These Games Could Land the Pac-12 on ESPN College Gameday

Pac-12 ESPN College Football gameday

College football is back, and with it comes the return of the best sports show in all of sports: ESPN College GameDay. Now in its 26th year of the live show format (the program technically began in 1987 as an in-studio show), College GameDay kicked-off the season in proper fashion at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, highlighting the huge Miami vs. Florida ‘Week 0‘ matchup. And while the atmosphere was outstanding, next week’s feature of Auburn and Oregon in the Advocare Classic is bound to be something special, and is just one of the many college football matchups that could feature the Pac-12 on College GameDay.

Having national attention shift to the Pac-12 is critical, especially as the conference looks to bolster its reputation. There’s no better way of doing this than a featured matchup on College GameDay. Yes, the conference has to win on the field and yes, many of the games listed below could have their “watchability” change as the season progresses, but there’s no denying the influence ESPN College GameDay has in drawing national attention.

Here are the games that could get the Pac-12 on College GameDay throughout the course of the year.

Weeks Ruled Out

Before taking a dive into what weeks and games could see Pac-12 teams featured on College GameDay, there are a few weeks where the show is pretty much booked sans Pac-12.

  • Week 2: Texas A&M vs. Clemson
  • Week 4: Michigan vs. Wisconsin OR Notre Dame vs. Georgia
  • Week 9: Auburn vs. LSU OR Notre Dame vs. Michigan OR Penn State vs. Michigan State
  • Week 10: LSU vs. Alabama
  • Week 14: Ohio State vs. Michigan

With just five weeks out of contention to feature the Pac-12 on College GameDay, the conference could see itself attract a fair share of national attention, even if this means Rece Davis and the gang will have to wake up a bit earlier.

Stanford vs. UCF OR Oklahoma vs. UCLA (Week 3)

After College GameDay’s undoubted visit to Clemson for Texas A&M vs. Clemson, the Pac-12 has a legitimate shot at seeing one of its teams featured on the show in week three, with Stanford, Arizona State and UCLA all in play. Much of this will depend on the outcome of UCLA’s week one matchup against Cincinnati and Stanford’s brutal first two weeks (vs. Northwestern, at USC), but should both those teams head into week three undefeated, their matchups are attractive enough for a College GameDay appearance. Oklahoma vs. UCLA, in particular, could be an outstanding matchup. The backdrop of the Rose Bowl would be a welcomed bonus.

PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 15: Head coach Chip Kelly of the UCLA Bruins talks with Dorian Thompson-Robinson #7 during the second quarter against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Rose Bowl on September 15, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Biggest Competition: Iowa vs. Iowa State, Clemson vs. Syracuse

Washington State vs. Utah OR USC vs. Washington (Week 5)

The Washington schools have a great shot at seeing the Northwest’s best on College GameDay come week 5 of the season, especially if their opponents can play to some lofty expectations. Washington State vs. Utah is particularly intriguing and would be a great feature of the Pac-12 on College GameDay, giving Utah a shot to showcase its passionate fan base and WSU to continue its upward trajectory.

Biggest Competition: Ohio State vs. Nebraska

California vs. Oregon OR Washington vs. Stanford (Week 6)

Both of these games could be pivotal in the outcome of the Pac-12 North. With the California Golden Bears being a sleeper pick in the conference, should Cal surprise the Huskies in week two and hold steady at Ole Miss, their visit in Week 6 to Eugene could be a big matchup in the Pac-12 and in the College Football Playoff Picture.

Conversely, if the Huskies play to expectations and Stanford survives its brutal start to the season, their matchup in Palo Alto could see the Pac-12 on College Gameday. While The Farm isn’t the most raucous atmosphere for the show, the matchup between these two Pac-12 heavyweights does more than makeup for the fans (or lack thereof).

Biggest Competition: Iowa vs. Michigan OR Auburn vs. Florida OR Georgia vs. Tennessee OR Purdue vs. Penn State

USC vs. Notre Dame (Week 7)

One of the classic matchups in all of college football, USC vs. Notre Dame is an attractive week 7 matchup the producers of ESPN College GameDay will hope happens. With USC’s roster filled with talent that just needs to see its potential realized, this could be a statement game for USC, especially if they manage tough games against Stanford (Week 2), Utah (Week 4) and Washington (Week 5).

Sports Illustrated Notre Dame USC Cover
USC and Notre Dame have had some classic matchups throughout college football history.

Biggest Competition: Alabama vs. Texas A&M OR Florida vs. LSU

Oregon vs. Washington OR Arizona State vs. Utah (Week 8)

Don’t sleep on Herm Edward’s Arizona State Sun Devils in the Pac-12 South. They’re a talented squad and freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels is ready to turn some heads. A week 8 matchup with Utah is another opportunity for the Utes to be on college football’s national stage, but they’ll face stiff competition from Oregon vs. Washington in the Pac-12 North.

