring a much more horrifying train wreck.To witness what's happened Florida State while since the committee provided its verdict is actually challenging to know, a barrage of unending suffering normally scheduled for "Found" motion pictures or slight weather condition issues at LAX.But it deserves thinking about just how utterly incomprehensible it is actually for Alabama to become below, also-- 3-0 with a roadway succeed in Big Ten country simply months after Saban's exit. Alabama has been actually the style for sustained effectiveness for a generation, which uniformity was usually credited to Saban's relentlessness. However also he got to a point in which it was actually time for one thing brand new, and also however Alabama keeps plugging throughout-- one prominent succeed after another, as reliable as the sunrise.None of this particular is actually evidence the committee received its choice straight, obviously. That was last time-- a various team, a different opportunity. But it is actually proof that in this particular chaotic sporting activity, success is fleeting and also opportunity commonly brushes past like a Fla State linebacker missing out on a handle at the line of scrimmage.And even at an area like Alabama, a system that has stood certainly against the winds of improvement for 16 years right now, it's always far better to appreciate the good ideas while you have them. Since if there's anything we have actually gained from enjoying Fla Condition these previous nine months it's this: It can easily constantly get worse.Jump to: LSU survives|Character changes|Arizona's trendiest group The very first 56 moments of Sunday's activity against South Carolina was far coming from pleasant for LSU.A series of special staffs gaffes, two turnovers and also some huge runs through Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers had the Tigers playing catchup commonly. South Carolina hopped out to a 24-10 lead, observed LSU draw in advance briefly in the 4th quarter, at that point found Spacecraft Sanders burst for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Leaping block refuses LSU punt, sets up South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II blocks out the LSU punting, which sets up a Raheim Sanders goal to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With less than 4 minutes to participate in, LSU tracked through four, as well as Brian Kelly had looked at all 6 stages of pain: Aggravation, indignation, hostility, rage, asking to speak with the manager and also, eventually, deliberating the completion his players.But Garrett Nussmeier used to the rescue with his 29-yard finalization to Kyren Lacy to boost a 55-yard goal drive to place LSU up 36-33. South Carolina had one last gap at the gain, trying a 49-yard basket as opportunity ran out, however it missed out on, offering Kelly a possibility to commemorate a hard-earned succeed prior to coming back to his workplace to enjoy film and also scream right into a pillow.Week 3 character shiftsTrending down: Finishing all your throwsThe good information for Michigan QB Davis Warren is actually every elapsed he included Michigan's 28-18 get Arkansas State on Saturday was caught.The trouble is, 3 of them were actually seen by Arkansas State players.So, below's where our team are along with the defending champs: After many years spinning by means of a carousel of quarterbacks who succeeded their setting by finding a golden ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were actually treated to pair of times of J.J. McCarthy as well as believed maybe things had actually altered for good. Rather, Warren is averaging 6.1 yards-per-pass with two goals as well as six picks by means of 3 games.Now, USC gets on deck upcoming week, as well as Michigan is actually left behind trying to find an answer in between Warren or even Alex Orji or to wish there is actually another QB stashed in Jim Harbaugh's abandoned locker responsible for those containers designated "signals for every enemy, 2020-2023." Trending up: UNLV's case for Pac-12 expansionMatthew Sluka led an 18-play, 75-yard goal drive that chewed 9:31 off the clock in the 4th one-fourth Friday evening, and also UNLV distressed Kansas 23-20. It was the Rebels' second draw an Energy 4 rival already this time after ditching Houston in the opener. How outstanding is that? Entering Into Saturday, Northern Illinois' upset of Notre Dame was the only various other Group of 5 draw a power conference foe.Like along with anything in Vegas, it's a little bit of capability as well as a considerable amount of luck.play0:40 UNLV in some way develops outrageous fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka screws up the sphere, but somehow UNLV maintains belongings after the sphere styles several Kansas gamers' hands.Still, it is actually secure to claim Barry Odom has the Rebels peaking at the right time, along with UNLV's sales pitch to the broadening Pac-12 currently looking pretty sturdy: A significant market, an excellent group, as well as accessibility to myriad all-night cafeterias. After that all Odom requires to accomplish is take that Pac-12 payout in chips, wager everything on black on a single roulette twist, double down 2 or three more times, as well as upsurge-- UNLV is actually playing with SEC money.Land of the increasing Sunlight DevilsA year earlier, Arizona was the darling of the university football globe after a frisking 10-3 period, while Arizona State was a laughing inventory pushed to start a carolers of struggling quarterbacks probably featuring a pair guys they discovered standing by outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a distinction a year makes.Arizona waved bye-bye to move train Jedd Fisch, who left for Washington, as well as opened this time along with pair of ineffectual get New Mexico and also Northern Arizona just before falling to Kansas Condition 31-7 on Friday. It was Arizona's worst objectionable performance because being shut out at Colorado in 2021. The Sunlight Devils, on the other hand, located a QB in Sam Leavitt and are actually riding high after eliminating Texas Condition on Thursday 31-28, beginning 3-0 for the first time given that 2019. Arizona Condition is actually the surprise crew of 2024 until now (unless you count poor unpleasant surprises, which Florida State wishes you don't), and also Dillingham's turnaround of a program left behind in wreckage after the Herm Edwards era ended precisely as everybody claimed it would certainly.