Author: jonesg17

NFL Draft Winners and Losers

by jonesg17, posted in NFL

With the NFL draft being the only semblance of sports in well over a month, I have been glued to this draft more than in past years. With teams unable to meet face-to-face with prospects and almost every pro day being canceled, teams have had to do a lot of guesswork on potential players. However, like every draft, some teams made savvy picks and others had some head scratchers. I will mainly focus on the earlier rounds because those tend to shape the franchises.

I am a Vikings fan and this is the first time in years I can say I am proud of their draft top to bottom. I am absolutely thrilled that they ACTUALLY addressed their needs and still acquired picks in 2021. I will be leaving them off this list to avoid any sort of bias but those that are interested can ask me but make sure to pencil in some time because I can go on and on about their class.

#3 Loser

Chicago Bears-

With the Bears only having 2 picks in the top 160, you think they would address more pressing needs than Tight End. With the 43rd pick they took Cole Kmet out of Notre Dame. He has a lot of potential but they now have 10…. yes 10 tight ends on their active roster which means they will be cutting at least six of them before the season. They signed Jimmy Graham to a completely overpriced contract so getting a tight end with your very first pick makes almost zero sense. Their next pick was CB Jaylon Johnson which may have saved their draft. He is a very physical corner and Chicago fans will love him because he doesn’t fear contact. The Bears shot 50% on draft picks they needed to go 100% on because of the lack of draft capital.

#3 Winner

Dallas Cowboys-

As much as I hate to say it, Jerry put together a hell of a draft. Having someone like CeeDee Lamb fall all the way to 17 is something that happens once in a generation. They can thank the Las Vegas Raiders for doing what they do best and picking the fastest player on the board regardless of other skill traits when they took Henry Ruggs III as the first receiver. Putting Lamb in the slot with Cooper and Gallup makes the Cowboys offense that much more potent. TV networks better be careful because they could be in high-scoring games that take 4 hours every week. The cowboys were also able to get another player that fell farther than he should’ve in corner Trevon Diggs from Alabama. A solid pick that is lengthy and should be able to matchup with #1 receivers and provide Jerry with some sort of comfort in the secondary. Hopefully he turns out better than Mo Claiborne. Neville Gallimore was the third-round pick of the cowboys and he’s yet another player that flew under the radar. He is a run stuffing machine that eats blocks and will be able to free up Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch. The one drawback is he is not a great pass-rusher but when you have Damarcus Lawrence is an easy concession to make.

#2 Loser

Philadelphia Eagles-

Let me tell you the Eagles were absolutely torched by writers and fans alike. People forget Howie Roseman has a ring, but this was not his best work. Their first-round pick was Jalen Reagor out of TCU. As a TCU alum myself I do think he’s a solid player and has a similar skillset to former Big 12 and new NFC East Rival CeeDee Lamb. However, he was not the best receiver on the board at the time with Justin Jefferson out of LSU going one pick later. This wasn’t the worst pick by far. The pick that places the Eagles right here is using their second-round pick on JALEN HURTS. I would’ve taken Jacob Eason before Hurts because I just don’t think he’s a good enough passer to make it in the NFL. The worst part is the Eagles just signed Carson Wentz to a 4 year $128 million deal that doesn’t even kick in until 2021. Unless the NFL adopts the XFL’s double pass rule, this pick will haunt Eagles fans for awhile. The Eagles Taking K’Von Wallace out of Clemson in the fourth round wasn’t a bad pick so at least they got something out of this fiasco.

#2 Winner

San Francisco 49ers-

The rich get richer. A team that was a meltdown away from a Super Bowl championship will enter the 2020 season completely reloaded. They traded DeForest Buckner to Indianapolis for their first rounder and then traded down with Tampa to acquire a later pick. They were then able to snag Javon Kinlaw, a defensive tackle out of South Carolina. They pretty much replaced a good player with a possible superstar at a much cheaper price. The Niners also traded up later in the first to bet Brandon Aiyuk, a receiver out of Arizona State. Aiyuk is explosive on the perimeter and will give defenses headaches when paired with Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. To cap off a fantastic draft, they traded for pro-bowl tackle Trent Williams to solidify the offensive line and give Jimmy G more time to miss wide-open receivers down field and then to check down to his running backs.

