Author: Wes Simms

I don’t have to tell you how important the University of Notre Dame is to college football. The Irish have and always will be one of the hot topics of conversation in the world of college football.

That may not mean much to John Doe from Auburn, Alabama who has season tickets to watch his Auburn Tigers play on the plains, but to an avid fan of the sport like myself, I have deep respect for Notre Dame, their football program, their history and tradition, and everything else thrown in.

Now, I am a southerner by birth and geographically speaking, I don’t get to see much Irish football unless they’re playing someone close to home like Alabama, Clemson, etc. And as if luck would have it, Notre Dame is independent so they get to play whoever they want.

Which brings me to our topic- how much longer can Notre Dame remain Independent?

This is a question that has been asked for a long time. When you look at Notre Dame, they’re located in South Bend, Indiana. This is in the heart of Big Ten Country. Truth to be told, they have played schools like Michigan, Michigan St, and Perdue for a very long time, at least up until 2015 when they made a 5 game deal with the ACC. Basically, a part-time member and they remain independent. That’s kind of confusing to most people but keep following me…

In 1991, NBC and Notre Dame signed a long-term television contract worth $38 million for five years. NBC would host all Notre Dame football home games on NBC. The Irish received half of the money and their opponent would receive the other half. However, this upset the rest of the college football world because prior to this deal, NBC would play conference football games-ACC, SEC, Big East, etc.

Now present day, the Irish still have their contract with NBC but it runs out in 2025.

Will Notre Dame leave for the Big Ten or another conference after their contract with NBC ends?

Let me make this crystal clear- as long as Notre Dame has the ability to create their own schedule and play whoever they want and wherever they want, they will remain Independent.

And who can blame them? Why tie yourself to a conference and play the same teams year after year when you can play anyone in the country? There is no rule that says they can’t and I think a lot of college football fans turn their nose at the Irish because of this. Outside South Bend, there is no love loss for the Notre Dame.

There are cons for being Independent. Because of the recent run of dominance by the SEC, Notre Dame must be flawless during their twelve game campaign. And since they’re independent, they don’t play for a conference championship, so they have no room for error.

You can’t say they try to play cupcakes. I know my SEC buddies laugh at their schedule, but it’s not like the Irish are playing Rutgers or Wyoming every year. The Irish play one of the toughest schedules in the nation most years and this season is no different.

Let’s take a look at the 2022 Notre Dame schedule:

1. at Ohio State
2. Marshall
3. California
4. at UNC
5. vs. BYU in Las Vegas
6. Stanford
7. UNLV
8. at Syracuse
9. Clemson
10. vs. Navy in Baltimore
11. Boston College
12. at USC

ND has left plenty of money on table before and I don’t see any sense of urgency from South Bend, even with the recent expansion of the SEC and Pac-12. The Irish seem content.

College Football conference expansion can change on a dime, but for the for seeable future, I don’t see the Irish going anywhere.

In case you have been living in a Fallout shelter or living on a remote island somewhere, let me bring up to speed on the world of college football.

Last Summer, Texas and Oklahoma let the entire world know that they plan to leave the Big XII and head to the all mighty SEC. This was out of the blue but not an entire shock. Both programs have been carrying the Big XII for years and even with all of the history and tradition they have, they haven’t been able to make it big in the playoff era. Understand, this was not a “well if you can’t beat them, join them” type of scenario. This was a “we want a piece of the pie” scenario and the SEC can give this to both schools.

But it hasn’t stopped there.

On June 30, USC and UCLA announced that they plan to move from the Pac-12 to the B1G. Again, that’s a good move for both schools. That Pac-12 has not been relevant in big time college football for a while.

So what happens next? First, let’s look at the current situation at three conferences- ACC, Big XII, and Pac-12.

First, the ACC not too long ago signed a “Grant of Rights” deal that goes into 2036. What is that? Basically, the ACC has signed at long-term tv deal with ESPN. All of the “tv money” that a school is owed from the ACC’s contract with ESPN belongs to the conference through June 30, 2036, even if a school decides to leave the conference or stay put. If you ask me, that was a horrible move by the ACC. Signing a deal with ESPN is usually a smart move because the money will be great. However, the ACC played their cards too soon. That is a very long deal and it will cost schools a bug sum to get out of it unless they want to go court or hope someone bails them out(hello, SEC).

