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:
Alabama (8-0)
Penn State (7-0)
Georgia (7-0)
TCU (7-0)
Wisconsin (7-0)
Ohio State (6-1)
Clemson (6-1)
Miami (6-0)
Notre Dame (6-1)
Oklahoma (6-1)
Oklahoma State (6-1)
Washington (6-1)
Virginia Tech (6-1)
NC State (6-1)
Washington State (7-1)
Michigan State (6-1)
South Florida (7-0)
UCF (6-0)
Auburn (6-2)
Stanford (5-2)
USC (6-2)
West Virginia (5-2)
LSU (6-2)
Memphis (6-1)
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.
With four prime time matchups between teams ranked in the top-25, you knew heading into week two that the AP rankings would see somewhat of a shakeup. Here is how the rankings look now that the second week of the 2017 college football season has come and gone, and what each team did to rise, fall, or stay where they are at.
1. Alabama (2-0)-- No argument here. The Tide took care of business in convincing fashion against Florida State in week one (24-7) and handled Fresno State rather handily (41-10) on Saturday in Tuscaloosa. Only way Alabama slips from No. 1 this season is by losing, and Saban's crew is heavily favored in every game they play the rest of the way, so don't get your hopes up.
2. Oklahoma (2-0) +5
Baker Mayfield planting the Oklahoma flag in the middle of the Ohio State O at the Horseshoe is as savage as it gets. pic.twitter.com/PrtgtUvmzL
Just an incredible win by Baker Mayfield and the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday night in Columbus. Trailing 13-10 midway through the third quarter, Oklahoma scored 21 unanswered points before the Buckeyes cut it to 31-16 in the late going. Offensively, Oklahoma proved that they can hang with anybody in the country, and defensively, it might be time to start giving the Sooners and certain BIG-12 members (Kansas State, TCU) some respect. ACC and PAC-12 fans may not like it, but the Sooners deserve to be at No. 2 following such a like that.
3. Clemson (2-0)-- It was a no-win situation for Clemson this week. Even if Dabo's Tigers had defeated Auburn with a dominant defensive performance that included 11 sacks like they did and Ohio State had won against Oklahoma, it's unlikely that Clemson would have leapfrogged the Buckeyes for the No. 2 spot. Sure, it's definitely a little bit surprising that Oklahoma was able to hop over the defending national champs and be the new No. 2, but it's understandable when you consider that Oklahoma went on the road and defeated a playoff team while Clemson hosted a team that went 8-4 last season and only won by a single score (14-6). Clemson faces a tough road test at Louisville in week three. A win against Lamar Jackson and company could propel the Tigers ahead of Oklahoma in the rankings this time next week.
4. USC (2-0)+2
Sam Darnold and the Trojans found themselves in a dog fight early on against Stanford on Saturday night, but in the end, the SC offense was too much for the Cardinal to handle, as the Trojans prevailed with a 42-24 statement win. The USC defense made its share of mistakes, but overall, looked drastically improved from their performance against Western Michigan a week prior. The Trojans moving up to No. 4 is very reasonable, but it's unlikely we'll see USC move up anytime soon unless 'Bama, Clemson, or Oklahoma falter. USC could (and should) beat Texas by 35+ points this weekend and they still likely wouldn't budge in the rankings.
5. Penn State (2-0)-1 James Franklin's Nittany Lions really have yet to be truly tested, and it's not a knock on Penn State, just look at the opponents that all four teams in front of them have faced (Florida State, Auburn, Ohio State, Stanford). The AP poll isn't like the CFP committee who take a half a season's worth of games and opposition and churn out a top-25. The AP is more of a "what have you done to this very moment," and so far this season, Penn State hasn't played anywhere near the type of competition as the teams ahead of them. The Nittany Lions are definitely a threat to repeat as BIG-10 champs, but USC definitely deserves to be and is rightfully ranked higher heading into week three.
6. Washington (2-0) +1
DANTE. PETTIS.
He can't be stopped! Pettis sets a new Pac-12 record with 7 punt returns for a TD. #PurpleReign
Outside of a slow start against Rutgers, it's hard to find many flaws with Chris Peterson's Washington Huskies. Dante Pettis has been absolutely unstoppable on special teams having already returned two punts for touchdowns this season. The Huskies absolutely throttled Montana 63-7 on Saturday to move up one spot in the rankings. The Huskies don't have that early-season test that a lot of power five teams ranked in the top-25 this season have had, but it's important to remember that Washington is the returning PAC-12 champ, has a star quarterback in Jake Browning, and had to travel nearly 3,000 miles to open up its season early against Rutgers (won by 16). A September 23 rematch of the PAC-12 title game at Colorado will be a solid test for the Huskies, but for now, No. 6 is exactly where they should be.
7. Michigan (2-0) +1 The Wolverines struggled to move the ball against a Cincinnati team that finished last season 4-8. Michigan seems to have found the answer to their quarterback woes after Wilton Speight started and played the entire game, but overall, Michigan looked sluggish against the Bearcats on Saturday. The Wolverines' schedule the next month is nothing to be fearful of with a non-conference matchup against Air Force in week three followed by three rebuilding conference opponents; @ Purdue, Michigan State, and @ Indiana. However, let us not forget that the Wolverines fell in Iowa City last November, so you can never count any BIG-10 opponent out. Michigan doesn't really deserve the No. 7 spot, but Ohio State losing allowed Harbaugh and company to move up. It is what it is.
