Fortuna Files: The vibes are immaculate in far-off football places

Are they warranted? Let's look under the hood.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Twenty thoughts for all 20 of Iowa State’s second-half points at Iowa — perhaps the most surprising 20 points of the season to date.

1. Boston College was ranked No. 24 in Sunday’s AP poll, and I have to ask: If the Eagles had the exact same start under ex-coach Jeff Hafley — who, for the record, left on his own terms — would voters have ranked them the same way?

2. My guess is no. BC is 2-0, having dominated a winless Florida State team in Tallahassee — albeit one that, because there was no post-Week Zero poll, was ranked No. 10 at the time — and then shutting out a winless FCS team (Duquesne). I think Bill O’Brien has done and will continue to do a great job, and I am on record as saying that he will get BC to its ceiling, whatever that ceiling may be in this day and age. But BC being ranked offers a snapshot of what I’ll just call the “Good Vibes Effect” in college coaching.

3. So, what is the “Good Vibes Effect”? Loosely, it can be defined by the uninhibited excitement that surrounds a new coach, results or data be damned.

4. Let’s turn to Syracuse, which finds itself just on the outside of both the AP and the coaches’ polls after a 2-0 start under new coach Fran Brown, who has fired up his fan base with a lot of his comments. (And with former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord lighting it up in the Dome.)  The vibes are immaculate in Central New York right now. Trust me. I have a lot of ‘Cuse grads in my inner circle. The Orange are 2-0, having beaten Ohio and a ranked Georgia Tech team. Good for them. You can only play who is on your schedule. And let’s face it: Syracuse might be the most difficult power conference job to win at, so the school and its fans deserve to celebrate wins, however they come.