Tag: NCAA Football

Should NCAA Student-Athletes be Paid: A Debate

by Jeremy Fernando, posted in NCAA Football

Last night as I sat down to edit next week’s edition of our weekly newsletter, the Syllabus (click here to subscribe to the Syllabus), I found myself engaged in a contested debate with some good friends from college. The topic: should college athletes be allowed to profit off their name, image and likeness (NIL)? While that may be a “yes or no” question, the overall situation is far more complex as many members of the group (myself included) are beginning to understand. What is clear though is that in this debate there tend to be 4 different types of people which I will outline in this table. 

NameOpinion
Free-MarketersSchools and their donors should be allowed to pay the players as much as they want. Let free-market capitalism run its course.
Regulated MarketersPlayers should be able to profit off their NIL, however there should be regulation as to who is paying them.
RealistsWhile student-athletes should be able to profit off their NIL, which players will get compensated? The circumstances surrounding compensation are so intricate that there is no easy solution.
BoomersAthletes already get an education so they shouldn’t receive any additional compensation.

While I consider myself more of a “regulated marketer” I do tend to side with a few of the arguments the “realists” make. Let’s examine jersey sales. Sorority girls and frat stars love to strut around in the jersey of their school’s biggest athletic superstar. For Duke, it was students walking around in Zion Williamson jerseys. This past year, if you went down to Baton Rouge, LA you were greeted with a barrage of white and gold #9 Joe Burrow jerseys. Did Mr. Williamson or Mr. Burrow receive a dime for their marketability? I think you know the answer. However, this is where the conversation gets incredibly tricky. How would an athlete get compensated for a jersey sale?

Let’s use Johnny Manziel as an example. We all remember Johnny Football frantically running around defenders then finally throwing a prayer up to receiver Mike Evans who would somehow make the catch? Manziel was a household name. Make a trip to College Station and notice how he is revered like the second coming of Christ. His #2 jersey is everywhere. Let’s say he began getting paid a percentage of every jersey Texas A&M sold with his name on it. What would the offensive lineman who protected his blindside have to say? Or even star receiver Mike Evans who made several miracle catches that turned rather errant throws into touchdowns? I’m fairly certain those players would all say they played a role in Manziel becoming a star and a highly marketable player. Therefore, they too are going to want a piece of the action. So how would those players get paid? While the players from the 2012 Texas A&M football team have long graduated, how would allowing star players to profit off jersey sales affect team chemistry. When QB Trevor Lawrence is raking in money from jersey sales but his offensive linemen or receivers aren’t wouldn’t that negatively affect team morale? I don’t possess all the answers but I do know that whole situation could get messy.

Further, I don’t think players using their social media accounts to make money is as cut and dry as people think. Who is paying these athletes to post on their social media accounts? If the school directly pays the athlete to post on their Instagram account would that be considered direct compensation? Additionally, schools like Ohio State or Georgia with large athletic department budgets could potentially use that as a recruiting tool. They could possibly tell a recruit that they’d be able to offer them money for social media posts once they develop a large enough following. This would give them an advantage over mid-major schools such as Cincinatti or Memphis who do not have such deep pockets.

However, isn’t there already a gap in inequality between athletic departments? Larger institutions that are known for their strong athletic departments tend to have nicer facilities and better coaches that are used to recruit the most talented athletes. Would allowing a collegiate athlete to profit off their NIL drastically change this already large gap in inequality between schools? I find it hard to believe. Let’s take it a step further and look at the top schools in college basketball and football every year. For basketball, you typically see Duke, Kentucky, Louisville and Michigan State atop the rankings year in and year out. For football, it’s Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma and Ohio State. The top football talent is headed to these institutions because the amenities, such as the nicer facilities and better coaches, at these schools give these athletes the best chance to make it to the NFL. Not to mention, playing in the SEC, Big 10 or even Big 12 allows these athletes to face the stiffest competition that resembles what they will possibly face at the next level.

