College Football
Wide Open Fields
By: JJ Lanier
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
As fans, we always want to believe the teams we root for are in the right. When other teams are caught cheating, we want to think our team would never do that. When a player chooses to sign with the program, we like to tell ourselves he or she made that decision because they bleed the school colors.
So, when a program is caught being less than truthful, or in the case of Justin Fields, there are rumors a player may leave the program, we tend to not handle it very well.
When news broke that Fields was considering a transfer, there may have been a sense of betrayal within the Georgia fan base, but for those of us whose two favorite colors aren’t black and red, it wasn’t that much of a surprise.
It’s nothing against Fields, who has the potential to be a very good college quarterback when given the opportunity, but rather says more about Jake Fromm proving that he deserves to be the starter.
I know there have been a lot of comments regarding Fields lack of intestinal fortitude, to put it nicely, when it comes to battling for the starting job. I’m sorry, but that’s ridiculous.
Yes, he could stay and battle it out against Fromm during the spring, but unless Fromm were to completely lay an egg in the Sugar Bowl, it would be a huge gamble- on the field, as well as on the recruiting trail- to sit him in favor of Fields.
Benching a two-year starter, who has put up good numbers while leading his team to two of the most successful back to back seasons in program history, is just a bad look.
Saban was able to navigate through it this year because one, he’s Nick Saban, but also because it was a bit of a different situation. Jalen Hurts was always considered to be limited and once Tagovailoa performed the way he did in last year’s championship game, it was obvious who the starter should be.
This has nothing to do with Fields being “scared” to battle for the position, but instead being realistic on the probable outcome.
And because players with the talent that Fields has don’t pick a college with their heart- no matter how much we wish they did- it makes perfect business sense for him to look elsewhere.
Playing for your dream school only matters when you’re getting the playing time you think you deserve. If you think you can further your career at another school, your childhood dream school goes out the window. As a Duke fan, I feel like this way of thinking has become an annual conversation I have with myself.
Like most things in college athletics, this whole situation is fluid. As I mentioned above, if Fromm and Fields have a Hurts/Tagovailoa moment in the Sugar Bowl, this could all change. I have to believe part of Fields hesitation to announce his intentions, whatever they may be, is because he wants to see how the bowl game plays out.
Regardless of whatever Fields decides, it has nothing to do with his competitive drive or his feelings for Georgia; it has everything with showcasing his talent and getting to the NFL.
So, if he decides to stay, forget his inclination to leave and enjoy his time in Athens.
If he chooses to go though, wish him luck and hope everything turns out for the best; it’s what you would do if this were happening to any other program.
Sugar Sweet For Dawgs?
By: Kipp Branch
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
It has been an interesting football season. Georgia won the SEC East and came up just short in the SEC title game against Alabama. Georgia led Alabama for 58 minutes and 51 seconds and just missed the college football playoff.
Texas has a proud football history, but has struggled as of late. Tom Herman is building the Longhorns back into a national brand. The Longhorns lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game 39-27. Texas beat Oklahoma during the regular season.
The two blue bloods meet in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Night in New Orleans.
Georgia is coming into the game as a 13 point favorite against the 9-4 Longhorns. The last time the two teams matched up was the 1984 Cotton Bowl where Georgia beat Texas 10-9.
Both teams have just finished signing top 10 recruiting classes during the early signing period.
Georgia is led by QB Jake Fromm and a pair of 1,000 rushers in Swift and Holyfield. Will Georgia feel the effects of the SEC title game loss, or the saga of Justin Fields and his potential transfer?
Sam Ehlinger has given the Longhorns a consistent, quality player at quarterback for the first time in 8-10 years. He was responsible for 38 touchdowns. Only Longhorn legend Vince Young has produced more in a single season.
He’s smarter with the football (only five interceptions vs. seven last year) and he’s a great option in the run game, using his legs to get many key first downs.
Texas has two big-time receivers on the outside in Collin Johnson and Lil’Jordan Humphrey. They are two big, physical pass-catchers who have given opponents problems all season. It’s still on Ehlinger to get the ball to them, which he has done consistently.
