.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 a cartoon, there would possess been a moment final December, following the board brushed off an unbeaten Florida Condition staff from the playoff, when Mike Norvell would certainly possess concluded this was as negative as things might obtain, all while unconsciously standing beneath a piano perilously being elevated to a 20th-floor window.Of training course, after Fla Condition fell to Norvell's previous school, Memphis, 20-12 on Sunday, it's entirely possible the Seminoles would favor the piano to reality.Nine months back, Florida State possessed the planet's compassion-- at least the parts of the world that don't chant "S-E-C, S-E-C" at weddings, funerals and little ones's events. It was actually effortless to like that crew. It was actually a team that dealt with more challenging after dropping QB Jordan Travis, that provided all it had to keep gaining, that overlooked its shot at the playoff certainly not as a result of its personal errors yet because of the committee's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is actually no compassion. There is actually just a strange mix of pity, aggravation and also dark humor, like spilling a cocktail down the front of your pants.The named beneficiary of the committee's selection was actually Alabama, and points can've easily switched towards a bleak 2024 for the Trend, as well. They lost their playoff game, swayed goodbye to the best coach in the sport's background, at that point observed an exodus of gamers in to the portal, including 5 that left for Tallahassee.And yet, on the very same day Florida Condition reached a brand new nadir, Alabama flexed the very same muscle it therefore usually did under Nick Saban, obliterating Wisconsin 42-10 responsible for a five-touchdown efficiency from Jalen Milroe.In an extra just world, Fla State might've made a little good karma after the outrage of its own playoff snub. In an even more fair planet, Alabama might, merely once, be actually dealt a negative hand.But university football has actually proven, time and again, it does not appreciate justness, but it does have one hell of a sense of humor.So in Madison, the Trend pertained to acquire down.Alabama gamers hop all around during Jump Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 And in Tallahassee, Fla Condition prepares to pack it up as well as load it in.For Alabama, the roster turnover only clearance for brand new stars, like fresher recipient Ryan Williams, who caught four receptions for 78 backyards as well as a touchdown in Sunday's succeed. Williams is actually simply 17-- birthed simply 7 months prior to Saban coached his 1st activity at Alabama, not old enough to also keep in mind there was a time one thing like an 0-3 start would certainly be actually unimaginable at Florida State.For FSU, there's no crystal clear road onward. DJ Uiagalelei has been dreadful, the ground video game has actually collected little bit, the annoying line that was actually expected or else be actually a durability acquired battered through a Team of 5 plan, and the defense, which played its own greatest game Sunday, still teems with holes. For the Seminoles, the only silver lining to derive from this unhappy start to the time is it might possess decreased the system's media appraisal enough that it may escape the ACC for a standard exit expense as well as some Kohl's cash.Nine months earlier, there might be a practical controversy regarding the relative resumu00e9s of Alabama and Florida State. On Saturday, during office breathers of the Trend's clunk of Wisconsin, it was actually possible to flip in between advertisements for "9-1-1: Lone Star" featuring a substantial learn derailment and also an FSU activity featuring an even more terrible train wreck.To witness what is actually happened Fla Condition in the time due to the fact that the board supplied its own verdict is tough to understand, a barrage of nonstop woe normally reserved for "Saw" movies or small weather concerns at LAX.But it costs considering exactly how totally incomprehensible it is actually for Alabama to be listed below, as well-- 3-0 with a roadway gain in Big Ten country simply months after Saban's departure. Alabama has actually been actually the model for sustained achievement for a generation, which uniformity was typically credited to Saban's relentlessness. Yet also he connected with a point through which it was actually time for something brand new, and also yet Alabama goes on connecting along-- one prevailing win after another, as trusted as the sunrise.None of this particular is actually proof the committee obtained its decision right, of course. That was actually final season-- a various crew, a different opportunity. But it is actually evidence that within this disorderly sport, success is actually fleeting and opportunity typically brushes past like a Fla State linebacker skipping a tackle at the line of scrimmage.And also at a spot like Alabama, a course that has stood defiantly versus the winds of modification for 16 years currently, it's consistently much better to enjoy the