Author: Wes Simms

As we get ready to feast on turkey and dressing (stuffing for you Yankees), we football fans are hungry for an entirely different meal- It’s called Rivalry week. This is the week we look forward to all season. It’s the game that you want to win so you can brag for the next 365 days. That’s why football is so much different in the South. We take this week more personal than any other week in the season.  If your team loses, you have to hear it from your friends and family all year. It’s kind of like a Civil War, just more intense….(not really, but some people might think so).

There is a lot on the line this weekend and some teams don’t have much margin for error. Let’s take a look at the usual suspects:

1. Iron Bowl– Auburn vs. Alabama–  The crimson tide come into this game undefeated and #1 in the nation. The game is in Tuscaloosa. Perfect scenario for an upset, right? I think not. Auburn has been a roller coaster this year and they just can’t seem to stop anyone. Look for a big win for the Tide this weekend.
2. The Game – Michigan vs. Ohio St. – As much as the spotlight has been on the buckeyes this season, I think the pressure is on Michigan. I say that because Harbaugh has yet to beat the buckeyes, and his team is currently #4 in the nation and playoff rankings. The Wolverines are the better team but this one will be closer than you think. Look for Urban to have something up his sleeve for this game.
3. Clean, Old-Fashion Hate – Georgia Tech vs. Georgia – The yellow jackets have won the past two meetings in Athens. They have also won six out of their past seven games. Grant it, it hasn’t been pretty(Miami and Virginia) but they got it done with defense and special teams. They will need more of that and a solid ground game to keep up and upset the #5 bulldogs who have been playing great football since their loss to LSU. They’re calling 80% chance of rain in Athens so it could make an impact in the game.
4. The battle of the Palmetto State – South Carolina vs. Clemson – No love loss in this rivalry. The Tigers are on a 4 game winning streak and are looking to add another one against their neighbors in Columbia. With the nation’s best defensive line, the gamecocks have a tough task ahead of them. Quaterback Jake Bentley will need to be on point and get help from his offensive line to have a shot against the Tigers.
5. The Apple Cup – Washington  vs. Washington St. – Mike Leach has his boys playing great football this season. They have high hopes of making a new years bowl, or even the playoff if a miracle happens. On the other hand, the Washington Huskies have had some good wins against Stanford and BYU, but dug themselves a hole with losses to Oregon and Cal. Look for another great edition to the Apple Cup on Friday night.
6. UCF vs. South Florida – Now here’s an intriguing game. One team is trying to prove their relevance, the other is  playing spoiler. If the Golden Knights want to add more claim to their so-called fame, they better run thru the bulls on Friday, or they can kiss Cinderella buh-bye.
7. Oklahoma vs. West Virginia – If you like offense, then no look further than the Big XII showdown this Friday night in Morgantown, West Virginia. Oklahoma is averaging 49.5 points a game and averaging 576 yards a game. They’re also allowing 425 yards a game-ouch! Will Grier will be licking his chops against that lousy defense. Look for a shootout in Morgantown on Friday.
8. Notre Dame vs. USC – The Fighting Irish look to end their season on a perfect note down in Los Angeles.  If Notre Dame can get past USC, they will secure a spot in the College Football playoff. The men of troy haven’t played inspiring football as of late, but never count them out when playing the golden domers. I look for Notre Dame to win in a close one.
9. LSU vs. Texas a&m – This is a fairly new rivalry game since the expansion of the SEC. Here’s a question: What does LSU do well? Run the ball. Here’s another question: What do the aggies do well? Stopping the run. Something is going to have to give down in College Station.
10. Florida vs. Florida St – What a game this use to be. This game use to mean something. Here’s hoping it will again. Coach Taggart and FSU need this win. One, to get to a bowl. Two, to gain the confidence of a fan base not sure of their new head coach. The gators are looking to break a five game losing streak and hoping they can keep the noles home for the holidays.  If FSU loses, it will be the first time they haven’t gone to a bowl game since 1980. Wow.

We are on the home stretch of the 2018 College Football season, and if you thought September and October we’re nuts, we’ll hold on to your chin straps, because it’s about to get wild.

With the playoff hunt on, you have the teams that you feel pretty confident that will get in it: Alabama, Clemson, and Notre Dame.

