We are now four weeks into the college football season, and the Heisman race is getting hot. We have a lot of contenders that didn't even make the list, like Baylor's Seth Russell and Jared Goff of Cal. We had one player drop off: Dalvin Cook of Florida State. He had a bye week and drops off as a result. Let's get started.
10. C.J. Prosise, Notre Dame (Last Week: NR)- Prosise jumps on to the rankings after an impressive showing against Umass. In 15 carries, he ran for 149 yards and two scores in ND's 62-27 win that kept them at #6.
9. Chad Kelly, Ole Miss (Last Week: 9)- After a great game against Alabama, Kelly slowed down a little big against Vanderbilt. He did throw for one score, but he also had two interceptions. Ole Miss is still ranked at #3.
8. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: 8)- Mayfield had a bye week in Week 4, so he says still on this watchlist. He has a chance to jump up the rankings when he takes on undefeated West Virginia.
7. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Originally one of the front-runners for the most prestigious individual award in college football, Elliot has slipped in recent weeks. He did run for 124 yards and one score against Western Michigan.
6. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 5)- Like Elliot, Henry was once of the biggest front-runners in the Heisman race. He only rushed for 52 yards and one score against Louisiana Monroe. He'll need to step it up if he wants to stay in the race.
5. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 7)- He had a bye week in Week 4, but he still jumps up after other plays fell. He will have a chance to really spark up his Heisman campaign when he takes on Notre Dame on Saturday.
4. Cody Kessler, USC (Last Week: 6)- Kessler rebounded nicely after USC's loss to Stanford by throwing for five touchdowns against Arizona State. He has 15 scores and one pick over the entire season.
3. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 3)- Fournette has been absolutely sensational this entire season. He has a total of 647 yards over the season and eight rushing touchdowns. If he keeps this up, Fournette will be a finalist for sure.
2. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 2)- Chubb had three touchdowns (one receiving and two rushing) in Week 4 while also running for 131 yards. Chubb has been nothing short of outstanding this season and is primed to go to New York.
1. Trevone Boykin, TCU (Last Week: 1)- Once again, Boykin manages to hold on to the top spot. He does so after throwing for 485 yards, four scores, and no picks, in TCU's 55-52 win over Texas Tech. The Horned Frogs are ranked #4 in the nation.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to check back next week.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Friday, September 25, 2015
Week 3 Heisman Watch
Instead of doing a full recap of the college football week, we are simply going to be doing a Heisman list. It was the most popular section of our weekly recap, so we're going to be focusing on that from now on. Let's get started.
The only players to drop out of the rankings this week are Ohio State's Braxton Miller and UCLA's Josh Rosen. After a sensational first week, Miller has been very quiet. Rosen on the other hand, threw for three picks against BYU. We also have a few players that are on the bubble, like Baylor QB Seth Russell and Jared Goff of Cal.
10. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- After rushing for more than 200 yards and three scores last week, Cook disappointed against Boston College. He only ran for 54 yards on 15 carries as FSU won 14-0.
9. Chad Kelly, Ole Miss (Last Week: NR)- Kelly jumps onto the list after leading his team to a huge upset over #2 Alabama. He threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns, and Ole Miss is now third in the polls
8. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: NR)- Mayfield also makes a very impressive debut after accumulating 572 yards against Tulsa, which is a new school record. Yep, that's more than former Heisman winners Sam Bradford and Jason White.
7. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 8)- Watson didn't have a great week, as he threw for 199 yards, two touchdowns, and two picks. The future of Watson's campaign will likely hinge on his game against Notre Dame on October 3rd.
6. Cody Kessler, USC (Last Week: 4)- Kessler slips out of the top five after failing to lead the Trojans to a win over unranked Stanford. He did however, throw for 272 yards and three touchdowns.
5. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 5)- The Crimson Tide did lose to Ole Miss, but he did accumulate 168 total yards and one score. He will need to remain consistent in order to win the Heisman.
4. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 7)- Fournette is definitely one of the top contenders for the Heisman at this point, even though he's only played in two games this season. Against Auburn, the Tiger rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns.
3. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- Elliot rushed for 108 yards and caught two passes for six yards. He didn't have great numbers, but at least the Buckeyes got the win. Elliot will need to pick it up if he wants to go to New York.
2. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 3)- Chubb continued his great season by putting up a very good performance against South Carolina. He had 159 rushing yards and two scores. At this point, Chubb looks like a lock to go to New York.
1. Trevone Boykin, TCU (Last Week: 1)- Boykin has managed to hang on to the top spot, even though running backs have been great all year long. He had six total touchdowns and passed for 454 yards.
Thanks for reading everyone.
Friday, September 18, 2015
College Football Week 2 Review
The second week of college football has come and gone, and it's impossible to deny that it was an exciting one. There were a lot of great games and exciting moments. In this recap, we will break it all down.
Notable Games:
In the biggest game of the week, #7 Oregon took on #5 Michigan State in a cross-conference match-up. It was a very exciting game that ended up with the Spartans coming out on top. MSU moved up t #4 while Oregon fell to 12.
#9 Notre Dame suffered a scare against unranked Virginia, but the Irish pulled out a 34-27 win. Unfortunately, they lost starting QB and Heisman contender Malik Zaire for the season. The Irish will now be leaning on DeShone Kizer, who threw for 2 scores on Saturday.
Auburn was supposed to have a week off against Jacksonville State, but the Tigers suffered a huge scare. It took a late fourth quarter comeback and an overtime period to secure the win. The Tigers fell all the way to #18.
#10 Georgia opened their SEC schedule against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Bulldogs won 31-14, but it wasn't a great win. Georgia QB Greyson Lambert didn't complete a pass in the first pass, causing many fans discomfort.
#19 Oklahoma took on #23 Tennessee in another match-up between two ranked teams from different Power Five conferences. This was a very exciting game that took the Sooners two overtime periods to pull out the win.
On Friday, the #24 Utah Utes defeated their in-state rival, Utah State. The Utes won 24-14, but lost their starting quarterback, Travis Wilson, for the season. They did however, move up three spots in the rankings.
#11 Florida State picked up a big win over their fellow Florida team, South Florida. The Seminoles won 34-14 and moved up two spots in the rankings to #9. This was a non-conference game, but still a good win for FSU.
#20 Boise State was riding high after their Week 1 win over Washington, but they hit a serious road bump against Brigham Young. The game was very close, but BYU pulled out a 35-24 win and are now ranked #19.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema complained this week about Ohio State's soft schedule, and then turned around and lost to unranked Toledo 16-12. As a result, the Razorbacks dropped completely off the rankings.
