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You’ll never see a “preseason poll” here. It’s just silly. Instead, we prefer to sit back a bit and let the chaos unfold. Once college football has done its thing and we’re a little more satisfied with our knowledge of how the teams are really going to do, then we bring you a poll. And so we present our first poll of the season. It is expanded to 15 from our usual 10. We’ll see how the voting goes next week before we determine if that continues. The ABG Poll
1. Georgia (2) 20 2. Cincinnati 18 3. (Tie) Oklahoma 15 Oklahoma State 15 5. Alabama 9 6. Michigan State 6 7. (Tie) Wake Forest 5 Oregon 5 9. (Tie) Kentucky 4 Michigan 4 Ohio State 4 12. Penn State 3 13. Iowa 2 14. (Tie) Coastal Carolina 1 Texas A&M 1
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Curator’s Game of the Week Kentucky @ Georgia Curator Sam Burnham Not many people are giving The Wildcats a chance this week. But then again, not many people were counting on Kentucky being ranked #8 or undefeated with wins over Florida and LSU. Yet here we are. Kentucky got to this point with offense, particularly through the air. They’ve put up some impressive numbers with their passing game. That’s exactly what they’ll have to do against an incredibly stingy Georgia defense. Being 25 point favorites in this game is likely a stretch, even for Georgia. The Dawgs arguably have the best defense in the country. But they have to move the ball. They have to control the game tempo. They have to have offensive production. Look for this one to be closer that the experts think. Coach’s Game of the Week - Auburn @ Arkansas ciach Drew Burnham Expectations are everything in college football. They’re what create pressure on some teams and what make 1 sweet win mean a successful season for others. This game is a prime example of what that looks like. Arkansas feels like a hot name right now and the country is in love with Sam Pittman. Auburn is raising a lot of eyebrows right now and there are genuinely people asking (it’s a crazy world) how long Brian Harsin will be on the plains. Both of these teams are 4-2. Auburn’s 2 losses are to top 10 Penn State on the road and the new #1 team in the country by a humble 24 points. They are unranked this week. Arkansas has dropped back to back games against Georgia where they were shutout and beat by 5 touchdowns and a shootout loss against the Lane Train that saw their defense allow 52 points. They’re securely still in the poll at #17. Why? Expectations. Arkansas has very little expectations and Auburn expects to be in the Playoff hunt every season. The Tigers lack a quality win on the resume, but have performed better against common opponents. Arkansas is much improved and they cause a lot of problems for people. Their culture and love for one another make them special and hard to beat. Auburn, despite 2 losses to 2 of the best teams in the country (shucks), is still Auburn. This one will be worth your time. Going to be fun to watch. Curator’s Upset Alert - Army @ Wisconsin Every season seems to start with talking heads hyping up the Badgers and Wisconsin always seems to fall short. They come into this game at 2-3. They looked slightly impressive in a close loss to Penn State before being blasted by Notre Dame and Michigan. Their victories? Eastern Michigan and Illinois. Army comes to town with a 4-1 record. No they don’t have any big wins yet but they’re due for one. The Blck Knights play with discipline and professionalism. That’s the way they wake up, eat breakfast, go to class, train, practice. It’s how they do everything. It’s the Army way. I remember Oklahoma eking out a victory over Army a few years ago and the equipment staff from Army tweeting a photo of the immaculately spotless lock room they left in Norman. Such commitment and attention to detail is on the road with Army this week. In case you aren’t familiar with the history of Camp Randall Stadium, that property used to be an Army post. They may be on the road but they’ll still be on base. They’ll show up big and the Badgers won’t know what to do. Look for Army to pull off the upset. Coach’s Upset Alert - Michigan State @ Indiana Michigan State is off to a hot start at 6-0. It’s hard to win in college football and anytime you can string that many together you must have something positive going on. With that being said, if you look at those 6, they have had a pretty favorable lineup. Their lone ranked win came against Miami who is 1-3 against FBS competition this year with a win against Sun Belt App State. It’s not their fault, and all they can do is beat the teams on their schedule, which they have, but those are the facts of their situation. They survived a 3 point scare from Nebraska and have yet to put on a truly start to finish dominant performance. There’s a saying in our profession, “don’t tell me about the labor just show me the baby”. They’ve gotten results