The Transfer Portal Is A Good Thing- But You Can Have Too Much of a Good Thing.

We need to talk about these restless college football youths.The transfer portal is a good thing, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you. 

I love players being able to transfer, and have the same freedoms as the coaches and administrators that make a living off of their blood sweat and tears. 

But just like how not every coaching move is the right one, there’s often a price to pay for movement for the sake of comfort or short term gains. 

Have you ever been driving the speed limit, and someone comes along whipping in and out of traffic like they’re in a Fast and Furious reboot, only to end up sitting at the same exact red light. 

Now they won’t look you in the eye because you know and they know they didn’t have to do all that movement for the sake of movement?

Some of these players are hitting the portal two or three times only to end up in the exact same place as they would have had they just stayed the course. 

Fans used to be able to invest their interest in 90% of any given roster to stick around for anywhere from 3-5 years. While most people are fans of the laundry above all else, many did invest deeply in the personalities and talents of the young men that elected to represent the university they love.

Now you have NFL-level roster turnover in the NCAA.

Whether or not it’s a fallacy that fans were able to separate the NFL being a business from the so-called purity of the NCAA’s “amateurism cartel,” the fact that players stuck around and earned their place both on the field and in the hearts of the fans is a very real reason why people love the sport.

I don’t fault people for hating that the transfer portal takes them out of the fantasy that college football isn’t a business. 

But it is a business. And if we’re being honest, some of these players and their families are out here making Sam Bankman-Fried style short term business decisions.

Your business might be booming today, but if you’re not smart, it could be belly up tomorrow.

Look, there are a lot of lies told on the recruiting trail, but the whole thing about how your college choice is a 40 year decision isn’t one of them. 

I cannot tell you how blessed I’ve been to be part of the Oregon Duck community as I’ve gotten older. Do you think I’d have the same networking and relationship benefits if instead of jumping to the NFL after three years in Eugene, I’d treated my lack of playing time as a freshman like it was everyone else’s fault but mine? Or what if I’d decided to take this smile to Seattle for the million dollars my mother says it’s worth?

You’d be surprised how fast a million dollars gets spent. Even a million after tax. And now I’m old and wise enough to know there’s no amount of money I’d take to be a Husky. 

I’m just playing, Washington fans. 

My point is this. If you’re out here selling yourself to the highest bidder, don’t sell yourself short.

Yes, having a bank balance is better than being broke. Yes it feels better to be built up by recruiters than broken down by coaches, and yes it’s sometimes hard to reconcile when the recruiter and the coach are the same person. 

But nothing feels better than proving yourself where you planted yourself, and discovering that your worth goes beyond your net worth. 

Maybe the best spot for you is somewhere else. And every case is different. Especially for quarterbacks, or other positions where only one person can play. But wherever the best spot for you is, it will only be because you brought the best version of yourself to that spot. 

And if you haven’t brought the best version of yourself to the spot you’re already in, you might want to try that before jumping ship. 

I think you might find that it’s good for business.

Let that sink in.

College Football Bowl Game Participants​ Should get More Than a $550 Bowl Gift

College Football Bowl Game Gifts

It is that time of year again. College football playoff and bowl game season! The College Football Playoff (CFP) matchups are set. Bowl game matchups are set. There is a lot at stake during the college football post-season. Bragging rights for winning a bowl game, being crowned the CFP champion, and last but not least – MONEY. There are millions of dollars at stake for coaches, conferences, and schools. However, there is one group that is systematically left out of the financial distributions. That group is none other than the football players themselves. 

It is true that the NCAA permits bowl game participants to receive up to $550 in gifts. However, those gifts severely pails in comparison to the rewards that coaches, schools, and conferences receive. Right out the gate, the conferences of the schools that qualify for the College Football Playoff semifinal games receive 6 million dollars for each team. Conferences that do not have a CFP contender still have a chance to rake in 4 million dollars for each team that qualifies for a bowl game. However, this revenue barely scratches the surface of all of the money that is at stake. Let’s take a look at how much the coaches, schools, and conferences stand to earn during the college football post-season.

The CFP and Bowl Games are a Cash Cow for the Participating Coaches

Dabo Swinney $93M contract There's enough money to pay the players

Several college football coaches enjoy million-dollar salaries. CFP champion coach, Dabo Swinney, signed a 9.3 million per year contract for his base salary  Many more coaches enjoy salaries in the upper six figures. However, the college football post-season is the sweetest time of year for qualifying coaches. It is sweet because qualifying for post-season play demonstrates that the coach has led the team through a very successful season. It is also sweet because qualifying for post-season play equals sizeable bonus money for the coaches.

