College Football 2021

Before we hit the ground running (great games leading off, my famous Kiss of Death predictions are ready to go) would be remiss to miss a couple of items. RIP to Bobby Bowden, built Florida State from scratch with a combination of charisma, recruiting, and putting the game in its proper perspective. The other huge happening is somehow out of the blue Oklahoma and @AggieMatt's 2nd favorite team that wears burnt orange joined the SEC. How this remained a secret is one of the great clandestine stories in recent memory. Games:

Tonight:
The Citadel at #22 Coastal Carolina. @astroevan, How will Coastal play now that they will be the hunted and not the hunter? Will be fine on the teal turf tonight.

#4 Ohio State at Minnesota. @encorespanish The Gophers were dreadful on D last year, but with the Buckeyes breaking in a new QB, perhaps Minnesota can stack the line and make this a game. Ohio State to pull away in 2nd half.

Saturday:
The Big Ten isn't messing around. Nebraska lost to Illinois last week (Scott Frost's seat is already hot in Lincoln). This week, besides the above, Michigan State opens at Northwestern and there are these 2 big ones:

#17 Indiana at #18 Iowa; This will be a close one, and for you @BarryWhite I'll take the Hawkeyes.

#19 Penn State at #12 Wisconsin; Another game that is going to tough on the loser. Wisconsin's D will be too much this early in the season.

#1 Alabama vs #14 Miami (Atlanta); Here's a shock, I'm taking Bama . That said, the Canes w/King at QB might be able to put the Tide in a spot of bother considering all the offensive talent that graduated.

Game of the Week:
#3 Clemson vs #5 Georgia (Charlotte); This game is much more vital to Georgia, they have a far greater chance to lose a second game then Clemson, who's schedule after this game is comical. DJ Uiagalelei takes over for the Tigers, and those couple games he played last year will certainly help. Wasn't a fan of JT Daniels at USC, not anymore of a fan now that he's the QB at Georgia, throw in one coach wins big games, the other hasn't and I'll take Clemson.

Upset Specials:
#23 Louisiana at #21 Texas; UL have rebranded (no longer Louisiana-Lafayette), but the Ragin' Cajuns will be a handful for the Longhorns

#16 LSU at UCLA; Chip Kelly's best team (I know that's not saying much) will give LSU all they want at the Rose Bowl

My Team:
Arizona vs BYU (Las Vegas); Almost put this as my upset special. Jedd Fisch has done more in 9 months on the job in regards to embracing the past, galvanizing the alumni (especially former players), and bringing a great staff back to Tucson then all the coaches that followed Coach Tomey combined. He's been a Home Run. Biggest concern is if one of the great QB names in college football (Wazzu transfer) Gunner Cruz can play.

 

Much obliged @SoCalJoe

 

I was thinking that you were coming down to the wire on getting this started @SoCalJoe.

Coastal's offense is still mostly intact from last year and should again be fun and exciting. True they aren't going to surprise anyone this year, but if they play their best it won't matter. Last year the defense was a bit of the bend but don't break variety. So they will have to improve for this team to continue winning. They aren't going to repeat last year's near undefeated season (the last of non-conference scheduling by the big conferences really helped them last year) but they will be locked in to a three way competition with Louisiana and App St for the conference championship. I'm looking forward to it.

Get out your sunglasses and get ready for the teal turf tonight! (Though honestly you may be better off setting your tv to black and white.)

 

late to the party on this one, but great weekend with the sportsbook. Utah St and Nevada!

 

Traveling so posting early;

Kansas at #17 Coastal Carolina; @astroevan Gotta like another blowout for your boys.

#5 Texas A&M v Colorado (Denver). @dtowndough you going? @AggieMatt Jimbo has your team smelling a playoff spot, how will the young QB look? Expecting the Buffs to put up a fight for awhile (especially at elevation), but Aggies way too much.

#10 Iowa at #9 Iowa State; Iowa was far more impressive then ISU last week. Because of that I’ll go Hawkeyes, but in rivalry games previous results don’t mean much, so not huge on Iowa.

#21 Utah at BYU; ‘The Holy War’ in Provo will be intense. Tough game to call, Will go Pac 12 Homer and say Utes.