and, at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters. I just think that they might be viewed as having a little more lead in their pencil than they actually have. On the flipside, Indiana drags a 2-3 record into this weekend. They haven’t made much noise and many will think this one shouldn’t be competitive, but let’s have a look at those losses. Losses on the road to #2 Iowa and top 10 Penn State and a home loss to #3 Cincinatti. If the season ended today, 2 of their 3 losses would be against playoff teams. They genuinely have one of the toughest schedules in the nation. This team is much better than people give them credit for. It WILL hurt their case being without QB Michael Penix this week after separating his throwing shoulder against Penn State, but schematically that presents some issues for an opponents defense. Who’s going to take the snaps? What are his strengths and weaknesses? What will they scheme up offensively to best put him in position to be successful? Will it be a change from their normal offense? There are many questions and few answers for a defensive gameplan in this situation and that presents and interesting dynamic. Keep an eye on Bloomington, this could get interesting. Curator’s Picks (17-13) OKLAHOMA OVER TCU UGA OVER KENTUCKY OLE MISS OVER TENNESSEE ARKANSAS OVER AUBURN OKLAHOMA STATE OVER TEXAS Coach’s Picks (17-13)
OKLAHOMA OVER TCU UGA OVER KENTUCKY OLE MISS OVER TENNESSEE ARKANSAS OVER AUBURN OKLAHOMA STATE OVER TEXAS Game of the Week - Curator Sam Burnham Arkansas @ Ole Miss I saw a joke last Saturday night about Ole Miss and Arkansas facing each other in “the consolation game” this week. I got a good chuckle out of that but last week puts a bit of incentive on this week for both the Rebels and the Razorbacks. Both of these teams came into last week with the wind in their sails. These teams each played one of the best teams in the nation on the road. Both had similar disappointing results. But neither of these teams really had anything to lose last week. No one was really surprised that Georgia and Alabama both won their games. While the losses were setbacks for two up and coming teams, they still have their realistic goals in reach. The rest of the season begins this week. Ole Miss and Arkansas both need a win. Two straight losses would be a setback. A strong rebound would get the winner back on track. Both of these teams are well coached. Sam Pittman and Lane Kiffin both know what needs to be done. Not only are they both rallying their troops, they will both come into this game with a plan. If you want to see two teams lay it all on the line, this will be a great choice. Game of the Week - Coach Drew Burnham Penn State @ Iowa The front half of this season has given us plenty of excitement. Clemson is unranked, a group of 5 team is in the top 5, and Kentucky and Wake Forest remain among the final unbeatens in the country. Now, for the first time since Minnesota played Wisconsin in 1962, the Big 10 will have a top 5 matchup not featuring Ohio State or Michigan because we have a top 5 showdown in…IOWA CITY? The Hawkeyes have been rolling thus far at the hands of the #2 scoring defense in the Nation allowing only 11 points a game. Both teams have what we thought were quality wins at the time, (Iowa over Iowa State and Penn State over Wisconsin and Auburn) but have since lost some of their shine. Both teams have felt a tight game in the 4thquarter. What will make the difference in this game is a team quality from long ago, an Antique attribute, a dusty trusty. It’s going to come down to the ghost of college football past: Defense. Nobody gets stops anymore. Nobody grinds games out into the 4th quarter. Nobody drags offenses out into the deep water for a good, old fashioned struggle. Nobody but Iowa, that is. This has all the makings of an instant classic. First team to 20 wins. They’ll wave at the children’s hospital to start the 4thquarter and after that someone will make a play to win this one late. Lane said it best. Get your popcorn ready. Game of Interest - Curator Sam Burnham Georgia @ Auburn Every year we hear about “The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.” It might seem like a cliche but it matters. No one has to tell either of these teams what this game means. They know. Everyone in two states knows. I’m not brave, delusional, or crazy enough to put Georgia on upset alert. But I’m also not foolish enough to think that Auburn has no chance. They can play spoiler here and with the exception of the Iron Bowl, there’s no week of the year they would rather play that role. I say all that to say this one is going to be better than all the CFB talking heads will admit. This rivalry has a crazy history and I don’t expect this installment to be any different. I think Georgia will win this game but don’t sleep on the Tigers. Upset Alert - Coach Drew Burnham Texas vs Oklahoma The Red River shootout will not have any of the qualities I