Previewing the College Football Playoff

For the first time since New Year's Day of 2015, we are fortunate to start the year in the best way possible; with the College Football Playoff. The way it was meant to be. Not that the College Football Playoff on New Year's Eve of 2015 and 2016 were a bad time by any means, but it's just flat out better on New Year's Day. And honestly, I have a feeling that this semifinal round will be the most competitive one that the College Football Playoff has presented.

Well, not that the previous years of the CFP semifinal have really provided many nail biters. The closest game in the round-of-four was in the playoff's inaugural 1 vs. 4 matchup, in which Cardale Jones and Ohio State upset top-ranked Alabama 42-35. The other five semifinal games in the playoff's history have been decided by no fewer than 17 points.

The long gap between conference championship weekend and the playoff keeps everyone more than eager and anxious. It also diminishes a lot of the momentum that teams had built up throughout the journey of the regular season. This means that the playoff games really come down to coaching and depth. I mean, look at the three coaches who have won the CFP: Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, and Dabo Swinney. The three best coaches in the country, without a doubt. And lucky for us, we get to see two thirds of that top tier coach against each other on January 1st.

No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Alabama

Part three of the Alabama vs. Clemson saga is the final four's headline matchup, as the Tide and Tigers have split the last two National Championships. So naturally, this game has the aura of a championship around it. And when it's all said and done, I strongly believe the winner of this game will go on to be the champion of the College Football Playoff. These are the two deepest and best-coached teams in the country. 

Alabama has received plenty of underwhelmed reviews from spectators this season, with many thinking the Crimson Tide just doesn't have the typical "it" factor this year that we are so used to seeing. That's somewhat understandable, seeing as they haven't really beat any entirely impressive opponents. Squeaking by Mississippi State by seven points doesn't really help their stock, and neither does getting rolled by Auburn in a 26-14 loss. But at the same time, it's a Nick Saban coached Alabama team. It's tough to truly, genuinely doubt them. 

I think the bar has been set so high for Alabama after such an impressive run of dominance, that even when they're truly one of the best four teams in the country, it's still easy to feel unimpressed. But Saban and his boys don't care if we're impressed by them or not. In fact, I'm sure they love feeling a sense of external doubt. If anything, that might help them play with some more fire on top of their ridiculous talent and skill. 

Much like expectations being sky-high for 'Bama year in and year out, Clemson quarterbacks for the next few generations will always have the massive shoes of Deshaun Watson to fill. A quarterback who led the team to its first National Championship victory since 1981. A quarterback who was drafted first round in the NFL. A quarterback who would likely have won Offensive Rookie of the Year until he tore his ACL. 

I think the superstardom of Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant is largely overshadowed by his predecessor's outrageous résumé. He's certainly not Deshaun Watson, but he's a freak athlete who is surrounded by a more complete team than Watson was. I firmly believe the Tigers are still a National Champion-caliber team, but then again so is Alabama. I think this is Clemson's last year before they fully enter Alabama's territory of neutral fans wanting to see them lose to mix things up. 

I'm really hoping we don't see any key injuries in the third part of this recent rivalry. In Part One, we saw Clemson's shutdown corner Mackensie Alexander suffer a hamstring injury on, if a recall correctly, only the second play of the game. Now I don't know if the end result would have changed had Alexander stayed healthy, but 'Bama did rely on their passing game much more than expected for the remainder of that close battle. Again, maybe 'Bama still would have won. Maybe Clemson would have won, it doesn't matter. It's in the past. But I can tell you pretty damn confidently that Clemson would not have won Part Two if Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough didn't get hurt. He was absolutely rolling over Clemson's defense. But hey, injuries are part of the game. Let's just hope we don't have to see any in Part Three. Safety first, then teamwork. 

Alabama is favorited in this game by three points, which I don't find entirely shocking. It's a very fair line and despite being the "last team in" for this year's playoff, they've earned their stripes throughout the years. Seed number is irrelevant when it comes to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the postseason. They're the favorites to win year in, and year out. 

Having said that, I still think Clemson will come out on top. It will undoubtedly live up to the hype, just as the other two battles between the Tigers and Tide. This will likely end up being the game of the year. I just think I'm leaning with Clemson because they've wow'd me a little more throughout the season. But hey, maybe that's just expecting too much out of 'Bama. But like I said earlier, despite the outcome of this game, I like the winner as the eventual champion.

No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 3 Oklahoma

It really speaks volumes to Clemson and Alabama that the SEC Champion taking on the Heisman winner isn't the headline game. The Georgia Bulldogs face-off against Baker Mayfield and the Oklahoma Sooners on Monday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. The Dawgs are favored by two points over the Big 12 Champs.

To be honest, I was a little surprised to see such a minuscule spread in this game. I don't think it will be a blowout, but I think Georgia is more than two points better than Oklahoma. This matchup is a high-powered offense led by a star QB, going up against a team that can shut you down on defense and run it down your throat. I like the Bulldogs in this one because they're simply a more complete unit than the Sooners.

Oklahoma's offense this season has been remarkable; there's absolutely no doubt about that. They have averaged 44.9 points per game, which is the fourth most in the entire country. Baker Mayfield has thrown for the second most touchdowns this year (41) and the second most passing yards (4,340).  And not that the Sooners' first choice is keeping it on the ground, but they still have recorded an average of 215.9 rushing yards per game, which is the 27th best in the country.

Much like the rest of their conference, Oklahoma flaunts a prime offense which is held back by a subpar defense. This year's Oklahoma defense has impressed me more than in past seasons, and it's not like they're bottom of the barrel. But when you're going up against the three best teams in the nation, you need more than an "okay" defense. The Sooners have allowed 25 points per game and 385 yards per game. Georgia has been heavily reliant on their star running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, and the Sooners D has allowed an average of 144.2 rushing yards per game.

Chubb and Michel should be expected to do the brunt of the work for the Dawgs on Monday. Chubb is averaging 90.3 yards per game and has totaled 13 rushing touchdowns. In Georgia's first go-around with Auburn, Chubb was limited to only 27 yards on the ground. However, he made up for that in the SEC Championship by putting up 77 yards. His best game of the year was against Kentucky, where he ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Sony Michel has matched Chubb's 13 rushing touchdowns on the year, and his averaging 7.2 yards per carry (Chubb is averaging 6.2 yards per carry). To put it simply, this running back duo is lethal, and I don't trust the Oklahoma defense to stop them.

Some people may find it difficult to count out college football's most outstanding player, Baker Mayfield. There's actually a pretty decent rate of Heisman winners going on to win the National Championship, as it's happened five times since 2004: Derrick Henry in 2015, Jameis Winston in 2013, Cam Newton in 2010, Mark Ingram in 2009, and Matt Leinart in 2004. That narrative is obviously a least partially impacted by the CFP being introduced.

Baker Mayfield was such a clear and obvious choice for the Heisman, as he's extremely talented to an outlandish level. But as I mentioned earlier, winning playoff games requires depth and great coaching. Head Coach Lincoln Riley has done a tremendous job in his first year, that goes without saying. But his squad lacks the depth that the other three teams have. And it's not every day that the Sooners face-off against a defense of Georgia's caliber. The Bulldogs have only allowed 13.2 points per game, the fourth-fewest in the country. They've also only allowed an average 158.3 passing yards per game, the second-fewest in the country. Mayfield and the Sooners won't be completely shut down, but the Bulldogs aren't a cupcake Big 12 defense.

I believe we'll be seeing a Clemson vs. Georgia National Championship, although any combination of these four teams would be pretty awesome. So buckle up everybody, and have a great start to 2018.

Being upset over Gronk's one-game suspension is foolish

So now that it's official, after an attempted appeal was denied, we can now react to Rob Gronkowski's one-game suspension for his late hit in Buffalo on Sunday.

Gronk's hit after the whistle on Buffalo's Tre'Davious White was wildly uncharacteristic for the goofy tight end that seems to be universally loved, but that doesn't make up for the fact that it was a vicious act.

