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