CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND

Now it’s getting real! Championship week is upon us! Wow, it seems like just yesterday I wrote the first blog of the year and now we are down to only 1 week left in the college football regular season! It’s been many ups and downs and changes this year. Teams we may have thought would be contenders have fallen back in the crowd, but the real contenders are still standing with a chance to make the college football playoff. Each conference has a chance, whether a great chance or not and I’ll take a look at that now.

PLAYOFF CHANCES

ACC

Clemson is clearly the ONLY chance the ACC has of representing themselves in the college football playoff. They are closing strong and Deshaun Watson has made a nice charge to get back into the Heisman race. Early season thoughts about the ACC potentially getting 2 teams in the playoff expired amid Louisville’s late season collapse. I don’t want to downplay Virginia Tech but many expect Clemson to roll on to the second playoff in a row. Virginia Tech still has a lot of talent and I think they’ll definitely give Clemson all they can handle. Jerod Evans has shown big play capability from a dual threat aspect and will be a focus of the Clemson defense.

BIG 10

Now this is where things can get crazy! The BIG 10 championship is upcoming and features Wisconsin and Penn State. That’s right. No Michigan, and no Ohio State even though they currently sit at number 2 in the playoff rankings. The committee members have to be praying that Wisconsin wins this game because if Penn State becomes the conference champion, I don’t see how you leave them out of the playoff. Michigan is 3^rd in their own division. I don’t want to hear them being an option at all. They’re done. This should come down to Ohio State and Penn State, especially if they win Saturday. Ohio State currently sits at number 2, and only have 1 loss. Penn State has 2 losses, but they beat Ohio State and are in 1^st place in their division. Now I know it’s tough to see Ohio State dropping out of the playoff while sitting at number 2 in the rankings but I remember when TCU dropped from 3^rd place to 6^th place after winning a game 50-3. Who know’s what the committee will do, but I am firm in thinking that Penn State should clearly be in the playoff if they win Saturday.

BIG 12

This conference clearly is on the far outside looking in. It comes down to Bedlam. Oklahoma VS Oklahoma State. Now it’s HIGHLY doubtful that the winner of this game gets in the playoff. I mean Clemson, Washington, and Penn State would all have to lose for them to even be seriously considered. Chances of that happening are HIGHLY unlikely, but hopefully the game is entertaining!

PAC 12

Washington and Colorado play in the championship Friday and this should be a very entertaining game! These teams are the only teams in the conference that have a REAL chance to make the playoff, even though USC is rolling! Just came a little too late for them. I think if Washington wins, their definitely in. Colorado would still need help if they won.  They would likely need Clemson and Penn State to lose as well. Whether they get a chance or not, to go from 2 wins to the conference title is already a successful season!

SEC

Alabama is the ONLY team that has a chance in this division. Clearly.

I can’t wait until this weekend! Great games with high stakes. Everything’s on the line. I’m not sure if I’m more excited for the games, or the rankings to come out on Sunday. This is what college football fans live for and I hope it doesn’t disappoint. We could either have a weekend where everything goes as planned or we could have mass chaos. I’m good with either one.

                                         CHAMPIONSHIP PICKS

(8) COLORADO VS (4) WASHINGTON

I’m really looking forward to watching this game! I know some people dislike the PAC 12 conference or think it’s a weak league but it’s not! It is one of the most entertaining conferences. I apologize to SEC fans that it doesn’t have bad offenses like your league which somehow entertains you so much…but back to the game! I could see this one going either way! Colorado has a really good defense and are fast and physical. Sefo Liufau is a tough playmaker who might give Washington fits! He can really make game changing plays, I mean who knows what happens if he doesn’t get hurt against Michigan? Jake Browning is also bigtime for Washington and has steadily climbed up the Heisman boards. Washington has the playmakers and a fast defense that makes them give them the edge…slightly.

WASHINGTON 27

COLORADO 21

(10) OKLAHOMA STATE VS (9) OKLAHOMA

Bedlam is always a fun game to watch. These 2 teams are true rivals and I am expecting fireworks in this matchup! Oklahoma has a quarterback who has played very well lately, and a wide receiver in Dede Westbrook who may be the best in the nation! Mason Rudolph is also very talented and has been the heart of the Cowboys attack this season. I think this game will be a shootout! I think Oklahoma State takes this! Not sure what chance they have in the playoff with 2 losses, but one of them shouldn’t have counted! Should be interesting!

OKLAHOMA STATE 41

OKLAHOMA 31

(7) PENN STATE VS (6) WISCONSIN

There’s been so much talk about Penn State this week, you have to imagine all of the pressure on them! I actually don’t know that Wisconsin isn’t the better team! They have a great defense that will try and shut down Barkley, and hold McSorley in check. They also have a great running back in Corey Clements. In the end however, I think Penn State wins this one late in a defensive slugfest.

PENN STATE 17

WISCONSIN 12

(15) FLORIDA VS (1) ALABAMA

There’s not a ton of analysis or reasoning that this game needs. Alabama should destroy Florida. I will be surprised if Florida gets the ball past  the 50, much less even score.

