College Football Week 2 looks terrific

College Football transitions into week 2 with some nice matchups led off by the Crimson Tide traveling to Austin to face the Longhorns. Auburn has a home game with San Jose State and there are a couple of nice matchups within the SEC. The UAB Blazers hit the road to try to avenge an embarrassing defeat at Protective Stadium last season. Some national tilts look fascinating as well. Here is this Saturday’s lineup along with predictions.

Last Week, Straight up, 18-4, ATS, 12-10

No.1 Alabama @ Texas

DKR-Memorial Stadium, Austin

11 AM CT

FOX

Gus, he’ll be more amped up than ever if that’s possible, Joel, Jenny

Crimson Tide by 20

Surprisingly, Texas leads this series, 7-1-1, with the one loss to the Crimson Tide coming in the 2009 National Championship Game. Mack Brown is still complaining that if Colt McCoy hadn’t been injured early in the game by Marcell Dareus, there would have been a different outcome. Guess we’ll never know, but could have been closer. I don’t know if you saw Brown’s locker room dance from last Saturday after the Tar Heels defeated App State, 63-61, but it was embarrassing. Wish he hadn’t done that. You’re not going to confuse Mack with Mickey J. UNC gave up 40 points in the fourth quarter. Gene Chizik’s defenses strike again. He may be better in the broadcast booth than he is on the field. We’ll see how Chiz’s defense develops. As for this game, Bryce Young is looking electric as usual, rushing for a hunge last Saturday against Utah State. He’s developing some excellent targets on the perimeter in Georgia transfer Jermaine Burton and Traeshon Holden. I liked what I saw out of freshman Kobe Prentice as well. Jahmyr Gibbs looks to be headed for a big year at running back if the line can block for him. This will be a good test for the Crimson Tide O Line on Saturday. Will Anderson Jr. looks better than ever, and can wreak havoc on Texas QB Quinn Ewers. Texas is going to be better this season and Sark is an excellent offensive coach and stellar recruiter. They are No.2 in the 247 Sports recruiting rankings for 2023 behind the Crimson Tide. They have 3, 5 stars committed, including all world quarterback Arch Manning, Peyton and Eli’s nephew, Cooper’s son, Archie’s grandson. But I like the Tide here. I see Bryce having a big day, and the defense clamping down on Ewers, though I believe in Bijan Robinson, the stellar tailback for the Horns. See him peeling off some nice runs. But the Tide advances in week 2.

Crimson Tide 42, Texas 21

San Jose State @ Auburn

Jordan-Hare Stadium

6:30 PM CT

ESPNU

Brian Custer, Dustin Fox, Lauren Sisler

Tigers by 23

The Tigers had an OK performance last Saturday. The running game was tremendous, with Tank Bigsby rushing for 147 yards and Robbie Ashford, who came on in relief of TJ Finley at quaterback, rushing for 68. Finley threw two interceptions, one right to the safety, hitting him in stride much like Tom Brady does with Mike Evans. However, Finley’s pass went to the wrong team. Ashford did a pretty solid job coming off the bench. Where is Zach Calzada? What’s happened to the guy? What has he not even been considered for the starting job? I’ve looked for it, but nobody is reporting on it. I’ll keep digging to find out. I don’t understand Bryan Harsin’s thinking here. You listen to Harsin talk and there is a lot of boring coach-speak coming out of his mouth. He’s articulate, somewhat, but there’s just not much substance there. I like the Tigers here, but they’ve got to get a lot better if they want to have a successful season. Penn State comes to the Plains next Saturday for a 2:30 PM CT kickoff on CBS.

Auburn 34, San Jose State 10

Samford @ No.2 Georgia

Sanford Stadium, Athens

3 PM CT

SEC Network

Taylor, Matt, Alyssa

Dawgs by 52

Kill.

Georgia 62, Samford 3

No.20 Kentucky @ No.12 Florida

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville

6 PM CT

ESPN

Tess, Gregory, McShay, Katie

Gators by 5

I’m bullish on Billy Napier, quarterback Anthony Richardson and the Gators after last Saturday’s 29-26 victory over then No.7 Utah. I’ll take Billy and Anthony in the Swamp on a Saturday Night over a pretty solid Kentucky team.

Gators, 31, Wildcats 24

South Carolina @ No. 16 Arkansas

Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville

11 AM CT

ESPN

Bob Wischusen (questions every coaching decision imaginable) Dan Orlovsky, Kris Budden

Hogs by 8

Early start, so I like a hard nosed, physical, very good game.

Arkansas 24, South Carolina 21

No.24 Tennessee @ No.17 Pittsburgh

Acrisure Stadium, PIttsburgh

2:30 PM CT

ABC

Sean, Todd, Molly

UT by 6

I like what Hendon Hooker is doing at quarterback for Josh Huepel and the Vols. I’m bullish on this group.

Tennessee 31, Pitt 24

App State @ No. 6 Texas A&M

Kyle Field, College Station

2:30 PM CT

ESPN2

Anish Shroff, Brock Osweiler, Taylor McGregor

A&M by 19

Never sure what to make of A&M under Fish. Haynes King has talent, but he’s erratic like all quarterbacks are under Fisher. I like the Aggies to win, but they need to improve significantly if they want to have a successful season, and that means double digit wins out there. Might not be attainable unless King can develop quickly.

A&M 35, App State 10

Mississippi State @ Arizona

Arizona Stadium, Tuscon

10 PM CT

Fox Sports 1

State by 10 1/2

Give me Leach and his Bullies against a PAC-12 team after dark.

Bullies 38, ‘Zona 24

Missouri @ Kansas State

Bill Snyder Family Stadium, “the Little Apple,” Manhattan, KS.

11 AM CT

ESPN2

Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison, Stormy Buonatony, always a mouthful

K State by 7 1/2

I was tempted to pick the upset here, but I’ll stick with the favorite in a tight contest.

Kansas State 31, Mizzou 28

Central Arkansas @ No. 22 Ole Miss

Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford

6 PM CT

ESPN+

Rebels by 34

I like Lane and his charges to get the job done at the Grove. Ole Miss has an excellent running game led by former TCU five star Zach Evans, who rushed for a buck 30 last Saturday against Troy. If they can develop one of their quarterbacks, it could be a really nice season for the Rebs.

Ole Miss 45, Central Ark. 10

Georgia Southern @ LSU

Tiger Stadium, Baaton Rouge, Louisiana, as Howard used to say

6:30 PM CT

SEC Network

Tom, Jordan, Cole

Tiguhs by 47 1/2

After Brian Kelly’s inauspicious start last Sunday with his special teams costing him the game, he needs to get it back together or there are going to be some upset Cajuns. Interestingly, Southern defeated Florida Memorial? 86-0. Southern University is also located in Baton Rouge.

LSU 52, Southern 3

No. 23 Wake Forest @ Vanderbilt

FirstBank Stadium, Nashvegas

11 AM CT

SEC Network

Dave, Deuce, Andraya

Demon Deacons by 12 1/2

The Demon Deacons welcome back quarterback Sam Hartman this week. He had a blood clot in August and was considered out indefinitely, but he’s full strength now. He accounted for 50 TDs last season, 39 through the air and 11 on the ground. He did throw 14 interceptions though, so if the Dores can get some pass rush, maybe that will create opportunities for their secondary. Mike Wright accounted for 6 TDs last Saturday Night in the Dores’ 42-31 victory over Elon, but the Commodores were not overly impressive in the second half as Elon very much outplayed them. It’s always a process for a new coach at Vanderbilt. Clark Lea is doing some good things, but I don’t see the Dores as good enough to prevail over Wake.

Wake Forest 35, Vandy 21

UAB @ Liberty

Williams Stadium, Lynchburg, VA.

5 PM CT

ESPN+

Blazers by 6 1/2

I had a couple of Blazer fans get on me last Thursday for not writing about their team, so here goes. UAB looks to be a strong outfit with a chance to win a lot of games this season. With their navigable schedule, they can get to double digit victories. There’s a a lot of talent on this squad. I like them to prevail on the road over Hugh Freeze and his Flames, that don’t look as good as usual.

UAB 28, Liberty 21

National games

USC 31, Stanford 21

Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA.

6:30 PM CT

ABC

Reece, Chris at U.S. Open, Kirk, Holly

Trojans by 8 1/2

I’m not declaring them back yet, but this program looks promising again under Lincoln Riley.

Clemson 42, Furman 7

Memorial Stadium, Clemson

1:30 PM CT

ACC Network

Clemson by 44 1/2

Not a buyer of Clemson, yet. Not sure their starting quarterback is that good, but maybe their 5 star freshman backup is. Not selling them either. Just holding them for right now.

No.3 Ohio State 41, Arkansas State 7

Ohio Stadium, Columbus

11 AM CT

Big Ten Network

Buckeyes by 44 1/2

Not sure I’m a believer in this group, either. A decent Notre Dame team kept it close. I’d say Notre Dame is barely above average, if that. The Buckeyes aren’t very impressive at this point.

No.9 Baylor 35, No.21 BYU 34

LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah

9:15 PM CT

ESPN

Mark Jones, RG III, Quint Kessenich

BYU by 3

This is one I might have to stay up for. Should be a classic. I’ll take the Bears in a slight upset in a hostile environment.

Oklahoma State 49, Arizona State 35

Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK.

6:30 PM CT

ESPN2

Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore, Tiffany Blackmon

Cowboys by 12 1/2

Derek Mason’s defense gave up 44 points to Central Michigan last Thursday Night. Central Michigan? I know about MACtion and all that, but come on, Mason. The Pokes score a lot, but Mason’s defense looks very questionable.

Blockbuster matchups in College football week 2

if you thought week 1 was good, which it was with phenomenal finishes in the UCLA-A&M and Tennessee- Georgia Tech games depending on your perspective, week 2 looks even better with some marquee matchups featuring some of the better teams in the country going head to head. Here's a look at the action this week.

Last week: 19-3

 

No. 13 Auburn (1-0) @ No. 3 Clemson (1-0)

Tiger Stadium, Clemson, S.C. 

6 PM CT

ESPN

Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Todd McShay

Clemson by 5 1/2

Auburn had a relatively easy time of it last week at home with a 41-7 victory over Georgia Southern. The defense played well, Auburn ran the ball well, but Jarrett Stidham had mixed results. He fumbled a couple of times and threw an interception, so not too swift. The Clemson defensive front is massive, physical and dominating. The question for me is, can the Auburn offensive line handle the likes of defensive tackles Christian Wilkins (6'4", 300) and Dexter Lawrence (6'4", 340). Defensive end Clelin Ferrell is a tough one too at 6'5", 250. Braden Smith and the rest of the Auburn front will have to step up in this game to open holes for Kamryn Pettway, Kam Martin and rest of the Tigers' running game. Kerryon Johnson has a hamstring injury, so he's questionable. He might be available, but it'll be hard with a hamstring. Stidham will have to perform in the passing game. He needs to find Nate Craig-Myers and the other receivers. Craig-Myers had a quiet game last week, but he's big play guy if Stidham can get him the ball. Clemson's offense was outstanding last week in a 56-3 victory over Kent State, though the opponent didn't test the Tigers offense much. Auburn's defensive front with Marlon Davidson and Derrick Brown are very formidable as well, and linebacker Tre' Williams is a leader on the defense and a very good player. So I like defense to be more of the story in this game. Kelly Bryant had a good game at quarterback for Clemson last week, and he has plenty of playmakers to help him out. But this is not going to be a shootout. The trenches will decide this one. It'll be tight, but I like the Clemson Tigers in a close game at Death Valley .

Clemson 21, Auburn 17

 

Fresno State (1-0) @ No. 1 Alabama (1-0)

Bryant-Denny Stadium

2:30 PM 

ESPN2

Adam Amin, Anthony Hecht, Rocky Boiman

Bama by 43 1/2

The Crimson Tide won a highly physical game against Florida State last week, but paid a price losing linebackers Christian Miller and Terrell Lewis for the season. Rashaan Evans has a groin injury and Anfernee Jennings is out with a sprained ankle. So the Tide is thin at linebacker this week.  Da'Shawn Hand moved back to linebacker from defensive end to help with depth. Alabama still has plenty of talent to handle Fresno State. Fresno State defeated Incarnate Word, an FCS school, 66-0 last week, so they have some firepower offensively, though the FCS school didn't provide much resistance. The Crimson Tide can still play exceptional defense and special teams,  except for the kicker, and will run the ball well with Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough and Najee Harris, but offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offensive line need to get better if the Crimson Tide wants to go far this season. Tua Tagovailoa should play this week, and if Hurts struggles again, could become interesting going forward as an option if Hurts can't get it together. Like the Crimson Tide to play well this week in all 3 phases and take care of business.

Alabama 49, Fresno State 3

 

No. 15 Georgia (1-0) @ No. 24 Notre Dame (1-0)

Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana

6:30 PM CT

NBC

Mike Tirico, Doug Flutie, Kathryn Tappen

Notre Dame by 4

The Fighting Irish looked pretty good last week in a 49-16 victory over Temple. The Dawgs took care of business in Athens with a 31-10 victory over App State, in what looked like a dangerous opener for them. Fighting Irish quarterback Brandon Wimbush is an electric player, and running back Josh Adams is big with speed, he's a good back. But I like Kirby, Nick Chubb,  Sony Michel and freshman quarterback Jake Fromm, who I like a lot in Jacob Eason's place, to take care of business and pull off the slight upset in South Bend. Georgia keeps trending well with a huge victory over the Fighting Irish. Should be a super game.

Dawgs 24, Fighting Irish 21

No. 23 TCU (1-0) @ Arkansas (1-0)

Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, Arkansas

2:30 PM

CBS

Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Allie LaForce

TCU by 3

The Horned Frogs and the Hogs had easy first games, but this will be a test for both squads in quite a matchup in Fayetteville. TCU features quarterback Kenny Hill and an explosive offense with a much improved defense under coach Gary Patterson. The Hogs were victors at Fort Worth last year, 41-38, in double overtime. Austin Allen is very good under center for the Hogs and they feature a solid run game. The defense is still a question mark. I like this to be tight, but I see the Horned Frogs pulling it out. Better defense this year for Patterson.

TCU 31, Arkansas 27

South Carolina (1-0)  @ Missouri (1-0)

Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field, Columbia, Mo.

6 PM CT

ESPN2

Anish Shroff, Mike Golic Jr., Roddy Jones

Mizzou by by 2 1/2

Both teams had very good results on offense last week, but not so much on defense. South Carolina outlasted N.C. State, 35-28, and Missouri exploded on offense while imploding on defense in a 72-43 victory over Missouri State. I like Muschamp and quarterback Jake Bentley to pull off the slight upset in Columbia.

Gamecocks 38, Tigers 34

 

No.5 Oklahoma @ No. 2 Ohio State

Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

6:30 PM CT

ABC

Chris Fowler, Herbie, Maria Taylor

The Ohio State by 7 1/2

OU looked explosive offensively, albeit against UTEP in a 56-7 victory last week. Baker Mayfield only played a half and threw 4 touchdown passes. Ohio State struggled for a while at Indiana before pulling away 49-21. I like the experience in coaching here. Though I'm not always that sure Urb is that great, he has the edge on 33 year old first time head coach Lincoln Riley. Mayfield gives OU a shot, but he's not enough to get the Sooners over the top. Buckeyes are victorious at the Horseshoe.

Ohio State 42, Oklahoma 34

No. 14 Stanford @ No. 6 USC

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

7:30 PM CT

FOX 

Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft

SC by 6 1/2

Stanford was explosive in their first game in Australia with a 62-7 victory over Rice, but that was against no competition. USC struggled with Western Michigan, which returned 16 starters from a New Year's Six Cotton Bowl team a year ago, so that's not that disappointing. SC won 49-31 pulling away late. Some prognosticators are picking Stanford to upset the Trojans, but I like quarterback Sam Darnold and the Men from Troy to get it done in LA.

USC 38, Stanford 31

UAB @ Ball State

Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, Indiana

2 PM CT

 ESPN3

Ball State by 14 1/2

I was impressed with the Blazers in their spring game, but not as much in a 38-7 victory over Alabama A&M last week at Legion Field. Ball State gave Illinois everything they could handle last week on the road, losing 24-21, so I like the Redbirds to take care of business over the Blazers. 

Ball State 35, UAB 20

No. 11 Oklahoma State @ South Alabama

Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile

Friday, 7 PM

ESPN 2

OK State by 28

Oklahoma State shellacked Tulsa last week, 59-24, and South lost at Ole Miss, 47-27. But I like the Jaguars to snap back at home and give the Cowboys a good game, though I don't see them winning.

Ok State 45, South Alabama 38

Other SEC scores

No. 12 LSU 45, Chattanooga 14

6:30 PM CT

SEC Network

 

No. 25 Tennessee 48, Indiana State 14

3 PM CT

SEC Network

Ole Miss 52, UT Martin 10

11 AM CT

SEC Network

Mississippi State 38, La Tech 28

6:30 PM CT

CBS Sports Network

State by 7 1/2

Vandy 49, Alabama A&M 7

3 PM CT

SEC Network

Kentucky 48, Northern Kentucky 10

11 AM CT

SEC Network

 

Texas A&M 49, Nicholls 3

6 PM CT

ESPNU

No.4 Penn State 42, Pittsburgh 28

2:30 PM CT

ABC

Penn State by 21

No.8 Michigan 48, Cincinnati 3

11 AM CT

ABC

Michigan by 34 1/2

 

Oregon 48, Nebraska 34

3:30 PM CT

FOX

Oregon by 13 1/2

 

Northwestern 28 Duke 24

11 AM CT

ESPNU

Northwestern by 3

Utah 35, BYU 31

9:15 PM CT

ESPN2 

Utah by 2

No. 20 Washington State 45, Boise State 34

9:30 PM CT

ESPN

Wash State by 10 1/2

 

Penn State Football 2017

Fourth year coach James Franklin has brought the Penn State football program back to prominence, and this 2017 team has the talent and drive to be even better than the 2016 Big Ten Championship team.

In his first year, Franklin went 7-6. Year 2 was 7-6. But last year his plan came together as the Nittany Lions finished the season 11-3, beat Ohio State at home, won the BIg Ten Championship over Wisconsin, and played, what in my opinion, was the most riveting bowl game of the 2016 season, a heartbreaking 42-39 loss to USC in the Rose Bowl. That heartbreaker and the fact that the Nittany Lions were not selected for the college football playoff, even though they defeated Ohio State and won the BIg Ten championship, were painful but also motivating. Ohio State showed why they didn't belong in the playoff as Clemson blasted them in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal game, 31-0. Those two things have made this 2017 Nittany Lions team even hungrier for more. They've got to navigate some challenging opponents in the Big Ten, but they have a talented squad capable of putting together a terrific season. 

