Tag: Clemson

Posted on in NFL

sportsthrills 2021 NFL Mock Draft

By Saransh Sharma, Pranav Thiriveedhi, & Rohan Krishnan

The NFL Draft is just a day away and the storylines, smokescreens, rumors, and everything in between are out of control at this point. Here is our 2021 NFL Mock Draft, with trades:

Pick #1: Jacksonville Jaguars

Consensus Pick: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

Should not be much to say here. Trevor Lawrence is probably the best QB prospect we have seen since Andrew Luck. In all of the years that the Jaguars have existed as a franchise, they have yet to have a franchise QB, and Lawrence would be the first.

Pick #2: New York Jets

Consensus Pick: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

This is another one where there is not much to say. We have known for months about the Jets’ high interest in Wilson, and trading away former top-3 pick Sam Darnold opens the door for Wilson to be the next franchise QB for Gang Green.

Pick #3: San Francisco 49ers (Via Miami & Houston)

Consensus Pick: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

While many believe that it is a smokescreen that the 49ers are deciding between Alabama QB Mac Jones & North Dakota State QB Trey Lance, the 49ers have raved about these two at QB. Jones would make more sense for the vision of the 49ers due to how he would play in this explosive offense and how he played with the explosive offense in Alabama. Lance would be the better QB, or better yet, Ohio State QB Justin Fields, but we expect Jones to be the pick here.

Pick #4: Philadelphia Eagles (Mock Trade Via Atlanta)

Consensus Pick: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU

*Trade: Philadelphia acquires Pick 4 from Atlanta in exchange for Pick 12, TE Zach Ertz, & 2022 1st-Round Pick

Over the past few months it has become inevitable that Zach Ertz, arguably the greatest TE in Eagles history, has seen his time in Philadelphia come to an end, but recent reports, along with him still being on the team this long, suggests that Philadelphia will be using Ertz as a valuable trade asset, and for a Falcons team that is looking toward the future, taking Ertz to add to the young, up-and-coming pass-catching core, along with stacking up future draft picks, would be a great move for both sides. Ja’Marr Chase is the top WR on the board, and with Philadelphia having missed out on an elite WR option in Justin Jefferson last year, it would be hard to see them miss out on the opportunity again. Philadelphia trades up and makes a splash.

Pick #5: Cincinnati Bengals

Consensus Pick: Penei Sewell, OL, Oregon

Chase being drafted by Philadelphia gives Cincinnati the choice to do what they need to build an offensive line to keep last season’s #1 Pick in Joe Burrow healthy. Sewell is one of the best offensive linemen in recent drafts, and Cincinnati getting their franchise QB some protection. 

Pick #6: Miami Dolphins (Via Philadelphia & San Francisco)

Consensus Pick: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama

Tua Tagovailoa certainly did not have the start to his NFL career that Miami hoped for, but to write him off while he dealt with a serious hip injury is not fair to him. To reunite him with DeVonta Smith, the 2021 Heisman Trophy-winning WR & one of Tua’s favorite targets at ‘Bama, there is no reason why Miami should overlook Smith.

Pick #7: Washington Football Team (Mock Trade Via Detroit)

Consensus Pick: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

*Trade: Washington acquires Pick 7 from Detroit in exchange for Pick 19, DT Tim Settle, & 2022 1st-Round Pick

Washington has long talked about trading up for a QB, but only if the right QB was available at the right price. Making this trade to get Justin Fields gives Washington the perfect QB for their offense, and gives Detroit draft capital, along with the extra time, to consider who to build their future around. This experiment with an Ohio State QB should work out much better for Washington than it did when they took Dwayne Haskins just two years back, as Washington can throw Fields right into the fold, right out the gate, or even have him sit behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, an excellent mentor, for part of the season.

Pick #8: New England Patriots (Mock Trade Via Carolina)

Consensus Pick: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

*Trade: New England acquires Pick 8 from Carolina in exchange for Pick 15, Pick 96, TE Dalton Keene, & 2022 2nd-Round Pick

New England is another team that has talked about trading up for quite a while, given the right available QB and price, and to go big for their future is exactly what they should do here at 8. Carolina is already set on Sam Darnold at QB, and while Cam Newton could be the QB this coming season for the Patriots, he is not the long-term answer. Trey Lance gives the Patriots their best-drafted QB since Tom Brady and assuming all works out, their QB for years to come.