8. Ohio State (1-1) -6 J.T. Barrett and the Ohio State offense struggled throughout the night against Oklahoma on Saturday. Ohio State appeared lost in the second half on both sides of the ball, surrendering 21 unanswered points to the Sooners and falling 31-16. Ohio State's flaws have been apparent since last season's 31-0 blowout loss to Clemson out in the desert, and clearly, things have not gotten any better. It's still early and we've seen Ohio State rebound and win the CFP after an early-season home loss before, but that was when Michigan and Ohio State were not a significant threat to a BIG-10 East title. Ohio State now almost certainly needs to win the BIG-10 just to have a seat at the playoff table. Oklahoma is a great team so Ohio State definitely does not deserve to fall out of the top-10. The Buckeyes gets a breeze of a schedule these next few weeks taking on Army and UNLV before facing the basement of the conference in Maryland and Rutgers.
Lopsided wins over South Alabama and Tulsa don't grab headlines or bulk up a team's reputation, but boy have Mason Rudolph and James Washington looked good during Oklahoma State's first two games. The Cowboys will face a road test at Pitt in week three before a showdown with TCU on September 23. We'll find out a lot about the Pokes in the coming weeks, but No. 9 is where they deserve to be for now.
10. Wisconsin (2-0) -2 Wisconsin is a power-running old-school BIG-10 team. You know that. I know that. They know that. Paul Chryst's bunch has shown their share of rust, falling behind 10-0 to Utah State in their opener (won 59-10). But, realistically, the Badgers should win the BIG-10 West and meet up with either Michigan, Penn State, or Ohio State for the conference championship in Indy, especially when you consider that the Badgers do not have to play either the Nittany Lions or Buckeyes during the regular season. The Badgers belong where they are on the fringe of the top-10.
11. Florida State (0-1) -1 We'll have to wait at least another week to see how Jimbo Fisher and the 'Noles adjust to life without Deondrea Francois (torn ACL) after Hurricane Irma forced the cancellation of Saturday's game against Louisiana-Monroe and the postponement of next Saturday's game against rival Miami. There's no shame in losing to Alabama, but even with Francois, the 'Noles got completely overmatched in the second half in week one during their 24-7 defeat. Florida State can likely push their way back into the top-10 with wins over NC State and Wake Forest the next two weeks, but it's going to be extremely difficult for the Seminoles to stay there, never mind win the ACC Atlantic, with their grueling schedule (Miami, Clemson, Louisville, Florida).
12. LSU (2-0) --
LSU has been absolutely dominant in their first two contests, shutting out BYU 27-0 at the Super Dome in week one followed by a 45-10 beating of Chattanooga on Saturday. Obviously, LSU has yet to receive the same type of early-season test like other SEC purebreds Alabama and Auburn have, but the Tigers will travel to Starkville on Saturday to take on Mississippi State before hosting Syracuse and Troy. LSU should enter their October 7 date with Florida at 5-0, and if they pass the eye test, they should also leap over Florida State and/or Wisconsin in the rankings.
Saturday night's win in South Bend was absolutely huge for Georgia, and rightfully, the Bulldogs were bumped up two spots in the rankings. Obviously, a major question for the Dawgs going forward is what Kirby Smart is going to do at quarterback with Jake Fromm and Jacob Eason (MCL sprain). Fromm didn't do anything spectacular in his first career start on Saturday, but he did go into a hostile environment and beat a top-25 team while throwing for 141 yards and a touchdown. Unless Fromm absolutely lights it up the rest of the way while Eason gets his knee healthy (assuming Eason doesn't play against Samford next week), Eason should return as Georgia's starting quarterback. The Bulldogs will host Mississippi State on September 23 before traveling to Tennessee the following week in a game that will likely decide the fate of the division.
14. Louisville (2-0) +3 Louisville's defense has been far from impressive to begin the 2017 season, after allowing 28 points in week one against Purdue and 35 on Saturday at North Carolina. Fortunately, Lamar Jackson has been just as good if not better than he was during his Heisman run last season, and because of Jackson's efforts, the Cardinals are 2-0 heading into Clemson week. Louisville is ranked a bit too high for my liking given how weak their defense has looked, but they can prove me and every other doubter wrong with a strong showing against Dabo's Tigers on Saturday. This game will likely decide the fate of the ACC Atlantic.
15. Auburn (1-1)-2 Jarrett Stidham had a rough night on Saturday in Death Valley, as the Clemson defense sacked him 11 times during Auburn's 14-6 defeat. Obviously, there's no such thing as a "quality loss," but losing by one score on the road to the defending national champs is nothing to be ashamed of. The Tigers still control their own fate in the SEC West but they'll need their offensive line to step up and protect Stidham better than they did against Clemson. If not, it could be yet another year where Auburn goes 0-2 against 'Bama and LSU and find themselves well outside the playoff race. The Tigers will get the chance to bounce back and rest some guys against Mercer this week before traveling to Missouri. Auburn's next true test will come when they host the two Mississippi schools in back-to-back weeks on October 7 and 14.
16. Virginia Tech (2-0)+2 Despite losing Jerod Evans to the NFL (not really, he declared but is currently out of football... idiot), the Hokie offense hasn't skipped any sort of beat throughout the first two weeks after winning a thrilling 31-24 game against West Virginia at FedEx Field to begin the season followed by a 27-0 win over Deleware. The Hokies definitely deserve to be where they are in the rankings at No. 16, and maybe a little higher. If Virginia Tech passes the eye test in their next two games against Old Dominion and East Carolina, there's no reason the Hokies shouldn't be at least at No. 14 heading into their biggest game of the year in week five at home against Clemson.
17. Miami (1-0) -1 Thoughts and prayers to the University of Miami, their fans, and all those in the greater-Miami and South-Florida area affected by Hurricane Irma. Obviously, football gets pushed aside when you have horrific natural disasters occur like a category-five hurricane, so hopefully, Miami can win some games and give the people down there something to cheer for once this storm passes. The 'Canes had their week two match at Arkansas State canceled and their week three date with rival Florida State moved to October 7. It'll be interesting to see how Miami responds to not having played a game in exactly three full weeks when they suit up against Toledo on September 23. Mark Richt's team is exactly where they deserve to be in the rankings, as you can't bump a team up or move them down significantly when they aren't playing.
