Week 1 is gone and college football is here! Lots of crazy things have happened and many are still waiting to happen. There’s so much to talk about, yet at the end of the season there’s only one champion. The chance of an undefeated team makes the season even more exciting. Yes, most of us are happy! The season has started!

However, some fans are ready to move on to the next season. Okay, fine, as a UT fan, I will admit, the Longhorns not back yet. But how about the Maryland football program getting together after a bad month in August when news came out about a toxic culture and head coach D.J. Durkin getting put on administrative leave on August 12th?

Maryland, besides the regular Ohio State, looked like one of the better teams from the Big Ten East Division, which was getting all the preseason hype. Michigan’s offense still looked stagnant while Penn State and Michigan State avoided upset bids.  Outside of the highly regarded big ten, LSU, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma and West Virginia gave fans a reason to be optimistic. Looks like it will be your average college football season again.

Alabama is at #1, Clemson is at #2, Georgia and Ohio State are still talented despite losing a lot to the NFL, and everybody else is trying to make a name for themselves.

The SEC went 13-1 on September 1st and the only loss was Tennessee to West Virginia. But it is a rebuilding year for the Volunteers under first year head coach Jeremy Pruitt. While we knew what to expect from the Alabama schools (yeah- Troy too!) Mississippi State still had over 600 yards on offense even without their starting QB Nick Fitzgerald. Don’t sleep on the Cowbells from Starkville, Mississippi, they’ll be making noise this year.

LSU looked really good as well. The field goal issues look like they’ve been fixed, the offense, while not explosive, is getting the job done which is all the Fighting Tigers need because their defense, under high paid defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, looks like it could be one of the nation’s best- again.

The BIG 12, outside of Kyler Murray and the Sooners and Will Grier and the Mountaineers, don’t look to be getting anywhere soon. It’s not fair to judge the Horned Frogs yet because of their opponent being from the FCS. But with the BIG 12’s strength of schedules, getting into the playoff would be very slim.

The Pac-12 lost their chance to impress after Washington’s loss to Auburn, 21-16. Though Stanford, if they beat USC at home in week 2 and win 3 very difficult road games (Oregon and Notre Dame back-to-back and Washington November 3), would have a chance. It might be asking too much, especially with a lot of questions outside of the offensive line, Bryce Love and JJ Arcega-Whiteside.

The ACC is relying on Clemson and Virginia Tech after the way Miami looked in their last 4 games.

So there you have it. Wait, nope! Don’t sleep on Boise State. Yes UCF is still the team to talk about, I get it. Both of those schools get their chances against power five opponents this season. Something they need to impress the committee. Boise State gets Oklahoma State September 15th at T. Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater Oklahoma. UCF gets a chance to knock off the Tar Heels on Chapel Hill on September 15th as well as getting Pittsburgh at home on September 29th. If Boise State wins at Ok State, which, keep in mind, OK State is in a rebuilding year, and wins the rest of their games with no slip ups, then you might see them in the talk for the playoff depending on what happens around the country especially after what happened last season. UCF will be the talk of the town in the AAC (American Athletic Conference), they’ll be the talk of the nation if they are undefeated again.

Alright, so how is that for a week 1 overview? Here’s the best part, the Rankings! As one of the bigger college football fans, I’m going to give you my honest, not bias, top 15 and give some reason why I put them in that spot and their upcoming game.

Connor’s top 15 (After Week 1)

