Random Thoughts Week 19: Blueblood Revocation

Indiana, Oregon, Miami-FL, and Ole Miss. Just like everyone predicted. Right?

With one glaring exception, the lower seeds have won seven of eight games over the top 4 seeds in two years of the stupid expanded

playoff.

We have discussed this in previous weeks and it rang true once again for three teams this year: Teams with first round games are at an advantage – especially if that first game is against a Participation Trophy team. Last season’s CFP saw all of the top four seeds lose in their first playoff game. Granted two of those top 4’s were Boise and Arizona State, but the other two were undefeated top-seed Oregon and 2-seed UGA. The advantage comes in the timeline of the games. The first rounders have two or three weeks off from the regular season/championship game. Then for Round 2, it’s 12-13 days off. Meanwhile, the top fours are sitting around getting rusty, fat, and distracted. It is hard to stay locked in for a full month and not playing a game that counts.

The unfortunate side effect of this is that the numbskulls in charge will think that the cure is expanding to 16 teams, when 8 is more appropriate. [Though 4 is better and will never happen in this current state of things.]

CFP ROSE BOWL: #1 Indiana 38 #9 Alabama 3 – What a disgraceful display by the Tide. Indy is a good team and might just win it all. But to be dominated in all phases like Bama was was embarrassing and alarming.

Nick Saban certainly did not win every game during his tenure at the Capstone. However, they were not too many times that he was out-coached, out-worked, and unprepared for his opponent. In two years, Kalen DeBoer has had eight such moments. Much needs to change if he hopes to continue working for the University of Alabama. This program needs some changes in the coaching ranks and there needs to be a different approach to the player personnel. Curt Cignetti has laid the groundwork. Now go follow it.

CFP SUGAR BOWL: #6 Ole Miss 39 #3 Georgia 34 – Leading 21-12 at the break, UGA let OM creep back in this one and then take a 10 point lead in the 4th quarter. The Rebs got the ball back with 51 ticks left on the clock and got close enough to connect on a 47 yard field goal with 6 seconds remaining (that felt like an hour; more on that below).

CFP COTTON BOWL: #10 Miami-FL 24 #2 Ohio State 14 – Buckets quarterback Julian Sayin threw two HUGE interceptions. One was returned for a score and the other thwarted any hope for a comeback. Both were terrible decisions.

CFP ORANGE BOWL: #5 Nike Money 23 #4 Oil Money 0 – Texa$ Tech QB Behren Morton coughed the ball up three times – two INTs and a lost fumble. Red Raiders 1,000+ yard rusher Cameron Dickey also lost a fumble and managed only 29 yards on the ground against the Ducks. That was all it took for Oregon as their offense was not all that great with 64 rushing yards and 309 total.

ESS-EE-SEE

TAMPA BOWL: Iowa 34 Vanderbilt 27 – Down 34-24, Vandy opted to kick a 37 yard field goal on 2nd down with just under 3 minutes remaining in hopes of getting the ball back one more time. On 3rd & 1 with just over 2 minutes to play, the Hawkeyes stacked the line in what looked like a sneak but instead converted on an 11 yard gain around the end and ran out the clock.

CHEEZ-IT CITRUS BOWL: Texas 41 Michigan 27 – Thank gawd. An SEC win.

Arch Manning threw for 221 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns. He also had two fourth-down conversions, one of them for 19 yards that set up a short TD run by a back.

The Longhorns needed Arch’s legs as the leading three running backs for Texas did not play and entered the quitter hole.

MUSIC CITY BOWL: Illinois 30 Tennessee 28 – Tennessee’s offense didn’t see the field over the final 11:40 of the game. Following a 12 play drive for an Illini field goal, the Vols had a kickoff return touchdown to take a one point lead. However, IU went on a 13-play drive that resulted in the game-winning field goal at the buzzer.

DUKE’S MAYO BOWL: Wake Forest 43 Mississippi State 29 – Not to make excuses, but this was a 5-win MSU team that thought their season was over. Starting QB Blake Shapen had already left Starkville and was getting ready for an all-star game in Hawaii. Back-up Kamario Taylor started and played okay but left the game on a cart when under three minutes to play, he was scrambling for extra yards and his leg was hit awkwardly as he was tackled.