I think the most asinine takes I've heard about this situation are the homers who claim his reaction was justified because he got held/interfered with before the interception. "He's fed up with not getting calls his whole career!" That may be so, but launching into the back of an opponents head after the whistle is no way to start having calls go your way. I mean, this was even before talks of a suspension, people were justifying the hit itself, regardless of the consequences. Can you imagine if Travis Kelce had done this to Devin McCourty in the season opener? Oh my god, everyone in the New England area would be calling for him to be suspended for the year. So anyone saying Gronk's hit was justified because he was held, get out of my face with that. Erroneous.

Now onto the actual punishment for the hit: a one-game suspension that Gronk tried to appeal, but the league upheld. I think that's rational. For a fanbase that constantly (and rightfully) criticizes the way that the NFL handles issues, it's awfully hypocritical to disagree with penalizing a hit to the head of a defenseless player. I mean, White was on the ground, the whistle had blown, and a 6'6" 265 pound frame willingly launched itself into the back of his head. Again, if an opponent had done that to a Patriot, nobody in New England would say it was justified. I'm not saying Gronk is a bad guy in any sense. Emotions run high on game day, he messed up, he apologized, and now he's paying the price.

A lot of people's issue with the Gronk suspension is the "inconsistency" in similar acts and their respective punishments this season. I've heard many mention the two-game suspensions of Michael Crabtree and Aqib Talib being reduced to one-game after an appeal.



I'd say the one comparable aspect of the two scenarios is that neither Gronkowski's hit or the fist fight are football plays. Both scenarios are extracurricular bologna. But what it comes down to is that Crabtree and Talib were both willingly throwing fists. Neither player was "defenseless" by any means. They hate each other and they wanted to settle it in a way that wasn't just playing football.

Another scenario that has been brought up is Tampa Bay's Mike Evans absolutely blasting Saints' cornerback Marshon Lattimore a few weeks back.



Evans was suspended one-game for this act, which should say everything there is to say about Gronk's suspension. Evans knowingly wrecked a defenseless Lattimore after the whistle. It was a non-football play. It was a reckless move. It was highly dangerous, and there's no place in the game for stuff like that. Seems pretty reasonable to me.

Another scrap that the NFL brought in the month of November came between Jacksonville's Jalen Ramsey and Cincinnati's A.J. Green.



Again, it's important for fans to recognize the difference between a situation like this and the Gronkowski hit. These two players exchanged shoves, and one could maybe make the argument that Ramsey was "defenseless" for a split second before Green put him in a chokehold. Punches were thrown, but I think it's a little different than the Talib vs. Crabtree fight where two guys are dancing on their feet and squaring up. Neither Ramsey or Green received a suspension, just heavy fines. You could argue that there are inconsistencies in punishments for fist fights during the game, but Gronk's hit on White was far from a fist fight.

Monday night's matchup between the Bengals and Steelers brought two suspensions, both one-game, for Pittsburgh's JuJu Smith-Schuster and George Iloka. Iloka's suspension was successfully appealed, whereas Smith-Schuster will be out this week against Baltimore for his monster block on the league's #1 scum bag Vontaze Burfict.



To be honest, I'm a little iffy about this suspension, although I can understand where the league is coming from. We all witnessed an absolute bloodbath on Monday night that certainly got out of hand. I don't think JuJu would be sitting out a week if: 1) the violence of that game as a whole didn't generate so much negative PR for the NFL, and 2) JuJu didn't stand over Burfict after the hit. I don't necessarily blame him for asserting his dominance after the hit; a 21 year old rookie wide receiver dropping a brick house of a linebacker is an impressive feat. He was probably feeling on top of the world. Still, a dumb move that most likely led to his suspension, but as a fan I didn't hate the act of standing over Burfict and staring him in the eyes. A dumb move, but a ballsy one.

So back to Gronk. The only one of these scenarios that was similar to Gronkowski's shenanigans is the Mike Evans hit, which also received a one-game suspension. I think for the first time in our lives, the NFL has shown some form of consistency in penalization.

I genuinely believe that Gronk feels terrible about his actions, as he stated. I don't think it was likely that we'd see him do something like this again anyway, but the one-game suspension will reinforce that. That's the whole point of punishment: to reinforce that the mistake won't happen again.

If you're complaining about the one-game suspension of Rob Gronkowski, you're a fool. It always sucks to see one of your best players forced to sit out a game, but that's on him. If the Patriots lose to the Dolphins on Monday night, the issues that come along with that will go beyond the absence of a star tight end. The good news is that Gronk will be back for the Pittsburgh game, and for now that should be every Patriot fans' biggest concern.

2017-2018 CFB Toilet Bowl Preview

Bowl season is here, and with it comes your annual slate of toilet bowl matchups between non-Power Five teams, the type of games that even the average college football gambling degenerate like me looks at and goes "yeeeesh I don't know about that one." We'll get into previewing the playoff and all of the major/Power Five vs. Power Five matchups later this month, but today, we're going to talk about the games that are the equivalent of a tipped over porter-potty. Let's do it.

*Flanny is not liable for your dumb degenerate ass losing money on some wild college football bet. If these picks do not pan out don't get mad, get help, at the National Problem Gambling Hotline (1-800-522-4700) and delete Bovada off of your freaking phone, idiot. 

Cure Bowl (12/16)
Georgia State (6-5) vs. Western Kentucky (6-6)

The NCAA decided to begin bowl season by banging out five of these suckers on day-one, and the Cure Bowl matchup between Georgia State and Western Kentucky certainly is not the prize of the afternoon. Western Kentucky finished the season losers of four of their last five and one of their six losses on the year came to an absolutely horrible Illinois team that finished 2-10. Georgia State, meanwhile, finished the season on a two-game losing streak and the lowlight of their season came in the form of a 56-0 b****-smacking at the hands of Penn State. Georgia State has had trouble scoring this season, as the Panthers were held to 14-or-fewer points four times. Western Kentucky gets it done thanks to their far-superior offense led by quarterback Mike White (3,826 yards, 24 touchdowns) but this is a game that I'd highly recommend avoiding on the betting front.

Pick: Western Kentucky 33-16

Celebration Bowl (12/16)
North Carolina A&T (12-1) vs. Grambling State (11-2)



I'm not even sure what to call this one. Technically it's a bowl game but neither team is a legitimate member of the FBS. Both offenses hold the ability to score 30+ points but history says this one may be pretty low-scoring (10-9 Grambling in 2016 Celebration Bowl). I'll take North Carolina A&T given their ability to hang around better and actually beat an FBS team this season (39-36 win over Kent State) while Grambling State fell 31-21 to Arizona and 43-14 to Tulane. I got nothing else other than that.

Pick: NC A&T 31-26

New Orleans Bowl (12/16)
Troy (10-2) vs. North Texas (9-4)

Considering where these two teams finished in their respective conferences, this could arguably be the best matchup out of all the non-Power Five toilet bowls. Troy, as many remember, knocked off LSU 24-21 in week-five for their biggest win in program history and finished the season on a six-game win streak, earning themselves a share of the Sun Belt crown with Appalachian State. North Texas rebounded from a 1-2 start and finished the season on a five-game win streak before falling to Florida Atlantic in the Conference USA title game. Despite playing in an offensive-friendly dome, these two defenses should hold one another in check, resulting in a pretty medium-ranged scoring affair. Jordan Chunn still runs wild for the Trojans.

Pick: Troy 27-20

New Mexico Bowl (12/16)
Colorado State (7-5) vs. Marshall (7-5)

Why the NCAA decides to hold a bowl game in New Mexico in the dead of winter every year is beyond me, but nevertheless, this game features two teams capable of scoring a lot of points. Colorado State scored 40-or-more points five times this season and reached 50 three times. The Rams will rely heavily on star wideout Michael Gallup (94 receptions, 1,345 yards, seven touchdowns) and Colorado State should have its way against a Marshall team that stumbled to the finish by losing four of five.