mentioned in the Iowa vs Penn State game. Sark vs. Lincoln, first one to get a stop wins. Texas has been working to establish themselves under new leadership while Oklahoma has sputtered early this year. The Sooners have won their 4 FBS games against highly average competition by an average of 5 points. Battle Tested? Yes. Do they have the killer instinct and explosiveness that we’ve come to expect from Oklahoma? Not that we’ve seen. There is an odd place where a team feels invincible because they haven’t lost even though they’ve played far below their standard or capability. That’s where Oklahoma is living right now and The Horns haven’t done quite enough to make them think they’re a true threat. A lot of things go out the window in such a big rivalry game, but it doesn’t change the tough time that Boomer is working through. Their program needs a humbling loss to reset and get back to what we’re used to seeing from them and I think Sark is just the man to oblige them and collect his first signature win as a graduate of the Saban Coaches Upgrade program. Curator’s Picks (13-12) Georgia over Auburn Kentucky over LSU Arkansas over Ole Miss Oklahoma over Texas Iowa over Penn State Coach’s Picks (13-12)
Georgia over Auburn Kentucky over LSU Ole Miss over Arkansas Texas over Oklahome Iowa over Penn State Game of the Week - Curator Sam Burnham Arkansas @ Georgia A noon kickoff with two Top 10 ranked SEC opponents is a rarity. When this one was planned no one was expecting Arkansas to be rolling through their season in such fashion. Yet, here we are. The Hawgs have knocked off Texas and Texas A&M in impressive displays. There’s no doubt that both of these former SWC rivals were more talented than Arkansas but Sam Pittman out-coached Jimbo and Sark. On the field the Razorbacks aren’t just executing their assignments, they’re doing it with heart and commitment to the team. This is a team consistently playing better than their talent. The Dawgs are a clear favorite in this game. I’m not calling for an upset or anything here. Georgia’s defense is likely the best in the nation. This is a well-coached team of incredibly talented players -a clear contender for the national championship. Three weeks ago this was considered to be the kind of game you expect to see at noon. Now it’s a prime time draw kicking off at noon. If Arkansas comes out with the focus, intensity, and commitment we’ve seen out of them all season, this game will live up to the hype. But this is not the week for Georgia to have one of their flat weeks. I think the Dawgs survive but the Hawgs will make this one fun to watch. Game of the Week - Coach Drew Burnham Cincinnati @ Notre Dame College football is a big fun world. I hate to write on the same team 2 weeks in a row, this this matchup was begging for it! This is a “prove it” game for both of these teams. You think you should be in the conversation at the end of the year? Here. Beat them. Prove it. Notre Dame has found their legs on defense the last 2 weeks under new Defensive Coordinator Marcus Freeman. The Irish have forced 7 turnovers in the last two weeks and last week managed to outscore a very good Wisconsin team by themselves. After a rocky first 2 weeks, they sure have played like the wind was at their backs recently. Let’s look more at Marcus Freeman to talk about what makes this matchup interesting. Freeman was hired by the Irish this offseason after serving as the DC at what program? That’s right, he came from Cincinnati. Playing your former team is always a strange deal, but it’s like having a cheat sheet as a play caller. Intimate knowledge of what a play caller wants to hang his hat on, his play selection thought process and experience seeing all the setups every day makes a huge difference. The chess game between coaches goes up a notch. Do I do what he knows I want to do? Do I jump out of my comfort zone a little to go somewhere he doesn’t expect? There will be a lot of cat and mouse in this one and I, for one, can’t get enough of that stuff. Cincinnati is off an undefeated regular season and a 3 pointPeach Bowl Loss to Georgia. They have certainly handled their business through their 1st 3 this season and seem primed for another New Years 6 birth. They don’t get many chances to make BIG TIME Nation wide statements often in the American Conference. That shouldn’t be the case. It legitimately is the 3rdor 4th best conference in the country, but alas, people get distracted by the shiny Power 5. People hate Notre Dame or love Notre Dame, there isn’t much grey area. One thing that all of those people agree on is that college football NEEDS Notre Dame. A win against the Irish is always a big deal and would do wonders to the selection committee. The Bearcats have been one of the most impressive teams in the country on this run under Luke Fickell, but haven’t managed to beat a single ranked opponent from the mystical Power 5. Not one. They need this win to solidify