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  • Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 3.

    Grid of college sports team logos featuring various universities in the United States.

    As Week 3 of the college football season, typically has the non-conference games being wrapped up, unless you’re SEC, it’s hard to determine which games are worth your time.

    I’m an Ohio State Buckeyes fan, but the truth is, that I’m not going to be watching a lot of their against Kent State (Noon on FOX) on my 4-way split screen TV.

    I’m not picking #7 LSU Tigers at #8 Ole Miss Rebels, (7:00 PM (EST) on ABC), because it’s too easy, and we all, already know it’s a big game.

    You gotta get through the muck, of the schedule, and that’s what I’m here for.

    Here are the Top 3 games that I’ll be paying attention to the most.

    1) #22 Houston Cougars 2-0 at Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-0).

    Logos of the University of Houston (UH) and Texas Tech University (TTU) displayed side by side on a split background.

    Gametime is Friday Night, at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX.

    The Cougars are led by 5th year Senior QB Casey Weigman. He likes to spread the ball around, with 3 WRs already over 100 yards receiving. Against Texas Tech, they’ll need HBs Makhi Hughes and Re’Shaun Sanford to keep averaging over 5 YPC, to alleviate the pressure. On defense, they have active DBs, that get involved in pass rush, as DB Javion White leads the team with 2 sacks. That has to change. That front four needs to start getting pressure.

    The Red Raiders are led by QB Will Hammond. He’s a pure pocket passer, completing 76% of his passes. He’s also taken 4 sacks. Junior HB J’Koby Williams leads the team in rushing with 187 yards and 2 TD, and receptions, with 10 catches. Texas Tech always has smart linebackers, and that continues. Senior Jamond Mathis leads the team with 2.5 sacks. LBs Ben Roberts (15) and Austin Romaine (12) are tackling machines.

    Prediction – Everytime I picked against the Cougars last season, they won. I’d like to say that I learned my lesson, but NOPE!!! Give me Texas Tech at home 34-30.

    2) #16 SMU Mustangs (2-0) at #23 Louisville Cardinals (1-1).

    Image featuring the logos of Southern Methodist University (SMU) with a red mustang on a blue background and the University of Louisville with an angry cardinal on a red background, split diagonally.

    Gametime is Saturday afternoon at 3:30 PM (EST) on ESPN2.

    The Mustangs are led by one of the best and most fun QBs in college football in Senior Kevin Jennings. He is must see TV. Jennings is completing over 76% of his passes, for 767 yards, with 8 TDs and 2 INTs. The entire offense runs through him. On defense, they’re led by Senior S Jimmy Wyrick. He leads the team in tackles (11) and sacks (2).

    The Cardinals are led by Ohio State transfer Junior QB Lincoln Kienholz. He’s completely 68% of his passes for 639 yards, with 4 TDs and 0 INTs. He also leads the team in rushing with 20 carries for 111 yards, and 3 TDs. Can he keep this pace up for an entire season? On defense, their top 3 tacklers are all DBs, in Koen Entringer, Kaleb Beasley, and DJ Waller Jr. They only have 1 sack through 2 games. That’s not good enough.

    Prediction – It’s always hard to count out Louisville. They’re a scrappy team. Kevin Jennings is the better QB and they have the better defense. Mustangs win 42-27.

    3) Virginia Tech Hokies (2-0) at Maryland Terrapins (2-0).

    Logos of Virginia Tech (VT) and the University of Maryland (M) displayed side by side on a maroon and white background.

    Gametime is Saturday night at 7:30 PM (EST) on FS1.

    Hokies QB Ethan Grunkmeyer followed head coach James Franklin to the Hokies, from Penn State. He’s completing 77% of his passes for 551 yards, with 4 TDs and 0 INTs. HBs Jeffrey Overton and Marcellous Hawkins Jr, have rushed for over 263 yards and 6 TDs, through 2 games. On defense, they have 12 sacks through 2 games, led by DL Mylachi Williams and Cortez Harris, with 3 each. Both are also tied for the team lead in tackles (7).

    The Terrapins are led by Sophomore Malik Washington. He’s completing 73% of his passes, for 533 yards, with 3 TDs and 0 INTs. On defense, LBs Trey Reddick (12) and Carlton Smith (10) lead the team in tackles. Overall, they have 10 sacks and 3 INTs.

    The underwriting storyline of this game, is that Virginia Tech, paid Maryland $600,000 to cancel games in 2027 and 2028. This originally was supposed to be a 4 game home and home series, to renew a regional rivalry game. They will play this game, and the final game will be played in 2029.

    Prediction – Both of these defenses are off to hot starts. It simply comes down to which HC I trust more…..James Franklin or Mike Locksley??? I’ll take Franklin and Virginia Tech 21-14, in a defensive game.

    What game are you excited to watch???
    Drop a comment.

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and ESPN.

  • Crestview Lady Knights Get Their First Win of the Season.

    The Lady Knights were back at home to start the week, taking on the Minster Wildcats, in their 3rd straight non-conference matchup.