Pick #9: Denver Broncos

Consensus Pick: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

With the top-5 QBs gone by Pick 9, Denver could trade back, but taking Patrick Surtain II to be the leader in their secondary on a roster with an up-and-coming defense is the right play here. Had Caleb Farley been healthy, this would be a different conversation, but Surtain II is the clear CB1 in this draft now. Putting him alongside Kyle Fuller would also be a great opportunity for him to blossom into a great NFL CB quickly.

Pick #10: Dallas Cowboys

Consensus Pick: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

Jerry Jones & the Cowboys have raved over the talent and ceiling of Kyle Pitts, and adding him to this already incredible offense (when healthy) would make this offense nearly unstoppable. While Dallas should go defense and address it while they can, they will certainly go all-out for the uber-talented Pitts.

Pick #11: New York Giants

Consensus Pick: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

Micah Parsons is by far the best linebacker in this class and would be the perfect Mike linebacker to commandeer the Giants’ defense. His off-the-field issues are the reason why he could fall past this and why he will not go higher than this most likely, but he at #11 is perfect.

Pick #12: Atlanta Falcons (Mock Trade Via Philadelphia)

Consensus Pick: Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwestern

*Trade: Philadelphia acquires Pick 4 from Atlanta in exchange for Pick 12, TE Zach Ertz, along with 1st-Round Picks in 2022 & 2023

The plethora of picks that the Falcons get for the future, plus Zach Ertz, provides for an enticing future for Atlanta. Trading Julio Jones and Hayden Hurst could become major possibilities if the team decides to completely rebuild. Making the offensive line younger and improving them that way would be a great way to start in the offensive rebuild, and Rashawn Slater is that guy.

Pick #13: Los Angeles Chargers

Consensus Pick: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

CB Chris Harris Jr. played just 9 games due to injury last season, and with the Chargers shockingly trading away Desmond King, and letting Casey Hayward go, this secondary, especially the cornerback’s group, really needs an upgrade, and Jaycee Horn is that man. Him alongside CHJ, and with Derwin James at safety, this defense could see themselves back as a top-10 unit.

Pick #14: Minnesota Vikings

Consensus Pick: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC

Kirk Cousins was sacked 39 times, and a huge part of that was due to OGs Ezra Cleveland, who was unhealthy for a large portion of the season, and Dakota Dozier, giving up tons of pressure. Vera-Tucker is the best OG on the board, and Minnesota should not hesitate to take him.

Pick #15: Carolina Panthers (Mock Trade Via New England)

Consensus Pick: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

*Trade: New England acquires Pick 8 from Carolina in exchange for Pick 15, 96, TE Dalton Keene, & 2022 2nd-Round Pick

To maximize the potential of newly-acquired QB Sam Darnold, the Panthers must protect him, something that the Jets failed to do throughout his time there. Darrisaw is another situation where if he is the best lineman on the board, you take him.

Pick #16: Arizona Cardinals

Consensus Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

Either Jaylen Waddle or DeVonta Smith could fall in this Draft, and Waddle, due to his injury history and brutal ankle injury this past season, could see his stock fall. The Cardinals want to find their true WR2 alongside DeAndre Hopkins, and Waddle is perfect for that.

Pick #17: Las Vegas Raiders

Consensus Pick: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

This Raiders defense was historically terrible in 2020, and getting toasted in the secondary certainly did not help. CB Damon Arnette showed flashes of being good but is not a true CB1, which is what Farley would turn out to be.

Pick #18: Miami Dolphins

Consensus Pick: Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan

The Dolphins defense showed great improvement last season, but struggled on the edges, as their strongsuit was creating turnovers in the passing game. Kwity Paye is a great run-stuffer and has a knack for getting to the QB that Miami has not had since they had Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake on their defensive lines years ago.

Pick #19: Detroit Lions (Mock Trade Via Washington)

Consensus Pick: Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah, LB, Notre Dame

*Trade: Washington acquires Pick 7 from Detroit in exchange for Pick 19, DT Tim Settle, & 2022 1st-Round Pick

Trading down makes sense for Detroit. You could stay at 7 and take a wide receiver, but you need a lot more than just that at this stage. Tim Settle has been part of this insanely elite Washington defensive line and can bring the heat for the Lions, and next year’s first-round pick will be a great addition (if used right) to what is expected to be a top-10 pick next year for the Lions. Having a hybrid LB/S like Owusu-Koromoah will be so valuable to Detroit, as he can be the Mike Linebacker alongside Jamie Collins Sr., and bolster this secondary to levels they have not seen. JOK & Settle will be great building blocks to begin rebuilding the defense of this team.