Now there’s the Big XII who actually is in OK status right now. Yes, they lost their two blue blood schools to the SEC but that was bound to happen. The good news is that they added four quality schools last year- BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF. These are solid football schools with winning traditions. I don’t think the Big XII is done. Currently, there are a few more schools that could fill more spots- Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Colorado St. Regionally this makes sense. Will it happen? Time will tell but I would keep an eye on these schools making a move to the Big XII. Say what you want about this conference, but they never sit idle when it comes to conference expansion.

And then there is the Pac-12. They recently lost two of their blue bloods-USC and UCLA to the B1G. The situation here is a bit more dire because USC was the trademark school for this conference for years. Yes, Oregon has been good recently but they don’t bring in the revenue like the Trojans. The tradition, the history, the Heisman winners, USC has it all. They’re the Alabama of the west coast and now they’re gone. This conference needs to makes some moves and fast if they’re too survive. I could see the Pac-12 poaching some schools from the Mountain West like Boise St, Fresno St, and San Diego St.

Even with these three conferences making moves or possibly making moves, it could be futile.

I’m not a prophet and I don’t claim to be incredibly smart, however, I truly believe with all of my heart that College Football is headed to a semi-professional system. It’s all speculation right now and it’s still foggy, but I think down the road this sport will be made up of two divisions and it will be schools from the current power five conferences.

In other words, the sport as you currently know it will never look the same.

Is that a good thing or bad thing? Well, if your an old school guy like myself, it’s not necessarily a good thing. The one thing that separates college football from other sports is the traditions each school and conference have. The rivalries, the coaches, the players, seeing your team enter the stadium, the fans standing on their feet and yelling at the top of their lungs, the hail mary, the overtime comeback- all of these are examples that make this sport incredible and it’s a shame money is the single driving force behind it’s change.

Maybe I’m being too anxious about this and it’s a big deal about nothing. I hope so!

I’m not going to stop watching or writing about my favorite sport just because it’s changing. One of my favorite speakers on leadership said once “Change is inevitable, growth is optional.” If this doesn’t speak loudly to us about this topic then I don’t know what to tell you.

If you and myself truly love this game, then we will roll with the ever changing times. We might not like it, but we can adjust to it. Keep loving your school, keep loving the traditions, pass them down to your children and their children. All of the money in the world can’t change these traditions and as long as we hold onto them tight then college football will be alright.

The name Manning has been a household name for over half a century.

Archie Manning was the first Manning to get the wheels going in this family. Archie started as Quarterback for Ole Miss for three seasons(1968-1970). At Ole Miss, he threw for 4,754 yards and 31 touchdowns. But Archie didn’t have the greatest supporting cast in Oxford, most of the teams he played for were not that great. And Unfortunately, that carried over to the NFL where he played ten seasons for the New Orleans Saints and where 9/10 years his teams were last or next to last place.

Archie and his wife Olivia have three sons- Cooper, Peyton, and Eli.

Cooper is the eldest and he was a highly sought after high school prospect and he eventually chose to play at Ole Miss like his father, Archie. Sadly, after a few weeks of Fall practice his freshman year, Cooper was diagnosed with spinal stenosis which ended his football career.

Archie’s other two well-known sons, Peyton and Eli, went on to have very successful college and professional careers and to this today are regarded as one of the finest Quarterbacks in the history of the game.

But that is ancient history…

Today, there is a new Manning looking to carve his own path.

Arch Manning, the son of Cooper, grandson of Archie, and nephew of Peyton and Eli, is the next Manning who is looking to make a name for himself.

And can I just say, he’s off to a great start.

Like a lot of high school football players, Arch has a few social media accounts, but he’s very low key. He doesn’t post often and he doesn’t update his status..until something big happens, like committing to where he is going to attend college!

On June 23, the internet/social media outlets went berserk! Arch Manning, the #1 high school recruit for the class of 2023 committed to the University of Texas. That’s right, not Ole Miss like his Daddy or Grandaddy or Uncle Eli, not Tennessee like Uncle Peyton, but Texas!

