Week four: games to watch

Last weekend's lackluster slate of games was just the calm before the storm; we're fortunate enough to have unreal top-25 matchups in each time slot on Saturday. There will obviously be other games to switch over to, but these three games should be your top priorities, no questions asked.

Early Game: No. 11 Michigan at No. 13 Wisconsin

This cross-divisional BIG 10 battle between the No. 11 Michigan Wolverines and the No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers will be taking place at Camp Randall in Madison, WI. The hometown Badgers are favored by 3.5. The all-time series between these two programs really isn't even remotely close, with Michigan's 51 wins towering over Sconnie's 15. They did finish in a tie all the way back in 1921. With the teams' current coaches, Jim Harbaugh is 2-1 when facing a Paul Chryst led Badger team: in 2016 Michigan won 14-7, and 38-13 last year. In 2017, Wisconsin came out on top 24-10. So with Harbaugh vs Chryst, the home team has won all three times. Good news for the Badgers. 

Wisconsin undoubtedly underperformed last season, but it seems like they're back to performing at a high level. They haven't had the stiffest competition, but not allowing a single point (and only 215 total yards) through two games is still wildly impressive no matter who you play. The Badgers beat up on USF 49-0 before rag-dolling Central Michigan 61-0. That's also an average of 55 points scored per game, which is currently tied with LSU for third most in the country. Only Oklahoma and Baylor have higher average points per game. The last time this Wisconsin defense has allowed a touchdown was in a loss to Minnesota to conclude the 2018 regular season (they only allowed Miami a field goal in their bowl game).

The Badgers boast a top-two talent at running back in all of college football, and this will be a big game for Jonathan Taylor's junior campaign. So far, he's averaging 6.8 yards per carry and has five touchdowns with 237 yards. He's also tallied three touchdown receptions with five catches. 

Leading up to the season, there were debates of who would be QB1 for the Badgers between junior Jack Coan and freshman Graham Mertz. I assumed Mertz was going to get the nod, as he's the most coveted quarterback recruit to ever play in Madison. Mertz got a few reps in the Central Michigan blowout, but Coan has played really well throughout these first couple of weeks. He's completed 76.3% of his passes (pretty lame compared to his 100% completion rate in 2017, connecting on all five of his throws) with 564 yards, five touchdowns, and most importantly, no interceptions. Coan's completion percentage is currently the seventh highest in the nation.

Much like the Badgers, Michigan has started 2019 with a 2-0 record, yet it's certainly a less impressive rendition of a 2-0 record. The Wolverines did hang 40 on Middle Tennessee State in week one, but they also allowed 21 points to Middle Tennessee State. That's fine, it's early in the season and sometimes good teams need to ease their way into the schedule. That brings us to week two, where Michigan narrowly avoided a home loss to Army. It took a last-second missed field goal, and then overtime, for Michigan to claim a victory. And then they stormed the field. After beating Army. In overtime. Beating Army in OT doesn't make you a bad team; Kyler Murray and Oklahoma did the same thing in 2018. But it's not crazy to be concerned with Michigan's quality of play through two weeks. 

Throughout the preseason, all I kept hearing about was how the is the year Harbaugh beats Ohio State, and this is the year Michigan has a high-powered offense. These guys need to get through Wisconsin (and Iowa, Penn State, Notre Dame) before looking ahead to Ohio State, and they'll certainly need this supposedly good offense to show up sometime between now and Saturday at 11 am. Shea Patterson has yet to impress me, and the clock is ticking for the senior. Isn't that why he plays football? To impress me? Sure, he threw for three touchdowns against Middle Tennessee State, but he didn't notch a single touchdown against Army. He's barely cracked the 200-yard mark in both games: 203 vs MTSU and 207 vs Army. He hasn't thrown a pick yet, which is a plus. The kid better hope his linemen step up against the Badger defense, because he's been sacked six times so far, and they haven't faced a defense this good. Patterson should expect to be swarmed on Saturday; Wisconsin's defense has recorded five sacks and four turnovers (three of them INTs).

Statistically, Michigan's pass defense is elite, only allowing 138.5 yards per game through the air. But let's remember they played Army last week, who's quarterback only threw the ball four times (two completions, one pick). They haven't been all that impressive, and have yet to compete against an opponent of the Badgers' caliber. So, will this be the week Michigan pulls it all together? Or will this just be another big game that Harbaugh can't win?

Afternoon Game: No. 8 Auburn at No. 17 Texas A&M

Saturday afternoon in College Station, TX should be a great SEC clash between the No. 8 Auburn Tigers and the No. 17 Texas A&M Aggies. A&M, the home team, is favored by 3.5. Since the Aggies joined the SEC before the 2012 season, Auburn has led the series 4-3 (However, A&M leads the all-time series 5-4, with wins over Auburn in 1911 and 1986). Auburn has come out on top in the last two meetings, edging out a 28-24 win last year. 

It's been a few weeks since Auburn has faced a challenge like this one, but it's tough to forget their exhilarating 27-21 win over Oregon on Labor Day Weekend. Since then, they topped Tulane 24-6, before throttling a weak Kent State team 55-16. Auburn has put up an average of 35.3 points per game, and has allowed an average of 14.3 points per game (22nd fewest nationwide).

This trip to Kyle Field will be an absolutely massive test for Auburn's freshman QB Bo Nix. He was initiated into the college football world on the big stage, playing a primetime game at Jerry World against a ranked Oregon team. Although a nationally televised, natural site game is tough for a young buck, I think traveling to College Station for a top-25, in-conference game is far more psychologically challenging. Nix ended up being the man at the end of the Oregon game, but let's not forget he looked shaky throughout everything before that. He threw two picks and completed less than half of his throws. On the year, the freshman has totaled 545 yards and four touchdowns through the air, while rushing for 79 yards and a touchdown. 

Auburn's run game has been the real deal in 2019, as they've averaged 281.7 rushing yards per game (11th best), and their team total of 845 rushing yards is the eighth most in the country. The Tigers' leading rusher, JaTarvious Whitlow, has carried the ball 64 times for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Whitlow came up four yards short of eclipsing triple-digit rushing yards in all three games this year: he rushed for 110 against Oregon, 96 against Tulane, and 135 against Kent State.

The Tigers' defensive unit has impressed me so far, holding Justin Herbert and the Ducks to 21 points, and only allowing one touchdown in the two games since. They've also totaled eight sacks on the year, an interception, and a fumble recovery (which came up just short of a scoop-and-score). This Auburn defense has only allowed 3.2 yards per carry through three games. 

Jimbo Fisher and his Aggies are 2-1 so far on the year, with two victories over lackluster competition: they beat Texas State 41-7 to open up the season, and then expectedly pummeled Lamar University 62-3 last week. Wedged in between those two blowout wins is a loss, but it's the least concerning loss a team can have, as the Aggies fell short of an upset on the road at Clemson. A&M was never really in control of that game, but they eventually kept it within two scores. They have averaged 37.7 points per game (34th most) and have allowed an average of only 11.3 points per game (13th fewest). 

The Aggie defense will look to stuff Auburn's run game on Saturday; they've only allowed 251 total rushing yards through three games (average of 83.7 per game) and two touchdowns. Hell, they held Clemson's Travis Etienne to only 3.3 yards per carry (a total of 53 yards and no touchdowns). They have allowed 554 total passing yards, but 268 of those are from Trevor Lawrence, and they even picked him off in that one. The defensive unit has totaled five sacks so far.

Junior QB Kellen Mond will definitely have to be careful with the football against Auburn, as he's thrown a pick in each game so far. Mond's 747 passing yards fall just outside of the top 30 nationwide. He's averaging 7.7 yards per completion and has connected on 64.9% of his passes. Mond has tossed five touchdown passes on the year. His main target, Jhamon Ausbon, has reeled in 17 catches for 253 yards (14.9 average) and two touchdowns.

Freshman running back Isaiah Spiller has put up some good numbers this season, as he's averaged 8.8 yards per carry, tallying 246 yards and two touchdowns. Spiller certainly was shutdown by a menacing Clemson defense in week two, but in the other two games he's been an absolute stud; against Texas St he averaged 15.1 yards per carry, rushing for 106 yards on just seven carries. Last week against Lamar, he averaged 8.3 yards per rush, totaling 116 yards and two touchdowns.

