Category: Football

Chiefs vs Texans Playoff Preview

by Brady Vaughan, posted in NFL

The NFL playoffs are off to a sizzling start with two of the four Wild Card round games going into overtime, a Tennessee Titans victory over the Patriots in Foxborough, and another heartbreaking loss for the New Orleans Saints at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings.

This upcoming weekend, my beloved Kansas City Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes II take on the Houston Texans and stud quarterback Deshaun Watson, who essentially willed his team to victory by being great last week against the Buffalo Bills.

For starters, these two teams played back in Arrowhead Stadium, the site of Sunday’s divisional round matchup,  back in Week Six of the regular season in early October. The Texans won that matchup 31-24. In that game, the Texans out-gained the Chiefs 472 yards to 309 yards. The Texans also ran for 192 yards and also got 35 first downs in that game while the Chiefs only ran for 58 yards and got 20 first downs. However the Texans did turn the ball over three times compared to KC’s two turnovers, two of which were Deshaun Watson interceptions.

However, I believe none of that matters this time around. The Chiefs were without a significant number of starters for that matchup, including starting DT Chris Jones, starting OL Andrew Wylie and Eric Fisher, starting WR Sammy Watkins, starting LB Anthony Hitchens as well as LB Dorian O’Daniel. Furthermore starting CB Kendall Fuller left midway through the second quarter with an injury, and star WR Tyreek Hill was just coming back from his injury. QB Patrick Mahomes also twisted his ankle during the game which hindered his ability to escape the pocket and extend plays. Simply put: the Chiefs were wounded.

That is not to say that the Texans were not without their own injuries. Starting WR Kenny Stills missed the game the last time these teams met as well. Stills had a decent regular season, hauling in 40 catches for 561 yards and 4 TD’s. It’s not the type of numbers that will wow any one person, but those numbers are respectable and force defenses to pay attention to him, which opens up more targets and takes more attention away from guys like Deandre Hopkins and Will Fuller.

Below are three keys to the game for both teams that I believe will go a long way in determining the outcome of this game.

KEYS TO THE GAME FOR THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: 

  • Kansas City must convert on 3rd down. They convert on average 47.6% of their third downs throughout the season. The Texans ate up roughly 40 minutes of game clock last time these teams met. That cannot happen if the Chiefs expect to win this game. Converting on third down and extending drives will ensure the Texans do not have the ball for that long this time around.
  • Kansas City must stop the rushing attack of the Texans. They rushed for 192 yards last time they met. The Chiefs defense has played well lately, giving up only an average of 95 rushing yards over the last six weeks.
  • Kansas City must pressure Deshaun Watson consistently throughout the game. Deshaun takes the most sacks out of any QB in the league, but there were two games this season in which he was not sacked. One of those games was when he last faced the Chiefs in Week Six. The Chiefs must pressure Watson and sack him a couple of times in order to find success in this game. Having DT Chris Jones back and adding DE Terrell Suggs to the defensive line this time around should help the Chiefs be able to do so.

KEYS TO THE GAME FOR THE HOUSTON TEXANS:

  • Protect Deshaun Watson. Contrary to one of the keys for the Chiefs, Houston must protect Watson. He has been under pressure for much of the season. When he was not sacked against the Chiefs, Watson threw for 280 yards and one TD while also running for 42 yards and two TD’s. The less pressure Watson is under, the more time he has to make better decisions and throw the ball accurately to his receiving core.
  • Contain the Chiefs running game. The Texans must try to make the Chiefs one dimensional. Now forcing Patrick Mahomes to drop back and throw with all those weapons around him might not sound like a bad idea to all the Chiefs fans, but I believe Houston should aim to make the Chiefs one dimensional. This allows the Texans defense to more accurately defend against the deadly passing attack Kansas City possesses. If the Texans stop the Chiefs’ run game, this will allow guys like DE JJ Watt, DE DJ Reader, and LB Whitney Mercilus to pin their ears back and go all out on rushing the quarterback in order to attempt forcing Mahomes into some bad decisions.
  • Get all three main wide receivers involved. The Chiefs are missing rookie standout safety Juan Thornhill, who tore his ACL against the Los Angeles Chargers in the regular season finale for the Chiefs. This forces second year safety Armani Watts to step into a bigger role. Watts has not seen as many reps as Thornhill, and I believe the Texans should try to take advantage of that by stretching the field vertically against the Chiefs’ secondary. Hopkins is one of the top three receivers in the league in my book, so he obviously needs to be involved, but the play of Will Fuller and Kenny Stills could go a long way to determining the outcome of this game.

PREDICTION:

The Chiefs are 10 point favorites according to Vegas, but I think it’ll be closer than that. I think the Chiefs convert on third down to help keep the Texans offense off the field for less than 40 minutes (which is how long they were on the field last time these teams met). However, I like Houston’s ability to challenge the Chiefs’ defense, who has been good as of late, but has not faced the best QB’s the last six weeks. While the Chiefs did face Tom Brady in Foxborough, they also faced an aging Phillip Rivers (twice), rookie Drew Lock, Derek Carr, and Mitchell Trubisky. Deshaun is definitively better than most of those quarterbacks, but I believe the Chiefs defense will play better than last time these teams met. The Chiefs will limit the Texan’s rushing attack and will create some pressure on Deshaun. Mahomes will have his full compliment of weapons and a way improved defense behind his back. Add in the home field advantage, and I see the Chiefs walking away with the win. I’ll take Kansas City to win 27-20. 

