Heisman Watch Week 8

Technically, Week 9 hasn't finished yet, so this isn't super late, just a little late. Let's get started.

We have no honorable mentions or any dropouts this week, so let's get to the main list.

10. Travis Etienne, Clemson (Last Week: 10)- On the surface, Etienne's stat line in Week was disappointing: 15 rushes for just 39 yards. But let's not forget that 20% of his rushes ended in the end zone and that he also had 24 receiving yards as Clemson gave #16 North Carolina State its first loss of the season.

9. Ian Book, Notre Dame (Last Week: 9)- Book stays put at #9 after Notre Dame has the week off.

8. McKenzie Milton, UCF (Last Week: 6)- There's good and bad news here. The good news first: UCF won by 27 points and are still gunning for the playoffs. The bad news: Milton didn't play. He was benched for "overall health reasons" and drops two spots as a result.

7. Jake Fromm, Georgia (Last Week: 7)- Fromm stays put at #7 as Georgia had a bye week.

6. Benny Snell Jr., Kentucky (Last Week: 8)- Snell showed up to play in Kentucky's Week 8 win over fellow SEC team Vanderbilt. Though it was a close game, Snell had the winning touchdown and finished with 169 rushing yards on 32 carries.

5. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- Ohio State got absolutely embarrassed by Purdue last Saturday. If you watched that game without any prior knowledge of the season, you would have thought the Boilermakers were the national title contenders, not the Buckeyes. As I've said before multiple times here, QBs suffer when their team loses. That being said, coach Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes defense deserve more blame than Haskins. The Buckeyes gave up more than 500 yards of total offense and Meyer refused to run the ball. Haskins finished with a stat line of 49 for 73 for 470 yards, two scores, and one pick.

4. Will Grier, West Virginia (Last Week: 4)- West Virginia didn't play in Week 8 but Grier moves up a spot thanks to Haskins's free-fall.

3. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Last Week: 3)- Taylor stays put at #3 after running for 159 yards on 27 carries against Illinois. At this point, Taylor looks like the non-QB with the best chance of making it to New York City.

2. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma (Last Week: 5)- Oklahoma needed to rebound from their shocking loss against Texas and did so in a big way against TCU. Murray also needed a big win to catapult himself back into the top-tier of Heisman contenders. Well, all that was accomplished and more. Oklahoma won 52-27 and Murray threw for four touchdowns while also adding 51 yards with his legs.

1. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama (Last Week: 1)- It's really hard to imagine a scenario where Tua doesn't enter December as the overwhelming Heisman favorite. I haven't been this taken with a college QB since Johnny Manziel's freshman season. On top of that, Alabama looks far and away as the best team in the country. Is everyone else just fighting for second place?

Thanks for reading everyone. 

Heisman Watch Week 7

It's been a crazy few days for me, but this week should be the last time this season I post a Heisman watch late. Thanks for sticking with me, here's get started.

We say goodbye to Trace McSorley Jr. after Penn State was upset by Michigan State. On the plus side of things, we tip our hat to Laviska Shenault Jr. and Darrell Henderson. Though they both lost in Week 7, they put up impressive numbers.

10. Travis Etienne, Clemson (Last Week: NR)- Etienne was an honorable mention last week and makes his way on to our list after the colossal shakeup that was Week 8.

9. Ian Book, Notre Dame (Last Week: 9)- Book didn't have the best game against Pittsburgh but at least Notre Dame won. Book finished with two touchdowns and two picks while going 26 for 32. Thanks to the brilliant QB play of guys like Will Grier and Dwayne Haskins, Book is very much a fringe contender at this point.

8. Benny Snell Jr., Kentucky (Last Week: 8)- Snell sits tight at #8 after Kentucky had the week off.

7. Jake Fromm, Georgia (Last Week: 5)- The best argument for Fromm's Heisman campaign was that Georgia was unbeaten and a national title contender. Unfortunately, thanks to their 20-point loss against LSU, that is no longer the case and Fromm is a long way away from the Heisman mountaintop.