Pick #20: Chicago Bears

Consensus Pick: Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern

Losing Kyle Fuller was brutal, but drafting Jaylon Johnson was a steal. Putting a CB alongside him and rebuilding a once-elite secondary would be a great idea at #20, and Newsome II being the best on the board makes this decision a lot easier.

Pick #21: Indianapolis Colts

Consensus Pick: Azeez Ojulari, DE, Georgia

The Colts have long searched for the perfect edge rusher for their team, and after acquiring DT DeForest Buckner, this team needs to solidify this elite defense with an elite defensive line, and Ojulari alongside Buckner would be a nightmare for opposing offensive lines to stop.

Pick #22: Tennessee Titans

Consensus Pick: Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

The Titans letting WRs Corey Davis & Adam Humphries depart was a strange move, but they have made it clear that this Draft will be the time for them to address the position. Rashod Bateman has been regarded by some as better than Jaylen Waddle, and his current talent and ceiling put him in a situation to be the perfect WR2 alongside A.J. Brown.

Pick #23: New York Jets (Via Seattle)

Consensus Pick: Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State

This is not an analysis of the Draft pick, but more so a plead to the Jets’ front office. Please protect Zach Wilson better than you protected Sam Darnold, and get him an offensive line. Teven Jenkins at #23 is a great start to doing so.

Pick #24: Pittsburgh Steelers

Consensus Pick: Najee Harris, RB, Alabama

While it is hard for us to see any RB being a first-round talent, the Steelers desperately need to get their run game in order. Najee Harris is the best RB in this class and Pittsburgh should take him with no hesitation.

Pick #25: Jacksonville Jaguars (Via Los Angeles Rams)

Consensus Pick: Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU

Jacksonville is another team, like the Jets, that has a lot of holes, but mainly on their once-vaunted defense, as opposed to their defense. Trevon Moehrig is a versatile safety who, like JOK, can be a hybrid LB and be the commander of this defense.

Pick #26: Cleveland Browns

Consensus Pick: Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa

The biggest weak point in the Cleveland defense is the linebacking core, and adding Zaven Collins to a potent pass-rush from the defensive line is an opportunity that the Browns cannot pass up.

Pick #27: Baltimore Ravens

Consensus Pick: Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida

Baltimore NEEDS to surround Lamar Jackson with receivers, and Kadarius Toney can be the speedy, big-play guy that this offense needs to be able to move down the field via the pass. Not to mention, his speed is also similar to that of Deebo Samuel, so do not be surprised if Baltimore uses him in the run-game as well.

Pick #28: New Orleans Saints

Consensus Pick: Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Florida State

New Orleans needs a CB alongside Marshon Lattimore, and Asante Samuel Jr. can be a great addition to the squad.

Pick #29: Green Bay Packers

Consensus Pick: Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU

Many will consider this a reach, but Marshall Jr. was an elite player during LSU’s down year this past season. He can come in and be the perfect slot receiver for Aaron Rodgers & Co.

Pick #30: Buffalo Bills

Consensus Pick: Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama

The Bills have a perfect secondary and near-perfect linebacking core, but this team needs pass-rush. Christian Barmore is a player who every opposing offense had to account for on every play, and he with this elite defense would solidify them even further as Super Bowl contenders.

Pick #31: Baltimore Ravens (Via Kansas City)

Consensus Pick: Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas

Baltimore could get themselves another WR, but the offensive line is another huge need, and Samuel Cosmi can be a young stud they can develop to help protect Lamar.

Pick #32: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Consensus Pick: Jaelan Phillips, DE, Miami

There are not many needs for the defending champions, but defensive line depth would be a good one. Jason Pierre-Paul is getting up there in age, and having Phillips be his backup for a few seasons would help Tampa tremendously in the long-run.

Posted on in Football, Games, NCAA, NFL, Uncategorized

2020 College Football National Championship: ‘Geaux Tigahs’ or ‘Go Tigers’

Coach O vs. Coach Swinney. Burrow vs. Lawrence. Stingley vs. Higgins. ‘Tigahs’ vs. Tigers. This is LSU vs. Clemson. This is the College Football Playoff National Championship that will kick off the new decade. This game has Instant Classic written all over it. In what could go down as the best College Football Playoff ever, with 3 of the 4 teams having come in undefeated, the top 2 offenses (LSU and Clemson) and defenses (Ohio State and Clemson) in the nation featured, and 3 of the 4 best coaches in the game right now (Coach O, Swinney, and Lincoln Riley). It is only fitting that the way this season ends, is with the best matchup possible at every position, coach, stat, you name it. Here is how this heavyweight matchup will be won:

#1 LSU vs. #3 Clemson: Jan 13th, 8:30PM, ESPN/ABC

To win or not to win is the question with two undefeated teams remaining going into the National Championship, the first time that two 14-0 teams have ever met in the College Football National Championship. Since the inception of the Playoff, the higher-ranked team has never won the championship, and Clemson vs. Alabama has been the most frequent matchup. This year, Clemson goes to play a different top dog in the SEC in LSU, and a transcendent talent like no other.