Coach Mack Brown at The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Take the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill coach, Mack Brown, for instance. He will receive $75,000 for the Tar-heels qualifying for the Military Bowl. This $75,000 is additional compensation on top of the $3.5 million he earns as an annual salary. Brown is not the only person on his staff who will be a bonus beneficiary. The Tar-heels assistant coaches will receive bonuses up to “two-twelfths of their annualized salaries”. Meanwhile, the football players will receive a compilation of arguably useless gifts up to $550 in value. 

Anchor // Apple Podcasts // Spotify // PocketCasts // Google Play // Stitcher // RadioPublic 

Coach Ryan Day at Ohio State University

Another coach who stands to make more in bonus money than most people make in a year is Ohio State’s Ryan Day. Day replaced Ohio State coaching legend, Urban Meyer, and quickly realized that he needed to make a name for himself. Make a name for himself is just what he did in leading the Buckeyes to the CFP for the first time since 2016. Day stands to earn an additional $450,000 in CFP bonuses. Per Day’s contract, he will earn $200,000 just for the Buckeyes making an appearance in the CFP. Day stands to make another $250,000 if the Buckeyes make it to the CFP semifinals.

However, Ohio State and Clemson are set to face off in the Fiesta Bowl. If the Buckeyes are successful in that game, Day will not receive $250,000 if the Buckeyes make it to the CFP semifinals. Instead, Day will receive $350,000 for “team participation in the finals of the College Football Playoff.” These are only the bonuses that two coaches stand to receive for post-season play. Every other qualifying coach stands to receive similar compensation. Meanwhile, the football players are left with arguably useless gifts totaling up to $550 in value.

Conferences and Schools Rake in the Cash from the CFP and Bowl Games too

Justin Fields Ohio State

Merely having a school qualify for the CFP semifinals or a bowl game earns a conference at least 6 to 4 million dollars respectively. There is so much money available to the conferences and schools from post-season play. Each conference with a school that qualifies for post-season play receives $300,000. Each qualifying independent school receives $300,000 as well. An independent school is one that does not belong to a conference like Notre Dame.

Additionally, each of the ten conferences receives a base amount of money. Conferences who participate in the Orange, Rose, and Sugar Bowl receive approximately $66 million for each conference. Conferences that do not participate in those bowls receive approximately $90 million in the aggregate that is dispersed as the conferences see fit. If Notre Dame qualifies, it receives $3.19 million as an independent school. The other three independent schools receive $1.56 million.

Furthermore, each conference with a school participating in the Cotton, Fiesta, or Peach Bowl or the CFP National Championship receives an additional $2.43 million to cover game expenses. This is a lot of money. Meanwhile, the football players receive arguably useless gifts totaling up to $550 in value. The schools do use some of the money to fund their athletic departments to make collegiate sports participation possible. However, there is still enough money that football players can receive more than $550 worth of gifts.

The Bowl Gifts Are a Joke in Comparison to the Coaching Bonuses and Revenue the Conferences and Schools Receive

Football players who participate in bowl games and the CFP are allowed to receive $550 worth of gifts. In the scheme of things, the gifts are arguably worthless and pails in comparison to the six-figure bonuses their coaches receive. Participants in the Peach Bowl will receive a $390 Vanilla Visa Gift Card, a Fossil watch, and a football. While a $390 gift card sounds nice, it is nothing for all of the hard work and effort players put into their sport. It is certainly nothing compared to the bonuses the coaches receive.

Participants in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl receive a PlayStation 4 Gift Package, a Fossil watch, an Ogio Shuttle Pack backpack, a history of bowl games book, and an Ice Shaker Insulated bottle. A PlayStation 4 is a nice gift. However, is it really that useful for a college football player who puts in 40 plus hours a week on football and has to study too? It would seem that sharing the revenue with the players would be a better option. However, that is not going to happen because of the NCAA’s farce of amateurism.

College Football Bowl Game Gifts

What if the NCAA, Conferences, and Schools Decided to Share the Revenue With the Players?

If the revenue was shared with the players it would provide a major financial boost for the players. This is especially true for players who come from disadvantaged situations. Such players often need extra money to make ends meet. Players who may need extra cash cannot even sell their gifts without fear of being declared ineligible for receiving an impermissible benefit like Terrelle Pryor. In 2010, Pryor was suspended for selling his sportsmanship award from the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. If the NCAA, conferences, and schools decided to share some of the revenue they could eliminate this problem for their athletes.

