Week 2 Games on deck

This Saturday in Ann Arbor Michigan, two legendary programs collide for only the second time in the series’ history. The Texas Longhorns travel away from the 40 acres and come to the Big House to take on the “underdog”, the Michigan Wolverins. Calling Michigan an underdog in their own stadium certainly sounds odd, but not inappropriate.

Side note– A game of this magnitude should be on at prime time, not at noon. I know ESPN and FOX battle it out for viewership, I get it, but if you really want more viewers, make this a night game. These are two traditional blue bloods who potentially could be playing for a national championship and you put it on a Noon? It’s a travesty! Okay, off the soap box.

The Longhorns arguably bring in the most prolific offense in the nation. Led by Quarterback Qwinn Ewers, the Longhorn offense is deadly. Michigan’s defense, specifically their defensive backs will be tested all day. Michigan has got to keep the Longhorns offense off the field as much as possible to have a chance in this game.

That’s not the only big game on Saturday, there’s an early ACC matchup in upstate New York, as the 2-0 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets take on the 1-0 Syracuse Orange. Later in the evening, the Volunteers and Wolfpack meet each other in Charlotte, North Carolina for another round of ACC vs. SEC.

Also, coach Prime and his Buffalos travel to Lincoln Nebraska to continue their rivalry with the Cornhuskers. Last year in Boulder, the Buffalo’s offense showed out, but they will need a complete team effort this go-round.

Here’s the rest of the games on schedule for week two:

3 Texas vs. 10 Michigan – Noon on FOX –

23 Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse – Noon on ACC Network –

Arkansas vs. 16 Oklahoma St. – Noon on ABC –

Iowa St. vs. 21 Iowa – 3:30 PM on CBS

South Carolina vs. Kentucky – 3:30 PM on ABC

Baylor vs. 11 Utah – 3:30 PM on FOX

South Florida vs. 4 Alabama – 7:00 PM on ESPN

14 Tennessee vs. 24 NC State – 7:30 PM on ABC

Colorado vs. Nebraska – 7:30 PM on NBC

Houston vs. 15 Oklahoma – 7:45 PM on SEC Network

Boise St. vs. 7 Oregon – 10:00 PM on Peacock

This looks to be a stellar weekend for college football. The weather is getting cooler and I’m starting to see some color already on the leaves. It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year. Enjoy week two, everybody!

Week 1 results

Late game heroics and dominant performances were the highlights of week one, and make no mistake, it left an aftershock on the first week of the college football season.

Here’s what went down in week one:

Clemson 3 Georgia 34 – What started as a close game ended with a dominant, defensive performance put on by the Bulldogs who held Clemson to 188 total yards. Kirby Smart has his team humming early in the season. For Dabo Swinney, he better find some answers quick because App St comes to Death Valley and they’re no easy out.

NDSU 26 Colorado 31 – Coach Prime’s Buffalos looked great on offense as Quarterback Shedeur Sanders passed for 445 yards and 4 touchdowns, finding his two best options at receiver, Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr. The defense still has a hard time getting off the field. Prime and his team make a trip to Lincoln, Nebraska in week two and that game should catch national attention.

Miami 41 Florida 17– Is the U back? The canes certainly made their case as they made easy work of the Florida Gators. Transfer Quarterback Cam Ward looked a like Heisman contender on Saturday, passing for 385 yards and 3 touchdowns. The defense held their own as well, holding the gators to only 71 yards rushing and two turnovers. Meanwhile, gator head coach Billy Napier has got to find a spark for his offense. Freshman phenom QB DJ Lagway could be that match to light his team up.

Notre Dame 23. Texas a&m 13 – The Fighting Irish came into College Station with a chip on their shoulder, holding the aggies to 13 points and secured two turnovers. The Irish offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage all night and gave transfer Quarterback Riley Lenoard plenty of time to make accurate passes, especially late in the game. For the Aggies, one game does not define a season, but aggie head coach Mike Elko has to rally his team fast because their schedule is going to get tougher.