These teams both seem pretty evenly matched in all facets of the game, with A&M obviously having a rowdy home field advantage. Auburn's one big win is far enough in the past now, that who knows if the momentum from it is still in effect. A&M's one big loss was fortunately out of conference and to the reigning National Champs, so I don't think that will influence their psyche all that much heading into this one. It should be an absolute bloodbath (for like third or fourth place in the SEC West).

Night Game: No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 3 Georgia

The No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish head down to Athens, Georgia to take on Kirby Smart's No. 3 Bulldogs on Saturday evening. This will only be the third time these teams have ever met, and the last matchup (2017) in South Bend was a thrilling brawl in which Georgia claimed a 20-19 victory. The first time the Irish and the Dawgs went at it was on New Year's Day of 1981 at the Sugar Bowl, where Georgia won 17-10. Although these two teams have never been separated by more than a single possession, Vegas is highly confident in Georgia remaining undefeated against Notre Dame, as they're favored by 14.5 on Saturday.

The last time Notre Dame lost to a team other than Clemson was a 38-20 loss in the final regular season game of the 2017 season at Stanford. They went on to beat LSU in the Citrus Bowl that year. And then last year, as we all know, the Irish went through their opponents without suffering a loss. That is, of course, until they had to go up against the eventual National Champs in the final four. Notre Dame got absolutely mopped 30-3 by the Tigers, but that outcome didn't look as pathetic after watching Alabama get rocked 44-16 in the championship.

Notre Dame is 2-0 so far this year, beating Louisville 35-17 on Labor Day, and then lighting up the scoreboard in a 66-14 victory over New Mexico. The Irish have averaged the seventh most points per game with 50.5, and have allowed an average of 15.5 points per game (tied with Northwestern for 29th). Through their two games, the defense has recorded three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Ian Book (61.7 completion percentage, 553 yards, six touchdowns, zero picks) and the Notre Dame offense have been productive so far this season, but they'll be going up against a far more athletic group than either of the teams they've faced. The Georgia defense is far more tenacious and will pose a great challenge to ND's ability to move up the field. The Irish really need their playmakers to step up against an extremely athletic group. I do have confidence that the offensive line will do a solid job preventing Book from feeling too much pressure throughout the game.

Georgia has come out to an absolutely steamrolling 3-0 start this year, beating Vanderbilt 30-6 in Nashville, a 63-17 stomping of Murray State (no Ja Morant on the gridiron I guess), topped off by a 55-0 shutout against Arkansas State. The Bulldogs' 49.3 points per game has them tied with Oklahoma State for ninth most in the country. Only two teams have allowed fewer points per game than Georgia's 7.7: Arizona State with 7, and Wisconsin with 0.

Jake Fromm's completion percentage of 75 is the ninth best of any quarterback, and the rest of his numbers are very comparable to Ian Book's: Fromm has thrown for 601 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Definitely expect Georgia's junior running back D'Andre Swift to make some big plays on Saturday night. On 31 carries, Swift has averaged 9.4 yards per carry, totaling 291 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a reception touchdown (two catches for 64 yards) against Arkansas State last week. Notre Dame's rush defense has been more flimsy than their pass defense: the Irish have allowed an average of 230.5 rushing yards per game against running backs that are nothing close to D'Andre Swift.

The point-spread might cause many to feel that this is a major mismatch Between the Hedges, and I must admit that Georgia's athleticism should seriously frighten anyone pulling for Notre Dame in this one. That's honestly the biggest disadvantage for the Irish in general; there's a clear talent gap that has prevented them from truly entering the upper echelon of college ball. But don't completely count them out, especially in terms of covering. The year that Georgia pissed away the National Championship against Alabama, the Irish only lost to them by a single point early in the season. Last year, the main reason Georgia didn't get into the playoff (other than pissing away the SEC Championship against Alabama) was because undefeated Notre Dame deserved the spot over them. So these programs really have been relatively neck-and-neck in recent years, and ND must feel disrespected heading into this one. But then again, the Irish do have to head into a hostile Sanford Stadium against a team that has been on the cusp of the Alabama-Clemson tier, the 1%. The place will be rocking under the lights, and this one could end up having some heavy playoff implications. 

Week three: some games to watch this Saturday

We enter week three of the college football season with no games between top-25 teams, which is always slightly disappointing. But come on people, we can't sit here and disparage the writer's poll rankings while writing off a week without their little guesses of numbers next to 25 different teams' names. We've still got some quality stuff coming our way on Saturday for various reasons. Instead of breaking down one headliner this weekend, here are a few games for each time slot that could entertain or intrigue.

Early Games

The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs have a cupcake matchup against Arkansas State, and I haven't been able to watch much of Georgia so far this season. This seems like an opportune time to get more acquainted with Kirby Smart's Dawgs, especially as the top of the SEC race looks to be a doozie; the SEC boasts three of the top four teams and five of the top ten. It'll also be good to familiarize thyself with Georgia and their guys before headlining next weekend in Athens, as they host Notre Dame. The Dawgs are 33 point favorites heading into this one, and they've outscored their opponents 93-23 through the first two weeks. Don't expect this to be competitive; think of it as doing your homework for massive games featuring Georgia throughout the rest of this young season.

We've also got some in-state, cross-conference action in the Keystone State, between No. 13 Penn State and Pittsburgh. Pitt lost week one to their ACC Coastal foe UVA, but turned things around last week by topping Ohio 20-10. As you probably remember, Pitt lost last year's ACC Championship game to Clemson. On the other side, the Nittany Lions have done some damage so far this season: they stomped Idaho 79-7 before barreling over Buffalo in a 45-13 win. This will be Penn State's third consecutive home game before they head to College Park, MD to take on the No. 21 Terps. It's been a few seasons since the Nittany Lions haven't had Trace McSorely under center, but sophomore Sean Clifford hasn't given any Penn State fans reason to worry; so far in 2019 he's thrown for 559 yards and six touchdowns, without any interceptions. When these two teams played last year in Pittsburgh, Penn State throttled the home team 51-6.

I had mentioned the No. 21 Maryland Terrapins earlier, who will be facing off against the Temple Owls this Saturday in Philly, before hosting Penn State. The Terps are new guys to the top-25, after they dismantled Syracuse last weekend in a 63-20 embarrassment. At the time, Syracuse was in the 21 spot of the rankings, which, let's be honest, was a complete joke to begin with. Just a complete shot in the dark by the voters. Temple has had a very solid football program recently, and this will be their first season under head coach Rod Carey after Geoff Collins left for the Georgia Tech job. The Owls worked Maryland pretty good when the two met last year, coming out with a 35-14 win. Temple enters this one as 7.5 point home dogs.

Afternoon Games

Sure, we don't have any games between ranked teams this weekend, but this is the closest you can get without having both in the top-25. We've got No. 19 Iowa taking on Iowa State, who was tied with Nebraska for the 25th spot in last week's poll. Although Iowa State won last week, it was a narrow three-point victory over Northern Iowa. The Cyclones dropped in the rankings, but are still sitting just outside; they received the most votes of any non-ranked team for the week three poll. The Hawkeyes will be the road team, yet are still favored by 2.5. The last time Kirk Ferentz and Iowa lost was on November 10th of last year to Northwestern, and they're currently riding a five game winning streak. They are also looking to extend their winning streak in this rivalry to five, as the last time Iowa State won was 2014. The College GameDay crew will be on campus in Ames, which always adds an extra tablespoon of rowdiness to the recipe.

Out west, No. 24 USC heads to Provo to take on BYU. This game doesn't have the heaviest of implications but it'll definitely help indicate what direction USC's season is about to head in. Things were already looking questionable, and then their starting QB JT Daniels tore his ACL. However in his debut start, a 45-20 win over Stanford, freshman QB Kedon Slovis looked impressive: he completed 84.8% of his throws, going 28/33 with 377 yards, three touchdowns, and no picks. So things aren't looking as grim as they seemed for the Trojans. BYU comes into this one with a 1-1 record, as they lost to a really good Utah team in week one, and beat a really bad Tennessee team in OT last week. They finished last year at 7-6 with an irrelevant bowl win over Western Michigan. These two programs have only gone up against each other twice (2003 and 2004), with USC winning both of those. After USC, BYU still has Washington and Boise State on their schedule, so this will be a good test to see where they stand amongst some of their future competition. The Trojans are favored by 4.5.

