Category: College Football

Will the Big 10 and SEC Break Away from the FBS?

With the CFP results being underwhelming for the SEC, I wonder if this could start a chain of events that leads to the Big 10 and SEC breaking off from the rest of the country when it comes to competing for the national championship.

The SEC and BIG 10 are getting very little value from the other teams and conferences, whereas, the other conferences get insane value. Each conference gets a team in the playoff – even if they don’t deserve to make it – and weaker conferences like the ACC can have multiple teams. This all comes at the expense of the SEC and Big 10 not getting more teams in the playoff, which means less home playoff games, revenue, exposure, and more.

It is tough to compare teams from the SEC and Big 10 to other teams in the country, since there are way more good teams in the two big conferences and thus each team plays a much harder conference schedule. This means some teams that get in from other conferences will probably continue to be worse than SEC and Big 10 teams that don’t get in. This eventually could lead to the two big conferences getting fed up and wanting out.

I think there are four other schools that benefit the SEC and Big 10 due to their brand, success, following, etc: Notre Dame, Clemson, FSU, and Miami. What if the SEC scooped up FSU, Clemson, Miami, and one other team like UNC to make a 20 team conference? And then the Big 10 could make a scheduling agreement with Notre Dame and take on one more team to have 20 teams in/associated with the conference. In this scenario, the two conferences could form an ultra competitive 12 or 14 team CFP without help from any other conferences.

Imagine if rather than SMU, Boise State, and Arizona State, the teams playing were Alabama, Miami, and South Carolina. That would be a much better CFP.

I am not saying this should happen or will happen, but I think it is something to keep an eye on.

Any change will be gradual. As of now, the likely next step is 14 teams in 2026. I’m sure if/when that happens, the SEC and Big 10 will make demands on how many of their teams are guaranteed a spot and how the seeding is determined. If the other conferences don’t give in, that could lead to the break described above.

CFB Week 8 Reaction

5 Georgia @ 1 Texas

Georgia with a huge win in an extremely unique game. This shows the good side of realignment where two all-time programs play each other in a primetime top 5 matchup.

For Georgia, they don’t look as dominant as they have the past three years. But they still look like the best team in a loaded SEC. Even with Carson Beck not playing his best, they thoroughly outplayed Texas. Their strength continues to be an absurd defense with future NFL players all around it.

Texas’s season is very much still alive. If this is their only loss, they easily still make the playoff. It’ll be interesting to see how they handle everything internally.

Sark removing Quinn Ewers so early was kind of ridiculous. But once you put Arch in, stick it out instead of taking him out right away. Now you hurt both QBs confidence and create a controversy moving forward. They need to pick one and commit to them moving forward. I think Ewers is the guy right now due to his experience. He’s still shaking off rust from injury. The remainder of the schedule is not easy since it’s the SEC, but they should be able to right the ship and Quinn should get back to playing well.

7 Alabama @ 11 Tennessee

Bama is in a tough spot now. They really have no way to make the conference championship game. Their one avenue to the playoff is to win out, look impressive, and hope their resume is good enough to get an at large bid. This is exactly why great teams like them can’t afford brutal losses to teams like Vandy. The SEC is so good, you’re nearly guaranteed to lose 1 or 2 games to great teams. Any extra losses just tank your season.

Tennessee finds themselves in a pretty good spot moving forward. Their one tough remaining opponent is Georgia. If they can pull that off they are likely in the SEC Championship. Even if that is the one loss they have, this Bama win gives them a strong case for the playoff.

24 Michigan @ 22 Illinois

The emphatic nail in Michigan’s already brutal season. They lose by 14 points to a team that had 80 yards passing. They are in rebuild mode and I’m betting they’ll be back to great in a couple years. Illinois is sneaky good this year. They have a big next game vs Oregon. If they pull off the upset, they have a clear rode to the Big 10 Championship.

College Football Week 6

1 Alabama @ Vanderbilt

Bama with one of the most shocking upsets of the year. A week after pulling off a season defining win, they now have a loss that will follow them all year. They might not be able to lose one more time this year if they want to make the playoffs.

