WEEK 4 REVIEW

Week 4 of the college football season gave us a variety of emotions. Shock, excitement, confusion, and heartbreak are just a few. While some fan bases such as TCU, and Florida are excited to survive a tough game in the final moments today, others like the fan bases at Arkansas and Texas are still thinking what could have been. But that’s why we love it. The ups, the downs, the “OMG” moments all make up the game, the game of college football. Here’s My Take…

Heartbreak Hotel

Room 206

In this room sits the Volunteers of Tennessee. Another 4^th quarter lead, another collapse, another loss. There were plenty of questionable decisions that lead to Tennessee’s loss. Mainly the decision to go for the extra point after a touchdown which only put you up 13, instead of going for 2 so if you blew the lead and Florida came back to tie, the worst you could do is go to overtime. Another issue for the Volunteers was their inability to get stops on 4^th down as Florida converted 5/5 which really helped them come back to win the game. While Tennessee has shown talent, and the ability to get a lead, they have not proven that they can close out a game. If they ever want to get back to national relevance, that must change, and change quickly.

Room 211

Now after gaining 607 yards, scoring 52 points, and having zero turnovers in a game, how would that land you in the Heartbreak hotel? Well I guess when your opponent gains 750 yards, scores 55 points and also doesn’t have a turnover. Texas Tech did everything it wanted offensively against TCU but, unfortunately their defense decided to miss the bus. Tech was eager for a BIG win that would have perhaps put them back on the map and set up a big showdown with Baylor this week. It looked they had a shot too, up late with TCU going for it on 4^th down. The heartbreak happened when Aaron Green caught a tipped pass in the back of the end zone with 23 seconds left to put TCU ahead for good. Tech can’t hold their heads for long though, another great opportunity presents itself Saturday.

Room 300

The Texas Longhorns are here in their regular room again. Last week they were here after missing what would have been a game tying PAT against Cal. They checked in again this week after another special teams collapse. The punter, who shall remain nameless, dropped a perfectly snapped ball before scrambling, and punting it for just 10 yards setting Oklahoma State up to win the game with a field goal with just 6 seconds remaining. At this rate, Charlie Strong will lose all the hair he doesn’t have..

Room 405

The Arkansas Razorbacks join us again, courtesy of the Texas A&M Aggies for the 2^nd straight year. Last year Arkansas felt they had the game wrapped up, being up 2 touchdowns late in the 4^th quarter only to have the Aggies come back and take the game in overtime. This game played out quite similar. Arkansas up 8 late, not only surrendered an A&M touchdown but also a 2 point conversion to tie it up. Arkansas had a shot to win it in regulation but those dreams crashed when quarterback Brandon Allen fumbled the ball giving Texas A&M a chance to win it, but their field goal was wide right. Unlike last year, the Aggies didn’t score on the 1^st play of overtime, they waited until the 2^nd and then held off the Razorbacks on 4^th down to secure another win for them as they remain undefeated. For Arkansas, it’s another year, another game, another heartbreak. Just keep the keys Razorbacks, I think you’ll be back soon.

PAC 12 Look-In

The weekend was hyped with bigtime matchups across the PAC 12. You had Utah visiting Oregon, USC at Arizona State, and the primetime matchup of UCLA going to Arizona. And what’d we get? Blowout, after blowout, after blowout. What do I make of it? That the PAC 12 is a very deep league. Despite what the numbers may say, I think these 6 teams, along with Stanford are very good teams. I think the final scores, specifically Oregon’s was merely an aberration. They could win out and it would not surprise me. Utah has been a really good team for years, and maybe this is the year they announce that to the rest of the country. USC definitely made a big statement to me by bouncing back from the loss to Stanford by going out and enjoying a talented Arizona State team. I am looking forward to seeing this play out  and who eventually takes the crown, and perhaps a spot in the playoff.

