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thecollegefootballguy · 5 months

Note

Any thoughts on the Pac-12 falling apart?

Hey, thanks for the message. I didn't anticipate to get any fanmail after all this time away.

I'm a West Coast football fan. I truly hate it. With all that's gone on in the past few years I can feel my enthusiasm for this sport fading away.

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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Looking Forward to Next Saturday (and Beating a Hasty Retreat)

Hi all, college football guy here. There’s no good time to do this, so it might as well be now. I am ending the blog. I started thecollegefootballguy when I was an 18 year old college student with plenty of time on my hands and a burgeoning obsession with this sport. I’m now 28, work full time, and in need of balancing a stressful schedule.

I still have a passion for the sport, but I haven’t been able to manage my time to write for this blog in a way that I think it deserves. I had big plans for even longer series spanning whole seasons, but I couldn’t even allocate the time to keep my current series going in a way I was happy with. This comes with a lot of foot dragging, but I have to get it over with instead of put out a half-assed product. Maybe I’ll come back if I can find the time, but right now I put the chances under 50/50.

I have enjoyed my time on here and hope you all had fun reading and watching and experiencing college football with me over these last years. This blog has been a source of pride and satisfaction for me for a long time. Thank you.

Until next Saturday,

-thecfbguy

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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2022 Top Ten Active Coaches Power Rankings

To finish off the coaching power rankings series, we’re pitting the top coaches across the land against each other to see who’s the best of the very best.

Check out last years rankings to see who’s moved up and down.

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10. Mike Gundy

Record at Oklahoma State: 149-69 Division Championships: 1 (2010) Conference Championships: 1 (2011)

Movement: Same

Mike Gundy holds firm to his top 10 spot in the rankings thanks to a very successful 12-2 campaign in 2021. The Cowboys recorded their second best season ever under their longtime head coach. Nobody has won in Stillwater the way Gundy has, and he seems well positioned to keep Oklahoma State advancing further as the Big 12 shifts.

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9. Luke Fickell

Record at Cincinnati: 48-15 Overall Record: 54-22 Division Championships: 3 (2019, 2020, 2021) Conference Championships: 2 (2020, 2021)

Movement: N/A

Luke Fickell is the first G5 coach to crack the top ten rankings since Chris Petersen left Boise State for Washington. It’s no surprise, Fickell’s Cincinnati Bearcats are looking like the best non-AQ football program since those incredible Broncos squads. Cincinnati won’t even be a mid-major for long, as the Bearcats make the jump up to the Big 12 and back into a major conference in a few years.

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8. Mack Brown

Record at North Carolina: 90-63-1 Overall Record: 265-139-1 National Championships: 1 (2005)

*with Texas

Movement: Down 1 spot

North Carolina’s lackluster performance in 2021 bumps Mack Brown down a spot. The Tar Heels took a step back last year with a 6-7 campaign. Brown still appears to be building momentum in Chapel Hill for the time being, let’s see if UNC improves in Year 4.

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7. Kirk Ferentz

Record at Iowa: 178-110 Record Overall: 190-131 Division Championships: 2 (2015, 2021) Conference Championships: 2 (2002, 2004)

Movement: Up 2 spots

Iowa once again turned in a double-digit win season, their seventh under Ferentz. The Hawkeyes claimed the Big Ten West in a crowded race, but ultimately showed themselves to be no match to Michigan in the Championship Game. There’s still a ceiling in Iowa City, but Ferentz is keeping the Hawkeyes as competitive as possible in an increasingly competitive conference.

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6. Jimbo Fisher

Record at Texas A&M: 34-14 Overall Record: 117-37 National Championships: 1 (2013)*

*with Florida State

Movement: Same

Texas A&M didn’t follow up on the promise of their breakout 2020 season. Jimbo stays put on the list as other SEC coaches outmaneuvered the Aggies in the national championship race.

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5. Lincoln Riley

Overall Record: 55-10

Movement: Down 1 spot

Oklahoma’s 10-2 record without playing for the Big 12 championship was a comparative step down for Riley, who had led the Sooners to four consecutive league titles before the streak ended in 2021. Riley is now at USC, where he’ll attempt to resurrect a winning program in Los Angeles. He’s one of the top young coaches in the game, can he pull it off?

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4. Brian Kelly

Overall Record: 284-97-2

Movement: Down 1 spot

Another top coach on the move is Brian Kelly, who left a plum gig in South Bend for a plum gig in Baton Rouge. Kelly did everything he could at Notre Dame and now wants to try his luck for a national championship at LSU. The last three guys all did it at least once, do you think Kelly can make it four in a row?

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3. Kirby Smart

Record at Georgia: 66-15 Division Championships: 4 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) Conference Championships: 2 (2017, 2021) National Championships: 1 (2021)

Movement: N/A

Kirby Smart smashes into the rankings, jumping all the way to #3 following his national championship season. It’s well earned, he did exactly what he was hired to do in making in Georgia a war machine that recruits and develops players at the same level as Alabama. I wonder how many he’ll win in Athens when it’s all said and done.

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2. Dabo Swinney

Record at Clemson: 150-36 Division Championships: 9 (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) Conference Championships: 7 (2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) National Championships: 2 (2016, 2018)

Movement: Same

Clemson didn’t impress anybody in 2021. The Tigers turned in a relatively mediocre 10-3 record and found them excluded from any meaningful Playoff talk. It was an off year. Dabo is still one of the best coaches today so he’s staying put in the rankings as Clemson attempts to rebound.

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1. Nick Saban

Record at Alabama: 183-25 Record Overall: 274-66-1 Division Championships: 11 (2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021) Conference Championships: 7 (2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021) National Championships: 7 (2003*, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020)

*at LSU

Movement: Same

He’s the best ever, he’s not moving until he gets outdone. Somehow.

#college football #Oklahoma State Cowboys #Cincinnati Bearcats #North Carolina Tar Heels #Iowa Hawkeyes #Texas A&M Aggies #USC Trojans #LSU Tigers #Georgia Bulldogs #Clemson Tigers #Alabama Crimson Tide

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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2022 G5 Coaching Power Rankings

As we near the end of the Power Ranking series we once again cast an eye to the best of the best in the G5. Only the top 10 coaches make the list, let’s see who’s the best out there in the mid-majors.

Here’s a link to last year’s rankings.

