College Football, Week 1: Five Bold Predictions

 Hello Sportsfans!! Welcome back. It has been a while, but I am looking forward to the fall 2026 sports slate. The weather is about to get cooler, the leaves will change color, and, most importantly, college football returns!!

The 2026 college football season is poised to be nothing short of exhilarating. The decision-makers have made it clear that the 12-team playoff format will remain in place for at least another year. With the transfer portal buzzing and key coaching changes shaking up several prestigious FBS programs, the landscape is rapidly evolving. After Indiana claimed its first national championship in 2025, this season is primed to deliver even more excitement and intensity. With that in mind, here are five bold predictions for the upcoming FBS season:

Indiana and LSU will not make the 12-team playoff. The defending national champions, led by coaching extraordinaire Curt Cignetti, figure to be among most pundits' favorites for a return trip to the playoffs. And yet, despite another favorable schedule that sees the Hoosiers host both Ohio State and USC, Indiana will finish the regular season at least 9-3 or worse. While two of those losses are to the aforementioned Buckeyes and Trojans, they also take a third loss to someone like Michigan or Washington on the road.

LSU, on the other hand, appears to be an outside favorite to win it all after former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin decided to take the job in Baton Rouge. At the end of the day, however, neither Kiffin nor all his former NFL talent will be enough to secure a top 12 finish necessary to secure a playoff battle. In fact, the closest LSU comes to the playoff is week one when the Tigers face the...Tigers (Clemson) in a week one showdown.

Arch Manning will return for a fifth season in Austin. The consensus number one overall pick by many members of the media, Manning will once again struggle against the Buckeyes in a week 2 showdown. A similarly uneven performance in the playoff means that Manning falls out of the top 10 on most draft boards, and, after conferring with his uncles and grandfather, Arch ultimately decides to remain a Longhorn. 

Targeting, as it is currently written, will be scrapped in favor of a policy that better promotes player safety. The current rule is too ambiguous and often penalizes players or programs that don't deserve it. The NCAA ends up, prior to the end of the season, adopting a policy that is more clear-cut.

Trinidad Chambliss wins the 2026 Heisman Trophy in one of the closest contests in years. Chambliss, returning to Ole Miss after deciding he wasn't ready for the NFL, beats out challengers Dante Moore and Jeremiah Smith by less than 100 points combined, making this the closest Heisman race in history.

Miami wins the 2026 College Football Playoff, defeating Ole Miss in the final 35-21. Mario Cristobal's group, runners-up last season, gets their revenge this season, beating BYU in the quarterfinal and Notre Dame in the semifinal before taking care of the Rebels for their first national championship since 2001.

Looking forward to recapping all the action this weekend

College Football, Week Two: Overreaction Saturday?

Overreaction Saturday. That is what it is being called around the nation. Or at least that's what I am calling it. I mean sure I called Houston beating Oklahoma, but that doesn't mean I am the next Nostradamus. I mean come on, I did whiff on both LSU and Notre Dame, so I am not perfect.

Oh. Wait. That is what I was talking about anyway. No, I believe that this weekend should be called 'Overreaction Saturday' because of the general overreactions to every outcome last weekend.

Here are the five biggest overreactions to college football after week one:


1 Alabama is head and shoulders above the rest of the college football world:

Sure the 52-6 drubbing of USC--a ranked Power Five conference school---by the Crimson Tide is impressive. Very impressive. But until I see proof that the Trojans are indeed contenders in the PAC-12 South, I am not ready to crown 'Bama national champions yet again. They are, by virtue of being the defending champs, the top team in my Power 5 rankings (see below). Yet I don't know that they are somehow invincible after just one game.


2 The college football playoffs will not include either Oklahoma or LSU.

This reaction makes me nauseated, and it is not because either of those teams belong in the college football semifinals. I mean I am just tired of hearing about who the four teams that will make the CFB playoffs are before the halfway point of the 2016 season. As impressive as the victories in Ann Arbor and Columbus were, no one can say for sure that either of those two teams are locks for Tampa. Or that the Sooners or Tigers won't be there either. If  I'm not mistaken, Clemson was the only undefeated team in the semifinals last year. So it's not a stretch to say there will be at least two teams in Tampa this January that have at least one loss.

