Week 2
POWER OF ONE
OVERVIEW
September 11, 2015
One week down. One week of triumph and defeat. 1-0 or 0-1. The one team on top stayed on top. Some teams showed the nation they’re ready, others showed they need work. From Minnesota-TCU on Thursday to Ohio State-Virginia Tech on Monday, college football gave us a roller coaster ride. Teams started their non-conference schedules and sparked much debate over who is playing the right teams versus the wrong. All politics aside, college football is back, and the matchups are heating up already.
STORYLINES OF THE YEAR
FBS vs. FCS (Power 5 vs. Other 5) What’s the big deal?
Dana Holgerson came out this week and said FBS teams shouldn’t play FCS teams anymore (West Virginia doesn’t have any FCS teams scheduled after the 2017 season). The playoff committee looks at the strength of a team’s non-conference schedule to determine who will get in. While I agree that playing an FBS team is generally better than an FCS team, there are some arguments to be made. For example, if a team plays Kansas, is that considered a good non-conference game? The Jayhawks just lost to FCS South Dakota State and may not win more than two games this year. They are a Power 5 team, but would a team be better off playing an FCS team such as North Dakota State? The last four years, NDSU has been ranked higher than Power 5 teams including Kansas. Consider that the Bison beat Kansas State last year, and it makes you wonder if playing an FCS team is such a bad decision.
On top of that, there seems to be an emphasis on Power 5 competition versus Other 5 competition. Pick another team in the Power 5 such as Wake Forest. Playing them doesn’t really do anything for your strength of schedule, but playing Boise State or BYU would. This also brings up the argument of letting non-Power 5 teams into the playoff. Boise State has been projected to go undefeated this year and so has BYU. While one of them will lose this week (they play each other), why wouldn’t they deserve to be in the playoff contention? The argument has always been made that they don’t play good competition. And while that argument is valid, there are Power 5 teams that don’t play good teams either. Case in point, Florida State last year. The Seminoles played one or two teams that were solid. And both of those teams wound up being good teams, but not great. The Seminoles made the playoff and lost to Oregon 59-20. Other 5 and FCS teams shouldn’t be discounted because of their label. Expanding a playoff to eight teams (Week 1- Final Four. Why Not Elite Eight?) would make this argument more relative, but until then, Cinderella teams can only hope for a (long) shot at the playoff.
Disregarding a team because they’re in a lesser 5 conference doesn’t mean the team can’t compete. They play the teams on their schedule just like everyone else, even if it isn’t the quality of a power 5 team. If my memory serves me right, Boise State was not supposed to contend with Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl of 2007. And while those were different times, the argument was the same: “Boise does not belong in a game like this against a team like Oklahoma.” Don’t let the Broncos know they didn’t belong, because they’ll just show you the box score.
Conference Title Emphasis
The biggest controversy last year was TCU and Baylor getting shunned by the playoff committee. The knock on both teams was they didn’t play in a title game. Why is a title game so important? For some conferences, the two teams haven’t played each other during the season. But does one game really make that much of a difference?
The Big 12 is the one Power 5 conference where each teams plays each other during the season. Baylor should have been the champion last year because they beat TCU. TCU’s argument of they beat the team that beat Baylor (West Virginia) is irrelevant because the Mountaineers weren’t tied for the title. So while the Big 12 is partially to blame, Baylor winning their conference during the season should have carried more weight. Granted the committee had Ohio State ranked higher than the Bears and just below TCU, but Baylor should have never been below either of those two teams.
Conference title games match the two best teams (ideally) against each other. At least that’s what they’re supposed to do. Look at the other Power 5 conferences last year and you will see that is not the case. The Big Ten title game included Ohio State and Wisconsin when Michigan State was far better than the Badgers. The Spartans just happened to be in the same division as the Buckeyes. Alabama played Missouri in the SEC title game. Missouri’s toughest conference game came against Georgia. They lost to the Bulldogs 34-0. Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Auburn all showed they were better than the Tigers, but yet none of them made the title game because they’re trapped in the same division as the Crimson Tide. On top of this point, just because you are the best in your conference, doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a spot in the playoff (ask any other 5 conference team). There was no way Florida State gets left out of the playoff last year simply because they went undefeated. There are a handful of teams that could have easily beaten the Seminoles (Baylor, TCU, Michigan State, any SEC West team).
An expansion is the easiest way to calm the debate down about who gets in and what should be emphasized. Last year was the first year of the playoff and it just happened that there were many teams that were qualified for the postseason tournament. There will be years that are easier to judge than others, but until an expansion happens, a debate will arise each November. Four teams will make the playoff leaving at least two teams wondering what they (or their conference) should have done differently every year.
PLAYOFF TEAMS
Teams in the playoff:
Ohio State----The Buckeyes still have work to do after a win at Virginia Tech, but they get suspended players back and that makes both sides of the ball even more dangerous. A quarterback battle could hurt them in the long run, but that didn’t seem to faze them on the road in a hostile environment.
Alabama----The Crimson Tide showed they still can be considered top dog in the nation. In a top 25 matchup, Alabama was too much for outmatched Wisconsin. Derrick Henry showed why he will be playing on Sundays next year, and Jake Coker was impressive running Lane Kiffin’s offense. Now they just have to survive a tough SEC West. Simple, right?
Oregon----The Ducks proved they can still fly down the field and score points. The only question that still remains: Can the defense slow down/stop opposing offenses? They have a big test in East Lansing this week that will show how good this team can be with a transfer quarterback whose status is still up in the air after an illegal hit took him out of the game last week against Eastern Washington.
