THIS WEEK IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL

What a great College Football Saturday we just had! I picked 2 upsets in last weeks blog, including Minnesota to take down Penn State AND LSU to FINALLY get the Bama win they have been begging for for years! We also got the newest playoff rankings and there has been plenty of debate! Also, the Arkansas Razorbacks became the next school to fire their coach so who they hire next? That fan base can be pretty demanding....why? I have no idea but let's dive in!

Playoff Rankings

The latest Playoff Rankings came out on Tuesday and their's been some changes!

1) LSU

2) Ohio State

3) Clemson

4) Georgia

5) Alabama

6) Oregon

So when I saw this released on Tuesday, I instantly had one thought. The committee loves the SEC! Alabama has not beaten a single good team this year yet here they are at 5! Now I don't have a HUGE issue with that primarily because it will play itself out. I however would have Oregon at 5, and the reasoning is simple. They have 1 loss, on a neutral site to Auburn who's highly rated by the committee. And that was the first game of the season! Since then, Oregon has ran off 8 in a row! 

LSU and Ohio State are easily 1 and 2 whichever way you want to have them. If you like quality wins, you go LSU at 1. If you like pure destruction of every opponent, you got Ohio State. No major beefs there. 

Clemson is starting to look like Clemson so them at 3 makes sense! Georgia has the worst loss of any team ranked in the top 6 with a loss to South Carolina. They have also beaten Florida and Notre Dame. However, they have a HUGE showdown with Auburn this weekend. 

Whichever way you look at it, every team in the top 6 still has tough games to play! I just hope we end up with the 4 best in January!


Chad Morris...gone and definitely forgotten

The Chad Morris era at Arkansas ended almost as quick as it started It consisted of bonehead plays, no competitiveness, ZERO conference wins and a fan base calling for his head after every game. Almost immediately after the Razorbacks latest loss to Western Kentucky at home, rumors started to circulate on social media that Chad Morris had been fired as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. That news became official Sunday and now Hog fans across the state wait to see what athletic director Hunter Yurachek does. What they can't do, is get another Chad Morris type of coach. So that means no to any good mid major coach who has previous high major experience. So no running off to meet with coaches at Tulane, or UCF, They need a proven college or pro head coach with a big name. Someone who's rep isn't questionable, someone with the name recognition to truly recruit against LSU, Alabama, Texas. Chad Morris never even beat a Power 5 team in his life as a head coach! He comes to Arkansas and wins no conference games in 2 years, while losing to Western Kentucky, San Jose State, North Texas, and Colorado State to name a few. Not only that, but he never developed the talent he was given! Noone got better from last year to this year on the Razorbacks team. He got this job strictly due to his experience with Clemson. 

So who would I look at for the next head coach at Arkansas? Well here's a few names.

1) Mike Leach

2) Bob Stoops

3) Teryl Austin

4) David Shaw

5) Mike Norvell

Week 11 Picks

Georgia (5) VS Auburn (13)

In a major SEC showdown with playoff implications, Georgia travels to Auburn with both teams needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Georgia is trying to maintain their 4 position but Auburn has a real shot even with 2 losses. They have the chance to have wins against the PAC 12 champ in Oregon, the SEC East champ in Georgia, and Alabama. I see them having a great shot at winning. I think the Tigers are better on both sides of the line, and can grind this game out with the run and stopping the run. Deandre Swift has not had the kind of year I expected him to have but he is still very good, so Auburn just needs to keep him boxed in and make Jake Fromm beat them which I don't think he can. Bo Nix is a young QB for Auburn but he has shown he is not afraid of the moment and if he can keep his mistakes to a minimum, I can see Auburn taking this win and knocking Georgia's playoff hopes away.

Auburn 27 
Georgia 19

Minnesota (7) VS Iowa (23)

One week after getting one of the biggest wins they've had, Minnesota goes out on the road to play a tough Iowa team who's shown they are very capable of getting upsets late in the year. Minnesota proved they could ball last week with a pick that we got right with them overtaking Penn State, but Iowa is a tough place to play and this is just the kind of game they will be ready for. It should be a low scoring affair but I like the home team. 

Iowa 23
Minnesota 20

LSU (1) VS Ole Miss 

After knocking off Alabama for the 1st time in 8 years, getting the number 1 ranking in the country, theere's no way LSU looks past Ole Miss right? I'm not too sure. Ole Miss is a pesky team who's shown capable of making big plays and they have the home field advantage. They are 3-6 but only 2 of those losses were by more than a touchdown so they've been in most games. I'm not saying they will win this game, but I definitely think it will be a game into the 4th quarter. Freshman John Plumlee keeps growing each week but can he make enough plays against LSU? We know making plays won't be an issue on the other side with Heisman favorite Joe Burrow throwing the ball over the field.

