Football Wrap-Up

Here are my thoughts from Week 3 of the NFL season, based purely on what I was able to see.  For the first time this season (thanks Irma) I watched a lot of football, so I have a pretty good sample size.

Game of the Week

Chicago Bears 23 v. Pittsburgh Steelers 17 - There were a lot of good games, and multiple overtime games, but this one was the closest/best.  Coupled with the Sherrick McManis blocked field goal returned by Marcus Cooper who slowed down and was stripped at the goal line, but with the ball batted out of the end zone by Pittsburgh kicker Chris Boswell for a penalty as time ran out of the first half, giving the Bears one untimed play from the one, which they then false started to settle for a 23 yard field goal.  Crazy.

Best Team Performance

Minnesota Vikings - They thoroughly dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning the game 34-17, and it wasn't even that close.  The Buccaneers defensive backfield might as well have been absent as Vikings wide receivers did whatever they wanted; Stefon Diggs finished with 8 receptions for 173 yards and Adam Thielen had 5 receptions for 98 yards.

Least Impressive Team Performance

Baltimore Ravens - I think the Ravens missed their flight to London, losing 44-7 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Baltimore's score came after surrendering 44 straight points to the Jaguars.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Offense)

Stefan Diggs, WR - Minnesota Vikings.  The aforementioned Diggs gained 173 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on 8 catches and scored 2 touchdowns.  So far this year he is the best receiver not named "Antonio Brown".

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Defense)

DeMarcus Lawrence DE, Dallas Cowboys - Lawrence tallied 3 sacks against the Arizona Cardinals, as the Cowboys defeated the Cardinals 28-17 on Monday night.  He now has 6 1/2 on the season to lead the NFL.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Special Teams)

Sherrick McManis, DB - Chicago Bears.  In the first quarter he was the gunner on a punt, and fielded the muff from Steelers' punt returner Eli Rogers.  At the end of the second quarter, McManis blocked the field goal that led to the craziness described above.

Most Impressive Team Performance (Premier League)

Machester City.  They defeated EPL bottom dwellers Crystal Palace 5-0, as they should have.  What made their performance the most impressive of the weekend is that they possessed the ball 72% of the time.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Premier League)

Alvaro Morata, F - Chelsea - He scored a hat trick against Stoke City and is now tied for the league lead in goals with Romelu Lukaku, the Manchester United forward that everyone expected to sign with Chelsea.  And he did so during the week in which Diego Costa, the high scoring forward that Morata replaced at Chelsea, completed his transfer to Atletico Madrid.

Goat of the Week

Marcus Cooper, CB - Chicago Bears - Pulled his best Leon Lett impression at the goal line as time expired in the first half.

Goat of the Week (Premier League)

No real goats this week.

Hit of the Week

Donald Trump's reputation among rich NFL owners', as many of them stood arm-linked-in-arm with their players before and during the national anthem.

Breakthrough Performance

DeShaun Watson, QB - Houston Texans - He almost became the first rookie QB to ever go into New England and win, and if not for a scared decision by Coach Bill O'Brien to not go for first down on fourth - instead kicking a field goal and giving Tom Brady back the ball - he might have accomplished it.  He still finished with 301 yards passing and 41 yards rushing in a 36-33 defeat.

Finally

Carson Palmer, QB - Arizona Cardinals - After the first two games, most people had written Palmer off for dead.  However, against the Dallas Cowboys, he had a phenomenal first half, and finished the game 29-48 for 385 with 2 touchdowns.  Welcome back Carson Palmer.

Impact Injury

Bryan Bulaga, T - Green Bay Packers.  The rock of the Packers offensive line went out of the game with an injury and didn't return.  If he is out for a number of games, expect Aaron Rodgers to take a bit more of a beating than usual.

Team Rising

Jacksonville Jaguars - By thumping the Ravens the way they did, people are starting to remember, and perhaps the team will as well, that they do have some serious talent.

Team Falling

Oakland Raiders - Yes they are still 2-1, but the offense has not shown up in either of the last two games.  Since their defense outside of Khalil Mack isn't stellar, this is discouraging for Raiders fans.

Best Teams

(All undefeated teams will be ranked ahead of all others until all teams have at least 1 loss, then I will rank them based upon which teams I think is best, regardless of record.)

1. Kansas City Chiefs

2. Atlanta Falcons

3. New England Patriots

4. Minnesota Vikings

5. Philadelphia Eagles

Worst Teams

(All winless teams will be ranked here until all teams have at least 1 win, then I will rank them based upon which teams I think are the worst, regardless of record.)

32. New York Giants

31. San Francisco 49ers

30. Cincinnati Bengals

29. Los Angeles Chargers

28. Cleveland Browns

Middle Teams

15. Jacksonville Jaguars

16. Los Angeles Rams

17. Buffalo Bills

18. Baltimore Ravens

Preview - Game(s) of the Week

4. Carolina Panthers v. New England Patriots - One of two really big inter-conference games this week as both teams enter 2-1.  Much more at stake for the Panthers who are on the road, but will have to keep up with the Falcons and fend off the Buccaneers in the NFC South.

3. Detroit Lions v. Minnesota Vikings - The winner takes the lead in the NFC north (along with Green Bay if the Packers win Thursday).  This may not be the best division in football, but top-to-bottom this could be the closest division in the NFL.

2. Washington Racists v. Kansas City Chiefs - Not because of all the Native American themes, logos, clothing and other paraphernalia that will be all over this Monday night clash, but because Washington looks like they could be a very good team, and to prove it all they have to do is beat the team that has looked the best through the first 3 weeks.

1. Las Vegas Raiders v. Denver Broncos - One of these teams could conceivably fall 2 games behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.  Should be a tough, good game.

Trivia

Since I have not written after the first two weeks of NFL games, so you get two trivia questions today - although they are related.

By starting this year, Tom Brady is one of two NFL Quarterbacks to have started for 15 years all for only one team.  Who is the other?

Tom Brady is also one of only 2 players in the four major North American sports (baseball, basketball, football, hockey) to play 18 years, all under only one head coach.  Who is the other?

Sports Bar Review of the Week

No review this week

Trivia Answer

No answer as of yet.  Tune in next week.

The Ole College Try

What a crazy couple of weeks in college football, and that is just with the University of Florida's endings.  Here is the recap of the season to date, with an emphasis on last week's games.  For those that don't remember, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous that the networks, including the World Wide Leader, nay, especially the World Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race all season at the expense of everything else.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Baker Mayfield -Oklahoma - He doesn't have the yards of Josh Rosen or Mason Rudolph, but he is 9th in passing yards, 3rd in Touchdowns, and has the biggest win of the season.  With Lamar Jackson and Mason Rudolph both having lost, and Josh Rosen having lost twice, it is going to take a lot to move Mayfield out of this position.

