CFP COULD RAISE A CATASTROPHE OF EPIC PROPORTIONS!

The College Football Playoff Committee made an announcement late last week that could throw the 2025 playoffs into chaos. The committee stated that the five highest ranked conference champions would be GUARANTEED a spot in the playoffs.  There are seven (7) conferences in the FBS:  American, Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big 10, Conference USA, Mountain West and Sun Belt.

The five highest ranked conference champions would be:  Ohio State (#1) of the Big 10; Texas Tech (#4) of the Big 12; Alabama (#9) of the SEC; Virginia (#17) of the ACC; and Tulane/North Texas of the American Conference. Although these five teams would be guaranteed a spot in the playoff, they would not necessarily earn the top five seeds. It would depend on where they would be ranked after the conference championship games this weekend.

In the current CFP rankings, there are three teams in the top nine rankings that will probably drop a few spots when they lose their conference championship games. Ohio State (#1) or Indiana (#2) will tumble after the Big 10 championship game; Georgia (#3) or Alabama (#9) will drop a few spots after the SEC championship game; Texas Tech (#4) would drop in the rankings if they lose the Big 12 championship game (BYU could drop all the way out of the playoffs if the Cougars lose.

The biggest catastrophe could occur if the Duke Blue Devils were to upend Virginia in the ACC championship game. Duke won a five-game tie breaker to make the ACC title game. The Blue Devils finished conference play with a respectable 6-2 record; however, their overall record is only 7-5!  The Blue Devils would probably get the 12^th and final playoff spot and play a road game in the first round. CFP officials will be shaking in their boots if Duke, somehow, goes all the way to the College Football Playoff Championship game; or, horror of horrors, win the College Football Championship! I guarantee that if this happens…or if the top four seeds all lose (like they did last year)…changes will be forthcoming next year.

MY BLOGGING CAREER IS OVER!

     The 2025 NCAA college football season has just gotten underway. I will, however, NOT be blogging…I am quietly stepping away and will just watch local teams…that will include my team: the Michigan Wolverines.

     There are three main reasons why I will not be covering college football for the first time in over 50 years:

     Number 1: Expanded playoffs…and, to a lesser extent, the formation of “super conferences”. The NCAA…in its pursuit of the “almighty dollar”, decided to expand the playoffs from four teams to 12-teams. This decision resulted in ultimate disaster. The top four ranked teams (#1 Oregon, #2 Georgia, #3 Boise State and #4 Arizona State) all LOST their quarterfinal games. This left the playoff committee with “egg on their faces”. Ohio State…the #8 seed…went on to win the National Championship.

     In my opinion, the NCAA expanded the playoffs way too quickly; they should have gone from four teams to six teams; then, eight teams; finally, to 12 teams. Also, with teams like Oregon, USC and UCLA joining the Big 10; the Big 12 expanded to 16 teams with the addition of teams like: Arizona State, BYU and Utah; the SEC also expanded to 16 teams with the addition of teams like Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M. The PAC 12 all but disappeared…with only two schools remaining: Washington State and Oregon State. The “Super Conferences” made for a skewed regular season.

     Number 2: NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals. College athletes were campaigning for receiving some kind of pay from the schools that were raking in the money. While, perhaps, maybe the top 10 players were signing these massive deals, other players were not getting anything. Stars were going from one school to another just because of the NIL they can sign. THAT IS NOT RIGHT! It is my opinion that players who sign NIL deals should forfeit their scholarships and contribute to the scholarship funds for each school…so others can benefit from these massive deals.

     Number 3: The transfer portal. This has gotten WAY out of hand. A record number of players…in all sports…were transferring several times during a career. Some players were playing for four teams in four years! A couple of college football quarterbacks were transferring away from school because they lost out on NIL deals. It is my opinion that a player should be able to transfer once…not several times. There also needs to be one transfer window instead of several.

     Because of all that has happened, college sports has been, in my opinion, professionalized…thus, unwatchable. I will follow my Wolverines; however, I no longer have the excitement to write weekly blogs.

     I invite you to share your feelings.   

2025 MLB MID-SEASON AWARDS

Each year, at the All Star break (the traditional halfway point of the season), I present the top three candidates for  individual baseball awards. Here they are (I will add some comments as appropriate):

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Most Valuable Player

Aaron Judge    .360 33   74

Cal Raleigh    .268 35   74

Jeremy Pena    .322 11   40

Raleigh has a pretty good chance to win over Judge. He has quietly guided Seattle to a 48-44 record (and a .001 lead for the final Wild Card spot).

Least Valuable Player

Anthony Santander   .179 6   18

Adley Rutschman     .227 8   20

Adolis Garcia       .227 10   49

Santander hit 44 homers for Baltimore in 2024. He signed a huge, five-year, $92.5 million contract during the offseason. To say that he has not delivered is an understatement!

Cy Young Award

Skubal    10   2    2.02 148-K

Crochet   9   4    2.39 151-K

Fried     11   2    2.27 111-K

deGrom    9   2    2.29 105-K

To be honest, any one of these four could win the award. It is quite a toss-up right now.

