Alabama vs. Clemson: How Each Team Can Win The National Championship

Alabama Clemson

Alabama vs. Clemson, Part IV. Sign me up. For the third time in the last four years, the final two teams standing are Alabama and Clemson. That should come as a surprise to no one because these two teams happen to have the two best coaches in Division I football, Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney. Both Alabama and Clemson come into the National Championship undefeated and motivated to add to their recent history of success. Both teams can win tonight and here’s how it can happen.

Alabama Can Win If…

Tua is Tua

  •  Tua Tagovailoa is the best quarterback that Nick Saban has ever coached at Alabama. The numbers speak for themselves. 3,671 yards and 41 touchdowns would have been good enough for the Heisman Trophy had it not been for Kyler Murray. That being said, Tua exacted his revenge on Murray as the lefty threw for 318 yards and 4 TDs to defeat Oklahoma in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. What Tua can do on a football field is special. He can make every throw, keep plays alive with his legs, and change the course of the game at any moment. If Tua is his usual self, it will be a long day for the Clemson Tigers.

Quinnen Williams Plays Like A Superstar

  • Clemson may have the depth at defensive line, but they don’t have Quinnen Williams. The Alabama defensive lineman has had a meteoric rise this past season as he became the best defensive lineman in the country. Williams accumulated 67 tackles, 8 sacks, and 18 tackles for loss. Williams is the best player on the field at all times and is currently projected to be taken in the top 3 of this year’s NFL Draft according to NBC Sports. If Williams wreaks havoc on the interior line, it will be a long night for Clemson.

Good Luck Stopping Alabama’s Pass Catchers

  • The best phrase to describe the Alabama receiving corp is “Pick your poison.” Seriously, this unit is a five-headed monster. It all starts with Jerry Jeudy, who was a first-team All-American and the Biletnikoff Award winner, which is awarded to the nation’s top receiver. After Jeudy, a quartet of talent awaits as Henry Ruggs III, Jaylen Waddle, Irv Smith Jr., and Devonta Smith all have over 6 touchdown catches each. You cannot stop this group. You can only hope to contain it.

Nick Saban Shows Why He’s the Greatest Coach Of All-Time

  • For my money, Nick Saban is the greatest coach of all-time. Although he’s tied with Bear Bryant for national championships with 6, Saban has won titles with two schools, which is why I give him the edge over Bryant. There’s a reason why Alabama is 55-3 since 2015 and are making their fourth straight appearance in the National Championship game. Saban and the Tide make little to no mistakes throughout the game. No one adjusts better at halftime than Saban. Look at last year as Saban inserted Tua in at quarterback over Jalen Hurts. Most coaches play checkers. Saban plays chess. If Saban throws his headset again, Clemson should give up on the spot.

Clemson Can Win If…

Trevor Lawrence Thrives Under Pressure

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence has drawn many comparisons to his idol, Peyton Manning. However, Lawrence has been described as “Peyton Manning, but a better runner.” That’s a lethal combination, and it very well is the winning formula for defeating Alabama. The true freshman took over as the starter for Kelly Bryant in September and hasn’t looked back since. Lawrence has thrown for 2,933 yards and 27 TDs to only 4 INTs. Without a doubt, Alabama will be the toughest defense that Lawrence has faced all season. If the freshman can limit the turnovers and convert on third downs, then Clemson keeps Tua off the field, which may be the difference in the end.

Clemson Defense Proves They’re The Better Unit

When asking the casual fan about the team with the better defense, one might assume that it’s Alabama because of their recent history of dominance. However, that’s not true this season. The Clemson Tigers defense is statistically better than the Alabama defense. Clemson is ranked 2nd in the country in total defense while Alabama ranks 13th. Alabama might have the best defensive player on the field in Quinnen Williams, but Clemson has the better defensive line. Even without Dexter Lawerence, Clemson still boasts two consensus All-Americans in Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins. Add Austin Bryant and Albert Huggins into the mix, and the Tigers defensive line can disrupt Tua and the Alabama offense all night.