Rising - Will Grier - West Virginia - We wanted, and still want, the Oklahoma and Oklahoma State game to mean something, but the West Virginia - Oklahoma game on November 25 has the potential to really mean something!

Sleeper - Luke Falk - Washington State - The undefeated cougars are rolling, primarily because of Luke Falk.  He has thrown for 1378 yards, and more importantly, has completed 77 percent of his passes.  His 14 TDs to 1 interception is astounding.

Falling - Sam Darnold - USC - Struggled at times against what should have been an overmatched California Bears team.  He still may be the top pick in the draft, but he isn't the Heisman favorite.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Saquon Barkley - Penn State - He gained 211 yards and scored 1 TD against a tough Iowa defense as the Nittany Lions eeked out a 21-19 win.  He also had 94 yards receiving off 12 receptions.  Right now nobody else is close.  Barkley is the Heisman frontrunner overall.

Rising - Bryce Love - Stanford - He leads the NCAA in rushing with 787 with a 10.8 yard per carry average.  Stanford's two losses will keep him off the Heisman podium, however.

Falling - Jordan Scarlett - Florida - Not only has he been suspended the entire season, but freshmen Malik Davis and Kadarius Toney looked way more exciting running the ball than Scarlett ever did.

Sleeper - Mark Walton - Miami - Even though Miami has only played two games because of Hurricane Irma, Walton is still 34th in rushing with a whopping 13 yards per carry.  He is going to fly up this list with more games..

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - James Washington - Oklahoma State - Easily the best receiver in the country.  Has 520 yards on only 19 receptions (a 27.4 ypc).

Rising - Cam Phillips - Virginia Tech - 34 receptions, an NCAA best 523 yards and 5 TDs.

Falling - Ahmmon Richards - Miami - Last year's freshman All-American has yet to play this season.

Sleeper - Steve Ishmael - Syracuse - Leads the NCAA in receptions with 45, including 11 grabs in a close 35-26 defeat at LSU.  Plus, he was just added to the Biletnekoff Award watch list.

Defensive Edition

5.  Khalil Hodge.- LB - Buffalo - 52 total tackles, including 1 forced fumble.  Primarily on here because the last time Buffalo had a LB named Khalil - he turned out to be pretty good (Mack).

4.  Demetrius Monday - CB - Kent State - Your NCAA leader with 4 interceptions.

3.  Peter Kalamabayi - DE - Stanford - Leads the NCAA with 8 sacks, and he does it in a tough conference.

2.  Anthony Winbush - DE - Louisville - He has 8 sacks and leads the NCAA with 3 forced fumbles.

1.  Frank Ginda - LB - San Jose State - Leads the NCAA in tackles with 73 (21 more than the next highest total).  And it isn't because he is the only player on the defense that can tackle opponents, as teammate, safety Ethan Aguayo, is 5th in the NCAA in tackles with 48.

Player(s) to Watch

Keith Bryant - QB - Clemson - He doesn't have the eye-popping stats that DeShaun Watson did, and he may not look as exciting as DeShaun Watson did, but he does look in control of a team that looks destined for the playoffs.

My New Favorite Player

Logan Woodside - QB - Toledo - The senior is in complete control of an extraordinary offense, and he looks well on his way to another 4,000 yard passing season.  This is what a guy that stays four years at a mid-major school looks like - a great college quarterback.  He may not translate to the NFL, but he looks great for Toledo.

Players of the Week (Just Week 2)

5.  Mark Walton - RB - Miami - He gained 204 yards on only 11 carries in Miami's victory over Toledo after a three-week layoff due to Hurricane Irma.

4.  Manny Wilkens - QB - Arizona State - He threw for 347 yards in the Sun Devils' upset victory over Oregon.

3. Zach Smtih - QB - Baylor - The only loser on this list, but he kept Baylor in the game against Oklahoma falling 49-41 despite his 403 yards and 4 TDs on 33-50 passing.

2.  Bryce Love - RB - Stanford - he rushed for 263 yards as the Cardinal stomped UCLA.

1. Saquon Barkley - RB - Penn State - He gained 305 total yards from scrimmage, and Penn State needed every yard in a close victory over Iowa.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

Nick Haynes - OL - Kentucky - His 10 yard late game holding penalty proved costly as the Wildcats missed a very long field goal at the buzzer by a mere 3 or 4 yards.  The fact that it wasn't a holding penalty notwithstanding, Haynes has to feel awful for costing Kentucky its first win against the Gators in 31 tries.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Mike Gundy - Oklahoma State - The Cowboys, who seemed on track for a potential playoff-qualifying rivalry game against Oklahoma, just were not ready/prepared for Texas Christian.  Playing in the Big 12 with one loss will not get you into the playoffs.

Predicted Playoffs/Championship Match Ups

Alabama (1) v. USC (4)/ (2) Clemson v. (3) Oklahoma

Again, still way too early to tell as tons of teams are still alive.

Final Unbeatens

Alabama, Central Florida, Clemson, Duke, Georgia, Memphis, Miami, Michigan, Minnesota, Navy, Oklahoma, Penn State, San Diego State, South Florida, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, USC, University of Texas - San Antonio, Utah, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Washington, Washington State, Wisconsin

Rant(s) of the Week

No rants this week.  Which in and of itself is an upset.

Under Performance of the Week

Oklahoma State.  This was supposed to be the year they challenged for the Big 12 title; which they still can.  But losing to TCU doesn't help matters.

Last Year's Trivia Answer (or perhaps even two years ago)

As a reminder, the question was:

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen threw for at least 300 yards for the 12th time in his collegiate career, breaking the school record held by whom?

The answer is Cade McNown.

Trivia Question of the Week

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson has set the school record for touchdown passes with his 88th TD in last week's game.  Whose record did he break?

Match up(s) to Watch

5. Miami v. Duke - Other than my number 1 game to watch, this is the game of the week that could go a long way to determining a place in the ACC championship game, as 2 unbeatens play at the site of one of the more crazier endings in NCAA history.

4.  Mississippi State v. Auburn - The winner takes a big step forward in seeing who the number one contender is against Alabama in the SEC west.

3. Vanderbilt v. Florida - Not because this will be a good game, but have you seen the last two endings in Florida's last two games?

2.  USC v. Washington State - Can Luke Falk make a big step toward making Washington State a real contender in the Pac-12?  He can with a win over USC.

1.  Clemson v. Virginia Tech - Two undefeated ACC teams with incredibly strong defenses face-off in Blacksburg, which I can attest is an excellent college football crowd..