The main guy for Penn State and the Rolls Royce of this football team is running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley is back for his junior season after putting up stellar numbers as a sophomore. Barkley ran for 1,496 yards on 277 carries, a 5.5 average, with 18 TDs, and an average of 106.9 rushing yards per game. Barkley is also a heckuva receiver out of the backfield as he caught 28 passes for 402 yards and 4 TDs in 2016. He's a stellar overall weapon. I don't like talking about the Heisman Trophy much in August, really not until late October-early November, but everybody else does, and this guy is certainly a main part of the discussion. He'll have to prove it this fall, but if his work in the offseason indicates what kind of player he'll be in 2017, he should have an outstanding junior season. Barkley dropped his 40 time to 4.33 and has gotten his weight up to 230. He's 5'11". For this team to really excel, Barkley needs to have another exceptional year. And that is expected. And there is good depth behind Barkley. Miles Sanders, 5'11", 215, Andre Robinson, 5'9", 223, and Mark Allen, 5'6", 180, are all excellent backups, capable of giving Barkley a breather, and churning out yards and getting into the end zone in their own rights. Sanders didn't play in the spring game, but the Nittany Lions are high on him.  Allen, who's smaller stature-wise, was impressive with his quickness and his pass catching in the spring. He's a good player. Robinson caught a 10 yard TD out of the backfield in the spring game. All solid players.

Quarterback Trace McSorley, 6'0", 195,  is back for his junior campaign as well. McSorley, a redshirt junior, is a super runner, solid passer and good leader for this offense. He started all 14 games last season, and completed 224-of-387 passes, 58%,  for 3,614 yards, and 29 TDs against 8 interceptions. Franklin and offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead want more improvement in his accuracy, but there's a lot to like about McSorley. Backup Tommy Stevens is outstanding as well. The 6'5", 228 pound sophomore, had a heckuva spring game, completing 17-of-24 for 215 yards and 3 TDs. He can really sling it around. His deep ball is very accurate.

The wide receiver and tight end positions are close to being totally loaded. Franklin may need to develop the 2017 signee to really solidify a full arsenal of playmakers, along with his 2018 class, which is ranked 3rd in the country by 247 sports, but he's got a pretty explosive group right now.  Tight end Mike Geseki, 6'6", 250, caught 48 passes for 679 yards and 5 TDs last season. Jeff Holland, 6'4", 248, is another weapon at tight end. The Nittany Lions staff are also very high on sophomore wide receiver Juwan Johnson,  who had a big spring and looks ready to break out. He is 6'4", 228, a big target who can run. Penn State did lose star Chris Godwin to the Tampa Bay Bucs; he was a third round pick. Godwin caught 59 passes for 982 yards and 11 TDs. But Johnson, along with DeAndre Thompkins, 5'11", 187, DeSean Hamilton, 6'1", 206, who caught 34 passes for 506 yards and a 7, along with Saeed Blacknall, 6'3", 217, Irvin Charles, 6'4", 217,  and Brandon Poik, 5'9", 175,  can all be very good playmakers in the passing game. McSorley has a lot of weapons to work with. Franklin brought in 3 pretty highly rated incoming freshmen receivers, so they could add to the talented group he'll put on the field this fall. 

The offensive line returns 6 of 7 players who started at some point last year including 4 starters. Connor McGovern will be the leader at center. He's a returning starter and stands at 6'5", 312. Left guard Ryan Bates, 6'4", 312, left tackle Brendan Mahon, 6'4", 318, and right tackle Andrew Nelson, 6'6", 305, are all returners for an offense that averaged 380 total yards and gave Barkley and McSorley plenty of space to work with. Right now, the starter at right guard is sophomore Steven Gonzales, 6'4", 341, and there looks to be pretty good depth overall up front. Not super depth, but some that can be developed. Franklin brought in 3 linemen, including high 4 star C.J. Thorpe, a 6'3", 318 pound guard, so he and the other 2 guys may be able to provide some more depth. Franklin is in his 4th year, and  I always think it takes 5 years to really get your program in place unless you're Nick Saban or Urban Meyer. But Franklin looks to be in pretty good shape with the group he has on offense this season. 

Free safety Marcus Allen led the team in tackles last season with 110 and added 6 tackles for loss. That's not always a good sign when your safety leads your team in tackles- you want your linebackers to- but they return some other solid players on the defensive side of the ball. Middle linebacker Senior Jason Cabinda, 6'1", 234  is the leader of the defense. He registered 81 tackles last year, 4 for loss and a sack. He was one of the stars of their spring, and he is a really solid guy personally as I heard him in an interview and he was impressive. He will be quite a player this season. Defensive tackles Curtis Cothran, 6'5", 301, and Robert Windsor, 6'4", 303, are 2 cogs in the middle of the defensive front. Defensive end Shareef Miller, 6'5", 257, will be counted on to get to the quarterback and affect him this season. Penn State recorded 40 sacks last year and 10 ints, which are decent numbers, but as Coach Saban says, 'sacks don't win games, affecting the quarterback does.' I thought that was an interesting comment by S. The secondary looks pretty solid with Allen, 6'2", 207, and corner Grant Haley, 5'9", 190, leading that group. They will need to jell in time for the season opener which is just a week and a half away from starting. But there is good personnel to work with on the back end.

Schedule

Penn State opens with 3 out of conference home games. Akron and Terry Bowden come to Happy Valley on Saturday, Sept. 2nd, for an 11 AM CT kickoff on ABC. Then the Pitt Panthers are at Penn State on Sept.9th at 2:30 PM CT on ABC. Pitt defeated Penn State, 42-39 last year, so the Nittany Lions will be looking for some retribution. Georgia State on Sept. 16th is the third straight at home, then they hit the road where they are @ Iowa to face the Hawkeyes, a pretty good, under the radar team in the Big Ten. That should be a competitive game. Indiana comes to Happy Valley on Sept. 30th, then the Nittany LIons are @ Northwestern Oct. 7th. Northwestern defeated them soundly at Happy Valley 2 years ago. The teams didn't play last year. The Wildcats are a perennial bowl team and always field a solid team under Pat Fitzgerald.. Northwestern defeated Pittsburgh 31-24 last year in the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium, and they have a good amount of players back. That'll be a challenge. After an off week on Oct. 14th, Penn State hosts Michigan, Oct. 21. Harbaugh has a young team, but he's recruited well, and the Wolverines embarrassed the Nittany Lions  last year at the Big House, 49-10. It was the fourth game of the season and dropped Penn State to 2-2. They won their next 9 before losing in the Rose Bowl. If it wasn't interesting enough, the Nittany Lions then play @ Ohio State. Could be pivotal there in the Big Ten, though there are a ton of big time games before that one. That game will be televised by FOX at 2:30 PM CT on Oct. 28. On Nov. 4th, the Nittany Lions are @ a usually good Michigan State team. Though the Spartans had an off year last year, Mark Dantonio usually fields highly competitive teams, and this year's team will most likely bounce back. So another tough assignment. On Nov. 11th, Rutgers comes to Penn State. On Nov. 18th, Nebraska comes to Happy Valley, and on Nov. 25th, the Nittany Lions are @ Maryland. The Big Ten Championship game is Saturday, Dec. 2nd, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy, with a 7 PM CT kickoff. FOX will carry the game.

So should be another riveting season in Happy Valley, and one that can possibly be elite. The pieces are in place for an excelllent year. Games with Ohio State and Michigan loom large, and they should be on alert for games @ Iowa, Northwestern and Michigan State. Nebraska at home is no picnic either. But it's a game at a time for every team nationally, and Penn State is no exception. I'm sure Franklin and his team have Akron squarely on their minds. Bowden took his 2015 team to an 8-5 record and a Idaho Potato Bowl victory over Utah State, 23-21. Last year they were 5-7, but they're competitive.

Penn State will be a national contender this year if their defense can develop well in game 1 and going further. The offense looks locked and loaded for a big season.  

The SEC in 2017, a national look and predictions

It's the year of the quarterback and the offense this season. There will be good defenses of course. Alabama and Auburn will be very good on defense, so will LSU, Florida, and Georgia has 10 defensive starters returning. South Carolina will be better. Vanderbilt will be pretty solid on defense. A&M should be better, but you never know with them. Their front 7 is always a question mark. Ole Miss will need to improve, same with State. Tennessee, who knows with them. I guess they'll be better. They've recruited well, but haven't seemed to develop a good defense. They have question marks overall on their team. Kentucky should be pretty decent on defense. Stoops is doing a good job in Lexington. Arkansas, like A&M, needs to improve on defense to be a competitor in the west. But overall, fairly solid defensive play this season. Defense is key a lot of times, but these quarterbacks will be electric this season.

Quarterbacks in the SEC

1. Alabama-Jalen Hurts, primed for a big year. Tua Tagovailoa will play a role and has unlimited talent.

2.Auburn-Looking for a big year out of Jarrett Stidham, and they like their depth with Sean White, who will be competing for the starting job in fall camp, and freshman Malik Willis has a ton of ability.

3.Georgia-Jacob Eason should have an excellent year.

4.Ole Miss-Shea Patterson has off the charts talent.

5. Arkansas- Austin Allen is outstanding and very tough.

6. Mississippi State-Nick Fitzgerald is a phenomenal runner and passer. Needs to develop his downfield passing a little more.

7.South Carolina-Jake Bentley. The sophomore from Opelika, AL. is an outstanding passer and can move.

8. Kentucky-Stephen Johnson is another Fitzgerald-like player who passes it and runs it well.

9. Vanderbilt-Kyle Shurmur-Another excellent passer. Not too mobile, but with protection he can really pick apart a secondary.

10. Missouri-Drew Lock-Has a chance for a really big 2017. Outstanding arm, moves pretty well when necessary, but more of a pocket passer. Like him a lot. Should have a big junior year.

Teams that need to find a good quarterback.

All 4 of these teams have options, but need to develop a leader of their offense.

11. Florida- Has 4 players competing. Malik Zaire transferred from Notre Dame, and he has got a lot of running talent and some passing talent, but he'll be battling it out with 3 others including Luke Del Rio, who I personally like a lot.

12. A&M- Jake Hubenak is back, and he may be good enough, but there is a competition going into fall camp.

13. LSU- Danny Etling is back. Not sure he's the answer to making LSU a contender for the conference title. And there will be a competition come fall camp.

14. Tennessee- Two guys competing for the job right now. Undecided who the guy will be. One guy is Dormady. Jones likes both, so one of them will need to take the bull by the horns this August if Tennessee expects to challenge for the East crown.

Winners in the West and the East

West-Alabama, but Auburn will really challenge the Crimson Tide.

East-Georgia, but Florida will put up a big time fight with the Dawgs.

SEC championship game

Alabama 38, Georgia 34-Bama captures another SEC title under Nick Saban and heads to its fourth straight playoff.

Playoff teams

Alabama vs. Southern Cal

Penn State vs Florida State

Semifinals

Alabama 42, Southern Cal 28

Penn State 45 Florida State 42

National Championship game

Alabama 41, Penn State 27

Will have breakdowns of all SEC teams along with other national contenders in Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida State coming up in the next 3 weeks. Thanks.  

 
 

Gus, Auburn Football, 2017

Gus Malzahn is excited, pretty much ecstatic, about his 2017 Auburn football team.

There are a lot of outstanding players and a great deal of quality depth. He likens this group to the 2013 team that made it to the national championship game, where they fell just barely to the FSU Seminoles in an exceptional game. Gus says, "this team is hungry. They have a chip on their shoulders from how last year ended and they have a lot they want to prove." I could see that happening in major ways, SEC title, the college football playoff. This team has the makeup. They'll have to get by the Alabama Crimson Tide at home, but everybody has to go through Alabama to win the SEC. That's the way it is in this conference. Gus knows that as well as anybody. Should be an epic Iron Bowl in Auburn, Saturday, November 25th.

The big news was the transfer of quarterback Jarrett Stidham, the former Baylor standout as a freshman at Waco. Stidham didn't disappoint in the spring game as he had a gigantic day and showed signs of becoming a championship quarterback. But there is competition. Sean White is back and he threw for over 1,300 yards and was having a solid season until a shoulder injury hampered him severely towards the latter half of the season. AU was doing very well reeling off 6 victories in a row in 2016 before injuries to key players took its toll. 

But White is back and talented freshman Malik Willis provides Gus and first year offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey with 3 very good players under center. It starts there. Offensive line is tremendously deep, led by All American candidate, right tackle Braden Smith. Braden is a tremendously tough, physical player, and, along with center Austin Golson, will be a leader up front on a deep, physical group. They will pave the way for the dynamic running back tandem of Kameron Pettway and Kerryon Johnson. Pettway ran for over 1,300 yards last year and he and Kerryon accounted for 2,300 rushing yards for the Tigers. Pettway is down to 238 pounds from around 250, Johnson is up to 218 pounds. They will form a formidable duo for the Tigers on the ground. Gus likes the way Kerryon can catch the ball out of the backfield and make plays. Kam is developing in that area as well. Third string running back could be Malik Miller, a talented runner from Madison Academy, where Kerryon played. Gus likes Malik a lot, but says there is a battle going on for the 3rd string running back spot.

At wide out, Nate Craig-Myers looked super in the spring. Craig-Myers accounted for 4 or 5 major explosive plays (over 30 yard catches-runs) for the Tigers in the spring game. He has arrived as a special, game changing player for the Tigers. Darius Slayton, Kyle Davis and quite a few others will be threats in the vertical game. Gus brought up John Franklin III and what a weapon he can be in the passing game and the return game. Gus calls him "the fastest guy I've seen in pads in a long time." Jalen Harris looks like the starting tight end at this point. Tight end will need to be developed in fall camp. Offense looks outstanding. Stidham appears to be the most talented QB, but White is ready to battle it out with him in August. Willis looks like a stellar quarterback who will very much be in Auburn's future plans. 

The defense returns as the 7th best scoring defense in the country. Auburn only allowed 19 points per game last year. Kevin Steele, in his first year, had the Tigers playing exceptional defense. Gus calls linebackers Deshaun Davis and Tre' Williams, "the quarterbacks of the defense." He is really high on both players. He likes the depth there too. Up front, Marlon Davidson will be a handful for offensive linemen and is a potentially dominant defensive end helping fill the holes left by the departures of Carl Lawson and Montravius Adams, who were both drafted by the NFL. Dontavious Russell is an underrated defensive tackle. He's excellent. Derrick Brown was a highly acclaimed 5 star 2 years ago and he's a 300 pounder who can be a major disrupter in the middle. A guy Gus and Steele are looking for to take the next step to becoming an elite football player is defensive end Byron Cowart. Cowart was a highly acclaimed 5 star 3 years ago with so much promise. If he can step his game up and become an elite player, that will also boost the front 7. 

The secondary will be led by safety Tray Matthews and cornerback Carlton Davis, both excellent players. Stephen Roberts is another who will be a major impact player at safety. Javaris Davis is listed as the other starting corner, so that will be determined how that other corner spot develops opposite Carlton Davis.

The kicking game is led by the sensational Daniel Carlson, who I would say is the best kicker in college football. Carlson is amazingly accurate and can hit from major distance, 50-55 yarders for sure, probably deeper if necessary. He's quite a weapon. Punters are Carlson and Ian Shannon. Franklin III could very well be an explosive player as a punt returner, with Ryan Davis getting a shot too. Kerryon will be one of the kick returners. Craig-Myers could get involved in that too.

Schedule

As talented as the Tigers are, once again they have a very difficult schedule. They go to Clemson in week 2 after opening up with Georgia Southern on Saturday, Sept. 2. A pretty pivotal game early in the season in Clemson's Death Valley, but Clemson's quarterback situation is not settled, so I see AU with an advantage there. But the Tigers can't sleep on the Georgia Southern Eagles and their triple option offense. Those offenses always gives defensive coordinators nightmares and causes problems for the defense. So AU will have to be ready to play on Sept. 2nd. Mercer is next Sept. 16th.

In the SEC, AU is @ Missouri on Sept. 23rd, home vs Ms, State, Sept.30th, home vs Ole Miss, Oct.7th, then have a tough stretch of road games, @ LSU, Oct. 14th, @ Arkansas, Oct. 21st, an open date, @ A&M, Nov. 4th. Then they come home for the South's oldest football rivalry and one of the most physical, toughest games of the year against the Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 11th. That should be a classic. The Tigers host Mercer after that Nov. 18th, then the Crimson Tide comes into Jordan-Hare Nov. 25th, a Saturday. 

The schedule is tough, but they all are in the SEC. The SEC will have superb quarterback play this year, so a good quarterback/offense will be critical. You have to play defense in the league too, and Auburn looks like they'll be able to do that along with running the football, two key areas to winning SEC games. If the Tigers can stay mostly healthy, and Stidham, if he's the starter, can play on an elite level, like he did in the spring, this will be an elite football team capable of challenging the Crimson Tide for the SEC West title and a chance to get into the college football playoff. I'm a buyer in the Auburn Tigers. Gus has a special group that can do some spectacular things. 10-11 victories is highly possible and a trip to Atlanta and beyond that is entirely attainable for this 2017 Auburn Tigers football team. 

S, winners at U.S. Women's Open, Scottish Open, John Deere

I thought S was excellent at Media Days. He said his team is younger than usual, but he likes the group a lot. I agree, I like this team a lot from the spring game.

It was an interesting A-Day game with Jalen and Tua making explosive play after explosive play. It was spectacular really. Jerry Jeudy looks like a superstar in the making at wide receiver. Najee Harris will be a super compliment to Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris at running back. S said that Scarbrough and middle linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton are a full go for fall practice. Bo is one of the most explosive backs the Crimson Tide has ever had and that's a tremendously high bar. Can't wait to see him play. Shaun Dion is a potentially dominant player along with superstar Rashaan Evans in the middle. There are so many talented young players and some excellent veterans. Minkah Fitzpatrick is a 2017 first team All-American and high first round pick in 2018. The talent is off the charts great.

S addressed the Clemson game briefly. He's not totally over it, but he's putting it behind him and looking ahead  to Florida State on September 2nd at the new Mercedes-Benz Dome in Atlanta at 7 PM CT on ABC. A highly anticipated matchup, I like the Crimson Tide with their discipline, their physicality, their better players and better coaches. Very bullish on this group.

Brian Daboll, the new offensive coordinator, will do some spectacular things for the offense. The line will be dominant, the skilled players will be outstanding led by Calvin Ridley, Jeudy and the rejuvenated Robert Foster, though he had an accident on a dirt bike and will have to recover from that. You'll have Bo, Najee and Damien leading the running back corps. Bradley Bozeman leads the line at center, along with potential All-American left tackle Jonah Williams. Bozeman will be a highly decorated player, and a leader up front. Jalen and Tua are super quarterbacks. Jalen will start. He looks ready for a breakout year. The defense will be talented and become lock down, probably as soon as Florida State. Jeremy Pruitt is a spectacular defensive coordinator. Saban and him make quite a team coaching the defense. 

