Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 5: Stanford Wants a Word

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 5

College Football is the only sport that can show you what it’s like to simultaneously feel alive and like you want to die? That is why is it is by far the greatest sport there is! Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 5, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 4.

The two most frustrating parts of being a college football fan are the biased polls and the terrible non-conference schedules. Last week the AP poll had BYU (2-1) ranked #25, but Cal (3-0) who beat BYU only received enough votes to be #30. And it had Wisconsin who lost to BYU but had played nobody ranked above both teams. These are the kinds of things that regularly happen in polls. I cannot change the schedules but I can rank the college football top 10 teams by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.” I don’t believe in that. The best teams who play the best schedules will always be ranked highest. Only the games that have been played matter. I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change every week as more games are played.

1.  Alabama (4-0)

Alabama is so good that Nick Saban has asked the media to write about the things they don’t do well. He needs something to show his players, so they don’t get complacent. The only thing that can stop the Crimson Tide right now is complacency. Tua Tagoviloa is improving on his near perfect play at quarterback. This week against Texas A&M he threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns. Granted, his job is a lot less stressful knowing Alabama’s defense and running game always show up.

2. Notre Dame (4-0)

My biggest knock on Notre Dame was their inability to throw the ball with their quarterback Brandon Wimbush. Brian Kelly must have read the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 4 because he replaced Wimbush with Ian Book. Book was impressive throwing the football against Wake Forest. I am extremely close calling Notre Dame a playoff team. Next week they get a test at home from Stanford.

3. LSU (4-0)

LSU only played Louisianna Tech this week, but they dominated. And the Tigers still have two quality wins over Miami and Auburn. LSU’s Achilles heel has not changed in nearly a decade. They do not have a dangerous passing attack. LSU will lose one or two games this season if Ed Orgeron cannot turn Joe Burrow and the passing attack into a real threat. The LSU defense continues to be stout. We will see what they are made of in a couple weeks when they play Georgia.

4. Stanford (4-0)

I almost threw up at the end of this game. The bottom line is that despite being dominated by Oregon all game, Stanford made plays when it counted. The best player on Stanford’s team is not Bryce Love, it’s KJ Costello. David Shaw’s team is always run first. But he will need to use the pass to set up the run if the Cardinal hope to make the College Football Playoffs. Stanford is boring to watch, but they win and are tough to beat.

5. Oklahoma (4-0)

Oklahoma squeezed out an OT victory against Army. Army was 19 seconds shy of having three entire quarters of possession. Every top team faces a couple of gut-check games each season, and this was one for the Sooners. Ordinarily, a team could take a huge fall after a close game against an unranked non-power 5 opponent. However, any time you play a triple option service academy, you could be in for a dogfight. Kyler Murray and the Sooners still look great at the #5 spot.

6. Clemson (4-0)

It appears Dabo Swinney is going to turn the quarterback reigns over to Trevor Lawrence. Kelly Bryant is a good quarterback, but the situation at Clemson is the same as Alabama. There is an incumbent quarterback who has won a ton of games, but the young kid is just making the team undeniably better. When teams this good have a legit passer it makes them a clear top 10 team. After Virginia Tech lost to Old Dominion today, it doesn’t look like there will be much opposition for the Tigers in the ACC.

7. Ohio State (4-0)

Ohio State got Urban Meyer back from “suspension” and didn’t miss a beat. Dwyane Haskins feasted on Tulane for lunch. He is the best passing quarterback Urban Meyer has coached since Alex Smith at Utah (No Cam Newton doesn’t count for this discussion. The Buckeyes are extremely fast, strong, and athletic. Ohio State may be the only team in the country who can line up athlete for athlete with Alabama. The Michigan game may be the only time Ohio State is challenged for the rest of the season. That TCU win doesn’t look so hot after they got beat up by Texas this week.

8. Georgia (4-0)

Georgia is EXTREMELY talented, and I believe they are a good team, but the fact remains that their schedule has been extremely soft so far. Their best wins are against South Carolina and Missouri. Neither one of those teams has beat anyone of any significance. So, until Georgia gets some quality wins, they will rank way below where their potential lies. Jake Fromm and his wide receivers seem to be getting in a good grove. If he can continue to play at a high level, the Bulldogs will have a shot to knock off Bama in the SEC championship.

9. Washington (3-1)

Washington knocked off Arizona State who beat Michigan State. That looks like a solid win. The Washington vs. Stanford game in a few weeks will be for a spot in the College Football Playoffs. I still believe that Washington has the second-best defense in the country behind Alabama. They are fast and physical. The good news for the Huskies is that Jake Browning had a solid game. If he can occasionally be special against good teams, Washington will be in the conversation for a top 4 spot.

10. West Virginia (3-0)

Will Grier had a week off and only got stronger. The Mountaineers  Kansas State led by Grier’s 356 yards and five touchdowns. Their schedule provides many opportunities to move up the rankings. Next week West Virginia has a showdown with Texas Tech who opened up a can of whoop-ass on the #10 team from the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 4, Oklahoma State.

Next Up:

Penn State, Texas, Michigan, Oregon (all need a quality win)

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

Big Ten Football Power Rankings Week 4: O-H-I-O!

Big Ten Football Power Rankings Week 4

Did any team in the Big Ten want to win this past week? Half of the teams lost including Wisconsin, who was upset at home by BYU. This week, many teams will kick off their conference schedules as Big Ten play is set to kick off.

Let’s take a look at the Big Ten Week 4 Power Rankings.

14. Purdue (0-3)

Lost to Missouri, 40-37

Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse for Purdue, think again as the Boilermakers lost on a last-second field goal to Missouri, 40-37. The offense was in full force for Purdue, accumulating 614 yards including 572 from the arm of David Blough. The only downfall was that the defense was allergic to stopping Missouri as they gave up 608 yards. It’s now or never for Jeff Brohm as they face an undefeated Boston College on Saturday.

13. Nebraska (0-2)

Lost to Troy, 24-19

If Nebraska wants to return to prominence, they can’t lose to Troy. That’s unacceptable and Coach Scott Frost knows it. Nebraska was missing freshman sensation Adrian Martinez at quarterback and it showed especially on third down, where the Cornhuskers were 5 for 13. Things don’t get any easier for Scott Frost as they take on Michigan at the Big House to open up Big Ten play.

12. Rutgers (1-2)

Lost to Kansas, 55-14

Don’t let Kansas get hot! All jokes aside, Rutgers should be embarrassed since they lost to a team that won back to back games for the first time since 2009. NINE YEARS! This game was never close since Kansas defense forced six turnovers. There’s nothing more to say after a 41 point loss. Rutgers plays Buffalo on Saturday.

11. Illinois (2-1)

Lost to USF, 25-19

On the positive side, Illinois looked good for three quarters. Going into the fourth quarter with a 19-7 lead, USF outscored the Illini 18-0 in the final quarter to win, 25-19. Despite losing the game, things are starting to turn in the right direction for the Illini. Last year, they were blown out by USF. This year, they should’ve won the game. Lovie Smith’s young team will only gain more experience as the season goes on. Illinois plays Penn State at home on Friday night.