Over-Rated/Under-Rated/Rated

I have been thinking about doing a column along this topic for sometime.  My plan is to do this as many Mondays as possible.  This column does a few things:  (1) It gives me another writing outlet, not necessarily limited to sports; (2) It allows me to make fun of the typical sports television/radio games; and (3) Who knows what kinds of fun we can get into.

Rather than just list a bunch of people/places/things/teams/qualities/ideas, etc. and then stating whether they are over-rated/under-rated/or just rated exactly right, I will select a topic and then name people/places/things/teams/qualities/ideas, etc. that are over-rated/under-rated or rated exactly right.  For example, if the category is colors:  I could say red is over-rated, then explain why, say green is under-rated, then explain why, and say that yellow is rated correctly, then explain why.  For your color aficianados, this is just to show how the system works.  One over-rated/one under-rated/one rated correctly for each topic.

My first topic grew from a facebook post of friend of WeMakeItRain Allison after visiting Camden Yards for a baseball game early this year.  I saw her post and I new I wanted to do something with it, but it only recently occurred to me how to do it.  That post, admittedly is unrelated to this column, but like my ideas, they sprout away from the original gestation.  Here is her post:

I was kind of surprised that so many Cal Ripken shirts were still available in the team store this many years later... but I bought one anyway. #2131

My topic then is:  Baltimore Orioles

OVER-RATED - CAL RIPKEN, JR.

Yes, he is a great player.  Yes, he is deservedly in the Hall-of-Fame.  Yes, he was part of the three that saved baseball (along with Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa - company with whom Ripken probably doesn't want to be mentioned.)  All this is true, and he is still way overrated.

First off, let's consider that Cal Ripken, Jr. is considered a God by Baltimore Oriole fans, as well as by other baseball fans.  Some might even try to argue that he is the best shortstop of all time.  But, let's look at the numbers in comparison to other Hall-of-Famers.

Ripken's career batting average is .276, which puts him at 136th among Hall-of-Famers, tied Roy Campanella and Harry Wright.  However, the average batting average among hitters in the Hall-of-Fame is .302.  Ripken is a full .027 points behind the average.  For those more interested in Moneyball stats, Ripken's career .OPS is .788, or good for 123rd among Hall-of-Famers, tied with Frank Chance and behind such legendary powers as Craig Biggio, and even fellow shortstop Barry Larkin.

To be fair, Ripken rates better in the power numbers; his 431 homers ranking 25th among Hall of Famers and his 1695 RBIs ranking 20th, although he still trails legendary shortstop Honus Wagner in RBIs.

So, Ripken is truly great, and deserves to be in the Hall-of-Fame; but he isn't the greatest Oriole as most would suggest, nor is he the greatest shortstop, as others would argue.

Thus, Ripken, Jr. is over-rated.

UNDER-RATED - FRANK ROBINSON

Frank Robinson deserves consideration among the best baseball players ever, not just relegated to the third or fourth Baltimore Oriole ever (conventional wisdom has Ripken and Brooks Robinson as the two team favorites).

Frank Robinson ended with a career batting average of .204 (105th among Hall-of-Famers), but with an OPS of .926; 23rd among those in the Hall of Fame, ahead of guys like Duke Snider, Mike Schmidt, and y es, Cal Ripken, Jr.

Like Ripken, his power numbers are much more impressive, ranking 5th among Hall-of-Famers in home runs with 586 and 16th in RBIs with 1812, playing the exact same number of years as Ripken.

Add to his resume the facts that he won MVPs in both the American and National Leagues (with the Cincinnati Reds) and was the major league's first African-American manager while playing in Cleveland.  After that, he became the first African-American manager in the National League.

Frank Robinson is continually, under-rated.

RATED - EDDIE MURRAY

This was a tough category because seven names came to my mind:  Jim Palmer - who might be a bit overrated because of the underwear commercials; Brooks Robinson - but he is a bit overrated because of his defense; Boog Powell - but he is a bit overrated because of his BarBQ restaurants; Mark Mussina - too New York Yankees; Adam Jones - too recent; and Mark Belanger - quite possibly the true definition of this section.  But, when all is said and done, it is about Eddie Murray.

Eddie Murray, always thought of as good, never makes the list of greatest of his era, or greatest at his position.  Hell, his nickname for some was "Steady Eddie".  Although he was a first ballot Hall-of-Famer, you would be hard pressed to come up with his name if you were to go through the list of first ballot Hall-of-Famers.  He hit .287 for his career with 504 homers, but, of course, he is last in the 500 homer club among those in the Hall-of-Fame.  

Yes, a great player, but thought of as exactly that:  Great.  Not exceptional, not amazing, just great.  He is properly rated.

Picks of the Week

Exactly even last week, which those that gamble know is a losing week.  Still up for the season after two weeks, so no complaints yet.

My long time readers know how this works, but for everybody else,  a reminder.  Each pick is using the spread (straight up is for wussies), and the betting line is from the same website each week as of the time of typing the entry. I keep a running tally of my record, plus my winnings/losses. We will "pretend" that I bet $100 on each game, with one game each week going for $250. Winnings/Losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.  On to the picks.

Los Angeles Rams -3 at San Francisco 49ers
Although picking Los Angeles goes against almost everything smart (don't pick road intra-divisional favorites; don't pick the road team on Thursdays for starters), and the fact that San Francisco played Seattle close on the road in a 12-9 defeat, which I think says more about Seattle than San Francisco.  I am going with the Rams.  Boy did I talk myself out of a win.

Baltimore Ravens -3 v. Jacksonville Jaguars in London
Two road teams travelling five time zones.  Nobody has any idea what is going to happen here, so I am picking the team that should be better.

Chicago Bears +7 v. Pittsburgh Steelers
Let's be clear, Pittsburgh is going to win this game.  The only question is does Chicago lose like in week 1 against Atlanta, or do they lose like in week 2 against Tampa.  Since they are home, I like the similarities in week 1.  Antonio Brown could have a big, big game.

Denver Broncos -3 at Buffalo Bills
West coast team going east and playing the early games are usually suicide for gamblers.  But, Denver isn't quite west coast, so the extra hour helps them cover.  Trevor Siemian has been more than competent in the first two games and C.J. Anderson is averaging 100 yards per game.  Buffalo's defense has been stout this year, though giving up only 235 yards per game.  Still, I like Denver.

Carolina Panthers -5 1/2 v. New Orleans Saints
Given how both team's defenses have played so far this year, this could be a shootout.  Believe it or not, that favors Carolina as increased passing attempts lead to a key interception at the end of the game.

Atlanta Falcons -3 at Detroit Lions
Detroit is much improved and could seriously challenge for a playoff spot this year.  But, Detroit's pass defense is only 19th in the league, and Matt Ryan is 3-1 against Detroit.