#1 Loser

Green Bay Packers-

Oh Baby, I love to see this. An absolute dumpster fire of a draft. Unless the Packers were concerned of someone else trading with Miami to get Jordan Love at pick 26, it did not make a lot of sense because the three picks before them were Seattle, Baltimore and Tennessee: all teams pretty committed to their current QBs. On top of that they have several other very pressing needs. It isn’t like this is a rebuilding team either that should develop a QB. Green Bay is coming of a NFC Title game appearance and their first pick is a guy who probably won’t see meaningful snaps at all in 2020. Ok fine Green Bay, you botched the first round but this is a really deep receiver class and you can pick up someone in the second round. Another miss by the Packers in reaching for a day 3 running back in A.J. Dillon out of Boston College. Not only was he unlikely to go in the next 60 or so picks, they have Aaron Jones at running back so they drafted a guy at best that will split snaps and not significantly help out their chances at a Super Bowl. As I’m writing this they have passed on 27 receivers through 5 rounds. #SKOL

#1 Winner

Cleveland Browns-

A completely new regime in Cleveland made a lot of noise with their first draft. Picking up Jedrick Wills with the 10th pick is exactly what this offense needed. A massive offensive tackle out of Alabama will cover Baker Mayfield’s blindside and address one of the weakest positions in an offense loaded with talent. They traded back a few spots and acquired pick 160 with a trade with the Colts. Their second-round pick at 44 overall was Grant Delpit. The 2019 Thorpe award winner was given first round grades by a lot of experts. He is an absolute playmaker in the secondary and a ball-hawk and has flashes of his predecessor that wore #7 at LSU Tyrann Mathieu. The Brown’s third round pick was Jordan Elliott, A Defensive Tackle from Mizzou. He has all the intangibles you’re looking for in a run stuffing tackle checking in at 6’4’ 302 lbs. It didn’t’ always turn into production in college but with the right coaching this kid could be a gamechanger. Cleveland also received a comp pick used on LSU Linebacker Jacob Phillips. This guy always gives 100% and puts his body on the line every play. A little refinement and he could become a solid starter in Cleveland.

Please address your comments, questions and concerns to jmpfer04@gmail.com who presented me the opportunity to write this article.

Ranking the 3-Team Markets Part 2 of 3

by jonesg17, posted in MLB, NBA, NHL

Well here comes part two of my big 4 market rankings. This one will focus on the six markets that have three franchises. If you have not read my rankings of the markets with 1 team or 2 teams you can do so here. A refresher on how my rankings were determined-

There are a few rules I followed in my rankings and are as follows:

  1. Each market is divided into a classification (1 team, 2 teams, 3 teams, 4 teams) — similar to how high school sports are divided–in order to make it easier to compare.
  2. MLB and NFL playoff appearances are weighted slightly more because NHL and NBA playoffs have over half of the teams in their leagues in the playoffs.
  3. For the NBA, NHL and NFL, I use the 2009-2010 seasons as the start of the decade, because the champion of each was crowned in 2010. For example, the Saints were Super Bowl champions in 2010.
  4. Markets only include teams in the metro area (for example I did not include Green Bay with Milwaukee and Sacramento with the Bay Area.

6 Tampa, Florida (NFL, MLB, NHL)

Largely kept out of misery by the Lightning’s resurgence in the last half of the decade, Tampa still is last in this edition. The Lightning won the President’s Trophy just last season and made a Stanley Cup appearance in 2015 only to fall to the Chicago Blackhawks. Playoff appearances in 11’,14’,15’ and 16’ as well as division titles in 2018 and 2019, have made the Lightning the pride and joy of Tampa. Considering their financial circumstances, the Rays have made a respectable effort the last 10 years, making the playoffs three times and winning the AL East in 2010. They weren’t able to get out of the ALDS in any of their tries. Then theres the Bucs. Zero playoff appearances since 2010 but I will say Jameis Winston does make for some must watch TV.

5 Atlanta, Georgia (NFL, MLB, NBA)

Compared to a lot of other places, Atlanta did not have a terrible decade as far as their professional sports teams go. They might have moved up this list if the Falcons had a 31-3 lead instead of a 28-3 lead late in the 3rd quarter. Either way they made a Super Bowl 51 appearance, won the NFC South 3 times and had two wild card berths. The Atlanta Hawks also made the playoffs eight straight years from 2010-2017 and were the one seed in the Eastern Conference in 2015 before getting swept by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Braves moved to a shiny new ballpark in 2017 and have hosted playoff games in 2018 and 2019. Two losses in the wild card game (10’ & 12’) and 3 losses in the NLDS (13’,18 & 19’) has left many fans frustrated with the state of Atlanta sports.

