On this episode of WRIGHSTER OR WRONG, George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden get into Name Image and Likeness detractors and the NCAA coaches that are publicly whining about Bowl Opt-Outs, and explain why the NCAA, not the players, are the real villain. Also, Urban Meyer has been fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars and George has his “I told you so” locked and loaded.”
NIL System, Mad Coaches, Bowl Opt Outs, Urban Meyer, Tik Tok Threats https://t.co/53uIPMiG4U
On this episode of WRIGHSTER OR WRONG, George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden get into the latest College Football Playoff Rankings, and ask why the committee continues to rank Michigan State above Michigan. The Staples Center is no more, what do the guys think of Cryptocurrency exchange platform being the Lakers primary sponsor? Barstool Sports tweeted out a satirical list of the Top 10 Female Singers of all time, and the internet went crazy, so George and Ralph revealed their actual Top 10. Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial has gone to the jury, and the guys discuss why America is so invested in the outcome. Finally, Laura Ingraham’s “Who’s on First” moment, and the rest of the Best of Social Media.
Click any of the following links to listen to Wrighster or Wrong on your preferred Podcast platform
Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 5 As it Should Be. Finally some stability in the Top 10. It takes about 3-4 weeks for the rankings to settle in and we have a really good idea who the best teams in the country are. Last week saw a couple of Top 10 teams IDLE and a huge riser. This week, is separation Saturday. We will truly find out which teams are here for a good time, and which ones are here for a long time. I pray that all you reading this stay healthy and enjoy this season. Now on the the rules.
The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings Week 5
There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 5. 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. These rankings 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. Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. After the preseason rankings, only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games.
I re-rank the top 10 every Sunday 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. So make sure to come back every Sunday. For reference, you can check College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 4 .
Next Up: Notre Dame, BYU, Oklahoma, Michigan, Fresno State
10. Michigan State (4-0)
Last Week: 23-20 (W) vs Nebraska
Some of the media was down on MSU because they didn’t earn enough “style points against Nebraska. The reality is Scott Frost has his team playing much better and they gave Oklahoma a real fight too. No team goes through the season without playing some close games. The Spartans are fast, well-coached, and have a few nice wins under their belt, while being dominant at times.
9. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1)
Last Week: 59-7 (W) vs Akron
No CJ Stroud at QB, no problem for the Buckeyes. Fans have been displeased with the results on the field this season. But that is a result of fans being spoiled. They want to blow everyone out despite the opponent of circumstances surrounding their team. But life doesn’t work like that. Neither does football. OSU is still the most explosive offense in college football.
8. Ole Miss (3-0)
Last Week: IDLE
Lane Kiffin lives by the motto “all publicity is good publicity” model. He understands that Ole Miss is not demanding the national attention without him trolling USC fans, Nick Saban, or responding to Michael Wilbon. His team has looked extremely good through three games, but the rubber meets the road against Alabama this week.
7. Cincinnati (3-0)
Last Week: IDLE
Cinci believes they are a big dog and can compete with Power 5 teams week in and week out. Here is there opportunity. In their last game they beat Big Ten opponent Indiana. Now they follow that up with a visit to Notre Dame. If they can win this game and look good, they could be on their was to their first College Football Playoff.
Check out our Pac-12 Football Podcast, Pac-12 Apostles:
I appreciate watching Iowa play, and honestly at this point I believe the Hawkeyes will come back down to reality and will be a 10-2 or 9-3 team. Their future schedule doesn’t include Michigan, Michigan State, or Ohio State. That means if they can beat Penn State and Wisconsin and not lose to a lesser opponent, they could find themselves owning space in the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings all year.
5. Arkansas (4-0)
Last Week: 20-10 (W) vs Texas A&M @ AT&T Stadium
Wins over Texas and Texas A&M look real good right now. The Hogs dominated bothe football games. There are injury concerns about the Arkansas QB Jefferson. After he went out last week, their offense was essentially only able to hold on for dear life. If he is not available vs Georgia the Razorbacks has ZERO shot of winning. Georgia is more talented, so if Arkansas wins we know who the better coach is.