    The teams would trade points back and forth, before the Lady Wildcats rattle off 5 straight points to make it 9-5. Both teams continued to trade points, and it would be an 11-11 tie game. 2 more even point plays, then Minster would go on another 5 point run to make it 18-13.

    The Lady Knights would go on a massive rally, winning the next 9 straight points, and jump out to their first lead of the set, 22-18. The Lady Wildcats would answer back with 3 straight points, forcing Crestview head coach Tammy Gregory to call a timeout, holding onto a 1 point lead at 22-21.

    The break worked out well for them, as they’d win the next 2 straight points, and win the first set 25-22.

    The 2nd set would start out rough for the Lady Knights, as the Lady Wildcats jumped out leads of 7-2 and 10-4 before, once again, Crestview had to call a timeout. Points 9 and 10 for the Lady Wildcats came after the Lady Knights, committed back-to-back net infractions.

    Minster would win the next point, with Crestview making a substitution. Crestview would bring it to 13-7, before a LONG rally between the teams, which had multiple digs and saves. The Lady Wildcats would win this point, and the fans from both teams applauded the efforts of the ladies.

    Minster would get the score up to 17-11, before the Lady Knights would get rallies of 3 straight and 4 straight, to make it 19-18, and force the Lady Wildcats to call a timeout. Once again, the teams would trade points, as an ACE by the Knights would tie it up at 22-22, and Minster would call its final timeout. It would be for naught, as the Lady Knights would win the last 3 straight points and win the 2nd set 25-22.

    The Lady Knights would start off the 3rd set with 3 straight points, forcing Minster to call an early timeout. The Lady Wildcats would score 2 straight coming out of the break.

    The Lady Knights answered right back with 5 straight points of their own, making it a 9-2 lead. Both teams would trade points and small 2 point rallies, before Minster called their last timeout down 15-7.

    The break would work for them, as they scored 4 straight points, forcing Crestview to call a timeout with a 15-7 lead. The Lady Wildcats would never recover, and they would eventually lose the 3rd and final set 25-18, for a straight sets victory.

    It is the first win of the season for the Lady Knights, who are now 1-2.

    After the game, I spoke to Crestview Lady Knights head Coach Tammy Gregory.

    I asked her how she and the team felt, to finally get that first win of the season.

    “It feels good. It was really good for our confidence. You look at our schedule, and we face a state ranked team in Coldwater on Tuesday, and we played with a lot of confidence tonight”.

    I asked her about the rallies by both teams. What she says to the girls, when those momentum swings happen.

    “We practice those a lot actually. we know there are a couple of rotations that we struggle with more than others. It’ll be the same thing with every team we face. We just got to practice, and we’ll get that trust, and it’ll pop, and come up looking great”.

    Leading the way for the Lady Knights…

    Serving

    Kaci Gregory 11/11 with 1 ace

    Delanie Balliet 10/10 with 1 ace

    Ayla Kreischer 14/15 with 2 aces

    Kenadie Schwartz 17/18 with 1 ace

    Hitting

    Kaci Gregory 13 kills

    Alecta Baxter & Kaylee Owens 5 kills each

    Ayla Kreischer & Kenadie Schwartz 4 kills each

    Setting

    Nora Perkins 17 assists

    Kinley Crider 8 assists

    Digs

    Ayla Kreischer 12 digs

    Kaci Gregory 10 digs

    Blocks

    Alecta Baxter, Kaylee Owens, Kenadie Schwartz 2 stuff blocks each

    The Lady Knights have a quick turnaround, as they return to action tomorrow night at Coldwater, with JV starting things off at 5:30 PM.

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..Tammy Gregory.

  • Lady Knights Drop Home Opener To Lady Panthers.

    Walking into the hallway of Crestview, I was immediately greeted by the smell of popcorn and pizza. Which was such a kick in the pants, since my doctors put me on a strict diet. LOL.

    Kids were running around the hallway, full of energy adults wish they had. Parents chatting like they hadn’t seen each other since…. Friday night’s football game.

    The Crestview Lady Knights Volleyball team were opening their season at home, against the Paulding Panthers, in a non-conference game.

    With the high school gymnasium under renovation until late September, the games are being played in the middle school. Despite that, it was a full house. Old and young, even some former players stopped by for the game.

    The Lady Panthers went up quickly 3-0 in the first set, and didn’t let up at all, winning it easily, 25-13.

    The second set started with both teams at one point apiece, when the floor official stopped play, called both of the team captains over to him, and had some words. There was a lot of net entanglements, and a small bit of chatter.

    Afterwards, the teams traded points back and forth. Crestview scored 3 straight points, before Paulding called a timeout down 13-11. They continued to trade points, until Crestview called at timeout, up 19-18. The Lady Knights would end up winning the 2nd set 25-23.

    The Panthers would jump out to a 6-0 lead, forcing Knights head coach Tammy Gregory to call a timeout early.

    The two huddles were completely different. Gregory was calmly coaching her girls, using her hands to show proper bump techniques and overhands.