That tells me that Arch is a special young man. He could have followed the family legacy, but going to Texas sends the message that he has his own agenda and that is fine with me.

The past decade has not been kind to Texas. Other than a Sugar Bowl win a few years ago, they have struggled to be relevant since their National Championship appearance against Alabama back in 2010. Then head coach Mack Brown had a lot to do with that. He won a national championship in 2005 with Vince Young but the SEC has been the conference to win the big trophy since then and I believe Texas has struggled to get key recruits because of the SEC’s recent run of success. However, that should change soon with the Longhorns joining the conference in a few years.

And ever since Arch committed, Texas is now currently ranked in the top 5 for the 2023 class.

Arch is the number one player in this class for a reason. He’s got a great arm, he’s got a nice frame -6’4, 215 lbs, and he can move! That’s right, a Manning with wheels. That should scare opposing defenses. He’s also got that Manning pocket awareness where if he sees trouble, he can call an audible or scramble for extend a play. And he’s also hard to take down. Check out his film from last season: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWVQF5_gkfk&t=122s

He’s the real deal and I believe when it’s all said and done, he will be a special player at Texas and long after that in the NFL.

From what his high school coach at Isidore Newman in New Orleans says about him, Arch is a very humble, mild manner kid. That is a Manning quality and he can’t shake that off, but it will help him when the accolades start pouring in, because the last thing you want to see is a young player believe he’s too good for his own hype.

Lee Corso, a famous college football coach and current analyst on ESPN’s College Gameday once said ” before you die, you must go to an Army/Navy game.” He’s right, if you ever get the opportunity, go!

“America’s game” as it’s called, is saved for the end of the season and for good reason. The cream always rises to the top, and the cream of the crop in this nation goes to our service academies- Annapolis and West Point.

Both teams still run a variation of the triple-option. Both teams are led by coaches who are tutelages of former coach Paul Johnson.

Jeff Monken, head coach of Army has helped his black knights win 4 out of the last 5 games against Navy. I believe it’s the result of different variations of the option he runs. For example,

Below is a video of Navy’s offense(start at the 1:35 mark). It’s a straight flex, two A-backs on the left and right, and then the B-back behind the quarterback. Once the ball is snapped, the QB can either pitch it one of his A-backs, hand it off to his B-back, or take it himself. Pretty straightforward.

Now below that video is a quick vid of a play by Army. Notice that QB is in the shotgun, yes the SHOTGUN! He snaps the ball and his two A-backs motion that they will take it, while the real carrier is the B-back. This is just one variation that has helped Monken’s team have so much success lately. He is constantly evolving the offense and that gives them the competitive edge.

Before Monken arrived at West Point, Navy was enjoying a nice 14 years in a row run- 2002-2015. Head Coach of Navy, Ken Niumatalolo was bringing in the Commander in Chief Trophy every year from 2008-2015 but now he has met his match.

If Monken at Army can evolve/tweak his offense, why can’t Niumatalolo? I think he is cut from the same stubborn mold as his teacher, Paul Johnson.

I think Army runs away with this one on Saturday. Navy has struggled to get their offense humming this season. An offense built on the run should have a solid dual-threat quarterback and a stable of running backs ready to go. However, Navy’s QB Tai Lavatai has only rushed for 309 yards-yikes! That’s just so surprising since Navy is known to have some decent QB’s who can run the ball. Not the issue at Army, QB Christian Anderson has rushed for 509 yards and 3 touchdowns. He can pass pretty well too.

These young men at the service academies are a special breed. They take the toughest classes, go through intense mental and physical training every day, and then they have football crammed into their already packed schedule. It’s truly remarkable that they can endure so much and that’s what makes them special.

Enjoy “America’s Game” tomorrow at 3 PM on CBS.

2021 has been one of the busiest college football coaching transitions in recent memory. So far, there have been at least 27 coaches who have either left for new schools, fired from their current school, or retired. It’s not uncommon to see coaching changes at the end of the season, but this year there have been so many, and at a rate that I’ve never seen before. Which tells me this- the sport is evolving to a pro type model. Like it or not, that’s where we’re headed. NIL is the game changer. Coaches are not only being drawn to “dream schools”, but to players with potential to boost their team and resume. Like or not, it’s reality.

