Week 5 Recap College Football

Week 5 Recap

 

   So much to get to today after a big weekend of football. I'll start with a comment that was left on last week's "Key Games and Picks" segment. 

"You blew it big time on the Georgia Tech pick! The ACC is weak again this year.. Florida State and Clemson seems to be the cream of the crop. Florida State has yet to be tested. Clemson? Well they played a Georgia team thats good offensively. Georgia has a very young and undisciplined defense and probably makes them a bit overrated .I think Maryland will upset Clemson and Clemson will beat Florida State."

-Anonymous 

   Let me start by saying, I understand why you didn't leave a name with this comment. I wouldn't have left a name with such a horrible slew of comments either. So I missed on the Virginia Tech vs Georgia Tech game. I'm sure there are plenty of people who missed this game and many others.... And if I am understanding your comment correctly, because my pick was blown, that means the ACC is weak? Or maybe you just meant that in a pretty general way. This another phrase that I wouldn't leave my name attached to because it couldn't be more wrong. Let me check the stats at this point.... The ACC has a few teams worth mentioning at this point. Miami, Maryland, Clemson, and Florida State are off to great starts. The conference has made some big statements thus far. Not that it's a fair argument, but how may undefeated teams does the SEC have right now? How many undefeated teams does the BIG 12 have? The PAC-12? The B1G Ten? I'm not saying the ACC is the best, but they certainly aren't the weakest thus far. Wins over Georgia and Florida. Maryland is undefeated (which I get that the Terps haven't played the toughest schedule, but a win over West Virginia is looking more respectable now that the Mountaineers have knocked of 11th ranked Oklahoma State). Moving on.... Your next few statements are pretty bad too...... Georgia being overrated? How do you feel about that now? Georgia knocks off possibly the best LSU team in the last 5 or 6 seasons. Yeah, they are overrated alright..... Please...  Last but not least, you say Maryland will upset Clemson. If Maryland is 'for real', then yes, I could see that being a possibility.... And making the Clemson pick over FSU is not a bold move at all. Clemson is favored. And honestly, if FSU doesn't improve defensively, then FSU could end up losing 3 or 4 games. But thanks for posting your comments anyway. Next time have the guts to own your comments. At least the fans who submit their questions and comments for my Reader Question Segment each week aren't afraid to own theirs.... What's trash talking if you don't put a name with it? 

Game of the Week

   Okay, moving on..... How did my picks hold up this weekend. I was 22-7 heading into week 5, and I have come out the other side with a 28-9 record. My losses this weekend came from Virginia Tech beating Georgia Tech, and West Virginia upsetting Oklahoma State. 

   The big win this weekend had to be Georgia over LSU. Aaron Murray played amazing. The supporting cast was every bit as good, too. And, of course, you can't ignore the game LSU had either. Both teams played hard and played great.... Georgia just made a couple more plays down the stretch. If there was a few more minutes left, we might have seen a different outcome.....

   At this point in the season, it is safe to put Georgia in the National Title discussion. This game didn't just boost Georgia, though. Think of what this game did for Clemson. The Clemson Tigers have beaten both of these teams in the last 6 games. Clemson beats LSU in their bowl game last season, and then Clemson starts off with a huge win over Georgia..... Clemson now has to be taken very seriously in the National Title discussion. 

Biggest News of the Weekend

     Lane Kiffin was fired early Sunday morning. It may be some of the biggest news coming out of Week 5, but it certainly is no surprise, right? We all knew this would come if USC had another horrible showing. So, it looks like USC gets the head start over Texas at finding their next coach. Although, I think Texas already has their next coach. That being said.... Can Mack Brown save his job? If Mack Brown finds a way to win the BIG 12, does he keep his job? That remains to be seen, but I think his replacement could still steal the job from Mack Brown even if Texas finds a way to win 9 or even 10 wins. 

Biggest Disappointment of the Week

  Well, it was business as usual for Alabama, but it was boring. If Ole Miss could have thrown up at least one TD, it would have been a lot better to watch. Instead, the Crimson Tide just won with brute strength. Also, I am still not sold on Alabama this year. They are good, but they are clearly not has good as the previous Crimson Tide teams that have won the title the last couple seasons. It will be interesting to see how this team takes care of LSU. And, that all Alabama has to do the rest of the regular season. No more tests outside of the LSU game. Just business. 

