Showing posts with label SEC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SEC. Show all posts

Sunday, September 3, 2017

The Morning After - Winning the Opener

Welcome back to The Morning After, a Sunday staple of BENched. TMA began as a way for me to provide my thoughts on the previous day's Clemson game. It morphed into writing about the national landscape.

A new season is upon us and I'm going with a new format. There will be four quarters and an overtime, followed by "Tiger Tweets."  The first quarter will be all Clemson. The second through fourth quarters will be a look at the most important games from the weekend. Overtime will be some quick hits of the other action. Tiger Tweets will be a condensed game thread of some of my personal favorite tweets about the game.

There are still a few games to go over the holiday weekend. None should really impact the Playoff race, but a couple could turn the burner a little higher on some already hot seats.

1st Quarter
If you read my season-opening post, you know I'm high on my Tigers. It all stems from knowing Dabo Swinney loves the underdog role. With all the offensive firepower gone, pundits across the nation are hesitant to pick Clemson for a third straight Playoff run. That's understandable, but Swinney plays that chip on his shoulder better than most.

Kelly Bryant showed off his arm and his wheels
to lead Clemson in a blowout win over Kent State.
(Photo courtesy AP)
I realize Kent State is not a barometer for this team, but as Swinney mentioned during postgame this team played a relatively clean game. It was good to see Kelly Bryant lead the offense to three straight scoring drives. One of Clemson's strengths is its offensive line (returning four of five starters). Bryant had time to throw and the lanes were wide open to run through. The Tigers were very balanced and played 91 players in the game. Getting the youth playing time will pay dividends down the road. Clemson scored 56 points, gained 665 yards (312 passing, 353 rushing), all four running backs scored a rushing touchdown along with Bryant, and the passing game was on point.

Kent State managed 120 total yards and threw just five passes, completing one for one yard. I don't know why the Golden Flashes stuck to the running game against one of the best defensive front sevens in the country, but it's hard to get a read on the Tiger D when a team is voluntarily one-dimensional.

There is lots of promise for this team. The talent is there, but these next four games to close September are a different animal than what these youngsters have seen at the collegiate level. Clemson has Auburn visiting Saturday, then travels to Louisville, home vs. Boston College, and at Virginia Tech. Buckle-up, Tiger fans.

As always, one game at a time. Beat Auburn.

2nd Quarter
The GOAT (Greatest Opener of All-Time) was quite the DUD. Early on, it looked like we'd have a competitive game. But as it wore on, it was clear the Alabama was a step above Florida State. The Tide stuffed the Noles running game, holding FSU to 40 yards on the ground. Ultimately, offense and special teams blunders doomed the Seminoles. Good teams, like Alabama, take advantage of those mistakes.

Where FSU was impressive was on defense. Despite being put in terrible situations much of the second half, the Noles stiffened up and kept the deficit from growing. Alabama outgained FSU by just 19 yards. Jalen Hurts only threw 18 passes, completing 10 for 96 yards and a TD - seven of those completions and the TD were to playmaker Calvin Ridley. But Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough, and Hurts combined for 39 rushes for 168 yards (4.3 yards per carry).

FSU would have had a long way to go to reach an ACC Championship this year before Deandre Francois got hurt. If his knee injury is serious, the Noles may be in rebuild mode with a young backfield. I feel bad for Francois. He's done nothing but get pounded into the ground since he put on that uniform. I hope his career isn't ruined because FSU can't block for him.

I'm also not completely sold that Alabama looks like the best team in the country just yet. In year's past, they destroyed their opening week competition. On Saturday, they struggled and were practically gifted some points off turnovers.

Still, I think both teams will be in the conversation in November.

3rd Quarter
Another team that impressed many but I'm holding back on is Michigan. The Wolverines had a hard time getting things going against a stout Florida defense. Starting QB Wilton Speight threw two pick-sixes that would have sunk Michigan against any other opponent with an offensive pulse. Lucky for the Maize and Blue, this was Florida. Quarterbacks not named Tim Tebow or Danny Wuerffel, umm, aren't good. Somehow, the Gators put up 181 passing yards, but only ran for 11.

Yes, Florida was without a lot of suspended players, including its starting running back and star wideout. However, at a place like Florida it's inexcusable not to have backups ready to fill in and take over.

On the other sideline, the stats show Michigan dominated this game. The scoreboard told me it was a nine-point game late in the fourth quarter. How do you only give up three offensive points and find yourself needing a defensive score to seal the deal? Michigan is a young squad and this win will go a long way for confidence-building. I still think Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin are above them in the Big Ten right now.

4th Quarter
I dislike preseason predictions and prognostications (despite myself picking the Playoff teams last week). I think it places expectations on teams that haven't stepped on the field yet. Then, we judge a season-opening game based on those expectations and that's simply not fair. Take USC and Sam Darnold for example. Many anointed Darnold as the Heisman favorite based on last year. They have USC pegged as the Pac-12 representative for the Playoff. Maybe that got to the Trojans heads a bit, as they were deadlocked at 28 midway through the fourth quarter with Western Michigan.

Ohio State is another example. The preseason No. 2 team and favorite to win the national championship by many, trailed 14-13 at halftime at Indiana. The Buckeyes won going away, 49-21. Despite holding the Hoosiers to 17 rushing yards, OSU allowed 420 through the air. It took the offense three quarters to hit its stride, but that happens.

Let's hold off on the hot takes for another couple weeks until we see some of these teams against better competition. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Overtime
Most of the top teams played cupcake games. However, there were some other interesting results. I'll start with South Carolina knocking off NC State. The Wolfpack doubled the Gamecocks' yardage output 504-246, but shot themselves in the foot too many times. Deebo Samuel made some huge plays for USC and Jake Bentley showed off his skillset. But once again, hold your horses. South Carolina got the win, but there are plenty of question marks. NC State took the loss, but much like a season ago, one play here or there can turn this team into a conference contender.

The conference debate was a major talking point in the offseason. The ACC finished 2016 on top, but that quickly went south. Aforementioned FSU and NC State lost to SEC schools, North Carolina lost at home to Cal, Pittsburgh needed overtime to pull out a win against Youngstown State, and Louisville squeaked by Purdue. The Big Ten had the best weekend, getting out of conference wins away from home over Florida and Texas by Michigan and Maryland, respectively. Purdue's loss to the Cards looked respectable and even Rutgers managed to hang with No. 8 Washington for a half.

Like I said, it's a marathon still. Lots can happened between now and conference championship weekend.

Tiger Tweets












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Friday, July 14, 2017

I have an SEC problem

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Well folks, I'm here to tell you, I have a problem. An SEC problem.

A little background for those who don't know me. I grew up in Columbia, SC. I was raised in a house divided - Mom was a Gamecock, Dad was a Tiger. I think somewhere around sixth or seventh grade, I finally picked sides. I cut myself one day to check and sure enough, my blood runneth orange! (I really didn't cut myself).

Growing up in South Carolina, particularly Columbia, you hear all the crowing about the SEC, but never see what all the fuss is about. Gamecock fans yell "SEC! SEC! SEC!" more than any other fan base. And as it has been noted, they have an "Alabama mouth and a Vanderbilt trophy case" - and that might be demeaning to Vandy.

This talkative bunch won their first bowl game in 1995 and hadn't experienced success until Steve Spurrier came along. Before he arrived, South Carolina's overall record was sub-.500. Since he left, they've slid back into mediocrity-at-best. Clemson owns the overall series record over South Carolina 68-42-4. In my lifetime, the Tigers are 19-11-1 against the Gamecocks, including last year's 56-7 thumping. Against other SEC foes since 2011, Clemson is 6-2 with wins over LSU, Georgia, Auburn and Alabama.

I tell you all that because that's where my personal disdain for the conference began. Thanks a lot, Gamecock fans.

On a whole, since the ACC didn't decide to become a "football conference" until very recently, ACC football was always looked down upon with the exception of Florida State. Many schools were on the verge of breaking through yet never did. The addition of Miami and Virginia Tech was supposed to upgrade the conference, but the Canes took five steps backward and Virginia Tech was barely relevant nationally early on in their ACC marriage.