10. Northwestern (1-2)

Lost to Akron, 39-34

I 100% jinxed Northwestern. One of my dark horses in the Big Ten has been nowhere to be found these past two games, suffering their latest defeat to Akron, 39-34. Once again, Northwestern struggled in the second half as they were outscored 36-13. This was a game that quarterback Clayton Thorson would like to erase from his memory. Don’t expect to win games if your quarterback throws for not one, but two pick 6s along with a fumble in the end zone. Northwestern has a much needed bye this weekend before a huge matchup with Michigan in two weeks.

9. Maryland (2-1)

Lost to Temple, 35-14

Oh no. Maryland, you were doing so well and had so much promise after two impressive wins to start the season. That was all erased after Temple blew out the Terps in College Park, 35-14. Maryland had been a dominant force on the ground in their previous two games. Not against Temple as the Owls stacked the box and controlled the line of scrimmage the entire game and held a Maryland team that was averaging close to 300 yards on the ground to 132 yards. If you can’t run the ball, you have to be able to pass, right? The Terps suffered tremendously in the air with quarterback Kasim Hill finishing with 56 passing yards, which is not good by any stretch of the imagination. Maryland will look to bounce back this week against Minnesota.

8. Minnesota (3-0)

Beat Ohio, 26-3

Row the boat! Don’t look now, but PJ Fleck and his Golden Gophers are 3-0 on the season. For a true freshman walk-on, Zack Annexstad is doing quite a fine job at quarterback. Through three games, Annexstad has thrown for 537 yards and 4 TDs and 0 INTs. You can’t ask for much more from a young quarterback. The schedule is going to get harder as they will play Maryland, Iowa, and Ohio State over the next three games. If Minnesota can go 2-1, watch out CC: Rest of Big Ten.

7. Indiana (3-0)

Beat Ball State, 38-10

Indiana is only a basketball school? Think again as the football team is undefeated after crushing Ball State, 38-10. In only his second career start, running back Stevie Scott had another stellar game, finishing the day with 114 yards with two touchdowns. If Indiana wants to be taken seriously in the Big Ten race, they will have a chance to silence their doubters with a win over Michigan State on Saturday night.

6. Michigan State (1-1)

Bye week

Michigan State had a bye week and since it was coming off a loss, I felt dropping them in the rankings was the fair thing to do. More often than not, the Spartans will be near the top of the Big Ten and I still believe this team can give Ohio State trouble later this season. Sparty will look to rebound this Saturday as they head to Bloomington to take on an underrated team in Indiana.

5. Michigan (2-1)

Beat SMU, 45-20

It seems like the loss to Notre Dame was ages ago as the Wolverines have found their grove, winning two games in a row in dominating fashion. This is the Shea Patterson that fans had hoped for as the transfer quarterback threw for over 235 yards and 3 TDs. Don’t look now, but the Wolverines are rolling as they enter Big Ten play on Saturday at home against Nebraska.

4. Iowa (3-0)

Beat Northern Iowa, 38-14

How about those Hawkeyes? Iowa defeated another in-state rival this past week, beating Northern Iowa, 38-14. The defense is the undisputed strength of this team, surrendering only 24 points in three games. Iowa is doing what they have to do, which is winning games at home. Now, a Wisconsin team will come into Kinnick on Saturday in a battle for Big Ten West supremacy. Expect a raucous environment.

3. Wisconsin (2-1)

Lost to BYU, 24-21

Trap game, anyone? It turns out that Wisconsin was looking ahead to their clash with Iowa instead of focusing on BYU as the Badgers lost at home to the Cougars, 24-21. Wisconsin’s picked a bad time to suffer their first non-conference home loss since 2003. Credit to BYU, they executed the perfect game plan, holding Wisconsin to 4 of 13 on first downs. This doesn’t end the Badgers’ pursuit of a conference title, but their hopes for a spot in the College Football Playoff have been erased. Wisconsin takes on Iowa in Kinnick Stadium on Saturday night.

2. Penn State (3-0)

Beat Kent State, 63-10

Ever since their overtime victory in Week 1, the Nittany Lions have been on fire. Usually Trace McSorley will beat you with his arm, but this week, McSorley was lethal in the ground game, accounting for 54 yards and 3 TDs. In general, the Penn State running game is going to be a problem for future Big Ten opponents. If Penn State can get past Illinois unscathed, it will set up the monstrous matchup with Ohio State in Happy Valley.

1. Ohio State (3-0)

Beat TCU, 40-28

OH! IO! In their toughest test of the season, the Buckeyes scored three third-quarter touchdowns in the span of four minutes to pull away from TCU, 40-28. Ohio State is without a doubt the best team in the Big Ten right now. With another great game from quarterback Dwayne Haskins (344 yards and 2 TDs), it makes you wonder why he wasn’t playing last year over J.T. Barrett. The win came at a cost though because Nick Bosa had to leave the game with a groin injury and currently has no timetable for a return. On the flip side, you know who is returning? Urban Meyer. Let the PR nightmare begin. Ohio State plays Tulane in Columbus on Saturday afternoon.

Big Ten Football Power Rankings Week 3: It’s Lonely at the Top

Big Ten Football Power Rankings Week 3

This past week, the biggest surprise in the Big Ten was the loss by Michigan State to Arizona State. Other than that, most of the teams in the Big Ten Football Power Rankings Week 3 took care of business. Ohio State is a juggernaut, Penn State and Michigan bounced back, and Iowa is on the rise.

Let’s take a look at the Big Ten Week 3 Power Rankings.

14. Purdue (0-2)

Lost to Eastern Michigan, 20-19

If Purdue wants to return to the top of the Big Ten, they can’t lose games to Eastern Michigan. It seems so simple, but you will always struggle to win games when you give up 347 yards in the air to the opposition. On the bright side, Purdue dominated on the ground, rushing as a team for 341 yards and a score. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the Boilermakers lost at home to a non-Power 5 school. That can’t happen. Purdue will look to pick up their first win against Missouri on Saturday.

13. Rutgers (1-1)

Lost to Ohio State, 52-3

Well, at least Rutgers tried. 52-3 is embarrassing, but Ohio State is on another level. The Buckeyes will be in the Top 10 all year. Rutgers had zero chance even if they were allowed 13 men on the field at all times. The only bright spot (by default) was kicker Justin Davidovicz, who made his lone field goal attempt. 134 yards of total offense is not going to beat any team, let alone Ohio State. Rutgers takes on Kansas this weekend in a very winnable game.

12. Illinois (2-0)

Beat Western Illinois, 34-14

Lovie gets (another) W! Illinois took care of business once again against inferior competition as they beat Western Illinois, 34-14. The ground game was the story as running backs Mike Epstein, and Reggie Corbin combined for 168 yards, and Corbin scored 1 TD. For a program that has not had a lot to cheer about in recent years, starting a season 2-0 is something to be proud of, no matter who they played. Illinois gets their first test of the season as South Florida comes to town. The game will be played at Soldier Field.