Statement Games of the Week

 

    Ohio State passes their first test of the season with a convincing win over Wisconsin. Fun fact about the Buckeyes? Their first and second string QBs are very talented, and that could be proven to be very useful down the stretch.  Urban Meyer is on a roll, but could he be on the outside looking in at the end of the season? If Ohio State goes undefeated, and two other teams already ahead of the Buckeyes stay undefeated, what happens? Well, Ohio State could find themselves left out of the Title game in back-to-back seasons. Both for very different reasons, but how frustrating could it be if it goes that way for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes?

   West Virginia upsets Oklahoma State in a very tight game. Look, this could easily go down as the upset of the week, but I really think West Virginia is as good as they looked this weekend. At the same time, I have thought that Oklahoma State has been overrated based on their body of work thus far. This was a huge game for the Mountaineers. It showed that this team still has some character to respond this way after a huge loss to Maryland the week before.

   Oklahoma took care of Notre Dame. Bob Stoops has to like what his young but talented team has shown thus far. Notre Dame may not be the best test for Oklahoma, but it was still a good win for the Sooners. Are the Sooners a dark horse for the BCS Title game? Mmmmm, I don't think so. Not yet, anyway. But they are getting better every week, and maybe they sneak into that discussion in a few weeks.

   Georgia beating LSU was the game of the week, but it has to be one of the statement games of the week as well. Aaron Murray usually struggles against top ranked opponents, but not this season. He has been pretty solid this year in big games. Against LSU, he a was near perfect. The question for Georgia, now, is can they get to the SEC Title game and take the next step and win? Can Georgia get to that elite level? They have been pretty good for years, but now they have a shot at being great. 

Reader Questions Segment Week 6

   Don't forget to send in your questions or comments this week. Each week I tackle your questions here and give you my thoughts on anything college football. Send to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day. Join the discussion at www.fans25.com Check back for more College Football discussion.    

               

Week 5 Reader Questions

 

   This segment is on YOU. If you are a new readers to CollegeFootball2Day, this segment is dedicated to the readers and followers of CollegeFootball2Day. I tackle your questions, comments, predictions, or anything college football here. If you want in, just send to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com, or post to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day) And now you can join the discussion at www.fans25.com

    I stirred up some good questions this week. In a post earlier this week, I mentioned the case at Penn State, and how I thought that the NCAA needs a 'little reform'.  Specifically, I put the attention on the fact that the NCAA had decided to reduce the scholarship penalty against Penn State's football program. If you want a refresher, it's in the Archives (NCAA Reform).

    Here are a couple questions that stemmed from that post.

   Burns Mullins from Virginia writes:  Sorry Jeremy I have to disagree with you on Penn. St. They have changed all their  top positions including president and on  down plus the football players and coaches that are there now weren’t there when all that was going on. The present football players and coaches should not be punished for several yrs. because of something they didn’t have anything at all to do with. I’m not condoning what happened in the least bit but do think it’s time to let the present players and coaches get rewarded for what they are doing. 

    Thanks for reading and the comments. I have to agree, somewhat.... I certainly think it is terrible that whenever a school is caught with something that happened years earlier, the current players and coaches are the ones left with the penalties. This has happened numerous times over the last decade. Schools, players, and coaches have been penalized for violations committed 3, 4, or even 5+years earlier. My complaint with the NCAA over the Penn State issue, is that USC has complied with the NCAA and been very cooperative through that whole process. So... where is there reduction in penalties for good behavior? Unless the NCAA truly feels that they were too harsh on Penn State for something that potentially wasn't even under their jurisdiction. The NCAA took away wins, scholarships, and bowl eligibility from Penn State. I have to ask, though, What NCAA violation did Penn State commit? Yes, crimes were committed and law enforcement officials got involved and the investigation was underway. No ineligible players played football, no academic violations, no recruiting violations, no players were receiving money to play, the list goes on of all the things that they were doing right..... But yet the football program was punished, and punished harshly I might add. At the end of the day, though, I totally agree with your view on the Penn State issue. My problem is that I think other programs who "behave" while on probation should be treated same. I may not like USC, or Lane Kiffin, but the program has done everything right since they were put on probation. Where is their reward for making the right moves?  Thanks for your thoughts and comments.

   Nikki from Kentucky writes: I read your NCAA Reform Post, and I have to agree with most of what you wrote. The NCAA needs to be more Universal in the ways they handle programs that commit violations. One thing that I am shocked you didn't mention through that whole post, though.... Paying college players? Should that be something talked about when NCAA Reform is mentioned? Your thoughts.

