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Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 3.

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.

– by Sean McKenzie

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and ESPN.

September 17, 2026
2026-27 College Football Predictions.

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.

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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.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and SI.

August 15, 2026
Cleveland Browns 2026 Draft Review: Key Picks and Grades
The Browns started the draft with 2 picks in the first round, at #6 and #24, thanks to the trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season (Travis Hunter).

They also had 2 very glaring holes on their roster. Offensive tackle and wide receiver. The question was always, which order would they address them. Would it be WR/OT or OT/WR?

Amongst the draft analysts and pundits, it was split almost 50/50. The fans however, were overwhelming in favor of going WR with pick #6, and hoping that one of the OTs would fall to #24. The particular WR that most Browns fans wanted, was Carnell Tate, the wide receiver from Ohio State. They ended up doing what I was in favor of, and taking an OT first, then take a WR second.

They not only addressed their biggest needs in the first round, but 4 of their first 5 overall picks were either a WR or OT. They doubled up on TE with 2 of their final 3 picks, and took the most athletic quarterback in this class.

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Draft Picks.
- Pick 9: OT Spencer Fano, Utah Utes
  My OL1 in this class.
  Played LT his freshman year at Utah, before moving to RT.
  Great footwork, and athletic ability to mirror defenders.
  Doesn’t get beat very often with spin or swim moves.
  Great use of his hands in pass protection.
  Very strong and violent hands.
  Great balance. His hips and feet stay centered, allowing him to absorb that initial contact from bull rushes.
  Has the strength to move defenders in the run game, and get to the second level.
  He finishes on every snap.
  Does a great job of turning his hips, to allow a clear running lane for the running back in the B gap.
  My grade – A+
- Pick 24: WR KC Concepion, Texas A&M Aggies
  Arguably the most athletic receiver in this class.
  Fast and great acceleration off the line of scrimmage.
  Can make defenders miss with his jukes and spin moves.
  Dynamic punt returner (see LSU game).
  Absolutely TERRIBLE hands. Way too many drops. All the athletic ability in the world, don’t mean diddly squat, if you can’t consistently catch the football.
  My grade – F
- Pick 39: WR Denzel Boston, Washington Huskies
  My WR2 in this class. Absolute steal at 39.
  He’s a true big X receiver, at 6’4″ and 212 lbs.
  Catches everything thrown his way.
  2nd best route runner in this class. The way he snaps off his routes, creates the separation from CBs that he doesn’t get with speed.
  Knows how to high point the ball.
  Huge catch radius.
  Had 20 TDs in 2 seasons.
  My grade – A+
- Pick 58: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo Rockets
  Arguably “the steal of the draft”.
  My S3.
  Tall safety at 6’4″.
  Plays his best games, against better competition.
  Willing tackler.
  Turnover machine. Had 8 forced fumbles and 5 interceptions in his college career.
  Can play single high safety, and play in the box.
  Possible Grant Delpit replacement, as his contract expires after this season.
  My grade – A+
- Pick 86: OT Austin Barber, Florida Gators
  Absolute mauler in the run game.
  Great feet, makes it easy for him to slide.
  Gets to the second level fast.
  Very strong hands.
  Very experienced, with 47 games in 5 seasons.
  Does struggle with double moves.
  Struggles with the “Wide 9” formation.
  My grade – B
- Pick 146: C Parker Brailsford, Alabama Crimson Tide
  Quick off the snap, allowing him to reach the second level fast.
  Great feet (see a theme here).
  Finishes every single rep through the whistle (see Georgia game).
  High football IQ and very aware of his surroundings. Picks up twists and delayed blitzes with ease.
  Smooth as silk on pull blocks and working in space.
  Better pass protecter than run blocker.
  Small for position. Only 6’2″ and 282 lbs.
  Penalty prone (17 flags in 3 seasons).
  My grade – B
- Pick 149: LB Justin Jefferson, Alabama Crimson Tide
  Fast. He has 4.5 sideline-to-sideline speed.
  Smooth backpedal when playing in zone coverage.
  Great tackler. His “missed tackle rate” dropped every season, as he progressed through college.
  His speed, acceleration, and ability to flip his hips in transition, allow him to stay with tight ends and running backs.
  He’s a classic WLB at 227 lbs.
  Struggles to hold up at the point of attack. Often just washed away in the run game.
  My grade – B+
- Pick 170: TE Joe Royer, Cincinnati Bearcats
  My TE5.
  A steal in this spot.
  Great hands.
  BIG catch radius, at 6’5″.
  Excellent football IQ. He finds the soft spots in zone and just sits. Giving his QB a big easy target.
  Seeks out contact, running through arm tackles and lowering his head for that first down.
  Good route runner, using his feet and head fakes to get open when covered man-to-man.
  Has the speed to play in the slot and beat out linebackers and safties that drop down.
  Lacks strength in the run game.
  His willingness to fight for extra yards, has resulted in fumbles (see Miami game).
  My grade – A.
- Pick 182: QB Taylen Green, Arkansas Razorbacks
  Absolute athletic freak for a QB.
  Tremendous ability to turn a sack, into a first down.
  Very strong arm.
  High release point means very few batted passes.
  GOD AWFUL accuracy.
  Wouldn’t trust him to hit the broadside of a barn at 10 yards.
  When pressured, runs backwards instead of climbing the pocket.
  His overconfidence in his athletic abilities, leads to taking too many sacks and plays resulting in loss of yards.
  Too loosie-goosie with the football when running.
  A HORRIBLE TD-INT ratio (53-35).
  My grade – F
- Pick 248: TE Carsen Ryan, BYU Cougars
  Good size at 6’4″ and 250 lbs.
  Decent production when thrown to. 45 catches, for 620 yards, and 4 TDs.
  A willing and capable blocker in the run game.
  Short arms, means a small catch radius.
  Needs to improve route running on short and intermediate routes.
  Almost completely stops when taking on lead blocking role.
  My grade – C
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Overall, Browns General Manager Andrew Berry did a tremendous job addressing their most pressing needs and building depth on the offensive side of the ball. The 2 players chosen on the defensive side of the ball are going to contribute on Day 1. Whether that’s McNeil-Warren replacing Hickman at FS or being the primary backup at both safety spots; as well as Jefferson being the primary backup to Schwesinger and/or Williams at linebacker.