Senior citizen Robby Ashford, on his fourth team (Oregon, Aub, SCar, Wake) in five years, led the Demon Deacons to a respectable 9-4 campaign. Watch this guy end up as a 12-year clipboard carrier.

OTHER STUFF

^{Um, yeah it is.}

ALAMO BOWL: The Texas Christians 30 Southern Cal Heathens 27 (OT) – The Trojans kicked a field goal with 9:37 remaining to go up 24-14. Little did they know, it would be the last productive thing they would do in regulation. With the back-up QB at the wheel, the Horned Frogs would eat up 5:13 of play and pull withing three following a 11 play/75 yard drive. On the ensuing possession, So Cal went backwards and punted after three plays. TCU expertly drove down to the 10 and kicked a game-tying field goal as the clock hit zeroes. In the top half of the extra frame, the Men of Troy got down to 1st & Goal at the TCU 2, but had to settle for a field goal. After an incompletion and a sack put the Froggies at a 3rd & 20 at the 35, running back Jeremy Payne took a pas in the flats and scooted his way down the sidelines for the walk-off victory.

TONY THE TIGER SUN BOWL: Duke 42 Arizona State 39 – After scoring the go-ahead touchdown, the Blue Devils thwarted the Sun Devils comeback with an interception.

HOLIDAY BOWL: SMU 24 Arizona 19 – The Mustangs led 24-0 at the half and barely held off the Wildcats in the second half.

LAS VEGAS BOWL: Utah 42 Nebraska 22 – Another 7-6 final record for Matt Rhule.

INDEPENDENCE BOWL: Louisiana Tech 23 Coastal Carolina 14 – CCU blew a 14-3 halftime lead. Three second half turnovers and a missed field goal kept the Chanticleers off the scoreboard while the Bulldogs scored 20 unanswered. Sloppy-ass game.

ARMED FORCES BOWL: Texas State 41 Rice 10 – You don’t really care. Do you?

WORST MISSED CALL OF THE WEEK

How do you miss this. Even the homer UGA announcers saw it. The Dwags had a lot of calls go their way in this game. It makes one wonder if after seeing Alabama and anOhio State go down that somebody on-high had a little talk with the officials before the game.

WORST MISSED CALL OF THE WEEK, Runner-Up

Arizona State had the ball on a 4th & 1 at the Duke 14. A Blue Devil jumps into the neutral zone, so the ASU center snapped the ball and the QB threw a pass into the end zone. The pass fell incomplete but there was no flag, no penalty, no “free play” and the ball went over to Duke on downs.

Here again similar to the inadvertent whistle from last week, SOMEBODY in stripes had to have seen that. Just because the guy whose job it is to throw the flag didn’t immediately react, throw a late flag and get it right. Ridiculous.

WHO NEEDS MAKAI LEMON OR JA’KOBI LANE?

Lemon and Lane did not play so they can prep to be second and third day picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Yeah, no need to show out in a bowl game to up your profile against guys like Jordyn Tyson, Carnell Tate, Chris
Brazzell, Denzel Boston, Nyck Harbor, Germie Bernard, Elijah Sarratt, Noah Thomas, K.C. Concepcion, Deion Burks, etc. [If you did not catch my drift, it’s a deep class for WR in 2026. Lane DEFINITELY should have played.]

BTW, this was senior Jaden Richardson’s only career touchdown catch at the FBS level.

PLUNGE OF THE WEEK

MUFF OF THE WEEK

DERP OF THE WEEK

FAIL OF THE WEEK

THE MILEY CYRUS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Lane Kiffin initially wanted to attend the Sugar Bowl and made himself available to ESPN, So he could make it all about himself. However, the network declined another appearance by Dr. Ego and he was not at the game. After realizing that using his dog for sympathy points (idea stolen from Herbstreit) wasn’t working anymore, now LFK is despicably shielding himself from critics with kids.
IT’S NOT YOUR TEAM ANYMORE, LANEY. Accept the facts, glory hunter.
[Note that none of the subjects of these photos are wearing Ole Miss gear.] #NeverKiffin

That isn’t just Ole Miss fans. Everyone outside of the boot-shaped state shares the above sentiment. Lane Kiffin continues to try and make the Rebels’ playoff successes all about him. Instead of the Sugar Bowl, he paired up with another college sports clown.

