I’ve been battling the flu for a week. I’m still fighting it, so I’m not feeling great.
I’m not gonna put in a long introductory start or even do a deep dive of evey game.
I’m just getting straight to the point.
In no particular order…..
#14 Houston Cougars (6-1) at #10 Utah Utes (6-0)
Game starts at 10:15 PM (EST) on Saturday night, on ESPN.
This is going to be a QB battle.
Casey Weigman (HOU) is completing 67.7% of his passes for 1,771 yards, 20 TDs to only 2 INTs. He can run the ball too, with 229 yards and 6 TDs.
Devon Dampier (UTAH) is completing 73.1% of his passes, for 1,412 yards, with 15 TDs, to 4 INTs. He also can run the ball, with 198 yards and 3 TDs.
Prediction – My brain is telling me to take Utah at home. However, something is nagging at me to take Houston on the road. I’m gonna listen to my brain, and take Utah in a close, high scoring game. 45-42.
#6 Indiana Hoosiers (6-1) at Michigan Wolverines (4-2). Game starts at 12:00 (Noon) (EST), Saturday afternoon, on FOX.
The Hoosiers are coming off their first loss in 1.5 seasons (they were the undefeated national champions last season). How will they respond???
Michigan has FINALLY benched QB Bryce Underwood, and freshman Tommy Carr (grandson of legendary Michigan coach Lloyd Carr) is getting his first career start. What a tough assignment too.
Prediction – I feel sooooooooooo bad for Tommy. He’s getting his dream coming true, and it’s against a very tough and fast defense. While “The Big House” is a difficult place to play, Indiana is too good and too well coached. Indiana wins 35-21.
The Floyd of Rosedale Trophy Game.
#15 Iowa Hawkeyes (5-1) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-2). Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST), Saturday afternoon, on FS1.
These two teams have battling for this 98 lb bronze pig since 1935.
Iowa will be starting their backup QB Jeremy Hecklinski for the 2nd straight game. 1st string QB Hank Brown IS available but still dealing with a shoulder injury. HB Kamari Moulton ran for a career high 208 yards last week.
You NEVER know which Minnesota team is gonna show up on the field, on any given Saturday. If their offense (starting with QB Drake Lindsay) can ever match the play of their defense, this team could be a top tier team Big Ten team. PJ Fleck is a GREAT coach.
Prediction – Rivalry games are always so hard to predict. I don’t think “the bloom falls of the rose” for Iowa entirely this week, but I do think it’s gonna be a close game. Give me the Hawkeyes 23-20.
I’m down home with the flu, but WHAT A WEEK 7 of college football!!!
5 of the Top 7 ranked teams lost, for the first time SINCE 1936!!!
#1 Georgia lost to unranked Auburn 27-24. #2 Notre Dame lost to #8 BYU 28-24. #5 Indiana lost to #Ohio State 19-15. #6 Alabama lost to #Tennessee 26-10. #7 Texas lost to unranked Florida 27-24.
The #12 UCLA Bruins are still undefeated (6-0) after beating Wisconsin 17-7, starting a backup quarterback.
#15 Kentucky continues its incredible start to the season (6-1), defeating Oklahoma 21-13.
We had some absolute shootouts with #20 Houston beating #18 Oklahoma State 35-32, and West Virginia beating Cincinnati 45-42.
For the 18TH STRAIGHT YEAR, the Kansas State Wildcats beat their arch-rival the Kansas Jayhawks to win the Sunflower Showdown 35-24…..can it really be a rivalry now. LOL.
North Dakota State is now 6-1, in their FIRST YEAR playing FBS football, as they beat Nevada 31-17.
This was a really, really difficult week to choose from.
So, without further ado, here are your Week 7 College Football Helmet Stickers.
OFFENSE. Michael Hawkins Jr – QB – West Virginia Mountianeers 25 of 33 for 464 yards and 3 TDs 26 carries for 77 yards and 2 TDs
DEFENSE. Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas Longhorns. 8 total tackles, 4 TFLs, 1 sack. Left the game in 4th quarter with injury.
TEAM.
Cornell Big Red (3-2) defeated #4 Leighton Mountain Hawks 48-38 for their 1st win over a Top 5 ranked opponent since 1939!!!
The team they beat in 1939…..#4 Ohio State.
Who do you think deserves a helmet sticker???
– by Sean McKenzie
Pictures and video courtesy of…..wallpapercave, ESPN, and YouTube.
Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.
