NCAA Addressed NIL Compensation Before the United States Senate

College basketball is in full swing! The NCAA and college basketball fans are gearing up for the March Madness tournament.  In the weeks to come, fans will fill out brackets predicting which teams they believe will make it to the Final Four. The NCAA again stands to generate a billion dollars from the tournament, which is the organization’s biggest moneymaker of the year. Fans will relish in the excitement of Cinderella teams and major upsets. The NCAA will undoubtedly be raking in the money. However, the NCAA will also be spending money as it continues its work behind the scenes to preserve the amateur collegiate model. The farce of amateurism is being challenged at every turn. The challenge currently gaining the most traction is those from several state legislatures with name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation bills. 

States with Proposed NIL Compensation Bills

Several state legislatures have proposed legislation seeking to give college athletes the ability to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) and to sign with agents. Last year, the state of California signed the Fair Pay to Play Act into law. Since then,  several other states followed suit proposing similar legislation. While the Fair Pay to Play Act will not take effect until 2023, two similar bills in Florida may become effective much sooner. Florida currently has two college athlete name, image, and likeness bills before its state legislature. One is before the house and the other one is before its senate. State lawmakers are not the only ones seeking to expand college athlete rights. The federal lawmakers are too.

Specifically, Congressman Mark Walker introduced the Student-Athlete Equity Act seeking to give college athletes NIL rights. Senator Chris Murphy released a series of reports detailing the myriad of reasons reform is necessary for college sports. All of these critiques of the current collegiate sports model have put the NCAA in the hot seat. The organization has been backed into a corner where it has no choice but the address the elephant in the room. In fact, the NCAA was forced to address that elephant at a Senate hearing last week. 

Name, Image, and Likeness Informational Podcast

The NCAA is in NIL Compensation Crisis Mode

The college athlete NIL compensation issue has taken the NCAA by storm. The NCAA is in full crisis mode. They have realized that there is a strong possibility that several states could enact different laws to address NIL compensation. The NCAA does not want that to happen. As such, the NCAA has turned to the federal government for help. In fact, the organization has spent big money in an attempt to persuade federal lawmakers in their favor. The NCAA and two conferences spent at least $750,000 last year lobbying federal lawmakers to make reforms that favor the current collegiate model. The NCAA is sparing no expense to preserve amateurism.

Amateurism is the notion that college players simply play for the love game and are not paid. The NCAA purports that amateurism keeps collegiate sports distinct from professional sports. They further purport that if college athletes were paid, fans would lose interest. The NCAA maintains that its rules prohibiting payment help ensure that college athletes are not taken advantage of. As such, college athletes are not allowed to receive any type of payment outside of their cost-of-attendance scholarship or other NCAA approved benefits. However, many feel that the NCAA and the collegiate sports system as a whole are in fact taking advantage of the very athletes they claim to protect.

Why is College Athlete NIL Compensation on the Radar of so many Lawmakers?

College sports are a billion-dollar industry. Coaches, athletic directors, and conferences commissioners receive million-dollar salaries. Conferences receive billions of dollars from television broadcasting contracts. Top ranking NCAA officials receive million-dollar and upper six-figure salaries as well. Meanwhile, the athletes are limited to their scholarship. College athletes keep very strenuous and demanding schedules to perform their sport. Most spend at least 40 hours per week on athletically related activities. Despite their major time investment, they are not allowed to receive a bigger piece of the pie. A scholarship is valuable, however, the athletes deserve a bigger piece of the pie they generate for everyone else. It is for these reasons that lawmakers are working so hard to expand the rights of college athletes.

Last week, the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade and Consumer Protection held a hearing on the name, image, and likeness matter in Washington, D.C. NCAA president Mark Emmert attended the hearing where he was questioned on the NCAA’s handling of a number of issues. Most notably he was questioned and criticized the NCAA’s handling of James Wiseman’s case.

Wiseman was suspended for 11 games for money that his mother received from Penny Hardaway. Wiseman’s mother took the money for moving expenses while Wiseman was in high school. At the time, Wiseman knew nothing of the transaction between his mother and Hardaway. The NCAA also ordered Wiseman to pay the money back. Due to the NCAA’s decision, Wiseman decided to leave college and prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft on his own. The NCAA’s unfairly punished Wiseman for something he had nothing to do with. 