Baylor----The Seth Russell era began smoothly, and Baylor wasted no time putting up points. After a sloppy first half, the defense (without monster Shawn Oakman) shut out SMU in the second half and let the offense put up 28 points. The next few games are fairly easy, and should they win out the rest of their schedule, there is no reason the Bears won’t be in the playoff this year.
Teams on the outside looking in:
TCU, Michigan State, Auburn, Clemson, USC, Notre Dame
HEISMAN CANDIDATES
Heisman candidates don’t get to show much the first week because most aren’t playing anyone to the level of skill that they have. And if they do play good competition, they can’t rise too high because it’s one week. One quick shout out to Taysom Hill. The BYU senior quarterback was on many preseason award watch lists (Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award, the Wuerffel Trophy, and the Davey O'Brien Award). Hill’s season was cut short by injury, but he could have been the dark horse for the Heisman this year. Hard to think that his only full season at BYU produced 2,938 passing yards, 1,344 rushing yards and 24 total touchdowns. Oh and that was as a sophomore. But the season must go one so here are the stats for some other notable Heisman candidates:
Names Everyone knows
Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State----RUSHING: 11 car, 122 yds, 1 TD
Cardale Jones, Ohio State----PASSING: 9/18, 186yds, 2 TD/1 INT, RUSHING 13 car, 99 yds, 1 TD
Treyvon Boykin, TCU----26/42, 246 yds, 1 TD/1 INT RUSHING 18 car, 92 yds, 1 TD
Royce Freeman, Oregon----RUSHING: 21 car, 180 yds, 3 TD
Deshaun Watson, Clemson----PASSING: 18/22, 194 yds, 2 TD/0 INT RUSHING: 2 car, 22 yds
Derrick Henry, Alabama----RUSHING: 13 car, 147 yds, 3 TD
Names that will surprise
Connor Cook, Michigan State----PASSING: 15/31, 256 yds, 2 TD/0 INT
Shock Linwood, Baylor-----RUSHING: 8 car, 75 yds, 0 TD
Braxton Miller, Ohio State-----RUSHING: 6 car, 62 yds, 1 TD RECEIVING: 2 cat, 78 yds, 1 TD
Malik Zaire, Notre Dame----19/22, 313 yds, 3 TD
GAMES OF THE WEEK/PICKEM
There are many reasons why college football adds more drama than the NFL, but maybe the best one is there is no preseason. You better have things figured out real quick, and if not, you better figure it out quick. Otherwise you’re 0-1. 0-1 usually isn’t a terrible start for any team. But if you consider that record eliminates over half of FBS teams from playoff contention, 0-1 is a big deal. Football is all about adjustments, and if you don’t make them, you will have a long season ahead. These four games will require constant adjustments before and during the game. The team that can adapt the best should come through 2-0.
Record: 2-2 (.500)
#7 Oregon at #5 Michigan State
A rematch of last year’s thriller in Eugene. The Spartans looked as if they were showing their dominance over the Ducks by putting up 24 points in the second quarter for a 24-18 halftime lead. Surprisingly, the Ducks defense were in the spotlight the whole second half, giving up only three points. The final was 46-27 but was a lot closer than the score indicated. This year will be much of the same with both teams looking to prove themselves, this time in East Lansing. Connor Cook looks to prove he’s a Heisman contender and not a pretender, while Vernon Adams looks to prove he belongs with the big boys of the FBS. Both teams struggled with their first week matchups, but you can count on each team coming out strong this week. Top 10 matchups bring out the best in athletes, and both teams have had this game marked on their calendars since the end of last year. Whoever’s defense can figure out how to stop the other should win this game. The Ducks offense looks to put up points every possession, but the Spartans are ready for a shootout if they need to be. Cook is a better passer than he has been the last two years, and his leadership will help his team compete. If Adams can show why he won the starting job in just two weeks, there is no reason why the Ducks won’t win again.
UPSET SPECIAL: Oregon 45 Michigan State 34
#19 Oklahoma at #23 Tennessee
Two years ago this game would have been marked as an easy win for Oklahoma. Two top 5 recruiting classes later and Tennessee is relevant in college football again. Butch Jones has to prove that he can coach his way to victory, instead of just providing recruiting class hype. Bob Stoops has two new coordinators and a new quarterback into this top 25 matchup. Baker Mayfield beat out Trevor Knight for the starting job and proceeded to throw for 388 yards against Akron in his first start for the Sooners. Tennessee has the talent to win this game, and has been in the past. The Volunteers have turned things around, but this game is still too much for them.
Oklahoma 27 Tennessee 21
#14 LSU at #25 Mississippi State
The SEC conference games start already, ramping up the intensity in just two weeks. LSU wishes they would have played their first game against McNeese State to get some of the rust off, but their first true test is going to be against the Bulldogs on the road. Dak Prescott and company will be waiting after coming off a shaky win against Southern Miss. Prescott loses most of his weapons on offense, and LSU seems to have the experience to pounce on a weaker Bulldogs team. The Tigers have been waiting for a few years to break out, and this could be the start of a great year. Leonard Fournette gave the world a preview of what’s to come with his impressive performance against Notre Dame. It shouldn’t matter who plays quarterback for LSU because they just have to turn around and give the ball to their Heisman Trophy hopeful. That strategy should work until the QB gets settled.
LSU 24 Mississippi State 14
#20 Boise State at BYU
This game would carry more weight if Taysom Hill was still playing. The Cougars QB fractured his foot in a win over Nebraska. Tanner Magnum was thrown into the game, throwing for over 100 yards and winning the game on a Hail Mary pass. Boise State needs to win this game to continue it’s journey towards the playoff because only going undefeated will give them a chance. BYU has the home field advantage, but without the electric Hill behind center, BYU will have a hard time putting up points.
Boise State 34 BYU 21