18. Kansas State (2-0) +1 A team that finished last year 9-4, Kansas State holds high expectations for this season, as Bill Schneider's Wildcats try to stay in the race for the BIG-12 title along with the two Oklahoma schools. KSU hasn't had any sort of test to begin the season, putting up 55 points on both Central Arkansas and Charlotte in a pair of lopsided victories. The Wildcats travel to Vanderbilt this weekend, but even with a road matchup against a lower tier SEC team, it'll be hard for KSU to move up in the ranks until they get into conference play. Kansas State will host Baylor on September 23 before going on the road to Texas. A 5-0 start with wins in each of their first two conference games could put KSU into the top-15.
19. Stanford (1-1) -5 The Good? Stanford still controls their own destiny in the PAC-12 despite Saturday's loss at USC. The Bad? The Cardinal defense showed an incredible number of flaws against the Trojans and Stanford still has to play three extremely potent offenses in UCLA, Washington, and Washington State. The Cardinal will hang around and compete for a PAC-12 North title given how strong their rushing attack is with Bryce Love, but unless David Shaw's team addresses these defensive breakdowns, it'll likely be another 9-3 or 8-4 season where Stanford finishes the season on the fringe of the top-25.
20. TCU (2-0) +3 Gary Patterson and company have looked strong to begin the season, blanking Jackson State 63-0 and going on the road and defeating Arkansas 28-7. TCU's passing attack led by Kenny Hill and the offensive line have shown significant improvement in their first two games, all while the Frog defense completely shut down both opposing offenses. We'll see how that defensive success translates when the Horned Frogs begin BIG-12 play against more potent offenses such as Oklahoma State and West Virginia, but for now, TCU definitely deserves its No. 20 spot.
21. Washington State (2-0) -1
Saturday night's triple overtime comeback win for the ages against Boise State showed some bad but a lot of good in this Washington State team. Both Luke Falk (concussion) and Tyler Hilinski looked lost out there up until the Cougars needed somebody to step up, and with Falk knocked out of the game, Hilinski made a strong case to be Washington State's starter going forward. Hilinski put together four touchdown drives during the fourth quarter and three overtime periods, which included three touchdown passes (one to tie the game with 1:44 left and one to win it on a wheel route to Jamal Morrow in the third overtime). Washington State's defense got torched over the top several times throughout the night by Boise's Cedrick Wilson, and the Broncos gift wrapped WSU six points on an absolutely brutal pick-six on a shovel pass. So, while the Cougar defense was able to do enough to salvage a win, there is definitely room for improvement. Nevertheless, Washington State is going to cause Washington and Stanford a lot of problems in the PAC-12 North and is rightfully ranked in the bottom-fifth of the top-25. 22. South Florida (2-0) -1 Charlie Strong's Bulls definitely have things to improve on, but in the end, South Florida is 2-0. Sure, South Florida only beat Stony Brook 31-17 and found themselves trailing San Jose State 16-0 to begin their season. But, Quinten Flowers has looked pretty darn good with a 135.7 quarterback rating throughout his first two games. Like Miami and Florida State, South Florida has had to deal with the effects of Hurricane Irma, as their game against UConn last week was postponed. Because this is a conference game, it'll almost certainly have to be made up as both schools need to play at least eight conference games to be eligible for a bowl game. The only problem is that UConn and South Florida do not share a similar bye week, so it'll be interesting to see how that plays out. South Florida hasn't been dominant, but they are the only mid-major team who deserve to be ranked as of right now. 23. Tennessee (2-0) +2
A 42-41 double overtime win against Georgia Tech wasn't enough to move the Vols up in the rankings, but a 35-7 win over Indiana State was? I don't know, something about that just doesn't seem right, but oh well. Quarterback Quinten Dormady does not provide the same type of offensive approach as the departed Josh Dobbs did with his dual-threat versatility, and Tennessee needs to adapt and play to his strengths. Either Tennessee or Florida will be dropping from the rankings with the two schools set to meet on Saturday in Gainesville, but for now, Tennessee hasn't done anything to warrant a drop. No. 23 is reasonable for Big Orange heading into week three. 24. Florida (0-1)-2 The Gators had 10 of their starters suspended for the opener against Michigan, and it showed with a 33-17 defeat. With Hurricane Irma forcing a cancellation of their match with Northern Colorado, the Gators will host Tennessee on Saturday for a massive tilt that could decide the fate of their season. So far this year, Florida's greatest issue has been off the field rather than on it. Yes, the Gators struggled mightily against Michigan in Arlington, but it's difficult to criticize a team playing a significant number of its backups against a Jim Harbaugh coached offense. If Jim McElwain can get his guys to stop being clowns off the field, the Gators should be able to compete for the SEC East crown. If not, things could get ugly real quick. Florida needs this one bad. 25. UCLA (2-0) NR
The Josh Rosen-led comeback against Texas A&M on opening weekend was absolutely incredible and might have completely turned around UCLA's season. Following a 56-23 win over Hawai'i, the Bruins moved into the No. 25 spot in the rankings. Unless UCLA has a poor showing on the road against Memphis on Saturday, they should remain ranked.
This is without a doubt the most anticipated opening matchup within recent memory, as No. 1 Alabama takes on No. 3 Florida State at the Atlanta Falcons' brand new Mercedes-Benz stadium. The most obvious reason for this game being crowned the best game of Labor Day Weekend is that it's inhumane to not be excited about two top-three teams battling it out. With typically a surplus of lopsided games in week one, 2017 begins with two games in which both teams are ranked; 'Bama vs. FSU in Atlanta and No. 11 Michigan vs. No. 17 Florida at Jerry World, TX. For what it's worth, I think Michigan's coming out on top and probably covering the spread.
