Tag: Sooners

2025-26 College Football Playoff Bracket is Set.

Conference Championship Weekend is over and done with.

Congratulations to Indiana (B10), Georgia (SEC), Duke (ACC, yes you read that right), Texas Tech (B12), Tulane (AAC), James Madison (Sun Belt), Kennesaw State (C-USA), Boise State (MWC), and Western Michigan (MAC), for winning their conference titles.

It’s the main goal of these teams when they start the season, and through hard work, dedication, and a bit of luck, they all achieved it.

On Sunday, the College Football Playoff Committee released their official bracket.

There is a LOT WRONG with it as well.

First of all, I’m happy that the Dukes and Green Wave won their conferences, but in no way, shape, or form, should they BOTH be in the CFP. Personally, I don’t think ANY of the “G5 schools” deserved to be in the playoffs this season. However, if one team did deserve it, it was James Madison, not Tulane.

It’s especially hard on JMU as they have to fly all the way across the country (2,806 miles) and play the Oregon Ducks, at Autzen Stadium.

It’s a bit easier for Tulane, as they only have a 346-mile bus ride up I-55 to play the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford.

The fact that Notre Dame was left out of the playoffs is a disgrace. They started the season 0-2 with both those loses to CFP teams Miami and Texas A&M, being by a combined 4 points.

They’ve won 10 straight games, and outside of Indiana, is probably playing the best football of any team in the country.

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Unlike a lot of my fellow sports writers, I’m 100% OK with Alabama making the CFP.

I understand they lost to a horrible Florida State team, but that was in Week 1. Their two other losses were to CFP Oklahoma by 2 points, and they did lose to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game by 21, but remember, they beat the Bulldogs in the regular season matchup. Ranked wins over Missouri, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee, is a fine resume, and deserving of a spot.

I wouldn’t have put them at #9 though. That’s too high for a 3 loss team. #11 or #12 would’ve been better.

Looking at the bracket, there’s some nice campus matchups. The Alabama-Oklahoma rematch is going to be another great game. Remember, that game was in Tuscaloosa and the Sooners went in to get a close 23-21 victory. You KNOW that Boomer Sooner crowd is going to be rocking in Norman for that game.

The aforementioned Tulane-Ole Miss game is a game to keep an eye on. The Rebels are in the middle of a coaching change, and they’re having a lot of movement with the staff. The fact of the matter is that we do not know how new head coach Pete Golding is going to do, with his first ever game being a playoff game.

Meanwhile, with Tulane promoting Will Hall to be the head coach, they’re in a much better spot. Hall has been the man in charge before (Southern Miss) and worked at Tulane (19-20) before returning. He understands the culture and has the big game coaching experience.

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I’m not saying the Green Wave is going to shock the world and beat the Rebels, I’m just saying………………it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

I’ll make my College Football Playoff Predictions, as well as ALL the Bowl Game predictions in a later article.

– by Sean McKenzie

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and ESPN.

December 8, 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
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

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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

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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.

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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.

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Picture courtesy of…..on3.

Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA.

October 5, 2025
Week 4 College Football Recap and Helmet Stickers.

What a Week 4 of college football it was.

The #4 ranked Miami Hurricanes beat the Florida Gators 26-7, in their rivalry game. The Gators continue their freefall this season.

#17 Texas Tech beat the #16 Utah Utes, at Rice-Eccles Stadium, 34-10, in a turnover prone game.

#24 Notre Dame finally got a win, beating Purdue 56-30.

#19 Indiana Hoosiers absolutely beat the snot out of #9 Illinois Fighting Illini, 63-10.

In a great Saturday night game, #11 Oklahoma Sooners got a big conference win, over #23 Auburn Tigers, 24-17.

The Clemson Tigers and Wisconsin Badgers continue to fall apart, with losses to unranked opponents, Syracuse and Maryland.

With so many performances to choose from, here are your Week 4 college football helmet stickers.

1) Indiana Hoosiers.