CLOWN COLLEGE OF THE WEEK

Hilariously in this game, #11 Kentucky handed #5 LSU their first loss of the season in women’s basketball.

TIP DRILL OF THE WEEK

CATCH OR NO CATCH? Part Un

CATCH OR NO CATCH? Part Deux

I disagree, Matt.

TRYING TO HELP OUT UGA?

WEIRDEST STUPIDEST ENDING TO A GAME OF THE WEEK YEAR

In case you are not aware, if an offense fumbles out of the end zone that they are backed up against, it is a safety. The above pass went backwards which qualifies as a lateral and a fumble. It hit the pylon which is considered part of the end zone. Safety.

Twice they brought the presentation stages out onto the field when everyone but the zebras figured the game was over.

OFFICIAL SCORING:

“Gunner Stockton pass complete to Colbie Young for 2 yds to the UGA 20 lat. to Cash Jones for 1 yd to the UGA 20 lat. to Lawson Luckie for a loss of 3 yards to the UGA 20 lat. to Cash Jones for no gain to the UGA 20 lat. to Colbie Young for a loss of 5 yards to the UGA 20 lat. to Lawson Luckie for 6 yds to the UGA 20 lat. to Cash Jones for no gain to the UGA 20 lat. to Colbie Young for a loss of 3 yards to the UGA 20 lat. to Dillon Bell for a loss of 8 yards to the UGA 20 lat. to Gunner Stockton for a loss of 1 yard to the UGA 30 Georgia Penalty, Illegal Block (Yards) declined”

Was the Sling Blade quarterback really trying to pass the ball forward at the end there?

“HOW DO YOU DO FELLOW KIDS?”

Matt Rhule trying to fit in with the kids. Didn’t work.

SPIT TAKE OF THE WEEK

Well… you can’t really see where the spit landed. Regardless, this appeared to be the officials keeping an already chippy game from getting out of control.

CHEAP SHOT OF THE WEEK

The recipient of this shot was the Duke center who was laaaaying on the guy. Because he writhed on the ground for awhile, he had to come out of the game. The Blue Devils attempted to convert a 4th down without him and failed. They still won the game though.

BLOWN COVERAGE OF THE WEEK

TRICKERATION OF THE WEEK

WOKE UP FEELING THE CHEEZIEST

HE’S GREEEEEAT!

Well, maybe not great. But a pretty good year for Manny Diaz in Durham. Now, don’t pull a Kiffin. Stay at Duke, win games, and live a happy life.

FOOD DUMP FAIL OF THE WEEK

The Holiday Bowl asked “celebrity” SMU alum, Kevin from the TV show The Office, do an eggnog dump on the Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee’s head and it is clear he had no idea what the bleep he was doing.

SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST

CREEPIEST MASCOTS OF THE WEEK

THE KILLER AND THE COKEHEAD

Cocaine is a helluva drug.

STOP TRYING TO BE NAJEE

…Unless you want to spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair.

STOP TRYING TO BE ADAM GRIFFITH AND MARLON HUMPHREY

Marlo gets so much credit for the 2015-2016 onside kick. But really it was Griffith’s perfect pooch kick that made that happen and led to the win.

BOWL WACKINESS

WANT. NEED.

FORMER TIDE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Remember James Brockermeyer? He spent the first three seasons of his career as a reserve at Alabama (2021-2023) before a 2024 campaign at TCU. Despite being a starter at center for the Frogs, he was purchased off Amazon by Miami-FL and is now headed to the CFP semifinals.

TROLL OF THE WEEK

DOES TENNESSEE WANT AGUILAR BACK?

Or Josh Heupel? Of the Vols’ eight wins this season, none came against teams with winning records. It was Year 5 for Coach Chin Beard and his team finished tied for 8th in the SEC.

KICKOFF RETURN OF THE WEEK

UNLIKELIEST KICKOFF RETURN OF THE WEEK

WORST TACKLE OF THE WEEK

WORST RUNNING BACK BLOCKING OF THE WEEK

BEST RUNNING BACK BLOCKING OF THE WEEK

This is how you pick up a blitz.