LSU 44
Ole Miss 36

Oklahoma (10) VS Baylor (12)

Oklahoma goes on the road to take on Baylor who has been extremely impressive this season. The hype for Jalen Hurts has quieted recently but he still continues to ball out each week. The problem has been the defense for Oklahoma. Terrible isn't the word. Whatever word that's worse than terrible is the word needed to describe this mess. Baylor is the better team, especially on defense and that's what will win this game. 

Baylor 37
Oklahoma 24

FIRST RANKINGS RELEASED

We've gotten to the point in the College Football season where finally the 1st Playoff rankings of the year have been released! The best thing about it is that these rankings mean absolutely nothing whatsoever. But I'll speak on them anyway and say what it tells me. I'll also make some picks on a few HUGE showdowns we have coming up on Saturday.

CFP Rankings

1) Ohio State

2) LSU

3) Alabama

4) Penn State

5) Clemson

6) Georgia

7) Oregon

8) Utah

9) Oklahoma

10) Florida

What these rankings tell me is that the committee LOVE'S the SEC. That's the only way it makes sense to have Georgia in the top 6. That's the only way you can have Alabama in the top 3. Georgia has the worst loss byfar of any of the top 10 teams. They lost to a South Carolina team that's 4th in the SEC East. Also, Alabama has NOT beatin anyone. To have them ranked 2 spots ahead of Clemson is crazy! Oregon is another team who has looked GREAT lately, and they have one loss to a good Auburn team in the 1st game of the season. I take from that the committee does not love the PAC12. SEC Bias all over again!! I'm used to it by now though. Below is how my top 10 would look if I had a vote!

1) Ohio State

2) LSU

3) Penn State

4) Clemson

5) Oregon

6) Alabama

7) Utah

8) Oklahoma

9) Georgia

10) Minnesota

Week 11 Picks

PENN STATE (4) VS MINNESOTA (17)

This should be a great game where we find out if Minnesota is the real deal. Penn State is a proven balclub, with everything from good coaching to a really good defense and a solid explosive offense. Minnesota is lead by a strong defense, and a great running game! They also have been extremely efficient passing the ball. They won't be afraid of Penn State and I think the advantage of playing at home gives them a real edge.

Minnesota 29
Penn State 24

LSU (2) VS ALABAMA (3)

This might be the most competitive Bama vs LSU matchup we've had in awhile. This also might be the most talent we have seen on a field at one point with these 2 teams, with the majority being on offense. There's a Heisman showdown as Tua returns to lead his team against rising Senior Joe Burrow who has been lights out this year. I have never, ever seen LSU have this much consistency and explosiveness on offense. And this is a program that has had stars such as Odell Beckham and Leonard Fournette. It's that reason why I think LSU will pull this off! A shootout is on the way.

LSU 36
Alabama 30

KANSAS STATE (20) VS TEXAS

If there's one team I've been disappointed in this year, it's the University of Texas. I thought surely with a team who had older players, a tough returning quarterback and another year under Tom Herman, I was sure they would take that step! Boy was I wrong. This team is undisciplined and makes mistakes on both sides of the ball that have kept them from being a real contender. Kansas State on the other hand just plays smart football. They may have less talent but they won't be outworked. 

Kansas State 27
Texas 20

CLEMSON (5) VS NC STATE

This game might normally be on my upset specials list as NC State has shown to challenge teams when you least expect them too! But I'm afraid this time it won't be that way at all. Clemson just got the ultimate motivation being ranked 5 in the rankings. They had already started playing better and more consistently but add this extra fuel to the fire and this game shouldn't be close! I expect Trevor Lawrence to air the ball out to his big play receivers and for Etienne to run all over the Wolfpack!

Clemson 55
NC State 10

Roadblocks

It's been a great season thus far and now you look up and see that it's only a little over a month of College Football Saturdays left! This year has flown by but the most impactful games are still yet to come. We still have several undefeated teams remaining and the teams likely to make the playoff are still not that predictable. Anything can happen in College Football and any team can lose when you least expect them too. Most people were waiting on a possible Oklahoma vs Alabama game in the playoffs which would pit former Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts against his former team, but after Oklahoma lost this past week to Kansas State, odds of that happening are slim to none. But each team remaining still has roadblocks which MAY keep them out of the final four. So what are those roadblocks..

Roadblocks

Ohio State - Has there been a more dominant team than the Buckeyes? This team literally has THREE Heisman trophy contenders in quarterback Justin Fields, running back JK Dobbins, and top 5 NFL draft lock Chase Young. They are the best team in the country when you look at offense and defense, and even have a couple of quality wins as well, dominating 2 teams currently ranked in the top 20 in Wisconsin, and Cincinnati. But are they lock to make the playoff? 