Gotta love the Vandy fans taking the goalpost down Broadway and throwing it in the river. Nashville was probably POPPING last night.

4 Tennessee @ Arkansas

Another massive SEC upset. TN has looked so good this year, it’s sad to see them lose to a much worse team. That’s what makes the SEC so hard to play in.

8 Miami @ California

Unlike the above teams, Miami staved off an upset with one of the greatest comebacks in recent memory. Cam Ward’s draft and Heisman stock keeps rising.

10 Michigan @ Washington

Washington gets revenge by ending Michigan’s shot at making the playoff. It’s crazy that the two teams who made the championship game last year have both fallen off so much.

11 USC @ Minnesota

USC’s season is also over with this loss to Minnesota. As good as Lincoln Riley is, his USC teams continuously disappoint and have bad losses.

College Football Week 5 Recap

Virginia Tech (2-3) @ 7 Miami (5-0)

Miami is lucky to get out of this one with a win. Viginia Tech outplayed them and really deserved to win. I have no clue what happened on that last play of the game. But I do know there was not enough evidence to overturn it. It was called a TD, and should’ve stayed a TD. If it had been called an incomplete pass, then it should’ve stayed an incomplete pass.

Cam Ward had his struggles, but also showed resilience. Despite 3 turnovers, he still had 400 total yards and 5 total TDs and led his team back from a 10 point 4th quarter deficit.

Kentucky (3-2) @ 6 Ole Miss (4-1)

Kentucky with one of the biggest upsets this season. The SEC is gonna have so many teams good enough to make the Playoff each year. Way less of them will make it then are worthy because the SEC is so good, losses like this will inevitably happen and keep good teams out.

21 Oklahoma (4-1) @ Auburn (2-3)

Auburn with an absolutely brutal loss. They had this game in hand and absolutely blew it. Auburn’s QB situation is absolutely terrible and is fucking over this team. Oklahoma saved their season and may have found their new QB.

4 Georgia (4-1) @ 2 Alabama (5-0)

😳

Game. Of. The. Year.

A top 5 matchup that delivered everything we could’ve hoped for and more:

High scoring affair ✅

28 Point Comeback ✅

Late game lead changes ✅

Mayhem and crazy plays until the very end ✅

Last minute interception in the endzone to seal the game ✅

I was in shock watching the game. At first, I couldn’t believe Bama was crushing Georgia so bad. Then I didn’t even register how crazy Georgia’s comeback was once they started playing like themselves. By the time it registered that they came back to take the lead, Bama already scored to retake it. Then Georgia marched down and nearly took the lead back.

Absolute madness and everything we love about CFB.

College Football Week 4 Recap

6 Tennessee (4-0) @ 15 Oklahoma (3-1)

Tennessee looks so good this year. Their coach, QB, and whole team look like they can compete to win it all. Nico didn’t even play out of his mind yesterday and they still won by 10 points on the road vs another good team.

11 USC (2-1) @ 18 Michigan (3-1)

Michigan saves their season with a win yesterday. They did it in classic Big 10 style with their QB only throwing for 32 yards. I just don’t see this type of play style leading to wins vs better teams like Ohio State.

NC State (2-2) @ 22 Clemson (2-1)

In their two games since losing to Georgia, Clemson looks like a team on a mission. They are playing so well and very much can compete to win the ACC.

Baylor (2-2) @ Colorado (3-1)

Say what you want about Colorado, but they find a way to make games exciting. I genuinely don’t know how Travis Hunter manages to play the entire game and do it at such a high level. He is absolutely insane and my current Heisman pick.

Belichick Coaching Tree vs Shanahan and Reid

I was reading a book about investing recently that advised that just because an investor has success with their investing strategy, does not necessarily mean others can copy it and be successful. That brought to mind the fact that Bill Belichick is the greatest coach of all time, yet his numerous assistants that have been hired to implement the “Patriot Way,” continuously and spectacularly fail to do so with other organizations. The main complaint you hear about these coaches is that they try so hard to be like Bill, but it just doesn’t work for them.