We see the same schools competing for championships in those two sports every year. I don’t think compensating athletes for their NIL would really change that. Football teams such as UCONN or South Florida probably weren’t going to land 5-star recruits to begin with. In fact, allowing athletes to profit off their NIL could actually be a playing card mid-major schools could use in their favor. Coaches could meet with a 4-star recruit and tell them: “Hey, you may not play your first couple years at a school like Alabama. But if you come to my school, you will immediately play and could become the face of the school. You could profit off your social media accounts right away and could even have local businesses wanting to endorse you.” That may sound like a much better alternative to a 4-star recruit who would undoubtedly not see the field for the first couple years at a blue-chip school. Bottom line: there is already an inequality gap in terms of recruiting and landing the top high school prospects so allowing athletes to profit off their NIL wouldn’t drastically alter the landscape of college football or basketball.

Lastly, athletes are getting paid by donors. We’re lying to ourselves if we don’t think it’s happening. Sports’ betting, too, is prohibited in most states yet the gaming industry rakes in billions a year. But some states are coming to their senses and passing laws that legalize sports betting. If it’s going to happen anyways why not legalize it and be able to tax it? Imagine the tax dollars that would come from large university donors who are giving these players cars, money and in some cases even houses. Further, legalization means high regulation. Allow donors to directly pay student-athletes and highly regulate it. Once again, I’m not advocating for student-athletes to be able to receive compensation from donors, however let’s not pretend it isn’t already happening. 

While the previous paragraphs may say otherwise, my position on the matter is quite clear. If the NCAA is going to designate collegiate athletes as “STUDENT-athletes” they should be allowed the same rights as their other classmates. These rights include the ability to profit off social media or sign marketing deals. If not, then the NCAA should assign a new name to college athletes because it has not viewed them as “students” first in quite some time.

Why Baylor’s New Head Football Coach is an Excellent Choice

by colewest86, posted in NCAA Football

Thursday afternoon, news broke that Baylor hired former- LSU defensive cordinator, Dave Aranda to be the new head football coach for the Baylor Bears. This news came as a slight surprise to most as media outlets were trending towards associate head coach, Joey McGuire, and Virginia Tech head coach, Justin Fuente. However after the conclusion of the National Championship, Baylor athletic director, Mack Rhoades went after and hired LSU’s defensive coordinator as the new football coach.

Here is a preview of coach, Dave Aranda is and why he is such a great choice for the Baylor Bears:

Coaching History:

Dave Aranda coached the defensive line for Hawaii back in 2009. It was then a couple years later where he got promoted to defensive coordinator for Hawaii. He then went on to Utah State at the defensive coordinator for a year in 2012 where is defense ranked 15th in the country.

The next year, Aranda became the defensive coordinator for the Wisconsin Badgers. He served as the coordinator there for three years, where he made Wisconsin ranked top-10 in total defense in three straight years, including a Big-10 championship appearance in 2014, and 2nd in total defense in 2015.

In 2016, Aranda got hired by the LSU Tigers after many programs were wanting Aranda as their defensive coordinator. He lead LSU defense to be ranked 5th in total defense in 2016, and 12th in 2017. This year, he coached the defense on a LSU team who arguably had the best college football season ever, and won a national championship.

Why is Aranda such a great hire for the Bears?

1.Aranda Fits the Build for Baylor

First off, Aranda has coached some of the best defenses in the country for a couple of the best teams in the country. He has coached the best, and has played the best. In 2019, Baylor had one of the best defenses in their the Big-12, a conference not normally know for defense. Now Baylor, has an well-qualified defensive minded coach coming to a team who heavily relied on its defense to win games.

Normally, Baylor hires up and coming coaches who show promise and hope, but Dave Aranda is a guy who has already has proven himself by consistently having some of the best defensive success in the country. Baylor is getting a big time defensive name to come to Waco.

2. Aranda Has Championship Experience

Any fan of football knows that experience plays a huge deal in the sports. Teams and coaches with more experience have a significant advantage. Good news for the Bears is Coach David Aranda has that elite/championship experience. He has coached a top-10 defense in the the 2 toughest conferences in College Football. Therefore, Aranda has had success against the best talent. Not only, has he had just success, he’s had championship level success. He has held opponents in the College Football Playoffs to 22 total points in the 2nd half. That is elite to do against the top offenses in the country.