The high preseason praise of both these teams, as portrayed in their preseason rankings, generates buzz leading up to kickoff. But this game has a few more factors contributing to the deserved hype. A major storyline heading into Saturday night's bout is the history between head coaches Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher. Back in good ol' Baton Rouge, Louisiana circa 2003, head coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher led the LSU Tigers to a "split-National Championship," the greatest example of why the College Football Playoff is far superior to the BCS. Anyway, Saban and Fisher have never faced off against each other as head coaches; although in 2007 Saban's Tide lost to Florida State with Jimbo Fisher as the offensive coordinator. Fisher has obviously proven himself to be an elite head coach in today's college football landscape, and beating the best is a great way to maintain your presence in the discussion. It would be especially impressive for Jimbo to pull this off, as Nick Saban is 10-0 as a head coach while playing against his former assistant coaches. The odds are stacked against ya there, Jimbo.
Non-conference games obviously mean a little less in the long run, but right now the great debate of college football is which conference should be considered the best. In recent years, the ACC has certainly challenged the SEC's undisputed label as the King. The general argument is that the SEC's depth isn't what it's cracked up to be. Alabama is undoubtedly amazing, but the variety in the arsenal of the conference as a whole is being questioned. The ACC has won two of the last four National Championships, has produced two of the last four Heisman Trophy winners, and has been represented by one of its teams in all three College Football Playoffs (FSU and Clemson). In that same timeframe, Alabama alone (no other SEC squad) has won one National Championship, produced one Heisman Trophy winner, and has appeared in all three College Football Playoffs. So realistically, the argument is Alabama against the top tier of the ACC. But what better way to settle that than Alabama playing the ACC's presumed top dog?
Both Francois and Hurts performed impressively, especially for freshmen starting for such significant programs. But starting Saturday, the pressure is on for these two. Both teams' expected success is heavily contingent on their maturation since last season. I think Francois is better than Hurts in regards to raw talent, but I think Nick Saban and Jalen Hurts compliment each other more than girls do on each other's Instagram posts. I'm not even trying to pull the old "he's not good! He's a system quarterback!" on Jalen Hurts. I like Jalen Hurts, and he's a great athlete who can get the job done. It is in fact possible to be a good quarterback that just so happens to play in a good system.
Deondre Francois' alleged biggest problem on Saturday will be his offensive line containing pressure from Alabama's front seven. The 'Noles O-line has been catching a lot of heat as one of the teams' biggest weaknesses, but they return a few starters who played pretty damn well against Michigan's beastly front seven in the Orange Bowl last year. Francois' biggest problem on Saturday will absolutely be Alabama's secondary. This is hands down one of the best defensive back units in the country, featuring Minkah Fitzpatrick, Anthony Averett, and Ronnie Harrison.
Alabama's loaded defensive backfield will obviously present Francois and the Seminoles with some challenging obstacles through the air attack. This is a huge opportunity for the Florida State running backs to step up. The running game will be key in beating this Alabama defense, and the 'Noles are plenty capable of doing some damage on the ground. Dalvin Cook was obviously a huge loss, but FSU should have plenty of faith in junior Jacques Patrick and freshman Cam Akers. And let's not forget, despite averaging 1.8 yards per carry and only five rushing touchdowns in 2016, Deondre Francois is athletic enough to do damage in some capacity with his feet. That is, if Jimbo draws up a scheme for him to do so.
Switching to the Alabama offense, they've certainly got numerous lethal weapons. I've talked about Jalen Hurts, and he will have plenty of assistance in the backfield. The spawn of Mark Ingram/Eddie Lacy/Derrick Henry that we know as Bo Scarbrough will be joined by Damien Harris. Much like Florida State, the Crimson Tide have a running back duo that should give defensive coordinators anxiety attacks. To top off what 'Bama is capable of on the ground, Jalen Hurts has an elite target in junior wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Ridley had 161 receptions for 1,814 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2016.
So Alabama's offense is prettayyy, prettayyy, pretty good.
But so is Florida State's defense, which is highlighted by Derwin James, one of the single best defensive players in the country. James is also joined by junior d-back Tavarus McFadden, who was tied for the most interceptions in the country last year with eight. The 'Noles defensive line will be anchored by senior d-tackle Derrick Nnadi, who stands at 6'1" and 312 pounds. Nnadi will really have to put his leadership on display in order to get his surrounding cast to stop the Alabama run game.
I absolutely love the big time opening weekend games that take place at a neutral site, and Atlanta is a perfect neutral site for Alabama and Florida State. Atlanta is 202.2 miles from Tuscaloosa, AL and 261.5 miles from Tallahassee. The fan advantage should be a stalemate in this one, which truly makes the neutral site fulfill its purpose. Alabama is currently a seven point favorite according to Bovada, but that is subject to change from the moment I'm writing this. I think Florida State is the safe bet on the spread, especially because I think they'll come out on top by four. Perhaps my prediction is heavily influenced by my ACC bias, and my life mission of proving that the SEC isn't as far ahead of everyone as they once were. So for now, that's it. See you ladies and gentlemen on Saturday night. Party at the moon tower.
First things first: I kinda feel bad for Isaiah Thomas.
The NBA fell by the wayside for me a little bit after the Pierce/Garnett/Doc Rivers exodus in 2013, mainly because I was fearful the Celtics would be baaaaaaaaaaad for a loooooooooong time.
When Danny Ainge traded for Isaiah at the deadline in 2015, it still didn't really register much for me. Yes, the Brooklyn picks hadn't materialized yet, but the Celtics were going to base their turnaround on a guy three inches shorter than me? (Humble brag, I barely cracked six feet).
Well that 5-foot-9 point guard did the improbable: he made me start checking Celtics scores again. But that was nothing compared to when he did the impossible: he made me start actually watching the Celtics again.