11. Nebraska (0-1)

Lost to Colorado, 33-28

Scott Frost’s debut did not go according to plan as Nebraska could not hold onto the lead late, surrendering a touchdown pass in the final minute to lose to Colorado, 33-28. Nebraska found its quarterback of the future in true freshman Adrian Martinez, who was sensational all game, combining for 304 all-purpose yards and 3 TDs. However, it may have come at a price as Martinez had to leave the game late with a leg injury. If Martinez can’t go this week, look for Andrew Bunch to get the start against Troy.

10. Minnesota (2-0)

Beat Fresno State, 21-14

The boat is off and running! Minnesota and its young core moved to 2-0 this past weekend with a win over visiting Fresno State. The game came down to the wire as Fresno State was a few yards away from tying the game late in the fourth quarter. Fresno tried a half-back pass on 1st-and-goal from the 4, but Antione Winfield Jr. made a spectacular play to intercept the pass and seal the game for the Golden Gophers. PJ Fleck will look to start 3-0 this weekend as Minnesota plays Miami (OH).

9. Indiana (2-0)

Beat Virginia, 20-16

I don’t care who you play. Winning a non-conference game on the road against a Power 5 school is impressive. Indiana went into Virginia and beat the Cavs 20-16. Indiana was not as explosive on offense as they were in week 1, but the Hoosiers found themselves a running back with Stevie Scott. The true freshman was a workhorse, rushing for 204 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries. This weekend could prove to be a trap game for Indiana as they play Ball State before taking on Michigan State in two weeks.

8. Northwestern (1-1)

Lost to Duke, 21-7

I apologize to all the Northwestern fans for saying the ‘Cats should be 3-0 before the end of the month. The Cats could not stop Duke quarterback Daniel Jones, who threw for 3 TDs before leaving the game with an injury on their way to a 21-7 victory. Just like the first game, Northwestern came out firing out of the gates with a touchdown in the 1st quarter, but could not muster any points the rest of the way. If Northwestern wants to challenge for the Big Ten West title, they will need to fix their second-half offensive problems.

7. Maryland (2-0)

Beat Bowling Green, 45-14

Fear the Turtle! The Terrapins dominated Bowling Green on the ground, rushing for an impressive 444 yards with 5 TDs. Tayon Fleet-Davis lead the team with 2 TDs, and Ty Johnson, Lorenzo Harrison III, and Javon Leake all scored 1 TD. Maryland has another winnable game this weekend against Temple. The Terps could slowly turn into the dark horse of the Big Ten.

6. Michigan (1-1)

Lost to Western Michigan, 49-3

Poor Western Michigan. It was nothing personal, but the Wolverines had to beat them badly. Michigan lost a tough game to Notre Dame in their opener, and the media crushed them with Jim Harbaugh taking the most of the criticism. We knew Michigan was going to take out their frustration on Western Michigan and that’s exactly what happened. The Wolverines offense exploded 451 yards of offense in a 49-3 win. Michigan plays SMU at the Big House this weekend.

5. Iowa (2-0)

Beat Iowa State, 13-3

I said this last week, and I’ll say it again. To any opponent that plays Iowa at Kinnick Stadium, good luck because you are going to need it. The Kinnick Voodoo worked again as Iowa beat Iowa State 13-3, which marked their fourth straight victory over their in-state rival. The defense was the story as the Hawkeyes held the Cyclones to 188 yards on 56 plays. Iowa did what they do best. They ran the ball, played good defense, and controlled the clock. If Iowa gets past Northern Iowa this week, that will set the stage for a giant matchup with Wisconsin in, you guessed it, Kinnick Stadium.

4. Michigan State (1-1)

Lost to Arizona State, 16-13

Michigan State’s playoff hopes took a huge hit after the last second 16-13 upset loss at the hands of Arizona State. Sparty was leading 13-3 going into the fourth quarter before being outscored 10-0 to lose the game. While quarterback Brian Lewerke had a solid day (over 314 yards passing), the running game was left behind in East Lansing as the Spartans only mustered up 63 yards rushing. The silver lining for Michigan State is that this was a non-conference loss, so their hopes for a Big Ten title are more than alive. Michigan State is off this week.

3. Penn State (2-0)

Beat Pittsburgh, 51-6

It’s safe to say that Penn State woke up and learned from their Week 1 mistakes. The Nittany Lions dominated Pittsburgh from start to finish, outscoring the Panthers 44-0 after the first quarter in a 51-6 blowout. McSorley threw for 2 TDs, but the running game lead by Mike Sanders was the difference maker for Penn State as the Nittany Lions rushed for 211 yards and 3 TDs. Penn State plays Kent State this week in Happy Valley.

2. Wisconsin (2-0)

Beat New Mexico, 45-14

Jonathan Taylor runs the ball. Jonathan Taylor moves the chains. And Jonathan Taylor scores touchdowns. Rinse. Repeat. The running back had a dominating performance against New Mexico. Taylor ran for 233 yards on 33 carries and scored 3 touchdowns. Not that the Badgers needed to throw the ball, but quarterback Alex Hornibrook will need to throw the ball more than 8 times in order to win a Big 10 title. Wisconsin plays BYU at home in week 3.

1. Ohio State (2-0)

Beat Rutgers, 52-3

The “We can play defense, too” game. After surrendering 31 points to Oregon State a week ago, the Buckeyes defense responded in a huge way, allowing only 3 points in a 52-3 win over Rutgers. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins had another tremendous day, throwing for 233 yards and 2 TDs. If Haskins can put up these numbers in Big 10 play, the Heisman campaign will only strengthen. The Buckeyes have a huge test this Saturday night as they travel to Texas to face TCU.

Big Ten Football: Week 2 Power Rankings

Big Ten Football Power Rankings Week 2

Michigan fans, I’m sorry. You have probably had a rough couple of days. Other than that, it was a pretty successful opening weekend for the Big Ten. Michigan and Purdue were the only teams that lost, but it could’ve been a lot worse if Penn State and Michigan State didn’t escape with victories.

Let’s take a look at the Big Ten Week 2 Power Rankings.

14. Illinois (1-0)

Beat Kent State, 31-24

Lovie Smith gets a W! After a disastrous first half, the Illini were down 17-3 to Kent State. Illinois went on to outscore Kent State 28-7 in the second half, which was capped off by a late fourth quarter touchdown by running back Reggie Corbin to take the lead. The star of the game was quarterback AJ Bush, who threw for 190 yards and rushed for 139 yards. It’s only one game against Kent State, but this was a good come-from-behind win for Illinois.

