2021 College Football Discussion and Pick'em Thread

[Donerail]

Ed Orgeron out at LSU at the end of the season.

Looking at who LSU might consider to replace Orgeron, I'm thinking Kentucky Head Coach Mark Stoops, Oregon Head Coach Mario Cristobal, Cincinnati Head Coach Luke Fickell or Wake Forest Head Coach Dave Clawson.

Bad list. Here are some more realistic options:

• Former Arkansas & Ole Miss HC Houston Nutt
• Liberty HC Hugh Freeze
• Missouri State HC Bobby Petrino
• Jacksonville Jaguars HC Urban Meyer
• U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

All experienced head coaches with records of success in the SEC. LSU would be foolish not to choose from among these options.

[NewYorkExpress]

Ed Orgeron out at LSU at the end of the season.

Looking at who LSU might consider to replace Orgeron, I'm thinking Kentucky Head Coach Mark Stoops, Oregon Head Coach Mario Cristobal, Cincinnati Head Coach Luke Fickell or Wake Forest Head Coach Dave Clawson.

Bad list. Here are some more realistic options:

• Former Arkansas & Ole Miss HC Houston Nutt
• Liberty HC Hugh Freeze
• Missouri State HC Bobby Petrino
• Jacksonville Jaguars HC Urban Meyer
• U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

All experienced head coaches with records of success in the SEC. LSU would be foolish not to choose from among these options.

I can't see a problem with your list, other than Tuberville. He seems to enjoy being a Senator (of course, if the Alabama job opened up for some reason....).

[Donerail]

Bad list. Here are some more realistic options:

• Former Arkansas & Ole Miss HC Houston Nutt
• Liberty HC Hugh Freeze
• Missouri State HC Bobby Petrino
• Jacksonville Jaguars HC Urban Meyer
• U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

All experienced head coaches with records of success in the SEC. LSU would be foolish not to choose from among these options.

I can't see a problem with your list, other than Tuberville. He seems to enjoy being a Senator (of course, if the Alabama job opened up for some reason....).

What? It's a joke. LSU should not hire any of those people. It would be an utter catastrophe if they did.

Real names in the LSU search — keeping in mind that they're still at a very early stage — are Napier, Aranda, Tucker, Kiffin, probably a few bigger names they'll swing at and probably miss

[Хahar 🤔]

It's time for Joe Brady to come home.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Here's Pete Thamel (Yahoo Sports) with a suggestion for a penalty on Tennessee:

Here’s an idea. When Tennessee plays its next home game against Georgia on Nov. 13, the Vols should play in front of a stadium without any Vols fans. All ticket holders should be refunded. But more important, the significant advantage of playing a home game in front of a home crowd should be taken away. With those 90,000-plus voices silenced, the Vols will have little chance against the No. 1 Bulldogs. (Letting in 5,000 or so UGA fans — whatever their normal allotment is — would be a nice touch.)

https://sports.yahoo.com/takeaways-at-midway-point-heres-the-college-football-playoff-picture-064128981.html

[Never Made it to Graceland]

Ed Orgeron out at LSU at the end of the season.

Looking at who LSU might consider to replace Orgeron, I'm thinking Kentucky Head Coach Mark Stoops, Oregon Head Coach Mario Cristobal, Cincinnati Head Coach Luke Fickell or Wake Forest Head Coach Dave Clawson.

Bad list. Here are some more realistic options:

• Former Arkansas & Ole Miss HC Houston Nutt
• Liberty HC Hugh Freeze
• Missouri State HC Bobby Petrino
• Jacksonville Jaguars HC Urban Meyer
• U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

All experienced head coaches with records of success in the SEC. LSU would be foolish not to choose from among these options.

Les Miles is available.

[GeorgiaModerate]

UCF

Wake Forest (I want to believe in an unbeaten ACC Champion Wake Forest. Would that be enough to get them to the playoffs? I don't know. They didn't pick a good year for Clemson to have a down year)
Texas
Northern Illinois
Kansas State
Virginia Tech
Georgia State
Purdue (If Purdue can beat Iowa, they can beat a mediocre Wisconsin team at home)
Oklahoma State
Oregon
Mississppi (let the Ed Orgeron farewell tour begin)
Minnesota
Ball State
Buffalo
Colorado
BYU
Louisville
Houston
Alabama (This one won't even be close)
San Diego State
Notre Dame (needless to say, Cincinnati fans will be rooting for the Fighting Irish)
Virginia
TCU
Utah

You've left out two games and seem to have added one.  Texas isn't in our list this week (they're off this week).  Texas Tech and Texas State are in the list, but you have other picks for both those games.