After Jim Harbaugh's disappointing debut with the Wolverines last week, many Michigan fans were understandably worried. However, things changed this week when the Wolverines beat Oregon State 35-7.
Notable Performances:
Matt Johnson of Bowling Green is someone you probably haven't heard of, but you should start taking notice. The senior threw for 491 yards and six scores against Maryland, helping give Bowling Green their first win of the season.
A few people had #17 Ole Miss on upset alert against Frenso State, but the Runnin' Rebels absolutely dominated. Leading the way was QB Chad Kelly, who had an incredible day as he went 20-25 for 346 yards and four scores.
#4 Baylor had an easy time with Lamar, as they put up 66 points against them. A big reason for this: wide receiver Corey Coleman, who caught all four of Seth Russell's touchdown passes and had 182 receiving yards.
Heisman Watch:
We have another two players who dropped out of the list this week: Malik Zaire of Notre Dame and Dak Prescott of Mississippi State. Zaire suffered a season-ending injury against Virginia and Prescott fell to LSU.
10. Josh Rosen, UCLA (Last Week: NR)- Rosen had a fantastic debut in Week 1, but quieted down a bit against UNLV. He threw for 223 yards and one touchdown while leading the Bruins to a 37-3 win over UNLV.
9. Braxton Miller, Ohio State (Last Week: 7)- After Miller's incredible game last week, any performance against Hawaii would probably have been considered a disappointment. He ended up with 73 total yards as the Buckeyes won 38-0.
8. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 10)- Watson wasn't incredibly fantastic against Appalachian State, but he still completed 19 of his 26 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers won 41-10.
7. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 8)- Because his Week 1 game against McNeese State was cancelled, this was Fournette's season debut. The back picked up 159 yards on the ground and three scores.
6. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: NR)- Cook makes a big debut onto our rankings after a big performance against South Florida. In 30 rushes, he ran for 266 yards (giving her an 8.9 average) and three scores.
5. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 5)- Henry stays steady in the five spot after a very good performance against Middle Tennessee. The running back ran for 96 yards and three scores on 18 carries.
4 Cody Kessler, USC (Last Week: 4)- Kessler had an incredible showing against Idaho on Saturday. He threw for 410 yards and three scores in the game. The Trojan is now 45 of 57 with seven scores and no picks for the whole season.
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3. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 3)- While Chubb did not have any touchdowns this week, he still ran for 189 yards on 19 carries, as the Bulldogs won 31-10 over Vanderbilt. Chubb is now averaging 8.8 yards per carry this season.
2. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- On 27 rushes, Elliot ran for 101 yards and three scores as the Buckeyes defeated Hawaii, Elliot should have another big game next week when he takes on Northern Illinois.
1. Trevone Boykin, TCU (Last Week: 1)- Boykin manages to hold on to the top spot yet again, but the competition behind him is fierce. The Horned Frog completed 18 of his 27 passes for four scores to help TCU move to 2-0/
Playoff Picture Note:
Oregon's loss seriously complicates their playoff hopes. They almost certainly have to win the Pac-12 if they want to go back to the playoffs. UCLA and USC however, now stand as the Pac-12's best chances of making the playoffs.
Draft Outlook Note:
We're looking at offensive linemen this week, and two jump off the page right away: Ronnie Stanley of Notre Dame and Laremy Tunsil of Ole Miss. Both are in the top five of CBS Sports's draft prospect rankings (Stanley is #3 and Tunsil is #5), and we all know how high good offensive linemen go in the draft.
Games to Watch Next Week:
We have a huge SEC game between #18 Auburn and #13 LSU. This always proves to be a good game and Auburn needs to rebound after its embarrassing performance against Jacksonville State. The winner of this game will have its SEC title dreams come a little closer to reality.
#19 BYU and #10 UCLA meet on Saturday. Not only are these two talented teams with playoff dreams, but they are led by two exciting quarterbacks with Heisman dreams: Tanner Mangum of BYU and Josh Rosen of UCLA.
#14 Georgia Tech travels to Notre Dame Stadium, to take on the #8 Fighting Irish. The Irish are without their starting QB and RB, but backup quarterback DeShone Kizer looks more than capable of leading the Irish to victory.
Thanks for reading everyone.
Notable Games:
In the biggest game of the week, #7 Oregon took on #5 Michigan State in a cross-conference match-up. It was a very exciting game that ended up with the Spartans coming out on top. MSU moved up t #4 while Oregon fell to 12.
#9 Notre Dame suffered a scare against unranked Virginia, but the Irish pulled out a 34-27 win. Unfortunately, they lost starting QB and Heisman contender Malik Zaire for the season. The Irish will now be leaning on DeShone Kizer, who threw for 2 scores on Saturday.
Auburn was supposed to have a week off against Jacksonville State, but the Tigers suffered a huge scare. It took a late fourth quarter comeback and an overtime period to secure the win. The Tigers fell all the way to #18.
#10 Georgia opened their SEC schedule against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Bulldogs won 31-14, but it wasn't a great win. Georgia QB Greyson Lambert didn't complete a pass in the first pass, causing many fans discomfort.
#19 Oklahoma took on #23 Tennessee in another match-up between two ranked teams from different Power Five conferences. This was a very exciting game that took the Sooners two overtime periods to pull out the win.
On Friday, the #24 Utah Utes defeated their in-state rival, Utah State. The Utes won 24-14, but lost their starting quarterback, Travis Wilson, for the season. They did however, move up three spots in the rankings.
#11 Florida State picked up a big win over their fellow Florida team, South Florida. The Seminoles won 34-14 and moved up two spots in the rankings to #9. This was a non-conference game, but still a good win for FSU.
#20 Boise State was riding high after their Week 1 win over Washington, but they hit a serious road bump against Brigham Young. The game was very close, but BYU pulled out a 35-24 win and are now ranked #19.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema complained this week about Ohio State's soft schedule, and then turned around and lost to unranked Toledo 16-12. As a result, the Razorbacks dropped completely off the rankings.
After Jim Harbaugh's disappointing debut with the Wolverines last week, many Michigan fans were understandably worried. However, things changed this week when the Wolverines beat Oregon State 35-7.
Notable Performances:
Matt Johnson of Bowling Green is someone you probably haven't heard of, but you should start taking notice. The senior threw for 491 yards and six scores against Maryland, helping give Bowling Green their first win of the season.
A few people had #17 Ole Miss on upset alert against Frenso State, but the Runnin' Rebels absolutely dominated. Leading the way was QB Chad Kelly, who had an incredible day as he went 20-25 for 346 yards and four scores.
