If the ache of a program and its fan base may be encapsulated in a single picture, Hilary Scheinuk of The Advocate managed to ship it on Saturday. Scheinuk shot a searing picture of LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini strolling off the sector after shedding to Missouri that captured him along with his palm pressed on his brow, equal elements overwhelmed, helpless and exasperated.

Within the wake of the defending nationwide champions’ 45-41 loss, maybe somebody informed Pelini that he’d quickly need to get able to cease Florida’s offense subsequent week. The picture went viral on Twitter and prompted visceral reactions.

LSU is off to a traditionally dangerous begin, as it’s 1-2 for the primary time since 1994. They’ve given up extra factors by way of three video games than any time in program historical past. And don’t pin this on LSU needing to play three SEC video games to open the season, both. LSU has misplaced to a pair of pedestrian unranked SEC groups that shall be fortunate to raise to the league’s center class.

Understanding all the losses on the teaching workers and roster, it’s nonetheless placing at simply how far LSU has fallen.

It’s tough to choose the worst half about Missouri torching them for 586 complete yards. Was it that redshirt freshman quarterback Connor Bazelak did it in his second profession begin? Or was it that Missouri gathered 406 receiving yards regardless of three of their prime 5 wideouts – together with two starters – lacking the sport for COVID-19-related causes?

LSU quarterback Myles Brennan heads off the sector as members of the Missouri Tigers have a good time an LSU turnover on downs within the remaining seconds of an NCAA school soccer sport Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, in Columbia, Mo. Missouri upset LSU 45-41. (AP Photograph/L.G. Patterson)Extra

The varsity that goes to nice lengths to determine as DBU is getting eaten alive by a group of pedestrian passers and receivers. Elite LSU nook Derek Stingley regarded dinged up on Saturday and didn’t seem like his All-American self. However the remainder of the secondary is common as grits, and Pelini – as the image exhibits – doesn’t seem to have any solutions. The one elite factor about this LSU protection is their knack to make the opposition appear like world-beaters.

LSU coach Ed Orgeron made his title as a line of defense coach. However he’s spent little time working a protection, as his profession has been hallmarked as extra of a recruiter and motivator than an general tactician. If you end up a head coach with out substantial X-and-O acumen that’s out of the blue confronted with each a gaping expertise deficit and a longtime schematic drawback, it may very well be an extended season.

Orgeron isn’t as dangerous of a head coach as many thought he was after the loss to Troy again in 2017. However these previous few weeks have reminded us that he’s most likely not in that elite class with Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney both, even after the dominating season in 2019 that led to LSU’s nationwide title.

LSU appears out of solutions and the questions are solely going to get more durable. Joe Burrow, Dave Aranda and Joe Brady aren’t strolling by way of that door. And the Tigers face a seven-game stretch to complete the season the place they’ll be heavy underdogs in 4 video games.

Meaning lots extra alternative for painful freeze frames.

Texas falters once more, placing stress on Tom Herman

The darkish cloud of gloom within the state will get shifted to Austin, the place the Longhorns fell to 2-2 after a four-overtime loss to rival Oklahoma, 53-45. The Longhorns erased a two-touchdown lead within the waning minutes of regulation, solely to fall within the fourth extra time on a Sam Ehlinger interception ultimately zone.

No fault ought to be shifted to Ehlinger, although. He completed with 4 dashing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns and 287 passing yards. He led two late drives to tie the sport and offered the resiliency and toughness that shall be his profession hallmarks.

The fault once more shifts to Tom Herman and the Texas teaching workers, as this group is strictly what we thought it was. The Longhorns are penalty susceptible, particular groups poor and nonetheless deal with as if the opponent has been dipped in Vaseline. They’re wildly entertaining, as all three Massive 12 video games have been among the many most thrilling of this younger season.

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However Texas isn’t paying Herman to be entertaining, and now the Longhorns are tied with Oklahoma at 1-2 within the Massive 12 and looking for hope for the remainder of their season. “A whole lot of them are self-inflicted wounds,” Herman mentioned after the sport. “I’m upset. Once more, it’s my job to be sure that they don’t occur.”

