JDubb's Sideline Report

For a school that takes pride in their championships and traditions, USC has been living in mediocre territory for almost a decade. It began with the departure of Pete Carroll(2000-2009) leaving for the Seattle Seahawks just before the NCAA hit the school with sanctions that centered on trojan star running back Reggie Bush. It was proven that Bush accepted improper gifts, including a home in San Diego for members of his family. The fallout was that USC was stripped of thirty football scholarships, a two-year bowl ban, and forfeiture of some games between 2005-2006. It wasn’t the death penalty, but the men of Troy have not been the same team since.

Clay Helton is the third coach since Pete Carroll left-Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian were the last two. Helton had a 46-24 record at USC. When you look at that you realize that’s not awful, the man had a winning record. However, what might be good for West Virginia or Iowa State, is not the same “good” for USC. The expectation is National Championship or bust- that’s USC. Yes, he won a Rose Bowl back in 2016 but that’s child’s play compared to winning a national championship.

One of the areas Helton failed at was not putting up a gate in California. Carroll, Kiffin, even Sarkisian had no issue locking down their home state from other schools poaching. For example, in 2005, USC had the #1 recruiting class in the nation. In 2020 they were ranked 64th! How did that happen? Also, how do you let players like D.J. Uiagalelei and Bryce Young leave the state when they’re in your own backyard? These are highly recruited Quarterbacks and they are playing in the ACC/SEC conference. That’s a recruiting issue, and that tells me Helton either can’t seal the deal or he loathes recruiting.

If Helton isn’t winning recruiting battles, didn’t it shouldn’t been a shock that his team was not winning on the field. Losing to Oregon or Ohio State is one thing, but to consistently lose to Stanford, UCLA, or Washington State(no offense guys) is inexcusable when your program is supposed to be getting some of the best players in the nation. There have been too many of these losses under Helton and AD Mike Bohn finally realized it was time to pull the plug. Honestly, it should have happened two years ago but given the pandemic, everyone got a get-out-of-jail free card.

Now that the school is looking for it’s fourth coach in 11 years, I have some suggestions/names of coaches that should be at the top of the schools coaching search:

1. Urban Meyer– It’s not a stretch to think about. Proven winner in college(National Championships at Florida and Ohio State). Who is to say that he was in over his head getting in the NFL and see’s USC as one last opportunity to get back in college football coaching? Meyer should be someone USC takes a hard look at.
2. Mario Cristobal– Cristobal has been making a lot of noise in Eugene, Oregon. His Ducks have been the top team in the PAC-12 for the past few seasons and he has poached many players from California. He is a relentless recruiter and that is exactly what USC needs.
3. James Franklin– Another good offensive minded coach. Franklin wins everywhere he goes. He made Vanderbilt a respected program and has made Penn St a contender and brought them back from the ashes after the NCAA threw the hammer at the program a decade ago.
4. Luke Fickell– The Cincy coach has turned the bearcats into one of the best programs in the group five. They have been first in the AAC the past two seasons, including two bowl victories. Fickell has a great track record of putting players in the NFL i.e. DL Elijah Ponder(Tampa Bay) and TE Bruno Labelle(Arizona) As a former player and head coach at Ohio State, Fickell knows the expectations of big time football programs.

Those are my top four.

It will be interesting to see where USC goes from here. If the program wants to get back to greatness, they need to hire a great coach. That’s the USC way.

The craziness that was in week one spilled over into week two, as some of the blue bloods took a beating. Ohio State, FSU, USC, and Texas all fell on Saturday, shaking up the top 25 and making room for programs looking to make a giant leap in the standings.

Here’s the breakdown:

Oregon 35 Ohio State 28 – A game you usually see in the Rose Bowl lived up to the hype that has been stirring all year long. Oregon was without two of their best defensive players, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Justin Flowe, and still managed to play great defense against the best team in the B1G. And as good as their defense played, the offense was the real story. The Ducks were able to score 35 points and produce 505 yards of offense on the buckeyes. Anthony Brown, the senior QB transfer from Boston College threw for 236 yards and 2 touchdowns against bucks, helping Oregon defeat Ohio State for the first time in team history. If the Ducks can cruise the rest of the way, they will be looking pretty come CFP selection. As far the buckeyes, they obviously have issues on the defensive side of the ball. They will need to win out and pray for some help for a chance to get into the playoff at the end of the season.

