Curator & Coach - Week 2

Curator's Game of the Week
Texas @ Arkansas

This week we're going back to the old Southwest Conference days. This was a major game every year back then. These two usually had to fight it out with A&M trying to get a Cotton Bowl bid. Texas leads the all-time series 56-22. The two teams have not met in 17 years and the last time this game was played in Fayetteville was 1989.

With that sort of history behind it, this rivalry certainly lives on. With Texas making plans to move to the SEC, this game takes on new meaning.

For my analysis here I have to look at the amazing job Sam Pittman has done with the Razorback program. 4-7 isn't a great statistic but if you look at the opponents and the margins, he has done something quite impressive.

Speaking of rebuilding, a rebuilt Steve Sarkisian had a great opening week with the Longhorn program he has been charged with rebuilding. After a tight start, the Longhorns ran away from an upstart Louisiana program. You an bet Sarkisian will have his team ready for a similar performance this week.

While the Razorbacks had some sloppy moments in their opener, Pittman has no doubt spent time this week working out the bugs that he found in the film. It is also a safe bet that he has posted on the bulletin board the article in which Steve Sarkisian referred to the Razorbacks as "just another faceless opponent."

Pittman, on the other hand has admitted that Texas is the Hawgs' biggest rival. I have no doubt that Arkansas fans feel that way and the sell-out crowd will make that feeling evident to Sarkisian and the Longhorns. I expect a hostile environment, twp well-prepared teams, some volatile moments, and a great football game.

Coach's Game of the Week:
Iowa @ Iowa State

This may come as a shock, but to me, the beauty of this rivalry this year lies in the coaching matchup.

Iowa State ended the 2020 season as one of the hottest teams in the country. 8-3 with losses to top 10 Oklahoma State and a Big 12 Championship Game loss to Oklahoma after beating them earlier in the year. I’m a coach, not a journalist. I don’t have to pretend to be unbiased. I have followed Campbell since he was pumping out 9 win seasons at Toledo on Wednesday night MACtion. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet him a few times and he has always been very gracious, open and personable. The guy gets it. He sees the bigger picture. He wins the long way and when guys leave his program, they are better prepared for the world that awaits them. Seeing him continue to have success in places that aren’t traditional football hotbeds fires me up.
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On the other sideline will be Kirk Ferentz, the longest tenured coach in FBS football. He arrived at the University of Iowa in 1999. For those of you that would like to feel old, that’s before 3 classes of current Hawkeyes were born. He has never been one for flash. You don’t hear much national media coverage about him or his program. They always seem to be in the background, but if you look at the Top 25 polls, the Hawkeyes are always there. Ferentz is one of the last of his kind clinging to a game that is changing and he is still winning!
The Hawkeyes appeared to be in mid-season form in week 1 during a 34-6 pounding of a very good and well-coached Indiana team. Iowa had NO turnovers and NO substitution or procedure penalties and held Indiana to 6 points. As a coach, that in itself is a huge win for week 1. Iowa State struggled out of the gate sliding by FCS Northern Iowa 16-10. I attribute their struggles to many things, none of which involve them not being a good football team. It’s old vs new in this classic CFB rivalry and I can’t wait to see it!

Curator's Game of Interest
North Carolina State @ Mississippi State

These two teams aren't going to be in the running for the CFB Playoff, barring some unforeseen circumstances. They'll both likely be bowl eligible and give their fans some fun wins.

What intrigues me about this game is the perfomance of the Wolfpack defense and the Bulldog offense last week.  

The Pack slammed the door on South Florida. The Bulls are no power but the stats are still impressive. The Bulls only managed 167 passing yards and 104 rushing yards while coming up with 0 after two trips t the red zone. 

The Bulldogs pulled off a win against Louisiana Tech despite facing a 20-point 4th quarter deficit. 

This game will come down to a stingy defense and that crazy flying circus known as the Air Raid offense. If the boys from Raleigh can keep up with the Air Raid on a sweaty Mississippi evening, this could be a fun one to watch.

​With most of the big names eating cupcakes this week, this is one to watch.

Coach's Game of Interest:
Jacksonville State @ Florida State

​I’m not officially putting anyone on upset alert this week. I don’t think the ‘Noles will have trouble with this one. However, there’s some interesting history to take in with this matchup. Florida State leads the all time series 2-1 with Jacksonville State’s win coming all the way back in 1947 by a score of 7-0. The two crossed paths again in week 2 of 2009 (I may have had a specific vested interest in this one) in a blinding rain storm of biblical proportions. Jacksonville state held a 9-6 lead before allowing a Seminole touchdown with just 36 seconds remaining in the game and a fumble recovery for another touchdown in their final drive to ultimately lose 19-9. What a game it was! Then, just last fall, Jacksonville state loses a halftime lead, giving up 20 points in a 3rd quarter surge and a coffin nail touchdown in the last 2 minutes of the game to ultimately lose by 17; another close contest. History says that the Gamecocks just have a way of keeping it interesting in Tallahassee. Florida State has come so far under Mike Norvel and his offense led by a couple great friends of mine. I don’t think they will struggle with this one, I don’t expect it to be very close even but history is funny and we have to pay attention to it.

Curator’s Picks: (3-2)

Ohio State over Oregon
Iowa State over Iowa
Washington over Michigan
BYU over Utah
Texas over Arkansas

Coach’s Picks: (1-4)

Ohio State over Oregon
Iowa State over Iowa
Michigan over Washington
BYU over Utah
Texas over Arkansas