The Senate Subcommittee Urged to NCAA to Swiftly Find a Solution 

In light of the NCAA’s poor handling of Wiseman’s case and several others in the past, several Senators did not appear to be overly confident that the NCAA would not drag their feet on the NIL compensation issue.  Emmert stated that he would work with the schools and relevant decision-makers to make a decision as soon as possible. However, Emmert also stated that the NCAA may need Congress’ assistance in developing a uniform manner to address the NIL compensation issue.

The NCAA desperately wants to avoid having several states with different NIL compensation laws. The Senators at the hearing urged the NCAA to quickly offer a solution to this issue. In April, the NCAA is expected to make another announcement about their plans for NIL compensation. Hopefully, it will be something meaningful for the athletes. Given the NCAA’s general reluctance to give athletes a bigger price of the pie, it seems doubtful. 

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. 

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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.

Road to The College Football Playoff: How Each Team Gets In Week 11

College Football Playoff Rankings Week 11

The first College Football Playoff Committee rankings were released and this is the perfect time to start the “Road to the CFB Playoff” series. I will examine every team with a realistic path to the top four and how they can get there. Every Sunday I release the College Football Top 10 Rankings As It Should Be. Nine of my top teams were there, and 1-5 were almost exactly like the committees, except mine, are ranked by three criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance.

College Football Playoff Committee Rankings Week 11

College Football Playoff Rankings

From the Top 25 teams, there are 12 teams with ANY shot to make the top four. The entire top 10 is in play plus Baylor and Minnesota. Auburn is eliminated for now because they have no path to the SEC Championship game, and would need a lot of weird things to happen. Plus they would need to beat Georgia and Alabama. The same is true of Wisconsin. They have a path to the Big Ten championship, but chaos would have to happen for them to get in the top four.

As of this week here is how it appears the CFB Playoff Top 4 will shake out.

  1. Undefeated Big Ten Winner- Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota
  2. Undefeated or 1 loss SEC Champion- LSU, Alabama, Georgia
  3. Clemson
  4. Pac-12 Champion- Oregon, Utah

Now one to each team and their path(s)

Ohio State: Win and they are in. There is no scenario where they are undefeated and/or win the Big Ten Championship with one loss and don’t get in (it would be impossible for them to lose to Rutgers or Maryland). Even if the Buckeyes lost to Penn State in a couple of weeks, they would have a strong case compared to 1-loss Alabama, Oregon, Utah. The Buckeyes could make it undefeated to the Big Ten Championship and lose to Minnesota which would send college football into a tailspin.

LSU: Win and they are in. Beat Alabama, don’t get tripped up by Ole Miss, Arkansas (LOL), or Texas A&M. Ohio State and LSU are the only teams that could lose in their conference championship games and still have a playoff case.

Alabama: The Crimson Tide have NO room for error in 2019. Their awful non-conference schedule plus only playing no ranked teams before this weekend against LSU will hurt. Even if Alabama beats LSU and goes on to the SEC Championship and loses to 1-loss Georgia, they will be out unless Ohio State, Penn State, or Clemson lose in their conference game to a 1 or more loss team.

Penn State: Win out and no one can leapfrog them. Penn State has a better resume than Alabama but the CFB Playoff committee still put them behind Bama, so is there any way the Nittany Lions get in the pot four with a loss? I do not see a scenario that doesn’t involve Ohio State losing twice and PSU winning the Big Ten Championship which is far fetched.

College Football Top 10

Clemson: There are two ways Clemson gets in; win out and they are guaranteed a playoff spot, or pray for the unlikely demise of about 3-4 teams. We won’t even go down that rabbit hole, it’s too weird.

Georgia: There is only one way Georgia gets in, winning out. They cannot afford any more losses. The CFB Rankings already rewarded them for the Florida and Notre Dame wins more than it punished them for the horrendous S. Carolina loss. Even if UGA wins the SEC Championship but loses one of their last three games to Auburn, Texas A&M, or Georgia Tech they will be left out of a playoff of undefeated Big Ten champ, Clemson, 1 l-loss Pac-12 champ.