    Panthers head coach Emily Taylor was enthusiastic and praising her girls for such a hot start.

    Unfortunately, for the Lady Knights, the timeout did not stop the momentum right away, as the Lady Panthers promptly made it a 13-2 game. Finally, Crestview would go on their own run, as they’d score 6 straight points, forcing a Panthers timeout.

    The Knights would get the score to 16-13, before Paulding would play the Reverse Uno card, and rattle off 4 straight to make it 20-16. Nothing would work for the Knights afterwards, dropping the 3rd set 25-16.

    The 4th set would start off with more point trading. The Lady Knights would win a long rally, where both teams showed off tremendous athleticism and stamina, to make it a 3-3 score.

    Paulding would win the next point and never let up the rest of the way.

    Crestview made it close a few times, cutting the lead to 13-12, 18-16, and 20-17. The Panthers were simply too relentless. Scoring the final 5 points and winning the match 25-17.

    I spoke to Crestview Head Coach Tammy Gregory after the game. I asked her what positives, she and the team could take away from the loss.

    “We were at a size disadvantage. We were struggling with their size and aggressive attacks. I’m going to go to that third game of the match. You know, we were down, and we could’ve folded very easily, but we fought back.”

    There are only 2 seniors on this team. However, a lot of the underclassman, got significant playing time last season. I asked if she expected their continued improvement to really help the team as the season continues.

    “I think they’re going to step into their roles very well. What I like about this team, is they have good mentorship and they’re competitors. They have that team chemistry, their drive, and they’re there for each other. They’re going to get better, and they have the drive for that work.”

    Leading the way for the Lady Knights…

    Serving

    Kaci Gregory 13/14 with 2 aces

    Lainey Gardner 11/12 with 1 ace

    Nora Perkins 10/11 with 1 ace

    Ayla Kreischer 10/11 with 1 ace

    Hitting

    Kaci Gregory 16 kills

    Kenadie Schwartz 8 kills

    Ayla Kreischer 7 kills

    Setting

    Nora Perkins 30 assists

    Digs

    Kaci Gregory 12 digs

    Ayla Kreischer 8 digs

    Nora Perkins 6 digs

    Blocks

    Kaylee Owens 2 blocks

    Kenadie Schwartz 2 blocks

    The Crestview Lady Knights are back on the court this Thursday, as they travel to New Bremen, in another non-conference matchup.

    – Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..Tammy Gregory.

  • Crestview Knights Lose Season Opener at Home.

    It seemed like a long winter, spring, and summer. After weeks of practicing against your own guys for summer camp, and two scrimmages, it was finally football season again, in the small town of Convoy, Ohio.

    Coming in through the north gate, you smell the buttery goodness of popcorn. The Deja Brew coffee truck was making sure to keep you awake and alert. The Knight Pride Club was selling design your own custom tumblers.

    Parents were catching up with other parents about summer break, how the team looked, how well they think they would be this season.

    The Paulding Panthers won the toss and received the ball to start the game. HB #23 Cooper had a 16-yard run on the opening play, then a 25-yard run of the third play of the drive. Knights DL #1 Beckham Putman would put an end to the drive with a sack on 4th down.

    The Knights first drive would end in a three and out, after Panthers #23 would sack QB #9 Cooper Miller for a ten-yard loss on third down.

    Both teams would have three and outs on their next possessions.

    The Knights would have a bad snap on the punt. Snapping was a big problem for the Knights last season, and it continued not just here, but the whole game.

    A defensive face mask penalty would put Paulding at the 2-yard line. An incomplete pass, then the Panthers would call timeout with 1:53 left in the first quarter. Paulding would score a touchdown, but it was negated by an offensive pass interference call, making it now 3rd and goal from the 19-yard line.

    The Panthers would drop a pass, and now had a long 4th and goal. They’d use their second timeout with 1:42 left. Knights DB #3 Jacoby Gallimore would break up the pass in the endzone, ending the drive.

    Once again, the Crestview offense couldn’t get anything going at all, and had their third straight drive stall, without a first down. That would end the first quarter, with the score knotted up at 0-0.

    The Panthers next drive would end with a Knights INT by #4 Hayden Waltmire. Crestview would take over at the 25-yard line. An encroachment penalty would give the Knights a quick five yards, and make it first and ten. After no gain on first, QB Cooper Miller would hit #24 Harper Perrott for a 20-yard gain. The very next play, the Knights would fumble the ball, and the Panthers would recover at the 46-yard line.

    Paulding would have four straight runs of -1, 6, 6, and 13 yards, to get the ball to the 30. The Knights would get flagged for defensive pass interference, and that would give them a first and goal at the 7. Losses would send them back to the 19, before Panthers HB #23 Avery Cooper would score a TD on a 19-yard run. PAT was no good, and Paulding had a 6-0 lead with 5:22 left in the 2nd quarter.

    Knights QB #9 Cooper Miller would fumble the football on second down. The Panthers would give it back, the very next play, as Crestview LB #14 Tate Lichtensteiger would recover a Paulding fumble.