No. 19 UCF doesn't seem to be fading away anytime soon, and I should probably further familiarize myself with their game before I continue to completely disregard their boastful cheers of G5 domination, and hostile pleas to get a shot at the playoff. Stanford isn't quite as much of a threat as they've been in years past, and UCF has played better P5 competition, but the Cardinal should still give the Knights a good test in Orlando on Saturday afternoon. UCF is a 7.5 point favorite. Stanford QB KJ Costello returns from injury, and his absence was certainly felt in their 45-20 loss to USC last week. For UCF, it looked as if their starter was going to be former Notre Dame QB Brandon Wimbush, but he didn't play last week against FAU. Even if Wimbush is good to go this weekend, don't be surprised if you see freshman Dillon Gabriel get the nod instead. So far this year, the Hawaii native has thrown for 372 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions on sixteen completions. He also notched a rushing touchdown in the FAU game.

Night Games

No. 9 Florida heads to Lexington, Kentucky to open up SEC East play. This one would be even more intriguing if Kentucky didn't receive news that their quarterback, Terry Wilson, has torn something in his knee that will prevent him from playing another snap this season. The Gators will be looking for vengeance as they fell short at home last year to Kentucky, 27-16. The last time the Wildcats beat Florida before last year was in the 1986 season. And the last time Kentucky was victorious over Florida in consecutive meetings was 1976-77. The Gators are favored by eight on Saturday night.

Before the regular season had started, No. 1 Clemson heading to the Carrier Dome to take on Syracuse seemed like it'd be much more hyped up than the current scenario. As I had mentioned before, Syracuse starting the season ranked No. 22 (and jumping a spot after beating Liberty) was just erroneous. And we saw them get exposed when Maryland wiped the floor with them in week two. But of course we can't forget, in Clemson's recent dominance, 'Cuse has pestered them the past two years. In 2017, the last time Clemson travelled up to Syracuse, they lost 27-24 (Cuse lost their remaining five games after that). Then in 2018, the Orange gave the Tigers a scare after Trevor Lawrence went down with an injury, and Kelly Bryant had already transferred. They came up short, and Dabo's boys squeaked out a 27-23 win. If Syracuse believes they'll give the Tigers a run for their money this time around, they might be the only ones. Clemson is currently favored by 27.5.

UCLA has some of my favorite uniforms in college football. Their coach, Chip Kelly, was absolutely awesome when he was the coach of a different team. Those are about the only good things that I can say about anything UCLA football related for now, and they're certainly not the reason I'll be tuning in on Saturday night. I'll be checking in on the UCLA game not in need of a competitive game, but in need of an explosive offense completely taking advantage of a subpar team. Jalen Hurts and this Sooners offense are something to behold, and I highly recommend soaking it in and observing. Soak it in until, ya know, the next time Oklahoma has a stellar quarterback accompanied by numerous offensive playmakers.

Previewing No. 9 Texas vs No. 6 LSU

Last Saturday night we got to witness an absolute thriller of a top-fifteen matchup between Auburn and Oregon, and this week we have both a top-fifteen matchup (No. 12 Texas A&M @ No. 1 Clemson) and a top-ten game between No. 9 Texas and No. 6 LSU. We'll do the full preview of the top-ten matchup, but briefly on A&M vs Clemson: obviously the game taking place in Death Valley is a huge advantage. The fact of the matter is that the Aggies were the Tigers' closest match last season (yes, Syracuse was a very close game too, but that was with no Trevor Lawrence or Kelly Bryant), as Clemson edged out Jimbo Fisher's boys by two points in College Station. But let's be honest, it'd be a shock to see Clemson go down on Saturday. That's not to say A&M won't challenge the Tigers; they're capable of it. But the reigning champions simply will not lose on Saturday at home. Now onto the main event, the other Tigers of the other Death Valley heading to Austin on Saturday night at 6:30 Central.

The last time LSU and Texas faced off, it was New Year's Day of 2003 at the Cotton Bowl. This presented quite the legendary coaching matchup, with Mack Brown on the sidelines for Texas going against Nick Saban, the greatest college football coach of all time. The two had faced off for a National Championship years later, Saban's first of many with Alabama. (For what it's worth, both coaches are off to 1-0 starts with their 2019 teams, UNC and Bama). The Longhorns won that game 35-20, with Roy Williams and Cedric Benson (RIP) featured on the roster. Texas leads the all-time series with nine wins to LSU's seven. But that record honestly means nothing nowadays; the last time they played before that Cotton Bowl was in 1963. While we're at it with the past games that don't matter, one time the Longhorns and Tigers concluded in a 6-6 tie during the tail end of the great depression. Talk about a total bummer. You're gonna end a football game without a winner or loser? In this economy??

The 2018 Texas Longhorns finished the season with a 10-4 record, with inexplicable losses to Maryland and Oklahoma State. More understandably (at least compared to those two), they lost an absolute thriller at home to West Virginia, and to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game. As we remember, the Longhorns did take down the Sooners in last season's annual rivalry game, but it's pretty obvious which one of those games you'd prefer to win, considering it's immediate and longterm impact on the program. Sure, they didn't step up for round two against Kyler Murray and Oklahoma, but they certainly did step up in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia. The Longhorns pulled off a 28-21 victory, despite Kirby Smart's Bulldogs being favored by two possessions. Texas finished last season scoring an average pf 31.1 points per game, while allowing an average of 26.2 points per game.

This will be Tom Herman's third season as the head coach down in Austin, and he's currently hanging a record of 18-10. This season was the first time that Herman has a 1-0 record at Texas, as the two previous seasons they fell to Maryland in their opener. Herman absolutely thrives as an underdog; he is 13-2-1 against the spread as an underdog (8-2-1 ATS with Texas) and has straight up won ten of those games. Herman will look to continue his undefeated streak against SEC teams during his time with the Longhorns (2017 Texas Bowl over Missouri and last year's Sugar Bowl over Georgia).

In week one, Texas expectedly beat up on Louisiana Tech 45-14 before taking on their in-state big brother LSU. Also expectedly, Longhorn quarterback Sam Ehlinger had himself a game against a measly squad, completing 28 of his 38 passes for 276 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 34 yards on eight attempts. Ehlinger has speed and size, and the dude loves to barrel into defenders. He's certainly effective using his feet, but he does have a history with injuries, as if keeping your QB healthy isn't a big enough concern. The hometown kid tends to try and make things happen on the ground during big games; last season he had 17 rushes against USC, 19 attempts on the ground against Oklahoma the first time, eleven against West Virginia, 15 in the Big 12 Championship, and 21 in the Sugar Bowl.

It seems likely that Ehlinger will be using his legs on Saturday night, as Texas is having some serious injury issues in the backfield. As of now, the running back depth chart consists of sophomore Keaontay Ingram (78 yards and a TD on 11 carries last week) and freshman Roschon Johnson, who came in as a quarterback but has since converted due to all of the current injuries. Behind Johnson is another position convert, as freshman linebacker David Gbenda is in the mix to make up for a lack of healthy bodies. Forget experience on the running back depth chart; the Longhorns simply lack running backs on the running back depth chart.

With the ground game's reliability looking pretty sketchy, Ehlinger's top targets will really, really need to play their role on Saturday. His top targets from week one were: Collin Johnson (four catches, 59 yards, touchdown), Brennan Eagles (three receptions, 59 yards, three touchdowns) and Devin Duvernay (nine catches, 55 yards, touchdown).

The Texas defense looked good in week one against Louisiana Tech, but LSU will obviously be much more of a challenge. Against LTU, both Joseph Ossai (sophomore linebacker) and DeMarvion Overshown (sophomore defensive back) each recorded an interception. Also, senior defensive back Brandon Jones recovered a fumble. Three turnovers and an overall satisfactory defensive showing was encouraging for this defensive unit, as they only returned three of last year's starters. The defense is inexperienced, and LSU will do their best to exploit that.