Thus, SEC football was the king of the south. And everyone else had to deal with it.

I despise the SEC. I loathe it. The constant "we're better than thou" attitude despite the fact that most of them aren't. The "we won seven straight national titles" when it was four teams who won, not 14. Sorry, Georgia and Tennessee and South Carolina and Kentucky and Vanderbilt and Mississippi State and Ole Miss and Arkansas and Missouri and Texas A&M, but you didn't win a championship. As for LSU (2003 and 2007) and Florida (2006 and 2008), we're going on 10 years since you last won a title.

Most of all, I hate the arrogance that fans of SEC schools have, who don't give credit to other teams and conferences. Sure, a few SEC teams have been on top and are tough to beat, but that doesn't mean the success of others should be downplayed. Nor does it mean that everyone in your conference are world beaters. That's just Alabama.

Yes, the SEC experienced unprecedented success with the seven straight championships and the 2011 rematch in the title game between LSU and Bama. But the fans haven't come down as far as the play on the field has in the past few years.

There have been three CFB Playoff years. The ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 have sent two different teams each to the first three semifinal matchups. Alabama is the only SEC representative to make the Playoff (all three years). In all likelihood, the Tide will once again represent the SEC in 2017. Not so favorable for the crowd screaming "The SEC has the most depth." Seems to me that a deep conference would be represented by more than just one school in college football's ultimate prized tournament.

But wait, there's more...

SEC media bias
Yes, ESPN has agreements with pretty much every conference, including the little guys like the MAC. But which one has the ESPN invested more money in? Which one did ESPN start a TV network for?

There is a media bias for the SEC, like it or not. Pick any college football Saturday this coming season and see which games are on in primetime. More often than not, you'll find SEC games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU in prime slots (read: after 3:30 PM ET).

Oh, and guess who spent the entire week at SEC Media Days with a full crew for not one, but two different shows (SEC Now and College Football Live). The four-letter network again.

Now, I'm not saying every analyst is told to pick SEC teams for this or promote an SEC player for that. I'm saying when your company has invested more money and more time in one conference, it's going to get way more play, eye balls across the country are going to see way more SEC coverage, and people are going to fall into the trap that is watching SEC more than other games.

Switch over to Fox or FS1 a few times this season and see how varying their coverage is. You won't get SEC crammed down your throat, I promise.

"We get beat up by the brutal SEC schedule"
Ah, the old "we're not good by the end of the season because we got roughed up early on" argument. Yeah, okay. This is what you will hear when an SEC team loses in a bowl game or a late regular season rivalry matchup. It's totally contradictory to the argument when an SEC team wins those games and they boast that the SEC has depth and is strong top to bottom. Also, what's the argument for when you lose one of the first few games of the season?

Let me get this straight, if you win it's because your conference prepared you for it, but if you lose it's because it's too tough and beat you up? I guess you can spin anything to make it fit your stance.

For one, I'd love for Clemson to play an SEC schedule. Heck, I'd love to see any team play an SEC schedule. I'd also love to see LSU or Alabama or Florida or Georgia play an ACC or Big Ten schedule. Or heck, go play the wide-open spread offenses in the Big 12 week in and week out.

Recall that Texas A&M and Missouri - two former Big 12 schools - entered the SEC, with Missouri winning the SEC East twice and A&M beating big, bad Alabama on their home field. Next.

"They're built like an SEC team"
This phrase is regularly used to justify another team being great. So they're built like Missouri? Kentucky? Mississippi State? Or do you really mean they're built like Alabama? To pump up your entire conference as if all 14 teams are in the Top 5 is ridiculous.

What does this even mean anyway? That only SEC teams produce fast, physical, athletic players? I'll give you that more players are drafted in the NFL than any other conference, but that doesn't mean Michigan and Oklahoma are producing minor leaguers. The best NFL running back in the last 15 years - Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma (Big 12). The best NFL quarterback - Tom Brady, Michigan (Big Ten). The best receiver - Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech (ACC).

These things are cyclical. Twenty years ago, people wanted to be "built like" Nebraska and Florida State. When Tennessee won in 1998, nobody said they were built like a Big 12 or ACC team. Fifteen years ago, it was Miami. When LSU won in 2003, no one proclaimed the Tigers to be "built like a Big East team." Twelve years ago, USC was the darling. No one was going around when Florida won in 2006 saying, "They're built like a Pac-12 team."

So stop. Clemson, Florida State, Ohio State, and several others aren't built like an SEC team. They're built like a Top 5 CFB Playoff contender.




"It Just Means More"
I'll end on this one because it's my favorite. By now you've seen or heard this moniker from coast to coast. I'm not here to argue that it doesn't mean more than it does in Austin or Norman or Eugene or Ann Arbor.

I'm here to tell you to own it. If you're going to go around beating your chest that "It Just Means More" to you in the SEC, then don't get your panties in a wad when a non-SEC team beats your beloved school and does a little MORE bragging than usual.

Whatever it is might mean more to you, but it also means more to us to beat you.

 This past season, you weren't first. You were second. You can't spell second with S-E-C. And that's a fACCt!

-BtW
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Friday, December 2, 2016

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 14 (Championship Week)

Another month of football gone. Hard to believe we've reached the end of the college football season. Championship Week presents a whole new season in itself. Plenty is on the line for all the championship games - Playoff positioning, New Year's Six Bowls, bragging rights (in Bedlam). It's time to man up or shut up. As for BENched, we've had a good, not great, season of picks. Rivalry Week pulled a fast one with several upets. But we're in the championship phase. Just like these games, this is when it counts most.

2016 BENched PTF Record
Last Week: 10-10
Game of the Week Pick: 5-4
Overall: 117-54 (.684 win %)
*Rankings below reflect the CFB Playoff Top 25

Friday

MAC Championship (Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.)
Ohio vs. No. 17 Western Michigan (Line: Western Michigan -17)
On the verge of a 13-0 season, Western Michigan is staring a New Year's Six Bowl in the face. It's right there for the taking and all that stands in its way is Ohio, which has lost four games, but all have been decided by single digits. The Broncos, on the other hand, have had one game decided by single digits. In fact, it was a single-digit win (22-21) at Northwestern to start the season. No slowing down the boats. They can row right on down to the Cotton Bowl after this one. Boat Rowers 41-24

GAME OF THE WEEK
Pac-12 Championship (Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.)
Sefo Liufau has Colorado in position for one of the best
turnarounds in college football history.
(Photo courtesy Associated Press)

No. 8 Colorado vs. No. 4 Washington (Line: Washington -7.5)
Implications in this one are larger than the Pacific Ocean. Washington knows it must win the Pac-12 to be considered for the CFB Playoff. The Huskies have had a fantastic year, but despite the 11-1 record, they are just 1-1 against the current Top 25. Colorado can creep into the conversation by knocking off No. 4. The Buffaloes are the turnaround team of the year, led by Sefo Liufau. Colorado's defense may be the best the Huskies have faced, but UW's defense is far and away the best the Buffs have seen. Huskies 27-21

Saturday

AAC Championship (Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.)
Temple at No. 19 Navy (Line: Navy -3)
Navy has a chance - albeit slim - to earn a New Year's Six berth. Ironically, Navy needs the boats to stop rowing and sink.  The Midshipmen need a Western Michigan loss and to beat Temple for that conversation to begin. If the Broncos win tonight, which BENched predicts, all Navy can play for is a conference championship. That'd be tremendous for our nation's Naval Academy. Middies 34-20

 Big 12 Championship - Bedlam (Oklahoma leads 85-18-7)
No. 10 Oklahoma State at No. 9 Oklahoma (Line: Oklahoma -11)
One of the few regular season games remaining on the schedule, Bedlam figures to live up to its name. The Sooners and Cowboys will go toe-to-toe with the Big 12 title on the line for the fourth time in the last six years. Oklahoma has a dynamic offense that is unstoppable with Baker Mayfield leading the charge. Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon are a great one-two punch in the backfield, but Dede Westbrook is a sensational wide receiver. Opposite OU is Oklahoma State's high-octane offense that has recently found a running game. Both defenses are, for lack of a better word, awful. This one will have points galore. Ponies and Wagons 55-45