And this is the thanks he gets? I like the trade all things considered but Isaiah Thomas balled out like few others on the parquet floor in his brief two-and-a-half year stint in Boston. Does the acquisition of Kyrie Irving bring the Celtics closer to a championship? Perhaps.
Still, it got me thinking...
Is Isaiah Thomas the best player to pass through Boston since the turn of the century and somehow not find his way on to a Duck Boat Parade?
The oddity is, that while the Celtics and Bruins have won just one title apiece, the list is dominated by former Patriots -- the team that's won five.
My pal Jerry Thornton wrote a great book, From Darkness to Dynasty, on the first 40 years of the Patriots' existence. If he or anyone else is looking to write a follow up, might I suggest: 2005-2013: The Patriots Abyss, years in which the team still had a first-round bye pretty much every year but couldn't quite grab another Lombardi Trophy.
So while the debate is essentially Isaiah Thomas vs. several Patriots players, there's a few ground rules: players considered had to have been here for at least two years, and must have been reasonably prominent contributors on the teams that came up short. In no particular order, this disqualifies Jaromir Jagr, Adrian Beltre, Adrian Gonzalez, John Smoltz (you forgot he was here), Stephon Marbury (him too) and most certainly, Chad Ochocinco.
Ray Bourque was technically traded in March 2000, but his coming up short was a late-'80s/early-'90s thing.
Two very interesting cases: Marc Savard and Jerod Mayo. Both were on their respective teams' rosters for titles, but neither took a shift/played a snap for the entirety of the playoff runs. But Savard's name is on the Stanley Cup, and Mayo did come back in 2015. I'm counting them both as champions. To a much lesser extent, Tuukka Rask meets this metric since he was Tim Thomas' backup in '11. There's another player on this list who was here at the beginning of a championship season but didn't find his way on to the postseason roster; we'll get to him in a minute, and why he does not count as a champion.
Before I give you the top five, some honorable mentions:
Junior Seau (Patriots, 2006-2009). If there's one player you can really look back and feel for during the aftermath of Super Bowl XLII, it's Seau. He's forever a San Diego Charger and was certainly over the hill by the time he got to Foxboro, but definitely wasn't riding coattails in his pursuit of a ring, either. He had a career-high three interceptions in '07. RIP.
Antoine Walker (Celtics, 1996-2003; 2005). People forget that Danny Ainge once traded Gary Payton for Antoine Walker. People further forget that 'Toine got his ring just a year after his second Celtics stint came to an end, with the Miami Heat. And lest we forget one other thing, it's that Dwyane Wade won a championship on his own before LeBron did.
Mookie Betts (Red Sox, 2014-present). It was surprisingly hard to find Red Sox players who qualified, since their titles were relatively spread out ('04, '07, '13). I'm only including Betts because unlike Bogaerts and JBJ, he was still in the minors when the Red Sox won their most recent title. And he should've won MVP last year, despite what the nerds may tell you.
Without further ado, the Top Five Boston athletes who have not won a ring here this century:
5. Logan Mankins (Patriots, 2005-2013)
Mankins was the Pats' first draft pick after beating the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX...and lasted on the roster all the way until deep into training camp, 2014. In other words, that "Patriots Abyss" could be re-titled The Curse of Logan Mankins. Poor guy. Mankins was a badass on the interior line for the Patriots for nearly a decade, earning one AP All-Pro nod (in 2010, despite missing seven games due to a holdout) and seven Pro Bowl berths. There's an old saying, that Tim Wright (whom the Patriots got for Mankins, along with a future fourth round pick) caught six more touchdowns in 2014 than Mankins. While this is true, the season was almost over before it began with Jordan Devey starting at left guard in the place of Mankins.
It was a cold, cold trade of Mankins to football purgatory in Tampa Bay, but in classic Belichick fashion, you know who that future fourth round pick turned in to? Trey Flowers.
4. Nomar Garciaparra (Red Sox, 1996-2004)
On talent alone, Nomar belongs on this list. Probably higher than this, even. I'll go to my deathbed saying the Red Sox don't breakthrough in '04 without the Nomar trade though. There was a time when Nomar could roll out of bed at hit .350 like it was nothing, even hitting for respectable power and playing electric defense along the way. He was not that guy on July 31, 2004, when Orlando Cabrera came to town and shaped history in his own right.
Unlike Mayo and Savard, Nomar was with a different organization when the Red Sox won their title. Big difference.
There's a number of ways to look at Nomar's exit. As we learned years later (see: Lester, Jon) this ownership group wasn't exactly the smoothest in offering extensions to pending free agents. If I remember correctly, Nomar was offered a four-year, $60 million extension in the spring of 2003 -- which was a lot of money at the time. Nomar was never the same player after leaving Boston. He had a decent year with the Dodgers in 2006, but was done by 2009.
3. Isaiah Thomas (Celtics, 2015-2017)
Here you go. Fifth in MVP voting last season, scored a million points in the fourth quarter, played in playoff game the night after his sister's death...and was unequivocally the best player on a team that went from below .500 to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in a manner of two years. There aren't enough good things I can say about Isaiah Thomas.
If the Celtics were the Memphis Grizzlies, they'd probably be retiring his number upon his return next season. Alas, they're the greatest franchise in NBA history instead.
However brief his stay was, Thomas made the Celtics rebuild even briefer. He's now a casualty of it, but his legacy will remain.
2. Wes Welker (Patriots, 2007-2012)
WW. Woodrow Wilson? Walter White? Wes Welker.
The average season for Welker in New England consisted of 112 catches for 1,243 yards and six touchdowns. His "worst" season featured only 86 catches...but of course he was coming off of a torn ACL in Week 17 of the previous regular season.
Welker didn't just refine the slot wide receiver position, he re-invented it. Without The Simpsons, there's no Futurama. Without Nirvana, there's no Foo Fighters. And without Wes Welker, there's no Julian Edelman -- or Danny Amendola.