3 Texas is legitimately back in the conversation, and the Longhorns should be the favorites to win the Big 12.

The 'Horns victory over the Irish was impressive, even more so considering a true freshman played under center for part of the game for Texas. But I hesitated on this one for quite some time before admitting this might be an overreaction. After all, UT did beat the Sooners last season despite being near the bottom of the conference.

The good thing for Charlie Strong's squad is that they should have all the confidence in the world heading into week two and beyond. So it will be interesting indeed to see where the Longhorns finish this season.

4 Houston has no chance of making the college football playoffs

What did I say earlier about Tom Herman not getting enough respect nationally as a head coach? Say what you will about the Cougars, but I believe if UH is 12-0 at the end of the season they deserve an invite to Tampa. End. Of. Story.

5 Christian MCcaffrey has to be the favorite to win the Heisman after week one.

Again, this is another one of those premature statements. With so many outstanding performances on Saturday (and one by a freshman on Monday who is drawing comparisons to Jameis Winston) we really have no idea who the best player in the nation is.

My Power five teams after Week One:

1 Alabama

2 Clemson

3 Stanford

4 Houston

5 (tie) Michigan and Ohio State



This really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone but I think it's worth noting that neither Michigan or Ohio State created any distance from the other with their lopsided win (s). And that won't change until one of them wins convincingly over a ranked opponent or loses.

Onto a preview of this week's top matchups:

13 Louisville at Syracuse: Count quarterback Lamar Jackson as one of the guys on the outside looking in at the Heisman race. Just don't count me as sold on the Cardinals as a legit top 15 squad just yet. The Orange always seem to play tough at home. Louisville struggles in this one until the end.

Louisville 27, Syracuse 20

Virginia Tech at 17 Tennessee: Volunteers may escape another close call this weekend against the Hokies. Yet they may not either. Without Beamer Ball, who knows what is possible. 

Tennessee 24. Virginia Tech 17


Trap Game of the Week: Louisiana Monroe at 14 Oklahoma:

The Sooners should be plenty pissed after laying an egg in Texas last weekend. But one has to wonder if they will be focused on the Warhawks or whether they will be looking ahead to next week's tilt with the Buckeyes. My gut says the Sooners roll but this is definitely a contest to watch.

College Football, Week One: Sooners on Upset Alert?

College football is back. Let the debate about which four teams will make the playoffs begin. While many people believe that Clemson and Alabama are favorites to return to the semifinals, there is no consensus on the other two teams.

One school of thought is that Oklahoma will be the third team to reach the playoffs. The Sooners return two Heisman candidates, quarterback Baker Mayfield and running back Sam Perine, and they have to be considered the favorites to win the Big 12 this season. If they can navigate a schedule that includes FBS powers such as Houston and Ohio State we could see them playing on January 2nd.

Another school that has drawn attention as a possible playoff contender is Michigan. The Wolverines return several starters on both sides of the ball, including safety Jabrill Peppers. They also have a weak nonconference schedule that has led many to say they have an outside shot at going undefeated. Ohio State and Michigan State loom as the two biggest obstacles in their quest for perfection in coach Jim Harbaugh's second season.

Then there are schools such as LSU and Florida State, who might replace either Alabama or Clemson in the CFB Playoffs, provided they win their respective conference. Some people might argue that this is the season that two SEC schools could make the playoffs, but I say if that happens the committee might as well expand the field from four teams to eight teams.

Other schools that have been mentioned as having an outside shot to make the semifinals of the playoffs include UCLA, Stanford, Georgia, and Tennessee among others.

 But I digress.  While week one of the college football season won't tell us who has a legitimate shot at the national championship this season, it should provide us with some interesting matchups.

Here is a look at some of the top matchups this weekend:

Oklahoma at Houston The Sooners are among the favorites to reach the playoffs this season, and I certainly have them as favorites for week three against Ohio State. Yet this is week one, and as we all saw in the Tennessee-Appalachian State game, anything is possible. This game could end up a lot closer than many people expect. In fact, I still don't feel that the media truly respects the job that coach Tom Herman has done with the Cougars. A strong showing in this contest may change that. I may be totally wrong on this one, but I am making this one my upset special of the week. Greg Ward Jr makes his case for the Heisman against a ripe for the picking Sooner defense.