6. McKenzie Milton, UCF (Last Week: 7)- UCF narrowly beat Memphis 31-30 to keep their playoff dreams alive. Milton played well (17 of 29 for one touchdown with 296 passing yards) but was not outstanding. He needs to stay undefeated in order to have a real shot at making it to New York.

5. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma (Last Week: 6)- Thanks to all of the chaos at the top, Murray moves up one spot even though he didn't play in Week 7.

4. Will Grier, West Virginia (Last Week: 3)- It feels like every few seasons the Iowa State Cyclones rise up and knock off a national title contender. This year, they shocked unbeaten West Virginia and put a serious dent in Grier's Heisman campaign. Grier threw for only 100 yards and posted an abysmal QBR of 16.6.

3. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Last Week: 4)- Wisconsin may have lost to Michigan and seen their national title dreams go up in smoke, but Taylor ran for 101 yards and 17 carries and still finds himself in the thick of the Heisman conversation.

2. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- Haskins had another great game against Minnesota to pad his resume. He completed 75% of his stats for 412 yards and three scores.

1. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama (Last Week: 1)- At this point in the race, everyone else is fighting for #2, Tua has the #1 spot on lock. In the win against Missouri, Tua threw for 265 yards and three scores as 'Bama won by four possessions.

Thanks for reading. 

Heisman Watch Week 6

I apologize for the late post but it was a very busy week for me. I'll do my best to make sure the Week 7 post is on time. Let's get started.

We have too many honorable mentions this week to really go into detail, so I'm just going to list them: Sam Ehlinger, Travis Etienne, Jake Browning, Myles Gaskin, and Laviska Shenault Jr. Hopefully, these players stick around so we can really give them their proper dues.

We have one player drop off from last week: Bryce Love, who was inactive in Stanford's game against UC Davis. Unfortunately, he's missed multiple games this season and that prevents him from making our top ten.

10. Trace McSorley, Penn State (Last Week: 10)- McSorley was on a bye in Week 6 and stays in the #10 spot.

9. Ian Book, Notre Dame (Last Week: NR)- Things looked bleak early for Notre Dame against #24 Virginia Tech but QB Ian Book stayed the course and guided the Irish to a 45-23 win to keep them undefeated. Book threw for 271 yards and one TD.

8. Benny Snell Jr., Kentucky (Last Week: 7)- Snell drops a spot after a lackluster performance against Texas A&M. His 13 carries for 60 yards and zero scores just don't cut it for the top 7. At least Kentucky won the game.

7. McKenzie Milton, Central Florida (Last Week: 8)- UCF whooped Southern Methodist by 28 points. Milton's passing numbers weren't great (18 of 34 for 278 yards, two scores, and a pick) but at least it was enough to get the win.

6. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma (Last Week: 5)- Oklahoma suffered a shock upset to Texas and Murray falls out of the top five as a result. Still, Murray played well as he threw for 304 yards and four touchdowns. It just wasn't enough to pick up the win.

5. Jake Fromm, Georgia (Last Week: 6)- Fromm continues to be the hidden gem on this list. His great performance against Vanderbilt, which included 276 passing yards and three touchdowns, should boost his standing.

4. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Last Week: 4)- Wisconsin had a  sensational game against fellow Big Ten team Nebraska. The real star of the show: sophomore Jonathan Taylor. He absolutely gashed the 'Huskers defense. His 24 carries went for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

3. Will Grier, West Virginia (Last Week: 2)- West Virginia beat Kansas but it wasn't pretty. Grier threw three red-zone interceptions, which is definitely not outstanding and drops Grier out of the #2 spot.

2. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- The Buckeyes steamrolled the Indiana Hoosiers and Haskins put on a Heisman-worthy performance. His 455 passing yards and six touchdowns through the air were both career highs.

1. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama (Last Week: 1)- Before we get into Tua's performance against Arkansas in Week 6, I just want to bring your attention to the fact that Tua has zero turnovers on the season. How incredible is that? Anyways, Tua was his usual brilliant self in Week 6 as he threw for 334 yards and four scores.