The NCAA could hold the money in a trust for the football players to receive after they graduate. They could provide financial planning seminars to help them manage the money and use it in a productive manner. This would help the players way more than a fossil watch ever could. With all of the money floating around college football post-season play, the players should receive more than a $550 gift.

CFB Preseason Polls are Worthless and Mess Up the Playoff Rankings

Preseason Polls hurt the ranking throughout the season SEC, Big 10, Big 12, SEC, Pac-12

Polls judge everything in college football. Teams are ranked from the preseason till after the national championship.

We all love to discuss the and debate when the College Football Preseason Polls come out. I even do them for Unafraid Show. However, I have come to find a major flaw in the polling system that ultimately affects the CFB Playoff. We all want the four (or eight in a perfect world) best teams playing for the championship. College Football Preseason polls make that nearly impossible to achieve because they distort the rankings and data for the rest of the season. Eleven of the top 25 teams in the 2018-19 Preseason AP Poll didn’t even finish ranked. In 2017, nine didn’t finish ranked. In 2016, 13 didn’t finish ranked. Commonly, those early season matchups that were so hyped up turned out to be nothing burgers, but they did affect the CFB Playoff committee rankings.

What is the purpose of preseason polls if they are so incredibly wrong. The goal is to find the four best teams in the nation and let them fight it out for the national championship. However, that is nearly impossible to get right because the preseason polls give miss information that only further convolutes the process of determining who the best four teams are for the College Football Playoff. If you are not convinced yet, I have proof.

This will be a journey down the rabbit hole so please hang on tight and keep and an open mind. The polls regularly reflect the voters desire to be right about their preseason selections rather than looking at the data objectively. Here are a few glaring examples of the head-scratchers:

The College Football Preseason Poll Proof

1. Wisconsin went into the 2018-19 season ranked #4. In the week four poll, Wisconsin was 2-1 and ranked #18 with wins over New Mexico and Western Kentucky. The team they lost to, BYU (2-1) was ranked #24. And the team that beat BYU was Cal (3-0), who was unranked. How on earth does that make sense?

2. Texas trashed Georgia in their bowl game yet Georgia finished above Texas in the final AP poll. Georgia is talented and was a sexy pick for the College Football Playoff after started #3 in the preseason? They both finished the season with the exact same amount of wins (2) over top 25 teams, and they have a head to head matchup.

3. Northwestern finished 8-1 in the Big Ten and only got 13 votes in the preseason poll.

4. Stanford came into the season ranked #13. They won their bowl game to finish the season 9-4. So how did the Cardinal finish unranked while seven other teams with at least four losses were ranked? Stanford’s only losses were to top 25 teams: Notre Dame, Utah, Washington, and Washington State. Three of those teams finished in the top 14.

SEC Preseason AP Poll Magic

5. Early in the season that LSU had two top 10 wins (Miami, Auburn). Those wins propelled LSU from #25 in the AP Poll to #5. Neither Miami or Auburn finished ranked. So, those two wins weren’t nearly as good as they were portrayed publicly. That eventually set up an “epic top 5 showdown” between Alabama and LSU. Alabama won the game 29-0, and LSU got a quality loss. The Football Playoff Committee then still had the Tigers ranked #7.

6. Now let us look at Florida. They came into the season unranked. At the end of the regular season, the Gators finished #10 in the country but only beat one team that finished in the top 25. In week six they beat the “#5 team” in the nation LSU which we just learned about. The next week they beat 3-4 Vanderbilt and were ranked #9. That set up a top 10 showdown with #7 Georgia. Georgia won, so adding that to their preseason hype only magnifies the SEC table thumping.

7. Kentucky finished the regular season at #10 in the nation despite only beating one team (Florida) that finished the season in the top 25

There were so many more examples, but you get the point. This is not a knock on LSU, Georgia, Kentucky, or Florida. All are talented teams that had great seasons. However, they are just prime examples in 2018 of how preseason polls manipulate the rankings and end up leaving the SEC overhyped. They ultimately only ended up judged from games they played against themselves.