As always, you can find me on twitter as @bradyvaughan30

NFL Playoff Preview and Picks

by Jeremy Fernando, posted in NFL

The NFL playoffs are upon us and each playoff team has hopes of making it to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida to partake in Super Bowl LIV. Like a typical college student, I procrastinated on this assignment thus, there won’t be too much in-depth analysis on each playoff team. However, I will be giving my playoff predictions which will culminate with who I believe will be holding the Lombardi Trophy come February 2nd, 2020. Let’s start with the AFC.

AFC:

6. Tennessee Titans v. 3. New England Patriots: Will the Patriots dynasty end this year? It is becoming more and more likely. However, I have the utmost faith that they will not fall at the hands of Ryan Tannehill and the Tennessee Titans. The Patriots defense is just too good and its Tom Brady and Bill Belichik in Foxborough. Give me the Patriots winning in a close one.

5. Buffalo Bills vs. 4. Houston Texans: Will the Texans choke once again in the playoffs? I wouldn’t doubt it. This Bills team has surprised everyone this year and is playing very good football at the moment. However, the Texans activated J.J. Watt this week and it looks like he is in line to play which will bring much needed energy to the home crowd at NRG. I think Deshaun Watson makes enough plays down the stretch to give the home team the victory.

4. Houston Texans vs. 1. Baltimore Ravens: Coming off a very close win against the Bills, the Texans season will end when they visit the Ravens. Lamar Jackson and Co. will continue their brilliance and will roll in this one.

3. New England Patriots vs. 2. Kansas City Chiefs: In a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game, I believe Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid get their revenge and officially put an end to the Patriots’ dynasty. While the Pats’ defense will keep them in the game, their abysmal offense, which has hindered them all season, will be the final nail in the coffin. Give me the Chiefs at Arrowhead.

2. Kansas City Chiefs vs. 1. Baltimore Ravens: Yes, I am boring choosing the top 2 seeds to face off in the AFC championship. However, these are the 2 best teams by far in this conference. The Ravens have just looked so impressive all season and it is tough to abandon the ship now. While both teams will put up points, the Ravens have the far better defense which will make enough stops to win them the game. For the first time since winning it all with Joe Flacco in 2013, the Ravens will play in the Super Bowl.

NFC:

6. Minnesota Vikings vs. 3. New Orleans Saints: The Vikings are a very dangerous team and were the game to be played at U.S. Bank Stadium, I’d confidently choose them to prevail. However, its Drew Brees and Sean Payton at the Superdome. After last year’s crushing loss to the Rams in the NFC Championship, the Saints are hungry and motivated. In another thriller, similar to the 2018 divisional round matchup between the 2 teams, I like the Saints to get their revenge on the Vikings.

5. Seattle Seahawks vs. 4. Philadelphia Eagles: I have been riding the Seahawks train since the 2019 season began and if you have been following my Picks from God you know I hate to bet against Russell Wilson. However, it is very hard to beat a team twice in a season and the Seahawks have looked very vulnerable these last few weeks. The Eagles magically flip a switch in the playoffs and I like the home underdogs at Lincoln Financial Field. The Seahawks just have too many injuries on the offensive line for my liking. Due to one of the dumbest rules in sports, the Eagles have home-field advantage and I believe that will be one of the main difference makers in the contest.

4. Philadelphia Eagles vs. 1. San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers win this game by 3 touchdowns. They have just looked so impressive this whole season. Further, the Eagles will be coming off a very close game at home which will take every ounce of manpower. I think the 49ers defense wreaks havoc on Carson Wentz and Jimmy G has his way with the Eagles secondary. 49ers roll.

3. New Orleans Saints vs. 2. Green Bay Packers: Am I really picking against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in one of the harshest weather conditions in all of sports? Yes, I am. Like I said earlier, the Saints are hungry and motivated. This pick makes no logical sense especially after reviewing Drew Brees stat lines in cold-weather games. But I truly believe this is the Saints year and I think their offense does just enough to salvage a win in the tundra.

3. New Orleans Saints vs. 1. San Francisco 49ers: It is tough to beat a team twice in a season and it took everything the 49ers had earlier in the season to knock off the Saints on the road. Yes, the Saints will be coming off a very hard fought win in Lambeau, but Drew Brees is hungry for another Super Bowl and will have his team prepared. The 49ers are the better overall football team and logically this pick doesn’t make sense. But I think the Saints have a massive chip on their shoulder and come out victorious by the bay.

Super Bowl:

New Orleans Saints vs. Baltimore Ravens: This game will have plenty of hype as it will be the old vs. the new in a QB battle between Drew Brees and Lamar Jackson. The big game will not disappoint and fans will get more than they bargained for. In an all-time classic, I think the veteran Brees outlasts newcomer Jackson. Neither team will lead by more than a FG and I think Brees connects with WR Michael Thomas late in the 4th quarter to give the Saints the win. After last year’s incredible heartbreak, the Saints will lift the Lombardi Trophy high as winners of Super Bowl LIV.

A Season To Be Thankful For

by colewest86, posted in NCAA Football

Last night, #7 Baylor fell to #5 Georgia 26-14 in the Sugar Bowl. The Bears now fall to 11-3 on the season. Baylor’s loss in the Sugar Bowl was deflating as Georgia held a 2+ score lead for most of the game, and Baylor lost for the second time in row.

As a Baylor fan myself, it was a tough pill to swallow watching my quarterback leave the game with a scary injury, and favorite team get beat on the field in a New Year’s Six Bowl. Scrolling through Twitter, it was not hard to find frustration from fans regarding the game. Leaving my seat at the end of the game, I felt dejected with a sour taste of losing. It was not until as I was leaving the stadium, that I found myself smiling seeing the insane amount of Baylor fans that made the trip to New Orleans that caused me to reflect on the season as a whole.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

While the season certainly did not end the way Baylor fans wanted it to, this is still a season to be THANKFUL for. It is easy to only focus on the most recent event, but lets not forget all what Baylor Football accomplished this season.