[NewYorkExpress]

UCF

Wake Forest (I want to believe in an unbeaten ACC Champion Wake Forest. Would that be enough to get them to the playoffs? I don't know. They didn't pick a good year for Clemson to have a down year)
Texas
Northern Illinois
Kansas State
Virginia Tech
Georgia State
Purdue (If Purdue can beat Iowa, they can beat a mediocre Wisconsin team at home)
Oklahoma State
Oregon
Mississppi (let the Ed Orgeron farewell tour begin)
Minnesota
Ball State
Buffalo
Colorado
BYU
Louisville
Houston
Alabama (This one won't even be close)
San Diego State
Notre Dame (needless to say, Cincinnati fans will be rooting for the Fighting Irish)
Virginia
TCU
Utah

You've left out two games and seem to have added one.  Texas isn't in our list this week (they're off this week).  Texas Tech and Texas State are in the list, but you have other picks for both those games.

So, ignore the Texas pick...and I'll take Pittsburgh over Clemson and Buffalo over Akron. I assume those are two I'm missing?

[GeorgiaModerate]

UCF

Wake Forest (I want to believe in an unbeaten ACC Champion Wake Forest. Would that be enough to get them to the playoffs? I don't know. They didn't pick a good year for Clemson to have a down year)
Texas
Northern Illinois
Kansas State
Virginia Tech
Georgia State
Purdue (If Purdue can beat Iowa, they can beat a mediocre Wisconsin team at home)
Oklahoma State
Oregon
Mississppi (let the Ed Orgeron farewell tour begin)
Minnesota
Ball State
Buffalo
Colorado
BYU
Louisville
Houston
Alabama (This one won't even be close)
San Diego State
Notre Dame (needless to say, Cincinnati fans will be rooting for the Fighting Irish)
Virginia
TCU
Utah

You've left out two games and seem to have added one.  Texas isn't in our list this week (they're off this week).  Texas Tech and Texas State are in the list, but you have other picks for both those games.

So, ignore the Texas pick...and I'll take Pittsburgh over Clemson and Buffalo over Akron. I assume those are two I'm missing?

Pitt-Clemson was one of them.  Nevada @ Fresno State is the one you're still missing.

[NewYorkExpress]

UCF

Wake Forest (I want to believe in an unbeaten ACC Champion Wake Forest. Would that be enough to get them to the playoffs? I don't know. They didn't pick a good year for Clemson to have a down year)
Texas
Northern Illinois
Kansas State
Virginia Tech
Georgia State
Purdue (If Purdue can beat Iowa, they can beat a mediocre Wisconsin team at home)
Oklahoma State
Oregon
Mississppi (let the Ed Orgeron farewell tour begin)
Minnesota
Ball State
Buffalo
Colorado
BYU
Louisville
Houston
Alabama (This one won't even be close)
San Diego State
Notre Dame (needless to say, Cincinnati fans will be rooting for the Fighting Irish)
Virginia
TCU
Utah

You've left out two games and seem to have added one.  Texas isn't in our list this week (they're off this week).  Texas Tech and Texas State are in the list, but you have other picks for both those games.

So, ignore the Texas pick...and I'll take Pittsburgh over Clemson and Buffalo over Akron. I assume those are two I'm missing?

Pitt-Clemson was one of them.  Nevada @ Fresno State is the one you're still missing.

Ah. I'll take Fresno State over Nevada for that one.

[Donerail]

WEEK EIGHT

Friday, October 22

UCF

Saturday, October 23

Wake Forest
Texas Tech
CMU
Va. Tech
Georgia St.
Wisconsin
Iowa St.
UCLA
Ole Miss
Clemson
Minnesota
Miami-OH
Buffalo
California
BYU
Louisville
Houston
Alabama
Air Force
Fresno St.
Notre Dame
Virginia
TCU
Utah

[GeorgiaModerate]

Why is Iowa State such a large favorite over Oklahoma State?

[GeorgiaModerate]

Washington State coach Nick Rolovich and several assistants have been fired for not complying with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for state employees.  Defensive coordinator Jake Dickert is expected to be named as the interim coach.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32426315/nick-rolovich-washington-state-football-coach-refusing-state-mandated-covid-19-vaccine-source-says

[Donerail]

Why is Iowa State such a large favorite over Oklahoma State?

At Ames

[NewYorkExpress]

Washington State coach Nick Rolovich and several assistants have been fired for not complying with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for state employees.  Defensive coordinator Jake Dickert is expected to be named as the interim coach.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32426315/nick-rolovich-washington-state-football-coach-refusing-state-mandated-covid-19-vaccine-source-says

That's the right decision. We shouldn't be giving out religious exemptions for the COVID vaccine to anyone.