Fans Deserve Better: A Great Solution

Imagine a world where there are no preseason rankings, and polls start after week four. There would have been information on teams that came into the season with so much hype. We would have already known Miami, FSU, USC, TCU, Auburn, and Wisconsin weren’t as good as advertised. Teams that beat them would get credit, but wouldn’t falsely rise so far in the polls. Starting the rankings after four weeks would create a much more accurate representation of schedule strength and conference strength. Right now we rank teams before they have played a down of football. We have seen time and time again that a top 5 talented team doesn’t make them a top 5 team.

Also, if the preseason polls were eliminated, college football fans would get much more of what they really want and deserve; great games. Teams would no longer have the luxury of preseason top 5 rankings while playing a cupcake non-conference schedule. You would see many more teams trying to put big names on their schedules early in the season to propel them to the playoffs. Fans would respond to that by eliminating the attendance problems many schools are facing. And viewership who certainly increase. All of which leads to more money for everyone except the student-athletes who are actually generating the money, but I digress.

Get rid of preseason polls and Make College Football Greater.

College Football Power 5 Sleeper Teams From Each Conference

Sleeper Teams from each Power 5 conference

Perhaps more than any other sport, parity seems to be – for lack of a better word – a rarity in college football. Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Auburn, etc. seem to always be near the top of the standings, while teams at the bottom of the barrel tend to remain there for years, even decades. But every so often a team climbs from the ashes and shocks the world. They surprise their respective college football Power 5 Conference and come close to – if not actually – winning their conference. The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC all have sleeper teams in the mix for 2019.

Washington State was one of the best examples of that last season. Led by transfer quarterback Gardner Minshew, the Cougars nearly won the PAC-12 crown and finished well within the top-25 despite projections having them near the bottom of the conference in the preseason.

Which team could make the WSU leap in 2019? Here is one option for a college football Power 5 surprise team in each conference. Consider them the proverbial dark horses.

College Football Sleeper Teams 2019

ACC: Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia was projected to finish sixth in the ACC by USA TODAY, but that feels like it could end up being a mistake if quarterback Bryce Perkins can build off his ridiculously excellent 2018 season.

Perkins proved to be one of the more dynamic players in college football last season, throwing for 2,680 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and running for 923 yards and nine scores. 

The team will need to replace running back Jordan Ellis and receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, no easy task, but they do return nine starters to a defense that allowed the 20th fewest points last season.

A top-3 finish in the ACC seems very plausible for Bronco Mendenhall’s squad.

Minnesota RB

BIG-10: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota has a lot of things going for them in the BIG Ten, and could be a scary team if things go their way. For starters, they have one of the easiest schedules in college football, and could easily find themselves 5-0 in October.

Second, they return nine starters on offense and seven on defense, which includes receiver Tyler Johnson and a pair of former 1,000-yard rushers in Mohamed Ibrahim and Rodney Smith.

The Gophers finished 2018 winning three out of four, and could realistically challenge for a BIG-10 championship this season if things go right for P.J. Fleck and company.

Baylor QB Charlie Brewer College Football

BIG-12: Baylor Bears

Baylor went from one win in 2017 to seven wins in 2018, the second year under coach Matt Rhule. USA TODAY has them 22nd overall, so it’s hard to call them a dark horse necessarily, but Rhule’s squad is only picked to finish fourth in the BIG-12, and I think they can challenge for the top spot.

The Bears have one of the deepest groups of wide receivers in the country, and quarterback Charlie Brewer is coming off a season where he threw for over 3,000 yards with 19 touchdowns.

With an offense poised to do some damage through the air, and a team that has continued to improve in the last few seasons, Baylor has a chance to make some noise in 2019.

Chip Kelly Dorian Thompson-Robinson UCLA Pac-12 Teams

PAC-12: UCLA Bruins

Chip Kelly has proven he can win at the college level. His offensive style is no longer as unique and unknown as it was when he was leading Oregon to prominence a half-decade ago, but there’s reason to believe that the Bruins will begin to hit their stride in the second year under Kelly.

After all, the Bruins did show improvement in the second half last season, and they are returning a good chunk of starters on both sides of the ball.

While they have one of the toughest schedules in the entire college football landscape this year, they could certainly surprise some people heading into conference play.

USA TODAY has them ranked ninth in the PAC-12, and a top-five finish wouldn’t surprise me at all.

Tennessee QB Jarrett Guarantano Power 5 Sleeper

SEC: Tennessee Volunteers

The Vol’s may have lost defensive lineman Emmitt Gooden, but they still have a packed house upfront – especially if they can get Michigan transfer Aubrey Solomon cleared before the opener.