While many people thought that Trevor Lawrence could be the next transcendent QB talent, it was Joe Burrow who stepped into the spotlight after transferring this year from Ohio State to LSU. Burrow’s pocket presence, throwing on the run, accuracy, poise, and winning attitude caught the eyes of many, as he has beaten at the time top-10 teams in Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas. If he were to win this National Championship, he and LSU would have beaten 7 Top-10 teams in the Nation in one season, the most ever in College Football history in one season. All these traits and wins led him to win the Heisman Trophy in a landslide, and now he is on pace to be the most obvious Number 1 pick in the NFL since Jadeveon Clowney in 2014 when the Houston Texans drafted him. Burrow in the semifinal against Oklahoma had 403 yards passing and 7 TDs at halftime, 8 in total, 4 of them to Justin Jefferson, and Ja’Marr Chase added 2 more. Oh, and starting RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire got shut down after the first half and they still put up 63 points. Don’t be surprised if they put up 50 on Clemson.

Clemson, on the other hand, had a much tougher matchup against the 3rdundefeated team in the playoff in Ohio State. Looking very lost and lifeless while down 16-7, Trevor Lawrence slid awkwardly and had a helmet-to-neck collision with an Ohio State defender which was called targeting. Lawrence looked gimpy but only sat out one play, and that play ended up being a 67-yard touchdown run by Lawrence to bring Clemson right back in it. The rest of the game ended up being a classic, but the determination from Trevor Lawrence, the big plays down the stretch by Travis Etienne, having Tee Higgins healthy for the right moments (him and Justyn Ross’s health will be key to the Championship Game), and the interception to seal it by Nolan Turner were key. At the end of the day, Dabo Swinney did what he does best, outcoach the opposing coach.

So, the big question rising is, can Dabo outcoach Coach O? Well, yeah, he could outcoach him, but the way LSU has played this year, is outcoaching Coach O enough for you to beat LSU? One thing you have to realize is that LSU has only scored under 35 once, and that was against Auburn. In that game, Auburn Head Coach Gus Malzahn outcoached Coach O, but then Coach O got LSU’s offense to turn on the jets in the second half with a heavy dose of read option between Edwards-Helaire and Burrow, and once Auburn got down, they couldn’t come back. If Clemson wants to have a chance against LSU, it has to be the players on the field, not the coaches, who find their way to sustain the lead, if they get one. I think Clemson could get off to a hot start, but LSU won’t be slowed down long enough to not win this game. Coach O will have the whole nation saying ‘Geaux Tigahs’. Prediction: 51-41, LSU.

Posted on in Football, NCAA, Uncategorized

2019-20 NCAA College Football Playoff Semifinals Predictions

The New Year’s Eve fireworks will be arriving a little earlier this year, as the College Football Playoff Semifinals get set to kick off this Saturday. Clemson and Oklahoma return to the stage with Clemson being the defending champion, and Oklahoma returning for the 3rdconsecutive year. This year, however, LSU enters the playoff for the first time and dethrones their SEC counterpart in Alabama, and Ohio State returns to the place they thought they should have been last year. This year also features a new feat, where 3 transfer quarterbacks (Joe Burrow, who transferred from Ohio State to LSU; Jalen Hurts, who transferred from Alabama to Oklahoma; and Justin Fields, who transferred from Georgia to Ohio State), are leading their teams into the College Football Playoff. So, will it be a transfer quarterback leading their team to a championship, or will Trevor Lawrence lead Clemson to a repeat?

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: #4 Oklahoma vs. #1 LSU, 4PM EST, ESPN

The first game to kick off the playoff will be the battle of the Heisman winner and runner-up, Burrow and Hurts. This will be Hurts’ fourth time in the College Football Playoff (technically his third since he was backup and did not play last year, but it is his 4thsince he was with Alabama the past 3 years), with his 7thOffensive Coordinator (he had 5 different coordinators at Alabama and two Co-Offensive Coordinators at Oklahoma), coming off his third Conference Championship win. In terms of winning, overcoming adversity, and constantly playing the underdog role, Jalen Hurts might be the most decorated college football player ever. He is the true definition of a winner. While many scouts believe he is not the most NFL-ready QB, he certainly deserves the shot to be a starter on an NFL team come next season after he is drafted.