Cleveland Browns -1 at Indianapolis Colts
So far, I truly believe the Colts are the worst team in the league, and since this is basically a pick 'em, I don't care that I am giving up points on the road.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers -1 at Minnesota Vikings
Once again, basically a pick 'em.  Minnesota, with or without Bradford, would have a hard time against this Buccaneers defense.  Dalvin Cook could be really special, and he is going to have to be today in order for the Vikings to have any chance whatsoever.

New England Patriots -13 1/2 v. Houston Texans
Look for New England to keep rolling.  The Texans do not have the speed at the skill positions that Kansas City had, so they will not be able to put pressure on the Patriots defense.  New England in a rout.

Miami Dolphins -6 at New York Jets
I hate picking road favorites, especially in intra-divisional games, but both New York's and Miami's passing defenses are atrocious.  Only Miami - with Devante Parker and Jarvis Landry - is poised to take advantage of this flaw.

Philadelphia Eagles -6 v. New York Giants
The Giants are in the handful of worst teams in the league.Philadelphia is the third ranked passing offense and the fifth ranked offense in the league.  If they can find a steady running game, they could be dangerous.  The Giants have no running game whatsoever.

Tennessee Titans -2 1/2 v. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle has major problems on offense, and it starts with the offensive line.  The Seahawks are 30th in passing yards and 27th in total offense.  Tennessee, behind DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry are 6th in the league in rushing and 7th overall.  Seattle has a hard time scoring averaging 10.5 a game.  Tennessee doesn't, averaging 26.5.

Green Bay Packers -7 v. Cincinnati Bengals 
Andy Dalton - even when he was going good - always seemed to be a bit off.  Now, Bengals fans are already chanting for A.J. McCarron.  I assume Brent Musberger is as well.

Kansas City Chiefs -3 at Los Angeles Chargers
Kareem Hunt versus the 26th ranked rushing defense in the league.

Oakland Raiders -3 at Washington Racists
Honestly, I figure that since I am already picking a few road favorites, why not just keep picking them.  Washington's pass defense is 26th in the league, and Oakland has a few weapons, namely Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree.

Dallas Cowboys -3 at Arizona Cardinals
Yes, another road favorite, and I am not happy about this.  But, Carson Palmer is playing like he retired 3 seasons ago, and without David Johnson, this team is hanging together only by a good string of duct tape.

Big Bet

Philadelphia Eagles -6 v. New York Giants
The Giants are in the handful of worst teams in the league.Philadelphia is the third ranked passing offense and the fifth ranked offense in the league.  If they can find a steady running game, they could be dangerous.  The Giants have no running game whatsoever.

My other choices were intra-divsional road favorites (Miami/Tampa Bay), so I am taking the home team Philadelphia Eagles.  Miami and Tampa Bay should be locks as well.

Last Week's Record:  8-8
Last Week's Big Bet:  0-1
Year-to-Date Record:  16-14-1
Big Bet Year-to-Date:  1-1
Last Week's Winnings (Losses):  ($275)
Winnings (Losses) Year-to-Date:  $15

Picks of the Week

Not a bad start to the season.  The missed Chargers field goal would have made for an excellent way to end the week, but alas, no comlplaints.

My long time readers know how this works, but for everybody else,  a reminder.  Each pick is using the spread (straight up is for wussies), and the betting line is from the same website each week as of the time of typing the entry. I keep a running tally of my record, plus my winnings/losses. We will "pretend" that I bet $100 on each game, with one game each week going for $250. Winnings/Losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.  On to the picks.

Cincinnati Bengals -5 1/2 v. Houston Texans
Not a great start to the week, but the visiting team on a short week for the Thursday games have a horrible record, plus a first start for a rookie, albeit talented, quarterback.  It was a really bad game, and Cincinnati really outplayed Houston, except for one play, and one drive.  Good start for Watson.

Chicago Bears +7 at Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Chicago played really tough, especially defensively, against an Atlanta team that lead the NFL in scoring last year.  Tampa Bay will be playing its first game after Hurricane Irma postponed week 1.  Tampa is everyone's favorite non-playoff team to make the playoffs this year, but I am not sure they will win by more than a touchdown.

Cleveland Browns +7 1/2 at Baltimore Ravens
For the past few years, I have not been able to figure out the Baltimore Ravens, and last week was no exception.  I do know that Cleveland played the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team many think could usurp the New England Patriots in the AFC, tough.  DeShone Kizer looks like he belongs in this league.

Carolina Panthers -6 1/2 v. Buffalo Bills
The Panthers thoroughly manhandled the San Francisco 49ers, but I suspect I will be writing some version of this sentence a lot this year.  Buffalo defeated an equally horrendous New York Jets team, but that game was closer than it should have been.  I'll take Carolina, who greatly benefits from a less than stellar starting schedule.

Indianapolis Colts +7 v. Arizona Cardinals
Carson Palmer looked horrendous in week 1, and who knows what will happen without do everything running back David Johnson.  Indianapolis looked downright awful last week, and who knows what will happen with Patriot castoff Jacoby Brissett.  I will take the local kid (at least for me) and points.

Tennessee Titans -1 at Jacksonville Jaguars
If I told you this would be a battle of a 1-0 team versus a 0-1 team, there is no way that anyone would ever have thought the Jaguars would be the team with the win.  As we saw Thursday night, it appears that Houston is not good, so I am going to discount the Jaguars win, until they show me more.  Tennessee is a dreaded road favorite, but 1 point isn't really a favorite, so I won't sweat it too much.

Kansas City -5 v. Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia has won 3 of their last 4 against Kansas City, including the last 2 at Arrowhead, but this is not an ordinary Chiefs team.  They have speed in rookie running back Kareem Hunt and receiver Tyreek Hill, and Alex Smith isn't afraid to throw downfield.  Philadelphia looked really good against the Washington Racists last week.  However, it isn't clear to me that the Eagles have established a running game with LaGarrette Blount yet.  Although I think Kansas City will cover, this should still be close for most of the game.

New Orleans +6 v. New England Patriots
New England looked downright slow, and shall I say, old, against Kansas City in week 1, and this manifested itself on the edges of the defenses.  Unless New Orleans uses more of Alvin Kamara and less of Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson, they likely are not going to be able to take advantage of this Patriot DEFiciency.  They do, however, have Michael Thomas that can fly.  I honestly think the Patriots can win this game, just not sure it'll be by more than 6.