Trevor Lawrence via Getty Images

Travis Etienne Finds Success On The Ground

Alabama has depth in the backfield, but the best running back on the field wears orange and white. His name is Travis Etienne. The Clemson sophomore rushed for a jaw-dropping 1572 yards and 22 TDs this season. That’s 700 more yards than the leading Alabama running back. Plus, Clemson has three running backs that average over 7 yards per carry while Alabama has none. If Etienne find success on the ground, then it will open up the offense and put less pressure on Trevor Lawrence

The Clemson Coaching Staff Orchestrates The Game Of Their Lives

Nick Saban is in a league of his own, which is why it’s going to take a team effort from the Clemson coaching staff to defeat Goliath. There is a reason why Brett Venables is one of the highest paid assistants in college football. Venables is the best defensive coordinator in Division I, and he’s worth every penny. Venables’ defense ranked second in total defense and provided the anchor for this undefeated team. However, it all starts at the top for the Tigers. Their success is credited to their energetic and passionate head coach who is the only man to ever defeat Nick Saban in the National Championship. That coach is Dabo Swinney. Swinney has turned Clemson from an average team to a national powerhouse during his tenure. If there’s one coach who could disrupt the Alabama dynasty, it’s Dabo.

Alabama vs. Clemson. Tua vs. Trevor. Saban vs. Dabo. This is the heavyweight fight that college football fans deserve.

Read Up: College Football Playoff Ponzi Scheme

UCF: CFB Playoffs Can Never Be Better than March Madness Until Cinderella Gets In

The College Football Playoffs committee’s failure to pick the University of Central Florida (UCF) for the second year in a row is proof that the tournament will never be as exciting as March Madness. Every year when March Madness begins fans are at the edge of their seats waiting to see what likely championship contender will fall prey to the tournament’s “Cinderella” team. For example, in last years tournament, the very unlikely University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) knocked off the University of Virginia. The emergence of a “Cinderella” team is a major part of what makes March Madness so exciting.  However, the College Football Playoffs (CFP) is unlikely to ever experience the excitement of a  “Cinderella” team. The committee’s failure to give UCF a bid in the tournament for two years is proof of this.

For the last two seasons, UCF has been unstoppable. UCF finished their 2017 and 2018 seasons undefeated for a combined 25-0 record. Despite having two perfect seasons and knocking off Auburn after they beat Alabama, UCF was not extended the opportunity to be the possible “Cinderella” team in the College Football Playoffs (CFP) either year. If UCF beats LSU in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 30 they would have defeated the SEC elite in back to back seasons. With two perfect seasons, why is UCF being overlooked? The structure of the CFP is to blame.

Participants in the college football playoffs are chosen by the CFP committee.  The committee considers a number of factors. Those factors are not favorable to teams, like UCF, who are not in Power Five conferences. Accordingly, the CFP structure does not allow a team such as UCF to be eligible for the tournament no matter how perfect their season. Therefore, it is extremely unlikely that the CFP will ever experience the excitement of a “Cinderella” team swooping through the tournament and upsetting the most likely championship contender. This is precisely why the College Football Playoffs needs to be expanded to include more teams.

College Football Playoffs Structure Neglects Non-Power Five Schools

General success during the football season does not equate to automatic CFP eligibility – obviously. The CFP committee considers several factors in addition to on-field performance.  The committee considers the number of games lost, the point spread in games, and the strength of each schools schedule. The strength of the schedule is judged based on the teams each school faces. Schools with tougher schedules are given more weight during CFP selections.

In most cases, schools in the Power Five conferences are considered to be the tougher schools. Due to this, schools that are not in Power Five conferences, like UCF,  are unlikely to get a real chance at the CFP. Group of Five schools, such as UCF,  find it difficult to schedule games with Power Five schools.  The lack of such games on the schedule makes it extremely difficult for Group of Five schools to clinch a spot in the CFP. This is exactly where UCF fell short in the CFP considerations.  A substantial amount of UCF’s victories were not against what is considered a “strong” school.