4. Penn State (4-0)
Last Week: 38-17 (W) vs Villanova
Penn State played Villanova. That is a basketball school. You would have expected the score to be a bit more lopsided than that, but it looked like a big win hangover, however, the Nittany Lions were never in any danger and were up 38-3 in the 4th quarter when the reserves gave up a couple of touchdowns.
3. Georgia Bulldogs (4-0)
Last Week: 62-0 (W) vs Vanderbilt
We finally get to see Georgia against a team that appears to be good offensively. Clemson is NOT a great team this year offensively. The Georgia defense looks phenomenal but are we sure they are the greatest thing since sliced bread when they haven’t played a great offense yet. That is the sole reason the Bulldogs sit at #3 instead of #1. THe criteria says they should be #3, but my gut says #1.
2. Oregon Ducks (4-0)
Last Week: 41-19 (W) vs Arizona
The Oregon Ducks are leading the nation is turnover margin. They have forced 13 turnovers on the season while only giving up one turnover. That is a recipe for winning games and dominating opponents. Now we wait for another signature offensive performance like we saw at Ohio State.
1. Alabama (4-0)
Last Week: 63-14 (W) vs So. Miss
Domination.Even though Nick Saban and everyone watching can see this team is not as good as last year, they still are dominating like the best team in college football. It appears they may get pushed to their defensive limit against Ole Miss. However, the real question is can this offense be stopped? We shall we.
Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 4.
Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 4 As it Should Be. Apparently, only a few teams want to stay in the Top 10. I almost feel like I’m stacking Jenga blocks only to have my 2-year-old knock them down. Teams that we thought we could count on look suspect while others are consistent. I think we are in for a very chaotic 2021 season. There is NO team that looks unbeatable. This season is the exact reason we need playoff expansion to eight teams instead of 12. No team should get a first round bye. We would see all sorts of upsets. I cannot believe we are 25% done with the regular season already. Now I’m sad. For those of you new here, I created these rankings to give fans a real Top 10, free from media and conference bias. I’ll tell you the rules of the rankings next, but first we need to celebrate the amazing week 3 in college football. I pray that all you reading this stay healthy and enjoy this season. Now on the the rules.
The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings Week 4
There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 4. 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. These rankings 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. Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. After the preseason rankings, only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games.
I re-rank the top 10 every Sunday 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. So make sure to come back every Sunday. For reference, you can check College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 3 .
I have no clue what to truly make of this team. They are winning games but haven’t looked great at all. Spencer Rattler was touted as a Heisman hopeful in the preseason but has not lived up to the hype.
9. Michigan State (3-0)
Last Week: 38-17 (W) @ Miami
This is not your father’s Michigan State team. Mel Tucker has rebuilt this roster and mentality in short order. They has speed at their skill positions and a good young QB in Payton Thorne. Through three games they have a ton of explosive plays and have the makings of a Big Ten contender.
8. Ohio State Buckeyes (2-1)
Last Week: 41-20 (W) vs Tulsa
This team is fascinating to watch. They have all the talent in the world and score a lot of points each week but something just isn’t clicking. Their young QB CJ Stroud is having an up and down start to the season much like this defense.
7. Ole Miss (3-0)
Last Week: 61-21 (W) vs Tulane
Lane Kiffin has Ole Miss rolling. Their defense may still be shaky but it’s much improved from last season. But this offense… sweet baby Jesus it is fun to watch. It is like watching Chip Kelly at Oregon. Fast, explosive, and efficient execution.
6. Cincinnati (3-0)
Last Week: 38-24 (W) vs Indiana
All three games this season the Bearcats have started slow, but end up blowing everybody out. They got their first real test this week in Indiana. We will find out if Cinci is a playoff contender or not in two weeks against Notre Dame.
Check out our Pac-12 Football Podcast, Pac-12 Apostles:
The Hawkeyes deserve to be here because of what they have done on the field. I cannot envision a world in which they are top five to finish the season but up to now, this is where they belong. Other rankings have other teams ranked higher because of recruiting rankings or perceived strength when on field results are the only thing that should matter.
4. Penn State (3-0)
Last Week: 28-20 (W) vs Auburn
So much for the James Franklin to USC rumors being a distraction. Penn State got a huge win against Auburn at home. WIth Ohio State looking vulnerable on defense, could this be the year the Nittany Lions knock off the kings of the B1G?