New Browns head coach Todd Monken has proven that he’s able to adapt his offensive play calling, around the players on his roster.

This draft tells me that he’s going to run a lot of 12-personnel formations. He’s going to put one of the TE’s (Fannin Jr or Royer) in the slot, and have a smart, pass blocking first center, making the offensive line calls. His offensive linemen will pull and stretch the defense with zone runs, and then find the wide receivers and tight ends, in the intermediate zone of the field.

– by Sean McKenzie

Stats and information courtesy of…..NFL, NCAA, PFF, and ESPN.

Picture courtesy of…..wallpapercave.
April 27, 2026
Winners and Losers from Day 1 of the NFL Scouting Combine.

Day 1 of the NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, and I must say, that it provided more overall depth of talent than I thought it would.

The day started out with the defensive tackles taking the field for on the field drills.

For teams like the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers, and teams that run the 3-4 defense, they were loving it. This DT class is a strong, run stopping, nose tackle class. There’s nobody that’s going to get inside pressure.

My two biggest winners were Lee Hunter from Texas Tech, who absolutely solidified his position as DT1; and the surprise guy Zane Durant from Penn State, who came in and just crushed the drills.

My biggest loser was Kaden McDonald from Ohio State. He looked sluggish, stiff, and his footwork was sloppy, causing him to lose his balance, causing slips and falls.

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Group 2 was the Edge Rushers, and they showed that there was some quality depth this year.

David Bailey from Texas Tech, and TJ Parker showed everyone why they are not just MY #1 and #2 ranked Edge players, but a lot scouts and pundits as well.

Dani Dennis-Sutton from Penn State showed that the down year this past season, was not a reflection of his true talent. He did quite well, and is my #3 Edge.

The two players that shocked me the most were, Mason Reiger from Wisconsin and Max Llewellyn from Iowa. They crushed the on the field drills. Whether it was the Wave Drill or the 4-Bag Agility, they looked smooth, and their footwork was great. They really helped their draft stock bigtime.

The biggest loser to everyone but me, was LT Overton from Alabama. He’s not a pass rusher. He ran slow, his footwork was sloppy, his couldn’t keep his hips, knees, and feet in tandem, it was bad. LOT of my fellow Browns fans were mocking him at #24. I’ve told them and even a family member, that I’m not touching him in the first round.

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The day finished with Group 3, the Linebackers.