Group of Five Schools Must Face the “Right” Power Five School

It is not sufficient for a Group of Five School to face just any Power Five school. The school must face the “right” Power Five school.  This is also evidenced by UCF.  Over their last two seasons, UCF successfully faced the University of Maryland of the Big 10 and the University of Pittsburgh of the ACC.  However, these games were not enough to give UCF a leg up in the strength of schedule category.

Some may argue that UCF should have been given serious consideration by the CFP committee for the 2018 CFP based on their win against Auburn in last year’s Peach Bowl.  Auburn beat Alabama in last year’s SEC championship.  Alabama went on to win the CFP last year. Accordingly, some argued that UCF could possibly be defending the CFP title this year. Unfortunately, the fact that UCF defeated Auburn in last year’s Peach Bowl had no bearing on the CFP committee’s considerations in 2018.

However, that did not stop fans from fantasizing about what would have happened if UCF had been given their due. Some fans made the logical leap that UCF may have defeated Alabama in the CFP if given the opportunity. Some UCF fans went as far as to attempt to bait Alabama into facing UCF to settle the debate regarding who is the true national champion. As exciting as that game would be, it will probably never happen.

Since Such a Match-up is Unlikely to Happen, the CFP will Never be as Exciting as March Madness

Since the CFP structure does not favor “underdog” teams, the tournament will always have a certain level of predictability. A tournament that is too predictable simply is not exciting. That is the beauty of the March Madness tournament, its unpredictable nature.  Yes, there are teams that are in it every year. Teams such as North Carolina, Duke, and Kentucky are almost certain to make an appearance every year.  At the same time, any of those teams could get knocked off by the most unlikely opponent.

For example, in 2012 the underdog Norfolk State University beat Missouri.  Missouri was heavily slated to go to the Final Four and was unpredictably knocked off by the most unlikely opponent. Games like that are the excitement of the March Madness Tournament. The CFP is unlikely to ever know that excitement as long as underdogs like UCF are never given a chance to play on the CFP stage. For this reason, the CFP should be expanded to give more teams an opportunity to play on college football’s grandest stage. As long as the qualifications for CFP consideration remain, the CFP will never be as exciting as March Madness.

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 “benefit of the doubt.” I don’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 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.

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

1.  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 14 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) 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) 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) Last Week: #8

Another dominant win by Central Florida. But, UCF was dealt a devastating blow. They lost their 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 ensue during conference 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 be 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 9-2  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.” 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 “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.

Hot Takes House 5: College Football, NFL, Rae Carruth, Rondo, CP3 Fight, Pac-12

Hot Takes House 5

The Hot Takes House 5 is open for business. These are hot takes and fun from the weekend. Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com, and they may make the next week piece. Do not read any further if you are easily offended.

Hope you enjoy Hot Takes House 5. See you next Monday! Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com, and they may make the next week post.

FUN FACT: Movie trailers were originally shown after movies, which is why they were called “trailers.” (Only problem ways people wouldn’t stay to see them)

1. Rule #1 Don’t let your mouth write checks your ass can’t cash.

My dad used to say that all the time. It has proved to be sage advice in my life. This guy clearly didn’t get the memo!

2. I was encouraged about the toughness of NBA players after the Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, and Brandon Ingram Fight.

For over a decade NBA players would have dustups but nobody ever really wanted to fight. Guy just wanted to make people believe they would fight even when they wouldn’t. Chris Paul, Rondo, and Ingram brought back the NBA of old back to the court.

We never want to see fighting in the games. However, some things are worthy of a fight. Under no circumstances can you spit on somebody and not expect to get not to get in a fight. I never condone my sons fighting as an early measure of problem-solving. However, if somebody spits in my kid’s face, he has dad’s blessing to whoop his ass! And if my son got spit on and did nothing, he and I have a serious problem.

3. One of the most humbling things in sports is the “Walk of Shame” quarterbacks have to take back to the sideline after throwing a pick 6.

The quarterback knows everyone in the stadium and on national television is looking at him with disgust. The networks leave the camera on them the entire walk to the sideline. It’s like wathcing somebody walk home at 10am on Sunday morning in their Saturday night party outfit. Nobody on the team even looks or talks to the quarterback as he humbly passes by. He can just feel all the judgment upon him. Everyone is thinking, “You idiot. You just threw the game away.” There is some truth to this because elite quarterbacks do throw picks but rarely throw pick 6’s.