There are several big games to watch this Saturday that I can’t wait to see. A couple games that will have me glued to my screen are Alabama and Georgia, and Clemson and Notre Dame. Many more games being played Saturday will give other teams chances to make statements. College football, like life, is a learning process. As each week goes by, we learn a little more about each time until they begin to separate the real from the fake. And just like fake people, fake teams will eventually reveal themselves.

This is My Take

My Top 6

1) Ole Miss

2) Georgia

3) Ohio State

4) Michigan State

5) Baylor

6) Utah

WEEK 3 REVIEW

Another great Saturday of College Football is in the books, and what a day it was! Several topics I want to touch on in my review this week. Everything from teams having statement victories, teams not being who we thought they were, and a certain loud mouthed coach finally getting some words thrown back in his direction. Here goes “My Take”…

Who Made A Statement?

Ole Miss -

I, like some others picked Ole Miss to beat Alabama. I even stated that I would be “shocked” if Ole Miss lost this game. But still, it was tough to bet against Bama. I mean for a team that has only lost 3 times at home in the last 7 years, how can you pick against them? I picked Ole Miss because of 2 things. 1) I thought they had tremendous talent on both sides of the ball and 2) Bama’s uneasiness at the quarterback position. And that’s what the difference in the game was. It’s not that Bama’s quarterbacks played terrible, but the lack of big plays, missed passes, and turnovers proved to be big reasons for the huge deficit’s faced, and ultimately coming up short. But this is about a statement victory and Ole Miss did that. To go beat Bama, in Tuscaloosa is huge and Hugh Freeze has truly turned this team into a contender. There’s a long way to go but for now, I like the Rebels chances.   

Leonard Fournette- 
I’m not sure how early you can submit Heisman ballots but if Fournette didn’t basically secure this award yesterday after running over, around and straight through the Auburn defense, I don’t know what will. There are several really good running backs in the country, but I still think there’s a good sized gap between him and the next guy. Not only did he put himself at the top of the that list, but along with the defense and no mistake play of quarterback Brandon Harris, I think he put LSU right up there in the race to win the SEC West. I still don’t know if Harris can win a game with his arm yet, but with Fournette running the ball the way he can, Harris may not have to.

Most Impressive Win…

Notre Dame – 

I personally have never been a fan of Notre Dame, but my respect for Brian Kelly and that program is growing by the week. Already without their starting quarterback, running back, tight end, and more, they lost their safety yesterday to injury. And still won. They beat a tough Georgia Tech team who appear to be a true ACC contender this year. Deshone Kyzer has filled in admirably at QB and that defense continues to improve. They still have several tough games left on the schedule but despite all the injuries, I expect the Fighting Irish to continue to do just that..fight.

Stanford – 

I thought Stanford would win this game. I figured that mainly because I thought it was a must win game for them if they wanted to be a contender for not only the PAC 12, but the playoff. Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan said as much after the game, that this was one they had to have. And he played like it. Hogan might have played the best game I have ever seen him play as he picked USC apart all night long winning the shootout at the Coliseum by 10. This win puts Stanford back on pace for the PAC 12 crown.

Quick Takes:

How good is Ohio State?

Yes, this is a serious question. I know they are stacked with talent but how many wins have just been super impressive this year? If Virginia Tech’s quarterback doesn’t get hurt in that close game in week 1, how does the final score look? They looked very sloppy last week in a shutout and even worse yesterday with 5 turnovers and hanging on to beat NIU. Braxton Miller looked great in his new role in week 1 but hasn’t done much of anything since. Everyone talked about how they had 2 great quarterbacks all offseason but so far, neither Jones, nor Barrett have looked great. Maybe it’s a lack of interest or motivation but if they get caught by the right team on the right Saturday, there will be a lot of questions for Coach Meyer.