The defense should be solid, but this team’s ability to succeed next season will depend on how quarterback Jarrett Guarantano develops under new offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.

Guarantano had some electric performances last season, particularly against Kentucky, which helped make him the 21st ranked quarterback in college football according to Pro Football Focus.

However, poor offensive line play limited his playmaking ability, and that is something that Tennessee will need to improve if they want to rock the boat in the stacked SEC conference.

These college football Power 5 sleeper teams may not win their conference but they will win games that decide who does.

Dewan Hernandez’s Reinstatement Case Exposes NCAA’s True Purpose

The NCAA demonstrated their most important values when they failed to reinstate the University of Miami basketball star, Dewan Hernandez. Hernandez is one of the 19 basketball players implicated in the college basketball scandal due to his alleged relationship with aspiring agent Christian Dawkins. Due to the alleged relationship, Hernandez’s eligibility was put into jeopardy. Although there was little to no evidence that Hernandez received an “impermissible benefit” from Dawkins, the NCAA still refused to reinstate him. As a result of the NCAA’s decision, Hernandez decided to withdraw from school and prepare for the 2019 NBA draft.

How does an organization that seeks to ensure that every college athlete is able to obtain their degree while playing their sport justify putting Hernandez in the position where he felt it was best to leave school and prepare for the pros? The answer is simple. The NCAA’s highest priority lies in the last phrase of their basic purpose.

The NCAA’s Basic Purpose

Article 1.3.1 of the NCAA Division I Manual states the NCAA’s basic purpose. The NCAA’s basic purpose is to “maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body, and by so doing, retain a clear line of demarcation between intercollegiate athletics and professional sports.”[i] While this purpose may be noble in theory, Hernandez’s case reveals what is really important to the NCAA. What is really important to the NCAA is the last phrase of their purpose regarding maintaining the distinction between college and professional sports.

Dewan Hernandez’s Reinstatement Case

In practice, the NCAA’s basic purpose translates to the NCAA stopping at nothing to maintain the distinction between college and professional sports. Even if means failing at maintaining the college athlete as an integral part of the student body and punishing an underserving athlete. Hernandez’s case is the perfect example of this.

During the FBI’s investigation of Dawkins, an email mentioning Hernandez was discovered. This email put Hernandez’s eligibility in jeopardy because it contained a plan where Dawkins was planning to give Hernandez a series of payments over a specified period of time. However, there was no evidence that such payments were ever made, that Hernandez agreed to take the payments, or that Hernandez even knew of Dawkins’ plan.

In spite of the lack of evidence, the NCAA still levied a heavy penalty on Hernandez. The NCAA mandated that Hernandez continue to sit out the remainder of this season and forty percent of next season. Why would an organization that truly cares about “maintaining the athlete as an integral part of the student body” force an athlete into a position where his best option is to withdraw from school and prepare for the NBA draft?

The NCAA’s Most Important Purpose is to Keep College Athletics “Amateur”

The answer is simple. The NCAA’s true values revolve around doing whatever is necessary to maintain a distinction between college and professional sports, even when it is not what is best for the athlete. In spite of the lack of evidence, the NCAA still denied Hernandez’s reinstatement. They made that decision for no other reason than to re-affirm the point that college athletes are to receive no benefit outside of what is authorized by the NCAA.

Hernandez’s case is unfortunately not the only time that the NCAA has stopped at nothing to make that point, even when it hurt an underserving athlete. Remember the very unfortunate story of Donald De La Haye. De La Haye, was a kicker for the Univerisity of Central Florida (UCF) football team. He had successfully monetized his YouTube videos. The NCAA ordered him to stop making videos that featured him as a “student-athlete” or be deemed ineligible. In that case, the NCAA proved that they cared less about maintaining De La Haye as an integral part of the student body and more about maintaining the distinction between college and professional sports.

College Athletics Does not Benefit From the Decision in Hernandez’s Case

There is no logical argument that can be made for how the NCAA’s decision in Hernandez’s case benefits college athletics. How does it benefit college athletics to force a player to leave school early for the NBA draft? Especially in this case where there is no hard evidence that he violated any NCAA bylaws. College athletics gains nothing from this decision. The only benefit is to the NCAA who once again gets to reaffirm its bogus principle of “amateurism.”

[i]NCAA Manual, (2018), available at http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/D119.pdf.