1. Randy Moss (Patriots, 2007-2010)
Did it end poorly for Moss in New England? Of course it did. Did he put together the single-greatest regular season by a wide receiver ever in 2007? You betcha. Is he MAYBE the greatest wide receiver to ever live? I'll default to Jerry Rice, who had the consistency. But what Moss did in 2007 (and 1998, his rookie year in Minnesota, for that matter) just might trump anything Rice did in San Francisco (or Oakland...or Seattle) over the course of a full season.
When Brady hit Moss in the corner of the end zone with 2:42 to go in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLII, it should have been the game winner. Even after the Tyree debacle, Brady came *this close* to hitting Moss on a streak up the sidelines well inside half a minute to go that could have at least put the Patriots in a position to tie the game. Then you remember that Adam Vinatieri was no longer kicking for New England at this point...
Nevertheless, if you want to talk pound for pound, freak of nature, playmakers that crossed through the Greater Boston Area this century and somehow didn't win a ring, there's really only one answer: Randy Moss, Rand University. Which does absolutely nothing to discredit the accomplishments of Isaiah Thomas, who I really hope does win a ring some day. Just not with Bronny.
Before we get into the rationale of the specific prices on the preseason Heisman odds, it is important to take into account the apparent trends in recent Heisman winners:
Since the turn of the century, only three two running backs have been deemed college football's most outstanding player. Mark Ingram in 2009 and Derrick Henry in 2015. Reggie Bush is the only non-Alabama running back to win the Heisman, and although his award was vacated, you're a fool if you think that means anything.
Other than Bush, Ingram, and Henry, every other Heisman winner since the turn of the century has played quarterback.
The last Heisman winner that did not play QB or RB was Charles Woodson in 1997.
Lamar Jackson (2016 Heisman winner) was the first player in the College Football Playoff era to win the Heisman and not appear in the final four. In fact, the last Heisman winner before Lamar Jackson with four losses on the season was Tim Tebow in 2007.
Two of the last five Heisman winners hailed from the ACC (Lamar Jackson, Jameis Winston), with the SEC also boasting two (Derrick Henry, Johnny Manziel) and the Pac 12 produced one with Marcus Mariota.
The 2016 preseason Heisman odds had Lamar Jackson at +5000 and the 2015 preseason odds had Derrick Henry at +1200.
So now, let's take a look at the current preseason odds for who will be crowned as the most outstanding college football player in the country, which is a confusing way to define the award. Is "most outstanding" calculated by pure excitement? Extraordinary stats? Value to their team's success? It's all up for grabs, honestly, and that's what makes the anticipation of this trophy so much more perplexing, which is fantastic.
Sam Darnold, QB, USC Trojans, +400
Sam Darnold is understandably the Heisman favorite with +400 odds. Betting on the favorite is typically a safe move, but the Heisman race is the Wild, Wild, West. It's easy to feel confident in the guy with the best odds, but it's very likely that some player will come out with spectacular play, despite a lack of preseason hype. But Darnold has a pretty damn good setup for the road to the Heisman; I'm confident the Trojans will win the Pac 12 and earn a spot in the playoff. Being in the spotlight is obviously largely helpful in a player's Heisman campaign. It also doesn't hurt that USC players are no stranger to college football's most coveted trophy: Reggie Bush in '05, Matt Leinart in '04, Carson palmer in '02, Marcus Allen in '81, Charles White in '79, Orenthal James Simpson in '68, and Mike Garrett in '65. It clearly helps to play for a storied program, so Sam Darnold's destiny is in his own hands. The Trojans are set to have an excellent defense this year, which will be key in boosting USC's stock, therefore boosting Darnold's likelihood of winning the Heisman.
Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State, +700
Saquon Barkley is an absolute beast, and the way he played last season makes these high Heisman hopes reasonable. But at the end of the day, today's college football landscape is set up for dual-threat quarterbacks to win. That is, unless you're the running back for a team that spectators will be watching in the National Championship. The only running backs to win the Heisman since 2000 have been two Alabama running backs that won the National Championship, and Reggie Bush who came up just short of a ring thanks to my boy Vince Young. So when it's all said and done, with much respect to Barkley's game, it just doesn't seem very likely that he'll finish the 2017 season with the Heisman on his living room mantle. For him to put up Heisman numbers this season against in the BIG 10 would be remarkable.
Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma, +800
Baker Mayfield has been in the Heisman discussion for the last few years now; in 2015 he finished 4th in Heisman voting and in 2016 he finished 3rd. Based on the upward trend, some people are thinking this could be the year Mayfield finishes first. And that's also a rational thought since Mayfield is able to put up big numbers with both his feet and his arm. But I'm sorry, Baker Mayfield will not be your 2017 Heisman Trophy winner. Mayfield might not even finish the season as the best QB in the Big 12, as Mason Rudolph is right on his tail. Rudolph has +2500 Heisman odds, which also won't happen.
Oklahoma's schedule won't do Mayfield any favors in his Heisman campaign, as I'm heavily expecting a week two blowout with the Sooners falling to Ohio State in Columbus. Not to mention that Mayfield will be playing under a new head coach this season, and I think the Big 12 is stronger than it has been in recent years. So do what you want, but I think throwing money on Baker Mayfield to win the Heisman is a wasteful move. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville, +800
Lamar Jackson, last season's Heisman winner who essentially came out of nowhere, has incredibly high expectations entering 2017. "Well he's clearly talented enough to win the Heisman, why can't he do it again?" Well, the only time a player won back-to-back Heisman trophies was in 1974-75 when Ohio State's running back Archie Griffin achieved the nearly impossible task. Sure, Jackson's supreme talent is still present, but his lack of expectations played a big role in his success. I think Jackson will still tally some impressive stats, but now defensive coordinators know what to expect from him. Yeah, it's definitely still tough to defend such an athletic specimen, but opponents' schemes will be solely focused on the Louisville QB, most likely disrupting his monster numbers. I think the expectations for Jackson in 2017 are simply too high, so regardless of his performance, it won't seem substantial unless he eclipses his 2016 stats. And for that reason, I'm out.