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10. Blake Anderson

Record at Utah State: 11-3 Overall Record: 62-40 Division Titles: 1 (2021) Conference Titles: 1 (2021)

Movement: N/A

Blake Anderson returns to the G5 top ten in triumph after leading Utah State to their first ever Mountain West Championship. That’s how you do it. The Aggies are attempting to challenge Boise State as the lead program in the Mountain Division. Anderson so far seems up to the task.

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9. Jeff Tedford

Record at Fresno State: 26-14 Overall Record: 108-71 Division Titles: 2 (2017, 2018) Conference Titles: 1 (2018)

Movement: N/A

It turned out to be a short retirement for Jeff Tedford, who jumped back into the hot seat after his successor Kalen DeBoer left Fresno for Washington. Tedford returns to the Bulldogs to ensure that things are running up to his high expectations.

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8. Chuck Martin

Record at Miami OH: 39-52 Overall Record: 113-59 Division Championships: 2 (2016, 2019) Conference Championships: 1 (2019)

Movement: Down 4 spots

This is more of a correction for placing Chuck Martin too high last year. He’s doing an admirable job at a place that’s very hard to win. The Redhawks made their third bowl in seven years under Martin.

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7. Jeff Monken

Record at Army: 58-43 Overall Record: 96-59

Movement: Same

Jeff Monken continues to work miracles at West Point. Army won 9 games for the second consecutive year, an unthinkable feat before Monken came on the scene. The Black Knights are well positioned to keep things rolling with somebody who knows the program so well in charge.

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6. Ken Niumatalolo

Record at Navy: 105-75 Division Championships: 3 (2015, 2016, 2019)

Movement: Down 3 spots

It hasn’t been a good few years for Ken Niumatalolo. Navy continues to struggle with losing, the Midshipmen have only bowled once in the past four years. Their consecutive losing seasons in 2020-21 are also a first under Niumatalolo. Can the man who’s led Navy so capably in the past arrest this downward trend?

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5. Kalani Sitake

Record at BYU: 48-29

Movement: Up 5 spots

Kalani Sitake has BYU looking good. The Cougars are playing themselves all the way into the Big 12 in a few years and lot of the credit is due to Sitake, who has done a great job maintaining the program. Brigham Young is building back into one of the West’s powerhouses just in time for a call up to the Big 12.

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4. Troy Calhoun

Record at Air Force: 111-75 Division Championships: 2 (2015, 2021)

Movement: Up 2 spots

The most consistent winner of all the Service Academy coaches, Troy Calhoun turned in another strong campaign in Colorado Springs. Air Force tied Utah State for the Mountain Division title with a 10-3 record in 2021. The Falcons weren’t able to wrest away the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy from Army, but Air Force is well positioned to compete for some time coming.

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3. Bill Clark

Record at UAB: 49-26 Overall Record: 60-30 Division Championships: 3 (2018, 2019, 2020) Conference Championships: 2 (2018, 2020)

Movement: Down 1 spots

Bill Clark continues to work miracles down in Birmingham. The Blazers went from a dead program to a promising call-up heading to the American Athletic Conference as C-USA implodes. It was the first year UAB didn’t win the West Division since 2017, not a bad streak. We’ll see just how much Clark can build from here.

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2. Curt Cignetti

Record at James Madison: 33-5 Record Overall: 100-31 Conference Championships: 3 (2018, 2019, 2020)

Movement: N/A

Many of you haven’t heard of Curt Cignetti, some of you probably didn’t even know James Madison is joining the FBS next year. The Dukes are coming into the Sun Belt with a head of steam. JMU has remained one of the top programs in the FCS in Cignetti’s three years at the helm. James Madison has finished in the top 3 in the FCS rankings every year of his tenure. We’ll see just how well the Dukes will translate into one of the G5′s best leagues.

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1. Luke Fickell

Record at Cincinnati: 48-15 Overall Record: 55-22 Division Championships: 3 (2019, 2020, 2021) Conference Championships: 2 (2019, 2020)

Movement: Up 4 spots

Well deserved. Luke Fickell has returned Cincinnati to football prominence. The Bearcats capped off an undefeated 2021 season with the first ever trip by a G5 team to the Playoff. All that and two top ten finishes in the row show us that Cincinnati is the best G5 program out there. They won’t be for long as the Bearcats are heading to the Big 12 in a few years to once again play with the big boys in an AQ conference.

#college football #Utah State Aggies #Fresno State Bulldogs #Miami Redhawks #Army Black Knights #Navy Midshipmen #BYU Cougars #Air Force Falcons #UAB Blazers #James Madison Dukes #Cincinnati Bearcats

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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2022 SEC Coaching Power Rankings

Last but certainly lost least is the SEC. It was a banner year for the league, which once again pushed two teams into the National Championship Game. The Southeast Conference not only has the best players but the best coaches as well. Time to see how they stack up against each other.

The SEC lost a national championship coach after Ed Orgeron’s ouster at LSU, but they gained another in Kirby Smart. Go figure.

Click here to see last year’s rankings.

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14. Clark Lea

Record at Vanderbilt: 2-10

Movement: Same

Clark Lea is attempting to rebuild Vanderbilt from the foundation on up. It’s gonna take a while.

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13. Shane Beamer

Record at South Carolina: 7-6

Movement: Same

A 7-6 first season is considered a good thing by all but a few programs. Beamer has revitalized a flagging South Carolina squad. While the East remains the less competitive of the two divisions, the Gamecocks can certainly angle themselves to catch Georgia one of these years with the right coach in charge. So far so good.

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12. Eliah Drinkwitz

Record at Missouri: 11-12 Overall Record: 23-13

Movement: Down 1 spot

Well these are technically two bowl seasons, but so far Eliah Drinkwitz hasn’t managed much more than a near .500 record. If the Tigers fail to bowl next year I have to imagine he gets the axe because things aren’t trending anywhere positive yet.

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11. Sam Pittman

Overall Record: 12-11

Movement: Up 1 spot

Sam Pittman is turning things around in Fayetteville really quickly. The Hogs went a surprisingly competitive 9-4 in the SEC West and finished the year ranked for the first time since 2010.

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10. Josh Heupel

Record at Tennessee: 7-6 Overall Record: 35-14

Movement: Same

It was a pretty solid first year for Josh Heupel. Tennessee was really starting to play well towards the end of the season. We’ve seen signs of life like this before from coaches who ultimately couldn’t handle the heat in Knoxville, so I’ll reserve judgement until we see a bit more from Heupel.