SEC Championship (Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga.)
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 15 Florida (Line: Alabama -24)
Unlike the matchup above, defense won't be optional in the Georgia Dome. Alabama boasts the nation's best and Florida isn't far behind. Alabama didn't allow a touchdown in four games in November. Florida has no offense, so this one shouldn't be close. Tide 33-3

ACC Championship (Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.)
No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 23 Virginia Tech (Line: Clemson -10)
Clemson has been on a tear since its loss to Pitt three weeks ago. Actually, the Tigers' offense has been on a tear since their Oct. 29 game at Florida State. In the fives game since, Clemson has scored 37, 54, 42, 35 and 56 points. Virginia Tech always has a tough defense with Bud Foster sailing that ship. And the Hokies' offense has seen an uptick with new head man Justin Fuente and quarterback Jerod Evans. But Clemson looks to be on a mission and VT won't be able to keep up the whole game. Tigers 41-17

Big Ten Championship (Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.)
No. 6 Wisconsin vs. No. 7 Penn State (Line: Wisconsin -3)
The storylines out of the Big Ten are numerous. Ohio State allegedly is a lock for the Playoff. Penn State, which beat Ohio State, could win the Big Ten and be left out of the Playoff. Wisconsin is most likely left out even if it wins. These scenarios are all barring what may or may not happen in other conferences, like the ACC and Pac-12. There's little arguing that the Big Ten is the best conference this season, but whether its champion slides into the Top 4 is a mystery. As for the game, Penn State is a second half team, so ignore whatever may happen in the first half. Wisconsin has a stout defense and will pose problems for the Nittany Lions. Expect this one to be close and low-scoring. Nittany Lions 16-9

-BtW
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Sunday, November 27, 2016

The Morning After... Another State Championship!

1) What Clemson and South Carolina fans witnessed Saturday night was complete and utter domination. One team was focused, talented and eager to put a whippin' on its rival. The other just wanted to get out of dodge as soon as possible. The Gamecocks could not match up with the Tigers man-for-man.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)
2) Deshaun Watson likely finishes his career in Death Valley the way he started it. In Watson's first career home start, he threw six TD passes against North Carolina. Saturday night, he tossed six against South Carolina. The young man has had a career worthy of every award and record he's earned. I've been critical of him and I don't apologize for that. There are still flaws in his game, but at this time, it's just nitpicking at things I wish were perfect. Well, Deshaun Watson ain't perfect. Nobody is or ever will be. But Watson is as close to perfect as Clemson's ever had at the QB position.

3) A year ago, Mike Williams stood on the sidelines with a neck brace. Williams might want to get his back checked out this time as Gamecock defenders dangled off him all night. He made NFL-type catches and showed by Mel Kiper has him as the No. 1 WR in the upcoming NFL Draft. His first TD was a thing of beauty. His second was unreal. Williams carried the Carolina defender eight yards into the end zone. You have to see it to understand how awesome of a highlight that was. Williams was a man among boys.
4) Incredible defensive performance by the Tigers to boot. USC freshman QB Jake Bentley looked like he belonged in high school. He finished 7-of-17 for 41 yards and an interception. Bentley only played one half, supposedly injuring his knee. Will Muschamp said there was nothing wrong with him other than he wasn't comfortable pushing off throwing, but Muschamp didn't want to put him back in the game. The Gamecocks had 218 yards, were 4-for-14 on third downs, and had just 14 first downs (Clemson had 41). Again, there was very little South Carolina could do to find any mismatches on the field. The Tigers were just better all around.

 5) I'm going to do a little bragging here, and also set the record straight. I've heard nothing but a bunch of whiny sour grapes coming out of the mouths of Gamecocks - coaches, players and fans. You got beat. Deal with it. Stop trying to act like you didn't do any trash talking all week. Stop trying to act like you didn't rub it in during your five-game winning streak. Stop trying to act like your players are perfect little angels and Clemson's are the scum of the earth.

Clemson's players didn't say much this week and let their play on the field do the talking. They very well could have said a lot, considering they'd won two in a row in the series. After the game, a third straight win, they didn't hold back. And good for them. They're right. South Carolina has been, is, and always will be the little brother in this state. Clemson does run the state. The 56-7 thrashing makes that pretty clear. As does the 68-42-4 series record. Get over it.

6) Michigan and Ohio State might have been a good game that went to double-overtime, but color me unimpressed. It was 17-17 at the end of regulation. Neither offense looked competent. Ohio State's kicker missed two chipshot field goals. Michigan fumbled at the one-yardline and threw two costly INTs - one returned for a TD and one that set up a short TD drive. Ohio State was 3-of-16 on third downs. Michigan had 91 rushing yards (2.1 yards per rush). I realize it was a huge game with big ramifications, but neither team was impressive. The rest of the nation will tell you it was a classic - and it was - and that both teams are deserving of high rankings and praise. That's great. Just not from this guy.

7) Rivalry weekend produced a lot of thrills and upsets that no one saw coming. NC State knocked off North Carolina, Missouri over Arkansas, Air Force over Boise State, Texas Tech over Baylor, and Arizona over Arizona State ... All of those took place before Saturday. Then, there was Georgia Tech over Georgia, Kentucky over Louisville, Mississippi State over Ole Miss, Oregon State over Oregon and Vandy over Tennessee. Gotta love it.

8) The Heisman race is back open. Here are the serious contenders: Lamar Jackson, Louisville; Deshaun Watson, Clemson; Dalvin Cook, Florida State; Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma; Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma. That's it. Jackson has stumbled his past two games to allow the other contenders to close the gap. I still think he will be the winner, but it won't be as large of a margin as previously thought.

9) The ACC finished 3-1 over the SEC for the second straight season in in-state rivalries. Over the past three seasons, the ACC teams (Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Louisville) are a combined 10-2 against South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Kentucky. ... Every Power 5 conference has a championship game next weekend - four actual championship games (ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC) and one by luck (Big 12). ... The Playoff Committee ranking comes out Tuesday and I will warn everyone now: Michigan will be ranked No. 4 this week. The Committee isn't likely to drop Michigan behind Washington at this point because the overall body of work favors the Wolverines. And a double-overtime road loss to the No. 2 team in the country doesn't do much to warrant a big drop anyway. However, conference championships are not factored in this week. After this coming Saturday, they will be and that's where Michigan (and Ohio State) will likely drop if Clemson and Washington win their conferences.

10) After Virginia Tech's 52-10 over Virginia, Hokies defensive end Ken Ekanem said, "This was a statement game, to tell Clemson that we're coming." Bring it, turkeys. Beat Virginia Tech.

-BtW
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Friday, November 25, 2016

This is OUR state

67-42-4.

That is Clemson's record against South Carolina. The Tigers own a 25-game lead in a series that is the second longest running rivalry game in the country (107 straight games; trails Wisconsin-Minnesota currently at 109).

The Palmetto Bowl rivalry between Clemson and South Carolina takes a backseat to no one. Sure Alabama-Auburn or Ohio State-Michigan or OU-Texas have had more meaningful games in their series history. But the hatred between fans of the Tigers and Gamecocks is on equal footing as those rivalries.

Clemson currently owns a two-game winning streak. It comes on the heels of a South Carolina five-game streak. That was a first in the rivalry's history. 

You see, Clemson is used to beating South Carolina. The Tigers have had a four-game or more winning streak eight different times through the years. The Gamecocks have done it twice. 

Clemson's longest streak is seven (1934-40). The Tigers have had two four-game streaks since 1997. 

South Carolina's longest is the five-game streak it had from 2009-13. Prior to that, the only streak to reach four wins was from 1951-54.

USC or Carolina, as it's known throughout the state of South Carolina, won the first game of the series in 1896. That year was the fourth for USC's program and the first at Clemson. Carolina won 12-6. That's the last time the Gamecocks led the series. Clemson won four in a row and 13 of the next 16 (two SC wins and one tie). Clemson blanked South Carolina nine times in those 13 wins, allowing a total of 31 points. The Tigers reigned supreme and haven't looked back in the series.