#21 UCLA Bruins beat #13 Oregon Ducks 17 – 15, in Eugene (this was the only prediction I lost).
The unranked Kentucky Wildcats upset #10 LSU Tigers 35- 34 in overtime.
Unranked South Carolina Gamecocks went into The Swamp, and beat #16 Florida Gators 38- 19.
Now, if you follow me on Twitter/X (which you should @JoeAmerican6771), you’d seen that all season long, I’ve been saying the LSU and Florida are being extremely overrated by ESPN, or as everyone with common sense calls them, E(SEC)PN.
Now, they’re going to overrate Kentucky and South Carolina next.
There were a lot of players, that deserved a helmet sticker this week, but, here the ones who get the nod.
OFFENSE. Branden Atkinson, QB, Oregon State Beavers. 29 of 38, for 409 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs
DEFENSE. Michael Molnar, LB, Ohio Bobcats. 5 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble.
TEAM. Oklahoma Sooners. Defeated #1 Texas Longhorns 27 – 24.
Everyone had written off the Oklahoma Sooners for the season, coming into this game.
BUT, as I said in my “3 Games You Should Watch for Week 6” article, anything can happen in a rivalry game.
– by Sean McKenzie
Pictures and Videos courtesy of…..YouTube and ESPN
What a week of college football, Week 6 has in store for us.
The Red River Shootout/Rivalry between the #1 Texas Longhorns vs the Oklahoma Sooners. No matter the rankings, this game is always chippy and physical.
#14 Missouri Tigers are coming off a big win over (then ranked) #8 Florida, and they’re taking on the Texas A&M Aggies (who are rumored to be under investigation for NIL violations). Can the Tigers handle being the hunted, instead of the hunter???
Can Nebraska Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule FINALLY beat a ranked team? They take on last year’s National Champions, #7 Indiana Hoosiers. Personally, I’m saying doubt it.
With so many options to choose from, it’s hard to pin down a list, but, here are the 3 games you should watch…..
1) #20 Iowa Hawkeyes (4-1) at Washington Huskies (3-2) Game starts at 9:00 PM (EST), Friday night, on FOX.
Both teams are coming off crushing losses (Iowa to Ohio State at home, and Washington at USC).
While, Iowa was simply outclassed on the field, Washington SHOULD have won, and simply choked the game away.
It seems like Iowa has finally found a good QB in Senior Hank Brown (832 yards, 5 TDs, and 1 INT). As usual with the Hawkeyes, it’s all about defense and the running game. Senior Kamari Moulton gets the bulk of the carries (50 carries for 311 yards, and 2 TDs), but Braeden Jackson, Xavier Williams, and Nathan McNeil all have over 100 yards on the ground. Senior LB Cam Buffington has 44 tackles to lead the team, and DE Joesph Anderson has 3 sacks.
Washington has one of my favorite dual-threat QBs to watch, Demond Williams Jr (1,327 yards, 8 TDs and 3 INTs in the passing game, 53 carries for 191 yards, and 2 TDs running). On defense, it all runs through Senior safety Alex McLaughlin, as he leads the team in total tackles (36), sacks (2.5), and INTs (2).
The Huskies are favored by 3 points (as of this writing).
Prediction – I badly want to take Washington. My gut is telling me that Williams will try too hard and cost his team the game late. Give me the Iowa Hawkeyes in a close 28-27 upset win.
2) #21 UCLA Bruins (4-0) at #13 Oregon Ducks (3-1). Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST), Saturday afternoon, on CBS.
Are Bob Chesney and his UCLA Bruins for real???
Well, we’re about to find out, as they face their toughest test BY FAR.
This Bruins offense goes through the running game, NOT QB Nico Iamaleava. Senior HB Wayne Knight followed Chesney from James Madsion and leads the team with 49 carries, for 445 yards, and 9 TDs. He’s not alone though. HBs Anthony Woods (36, 269, 4), and Jaivian Thomas (28, 155, 3), help shoulder the load. On defense, LB Sammy Omosigho simply has a nose for the football. He leads the team in total tackles (38), sacks (3), and forced fumbles (4).
Junior transfer QB Dylan Raiola (Nebraska) will get the start. He’s 30 for 36, for 413 yards, with 5 TDs and 0 INTs, so far this season. He’ll need to continue playing well, which he didn’t do at Nebraska. On defense, transfer S Koi Perich (Minnesota) leads the team in total tackles (24). LB Matayo Uiagalelei leads the team in sacks (3). DB Jett Washington leads the team in INTs (2) and forced fumbles (1). What does that tell you??? That they have playmakers all over the defensive back 7.