    Yeah, you know, I left that out intentionally because it almost needs its own segment, and it's a VERY controversial topic.... but since you asked.... Paying players has to be the ABSOLUTE LAST RESORT. There are alternatives to paying players, and I think it's worth looking into, and implementing at some point. How about a stipend? Not a huge amount, obviously.... But how about $2,000? And let me clarify, EVERY Student Athlete should be eligible for it.... not just players of the major sports. Sure, there are the fans out there that feel very strongly that the 'free' education is enough. Well, I want to ask those fans... Were you a college athlete? Did you try to balance school and sports through college? I have not, but I have spoken with a player at a high profile program who feels like he missed out on having much of a college life because of the demand that is put on these players. He couldn't work a job because he didn't have time. He didn't have any other form of income. There was simply no time for anything like that. The NCAA has pretty much surrounded these college athletes with a false sense of freedom, and the NCAA makes MILLIONS off these student athletes, but yet these students don't ever see a dime from it. I won't listen to the argument that some people will make saying: "these guys go on to make millions after college in the NFL, or NBA....." Look, if you really believe that, I hate to stomp on your beliefs, but the percentage of college players going pro and making thousands, or millions is SO SMALL. And after that small percentage goes pro, what about all the players that don't get that shot at the next level? And I'm totally against the "pay to play" because it would ruin college sports. The smaller programs would go under, and it would be about 10 programs across the country that could afford it.... But the stipend is something every school could handle, especially if the NCAA gave some money back to the programs... I realize that I might have stirred up some more questions and controversy with this one, but you asked for my thoughts.....

Thanks for the question and comments, Nikki.

 Someone sent a question in with no name attached, and I won't post their email..... But thanks for the question anyway.....

Interesting views on the NCAA Reform issue. However my question is not about that. You posted about the coaches you think are on the hot seat. I think Mack Brown is gone after the season. Who do you think replaces him? Same with Lane Kiffin.... Who replaces him?

    WOW... Isn't it a little early to speculate on the replacements for these guys? Oh well,  I can give it a shot. I think the most obvious replacement for Mack Brown might be Will Muschamp. Now, I am not saying he will take the job. Florida is taking pretty good care of him right now, but I could see him leaving Florida. After all, he was the 'coach in waiting' at Texas before he went to Florida. Outside of him, I think Chad Morris (offensive coordinator at Clemson) has to be on the radar at several programs. He won't stay at Clemson forever, and it is very common to see a coordinator get some big job offers after a few years of consistent success. He has to be on the list. As far as USC goes? Hmmmm I can't see anybody from the eastern side of the country wanting to go out there to USC. Chad Morris might get a phone call, but he wouldn't take that job. You know, I think that remains a mystery. I can't think of anybody who would want that job out there... Sure, it's a high profile program, but it has a dark cloud hanging over it right now. What about Mike Leach? He is at Washington State right now, but that can't be where he really wants to stay. OH WAIT... I got it. It would be a perfect fit... Bobby Petrino. (And come to think of it, Petrino makes sense at Texas too)  Okay, you got me.... I really don't have a serious answer for you about replacing Lane Kiffin. 

Thanks for the curve ball question, but I liked it. It's always fun to speculate about coaching changes.

    Thanks for the questions and comments. Enjoy the games this weekend, and CollegeFootball2Day will be back on Monday with the Week 5 Recap. Don't forget to send in your questions each week.  

Week 5 Key Games and Picks

Week 5 Key Games and Picks

 

   There are some really good games this weekend, and some of them should shake up the rankings a little bit. Many teams are finally starting their conference schedules. The SEC has a couple of key match-ups which will help separate the men from the boys in that conference race. 

    I am 22-7 on picks thus far. Last week was a terrible weekend for my picks as both my upset picks were busts, so lets see what I can do this weekend.....

 

   Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech

While the Hokies' defense has been very good, their offense has been very bad. How long can the Hokies' defense hold up? Sure, it got them through a couple games against inferior opponents, but I think Georgia Tech may wear the Hokies down. It should be a close game for 2 1/2 to 3 quarters, but the Yellow Jackets will pull away and win by a couple scores. (Obviously) My pick: Georgia Tech

 

   Stanford at Washington State

Stanford made a pretty good statement last week, and I think that will continue this week. While Washington State will be pretty pumped for this game, Stanford will control this game. As long as the Cardinal doesn't overlook this team, they should dominate. 