Pick: Colorado State 37-24

Camellia Bowl (12/16)
Arkansas State (7-4) vs. Middle Tennessee (6-6)



Middle Tennessee is no slouch, as the Blue Raiders defeated a Syracuse team that caused a lot of problems within the ACC this season (beat Clemson, almost beat Miami). However, while MTSU did score 30-or-more points in each of their final four games, I don't think they have the consistency on offense to keep up with Arkansas State. The front-seven of the Red Wolves are just as good, if not better, than some Power Five times, highlighted by former Alabama defensive tackle Dee Liner. This game lives and dies with Arkansas State quarterback Justice Hansen, who comes in after throwing for 400+ yards in back-to-back games and multiple touchdowns in all but one game this season. However, Hansen has thrown three-or-more interceptions three times this season. I think we get to see the good side of Hansen in the Camellia Bowl, and Arkansas State caps off its season with a win after pissing away their regular season finale against Troy (32-25 loss).

Pick: Arkansas State 36-26

Boca Raton Bowl (12/19)
Florida Atlantic (10-3) vs. Akron (7-6)



This game is just a pure mismatch. Lane Kiffin's FAU Owls rolled to the finish line in 2017 and enter the Boca Raton Bowl winners of nine straight and sport a Conference USA title belt around their waist. Akron was the best mediocre team in an extremely bad MAC-East Division and surrendered 45 points to Toledo in the conference title game. It's hard to imagine the Zips defense being able to withstand an Owl offense that scored 30-or-more points in each of its final 11 games and reached 50+points three times. FAU wins handily behind a big day from running back Devin Singletary and Lane Kiffin leaves to go coach at either Florida State, UCF, or Tennessee.

Pick: Florida Atlantic 49-17

Frisco Bowl (12/20)
SMU (7-5) vs. Louisiana Tech (6-6)


SMU averaged 36.75 points during their final four games. The only problem is that the Mustangs lost three of them, including a 66-45 defeat to Memphis. AKA, SMU's defense is horrendous. Quarterback Ben Hicks (3,442 yards, 32 touchdowns), thousand-yard rusher Xavier Jones along with wideouts Trey Quinn (106 receptions, 1,191 yards, 12 touchdowns) and Courtland Sutton (62 receptions, 1017 yards, 12 touchdowns) highlight SMU's potent offense. Louisiana Tech's strength is its defense, which held the likes of South Carolina, South Alabama, and UTSA to under 20 points, but were gashed by Mississippi State (57 points) and Florida Atlantic (48). SMU isn't quite on the same offensive level as a Mississippi State or Florida Atlantic, but the Mustangs should be able to score a heavy amount of points. Tech quarterback J'Mar Smith needs to have a big day in order for the Bulldogs to have any sort of chance, and even if he performs well, I still think SMU's offense is too much to handle.

Pick: SMU 41-21

Gasparilla Bowl (12/21)
Temple (6-6) vs. Florida International (8-4)



Temple earned bowl eligibility by winning three of its final four. FIU was pretty hot-and-cold throughout the season as its offense struggled out of the gate, but the Golden Panthers didn't lose to UConn like Temple did, so, therefore, it is impossible me to pick the Owls and feel good about myself. FIU also gets the advantage of playing in their home state. Butch Davis and company get the job done, but it's close and points are scarce.

Florida International 19-13

Potato Bowl (12/21)
Wyoming (7-5) vs. Central Michigan (8-4)


Whoever decided Boise, Idaho was a good location for a bowl game is an absolute maniac. Until the NCAA puts a bowl game in the yard of a Siberian gulag (which still might be better), the Potato Bowl will always reign as the king of toilet bowls. Anyways, this game lives and dies with the health of Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, who's missed the last two games with a shoulder injury. Even if healthy, Allen may pull a Christian McCaffrey or Leonard Fournette-like move and sit out to prepare for the NFL Draft. However, Allen hasn't exactly lit it up this season (1,658 yards, 13 touchdowns, six INT's) the way many projected, so he may want to consider putting on the Cowboy jersey one final time to try and improve his draft stock. Nevertheless, even if Allen suits up, I still like Central Michigan, who finished the regular season with five straight wins and scored an average of 41.2 points-per-game during that span. Wyoming's defense is pretty legit, though, as the Cowboys surrendered less than 20 points in four of their final five contests.

Pick: Central Michigan 28-23

Bahamas Bowl (12/21)
UAB (8-4) vs. Ohio (8-4)



Central Michigan beat Ohio 26-23 in the regular season, held the same record at 8-4 and a better conference record than the Bobcats at 6-2, yet the big payoff for the Chippewas was a trip to the frigid Potato Bowl while Ohio enjoys a week in paradise. Good call by the NCAA here rewarding failure. Anyways, UAB to me is the favorite in this game purely based off of their 25th ranked run defense. Ohio's ground game, highlighted by quarterback Nathan Rourke (134 carries, 882 yards, 21 touchdowns) matched up against UAB's front-seven is going to be the determining factor. If UAB is able to shut down the run game in the early going and force Rourke to drop back and pass, it could be a long day for the Bobcats, who's top receiver mustered just 32 receptions for 525 yards this season in Papi White.

Pick: UAB 27-10

Armed Forces Bowl (12/23)
Army (8-3) vs. San Diego State (10-2)

Two of nation's top rushing attacks square off and as San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny and his 2,000 yards match up against Army's always-tricky option attack. The Black Knights have been a fun story this season, winning eight games for the first time in over two decades. I just don't think the Army defense is capable of handling the never-ending physical pounding that the Aztecs have become known for with Penny touching the rock 35 times a game.

Pick: San Diego State 26-14

Dollar General Bowl (12/23)
Toledo (11-2) vs. Appalachian State (8-4)

This could sneakily be an extremely entertaining matchup as two of the better offenses in the group-of-five square off. Toledo scored its way to a MAC title behind the play of quarterback Logan Woodside (3,758 yards, 28 touchdowns) and presents an extremely difficult matchup for Appalachian State's defense. The Mountaineer offense makes it a game against Toledo's iffy defense, but the Rockets get it done. Hammer the over.

Pick: Toledo 41-30

Hawai'i Bowl (12/24)
Houston (7-4) vs. Fresno State (9-4)

If you're the type who appreciates stout defensive play and enjoys watching quarterbacks get ransacked, this is the game for you. In what will likely be Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver's final game before declaring for the NFL Draft (where he'll 100% be a first or second-round pick), expect the sophomore to have a HUGE day against Fresno State's non-existent passing attack. Meanwhile, I expect Fresno State to make life a bit hard for Houston's offense, but the Cougars definitely hold the edge as far as all-around consistency and skill on the offensive side of the ball. Fresno State is trending in the right direction but Houston knocks them down to Earth.

Pick: Houston 29-16

Arizona Bowl (12/29)
Utah State (6-6) vs. New Mexico State (6-6)



New Mexico State is in a bowl game for the first time since 1960. Yes, you read that correctly, it's actually been 57 years since New Mexico State played a football game past the midway point of December, almost too hard to imagine. Utah State might be the favorite on paper, but New Mexico State's defense enters after having not allowed 20 points in either of their final two games. Expect a big day out of both quarterback Tyler Rogers (3,825 yards, 26 touchdowns) and wideout Jaleel Scott (73 receptions, 1,042 yards, eight touchdowns) as the Aggies pull off a minor upset.

Pick: New Mexico State 24-19

Previewing the SEC Championship: No. 2 Auburn vs. No. 6 Georgia

As spectators of the great game of football, we have been graced with a phenomenal slate of conference championship games this weekend. It all starts Friday night as No. 12 Stanford faces off against No. 10 USC, and the following day brings us three top-ten matchups (No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 2 Auburn, No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 7 Miami, and No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 8 Ohio State), and a game that just missed the cut of being a top-ten battle with No. 3 Oklahoma taking on No. 11 TCU. Another one that should get everyone fired up is No. 14 UCF vs. No. 20 Memphis.

Although there will be seemingly endless fantastic football on this weekend, let's take a deeper look at the 2017 SEC Championship: the Auburn Tigers (10-2) vs. the Georgia Bulldogs (11-1). The two will battle it out in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 4 p.m. EST. This is the second time that the two teams will be playing each other; the first time came on November 11th, in which Auburn absolutely laid the hammer on Georgia 40-17. That is Georgia's lone loss of the season. Auburn's two losses have both come on the road to No. 1 Clemson (14-6) and LSU (27-23).

