Tag: Tigers

The Best and Worst Coaching Hires in College Football…..So Far.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is a simple B hire.

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

The Hokies have been mostly irrelevant since Frank Beamer retired.

This is an A hire.

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

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

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

GREAT MOVE by VT.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bryant Haines.

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

Yes, he’s an assistant coach.

Yes, he doesn’t have head coaching experience.

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

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

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

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

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

Yes, I understand that he played QB there.

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

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

To me, this is a F.

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

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

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

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

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

This is a solid A move by BYU.

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

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

– by Sean McKenzie

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

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and SI.

December 2, 2025
College Football Week 14 Predictions.

It’s Rivalry Week!!!

I could go on and on and on, about each and every game.

Quite simply, I don’t have the time and energy.

I’m still recovering from my mini-stroke, and my heart monitor keeps wanting to fall off.

So, I’m going to give you my predictions on these biggest games of the week.

It all begins and ends with the Greatest Rivalry in College Sports.

“The Game” is Satruday at Noon on Fox.

The #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes are traveling to take on #15 Michigan Wolverines.

The forecast is calling for cold temperatures, snow on the ground, and the wind to be a blowing.

It’s Big Ten Football.

Will the weather impact the Buckeyes passing game? It’s certainly shaping up to favor the Wolverines, as they have the superior running game. Can the Buckeyes defense continue to dominate?

Prediction – Ohio State beats TTUN for the first time since 2019. I’m taking the Buckeyes 28-21.

“The Iron Bowl”. Game starts at 7:30 PM on ABC.

The #10 Alabama Crimson Tide travel to take on the unranked Auburn Tigers.

He’s the kicker for this game. Tigers freshman QB Duece Knight had 6 total touchdowns in his start against Mercer. His dual threat ability gives them hope.

If Alabama wins, they clinch a spot in the SEC Conference Championship Game. If they lose, it’ll take some help. They have no room for error.

Prediction – The Tigers will keep in close in the first half, before the Crimson Tide pull away for the 35-21 win.

How great is it to see this game as a ranked matchup!?!?!?

The #14 Vanderbilt Commodores travel to Knoxville to take on #19 Tennessee Volunteers.

QB Diego Pavia has the chance to put a stamp on his chance to be a Heisman Finalist with a win for the first time since 2018. Let’s be honest, Pavia IS Commodore football. They go as he goes.

A Volunteer win completely eliminates Vandy from the College Football Playoffs. Can the Tennessee defense step up and help the offense out?

Prediction – It’s been a fun ride for Vandy these last two seasons, but that Tennessee offense is gonna dunk on the Commodores. Volunteers win big 42-21.

“The Lonestar Showdown” is a Friday Night game, at 7:30 PM on ABC.

The Aggies last won in Austin, way back in 2015. They have a real chance to do it this year. They’re a complete team. Head coach Mike Elko has come in and done what “big name” coaches like Jimbo Fisher failed to do.

If Arch Manning plays well, then the Longhorns have a shot. Their run game has been a colossal disappointment this season. Their defense has played great, and they’ll need to do it again on Friday Night.

Prediction – Part of me wants to say this will be close, but I’m really feeling like the Aggies gonna smack the Longhorns around. Give me Texas A&M to win 49-24.

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

– by Sean McKenzie

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

November 28, 2025
College Football Week 11 Recap and Helmet Stickers.

WHAT A WEEK OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Team) Sam Houston Bearkats

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

(Offense) Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt.

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

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

(Defense) Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech.

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

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

– by Sean McKenzie

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Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Team) North Dakota State Bison.

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

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

This was the easiest choice so far this season.

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

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

Cal is #0.

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

Cal finished the game 19 total tackles and 2 sacks.

Who would you give a helmet sticker to?

– by Sean McKenzie

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Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

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

October 27, 2025
Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 9.

It’s been an exciting start to Week 9 already, as 2 games have gone into overtime and exciting finishes.

Western Kentucky beat Louisiana Tech 28-27, and Missouri State beat New Mexico State 24-17.

Some sad news, as the Auburn Tigers have lost starting center Conner Lew for the season with a torn ACL. Lew is going to be a Day 1 starting center in the NFL next season. Good luck to him, as we all wish him a speedy and full recovery.

That news actually bumped their game with Arkansas off my list. It’s still one of the more under-rated game and isn’t being talked about enough, IMO.

I went 2-2 in my picks last week.

I am 12-7 for the season.

So, without further ado, HERE are the Top 3 games you should watch (in no particular order).

1) #18 South Florida Bulls (6-1) at Memphis Tigers (6-1).
Game starts at 12:00 PM (Noon) (EST) on ESPN2.