#4 Baylor had an easy time with Lamar, as they put up 66 points against them. A big reason for this: wide receiver Corey Coleman, who caught all four of Seth Russell's touchdown passes and had 182 receiving yards.
Heisman Watch:
We have another two players who dropped out of the list this week: Malik Zaire of Notre Dame and Dak Prescott of Mississippi State. Zaire suffered a season-ending injury against Virginia and Prescott fell to LSU.
10. Josh Rosen, UCLA (Last Week: NR)- Rosen had a fantastic debut in Week 1, but quieted down a bit against UNLV. He threw for 223 yards and one touchdown while leading the Bruins to a 37-3 win over UNLV.
9. Braxton Miller, Ohio State (Last Week: 7)- After Miller's incredible game last week, any performance against Hawaii would probably have been considered a disappointment. He ended up with 73 total yards as the Buckeyes won 38-0.
8. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 10)- Watson wasn't incredibly fantastic against Appalachian State, but he still completed 19 of his 26 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers won 41-10.
7. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 8)- Because his Week 1 game against McNeese State was cancelled, this was Fournette's season debut. The back picked up 159 yards on the ground and three scores.
6. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: NR)- Cook makes a big debut onto our rankings after a big performance against South Florida. In 30 rushes, he ran for 266 yards (giving her an 8.9 average) and three scores.
5. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 5)- Henry stays steady in the five spot after a very good performance against Middle Tennessee. The running back ran for 96 yards and three scores on 18 carries.
4 Cody Kessler, USC (Last Week: 4)- Kessler had an incredible showing against Idaho on Saturday. He threw for 410 yards and three scores in the game. The Trojan is now 45 of 57 with seven scores and no picks for the whole season.
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3. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 3)- While Chubb did not have any touchdowns this week, he still ran for 189 yards on 19 carries, as the Bulldogs won 31-10 over Vanderbilt. Chubb is now averaging 8.8 yards per carry this season.
2. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- On 27 rushes, Elliot ran for 101 yards and three scores as the Buckeyes defeated Hawaii, Elliot should have another big game next week when he takes on Northern Illinois.
1. Trevone Boykin, TCU (Last Week: 1)- Boykin manages to hold on to the top spot yet again, but the competition behind him is fierce. The Horned Frog completed 18 of his 27 passes for four scores to help TCU move to 2-0/
Playoff Picture Note:
Oregon's loss seriously complicates their playoff hopes. They almost certainly have to win the Pac-12 if they want to go back to the playoffs. UCLA and USC however, now stand as the Pac-12's best chances of making the playoffs.
Draft Outlook Note:
We're looking at offensive linemen this week, and two jump off the page right away: Ronnie Stanley of Notre Dame and Laremy Tunsil of Ole Miss. Both are in the top five of CBS Sports's draft prospect rankings (Stanley is #3 and Tunsil is #5), and we all know how high good offensive linemen go in the draft.
Games to Watch Next Week:
We have a huge SEC game between #18 Auburn and #13 LSU. This always proves to be a good game and Auburn needs to rebound after its embarrassing performance against Jacksonville State. The winner of this game will have its SEC title dreams come a little closer to reality.
#19 BYU and #10 UCLA meet on Saturday. Not only are these two talented teams with playoff dreams, but they are led by two exciting quarterbacks with Heisman dreams: Tanner Mangum of BYU and Josh Rosen of UCLA.
#14 Georgia Tech travels to Notre Dame Stadium, to take on the #8 Fighting Irish. The Irish are without their starting QB and RB, but backup quarterback DeShone Kizer looks more than capable of leading the Irish to victory.
Thanks for reading everyone.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
NFL 2015-2016 Season Preview
Football is back! After months of waiting, football is finally back. Now that the seemingly interminable wait is over, we can finally preview the season. So without further ado, let's get started on this preview. We'll look at everything from playoffs to awards.
NFC North:
This is Green Bay's division to lose. They are one of the best teams in the league and filled with loads of talent, including Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, and Clay Matthews. Even the injury to Jordy Nelson should not derail their title aspirations. The Lions should finish second and will contend for a wild-card spot. The Vikings will finish third, as Adrian Peterson is back. The Bears, sans Kevin White and Brandon Marshall, will have a hard time getting anywhere other than fourth.
NFC East:
This is a two-horse race between Philadelphia and Dallas. The Eagles sport a very different team than last year. They lost guys like Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy, and Jeremy Maclin, but gained players like Byron Maxwell, Sam Bradford, and DeMarco Murray. The 'Boys meanwhile, lost Murray, last year's Offensive Player of the Year. They do have the trio of Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar, and Darren McFadden, but it won't be the same. I give the edge to the Eagles, who have a better team overall. Neither the Giants nor the Redskins have a real shot at contending for a playoff spot, but Washington should be slightly better.
NFC South:
Last year, this was the worst division in the NFL. Things could get better this year, as three of the four teams (Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Carolina) got markedly better. The Saints on the other hand, lost their biggest offensive weapon in Jimmy Graham. Carolina has been the best team in the division the last couple of years, but I'm going with the surprise pick of the Falcons. The Panthers lost D'Angelo Williams while the Falcons hired Seattle DC Dan Quinn as their new coach. The Saints will finish third, as they still have Drew Brees and Sean Payton.
NFC West:
This is Seattle's division to lose. Their offense is better than last year's (thanks to the addition of Graham) and they are hungry. The 49ers are in a rebuilding year following the departure of Jim Harbaugh. If Carson Palmer is able to stay healthy, the Cards will contend for a playoff spot. The Rams have a very talented team (with guys like Nick Foles, Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, and Stedman Bailey), but they still have trouble matching up with Seattle and Arizona. Look for them to finish third, ahead of only San Francisco.
AFC North:
Last season, this was the best division in football, as they had three teams in the playoffs. Unfortunately for Cleveland, they just don't have what it takes to match up with the other three teams. Pittsburgh will contend for a playoff spot, but suspensions to Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant don't really bode well. Cincinnati should get stud Vontaze Burfict back, but Baltimore is the favorite here. Justin Forsett had a breakout year last season and the Ravens are full of talent. Losing Haloti Ngata will sting a little bit, but they have enough talent to make the playoffs. Cincinnati should finish second and contend for a wild-card spot.
AFC East:
The defending Super Bowl champs, New England, is the favorite here. Now that Tom Brady's suspension has been lifted, there is nothing holding them back. The Dolphins are the only other team in the division who have a very good chance of getting a playoff spot. Ryan Tannehill has been getting better every single year and the addition of Ndamkong Suh will really help their defense. Rex Ryan and the Bills should finish third, but it really depends on how well QB Tyrod Taylor does. As for the Jets, losing starting QB Geno Smith for a number of weeks will hurt.