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9. Mike Leach

Record at Misssissippi State: 11-13 Overall Record: 150-103

Movement: Same

Mississippi State put together a winning season in year 2 of the Mike Leach experiment. The Bulldogs upset several ranked opponents, displaying a promise that MSU can climb even higher if they can develop a more consistent knockout punch.

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8. Mark Stoops

Record at Kentucky: 59-53

Movement: Same

Mark Stoops has once again taken Kentucky to a top 20 finish and a 10-3 record. Build the statue. I only feel sad that I can’t raise him higher because the competition is so fierce.

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7. Lane Kiffin

Record at Ole Miss: 15-8 Overall Record: 76-41

Movement: Same

Lane Kiffin is doing just fine in Oxford. Ole Miss strode out to a 10-3 record and top 15 finish, their best since the Hugh Freeze era. Kiffin continues to excel as one of the top young coaches in the game. We’ll see if he can start challenging Alabama for the West crown, that’s the next step, but it remains a tall task.

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6. Billy Napier

Overall Record: 40-12

Movement: N/A

Billy Napier leaps into the thick of the SEC coaching hierarchy following his incredible building effort at Louisiana. Napier inherited the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns, a program that never amounted to much in the grand scheme of things. In just four years he turned them into Louisiana, the Sun Belt’s preeminent power and a regular top 20 force. If he’s as good as they say, Florida is going to get a lot better in the coming years.

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5. Bryan Harsin

Record at Auburn: 6-7 Overall Record: 98-55

Movement: Up 1 spot

Bryan Harsin moves up 1 spot thanks to Dan Mullen getting fired from Florida. Harsin had a tumultuous first year at Auburn, the Tigers started out 6-2 with things looking up, but that all led to a 5-loss collapse to end the year. If Harsin can’t turn things around he’s going to slide down the list.

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4. Jimbo Fisher

Record at Texas A&M: 34-14 Overall Record: 117-37 National Championships: 1 (2013)*

*with Florida State

Movement: Down 1 spot

I think we were all expecting big things from Texas A&M last year. The Aggies came in with a lot of promise and finished 8-4 and unranked in the AP poll. It was a disappointing finish for a team with national title aspirations. After 4 years, A&M has certainly raised the floor and ceiling from the end of the Sumlin era, but it remains to be seen if Fisher can keep the Aggies competing for the West Division on a regular basis.

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3. Brian Kelly

Overall Record: 284-97-2

Movement: N/A

LSU brings in Brian Kelly to get the program on more solid footing after the collapse following the 2019 championship. Kelly is one of the best coaches in the game and by record the best one who hasn’t yet won a national championship. Unlike Notre Dame, we know the Tigers’ ceiling is a national championship, and if the right head coach can lock down recruiting he can win big. Let’s see if Kelly has the chops to win down South on the biggest stage.

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2. Kirby Smart

Record at Georgia: 66-15 Division Titles: 4 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) Conference Titles: 1 (2017) National Titles: 1 (2021)

Movement: Up 2 spots

Now this is how you do it. Kirby Smart took a Georgia program that was always coming up just a bit short, and built them in to a war machine that can thrash around any team in the nation. For the first time in over 40 years the Bulldogs are national champions. This doesn’t look like a fluke either. Smart looks like he’s in the dynasty building business. As of right now only a few programs have what it takes to compete on UGA’s level. If they weren’t before, we can safely describe Georgia as a real blue blood and one of the top football teams in the nation.

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1. Nick Saban

Record at Alabama: 183-25 Record Overall: 274-66-1 Division Championships: 11 (2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021) Conference Championships: 8 (2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021) National Championships: 7 (2003*, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020)

*at LSU

Movement: immoveable

Well, nobody’s perfect. Even if Nick Saban’s sterling record against his former subordinates has finally been broken, he’s still the GOAT.

#college football #Vanderbilt Commodores #South Carolina Gamecocks #Missouri Tigers #Arkansas Razorbacks #Tennessee Volunteers #Mississippi State Bulldogs #Kentucky Wildcats #Ole Miss Rebels #Florida Gators #Auburn Tigers #Texas A&M Aggies #LSU Tigers #Georgia Bulldogs #Alabama Crimson Tide

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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2022 PAC-12 Coaching Power Rankings

Last year I wrote that the PAC-12 was a bit different than the other Power conferences because they didn’t have a superstar head coach like Nick Saban or Dabo Swinney or Lincoln Riley. Well, one problem solved. Time to see how things stand out West.

Here’s a link to last year’s rankings for fun.

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12. Dan Lanning

Overall Record: N/A

Movement: N/A

Former Georgia DC Dan Lanning takes over in Eugene following the departure of Mario Cristobal. Let’s see if his national championship pedigree can rub off on the Ducks.

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11. Jedd Fisch

Record at Arizona: 1-11 Overall Record: 2-12

Movement: Up 1 spot

Jedd Fisch moved up 1 spot even though 4 of the PAC-12′s head coaching jobs turned over. Pretty bad!

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10. Jake Dickert

Record at Washington State: 3-3

Movement: N/A

Jake Dickert even inherits Nick Rolovich’s 10th place spot on the power rankings. I’ll give the new guy credit, he held Washington State strong through a strange and embarrassing coaching change.

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9. Jonathan Smith

Record at Oregon State: 16-28

Movement: Up 2 spots

Don’t look now, but Oregon State continues to improve under Jonathan Smith. It has been a slow rebuild for the Beavers, but they finally broke through for their first bowl since 2013. The North continues to be a tough division to gain ground on, but OSU continue to trend upwards against the current.

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8. Karl Dorrell

Record at Colorado: 8-10 Overall Record: 43-37

Movement: Down 1 spot

Colorado’s breakout 2020 season did feel like a bit of a sham. The Buffaloes kept struggling in Dorrell’s second season. It’s going to take a patient hand to rebuild things in Boulder the right way. I’m not convinced Dorrell is the guy who can do it, but even if he is he’ll need more time to clear the rot out.

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7. Kalen DeBoer

Record at Washington: 0-0 Overall Record: 79-9

Movement: N/A

I think Washington made a very savvy move when they poached Kalen DeBoer from Fresno State. DeBoer has been a rising star for some years now, he has most recently led the Bulldogs to a resurgence first as Jeff Tedford’s DC then as Fresno’s head coach.