Then you have the contenders: Michigan, Georgia, Oklahoma, LSU, Washington St, and West Virginia.

Then you have the pretenders: Ohio St, UCF, and Kentucky. Meaning, it would take a lot of these teams to get in. AKA, a miracle.

With three weeks left to play in the regular season, this will probably change some, but not a lot. Specifically, Alabama and Clemson. Here is the rest of their schedule:

Alabama– Miss St, The Citadel, and Auburn. The SEC championship is post season.

Clemson– Boston College, Duke, and South Carolina

Both of these teams are playing lights out, hair on fire type of football and it would take a lot for them to fall.

Now when it comes to the contenders, they need to win out.

Michigan still has Rutgers, Indiana, and Ohio St.

Georgia still has Auburn, Umass, and Georgia Tech. SEC championship is post season.

Oklahoma still has Oklahoma St, Kansas, and West Virginia

You can look up the rest of the “contenders” schedule on your own. My point I’m trying to make is that these contenders control their own destiny. If they can win out, it helps their chances of making the top 4. One of these contenders will do it, I just don’t know who.

As for the pretenders, well, your pretenders for a reason. Either you haven’t played up to your potential, your schedule is garbage, or you lost a game or two you probably shouldn’t.

So with all that said, it’s November. A lot still has to be decided but one thing is for sure, it’s going to be an interesting finish.

Week 6 treated us to some Friday night lights, flashy highlights, and last second wins. What looked like easy wins turned out to be upsets, and some teams are still looking for their first win of the season. Let’s talk about what went down.

1. Alabama 65 Arkansas 31 – Tua Tagovailoa was 10-13, passed for 334 yards and four touchdowns. The Tide look to be a team on a mission. The #1 team in the nation will host Missouri this Saturday at 7 PM on ESPN.
2. Clemson 63 Wake Forest 3 – Freshman QB Trevor Lawrence played like he was 100% after last weeks game against Syracuse. Against the Demon Deacons, he was 20/25, threw 175 yards and two touchdowns. The defense rose to the occasion as well, only allowing 3 points and only 249 yards total of offense. The Tigers now have another big test against the Wolf Pack of NC State.
3. Vandy 10 Georgia 41 – The dogs got off to a slow start in the first quarter but things got cracking afterwards. Jake Fromm  was 17-23, throwing for 276 yards and three touchdowns. Junior back Elijah Holyfield is starting to come into his own as well, rushing for 6 carries, 64 yards and a touchdown. The dogs have a date with LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday at 3:30 PM.
4. Indiana 26 Ohio St. 49 – Indiana is a basketball school trying to find their way into football. They just aren’t there yet. Buckeyes covered easy. Ohio St hosts the gophers this Saturday at the shoe.
5. Texas 48 Oklahoma 45 – This was the crown jewel on Saturday. The Longhorns offensive line was the difference in this game. They controlled it from the get-go. Sam Ehlinger was 24-35 with 314 passing yards and two touchdowns. Oklahoma matched the Longhorns on offense as well, as Kyler Murray was 19-26, throwing 304 yards and four touchdowns. But typical Red River Shootout, this game came down to a field goal- Dicker the Kicker, the true freshman, nailed the game-winning kick with 9 seconds left and secured his name in the halls of Longhorn history.
6. Notre Dame 45 VT 23 – The Hokies needed more than Enter Sandman on Saturday. The Hokies forte is usually defense but they could not stop Ian Book and the Irish.  Notre Dame is a different team with Ian Book behind center and he is making them very hard to beat. The Irish take on Pitt this Saturday at 2 PM.
7. LSU 19 Florida 27 – This was not the score I expected (probably not the only one). The gators seemed to have found their mojo with Felepie Franks and company. LSU better heal their wounds quick because Georgia is coming to town.
8. Kentucky 14 Texas a&m 21 – The perfect season came to an end on Saturday night as the wildcats were humbled by the aggies 21-14. It was a grudge match for most of the game but the Aggie defense stepped up late in the second half. There were some questionable calls in the game and Texas a&m took advantage of them. Look for Kentuky to bounce back against Vandy.  The aggies take on South Carolina this Saturday.
9. FSU 27 Miami 28 – This game use to mean something. Now it’s just another game on Saturday in October. That’s ok though, because it was a good one. The Seminoles are going to have to learn to hold on to a lead if they want to “be back”. They contained the Hurricanes for the first half, but Miami made the adjustments. Now Mark Richt can put that feather in his hat, beating both teams as a coach and player.
10. Nebraska 24 Wisconsin 41 – You have to feel bad for head coach Scott Frost. His team is just not playing good football right now. The defense is struggling  and the offense can only score so much. Grant it, they played a very good Wisconsin team, but the cornhuskers have got to turn the tide somehow. Maybe it will comes this week against Northwestern?