Penn St. 34 West Virginia 12 – Most home crowds provide hostile environments for visiting teams, but Penn St. didn’t get that memo. The Nittany Lions came into Morgantown and put on a clinic Saturday afternoon in front of a sold-out crowd. State Quarterback Dew Allar threw for 3 touchdowns and 216 yards against the Mountaineers.

Georgia St. 12 Georgia Tech 35 – The first meeting between the Yellow Jackets and Panthers, dubbed now the “Marta Bowl” had some early tests for the 1-0 Jackets, who made a fourth and goal stop on their own 1-yard line which set the tone for the rest of the game. The Yellow Jackets improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2016.

Boston College 28 FSU 13 – The home opener for the Seminoles didn’t go the way head coach Mike Norvell thought it would. His Noles defense gave up 263 yards on the ground against first year head coach Bill O Brian’s Boston College team. To make things worse, transfer QB DJ Uiagalelei was off all night, missing wide open targets and turning over the ball which leads to the question- does Mike Norvell really want to ride with him all season?

USC 27 LSU 20 – The Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic lived up to the hype. It was a great slug fest/tug of war match we all thought it would be. Trojan running back Woody Marks didn’t have his greatest game but it he made plays that changed the trajectory of the game, especially at the end. LSU head coach Brian Kelly is now 0-3 the past three seasons when starting off the year. I still believe the Tigers will have a good season, they just need more consistency on the run game, and with Joh Emry out for the year, it will be tough to find.

Freshman to keep your eyes on in ’24

It takes a special player with exceptional talents and skills to contribute early to a college football roster. That’s why they’re considered “special.” Their accolades are well known and they’re a hot commodity on the recruiting trail.

Speaking of recruiting, the major recruiting sites (247 sports, Rivals,) all have their system on how they rate high school talent. They use a star system that begins with a two-star who can play at the FBS level but has very little NFL potential, while a five-star, the highest ranking, is one of the top players in the country that potentially could go the first round in the NFL draft.

Per 247 Sports, they evaluate talent from the following:

“At 247 we use a team of evaluators,” Hansen said. “They review the film of every player before they extend a rating. Local and regional evaluations go to our national (nine-member) committee, and they determine who gets a star and how many; 247 tries to evaluate on NFL potential, not college potential.”

In the end, these sites only give their best opinion on how these players will pan out, we won’t know until they start playing.

Let’s look at some of the best players coming in for the 2024 season.

  1. Dylan Raiola– QB Nebraska – Originally committed to Georgia until last December, Raiola at the last minute switched his commitment to Nebraska, as Cornhusker head coach Matt Rhule convinced the young star to come to Lincoln. With Raiola, Nebraska is getting an accurate arm, a mobile threat, and NFL size Quarterback. Raiola is a Quarterback that head coach Matt Rhule can build around and create a monster team that Cornhusker fans are used to.
  2. Jermiah Smith– WR Ohio State -Smith was not only the #1 wide receiver but the #1 overall player in the ’24 class. He has the talent and athleticism that NFL coaches drool over. Smith’s speed and route running are exceptional and now head coach Ryan Day as another weapon in his arsenal in Columbus.
  3. Ryan Williams – WR Alabama -Williams is as NFL ready as it gets. He accounted for over 4600 all-purpose yards and 65 touchdowns his final two seasons in high school. At 6 ft and 175, Williams has the body control, fast twitch speed, and hands to be elite. He will be a day one draft pick in the near future.
  4. 4. DJ Lagway – QB Florida – DJ was the #1 QB coming out of Texas and the # 3 player overall in the ’24 class. He’s a dual-threat Quarterback with a great arm, and he could potentially start for the Gators if head coach Billy Napier needs to give his offense a spark.
  5. Jordan Marshall– RB Michigan -There have been some great backs that have come through Ann Arbor and Jordan Marshall looks to be the next premier back at Michigan. He has great vision and is a very patient runner. He will look to carry the load when Michigan starts in ’24.
  6. LJ McCray – DL Florida – McCray is a destructive force and loves to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. He is just the player Billy Napier needs on the defensive side of the ball. The gators have not been much of a threat on defense so this is a nice addition.
  7. Justin Schott– DL Miami -Scott is a multi-position player who is very athletic for his size (310 lbs.), so look for him to be on goal line situations on offense and a pass rusher on the defensive line.
  8. Micha Hudson – Texas Tech – Hudson is very agile, athletic receiver who can make spectacular catches but can also put in the jets when out in the open. A very similar player to Garret Wilson from the NY Jets.
  9. Cam Coleman – WR Auburn – Coleman is a receiver every Quarterback wants- he’s not afraid to get physical with DBs and he can make plays with players all around him. He has the speed, size, and quickness to get separation, and the agility to make hard catch. He’s a very durable receiver.
  10. Ellis Robinson IV – CB Georgia – Straight out of the infamous IMG Academy comes Ellis Robinson, the top-rated cornerback in the ’24 class. Robinson is very physical at the point of attack and can jam receivers instantly. He’s exactly the type of player Kirby Smart wants on his defense.