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6. Justin Wilcox

Record at California: 26-28

Movement: Up 3 spots

Cal hasn’t yet made their third bowl under Justin Wilcox. He’s not a miracle worker to that extent. Wilcox clearly believes in the job and his situation, he did just turn down Oregon after all. I am curious to see just how much he can turn around the Bears. Consistent winning is the next goal.

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5. Herm Edwards

Record at Arizona State: 25-18

Movement: Up 3 spots

When I’m wrong I’m wrong, and I definitely thought Herm Edwards wasn’t going to work out at Arizona State. Edwards has done a great job rejuvenating the Sun Devils, and while ASU isn’t yet at the point where they’re competing for the South Division every year, they seem poised to make the leap soon.

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4. Chip Kelly

Record at UCLA: 18-25 Overall Record: 64-32

Movement: Up 1 spot

It took a bit longer than most of us imagined, but UCLA has finally turned things around thanks to Chip Kelly. The Bruins are also looking to take the next step and compete with Utah and friends for the South Division title.

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3. David Shaw

Record at Stanford: 93-49 Division Championships: 5 (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017) Conference Championships: 3 (2012, 2013, 2015)

Movement: Down 2 spots

David Shaw has done a lot of good at Stanford, but right now it seems as though the Cardinal are in a slow tailspin under his watch. Well, not so slow anymore. Stanford bottomed out at 3-9, their worst record since the dark days before Jim Harbaugh turned the program around. Can Shaw turns things around in Palo Alto and once again lead the Cardinal to glory? He should have the blueprint.

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2. Kyle Whittingham

Record at Utah: 144-70 Division Championships: 4 (2015, 2018, 2019, 2021) Conference Championships: 1 (2008, 2021)

Movement: Same

I feel bad, in almost any other circumstance Kyle Whittingham would’ve finally gained the #1 spot at the same time that Utah finally broke through and won the PAC-12 for the first time ever. He doesn’t need my approval. Whittingham is a great coach, as his long and very successful tenure in Salt Lake City can attest. With ASU, UCLA, and USC all surging back to challenge the Utes, only a man like Whittingham can keep Utah barreling ahead.

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1. Lincoln Riley

Record at USC: 0-0 Overall Record: 55-10

Movement: N/A

How like USC, if you aren’t a top 5 program anymore just buy a top 5 coach. It worked in the past. Lincoln Riley does seem to be one of the real wunderkinds in college football. He kept the Oklahoma machine running at peak efficiency after inheriting the Sooners from Bob Stoops. We’ll see if he’s as good at rebuilding as he is at maintaining. The Trojans are desperate to win so they bought a guy who barely loses. Let’s see how it plays out.

#college football #Oregon Ducks #Arizona Wildcats #Washington State Cougars #Oregon State Beavers #Colorado Buffaloes #Washington Huskies #California Golden Bears #Arizona State Sun Devils #UCLA Bruins #Stanford Cardinal #Utah Utes #USC Trojans

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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2022 Big Ten Coaching Power Rankings

The Big Ten continues to hold steady as the #2 conference after the SEC. The league is competitive and getting more competitive. Even so, no coaching turnover took place after the 2021 seasons, with each school betting on their current head man. We’re here to find out just where they all stand when compared to each other.

Here’s a link to last year’s rankings.

14. Mike Locksley

Record at Maryland: 13-23 Overall Record: 5-49

Movement: Down 1 spot

This placement is a bit unfair because Maryland actually improved drastically in the past year under Locksley, but the competition is stiff and the Terrapins haven’t done much besides show they have a pulse once again. If Locksley can hold Maryland to the bar he’s already set, he’ll start rising in the rankings no problem.

13. Greg Schiano

Record at Rutgers: 76-81

Movement: Down 2 spots

It’s not the old Big East anymore and Greg Schiano is having trouble getting the Scarlet Knights to .500 in the tough Big Ten East. Rutgers did go bowling, I’ll give them credit for that technicality.

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12. Bret Bielema

Record at Illinois: 5-7 Overall Record: 102-65

Movement: Same

A 5-7 first year at Illinois actually feels like a step in the right direction, but it gives us no indication how high the Illini can climb past a 7-6 ceiling.

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11. Mel Tucker

Record at Michigan State: 13-7 Overall Record: 18-14

Movement: Up 3 spots

The logjam in the middle of the coaching rankings is keeping Tucker from rocketing to the very top, but boy does it look like he’s on the way. Michigan State had an incredible rebound last year, going 11-2 with a win in the Peach Bowl. It only took Tucker two years to reactivate the Spartans after several seasons of stagnation at the end of Dantonio’s tenure. Tucker looks well placed to once again turn MSU into a power and make the Big Ten East the toughest division in football.

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10. Tom Allen

Record at Indiana: 26-32

Movement: Same

After their breakout season in 2020, the Hoosiers turned back into a pumpkin with an embarrassing 2-10 record in 2021. Can Allen return Indiana to respectability?

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9. Scott Frost

Record at Nebraska: 15-29 Overall Record: 34-36

Movement: Same

I think a lot of people are surprised he’s still got the job. Scott Frost needs to win this year or his time at Nebraska is up. The Cornhuskers found new and interesting ways to lose football games in a hard-luck manner in 2021, giving them a tiny bit of cover for not firing Frost already. The glacial pace of improvement, if there has been any, is hard to stomach if you really think he’s the guy who can return the Huskers to glory. I don’t think they guy can do it, but he’s still got the trust of the administration for now.

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8. Jeff Brohm

Record at Purdue: 28-29 Overall Record: 58-39

Movement: Same

Purdue turned in their best season in nearly 20 years after the Boilermakers finally broke through with a 9-4 record in 2021. Brohm seems to be raising the floor and the ceiling in West Lafayette. It’s hard to say how far Purdue can climb from here, but things are looking up.

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7. P. J. Fleck

Record at Minnesota: 35-25 Overall Record: 65-45 Division Titles: 1 (2019)

Movement: Same

Minnesota turned in another solid season under P.J. Fleck. The Gophers don’t seem to be able to consistently compete with the best the league has to offer, but they’re also trending in the right direction thanks to Fleck.

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6. James Franklin

Record at Penn State: 67-34 Overall Record: 91-49 Division Championships: 1 (2016) Conference Championships: 1 (2016)

Movement: Down 2 spots

Penn State has taken a step back in the past few years. James Franklin has more tools at his disposal than most coaches in the country, it’s a bit puzzling to see. The administration still trusts Franklin to deliver big wins, we’ll see how well the Nittany Lions can keep up with the Joneses now that Michigan and MSU are BOTH eclipsing PSU in the drive to catch Ohio State.