3. Georgia Bulldogs (3-0)
Last Week: 40-13 (W) vs South Carolina
Georgia just might be the most complete team in the SEC. Their defense looks great but they have yet to play a good offense. Clemson is clearly on the struggle bus offensively, so the jury is still out on how good Georgia is… and the Tigers won’t even get another test until at least Oct. 9th against Auburn.
2. Oregon Ducks (3-0)
Last Week: 48-7 (W) vs Stony Brook
I know the little guys need the money for their athletic departments but I don’t have to like these games. But at least Oregon, unlike most SEC teams, only has one of these non-competitive games instead of two or three.
1. Alabama (3-0)
Last Week: 31-29 (W) @ Florida
What happened to the Crimson Tide at halftime? For two quarters they dominated Florida, but then came a lackluster 1.5 quarters. However, once Florida got close, the light came on for ‘Bama, and they did Bama things to close out the game. I will say this team is not an immovable object at #1 anymore.
Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 4.
Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 3 As it Should Be. Major shake ups in the rankings. We witnessed a heavyweight title fight in Columbus, a beatdown in Ames, and rock fight in Boulder that all impacted the rankings. Damn I love college football because we are reminded every weekend that the results on paper ≠ results on the field. For those of you new here, I created these rankings to give fans a real Top 10, free from media and conference bias. I’ll tell you the rules of the rankings next, but first we need to celebrate the amazing week 3 in college football. I pray that all you reading this stay healthy and enjoy this season. Now on the the rules.
The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings Week 3
There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 3. 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. These rankings 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. Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. After the preseason rankings, only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games.
I re-rank the top 10 every Sunday 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. So make sure to come back every Sunday. For reference, you can check College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 2 .
Next Up: Penn State, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, Florida
10. Notre Dame (2-0)
Last Week: 32-29 (W) vs Toledo
This Notre Dame team feels a lot like the 2012-13 team that played against Alabama in the National Championship. They won so many games by the hairs on their chinny chin chin. At the end of the season they were 12-0 but everyone knew 1-loss Oregon was a better team. But the BCS computers chose the undefeated team. People better start hoping they lose otherwise we will see them in the top 4 again.
9. Clemson (1-1)
Last Week: 49-3 (W) vs South Carolina State
Dabo Swinney got his team to rebound after the Georgia loss. We still have questions about the development of DJ Uiagalelei at quarterback. If he can be a premiere QB the sky is the limit for the Clemson team. However, they need to root for UNC, Virginia Tech, and Miami to win out until they play.
8. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-1)
Last Week: 28-35 (W) vs Oregon
The Buckeyes have to get their defense figured out. The bad news is Oregon exposed a flaw in their red zone defense. The good news is that few teams will be able to score with CJ Stroud, Chris Olave, and company. They will still have a chance to compete for the B1G championship and get into the college football playoff.
7. Cincinnati (2-0)
Last Week: 42-7 (W) vs Murray State
The Bearcats have outscored their opponents 91-21 through two games. I spent the most time figuring out where to rank them. Their dominance is clear but their schedule is not impressive. As more teams get into the meat of their schedule it will be extremely hard for Cinci to stay ranked above them unless they blow everyone out and beat Notre Dame.
Check out our Pac-12 Football Podcast, Pac-12 Apostles:
The Sooners rebounded nicely after a scare against Tulane. I still give some grace in that game because everything was thrown off. Tulane had to travel to Norman to play a game that was relocated because of the hurricane Ida. There were so many emotions and inspired play by the Green Wave that Oklahoma just had to weather the storm and they did.
5. Iowa (2-0)
Last Week: 27-17 (W) vs Iowa State
This was supposed to be the year Iowa State took the power from Iowa, but the Hawkeyes had other plans. They dominated and out executed a very well-coached football team. I am not sure if Iowa has the horses to be a legit contender, but we cannot discount their great play and quality wins through 2 games.
4. Georgia Bulldogs (2-0)
Last Week: 56-7 (W) vs UAB
Georgia took UAB behind the woodshed without JT Daniels. It is pretty easy for Kirby Smart to play the brand of football he likes against lesser competition. He went all conservative against Clemson. The Bulldogs did come away with the win, but until he goes full Bruce Arians “no risk it, no biscuit” there won’t be any championship banners hanging in Athens.