Kickoff across the pond

The 2024 college football begins this Saturday in Dublin, Ireland at Aviva Stadium as the Florida St. Seminoles take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

FSU leads the series 15-11-1, with their last win in Tallahassee (2022), 41-16. However, the Yellow Jackets are 4-3 since 2008 and are 7-1 against the spread in their last eight games against the Seminoles.

FSU is coming off one of their best seasons in the last decade, going 13-0 in the regular season and winning the ACC title for the first time since 2014. As good as the Seminoles were in 2023, they were snubbed from the college football playoff and were humiliated by Georgia in the Orange Bowl, 63-3! Thankfully for head coach Mike Norvell, the Seminoles bring back a stout defensive unit that could be one of the best units in the country. Defensive End Patrick Payton and Defensive Back Shyheim Brown will give offensive coordinators fits this season.

On the other side of the field are the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, coming off their first winning season since 2018 and a Gasparilla Bowl victory against UCF. Second-year head coach Brent Key, an offensive lineman at Tech(97-2001), has quickly made the Yellow Jackets a formidable football team. Led by junior Quarterback Haynes King, sophomore running back Jamal Haynes, and sophomore receiver Eric Singleton, the Yellow Jacket offense is one of the best in the ACC.

Keys to the game–

FSU– Let DJ Uiagalelei throw the long ball. He doesn’t have to be Randal Cunningham out there, just give him time to throw because he has a cannon. And on defense, get to Tech QB Haynes King and get him rattled.

Georgia Tech– Get the ground game going. You don’t want to get in a shoot-out with FSU, so keep their offense off the field and move the chains. And on defense, you have to get three and outs. Tech struggled getting off the field last season so look for an emphasis on this area in this game. Also, find a way to get turnovers.

Ready or not, the games begin this weekend. Enjoy the kickoff in Dublin.

Other games on Saturday-

Montana St @ New Mexico 4 PM on FS1

SMU @ Nevada 8 PM on CBSSN

Delaware St @ Hawaii 11:59 PM

Games to keep your eye on in ’24

The hype is electric, and the feeling is surreal- the 2024 college football season is upon us!

Whether you’re a casual, sidewalk fan or a 5 am tailgater, the 2024 season has a massive slate of games that should be entertaining.

So clear your calendar and delay your vacations because the only place you need to visit this Fall is your living room.

Let’s check out what I truly believe are the best games this season:

  1. (10) Florida State vs. Georgia Tech. Saturday, August 24. 12 PM on ESPN – It’s a week zero game and it’s in Dublin, Ireland. Count me in.
  2. North Dakota State vs. Colorado. Thursday, August 29. 8 PM on ESPN. The excitement in Boulder has subsided after a ho-hum year one for Prime Time and year two doesn’t look to be any easier. Not to mention the buffs open the season with FCS powerhouse NDSU!
  3. (14) Clemson vs. (1) Georgia. Saturday, August 31. 12 PM on ABC. The battle for I-85 is renewed in week one and I think it will have playoff implications. This will be a massive test for Head Coach Dabo Swinney and his Clemson Tigers team. Meanwhile, the Dogs will be looking to make a statement after being left out of the playoffs from last season.
  4. (7)Notre Dame vs. (20)Texas a&m. Saturday, August 31. 7:30 on ABC. New Aggie head coach, Mike Elko will be thrown to the fire quickly as the Fighting Irish come to College Station in a prime-time showdown.
  5. (23) USC vs. (13) LSU. Sunday, September 1. 7:30 on ABC. Tiger head coach Brian Kelly is no stranger to USC, as he has had many battles with the Trojans while at Notre Dame. Meanwhile, Trojan head coach Lincoln Riley needs a Markee win, and if they somehow upset LSU, it could set the tone for their first season in the B1G.
  6. (4) Texas vs. (9) Michigan. Saturday, September 7. Noon on FOX. Two bluebloods looking for conference bragging rights. It should be a good one.
  7. (19) Miami vs. Florida. Saturday, September 1. 3:30 PM on ABC. There have been some classics in this rivalry and both teams have high expectations. Look for a lot of fireworks in the swamp.
  8. (15) Tennessee vs. (16) Oklahoma. Saturday, September 21. TBD. Oklahoma will get its first true test in the SEC when the volunteers come to Norman. This is a game Brent Venables needs to win.
  9. (23) USC vs. (9) Michigan. Saturday, September 21. TBD. It sounds like a Rose Bowl matchup but it’s now a regular season game. If USC can play better defense this season then it will be a game.
  10. (1) Georgia vs. (5) Alabama. Saturday, September 28. 7:30 PM on ABC. Kalen Debore gets his first shot against the Bulldogs in prime time. The tide will be the underdog, but can they still get the upper hand against Kirby Smart who is 1-6 so far against the Tide.
  11. (14) Clemson vs. (10) Florida St. Saturday, October 5. TBD. The Noles won in Death Valley last season playing great defense. The Tigers will be out for revenge in an ACC showdown.
  12. (2) Ohio St. vs. (3) Oregon. Saturday, October 12. TBD. This might be one of the best games of the year. Both teams should be undefeated leading up to this game and they both will be looking to make a statement for the playoff committee.
  13. (8) Penn St. vs. (23) USC. Saturday, October 12. TBD. James Franklin brings his team to the West Coast for a mid-season B1G showdown.
  14. (4) Texas vs. (16) Oklahoma. Saturday, October 12. TBD. The 120th edition of the Red River Shootout will have some extra flare as both teams begin their first season in the SEC.
  15. (1) Georgia vs. (4) Texas. Saturday, October 19. TBD. This has the makings of an instant classic. You have a great offensive coach facing against a great defensive coach. Get the popcorn ready!
  16. (5) Alabama vs. (15) Tennessee. Saturday, October 19. TBD. The third Saturday in October will have plenty of buzz, considering another first rivalry game for Kalen Debore. The Vols are looking to bring Bama back down to Earth with a statement home win, and hopefully turn the “tide” in this rivalry.
  17. (10) Florida St. vs. (19) Miami. Saturday, October 26. TBD. In the 80s and 90s, this was THE GAME. Both teams are expecting big seasons and both teams need this win to get a chance in the ACC title game and a playoff spot.
  18. (2) Ohio St. vs. (8) Penn St. Saturday, November 2. TBD. A massive B1G matchup that will probably be in prime time. The Buckeyes have won seven straight in this series. James Fraklin can shut his critics up with a win.
  19. (3) Oregon vs. (9) Michigan. Saturday, November 2. TBD. The Wolverines are 3-2 all-time against the Ducks, so you wouldn’t think there would be much animosity. However, now that both teams play in the same conference, the implications are more significant. A loss for either team late in the season could ruin their playoff chances.
  20. (5) Alabama vs. (13) LSU. Saturday, November 9. TBD. Kalen Debore will get his first taste of playing under the lights in Tiger Stadium. I hope he brings some noise-cancelling ear buds.
  21. (10) Florida St. vs. (7) Notre Dame. Saturday, November 9. 7:30 PM on NBC. The last time these two faced off, the Seminoles lost at home in OT. For the seniors, this is a game you want, especially being your possible last crack at Notre Dame.
  22. (1) Georgia vs. (6) Ole Miss. Saturday, November 9. TBD. This is another prime matchup that has two great coaching minds playing chess. Who gets checkmate?
  23. (15) Tennessee vs. (1) Georgia. Saturday, November 16. TBD. The Vols have not defeated Georgia since 2016. The Bulldogs have not lost a home game since 2019 against South Carolina. Home Field advantage is on a different level between the hedges. The Vols will need their offense humming if they plan to get the upset.
  24. (5) Alabama vs. (16) Oklahoma. Saturday, November 23. TBD. Oklahoma is 3-2 all-time against Alabama. Few teams in college football can make that claim. A win in Norman this year would expand a lot of chests for the Sooner fan base.
  25. (9) Michigan vs. (2) Ohio State. Saturday, November 30. Noon on FOX. Michigan has won three straight against the Buckeyes. You don’t need to remind Ryan Day about it either. He knows this is a must-win for him.
  26. (4) Texas vs. (20) Texas A&M. Saturday, November 30. TBD. This is a game that I personally have been waiting to see ever since Texas announced they were coming to the SEC in 2021. The last time they played was in 2011 when the Longhorns won in College Station. If Mike Elko can beat Texas in his first season, he will have his very own statue built outside Kyle Field. That’s a promise.
  27. Auburn vs. (5) Alabama. Saturday, November 30. TBD. Two words-Iron Bowl.
  28. (16) Oklahoma vs. (13) LSU. Saturday, November 30. TBD. Death Vally will be rocking when Boomer Sooner comes to the Bayo.
  29. Georgia Tech vs. (1) Georgia. Friday, November 29. 7:30 on ABC. The Bulldogs have won six straight in the series but the Yellow Jackets keep getting closer each year. This could be a fun game to watch while wrapping the Christmas gifts you purchased.
  30. Navy vs. Army. Saturday, December 14. 3:00 on CBS. It’s America’s game so it’s your civic duty to tune in.