Thanks for reading everyone. 

NBA 2018-2019 Season Predictions

BASKETBALL IS BACK BABY. Time for some Steph Curry impossible threes, the King going Showtime, and Giannis defying the laws of nature. This promises to be an exciting season. Of course, with a new season comes predictions. Just like we did with our NFL season predictions, we're going to do these predictions rapid-fire. I really enjoy the new rapid-fire format and I think I'm going to keep it going forward.   Let's get started.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division: This will probably be the best division in the NBA. After years of Miami and then Cleveland dominating the conference, it really feels like the East is wide open. Or at least, open to whoever wins this division. I don't think anyone would be upset if I said the three best teams in the East were in this division. But how do they rank?

5. New York Knicks- The lone real bright spot for the Knicks is Kristaps Porzingis and we don't know how healthy he'll be this season. In fact, he may not even play at all. Either way, the Knicks should find themselves with plenty of balls for the next draft lottery.

4. Brooklyn Nets- Things are looking up for the Nets. No, really. They have a nice young core of
talent like Jarrett Allen, D'Angelo Russell, and Spencer Dinwiddie. There is a wide berth between them and the third team in this division, but Brooklyn fans should be optimistic about the future.

3. Philadelphia 76ers- It really feels like the Sixers have a wide range of outcomes for this regular season. On the one hand, they lost valuable role players in Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli. We also have yet to see Joel Embiid play a whole season. On the other, Embiid has proven he can stay healthy for long stretches of time and we get to see the new and improved Markelle Fultz. I wouldn't be surprised if Philly won 50 games this season and I wouldn't be surprised if they won 55.

2. Toronto Raptors- This is a tough pick but I'm picking the Celtics over the Raptors. Drake's favorite team did win four more games than Boston last year, but that was a very different team than the one they currently field. Gone is reigning Coach of the Year Dwayne Casey, gone is franchise cornerstone DeMar DeRozan. We have yet to see what Nick Nurse can do and we have no idea how Kwahi Leonard and Danny Green will fit in.

1. Boston Celtics- The Celtics are definitely the best team in the Eastern Conference and anything less than a berth in the Finals would be a disappointing season. There may be some growing pains as Gordon Hayward finally plays with his new team but coach Brad Stevens should be able to figure that out.

Central Division:

5. Chicago Bulls- There's really not much to say about the Bulls, they're still a few pieces away from competing for the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how much Lauri Markannen builds on his very promising rookie season.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers- The Cavs went from having one of the best trios in the NBA to now leaning solely on Kevin Love. For those of us paying attention five years ago, Love has the potential to lead a team and be a big star, but those Timberwolves teams had zero playoff success. He's going to need career seasons from guys like Rodney Hood and Tristan Thompson to make it back to the playoffs.

3. Detroit Pistons- The Motor City's favorite sons were the ninth seed last year and could have made the playoffs last year were it not for a long absence to starting point guard Reggie Jackson. Now, Jackson is healthy and we'll finally get to see what he can do with multiple-time All-Stars Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin.

2. Milwaukee Bucks- Most experts have the Bucks winning this division but I'm not that sure. Outside of elite star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have at best a good roster. Guys like Thon Maker and Ersan Ilyasova are talented but it's hard to see them being corner pieces of a true contender.

1. Indiana Pacers- Victor Oladipo has arrived. The former Hoosier became a household name last year and led the league in steals (something he'll probably do again this year). While we should expect some regression from Oladipo, let's not forget that the Pacers get big man Myles Turner back. Turner hardly played last year and it will be interesting to see him play with Oladipo.

Southeast Division:

5. Atlanta Hawks- The Hawks were the league's least watchable team last year but that should improve with first-round pick Trae Young. Still, talent is scarce down in Georgia and we really shouldn't expect much.

4. Orlando Magic- Outside of Aaron Gordon (who is no longer much of a novelty), the Magic are pretty uninteresting. Of course, lottery pick Mo Bamba could develop into something special but rookies rarely make an impact.