AFC South:
The Indianapolis Colts are the obvious pick, thanks to Andrew Luck's stellar play. However, the Houston Texans will be contending for a playoff spot. Hard-hitter Jadeveon Clowney is back and new QB Brian Hoyer has a lethal weapon in DeAndre Hopkins. It's a toss-up for the third spot between Tennesse and Jacksonville, but I'm going with the Titans, who will be sparked by rookie QB Marcus Mariota.
AFC West:
I'm going with the Broncos to win the division here, as Denver is too loaded (with guys like Peyton Manning, Emmanuel Sanders, and Chris Harris Jr.) to not make the playoffs. Both the Chiefs and Chargers will contend for a playoff spot, but it will be tough. Adding Melvin Gordon will spice up San Diego's offense and I think they will take second in the division. The unfortunate Raiders will have to settle for last place.
Projected NFC Seeding: 1) Seattle, 2) Green Bay, 3) Philadelphia, 4) Atlanta, 5) Arizona, 6) Detroit
Projected AFC Seeding: 1) New England, 2) Indianapolis, 3) Denver, 4) Baltimore, 5) Houston, 6) Miami
Playoff Predictions:
In the NFC Wild-Card Round, I am picking Detroit to beat Philly. The Lions have a great run-defense and will be able to prevent Murray from breaking out. In the other game, Arizona should take Atlanta. The Cards' defense should stop Atlanta's offense. In the next round, Seattle will take care of Detroit while Green Bay handles Arizona. In the NFC title game, the Seahawks beat the Packers to advance to the Super Bowl.
In the AFC Wild-Card Round, we have Miami at Denver and Houston at Baltimore. Denver will handily take care of Miami, but I predict Baltimore will fall to Houston. The Texans have a great defense that could totally shut down Baltimore's O. In the next round, New England takes down Houston while the Colts handle the Broncos. In the AFC title game, I am going with the upset and taking the Colts, who will somehow find a way to handle Touchdown Tommy.
In the Super Bowl, Seattle's D will make Andrew Luck miserable and secure the 'Hawks' second title in three years. The MVP will be Marshawn Lynch, who will run circles around Indy.
Regular Season Awards:
MVP: Andrew Luck, Colts
Offensive Player of the Year: Eddie Lacy, Packers
Defensive Player of the Year: J.J. Watt, Texans
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Amari Cooper, Raiders
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Leonard Williams, Jets
Coach of the Year: Bill O'Brien, Texans
Thanks for reading everyone.
NFC North:
This is Green Bay's division to lose. They are one of the best teams in the league and filled with loads of talent, including Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, and Clay Matthews. Even the injury to Jordy Nelson should not derail their title aspirations. The Lions should finish second and will contend for a wild-card spot. The Vikings will finish third, as Adrian Peterson is back. The Bears, sans Kevin White and Brandon Marshall, will have a hard time getting anywhere other than fourth.
NFC East:
This is a two-horse race between Philadelphia and Dallas. The Eagles sport a very different team than last year. They lost guys like Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy, and Jeremy Maclin, but gained players like Byron Maxwell, Sam Bradford, and DeMarco Murray. The 'Boys meanwhile, lost Murray, last year's Offensive Player of the Year. They do have the trio of Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar, and Darren McFadden, but it won't be the same. I give the edge to the Eagles, who have a better team overall. Neither the Giants nor the Redskins have a real shot at contending for a playoff spot, but Washington should be slightly better.
NFC South:
Last year, this was the worst division in the NFL. Things could get better this year, as three of the four teams (Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Carolina) got markedly better. The Saints on the other hand, lost their biggest offensive weapon in Jimmy Graham. Carolina has been the best team in the division the last couple of years, but I'm going with the surprise pick of the Falcons. The Panthers lost D'Angelo Williams while the Falcons hired Seattle DC Dan Quinn as their new coach. The Saints will finish third, as they still have Drew Brees and Sean Payton.
NFC West:
This is Seattle's division to lose. Their offense is better than last year's (thanks to the addition of Graham) and they are hungry. The 49ers are in a rebuilding year following the departure of Jim Harbaugh. If Carson Palmer is able to stay healthy, the Cards will contend for a playoff spot. The Rams have a very talented team (with guys like Nick Foles, Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, and Stedman Bailey), but they still have trouble matching up with Seattle and Arizona. Look for them to finish third, ahead of only San Francisco.
AFC North:
Last season, this was the best division in football, as they had three teams in the playoffs. Unfortunately for Cleveland, they just don't have what it takes to match up with the other three teams. Pittsburgh will contend for a playoff spot, but suspensions to Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant don't really bode well. Cincinnati should get stud Vontaze Burfict back, but Baltimore is the favorite here. Justin Forsett had a breakout year last season and the Ravens are full of talent. Losing Haloti Ngata will sting a little bit, but they have enough talent to make the playoffs. Cincinnati should finish second and contend for a wild-card spot.
AFC East:
The defending Super Bowl champs, New England, is the favorite here. Now that Tom Brady's suspension has been lifted, there is nothing holding them back. The Dolphins are the only other team in the division who have a very good chance of getting a playoff spot. Ryan Tannehill has been getting better every single year and the addition of Ndamkong Suh will really help their defense. Rex Ryan and the Bills should finish third, but it really depends on how well QB Tyrod Taylor does. As for the Jets, losing starting QB Geno Smith for a number of weeks will hurt.
AFC South:
The Indianapolis Colts are the obvious pick, thanks to Andrew Luck's stellar play. However, the Houston Texans will be contending for a playoff spot. Hard-hitter Jadeveon Clowney is back and new QB Brian Hoyer has a lethal weapon in DeAndre Hopkins. It's a toss-up for the third spot between Tennesse and Jacksonville, but I'm going with the Titans, who will be sparked by rookie QB Marcus Mariota.
AFC West:
I'm going with the Broncos to win the division here, as Denver is too loaded (with guys like Peyton Manning, Emmanuel Sanders, and Chris Harris Jr.) to not make the playoffs. Both the Chiefs and Chargers will contend for a playoff spot, but it will be tough. Adding Melvin Gordon will spice up San Diego's offense and I think they will take second in the division. The unfortunate Raiders will have to settle for last place.