Georgia is going to run the football in this contest and Texas, like most teams in their conference, struggles at time against the run. Georgia has the best defense Texas will see this season.
Texas is looking for its first 10-win season in almost a decade, and I think the Longhorns will come in highly motivated to show the country they belong in this contest. Texas is always going to have great athletes and UGA better come into this game expecting a 60-minute fight to the end.
Keys to the game: The Texas run defense. Can Texas slow down the power run game of UGA?
Georgia’s motivation. Will the Dawgs be motivated to play at peak level?
Can Texas exploit the Georgia secondary?
Will Georgia open up and attack the Longhorn secondary?
I think this will be a great contest that UGA wins 41-28 and finishes 12-2. This may set up a national championship run in 2019.
Texas is on its way back in being a national power. UGA is a national power. Enjoy these times Dawg Nation.
Rambling Wreck To Quick Lane Bowl
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
One of the best things about the holiday season is bowl games.
We all know the prestigious bowl games are played closer to the start of the New Year like the Rose Bowl or Orange Bowl. Then we have the games that occur prior to that.
That takes us to the Quick Lane Bowl played the day after Christmas. I’ve always heard it was lovely in Detroit in late December so this is a great location.
Georgia Tech and Minnesota will square off in this game. Several Tech players felt disrespected by this bowl selection and took to social media to express that.
“Feels like a slap in the face,” offensive lineman Scott Morgan tweeted.
A-back Qua Sercy: “How do we finish FOURTH in the ACC and get the lowest bowl in the ACC!!! HOW!!!”
Quarterback TaQuon Marshall: “I’m baffled at this bowl game.”
The Belk Bowl seemed like the most likely destination since it’s played in Charlotte and they would have played an SEC team. Virginia was selected to that game despite losing to the Ramblin Wreck. They also were not picked for the Pinstripe and Military Bowl over teams they beat (Miami & Virginia Tech).
One thing that played a factor is attendance. The Yellow Jackets average home attendance (43,087) is the lowest since 2001, which was before Bobby Dodd Stadium’s capacity was expanded. It will be Tech’s first bowl game outside of the Southeast or Texas since playing in the Humanitarian Bowl in 2007 in Boise, Idaho.
This is the first game between Minnesota and Georgia Tech. The Golden Gophers (6 -6) were 3-6 in Big Ten play. This should be a good way to send Paul Johnson out with a win. The Jackets will be short one player, quarterback James Graham who is academically ineligible. He is the backup behind Marshall and No. 2 Tobias Oliver.
Tech is healthy and should have all available weapons for the bowl game.
“I’ve tried to approach it like every other game,” Johnson said. “It’s more about the players. They’re the ones who won six of the last eight games and we want to try to give them a good plan to get ready to go play and certainly (we) want to go out as a winner if we can. That’s been all my effort.”
Tech leads the nation in rushing, averaging 335 yards per game. This is the final game using the triple option so we can expect a heavy dose of the ground game. Minnesota is ranked 63rd in total defense so I don’t expect them to stop the rushing attack.
The Gophers have some explosive weapons on offense. Wide receiver Tyler Johnson leads the team with 1,112 yards, 10 touchdowns and averages 15 yards per catch. Freshman running back Mohamed Ibrahim has 936 yards and 7 TD’s. They had an injury to starting freshman QB Zack Annexstad back in October and he was replaced by Tanner Morgan. They’re almost identical statistically, both throwing over 1,200 yards.
This should be a high scoring game but I expect Georgia Tech to win.
Coming In Flocks
By: Mike Anthony
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
Bowl games often promote themselves as an entire week of fun and a celebration of what the competing teams have accomplished over the course of a long season.
Maybe some teams and fan bases out there play favorites with their bowl games and destinations, but for a Georgia Southern team that suffered through a pair of losing campaigns that ended without a postseason, there was never a doubt that the Eagles’ bowl would serve as an early Christmas present to everyone.