“I know it’s ‑‑ I know it’s painful for our guys, but they can’t let that deter what they’ve done this season.”- Coach Matt Rhule.

First only two years after a 1-11 season, Matt Rhule lead Baylor to an astounding 11-3 not only tying the record for the highest amount of Baylor wins in a season, but making it the 6th time in history that Baylor football has achieved a double-digit win season. The football games themselves were also highly entertaining featuring 3 games that were overtime thrillers. 7 of the 11 games were one-score games with 3 of those with game winning or tying drives by Baylor’s offense in the final minutes.

Baylor Football also brought national attention back to the university as they finished the season ranked #7 in the nation, was amidst the College Football Playoff conversation for majority of the season, and brought ESPN’s College Gameday back to Waco for the first time since 2015. Most college football analysts predicted Baylor to finish anywhere from 4th-8th in the Big-12. Baylor surpassed those expectations and finished 2nd in the Big-12 earning them a spot in the Big-12 championship game, their first appearance in the championship game era. Some analysts did not even expect Baylor to make a bowl game. Matt Rhule and the Bears just responded by going to the Sugar Bowl for the first time since 1957.

In addition, the Bears also brought excitement, and energy back to Baylor Football. This team put on a show each and every game bringing fans back to games. After averaging the lowest attendance per home game ever in McLane Stadium in 2018, this year’s Baylor Football broke the record for the largest attendance in McLane Stadium history with 50,223 in their game against Oklahoma. They also recorded the 3rd largest attendance ever in McLane in their win over Texas, and 8th largest in their win in the overtime thriller against Texas Tech for homecoming.

I think Matt Rhule said it best in the press conference after the Sugar Bowl:

“As I told them, we were picked to not even been here. We got to the championship game. We got to the Sugar Bowl……I’m very, very, very proud of what we did this year, very grateful for these guys to my left and for our seniors for what they’ve done.”

With most of their starters projected to return, Baylor is predicted to have another impressive season, and be in the running for a Big-12 championship. The Bears will start the 2020 season off on September 5th against the Ole Miss Rebels in Houston.

Patriots Playoff Preview and Outlook

by Brian Murray, posted in NFL

For the first time in 9 seasons, the most dominant team in all of sports will play on NFL Wild Card weekend.

So yeah, it’s not ideal, the Pats got beat at home by a 5-11 Dolphins team and lost the first round bye. On the bright side though we’re in the playoffs, we’re onto Tennessee, and it’s a new year and new season. Everyone knows things get different in New England during January and February. This is the real football season for the Pats.

I’m not going to dwell on the loss to the Dolphins for a few reasons. First is that it is what it is – we lost. Second is that it has happened before, and third is that the Pats are in the playoffs and they aren’t. So enjoy the beach fellas.

Anyways the loss hurts more than just a regular loss because the Pats lost the first round bye. It’s not a huge deal in my opinion but it opens the door for more injuries and leaves less time for already existing injuries to heal.

I know for a fact that Julian Edelman, who has undisclosed but probably serious injuries to his shoulder and ankle could’ve used an extra week to rest. Jon Jones and Jason McCourty, each dealing with groin injuries could’ve used those days as well. A few O-lineman have been banged up as well, but hey, it’s football.

So, let’s move onto this weekend, the Wild Card game against the Tennessee Titans in Foxborough.

Ever since Ryan Tannehill took over in Tennessee, the Titans have really been rolling. Not only is Tannehill the highest rated QB in the NFL since he’s been starting, wide receiver AJ Brown is not only the leading rookie receiver in the NFL, but also the leading receiver in the league. This Titans offense is no joke, I expect Brown to draw coverage from Gilmore plus another defender for the whole game. The Pats will no doubt have to take away the best offensive target through the air.

Now, let’s talk about the Titans best player. Running back Derrick Henry. The Titans offense is essentially built off of Henry. They want to play smashmouth bruising football, and Henry is just the back to do that. He’s 6’3″ 240, has run for 1,540 yards this year and added another 206 through receptions. This guy can break a tackle from any linebacker and then immediately turn on the jets and go 75 yards in a blink of the eye. I expect containing Henry to be at the top of the Pats’ defensive gameplan. We simply cannot have another game like the Dolphin’s game where they dominate the time of possession and move the ball down the field chunk by chunk.

On the offensive side I’m mostly concerned about the health of Edelman and the offensive line. Edelman is obviously banged up and was pretty much a non factor against the Dolphins. If the Pats are going to make a deep run this year they’re going to need legendary performances from #11.

Tom Brady also needs to find a way to make it work. I know all the talk this year has been “he doesn’t have weapons” and “nobody can get open”. I’m done with that talk. It’s the playoffs – time to show up and play as hard as you can with what you’ve got. Tom’s made it work with lesser than average receiving corps his whole career. The time for excuses is over, go out and make it work.

With that being said, if the Pats are going to have a consistent offensive attack it’s going to be on the ground. I thought Sony Michel had a good game against the Dolphins and gained good chunks of yardage when he had the blocking. He’ll probably be leaned on a good bit. I still would like Rex Burkhead to be used more robustly. He also had a good game against the Dolphins, but didn’t get enough touches to make a big impact.

All in all, I’m pretty nervous for this one. The team that showed up against the Dolphins looked dispassionate, low energy, and uninspired. I’m hoping that the opposite team shows up this Saturday.