Here are some of the biggest coaching moves so far:

Mario Cristobal– University of Miami– Formerly Head Coach at Oregon. What seemed like a long shot has now become reality- the prodigal son returns home. After spending the past four years in Euegne, Orgeon, Mario Cristobal comes back to Carol Gables to coach his alma mater. It will be tough, he will deal with constant pressure from boosters and former players, but they were the ones who got him here to begin with. Cristobal comes with a great coaching resume and he’s known as an aggressive recruiter and that is exactly what Miami needs.

Brian Kelly – LSU– Formerly Head coach at Notre Dame. The winningest head coach in Notre Dame history is heading to the Bayou, That’s right, Brian Kelly is now the head coach of the LSU Tigers. I believe it’s a great hire. Kelly is a great coach with a proven track record. He knows how to beat his rivals( USC, Navy, Stanford) and is an excellent recruiter. I know many critics are already saying he’ll be gone in 3 years due to the brutal SEC schedule. That remains to be seen but Kelly knew that coming in. The question is will he be able to adapt to that gauntlet every Fall?

Lincoln Riley– USC– Formerly head of at Oklahoma. I must say I didn’t see this coming. I would have thought Riley would go to the NFL after he was done at Oklahoma. However, like Notre Dame, USC is a special place. It has a lot of tradition and the location is a coaches dream. If he can lockdown California-keep best talent home, he can do some special things here.

Brent Venables– Oklahoma– Former defensive coordinator at Clemson. Here’s another former coach coming back to their roots or where they made a name for themselves. Venables spent over a decade in Norman before coming to Clemson. This will be his first head coaching gig but his coaching smarts will play a big part in the Sooner’s success. I will be curious to see who he brings to Norman to help continue the momemtum Riley had. The fact that Brent is a defensive guy works out great for OU, especially now since they’re becoming members of the SEC.

Billy Napier – Florida – Former Head Coach at Louisiana . This one I’m not entirely sold on. Napier is a heck of a recruiter and has had success building the rajun cajun program up, but I haven’t seen anything that tells me he will make Florida “Florida” again. Then again, I didn’t think Lane Kiffin would make a good OC at bama but he proved me wrong. Time will tell if this be another Urban Meyer hire or another Muschamp.

Woody Hayes was longtime head coach for the Ohio St buckeyes. He had a career record of 238-72-10. He won 5 national championships and went 6-6 in bowl games. Even with all of these accomplishments, his main focus always came at the end of the season. The reason? His team was playing Michigan.

One year his buckeyes were taking Michigan to the woodshed, late in the game his team scored a touchdown and went for two. After the game a reporter asked why did he go for two with such a big lead, his reply is hysterical: “Because I couldn’t go for three”. That is just one example of the hate and passion in rivalries, and this weekend, while we’re all munching on turkey, coaches and players have a little extra motivation when they walk on the field for the final game of the regular season.

Rivalry games in college football are so popular, they have been given names bu their fans- There’s the well known “Iron Bowl” between Alabama/Auburn. There’s “The Game” between Ohio St/Michigan. There’s “Clean, Ole Fashion Hate” between Georgia/Georgia Tech, and there’s “Bedlam” between Oklahoma/Oklahoma State.

There is a lot at stake for many teams this Saturday. Some need to just take care of business-Georgia, Alabama, and Ohio State. While others need to win impressively- Notre Dame, Michigan, and Cincinnati. And then there are teams that just need to beat their rival because it’s been a long time- Oklahoma State, South Carolina, and Oregon State.

Here is Saturday’s big games:

#1 Georgia vs. Georgia Tech -Noon ABC

#2 Ohio State vs. #5 Michigan – Noon FOX

#3 Alabama vs. Auburn – 3:30 CBS

Oregon State vs. #11 Oregon– 3:30 ESPN

#15 Texas a&m vs. LSU -7:00 ESPN

#10 Oklahoma vs. #7 Oklahoma St– 7:30 ABC

#23 Clemson vs. South Carolina – 7:30 SEC Network

#6 Notre Dame vs. Stanford– 8:00 FOX

When it comes to rivalry week, I don’t care how bad your team is, you beat your rival and you have saved your season. Win and you can gloat all year. Lose and you have to be a hermit so you don’t hear it from you the opposing fanbase.