Iowa 27 Iowa State 17 – Ames, Iowa was rocking Saturday as the annual rivalry game between Iowa and Iowa St drew a national audience. The cyclones needed this win to show the world they belong in the national conversation. The Hawkeyes needed this win to stay in conversation. Iowa’s defense came to play as they picked off Brock Purdy three times and held the cyclone offense to only 17 points. Purdy had 332 yards in the air but when you’re team only converts fours first downs, that’s a recipe for disaster! That makes six in a row for the Hawkeyes over the Cyclones.

Texas 21 Arkansas 40 – Texas got a small taste of what life will be like in the SEC, as the longhorns had no answer for the razorbacks ground game. Arkansas ran for 333 yards on 47 carries, and they did it with hardly any resistance. Coach Sam Pittman had his team playing on all cylinders in front of a sold out crowd. With this win, the Razorbacks look to gain some ground in the SEC West. They better get ready because they have Ga Southern, Georgia, and Texas a&m on deck. As for Texas, we all knew this was a rebuild. Using a two quarterback system might not be the answer for coach Sarkisian; as the old saying goes” if you have two quarterbacks then you have no quarterback”. Texas host Rice next week.

Texas a&m 10 Colorado 7 – An old Big XII rivalry was renewed Saturday as the aggies came to Boulder, Colorado to take on the Buffalos. What was thought to be a shootout turned out to be a defensive fight. Starting QB for the aggies, Haynes King, had to leave the game after a few plays due to a leg injury. Zach Calzada came in and played admirably, throwing for 183 yards and one touchdown. Colorado’s Brenden Lewis didn’t fair as well as he threw for 89 yards and one interception. The aggies held the buff’s to 260 yards on offense and showed signs of life on defense. Head Coach Jimbo Fisher has been stressing for his team to be successful, they must get three and outs on defense. The aggies host New Mexico on Saturday before a SEC showdown with Arkansas next week.

Stanford 42 USC 28 – The Stanford Cardinal entered Memorial Coliseum as the underdog against the USC Trojans Saturday night, but that didn’t bother them, as they put up 42 points and gained an early lead in the PAC-12 North. Sophomore Quarterback Tanner McKee threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns. McKee had plenty of time in the pocket, allowing him to chisel away at the trojan defense. Defense has been an issue for the trojans under Clay Helton, something he has had plenty of time to address. The schedule doesn’t get any easier for USC, as they still have Notre Dame, UCLA, BYU, and Utah to play.

Other notable scores–

Jacksonville St 17 FSU 14- Incredible win for the FCS gamecocks. Horrible loss for Florida St. No offense to JSU but there is no excuse for losing to an inferior opponent and Coach Norvell knows this. I still believe there are better days ahead for the noles but it’s going to be a while before people forget this loss.

Utah 17 BYU 26 – The cougars get a win against their rival Utes and win the holy war rivalry. BYU hopes to be the team to shake up the CFP this season.

App St 23 Miami 25– This game was ugly. Miami was very fortunate not to lose this game. The ACC is not helping it’s case losing or barely winning these games. Will they turn the corner? Time will tell.

Toldeo 29 Notre Dame 32 – Maybe the Irish were still on the high of beating FSU(I hope not) but they played sloppy against the rockets on Saturday and it showed. Toledo was in control of this game until late in the 4th quarter as the Irish finally made plays and escaped with a win.

On tap for week 3

Auburn vs. Penn State 7:30 PM ABC

Alabama vs. Florida 3:30 PM CBS

South Carolina vs. Georgia 7:00 PM ESPN

Nebraska vs. Oklahoma Noon FOX

Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia Noon FS1

Michigan St. vs. Miami Noon ABC

Georgia Tech vs. Clemson 3:30 PM ABC

Georgia Southern vs. Arkansas 4:00 SEC Network

Oklahoma St. vs. Boise State 9:00 FS1

Whether your team won, lost, or looked down right dreadful, it’s time to recap what took place over the first weekend of the 2021 college football season.

The good:

Alabama defeats Miami 44-13 – Let me start by asking a question? Did you really expect any other result? Even with the the players lost to the draft or graduation, Alabama didn’t miss a beat on Saturday against the hurricanes. The tide were in command from the beginning, as sophmore Quarterback Bryce Young put on a stellar performance, throwing for 344 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Georgia defeats Clemson 10-3 – UGA should be dubbed “SACK U”, as they put on a sack clinic Saturday night, taking down Clemson’s D.J. Uiagalelei seven times. It was a defensive slug fest, as neither team could score an offensive touchdown. However, it was the dogs defense that gave them the victory. The dogs host UAB before taking on South Carolina in week three.