Roadblock  - A date with Penn State who have been consistently good if nothing else this season. Luckily for the Buckeyes, they do get this game in Columbus. However Penn State has shown that their game can indeed travel as well so I don't expect them to be scared of the moment. Ohio State still has to play against Michigan to end the year, and despite Ohio State being alot more talented, it will still be a tough road test. 

Alabama  - Alabama's next game is their biggest and IMO only road block left that could prevent them from making the CFP. They have to be anxiously awaiting word if Heisman contender Tua Tagovialoa will be able to play 

Roadblock - A matchup with LSU next Saturday night with both teams coming off of a bye. While the Tide has dominated LSU in recent years, this LSU team is different. This is probably the best offense I have seen them have in 10 or so years. They can score better than they can defend which is not typical LSU Tiger football. However they do get this game at home so I give them a much higher chance to survive than I would if they were traveling to Baton Rouge

Clemson - Clemson will likely not get caught sleeping this weekend when they travel to NC State but they do have one more possibly tricky game on the schedule. Trevor Lawrence has turned around his inconsistent play as of late and the Tigers have been rolling.

Roadblock - The rivalry game with South Carolina to close the year. South Carolina has not had the best season but they are a talented team already obtaining a major upset when they defeated Georgia. They won't be afraid of Clemson but will that be enough to pull another top 3 upset? I guess we'll see. 

LSU - We touched on this earlier but LSU has tons of talent and this may be their best team in years. They can spread the ball around and boast a Heisman contender in Joe Burrow who's name is racing up the draft boards. Their defense is good and knows how to stop the pass as well. 

Roadblock - A road trip to Alabama. Alabama has owned LSU the past several years. Maybe that will enough motivation to get the Tigers prime for an upset. They matchup with Alabama on both sides of the ball and with a quarterback I am giving them a real shot to get it done. 

Penn State - If there's one team I didn't expect to perform as well as they have this season, it's easily Penn State. Having to replace a quarterback and other players at the skill positions, they have been great. Sean Clifford has been steady at quarterback spreading the ball around and the defense has been outstanding so far. 

Roadblock - A road game in Columbus. Beating both Michigan teams is one thing, but beating maybe the most talented team in the country is another, especially at their house. While I think Penn State will put up a fight, I'd be alot more comfortable with an upset pick if they were at home. 

Oregon - Oregon is lead by future NFL top 10 pick at quarterback in Justin Herbert, a strong running game and solid defense that bends but doesn't break much. Oregon has been rebuilding themselves for this moment for awhile now and they have all the makings of a real contender. They do have one loss on the schedule, a game where they blew a double digit lead and ended up losing to Auburn. Outside of that, they have been great this year, 

Roadblock - Besides the 1 loss, a road game at Arizona State. Arizona State is a talented team, who is coached extremely well by Herm Edwards. The Sun Devils have come up short their last couple of games, but those have both been on the road. They are a different team at home and will present a solid challenge to the Ducks. 

Florida - Lead by quarterback Kyle Trask, Florida has not missed a beat since the starter was injured. Their offense has been solid and the defense remains fast and consistent. Losing by 3 points to LSU is nothing to hang their head about and I can see them bouncing back in a major way this week. 

Roadblock - One loss to LSU may not rule them out as their biggest roadblock comes tomorrow when they face off with Georgia. People have forgotten about Georgia since their loss to South Carolina but Georgia is still an insanely talented team. They have great running backs lead by DeAndre Swift and a quarterback in Jake Fromm who's won big games before. Florida will have to play mistake free football offensively and make some turnovers happen on defense. I actually can see them winning this one. 

Their may be a few more possible contenders I forgot to mention such as Georgia, who I just think won't be able to justify the South Carolina loss, unless Clemson also loses to them also. I also didn't mention Utah because, I mean does anyone really think Utah is getting selected to be in a College Football Playoff?? But outside of that, I am more than ready to watch this play out and see who gets past their roadblock and sets themselves up with a shot at the National Title. 

Week 10 Picks

Georgia (8) VS Florida (6)

Georgia has great talent but it's lead by their running game and I'm not convinced they will be able to get it established against Florida. Fromm is a baller and he will need to make some plays to give his team the edge. In the end, I see Florida getting a late turnover and winning this game close at the end. 

Florida 27

Georgia 24

SMU (15) VS Memphis (24)

For the first time, ESPN College Gameday is in Memphis, TN! I grew up near this area so my pick may be a little biased but if I break down the film I feel confident that Memphis will win this game. And it starts on the defensive side of the ball. Both teams can move the ball and score it well, which means its going to come down to who can get stops and I feel Memphis will be able to get more stops than SMU. 