Projected NFC Seeding: 1) Seattle, 2) Green Bay, 3) Philadelphia, 4) Atlanta, 5) Arizona, 6) Detroit
Projected AFC Seeding: 1) New England, 2) Indianapolis, 3) Denver, 4) Baltimore, 5) Houston, 6) Miami
Playoff Predictions:
In the NFC Wild-Card Round, I am picking Detroit to beat Philly. The Lions have a great run-defense and will be able to prevent Murray from breaking out. In the other game, Arizona should take Atlanta. The Cards' defense should stop Atlanta's offense. In the next round, Seattle will take care of Detroit while Green Bay handles Arizona. In the NFC title game, the Seahawks beat the Packers to advance to the Super Bowl.
In the AFC Wild-Card Round, we have Miami at Denver and Houston at Baltimore. Denver will handily take care of Miami, but I predict Baltimore will fall to Houston. The Texans have a great defense that could totally shut down Baltimore's O. In the next round, New England takes down Houston while the Colts handle the Broncos. In the AFC title game, I am going with the upset and taking the Colts, who will somehow find a way to handle Touchdown Tommy.
In the Super Bowl, Seattle's D will make Andrew Luck miserable and secure the 'Hawks' second title in three years. The MVP will be Marshawn Lynch, who will run circles around Indy.
Regular Season Awards:
MVP: Andrew Luck, Colts
Offensive Player of the Year: Eddie Lacy, Packers
Defensive Player of the Year: J.J. Watt, Texans
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Amari Cooper, Raiders
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Leonard Williams, Jets
Coach of the Year: Bill O'Brien, Texans
Thanks for reading everyone.
College Football Week 1 Recap
College football is finally back. After months of fans filling the void with other sports and hobbies, they can finally re-dedicate their entire Saturdays to watching football. The first week of the season is usually not a big one, but any week of football is a good week of football. In this recap, we're going to cover everything that happened in the previous week, so let's get started.
Notable Games:
The biggest game of the week was #20 Wisconsin and #3 Alabama. This was the only match-up between ranked teams, so people were excited. Unfortunately, this game did not live up to expectations. Wisconsin's offense had trouble taking on the Crimson Tide D. The win took Alabama up to the #2 spot.
Many experts had Texas upsetting #11 Notre Dame, but that didn't even come close to happening. The Fighting Irish completely dominated the game from whistle to whistle and won 38-3. The impressive win moved the Irish two spots up in the polls.
Jim Harbaugh's Michigan debut yielded unimpressive debuts, as Utah defeated the Wolverines 24-17 on Thursday. The Wolverines were expected to be dark-horse contenders for the Big Ten, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen anymore.
The first game of the week involving a ranked team was #16 Georgia Tech taking on Alcorn State. The Yellow Jackets completely dominated and picked up a 69-6 win, one of their biggest wins in the program's history.
Quite possibly the biggest upset of the week involved #21 Stanford and Northwestern. The Cards were expected to contend for the Pac-12 North, but it looks like they are not up to par with expectations. The Wildcats are now three spots from the polls.
The biggest win of the week: #17 Mississippi laying an absolute smackdown on Tennessee-Martin. The Rebels won 76-3. That's right, Ole Miss won by 73 points, but are still ranked at 17 and are one of ten SEC teams ranked.
Many people were expecting the Louisville Cardinals to beat the Auburn Tigers, but #6 Auburn held on for a 31-24 win. The Tigers are dark-horse candidates to win the SEC, and this win validated their championship dreams.
Vernon Adams led the Oregon Ducks to a 61-42 win over his former team, Eastern Washington. The Ducks are still ranked at #7 following their win. This was a good win for the Ducks, who are expected to win the Pac-12.
Chris Petersen had a great career at Boise State, but he left that when he filled the vacancy left by the departing Steve Sarkisian. In Week 1, Washington traveled to Boise, but that ended in a 23-16 defeat that moved the Broncos to #20.
Ohio State began its quest for a second-straight championship by taking on Virginia Tech on Monday night. V-Tech was the only team that beat the Buckeyes last season, so many fans were hoping that OSU would slip again. Unfortunately for them, the Buckeyes won 42-24 and are still #1.
Notable Performances:
True-freshman QB Josh Rosen had a lot of expectations riding on his shoulders. He surpassed all of them in his performance against Virginia. He went 28 for 35, threw for 351 yards and three scores, and led the Bruins to a 34-16 win over the Cavs.
Daeshan Hall of Texas A&M had a great performance against Arizona State on Saturday night. He had four tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles and helped the Aggies beat the Sun Devils 38-17.
One of the biggest matches of the week was South Carolina taking on North Carolina. Leading the way for them was Skai Moore. He had ten tackles and had two interceptions in the end zone, helping the Gamecocks win 17-13.
You probably haven't heard of Calvin Mudson of San Diego State, but you should start paying attention to him. Against in-city rival San Diego on Saturday, Munson had 11 tackles and returned two picks for touchdowns.
Marshall beat Purdue 41-31 to get their season off to a good start. Safety Tiquan Lang put up some eye-popping stats during the game. He had 17 tackles, two interceptions, and two touchdowns. The defending Conference-USA champs are off to a great start.
Heisman Watch:
Again, it's hard to pick the Heisman right now, but we have to do it anyways. The biggest news from the Heisman watch: James Conner of Pittsburgh, who had a devastating season-ending injury. The other player to drop out was J.T. Barrett, who did not start against V. Tech.
10. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: NR)- Watson went 18-22 for 194 yards in Clemson's win over Wofford. He only played for less than a half and still accounted for two scores. Look for Watson to move up the rankings when the Tigers play better teams.
9. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State (Last Week: 9)- Prescott is still a Heisman long-shot, but it's too soon to write him off. He passed for 237 yards and accounted for three scores against Southern Mississippi.
8. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 6)- Fournette didn't play in Week 1 (LSU's game against McNeese St. was cancelled due to poor weather). He'll have a chance to move back up the rankings when he plays Mississippi State on Saturday.
7. Braxton Miller, Ohio State (Last Week: NR)- Miller has been slightly ignored since the season began, but he has forced his way into the Heisman conversation. Against Virginia Tech, Miller accounted for more than three scores and 78 receiving yards.
6. Malik Zaire, Notre Dame (Last Week: 7)- Zaire had an outstanding game against the Texas Longhorns on Saturday. He went 19-22, threw for 313 yards and three scores, and led the Irish to a huge win.
5. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 9)- Henry had a huge game against the Badger defense on Saturday. He rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries. He should put up even bigger numbers against Middle Tennessee in Week 2.
4. Cody Kessler, USC (Last Week: 5)- The Trojan QB went 19 of 26 for 236 yards and four scores to give the Trojans a good start to the season. If Kessler keeps putting up these kinds of numbers, he has a very good chance of going to New York.
3. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 3)- Chubb had a good game against Lousiana Monroe, picking up 120 yards and two touchdowns in 16 carries. Next week, he'll take on the Vanderbilt defense, who managed to limit him to 78 yards last year.
2. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- Elliot was overshadowed by his teammate Miller, but he still had a good game. He ran for 122 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries, giving him an 11.1 average.
1. Trevone Boykin, TCU (Last Week: 1)- Boykin manages to hang on to the top spot after amassing more than 300 yards of total offense and three scores for the Horned Frogs, who beat Minnesota on Thursday. Everyone was hoping for bigger numbers out of him, but he still got the job done.
Playoff Picture:
Like I said last week, it's way too early to really get a good look at the playoff picture. But there are a few notes we can make about it. For example, Ohio State looks like the real deal. Many thought they were getting too much hype when the season started, but they showed just how good they were this week. Another note: Notre Dame has a very real chance of crashing the playoffs. They looked fantastic against Texas and are obviously very talented.
Draft Outlook:
Since the NFL season has yet to start, we can't say what player would make a good fit with specific teams just yet. We can however, look at specific prospects. This week, we're going to look at a couple of the top QB prospects. First up is Connor Cook of MSU. Cook doesn't really get any Heisman love, but he's got a great arm and leads his offense well. He should be one of the first quarterbacks taken next year. Next up is Jared Goff of Cal. Goff puts up huge numbers and has already drawn comparisons to former Cal QB Aaron Rodgers.
Games to Watch Next Week:
On Friday, the #24 Utes, fresh off of their victory over Michigan, will play their in-state rival, Utah State. The Aggies are coming off of a low-key win over Southern Utah, but could give Utah a run for its money.
The first match-up of the season between two ranked SEC teams will take place this week when #14 LSU takes on #25 Mississippi State, This game could serve as an early indicator as to which of these teams will contend for the SEC West.
BYU opened up their season with a win in Week 1, but lost QB Taysom Hill to a season-ending injury. However, they should still be able to put the squeeze on #20 Boise State when the two meet on Saturday.
After its disappointing loss against UCLA, Virginia will try to bounce back on Saturday when they take on #9 Notre Dame. It won't be easy however, as the Irish are riding high following a big win over Texas.
The biggest game of the week will be #7 Oregon and #5 Michigan State. These are two of the biggest contenders for the playoffs right now, and a win would go a long way in securing that berth. This could be one of the best games of the season.
Thanks for reading.
Notable Games:
The biggest game of the week was #20 Wisconsin and #3 Alabama. This was the only match-up between ranked teams, so people were excited. Unfortunately, this game did not live up to expectations. Wisconsin's offense had trouble taking on the Crimson Tide D. The win took Alabama up to the #2 spot.
Many experts had Texas upsetting #11 Notre Dame, but that didn't even come close to happening. The Fighting Irish completely dominated the game from whistle to whistle and won 38-3. The impressive win moved the Irish two spots up in the polls.
Jim Harbaugh's Michigan debut yielded unimpressive debuts, as Utah defeated the Wolverines 24-17 on Thursday. The Wolverines were expected to be dark-horse contenders for the Big Ten, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen anymore.
The first game of the week involving a ranked team was #16 Georgia Tech taking on Alcorn State. The Yellow Jackets completely dominated and picked up a 69-6 win, one of their biggest wins in the program's history.
Quite possibly the biggest upset of the week involved #21 Stanford and Northwestern. The Cards were expected to contend for the Pac-12 North, but it looks like they are not up to par with expectations. The Wildcats are now three spots from the polls.
The biggest win of the week: #17 Mississippi laying an absolute smackdown on Tennessee-Martin. The Rebels won 76-3. That's right, Ole Miss won by 73 points, but are still ranked at 17 and are one of ten SEC teams ranked.
Many people were expecting the Louisville Cardinals to beat the Auburn Tigers, but #6 Auburn held on for a 31-24 win. The Tigers are dark-horse candidates to win the SEC, and this win validated their championship dreams.
Vernon Adams led the Oregon Ducks to a 61-42 win over his former team, Eastern Washington. The Ducks are still ranked at #7 following their win. This was a good win for the Ducks, who are expected to win the Pac-12.
Chris Petersen had a great career at Boise State, but he left that when he filled the vacancy left by the departing Steve Sarkisian. In Week 1, Washington traveled to Boise, but that ended in a 23-16 defeat that moved the Broncos to #20.
Ohio State began its quest for a second-straight championship by taking on Virginia Tech on Monday night. V-Tech was the only team that beat the Buckeyes last season, so many fans were hoping that OSU would slip again. Unfortunately for them, the Buckeyes won 42-24 and are still #1.
Notable Performances:
True-freshman QB Josh Rosen had a lot of expectations riding on his shoulders. He surpassed all of them in his performance against Virginia. He went 28 for 35, threw for 351 yards and three scores, and led the Bruins to a 34-16 win over the Cavs.
Daeshan Hall of Texas A&M had a great performance against Arizona State on Saturday night. He had four tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles and helped the Aggies beat the Sun Devils 38-17.
One of the biggest matches of the week was South Carolina taking on North Carolina. Leading the way for them was Skai Moore. He had ten tackles and had two interceptions in the end zone, helping the Gamecocks win 17-13.
You probably haven't heard of Calvin Mudson of San Diego State, but you should start paying attention to him. Against in-city rival San Diego on Saturday, Munson had 11 tackles and returned two picks for touchdowns.
Marshall beat Purdue 41-31 to get their season off to a good start. Safety Tiquan Lang put up some eye-popping stats during the game. He had 17 tackles, two interceptions, and two touchdowns. The defending Conference-USA champs are off to a great start.
Heisman Watch:
Again, it's hard to pick the Heisman right now, but we have to do it anyways. The biggest news from the Heisman watch: James Conner of Pittsburgh, who had a devastating season-ending injury. The other player to drop out was J.T. Barrett, who did not start against V. Tech.
10. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: NR)- Watson went 18-22 for 194 yards in Clemson's win over Wofford. He only played for less than a half and still accounted for two scores. Look for Watson to move up the rankings when the Tigers play better teams.
9. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State (Last Week: 9)- Prescott is still a Heisman long-shot, but it's too soon to write him off. He passed for 237 yards and accounted for three scores against Southern Mississippi.
8. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 6)- Fournette didn't play in Week 1 (LSU's game against McNeese St. was cancelled due to poor weather). He'll have a chance to move back up the rankings when he plays Mississippi State on Saturday.