So let’s eat some turkey, throw down some dressing, and watch some football!

The 2o21 college football regular season is getting close to it’s finish line, but there are still some hurdles for teams to jump through before making their victory lap.

Remaining Schedule for the top 10.

#1 Georgia – Tennessee, Charleston Southern, and Georgia Tech. Of all the top 10 teams, the dogs probably have the clearest path to the playoff, even if they lose the SEC Championship game, they’re a lock.

#2 Cincinnati– USF, SMU, and ECU. Just keep winning and you will have a seat at the table.

#3 Alabama – New Mexico St, Arkansas, and Auburn. The Tide need to finish strong in November. I haven’t thrown in the towel on Saban’s team but they need to play discipline football from here on out.

#4 Oklahoma– Baylor, Iowa St, and Oklahoma St. The Sooners have a tough November schedule. All three remaining opponents are capable of beating the Sooners. Can coach Riley keep his team focused?

#5 Oregon – Washington St, Utah, and Oregon St. – The Ducks have been a fun team to watch this season. Even with the one asterisk(Stanford loss) they have a nice win against Ohio St in Columbus and that is not easy to do. If Oregon can win out and win the Pac-12, they should be in the dance.

#6 Ohio St.- Perdue, Michigan St, and Michigan. – This might not be the most dominant buckeye team, but they just find ways to win. However, the last three games could spell trouble. I see another loss, possibly to Michigan. Then again, it is Michigan and they seem to rise to the occasion against the Wolverines.

#7 Notre Dame – Virginia, Georgia Tech, and Stanford. – The Irish seem to always find a way in the playoff. Even with one loss, there’s still a chance for them to squeeze in. They just need to win and win decisively.

#8 Michigan St – Maryland, Ohio St, and Penn St. – The Spartans were sitting pretty last week in the first playoff rankings and I think it got to their head because Perdue brought them down to reality. However, they can still make it if they win out.

#9 Michigan – Penn St, Maryland, and Ohio St. – The Wolverines have more than likely lost their chance for the playoff. However, the one possible redemptive outcome left is beating Ohio St and there is a good chance they can.

#10 Oklahoma St.- TCU, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. One word- Bedlam. The Cowboys should take care of the horn frogs and red raiders. If they can upset the Sooners, man o man, that would create chaos.

The good news for all of these teams is that there is still time to finish strong. The bad news is in the end, only 4 teams are getting into the playoff. With that said, it’s going to be a wild finish. I look at the Iron Bowl, Bedlam, and Ohio St/Michigan during rivalry week- the winner of those games will for almost certainly help them get into their conference championship game. Win that game, and you could be in the playoff.

There’s still a lot of football to be played but the margin of error is very, very slim. Who will come out on top and who is on the outside looking in? Stay tuned!

Today, there are a few teams that better have eyes in the back of their heads or they could get caught watching the paint dry.

Wake Forest vs. UNC at 12 PM – The Demon Deacons are having a banner season. They’re currently 8-0 for the first time in program history. And, they’re in the AP top ten for the first time in history. This has a lot to do with the Quarterback play from Sam Hartman. The Sophomore has thrown for 2,475 yards and 22 touchdowns. Also, the offense is averaging 40 points a game. It’s an incredible stat for a team that struggled to get three wins two years ago. Times are good the team out of Winston-Salem, but they better come ready for a fight as they take on North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The Tar heels aren’t having a banner season, as they’re currently 4-4. It’s not a shock though, as they lost most of their firepower to the draft and grduation last year. They do however still have Quarterback Sam Howell, who has had a solid season so far. Howell has thrown for 2,192 yards and 19 touchdowns. His stats are comparable to Hartman’s and I think today you will see a shootout. The question is, who is be able to get the turnovers/stops on defense?