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5. Pat Fitzgerald

Record at Northwestern: 109-90 Division Championships: 2 (2018, 2020)

Movement: Down 2 spots

You can’t go 3-9 and comfortably stay in the top five in this league. Pat Fitzgerald is a miracle worker for what he’s done at Northwestern, but the Wildcats have a clear ceiling that keeps them from doing better than occasionally aiming for a division championship.

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4. Paul Chryst

Record at Wisconsin: 65-23 Overall Record: 84-42 Division Championships: 3 (2016-2017, 2019)

Movement: Up 1 spot

Wisconsin continues to hum along under Paul Chryst’s steady hand. The Badgers didn’t win the West Division for a second year in a row, which is a bit below their standard, but Chryst has them well positioned to retake the crown. I’m not sure he’s the man to take them beyond the West Championship, but the Badgers remain one of the toughest outs on the Big Ten schedule with Chryst at the helm.

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3. Kirk Ferentz

Record at Iowa: 178-110 Overall Record: 190-131 Division Championships: 2 (2015, 2021) Conference Championships: 2 (2002, 2004)

Movement: Down 1 spot

You know the Big Ten is a tough league because longtime Iowa legend Kirk Ferentz wrapped up his second Big Ten West title and fell one spot in the rankings. The Hawkeyes are one of the stalwarts of the conference and have even been playing better than they have now than in some earlier parts of Ferentz’s long tenure.

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2. Jim Harbaugh

Record at Michigan: 61-24 Overall Record: 119-54 Division Championships: 2 (2018, 2021) Conference Championships: 1 (2021)

Movement: Up 4 spots

It finally happened. Michigan broke through the barriers holding them back, beating Ohio State and gaining access to the College Football Playoff. Sure, the Wolverines didn’t win the championship. They’re still a step slower and don’t hit as hard as the SEC titans, but Michigan hasn’t been this close to a national title since winning it all in 1997. It was a big moment for Jim Harbaugh, who has been struggling to achieve this feat for the past 7 years. Take your victory lap.

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1. Ryan Day

Record at Ohio State: 34-4 Division Championships: 2 (2019, 2020) Conference Championships: 2 (2019, 2020)

Movement: Same

Ok, Michigan finally broke through, how does Ohio State respond? Ryan Day still leads the top program outside of the Southeast and the Buckeyes will once again lead a war machine onto the field in 2022. Day has a statement to make next year after OSU’s “disappointing” 11-2 finish last year.

#college football #Maryland Terrapins #Rutgers Scarlet Knights #Illinois Fighting Illini #Michigan State Spartans #Indiana Hoosiers #Nebraska Cornhuskers #Purdue Boilermakers #Minnesota Golden Gophers #Penn State Nittany Lions #Northwestern Wildcats #Wisconsin Badgers #Iowa Hawkeyes #Michigan Wolverines #Ohio State Buckeyes

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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2022 Big 12 Coaching Power Rankings

And we’re back with the second Power 5 conference. The Big 12 rankings will be in flux as two of the best coaches the league has ever seen have left. Gary Patterson retired while Lincoln Riley left for USC. How that will impact the Big 12 overall remains to be seen. Let’s see how the remaining coaches rank against each other.

Here’s a link to last year’s rankings.

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10. Joey McGuire

Movement: N/A

Texas Tech managed to poach Joey McGuire, associate head coach at Baylor through both Matt Rhule’s and Dave Aranda’s tenures. It’s his first head coaching job, we’ll see what he can do out in Lubbock in a changing Big 12.

9. Brent Venables

Movement: N/A

Brent Venables got the call home. Having spent years serving as Bob Stoops’ DC before going to Clemson, Venables finally inherited a program worth leaving Death Valley to coach. Venables comes in an interesting time in Sooner history, we’ll see what he can accomplish as OU moves to the SEC.

8. Steve Sarkisian

Record at Texas: 5-7 Overall Record: 51-42

Movement: Up 1 spot

Nobody in Austin is impressed with a 5 win season. Sark’s gotta do better.

7. Sonny Dykes

Record at TCU: 0-0 Overall Record: 71-63

Movement: N/A

It’s hard replacing a legend like Gary Patterson. It’s even harder if the legend left you an empty cupboard. It’s true that the Horned Frogs flagged in Patterson’s last years, but Sonny Dykes is a guy built to win in Texas. His track record suggests he’s a man who’s just been waiting to get the call to coach in the Big 12. Time to see what he can do in Fort Worth.

6. Lance Leipold

Record at Kansas: 2-10 Overall Record: 148-49

Movement: Down 1 spot

I don’t want to read into a 2 win season all that much, but Kansas was showing signs of life down the stretch. Can turnaround guru Leipold actually dig the Jayhawks out of the ditch?

5. Neal Brown

Record at West Virginia: 17-18 Overall Record: 52-34

Movement: Up 2 spots

With all of the upheaval, a coach like Brown moves up to the midway point in the conference rankings. Brown hasn’t proven much in Morgantown so far, but the Mountaineers have mostly been competitive in his 3 seasons at the helm.

4. Matt Campbell:

Record at Iowa State: 42-34 Overall Record: 77-49

Movement: Same

It gets harder to move up the higher up the list you go. Campbell has built something special in Ames, and he is attracting a lot of attention for a usual backwater program like Iowa State. The Cyclones regressed a bit in 2022, but with Campbell at the helm it feels as though ISU will remain competitive for the foreseeable future.

3. Dave Aranda

Record at Baylor: 14-9 Conference Championships: 1 (2022)

Movement: Up 7 spots

From 9th place in 2020 to conference champions in 2021. It was a huge turnaround for Baylor last year, the Bears completely rebounded thanks to Aranda’s hard work. We might have a coaching star on our hands. Only time will tell where the Bears go from here.

2. Chris Klieman

Record at Kansas State: 20-16 Overall Record: 92-29

Movement: Up 4 spots

Klieman moves up the rankings thanks to a rebound season in 2021 as well as the retirement of a few colleagues. He’s doing good work in Manhattan, with Oklahoma in flux it will be interesting to see if Klieman can take Kansas State over the top and go back to competing for conference championships as they had under Bill Snyder.

