Yeah, I know. We're running a little behind on our game recap. It'll be up a little later today. But there are other things to celebrate as well. Opponents' wins and losses. Young men becoming heroes. Now, above all, we at Maize n Brew hold our Michigan heroes in highest esteem. However, occasionally, there are those in College Football who raise the bar of excellence and/or awesomeness in College Football to a whole 'nother level. Today, along with a little extra CFB news, we celebrate two such men.
2009 College Football Season Man Crush #1: We have a new hero. I don't give a shit if he plays for Notre Dame. This is the greatest touchdown celebration I have ever seen. Nothing short of unearthing a flamethrower and setting fire to the goal posts will ever top Golden Tate's swan dive into the Michigan State Band following his game winning touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter.
Tate, last seen flambe'ing Boubacar Cissoko in white wine and honey, continued in the magnificence his name commands by stuffing and piking the entire Michigan State secondary and slow roasting them over the heat of his ever lengthening highlight reel. Now, we hadn't quite forgiven Golden Tate for his 115 yard, two touchdown performance coupled with a prance into the endzone on his second score; but after Saturday, we're ready to forgive. We're past that actually. We want a framed photo of this for our office. Signed preferably. Tate in mid-flight, just as he's about to crash down on the MSU band like a US Airways jet on the Hudson. People'd walk in and say "Hey, I thought you went to Michigan." Then I'm like, "I did. Look at the fear in their eyes. I just wanted that captured for eternity." Look at the disbelief and shock on the faces of the bandos. Then look at the gigantic shit eating grin on Tate's face as he stomps out of the geek squad realizing what he'd just gotten away with.
Single. Greatest. Touchdown. Celebration. Ever. (Video HT: EDSBS). The fact that it Michigan State is on the short end of the celebration stick has nothing to do with it. Nothing at all....
Tate, hurry up and graduate so you can make oodles of money in the pros so that you can pull crap like this every week. Once is just not enough. Just never do that against Michigan. The tubas are packin' heat. I'm just saying.
(more after the jump....)
2009 College Football Season Man Crush #2: Jacory Harris. I'm not ashamed of it. I'm a big Miami fan, and Harris is the first reason for optimism among Hurricane fans in a number of years. 270 yards passing, three TDs, and no picks against the ACC's top defense. Damn. The Cane's are back. And if you doubt that, consider their win over Florida State.
Two More non-BCS Balloons Busted: Florida State absolutely mauled BYU. Eviscerating the Cougars 54-28 in Provo. The Seminoles had five takeaways without coughing the ball up once. They ran for over 300 yards and threw for almost 200. I wasn't sold on BYU being a top ten team, but that's a serious beat down of a good team. Florida State still has a brutal conference schedule waiting for them, but right now, even at 2-1 they look pretty impressive.
Tough week for the state of Utah. The Utes were outlasted by Oregon ending the nation's longest winning streak
Washington Tops USC: You knew it was coming at some point. But I didn't think Washington would be able to knock the Trojans off. I didn't think it'd be close. Kudos to the Huskies.
Hey, the Big Ten Can Beat a Pac 10 Team: Props to Iowa for taking out the Pac 10's middle tier representative in Arizona. While it's a win and the Hawkeyes controlled the Time of Possession, Iowa probably should've won this one going away. But a win's a win, and after Northwestern's collapse against Syracuse, I'll take it. BTW, how is Iowa not ranked?
Battle of the Unbeatens! Wooo!: This week's Michigan Indiana game will match up two unbeaten teams as conference play opens up. Raise your hand if you saw this coming. Liar.
Farwell Myles: To end on a somber note, Former NCAA President Myles Brand passed away on September 16, 2009 after a prolonger battle with pancreatic cancer. Brand was the former president of Indiana University, probably best known for firing Bobby Knight, who ascended to the Presidency of the NCAA shortly thereafter. While we at Maize n Brew had many quibbles with Mr. Brand, he was uniformly regarded as a good man who cared deeply about the students and colleges he governed. He is survived by his wife, Peg, and a son, Joshua. God speed Myles.