Until the last decade, the Gamecocks were a sub-.500 program all-time. They'd won one conference title (1969 ACC Championship) and one SEC East title in 2010. They were a middling program, usually picked behind the SEC East powers (Florida, Georiga, Tennessee) and just ahead of the cellar dwellers (Vanderbilt and Kentucky). 

Clemson won the 1981 national championship and currently owns 15 ACC championships - tied for most in the league with Florida State - along with six other conference championships from previous affiliations. Of course, the Tigers played for it all again last year.

If you're from the Palmetto State, you must pick a side.
But this game means everything in the Palmetto State. Families are split. You're born into it and you don't have a choice. You're either a Tiger or a Gamecock. You live with folks on either side. You go to school with friends of both teams. You work alongside the enemy.

For 364 days a year, you're reminded about that last November encounter - or you're the one doing the reminding. Then, that 365th day comes and everything reaches fever pitch. Whether in Williams-Brice Stadium or Death Valley, fanbases on both sides converge for a day of tailgating, football ... and hate.

The moment those orange-clad fans spot garnet clothing, you'll hear a familiar refrain: "Cock-a-doodle-do! Cock-a-doodle-do! Carolina Gamecocks to hell with you!" A Gamecock fan will reply back with a "Clem-sucks!" And the back-and-forth spewing goes on all day.

Rivalry jokes are aplenty. Stories of games are recounted at annual family gatherings, such as Thanksgiving. It's all in good fun, ribbing your family members for their latest loss.

One day a year, though, it's all hate. The build-up to this week starts with quotes from players and coaches. It boils to highlight videos from previous years. Thanksgiving dinners are prepared and predictions are made at the table. Other games serve as an appetizer to ours. Saturday arrives and you could cut the tension in the air like a hot knife through butter.

We've won too much in this series and have too much riding on the line to let our feathered friends from Columbia ruin our season. That record, 67-42-4, is that way for a reason.

Rivalry? No. That's just a cute moniker because we share a backyard.

This is domination. This is our state.

Beat the Gamecocks.

-BtW
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Sunday, September 25, 2016

The Morning After... A Wild, Winning Weekend!

Dabo Swinney celebrates Clemson's first win at Georgia Tech since 2003.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Football)
1) When you haven't won at Historic Grant Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium since 2003, and you leave the 2016 game with a 19-point victory, you feel extremely great about yourself. Only, Clemson fans felt only half great. While the first half looked like what Tiger fans have come to expect - leading 23-0 at the break - the second half was ho-hum. Clemson struggled to finish. Clemson went vanilla at least on offense. Could the Tigers have been holding back with Louisville coming up next?

2) Clemson's defense looks better than I can remember, even the past two years where over 15 players have been drafted to the NFL. The Tigers have played 240 minutes of football so far this season and have had arguably 8-10 "bad" defensive minutes - the last three at Auburn, the last five vs. Troy, and the one scoring drive against Georgia Tech. Clemson has allowed five touchdowns in four games and is giving up 11 points per game.

3) Brent Venables is the second greatest thing at Clemson. Maybe the first. But the first is Deshaun Watson.

3B) Ray-Ray McCloud is emerging as a star. McCloud has been the most consistent receiver outside of Mike Williams through four games for the Tigers. He had a career-high eight catches for 101 yards at GT. He is tied with Williams to lead Clemson with 21 receptions and is 51 yards behind him in total yards.

3C) It was great to see tight end Jordan Leggett get involved. Leggett had one catch coming into Thursday, but produced four receptions and a TD. He has been a missing piece to the Tiger offense and will be needed the rest of the season.

4) How 'bout the little ole ACC? Outside of the conference games - Clemson-GT, Pitt-UNC - the conference went undefeated (8-0) on the weekend. The surprising wins were Duke knocking off Notre Dame in South Bend 38-35, Virginia beating Central Michigan 49-35, Syracuse won at UConn 31-24 and Wake Forest remaining unbeaten with a 33-28 win at Indiana. All four schools were 3-point underdogs or bigger, with Duke a 20.5-point dog to the Irish, and three of the games were on the road (UVa was home). Combined with big wins by Louisville, FSU and Virginia Tech, this was a great weekend for a conference on the rise.

5) Speaking of Louisville, the Cards romped past Marshall 59-28 in a game that wasn't that close. However, for the first time this season Lamar Jackson looked a little less like Superman. He still finished with seven touchdowns (5 passing, 2 rushing), but was 24-of-44 passing and threw an ill-advised interception. The Thundering Herd kept him in check on the ground, allowing him just 62 yards. Louisville only led 7-0 after one quarter. It was one of those games where the Cardinals dominated, but didn't necessarily look perfect doing so. The guess here is they had one eye looking toward Clemson.

6) Some of the wildness began Friday with Utah scoring with 55 seconds left to beat USC 31-27 and continued into Saturday. ... Tennessee finally got the monkey of its back by beating Florida after trailing 21-0. ... North Carolina trailed Pitt by 13 with under 10 minutes to go, but scored twice including the game-winner with two seconds on the clock. ... Les Miles' poor clock management skills bit him and LSU again. The Tigers needed a TD with no timeouts left. They failed to get out of bounds, were penalized and had a 10-second runoff, then did not have enough time to get a snap off - even though the refs initially allowed it and LSU scored the would-be go-ahead touchdown. After review, the clock was triple-zeroes and Auburn won 18-13. ... In the nightcaps, Stanford scored with under 30 seconds to go to take a three-point lead over UCLA. Keep in mind, Stanford was a 3.5-point favorite. UCLA QB Josh Rosen was sacked on the last play of the game and fumbled. Stanford ran it back for a TD to make the final score 22-13. A humongous play for Vegas betting. ... Arizona and Washington traded blows late in the fourth quarter for some amazing #Pac12AfterDark action. Zona scored with 4:50 to go to tie it at 21; Washington re-took the lead 40 seconds later; Zona scored with 27 seconds to go to send it to overtime; And the Huskies eventually won in OT, 35-28.

A wild weekend indeed.

7) There were skeptics about West Virginia and Baylor. Both undefeated, but both unproven. Until Saturday. The Mountaineers knocked off BYU in another entertaining game, 35-32. Baylor took down Oklahoma State to earn its first conference win, 35-24. The Bears and Mountaineers remain unbeaten and atop the Big 12 standings. Baylor should have little trouble next week at Iowa State. West Virginia hosts Kansas State in a tricky game, as the Wildcats are still coached by Bill Snyder which means they are vastly underrated and prime for an upset.

8) Quick hitters: Texas A&M served noticed to the rest of the SEC West that it will contend. The Aggies knocked off Arkansas 45-24. A&M goes to South Carolina before a big two-game stretch at home against Tennessee Oct. 8, then a bye week before going to Alabama Oct. 22. ... Wisconsin also served notice that it will not be overlooked in the Big Ten. Everyone thought the Big Three in the Big Ten were Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State. The Badgers had none of that, demolishing the Spartans on their home field 30-6. With Iowa struggling, it looks like Wisconsin may be the best team in the West division. Nebraska may have something to say about that, though. And the Badgers head to the Big House this weekend.

 9) Top 10 on tap: Next week will produce three top-10 matchups including No. 7 Stanford at No. 10 Washington (Friday), No. 8 Wisconsin at No. 4 Michigan, and No. 3 Louisville at No. 5 Clemson. Other big games include Oklahoma at TCU, North Carolina at No. 12 Florida State and No. 11 Tennessee at No. 25 Georgia. (Note: Rankings reflect current AP Poll)

10) All eyes, though, will be on Tiger Town next weekend. ESPN's College GameDay will be on hand to kickoff the morning live from Bowman Field. The game will be broadcast in primetime on ABC with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Sam Ponder on the call. It was one year ago when Notre Dame visited Clemson on the exact same weekend (Oct. 3, 2015). Get up. Get ready. Get loud. Get CLEMSON LOUD. Beat Louisville.

-BtW
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Sunday, September 11, 2016

The Morning After... That? What was that?