Prediction – The UCLA storyline is great, and Bob Chesney is going to bring the Bruins back to relevance for the next few years. HOWEVER, he’s in for a rude awakening. The Ducks are favored by 11.5, and I’ll take that. Ducks win 42-21.
3) #2 Georgia Bulldogs (5-0) at #5 Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0). Game starts at 7:30 PM (EST), Saturday night, on ABC.
Get your pizza and popcorn ready, don’t forget your TUMS too (if you eat this late LOL); because this game is gonna be fun!!!
Georgia is led by the best QB in the SEC (yes, I said it) in Gunnar Stockton (1,049 yards, 13 TDs, 1 INT). He simply doesn’t make mistakes. They need the run game to step up in this game. Their leading rusher, HB Nate Frazier, only has 211 yards on the ground, but does have 5 TDs. As usual, the UGA LBs are fast and active. They have 9.5 of the teams 13 sacks and 4 of the teams 5 forced fumbles. They fly around to the football, and they will need to continue to cause turnovers in this game.
Alabama’s’ high-octane offense, is led by dual-threat Sophomore QB Keelon Russell. He’s thrown for 1,414 yards, 11 TDs and 2 INTs, and has run for 184 yards with 4 TDs. The Crimson Tide have 3 HBs with 200+ rushing yards, Daniel Hill (51 carries, 247 yards, 4 TDs), Trae’shawn Brown (42 carries, 211 yards, 5 TDs), and EJ Crowell (26 carries, 204 yards, 3 TDs). Future 1st round pick WR Ryan Coleman-Williams, leads the team with 20 catches, for 376 yards, and 4 TDs. The defense gets after the QB, as they have 16 team sacks this season, causing 8 INTs, and forcing 6 fumbles.
Prediction – Some think this will be high scoring. Some think this will be a defensive struggle. I think it’ll be in the middle. Alabama got them in the regular season last year, but lost in the conference title game. I DO NOT think that happens here. Bulldogs get the win in Tuscaloosa, 35-28.
What game do you think should’ve made the list???
– by Sean McKenzie
Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and ESPN.
Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.
Week 4 of the college football season, has come and gone.
We had an almost upset on Friday night, with the Northwestern Wildcats giving the #5 ranked Indiana Hoosiers, all they could handle. Barely escaping with a 29-23.
The #21 Florida Gators absolutely dominated the #4 ranked Ole Miss Rebels, getting a massive 52-28 win at home.
As I predicted months ago (see above), the Wisconsin Badgers went on the road, and pulled the upset, beating the #13th ranked Penn State Nittany Lions, 24-20.
#16 Louisville Cardinals got upset by the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 30-27.
Of course, the play that EVERYONE is talking about is #17 Iowa Hawkeyes going into “The Big House” and beating #18 Michigan Wolverines 20-19, on the final play of the game.
With so many greats games.
With so many great plays.
With so many great players.
Here are your Week 4 Helmet Stickers.
OFFENSE. Jeremiah Smith – WR – Ohio State Buckeyes. 12 catches for 217 yards, and 4 TDs.
Well, it’s Week 4, and that means for most college football teams; we are a quarter (25%) of the way through the season.
There are a lot of good games this week, as conference play begins for a lot to teams.
Of course, E(SEC)PN or just ESPN is just promoting the living crap out of the SEC games.
This is a GREAT week for SEC football though, so as annoying as it is, it’s actually justified this week.
I will say this, #1 Texas Longhorns vs #14 Tennessee Volunteers (Game starts at Saturday afternoon, 12:00 PM Noon, on ABC), is NOT on my list. Neither you nor I, have any interest in seeing TEN HC Josh Heupel meltdown in a big game again.
Neither you nor I, want to watch the extremely overrated South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers pull another Heupel, against #8 Alabama Crimson Tide (Game starts Saturday night, at 7:00 PM, on ESPN).
So without further ado, are the REAL Top 3 games you should watch this weekend (in no particular order)…..
1) #4 Ole Miss Rebels (3-0) at #21 Florida Gators (3-0). Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST), Saturday afternoon, on ABC.
I could go on and give you all the stats, and make your eyes cross as you read this.
I won’t do that.
This game is going to show us if the Florida Gators are for real, and deserve to be ranked.
Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss and HB Kewan Kacy are going to score points.
Can Florida QB Aaron Philo and HB Jaden Baugh, keep up.
