2022 College Football Discussion & Pick'em Thread

[NewYorkExpress]

Looks like the usual #PAC12AfterDark shenanigans are in full swing again.

Early in the Third Quarter, Oregon State leads #7 USC 7-3.

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Stephen F. Austin just beat Warner (which I think is Division II) 98-0.

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With Week Four officially done, a new set of playoff and New Year's Six predictions from me.

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs Kentucky

Sugar: Oklahoma State vs Tennessee

Rose: USC vs Michigan

Cotton: Washington vs Coastal Carolina

Fiesta #1 Alabama vs #4 Georgia

Peach #2 Ohio State vs #3 Clemson

[NewYorkExpress]

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/page/gamedayfinal092422/college-football-week-4-highlights-top-plays-games-takeaways

Nebraska is like the VHS tape in "The Ring." All who come into contact with it are doomed to perish within seven days.

I don't know why, but I found that amusing.

[NewYorkExpress]

Georgia Tech Athletic Association Board to meet tomorrow to discuss future of football program.

A special meeting of the Georgia Tech Athletic Association board has been called for Monday afternoon, a school spokesman told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday morning.


He did not disclose details of the meeting, but it’s a strong indication that a decision about a change in the leadership of the football program has been made. That could mean either athletic director Todd Stansbury or coach Geoff Collins or both.

Additionally, team meetings have been canceled Sunday, a person familiar with the program told the AJC. As the team normally meets and practices on Sunday and takes Monday off, this is a significant departure and strongly suggests that the change will include Collins.

Assuming Collins is fired...Georgia Tech should be somewhere where they can make bowl games on a regular basis.

While they aren't going to get Urban Meyer, Dave Aranda or a high-profile assistant like Graham Harrell or Bill O'Brien, a good competent coach should be doable for the Yellow Jackets.

My guesses for the next head coach at Georgia Tech, assuming Collins is fired.

Former Florida Head Coach Dan Mullen
Former Nebraska Head Coach Scott Frost
Coastal Carolina Head Coach Jamey Chadwell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Byron Leftwich
Tennessee Offensive Coordinator Alex Golesh

[NewYorkExpress]

The new AP Poll is in.

1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan
5. Clemson
6. USC
7. Oklahoma State
8. Kentucky
9. Tennessee
10. NC State
11. Ole Miss
12. Penn State
13. Utah
14. Baylor
15. Oregon
16. Oklahoma
17. Texas A&M
18. Washington
19. Arkansas
20. BYU
21. Wake Forest
22. Florida State
23. Minnesota
24. Pittsburgh
25. Syracuse

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Houston
Middle Tennessee
Boise State
UCLA (I got burned picking #PAC12afterDark last week, but UCLA is significantly better than both Oregon State and Washington State)

Oklahoma
Kentucky (can the Wildcats do the impossible and win SEC titles in both basketball and football in the same season? It will require beating both Alabama and Georgia, but I'm a believer)
Kansas State
Illinois (Can Illinois do the impossible and make the Big Ten Title game? Going to Camp Randall Stadium is tough journey, but this Illini team seems to have something special going for them)
Utah
Northern Illinois
Alabama (I want to pick Arkansas, I really do, but Alabama's just too good)
Baylor (Dave Aranda might actually be the best non-Nick Saban coach in the country. Why he passed on the LSU/Florida/USC/Oklahoma jobs is a mystery to me)
Florida State (I think the Seminoles are back, even if they probably won't beat Clemson)
Kansas (Can the Jayhawks win the Big Twelve in Basketball and Football? They'd have to beat Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor twice, which won't be easy, but Lance Leipold is making a believer out of me.)
Maryland (Wasn't it last year we were hailing Mel Tucker as one of the best coaches in the country)
UCF
Buffalo
Texas A&M
Washington State (Wazzu isn't good, but Cal is horrible)
Liberty
LSU (Brian Harsin's fate is sealed with this game. Will we go four weeks in a row with a coaching change in a Power Five conference?)
Clemson (I want to pick NC State, but Clemson is just too good. Last season was a strange anomaly for the Tigers)
Indiana
Duke (The Blue Devils right the ship against a bad Virgnia side. The way Duke is playing, an ACC Coastal title might not be out of reach)
Oregon (No #PAC12AfterDark here)

[NewYorkExpress]

And here's an especially hot take -- I think Georgia Tech could possibly come to the SEC in the inevitable future when Clemson and Florida State do. The SEC would be fools to let the Big 10 or even the Big 12 have a foothold in the Atlanta market.

In a sense by having Georgia, they already have the Atlanta Market. Also, I think Georgia Tech, Clemson and Florida State are stuck in the ACC because I can't imagine Georgia, South Carolina and Florida voting to let them join the conference (especially in the cases of Georgia/Georgia Tech and Florida/Florida State). More likely future SEC schools, if the conference expands again, are the four ACC schools in North Carolina (Duke, North Carolina, NC State and Wake Forest) some combination of Baylor/Oklahoma State/Texas Tech and possibly Louisville (if Kentucky gets on board).