The AP Preseason Top 25

The pre-season top 25 came up on Monday and I don’t think there were too many surprises, other than a few teams that made the cut(Arizona and NC State), this looks to be a pretty accurate outlook of how the season will start.

There should be no question about #1 Georgia and #2 Ohio State. The talent that both teams return is considerable, as well as the talent they have acquired in recruiting and the transfer portal. Georgia and Ohio State are the nation’s most talented teams and could play in the national championship at the end of the season.

Oregon and Texas are also looking to have a huge season.

Alabama is breaking in a new head coach that is replacing a legend but they return a great roster.

Ole Miss is looking to play the dark horse in the SEC this season and I think they will be good enough to get to the SEC championship.

Notre Dame always has one of the hardest schedules in the nation.

Penn St and Michigan might take a step back this season.

FSU has a sour taste in their mouth after being snubbed from the playoff so look for them to play with a chip on their shoulder this year.

The top 1o ten teams have a good shot to make the playoff. After that, it’s too soon to say but with twelve slots, it should be a wild year.

Gameday Traditions make the game special

TALLAHASSEE, FL – SEPTEMBER 28: Chief Osceola and Renegade plant the spear before the game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack and the Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee, Florida at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, September 28th, 2019. (Photo by Logan Stanford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

What makes college football special? I think the answer is different for every fan of the game, but for me, it’s the traditions. It’s seeing your favorite team three hours before kickoff, coming behind the marching band shaking hands, and taking photos with the fans right outside the locker room.

It’s getting to a parking spot at 5 AM outside the stadium and lowering your tailgate to fire up the grill.

It’s wearing your team colors when you walk into Chick-fil-A.

It’s watching the Clemson Tiger Football team touch Howard’s Rock before running down the hill.

It’s touching the “Play Like a Champion Today” poster outside the Fighting Irish Locker Room.

It’s running behind a 1930 Ford Model A, the Ramblin Wreck, roll onto Grant Field at Historic Bobby Dodd Stadium.

It’s waving the 12th-man towel over your head at Aggie Stadium.

It’s leaping and hitting the “Go Big Blue” banner in the Big House.

It’s watching the drum major and i-dotter high-five each other and salute both sides of the horseshoe.