That’s the nut and bolts of this game. Plain and simple.
Prediction – The Ole Miss offense is simply too much. Give me the Rebels BIG. 42-21.
2) #20 Oregon Ducks (2-1) at USC Trojans (4-0). Game starts at 7:30 PM (EST), Saturday night, on NBC.
This is a rivalry game. It means a lot on the West Coast, especially on the recruiting trail.
The Oregon Ducks have the worst P4 (Power 4) loss of the season (to Oklahoma State), and then put up 84 points against Portland State.
They have to win this game. This is their only ranked opponent until November 7th (Ohio State).
For USC, they don’t have to win this game. They still play 3 more ranked teams (as of now), in Penn State (October 10th), Ohio State (October 31st), and Indiana (November 14th). They have small bit of leeway.
Prediction – USC is a different team at home than on the road. I’ll take the Trojans in a close game 35-31.
2) Oklahoma State Cowboys (2-1) at West Virginia Mountaineers (3-0). Games starts at 7:00 PM (EST), Saturday night, on FS1.
Nobody is talking about this game, and that is a big mistake. This is going to be a really fun game to watch. BOTH teams have momentum in their favor.
The Cowboys are still riding high off their massive upset of the afore mentioned Oregon Ducks.
Cowboys QB Drew Mestemaker is your classic “gunslinger”. He’s going to make incredible throws and some boneheaded throws. He’ll always keep them in contention.
They’re gonna need HB Caleb Hawkins to continue to ground out the yards in this game, and keep the WVU offense off the field.
Speaking of…..
West Virginia is coming off their 38-27 upset win over (than ranked) #25 Virginia last week.
Mountaineers QB Micheal Hawkins Jr is the entire offense. He’s thrown for 477 yards, with 5 TDs and 0 INTs, and he’s the leading rusher with 44 carries, for 322 yards, and 6 TDs.
They need SOMEBODY ELSE to step up.
Prediction – This is going to be a game of “big moments” and back and forth play. WVU is favored by 1.5 points. This is hard, but I trust the proven QB that can throw. Give me Oklahoma State to go into Morgantown and win on a game winning drive 28-27.
What game are you looking forward to the most???
– by Sean McKenzie
Stats and information courtesy of…..ESPN and NCAA.
Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and USAToday.
As Week 3 of the college football season, typically has the non-conference games being wrapped up, unless you’re SEC, it’s hard to determine which games are worth your time.
I’m an Ohio State Buckeyes fan, but the truth is, that I’m not going to be watching a lot of their against Kent State (Noon on FOX) on my 4-way split screen TV.
I’m not picking #7 LSU Tigers at #8 Ole Miss Rebels, (7:00 PM (EST) on ABC), because it’s too easy, and we all, already know it’s a big game.
You gotta get through the muck, of the schedule, and that’s what I’m here for.
Here are the Top 3 games that I’ll be paying attention to the most.
1) #22 Houston Cougars 2-0 at Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-0).
Gametime is Friday Night, at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX.
The Cougars are led by 5th year Senior QB Casey Weigman. He likes to spread the ball around, with 3 WRs already over 100 yards receiving. Against Texas Tech, they’ll need HBs Makhi Hughes and Re’Shaun Sanford to keep averaging over 5 YPC, to alleviate the pressure. On defense, they have active DBs, that get involved in pass rush, as DB Javion White leads the team with 2 sacks. That has to change. That front four needs to start getting pressure.
The Red Raiders are led by QB Will Hammond. He’s a pure pocket passer, completing 76% of his passes. He’s also taken 4 sacks. Junior HB J’Koby Williams leads the team in rushing with 187 yards and 2 TD, and receptions, with 10 catches. Texas Tech always has smart linebackers, and that continues. Senior Jamond Mathis leads the team with 2.5 sacks. LBs Ben Roberts (15) and Austin Romaine (12) are tackling machines.
Prediction – Everytime I picked against the Cougars last season, they won. I’d like to say that I learned my lesson, but NOPE!!! Give me Texas Tech at home 34-30.
2) #16 SMU Mustangs (2-0) at #23 Louisville Cardinals (1-1).
Gametime is Saturday afternoon at 3:30 PM (EST) on ESPN2.
The Mustangs are led by one of the best and most fun QBs in college football in Senior Kevin Jennings. He is must see TV. Jennings is completing over 76% of his passes, for 767 yards, with 8 TDs and 2 INTs. The entire offense runs through him. On defense, they’re led by Senior S Jimmy Wyrick. He leads the team in tackles (11) and sacks (2).
