A bittersweet season

When is the last time you saw the name “Mississippi” in the top five, even 10? With Mississippi State sitting at number one and Ole Miss at three, you can bet the world is finally going to learn how to spell “MI — double S — I- double S — I — double P — I.”

With every upset, I picture the rookies of the College Football Bowl Selection Committee squirm. I imagine they’re wishing they had purchased stock in TUMS right about now.

They aren’t the only ones. I’d wager Georgia and Florida State head football coaches Mark Richt and Jimbo Fisher are popping TUMS like Tic Tacs. Include law enforcement officials in Morgantown and everyone who has anything to do with athletics at the University of North Carolina (UNC).

Richt’s star running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Todd Gurley allegedly accepted payment for signing autographs. Fisher has Jameis Winston to worry about — every second of every day.

Police assigned to Morgantown on a home football game day are torn between cheering for a win and hoping for a loss. And the University of North Carolina has 18 years of “paper classes” to explain.

Richt sits in the best position. He acted swiftly, suspending Gurley until the investigation is complete. His Dawgs responded with back-to-back wins against key SEC opponents.

Fisher’s woes start and end with a capital “W,” as in “Winston.” The Heisman Trophy winning quarterback followed up an accusation of sexual assault with a crab leg heist.

Earlier this season, he was suspended from the Clemson game for a foul-mouthed rap/rant in the FSU student union. Prior to last week’s Notre Dame game, Winston was mentioned with Gurley’s in the autograph-for-pay scheme.

Like Georgia and Florida State, WVU has had its fair share of successful football seasons. Rioting students in Morgantown made the upset of Baylor look like our first victory — ever. The guilty parties have yet to learn that winning with class garners respect for their university.

Speaking of respected universities, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has long been esteemed for its academic and athletic accomplishments — until now. UNC’s star is growing dim. The spotlight has turned on possibly the biggest academic fraud scandal in history.

Over the past 18 years, more than 3100 athletes remained eligible by taking fake classes that fraudulently boosted their GPAs. The university downplayed allegations for five years, admitting to only to a few irregularities and placing the blame on one professor for “going rogue.”

Now it appears heads will roll — a lot of them.

I’m waiting to hear who else, besides Todd Gurley and Jameis Winston, is accepting compensation for signed memorabilia. And I’m a Florida State fan, but watching Jameis Winston demonstrate his athletic gifts during the Notre Dame game was bittersweet.

My euphoria after the Baylor upset was quickly replaced by disappointment as another opportunity for our state to shine “rioted” away. Meanwhile, the tremors from the scandal at UNC are mere precursors to the earthquake soon to rock college athletics.

The 2014 college football season should be remembered for unbelievable catches, last minute touchdown passes and thrilling finishes. But clouds continue to cast shadows, barring the word “pure” from describing our enjoyment.

Genny McCutcheon can be reached at genrmac@gmail.com or follow on Twitter@GeNRMac