I’D LIKE TO REPORT A MURDER

SOFT PLAY OF THE WEEK

RECRUITING OF THE WEEK

anOhio State WR Jeremiah Smith gave an interesting answer about his hometown school, Miami, ahead of Wednesday night’s College Football Playoff semifinal game. The All-American was asked if Miami was a playoff contender when Smith was committing, would he be a Hurricane right now?

“Most likely, yeah, I’d have probably ended up going to Miami if things was on the right track then and there. But I chose to stick with Ohio State.”

He continued, “I’m focused on where I’m at right now and that’s Ohio State. Miami was a second option of mine coming out of high school. I almost did go to Miami, but I chose to come to Ohio State and it’s the best place for me.”

That was pre-game. Waking up on Thursday, have things changed? With his OC/WR coach Brian Hartline gone and pasty-white Julian Sayin back as his quarterback, might he make the move back home for his junior season?

COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS THE BEST

Do you blame him?

OLD GEEZER OF THE WEEK

Yep, same recruiting class as 3rd year pro Bryce Young.

NAME OF THE WEEK

SERIOUSLY! What kind of person looks down at the face of their newborn child and thinks “LET’S NAME HIM TROND.”???!?

STATS OF THE WEEK

• Lincoln Riley is 35-18 in 53 games. Clay Helton went 35-18 in his first 53 games at Southern Cal.
• Coastal Carolina and Louisiana Tech combined to punt 17 times (9 and 8). They also combined for 25 penalties (15-10) and 7 turnovers (3-4) in the Independence Bowl.
• Eleven different Oregon Ducks caught a pass against Texa$ Tech, but none of them scored.
• Do you think the Cotton Bowl refs were instructed to keep their flags securely tucked in their pants? The first flag did not come out until the 13:28 mark of the 4th quarter, and it was ironically declined. For the game, the Buckles were penalized twice for 15 yards. The ‘Canes must have been perfect angels because they had no penalties called against them.

THE WACKY WORLD OF CORSO HERBIE

College GameDay was of course at the Rose Bowl for Alabama versus top seed Indiana, but it was shot inside the stadium and not in front of fans. The whole thing felt like a bunch slow piano-driven features on players that would put Jim Carrey to sleep. The story on 23-year old Jacob Rodriguez and his wife was nice and all, but it should have been a nice feature about an NFL player and his wife. Mercifully, there was no guest picker.

HMM. THIS GUY KNOWS A THING OR TWO

SALUTE TO OUR TROOPS

LIBERTY BOWL: Navy 35 Cincinnati 13 – Senior Blake Horvath said farewell to college football with a big win that secured 11 wins in a season for just the third time in the Academy’s 146-year history. The future aviator threw for two TDs and ran for another while a teammate returned a pick for six.

ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CONTENTION

Eliminated: Washington State, Oregon State, Boston College, Cal, Clemson, FSU, Georgia Tech, Louisville, UNC, NC State, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Pitt, Arizona State, Arizona, Baylor, Center Florida, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Sparty, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Southern Cal, UCLA, Washington, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Miss State, Mizz, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tejas, BYU, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Duke, Utah, NOTRE DAME!!!!, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, JMU, Tulane, Ohio State, Georgia, Texa$ Tech, Alabama

Still Alive: Indiana, Oregon, Ole Miss, Miami-FL

A way WAY WAY too early look at the College Football Playoff (CFP) picture

• SEC – Ole Miss
• New Big Ten – Oregon
• Classic Big Ten – Indy
• ACC – Miami-FL

PARTICIPATION TROPHY

Is it any surprise that the two teams (Ole Miss and Oregon) that got a nice warm-up game against auto-bid non-Power teams of Tulane and James Madison are moving on to the semi-finals? End this inclusion lunacy.

RANK ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM

Ducks That Are Not Annoying

1. Daffy Duck
2. Donald Duck
3. Scrooge McDuck
4. Duckman
5. Howard the Duck
6. Darkwing Duck
7. Daisy Duck
8. Launchpad McQuack
9. Yakky Doodle
10. (tie) Huey, Dewey, and Louie

LET’S GO BOWLING!

• Only one team remains undefeated: Indiana.
• For the first time since 2002, the Miami Hurricanes have won 12 games.

LET’S GO BLOWING!