Memphis 38

SMU 30

Oregon (7) VS USC

This would be a much needed victory for USC and head coach Clay Helton. There have been several teams that have gone though downward spirals but USC is not even recognized as a power anymore like they were years ago and Helton is a reason. I think everyone in and outside California would love a new coach who they can believe it. Helton has shown he is not that guy. Oregon on the other hand is on fire lately and quarterback Justin Herbert is slowly placing his name in the Heisman race. I think this game won't even be close. 

Oregon 31

USC 13

Miami VS Florida State

As a Miami fan I hate what this program has become this season! I was excited when new coach Manny Diaz was hired and promised us something different that former coach Mark Richt wasn't providing and it's been the same boring football and an inability to find a reliable quarterback. Diaz even recruited 5 star quarterback Tate Martell to transfer from Miami, and refuses to put him on the field. And he wonders why Miami can't score, Luckily, Florida State hasn't been much better. Both of these teams used to be perennial powers but sadly it doesn't matter who wins this game on a large scale. Each team is far away from getting back to contender status. 

Miami 24

Florida State 20

WEEK 7 SHOWDOWNS

After several weeks of Saturdays with no major matchups, that all changes this week. We're almost at the midway point of the season and teams are starting to hit their stride. In order to find out who's real and who's not though, they have to play to each other. And that happens now! So let's jump into these matchups..


RED RIVER RIVALRY 

OKLAHOMA (6) VS TEXAS (11)

I'm so amped for this game! For as good as Oklahoma has been this season, you can make an argument that they have yet to play anyone. Whereas we saw Texas almost go shot for shot with LSU and come up short. Oklahoma's offense has been dominant to this point, but Texas is a different beast! Sam Ehlinger is a real deal competitor, a baller. He will ensure that Texas brings it. Their defense, particular the secondary will need to be alot better than it was against LSU when they were shredded. Jalen Hurts has been lighting it up and emerged as an early season Heisman candidate rather quickly, and if he continues to do that here then I have no doubt his name will move to the top of the list. Unfortunately I think Texas is too physical and too aggressive for this game to be easy on Oklahoma. I think Sam understands the plays he missed against LSU and won't make those mistakes tomorrow. 

TEXAS 38
OKLAHOMA 30


ALABAMA  (1) VS TEXAS A&M (24)

Alabama gets another test against the Aggies this weekend. People talk about Clemson not playing anyone. Alabama has not played a soul this season. Their best win is against Duke. I think A&M will actually compete with them , at least for a half. Jimbo Fisher is continuing to grow that program but it's still early in that process. Alabama just has too much. Too much offense, too much defense, and too much coaching. The Tide should roll, especially after halftime. 

ALABAMA 48
TEXAS A&M 17

PENN STATE (10) VS IOWA (17)

Iowa is looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Michigan where the offense constantly turned the ball over and was unable to get the ball into the endzone. The only good part of that was that the defense was amazing and kept them in the game only surrendering 10 points in the loss. Iowa's defense will likely give Penn State's offense problems as they are solid on all 3 levels. Penn State has an elite passing game but Iowa gives up the 4th least passing yards in the nation. so I don't see them being as effective as usual. Iowa needs this game to bounce back and them being byfar the best defense Penn State has played thus far I expect them to execute on both ends. Penn State's defense is solid as well but I can them making a big mistake or 2 in the secondary that will coast them. 

IOWA 20
PENN STATE 16

FLORIDA (7) VS LSU (5)

In a day of big games, this might be the biggest. Florida takes their ELITE defense to Baton Rouge for a matchup with LSU. This is a different LSU team. While most LSU teams in the past have leaned on their defense, this team is undoubtedly an offensive team. They have a Heisman candidate at quarterback in Joe Burrow and tall and skilled receivers everywhere else.The running game is more balanced than normal and they will surely be tested by that Gator front 7 that flat out embarassed the Auburn offense last week.Florida quarterback Kyle Trask has been making plays ever since he became the starter after the injury to Felipe Franks. He is a smart quarterback who has waited years for this opportunity and is now taking full advantage of it. If this game was in Gainesville I would definitely lean Gators, but it's not. It's at Death Valley, at night. 

LSU 27
Florida 23

USC VS NOTRE DAME (9)

USC will look to bounce back from a double digit loss to Washington while Notre Dame is trying to keep his postseason hopes alive. USC coach Clay Helton knows his days are numbered. If they lose tomorrow he could easily get fired after the game, Lane Kiffin style. They have freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis back available but he's facing a really good Notre Dame team who's only loss was a close one to SEC power Georgia. I expect Notre Dame to dominate this game. USC has talent, just not the coaching needed to win games like these. 