4 Toronto, Ontario (MLB, NHL, NBA)

With hockey being king in Canada, you would thing a team from Canada would have won the Stanley Cup recently but unfortunately the Montreal Canadiens championship in the most recent team to do that in 1993. More of the same has came from the Toronto Maple Leafs as they have made four playoff appearances with zero series wins. The city is starved for a hockey winner and Auston Matthews might be the guy to do it. Moving on to the Blue Jays where they made the ALCS in 2015 & 2016 but nothing farther. Both of those seasons coming as the only postseason appearances for the Jays. Kawhi Leonard and the rest of the Raptors gave a championship to a starved city. It had been since the Blue Jays won in ironically enough 1993, since the city had a parade. The Raptors had made the playoffs every year since 2014 but with Kawhi gone, it’s hard to see Toronto repeating.

3 Cleveland, Ohio (NFL, MLB, NBA)

Similar to the Bucs of Tampa Bay, the Cleveland Browns did not crack the playoffs once in the last ten years. As a matter of fact they did not have a single winning season and managed to go 0-16 in the 2017-2018 season. The Indians came within one win of a World Series title in 2016 before losing in game 7 to the Chicago Cubs. Along with that pennant in 2016, they won three straight AL Central titles and made an appearance in the wild card game in 2013. The Cavaliers put Cleveland out of their misery making five playoff appearances, five division titles, four Eastern Conference Championships and ended the championship drought for the city in 2016 by erasing a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors. Ironically about five months later the Indians blew a 3-1 lead to the Chicago Cubs.

2 Houston, Texas (NFL, MLB, NBA)

Houston has enjoyed playoff success by all three of their teams. Starting with the Houston Texans who have only been in existence since 2002. They have won six division titles since 2010 and have four playoff wins, however they have failed to advance past the divisional round. The Rockets have made the playoffs every season since 2013 and winning the Southwest division in 2015, 2018 as well as 2019. The rockets have not made it all the way to the NBA finals having lost to the warriors in the Western Conference finals in both 2015 and 2018. In 2017 the Astros gave Houston its first title since the rockets won back-to-back in the mid-1990s. Up until 2015 the Astros may have been the worst team in Major League Baseball. Winning the wild card game in 2015 and then three straight division titles from 2017 through 2019. They were able to turn those playoffs appearances into two AL Pennants and the World Series crown in 2017.

1 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (NFL, MLB, NHL)

The Pirates ended a 20-year playoff drought in 2013 and made two other wild card appearances in 2014 and 2015. They haven’t been to the playoffs since 2015 and it seems to have taken a turn for the worst this last season with all the clubhouse chaos and executive turnover. For being the second most successful team in the city over the last decade, the Steelers faired extremely well. They started off with a Super Bowl appearance in 2010 and had four AFC North titles and two more wild card berths. They did not finish below 8-8 over the entire decade which would put them at 45 games above .500 for the decade. The Penguins had one of the most impressive decades of any NHL team. They made the postseason every single season while winning their division twice. On top of the 10 postseason appearances they won the Stanley Cup back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017. The city of Pittsburgh has always had a rich tradition of sports success and the 2010’s carried the torch for another 10 years.

RANKING THE BIG 4 MARKETS

by jonesg17, posted in MLB, NBA, NHL

BY: Gerritt Jones

This is the first part in a three-part series

In this series we will examine how every sports market fared in the 2010 decade. I will look at each team in their respective market and compare with other teams within that market.  I only used Big 4 sports teams (MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL) in these rankings.

There are a few rules I followed in my rankings and are as follows:

  1. Each market is divided into a classification (1 team, 2 teams, 3 teams, 4 teams) — similar to how high school sports are divided–in order to make it easier to compare.
  2. MLB and NFL playoff appearances are weighted slightly more because NHL and NBA playoffs have over half of the teams in their leagues in the playoffs.
  3. For the NBA, NHL and NFL, I use the 2009-2010 seasons as the start of the decade, because the champion of each was crowned in 2010. For example, the Saints were Super Bowl champions in 2010.
  4. Markets only include teams in the metro area (for example I did not include Green Bay with Milwaukee and Sacramento with the Bay Area.