HOLY CALCUTTA WHAT A CROP IT IS THIS YEAR!!!

Starting with the two standout Ohio State Buckeyes, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. Both ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash. Then turned around and made the on the field drills look like a walk in the park, barely breaking a sweat and completely dominating.

I felt bad for Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodrigeuz, who a GREAT day, but was overshadowed simply by being next after Reese. He’s a turnover machine and so smooth.

Kyle Louis from Pitt had a great day on the field as well. Ran a solid 4.53 and looked so smooth and fluid during the drills.

My biggest loser was Jack Kelly from BYU, and that’s simply just nitpicking because he wasn’t all that bad. He ran slower than I thought he would. He was stiffer than he looked in games, and kept losing his balance during the early drills, like the Wave and 4-Bag.

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Day 2 of the NFL Scouting Combine continues tomorrow afternoon, starting at 3:00 PM (EST) on NFL Network.

– by Sean McKenzie

Picture courtesy of…..USAToday.

February 26, 2026
College Football Conference Championship Games Preview and Predictions.

Finally, after duking it out all regular season, teams have arrived here at Championship Saturday.

Conference Championships mean a lot to the fans, the players, and the teams.

It’s not all about NIL for the players, and bonuses for the coaches, it’s also about pride.

Saying We are the champions of the Big Ten, or SEC, or Big 12, or ACC, means a lot.

It shows that you went through the gauntlet of meaningful games, and rivalry games, to be called champions. Every player and team aspires to reach that goal, but you are the only ones to do it.

So, here we go.

ACC Championship Game – Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Duke Blue Devils (7-5) vs #17 Virginia Cavaliers (10-2)
Game starts at 8:00 PM (EST) on ABC.

These 2 teams just met on November 15th, and the Cavaliers laid a 34-17 butt whopping on the Blue Devils.

NO, the game was not as close as the score indicated.

Unfortunately, the Cavaliers have suffered a few injuries since that game, and the Blue Devils have gotten a few players back from injury in the secondary since.

Like most games, this one will come down to the trenches and quarterback. Chandler Morris for UVA and Darian Mensah for Duke.

Personally, I love that these 2 teams, (which historically struggle in football), playing for the conference title is great. It shows one of the very few good things that NIL has done, which is parity.

Prediction – I think it’s going to be a repeat, but closer. I’m taking the Cavaliers to win 28-24.

Big Ten Championship Game – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN.
#2 Indiana Hoosiers (12-0) vs #1 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0).
Game starts at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX.

This game could very well end up being for the Heisman Trophy, as both quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza and Julian Sayin are the front runners.

Indiana MUST control the clock and keep the Buckeyes offense off the field, if they want to win this game. They rank 9th in the country in rushing, averaging 229.8 YPG and must use it to their advantage. The revamped offensive line has only allowed 15 sacks all season too. That will allow the play action passing game to open up and let Mendoza show off his arm and accuracy.

Ohio State MUST get pressure on Mendoza, as he’s first in the conference getting rid of the football (2.5 seconds). Make him hold onto the football and be uncomfortable. That will allow the Buckeye playmakers on defense like Downs, Reese, Styles, to do what they do best. They have the advantage at all the skill positions, so just play within themselves.

Prediction – Indiana hasn’t played a defense like this all season long. I think they’ll hang around for a little while, before Ohio State takes over. Give me the Buckeyes to win 35-17.

Big 12 Championship Game – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX.
#11 BYU Cougars (11-1) vs #4 Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1).
Game starts at Noon (EST) on FOX.

Like in the ACC Championship Game, these 2 teams have already met. Texas Tech won 29-7 on November 8th.

BYU likes to play “ugly football”. They run the ball and play sound defense. The offensive line must get movement this time, and allow HB LJ Martin to eat. He leads the conference with 1,229 yards and has 11 TDs. That’ll allow their freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier to be comfortable. IF they can find a way to keep it close, they’ll have a chance. Otherwise, it’ll be a rinse and repeat.

Texas Tech simply has to continue to play top notch defense and allow quarterback Behren Morton to get into a rhythm early. In the first meeting, they had a 13-0 lead at the half. It should’ve been 28-0, but they couldn’t convert in the redzone. Linebackers David Bailey and Jacob Rodriguez are the leaders of this team. They just need to keep the other 9 players calm and focused. This is the team’s first ever Big 12 conference championship game.