    After a 1-yard run, the Panthers would get hit with another encroachment penalty. Back-to-back runs would give the Knights a first down. The Knights would connect on a 11-yard pass on first down. A holding penalty would put Crestview behind the chains on first down. Incomplete pass on first down, then Miller would throw an INT, which was returned to the 32-yard line.

    Paulding would take a 12-0 lead with this TD pass from Ridge Hunt to Jason Manz.

    The Panthers would hit a 13-yard pass on first down to the 19. A 2-yard run and, then hit a pass all the way down to the Knights 2. Crestview would get a TFL (tackle for loss). Paulding would use their final timeout with 36 seconds left in the first half. They’d connect with 5-yard TD pass from Ridge Hunt to Jason Manz. The 2-pt attempt was no good, and the Panthers took a 12-0 lead, into the half.

    Knights WR #8 Cash Hammons would take the 2nd half kickoff back 68 yards, to the 19-yard line. That would be the highlight. A 4-yard run, a Panthers TFL, incomplete pass, and an 8-yard pass on 4th down, would end the Crestview drive.

    Paulding would take over, but a very angry Knights HC Cole Harting would have to call a timeout, as the defense was confused and not set. Crestview would get a TFL, but the Panthers responded with back-to-back passes of 12 and 10 yards. That momentum was short lived, as a holding call on Paulding would back them up 10 yards, making it 1st and 18 at the 24. Two straight incomplete passes ended the drive.

    Crestview would get runs of 3 yards, 5 yards, and 2 yards, for a first down.

    OHSAA officials would botch would should’ve been a Knights TD pass, instead, calling it a fumble and touchback (it literally happened it front of me, as I was less than 10 feet away from the play).

    The lucky break gave the Panthers the ball at the 20-yard line. A quick pass for 11 yards to the 31, followed by runs of 8 yards, 9 yards, and 8 yards, had them rolling with momentum. There was an official’s timeout (I was never told why, even when I asked them after the game). A Knights TFL made it third and long. Paulding would get a 20-yard run to convert.

    An incomplete pass, then runs of 8 yards and 1 yard, brought them to a fourth down and 1. Paulding would call a timeout to discuss strategy with 2:23 left in the third quarter. The strategy did not work, as an incomplete pass lead to a turnover on downs with 2:17 left.

    Once again, the Knights offense couldn’t do anything, and they were barely able to get the punt away, after their 2nd bad snap of the special teams.

    The Panthers took over at the 38-yard line. An incomplete pass on first down, then a long run all the way down to the 34. A 24-yard pass had Paulding quickly down to the 10-yard line. Runs of 6 yards and 1 yard, then an incomplete pass, made it another fourth down. Panthers called another timeout with 11:08 in the 4th.

    Knights DE #66 Will Sheets got a tipped INT, and returned it all the way to the 45 yard line.

    Another Miller incompletion was followed by a Knights timeout with 10:47 left.

    They’d get a short 5-yard gain, before QB Cooper Miller would hit WR Cash Hammons for a 40-yard TD pass. The PAT was no good, and the Knights were on the board, but trailing 12-6 with 10:02 left in the game.

    Another special teams blunder by the Knights, as the kickoff went out of bounds, giving Paulding the ball at the 35-yard line. Back-to-back runs would quickly have the Panthers to the 47-yard line. Knights DE Will Sheets would get a 5-yard TFL, to make it a long third down and 12. A short run made it fourth down.

    The Knights would make their 4th special teams mistake, by running into the punter, for a 5-yard penalty. The Panthers would run a fake punt and convert. Knights DB #23 Wesley Wit would get a 4-yard TFL. An incomplete pass would force a third down, and Paulding would use their final timeout with 6:03 left in the game. The fourth down attempt was incomplete, and they’d turn it over on downs.

    Crestview would have a run of 0 yards, and an incomplete pass, before Cooper Miller would hit WR Beau Lichtensteiger all the way down to the 40. HB #22 Evan Brincefield would run for 14 yards on second down, and follow it up with a 10 yard run the next play, to the 30. A 17-yard pass on second down, made it first, but the Knights had another holding penalty.

    Knights QB Cooper Miller would throw his second INT of the game, as Panthers CB #4 Emmet Barnes would return it 80 yards for a pick-six TD. The PAT was again, no good, and that would be the final score of the game, giving the Paulding Panthers a 18-6 victory.

    The Crestview Knights leading stats

    QB Cooper Miller was 10 of 22 for 180 yards 1 TD and 2 INTs.
    WR Beau Lichtensteiger had 4 catches for 96 yards.
    HB Evin Brincefield had 15 carries for 63 yards.

    I spoke to Crestview Knights Head Coach Cole Harting after the game.

    I asked him what positives he could take away from this loss.

    “That’s a really good offense, and we held our own. Holding those guys to only 12 points on offense, was a really good job, and I thought our defense did a great job. If we were to play that game again, and held them to 12 points, I’d be happy. We limited a lot of their big plays. Unfortunately, our offense turned the ball to many times, and gave them a lot of short fields. We can’t do that. If we want to win games, we can’t turn the ball over”.