3. UCLA (2-0)
Last Week: IDLE
A week off didn’t change anything. They still have 2 dominating performances already this year. I can’t wait to see how they handle Fresno State this weekend. If they dominate it won’t be hard for the Bruins to continue to move up in the rankings.
2. Oregon Ducks (2-0)
Last Week: 35-28 (W) @ Ohio State
Oregon has put the nation on notice. They are back in the national championship conversation again after a 5 year absence .A lot of people outside of Oregon are calling their victory over Ohio State an upset. They were the better team and dominated the game. But… Ohio State is legit.
1. Alabama (2-0)
Last Week: 48-14 (W) vs Mercer
Where is Mercer located? I googled it so you didn’t have to. It is in Macon, Georgia. I had a tougher task locating Mercer than Bryce Young, Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide had on the field this weekend. No schedule or quality wins points but the domination from the Miami game continued through week 2.
Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 3.
Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 2 As it Should Be. For those of you new here, I created these rankings to give fans a real Top 10, free from media and conference bias. I’ll tell you the rules of the rankings next, but first we need to celebrate the amazing week 1 in college football. We got big name brand matchups, upsets, and some feel good stories. But that wasn’t the most exciting part. Having fans back in the stands brought an energy through the screen that we hadn’t seen since the 2019 season. I pray that all you reading this stay healthy and enjoy this season. Now on the the rules.
The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings Week 2
There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 2. 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. These rankings 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. Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. After the preseason rankings, only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games.
I re-rank the top 10 every Sunday 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. So make sure to come back every Sunday. For reference, you can check College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 1.
The Ducks had a great first and fourth quarter against Fresno State. But the middle two quarters left a lot to be desired from the Oregon offense. We will ultimately see what this team is made of this week as they head to Columbus to take on Ohio State.
9. Cincinnati (1-0)
Last Week: 49-14 (W) vs Miami (OH)
Desmond Ridder showed out against Miami (OH). Cincinnati’s schedule doesn’t allow for them to get very many quality win, so it will be hard for them to climb very high in the poll. But they were dominant last week and should be this week against Murray State as well.
8. Oklahoma (1-0)
Last Week: 40-35 (W) vs Tulane
The Sooners were real close to being a victim last weekend. Tulane recovered an onside kick with about 2 minutes left in the game down five but couldn’t get the win. The reason OU is ranked even in the top 10 after that game is because of the emotions and situation surrounding the game. It was moved to norman because Tulane was displaced because of the hurricane. There won’t be a scare this week against Western Carolina.
7. Texas A&M (1-0)
Last Week: 41-10 (W) vs Kent State
In my rankings, you do not get credit for quality wins or schedule when you beat a bad teams. However, you do receive points for dominance when you blow them out of the water. This week will be a step up in competition as the Aggies head to Boulder, CO to play the Buffaloes.
Check out our Pac-12 Football Podcast, Pac-12 Apostles:
6. Iowa (1-0)
Last Week: 34-6 (W) vs Indiana
I had to do a double take when I saw Iowa scored 34 points vs Indiana until I saw Riley Moss had two pick-six TDs. That was an extremely impressive performance by the Hawkeyes. Next up Iowa State.
5. Notre Dame (1-1)
Last Week: 41-38 (W) vs Florida State
FSU vs Notre Dame was the game of the year so far. The Irish offense looks more explosive than we have seen it in a long time. They have speed at key position and a physical defense. Playoffs again?
4. UCLA (2-0)
Last Week: 38-27 (W) vs LSU
There is no denying what this team has put on tape. Through 2 games, the Bruins defense and OL look physical and fast. Chip Kelly’s team harassed LSU all game on the way to a dominating performance.
3. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0)
Last Week: 45-31 (W) @ Minnesota
It you want big plays, you showed up at the right place. The Buckeyes scored four TDs from 30+ against Minnesota. That sort of explosion keeps opposing coaches up at night. Huge matchup against Oregon this week.
