.David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterSep 14, 2024, 06:14 PM ETCloseCollege football reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Graduate of the College of Delaware.If university soccer were actually a comic strip, there would possess been actually a moment final December, after the board brushed off an undefeated Fla Condition group from the playoff, when Mike Norvell would've ended this was actually as poor as traits could possibly receive, all while unwittingly standing up beneath a piano perilously being actually uplifted to a 20th-floor window.Of training course, after Florida State fell to Norvell's former school, Memphis, 20-12 on Sunday, it's totally achievable the Seminoles would certainly like the piano to reality.Nine months ago, Florida State had the planet's compassion-- a minimum of the portion of the world that do not shout "S-E-C, S-E-C" at wedding ceremonies, funerals and children's events. It was actually simple to as if that staff. It was actually a team that battled more difficult after shedding QB Jordan Travis, that offered all it had to keep gaining, that skipped its shot at the playoff not because of its personal errors but because of the board's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is actually no sympathy. There is actually only a weird mix of pity, stress as well as darker wit, like splashing a drink down the front of your pants.The named beneficiary of the board's choice was Alabama, and factors can possess easily shifted toward a gloomy 2024 for the Tide, too. They shed their championship game, swayed bye-bye to the greatest coach in the sport's record, at that point found a departure of gamers in to the website, including five who left for Tallahassee.And yet, on the very same day Florida State attacked a brand new nadir, Alabama flexed the exact same muscle mass it so frequently performed under Nick Saban, annihilating Wisconsin 42-10 behind a five-touchdown efficiency from Jalen Milroe.In an even more simply globe, Florida State may've made a little excellent aura after the outrage of its own playoff snub. In an extra decent planet, Alabama might, simply as soon as, be dealt a bad hand.But college football has actually confirmed, time and again, it doesn't appreciate justness, but it does have one heck of a feeling of humor.So in Madison, the Tide pertained to obtain down.Alabama players hop around during the course of Jump Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 And in Tallahassee, Fla State prepares to stuff it up and pack it in.For Alabama, the lineup turnover just clearance for brand new superstars, like freshman recipient Ryan Williams, that caught four balls for 78 backyards and a goal in Saturday's gain. Williams is actually merely 17-- born only 7 months before Saban coached his initial game at Alabama, certainly not outdated sufficient to even always remember there was actually an opportunity one thing like an 0-3 beginning would certainly be actually inconceivable at Florida State.For FSU, there is actually no very clear course onward. DJ Uiagalelei has been nasty, the ground activity has actually summoned little, the outrageous line that was intended typically be a stamina got battered through a Group of 5 plan, and the defense, which played its own best game Saturday, still has lots of holes. For the Seminoles, the only silver edging to take from this difficult begin to the time is it may have lowered the course's media evaluation sufficient that it may escape the ACC for a conventional exit cost as well as some Kohl's cash.Nine months back, there can be an affordable argument about the comparison resumu00e9s of Alabama and Fla Condition. On Saturday, during the course of business breaks of the Trend's clunk of Wisconsin, it was possible to flip in between ads for "9-1-1: Lone Superstar" including a massive learn derailment and an FSU video game featuring an even more horrifying train wreck.To witness what's happened Fla State while since the board provided its own judgment is tough to know, a barrage of ceaseless suffering commonly set aside for "Observed" motion pictures or even minor climate issues at LAX.But it deserves considering exactly how entirely incomprehensible it is for Alabama to be here, also-- 3-0 with a street gain in Big 10 country simply months after Saban's leave. Alabama has been the version for sustained success for a production, and also congruity was actually generally credited to Saban's relentlessness. However even he reached a point through which it was opportunity for something brand new, and yet Alabama goes on plugging throughout-- one prominent win after another, as trustworthy as the sunrise.None of this is actually evidence the committee received its own decision straight, naturally. That was last season-- a different group, a different time. Yet it is actually evidence that in this particular turbulent sport, effectiveness is actually fleeting as well as possibility usually brushes past like a Florida Condition linebacker missing a take on at free throw line of scrimmage.And even at a place like Alabama, a system that has actually stood certainly versus the