Kliff Kingsbury

So last night in Fayetteville, Texas Tech controlled and ran through the Arkansas Razorbacks. But that’s not the only story. After the game Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury had some REAL comments for Arkansas coach Bret Bielema. “At the Texas High School coaches convention this summer, he stood up and said, if you don’t play with a fullback, we’ll kick your (expletive),  if you throw it 70 times a game we’ll kick your (expletive), and he just got his (expletive) kicked twice in a row and probably will again by A&M next week.” Now I personally LOVED these comments. Bret Bielema just does not know when to shut up and coach. He has been making all kinds of crazy statements for years and it’s good someone has finally called him out. First it was Rex Ryan last week with a point about Bielema calling out Ohio State’s schedule and going out and losing to Toledo right after, and now this. As long as he keeps talking, it will keep happening. Bielema is turning into a laughingstock nationwide and for a guy who is 2-14 in conference games, and has 11 wins in his 3 year tenure so far at Arkansas you would think he would learn his lesson.

Way to early top 6

1) Ole Miss – Great talent on both sides of the ball. Doesn’t play down to the competition and able to stand up in a big game.
2) Michigan State - Proved they can play and win with multiple styles. Continuing to get better each week with the passing game to pair with a great running game and defense. 
3) TCU- Offense is clicking on all cylinders right now but that defense better get it together before conference gets going or they could fall
4) Ohio State – Most talent in the nation.
5) Notre Dame – Impressive wins each week despite numerous key injuries. Showing the true definition of a “next man up” mentality.
6) Georgia – Great running game lead by Nick Chubb and a defense that’s looking better each week. If Lambert can play anything like he did yesterday the rest of the year, Georgia is a true contender. 

Week 3 is in the books and the season is really about to take off. Many teams will now be starting conference play and bringing their A game each week. Contenders and pretenders will surely reveal themselves sooner than later. All the teams dealing with injuries will now truly be tested as the grueling part of the schedule starts. I could not be more excited for what’s to come. How does Alabama and USC respond after home losses to underdogs? Does Ohio State get back on track and be the dominant team we know they can be? As I always say, so many questions and we get to have them answered right in front of us every Saturday.

This is "My Take"

WELCOME BACK NFL

WELCOME BACK NFL!!! I know the NFL technically returned this past Thursday when my Steelers took the opening week loss to the Patriots, but today is our first full Sunday slate of games! It’s good to finally have NFL games again, instead of just “Deflategate” being reported literally every day! Looking forward to giving out these predictions. 

AFC EAST

1) Patriots – Tom Brady, Belichick, and the Patriot Way. Despite some losses on defense, I fully expect the Pats to win the division…AGAIN.
2) Dolphins – Miami should have a top 5 defense this year after acquiring Ndamukong Suh in free agency and I look for Ryan Tannehill to make another step to lead this team to the playoffs.
3) Bills – As much as I love this defense, and all of the playmakers they have on offense, I just don’t know if Tyrod Taylor can provide enough in the passing game to make them a legitimate threat for the division crown. 
4) Jets – Great defense, and a terrible offense is what I expect in New York this year. Should be a rough first year for Todd Bowles. 

AFC NORTH

1. Steelers - Maybe I’m being biased as the Steelers are my favorite team, and obviously the defense needs some work. I fully expect Coach Tomlin and new DC Keith Butler to correct those issues. The offense will continue to be elite so at least I can count on that!
2. Ravens – Should be great defensively as usual, and Forsett stabilizing the running game should help the offense. Flacco will likely make enough plays to help Baltimore compete. 
3. Bengals – They have a lot of talent, but a below average quarterback. As long as they have Dalton, they will NEVER take that next step. 
4. Browns – Just simply not enough playmakers on either side of the ball. I don’t think their quarterback situation is good enough for them to compete either. But hopefully we’ll get to see Manziel play!

AFC WEST

1. Broncos – Peyton Manning may be in his last year but I don’t think he’s slowing down. After an offseason to get healthy, I think he will bounce back this year and lead Denver to the AFC Championship game. 
2. Chiefs – Unlike most people, I actually like Alex Smith. If he can make some plays to his wideouts this year and that defense steps up, I can definitely see Kansas City in the playoffs.
3. Chargers – Phillip Rivers just got PAIDDD! I’m sure he is ready to earn that money and make big plays for the Chargers offense. My questions about San Diego are primarily on defense. They get that side of the ball in order and I could definitely be wrong about this. 
4. Raiders – They have made a few additions to the offense to add more weapons for Derek Carr. While I like him, as well as some of their other plays, I still think they’re 2 years away from really competing. 