Keep the faith.

LFG.

Top 10 College Football Moments of the Decade

by Alec Murray, posted in NCAA Football, Top 10

As 2019 wraps up in the coming days, so does the second decade of the 21st century. Cole West recently broke down the Top 10 CFB moments of 2019. Here, we’re going to rewind a little further and look at the most dramatic, impactful, and wild moments in college football for the 2010’s. These rankings are far from perfectly objective as different moments and stories stick with all of us differently. Let us know what moments we missed or which ones we over/under-ranked.

#10 UCF’s National Title*

This moment doesn’t make this list for the moment itself, but more because of the implications it will have on college football going forward. In 2015, the Knights were absolutely awful going 0-12 and not putting up much fight in any of their conference games. Things would turn around quite quickly though as Scott Frost and QB McKenzie Milton led UCF to an 11-0 regular season (one game got cancelled due to Hurricane Irma) and a win over Memphis in the American Athletic championship game.

The Knights were left on the outside looking in to the College Football Playoff and had to settle for a Peach Bowl match-up with #7 Auburn. After defeating the Tigers 34-27, UCF would crown themselves 2017 National Champions which would be somewhat backed up by the NCAA and the Colley Matrix (a former BCS ranking algorithm).

2018 was a similar story, as UCF would again go 11-0 with a hurricane-cancelled game and a win over Memphis in the conference championship. And yet again the selection committee refused to take them seriously, leaving them in the Fiesta Bowl against LSU.

The UCF story probably makes your average blue-blood fan pretty uncomfortable because it throws some stones at the system that they have dominated for years. Why call it an FBS championship or playoff system when there are 5 conferences that will never be allowed to compete for the title? As long as group-of-five schools continue to put together impressive undefeated seasons, the current 4-team playoff system will be challenged.

Wouldn’t an 8 team playoff solve so much?

#9 Miami Kick Return to “Beat” Duke

Probably one of the wildest plays of the decade, trailing by three with just seconds left on the clock, Miami lateraled the ball eight times on a kick return that eventually broke loose for a game winning touchdown.

The real story on this play was the officiating, or lack thereof. Initially, there was a flag down for a block in the back on the return team which would have negated the score (correctly so, as you can count at least three and maybe more such blocks on replays). There was also a review to see if a Miami player’s knee was down at one point. After the review, the officials incorrectly concluded not only that the knee was not down but also that the illegal block in question had come from the side and not from behind. Reminder: very few penalties are reviewable and blocks in the back are not one of them.

The touchdown stood and Miami “won.” The ACC ended up temporarily suspending the entire officiating crew and issuing a statement admitting the mistakes. This play has really begun to embody the terrible reputation that ACC refs have come to earn this decade.

#8 Jadaveon Clowney Hit

My unofficial pick for Most Satisfying to Watch Sports play of the decade, words just don’t do justice for this hit from South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney against Michigan in the 2013 Outback Bowl. Clowney was already starting to turn some heads, but this play really put the country on watch and was instrumental in earning himself the first overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft.

#7 Oh he has trouble with the snap!

In college football, there are some coaches who can coach and motivate their teams in big games. Take Ed Orgeron, for example. Since taking over in Baton Rouge in 2016, Coach O has led LSU to a 15-7 record against ranked teams while picking up 11 of those wins over top 10 teams. Then there are coaches who can’t seem to get it done in big games. Jim Harbaugh comes to mind. At Michigan, Harbaugh has a 10-13 record against ranked opponents, beating just two top 10 teams in the process.

Perhaps the most heartbreaking of those losses came in 2015 at the hands of Michigan State. Punting from around midfield with a two point lead and only 10 seconds left on the clock, the Wolverines were all but guaranteed to knock off the 7th ranked Spartans. But we wouldn’t be talking about this game if that were the case. Blake O’Neill fumbled the snap and was swallowed up by Michigan State defenders before he could get any sort of punt off, and Jalen Watts-Jackson took the ball into the endzone as time expired to steal the win and providing the world with one of the more famous surrender cobras of all time:

#6 Texas is Back?

In a wild game against the 10th ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Tyrone Swoopes stretched across the goal-line to win the game for the Longhorns in double overtime. Texas football had been scuffling for the prior 5 years and was slipping from national prominence just six years removed from a trip to the national championship game. A win over a top 10 team to open the year would be huge for getting the program back on track. Thus, thanks to Joe Tessitore, the three-word phrase that has probably been used more than other in college football this decade was born. Texas is back.

The Longhorns catapulted up to #11 in the AP Poll before the country quickly realized that Texas was not, in fact, back. Texas finished the season 5-7, losing to Big 12 doormat Kansas along the way and firing head coach Charlie Strong when all was said and done. It turned out Notre Dame was pretty awful that year as well, as the Fighting Irish finished 4-8.

That one moment has lived on thanks mostly to the large contingent of college football fans across the nation who despise the Longhorns. The phrase does owe some credit for its survival to current Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger and his postgame interview after Texas beat the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2019 Sugar Bowl.

Texas would follow that up by going 7-5 in the 2019 season. Horns down.

#5 Cardale Jones and the 2014 CFP Controversy

The 4-team College Football Playoff system was introduced to produce a more systematic approach to determining a college football national champion with less controversy. So it’s only natural that the first year under the system was steeped in controversy. The controversy was multiplied thanks to the performance of an unlikely hero, Cardale Jones.