themselves in the same conversation as the Chris Petersen Boise teams, the UCF teams from a couple years back and the other outsiders that always thought they deserved a seat at the table. If you want to party with the big boys you gottawhip one of them first. Those are the rules. This one is going to be exciting! Upset Alert - Curator Sam Burnham Florida @ Kentucky This is a game that probably shouldn’t be that great but it will be better than expected. Kentucky has found some offense this season. So far, they’ve also found a way to win. It hasn’t always been pretty but it has been effective. Florida comes into Lexington needing a win to retain an opportunity to get to Atlanta this December. Between moping about that pesky loss to Alabama and not really taking Kentucky seriously, the Gators are vulnerable this week. The Wildcats are about to catch them off guard and cause them some serious trouble. Upset Alert - Coach Drew Burnham Ole Miss @ Alabama Speaking of writing on 2 teams twice, I hope you saw the foreshadowing last week and saw this one coming. Like a bad Bernie Sanders meme, I am once again asking for you to pay attention to this upset alert. I have been the king of the near miss this year. Everyone I have put on notice has escaped by the skin of their teeth or they’ve been knocked off. Oregon to Fresno. Florida State to Jacksonville State. Alabama to Florida. Last week I told you that the first Saban assistant to beat him would be the Lane Train and I meant it. These 2 put on a classic in Oxford last year. I don’t think the Rebels will sneak up on anyone, but that offense looks explosive. “But coach, they haven’t exactly played Alabama type competition!” Yea, that’s fine. When have you ever known Lane to not be able to put plenty of points on the board? That man can score and that’s what it’s going to take to beat Alabama. You’ve got to turn it into a shootout. They’re not going to lose 10-7. That’s not how this works. You’ve got to drag them out into deep water and make them punch with you over and over again. That’s the pressure you put on them. They are too good offensively to try to shorten the game and grind one out. That’s not Lane’s style. I haven’t seen the line, not much of a sports gambler (ya know, with the job and all), but I’d take the over in this one. Regardless of what it is. Curator’s Picks (11-9) Georgia over Arkansas Notre Dame over Cincinnati Alabama over Ole Miss Oklahoma State over Baylor LSU over Auburn Coach’s Picks (10-10)
GEORGIA OVER ARKANSAS NOTRE DAME OVER CINCINNATI OLE MISS OVER ALABAMA OKLAHOMA STATE OVER BAYLOR AUBURN OVER LSU Game of the Week - Curator Sam Burnham Texas A&M vs Arkansas I’ve seen more than one person publicly eating crow regarding their skepticism and criticism of Arkansas hiring Sam Pittman as their head coach. I don’t understand why he was so underestimated as a coaching hire. He’s a well seasoned coach, he has a varied experience, he’s a proven recruiter, and he has spent much of his career coaching hogs. I make no apologies for being partial to the offensive line. It is by far the most important role on the field. That offensive line mentality likely helps fuel Pittman’s success. Close your mouth, do your job. If you fall down, get up and do it all again. Now the Razorbacks play host to former SWC rival Texas A&M. The Aggies are a formidable foe and the history is rich. Admittedly I do not have near the admiration for Jimbo Fisher as I have for Pittman but he’s a top tier coach who will bring a well-prepared team into this game. Arkansas has yet to beat A&M since the latter joined the SEC in 2012. That’s nine straight losses for those keeping score at home. But Arkansas has already seen a marked improvement since Pittman’s arrival. Any success at all would be commendable, considering their schedule. But the Razorbacks showed us all just what they can do when they sent the Texas Longhorns back to Austin with their tails between their legs. These are two good football teams. I expect more fight out of the Aggies than we saw from the Horns. But I still expect the Hawgs to come out on top. Game of the Week - Coach Drew Burnham Notre Dame vs Wisconsin This game is a statement opportunity for both teams. Notre Dame looks to solidify themselves as a playoff contender following 3 consecutive attention drawing performances that have seen them escape with 3 wins, albeit by a modest 20 total points. Florida State, Toldeo and Purdue have all taken their best shot at an Irish team whose schedule is about to stop doing them favors. They’re looking down the barrel of a very talented and well coached Wisconsin team followed by a visit from Group of 5 juggernaut Cincinnati and a night game in Blacksburg, VA. That’s no easy slate and if the Irish are to survive this stretch, it all begins in Chicago on Saturday. Wisconsin is in pure survival mode. They’re not out of the playoff hunt, but they certainly have to win out to make it