    I asked him about Junior QB Cooper Millers’ first start.

    “He’s just got to play with confidence. Things didn’t go well in that first half. Things didn’t go his way early on, and he struggled to overcome those. They have a really talented secondary, so he’s just got to stay positive and keep working at it, and just play with a little bit more confidence”.

    I asked about how well the defensive line held up, made plays, giving the young secondary time to grow.

    “Absolutely. Having those guys up front, just creating havoc every single play. I wanted to create pressure with three or four guys, and we were able to do that consistently”.

    The Crestview Knights (0-1) are on the road to take on the Minster Wildcats (1-0) on Friday Night.

    – Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..Chris Lutz.

  • 2026-27 College Football Predictions.

    After what has seemed like a long, long, spring and summer, us college football fans, can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

    We are all still in a sense of disbelief, that the historically worst team in college football, the Indiana Hoosiers, won the College Football National Championship.

    While “recruiting battles” and keeping up with the all the coaching changes kept our appetites wet, there is nothing like seeing them clash on the field.

    I could hem and haw about all the new changes in the offseason, but, I’m going to get right to the meat of the matter (go back and read my articles).

    So, without further ado, here are my college football season predictions.

    1) Who will win the ACC, B12, B10 and SEC?

    NIL (name, image, and likeness), has stopped the SEC from cheating (which a lot of former players openly admit now) and has now leveled the playing field. Hence, we have Indiana winning the Natty.

    It makes the conferences deeper than ever before. We no longer just have Alabama and Georgia in the SEC. Ohio State and Michigan and the B10.

    I’ll start with the ACC, and let’s be honest here. It’s the Miami Hurricanes. They avoid the other Top 2 contenders (SMU and Louisville) in the regular season. Unless something catastrophic happens, I expect them to finish conference play undefeated.

    The most fun conference to watch every season, is by far the Big-12. Why you ask? Because they’ve had 5 different conference champions in the last 5 season. You never know who is going to win, and that makes it fun.

    Daily Dose in Convoy, has you covered for all your Protein Breakfast Bowls, Protein Snacks, and Special Tea needs. On the corner of US-49 and Tully Street. Check out their Facebook page for morning and afternoon hours.

    All the “experts” on ESPN, or as us fans call them, E(SEC)PN, are picking the Texas Tech Red Raiders to win back-to-back conference titles. While it’s possible, it’s certainly NOT a given. They do miss out on having to play BYU, and they do get Houston at home (Sept 18th at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX). They lost a lot of production at quarterback and on defense. Projected QB starter Will Hammond is coming off an ACL, that he suffered in October last year.

    The BYU Cougars and Houston Cougars, are returning their starting QBs, in Bear Bachmeier and Conner Weigman. Both the Cougar teams are returning the majority of their defensive starters from last season as well.

    Ultimately, I think Texas Tech makes it back-to-back, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they don’t.

    It’s an absolute crapshoot in the Big-10. Almost everyone is picking the Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, or the Indiana Hoosiers. However, do not count out the USC Trojans.

    They return starting QB Jordan Maiava, HB King Miller, and all five starters along their offensive line. Five players return on defense as well. They schedule did them no favors though. They have Oregon (Sept 28th) and Ohio State (Oct 31st) at home, and travel to Indiana (Nov 14th). Do not be shocked if USC wins 2 of these games and make it to Indianapolis.

    At the end of it all, I think it’ll come down to the Buckeyes and Ducks. I think Ohio State beats Oregon on November 7th in Columbus, but the Ducks clip them in the Big-10 Championship Game, to win conference title.

    Down in the SEC, the most talented team is the Texas Longhorns. They avoid Georgia and Alabama in the regular season. They get Ole Miss at home (Oct 24th) and ARE going to get revenge, and just clobber Florida at home (Oct 17th). They do have to travel to Texas A&M to finish the regular season (Nov 27th). I think if they can avoid injuries, they’ll win the conference.

    However, you can never count out the Georgia Bulldogs, and do not sleep on Mike Elko and Texas A&M. The Aggies return starting QB Marcel Reed. If her can cut down on his 12 INTs, they’ll give Alabama (Oct 24th) and Texas (Nov 27th) a very serious scare.

    2) Notre Dame will finish inside the Top 4.

    Yes, I know that Notre Dame lost their top 2 running backs from last season in Jeremiyah Love (3rd overall pick) and Jadarian Price (32nd overall), but, CJ Carr returning at quarterback, after an impressive freshman season (2,741 yards, with 24 TDs and 6 INTs).

    The Irish went out and got former Ohio State WRs Quincy Porter and Myles Graham in the transfer portal to give him weapons on the perimeter and offset the loss of the running game. Three offensive lineman return, and Notre Dame always has good tight ends.

    They return 7 starters on defense, including quite possibly the best CB tandem in all of college football (Leonard Moore and Christian Gray), and All-American S Tae Johnson. It’s going to be a nightmare throw against them.