Notre Dame defeats Florida St.41-38 – These two teams don’t play each other often, but when they do, it usually becomes an instant classic. Irish coach Brian Kelly, only three wins away from passing legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne, brought his troops to Tallahassee, Florida to take on the Seminoles of FSU. This was a boxing match, both teams traded punches for four quarters, but it was in overtime where the Irish struck the final blow as Jonathan Doerer’s 41 yard field goal sealed the win. Despite the loss, the Seminoles looked and played like the FSU team of old. They will only get better.

Penn St defeats Wisconsin 16-10– Penn St gave the badgers plenty of chances to win this game but Wisconsin Quarterback Graham Mertz could not make the plays when push came to shove. He threw two back to back interceptions late in the game and it cost his team. The Nittany Lions defense looked great in a hostile crowd as well. Look for them to compete for the B1G title.

The bad:

UCLA defeats LSU 38-27 – LSU is known for defense but I didn’t see much of it in Rose Bowl Stadium. UCLA was able to score 38 points and had no problem moving the ball against a mighty SEC defense. Great win for coach Chip Kelly. UCLA looks to be a contender in the PAC-12.

Virginia Tech defeats UNC 17-10– Let me just say that Justin Fuente needed this win. He’s been on thin ice so this was big. On the flip, UNC is not going to change perception about their program, regardless who is coaching until they win big games, especially on big stages.

The ugly:

Northern Illinois defeats Georgia Tech 22 -21 – If you know me then you know this was tough to swallow, so I’m not going to talk about it. Kudos to NIU for balling out and getting the two point conversion. Coach Collins and staff need to ease off on the 404 promotion and focus on coaching.

Charlotte defeats Duke 31-28 – Another ACC debacle. The 49ers take down the big dog. Is Duke really a big dog? Ouch.

Montana defeats Washington 13-7 – Montana is usually a FCS power house so I’m not completely shocked they upset the Huskies, but come on Washington, you must win these games!

There you have it. Week 1 is in the books. Now, will we get a repeat in week of craziness in week 2? On tap for the weekend:

Oregon vs. Ohio St. 12PM on FOX

Pitt vs. Tennessee 12 PM on ESPN

Texas vs. Arkansas 7 PM on ESPN

Iowa vs. Iowa St 4:30 PM on ABC

Stanford vs. USC 10:30 PM on FOX

Washington vs. Michigan 8:00 PM on ABC

Texas a&m vs. Colorado 3:30 PM on FOX

Utah vs. BYU 10:15 PM on ESPN

NC State vs. Mississippi St. 7:00 on ESPN2

Air Force vs. Navy 3:30 on CBS

Now that we got the appetizers out of the way, it’s time for the main course. The real regular season begins this weekend and there are plenty of marquee matchups for your viewing pleasure.

Listed below are the best matchups we will have this weekend and my thoughts on each one:

