That’s the Notre Dame I remember – Week 8 College Football Recap

Well, if you honestly remember this guy coaching the Irish.  Other than 2012, which seems like an anomaly now, we haven’t seen a true national title contending Fighting Irish team since Lou Holtz’s teams of the early 90s.  I don’t count one-offs from Charlie Weis or Tyrone Willingham or anything Bob Davie did.  So it did feel weird to see a really good Notre Dame team that you can honestly say, yes, this team has a shot.  A lot has to go their way and their schedule the rest of the way is still brutal but there is no way, no how that an 11-1 Notre Dame team is left out of the College Football Playoff.  And that is exactly what none of the conferences want.  Because then there would only be three spots remaining among five conferences.  And remember, the conferences are all about money, ur, I mean, no they’re all about the football right?  And the students?  That’s why we’ve had crazy realignment correct?  And no NCAA Football video game?

The rest of the recap

• The other half of the equation above is USC. And boy have we figured out what the Trojans are not: and that’s national championship contenders.  What else we figured out?  That Sam Darnold is probably not a Heisman contender.  I mean a lot can happen the rest of the way but it would take a lot for him to garner some votes.  All this also means my pick for the national champion is gone.  Thanks a bunch guys.
• Penn State mopped the floor with Michigan, completing the double shot of games that weren’t even close in primetime. It’s not a huge deal because there were some great games earlier in the day and plus Game 7 of the ALCS was on at the same time so they had some competition for viewers.  Either way, Penn State and Saquon Barkley look like the real deal.  The Wolverines, not so much, although we kind of had an idea this would happen after their opening matchup against Florida.
• Is Florida State going bowling this season? I honestly can’t see a way they could.  With them having to drop their game against ULM off the schedule due to the hurricane (which would have been a likely victory), it means they have to go 6-5 to make a bowl game.  At 2-4, that means winning four of their last five.  The only sure win is Delaware State.  I can’t see them winning three out of four from Boston College, Syracuse, Clemson and Florida.  So we could be witnessing history here.  History of the wrong kind.
• Tennessee is another team that is up against it. Butch Jones is as good as gone.  If the Vols keep him it would be them admitting that 2018 is another lost year.  As for a bowl game, they have a much better chance than FSU of making it so I think they will make a bowl game but they may want to figure out travel plans to places like Memphis, Shreveport or Birmingham rather than fun Florida locales.
• Alabama won again. Ho hum.  Thankfully for them LSU is ranked or otherwise they would have to go all the way to the Iron Bowl to get a potentially ranked team which leaves them with a much thinner margin of error in case of an upset loss.
• Remember last season when Georgia Southern’s AD stated that Tyson Summers would be back for another season despite the fact Summers had only just completed his first season? The writing was on the wall then and now, after the Eagles have gone to basically their worst start in a generation, Summers has been shitcanned.  No surprise.  The surprise is how pathetically bad Georgia Southern is two years after being a Sun Belt force.
• Let’s go back to the primetime schedule. People bemoaned the fact that Kansas would be on in primetime on FOX to play TCU.  In the end I think it was a shrewd move by FOX as they got the best big game of the afternoon and an amazing finish between Oklahoma and Kansas State up against inferior games.  I think it would have been somewhat lost in the shuffle in primetime.  Saying all that, a national audience got to see how truly bad Kansas was.  Their 21 yards for the entire game is the worst total in the FBS in two decades.  They are why promotion-relegation would be welcomed by a ton of fans in college football.
• Is the Pac-12 out? They are as close to it as you can be this early in the season.  One of Washington or Washington State now has to run the table and win the Pac-12 Championship or there is no chance the conference gets a seat at the adult table come CFP time.  So much hope for this conference dashed in an eight-day span.
• UCF is really going to make it tough for their in-state rivals, USF, to run away with the Group of Five spot. The War on I-4 between these two teams on American Thanksgiving weekend is going to be huge.  It’s almost a definite ABC game if both teams get there undefeated.  Could it go to primetime?  There’s a distinct possibility despite the fact it’s a loaded schedule that week.