Likely the game of the year in the Pac-12 North, Oregon vs. Washington is the conference’s fiercest rivalry and the unique atmosphere of Husky Stadium is going to be an attractive option for College GameDay.

Biggest Competition: Michigan vs. Penn State

Oregon vs. USC OR Utah vs. Washington (Week 10)

For a few years, a game featuring Oregon vs. USC was an easy feature for the national stage. With both their 2009 and 2010 matchups on College GameDay, when Oregon and USC clash in week 10 of this year, the teams could once again see Los Angeles serve as the backdrop for College GameDay. Known to Oregon fans as the ‘Storm LA’ game, this could be an opportunity for each program to reclaim college football glory and capture national attention in a big way.

Utah vs. Washington is another outstanding option, with Husky Stadium once again proving an attractive option to see the Pac-12 on College GameDay. Both these games could easily be previews of the Pac-12 Conference Championship.

Biggest Competition: Georgia vs. Florida

Week 11 – UCLA vs. Utah

UCLA is another one of the Pac-12 South teams a little under-the-radar this year. With Utah not having any defined competition in the division, this week 11 matchup between UCLA and Utah could be a game that determines the Pac-12 South crown.

Biggest Competition: Georgia vs. Auburn, Michigan State vs. Michigan

Week 12 – Oregon vs. Arizona State

Another potential preview of the Pac-12 Conference Championship, Oregon vs. Arizona State in Tempe could provide an outstanding stage for the Pac-12 on College Gameday. By this time in the year, we’ll know where each team stands and freshman QB Jayden Daniels will have had plenty of time to establish himself. Oregon, meanwhile, will be hoping senior quarterback Justin Herbert is forwarding a Heisman Campaign by leading the Ducks through a difficult road schedule. Their final road test? This big matchup against the Sun Devils.

Biggest Competition: Penn State vs. Ohio State, TCU vs. Oklahoma, Texas A&M vs. Georgia

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 14: CFPlayoff Chase

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull

There has been no more unbiased ranking out there than the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 14. I get criticized from time to time by people who only want to see the college football world through the lens of the AP Poll. However, if you go back and look at the rankings for each week, I guarantee you would now agree that I have been 100% right and accurate along the way.

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 14 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive ā€œbenefit of the doubt.” I donā€™t believe in that. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 14 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous weekā€™s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.comā€¦ Yes, that is the real email address.

1. Ā Alabama (12-0) Last Week: #1

Nick Saban should be extremely happy with the result of the Iron Bowl. Alabama had a dominant win but made just enough mistakes that Saban can chastise the team. Alabama overcame the emotion of the Iron Bowl and didn’t let Auburn have a real shot in the game. It took two trick plays for Auburn to get 14Ā of their 21 points. Tua Tagoviloa was sensational as usual. He stayed healthy, all but guaranteed a trip to the Heisman Trophy presentation.

As good as Alabama is, they cannot look past Georgia in the SEC Championship.

2. Clemson (12-0) Last Week: #2

The game against South Carolina was a lot closer for the first half than most people expected. But it’s rivalry week, and great teams always have to fade inspired performances from their rivals. Dabo Swinney is a legend for calling a goal-line toss to DT Christian Wilkins. Then he became lame for getting mad at Wilkins for striking the Heisman pose after the touchdown. How can you possibly get mad at a DT for doing that? That was probably the last time he will ever get a rushing TD.

3. Notre Dame (12-0)Ā Last Week: #3

The Fighting Irish survived a test from USC in rivalry week. Ian Book proved to be the X-factor all season for Notre Dame. He converted so many big third downs running the ball and passing. They will ultimately get in the playoff at 12-0, and will likely be the #3 seed. The biggest question is how will they fare against their likely opponent Clemson? Notre Dame gets the benefit of the doubt as an Independent team that doesn’t have a 13th game. Even if the Fighting Irish doesn’t win their playoff game, it is critical they put on a good showing.

4. Oklahoma (11-1) Last Week: #5

With all due respect to Tua Tagoviloa, Kyler Murray should be the 2018 Heisman trophy winner. He is asked to do more than any other player in college football. The Oklahoma offense has to score 45+ per week to win. And he regularly has to be a magician to will his team to win. So many people bash the Sooners defense for seemingly giving up yards and points at will. However, it was Oklahoma’s defense that came up with two huge defensive scores against West Virginia. We have seen teams win championships in sports with defenses that don’t get a lot of stops but get timely ones. If Oklahoma defeats Texas in the Big-12 Championship, they should be a lock for the top four.