On the other side is Joe Burrow, Heisman-winning QB who has broken every SEC passing record in the book by a healthy margin, will be the #1 pick in the NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals come April, and will lead the heavily-favored LSU into the Peach Bowl as the #1 team in the country. But things didn’t come that easy for Burrow. Burrow in 2017 was part of the Ohio State College Football Playoff team, where he played backup behind JT Barrett and Dwayne Haskins. At the time, not many people knew who he was, as he was a 3rd-string QB who had been redshirted. In 2018, Ohio State looked to life after Barrett, and then-Head Coach Urban Meyer, chose Dwayne Haskins well before the season began, leading Burrow to go into the transfer process, where LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron, served him to a lobster dinner and got him. Burrow last season led a struggling LSU offense that could barely put up 27 points in a game. This year, under new Offensive Coordinator Joe Barry, he leads the nation’s #1 offense, and has two 1,000+ yard receivers to throw to in JaMarr Chase and Justin Jefferson, and a 1,000+ rusher in Clyde-Edwards Helaire (whom he may not have on Saturday due to injury). The transcendence of Burrow has been one of the most unexpected, but the story is incredible.

Now, to the game. Oklahoma’s wide receiving core, led by CeeDee Lamb, who is regarded by many including me as the best receiver in college football and the upcoming NFL Draft, will cause problems for Derek Stingley and Grant Delpit, the best cornerback and safety in the country, respectively. His speed and quickness is almost Tyreek Hill-like, as he has the ability to take any pass to the house. The problem here for Oklahoma’s offense come with the running backs, who will be led by redshirt sophomore Kennedy Brooks. Brooks is getting the starting nod after Trey Sermon had a season-ending injury midseason against Iowa State, and after Rhamandore Stevenson was one of 3 Sooners players suspended for failed drug tests. Brooks is a great back, but not good enough to lead an already-fringe running game. Hurts will be required to put his head down and run with the ball himself quite a bit, which, as great of a runner as he is, is exactly what LSU wants, is for their linebackers to stop the run and not have to worry about helping out too much in the passing game.

For LSU, the running game will most likely feature Edwards-Helaire (according to Coach O), but even if they don’t have him available, the three backup running backs have had healthy doses of experience in the offense this season and have been very effective in scoring touchdowns, with 9 TDs between the 3 of them. As far as defenses, don’t expect too much of it, this will be a high-scoring game. But as I said earlier, the lack of ability to keep pace could haunt them, much it did for Oklahoma the past few years. Oklahoma is too thin in the run game, and does not have enough talent in the secondary to stop the core of Chase, Jefferson, Thaddeus Moss, and Terrace Marshall. Prediction: 49-41, LSU

Playstation Fiesta Bowl: #3 Clemson vs. #2 Ohio State, 8PM ET, ESPN

The defending champion Clemson Tigers find themselves playing in a playoff game rematch once again, but not against Alabama this time. Clemson instead is squaring off against Ohio State this year, the team with the nation’s best defense and best defensive player in Chase Young. Clemson has been decimated by the media the entire year for having an incredibly weak schedule for an elite Power 5 conference team, yet that criticism hasn’t slowed them down one bit. Coach Dabo Swinney has kept his mouth out of the media trap and instead focused on the field and players and looks to go for back-to-back 15-0 seasons. Trevor Lawrence has had a down year but really picked up last year’s form towards the end of the season, Travis Etienne keeps showing why he could be the best running back in the 2020 NFL Draft, and the Brett Venables-led defense keeps feasting on opposing offenses.

Ohio State, on the other hand, has been Top 2 in the rankings ever since they went into Madison, Wisconsin and won 48-0 on Saturday Night Football back in October. Their electric defense has helped them sport a ball-control oriented offense that is run-first behind JK Dobbins and then uses a lot of 5-wide Spread to pass the ball out of with Justin Fields, a transfer QB from Georgia (Georgia is probably regretting benching him for Jake Fromm, which prompted Fields’ transfer request). Speaking of Fields, another Heisman finalist who has defied odds, he is coming into this game nursing a knee injury he suffered against Michigan back at the end of November, and it hasn’t shown too much improvement since. Fields had a great one-legged performance in the B1G Championship Game against Wisconsin in their 14-point comeback win, however, and despite the knee, looked good for most of the game. Much like in that game, Ohio State will use Dobbins on early downs, and then look towards their Fields and their receivers, such as KJ Hill Jr. and Chris Olave to make plays downfield.