It’s rocking out to “Enter Sandman” as the Hokie football team approaches Lane Stadium.

It’s getting fried Snickers and riding a roller coaster at the Texas State Fair before watching Texas and Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl.

It’s singing “Yeah Alabama” with the million-dollar band in Bryant Denny Stadium.

It’s ringing the chapel bell after celebrating a victory between the hedges.

It’s singing Rocky Top until you can no longer talk as you cheer on the Vols.

It’s singing “Fight on to Victory” for the men of Troy at USC.

The deep, rich traditions of college football are timeless. These traditions, which are passed down like an heirloom, hold together all of our passions and devotion every Saturday in the Fall. From dawn to dusk, we cheer on our teams with the hope that they will be victorious, and even if they happen to lose, we remain devoted, even if it hurts. That’s college football.

The new Twelve Team Playoff

We’re a mere twenty days away from kickoff and the 2024 season looks to be one of the wildest years yet in college football.

First things first, let’s talk about the changes in the college football playoff.

This year, for the first time since its inception, the playoff will expand to twelve teams. Previously, the day after the Power Five Conference championship games, the top six teams would be announced, with #1 vs. #3 and #2 vs. #4 for the four-team playoff. The fifth and sixth teams would play in one of the New Year’s Six bowl games.

With the new model, the five highest-rated conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams will make up the twelve participating teams.

This is where it can be confusing so follow me closely- the four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded 1-4 and receive a first-round bye. The fifth conference champion will be seeded where it was ranked or at #12 if it is outside the top twelve rankings.

Non-conference champions ranked in the top four will be seeded beginning at #5. Because of this, the seeding, 1-12 potentially could look different than the final rankings.

The eight teams seeded No. 5-12 will play in a first round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.).

The selection committee will assign the four highest-ranked conference champions to Playoff Quarterfinals hosted by bowls. This will be done in consideration of historic bowl relationships, and then in consideration of rankings. For example, if the Sugar Bowl hosts a Playoff Quarterfinal and the SEC champion is ranked No. 1 and the Big 12 champion is ranked No. 3, the SEC champion would be assigned to the Sugar Bowl and the Big 12 champion would be assigned elsewhere.

With the four highest-ranked conference champions assigned to bowls, their four Playoff Quarterfinal opponents will be dictated by the bracket (i.e., No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 winner, No. 4 vs. No. 5/12 winner, No. 2 vs. 7/10 winner; No. 3 vs. 6/11 winner.)

The College Football Playoff bracket will follow the selection committee’s rankings, with no modifications made to avoid rematches between teams that may have played during the regular season or are from the same conference.

The bracket will remain in effect throughout the playoff (i.e., no re-seeding).

The highest seed will receive preferential placement for the Playoff Semifinal bowl assignment.

All 11 games will be under the CFP umbrella with the administrative policies determined by the CFP.

It’s a lot to take in but this is the new reality of college football. With this new model, group five teams finally have a shot to earn a playoff birth. On the flip side, if you’re # 5 when the first rankings come out, this means you must endure an extra four games to win the National Championship.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the season plays out with this new model.

The first game will be played on Friday, December 20, 2024.

It’s BAAAAACK!

Quinn Ewers, Travis Hunter, and Donovan Edwards

After eleven long years, the game we love, the game we looked forward to every July, the game we played from dusk to dawn, is finally returning.

That’s right, EA Sports College Football 25 is releasing July 19 and it looks to be the best one yet.

The reveal trailer dropped yesterday (surprised the site didn’t crash) and if you haven’t watched it yet, shame on you!

Now, if you’re asking yourself, ” When did they stop making the game and why?”, allow me to explain.

First question– The last game was NCAA Football 14. This is the game with Denard Robinson(Michigan Wolverine QB) on the cover. The game was released on July 9, 2013. With every new iteration, EA always implements new features and this game had it:

Acceleration burst, new combo moves, Nike Skills Trainer, and Ultimate Team just to name a few.