My Pick: Stanford

  

    USC at Arizona State

Lane Kiffin's days are numbered.... Unless he turns this season around. And it has to start this weekend. They don't have much momentum heading into this game but they there is still a good fight left in this team. Whether they are saving it for this game or a bigger game down the road, remains to be seen.  Arizona State, on the other hand, has some frustrations built up after last week's poor showing against Stanford. I think the Sun Devils come out a little upset and get things done.  My Pick: Arizona State 

     Oklahoma at Notre Dame 
Surely Bob Stoops has his guys ready for this game, right? He shouldn't have to remind anybody about last year's blunder against the Irish. The Sooners aren't the same animal they were last year.... Neither is Notre Dame for that matter. Stoops may not seem like he is on the 'hot seat', but if losses stack up this season he will certainly start to feel the heat by season's end. For Notre Dame? Defense will be key in this game, and controlling field position will be as important as scoring points. This should be a pretty good grudge match. My Pick: Oklahoma

 

    Ole Miss at Alabama
Whew, I look at this game and think 'oh this should be a blowout'.... But something about the Crimson Tide just isn't right thus far. They don't look like a championship team..... Hear me out, before you get too upset at that statement. I'm not saying they don't win this game.... But I look at what they did against A&M and I think my expectations for BAMA's defense were much higher. I get that Manziel is a great player... better yet, a MAJOR GAME CHANGER. He is crazy good, but I expect a championship caliber team to be able to control, or at least contain ONE player. So if there is something I think Saban has challenged his team to do over the next couple games, it has to be that his defense steps up. Okay, back to this match-up.... If this was at Ole Miss, I would love the upset alert here....but it's not at Ole Miss. The Rebels will play the Tide really tough for maybe a half, but I think the Tide pull away on costly mistakes by Ole Miss. My Pick: Alabama

 

    Wisconsin at Ohio State
Braxton Miller should be back for this game, however I don't think Buckeye fans would complain if he wasn't. His backup has been brilliant. Wisconsin is looking to turn some heads this weekend. And of course, finally, this will be an okay measuring stick to see just where Ohio State might be as far as Championship material is concerned. So far, they have done what we've expected, obviously against over-matched opponents....so I am interested in seeing them against their conference foes. My Pick: Ohio State


    Florida State at Boston College
Yep, this game shouldn't even be on the list, but it's my Noles and it's a conference road game. Oh, and it Jameis Winston. The Noles haven't really been tested yet, and it won't be a fair test this weekend either, however....... for Winston, it's another chance for him to grow and get better. The biggest question mark thus far for the Noles has been their defense which has started slow in each of their 3 games this season. Now this might be nitpicking, but the first drive in all 3 games, the Noles have given up way too much ground against very inferior teams. Is it because they are still playing a very vanilla type defense and they are saving the good stuff for Oct. 19? Well, I think part of is that. They certainly aren't showing all their cards yet. But now the Noles are getting the bulk of their conference schedule rolling, starting with Boston College. Each game will be tougher leading up to the game against Clemson. And each week the Noles need to be getting better.... I'll be fair and leave this out of my picks for this weekend; I don't want to pad the stats TOO much.

     LSU at Georgia
By far, this is the biggest game of the weekend. A chance for Georgia to put themselves right back in the middle of the BCS Title race..... Then there is LSU looking to take the next step in proving they deserve some spotlight as well. I like this match-up even more so than the BAMA vs Texas A&M. In a year where Alabama escapes playing tougher teams from the eastern division, LSU steps up and says "we will do it, we will play any team from the eastern division". Okay, to be fair, these schedules are set in place a year or two in advance, or in some cases 3 or 4 years in advance. But still, it is refreshing to see a couple of heavyweights from different divisions collide during the regular season. In my opinion, at this point, I think LSU looks like the better team. Not because of their unbeaten record (it's clear that LSU hasn't played anybody as good as Clemson yet), but I mean from a total package standpoint. LSU's defense has looked the part, and their offense has improved greatly from last season. On the other side of the ball, Georgia seems to be more battle tested, but I still wonder about Aaron Murray. He put some of the criticism down after a solid win over South Carolina, but then again, South Carolina looks a little lost this year. Which QB would you take? Mettenberger and his great TD to INT ratio (10 to 1) or Murray, who struggles against top ranked opponents? Is it possible that Murray has turned over a new leaf and he is ready for the big stage? Only time will tell. Georgia's run game will be key in helping Murray, and Georgia has the running-backs to give LSU problems. I'll be honest, it's hard to pick against the home team but then it seems as though Murray is still the big question mark. 
My Pick: Georgia

    Honorable mentions to some match-ups that didn't make the cut, but you might keep your eyes on this Saturday.

Florida at Kentucky. Regardless of how bad Florida has looked thus far, Kentucky is not a real threat either.