Notre Dame 31
USC 21


Usually I would give some deep dive but these game picks are enough! It's been awhile since there has been great games literally from start to finish but I fully expect that to happen Saturday. Oh and by the way, I expect Clemson to come out and DESTROY Florida State. There has been too much down talk in the last couple of weeks and Trevor Lawrence and the boys will be ready to put on an absolute show.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL - WEEK 6

Another exciting week of college football on the way! This is when we start to really learn who's who. Most teams are done playing non conference teams and the games that matter are here. Clemson was able to outlast North Carolina in a 1 point victory on the road, while Ohio State, Alabama, and Oklahoma continue to destroy every team in sight. Is Clemson still an automatic final four team? I'll get into that but besides what's happening on the field, there's plenty to talk about off of it. 

CALIFORNIA FAIR PAY BILL

It has long been a debate about where college athletes can/should be paid. For years people have debated the topic, some strongly for and some strongly against. Many schools have been heavily sanctioned, many coaches have been fired for providing what the NCAA sees as unfair benefits to the "student" athlete. From the days of Reggie Bush having his Heiman trophy taken away, to the case of Cam Newton and whether or not he and his family took money and of course Johnny Manziel who singlehandedly made Texas A&M one of the hottest schools in the country. This week the Governor of California officially signed a bill that would give college athletes the right to profit from their name, image, and likeness effective 2023. It's a long time coming in my opinion. I have never understood the concept of big time players bringing millions of dollars to a school and everyone profiting from it except for that player. The Terrell Pryor case comes to mind. He autographed a couple items of apparel from Ohio State that were his for a discount on a tattoo and the media world lost their mind. However, they didn't have an issue with the school clothing stores, online sites, and more selling plenty of Terrell Pryor jerseys and other items. Same for Johnny Manziel and many others. The system has never been fair but hopefully this is a step in the right direction. A state like California can set a tone for this and once other major states such as Texas, Florida, etc come on board it will be almost unstoppable for the NCAA. But why would they want too? You listen to Tim Tebow come on First Take and give an asinine take on players getting paid. He literally spoke from a privileged spot that 80%  of college athletes can't relate too. He dove deep about how he wanted to play for the passion of the school his grandfather attended and that's why he didn't care to get paid. Tim wants to play for free due to passion for his family and he never thought about the MANY players who are playing for free and their parent(s) are back home struggling to keep the lights on. This rule will help so many student athletes and force the millionaire athletic director and coaches to share some of those profits that the player brings in. I mean we live in a world where a player can't even have his own YouTube channel without being threatened that his scholarship would be revoked and his eligibility would be over. Former Virginia star Kyle Guy recently was getting married, and his fiancé put their registry on her Facebook for their friends and family. Fans of Guy began purchasing gifts for the couple and the NCAA stepped in immediately to have them shut it down. Where's the fairness in that? Hopefully this sparks a major change on the college sports landscape. And hopefully they bring back the NCAA video game!

REVISITING THE NCAA REDSHIRT RULE

So it's been a year since the new NCAA rule has been in affect allowing players who see game action in 4 games or less to redshirt and we've seen multiple players take advantage of it. The person thriving most now is former Georgia quarterback Justin Fields, now at Ohio State , as well as former Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts who is now a starter at the University of Oklahoma. Also Kelly Bryant is starting at Missouri, while Jacob Eason is leading the Washington Huskies to what looks like will be a successful season. With the success we've seen, is the rule still a good and effective rule?

It recently came up again as Houston quarterback D'Erick King announced he would redshirt the rest of the season. He did mention that he would likely stay with Houston but not many people are buying that including myself. He says this 2 weeks after a matchup where Houston played well against Oklahoma and after the game Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley stated he didn't know if there were 5 better quarterbacks in the country than King. Now, I feel that there are at least 10 better but that's beside the point. King will now likely transfer to a new school after starting at Houston for the beginning of the year. 

Also , Caylin Newton, younger brother of Cam will be entering the transfer portal as well after starting his team's first 4 games at Howard. So the subject has recently been a topic of various college football shows, even prompting college football analyst Joey Galloway to state the redshirt rule is "terrible for college football".

I completely disagree. While I understand the negatives, such as playing 4 games and then leaving the program putting both your team and coach in jeopardy, I also think the positives far outweigh them. The coach can leave a program literally whenever he wants and it happens all the time. Coaches will come to a recruit's home, sell them on being there 3-4 years and then leave the following offseason i.e. Willie Taggart. Players should have the right to do what's best for them, just like coaches, and AD's. You only get one life, one time to experience college athletics to the fullest. If you feel another situation will contribute to a better you, a better chance of accomplishing your dreams, it's your right to take that chance. Let people call it selfish, but I guarantee if those people had a chance to chase their dreams they wouldn't let anyone stop them either. And while I don't want  to see college athletics turn into full time free agency every year, I am more than fine with guys following their dreams and the chance to make it to the next level.  

EARLY TOP 4

Now finally I can talk some on field stuff and it's still early in the year and this list may change between now and Selection Sunday but I feel I can definitely say who the top 4 teams in the country are as of now. The order may surprise you.