Partly famous now for the above tweet, Jones was the third string QB for the Buckeyes at the start of the season behind Braxton Miller and JT Barrett. Thrust into the starting role after Barrett went down with a leg injury in the regular season finale, Cardale Jones led Ohio State in an absolute drubbing of Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big 10 Championship. This gave the selection committee quite the difficult task. It was already pretty well decided that the first three spots in the playoff would go to Alabama, Oregon, and Florida State respectively. The last spot was expected to be given to either Baylor or TCU, whom the Big 12 had somehow declared conference co-champions despite Baylor having beaten TCU head to head. Then the Buckeyes gave the committee an out. Rather than try to disentangle the Baylor-TCU debate, the committee selected Ohio State who went on to win the title, beating Alabama and Oregon along the way.

#4 Iowa State Upsets Oklahoma State with help from Missed FG in 2011

There are very few single plays that have had the same direct impact on the landscape of College Football as a certain field goal in this game did. Ranked #2 in the nation and just two wins from the BCS National Championship game, the 10-0 Oklahoma State Cowboys were having to play just a day after receiving news that a plane crash had taken the lives of the Oklahoma State women’s basketball coach and an assistant.

After giving up a 10 point halftime lead on the road to Iowa State, Mike Gundy, Brandon Weeden, and co. had a chance to take the lead on a 37 yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Quinn Sharp only missed 4 kicks (one of which was an extra point) all season, but unfortunately this was one of them. The ball sailed directly over the right upright and the game went to overtime where the Cyclones pulled off the upset. Watch the field goal attempt here.

After throttling Oklahoma 44-10 the following week, Oklahoma St. still lost out on the #2 ranking and a BCS championship berth by the slimmest of margins to Alabama. The controversy surrounding this decision is what sparked the conversation and reformation that brought us the current College Football Playoff system. Not to mention that without this one missed kick, we would have missed out on the rematch of the Game of the Century™, one of the most exciting* national championships in recent memory in which LSU racked up 92 whole yards of offense! (*heavy dose of sarcasm)

#3 Tua Tagovailoa Leads the Comeback over Georgia

While seeing a rematch of an SEC championship game that was just played a few weeks prior was not the most appealing national championship match up, the game itself did not disappoint. Down to Georgia 13-0 at halftime, Nick Saban benched Jalen Hurts in favor of true freshman QB Tua Tagovailoa who led the Tide back in the second half and forced overtime. After the Alabama defense held the Bulldogs to a field goal, Tagovailoa hit DeVonta Smith up the sideline for a dramatic walk-off touch down to claim Alabama’s fifth title in ten years.

#2 Deshaun Watson Sinks Alabama to Win the 2016 National Championship

There is one primary reason that the top 2 moments in these rankings are the top 2. (Spoiler) They were to beat Alabama. You can’t talk about college football in the 2010’s and not mention the absolute dominance that the Alabama Crimson Tide had on the sport. Nick Saban led the program to 4 titles in the decade while appearing in 7 of the 10 championship games. This moment, when Deshaun Watson hit Hunter Renfrow to give the Clemson Tigers the lead with two seconds to go, not only showed a crack in Alabama’s dynasty, but also cemented Clemson as a national staying power. This was also one of the more thrilling National Championship games of the decade.

#1 The Kick Six and 2013 Auburn

There really can’t be any debate here. Chris Davis’ 109 yard kick return to knock the previously undefeated Crimson Tide out of the SEC- (and consequently the National) -title race ranks in the top 10 of the most dramatic moments across all sports. Not much more needs to be said about a top 5 matchup in one of the most heated rivalries in CFB ending in one of the most ridiculous ways possible and having drastic National Championship implications. And the cherry on top is the famous radio call by the late Rod Bramblett:

The Kick Six overshadows an insane game winning TD for Auburn earlier in the year against Georgia when the Bulldogs secondary batted a deep Nick Marshall pass up for Ricardo Louis who scampered into the endzone to take a 5 point lead with 25 seconds left:

The Kick Six and Immaculate Reception were good enough to propel the Tigers to the National Championship where their luck ran out against Jameis Winston and the Florida State Seminoles.

Texas A&M- Oklahoma State Game Review

by noblequy, posted in NCAA Football

JUST ENOUGH. This was the motto for the Texas A&M Aggies last night as they came back from a 14-0 lead and then held onto for a close win, 24-21, over the Oklahoma State Cowboys. It looked ugly early on for the Aggies as Kellen Mond fumbled twice in the first quarter and fell behind 14-0 quickly. However, after a bad punt by Oklahoma State that got downed at their own 22 yard line, A&M capitalized on the field position and managed to be only down by a score, 14-7, going into halftime. After the A&M defense forced another 3 and out, they again capitalized on the situation and took a 60 yard drive, capped off by a 10 yard slant route touchdown pass from Mond to Jhamon Ausbon. After both offenses traded off multiple punts back and forth, Kellen Mond ripped off a 67 yard run through the heart of the Cowboys defense, giving A&M the lead for the first time all night. After forcing another punt, the A&M offense took a 9 play drive and kicked a 24 yard field goal with 2:52 left in the game to make it a 2 possession game. That FG would be the difference in the game as the A&M defense, for all the improvements they made in the 2nd half, gave up an Oklahoma State touchdown drive with a 1:04 left in the game. However, the onside kick attempt fell short and after A&M recovered and took a couple of knee downs, A&M completed the comeback and held onto to win the game and finish the season with an 8-5 record.

Player Notes:

Kellen Mond- failed to throw for a 100 yards but made up for it by leading the team in rushing with a 117 yards on the ground on 12 attempts, including a rushing touchdown.

Ainias Smith- it could be argued that once the freshman receiver found his way onto the field was the time that A&M found its spark on offense. While only pulling in 2 receptions, his explosive presence seemed to help kick start the previously anemic offense by being the other back, providing the explosive threat needed by A&M.