and, in their position, a statement win against a playoff veteran would go a long way in the eyes of the committee. With all those chips on the table this one will be a heck of a lot of fun. There are a couple angles to this one. First, and psychologically most difficult, Notre Dame QB Jack Coan will stand opposite his former team donning the gold and blue. I have played against a former program of mine 3 times in my career and it’s weird every time. He will be saved SOME stress with the game being in Chicago and not in Camp Randall. I’ve done it both ways and it’s definitely easier when it’s not a true road game. You try to prepare yourself and you try to think through everything as much as possible to not be caught off guard on game day, but it gets you. It wins every time. We’re professionals and we do our jobs, but something always just feels a little off about it. How Coan handles that test will go a long way in determining the Irish’s offensive success. Apart from Jack’s psych battle, there is the normal chess game that will take place. Jack Coan and Irish Offensive Coordinator Tommy Rees face off against Preseason All Big 10 LB Jack Sanborn and Jim Leonhard, Defensive Coordinator for the Badgers. The Wisconsin Offense sputtered against Penn State scoring just 10 points while turning the ball over 3 times. The Badgers need to keep Notre Dame’s strong offense in check and keep the score low into the 4th if they are to find a way to win this one. Leonhard is one of the best in the business, likely my favorite defensive coach in the country right now. He’s sharp and he will have a few looks up his sleeve to attack the Irish and keep Rees and Coan on their toes. That’s where this game will be won. Something to Watch - Curator Sam Burnham Gut Check Time for Clemson Clemson sandwiched a cupcake between a tough loss to Georgia and a near loss to Georgia Tech. They’ve shown a few flashes of greatness, mostly in their defensive efforts against Georgia. But this team is underperforming. This is not the Clemson team we’ve come to know. They’re riding into Raleigh to face a Wolfpack team they should beat. But State is dangerous. If Clemson comes out flat or looks past State, they’re going to lose. If they hope to salvage their season, they need to get this game right. It’s gut check time for Clemson. Let’s see how they respond. Something to Watch - Coach Drew Burnham Southwest Conference Flashbacks Speaking of chips on the table, the wild wild Southwest is back this weekend! 3 games featuring 6 of the final 9 Southwest Conference teams are on the docket for the weekend. With the new name, image and likeness rule being passed this year, those nostalgic matchups make me wonder what could have been in that conference if this law was pushed through 40 years ago. SMU at TCU, Texas Tech at Texas and Texas A&M vs Arkansas are all on the menu Saturday. What a wild time that was full of unbelievable football. Long time fans of the game should enjoy seeing those this weekend. Kind of makes me excited. Almost excited enough to go buy recruits Trans Am’s in hopes that they’ll commit to my program instead of the one down the road…but I don’t…. because that’s still illegal and will get your program shut down. Bummer. Enjoy the weekend! Curator’s Picks (6-9) Notre Dame over Wisconsin Arkansas over Texas A&M Oklahoma over West Virginia Kentucky over South Carolina LSU over Mississippi State Coach’s Picks (6-9)
Notre Dame over Wisconsin Arkansas over Texas A&M Oklahoma over West Virginia Kentucky over South Carolina Mississippi State over LSU Curator Sam Burnham - Game of the Week Auburn @ Penn State This week y’all are getting a double dose of this game. Looking over this week’s schedule, perhaps Auburn and Penn State deserve an award for not playing a cupcake game in Week 3. With both of us picking it, this is the game of the week. The Tigers come into Happy Valley facing a “White-Out.” That is going to create a bit of a hostile environment for Auburn to deal with. The Tigers have looked strong but they’re still wiping cupcake frosting off their mouths. This is really their first test of the season The Nittany Lions picked up a quality win in Week 1 at Wisconsin. During that game penn State gained only 43 yards and one first down in the entire first half. They won despite Wisconsin controlling the ball for 42 minutes. It was only James Franklin’s second road victory against a ranked opponent. This leaves me wondering if it says more about Penn State or the Badgers. Auburn’s SEC experience will help them in the White-Out. For a team accustomed to Tiger Stadium, Bryant-Denny, Sanford, Neyland, Ben Hill Griffin, a hostile environment is just known as “Saturday.” I’m curious to see what Bo Nix can really do. This is a great opportunity for that. Coach Drew Burnham - Game of the Week Auburn @ Penn State Often times we are forced to wait until December for these types of big name, intersectional matchups. With