Key game at Auburn to close out the season on Saturday, Nov. 25th, which could be huge for SEC and national implications. LSU at home will be somewhat of a challenge though I like the Tide to take care of business as usual against Coach O and the Bengal Tigers at Bryant-Denny, pretty comfortably. A lot of people are building up the Florida State game, but I see the Auburn game as the toughest game of the season for the Crimson Tide. I like Bama to handle FSU and company. They aren't tough enough to go toe to toe with the Tide. Auburn is a good team, and possibly very good, so that'll be interesting. Not sure if the Tigers will implode before then, could happen, but if Gus doesn't mess it up, there is a lot of talent on this team. 

I like the Tide to be a playoff team once again and have an excellent chance to win their 5th national title in 11 years under S. S's record in his first 10 seasons in Tuscaloosa is 114-19, 86%. That is astoundingly exceptional. I like the Tide to get it done once again and win it all, barring major injuries. 

Winners in professional golf this week.

U.S. Women's Open

Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster, New Jersey, 6,732 yards, Par 72

TV: Thursday-Friday, Fox Sports 1, 1-6 PM C; Saturday-Sunday, FOX, 1-7 PM CT.

This tremendous major championship will be played at Shoal Creek here in Birmingham next year, May 31st-June 3rd, 2018.

I like the 19 year old from Canada to get the job in the 72nd Women's U.S. Open. She's already won 4 times on tour, won the 2016 Women's PGA and finished runner up a couple of weeks ago there. 

Brooke Henderson

 

Scottish Open

Dundonald LInks, 7,100 yards, Par 72

TV: Golf Channel, Thursday- Friday, 8:30 AM-12:30 PM. Saturday, Sunday, Golf Channel, 9-11:30 AM.

An important tournament as the 146th Open Championship commences next week and this is a good measuring stick for the Open, which will be played at Royal Birkdale in England, where the Open has been played 8 times with Padraig Harrington winning the last one in 2008.

I'm going with the 35 year old from Stockholm Sweden to capture the Scottish. He just won the BMW PGA Championship May 28th at the Wentworth Club in England and I see him having a great shot at the Open next week.

Alex Noren

 

John Deere Classic

TPC Deere Run, Sivis, Illinois, 7,268 yards, Par 71

TV: Thursday-Friday, Golf Channel, 3-6 PM CT; Saturday-Sunday, Golf Channel, 12-1::30 PM CT, CBS 2-5 PM CT.

Like the 29 year old from Greenwood, South Carolina to capture the Deere and be a factor at the Open next week.

Ben Martin  

Clemson Football 2017

Can Dabo Sweeney and his Clemson Tigers repeat the magic from 2016 and make it to another playoff and go back to back? That depends on his quarterback play. Clemson lost one of the greatest college quarterbacks in the history of the game as the superb Deshaun Watson finished off his illustrious career with a national championship on a last second TD pass to Hunter Renfrow to capture the coveted prize. Deshaun is now with the Houston Texans in hopes of leading talented Texans to greater heights and a Vince Lombardi Trophy in the future. More than one for that matter. Deshaun was exceptional and an amazing success story. 

As for the 2017 team, the Tigers have material all over the field, but in order to make the playoff and win it all, they need to develop a quarterback who can successfully run the offense, make plays consistently and take care of the football. There are 4 candidates.

Kelly Bryant, a 6'3", 215 pound junior, got the start in the spring game. Bryant can really create plays with his legs, but needs to sharpen up his passing. He needs to be more consistent with all his throws and become a better downfield passer. Zerrick Cooper, a 6'2", 205 pound redshirt freshman, is another exceptional runner who showed some promise in the spring game with his arm, but needs some polish passing the ball as well. Tucker Israel is a 5'10", 180 pound sophomore who is on the smaller size, but has a pretty good arm. And then there is 99, 5 star freshman Hunter Johnson, 6'4", 200 pounder  (ranking by 247 sports), who has a super arm, pretty good mobility and a chance to be special. But Johnson needs some work in all phases of playing the position. So Sweeney and his co-offensive coordinators, Jeff Scott and Tony Elliott, have a lot of work ahead of them to get these guys ready for Clemson's September 2nd opener against Kent State at Death Valley. But there's no doubt they'll put in the work and so will their players. If they can develop these guys and get a bona fide starter and backup the talent around the signal caller and on the defensive side of the ball are off the charts good.

The offensive line will be led by left tackle Mitch Hyatt (6'5", 295), who isn't massive, but a powerful, physical player and a leader. Left guard Taylor Hearn (6'5", 325) gives the left side an impressive, potentially dominating combination. The line returns 4 of 5 starters and there is quality depth behind them as Dabo's recruiting has been sensational.

Running back will be manned by three talented players. Returnees C.J. Fuller (5'10", 215 Jr), Adam Choice (5'9", 210) and Tavien Foster (5'11", 210) are three backs Dabo thinks can all play on Sundays. Running back is stellar and 2017, 92, 4 star Travis Etienne (5'11", 210) is coming in for fall camp. Wide receiver is excellent with junior Deon Cain (6'1", 210), who pulled in 38 passes for 724 yards and 9 TDs, leading the charges. Ray Ray McCloud is a playmaker out wide as well. McCloud, a 5'10", 180 pound junior caught 49 passes for 472 yards and 2 TDs. He's explosive, a playmaker, like Cain. And the awesome Renfrow, the 5'11", 180 pound redshirt junior, who caught 44 passes for 495 yards and 6 TDs and was a key part of the national championship victory and also the year before in that amazing game with the Crimson Tide, is back and will be a key target. 

So whoever the quarterback is, he will have a super arsenal to work with. Stellar tight end Jordan Leggett is gone to the NFL, so the Tigers will need to replace him too. Juniors Garrett Williams (6'3", 245) and Cannon Smith (6'5", 265) will compete for that spot.

On defense, the front for stellar defensive coordinator Brent Venables will be dominant again. Clemson is becoming known as d line U along with Bama and Auburn is starting to make its case for that moniker as well. Junior defensive end Christian Wilkins (6'4", 310),  sophomore defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and sophomore defensive end Clelin Ferrell (6'5", 265) are all 3 potential All Americans. They are dominating players with tremendous size, toughness and physciality. They can blow up the running game and get to the quarterback. All 3 are superb. There is excellent depth on the d line as well. Linebacker looks terrific with redshirt freshman Shaq Smith (6'2", 240),  junior J.D. Davis (6'2",225) and depth. The secondary may be the biggest strength on this team. Corners, junior Mark Fields (5'10", 180) and senior Ryan Carter (5'9", 180), are experienced players who are  tremendous in coverage and can make game changing interceptions. Sophomore strong safety Denzel Johnson (6'0", 195) and junior free safety Van Smith (5'11", 195) are stellar also. Depth is good in the secondary and all over the defense. 

Kicking game looks solid with Greg Huegel and Alex Spence handling the kicking and punting duties respectively. McCloud returns punts, and can take it to the house every time he touches the ball. Fuller and Feaster are explosive in the kick return game. 

This is a really good football team, but a team that has to develop a quarterback if they want to be exceptional, make the playoff and advance in that.

Schedule

The key games, even though they're all key in college football, are Auburn, Saturday, Sept. 9th @ home, Sept 16th @ Louisville, Sept. 30th @ Virginia Tech, Oct. 28th, November 4th @ NC State, @ home vs Georgia Tech, Nov,. 11, @ home vs Florida State in what could be a colossal game in the 2017 season nationally, and @ South Carolina, Saturday, Nov. 25th. Will Muschamp will have a much improved team and South Carolina is ready to extract some revenge against Clemson after losing to the Tigers the last three years, including a 56-7 drubbing last season @ Death Valley. The Palmetto Bowl should be compelling. 

Prediction for the Tigers in 2017

This is an extremely talented football team. Double digit victories are certainly attainable and a chance to make the playoff a possibility. But I see some issues at quarterback preventing Clemson from making the semifinals. They should have a good team, 10 wins and a New Year's Six Bowl in the Orange or the Peach Bowl, the semifinal playoff games are at the Rose and Sugar Bowls respectively Jan.1, 2018, but I don't see them making the playoff this season. Still, the team should have another outstanding year, and with Johnson maturing under center and with 2018 .9998 5 star Trevor Lawrence (6'6", 196),  Clemson will certainly be ready for the playoff in 2018. Two thousand seventeen is not totally out of the question. They have a couple of tough road games @ Louisville and @ Virginia Tech. Winning those 2 would be tremendous. Auburn @ home will be extremely challenging as the Auburn Tigers have found a talented signal caller in Jarrett Stidham, to go along with exceptional talent around him.  FSU is a superb looking team. South Carolina on the road to finish off the season will be challenging. I like 9 to 10 wins, depending on quarterback play and injuries. This program is spectacular and may find a way to make the playoff, but the quarterback issue is the factor that will keep them out this season. Still, Dabo Sweeney will field another very good football team at Clemson.      

Auburn looks like a top level SEC and FBS team coming out of spring ball

The Auburn Tigers have found their quarterback. Sean White had a decent year last year, and is serviceable, but Jarrett Stidham, the sophomore Baylor transfer, is dynamic, explosive and extremely accurate with the football and has with underrated, excellent mobility. Stidham is what you are looking for in a prototypical quarterback, college or NFL. Auburn can win a lot of games with Jarrett Stidham under center with all the talent he has around him in the backfield, some emerging weapons on the perimeter, and an excellent offensive line led by senior right tackle Braden Smith (6'6", 305) and center Austin Golson ( 6'5", 314). 

Stidham, 6'2", 210, completed 16 of 20 passes for 267 yards, and despite not throwing a TD, he made some hugely explosive plays in the passing game with stud sophomore wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers, some nice intermediate throw, catch and run plays with Will Hastings, some explosive plays with Darius Slayton and a couple of nice throws to Ryan Davis. All four of those receivers looked excellent. Junior tight end Jalen Harris showed some good talent with a couple of nice catch and runs in the game played before 46,331 fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Craig-Myers, a 98, 4 star in the 2016 class, who was one of the top rated wide receivers in the nation in the 2016 rankings, caught 5 passes for 154 yards including a couple of deep ones, one a 50 yarder. He's  a dynamic, take it to the house weapon for the Tigers in the aerial game. Nate is 6'2", 208. Hastings looks like a Wes Welker type player and is a highly effective target for Stidham or Sean White, though I'm leaning heavily towards Stidham and actually think true freshman Malik Willis, 6'1", 185, is a stud and can supplant White as Stidham's backup. Willis has a great future if he'll stick it out because he's quite a quarterback. White is going to have a hard time finding the field next year unless he turns it up major league in August. Hastings caught 7 passes for 75 yards. He's awesome. He's not big in stature at 5'10", 175, but he's a playmaker and a winning football player. Slayton also caught some big balls from Stidham. Darius caught 3 passes for 65 yards, including a 46 yarder. Ryan Davis caught 2 passes for 41 yards and Marquis McClain made a huge catch and run on a 69 yard reception he caught over the middle from freshman Devin Adams that he hauled in at the 45 and took to the house outrunning everybody on the defense. Slayton is another taller receiver at 6'2", 191, Davis, who caught 25 passes for 194 yards and a TD last year, is 5'9", 175, but is highly effective as a receiver. He can get open and has excellent hands and speed. Eli Stove didn't play in the spring game, but he is pretty stellar as well. The rising sophomore caught 23 passes for 224 yards last year and ran for 134 yards and a 7 before getting hurt. Auburn had issues with injuries last year, particularly on offense.

While some might say Stidham's performance was in a spring game and not as significant, I disagree. It matters. Any time you play in a live situation and perform like Stidham did, it's impressive. He's a big time college quarterback this season. Auburn is in good hands under center. Malik Willis is some kind of player, too, so if Stidham happened to go down, Gus and offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey wouldn't hesitate to put Willis in. He's going to be a big time player. I know Sean White is still in the mix, but those two really stood out to me. Another thing on Stidham, he has terrific playing experience from 2 years ago as a true freshman at Baylor. In the games he played, he completed 75 of 109 passes, 69%, for 12 TDs against only 2 INT's. In his three starts, he was 23-of-33 for 419 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INT's against Kansas State, a 31-24 Baylor victory,  was 16-of-27 for 257 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INTs in a 44-34 loss to Oklahoma. That was against an OU team that made the playoff in 2015 before losing to Clemson handily in the semifinal at the Rose Bowl. Against Oklahoma State, in the game he got hurt in, Stidham was 12-of-21 for 258 yards in a 45-35 Baylor victory. That was an unbelievable year for Baylor. They were working on their 4th quarterback by the time they got to the Russell Athletic bowl vs North Carolina, and had aspirations of making the playoff until a slew of injuries really hurt them, but still found a way to pummel Gene Chizik and the North Carolina defense, 49-38. 

So Stidham's resume is pretty spectacular looking. You throw in a good stable of running backs along with an outstanding looking offensive line, and you've got a potent offense. Kamryn Pettway didn't play in the spring, but Gus and Lindsey know they have a great one there. Kam ran for 1,224 yards and 7 TDs in 2016, and battled some ankle injuries like it seemed like most of the skilled player on the Auburn offense did, particularly at running back. But Kam is special. So is Kerryon Johnson. Kerryon ran for 895 yards and 11 TDs last year, and was having a super spring game until he got tackled by the ankles and suffered a high ankle sprain in the game. He had already run for 47 yards and looked excellent. He'll be ready come August. That's an excellent 1-2 tandem for the Tigers at running back. I really like Malik Miller as a runner. He showed some signs last year that he'd be a good player. Miller comes from the same high school in Huntsville, Madison High, that Kerryon played at, and I really like him.. He had some good runs in the spring game. At 5'11", 235, he's a load who can run between the tackles and also possesses excellent speed that can create explosive plays. Kam Martin, who also got hurt last year, is another one to watch. Kam Pettway is 6'0", 237 and Kerryon is 6'0", 204. Kam Pettway and Kerryon are juniors. Malik is a sophomore. I was also pretty impressed with junior C.J. Tolbert out of the backfield. Horton is small in height at 5'7", but he's a tough 187 pounder who likes to mix it up. He's good.

So the offense looks set.

On defense, 8 starters return, so this group should be good to go. They were good last year. Kevin Steele told Brock Huard of ESPN that he wants "30 starters," meaning he wants at least 30 guys who he can count on defensively. With defensive end Marlon Davidson (6'3", 282), and Derrick Brown 6'5", 316) at defensive tackle, Auburn has some stars up front. Byron Cowart needs to realize his massive potential. The 6'3", 283 defensive end was a 5 star, top 10 player, in 2015, so he needs to live up to it. I've heard he's showing signs of it. Tre' Williams (6'2', 225 SR) and Deshaun Davis (5'11", 246, JR) are the leaders and the playmakers on the second level for the Tigers at linebacker. Really like both of those guys. Tray Matthews (6'1", 209, SR) is a leader and a ball hawk at strong safety, and the awesome Carlton Davis (6'1", 203, JR) returns at corner. There is good talent and depth in the secondary.

Daniel Carlson is back to kick and he looks ready for an All-American season this year as he kicked 5-of-5 field goals in the spring game. He connected from 55 yards on one of his kicks and he also connected on a 60 yarder with what looked like 5 or 6 yards to spare at the end of practice with a little bit of pressure. He's superb. Punting duties could go to Ian Shannon, but with Shannon out on a family engagement during the spring game, Carlson punted and averaged close to 42 yards. He can do it all. Kerryon can return kicks, maybe Malik Miller, and Stephen Roberts and Ryan Davis are listed as the punt returners. Those are pretty explosive players. Kam Martin could also return kickoffs with his sub 4.4 speed.

The recruiting class was ranked 9th in the country, and had 14 four stars. Don't know who will play though. Malik Willis showed he could step in at quarterback if necessary. It was a solid class with 9 ESPN 300 players. A lot of very good players in the class who could see time in the rotations. August will determine that. There are some really good upperclassmen on this team though, so it might be tough for those young guys to crack the lineup, but you never know with how injuries could shake out. Some of those talented guys could be needed. There is a lot of talent in the 2017 signing class

Schedule

The Tigers open with Georgia Southern at home on Saturday, Sept. 2. Georgia Southern won the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl and finished 9-4. They slipped to 5-7 last year. They run the triple option which causes defenses problems. So Auburn will have to be prepared for that trickeration offense. Week 2 is at Death Valley and the Clemson Tigers in a huge contest, Saturday, Sept. 9th. Wow, what a classic that should be. Will have write up on Clemson early next week along with Florida State. Dabo's cupboard is always loaded now, but they're breaking in a new quarterback, so there's inexperience there. Auburn definitely has a shot at Clemson. Mercer Sept. 16 at home, @ Missouri, Sept. 23rd, not easy, home versus Mississippi State, Sept. 30, home versus Ole Miss, Oct. 7, @LSU, Oct. 14, @Arkansas, Oct. 21, off, @A&M Nov. 4, @home vs Georgia Nov. 11, La Monroe at home, Nov. 18, then the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, Nov. 25th in what could really be an epic for both SEC and national purposes.

Final Analysis

I really like this Auburn Tigers football team. Stidham is the real deal, there are playmakers all over the field, the offensive line is deep, big and physical, the defense looks loaded and can get turnovers, sacks, tackles for loss, all of that. There's good size and athletic ability up front, good size and athletic ability at linebacker and super physical players with ball hawking skills in the secondary. Daniel Carlson is an all world kicker. I can see a run at an SEC championship for this football team. @ Clemson in week 2, though the Tigers don't need to look past game 1, is a big game. The games at home against the Mississippi schools are big. Both State and Ole Miss have good quarterbacks in the dynamic Nick Fitzgerald for State and Shea Patterson for Ole Miss. Then @ LSU and @ Arkansas in October, and, after a bye week, @ A&M Nov. 4th are huge season changing games. Georgia at home the next week in the Deep South's oldest rivalry will be a massive challenge for the Tigers facing Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and quarterback Jacob Eason who are all three trying to put Georgia back on the radar in the SEC and in the national landscape. Georgia will be much improved and challenging for the SEC title. Then, of course, the Iron Bowl, which could be a majorly important one along with all the importance of the game to begin with. 

So, like all SEC teams, the Tigers have their work cut out for them to play in a major postseason game or games. But an SEC Championship and a playoff spot is certainly attainable with good health, because the talent is certainly there. I don't like to put a number on victories for a team because to me that limits them. Auburn definitely looks like a double digit victory team. Like everybody else, key players need to stay healthy. But if that happens, this team has a shot for a tremendous 2017 season. 

Auburn players drafted

Montravius Adams 3rd round to the Packers; Carl Lawson, 4th round to the Cincinnati Bengals; Rudy Ford, 6th round to the Arizona Cardinals; Josh Holsey, 7th round to the Redskins. 

Pick for Wells Fargo Championship on PGA Tour this week

Kevin Kisner

Kisner almost won last week in a two man team event with Scott Brown at the Zurich Classic. Kisner and Brown lost in a playoff to Euros Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith. I like the 33 year old from Aiken, South Carolina to get the job done this week at Eagle Point Golf Club (7,259 yards, par 72) in Wilmington, N.C.

Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, which usually hosts this event, will be hosting a very important event in August, the 99th PGA Championship, so Eagle Point gets this tournament. Jimmy Walker won the PGA Championship last year at Baltusrol Golf Club. Interesting course in Wilmington though. Should be a compelling Sunday. Will have a thorough golf column next week as the Players Championship commences next Thursday. The tour's fifth major, as the Tour players have labeled it,  is a goal for all the big names on tour every year. Should be riveting at TPC Sawgrass next week. 

Tomorrow: UAB

The Blazers out of spring football look pretty darn good. I'll take a look at Bill Clark's squad, a team the city should be excited about. 

Vanderbilt basketball has tremendous postseason opportunity, baseball, football, men's golf, women's tennis

Our Vanderbilt basketball team finished the season 19-15 after beating A&M and Florida in the SEC tournament, both teams for the third time. With those key victories, and a key victory on the road over Arkansas, and a strength of schedule that was No.1 in the country overall, the committee awarded us with a well deserved 9th seed in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

We will play 8th seeded Northwestern in Salt Lake City, Thursday at 3:30 PM CT/4:30 PM ET on WTBS, which is channel 247 on DirecTV and channel 780 on Charter Spectrum. 

This is a classic matchup of two very elite academic schools that have done pretty darn well at sports. Interestingly though, this is Northwestern's first tournament appearance in its history. Northwestern has been playing basketball since 1904, 111 years. The NCAA tournament is in its 79th year. So, it's a huge deal for the Wildcats. But it's just as big of a deal for us.

Northwestern finished their season at 23-11 overall and 10-8 in the BIg Ten. They lost to highly seeded NCAA tournament teams Butler and Notre Dame in their pre-conference season. But both games were close. They lost to Butler, the No.4 seed in the South, 70-68 in Indianapolis. They lost to Notre Dame in Brooklyn at a preseason tournament, 70-66. Notre Dame is the 5th seed in the West Regional. They have a road win over Wisconsin, then ranked 7th in the country at the time and an 8 seed in the tournament in the East, 66-59. They also defeated Michigan at home on March 1st, 67-65, on an electric full court heave and score at the buzzer. Michigan just won the Big Ten tournament and is a 7 seed, which seems a little low, but the committee seems to value the regular season and the early tournament games more than the final games.

The Wildcats reached the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament in D. C. with victories over Rutgers, and a 72-64 upset victory over No.25 Maryland in the quarters. Maryland is a 6 seed in the West. The Wildcats lost to Wisconsin in the semis, 76-48, but I suspect, much like us, they were out of gas by that point.

The Wildcats are led in scoring by 6'3", 185 junior guard Bryant McIntosh, who averaged 14.4 ppg. and 6'5", small forward Scottie Lindsey, a junior, who averaged 14.2 per game. Their other double figure scorer is 6'7", 205 redshirt sophomore forward Vic Law, who averaged 12.4 ppg. Six-foot-8, 235 pound sophomore center Dererk Pardon averaged 8.5 points and 8 rebounds. 

They averaged  71 points a game and held opponents to 65 ppg. They out-rebounded opponents 36.2-35.4. They averaged 15 assists on the season against 10.5 turnovers. They shot 44% from the field, 34% from 3, and 75% from the line.

They have a good mix of veterans and younger players and their players are all experienced. We have our work cut out for us to win this ballgame. But we can absolutely win it. 

We averaged 71 points and gave up 68. We shot 43% from the field and 38% from 3. We also shot 78% from the stripe, which is outstanding. We averaged roughly 35 rebounds per game. MFD led us in scoring at 13.6 ppg. Luke was next at 13.2, Jeff was at 11 ppg, and Riley averaged 10.5. Riley was so good at the end of the season, and really all year. He shot 49 percent from 3 for the year, 68-for-138, that's outrageously good. He also led us at the stripe at 87%. Luke shot 85%, MFD shot 82% and JRobe shot 79%. We're outstanding from the stripe and from deep.

Nolan Cressler, Joe Toye and Payton Willis were very valuable players for us too. Djerry Baptiste and Clevon Brown will be very valuable pieces for us underneath in the postseason as well. They're both going to be very good players for us, and they need to step up for us now. Djerry can really help Luke out and Clevon can help Jeff out with some valuable minutes off the bench.

The keys to victory against Northwestern are, first, sinking several 3's. I don't want to put an absolute number on it, but 8 or better would help a lot. We have to hold our own on the glass with Luke, Jeff, Joe and our guards boarding well. We need to take care of the ball like we've done such a better job at the end of this season. We need to get some turnovers ourselves. We need to drive and score, which Nolan, Riley and Joe have been so good at and MFD can do. We need to pass it well to set up shooters and get some more backdoor scores, and we of course need to defend well. Keep them at 40% or less from the field and 34% or less from trifecta.

If we do all or  most of these things well, particularly shooting, defense and the glass, we'll move on and face the Gonzaga- South Dakota State winner on Saturday. Gonzaga is a prohibitive favorite in that game which tips off at 1 PM CT/2 PM ET in Salt Lake City on TBS.

So gigantic opportunity for our talented team that has improved so much throughout the season and is playing their best basketball right now, which is what you want. So can't wait.

Here is the video of the team's reaction to the NCAA announcement yesterday on CBS. It's pretty electric. 

***NOTE, This is from an email I sent out last night after the Northwestern game, Olivier Sarr is our 4 star 6'11', 225 recruit who we are pursuing intensely. I spelled Olivier's name Oliver. Apologize for the error. 

Baseball splits a doubleheader

Our No. 25 baseball team is now 11-6 on the season after splitting a doubleheader with St. Mary's yesterday, losing the first game 5-1, but winning the second game, 9-1. In the first game, Patrick Raby pitched a beauty of a game, but didn't get enough offensive help, hardly any, and had a couple of miscues in the field that didn't help either. Raby went 8.2 innings, throwing 118 pitches with 80 for strikes against 38 balls, an outstanding strike-ball ratio. Patrick gave up 6 hits, 5 runs, 3 earned, with 1 walk and 11 K's. Tough luck loss for Patrick, but like where he's at.

In the second game, the bats came alive and we got another stellar outing from freshman Drake Fellows. Jeren Kendall was 2-for-3 with a stolen base, his fifth, and three runs scored. Julian Infante was 2-for-2 with a ribbie and two runs scored. Third baseman Will Toffey was 2-for-4 with 4 Ribeyes, including a three-run triple. Super work by Will. Ro Coleman was 3-for-4 at the plate. 

Fellows went 8, throwing 101 pitches, 69 for strikes against 32 balls, an over 2 to 1 strike-ball ratio, so he was outstanding. Drake gave up 2 hits, one run, which was unearned, walked none and struck out 8. Reed Hayes finished it off in the 9th giving up a hit, no runs with a K. Drake moved t0 3-0 on the season and he now has  a 1.00 ERA, which is superb. Raby has a 1.40 ERA and he's now 2-2.

Infante is leading us in hitting at .359. Ro is next at .311. We're playing better, but need to brush up on our fielding. We've committed 22 errors in 17 games. That improvement will happen as we keep developing this season. We're always good in the field and we've got good defensive players, good players period.

Corbs seemed OK with the split. It was hard to hear him in his interview because Born in the USA was blasting out of the speakers at Hawkins Field. Good song, but the volume was intense. He liked the efforts and performances of Raby and Fellows and thought we got it going pretty well with the bats in the second game as we had 12 hits. Overall, he's cautiously optimistic about his team. That's my read on his thoughts. 

Next up is Western Kentucky tomorrow @ home, 4:30 PM CT. SEC Network+ will carry the game. Then we open the conference season @ Ole Miss with a weekend set. Friday's first pitch is at 7 PM CT, Saturday's game starts at 1:30 PM CT, and Sunday's game starts at 3 PM CT and will be televised by the SEC Network. Should be pretty electric  as we get into the conference schedule.

MLB guys

Some super news; Pedro got picked up by the Orioles on a minor league contract, meaning he'll not start out on the 40 man roster this spring but can get on the team with a good performance during March in the Grapefruit League. There is talk that Baltimore will try Pedro out in the outfield some, and then, when he makes the team, use him out there and at first some to spell starter Chris Davis. Pedro had a good year for the Birds last year, so I'm glad they picked him up again. He has been working out on his own and with a coach on his outfield skills and Pedro is an awesome athlete, so I see him getting the outfield down. He can really play some first, so I'd like to see him still get a shot there, too. His bat is too good not to be in the lineup frequently. I expect Pedro to be an Oriole when the season starts April 3rd. 

Mike Minor could be in the KC  Royals' rotation this season. I thought Mike looked good in the minors, and his stuff is ML:B starting material. David Price got a scare when his throwing elbow was having a lot of discomfort a couple of weeks ago. But Dave got it checked out and he's OK, and will be ready when the Red Sox open the season in April. ***Note, 3-17, David looks like he'll start on the 15 day DL, so we'll have to wait to see David start his 2017 season. No major injury though which is the good news. David will be back probably late April.

Sonny has been injured a little for the A's, some sort of lat issue, but he should be fine for the season. Dansby has had a little back problem, but he'll be ready when the Braves open the season. Braves are really building for the future. If they play .500 ball this season, that would be good, and get them ready for a big 2018 at their new stadium, SunTrust Park in Cobb County, which opens this season. Should be awesome.

And I expect Carson Fulmer to be a starter for the White Sox. I'm saying very likely this season.

There will be some other guys who might be in the big leagues this year. Ryan Flaherty should be back with the Orioles. Will keep you posted.  

Football

Sorry I'm late to report this but better late than never and certainly in this case. Alex Stump, a 2015 4 star wide receiver, has transferred to Vanderbilt from Ohio State. Alex is 6'3", 210, and his film in high school is superb. He played a game last year for the Buckeyes and caught a pass for 8 yards. But watching his high school film shows me that Alex is going to be exceptional for us. He will have to sit out this year, but will be eligible in 2018 and 2019. That's good news because we'll be losing C.J. Duncan, Trent Sherfield and Caleb Scott after this season. We have some young studs on the perimeter in Kalija Lipscomb and Donaven Tennyson, and we have some freshmen studs coming in, 6'4", 212 Chris Pierce and 6'3", 200 James Bostic. And with Jared Pinkney and Sam Dobbs at tight end, we should have some good weapons on offense in 2018 as well. But 2017 is here and we've got Duncan, Sherfield and Scott set for big senior seasons.

I spoke with Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig about 3 weeks ago, but have decided to wait until after spring practice is over and talk to him then, so he'll have a better handle on how the offense looks coming out of spring. We are having a Spring Showcase instead of a Spring game this year. It will be held Saturday, March 25th at 10 AM in Vanderbilt Stadium. In the past we've done kind of a goofy offense versus defense format, and coach Mason wants to get more out of the workout. So we will practice and do some scrimmaging. Excited to see what this team can do in 2017. We have a lot of good players back, and should be stellar on both sides of the ball. Hopefully, we'll keep improving in special teams too. We open the season Saturday, Sept. 2nd on the road against Middle Tennessee, in Murfreesboro. No time or TV yet. We play Alabama A&M at home, Kansas State at home and then open the SEC schedule at home against Alabama. Will be tough, but I just say bring it on. I have confidence in our coaches and our players.

We'll also play @ Florida, @ Ole Miss, @ South Carolina and @ Tennessee. We'll have home games against Georgia, Western Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee. If things go right, we'll go 8-4, though we want to win'em all. 

Here are highlights of Alex Stump. We're going to like him. 

Alex Stump

Men's Golf

The No.1 Men's Golf team will be in Statesboro, Georgia this weekend playing at the Schenkel Invitational. No.2 Florida will also play with a host of other teams including Kentucky, North Carolina State, Notre Dame and UAB, Should be super competition for the team as they keep matriculating towards the SEC and NCAA Tournaments. The SEC Tournament will be held in Sea Island April 21-24. 

We won this event last year as Will Gordon shot a 63 on the final day and we finished -41 to win by 10 shots over second place finisher Wake Forest. Matthias Schwab, Patrick Martin, Will and company will have to play well as we face a tough field led by Florida. Note***Matthias is playing in the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week. He is close to making the cut. Matthias earned the exemption by getting the sportsmanship award handed out by the tournament. Great stuff for Matthias.

PGA guys

In the pros, Luke List finished tied for 27th at the Valspar Championship yesterday, shooting -2 for the tournament. Adam Hadwin won at -14. Luke is now 21st in the Fed Ex Standings so in really good shape, and with a victory before the Masters, Luke will get in the Masters. So you never know and Luke's been playing better this year after starting off the season really well at the end of 2016. Brandt is 35th in the standings and both Brandt and Luke will play this weekend at the Arnie Invitational at Bay Hill. Jon Curran is not playing and stands 154 in the standings, so he has work to do. The top 125 qualify for the 2017-18 season, and there is a lot of golf left, so several opportunities to make up ground. Luke plays all the time, Brandt plays a lot for a star on the tour, and Jon probably needs to pick up the workload to get back to relevance on the Fed Ex list.

Women's Tennis

The No.10  women kept the machine rolling this weekend with a 5-2 victory over No. 23 Ole Miss. We improved to 9-4 overall and 4-0 in the SEC. That's outstanding. We won the doubles, and in singles, No.5 Astra Sharma got her 80th career victory at Vanderbilt, and Georgina Sellyn, Fernanda Contreras and Emily Smith all won. 

Next up, we'll be on the road @ No. 20 Kentucky 4 PM CT this Saturday.

A preview of the stellar spring sports landscape coming up, Mexico Championship pick

Golf season is in full bore mode now, with several 20 somethings dominating the circuit, but with some younger vets like Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler winning the past two weeks, D.J. at Riviera and Rickie at the Honda in Miami this past weekend. This week the tour alights in Mexico City for the WGC-Mexico Championship. This is a big time tournament usually played at Trump National Doral, but with POTUS's comments last year on the Wall, the Tour didn't take that very well, and moved the site. Kind of a shame that the players can't compete at the Blue Monster and that epic 18th hole, but maybe it'll come back and Club de Golf Chapultepec looks like an interesting, scenic venue with 50 of the top players in the world. I will have my prediction at the bottom of this column.

The Arnie is coming up, and the majestic 81st Masters is just over a month away. The Players will be in May at TPC Sawgrass, the 117th playing of the U.S. Open in June will take place at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, about 35 miles outside of Milwaukee. Erin Hills has never hosted a major, but has hosted the 2011 U.S. Amateur, won by Kelly Kraft, who is making a move on the tour now. The 146th Open Championship in July will be played at Royal Birkdale in England, which has hosted the Open 10 times, the last won in 2008 won by Padraig Harrington. The 98th PGA Championship will be played at famed Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, N.C. which has never hosted a major, but is a classic venue and has hosted the Wells Fargo Championship, a regular event on the tour, for many years.

Will Jordan Spieth recapture the magic like he looks like he very well could? Will D.J, win a second major? With his length, Augusta National looks possible. Will Jason Day get his momentum back from two years ago? He certainly has that eliteness about him that allows him to win at any of  the four majors. How will Rory come back from his rib injury?  If he can, he wants the Masters to complete the career grand slam and win his 5th major title at 27 years old. Then there are guys like Rickie, Sneds, and others trying to capture their first major. Two guys you might call, as John Feinstein labeled those kind of players in his book, The Majors, "Best Players not to have won a major." Henrik, Justin Rose, Jimmy Walker, the list goes on, all of them have captured a major title with Rose winning the U.S. Open in 2013 and Henrik and Walker both winning majors last year, Henrik at the Open Championship and Walker at the PGA. And, of course, Justin Thomas and Hideki Matsuyama are banging on the door to win not just one major, but multiple majors. Both are chomping at the bit to don the Green Jacket in Butler's Cabin on Sunday, April 9th.

So a lot of extraordinary storylines heading into the heart of the season. Will have major coverage the rest of what looks like an electric season.

March Madness

The great Frank Mason III and Kansas look formidable

Can Cal and the Cats have some magic in March and capture their second national championship since 2012 and their 9th overall

This is such a sensational time of year in sports, and college basketball is at its best right now with the historically good NCAA tournament coming up. It's a pretty top heavy field this year with quite a few exceptional teams having a shot of cutting down the nets in Phoenix on Monday, April 3rd.

The four teams that really stick out to me right now are North Carolina, with their tremendous length under the basket, their ability to rebound, and their always prolific offensive ability. If they can defend well, they could very well be cutting down the nylon. Kansas is a superb team, led by All American guards Frank Mason III and Devonte Graham and superstar freshman small forward Josh Jackson.  Villanova is superb again and going for back to back national titles, which would be the first time since Florida accomplished that under Billy Donovan in '06-'07. And I'm starting to get bullish on Kentucky. They're putting it together and with all that Parade All American talent, they're in the mix every year. They are peaking well.

But there are other teams that have a good shot at the national title and certainly the Final Four. Duke, Louisville, Baylor are all outstanding, UCLA and Oregon have super teams, Zona is very good. I'm not as big on the Big Ten teams this season. Virginia lost a lot off last year's team, but the way the play defense gives them a chance to make a run. I like Syracuse a lot, too, and Va Tech has a good squad that could knock some people off. Wisconsin and Purdue look like the best teams in the Big Ten, but not good enough to make the Final Four. Michigan State will be competitive, but they've been really hampered by injuries, so this is not their year. Wichita State has another really good team under Greg Marshall that can go some distance. 

For SEC Cinderellas, I like Florida to do really well with a shot to make it to the Final Four. They're excellent. I see South Carolina making some noise and being a second weekend team. Arkansas is up and down, but pretty darn good when they're up. Vanderbilt is in right now, according to Joe Lunardi, ESPN bracketologist, but they've got work to do. They have a huge game at home against Florida on Saturday, which they have to have, and then they'll need to win at least 2 games in the SEC tournament to get invited to the Big Dance. They have the No.1 non-conference strength of schedule and No.2 strength of schedule overall with victories on the road over Florida and Arkansas, and South Carolina at home, so it's a pretty good resume. But the Dores have work to do. 

For real Cinderellas, Middle Tennessee State has a really good team as does Monmouth. 

Will have my bracket out the Monday after Selection Sunday, which is March 12th. 