The Tigers momentum has been absolutely rolling through the month of November after they dished Georgia their only loss and did the same to Alabama in the Iron Bowl, coming out on top 26-14. I'm a firm believer in momentum (especially in college football), and if you aren't, you're a fool.

Sure, Georgia only has the one loss to Auburn, and they've beat Kentucky and Georgia Tech handedly since then. But even Georgia's quality wins/strength of schedule have slightly diminished over the course of the season. That one-point win over Notre Dame certainly doesn't look as impressive as it once did, as the Irish have dropped to No. 15 after getting stomped by Miami and closing out the regular season with a two-point loss to Stanford. Beating the Irish isn't necessarily an easy win, but it's not as prestigious as it seemed a few weeks ago. Georgia's biggest win besides that one would be the 31-3 victory over Mississippi State, who was No. 17 at the time. Mississippi State is now No. 23 with four losses on their record.

The Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 in the first two editions of the College Football Playoff rankings before losing to Auburn. And although they haven't fallen past No. 7 in the rankings, the Tigers' stock has done nothing but risen since the week ten CFP rankings (other than staying at No. 6 for two straight weeks).

It's extremely difficult to beat a team twice in one season, but I don't see Auburn losing this one. Bovada currently has Auburn as three point favorites, which I think they'll cover. This season, Auburn is 5-6-1 against the spread and Georgia is 8-4 against the spread, but I'm letting momentum persuade me more than history. I'm seeing the over/under of this one set at 48; I'd personally take the under as both of these defenses are stacked. Georgia has allowed the fifth fewest points per game with  13.8. Auburn has allowed the ninth fewest points per game with 16.4. As I had mentioned before, the final score the last time these two teams met was 40-17. However, due to this being the second meeting, I think Georgia will be able to hang with the Tigers more than they did a few weeks ago.

Both teams are heavily reliant on their run game, as they both flaunt superstar running backs in Nick Chubb and Kerryon Johnson. Chubb has helped the Bulldogs greatly this season, rushing for a total of 1,098 yards and 13 touchdowns. Auburn's Kerryon Johnson has been even more impressive, tallying 1,276 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground. Johnson is currently listed as questionable with a shoulder injury, and Auburn coaches have said he's day-to-day without actually saying if he'll play or not. In my opinion, this is a must-play game for Johnson. I fully expect to see him play on Saturday, whether that takes cortisone shots or just some good old fashioned grit. If he'll be fully effective remains to be seen, but I'll be shocked if he sits this one out.

Saturday. 4 p.m. Eastern Time. No. 2 vs. No. 6. Let's ride. If Georgia does pull this one off, there will be some questions to be answered regarding who will represent the SEC in the CFP between them and Alabama. But for now, that's all speculation. Let's see how this one plays out first.

Best Touchdown Celebrations By Patriots Players During The Brady Era

Touchdown celebrations and national anthem protests are the hot topics around the NFL right now. The New England Patriots have never been the type of team to configure some sort of extremely over-the-top celebration after crossing the goal line, but that isn't to say there have never been any gems. In fact, the Patriots have had some pretty awesome celebrations occur after notching six points during the Brady/Belichick era. Here are my favorites.

1. Rob Gronkowski's "Gronk Spike"


Obviously, nothing beats the Gronk spike. So simple, so easy, and so Gronk. The only thing better than watching Rob Gronkowski score a touchdown is the absolute beating he puts on the football and the earthquake he causes in China by spiking the living hell out of the thing into the ground. It's going to be hard for any player to ever top this.

2. LeGarrette Blount's End Zone Militia Pose



One of my favorite touchdown celebrations not only in Patriots history but all-time was LeGarrette Blount's pose with the end zone militia. Before signing with Philadelphia in free agency last offseason, Blount spoke about wanting to get the celebration into EA Sports' Madden NFL video game franchise. Had Blount stayed in New England, I bet this celebration would have made its way to PlayStation and Xbox either this year or next year, but I guess we'll never know. Still, loved it every single time.

3. James White's Wiggle



Patriot fans have fallen in love with this guy since his epic performance in Super LI, and his little high-to-low wiggle and pose for the camera that he's become trademarked for following a touchdown is smooth and sweet.

4. Wes Welker's Snow Angel



Short, sweet, and simple, yet somehow some scrooge in strips still found a way to throw a flag on Ole Wes for excessive celebration back in 2008. Live a little, buddy, snow angels are fun.

5. Steven Ridley's Door Kick



Say what you want about Steven Ridley's fumbling woes, but I absolutely loved him pounding his chest and kicking the living fuck out of an imaginary door every time he crossed the goal line. As a guy who loves kicking in doors, this was beautiful to watch.

6. Aaron Hernandez's Dice Roll And Making It Rain



A couple of words to describe Aaron Hernandez the person? Horrible, despicable, nut job. Aaron Hernandez the football player? Tough, skilled, and versatile. The guy was a murderer so I'm not going to go say much more than his touchdown celebration where he rolled the dice and made it rain had some swag to it.

Here Is What We Know About The ECAC One Month Into The 2017-18 College Hockey Season

The 2017-2018 NCAA hockey season is now a month in, and while it's definitely still early, we've learned a pretty decent amount throughout the first several weekends. Here's what we've learned so far from the ECAC and some things to expect throughout the rest of the year. 

USCHO.com rankings

1. Denver (6-2-2)

2. St. Cloud State (7-2-0)

3. North Dakota (7-2-3)

4. Notre Dame (8-3-1)

5. Minnesota State (8-3-0)

6. Cornell (6-0-0)

7. Minnesota (7-4-1)

8. Clarkson (8-3-1)

9. Wisconsin (7-5-1)

10. Providence (6-4-0)

11. New Hampshire (6-3-1)

12. Northeastern (6-3-1)

13. Harvard (2-3-0)

14. Minnesota-Duluth (5-5-1)

15. Western Michigan (6-4-1)

16. Ohio State (6-3-3)

17. Michigan (6-3-1)

18. Boston University (5-6-1)

19. Colgate (6-2-4)

20. Northern Michigan (6-4-0)

________________________________________

.@CUBigRedHockey WINS IT! Cornell scores in the final seconds to defeat Harvard, 3-2! #ILN #LGR pic.twitter.com/RhZzDE1hkd

— Cornell On ILN (@CornellOnILN) November 12, 2017

Cornell has climbed to No. 6 in the rankings following a 6-0 start, including a last-second 3-2 win over then-No. 5 and arch-rival Harvard on Saturday night. This team is looking like the class of the ECAC and has the size and depth to compete with anybody in the country. 

Along with the undefeated Big Red, Clarkson has stormed out the gates to an 8-3-1 start and climbed to No. 8 in the rankings. The Knights are coming off a four-point weekend with a 5-3 win over Brown on Friday and a 4-1 win at Yale on Saturday. Clarkson is one of the deeper teams you'll see in college hockey, as their fourth line of all freshmen (Jack Jacome, Josh Dickinson, Kevin Charyszyn) is maybe the best fourth line in the entire country, especially after the trio combined for nine total points this past weekend against Yale and Brown. 

The popular pick that many had to win the ECAC this season and make another run to the Frozen Four was Harvard, who is coming off two one-goal road losses this past weekend at Colgate (2-1) and Cornell (3-2). Consistency has been a bit of an issue for Harvard on both the offensive and goaltending fronts. One night, the Crimson are winning 5-0 against Dartmouth, and the next, they are giving up five goals in a lopsided loss to Yale. There's still a ton of time for Harvard to turn things around, but it might be time to start considering Clarkson or Cornell as the favorites to win the ECAC until Donato and the gang get it going. 

Colgate, meanwhile, is a big-time sleeper. The Raiders are coming off a four-point weekend against Harvard and Dartmouth and got back in the top-20 of the rankings for the first time since 2014. Colgate may not be as deep as a team like Cornell or Clarkson, but they are certainly a team that can surprise a lot of people and contend atop the conference. 

Freshman Dante Palecco (four goals, two assists) and junior Joe Snively (five goals, three assists) have guided Yale to a .500 start at 3-3, but the Bulldogs proved to clearly be a step behind Clarkson on Saturday, falling 4-1. A lot of hockey left but I'm not buying into Yale this season. 