good things while you have all of them. Considering that if there is actually everything we've profited from watching Florida Condition these previous nine months it's this: It can easily consistently get worse.Jump to: LSU survives|Atmosphere switches|Arizona's hottest crew The first 56 minutes of Sunday's game against South Carolina was actually much from pleasant for LSU.A set of unique teams gaffes, pair of turn overs and also some major runs through Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers possessed the Tigers having fun catchup typically. South Carolina dove bent on a 24-10 lead, saw LSU take ahead quickly in the fourth one-fourth, after that viewed Spacecraft Sanders burst for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Jumping block refutes LSU punting, establishes South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II blocks out the LSU punt, which sets up a Raheim Sanders touchdown to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With lower than four minutes to participate in, LSU routed by 4, and Brian Kelly had actually experienced all six stages of grief: Aggravation, indignation, hostility, temper, inquiring to speak to the manager as well as, eventually, deliberating the completion his players.But Garrett Nussmeier used to the rescue along with his 29-yard fulfillment to Kyren Lacy to jumpstart a 55-yard goal drive to place LSU up 36-33. South Carolina possessed one last gap at the gain, seeking a 49-yard field goal as time ended, yet it missed out on, offering Kelly an odds to commemorate a hard-earned win before going back to his office to watch movie as well as shout in to a pillow.Week 3 feel shiftsTrending down: Completing all your throwsThe excellent news for Michigan QB Davis Warren is every pass he included Michigan's 28-18 win over Arkansas State on Saturday was caught.The problem is actually, 3 of all of them were actually caught by Arkansas State players.So, right here's where we are actually along with the standing up for champs: After decades rotating by means of a slide carousel of quarterbacks who succeeded their placement through finding a gold ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were actually addressed to 2 seasons of J.J. McCarthy and also presumed possibly points had actually altered completely. As an alternative, Warren is averaging 6.1 yards-per-pass with 2 goals and six selections with 3 games.Now, USC performs deck upcoming full week, and also Michigan is actually left behind searching for an answer between Warren or Alex Orji or to wish there is actually another QB tucked away in Jim Harbaugh's deserted storage locker responsible for those containers tagged "indicators for every rival, 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 quarter Friday night, and also UNLV upset Kansas 23-20. It was actually the Rebels' second gain a Power 4 rival actually this season after disposing Houston in the opener. Exactly how exceptional is actually that? Going Into Sunday, Northern Illinois' distress of Notre Dame was actually the only various other Team of 5 draw an electrical power event foe.Like with just about anything in Vegas, it's a little bit of capability as well as a lot of luck.play0:40 UNLV somehow produces outrageous fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka screws up the round, however somehow UNLV keeps things after the ball touches multiple Kansas players' hands.Still, it's risk-free to say Barry Odom possesses the Rebels topping at the correct time, along with UNLV's sales pitch to the extending Pac-12 now looking fairly solid: A significant market, an excellent crew, and accessibility to myriad all-night smorgasbords. At that point all Odom requires to perform is actually take that Pac-12 payment in potato chips, bet everything on black on a solitary roulette spin, double down 2 or even three more times, and advancement-- UNLV is actually having fun with SEC money.Land of the increasing Sunshine DevilsA year back, Arizona was actually the beloved of the university regulation football globe after a frisking 10-3 time, while Arizona Condition was a laughing sell pushed to start a carolers of struggling quarterbacks possibly including a couple individuals they located hanging around outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a distinction a year makes.Arizona swayed farewell to head coach Jedd Fisch, who left for Washington, and opened this season with two unimpressive draw New Mexico as well as Northern Arizona just before being up to Kansas Condition 31-7 on Friday. It was Arizona's worst repulsive efficiency considering that being locked out at Colorado in 2021. The Sunlight Devils, however, discovered a QB in Sam Leavitt and are actually using high after eliminating Texas Condition on Thursday 31-28, starting 3-0 for the very first time due to the fact that 2019. Arizona State is actually the shock group of 2024 until now (unless you consider bad surprises, which Fla State hopes you don't), and also Dillingham's turnaround of a program left in mess after the Herm Edwards period ended specifically as every person mentioned it will.