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 “benefit of the doubt.” I don’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 week’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.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1.  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) 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.  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) Last Week: #9

Last week I said Central Florida had played too many close 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) 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.  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, 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.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11: No Margin for Error

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11

There has been no more unbiased ranking out there than the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11. 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 “benefit of the doubt.” I don’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 week’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.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1.  Alabama (9-0) Last Week: #2

Alabama is the class of the SEC and College Football. After week 10 I believe we can all agree that Bama is a juggernaut and the rest of the SEC is just like every other conference. Anyone can get beat on any given Saturday (with Clemson as the exception).

Alabama heard all the people saying they would to lose to LSU and told them to have a seat and be quiet. The Crimson Tide’s schedule has been extremely light this season. Playing tougher teams multiple weeks in a week out does fatigue a team mentally and physically. And Alabama has not experienced that, but I’m not sure it would have mattered who they played this season.

It feels like a foregone conclusion that the Crimson Tide will win the National Championship, but remember the New England Patriots looked unbeatable at 18-0, then proceeded to lose the Super Bowl. So, you never know.

2. Clemson (9-0) Last Week: #1

This is the time of year that teams jockeying for playoff seeding are trying to make statements. Clemson clearly made a statement by unmercifully beating Florida State, NC State, and Louisville over the last three weeks.

Dabo Swinney made the correct move when he made Trevor Lawrence the starting quarterback. The Clemson offense has been more dynamic and consistent since then. Winning the ACC is a foregone conclusion for the Tigers. Gearing up for what feels like an inevitable matchup with Alabama for the title has to be priority number one.

3. Notre Dame (9-0) Last Week: #3

If Notre Dame wins their last three games, there is NO chance they get left out of the playoffs. Oklahoma, Michigan, Washington State, West Virginia, Ohio State, and Georgia all have to be rooting for the Fighting Irish to drop a game. Ian Book continues his solid play and feels like the new prototype college quarterback. He is a terrific passer, but also adds a lot of value extending playing and picking up first downs with his legs.

In an interview on College Football GameDay head coach, Brian Kelly was already talking about the playoffs and a potential rematch with Alabama. I have to wonder if Kelly and his team could be looking past games against Florida State, Syracuse, and USC.

4. Michigan (8-1) Last Week: #6

I officially believe in Michigan. The Wolverines did horrible things to Penn State. Their defense is smothering, and unquestionably the #1 defense in the nation. This defense could absolutely slow Alabama’s offense down. The only question is will their offense be able to produce against Bama’s notoriously stingy defense.

The “eye test” tells me that Michigan is a better team than Notre Dame, at this point. However, the fact that Notre Dame beat Michigan week one cannot be ignored. If it came down to the last playoff spot could anyone in good conscience put Michigan over an undefeated Notre Dame?

5. Oklahoma (8-1) Last Week: #5

We have learned two things about Oklahoma this season. Their offense is unstoppable, and their defense can’t stop nosebleed most times. Unless the Sooners lose another game, they will 100% be in the top four of the CFB Playoffs. Chaos always ensues in November and the Sooners will be the beneficiary. It will be interesting to see if a team like Michigan or Alabama who is so good defensively can stop the most potent offense in college football.

Kyler Murray has to be a Heisman Finalist and could possibly win the award if he has more heroics over the last month of the season. Oklahoma is what Washington State would be with 4-5* athletes all over the place, except Washington State plays better defense.

6. Georgia (8-1) Last Week: 7

We have to give Georgia credit for wins against Florida and Kentucky though neither team is nearly as good as the hype that surrounded them. The Bulldogs are in a tight spot when it comes to making the College Football Playoffs. They already have one loss and have to play Alabama in the SEC championship. Anything but a win will keep them out of the top 4, but a New Years Six bowl is surely in Georgia’s favor.

The Bulldogs only need to guard against a let down versus Auburn or Georgia Tech over the next three weeks.

7. Washington State (8-1) Last Week: 9

Something special is brewing in Pullman, Washington. Mike Leach has turned one of the worst college football teams into a playoff contender. No one expected their success after they lost their starting quarterback Tyler Hilinski to suicide during the offseason. However, graduate transfer Gardener Minshew II has shown up and thrown for nearly 400 yards per game.

If one of nations top defenses cannot stop the Cougars, they should be able to finish their Pac-12 schedule unscathed.

8. West Virginia (7-1) Last Week: #NR

It seems Will Grier and the Mountaineers are peeks at the right time. They had ugly games against Kansas and Iowa State in the middle of the season, but have bounced back nicely. We appear to be headed for an Oklahoma vs. West Virginia Big 12 championship game. Dana Holgorsen has his opportunity to deliver on the expectations of West Virginia fans if he can get 3 more wins out of his team.