The Cardinals are led by Ohio State transfer Junior QB Lincoln Kienholz. He’s completely 68% of his passes for 639 yards, with 4 TDs and 0 INTs. He also leads the team in rushing with 20 carries for 111 yards, and 3 TDs. Can he keep this pace up for an entire season? On defense, their top 3 tacklers are all DBs, in Koen Entringer, Kaleb Beasley, and DJ Waller Jr. They only have 1 sack through 2 games. That’s not good enough.
Prediction – It’s always hard to count out Louisville. They’re a scrappy team. Kevin Jennings is the better QB and they have the better defense. Mustangs win 42-27.
3) Virginia Tech Hokies (2-0) at Maryland Terrapins (2-0).
Gametime is Saturday night at 7:30 PM (EST) on FS1.
Hokies QB Ethan Grunkmeyer followed head coach James Franklin to the Hokies, from Penn State. He’s completing 77% of his passes for 551 yards, with 4 TDs and 0 INTs. HBs Jeffrey Overton and Marcellous Hawkins Jr, have rushed for over 263 yards and 6 TDs, through 2 games. On defense, they have 12 sacks through 2 games, led by DL Mylachi Williams and Cortez Harris, with 3 each. Both are also tied for the team lead in tackles (7).
The Terrapins are led by Sophomore Malik Washington. He’s completing 73% of his passes, for 533 yards, with 3 TDs and 0 INTs. On defense, LBs Trey Reddick (12) and Carlton Smith (10) lead the team in tackles. Overall, they have 10 sacks and 3 INTs.
The underwriting storyline of this game, is that Virginia Tech, paid Maryland $600,000 to cancel games in 2027 and 2028. This originally was supposed to be a 4 game home and home series, to renew a regional rivalry game. They will play this game, and the final game will be played in 2029.
Prediction – Both of these defenses are off to hot starts. It simply comes down to which HC I trust more…..James Franklin or Mike Locksley??? I’ll take Franklin and Virginia Tech 21-14, in a defensive game.
What game are you excited to watch??? Drop a comment.
After what has seemed like a long, long, spring and summer, us college football fans, can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
We are all still in a sense of disbelief, that the historically worst team in college football, the Indiana Hoosiers, won the College Football National Championship.
While “recruiting battles” and keeping up with the all the coaching changes kept our appetites wet, there is nothing like seeing them clash on the field.
I could hem and haw about all the new changes in the offseason, but, I’m going to get right to the meat of the matter (go back and read my articles).
So, without further ado, here are my college football season predictions.
1) Who will win the ACC, B12, B10 and SEC?
NIL (name, image, and likeness), has stopped the SEC from cheating (which a lot of former players openly admit now) and has now leveled the playing field. Hence, we have Indiana winning the Natty.
It makes the conferences deeper than ever before. We no longer just have Alabama and Georgia in the SEC. Ohio State and Michigan and the B10.
I’ll start with the ACC, and let’s be honest here. It’s the Miami Hurricanes. They avoid the other Top 2 contenders (SMU and Louisville) in the regular season. Unless something catastrophic happens, I expect them to finish conference play undefeated.
The most fun conference to watch every season, is by far the Big-12. Why you ask? Because they’ve had 5 different conference champions in the last 5 season. You never know who is going to win, and that makes it fun.
Daily Dose in Convoy, has you covered for all your Protein Breakfast Bowls, Protein Snacks, and Special Tea needs. On the corner of US-49 and Tully Street. Check out their Facebook page for morning and afternoon hours.
All the “experts” on ESPN, or as us fans call them, E(SEC)PN, are picking the Texas Tech Red Raiders to win back-to-back conference titles. While it’s possible, it’s certainly NOT a given. They do miss out on having to play BYU, and they do get Houston at home (Sept 18th at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX). They lost a lot of production at quarterback and on defense. Projected QB starter Will Hammond is coming off an ACL, that he suffered in October last year.
The BYU Cougars and Houston Cougars, are returning their starting QBs, in Bear Bachmeier and Conner Weigman. Both the Cougar teams are returning the majority of their defensive starters from last season as well.
Ultimately, I think Texas Tech makes it back-to-back, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they don’t.
It’s an absolute crapshoot in the Big-10. Almost everyone is picking the Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, or the Indiana Hoosiers. However, do not count out the USC Trojans.