strength of schedule becoming a more vital piece of the playoff picture, we will begin to see more of these and it will only become more prevalent when the playoff eventually expands. There are few scenes in college football more eye popping than the white out at Penn State. It ranks high on my list of the traditions that make this the greatest sport in this country. The atmosphere is going to be off the charts electric. These teams both need this win in a bad way considering a 2-loss team is almost certainly out of the race, Penn State still has to play Ohio State and Auburn still has both Bama and Georgia remaining. A loss here reeks of the Gator Bowl for someone. Auburn has been the definition of explosive in their 2 outings having handled 2 inferior opponents exactly as they should. They have scored at will and played stellar defense. They look to be firing on all cylinders on the field. One thing they haven’t been this season is Battle Tested. Penn State is walking tall after a big-time quality win at Wisconsin in an extremely hostile environment. They’ve been in the arena already. They’ve played in the 4th quarter. They have felt the ball in their hands with the game on the line. You can’t replicate that and you can’t practice it. Bring them home with 100,000+ of their closest friends creating the most tumultuous September blizzard you’ve ever seen for 3 hours with their battle scars and you make them extremely difficult to beat. I think the mental battle that will happen in Saturday night is a fight that the Tigers just aren’t quite enough for YET. These are the games that Coach Harsinwill have his team looking forward to soon, but not yet. War Lions. Curator Sam Burnham - Upset Alert Fresno State @ UCLA Again, the pickings are slim this week. But one game caught my eye. The Coach hypes up Fresno State and with good reason. They nearly pulled off the upset he called at Oregon. Turnovers likely cost them that game. The Bulldogs have a relentless offense. They’re averaging 479.3 yards and 32.8 points per game. This is a team looking to make a statement. Beating UCLA would do just that. Fresno head coach Kalen DeBoer is a name you hear the Coach drop a lot. He’s an up and coming leader you’re going to hear more and more about in the years to come. Under previous leadership, Fresno has won the last three meetings against UCLA and DeBoer has already made his transition almost seamless. Why should the UCLA series be any different? The Bruins have had an extra week to ponder their impressive win over LSU. How they handle that success will have an impact on today’s game. UCLA has to be mentally and emotionally prepared. Last game has to be ancient history and Fresno can be their only focus. Distractions and overconfidence will both be disastrous Saturday. If the Bruins come into this game with swollen egos and Fresno limits their turnovers, the Bulldogs will, I stress WILL, win this ball game. Those are the two factors today. UCLA needs to be mentally tough and focused on the opponent at hand. Fresno needs to hold onto the football. If both of these things happen, expect an excellent game Coach Drew Burnham - Upset Alert Alabama @ Florida t has been 657 Days since the Alabama Crimson Tide lost a football game. It has been 2,190 days since they lost to anyone besides Auburn or the National Champion that season. That was September of 2015. SIX YEARS. I will never doubt coach Saban’s ability to prepare his team for a big game. I will never doubt coach Saban’s ability to do just about anything. However, mathematically, scientifically, at some point, you’re going to lose a football game. It’s going to happen. You have a tough opponent on the road; an opponent that isn’t SO tough that you feel like your backs against the wall and the pressure makes you elevate your game, but definitely good enough to beat you. You’re in a place where the fan base longs for a home quality win desperately to announce themselves as “back”. I don’t think that the Tide will be unprepared, caught off guard or not able to preform in the moment, I just think their clock has to run out sometime and I believe that Florida has enough fire power right now to be the ones to do it. Simple as that. Additionally, Dan Mullen is one of approximately 3 FBS Head coaches right now that aren’t a previous Saban assistant (He’s an Urban Meyer guy) so we don’t have to worry about that old pesky curse that will one day be broken by Lane Kiffin. Chomp Chomp. Curator’s Picks (4-6) Bama over Florida Miami over Michigan State Birginia Tech over West Virginia Auburn over Penn State Notre Dame over Purdue Coach’s Picks (3-7)
Florida over Bama Michigan State over Miami Virginia Tech over West Virginia Penn State over Auburn Notre Dame over Purdue
College football is back and so is Curator & Coach. C&C is ABG’s look at this week’s games with commentary from ABG Curator Sam Burnham and ABG College Football Analyst Coach Drew Burnham.