Ed Oregon's LSU Tigers had a nice 10-3 season last year, which was capped off by a 40-32 Fiesta Bowl victory over the faux reigning champs UCF. LSU's most noteworthy regular season included a 33-17 victory over Miami in week one, 22-21 over SEC foe Auburn, a 36-16 shellacking of Georgia, and a 19-3 win over Mississippi State. All three of their losses were in-conference, and all to good teams: a 27-19 loss to Florida that really shifted gears for the Gators' reputation (they had lost to Kentucky in week two), an embarrassing 29-0 dud at home against Alabama, and an absolutely insane seven-OT game against Texas A&M that ended with a score of 74-72, on top of a fight between Kevin Faulk and Jimbo Fisher's nephew. Quite the ride throughout last season for LSU.

In 2018, LSU averaged 32.4 points per game, while allowing an average of 20.9 points per game. That average was the 22nd fewest in the nation, yet it was the 7th fewest in the SEC. That is wild. Seven of the 22 fewest points allowed per game were by SEC defenses. The infamous SEC bias can get stale and bothersome, but never forget that at the very least a chunk of it is warranted.

In week one, the Tigers routed Georgia Southern (not to be confused with Georgia State who, may I remind you, beat Tennessee last week) in a 55-3 beatdown. LSU's quarterback Joe Burrow (formerly of Ohio State) went 23 for 27 with 278 yards and five touchdowns through the air. Those five touchdowns tied the LSU record for passing touchdowns in a single game. Yes, Burrow threw more touchdowns than incompletions in that game, and did so with zero interceptions. More impressively, he accomplished all of this while only playing one possession of the second half.

Clearly, the Tigers offense aims to look much different this year as their focusing on a hurry up, spread offense with a heavy dosage of passing. Burrow definitely utilized a variety of targets in the season opener, completing throws to nine different teammates. A few of Burrow's current targets are worth keeping an eye on after successful 2018 seasons: Justin Jefferson led last year's team with 875 receiving yards on 54 catches with six touchdowns; Derrick Dillon had 22 receptions for 307 yards and two touchdowns. Terrace Marshall Jr. reeled in twelve catches for 192 yards, and although he didn't get into the end zone last year, he tallied three touchdowns last week. And maybe he isn't statistically the most important target, but LSU does have Randy Moss' son Thaddeus at tight end. He caught two passes for 61 yards against Georgia Southern.

Based off of their new offensive approach, it shouldn't surprise you that LSU didn't run the ball all that much last week. Their leading rusher, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, had only nine rushes for 45 yards and a touchdown.

LSU is feeling pretty confident in their new offensive system, but let's not forget that this defensive unit is what really highlights the Tigers' squad. In Grant Delpit, they have one of the (if not the) most electrifying defensive playmakers in the country. The talent obviously doesn't stop at Delpit, but you need to all do me a favor and appreciate watching this kid. There's something mesmerizing about a defensive player that has game-changing capabilities. Last week against Georgia Southern, the Tiger defense allowed a grand total of 98 yards, with only 24 of those coming through the air. They also forced two turnovers last week, both being fumbles. The tackle leader was junior linebacker Jacob Phillips who had ten. Defensive end Neil Farrell Jr. tallied eight tackles, including a sack.

Between the Longhorns' lack of depth at running back and LSU's newfound enthusiasm for having a quarterback who can throw the football, expect a lot of passing in this one from both teams. That means this game could certainly come down to the defensive backs and the pass rush. Both programs have rich histories of Sunday-caliber defensive backs. LSU, at this point, seems to be more talented overall. But even if they win, the line keeps moving toward them, as the public seems to love the Tigers covering. The line started at 3 or 3.5 points in favor of the Tigers, and has since (as of Wednesday night) shifted to LSU -6.5. With that line moving and Tom Herman being a home dog in this one, you might want to see if it continues to do so before kickoff on Saturday evening. Did I give a decisive answer on what the smart bet is? No. If you read this for advice on how to spend your money, are you not very bright? Yes. I'm here educating the masses, make your own decisions.

I hope everyone had an absolutely magnificent Labor Day Weekend with a very fun slate of games. Let's do it all again, over and over, until the winter.

Previewing No. 16 Auburn vs No. 11 Oregon

After an extremely sloppy week zero headliner between Florida and Miami, we'll hopefully see a higher quality game of football this Saturday evening between the No. 16 Auburn Tigers and the No. 11 Oregon Ducks. Labor Day Weekend's marquee matchup will be taking place at 6:30 Central Time at Jerry World in Arlington, Texas. As if we don't see enough nationally televised games each fall at the Cowboys' stadium. The last time these two programs faced off was in the National Championship of the 2010 season when Cam Newton led the Tigers to a thrilling victory, beating Chip Kelly's Ducks 22-19. Auburn opened up last season with a neutral-site battle against a Pac 12 team, where they edged out Washington 21-16 in Atlanta.

Gus Malzahn and his Tigers are coming off of a subpar 8-5 season, which included losses to LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. Honestly, their only quality SEC win last year was a 28-24 win over Texas A&M, with their only other conference wins being over Arkansas and Ole Miss. In terms of numbers, the Tigers looked better than their record, ranking 19th in points per game with 42.8, and allowed the 18th fewest points per game with 19.6. Again, not the most impressive showing from Auburn, but they do have some positive momentum to carry over from a 63-14 beatdown of Purdue in the Music City Bowl.

The Tigers just recently announced true freshman Bo Nix as the official starter under center for Saturday evening's matchup. Nix was a five-star recruit in high school and is a skilled dual-threat quarterback, who is also an Auburn legacy; Bo's father Patrick played QB there from 1992-1995. Jimbo Fisher was actually Auburn's quarterback coach at the time. Obviously there's the potential danger of Nix crumbling under the bright lights in his first ever collegiate game, but they obviously wouldn't name him QB1 if they didn't think he could step up. So we'll see if the coaching staff's evaluation was an accurate one come Saturday. For what it's worth, Bo Nix is a phenomenal football name. Especially for quarterback in the SEC. Luckily for Nix, he should expect some strong protection from an incredibly talented and experienced offensive line.

Expect sophomore Seth Williams to be one of Nix's main targets in the passing game; in his freshman season, Williams put up 26 catches for 534 yards and five touchdowns. Also, the coaching staff has had some good things to say about receiver Matthew Hill, who redshirted last season. The 6 foot 1 Georgia native reeled in five catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns in Auburn's spring game.

This offense has a deep group of running backs, so expect a few different guys to be heavily in the mix. The running backs are coached by the absolute legend Cadillac Williams, and he is on record saying he wants "as many guys contributing as possible." Most likely at the head of the pack will be JaTarvious Whitlow, who was Auburn's leading rusher in 2018. Whitlow went for 787 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

I had mentioned the Auburn offensive line checking off both the "talented" and "experienced" boxes, but their defensive line may just outshine the hogs on the offense. This defensive line corps is highlighted by senior Derrick Brown, who's coming off of a stellar junior season in which he tallied 48 tackles (26 solo, 22 assisted) with 10.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. Brown also defended two passes in 2018. The d-line also features senior Marlon Davidson, who had 46 total tackles (20 solo, 26 assisted) with 4.5 of those being for loss (2.5 sacks) and three passes defended. Nick Coe had a great sophomore season, as 13.5 of his 26 tackles were for loss, seven of them being sacks. Big Kat Bryant should contribute in his junior season, after recording 18 tackles with 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble last year, along with a pick-six in Auburn's bowl win over Purdue.

In Mario Cristobal's first year as Oregon's head coach last season, the Ducks finished 9-4, with losses coming to Stanford, Washington State, Arizona, and Utah. Three out of those four losses are pretty reasonable, especially for a first year coach. The biggest of their nine wins were: 42-24 over Cal, an OT victory over Washington, and an ugly 7-6 win over Michigan State in the Redbox Bowl. Oregon scored an average of 34.8 points per game, while allowing an average of 27.

Most of Oregon's preseason discussion has obviously surrounded senior quarterback Justin Herbert, who is considered a consensus first round NFL draft pick next spring. I'll be completely honest with everybody here, I don't particularly see where all the hype is coming from. Now, that's not me writing off Justin Herbert and saying he's a bad player. In any sense. He'll be drafted in the first round. I'm not denying the potential for his ceiling. In his senior campaign, he very well could convert me into a believer. He finally gets to play under the same head coach in consecutive seasons for the first time in his collegiate career, which should do him nothing but favors. But as of right now, I just don't understand the amount of drooling praise this guy gets. Numerically speaking, taking the handful of basic passing statistics, he was the 3rd or 4th best quarterback just in the Pac 12 last year. Like I said, he could have an astounding season and eventually warrant all of this hype, but until then let's pump the brakes on that a bit.