ALABAMA 31

FLORIDA 7

(23) VIRGINIA TECH VS (3) CLEMSON

Virginia Tech is the clear underdog in this game but I don’t think they will be scared at all! They have weapons on both sides of the ball and a quarterback who can make bigtime plays. They have size at the skill positions and in the secondary to match up with Clemson’s standout wide receiver Mike Williams. Deshaun Watson came in with so much pressure and hype this season and to some he had a slow start to the year. He’s definitely finishing strong! He leads a high flying offense into this game and a desire to get another crack at the national title. I think he’ll make more than enough plays to get it done.

CLEMSON 41

VIRGINIA TECH 24

                                 ONESHOTSPORTS PLAYOFF RANKINGS

                                                     1. ALABAMA

                                                     2. CLEMSON

                                                     3. OHIO STATE
                                                     4. WASHINGTON
                                                     5. PENN STATE
                                                     6. MICHIGAN

PLAYOFF MADNESS

What a weekend! There’s a reason why they remember what you do in November and we got a first hand look at it on Saturday! There were literally GREAT games all day long and plenty of upsets! 3 of the top 4 teams lost which hasn’t happened since 1985. People will probably focus on the top 3, but the Texas Tech VS Oklahoma State was also a great game among many others! Patrick Mahommes is better than Lamar Jackson but no one knows it! But back to those upsets. How much chaos did that actually cause? Maybe not as much as you think…

Playoff Madness

Wow..so we went into this weekends game with the playoff rankings as follows.

      1)   Alabama 2) Clemson 3) Michigan 4) Washington

Looks great, every team deserved to be there! Only issue was that Clemson, Michigan, and Washington all lost! So let’s look at the losses and the possible impact.

Clemson lost by 1 point at home to a Pittsburgh team that came in 5-4. To me, that record is deceiving! Pittsburgh is a good team. They beat a top 10 team in Penn State, lost by 1 touchdown to another top 10 team in Oklahoma State, and 3 of their 4 losses came by 3 points or less. People are undervaluing the value of this loss! Now, should Clemson have won this game? Yes, no doubt! But they came in not ready and not focused! Deshaun Watson has to stop turning the ball over but the real reason for that loss was Dabo. I have NO issues with Clemson going for it on 4^th and 1 to try and seal the game but you don’t do a freaking toss play! You either run it straight up the middle, or you put the ball in your best player’s hands, roll him out and let him make a play! In the end, I don’t think this hurts Clemson in the long run. They’re basically in a win and you’re in situation. I’ll get to their ranking later.

Michigan also lost by 1 point on the road in Iowa…at night! Now, I didn’t do a blog last week because of just being busy with other things but this would have definitely been my upset special of the week! Michigan hasn’t impressed me much this year and they really haven’t beaten anyone worth noting outside of Wisconsin and Colorado after their starting quarterback got hurt. They also haven’t played many games outside the state of Michigan so a loss on the road in Iowa doesn’t surprise me. Iowa has struggled this year but I still have a lot of respect for them going forward! This loss could really cause a major shake up in the BIG 10. Michigan has to win out in order to win the league, but if Ohio State beats them, neither of the major powers in the conference will be in the conference championship game.

Washington lost to USC at home! Now this is a tough loss for sure and it hurts because even though I still have a ton of respect for the PAC 12, it’s clear that the committee doesn’t. USC has been surging ever since they made the switch to Sam Darnold at quarterback and this kid can REALLY play! Still, losing to a 3 loss team won’t help you much in the standings and I expect them to take the worst fall of the other 2 teams that lost. Washington is still very talented but I still see another loss on their schedule this year in the Apple Cup.

So as you can see, I don’t think these losses will cost these teams much. I saw 2 losses on Washington’s schedule eventually, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they win out either. Clemson and Michigan are still in win and you’re in mode so 1 loss doesn’t hurt you that bad! All I know is that we are in for a great last month of the season!

Return from the Dead

So every year we have those teams that start off the year terribly! We get to firing coaches and social media goes crazy and writes them off. There’s always a few teams that are able to bounce back and make a run! That’s what I’m choosing to focus on in this segment.

Washington State

In the first post of the year, I called Washington State my surprise team to win the PAC 12. When they started 0-2, a lot of people thought they were done and was thinking Mike Leach might be gone. Since then, they haven’t lost a game and have blown out a lot of those teams they’ve faced. Their offense has been clicking and Luke Falk is passing the ball all over the field. And unlike some of Leach’s Texas Tech teams, the defense is also making big plays. Washington State has 2 regular season games remaining, on the road against Colorado, and the Apple Cup against Washington. Both of those will be VERY tough games but I can easily see Washington State prevailing and making my surprise pick come true.

Oklahoma

So Oklahoma was a team that I picked in the preseason to not live up to the hype, and after 3 weeks with them sitting at 1-2, it was looking like I was right! Fast forward 7 weeks later and they haven’t lost since! Baker Mayfield has found his groove lately and Dede Westbrook has taken the role of Sterling Shepherd and become a Heisman contender. I literally had a conversation with an Oklahoma fan about it being time for Stoops to move on. They have a huge game this week on the road in West Virginia, but win or lose, they still recovered to have a great year. 

