.David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterSep 14, 2024, 06:14 PM ETCloseCollege football reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Grad of the College of Delaware.If university football were an animation, there would certainly've been actually a moment last December, just after the committee disregarded an unbeaten Florida Condition crew coming from the playoff, when Mike Norvell would certainly've concluded this was actually as poor as factors could possibly get, all while unconsciously standing underneath a piano perilously being actually elevated to a 20th-floor window.Of training course, after Fla State fell to Norvell's past school, Memphis, 20-12 on Saturday, it is actually totally possible the Seminoles will like the piano to reality.Nine months ago, Fla Condition possessed the planet's sympathy-- at least the component of the globe that don't chant "S-E-C, S-E-C" at wedding events, funeral services and also kids's parties. It was quick and easy to just like that team. It was a team that combated harder after dropping QB Jordan Travis, that gave all it had to keep gaining, that overlooked its own chance at the playoff not due to its own blunders yet because of the committee's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is actually no sympathy. There is only a peculiar mix of embarassment, stress and darker wit, like splashing a beverage down the face of your pants.The beneficiary of the committee's decision was actually Alabama, and also points might've effortlessly switched towards a hopeless 2024 for the Tide, too. They dropped their championship game, swung farewell to the greatest trainer in the sport's history, at that point found an exodus of players in to the site, featuring five who left behind for Tallahassee.And yet, on the very same time Florida State reached a brand-new nadir, Alabama bent the very same muscle mass it so often did under Nick Saban, obliterating Wisconsin 42-10 responsible for a five-touchdown performance from Jalen Milroe.In an even more just world, Fla Condition may possess made a little good fate after the indignity of its playoff snub. In a more decent world, Alabama might, just when, be given a bad hand.But university soccer has actually shown, again and again, it doesn't appreciate justness, yet it does possess one hell of a sense of humor.So in Madison, the Tide came to acquire down.Alabama gamers leap about during the course of Jump Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 And also in Tallahassee, Fla Condition is ready to load it up as well as pack it in.For Alabama, the lineup turn over simply opened space for new celebrities, like fresher receiver Ryan Williams, who caught four receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's gain. Williams is merely 17-- birthed simply seven months just before Saban trained his very first video game at Alabama, not outdated sufficient to also always remember there was an opportunity something like an 0-3 begin will be inconceivable at Florida State.For FSU, there's no crystal clear course forward. DJ Uiagalelei has actually been actually horrible, the ground game has actually collected little bit, the offending line that was actually expected or else be a stamina acquired battered through a Team of 5 plan, and also the protection, which played its absolute best activity Sunday, still hases plenty of openings. For the Seminoles, the only silver lining to derive from this difficult start to the season is it might possess decreased the program's media assessment sufficient that it may leave the ACC for a common exit fee and also some Kohl's cash.Nine months earlier, there can be an affordable controversy concerning the relative resumu00e9s of Alabama as well as Florida Condition. On Sunday, in the course of business breathers of the Trend's thumping of Wisconsin, it was possible to flip in between ads for "9-1-1: Lone Star" including a gigantic train derailment and an FSU game including a a lot more scary train wreck.To witness what's happened Fla Condition while due to the fact that the committee delivered its verdict is tough to comprehend, an avalanche of continuous misery usually booked for "Found" films or even slight weather concerns at LAX.But it deserves taking into consideration exactly how totally incomprehensible it is for Alabama to be below, as well-- 3-0 along with a road gain in Big 10 nation simply months after Saban's departure. Alabama has been actually the style for continual achievement for a production, and that uniformity was usually credited to Saban's relentlessness. However also he got to a factor in which it was actually time for something brand new, and also yet Alabama continues plugging throughout-- one prominent win after yet another, as trustworthy as the sunrise.None of this particular is actually proof the board received its choice straight, certainly. That was actually last time-- a various team, a various time. Yet it is verification that within this disorderly sporting activity, effectiveness is actually fleeting as well as option often brushes past like a Fla Condition linebacker missing a tackle at free throw line of scrimmage.And