Houston 27, Oklahoma 24


LSU vs Wisconsin (at Lambeau field in Green Bay): Whether you love him or hate him, you have to respect the mad hatter's guts to travel up north to face a Power 5 nonconference opponent. While I think that LSU will need more than Leonard Fournette--Les Miles' teams often remind me of the Jim Tressel offense at Ohio State-- this season to win the SEC West, I am not sure they will struggle against the Badgers. The Tigers defense holds Wisconsin to a little more than two scores.

LSU 28, Wisconsin 17

Alabama vs USC: The Crimson Tide must replace Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry and quarterback Blake Sims. USC also loses several starters, including qb Cody Kessler and safety Su'a Cravens. Would someone please tell me the last time 'Bama played meaningful nonconference game on the road?

Alabama 35, USC 20


Notre Dame vs Texas: Who will be the starting quarterback for the Irish? Malik Zaire? Deshone Kizer? The Gipper? At this point, does it really even matter? It should to Charlie Strong, who could be looking at his last season in the Lone Star State.

Notre Dame 42, Texas 14


That's all for now. See you next Thursday

College Football Week 3 Its Been A While

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I can't believe it's been more than 3 months since my last post! I am slacking indeed. Well, enough about that, it's down to business.


After two weeks of the 2014 college football season, a couple of things have become crystal clear. First is that there is no clear frontrunner in the race to make college football's first ever playoff.
The second is that the Big Ten might be picking up right where the Big East left off.


And as for the continued SEC dominance? Well, if I had my power rankings out now, there would be about five teams in my top 10, no question. But that doesn't mean I believe more than one team from that conference should make the college football semifinal. (But I'll leave that discussion for another place and time down the road).


Speaking of the college football playoff, it appears we couldn't even make to midseason without a little controversy. Appears that University of Southern California AD Pat Haden, also a member of the playoff selection committee, appeared to influence last Saturday's contest between USC and Stanford when he stepped onto the field to talk to the officials. And while both the school and the PAC-12 have formally reprimanded Mr. Haden, I am curious to know what action, if any, the NCAA will take against the school.


Anyway, on to this weekend's games. Actually, there is a game going on tonight, not that it will be much of a contest. No. 8 Baylor romps over Buffalo, 50-10, even if Bryce Petty doesn't play. If Petty does play, then make it 65-10.


In other top 25 action


East Carolina vs.  No. 17 Virginia Tech


Hokies have become my new sleeper pick to make the college football playoff, and not just because they humbled the Ohio State Buckeyes last weekend. Michael Brewer might be the best quarterback no one has ever heard of , and their defensive line is impressive. Plus they have one of the easier schedules in the ACC. Seminoles beware, you might just be facing VA Tech in the championship game. Virgina Tech 48, East Carolina 7


UCF at No. 22 Missouri


Anyone remember that it was Maty Mauk who almost led the Tigers, down starter James Franklin, to the SEC championship vs Alabama last season? Of course you don't, no one remembers the guy who almost got there. But it looks Mizzou has missed a beat, however, as they throttled Toledo on the road last weekend. Central Florida wishes they had Bortles for another season. Tigers 38, Knights 21.


No. 21 Louisville vs Virginia  No Charlie Strong. No Teddy Bridgewater. No problem for Louisville, as they cruise over Cavaliers, 28-13


No. 2 Oregon vs Wyoming  After defeating Michigan State in its first test of the season, the Ducks get a bye. Not really, but this is almost a scrimmage. Oregon 68-7.




Louisiana Monroe at No. 10 LSU  Its been two years since the 'Hawks shocked the nation by beating then No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks. Can they repeat history again this year? Not quite, but the 30-24 victory for Les Miles Tigers is a lot closer than he would have liked.