His championship experience will go miles at Baylor. It raises his ceiling for what this Baylor team can do since has been there before. Fellow coaches and players will buy into his program because he succeeded at the highest level before. Not many head coaches can say that.

3. David Aranda is Great at Making Adjustments

In the big games LSU defensive coordinator, David Aranda was able to make some key adjustments for his team. In the game vs Florida, it was tied 21-21 at halftime, a game that was very back and fourth. LSU’s defense only allowed a single touchdown the entire 2nd half allowing LSU to beat Florida 42-28.

In addition, Aranda’s defense played the best in the games at the end of the year when the games mattered the most. LSU played three straight “elimination” games in a row, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Clemson. In those 3 games, they allowed just around 16 points a game in non-garbage time. Aranda showed the country his defense plays the best in big games.

Mack Rhoades just brought one of the top defensive talents, and sought after coaches to Baylor. If Dave Aranda can choose a great offensive coordinator, and recruit some great talent to Baylor, Aranda could not only keep Baylor as one of the top teams in the Big-12, but sustain that success for years to come.

If You Care About Integrity in Sports, Boycott the National Championship

by Ethan Myers, posted in NCAA Football

The College Football National Championship is here, and from the looks of it, it should be a good one. LSU against Clemson, two unbeaten powerhouses, square off tonight. The storylines write themselves: Joe Burrow vs. Trevor Lawrence, Dabo Swinney taking on the SEC again, and LSU dominating in the best conference in the country. All of this sounds just fantastic, however there is a dark underbelly to this contest. ESPN and the national media has sold the country a bill of goods once again, and they expect us to just sit back and lap it up.

Let’s start with the obvious: ESPN has always had a clear SEC bias. This dates back even before the College Football playoffs, however it became truly evident once the playoff system was created. According to ESPN, the SEC is the king of football, and if you don’t play in the SEC, you are trash. This year there were really only 4 teams that made sense for the playoffs: LSU, Clemson, The Ohio State University, and Oklahoma. This made these selections have very little controversy. However, whoever got the #1 seed had a massive advantage, as it was clear that Oklahoma was going to have the #4 seed, and getting to play OU in the semifinals was essentially a bye week. For the last couple weeks leading up to the final rankings, The Ohio State University held the #1 spot, which made a lot of sense. They were the only team that had truly dominated every game this season (LSU fans, don’t embarrass yourselves by claiming that giving up 38 to Texas and barely winning was a quality game for you). Come Conference Championship week, both tOSU and LSU had great games. The Ohio State University beat Wisconsin for the second time this season by multiple scores, and LSU trounced an anemic-looking Georgia. It appeared that the rankings would stay the same and tOSU would get the #1 seed.

Once the final rankings were released, ESPN once again showed their SEC bias. LSU ended up with the #1 seed and essentially a “bye-week” by getting to play Oklahoma, where as tOSU fell to #2 and drew Clemson. The best part is how they justified giving LSU the #1 seed. The committee kept Georgia at #5 in the final rankings, even though Georgia has look absolutely terrible all year. This was a team that lost to 4-8 South Carolina at home! Thinking Georgia deserved to stay so high is only possible with a severe brain injury. However, this allowed the committee to point at LSU and declare that they beat the #5 team, such a fantastic win! This allowed ESPN and the powers that be to fulfill the first step in their plan of making sure the SEC is in that championship game. The next step? Getting Clemson in that title game.

Before it is explored how the Clemson-The Ohio State University game was fixed to make sure Clemson won, it is important to see why the powers that be want Clemson in that title game playing the SEC. According to the national media, only one team has been successful in beating SEC teams consistently: Clemson. They also like to ignore what happened the last time Ohio State played the jewel of the SEC in Alabama, but that wouldn’t fit their narrative. The problem with Clemson beating SEC teams is that it weakens the narrative that the SEC is king: how can they be king if they lose to an ACC team? The answer is simple. Prop up Clemson as essentially a quasi-SEC team. That way, even if the SEC loses, they really just lost to another southern powerhouse, so the SEC narrative can live. Now if an SEC team loses to a Big Ten school, that doesn’t exactly connect with the narrative. Thus, something had to be done to make sure The Ohio State University lost to Clemson.