13. Rutgers (1-0)

Beat Texas State, 35-7

Just a week ago, I said that “Rutgers is not very good, but they’re not as bad as you think.” After a 35-7 win against Texas State, I stand by that statement. Going into the season, the defense was set to carry the team, and they showed up in a big way, only surrendering 176 yards of total offense. Rutgers may also have a three-headed monster in the backfield as Isaih Pacheco, Raheem Blackshear, and Jonathan Hillman combined for nearly 200 yards rushing and 3 TDs. There is no time to dwell on this victory as the Scarlet Knights travel to Ohio State in week 2.

12. Purdue (0-1)

Lost to Northwestern, 31-27

One of the few teams that lost in the Big Ten was Purdue, who suffered an opening night setback at the hands of Northwestern. It’s hard to win games when you fall behind 14-0 in the first quarter, which is exactly what happened to the Boilermakers. The offense combined for 472 yards, but 3 INTs from quarterback Elijah Sindelar, who was eventually benched, proved to be costly. Purdue made it to a bowl game last season after starting the season 0-1. Maybe history will repeat itself.

11. Nebraska (0-0)

Game vs. Akron was canceled

I have nothing to say about Nebraska because they were not able to play due to weather. Tune in next week for Scott Frost’s debut!

10. Minnesota (1-0)

Beat New Mexico State, 48-10

Row the boat! After falling behind 10-7 in the second quarter, Minnesota scored 41 unanswered points and blew out New Mexico State, 48-10. True freshman Zack Annexstad had a solid debut, throwing for 2 TDs, while the ground game led by Rodney Smith and Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for over 250 yards combined. It’s hard to decipher week 1 victories against inferior competition, but a win is a win so enjoy it, Gopher fans.

9. Indiana (1-0)

Beat Florida International, 38-28

Indiana winning a game with 465 yards of total offense is something I did not expect to write after week 1. The offense looked fast and versatile as quarterbacks Peyton Ramsey and Michael Penix Jr. combined for four touchdown passes. Once again, it’s hard to judge a week 1 victory vs. inferior competition, but Indiana fans have to be happy after watching an offense that was supposed to have question marks going into the season.

8. Maryland (1-0)

Beat Texas, 34-29

The Terps did it again! Last year’s shootout victory over Texas was no fluke because the Terps took down the Longhorns for the second straight year after a 34-29 victory. Receiver Jeshuan James was the story early on as he caught a touchdown, ran for a touchdown, and threw for a touchdown. That’s a pretty good day if you’re asking me. My biggest takeaway was how Maryland responded after the death of lineman Jordan McNair and the absence of coach DJ Durkin. If Maryland continues to rally in the face of controversy, maybe another upset victory is more than attainable.

7. Iowa (1-0)

Beat Northern Illinois, 33-7

To any opponent that plays Iowa at Kinnick Stadium, good luck because you are going to need it. Iowa did what a typical Kirk Ferentz team does during games. They run the ball (209 yards rushing), make few mistakes (only 1 turnover), beat you up on defense, and control the field. That strategy was too much for Northern Illinois. Expect Kinnick to be rocking again this Saturday when the Hawkeyes take on rival Iowa State.

6. Michigan (0-1)

Lost to Notre Dame, 24-17

Cue the “Jim Harbaugh is overrated” opinions because the 100 articles written with that viewpoint are not enough after Michigan’s 24-17 loss to Notre Dame. I’m obviously being sarcastic, but 8-8 in his last 16 games at Michigan is not a good look for Harbaugh. However, I’m not calling him overrated just yet. A fluke play against Michigan State and the worst ball spot in the history of officiating against Ohio State potentially kept Michigan out of the playoff a few years back. If those two plays go in Harbaugh’s favor, his entire tenure at Michigan changes dramatically. Against one of the best defenses in the country in Notre Dame, quarterback Shea Patterson was not as bad as the media is making him out to be. The Wolverine defense is very good, so the offense has some catching up to do in the upcoming weeks before conference play begins.

5. Northwestern (1-0)

Beat Purdue, 31-27

After scoring 31 points in the first half, Northwestern threw up a goose egg in the second half, but they held on to beat Purdue by 4 points. The leader of the Wildcats offense was not veteran quarterback Clayton Thorson, but running back Jeremy Larkin, who ran for 143 yards and two scores. The defense may have bent, but it didn’t break as they forced three turnovers, which proved to be the difference. I could see the ‘Cats at 3-0 before their showdown with Michigan at the end of the month.

4. Penn State (1-0)

Beat Appalachian State, 45-38 in OT

First of all, when will Big Ten teams learn to not schedule Appalachian State in home openers? By the skin of their teeth, Penn State avoided the monumental upset with a 45-38 victory in overtime. If the Nittany Lions did not have quarterback Trace McSorley, this team is 0-1. McSorley took the field down a touchdown with under 2 minutes remaining. A few plays later, Trace fired a touchdown pass to KJ Hamler in the back of the end zone to tie the score with 42 seconds left before going on to win in overtime. Was this a fluke game or should Penn State fans be nervous for the upcoming season? I’m leaning towards nerves.

3. Michigan State (1-0)

Beat Utah State, 38-31

Speaking of teams who squeaked out a victory, Michigan State had to pull out all the stops to defeat a tough Utah State team. Just like Penn State, Michigan State had the ball late in the fourth quarter, needing a touchdown to take the lead. After an insane catch by Felton Davis, the Spartans punched the ball into the end zone shortly after and held on to avoid the upset. I pose the same question as I did above. Was this a fluke game or should Michigan State fans be nervous for the upcoming season? Once again, I’m leaning towards nerves. It’s hard for me to believe in a team that doesn’t come out firing in week 1.

2. Wisconsin (1-0)

Beat Western Kentucky, 34-3

The Badgers started off slow but scored 24 unanswered points in the first half on their way to a 34-3 victory of Western Kentucky. I knew Jonathan Taylor would be a stud out of the backfield (145 yards and two TDs), but quarterback Alex Hornibrook impressed me the most. Hornibrook was efficient and confident as the lefty surpassed 250 yards in the air with two TDs. The more I think about it, the more I believe that Wisconsin will once again go undefeated and face Ohio State in the Big Ten title game.

1. Ohio State (1-0)

Beat Oregon State, 77-31

The only surprise here was the score. I didn’t expect Ohio State to score 77 points, but I also didn’t expect their defense with NFL talent to surrender 31 points. If you didn’t believe that quarterback Dwayne Haskins would be able to replace J.T. Barrett, you were completely wrong as Haskins threw for over 300 yards and 5 TDs. Expect another blowout with week against Rutgers before their big showdown with TCU in two weeks.

Big Ten Football: Preseason Power Rankings

The Big Ten has been in the news for all of the wrong reasons as of late. Urban Meyer is about to serve a three-game suspension for Ohio State after a report from Brett McMurphy said that Urban had specific knowledge of domestic abuse allegations against a member of his coaching staff, Zach Smith, in 2015. At Maryland, DJ Durkin is currently on administrative leave after the death of lineman Jordan McNair.

