College Football Weekly Rant - Week 7

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEKLY RANT

Let the fun begin.

Saturday gave us our 1^st head-scratching upset of the year, when 2-2 Iowa State went into Norman and beat #3 Oklahoma.  Iowa State had lost both games vs Power 5 teams that they had played this year.  The Cyclones also were playing with their back-up QB after it was announced late Friday night that their starter had left the team for personal reasons.  Iowa State was a 30.5-point underdog going into the game and hadn’t beaten Oklahoma since 1990. 

These types of upsets happen all the time once conference play starts.  Last year we had Iowa beating Michigan and Pitt beating Clemson on the same day.  This is what makes college football so much fun, depending on 18 to 22-year-old men to be consistent week to week.

The lost puts a big cloud over the BIG XII’s playoff chances as well.  Oklahoma was the overwhelming favorite to win the conference after Oklahoma State lost a few weeks back to TCU.  Now TCU and Texas are the only remaining unbeatens in conference play and Texas already has two non-conference losses this season.  The added element of the BIG XII Championship Game which returns this year, will make it even more difficult for the conference to produce a team worthy of the playoff. 

This type of chaos isn’t exclusive to the BIG XII however.  Undefeated Michigan also lost at home on Saturday, falling to in-state rival Michigan State.  It is the 2^nd straight time that Michigan State went into the Big House and knocked off an undefeated Wolverine team.  Just as the Oklahoma loss hurts the BIG XII, Michigan falling to Michigan State gives the Big Ten a black eye.  Now only Penn State and Wisconsin remain unbeaten in the conference.  Penn State’s next two opponents are Michigan and Ohio State.  At the beginning of the season, both games looked like possible match-ups of unbeatens, now neither will be.

As a matter of fact, we are just six weeks into the football season and there are only nine remaining undefeated teams from Power 5 conferences.  The CFB Playoff rankings don’t debut for another month and already teams are in Survive and Advance mode.  Eight of the nine remaining unbeatens are in action this weekend, four of them on the road.  Who will be the next to get knocked off?  Your guess is as good as mine.

WHAT ELSE I LEARNED IN WEEK SIX

*Rivalry Games Are Fun.  Miami vs Florida State and Michigan vs Michigan both took place Saturday.  Both entertaining games, but not exactly well played though.  But that doesn’t matter.  In both cases, the visiting team went to their in-state rival and left with a victory.  Miami’s win in Tallahassee was the 1^st for the Canes over the Noles since 2009.  In the other in-state rivalry game Michigan State continued their dominance over their “Big Brother” Wolverines.  Sparty won for the eighth time in the last 10 years in this rivalry.  It is the 1^st time that has occurred since 1898.  Jim Harbaugh is now 1-2 against Michigan State and 0-2 at home against the rival.  This week we get the Red River Rivalry, between Oklahoma and Texas in Dallas, which is always fun.  I just wish there were more in conference rivalry games.

*Blowouts Are No Fun.  When do the good conference football games start?  I rarely will say a bad thing about college football, but there have been a TON of bad and boring games this season.  Last week had only 2 games that featured Top 25 teams against each other.  The schedule does begin to look better next week.  36 of the 58 games last week were decided by double digits.  While that is fun for my fantasy league.  It is not great when its late Saturday and you just want to relax and watch a good game.

*Will Anyone Contend With USC In The PAC-12 South?  USC is currently the only team in the PAC-12 South that has a winning record in conference play.  Oddly enough, all 4 of those games that USC has played have come against teams from the North division.  However, with the defending South division champ sitting at 0-3 in conference play someone new will have to step up.  Utah, who many pegged as the team to challenge USC, will get their chance this week in LA.  The Utes were unimpressive last week losing to Stanford.  PAC-12 South teams outside USC and Utah are a combined 11-10 overall this season.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN WEEK SEVEN

You know it has been a bad few weeks of college football when even ESPN’s College GameDay is punting.  It is only Week 7 of the season and GameDay will not be on a FBS campus for a game for the 2^nd time already this season.  It is the 2^nd time in 4 weeks this has happened.  They were in Time Square in Week 4.  This week they will be in Harrisonburg, VA for Villanova @ James Madison.

So what am I looking for in Week Seven???  Maybe a surprise or two.  Give me a record setting performance or a crazy upset or some great storyline that plays out.

For strictly personal reasons, I want to see Kenny Pickett play at Pitt.  They burned his redshirt last week on the final play of the game, so let’s see what the future QB of the Panthers can do.  It won’t be easy going up against a fierce NC State defensive line, but there is no better time than the present to get that experience.  Im also looking for more of a youth movement from the Panthers.  They are an incredibly young team and while the 2-4 start is disappointing, it also gives the coaching staff to play some younger guys to let them see what they have coming up for the future.

Also…

*Finally Getting Good Games In Week 8.  A Texas win over OU would get the buzzing going for Oklahoma State visiting the Longhorns next week.  UCF vs Navy is a big Group of 5 game in the AAC scheduled for Week 8, if Navy doesn’t stumble against Memphis this week.  Michigan can’t overlook Indiana this week, before they head to State College for a showdown with Penn State next week.  USC and Notre Dame renew their rivalry next week as well.  As long as neither fall this week, next week’s game would be the 1^st time since 2009 that both teams were ranked for the game.