7. Braxton Miller, Ohio State (Last Week: NR)- Miller has been slightly ignored since the season began, but he has forced his way into the Heisman conversation. Against Virginia Tech, Miller accounted for more than three scores and 78 receiving yards.
5. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 9)- Henry had a huge game against the Badger defense on Saturday. He rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries. He should put up even bigger numbers against Middle Tennessee in Week 2.
4. Cody Kessler, USC (Last Week: 5)- The Trojan QB went 19 of 26 for 236 yards and four scores to give the Trojans a good start to the season. If Kessler keeps putting up these kinds of numbers, he has a very good chance of going to New York.
3. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 3)- Chubb had a good game against Lousiana Monroe, picking up 120 yards and two touchdowns in 16 carries. Next week, he'll take on the Vanderbilt defense, who managed to limit him to 78 yards last year.
2. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- Elliot was overshadowed by his teammate Miller, but he still had a good game. He ran for 122 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries, giving him an 11.1 average.
1. Trevone Boykin, TCU (Last Week: 1)- Boykin manages to hang on to the top spot after amassing more than 300 yards of total offense and three scores for the Horned Frogs, who beat Minnesota on Thursday. Everyone was hoping for bigger numbers out of him, but he still got the job done.
Playoff Picture:
Like I said last week, it's way too early to really get a good look at the playoff picture. But there are a few notes we can make about it. For example, Ohio State looks like the real deal. Many thought they were getting too much hype when the season started, but they showed just how good they were this week. Another note: Notre Dame has a very real chance of crashing the playoffs. They looked fantastic against Texas and are obviously very talented.
Draft Outlook:
Since the NFL season has yet to start, we can't say what player would make a good fit with specific teams just yet. We can however, look at specific prospects. This week, we're going to look at a couple of the top QB prospects. First up is Connor Cook of MSU. Cook doesn't really get any Heisman love, but he's got a great arm and leads his offense well. He should be one of the first quarterbacks taken next year. Next up is Jared Goff of Cal. Goff puts up huge numbers and has already drawn comparisons to former Cal QB Aaron Rodgers.
Games to Watch Next Week:
On Friday, the #24 Utes, fresh off of their victory over Michigan, will play their in-state rival, Utah State. The Aggies are coming off of a low-key win over Southern Utah, but could give Utah a run for its money.
The first match-up of the season between two ranked SEC teams will take place this week when #14 LSU takes on #25 Mississippi State, This game could serve as an early indicator as to which of these teams will contend for the SEC West.
BYU opened up their season with a win in Week 1, but lost QB Taysom Hill to a season-ending injury. However, they should still be able to put the squeeze on #20 Boise State when the two meet on Saturday.
After its disappointing loss against UCLA, Virginia will try to bounce back on Saturday when they take on #9 Notre Dame. It won't be easy however, as the Irish are riding high following a big win over Texas.
The biggest game of the week will be #7 Oregon and #5 Michigan State. These are two of the biggest contenders for the playoffs right now, and a win would go a long way in securing that berth. This could be one of the best games of the season.
Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
2015 College Football Week 1 Preview
We are now only about a week away from the start of the new college football season. It's the second season of the four-time playoff, which was a massive success last season. Just like you did last year, you cant count on SportsExaminer.blogspot.com to bring you all of your college football coverage. We'll have game recaps, Heisman rankings, and much more. In this article, we're going to preview Week 1, give our pre-season Heisman rankings, and give some post-season predictions.
Games to Watch:
The Week 1 slate is typically flat, but there are some interesting match-ups. Of course, fans are just excited for college football to be back, great games aren't really that important right off of the back. These five games could impress, however.
#2 TCU @ Minnesota- After just falling short of making the playoffs last year, TCU is expected to make it this year. They have a great team and definitely have the talent to go all the way. They will be tested right off the back however, by Minnesota. The Golden Gophers may be unranked, but they are a talented team who could possibly pull off of an upset.
Texas @ #11 Notre Dame- This is quite possibly the most anticipated match of the week. After Charlie Strong's disappointing first year in Arlington, the Longhorns are looking to bounce back and possibly contend for the Big 12 title. Before they challenge for the conference title though, they must take on Notre Dame, a team loaded with talent, like Sheldon Day and Jaylon Smith. The Fighting Irish will most likely pick up the win here, but don't expect Texas to go away quietly.
#20 Wisconsin vs. #3 Alabama- This is the only game this week that features two ranked teams, so this is obviously one of the biggest matches. Alabama
#1 Ohio State @ VA Tech- The defending champions are the clear favorites to win the championship this year, thanks to a talented squad full of players like Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliot. They had a great run last year that saw them beat some really talented teams, including Oregon and Alabama. Their only loss? Virginia Tech. Could the Hokies pull off another upset? It's not entirely out of the realm of possibility, as OSU is without a number of players for this game, including Bosa.
#6 Auburn vs. Louisville- Auburn is one of the dark-horse favorites to make the playoffs this year, and will be tested immediately by Louisville. The Cards may not be ranked, but they could make things difficult for the Tigers.
Heisman Watch:
It's a little ridiculous to have a Heisman watch before the season starts, but we need to star somewhere right? It's very rare that the pre-season favorite wins the Heisman, but it's happened in the past (see: Mariota, Marcus and Smith, Troy). There are a lot of contenders left off of this list, such as Connor Cook of MSU, RB Paul Perkins of UCLA, and Clemson slinger Deshaun Watson.
10. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State- At one point last year, Prescott was leading the Heisman race and his team was #1. Then, the Bulldogs started losing and Prescott became an afterthought. This year, it looks like Prescott has another tough hurdle to handle. His team is projected to struggle this year, and that will certainly hurt his Heisman candidacy.
9. Derrick Henry, Alabama- Henry has been largely ignored since the Heisman talk began, and it's a little puzzling. He has already established himself as a very good player and Nick Saban's system is perfect to show off backs (think back at guys like Mark Ingram and T.J. Yeldon). Also, Alabama tends to rely more heavily on the run game when they have a new QB.
8. James Conner, Pittsburgh- Conner is one of the best running backs in college football and is one of the early favorites to win the Doak Walker award. The only thing holding him back from being a Heisman front-runner is his team, which isn't expected to do that well this year.
7. Malik Zaire, Notre Dame- This may be jumping the gun a little bit, but Zaire can be a real Heisman contender. He had an impressive debut last year against LSU and has a talented offense around him that can really help him succeed.
6. Leonard Fournette, LSU- Though LSU lost to Notre Dame last year (see above), Fournette put on an incredible performance that got everyone in Death Valley excited. Fournette is a legitimate superstar who can have a great season.