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Oregon and Utah: The Pac-12 is very alive even though people tried to bury them early in the season. Both teams are in nearly the exact same situation. If both teams are 11-1 when they meet in the Pac-12 championship it should be a top 5 or 5 vs 6 matchup. The winner will most likely get in the playoff. Oregon will have a better shot than Utah because traditionally, the committee has leaned toward named brand teams.

Oklahoma: Lincoln Riley’s team is sitting at #9. It is much lower than most people thought, but right about where I had them in the College Football Playoff Rankings As It Should Be (CFPRAISB). They need Oregon or Utah to lose and the other win the Pac-12. In addition, they need LSU to beat Alabama. They also need to beat Baylor twice and Baylor to finish 11-2. A Clemson loss wouldn’t hurt either.

Florida: Florida needs a miracle at this point. Their last three games are Missouri, Vanderbilt, and Florida State. None of those games move the needle. They would also need Georgia to lose two games to send Florida to the SEC Championship. If that happens they would need to beat an undefeated LSU or Alabama. And… nevermind. It’s not happening.

Baylor Bears College Football Playoff

Baylor: The Bears are in the same situation they were in in 2015 when Ohio State jumped Baylor and TCU. They don’t have the respect of the nation. The difference is that they are still undefeated. Baylor needs to dominate Texas, beat Oklahoma twice, or beat K-State in the Big 12 championship.

Minnesota: Win out and they will make the playoff. They sit at #17 right now, but if they defeat Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio State over the next five weeks they will be the #1 team in the nation. No one will have run a gauntlet like that.

This playoff top four would be a lot easier to figure out and there would be no need for expansion if teams scheduled better. Imagine a college football world where everyone scheduled 10 or 11 Power Five games. Every Saturday would be power-packed. That is part of the reason there are some who believe the traditional conference model will go away and there will be one super conference of around 30 teams that only play each other.

The way this season is shaping up, everyone may be on board with an 8 team playoff. There will be so many 1 loss teams who will be deserving of a chance to play for a championship. Wouldn’t it just make more sense to have the five Power 5 champions and highest-ranked Group of 5 team to get automatic bids? There would still be two spots left for at-large bids. You would always get the best and most deserving teams in the tournament. That might actually cause teams to schedule better non-conference games because they would know they could still get in the CFB Playoffs with 1-2 losses. Fans would then get better games.

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.

Washington Huskies Rose Bowl: 5 Keys to Victory and What’s on the line?

Washington Huskies Rose Bowl

The Washington Huskies are looking to win their first Rose Bowl since 2001. Even though Washington is a 6.5 point underdog against Ohio State, there is a lot on the line for the Huskies and the future of the Pac-12. The conference finished the 2017 bowl season 1-7. So, it is crucial the conference’s best teams win “big games” for the Pac-12 to get serious consideration for the College Football Playoff. The conference is already off to a good start with Oregon, Stanford, and Washington State and all winning. If Washington can add a Rose Bowl victory over Ohio State to that list would go a long way to restoring the Pac-12’s imagine nationally. The Huskies would finish with a top 10 ranking.

Ohio State is talented and should be extremely motivated. The Buckeyes feel slighted by the CFB Playoff committee, and Urban Meyer is coaching his last game. Most people don’t believe the Huskies have a shot. However, there is a recipe for beating the Buckeyes. Washington is talented and physical enough to do the job.

1. Run the Football Effectively

Running the ball effectively is by far the most important key to Washington winning the football game. The strongest part of the Huskies offense this year has been their running game. When they have a 100-yard rusher, they are 5-0 this season. The Huskies have only scored over 28 points four times this season. So it is crucial Washington controls the clock and limit the number of Ohio State offensive possessions. When the Huskies can run the ball effectively with Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed, they win. In their losses against Auburn, Oregon, and Cal their running game struggled. The running game opens up their play-action passing game and gives Browning easy reads.

2. Stop the Run

The Huskies defense has been great against the run all season. They only allowed 3.5 yards per carry this season.  Ohio State has struggled this season when their running game has been slowed. They only had a 100-yard rusher in five of their 13 games. That type of production along with turnovers led to close games against Nebraska, Maryland, Minnesota, and Penn State. The Buckeyes started to incorporate more quarterback runs toward the end of the season which seemed to open up the lanes for the running backs. So Washington has to account for Haskins in the run game.