Union began the season 0-5 with five consecutive non-conference losses but rebounded with seven wins in their last eight contests, most recently earning a four-point weekend against Princeton (4-3 in overtime) and Quinnipiac (4-3). A big weekend looms on the prairie as the Dutchmen travel to No. 3 North Dakota for a chance to prove whether or not they are legit. 

Princeton is a team that has caught some tough luck in the early going, as the Tigers tied Colgate 0-0 before losing 5-4 against Cornell and 4-3 in overtime at Union. Princeton earned a nice 6-2 bounce-back win over Rensselaer on Saturday but isn't on the game level as a Clarkson or Cornell. 

Brown is starting to turn things around in terms of climbing out of the basement of the ECAC, but they are still likely a few years away from competing for a conference title and NCAA Tournament berth. 

Quinnipiac began the season 3-1-1, including a weekend sweep at Northeastern. However, the Bobcats have now dropped four straight, getting outscored 15-6. This team needs more scoring. 

Dartmouth hasn't looked that impressive, as the Big Green earned 0 points this past weekend with defeats at Cornell (3-0) and Colgate (3-2). Lack of scoring will keep this team from having success in conference play. 

Things have gotten extremely ugly at St. Lawrence, as along with a 1-10-1 start, the Saints skated with just three lines of forwards on both Friday and Saturday night due to injuries. Ryan Lough was ejected for hitting from behind early in the second period against Brown, forcing St. Lawrence to skate with just eight forwards for more than half of Saturday night's game. Even without the injuries that are currently plaguing them, St. Lawrence is struggling to fill their roster and recruit. This team will finish dead last in the ECAC this year, no question and will continue to struggle in the coming years. 

Previewing No. 13 Virginia Tech at No. 10 Miami

This Saturday evening brings us what should be a great battle between two ACC top 15 teams, as No. 10 Miami hosts No. 13 Virginia Tech under the lights. The Hurricanes are looking to continue their undefeated ways by notching an eighth straight win, as the Hokies are seeking to take control of the ACC Coastal division (and likely a spot in the national top ten). The game will be played at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC.

As I type this on Thursday evening, Bovada has Virginia Tech as three point favorites. This is obviously subject to change. Wait, the undefeated, top-ten team playing at home as an underdog? Of course they are, because let's face the facts: the U has yet to play any legitimate competition. And when their competition is actually relatively respectable, they barely squeak out a win.

I mean it's not like Virginia Tech has a bunch of stellar wins to boast about, but it's not the worst scenario to have your only loss to the No. 4 Clemson Tigers. VTech lost that game by 14 points, which isn't too bad against a team like Clemson. I also do believe that if Miami eventually faces off against Clemson, they'd lose by at least the same margin. Virginia Tech has been exposed to a high power team this season, which Miami can't really say. Until this week.

Virginia Tech also has some decent wins in beating West Virginia 31-24 and Boston College 23-10. Neither team is in college football's top tier, but they're still notable wins that were won by more than five points like the 'Canes have been doing.

Easily the best aspect of this Miami team is the turnover chain. I never get sick of it.



The Virginia Tech offense has suffered six turnovers this season: four interceptions and two fumbles lost. So hopefully for everyone's sake we get to see some 'Canes be donned with the golden "U" chain.

The player to watch for the Hokies will be freshman quarterback Josh Jackson. This kid is an absolute stud; he's thrown for 2,032 yards and 17 touchdowns on 149 completions. Jackson has completed 62.3% of his throws, and has a QB rating of 153.9, the 17th best in the country.

However, Miami's defense has been notably good, allowing the 20th fewest points per game in the country with 18.7. Junior defensive back Michael Jackson has tallied four interceptions this season; the most in the country is six. The 'Canes defensive unit has allowed the 28th fewest total yards this season with 2,642. 

On the flip side, Virginia Tech's defense doesn't mess around either. The Hokies D has allowed 2,276 total yards this year (10th fewest in the nation), which translates to 285 total yards allowed per game. Most impressively, the Hokies have only allowed 11.5 points per game. Only Alabama has allowed fewer points per game with 9.8.

Only 33 quarterbacks in the country have over 2,000 total passing yards this year, and Miami's junior QB Malik Rosier is one of them. On 252 attempts he's recorded 143 completions, 2,071 yards, 17 touchdowns (tied for 20th best), and a QB rating of 144.9 (32nd best in the country). Rosier has also rushed for 211 total yards and two touchdowns. 

Virginia Tech and Miami have split the series in the last four times they've met; Hokies won 37-16 at home last year, Miami won in both 2015 (30-20 at home) and 2014 (30-6 in Blacksburg), and VTech came out on top 42-24 in 2013 at Miami. 

Let's consider this the game that decides best out of five, and I'm taking the Hokies to win. I firmly believe that they're about expose the U. I'd wait to see if the line drops to -2.5 or something, but something tells me it will move the other way before kickoff. Either way, I am all in on Virginia Tech in this one.

HIT IT!!!

Reactions to the first College Football Playoff rankings

Before I get too deep into this, the season's first College Football Playoff ranking is essentially useless. Not to be a downer in any sense, but so much can still happen with each team's remaining games that there's no need to freak out about the rankings. At this point, the committee can't really screw any particular team over; there's still enough time for each team to control their own destiny.

The College Football Playoff committee makes a big production of each week's rankings for one reason: get people talking about the College Football Playoff. Which it obviously does, seeing as I'm writing this post. So let's take a look at the rankings: 

1. Georgia (8-0)
2. Alabama (8-0)
3. Notre Dame (7-1)
4. Clemson (7-1)
5. Oklahoma (7-1)
6. Ohio State (7-1)
7. Penn State (7-1)
8. TCU (7-1)
9. Wisconsin (8-0)
10. Miami (7-0)
11. Oklahoma State (7-1)
12. Washington (7-1)
13. Virginia Tech (7-1)
14. Auburn (6-2)
15. Iowa State (6-2)
16. Mississippi State (6-2)
17. USC (7-2)
18. UCF (7-0)
19. LSU (6-2)
20. NC State (6-2)
21. Stanford (6-2)
22. Arizona (6-2)
23. Memphis (7-1)
24. Michigan State (6-2)
25. Washington State (7-2)

Georgia and Alabama were clearly going to be the country's top two teams, and Georgia being ahead of the almighty Crimson Tide certainly adds a bit of a shock factor and increases discussion. But making a legitimate argument for this isn't that difficult to do, seeing as Georgia has more impressive wins by beating No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 16 Mississippi State. Other than their one-point win over the Fighting Irish, the Bulldog's closest game has been a 21-point win over Appalachian State in week one. The Bulldogs average margin of victory is 26.5 points.

Now that's not to say Alabama hasn't been great, boasting a margin of victory of 33.25; it's just that the Bulldogs have had a tougher schedule, which naturally gives them more quality wins. And again, this will get people talking more than if the always No. 1 Crimson Tide continued the trend. None of Alabama's past opponents appear in the newest rankings, but the next two weeks present No. 19 LSU and No. 16 Mississippi State. Also, 'Bama will face-off in the regular season's final week against No. 14 Auburn. So the Tide will have their chance to beat ranked opponents, and I genuinely believe they'll take care of every one of those teams.

Whether you like it or not, at this point in time, Notre Dame deserves that No. 3 spot. This isn't the same type of Notre Dame team that was in playoff talks at this time in 2015, whose main selling point was a close loss to Clemson. Yes, this 2017 Notre Dame team has a one-point loss to No. 1 Georgia as a résumé booster. But on top of that are wins over three currently ranked teams. And it's not just that they've beat these teams, they've smacked these teams. They beat the No. 24 Michigan State Spartans 38-18, beat up on No. 17 USC 49-14 under the lights, and took care of No. 20 NC State last week in a  35-14 victory. They have one of the most effective ground games in the country. Yes, Notre Dame's lack of a conference championship game will always give them one less selling point for a playoff spot, but a schedule like this is still tougher than most of the Power Five teams. The Irish still have to go up against No. 10 Miami and No. 21 Stanford. I also wouldn't sleep on the Navy game that falls in between those two ranked matchups. The fight for a playoff spot is far from over, but if they finish the season with a lone loss to Georgia, they deserve a spot. Well, depending on how Georgia potentially performs against Alabama in the SEC Championship. But still, Notre Dame has one of the best résumés in the country, and for right now the No. 3 spot is appropriate.