Every quarterback throws interceptions. However, there is a big difference between throwing an interception and throwing a pick that results in points for the other team.

Imagine the thoughts that go through Peterman, Bortles, Carr, and Keenum’s mind when they walk to the sideline. They have to wonder how many more times this can happen before they are benched.

The only “walk of shame that could rival a quarterback is a kicker who misses a chip shot or extra point to lose the game.

*Clears throat Washington Huskies vs. Oregon, Baltimore Ravens vs. New Orleans Saints.

4. Are the Jacksonville Jaguars delusional or self-sabotaging by continuing to act like Blake Bortles is going to get better?

The Jaguars have to give up hope that Blake Bortles is going to get better. He is the only thing standing between the Jaguars and a trip to the Super Bowl. Bortles lost another pair of fumbles Sunday. He has 26 games since the start of 2014 committing multiple turnovers, the most such games by any player in the NFL in that time. Even when he’s not throwing picks of fumbling, he struggles with accuracy.

Unbelievably, the team is not even considering a trade for a quarterback.

The Jaguars sat out the quarterback derby this offseason and extended Blake Bortles instead of going after Kirk Cousins or Alex Smith. They also could have traded for Teddy Bridgewater just like the Saints did.

5. The New York Giants made the same mistake the Jaguars did when they drafted Saquon Barkley instead of a quarterback.

The Jaguars passed on Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson when they drafted Leonard Fournette. Now, they are in an untenable position. The New York Giants could have drafted, Darnold, Rosen, or any number of other quarterbacks to secure their future. Instead, they took a great running back, and can’t win football games.

The reality is that no matter how a running back is he does not impact winning and losing nearly as much as a quarterback. Look at how Todd Gurley’s season was when Jared Goff was bad as a rookie. The team lost, and Gurley’s stats were underwhelming. Now, Goff is playing well; the team is 6-0 and Gurley is an MVP candidate.

6. “This year’s Chiefs home playoff loss is going to be glorious. They are so talented and fun… but we all know how this ends.” -Doug Gottlieb

This take is hot as it comes, but there is no evidence in history to refute it. I love watching the Chiefs play. Mahomes is the most exciting player in the NFL. The combination of Mahones, Hill, and Hunt make the most explosive team in the league.

At this point, we know how good the Chiefs are in the regular season. We also know that the franchise has had a history of underachieving in the playoffs. They have only won one playoff game since 1993.

Unless Kansas City has turned over a new leaf, we will be seeing Tom Brady and the Patriots representing the AFC in the Super Bowl again.

7. When it comes to the College Football Playoffs, winning your conference and playing a good schedule is only relevant to non-SEC teams.

Danny White, Athletic director at UCF, has some thoughts on the College Football Playoff. He’s not wrong. The media creates a narrative that the committee just so happens to follow. Winning your conference and playing a good schedule is only relevant to non-SEC teams. The SEC has not been dominating college football. Alabama has been dominating everyone. They should charge the rest of the conference rent for how good they make the rest of them look.

The SEC gets pumped up as being so tough, but the reality is their non-conference schedules are extremely soft, and they only play eight conference games. The imbalance in college football schedules has been exploited by teams. Fans are the real losers in college football because there are only 12 regular season games, and so many are wasted on sub-par competition.

8. The parity in the PAC-12 North for 2018 is crazy. 4 of the 20 best teams in the country are in one division: Oregon, Washington, Washington State, and Stanford.

I challenge you to find a tougher division in college football. There is not one. Alabama looks unbeatable, but we have no idea how good Florida, Kentucky, and UGA are. The Big Ten has Michigan, Iowa, and Ohio State that look like top teams, but they don’t all play each other. Clemson is the lone top-tier ACC team. The Big XII has an impressive Oklahoma and Texas, but it drops off from there.

9. If Clay Helton gets fired, will coaches be lining up to leave their jobs to take the USC head coaching job? Is USC still a Top-5  job?