3. Browning Be Special

I’m not sure if anyone has been harder on a four-year starter that has broken nearly every Washington passing record than me. Good thing he blocks out the “crowd noise.” Browning has to show up with his best in his final collegiate game. He cannot just be the game manager that we have seen this season. He will have to make some magic happen with his legs as we saw against Utah, UCLA, and Colorado. But, more importantly, he will have to make some big-time throws against one of the most athletic secondaries in the nation. If Browning can finish with a 275-yard game with three total touchdowns, the Huskies will be in business. The Ohio State defense is ranked 67th in the country in scoring defense, so it’s definitely possible.

4. Stop the Screen Game

The one part of Washington’s game that shouldn’t be of concern to Huskies fans is their defense. They are 12th in the nation in total defense and 5th in scoring defense. After the Huskies get some stops, they have to be on alert for screens. When Ohio State’s offense gets stuck or needs a big play, they often look to their screen game. Time and time again this season their wide receivers Parris Campbell and Johnnie Dixon caught screens that broke the game open. Then the Buckeyes try screens to the backs, the nations third-leading tackler Ben Burr-Kirven needs to be ready.

5. Explosive Plays 

This key to the game applies for Washington on both sides of the ball. The Huskies defense is one of the nations’ best at limiting explosive plays (30+ yards). However, their offense is one of the worst at generating explosive plays in the passing game. In contrast, the Buckeyes are one of the top teams at generating explosive plays. The defense that does the best job of minimizing explosive plays will win.

Big Ten Power Rankings Week 14: Winner Gets the Rose Bowl or CFB Playoff

Big Ten Power Rankings Week 14

Can anyone find the Michigan defense? The Wolverines defensive unit has not been seen in a few weeks because whoever showed up in Columbus were not part of the number one defense in the country. Going into “The Game,” the most amount of points in a game that Michigan allowed was 24 to Notre Dame. Ohio State nearly tripled that amount as they scored 62 points on their way to a 23 point victory. As Michigan’s Playoff hopes died, Ohio State’s dreams were reborn, but before we talk about the postseason, do no forget about Northwestern in the Big Ten Power Rankings Week 14.

Here are last week’s Big Ten Power Rankings for reference.

14. Rutgers (1-11)

Lost to Michigan State, 14-10

I know I’ve been bashing Rutgers the past couple of weeks, but I will give credit where credit is due. They played hard against Michigan State and deserved to win. That being said, there are no moral victories in the Big Ten. Chris Ash was on the hot seat going into this season and despite a 1-11 year, Ash will return for another season. This move is head scratching, but ask yourself this: Can anyone save Rutgers?

13. Illinois (4-8)

Lost to Northwestern, 24-16

Illinois hung around the entire game against Northwestern before losing by 8 points. However, the biggest story for the Illini was the decision to extend Lovie Smith’s contract an additional two years. The Illini made some strides this year, but Smith has won only 9 games in three years. Does that merit an extension? All eyes will be on the quarterback position in 2019 as they welcome five-star recruit Isaiah Williams to the program.

12. Indiana (5-7)

Lost to Purdue, 28-21

After a 4-1 start, the Hoosiers went 1-6 in their final 7 games to end the season and ruin their chances of making a bowl game. On the bright side, Stevie Scott is an excellent running back and finished off his strong freshman season with 104 rushing yards and 1 TD.

11. Maryland (5-7)

Lost to Penn State, 38-3

For Maryland, it was a season of some highs, but many lows. A win over Texas was the highlight of a season clouded in controversy. Now that the DJ Durkin debacle is past the Terps, they can move on to finding a new coach to turn this program around. Many believe their first call will be to current Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley, who had two stints on the Maryland coaching staff.

10. Nebraska (4-8)

Lost to Iowa, 31-28

It may have taken 6 games to reaffirm their coaching decision but Nebraska hired the right guy to turn this program around in Scott Frost. The Cornhuskers went 4-2 over their last 6 games and only lost by a combined 8 points in two games. Quarterback Adrian Martinez is going to be a Heisman favorite going into next season. Watch out for Nebraska.