CY “YUCK” AWARD

Bailey Ober    4-6  5.28

Tanner Bibee   4-9  4.20

Kevin Gausman  6-6  4.13

After going 10-4 and 12-8 in his first two MLB seasons, Bibee has dropped to just four wins in 2025. Toronto is winning despite Gausman.

Fireman of the Year

Josh Hader     Houston   25-25

Carlos Estevez KC        24-27

Jeff Hoffman   Toronto   22-26

Again, a toss-up among three very good closers. Estevez has 24 saves despite KC having a below-.500 record.

Rookie of the Year

Jacob Wilson        .333 9   42

Chandler Simpson    .302 0   14

Cam Smith           .286 7   39

This one, really, is no contest…Wilson has far surpassed expectations and should win this award going away.

MANAGER OF THE YEAR

John Schneider Toronto   52-38

A.J. Hinch     Detroit   57-34

Joe Espada     Houston   55-35

Toronto and Houston are having rebound years while Detroit is trying to duplicate their success from 2024.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Javy Baez           .276 10   39

Byron Buxton        .270 20   53

George Springer     .280 16   53

This is really no contest at all. Baez has gone from a .184 record in just 80 games in 2024 to a spot on the All Star team…all while learning a new position!

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Most Valuable Player

Shohei Ohtani       .278 30   56

Pete Crow-Armstrong .271 23   67

Eugenio Suarez      .252 28   73

This award is Ohtani’s to lose. The Dodgers should recover from a slow start (they recently lost six games in a row) to win the NL West again.

Least Valuable Player

O’Neil Cruz         .203 15   35

Ozzie Albies        .222 6   28

Willie Adames       .225 10   42

Cruz is struggling despite flashing the leather in the field. His average has dipped from .259 in 2024 to just .204 this year. Adames is also learning that it is difficult to switch leagues.

Cy Young Award

Zach Wheeler        9-3  2.17 148

Logan Webb          8-6  2.62 133

Matt Boyd           8-3  2.52 96

The AL has four pitchers with 10+ wins; the NL has none. Unless someone has a huge second half, Wheeler should win it.

Cy “YUCK” Award

Dylan Cease         3   8    4.62

Jameson Taillon     7   6    4.44

Zac Gallen          6   9    5.45

Cease has only three wins…that’s $4.58 million per win. Gallen is far behind his 2023 record, 17-9.

Fireman of the Year

Robert Suarez       26-29

Trevor Megill       21-24

Emilio Pagan        19-22

Suarez had 36 saves last year; should be able to top that in 2025. Pagan has the most saves since 2019.

Rookie of the Year

Drake Baldwin  .274 10   28

Manager of the Year

Dave Roberts   56-35

Craig Counsell 53-36

THAT’S A WRAP FOR THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON!

The 2024-25 College Football Season is over. Before we put a ribbon on it, I have some facts, comments and ideas about the past season, as well as posting my final College Football Top 25.

Fact #1  Ohio State became the second consecutive Big Ten college football program to win the national championship. Michigan won the championship in 2023. Ohio State won their seventh national championship…good for third place overall. Only Alabama (13) and Notre Dame (8) have won more championships.

Fact #2  Both participants in the 2024 national championship game had quarterbacks who transferred from other schools. Buckeyes’ QB Will Howard transferred from Kansas State; Fighting Irish QB Riley Leonard transferred from Duke University.

Fact #3  Ohio State finished the season with a record of 14-2. They are the first program to win a championship with as many as two losses in 18 years.

Comment #1   The new 12-team college football playoff was a complete bust…despite what you might read or hear. If the four-team playoff was still alive, neither Ohio State…nor Notre Dame… would have even been in the playoffs to begin! I don’t know how anybody could call this playoff a success when the two teams in the finals were the seventh and eighth-best teams in the playoffs!

Comment #2   The new 12-team playoff format extended college football two additional weeks. In addition, players in the young 20’s were expected to play in one-to-three more games than before.

Comment #3   The NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) program and the transfer portal have completely ruined college football. While I do favor college athletes getting some kind of stipend, what is in place now is totally way off base. College athletes get four year scholarships plus free room and board and meals. A small stipend be great. BTW: those college athletes who are signing these huge NIL deals should be required to pay it back to their college upon graduation.