Hunter Renfrow's acrobatic touchdown catch was one of the
few bright spots for the Clemson offense Saturday.
(Photo courtesy TigerNet.com)
1) There will be no sugar-coating in this blog - this Clemson team has not looked like a Top 10 team so far this season, much less the No. 2-ranked team. I fully expect the Tigers to drop a couple spots in the polls in a few hours. No offensive rhythm, dropped passes, nine carries for 34 yards by a running back who had over 1,500 yards last season, lack of QB protection, questionable play-calling, unfathomable mistakes, terrible third down conversion rate ... and that's just the offense. Luckily, Clemson's defense has looked somewhat the part of the past two seasons, but even they gave up two late scores that turned a 27-10 ballgame into an onside kick recovery away from a major scare.

2) About that third down conversion rate. Against Auburn and Troy, Clemson converted 14-of-37 tries on the money down. The Tigers were 8-of-20 against Troy. The 38 percent conversion rate is nearly 10 percent less than that of the 2015 team, when it finished the season with an over 47 percent conversion rate. Staying on the field and running more plays does a few things. One, it allows your offense to get into rhythm. Two, it deflates a defense trying desperately to get off the field on third down. Three, it allows your own defense to rest a few more plays instead of sending them out there after another three-and-out. This area needs to get better ASAP.

3) We've all seen it one too many times, and I've made it a point before to say this when it happens: Run the ball through the back of the end zone if you can and hand it to a referee after you score.

3B) Seriously, how hard is that? Run the ball past the goal line 10 more yards to the back of the end zone and give it to the ref. That way, you KNOW you scored.

4) Not everything that has happened offensively this season is Deshaun Watson's fault, but he simply does not look like the same guy from a season ago. I don't know if it was all the travel for awards and camps and appearances at ESPN or the 300 hours of courses he took between the end of last season and now or what. But this is not the same guy who had aspirations of winning a Heisman and getting a national championship before he left Clemson. If you read between the lines of all the quotes from Watson, Dabo Swinney, and co-offensive coordinators Jeff Scott and Tony Elliott, they are all searching for answers.




Among others, Scott said, "We're just not clicking the way that we know we can. We know what we have in that room and for whatever reason we're just not on the same page right now."

Elliott noted, "We've got to find rhythm on offense. ... We tried to establish an early rhythm in the running game, but they came out with some different structure where they were going to take some chances. They were geared up to stop our bread and butter, so we had to find some complimentary schemes we had to get to. ... We felt like we could make some plays in the passing game until we could figure out what were our best schemes."

You mean the opposing team game-planned to stop what you do, and you weren't prepared for that and had to spend time figuring out what would work? Yikes.

5) I'm moving on. I could spend all morning writing about how bad this team has looked. Luckily, Clemson is 2-0 and that is ultimately what matters. If they put it together over the next 10 games and the offense clicks, this will be a minor blip on the radar. For now, it appears there are myriad problems needing fixing.

6) The Sooners bounced back to the tune of 459 yards in the first half in a dominant win over UL-Monroe. This was expected, as the Warhawks were no match for Oklahoma. The air raid offense was wide open and OU pretty much was able to do whatever it wanted. Backups played the entire second half, which prevented any injuries as the Sooners get set to host a big one next weekend in Norman. Ohio State (I refuse to call them "The") comes calling in what should be a fantastic heavy-weight matchup.

7) So much for a ho-hum Saturday with zero games involving two ranked teams. Non-Power 5 teams pulled off more upsets of Power 5 teams for the second straight week. ACC - NC State lost to East Carolina. Big Ten - Cincinnati beat Purdue and FCS Illinois State knocked off Northwestern. Big 12 - Central Michigan stunned Oklahoma State (albeit, the last play should have never happened, thought it did and thus, as a Top 25 team, you don't put yourself in that position to begin with) and Ohio beat Kansas ... well, that's not an upset. Pac-12 - San Diego State defeated Cal and Boise State held on against Washington State, although that, like Ohio-Kansas, wasn't so much an upset, but still a non-Power 5 taking down a Power 5. SEC - Well, there were no upsets in the SEC this week, but Nicholls gave Georgia a close call.

8) Texas might be the Big 12's saving grace. Oklahoma fell to Houston last week, then Oklahoma State was upset by Central Michigan and TCU lost a heartbreaker to Arkansas Saturday. That means the top three Big 12 teams heading into the season all have a loss. None are technically out of the Playoff hunt, but the Longhorns have looked sharp early on. With momentum in their favor, the Horns may be the best shot for the Big 12 to get a team into the Top 4 of the initial Playoff rankings.

9) Quick thoughts - In case your thumb wasn't fast enough to change channels, or you fell asleep early, you missed some wild ones last night. Arkansas-TCU had a crazy finish including two blown leads, a blocked game-winning field goal and double overtime, ending in a Hog victory. Boise State almost blew a 17-point lead, but held on to knock off Washington State 31-28. Utah thwarted a BYU comeback by stuffing a would-be game-winning two-point conversion. San Diego State held on against Cal on the West Coast. And some guy name Kalen Ballage scored a FBS record-tying eight touchdowns to help Arizona State win a shootout against Texas Tech 68-55. ... On Friday, Louisville blew the doors of Syracuse and the Carrier Dome, 62-28. Cards quarterback Lamar Jackson is the immediate front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. Against the Orange, Jackson had 411 passing yards and 199 rushing yards to become the first QB in college history to pass for over 400 and rush for over 175. He's accounted for 13 touchdowns in the Cards' two games, despite only playing half a game in the first one. Look out, Florida State. The Noles go to Louisville this weekend in what should be a gargantuan matchup.

10) I don't care if the offense scores a touchdown on every possession and puts up 100 points this week. That does not mean they have it all figured out. Clemson is playing a MEAC school and should do that. Just a two years ago, the Tigers beat SC State 73-7. It'd be nice to see that again, but I won't be convinced that all is right in TigerTown. I'll need to see it again the following Thursday in Atlanta. That said, one game at a time. Beat SC State.

 -BtW
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Friday, September 9, 2016

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 2

After what was billed as the greatest opening weekend ever, college football enters cupcake week. Opening weekend produced some real exciting games, lots of upset, and left us wanting more. Unfortunately, the second week of the season will be a bit of a let down.

There are no Top 25 showdowns. Some decent games are on tap, including a few rivalries, but don't expect to be tied to your La-Z-Boy all day Saturday. Let's get to the picks!

2016 BENched PTF Record: 9-3 (.750 win %)
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Saturday

Penn State at Pittsburgh (Line: Pittsburgh -4.5)
Pitt-Penn State Rivalry (Penn State leads 50-42-4)
This rivalry is finally renewed after a 16-year hiatus. Neither team is coming off impressive wins in the first week, as the Nittany Lions beat Kent State 33-13 and the Panthers knocked off Villanova 28-7. James Conner's return was heart-warming. He scored two touchdowns in his first action since taking on and defeating cancer. Should be a dandy to kickoff the day. Despite the game being played in Pittsburgh and in an NFL stadium, the crowd should be pro-Penn State and the atmosphere tremendous.
Pittsburgh 23, Penn State 17

Troy at No. 2 Clemson (Line: Clemson -36)
For the third straight game, Clemson takes on an opponent from the state of Alabama. For the second straight week, the Tigers face off against a former Clemson defensive coordinator. Returning to the friendly confines of Death Valley for the first time in five games, Clemson aims to get its offense rolling against a scrappy, but overwhelmed bunch from Troy. This may be closer than the 36-point spread, but it won't be close enough to be worrisome for Tiger fans.
Clemson 38, Troy 17

Kentucky at Florida (Line: Florida -16.5)
The Gators led UMass 10-7 in the fourth quarter before pulling away 24-7, while the Wildcats blew a 35-10 halftime lead and lost to Southern Miss 44-35. Florida has a 29-game win streak over Kentucky, a streak that likely won't be broken this season in The Swamp.
Florida 28, Kentucky 10

 South Carolina at Mississippi State (Line: Mississippi State -7)
The Gamecocks opened the Will Muschamp era with a 13-10 win over Vanderbilt. South Carolina trailed 10-0 at halftime, but Perry Orth found some rhythm in the second half, enough to pick up the road win. Meanwhile, Mississippi State was left searching for answers after blowing a 20-7 lead against South Alabama, then missing a short field goal late that led to a 21-20 win for the Jaguars. The Bulldogs being a seven-point favorite is either telling that Vegas still believes in the Bulldogs, or what they think of the Gamecocks.
Mississippi State 27, South Carolina 17