Prediction – This game was U-G-L-Y the first time around, and I don’t think it’ll be better. Texas Tech is clearly the better team. Give me the Red Raiders to win 28-13.

SEC Championship Game – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA.
#3 Georgia Bulldogs (11-1) vs #9 Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2)
Game starts at 4:00 PM (EST) on ABC.

Like 2 of the previous games here, these teams have met already this season, with the Crimson Tide winning 24-21.

The Bulldogs haven’t forgotten that loss either.

The Georgia defense HAS to play better than it did in the first game. They allowed Alabama to dominate them on the ground. Stopping the run and getting pressure will make it much easier for their offense (who struggled last week). Quarterback Gunnar Stockton only threw for 70 yards, with 1 TD and 1 INT last week against Georgia Tech. He CAN NOT repeat that performance. HC Kirby Smart must get him into rhythm very early.

For Alabama, with starting running back Jam Miller questionable for the game, and backup Kevin Riley is out with a broken jaw; they’ll need quarterback Ty Simpson to be absolutely on point. They have the advantage at WR with Williams and Bernard, so use that with quick passes and crossing routes. The defense allowed 227 yards rushing in the first meeting (mostly in the 2nd half), they must not allow that to happen again.

Prediction – History has shown us, that it’s hard to beat the same team twice in a season. Alabama jumped out early, but Georgia fought back when they first met this season. I think it’ll be a very close game. This is so hard to predict. Simpson is the better QB, but Smart is the better coach. I’ll go out on a limb and take the Crimson Tide to win 28-24.

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In other Conference Championship Games, on Friday Night, give me….

#25 James Madison over Troy in the Sun Belt Championship Game.
Jacksonville State over Kennesaw State in the C-USA Championship Game.
#24 North Texas over #20 Tulane in the AAC Championship Game.
Boise State over UNLV in the Mountain West Championship Game.

In the other Saturday game, I’m taking Western Michigan to spank Miami (OH) in the MAC Championship game.

– by Sean McKenzie

Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, clutchpoints, MSN, and FOX4News.

December 4, 2025
The Best and Worst Coaching Hires in College Football…..So Far.

This 2025-26 college football season has not only been completely wonky on the field, but also, off the field.

So many head coaches were fired during the season, that it was hard to keep track of who was coming and going.

The upheaval of not just the program and players on the teams, but also the families of those assistant coaches.

This “win now mentality” at programs and with the donors, is actually hurting the programs, not helping.

These schools like to complain that they’re “operating at a loss”, then they go and fire a head coach, that has a $33 million dollar buyout clause (Michigan State with Jonathan Smith).

They wonder why a significant number of fans have no loyalty or sympathy anymore, THAT’S WHY!!!

All that aside, I’m going to tell you which hires were good. Which hires were bad. Which coaches out there, deserve a chance at being a head coach.

LSU has hired Lane Kiffin away from fellow SEC rival Ole Miss. I see a lot of media pundits giving this an A to A+ grade. I DON’T SEE IT.

While I don’t think this move is as bad as the Brian Kelly hire (which I despised from the nanosecond it was announced), for what LSU wants to do, it isn’t all that much better either.

Kiffin has a career record of 13-25 against Top 25 teams.

He’s going to give the Tigers much more credibility in the south with recruits again, and the offense will be better.

This is a simple B hire.

Virginia Tech went out and hired former Penn State head coach James Franklin.

The Hokies have been mostly irrelevant since Frank Beamer retired.

This is an A hire.

Franklin is a program builder. He did it at Vanderbilt, which had been a joke for basically a half century, and turned them into a consistent winner and to bowl eligibility. He took over a Penn State program that was dead in the water after the sex abuse scandal and took them to the College Football National Championship Semi-Finals, just last season.

He knows the Eastern Midwest and Mid-Atlantic recruiting scene very well. We’ve already seen recruits that decommitted from Penn State, follow and announce their intentions to play for the Hokies next season.

I’m not saying he’s going to bring a Natty to Blacksburg, but Virginia Tech will be an ACC power player as early as next season, and beyond.

GREAT MOVE by VT.

UCLA has hired Bob Chesney away from James Madison, to be their next head coach.

From all accounts, and from JMU fans that I’ve spoken to, he’s a good guy.

Chesney is known for being a “turnaround artist”. He turned around programs such as Salve Regina (D3), Assumption University (D2), and Holy Cross (FCS), before going 20-5 at JMU.