    They also used the portal to get better along the defensive line, pairing newcomers DE Keon Keeley (Alabama), DT Francis Brewu (Pitt), and DT Tione Gray (Oregon), with returning starters DE Boubacar Traore and DT Jason Onye.

    They two toughest games are at home, against the Miami Hurricanes (Now 7th) and SMU (Nov 21st). They do travel to play the always sneaky tough BYU (Oct 17th). Other than that, their schedule is easy.

    I fully expect them to be 11-1 or even 12-0 at the end of the season.

    3) Boise State will be the lone Group of 6 school in the College Football Playoffs.

    Last year the College Football Playoff Committee put 2 Group of Five schools in the playoff, and it went absolutely terrible with blowout losses, with Oregon beating James Madison 51-34, and Ole Miss beating Tulane 41-10.

    They’ve learned their lesson. It won’t happen again.

    Boise State is the best team in the newly reformed Pac-12 and all the Group of 6 schools (Pac-12, Mountain West, Conference USA, MAC, American Athletic, and Sun Belt).

    Starting quarterback Maddux Madsen returns after throwing for 2,334 yards with 18 TDs and 9 INTs. HB Duke Riley is also returning after turning down multiple offers from P4 teams. He ran for 1,125 yards and 10 TDs. They return 3 starters along the offensive line (C, RG, RT).

    They return 3 of 4 starters on the defensive line, for a defense that finished ranked 39th best overall in the country last season. They are going to rely heavily on them, as the “back 7” only returns 2 starters, in LB Boen Phelps and CB Jaden Mickey.

    The Broncos have an incredibly tough game to open the season, against the Oregon Ducks (Sept 9th, at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS).

    Their toughest conference games, are all at home (Utah State on Oct 3rd, Texas State on Oct 31st, and San Diego State on Nov 21st) as well.

    4) The 1st Head Coach to be fired will be…..

    With all the off the field distractions going on with Head Coach Bill Belichicks’ personal life, now GM Mike Lombardi and DC Steve Belichick have been suspended, with an external investigations ongoing, he’s already on the hot seat.

    They open their schedule against 5 teams that made a bowl game appearance, in their first 6 games.

    I am predicting the Tar Heels only win will be against East Tennessee State (Sept 12th), and he’ll be fired before Oct 24th game at home against Syracuse.

    OC Bobby Petrino will take over and lead them to wins over Syracuse, UConn, and an upset win over Virigina.

    5) Who will make the College Football Playoffs.

    First Round Byes

    Oregon Ducks
    Texas Longhorns
    Miami Hurricanes
    Norte Dame Fighting Irish

    First Round Games

    #12 Boise State at #5 Ohio State.
    #11 Indiana at #6 Texas Tech.
    #10 Ole Miss at #7 Georgia.
    #9 USC at #8 Texas A&M.

    Quarter-final Games

    #5 Ohio State vs #4 Notre Dame.
    #9 USC vs #1 Oregon.
    #11 Indiana vs #3 Miami.
    #7 Georgia vs #2 Texas.

    Semi-Final Games

    #5 Ohio State vs #1 Oregon.
    #3 Miami vs #2 Texas.

    National Championship Game

    #5 Ohio State vs #2 Texas.

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    National Champion

    Ohio State wins their 2nd national championship in 3 years, when they go on a similar run, as they did in 2024.

    What are your predictions for the upcoming college football season?

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats and information courtesy of….. ESPN, NCAA, and Lindy’s.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and SI.

  • Top 3 Under the Radar, Non-Conference Games, You Need to Watch.

    The college football season is just around the corner.

    We get our gear out and make sure it’s washed, fresh, and ready.

    We plan our holidays and special events, around what time our favorite teams play and when the “big games” are on TV.

    It’s the time of year, where we lose our minds because our team threw an interception or fumbled the football. All the while, our wives sit on the couch thinking…..”I can’t believe I’m married to that man.” LOL.

    So, in honor of this glorious time of year, I’m here to help you get your calendar set and ready.

    Here are 3 “under the radar” non-conference games, you have to watch.

    FYI…..No, Ohio State vs Texas is not on the list, because we all know, it’s the best non-conference game this season.

    UNLV Rebels at Memphis Tigers
    Saturday, August 29th, at 10:00 PM (EST) on FOX.

    The winner of this game, COULD end up with the guaranteed college football spot, awarded to the highest ranked G6 school.

    UNLV and head coach Dan Mullen is coming off a 10-4 season and a second-place finish, in his first season at the helm. The Rebels went out and got former Oklahoma and Auburn quarterback, Jackson Arnold to come in and lead the offense. Senior running back Jai’den Thomas ran for 1,036 yards with 12 TDs last season. The offense will lean heavily on him, as they lost their top four wide receivers. The defense only returns three starters, and is looking for a lot of players to step up.

    Memphis has a new head coach in Charles Huff (my 3rd favorite hire in the offseason), and he’ll have his work cut out for himself. Starting with choosing a starting quarterback. It’s between former Ohio State and South Carolina backup Air Noland and D2 West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes, who had 30 passing and 10 rushing TDs last season. They only have 1 returning starter on offense. On defense, a lot of players followed Huff from Southern Miss, and they’ll lean on that familiarity.

