Let’s dive into the week that was in college football and hit all the highlights on the SoBros Network’s College Football Roundup.
*Before we dive into all of Saturday’s action, let’s give a round of applause to this year’s installment of holiday football. Thanksgiving night brought with it an excellent Egg Bowl that came down to a failed two-point attempt for Ole Miss. The regular season ends with Mississippi State at 3rd in the SEC West, just like an analyst not named Steven McCash from the College Football Roundup podcast predicted. Black Friday was absolutely loaded between a double-overtime barn-burner between North Carolina and NC State, and what felt like a track meet between Florida State and Florida. Not to mention, Mizzou had an exciting down-to-the-wire win over Arkansas to get bowl eligible, we saw a thriller between Tulane and Cincinnati. Even Arizona and Arizona State got in on the fun. It’s the best run of Thanksgiving-Black Friday games I can remember in a long time.
SPARKY VS WILBUR IN A SIDELINE BOXING MATCH!! (From another angle) pic.twitter.com/DdeYvFqGos
— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) November 25, 2022
*Well, “The Game” went about as unexpectedly as you could imagine (unless you’re a Michigan fan). Despite having a superior roster, Ohio State came out and got pushed around in the second half. The Buckeyes tried to bully Michigan, not appearing to fear the vertical passing game at all, and JJ McCarthy made them pay for it. The Wolverines picked up chunk play after chunk play and effectively punched their ticket to the College Football Playoff. It was such a convincing win that it just might have even ended the playoff hopes for Ohio State. Color me shocked, but this is now two years in a row that Jim Harbaugh has utterly out-matched Ryan Day.
*I went into the weekend feeling like TCU was heading into a potential trap. Iowa State had played a lot more competitively than their record would’ve indicated, and I was still wondering how this Horned Frogs team would be able to keep the magic going week in and week out. And, thankfully, we took the week off from podcasting or I would’ve said that dumbass shit on the internet for everyone to hear. This was anything but a trap for TCU, as they absolutely smoked the Cyclones and sent them into their offseason with their tails tucked between their legs. So, I’m ready to say it – Sonny Dykes is absolutely the coach of the year in college football. This team is exciting…it’s composed…and it’s a direct reflection of the work Dykes has put in in instilling a culture within that program this season.
*Well, with two losses and resumé that wasn’t all that good to begin with, Clemson is officially cooked. That’s two years in a row that Dabo Swinney’s program just hasn’t looked quite like the National Championship contender he had for all those years. I floated it out there earlier this season, and I’ll float it out there again – how do you think having generational quarterback after generational quarterback impacted Swinney’s run at Clemson? And, what do we think about how he’s done without one? Meanwhile, Shane Beamer has South Carolina heading in the right direction. Between Josh Heupel, Billy Napier, and him, the SEC East ought to be getting a little more interesting in the near future.
*Is Alabama still alive? Yeah, I’d say so. I wouldn’t have said so after the LSU loss, but seeing the dominos fall, I think there’s a path for them. It largely depends on where the committee ranks Ohio State. If Alabama leap frogs them this week, then I don’t know how they could reverse course and put Ohio State higher in the final rankings. Then, they would just need a USC loss in the Pac-12 Championship, and I’d bet they’d sneak in as that 4th team and completely enrage college football fans.
*How ’bout those BEAVS?!?! What an exciting installment of the Civil War. Oregon was up 31-10 with 4:46 left in the third quarter, and all Oregon State did was rattle off a 28-3 run that saw them secure the win 38-34, and effectively end the Pac-12 Championship hopes of the Oregon Ducks. Amazing stuff – I mentioned in last week’s column that 10 wins was still on the table for Oregon State, and that was only partly tongue-in-cheek. This is a good program that Jonathan Smith has headed in the right direction.
*While we’re talking about the action out West, I hope you all stayed up to watch the Apple Cup on Saturday night because it was simply electric as Michael Penix Jr. and Cam Ward went blow for blow well into the third quarter before the Huskies eventually pulled away. It just made me think that while detractors of the 12-team playoff will cringe, man, it would be fun as hell to see teams like Washington, Florida State, and Kansas State get a shot in the playoffs the way they’re all playing right now.
*Oh man, isn’t Lane Kiffin relishing the opportunity to dunk on the media members who reported he was taking the Auburn job? I get it – shit changes…sometimes, sources flame out, and you just plain get it wrong as the story evolves. It’s fine – but man, you’ve got to know that coaches are going to pounce if given the chance. Kiffin is staying at Ole Miss, signing an extension this week, and I still think there’s something to those rumors that Alabama wants him once Nick Saban retires and they wouldn’t have hired him had he accepted the Auburn job.
*I just want to weigh in on the Nebraska Cornhuskers hiring Matt Rhule. Rhule flamed out in the NFL, where we found out pretty definitely that Rhule is just a college guy and there’s nothing wrong with that. Rhule is a program builder. He did it with Temple. He did it with Baylor. There’s no reason to think he can’t do it with Nebraska, assuming they’re willing to give him the time to do it. Great hire.
*Speaking of coaching searches, if I’m Georgia Tech, I’m taking a legitimate look at removing the interim tag off of Brent Key after seeing how that team responded to him taking over once Geoff Collins was canned. This is a team that showed some real heart, and they damn near got to a bowl game after starting 1-3. Bill O’Brien has popped up as a candidate, and as an Alabama fan, I say “yes, great hire, Georgia Tech!” Tulane’s Willie Fritz is getting some love for this job, too. All I’m saying is maybe slow down and look at Key – there’s something to be said for motivating players in what felt like a lost season.
*FAU fired Willie Taggart, and honestly, I don’t know where else that man can land. I guess the name has brand value, so he’ll probably pop back up in a couple years somewhere, but sheesh…talk about failing downward…
My Current Bowl Projections
- Fiesta Bowl: Michigan vs. TCU
- Peach Bowl: Georgia vs. USC
- National Championship: Michigan vs. Georgia
- Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon
- Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Tennessee
- Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Kansas State
- Cotton Bowl: LSU vs. Tulane
If you haven’t already, be sure to go subscribe to the College Football Roundup Podcast, on which Steven McCash and myself break down all the action from the college football world and look ahead to the week to come.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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