We’re are arriving at the half-way point of the 2018 college football season, and that can only mean one thing: Time for Texas vs. Oklahoma. This game is the epitome of college football and everything it means. You have two legendary teams, both with rich histories and traditions that make this game so much fun. And in this season, it could actually mean something.

#7 Oklahoma is working on a perfect season with potential Heisman candidate Kyler Murray. The Sooners are a very balanced football team. They beat you on the ground and they can air out. Murray has a 70.6 completion percentage, throwing for 17 touchdowns and 1460 yards. Murray is deadly accurate, but he can’t do it all. Sophomore running back Trey Sermon and true freshman Kennedy Brooks will need to get a bunch of carries today to wear down the Longhorn defense. Also, junior Marquise Brown and CeeDee Lamb will need to be open for Murray when they’re available.

#19 Texas  is 4-1 on the season, and is looking for revenge from last years 29-24 loss to the Sooners. Coach Herman’s Longhorns look to finally be turning a corner, as they are on a 4 game winning streak that seems to have revived their football program that has been stagnant the last five years. Sophomore quarterback Sam Ehlinger has thrown 9 touchdowns and only two interceptions this season. The receiving corps are the Longhorns strength, and they will need their A-game today.  Collin Johnson and Lil’Jordan Humphrey have six touchdowns between the two of them. But the Longhorns need a rush game today as well, something that hasn’t been exactly great this season. Tre Watson has 70 carries for only 280 yards this season. That’s not exactly a winning, rushing formula.

The truth is, when you think of Texas football, you usually think of a consistent, winning program. Mack Brown was the definition of consistency, but he started to lose games he shouldn’t his last few years. Charlie Strong was a great recruiter, but it just didn’t interpret to wins on the field. Now you have the young Tom Herman who is working to get Texas back to being TEXAS! The Longhorns will need a complete game today to stay with the Sooners.

It’s the Texas State Fair. It’s Maroon vs. Burnt Orange. It’s Texas vs. Oklahoma! The game comes on Fox at noon.

Week 5 was anything but boring. We saw acrobatic catches, heroic comebacks, and some Old-Testament spankings. While I appreciate a good beat down, I certainly don’t want it on the team I pull for. On top of that, some teams that have been unbeaten saw their perfect season come to a complete stop on Saturday. Let’s talk about what went down:

1. Tennessee 12 Georgia 38 – The dogs continued to work on their perfect season by taking care of the volunteers on Saturday.  D’Andre Swift and freshman Justin Fields both combined for 4 touchdowns on the ground, giving the bulldogs 251 yards rushing for the day. Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano threw for the vols only two touchdowns of the day, finding both Ty Chandler and Josh Palmer in the air.
2. Syracuse 23 Clemson 27 – The Tigers found their starter last week in Trevor Lawrence. I think they found his back up too. The freshman standout went down before halftime to what looked to be an apparent neck strain. With Kelly Bryant no longer with the team, the Tigers looked to another stud- Chase Brice. Late in the fourth quarter and trailing Syracuse by three, Brice took the tigers in 13 plays and 94 yards to the end zone. Now that was a comeback to remember.
3. South Carolina 10 Kentucky 24 – The potential cinderella season continued for the wildcats after they took care of the gamecocks. Benny Snell Jr. rushed for 99 yards and one touchdown. Kentucky now has a date with the aggies in college station. This game is going to be huge..yes, I said HUGE!
4. Florida 13 Miss St 6 – The gators aren’t scoring a lot points these days, but they are scoring enough. The bulldogs have now dug themselves an 0-2 hole in the SEC West.  The gators are 2-1 in the SEC and have a date with LSU this weekend.
5. Virginia Tech 31 Duke 14 – I have to be honest, I thought Duke was going to take care of the hokies easy. But losing to Old Dominion last week must had lit a fire under the turkeys. VT quarterback Ryan Willis was 17/27 and threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns. The hokies haven’t looked like world beaters but they are winning and that’s what counts.
6. Stanford 17 Notre Dame 38 – This was a toss up at half time. Both teams seemed to move the ball at ease. Notre Dame’s passing attack was crisp and sound throughout the entire game. Ian Book was 24/33 with 274 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. I think this switch has payed off for the Irish. Stanford can still bounce back in the playoff hunt, but they must win the PAC 12 and get someone to lose in the top 4.
7. Ohio St 27 Penn St 26 – The game of the night did not disappoint. What started off as a defensive game, turned out to be an offensive chess match. Trace McSorley did it all for the Nittany Lions.  The quarterback rushed for 175 yards on 25 attempts and passed for 286 yards and threw for two touchdowns. It’s hard to lose a game when you play like that, but the buckeyes made the stop when it mattered. This is two years in a row that Ohio St has crushed the Nittany Lions ambitions for the playoff. The buckeyes now reside in the top 4 where they look to stay there.