Chubba Hubbard- had another good night as he averaged 7.5 yards per run, with a total of 158 yards on 19 attempts. To A&M’s credit, the defense stopped him when they needed to and kept him out of the endzone. Oklahoma State fans eagerly wait on the redshirt sophomore’s decision to declare for the NFL Draft or not.

Braydon Johnson- had a very good night, averaging almost 25 yards a catch with 2 TDs and 124 reception yards, scorching the A&M secondary.  

What’s Next?

Oklahoma State- While not getting the result they wanted from last night, Coach Mike Gundy remains optimistic for the Cowboys’ future, with the return of sophomore receiver Braydon Johnson and the hopeful return of Hubbard.

Texas A&M- Finally got a win over a good team, ranked in the Top 25, and got to 8 wins. Texas A&M will look to build off this win in the offseason for a 2020 season that is much more forgiving, swapping out SEC East opponent Georgia for Vanderbilt and nonconference Clemson, for UNT. With another top 10 recruiting class, Jimbo Fisher looks to continue to rebuild and retool Texas A&M into an SEC & CFP contending team.

Ags vs. Pokes: 2019 Texas Bowl Preview

by Jeremy Fernando, posted in NCAA Football

Howdy Folks! Aggie gameday is upon us as our beloved Fightin’ Texas Aggies will partake in the 2019 Texas Bowl against the Oklahoma State Cowboys tomorrow afternoon. The Aggies come in with a 7-5 record on the year, but have lost their last 2 games. In the words of OK State coach Mike Gundy, the Aggies are the “best 7-5 team in the history of the NCAA.” I, personally, have never heard a more truthful statement in my life. The Ags have played arguably the hardest schedule of all time with all 5 losses against teams currently ranked in the top 12 in the playoff rankings. However, they have received criticism from many around the country for not having a win against a team with a winning record. The Aggies have their chance now against a Cowboys team who is 8-4 on the year and currently ranked 25th in the nation. The Aggies are currently favored by 5.5 points, a line that has went down by 1.5 points since Monday.

The Cowboys offense features one of the best RB’s in the country in Chuba Hubbard who led college football in rushing yards and also had 21 touchdowns. Hubbard has been an absolute workhorse this year and will cause some fits for an Aggie defense that has been liable to give up the occasional big play. QB Spencer Sanders had a solid year for the Pokes but missed the final 2 games after undergoing thumb surgery. Therefore, both he and backup Dru Brown will be receiving playing time. Further, the Cowboys will be without their top receiver, Tylan Wallace, who has been out with a torn ACL since November. This is good news for a much improved Aggie pass defense. However, the major key for the Aggie defense is whether or not they can contain Chuba Hubbard. If the Ags can prove they can stop the run early in the game and force the Cowboy’s offense to rely on their passing game, they will have a solid shot to walk out of Houston with a win.

While the OK State offense and the Aggie defense are both statistically solid, it is the total opposite for their respective defenses and offenses. Neither are very good. The Aggie offense is once again led by QB Kellen Mond who has been fairly good from a numbers standpoint, but has been subpar in the eyes of the average Aggie fan. While Mond has shown some growth this season, his play in the last two games of the season against Georgia and LSU have many calling for the QB to head to the sidelines. While Mond was unimpressive in both games, it is the offensive line play as a whole this season that has left me yelling at my flatscreen. The Aggies offensive line is abysmal to say the least and ranks near the bottom of the NCAA in almost every measurable statistic. Thankfully, they will be going up against an OK State defense that is unimpressive to say the least. Therefore, the Aggies should be able to establish the run with RB Isaiah Spiller which should open up the passing game for Mond. Look for receiver Jhamon Ausbon to have a big day against a brutal Cowboy’s secondary.

Sounds cliché, but for the Aggies to have a chance today they have to be able to stop Chuba Hubbard. The Cowboy defense is lackluster and will give Mond and Co. plenty of chances to score against them. In typical Big 12 fashion, I expect to see a shootout in NRG tomorrow and I like the Aggies to prevail. Good teams win. Great teams cover. Aggies 36 Cowboys 29.

CFB Playoffs: #2 Ohio St. vs. #3 Clemson

by Jeremy Fernando, posted in Football, NCAA Football

Merry Christmas! Happy Hannukah! Happy Kwanzaa! Whichever holiday you celebrate, we can all come together and rejoice in College Football Playoff season. The playoffs are finally upon us and let us rejoice and be glad. Grad School’s Cole West did a preview of the 1st semifinal game which can be found here: http://gradschoolsports.net/2019/12/24/college-football-playoffs-1-lsu-vs-4-ou-preview/

I will be previewing the primetime matchup between the Clemson Tigers and The Ohio State Buckeyes. Neither team is short of playoff appearances with the Buckeyes making their 3rd playoff appearance, winning it all 2014. Meanwhile, the Tigers will be playing in their record-tying 5th CFB playoff and will hoping to win back to back championships and their 3rd title in the last 4 years. Let’s dive into the matchups in this highly anticipated affair which has Clemson narrowly favored by 2.5 points

Clemson Offense:

This Clemson offense is very similar to last year’s team and is once again led by QB Trevor Lawrence and RB Travis Etienne. After some early season troubles, Lawrence has really rebounded in the 2nd half of the season and enters the game with the 7th best QBR in the nation. Lawrence has homerun targets in receivers Tee Higgins, who comes into the game with over 1,000 receiving yards, and Justyn Ross, the 13th best receiver in the ACC. Etienne has been magnificent on the ground for the Tigers as they have the 9th best rushing attack in all of college football. The Tigers offensive line has been stellar all season as well as they are 5th in the country in sacks allowed. Overall, this offense has been absolutely phenomenal and is clicking on all cylinders heading into the semifinal.