2024-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL FINAL RANKINGS

 1.                   Ohio State                BIG 10—2        (14-2)                                                                       

 2.                   Notre Dame             INDY—1          (13-2)                                                              

 3.                   Penn State                BIG 10—1        (13-2)                                                             

 4.                   TEXAS                       SEC—1             (13-2)                                                             

 5.                   Oregon                      BIG 10—3        (13-1)                                                             

 6.                   Georgia                     SEC—2            (11-3)                                                             

 7.                   Boise State               MWC—1         (12-2)                                                  

 8.                   IOWA State              BIG 12—1        (11-3)                                                           

 9.                   BYU                            BIG 12—2        (11-2)                                                            

10.                  Indiana                      BIG 10—4        (11-2)                                                            

11.                  ARMY                         AAC—1            (12-2)                                                

12.                  Arizona State           BIG 12—3        (11-3)                                                

13.                  SMU                           ACC—1            (11-3)                                               

14.                  Missouri                    SEC—3            (10-3)                                               

15.                  Illinois                        BIG 10—5        (10-3)                                                

16.                  Memphis                  AAC—2            (11-2)                                               

17.                  Ole Miss                    SEC—4             (10-3)                                                

18.                  Tennessee                SEC—5            (10-3)                                                

19.                  Miami (Florida)       ACC—2            (10-3)                                                

20.                  Clemson                    ACC—3            (10-4)                                               

21.                  NAVY                         AAC—3            (10-3)

22.                  Syracuse                   ACC—4            (10-3)

23.                  OHIO                         MAC—1          (11-3)

24.                  UNLV                         MWC—2          (11-3)

25.                  Marshall                    Sun Belt—1     (10-3)

2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TAKES PLACE TONIGHT

Two Midwest colleges battle it out for the 2024 College Football National Championship on January 20. Ohio State (13-2) takes on Notre Dame (14-1)

Fact #1: Notre Dame defeated Penn State in the Orange Bowl by a score of 27-24.

Comment #1:  Fighting Irish place kicker Mitch Jeter drilled a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the game. Jeter, a Senior, has made 13 of 20 field goal attempts this season…including post-season games.

Comment #2:  Notre Dame’s only loss of 2024 was back on September 7…losing to Northern Illinois of the Mid American Conference, 16-14. The Irish have won 16 of their last 17 games.

Comment #3:  Penn State once again was unable to win the “big game”; and Head Coach James Franklin will probably have a tough time living with this fact. Nittany Lions Junior QB…Drew Allar…was only 12-23 against Notre Dame for 135 yards. He was intercepted once and was sacked just one time.

Fact #2: Ohio State defeated Texas in the Cotton Bowl Classic by a score of 28-14.

Comment #2:  Okay, I am going to say what a lot of you are thinking: Coach Sarkisian, Offensive Coordinator Kyle Flood…why in the blue blazes didn’t you call consecutive QB sneaks on first-and-goal at the Buckeyes’ one-yard line? Have you guys never heard of the “Tush-Push”…or as it is also called “The Brotherly Shove”?! You put the QB under center, line up two 300-pound linemen behind Ewers, and let them push Ewers! I certainly believe that the Longhorns would have been able to get that one yard on for downs! Instead, you call a running play for no gain, another running play for a loss of seven yards (SEVEN!), an incomplete pass; then, Ewers was strip-sacked by Jack Sawyer of Ohio State, who did a “scoop and score” to put the game away!

Fact #3: The college football championship game will be played on Monday, January 20, in Atlanta. Ohio State is a solid nine-point favorite.

Comment #3:  The College Football Playoff Committee cannot be happy that the championship game is being played by the #7 and #8 teams from the playoff bracket! As I have previously stated, the NCAA expanded the playoffs too quickly. If the NCAA would have just gone from four to six teams this year, Notre Dame and Ohio State would NOT have even made the playoffs!

Comment #4:  These two teams have previously played each other eight times…the last time in 2023. Ohio State has won six straight games. If the Buckeyes win, they will be the first team to win the championship with two losses since 2003.

Fact #4: There were four overtime games this year’s bowl games:

Northern Illinois-Fresno State    2 OTs

South Florida-San Jose State      5 OTs

Toledo-Pittsburgh                  6 OTs

Texas-Arizona State                2 OTs

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SEMI-FINALS TO BE PLAYED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY…MAYBE

Four teams remain in the battle for the college football national championship. One semi-final game will be played Thursday, January 9, while the second game will be played Friday. There has been considerable talk that the Ohio State-Texas game…to be played as the Cotton Bowl but at A.T.&T. Stadium (the home of the Dallas Cowboys) in Arlington…could be postponed a day or two because of the forecast of inclement weather in the Dallas/Arlington area. There is a 90% chance of rain mixed with snow on Friday; that alone would not be cause for postponement as the Cotton Bowl will be played indoors; however, there is much concern for fans and teams getting to and from the stadium because of slippery…even treacherous…roads.   