Looking at the game on the surface, it appears that The Ohio State University lost a 29-23 heart-breaker to a superior Clemson. Upon closer review of the game, it is quite evident to see the Buckeyes weren’t just playing Clemson, they were also playing against the refs. The crew used for the game was an SEC referee crew. Isn’t that just awfully convenient for the powers that be to fix the game?

Let’s start with the targeting call on tOSU DB Shaun Wade. Shaun Wade was sacking Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, going in right for 6′ 6” Lawrence’s chest. At the absolute last second when Wade had 0 time to react, Lawrence ducked his head down and Wade grazed helmets. This was a perfect opportunity for the SEC refs to kick out one of tOSU’s best defensive players. They launched the flag and immediately threw out Wade for “targeting”. Such an embarrassing call and so transparent to keep Clemson in the game. Plus this allowed ESPN commentators Herbstreit and Fowler to sing Lawrence’s praises the rest of the game. You’d think Lawrence deserved a Medal of Honor for staying in the game after that sack; the commentators were surprisingly silent on talking about tOSU QB Justin Fields or tOSU RB J.K. Dobbins when it came to toughness, even though both players could barely move out there and were still competing.

The most egregious call came in the 3rd quarter with the Buckeyes trailing 21-16. Lawrence threw a pass to Clemson WR Justyn Ross, who appeared to secure the ball and take multiple steps before tOSU DB Jeff Okudah stripped the ball. The Ohio State University recovered the supposed fumble and took it back for a touchdown, giving tOSU the lead again. However, the SEC referees decided to review the play. Even though the call on the field was that the play was a fumble, the SEC crew decided that holding the ball with two hands and taking multiple steps wasn’t enough for possession, and reversed the call to an incomplete pass, taking the touchdown away from the Buckeyes. So much for needing “conclusive evidence” to overturn a call, the SEC crew and the powers that be decided this was a perfect chance to stop the Buckeyes from scoring and make sure Clemson won.

By the time it was all said and done, ESPN got exactly what they wanted. The SEC champion and Clemson are squaring off for the national championship. Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany dared to spur ESPN by signing a TV deal with Fox, and ESPN is still trying to make the Big Ten pay to this day. It is so clear how rigged the system is and how awful it is that they would actually fix a game to make sure Clemson won. The only way to stop such blatant corruption from happening is to show the national media that the fans will not tolerate this farce of an event. I for one will not be tuning in to ESPN to watch this game, as I refuse to give them any of my business after they showed they’re willing to spit in the face of fair competition. If you also care about integrity in sports, the best way to fight back is to not watch this game, and refuse to buy into this lie the national media is trying to perpetrate.

Thank You Matt Rhule

by Clayton Neider, posted in NCAA Football

Thank you Matt Rhule. Thank you for taking the chance on a broken program. Thank you for stepping in and being the leader Baylor Football needed. Thank you for building a program that Baylor Nation can be proud of. Thank you for giving us hope again.

Matt Rhule has been the hottest coaching name in sports in the past couple of weeks. He has accepted a head coaching position at the Carolina Panthers. He struck a deal for 7 years, 60 million dollars with incentives up to 70 million. I could not be happier for him and his family.

I was lucky enough to give some tennis lessons to his son and the thing that was very evident is that he is a family man first. His son loved everything tennis and football related. It was clear that Coach Rhule is a dad to his children and a husband to his wife before he is a coach.

1-11. The 2017 football season is one I will never forget. I was at every home game and was wondering if this guy could turn it around. Against my better judgement I trusted him in these moments of absolute failure but he told us of a better time ahead. He talked about a time where Baylor would be contending for a Big 12 Championship. Baylor nation was just too blind to whole heartedly trust the process.

The bad times make you appreciate the good times. This last season could not have been more sweet. Standing in Mercedes Benz stadium after the crushing loss to Georgia I looked back and was proud of how far the Baylor Bears had come. This was in large part due to Matt Rhule.

Matt Rhule, Baylor Nation is sad to see you go. Many are grumpy and angry but we will always remember what you have done for this program. We will always remember how you instilled strength, hard work, and consistency. We will always remember the 2019 season with a shot at the playoff. We will remember your vision for Baylor Football and the young men that you had a huge impact on. We will always remember your dedication to your family first and your love for the game of football.