1 TEAM CLASS

              There are 19 different markets in the United States and Canada with only one Big 4 team. Most of them have not had much success in the 2010’s so instead of mindlessly ranking all 19, I will give you my top 3 for this category

3 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (NBA)

Oklahoma City has been a menace in the NBA since the new decade. They have made the postseason every year but the 2015 season, winning their division four straight years from 2011 through 2014 and another in 2016. The Thunder won a total of 10 playoff series this decade as well as a Western Conference Title in the 2012 season. However, they fell to the Miami Heat in five games, and an NBA title eluded them throughout the decade.

2 Green Bay, Wisconsin (NFL)

Headlined by their Super Bowl XLV title in the 2011 season, the packers were dominant for the first half of the decade. They racked up four division titles from 2012 through 2015, and another in 2016. Adding Wild Card appearances in 2011 and 2016, the Packers were a regular in the NFL playoffs this past decade.

1 San Antonio, Texas (NBA)

              I could probably keep the Spurs in this spot since the start of the millennium with how dominant they have been over the last 20 years. However, since the 2009-2010 NBA season, they won the Southwest Division seven times (2011-2014, 2016 & 2017) and they have two western conference titles in 2013 and 2014. In 2014 they beat the Big 3 Miami Heat for their fifth NBA title in franchise history. This was an easy call to have San Antonio at the top.

2 TEAM CLASS

11 Buffalo, New York (NFL, NHL)

              Oh boy, where do I start here… Buffalo has some of the most loyal fans with the worst sports teams. Between the Bills and Sabres they have a combined THREE playoff appearances this decade. The Bills in 2018 and the Sabres all the way back in 2010 & 2011. The Sabres did have the lone division title in 2010 for Buffalo. To make things worse, the Bills lost their playoff game and the Sabres did not get out of the first round either year. Things are definitely looking up for the Bills going into the new decade.

10 Cincinnati, Ohio (NFL, MLB)

              Without an NBA or NHL team to prop up their playoff appearances, the Reds and Bengals still totaled nine playoff appearances over the last 10 years and four of them coming by way of a division crown. The Bengals did not win a playoff game in six opportunities and the Reds lost in the NLDS in 2010 and 2012. To cap off their last appearance of the decade the Reds lost to Pittsburgh when Pirates fans were able to rattle Johnny Cueto in the 2013 Wild Card game.

9 Milwaukee, Wisconsin (MLB, NBA)

              This is where it becomes more difficult to rank each market. It is hard to put Milwaukee this far down considering they have two MVPs in the last two seasons with Christian Yelich and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Most of the success in Milwaukee has been very recently. The first part of the decade was largely a dumpster fire for Milwaukee. The Bucks had five playoff appearances before 2019 and did not have a single series win. Their first division title also came in 2019 as well as an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. The Brewers did win their division in 2011 and beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in five before falling to St. Louis in the NLCS. They won their division in 2018 and again lost in the NLCS. A wild card loss in 2019 kept Milwaukee out of the World Series and NBA finals for the entire decade and that’s why they’re at #9.

8. Charlotte, North Carolina (NFL, NBA)

              Charlotte’s position at #8 is propped up almost entirely by the Carolina Panthers. In particular their appearance in Super Bowl 50 preceded by a 15-1 regular season. The Panthers won three straight division titles from 2014 through 2016 and tacked on a wild card berth in 2018. If Cam Newton was able to stay healthy, Charlotte would be a few spots higher. The most notable thing the Charlotte Hornets did was switch their name from the Bobcats back to the Hornets after 2014 and the team did not seem to do any better; just 3 playoff appearances and not one series win. They have been painfully spaced out and did not string together back-to-back postseason appearances all decade. This team may belong in Buffalo.

7. Nashville, Tennessee (NFL, NHL)

              Yet another city propped up by one of their teams, but the Nashville Predators have been dominant the last 10 years. The predators have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs just twice and have a Stanley Cup finals appearance and a Presidents Trophy to show for the 2010’s. If they weren’t snake bitten by the Chicago Blackhawks early in the decade, they would have more than seven playoff series wins. The Tennessee Titans chipped in a playoff appearance in 2018 and a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead, which is not an easy task.