LSU

All of those early coaching firings we discuss every day that never happen, actually happened at LSU. Les Miles, finally out! Even though I thought he should have been fired after last year. Maybe the AD read my blog a little late. Anyways, LSU has been a REALLY good team since Coach Ed Orgeron has taken the helm. They’ve won every game, except for Alabama but I was still impressed at how they played. They have mixed up the play-calling and are no longer predictable on offense. While they still don’t get a ton of help at the  quarterback position, it seems like every other position has been inspired by Orgeon. I know people say LSU needs to go after a big name coach, but I disagree. Just keep a winning one. And Orgeon wins.

USC

Apparently I was wrong on USC twice this year. 1^st, I thought Clay Helton should have been fired from day 1. And 2^nd, when Max Browne was benched for Sam Darnold, I again thought they were insane. But here we are coming towards to the end of the year and NOBODY wants to play USC. They just went on the road to Washington and dominated a team which I had been calling the most complete team in the country. Sam Darnold is a REALLY good player and quite frankly has just made plays that Browne couldn’t. Not to mention the defense is looking like a USC defense of old. 3 losses won’t get them into the playoff, and maybe not even in the conference championship game, and that makes every other team breathe a sigh of relief.

Playoff Ranking

      Alabama      

 Ohio State

Clemson

 Louisville

   Washington

  Michigan

Pick 6

Louisville (4) VS Houston

UPSET ALERT!!!! Thursday night games have been trouble for lots of teams over the years and I have had this date circled on my calendar as the next big upset in college football. Houston is 8-2, but most importantly they are undefeated at home. This game will not be too big for them. They have wins over Florida State and Oklahoma in the last 2 years so they will be up to the challenge.  I think this game comes down to who makes the last play. Greg Ward or Lamar Jackson. Even slightly banged up, I think Ward makes it happen here.

Houston 34

Louisville 31

Oklahoma State (13) VS TCU

Oklahoma State needs a win here in order to keep their hopes of a BIG 12 championship alive. TCU is coming off a severe beat down of Baylor, but lost 3 of their previous 4 and the win was by 1 point against a dreadful Kansas team. TCU will surely compete but Oklahoma State has been, and will continue to be the better team.

Oklahoma State 31

TCU 20

Florida (21) VS LSU (16)

I don’t think this game will be that close. I think Florida is TERRIBLE. They have an even worse offense than they did last year and that’s saying something. LSU is playing their best football of the year and will be looking to keep it up. Florida’s defense is tough but I see Guice and Fournette being able to find holes and make plays. Not to mention, Coach O needs every win he can to have a shot at the job!

LSU 23

Florida 7

Indiana VS Michigan (6)

Word broke yesterday that Michigan starting quarterback Will Speight was out for this week’s game and maybe longer. He wasn’t great but it’ll be an adjustment having a new guy under center. Indiana is one of those teams that are never really good but always compete, just as they did against Penn State this past weekend. I just don’t think it’ll be enough.

Michigan 27

Indiana 20

Oklahoma (8) VS West Virginia (10)

HUGE game in the BIG 12. It could truly go either way. While Oklahoma State doesn’t have any quality wins, they have showed talent on both sides of the ball and I expect them to challenge Oklahoma upfront, as well as in the passing game. Oklahoma just has more playmakers on offense and will not stop attacking the Mountaineer defense. I see Dede Westbrook making a few more plays than West Virginia can cover.

Oklahoma 36

West Virginia 28

Washington State (20) VS Colorado (12)

Big game in the PAC 12. Can Washington State continue their winning streak on the road? Colorado will definitely make it tough, and they can definitely play defense. Problem is, they have a big time offense coming to town. Luke Falk is a big-time quarterback and Washington State has several playmakers. I just think their talent out-weights the talent of Colorado. Close game.

Washington State 31

Colorado 23

NFL MID-SEASON CHECK-IN

I haven’t spoken much on the NFL, at least in blog form but wow what a season it’s been! So many things can change from one year to the next in the NFL which is why it’s been so great! Teams you thought would be locks to win their divisions probably won’t be making the playoffs this year. And players you may have doubted are showing up and showing out! In this blog, I’ll check out every division and give my thoughts and predict a winner. This should be fun!

AFC BREAKDOWN

AFC EAST

Per the usual, the Patriots will clearly win this division. Tom Brady looks like the best to ever do it and that defense is still making plays! From Gronk, to Edelman, Blount, Hogan and the others, Brady makes everyone look better. Rex Ryan has the Bills at 4-4 through the first half of the season and has a supporter of Rex, I’d love for them to make the playoffs. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what recently un-retired athlete Percy Harvin can bring to the team. The Dolphins and Jets are still terrible. Both of those teams need help at several positions on their roster but as long as Brady is in New England, it really doesn’t matter what they do.

AFC WEST

Could this be the best division in football? It’s definitely a prime candidate! The defending champion Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders are all sitting there with 2 losses, and even though they’re only 3-5, San Diego is a good team. Phillip Rivers truly does all he can to drag that team along. Derek Carr is someone I ALWAYS thought would be great and  he is finally showing why. People may have doubted him to do his brother’s earlier NFL struggles but Carr has truly shown he’s different. He has given Michael Crabtree new life and along with Amari Cooper and the other skill guys, they help make this offense go. The defense continues to struggle which may be the downfall that keeps this team from going as far as they want but with Carr behind center, they definitely have a chance. The Broncos still have the elite defense in the NFL and have to with the up and down play of new quarterback Trevor Semien. The Chiefs are a balanced team but still need to do a better job of running the  ball and making plays on offense. I think the Broncos will win this division but it will definitely be a tight race.