Alright another fun weekend in the books.  On to the Bossman Top 25.  Not a whole lot has changed at the top with quite a few teams idle this past weekend:

#1	Alabama
#2	Penn State
#3	TCU
#4	Georgia
#5	Wisconsin
#6	Miami
#7	Ohio State
#8	Oklahoma State
#9	Notre Dame
#10	Clemson
#11	Oklahoma
#12	Virginia Tech
#13	Washington
#14	USF
#15	Washington State
#16	UCF
#17	NC State
#18	Auburn
#19	Michigan State
#20	USC
#21	LSU
#22	Stanford
#23	Iowa State
#24	Michigan
#25	West Virginia

I have moved Penn State and TCU past Georgia since in college football it really is “what have you done for me lately” when it comes to the polls (and mine is no different).  It all smooths out in the end really.  I have Notre Dame firmly in the Top 10 and USC still at #20 since that might end up being considered a good loss for them if Notre Dame runs the table.  Iowa State and West Virginia from the suddenly quite good Big XII move into the Top 25.  So now half the conference is in the rankings (OU, OSU, TCU, ISU, WVU) with Texas, Texas Tech, and Kansas State still being decent middle-of-the-road teams.  God help the broadcast crew that gets dealt Baylor-Kansas later this season.

Another NFL recap tomorrow (probably) although I am honestly trying to determine whether I scrap early season NFL recaps/rants (unless it is warranted) and focus on later on in the season when there are playoff implications and the football starts getting better because more games actually mean something.  Hoping to do a way-too-early bowl prediction post this week as well.  Enjoy your week everyone!

The 2017 College Football Coaching Hot List – Sponsored by the Lane Kiffin Redemption Story

 

Yep. This guy again.

He’s on the road back to redemption and he had one of the greatest firings of all-time, being shitcanned on an airport tarmac while at USC. Nice!  I love stories like that.

It’s HOT SEAT TIME!  Last year, two of my four top selections and three of my top six were sent packing.  Unfortunately some coaches (like Craig Bohl) made me look like a fool by being really successful.  Thanks a lot Craig.  Like the haircut though.

Alright, here we go with the list.  I have ordered this (like last year) from most likely to be in the unemployment line to least likely:

Almost Guaranteed Shitcanning

1. Paul Haynes (Kent State) – He was #4 on my list last season.  How he kept his job is beyond me.  He just was put into a bad situation when he had to replace Darrell Hazell (who went on to do sweet fuck all at Purdue himself).  Needed to keep his job – A god damn miracle.  Prediction – Mid-season shitcanning and perhaps a year off of coaching altogether.
2. Lance Leipold (Buffalo) – Let’s stay in the MAC shall we?  Leipold came into much fanfare (well as much as you can get in the MAC).  He had guided Wisconsin-Whitewater to what seemed like a bajillion D-III titles.  His first year in Buffalo showed promise.  This past season not so much.  I can’t see this ending well for Sir Lance-a-not-so-much.  Needed to keep his job – vying for bowl eligibility in the final weekend.  Prediction – Scraping the bottom of the MAC barrel and heading back to FCS at the highest (if not back to D-III).
3. Todd Graham (Arizona State) – I remember when this guy liked to hop from job to job because he could. He was a good head coach and many programs wanted to have him.  Now he will be hopping to his next job but not of his own volition.  Needed to keep his job – Bowl eligibility and a victory over Arizona.  Prediction – 3 wins and who really cares at that point if the Sun Devils beat the Wildcats or not (see below for the reason why).
4. Kliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech) – Looks matter.  How do I know?  Well, many things in my life that I won’t get into now.  Also, Kute Kliff Kingsbury.  Here’s a guy who hit his high point halfway through his first season in Lubbock and is still around.  Why?  If it’s not his looks he must have damning photos of the athletic director in a compromising position.  Needed to keep his job – Some semblance of defense from his squad.  Prediction – Thousands of female college football fans crying and taking his offensive acumen to the FCS.