Michigan St vs. Perdue at 3:30 PM– Heisman candidate Kenneth Walker III and the undefeated Spartans look to keep the W column going as they take on a very good boiler maker team who has already taken down an undefeated team in Iowa. This has the makings of an upset all over it. Sparty better come out guns blazing and play solid defense. They can’t afford to let Perdue to get in any rhythm on offense or it could be trouble for Michigan State.

Navy vs. Notre Dame at 3:30 PM– The Irish are still in the playoff hunt. They have only one loss and that is to undefeated Cincinnati and that was at home. Today they will face Navy and their option offense. The Irish only see this offense once a year. Even though Navy is struggling this year, the Irish cannot afford to play undisciplined or it could be a long day in South Bend. I expect Notre Dame to win but the offense they’re playing will slow down the game and force them to make precise decisions.

Other notable games:

LSU vs. Alabama at 7:00 PM – Bama looks to stay in the playoff hunt has the Tigers come to spoil their day. Look for Bryce Young to have a big game for the Tide.

Tulsa vs. Cincinnati at 3:30 Pm – The Bearcats get the spotlight today and another chance to prove to the playoff committee and world that they belong with the big boys. Cincy needs a decisive win.

Liberty vs. Ole Miss at 12:00 PM– Hugh Freeze returns to the grove but he probably won’t get the red carpet treatment. Ole Miss defense will be the key in this game.

Auburn vs. Texas a&m at 3:30 PM – The aggies host the tigers for an sec showdown. A&M has been great with the ground game since their Bama win. Auburn has been running it well too. Defense might take a back seat today.

Clemson vs. Louisville at 7:30 PM- Clemson is still struggling on offense but their defense is keeping them in games. Will Shipley has been a breath of fresh air as well. D.J. will need to be sharp for the Tigers tonight.

USC vs. Notre Dame isn’t the oldest rivalry in college football but it’s certainly one of the best. With a combined 39 National Championships and 14 Heisman Trophy winners, it’s easy to see why it’s held in such high esteem. The two teams have been playing since 1926, with the Irish leading the series 47-37-5.

Here’s a recap of a few instant classics:

1988– #1 Notre Dame comes to the Coliseum to take on #2 USC, the first and only time they have been ranked as such, without their RB stars Ricky Waters and Tony Brooks due to being suspended by coach Lou Holtz. The Trojans have a record sell-out crowd for the game, hoping the 12th man would give them an advantage. However, it was the Irish defense lead by DE Frank Starns who contained USC QB Rodney Peete and the Trojan offense. Irish went onto win the National Championship that season.

2005– The 05 edition came down to the wire . The Trojans came into South Bend ranked first in the nation while the Irish were surprising everyone with their potent offense created by new head coach Charlie Weis who previously was offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. Both teams traded blows all game long, and then a crucial 1rst and Goal with 3 seconds left in regulation, Trojan QB Matt Leinart runs up the middle with an extra push by star running back Reggie Bush to lift his teammate in the end zone to secure the win. The game is now known as the “Bush Push”.

This yeas edition might now have the same shine as past years, but it has talent and potential across the board.

Starting at Quarterback for USC is junior Kedon Slovis, who on the season has thrown for 9 touchdowns and 1,519 yards, has been a leader for the men troy, even when he’s had to share the role with Freshman Jaxson Dart. Both young men have good arms, but consistency has been an issue.

Lining up behind them is RB Keontay Ingram and Vavae Malepeai. Both backs have combined for 5 touchdowns and 641 yards rushing. And out on the ends is WR Drake London and Tahj Washington, who have combined for 6 touchdowns and 1109 yards. This is USC’s strength on offense, and rest assured, they will have their chances to get open Saturday.

For the Irish, Jack Coan has been the model of consistency, throwing for 10 touchdowns and 1,208 yards. Coan has been a great fit for the Irish at QB. While he might not have the star power as a Bryce Young or Spencer Rattler, he has been a general for the Irish in the heat of battle. Even banged up, he’s got the job done on offense.

On Defense, DL Isiah Foskey, Justin Ademilola, and Jayson Ademilola have been the bulls up front. They’re a hard trio to block and can create havoc on opposing offenses.