The game got an OK score from most game review sites (Gamespot, IGN) stating the game had great gameplay but most critics were not impressed with the visuals, saying the game was due for a graphical upgrade, which everyone was very well aware of. Regardless of the reviews, the game was a commercial success, selling over a million copies.

Second question– Why so long of a wait? EA Sports stopped producing the game because of a lawsuit that stemmed from former UCLA basketball player, Ed O’ Bannon. You can click this link which will take you to an article by a great journalist, Creg Stephenson from AL.com for the full report but the meat and potatoes of the lawsuit were this- Ed O’Bannon, who was representing both NCAA Division 1 football and men’s basketball players, challenged EA Sports use of the images and likeness of its former student-athletes for “commercial purposes”. In other words, the players were upset EA Sports didn’t compensate them for using their name and likeness in their football games.

The end result was a 60 million dollar settlement where more than 24,000 former college basketball and football players were given a payout of around 1600 dollars. The lawsuit covers games produced from 2003- the last year, 2013.

So, from 2014- 2023, we had no college football games whatsoever.

Thankfully, during this dry season, there were some unsung heroes who to this day have kept NCAA 14 up to date.

Meet the superheroes at Operation Sports. This company has literally updated every single FBS and FCS team roster in NCAA 14 every year so that gamers like ourselves can continue to play NCAA college football with an updated roster.

But that was then, and this is now. We get to have our cake and eat it too.

In June 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the NCAA in a compensation battle with student-athletes. The court gave a unanimous win to Division 1 college athletes in their fight against the NCAA over caps it sought to impose on compensation related to education. However, the biggest winner that day was you and me.

In February, EA dropped a little teaser that they have been working on a new game but the teaser didn’t reveal much other than a “full reveal” would come in May. Well, I must say, it’s been worth the wait. The game looks amazing and I’m sure EA will be dropping new nuggets regularly up until July 19.

I don’t want to wish my Summer away but I will be counting the days for not only the season to start but for a game that’s been eleven years in the making.

Two months til kickoff. See you soon, College Football 25.

Pre-orders are live now!

The 2023 edition of the Red River Shootout

When October rolls around, you can count on a few things:

Cooler weather, colorful leaves, and state fairs. Let’s be honest, nothing says October quite like funnel cake and fried Snickers, right? However, if we look deeper into annual fall traditions, we can find something even more jovial and festive- the Red River shootout.

And what a coincidence that the Texas State Fair is right next door to the Cotton Bowl, where Texas and Oklahoma play.

But enough about fried treats and succulent sweets, let’s talk about the game.

Fact and Opinion–

Fact-Texas and Oklahoma both meet undefeated for the first time since 2011. Yes, it’s hard to believe these storied programs have been on hard times as of late, but they’re both hopeful a renaissance of their football program has arrived and will endure with their entry into the SEC.

Fact– Both teams are playing their last season in the Big 12(In the SEC in 2024). It’s no secret that both Texas and OU are leaving the Big 12 for the SEC next season, but it must be bittersweet to play one final time under the Big 12 banner.

Fact– Both teams have great signal callers along with a high-scoring offense. Dillion Gabriel and Quinn Ewers are two of the best Quarterbacks in college football and I believe they both will put on a show Saturday in the Cotton Bowl.

Fact or Opinion? – The Sooners need this win more than Texas so I say fact. Why? After the Longhorns curb-stomped OU last year (49-0), the Sooners will be out for revenge. Coach Venables knows how much this game means and he knows it’s the last one in the Big 12. This is how you impress Commissioner Greg Sankey and the rest of the SEC-You upset the #3 team in the nation and show them you’re the top dog of your conference.

What does this game come down to? Quarterback play, it’s as simple as that. Which Quarterback has more time to throw and make plays? I think you will see Coach Venables dial up the blitz a lot on Saturday. However, Ewers can be mobile so it will be a tough task for Oklahoma.

It’s been a while since the game meant something and it’s been a long time since both teams were in the spotlight. This year, all eyes will be looking at the Cotton Bowl.

The stadium will be half burn orange and half burgundy. In my opinion, this is what college football is all about- tradition, pageantry, and rivalries.

Enjoy the Red River Shootout this Saturday at noon on ABC.