They return starting QB Jordan Maiava, HB King Miller, and all five starters along their offensive line. Five players return on defense as well. They schedule did them no favors though. They have Oregon (Sept 28th) and Ohio State (Oct 31st) at home, and travel to Indiana (Nov 14th). Do not be shocked if USC wins 2 of these games and make it to Indianapolis.
At the end of it all, I think it’ll come down to the Buckeyes and Ducks. I think Ohio State beats Oregon on November 7th in Columbus, but the Ducks clip them in the Big-10 Championship Game, to win conference title.
Down in the SEC, the most talented team is the Texas Longhorns. They avoid Georgia and Alabama in the regular season. They get Ole Miss at home (Oct 24th) and ARE going to get revenge, and just clobber Florida at home (Oct 17th). They do have to travel to Texas A&M to finish the regular season (Nov 27th). I think if they can avoid injuries, they’ll win the conference.
However, you can never count out the Georgia Bulldogs, and do not sleep on Mike Elko and Texas A&M. The Aggies return starting QB Marcel Reed. If her can cut down on his 12 INTs, they’ll give Alabama (Oct 24th) and Texas (Nov 27th) a very serious scare.
2) Notre Dame will finish inside the Top 4.
Yes, I know that Notre Dame lost their top 2 running backs from last season in Jeremiyah Love (3rd overall pick) and Jadarian Price (32nd overall), but, CJ Carr returning at quarterback, after an impressive freshman season (2,741 yards, with 24 TDs and 6 INTs).
The Irish went out and got former Ohio State WRs Quincy Porter and Myles Graham in the transfer portal to give him weapons on the perimeter and offset the loss of the running game. Three offensive lineman return, and Notre Dame always has good tight ends.
They return 7 starters on defense, including quite possibly the best CB tandem in all of college football (Leonard Moore and Christian Gray), and All-American S Tae Johnson. It’s going to be a nightmare throw against them.
They also used the portal to get better along the defensive line, pairing newcomers DE Keon Keeley (Alabama), DT Francis Brewu (Pitt), and DT Tione Gray (Oregon), with returning starters DE Boubacar Traore and DT Jason Onye.
They two toughest games are at home, against the Miami Hurricanes (Now 7th) and SMU (Nov 21st). They do travel to play the always sneaky tough BYU (Oct 17th). Other than that, their schedule is easy.
I fully expect them to be 11-1 or even 12-0 at the end of the season.
3) Boise State will be the lone Group of 6 school in the College Football Playoffs.
Last year the College Football Playoff Committee put 2 Group of Five schools in the playoff, and it went absolutely terrible with blowout losses, with Oregon beating James Madison 51-34, and Ole Miss beating Tulane 41-10.
They’ve learned their lesson. It won’t happen again.
Boise State is the best team in the newly reformed Pac-12 and all the Group of 6 schools (Pac-12, Mountain West, Conference USA, MAC, American Athletic, and Sun Belt).
Starting quarterback Maddux Madsen returns after throwing for 2,334 yards with 18 TDs and 9 INTs. HB Duke Riley is also returning after turning down multiple offers from P4 teams. He ran for 1,125 yards and 10 TDs. They return 3 starters along the offensive line (C, RG, RT).
They return 3 of 4 starters on the defensive line, for a defense that finished ranked 39th best overall in the country last season. They are going to rely heavily on them, as the “back 7” only returns 2 starters, in LB Boen Phelps and CB Jaden Mickey.
The Broncos have an incredibly tough game to open the season, against the Oregon Ducks (Sept 9th, at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS).
Their toughest conference games, are all at home (Utah State on Oct 3rd, Texas State on Oct 31st, and San Diego State on Nov 21st) as well.
4) The 1st Head Coach to be fired will be…..
With all the off the field distractions going on with Head Coach Bill Belichicks’ personal life, now GM Mike Lombardi and DC Steve Belichick have been suspended, with an external investigations ongoing, he’s already on the hot seat.
They open their schedule against 5 teams that made a bowl game appearance, in their first 6 games.
I am predicting the Tar Heels only win will be against East Tennessee State (Sept 12th), and he’ll be fired before Oct 24th game at home against Syracuse.
OC Bobby Petrino will take over and lead them to wins over Syracuse, UConn, and an upset win over Virigina.
5) Who will make the College Football Playoffs.
First Round Byes
Oregon Ducks Texas Longhorns Miami Hurricanes Norte Dame Fighting Irish
First Round Games
#12 Boise State at #5 Ohio State. #11 Indiana at #6 Texas Tech. #10 Ole Miss at #7 Georgia. #9 USC at #8 Texas A&M.
