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The only ranked SEC team in action on Saturday, Alabama, cruised past Tennessee yet again. There were only four games this weekend, so a bunch of fanbases had Saturday off from having to fret over their team. Even in an era of reduced stadium capacities because of the coronavirus, that is a lot of fans staying home.
Bama fans, despite a blowout win over their rival, had plenty of reason to be bummed out because star receiver Jaylen Waddle broke his ankle and is out for the season.
Me on my way to Tennessee so I can cut my leg off and give it to Jaylen Waddle. #BAMAvsTENN pic.twitter.com/QSCFa53cV0
— Northern Mess (@NorthernMess) October 24, 2020
Vols fans who witnessed their team get dropped by the Crimson Tide for the 14th year in a row did not have a good feeling on Saturday either:
This guy in the upper right is having a bad day #sadSECfans #BAMAvsTENN pic.twitter.com/M102PsD6As
— sadSECfans (@sadSECfans) October 24, 2020
And of course the anti-Tide brigade is always out in force:
https://twitter.com/voice4pastors/status/1320092747177594880?s=20
Think this guy wants to take back his pregame rap?
We have found the epitome of a Tennessee fan pic.twitter.com/58UMP137w1
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) October 24, 2020
So were the folks who are not fans of CBS analyst Gary Danielson:
Can someone mute Gary Danielson?
— van den Berg (@van_den_berger) October 24, 2020
Meanwhile, LSU pounded South Carolina, providing another opportunity for snark from Clemson:
That’s the South Carolina we all know & love
— Tiger Commenter (@TigerCommenter) October 25, 2020
Around the country, there were a few surprising results, including Rutgers — you know, the program that has been the Arkansas of the Big Ten for a few years — winning a game in the B1G for the first time since 2017 by knocking off Michigan State in East Lansing. Hey, based on how Arkansas is suddenly playing, maybe this is the year the Razorbacks and Scarlet Knights both rise up. That thought will not amuse MSU fans:
Michigan State is going out SAD. OMG ????
— 2023 National Champions (@Miserable_PhD) October 24, 2020
And Penn State fans were more than miffed when their No. 8 Nittany Lions lost in shocking fashion at Indiana, with a controversial call on a winning 2-point attempt by the Hoosiers in overtime sealing the deal:
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) October 24, 2020
Rival fans, of course, don’t want to hear it:
not sure if that was the right call but love to see sad penn state fans!!!
— Abby Mueller (@abby_mueller_) October 24, 2020
This moment from the Middle Tennessee vs. Rice game doesn’t involve a sad tinge (unless you’re the kicker), but it just has to be seen anyway. Folks, we give you the quadruple doink:
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) October 24, 2020
Coastal Carolina is ranked for the first time ever and enjoys a “transitive property victory” over everyone in the Big 12 except for unbeaten Oklahoma State:
With Texas Tech's win over West Virginia, Coastal Carolina has now has transitive wins over 90% of the Big 12. Pokes remain elusive. pic.twitter.com/yUAa7Bzb7C
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) October 25, 2020
Finally, in the era of COVID-19, we still can’t help but notice how weird it is when we see seats normally filled with screaming fans being taken instead by cardboard cutouts:
Cutout fans in the stands capturing the strangeness of 2020. Fans may be absent in person, but are not absent in spirit pic.twitter.com/s5kUAytEn8
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) October 24, 2020
Yes, these circumstances are sad. But at least if crowds sound flat, we know why.
Longtime newspaper veteran Jim Tomlin is a copy editor and writer with SaturdayDownSouth.com.