Tennessee at No. 4 Oklahoma  Possibly one of the hottest teams in the nation right now are the Sooners, and they are one of my favorites to make the playoff. Trevor Knight has a career day. Oklahoma 45, Tennessee 17


No. 6 Georgia at No. 24 South Carolina  Todd Gurley and Bulldogs expose Gamecocks as the most overrated team in SEC East. Georgia 36, South Carolina 10


That's all for now folks. Be sure to look for my power rankings to come out this Monday

More Observations on Week 1 of College Football

As the opening weekend of college football comes to a close tonight with Florida State vs. Pittsburgh, there might be more questions than answers. While some of the top teams took care of business as expected, other teams were upset, some by FCS (Division I-AA schools).

Looking back at the weekend's action, here are several observations:

Alabama is still the top team in the nation, at least for now. 

There is an old saying that goes 'in order to be the champ, you have to beat the champ.' Well, Alabama is the defending national champ. And, despite a less than stellar performance offensively against Virginia Tech, they still defeated the Hokies rather handily. So, until someone beats them, the Crimson Tide is the No. 1 team in the nation by default.

 It certainly looks like Christion Jones might be the heir apparent to Eddie Lacy for this squad.

The state of South Carolina might have two teams that are legitimate BCS contenders in 2013.

Everyone knew that Jadeveon Clowney and company were going to be a force to be reckoned with in Columbia.

Yet the unknown might have been how Clemson, South Carolina's other BCS squad, would perform in 2013. A 270 yard, 3 TD passing performance by quarterback Tajh Boyd certainly has people talking about the Tigers chances to run the table in the ACC.

 The biggest threat to Clemson's chances at an undefeated season might be the Gamecocks, who will face the Tigers in the season finale in Columbia.

Speaking of running the table, the Louisville Cardinals began their quest to go 12-0 with a resounding 49-7 victory yesterday over Ohio. Teddy Bridgewater, one of the favorites for the Heisman this year, made a emphatic opening statement passing for 355 yards and 5 TDs.  Everyone has been chirping about how Ohio State has an easy chance to run the table this season, but the Cardinals don't face one team ranked in the preseason AP Top 25.

On the West Coast, Oregon made it's claim to being in the top 5, but they still might not be the best team in the PAC-12. 

The Ducks' rolled against a clearly overmatched Nicholls St team, with DeAnthony Thomas and Marcus Mariota picking up where they left off last season.  Yet Stanford, the defending PAC-12 champs, didn't even play this week. This debate may not be settled until these two teams meet on November 7.

Finally, Michigan and Notre Dame, two teams that have quietly flown under the radar this preseason, made big statements of their own a week prior to their showdown in the Big House.

Both the Wolverines and Irish opened the season with new signal-callers under center. And while Michigan's 59-9 demolition was not totally unexpected, it was Notre Dame's 28-6 win that set up what should be a very intriguing matchup.

Michigan's Devin Gardner, a better pure passer than the departed Denard Robinson, might be one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the nation. It will be interesting to see how an Irish defense missing its leading tackler from last year handles him.

For the Irish offense, they will need senior Tommy Rees to play like he did on Saturday.

College Football 2013: Random Thoughts

With the college football season less than a month away, there has not been a shortage of story lines. Whether it is the off season troubles of Ohio State, Alabama's quest to pull off a rare three-peat, or Johnny Football being, well, Johnny in the Spotlight, college football has taken center stage in the summer of 2013. And here are just a few observations from your resident college football guru as summer camp begins in most universities this week:

Alabama's quest to three-peat as BCS national champion will be harder than it looks.

Not since the 1934-36 Minnesota Golden Gophers has an FBS (Football Bowl Subdivison) team won three straight national titles. The Crimson Tide will try to end that drought this year, but it won't be easy.

To even get to the BCS National Championship game, Alabama will have to navigate the tough-as-nails Southeastern Conference schedule. The whole notion that Alabama will play a hard SEC schedule despite not playing either Florida, Georgia, or South Carolina seems at first to be laughable. Yet the fact of the matter is they still have to travel to Texas A&M and play Louisiana State. Add to that they could also see Florida, UGA, or South Carolina in the SEC championship, and I'm not so sure you would call that an easy schedule.