 Arkansas at No. 15 TCU (Line: TCU -7.5)
This one will have eyes all over it. TCU was slow out of the gate against South Dakota State, ultimately winning 59-41. Kenny Hill seemed to grasp the Horned Frog offense, passing for 439 yards and two touchdowns, and rushing for three more scores. Arkansas struggled to put away Louisiana Tech, needing a fourth quarter TD to win 21-20. Expect the Hogs to stick with their ground and pound approach. If they get too far behind early on, it could be tough trying to play catch-up with the high-flying Frogs.
TCU 44, Arkansas 27

Iowa State at No. 16 Iowa (Line: Iowa -15)
Battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy (Iowa leads 41-22)
Iowa returned a lot from the 2015 squad that went undefeated in the regular season, but faltered in the Big Ten Championship Game and the Rose Bowl. The Hawkeyes have another easy schedule that should allow them to win double-digit games again. Iowa State on the other hand is breaking in a new coach, as Matt Campbell made his way to Ames from Toledo. His debut was forgettable, though. The Cyclones fell to Northern Iowa in Week 1. A rivalry game can always produce an interesting result, but the only thing interesting about this one will be seeing the trophy on the field.
Iowa 40, Iowa State 17
BYU quarterback Taysom Hill is back for one more season.
Hill looks to lead his Cougars to a big win at Utah in the Holy War.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)
BYU at Utah (Line: Utah -3.5)
Holy War (Utah leads 58-34-4)
It's not on the level of Alabama-Auburn, Ohio State-Michigan or Oklahoma-Texas, but there is no love lost between BYU and Utah. The Utes rolled out to a 35-0 lead on BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl in December before holding on for a 35-28 win. Fresh off a shutout of Southern Utah, the Utes aim for their second win over BYU in three games. BYU opened the season with an 18-16 win over Arizona at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale to kick off the Kalani Sitake era. Taysom Hill is back for the Cougars and that's a good thing for college football fans. Hill's mobility and toughness could lead BYU to an upset here. In fact, I'll pick it.
BYU 23, Utah 20

North Carolina at Illinois (Line: North Carolina -7.5)
The Tar Heels fell flat after holding a 10-point lead on Georgia in Atlanta, ultimately being run over by Nick Chubb. Good news, UNC fans, Illinois does not have a Chubb on the roster, or anything like him for that matter. Lovie Smith led the Fighting Illini to a 52-3 whooping over Murray State. North Carolina presents a different challenge with offensive weapons all over the field including running back Elijah Hood. Last year, Hood had 129 yards and a TD run in a 48-14 Tar Heel win over Illinois in Chapel Hill. Something tells me he has a big day in Champaign.
North Carolina 37, Illinois 24

Virginia Tech vs. No. 17 Tennessee (Line: Tennessee -11) - at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn.
Over 150,000 folks will pack Bristol Motor Speedway for the most anticipated, but too far away to see from the stands game in college football history. Bristol, Tenn., splits the two campuses and this game has been in the works for years. Tennessee looked ugly in its season opener against Appalachian State, earning a come-from-behind 20-13 win in overtime. The Hokies struggled early in their opener against Liberty, but topped the Flames 36-13. Tennessee, on paper, has more talent. There could be many storylines out of this one, including the amount of fans, the noise level or lack of, the sight lines, the depth perception of the players, etc. Still, the Vols probably get it done.
Tennessee 24, Virginia Tech 13

 Texas Tech at Arizona State (Line: Arizona State -2.5)
The first of many late night starts that are actually pretty good games comes to us from Tempe, Ariz. Patrick Mahomes might be the best under-the-radar quarterback in college football. Most people expect the Red Raiders QBs to have huge stats because of the system. Mahomes, however, possesses a power arm, accuracy and mobility that sets him apart from previous Texas Tech signal callers. Arizona State also has a high-flying offense, so expect a lot of points in this one.
Texas Tech 45, Arizona State 38

 Washington State at Boise State (Line: Boise State -10.5)
Mike Leach and his band of pirates, er, Cougars head to The Blue" for the home opener for Boise State. Luke Falk, like Mahomes an unheralded but very good quarterback, will try to duplicate the 2015 season in which he threw for over 4500 yards and 38 TDs to just eight interceptions. The Cougars also lost to an FCS school to open that season, but went on to win nine games and defeated Miami in the Sun Bowl. Boise State has a force at running back, though. Jeremy McNichols leads the Broncos offense and could be trouble for Washington State, which gave up 45 points to Eastern Washington.
Boise State 52, Washington State 31

 Cal at San Diego State (Line: San Diego State -7)
San Diego State is a sleeper pick for the top Group of 5 team to emerge unscathed. A touchdown favorite, the Aztecs are hoping to upend a Cal team who have already had an interesting start to the season. The Bears scored 51 points to beat Hawai'i in the opener two weeks ago in Australia, but spent the last week overcoming jet-lag. Now, they head south to take on a team looking for a season-defining win.
San Diego State 41, Cal 31

 Virginia at No. 24 Oregon (Line: Oregon -24.5)
This late-nighter won't be pretty. FCS Richmond took down Virginia last week and Oregon looks to be as potent on offense as ever. The Ducks don't have a Marcus Mariota, but they do have Royce Freeman, the best running back you haven't heard of yet. You can head to bed at halftime of this one, if the game isn't already out of hand by then.
Oregon 63, Virginia 10

 -BtW
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Sunday, September 4, 2016

The Morning After... A win on the Plains!

Well, that was quite the way to open the college football season. Every Power 5 conference suffered an inexplicable upset. Two preseason top five teams fell, the first time that's happened on opening weekend in 44 years. There was a kick six, a few overtime games, one that lasted until 4:30 AM EDT, and lots to discuss. Let's get to it!

Hunter Renforw makes a spectacular catch for a TD
in Clemson's 19-13 win at Auburn.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)
1) When your offense is hyped up all offseason and sputters to produce 19 points, you blame it on the fact that you opened the season in a tough road environment and still have some kinks to work out. That's just shy of what happened with No. 2 Clemson Saturday night on the Plains at Auburn. Deshaun Watson never looked like the part of a Heisman candidate, but was able to find star receiver Mike Williams nine times for 174 yards. Watson also threw a beauty of a pass to Hunter Renfrow for his only TD toss of the night. And all criticism aside, he did notch 248 yards through the air and made a few nice plays with his feet, avoiding being sacked all game. There's much room for improvement, but you have to think this offense with all the weapons will figure it out.

 2) When your defense is questioned all offseason after losing eight starters to the NFL for the second straight year, you turn to Brent Venables and go next man up. Man, what a performance on that side of the ball. Facing a carousel of Auburn quarterbacks and having the Wing-T thrown at them at last minute, the Clemson defense looked every bit the part of the top 10 defenses of the past two seasons. The line played with reckless abandon, and until Clemson went into prevent mode late, the back seven clamped down on Auburn's air attack. All-in-all, Clemson held Auburn to 87 rushing yards and 262 total. Clemson has led the country in tackles for loss each of the last two seasons and got 2016 started off with 13 TFLs. Any more questions?
3) If you had one more, Jadar Johnson answered the question of who is going to step up in the secondary. Cordrea Tankersley had a nice game, but Johnson took the game in his own hands. He climbed the ladder for an interception inside the 10-yard line early in the game. Then, he knocked away not one, but two Auburn Hail Mary attempts in the waning seconds. Big plays when the ACC Tigers needed them most.

4) In Dabo we trust, I know, but with such a veteran team, offensively speaking, how can you allow your star running back to run out of bounds on third down with 45 seconds to go? And after that, how do you not kick a field goal to put your team up by nine? I know the kicking game seems to have a big question mark after missing yet another PAT, but your kicker made two field goals - a 30- and 40-yarder - earlier in the game.