AFC SOUTH 

1. Colts – Andrew Luck and adding veterans Andre Johnson and Frank Gore to the mix will definitely keep them at an elite level. Ultimately  I think the defense will prevent them from taking that big step in the playoffs.
2. Titans – Not sure if I have a ton of confidence in Mariota or I just think the rest of the division isn’t that good. I think this is a team that can get to 8 or 9 wins this season. 
3. Texans - Apparently they have the best player in the league JJ Watt. Unfortunately, he can’t play every position so I do expect them to struggle.
4. Jaguars – Another year on the way, and another year I expect them to be terrible. Unfortunately for Bortles, I think the Jags are cursed.

NFC EAST

1. Eagles - Despite all the questions about Chip Kelly and the moves he made this offseason, I actually think the Eagles will be really good this year. I’m big on Sam Bradford and IF he can stay healthy, I can see them making a deep run.
2. Cowboys – Dallas should be a really good defensive team and I expect them to compete for the division. Romo and the receivers should also be solid but I’m nervous about the running back situation, even with that great offensive line.
3. Giants – Eli is another QB who got big money this offseason. To show he’s worth it, he needs to be more decisive with the ball and not turn it over. I expect him to do so but questions on defense prevent me from having them higher.
4. Redskins – No reason needed

NFC North

1. Packers- They have the best quarterback in football so obviously I think he will be great and despite losing Nelson, they have enough weapons for him to get  the ball too. 
2. Lions – No Suh, no problem. Detroit should still have a great defense. Stafford hopefully takes that next step towards elite and the running game should provide balance.
3. Vikings – Is there anybody more on a mission than Adrian Peterson. After everything he went through this offseason, I fully expect him to tear the league up all year. Unfortunately I don’t think the defense or the quarterback will be good enough for them to end up any higher.
4. Bears – I could be wrong and maybe this is the year Cutler gets it together and shuts up the critics. As a big John Fox fan, I think he will make an immediate impact on this defense and get them back to how they used to be! I hope I’m wrong on this pick.

NFC South

1. Saints – Unlike last year, I fully expect Drew Brees to take care of the ball and put his team in position to win games. They must have help from the defense and running game but it starts with Brees and I think he’ll be ready for it
2.    Falcons – Matt Ryan is very good, and if his weapons can stay healthy, the Falcons should make a return to the playoffs.
3.    Panthers – After losing Kelvin Benjamin for the year, Cam Newton basically has no weapons remaining. Lucky for him, Carolina should have a good enough defense and running game to still win ballgames.
4. Buccaneers – Number 1 overall pick Jameis Winston looks to take the league by storm this year and while I think he’ll be good, I think the Bucs are a couple years away from really competing.

NFC NORTH

1. Seahawks – While Adrian Peterson may be the most motivated player in the league, Seattle is no doubt the most motivated team. After coming up a yard short of winning back to back Super Bowls (had it not been for the worst pass ever), Seattle is desperate to get back to the top. Adding Jimmy Graham from New Orleans should instantly help the passing game and the defense even without Kam Chancellor should still be great.
2. Rams – Maybe the best defensive line in the NFL and Nick Foles coming over to solidify that quarterback position, I expect St. Louis to make a run towards the playoffs this year.
3. Cardinals – They return what should be a really good defense and a good running game. If Carson Palmer can stay healthy and take care of the ball, they may be in that top 2.
4. 49ers- Has there ever been a team to have a worse offseason that San Francisco? Between players unexpectedly retiring, to coaches leaving, as well as start players leaving I have zero expectations for them. This will be nothing more than a rebuilding year.