In 2018, Herbert completed 59.4% of his throws, tallying 3,151 yards, 29 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He eclipsed the 300-yard mark just twice: 308 vs San Jose State and 346 in an OT loss to Stanford. A loss in which Herbert threw an overtime interception.

Herbert is athletic enough to roll out and improvise if necessary, but luckily for him, the Ducks are returning all five of their starters from the 2018 offensive line. For now, the QB's targets are unproven. I'd keep an eye on Penn State transfer Juwan Johnson, a 6 foot 4, 231 pounder from Glassboro, New Jersey. In his junior year for the Nittany Lions, Johnson 25 had catches for 352 yards and a touchdown. His sophomore year was more productive; he put up 54 receptions and 701 yards in total.

The Ducks have some serious Sophomore skill in the backfield with Travis Dye and CJ Verdell, both California natives. The Oregon State defense got absolutely sliced by these guys last year, as Dye ran for 199 yards against the Beavers, and Verdell got 187 yards of his own. And I probably shouldn't fail to mention Verdell's five rushing touchdowns that game. That added to his season totals of 1,018 yards and ten touchdowns on the ground. He definitely was involved in the passing game too, catching 27 balls for 315 yards and two touchdowns. Travis Dye totaled 739 yards and four touchdowns on 140 carries.

Oregon understandably feels confident in their defensive unit, and I'm especially excited to watch true freshman defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux (another A+ name playing in this one), the No. 1 overall recruit of his class. The kid is simply a freakish athlete, standing at 6 foot 5, weighing in at 245 pounds. He played some tight end in high school as well; his highlight tape is fun as hell. His mobility is constantly on full display, and he seems to have good instinct. Thibodeaux is on record saying his goal is to get ten sacks this season. Setting the bar high, no doubt about that.

I'm sure the little rant I had about not being sold on Justin Hebert may have given you a hunch that I'm not completely sold on Oregon as a whole. That's pretty much correct. I do think Cristobal had an impressive first season in Eugene, and I do think the program is headed in the right direction. But like I said, I'm not entirely sold on Oregon. Now Auburn isn't a title contender, and who knows what their final record will look like after their gauntlet of a schedule. But I'm more confident in the Tigers to come out on top in this one, diminishing the Pac 12's national credibility just that much more. Oregon had a successful 2018, but you can't sit there and tell me they'd finish with anything close to a similar record if they played in the SEC West. I know SEC bias can be completely exhausting, but let's take it into consideration when comparing these two teams. As of now, the Tigers are favored by 3.5. That line gives me a bit of the spooks, but if it helps your decision making, the public is currently in favor of Oregon +3.5. Tough to trust the general public.

Other games to watch this weekend: Thursday features the reigning champs, Clemson, hosting Georgia Tech. Clemson is favored by 37. Late night we've got No. 14 Utah at BYU. The Utes are favored by 6.5, with an over/under of 48.

Friday night: No. 19 Wisconsin (-11.5) at USF; No. 18 Michigan State vs Tulsa.

Saturday early games: No. 5 Ohio State vs Lane Kiffin's Florida Atlantic; Memphis (-5.5) vs Ole Miss

Saturday afternoon: No. 2 Alabama vs Duke; North Carolina vs South Carolina; No. 25 Stanford (-6) vs Northwestern

Saturday night: Florida State (-4.5) vs Boise State; No. 3 Georgia at Vanderbilt; USC (-13.5) vs Fresno State.

Sunday night: No. 4 Oklahoma (-23) vs Houston (now coached by Dana Holgorsen)

Monday night: No. 9 Notre Dame (-18) at Louisville

Enjoy the first full slate of college football. We made it.

College football week zero: No. 8 Florida vs. Miami

Typically week zero of the college football season doesn't quite appeal to me all that much, as there usually aren't the most exciting matchups presented until the true opening, Labor Day Weekend. But luckily we get to see the No. 8 Florida Gators take on the Miami Hurricanes (who did receive the fourth most votes of teams outside the AP top 25) for an in-state battle at Camping World Stadium in Orlando this Saturday night. Many are considering this to be a de facto state championship game, although something makes me believe that UCF fans would very, very loudly disagree. I don't know, just a hunch. And we can most definitely all agree that Florida State is not currently the best team the state of Florida has to offer.

Both of these previously dominant Floridian programs are in the midst of optimistic resurgence. Two (of the many) football programs that are in the discussion of being "back." This will be the 56th meeting between the Gators and 'Canes, and Miami leads the all-time series 29-26. This will be the first time since 2013 that the two have faced off, a game in which Miami won 21-16. In fact, Miami has won five of the last six dating back to 2001, which included the 2004 Peach Bowl and the 2001 Sugar Bowl.

Miami's 2018 season was certainly something they're putting in the rearview, as they finished with a 7-6 record which included a 35-3 loss to Wisconsin in the Pinstripe Bowl. After coaching the 'Canes for three season, Mark Richt retired last December, which led to an unexpected return from Manny Diaz. Diaz had served under Richt as the defensive coordinator, but took the job as Temple's head coach....last December. Manny Diaz was Temple's head coach for 17 days before he returned to the U as their head coach. That is certainly an easier transition for a new head coach than an external hire, so perhaps the 'Canes turnaround can happen quicker than usual. Miami averaged 28.8 points per game last year, and allowed an average of 19.5 points per game, the 18th fewest in college football.

After what seemed to be a quarterback competition between N'Kosi Perry and Ohio State transfer Tate Martell, Miami announced redshirt freshman Jarren Williams to be QB1 for game one. Williams has only appeared briefly in a 77-0 beatdown of Savannah State last season. His play is obviously crucial, as Miami's primary concern lately has been stability under center. The 'Canes now have Dan Enos on staff as offensive coordinator and QB coach, who coached Alabama's quarterbacks last year, which should obviously aid the development of Jarren Williams. Who knows if Perry or Martell could be utilized as well; it has been reported that Tate Martell might take some reps at receiver. Something tells me we haven't heard the last of quarterback controversy for Miami in 2019.

Joining Williams in Miami's backfield is a deep running back corps, led by junior Deejay Dallas. In his sophomore season, Dallas averaged 5.7 yards per carry, totaling 617 yards and six touchdowns. He also did some serious damage in the special teams department, returning 17 kicks for a total of 367 yards (21.6 yards per return), and averaged 17.4 yards on 11 punt returns, including one he took 65 yards to the house against Pitt. He likely will be sharing carries with a few guys, including sophomore Lorenzo Lingard, whose 2018 season was ended early by a leg injury. Lingard was the No. 2 running back in his recruiting class. Also expect sophomore Cam'ron Harris to be in the mix, who averaged 5.9 yards on 28 carries last year.

A few other names to look out for on Miami's offensive side of the ball: KJ Osborn just transferred in from Buffalo after putting up 53 catches for 492 yards and four touchdowns in 2018. The 'Canes also have sophomore tight end Brevin Jordan, who earned second-team All-ACC honors by reeling in 32 catches for 287 yards and four touchdowns. He was the top tight end in his recruiting class.

Miami's defense has certainly been the main contributor to their recent stock increase, and is deservedly getting most of the shine in this preseason hype. They have a very talented and experienced group of linebackers: senior Shaq Quarterman will be drafted next spring; the All-ACC first-teamer recorded 82 tackles (45 solo, 37 assisted) with 14 of them being for loss, and six sacks. Shaq also had six QB hurries, two pass breakups, and a pick. He's joined by fellow seniors Zach McCloud (44 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss) and Michael Pinckney (74 tackles, 11 for loss, 1 INT).

The Gators are coming off a successful first season with their new head coach Dan Mullen (had previously served as offensive coordinator for Florida from 2005-2008), finishing 10-3 with a strong showing in the Peach Bowl, where they absolutely throttled Michigan 41-15. Add that to the list of big games Jim Harbaugh has not won. Florida's three losses in 2018 came to Kentucky, Georgia, and least understandably, Mizzou. On average they scored 35 points per game, which was the 22nd most nationwide, and their defense allowed 20 points per game (20th best in the country).