[NewYorkExpress]

https://twitter.com/YahooSportsCFB/status/1574157252457537539

[NewYorkExpress]

College Gameday is heading to NC State/Clemson this week.

Good choice, though I probably would have preferred one of Alabama/Arkansas, Kentucky/Ole Miss or Oklahoma State/Baylor instead.

I think the Gameday choices for next week come down to Texas A&M/Arkansas, Auburn/Georgia, Tennessee/LSU, Florida State/NC State, and Texas/OKlahoma...with a slim possibility of TCU/Kansas.

If I had to pick, I'd go with Texas/Oklahoma. There's just something about the Red River Rivalry that excites fan passions.

[NewYorkExpress]

https://www.si.com/college/2022/09/26/college-football-bowl-projections-schedule-playoff?utm_source=reddit.com Sorry NYE you have been outdone

I'm not sure there's a scenario (barring Alabama losing before the SEC Championship Game) that doesn't have both Alabama and Georgia in the playoff.

[NewYorkExpress]

Hank Bachmeier is transferring out of Boise State to retain two seasons of eligibility.

The Mountain West has been a disgrace this year in what should have been its big chance to assert itself as the premier G5 over the Sun Belt. Five schools would probably not be among the top 25 FCS squads (Hawaii, Colorado State and Utah State for sure, plus probably Nevada and possibly New Mexico). San Diego State and now Boise State go from being top 40 teams to probably outside the top 80 or worse.

Fresno State could be the best, but they will not have an FBS win until October 8 at best, so no accolades unless they win out. Shame Air Force lost to Wyoming because they should race through the remaining schedule with ease ("if they can run the ball" - Rick Bo$co) - but the SoS could still keep them out of any New Year's bowls conversations.

What a catastrophe.

Cincinnati could probably sleepwalk their way into the NY6 once the parity in the Sun Belt East beats up on each other all season. Hilariously, Western Kentucky, who was just rejected by both the American and the MAC, is just about the only team that could maybe take their place if there is a slip up.

I think Coastal Carolina's got the inside track on a New Year's Six bowl, provided they remain unbeaten (and honestly, they should. They get Appalachian State and Old Dominion at home, and their toughest test beyond that, a road game at Virginia is definitely winnable the way Virginia's been playing.)

[NewYorkExpress]

Upset Alert? Early in the third quarter, Utah State and #19 BYU are tied at 17.

BYU is driving however...

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And just like that, BYU has taken the lead.

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Air Force is apparently on probabtion for hosting recruits during the COVID-19 dead periods.

I didn't know the Service Academies actually recruited players for their athletic programs. I learned something new today.

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SMU/UCF moved to Wednesday. I assume that’ll count for next week?

I'd just assume it gets dropped altogether, (unless there just aren't enough compelling games next week) but I neither pick the games nor keep score.

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Looks like Tulane and Houston are headed to overtime.

All tied up at 21 as the fourth quarter comes to a close.

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Is UCLA for real?

The Bruins lead #16 Washington 23-10 midway through the Second Quarter.

We also have a potential actual upset early tonight, as New Mexico leads UNLV 17-0 early in the second quarter.

UNLV came into this game as two touchdown favorites.

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It's still early (both these games are only in the second quarter), but we may have a couple of possible upsets on our hands.

Purdue leads #21 Minnesota 10-3.

TCU leads #18 Oklahoma 27-10.

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I'm starting to suspect Dereich was right and I was wrong about Florida State. Wake Forest leads the Seminoles 21-7, late in the Second Quarter.

[NewYorkExpress]

College Gameday next week doesn't have a lot of good options (unless they want to do an FCS game).

Personally, I think it should be either TCU/Kansas or Utah/UCLA (though I imagine FOX will call dibs on that one), with Texas A&M/Alabama also being possible, I suppose, as that's the uncontested big game of the week.

[NewYorkExpress]

College Gameday next week doesn't have a lot of good options (unless they want to do an FCS game).

Personally, I think it should be either TCU/Kansas or Utah/UCLA (though I imagine FOX will call dibs on that one), with Texas A&M/Alabama also being possible, I suppose, as that's the uncontested big game of the week.

OU Texas is still a big rivalry, even if it's unranked this time

True, but I don't think it's the Gameday game unless Oklahoma for some reason remains ranked.

I'd guess either Texas A&M/Alabama (they've gone to the CBS game for Gameday before) or Florida State/NC State (though Tennessee/LSU is probably the third choice. At least one of those teams, and possibly both will be ranked after this week.)

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Mike Leach yet again proving he's one of the best coaches in the country. Mississippi State leads #17 Texas A&M 14-0 early in the third quarter.

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Purdue pulls off the upset against #21 Minnesota 20-10.

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I know we haven't gotten to the night games this week, but I've seen enough to predict the New Year's Six and Playoff games post Week Five.

Orange: NC State vs Penn State

Rose: Oregon vs Michigan

Sugar: Ole Miss vs Oklahoma State

Cotton: Kansas vs Coastal Carolina

Peach: #1 Georgia vs #4 Alabama

Fiesta: #2 Ohio State vs #3 Clemson