On the flip side, you see the coaching trees of two of Belichick’s contemporaries, Mike Shanahan and Andy Reid, that are dominating the NFL right now. Shanahan and Reid are successful, Hall of Fame level coaches, but still have less Super Bowls combined than Bill does. It is an interesting tale in showing that the most successful strategy is not always the best one to learn from and replicate.

Bill’s Coaching Tree:

  • Romeo Crennel: 32-63
  • Brian Daboll (active): 15-19-1; 1-1 playoff record; 1-time AP Coach of the Year
  • Brian Flores: 24-25
  • Eric Mangini: 33-47; 0-1 playoff record
  • Josh McDaniels: 20-33
  • Bill O’Brien: 52-48; 2-4 playoff record
  • Matt Patricia: 13-29-1
  • Nick Saban: 15-17
  • Jim Schwartz: 29-51; 0-1 playoff record
  • Joe Judge: 10-23
  • Jerrod Mayo (active): 1-0
  • 3 other coaches combined: 13-18
  • Total: 14 coaches; 257-373-1; 3-7 playoff record; 1-time AP Coach of the Year
    • NOTE: Above records are the record of coaches after they have served on Bill’s staff. Any record before they coached for Bill is not included.

So far, 14 former assistant coaches have not come close to surpassing Bill’s career win total of 302 regular season wins and have barley made a dent in reaching his 31 playoff victories or 6 Super Bowls.

Jerrod Mayo and Brian Daboll are the only active coaches from Belichick’s tree. They also are coaching two of the worst teams in football so, short term, they probably won’t improve the overall success of Belichick’s tree. However, if they can rebuild their respective teams, they could become exceptions to the rule.

Mike’s tree:

  • Gary Kubiak: 82-75; 5-2 playoff record; 1 Super Bowl
  • Matt LaFleur (active): 56-28; 3-4 playoff record
  • Mike McDaniel (active): 21-14; 0-2 playoff record
  • Sean McVay (active): 70-46; 7-4 playoff record; 1 Super Bowl; 1 time AP COY
  • Raheem Morris (active): 4-8
  • Kyle Shanahan (active): 64-51; 8-4 playoff record;
  • 3 other Coaches Combined: 91-90; 3-4 playoff record
  • Total: 9 coaches; 388-312; 26-20 playoff record; 2 Super Bowls; 1 time AP COY

Andy’s tree:

  • Todd Bowels (active): 42-57; 1-2 playoff record
  • John Harbaugh (active): 160-100; 12-10 playoff record; 1 Super Bowl; 1 time AP COY
  • Sean McDermott (active): 74-41; 5-6 playoff record
  • Matt Nagy: 34-31; 0-2 playoff record; 1 time AP COY
  • Doug Pederson (active): 60-54-1; 5-3 playoff record; 1 Super Bowl
  • Ron Rivera: 102-103-2; 3-5 playoff record; 2 time AP COY
  • 5 others combined: 94-167-1; 1-3 playoff record
  • Total: 11 coaches; 566-553-4; 27-31 playoff record; 2 Super Bowls; 4 time AP COY

Andy and Mike’s trees account for 10 of the 32 active NFL coaches (including Andy). They have had multiple coaches win Super Bowls and have had their coaching trees well surpass their regular season and postseason win totals.

I think these coaches have tended to work when Bill’s don’t for a couple of reasons. Coming from the Patriots as a new head coach, there is so much pressure in terms of replicating what Bill has done. This already puts Bill’s coaches at a disadvantage because fans automatically compare them to Bill and the Patriots success. Rebuilding a team takes time and fans and ownership need patience.

Belichick is also such a unique coach in the sense that he knows so much about every aspect of football. He is the greatest defensive mind in NFL history, knows a ton about the offensive side of the ball, and has a great understanding of personnel and the salary cap. All this is nearly impossible for a former assistant to copy.

Lastly, Bill had total control of the Pats, as the HC and GM. Most head coaches do not have that kind of power. If a Belichick guy is hired as HC and the GM of their new team is not aligned with what the new coach thinks is the best way to build a roster, then the coach is doomed from the start.