1.   Alabama- Why not? As long as Nick Saban is in T-Town, you may as well have the Crimson Tide at #1 no matter what. And I don’t care who their starting quarterback is. One is running for the Heisman and the other is 26-2 as a starter and has led them to two national championships. They’re next opponent is at home against Sun Belt west division favorite Arkansas State.
2.   Clemson- This may be the best Defensive line in the history of college football. They arguably have 4 future NFL top round picks. They also may have the easiest path to the playoff in college football playoff history. With the way the Seminoles looked against Virginia Tech, I wouldn’t consider them much of a challenge even though Clemson has to travel to Tallahassee. The only game that worries me on their schedule is their next game- Kyle Field (Texas A&M). Jimbo Fisher just can’t escape Clemson!
3.   Ohio State- While other teams rebuild, the Buckeyes reload. Not having Urban Meyer for the first three games isn’t much of a concern, especially when you play Oregon State and Rutgers in that stretch. TCU in week 3 at AT&T stadium might be interesting. The defense needs to improve but the offense may even be better now that J.T. Barrett is gone. Pretty impressive. Rutgers will try to make the score look good on the road against Ohio State this weekend.
4.   Georgia- They were very good last year, but they are having to replace a lot of their stars. Head coach and former Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart is in his 3rd year at Georgia. We’ll find out this coming Saturday in Columbia South Carolina if the Bulldogs can consistently play at the high level that is now expected of them after last season and the number one overall recruiting class of 2018. The Gamecocks get a chance at home to try to upset Georgia and claim the top spot in the SEC East.
5.   Oklahoma- Yes, I know, FAU isn’t the best team in the country, but it sure isn’t Southern or Nicholls State. But the most wide open power five conference is the big 12. And even when it’s not, OU seems to always find a way. A November 23rd road game at West Virginia still stands in their way. Playing TCU on the road will be interesting as long as Gary Patterson is in Fort Worth. And don’t count out Texas who finds ways to contain their explosive offense. Now the last time they didn’t have Baker Mayfield, their record was 8-5. With the way UCLA’s line of scrimmage looks right now, don’t be surprised if we see UCLA with about 85 rushing yards this week in Norman.
6.   Wisconsin- This team has the best offensive line in the country to go along with a dark horse contender for the Heisman in running back Jonathan Taylor. Their schedule is a little more difficult this season but you should expect to see the Badgers win the Big Ten West again. The only game in west play that scares me is Iowa at Kinnick Stadium on September 22nd which is one of the more difficult places to play in the country. Their next game is at home against New Mexico
7.   Auburn- This team, ever since the kicksix, has added an extra kick to their game. This isn’t a miracle team anymore. This team is for real after beating the 6th ranked Washington Huskies this past Saturday. They get Alabama State this weekend at home before having to face LSU in Death Valley on September 15th.
8.   Notre Dame- What a statement win for the season opener and home opener for the Irish. Michigan had all the hype, especially after getting QB Shea Patterson from Ole Miss. This team should be a dark horse contender, despite not playing in a conference championship, if they can take care of one of college football’s most difficult schedules. Their next game is at home vs. Ball State
9.   Washington- They’ll be able to take control from here on out if they can beat both Utah and California on the road. A home showdown vs Stanford on November 3rd might decide not just the Pac-12 North but the team that gives the conference their best shot at a possible New Year’s six bowl appearance. Next game is much more manageable than Auburn. They get North Dakota at home.
10.  Virginia Tech- The defense is still just as good despite all the injuries and things that happened to them over the summer. Maybe Florida State was a bit overrated to start the season but in the easier division of the ACC (the Coastal), I don’t see why, for now (especially after Miami’s performance), this team can’t control their own destiny unless they get upset by Duke, who I think is one of the more underrated teams in the nation. Their next game is at home against William and Mary.
11.  West Virginia- The best offense in college football. Outside of a non-conference road game at North Carolina State they have a fairly manageable schedule. This team is the Big 12’s second best chance to get into the playoffs after what we saw from the Longhorns again in their opener against Maryland. Their next game is at home against Youngstown State
12.  LSU- We already knew what to expect from the defense. But a decent offense, and great special teams? The last time Tiger fans saw that combination they went to the national title. They just might have the toughest schedule in the country. The two toughest teams from the SEC East, Mississippi State and Alabama at home. While getting Auburn, A&M and Arkansas on the road. Very difficult, but the Tigers showed promise against Miami. Next game is at home against Southeastern Louisiana.
13.  Mississippi State- This team has a chance to win the SEC West. No joke. They are quietly one of the best teams in the country. Their offense is very good and the defense is very good. I would be shocked to see them with less than 8 wins. Florida, Alabama, Auburn and LSU won’t be easy. But win one or two of those games and you’re looking at a possible New Year’s six team. Next game is on the road at Kansas State.
14.  Michigan State- You can’t go wrong with a team, no matter how difficult the schedule is, when they won 10 games last season and brought back the most experience in the country. Yes, they struggled against Utah State, but they have a chance to prove themselves against Herm Edwards and the Sun Devils on the road this weekend.  
15.  Stanford- They always seem to end up here at the end of the season. So why not put them here. Stanford has all the Bryce Love this season but need to improve as a team and getting a test from USC this weekend at home should give us some insight on where the Cardinals are.