Capital One Orange Bowl   January 9

#6 Penn State (13-2) vs. #7 Notre Dame (13-1)

Last game:   Penn State defeated Boise State, 31-14; Notre Dame defeated Georgia, 23-10

Penn State Key Players

QB—Drew Allar: 13-25, 171 yards, 3 TDs vs. Boise State

RB—Kaytron Allen: 17 carries, 134 yards

RB—Nicholas Singleton: 12 carries, 87 yards, 1 TD

TE—Tyler Warren: 6 receptions, 63 yards, 2 TDs

PK—Ryan Barker: 4-4 PATs, 1-1 FGs = 40 yards

Def—Jaylen Reed: 8 total tackles

Def—Kobe King: 8 total tackles

Def—3 interceptions, 3 sacks

Notre Dame Key Players

QB—Riley Leonard: 15-24, 90 yards, 1 TD

                 14 carries, 80 yards

WR—Jordan Faison: 4 receptions for 46 yards

KR—Jayden Harrison: 98-yard kickoff return

Def—4 sacks 

Line:    Notre Dame by 2 points

Cotton Bowl Classic  January 10, 2025

#5 Texas (13-2)   vs. #8 Ohio State (12-2)

Last game:   Texas defeated Arizona State, 39-31, in two overtimes; Ohio State defeated Oregon, 41-21

Texas Key Players

QB—Quinn Ewers: 20-30, 322 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT

RB—Quintrevion Wisner: 18 carries, 45 yards

WR—Matthew Bolden:   7 receptions, 149 yards, TD

PK—Bert Auburn: 4-4 PATs, 1-3 FGs, 22 yards

DEF—Jahdae Barron:   11 total tackles

DEF—Michael Taaffe:  10 total tackles

Texas Defense: 3 sacks, INT

Ohio State Key Players

QB—Will Howard:  17/26, 319 yards, 3 TDs vs. Oregon

RB—Treveyon Henderson: 8 carries, 94 yards, 2 TDs (66 yards)

WR—Jeremiah Smith: 7 receptions, 187 yards, 2 TDs

WR—Emeka Egbuka: 5 receptions, 72 yards, TD

PK—Jayden Fielding: 5/5 PATs, 2/2 FGs

Def—Cody Simon: 11 total tackles; 2 sacks

Def—Ohio State:  8 sacks

Line:    Ohio State by 5.5 points

Weather: High of 41 degrees, low of 25 degrees; 44% chance of precipitation.

SUMMARY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF QUARTERFINAL GAMES

Well, I have had a chance to cool down after the Sugar Bowl last night. I am convinced that that the CFP committee cannot be happy that none of top four seeds…and…none of the conference champions advanced to the Semi-Finals. I will have some comments after I review each quarterfinal game.

PENN STATE 31, BOISE STATE 14 VRBO Fiesta Bowl

Boise State was never really in this game…giving up two first quarter TDs and trailed pretty much the whole game.  Brocos RB Ashton Jeanty has 104 rushing yards…but only 3.46 yards per carry as the Nittany Lions’ defense keyed on the Heisman Trophy finalist the entire game. Jeanty also fumbled twice…losing once. QB Maddux Madsen threw three interceptions…two in the fourth quarter. Boise State also had too many costly penalties (10 for 98 yards). Drew Allar led Penn State’s offense by completing 13 of 25 passes for 171 yards and three scores. RB Kaytron Allen rushed for 134 yards. Next up for Penn State: Capital One Orange Bowl on January 9.

TEXAS 39, ARIZONA STATE 31 (2-OTs)     Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

This game was…arguably…the best bowl game since the 2007 Fiesta Bowl between Oklahoma and Boise State. Arizona State overcame a 24-8 deficit with two touchdowns and two, two-point conversions. The Sun Devils’ defense recorded 8 tackles-for-loss’s; both teams struggled with false start penalties.  Texas PK Bert Auburn missed two crucial field goal attempts; however, the Longhorns were able to take an eight-point lead in the first overtime. Texas tied the game back up on a Quinn Ewers to Matthew Golden touchdown. In the second overtime, Texas took a 39-31 lead on another Ewers’ touchdown pass…this time, to Gunnar Helm and a two-point conversion. Finally, ASU QB Sam Leavitt threw an interception to end the game. Up next for Texas: the semi-finals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on January 10.

Ohio State 41, Oregon 21  The Rose Bowl presented by Prudential

This game can be summed up: “Revenge is Sweet”! Ohio State was looking to get back at the Beavers after the Buckeyes lost a one-point game at Oregon back on Saturday, October 12. The Buckeyes rolled out to a 34-0 lead and were never challenged after that. Ohio State RB Treveon Henderson had 94 yards on eight carries and two TDs…one a 66-yard gallop. Buckeyes QB Will Howard passed for 319 yards and three scores. Oregon was the last undefeated team in 2024.  Next up for Ohio State: the semi-finals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic against Texas on January 10.

Notre Dame 23, Georgia 10     The All State Sugar Bowl at New Orleans

This game was decided in a span of just 54 seconds…Notre Dame scored 17 points and Georgia was pretty much done. Gunnar Stockton, backup QB for the Bulldogs, 20 of 32 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown. Georgia, however, did not have any type of running game…only 62 yards. Meanwhile, Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard lit up the Bulldogs defense…the transfer from Duke had 170 yards of total offense. The turning point of the game was when Notre Dame’s Jayden Harrison took the second half kickoff and raced 98 yards for a score. The Sugar Bowl was postponed from Wednesday to Thursday night because of the terrorist attack in the French Quarter. Next for Head Coach Marcus Freeman and the Irish:    Penn State Nittany Lions in the Capital One Orange Bowl on January 9.