Just like every other Big 12 team, the only question about this team is their defense. Can they get enough stops against teams that want to run the football to win in the playoffs?

9. Central Florida (8-0) Last Week: #8

Central Florida is the Rodney Dangerfield of college football. They do good things but get no respect. The Knights have won 21 straight football games going back to last season, but have no hope of making the top four. Their schedule has not been good, but until last week had been better than Alabama and other teams in the top 12.

Central Florida is not doing themselves any favors by playing close games against Memphis and Temple. Neither of those teams is as bad as some of the cupcakes on other top 10 teams’ schedule. However, the other teams in the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11 have been dominating their inferior competition.

10. Ohio State (8-1) Last Week: #10

The Buckeyes are sitting at 8-1, but they do not look good right now. They have struggled both offensively and defensively in three consecutive weeks against Minnesota, Purdue, and Nebraska. There is no lack of talent with this team, so their play of late has to be concerning for Ohio State fans. A one-loss Big Ten champion will likely end up in the College Football Playoffs, so there is still time for the Buckeyes to pull it together. Michigan is hot right now, and the last thing Ohio State wants is to be playing poorly heading into their most crucial game of the season.

Next Up:

LSU, 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 9 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10: New Sheriff in Town

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10

Chaos Showed Up: Eleven of the top 25 teams lost in week 9.

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10 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 “benefit of the doubt.”  I don’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 week’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 8, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 9.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1. Clemson (8-0) Last Week: #2

Clemson is at #1 because they deserve to be. I know everyone expects to see Alabama at #1 because of their dominance, but they haven’t played anybody yet. Clemson has played a tougher schedule than Alabama but has been equally as dominant in the last two weeks.

Dabo Swinney has his defense peaking at the right time. They followed up a fantastic performance against NC State with a more dominant performance against Florida State.  You could get arrested in multiple states for what Clemson did to Florida State. Their young quarterback Trevor Lawrence has full command of their offense and their defensive performance now matches the hype.

Clemson should breeze to the CFB Playoffs.

2.  Alabama (8-0) Last Week: #1

A week off doesn’t change the dominance that Alabama has displayed. The Crimson Tide have LSU, Mississippi State, and Auburn in three of the next four weeks. So they should get at least one close game in the next four weeks.

3. Notre Dame (8-0) Last Week: #3

After a forgettable offensive performance against Pittsburgh, the Fighting Irish showed up big against Navy. They got good performances from their quarterback Ian Book, and lead back Dexter Williams. Notre Dame will need dominant performances in their last four weeks to ensure they make the top 4.

4. LSU (7-1) Last Week: #4

This week Ed Orgeron has his biggest game since becoming the head coach at LSU. The Crimson Tide rolls into town. The Tigers are on the short list of teams that could knock off Alabama. LSU has already played in big games against Miami, Auburn, and Georgia. Joe Burrow is battle tested at quarterback and shouldn’t be fazed by the moment. LSU’s defense is stout and should be able to hold their own against Alabama. If they beat Alabama, the entire college football landscape will be turned upside down.

5. Oklahoma (7-1) Last Week: #6

The domination is back. The best offense in college football put up another 50 point performance against Kansas State. As long as the Sooners can play a reasonable amount of defense they can score on anybody. The best move Lincoln Riley has made this season is was replacing Stoops as defensive coordinator.

A lot of people are sleeping on the Sooners because they lost a game. However, this team can compete with anyone.

6. Michigan (7-1) Last Week: #8

After getting a huge road win at Michigan State, the Wolverines got a much-needed BYE week. There is no question that the Michigan defense is one of the three best in the nation. The only questions surrounding this team are on the offensive side of the ball. Can the Wolverines score enough point to beat Penn State this week, and Ohio State in the regular season finale?

Jim Harbaugh has a chance to get his team to the Big Ten championship game and the College Football Playoffs.

7. Georgia (7-1) Last Week: NR

Georgia finally got a quality win. We have known they were a talented team, but they hadn’t earned a ranking in the College Football Top 10 Rankings. There was a major difference in how Jake Fromm played without looking over his shoulder wondering if Justin Fields is coming in to replace him. The Bulldogs committed to running the football against Florida, and it paid off.

Kentucky and Auburn should provide enough competition over the next two weeks to have Georgia ready for the SEC championship.