1) Ohio State They have been unreal this year. Dominating every opponent they line up with. Justin Fields has transitioned extremely smooth to this team and can literally put them on their back. He doesn't have many weaknesses offensively  and can throw and run the ball equally well. The defense is dominant as well. I haven't believed in a Ohio State team this much in awhile. 

2) Alabama - Slightly less dominant but as the saying goes every year, Alabama is Alabama. Tua has been amazing this year and is likely set for another visit to New York when the season ends, and his receivers may be the best in the nation. The defense is great, not as good as some other ones but still elite enough to continue their annual run to the playoff.

3) Clemson - Having the nation's longest winning streak Clemson can't go any less than 3. People try and make a big deal about them not blowing out teams the way they did last year but to win 20 gams in a row is tough,. You get everyone's best shot, hence North Carolina going for the 2 point conversion instead of the tie last week. Clemson's defense is still ELITE. Trevor Lawrence is still a top draft pick, and they have several offensive players that will definitely play on Sundays. Clemson is just bored. They'll still be undefeated and heading to another playoff. 

4) Georgia - Georgia may be flying under the radar for most but they are still a great team. Jake Fromm who I didn't think was an NFL quarterback a year ago continues to make strides, and the running game and defense is as good as ever. 

Other quality teams that I considered: 

LSU- Great defense and an offense that can pass better than they can run

Oklahoma- Hurts and the offense are amazing, but what happens when they line up with a quality opponent

Wisconsin - Elite running game and defense

Auburn - Dominant running game, and a great defense. We'll learn more as their freshman quarterback starts to play some bigger games

WEEK 6 PICKS

Oklahoma State (21) VS Texas Tech

This should be a high scoring matchup with plenty of offense on both sides of the ball. Chuba Hubbard is one of the best players in the country and can be a one man show at times, while Texas Tech is relying on a junior quarterback who looks to be ready for the spotlight. I don't expect a lot of defense in this game but I'm excited for a shootout. 

Oklahoma State 41 Texas Tech 30

Iowa (14) VS Michigan (19)

I don't have a clue why Michigan is still ranked in the top 20. If there's a team who hasn't impressed me this year, its them. Iowa is a better team on both sides of the ball and I expect them to show it despite being the road team. This will likely continue Michigan's slide as Harbaugh is probably gone at year's end. 

Iowa 24  Michigan 14

Auburn (7) VS Florida (10)

Auburn impressed the hell out of me last week in completely dismantling Mississippi State. A balanced rushing attack and an efficient passing game is exactly what you need in the SEC. Florida has looked a lot better to me since quarterback Kyle Trask took over for the injured Felipe Franks. The offense seems to move better and more efficiently as well. The defense is still really good which makes them a true contender in the East this year. Can Box Nix go win in the Swamp? It'll come down to the playcalling from Gus Malzahn to put them in positions to succeed. 

Auburn 27 Florida 17

Michigan State (25) VS Ohio State (4)

Michigan State has a really good defense, a solid running game, and good coaching. I just don't think it matters much. Ohio State is well oiled machine and while they may be able to somewhat slowdown Justin Fields and that offense, that likely means holding them to 40 instead of their normal 50 plus. The Spartans will compete for about a half, and then you'll look up and they're down 30. 

Ohio State 41 Michigan State 17

California VS Oregon (13)

With a big road game looming, losing your starting quarterback is probably the worst thing that can happen to a team. Unfortunately for the Golden Bears, that's exactly what happened as quarterback Chase Garbers will be out for an extended period of time. The coach is preparing to play both backups this week which may keep the Oregon defense guessing. Oregon has rebounded nicely from the early loss to Auburn and seem to be back on track. Quarterback Justin Herbert continues to be great as he still has yet to throw a pick this year. Cal's defense is really good, but probably not good enough to stop Oregon from moving the ball. 

Oregon 34 California 17

WEEK 3 TALK

Week 3 is here and hopefully the excitement continues to ratchet up. A few teams impressed me last week and several teams let me know this was going to be a long year. I am STILL not impressed with the SEC, but LSU did let me know they may be a legit contender now. And as close as they are to being one, Arkansas and Tennessee continued to show why they are nowhere close. Has anyone's offense looked better than Maryland? After dominating Syracuse, it's tough to find one. And oh Michigan...how lucky are thee...


LSU

The last few years I have tried to put LSU in that playoff contender status, but each year they let me down. 2 things you can always count on with the Tigers. A great defense, and a good running game. One thing that much tougher to count on it s quarterback. They have literally nailed almost every position on the field, but that one which is crazy when you think about they recruit. I expected Joe Burrow to be better last year when he transferred in from Ohio State...but he wasn't and not being able to keep the defense honest severely hampered LSU's playoff hopes. However, this Burrow ain't that Burrow. Joe Burrow has stepped up in a major way. In 2 games, he has already thrown his name on that Heisman watch list. He isn't playing scared like last year and doesn't mind throwing the ball into tight windows and looking for the big play. Coach O finally has a guy he can really go to war with and know he has a chance whenever he steps on the field. He just lit up a pretty good Texas defense, and considering he has another month before they play another contender I'm sure his confidence will continue to build. 