The odds of a 1-loss Alabama squad making it to the BCS title game this year aren't as good as they were last year. I have heard almost ad nauseam how Ohio State(whom I will get to in a bit) might have trouble getting into the national title picture should they go undefeated due to their poor scheduling. Yet am I to believe that Alabama, who hasn't had an undefeated team since 2009 and plays in the SEC, has better odds of running the table than Ohio State, who plays a schedule similar to last year (when they went 12-0)? If two BCS eligible squads go 13-0, and Alabama wins the SEC at 12-1, my money is on the Crimson Tide being on the outside looking in.


Ohio State football, despite its recent troubles and all the hatred toward it, isn't going anywhere.

The Buckeyes have had a rough couple of months, with four players being suspended/removed from the team for running afoul of the law in some form. That being said, the team is still in pretty good position to make a run at the national title. Braxton Miller, in his third year and second under head coach Urban Meyer's spread offense, should show dramatic improvement in his decision making ability. The run game will be fine even without Carlos Hyde, as I expect Rod Smith and company to step up in a big way. The defense should be much improved as well, as the upperclassmen finally understand what is expected of them from the new coaching staff. And their schedule does shake out very favorably, even with the two bye weeks sprinkled in.

Yet despite all the positives the Buckeyes have going for them, there are still those people who want to hate on the program. Many of them live right here in Columbus not far from me. Those people can continue to hate. I will not apologize for what is perceived weak OSU football schedule, as I didn't make it and I can't control it. I am also tired of apologizing for the misconduct of players on the football team. Bottom line is I know the majority of the student athletes that go to Ohio State are upstanding individuals, and whether you know that is not my problem.

Before I go any further, I should also note that people often like to 'dog' the Buckeyes to get under my skin. They like to use past or present results to knock my so-called 'expertise' of the great sport we call college football. Well, I will let you in on a little secret. I don't know that much about college football. Neither does Kirk Herbstreit or Desmond Howard. Bottom line is that anyone can pontificate about who will win the national title, but until the games are played no one really knows who is going to win. Don't believe me? Go to ESPN.com and look at both Kirk's and Desmond's preseason predictions for 2012.

By the way, how does Urban Meyer go from being 'one of the best coaches in the game' at Florida (where he won two national titles, btw) to just a 'fine coach' at Ohio State?  Did he not just lead the Buckeyes to the only undefeated season in the FBS in 2012? Go back and look at the Purdue game. Most people say that OSU shouldn't have won that game, yet had Jim Tressel been the coach in that situation they most likely lose. Heck, even Alabama was in a similar situation against Texas A and M last year and lost, with their starting quarterback (AJ McCarron) in the game no less.

But I digress on to more pressing points like

The NCAA is one big joke.

From Johnny Manziel being able to capitalize on a nickname, to the botched Miami of Florida investigation, to the light punishment handed down to North Carolina, the NCAA has a serious credibility issue. They bring the Hammer down on a school such as Penn State for something that has nothing to do with recruiting, yet the Hurricanes become 'Party U' and they are still dragging their collective feet on the matter. Not too mention that Johnny Manziel could have a secret stash of cash due to his success in trademarking 'Johnny Football' yet no one has looked into that.

I guess I really shouldn't care, as the NCAA as we know it going to be obsolete shortly. What worries me, however, is that some of the same knuckleheads (my new favorite term) who run the NCAA are also the ones that will form 'Division 4' as it is now called. If this is the case, how can we be sure the new association polices its member schools better than the other ones? And as far as paying players go, how will this new alignment be able to work out an agreement that doesn't violate Title IX?

To drive home my point of the ineptitude of the member schools of this unofficial 'Division 4,' let's look at the recent playoff system to be adopted in January of 2015. This calls for the top four teams to play each other in a semifinal format where the winners play for the championship. Yet how are the top 4 teams decided? Correct me if I am wrong but two athletic directors from each of the major conferences will make up part of the playoff committee. How can we trust such individuals, many of whom know that a playoff means a significant payday for not only their conference but their respective school, to make a unbiased decision on the matter? What if one of the ADs happens to be butthurt like Bret Bielema (formerly coach of Wisconsin, now coach at Arkansas) and votes against a team in his conference just out of spite?

But enough on the matter, I 'll let you debate that on your own.

Finally it costs way too much to go to a football game these days.