This game comes down to running back play, Dobbins vs. Etienne. Whichever team can control the line of scrimmage better in this one will win the game, as ball control and clock management will be vital. Clemson often goes for this approach in semifinal games, and. Ohio State will need to use this in order to keep Fields healthy, because unlike in 2017, they do not have a Jalen Hurts or Joe Burrow-type guy on their bench that can come in and perform on the big stage. While on paper this matchup would favor Clemson, the Chase Young-led pass rush might be too much for Lawrence and could force him into throwing interceptions, something he has done often this season compared to last. Predcition: 34-31, Ohio State

Posted on in Football, NCAA

Why the College Football Playoff Selection Committee Got It Wrong… And Bama-Clemson Part IV Prediction

 

So, yeah, my predictions for the playoff games were bad. Everyone makes mistakes and misjudgments though. I mean, at least I am not Stephen A. Smith where I predict 7 straight NBA Finals wrong, or I am Skip Bayless and never know what sport I am talking about. Anyway, the playoff games gave the College Football Playoff Selection Committee nightmares over how they picked the teams, so here is my take on why they were wrong, and how to solve these problems.

Why They Were Wrong

They didn’t pick Georgia. That’s why there were wrong. Georgia was the 2nd-best team in the SEC, and sure they couldn’t beat Alabama, but given another chance, they probably could. They are the only team in the country who prior to the National Championship could beat Alabama (Clemson being the #2 would play them in the Championship). Now, yes, last night made a bad reflection on that, but Georgia simply didn’t care about the fact that they were playing in the Sugar Bowl. Kinda like how in 2013, when Oklahoma played Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, and Alabama got smoked. It was because they simply didn’t care. They felt like they should’ve been in the National Championship, despite the memorable ‘Kick 6’ loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Or even last year, when USC played Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. USC felt that even with an 11-2 record, that their losses coming from strongly ranked teams would not be a huge deal, as they ended up winning the Pac-12. However, since they didn’t make the Playoff, they simply showed no desire to win against Ohio State. Should Georgia, like Alabama in 2013, or even USC last year, been in the Playoff? Well, I think yes, but then again, what do I know about how the College Football Playoff works?

Now look, let us be honest here, I should never have picked Notre Dame to beat Clemson. Notre Dame is an Independent, no conference whatsoever, so they do not have to play in a conference title game. I mean, Notre Dame was 12-0 going into last night, whereas every other team going into the playoff played 13. Why is this a big deal? Well, you could say that Notre Dame should’ve had all that extra time to prepare, but then again, they hadn’t played since the week before Conference Championship Weekend, which was November 24thagainst an unranked USC (Southern California, the real USC). Not having played for over a month really took a toll on the team. Ian Book and the offense looked sluggish, and the defense seemed scared of the moment. To me, Notre Dame’s best chance to be prepared for these moments is to join a conference. They should at least try to get more games against Big Ten opponents to get themselves more experience if they can’t agree to join a conference. Them being Independent for all sports except football is concerning to me considering that the hardest sport to get into a playoff in is football, with it only being 4 teams. Speaking of which…

The Playoff Should Be 8 Teams

There is no reason for just 4 teams. I mean seriously? A playoff of just 3 games? Not only were teams like Georgia deserving of making it this year but also teams such as Ohio State had a case to make the playoff. Teams like Michigan and UCF maybe aren’t as deserving, but hey, why not put them in the playoff and see what happens. Here is what the bracket would look like with 8 teams:

brac8

We can speculate on what the outcomes of these could be, but think about how exciting this would be? UCF finally gets Bama (as the self-proclaimed ‘National Champions’ have always wanted), OU and Georgia have a rematch from last year’s classic Playoff game, and Ohio State and Michigan can have the chance to prove to the world that the Big Ten is worthy of a playoff spot. All in all, it would just create a more exciting atmosphere and weeks of anticipation and gameplay.

Clemson vs. Alabama Part IV: Good for College Football? Who Wins?

Clemson and Alabama play for the 4thconsecutive Playoff, and 3 of the past 4 National Championship Games have had this matchup. Right now, the series is 3-1 in favor of Alabama, yet this Clemson team is showing flashes of that 2017 National Championship team that beat Alabama on the last play of the game. The offense, much like this year, is very balanced with Etienne and Lawrence, as they did with Wayne Gallman and Deshaun Watson in the 2017 run. The defense is probably better than it was in 2017, and the receiving core is also very similar. That being said, Alabama’s offense is much better through the air than it was last time, with Tua’s ability to read defenses and extend plays being much better than that of Jalen Hurts, then and now.