Game of the Week:
#12 Oregon at #3 Ohio State; The potential #1 pick, DE Kavon Thibodeaux (Chase Young clone) hurt his ankle and is a game time decision. Picking Buckeyes to win easily. The difference? Buckeyes’ offensive staff is at the top of college football. Oregon’s play calling is mid-Pac 12 at best. The Ducks have talent, but the OC is pretty clueless.

Anybody see an upset?

 

Have been on the road seemingly every Friday, but had to get this week in;
@astroevan Do you guys play only on Thurs/Fri?? The #15 Chanticleers already have another blowout win in the books.

#6 Oklahoma vs #21 Texas; Red River Rivalry. Land Thieves (@AggieMatt that’s for you) are overrated, but Texas is wildly inconsistent. Tough call, but Boomers find a way.

#2 Georgia at #18 Auburn; This has to be on the list on best rivalries not spoken about. War Eagle keeps it close at home, but Dawgs a little too much.

#1 Alabama at Texas A&M; Aggies were primed for a playoff run, but the injury to QB Haynes King proves devastating. Bama had this game circled after Jimbo’s comments during the summer, Tide gonna roll.

Game of the Week;
#4 Penn State at #3 Iowa; This is a playoff game for all intents and purposes. Going to take Iowa, but already regretting it.

Upset Alert/Hotseat Game
#9 Michigan at Nebraska; Strange combo, but it’s here. UM fans are cautiously optimistic, but are they dynamic enough to really contend? The Huskers have been playing better, but they’re not winning. A win for Scott Frost and the heat is off, another loss and he’s back in trouble. Corn gives him a signature win and Harbaugh’s seat in Ann Arbor warms up.

 

When you’re not part of the Power 5, you get weekday prime time. Coastal Carolina has played 2 Thursdays, 1 Friday, and 3 Saturday matinees so far. And as a heads up, our next game - the biggest of the year - is Wednesday. Then another Thursday game… but let’s talk about Wednesday.

The biggest regular season test for the Chanticleers awaits them in Boone in two days. The winner of the game, be it Appalachian St or Coastal Carolina, will have the inside track to the Sun Belt title game. I envision a tight back and forth game and just hope that Coastal’s defense stands tall and makes enough stops to support the offense.

 

@astroevan. Sorry Evan, you called it, back and forth game decided on last kick.

@sacffc It took 5 OTs, but Princeton stays undefeated and in control of the Ivy League w/a win over Harvard.

 

Crazy year getting down to the semi-finals. Covid cancelled bowl games, but the last 4 teams seemed to have been spared.

Huge coaching moves (Lincoln Riley, Brian Kelly) taking place at strange times, why? because the idiots that run the NCAA changed the rules and moved the early signing period to December

Now to the Games:

#4 Cincinnati vs #1 Alabama; Quick glance and this should be a blowout, but a few things to consider; Not a vintage Bama team, will it be the one that smacked around Georgia? or the one that lost vs A&M, struggled vs Florida, and would’ve lost to Auburn had the kid stayed inbounds when the Tide was down 7 w/no timeouts left? Dynamic WR Menchie is also out due to injury. Cincy is outmanned, but they have the best CB duo in the country which means they can play man d and stack the line. Veteran QB Desmond Ridder must play his best game, and keep the Bearcats in it early. Will pick the Tide finishing Cincy off late, but not before this was a tight game for 3 quarters.

#2 Michigan vs #3 Georgia; Strength on Strength as the Wolverines run game and the Dawgs front 7 are elite. Nobody scored on Georgia the whole year (avg of 7 per game), until Bama lit them up through the air. Wolverine QB McNamara isn’t in the Tide’s QB Bryce Young league, so I think it will will tough sledding and have to pick Georgia. However, a Bama vs Georgia title game would be horrible for ratings w/only SEC country switching off Netflix to watch.

 

@SoCalJoe is right, I have no interest in watching Alabama/Georgia.

 

My daughter married a UC alum, but they were never really in it, were they? The deck is so stacked against any true underdog, it's doubtful we'll ever see another Cinderella like Cincinnati in the bowl playoffs. Everybody loses money...that is, those at the top of the food chain. I'd have been just as disinterested in a Bama-Michigan final.