Well before the season had ended, Georgia Southern fans were making their bowl plans. As soon as the Eagles hit the six-win mark, hotel rooms in Mobile, Montgomery, New Orleans and Orlando began to fly off the shelves. The destination was ultimately Montgomery and Eagle Nation paid its first visit to Alabama’s capital city.
Montgomery could have easily been mistaken for Statesboro over the weekend. Not only did Georgia Southern set a record for Camellia Bowl tickets sold through a school’s athletic department, but most corners of downtown Montgomery were sporting blue and white, both before and after the game.
The party started before most fans even set off for Montgomery. In fact, it was how some fans made the trip that grabbed the early headlines.
When a bus chartered for students by Georgia Southern head coach Chad Lunsford quickly filled up, Eagle alumnus and country music star Cole Swindell stepped in and got another bus in on the action. And then a GSU booster chipped in for even more seats to be made available. By the time all was said and done, it wasn’t just bus seats, but also tickets and t-shirts that had been donated by various sponsors and organizations.
Montgomery got its first taste of the full force of Georgia Southern 24 hours before kickoff. A week’s worth of soggy and cool weather did nothing to dampen Eagle spirits, nor did it keep anyone from taking full part in the festivities.
According to one Twitter account, an Eagle fan made his way to a designated fan meetup following a Friday evening pep rally for the team. In keeping with a competitive nature that seems to bridge the gap between Eagle players and fans, the supporter was about to ask a bartender how the fan participation compared to Appalachian State’s previous appearances in the Camellia Bowl, only to be told that Eagle fans had already topped their Sun Belt rivals in that category.
I awoke on the morning of the game to photographic evidence that proved Saturday would be an even more overwhelming showing of support by Eagle fans. Numerous emails sent to tailgaters stressed that the parking lots wouldn’t open until 9 a.m. On Friday, more emails stated that 8 a.m. was the absolute earliest anyone should show up.
The photo I received showed my friend’s tents and flags already assembled in the tailgating lot with a grill warming up. It was 6 a.m.
By the time the team arrived at the stadium, Eagle Nation was in a fever pitch. Once again arriving in style in some yellow busses borrowed from local schools, the team had to stop short of its designated drop-off. The sea of Eagle fans was too thick to drive through, but the players were happy to walk the rest of the way while doling out high-fives.
The game offered its own excitement that can be diagnosed and debated, but if the purpose of a bowl game is really to celebrate a good season, Georgia Southern fans and players were winners well before Tyler Bass split the uprights for the Eagles’ 23-21 victory.
All through the winter, spring and summer of 2018 the Eagles put in the work that was necessary to turn a 2-10 squad into a 10-3 bowl winner.
During the offseason, the fans were relegated to nervous optimism on the sidelines, but came forward in droves to spur the team on once it became evident that winning football was back in Statesboro.
In the end, both groups had every reason to celebrate – and they did.
From chartered bus trips, to late-night parties, to several clutch plays that will be recounted again and again, Georgia Southern took everything that bowl season had to offer.
And after a week’s worth of Georgia Southern fans and players doing what they do best, it might be Montgomery – and any future bowl destinations for the Eagles – that is left wanting more.
New Sting?
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
By now, we are all aware the Paul Johnson has stepped down as Georgia Tech’s head coach. He was replaced by Geoff Collins. I’m not sure how I feel about this hire so let’s take a look at Collins and his coaching history.
Collins is from Conyers, Georgia so he’s back in his home state. He played linebacker at Western Carolina (1989 – 1992). After graduation, he coached at his alma mater during the 1993 and 1994 seasons.
Following a year coaching high school, Collins became the linebacker coach for Fordham in 1996 before becoming the defensive coordinator at Albright College from 1997 through 1998. Collins would leave Albright to become a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech under George O’Leary for the 1999 and 2000 seasons.
He was promoted to tight ends coach at Tech for the 2001 season. Collins would return to his alma mater to become Western Carolina’s defensive coordinator from 2002 through 2005 before returning to Georgia Tech in 2006 as the Director of Player Personnel. The following year he became Director of Player Personnel at Alabama.