JIM HARBAUGH

I said in Week 1, I wasn't sure if Harbaugh would last the year. And if they don't get extremely lucky against a decent Army team, then he might not have! Michigan has underachieved since he has been the head coach. Great defense and a solid transfer quarterback in Shea Patterson, you would think they would look better. It's true I'm not a fan of his personally but I don't know if he gets the most out of his team. Michigan has been down for awhile and when I say down, I mean in a non contender type of way. This could very well be his last year there, as those fans aren't going to be very quiet if they don't improve or at least beat Ohio State. The very reason he was brought to Ann Arbor. He's lucky they get a week to prepare before they go to Wisconsin. Looking at the schedule, there are potential losses not only in that game, but also to Iowa, Penn State, Notre Dame, Maryland, and of course the 2 rival games with Michigan State and a Buckeyes that look like they won't miss a beat under new head coach Ryan Day. If he loses 3 of those games, it will be very hard for me to see him back next year. 


NOT ALOT TO TALK ABOUT THIS WEEK SOOOOOO>>>>PICKS


Arkansas State VS Georgia (3)

My Red Wolves are 1-0 since head coach Blake Anderson returned the sideline following his time away after the passing of his wife. The Georgia fans will actually be wearing pink in support of cancer to show their support to Arkansas State and Coach Anderson which is an awesome gesture! However, the support may not be the same on the field as the Bulldogs are expected to roll. The last time ASU played a gae against a major team it was Alabama last year in a game where they flat out played scared, unprepared and not ready for the moment. There were dropped passes and no efforts to even tackle someone on defense. I expect a MUCH better game tomorrow as the team continues to play inspired. Georgia with 2 Heisman candidates in the backfield will indeed be tough to stop but I expect Arkansas State to hang around for awhile.

GEORGIA 45 ASU 23

Alabama (2) VS South Carolina

Alabama returns to South Carolina for the first time since they lost in 2010. Obviously this is a much different team as that Gamecock team was led by Steve Spurrier and featured several NFL players. Not so much for this team. True Freshman don't always have the best luck against Nick Saban and Alabama but that's exactly what South Carolina brings in with Ryan Hilinski. I think the Gamecocks are talented and can make some plays, however Alabama may have more skill position talent than anyone and a quarterback who will likely be a high pick in next years NFL draft. I'll take Alabama but much closer than the experts think. 

Alabama 34 South Carolina 24

Clemson VS Syracuse

The only team to beat Clemson besides Alabama in the last 4 years is Syracuse and they also played them close 2 other times. But after watching the beatdown Maryland put on them last week, does anyone seriously think they have a chance? Syracuse is clearly and well coached and maybe they were looking ahead to this game but when you lose by 40 a week before playing the number 1 team in the country, it doesn't give me much hope. Clemson is extremely talented on both sides of the ball. They dominated Texas A&M and didn't play great to me. The fact that they can and will get better is scary. Syracuse may hang around for a half but it will just be a matter of time before the talent in the depth chart starts to show. 

CLEMSON 38 SYRACUSE 10

Oklahoma VS UCLA

Does anyone need a win more than Chip Kelly? He hasn't done anything since he arrived in downtown Los Angeles besides lose games and have fans questions anything he has ever done. Whatever magic he created in Oregon has clearly fallen by the wayside. And having Oklahoma roll the way they have so far this year is probably not the best way to get things on track. Oklahoma is too fast and too physical for a UCLA team that struggles to move the ball. Kelly needs to find consistency from the quarterback position immediately before the Bruins can even be challenging in this game. I expect Oklahoma to continue to dominate. Jalen Hurts is improving each week and tons of talent around him and Oklahoma's defense so far as at least an idea of how to stop someone. 

Oklahoma 48 UCLA 17

WEEK 2 COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN REVIEW!

College football is back and we were treated with a great Saturday night game between Oregon and Auburn. Watching games all Saturday was the best way to welcome college football back fully! I can't wait til this week as more players stand up and stand out, and we see if any teams that we didn't expect to look great, indeed look great! Will Clemson be upset? I doubt it, but there's one Texas A&M player who went on record with a difference of opinion....but first..

What stood out?

Oregon blows another lead..