I’m praying we get to see an Alabama vs. Oklahoma matchup.

5. Ohio State (11-1)Ā Last Week: #10

The Buckeyes put up 62 points on the #1 defense in all of college football. Ohio State has cheated playoff death against Maryland, Penn State, and Nebraska only to find themselves in prime position to make the top four. For weeks I have had Ohio State in the top 10 and their fans have said, “We are not a top 10 team, and don’t deserve to make the playoff.” I wonder if their tune will change this week?

It’s amazing how quickly Ohio State went from playing poorly to firing on all cylinders. If the Buckeyes do get in the playoff, they are a team to be feared.

6. Georgia (11-1) Last Week: 7

Georgia is one win away from making the College Football Playoff. That one game does happen to be against Alabama, but so what! Whether it is now or later, the road to the championship goes through the Crimson Tide. Jake Fromm has been playing his best football towards the end of the season. The Georgia running game and defense are extremely solid as well. Only a few will be giving Georgia a chance to win the SEC Championship. I am giving them a chance because I saw the 18-0 Patriots lose the Super Bowl to the Giants.

7. Central Florida (11-0)Ā Last Week: #8

Another dominant win by Central Florida. But, UCF was dealt a devastating blow. They lost theirĀ junior leader and quarterback McKenzie Milton to a horrific knee injury. They will not be discounted in the rankings because Ohio State has proven that you can lose two quarterbacks in one season and still win the national championship. With the chaos that can ensueĀ during conferenceĀ championship games, we may actually see the Knights make the College Football Playoff.

8. Michigan (10-2) Last Week: #4

The revenge tour ran into a speed bump at the fourth stop. Michigan fans have to beĀ frustrated with the performance against Ohio State. The only person to blame is Harbaugh. They were out schemed and outcoached by Urban Meyer. Jim Harbaugh is a late adopter to the idea that in this era of football great defense alone cannot beat great offense. Even Nick Saban had to adjust his offensive strategy. Harbaugh refuses to change. 0-4 to Ohio State should be enough to rethink strategy.

Michigan commits to playing great defense but doesn’t make the same commitment to explosive offense. That will need to change if Michigan intends on competing for the national championship in 2019.

9. West Virginia (8-3) Last Week: #9

West Virginia is a good football team but ran into a buzzsaw named Oklahoma. Their offense played extremely well, but two costly turnovers ultimately sealed their fate. Will Grier should end up with an invite to the Heisman trophy presentation. While 9-2Ā  is a good season, it is not nearly what the Mountaineers fans expected in Will Grier’s senior season.

10. Washington State (10-2) Last Week: 6

Washington State played Washington in a virtual blizzard. I hate the fact that the game wasn’t played in good conditions. I would love to see how the SEC teams would fare if they had to play a game in a “white-out.”Ā The Cougars playoff and Rose Bowl hopes are done. However, they still have a shot to make a New Years’ Six Bowl if things fall their way.

Next Up:

Penn State, Utah, Florida, Texas, Washington, LSU

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. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 14 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12: Chalk for Now…

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull

There has been no more unbiased ranking out there than the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12. I get criticized from time to time by people who only want to see the college football world through the lens of the AP Poll. However, if you go back and look at the rankings for each week, I guarantee you would now agree that I have been 100% right and accurate along the way.

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive ā€œbenefit of the doubt.” I donā€™t believe in that. The college football top 10 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous weekā€™s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 10.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.comā€¦ Yes, that is the real email address.

1. Ā Alabama (10-0) Last Week: #1

Watching Alabama play this year is like watching Mike Tyson in the early years. If you tune in 5 minutes late, you will miss the knockout. They were up 14 zero on Mississippi State before you could blink. Alabama did see the best defense they have seen all season. Tua Tagoviloa only finished with 164 yards with a touchdown and an interception. And the offense struggled to put points on the board. Even though this was Alabama’s most competitive game of the season, it still wasn’t close. Their defense has not allowed a single point in consecutive weeks. Very impressive.

As long as Alabama doesn’t look past Auburn and Georgia, they will cruise to the SEC championship and College Football Playoff.

2. Clemson (10-0) Last Week: #2

There are so many similarities between the #1 and #2 teams. The Clemson defense matched Alabama’s defense this week. They pitched a shutout. The only points they allowed were on a punt return. Alabama gave up a touchdown this week as well, but a phantom penalty called it back. The Tigers defense has locked it down for the last month, while their offense has been steady and high powered. Clemson’s true freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence is growing up fast, but his play will be the difference between a trip to the College Football Playoff and a National Championship.

It feels like Clemson and Bama are on a collision course for the national championship.

