I guess now that we have a closer to normal spread of games each week deserves it's own thread. Starting with a couple of QB's who are now on the spot. Mac Jones was named the starter at Alabama. He's had an audition last year so he's not being thrown to the wolves with no experience. He beat out the kid from So.Cal. 5 star Bryce Young who more than a few guru's thought might win the job and no doubt think that by the years end he'll be the starter. Myles Brennan was named Joe Burrow's replacement at LSU, he has also played in mop up duty for the Tigers. Eddie O says he has a stronger arm than Burrow. B12 and SEC start conference play this weekend, so there are meaningful games. #1 Clemson has the week off #2 Alabama is at Missouri ...Missouri coach took a shot at Neb for complaining that Rutgers got left off their schedule, said they want to play the best, they welcome Alabama. I hope he feels the same way after a beat down! #3 OU has KState who was one of those B12 teams with an embarrassing loss to a Sun Belt team on their record. Spencer Rattler is the new OU QB, he was a 5*, will he be the next in line of great OU QB's under Lincoln Riley? #4 Georgia has Arkansas... I guess the biggest thing here is will J.T. Daniels the transfer from USC get the start, or more accurately is he healed enough to get the start? I was sort of looking forward to seeing what Jamie Newman could do at Georgia, but he thinks he's an NFL QB so he won't be playing. #5 Fla goes to Ole Miss....Lane Kiffin's first game. I wonder how he'll handle the QB's last years starter was a kid who was lightening running the ball ( John Rhys Plumlee) and just so so as a passer they have somebody on the roster I heard who is more traditional passer and was the starter in the 1st game, who might get the nod and the athletic kid have a role something like Taysom Hill with the Saints. Don't expect it to matter, Gators likely get the win here. #6 LSU had Miss State...I can only imagine the pre game conversation between the Pirate and Eddie O. LSU won't be recognizable from the Title game, they have between graduation and opt outs something like 20 new starters. But LSU always has a ton of talent. Will their offense regress to the mean now that Joe Brady is in Charlotte? You know Mike Leach will be the same ole Air Raid. Since he only has like 5 plays it's a lot easier to install all he needs is a QB. He got Stanford transfer K. J. Costello as his man I guess. #7 Irish travel to Wake Forrest ...The Irish will be down all the players that didn't play last week given the 14 day mandate by the NCAA, so I think it's a total of something like 10. Wake isn't great, but they are likely a bit better than USF. So I don't expect quite the same result. Everybody was praising out defensive depth last week, it'll need to be every bit as good this week. Mainly Irish fans are looking for Book and the WR's to show up and for the running game/OL to keep on doing what they are doing #8 Auburn gets Kentucky... Auburn another team that has some Covid issues. Not exactly sure why Auburn is ranked this high, they do have a returning QB who played well as a freshman last year, Bo Nix, will he be this year's Joe Burrow? They have some WR who is a speedster for him to throw to and beyond that I know nothing. #9 Texas travels to Lubbutt for Texas Tech. Another B12 team that while they didn't lose to Houston Baptist, embarrassed the league never the less. Tech has had a lot of problems with Covid, so I won't be shocked if this game didn't make it. But if they do play I expect Heisman Candidate Sam Ehlinger to have a big game!! #10 Texas A&M goes to Vanderbilt, but they'll do it without another opt out, a MLB starter has decided to bail on them. They have had quite a few bail. Don't know anything about Vandy. But the Aggies should have plenty of depth to fill those slots and grab a solid opening win. Other Games.. Cincinnati who might along with UCF be the Group of 5 flag bearers gets Army and so far Army has been looking good and for the most part if you haven't played the Service Academy options it's a problem, but Cincy has played Navy in the AAC so they aren't completely unfamiliar. But might be a good game. UCF the other big name AAC team plays East Carolina. Tenn and So. Carolina get it going in the SEC. I wonder if this is a make or break year for Coach Boom at So.Carolina. Tenn under Jeremey Pruitt the former Alabama DCoord seem to be on the rise, they are recruiting well and after that disaster with BYU last season got somethings going. But bottom line is that neither of these 2 teams is in the hunt for the SEC Champ.