Once is luck, twice is a coincidence, but the third time is a pattern and Oregon has made a pattern of blowing leads. This didn't start now. It has been going on with Oregon teams for years now. From the Mariota days, to the Vernon Adams days, and clearly to the Justin Herbert era, they just have a really bad habit of blowing big leads. They have a quick hitting offense that seems to score at will and they jump out to big leads often, but then I don't know what happens! Is it complacency, coaching, or what? If they ever want to compete for a title that has to stop. They have more talent than anyone else in the PAC 12 when healthy, but it won't matter if they don;t fix this. Also, can Cristobal take the handcuffs off of Herbert? The NFL sees Herbert has a big time top pick kind of talent, yet Cristobal plays him like a game manager with short passes and screens. Let him play!!! 

Bo Nix 

Gus Malzahn has found himself a quarterback. The true freshman didn't play perfect and threw a couple of interceptions early but what we found out, is that he is a true baller and a competitor. He showed zero signs of fear the entire game even when Auburn found themselves down double digits. He shook those mistakes off to drive Oregon down the field to score a game winning touchdown with 9 seconds left on the clock! This bodes well for Auburn this year as they try and compete to win the SEC.

Oh, the SEC...

Now I know people will hate me for it but who cares? This is another "Prove It" year for me when it comes to the SEC. It's literally been Alabama, Georgia and everyone else for the last few years and nothing I saw in week one gave me the impression that that was changing. Ole Miss looked horrible losing to Memphis, Mississppi State looked like an average team, Arkansas looked pathetic struggling to a 7 point win against Portland St. And I can't forget about Tennessee losing to Sun Belt school Georgia State....at home. Missouri lost to Wyoming in Clemson transfer Kelly Bryant's debut. And South Carolina blew a 4th quarter lead and lost to rival North Carolina. It's week 1, I know this, but the SEC just doesn't look too good....per usual. 

Jalen Hurts

Get your #HURTS4HEISMAN shirts out! The former Alabama quarterback BALLED out in his Oklahoma debut against hometown Houston. He accounted for 6 touchdowns and more than 500 yards of offense, looking nothing like the guy who was benched in favor of Tua in Tuscaloosa. He was poised, accurate, made quick decisions, and was the best player on the field Sunday night. What I liked most about him was his response after the game to all the hype about his play. Jalen only wanted to talk about what they could do better. This is a man who has matured greatly both on and off the field and I would not be mad if there is a Oklahoma VS Alabama playoff matchup down the line! If Hurts keep this up, it could be 3 straight Heisman trophy winners from Norman. 

WEEK 3 PICKS

TEXAS A&M VS CLEMSON

I didn't know who Jared Hocker was until a day or so ago when he made a guarantee that Clemson would lose in the matchup Saturday. Poor Jared just does not understand that even though Clemson does not need bulletin board material, they will gladly take some! Now I respect Texas A&M and coach Jimbo Fisher, but Clemson is different. This was a close game last year but way before Trevor Lawrence has established himself and since he did play poorly in that game, I expect him to come ready to ball this week. A&M lost their best player in running back Trayveon Williams to the NFL, but they do return quarterback Kellen Mond who I actually really like. He is super talented and can both run and pass the ball and it'll be interesting seeing him get his second crack at the best. In the end, Clemson just has to much talent. They played a conference opponent in Georgia Tech last week, didn't play great on either side of the ball and won by almost 40., A&M will battle but it won't be enough. 

CLEMSON 38

TEXAS A&M 20

TEXAS VS LSU

Another big time game this Saturday in primetime as both teams are looking to make a statement. LSU is ready to prove it can contend in the West this year and a game against the physicality and speed of Texas will definitely help prepare them. Texas has a good team so hopefully this game lives up to the hype. Texas a darkhorse Heisman contender in quarterback in Sam Ehlinger, and he will be looking to take advantage of a young LSU secondary. LSU manages to always find talent back there so I wish him luck. Where LSU doesn't have a standout, is at running back. If LSU wins this game, they will have no choice, but to establish some kind of rushing attack whether with quarterback Joe Burrow or another running back stepping up.Texas benefits from this game being at home and I think they do find a way to win. 

TEXAS 23

LSU 19

UCF VS FAU

UCF has a squad. FAU has some good players and Lane Kiffin. Notre Dame transfer Brandon Wimbush leads the FAU attack and he has great skills players all around him that he will be getting the ball too on Saturday. FAU has a solid defense and though they did lost by 28 against Ohio State, they had a few plays that definitely made you think twice. Scoring 20 plus against a Buckeye's defense is no small task. The spread opened at UCF -10, and that sounds right to me. 

UCF 45

FAU  35

As the weeks continue, I will surely have more games to pick from, but as I learned before, sometimes the games without glitz and glamour can be some of the best games of the year! Week 1 was great....as always, so many questions left unanswered but we did learn a couple of those answers....Bo Nix is a man, Jalen Hurts is a beast with a chip on his shoulder and the SEC isn't what you want it to be! Sorry, I really am.