South Carolina-North Carolina was the marquee match-up of the night, and it provided the predictable blandness we've come to expect from this program as we've so often seen in recent years when the Gamecocks open the schedule with a Thursday night primetime game on ESPN. Thankfully other games provided all the fireworks the audience was craving.
Ole Miss-Vandy was a barnburner. While Robert Nkemdiche was perhaps a slight disappointment in his debut (just as fellow former No. 1 prospect Jadeveon Clowney was in Columbia on the same night), the game lived up to its billing as a match-up of two SEC programs on the rise. Jordan Matthews continues to cement his reputation as perhaps the best receiver in the conference. I'm also curious to see how James Franklin rallies the team in light of that gut-wrenching loss to start the season, not to mention the cloud that continues to hang over his program in light of off-field issues that have sullied the program's good name.
The Rebels still figure to drop at least 3-4 games this fall, but Hugh Freeze appears to be building something special in Oxford. This stat that popped up on Twitter seems to bode well for Ole Miss, in the aftermath of their 39-35 triumph in Nashville last night.
This was Vandy's 5th home loss under Franklin. Others: Georgia (10-4), Arkansas (11-2) in 2011, SCar (11-2) and UF (11-2) in 2012.
— Paul Myerberg (@PaulMyerberg) August 30, 2013
Utah-Utah State also provided some high drama out west around the same time Ole Miss-Vandy was reaching its dramatic conclusion. The Utes held on for a 30-26 win. It will be interesting to see if the Aggies can continue their level of play in the post Gary Andersen-era. I'm sure these numbers were of no consolation to Utah State fans as they exited Rice-Eccles Stadium:
Since October 22, 2011, Utah State has lost four games by a total of 10 points.
— Jason Kirk (@JasonKirkSBN) August 30, 2013
But perhaps the most curious finish of the night took place in the San Joaquin Valley, as Fresno State and Rutgers put together an epic display of offense. Derek Carr's heroics led the Bulldogs back from a seven-point deficit with less than a minute to play as the senior completed 52-of-73 passes on the night for 456 yards and 5 touchdowns. After matching the Bulldogs with a touchdown in overtime, Kyle Flood made the decision to go for two. The play call was eerily reminiscent of another famous try for two points. Like Osborne's failed attempt in the 1984 Orange Bowl, Rutgers wasn't able to convert and Fresno State survived with the victory.
In the little bit of the game I watched, I was impressed with Derek Carr. Early draft projections have him as a mid-round guy, but I think he's got the game to go much higher than that. He may not have the same howitzer for an arm that his brother did, but he's got a similar frame and an excellent feel for the game. Precise accuracy on intermediate throws too. I always thought David Carr got a bit of a raw deal in the pro ranks, going to an awful Houston expansion franchise that couldn't keep him upright in the pocket with any consistency.
Of course, he's made about $50 million in career earnings, so it hasn't all been bad. And he still has a primo gig backing up Eli Manning. Still, I can't help but wonder if he would have developed into a top-line starter had he entered the league to some different circumstances than he did. Perhaps Derek will fair better, and with his performance on Thursday night, I'd say he has a chance to rise as high as the second quarterback taken in the NFL Draft. He's not getting past Teddy Bridgewater at this point, of course.
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