Five up and five down from a weekend of football:
5 up
- Kentucky football: Of course. A Top 10 team? Who’d have thunk it? As a previous commenter opined, No. 8 does seem a bit high. But enjoy it while it lasts. Who know when it will come this way again.
- Micah Johnson: Kentucky’s sophomore middle linebacker is coming into his own, recording a career-high four tackles, then snatching a tip-drill out of the Commonwealth and air and returning it for a 21-yard touchdown in the Cats’ 45-17 spanking of Florida Atlantic.
- Brett Favre: The Packers legend set the all-time touchdown pass record on Sunday. Better still, while some have called for No. 4 to walk through the retirement door, Favre has Green Bay 4-0.
- Browns: Many a Browns fan grew up in these parts (me being one) and many a Browns fan is surprised by this 2-2 start. Yesterday’s 27-13 thumping of Baltimore means that Romeo Crennel/Phil Savage may actually be making progress. Who knew?
- South Florida: Jim Leavitt’s Bulls jumped all the way to No. 6 thanks to Friday night flogging of West Virginia. I remember the 1999 Outback Bowl when Leavitt was hanging around the Kentucky practices, observing Hal Mumme and Co. at work. He’s built the USF program from scratch.
5 down
- Louisville: I know, the Cards finally got on the winning side, beating North Carolina State 29-10. But the Willie Williams fiasco in which the marijuana-eating, habitual criminal was arrested and then booted from the Cardinals program was another black eye. Hard to believe a guy with an 11-arrest rap sheet would fall off the wagon, right?
- Norv Turner: What was that made the Chargers think Norvball would be better than Martyball?
- Florida: Stupid and numerous penalties deep-sixed the Gators shot of staying unbeaten with a comeback win over Auburn.
- Nick Saban: He’ll do fine as the Tide coach. But Saint Nick is not a miracle-worker. Florida State proved that.
- Mississippi State: Now the Bulldogs have lost quarterback Josh Riddell for the season, after earlier losing Michael Henig. Maybe Sylvester Croom himself will have to start taking snaps.