Despite the controversies, Big Ten football will still be played this season, and the top of the conference is loaded with talent. Ohio State and Wisconsin are the two favorites to represent the East and West in the Big Ten Title game, but Penn State, Michigan, and Michigan State will look to play spoiler.

Here are my preseason power rankings for the Big Ten.

14. Illinois

Can Lovie Smith turn this program around? Only time will tell, but is too late? Last year was a learning year for the Fighting Illini as they started 16 freshmen. These freshmen like running back Mike Epstein and safety Bennett Williams will be more experienced and will look to improve upon their disastrous 2-10 2017 season. If the Illini can take the next step forward this year, 2019 will be full of promise with the arrival of 5-star quarterback Isaiah Williams.

12. Rutgers

Rutgers is not very good, but they’re not as bad as you think. A lot of their struggles are due to the fact that they are members of the Big Ten East, which is significantly tougher than the West with games against Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State. Chris Ash is in his third year and will look to continue the trend of increasing wins each year, tallying 2 and 4 wins in his first two years. Defense is the strength of the Scarlett Knights, lead by linebacker Deonte Roberts. The offense is still a work in progress. Truthfully, if Rutgers can win 5 games this year, that would be a huge win for the program.

12. Maryland

Like Ohio State, Maryland is embroiled in controversy after the death of lineman Jordan McNair. Coach DJ Durkin is on administrative leave after being accused of abuse and disparagement. If Durkin is not on the sidelines, that changes everything for the Terps. Putting controversy aside, the biggest reason for Maryland’s struggles last year was due to injuries. Both quarterbacks, Tyrrell Pigrome and Kasim Hill, are back from season-ending injuries from a year ago. However, your guess is as good as mine as to how the Terps season will play out without their coach.

11. Indiana

Last year, Indiana’s season came down to a few miscues. The Hoosiers had four single-digit losses. If the ball bounces the other way, they could’ve been a bowl team. Also, just today, a week after naming Peyton Ramsey the starting quarterback, graduate transfer Brandon Dawkins left the program. Despite the issues on offense, the defense has improved every year under Tom Allen, finishing 27th in the country in 2017. In order to make a bowl, Indiana will have to learn how to win the close games.

10. Minnesota

Can Fleck and the Golden Gophers row the boat to relevancy this year? It will all start with true freshman Zack Annexstad under center, who happens to be a preferred walk-on. Early on, look for the Golden Gophers to rely on running back Rodney Smith for production. The defense should be solid once again, which allowed 22.8 points per game in 2017. That being said, Minnesota is an extremely young team that is still a few years away from true success.

9. Purdue

The hype for coach Jeff Brohm is real. After bringing the Boilermakers to a bowl game last season, hopes are high that Brohm can eventually bring the Boilermakers to the upper tier of the Big Ten. The quarterback position is still a mystery since Brohm has yet to name either Elijah Sindelar or David Blough as the starter. Jackson Anthrop is a game changer at receiver. However, Purdue lost the majority of their contributors on defense. Their success will hinge on their ability to come up with stops in big moments.

8. Nebraska

I firmly believe that Scott Frost can make Nebraska a contender not only in the Big Ten West, but in the college football landscape. Though, it takes time to build a program and get your guys that are tailored to your style of play. True freshman Adrian Martinez will be the first freshman quarterback to ever open the season for Nebraska. Stanley Morgan Jr. is also an exciting receiver that could be a first round pick next year in the 2019 NFL draft. Don’t expect Nebraska to compete for a Big Ten title just yet, but be patient. It’s coming sooner than later.

Mark Dantonio Michigan State HC

7. Iowa

The Iowa Hawkeyes seem to always play spoiler for Big Ten title hopefuls. Two years ago, they upset Michigan on a last-second field goal. Last season, they blew the doors off of Ohio State, which most likely led them to miss the playoff top four. Kirk Ferentz’s team lost top rusher Akrum Wadley so expect the Hawkeyes to open it up a bit more with returning quarterback Nathan Stanley. Circle September 22 on your calendars because that’s when Wisconsin comes to town. Let’s just say this. If I was a Wisconsin fan, I would be extremely nervous going into this game.

6. Northwestern

Coaching is the top strength of the Northwestern Wildcats because Pat Fitzgerald is the most underrated coach in college football. The Wildcats also return experienced quarterback Clayton Thorson, who will be one of the Big Ten’s best at the position. There’s no secret as to why Pat Fitzgerald has stayed with this program all of these years despite being brought up for numerous coaching vacancies. Fitzgerald wants to be the man to win a Big Ten Title and bring the Wildcats back to the Rose Bowl, which would be their first since 1995. It’s unlikely that happens this year, but with Fitzgerald at the helm and an important game against Wisconsin at home later this year, you never know what can happen.

5. Michigan

The time for Michigan to rise to the top of the Big Ten is now. With the Urban Meyer scandal, a potential step back for Penn State, and potential problems with the Michigan State offense, this could be the year that Michigan Wolverines play for a Big Ten title, which they have never done since conference realignment in 2011. The defense will be one of the best in the country lead by linebacker, Devin Bush Jr. and defensive tackle Rashan Gary. The season will all depend on if Ole Miss transfer quarterback Shea Patterson is the real deal. If Patterson becomes Michigan’s best quarterback in the Jim Harbaugh era, a 10 win season is more than attainable.

4. Penn State

Before we talk about this year’s team, take a bow, Saquon Barkley. You helped bring the Nittany Lions back to the top of college football. Now, it’s time for senior quarterback Trace McSorley to be “the guy.” Penn State lost a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, but James Franklin is a Top 5 recruiter in the country. If McSorley can carry the load until the young guys get up to speed, the drop off from last year will be minuscule.

3. Michigan State

Do not sleep on Mark Dantonio and the Michigan State Spartans. Nothing about this team screams the SportsCenter Top 10 in terms of talent, but this group is experienced, disciplined, and well-coached. The Spartans lose only four starters from last year and return veterans at every major position including quarterback Brian Lewerke and linebacker Joe Bachie. If Michigan State can play Michigan State football aka control the field and play good defense, they could upend Ohio State at the top of the conference.

2. Wisconsin

Had it not been for a 6 point loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, Wisconsin would have made the College Football Playoff last season. This year, expectations should be very high as the Badgers bolster one of the best offensive lines in the nation to go along with the return of quarterback Alex Hornibrook and Heisman hopeful running back Jonathan Taylor. The Badgers have some holes to fill on defense, but the Badgers are the proverbial favorite to represent the Big Ten West in the conference championship game.