Quarter-final Games
#5 Ohio State vs #4 Notre Dame. #9 USC vs #1 Oregon. #11 Indiana vs #3 Miami. #7 Georgia vs #2 Texas.
Semi-Final Games
#5 Ohio State vs #1 Oregon. #3 Miami vs #2 Texas.
National Championship Game
#5 Ohio State vs #2 Texas.
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National Champion
Ohio State wins their 2nd national championship in 3 years, when they go on a similar run, as they did in 2024.
What are your predictions for the upcoming college football season?
– by Sean McKenzie
Stats and information courtesy of….. ESPN, NCAA, and Lindy’s.
The college football season is just around the corner.
We get our gear out and make sure it’s washed, fresh, and ready.
We plan our holidays and special events, around what time our favorite teams play and when the “big games” are on TV.
It’s the time of year, where we lose our minds because our team threw an interception or fumbled the football. All the while, our wives sit on the couch thinking…..”I can’t believe I’m married to that man.” LOL.
So, in honor of this glorious time of year, I’m here to help you get your calendar set and ready.
Here are 3 “under the radar” non-conference games, you have to watch.
FYI…..No, Ohio State vs Texas is not on the list, because we all know, it’s the best non-conference game this season.
UNLV Rebels at Memphis Tigers Saturday, August 29th, at 10:00 PM (EST) on FOX.
The winner of this game, COULD end up with the guaranteed college football spot, awarded to the highest ranked G6 school.
UNLV and head coach Dan Mullen is coming off a 10-4 season and a second-place finish, in his first season at the helm. The Rebels went out and got former Oklahoma and Auburn quarterback, Jackson Arnold to come in and lead the offense. Senior running back Jai’den Thomas ran for 1,036 yards with 12 TDs last season. The offense will lean heavily on him, as they lost their top four wide receivers. The defense only returns three starters, and is looking for a lot of players to step up.
Memphis has a new head coach in Charles Huff (my 3rd favorite hire in the offseason), and he’ll have his work cut out for himself. Starting with choosing a starting quarterback. It’s between former Ohio State and South Carolina backup Air Noland and D2 West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes, who had 30 passing and 10 rushing TDs last season. They only have 1 returning starter on offense. On defense, a lot of players followed Huff from Southern Miss, and they’ll lean on that familiarity.
Prediction– Give me the Rebels to make a statement that last season wasn’t a fluke, with a big 35-17 win.
Mississippi State Bulldogs at Minnesota Golden Gophers
Saturday, September 12th at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS.
First, KUDOS to Mississippi State for having the “stones” to actually play a Big Ten school, in Big Ten country. The SEC has historically and still refuse, preferring “neutral site” games.
Both teams have tough conference schedules, and need to win this game, for a chance at a .500 record and a bowl game at the end of the season.
The Bulldog offense returns all three interior offensive linemen, and WR Anthony Edwards returns though (67 catches, 831 yards, 4 TDs). Sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor played in 11 games, as a true freshman last season (629 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT, with 82 carries, for 458 yards, with 8 TDs). He’s a serious dual-threat problem. On defense, they return 5 starters. The return of DE Will Whitson(injury) and Florida State transfer Amaree Williams should improve the pass rush. The speed and depth in the DB room is vastly improved, and should be a stength.
The Golden Gophers return their starting QB, HB, LT, LG, and C, so plenty of experience on that side of the ball. Quarterback Drake Lindsay started as a true freshman last season, and finished with 3,382 yards, 18 TDs and 6 INTs. Running back Darius Taylor had 915 total yards last season, and he’ll need to stay healthy, after missing 3 games. On defense, they only gave up 23 points per game, and were good against the run (38th overall). They struggled against the pass (83rd). Returning DB starters John Nestor and Kerry Brown, will have to step up and be prepare to lead an inexperience room.
Prediction – Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck struggles in big games, and this will be no different. I think the Bulldogs come in and get a tough 28-24 win.
Arkansas Razorbacks at Utah Utes Saturday, September 12th, 10:15 PM (EST) on ESPN.
Utah lost its long time head coach Kyle Whittingham (21 years), and Arkansas got a hot, new head coach. It’s a game of opposites, in this clash of P4 teams, that could possibly be heading in different directions with all the turnover.