The last time the USC head coaching job was vacant coaches weren’t lining up to leave their current jobs to head to USC. The Trojans are a college football blue-blood, so they always have the potential to reemerge as a consistent top 5 team. The thing that further complicates the question is USC’s recruiting. The Trojan’s consistently land 5* recruits every year no matter the coach or their record. So why haven’t coaches shown an eagerness to leave their current jobs to coach at USC?

I don’t think USC is still a top 5 job, but it is a top 5 college football blue-blood. Right now, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Clemson, Georgia, and Michigan all seem like more desirable locations.

10. I saw Alabama do the most bush league thing I have ever seen a Nick Saban led team do. They gave Butch Jones a Gatorade bath after they beat the terrible Tennessee Vols.

Alabama came into the game favored by almost 30 points. There was nothing special or notable about the win. Before Tennessee beat Auburn in week 7, they hadn’t won an SEC game since Nov. 19, 2016. Is that really worth a Gatorade bath? It seems pretty pathetic considering Butch Jones built the current Tennessee team that is so bad right now.

What was there to celebrate for Alabama? Was it vindication for Jones? If so, how? Butch Jones was not treated unfairly or fired without cause from Tennessee. The program was in shambles, and the once proud Vols program is one of the worst in the SEC.

If I were Jones, I would have been extremely bothered by the sympathy Gatorade bath.

11. Rae Carruth is now out of jail after serving nearly 20 years surrounding the murder of the woman who was pregnant with his child, Rae Carruth Jr.

Charlotte paper has had a seven-day mega-article on the entire case. The prosecution offered all four defendants a plea deal down to 2nd-degree murder. The trigger-man, Van Bret Watkins took the deal. The jury had an issue with charging Rae with 1st when the guy who actually shot the gun was only going to get 2nd. Doesn’t make much sense to me, but that was their thinking per the article.

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Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9: Chaos is Coming

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9

Chaos is Coming

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9 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 8.

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

1.  Alabama (8-0) Last Week: #1

The Crimson Tide ran through Tennesse like they were a JV team. Tua Tagoviloa finished the game healthy after a scare last week. Alabama fans know they cannot be beaten if Tua is healthy. The truth is Bama has not played any real competition, and their resume suggests they should not be #1. However, their dominance has been unprecedented.

The thing that makes the Crimson Tide so impressive is how fast they play on both sides of the ball. Every player knows their assignment and executes in a hurry. There is never any second-guessing.

They are off next week, and then finally get to a real game in week 10! Smh.

2. Clemson (7-0) Last Week: #4

Clemson has their best game of the year against undefeated NC State. Their defense finally displayed the dominance we all expected preseason. They Trevor Lawrence had another solid performance. The Tigers defense turned a trap game and a top NFL quarterback draft prospect into lunch meat. The ACC runs through Clemson at this point. They can’t go to sleep next week as they head to Tallahassee to play Florida State.

3. Notre Dame (7-0) Last Week: #3

Notre Dame was on a BYE this week. They better be prepared for NAVY next Saturday. Triple option teams are always tricky matchups. Brian Kelly is only five wins away from securing a spot in the College Football Playoffs. However, they cannot have another performance like against Pitt, or they may not be lucky enough to survive.

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

LSU handled their business against Mississippi State. The Tigers offense is still not as explosive as it will need to be to give Alabama some competition in a couple of weeks. Their defense continues to have dominant performances each week. LSU is the most battle-tested team in the country. I double dog dare anybody to try and say Coach ‘O’ is not the right man to lead the Tigers. He has knocked off Miami, Auburn, and Georgia, so far this year. So technically he does have three top 10 wins. The fact is that Miami and Auburn (lost to Tennessee) were ranked WAY too high in the preseason and neither is currently ranked.

If Joe Burrow and the Tigers offense continue to improve, Bama better watch out.