5) I believe my brother said it best last night: "Offense seems like it has too many plays to choose from and only one ball." That's often the case when there's so much returning. Tight end Jordan Leggett was MIA and Artavis Scott had three catches for 30 yards. When Watson needed a play, he made a back-shoulder throw to Williams. It felt like that was the only sure-fire play Clemson knew would work. Wayne Gallman had 123 yards on the ground on 30 carries. There just wasn't enough push up front to force Auburn into panic mode.

5B) By the way, I told a good friend of mine earlier this week that I fully expected Clemson to use some type of big boy package on the goal line and would include Dexter Lawrence a la William "The Refrigerator" Perry. Add in Christian Wilkins and you have 650 pounds of freaks of nature blocking for Wayne Gallman. Needless to say, Gallman waltzed into the end zone untouched. More of that, please!
6) Moving on to other action, I was a bit surprised to see Oklahoma out-classed by Houston. The Sooners have talked a big offseason about getting a taste of the College Football Playoff and wanting to finish the job, but didn't appear to take their game to NRG Stadium. We saw that early from OU last season when the Sooners struggled to pull out a win at Tennessee and then were stuffed by Texas. Maybe Bob Stoops can right the ship, once again, but with Ohio State coming to Norman in two weeks, it'll have to be quick.

7) Alabama has a knack for being able to transition from one season to the next. USC is not a good team right now. The media tried to hype the Trojans as this top 20 club, but it was all smoke and mirrors. However, the Tide rolled in big fashion. A completely new backfield including a true freshman quarterback in Jalen Hurts proved once again that the title will go through T-Town. In fact, Alabama is the only team to have proven its preseason ranking worthy. There were some huge blowouts by other top 10 teams, but the level of competition gives us pause.

8) About those upsets... ACC - Virginia was routed by FCS Richmond. Big 12 - Northern Iowa rallied to take down Iowa State. Big Ten - Northwestern fell to Western Michigan. Pac-12 - Another FCS take down as Eastern Washington dropped Washington State. SEC - South Alabama stunned Mississippi State when the Bulldogs missed a 28-yard field goal in the final seconds; Kentucky was run over by Southern Miss.

9) Extra points: It's Week 1, so step back and relax. There's a lot of football to be played. In fact, there are still two HUGE games this weekend - Notre Dame at Texas tonight, FSU-Ole Miss Monday. In 2015, Stanford scored six points in a loss to Northwestern in Week 1, then reeled off 12 wins over its next 13 games, including blowing out Iowa in the Rose Bowl and producing a Heisman runner-up. Only one team ended the regular season undefeated - Clemson - so one loss now means very little come December. ... Wisconsin gave the Big Ten a chance to puff its collective chest out against the SEC by taking down LSU at Lambeau Field. The Badgers played with a lot of heart and kept Leonard Fournette out of the end zone. ... The ACC-SEC showdowns produced a win for each side - Clemson holding on at Auburn, and Georgia swarming past North Carolina. The weekend bragging rights will come down to Labor Day night when Ole Miss and Florida State battle in Orlando. ... Teams to watch other than the obvious: Louisville, Houston, Washington, Georgia. ... It is utterly ludicrous to say a conference is already out of Playoff contention after Week 1. Please don't listen to the pundits about how the Pac-12 is done or the Big 12 is done. I go back to my first Extra Point: There's a lot of football to be played.

10) A win in SEC territory to open the season (which happens to be the first time that's happened since 1903!) will only bolster this team's résumé come November and December. It'll be good to see the Tigers run down The Hill again Saturday. All In. Beat Troy.

-BtW
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Saturday, July 30, 2016

College Football's Ever-Changing Landscape

In the digital age in which we live, conference realignment has gained major notoriety. Teams have switched conferences on and off since the beginning of college athletics, really.

However, only recently have college football enthusiasts begun discussing the idea of a new landscape.

Friends, brace yourselves. Here's my prediction on what will occur in the next 5-10 years.

Could more of this be on the way soon?
(Photo courtesy Business Insider)
First, a little background. The Atlantic Coast Conference recently announced a new TV deal with ESPN. The 14 full-time schools and faux-ACC member Notre Dame have granted their media rights to the conference through 2036. Along with the powers in the Big Ten and SEC, whose own networks are money-making machines (Big Ten Network and SEC Network), it appears those three conferences are set for a while. No one is leaving the ACC, Big Ten or SEC anytime soon.

That leaves us with the other two Power 5 conferences, the Pac-12 and Big 12. We start on the West Coast, where the Pac-12 has its own issues with its TV network. Many praised Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott when the conference unveiled the Pac-12 Network, but years later, the conference has yet to agree on distribution with certain providers and the cash flow is, how do you say, minimal.

It was reported last week that Big 12 school Kansas State, which has a third-tier media right to its "K-StateHD.TV" channel online, receives more revenue than UCLA does. This, of course, sparked rumors that UCLA would be a candidate to bolt and join the soon-to-be-expanding Big 12.

Yeah. No.

All that to say, it is my belief that the Big 12 will expand to 12 or 14 teams, as reported everywhere, until its media rights run out - or perhaps a few years before they do - in 2025. That also coincides with the end of the current deal for the College Football Playoff contract.

At first, I thought about taking the current Power 5 conferences plus Notre Dame, which would be 65 teams, and trying to come up with four super-conferences of 16 teams. I think that might be a little tight when you consider there are teams like BYU, Houston, Boise State, and a few others out of the Group of 5 conferences who could compete with the "big boys" in college football.

I've expanded my thought to include all the Power 5 teams, Notre Dame, and a few others. The four Super-Conferences (or the Super 4) would be either 18 or 20 teams, based mostly on the current structure of the conferences and geography, and would alleviate any scheduling concerns.

Teams would be split into 9- or 10-team divisions and play each team in their division. The two division winners would face off in a conference championship game, which would be a de facto quarterfinal round. The four conference winners advance to what is now known as the College Football Playoff, or a semifinal round, and so on.

If there are 18-team conferences, each team would play all eight teams from its division plus one rotating opponent from the opposite intraconference division. Teams would be required to play two teams from the other three Super 4 conferences and allowed to play one game of their choosing against a lesser football subdivision.

This would equal the 12-game schedule format currently in place, but add some excitement of non-conference matchups and force teams to play higher level games instead of three or four non-conference games against the Central Michigans and New Mexico States of the world.

With 20-teams in a conference, just add one more division game and scrap the two games against other conference opponents and require just one. Therefore, 10 conference games (nine in division, one non-division), one non-conference Super 4, and the remaining pick your own game.

Here's how I see these Super 4 conferences shaking out. Keep in mind, this is not perfect, but just a guess as to what the new structure could look like:

ACC
North Division

  1. Boston College
  2. Cincinnati*
  3. Louisville
  4. Notre Dame
  5. Pittsburgh
  6. Syracuse
  7. Virginia
  8. Virginia Tech
  9. West Virginia*

South Division

  1. Central Florida*
  2. Clemson
  3. Duke
  4. Florida State
  5. Georgia Tech
  6. Miami
  7. NC State
  8. North Carolina
  9. Wake Forest


SEC
East Division

  1. Alabama
  2. Auburn
  3. Florida
  4. Georgia
  5. Kentucky
  6. Memphis*
  7. South Carolina
  8. Tennessee
  9. Vanderbilt

West Division

  1. Arkansas
  2. Houston*
  3. LSU
  4. Mississippi State
  5. Missouri
  6. Oklahoma*
  7. Ole Miss
  8. Texas A&M
  9. TCU*


Big Ten
East Division

  1. Illinois
  2. Indiana
  3. Maryland
  4. Michigan
  5. Michigan State
  6. Ohio State
  7. Penn State
  8. Purdue
  9. Rutgers

West Division

  1. Illinois
  2. Iowa
  3. Iowa State*
  4. Kansas*
  5. Kansas State*
  6. Minnesota
  7. Nebraska
  8. Northwestern
  9. Wisconsin


Pacific Coast
East Division

  1. Arizona
  2. Arizona State
  3. Baylor*
  4. BYU*
  5. Colorado
  6. Oklahoma State*
  7. Texas*
  8. Texas Tech*
  9. Utah

West Division

  1. Boise State*
  2. Cal
  3. Oregon
  4. Oregon State
  5. Stanford
  6. UCLA
  7. USC
  8. Washington
  9. Washington State

*New to conference; could be replaced with a team below

Here are some other realignment candidates either to replace some on the list above or to be added if there are 20 teams in each conference:

  1. Air Force
  2. Army
  3. Colorado State
  4. Connecticut
  5. East Carolina
  6. Fresno State
  7. Louisiana Tech
  8. Marshall
  9. Navy
  10. Nevada
  11. Northern Illinois
  12. SMU
  13. South Florida
  14. Southern Miss
  15. Temple
  16. Tulane
  17. Tulsa
  18. Western Kentucky
If 16-team Super-Conferences result in the ideal number, there will be some teams left out in the cold. As it stands right now, there are a total of 64 teams in the Power 5 conferences - ACC (14), Big 12 (10), Big Ten (14), Pac-12 (12) and SEC (14). That'd be perfect to combine them and split into four 16-team conferences. However, that 64 does not include Notre Dame. The Irish will be included one way or another. As also mentioned, teams like BYU, Boise State, Houston, Cincinnati, etc., are going to want their fair share into the new major football conferences.