AFC NORTH

I’m a Steelers fan! I admit it, and despite Le’veon Bell missing the first few games, Big Ben being hurt, and Martavius Bryant out for the year, I’m happy to see us at the top of the division. It was reported that Roehtlisberger might be available to play this week and we NEED him back to continue to hang on to the division. Landry Jones just isn’t that guy. The Bengals have taken a step back this year and you never know which Bengals team will show up. I have zero faith in them being able to come back and win this division but they have talent so they may surprise me. The Ravens are solid and well coached as usual but they just don’t have enough talent on offense to make a real play for the division. The defense is still highly productive but unfortunately that’s their only strength. The Browns are AWFUL. All in all, fan or not, the Steelers will surely win this division.

AFC SOUTH

My pick to win this division is the Tennessee Titans. They have real good talent on both sides of the ball and Marcus Mariota continues to improve. The combination of Demarco Murray and Derrick Henry has been good as well. The current division leader, Houston still has flaws and I don’t see them holding off the Titans. Brock Osweiler hasn’t impressed me at all and the Texans have to rely on their defense to wiin every game for them to even have a chance. ANDREW LUCK IS OVERRATED. Yea, I’m not buying into him at all. The Colts will regret giving him 87 million dollars for sure. I don’t want to hear about a lack of talent or options, he just simply isn’t as good as people want him to be. The Jaguars are still terrible and will always be terrible.

NFC BREAKDOWN

NFC EAST

So I think it’s alright that since I was a fan of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott in college, that I can silently root for the Cowboys in this division. I’ve never been a Cowboys fan, primarily because they never win anything and act like they do. But that’s changed as they have jumped out to a 6-1 start behind a rookie tandem that is bigtime. Elliott is a top 3 running back right now and Dak just knows how to win games! If Jerry Jones wants to keep this up, he won’t start Tony Romo when he gets healthy and the Cowboys will win the NFC East. The rest of the division all have winning records as well, but I don’t really believe in any of them. The Giants are super inconsistent but they do have talent, especially on the offensive side of the ball. If their defense gets better then maybe they do challenge for the division. Carson Wentz has been good for the Eagles but he doesn’t do a ton downfield which I think you have to do if you want to actually go far in the playoffs. The Eagles do have a good defense that will keep him in games and not force him to have to make big plays because put in that position, I think he fails. The Redskins are talented and Kirk Cousins is a good player. If he stays consistent and he’s able to find the guys downfield, I can see them continuing to push forward for the division lead.

NFC WEST

Seattle is my winner here. I know the Seahawks have a terrible offensive line that doesn’t create a lot of holes for the running backs, or protect Russell Wilson but they still have a great defense and Russell can still make big plays. He’s definitely one of the quarterbacks in the league that I trust. The Cardinals aren’t who I thought they would be so far this year. They still have a good defense but with Tyrann Mathieu going down with an injury this past week, we’ll see how they plug that hole. David Johnson has been a beast and currently leads the league in rushing but Palmer needs to get more out of the passing game for them to challenge Seattle. The Rams have been solid but without the running game, it’s unlikely they’ll be a playoff team. As much as I personally like Case Keenum, it appears his days as a starter are numbered depending on how he plays the next few weeks. That defense is still very good however, and will keep them in games. Colin Kaepernick is still trying to get back to himself as he was just re-inserted back in the starting lineup recently. The 49ers are probably one of the least talented teams in the NFL. That’s their issue. They have ZERO chance of making the playoffs this year.

NFC NORTH

Now this is a division that still has some intrigue! Minnesota was the last undefeated team in the league but have since lost 2 straight. Their defense is ELITE but they have glaring issues on the offensive side of the ball. It’s not Sam Bradford’s fault either. Hard to be successful when your offensive line is terrible! Aaron Rodgers is still very good, but he has clearly not been the same quarterback. I don’t think he’s a top 5 quarterback in the league this year and the Packers need him to be that for them to reach their goals. The defense is still good so let’s see if that’s enough. Matt Stafford started off the year playing very well. He’s definitely a good quarterback but he needs help on both sides of the ball to help the Lions return to the playoffs. At 2-6 it’s difficult to see the Bears making a miracle turnaround and going to the playoffs. They will likely be in the quarterback market this offseason as no one can foresee Jay Cutler returning. I’m a John Fox fan so I hope he’s able to get things turned around in Chicago. My pick to win this division is Green Bay.

NFC SOUTH

This division has Falcons written all over it. They have an MVP candidate in Matt Ryan, and skill guys that make it easy to score and make big plays. While the defense leaves something to desire, they seem to improve from game to game. They are definitely my favorite to win this division. The Saints are still the Saints. They have a great offense but a defense that will never allow them to get back to the Super Bowl days. Drew Brees is still ELITE and as long as you have him, you have a chance to win any game. Tampa didn’t take the step I thought they would this year under a new coach. Jameis is still not where I thought he would be at this point. They might be a year or 2 away from doing anything. And what happened to the defending NFC Champion Carolina Panthers? Did Josh Norman mean that much to this team? I don’t think so, but overall the team just isn’t as good. Cam Newton hasn’t been his dominant self and instead has been continuously crying each week about calls. The Panthers offensive line also has not stepped up to help the running backs or quarterbacks out.