2. Georgia Bulldogs (1-0)
Last Week: 10-3 (W) vs Clemson
We will have to wait until this weekend to see if the Bulldogs can score their first offensive touchdown. Their matchup against Clemson was an absolute rock fight offensively. However, the Georgia defense was fighting with a bazooka. They may be the fastest defense we saw in week 1.
1. Alabama (1-0)
Last Week: 44-13 (W) vs Miami
Alabama deserves the #1 spot of the College Football Top 10 Rankings As It Should Be. They dominated Miami in every way possible. Bryce Young is now the Crimson Tide QB and the offense looks just as good as when Mac Jones or Tua was QB.
Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 2.
There is a hot topic brewing amongst Pac-12 fans during bowl season. It is causing serious debate in Facebook groups and subreddits. Should Pac-12 fans “Back the Pac” and cheer for every other conference team to win, including their rivals?
There were many recruiting surprises during the early signing period. A couple of teams may have signed program changing classes. Assistant coaches also have more power than they ever have.
Do you Back the Pac-12? Leave a comment or send us an email to immad@unafraidshow.com.
Make sure you like and subscribe to the Pac-12 Apostles Podcast with George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden on iTunes by clicking here or any other podcasting app. Visit our iTunes page for this podcast and other previous episodes by clicking here.
Who are the Pac-12 Apostles?
The Pac-12 Apostles is a podcast for fans who love the Pac-12 conference. George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden are committed to the honest and fair conversation about the conference. Join us by becoming a Pac-12 Apostle. Subscribe and share the podcast.
Please leave a review of our podcast on iTunes if you can! We record a podcast once a week during the off-season for football and then from the months of August to January we record two podcasts per week. Our podcasts are always heavy on Pac-12 football but we make it a point to also try and cover the other notable Men’s and Women’s Pac-12 sports. We cover recruiting and any other major storyline in the Pac-12 universe.
George Wrighster is a former Pac-12 and long-time NFL tight end. As a television/radio host, opinionist, and analyst, who is UNAFRAID to speak the truth. Contrary to industry norms he uses, facts, stats, and common sense to win an argument. He has covered college football, basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB since 2014. Through years of playing college football, covering bowl games, coaching changes, and scandals, he has a great pulse for the conference and national perspective.
Ralph Amsden is a Wyoming-born sportswriter and podcaster who spends his days tweeting through the misadventures that come with shuttling four kids around the Arizona desert. Ralph is the publisher of Rivals’ ArizonaVarsity.com, the founder of ArizonaSportsCast.com, and was previously the managing editor of the Arizona State Rivals affiliate, DevilsDigest.com. He is also a professional hater of all things pineapple. Whether you’re talking food, movies, music, parenting, politics, sports, television, religion, or zoological factoids, Ralph has questions for you. He might be sub-.500 in spousal disputes and schoolyard fights, but he’s always UNAFRAID to square up.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
It was an up-and-down season for the 2019 Colorado Buffaloes. After the final whistle blew against Utah on November 30, 2019, the Buffs found themselves at 5-7, an all-too-familiar record.
Laviska was named MVP at the team's annual senior banquet 👏
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) December 9, 2019
Home Play Needs to Continue to be a Strength in 2020
The 2019 season was the third straight 5-7 season for Colorado Buffaloes Football. What can CU do to break the 5-7 “curse” of sorts? They can build upon the successes in the first year of the Mel Tucker era. No one outside of Boulder expected the Buffs to have November wins against Pac-12 stalwarts Stanford and Washington. Also, every Buffaloes home game was decided by one possession. The Buffs went 4-2 in these games. For 2020, the Buffs will need to build upon their valiant efforts at home against all opponents.
However, one area where the Buffaloes will absolutely have to improve in 2020 is their road play. Counting out the neutral-site win over Colorado State in College Football Week 1, the Buffs went 1-4 on the road this season. They won their first true road game of the season against then-ranked Arizona State. No one expected the Buffaloes to win this game. Unfortunately, the rest of the road slate for CU turned out as many expected it to. They were outscored 162-42 in their last four road games against Oregon, Washington State, UCLA, and Utah.
In non-conference play, the Buffs will go on the road to play Colorado State and Texas A&M in 2020. Many will expect the Buffaloes to beat CSU, but no one will expect the Buffaloes to beat Texas A&M. Being competitive in this early season road test against the Aggies will do wonders for Mel Tucker. Fans will feel much more confident in the ability of the Buffaloes to take their relentless attitude on the road.