• Nebraska has lost 30 straight games to AP-ranked opponents.

Krazy Kristi’s “SHUT UP!” of the Week goes to Ole Miss and QB Trinidad Chambliss who are asking for a waiver for sixth year. Chambliss started at D-II Ferris State in 2021. He did not play the first two seasons, then participated in 8 games in 2023 and 15 games in 2024. Now, he is trying to retroactively claim that one of his first two seasons deserves a medical redshirt because he was allegedly injured. It seems obvious that Chambliss’s camp should have filed for a medical redshirt immediately following the season in question. That time has long ago expired. Approving this waiver will open another can of worms. Unfortunately, the NCAA is full of a bunch of wusses who rubber stamp everything. So, we’ll see what happens.

NOT QUITTING REPORT

• When asked if he had any intention of transferring out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama WR Ryan Williams stated last week, “I’m Alabama through and through. I have no intentions of being anywhere else.”
• Asked the same question, Tide back-up QB Keelon Russell said, “Man, no. I’m 100% here.”
• Fellow reserve QB Austin Mack described playing for Kalen DeBoer as “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I couldn’t be happier. … I’ve waited my turn, but I feel like it’s something that’s done me more good than bad.” That is a little more non-committal response. We’ll see.
• Following some interactions with new coach Jon Sumrall, Gators freshman WR Dallas Wilson says he will be back with Florida. This move may have never happened if not for the new 5-day waiting period rule instituted in October. The NCAA finally did something right.
• Louisville star running back Isaac Brown has agreed to return in 2026. The sophomore tallied 2,057 yards and 18 touchdowns over his first two years with the Cardinals.
• Ole Miss RB Kewan Lacy is returning to Oxford.
• QB Bryce Underwood has been convinced to return to Michigan for 2026.

PORTALLING

• And Deucey makes three! With Auburn QB Deuce Knight in the portal, the top three signal callers from this season for the War Tigers are all Outtie 5000. Of course all the booger-eaters in Lee County say they “di-in’t want him anyway”.
• Former Aubie WR Perry Thompson has picked… Minnesota (?!?!) as his next school. The former top 50 prospect caught 17 passes for 154 yards with 0 TDs this past season.
• Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt had originally been rumored to be favoring Kentucky of all places (I’m sure money had nothing to do with it). However, the ‘Cats picked up Notre Dame’s back-up QB and now Leavitt is reportedly visiting LSU and cancelled Texa$ Tech.
• Hilariously, Kentucky’s starting freshman quarterback, Cutter Boley, his heading to Arizona State.
• Former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been purchased by is committing to Texa$ Tech. The rising redshirt senior tossed 27 touchdowns on an even 2,800 passing yards, which is only 48th most in FBS, and rushed for nine more scores on 580 yards, sacked only 7 times.
• Wake Forest 6-3/296 defensive lineman Mateen Ibirogba is out and available. KALEN DEBOER! ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION??
• All-B1G Minnesota safety Koi Perich has made himself available.
• Utah second team All-American defensive end John Henry Daley plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
• North Texas QB Drew Mestemaker and RB Caleb Hawkins will be joining their UNT head coach Eric Morris in Stillwater.
• Safety King Mack started his career at Penn State before transferring to Alabama. However, he had trouble breaking into the starting lineup and went back to Happy Valley for 2025. Now, he is back in the portal. It would be LOL, but I doubt Bama wants him back.
• Auburn WR Cam Coleman has reportedly decided to visit Texas, Texas A&M, Texa$ Tech, Southern Cal, and Alabama.
• Tennessee starting left tackle Lance Heard (6-6/330) is on the move again. He started his college career at LSU.
• Another big OL, Carius Curne (6-5/320), is looking for greener pastures. The rising true sophomore played in 8 games and started 5 for the Cajun Tigers.
• Former Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons entered the 2025 season as the starting signal-caller for the program, but an ankle injury in Week 2 forced him out for multiple weeks and Trinidad Chambliss Wally Pipp’d him. Simmons has pledged his services to Mizzou.
• Texas RS-freshman wide receiver and Arch Manning roommate Parker Livingstone wants out of Austin. He caught 29 passes from his roomie for 516 yards and 6 TD.
• It seems likely that USF QB Byrum Brown reunites with coach Alex Golesh at Auburn.
• Colorado cracked open some piggy banks to land a commitment from San Jose Cuervo State wide receiver Danny Scudero.
• Former James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett is heading to witness protection at Central Florida.
• Indiana landed a commitment from Michigan State transfer WR Nick Marsh (59-662-6).
• Josh Hoover is also on his way to Indiana.
• Former Clemson safety Khalil Barnes has committed to Georgia.
• As many as 18 former Iowa State Cyclones are on their way to Penn State.