Pittsburgh Steelers -6 1/2 v. Minnesoata Vikings
My knee jerk reaction to week 1 would be to select Minnesota off their amazing performance last week.  But, I can't.  Sam Bradford is still Sam Bradford.  He could have a very good season behind an offensive line that looks revamped, and a spry Dalvin Cook.  However, Pittsburgh gets Le'Veon Bell back (not sure last week was "back") and they still have Antonio Brown.  Advantage Steelers.

Oakland Raiders -13 1/2 v, New York Jets
I hate this line.  I hate it, I hate it.  I would feel more comfortable teasing it down even 1 or 2 points, but that isn't the purpose of this exercise.  The Raiders defense with the exception of Khalil Mack is their weakness.  The Jets weakness is at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, linebacker, corner back and special teams.

Miami Dolphins + 3 1/2 at Los Angeles Chargers
I really like the CHargers this year, but Miami, a bit of a wildcard playing its first game of the season, looks to be well-balanced offensively.  Of course, Jay Cutler will do something stupid and lose some games the Dolphins should win, but the half point in this spread means a lot to me.  The Chargers, who would held primarily in check by the vaunted Broncos defense, should open it up a bit more this week, but not enough to blow out Miami.  I'll take Jay Ajayi and the points.

Denver Broncos +2 1/2 v. Dallas Cowboys
Those that read this column regularly know that I hate road favorites.  especially in a game in which the road favorite has to play the Broncos defense after a subpar performance against a vastly inferior New York Giants team.  It looks like Denver is going to rely on the solid-if-not-spectacular C.J. Anderson to control the ball and let its defense hold the other team philosophy this year.  It could work here today.

Los Angeles Rams -2 1/2 v. Washington Racists
Is it possible that the Rams have more firepower than the Racists?  Kirk Cousins needs a bounce-back game if he wants the big contract at the end of the season, which means he will want to throw it early and often this week.  Look for Trumaine Johnson to seal the deal with an interception on a pass forced by Aaron Donald pressure..

Seattle Seahawks -14 v. San Francisco 49ers
It's San Francisco.

Green Bay Packers +3 at Atlanta Falcons
For no other reason than Green Bay looked much better than Atlanta last week in their defeat of the Seahawks in week 1.  Green Bay looking to assert some early NFC dominance over a team that beat them in the regular season and playoffs last year.

Detroit Lions +3 at New York Giants
I feel that when it is all said and done the Giants will be a bottom dweller this year, and Detroit will  be one of the surprise teams.  I will gladly take points against the Giants.

Big Bet

Chicago Bears +7 at Tampa Bay Buccanneers
After what I saw last week and a much improved Bears defense, especially against the run, and a Buccaneers team without Doug Martin, I think the Bears at least keep this within a touchdown.  Altough I am getting more points with Cleveland, this bet seems safer.

Last Week's Record:  8-6-1
Last Week's Big Bet:  1-0
Year-to-Date Record:  8-6-1
Big Bet Year-to-Date:  1-0
Last Week's Winnings (Losses):  $290
Winnings (Losses) Year-to-Date:  $290

The Ole College Try

What a crazy week 2 in college football.  Ohio State goes down as Oklahoma thumps the Buckeyes in teh Horseshoe.  Here is week 2 recap.  For those that don't remember, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous that the networks, including the World Wide Leader, nay, especially the World Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race all season at the expense of everything else.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Baker Mayfield -Oklahoma - He was 27-35 for 386 yards and 3 TDs at Ohio State in what is the biggest win to date for any quarterback in college.

Rising - Mason Rudolph - Oklahoma State - Two lightweights to start the season (Tulsa and and South Alabama), but he has taken care of business with two 350+ yard games, and has set up a tremendously potential Bedlam.

Sleeper - Shea Patterson - Mississippi - The Rebel sophomore has been outstanding in his first two games totaling 918 yards passing and 9 touchdowns in his first two starts.  The SEC is pretty devoid of good quarterback play, so there could be a chance that Patterson is a truly unique quarterback that could confound defenses enough for Ole Miss to succeed.

Falling - J.T. Barrett - Ohio State - I blame Urban Meyer, who has yo-yoed Barrett with Braxton Miller and Cardale Jones throughout his carrier.  Anyone who saw this game against Oklahoma realizes Barrett is not the same player that he used to be.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Saquon Barkley - Penn State - Only 88 yards against Pittsburgh, but he wasn't needed; he only had 14 carries.  He is clearly the running back to watch, if a running back is going to have a chance to win the Heisman.

Rising - Royce Freeman - Oregon - Freeman gained 153 yards and scored 2 touchdowns in Oregon's victory over Nebraska.  For the season he has 303 yards and 6 TDs, and for his career he has over 4400 yards and has scored 50 TDs.

Falling - Nick Chubb - Georgia - Although extremely talented, he has to share the backfield with Sony Michel, and was outgained 73-63 (on an equal 13 carries) against Notre Dame as the Bulldogs fell to the Irish.

Sleeper - Bryce Love - Stanford - Has rushed for 340 yards, including 160 yards in a loss against USC.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - James Washington - Oklahoma State - He had only 2 receptions against South Alabama, but he gained 98 yards and scored a touchdown.  Limited playing time in a blowout does not hurt his Heisman case.

Rising - Deontay Burnett - USC - He had 9 catches for 121 yards and 2 TDs in the Trojans rout of Stanford.  He has 16 catches for 263 yards on the season.

Falling - Calvin Ridley - Alabama - Again, this is truly not a knock on Ridley, but Alabama spreads the ball around too much for anyone other than the quarterback to post spectacular numbers this year.  Ridley was the leading receiver for the Crimson Tide, with 5 catches for 45 yards.

Defensive Edition

5.  Brody Hoying.- CB - Eastern Michigan - He has 2 interceptions for 106 return yards.

4.  Quin Blanding - S - Virginia - One of the best tackling safeties in college, he has 24 total tackles through the first two games.

3.  Austin Bryant - DE - Clemson - Not the best of the Clemson defensive lineman, so he will not be in this list long, but for now he has 4 sacks, and deserves mention.

2.  Daniel Bitulli - LB - Tennessee - He has 28 total tackles on the season, and in the SEC, he will likely have the opportunities for lots more.

1.  Anthony Winbush - DE - Louisville - He has 4 1/2 sacks and 7 tackles for losses.

Player(s) to Watch

Will Grier - QB - West Virginia - He has thrown for 723 yards and 8 TDs - against 1 interception.  And we should all know that West Virginia loves to throw it around.

My New Favorite Player

Diocemy Saint Juste - RB - Hawaii - He has 434 yards rushing to lead the NCAA, and he is from Boynton Beach, Florida - just down the street.  What a combo!

Players of the Week (Just Week 2)

5.  Jacob Park - QB - Iowa State - He threw for 347 yards and 4 TDs as the Cyclones took in-state rival Iowa into double overtime.