NBA

Can Kawhi Leonard (above) dethrone LeBron, and outlast Steph and KD in the postseason

I watched a superb game last night in the National Basketball Association as the Celtics defeated the Cavs, 103-99, at the "Gaaden," in Boston. I saw one of the best defensive players I've seen in a long time in Avery Bradley. Bradley was like stickem on Kyrie Irving, one of the most prolific offensive players in the NBA along with Steph, Bron, KD and Russ Westbrook. They used to call Gary Payton, who played many years for the Seattle Supersonics in the 80's and 90's, "the Glove" because his defense was as tight as a glove on an offensive player. He was a terrific defender. That's what Bradley looks like. And a really interesting part of the game happened with 1:08 left, when Bradley drained a trifecta, and the camera went into the crowd to show Bill Belichick, a huge Celtics fan. While the rest of the Boston faithful were going berserk, Bill immediately looked up at the clock in a calm, cool fashion like all the great ones do. His coaching job in the Super Bowl with his Patriots down by 28 in the third quarter was nothing short of sensational. He's a cool customer and knew there was a lot of game left. He wasn't satisfied until the clock struck :00. Isaiah Thomas, no relation to the great one, but certainly becoming a great one, canned a 30 foot triple with 49 ticks left and the Celtics sank some free throws and held off Bron and Kyrie to capture an electric victory. The Cavs got a good look with :05 left as LeBron found an open Deron Williams in the corner, with the Cavs down 101-99, for what could have been the game winning triple. But Williams missed, the Celtics got the board, and held on with free throws. 

In my preseason predictions, I predicted the San Antonio Spurs to capture the Larry O'Brien Trophy winning in 7 over the Cavs. Kawhi Leonard of the Spurs was my MVP pick. The Dubs are still awesome with Steph, KD and Klay Thompson, and, at 50-10, look extremely formidable. But KD is out for four weeks with a sprained MCL and a bone bruise in his left leg, but will be back a week or two before the playoffs start on April 15th, a Saturday. The Spurs are 46-13 and 3.5 games back of the Dubs in the west. The Cavs are 41-18 and have a 3 game lead over the Celtics, which are at 39-22. Still bullish on my Spurs over Cavs pick though it's tough to go against the Warriors with that eliteness they have talent-wise, and the Celtics have really come on. But going to stick with my prediction in October barring major injuries. Will have my updated predictions for the NBA playoffs that Saturday, 4-15. Kawhi hit a huge 12 footer last night with 2 seconds left to lift the Spurs to a 100-99 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Kawhi is averaging 26 points and 6 boards and is a prolific defender, much like Bradley. Should be terrific in April with the playoffs starting. Like that Big four to be in their respective conference finals.

In the NHL, I like the Chicago Blackhawks. They are a machine and have won the Stanley Cup most recently in 2010, 2013 and 2015 and have won 7 overall. Patrick Kane pulled off a hat trick last night in the 'Hawks 4-1 victory over defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh. Really like the way they're playing and have them in the west. I'm a little more uncertain about the east. The Washington Capitals have the best record in hockey at 42-13, and the most points with 91, but Washington was superb in the regular season last year and melted down in the playoffs. So while I like the Blackhawks over the Minnesota Wild in the west, I see the east as more of a toss up. Still believe in Sydney Crosby and the defending champion Pens, but the Caps, and the Columbus Blue Jackets have really good teams. The Montreal Canadians are good this season, too. Not counting out the Tampa Bay Lightning in the east either. They were in the finals two years ago and are starting to play well again. Anaheim is a challenger in the west. Will have NHL playoff predictions on Wednesday, April 12th, the day the playoffs commence.

MLB is in full stride in spring training. I like the Cubs again to do very well, but to be really challenged by the Dodgers. In the AL, I like the Indians and the Bosox with the Rangers and the Astros as key competitors. Also still like the Giants and Nationals in the NL. Will have those predictions on Saturday, April 1st.

In professional tennis, Roger and Serena were epic at the Australian Open. It was a masterpiece performance for both all time great superstars. Serena won her 23rd slam and moved ahead of Steffi Graf for most majors in a career in the Open Era, which started in 1968 when professionals were allowed to compete with amateurs in the slams. Margaret Court holds the overall record with 24, so Serena still has something to gun for. There are some good competitors challenging Serena in Angelique Kerber, Karolina Pliskova and Carolina Wozniacki looks back. Garbine Muguruza won the French last year defeating Serena in a dominating performance. American Coco Vandeweghe is really coming on, and, of course, Venus, is still playing at a high level with her 7 slams under her belt.

It was pretty remarkable seeing Roger face Rafa again in a major final. Roger played like 39 year old Tom Brady does, who has a patent on the Fountain of Youth. Brady plays like a 25 year old and says he feels even better now than he did then, and that's what the 35 year old Fed did in beating Rafa in an epic 5 setter, winning the 5th, 6-3, in an unstoppable performance. Roger now has 18 slams. Rafa is tied with Pete Sampras for second at 14, and Joker is tied with Roy Emerson and Rod Laver at 12. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out this summer, whether Joker or Rafa can stay on Roger's heels,  or if Roger can extend his all time lead. Next up is the French, May 29th-June 11th, where Rafa has won 9 times, the last one coming in 2014, so he would presumably be the favorite. Wimbledon is July 3rd-16th, where Roger has won 7 times, with the last coming in 2012. It's his favorite, so that should be compelling as always. Roger's won 5 times at the U.S. Open which commences August 28th with the finals on September 10th. Novak was a 6 time winner at the Australian, but fell early. He seems to be struggling right now. Andy Murray is always a factor, and he'll be in the mix big time this summer. There are other guys like Marin Cilic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, American Jack Sock, Milos Raonic and Dominic Thiem who will be major factors at Paris, London and the Big Apple. So a lot of riveting tennis coming up.

Horse Racing

It was phenomenal when American Pharoah won the triple crown two years ago, in 2015. That hadn't been done since 1978 when Affirmed followed Seattle Slew, which won it in 1977. It had been 37 years since a three year old thoroughbred had won the Triple Crown. Of course, the greatest of all time, Secretariat, did it in 1973, and set the standard as the greatest horse ever. That still stands today.

The 143rd Kentucky Derby in May, the 141st Preakness in late May, and the 149th Belmont Stakes in June are always historically electric events. Will have more on the key horses once we get closer to post time for the Derby.  

Prediction this week

The WGC-Mexico Championship

Club de Golf Chapultepec, 7,330 yards, par 71. Just outside Mexico City

TV: Today-Friday: Golf Channel, 1-6 PM CT/2-7 PM ET;

Saturday: Golf 11 AM-2 PM CT/Noon-3 PM ET. NBC, 2-5 PM CT/3-6 PM ET.

Sunday: GC, 11 AM-1 PM CT/12-2 PM ET. NBC: 1-5 PM CT/2-6 PM ET.

Prediction

I'm going with the 37 year old from Borriol, Castellon, Spain to capture his 10th PGA title, and get closer and closer to a major. He's another guy in the mix this year. He's newly engaged and seems to have settled down pretty well. Going with El Nino.

Sergio Garcia

Phenomenal day of college football on tap today

The playoffs are here. Couple of good morning games as well involving SEC teams. Michigan would have beaten FSU had Jabril Peppers and Jake Butt, they're two best players, had played. Good victories for Georgia and Tennessee. Like the way the Dawgs are set up for next season with Nick Chubb and Sony Michel coming back, and a seasoned and highly talented Jacob Eason back for his sophomore campaign.

Here's a look at today's action featuring the No.1 Crimson Tide which are in pursuit of their fifth national title in eight years. Wow. They'll face a solid No.4 Washington Huskies team under the direction of the awesome Chris Peterson. No.2 Clemson and No.3 Ohio State square off right after the Tide and the Huskies. Should be an epic day of college football. Here's a look at the action with predictions enclosed.

Semifinal 1

Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl

No.1 Alabama (13-0) vs. No.4 Washington (12-1)

Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA. (71,228)

2 PM CT/3 PM ET

ESPN

Tess, Todd, Holly

Refs: Big Ten, Dan Capron

Chris Peterson is a super coach and his offense, featuring an excellent quarterback in Jake Browning, an electric, take it to the house wide receiver John Ross, and some other good wide outs, and a very good running back in Myles Gaskin, is explosive. Their defense, led by safety Budda Baker, is solid and physical. But they haven't faced the likes of Jonathan Allen, Reuben Foster, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison Tim Williams, Ryan Anderson, and Marlon Humphrey on defense, or an offense led by Jalen Hurts, ArDarius Stewart, Calvin Ridley, O. J. Howard, Cam Robinson, and an emerging running game headlined by Damian Harris, Bo Scarbrough and Josh Jacobs. This Crimson Tide is a winning machine and that machine keeps on cranking as the Tide rolls into the Georgia Dome and takes care of business to head to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Monday, January 9th at 7 PM CT/8 PM ET on ESPN in pursuit of national championship number 5 under Coach Nick Saban, who's leaving a legacy like no other coach in college football has. And his legacy is better than ever right now and still churning away. There's no finality in sight with Coach Saban. He's in great shape, he loves recruiting, he loves developing players and he loves the game of football. The Nick Saban era is in all systems go mode. 

Alabama 42, Washington 17

 

Playstation Fiesta Bowl

No.2 Clemson (12-1) vs. No. 3 Ohio State (11-1)

University of Phoenix Stadium (63,400)

6 PM CT/7 PM ET

ESPN

Chris, Herbie, Sam, Tom

Refs: Pac-12, Land Clark

Ohio State is outstanding. Their defense is a big intercepting team and Deshaun Watson has thrown 15 ints this season. But Deshaun has also thrown for 3,914 yards and 37 TDs. Wayne Gallman is a stud rb who's run for 1,062 yards and 15, sevens. Mike Williams has caught 84 passes for 1,171 yards and 10 TDs. Artavis Scott (71-592, 5 TDs), Ray Ray McCloud, Jordan Leggett and Hunter Renfroe, are all awesome receivers.  And the Clemson defensive front is outstanding as always. Don't get me wrong, I like Ohio State a lot. They have a stellar defense and an offense led by J. T. Barrett and running back Curtis Samuel that is explosive though inconsistent, particularly Barrett throwing the ball. But they're good. But I think Clemson's defense is good, too. The physicality is a wash. The difference for me is the speed and explosiveness of the Clemson offense and Deshaun Watson. Deshaun and company get a rematch with the Crimson Tide on January 9th.

Clemson 31, Ohio State 27

Morning games

Citrus Bowl

No. 20 LSU (7-4) vs. Louisville (9-3)

Camping World Stadium, Orlando (70,000)

10 AM CT/11 AM ET

ABC

Pasch, Greg, Lugues

Whistles: Pac-12, Mark Duddy

Like Derrius Guice and the Bengal Tigers to get it done for the SEC as Coach O gets the momentum rolling for the stretch run of recruiting and for 2017. He has a stellar offensive coordinator, Matt Canada from Pittsburgh, coming in for 2017. He already has stud defensive coordinator Dave Aranda locked in for '17. Like the Bengal Tigers to knock off Lamar Jackson and Louisville and get ready for what could be an exceptional 2017 season. 

LSU 35, Louisville 24

TaxSlayer Bowl

Kentucky (7-5) vs Georgia Tech (8-4)

EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL. (67,164)

10 AM CT/11 AM ET

ESPN

Mark Jones, Rod Gilmore, Quint Kessinich

Refs: BIg 12, Reggie Smith

The Kentucky running game is superb with 1,000 yard rushers Stanley "Boom" Williams and Benny Snell headlining the act. But the main difference with the Cats since midseason has been the quarterback play of junior transfer Stephen Johnson, from Grambling. Hehas been outstanding. I like where Mark Stoops has this program now and where it's headed. Like the 3 1/2 point underdog Cats to get the job done today and redeem the SEC brand over a good Tech offense, with that difficult to defend triple option attack. 

Kentucky 42, Georgia Tech 38

A&M can't get over the top, Big Ten looking good, Miami dominates, Utah a winner, Today's lineup

Yesterday's action

Texas Bowl, Kansas State 33, A&M 28

A&M had the edge in playmakers and talent, supposedly, but Kansas State looked like they wanted it more. It was a struggle towards the middle of the season on for the Aggies. They have a good recruiting class coming in if they all sign and Sumlin adds a few more, but their quarterback situation next year will be unknown. They have 2 coming in;  a pretty high 4-star dual threat, Kellen Mond, a 6'2.5", 201 pounder from Florida powerhouse IMG Academy, and a three star dropback passer in Connor Blumrick, from Texas, and they've got Jake Hubenak back next year for his senior season, and he's pretty serviceable. Also, they have a freshman on the team this season, Nick Starkel, who was a solid three-star out of Texas, a dropback passer, so they'll have some pretty good talent. Kevin Sumlin has got to show improvement next season. He has a pretty good defense returning, but they feel apart under John Chavis the latter part of this season. I'm sure injuries played a part. Noel Mazzone, to me, is not the answer as offensive coordinator for Sumlin. His offenses are inconsistent. So Sumlin has his work cut out for him or his seat could become extremely hot next season. Another stellar season for K State under the venerable Bill Snyder as they finished 9-4. A&M finished 8-5. That's not going to cut it next year. 

Pinstripe Bowl, Northwestern 31, Pitt 24

I'm really becoming bullish on the Big Ten after the Wildcats upset the Panthers yesterday. Super performance by Northwestern running back Justin Jackson, who galloped for 224 yards and 3 TDs. Northwestern was just the more physical team. It didn't help Pitt that their starting running back, James Connor, and their starting quarterback, Nathan Peterson, got hurt. But they were standing on the sideline during the second half and I'm not sure why they didn't tough it out and play. But that's no excuse; Northwestern was the better team yesterday and they wanted it more than Pitt, a softer team from the ACC. I really like Northwestern's coach, Pat Fitzgerald. Pat was a linebacker there and is a terrific motivator. Classy guy. It was the Wildcats' first victory in a bowl game in a while and it was well deserved. This should boost their recruiting,. Fitzgerald is excellent. Northwestern finished the season at 7-6.

Russell Athletic Bowl

Miami 31, West Virginia 14 

Really happy for Mark Richt. He's going to do a stellar job in Miami. Quarterback Brad Kaaya was awesome, going 24-for-34 for 282 and 4 sevens. He's a super kid too. He's going to decide in the next week whether to go out for the draft or not. I'd love to see him come back, but his draft stock certainly improved with his  performance last night. Always believe in the degree and with another year he could really enhance his stock for 2018. West Virginia Coach Dana Holgerson is a volcano that erupts at every call that doesn't go his way. Borderline psychotic. Richt with a solid first season @ South Beach at 9-4. 

Foster Farms Bowl, Utah 26, Indiana 24

Didn't watch as much of this game because I was homed in on Miami's game and then A&M-K State. This game was on FOX. But Utah got it done once again. Kyle Whittingham is now 10-1 in bowl games since 2004, when he took over from Urban Meyer, who left to take the Florida job. That's spectacular. He's 7-0 against power conference teams in that time span. He's superb. And Utah will always be good under Whittingham. He could be a hot commodity soon, that is if he even wants to leave Utah. Coaches all want a chance to win a national championship, so we'll see what develops with Whttingham in the next year or so. Whittingham is 57, so if he's going to make a move, it probably needs to be soon. But 57 is not old. Bill Snyder is going strong at 77, and Kyle loves it in Salt Lake. He's got a fantastic thing going and may feel like he can win it all at Utah. That would be pretty cool. He's recruiting well, and his physical, power style football always works. His stud senior running back, Joe Williams, ran for 222 yards and a seven. Williams really has catapulted up the draft board with his performance this season. He had actually quit the team before the season started but came in for the fourth game as Whittingham was low on tailbacks and asked him to come back. What a move for both Williams and the Utes. Utah finished another exceptional season at 9-4. 

Today's calls

Birmingham Bowl

South Carolina (6-6) vs. South Florida (10-2)

Legion Field (71,504) 

1 PM CT/2 PM ET

ESPN

Eamon McAnaney, John Congemi, Kevin Weidl

Launderers: Mountain West, David Alvarez

Willie Taggert did an excellent job in Tampa and earned a job at a Power 5 program as Oregon hired him. Charlie Strong is taking over, but they'll have an interim coach today. I thought Will Muschamp did a very good job in his first year in Columbia.. He had South Carolina, which Steve Spurrier left in a pretty bad state, very competitive with 3 wins in the SEC over Vanderbilt, Tennessee  and Missouri. The Gamecocks got blasted by Clemson at the end of the season, 56-7, but Will faced pretty much a total rebuilding job this season.

Final decision

South Carolina freshman quarterback Jake Bentley, from Opelika, AL. was solid in his first season. The conference is going to be pretty special at quarterback in the next couple of years with Jalen Hurts, Jacob Eason, Shea Patterson and Bentley, all of whom are freshmen. Deebo Samuel is a special playmaker for the Gamecocks and should play a big role in the outcome of this game.

So even though they're 1-2 so far in the bowl games, I'm going to take a chance on the conference and go with the 10 point underdog to play solid defense and get enough done on offense to capture the B'ham Bowl at the Football Capital of the South.

South Carolina 24, USF 21

Belk Bowl

Arkansas (7-5) vs Virginia Tech (9-4)

Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C. (75,412)

4:30 PM CT/5:30 PM ET

ESPN

Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham, Dr. Jerry Punch

Whistles: Big 12, Brandon Cruse

It's going to be windy in Charlotte with winds 15-20 MPH, so passing the ball will be challenging. I like Brett Bielema, his quarterback, Austin Allen, who will be outstanding next year if he gets protection and was good this season, the dual running threat of Rawleigh Williams (1,326 yards, 12 TDs) and Deywah Whaley (601 yards, 3 TDs) to get it done for the Hogs over a very good Va. Tech team. Arkansas has been erratic this season, but still believe in them. 

Hogs 28, Va. Tech 24

Alamo Bowl

Colorado (10-3) vs. Oklahoma State (9-3) 

Alamodome, San Antonio (72,000)

8 PM CT/9 PM ET

ESPN

Adam Amin, Mack, Molly McGrath

Aladdin: ACC, Jeff Heaser

This should be an excellent nightcap, but you may want to make it a double because it'll be late night in San Antone. I'll probably stick with Royal Cup myself. Colorado is a team, like Utah, Washington, Clemson and Florida State, along with Michigan, Ohio State and some of the Big Ten teams, that play SEC-like football. They play hard-nosed defense, run the ball well and get excellent work from their signal caller. Mike McIntyre has done an outstanding job in Boulder in his third year. I'm going with the physicality, the running game and defense over the high octane, run and shoot offense. 

Colorado 35, OK State 31

Western Kentucky coach Bryan Ellis had super offensive game plan; interesting Poinsettia Bowl tonight

Jamaal Williams is just as good for BYU

Bryan Ellis has a bright future in the coaching profession 

Western Kentucky lost their head coach and play caller Jeff Brohm, as Brohm took the Purdue head coaching job after the regular season ended. So wide receivers coach Bryan Ellis got the assignment of calling plays. The 28 year old former UAB quarterback and assistant coach excelled in that position last night as the Hilltoppers rolled up 598 total yards of offense and crushed the Memphis Tigers, 51-31, at the Boca Raton Bowl. Interim head coach Nick Holt, who was the defensive coordinator and coached the defense during the game, is a case study in sociopathic behavior, but Ellis was superb. His future in the coaching profession looks extremely bright.

Anthony Wales rushed for 245 yards and 3 sevens, and caught four passes for 84 yards. He was spectacular. Quarterback Mike White completed 20-of-30 passes for 336 yards, 3 TDs and 1 int, and wide receiver Taywan Taylor pulled in 9 passes for 144 yards and a 7. 

