FROM BEAMER TO BRADY TO BENJAMIN

 Briefly told:

So … you want to be a big-time football coach … and make 

all that money, eh? South Carolina’s SHANE BEAMER

 might disagree after dropping Saturday’s game to No. 16 

LSU 36-33 … blowing a 17-0 lead in the process … The 

winning touchdown came with 1:12 remaining on a two-

yard run by JOSH WILLIAMS … but it never should have 

come to that. The Gamecocks simply went braindead during 

LSU’s final possession, twice being called for offsides. The 

second, by fifth-year senior KYLE KINNARD, a transfer 

from Georgia Tech who lined up in the neutral zone, was 

bad enough, giving the Tigers a first and goal which 

Williams quickly exploited … However, the real killer came 

a few snaps earlier when, on fourth and three, a sophomore 

DB identified as JUDGE COLLIER jumped the count and 

clearly came too soon on an apparent blitz … After review, 

the ensuing pass, originally called complete at the 

Gamecocks’ 10, was ruled incomplete. But, instead of 

turning the ball over, LSU retained possession and wound up 

handing South Carolina its first loss after two victories … 

And Big BOO of the Week to ESPN’s CHRIS FOWLER

 and KIRK HERBSTREIT for ignoring the culprits and, 

worse yet, failing to point out (notice?) what Collier’s goof 

really meant to the outcome … Of course, there was enough 

blame to go around. Earlier, Kinnard twice was penalized 

roughing the quarterback, the second a questionable – at best 

– hit that nullified a 100-yard pick-6 … It was the second 

USC interception returned for a touchdown that was called 

back for a penalty. Ouch!

At least there was no question about the penalties for 

offsides. They were among a whopping 13 called against his 

team and, said Beamer later, “You can’t win playing like that 

… without discipline.” … Switch to the Oregon-Oregon 

State game on Fox. The OSU quarterback is buried by 

Oregon’s blitzing, untouched linebackerDEVON 

JACKSON. Great play, right? Wrong. Flag. Jackson is 

called for targeting and personal foul, roughing the passer … 

and, after we see replay, former official turned Fox expert on 

such things,MIKE PEREIRA, says, “I don’t think it’s 

roughing the passer or targeting. He’s not late, and he 

certainly doesn’t lead with the crown of the helmet. I just 

don’t see this as a foul, period. Remember, even if they take 

off targeting, they can’t take off roughing the passer.” … 

Would he be in favor of changing the rule and allow over-

ruling roughing infractions as well? “Yes.”

After a short delay to review his call, the referee says, 

“There is no foul for targeting. Number 26 [Jackson] can 

remain in the game. However, there IS a foul for roughing 

the passer …” Not really but …

SO, WHAT do you think … with the currently two-team 

Pac-12 adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and 

San Diego State from the Mountain West Conference in 

2026 … will it make sense for California and Stanford to 

leave the ACC and join them? Just asking.

RAISE YOUR hand if … you think the revenue distribution 

to athletes (student no longer applies), forced on the NCAA 

by the courts, doesn’t take Title IX into consideration … 

which will result in a fine mess, Ollie.

GET SERIOUS! … TOM BRADY couldn’t have been as 

bad in his Fox-on-NFL debut as critics suggest. Could he? 

… The next DREW BREES? JOE MONTANA? … JOE 

BUCK leaped to the G.O.A.T’s defense … and promptly 

took some blows to the old larynx from people who don’t 

like his air work either. DUMB! … Brady got another 

chance Sunday with Saints/Cowboys. Wanna bet he did a lot 

better?

EASILY … unquestionably … no doubt about it … 

runaway leaders in the clubhouse for Most Obnoxious 

Sportscasters of the Year Award goes to HARRY 

BENJAMIN and KARUN CHANDHOK… who yapped – 

yelled was more like it -- non-stop on SkySports coverage of 

Sunday’s Formula I Grand Prix race from Azerbaijan seen 

here on ESPN … Come on, guys … give our ears a break.

Fortunately … they were temporaries … standing in for

 DAVID CROFT and MARTIN BRUNDLE occasionally 

this season … when Croft missed his first race since getting 

the job of lead announcer in 2019.

Until next time ...