8. Central Florida (7-0) Last Week: #9

The Knights have won 20 straight games going back to last season and have earned their spot in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10. The committee will have a tough task keeping UCF out of the top four if everyone around them continues to lose. It will cause too much commotion if UCF doesn’t get in the playoffs after two consecutive undefeated seasons. The only team people wish losses on more than the UCF Knights is Notre Dame. Both teams could take a spot for a Power 5 team.

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

If you haven’t heard of Gardener Minshew, you should Google him. He is the graduate transfer quarterback for Washington State. Minshew is throwing for nearly 400 yards per game while completing an extremely high percentage of his passes. The Cougars defense is stout as well. A lot of people around the nation aren’t giving Washington State the credit they deserve. However, if the Cougars finish 12-1 with a Pac-12 championship there is an outside chance they could make the playoffs.

Washington State has something special going on this season.

10. Ohio State (7-1) Last Week: #10

The last two weeks against Minnesota and Purdue exposed some glaring weaknesses in Ohio State’s game. Urban Meyer should have spent their off week finding ways to turn all those yards into points, and sure up their defense. A birth in the College Football Playoffs is still within their grasp, but they must finish the season unblemished.

Next Up:

Penn State, Kentucky, West Virginia

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 9 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

College Football: ACC Coaching Power Rankings 2018

Who is #1 in the ACC Coaching Power Rankings?

The ACC is an interesting conference when it comes to the strength of its coaches. There is one king in the ACC, and that’s Dabo Swinney. It’s a no-brainer, and his resume speaks for itself. Every other coach is playing for second. A few names such as Mark Richt of Miami, Bobby Petrino of Louisville, and Justin Fuente come to mind. If no one can knock Dabo off the top, can any team at least take down Clemson for conference supremacy?

ICYMI:

Big XII Coaching Power Rankings

Pac-12 Coaching Power Rankings

Big Ten Coaching Power Rankings

Here are the ACC Coaching Power Rankings.

14. Syracuse – Dino Babers

Well, at least they beat Clemson last year. Syracuse football is one of the toughest jobs in the country because of the location. Syracuse is a basketball school in central NY that is trying to compete with the likes of Florida State and Miami every year. Florida or Central NY?  It is a pretty simple choice for most kids. Getting kids to turn down the sunshine for snow is not exactly the easiest recruiting pitch. Do I think Dino Babers is a bad coach? No. Do I think he can do better than back-to-back 4-8 seasons? Absolutely. If Babers can win at least three games in the ACC this year, he might have a job for a few more years. Baby steps for the Orange.

13. Steve Addazio, Boston College

Steve Addazio is a smart coach. If you’re a vital member of Urban Meyer’s staff for two National Championships at Florida, you must be doing something right. However, his time at Boston College has been below average in the win/loss category. In 6 seasons with the Eagles, Addazio’s record is 31-33. For a Power 5 school, it’s nothing to brag home about. However, Addazio is well-respected and revered by both his peers and the school, who signed him to a contract extension through 2020. For my money, Steve Addazio is probably one of the most likable dudes out there. I use the word dude because Addazio coined the legendary phrase, “Guys being dudes.” For that, Addazio has my stamp of approval.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzSVmsrJEzk

12. Pittsburgh – Pat Narduzzi

Pittsburgh football is the definition of mediocre. Since 1999, the Panthers win total has been between 5 and 9 wins besides 2009, which was their only 10 win season this century. Will Pat Narduzzi be able to take the Panthers back to the top tier of college football, which is a place they have not been since Dan Marino played quarterback. Narduzzi is a master of defense and proved that by becoming one of the best defensive coordinators in college at Michigan State. In three seasons at Pittsburgh, Narduzzi’s Panthers have been slightly above average with a season-high win total of 8. Last season, Narduzzi shocked all of college football when his Panthers beat previously unbeaten Miami in the final game of the regular season. Can Narduzzi build momentum off of that historic win?

11.Virginia – Bronco Mendenhall

The record may not show it, but Bronco Mendenhall has made significant strides with Virginia. Winning has not exactly been part of the program with their last winning season coming in 2011. Mendenhall built a very respectable program at BYU with 11 straight trips to bowl games. Year 1 was a learning year for Mendenhall and the Cavaliers, which resulted in 2 wins. However, the Cavs shocked a lot of people last year as they not only tallied 6 wins but reached a bowl game. Let’s see what Mendenhall can do in Year 3 with the program.

Pages: 1 2 3 4