My initial response to SC's tough win on Saturday was obviously [one of mixed emotions]. I was happy that we won but not how we won. It was obviously a game that I thought we should have won handily but one that we obviously didn't.
TXMed put up a great diary essentially telling us nervous nellies to calm down. It's true, SC fans are nervous at times and recently that nervousness has a lot to do with expectations. I've tried to take all of the hype in stride and even tried to down play it. That at times can be tough as it can be easy to get wrapped up in all that is going on. I think a lot of it also has to do with the past, it was just 2 years ago that SC was coming off a their second national championship looking for a third, we all know the results there.
There were chants that SC doesn't rebuild they reload! There is some truth to that as SC was once again in the hunt last season before losing to the bruins and missing out on what may have been a great game against Ohio State. The amount of coverage that college football has been getting from all forms of media has put the sport at an all time level of interest and with that interest comes a lot of different analysis.
TXMed makes some great points in regards to how SC played this weekend but the numbers don't lie. Of course some of the comments in that thread attempted to downplay SC's performance with a lot of if if if and coulda woulda shoulda. Even our scheduling was called into question. Of course any comments form either side is steeped in partisanship as our detractors will point to anything that they can to make SC look less that what they are or our supporters whose comments can be taken with a serious grain of salt as we obviously support our team and we have an agenda. But, as I mentioned, one of the benefits of all the attention that college football has been some great analysis from a lot of different areas regardless of ones position.
Sunday Morning Quarterback is one such person. His analysis, knowledge and insight into all things CFB makes for some great reading and while a lot of gnashing of teeth was going on in regards to our win Saturday, SMQ has his own take and cuts through the crap with some great analysis.
TXMed made a lot of the same observations but because he is an SC alum it would be easy for some to point out his bias. SMQ has no such bias and his analysis and reputation in his following of this sport remains unquestioned.
You bet SC dominated. I may not have noticed it at first but others pointed things out to me and the picture became clear. It is unlikely SC will ever have a team like they did in 2004 and 2005 but this is now and SC has a chance to go on another run and hopefully grab another championship or two.
It didn't have to be pretty only effective. Those who changed their votes in the polls- AP, Coaches or BlogPoll may not have looked at all the numbers and probably don't know this team as well as some of us do and their votes reflect it. SC dominated Saturday it just wasn't pretty, it really didn't need to be because when you look at it as they are still at #2 and the last time I looked there isn't a play-off as only the top 2 teams play in the title game.
SC will be fine as I don't think they will play that bad again this season. But they do need to keep this performance in the back of their mind.