California at Oregon.  We saw what Ohio State did to California a couple weeks ago.... now it's time to compare that game with how Oregon handles Cal. 

South Carolina at UCF. Really? How did South Carolina get roped into this game? Oddly enough, I think South Carolina is on upset alert this weekend. 

   That's it for today. Watch Virginia Tech take on Georgia Tech tonight. Friday is Reader Question Segment. Send in your questions, comments, predictions, or anything college football and CollegeFootball2Day will tackle your questions here. Send to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com , or post to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day 

   Don't forget to check out our friends over at www.fans25.com and join the discussion.
 

NCAA Reform

NCAA Reform or Bust

 

     It was announced earlier this week that the NCAA will start to give Penn State some of their scholarships back each season until all scholarships have been given back to the University. So what do we take away from this move by Mark Emmert and the NCAA? Is this the start of Reform with the NCAA? Is this the right move? Whoa, wait a minute.... Why is the NCAA going back on some of their punishments issued to Penn State? Should other schools that have been punished by the NCAA be upset about this?.................

 

    The questions could go on and on.....

 

    Clearly the NCAA has made itself look bad in many situations over the last 20 years or so.... but in the last 6 or 7 years,  the NCAA has turned into a sinking ship, and they aren't doing much at this point to help themselves either. Penn State gets some scholarships back, and we all want to know why. It's speculated that the NCAA has said they "like what Penn State has done after the sanctions were passed down and they like the direction they are heading". Okay so let me get this straight..... I am the NCAA: "Oh, I see Penn State has had good behavior for a few months, I think we should give them some of their scholarships back." Excuse me, but that isn't the way the NCAA has worked in the past and last I checked, this wasn't some secondary violations at Penn State. Crimes were committed. SERIOUS crimes. Does the NCAA or Mark Emmert suddenly feel that they were too hard on Penn State and this is their way of showing it? What a mess.... The NCAA is broken, now more than ever.

 

   So if you are USC, how does that make you feel? USC never got a break on their sanctions or a 'reward for good behavior'. Has USC not been doing all the right things while on probation? If not, why haven't they been punished more? What makes Penn State so special that they are suddenly above other schools with lesser violations? If I am USC, I would be on the phone with the PAC-12 Commissioner and leaving voicemails for Mark Emmert every hour of the day.

 

 

    How is the NCAA looking right now? We know how USC might feel. We know how most college football fans feel about the NCAA. What about the University of Miami? It has now been 1,000+ days since the NCAA started an investigation at Miami. The investigation has uncovered scandals and so many violations..... then the NCAA found that they were corrupt in their investigation process. I mean, really? How can we trust the NCAA for anything? So the NCAA is telling me, you, and the entire country that they have had time to dish out punishments to Penn State, and then reduce the punishments, AND STILL NOT HAVE ISSUED ANY TYPE OF PUNISHMENT TO MIAMI? How much longer can they hold Miami hostage? My guess, I think Miami gets a slap on the wrist when it's all said and done. Is that what they deserve? Well, no.... but they don't deserve to be held hostage either. I hate Miami, they are my team's rival, but even I know when to draw the line. I wouldn't wish what Miami is going through on anybody. Sure, the easy way to avoid this is to not commit any violations..... but that's not the point. The point is they got caught 3 years ago and are still waiting for the punishment. So there you have it, Miami..... I am supporting the 'U' this one time and this one time only. Don't misunderstand me here.... I hope my Noles destroy them this season, and I hope they get the punishment they deserve in all of this..... But I am against the way the NCAA has handled this situation. Make sense? I think so.

 

 

    What's your take? You have a complaint about the NCAA? I want to hear about it. Send to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day Also, join the conversation at www.fans25.com 

Week 5 College Football Chatter

Week 5 College Football Chatter

 

 

    Week 5 is upon us and there are plenty of headlines out there to discuss.

 

    Obviously everyone has heard about the 'Nick Saban to Texas' drama. Story broke last week that Texas had met with Saban's agent in January to discuss replacing Mack Brown. One thing is for sure after hearing this..... Mack Brown may not be around much longer. It may not be Saban to replace him, but now he has to know that Texas has been a bit disappointed with the job he has or hasn't been doing the last couple seasons. So the bigger question? Why would Saban leave BAMA? Money? Nope, It wouldn't be for the money. I love reading where Crimson Tide fans say "oh BAMA would match whatever Texas offered".... ATTENTION! It wouldn't be the money to draw him away. Saban loves a challenge. He also wants to go down as one of, if not the best, coach in college football. So how do you that? Sure, winning Titles is one way..... But what about winning Titles at 3 different programs? That stat alone would immortalize Saban's image. Winning 4, 5, or maybe even 6 Titles will keep your name around for awhile.... but another coach will come along and one up that eventually. Winning multiple Titles at THREE different programs? Come on! That would be huge. 

