Welcome back to VIBE CHECK, where we monitor and assess the weekly pulse of college football. Each week, we grade a handful of teams based on their on-field performance, off-field shenanigans (good and bad!), message board chatter, and more. This is very (read: not at all) scientific and should be taken very (read: not at all) seriously.
It’s spOooOoooky season, and that means we are in the meat of the college football calendar. Heading into Week 9, it’s still the usual suspects at the top with Georgia, Ohio State and Clemson undefeated, but don’t sleep on a 7-0 Tennessee squad. The Vols host a solid Kentucky team in one of three ranked-ranked matchups this weekend.
So who is getting treats this week, and who is getting tricks? Let’s get to the vibes.
You Love to See It: Coastal Chaos
Ok, some of you might say that this is actually bad, but I am a true college football fan. The Coastal Division in the ACC — Duke, North Carolina, Miami, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Virginia and Virginia Tech — has long been an absolute mess. From 2013-2019, all seven schools won the division once (and all lost to the Atlantic Division winner in the ACC Championship Game).
Early on this season, North Carolina is in control of the division with a 3-0 record. BUT, Coastal Chaos is still in play. While we can’t have a 7-way tie with a 4-4 ACC record and 3-3 record against Coastal teams, we CAN still have a 7-way 4-4 tie with Virginia (!!) winning the division with a 4-2 record against fellow Coastal squads.
Thankfully, legendary ACC expert Patrick Stevens did the math for us.
Went looking to see if it was possible to send the ACC Coastal out in truly chaotic fashion, but the possibility of a seven-way 4-4 ACC/3-3 division tie is gone.
But a seven-way tie at 4-4 with Virginia claiming the division? That's still in play. #CoastalChaos pic.twitter.com/vPmTitEs3m
— Patrick Stevens (@D1scourse) October 24, 2022
Straight Up Not Having a Good Time: Oh hey, it's Auburn again!
Two weeks ago, we said Bryan Harsin and the Auburn faithful were not enjoying themselves. Well, it hasn’t gotten better. It’s actually gotten worse, if you can believe it. Auburn has lost three straight, though losses to Georgia and Ole Miss are forgivable (from a “they’re good” standpoint, not a “we hate them and losing to them is never ok” rivalry standpoint). The Tigers are now 3-4 on the season, with just one win — a three-point victory over Mizzou — over a Power 5 team.
Anyway, their fans are doing great!
Auburn University if Bryan Harsin was never hired. pic.twitter.com/P9InOycrNO
— Hayden, but (4-8) (@HFulwood) October 26, 2022
The best time to fire Harsin was after he didn’t go for two in the first overtime of the iron bowl. And then next best time is right now
— Done with Boise Barbee (@JamesJones_55) October 26, 2022
You Love to See It: Halloween dogs
Halloween is Monday, which means this weekend will be filled with amazing costume content. Texas A&M’s wonderful mascot, Reveille X, took to Twitter to ask for help choosing her majestic costume. Should she be a pumpkin, a hot dog or a lion?
I need help picking my Halloween costume, my Aggies! Which one is your favorite? 🌭 🦁 🎃 🐾 pic.twitter.com/ajcsPwDL4A
— Reveille X (@reveille) October 27, 2022
Juice Kiffin, dog of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and noted favorite of this website, put in his two cents with a video of him in a hot dog costume.
Matching hot dogs! https://t.co/xaQSoVnKpR pic.twitter.com/cRx7plMxl9
— Juice Kiffin (@JuiceKiffin) October 28, 2022
Another friend of the site, Butler Blue IV, went with a Star Wars theme.
Pew Pew. #ButlerBooIV pic.twitter.com/e6i4IzUlbF
— Butler Blue IV (@TheButlerBlue) October 25, 2022
Straight Up Not Having a Good Time: Hello darkness, Texas A&M
Man, what is going on with Texas A&M? The Aggies are now 3-4 on the season, and the two wins — which seemed impressive at the time — are to an absolutely hapless Miami team that turned the ball over EIGHT times against Duke and an underperforming Arkansas squad that fell from the Top-10 to unranked.
They’ve lost three straight and are coming off a humbling performance against South Carolina in which they fell behind 17-0 from the jump (including a 100-yard opening kickoff return by the Gamecocks).
Starting off strong 😤@XavierLegette gets the #Gamecocks on the board with a 100-yard TD! https://t.co/EqHhZQZA1F pic.twitter.com/2HDog9YUqN
— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) October 22, 2022
Didn’t think things could get worse? Well, now three players have been suspended for “a locker room incident” after the South Carolina loss. This is a program with a ridiculous amount of money, a coach with a ridiculous contract for a ridiculous amount of money and a roster full of players with ridiculously high ratings.
You Love to See It: Bo Nix is having a moment
You know how we said Auburn was not having fun? Well it cannot help to have your ex (in this case your quarterback) thriving out there with someone new. Bo Nix parted way with the Tigers after the 2021 season, heading to Oregon to play for the Ducks.
Oregon is now 6-1 after rattling off six straight wins, and Nix has officially entered the Heisman Trophy debate. Not only is Nix winning, he’s doing it in style with five touchdowns in a top-10 victory and throwing the most gorgeous touchdown passes you can imagine.
This Bo Nix TD throw is majestic as hell pic.twitter.com/Hpx2nLOoxg
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) October 22, 2022
Breakups are hard. Breakups are harder when your ex is thriving in front of everybody while you sit at home in sweats eating day old leftovers straight from the container.