Superb effort by the offense under the direction of the former UAB quarterback who threw for 2,940 yards and 25 touchdowns in his final year at UAB in 2010. As a senior in high school at Peach County High School in Byron, GA., Ellis passed for 3,600 yards and 31 TDs and led his team to a 14-1 record and a Georgia Class AAA State Championship. Quite a future ahead for Coach Ellis. Stellar performance by Western Ky last night. Mike Sanford comes over from Notre Dame as their new head coach and the 34 year old will inherit a good program. I watched Sanford in his TV interview on the sideline last night and was very impressed. He also coached under Chris Peterson at Boise State and had major success with those highly successful teams at Boise State during Peterson's tenure. Sanford's first coaching hire should be Ellis if he can get him. Brohm may try to beat Sanford to the punch and hire him at Purdue. Ellis is something else. 

Poinsettia Bowl

BYU (8-4, FBS independent) vs Wyoming (8-5, 6-2 Mountain West)

Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, 70,561

8 PM CT/9 PM ET

ESPN

Talent: Jason Benetti, Kelly Stouffer, Paul Carcaterra

Whistles: MAC, Greg Blum, lead launderer

This will be a battle of two stellar running backs and two fine quarterbacks, though the BYU quarterback hasn't played since the 2015 bowl game, but is a talent. Here's a look at each team.

BYU

Jamaal Williams only played in 9 games this season due to injury, but the senior tailback rushed for 1,165 yards and 11 TDs. The 6'2", 215 pounder is superb and healthy. BYU starting quarterback Taysom Hill injured his elbow the last game of the season and he's out for the bowl game. HIll is talented but has struggled with injuries throughout his career. Sophomore Tanner Magnum is a more than capable replacement. Mangum played the entire season last year with HIll hurt and did a really nice job. He's an outstanding passer. He's not the running threat that Hill is, but he's got a rocket and he's very accurate. In four games this season, he was 14-of-18, 78%, for 145 yards and two TDs. In 2015, as a true freshman, he completed 267-of-446 passes, 60%, for 3,377 yards, 23 TDs against 10 ints. He's a stud. So I still like BYU with Mangum under center. Nick Kurtz is a 6'6", 215 pound receiver who caught 46 passes for 482 yards and 2 sevens this season. He's a very good target. Colby Pearson caught 36 passes for 366 yards and 4 TDs.

On defense the Cougars finished tied for fourth in the country in interceptions with 19. San Diego State, which crushed Houston in the Vegas Bowl on Saturday, 34-10, led the country with 26 ints. Wisconsin was next with 21, then App State with 20, and BYU, Ohio State and Washington had 19 apiece. Those are all very good teams. Free safety Kai Nacua led the Cougars with 5 ints. Freshman corner Fred Warner, outside linebacker Francis Bernard and cornerback Dayan Lake each had an int that they took back to the house. Warner and Bernard had three ints apiece and Lake picked off a couple.

Bernard leads the team in tackles with 80, and defensive end Sae Tautu leads the team in tackles for loss with 10.5 for -39 yards and sacks with 6 for -31 yards. So this is a solid defense for the Cougars as well.

Wyoming

Brian Hill was fourth in the country in rushing with 1,767 yards. San Diego State's Donnell Pumphrey led the nation with 2,133 yards. Hill is a super player and added 21 touchdowns to his resume this season. He is a 6'1", 219 pound junior and could be a solid draft choice after this season and even better after next season. And so will BYU's Williams after this season. 6'5", 222 pound sophomore quarterback Josh Allen completed 192-of-341 passes for 2,996 yards, 26 TDs against 13 interceptions. ESPN draft guru Todd McShay likes Allen to be a high draft pick when he goes out either after the 2017 season or after 2018. He's a fine player. 6'2", 210 senior Tanner Gentry leads the team in receptions with 65 for 1,213 yards and 12 TDs. Sophomore free safety Andrew Wingard leads the team in tackles with 128 and has 7.5 tackles for loss of -36 yards along with 2 sacks. Defensive end Kevin Prosser, 6'2", 215, leads the team in tackles for loss with 10 for -53 yards, and sacks with 5.5 for -30 yards. The Cowboys also are a good team at interceptions with 14. Outside linebacker Logan Wilson, strong safety Marcus Epps, and cornerback Antonio Hill each had 3. Wilson, Epps and nose tackle Chase Appleby each took one back to the house. So a pretty opportunistic, hard-nosed group on defense as you would expect at Wyoming, the land of ranchers, loggers and cowboys. 

Final verdict

I like Wyoming's team. Brian Hill is an outstanding back and Josh Allen is an excellent  quarterback with tremendous upside. Like their opportunistic ability on defense. But I like BYU's team better. BYU is more physical. I see Williams and Mangum having big nights and their defense slowing down Hill, Allen and the offense. I see the Cougars winning kind of handily in San Diego. 

BYU 38, Wyoming 27

Yesterday in Miami Beach, Christian McCaffrey's ill-advised decision, Boca Bowl tonight

Tulsa 55, Central Michigan 10 in the Miami Beach Bowl yesterday. Tulsa was ballistically explosive on offense. Their quarterback, Dane Evans, threw for 304 yards and 5 touchdowns, 2 running backs, D'Angelo Brewer and James Flanders ran for over 100 yards and  Josh Atkinson  caught 12 passes for 131 yards and a seven, and Keevan Lucas caught 7 passes for 72 yards and 3 TDs. Central Michigan was hopeless. They had no answers on offense or defense. Their quarterback threw three interceptions. It was a massacre. On to Boca Raton. 

A majorly disappointing decision by McCaffrey

Christian McCaffrey

I really have a problem with his decision to forgo Stanford's Sun Bowl game versus North Carolina in order to get ready for the NFL draft. With this decision, one word sticks out to me; cowardly. It really is. I don't get it, I can't relate, it's unfathomable. Leonard Fournette did the same thing to LSU and actually I can see his point more than McCaffrey's because Fournette came from little means growing up, so this is kind of a make or break deal for him. But he's not even the best running back on his team. Derrius Guice is. And he's pretty much a quitter. Not sure if he'll be that good in the NFL when Alabama just shut him down two years in row. This year's Alabama defense was one of the best and I'd say the best in college football history in my opinion. And they were pretty outstanding for most of the season last year too. But if Fournette can't get it done against a stellar college defense, what's he going to do against the Patriots, the Seahawks, the Giants, the Steelers, etc... So I'm not sure if this really matters with Fournette. He's got a long way to go.

But McCaffrey's decision is unconscionable really. He's gotten the privilege, and it's a privilege not a right, to get a four year tuition free scholarship to play football at one of the finest universities in the country. It may be the best in the country when you take into account the climate, the beautiful part of the country it's in, Palo Alto, California. There are marquee facilities, and all the academic support you need along with a stellar, interesting, very fun student body. So yes he can play another college football game for the university that has done so much for him, be the best he can be in it, then get ready for the NFL draft. As recently as last Friday he was good to go for the Sun Bowl. Something happened over the weekend, either an agent or somebody, maybe even his parents, convinced him to drop out of the game.

I kind of understand the arguments some of these liberals make that the linebacker for Notre Dame last year, Jaylon Smith, injured his knee severely in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl versus Ohio State and lost a good deal financially since he dropped to the second round in the draft and was projected to be a top 5 pick. But  he did get $4.5 million in guaranteed money from the Cowboys and he'll play next season, not too bad. I know a lot of people who would want to get hurt at work and still get more money than they'll ever need in a lifetime if they handle it well. Along with that, these guys get insurance policies now that pay them $5 million if they get hurt in college football and it affects their draft status. 

But it just goes back to what Bill Belichick says, "Do your job." McCaffrey owes Stanford an inordinate amount of gratitude for giving him the best opportunity any high school football player would dream about. In the movie, Field of Dreams, Shoeless Joe Jackson said, "Man, I'd play this game for free." It meant that much to guys like that. And there are many college football players who are still like that, though they all get four year rides with free room and board and now a stipend. So it's a pretty good gig. I look at Jonathan Allen, O.J. Howard and Reuben Foster who all three came back for their senior seasons because they wanted to be a part of something special. They wanted to improve their draft status of course, but they loved being on a special team, being part of something unique. And it's turning out pretty well for all three of them.

I'm really disappointed in McCaffrey and his parents. They didn't do him a very good service. You want your son or daughter to be persistent, to see things through, to not quit. This is quitting and it's a terrible precedent for college football. There are plenty of super kids though who want to play college football and see it through. It's some of the best four years of anybody's life. Peyton Manning came back for his fourth year because he said, "I love playing college football." Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are coming back to Georgia. They want to improve their draft status of course, but it's still a highly admirable, respectable thing to do. It shows loyalty to a university that has been good to you. Christian McCaffrey is a major disappointment. 

The stellar Anthony Wales leads the Western Kentucky attack

Boca Raton Bowl

Memphis (8-4) vs. Western Kentucky (10-3)

Riley Ferguson leads the Memphis offense

FAU Stadium (Florida Atlantic University), 29, 419

6 PM CT/7 PM ET

ESPN

Dave LaMont, Dez, Quint Kessenich

Whistles: Big Ten, Don Willard

Two high powered offenses going at it in Boca Raton. Western Kentucky was second in the country in scoring offense at 45.1 ppg, while Memphis was 17th at 39.5. Expecting fireworks tonight on offense. Western Ky running back Anthony Wales rushed for 1,376 yards this season and was second in the country with 24 rushing TDs. Quarterback Mike White completed 260-of-386 passes, 67%, for 4,027 yards, 34 TDs against only 6 ints. Their wide receiver tandem of Taywan Taylor and Nicholas Norris has been superb. Taylor caught 89 passes for 1,586 yards and 16 TDs, while Norris caught 73 balls for 1,253 yards and 13, 7's. Wow. Their defense is led  by Keith Brown, a 6'1", 240 pound linebacker, who has posted 123 tackles, with 12.5 for loss of 51 yards, and 6 sacks. Brown also has an interception. Western is a pretty good intercepting team with 13 on the season. Their punt returner, Nacarius Fant, has two punt returns for touchdowns and their kickoff returner, Kylen Tawner, has a 40.8 yard kickoff return average with a 93 yard house call. Their punter, Jake Collins, has a 42.9 yard average, and their kicker, Skyler Simcox, is 15-of-20 on kicks this season. He is 4 for 8 from 40-49 yards and is 2-for-2 from 50 yards or more with a long of 52. 

Memphis counters with explosiveness of its own. Quarterback Riley Ferguson took over from Denver Broncos' first round pick Paxton Lynch and has done well. He is 255-of-400, 64%, for 3,326 yards, 28 TDs, and 9 ints. His main target is Anthony Miller, who has 84 receptions for 1,283 yards and 11 TDs. But Memphis runs it pretty well, too. Doroland Dorceus has rushed for 783 yards, 6.2 yards per carry, and 9 TDs. Patrick Taylor has added 512 yards, 5.7 yards per carry, and two TDs. Darrell Henderson has accounted for 469 yards on an average of 6 yards per carry, with 5 TDs. Memphis is led on defense by free safety Jonathan Cook who's posted 81 tackles on the season. Memphis also has 15 interceptions on the season with Genard Avery taking two back to the house. Kickoff return man Tony Pollard has taken two kicks back to the house, one for 100 yards. Punter Spencer Smith averages 45 yards per punt, and kicker Jake Elliott is 15-of-17 on field goals with 9 coming from 40-49 yards and one from 50 yards out. 

Final decision

There ought to be some serious offensive firepower in this game. Memphis defeated Houston in their last game of the season, 48-44, and they were impressive though Houston kind of limped in, but I liked the way Memphis looked. The HIlltoppers are fresh off a C-USA title victory over Louisiana Tech, 58-44. WKU lost their coach, Jeff Brohm, to Purdue, so defensive coordinator Nick Holt will be the interim head coach for Western Ky  while former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Sanford gets ready to take over in 2017. That's a factor in this game, but not enough for me. The HIlltoppers just have so much explosiveness in their offense that it'll be too much for Memphis to stop. This will be a thriller to watch. Close, exciting. Enjoy the Boca Bowl.

Western Ky 49, Memphis 45

Miami Beach Bowl on tap today at 1:30 PM CT/2:30 PM ET

Joe Ostman and the Chipewas defense will try to stop him and the high powered Tulsa offense

Miami Beach Bowl

Tulsa (9-3, 6-2 American Athletic) vs. Central Michigan (6-6, 3-5 MAC)

Marlins Park, Miami, 36,742

1:30 PM CT/2:30 PM ET

ESPN

Allen Bestwick, Mike Bellotti, Kris Budden

Refs: Mountain West, Marvel July

Weather: 83 partly sunny, wind 12-25 MPH

Tulsa

The Golden Hurricane offense features two running backs who rushed for over 1,000 yards this season. James Flanders (5'10", 203, senior) scampered for 1,529 yards and 17 TDs. Junior D'Angelo Brewer (5'9", 185) added 1,330 yards and 7 TDs. Quarterback Dane Evans completed 231-of-397 passes, 58%, for 3,044 yards, 27 TDs against 12 ints. Evans' key targets are Keevan Lucas, a 5'10, 195 senior, who caught 74 passes for 1,108 yards and 12 TDs, and Josh Atkinson, who caught 66 passes for 927 yards and 7 TDs. Linebacker Trent Martin (6'2", 232) leads the team in tackles with 94. He also leads the team in interceptions with 2. The Golden Hurricane only have 7 ints on the season. Defensive tackle Jesse Brubaker leads the team in tackles for loss with 12.5 for -53 yards. 

Central Michigan

The Chippewas are led in the running game by tailback Devon Spalding, who has rushed for 737 yards and 6 TDs. Jahray Hayes has added 468 yards and 8 TDs. Quarterback Cooper Rush has completed 254-of-416 passes, 61%, for 3,299 yards, 23 TDs against 13 ints. Corey Willis is Rush's main target. Willis has caught 69 passes for 1,028 yards and 9 TDs. Linebacker Malik Fountain (6'2", 230) leads the team in tackles with 84 and has 10 tackles for loss. Defensive end Joe Ostman (6'3", 255) leads the team in tackles for loss with 13.5 for -75 yards. Ostman also leads the team in sacks with 9 for -65 yards. Cornerback Amari Coleman leads the team in interceptions with 4. The Chippewas intercepted 13 passes this season, so that's something to look for as Tulsa's Evans threw 12 ints. 

Final Analysis

The Chippewas pulled off a pretty stunning upset over Oklahoma State in September at Stillwater, 30-27, in a controversial finish in which Oklahoma State, trying to run out the clock at the end of the game as they had a 27-24 lead, threw the ball deep and out of bounds on fourth down and were called for an intentional grounding penalty. The Chippewas got the ball back on the last play of the game and scored on a miraculous 50 yard TD pass play. It was later discovered that the officials misinterpreted the call and the game should have been over and there shouldn't have been another play even though Ok State committed an intentional grounding penalty. Apparently the rule was the pass was not intentional grounding and the game should have been over. Even though that seemed to be the rule, I kind of agreed with the refs at the time. It was pretty confusing, but the Chippewas came away with a massive upset victory. The Golden Hurricane have a pretty explosive offense, but after watching the New Mexico bowl and seeing the explosive New Mexico offense being held to 23 points in very windy conditions, I see a lower scoring game here, too. I like the Golden Hurricane to prevail, but I'm looking for a close, highly competitive contest.

Tulsa 24, Central Michigan 21

D Mase gets a couple more huge anchors, Zach, Bryce, team, Corbs, baseball

Coach Derek Mason landed a couple of more commits yesterday and these are two huge gets for Derek and the staff. 

Hoss out of Utah for 2017

2017, 86 three-star Cole Clemens, a 6'5", 290 pound offensive linemen and first team All-State selection out of South Jordan, Utah, dropped anchor on Friday morning. Clemens just won his third Class 5A state title at Bingham High in Utah leading his offense that generated 4,788 total yards and 72 touchdowns with 3,097 yards and 51 of them coming on the ground. Clemens was a standout at a couple of Nike Camps this past year and had a really good camp at VU last June.

Cole chose us over offers from Virginia, BYU, Utah and several others. Those are all quality football programs. Utah and BYU always play hard-nosed, physical, solid football and are always good. Cole fit their profile and ours, so I like who we're getting. 

Watched Cole's film. He played right tackle for Bingham, and loves to bury people. He's got a super mean streak. Likes to get an opponent on the ground and keep'em down. He is a superb run blocker. Didn't see him doing much passing blocking because Bingham didn't need to pass that much because they were so good on the ground, but if you can run block, you can pass block. Work with Coach Dobson in the weight room and Coach Norcross on the field will have Cole ready to go. He looks like he could be a three year starter for us. Again, he just buries people. A typical Coach Mason player. Physical, hard-nosed, an excellent football player. Love Cole. 

Rocket Armed 2018 quarterback out of New Jersey

And we got a spectacular pickup in the 2018 class as 90, 4 star quarterback Allan Walters, from Peddie High School in Highstown, New Jersey, also committed yesterday. Walters chose us over Alabama, Michigan, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Louisville. Allen, a 6'2", 205 pound signal caller, threw for 1,373 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore at Paramous Catholic in New Jersey. Then, after transferring to Peddie School in New Jersey for his junior year, Allen completed 58-of-80 passes, 73%, for 870 yards and six TDs as well as rushing for 103 yards in the first three games before sustaining a hairline fracture that cost him the rest of the season. Not sure if it was in the leg or the arm, but Allen will be fully recovered for his senior season. 

Watched film on AW. Wow, he's got a cannon for an arm and he's so accurate. Superb with the deep ball and intermediate throws. Handles the pocket really well, doesn't get sacked, steps up and hits his targets in stride. His arm and his accuracy are phenomenal. We're going to love Allen Walters. Just gotta keep him in the fold until signing day in February of 2018. We get a super quarterback every year. We've got a stellar one in Kyle now, with Wade Freebeck and the talented freshman Deuce Wallace waiting in the wings. Deuce is being redshirted. Jacob Free is coming in this '17 class, and Allen will be coming to the West End in 2018. Coach Mason and Ludwig are going to have fun with these quarterbacks.

So we have 13 commits right now. Cole joins 6'5", 290 pound high three star tackle Bryce Bailey out of Indiana, and three star tackle Grant Miller out of St. Thomas Aquinas Florida as our offensive line commits for this class. We did lose cornerback Adam Sparks. Adam decided to open his recruiting up. Sorry to see that, but we still have some really good opportunities at cornerback for this class. We already have 86 three star corner Randall Haynie out of Cardinal Gibbons in Fort Lauderdale and 85 three-star safety Tae Daley out of Warner Robbins, Georgia committed to this class. We've got some strong possibilities in 89 three-star corner Yusuf Corker out of Stockbridge, GA, and some others. We're also in it for some more offensive linemen as 6'8", 294 three star offensive tackle Jonathan Stewart out of Lawrenceville, GA., and 6'5", 270 pound offensive guard Jax Wacaser, an 85 three star out of Scottsdale, Arizona are both very interested. We've got some stud wide receivers we're looking at who are very interested in our program in 85 three star Austin Connor, a 6'0", 180 pounder out of Dutch Fork, SC, and solid three star Chris Pierce, a 6'4", 212 pound out of Smithfield, Virginia. We have other linemen, receivers, some linebackers and d ends, and a defensive tackle or two who are also very interested in the program. Will keep you posted as Coach Mason and the staff fill out what is a special class and keeps building for the 2018 class. Allen Walters is quite a start there.