   Okay, we get that it would be HUGE to win Titles at three different programs..... But why would Texas be a good fit for Saban? If that question wasn't so easy to answer..... Texas has the money. They have the TV deals..... Oh and they have some of the best talent in college football in their own backyard. If there was a program outside the SEC that Saban could work with, it would have to be Texas, right? See, maybe I just threw a clue out there.... An Easter Egg if you will..... Maybe he wouldn't take the job because it's Texas. "WHAT?!?!" Maybe he doesn't want to leave the SEC. So maybe Texas is its own worst enemy.

      And for those Crimson Tide fans who say that Saban said he "isn't interested in leaving Alabama"........ COME ON!!! Saban is the master at hiding his true intentions. Like..... "I am not interested in the Alabama Head Coaching Job" Yeah... we see how that worked out. Saban is like a politician deciding to run for president..... Politicians announce they are running for president by saying "I am not going to run for President". So I believe we can leave this topic open for debate until the offseason. My opinion? I think he is out the door if Alabama wins their third straight title.

     Shifting gears a bit..... AP Poll after Week 4:
1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Clemson
4. Ohio State
5. Stanford
6. LSU
7. Louisville
8. Florida State
9. Georgia
10. Texas A&M
11. Oklahoma State
12. South Carolina
13. UCLA
14. Oklahoma
15. Miami

    CollegeFootball2Day's Top 15 Poll
1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Clemson
4. LSU
5. Ohio State
6. Stanford
7. Florida State
8. Louisville
9. Georgia
10. Texas A&M
11. Miami
12. Oklahoma State
13. Oklahoma
14. South Carolina
15. UCLA

  There weren't any real big moves over the last week. Obviously after Week 5, there are going to be some changes. As conference play gets into full force, there will be plenty of exciting matchups that are sure to affect the rankings in a big way.

    Back on the HOT SEAT topic..... Who do you think gets fired first? Mack Brown, Lane Kiffin, or Bo Pelini? I have to go with Lane Kiffin. USC has another loss coming this weekend. Oops... I meant to keep my picks to myself until Thursday and Friday. Oh well, are any of you shocked by that pick for this week. Arizona State over USC? Yes, it will happen..... And I think that Kiffin will be fired within the next two or three weeks.... That is... if USC fires him in the middle of the season. I'm not sure USC will want to finish the season with an interim coach.... and that's all that keeps Kiffin in place at USC until the end of the season. 

    Mack Brown still has a chance to save his job. Texas still has all its goals in front of them. They could still win the conference and get to a BCS Bowl.  Of course, a lot will be riding on the OU matchup..... Anybody see the Longhorn's last game? I had to go back and watch the end of the game myself just to see the reaction of the fans. Texas fans must have been thinking they beat Kansas State from last season when they were ranked..... based on what I saw, it looked like Texas had just knocked off a top 5 team.... Please Texas, I know it's been a little while, but please act like you have been here before.

    Bo Pelini's job security might be the most underrated story. How much longer will Nebraska put up with mediocre football? Are they afraid to fire him because of the mistake they made when they fired Frank Solich? They got rid of Solich a little prematurely and that lead to a great hire after that now didn't it? Then came Bo Pelini.... He seemed to get Nebraska rolling again, but that is gone and mediocre football has set in.... Ask Alabama, or LSU, or Florida fans if they are okay with their team winning 8 or 9 games every year. Sure, 8 or 9 doesn't sound bad to a team that was in the gutter for 2 or 3 seasons and missed a season or two of bowl games. But to a fan of a team that is expected to get 10, 11, or even 12 wins every season? Anything less, and it's a bad season. Look, I know because my team was at the top for a decade and then they fell. The Noles went from winning 10+ games every season for 13 years in a row, to struggling to get 8 or 9 wins.....they even had a couple 8-5 and 7-6 seasons as well. You see how long that lasted? High expectations got a great coach in Bobby Bowden forced out. That says something.... Am I proud that FSU forced Bowden out? No... not at all... However, I am proud that the University has high expectations that they want their program to live up to, and that they are willing to make the tough decisions to get the program back on the map again. And Bo Pelini is NO WHERE CLOSE to being Bowden.... So to me, this should be a no brainer of a move for Nebraska..... Pelini, however like Mack Brown, still has his team goals ahead of them. Nebraska could still make some noise with a few upsets this season, and Pelini's job could be saved....But do Nebraska fans think this is the guy to get them back to winning Titles?