Ohio State Defense:

Two words: Chase Young. Lining up to defend against Lawrence and Co. will be arguably the best player in all of college football and a prospective number one pick in next year’s draft. Young is 1st in the country in both tackles for loss and sacks, and 2nd in forced fumbles. While Young has been a force to be reckoned with, this OSU defense is incredibly well-rounded. Statistically, they have the 2nd best passing defense and 7th best rushing defense in the nation. LB Malik Harrison has also enjoyed a great season and will team with Young to put pressure on the Tigers offense.

Ohio State Offense:

Offensively, the Buckeyes have a 3-headed monster in QB Justin Fields, RB J.K. Dobbins, and WR Chris Olave that Columbus has not seen since the 06 season. They have arguably the best offensive line in college football and the unit was a semi-finalist for the Joe Moore award. Playing in the very competitive Big 10, this offense has been battle-tested against some of the better defensive units in the nation. However, they have not faced a defense like the Tigers and could face some challenges moving the ball on Saturday.

Clemson Defense:

Statistically, the Tigers have the best defense in all of college football. They are at the top in both total defense and passing defense, 5th in turnover margin, and have the 9th best rushing defense. Brent Venables is a defensive mastermind and has one of the best defensive players in all of football in LB Isiah Simmons. The All-American Simmons has been remarkable this year and is an absolute unit at 6’4, 230 lbs. The Tigers also have one of the best scoring defenses in the country. Therefore, pressuring OSU QB Justin Fields and forcing him to make miscues could give Clemson the advantage it needs on Saturday.

Now the last time these 2 teams met in the 2016 semifinal, Clemson manhandled the Buckeyes 31-0 en route to their title win over Alabama. I, along with the rest of the country, expect a much closer game this year.

Who wins this game? I honestly think this is a coin flip game. Clemson has steamrolled their competition this year. However, there is an argument to be made that the teams they played don’t deserve to be properly identified as “competition.” Throughout the season, analysts have been underestimating this Tigers group however, everyone knows head coach Dabo Swinney will use that as fuel to have his team properly prepared and motivated for Saturday.

On the other hand, Ohio State has also dominated their competition and have played one of the more challenging schedules in the country. Ryan Day has done a great job in his 1st year as head coach and there were many around the country who believed OSU deserved the number one overall seed in the playoff.

I will have an official prediction on Friday when I release my Picks from God, however as of publishing I like the Buckeyes to prevail.

The Jerry Problem

by Clayton Neider, posted in Football, NFL

Jerry Jones is the worst owner in all of sports. He has built the most valuable sports franchise in the world, but inappropriately talks to the press, oversteps his role, and even turns his back on the cowboys and leaves games early. He is a disgrace to the team and is a disease that needs to be cured. This is not the man I want to own and manage The Dallas Cowboys.

Time and time again I hear Dallas fans look for problems in the organization saying its the coaching staff, the quarterback, the defense, or anything else. It is a different “problem” every week. One thing that has been consistent over the last 30 years is, The Jerry Problem. Dallas rightfully so wants Jason Garrett gone, but lets take a look at The Jerry Problem.

The Dallas Cowboys get off to a hot start at 3-0. The fans are beginning to believe once again that this is “our year.” A phrase that I have heard all my life. The Cowboys were #4 in the power rankings per ESPN coming into week 4. Kellen Moore had reshaped the Cowboys offense to a pass first attack that was shredding offenses. Dak Prescott threw for over 900 yards in his first 3 games. The Cowboys are on track for it to be “our year.”

Fast Forward 3 weeks and we are reminded that greatness can only last so long, especially considering the records of the three teams we beat. This three game stretch reminds us that it once again is not “our year.”

The Dallas Cowboys face a tough decision in deciding to extend Garrett or look elsewhere. Jerry Jones has loved Garrett for many seasons shown by the following statement, “We have a lot invested in Jason. Jason is certainly, in my mind, the coach that could turn this thing around and cause us to have a great year.” Throughout the season he has reminded the Cowboys that he is the guy, “I wouldn’t make a change & give us a chance to do what I want to dream about doing.” and “There will be no coaching change.” Jerry Jones believed in Garrett until he didn’t.

Jerry Jones flips his opinion of Garrett overnight and states, “we’d have zero chance” to win a Super Bowl with the current head coach. This couldn’t be the same man that believed in Jason Garrett just a little over a month ago. At 6-6 leading the NFC East, Jerry Jones idiotically goes to the media once again to publicly indicate that Jason Garrett will be fired after the season is over unless he wins a Super bowl. This is incredibly inappropriate for a team atop of the division controlling their own destiny.

Imagine your boss giving you an impossible task. Now imagine the pressure of this task knowing if you don’t finish you would be fired. This is the scenario that Jason was put under and is down right idiotic of Jerry Jones to say. If I knew I was going to be fired within the next two months, I would have no incentive to work and the team showed it on the field. In the next few games you saw a flat Cowboys team that had no energy trying to rally behind Dak Prescott. The issues on the field have one explanation, The Jerry Problem.

Jerry Jones only option with a team 6-6 vying for the playoffs was to fire Jason Garrett mid-season and promote Kris Richard as the Interim Head Coach. Richard played football at USC under Pete Carroll and joined him on his coaching staff at Seattle where he was the secondary coach and helped develop talent that included Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor. AKA “The legion of boom.” Dallas hired him as the defensive backs coach in 2018 and he has done a phenomenal job helping the Dallas defense turn into a top 10 defense. In the offseason after his first year there was much speculation about him being promoted or even becoming a defensive coordinator somewhere else.