1. #5 Georgia vs. #3 Clemson– The battle of I-85 is renewed this weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the Georgia bulldogs and Clemson Tigers battling out for bragging rights and a head start to the college football playoff. The bulldogs bring back poised signal caller J.T. Daniels who started in the final four games of the 2020 season. Daniels looked very comfortable in the pocket and threw the ball accurately, throwing for 1231 yards, 10 touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions in the four games he played. On the other side of the field will be sophomore quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, who started in two games due to Trevor Lawrence being sidelined with Covid-19, played admirably, throwing for 914 yards and 5 touchdowns. There are going to be five stars all over this field Saturday evening, and a lot of them played against each other in high school. I believe this game will be won in the trenches. Georgia brings back an excellent pass rush, and the tigers offensive line was suspect at times last season. Look for Clemson to try some trickery in this game, either onside kicks or DJ in the slot. In my opinion, this is the game of the week.
2. #1 Alabama vs. #14 Miami – I’m thankful that the people who create the schedules did not set this game to start at the same time as Georgia vs. Clemson because this will be another game that needs my undivided attention. Here’s some FYI- Alabama is replacing a quarterback, a Heisman trophy winner at wide receiver, three offensive lineman, and a stable of running backs, and yet I still feel confident that this 2021 Alabama squad will be among the elite. Sophomore Quarterback Bryce Young showed a lot of promise in the Spring game. He looked to be a real commander behind center. However, Miami is looking to make a statement in this game. The Canes return 19 starters and among them is Heisman contender D’Eriq King, star quarterback for the Canes. King tore his right ACL in the Cheez-it bowl and had to sit out for the Spring. He should be 100 % by now. If I were King, I would be looking for Mike Harley and Oklahoma transfer Charleston Rambo to get open because they’re your big weapons on offense. Don’t sleep on Miami, they will push the tide in this game.
3. #16 LSU vs. UCLA– 2020 will be the season the cajun tigers hope to soon forget, as it was a polar opposite to their 2019 national championship run. It was to be expected, looking at all the firepower they lost from that team, it would be hard to replicate that type of success. The Tigers also had many players sidelined due to covid-19 so you can’t judge the season too harshly, I’ll leave that to coach O. 2021 should look a lot different, and leading the team is Quarterback Max Johnson who is starting over Myles Brennan due to an arm injury. Johnson is the son of former Tamp Bay Bucs QB Brad Johnson and nephew of Mark Richt, so it should be no shock that he was highly recruited. Johnson looked sharp in the two games he played in(Ole Miss and Florida). Look for offensive coordinator Jake Peetz to utilize Johnson’s arm and air it out. Also, the tiger defense looked dreadful at times last season, they will need a sharp game on Saturday against a UCLA program that looks to be rising from the ashes. They call LSU “DB U” and the Bruins will put their name to the test.
4. #10 North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech – An early ACC conference matchup will be in prime time this Friday, as the tar heels travel to Blacksburg to take on a Virginia Tech program that is a shadow of it’s former self. Since he took over for Frank Beamer, Hokie head coach Justin Fuente has a record of 38-26. That’s not awful, but it’s not the expectation for this program. His team went 5-6 last season and has lost three straight bowl games. A fanbase that is used to winning ACC championships is starting to get restless. Just due south of Blacksburg (more like 3 hours) is Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where the mood of the tar heel nation is electric. They have a championship head coach, Mack Brown and a Heisman candidate at Quarterback, Sam Howell. Last season, Howell threw for 3586 yards and 30 touchdowns. The heels lost a lot of fire power on offense but they have recruited very well. They haven’t fared well against the hokies as of late but they should be looking for W tomorrow night.
5. #9 Notre Dame vs. Florida State – There will be a lot of emotions going on in this game. Legendary FSU coach, Bobby Bowden passed away on August 8, 2021. His accomplishments at Florida State have been etched in stone, as he leaves a legacy of greatness. Now at the helm is Mike Norvell, who is looking to restore the Seminoles back to their glory years, has a tough test Sunday evening with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in town. Even though the Irish lost Ian Book and some other weapons, they should be in a good hands with grad transfer Jack Coan. Coan played for the Wisconsin Badgers the past fours seasons, and had some great moments there. It could be a two-quarterback system for the Noles, as both Jordan Travis and UCF transfer McKenzie Milton have not been awarded the starting job. However, seeing Milton walking again is a modern day miracle after the brutal leg injury he suffered a few years ago. He didn’t think he would ever be able play football, let alone walk. Now that is a feel good story, good enough for Hollywood.

Honorable mentions:

#19 Penn St. vs. #12 Wisconsin (Saturday at Noon FOX)

Bosie St. vs. UCF(Thursday at 7:00 ESPN)

#4 Ohio St. vs. Minnesota (Thursday at 8:00 FOX)

#23 Louisiana vs. #21 Texas (Saturday 4:30 FOX)

So sit down and relax in your favorite recliner or sofa, crank open your favorite beverage, grab your remote, and lets watch some football!

Do you hear the sound of the marching band playing the fight song? Do you smell the food coming from the grills that are setup in the parking lots? Do you see the bright stadium lights shining down the on the lush green field? All of these signs indicate one thing- college football is back!

After a year of protocols and quarantines, it’s time to get back to normal. I don’t know about you but the 2020 season college football season seemed a little dull. Yes, the corona virus had a lot to do with that. When I watched games on tv, I saw a lot of “abnormal” conditions: players and coaches wearing masks, refs using a mouthless whistle, and strangest of all- no fans in the stands. For the life of me, I tried hard to get excited, but the feeling I usually have on Saturdays was absent. It was a very strange season. However, 2020 is over and most of us have adjusted to the virus (whether getting vaccinated or continue to wear mask) and are looking forward to the promise of new beginnings and future celebrations.