It’s interesting to note that former Belichick coaches have fared much better in college. Saban is the greatest college coach of all time, while Pat Hill and Kirk Ferentz both have had a lot of success. This is likely due to the fact that college coaches have much more control of their team than NFL coaches do.

In terms of how the game has changed, most of Shanahan’s guys are genius offensive coaches, which is what most teams look for in new head coaches nowadays. The way they coach is made for today’s modern game. For Reid, he has produced great coaches on both sides of the ball. I think they learn from Andy how to mainly focus on coaching and work with the front office more than Patriots guys did since Bill was both the HC and the GM.

Maybe Daboll and Mayo will change the narrative. For the time being, Shanahan and Reid’s coaching philosophies are dominating the league and it likely won’t change soon.

College Football Week 3 Recap

Arizona (2-1) 7 @ Kansas State (3-0) 31

Kansas State with a statement win that could make them the highest ranked team in the Big 12.

Memphis (3-0) 20 @ Florida State (0-3) 12

FSU’s downfall this year has been absolutely shocking. To be 0-3 this is fast and look awful while doing it, is absolutely brutal.

Alabama (3-0) 42 @ Wisconsin (2-1) 10

Bama is still a force to reckoned with and Jalen Milroe is playing great this year.

LSU (2-1) 36 @ South Carolina (2-1) 33

Game of the year so far.

USC really deserved to win that one, but that’s college football for you. LaNorris Sellers balled out and USC dominated the game when he was healthy. Sellers getting hurt was a huge turning point, but USC also hurt themselves (stupid blindside block that negated a pick 6) and had some bad calls go against them (non existent OPI call that negated a huge passing play).

LSU has some incredible talent. TE Mason Taylor looks like he could be a beast at the next level. LB Harold Perkins reminds me of Micah Parsons where he could be a stud at both LB and Edge Rusher in the NFL. Freshman running back Caden Durham looked great too.

LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier switches back and forth from good to head scratching but if he figures it out, LSU could be dangerous. One thing LSU really needs to work on is their red zone efficiency. If they miss out on so many opportunities vs a team like Georgia or Bama, they won’t win those games.

Boston College (2-1) 21 @ Missouri (3-0) 27

Bill O’Brien has BC playing great. They put up a fight vs a great SEC team on the road and almost pulled it out.

Oregon (3-0) 49 @ Oregon State (2-1) 14

Oregon fans can breathe a sigh of relief. After looking bad the past two weeks, they dismantle their rival on the road. This is the exact win they needed.

Notre Dame (2-1) 66 @ Purdue (1-1) 7

Notre Dame decided they were sick of hearing about their loss to Northern IL and took it out on Purdue by putting up 66. They did it with power, putting up 362 yards and 6 TDs on the ground.

Texas A&M (2-1) 33 @ Florida (1-2) 20

You have to feel for Florida. They have a lame duck coach and the most brutal schedule in the country. At least FSU sucks too.

Washington State (3-0) 24 @ Washington (2-1) 19

WSU gets their revenge on Washington for ditching the Pac-12. This was a great game that came down to the very end. Long term though, Washington is in a much better spot than WSU. Despite, WSU and Oregon State trying to rebuild the Pac-12, it’s unlikely it will be a relevant conference on par with the Power 4 ever again.

Georgia (3-0) 13 @ Kentucky (1-2) 12

Those grey UK uniforms looked so good for the night game. SEC games are hard to win and while Georgia would’ve liked to play better, the important thing is that they pulled out the win.

UTSA (1-2) 7 @ Texas (3-0) 56

Arch manning played great, showing Texas has a bright future. If Ewers is healthy, he will continue to be their starting QB. There are still two big impacts from the Ewers injury. First off, Texas has likely proven it should be #1 given this blowout with a backup QB. Second, Ewers has now dealt with an injury all 3 years he’s been a starter. Does this hurt his draft stock?

Kent State (0-3) 0 @ Tennessee (3-0) 71

Just a brutal blowout all around. I don’t know if TN has something against Kent State, but this seemed personal.

College Football Week 2 Recap

The first real wild week of college football comes to an end.