Comments

Early odds for the semi-finals:

Ohio State is favored by six points over Texas…despite the fact that the Longhorns will be playing in their home state.

Notre Dame is a 1.5 favorite over Penn State.

If Notre Dame and Ohio State win, the championship game would be a rematch of the game of September 23, 2023…Ohio State won that game, 17-14.

If Notre Dame does not win the NCAA Championship, it will be the first time since 2007 that a team with as many as two losses will be crowned National Champions.

There was an interesting event that occurred during the Sugar Bowl. One of the Bulldogs players got a sideline penalty for colliding with a referee.

The Texas Longhorns are the first program in college football history to win ALL the New Year’s Six bowl games.

How many are with me when I say that the NCAA expanded the playoffs way too much…going from four teams to 12 teams. The expansion should have been gradual: from four teams to six teams, to eight teams, to 12 teams.   

CFP QUARTER FINALS TAKE PLACE TOMORROW AND WEDNESDAY; WINNERS ADVANCE TO SEMIS

The 2024 College Football Playoffs continue with the quarterfinals taking place tomorrow and Wednesday. The winners will advance to the semi-finals January 9 & 10. The biggest question for the quarterfinals: Can Georgia advance with a backup quarterback? Starter Carson Beck is out for the year and has declared for the NFL draft. These games should be a little more interesting!

VRBO FIESTA BOWL, 12/31/24

#3 Boise State (12-1) vs. #6 Penn State (12-2)

Last game:   Boise State defeated UNLV, 21-7 in the Mountain West Conference Championship; Penn State defeated SMU, 38-10, in the first round of the CFP.

Boise State Key Players

QB—Maddux Madsen: 18-27, 158 yards, TD against UNLV

RB—Ashton Jeanty:  32 carries, 209 yards, TD (75 yards)

WR—Cameron Camper: 4 receptions, 26 yards

TE—Matt Lauter: 5 receptions, 62 yards

PK—Jonah Dalmas: 0 FGs; 3-3 in PATs

S—Seyi Oladipo: 10 total tackles, 1 sack

Boise State on the season: 51 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, 8 fumble recoveries, 7 interceptions

Penn State Key Players

QB—Drew Allar: 13-22, 127 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs: vs. SMU

RB—Kaytron Allen: 11 carries, 70 yards, 2 TDs

RB—Nicholas Singleton: 14 carries, 90 yards, 1 TD

TE—Tyler Warren: 4 receptions, 33 yards, 0 TDs

PK—Ryan Barker: 5-5 PATs, 1-1 FGs = 40 yards

Def—Kobe King: 8 total tackles

Def—Zakey Wheatley: 7 total tackles

Dominic De Luca: 23-yard pick six vs. SMU

Tony Rojas: 59-yard pick six vs. SMU

Line:    Penn State is favored by 10.5 points

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl(1/1/25)

#5 Texas (12-2) vs. #4 Arizona State (11-2)

Last game:   Texas defeated Clemson, 38-24, in the first round of the CFP; Arizona State defeated Iowa State, 45-19, in the BIG 12 championship game.

Texas Key Players

QB—Quinn Ewers: 17-24, 202 yards, TD, INT versus Clemson

RB—Quintrevion Wisner: 15 carries, 110 yards, 2 TDs

RB—Jaydon Blue:  14 carries, 146 yards, 2 TDs…longest: 77 yards

TE—Gunnar Helm: 6 receptions, 77 yards, TD

PK—Bert Auburn: 5-5: PATs, 1-1 FG…22 yards

LB—Anthony Hill, Jr.: 9 total tackes

Texas Defense: 882 total tackles, 41 sacks, 20 INTs, 18 forced fumbles, 9 fumble recoveries.

Arizona State Key Players

QB—Sam Leavitt: 12-17, 219 yards, 3 TDs; 33 rushing yards, TD: versus Iowa State

RB—Cam Skattebo: 16 carries, 170 yards, 2 TDs

WR—Melquan Stovall: 4 receptions, 91 yards

PK—Carston Keiffer: 6-6 PATs, 1-1 FG: 32 yards

DB—Myles Rowser: 6 total tackles

DB—Xavion Alford: 7 total tackles

Arizona State:   811 total tackles, 21 sacks, 15 INTs, 7 fumble recoveries

Line:    Texas by 12.5 points

Rose Bowl presented by Prudential (1/1/25)

# Ohio State (11-2) vs. #1 Oregon (13-0)

Last game:   Ohio State defeated Tennessee, 42-17, in CFP first round; Oregon defeated Penn State, 42-35, in BIG 10 championship game.

Ohio State Key Players:

QB—Will Howard:  24/29, 311 yards 2 TDs, 1 INT vs. Tennessee

RB—Treveyon Henderson: 10 carries, 80 yards, 2 TDs

WR—Jeremiah Smith: 6 receptions, 103 yards, 2 TDs

PK—Jayden Fielding: 6/6 PATs, 0-1 FGA

Def—Cody Simon: 12 total tackles

Ohio State defense: 4 sacks vs. Tennessee; 39 sack in 2024; 9 INTs, 12 Forced fumbles; 8 fumble recoveries.