3. Charlotte Hornets- The biggest story about the Hornets this year will probably be what they do with Kemba Walker. The Hornets could trade Walker for a host of draft picks and begin rebuilding. They could also double down and make a playoff push.

2. Miami Heat- The Heat won the division last year but nothing suggests that they can progress upwards. They made no notable roster additions and it really feels like they overachieved last year.

1. Washington Wizards- If the Wizards can keep a lid on the locker room drama, they should win the division. Adding Dwight Howard was a smart move that needed a dominant paint presence. Jokes aside, Howard is still a great defensive player and one who should make a big splash this year.

Western Conference

Northwest Division:

5. Minnesota Timberwolves- This is top-to-bottom, the best division in the NBA and theoretically, all five teams could make the playoffs. The 'Wolves were genuinely one of the conference's best teams last year when Butler was healthy but I don't think Butler is long for Minnesota. His departure puts a big ceiling on this team.

4. Denver Nuggets- The Nuggets might be the most underappreciated team in the league. They have a young superstar in Nikola Jokic and have complementary pieces like Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, and Will Barton.

3. Portland Trail Blazers- The Blazers were the third seed in the West last year but I'm predicting them to fall a bit. They got embarrassed by New Orleans in the playoffs last year and made no notable additions in the offseason.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder- The Thunder actually got better by shedding Carmelo Anthony. They'll be even better when Andre Roberson, one of the best defensive players in the league, returns from injury.

1. Utah Jazz- Why not the Jazz? They have two genuine superstars in Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert and Quin Snyder is secretly one of the best coaches in the NBA.

Pacific Division:

5. Sacremento Kings- The Kings will most likely be dead last in the West this year. Their future isn't especially bright but at least Marvin Bagley III will be fun to watch.

4. Phoenix Suns- The Suns clearly think they're a better team than they are but their roster is full of potential thanks to guys like Josh Jackson, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton. Just don't expect them to be very good this year.

3. Los Angeles Clippers- The Clippers are back to being the other team in LA. Their last two stars from the beginning of last season, Blake Griffin and DJ, and are the definition of a listless team. Guys like Tobias Harris and Lou Williams will keep them in the playoff hunt, but it won't be easy.

2. Los Angeles Lakers- We should keep our expectations about the Lakers in check. Yes, LeBron is the best player in the world but his supporting cast is suspect at best. Brandon Ingram has yet to flash his true potential, Lonzo Ball can't shoot, Lance Stephenson is years past his prime, etc. Still, there's a lot to love here. Josh Hart is coming off of an excellent Summer League appearance, Rajon Rondo showed earlier this year that he's still got it, and Michael Beasley is coming off a year where he quietly averaged 13.2 PPG and hit 39.5% of his threes.

1. Golden State Warriors- The Warriors are still the undisputed gold standard of the league, plain and simple.

Southwest Division:

5. Dallas Mavericks- There's only one reason to watch the Mavs this year: Luka Doncic. That's it.

4. Memphis Grizzlies- The Grizzlies were a train wreck last year but with a healthy Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, they should at least escape the cellar.

3. San Antonio Spurs- This season will be one of the toughest for the legendary Coach Popovich. He's lost Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Danny Green, and Kwahi Leonard, four Spurs stalwarts over the last number of years.

2. New Orleans Pelicans- The Pelicans will probably miss Rajon Rondo but they have a new young star in Julius Randle. Regardless, this is Anthony Davis's team and their success all depends on him.

1. Houston Rockets- These aren't the same Rockets from last year. Gone are Ryan Anderson and Trevor Ariza and in are Carmelo Anthony and MCW. If Carmelo can become even half of the scorer he was in New York, the Rockets will be a threat to the Dubs.

East Seeds: 1. Boston Celtics 2. Toronto Raptors 3. Indiana Pacers 4. Philadelphia 76ers
5. Washington Wizards 6. Milwaukee Bucks 7. Miami Heat 8. Detroit Pistons

West Seeds: 1. Golden State Warriors 2. Houston Rockets 3. Utah Jazz 4. Oklahoma City Thunder
5. Los Angeles Lakers 6. New Orleans Pelicans 7. Portland Trail Blazers 8. San Antonio Spurs ( I want to see the Nuggets make the playoffs but I can't keep the Spurs out).