There was no better team performance in Week 4, then Indiana. The college football spotlight was on Bloomington, IN with a primetime game on NBC, and the Hoosiers put their best foot forward. The offense couldn’t be stopped, and the defense was a stonewall, not allowing the Illini to get anything going. Great win for the team and the program.

2) Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Hoosiers.

The 6’5″ junior transfer quarterback shone the brightest in the biggest game of his career to date. He went 21 of 23 (91.3%), for 267 yards, and 5 TDs, with a 260.0 RTG, and 96.3 QBR. He didn’t make any mistakes and kept the ball out of harm’s way. That’s exactly what he needs to do, if they’re going to keep winning as conference play ramps up.

3) Red Murdock, LB, Buffalo Bulls.

The 6’3″, 240 lbs senior was all over the field, and just wreaking havoc all game long, in a 21-17 loss. He finished the game with 12 tackles, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.

– by Sean McKenzie

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Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, indystar, and ubbulls.

September 23, 2025
Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 4.

Week 4 of the college football season is upon us.

There are quite a few good games.

There are quite a few interesting games.

Is #25 USC for real??? We’ll find out as they take on an undefeated and scrappy Michigan State.

The last time we saw Oklahoma State on the field, they lost 69-3 to the Oregon Ducks. Can they bounce back against a woeful Tulsa team on Friday night?

We have the Iron Skillet Game this week, as undefeated TCU takes on their bitter rival SMU.

Will the #4 ranked Miami Hurricanes send the Florida Gators back home to Gainsville with their 3rd straight loss?

I went 2-1 last week, and I am 5-1 for the season.

So here are the 3 games you should watch this week.

1) #9 Illinois Fighting Illini at #19 Indiana Hoosiers.
Game is Saturday night, at 7:30 PM (EST) on NBC.

I am so happy to see that NBC is doing the right thing and putting this game in primetime. 2 teams that are historically mid to bad, are having back-to-back good seasons. It’s nice to see them rewarded.

The Fighting Illini are led by QB Luke Altmyer has gone 56 of 79, for 709 yards, with 8 TDs and 0 INTs, but it’s been the running game that has really stolen the show. Junior Kaden Feagin has 50 carries for 222 yards and 3 TDs. He’s a 250 lb hammer that wears a defense down with his physical style of running.

The defense is led by senior LB Gabe Jacas, who leads the team in sacks (3.5) and forced fumbles (2). They are gap sound, and they make opposing teams earn every yard.

The Hoosiers offense is led by QB Fernado Mendoza. The Cal transfer has come in a really taken control of the offense, going 55 of 76, for 708 yards, with 9 TDs and 0 INTs. The running game has shown up so far this season, with 3 players (Kaelon Black, Lee Beebe Jr, and Roman Hemby) each already running for over 200 yards rushing a piece.

The defense is active on every level. They show a lot of movement up front and with the linebackers, trying to confuse the quarterback and disguise schemes. This had led to 4 INTs already this season.

Prediction – Illinois pulls away late to get a 31-24 win on the road.

2) #22 Auburn Tigers at #11 Oklahoma Sooners.
Game is Saturday afternoon at 3:30 PM (EST) on ABC.

Are either of these two teams for real? Especially after such dismal seasons last year. Both teams are 3-0 coming into their SEC conference openers. Of course, everyone is talking about Auburn coming back to Norman, OK after transferring out in the offseason.

Yes, Arnold was brought into Auburn to “fix” the passing game. He’s gone 48 of 69, for 501 yards, with 4 TDs and 0 INTs, but it’s been his running ability that has sparked the offense (35 carries, 192 yards, 4 TDs). Being teamed with leading rusher, junior HB Jeremiah Cobb (46 carries, for 314 yards, and 4 TDs) has turned the Tigers into a running team.

They have a very active secondary, as 3 of their Top 5 tacklers are defensive backs. Senior defensive end Keyron Crawford leads the team in sacks (3), interceptions (1) and forced fumbles (1).