1. Ohio State

This preseason, the biggest story at Ohio State has nothing to do with the play on the field. All of the storylines revolve around the Urban Meyer controversy and his three-game suspension. As bad as it is at Ohio State, it will only get worse in terms of media attention once Meyer returns from his suspension. Let’s remove Urban Meyer from the equation right now. The Buckeyes are still the best team on the field in the Big Ten. Defensive end Nick Bosa, who will most likely be a Top 5 draft pick, anchors a defense that has NFL talent all over. The biggest transition will be at the quarterback position as Dwayne Haskins takes over for JT Barrett. Expect some growing pains early, but if Haskins shows promise, the Buckeyes will fight for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Schedules Make it Easy For the SEC to Make the College Football Playoff

College Football Playoffs Schedule Scam

Schedules are the biggest scam in college football. The College Football Playoff Ponzi scheme, and the SEC is Bernie Madoff, same as the BCS was. All the Power 5 conferences do the work, but the SEC collects the rewards. The SEC (Bama in particular) deserves credit for winning the tournament, but often as a whole conference is severely overrated. When the CFB Playoff was formed we were told teams would be ranked based upon schedule quality and quality of wins over being undefeated. This has not been true. The curtain has to be lifted so fans can watch the season with open eyes. Isn’t it time that fans get the games we want to see and the undeniable four best teams in the playoff games? We are all being had by ridiculous schedules that manipulate who makes it to the playoff. Teams only get 12 guaranteed games per season. So why on earth should teams be rewarded for playing 3 non-competitive non-conference games per year?? Nobody really wants to pay to leave games at halftime. In 2018, Alabama and Georgia are were top 5 teams but were in the top 10 for easiest non-conference schedules. As fans, we spend our time, hard earned money, and devote our Fall lives to college football. We should we never waste an entire Saturday watching bad games!

College Football Committee Can’t Do Its Job Properly

The notion that the College Football Playoff Committee can accurately and fairly decipher who the top four teams in the country are is outrageous. How can they, when these schedules give us so few quality common opponents between conferences? This is the committee’s fault though. We will NEVER see schedules get better until the committee punishes teams that don’t win their conference or play competitive non-conference games. As a college football fan, you should absolutely be frustrated with the quality of the games we get. I’m assuming that all of you are like me and love college football and enjoy watching good games and debating other fans. If that’s the case, there is no way to be ok with a team that didn’t win their conference and played a bad non-conference schedule to be in the top 4.

The committee has essentially said that it is acceptable to lose your conference, play eight conference games while playing three non-power 5 teams, including an FCS team and get into the playoffs. Do not give me the “everybody does it” line. Clemson, Georgia, Florida, Notre Dame, USC, Miami, Cal, and others managed to schedule at least 2 power five non-conference games. That means everyone else can do it as well.

I’ve long said that college football schedules are consistently manipulated by the SEC and ACC, who have an advantage. Pac-12, Big XII, and Big 10 teams have a significantly smaller margin for error when trying to compete for championships. Let me explain how this works by using this table:

College Football Playoffs Ponzi Scheme

You can clearly see why the ACC and SEC have a win-loss advantage. Notice that there is a seven-loss difference between the ACC/SEC, and Big 10 which all have 14 teams. Seven more losses mean an additional game for each team in the BIG 10 against a team that could beat you. Imagine how easy the path to the championship would be if Ohio State could sub out that Iowa game for Mercer. Now, let’s compare those numbers to the Pac-12, which has 12 teams and 54 total conference losses. That is only two losses less than the ACC and SEC, despite having two more teams.

If that was too complicated, an easier way to explain all this is by looking at the average number of losses per team in each conference. SEC and ACC teams will lose a half-game less than all other conferences.

In theory, all this would not be a big deal if the conferences made up for that conference game with a competitive non-conference game. However, in most cases that is NOT what happens.

One of the biggest conversations when comparing teams is comparing how many losses each team has. However, all wins are not created equal. I’ve heard the argument that the Big XII, Big 10, and Pac-12 “play themselves out” of the playoffs by losing too much in-conference. The reality is playing 8 conference games instead of 9 conference games creates a systematic advantage for the SEC and ACC.

Now that we are all on the same page regarding wins and losses, I’ll explain the manipulation of the committee rankings. The current formula to manipulate your way into the playoffs is: play eight conference games, one mandated power 5 team, two non-competitive FBS games, and 1 FCS team. That FCS game often presents itself in November. It is commonly referred to as a “November Cupcake,” which is a glorified bye week against teams like Mercer, Citadel, or Wofford. The “November Cupcake” is an important component for highly regarded SEC teams to move up in the playoffs because of timing. When other conferences have ranked matchups in November, SEC teams play “November Cupcakes.” This gives them an opportunity to move up the rankings without playing a competitive game, and one of the teams from the other conference has to lose. This is the formula how you consistently end up with top 10 matchups amongst SEC teams late in the season, which makes the conference appear stronger.

Even Nick Saban (Alabama’s Head Coach) agrees with me when asked about college schedules and teams being deserving of playoff bids:

“I think it’s subjective to some degree because we don’t all play each other. I could get into my theory on this. I personally want to play all Power 5 conference teams every week. I know people say we played Mercer College and we couldn’t get a game with anybody else. All right so…  If we all had to play twelve teams from the Power 5 conferences, we would have a better feel for which conferences were the strongest and there would be more crossover play… and maybe even play more conference games.  Fans would like it better. You guys [the media] would like it better. You’d have a better inventory to show people. We wouldn’t have these games that people don’t really want to come to, players don’t really want to play in. And I think you’d have a better idea of who the best conferences and the best teams were.”

-Nick Saban on “College Football Playoff Selection Show” (December 3, 2017)

The Solution

  1. Change the college football playoffs to eight teams.
  2. Take the five power five champions and three at-large teams.
  3. One of the at-large teams has to be the highest ranked non-power 5 team.

There are two solutions to solve the scheduling imbalance and increase the greatness of college football for fans:

  1. 9 conference games, two power 5 games, and one FBS non-power 5 game to continue to give money to the little guys.
  2. 8 conference games, two power 5 games, one FBS non-power 5 game, and one FCS game to continue to give money to the little guys.

Both of these options would give the fans a much better game experience and generate more revenue for athletic departments. Teams would be more encouraged to schedule home and home non-conference games against good teams. This would make selling season tickets much easier

This would also alleviate a lot of the nonsense discussion about resumes and strength of conferences when choosing playoff teams. The committee would have more data because teams would have played more common opponents. My plan would cause television ratings and revenue increases as well. That’s more money for the NCAA, coaches, sponsors, and athletic departments to keep out of the hands of the players. And isn’t that the #1 goal of college football?

Am I Wrighster or am I wrong?

Should Ohio State Fire Urban Meyer?

Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer is in hot water. A report by former ESPN college football reporter Brett McMurphy says that Urban Meyer had specific knowledge of domestic abuse allegations against a member of his coaching staff, Zach Smith, in 2015. McMurphy says Courtney Smith, ex-wife of fired Ohio State assistant coach Zach Smith, provided text messages between her and the wives of Ohio State coaches – including Urban Meyer’s wife, Shelley – showing Meyer’s knowledge of the situation.”