FRESHMEN

• The 2026 Under Armour All-America Game took place on Saturday, Jan. 3 and hardly anyone noticed. It is unclear why anyone would continue to play in these games and risk injury.
• The event included both 2026 and 2027 recruits. One of the 2027 prospects is 4-star ATH Xavier Sabb, who is brother of Crimson Tide safety Keon Sabb. Alabama is giving him a look.
• Bama signees involved in the All-America game were S Jireh Edwards and CB Jorden Edmonds, though it is unclear if they played.

NOTABLE NFL DECLARATIONS

• Auburn’s edge Keldric Faulk, center Connor Lew, and R Eric Singleton are going pro.
• Arch Manning will have one less favorite target next year at Texas. Tight end Jack Endries (33 rec, 346 yds, 3 TD) is out.
• I am no expert on Notre Dame’s depth chart, but they may be thin at running back. Not only is Jeremiyah Love splitting, but No. 2 Crying Irish rusher Jadarian Price (674 yds, 11 TD) is trying for the pros as well.
• Georgia star WR Zachariah Branch is declaring. He caught 81 passes for 811 yards and 6 TDs at UGA this fall.
• Starting UGA DL Christen Miller is gone.
• Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson (1,451 yds, 12 TD).
• South Carolina safety/PR Jalon Kilgore (2 INT, 10 PD).

DRAMARAMA

• With most of the other former Ole Miss offensive assistants who are riding the Lane Train returning to LSU to help Kiffin B.S. players in the Transfer Portal, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and and running backs coach Kevin Smith are staying in Oxford and will continue leading the Rebels’ offensive unit through at least this week’s semifinals game.

SABAN TREE

• Indiana, Curt Cignetti (2007–2011)
• Oregon, Dan Lanning (2015)
• Miami-FL, Mario Cristobal (2013–2016)
• Ole Miss, Pete Golding (2018–2022)/Lane Kiffin (2014–2016)

KOACHES KORNER

• Coaching Carousel:
  • Arkansas > Ryan Silverfield
  • Auburn > Alex Golesh
  • Cal > Tosh Lupoi
  • Coastal Carolina > Ryan Beard
  • Colorado State > Jim Mora, The Younger
  • Florida > Jon Sumrall
  • JMU > Billy Napier
  • K-State > Collin Klein
  • Kent State > Mark Carney
  • Kentucky > Will Stein
  • LSU > Lane Kiffin
  • Memphis > Charles Huff
  • Michigan – Kyle Whittingham
  • Michigan State > Pat Fitzgerald
  • Missouri State – Casey Woods
  • North Texas > Neal Brown
  • Ohio – John Hauser
  • Oklahoma State > Eric Morris
  • Ole Miss > Pete Golding
  • Oregon State > JaMarcus Shephard
  • Penn State > Matt Campbell
  • South Florida > Brian Hartline
  • Southern Miss > Blake Anderson
  • Stanford > Tavita Pritchard
  • Toledo > Mike Jacobs
  • Tulane > Will Hall
  • UAB > Alex Mortensen
  • UCLA > Bob Chesney
  • UConn > Jason Candle
  • Utah > Morgan Scalley
  • Virginia Tech > James Franklin
  • Washington State > Jimmy Rogers

RETREAD NATION!