Connor’s Teams You Shouldn’t Sleep On Pre-season

Duke

Boise State

Arkansas State

Pittsburgh

Boston College

Iowa

Michigan State

Utah

California

Marshall

North Texas

Northern Illinois

Florida

South Carolina

Mississippi State

Heisman Watch

ESPN’s Top Heisman Prospects:

1. Will Grier (QB West Virginia) – Look for Will Grier to be on this list the entire season. The senior quarterback and transfer from Florida is looking to have another great season with two of his top targets back including David Sills, a top 10 wide receiver prospect in this year’s NFL draft. West Virginia will be playing Youngstown St, coming off of Grier’s 429 yrd, 5 td, 73% completion rating performance against the Tennessee Volunteers.
2. Ed Oliver (DT Houston)- Can this be only the second time a defensive player ever wins the Heisman? Oliver is a potential #1 overall draft pick for the 2019 NFL draft, and returned to Houston to prove it.
3. Jonathan Taylor (RB Wisconsin)- Running behind the best line in the FBS, Jonathan Taylor is looking to have another great season. Taylor was a top Heisman prospect last year as well. Wisconsin is coming off of a 34-3 win against Western Kentucky. Taylor carried for 145 yards along with 2 touchdowns, and is expected to have similar stats against New Mexico Week 2.
4. Tua Tagovailoa (QB Alabama) – Believe it or not this top Heisman prospect is actually in a qb battle with Jalen Hurts. Tagovailoa threw the game winning touchdown against the Georgia Bulldogs to win the 2017-2018 National Championship. Jalen Hurts was the starter for Alabama last year, but was replaced by Tagovailoa in the second half of the national championship game. Alabama played Louisville this past weekend, who just lost their Heisman winning quarterback Lamar Jackson to the NFL (Baltimore Ravens). Tagovailoa threw for 227 yds and 2 touchdowns while completing 75% of his passes.
5. McKenzie Milton (QB UCF)- led the best offense in the country last year and should be another potent offense back with 9 starters back. He also gets the chance to shine against two power five opponents.

Early Playoff Predictions

Connor’s Predictions after week 1:

#1. Alabama Crimson Tide

#2. Clemson Tigers

#3 Ohio State Buckeyes

#4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Conference Predictions After Week 1

ACC

Clemson vs. Miami

Clemson

BIG 12

Oklahoma vs. West Virginia

Oklahoma

BIG 10

Ohio State vs. Wisconsin

Ohio State

SEC

Alabama vs. Georgia

Alabama

PAC 12

Washington vs. Utah

Washington

Conference Predictions After Week 1

Big 12

West Virginia vs. Oklahoma

Oklahoma

SEC

Georgia vs. Alabama

Alabama

Big 10

Wisconsin vs. Ohio State

Ohio State

Pac 12

Washington vs. USC

ACC

Clemson vs. Miami

Clemson

College Gameday

Week 1: 14 Michigan @ 12 Notre Dame

Michigan had all the hype coming into this matchup because of Ole Miss transfer (QB) Shea Patterson. This was the one position that Michigan was lacking. All the talk about Notre Dame during the offseason was how their QB, Brandon Wimbush, was still struggling at times and still trying to figure himself out. But the one thing that people forgot about was the most obvious. Whenever a team has a legit defense, and the other team’s offensive line is questionable, and that team with the good defense is playing at home, your chances of winning just decreased tremendously. The so called “experts” will talk about all the dynamic speed on the perimeter for a team, or how (a) new coaching staff will change things.  But they forget to mention what’s happening at the line of scrimmage. The game is won at the line of scrimmage. And that’s the result you saw in this game. The Michigan Wolverines had only 58 yards rushing and couldn’t keep Patterson protected. The Notre Dame Irish won 24-17.

Week 2

2 Clemson @ Texas A&M

Prediction- If Jimbo Fisher did not agree to a 75 million, 10 year contract with Texas A&M last December, you would probably not be seeing College Gameday in College Station this week. Here’s why:

    Clemson started out this week favored by two touchdowns. The spread is now 12 (in Clemson’s favor). Clemson is one of the most complete teams in the FBS, if not the most, and has only gotten better than the team who visited the playoffs last year. Although Texas A&M has the strong home field advantage at Kyle Field, they will struggle at least in the second half of this game. Expect Texas A&M to struggle against the Tigers’ defense. Jimbo Fisher has yet to decide the amount of playing time his two quarterbacks could get in this game. That means only more trouble for the Aggies against a really good Clemson defense. Dabo Swinney (Clemson Head Coach), has said that both Kelly Bryant and freshman Trevor Lawrence will play in this game, but Dabo couldn’t go wrong with either quarterback. They each bring a different skill set to the team, only making them better. Kelly Bryant started for the Clemson Tigers last year, and is expected to keep his starting position, but Lawrence will get playing time and experience in many games this year. This Clemson team is experienced, and will be ready to play this game.