1. Mike Gundy

Record at Oklahoma State: 149-69 Conference Championships: 1 (2011)

Movement: Up 2 spots

Mike Gundy was already the longest tenured coach in the Big 12, but with Gary Patterson’s retirement he’s truly the elder stateman of the conference. Oklahoma State turned in a very strong 12-2 season last year, Gundy’s second best while in Stillwater. Who knows where the future will take the Cowboys, but as long as Gundy is in the picture things are looking up for Oklahoma State.

#college football #Texas Tech Red Raiders #Oklahoma Sooners #Texas Longhorns #TCU Horned Frogs #Kansas Jayhawks #West Virginia Mountaineers #Iowa State Cyclones #Baylor Bears #Kansas State Wildcats #Oklahoma State Cowboys

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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2022 ACC Coaching Power Rankings

It’s that time of year again. We’re looking at each head coach and seeing how he stacks up against his peers across each league. We always start alphabetically with the ACC. Here’s a link to last year’s rankings if you want to compare.

Oh yeah and Notre Dame is also here because I have no good place to put the Irish.

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We saw several head coaches cycle through the league this season, so there will be some upheaval in the rankings. The ACC remains one of the weakest Power 5 conferences, there is always some fluctuations going on in the league.

15. Marcus Freeman

Record at Notre Dame: 0-1

Movement: N/A

Marcus Freeman was brought in under Brian Kelly just last year as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator. It’s quite the vote of confidence to see Freeman succeed Kelly so soon. Time will tell what Freeman will bring to the job, but he’s inherited quite the machine from Kelly.

14. Mike Elko

Record at Duke: N/A

Movement: N/A

Mike Elko comes to Duke via Texas A&M, where he served as Jimbo Fisher’s DC for the past four seasons. Elko is a step removed from Marcus Freeman, having served as Notre Dame DC under Kelly in 2017, though he came up with Dave Clawson at Bowling Green and Wake Forest. It’s a good pedigree, can it turn things around in Durham?

13. Brent Pry

Record at Virginia Tech: N/A

Movement: N/A

Brent Pry was James Franklin’s longtime DC at Penn State and Vanderbilt, a partnership dating all the way back to 2011. Pry inherits a Virginia Tech program desperate to reclaim their lost glory. They’re still in a strong position to rebound to Frank Beamer’s lofty heights if the right guy can come through Blacksburg. Let’s see if Pry is the man.

12. Tony Elliott

Record at Virginia: N/A

Movement: N/A

Our last brand new coach is Tony Elliott, who comes to Virginia via Clemson. Elliott has spent 10 years in Dabo’s program, picking up knowledge he’ll be eager to transmit to his new squad.

11. Geoff Collins

Record at Georgia Tech: 9-25 Overall Record: 24-35

Movement: Up 4 spots

It isn’t going well. Geoff Collins moved up 4 spots on the list but that’s because four guys ahead of him left their jobs and the new hires are all brand new head coaches. The rebuild is off to a horrible start. The Yellow Jackets were supposed to be improving by now, but Georgia Tech looks as bad as they ever have under Collins. I don’t think he’s going to be in Atlanta very long unless GA Tech starts winning immediately.

10. Jeff Hafley

Record at Boston College: 12-11

Movement: Up 3 spots

Boston College continues to show signs of life under Hafley. The Eagles were a bit inconsistent in 2022, but there seems to be room to grow.

9. Mike Norvell

Record at Florida State: 8-13 Overall Record: 46-28

Movement: Up 5 spots

It has been a weird half-decade for Florida State. The Seminoles have been kicked and pushed around in a way we’re not used to seeing. Still, improvement is improvement and FSU started looking like they’d found their footing towards the end of the year. The results Florida State fans want to see still haven’t come. Norvell won’t move higher up this list if they don’t start bowling right now.

8. Mario Cristobal

Record at Miami FL: 0-0 Overall Record: 62-60

Movement: N/A

Miami was able to land their white whale when they finally poached native son Mario Cristobal from Oregon. Cristobal is a Hurricane diehard and he’s going to put his all into making sure The U sees its third act. Whether he can achieve this lofty goal is hard to say, but he did good work in Eugene. He led the Ducks to two PAC-12 championships and another North Division title in 2021.

7. Dino Babers

Record at Syracuse: 29-43 Overall Record: 66-59

Movement: Up 4 spots

Sometimes outlasting guys gets you pretty high up the list. Dino Babers did turn Syracuse around a bit in 2022, they won 5 games as opposed to just 1 in 2021. Whether Babers can once again take the Orange to a bowl and beyond is up for debate. The 10 win season in 2018 is feeling like a long time ago.

6. Scott Satterfield

Record at Louisville: 18-19 Overall Record: 69-43

Movement: Up 4 spots

It’s actually pretty impressive to move up this high when your team hasn’t done all that well with you at the helm. Once again, I blame coaching turnover in the conference. Satterfield also alienated most of the Louisville program when it became clear he tried to leave, so I don’t know how long he’ll stick around, especially with a .500 record. At the moment I think the Cardinals are biding their time until his buyout is cheaper.

5. Dave Doeren

Record at NC State: 64-49 Overall Record: 87-53

Movement: Down 1 spot

Ok, now that we’re in the top 5 the competition starts to heat up. Dave Doeren actually moves down in the rankings despite NC State putting up an impressive 9-3 record. That’s the breaks when you’ve become one of the top coaches in a power conference. The Wolf Pack came very close to landing their first ever division title, and things are as wide open as possible for them to go for the gold this year.

4. Pat Narduzzi

Record at Pittsburgh: 53-37 Division Titles: 2 (2018, 2021) Conference Titles: 1 (2021)

Movement: Up 5 spots

It was a down year for Clemson, so somebody was going to break through, but few would have guessed it was going to be Pitt. The Panthers came out of nowhere to claim their first ever ACC Championship. Narduzzi slowly built Pittsburgh back into a contender. We’ll see if he can keep them at that level, but the Pitt program continues to slowly trend upwards.

3. Dave Clawson

Record at Wake Forest: 51-48 Overall Record: 141-127 Division Titles: 1 (2021)

Movement: Up 2 spots

It really shouldn’t be possible to do this well at Wake Forest. Rebuild expert Dave Clawson has returned the lowly Demon Deacons back to football prominence. Wake had an outstanding 11-3 season last year. While it’s unrealistic to expect to see that kind of output every season, Clawson is certainly the man to keep Wake Forest as competitive as they can be. This is literally the best football Wake has ever played, they can’t fire this guy.