The Gators' offense is led by redshirt junior QB Feleipe Franks who, in 2018, completed 58.4% of his 322 throws for 2,457 yards and 24 touchdowns. Franks only threw six picks on the year. He also ran for a total of 350 yards and seven touchdowns. Franks has a good bunch of experienced targets to throw to this year; redshirt senior Van Jefferson totaled 35 receptions for 503 yards and six touchdowns last season. Senior Tyrie Cleveland caught 18 balls for 212 yards and three touchdowns. In his junior campaign, Josh Hammond tallied 28 catches for 369 yards and four touchdowns. The chemistry between these top three and Feleipe Franks should do them some favors against a fierce Miami defense.

Saturday night's rivalry renewal will feature not one, but two, disruptive defensive units. The Gators boast a ridiculous cornerback tandem in CJ Henderson and Marco Wilson. Wilson tore his ACL early last season, but put up good numbers the previous year as a freshman with 34 tackles and ten pass breakups. Henderson, a junior, is widely considered one of the best corners in college football after he had 38 tackles (five for loss, three sacks), seven pass breakups, two picks, and two forced fumbles last year. The Gators' defensive line is anchored by Jabari Zuniga, who is projected to be drafted into the NFL after this final season in Gainesville. In 2018, Zuniga recorded 45 tackles (eleven for loss, 6.5 sacks) and four QB hurries.

As I write this, the Gators are currently favored by 7.5 points, and I do think they'll not only come out on top, but I think they'll cover the spread. The first few games of the season are obviously the most difficult to predict, as everything is based off of speculation. But at the end of the day, I feel much more confident in the spot that Florida is in as a program than I do with Miami. I trust Dan Mullen more than I trust Manny Diaz. Florida has the edge in the momentum department, if that even plays a factor this many months later. Miami's recent improvement is undoubtable, but let's remember that they've been certainly short of dominant in the ACC Coastal, of all divisions.

The 'Canes had a tough go last year, as I said before it's just nothing to boast about or feel proud of. They did have an extremely hot start in 2017, winning their first ten games. That included consecutively beating up on both ranked Virginia Tech (28-10) and Notre Dame (41-8). They lost their last three games of that season: 24-14 to Pitt, 38-3 in the ACC Championship to Clemson, and 34-24 to Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl. Do those two good wins in November two years ago really skip over 2018's mediocre season (again, in the ACC Coastal) and carry over to this Saturday night? The U still hasn't really convinced me. Florida isn't a national contender, but Dan Mullen has proven that they're turning things around and I trust that they'll prove to be the better team on Saturday.

Plus, if we're talking Gainesville vs. Miami, Tom Petty over Pitbull all day.

Legendary college football seasons: 2005 vs 2013

With every college football season containing so much chaos, it's tough to look back on a season and remember every little detail. Each year tends to be highlighted by the best regular season game, and the National Championship. Now, there have annually been countless legendary regular season battles, and a handful of National Championship games can make the argument of being the best one ever. But when looking back on the highlights of the past, I noticed that the 2005 and 2013 seasons both met some specific criteria, in which the victor of that year's best regular season matchup had also lost in the same season's National Championship. Based on that coincidence, that was enough for me to decide that these two seasons were the best to compare to each other.

The 2005 regular season matchup of the year was No. 9 Notre Dame hosting No. 1 USC, with that season's National Championship being played between USC and Texas at the Rose Bowl. The 2013 regular season was highlighted by the Iron Bowl with No. 1 Alabama visiting No. 4 Auburn. While reminiscing on these historic face-offs, encapsulating your entire mind and being with nostalgia, I'll be taking star power/name recognition, pre-game hype, and the game itself into consideration.

( If you're as odd as me and want to re-watch the full games: 2005 and 2013 )

The year is 2004 and it's week six of the college football season. The reigning National Champion USC Trojans are still No. 1 in the country, with many thanks to Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, and are fully expected to repeat come January. However, if someone is to obstruct their road to perfection, it very well could be the No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend. 

The Leinart and Bush years at USC were something truly remarkable; their names and careers are basically college football folklore. The fact that neither of these guys really panned out in the NFL oddly epitomizes collegiate stardom (seriously start rapidly thinking of college legends, only a select few carry their level of success over to Sundays), with their careers gracing us quickly and astonishingly like a shooting star. The same can't be said for Pete Carroll, who is now one of the NFL's better coaches and is one poor decision away from being a two-time Super Bowl Champ. To add to the list of legends on this team was the third component of the trinity with Leinart and Bush, power running back LenDale White. Bush was the lightning, White was the thunder. Leinart's main target was Dwayne Jarrett, who was drafted in the second round by the Carolina Panthers. Also on USC's roster was Sedrick Ellis, Brian Cushing, and Mark Sanchez. Notre Dame's legends consisted of Brady Quinn, Tom Zbikowski, and Jeff "The Shark" Samardzija (currently pitching for the San Francisco Giants). And let's not forget that this ND team was coached by Charlie Weis, the master of the fall from grace. Weis was the Patriots' offensive coordinator for Brady's first three Super Bowls before taking the head coaching job in South Bend. There were a few others amongst both rosters that made it to the league, but don't quite have the household name type of recognition, especially with this game taking place 14 years ago (that's horrifying to think about).

The recency of the 2013 Iron Bowl helps the name recognition of the guys on those rosters, but that doesn't take away from the fact that a ridiculous amount of players from that game made it to the NFL. That 'Bama roster included: Reuben Foster, TJ Yeldon, Haha Clinton-DIx, AJ Mccarron, CJ Mosley, Jonathan Allen, Amari Cooper, Landon Collins, amongst others. And although neither of them recorded stats in that 2013 Iron Bowl, the Crimson Tide had Derrick Henry and Alvin Kamara on that running back depth chart. Auburn didn't have quite as many, but still boasted Jermaine Whitehead, Sammie Coates, Tre Mason, Jonathan Jones, to name a few. Also worth noting, this Auburn roster contained not one, but two different players on it that would go on to singlehandedly blow a playoff game for their NFL team in January of 2019: Dee Ford and Cody Parkey. Heck of a coincidence.

If I had to choose which game gets the edge in star power/name recognition, I'm going with the 2005 matchup between ND and USC. The amount of weight that the names Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart hold in the college football universe both past and present, is absolutely indescribable. I'm sure some nostalgia is playing a part in it, but honestly how many of those Iron Bowl names will we recognize 14 years from now? There are plenty of guys from the '05 game that made it to the league but are nowhere near household names. I'm guessing that will be the case with the '13 game not too many years down the road.

It goes without saying that both face-offs had incredibly insane pre-game hype leading up to them, as both were rivalry games with both teams ranked in the top-ten. Had Notre Dame not lost a week three overtime thriller to Michigan State, their ranking with the Trojans could've been a bit closer. But they didn't, and it wasn't. No. 1 against No. 9 is still fantastic. ESPN GameDay was in South Bend for the game, and their was a Friday night pep rally at the stadium where they brought in Joe Montana and Rudy to fire everyone up. USC was favored by twelve. To top off all of the excitement leading up to kickoff, the Fighting Irish came out of the tunnel in their green jerseys. Safe to say the boys were ready to take down the top dogs.

Heading into the Iron Bowl, Alabama was favored by ten, but Auburn had enough fortunate strokes of serendipity to believe they were destined for an upset. The David/Goliath narrative was certainly present, which almost seems absurd for a No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup, but Alabama was looking to three-peat as National Champs and Auburn was coming off of a 3-9 season. The manner in which Auburn had been winning games that year just simply made it seem as if the football gods were on their side. The College GameDay crew was present on Auburn's campus that evening. Since it was the final regular season game of the season, the winner of the game automatically moved on to the SEC Championship. Since the Iron Bowl was essentially a playoff game, the pre-game hype was more impressive. Notre Dame and USC do play the final regular season game every other year, but 2005 just so happened to be a year that they played mid-season.

Now onto the games themselves, which are both so iconic. There aren't a whole lot of games from any sport in 2005 that I remember as vividly as Notre Dame vs USC. It undoubtedly is one of the games that was a major gateway into my lifelong college football addiction. This game certainly had a lot of action, with pretty steady back-and-forth scoring. Reggie Bush went off with three touchdowns, Zbikowski had his infamous punt return touchdown, Leinart threw two picks, Brady Quinn threw one, and the Irish fumbled merely six yards away from the end zone in the third quarter. And all of that was topped off by a wild, wild ending. After USC marched up the field down 31-28. It appeared as if the game had ended with the Irish stuffing Leinart as he attempted to leap into the end zone. The ball popped loose and the clock wound down, but it shouldn't have, as the fumbled pigskin rolled out of bounds. The officials put seven seconds back on the clock, and then came what we now know as the Bush Push. The Trojans win streak continues.