As for who might replace Rolovich, I'd guess the shortlist right now is BYU Head Coach Kalani Sitake, Former Washington Head Coach Chris Petersen, and interim Head Coach Jake Dickert.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Why is Iowa State such a large favorite over Oklahoma State?

At Ames

Yeah, I get that.  I'm one of the biggest home field leaners here, and I'll probably pick the Cyclones.  I'm just surprised at the size of it (7 points) against a team with a better record that looks stronger on paper, even with the home field advantage.

[Donerail]

Why is Iowa State such a large favorite over Oklahoma State?

At Ames

Yeah, I get that.  I'm one of the biggest home field leaners here, and I'll probably pick the Cyclones.  I'm just surprised at the size of it (7 points) against a team with a better record that looks stronger on paper, even with the home field advantage.

I haven’t been impressed by OK State — it feels like we have to pretend they’re better than they actually are just because they’re unbeaten. Sanders is not a very good quarterback (very interception-prone) and the defense is fine but certainly not exceptional. Iowa State is sort of the inverse situation, where they came into the year highly overrated, looked very shaky early and fell out of the national conversation, and now seem to be figuring some stuff out.
Wazzu names — not Petersen (lol) and not Sitake (he's already in a better job). Hard to think of a list for that job tbh, it's an exceptionally difficult place to win — recruiting is extremely difficult, you're very isolated and far away from anywhere with talent, and they don't have a ton of money for assistants/facilities. Probably the worst job in the Pac-12, maybe even the P5. Someone like Jay Norvell at Nevada, who's managed to win despite a lack of resources or easy recruiting, would make sense here; problem is that, if you're Norvell, you might get better offers from somewhere else. Might have to pull someone from the FCS ranks, Jay Hill at Weber State or someone from one of the Montanas.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Wazzu is screwed. They drove the only two decent coaches willing to coach and win there out of town. With Oregon State very much on the rise, get ready for a lot of 5th and 6th place finishes in the North next decade. Only saved by Cal's completely mysterious inability to string consecutive successful seasons together.

The news not discussed here is that the American Conference appears to have screwed itself even more than we already thought it to be while putting C-USA in a marginally better position with some addition by subtraction.

[Хahar 🤔]

Graham Harrell is conceptually interesting: he runs an offense that's been proven to work at Washington State and he's the guy I thought they would try to get when Leach left. The USC job being open might complicate things, but I'm not sure how serious a contender he is. Alex Grinch was at Wazzu recently, but he might be too big for that job now (although Rolovich's salary would double Grinch's current salary). My guess is that Dickert will be given a real opportunity to win the job, but given that the Cougars have ripped off three straight wins against teams that should be better than them, there's a good chance that regression means that it ends up looking like the team collapsed on his watch.

The news not discussed here is that the American Conference appears to have screwed itself even more than we already thought it to be while putting C-USA in a marginally better position with some addition by subtraction.

It's bizarre to see them chasing major markets as if it's 2011. Picking up these urban commuter schools instead of teams with actual fans is what made Conference USA the bottom-tier conference to begin with, and now the AAC thinks that those same schools are its ticket to...well, nobody knows.

[Never Made it to Graceland]

Wazzu is screwed. They drove the only two decent coaches willing to coach and win there out of town. With Oregon State very much on the rise, get ready for a lot of 5th and 6th place finishes in the North next decade. Only saved by Cal's completely mysterious inability to string consecutive successful seasons together.

The news not discussed here is that the American Conference appears to have screwed itself even more than we already thought it to be while putting C-USA in a marginally better position with some addition by subtraction.

Rolovich deserved it. He can go coach at Bob Jones University or some other place where conspiracy theories are part of the curriculum.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Memphis @ UCF 7 PM EDT ESPN2
#16 Wake Forest @ Army Noon EDT CBSSN
Kansas State @ Texas Tech Noon EDT FS1
Northern Illinois @ Central Michigan Noon EDT ESPNU
Syracuse @ Virginia Tech 12:30 PM EDT ESPN3
Texas State @ Georgia State 2 PM EDT ESPN+
Wisconsin @ #25 Purdue 3 PM EDT BTN
#8 Oklahoma State @ Iowa State 3:30 PM EDT FOX
#10 Oregon @ UCLA 3:30 PM EDT ABC
LSU @ #12 Ole Miss 3:30 PM EDT CBS
Clemson @ #23 Pittsburgh 3:30 PM EDT ESPN
Maryland @ Minnesota 3:30 PM EDT ESPN2
Miami (OH) @ Ball State 3:30 PM EDT ESPN+
Buffalo @ Akron 3:30 PM EDT ESPN+
Colorado @ California 3:30 PM EDT PAC12
BYU @ Washington State 3:30 PM EDT FS1
Boston College @ Louisville 4 PM EDT ACCN
East Carolina @ Houston 4 PM EDT ESPNU
Tennessee @ #4 Alabama 7 PM EDT ESPN
#22 San Diego State @ Air Force 7 PM EDT CBSSN
Nevada @ Fresno State 7 PM EDT FS2
USC @ #13 Notre Dame 7:30 PM EDT NBC
Georgia Tech @ Virginia 7:30 PM EDT ACCN
West Virginia @ TCU 7:30 PM EDT ESPNU
Utah @ Oregon State 7:30 PM EDT PAC12