2. Mack Brown

Record at North Carolina: 90-63-1 Overall Record: 265-139-1 National Championships: 1 (2005)

Movement: Up 1 spot

Mack Brown moves up one spot thanks to Brian Kelly’s departure. It was supposed to be a better 2021 season than 6-7 for North Carolina. Does Mack still have the magic? We’ll see, UNC is at least recruiting like they’re aiming to win championships. Mack knows that’s half the battle.

1. Dabo Swinney

Record at Clemson: 150-36 Division Championships: 8 (2009, 2011-12, 2015-2019) Conference Championships: 7 (2011, 2015-2020) National Championships: 2 (2016, 2018)

Movement: same

Yeah I mean he’s not going to move down just because Clemson didn’t win the ACC this year. Dabo Swinney is one of the most accomplished coaches in college football and most of the other guys on this list don’t even come close to sniffing Swinney’s achievements. Clemson remains the odds-on favorite to win the ACC every year.

#college football #Notre Dame Fighting Irish #Duke Blue Devils #Virginia Tech Hokies #Virginia Cavaliers #Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets #Boston College Eagles #Florida State Seminoles #Miami Hurricanes #Syracuse Orange #Louisville Cardinals #NC State Wolfpack #Pittsburgh Panthers #Wake Forest Demon Deacons #North Carolina Tar Heels #Clemson Tigers

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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Conference Realignment Grades: Conference USA

It’s a sad story, really. Conference USA did such a piss poor job handling the last two rounds of realignment that they authored their own irrelevance, and perhaps eventual demise.

By only picking teams with big metro area populations in the 2010-2014 wave, they missed promoting the most successful Sun Belt programs in the last wave. In the intervening years the C-USA has been consistently outperformed by the Sun Belt and the rest of the Group of 5 save the MAC. It all came full circle in 2021, when the former bottom rail Sun Belt raided Conference USA.

That’s not where the misery began. After being shut out by the Mountain West, the American Athletic Conference again reloaded their depleted ranks with the top members of Conference USA, as they had in the 2004 and 2015 realignment cycles.

Once again it was a thorough uprooting of most of C-USA’s best programs. The American scooped up newly minted G5 powers UAB and UTSA, alongside high upside schools Florida Atlantic and North Texas. To top things off, the AAC added Rice and Charlotte to help prop up their own regional branding. It was a brutal blow for Conference USA, and would have been a disaster for the league if things just ended there.

The other blow fell when the Sun Belt easily led away another raft of the best remaining programs in Conference USA, as Marshall, Southern Miss, and Old Dominion swam away from the sinking ship. Conference USA did such a bad job alienating their constituent schools that the three schools heading to the Sun Belt want to leave immediately, and are in court attempting to play football in the Sun Belt in Fall 2022.

The league could have completely collapsed if Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky took up the MAC’s offer for membership. They curiously declined in an apparent attempt to collect the exit fees of their departing conference-mates. I don’t know if that’ll work out in the long run.

Conference USA didn’t collapse, but the league needed to add more members to even be allowed to call themselves a conference. The remaining five members (FIU, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP, and Western Kentucky) added four more programs from the bottom of the FBS barrel and the top of the FCS.

Sam Houston State and Jacksonville State both jumped up from I-AA. Both programs were considered top tier in that division, with the Bearkats earning themselves an FCS National Championship as recently as 2020.

The other additions raise a few eyebrows. Conference USA chose to reach out to Liberty, the semi-pariah football Independent that no other conferences wanted to touch. Despite leading stronger and stronger teams on the field, the Flames’ "baggage” made them a toxic choice for all but a desperate C-USA.

It’s a better football move than inviting New Mexico State. I don’t mean to get too mean here but Aggies are the real bottom of the barrel and demonstrate just how desperate Conference-USA was to shore themselves up. NMSU was *kicked out* of the Sun Belt several years earlier, they weren’t even worth keeping around as a football-only member. Credit to New Mexico State, they gutted out several years in the wilderness completely unsure if they’d ever get cast a line again. I don’t know how long they were planning on staying a FBS Independent, but I’m glad they got rescued. Not that it makes Conference USA better at football.

Schools lost: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Marshall, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, UTSA Schools joined: Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State

Grade: F-

I’m not sure what Conference USA could have done to keep the AAC from poaching them without a time machine, but the Sun Belt losses were completely brought upon by themselves. The league hasn’t conducted itself well and it has resulted in CUSA becoming the clear bottom conference in the FBS football moving forward.

#college football #Jacksonville State Gamecocks #Liberty Flames #New Mexico State Aggies #Sam Houston State Bearkats

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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Conference Realignment Grades: Sun Belt

Following the American Athletic Conference’s raid on Conference-USA, the Sun Belt found their own chance to get a leg up on the competition. The league also raided Conference USA, taking several of the remaining strongest brands/programs, while once again promoting the cream of the FCS to the FBS to infuse more talent into the league.

Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss were given a life raft away from the sinking C-USA ship. The Golden Eagles fit perfectly with the culture and geography of the Sun Belt even though USM hasn’t been the program it used to be 10+ years ago. The Thundering Herd and the Monarchs extend the league further North than they’ve been before, but these moves shouldn’t strain the conference geographically by any means. Marshall is a longtime stalwart of the mid-major world, the Herd should transition just fine into their new home. ODU has never really been successful at FBS football just yet, they’re a bet on the future.

The final piece of the puzzle is James Madison. The Dukes are moving up from the Colonial Athletic Association in the FCS and will pair up with Old Dominion as the league’s new foothold in Virginia. JMU joins former FCS powers App State, Coastal Carolina, and Georgia Southern in Sun Belt’s East division.

One other side effect of this push into football dominance is that the Sun Belt’s two non-football members did leave. I haven’t really found the reasoning for it, but for college football purposes this has zero impact.

Schools lost: Arkansas-Little Rock, UT-Arlington Schools gained: James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion, Southern Miss

Grade: A-

The Sun Belt made out like bandits in the latest round of realignment. No other FBS conference comes close except, of course, the SEC. Pound for pound, this conference might be the best G5 league moving forward. At worst, the Sun Belt will be among the top 3 G5 conferences with the weakened AAC and the Mountain West. These were all very savvy moves and should pay off handsomely in the near and long term for this burgeoning conference.