He has a long history of coaching at programs that have rigourous academic standards.

The biggest problem is that he has 0 recruiting ties to the west coast, and doesn’t have the name recognition, that will keep players. The Bruins don’t have the cache to recruit nationwide, so keeping California kids’ home is paramount to their success.

I’m rooting for the guy, and hope he brings glory back to the gold and blue, but right now, this is a D hire.

If you’ve been following me on Twitter/X (JoeAmerican6771); I’ve been SCREAMING this guy’s name.

Bryant Haines.

He’s the current defensive coordinator for the Indiana Hoosiers and had the same role at James Madison. He followed Curt Cignetti from the Dukes to the Hoosiers.

Yes, he’s an assistant coach.

Yes, he doesn’t have head coaching experience.

He’s had staggering success at JMU and Indiana, where he turned poor defenses into top ranked defenses.

I STRONGLY believe that the aforementioned James Madison, should bring him back home, and make him their new head coach.

They’ve seen him succeed not just on the field, but off the field in recruiting the Carolinas’ and VA/DC area. Which is vital to a program like JMU, because they don’t have a nationwide network.

I think whichever team gets him, is going to get a gem.

The worst hire so far of this cycle, is the Stanford Cardinal hiring Tavita Pritchard as their next head coach.

Yes, I understand that he played QB there.

Yes, I understand that like Chesney above, he gets the difficulty of an academic power.

The truth, and fact of the matter is that he was never going to get a head coaching gig other than Stanford. This was Cardinal GM Andrew Luck keeping this cheap and in house.

To me, this is a F.

Head coach Kalani Sitake will remain at BYU, after agreeing to a long-term extension on Tuesday.

He had very heavy interest from the Penn State to make him their next head coach.

Since taking over as the head coach of the Cougars in 2016, he has an 83-44 overall record at BYU.

He has previous coaching stops at Oregon State, Utah, Southern Utah, and Eastern Arizona.

All these stops in the Mountain and Western time zones, has allowed him to build a very solid recruiting base and pipeline.

This is a solid A move by BYU.

For the best coffee and lattes in Van Wert County, stop into The Rebel Bean. Check out their Facebook page for hours and drink menu.

Question – With Penn State getting rebuffed, who do you think the Nittany Lions will end up hiring as their next head coach?

– by Sean McKenzie

Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and SI.

December 2, 2025
Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 13.

As the college football regular season starts to wind down, the conference title and college football pictures are starting to clear up a bit.

But don’t start counting your chickens quite yet.

There’s a reason that the games are played on the field, and not on paper.

Ignore games like #10 Alabama playing Eastern Illinois, and #3 Texas A&M playing Samford.

So, without further ado, here are the 3 must watch games.

1) #15 USC Trojans (8-2) at #7 Oregon Ducks (9-1).
Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS.

PERSONALLY, I think the Ducks are overrated. Here is the chance to prove not just me, but a lot of voters wrong.

The Trojans want to finally be taken seriously, not just in the Big Ten, but nationally. Here’s their chance to really make a statement.

All the talk is about the quarterbacks of these two teams. Dante Moore (Oregon) and Jayden Maiava (USC), and they both deserve their flowers, BUT, this game is going to come down to the trenches and run game.

USC has a nice tandem of backs in the King Miller and Waymond Jordan. Oregon answers with Noah Whittington, Jordan Davison, and Dierre Hill Jr.

The Ducks defense have 7 less sacks (24-17) and force less turnovers than the Trojans, which is hasn’t been the case in recent years.

The game is at Autzen Stadium, and that plays a big part as well.

Prediction – I so badly want to pick USC, but even Ohio State couldn’t beat Oregon at home. Give me the Ducks to win a very close game, 38-35.

2) BYU Cougars (9-1) at Cincinnati Bearcats (7-3).
Game starts at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX.

The Bearcats are coming off of back-to-back losses.

The Cougars MUST win this game to stay in the Big-12 conference title hunt.

Bearcats QB Brendan Sorsby wasn’t happy with his performance last week (15-28, 154 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs), and told me himself, that he’s out to prove a point. For the season, he’s thrown for 2,218 yards, with 22 TDs to only 4 INTs. He also has 483 yards and 9 TDs on the ground.

The Cougars want to run the football, then hit you over the top on play action. Freshman QB Bear Bachmeier has 2,177 yards with 13 TDs to only 4 INTs, but like Sorsby, his legs will keep any play alive, with 479 yards and 10 TDs.

