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College Football 2017: What did we learn from week 3?

By Andrew Hammond

ATHENS, GA - SEPTEMBER 27: Head coach Butch Jones of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on September 27, 2014 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATHENS, GA - SEPTEMBER 27: Head coach Butch Jones of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on September 27, 2014 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Heading into Week 4 of the college football season that strange voodoo that this sport does so well is in full force. But first, what did we learn this week?

We’re halfway through September and things have become very fascinating the college football world. Week three gave us a glimpse at the grim future of some teams and at the same time provided moments of “coming down to earth”. From coaches on the hot seat to honeymoons ending in Starkville, college football’s third week of 2017 provided ripple effects that we will be seeing well into December.

Start out the buyout calculators in Lincoln, Knoxville and more will follow

On Saturday, before the night was over you could just hear the heat coming off message boards across the country. Not the usual “my team lost and I’m mad online” but the rare September, *insert traditional power* struggles and now all of a sudden people are mad. They’ve got a reason to be upset, especially in Lincoln and Knoxville.

Mike Riley was brought in to be the anti-Bo Pelini at Nebraska and he has lived up to that standard ever since he was there. He shakes the hands of fans and is not a nuisance when it comes to the media. However, he’s also the anti-Pelini as he is 16-13 as of this reading which is a win percentage of .552. In his first 29 games as the Nebraska head man, Pelini was 22-8 with a win percentage of .733. Losing to Northern Illinois was rock bottom for a program that was slowly sinking down and now a game that even Bill Callahan wouldn’t lose, is now lost by Mike Riley. His time in Nebraska may be up sooner rather than later.

Butch Jones has had a rough time at Tennessee, yes he’s had wins in bowl games and has put high quality players through to the pros but there’s been an absence of legit success in Knoxville for almost 15 years now. Tennessee has not won the SEC East since 2007 and now they’re just known as champions of life instead of legit SEC East contenders.

Saturday’s loss at Florida was the entire Jones era summed up in four quarters. Great offensive performances, bad breakdowns on defense and now all of a sudden a major gaffe to end the ballgame. Don’t remember? Here’s a refresher:

Can Jones and Tennessee recover? Yes, however Saturday is just a reminder of what the Vols fans have complained about for so long. So close, yet so far away.

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