#college football #James Madison Dukes #Marshall Thundering Herd #Old Dominion Monarchs #Southern Miss

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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Conference Realignment Grades: AAC

As last year’s realignment wave spread across the college football landscape, the focal point became the American Athletic Conference. As the premier G5 conference, the AAC’s best programs were the ones that were raided by the Big 12 as that league attempted to recoup the losses of Oklahoma and Texas.

Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF were the most successful schools in the American alongside Memphis. It is a crippling blow to the AAC, that leaves no longer leaves the league the default #1 G5 conference.

Before the Big 12′s raid of the American, there were rumors that Boise State and perhaps a few other MWC schools were going to bolt for the AAC, where they’d have access to a better schedule and more national exposure. After Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF left these talks all dried up. A package of Air Force and Colorado State was even floated late in the game, but ultimately the American lost enough of its clout to make it an unpalatable move for any of the MWC programs.

As a result, the AAC promoted from below, replacing their three former powers with six schools from Conference USA: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, as some schools seem to have earned the promotion for different reasons and it’s unclear whether they will all make this new AAC a strong football league.

Florida Atlantic replaces UCF in the Florida market. The Owls proved themselves a capable C-USA squad in past seasons, and they distinguished themselves enough from FIU to earn the promotion.

North Texas, Rice, and UTSA were added to shore up the league’s presence in Texas. UNT has long been considered the most promising of the non-SWC Texas teams and it has been theorized that they can keep slowly developing into a G5 power. So far the results haven’t impressed all that much, even in the weaker C-USA North Texas has struggled to build and maintain momentum. Meanwhile, UTSA had a breakout season in 2021. The Roadrunners now look like the most promising up-and-coming program in the state. They were a good lock. Rice wasn’t. I get that the Owls are in Houston but this addition feels like dead weight. The bottom line is that Rice doesn’t really care about having a good football program. Allegedly some of these Texas schools were added to keep the Mountain West from poaching SMU or Tulsa. Sounds about right.

UAB is a great addition. The Blazers are the only real slam dunk addition outside of UTSA. The revived UAB squad has only won since they came back from the dead and Birmingham is a big city, keeping in with the AAC’s metro area identity.

Charlotte is a city with a football team, but the 49ers aren’t a good football team. This move was made for demographics and won’t make the new American any better in football.

Schools lost: Cincinnati, Houston, UCF Schools gained: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, UTSA

Grade: D+

Neither the whole nor the sum of the these parts makes up for the losses. Charlotte and Rice are bad promotions, flat out.

#college football #Charlotte 49ers #Florida Atlantic Owls #North Texas Mean Green #Rice Owls #UAB Blazers #UTSA Roadrunners #Cincinnati Bearcats #Houston Cougars #UCF Knights

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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Conference Realignment Grades: Big 12

The SEC’s bid to take Oklahoma and Texas set off a cascade of moves that altered half of the FBS conferences. The biggest impact was initially felt by the Big 12, as that league lost its two most valuable brands. It’s hard to say whether the league can really recover from this loss, but they did a good job making a few sensible moves that should ease the blow.

BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF are all moving up in the world, out of the ranks of the mid-majors and into the waiting arms of a Power 5 conference. I think in all four cases, the Big 12 added the best fit from a program-building standpoint. BYU is still the last mid-major to win a national championship and the Cougars have mostly spent the last several years humiliating various PAC-12 opponents. Meanwhile, Houston, UCF, and Cincinnati have all successively served as the frontrunner program of the AAC. All four schools are in the upper right quadrant for G5 schools in terms of facilities, recruiting, and past success.

What will the future hold for the Big 12? I don’t know anymore. I think they can still be a solid league year in and year out, but I don’t think they can ever return to the heights they used to occupy as one of the premier power conferences.

Schools lost: Oklahoma, Texas Schools gained: BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF

Grade: C+

I honestly don’t know if there was anything that could have been done to prevent OU and UT from leaving, so this judgement might be a bit harsh. In a vacuum, the 4 additions will be good for the league. They made the exact right call on the four teams most deserving of promotion to the P5.

#college football #BYU Cougars #Cincinnati Bearcats #Houston Cougars #UCF Knights #Oklahoma Sooners #Texas Longhorns

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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Conference Realignment Grades: SEC

Hey everybody, offseason content starts flowing today. I’m bringing back a series from a while ago where I assess how each conference did during conference realignment with letter grades.

Let’s start out with the clear winner and the league that set the ball rolling. Back in July 2021, both Oklahoma and Texas shocked the college football world by announcing their intentions to join the SEC. The Sooners and the Longhorns are two of the most successful programs in history, their move to the SEC was a coup of the highest order for the league.

The Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns are two of the bluest of blue blood programs. They have a long history of success and even boast one of the nation’s best rivalries. Oklahoma has won 7 poll national championships and 50 major conference titles, Texas has claimed 4 national titles and over 30 league championships. The Sooners are currently one of the top programs in the nation, and are the odds on favorites to win the Big 12 year in and year out. Texas hasn’t been living up to their potential for the past decade, but the Longhorns remain one of the biggest brands in the whole sport.

Schools lost: none Schools gained: Oklahoma, Texas

Grade: A+

This was such a smart move it might have broken the current college football system. There will be no more parity between the Power 5 leagues now that the SEC has Oklahoma and Texas.

#college football #Oklahoma Sooners #Texas Longhorns

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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Postseason Housekeeping

Hello everybody, I hope you all had a wonderful postseason. I’m sure that isn’t the case for many of you if you aren’t Georgia fans, but I hope the holidays were good at least.

I’m sorry for going afk at the end of the year. My brother was in town for the first time in nearly 2 years so I spent a good amount of time with him and just couldn’t devote enough time to writing to make it worth publishing. I hope you understand.

Congratulations to the Georgia Bulldogs for securing the national championship. I’ll see you soon with some offseason content.

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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thecollegefootballguy · 2 years

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2021 Top Games of the Week: Army-Navy

Yes the regular season is over and the champions of every conference have been decided. All that’s left before the bowls is to watch the Army-Navy game.

Army 8-3 vs Navy 3-8 (3-5) (East Rutherford, NJ)

As fine a college tradition as any, the Army-Navy game is always competitive. The Black Knights will be favored given their record and level of play, but the Midshipmen always play their archrivals the hardest. Army has won 4 of the past 5 games against Navy since ending their long losing streak in 2016.

#college football #Army Black Knights #Navy Midshipmen

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