J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State, +800
Nothing too unfamiliar here, JT Barrett and the Ohio State Buckeyes are being highly praised in the preseason, with a forecast of a BIG 10 Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff. Look, Ohio State is stacked. They're bound to make plenty of noise once again in 2017. Barrett is a talented QB. But "talented" and "outstanding" are two completely different words. In 2016, Barrett ranked No. 58 in the country for total passing yards (2,555), while finishing the season at the No. 30 in passing touchdowns (24). Again, Barrett is good. He's good enough to lead the team to a conference championship and a playoff game, in which they scored zero points. But even just Barrett's style of play makes me question his ability to win the Heisman; he doesn't "wow" the crowd. He doesn't leave you with a sense of amazement. In my mind, that's what a Heisman winner needs to do. And in my mind, you're better off investing your money in Blockbuster stock than in JT Barrett winning the Heisman.
Derrius Guice, RB, LSU, +1200
Derrius Guice is a fast, powerful, explosive running back that has the skill to be amongst the nation's best regarding stats. But even more so, Guice's explosive style of play gives him the "wow" factor that JT Barrett lacks. The way Guice can absolutely plow through defenders will certainly gain him some attention. His +1200 odds make Guice a reasonable bet with a risk factor that shouldn't make you lose any sleep. Guice's predecessor Leonard Fournette was the Heisman favorite entering 2017, but a nagging ankle injury snatched those hopes away from him.
Although LSU's schedule is a tough one, it does setup Guice to have some major "Heisman moments." The Oct. 14 matchup vs. Auburn and the Nov. 4 trip to Tuscaloosa against 'Bama stick out the most, as those two squads are clearly the top in-conference competition. These big time battles give players the opportunity to step up and make a name for themselves, much like Leonard Fournette didn't do. In last year's Alabama/LSU game, Fournette was limited to 35 total rushing yards. That essentially eliminated any Heisman chatter. If Guice can make some noise against these top tier defenses, while also toying with inferior defenses, he has a chance to be a Heisman finalist. It is also worth noting that the only LSU player to ever win the Heisman was running back Billy Cannon in 1959.
Bo Scarbrough, RB, Alabama, +1400
As I've already mentioned multiple times, two of the three Heisman-winning running backs since 2000 have worn an Alabama jersey. And I'd politely recommend you schedule an appointment with your eye doctor if you don't see any similarities to Derrick Henry and Mark Ingram when Bo Scarbrough carries the football. Bo is a massive human who moves quicker than any man that size should be able to move. The Crimson Tide are once again expected to remain the only team to appear in every College Football Playoff. Bo Scarbrough has many aspects going for him that could lead me to believe that he is capable of making the trip to New York for the Heisman ceremony. However, although Bo benefits from being surrounded by such a talented cast with the best coach in the country, the Tide's depth at running back could restrict Bo's production throughout the season. Bo will most likely be splitting time with Damien Harris, who ran for 1,040 yards and two touchdowns. So perhaps instead of winning the Heisman, Bo will be part of the best one-two running back punch in the country. But then again, Reggie Bush did have to share carries with LenDale White, so you never know. Jalen Hurts, QB, Alabama, +1600
The other key player in 'Bama's backfield, QB Jalen Hurts, enters 2017 with +1600 Heisman odds. I think Hurts gets overly criticized to be honest. As a freshman, Hurts won SEC offensive player of the year, led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated regular season, and was a Deshaun Watson miracle drive away from winning a National Championship. Let it be known that Alabama's failure to win yet another ring cannot be blamed on Hurts; the QB got 'Bama into the end zone, giving them a three point lead with 2:07 left on the clock. That loss is on the defense.
I like the way Hurts plays, and I don't understand why so many people think he's subpar, but that doesn't particularly mean I think betting on him for Heisman is a wise decision. I don't think Alabama's eventual week one loss to Flroida State will help Hurts' cause. I have a feeling the Seminole defense will apply a surplus of pressure on the sophomore quarterback. Also, I can't help but be bothered by the fact that an Alabama quarterback has never won the Heisman. But on the other side of that argument, three of the last ten Heisman winners were SEC quarterbacks, more than any other conference. Deondre Francois, QB, Florida State, +1800
I personally believe that Deondre Francois is the best bet on this list, especially at +1800. Francois is a talented quarterback without a doubt, and he has a defensive unit that will do a great job with giving him backup. With Dalvin Cook gone to the NFL, Francois is officially the go-to guy for Florida State's offense. I've mentioned how a few of these players are fortunate enough to have a schedule that supports their Heisman campaign. That applies to nobody more than Deondre Francois and the Seminoles. The 'Noles open up the season against Alabama, they have their classic ACC battles against Clemson, Louisville, & Miami, topped off by the in-state rivalry against Florida in the regular season's final week. There's a whole lot of meat in that sandwich, and if Florida State can finish that sandwich without any hiccups, I don't see why Deondre Francois could go over the heads of Heisman voters. With such a good price and a schedule tailored for a Heisman season, I'd recommend investing in Deondre Francois.
ESPN - Florida has suspended seven players for its season-opener against Michigan on Sept. 2 (3:30 ET on ABC) -- including its top playmaker, wide receiver Antonio Callaway -- for making improper charges on their university student IDs at the school bookstore and then selling those items for cash, university officials confirmed to ESPN Sunday. One source said that the cards did not have the proper amount of funds on them to purchase the items. The others are offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort, linebackers James Houston and Ventrell Miller and defensive linemen Jordan Smith, Richerd Desir-Jones and Keivonnis Davis. "We have a small group of players that have made some choices that are extremely disappointing," head coach Jim McElwain said in a statement, though he did not elaborate on the reason for their suspension. "Action has been taken -- they have missed some practice and will miss the Michigan game. We will use this as a learning opportunity and we will have some players step up as we move forward."