He became a defensive coordinator at FIU (2010), Mississippi State (2011 – 2014) and Florida (2015 – 16). Then he took over as head coach at Temple for the past two seasons.
One good thing is that Collins has experience coaching at Tech. He’s also a much better recruiter than Paul Johnson. The current recruiting class ranks 48th nationally and 10th in the ACC. For Johnson’s recruiting classes that is typical. The highest recruiting class under him was 41st.
Collins is aware that there are recruiting challenges unique to Georgia Tech but he is already aware and prepared for that. As the Yellow Jackets director of player personnel his 2007 recruiting class was ranked 15th nationally and included Morgan Burnett, Jonathan Dwyer, Derrick Morgan and Joshua Nesbitt.
The Ramblin’ Wreck has been outmatched from a talent standpoint under Paul Johnson. The gap in talent has only gotten wider between them and the upper echelon programs like Clemson and Georgia. If Collins can consistently bring top 20 recruiting classes in, he can close that gap and make them more competitive against their rivals.
In his two seasons coaching the Temple Owls his record was 15 – 10. That does not sound very impressive on the surface. Temple has been a struggling football program for as long as I can remember. They have only become respectful recently. In his first year in 2017 they were 7 – 6. In 2018 he improved to 8 – 4.
From strictly a coaching perspective, I think Collins is slightly above average. His Owls lost the season opener to an FCS team, Villanova. They are cross-town rivals but he should never lose to FCS competition.
I think this is a good hire mainly because the fan base has grown tired of Paul Johnson and it’s time for a change. His triple option scheme has hindered recruiting. Collins is bringing a pro-style offense and that will help with gaining recruits that want to play in the NFL.
He is also a defensive coach and the Jackets have been abysmal on D. In 2018 Temple ranked sixth nationally in yards per play and are tied for third in takeaways. Only time will tell but I believe Georgia Tech should improve under Collins.
Blazing Fire
By: JJ Lanier
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
It’s difficult in any sport to finish a season undefeated. Sure, with a shorter schedule and in certain cases, a large discrepancy in talent, it does take place in football more often than others. Still, that doesn’t take away from a team accomplishing it; there’s a reason why the ‘72 Dolphins are still popping champagne 46 years later.
When it comes to Valdosta State’s national title this past season, I’m not sure what I’m more impressed by, the fact they were able to finish the season undefeated, or the sheer dominance they displayed in etching their names in history.
There are two types of dominating feats. The first is when you see something unexpected, calmly nod your head in approval, and mumble “Huh, that was pretty cool.” The second takes place when the act is so nonviolently vicious that you scrunch your face, look away from the carnage, and yell “DAMN”. Valdosta’s season was the second.
Over the course of the season Valdosta State averaged 52 points and scored less than 47 only once. That was time was when they put up a measly 30 points in the national semifinal game.
Now, you may be saying to yourself “Hey, scoring lots a of points is terrific, but if the Blazers couldn’t stop anyone, all it proves is they’re a smaller version of a Big 12 team.”
Well, their defense allowed an average of only 22 points per game. For all us mathematicians out there, that makes the average margin of victory 30 points for the entire season.
And believe it or not, that margin is actually a little skewed because they won their last two games by 6 and 2 points. Take away those games and it’s even more dominating.
To have an offense put up the type of numbers they did, which in turn increases the number of offensive possessions the opposing team receives, only allowing 22 points a game is pretty incredible.
It’s not like they didn’t play anyone either. In 5 out of the 14 games they played, and three out of their last five, their opponents tasted defeat for the first time.
All of this just intensified the difficulty Valdosta State faced in actually finishing their miraculous season off with a national title.
Sports history is filled with teams that couldn’t finish an undefeated regular season off with a title; the ‘08 New England Patriots and ‘15 Kentucky Wildcats immediately come to mind.
To have a group of 18-22 year old kids stay that focused and be able to perform at that high of a level week in and week may be the most underrated part of their accomplishment.
As the bowl season winds down and an FBS champion is crowned there will be a lot of talk about where that particular team ranks among the greats, especially if it winds up being Alabama or Clemson.