Clemson at No. 4 is no surprise, especially now that TCU and Penn State have joined the one-loss club after last weekend. Clemson's only remaining ranked opponent this regular season is this weekend against No. 20 NC State. Before Clemson beat Georgia Tech last week, they were upset by Syracuse. They're coming off a win that should have been more demanding, so I expect the Tigers to come out firing. They'll be eager to remind the college football world that they are one of the most complete teams in the country. Notre Dame fans, for their own team's sake, need the Wolfpack to compete at a high level with the Tigers, but I don't know if I see that happening. If things go as expected, I see Clemson facing off against Miami in the ACC Championship, and I see the Tigers handling the 'Canes with relative ease.

The No. 10 spot for Miami makes a lot of sense to me. Sure, they're undefeated, but the quality and fashion of their wins have been nothing to write home about. Miami should be extremely cautious of Virginia Tech this weekend, as I think the Hokies are very capable of exposing the U. Unfortunately for Miami, they have to host Notre Dame right after Virginia Tech. If you ask me, chances are wildly slim for Miami to come out of this stretch 2-0.

Oklahoma beating Ohio State, who beat Penn State, sets up the five through seven spots very nicely. It makes sense. From the eye test, I think Penn State would whoop Oklahoma into the next century. But when that perfect chain of who-beat-who works out the way it did, these rankings for this moment make complete sense. Oklahoma's lone loss to Iowa State looks much better now that the Cyclones are No. 15 after upsetting TCU on Saturday. And of course Oklahoma's win over Ohio State looks much better after the Buckeyes' comeback over Penn State. The Sooners' still have to go up against No. 11 Oklahoma State and No. 8 TCU in the next two weeks. I don't think Oklahoma will win both of these, and I think two in-conference losses would eliminate the Sooners' playoff hopes. I've got my fingers crossed for the Big 12 to implode its playoff chances.

Another thing I've got my fingers crossed for is the Wisconsin Badgers winning out and taking home the BIG 10 Championship. No. 9 is a rational spot for the Badgers to be at, seeing as their undefeated record hasn't been too heavily threatened by the quality of their opponents. It also doesn't help that Wisconsin slightly resembled garbage against Illinois, just a few days before the CFP committee came out with the rankings. But the Badgers are legit, no doubt about it. This isn't a team that will ever win with "style points." They grind 'em out, every single time. They don't have any ranked opponents left for the regular season, although Michigan and Minnesota shouldn't be taken too lightly. Whether they'd matchup against Ohio State or Penn State in the conference championship, that hasn't gone in the Badgers favor as of late (lost to Penn State 38-31 in 2016, lost to OSU 59-0 in 2014).

Although the Pac 12 is tied with the SEC for most teams in the current top 25 (five teams each; all other Power Five conferences have four), I can tell you right now that we will not see a Pac 12 representative in the College Football Playoff. They have a bunch of solid teams, but whoever the 2017 champion of that conference will be is, in fact, not elite. Not only do the other Power Five conferences have better arguments, but Notre Dame being in the picture just further diminishes the Pac 12's chances.

That's it for now. There are plenty of good games this weekend, I'll be previewing one of them before the weekend:

• No. 7 Penn State @ No. 24 Michigan State
• Baylor (0-8) @ Kansas (1-7) !!!!!!!
• No. 4 Clemson @ No. 20 NC State
• No. 21 Stanford @ No. 25 Washington State
• No. 5 Oklahoma @ No. 11 Oklahoma State
• No. 19 LSU @ No. 2 Alabama
• No. 13 Virginia Tech @ No. 10 Miami
• No. 22 Arizona @ No. 17 USC

Breaking Down The First College Football Playoff Rankings Of 2017

The committee released their first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night, here's how they look followed by a full breakdown 1-25.

1. Georgia (8-0)
2. Alabama (8-0)
3. Notre Dame (7-1)
4. Clemson (7-1)
5. Oklahoma (7-1)
6. Ohio State (7-1)
7. Penn State (7-1)
8. TCU (7-1)
9. Wisconsin (8-0)
10. Miami (7-0)
11. Oklahoma State (7-1)
12. Washington (7-1)
13. Virginia Tech (7-1)
14. Auburn (6-2)
15. Iowa State (6-2)
16. Mississippi State (6-2)
17. USC (7-2)
18. Central Florida (7-0)
19. LSU (6-2)
20. NC State (6-2)
21. Stanford (6-2)
22. Arizona (6-2)
23. Memphis (7-1)
24. Michigan State (6-2)
25. Washington State (7-2)

Why the top-five looks the way it does



There is no debate that Georgia and Alabama are currently the two best teams in college football. While it may have been a little bit of a surprise to some that Kirby Smart's Bulldogs took over the No. 1 spot from Nick Saban's Crimson machine, the committee had more than enough reason bump Georgia ahead of Alabama. While Alabama's schedule may have seemed extremely difficult before the season began (then-No. 3 Florida State, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Tennessee), Georgia's schedule (No. 3 Notre Dame, No. 16 Mississippi State, Florida, Tennessee) has turned out to be a lot more impressive now that both of these SEC monsters sit at 8-0. Until Alabama beats another top-10 team, Georgia deserves to be No. 1.



As for spots 3-5, it is clear that the committee is emphasizing quality wins and strength of schedule. The AP and Coaches Polls both had Ohio State and Wisconsin ahead of Oklahoma and Notre Dame at the No. 3 and No. 4 spots, but the CFP flipped the script. The schedules thus far of Oklahoma and Notre Dame have been WAY more difficult than Wisconsin, so no argument here putting the 7-1 Irish and 7-1 Sooners ahead of the undefeated Badgers. As for Ohio State, I understand to a degree why Buckeye Nation is upset about being left out of the top-four given their quality win over Penn State last Saturday. Folks in Norman, specifically Baker Mayfield, are sticking to the argument of "we beat Ohio State so therefore we deserve to be ahead of them," which is a fair point. Even while a loss at home to an unranked Iowa State (who by the way is maybe the best story in CFB right now) team is far more damning than a loss at home to a top-five opponent and a legitimate playoff contender, Oklahoma's schedule up until now has been almost just as difficult as Ohio State's (Texas, Kansas State, Texas Tech vs. Rutgers, Maryland, Army) and the Sooners win the head-to-head tiebreak. Ohio State is ranked ahead of Penn State based on their head-to-head tiebreak, so if we're going to stay consistent, it's only fair that Oklahoma is ranked ahead of Ohio State in the first CFP rankings. Meanwhile, Clemson suffered a tough loss at Syracuse two weeks ago but responded with a convincing 14-points win over Georgia Tech in the rain on Saturday. Despite the loss to Syracuse, it's clear that the committee respects the difficulty of Clemson's schedule (wins over then-No. 13 Auburn, at then-No. 14 Louisville, and at No. 13 Virginia Tech). Being the defending national champs also definitely did not hurt Clemson's jump from No. 7 in the AP to No. 4 in the CFP rankings, but the Tigers definitely deserve to be where they are at considering the number of quality wins they have.

No.'s 6-10 and why the committee dropped Miami and TCU 



We've already discussed why Wisconsin and Ohio State did not receive a spot in the top-five so no need to explain further. TCU holds two quality wins over then-No. 6 Oklahoma State and then-No. 23 West Virginia, but their 14-7 loss in ugly fashion to now-No. 15 Iowa State on Saturday in Ames was enough for the committee to bounce the Horned Frogs out of the top-five. Miami, meanwhile, is somewhat comparable to Wisconsin in the sense that it has not been all that pretty given how close some of their games have been (27-19 vs. Syracuse, 24-19 vs. UNC, 25-24 vs. Georgia Tech, 24-20 vs. Florida State) but the Hurricanes are still unbeaten. Miami fans may not like dropping from No. 6 in the Coaches Poll to No. 10 in the CFP rankings, but the Hurricanes will get the chance to prove themselves and move up the ranks with a pair of huge home matchups looming against Virginia Tech this weekend and Notre Dame the following week.