Even though Cody Parkey will now forever be known as an unreliable kicker, ironically the theme of the 2013 Iron Bowl was abysmal field goal kicking by Alabama. Cade Foster missed three field goals for the Tide that night (he did make one but it didn't count due to a penalty). The game obviously did have highlights other than missed Alabama field goals; an Auburn punt to the one yard line, followed by a 99-yard AJ McCarron to Amari Cooper touchdown was an incredible series of events. At one point in the game, Alabama was up 21-7, although that only lasted for just over two minutes in the second quarter. Other than that, it was always a one-possession game. After 'Bama's booting woes, Saban subbed in freshman kicker Adam Griffith for the win, as it was all tied up at 28. And that brought us the Kick Six, returned by Chris Davis, which I can say is a top-two most improbable game-winning play that I've seen in my life. And for that reason, I've gotta go with the Iron Bowl. Much like the reason it gets the edge in pre-game hype, the fact that this was a win or go home game also played a factor. Everything was at stake and it ended in seemingly impossible fashion. It also gave us "AUBURN'S GONNA WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME!!!"

Both victors of those regular-season games of the year went on to play in the National Championship, which is obviously part of the reason those games were deemed best of the season. Both of these games were played at the Rose Bowl, which is the absolute best setting for the National Championship.

We've already covered the big names from the 2005 USC team, and just as their superstars were on an astronomical level of fame and popularity, the Longhorns had one of the few players in the same echelon of Bush and Leinart: Vince Young. Absolutely no disrespect to the other players on that Texas roster, but this will forever be Vince Young's team, and Vince Young's game. However, there was obviously still some serious talent in burnt orange that evening: Safety Michael Huff won the Jim Thorpe Award in '05 and was drafted 7th overall by the Oakland Raiders. Jamaal Charles was in the backfield. Brian Orakpo was a freshman that season, along with Colt McCoy on the sidelines. Jermichael Finley redshirted that season for the Horns.

I mentioned the recency bias in name recognition with the 2013 teams, and Florida State might benefit from that, but it doesn't take away from the fact that by the spring of 2016 all 22 Seminole starters from this game had an NFL roster spot. To name a few: Jameis Winston (that season's Heisman winner), Kelvin Benjamin, Devonta Freeman, Lamarcus Joyner, Bryan Stork, and Jalen Ramsey.

Again, maybe my sentimentality for the '05 big names is swaying my opinion, but the legacy that Bush, Leinart, and Young left on the game is untouchable. The fact that all three Heisman finalists were featured in the National Championship is absolutely magical.

It's a little difficult to really compare the pregame hype of separate National Championships, as every single one is obviously hyped up. The Longhorn's expectancy to play for the crown can be traced back to the previous season, where they edged out Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Knowing that the National Title for 2005 was already scheduled to be played at that very same stadium, Vince Young in his postgame interview infamously said into the microphone, "We'll be baaaaaaaacckk!" And he followed up on that promise. They were back, and they were seven point underdogs to the Trojans, who had won 34 straight games. Texas had won 19 consecutive. The Trojans were being deemed by some as the best team ever assembled in college football.

The 2013 National Championship had an extra storyline leading up to it, as it was the final BCS National Championship Game, with college football implementing the four team playoff in 2014. Florida State was a ten point favorite. The vibe entering this game was slightly off-kilter for an undefeated squad led by a Heisman QB, facing off against a "miracle-team," but that's because we were talkin' SEC vs ACC here. "BUT PAWWWLLL! FLORIDA STATE AINT PLAYED NOBODY!" Plus, one of Auburn's miracles came against Nick Saban's Alabama for God's sake. Why would they be intimidated by the team that's only No. 1 because of that Iron Bowl victory?

Both of these games will forever be remembered as some of the most thrilling college football championships ever played. In 2005, both Texas and USC took their turns lighting up the scoreboard without much separation; their scores differentiated by more than one possession just twice (Texas was up 16-7 for only two and a half minutes, USC was up 38-26 for 2:39). Vince Young put on a display of freakish athleticism, completing 30 of 40 throws for 267 yards, and running the ball 19 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Young completely owned the Longhorns' run game, as Jamaal Charles only had five rushes for 34 yards. For the Trojans, LenDale White was the leading rusher with 20 carries for 124 yards and three touchdowns. That doesn't mean Reggie Bush was absent in the slightest, as he rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, while also catching six passes for 95 yards. USC's leading receiver was Dwayne Jarrett, as he reeled in ten catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. Matt Leinart went 29/40 with 365 yards and a touchdown, and was picked off by Michael Griffin in the second quarter.

With 2:13 left in the fourth quarter, the Trojans led 38-33 and faced a 4th and 2. If they had converted this, the game was essentially over. A LenDale White attempt to bulldoze past the first down marker was stuffed by the Texas defense. Vince Young and the offense take the field trailing by five with 2:09 left on the clock, and 56 yards to go until the end zone. On the ensuing drive, a face-mask call on USC helped the Longhorns convert on a 3rd down, which crossed them onto USC's half of the field.

The entire 2005 college football season had 26 seconds left of football, and the Longhorns faced a fourth and five at the eight yard line. Vince Young drops back to pass, but scrambles to the right, and scurries into the corner of the end zone with just 19 seconds remaining. After a failed miracle, it was official: the Trojans' reign had ended. It was the Longhorns' time to dance in the raining confetti.

In 2013, Florida State got out to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter before Auburn scored 21 unanswered points throughout the first half. The 21-3 lead was eventually diminished after Devonta Freeman rushed one in with a minute and a half to go until halftime. It was a manageable deficit, but the 'Noles needed get things moving, no questions asked.

The Seminole defense certainly stepped up after the halfway mark, allowing zero points in the third quarter, but unfortunately the offense could only muster up a field goal in that span. In the final quarter of the BCS era, the liveliness definitely got turned up a few notches. Halfway through the fourth, Jameis Winston led a 56 yard drive that ended in a touchdown pass to make it a one-point game. Auburn then added to their lead with a field goal, making it 24-20 with just under five minutes left. It would've been an ideal time for the Auburn defense to really lock down and not allow any points, had they even got the chance. Instead, FSU's Levonte Whitfield returned the kickoff for 100 yards into the end zone. The Tigers eventually stole the lead back on a commanding 75 yard drive, capped off by a 37 yard Tre Mason rushing touchdown.

As Jameis Winston took the field trailing 31-27, the clock read a measly 1:11, and the 'Noles were starting from their own 20 yard line. On the second play of the drive, Winston tosses it to Rashad Greene, who puts in work after the catch, causing two defenders to collide, resulting in a 49 yard gain. Florida State keeps pushing forward and eventually took a very untimely delay of game penalty at the five yard line with 21 seconds left. On the ensuing 3rd and 8, Winston threw to Greene on a slant in the end zone, which drew a pass interference call on Auburn's Iron Bowl hero, Chris Davis.

We have 1st and goal from the two yard line, Winston takes the snap, fakes the handoff to Freeman, and quickly tosses one up for Kelvin Benjamin, who reels it in amidst coverage from the Auburn defensive backs. They left only 13 seconds on the clock, spoiling the Tigers' miracle season, and solidifying their perfect season. The last team to ever raise the BCS crystal ball.

I do feel that the 2013 National Title does get overlooked by many; it was an incredible comeback by Florida State and came down to the final seconds. It also gave us Jameis Winston's postgame "We skrong" postgame interview. But I'm sorry, Seminoles. The 2005 National Championship victory led by Vince Young in taking down one of college football's most reckless juggernauts will forever be the best in my mind. The only one that is in the same discussion is Deshaun Watson and Clemson beating Alabama in 2016, but that's a different post for a different time.