Oregon Key Players

QB—Dillon Gabriel: 22/32, 283 yards, 4 TDs versus Penn State

RB—Jordan James: 20 carries, 87 yards, 2 TDs

WR—Tez Johnson: 11 receptions for 181 yards, 1 TD

PK—Atticus Sappington: 4/4 PATs, 1-1 FGA…32 yards

DB—Tysheem Johnson: 9 total tackles; 3 players: 7 total tackles

Team vs. Penn State: 2 INTs

Team in 2024: 40 sacks, 12 INTs, 11 Forced fumbles, 6 Fumble recoveries.

Line:    Ohio State by 2.5

All State Sugar Bowl (1/1/25)

#7 Notre Dame (12-1) vs. #2 Georgia (11-2)

Last game:   Notre Dame defeated Indiana, 27-17, in CFP first round; Georgia defeated Texas, 22-19 (OT) in SEC championship game.

Notre Dame Key Players

QB—Riley Leonard: 23/32, 201 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT vs. Indiana

RB—Jeremiyah Love: 8 carries, 108 yards, TD (98 yards)

WR—Jordan Faison: 7 receptions, 89 yards, (long: 44 yards)

PK—Mitch Jeter: 3-3 PATs, 2/3 FGs: longest: 49 yards

S—Xavier Watts:  10 total tackles

Team: 33 sacks, 18 interceptions, 13 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries

Georgia Key Players

QB—Gunner Stockton: 12/16, 71 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT vs. Texas

RB—Trevor Etienne: 16 carries, 94 yards, 2 TDs (Etienne & Nate Frazier: 17 TDs combined)

PK—Peyton Woodring: 1-1 PATs, 3-3 FGs (longest: 44 yards)

DB—Malaki Starks, 8 total tackles

LB—Jalon Walker: 6.5 sacks in 2024; LB—Chaz Chambliss: 6.5 sacks in 2024

Team: 38 sacks, 8 INTs, 12 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries.

Line: Georgia by 1.5

THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF LAID FOUR BIG EGGS IN FIRST ROUND!

If you are looking for a “fluff piece” touting the expanded college football playoffs, stop reading…I am about to go on a historical rampage of ranting! The first round of playoffs…held at the home fields of the top four seeds…turned out to be a major disaster! Of the four games played, the lowest point differential (10 points)was the game between Notre Dame and Indiana; even that game was a “honker”: the Fighting Irish held a 27-3 lead in the fourth quarter. Let’s look at the four games in depth:

#7 Notre Dame 27, #10 Indiana 17 at Notre Dame Stadium (77,622 fans)

This game was not even as close as the final score indicated. The Irish outgained the Hoosiers,  394-278, and held the ball for 35:40 to 24:20 for Indiana. Notre Dame outrushed Indiana, 193-63. The Irish were 7-13 on third-down efficiency while Indiana was only 4-12. Indiana was clearly out-classed and out-coached by Notre Dame.

#6 Penn State 38, #11 SMU 10  at Beaver Stadium (106,013 fans)

The Mustangs were down by two TDs before the fans were able to take their first sip of hot cocoa. SMU QB Kevin Jennings threw a pick-six interception on SMU’s second possession of the game. Then, on the Mustang’s fourth possession, Jennings threw another pick six interception and SMU was quickly down, 14-0. In fact, Penn State was up, 28-0, at halftime and were never headed. Penn State certainly avenged their two losses: 20-13 to Ohio State and 45-37 to Oregon…in the BIG 10 championship game.

#5 Texas 38, #12 Clemson 24   at DKR-Memorial Stadium (101,150 fans)

The Longhorns spotted Clemson an early 7-0 lead; then, came roaring back to score 31 of the next 34 points. Texas out-rushed the Tigers, 292-76. RB Jaydon Blue carried the ball 14 times for 146 yards and two TDs…including a 77-yard romp in the fourth quarter after Clemson had narrowed the deficit to seven points. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik completed 26 of 43 passes for 336 yards and three TDs…alas, to no avail!

#8 Ohio State 42, #9 Tennessee 17 at Ohio Stadium (The Horseshoe) (102,819 fans)

The Buckeyes were clearly on a mission after losing two games by a total of four points! The Bucks jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never looked back! QB Will Howard…snubbed by the Heisman Trophy committee…completed 24 of 39 passes for 311 yards and two TDs. RB TrayVeon Henderson rushed for 80 yards and two scores. Ohio State’s defense recorded four sacks and amassed nine pass deflections.