[Dereich]

Graham Harrell is conceptually interesting: he runs an offense that's been proven to work at Washington State and he's the guy I thought they would try to get when Leach left. The USC job being open might complicate things, but I'm not sure how serious a contender he is. Alex Grinch was at Wazzu recently, but he might be too big for that job now (although Rolovich's salary would double Grinch's current salary). My guess is that Dickert will be given a real opportunity to win the job, but given that the Cougars have ripped off three straight wins against teams that should be better than them, there's a good chance that regression means that it ends up looking like the team collapsed on his watch.

No way Harrell is a serious candidate for USC. If there’s one thing you can count on it is that an AD will try to avoid the mistake of their predecessor. Clay Helton was an unknown; a coordinator who did well enough as interim to get the big job. With Helton failing USC will go out of their way to avoid hiring another in-program coordinator to avoid looking like they’re doing the same thing. I expect them to try for some big popular name. 

[Dereich]

Wazzu is screwed. They drove the only two decent coaches willing to coach and win there out of town. With Oregon State very much on the rise, get ready for a lot of 5th and 6th place finishes in the North next decade. Only saved by Cal's completely mysterious inability to string consecutive successful seasons together.

The news not discussed here is that the American Conference appears to have screwed itself even more than we already thought it to be while putting C-USA in a marginally better position with some addition by subtraction.

Rolovich deserved it. He can go coach at Bob Jones University or some other place where conspiracy theories are part of the curriculum.

I wouldn’t count on it. Other programs, especially the administrations, won’t see this as “standing on principals” or “owning the libs” or whatever. They’ll see a wild card who refuses to follow rules or explain himself. A PR nightmare.

[Never Made it to Graceland]

Graham Harrell is conceptually interesting: he runs an offense that's been proven to work at Washington State and he's the guy I thought they would try to get when Leach left. The USC job being open might complicate things, but I'm not sure how serious a contender he is. Alex Grinch was at Wazzu recently, but he might be too big for that job now (although Rolovich's salary would double Grinch's current salary). My guess is that Dickert will be given a real opportunity to win the job, but given that the Cougars have ripped off three straight wins against teams that should be better than them, there's a good chance that regression means that it ends up looking like the team collapsed on his watch.

No way Harrell is a serious candidate for USC. If there’s one thing you can count on it is that an AD will try to avoid the mistake of their predecessor. Clay Helton was an unknown; a coordinator who did well enough as interim to get the big job. With Helton failing USC will go out of their way to avoid hiring another in-program coordinator to avoid looking like they’re doing the same thing. I expect them to try for some big popular name. 

For what it's worth multiple major sports journos seem to think it will be Franklin. Hopefully it throws Pedo State in disarray.

Wazzu is screwed. They drove the only two decent coaches willing to coach and win there out of town. With Oregon State very much on the rise, get ready for a lot of 5th and 6th place finishes in the North next decade. Only saved by Cal's completely mysterious inability to string consecutive successful seasons together.

The news not discussed here is that the American Conference appears to have screwed itself even more than we already thought it to be while putting C-USA in a marginally better position with some addition by subtraction.

Rolovich deserved it. He can go coach at Bob Jones University or some other place where conspiracy theories are part of the curriculum.

I wouldn’t count on it. Other programs, especially the administrations, won’t see this as “standing on principals” or “owning the libs” or whatever. They’ll see a wild card who refuses to follow rules or explain himself. A PR nightmare.

I don't even know if Bob Jones University has a football program but that's the type of school that would be an exception to your rule.

[Donerail]

The news not discussed here is that the American Conference appears to have screwed itself even more than we already thought it to be while putting C-USA in a marginally better position with some addition by subtraction.

Fascinated to learn that they feared the Mountain West
https://twitter.com/chrisvannini/status/1450242624405786624
Can't imagine how powerful the MW would be if they added programs like Rice