As for Penn State, the Nittany Lions are still a legitimate playoff contender and it is going to be difficult to vote against Saquon Barkley for the Heisman at the season's end. However, as of now, Penn State is not the best team in their division, and since the committee has emphasized the head-to-head approach, Penn State must remain behind Ohio State at No. 7, at least for the time being.

No.'s 11-16, couple CFP contenders and lot's of love for Mississippi State



Not too many Oklahoma State fans are going to argue with their No. 11 spot given the fact that their team has had some shaky performances on the road against some under-whelming competition (13-10 win @ Texas, 41-34 win @ Texas Tech). However, despite their early-season loss to TCU, Oklahoma State still controls their own destiny for a BIG 12 title, beginning this weekend against archrival Oklahoma in 'Bedlam.' If the Cowboys are able to take down Oklahoma and Iowa State these next few weeks, they will head to Arlington as BIG 12 regular season champs and play for the conference title against either TCU or Iowa State and possibly a spot in the playoff.

Each with one loss, both Washington and Virginia Tech are still alive for a spot in the playoff. The Hokies travel down to Miami on Saturday for a game that will decide their playoff fate as well as the ACC Coastal Division. If Virginia Tech wins out, including a potential ACC title game rematch with Clemson, it'll be hard for the committee to keep Justin Fuentes' Hokies out of the playoff given the quality of their schedule. Washington, meanwhile, had a pretty horrific 13-7 loss sprinkled between dominant wins over Colorado, Oregon State, California, and UCLA. After winning the PAC 12 last season at 12-1, Washington is going to need to do the same in 2017 to get back to the playoff but they may have to do it in absolutely jaw-dropping fashion on the scoreboard given how many one-loss teams with stronger schedules are ahead of them in the rankings. If Washington goes 12-1 and wins the PAC 12 but Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Clemson also all finish the season with one loss, the Huskies will likely be on the outside of the playoff field and represent the PAC 12 in the Fiesta Bowl. Their schedule just doesn't have the same difficulty of competition as a Clemson or Notre Dame.

All with two losses, Mississippi State, Iowa State, and Auburn are all more than likely done in terms of earning a playoff spot. However, all three of these teams are still major players for a conference championship and/or a New Year's Six bowl. Mississippi State holds quality wins over then-No. 12 LSU and Texas A&M, which the committee clearly put a premium on given the fact that the Bulldogs were ranked in the low-20's in both the AP and Coaches Polls. Losses to Georgia and Auburn will likely keep Mississippi State from an SEC West title unless Alabama completely implodes down the stretch. Auburn is in the same boat as Mississippi State in the sense that two losses likely keeps them out of the playoff conversation, despite both being "quality defeats" at Clemson and LSU. The Tigers still have the ability to bulk their bowl resume and ruin Alabama's undefeated season, which to the War Eagle faithful is just as/maybe even more important than making the playoff. Meanwhile, Iowa State is looking stronger than ever after defeating two top-five opponents the last several weeks, and while losses to Iowa and Texas will likely keep the Cyclones out of the playoff conversation, Iowa State controls their own destiny in the BIG 12. A big matchup looms against Oklahoma State, but holding head-to-head tiebreakers over Oklahoma and TCU may prove to be huge given that two of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and TCU are all going to be finishing the regular season with at least two BIG 12 losses with Oklahoma still having to face Oklahoma State this weekend and TCU the following week. Matt Campbell has completely transformed the culture of this program and it should continue to improve as long as he remains at the helm (rumors of Campbell going to Florida have begun to arise).

No.'s 17-20, is Central Florida a legitimate playoff contender? 



It appears as if Sam Darnold and USC were a tad bit overhyped now that the Trojans have fallen twice on the road to Washington State (30-27) and rival Notre Dame in an absolute blow out (49-14). With the playoff headed to Pasadena this season, USC's realistic goals have turned to winning the PAC 12 rather than getting into the playoff. USC will host Arizona on Saturday in a game that will likely decide the PAC 12 South, and if victorious, the Trojans will head back to Santa Clara for the second time in three years to take on either Stanford or one of the two Washington schools for a trip the Fiesta Bowl.

Meanwhile, Central Florida remains the lone non-power five/Notre Dame undefeated team, and while 7-0 is certainly impressive, there is just no way the committee puts UCF in the playoff over a one-loss Notre Dame, one-loss Ohio State, or one-loss Clemson. In order for UCF to get in, absolute mayhem has to occur around the college football world. We're talking Clemson losing to NC State, Miami losing to Virginia Tech and Notre Dame, Notre Dame losing to Stanford and Wake Forest, Alabama losing to Auburn and Mississippi State, Ohio State losing to Michigan and Michigan State, Wisconsin losing to Michigan and Minnesota, Penn State losing to Michigan State and Rutgers, Washington losing to Washington State and Utah, TCU losing out, and Virginia Tech losing to Virginia. And still, even if all of that wackiness were to occur, I still don't know if it's enough to get UCF into the playoff even if they run the table and win the American by daylight. Central Florida's schedule just doesn't compare to these power-five teams, and the committee has obviously put an emphasis on that aspect ranking UCF in the high-teens. Central Florida deserves a spot in the New Year's Six if they go undefeated, but not the CFP.

As for LSU, that 24-21 home loss to Troy pretty much ruined any chance of a possible playoff berth for Ed Orgeron's Tigers. The committee clearly feels that wins over Auburn, Syracuse, Ole Miss, and Florida are enough to make up for their blemish against Troy, hence why they are ranked No. 19 in the first CFP rankings. LSU can still add some silver lining to their season if they can somehow upend Alabama on Saturday, but this team is really just competing for an SEC West title at this point. NC State, meanwhile, has been a nice story in the ACC but like LSU, the Wolfpack are really only competing for a conference title with two losses on their resume.

No.'s 21-25, lots of PAC 12 and Memphis still hanging around



The No. 21-25 spots are all teams competing for conference titles rather than CFP berths. Two-losses for Stanford, Arizona, Michigan State, and Washington State mean that the best these teams can hope for really is to knock off a couple ranked opponents, get a little help, and earn a spot in their respective conference title games. Khalil Tate has completely turned around Arizona's season since taking over the starting quarterback job, as the Wildcats are now in the thick of it in the PAC 12 South. A win over USC this weekend could lock up the division and a spot in the conference title game for the U of A. Memphis, meanwhile, has looked impressive for a non-power five school with wins over Houston, then-No. 25 Navy, and then-No. 25 UCLA, but a 40-13 loss to Central Florida makes it impossible for this team to get into the playoff. Memphis can still get to a New Year's Six bowl, but that all depends on how they do in the AAC title game in a likely rematch with UCF.

Overall Analysis

It's the first release of the rankings and a lot is going to change, so if you're a Miami, Wisconsin, or Ohio State fan, you have more than enough time/games remaining to climb. There's a lot of football left, but for now, these rankings seem pretty fair. Let me know what you think or whether you believe somebody should be ranked higher/lower on Twitter @fLAno0.

Random college football thoughts: what we've learned and what's to come

It's been awhile since I've posted, and for that I am sorry. As I've learned there's no better way to come back from a slump than to just spew out whatever college football nonsense comes to my mind. Some takeaways from last weekend's games, the newest top 25, upcoming games, and any other shenanigans that may pop up in my noggin.

Before I dive into the latest top 25, I can't help but touch on the most entertaining coaching hot seat of the season. At this point, Butch Jones' head coaching career is like a drunk guy running on the field at a sporting event; it's clear he's not supposed to be there, it's clear that the end is both near and lacks glory, yet you can't help but cheer him on to keep going for as long as possible.