In Summation:  The NCAA made a huge mistake expanding the playoffs from four to 12 teams. They should have expanded gradually…from four to six; from six to eight; from eight to 12, etc. It is probably not a coincidence that the four lower seeds all lost their first-round games. The ideal playoff format would have been six teams…Four major conference winners (ACC—Clemson, BIG 12—Arizona State, BIG 10—Oregon, SEC—Georgia) plus either the MWC champion Boise State or Independent Notre Dame; and an at-large team (either Texas or Ohio State).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS–FIRST ROUND ACTION THIS WEEKEND!

Friday—#10 Indiana (11-1) [only loss: 38-15 to Ohio State] at #7—Notre Dame (11-1)[only loss: 16-14 to Northern Illinois]

Favorite—Notre Dame by 7.5 points

Coaching Matchup—

Indiana (Curt Cignetti, 1^st year, 11-1 record)

Notre Dame (Marcus Freeman, 4^th year, 30-9 record)

All-Time Record: Notre Dame—23, Indiana—5, 1 tie; Last Meeting: September 7, 1991

Indiana Top Players

QB—Kurtis Rourke, Senior, Oakville, Ontario 2,827 passing yards, 27 TDs, 4 interceptions, 17 sacks (previously played at Ohio U.)

RB—Justice Ellison: 811 rushing yards, 10 TDs

RB—Ty Son Lawton: 634 rushing yards, 12 TDs

WR—Elijah Sarratt: 49 catches, 890 yards, 8 TDs

PK—Nicolas Radicic: 69/69 XPs, 9/10 FGs, longest: 41 yards

LB—Aiden Fisher: 108 total tackles

DL—Mikail Kamara: 10 sacks (T-12^th in country)

Hoosiers:    14 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles

Notre Dame Key Players

QB—Riley Leonard, Senior, Fairhope, Alabama: Previously played for Duke University. 2,092 passing yards, 16 TDs, 5 Ints. 12 sacks; 721 Rushing Yards, 14 TDs

RB—Jeremiyah Love: 949 rush yards, 15 TDs

WR—Beaux Collins: 427 reception yards, 2 TDs (Notre Dame recorded 19 receiving TDs by 12 different receivers

PK—Mitch Jeter: 45/45 PATs, 6/12 FGs…longest: 48 yards

LB—Jack Kiser: 64 total tackles; LB Drayk Bowen: 54 total tackles; S—Xavier Watts: 50 total tackles

DL—Rylie Mills: 6.5 sacks; DL—Howard Cross III: 4 sacks

S—Xavier Watts: 5 Interceptions Notre Dame: 17 Interceptions, 13 forced fumbles

Saturday: #11 Southern Methodist (11-2) [only losses: BYU: 18-15; Clemson: 34-31] at #6 Penn State (11-2) [only losses: Ohio State: 20-13; Oregon: 45-37] Penn State favored by 8.5 points

Head to Head Rivalry:  Penn State 1, SMU 0…one tie. Last played: 1978

Head Coaches

SMU: Rhett Lashlee, 3 years, 29-11; Penn State: James Franklin, 11 years, 99-41

SMU Key Players

QB—Kevin Jennings, Sophomore, Oak Cliff, TX 3,050 passing yards (18^th in country), 22 TDs, 8 Ints, 11 sacks. 379 Rushing yards, 5 TDs.

RB—Brashard Smith: 1,270 yards (17^th in the country) 14 TDs, 35 receptions, 4 TDs

WR—Keyshawn Smith: 31 receptions, 5 TDs; WR—Jordan Hudson: 35 receptions, 5 TDs

PK—Collin Rogers: 51/51 PATs; 23/31 FGAs—Longest: 55 yards

LB—Kobe Wilson: 110 total tackles; S—Isaiah Nwokobia: 96 total tackles

DE—Jahfari Harvey: 7 sacks; DE—Isaiah Smith: 6.5 sacks; DL—Jared Harrison-Hunte: 6 interceptions; Team: 40 sacks/13 games; 15 Ints; 11 forced fumbles

Penn State Key Players

QB—Drew Allar, Junior, Medina Ohio

2,894 passing yards, 21 TDs, 7 Ints, 11 sacks; 279 rushing yards, 6 TDs

RB—Nicholas Singleton: 838 yards, 7 TDs; RB—Kaytron Allen: 822 yards, 6 TDs

TE—Tyler Warren: 1,062 receptions (14^th in country), 6 TDs

PK—Ryan Barker: 36/37 PATs, 12/15 FGs…longest 49 yards

S—Jaylen Reed: 79 total tackles; LB—Kobe King: 72 total tackles

DE—Abdul Carter: 10 sacks (T-12^th in country) Team totals: 12 Ints; 7 forced fumbles

Saturday:    #12—Clemson (10-3)[Losses to Georgia, 34-3; Louisville, 33-21; South Carolina, 17-14[ at #5—Texas (11-2)[Losses to Georgia, 30-15; Georgia, 22-19 in OT]

Texas is favored by 11.5 points

Head Coaches

Clemson: Dabo Swinney (16 seasons, 180-46) [National champions, 2016, 2018]

Texas: Steve Sarkisian (4 seasons, 36-16) 2024 CFP: Texas lost to Washington, 34-31. Last championship: 2005