5. Texas (6-1) Last Week: #5

The Longhorns fans have to be saying prayers every night for Sam Ehlinger’s shoulder to be healed. His legs and improved passing have been the difference in Texas starting the season 6-1 instead of 3-4. Texas will be hard pressed to finish the season 11-1 heading into the Big XII championship game if Ehlinger misses extended time. The Longhorns will need all hands on deck if they want to escape Stillwater with a win against Oklahoma State on Saturday.

6. Oklahoma (6-1) Last Week: #NR

Oklahoma has the best offense in the country. Yes, they are better than Alabama. Their offense is more explosive and dynamic with Kyler Murray at quarterback than last year with Baker Mayfield. The only concern surrounding the Sooners is their defense. They played much better against TCU without Mike Stoops as defensive coordinator. Oklahoma’s offense is so good that if the defense can keep everybody under 30 points, they will cruise to the playoffs. I hope we get to see the Alabama defense try and stop this offense in the Playoffs.

7. Florida (6-1) Last Week: #6

Florida had a BYE week and is preparing for their most important game in at least 4-5 years. Dan Mullens is preparing to take his team to Jacksonville, Florida for the “Biggest cocktail party in the world” to play Georgia. This is going to be a must win for both teams. The loser will undoubtedly be eliminated from College Football Playoff consideration. Feleipe Franks will need to have his most efficient game thrown the ball if the Gators are going to put the Bulldogs down.

8. Michigan (7-1) Last Week: #9

The Michigan game against Michigan State was painful to watch. There is no doubt Michigan’s defense is dominant and one of the top in the country. However, the offense leaves a lot to be desired at times. Jim Harbaugh’s offense seems to get ultra conservative in big games. I have no Idea why he likes to play a plodding style of offense instead of opening things up. Michigan’s roster is littered with top recruits who are potentially explosive playmakers that go unused. The Wolverines will need better offensive performances against Penn State and Ohio State to get wins.

9. Central Florida (7-0) Last Week: #10

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 9. Much to the chagrin of the CFB Playoff committee, UCF beat East Carolina badly in week 8. It will cause too much commotion if UCF doesn’t get in the playoffs two years in a row undefeated. 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.

10. Ohio State (7-1) Last Week: #2

Dwayne Haskins threw for 470 yards and two touchdowns, but the Buckeyes offense only managed 20 points. Ohio State’s offense has struggled running the football in back to back weeks against Minnesota and Purdue. The Buckeyes are one of the most athletic, dynamic, and talented teams in the nation. I wonder if Ohio State started to read it’s own press clippings and lost focus against Purdue. Maybe this piece of 49-20 humble pie will keep the Buckeyes energized for the rest of the season.

I believe Ohio State will bounce back unless Urban Meyers’ “memory loss” has finally started to affect his coaching.

Next Up:

Iowa, Georgia (needs a quality win), Washington State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas Tech

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 7: Party Crashers

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7

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 7, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 6.

The two most frustrating parts of being a college football fan are the biased polls and the terrible non-conference schedules. 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 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.

1.  Alabama (6-0) Last Week: #1

Tua Tagoviloa still has not attempted a 4th quarter pass this season. He was 10/11 for 334 yards and four touchdowns before halftime against Arkansas. The Crimson Tide defense was dominant as well. I cannot pretend I am extremely impressed by this win because North Texas beat Arkansas 44-17, so an Alabama destruction was a foregone conclusion. This team has been impressively dominant, but they haven’t played anyone. I wonder if the student section will show up next week vs. Missouri.

2. Notre Dame (6-0) Last Week: #2

At this point, Notre Dame has earned the #2 ranking.  The Fighting Irish have quality wins over Michigan, Stanford, and Virginia Tech. In each of those games, Notre Dame was in control of the entire game and was never in any real danger of losing a game. Since moving Ian Book into the starting lineup, the Irish have an explosive offense that can complement their dominant defense.

3. Ohio State (6-0) Last Week: #4

Dwayne Haskins and the Buckeyes offense were back to putting up insane passing numbers against Indiana. He finished with 455 yards passing and six touchdowns. Ohio State will breeze through the next month until they close out the season against Maryland and Michigan. Unless the Buckeyes show up with their C-game, I’m not sure how this team doesn’t finish undefeated.

