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.
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.
Alison Owens and Kale Vining were crowned as Homecoming King and Queen at Friday nights football game.
The small town of Convoy, Ohio had been abuzz all week long. It was homecoming week at Crestview Local Schools.
Spirit Week had kids and teachers dressing in their PJs, Whiteout Wednesday, dressing up as their favorite hero or villain, and then the home colors last night.
The smell of Friday night popcorn and pizza from Cheers and Gears Bar & Grille filled the air, as people milled about and talked at the concession stand.
As the Knights football took to the field, the kids and the home crowd were hyped up and ready.
Unfortunately, that would be as good as it would get for the Knights, as they would lose to the visiting Allen East Mustangs 41-0.
The Knights would bobble the opening kickoff but recover. They’d drive down the field, all the way to the 11 yardline. They’d get a holding penalty on 4th down. They’d miss the field goal with 6:05 left in the game.
The Mustangs immediately responded with a 38 yard TD run by HB Miles McDorman, to end the 1st quarter with a 7-0 led.
Allen East would get another TD from McDorman from 30 yards, then QB Keagan Jones would find WR Cam Smith for 2 TDs in the second quarter, for 66 yards and 55 yards, and take a 27-0 lead into the locker room at the half.
In the third quarter, QB Keagan Jones would score on a 30 yard scramble, and a 2 yard run by McDorman.
Allen East HB Miles McDorman scores his 3rd touchdown of the day, on this 2 yard run.
McDorman would finish the game with 141 yards, on 15 carries with 3 TDs.
Knights Freshman QB Calin Balliet went 14-21 for 75 yards, but threw 3 INTs. One of which, was an absolutely TERRIBLE missed DPI (defensive pass interference) by the side judge.
I spoke with Knights Head Coach Cole Harting after the game.
“We operated really well on that opening drive, until we got into the redzone. That penalty backed us up and we weren’t able to finish that. Scott kicked well in practice, so we decided to give him a shot. We missed, and from that point on, we couldn’t a get stop when we needed it. Couldn’t get a first down, when we needed it. We got to do a better job of executing the little things. We just got to get better at that, and if not, it’s going to be a long rest of the season.”
The Daily Dose in Convoy is a sponsor of the allsportsfan.com Player of the Game. For all your special-tea drinks, high protein breakfast and snacks, stop into The Daily Dose in Convoy. Located on the corner of US-49 and Tully Street. Check out their Facebook page for hours and drink menu.
The Knights are now 1-5 overall and 1-2 in Northwest Conference play. They travel to take on the Delphos Jefferson Wildcats (3-3 overall 0-3 NWC), next Friday Night at 7:00 PM (EST).
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.
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.
Voted the Best Pizza and Best Beer in Van Wert County, stop into Cheers and Gears Bar & Grille for all your lunch and supper needs. On the corner of US-49 and Tully Street, across the street from Daily Dose.
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.
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.
Day 3 of the NFL Scouting Combine is officially in the books. The theme of S-P-E-E-D speed, continued!!! Absolutely nobody thought that this particular draft class, would be breaking all-time speed records.
The first group of Day 3 was the Running Backs. As anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE me some running backs. I’m a run-first guy.
Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love only solidified his position as the #1 RB in this class. We all knew that he was fast, and he ran a 4.36 in the 40, with a 1.55 10 yd split. He showed his smooth footwork and ability to get skinny, during the on the field portion of the drills.
His teammate Jadarian Price ran a 4.49 in the 40, with a slower than expected 1.61 10 yard split. His footwork isn’t as smooth as Love in the running drills, but he did EXCELLENT catching the ball during the on the field portion of the drills.
My biggest winner was Alabama RB Jam Miller. He ran a 4.42 in the 40, with a 1.53 10 yard split. He was smooth with his footwork , kept his balancing cutting, and did a good job catching balls.
Penn State RB Kaytron Allen did EXACTLY what I’ve been telling everyone he would during the on the field portion of the drills. Smooth footwork, quick feet, can catch the ball. I’ve always thought he was better than his Nittany Lions counterpart Nicholas Singleton.
My biggest loser was Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson. He ran a 4.56 in the 40. He looked like a board, his feet looked sluggish, his reaction to the bags, on cut drills were slow.
Outside of Love, there isn’t a first rounder here, but there is very quality depth, and varied abilities in this class.
For the best coffee and lattes in Van Wert County, stop into The Rebel Bean, in Convoy, Ohio. Their Honey Bun latte is SO DELCIOUS, that I actually drink it sometimes over their wonderful regular black coffee. Check out their Facebook page for store hours and drink menu.
QB Group 1 ran the 40, and the news was Arkansas QB Taylen Green ran a 4.36 in the 40. Georgia Tech QB Haynes King ran a 4.46 in the 40.
When it came to throwing, the biggest winner overall was Penn State QB Drew Allar. He had the best deep ball, by far. He was accurate with his ball placement on almost every drill.
Georgia Tech QB Haynes King did quite well. He was great on all the underneath throws, but his lack of arm strength showed on the deep balls.
The biggest loser for on the field drills, was EASILY Teylan Green. He completely airmailed throws on all the outroutes, both short and deep. His ball placement was high and low on slant routes. He has great arm strength though.
Next up, was WR Group #1. Oklahoma Deion Burks (4.30), Cincinnati Jeff Caldwell (4.31), Georgia Zachariah Branch (4.35), Oregon Malik Benson (4.37), Tennessee Chris Brazzell (4.37), and Texas Tech Caleb Douglas (4.39), all ran under 4.40 in the 40.
The big winner was Zachariah Branch. He was so smooth and really crisp on his breaks. Just snapping them off. He caught everything, including some horrible throws by QB Fagnano and Green. It was so fun to watch him today. He made himself some money and climbed many draft boards.
Biggest loser was WR Malachi Fields from Notre Dame. He ran a slow 4.61 in the 40, with a 1.63 10-yard split. He couldn’t keep his feet and hips under control on his breaks, and had 3 drops on The Gauntlet Drill. The film is better than his performance Saturday afternoon, but it did cost him some spots.
The Daily Dose in Convoy, has all the sugar-free, protein packed teas, drinks, and snacks that you need to fuel your day. Check out their Facebook page for store hours, menu, and special drinks.
Only 2 players from QB Group 2 ran the 40. North Dakota State’s Cole Payton (4.56) and Baylor Sawyer Robertson (4.65).
When it came to the on the field drills, Alabama’s Ty Simpson was the winner of the group. Good accuracy on the out breaking routes. He had great ball placement and timing on the medium and deep routes.
Clemson’s Cade Klubnik was a close 2nd place though.
The loser of the group was the aforementioned Cole Payton. His best 2 passes didn’t come until the 2nd to last drill, on deep balls. It was a terrible night for him, after the 40-yard dash.
WR Group 2 saw the fastest 40-yard dash of the weekend. Brenen Thompson from Mississippi State ran a 4.26, with a 1.54 10-yard split. North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance ran a 4.34 in the 40, with a 1.49 10-yard split, and Ole Miss’s De’Zhaun Stribling ran a 4.36, with a 1.53 10-yard split.
When it came to the on the field drills, the winner was actually 2 this time. Makai Lemon from USC and Colbie Young from Georgia. Both of them were catching absolutely everything thrown their way. With some of the bad balls, both of them showed great body control and the ability to adjust mid-air to catch the bad throws.
Cheers and Gears Bar & Grille in Convoy, has all your daily lunch and dinner specials. I personally love their mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce. It’s my “go to” snack on my monthly “cheat day”. Check out their Facebook page for hours and menu.
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.
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.
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.
