Don’t Call it a Comeback
Anything at anytime and anywhere, no matter the score, can happen in CFB or life.
Taking a look at NIL lessons from Week 5 of the 2024 CFB season and how they can apply to sports, business and life.
If you are an athlete and would like our team to help share your story, please DM us or email TheNILReport@gmail.com.
Traveling back to my hometown last weekend, I visited my former basketball coach. The very first thing he wanted to show me was—I am not kidding—our tenth grade championship trophy proudly displayed in his office.
Not to go into great detail, but that game is a bit of a local legend. We trailed 18-0 after the first quarter, came back to tie it at 24 at half, and ultimately won by a bucket. If anyone has video from that fateful Sunday in 2009, I would certainly love to see it!
That story simply foreshadows the CFB weekend games that proved that no matter how far behind you fall or how hopeless and dire a situation feels; you can always turn it around.
Comebacks Galore
The purest NIL lesson out there: anytime can happen at anytime, anywhere. If you’re ahead, keep pushing forward and don’t take your eye off the ball.
If you’re down, just know you’re not out. You can fight back to win or close the deal.
In total there were nine games that featured comebacks— often double digits and in the second half.
BYU led by 21 early and survived Baylor’s comeback 34-28
Michigan led 24-3 entering the fourth, and won the Little Brown Jug classic 27-24 over Minnesota
Wisconsin was up 21-10 early, but USC scored 28 unanswered to win 38-21
Auburn was up 21-10, but turnovers allowed Oklahoma to prevail 27-21
Kentucky was able to secure the top 10 upset this time with a game-winning TD with about two minutes left to stun No. 6 Ole Miss
Western Kentucky led 20-7, but allowed Boston College to win 21-20
UNC jumped out to a 20-0 lead, but Duke came all the way back to win 21-20
Virginia Tech was up 10 late, but Miami used an inspired performance to win 38-34 and stay perfect
Even then the Hokies nearly got an improbable Hail Mary on the final play
As for the ninth game?
All Eyes on Tuscaloosa
No. 2 Georgia traveled to No. 4 Alabama for a rare regular season meeting and their 42-game regular season winning streak on the line.
It was bad from the start.
The Bulldogs surrendered four straight touchdown drives to the Tide to start the game and turned it over twice with an added safety right before half for good measure.
Even without Nick Saban, Alabama seemed to have Georgia’s number. Quarterback Jalen Milroe and 17-year-old true freshman Ryan Williams were show stoppers as the party started early.
Yet, Carson Beck used experience to keep his composure and begin chipping away at the lead. It ultimately led to perhaps the best two play sequence in college football history.
A 67-yard strike from Beck gave Georgia a hard to believe one-point lead with 2:31 left to play.
Then Milroe found Williams—who muffed a kickoff to set up poor field position that set up UGA’s go ahead scoring drive— for an acrobatic catch, spin and run, in double coverage mind you, 75 yards to the house.
Alabama would force Beck’s fourth turnover of the game when they intercepted him in the end zone with seconds to go and seal the 41-34 victory.
You are never truly out of the game until the clock hits zero (and even in the real world sometimes there is wiggle room after the buzzer).
For those on the opposite side of the comeback. Never count your chickens before they hatch—Georgia should keep this in mind as everybody is already penciling them into the 12-team playoff.
Las Vegas Blowout
By now, most everybody has heard of UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka surprisingly leaving the team due to a disagreement about a verbal NIL agreement of $100K not being paid out.
Instead of the team falling apart, they appear to use it as a rallying cry and did not miss a beat as they walloped Fresno State 59-14.
Just like with an injured player, NIL disputes will create opportunities for backups to be the ‘next man up’ and showcase their skills and seize their opportunity.
Hajj-Malik Williams—a transfer from Campbell— did exactly that with over 300 yards of total offense and four TDs. And the defense nabbed four picks while the special teams contributed a 90-yard kickoff return TD and a blocked punt TD.
With NIL players have gained a ton of power, but they may not hold all the leverage they think they do. That is because time is not on their side as they only have a few years to make an impact at the collegiate level.
Players must decide if missing an entire season and take on the unknowns of the transfer portal is really worth the risk instead of trying to play and make a name for yourself today—even if you feel like you were wronged. And if the school can continue to win with your backups, then that is a huge mental blow to absorb while sitting out on the sidelines.
It will be interesting to see how the UNLV season plays out, beginning with their ACC contest with Syracuse this Friday.