9. Michigan State (7-5)

Beat Rutgers, 14-10

I’m only putting Michigan State ahead of Nebraska because of their bowl eligibility status. Other than that, Michigan State had a disastrous season and it would’ve hit rock bottom had it not been for a touchdown by Cody White on an end-around to take the lead against Rutgers late in the fourth quarter. Michigan State will play in a bowl game to cap off their disappointing season.

8. Wisconsin (7-5)

Lost to Minnesota, 37-15

What a disappointing season for the Badgers, who had Playoff hopes coming into the year. No one expected this Wisconsin team to be this bad. In fact, Lee Corso picked Wisconsin to win the National Championship this past August!

I understand Alex Hornibrook was hurt throughout the year, but he is not the answer at quarterback (4 turnovers against Minnesota in the loss). The good news is that star running back Jonathan Taylor will be back for at least one more season. Plus, the Badgers will play in a bowl game to end the season.

7. Purdue (6-6)

Beat Indiana, 28-21

After starting the season 0-3, Purdue rallied to go 6-3 and become bowl eligible for the second straight year. As I stated last week, the only storyline at Purdue is the status of coach Jeff Brohm. Will he go to Louisville or will he stay at Purdue? His impending decision will have a huge impact on the direction of this program. If I’m a Boilermaker fan, I’d start saying my prayers to keep Brohm.

6. Minnesota (6-6)

Beat Wisconsin, 37-15

Row. The. Boat. It’s a huge jump in the rankings for Minnesota (10 to 6), but they deserve it after throttling their rival, Wisconsin, to take back Paul Bunyan’s ax and become bowl eligible. This was Minnesota’s first win over Wisconsin since 2003. P.J. Fleck is one hell of a coach, and it’s clear that he is building something special at Minnesota. I’m a believer.

5. Iowa (8-4)

Beat Nebraska, 31-28

Iowa finished its season off on a high note with a game-winning field goal as time expired to defeat Nebraska, 31-28. At one point, Iowa controlled it’s own destiny to make the Big Ten Conference Championship game, but losing three straight games in the middle of conference play derailed their chances. Iowa will most likely play in the Outback Bowl or Holiday Bowl.

4. Penn State (9-3)

Beat Maryland 38-3

In their last dress rehearsal before a bowl game, Penn State put the beatdown on Maryland, which is something they needed to do in order to impress the committee. Going into Saturday, Penn State was a long shot to make a New Year’s Six Game. Now, I believe it can happen because of brand recognition (popularity) and their position in the rankings. Penn State will finish in the Top 12, but that does not guarantee entrance to a New Year’s Six game. Penn State will need both LSU and Washington State to drop below them in the rankings (which should happen this week) and pray Oklahoma beats Texas in the Big 12 Championship. If all three of those things happen, Penn State will play in the New Year’s Six.

3. Northwestern (8-4)

Beat Illinois, 24-16

Northwestern has managed to escape these past few weeks with close wins against inferior opponents, but I’m not putting that much stock into those games. It’s hard to focus on the task at hand when their ticket to the Big Ten Conference Championship game was punched weeks ago. Make no mistake about; this is a good Wildcats team. Can they beat Ohio State? Sure, anyone can beat anyone on any given day. Is it likely to happen? No, but crazier things have happened. No matter what, Northwestern had a special season that their team and fans should be proud of.

2. Michigan (10-2)

Lost to Ohio State, 62-39

To paraphrase the great Pedro Martinez, “Michigan (and Jim Harbaugh) just needs to tip their hat and call Ohio State their daddy.” A lot of fans call it big brother vs. little brother, but in all actuality, it’s father vs. son. Since 2001, Michigan has beaten Ohio State twice in 18 attempts (counting the vacated win by OSU in 2010). Michigan’s defense was exposed all day as the speed and offensive creativity of the Buckeyes outmatched the Wolverines. Now, Michigan will be the biggest Ohio State fan on Saturday. Assuming Oklahoma is ahead of OSU in the Playoff rankings, Michigan may need OSU to win and both Georgia and Oklahoma to lose for the Wolverines to go to the Rose Bowl.