even at a location like Alabama, a course that has stood up certainly versus the winds of adjustment for 16 years currently, it's always far better to enjoy the good ideas while you have all of them. Due to the fact that if there is actually anything we have actually picked up from seeing Florida State these past nine months it's this: It can always acquire worse.Jump to: LSU endures|Character changes|Arizona's trendiest staff The first 56 mins of Saturday's video game versus South Carolina was actually much coming from pleasant for LSU.A collection of special teams gaffes, two turn overs and some big operates by Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers possessed the Tigers playing catchup frequently. South Carolina leapt out to a 24-10 top, saw LSU pull ahead quickly in the fourth quarter, then saw Spacecraft Sanders take off for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Jumping block refuses 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 less than four moments to participate in, LSU trailed by 4, as well as Brian Kelly had gone through all six stages of grief: Disappointment, indignation, hostility, temper, asking to speak with the manager and also, finally, evaluating the execution his players.But Garrett Nussmeier used to the rescue with his 29-yard finalization to Kyren Lacy to trigger a 55-yard goal ride to place LSU up 36-33. South Carolina had one final fracture at the succeed, seeking a 49-yard basket as time ran out, however it missed out on, offering Kelly an odds to commemorate a hard-earned gain just before returning to his workplace to enjoy film as well as yell in to a pillow.Week 3 character shiftsTrending down: Finishing all your throwsThe great updates for Michigan QB Davis Warren is actually every pass he included Michigan's 28-18 draw Arkansas Condition on Sunday was caught.The trouble is actually, three of them were caught through Arkansas Condition players.So, below's where our team are along with the standing up for champs: After decades spinning through a slide carousel of quarterbacks who won their position through finding a golden ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were actually alleviated to two periods of J.J. McCarthy and presumed probably factors had changed permanently. Rather, Warren is actually averaging 6.1 yards-per-pass along with two touchdowns as well as six selections with three games.Now, USC is on deck upcoming week, as well as Michigan is actually left behind trying to find an answer between Warren or Alex Orji or to hope there's one more QB tucked away in Jim Harbaugh's abandoned storage locker behind those packages classified "indicators for each rival, 2020-2023." Trending up: UNLV's situation for Pac-12 expansionMatthew Sluka led an 18-play, 75-yard goal drive that ate 9:31 off the appear the 4th quarter Friday night, and UNLV distressed Kansas 23-20. It was the Rebels' second win over a Power 4 challenger presently this time after disposing Houston in the opener. Just how remarkable is actually that? Entering Saturday, Northern Illinois' trouble of Notre Dame was actually the only other Team of 5 get an electrical power conference foe.Like along with anything in Vegas, it is actually a little bit of skill and a ton of luck.play0:40 UNLV somehow creates crazy fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka screws up the round, but in some way UNLV preserves ownership after the round styles several Kansas players' hands.Still, it is actually risk-free to mention Barry Odom possesses the Rebels peaking at the right time, with UNLV's purchases pitch to the growing Pac-12 now looking fairly powerful: A large market, an excellent team, and access to myriad all-night snack bars. Then all Odom needs to have to perform is actually take that Pac-12 payment in chips, bet everything on dark on a single roulette spin, double down two or even three even more times, as well as upsurge-- UNLV is actually having fun with SEC money.Land of the climbing Sunlight DevilsA year ago, Arizona was the beloved of the university football world after a skylarking 10-3 season, while Arizona State was a laughing supply obliged to begin a carolers of battling quarterbacks probably featuring a married couple people they discovered standing by outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a variation a year makes.Arizona swayed bye-bye to move train Jedd Fisch, that left behind for Washington, and opened this time with pair of ineffectual sway New Mexico and also Northern Arizona prior to being up to Kansas State 31-7 on Friday. It was actually Arizona's worst offending efficiency due to the fact that being actually locked out at Colorado in 2021. The Sunlight Devils, on the contrary, discovered a QB in Sam Leavitt as well as are actually riding high after discontinuing Texas Condition on Thursday 31-28, starting 3-0 for the first time since 2019. Arizona State is actually the shock crew of 2024 so far (unless you consider poor surprises, which Fla State wishes you don't), as well as Dillingham's turn-around of a program left in shambles after the Herm Edwards time finished specifically as every person claimed it would.