And there it is, folks. As we all know, the college football season can't officially start until a big-name program has some of its stars suspended for week-one due to some absolutely idiotic reason, and this year, the Florida Gators stepped up and delivered an absolute gem.
Look, I've been to college. I know what it's like to be short on meal plan money or "Hill Dollars" (that's what my school called the money you put down to buy books/stuff at the bookstore). But, to actually go into the school bookstore and put charges on a student ID with YOUR OWN NAME on it and then turn around and sell that stuff for cash, is up there as one of the dumbest things any college football player or collegiate athlete has ever done. If you're stupid enough to scam your own school's bookstore, at least don't be stupid enough to scam your own school's bookstore and attach your name to it. Day one stuff, guys. It's one thing if they stole some random guy or girl's student ID, made some charges, and started their own dormitory pawn shop. At least then, as scummy as that is, there's no direct link right back to you being the perpetrator. But to do this.... it just shows that there are more than just significant character issues with this Florida Gator team.
Hope all those books you weren't going to read anyway and the University of Florida t-shirts that you've probably already been given 300 of were worth a week-one loss, ruining your playoff chances, and disgracing yourselves. Best of luck down in Arlington, guys. #chompchomp
UCLA's junior quarterback Josh Rosen did an awesome Q&A with Bleacher Report that stuck out to me as great because of Rosen's level headed honesty, and the accurate description of his polarizing career as a Bruin. My expectations for Josh Rosen in 2017 change everyday; I can't get a good read on him. That of course is largely due to the fact that he was out for the majority of last season with a shoulder injury. He claims it's 100% now, but the looming question is if he has the consistency of a top tier QB. He had a great freshman year, but everyone seems to have mixed reviews on the California Native.
The part of Rosen's Q&A that has been gaining the most attention, "Football and school don't go together. They just don't" is an honest answer that would only upset chumps wearing grumpy pants. Rosen goes on to explain the football/academics balance is equal to two full-time jobs. Even Cardale Jones, who was highly criticized for this tweet from 2012:
weighed in on the current Rosen situation by telling the Bruin quarterback to "Chill bro, play school."
First of all, I think it's ludicrous that Cardale Jones ever had to apologize for his statement from a few years ago, and this is something Josh Rosen does a great job discussing during his Bleacher Report interview. Rosen pointed out, "There are guys who have no business being in school, but they're here because this is the path to the NFL." That's not knocking certain guys, not calling them stupid, nor is it Rosen making an arrogant claim regarding his intelligence compared to other college football players. What that statement is, is the truth. And that's why the NCAA pay-for-play debate is so cyclical; a large number of these elite recruits have no intention of gaining an education. For many, many players, college sports are merely a stepping stone to the professional level.
That's what Ohio State was for Cardale Jones, and he was just being honest. If Jones had the option to play football at any Ivy League school, he still would have chosen Ohio State because the Buckeyes are one of the best football programs in the country, thus making an easier path to the NFL. Anyone who is critical of NCAA athletes "taking advantage of the education system" can take a tumble off of their high horse. Do students enroll at Ohio State because they want to see Cardale Jones and Ezekiel Elliot excel in the classroom and get a diploma? No. The one connection to your enrollment in that school and the school's student-athletes is you get to watch these guys tear it up on the field.
Such a large amount of players utilize college sports as a scouting tool to get to the pros, and that's completely fine because (especially in football) there is a lack of other options. Rosen was simply pointing that out, while also explaining that his personal plan involved properly utilizing a UCLA education in case his future is not defined by football.
Some people were also a little upset about Rosen saying, "Raise the SAT requirement at Alabama and see what kind of team they have. You lose athletes and then the product on the field suffers." If you think that's invalid, you're delusional. This is not to say that any successful football program doesn't have smart guys on the roster. And I'm not saying good athletes are dumb/smart people are bad athletes. It's simply a numbers game: if your school is easier to get into, more people will be eligible to play there whether they intellectually are Einstein or Peter Griffin. If your school is hard to get into, there will be plenty of players good enough to be on the team, but they don't quite meet the academic standards. Therefore, you might not be as good on the field, since you had to deny some great athletes the opportunity. Just ask the 4-8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Once again, Rosen is simply speaking the truth, not being a hazard.
Rosen goes on to talk about his potential future as a businessman, his confusion about NFL scout's negative reviews of him, and just overall uses his status as a platform to state his beliefs. As we've seen in football recently, players publicly taking a stand on certain issues can lead to endless debate and difficult discussions to be had. But a college quarterback publicly saying it's hard for student-athletes to balance both aspects of their identity? Come on, these are some really shallow waters we're in, everyone needs to stop freaking out because the kid said what was on his mind. It could have been a lot worse.
Rosen's punishment for his outspokenness won't result in suspension or really anything that will affect college football fans. Apparently, UCLA coach Jim Mora simply had a talk with the QB about how speaking your mind can cause controversy, lead to controversy, blah blah blah. Rosen is a smart kid, so although he's very forthright, his answers to questions are well-calculated as opposed to arrogant verbal vomit. At the end of the day, I can't really find anything in what Rosen said to be dangerous whatsoever. There will always be people out there who will be outraged at someone's public thoughts, and that's the consequence Rosen will have to face. It will be a pain in the neck for him, that's for sure. But the fact that people act like they are legitimately concerned with college football players' academics is something that will always exist and I will never get over it. I'm here to watch the product on the field, you're here to watch the product on the field, and if you say otherwise you're a liar.