Probable Shitcanning

5. Sean Kugler (UTEP) – He was good for a soundbite or three when UTEP was good that one season.  Well, good enough in a Conference USA kind of way.  Since then, El Paso has once again become a college football outpost that no one wants to be in. Needed to keep his job – bowl eligibility.  Prediction – I can’t see them winning more than one game so this may happen during the season rather than wait for the misery to be over.
6. Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M) – He seems to be on this list a lot.  But he is never in the almost-guaranteed-to-be-fired part.  He just hasn’t seemed to recreate the magic when Johnny Manziel was around.  And yes, a big part was Gianni Party’s play but Sumlin had done wonders in Houston and appeared to be doing them in College Station.  That may not be the case anymore.  Needed to keep his job – 9 wins and be at least on the cusp of contending in the SEC West.  Prediction – 7 wins and the top Group of Five opening next season for Mr. Sumlin.
7. Mark Whipple (UMass) – When is UMass heading back to FCS?  Whenever it is, I can’t foresee Coach Whipple being there when it happens.  Needed to keep his job – at least 4 wins and to stay competitive in more games.  Prediction – 2 wins and a quiet exit.
8. Rich Rodriguez (Arizona) – Remember what I said above about Todd Graham?  I think RichRod is also in a hot seat but not nearly as hot as T-Graham’s.  No improvement in the desert may seal his fate though.  Needed to keep his job – being better than Arizona State.  Prediction – will not be better than Arizona State…and will be fired for it (along with many other reasons).
9. Brian Kelly (Notre Dame) – Kelly suffers from two things: 1) the Irish got to the national championship not too long ago and 2) the expectations in South Bend are ALWAYS at least 10 wins.  If he wasn’t such an insufferable prick at times I would feel sorry for him.  Needed to keep his job – 10 wins.  Did you not just read what I typed?  Prediction – 8 wins and I am sure he will yell at at least one player in plain view of a camera in front of a national audience.
10. David Beaty (Kansas) – Poor Dave Beaty.  Does he really have a chance in Lawrence to do anything except maybe (MAYBE) win four games at most?  I fail to see how he can win more with the state the program is.  God, I wish there was promotion/relegation.  Needed to keep his job – 4 wins.  Prediction – Half of that.  Or 2 wins for the less mathematically inclined.  Again, Poor Dave.

Possible Shitcanning

11. Lovie Smith (Illinois) – This isn’t the NFL, Lovie.  I think he understands that now.  An unenviable task in Champaign to turn around a program that has had little success in the past two decades (save the crazy 2007 season).  Needed to keep his job – 4 wins but be competitive and look like they could be a bowl team next year.  Prediction – 3 wins and the AD is going to have to take a long, hard look as to whether to retain Lovie or not.
12. Bret Bielema (Arkansas) – The SEC is still a gauntlet.  Saying that, the SEC is not known for a ton of coaching turnover.  One or two each season usually.  Bielema has a tough task ahead as the SEC West especially is difficult to say the least.  Needed to keep his job – Stay in the middle of the pack in the SEC West and at least scare one of Bama, Auburn, or LSU.  Prediction – 7 wins and at least some fans calling for his firing.

Doubtful Shitcanning

13. Steve Addazio (Boston College) – This is the exact same spot Steve-O was in last year.  And he came through with a 7-win season that led BC fans to still call for his head.  Guy can’t catch a break!  Needed to keep his job – Get to bowl eligibility again and hope the fans calm down a bit.  Prediction – 4 wins and it will be tough not to move way up this list next year.
14. David Bailiff (Rice) – I remember when he was consistently getting the Owls to bowl games.  I also remember when the Owls were in the Southwest Conference.  Times change.  Sometimes coaches have to as well.  But maybe not quite yet with Mr. Bailiff.  Needed to keep his job – some sense of improvement from last year’s down season.  Prediction – they will improve even if it doesn’t show up in their record.
15. Tyson Summers (Georgia Southern) – One year in and the athletic department had to send out a press release saying Summers would be retained for this season.  Confidence, gone.  Needed to keep his job – 5 wins and at least look like a potential bowl team.  Prediction – 5 wins and they will look like a bowl team for the most part.
16. Jim Mora (UCLA) – Jim needs the Rosen One to play like he has a shot at winning the Heisman this season.  And I think it will happen.  Not saying he will win the Heisman but he will be much improved and so will the Bruins.  Needed to keep his job –  7 wins.  Prediction – 9 wins and making USC sweat for the Victory Bell.
17. Chris Ash (Rutgers) – Coaching at Rutgers must be tough now that the team is firmly in the Big Ten basement.  Let’s be honest: very few people want that job.  Ash is a hero!  Needed to keep his job – he’s safe since no one else wants it for now.  Prediction – 3 wins and keeping Michigan under 60 points.
18. Butch Jones (Tennessee) – The Champions of Life.  Butch really needs to learn to just shut his mouth and coach sometimes.  Needed to keep his job – 9 wins and being a contender in the SEC East.  Prediction – 10 wins and STILL….CHAMPIONS OF LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE…THE TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS!!!!

Done.  That took too long.  I don’t want to say I hope all these coaches get fired but I do like being accurate.

Next up will be my Heisman ballot.  No one should give me a Heisman ballot.  I will demonstrate why in the next post.  After that will have to be…yes, it’s the FIRST SCHEDULE POST OF THE SEASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Woohoo!  Finally made it.  We are four days out.  Problem is, I still don’t know where all the U.S. College Sports Package channels have gone to now that they have been replaced by regional CTV channels which, in essence, replaced the need for Sunday Ticket since DAZN now has it.  I will say this often I believe but if DAZN somehow gets a good college football package then I might be changing my tune about it.