2021 could be a very interesting season and there are some questions/concerns we need to address:

1. Is Alabama positioned for another run? And will Bill O’Brien’s coaching keep bama’s offense humming?
2. Is Miami or North Carolina ready to take on Clemson in the ACC?
3. Does Georgia finally put it all together and take down bama?
4. How well will Sark do in his first season in Austin?
5. Will Spencer Rattler take the Sooners to the promise land?
6. Can Ryan Day and his staff continue the success they have had since taking over in Columbus, Ohio?
7. Does the Pac-12 have another contender ready to compete outside of Eugene, Oregon?
8. Is there a team in the group 5 that can crash the CFP party?
9. Does the Irish luck run out after Ian Books departure?
10. Can Bryan Harsin produce a quality football team down on the plains?
11. Is Texas a&m done pretending and ready to take on Bama?
12. Does Harbaugh get the boot if he doesn’t beat the buckeyes this season?
13. Can Kiffin and Leach make some noise in the sec west.

Potential Breakout Season:

Jahmyr Gibbs(RB) Georgia Tech

Bryan Breese (DT) Clemson

JT Daniels (QB) Georgia

D’Erik King (QB) Miami

D.J. Uiagalelei (QB) Clemson

Marvin Mims(WR) Oklahoma

Jaylen Wydermyer (TE) Texas a&m

Tank Bigsby (RB) Auburn

Kedon Slovis (QB) USC

Chris Olave (WR) Ohio St.

Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE) Oregon

This Saturday is officially dubbed “week zero” in the college world. We have five games on tap for Saturday. I’m going to keep an eye on two of them- Nebraska vs. Illinois at 1:20 PM on FOX and Hawaii vs. UCLA at 3:30 PM on ESPN. It’s just a tease before the season heats up next week.

It’s time to strike up the band and put the ball on the ground! Here’s to a great 2021 college football season!

American Author Jay Asher said this on change: “You can’t stop the future, you can’t rewind the past, the only way to learn the secret…is to press play.” This quote rings loud today because once again, the sport has found itself in a new era of expansion. Two schools that have been glued together for so long, are leaving for much greener pastures. Yesterday, Texas and Oklahoma, longtime members of the Big XII, were invited to join the South Eastern Conference. As of today, both schools have accepted the invite, and look to join the show starting July 1, 2025. Now, for any of you out there that think both schools will wait that long to join…in the words of Judas Priest, “You got another thing coming”.

The last time we had any type of conference realignment was a decade ago. The Big 12 had four schools leave- Texas a&m and Missouri left for the SEC, Nebraska went to the B1G, and Colorado to the Pac-12. The Big XII looked to be reeling but they had the foresight to keep the bridge in tacked. They invited West Virginia from the old Big East and TCU from the Mountain West. In all, the Big XII lost 4 teams but then gained two back which brought their conference to ten teams. And they were able to keep their two golden gooses- Texas and Oklahoma.

So how did we get to this point? I think the simple answer is money. Money is driving this ship. It always has and always will. Now that the Supreme Court of the United States has voted in favor to grant collegiate players payments via NIL(Name Image Likeness), this has opened a door for schools to help players get compensation from outside sources, something that has always been banned by the NCAA. This compensation changes the recruiting landscape. Texas and Oklahoma both know that if they’re ever going to be on a level playing field in recruiting and have a shot at the college football playoff on an annual basis, they must be apart of the superior brand of college football, and that is the SEC.

What I don’t understand is how did the Big XII not see this coming? How do you not have contingency plan in place for this scenario? Anyone with a brain could have told you years ago that Texas and Oklahoma weren’t going to stay there forever. Maybe it was complacency and they thought that the longhorns and sooners were happy? Who knows, the point is these schools don’t need the Big XII, it’s the opposite. These schools are blue-blood programs with long, rich history and traditions. They both combine for eleven national championships and have put out Heisman trophy winners. Their resume fits into the type of schools the SEC has and wants. With their additions, the South Eastern Conference has set itself up to be the elite conference for the long term.

If there is any irony with this story, then you have to look in college station. The Texas a&m aggies, old rivals of the longhorns and sooners, escaped the Big 12 a decade ago because they wanted to be the only university in the state of Texas to be in the conference, actually voted approval for Texas to come. At first they were against it, but some motivation from commissioner Sankey helped changed their tune. Deep down the aggies know as well as everyone that Texas brings money.