    Okay, that's it for today. Check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day and give us a 'LIKE and a 'SHARE'. Want more college football talk, news, and discussions? Join our friends over at www.fans25.com Remember to send in your questions/comments/anything college football in for CollegeFootball2Day's Reader Questions Segment. I will tackle them here each week.
Send to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com , post to our Facebook page, or join the discussion at www.fans25.com   

Week 4 Recap

Week 4 Recap

 

    By far, this was my worst week of picks. It's my own fault in a couple of those picks, but I wasn't sure Tennessee was as bad as they looked against Florida. The VOLS had a real shot in this game and they choked. Butch Jones couldn't have asked for better play from his defense. They kept it close and played tough but the offense is where the real problem lies with this team.

 

 

    So, Florida got the win. Driskel (Florida's starting QB), broke his leg and is out for the rest of the season. Where does this team go from here? The Gators have looked terrible in each and every game this season. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? There might be..... and it's hard to tell if this team is headed in the right direction. One thing is for sure, though..... Driskel will not be the one to lead the offense. Murphy came in and did a nice job at bringing a little spark to the offense...... and I emphasize the word 'little'. It was enough to get the win and that is what counts at this point.

 

    Maryland dismantled West Virginia. Are the TERPS for real? Sure, we get it.... West Virginia is not the best measuring stick for Maryland to use, but it's all they have at this point of the season. This team hasn't had this great of start in years..... So maybe it's time we start giving the Terrapins a little bit of respect. It wasn't one of those games where one team has a few lucky plays and pulls out a 10 or 14 point win....... or a game where it leaves you saying "it could have gone either way"...... This was complete and total domination from start to finish.... and it was in terrible weather conditions. You better believe the media, and myself, will be paying a little more attention to the TERPS as the season progresses.
 

 

    Arizona State comes up short at Stanford. This was The Cardinal's first real test of the season. Arizona State has a bright future ahead if they can keep heading in the direction they are going..... but this game was telling, in that Stanford is still getting the right pieces to the puzzle. We all had our questions about Stanford heading into this game. They have looked questionable against lesser talented teams, so we had every right to think they would struggle against a team like Arizona State. Instead, Stanford came out and won in convincing fashion..... Almost looking identical to last year's team. We saw glimpses of that greatness, now the question is 'can they maintain that high level?'

 

   Auburn is improving but not enough to take down LSU. Is anybody paying attention to LSU? The spotlight has been on Texas A&M and Alabama recently, but LSU has made huge improvements from last season. I will be the first to admit that I really thought this LSU team would struggle this year. Clearly they have made all the right moves during the offseason, and now they appear to be ready to make a statement in the SEC West. Shifting away from LSU a little bit..... Auburn looked okay. Are they anywhere near where they want to be....well no... but at this point, you can't be upset with the way they have played this season. They have plenty of room for improvement but I don't think they are the pushover they were a year ago.

    Clemson survives the Wolf-Pack last Thursday night. This was an important game. This was supposed to be one of those games that Clemson 'pulls a Clemson'. Well, they didn't..... Is this a turning point for the Tigers? Are they the team ready to live up to the hype? Sadly we won't know the answer to those questions for at least a few more weeks. For Clemson fans, you better hope this is the season they can win a BCS bowl at the very least.....because I think there will be some coaching changes in the upcoming offseason. How long do you think it will be before Clemson's offensive coord. Chad Morris will get a head coach job offer? Who is to say he hasn't already? Maybe the right job hasn't come calling.....yet. The magic number for a coordinator to get noticed is 3..... 3 full seasons at having your offense (or defense) performing at a high level is going to get you some job offers. Much like Florida State was last season, Clemson has some high expectations to live up to...... the season may be on the line for Clemson come October 19 and the pressure will be on the Tigers to beat conference rival Florida State.

    Speaking of Florida State...... I only mention their game from this weekend because it was a game where redshirt freshman, Jameis Winston, proved to be human after all..... He was 10-19 passing with 2 TDs. Not bad numbers by any means, but it wasn't anything like what he had been doing in his previous two games. Even Winston admitted after the game that he was greedy. He wanted so bad to make the throws to his first reads instead of hitting the second and third choices of guys who were wide open. And again, I know he is going to have his growing pains, and the media should acknowledge that as well..... However it seems as though they want this guy to be invincible. The warm-up games are over for Winston. We will see a very talented QB in the coming games. Certainly, we are all anxious to see Winston play in some big games.