That’s right. One of the best games this week, is from the AAC (American Athletic Conference). The Bulls are ranked and in the driver’s seat for the G5 spot in the college football playoffs. Memphis is coming off an absolutely embarrassing loss to UAB last week. Both teams are highly motivated.

The USF Bulls are simply put, “The Byrum Brown Show”. They go as he goes. He’s thrown for 1,695 yards, with 16 TDs and 5 INTs. He’s added 99 carries, for 475 yards, with 6 TDs. He leads the team in passing and rushing. On defense, they’re led by LB Mac Harris. He’s 2nd on the team in tackles (56) and 1st in sacks (5.5). He’s also has 3 forced fumbles and an INT.

Memphis has a dual-threat QB of their own. Brendon Lewis has thrown for 1,337 yards, with 8 TDs and 4 INTs. He’s added 86 carries, for 440 yards, with 7 TDs. I know, it’s weird seeing Memphis not have gaudy passing yards, but this is a running team. HBs Sutton Smith and Greg Desrosiers Jr have a combined 869 yards rushing, and 11 TDs between them. The defense forces mistakes and turnovers, as they have 10 INTs, 7 forced fumbles, and 4 fumble recoveries.

Prediction – The loss to UAB will have the Tigers playing of their toes. USF is battle tested. I’m going to go with the better quarterback. Give me the USF Bulls to win 35-31.

2) Houston Cougars (6-1) at #24 Arizona State Sun Devils (5-2).
Game starts at 8:00 PM (EST) on ESPN2.

The winner of this game could end up tied for 2nd place in the Big-12 or in 2nd all alone. While it was expected that ASU would be competing for the conference title again, nobody saw the Cougars being here, at this point in the season.

Cougars transfer QB Conner Weigman has managed to stay healthy this season. He’s thrown for 1,380 yards, with 11 TDs to only 2 INTs. They balance it out with HB Dean Connors. He has 115 carries, for 538 yards, and 4 TDs. It’s a feisty defense that has 17 team sacks, 6 INTs, and 11 forced fumbles.

The talk of the Sun Devils offense is about the Leavitt-Tyson connection. QB Sam Leavitt has thrown for 1,358 yards, with 9 TDs and 3 INTs. WR Jordyn Tyson has 57 catches, for 628 yards, and 8 TDs. What’s not talked about is HB Raleek Brown, and the balance he brings. 110 carries, for 642 yards, with 3 TDs. The defense has 21 team sacks, with 14 coming from the defensive line. They get to the QB quick and often.

Prediction – It’s been fun watching the Cougars go on this run. I think they simply run into a better team on Saturday. Give me the Sun Devils to win 27-21.

3) #15 Missouri Tigers (6-1) at #10 Vanderbilt Commodores (6-1).
Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST) on ESPN.

It’s been a wonderful season for both teams so far, but somebody’s run is about to end here. The loser of this game is officially out of the SEC conference title picture.

Yes, QB Beau Pribula has thrown for 1,617 yards, however, he has 7 INTs to his 11 TDs. This is a running, ball control offense. HB Ahmad Hardy has 139 carries, for 840 yards (3rd in the nation), with 11 TDs (2nd in the nation). DE’s Damon Wilson and Zion Young, have a combined 10.5 sacks, and get pressure off the edges.

Vanderbilt is led by QB Diego Pavia (my Heisman Trophy frontrunner). He’s thrown for 1,569 yards, with 15 TDs to 4 INTs. He also has 77 carries, for 438 yards, with 4 TDs. He’s the heart and soul of this team. This is a gap sound defense, that gets pressure from multiple positions, as they have 20 teams sacks.

Prediction – I think this is going to be a close football game. Somehow, someway, I believe Pavia will make just enough plays to give the Commodores the win. I’m taking Vandy 24-21.

– by Sean McKenzie.

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

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

October 23, 2025
College Football Recap and Helmet Stickers for Week 8.

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

We had MAJOR Top 10 upsets!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Team) UCLA Bruins.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who would you give a helmet sticker to?

– by Sean McKenzie

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

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

October 21, 2025
College Football Mid-Season Awards.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Heisman Trophy – Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt Commodores.

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

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

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

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

Pavia IS Commodore football.

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

Coach of the Year – Curt Cignetti, Indiana Hoosiers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

I’ll wait…….

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

He’s ALWAYS around the football and making plays.

Runner-up – Aamaris Brown, DB, UNLV.

– by Sean McKenzie

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

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

October 13, 2025
The Real Top 10 College Football Rankings. Week 7.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– by Sean McKenzie.

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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