The Sooners are led by transfer QB John Mateer and his gun slinging, gritty, hardnosed mentality. He’s 71 of 105, for 944 yards, with 5 TDs but he’s thrown 3 INTs. He’s ran the ball 33 times, for 161 yards, and 4 TDs. Can he keep this pace in the SEC?

This is a Brent Venables team, which means the defense is sound. Their Top 4 tacklers are all linebackers, and they make you earn every yard, and every score. They’ve been much more physical so far this season, than last season.

Prediction – Something is telling me that Auburn pulls the upset. Mateer throws a late game INT, and the Tigers get out of Norman with a big 28-24 win.

Arkansas Razorbacks at Memphis Tigers.
Game is Saturday afternoon, at Noon (12:00 PM, EST) on ABC.

Not expecting this, were you? This is a dangerous trap game for the Razorbacks, who are coming off a hard fought, disappointing loss last week.

Arkansas is led by senior QB Taylen Green, and he is so fun to watch. He’s completed 63 of 92 passes, for 866 yards, with 11 TDs and 2 INTs. He also leads the team in rushing with 32 carries, for 307 yards, with 2 TDs. He’s a dynamic dual threat quarterback.

The defense flies around with that “SEC speed” that they like to brag about. Their back seven causes havoc with that speed, and the defensive line doesn’t get out of position, which allows them to cause said havoc.

This is not the high-flying Memphis offense that we’ve all come to expect. This Tigers offense is running the football. Senior QB Brendon Lewis is 55 of 75, for 608 yards, with only 2 TDs and 1 INT. He’s also 2nd on the team with 190 yards rushing, with 2 TDs. Junior HB Sutton Smith has 247 yards, on 41 carries, with 4 TDs.

They may not be an “SEC team” but the Memphis defense has the speed to match. They already have 8 players that have 10+ tackles, and their 10 sacks and pressure have led to 4 INTs this season. Senior linebacker Sam Brumfield leads the Tigers in both tackles (17) and sacks (3).

Prediction – Arkansas is mad and will not fall victim to this trap game. Razorbacks win 42-28.

– by Sean McKenzie

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Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, athlonsports, espn, USAToday.

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.

September 18, 2025
Week 2 College Football Helmet Stickers.

Week 2 of the college football season has come and gone.

While it was chalk for most of the games, there were a few good games and some upsets.

The University of Findlay Oilers (Division 3) upset #17 University of Indianapolis Greyhounds, 38-35. (Fan hat on) Congratulations to Head Coach Kory Allen and the Oilers. Go Oilers!!! (Fan hat off)

#18 Oklahoma beat #15 Michigan 24-13.

#11 Illinois woke up in the 2nd half to be Duke 45-19.

#8 Clemson didn’t even get off the bus until halftime. They were down 16-0 at halftime, before coming back to win 27-16.

The CyHawk Trophy game down to a 50+ yard field goal for the 2nd straight year; and again, it was the #16 Iowa State Cyclones coming away with the victory, 16-13 over the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Without further ado, here are your Week 2 college football helmet stickers.

1) University of South Florida Bulls.

Coming off a big win against (then ranked #25) Boise State, for the 2nd straight week, the Bulls were on the road in a hostile environment. AND once again, they pull off the upset. Beating the #13 Florida Gators, in Gainsville, 18-16.

QB Byrum Browns went 23 of 36, for 263 yards, and 1 TD, but it was the kicking game that showed out for the win.

Kicker Nico Gramatica hit FG’s of 38, 25, and the game winner of 20 yards, with no time left on the clock.

2) Julin Sayin, Quarterback, Ohio State.

After outplaying the overhyped Arch Manning in Week 1, the sophomore followed it up going 18 of 19, for 306 yards, with 4 TDs and 1 INT.

He showed off his accuracy, ball placement, ability to adjust presnap, and ability to scan and read the defense.

He’s stepping in and showing that the spotlight and expectations are not too much for him.

3) Jadon Pearson, Linebacker, Fresno State.