We’ll learn more in the coming weeks and the NFL is always unpredictable! I’m excited to see how it all plays out, and which players and teams step up. Should be a great year!

This is “My Take”

WEEK 2 REVIEW

Another week in the books in the College Football Season and talk about a “revealing” Saturday! Yesterday’s games showed why I hate preseason rankings! No huge buildup for this one though, let’s get to it!

So…About that “SEC Dominance”..

All the hype last week about the SEC being on another level was quickly put to shame early on Saturday. Fans bragging about having 10 teams ranked in top 25 is pretty much over. Arkansas’ head coach Bret Bielema still hasn’t learned to stop talking and spoke last week about the schedule his team has and having to play 8 ranked teams, while defending champion Ohio State plays 1. 2 thoughts on that..why are we talking about playing 8 ranked teams in week 2? It’s a long season and odds are when you play these teams, they won’t all be ranked. Yourself included! Thought number 2, how about you worry about your own schedule and then maybe you won’t go out and lose to Toledo? The day started with heavy SEC favorite Auburn being pushed to overtime by Jacksonville State. They eventually won 27-20 but had to come back and also hold JSU off on a 4th down play. Maybe the most hyped quarterback over the offseason Jeremy Johnson continue to play terrible and threw 2 more picks yesterday. If Auburn wants to compete, they need to get that position handled. But as head coach Gus Malzahn said after the game, “We’re 2-0 and that’s what matters”. 

Tennessee had a chance to make a statement against Oklahoma and it looked like they would leading 17-3 in the 4th quarter. But as I expected, they folded down the stretch and ended up losing in overtime 31-24. My Arkansas State Red Wolves pushed SEC East team Missouri all game long but a couple of 4th quarter turnovers ended their upset bids as the  Tigers held on 27-20. 

So there are really only 3 SEC teams that have really impressed me this year. Texas A&M, who looks explosive on offense and fast on defense. Alabama, despite their quarterback issues still have impressed. When you have that defense, and backs like Henry and Drake, you can overcome a lot! Also, my most impressive teams so far, is Ole Miss! I knew Chad Kelly would be good but I’d be lying if I said I thought he would be THIS good. Who else can’t wait for this primetime game next week with the Rebels traveling to Tuscaloosa?! I have to see more of LSU to put them in this class. They simply have to show me that they can pass the ball.

Way to early top 6

1) Ohio State – The talent on the both sides of the ball is evident. They didn’t even play well yesterday and still won 38-0. I’d be shocked if they relinquish this number 1 spot all season.
2) Alabama – I still have more questions about QB, and one of those guys has to truly grab that team and lead them. With that said, they have a primetime game with Ole Miss next week which will give us a chance to truly judge both teams.
3) TCU – So much talent and playmakers everywhere, TCU lands at 3 for me. I look for them to continue to improve each and every week. The sky is the limit with this team. 
4) Michigan State – Another BIG 10 team in the top 4. The most impressive win of the season belongs to the Spartans who slowed down Oregon just enough to win a 3 point thriller at home. Great defense, a great running game, and a veteran QB should lead Michigan State to the playoff.
5) Texas A&M – Another great win this year was the Aggies over Arizona State. They have so may playmakers and if Kyle Allen remains consistent and efficient with the ball, they could make a run. They haven’t hit the heart of the conference schedule so they’ll be a team a team to watch.
6) Oregon – Tough loss, but the heart and toughness of this team can’t be questioned. You have a quarterback who has literally been on campus just a few weeks, and for him to go on the road in that environment and even keep them within striking distance speaks volumes about him and the Ducks. I look for this to be a season changing game for them and nothing but improvement going forward.