1. Ohio State (11-1)

Beat Michigan, 62-39

At the end of the day, Ohio State is still the big brother. The loss to Purdue was a head scratcher, but after Saturday, it was probably a fluke. Ohio State established their recent dominance once again over Michigan, dropping 62 points on the best defense in the country. Dwayne Haskins made the Michigan defense look like Rutgers as he threw for 396 yards and 6 TDs. Now, the Buckeyes wait and see where they fall in the College Football Playoff rankings. My guess is that they will be at #6, right behind Oklahoma. If that’s the case, Ohio State will have to beat Northwestern and hope both Georgia and Oklahoma lose in their respective conference championship games. Then, Ohio State would be in the Playoff with a win over Northwestern. A lot has to happen, but it’s not impossible. For the second straight year, an embarrassing loss might keep the Buckeyes (and the Big Ten) out of the Playoff.

Only one game remains in the Big Ten season, and that’s Northwestern vs. Ohio State on Saturday night.

Big Ten Power Rankings Week 13: All Eyes On Columbus

Big Ten Power Rankings Week 13

After weeks of “what ifs,” the game college football fans wanted to see is happening. One loss Michigan will play one-loss Ohio State for a chance to represent the Big Ten East in the conference championship game. Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan State didn’t go down without a fight. The road to get to “The Game” was bumpy (thanks, Ohio State), but it all worked out in the end as both teams’ will look to not only win the game on Saturday but improve their chances of making the College Football Playoff. Strap in. It’s game time in the Big Ten Power Rankings Week 13.

Here are last week’s Big Ten Power Rankings for reference.

14. Rutgers (1-10)

Lost to Penn State, 20-7

The streak continues for all the wrong reasons. Rutgers has not won a Big Ten game since November 4, 2017, and that streak continued this past weekend after their loss to Penn State. This season can’t end any faster for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers travels to Michigan State to finish off their season (from hell).

13. Illinois (4-7)

Lost to Iowa, 63-0

Illinois either blows you out or gets blown out. Last weekend, Illinois was on the wrong side of a 63-0 blowout courtesy of the Iowa Hawkeyes. What’s worse is that their best running back, Reggie Corbin, left the game after 1 carry with an ankle injury. Illinois closes out the season on the road against Northwestern.

12. Indiana (5-6)

Lost to Michigan, 31-20

Michigan definitely overlooked Indiana this past weekend. Credit the Hoosiers for taking advantage of Michigan’s slow start as Indiana went into halftime up 17-15. Despite losing the game, Indiana proved a lot to me. In particular, running back Stevie Scott has the chance to be the best player in the Big Ten for years to come. Scott set the record for rushing yards by a true freshman at Indiana with 1,033. Indiana closes out their season at home against Purdue on Saturday.

11. Maryland (5-6)

Lost to Ohio State in OT, 52-51

I don’t feel too bad when teams lose. It’s part of the game. However, this is a rare case where I feel extremely bad for Maryland. This win could’ve changed the program in a year that has been plagued by scandals and controversies. I absolutely loved the call to go for 2. The receiver was open too and even after a bad throw, the ball still hit his hands. That win could have changed the college football landscape. Hats off to Maryland for competing in one of the best games of the year. Maryland travels to Happy Valley to take on Penn State.

10. Minnesota (5-6)

Lost to Northwestern, 24-14

Minnesota hung around in the game longer than expected as they entered the fourth quarter down 13-7. However, this game was more about Northwestern’s special season than Minnesota’s growth. PJ Fleck is slowly building a program that can compete in the Big Ten West. They will put the rest of the conference on notice for next season if they knock off Wisconsin on the road this Saturday.

9. Purdue (5-6)

Lost to Wisconsin in triple OT, 47-44

Purdue lost a barn burner to Wisconsin in triple overtime. It happens. However, the biggest storyline concerns their head coach, Jeff Brohm, and his status at Purdue. Once Bobby Petrino was fired at Purdue, “Jeff Brohm to Lousiville” watch has started. Brohm was born in Louisville, played at Louisville, and coached at Louisville. Louisville is going to throw the kitchen sink at Brohm to try and sway him away from Purdue. Although Brohm has a great recruiting class coming in next year (25th in the nation), will that be enough for him to stay? We soon shall see. Purdue travels to Bloomington to play Indiana on Saturday.