There will be a lot of discussions about which conferences performed more admirably in the bowl games, as well as debates about whether or not to expand the playoffs to eight teams; all worthy topics.
It’s a shame though there won’t be more made of this Valdosta State Blazers team. A team picked in the preseason to finish fifth in their conference, yet steamrolled through an undefeated season on their way to a national championship; their fourth in the last sixteen years.
A team that broke records on a school, conference, and national level. The one team that made me look up and say “Damn!”
Blazing Toward A Championship
By: Kipp Branch
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
Valdosta State is a three-time national champion in football. Ferris State is seeking its first national title in football after making the title game for the first time. Ferris State lost in the semifinals twice in 1985 and 2016.
The two undefeated teams meet at 4 p.m. Saturday in McKinney, Texas, for the NCAA Division II Championship.
Ferris State is led by Ferris quarterback Jayru Campbell, who is one of the nine finalists for the 2018 Harlon Hill Trophy, presented to Division’s II top player. A dual-threat quarterback, Campbell is responsible for 47 touchdowns.
Campbell had some issues in high school that cost him a football scholarship to Michigan State University. Hel led Garden City Community College to a JUCO National Championship in 2016 before signing with Ferris State.
Campbell made first team All- American for the Bulldogs this fall. The Bulldogs hold the nation’s best record (60-7) over the past five years in Division II football.
Ferris has a talented roster that has some NFL prospects. The offense averages almost 40 points per game, which ranks in the top 20 nationally. The Bulldogs have had impressive playoff wins against Ouachita Baptist and Minnesota State and an impressive regular season win against Grand Valley State who finished 10-2 on the season.
Valdosta State, which was picked in the middle of the pack in the Gulf South Conference preseason poll, has taken the country by storm. The Blazers have gone undefeated and are averaging 52.2 points per game, which is the best in the country in Division II. The Blazers can score points in bunches and that puts a lot of pressure on opponents to match and forces turnovers.
Sophomore Rogan Wells leads the Blazers at QB. Wells was named second team All- American this fall.
Offensive Lineman Jeremy King, LaVonne Gauthney and DB Ravarius Rivers we named to the All-American squad also with King being named first team. Red Shirt Freshman Jamar Thompkins leads the Blazers with 1,257 yards rushing on the season.
The Blazers are peaking at the right time of the year, as they have put 66, 61, and 30 points on the board in their three playoff wins over Bowie State, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Notre Dame College (Ohio).
Third year head coach Kerwin Bell will probably win many national coach of the year honors once the season is complete.
The Bulldogs are currently a school all-time best and nation-leading 15-0 overall this season and claimed the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship with an 8-0 mark.
The Blazers are currently 13-0 this season and won the Gulf South Conference (GSC) with an 8-0 mark. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
Saturday’s game will be carried live nationally by ESPNU and the Watch ESPN app at 4PM.
Prediction: I think the two QB’s put on an offensive clinic for each school. Both are finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy. You may need a calculator to keep up with total offense in this contest. I think the Blazers championship experience could end up being a huge factor in the contest.
Valdosta State wins late 51-45 and the Blazers bring their 4th National Title back to Winnersville, USA or Title Town or whatever term you want to coin.
Valdosta is a city that produces champions. Here is something opposing coaches in the Gulf South Conference may not want to hear and that is win or lose on Saturday; Blazer QB Rogan Wells still has two years of eligibility left at VSU. The Blazers are set for a couple of years and will be in the championship mix.
If the Blazers score 21 points or more in the championship game Saturday, they will surpass 700 points on the season. Incredible statistic.
Owls Back To Sleep
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
The Kennesaw State Owls football team saw their season come to an end earlier this month. The Owls finished the regular season 10-1 and ranked No. 2 in the FCS Coaches Poll. The only loss was to an FBS team, Georgia State.
KSU did not receive much respect for their great season because they were the No. 4 seed in the Playoffs. They lost to No. 5 South Dakota State (10-2) 27-17 in the quarterfinals.