The man just keeps on piling up the awards

Zach Cunningham 

Zach became Vanderbilt's first unanimous All-American on Wednesday after he was named first team All American by the American Football Coaches Association. Along with the AFCA honor, Zach was named Associated Press, Walter Camp Football Foundation, Football Writers Association of America and Sporting News All American. Wow. Zac was also named first team All American by CBS Sports, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Phil Steele and SB Nation. The hits just keep on coming with Zach. And the good news is, we at least have one more game with Zach. Zach led the SEC in total tackles with 119, which ranked him 11th nationally. Zach also posted 16.5 tackles for loss, finishing second in the SEC behind Myles Garrett of A&M, and 22nd nationally. Zach's four fumble recoveries led the SEC and were second in the country. And Zach made two of the best plays in college football this season. His stop of lightning fast Georgia wide receiver Isiah McKenzie was epic and his leap and block of Auburn's Daniel Carlson's kick to give us a chance to win the game was beyond superb. What a phenomenal football player and an even better person. Can't wait to see Zach compete December 26th.

What a huge day December 26th will be when we face the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, LA. at 4 PM CT/5 PM ET on ESPN2. I'm having withdrawals from missing watching this electrically exciting team play. Can't wait to see the guys line it up again in Shreveport. More on the Independence Bowl leading up to the game next week along with any more recruiting or team news.

Bryce aims to get his team on track tonight in Memorial

Basketball

Bryce and the team host Chattanooga at Memorial tonight at 7:30 CT/8:30 ET on the SEC Network. Big game for us. Chattanooga is 8-2 and took Tennessee to the wire, and the Vols just took UNC to the wire in Chapel Hill last Sunday. This is a good basketball team we're playing, so we need to really play well and kickstart our season. Unfortunately, Cam Justice has decided to transfer. Sorry Cam made that decision. Hoping for the best for Cam in the future. We've got a pretty short bench with just 9 scholarship players, but they're good players and I believe in them. Know Bryce will get this team going. We've got good talent, we've just got to win games late, which we haven't been able to do so far. Shooting is pretty good. Matt Fisher-Davis and Riley are shooting it well, and Luke is playing pretty well. J Robe is doing a good job, and we're getting super play from freshman point guard Payton Willis. Joe Toye, Clevon Brown, Nolan Cressler and Djery Baptiste are all doing a good job off the bench. We're a good team, we just need to win tonight and get some momentum going as we head closer to the SEC opener December 29th @ LSU at 8 PM CT on ESPNU. We'll play a very good Dayton team before that at 6 PM this coming Wednesday at Dayton. Just need to win tonight. Will have a postgame on Monday.

Baseball and the man getting closer

Corbs, Baseball

The Commodores baseball team will play in at least 11 nationally televised games this coming season. We'll be playing the likes of Ole Miss, A&M, Florida and South Carolina on the SEC Network and other ESPN family of networks. Ready to see Jeren Kendall, Will Toffey, Kyle Wright and company compete in the 2017 season as we aim for another deep run in the postseason. Don't know a lot about this 2017 team yet. There are some unfamiliar names as we have a lot of youth on this team. But Corbs' recruiting has been through the roof good, so there is plenty of talent. May take some time for our team to develop and hit their stride, but the leadership is good with the three guys I mentioned along with super sophomores Alonzo Jones, Connor Kaiser, Ethan Paul, and Julian Infante. I like this makeup of this group the more I think about it. Will talk to Corbs in mid to late January for a preview of another riveting season in Vanderbilt baseball. Looking forward to catching up with the man. The baseball facility is fully funded and it's a go as we have secured our place as the premier baseball program in the country.

 Will never forget you Number 41. You will forever be with the program. This season is for Donny. 

Bowl season commences tomorrow with 5 games on the ledger

There are 40 bowls and then the national championship game on Monday, January 9, 2017 in Tampa @ 7 PM CT/8 PM ET on ESPN.  The playoff games are interesting of course, particularly around these parts. On December 31st, The No. 1 Crimson Tide, 13-0, faces No. 4 Washington, 12-1, in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at 2 PM CT/3 PM ET on ESPN. The second playoff games pits No. 2 Clemson, 12-1, vs. No. 3 Ohio State, 11-1, in the Fiesta Bowl at 7 PM CT/8 PM ET on ESPN. Should be a riveting day in college football, but in the meantime, and on New Years Eve and January 2, 2017, there are a lot of other games to dissect. Here's a look at the first five bowl games tomorrow.

2016 Season record: 203-93, 69%

Gildan New Mexico Bowl

New Mexico (8-4) vs Texas-San Antonio (6-6)

University Stadium, Albuquerque, New Mexico (39,224)

1 PM CT/2 PM ET

ESPN

Adam Amin, Mack Brown, Dawn Davenport

Refs: Sun Belt, Jason McArthur, lead stripe

It'll be windy tomorrow during the game with winds at 20 MPH, and these teams love to run it, so there will be plenty of ground game fireworks on display. The New Mexico Lobos led the country in rushing at 360 per game and were led by Teriyon Gipson and Tyrone Owens, who  ran for 1,209 yards and 12 touchdowns and 1,084 yards and 7 TDs respectively. Running back Richard "The Rock" McQuarley has rushed for 588 yards and 16 TDs. Quarterback Lamar Jordan is a dangerous, game-breaking runner also. Jordan ran for 658 yards and three TDs. Jordan and Austin Apodaka split snaps under center. Apodaka has completed 53-of-96 passes, 55%, for 654 and 5 TDs against 2 ints, while Jordan has completed 37-of-71, 52%, 6 TDs, and 4 ints. New Mexico makes a ton of explosive plays on the ground via Gipson, Owens or Jordan.

The Roadrunners like to run it as well with Jarveon Williams posting 775 yards and 8 TDs this season and Jalen Rhodes running for 756 and 9 TDs. But quarterback Dalton Sturm has completed 58% of his passes, 159-of-273 for 2,052 yards, 18 TDs against 5 ints. Jared Johnson can come in relief of Sturm, and has completed 55% of his passes, 41-of-75, for 564 yards, 4 TDs and 1 int. Johnson gives the Roadrunners more of a running/athletic threat. 

On defense, middle linebacker Dakota Cox leads the Lobos with 80 tackles, while defensive end Nik D'Avanzo leads the team with 9 tackles for loss of 47 yards. Defensive end Garrett Hughes leads the Lobos with 6.5 sacks for a loss of 43 yards. For UTSA, middle linebacker Josiah Tauaefa leads the defense in tackles with 104, while outside linebacker La'Kel Bass leads them in tackles for loss with 11 for -47 yards. Outside linebacker Marcus Davenport leads the D in sacks with 6.5 for -23 yards. There won't be many interceptions in this game because there won't be a lot of passing, and New Mexico only has 5 ints on the season and UTSA has only 7.

Prediction

The ground game of New Mexico is going to be difficult for the Roadrunners to stop. It'll be competitive, but the combination of the explosive Gipson and Owens will push the Lobos over the top.

New Mexico 35, UTSA 27

 

Las Vegas Bowl

Houston (9-3) vs San Diego State (10-3)

Sam Boyd Stadium, Vegas (40,000)

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET

ABC

Brent, Jess, Kaylee

Refs: C-USA, Daniel Gautreaux

What looked like a possible epic season for Houston turned into a good season, but not what they had hoped for. Their coach, Tom Herman, left to take the Texas job, and I really think that those rumors swirling around about Herman early and mid-season affected this team. I watched them throttle Oklahoma the opening game of the season and saw the first six games they played and they definitely looked like a playoff team. The uncertainty with the status of their coach and some injuries kept this team from being really special. Now that Major Applewhite has taken over, I see this team being pretty charged up for the Vegas Bowl. Quarterback Greg Ward, who accounted for 31 TDs this year, running for 9 and passing for 22, and running back Duke Catalon, who rushed for 510 yards and 4 TDs, lead the way for the offense, while stud five star freshman defensive end Ed Oliver, who accounted for 19.5 tackles for loss and 5 sacks, leads the defensive effort. San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey had a super year running for 2,018 yards and 16 TDs. This should be a competitive game, but I like the Cougars to prevail and get some momentum heading into serious recruiting time. And there will be some serious recruiting going on in Texas with UT, A&M, Houston, Baylor, Texas Tech and SMU going at it. Talk about game on. Wow.

Houston 38, San Diego State 31

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl

Toledo (9-3) vs. Appalachian State (9-3)

Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL. (21,000)

4:30 PM CT/5:30 PM ET

ESPN

Eamon McAnaney, John Congemi, Lauren Sisler

Stripes:  C-USA, Ken Antee

I really like this App State team. They gave the Tennessee Vols everything they wanted in Knoxville in the opener, losing 20-13 in overtime. Running back Jalin Moore has rushed for 1,367 yards and 10 TDs, and Marcus Cox has added 872 yards and 8 TDs on the ground. Quarterback Taylor Lamb has rushed for 8 TDs, and thrown for 14 more, completing 183-of-293 for 2,162 yards, 14 TDs against 8 ints. For Toledo, running back Kareem Hunt had a huge year running for 1,355 yards and 8 TDs, and quarterback Logan Whiteside threw for 3,882 yards 43 TDs against 9 ints. Toledo started off as a 2 1/2 point favorite, but it's a pick'em now. I like App State in a thriller.

App State 31, Toledo 28

 

AutoNation Cure Bowl

Central Florida (6-6) vs. Arkansas State (7-5)

Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL. (70,000)

4:30 PM CT/5:30 PM ET

CBS Sports Network

Carter Blackburn, Aaron Taylor, Jenny Dell

Whistles: Mountain West, Kevin Mar

Warm weather, so there should be some scoring going on in this bowl. Central Florida Coach Scott Frost has done a nice job in his first year after taking over from an 0-12 team last year. The former Oregon offensive coordinator had some good athletes to work with as George O'Leary, the previous coach, who had some really good years, had recruited well. And he's done a good job with his talent. Like his team to get the job done in what is a home game for UCF.

UCF 42, Arkansas State 34

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Southern Miss (6-6) vs Louisiana-Lafayette (6-6)

Mercedes-Benz Superdome, N'Awlins (76,468)

8 PM CT/9 PM ET

ESPN

Jason Benetti, Rod Gilmore, Quint Kessenich

Laundry: MAC, Lead Yeller Wood, Tom Stapleton

Like Southern Miss quarterback Nick Mullins, from Hoover High School, who threw for 2,926 yards on 218-of-344 passing, 63%, 22 TDs-9 ints, and running back Ito Smith, who rushed for 1,321 yards and 15 TDs, to carry the load for the Golden Eagles over the Rajin' Cajuns, who won this bowl from 2011-2014. This isn't a road game for Southern Miss.  Hattiesburg, MS. is only 113 miles from New Orleans, a 1 hour 50 minute drive. It's a 135 miles from Lafayette to New Orleans, a 2 hour 15 minute drive. Lafayette is in the southwestern most part of Louisiana and New Orleans is southeast. So that's a wash. Like the Golden Eagles to put on a good show on Saturday Night. Then the Quarter will be rockin with Mississippians.

 Southern Miss 38, La Lafayette 31

 

Zach, team, Bball

Zach has reeled in the awards nationally and I couldn't think of a better player or person to win these awards. Zach, of course, was a first team All-SEC selection, but he also won four national awards, and I'd say they are counting. Zach was named Walter Camp First team All-American, USA Today first team All-American, Sports Illustrated, the Sporting News and SB Nation first team All-American.

Zach led the SEC in total tackles with 119, which ranked him 11th nationally. He also posted 16.5 tackles for loss, finishing second in the SEC, and 22nd nationally. Zach's four fumble recoveries were first in the conference and second nationally. 

Reuben Foster is a super linebacker for Alabama, but I thought Zach deserved the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker. Not only for the national numbers he put up, but also for the two massive game changing-season changing plays he made this season. Zach made a couple of the finest plays in college football this season. Zach had the huge tackle on Georgia's fourth and one, when the Dawgs handed it to lightning fast Isiah McKenzie to take it around the corner and get the first down late in the game and either tie it up with a kick or win the game with a seven. Zach came out of nowhere and laid the lumber on McKenzie, knocking him down for no gain and catapulting his team to a huge 13-10 victory in Athens and an epic finish to the regular season. Then, against Auburn, Zach made to me the best play made in the country this season, certainly the best in the SEC.  With Auburn leading us 23-16 late in the fourth quarter and superb kicker Daniel Carlson set to kick a 28 yard game clinching field goal, Zach charged in from the second level, leapt over the Auburn snapper and blocked Carlson's kick in an amazingly, epic, transcendent play. So memorable. It gave us a shot to win that game. It didn't work out for us, but it was a tremendous effort by Zach and the team on the road in a hostile environment against an Auburn team, that at the time, was one of the hottest teams in the country. To me, Zach will always be the Butkus Award winner. What a career this fine young man from Pinson, Alabama has had at Vanderbilt University. And he has at least one more and a stellar career in front of himself in the National Football League.

Up next for our seniors and our team, the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, LA. on Monday, December 26th @ 4 PM CT/5 PM ET on ESPN2 versus the North Carolina State Wolfpack. Ready to see our team compete one more time this season and see our guys like Zach, Will Holden, Ralph, Adam Butler, Torren McGaster, Barrett Gouger, Oren Burks, who may be back next year, and our super seniors and our super young players like Kyle, wide receivers Caleb Scott, C.J, Duncan, the awesome Trent Sherfield, the young, explosive Kalija Lipscomb, the emerging Donaven Tennyson, sophomore linebacker Josh Smith, junior safety Emanuel Smith,. Josh's brother, junior tight end Nathan Marcus, freshman cornerbacks Joejuan Williams and Donavan Sheffield and many other young guys  compete. Want to  see our older guys get a victory and impress the NFL scouts and our younger players win and gain valuable experience as we succeed on the field and get charged up for a potentially stellar 2017. 

The coaches are all over the country recruiting. Coach Mason and his coaches are everywhere looking at offensive linemen, wide receivers, defensive backs and some linebackers. Looks like we're set at running back next year. Ralph could be back, Dallas should be back, hopefully, the awesome Khari Blasingame, Josh Crawford, and potential all star in Jamauri Wakefield are waiting to create their legacies. Like what our backfield looks like next year. Other key players who will be back are defensive lineman Nifae Lealao, safeties LaDarius Wiley and Arnold Tarpley, awesome tight end Jared Pinkney, super young linebackers Jordan Griffin and Caleb Peart, emerging defensive end Dare Odeyingbo and so many others, many of which I listed above. The 2017 recruiting class is shaping up really well, and I'm extremely hyped up about the future, but also stoked for the bowl game and having our seniors go out as champions, which they are already. Will have a ton more on the Independence Bowl coming up in the next couple of weeks. Hope we have a huge contingency of the Vanderbilt family in Shreveport to pull on this terrific team.

Basketball

We lost a tough one last night in Murfreesboro to Middle Tennessee, but we've got an outstanding man leading our basketball program. Bryce will get us there. We're 5-5 right now, but we have good players and a super coaching staff. We'll keep improving this season and matriculating through  March. Believe in the man running the program. He'll make us great again.  

Bama, AU rev up for Iron Bowl, key SEC, national games

The No. 1 ranked Crimson Tide kept it cookin last Saturday at home against State in a 51-3 victory. Super freshman Jalen Hurts completed 28 of 37 passes for 347 yards and four 7's. Jalen also ran for 100 yards and a TD. Jalen should be in the Heisman conversation with what he's done this year. He's been terrific. ArDarius Stewart caught 8 passes for 156 yards and 3 TDs. Quite a football player. The defense was at its usual standard of excellence. This Crimson Tide machine looks unstoppable right now, but they have two more regular season games to take care of starting this Saturday at home against an overmatched Chattanooga team, then the Auburn Tigers, and then the SEC Championship game. There is still little margin for error, but this fantastic football team doesn't look like it makes any errors. The organization keeps on producing.

AU lost a really tough one between the hedges to the Dawgs last Saturday, 13-7. Sean White played with a banged up right shoulder and shouldn't have played. I know Sean wants to compete and help his team win and I admire that, but John Franklin III would have given the Tigers a better shot in the second half with Kamron Pettway out and Kerryon Johnson probably at 50 percent. The defense did their part. It was still a really good football game, and Kirby and the Dawgs earned a hard fought victory in the 120th matchup of  the Deep South's oldest rivalry. Georgia now holds a 57-55-8 advantage in the series. But the Tigers have three more opportunities, this Saturday at Jordan-Hare versus Alabama A&M, next Saturday in Tuscaloosa, and in a bowl game. The Tigers need to win this weekend, do their best at Bryant-Denny, and win their bowl game to get momentum in recruiting and for 2017. So they've got a lot to play for.

One of the top four teams in the playoff rankings is highly questionable to me. Bama is a slam dunk at No.1 and Ohio State is a solid No.2. The next two get interesting. I won't argue with Clemson at No.4, but I disagree 100 percent with Michigan at No. 3. They lost to double digit underdog Iowa, and while Iowa is a pretty solid Big Ten team, Michigan doesn't belong in the top four after that. I like Louisville at 4 and Clemson at 3. Still believe in Clemson. This idea of the Big Ten getting two teams in the playoff is comical. Louisville should be in the top four. They would waste Penn State, Wisconsin and beat Michigan. Lamar Jackson is a game changer. There is still some football left, but if the committee wants the best four teams, if all of these four teams take care of business, that should be the final four. Clemson survived Louisville at Clemson. I picked Clemson to beat Louisville, but it was a hard fought, knock down, drag out contest in which Lamar Jackson was unstoppable. The Cardinals crushed Florida State at home. They've taken care of business in their other games, though they've been close @ Virginia and at home against Wake Forest, at least for three quarters, but those teams played well. I like the Cardinals in the playoff with the other three. That's the best four in my opinion. The committee ought to do the right thing and take the best four regardless of conference championships. I like to use the eye test to determine the best four teams, and my eyes are telling me unequivocally that these are the best 4 teams.

Onto the predictions for week 12.

Last week: 10-8, Chaos Erupted

Overall: 167-74, 69%

 

No.1 Alabama 52, Chattanooga 3

6 PM CT/7 PM ET, Bryant-Denny, ESPN2

 

No. 15 Auburn 56, Alabama A&M 3

6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET, Jordan-Hare Stadium, SEC Alternate Network

Tonight

No. 5 Louisville 34, Houston 31

The Cardinals get tested at Houston, but survive and advance.