• Boston College is hiring Ted Roof as defensive coordinator. This dude has performed more jobs than a $3 … janitor. Roof started his coaching career as a GA at Alabama under Bill Fkn Curry 1987–1988. He’s old, y’all.
• Well-traveled Todd Grantham has agreed to join UAB as defensive coordinator. He started out his career at his alma mater Virginia Tech with Frank Beamer (1990–1995). His big boost came in 1996 when he joined a guy named Nick Saban at Michigan State (1996–1998). After several years with various NFL teams he returned to college ball at Georgia with Mark Richt (2010–2013), followed by Bobby Petrino’s Louisville (2014–2016), and then Mississippi State (2017) and Florida (2018–2021) – those past two stops with Dan Mullen. He was an analyst at Alabama in 2022, then with the Saints, and spent this past doomed season at Oklahoma State but was fired after just four games.
• Living in the past, Dabo Swinney has picked up Chad Morris off the scrap pile to be his OC. Morris was his OC back in 2011–2014 before heading off to be a blah head coach for SMU. So impressed with his 14–22 record with the Mustangs, Arkansas made the disastrous decision to hire him away. He lasted 22 games, winning only 4. Gus Malzahn hired him for 2020, but the Gus Bus was decommissioned after that one 6-4 campaign (Bama beat them 42-13). Since then, it was a year at a high school gig, and another as USF analyst, before Dabo took him in as an analyst in 2023. In 2024, Morris was WR coach at Texas State. He spent this season in an advisory role with Virginia, where his son, Chandler, was the Cavaliers’ starting QB as a sixth year senior. That path certainly looks like a guy winding down of a career. But no. Dabo thinks that it is still the 2010’s glory days.
• Kyle Whittingham is swiping Utah OC Jason Beck to join him at Michigan.
• Urban Meyer told his wife, “you are just like Google. You won’t let me finish a sentence before making a suggestion.
• Fat F*** Phil Fulmer’s doctor told him to stop having family dinners for four, unless there are three other people with him.

TEEVEE

One final “SHUT UP, GARY!” for Gary Danielson, who called his final broadcast in the Sun Bowl. Former Tennessee Vol Charles Davis will replace the longtime broadcasting veteran who has retired. Brad Nessler and Jenny Dell will both return to the booth in 2026.

THIS WEEK

Thursday, January 8

FIESTA BOWL, CFP Semifinal: 10 Miami-FL vs 6 Ole Miss 6:30/7:30 ESPN

Friday, January 9

PEACH BOWL, CFP Semifinal: 5 Oregon vs 1 Indiana 6:30/7:30 ESPN

Monday, January 19

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: TBD vs TBD 6:30/7:30 ESPN – in Miami

#ALABAMA

• As you have probably heard, NC State RB Jahmyr Gibbs Hollywood Smothers is transferring to Alabama. It is a huge pick-up. Personally, I wouldn’t mind picking up one more running back. Also needed are several offensive linemen, a linebacker or two, a big interior defensive lineman, maybe another receiver, and possibly a punter and a long snapper.
• Once upon a time, Nick Saban told Jaylen Mbakwe that he had potential to be a great defensive back. After Saban’s retirement, Mbakwe decided he wanted to play on offense instead and disappeared into the ether of the depth chart. The former 5-star is now in the Transfer Portal. Why would someone NOT listen to Saban advice? He is headed to Georgia Tech.
• WR Rico Scott has removed his name from the Transfer Portal. Now, go delete all the bad things you said about him on social media. 😂
• Many sports news outlets reported that Alabama is set to hire South Alabama linebacker coach Cameron Cleminson as assistant LB coach for the Tide. He spent the 2023 campaign at USA under then-head coach Kane Wommack, who is now Alabama defensive coordinator. It is unclear whether Cleminson will be part of the ten “recruiting” assistants.

UP NEXT:

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Alabama Crimson Tide (11-4) vs East Carolina Pirates (9-4)

Tuscaloosa, AL

• History: Who remembers this one? In their only meeting occurring in 1998 with goofball Mike DuBose at the helm, Alabama led the Pirates 21-0 at halftime. If not for a two-point try returned by Kenny Smith/Kecalf Bailey (at the 10:50 mark), the Tide might have lost this one. Instead, they held on for a sweat-it-out 23-22 victory in a 7-5 season.
• ECU 2025: The Pirates (9-4, AAC 6-2) had a pretty good season, defeated Pitt in the Military Bowl.
• ECU 2026: Unfortunately for the Pirates, QB Katin Houser is in the portal.
• Weather: It’s always a beautiful day when there is football in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
• Radio: Chris Stewart, Tyler Watts, Corey Reamer was this year’s trio. Will everyone be back? What grade do you give them?