Sam Burnham, Curator This season has been overshadowed by a global pandemic that has hindered any sense of normalcy throughout the entire year. The upheaval has brought about scheduling that has robbed us of many traditional rivalries. Florida-Florida State, Clemson-South Carolina, and Georgia-Georgia Tech, just to name a few. The SEC and ACC cut out their cupcake games and opted for all conference schedules that promised some powerhouse matchups. Despite the meatier schedules, 2020 has been a bit “meh.” Honestly, it’s more than a bit. Looking back over this season the best two games have been in as many weeks: an improvised BYU-Coastal Carolina game and the annual Army-Navy game. Notre Dame-Clemson gets an honorable mention since Clemson was playing without QB Trevor Lawrence. That brings me to the topic at hand. When the Big Ten made a power play earlier this year, they expected the other Power 5 conferences to follow their lead. They were caught up in their own hype and believed themselves to be the trend setters in college football. When the SEC, ACC, and Big 12 went on with their own plans, the Big Ten was left with a choice: play a meaningless spring season alone or find a way to make the fall. Immediately sycophants in sports media began pulling their strings, paving the way for Ohio State to make the CFB Playoff. COVID-related cancellations and the utter collapse of the Penn Stare and Michigan programs has left the Buckeyes with 5 wins. Only one of those wins came against a team with a winning record. While Georgia fans have oohed and ahed over the performance of former Bulldog QB Justin Fields, no one is mentioning that his stats didn’t come against Florida, Alabama, or Auburn. The Big Ten made a rule when they agreed to have their fall season. A team had to have 6 contests to make it to the conference championship game. They made the rule freely. No one forced it on them. But it did build a sense of legitimacy. Thei conference champion would have played at least half a season. That sense of legitimacy was lost when the conference (predictably) repealed the rule this past week. It leaves us with the question of whether the same decision would have been made if the roles of Indiana and Ohio State were reversed. We all know the answer to that question. We would just like to hear the Big Ten admit it. Now comes the task of building the four team playoff. We know Alabama is in, no matter what. Notre Dame is likely in as is Clemson. A Clemson loss in the ACC Championship Game would likely put Ohio State in. Considering the dismal post season performances the Buckeyes have had against the SEC and Clemson, what is the argument for including them? The Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina have amassed 11 wins against a tougher schedule than the Buckeyes have faced. How are they omitted? An Iowa State victory in the Big 12 Championship should propel them well ahead of the Buckeyes. Beating Oklahoma twice and also Texas is much more substantial than anything we’ve seen in five measly games. If we take an honest look at Ohio State’s body of work this season, we see that it’s lacking. Even Southern Cal has mustered five wins. We could compile a enormous list of teams with five wins: Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Texas, Noth Carolina, Miami. But these aren’t the best examples. You want to really know the level we’re looking at? The winner of next week’s Ole Miss-LSU game will have five wins. I don’t think anyone is going to argue that the Tigers or Rebels belong in the playoff. So it’s time to do the right thing. It’s time to tell Ohio State that this isn’t their year. They haven’t earned it. There are more deserving teams. It’s time to exclude them from the playoff. Its time to send a proven team and Ohio State hasn’t proven anything.
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