6. Indianapolis, Indiana (NFL, NBA)

              Indianapolis comes in as the city with the most playoff appearances between their two teams (14) and the Colts won the AFC to start the decade. The Colts had a total of six playoff appearance and won the AFC South 4 times (2010,2011,2014 & 2015). The transition from Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck propelled the Colts through the decade. The Pacers have been a mainstay in the postseason for the last 10 years, only missing the playoffs in 2010 and 2015. Making back to back Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2013 & 2014 headline the 2010’s but were unable to overcome LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Let’s not forget about Lance Stephenson either.

5. New Orleans, Louisiana (NFL, NBA)

              The New Orleans Saints beat the aforementioned Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV netting the city’s first professional sports title. The Saints also appeared in the postseason five more times in addition to 2010 but suffered heart-breaking losses in 2018 to the Minnesota Vikings and in 2019 to the Los Angeles Rams. Both years it was not out of the realm of possibility for another Saints Super Bowl victory. On the other hand, there is the New Orleans Pelicans. This team is notorious for wasting talented players, namely Chris Paul and Anthony Davis. Just three playoff appearances and no division titles, it was not a pretty decade for the Pelicans. They did however pick up a series sweep against Portland in the 2018 playoffs.  

4. Seattle, Washington (NFL, MLB)

              I can already hear my friends from the greater Seattle metro area tearing me apart for putting the Emerald City this low. The Seahawks have been absolutely phenomenal this decade. A Super Bowl win, another appearance and six total playoff appearances. Four NFC West titles to boot as well. It’s definitely not the Seahawks that is holding Seattle back. It’s the team that plays right across the street. The Seattle Mariners are one of just four MLB teams to not make the postseason in the last 10 seasons (Chicago White Sox, Miami Marlins and the San Diego Padres). To rub salt in the wound, they are now the only MLB franchise to never play in a World Series. I think most Seattle fans are content with a perennial contender in the Seahawks though.

3 Baltimore, Maryland (NFL, MLB)

              It really is hard to believe that the Orioles used to be a very good baseball team with how horrendous they have been the last two seasons. The O’s made the playoffs in 2012, 2014 and 2016, with the 2014 season being a division title. They did have a Wild Card win in 2012 and an ALDS series win in 2014. The real powerhouse in Baltimore is the Ravens who have three division titles and Super Bowl XLVII under their belt. They add another three playoff appearances in wild card games. An 8-5 postseason record is definitely a sign of a strong decade and the way they have played this season, the 2020’s could be friendly to them as well.

2 Kansas City, Missouri (NFL, MLB)

              The Kansas City Royals may have been the worst MLB team from 2000-2009. They had ONE winning season over that span, but the pain and suffering finally came to an end in the 2010’s. The Royals started out the 2014 postseason 8-0 enroute to a World Series appearance before losing to the San Francisco Giants in 7. They came back in 2015 and captured their second World Series title, beating the New York Mets in 5. They have largely gone dormant the last few years again but that’s the price of winning a ring in a smaller market. In the exact same parking lot lies Arrowhead Stadium and home to the Kansas City Chiefs. Amassing five division titles and two more wild card appearances, the Chiefs were regularly featured in the NFL playoffs even though they did not reach the AFC Championship until this past season. Just like the Ravens, the Chiefs will likely be a contender for a long time.

1 ST LOUIS, MISSOURI (NFL, MLB)

*I AM NOT COUNTING THE RAMS*

              It is strange how the top two markets lie in the same state of Missouri. St. Louis is the only city on this list to have both teams claim a championship this decade. The Cardinals are one of the most respected MLB organizations and have consistently developed their own players. It has paid dividends for them in the form of a 2011 World Series Championship, a 2013 NL Pennant, and five division titles. The Cardinals have their name written all over postseasons for most of the decade. Finally, in 2019 the Blues raised the cup for the first time in franchise history. The Blues netted six playoff appearances since 2009-2010 before their seventh resulted in the Cup. That journey was nothing short of phenomenal, being in last place as late as January when the playoffs start in April. They missed the playoffs the first two years but have made it six of the last seven and have two division titles in 2012 and 2015. PLAY GLORIA!