4. Clemson (6-0) Last Week: # 6

Clemson apparently did not like everyone questioning how good they are. They took a potential “trap game” against Wake Forest and turned it into a public whipping. Their defense finally played at the level they are capable. They held Wake Forest to three points and only allowed 74 passing yards. The Tigers can beat anybody (including Bama) if they continue to bring their A-game defensively, and Trevor Lawrence stays healthy.

5. Texas (5-1) Last Week: # NR

It is OFFICIAL. Texas is back. And “Dicker the Kicker” is the best nickname in college football history. Tom Herman’s team dominated Oklahoma through 3 quarters but ultimately held on for a 48-45 victory in the Red River Showdown. Sam Ehlinger has improved his passing and decision making so much that Texas is now a College Football Playoff Contender. The Longhorns defense has played well all year and did as good of a job as anyone can do against Oklahoma. Texas has quality wins over TCU, USC, and Oklahoma this year.

6. Georgia (6-0) Last Week: #8

Many Georgia fans want Kirby Smart to replace starting quarterback Jake Fromm with true freshman Justin Fields. Against Vanderbilt Fromm proved that he would not be relinquishing his spot without a fight. Finally, the time has come for Georgia to play some good football teams. Over the next four games, they get LSU, Florida, Kentucky, and Auburn. If they win out, they could shoot all the way up to the #1 spot in the Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings.

7. Washington (5-1) Last Week: #7

Washington continues to win football games. I am extremely concerned about how this team faired against UCLA. The Huskies may have looked past UCLA to next week’s date at Oregon. However, their usually very stout defense was porous against the Bruins. Jake Browning’s steady play at quarterback has made Washington tough to beat. He rarely makes mistakes, and give his team a chance to win every game, but won’t be a superhero. Browning is the Alex Smith of college quarterbacks.

8. West Virginia (5-0) Last Week: #10

I like Dana Holgorsen’s football team. But, I did not like seeing Will Grier, and the Mountaineers struggled mightily against Kansas. The offense moved the ball well, but Grier proceeded to throw three red zone interceptions. Despite a bunch of offensive turnovers, the defense locked it down and allowed West Virginia to pull away in the 4th quarter. It will make or break time when Texas comes knocking in a few weeks.

9. Central Florida (5-0) Last Week: #NR

The analyst and experts want to ignore UCF. They are hoping UCF will lose a game so they can be ignored. Going back to last season the Knights have won 19 straight games. Last year UCF proved they could hang with the big boys when they beat Auburn in the 2018 Peach Bowl. So, if the Knights go undefeated again and are left out of the College Football Playoffs outrage will ensue. Their dominance has earned them a spot in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7. They have won every game by at least 28 points.

10. Florida (5-1) Last Week: #NR

Dan Mullen has restored the Florida program to relevance. But, he hasn’t fully corrected the offensive struggles that have plagued the Gators for the last four seasons. It took a pick six at the end of the game to pull off the upset against LSU. They will need to find some offensive prowess before the Florida Georgia game to pull off a victory. That game will be for all the marbles in the SEC East. The winner will coast to the SEC championship game.

Next Up:

Michigan, Oregon, LSU, Oklahoma, Penn State

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.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6: Crushing the Competition

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6

Best weekend of college football this year.

There were multiple quality games and near upsets on at every time slot. 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 6, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 5.

The two most frustrating parts of being a college football fan are the biased polls and the terrible non-conference schedules. 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.”  How else can you explain Georgia at #2 when they haven’t played anyone, or Wisconsin ranking above Cal and BYU before this week? 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 (5-0)

Alabama won a game with their starting quarterback Tua Tagoviloa only attempting 8 passes. I know it was only Louisianna, but that is still impressive. Teams typically move down in the College Football Top 10 Rankings when their schedule is not particularly impressive. But, Alabama combats their schedule with an unmatched dominance. It will be interesting to see how the 2018 Crimson Tide respond when someone puts up a fight. We may have to wait till November when they get LSU and Auburn.