At 6-6, who would you rather have, a lackluster, hand clapper, emotionless Jason Garrett who has no reason to fight to win the division? Or would you rather have a fiery Kris Richard with a lot to prove with the capability of winning the division and doing some damage in the playoffs.

A team that has top 5 talent in almost every area on the field is now #14 in the power rankings (Per ESPN). This seems to have always been the case for the Cowboys in the past 20 years, a talented team that grossly continues to underperform.

The choice was simple, the choice was obvious, the choice was necessary. Jerry Jones has been the problem, is the problem, and will always be the problem for The Dallas Cowboys.

State of the Patriots 12/24/19 – Just Getting Loose?!

by Brian Murray, posted in NFL

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other Holiday you may celebrate! I am optimistically looking forward to 2020 and I hope you are too!

Pats are 12-3 heading into week 17

The Patriots won the AFC East for the 11th year in a row this past weekend, a truly remarkable feat in a league designed for constant parity and turnover. Baring another “Miami Miracle” this weekend, we’ll finish the season with an impressive 13 wins.

Positives from the Bills game

I thought last week’s game against the Bills was one of the most exciting games of the year. Two evenly matched teams played hard nose football the whole game, and it came down to the last possession. That being said, I thought the Pats got back to playing ‘Patriots football’ and pretty much controlled the game throughout.

Positive #1

The big guys up front on both sides of the ball were outstanding. Isaiah Wynn, Joe Thuney, and Shaq Mason have really led the way for a surging position group. Mason in particular has been really good down the stretch this year after a shaky start to the season. He’s had 85 grade or above from Pro-Football Focus in four of his last seven games. I was critical of him earlier in the year, but I think he’s starting to show why he’s worth the money we paid him. Joe Thuney has been outstanding and has really anchored the O-line all year. He’s got a PFF grade of 78.5, which is pretty solid and I hope the Pats give him a new contract after this season. Marcus Cannon went down after getting the back of his ankle rolled up on during a run play. According to sources, he was at practice today so that is a good sign going forward.

Positive #2

This was the first game where I felt confident in our receiver’s abilities to get open for Tom. The ball was really spread around against the Bills as Edelman, White, Harry, Burkhead, Meyers, Sanu, Watson, and LaCosse all played important parts in the passing game.

The two most exciting components to me were the emergence of Rex Burkhead both running and catching balls out of the backfield, and the continued development and usage of N’Keal Harry.

Based on the last two games, I think Burkhead has been criminally underused this season. He’s great catching balls out of the backfield, and he can make people miss in the open field. Plus, he showed he’s tough to tackle straight up, as he bounced right off a Bills linebacker for the go ahead touchdown.

N’Keal Harry also continues to show toughness and versatility both running and catching the ball. Two weeks in a row now, the Pats have called end around runs with him and aside from a missed block from Sanu, each one has gone for 10+ yards. The hand-off to Harry on the 4th and 1 where he was stopped short was really disappointing. Sanu totally whiffed on his block, and seemed to barely make any effort at all. Harry didn’t back down from his match-up with top Bills corner, Tre’Davious White. Harry blocked against him hard, much to the chagrin of White. I still think Harry’s got a long way to go to be top option passing wise, but he works hard, blocks hard, and is super athletic. This guy has all the tools to be a monster weapon and I’m rooting for him.

Positive #3

Special teams and defense continues to get it done.

DPOY candidate Stephon Gilmore and Pro-Bowl snub JC Jackson played outstanding yet again. I was also really impressed with Lawrence Guy and Adam Butler, two under the radar defensive lineman who have played outstanding for the Pats in the last two years. Guy in particular is highly rated for not missing tackles (he’s only missed one all year).

The defense did a great job of putting pressure on Josh Allen when it mattered the most. During the last drive of the game, the Bills made it all the way down to the 25ish yard line and had three shots to the end zone. On the first one, Allen missed his tight end in the back corner for a potentially game tying touchdown. On the second Allen was sacked, and on the third, the Pats blitzed hard, and Allen had no time other than to run back ten yards and chuck it up. JC Jackson subsequently knocked the pass down.

Another thing we can’t take for granted is the kicking game. Nick Folk nailed three field goals, including a 51 yard attempt and one extra point. Good kicking has been a rare commodity in the NFL this year, and if the Pats can rely on Folk to be confident down the stretch, it’ll be a huge luxury.

A look ahead

The Pats are hosting the Dolphins at home this week. Obviously, the Dolphins don’t really have much to play for and aren’t a top team, but I expect them to compete nonetheless. It’ll be interesting to see the dynamics of Brian Flores’ and all the former Pats coaches and players coming back to Foxborough for the first time. It’s been no secret that Flores brought a large contingent of Patriots from last year’s team with him down to South Beach. This past week, he claimed two players from the Pats practice squad. I wonder if that has ruffled anybody’s feathers in the building.

The Pats need to win this game. If they win, a first round bye, and home field in the Divisional game is ours. If not, the Chiefs will get home field and the bye (assuming they win). By all accounts, the Pats are taking this one super seriously. In the locker room after the Bills game, Belichick called the game a playoff game and the upcoming game against the Dolphins a playoff game as well. Nobody’s taking this one lightly, and I would expect nothing less. I’m expecting this team to rally around the now famous quote from Elandon Roberts for the rest of the season, “I’ll run through a M*****f***** face, offense, defense, special teams, it don’t matter.”

Onto Miami. Go Pats.