Friends, brace yourselves. Things are just heating up.


-BtW
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Friday, December 4, 2015

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Championship Week

Are we really at the final weekend of the season? Man, where did this fall go? Four of the Power 5 conferences host their championship games this weekend, while the other (Big 12) has already had its title decided. There's a lot on the line this weekend for multiple teams. How will it shake out and who after the weekend is headed to the College Football Playoff?

Last week's record: 12-7
Overall: 69-29 (.704 win %)
*Rankings below are CFB Playoff Committee rankings

Friday
MAC - Bowling Green vs. Northern Illinois - At Detroit (Line: Bowling Green -12)
One last round of #MACtion. Northern Illinois backed its way into the title game after losing at Ohio to close the season then saw Toledo fall. Bowling Green is tied for fourth in the country at 44 points per game. There will probably be a lot of points scored ... it is #MACtion after all. The Falcons will score more. Bowling Green 47, Northern Illinois 30

Saturday
AAC - No. 22 Temple at No. 19 Houston (Line: Houston -6)
Tom Herman agreed to remain Houston's head coach and that alone is enough reason to believe the Cougars will roll in this one. Temple hasn't been the same since its loss to Notre Dame. The Owls are still a very good team, but they must travel for this one. Houston steamrolled past Navy last week and will carry that momentum into this one on its way to a New Year's Six Bowl. Houston 37, Temple 27

Conference USA - Southern Miss at Western Kentucky (Line: Western Kentucky -7.5)
Jeff Brohm has been another candidate for several head coach openings, but the Hilltoppers' coach said he's committed to WKU. Both teams missed out on chances to pull the upset against Power 5 teams earlier in the year. Aside from Southern Miss' flop at Marshall, both teams have dominated conference play. It could be another shootout. Western Kentucky 52, Southern Miss 49

SEC - No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 18 Florida - At Atlanta (Line: Alabama -18)
When Alabama and Florida get together for the SEC Championship Game, it just feels right. The Tide and Gators have met eight times with the conference crown on the line. The only real intrigue in this one is whether Florida's defense can slow down Derrick Henry for four quarters. No one has been able to do so, yet. But none of the defenses Alabama has faced compare to the Gators. Florida's inept offense won't be able to do much against Bama's D. This one should be over early. Alabama 35, Florida 7

Mountain West - Air Force at San Diego State (Line: San Diego State -6.5)
It's great to see one of the Service Academies with a chance to shine on a big stage. Troy Calhoun and the Falcons head west where the upstart Aztecs. SDSU reeled off eight straight wins to close out the regular season. Air Force won five in a row before losing at New Mexico last Saturday. Air Force's option offense will cause problems for San Diego State, which hasn't seen anything like it all season. Should be a good game that many will miss due to the final three games of the day. Air Force 34, San Diego State 31

Pac-12 - No. 7 Stanford vs. No. 20 USC - At Santa Clara (Line: Stanford -4.5)
Stanford defeated USC way back in September, 41-31, and the two teams went in opposite directions for a while. The Cardinal won their next six and have an outside shot at a Playoff berth. The Trojans lost two of their next three and found themselves with an interim coach (Clay Helton), who has now had the interim tag removed. Southern Cal clawed back to win the Pac-12 South over rival UCLA last week and not many are giving them a chance in Stanford's back yard. Christian McCaffrey is the best player on the field and that will be the difference. Stanford 28, USC 24

Big Ten - No. 4 Iowa vs. No. 5 Michigan State - At Indianapolis (Line: Michigan State -3.5)
A de facto play-in game for the College Football Playoff, the Big Ten Championship Game has plenty of intrigue. Can Iowa stay undefeated, or will Michigan State punch its ticket to the Playoff? Will the winner look impressive enough to move into the No. 3 spot. Spartan QB Connor Cook is the reason MSU is here and the senior leader looks to claim his second Big Ten Championship. Although the Hawkeyes are undefeated, they haven't been tested like the Spartans have. Michigan State 31, Iowa 17

Dabo Swinney can lead Clemson to an ACC title
and a Playoff berth with a win against North Carolina.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)
ACC - No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 10 North Carolina - At Charlotte (Line: Clemson -5)
Perhaps the game of the weekend goes to the ACC. All the questions and build-up to this one have the Playoff Committee on edge. A Clemson win and they can rest easy. A Tar Heel win and the Playoff unveiling set for noon Sunday may have to be pushed back several hours - or days - to allow the Committee enough time to decipher the Top 4. The two quarterbacks in this game have received all the spotlight, and rightfully so. Clemson's Deshaun Watson is up for Heisman consideration and Marquise Williams has been nothing short of spectacular for 11 straight games for the Heels. But the defenses will be the key and that's where the Tigers have the advantage. UNC hasn't seen a defense like Clemson's all season. The Tigers have a few bumps and bruises, but they'll be ready to slow down the Tar Heel attack. Should be a dandy and might turn into a shootout. Clemson 41, North Carolina 34

-BtW
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Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Championship Weekend Update

Championship Weekend is just around the corner and most of the slots for the major conference championship games are set. Several of these matchups have huge implications on the College Football Playoff and New Year's Six bowl games. Here's a breakdown by conference. Note: Big 12 and Sun Belt do not have conference championship games

American Athletic Conference (AAC) - Dec. 5 at TBD (Site awarded to division winner with best conference record)
East: Temple or South Florida
West: Navy or Houston 
Scenarios
-Temple needs win vs. UConn
-USF needs win at Central Florida AND Temple loss
-Winner-take-all battle Friday at Houston

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) - Dec. 5 in Charlotte
Atlantic: Clemson
Coastal: North Carolina

Big Ten - Dec. 5 in Indianapolis
East: Michigan State or Michigan or Ohio State
West: Iowa
Scenarios
-Michigan State needs win vs. Penn State
-Michigan needs win vs. Ohio State AND Michigan State loss
-Ohio State needs win at Michigan AND Michigan State loss

Conference USA - Dec. 5 at TBD (Site awarded to division winner with best conference record)
East: Western Kentucky or Marshall
West: Southern Miss or Louisiana Tech
Scenarios 
-Winner-take-all battle Friday at Western Kentucky
-Winner-take-all battle Saturday at Louisiana Tech

Mid-American Conference (MAC) - Dec. 4 in Detroit
East: Bowling Green
West: Northern Illinois or Toledo
Scenarios
-Northern Illinois needs win vs. Ohio
-Toledo needs win vs. Western Michigan AND Northern Illinois loss to Ohio

Mountain West - Dec. 5 at TBD (Site awarded to division winner with best conference record)
Mountain: Air Force
West: San Diego State

 Pac-12 - Dec. 5 in Santa Clara, Calif.
North: Stanford
South: USC or UCLA
Scenarios
-Winner-take-all battle at USC

Southeastern Conference (SEC) - Dec. 5 in Atlanta
East: Florida
West: Alabama or Ole Miss
Scenarios
-Alabama needs win at Auburn
-Ole Miss needs win at Mississippi State AND Alabama loss

-BtW
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