Tag: Indiana Hoosiers

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.

For the best coffee and lattes in all of Van Wert County, stop into The Rebel Bean. With a friendly staff and great music, it’s the best way to start your day. Check out their Facebook page for hours and drink menu.

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
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.

For the best coffee and lattes in Van Wert County, stop into The Rebel Bean in Convoy. Check out their Facebook page for hours and special drink menu. The friendly staff always makes you feel welcome.

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).

For the best coffee and lattes in Van Wert County, go to The Rebel Bean. Delicious drinks and a friendly staff. Check out their Facebook page for hours and drink menu.

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
College Football Recap and Helmet Stickers for Week 8.

What an incredible week of college football we had on Saturday.

We had MAJOR Top 10 upsets!!!

It all started on Friday night, when the Louisville Cardinals upset (then #2) ranked Miami Hurricanes, 24-21. DO NOT look deep into this one, as it took QB Carson Beck throwing 4 INTs for it to happen.

The Arizona State Sun Devils knocked off the (then #7) Texas Tech Red Raiders, 26-22, in game that came down to the wire.

The UAB Blazers upset the (then #22) Memphis Tigers, 31-24, in a game that nobody saw coming.

As I said in my Top 3 Games to Watch article, the best game of week, was between (then #13 and #20) Notre Dame and USC. The Trojans had no answer at all for the Fighting Irish’s running game, as ND won 34-24.

Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama, and Oregon, all took care of business, and got wins, to stay in the Top 10.

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the Florida Gators have fired Billy Napier. Billy Gonzales has been named the interim head coach.

So, without further ado, here are your Week 8 College Football Helmet Stickers.

(Team) UCLA Bruins.

After starting the season 0-4 and firing their (now former) head coach Deshaun Foster, the Bruins have won 3 straight games. Not just any games either, they’re conference games. The UCLA Bruins are currently 3rd in the Big Ten, as they defeated Maryland 20-17.

They needed something to jump start this program, and it’s working out quite well so far in the month of October, as interim head coach Tim Skipper, has this team playing hard and rolling.

(Offense) Jeremiyah Love, HB, Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Jeremiyah Love was my #1 rated HB coming into the season, and he showed again, exactly why.

The Trojan defense had no answer for him at all. He ran through them, around them, and any other adjective you can think of.

He had 24 carries, for 228 yards, with a touchdown. He added 5 catches for 37 yards as well.

(Defense) Treylin Payne, LB, Texas State Bobcats.

The Bobcat senior had an incredible 24 total tackles, in a 37-40, double overtime loss to Marshall.

Who would you give a helmet sticker to?

– by Sean McKenzie

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, CBSSports, and on3.

October 21, 2025
The Real College Football Top 10 Teams After Week 8.

The Associated Press Poll, better known as the AP Poll will be out on Sunday.

As we all know, the AP voters are out of their minds. With AP Poll voters like Haley Sawyer, admitting that they don’t watch the games, nobody takes it seriously anymore.

The ESPN Poll is completely bias, as they own the SEC Network and don’t even hide it.

I’m here to give you the unbiased, real Top Ten college football teams, after Week 8.

1) Ohio State Buckeyes – 7-0 – defeated Wisconsin 34-0.

2) Indiana Hoosiers – 7-0 – defeated Michigan State 38-13.

3) Alabama Crimson Tide – 6-1 – defeated #11 Tennessee 37-20.

4) Texas A&M Aggies – 7-0 – defeated Arkansas 45-42.

5) Georgia Bulldogs – 6-1 – defeated #5 Ole Miss 43-35.

6) Miami Hurricanes – 5-1 – lost to Louisville 24-21.
It took QB Carson Beck throwing 4 INTs for them to lose.
Don’t overthink this, they’re still a top team in the nation.

7) Oregon Ducks – 6-1 – defeated Rutgers 56-10.

8) Ole Miss Rebels – 6-1 – lost to #9 Georgia 43-35.
They choked away a late lead.
Still a top 10 team.

9) Notre Dame Fighting Irish – 5-2 – defeated #20 USC 34-24.