5. Cody Kessler, USC- Kessler spent most of last season on the Heisman bubble, but it looks like he will finally break through this season. He has a very talented offense around him and USC looks like the favorites to win the Pac-12.
4. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State- It's not official, but it looks like Barrett has beaten out Cardale Jones for the starting job. Had he not gone down with a season-ending injury last season, Barrett could've been a Heisman finalist. Now, he could go all the way.
3. Nick Chubb, Georgia- The UGA back did a great job last season of filling in for the injured/suspended Todd Gurley last season. Now that he's the starter, look for him to put up great numbers while possibly leading Georgia to an SEC title.
2. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State- Elliot exploded onto the scene last season and was named CFP Offensive MVP. Many people have him pegged as the favorite, and it's not hard to see why. He's a tremendous talent on a loaded team.
1. Trevone Boykin, TCU- Boykin is the clear pre-season favorite to win the Heisman. Not only does he lead a very talented team, but he's the only one of the top 4 Heisman candidates from last year to be playing this season.
Draft Outlook:
This is a new feature we're adding this year. Each week, we will look at the draft status of notable players. It's a little early to really hone in on the draft, but when has timing ever stopped us? Some of the top prospects right now: Joey Bosa (DE) of OSU, Jaylon Smith (LB) of Notre Dame, and Scooby Wright III (LB) of Arizona. As you can see, it's a very defense-heavy draft. We'll talk more about it when the draft gets closer and closer.
Playoff Picture:
Again, it's a little early to talk about this, but it's always fun to make predictions. The overwhelming favorite right now is Ohio State, with its loaded talent. Alabama, TCU, and Oregon are amongthe other favorites, but it's way too early to tell.
Thanks for reading, and check back soon for more articles.
Games to Watch:
The Week 1 slate is typically flat, but there are some interesting match-ups. Of course, fans are just excited for college football to be back, great games aren't really that important right off of the back. These five games could impress, however.
#2 TCU @ Minnesota- After just falling short of making the playoffs last year, TCU is expected to make it this year. They have a great team and definitely have the talent to go all the way. They will be tested right off the back however, by Minnesota. The Golden Gophers may be unranked, but they are a talented team who could possibly pull off of an upset.
Texas @ #11 Notre Dame- This is quite possibly the most anticipated match of the week. After Charlie Strong's disappointing first year in Arlington, the Longhorns are looking to bounce back and possibly contend for the Big 12 title. Before they challenge for the conference title though, they must take on Notre Dame, a team loaded with talent, like Sheldon Day and Jaylon Smith. The Fighting Irish will most likely pick up the win here, but don't expect Texas to go away quietly.
#20 Wisconsin vs. #3 Alabama- This is the only game this week that features two ranked teams, so this is obviously one of the biggest matches. Alabama
#1 Ohio State @ VA Tech- The defending champions are the clear favorites to win the championship this year, thanks to a talented squad full of players like Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliot. They had a great run last year that saw them beat some really talented teams, including Oregon and Alabama. Their only loss? Virginia Tech. Could the Hokies pull off another upset? It's not entirely out of the realm of possibility, as OSU is without a number of players for this game, including Bosa.
#6 Auburn vs. Louisville- Auburn is one of the dark-horse favorites to make the playoffs this year, and will be tested immediately by Louisville. The Cards may not be ranked, but they could make things difficult for the Tigers.
Heisman Watch:
It's a little ridiculous to have a Heisman watch before the season starts, but we need to star somewhere right? It's very rare that the pre-season favorite wins the Heisman, but it's happened in the past (see: Mariota, Marcus and Smith, Troy). There are a lot of contenders left off of this list, such as Connor Cook of MSU, RB Paul Perkins of UCLA, and Clemson slinger Deshaun Watson.
10. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State- At one point last year, Prescott was leading the Heisman race and his team was #1. Then, the Bulldogs started losing and Prescott became an afterthought. This year, it looks like Prescott has another tough hurdle to handle. His team is projected to struggle this year, and that will certainly hurt his Heisman candidacy.
9. Derrick Henry, Alabama- Henry has been largely ignored since the Heisman talk began, and it's a little puzzling. He has already established himself as a very good player and Nick Saban's system is perfect to show off backs (think back at guys like Mark Ingram and T.J. Yeldon). Also, Alabama tends to rely more heavily on the run game when they have a new QB.
8. James Conner, Pittsburgh- Conner is one of the best running backs in college football and is one of the early favorites to win the Doak Walker award. The only thing holding him back from being a Heisman front-runner is his team, which isn't expected to do that well this year.
7. Malik Zaire, Notre Dame- This may be jumping the gun a little bit, but Zaire can be a real Heisman contender. He had an impressive debut last year against LSU and has a talented offense around him that can really help him succeed.
6. Leonard Fournette, LSU- Though LSU lost to Notre Dame last year (see above), Fournette put on an incredible performance that got everyone in Death Valley excited. Fournette is a legitimate superstar who can have a great season.
5. Cody Kessler, USC- Kessler spent most of last season on the Heisman bubble, but it looks like he will finally break through this season. He has a very talented offense around him and USC looks like the favorites to win the Pac-12.
4. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State- It's not official, but it looks like Barrett has beaten out Cardale Jones for the starting job. Had he not gone down with a season-ending injury last season, Barrett could've been a Heisman finalist. Now, he could go all the way.
3. Nick Chubb, Georgia- The UGA back did a great job last season of filling in for the injured/suspended Todd Gurley last season. Now that he's the starter, look for him to put up great numbers while possibly leading Georgia to an SEC title.
2. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State- Elliot exploded onto the scene last season and was named CFP Offensive MVP. Many people have him pegged as the favorite, and it's not hard to see why. He's a tremendous talent on a loaded team.
1. Trevone Boykin, TCU- Boykin is the clear pre-season favorite to win the Heisman. Not only does he lead a very talented team, but he's the only one of the top 4 Heisman candidates from last year to be playing this season.
Draft Outlook:
This is a new feature we're adding this year. Each week, we will look at the draft status of notable players. It's a little early to really hone in on the draft, but when has timing ever stopped us? Some of the top prospects right now: Joey Bosa (DE) of OSU, Jaylon Smith (LB) of Notre Dame, and Scooby Wright III (LB) of Arizona. As you can see, it's a very defense-heavy draft. We'll talk more about it when the draft gets closer and closer.
Playoff Picture:
Again, it's a little early to talk about this, but it's always fun to make predictions. The overwhelming favorite right now is Ohio State, with its loaded talent. Alabama, TCU, and Oregon are amongthe other favorites, but it's way too early to tell.
Thanks for reading, and check back soon for more articles.
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