I watched quite a bit of this game on the CW Network, and Pearson was absolutely everywhere. In the backfield, getting sideline to sideline in a flash, making tackles downfield, filling the gap on blitz packages, he did it all against Oregon State.

Finishing the game with a big 16 tackles, many on third downs to get the Beaver offense off the field.

Who would you give a helmet sticker to? Drop a comment.

– by Sean McKenzie

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Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, 24/7sports, gobulldogs.com

September 7, 2025
The 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 2.

Week 2 of the college football season is here. While we all know that most of the games this week are “money games”, there are still a few games, that have serious meaning for not just the upcoming season, but potentially, for the college football playoff picture.

So here are the 3 most important games to watch this weekend.

1) #11 Illinois Fighting Illini at Duke Blue Devils.
Game starts at Noon (EST) on ESPN.

The Fighting Illini are highly ranked and return their best players in starting quarterback Luke Altmeyer, and linebacker Gabe Jacas. Both performed well in their Week 1 win over WIU.

They need junior running back Aidan Laughery to have another 100-yard game, and keep the Duke offense, off the field.

Illinois is a popular “sleeper team” in the Big Ten. They must win games these non-conference games, as their conference schedule starts off tough.

Blue Devils starting quarterback Darian Mensah transferred in from Tulane and made a big impact in Week 1. The sophomore went 27 of 34, for 389 yards, with 3 TDs and 0 INTs. He’ll need to keep that momentum going, because the run game is lacking.

Prediction – Illinois wins 35-28.

2) #15 Michigan Wolverines at #18 Oklahoma Sooners.
Games starts at 7:30 PM (EST) on ABC.

This is only the 2nd time these two rich and storied programs have ever met.

This game is all about the tale of two different quarterbacks.

Michigan is starting a true freshman in Bryce Underwood in his first “true road test”. He looked OK, in his first start last week, going 21 of 31, for 251 yards, with 1 TD.

Oklahoma is trotting out a veteran transfer in junior John Mateer. He looked great in his Sooner debut, going 30 of 37, for 392 yards, with 3 TDs and 1 INT.

Both teams need this win, to break the absolute stink of last season off their skins.

I think homefield and crowd noise is going to play a big part early in this game. It’s hard to play on the road in college football, and Norman is going to be rocking.

Prediction – Oklahoma wins 28-17.

3) Iowa Hawkeyes at #16 Iowa State Cyclones.
Game starts at Noon (EST) on FOX.

Nothing like an early season rivalry game to get the juices flowing.

The Cy-Hawk Trophy Game was started in 1977 by fans, after these two football teams didn’t play for 43 years.

It is one of my favorite rivalry games and trophies.

We all know that the Iowa Hawkeyes seem to be allergic to the passing game. They really on defense and running the football. They ran for 310 total yards in their Week 1 victory, and will absolutely need to do the same thing again. Their defense is always gap sound, and they don’t miss tackles. Senior kicker Drew Stevens nailed a 55-yarder last week, and that’s a great weapon to have.

Iowa State is led by redshirt junior Rocco Becht. He’s a three-year starter for the Cyclones. He’s a gritty and tough quarterback, who has proven he knows how to win big games. Through two games this season, he’s gone 33 of 48, for 461 yards, and 5 TDs and 0 INTs.

Iowa leads the series 47-24, but Iowa State won the trophy last year in a gritty 20-19 game. The Cyclones have won 2 of the last 3 games.

Prediction – Cyclones make it 2 straight wins with a 27-24 victory.

– by Sean McKenzie

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

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, profootballnetwork, clutchpoints, and sportsgrid.

September 5, 2025
Top 5 College Football Coaches “On the Hot Seat” for the 2025-26 Season.

The college football season starts on Saturday, August 23rd. That’s just 66 days away (as of this writing).

The coaching carousel ran its course in the offseason, with big names like Rich Rodriguez heading back to West Virginia. Dan Mullen leaving the booth to take the job at UNLV. Bronco Mendenhall going to Utah State. Of course, the one that got all the headlines was Bill Belichick leaving the NFL and taking the job at North Carolina.