3 Texas @ 10 Michigan

A win that shows Texas is a legitimate championship contender. This is going to be one of their marquee wins this year regardless of how Michigan finishes. Quinn Ewers continues to show he is possibly the best QB in the country and that he shines brightest in big games. Beck and Sanders are great, but I think Ewers is the top QB for next year’s NFL draft. Not only is he supremely talented but has dealt with the pressure of being Texas’s QB while having people clamoring for Arch Manning behind him. That kind of pressure has built him into a resilient QB, which is massive for the next level.

For Michigan, it’s a comeback to reality. Everyone knew they weren’t going to really compete for the title and this made it obvious. Their season isn’t over but they lack the spark offensively to keep up with the big boys. However, Michigan is a program that recruits and develops well, so they should be back to elite in a year or 2.

Northern Illinois @ 5 Notre Dame

Normally ND loses a tough game to another elite school for their first loss of the year. This year is not the case as they suffered a terrible upset at home. Their season is not over, but being an Independent with an awful home loss will make it tough from here on out. They really need to win out and could maybe afford one “impressive” loss the rest of the year. I think they have the coach and talent to do so.

14 Tennessee vs 24 NC State (in Charlotte)

This looked like it would be one of the best games of the weekend and was an absolute blowout. Nico Iamaleava had some up and downs, but he is an absolute stud.

Colorado @ Nebraska

Colorado continues to show they have talent but are still mostly hype. Dylan Raiola and Matt Rhule could bring Nebraska back to their glory days.

Boise State @ 7 Oregon

The Ducks barley pulled out another game against a non-Power Four team. Boise State is good, but Oregon is going for a National Championship. They need to look better than they do.

Other

10 of the top 11 teams are from the SEC or Big 10. Things will change but these two conferences will dominate the CFB Playoff for years to come.

College Football Blue Blood Programs

We often hear of the Blue Blood programs when it comes to college basketball, but not so much with college football even though there clearly is a hierarchy in the sport. Below are the CFB Blue Bloods according to us (not in any particular order):

  • Alabama (SEC)
  • Georgia (SEC)
  • LSU (SEC)
  • Florida (SEC)
  • Oklahoma (SEC)
  • Texas (SEC)
  • Clemson (ACC)
  • FSU (ACC)
  • Miami (ACC)
  • Notre Dame (Independent)
  • Ohio State (Big 10)
  • Michigan (Big 10)
  • Penn State (Big 10)
  • USC (Big 10)
  • Nebraska (Big 10)

College Football Week 1 Reaction

College football is now fully back and had an awesome slate of games. My hope is that the 12 team playoff encourages teams to play tough non conference games like we saw this weekend.

Georgia struggled offensively for a lot of their game vs Clemson. They’re so good that they were still able to blow out Clemson. Clemson’s lack of adapting to the transfer portal and NIL may end up being the downfall of them being an elite program.

Quinn Ewers might be the most under appreciated QB in the country. He is a 5-Star recruit, led Texas to the playoff last year, and is projected to be a 1st round pick yet people talk more about his back up than him. Texas blew out Colorado St. 52-0 and the biggest story is that Arch Manning played in the game.

Nico Iamaleava looks like he is going to be a stud. He throws the ball so well and could be a top draft pick in a couple years.

Miami blew out Florida and looked great doing so. Florida could be in for a long season with such a tough schedule.

Colorado might not have a great record but Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter will be must watch TV all year. They should both be top 5 draft picks in 2025 and I think Shedeur is the best QB and Hunter is the best player in the draft.

LSU and USC’s new QBs look good. Kyren Lacy looks like the next great LSU WR. USC’s Zachariah Branch is electric to watch and looks like Tyreek Hill out there. USC WR Kyron Ware-Hudson also looks great and made the potential catch of the year. All told this was the exact type of game you want to see Week 1 between two powerhouse programs. LSU has not won a Week 1 game since their 2019 season, but I respect the fact that they consistently play tough games Week 1 – unlike most other teams in the SEC.

FSU once again struggled against an inferior opponent. DJ U does not look like he can lead them to success and it could be a long season for FSU. Despite the 12 team Playoff their season is probably over. They’d need to win out to have a chance to even make it.