The problems for Meyer are two-fold. First, there is text message evidence that Meyer knew about multiple allegations of domestic abuse against a member of his staff and did not investigate which may trigger a Title IX violation. Title IX states A college or university that receives federal funding may be held legally responsible when it knows about and ignores sexual harassment or assault in its programs or activities. Second, he lied when asked about it during Big Ten media day last week. Meyer said, “I was never told about anything…Never anything came to light, never had a conversation about it. So I know nothing about it. I asked people back at the office to call and see what happened, and they came back and said they know nothing.”

The text messages state otherwise. The full post by McMurphy is available via his Facebook page.

The immediate question is what does Ohio State do about this? The university does not want to fire Urban Meyer but may be left with no other choice. Any other coach in America including Nick Saban would be fired for lying about covering up domestic violence to the media, fans, and other coaches. And, Ohio State forced national championship coach Jim Tressel to resign amid NCAA violations from a tattoo-parlor scandal. So, how can they retain Meyer when this situation is far more serious?

Meyer admitted he knew about the 2009 allegations against Smith, but said “What was reported wasn’t actually what happened…It’s a very personal matter.”  However, he claimed to not know about the Oct. 25, 2015 allegations where Courtney Smith said, “He took me and shoved me up against the wall, with his hands around my neck,” Courtney said. “Something he did very often. My (then 3-year old) daughter was clinging to my leg. It obviously registered with him what he was doing, so he took my (then 5-year old) son and left. So I called the police.”

Meyer was not required to fire Zach Smith immediately upon allegations of domestic violence by Zach Smith, but he was required to investigate the situation. And if those allegations were founded, he needed to do something. Instead of doing the right thing, he lied. Now he has placed Ohio State is in an untenable position.

Should Ohio State fire Urban Meyer?

College Football: Big-10 Coach Power Rankings 2018

Without a doubt, the Big Ten Conference has the best college football coaches in the FBS. From top to bottom, the conference has some of the most respected and talented coaches in the nation. There is a clear cut #1 for the best coach in the Big Ten, but you can make plenty of convincing arguments for #2 to #7. The talent pool is loaded.

Is this the year that a Big Ten school not named Ohio State wins the College Football Playoff? In preparation for the upcoming season, here are the coaching rankings for the Big Ten.

14. Illinois – Lovie Smith

Smith has had no love whatsoever since his return to the college game. Smith took the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl but has only managed to win five games in 2 years. The Fighting Illini were extremely short on talent, and a winning culture when Lovie arrived. So his principal job has been teaching his guys how to win and get more talent. Illinois just landed the third-ranked quarterback in the Class of 2019, Isaiah Williams. If the Illini can make improvements this year, with Williams coming in 2019, things could be on the upswing for Smith.

13. Tom Allen – Indiana

When you think of the Indiana Hoosiers, basketball, basketball, and more basketball comes to mind. Football? Not so much. Coach Tom Allen is in his second full season with the Hoosiers and will look to bolster its struggling defense. Although Indiana was 5-7 last year, the Hoosiers lost in overtime to Michigan and lost to Michigan State by 8. Only time will tell if the football program can get as much notoriety as the basketball program.

12. Chris Ash – Rutgers

Rutgers used to be at the top of the Big East with Greg Schiano coaching guys like Ray Rice, and Brian Leonard. However, Rutgers has been anything but good the past two seasons, with records of 2-10 and 4-8. The good news is Chris Ash seems to be doing the right things at Rutgers to stop the bleeding. Although it was only 4 wins last year, it was an improvement from the previous season. Ash won a national championship as co-defensive coordinator Ohio State so look for him trying to transfer some of that magic to the Scarlett Knights.

11. DJ Durkin – Maryland

Maryland and coach DJ Durkin came into the 2017 season with an optimistic attitude and that translated to an opening week upset win over Texas. However, injuries derailed the season as the Terps faded quickly. Despite the woes, Maryland has high hopes for 2018 thanks to Durkin’s successful recruiting campaign, which has the 28th recruiting class on 247Sports Composite Team Rankings. Expect Maryland to make a Bowl game in 2018.

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Congratulations Fans and College Football Committee: Ratings are… DOWN!

 
I wrote an article about a week ago about how the College Football Playoff committee set the game back 10 years by putting Alabama in the top four. Now, there is, even more proof to support my argument. College Football Ratings are down. As a fan and analyst, the answer why is crystal clear: Schedules. There are less and less competitive non-conference games every year. NFL ratings are already suffering from a competition problem (in addition to other important issues). The NCAA and conference leaders need to fix this problem before college football heads down that same path. Here’s where the networks finished for average viewership for this year’s CFB regular season:
CBS: 4.951 million viewers, down 10% from 5.489 million in 2016.
ABC: 4.203 million, down 18% from 5.097 million.
Fox: 3.625 million, up 23% from 2.951 million.
NBC: 2.742, down 3% from 2.814 million.
ESPN: 2.155 million, down 6% from 2.300 million.
FS1: 819,000, up 4% from 743,000.
(Source: Per Austin Karp Sports Illustrated)
Every network saw a decline in viewership except Fox and FS1. Fox bought the rights to the Big 10 network and swapped out viewers from ESPN’s family of networks. The bottom line is that fans are more frequently tuning out of not showing up to see their team get 2-3 free wins per season. They want to see good opponents showing up to the stadium so they get their monies worth. My wife and I have UCLA season tickets, yet every year we debate renewing them depending what the home schedule is. I know there are many people like me. These programs ask you to spend your hard earned money on sweatshirts, swag, and other merchandise, but most won’t schedule more than one good non-conference game. Nobody wants to see “insert favorite team” play Mercer, Citadel, Northern Colorado, or Southern Utah.
 
If we are all college football fans, why aren’t more people banging on the table demanding change like me? The game is changing for the worse and the playoff committee and analysts just sit idly by and pass this trash on to fans like it’s good football. Teams who play a weak non-conference schedule are rewarded with high rankings, and spots in the playoffs despite untenable schedules. There are only 13 Saturdays of regular season college football. No weekend should feature a mediocre schedule of games! What is it going to take to get more non-conference matchups like USC vs Miami, Auburn vs Oregon, or TCU vs Ohio State in the regular season?
 
Many people applaud Alabama for scheduling their annual neutral site game to open up the season. However, I’d argue that those games have hurt college football. Where have the days gone where teams have the balls to schedule a home-and-home series with another Power 5 opponent. Alabama hasn’t played a non-conference away game since Penn State in 2011. Here comes the “Nick Saban said Bama scheduled Mercer because no one else would play them” line. You really believe that USC, Penn State, or Wisconsin wouldn’t have rather scheduled a home-and-home series against Alabama instead of a neutral cite game? This is not an indictment exclusively on the Crimson Tide.
 
Think about this: Before their 2017 neutral site game against Michigan, Florida hadn’t traveled outside of the state of Florida for a non-conference game since 1991.
 