Prediction – This is a hard game to pick. West coast teams struggle coming east, especially in “primetime games”. That said, the Cougars defense will step up. BYU gets the 28-21 win.

3) Louisville Cardinals (7-3) at SMU Mustangs (7-3).
Game starts at 12:00 (Noon) on ESPN2.

Louisville is coming off back-to-back losses, after cracking the Top 25. Both losses were by a combined 4 points though.

The Cardinals live and die with QB Miller Moss, even more so after the injury to starting HB Isaac Brown. He HAS to stop turning the ball over (11 TDs and 7 INTs). He has 2,344 yards passing, but he’s made bad decisions in these losses.

SMU only has 1 conference loss, and can make the ACC Championship Game for the second straight season.

The Mustangs have one of the most fun QB’s to watch, in Kevin Jennings. He’s thrown for 2,810 yards, with 21 TDs and 9 INTs. They have a great defense, that gets pressure on the opposing QB (33 teams sacks) and forces turnovers (16 interceptions, 8 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries).

Prediction – Somehow, someway, the Cardinals have been keeping the games close. Not gonna happen this week. Give me the Mustangs to win in a blowout 35-17.

– by Sean McKenzie.

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

Photos courtesy of…..wallpapercave, ESPN, and MSN.

November 20, 2025
College Football Week 11 Recap and Helmet Stickers.

WHAT A WEEK OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!

When we all looked at the Week 11 schedule, we thought it’d be a “chalk” week.

We were W-R-O-N-G.

The ACC had 2 of their top 3 teams upset, as #14 Virginia lost to Wake Forest 16-9. Congratulations Demon Deacons on their first win against at Top 15 team since 2003. #15 Louisville lost to Cal 29-26 in overtime.

Keeping on the Top 25 upset train; unranked Wisconsin Badges trip up the #23 Washington Huskies 13-10. In my College Football Preview Article, I predicted that WISC HC Luke Fickell would be fired by now. Instead, they announced they’re going to give him 1 more season.

There was a BANGER of a game in the SEC, as the Auburn Tigers gave #16 Vanderbilt all they could handle and more. The Commodores behind an incredible game by QB Diego Pavia get the win in OT, 45-38.

In the Big Ten, we had the front runner for Catch/Play of the Year, by WR Omar Cooper Jr, as the #2 Indiana Hoosiers scored a touchdown with 36 seconds left, to win 27-24.

#9 Oregon Ducks hit a game winning field goal with 3 seconds left, to escape Kinnick Stadium, and beat the Iowa Hawkeyes, 18-16.

In the Big-12, the #8 Texas Tech Red Raiders handled the #7 BYU Cougars 29-7.

Ranked teams #1 Ohio State, #3 Texas A&M, #4 Alabama, #5 Georgia, and #10 Notre Dame, all got wins on Saturday, and kept their College Football Playoff Chances intact.

Ladies and gentlemen, the James Madison Dukes now have the BEST ODDS to get the G5 spot in the CFP (35%) with a 35-23 win over Marshall Thundering Herd. They are now 8-1 on the season.

Now without further ado, it’s time for the popular Helmet Stickers.

(Team) Sam Houston Bearkats

The Bearkats FINALLY get their 1st win of the season with 21-17 win over the Oregon State Beavers.

(Offense) Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt.

There were a lot of choices to choose from, but it has to go to the Vanderbilt QB. Pavia had 489 total yards and 4 total TDs.

He went 25 of 33, for 377 yards, and 3 TDs passing, and added 18 carries, for 112 yards, and 1 TD on the ground.

(Defense) Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech.

I had Rodriguez in my Top 10 College Football Players article before the season started, and he continues to show the country why I had him there.

He had 14 total tackles, 1 fumble recovery, and an interception, to help the Red Raiders take sole possession of 1st place in the Big-12 Conference.

– by Sean McKenzie

Subscribe, follow, like, and drop a comment.

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, sportslogo.net, yahoosports, and collegefootballnetwork.

November 9, 2025
College Football Week 9 Recap and Helmet Stickers.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t start this article, without mentioning that LSU fired head football coach Brian Kelly, late Sunday night, after their 49-25 loss at home, to #3 Texas A&M. Kelly had a 34-14 record over his four seasons at LSU.