    Prediction – Give me the Rebels to make a statement that last season wasn’t a fluke, with a big 35-17 win.

    Mississippi State Bulldogs at Minnesota Golden Gophers

    Saturday, September 12th at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS.

    First, KUDOS to Mississippi State for having the “stones” to actually play a Big Ten school, in Big Ten country. The SEC has historically and still refuse, preferring “neutral site” games.

    Both teams have tough conference schedules, and need to win this game, for a chance at a .500 record and a bowl game at the end of the season.

    The Bulldog offense returns all three interior offensive linemen, and WR Anthony Edwards returns though (67 catches, 831 yards, 4 TDs). Sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor played in 11 games, as a true freshman last season (629 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT, with 82 carries, for 458 yards, with 8 TDs). He’s a serious dual-threat problem. On defense, they return 5 starters. The return of DE Will Whitson(injury) and Florida State transfer Amaree Williams should improve the pass rush. The speed and depth in the DB room is vastly improved, and should be a stength.

    The Golden Gophers return their starting QB, HB, LT, LG, and C, so plenty of experience on that side of the ball. Quarterback Drake Lindsay started as a true freshman last season, and finished with 3,382 yards, 18 TDs and 6 INTs. Running back Darius Taylor had 915 total yards last season, and he’ll need to stay healthy, after missing 3 games. On defense, they only gave up 23 points per game, and were good against the run (38th overall). They struggled against the pass (83rd). Returning DB starters John Nestor and Kerry Brown, will have to step up and be prepare to lead an inexperience room.

    Prediction – Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck struggles in big games, and this will be no different. I think the Bulldogs come in and get a tough 28-24 win.

    Arkansas Razorbacks at Utah Utes
    Saturday, September 12th, 10:15 PM (EST) on ESPN.

    Utah lost its long time head coach Kyle Whittingham (21 years), and Arkansas got a hot, new head coach. It’s a game of opposites, in this clash of P4 teams, that could possibly be heading in different directions with all the turnover.

    Arkansas finally lured Ryan Silverfield away from Memphis. He brings a high octane offensive mindset. The quarterback position is unsettled, but whether it’s sophomore KJ Jackson or freshman AJ Hill (who followed Silverfield from Memphis), they’ll have some quality depth at wide receiver with former 4-star Chris Marshall, CJ Brown, and Ismael Cisse. On defense, they only return 2 starters (DE Quincey Rhodes Jr and LB Bradley Shaw). They’ll rely heavily on former 4-star transfers, DT Hunter Osborne (Virginia), DT Xadavien Sims (Oregon), and NT Carlon Jones (USC), to fix a run defense that finished 114th against the run last season. The entire secondary is new, so that defensive line, really needs to step up.

    Utah enters a new era with Morgan Scalley at the helm. They’ll have starting quarterback Devon Dampier (2,490 yards passing, 835 yards rushing, 24 passing TDs, 10 rushing TDs, and only 5 INTs) returning. The entire offensive line is new, as last season’s OTs Fano (Browns) and Lomu (Patriots) were 1st round picks in the NFL Draft. On defense, Utah is always a tough, hard-nosed defense. They were 17th in PPG allowed (18.9) and passing yards allowed (177.8). Returning starters, LB Johnathan Hall, NB Jackson Bennee, and CB Elijah Davis, will lead with all new starters along the defensive line, and new starters in the defensive back seven.

    Prediction – I think this will be a great, high scoring first half, before Utah pulls away in the second, for a 42-28 win.

    What game this season, do you think is flying under the radar?

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats and information courtesy of…..ESPN and Lindy’s.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and ESPN.

  • The Top 3 Head Coaching Changes, Heading into the 26-27 College Football Season.

    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.

  • The REAL Top 3 Pre-Season Heisman Trophy Candidates.

    There are only 62, long days until the first college football game of the 2026-27 starts, when the North Carolina Tar Heels take on the Texas Christian Horned Frogs, on Saturday August 29th, in Dublin, Ireland, at 12:00 PM Noon, on ESPN.

    Until then, we have to anxiously wait, and overanalyze everything there is to analyze about college football. We read all the magazines, listen to podcasts, and try not to let ESPN brainwash us with their bias drivel (they own SEC Network and hold exclusive rights to all conference games).

    For those of us who watch the games, we know that Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning isn’t worthy of being Top 5, let alone being the “front runner” as ESPN, Lindy’s, and so many others have him.

    So, without further ado, here are the REAL Top 5 Heisman Trophy Pre-season front runners. (in no particular order)

    Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State Buckeyes.

    Sayin was a Heisman Trophy finalist last season, after completing an incredible 77% of his passes (3rd most in FBS history), for 3,610 yards, with 32 TDs to only 8 INTs. Yes, he has WR Jeremiah Smith to throw to, but he lost WR Carnell Tate in the draft (Tennessee Titans), and TE Max Klare (Rams) to the NFL. He will be asked to shoulder more of the load this season,

    He’ll have plenty of BIG games this season, as the Buckeyes play at Texas (Sept 12th), at Indiana (Oct 17th), at USC (Oct 31st), home against Oregon (Nov 7th), and against Michigan (Nov 28th).