Many of these schools are charging more than professional teams do to get into a game. And while I will admit the popularity of college football has never been higher, I 'd forgo paying $80 to watch my team play at the stadium if I can watch it on TV for free (or $20 I guess after food and beverages) any day. Especially if I know the outcome will more than likely already be determined before halftime. Hey Division 4, Division $$$$ (what you should rename your association), Nike Football League or whatever, here is another suggestion: actually schedule games that can hold fans attention for an entire three hours.

Random thoughts on the Red Sox, the Jets backup QB, and...SEC dominance

So much has been made recently of the Boston Red Sox struggles. Now I will admit that I am not a Red Sox fan, and in fact, I actually prefer the Yankees. But I feel I have to say a few things about this topic.

First off, I want to make it clear that I think Red Sox fans have become spoiled. If their team doesn't have a legitimate shot of making the playoffs, they whine like no other fan base I know. Look, I get it, being a Cleveland fan I understand you want your team to win. Heck, I think fellow Cleveland sports fans can agree with me when I say we want our teams to be competitive.

But I digress. The point I am trying to make is that you need to give manager Bobby Valentine a chance. Don't blame Dustin Pedroia or Josh Beckett's struggles on a divided clubhouse, saying if the front office hired a different manager things would be better. He hasn't even had a full season, and this is the same team a few years removed from a World Series title. I'll be honest, I don't fully understand the impact a manager has on team chemistry in baseball, but I think it would be rash to fire any manager after one bad season unless he won less than 20 percent of his games(and this is not the case.)

So my advice to all the Sox fans is suck it up, your stuck with Bobby V for another year. And if you aren't, well don't complain when Mike Hargrove(hired as his replacement for 2013) can't right the ship in a year's time either. If you really want someone to blame, how about a front office that paid 100 million way back when to Japan just for the rights to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka. So what has your ace been up to recently? He has a record of 0-3 with a 6.65 ERA in 5 starts. And to think a few years ago Boston management ponied up 100 large just for the rights to negotiate with him.

Bottom line is that whatever is wrong with Red Sox Nation now, firing Bobby Valentine isn't the solution.


...Moving right along, I have had enough of the talk about the Jets backup quarterback. So much so that this is the last time I talk about him. Ever. In fact I am so fed up, that, while not mentioning his name, I told Skip Bayless to tell ESPN to take their hero worship of a guy who will be a career backup elsewhere, the nation tires of it. The Broncos won last season because they ran the ball well, and despite everyone's knock on their defense, they actually stepped up when it counted. Peyton Manning will improve Denver, no doubt. But that is for another blog.

Finally, when will the SEC dominance in college football end? I wasn't aware it had ever begun. Yes, teams like Alabama and Florida have won four of the last seven national championships, but, taken as a whole, the SEC is not much better than the rest of the nation. As a matter of fact, the SEC was slightly better than the BIG 10 last year in bowl games, going 5-3 vs the latter's 3-4 record.

Fact of the matter is, because the Southeast has won the last six national titles, they are automatically considered the premiere conference in that nation. But let's go a little bit deeper into the conference. A Georgia squad that was a preseason title favorite in 2011 lost an overtime thriller to Big Ten runner up Michigan State. Florida, playing in the Gator Bowl against Ohio State(a rematch of their '06 BCS title game), ended up a 24-17 winner over a Buckeye squad featuring one of the worst offenses in the nation last year. Arkansas won rather handily over Kansas State.  Finally, while Auburn beat Virginia handily, Vanderbilt would fall to Big East champ Cincinnati.

But because they keep winning the big one, the media will continue to harp on the SEC as the elite league in the FBS. And while I am supposed to root for USC to end their dominance, I am not feeling it. Especially for a team that has its scholarships cut and then uses a loophole created by the NCAA to offer a scholarship to former PSU running back Silas Redd. But for all the talent they have on offense, the Trojans had better have watched last season's BCS title game. Cause offense wasn't really the reason Bama won their second title in three years.

So, when will the SEC's dominance of college football come to an end? I am not entirely sure. One thing is for certain: even if they don't win the BCS this season, don't expect them to all of a sudden fade into the background.