Personal opinion – It was a bad hire from the start. I said so at the time, and caught a lot of crap for it. I think that LSU thinks it’s a better job than it really is. IF I were Interim President Matt Lee, I would immediately go get Memphis Tigers head coach Ryan Silverfield.

Onto other business, it was a solid week of college football. We had 3 Top 25 upsets.

Aforementioned Memphis Tigers defeated #18 USF 34-31, in a banger of a game. The Washington Huskies beat #23 Illinois, 42-25, and the Houston Cougars defeated #24 Arizona State 24-16, in one of the worst officiated games, that I’ve even seen. Absolutely disgraceful by that Big-12 crew.

We had some close calls, as well. #4 Alabama squeaked by South Carolina 29-22. #6 Oregon eked out a 21-7 win over Wisconsin. #16 Virginia survived a scare from North Carolina, 17-16 in OT, and #22 Texas held off Mississippi State 45-38 in overtime.

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Indiana, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Miami, Vanderbilt, BYU, Texas Tech, Tennessee, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Michigan, all held serve as Top 25 teams and got the win.

Time for your favorite part, it’s Helmet Sticker time. I thank you readers for the messages, telling me that you like this segment.

(Team) North Dakota State Bison.

The defending FCS National Champions and #1 ranked Bison, absolutely MOLLYWHOPPED their rival (then ranked #2) South Dakota State Jackrabbits 38-7 on Saturday. HB Cole Payton had 4 rushing touchdowns.

(Offense) Drew Mestemaker, QB, North Texas Mean Green.

This was the easiest choice so far this season.

The freshman QB went 37 of 49, for a massive 608 yards, and 4 TDs, as he led the Mean Green to a 54-20 win over Charlotte. North Texas is 7-1 on the season, and still in the hunt, for that G5 college football playoff spot.

(Defense) Cade Uluave, LB, California Golden Bears.

Cal is #0.

The junior linebacker was all over the field, and causing havoc, as he did everything, he could in a double overtime loss to Virginia Tech.

Cal finished the game 19 total tackles and 2 sacks.

Who would you give a helmet sticker to?

– by Sean McKenzie

Subscribe, follow, like, and drop a comment below.

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, meangreensports, and SI.

October 27, 2025
The Real Top 10 College Football Teams, after Week 9.

We all know some of the AP voters, don’t even watch the games, or even highlights (Haley Sawyer).

We all know that ESPN doesn’t even hide their SEC bias at all. You can’t be unbiased when you literally own the SEC Network (so much for real journalism and reporting).

At any time on Saturday’s, I’m watching up to 6 games at the same time. Then I spend Sunday morning watching games on my laptop.

So, without further ado, here are the REAL Top 10 teams, after Week 9.

1) Indiana Hoosiers – 8-0 – defeated UCLA 56-6.
No team in America, is playing better than Indiana on both sides of the football.

2) Ohio State Buckeyes – 7-0 – Bye.
What’s scary is that their offense isn’t even hitting on all cylinders yet, and they still have the #1 defense in the country.

3) Texas A & M Aggies – 8-0 – defeated #20 LSU 49-25.
QB Marcel Reed has this offense playing at a high level and the defense is finally getting to the quarterback this season.

4) Alabama Crimson Tide – 7-1 – defeated South Carolina 29-22.
Since their Week 1 loss to FSU, QB Ty Simpson is playing at a Heisman Trophy level clip.

5) Georgia Bulldogs – 6- 1 – Bye.
All the “breaks” are falling in their favor right now…..with a lot of help from their officiating friends (see the SEC official suspension article on ESPN).

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6) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – 8-0 – defeated Syracuse 41-16.
QB Haynes King is a beast, and doesn’t make mistakes.

7) Vanderbilt Commodores – 7-1 – defeated #15 Missouri 17-10.
QB Diego Pavia is my Heisman front-runner, and is carrying this team on his back.

8) Ole Miss Rebels – 7-1 – defeated #13 Oklahoma 34-26.
QB Chambliss and HB Lacy just control the clock and beat you down.

9) Oregon Ducks – 7-1 – defeated Wisconsin 21-7.
QB Dante Moore slings it all over the field.

10) BYU Cougars – 8-0 – defeated Iowa State 41-27.
They run it, they pass it, and play great pressure defense.

Next 4 teams – Notre Dame, Texas Tech, Virigina, Tennessee.

– by Sean McKenzie

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

October 26, 2025

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