For USC to get the upset, they have to create some turnovers. They have not had much success in the category. And on offense, get in rhythm and find your open receivers. Lastly, establish a run game. That’s been the weakest link for them this year.

And for ND, play to your strengths, which is blitzing on defense and airing it out on offense.

Even if USC is down this season, it’s a rivalry game and that means it’s going to be a grudge match. The game goes down at 7:30 PM on NBC.

Week 7 gave us more upsets and at the same time some clarity on who belongs at the top. Week 7 also saw some familar faces return to some not so welcome cheers and thrown golf balls? Let’s take a look at this past crazy weekend.

#11 Kentucky 13 #1 Georgia 30– The dogs continued their defensive dominance on Saturday, allowing only 13 points and 51 yards rushing. The dogs also blocked a field goal and extra point. Kentucky moved the ball fairly well, but could not get many sustained drives. Also, they turned the ball over and you can’t do against a great time like Georgia and expect to win. Dogs are off this weekend and their annual cocktail party with Florida next Saturday.

UCF 21 #3 Cincinnati 56– The Bearcats wasted no time taking care of UCF on Saturday. The Golden Knights could not stop Cincy’s ground game, as RB Jerome Ford ran for 4 touchdowns and 189 yards rushing. QB Desmond Riddler wasn’t asked to do too much, throwing for 1 touchdown and 141 yards. But when you have a great run game, you don’t have to throw often. Cincy faces the triple option on Saturday as Navy host the #3 team in the nation.

#5 Alabama 49 Mississippi 9– The Tide got back on track by thumpping Miss St. 49-9 on Saturday evening. Quarterback Bryce Young threw for 4 touchdowns and 348 yards in the air. Alabama’s defense finally played up to their potential, shutting down the bulldogs to -1 yards rushing and picked off Miss QB Will Rogers 3 times. The Tide host Tennessee this Saturday for the annual “Third Saturday in October”.

Other Scores–

#12 Oklahoma St 32 #25 Texas 24 – Cowboy QB Spencer Sanders ran and threw for a pair of touchdowns on Saturday, helping his team defeat the Longhorns in a Big XII slugfest.

#13 Ole Miss 31 Tennessee 26 – This was a really good game that could have gone either way, but a call late in the game caused the fans in Neyland Stadium to lose all sense of reality and decided to throw debris on the field and even hit Ole Miss Coach Lane Kiffin with a golf ball. That’s a new low for UT. This is why you can’t have nice things.

#20 Florida 42 LSU 49 -This season hasn’t gone the way it should for both of these schools, but LSU doesn’t lose at home much. The gators got torched in the air and on the ground. This was a great offensive productive win for the Tigers. Now they have to find a new coach as coach O is stepping down at the end of the season.

Purdue 24 #2 Iowa 7 – The Hawkeyes must have been on a upset high from last week that it carried over to being upset themselves. Purdue was able to score 24 points and gain 464 yards of offense on a very stingy defense. Iowa now has to get it together for the remainder of the season to get to the B1G title game.

Stock Check

Florida– Trending down– You just lost to 3-3 LSU. Also, you couldn’t stop a team who has had an issue scoring all season and you have #1 Georgia on deck! Mullen better get his team together or it could be a down hill slope for the gators.

Texas – Trending down– That’s two games in a row you lost, both to teams from Oklahoma. The Longhorns have got to learn to finish games and play better on defense.

NC State- Trending up– The wolf pack have one loss, and that was to SEC Mississippi St earlier in the season. They have two crucial games coming up- Louisville and Wake Forest. You get by those two games and you can punch your ticket to Charlotte.

San Diego St– Trending up– The Aztecs won in 2OT on Friday, making their record 6-0. They have Air Force next week but after that, there is no big test until the last game which is against Boise St.

Michigan St– Trending up– No one is showing sparty love, so allow me. They’re 7-0 and are paying great football. However, the last 4/5 games will tell us how good they really are( Michigan, Penn St, Purdue, and Ohio St).

Baylor– Trending Up– Times are good in Waco, TX. Only one loss in conference play and the rest of their games are winnable.

Check back later this week for my USC vs. Notre Dame matchup and week 8 games.