This Saturday, we have a college football playoff warm up. The #4 Ohio St buckeyes will square off against the #9 Nittany Lions out of Penn St. A great defense vs. a great offense. Compelling football at it’s finest. What more could you ask for? Well, I’m sure some of you conference homers will disagree, but you can’t argue the magnitude of this game.  Both teams are undefeated and have already survived early season tests. The buckyes survived in Dallas against the lightning fast TCU horned frogs who made a game of it until the fourth quarter. The Nittany Lions escaped from what could had been another feather in App St’s cap, but lady luck helped the home team get the win. This has the potential to be the game of the year. Let’s check out the keys to the game:

1. Trace McSorley– The senior quarterback has got to get the nittany lions offense going early. He has thrown for 763 yards and has a 53.8 percentage passing, which is not exactly eye candy, but he is consistent. He needs to find KJ Hamler and Juwan Johnson the entire game.
2. Miles Sanders – If you want to keep the buckeyes off balance, then you need a good rushing attack. Sanders doesn’t have the power like Saquan Barkley, but he is a baller and he can make you miss if you’re not careful. Sanders is averaging 7 yards a carry and has rushed for 5 touchdowns so far. He needs to find the endzone tomorrow, a lot.
3. Buckeye defense – Just play your game. Tighten up holes and get after McSorley. The buckeyes have created a lot of confusion for their opponents this season. They will need more of that in Happy Valley. If the buckeyes can limit possessions in this game, I like their changes to pull out the win on the road.
4. Dwayne Haskins– The young sophomore might be the most underrated player in college football. No one is talking about his completion percentage – 75% ! That’s up there with some of the best in the nation. Haskins has thrown for almost 1200 yards and passed for 16 touchdowns and only 1 interception. If he has a great game on Saturday, get the Heisman train going.

The Nittany Lions will be looking for revenge after last seasons heartbreaker in Columbus. On the other side, the Buckeyes have their eyes on a bigger prize- the college football playoff. If Penn St can pull off the upset, they could be looking at the big prize too. Whoever wins, it will for sure make things a lot more clear for the playoff picture in the B1G. The game comes on  ABC at 7:30 PM EST.