Week 3

4 Ohio State vs./(@) 15 TCU

    Although the game is being held at AT&T Stadium In Arlington, college gameday is being held on the TCU campus. It’s a little surprising gameday isn’t in Auburn Alabama. It’ll be a battle of tigers as the #7 Auburn take on #12 LSU. But, this Ohio State-TCU is a top 15 matchup, with the Buckeyes at 4 in the midst of this Urban Meyer scandal and TCU at 15. TCU basically gets home field advantage which is good for the Horned Frogs as any type of slight advantage in anything would tremendously help them. Ohio State looks even better now that JT Barrett is gone as Dwayne Haskins has put up great numbers though they haven’t played great competition yet (Oregon State and Rutgers). We’ll get a good idea on where these teams are. TCU will need a much better start then they had against SMU this past Friday if they want a chance in this matchup.

#12 LSU @ #7 Auburn

Battle on the plains as the LSU Tigers take on the Auburn Tigers in the annual Tiger Bowl. LSU will need more from there offense than what they showed against Southeastern Louisiana in their home opener. The defense will have their hands full going against maybe the best QB in the SEC. Auburn has won the last two times at home in this matchup.

#14 West Virginia @ North Carolina State

I thought college basketball didn’t start for almost 2 months? This Should be one of the higher scoring games this weekend. Ryan Finley and the Wolfpack get a chance at home vs Heisman front runner Will Grier and the Mountaineers. Whoever gets a stop in this game might come out victorious. Now this game is cancelled because of Hurricane Florence.

#17 Boise State @ #24 Oklahoma State

Boise State is the best team from the group of five. Oklahoma state is going through a rebuilding year after losing the school’s best quarterback- wide receiver tandem ever. Boise State has everybody back including the best quarterback in the mountain west in senior Brett Rypien. This game has the potential be a high scoring game and don’t be surprised if the Boise State Broncos pull this one out.

#1 Alabama @ Ole Miss

Yes, I know, why this game? From what we’ve seen in the past, this could be a tricky game for the Alabama Crimson Tide because of this Ole Miss offense. As well as having to play texas A&M, who almost beat Clemson, next week. But, now with Tua at QB for Alabama, they can keep up in shootouts. And that’s if this game is a shootout. The Ole Miss defense will have to do better than what they did this past week giving up 41 points and 629 yards to Southern Illinois.  This will be the first real test for that hotty toddy offense.

#22 USC @ Texas

Yes this game doesn’t have the hype it would’ve 13 years ago but this is a huge game for Tom Herman to get back the respect that the Longhorns had before the season opener against Maryland. And for USC, this will be the second road game in a row and another hostile atmosphere for true freshman quarterback JT Daniels. USC is coming off a performance against Stanford in which they produced only 332 yards and 3 points which marks only the third time in 25 years the Trojans were held without a touchdown. The other two being in 2016 against Alabama and 1997 against Washington

#10 Washington @ Utah

This is a late game for the Chris Petersen’s Huskies and Utah might catch Washington napping on the road against a sneaky good Utah Utes football team. While Utah may win the Pac 12 south division, which is the most wide open division in the power five, It may be asking a bit too much to pull of this upset against a veteran loaded squad. While Utah’s defense has been stout to begin the season, Their offense may not have enough to beat the best defense in the Pac 12.

Connor’s Playoff Predictions After week 2

#1 Alabama

#2 Clemson

#3 Ohio State

#4 Notre Dame

Blake’s Predictions After Week 2

#1 Clemson

#2 Ohio State

#3 Oklahoma

#4 Alabama

The Big Ten (L)East?

Four teams were ranked in the AP top 15 to begin the season from this division. We had the regular #5 Ohio State. Okay, still looks accurate. Followed by Penn State at #10. They’ve had their moments. And then we had the two Michigan schools with Michigan State and their 19 returning starters at #11 and all the hype surrounding Shea patterson and Jim Harbaugh at Michigan at #14. Now look where we are. Notre Dame beat up the hype on Shea Patterson and Michigan’s offensive line. And a week later Michigan State falls to Herm Edwards and the Sun Devils on a hot night in the dessert. To make matters worse for the Spartans, their punter, Jake HartBarger, will be out 6-8 weeks. Maryland, Rutgers, and Indiana, well, they’ll be themselves. While at the end of the season there is a great chance Ohio State is 11-1 or better, everyone is going to be talking about how their strength of schedule is really good compared to some others. Let’s wait and see what happens but i wouldn’t say that right now.

The SEC Best (in the West)

Obviously we have Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide. But how about the other Alabama school. Auburn has already had one big win. And let’s not forget the other Tigers. LSU has looked good and has picked up a signature win as well. And don’t forget about Mississippi State. The cowbells from Starkville will be making noise this year too. All of these schools have proven themselves already. LSU beat Miami, Auburn beat Washington, and Mississippi state took care of business against Bill Snyder and Kansas State on the road. займ на карту займ безпроцентныйзайм 500рполучить займ на неименную карту микро займ москвау петровича займ личный кабинетзайм яндекс денег