I would put my money on Clemson. Trevor Lawrence’s deep ball ability, coupled with his ability to extend plays with his feet and accuracy, he could cause them problems, probably more than even Kyler Murray did. Murray is the type of QB that Alabama can live with because they are more than willing to let a QB of his size, speed, and skillset, beat them with his legs. Sure, he had 309 yards passing, but he also had 108 rushing. Lawrence could get between 350 and 400, and he has a much better receiving core than Murray does with Oklahoma. The deep-ball passing game has hurt Alabama against top teams, most notably against Georgia, when Jake Fromm let it fly all night and burned the Crimson Tide secondary for most of the night. Also unlike Oklahoma, Clemson has a very strong defense, starting with the front seven, led by Kendall Joseph and Christian Wilkins, who should be able to get to Tua with questions of his health, as well as the pass protection of Tua over the past few weeks. It’ll be a much more defensive game and will have a Georgia-Alabama SEC Championship feel to it, but at the end of the day, it is what college football wants, the two best teams going at it on the gridiron. Last year, Clemson got swamped, 24-7, by an Alabama team that was the 4thseed and had no business being in the Playoff, considering they didn’t even win the SEC. However, history has shown that the lower seeded team has won every time. Oh, and Drake repped Alabama, and no team has ever won when Drake reps them. I got Clemson with the upset victory.

Final Result: Clemson for the win.

Posted on in Football, NCAA

2018 College Football Playoff: Can the CFP Dominance of Alabama and Clemson Be Stopped?

Over the past few years, it seems like it’s the same-old same-old, Clemson and Alabama making the College Football Playoff, and have played each other the past 3 years, including 2 of the past 3 National Championships. This year, however, features some new headlines. Alabama QB sensation Tua Tagovailoa has an injury to both of his ankles, and Clemson DL Dexter Lawrence, who is probably the best defensive lineman in the country, failed a drug test which will force him to be out vs. Notre Dame. Could this be the year that Oklahoma and Notre Dame take down the dynasties?

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: #2 Clemson vs. #3 Notre Dame, 4PM EST, ESPN

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney benched QB Kelly Bryant in favor of freshman QB Trevor Lawrence, people wondered if this was the beginning of the end for Clemson’s playoff chances. Bryant had been such a valuable piece to the team, going 16-2 in his 18 starts, and taking them to the College Football Playoff the season before. Lawrence, on the other hand, was the #2 recruit according to the ESPN 300, and while he had tons of potential and talent, he was only a freshman. Lawrence, however, took what was a stagnant offense (well, for Clemson, at least), and turned it into an undefeated season, and Clemson scored its most touchdowns ever in Clemson history. To help ease the pressure off of Lawrence, Clemson’s defense was 2ndin scoring, allowing just 13.7 points per game to opponents.

Notre Dame had the same issues with quarterback as well yet did not have the same expectations on them as Clemson did. Senior Brandon Wimbush started off the first 3 games, yet after having a 1:4 TD-to-INT ratio over 3 games, it was time for junior QB Ian Book to come in. Much like with Lawrence for Clemson, Book gave the spark the team needed offensively to compete with the best-of-the-best and give Notre Dame their first College Football Playoff berth.

Notre Dame in their last 5 Bowl Games are 0-5, having lost all by double-digits, but the fact that according to Vegas, Clemson is a 13-point favorite over Notre Dame is beyond me. The game will come down to the run game of both teams against the defensive lines. Can Clemson’s D-Line hold up without Dexter Lawrence against Ian Book and Dexter Williams in the Read Option game, or will Travis Etienne and Co. manhandle Notre Dame. Book and Lawrence will do their things, but Williams vs. Etienne will be the difference. As well as Clemson has run the ball all season, averaging 259 yards per game on the ground, Dexter Lawrence not being out there has resulted in almost double the yards per carry for opposing teams (1.7 yards per carry with Lawrence, 3.0 yards per carry without). He is easily the best defensive lineman in the country, and his absence will be felt. Williams should take advantage of that, and then set up the play-action game for Book to utilize. Notre Dame gets the upset.