Clemson Key Players

QB—Cade Klubnik, Junior, Austin, TX

3,033 passing yards (11^th in country); 33 TDs (3^rd in country), 5 Ints, 20 sacks; 458 rushing yards, 7 TDs

RB—Phil Mafah: 1,106 yards, 8 TDs

WR—Antonio Williams: 71 receptions, 838 yards, 10 TDs

PK—Nolan Hauser: 56/57 PATs, 17/23 FGs, longest: 56 yards

LB—Barrett Carter: 76 total tackles; LB—Wayne Woodaz: 74 total tackles; LB—Sammy Brown: 70 total tackles

DE—T.J. Parker: 11 sacks (7^th in country) Team:  33 sacks, 14 forced fumbles

Texas Key Players

QB—Quinn Ewers, Junior, Southlake, TX

2,665 passing yards; 25 TDs; 9 INTs; 22 sacks

QB—Arch Manning: 939 passing yards, 9 TDs, 2 INTs; 100 rushing yards

RB—Quintrevion Wisner: 863 rush yards, 3 TDs; RB—Jaydon Blue: 564 rush yards, 6 TDs

WR—Matthew Golden: 47 catches, 738 yards, 8 TDs; TE—Gunnar Helm: 49 catches, 611 yards, 5 TDs

PK—Bert Auburn: 55/55 PATs, 14/21 FGs, longest: 49 yards

LB—Anthony Hill, Jr.: 90 total tackles, 7.5 sacks

LB—Colin Simmons: 7.5 sacks

DB—Jahdae Barron: 5 INTs, DB—Andrew Mukuba: 4 INTs; Team: 19 INTs, 17 forced fumbles

#9 Tennessee (10-2)[lost to Arkansas, 19-14 and Georgia, 31-17] at #8 Ohio State (11-2) [lost to Oregon, 32-31 and Michigan, 13-10] at Columbus. This will be the second-ever meeting between the two schools.

Head Coaches

Tennessee: Josh Heupel (4^th year, 65-22; 3-3 in the postseason. Ohio State: Ryan Day (6^th year, 66-10; 1-3 in college football playoff

Tennessee Key Players

QB—Nico Iamaleava, Freshman, Long Beach, CA 2,512 passing yards, 19 TDs, 5 INTs, 24 sacks; 311 rushing yards, touchdown.

RB—Dylan Sampson: 1,485 rushing yards (9^th in the country), 22 TDs (tied for 4^th in the country)

WR—Dont’e Thornton, Jr.: 25 receptions, 647 yards, six TDs. TE—Miles Kitselman: 21 receptions, 296 yards, four touchdowns.

PK—Max Gilbert: 52/52 PATs, 14/25 FGs, longest: 52 yards

LB—Arion Carter: 65 total tackles; DB—Will Brooks: 54 total tackles

DL—James Pearce: 7.5 sacks

DB—Jermod McCoy, DB—Will Brooks: 7 interceptions total

Team—11 INTs, 11 Forced fumbles

Ohio State Key Players

QB—Will Howard, Senior, Downingtown, PA

2,860 pass yards, 27 TD passes (T-10), 8 INTs, 10 sacks

RB—Quinshon Judkins: 805 rush yards, 8 TDs; RB—Treyveon Henderson: 751 rush yards, 6 TDs

WR—Jeremiah Smith: 57 catches for 934 yards, 10 TDs; WR—Emeka Egbuka: 60 catches for 743 yards and 9 TDs

PK—Jayden Fielding: 54/54 PATs, 9/12 FGs…longest: 46 yards

S—Sonny Styles: 76 total tackles; LB Cody Simon: 74 total tackles

DE—J.T. Tuimoloau: 6 sacks; LB—Cody Simon: 5 sacks

Team—35 sacks, 9 INTs, 11 Forced Fumbles

Comment #1

I do not wish to comment on who I thought should have won the 2024 Heisman Trophy; all I want to do is display the numbers for the four finalists:

Heisman Trophy

Travis Hunter (Colorado) 92 receptions (5^th in country), 1,152 yards (6^th in country), 14 TDs (2^nd in country; 4 INTs (T-18^th in country. Team record: 9-3

Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) 2,497 rushing yards (1^st in country; 4^th all time) 29 TDs (T-1^st, T-6^th all time.) Team record: 12-1

Dillon Gabriel (Oregon) 3,558 passing yards (8^th in country), 28 TDs (T-8th in country. Team record: 13-0

Cam Ward (Miami of Florida) 4,123 passing yards (2^nd in country); (36 TD passes (1^st in country) Team record: 10-2

YOU make the call!

Comment #2

The Marshall Thundering Herd, the 2024 Sun Belt Champions, were forced to bypass their invitation to the Independence Bowl because 24 players entered the transfer portal…TWENTY FOUR! This is sad and needs to be addressed by the NCAA. Louisiana Tech, of Conference USA…and a 5-7 record…has been tabbed to replace Marshall in the Independence Bowl.