8. Michigan State (6-5)

Lost to Nebraska, 9-6

Michigan State wants to run the ball and play defense. The defense played well on Saturday against Nebraska, holding them to under 250 yards and 9 points. The running game was solid as well as they accumulated 143 yards rushing. However, I’m baffled that the Spartans decided to throw the ball FORTY ONE times (only completed 15 passes) with their backup quarterback in bad weather. I don’t understand that thought process whatsoever and frankly, it cost the Spartans. Michigan State plays Rutgers at home on Saturday.

7. Nebraska (4-7)

Beat Michigan State, 9-6

The Cornhuskers did it again and this time, they did it without scoring a single touchdown. The high powered Nebraska offense was held in check by the Michigan State defense (and the weather) as the Cornhuskers only accumulated 248 yards. However, the Cornhuskers came back from a 6-0 defeat to score 9 unanswered 4th quarter points, all off of field goals. Nebraska has now won 4 out of 5 games and will look to finish on a high note on Friday as they travel to Kinnick Stadium to face Iowa.

6. Wisconsin (7-4)

Beat Purdue in triple OT, 47-44

A Wisconsin team was able to win a shootout? Say it ain’t so. Lead by Jonathan Taylor’s career-high 321 rushing yards and 3 TDs, Wisconsin was able to comeback and defeat Purdue in triple overtime, 47-44. It still boggles my mind that in a game where the Badgers put up 47 points, quarterback Jack Coan only threw for 160 yards. (Coan did have 2 TDs). Wisconsin needs a a stud at quarterback in order to take them to the next level in 2019. Wisconsin closes out its season at home against Minnesota.

5. Iowa (7-4)

Beat Illinois, 63-0

I’m not an expert, but I believe Iowa was mad at their performance against Northwestern from a week ago because they swept the leg and showed Illinois no mercy in a 63-0 win. Iowa outscored their last four opponents 133-82. Do you want to know what their record is in those four games? 1-3. This Iowa team has “Outback Bowl Winners” written all over it. Iowa will face a surging Nebraska team at Kinnick to close out the season on Friday.

4. Penn State (8-3)

Beat Rutgers, 20-7

What is going on with Penn State? This dynamic offense could only score 20 points on Rutgers. Trace McSorley has to be playing hurt. I have no other explanation. However, with West Virginia’s recent loss, Penn State made it’s way back into a New Year’s Six game according to CBS Sports. To keep that spot, Penn State will have to beat Maryland on Saturday in an impressive fashion.

3. Northwestern (7-4)

Beat Minnesota, 24-14

The magical season from the Wildcats continued as they defeated Minnesota on the road in a hard-fought victory. Northwestern already knows it will be playing for a Big Ten Championship, but that doesn’t mean you want to enter the game playing your worst. I expect Northwestern to play hard this Saturday against Illinois to gain some momentum for the title game.

2. Ohio State (10-1)

Beat Maryland in OT, 52-51

I’m speechless. Maryland wins this game 9 out of 10 times if they play this fourth quarter over again. However, Ohio State only needed one time to win and they escaped College Park with a one-point victory in overtime. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins saved his best game of the season for when his team needed him the most. 315 yards passing, 3 touchdowns to go along with 59 yards rushing and 3 TDs. With the victory, Ohio State kept its Big Ten title hopes alive and will play Michigan on Saturday for the right to play Northwestern.

Side note: Is Urban Meyer healthy? I would never wish ill will on someone’s health. If Meyer is truly sick, by all means, do whatever it takes to get better. That being said, what happened on the sideline during this game? When Ohio State was down, it looked like he was dying. When Ohio State battled back to win, he had more pep in his step. Was it just adrenaline kicking in? Maybe. All I know is that it was weird to watch.

1. Michigan (10-1)

Beat Indiana, 31-20

It wasn’t pretty, but Michigan overcame a 17-15 halftime deficit to defeat Indiana at home 31-20. This matchup screamed trap game, and that’s exactly what happened. However, thanks to six field goals from kicker Jake Moody, Michigan did just enough to escape with a win and more importantly, keep their #4 ranking, which is the last spot in the College Football Playoff. Michigan’s destiny is in their hands. To keep their playoff hopes alive, Jim Harbaugh will have to do something that he has never done in tenure in Ann Arbor, which is beat Ohio State. This could be the year it happens. Michigan travels to Columbus to play Ohio State on Saturday.

Michigan vs. Ohio State. Saturday, 12:00 PM on Fox. Be there.

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.