Butch and his Tennessee Volunteers are 3-4, with all losses coming to SEC opponents (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama). I thought we'd all be saying, "smell ya later" to Butch Jones after Georgia shutout the Vols 41-0 in Neyland stadium. But this guy just keeps on chuggin' along, and it's just the best. He even still has a job after losing 45-7 against Alabama on Saturday. Like I said, we all know the fate of Butch's career as head coach in Knoxville, but it's absolutely awesome to watch and wonder when one of these stadium security guards will inevitably lay the hit stick on the drunken sprinter.

The latest AP Top 25:

1. Alabama (8-0)
2. Penn State (7-0)
3. Georgia (7-0)
4. TCU (7-0)
5. Wisconsin (7-0)
6. Ohio State (6-1)
7. Clemson (6-1)
8. Miami (6-0)
9. Notre Dame (6-1)
10. Oklahoma (6-1)
11. Oklahoma State (6-1)
12. Washington (6-1)
13. Virginia Tech (6-1)
14. NC State (6-1)
15. Washington State (7-1)
16. Michigan State (6-1)
17. South Florida (7-0)
18. UCF (6-0)
19. Auburn (6-2)
20. Stanford (5-2)
21. USC (6-2)
22. West Virginia (5-2)
23. LSU (6-2)
24. Memphis (6-1)
25. Iowa State (5-2)

The top spot in this week's rankings comes as no surprise; Alabama is as familiar with the No. 1 spot as I am with the route to the nearest late night burrito spot. Per usual, Alabama is expected to roll right through the rest of their schedule, with the annual thrashing of the SEC East representative in the conference championship, leading to the College Football Playoff.

However, No. 3 Georgia's hot 7-0 start could alter Alabama's usual path a bit this year in the SEC Championship game. Georgia's remaining schedule includes: vs. Florida (3-3), vs. South Carolina (5-2), @ Auburn (6-2), vs. Kentucky (5-2), and @ Georgia Tech (4-2). Those remaining games certainly aren't a walk in the park, with the road game at Auburn posing the biggest threat to the Bulldogs. But as far as SEC East opponents go, Georgia should be able to easily handle all of them. There is one stat and one stat only to prove that prediction: the SEC East is hot garbage.

Georgia's a good team, there's no doubt about it. I'm assuming somewhere in my preseason predictions I said that Georgia wouldn't do a damn thing this season, which has clearly been proven wrong. The Bulldogs have put on an excellent defensive display this season, allowing only 12.6 points per game (4th best in the country) and 237 total yards allowed per game (3rd best in the country). On the offensive side of the ball, Georgia is more reliant on the run game than throwing the ball. But wouldn't you do the same if you had a running back like Nick Chubb who has seemingly been playing college ball for about a decade and a half? Georgia has averaged 282.9 rushing yards per game (10th best in the country), with Nick Chubb averaging just shy of a hundo at 98.2 rushing yards per game. Despite all of these impressive numbers, I am still 100% convinced that Alabama would beat this Georgia team by at least two touchdowns. Who knows what that would do to the playoff picture if both teams went into that game undefeated, but just enjoy it all for now Georgia fans. The conference championship embarrassment is inevitable.

Speaking of Georgia, their most impressive win this season has been over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who currently sit at the No. 9 spot in the newest rankings. I feel like when everyone expects ND to have a great season, they suck. And when you expect them to suck, they have a season like this. The Irish sure have bounced back from last season's 4-8 disaster. They're coming off of a very impressive thrashing of USC, beating the Trojans 49-14 in South Bend on Saturday night. I think USC will continue to spiral downward and at the end of the day, this win for ND won't be as significant come playoff times as it seems now. A one-point loss to the No. 3 team in the country is still a playoff campaign booster though, which reminds me of Notre Dame's two-point loss to Clemson in 2015 as a major selling point for the Irish. What also can't be forgotten is the 38-18 road victory over now No. 16 Michigan State. Is it safe to say that ND is back?

If the Fighting Irish win out, it will cause absolute chaos for the College Football Playoff committee, which is what it's all about. However, Notre Dame fans can't get too ahead of themselves. This team has proven plenty of people wrong so far, but we're really going to find out what this team is all about in the coming weeks. Their remaining schedule is as follows: vs. No. 14 NC State (6-1), vs. Wake Forest (4-3), @ No. 8 Miami (6-0), vs. Navy (5-2), and finishing off @ No. 20 Stanford (5-2).

Notre Dame has looked more complete than they have in awhile, but that stretch is as rough and tough as a Tonka truck. I think the toughest matchup might be this weekend against NC State, as the Wolfpack's defensive line is capable of disturbing the Irish offensive line and running game. Although that'll be tough with how well Josh Adams has been playing combined with Wimbush's mobility. Wake Forest isn't quite the cupcake they typically have been in the past, and I don't think Miami is as good of a team as many may think. Still, numerous obstacles stand in the way of Notre Dame finishing with only one loss, and these next few weeks will truly let us know what kind of team this is.

Another team's true identity will be formed within the next few weeks, and that is No. 2 Penn State. The Nittany Lions have been absolutely outstanding so far, with much thanks to the current Heisman favorite Saquon Barkley. In August I wrote that Barkley's 7/1 Heisman odds would be dependent on a "remarkable" stat line against Penn State's schedule (Barkley's current Heisman odds are -275). So far, Barkley has achieved those remarkable numbers, tallying 757 rushing yards (18th in the country),  eight rushing touchdowns, 448 receiving yards (already eclipsing his 2016 total of 402 reception yards) and three receiving touchdowns. On top of all that, Barkley has returned nine kickoffs for 273 total yards, one of which was a 98 yard touchdown:




And for what it's worth, Barkley threw for a touchdown against Indiana, giving him a passer rating of 564.4. Take that, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield.


So Saquon Barkley has been outstanding, and he's not the only spectacular aspect of this year's Penn State squad: They've allowed the 10th fewest total yards in the country with 1,980, which translates to an average of 283 per game (9th best in the country). The Nittany Lions defensive unit ranks at No. 7 for pass yards allowed per game with 167.6, and has allowed the fewest points per game of any team with a mere 9.6.

Penn State's success so far has been statistically incredible, and they're coming off of a huge 42-13 win against Michigan. But the Nittany Lions need to stay buckled in for the next couple of weeks as they have back-to-back road trips to visit No. 6 Ohio State and No. 16 Michigan State. If they can get through those two battles, it should be smooth sailing to the BIG 10 Championship with the tail end of their regular season featuring Rutgers, Nebraska, and Maryland.

Some other quick thoughts on a few ranked teams:

• No. 7 Clemson's loss to Syracuse was embarrassing, there's no doubt about that. But let's not forget the Tigers dropped a regular season, in-conference loss to Pitt last season. The Tigers were fortunate enough to have a bye this past weekend after losing to 'Cuse, so they can fully recover for Saturday's matchup vs. Georgia Tech. Every game is obviously a must-win for Clemson from here on out, but the biggest target is on No. 14 NC State, who the Tigers visit on November 4th. If Clemson played Miami in the ACC Championship, I just don't see them losing to the 'Canes. The U is a quality team this year but they are not elite.
• I'm a huge Wisconsin guy, love those Badgers. I love seeing them in the top ten. I think they're capable of winning out in the regular season, with their remaining opponents being Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota, who are all unranked. But they'd eventually have to face-off against Penn State or Ohio State which would be quite the challenge. So as awesome as it would be, I wouldn't get any hopes up for the Badgers in the final four. Regardless, Freshman running back Jonathan Taylor is an absolute thrill to watch. He's averaging 7.5 yards per carry, has ran for eleven touchdowns, with a total of 1,112 yards on the ground. No freshman in college football history has reached 1,000 rushing yards at the rate he did, seven games. He was 14 yards short of doing it in six games.
• I've ragged on the Big 12 forever, sometimes it gets out of hand I'll admit. TCU has undoubtedly exceeded my expectations by a long shot. They actually have a defense, which many Big 12 teams traditionally lack. Credit where credit is due. But when it's all said and done, I don't think TCU, Oklahoma, or Oklahoma State would compete with any of the four best teams in the country when playoff time rolls around.

That's about it for now, I'd love to dive into the current chaos that is the playoff picture, but that's a different discussion for a different day.

Share and discuss, please and thank you.