The Owls have only been playing football since 2015 and they are becoming a powerhouse at the FCS level. Despite that, attendance has been declining since the program’s inception.
“I’m passionate about this school and I don’t know why you wouldn’t be. … We got 35,000 students,” coach Brian Bohannon said. “Let see if we can get a couple thousand to come to the game. Let’s raise some heck and have some fun. Let’s see if we can help the Owls win. We’ve got over a million people in this community. Let’s see if we can get a couple thousand to come to the game.”
While attendance was announced at 3,242, there were clearly no more than 1,000 fans actually in the stands.
The Owls lost the season opener to Georgia State 24-20. KSU held a three-point lead with 2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before the Panthers scored the winning touchdown.
After that game, they reeled off 10 consecutive wins against other FCS competition. They dominated their opponents and won their games by double digits except for the season finale.
The scores against non-conference competition were 49-10 at Tennessee Tech, 62-13 versus Alabama State, 70-13 versus Clarke Atlanta and 24-10 over Samford.
They also breezed through Big South conference opponents beating Presbyterian 56-0, Gardner-Webb 56-17, Charleston Southern 38-10, Campbell 49-0 and Monmouth 51-14. They won the conference title for the second year in a row.
The season finale was against No.6 Jacksonville State. The game was a classic, going to five overtimes. They defeated the Gamecocks 60-52.
Kennesaw State runs the triple option so they have a powerful rushing attack. The leader of the team is quarterback Chandler Burks. Burks rushed for 905 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also threw for 1,043 yards, 10 TD’s and completed 57% of his passes.
Senior running back Darnell Holland ran for 949 yards with an amazing 11.9 yards per carry average. He finished the season with 9 touchdowns. Shaquil Terry was the third leading rusher with 576 yards, 5 TD’s and averaged 7.4 ypc.
KSU had a bye in the opening round of the playoffs so their first game was in the second round against Wofford. They are two of the best rushing offenses in the country and it was a tough game. KSU beat the Terriers 13-10. The win put Kennesaw State at 24 wins in their last 26 games.
The season ended in the quarterfinals for the second year in a row. I really hoped they would win this game because they would have played North Dakota State in the next round.
The Bison have been a juggernaut for the last seven years. That would have been a good way to really see where the Owls stack up against elite competition.
The season was very successful and the goal in 2019 is to advance further in the playoffs.
Bitter Sweet Sugar Bowl
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It isn’t the big-name bowl game Georgia players and their fans were hoping for when the season began, but it is an opportunity to end an otherwise successful season on a high note.
On the surface, you don’t get much larger than Georgia and Texas, when it comes to football. Both programs are about as historic as you get and have some of the most devoted fans in the country.
However, as we all know, wins aren’t based on popularity, or how crazy one’s fan base can be, but what happens on the field.
In this particular case, the matchup on the field doesn’t live up to the hype with the names.
Texas is a good football team. Tom Herman has done a good job leading the Longhorns to their conference title game in only his second year. And yes, the Big 12 is a good conference. Texas is “good”; Georgia is excellent.
The obvious matchup where Georgia holds a sizable advantage is when the Bulldogs offense is on the field. Coming from the Big 12, Texas is as allergic to playing defense as Kevin Hart is to hosting the Oscars.
Outside of the LSU game, the only time they failed to put up at least 27 points, Georgia hasn’t had difficulty scoring.
I’m not saying Georgia should be licking their chops like me at a Chinese buffet, but they should be able to gorge themselves on as many points as I do pieces of General Tso’s chicken.
No, the interesting matchup- albeit it one that will probably have no bearing on the game’s actual outcome- is Texas’ offense against Georgia’s defense.
If there is any part of the Longhorns team that could be considered excellent, it’s their offense.
Sam Ehlinger is a legitimate college quarterback and Texas can score in bunches. They’ve had a rough few games, but they are a challenge to keep down.
That said, they haven’t played a defense nearly as physical and quick as Georgia’s. I’m sure Texas will put some points on the board, but I can’t imagine them scoring anywhere close to enough to make this a game.