I don't think any games have been postponed for this weekend, yet. I'm sure many teams will be not 100% with some player(s) down with Covid. FSU's Mike Norvell will be coaching with Zoom this week leading into the big Miami/FSU contest. But he's the only HC so far who has been knocked out by Covid. I expect there will be a few more somewhere along the line.
Thanks Terry, I am looking forward to this weekend and getting to watch my Gators. On coach Boom at S. Carolina. I had very high hopes for him when we took him from Texas where he was HC in waiting. However he didn't work out for the Gators and I doubt he is a long term solution for S. Carolina. He seemed to recruit well but didn't seem to work toward a balanced recruiting class. And as a game day coach seemed to be lacking. I liked him but by the time he left was glad to see him go. I am very high on our existing coach Mullen. Not flashy but solid and develops players very well.
Covid Problems have hit a lot of teams. I remember Tenn canceling practice and a scrimmage not that long ago. Pruitt commented on it. COVID-19 test results and contact tracing have hit the Vols hard over the past month. Pruitt said he had 50 more players available for the opener than he had two weeks ago when a planned scrimmage was turned into a practice. The pandemic makes picking Guarantano's backup crucial.
SEC is going to be using technology that the NFL uses for contact tracing. Every football player in the SEC will wear the small, lightweight device also used in the NFL to help with COVID-19 contact tracing efforts, the conference announced Tuesday. The devices, which are produced by a company called KINEXON, are called SafeTags and are approximately the size of a watch face, according to a news release. They can be worn as a wristband or on a lanyard, or can be built into equipment for use on field in practices and games. The SafeTags can also be used to help enforce physical distancing regulations by flashing a red warning light when people are within 6 feet of each other. SEC to use device used by NFL in contact tracing
Houston Cougars can't catch a break, they have had 4 opening games scheduled and the first 3 were all canceled because of Covid, and they thought for sure that this weekends game with North Texas was going to make it....nope. North Texas can't play. North Texas said in a statement Wednesday that four positive COVID-19 tests this week, and subsequent contact tracing left it unable to field a team for the game. Both schools are looking to reschedule if possible. Houston has previously had opening games against Rice, Memphis and Baylor postponed or canceled. In all four cases now, Houston's opponents had coronavirus issues that did not allow them to play. Houston has more problems: N. Texas game off
I see that Felipe Franks will be the starter at Arkansas today. I'd forgotten what had happened to him.
Ole Miss giving the Gators a game. I thought maybe it would be a run away by UF, might still be of course. Pitt looks pretty good against Louisville. They are supposed to be one of the better defenses in the ACC this year. Peaking in at OU/KSU. Spencer Rattler looks solid but not Kyler Murray like solid.
I'm getting OU/KSU in 4K, it's spectacular. ND games at home I get in 4K on Directv as well. I wonder how many fans are in the stands, with how they spread them out the stadium is pretty evenly covered with fans.
Gators look like have things well in control now up 28-14 at half. Spencer Rattler threw 2 picks in the first half. Sooners still up 21-7. Right now I'm thinking this kid has a way to go to be a Heisman contender.
KState refuses to fold, it's 35-28 OU. Louisville/Pitt is coming down to the last with the Cards down 3 with the ball and 2:25 left. Gators cruising at 51-29 over Ole Miss Trask has 6 TD passes...great start for him.
wow KState blocks a punt and then scores to tie it up 35-35. KState not at full strength either due to Covid.
KState had a TD taken off the board because of one of those ineligible rules I hate. The rule I hate is where you have a WR on the LOS and they say that covers up the TE and makes him ineligible. If he'd stepped back 1/3 of a yard it'd been fine. ...personally I don't see the point of that rule. But it's the rule and it's on the players to make sure they are lined up correctly They end up kicking a FG and lead 38-35 in Norman.
Rattler throws a pick with 34 secs left and KState gets the first big upset of the season. Chris Klieman the KState coach is one to keep an eye on, he's not winning a NC at KState but his teams will be well coached.
Pitt looks like they are going to be a factor in the race for 2nd place in the ACC. Solid defense. Good win today over Louisville. Based on what I saw today out of Kyle Trask, he's likely the best QB in the SEC. That will be a big factor when they play Georgia.