NEXT UP: 3 TEAM MARKETS

My Bowl Picks vs A Coin Flip

by jonesg17, posted in NCAA Football

On any given Saturday between late August and early December, you can find me on a couch watching college football. I would like to think my knowledge of the sport is quite comprehensive but unfortunately it has not translated over to my picks during bowl season. In almost 10 years, I cannot recall a year in which I haven’t given up by the Hawaii bowl. This season I will be comparing my own bowl picks to a coin flip and see which one has greater success. If the coin wins I will be implementing it in my 2020 strategy.

From what I remember from 7th grade and the scientific method, I need a hypothesis. My hypothesis is that the coin will win in a landslide. My materials are a standard US Quarter and a poorly formatted excel spreadsheet. After flipping the coin 40 times and annoying my brother trying to watch TV in the living room here are the results

BOWLMatch upMY PickCoin Pick
Bahamas Buffalo vs CharlotteBuffaloBuffalo
FriscoUtah St vs Kent StateUtah StateUtah State
CelebrationAlcorn St vs NC A&TNC A&TAlcorn St
New MexicoSDSU vs Cent MichCMUSDSU
Cure BowlGeorgia Southern vs LibertyGSULiberty
Boca RatonSMU vs FAUSMUSMU
CamelliaArk St. vs FIUAKSTFIU
Las VegasWashington vs. Boise StBSUBSU
New OrleansApp St. vs UABApp StUAB
GasparillaUCF vs MarshallUCFMarshall
HawaiiBYU vs HawaiiHawaiiHawaii
IndependenceMiami vs LA TechLA TechLA Tech
Quick LanePITT vs EMUPITTPITT
MilitaryUNC vs TempleUNCTemple
PinstripeMich St vs WakeMSUWake
TexasTAMU vs OK STOSUOSU
HolidayIowa vs USCIowaIowa
Cheez-ITAFA vs Wash StAFA WSU
Camping WorldNotre Dame vs Iowa StISUISU
CottonPenn St vs MemphisPSUPSU
PeachLSU vs OULSULSU
FiestaClemson vs Ohio StClemClem
First ResponderWestern Kent vs Western MichWKUWMU
Music CityMiss St vs LouisvilleMSUL’ville
RedboxCal vs IllinoisCalIllini
OrangeFlorida vs VirginiaUFUVA
BelkVirginia Tech vs KentuckyVTVT
SunASU vs FSUASUFSU
LibertyK-State vs NavyNavyNavy
ArizonaWyoming vs Georgia StateWYOWYO
Alamo Utah vs TexasUtahTexas
CitrusBama vs MichiganBamaBama
OutbackAuburn vs MinnesotaMinnMinn
RoseWisconsin vs. OregonWiscOre
SugarGeorgia vs BaylorUGABay
BirminghamCincinnati vs Boston CollegeCinciBC
GatorTennesee vs IndianaIndianaIndiana
Idaho PotatoOhio vs NevadaOhioOhio
Armed ForcesTulane vs Southern MissTulaneTulane
Lending TreeULL vs Miami (OH)ULLMIOH

Out of the 40 bowls that have been picked, the coin and my selection differ a total of 20 times. With 1 out of 2 bowls differing I (hypothetically speaking) could lose in an absolute landslide. If that is the case I may just need to retire from anything related to college football and stick to the NFL.

A Pair of Under-The-Radar Bowl Games

by jonesg17, posted in NCAA Football

Air Force (10-2) vs. Washington St (6-6) Cheez-It Bowl (Dec 27th) Phoenix, AZ

The name value of this bowl alone piques my interest along with the infamous 2018 version of the Cheez-It Bowl, a barnburner that featured TCU defeating Cal 10-7 where there were nine combined interceptions. I would like to guess that this year’s game will be a lot different with both teams bringing two of the most explosive offenses in the country, but each doing so in drastically different ways.

Air Force Falcons

The Cadets from Colorado Springs will roll into Phoenix off a 10-2 campaign with their only losses coming to Mountain West champion Boise State and possible Commander-In-Chief Trophy winner Navy. Since head coach Troy Calhoun took the helm in 2007, this is his third 10-win season and the first time he has won seven conference games.