I know there has been a lot of chatter about whether or not Georgia will be mentally prepared, since they’re not in the playoffs; a sure sign that nobody truly thinks Texas is the better team.
In some cases, I could see that taking place, but I just don’t see that happening here. There may be a little bit of an emotional letdown, but there is enough experience on this team to manage those emotions. I don’t think it’ll be an issue.
It’s a fun talking point for shows that have copious amounts of time to fill between now and New Year’s Day, but that’s about all.
One thing I will point out before I end this nauseating tribute to everything good about Georgia football, is while this isn’t a playoff matchup this year, don’t be surprised if it is one within the next few.
Georgia is obviously up there as one of the strongest programs in the country and playoffs appearances are now expected. Texas isn’t quite there yet, but they’re on the right track and showing signs that they will be, sooner rather than later.
It may not be the game either team wanted, or the exciting matchup we all were hoping for. It just might be a preview of things to come; one where our expectations meet reality.
Luck Of The Irish
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Championship Saturday in College Football started and ended with questions regarding who would be in the top four when the college football playoff starts on December 29th. The semi-final matchups would in the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl to determine who will play for the National Championship the following week.
Going into Championship Saturday you had Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Georgia holding the top four spots. Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia all had to participate in conference championship games.
Notre Dame got to sit on the couch with a bye while everyone else in contention for a playoff spot Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and even UCF had to win to stay alive in the playoff hunt.
Are conference championship games even needed anymore is the question? Alabama didn’t win the SEC in 2017 or even make the SEC championship game, but got selected as a playoff team and ended up winning the national championship.
The goal of the playoff is to select the best four teams correct? At least I thought it was. I just don’t think we are talking apples to apples unless Notre Dame is made to join a football conference.
Yes, the Irish play basketball in the ACC, but get the easy way out during football season by being an independent. Do you think an undefeated BYU playing Notre Dame’s schedule would have been selected as one of the top four teams in the country? Let me answer that for you, absolutely not.
Championship Saturday looked like this:
Clemson played a five loss Pitt team in the ACC title game and blew them out while Notre Dame sat home and was given a playoff spot. Now we get an ACC title game in Dallas with ND and Clemson in the Cotton Bowl. Clemson will beat ND by three TD’s.
Oklahoma played a three loss Texas team in the Big 12 title game and won by 12.
Ohio State played a four loss Northwestern team in the Big 10 title game and won by 21.
Then you had #1 Alabama and #4 Georgia in an epic SEC title game that Alabama, who was regarded by many as the greatest college football team ever, had to rally to overcome a 4th quarter deficit to pull out the game 35-28.
All of this went down as Notre Dame sits at the house with a bye and punches a ticket into the playoff.
Oklahoma, Georgia, and Ohio State are all better football teams than Notre Dame, but yet Georgia and Ohio State get left out all because Notre Dame gets the easy way out because they beat a six loss Vandy team 22-17, six loss Pitt team 19-14, and a seven loss USC team 24-17.
Don’t forget the Irish beat Michigan 24-17, a team Ohio State hung 62 points on the last week of the regular season. Georgia beat Vanderbilt 41-13, and Clemson beat Pitt 42-10.
The solutions are simple:
- Make Notre Dame commit to joining the ACC in football and win a conference championship game.
- Do away with conference title games all together and level the playing field with Notre Dame.
- Have an 8, 16, or 32 team playoff like all other college football divisions, and crown a real champion.
Georgia and Ohio State would be undefeated playing Notre Dame’s 2018 schedule. The playoff committee always says the goal is to get the four best teams, but it failed miserably in 2018. Notre Dame may not even be the best football team in Indiana.
So, we are stuck with Notre Dame with their weak slate. So, in 2018 we have the top 3 and Notre Dame.
Address the Notre Dame elephant in the room. The football playoff committee needs scrap this system for a true playoff like everyone else does or make Notre Dame join a conference.
There may be 3-4 teams in the SEC that would beat Notre Dame. Politics won the day on the playoff selection committee.