College football players to watch: part 5 of 5

| Part One |

| Part Two |

| Part Three |

| Part Four |

Jake Fromm | Junior QB | Georgia

| Highlights |

Look I'm fully aware that Jake Fromm being a top quarterback in college football is not necessarily breaking news; he's been phenomenal since his freshman season in 2016. Fromm is both poised and accurate, and has led Georgia to two straight SEC Championships. His pass completion percentage of 67.4 was the ninth best in the country, and he had the 10th most passing touchdowns with 30 (2nd most in the SEC behind Tua). Fromm's passer efficiency rating of 171.3 was the fifth best nationwide in 2018, as he tossed for a total of 2,761 yards, averaging 9 yards per attempt. Again, no surprise that Fromm will do well, obviously making him fun to watch. But what intrigue's me more about Fromm's success is the current situations of the guys who were left in the wake of Fromm taking Georgia's spot as QB1.

Fromm did not begin his freshman season as Georgia's starting quarterback; he took the job over after Jacob Eason hurt his knee in the 2017 season opener, his sophomore season. Eason has since transferred to Washington.

Before Eason's change of fate in 2017, he was Georgia's starting QB during the previous season, as he led the Dogs to a record of 8-5. As a true freshman he completed 55.1% of his throws, passing for 2,430 yards and 16 touchdowns. Those stats won't turn a ton of heads, but the kid had zero collegiate experience, and it was Kirby Smart's first year as Georgia's head coach. Eason redshirted last season, so there's definitely a chance that that has made him slightly rusty. But I'm choosing to look at it in the opposite manner: I think the year off really benefited Eason, as he had a whole year to settle into a new program after unexpected change. And him being back in his home state, I just feel that adds a whole layer of comfort for him. I think Eason has a really high ceiling, and he truly is capable of being a top quarterback in the Pac 12, especially with an ideal frame of 6 foot 6, 228 pounds. 

So while Fromm's predecessor headed back home to Washington, there was potential for more QB competition in Athens heading into last season after the Bulldogs got a highly touted recruit by the name of Justin Fields. Fromm beat out Fields, and Fields has since transferred to Ohio State.

As effective as Jake Fromm had been at Georgia, people thought there was no way his relatively conservative style of play would outbid Justin Field's athleticism and dual-threat ability. The coaching staff even tried to work Fields into the offense to get reps, but it became pretty clear that they had their guy, and there was no need to fight it. Can't blame him one bit for transferring, and now he has a hell of an opportunity in Columbus. I'll be honest, I didn't love what I saw from Fields in Ohio State's spring game. He seemed to be really inconsistent and just didn't really show any flashes of excellence. Look, I understand it's a spring game. It's in no way a totally accurate reflection of gameplay. Even the lack of contact on the QB can really throw everything off, especially with a guy like fields not being able to truly put his legs to the test. I'm not writing this kid off yet at all, just had to point out that his spring game film looked....questionable at best. But I'm undoubtedly fascinated with how things turn out for the Bulldog-turned-Buckeye, because this is (once again) allegedly the year that Michigan beats Ohio State, that the Harbaugh hiring was worth it. Which, whether you want to admit it or not, would wildly alter the current college football landscape. Ohio State's dominance is extremely prevalent in that landscape, thus leading me to believe that the play of Justin Field's is heavily influential on the overall state of the college football universe. If he were playing under Urban Meyer, people may be more confident in him. But I am a firm believer in the fact that Urban Meyer laid too sturdy of a foundation in Columbus for there to be a collapse within such a short amount of time since departing. 

Okay, so does the aftermath of Jake Fromm's talent end now? Almost, but not quite. Since Justin Fields joined Eason in ditching Fromm and Georgia for other perennial programs, former five-star recruit/Buckeye Tate Martell bounced from Ohio State to Miami. 

Now, I'll be the first to admit I'm not the biggest Tate Martell guy, and had he transferred to any Group of Five school, I probably wouldn't have included him. But come on, Tate Martell heading to the U, when (supposedly) one of their few needs is a QB to stabilize the program? Just wraps it all up perfectly. Honestly, this kid might not even start. But if he does start, the U will most certainly not be back. I think Martell is on the verge of becoming a prime example of a five-star flaring out over time.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming

Jaylen Waddle | Sophomore WR | Alabama

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Just another absolutely lethal weapon in this Crimson Tide offense, Jaylen Waddle looks to continue his phenomenal play into his sophomore season. As a freshman, Waddle produced 848 total receiving yards, seven receiving touchdowns, and 18.8 yards per reception (19th most in the nation). Waddle is ridiculously fast with an innate ability to quickly change direction. He has shown time and time again that he can make huge plays, gaining major yards after the catch. Waddle only stands at 5 foot 10, but can really get up there and also has displayed on multiple occasions his ability to stay in bounds on throws near the sideline. 30 of Waddles 45 receptions went for either a first down or a touchdown. Talk about efficiency. The Texas native registered over 100 receiving yards in three different games last year, each time on four catches or less: three catches for 138 yards vs UL Lafayette, four catches for 117 yards at Tennessee, four catches for 113 yards in SEC Championship vs Georgia. Waddle's speed was put to use on the punt return, as he averaged 14.6 yards on 16 total returns, highlighted by a 63 yarder brought to the end zone against UL Lafayette. Waddle had the second most return yards (233) in the SEC.

Alohi Gilman | Senior S | Notre Dame

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With Julian Love now playing in the NFL (drafted in the 4th round by the New York Football Giants), the Notre Dame defensive backfield will need a leader, and Alohi Gilman seems to be that guy. Gilman transferred to South Bend for his sophomore season, after playing his freshman season at the Naval Academy. Entering his final season, he has been named a first-team preseason All-American by Athlon, and deemed a second-teamer by the Sporting News. The 5 foot 11, 201 pound safety tallied 94 total tackles in 2018, with 58 solo and 36 assisted. In the Playoff game against Clemson, this kid racked up 18 total tackles. Absolutely insane. Throughout last year he also defended five passes, had three tackles for loss, and had two interceptions (both against Syracuse at Yankee Stadium). He also had one forced fumble that you might remember, that bizarre and awesome goal line stuff/forced fumble/jump ball turnover against Vanderbilt early in the season. Alohi and the fighting Irish open up on Labor Day against Louisville. 

Tee Higgins | Junior WR | Clemson

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The reigning national champs are absolutely loaded with offensive weapons and Tee Higgins is obviously no exception. Honestly I think Higgins' numbers will see an increase this season, now that opposing defenses will have to direct a lot of focus on both Tee and Justyn Ross. Last year, defenses would really only single out Higgins, before it was known how ridiculously good Ross also is. What also can't go without mention is the fact that the Clemson receivers' will have even more chemistry with Trevor Lawrence; let's remember it wasn't even a full season of him as QB1. Higgins stands at 6 foot 4, weighing in a 205 pounds, and is from the beautiful town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Quick history lesson, because you never know when you'll need random knowledge: Oak Ridge was created as one of the three sites for the Manhattan project to make the first atomic bomb. No wonder Tee Higgins can make such explosive plays am I right guys? In his sophomore season, Higgins led Clemson in receptions with 59, totaling 936 yards and 12 touchdowns (tied for 8th most in the country). He had the 4th most touchdowns from scrimmage in the ACC last year, which is pretty impressive for the Tigers' offense overall because Travis Etienne had the most in the conference with 26. In last year's narrow win at Texas A&M, Higgins reeled it in three times for 123 yards and a touchdown. He had over 100 receiving yards two other times: 119 vs NC State and 142 vs in-state rival South Carolina. Higgins also had an extremely clutch fourth down reception in the game winning drive of last year's Syracuse game. Phil Steele has Higgins as a second-team preseason All-American.

Bradlee Anae | Senior DE | Utah

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I'll say it right off the bat, I like Utah as this year's Pac 12 Champs, and a big reason is their strong defensive line unit highlighted by Bradlee Anae and Leki Fotu. Anae was actually high school teammates with the aforementioned Alohi Gilman at Kahuku High School in Hawaii. Last season, Anae led the Pac 12 in sacks with eight, and his 14 tackles for loss were the 6th most in the conference. He tallied up 47 total tackles (24 solo, 23 assisted), forced three fumbles, and had three passes defended. He notched three sacks in both the Colorado game and the Stanford game of last year. The first-team All-Pac 12 edge rusher could have been drafted last season (along with Fotu), but wanted to stay for senior year after losing the Pac 12 Championship to Washington.