College Football is officially back. I watched a ton of college football yesterday and 50 percent of the fans think their season is over, their coaches stink and everyone should be fired. Funny how that works. Now that we are a week down the road from FSU losing to Tech the loss does not look as bad. Losing sucks, I get it. That being said would you rather be Billy Napier. That seat can't get any hotter. It is one thing to lose. It is another to not look competitive at home, against an instate Rival and get humiliated. The last time Florida got beat like that they stop scheduling Miami. Napier now has to deal with a rabid fan base, a qb in concussion protocol and a schedule that looks like it got much harder. As FSU fans realized under Taggart, Samford all of sudden may not be such an easy game. Noon game against a team none of your players want to be there against. If UF is favored by over 28 - Take the points.
As for the rest of college football....The ACC did not do themselves any favorites. FSU, Clemson, Virginia Tech all go down in week 0 or week 1. All three were considered not only playoff teams but contenders for the ACC title. Virginia Tech lost to the worst team in the SEC. Not a good look. Dabo and Clemson are at a crossroads. They have a coach who has won two national titles and honestly are miles away from winning another. I will make a prediction that Dabo will not win another title while HC at Clemson. He is old school. I get it and respect it. Trust me, I am no fan of the portal but to blow it off like it does not exist and then think you are not going to get involved heavily in the NIL. This is a disaster waiting to happen. It would not shock me to see Dabo decide that this version of college football is not for him and Clemson hire Garrett Riley as their new HC next year. Dabo is only 54 years old but he may as well be wearing a leather helmet and strapping it up. I don't know if he will bend and let’s be real he basically has a lifetime contract at Clemson. It is not a good situation. I don't get the love affair with Clemson. They don't have an elite QB. They have very average skill players outside their running game and the team is back to being pre-Lawrence, pre-deshuan Watson Clemson. Good enough to compete for ACC Crowns but once you give the fan base that taste of a championship (Steve Spurrier-Florida)...the fans want more. Who breaks in this situation? I could see Clemson hiring Dabo as an AD and paying him that way. I just don't know if Dabo has it in him to coach this era and it changed so quickly on him...And adjusting is obviously not his style.
Georgia....They are Julio Chavez, they are that Boxer that systematically breaks you down and beats your body up. IMPRESSIVE. Clemson looked hopeless in the second half. They wrecked Clemson and now that team lost any confidence and wants no part of playing for a playoff spot. So many keep saying how Clemson will win the ACC....and make the playoffs. Georgia just kicked them off the island and I am not sure they are coming back. This version of Georgia week 1 looks beatable....But we have heard that before. They are a tough out and will be one of the top four seeds.
Ohio State - 17-3 at halftime against Akron. I know it is only week one but this is still the same Ohio State team. Will Howard went 17-28 for 228 and 3 touchdowns. I am not a big fan. He may be good enough but I am not betting on Ohio State over Georgia...NOT GOING TO DO IT. Georgia is Michigan on steroids.
Texas A&M - Sumlin, Fisher, Elko....There is something in the water at College Station that just does not allow that program to win. That program is cursed. At home, new coach, Notre Dame, National Audience....Thank God they can keep printing money....Because they will need to it to keep paying these coaches off.
Texas- I am not a big fan of Texas...I don't think Sark is a great coach....But talent acquisition is the name of the game. He has two NFL quarterbacks. Not one but two...And those who said Arch is overrated...STOP. He will one day be the first pick in the draft. Ewers went 20-27 260 yards and 3 touchdowns. This version of Texas is going to be good enough to make the playoffs again.
Tennessee - The dark horse in the SEC this year is the Vols. They played a local high school but Nico is going to be good. QB is important and they got one of the most gifted ones in the country....That leads me to Nebraska. Matt Rhule found his guy as well. There are some very gifted, young signal callers in the country.
Oregon is in the Pac 12....They roll up 40-50-60 points a week....They join the Big 10 and they can barely beat Idaho at home. What is up with that conference and teams having a hard time scoring? Oregon put up a ton of yards....Just did not score. I still like Oregon but they are not as good as last year.
My Rankings after week 1....Last year I liked Michigan and Washington most of the year. Right now UGA looks like the top dog...
Top 25...
1-UGA -They look like the top dog...Right now. Their run game and defense will carry them. Beck is the real deal but not sure about their receivers. Losing the TE is a big loss.
2-Texas - The Horns are the real deal. Sark has recruited very well and if you have one elite or top rated quarterback the odds go up. You have two potentially great quarterbacks you are sitting in great shape.
3-Ohio State - Freshman Jeremiah Smith had 6 receptions, 92 yards and two touchdowns. You lose Marin Harrison Jr and basically replace him with his twin brother. I am interested in seeing what Ohio State does rushing the ball this year. If they commit to the run, maybe...they can convince me. I need to be sold.
4-Ole Miss- Poor Furman....They decided to take the check and 76 was rolled up on them. Jaxson Dart put himself into the Heisman race for one week (22-27 418 - 5 TD). They put up over 760 yards of total offense. GATOR FANS are praying they
5-Alabama - Bama lost a ton of players through the portal. They did not add a ton of great ones to replace those guys. We will see but I don't think this version of Bama will be as good as last year.
6-Oregon- They did not look good against Idaho. They only rushed for 107 yards on 37 carries. That is not good. Gabriel threw for 380 yards and 2 touchdowns. They need to figure it out. They have four games before Ohio State comes to town. I expect them to be much better by then.
7-Notre Dame - That was not pretty....ND did what they always make you do when you watch them play---HATE THEM. That is just not good to the eyes. They can run the ball. At the end of the game the OL is standing there and laughing...You know right then the game is over. They just wore the Aggies out. I still think Leonard will have a good season. He managed the game yesterday and made no big mistakes. He will get better. Beaux Collins is the real deal. I like their running backs. They can pound the rock and win with defense. They are not a top five team but they are top ten.
8-Penn State- The Lions took a long time to score....And a two hour delay did not help. They ended up with a nice win 34-12. It was Singleton day - 13 -114 and a touchdown. Look for Kaytron Allen to go off in the next game. Allar played well enough....They don't play Michigan this year and I honestly feel they could beat them. This looks like a 10-2 type team.
9-Missouri- Coach Drink is a good coach....Remember the name because he will be a dark horse for the UF job. He has turned Missouri into a very good team. Luther Burden is one of the top receivers in the country. His defense can run...This is a team in the SEC no one wants to face.
10 - Miami - I was reluctant to put them in the top ten but their win even over a not so great Gator team was one of the more impressive wins yesterday. Their OL is the real deal. Money well spent. Their QB Cam Ward is money well spent. The defense played great minus one run play. I still have questions about their secondary. Ward made one terrible throw...He needs to limit those in bigger games. Miami schedule till FSU does not look very strong....that being said this is a team that has found ways to lose to lesser teams....
The best of the rest....
11-OU
12-LSU (Need to see them today against USC)
13-Tennessee
14-Kansas State
15-Utah
16-Oklahoma State
17-KU
18-FSU
19-Clemson
20-Kansas State
21-Arizona
22-Iowa - WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF.
23-Louisville
24-Georgia Tech
25-Coastal Carolina - They beat Rich Rod 55-27 on the road. I was impressed with their performance against Jacksonville State.
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