10) Texas Tech Red Raiders – 6-1 – lost to Arizona State 26-22.
They didn’t have their starting QB Behren Morton (knee) and barely lost to a vastly under-rated Sun Devils team on the road.
Like Miami, don’t overthink this.
Texas Tech is better than Georgia Tech and Oklahoma, who many will rank above them now with the loss.

– by Sean McKenzie

Stats and scores courtesy of…..NCAA.

October 19, 2025
College Football Mid-Season Awards.

We are halfway through the 2025-26 college football season, and what an absolutely WILD ride it has been.

Big name head coaches have already been fired this season. James Franklin (Penn State), Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), Trent Dilfer (UAB), Sam Pittman (Arkansas), Brent Fry (Virginia Tech), and a few others.

Teams that a lot of “media pundits” thought would be in the national title picture are fighting just to stay at .500, like Penn State, Texas, and Clemson.

There have been teams that have “overachieved”, so far this season, like Indiana, Georgia Tech, USF, and Virginia.

Heisman “front runners” like Arch Manning, Drew Allar, and Cade Klubnik, have not lived up to the hype.

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

The race for the college football playoff spot in the “Group of 5” is ABSOLUTELY LIT!!!

Navy, Memphis, USF, Tulane, Western Kentucky, UNLV, San Diego State, and James Madison, are all either undefeated or only have 1 loss. As much we all love the “Power 4” conference games, the “G5” school games are just as fun to watch. I highly recommend everyone watch these games, as the race for that spot, is going to be so much fun.

I could go on and out, but, without further ado, HERE are your mid-season awards.

Heisman Trophy – Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt Commodores.

The Heisman Trophy is an INDIVDUAL award, not a team award.

Without Diego Pavia, the Vanderbilt Commodores are probably 0-6, instead of 5-1.

He’s the best dual quarterback in the country right now.

He’s thrown for 1,409 yards, with 14 TDs to 4 INTs, as well as running for 60 carries, for 352 yards, with 2 TDs.

Pavia IS Commodore football.

Runner-up – Sawyer Robertson, QB, Baylor Bears.

Coach of the Year – Curt Cignetti, Indiana Hoosiers.

Nobody, and I mean, nobody, including myself, thought that the Indiana Hoosiers, would be a Top 3 football team in the country.

He won the award last season, and is the front runner this season, as they are currently undefeated (6-0) and ranked #3 in America. He has this team playing hard, playing fast, and most importantly, playing smart. Only 19 penalties in 6 games.

Runner-up – Brent Key, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Bronco Nagurski Award – Bryun Parham, EDGE/LB, UConn.

Boo Hoo Hoo, he doesn’t play for a “Power 5” school.

Go watch the film, and tell me another player that is playing as consistently, and demanding the double and even triple teams, that Parham is?

I’ll wait…….

He has 47 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 3 fumble recoveries.

He’s ALWAYS around the football and making plays.

Runner-up – Aamaris Brown, DB, UNLV.

– by Sean McKenzie

Subscribe, follow, and like.

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

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

October 13, 2025
Week 7 College Football Recap and Helmet Stickers.

What a Week 7 it was!!!

I went 2-1 on my picks.

We have rivalry game upsets, as the unranked Texas Longhorns, beat (then ranked) #6 Oklahoma Sooners 23-6, in the Red River Shootout (I’ll never call it “Red River Rivalry”).

The Bowling Green Falcons came back from a 21-point deficit, to beat the Toledo Rockets 28-23, in the “Battle of I-75”.

In a not so surprising outcome of a rivalry game, the #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes beat (then ranked) #17 Illinois Fighting Illini, 34-16.

In my correctly picked Upset Special, the unranked USC Trojans beat (then ranked) #15 Michigan Wolverines 31-13.

I am ABSOLUTELY LOVING seeing these football teams, that typically suck, have great years so far. Example, #13 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are 6-0, after beating Virginia Tech 35-20; and the #7 Indiana Hoosiers went into Autzen Stadium and got a MONSTER win against (then ranked) #3 Oregon Ducks 30-20. Speaking of Indiana…..