3. Notre Dame (10-0)Ā Last Week: #3

Any doubt Notre Dame had coming into the game without their starting quarterback Ian Book was quickly forgotten. The Fighting Irish jumped out to a commanding 32-6 halftime lead. It was a 26 point lead, but it felt like 100 points. Brandon Winbush had a couple of interceptions in the 3rd quarter.Ā  It is clear that Notre Dame Book back in the lineup if they hope to beat Syracuse and USC to finish the season undefeated.

Chaos always happens in the rankings in November. Notre Dame will be looking to make sure they are not the victims who miss out on a top-four spot.

4. Michigan (9-1) Last Week: #4

Michigan’s offense is not explosive, but they are efficient. They lean on the defense, don’t make mistakes, and don’t turn the ball over. Then you look up and realize they scored 42 points. And the Wolverines defense is like a boa constrictor. They just squeeze and squeeze the offense until they break and turn the ball over. The #1 defense in college football has only gotten better since their week one loss to Notre Dame. This is an impressive football team.

I’m hesitant to pick Michigan to make the final top four because they have a huge mental hurdle to overcome in two weeks named Ohio State. It does look like the stars are aligning for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan faithful.

5. Oklahoma (9-1) Last Week: #5

I am still bullish on the Sooners and their offensive prowess. I am also terrified by their defense. This defense hasn’t been much better since they fired Mike Stoops as defensive coordinator. However, the stats and dominance show that Oklahoma’s offense is even more unstoppable than Alabama’s. And that is saying a lot. They put up an eye-popping 702 yards against Oklahoma State. Kyler Murray is the only player that may give Tua Tagoviloa a run for his money for the Heisman trophy.

The Sooners have only been held under 37 points once this season. And that was against Army who had the ball for literally three-quarters of the game.

If you answered 0-20, it only shows your bias. There is not a team in college football that could keep the Sooners under 20 points. I’m not saying they would beat Bama, but damnit their offense will make it competitive.

6. Georgia (9-1) Last Week: 7

The cream has risen to the top in the SEC. Georgia is playing so well right now that there is a lot of “what if Georgia beats Alabama” talk starting. The Bulldogs are dominant running the ball. They have rushed for over 300 yards in back to back weeks. Kirby Smart and the crew have smartly gone all-in on pounding the football. They likely would never have lost to LSU if they had kept running the football. As long as Georgia can run the ball at that pace and isn’t turning the ball over, they cannot be beaten.

If the Bulldogs have an Achilles heel, it is the passing game. If their running game gets slowed can Jake Fromm have 300+ three-touchdown performance to win the game?

7. Washington State (9-1) Last Week: 7

Washington State needed a dominant win after playing a close game against Cal last week. They easily disposed of Colorado on the road. Gardener Minshew has to be on target to take home some postseason hardware for the best passer in college football. He was below his season average, but nobody can complain about 335 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. By the metrics, the committee uses it seems unlikely the Cougars will make the playoffs. But, if a few things break their way, don’t be surprised if they slide in the back door.

8. West Virginia (8-1) Last Week: #8

The Mountaineers dominated TCU in every way possible. West Virginia had two rough weeks in the middle of the season, but it fair to say they are peaking at the right time. Will Grier had another performance that validates his 1st round draft pick hype. He finished with 343 yards passing and three touchdowns. The Big 12 is often criticized for not playing defense because their offenses are so explosive. However, this West Virginia team has allowed 17 points or less in five of their nine games.

If the Mountaineers do win the Big 12, I wonder if the committee will hold the fact that they will have one less win than everyone else against them (NC State game canceled due to hurricane).

9. Central Florida (9-0)Ā Last Week: #9

Last week I said Central Florida had played too many closeĀ games against inferior competition to warrant significant #CFBPlayoff consideration. They took that criticism and put up a good performance against Navy. Ultimately the Knights will not make the playoffs. But I do believe missing out two years in a row will create enough momentum for the Group of Five schools to take action and put themselves in a better position to make the playoffs.

10. Ohio State (9-1)Ā Last Week: #10

Another uninspiring victory by the Buckeyes. Michigan State has a tough defense, but Ohio State’s offense continued to struggle. They only converted 33% on 3rd down, and only averaged 2.7 yards per rush. And the Buckeyes only managed two offensive touchdowns. All of these struggles will be erased if they take care of business against Maryland and win the big one against Michigan.

Ohio State is a team that was projected to make the playoffs until about a month ago. They will need some better performances to propel them up the rankings.Ā  If it comes down to the Buckeyes and another one-loss team like Oklahoma they may be on the outs unless something changes.

Next Up:

LSU– (a two-loss team that didn’t score a point against Bama and struggled to put Arkansas away)

Syracuse, NC State, Florida,Ā Texas

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. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.