So, we now look ahead to the 2025-26 season, and which coaches are or could be coaching for their jobs.

Luke Fickell – Wisconsin – (12-13 overall. 8-10 in the Big Ten).

I was all on this train back in 2023 when he was named the Badgers head coach. After compiling a 57-18 record at Cincinnati and taking them to the College Football Playoff. That success just hasn’t translated in Madison.

Wisconsin missed a bowl game for the first time since 2001, after going only 5-7 last year, and is only 12-13 in his 2 seasons. Getting smoked by rivals Iowa and Minnesota doesn’t make it any easier.

The alumni and the fans are not going to tolerate another losing season and are already demanding action. He must at the very minimum make a bowl game, or he’s getting canned.

Hugh Freeze – Auburn – (11-14 overall, 5-11 in the SEC).

Unlike at up north, I didn’t like this hire at all in 2023. So far, I’ve been proven right.

They always have talent at Auburn, and for a team with the history and traditions this is unacceptable to their alumni and fanbase.

There is a bit of hope here though. Freeze had great success in the transfer portal, landing QB Jackson Arnold and the #1 WR in Eric Singleton Jr. They return almost their entire OL intact as well.

While it would be nice to beat Alabama and/or Georgia, it isn’t a necessity right now, just don’t get clobbered again. A bowl game is an absolute must for this team.

Mike Norvell – Florida State – (33-27 overall, 20-20 in the ACC).

You do not go from an undefeated 13-0, to a 1-11 against FBS teams the very next season and think your butt ain’t on the line.

The college football world just doesn’t work that way.

They’ve been recruiting as well as any program in the country and have the NIL money to spend in the portal, which they do.

Something just isn’t right in that locker room down in Tallahassee.

Norvell brought in 2 brand new coordinators in Gus Malzahn (OC) and Tony White (DC).

They hit the portal hard, getting 4 new starters along the offensive line, 2 new starters at wide receiver Duce Robinson (USC) and Squirrel While (TENN). They brought in another transfer quarterback in Tommy Castellanos (Boston College), who worked with Malzahn when both were at UCF.

They MUST win at least one rivalry game (CLEM, MIA, UF) and make a bowl game, or he’ll be unemployed before leaving the locker room on November 29th.

Lincoln Riley – USC – (26-14 overall, 17-10 in conference).

Since quarterback Caleb Williams went to the NFL, Riley only has a record of 18-12 overall.

8-5 in 2023 and 7-6 in 2024.

USC has one of the best and richest histories and traditions in all of college football. Who doesn’t get goosebumps watching Traveler gallop onto the field. The Trojan Warrior piercing the turf at midfield with his sword.

The USC alumni has proven that they have NO QUALMS about paying out a “buyout penalty” and Riley’s is reportedly $90 million dollars.

Riley must win 9 games, make a bowl game, and beat UCLA if he’s going to keep his job.

Brent Venables – Oklahoma – (22-17 overall, 17-10 in conference).

Like Luke Fickell, I was all about this hire by the Sooners. Venables was a great defensive coordinator at Clemson, and deserved his shot.

Nobody said the transition from the Big-12 to the SEC was going to be easy. The 6-7 record last season, gave the Sooners 2 losing seasons in the last 3 years, and they hadn’t had a losing season since 1998 (5-6).

Fairly or not, Venables and Oklahoma’s successes and failures are directly tied to the burnt orange and white of Texas.

The Longhorns success since joining the SEC really puts the pressure on Brent in his 4th season at the helm.

To keep his job, I believe it starts with Oklahoma beating Michigan at home in Week 2, and somehow find a way to win 8 games, and make a bowl.

Question of the day – Which head coach do you think has the hottest seat in college football?

– by Sean McKenzie.

Follow me on X (Twitter) @JoeAmerican6771 and @allsportsfancom.

Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA, ESPN, Lindy’s, sports-reference, and Athlon Sports.

Pictures courtesy of…..on3, MSN, LATimes, and wallpapercave.

June 18, 2025