So what happens next? That’s the million dollar question. I believe this is just the first domino to fall in conference realignment. The Big XII will either stay intact by snagging some teams or they will dissolve while other conferences poach from them. You really can’t replace Oklahoma and Texas, but you can try. I think the Big XII should look really hard at BYU, Boise St., Houston, and UCF. These schools have great fan bases and good traditions. Plus you have new markets with Florida, Utah, and Idaho. I also see conference super leagues. It sounds crazy to think about, but it could be reality if we keep going the direction I think we’re going. We could be looking at a NFL type of model, where you have 2-4 leagues and different divisions-north, south, east, and west. This is all just speculation, but if I have learned anything this past week, change is inevitable.

Call it of ho-hum or just meh, but the past three weeks of college football have been just that. Nothing against the ACC, AAC, Big 12, or the Sun Belt, those guys have great football teams and produce quality football players. However, when three of the power five conferences aren’t playing, it just doesn’t feel like college football season. Let me explain, in a “normal” year, I will tune into college gameday, watch the boys make their picks, and then at noon I will have a game on from the ACC and B1G. At 3:30, I will switch over to CBS and put an SEC game on. Then at 7:30, I will turn it to a prime time game, whether it’s the ACC, Big 12, Big 10, or SEC. And lastly, around 10:00, I will head over to Fox Sports and turn on some PAC-12 action. Now, that’s how you live on Saturday’s in the Fall- football from dawn to dusk. So far, it’s just been a few conferences playing, and no offense, it’s not the primetime players…but that changes this weekend.

This Saturday the SEC steps up to the plate, and baby, we got a nice line up of games:

*The SEC is sticking to a 10-game schedule, with no out-of-conference games for 2020.

Starting at noon:

Kentucky vs. Auburn

Florida vs. Ole Miss

At 3:30-

Mississippi St vs. LSU

4 PM –

Georgia vs. Arkansas

7 PM-

Alabama vs. Missouri

7:30 PM –

Tennessee vs. South Carolina

Vandy vs. Texas a&m

Hot Topics for the SEC:

How will Alabama rebound from their disappointing 2019 season? Will the defense play better?

How does Georgia move on from the post-Fromm era? Will Mathis be the guy or USC transfer J.T. Daniels win the job?

Will Pruitt have another early season blunder or will UT finally turn the corner after a decade of “rebuilding”?

How well does Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach adjust to an SEC schedule?

Will Florida finally get back to the top spot in the East?

Can Bo Nix show some signs of maturity and polish up his game?

Will Sam Pittman use one or two Quarterbacks in his first season in Fayetteville?

Does Will Muschamp get his gamecocks to play up to their potential?

Can Kentucky keep it up with their winning ways on the gridiron?

How well will LSU play when they replace so many key pieces on both sides of the ball?

For the forseeable future, the game we love is going to get a temporary makeover, at least for 2020. The pandemic that has flipped our lives upside down has affected everything, including sports. You can’t hide from it and it’s not going away anytime soon. However, we can adapt, and college football is doing just that.

Last week, the Ivy League conference announced that all fall sports have been canceled for 2020. Normally when it pertains to college football, the Ivy League is not a hot topic of conversation. However, given the current circumstances of the pandemic, everyone in college football took notice. Just a few days after the Ivy Leagues decision, the B1G conference announced that they will not play non-conference games this Fall. The conference is the first to do it so far, but we know this will cause a domino effect in college football.

Update– It has caused a domino effect! The Pac-12 is going to a conference only schedule for 2020. Look for rest of the power 5 to do the same.. That is huge because other schools that were set to play schools in this league will have to shuffle asap and make decisions that will change their schedule for 2020 and beyond.

So what about our Independents like Notre Dame, Army, and BYU? Well, Notre Dame is fortunate that they have an agreement with the ACC, they should be fine. The schools at West Point and Provo, they might have a grimmer outlook. I believe you will see both schools try to schedule teams that they don’t really want to play or they won’t play at all. They will probably have to join a conference but that won’t help them this season.

So what does all this mean?

Honestly, I’m not sure. It’s really too soon to say because if the country gets another big wave of cases from now until kickoff, we might not even have a season, which would be unprecedented.

We still have a lot of unknowns with COVID-19, and until there is a legitimate vaccine, you’re going to continue to see people wearing masks and using social distance..basically, all the guidelines that are recommended by the CDC. Now, implement that into college football- don’t you see how that is such a headache for coaches, players, and staff? Not only do they have to prep for the game, but they will now have this whole new guideline to adhere too. It’s a big headache, but it’s our current reality.