HOT SEAT
We introduced the HOT SEAT section of the Weekly Rant a few weeks back, so let’s revisit it.  We have had 1 coaching change already this year, when Gary Anderson stepped down after a 1-5 start at Oregon State.  Still no firings however.   Job Security Scale: 1 (John Calipari) to 10 (Rick Pitino)

Rich Rodriguez (Arizona) – Did RichRod find his next Pat White last week with redshirt freshman Khalil Tate, who set an NCAA record by rushing for 327 yards?  Tate led the Wildcats over the reigning PAC-12 South Champ Colorado on Saturday.  It was the 3^rd win for the Wildcats this season, matching their total from last year.  Tate may not have saved his coach, but he is at least buying him some time and giving Rodriguez a chance at seeing another year. (6.5)

Todd Graham (Arizona State) – The Sun Devils lost to Stanford their last time out, giving up over 300 yards on the ground to the Cardinal star running back Bryce Love.  It doesn’t get much easier for Graham and company.  ASU welcomes #5 Washington it Tempe this week, followed by a trip to Utah, before #13 USC pays the Sun Devils a visit.  2-6 doesn’t only seem possible, it seems likely at this point.  That would put Graham in line for his 3^rd straight losing season. (7.5)

Bret Bielema (Arkansas) – Bielema is now 10-24 in the SEC after the Razorbacks got thumped by South Carolina last week.  By the way, their next 2 games are against Alabama and Auburn.  With recent news that a clause in Bielema’s extension that he signed in 2015 has been being misinterpreted, a firing seems almost certain in the upcoming months.  The clause tells that Bielema’s buyout, which was thought to be over $15M is actually closer to $5.5M.  Chump change in the SEC. (9)

Mark Stoops (Kentucky) – Kentucky is just 1 blown coverage from being 6-0 this season.  As it goes however, they are 5-1, with their only loss coming against Florida.  A team they haven’t beat in more than 30 years.  The Wildcats haven’t beaten anyone to get those 5 wins, but they are wins nonetheless.  Wildcat fans aren’t picky, they will take any wins they can get.  With the SEC East as bad as it is, it isn’t crazy to think Kentucky could get 9 wins this season, maybe even get to double-digits. (1.5)

Mark Dantonio (Michigan State) – Dantonio is now 8-3 against rival Michigan after the win last week.  Just beating Michigan won’t save his job however, but it is a good place to start.  Sparty is now 4-1, with their only loss to a pretty good Notre Dame team.  3 very winnable games are next up for Michigan State, which could mean they enter November 7-1 before facing Penn State and Ohio State in back-to-back games. (1)

Barry Odom (Missouri) – The Good News… Missouri has Idaho and UCONN coming up on the schedule.  The Bad News… They play Georgia this week before those non-conference games.  Things haven’t gotten any better for Missouri, now 0-3, 1-4 on the year.  I still don’t think Missouri gets rid of Odom after just 2 years.  (3)

Mike Riley (Nebraska) – Nebraska’s only wins this season have come against Arkansas State, Rutgers & Illinois, that isn’t good.  Especially when you throw in the loss to Northern Illinois.  The B1G West is terrible, so the Cornhuskers will pick up some wins, but the schedule makers did Riley no favors as they catch both Ohio State and Penn State in crossover games this season.  With the AD already fired, Riley will follow.  It is just a question of when. (9.5)

Butch Jones (Tennessee) – Jones, like Mike Riley, will be fired at some point before we flip the calendar to 2018.  Tennessee will try to make a run at big names like Chip Kelly and even Jon Gruden, but both of those seem like pipe dreams for Vols fans.  Next week should be fun when Tennessee heads down to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama. (9.5)

Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M) – A report came out earlier this week that Texas A&M will be targeting James Franklin from Penn State as their next head coach.  The fact that things like this are even getting out to the media is pretty telling when it comes to Sumlin’s job security.  The interesting question becomes, “what if he turns it around, is it too late?”  The Aggies are 4-2 and just played Alabama last week closer than anyone has all season.  A&M is clearly the 3^rd best team in the SEC West and 4^th best in the conference.  9-3 isn’t out of the question for A&M this year.  That would be Sumlin’s best record in the last 4 years.  Do you still fire him after that type of season? (8)

Jim Mora, Jr. (UCLA) – As mentioned before, the PAC-12 South is not very good.  UCLA is in the PAC-12 South.  UCLA is sitting at 3-2, with a defense that can’t stop anybody.  Their next 3 games are against high powered offenses that should give the Bruins fits.  I can’t imagine another season without a bowl game would be accepted in Westwood. (7.5)

PLAYOFF PICKS

It is never too early to start projecting the playoff.  My top 4 remain the same from last week, but we did mix some things up with the other contenders.

1. Clemson

2. Alabama

3. Georgia

4. Penn State

NEXT UP:

Washington

TCU

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma

Washington State

Miami

Auburn

That is all this week.  Make sure the refrigerator is stocked, the spare remote-control batteries are nearby and enjoy the games!