At home, Colorado will only have one non-conference game against Fresno State next season. Many college football fans, both impartial and partial to the Buffaloes, will hope for them to be 2-1 going into conference play. With two non-conference wins the Buffaloes will need to go 4-5 in Pac-12 play to make a bowl game. This is a huge ask, considering how the Buffaloes have only won four conference games once since joining the Pac-12 in 2011 (eight wins in 2016).
Can the 2020 Colorado Buffaloes Win More Pac-12 Games?
Along with the regular Pac-12 South opponents, the Buffaloes will have games against Pac-12 north will play Oregon and Washington State at home while traveling to play Stanford and Washington. The games can be put into two categories: good chance to win and not-as-good chance to win.
Good
chance to win: UCLA, Washington State @ Arizona, @ Washington, @ Stanford
Fans should have more confidence in these games due to the Buffaloes being able to beat Washington and Stanford this season. They beat UCLA at home in 2018. Road games are tough to put in this category, as the Buffaloes just were not consistent enough on the road in 2019. Fans will hope that the Buffaloes can go either 3-2 or 4-1 in these games. It is going to come down to playing better on the road for the Buffaloes. With more of his recruits playing there is more pressure on Mel Tucker to get the job done.
Not-as-good
chance to win: Oregon, Arizona State, Utah, @ USC
Since joining the Pac-12, CU has been historically bad against Oregon, USC, and Utah. There is no reason to think the Buffaloes will be favored in any of these games. However, they have had a propensity for beating Arizona State the last few seasons. Unfortunately for the Buffaloes and the Pac-12, Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels has the looks of a quarterback ready to take over the Pac-12. If the Buffaloes can win one of these games, however, it may propel them to a bowl berth.
Final Verdict: The 2020 Colorado Buffaloes Will Finish 6-6
The Buffaloes are losing arguably their top three players on offense: Quarterback Steven Montez and wide receivers Laviska Shenault, Jr., and K.D. Nixon. The latter two decided to forego their senior season and declared for the NFL Draft. They will also be without standout graduate transfer safety Mikial Onu on defense in 2020.
Finishing 6-6 is an attainable goal for the Buffs. Going 4-5 in-conference is an attainable goal for the Buffaloes, and Mel Tucker will have more of his recruits playing, including Brendan Rice, the son of San Francisco 49ers Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. Tucker may also be getting the services of Antonio Alfano, a transfer defensive end from Alabama who has been hyped up locally. Tucker will also be getting a dual-threat quarterback prospect in Brendon Lewis, who is from Melissa, Texas.
Fans will want to see improvement from year one to year two of the Mel Tucker era. It is vitally important for Tucker to make the 6-6 mark. It would bring more exposure to the team nationally and it would help the team’s “relentless” mantra be broadcast to a wider audience, including possible recruits. No one is expecting the next few years of Colorado Buffaloes football to be Bill McCartney-esque, but it is important for Mel Tucker to get the program away from the “just another Pac-12 opponent” label.
Willie Taggart, Chad Morris, and Matt Luke are all college football coaches who were fired, while Clay Helton, Will Muschamp, and Kevin Sumlin were all retained. It is abundantly clear that many college football programs do not make good decisions when it comes to deciding whether to retain or fire their head coaches. So I am here to help. I have come up with a simple, absolutely genius, and foolproof Coaching Test to determine whether or not your head coach needs to be fired. Thanks to social media, fans, and boosters that scream about wanting their coaches fired are now heard except at USC. More often than not get their wish granted.
2019 Coaching Changes
As of December 12th, there have been 15 FBS head coaching jobs that have come open. All of the schools fired their coaches except two. Chris Petersen (Wash) and Jeff Tedford (Fresno St) unexpectedly resigned.
The Power 5 firings happened at Arkansas, Missouri, Florida State, Ole Miss, Boston College, and Rutgers (Is it ok to call them Power 5).
None of these coaching changes were unexpected, but were they justified? Often, coaches are on an extremely short leash and are expected to win now despite the dysfunction they inherited. College football fans and school administrations demand microwave results for problems that took years to make.