After this week I’m even more excited about the season. Their appears to be anywhere from 10-13 teams in the mix for the playoff and I’m looking forward to conference play so we can find out who are the real contenders and who are the real pretenders. Thankfully, with all the matchups in week 3 we can definitely learn more. It starts Thursday night with Clemson playing Louisville. The world will get to see my Heisman pick Deshaun Watson on the main stage. Other Saturday matchups include Ole Miss traveling to Alabama in a revenge game for the Tide, LSU and Auburn in what should be a great matchup and one that will say a lot about both teams. Stanford at USC is another good matchup. I really want to see if Stanford can bounce back and compete or are their days of competing over? Notre Dame and Georgia Tech is another big one. The week 1 injury bug traveled to Virginia and took Maliik Zaire out for the season, so it’s on Deshone Kyzer to see if he can keep the Irish on track. The best thing about having unanswered questions, is that eventually they all have to be answered.

This is “My Take”

WEEK 1 REVIEW

After Ohio State showed us how much of a different level they were on in last night’s center stage game against Virginia Tech, week 1 of the 2015 season is officially in the books. I wanted to give my thoughts on what I’ve learned over the weekend. I don’t want to make any major overreactions like most fans nationwide, but I will give a few thoughts on what jumped out to me. Here’s “My Take”…

Injuries

I’ve been watching college football for years and I don’t recall a time where I saw so many injuries in opening week. And these aren’t just minor sprains to average players, but they are big time season ending injuries for some of the top players in the country. Taysum Hill (BYU), Mike Williams (Clemson), Taurean Folston (Notre Dame), as well as returning ACC Player of the Year James Conner (Pittsburgh), are among the many that suffered extended or season ending injuries. I can’t even begin to understand the frustration that comes from preparing all offseason to go out and perform for your team and then going down in week 1. It’s probably even worse for a guy like Jonathan Williams (Arkansas) who suffered an injury during the offseason that will keep him out for the entire 2015 season. I’m sure nothing is more mentally challenging than having to recover from an injury you suffered in week 1. Not only can you not go out and play the game you love, and attempt to advance your career, but you can’t help your teammates and coaches accomplish the goals you all set out to achieve. For a guy like Hill (BYU), who has had 3 straight seasons end early due to injuries, this comes as another significant blow and another challenge that I hope he can come back from. Sometimes you can have a positive outcome from a season ending injury, such as Ohio State’s Braxton Miller. Miller missed last season with a torn labrum, recovered, changed positions and looked like an 08’ Percy Harvin in that Urban Meyer offense! Hopefully the players injured this week can have a similar story to tell.

SEC Dominance?

After questions came about last year about the SEC, and if they were slipping, they definitely impressed in week 1. If I learned anything from last year, it’s don’t jump on that Texas A&M bandwagon so soon; but after seeing all those playmakers on offense, paired with Myles Garrett leading John Chavis’s defense will definitely make it hard for me not to! Not only were they impressive, but they were in complete control of an Arizona State team that some people had picked to win the PAC 12 (Me and Kirk Herbstreit L).

We all wondered who would be starting for Alabama this year at QB, and we found out early when Jacob Coker took the field against Wisconsin. He definitely played solid but he didn’t have to do a lot with Derrick Henry and Kenyon Drake making plays all day. Alabama controlled the game on both sides of the ball but there is still a lot more to learn about them. Can Coker win a game for them when the running game isn’t working? We’ll have to see. Luckily we won’t have to wait long as they kick off against an Ole Miss team in a couple of weeks that looked great on Saturday. I don’t care who you play, 76 points is impressive!

Auburn was good and bad against Louisville. They struggled with the Cardinals running quarterback, and had troubles with their own quarterback. Preseason Heisman contender Jeremy Johnson threw 3 interceptions in his first game as “The Man” at Auburn. His development is essential to the Tigers winning the West this year and I’m not sure the coaching staff will make sure he corrects those issues.