4.  Akrum Wadley - RB - Iowa - He had a tremendous game, gaining 118 yards rushing and 72 yards receiving, with one TD each on the ground and through the air, including the game tying TD with 1:09 left in the game.

3. Lamar Jackson - QB - Louisville - He had a ho-hum 393 yards passing with 132 yards rushing, with a total of 6 TDs.

2.  Mason Rudolph - QB - Oklahoma State - Threw for 335 yards and 3 TDs, and he isn't even the best quarterback in his state.

1. Baker Mayfield - QB - Oklahoma - Torched the vaunted Ohio State defense for 386 yards and 3 TDs, on 27-35 passing as Oklahoma beat Ohio State 31-16 in Columbus.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

J.T. Barrett - QB - Ohio State - He had a QB rating of 21.1 in a showcase battle of two top 5 teams, at home.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Hurricane Irma - canceling or postponing games with Florida State, Miami, Florida and South Florida, all of which are ranked.

Predicted Playoffs/Championship Match Ups

Alabama (1) v. USC (4)/ (2) Oklahoma v. (3) Clemson

Obviously way too early to tell as tons of teams are still alive.

Final Unbeatens

Way too many to rank at this point, but this will become fun as more teams start to lose.

Rant(s) of the Week

My rant this week is about Hurricane Irma, and I am sick and tired of talking about her, so I will leave it at that.

Under Performance of the Week

Obviously Ohio State.  At home, and they get hammered by Oklahoma.  Did I mention they were at home?

Last Year's Trivia Answer (or perhaps even two years ago)

As a reminder, the question was:

Entering this season, Penn State junior running back Saquon Barkley needed only 1,360 yards (or less than he gained just last year) to become the all-time leading rusher in Nittany Lion history.  That list is star-studded.  Which player is the career rushing leader for Penn State?

Penn State has had a number of terrific running backs who have had stellar careers:  Curt Warner, Blair Thomas, Curtis Enis, D.J. Dozier, Larry Johnson, Ki-Jana Carter, Matt Suhey, John Cappelletti.  But, the answer to this question is none of them.

The answer is Evan Royster, who gained 3,932 yards from 2007-2010.

Trivia Question of the Week

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen threw for at least 300 yards for the 12th time in his collegiate career, breaking the school record held by whom?

Match up(s) to Watch

5.  LSU v. Mississippi State - Are Ed Ogeron and Matt Canada actually good for Danny Etling?  Can Mississippi make a run for the non-Alabama SEC West title?  This game will go a long way toward deciding these questions.

4.  Illinois v. South Florida - The ranked Bulls return from their Hurricane Irma postponement to take on an undefeated Big 5 conference team.

3. Tennessee v. Florida - Two ranked SEC teams play in the Swam, on the heels of Hurricane Irma's Sherman-esque trek through the Sunshine State.  This game is being played on the date, at them, and in the place as originally scheduled.  But the real reason I am looking forward to this game is that I will be at my family reunion where my uncle, who used to live in Knoxville, will have the opportunity to watch the game with my wife, a UF alumna.

2.  Harvard v. Rhode Island - Opening game for Harvard, as the Ivy League only plays a 10 game season.

1.  Clemson v. Louisville - We know that Lamar Jackson can play, but can he play against this devastating defensive line?  It will be much more difficult with captain/wide receiver Devante Peete out for the season.  Nevertheless, Louisville's offensive can still be spectcular, as can Clemson's defensive.  The question will be whether the other units step up.  My money is on Clemson's offense over Louisville's defense.

Picks of the Week

It's here.  The NFL season is finally here.  (Yes, I am aware that there was a game on Thursday evening).  Last year was looking as if it was going to be horrible, but a late season surge, topped off with a great playoff run pushed my record to 154-133-5 on the season (2-2 for the Super Bowl).  However, due to my horrendous he big bet guarantees, I finished in the hole $475.  Considering I was done $1555 entering week 17, I consider myself on a winning streak.

My long time readers know how this works, but for everybody else,  a reminder.  Each pick is using the spread (straight up is for wussies), and the betting line is from the same website each week as of the time of typing the entry. I keep a running tally of my record, plus my winnings/losses. We will "pretend" that I bet $100 on each game, with one game each week going for $250. Winnings/Losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.

Kansas City Chiefs + 8 1/2 at New England Patriots
Yes, I did make this pick before kickoff of the Thursday night game.  Long-time reader Brent Bellinger of Austin, Texas was checking in with me on Thursday to hope that Irma would not be interfering with the picks, and I wrote to him - on facebook no less - my pick.  It is out in the ether for all the world to see.  Twenty-plus people are gone from last year's Super Bowl winning team and this Chiefs team is fast - on both sides of the ball.

Atlanta Falcons - 6 1/2 at Chicago Bears
Well, I cannot cheer for Bears losses in hopes of drafting DeShaun Watson like last year, but their defense should be much improved.  Not enough to slow down the Falcons, however.  Look for Atlanta to forego the usual Super Bowl losing hangover.  With a pricey, shiny new stadium, this seems like a completely new year for them.  Matt Ryan and Vic Beasley could both again compete for offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively.  I generally don't like the road favorite, and I will secretly cheer if I am wrong, but I feel pretty safe with this pick.

Buffalo Bills - 7 1/2 v. New York Jets
This game is awful to pick, and even worse to watch.  My reasoning for picking the Bills is that the Jets may not score 7 1/2 points all season.  At least Buffalo has LeSean McCoy.  Plus, is it possible to trust Nathan Peterman more than all of the Jets' QBs combined?

Cincinnati Bengals -3 v. Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati added Joe Mixon to an already crowded backfield, but with his talent, the Bengals won't be able to keep him off the field for too long.  This will open up things for the passing game and A.J. Green will be the big recipient of Mixon's play.  Does anyone even know a player on Baltimore with Flacco hurt?  And he is hurt, whether he plays or not.  Plus, Vontaze Burfict cannot take a bad personal foul penalty.

Cleveland Browns +9 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Yes, I know that this goes against conventional wisdom, and no, I don't think they will win outright.  But, the Browns are improved, with 2 new interior lineman (J.C. Tretter and Kevin Zeitler) now joining future Hall-of-Famer Joe Thomas on the offensive line.  They could sustain some drives, take time of the clock, and score a few points.  Pittsburgh wins by 7.1

Detroit Lions +2 1/2 v. Arizona Cardinals
Beware the game that looks too easy.  If you see one like that, pick the other team.  Arizona lost a lot on defense, including Calais Campbell, and although talented on offense, will give up a lot more points that last year.  Detroit, behind Matthew Stafford, can score from anywhere on the field at any time (although not all the time - they aren't that talented).  I like this game to be close at least, with Detroit possibly winning outright.