Capital One Orange Bowl: #1 Alabama vs. #4 Oklahoma, 8PM EST, ESPN

Much like Clemson and Notre Dame, Alabama switched quarterbacks, this time from Jalen Hurts to Tua Tagovailoa. Hurts had taken the team to back-to-back championships and won both, except in the 2ndone (last year vs. Georgia), he exited the game with an injury, and in came Tua, a Hawaiian kid whom no one had heard about who somehow managed to lead the miracle comeback from 20-7 down in the 4thto win 26-23 in OT. Had the injury not happened, Tua would not be a started, Hurts and Alabama’s dynasty would be over, and we would probably be discussing a Georgia-Oklahoma playoff game, yet instead, Tua’s heroics have us here. Tua, for much of the season, was the Heisman front-runner. Then he injured his ankle, and Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray took the trophy home. Tua then injured his other ankle against Georgia this year in the SEC Championship game, again vs. Georgia, Hurts stepped in, and Hurts led a miracle comeback victory. So, the question becomes yet again, will Tua be healthy, and even if he is, is he better than Hurts?

On the other side, Heisman winner Kyler Murray has his sights set on the National Championship trophy now. He represents Oklahoma as a school that has had back-to-back Heisman winners now (Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield having won last year), and now leads Oklahoma to back-to-back playoff berths. Oklahoma’s one-loss season was criticized by many as a season which wasn’t playoff-worthy, having lost to a Texas team that wasn’t very good at the time. That being said, Oklahoma still has the tools to be able to beat a high-powered team like Alabama.

Much like last year, Oklahoma’s high-flying offense against a top defense in the country looms large. Alabama will come in with their usual gameplan if Tua plays, which is to let Tua be Tua. Alabama coach Nick Saban will be more than happy to see him throw the ball deep against this suspect secondary of Oklahoma. That being said, Oklahoma’s defense has stepped up quite a bit as of late, and if Tua isn’t 100% and still plays, Oklahoma can send pressure and force turnovers. The more turnovers they force, the more Kyler Murray can lead the charge. Time of possession will be the story of the game, but against Alabama, Oklahoma’s defense has to be the best it has ever been and force takeaways. With Tua’s status unknown and Kyler’s Heisman ability, I don’t see a way that Alabama’s offense will be able to match Oklahoma’s scoring ability. 

2019 National Championship: #3 Notre Dame vs. #4 Oklahoma

Assuming this is the National Championship, this would be one of the most entertaining National Championships we have seen in years. Notre Dame would have a chance to continue its glorified history, and Oklahoma could turn themselves into one of the most prestigious college football programs in the country. Notre Dame’s season simply has just been the type that many programs dream of, but I do not believe it will end as a perfect season. Oklahoma’s pro-ready offense is going to be too much for Notre Dame to overcome, but it will surely be one of the best National Championships yet if it happens.

 

Posted on in Football, NCAA

Top 5 Best Bowl Games and Predictions (Not Including BCS Championship Game)

This is the most intriguing bowl season yet, and it will end with in the craziest way possible. Here are the previews for the 5 best bowl games of the 2013-14 season.

Number 5: Clemson vs. Ohio State, Discover Orange Bowl

Both of these teams are coming off losses, so this is pretty big. Ohio State lost in the B1G Ten Championship Game vs. Michigan State. Clemson had an upset win over LSU last year in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, and it shall happen again, thanks to some Tajh Boyd heroics. Final Score: 27-23, Clemson.

Number 4: Oklahoma vs. Alabama, Allstate Sugar Bowl

Some Oklahoma heroics helped them beat Oklahoma State on their way to the Sugar Bowl. Alabama lost its last game vs. Auburn on the famous Kick-6. No miracles this time around, as Maxwell Trophy winner AJ McCarron will lead this team to victory. Final Score: 41-27, Alabama.

Number 3: Duke vs. Texas A&M, Chick-fil-A Bowl

Duke has been the biggest surprise this year, going 24th in the country. They lost in the ACC Championship Game to Florida State. Texas A&M on the other hand, has been very successful in the SEC. That success will continue. Final Score: 62-41, Texas A&M.

Number 2: UCF vs. Baylor, Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

UCF and Baylor make their 1st BCS bowl appearances. This one won’t be a contest. Final Score: 28-3, Baylor.

Number 1: Stanford vs. Michigan State, Vizio Rose Bowl

MSU and Stanford are coming off huge wins in the B1G Ten and PAC-12 Championship Games. RBs Jeremy Langford (MSU) and Tyler Gaffney (Stanford) will help light up the scoreboard on the 100th Rose Bowl. Final Score: 37-33, Stanford.