7 PM CT/8 PM ET, ESPN

Troy 42, Arkansas State 35

Troy is 8-1 and one of the most underrated stories in college football this season. Their only loss is to No.3 Clemson @ Clemson, 30-24. They deserve a good bowl if they can finish strong in the Sun Belt, but they'll be tested tonight against a pretty hot Red Wolves team, which has won its last five in a row after an 0-4 start. Troy has games @ Texas State and @ Georgia Southern to finish off the season. This is a really good football team under second year coach Neal Brown, who's done a spectacular job.

8:30 PM CT/9:30 PM ET, ESPNU

 

Friday

No. 20 Boise State 56, UNLV 24

The interesting thing about this game is the Broncos are the highest ranked Group of Five team that would qualify for a New Year's Six Bowl if they can finish that way. The only problem for Boise State is even if they win out, if Wyoming beats double digit favorite San Diego State Saturday and win out, Wyoming would win the Mountain Division of the Mountain West and play San Diego State in the Mountain West championship game most likely canceling out Boise State's chances of a New Year's Six Bowl. Plus San Diego State is 9-1 with their only loss coming at South Alabama, and the Jags annihilated them surprisingly, so if San Diego State were to beat Boise State in the Mountain West Championship game, that would knock Boise out as well. San Diego State is a good team. South Alabama has been good at times this season, and has quality players and a quality head coach in Joey Jones, so this is an interesting scenario in the Mountain West. You still have Western Michigan hanging around at 10-0 and Navy to me is the most underrated team in the country. The Academy can make some noise if they keep winning. So some pretty serious drama forthcoming outside the playoff.

8 PM CT/9 PM ET, ESPN2

 

Saturday

No. 16 LSU 24, No. 23 Florida 20 

LSU running back Derrius Guice has been mouthing off this week about how LSU should have beaten Alabama. That trash talk after the game is nonsensical and not very smart. I see the Gators giving the Tigers a good game here. 

Noon CT/ 1 PM ET, SEC Network

 

No. 19 Tennessee 34, Missouri 24

The Vols need to win this game and next week's game against Vandy to win the East, coupled with a Florida loss to LSU.

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET, CBS

Ole Miss 42, Vanderbilt 17

Shea Patterson and Ole Miss put on a performance for the ages in the fourth quarter last week at A&M in a Rebels' 29-28 victory. It was amazing. Hugh Freeze is one of the top 7 coaches in college football in my opinion. I'd go with:  1. S, 2. Urb, 3. Dabo, 4. Jim,  5. Petrino, though he's not my favorite personality, 6. Hugh, 7. Kirby Smart. Kirby is an up and comer for sure. Hugh did his best job of coaching in this game five years ago when he recruited the all world five star dual threat quarterback from Shreveport, LA. It was an amazing victory for the Rebels, who have endured a very difficult season. Huge fan of Hugh Freeze. See greatness for Shea, Jalen Hurts and Jacob Eason in the next two to three years. 

7 PM CT/ 8 PM ET, SEC Network

Mississippi State 34, Arkansas 31

State is somewhat surprisingly the favorite here, but I like'em at home.

6 PM CT/7 PM ET, ESPNU

Georgia 42, Louisiana Lafayette 24

11 AM CT/ Noon ET, SEC Network

No. 25 Texas A&M 48, Texas San Antonio 7

11 AM CT/ Noon ET, ESPNU

Kevin Sumlin is a good coach and I really like him as a person. He's a really good guy. But I don't know if his coaching style works that well in college. He seems more like a Bill Belichick, Mike Tomlin, NFL coach. I like him as a coach and I'm not giving up on him at A&M, but I see him doing better in the NFL. Maybe that's where he wants to be, but he may want to stay at A&M and see if he and his program can somehow overcome the immense hurdles of Alabama and the rest of the west next year and in the upcoming years. It's just hard for Sumlin and others to beat Saban and Alabama. So he may want to try the NFL waters. I don't know if he could get a head coaching job there, but I could see him doing a good job on Sundays. I do like him a lot as a person and as a football coach. He may be better suited for the pro game though.

South Carolina 42, Western Carolina 7

Will's building in Columbia.

3 PM CT/4 PM ET, SEC Network

Kentucky 48, Austin Peay 17

Kentucky had their chance to possibly win the East last Saturday in Knoxville, but got blasted.  see Mark Stoops, just like his big brother, Big game Boob. Can't get it done in the clutch. 

3:30 PM CT/4:30 PM ET, SEC Alternate Channel

No. 14 West Virginia 35, No. 9 Oklahoma 31

I watched West Virginia and I trust them. I don't trust Big game Boob in big games, and I really like this West Virginia team. The Mountaineers knock off the Sooners in Morgantown in an upset and matriculate into the playoff conversation.

7 PM CT/8 PM ET, ABC

No. 10 Colorado 38,  No. 22 Washington State 35

This should be a really good football game pitting two quality teams with Mike McIntyre and his Buffaloes team just edging out Mike Leach and the Cougars, who are 7-0 in the Pac-12 North. Colorado states its case for the playoff with a victory here, but have to face Utah next Saturday, but at home. 

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET, FOX

No. 2 Ohio State 35, Michigan State 28

Urb gets a scare. I see the Spartans with a chance of knocking off Penn State next week at Happy Valley and ruining the Nittany Lions chances of a Big Ten East title and a shot at the playoff. Still believe Mark Dantonio is a really good football coach, and they'll play with a lot of pride these next two weeks. 

11 AM CT/ Noon ET, ESPN

No. 3 Michigan 28, Indiana 24

Jim survives, but his starting quarterback is out for the season and his team is hanging by a thread. Trip to the Horseshoe next Saturday looks very challenging.

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET, ESPN

No.4 Clemson 42, Wake Forest 20

Like Dabo and his Tigers to bounce back and remain in the top 4. 

6 PM CT/7 PM ET, ESPN

No.7 Wisconsin 35, Purdue 17

11 AM CT/ Noon ET, ABC

Believe in what Paul Chryst is doing in Madison. Good solid football team.  

 

TCU 45, No. 11 Oklahoma State 35

See TCU getting together. Gary Patterson is too good of a coach. They blasted Baylor two weeks ago @ Baylor, 62-22.

11 AM CT/Noon ET, Fox Sports 1

No. 17 Florida State 45, Syracuse 24

Jimbo Fisher is a hot name in the LSU search. Should be a riveting next couple of weeks in the LSU coaching search. 

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET, ABC

No. 21 Western Michigan 49, Buffalo 17

Game Day is going to be in Kalamazoo for the game. P.J. Fleck has done a spectacular job and his team is very much in the hunt for a New Year's Six Bowl. Fleck is a real up and comer in college football.

2:30 PM  CT/ 3:30 PM ET, Duh U

San Diego State 38, Wyoming 35

This is actually a super game with both teams trying to win the Mountain West and maybe make a run at a New Year's Six Bowl, at least the Aztecs who are 9-1. The Aztecs will need some help, but with the chaos we experienced last week and the anticipated chaos ahead, they're in it. Really like both of these teams. Two super running backs in Donnell Pumphrey of the Aztecs of San Diego State, who has rushed for 1,779 yards and 14 TDs, and Brian Hill of the Cowboys, who has rushed for 1,417 yards and 16 TDs. Craig Bohl is in his second year at Wyoming after winning multiple FCS National Championships at North Dakota State. He's superb, as is Rocky Long, who in 6 years at San Diego State, has a 52-24 record. 

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET, CBS Sports Network

No. 6 Washington 45, Arizona State 17

The Huskies are still a factor in the playoff picture. Not counting them out. If they win here and @ Washington State next week, then in the Pac 12 title game, they'll make a strong case. Still a very good football team. USC  was just awesome against them last week.

6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET, FOX

No. 12 Utah 38, Oregon 31

The Utes still very much alive in the Pac 12, and will win it if they can win Saturday, next week at Colorado and in the Pac 12 title game. They'll be in the Rose Bowl if they do so. The semifinal games are at the Peach Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl this year on December 31st, and the national championship game is in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium on January 9th, but the Utes can play in the grandaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl, which would be really solid. They're not out of the playoff picture totally either. 

1 PM CT/ 2 PM ET, Pac-12 Network

No. 13 USC 45, UCLA 30

USC is one of the hottest teams in college football, and I like the way they're trending both for this year and next year. They probably won't win the Pac 12 South, but they're still in it. Colorado is 6-1, USC is 6-2 and Utah is 5-2. A Utah loss this Saturday, a Utah upset victory over Colorado next Saturday and the Trojans are in because they defeated Colorado earlier this season. They did lose to the Utes @Utah, so they're going to have to get lucky. Jim Mora is really having a tough time in Tinseltown. He seems more suited for the professional game as well. I like him as a coach, he's just been decimated by injuries the last couple of years and maybe college is just not the right place for him. Believe in him as a coach, but maybe at the next level.

9:30 PM CT/10:30 PM ET, ESPN

No. 24 Stanford 42, California 31

The Cardinal have come alive recently. David Shaw changed quarterbacks and went to the guy who should have started to begin with, Keller Chryst. He's outstanding and Christian McCaffrey has been quietly rolling up the yards lately. 

4:30 PM CT/5:30 PM ET, Pac-12 Network

Navy 42, East Carolina 35

Really like this Midshipmen team. They should get in the top 25 and should have a shot at a New Year's Six Bowl if they keep winning. They are 7-2, and have beaten some good teams in the American Conference including Houston, which was ranked in the top 10 at the time. I really like this team and with some more chaos, they could be playing on Jan. 2nd.

3 PM CT/4 PM ET, ESPN News

Tigers in a gigantic one in Athens, Tide aims to take care of business, massive SEC match-ups, national scene

"The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry" kicks off at 2:30 PM CT/3:30 ET in Athens Saturday as the Auburn Tigers face the Georgia Bulldogs in a key game for Auburn and always a colossal game for both teams. Georgia holds a 56-55-8 lead in the series now heading into its 120th matchup. It shows how competitive this rivalry is. The Dawgs have won the last two, winning 20-13 last year at Auburn. But this is a different Auburn team this season. Should be an epic. Georgia still has outside hopes of winning the East though they are very slim. But Kirby Smart wants this one for sure.

The Crimson Tide take on Mississippi State in Bryant-Denny at 11 AM CT tomorrow. S said after the LSU victory last Saturday that every game is a playoff game now and this is the next critical game on the schedule. State pulled off the major upset of A&M last Saturday in Starkvegas and looks to somehow get in the end zone against this historically good Alabama defense. 

Key SEC games in Fayetteville, College Station, Knoxville and Gainesville. It's a blockbuster Saturday in the conference. There are some national games with playoff implications, as it's time to dig in and start talking about the playoffs. Here's a look at the action.

Last week: 15-2

Overall: 157-66, 70%

No.9 Auburn (7-2, 5-1) @ Georgia (5-4, 3-4)

Sanford Stadium, Athens, 92,746

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET

CBS

Verne, Gary, Allie

The Tigers have a couple of their most important players banged up as running back Kamryn Pettway, who's already rushed for over 1,000 yards, has a pulled muscle in his leg. Gus didn't specify, but it looked like a hamstring, maybe a calf. He's day to day and questionable at this point, but I expect him to play. Sean White is still bothered by a shoulder injury, but was a full participant at practice this week, and is good to go. Kerryon Johnson is finally healthy and that's a good thing. The Tigers defense is good to go as always. 

Georgia still has the super running back tandem of  Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, and freshman quarterback Jacob Eason is going to be a superstar in this league for the next three years. The X factor for the Dawgs is Isiah McKenzie. He can take it to the house on punts, passes and jet sweeps.

Should be an excellent football game, but I like the Tigers to keep the momentum going as they survive and advance from Athens.

AU 28, Dawgs 24

 

Mississippi State (4-5, 2-3) @ No.1 Alabama (9-0, 5-0)

Bryant-Denny Stadium, 101, 821

11 AM CT/Noon ET

ESPN

Tess, Todd, Holly

The Crimson Tide, as usual, is matriculating towards December and January as this through the roof good team hosts a better than people think State team. Sophomore Nick Fitzgerald is going to be an excellent quarterback for Dan Mullen and State in the future. He ran for two touchdowns, 182 yards, and passed for two more 7's. I'm not positive Mullen is going to stay in Starkville after this season. He hired Jimmy Sexton last week, so he could very well be looking around with Oregon a possibility. He's done a good job at State, but he's got a good situation there, and I wouldn't call him elite. Fitzgerald is talented, but he's going to have a lot of trouble with Jonathan Allen, Tim Williams, Ryan Anderson, Rueben Foster and company Saturday on the road. Jalen Hurts is the coolest customer in college football and a dynamic, superb quarterback. Calvin Ridley and ArDarius Stewart should have good games, and I expect S and Kiff to run the ball and really try to establish that part of the offense with Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough, if Bo is healthy. The Crimson Tide advances for another shot to win it all.

Bama 45, State 10

 

No. 24 LSU (5-3, 3-2) @ No. 25 Arkansas (6-2, 2-3)

Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, 72,000

6 PM CT/7 PM ET, ESPN

ESPN

Dave Pasch, Greg, Lugues

LSU is favored by 7. They gave the Crimson Tide a tough game last week and their defense was outstanding. But I like Brandon Allen and the Arkansas offense and a much improved defense to pull off the upset at home. 

Hogs 28, Bengal Tigers 24

Ole Miss (4-5, 1-4) @ No.8 Texas A&M (7-2, 4-2)

Kyle Field, College Station, 102,733

6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET,

SEC Network

Brent, Jess, Kaylee

This game would have been another major blockbuster if Chad Kelly hadn't been lost for the season with a knee injury for the Rebs. A&M lost Trevor Knight to a season ending shoulder injury, so that takes away some of the classic nature of this game. Still there are a lot of good players on offense for both teams, Ole Miss has their exceptional receivers and A&M is also loaded with playmakers led by the awesome Christian Kirk, who took a punt back 90+ yards last week for a TD against State, though the Aggies were upset and their chances of getting in the playoff done. Hugh Freeze could take  the redshirt off of Shea Patterson, the five star superstar freshman quarterback, who Freeze and the coaches are expecting epic things from in the future. Or he could stick with Jason Pellerin, a redshirt freshman, who is more of a serviceable quarterback, but not an explosive signal caller. A&M faces the same thing with Jake Hubenak. He's decent, but he's not going to make many explosive plays. They'll both need help from their running games and their guys on the perimeter. Like the Aggies to  get more 7's against a depleted Ole Miss defense. I thought after the Bama game that the Rebels were the second best team in the conference, but they were devastated by injuries on defense and just couldn't recover. But Hugh Freeze is an outstanding coach and they'll be competitive in this game.

A&M 31, Ole Miss 28

South Carolina (5-4, 3-4) @ Florida (6-2, 4-2)

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, 91,916

11 AM CT/Noon ET

CBS

 Brad Nessler, Aaron Taylor, Jenny Dell

I like Will and the Gamecocks to give Coach Mac and his Gators everything they want. The Gamecocks to me are the surprise team of the SEC, and Will and offensive coordinator Kurt Roper have found their quarterback for this year and the future in freshman Jake Bentley from Opelika, AL. Bentley has been superb so far. The Gators have quarterback problems as their starter Luke Del Rio, who was struggling any way, is lost for the season, and Coach Mac will start Austin Appleby and see how he does then go from there. He's got a talented freshman in Feleipe Franks who is ready to go if Appleby falters. I like this game to be super game,with the Gators doing enough to survive in the Swamp.  The Gators still have their SEC East goals in front of them, so I like them to edge out a team whose future looks extremely bright under Will Muschamp. 

Gators 24, Gamecocks 21

Kentucky (5-4, 4-3) @ Tennessee (6-3, 2-3)

Neyland Stadium, Knoxvegas, 102,455

11 AM CT/Noon ET

SEC Network

Tom Hart, Andre, Cole Cubelic

I see this as another tight game. The Wildcats have been a surprising team. Mark Stoops has recruited well since he's been at UK, and they have some outstanding running backs. With Boom Willams, and superb freshman Benny Snell, Jr. this is a highly potent ground attack. I like this one to be tight as well. I'll go with the upset here.

Wildcats 31, Vols 28

National Tilts

Tonight

No. 17 North Carolina 42, Duke 30

6:30 PM CT, ESPN

No. 15 Utah 34, Arizona State 28

8:30 PM CT, Fox Sports 1

Friday

No. 18 Florida State 45, Boston College 14

6:30 PM CT, ESPN 2

No. 2 Clemson 42, Pitt 21

2:30 PM CT, ABC

No. 3 Michigan 45, Iowa 21

Jim and the Wolverines keep advancing through their cupcake schedule. Not totally sold on this team as a national champion. They're good, but haven't been  tested by any means. That'll happen at the Shoe on November 26th against the Buckeyes.

No.4 Washington 38, No. 20 USC 28

6:30 PM CT, FOX

The Huskies moved into fourth in the playoff rankings where they rightfully belong. They'll take care of business at home, but SC has really improved. 

No. 5 The Ohio State 48, Maryland 10

2:30 PM CT, ESPN

Urb and the Buckeyes haven't played a massively hard schedule, but it's been tougher than Michigan's and they've been to Oklahoma and annihilated the Sooners. This team is young, improving and gearing up a for a colossal showdown in Columbus vs the Wolverines.

No.6 Louisville 45, Wake Forest 24

6 PM CT, ESPN 2

Louisville may put a pounding on Wake Forest though the Demon Deacons have played good ball this year under second year coach Dave Clawson who came from Bowling Green where he had a lot of success. He's doing a really good job at Wake and has them bowl eligible at 6-3, but this is a lot to ask @ Louisville.  Louisville remains a prominent candidate for the playoff. They'll need some help, but they're certainly worthy.

No. 10 Penn State 34, Indiana 31

11 AM CT, ABC

I'm not buying Penn State as a playoff team, but they'll get by the Hoosiers, who are ready for round ball.

No. 12 Colorado 30, Arizona 17

9 PM CT, Fox Sports 1

I really like this Buffaloes team. I don't see them as a playoff team, but a team that can win the Pac-12 South, if they can get by Utah at home on Nov. 26th, and then play in the Rose Bowl. 

Troy 41, App State 35

2:30 PM CT, ESPN 3

Like the Trojans to move to 8-1 this season as Coach Neal Brown and his team are putting together a special season.

Navy 42, Tulsa 38

11 AM CT, CBS Sports Network

Like the Midshipmen to move to 7-2 on the season at Annapolis against a favored and very explosive offensive football team in Tulsa. Ken Niumatalolo does as good a job as any coach in the country with the high academic standards he faces at the Naval Academy. Super coach who's always going to have highly motivated players. Like the Naval Academy to pull off the upset as a 1 1/2 point underdog.