Houston Texans -5 v. Jacksonville Jaguars
Houston got a lot better simply by getting rid of Brock Osweiler.  The defense should still be stout, and DeAndre Hopkins might have a QB that can throw him something farther than a 5 yard hook.  Jacksonville has been accumulating tons of talent on the defensive side of the ball, but needs to solve its problems at QB and RB.  They think they have one problem fixed with Fournette.  The other, not so much.

Tennessee Titans -3 v. Oakland Raiders
My sources tell me that the majority of bets in Vegas for this game are on the Raiders, but, the majority of the bets on account (meaning those that run a tab in Vegas) is for the Titans.  Always go with the smart money over the everyday bettors.  Even if I lose this one, that rule will make you a lot more money than not.Since the Raiders have problems on defense (other than Khalil Mack, of course), and since Marcus Mariota has the best receivers he has ever had (which isn't saying much), I will go with Tennessee in a bit of a shootout.

Philadelphia Eagles -1 at Washington Racists
So, the Eagles are a road favorite, but with only giving 1 point, we really aren't giving up too much.  Carson Wentz threw the second most passes in the NFL in the second half of last season, and that was before Alshon Jeffrey joined the team.  If the Eagles can balance things a bit on offensive, they should beat the Washington Racists who will have to live with Kirk Cousins throwing 40+ times a game until they find an established running back.

L.A. Rams -4 v. Indianapolis Colts
This is another game that I have no idea what to do with.  Scott Tolzein?  Seriously?  They should have at least given Steven Morris a chance.  I expect a lot of Todd Gurley and Frank Gore, so this will be an old-school bruising NFL game.  I like the Rams defense in this type of game, even without Aaron Donald.

Seattle Seahawks +3 at Green Bay Packers
We shall see who eventually runs the ball for Seattle, but Russell Wilson is always steadily good.  Although Aaron Rodgers is spectacular, but the Seahawks made the deal of the offseason (actually not technically the offseason), when they traded for Sheldon Richardson.  Putting that tank in the middle of the defensive line only makes the pass rush of Michael Bennet, Cliff Avril and Frank Clark that much more lethal.  With Richardson and Jarran Reed in the middle, the Packers might not gain any yards rushing.

Carolina Panthers -5 at San Francisco 49ers
Another game in which I feel forced to take the road favorite.  I expect a big bounce back year from Cam Newton, especially given his new toy - Christian McCaffrey - who is just as lethal receiving as he is running the ball.  The Panthers defense will again be strong, especially in this game going against the likes of Brian Hoyer, or perhaps Matt Barkley.

Dallas Cowboys -4 v. New York Giants
Ezekial Elliott will get to play in this divisional game giving the Giants wanderlust about what a real running back can do.

New Orleans Saints +3 at Minnesota Vikings
I know that the Vikings are all happy with their new running back, Dalvin Cook (who I think is going to be great - by the way), but this win goes to the Vikings' former running back Adrian Peterson; well more accurately to Drew Brees, who even in a down year led the NFL in completed passes, passing attempts and passing yards in 2016.  Sam Bradford did lead the NFL in completion percentage, and most 100 play drives.

Los Angeles Chargers +3 at Denver Broncos
I feel like I have seen this game recently (an early season Monday Night Football upset by the Chargers over the Broncos), and I picked the then San Diego Chargers in that game as well - successfully even.  Philip Rivers is still Philip Rivers, and Keenan Allen returns.  Denver will still have a phenomenal defense, but they re-signed Brock Osweiler.  WHO WAS CUT BY THE BROWNS!!!

Hurricane Irma giving points to Tampa Bay Buccaneers v. Miami Dolphins
This is not a bad joke, or me making fun of those in the middle of a natural disaster.  This is real, very real.  For those that don't know me, I am in the middle of the northeast quadrant of the storm as we speak, and a tornado warning just ended 17 minutes ago.  Vegas wouldn't take this bet, but Irma won.

Big Bet

Carolina Panthers -5 at San Francisco 49ers
I normally want to select a team that is either at home, or receiving points for my big bet.  However, San Francisco looks to be soooooooo unbelievably bad this year, I think I have to start the season going against them as often as possible.

Last Week's Record:  0-0
Last Week's Big Bet:  0-0
Year-to-Date Record:  0-0-0
Big Bet Year-to-Date:  0-0
Last Week's Winnings (Losses):  $

Winnings (Losses) Year-to-Date:  $

The Ole College Try

Welcome to the return of the almost weekly perspective of college football. I took last year off, so I am going to try to do this as often as possible.  For those that don't remember, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous that the networks, including the World Wide Leader, nay, especially the World Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race all season at the expense of everything else.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Josh Rosen -UCLA - Best quarter, ever?  UCLA entered the fourth quarter against Texas A&M down 44-10, and rallied for a 45-44 victory, largely behind the passing of Josh Rosen.  Sure, some of the completed pass were lucky, but they happened.  Rosen finished 35-50 for 491 yards and 4 TDs.

Rising - Mason Rudolph - Oklahoma State - Sure it was against Tulsa, but Rudolph was 20-24 for 303 yards and 3 TDs.  That is a tremendous completion percentage for that high a yards per attempt average.  Now, if only they could beat Oklahoma.

Sleeper - Will Grier - West Virginia - The Florida transfer was 31-53 for 371 yards and 3TDs against one of the staunchest defenses in the NCAA, Virginia Tech.  The loss definitely hurts, but if West Virginia can run through the Big 12 and he puts up numbers, we should keep an eye on him.

Falling - Lamar Jackson - Louisville - Ok, so he isn't really falling.  But as the defending Heisman winner, if he isn't first then by definition he is falling.  He had a great game against Purdue, going 30-46 for 378 and 2 TDs, to go along with 107 rushing yards.

Seriously Falling - DeAndre Francois - FSU - Too soon?

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Saquon Barkley - Penn State - He rushed for 172 yards on only 14 carries as Penn State manhandled Akron.  We will have to wait to see how he handles the meat of the schedule before he truly challenges the quarterbacks, Jackson, Rosen and Sam Darnold.

Rising - Mark Walton - Miami - He gained 148 yards on only 16 carries against Bethune-Cookman, but he looked every bit the part of star running back.  Simultaneously ran over, and through defenders.  He will definitely play on Sundays.

Falling - Jonathan Taylor - Wisconsin - Wisconsin's leading rusher only gained 87 yards for the game.  Granted, it was only on 9 carries, as Wisconsin dominated Utah State, but to win the Heisman, you have to pile up numbers against the poorer teams.