  Check back for more updates, and if you are looking for more college football talk and discussions, visit our friends at www.fans25.com
   Also, don't forget you can be a part of CollegeFootball2Day's Reader Questions segment each week. Send to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day   
 
 

Week 4 Key Games and Picks

Week 4 Key Games and Picks

 

    I am 19-4 with my picks this season and I am still looking for that perfect weekend. There are a few interesting matchups this weekend, and then of course, there are a few snoozers.

 

    My Key Games to Watch:

 

   

    

Thursday Night Clemson travels to NC State. MY PICK: Clemson

   

    Hello upset alert! There is some kind of curse when playing away from your home on a Thursday night. For some unexplained reason, ranked teams struggle big time on the road in these games. I know from years of experience what it is like having that Thursday night game that just blows up in your face. Florida State went several years where they lost on Thursday night. So.... is it a little strange that NC State has the chance to knock off the #3 ranked team in the country again? This time being Clemson. The Wolf-Pack have experience at ruining Clemson's and Florida State's season..... They have done it at least 3 times in as many seasons. Last year it was FSU. The year before it was Clemson..... and the year before that? Yep, Florida State. So there has been a trend the last few seasons. We will find out tonight if that trend continues. Clemson is clearly the better team, but so are all the other teams over the years that have fallen to NC State.

 

 

 

Tennessee at Florida.  MY PICK: Tennessee.... UPSET ALERT

 

   If you asked me about this game a couple weeks ago, I would have simply said Florida has this game in the bag. Well, Florida has looked horrible in the first few weeks, and now Tennessee thinks they have a shot. There is one rule that every team has when playing an inferior opponent..... and that is "Don't let them hang around until the second half." The longer the VOLS hang around in this game, the more pressure that will be on the Gators. You have been warned, Florida. How will Florida kick off the SEC schedule?

 

 

Michigan State at Notre Dame MY PICK: The IRISH

 

   The Spartans are looking to make some noise early in the season with a win over the Irish. And maybe even show that anything their rival Michigan can do, they can do better. They will have their shot this Saturday. Playing at Notre Dame is no easy task either.

 

 

 

West Virginia at Maryland  MY PICK: West Virginia

 

   Okay, I get it. This isn't THAT big of a matchup.....but it will tell us a little more about Maryland. They are undefeated thus far, but they haven't played a respectable opponent..... So the pressure is on to win a game that means something. Sure, West Virginia may not be that team for other programs to hang their hat on, but it is for Maryland.

 

 

Arizona State at Stanford  MY PICK: ARIZONA STATE!

 

   By far, maybe, the biggest game on Saturday. And I really think Arizona State has what it takes to pull off the upset. This isn't NC State vs Clemson, where one team is overmatched.... This is a little more evenly matched and I think Stanford might be overlooking this game. Keep an eye on this game.... Could be another top 10 team falling. I look forward to seeing Stanford living up to the expectations and having the season everyone wants them to have this year, but they have to get by this Sun Devil team first..... 

 

 

Auburn at LSU MY PICK: THE TIGERS!! Okay... LSU

 

   Again, another game that could turn into a snoozer but it is an SEC matchup..... anything could happen, right? I don't know..... I'm not buying that it will be as good of a game as an SEC matchup should be..... None the less, it makes making a pick pretty easy here. You can't go wrong picking the Tigers to win.....

 

 

 

Snoozer Game of the Week:

 

There are several teams that make the cut for this, not just one.....but I won't list them all..... Okay maybe a few....

 

Florida State hosting Bethune-Cookman.

  

   Yeah, who is that? FSU can continue to thank West Virginia for canceling their matchup the last couple of seasons. Maybe one thing that could keep some fans interested in watching is to see how long Winston plays in this game. I am saying he plays FOUR offensive series. Then Jacob Coker comes in and plays SIX

 

series before the third string comes in for the rest of the game. Who cares.... I am going to watch.

 

Honorable Mentions:

 

Colorado State at Alabama. Come on SEC! What kinda game is this?

 

Florida A&M at Ohio State. Yeah, not much to say here either.

 

Savannah State at Miami. It might be good for the Canes to get some offensive practice..... 

 

   Don't forget to send in your questions, comments, or anything college football. CollegeFootball2Day's Reader Question Segment is set for this Friday. Send to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day Each Week I tackle your emails and posts. And as always, don't forget to give us a "LIKE" and a "SHARE" on our Facebook page.