College football ratings will continue to fall as long as nothing changes. The question is, will the powers that be ignore this problem staring them in the face, or will they take decisive and immediate action to rectify the problem? It would be extremely simple for all Power 5 conferences to play nine conference games, two Power 5 non-conference games, and one game to give the little guys some money. This would fix the scheduling disparity between conferences, and provide fans with more inter-conference matchups to be interested in. If you go down the list of the top twenty-five most watched games of 2017, all of the games are either conference matchups or power 5 non-conference games.
 
Many people would argue that this schedule nonsense has been going on forever, it’s just the way of the college football world. I’d argue that the landscape of sports is changing right before our eyes. Every year, people get more and more options for entertainment, and mediums to consume them. Every sport now has to earn their viewers on an annual basis. The days of people just watching any old game just because it is on are over. Ratings will continue to decline as long as these horrible scheduling practices stay in place. These pitiful scheduling practices will remain in place until teams are penalized and miss the college football playoffs.
 

There is a foreseeable downside to more competitive schedules for Power 5 teams that I will acknowledge. There will be less 8, 9, and 10 win seasons for fringe teams. That means more of you will be demanding your coaches gets fired. Pick your poison college football fans. Do you want a better slate of games all season? Or do you want your team to have a chance to go undefeated?

College Football Playoffs: The Bullshit Edition

The College Football Playoffs teams were announced this morning and the Top 4 are:
1. Clemson
2. Oklahoma
3. Georgia
4. Alabama
As we see there is one ACC team (Clemson), one Big XII team (Oklahoma), and two SEC teams (Georgia, Alabama). This leaves the Pac-12 and Big 10 completely out of the playoffs. The ACC and SEC have a systematic advantage in the College Football Playoffs and we the fans are getting screwed. College Football Playoff Committee screwed up putting Alabama in the top 4. They’ve set college football back at least 10 years.
We will NEVER see schedules get better until the committee punishes teams that don’t win their conference and don’t play good non-conference games. As a college football fan, you should absolutely be disgusted. I’m assuming that all of you are like me and love college football and enjoy watching good games and debating other fans. If that’s the case, there is no way you should be ok with a team that didn’t win their conference and played a bad non-conference schedule to be in the top 4.
The committee has essentially said that it is acceptable to lose your conference, play eight conference games while playing three non-power 5 teams, including an FCS team and get into the playoffs. Do not give me the “everybody does it” line. Clemson, Georgia, Florida, Notre Dame, USC, Miami, Cal, and others managed to schedule at least 2 power five non-conference games.
If you have a weak schedule, you should at the very least have to win your conference to get in the top four. If you’re as good as everybody “thinks” you are, then you should have won your conference! However, the committee clearly doesn’t value those things as highly as they should. This is not a diss to Alabama, but a diss to the broken system of college football. The fans continuously get screwed and will continue to get screwed until the schedule imbalance is fixed. The worst part about it is that fans sit up and co-sign this nonsense and don’t demand better.
I’ve long said that college football schedules are consistently manipulated by the SEC and ACC, who have an advantage. Pac-12, Big XII, and Big 10 teams have a significantly smaller margin for error when trying to compete for championships. Let me explain how this works by using this table:

You can clearly see why the ACC and SEC have a win-loss advantage. Notice that there is a seven-loss difference between the ACC/SEC, and Big 10 which all have 14 teams. Seven more losses mean an additional game for each team in the BIG 10 against a team that could possibly beat you. Imagine how easy the path to the championship would be if Ohio State could sub out that Iowa game for Mercer. Now, let’s compare those numbers to the Pac-12, which has 12 teams and 54 total conference losses. That is only two losses less than the ACC and SEC, despite having two more teams.
If that was too complicated, an easier way to explain all this is by looking at the average number of losses per team in each conference. SEC and ACC teams will lose a half-game less than all other conferences.
In theory, all this would not be a big deal if the conferences made up for that conference game with a competitive non-conference game. However, in most cases that is NOT what happens.
One of the biggest conversations when comparing teams is comparing how many losses each team has. However, all wins are not created equal. I’ve heard the argument that the Big XII, Big 10, and Pac-12 “play themselves out” of the playoffs by losing too much in conference play. The reality is playing 8 conference games instead of 9 conference games creates a systematic advantage for the SEC and ACC.
Now that we are all on the same page in terms of wins and losses, I’ll explain the manipulation of the committee rankings. The current formula to manipulate your way into the playoffs is: play eight conference games, one mandated power 5 team, two non-competitive FBS games, and 1 FCS team. That FCS game often presents itself in November. It is commonly referred to as a “November Cupcake”, which is a glorified bye week against teams like Mercer, Citadel, or Wofford. The “November Cupcake” is an important component for highly regarded SEC teams to move up in the playoffs because of timing. When other conferences have ranked matchups in November, SEC teams play “November Cupcakes”. This gives them an opportunity to move up the rankings without playing a competitive game, and one of the teams from the other conference has to lose. This is the formula how you consistently end up with top 10 matchups amongst SEC teams late in the season, which makes the conference appear stronger.
I contend that the committee absolutely blew it for college football by putting Alabama in the playoffs. They confirmed that conference championships and schedules don’t matter. This whole system is broken and, in order to fix it, we have to break it again. It stinks for college football fans and gives the SEC and ACC have a systematic advantage while screwing over the Pac-12 and the Big X.
Even Nick Saban (Alabama’s Head Coach) agrees with me when asked about college schedules and teams being deserving of playoff bids:
“I think it’s subjective to some degree because we don’t all play each other. I could get into my theory on this. I personally want to play all Power 5 conference teams every week. I know people say we played Mercer College and we couldn’t get a game with anybody else. All right so…  If we all had to play twelve teams from the Power 5 conferences, we would have a better feel for which conferences were the strongest and there would be more crossover play… and maybe even play more conference games.  Fans would like it better. You guys [the media] would like it better. You’d have a better inventory to show people. We wouldn’t have these games that people don’t really want to come to, players don’t really want to play in. And I think you’d have a better idea of who the best conferences and the best teams were.”
-Nick Saban on “College Football Playoff Selection Show” (December 3, 2018)
So here’s my solution:
1   1.  Change the college football playoffs to eight teams.
2   2. Take the five power five champions and three at-large teams.
     3. One of the at-large teams has to be the highest ranked non-power 5 team.
I am also open to two solutions to solve the scheduling imbalance and increase the greatness of college football for fans:
1   1.  9 conference games, two power 5 games, and one FBS non-power 5 game to continue to give money to the little guys.
    2.   8 conference games, two power 5 games, one FBS non-power 5 game, and one FCS game to continue to give money to the little guys.
Both of these options would give the fans a much better game experience and generate more revenue for athletic departments. Teams would be more encouraged to schedule home and home non-conference games against good teams. This would make selling season tickets much easier.

This would also alleviate a lot of the nonsense discussion about resumes and strength of conferences when choosing playoff teams. The committee would have more data because teams would have played more common opponents. My plan would cause television ratings and revenue increases as well. That’s more money for the NCAA, coaches, sponsors, and athletic departments to keep out of the hands of the players. And isn’t that the #1 goal of college football?