I am REALLY looking forward to the rest of the season. We’ve seen many teams get off to hot starts before and then completely meltdown in the 2^nd half the season. I think we are starting to see that with Minnesota already, but who knows! We’ve also seen teams get hot at the right time and take off. Can Detroit do that? Tennessee? All I know is I guarantee there will be some shakeups this year in the NFL and teams that we didn’t think would make the playoffs will be there when it begins. Can Tom Brady really win the MVP in only 12 games of play? So many questions that need answers! Thankfully, there’s still 8 weeks left to play!

ONE MONTH LEFT

On the eve of the first playoff rankings of the year, it was a chance for teams to make a statement and show why some were worthy and others were not! In a weekend that saw 4 undefeated teams lose, and an entire conference likely knocked out of the playoffs, the clarity of what’s to come appears to be showing up. BUT it’s definitely not that simple! With only one month left in the season, now is the time for those contenders to really show themselves! As a great man once said, they remember what you do in November!

Contenders

Alabama – This one shouldn’t be debatable. I think we ask ourselves the same question every year. “Is this Saban’s best Alabama defense ever”? It might be. From a playmaking secondary to a defensive front that seems to always get in the backfield, Bama has it all again. They have a true freshman quarterback in Jalen Hurts who can make plays with his arms and legs and a solid running game that adds to their greatness. The Crimson Tide look like they’re indeed headed for the playoffs. They might be tested somewhat when they go to LSU this weekend, but with Saban I don’t doubt they’ll prevail.

Clemson - Could they be headed back to the playoffs? It definitely looks that way. When they opened the season beating Auburn on the road 19-13, people actually started to doubt them. But that win looks very good now as Auburn has shown it’s actually a very good team. Clemson is 8-0, including wins against Louisville at home, and on the road at Florida State, and they still haven’t played their best game yet. They are still trying to cut down on the turnovers and giving up big plays. If they get those mistakes corrected, I can see them getting back to the championship game.

Michigan – I admit it. I didn’t think Harbaugh could turn this around this quickly. 2 years ago, Michigan was 5-7 and now they’re looking like a true title contender. The defense definitely passes the eye test, but I think the defense may hold them back from winning a championship. They have quality wins against Wisconsin, and Penn State, but as I said before, November 26^th against Ohio State is the game we are all looking forward too!

Washington - Could they be the most complete team in the country? The Huskies truly have it all. They can play fast or slow. They can throw it downfield, or run the ball. They can win shootouts, or close low scoring affairs. And they have a future NFL quarterback in Jake Browning. I don’t have to see anything else from Washington to know they have a shot to win it all. They have a good secondary that can make plays and also rush the passer and the skills guys offense to make even bigger plays. This is what Washington envisioned when they hired Chris Pederson from Boise State.

Auburn – Clearly, a lot has to happen for Auburn to sneak into the playoff. They already have 2 losses, but once is to Clemson, and the other to A&M. Some people came away from the opening game against Clemson thinking Auburn was going to be terrible this year. I came away impressed with that defense and their ability which has only gotten better as the season as grown. Auburn has been the most improved team in the country and I expect to give Alabama a real challenge when they meet at the end of the year.

Pretenders

Ohio State – Yes, Ohio State is really good and talented but I would truly be SHOCKED if they won the championship this season. JT Barrett hasn’t made the plays he made the first part of the year and they just haven’t looked the same the last couple of weeks! The defense is still elite and can be good enough to take them far, just not far enough.

Texas A&M – Yes, this has been a good year for the Aggies. The 1 in the loss column looks impressive  but does anybody think a Trevor Knight led team can go all the way? Texas A&M has talent on both sides of the ball but there’s no way I look at them as a true contender for the title. They still have games against Ole Miss and LSU and I expect them to lose at least one of those games.

Nebraska – To be very short and simple, NO TEAM WITH TOMMY ARMSTRONG WILL EVER WIN ANYTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE.

Wisconsin – I do like Wisconsin as a team. They have a really good defense and have shown they could step up and play in big games. They have 2 losses, but those are both losses to teams that were better. It took Ohio State overtime to beat the Badgers, and a play of the year style interception for Michigan to seal the deal. At the end of the day, while I believe Wisconsin has a championship defense, I just don’t think they have the offense that can win a game against those top teams.

Louisville – Look, Lamar Miller right now is the Heisman trophy winner and I don’t know what it would take for anyone jump him, but I just can’t see Louisville getting to the playoff. Their only chance would be if Clemson completely melts down towards the end of the year and gets 2 losses, there’s no way Louisville can win the ACC which the committee claims to be putting extra emphasis on. As much as I would like to see Miller play against that Alabama or Michigan defense, it looks like we won’t get that opportunity.