2. Notre Dame (5-0)

A quarterback change has taken Notre Dame from a really good football team to a playoff contender. Brandon Wimbush could only beat you with his legs. Ian Book can beat you with arm and legs. Against Stanford, he regularly extended plays and escaped sacks to complete passes for 3rd down conversions. The Notre Dame defense is fast and extremely physical. This is not your typical Fighting Irish team that is overrated. Dominant wins over Michigan and Stanford make them an easy choice at #2 in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6.

3. LSU (5-0)

LSU keeps piling up wins. They didn’t beat Ole Miss as bad as Alabama did, but Joe Burrow and company still showed offensive dominance. Burrow threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns and added another 92 yards and a touchdown on the ground. I cannot remember the last time LSU had a dynamic passer at quarterback who could also hurt you with his legs. I am salivating thinking about their matchup against Georgia in two weeks. They are one of the few SEC teams that have played a quality schedule so far.

4. Ohio State (5-0)

Penn State had the game in sewed up, but Ohio State pried a victory from the jaws of defeat. Dwyane Haskins stats looked good again, but the truth is in the film. The majority of his 270 pass yards came off screens to backs and wide receivers. The Ohio State vs. Penn State game felt a lot like the Stanford vs. Oregon game last week. The team who dominated and looked better lost the game. However, there are no moral victories in sports. The Buckeyes won, so they reap the rewards in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6.

5. Oklahoma (5-0)

Kyler Murray is the Black Doug Flutie. He is small, but he can play! He and Oklahoma bounced back from that narrow escape against Army with an offensive explosion. Murray finished with 432 yards passing and 8 total touchdowns (1rush) against Baylor. I truly believe Oklahoma’s offense is more explosive this year than last year with Baker Mayfield. Most people expect Murray to hang his cleats up and play in the MLB. Oklahoma has the best receiving corps in the country.  I would love to watch Alabama try and stop this offense.

6. Clemson (5-0)

The Tigers are breathing a sigh of relief. Kelly Bryant decides to transfer, and Trevor Lawrence gets hurt while they are down to Syracuse. All signs pointed to a loss for Clemson. But, Dabo Swinney cashed in all his good Karma from doing the right thing for Kelly Bryant, and they got the win. You are always rewarded in life for doing the right things. Every top team faces a couple of gut-check games each season, and this was one for Clemson.

This team is good, but they have not been nearly as dominant this season as I expected.

7. Washington (4-1)

The Huskies has the best defense in the nation not named Alabama. Washington has stepped up their game since their close week 1 loss to Auburn. This week the Huskies undressed BYU, who beat a highly regarded Wisconsin team. It was a dominant performance. Jake Browning is real close to shutting me up about his inconsistent play against good teams. Their matchup against Oregon in two weeks will be an epic showdown.

8. Georgia (5-0)

New week, weak opponent, Georgia Wins. Rinse. Repeat. Georgia has played no teams currently ranked in the top 25. Unless Georgia starts demonstrating some Alabama-like dominance, it will be tough to rank them as higher until they get to the heart of their schedule. Please don’t try to tell me the South Carolina game was a good game. They just got beat up by Kentucky. I believe the Bulldogs could be a playoff team, but they will need to get more production out of Fromm or Fields at quarterback.

9. Auburn (4-1)

It took Auburn all four quarters to put So. Miss away. They were only able to rush for 96 yards on 36 attempts. The win was extremely unimpressive. War Eagle needs to figure out how to get their running game on track, or they will get tripped up against Miss State, Ole Miss, or Texas A&M in the next month. The only way the Tigers make the College Football Playoffs is if they do so on the back of Jared Stidham.

10. West Virginia (4-0)

500 yards of total offense seems to be the norm for West Virginia in 2018. Will Grier will find himself a finalist for the Heisman if he keeps playing like this. We still don’t know a lot about the Mountaineers defense. Their schedule has been relatively light so far, but their dominance has them narrowly ahead of the teams Next Up. Dana Holgorsen has a shot to get West Virginia over the hump in the Big 12 this year.

Next Up:

Michigan, UCF, Texas, Oregon, Penn State

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.