PAC 12 NON Dominance

After so many people were speaking of the PAC 12 overtaking the SEC as the nation’s best conference, they sure didn’t prove that in opening week. Losses by Washington, Washington State, Stanford, and Arizona State in a primetime game against the SEC didn’t do much for conference prestige. Neither did Oregon, who despite winning comfortably, still gave up over 500 yards of offense and 42 points to FCS school Eastern Washington. UCLA and freshman sensation Josh Rosen looked great, and USC handled business against ASU. It’ll be very interesting going forward seeing how Stanford and Arizona State bounce back. The PAC 12 will however have another chance to redeem themselves as they take the main stage in a top 10 matchup with Michigan State this Saturday!

Ohio State and Everybody Else..?

Virginia tech played hard and competed until starting quarterback Michael Brewer suffered another one of these terrible week 1 injuries, but did anyone honestly think OSU would lose?? They have way too many weapons at their disposal, not to mention they have 2 Heisman caliber quarterbacks! Not to mention 3 of their best offensive players didn’t even play last night! 2 time Big 10 Player of the Year Braxton Miller who changed positions looked like a Heisman candidate last night. With a cupcake schedule, I would be SHOCKED if Ohio State didn’t cruise to the playoff.

In conclusion, we are 1 week in so there’s no need to make any drastic statements about the season, or your favorite team being great or terrible. We have a lot to learn! Injuries have changed several teams outlook and we won’t know much until the conference season really gets going. But if week 1 showed us anything at all, it’s that we’re in for a helluva year…and Texas still SUCKS.

That’s “My Take”

BONUS BLOG!: Heisman Predictions

As the season is set to kick off in less than 24 hours, I wanted to take a quick look at the top players in the country who will be in the race for the Heisman trophy and select who I think will be the finalists. Now I know in my last blog, I mentioned I wasn’t a huge fan of preseason picks. That’s mainly because with all the turnover and new starters you see, it’s tough to know what a team will give you. The Heisman is a different story! For the most part, you know what you’re going to get. So here’s my 5..

5. Cody Kessler (USC)  – Kessler has weapons everywhere around him at USC this year and his job is too not screw it up. After throwing 40 touchdowns last year, he is getting a lot of preseason Heisman buzz. He is definitely a candidate as USC tries to make a run for the playoff. My main concern with him, is the schedule. He struggled last year against ranked teams and they have a tough schedule this year as well. If he can make better decisions and spread the ball to the playmakers around him, I can see him making the trip to New York.

4. Whoever starts at quarterback for Ohio State- Now the old saying is “When you have 2 quarterbacks, you have none”. That is not the case at the Ohio State University. They have 2 bigtime options at QB, both proven and capable of leading this team to the playoff. Whether its JT Barrett who can run Urban Meyer’s system exactly how he wants it or whether its Cardale Jones, a big armed QB made to play on Sundays, Ohio State is in good hands!

3.  Jeremy Johnson (Auburn) - I feel like you have to have a SEC guy in the top 5 and this is definitely my choice. Finally a starter after backing up Nick Marshall, a lot of talk is being made about Johnson as he gets set to run the high powered Gus Malzahn offense. A much better thrower than Marshall, Johnson is projected to put up big numbers and help Auburn win the SEC. A pocket passer with mobility, he should give SEC defenses problems all season long.

2. Trevone Boykin (TCU) – From playing receiver his first year, to gaining over 4500 yards as the QB at TCU in his first year as a starter, no one took over the stage in the BIG 12 like Boykin. Surrounded by athletic speedy receivers and backs, Boykin will again have an arsenal of weapons to get the ball too. Coming off the playoff snub of last year, you can expect him and TCU to come back ready to prove to the committee why they screwed up last year. I look for a huge year from Boykin.

1. Deshaun Watson (Clemson) – Since this is “My Take”, it goes without saying everything I say is strictly my opinion based on the facts as I see it. No player in the country is more talented than Watson. He is mobile but his passing separates him from a lot of other quarterbacks. He can literally make every throw on the field. Obviously his injury history may cause concern but I am making this pick as if he will be healthy the entire year. He threw 14 TD’s compared to just 2 picks last year as well as completed 68% of his passes. I really hope he stays healthy this year, and is able to show the nation that he is the best player in college football.

 This has been “My Take”