So these are my contenders and pretenders so far. There’s still a month left in the season and a lot can change up until now! I can see someone else jumping into that top 4, specifically if Michigan loses to Ohio State, or Washington loses to Washington State. I firmly have more belief in Alabama and Clemson to get to the playoffs and possibly a rematch of last year’s title game. With a big weekend ahead, I’m definitely ready to see how the rankings change next week.

MY TOP 6

1.      Alabama

2.      Clemson

3.      Michigan

4.      Washington

5.      Texas A&M

6.      Louisville

Pick 6

So unfortunately, after I wrote last week’s blog I had a computer issue and it completely deleted so I didn’t put my picks out! So I’m definitely hoping to go 6/6 this week.

TCU VS Baylor (13)

I think I’ve made it clear how I feel about the Baylor football program. I don’t want them to have success and now that they’re schedule begins to get tougher I think they’ll struggle and it’ll start this weekend against TCU. Even though TCU’s offense hasn’t been what we thought it was, and they still don’t know if Kenny Hill’s the guy, I think they still have athletes to put up points. Unfortunately for Baylor, their quarterback Seth Russell is in the concussion protocol.

TCU 31

Baylor 27

Texas VS Texas Tech

Patrick Mahommes, the nation’s number 1 passer is banged up , but will still play in this weekend’s game and has some added motivation if playing Texas wasn’t enough. Texas linebacker Breckyn Hager came out and said he plans to injure Mahommes, and while he’s already issued an apology I am sure Mahommes and the Red Raiders won’t be very forgiving. Texas just got their best win of the year after knocking off Baylor and maybe they feel like they can talk now. I just don’t think Texas has the talent of either side of the ball to win this game.

Texas Tech 41

Texas 30

Nebraska (9) VS Ohio State (6)

This is a HUGE game for an Ohio State team that has struggled the last couple of weeks. Luckily they get this game at home so maybe that will help them focus. I still don’t have any belief in Armstrong for Nebraska so I think this might be just what the Buckeyes need to get back right. JT Barrett needs to play better and push the ball downfield. Ohio State made their living the last few years on big plays and that’s something they have to do if they want to be a true title contender. It starts now.

Ohio State 34

Nebraska 24

Florida (11) VS Arkansas

Florida is still sitting there with 1 loss and looking like the team in the driver’s seat to win the SEC East, so they have A LOT to play for. Arkansas is not looking good at all and they may struggle again this week. Luckily for them, the game is at home which has proven to be a tough place to play for opponents. Florida just has too much talent on both sides of the ball to have their playoff hopes taken away. The Razorbacks strengths in the last couple of years has been their offensive and defensive lines, but it’s definitely been their weakness this year. Arkansas will compete but it just won’t be enough.

Florida 33

Arkansas 17

Washington (5) VS Cal

My most complete team in the country travels to California for road game that could potentially be a trap game as they have an improving USC team coming to town next week. If there’s one thing Cal can do, it’s score points and I don’t doubt they will come into this game hoping to outscore Washington. That’s a lot easier said than done seeing as the Huskies have an elite defense and that road win over Utah last week showed me they were definitely ready for any kind of challenge. I think Davis Webb will make some plays but Jake Browning will just make more.

Washington 41

Cal 23

Alabama (1) VS LSU (13)

And I had to save the best for last. LSU has been ROLLING ever since Les Miles got fired. Coach O has them playing a faster and more exciting brand of football. Leonard Fournette just came back recently and showed he was still bigtime. He has struggled against Alabama throughout his career though and I don’t see that changing. LSU has been able to make more plays through the air as well and they need to be extremely proficient in order to test an Alabama secondary that will be without star safety Eddie Jackson. But it’s still Alabama and they have depth at every position so I’m sure they’ll be fine. I think it will be a close game and one where Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts will be challenged. He’s shown he’s ready for all challenges however, and I think he’ll make the 2 or 3 plays needed to win this game.

Alabama 31

LSU 24

NBA SEASON PREVIEW

It seems like yesterday that Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving rose up over MVP Steph Curry, and drained a series clinching 3 pointer to complete the 3-1 comeback over the Golden State Warriors in game 7 of the NBA finals. I still remember that shot and how great it was and how it ended over 40 years of suffering for the city of Cleveland. Tomorrow the Cavaliers take the court again to receive those rings as the 2016-2017 NBA season begins. I can’t wait for this season! So many storylines after a HUGE free agent offseason. I know a lot of people said this season would be boring and the Cavs and Warriors would walk back to the finals, but I think there’s a lot more to be determined. When I was putting this season preview together, and making my picks for who wins what this year, I definitely came across many teams and players I’m looking forward to seeing on the court.

Season Predictions

Western Conference Finals

Golden State Warriors VS Los Angeles Clippers

Golden State in my mind is a LOCK to make it back to the NBA Finals. With the addition of Kevin Durant added to the mix of 2 time MVP Steph Curry, sharpshooter Klay Thompson, and do it all Draymond Green, no one should question this. They have all the talent in the world and got younger at center by adding Zaza Pachulia. There is not a hole on this team. Not only are they a team that can score and score fast, but they can also lock down defensively. I expect Klay Thompson to continue his rise. As he said, he’s not changing his game. With that mentality, and the talent across the board, it’d be more than shocking if the Golden State wasn’t there in the end.