Sleeper - Trayveon Williams - Texas A&M - Despite the heartbreaking loss to UCLA, Williams amassed 203 rushing yards on 22 carries with 2 TDs.  He will engage in a season-long battle for the SEC rushing title with Derrius Guice.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - James Washington - Oklahoma State - The best wide receiver in college gained 145 yards on 6 receptions, 2 of which went for touchdowns.

Rising - James Williams - Washington State - He had an outstanding first game - albeit against Montana State - teaming up with Luke Falk for 13 receptions, 163 yards and 2 TDs.  Falk will keep throwing, and somebody is going to have to catch them.

Falling - Calvin Ridley - Alabama - This is truly not a knock on Ridley, but Alabama spreads the ball around too much for anyone other than the quarterback to post spectacular numbers this year.

Sleeper - Deon Cain - Clemson - His numbers are not going to jump off the page, but if Clemson can keep itself in the national title picture even given the graduation of DeShaun Watson, Cain is going to be a big reason why.

Defensive Edition

5.  Anthony Winbush. - DE - Ball State - He already has 3 sacks on the season, and would be ranked higher if he was playing against better competition.

4.  Joe Ferguson - S - Wisconsin - He had a 99 yard interception return for a touchdown, which means he already has 1 more touchdown than the entire offense of the Florida Gators.

3.  Daniel Bitulli - LB - Tennessee - He totaled 23 tackles - yes 23 (10 solo) - in the double overtime victory over Georgia Tech in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  Only ranked third because he total tackles comes primarily because the team could not stop the running attack of the  Yellow Jackets.

2.  Josey Jewell - DE - Iowa - The leader of an always stingy defense, Jewell sacked potential first round pick Josh Allen twice.

1.  Andrew Motuapuaka - LB - Virginia Tech - He himself looked dominant against West Virgina, totaling 12 tackles and a sack in the Hokies victory over West Virginia.

Player(s) to Watch

Bryce Love - RB - Stanford - Who is going to replace Christian McCaffrey?  How about Bryce Love, who rushed for 180 yards on 13 carries against Rice.  Not the receiver that McCaffrey is (but who is?), but will help Stanford play the tough, ground it out game for which they are known.

My New Favorite Player

Will Grier - QB - West Virginia - Since Tim Tebow, 5 quarterbacks have transferred from Florida, with 3 of them ending up in the NFL; Cam Newton, Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel (Bengals IR), Treon Harris at Tennessee State) and Will Grier.  Can you name on QB from Florida that stayed and did anything?

Players of the Week (Just Week 2)

5.  Kelly Bryant - QB - Clemson - Not spectacular (16-22, 236 yards, 1 TD; 77 rushing yards, 1 TD), but showed enough to keep alive talk of a potential repeat.

4.  Baker Mayfield - QB - Oklahoma - One of the favorites to make the college football playoff, Mayfield started the season 19-20 for 329 yards and 3 TDs.

3. Lamar Jackson - QB - Louisville - See above.

2.  Josh Rosen - If he had played well the first three quarters he might have been the number 1 player of the week.

1. TaQuon Marshall - QB - Georgia Tech - His 5-9 for 120 yards passing is only dessert compared to his 249 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns against Tennessee.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

Antonio Calloway - Florida - As the best of the 10 players suspended from the Gators for defrauding the university, he takes to goat of the week.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Jim McElwain - Florida - Fresh off the shark-hugging scandal (OK, not really), McElwain showed his mettle by switching out Franks for Malik Zaire, when it is clear neither of them deserve to be playing upper-level NCAA football.The Gators gained a total of 192 yards, a large chunk on the first drive that led to a field goal.

Predicted Playoffs/Championship Match Ups

Alabama (1) v. Oklahoma (4)/ (2) Ohio State v. (3) USC

Obviously way too early to tell as tons of teams are still alive.

Final Unbeatens

Way too many to rank at this point, but this will become fun as teams start to lose.

Rant(s) of the Week

This has been a problem since the NCAA created the targeting penalty, but the NCAA either needs to make clear to the officials, the teams, the players and the fans exactly what targeting is, or they need to stop enforcing the penalty (or at least the suspension part of the penalty).  There are too many inconsistencies from conference-to-conference, week-to-week, game-to-game, and sometimes even play-to-play for the players and teams to have any idea of what exactly is targeting.  We can quote the definition of it to each other all we want, but that does not stop the inconsistency.  It is not as subjective as you would think.

Under Performance of the Week

Ordinarily, Tennessee would qualify for this award, but playing against Georgia Tech's triple option is difficult, but more importantly, unusual.  Also, Ohio State struggled for a while against Indiana, but the Hoosiers have some really good players and Ohio State snapped out of their funk scoring more in the third quarter than Indiana did all game.  Texas A & M collapsed, but they did put up 44 points and thoroughly dominated the first 3 quarters of their game.  This means the title goes to:

The Washington Huskies.  They did not look all that good in a victory against Rutgers.  Of course, Rutgers could have a decent season and end up making us change our minds about Washington's 30-14 victory.

Last Year's Trivia Answer (or perhaps even two years ago)

As a reminder, the question was:

Florida coach Jim McElwain was caught chastising running back Kelvin Taylor on the sideline after Taylor was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct after performing a throat slash upon scoring a touchdown.  Who was the last Florida coach to noticeably explode on the sideline during a game?

The easy answer to this was Will Muschamp, or as he is known more colloquially - Coach Boom.

Trivia Question of the Week

Entering this season, Penn State junior running back Saquon Barkley needed only 1,360 yards (or less than he gained just last year) to become the all-time leading rusher in Nittany Lion history.  That list is star-studded.  Which player is the career rushing leader for Penn State?


Match up(s) to Watch

5.  All of the games affected by Hurricane Irma, whether the start times were moved up, postponed or just canceled, best wishes to all those people, fans, teams, schools and players in Irma's path.

4.  Georgia v. Notre Dame - Notre Dame is supposed to have a new, strong defense after going 4-8 last year whereas Georgia has a new QB, Jake Fromm, after Jacob Eason suffered an early injury.  I want to watch this game just to see how each of these ranked teams look.

3. Stanford v. USC - An early game that could help determine the Pac-12 champion, as well as put the winner on the pace for a berth into the playoffs.

2.  Auburn v. Clemson - Pundits and Auburn fans think this year's team has the ability to put them back into the upper echelon of the SEC, and thus college football.  Pundits and Clemson fans think that this defensive line alone gives them the chance to repeat.  It will be interesting to see how this game can shape the national projections.

1.  Oklahoma v. Ohio State - Ohio State does not make the playoffs last year without their early-season victory over Oklahoma.  Both teams keep this game on the schedule to help with the committee.  What would help more?  Winning this game.