Texas completed with 11 penalties for 101 yards, the worst of which can have been an pointless roughness penalty by heart Derek Kerstetter that value Texas an opportunity to attain a landing within the first half. Punter Ryan Bujcevski’s private foul after making a deal with on OU’s Marvin Mims that arrange an Oklahoma third-quarter landing wasn’t even the dumbest mistake he made all day. That was his inexplicable molasses execution of a punt within the first half that OU blocked and scored on 5 performs later. Texas’ particular groups stay tortured, and the Longhorns’ self-discipline harm them for prolonged stretches till the fourth quarter.

“Extraordinarily pleased with the battle and resiliency, however we all know we’ve acquired an extended solution to go and quite a bit to wash up,” Herman mentioned. “We’ve additionally acquired plenty of our season forward of us.”

After three Massive 12 video games that exhibited acquainted errors and shortcomings, the shock would if Texas manages to look distinctly totally different.

Texas head coach Tom Herman offers directions to Texas tight finish Malcolm Epps (19) throughout extra time of an NCAA school soccer sport in Dallas, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma defeated Texas 53-45 in extra time.(AP Photograph/Michael Ainsworth)

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Jimbo Fisher lastly scores big-time win at Texas A&M

It’d been so lengthy since Jimbo Fisher gained a giant sport that it was jarring to listen to that once-familiar uptempo verbal supply in his postgame interview after upsetting No. Four Florida on Saturday, 41-38. After two largely irrelevant seasons in Faculty Station, Fisher has managed to lastly writer a signature victory. It was Texas A&M’s first win towards a top-five opponent in Fisher’s tenure.

The portrait of Fisher celebrating on the sideline, fist-pumping his method down the sector and rushing by way of his syllables – nobody talks sooner than Jimbo – confirmed the catharsis that the victory offered.

In 12 months Three of his totally assured 10-year, $75 million contract, Fisher hadn’t offered a lot pop for Texas A&M’s {dollars}. However this victory supplies each an adrenaline shot for this system and a lift to the profession of senior quarterback Kellen Mond, whose improvement had appeared to flatline after some moments of early guarantees.

However Mond went 25-for-35 for 338 yards and three touchdowns. He led A&M on a 40-yard drive within the sport’s remaining 3:40 after a fumble by Florida’s Malik Davis squandered UF’s probability to win and arrange the Aggies. Seth Small drilled a 26-yard subject objective as time expired to ship the win. (Isaiah Spiller rushed for 174 yards and two landing and was the day’s largest star.)

Fisher was clearly elated after the sport. “They didn’t take note of the scoreboard,” he mentioned. “They performed the subsequent play. …Soccer is a sport of will and you’ll’t allow them to break it.”

A&M (2-1) trailed 28-17 halfway by way of the third quarter and fought again. They need to be favored of their subsequent three video games – at Mississippi State, Arkansas and at South Carolina. “It exhibits you what you are able to,” Fisher mentioned. “Now what you observe up with tells you what you are able to.”

Tennessee stumbles to the end line

No. Three Georgia ended up blowing out Tennessee, 44-21, however the tenor of a majority of the sport didn’t match the ultimate rating.

The tortured Vols followers craving for relevancy and competitiveness within the SEC East will look again on the third quarter of this sport for the place issues went mistaken. Tennessee led 21-17 at halftime and fell aside in a 3rd quarter riddled with questionable play-calling and turnovers. The spiral led to the Vols getting shut out within the second half.

The drives the place Tennessee acquired the ball within the third quarter unfolded this manner – fumble, interception, punt, punt and punt. Alongside the way in which, Tennessee misplaced its id, because the offensive line that was speculated to be this system’s fulcrum crumbled towards Georgia’s elite protection.

In a hail of false begins, falling behind the chains and getting swallowed by the Georgia go rush, the Vols offense disappeared within the Athens evening. Tennessee offensive coordinator Jim Chaney is not the Georgia OC, partially, for lapses like this when he’d abandon the run sport, lose id and lose management of video games.

Credit score Georgia with the stress, scheme and expertise to suffocate Tennessee. However after holding their very own and showing to match up within the first half, Tennessee failed to copy what acquired it there.

Tennessee completed the day 4-of-17 on third down, with 10 penalties and -1 complete dashing yard on 27 makes an attempt. A few of that may be attributed to Georgia’s 5 sacks for 46 yards. Tennessee additionally yielded 13 factors from turnovers.

Tennessee competed for a half, but in addition confirmed it’s nonetheless a great distance from the SEC’s elite.

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