Is this going to finally be the year of the Clippers? I admit, its tough picking a team with Doc Rivers as a coach to go to the conference finals. But it’s undeniable the talent on the roster. If Chris Paul and Blake Griffin can stay healthy this year, they definitely have a legitimate shot. And hopefully Griffin can keep his hands to himself off the court as well! JJ Redick is quietly one of the best shooting guards in the league and he keeps getting better every year, and who knows, maybe DeAndre Jordan picked up an offensive move or 2 in the offseason. I think the Clippers will have the talent to compete, but still won’t win more than 2 games against the Warriors. 

Sleeper Pick**

Portland Trailblazers

How do you become a sleeper? By having 2 dogs in your backcourt and that’s what Portland has in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has already said he could see Dame winning the MVP this year which is saying something. Dame and CJ are 2 guys who are more than capable of getting 30 on any given night, and luckily they don’t have to do it alone. Portland resigned Allen Crabbe and signed Evan Turner as well. Both should be major contributors this year and I really like the rotation of bigs Portland will employ. They definitely have a shot to upset a couple teams in the playoffs. 

Eastern Conference Finals

Cleveland Cavaliers VS Boston Celtics

As long as Lebron and Kyrie are still wearing Cavs uniforms, they will continue to have a spot in the Eastern conference finals. The Cavs bring back just about everyone who was a major contributor and look to be ready to repeat. It took awhile (like 2 weeks ago), but they even resigned JR Smith! Cleveland does have a question mark. After the loss of Matthew Deladova, who signed with Milwaukee, backup court point guard has to be a question on head coach Tyronn Lue’s mind. Now, clearly Kyrie is a top notch PG but with his injury history and the goals the Cavs have this season, he will need his rest and I don’t think Kay Felder is the guy who can hold that spot down. But none of this will matter, because you still have Lebron who can always be your backup for any position. Cleveland needs to be better defensively this year, especially on opposing point guards but they can still shoot with the best of them.

Just as I picked the Clippers in spite of their coach, I’m picking Boston because of their coach.. Brad Stevens has quickly made a name for himself in the league as one of the best coaches in the league! His X and O’s are 2^nd to a few and I look for that to even get better. They acquired All Star Al Horford which should help them with a lack of inside scoring and I expect Isiah Thomas to continue to get better and lead this team. There has been talk about the improvement of Marcus Smart and I think that will be huge for Boston. When you’re playing a guy like Kyrie, you guys like Smart and Avery Bradley who can at least compete. Unfortunately it won’t be enough.

Sleeper Pick**

Indiana Pacers

I think Paul George is guy who can win the MVP award this year and is the type who can truly carry a team. His will is something that can’t be questioned after he played every game last season, a year after a horrific leg injury. Jeff Teague comes home to Indy and is ready to be the point guard that George Hill couldn’t be. Monta Ellis still there and although it will take time for he and Teague to gel, if it works, it could be special. The acquisition of Al Jefferson also gives them a proven scorer on the inside which they haven’t had in years. Myles Turner showed flashes last year and Thaddeus Young should be a really good stretch 4 option as well. If all the pieces on this roster play to their ability, the Pacers could definitely surprise someone.

'

MVP

       Paul George

      James Harden

       Kyrie Irving

ROY

       Brandon Ingram

       Joel Embiid

       Kris Dunn

Defensive Player of the Year

       Paul George

       Dwight Howard

       Kawhi Leonard

Most Improved Player

       Devin Booker

       Rodney Hood

       Jabari Parker

6^th Man of the Year

       Allen Crabbe

       Stanley Johnson

       Brandon Jennings

Coach of the Year

       Terry Stotts

       Tyronn Lue

       Brad Stevens

As you can see, I expect Paul George to have a HUGE year! Luke Walton said Brandon Ingram would have to earn his minutes and I don’t doubt for a minute that he will. My sleeper team in Portland is another team I can’t wait to see. They paid Allen Crabbe a lot of money this offseason and he should be ready to show us why! All in all, I can’t wait for tonight when the season begins! It isn’t just all Warriors and Cavaliers. There are a lot of teams and players that can straight up ball! Tomorrow they can start giving us a reason to believe that. 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL REVIEW AND THIS WEEK'S PICKS

College Football just gets better and better. The contenders are showing up in a major way each week. Teams are being tested and proving they can win games that they probably shouldn’t. Clemson and Ohio State both escaped last week in games they probably should have lost. But they both showed the mentality of teams who can win the championship. And that’s what it’s all about. That’s how you find the winners. Everyone can’t just be Alabama and destroy everyone they play, but they definitely have their toughest test coming up this week. Even when you have those impressive teams, of course you’ll find some that need work. Whether it be turnovers, bad coaching, or something else, some teams just aren’t who we thought they would be.

Most Impressive

West Virginia – So we all wondered how good West Virginia was…and honestly we may still not know. But I am impressed now. They are still undefeated and looking like a team that could possibly win the BIG 12. When you hold Patrick Mahommes and Texas Tech to 17 points, that has to be impressive, The defense, combined with a good offensive of athletic playmakers continue to get better. I know Mahommes was a little banged up but Texas Tech can typically score 40 points in their sleep, and had scored 50 straight points in their last several home games, but West Virginia shut them down! They get Oklahoma and Baylor at home this year which furthers my belief in them winning the conference.