(Team) #7 (for now) Indiana Hoosiers.

What a statement win by this team. A lot of people (including me) picked them to lose this game. Winning at Oregon is not easy at all. In fact, it’s so not easy, that even the mighty Ohio State Buckeyes, couldn’t do it last season.

Indiana football is not just ranked, but they’re a threat in the College Football Playoff. They’re undefeated at 6-0, and don’t look like they’re slowing down anytime soon.

(Offense) Danny Scudero, WR, San Jose State Trojans.

The sophomore from San Jose, CA had a big game in a loss against the Wyoming Cowboys, as he had 10 catches, for 180 yards, and 4 TDs. He also leads the country in receiving yards with 845.

(Defense) Owen Long, LB, Colorado State.

Another sophomore showing out this week.

Long had a whooping 17 tackles, to go along with 1 sack, and a pass deflection, as the Colorado State Rams beat the Frenso State Bulldogs 49-21.

He also leads the nation in total tackles with 85 so far this season.

Who would you give a helmet sticker to?

– by Sean McKenzie

Please subscribe, follow, and like.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, mercurynews, and ESPN.

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

October 12, 2025
The Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 7.

What a slate of college football games there is to choose from here in Week 7.

The week started last night, with Missouri State beating Middle Tennessee State 22-20, and Liberty beating UTEP 19-8.

We have big time ranked matchups in the Big Ten and SEC.

We have the annual Red River Shootout (I refuse to call it Red River Rivalry, PC can kiss my butt), between #6 Oklahoma Sooners (5-0) taking on the Texas Longhorns (3-2) at 3:30 PM on ABC. As history has shown, records mean nothing in this heated rivalry.

With so many games to choose from, here are the Top 3 games, that you SHOULD watch this weekend.

I am 10-5 in my predictions so far this season.

1) #7 Indiana Hoosiers (5-0) at #3 Oregon Ducks (5-0).
Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS.

Yes, the Indiana Hoosiers are not just highly ranked, they’re a good FOOTBALL team. For those of us who are older, it’s been a long time since we could say that, and let’s be honest….it does feel good.

Curt Cignetti has come in and turned this program around. The Hoosiers are led by QB Fernando Mendoza, who’s completing 73% of his throws, for 1,208 yards with 16 TDs, to only 1 INT. He hasn’t made many mistakes, and goes through his progressions well. On defense, they get pressure off the line and are fairly gap sound. With 16 team sacks, they’ve forced 7 INTs this year.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning continues to chug along and win ball games. The Ducks are led by QB Dante Moore. He’s completing 74.6% of his passes, for 1,210 yards, with 14 TDs to only 1 INT. He’s shown great poise and decision making as only a sophomore. This is a fast and fundamentally sound defense. They stay in their lanes don’t give up many YACs in the run or pass.

Prediction – We’re going to find out if Indiana is “for real – real”. I think they’re going to hang tough, but it’s hard for opponents to win in Autzen Stadium. Give me the Ducks to pull away late and win 42- 31.

2) #15 Michigan Wolverines (4-1) at USC Trojans (4-1).
Game starts at 7:30 PM (EST) on NBC.

This game isn’t getting talked about enough, by the “national pundits” This is a MUST WIN for the Trojans, after a tough road loss last week, and next week’s game is a very tough game.

The hype around Michigan freshman QB Bryce Underwood was extremely high. His performance on the field, thus far, has been extremely disappointing. The REAL leader of this offense is HB Justice Haynes. He has 85 carries, for 654 yards, with 8 TDs. He’s averaging 7.7 yards per carry. It’s a Wink Martindale defense, which means pressure and forcing turnovers. With 15 team sacks and 7 INTs, it’s the same old, same old. Fast, tough, and sound. I love defenses like this.