Jordan-Hare Stadium will be a live wire come 3:30 EST today. Both teams are looking to make a run, not just in the SEC West, but for a shot to play in Atlanta. That is what is truly on the line here. Playing Alabama will come in due time but this game could decide who has the best shot to beat the them. LSU comes in as the underdog, even after taking care of Miami the way they did in week 1, the verdict is still out if they can produce a consistent offense. One more thing to consider is this- Auburn is a different team at home. I don’t know if it’s their fans or the eagle flight before kick off or the trees at Toomer’s corner, but the tigers truly protect their house when they’re the home team.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. LSU rushing attack –  LSU has got to get their ground game going if they are going to stand a chance in this game. Nick Brossette has been averaging 6.4 yards a carry in the past two games. The kid can break tackles and take it to the house, but I think he’s going to need some help up front. Also, Clyde Edwards-Helaire will need to get his share of carries too. Both backs have only three rushing touchdowns combined.
2. Joe Burrow game management – The Buckeye transfer has been solid in his past two games. He has thrown two touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s been consistent and shown that he can make plays down field, but he hasn’t been truly tested yet. He will today. How will he react to pressure? The Quarterback must keep his poise in this game. Burrow has to find a way to make plays in this game and lead the Tiger offense like he did against Miami.
3. Auburn Defense – Auburn held (then #6) Washington to only 25 yards rushing in week 1. Washington is no cupcake so that was impressive. The Tiger defense will need more of that today against LSU’s potent rushing attack. If Auburn can contain LSU’s ground game, I like the “plains tigers’ chances today.
4. Jarrett Stidham – Stidham has picked up where he left off from last season. Through two games, he has passed for 386 yards, thrown for two touchdowns and no interceptions. Stidham to me is the difference maker in this game. His leadership and game management is superior to most in the game. At some point in this game I believe he will take over and win it for Auburn.

So there you have it. I have Auburn winning 20-17 over the Bayo Bangles today. It will be a good one. The game is on CBS – 3:30 PM EST.

It was business as usual for the top 25 this weekend, but not without some late game dramatics. Also, old rivalries were renewed and streaks were broken. Let’s review what went down.

1. Alabama 51 – Arkansas St 7 – The tide are averaging 51 points a game so far this season. If you look at their schedule, this stat shouldn’t change much until later in the season.  Tua Tagovailoa was 13-19, 228 yards and 4 touchdowns. You can’t ask for much more from your quarterback. Let’s see how he does against Ole Miss on Saturday.
2. Clemson 28 – Texas a&m 20 – Dabo and Jimbo aren’t strangers to each other. They have fought year in and out in the ACC. Now Jimbo is in the SEC, hoping to carry the success he had at FSU to College Station. It was quite the chess match and the aggies seemed to had all of the momentum until they were unable to convert a two-point conversion. We will have to wait a full year for the sequel in Death Valley.
3. Georgia 41 – South Carolina 17 – We heard all Summer how the gamecocks had something for Georgia. Well they had something alright- something awful. That’s how they played against the bulldogs. Honestly, it looked easy for Kirby Smart’s crew, as they out muscled the gamecocks through the ground game. The bulldogs passed an early test. The gamecocks now have to hope the dogs trip up to have a chance for the SEC east.
4. Rutgers 3 – Ohio St 52 – The buckeyes continued where they left off from a week ago. Now they must take on a very good TCU team. Don’t sleep on this game. It will be closer than the experts think.
5. UCLA 21 – Oklahoma 49 – Chip Kelly should had prayed harder for Kyler Murray to take the MLB money. The Quarterback was 19-33, 306 yards and 3 touchdowns. The sooners keep winning big but the competition will start getting tougher soon. Oh, and they got to do it without star running back Rodney Anderson who is now out for the season.
6. Alabama St 9 – Auburn 63 – The gus bus keeps rolling with 429 yards rushing and 138 yards through the air. Now the bayo bangles come to the plains for an early SEC west showdown. This will be a good one.
7. Ball State 16 – Notre Dame 24 – The Irish offense got off to a slow start but the defense keep the foot on the gas all night. Nice win. Vandy comes to South Bend on Saturday.
8. USC 3 – Standord 17 – It was not a pretty game but Standord’s defense was the difference. Bryce Love had a solid showing with 22 carries,136 yards, and 1 touchdown. The trojans dug an early hole but anything is possible in the PAC 12.
9. Michigan St 13 – Arizona St 16 – The Herm Edwards era got off to a hot start with the upset over the spartans. The college game looks good on Herm. Who knows how well he will be but it looks like he’s having fun coaching these young men.
10. Kentucky 27 – Florida 16 – Thirty two years in the making. No more gator chomps. No more having to hear about the streak, because it’s over. The wildcats finally put their past behind them and won a game that they will forever remember. The wildcats still have a lot of football to play, but they need to cherish this one.
11. Penn State 51 – Pitt 6 – I had high hopes for this one, and for the first 30 minutes, it didn’t disappoint. The Panthers matched the Nittany Lions with the same emotion and speed, but what the panthers couldn’t do is match Penn State’s depth, and it showed in the second half. Lion Quarterback Trace McSorley threw for two touchdowns for 145 yards. It was never really close.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, college football was played this past weekend. Some teams won big, some teams lost big, and some new head coaches didn’t have the greatest opening games.  Yet, we got a long way to go and there’s only four getting in. Here’s how the top 25 fared:

1. Oregon St. 31 – Ohio St. 77 – Even without Urban Meyer behind the headset, the buckeyes proved that they belong in the top 5.
2. Texas 29 – Maryland 34 – Once again, Texas comes out flat to start the season. Maryland has the longhorns number it seems. Ten years ago, this would never have happened. Herman better start winning or it will be a short honeymoon in Austin.
3. Florida Atlantic 14 – Oklahoma 63 – Well I thought this one could be closer but the Sooners were just too much for Kiffin’s owl’s. Maybe Lane should start recruiting in Norman?
4. Furman 7 – Clemson 48 – The fighting Dabo’s got off to a rocket start against the mighty paladins who used a QB that is a student at Clemson…huh? The tigers now prepare for Jimbo and the Aggies in week 2.
5. Austin Peay 0 – UGA 45 – Kirby Smart’s bulldogs had a solid showing against the governors. Both Jake Fromm and Justin Fields showed off their talents in a match up that was over before half time. The bulldogs go to Columbia, SC for a very crucial SEC showdown against the gamecocks this weekend.
6. West Virginia 40 – Tennessee 14 – In a game where Jeremy Pruitt wanted to see what his team is capable of, the mountaineers were just too much for the Volunteers. There were some positives on offense but there is a lot of work to be done.
7. Washington 16 – Auburn 21 – This was close til the end. Auburn’s defense was the difference. Now the tigers look to make a name for themselves in the SEC West. Washington is a good team and still has a chance to win the Pac 12 this season.
8. Miami 17 – LSU 33 – If Miami is looking to be “back”, they better start winning the games they should. LSU’s defense gave Miami fits all night in the Jerry Dome. And LSU has found them a Quarterback. Could be an interesting season for the bayo bangles.
9. Virginia Tech 24 – FSU 3 – This was not the start Willie Taggart envisioned. His team was outplayed all night. Not only that, but the play calling in this game was downright awful. If Taggart wants to stay around in Tallahassee long term, he better start producing better play calling or he will be shown the door. They will not put up with mediocrity there.
10. Michigan 17 – Notre Dame 24 – This was a great game but once again, Harbaugh’s Wolverines find a way to blow it. Notre Dame’s defense made plays when it mattered and that  was the difference. Now Brian Kelly and the Irish look to stay in the top 10 if they can help it.
11. Louisville 14 – Alabama 51 – Note to Bobby Petrino, never say you’re going to beat someone, especially a team like Alabama when your team played like it did. This game was never close. And now it seems the keys have been handed to Tua Tagovailoa to run the offense. I think that’s a smart move by Saban. That way he doesn’t have to answer any more questions on who is the starter 😉

At last, we made it to Kickoff.  The dog days of Summer are over. We can now sit back and enjoy the tradition and pageantry that is College Football. The lineup this weekend looks to be pretty stellar. Let’s take a look on who is on deck for Labor Day weekend.

1. Ohio St. vs. Oregon St. 12:00 PM on ABC.
2. Alabama vs. Louisville 8:00 PM on ABC
3. West Virginia vs. Tennessee 3:30 on CBS
4. Washington vs. Auburn 3:30 on ABC
5. Michigan vs. Notre Dame 7:30 on NBC
6. LSU vs. Miami (Sunday)  7:30 on ABC
7. Florida State vs. Virginia Tech(Monday 8:00)  on ESPN

Upset potential

1. Texas vs. Maryland 12:00 on FS1
2. Appalachian State vs. Penn St. 3:30 on BTN
3. Florida Atlantic vs. Oklahoma 12:00 on FOX
4. BYU vs. Arizona 10:45 on ESPN
5. Army vs. Duke (Friday) 7:00 on ESPNU

This is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s time to grab some wings, get some dip, and turn on the big screen. Football is back!