First Round:

#8 Detroit Pistons at #1 Boston Celtics- Yeah, this will be a sweep. The Pistons should be happy just making the postseason.

#5 Washington Wizards at #4 Philadelphia 76ers- This could actually be an interesting series. Washington has the guard play and paint presence to make the Sixers nervous. I'm still going to go with the chalk team here though, the Wizards just don't have the talent to match up with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

#7 Miami Heat at #2 Toronto Raptors- I can see a sweep here but Miami is also talented enough to steal one game. Let's say Raptors in 5.

#6 Milwaukee Bucks at #3 Indiana Pacers- This should be one of the best first-round series this year. The Pacers will have the home-court advantage but the Bucks have the best player in the East: Giannis. I'm going to pick the upset here and go with the Bucks. No one on Indiana will be able to shut down Giannis and his complementary pieces of Thon Maker and Ersan Ilyasova will make waves.

#8 San Antonio Spurs at #1 Golden State Warriors- Just like when these two teams met in the conference finals two years ago, this should be a sweep.

#5 Los Angeles Lakers at #4 Oklahoma City Thunder- LeBron doesn't lose in the first round, it just doesn't happen. Besides, the Thunder have had zero success in the playoffs since KD left. In the last two years, they've won just three playoff games.

#7 Portland Trail Blazers at #2 Houston Rockets- The Blazers got embarrassed last year by the Pelicans and I don't expect them to fare much better here.

#6 New Orleans Pelicans at #3 Utah Jazz- As crazy as this sounds, the Pelicans might be doomed without Playoff Rondo. In last year's playoffs, Rondo hit more than 42% of his threes and averaged 12.2 assists a game. Plus, AD will find himself covered by Rudy Gobert, the best defensive player in the game. Give me the Jazz in 6 or 7.

Second Round:

#4 Philadelphia 76ers at #1 Boston Celtics- To predict this series, we look back to last year's playoffs where the Celtics handily beat Philly in five games. Let's add Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward to that, and you got a dominant Celtics victory.

#6 Milwaukee Bucks at #2 Toronto Raptors- The fact we might see a Giannis vs. Kwahi playoff series makes me unbelievably happy. That being said, give me the 6 in 6.

#5 Los Angeles Lakers at #1 Golden State Warriors- There will understandably be tremendous hype around this series but remember that LeBron is 1-3 against the Dubs. That shouldn't change here.

#3 Utah Jazz at #2 Houston Rockets- I really want to pick an upset here but I just can't do it. A healthy trio of James Harden, CP3, and Clint Capela is too good to lose in the second round.

Conference Finals:

#2 Toronto Raptors at #1 Boston Celtics- If Kwahi stays in Toronto, then we could see these two teams in the semis for the next five years. This year, I'm picking the Celtics. They've got the best starting lineup in the league east of Oakland.

#2 Houston Rockets at #1 Golden State Warriors- This series went to a full seven games last year and I think it goes to seven again. The real difference could be DeMarcus Cousins. The Warriors finally have someone to combat the newly paid Capela.

Finals:

Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors- I think that this current iteration will eventually win a title, but not this year. The Warriors are unquestionably the best team in the NBA. Give me the Dubs in 6.
Finals MVP: Kevin Durant

Season Awards:

MVP: Anthony Davis- Davis was unstoppable last year after Cousins went out. Now, he's got the potential to put up crazy stats the entire year.
Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert- Gobert won this award last year even after missing a good chunk of the season. If he stays completely healthy, this is is his award to lose.
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Knox- The trendy pick is Ayton but let us not forget about the man who wowed everyone over the summer.
Coach of the Year: Quin Snyder- A lot of people will pick Brad Stevens but come on, I could coach that lineup to a playoff spot.
Sixth Man: J.J. Redick- Runner-up for this spot is one of the best sixth men in recent memory: Lou Williams.
Most Improved Player: Myles Turner- He was my pick last year before he got injured.