So, here is the million dollar question– Will we have college football this season? I want to say yes, I really do. With all my heart, I want the season to happen! If you know me, you know I live and breathe this sport. At the same time, I’m a realist, and if we keep seeing surges, I doubt we will. I pray I’m wrong.

Champions are made in big games and legends are born on the big stage. On Monday, January 13, 2020, under the bright lights of the Super Dome in New Orleans, two teams will battle for the ultimate prize of college football: the national championship. And what a match up it will be- a great offensive team, with a Heisman Quarterback leading the way vs. a great defensive team, with a future NFL signal-caller who has already shown he can handle the pressure. But before we get to predictions or outcomes, let’s talk about each team’s offensive stats.

LSU‘s offensive stats this season skyrocketed with the hire of Joe Brady. Brady turned the Tigers and Quarterback Joe Burrow into one of the most dangerous offensive machines in college football this year.  For the season, LSU has lead FBS offensive stats in scored points (48.8 per game), total yards (564.2 yards per game), and yards per play (7.9).  This is remarkable considering LSU plays in the SEC, a conference that is known for great defensive play. What is more significant is how Joe Burrow has turned out to be such a superstar. The Heisman winner has thrown for over 5200 yards, 55 touchdowns, a completion percentage of 77.6%, and only 7 interceptions. It also is nice to have a great receiving corp as well. Leading the Tigers in receptions is Justin Jefferson, who has accumulated 1,434 yards receiving and 18 touchdowns. Then leading in total receiving is Ja’Marr Chase, who is leading the team in total yards receiving (1,559 ) and also has 18 touchdowns. And don’t forget about tight end Thaddeus Moss who has been clutch for LSU in big games this season.

On the other side of the field is Clemson, a team that is no stranger to putting up big numbers offensively.  For the year, Clemson is # 4 in the nation for scored points (45.2 per game), total yards a game (538.4) and yards per play (7.4). The Tigers are led by sophomore Quarterback, Trevor Lawerence. Lawrence has not had the sophomore slump some were projecting, which is ridiculous considering the numbers he put up as a true freshman. This year, Lawrence has thrown for 3,431 yards, 36 touchdowns, a 67.6% completion percentage, and only 8 interceptions. Accompanied by Lawrence is the three-headed monster: Tee Higgins, Justyn Ross, and Amari Rodgers. All three receivers combined for 2,322 yards and 25 touchdowns. They will need to step it up to help Clemson get the win.

This game tonight is going to be about who can make the big plays? Who is going to be the x-factors for each team? And what are the intangibles?

For Clemson, your x-factor is your defense. You have got to find a way to get pressure on Joe Burrow. He’s been sacked 29 times this season so it’s not impossible, but can they do it all night?  How about big plays? You have to get the ball to Amari Rodgers, Tee Higgins, and Justyn Ross to step up from the get-go. These receivers have got to get open. LSU’s DB’s are some of the best in the nation. And lastly,  your intangible is Travis Etienne. He is going to need a big game to take the pressure off Trevor Lawrence.

For LSU, your x-factor is your secondary. We all know how good Clemson’s receiving corps is, but LSU’s defensive backs are the best in the nation and they will need to stick with the Clemson receiving corp good tonight. Big plays are going to have to come from your Heisman signal-caller, Joe Burrow. He’s the Heisman Trophy winner for a reason. Let him win the game. And your intangible your offensive line. They have been great in big games this season and you will need them to hold the line one more time for Burrow because Clemson’s pass rush is one of the best in the nation.

I have watched both teams for most of the season and while I can say they both are great,  one thing to consider is that Clemson’s players’ have played on the big stage before. LSU’s players are going to be experiencing this type of game for the first time. Will the bright lights, the media hype, the long delay of not playing….will all these distractions/factors affect their mindset? I have also had time to think about this game and many outcomes/scenarios have played out in my mind but I really only foresee one true outcome: a shoot out! That’s right, this is going to be a back and forth type of game so batten down the hatches, there’s going to be a lot of star power making a lot of firepower (see what I did there?).

Get ready. The super dome is going to be lit. It’s going to be an amazing game- an instant classic in the making. It’s Tigers vs. Tigers. It’s Champion vs. Champion. It’s the National Championship, live from New Orleans and on ESPN at 8 PM. Enjoy the game, everyone.