What makes this matchup so intriguing is the fact Air Force runs the triple option and Washington State runs the Air Raid. Air Force ranks 3rd in the country in rushing yards per game only behind Army and Navy. Led by Junior QB Donald Hammond III and the three headed monster of Kadin Remsberg, Timothy Jackson and Taven Birdow, the Falcons have no shortage of weapons out of the backfield. What makes this offense so hard to defend is that all the backs are utilized with regularity as all of them have over 100 carries this season. They will match up against a porous Cougar defense that ranks 113th in the country in total defense. Air Force is also the least penalized team in the country averaging under 4 per game.

Washington State Cougars

Mike Leach’s squad has disappointed this year falling to 6-6 after a very successful 11-2 season last year, capped with a victory in the Alamo Bowl. This will be a fifth straight bowl appearance for the Cougars and they’re looking to win back-to-back bowl games for the first time in program history. This is also the first time the cougars have won fewer than 8 games since 2014.

As long as Mike Leach is the head coach you know the team will throw the ball, and throw the ball a lot. The Washington State passing game is as potent as ever with Senior QB Anthony Gordon shattering the PAC 12 passing record set in 2018 by his predecessor Gardner Minshew. Gordon’s ability to throw the ball was on display all season but never more than the September 21st meltdown loss to UCLA. Gordon threw for 570 yards and record 9 touchdown. The Cougars also feature a multi-purpose back in Max Borghi who has over 1,300 total yards and 15 touchdowns. They will be matched up against an Air Force Pass defense that ranks 40th nationally.

Key to the Game

This game will come down to the Air Force offense and their ability to chew clock and punch it into the end zone. Both teams will run up the score and if Air Force is able to limit the amount of possessions Anthony Gordon has they will be in good shape to take this game.

#15 Notre Dame (10-2) vs Iowa State (7-5) Camping World Bowl (Dec 28th) Orlando, FL

The Camping World Bowl will feature two teams falling short of 2019 expectations. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish came into the season with CFP expectations or worst case a NY6 appearance. Having their third 10-win season in a row, I would still call it a very successful season in South Bend. Iowa State came off 2018 with an Alamo Bowl appearance and tied for third in the Big 12. Many expected them to make the jump and play Oklahoma in Arlington, TX for the conference title and end up in the Sugar Bowl. Losing 5 games by one or two points makes it very difficult to move up that ladder and instead Baylor is in New Orleans.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Even though Notre Dame plays on NBC every weekend it seems like they have flown under the radar this season as far as the national spotlight. They fell in their two biggest games of the year and after they were embarrassed in Ann Arbor on October 26th, everyone put them on the back burner. Don’t be fooled though, this is still a very good team. The Irish come into this game having won five in a row and are 6-2 against bowl-bound teams in 2019.

The Fighting Irish boast one of the better dual threat QB’s in the country in Ian Book. His 33 passing touchdowns are tied for sixth in the country and adds four more on the ground. His favorite target is senior WR Chase Claypool who has 891 yards and 12 touchdowns on the season. Overall the Irish offense is above average and they rely on their 21st ranked defense to step up and generate turnovers. They are tied for 3rd nationally with a +15 turnover margin and their ability to protect the football has propelled them to their 10-2 record.

Iowa State Cyclones

Matt Campbell has done one of the most impressive jobs as far as building a competitive program. He has taken a perennial big 12 doormat to three straight winning seasons and as many bowl games. Since the Big 12 moved to 10 teams in 2012, Iowa State had never had a recruiting class finish higher than 8th in the conference according to 247sports class rankings. Counting 2017 as his first full year of recruiting, he as finished 7th, 7th , 6th and currently is ranked 4th for the recruiting cycle of 2020. He is building a winning culture in Ames and it is starting to show.

The MVP of this Iowa State team has to be Brock Purdy. As only a sophomore, he is closing in on 4,000 passing yards this season with 27 touchdowns. He was described as a pocket passer out of Gilbert, AZ but he has 8 rushing touchdowns this year as well. With a team that ranks 9th in the country in passing offense the Cyclones will need Purdy to drive this offense if they are to compete with a fundamentally sound Notre Dame squad.

Key to the Game

The winner of the game will be the winner of Brock Purdy and the Cyclones pass offense vs. The Notre Dame pass defense. Checking in as the 3rd best in the country, Purdy will have his hands full against Kyle Hamilton and the ball-hawking Notre Dame secondary. If Purdy is able to play like he has this season it would not shock me to see Iowa State pull off the upset.