Arkansas finally lured Ryan Silverfield away from Memphis. He brings a high octane offensive mindset. The quarterback position is unsettled, but whether it’s sophomore KJ Jackson or freshman AJ Hill (who followed Silverfield from Memphis), they’ll have some quality depth at wide receiver with former 4-star Chris Marshall, CJ Brown, and Ismael Cisse. On defense, they only return 2 starters (DE Quincey Rhodes Jr and LB Bradley Shaw). They’ll rely heavily on former 4-star transfers, DT Hunter Osborne (Virginia), DT Xadavien Sims (Oregon), and NT Carlon Jones (USC), to fix a run defense that finished 114th against the run last season. The entire secondary is new, so that defensive line, really needs to step up.
Utah enters a new era with Morgan Scalley at the helm. They’ll have starting quarterback Devon Dampier (2,490 yards passing, 835 yards rushing, 24 passing TDs, 10 rushing TDs, and only 5 INTs) returning. The entire offensive line is new, as last season’s OTs Fano (Browns) and Lomu (Patriots) were 1st round picks in the NFL Draft. On defense, Utah is always a tough, hard-nosed defense. They were 17th in PPG allowed (18.9) and passing yards allowed (177.8). Returning starters, LB Johnathan Hall, NB Jackson Bennee, and CB Elijah Davis, will lead with all new starters along the defensive line, and new starters in the defensive back seven.
Prediction – I think this will be a great, high scoring first half, before Utah pulls away in the second, for a 42-28 win.
What game this season, do you think is flying under the radar?
– by Sean McKenzie
Stats and information courtesy of…..ESPN and Lindy’s.
It was an extremely busy coaching offseason, that really started halfway into last season.
UCLA fired DeShaun Foster after only three games. Oklahoma State fired Mike Gundy before the end of September. Penn State fired James Franklin on October 12th. Then LSU fired Brian Kelly just a weeks later on October 26th.
It was absolute madness, how everything spiraled out of control so quickly in the coaching world.
It left a lot of fans, not just of the teams effected, but also just college football fans in general, feeling a mixture of “WTF is going on”, and excitement at the chaos. I know that I certainly was. LOL.
33 teams have new head coaches coming into the season, and I’m going to give you the best three of these hires, in order.
Award winning pizza, beer, and voted “best place to watch sports” in Van Wert County, stop into Cheers and Gears Bar & Grille, on the corner of US-49 and Tully St in Convoy, Ohio.
1) James Franklin to Virginia Tech.
This was an ABSOLUTE STEAL by the Virginia Tech Hokies. They got a Top 10-15 head coach in football.
Penn State suffers from elitist syndrome. They think they’re better than they really are, and it cost them dearly.
Franklin went 104-45 at PSU, and took them to the College Football National Semi-Finals in 2025.
The Hokies are getting a head coach that knows how to rebuild programs from the ground up, have success, and he’s a coach that players love.
11 recruits flipped their commits from Penn State to Virginia Tech, including #13 ranked HB Messiah Mickens, and 4-star WR Davion Brown.
2)Jim Mora to Colorado State.
What a hire by the Colorado State Athletic Program!!!
Mora took over a horrible Connecticut football program, and made them respectable.
He went 27-23 in 4 seasons at the helm, including having back-to-back, 9-win seasons, in his final 2 seasons in Sturms.
He takes over a program that only won 2 games last season.
His proven track record in college and the NFL, bodes well for a Rams program looking to change their trajectory, in the newly revamped Pac-12 conference.
3) Charles Huff to Memphis.
Never heard of Charles Huff? Well, get used to hearing his name. I fully expect him to be coaching at a Power 4 school within the next few seasons.
Replacing Ryan Silverfield (left for the HC job at Arkansas, who almost made this list) isn’t going to be easy, but Charles Huff is a guy who can do it.
He went 32-20 in 4 seasons as the head coach at Marshall, and went 7-5, as the head coach at Southern Mississippi last season.
He’s a coach that players love, as 17 Southern Miss players followed him north to play for Memphis.
One of those players is HB Jaylen Carter who is expected to start, and share carries with former Ohio State/Colorado HB Dallan Hayden, as they sort out who is going to start at QB.
Will it be former 4-star recruit and Ohio State/South Carolina transfer Air Noland or West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes (30 passing TDs and 10 rushing TDs last season)?
Who do you think was the best head coaching hire, in this last cycle?
Drop your answer below or on my X/Twitter…..JoeAmerican6771.
– by Sean McKenzie
Stats courtesy of…..sports-reference.
Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, USAToday, kunc, and wreg.