    Darian Menseh, QB, Miami Hurricanes.

    He led the Duke Blue Devils to an ACC Championship, throwing for 3,973 yards, with 34 TDs to only 6 INTs. He transferred to Miami, and will have far better on the field talent, throwing to WR Malachi Toney. He’ll have to dominate, which he’s shown he can do, because the Hurricanes schedule is weak. The game in South Bend, IN against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, on Nov 7th, is his biggest test.

    Dante Moore, QB, Oregon.

    Moore threw for 3,565 yards, with 30 TDs and 10 INTs. He lost his top two pass catchers from last season, so he’s going to be asked to carry a much heavier load this season. He showed an ability to use his feet last season, and that will help his game this season. He would’ve been the second quarterback takin in this past draft, had he decided to leave, but he returned to make one last run at a National Championship.

    Games at USC (Sept 28th), and at Ohio State (Nov 7th) will be his biggest chances to show out to the Heisman committee.

    Honorable Mention:

    CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame

    Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

    Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..ESPN and NCAA.

    Pictures courtesy of…..foxsports, clutchpoints, canesinsight, and SI.

  • Crestview Boys and Girls Track Teams are going to State Championships.

    When does something become a tradition?

    It was just earlier this school year, that Crestview added another state championship to their overflowing trophy case, this time in Cross Country.

    Will they be adding Track and Field trophies next?

    It certainly looks like it’s possible, and this small-town community couldn’t be more ready.

    For the third straight season, the Convoy Crestview Knights Boys and Girls Teams, will be strongly represented at the Ohio State High School Track and Field Championships.

    For the boys; Drayden Hoffman, Hayden Perrott, Braxton Leeth, and Liam Putman, qualified for the 4×200 relay.

    Hayden Perrott, will also run in the 400M.

    Hudson Perrott, will run in the 1600.

    Derek Young, will run in the 3200.

    Lincoln Smith (who has committed to run cross country at D1 North Alabama), will run the 3200 and 1600.

    For the girls; Lydia Grace, Delanie Balliet, Ellieanah Ward, and Grayle Grose, qualified for the 4×100 relay.

    The team also broke their own school record at 50.03 seconds.

    Ellieanah Ward will also compete for the State Championship in the Long Jump.

    Alternates runners are; Marissa Gros, Brentyn Rodriguez, Beckam Putman, Kale Vining, and Ian Owens.

    I spoke with Knights Coach John Rosebrock, after the teams were welcomed back into town, with lights and sirens, surrounded by the volunteer fire department trucks and EMS.

    I asked him about the consistency the program has shown over this quarter of a decade.

    “I’ll say the cross. They just brought a juice, that quite honestly, we can count on. We have a belief that if we work hard, we can do great things.”

    This is a senior heavy class. I asked him how the previous years, have prepared them for what’s coming up.

    “You can see it in their face. You can see it when they warm up. They want to win. I don’t have to remind them of this and that. You don’t see any of that. They just prepare and run, and that’s the point, because they know what to expect.”

    I asked if he was going to do anything different in practice, or if they were just going to keep everything the same.

    “No, we’re just going to keep on practicing like we have this last week.”

    Coach Rosebrock told me that he usually lets the kids pick where they’re going to eat, but, this year, he is going to choose. LOL. It was quite funny, and showed his sense of humor.

    The Ohio State High School Track and Field State Championships are from June 4th through June 6th, at Jesse Owens Memorial Field, on the campus of The Ohio State University.

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Pictures courtesy of…..Alicia Perrott and thevwindependent.

  • Cleveland Browns 2026 Draft Review: Key Picks and Grades

    The Browns started the draft with 2 picks in the first round, at #6 and #24, thanks to the trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season (Travis Hunter).

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

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

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

    Cheers and Gears Bar & Grill, located on the corner of US-49 and Tully Street in Convoy, Ohio. Pizza, burgers, daily lunch specials, and the best mozzarella sticks in Van Wert County. Check out their Facebook page for hours and menu.

    Draft Picks.

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

    For your high protein breakfast oatmeal, snacks, and bagels, as well as boba, and special drinks, stop into The Daily Dose in Convoy. Located at the corner of US-49 and Tully Street. Check out their Facebook page for new upcoming summer hours and drink menu.

    Overall, Browns General Manager Andrew Berry did a tremendous job addressing their most pressing needs and building depth on the offensive side of the ball. The 2 players chosen on the defensive side of the ball are going to contribute on Day 1. Whether that’s McNeil-Warren replacing Hickman at FS or being the primary backup at both safety spots; as well as Jefferson being the primary backup to Schwesinger and/or Williams at linebacker.

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

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

    – by Sean McKenzie

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

    Picture courtesy of…..wallpapercave.