Thanks for reading everyone. 

Heisman Watch Week 5

Now that we're in October, I think that we finally get some real Heisman speculation going. All of the "real" Heisman candidates have made their early cases and we've weeded out the early pretenders like Khalil Tate and Brandon Wimbush. With that being said, let's take a look at our Week 5 rankings.

Only one player dropped out from last week: Drew Lock of Missouri who was off in Week 5.

Just like last week, Notre Dame's Ian Book put up a great performance and makes our honorable mentions. He is joined by Michigan's Karan Higdon, who ran for 115 yards and two scores against Northwestern. Let's get started.

10. Trace McSorley, Penn State (Last Week: 9)- McSorley drops a spot after Penn State failed to maintain their lead against Ohio State. When the game started, McSorley genuinely looked like the most outstanding player on the field. Unfortunately, the Nittany Lions blew the lead and McSorley's Heisman stock falls as a result. While his passing numbers weren't great (16 of 32 for 286 yards and two scores), he also ran for  175 yards.

9. Bryce Love, Stanford (Last Week: 8)- Love's once fiery Heisman campaign is currently not much more than a pile of damp embers. While 103 total yards and a rushing touchdown isn't a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, it's nowhere near enough to consider him for the top five. Love isn't even orbiting the planet that guys like Kyler Murray and Will Grier currently reside in.

8. McKenzie Milton, Central Florida (Last Week: NR)- Some are going to say that I've been late on the Milton party, and you know what? They're probably right. UCF is ranked #12 and undefeated. In the Week 5 win against Pitt, Milton threw for 328 yards and four scores as UCF handily won by 35 points.

7. Benny Snell Jr. (Last Week: 7)- I know I'm supposed to be unbiased and I do my very best to make sure these rankings are fair. With that being said, I must confess that I am rooting for one person to win the Heisman this year. That man: Kentucky back Benny Snell Jr. Out of absolutely nowhere, Kentucky has emerged as a must-watch force in the SEC East and Snell is the biggest reason why. In the win over South Carolina, Snell ran for 99 yards and one score as the Wildcats steamrolled their competition. LET'S GO SNELL.

6. Jake Fromm, Georgia (Last Week: 5)- This is probably the only Heisman watch out this week that still has Jake Fromm ranked. But how can I not rank him? Georgia is unbeaten, ranked #2, and Fromm has been playing relatively well. Against Tennessee, Fromm went 16 of 22 for 185 yards and zero scores.

5. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma (Last Week: 6)- When looking over Murray's stats in Week 5 against Baylor (17 of 21 passes completed, seven total touchdowns, and 432 passing yards), I remembered something: this man isn't even going to the NFL. In fact, he's already been drafted by Oakland. If football is his second-best sport, then Murray's going to be a star the level of guys like Mike Trout and Giancarlo Stanton.

4. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Last Week: 3)-I'm just as surprised as you are that Taylor is still in the top four. Unless he plays really well in Week 6 against Nebraska (and he should, the winless Scott Frost-led Corn Huskers are terrible), then he should fall out of the top five.

3. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (Last Week: 4)- Haskins and the rest of his team started off slowly but found their groove and pulled out the win. Haskins had easily his worst statistical game of the season so far as he went 22 of 39 for 270 yards, three passing touchdowns, and one pick.

2. Will Grier, West Virginia (Last Week: 2)- Grier had himself another big game as the Mountaineers beat the Red Raiders of Texas Tech. His final stat line: 27 of 41 for 370 yards and three scores. On top of that, West Virginia is now ranked in the top 10.

1. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama (Last Week: 1)- No surprises here, Tagovailoa is still #1 in our rankings. As 'Bama ran roughshod over Louisiana, Tua went 8 for 8 with 128 yards and two scores. If the Heisman race ended in September, Tua would have my vote.

Thanks for reading everyone.