Fans and boosters have called for Clay Helton (USC), Tom, Herman (TEX), Gus Malzahn (AUB) fired. But should they be gone as well?
Cost of firing a coach
With some coaches having enormous buyouts, there are obvious financial ramifications to firing a head coach. For instance, for USC to fire Clay Helton they would have to pay out over $20 million for him and his assistants remaining contracts. Kevin Sumlin is another name that rings a bell. The school just paid Rich Rodriguez a buyout and is probably reluctant to pay another so soon.
In addition to financial ramifications of firing the coach, there is often a lot of uncertainty when you don’t know who the next head coach is going to be. Many fan bases that have called for their coaches to be fired are learning a hard lesson. You may get your wish with your coach being fired, but your new coach may be from the “scratch and dent bin.” There are good coaches in the scratch and dent bin, but they aren’t perfect and have some unsuccessful times in their history. But you got what you wanted, a new coach.
Most importantly, recruiting classes are often destroyed when recruits believe a coach will be fired. No matter how good a coach is, he cannot win without players.
Unafraid Show Coaching Test
Every head coach needs to be reevaluated every season. It does not matter whether the coach went undefeated and won the championship or went defeated and zero games. You only need to answer two questions to know whether your coach needs to be fired or not.
Listen to the Best Pac-12 Football Podcast
Number one:
Is there a coach that is guaranteed to take your job that is better than your current coach? Example: James Franklin is the head coach at Penn State. In fact, they just gave him an extension. He is winning football games while recruiting well, but PSU would fire him without a second thought if Dabo Swinney or Nick Saban were walking through that door. Often coaches are fired, and the schools have no clue who will replace him. I believe that is part of the reason USC did not fire Clay Helton. They kicked the tires on Bob Stoops and Urban Meyer but ultimately couldn’t get a deal done. So, Helton lives to “fight on” for another day.
Coaches are more often valuing the stability at a top 11-25 job rather than jumping at the chance to coach a top 10 team.
Number Two:
Is there still hope? Can your current coach go into the living rooms of 17-21-year-old players and sell them and their parents on the fact that the future of your program is brighter than the past? Can you make them buy-in, believe, and go all-in with you? If you can’t answer both of these questions in the affirmative, then you need a head coaching change. The Unafraid Coaching Test is a simple and foolproof test. If Athletic Directors and administrators answered these two simple questions every season, they wouldn’t consistently mess up their programs.
This method of determining whether to keep or fire your coach is an easy explanation for the boosters and other influential people around your program. It will keep the waters from being muddied by people with personal agendas and faulty reasoning. When Athletic Directors and administrations listen to the mob of angry fans, they mess up their programs by firing a coach too prematurely, or they rely on their gut/pride and keep the coach too long. The angry mob of fans and boosters change their minds like the wind; their opinions cannot be trusted in the short term. Think about this. Last year Florida State fans couldn’t wait to get Jimbo Fisher out and Willie Taggart in. Now, they would happily take Jimbo back. Texas fans were unsure about Tom Herman’s prospects as head coach. Now the Longhorns fanbase is smiling. Here are a couple of common questions I got when I explained this on the Pac-12 Apostles Podcast:
What if the coach is winning, but he can’t recruit?
If your coach can’t recruit, then he can’t win long term. If he can’t win, there will be a loss of hope. When the loss of hope happens, fire your coach. Don’t fire a winning coach!
Those people that tell you “recruiting stars don’t matter” are delusional. There is no coincidence that the best teams in college football every year finish at the top of the recruiting rankings.
What if the coach recruits well, constantly goes 8-5 or 9-4, and can never get you “over the hump”?
This is clearly referring to the coaches like Tom Herman and Mark Dantonio. These coaches are expected to compete for conference championships and sometimes be in the national championship conversation. Coaches that consistently recruit well stay in around 8-9 wins per season. They are really close to breaking through and will eventually win the conference. But, fan bases aren’t happy with nine wins per season. They want a maximum of one loss per season. It is damn near impossible to put up win totals like Nick Saban every year.
Next time you get into a discussion about whether or not the coach of your favorite college football team needs to be fired refer to the Unafraid Coaching Test.