winds of adjustment for 16 years now, it's regularly better to enjoy the benefits while you possess them. Given that if there is actually anything we have actually profited from seeing Fla State these past 9 months it's this: It may always get worse.Jump to: LSU endures|Character changes|Arizona's hottest crew The initial 56 minutes of Sunday's game against South Carolina was actually far coming from enjoyable for LSU.A collection of exclusive groups gaffes, pair of turnovers as well as some major runs through Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers had the Tigers having fun catchup often. South Carolina jumped bent on a 24-10 lead, found LSU take in advance quickly in the 4th quarter, at that point observed Rocket Sanders blow up for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Jumping block refuses LSU punt, sets up South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II shuts out the LSU punt, which sets up a Raheim Sanders touchdown to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With less than 4 minutes to participate in, LSU routed through four, and Brian Kelly had actually looked at all six phases of pain: Frustration, indignation, hostility, anger, asking to talk to the supervisor as well as, ultimately, deliberating the implementation his players.But Garrett Nussmeier rode to the saving with his 29-yard completion to Kyren Lacy to start a 55-yard touchdown ride to place LSU up 36-33. South Carolina possessed one last gap at the succeed, seeking a 49-yard basket as time ended, yet it overlooked, giving Kelly a possibility to commemorate a hard-earned win before coming back to his office to view movie and also scream into a pillow.Week 3 feel shiftsTrending down: Completing all your throwsThe good updates for Michigan QB Davis Warren is actually every successfully pass he threw in Michigan's 28-18 sway Arkansas State on Saturday was actually caught.The trouble is, three of them were caught by Arkansas Condition players.So, below's where our company are along with the defending champs: After many years revolving through a carousel of quarterbacks who succeeded their setting by finding a golden ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were actually dealt with to 2 periods of J.J. McCarthy as well as thought probably things had transformed completely. Rather, Warren is actually balancing 6.1 yards-per-pass with two goals and 6 choices through 3 games.Now, USC is on deck upcoming full week, and also Michigan is left looking for an answer in between Warren or even Alex Orji or to wish there's yet another QB stowed away in Jim Harbaugh's deserted storage locker behind those packages identified "signs for every challenger, 2020-2023." Trending up: UNLV's scenario for Pac-12 expansionMatthew Sluka led an 18-play, 75-yard goal push that ate 9:31 off the clock in the 4th quarter Friday night, and also UNLV dismayed Kansas 23-20. It was actually the Rebels' 2nd sway a Power 4 challenger actually this period after discarding Houston in the opener. Just how remarkable is that? Entering Into Sunday, Northern Illinois' distress of Notre Dame was actually the only other Group of 5 gain a power association foe.Like along with just about anything in Las vega, it's a little bit of skill and a lot of luck.play0:40 UNLV somehow develops crazy fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka stumbles the sphere, yet somehow UNLV maintains property after the round flairs numerous Kansas gamers' hands.Still, it is actually secure to say Barry Odom possesses the Rebels reaching the top at the correct time, with UNLV's sales pitch to the broadening Pac-12 now appearing fairly tough: A huge market, a really good crew, and access to myriad all-night cafeterias. Then all Odom needs to do is actually take that Pac-12 payment in chips, wager all of it on black on a solitary roulette spin, double down 2 or even 3 additional times, as well as boost-- UNLV is enjoying with SEC money.Land of the rising Sunlight DevilsA year earlier, Arizona was actually the darling of the college regulation football planet after a frisking 10-3 period, while Arizona State was actually a laughing sell required to start a chorus of straining quarterbacks perhaps consisting of a married couple fellas they found standing by outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a variation a year makes.Arizona swayed adieu to move train Jedd Fisch, who left for Washington, and opened this period along with two unexceptional sway New Mexico and Northern Arizona just before falling to Kansas Condition 31-7 on Friday. It was actually Arizona's worst repulsive efficiency considering that being actually shut out at Colorado in 2021. The Sunlight Devils, on the other hand, found a QB in Sam Leavitt and are riding higher after knocking off Texas Condition on Thursday 31-28, beginning 3-0 for the first time given that 2019. Arizona Condition is actually the surprise staff of 2024 so far (unless you consider bad shocks, which Fla State wishes you do not), and also Dillingham's turn-around of a program left behind in wreckage after the Herm Edwards period ended specifically as every person said it would.