USC QB Jordan Maiava has come in and done better than almost everyone thought he would. He’s completing 70.5% of his passes, for 1,587 yards, with 11 TDs to only 1 INT. HB Waymond Jordan takes the pressure off with his ability vision and ability to hit the hole FAST. He has 537 yards, on 77 carries, with 5 TDs, and averaging 7.0 yards per carry. The defense has been MUCH improved. They have 17 team sacks, 6 INTs, and have forced 6 fumbles. Senior LB Eric Gentry is the guy to watch, as he has 30 tackles, 3 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles.

Prediction – As stated above, this is a must win for USC. It’s a home game, sandwiched between two tough road games. I’M CALLING THE UPSET HERE!!! The Trojans get it done in a close game 28-24.

3) #24 University of South Florida Bulls (4-1) at University of North Texas Mean Green (5-0).
Game is Friday Night, at 7:30 PM (EST) on ESPN 2.

The winner of this of this big time American Athletic Conference game, could very well end up getting the “G5 at large” spot in the College Football Playoffs.

The South Florida Bulls are battle tested, with wins over Boise State and Florida. They’re lone loss is to MY #1 team in the country, Miami Hurricanes. They’re led by dual-threat QB Byrum Brown. He’s thrown for 1,194 yards, with 10 TDs to 4 INTs. He’s also ran for 282 yards, on 64 carries, with 3 TDs. LB Mac Harris has been incredible so far this season. He has 42 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 INT.

Freshman QB Drew Mestemaker has come in and shown great poise and decision making, so young. He’s thrown for 1,247 yards, with 11 TDs and 0 INTs. The Mean Green LBs are just dominate. Thier starting 3 have 119 of the 359 team tackles (33%). They also have 3 of the teams 6 INTs. The DL holds up well, so that these guys can fly all over and make plays.

Prediction – The Mean Green defense is for real. The Bulls are for real. It’s going to be a great, close, low scoring game. The big game experience that South Florida has this season, will be the difference. I’m taking the Bulls to win 24-17.

– by Sean McKenzie

Subscribe, follow, and like.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, CBSSports, ESPN, and NYTimes.

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

October 9, 2025
The Real Top 10 College Football Rankings. Week 7.

Week 6 of the 2025-26 college football season is in the books.

We all know that the AP and ESPN are completely full of doo-doo and bias as all heck.

You can make a legitimate argument for ANY order of my top 3 teams.

Even for me personally, it was difficult to come up with an order.

So, without further ado, here is the REAL Top 10 teams.

1) Miami Hurricanes. 5-0. – They have 3 wins against ranked opponents. On the field results matter, and they have the best resume so far this season.

2) Ohio State Buckeyes. 5-0. – They’re cruising, and it doesn’t even look like they’re trying that hard yet. Wins over ranked Texas, as well as quality wins over Washington and Minnesota.

3) Oregon Ducks. 5-0. – New QB Dante Moore has this team rolling over everybody.

4) Texas A&M Aggies. 5-0. – That win over Norte Dame is looking better and better as the season goes on. Quality win over Mississippi State.

5) Ole Miss Rebels. 5-0. – Quality wins over LSU and G5 power Tulane, gave them the edge over the next team.

For the best coffee in Van Wert County, stop into The Rebel Bean.
Check out their Facebook Page for hours and special fall drinks.

6) Texas Tech Red Raiders. 5-0. – Quality wins over ranked Utah Utes and G5 power Houston. As they should, they’ve blown out the lesser competition.

7) Alabama Crimson Tide. 4-1. – Ever since they laid an egg in Week 1 against FSU, they have 2 wins against ranked teams (UGA and Vanderbilt).

8) Indiana Hoosiers. 5-0. – They mud stomped their only ranked matchup (Illinois) and grinded it out against an always game Iowa. They can run, pass, and play defense.

9) Georgia Bulldogs. 4-1. – Their lone loss against Alabama (see above) and they have a quality ranked win, at Tennessee.

10) Oklahoma Sooners. 5-0. – They have 2 wins against ranked team, but the unfortunate injury to starting QB John Mateer must count against them.

Just outside looking in – Tennessee, Georgia Tech, LSU, Notre Dame, Illinois.

– by Sean McKenzie.

Subscribe, follow, and like.

Picture courtesy of…..on3.

Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA.

October 5, 2025