Baylor Nation thanks you and wishes you the best at the Carolina Panthers.

Top-10 2020 College Football Games to Look Forward to

by colewest86, posted in Uncategorized

Just like that College Football is nearly over for the 2019-2020 season. We can all start sulking thinking about going without College Football for the next seven months. Well the only appropriate reaction is to start gearing up towards next season because what else are we going to do…. watch golf or something?

Next season offers up some great games that we do not normally get. Here are the top-10 games to look forward to for next college football season.

10. Mississippi State at Ole Miss (Week 13)

Coming in first at #10 is the good ole Egg Bowl. Before people disagree with this one, just remember that Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach are now the coaches. Both coaches have had success elsewhere, and also never fail to bring drama into the fold in college football. Last year’s Egg Bowl featured a player pretending to pee like a dog on the field… and that was without Mike Leach. This year’s Egg Bowl should bring a lot more hype.

9. Texas at LSU (Week 2)

Well if you have not heard the news… it is almost preseason meaning Texas is back, and so is Sam Ehlingher apparently. Not sure where he was going to go in the first place.. but nevertheless this will most likely be a top-10 matchup thanks to the AP Poll voters. Last year’s matchup turned out to be a shoot-out thriller. This year in Death Valley may not be as close, but at least if it is not, then social media users around the country get the opportunity to spam “horns down” across Twitter.

8. Oklahoma vs Texas (Week 6)

At #8 is the Red River Rivalry. This game always serves as classic show down between two blue-bloods that always serves to be an entertaining game. Look at for quarterbacks, Sam Ehlinger, and whichever transfer OU gets to face off in the Cotton Bowl stadium. The winner will most likely make it to the Big-12 championship.

7. Penn State at Michigan (Week 5)

Before anyone argues that this should be Michigan at Ohio State, I wanted to put games in here that will actually be a close score in the 2nd half. Penn State will travel to Ann Arbor. This will be a great BIG-10 matchup as winner will have the luxury of losing to Ohio State on College Gameday most likely.

6. Georgia vs Florida (Week 9)

This is a key matchup of the SEC East powerhouses. Each year it seems like these teams are the two that are at the top of the SEC East. 99% that the winner of this game will go onto the SEC championship, and may just have a shot at the College Football playoffs.

5. Clemson at Notre Dame (Week 10)

This is one of the biggest matchups of the year. Why you may ask? Because Clemson and Notre Dame will finally play a worthy opponent. Clemson will have a tough opponent at the end of their schedule as they will have to win at Notre Dame to have another undefeated regular season. On the other side, Notre Dame has the opportunity to send a message to the College Football Playoff Committee as they could upset possibly the best team in College Football.

4. Ohio State at Penn State (Week 8)

Arguably the biggest matchup between BIG-10 teams of the year. Penn State played Ohio State the closest out of all the other teams in the regular season. Penn State fell just 28-17, but now the game will be in Penn State’s stadium giving them an advantage. Hopefully having the game at home can make this game one of the best of the year.

3. Georgia at Alabama (Week 3)

It is simply a blessing we get this game this year. Normally, we have to wait until the SEC Championship to see these teams play, but this year we get to see them battle it out in just the 3rd week. These SEC powerhouses only play in the regular season once ever six years. It will serve as an early opportunity to make a statement to the College Playoff Committee.

2. Alabama at LSU (Week 10)

Coming in at #2 is the showdown for the SEC West. Both teams are losing their starting quarterbacks to the draft. Last year, this game was one of the best football games all year after LSU beat Alabama 46-41. Will LSU be able to hold onto the SEC West or did Alabama decide to just take only a year off? This will serve as a high-profile matchup as winner will most likely go to the SEC championship game.

1. Ohio State at Oregon (Week 2)

This serves as the top game to look forward to in the 2020 season because we are getting the Rose Bowl in September. The best team in the PAC-12 will face the best team in the BIG-10. It is the biggest out of conference game of the year considering this game could possibly ruin one’s teams shot at the College Football Playoffs in just the 2nd week of the season. Make sure to mark your calendar for this game.

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.

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.