Wisconsin – Now I know they lost, but I came away extremely impressed by the way they fought. Their defense again showed how good it was at times, and frustrated Buckeye quarterback JT Barrett often but he made the bigtime plays when OSU needed them. Badgers quarterback Alex Hornibrook showed a little more ability to make throws than he did against Michigan and his improvement will be good for them going forward. I like what I see from this Wisconsin team. They are definitely on the rise in the BIG 10.

Arkansas – I didn’t think Arkansas had a chance in hell to beat Ole Miss but they did squeak out a victory 34-30. They gave up 30 points and luckily had a kickoff return called back, but they made the plays when they counted on both sides of the ball. Austin Allen continues to look really good at the quarterback position, though he still needs better protection from his offensive line. Dan Enos is great and continue to be exceptional at play-calling. I still don’t think the defense is any good but they made key stops down the stretch to seal the deal. Enos will be tested trying to make calls against a talented Auburn defense this weekend. 

Least Impressive

Tennessee - Just as I predicted, the real Tennessee finally showed up! Yea, they have a few injuries but Alabama completely dominated this game, especially the 2^nd half. They simply don’t have enough playmakers to win a game like that. Now granted, Alabama makes everyone look unimpressive, but I just don’t see enough from Tennessee to make me a believer. Dobbs must do a better job at taking care of the ball if they want to improve going forward.

Miami – With a quarterback in Brad Kaaya who some scouts predict to be drafted in the 1^st 2 rounds in this season’s NFL’s draft, and many other talented players, it makes no sense that Miami has failed to score 20 points in their last 2 games, both losses. People keep wondering if the “U” will ever be back, and by the looks of things, that’s going to be a long time away if ever! Maybe I’m just an angry Canes fan ranting right now, but when you have the talent you expect better. I hope Mark Richt opens the playbook and stops being so conservative or we won’t have a chance to win the division.

Clemson – Look, Clemson will still likely win the conference but they must have a better showing than they did this past weekend. 4 crucial turnovers, including 2 deep in the red zone won’t get it done. If not for NC State’s kicker missing a chip shot, their season and title hopes would likely be over. Deshaun Watson is still able to be that leader they need but for them to have a different outcome in this year’s playoff than last year’s, they must cut down on the turnovers and their defense needs to start forcing them.

PICK 6

Miami VS Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech has been playing very well as of late and Miami has not! Miami’s defense has been fine. They are young, but talented. It’s going to take Coach Mark Richt allowing his offense to actually play. He has coaching with a such a non-aggressive attitude, it has caused them to lose their last 2 games. This is a game Miami NEEDS to win if they want to have a shot at winning the Coastal division. Maybe it’s the fan in me, but that’s what I’ll go with!

Miami 27

Virginia Tech 21

Texas A&M (6) VS Alabama (1)

Trevor Knight made a name for himself by how he played against Alabama a few years back but now he has to see them again. There’s no doubt that Nick Saban hasn’t forgot that. Knight has been a stabilizing force for the Aggie offense, and a true leader for that team. They have a really good running game, but teams don’t run against Alabama so it’ll be a true test for Knight and Trayveon William who has been great for the Aggies this year. Jalen Hurts has been a Heisman contender for Alabama and truly gets better every week as the Alabama O-Line has given him plenty of protection. It’ll be a great battle for the Miles Garrett lead Texas A&M defensive line. This should be a great game!

Alabama 33

Texas A&M 24

TCU VS West Virginia (12)

West Virginia is looking to continue to prove their forreal! After holding down explosive Texas Tech, they now get another test from TCU and Kenny Hill. I think West Virginia has 2 many weapons offensively and a stout defense that will surely be ready for the inconsistent offense from TCU.

West Virginia 30

TCU 17

Arkansas (17) VS Auburn (21)

It’s always personal when former Arkansas and current Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn coaches against the Razorbacks. He had a bizarre exit from Arkansas so I’m sure he’s looking forward to getting a win Saturday night. Auburn’s defense has been impressive all season and I expect it to continue this weekend. The offense continues to grow as Sean White keeps playing more confident. Auburn also has John Franklin III who is the type of running quarterback that Arkansas has struggled to defend all year. As noted above, I have lots of respect for Arkansas OC Dan Enos an Austin Allen, but I think a road game against that defense will be too much to handle.

Auburn 31

Arkansas 20

Wisconsin (10) VS Iowa

Wisconsin is looking to continue to grow after losing in OT against Ohio State and they have a tough road game against Iowa. Iowa has been up and down this year, but they still have talent on both sides and I expect them to truly challenge Wisconsin. I don’t think it will be enough has that Badger offense continues to grow and that defense is great!

Wisconsin 27

Iowa 17

Ole Miss (23) VS LSU (25)

Might be time for me to stop believing in Ole Miss. They really let me down against Arkansas but they arguably have some of the best talent in the country. LSU has shown a more explosive offense lately, even without Leonard Fournette and may be turning a corner on their season. Chad Kelly needs to bounce back and have a turnover free game for them to win this game I Baton Rouge.

Ole Miss 37

LSU 30