Gray Robertson

Welcome to the fifth edition of The Hangover where I recap the previous weekend in college football. This week, The Hangover comes from Lake Martin, Alabama, where I’ve been drowning my sorrows away after Auburn defeated Alabama Saturday night. The Tigers outplayed the Tide and deserved to win, and now Gus Malzahn is off to the SEC Championship game against Georgia, who is looking for revenge. It was a WILD college football weekend, so let’s dive right into what went down across the country.

The playoff race has completely changed since last weekend. Miami lost, Alabama lost, and now we’ll have two new top teams in the College Football Playoff Rankings on Tuesday night. Right now, two playoff spots are guaranteed, with two teams that can lock their spot in with a win on Championship Saturday. Here’s what we know:

  • The SEC Champion is in. Whoever wins the rematch between Georgia and Auburn will be in the playoff, probably as a 2 or 3 seed. The loser is out, so this scenario is fairly simple.
  • The ACC Champion is in. Both Miami and Clemson have one loss, so this one is pretty easy as well. A Clemson win probably locks up the top seed, while a Miami win will probably get them in as the 3 seed.
  • If Oklahoma beats TCU, they’re in. The Sooners have looked like a Top Four team pretty much the entire season, so I think they deserve a spot.
  • If Wisconsin beats Ohio State, they’re in. I still have my reservations about the Badgers, but if they beat the Buckeyes, they’ll slide in. I don’t think Wisconsin is actually one of the four best teams in America (sorry Big Ten fans, but they’d get smacked by Oklahoma, Clemson, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and maybe even TCU), but if they win out, they deserve to make the playoff.

That means we’ve got three wildcards that can still sneak in with a little help: Alabama, Ohio State, and TCU. Out of those three, I think Alabama has the best case.

Alabama might’ve lost to Auburn, but they’re still very much in the playoff conversation.

The win over LSU looks better and better. Plus, I still think the victory to Florida State should mean something (that game was, after all, the only game this season where the Seminoles were at full strength). Mainly though, it’s the losses. Alabama lost on the road in a bitter rivalry to Auburn, the hottest team in America. Ohio State lost by 15 at home to Oklahoma (a loss that’s equivalent to Alabama’s), but also by 31 points on the road to 7-5 Iowa. TCU lost to Oklahoma and 7-5 Iowa State by a touchdown (the Cyclones’ demise down the stretch really hurt the Horned Frogs). Alabama also has five wins over teams with a better than .500 record, while Ohio State will have four if they beat Wisconsin. TCU would have five such wins if they beat Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship, and their best win is over Oklahoma State, who was 19th in the most recent CFP Rankings. A big thing for Alabama is how far the committee drops Mississippi State, who lost to Ole Miss Thursday night after Nick Fitzgerald went down with a horrific knee injury. How can you excuse a Clemson loss to Syracuse because of an injury and not do the same for the Bulldogs? That’s something to watch out for Tuesday. Bottom line: If chalk holds, your final four will be Clemson/Miami, Auburn/Georgia, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. With this college football season, though, I doubt that there won’t be just a little more chaos.

Gray’s Top 10

Here’s my updated Top 10 after this past week’s action. Remember, I rank these teams using both the eye test and resumes. Plus, I factor in how the committee ranks the Top 10. These rankings are as of right now, not how I think the season will end.

  1. Clemson
  2. Oklahoma
  3. Wisconsin
  4. Auburn
  5. Alabama
  6. Georgia
  7. Miami
  8. Ohio State
  9. USC
  10. UCF

Clemson showed me a lot in its 34-10 victory over South Carolina. The Tigers weren’t fazed by a tough environment and their defense came up big. They’re my number one. Two, three and four are fairly obvious as well, although I wouldn’t be shocked if Auburn is ahead of Wisconsin on Tuesday. Auburn beat two number one teams in three weeks; Wisconsin has one Top 25 win ALL SEASON. Alabama stays just ahead of Georgia, and Miami drops to seven after an inexcusable loss to 5-7 Pittsburgh. I can’t move Ohio State up any further and it’s solely because of its 31-point loss to Iowa. Congrats to UCF, who I finally move into the Top 10 after beating South Florida on Friday in what is arguably the game of the year for them.

Coach of the Week

Conventional wisdom would say Gus Malzahn,

Pat Narduzzi did a great job coaching Pittsburgh on Friday.

but instead I’m giving the honor this week to Pat Narduzzi from Pittsburgh. Friday, the weekend got off to a chaotic start when the Panthers upset second-ranked Miami 24-14. Pittsburgh came into the game with a 4-7 record and a freshman quarterback, Kenny Pickett, who was getting his first career start. Despite that, Narduzzi was able to rally his team and beat the Hurricanes soundly (the score doesn’t resemble how much Pittsburgh outplayed Miami). Pittsburgh consistently causes chaos every year, and it’s a credit to Narduzzi for motivating his team to finish the year strong at home on Friday morning. While Pittsburgh won’t be going to a bowl game, they certainly deserve commendation for another big time win over a top team in the nation.

Idiots of the Week

Congrats to two names I never thought I’d write here: Nick Saban and Brian Daboll. For the last decade or so, Alabama football has been defined by talented running backs that just truck defenses. T.J Yeldon, Eddie Lacy, Trent Richardson, Mark Ingram, Derrick Henry…they were all athletes that Nick Saban’s offense could just give the ball to at any time during a game so that they could take over. Saturday, Saban and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll simply didn’t. In the first half, Damien Harris had two carries and Bo Scarbrough had three. At halftime, I tweeted this:

In the second half, Alabama came out running the football, with Harris breaking one long run open and Scarbrough capping the drive with a 21-yard touchdown run. Easy money, right? Wrong. Daboll went away from the running backs after that drive and put the game entirely in Jalen Hurts’ hands. Here were the final stats for Alabama runners:

That’s pathetic play-calling. Saban and Daboll needed to stick to their guns. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Hopefully, whenever and wherever Alabama plays next, the coaching staff will make adjustments.

Random Rankings

Happy Belated Thanksgiving from The Hangover. Thursday, I enjoyed a scrumptious buffet in Birmingham, Alabama, that prompted the question: what is the best food one can eat at Thanksgiving? For once, I actually struggled with these rankings. I like Thanksgiving food as a whole, but the pieces are hard to separate. Therefore, no explanation for these rankings, I’m just putting them out there. Comment if you think I’m wrong. *Usual Disclaimer*: once Random Rankings are posted, they aren’t changing. So if you like cranberry sauce (and who does), sorry. I’m very stubborn.

  1. Pumpkin Pie
  2. Turkey
  3. Stuffing
  4. Sweet Potato Casserole
  5. Mashed Potatoes

Gray Goes Off

I waited to submit The Hangover today because of the coaching carousel this morning and afternoon. A lot happened today, so let’s break down the programs that were impacted today and what’s next:

Tennessee: I don’t like to use strong language, but this is an absolute sh*tshow. This morning, reports came out that former Rutgers head coach and current Ohio State assistant Greg Schiano was about to become the new head coach of the Volunteers. Personally, I think Schiano is a good head coach that would be a decent hire for Tennessee. Media members who’ve met with Schiano seem confident in him as a leader and head coach. #VolTwitter disagrees. Twitter blew up, calling out athletic director John Currie (a man that I like and respect after a few interactions over the years) for “disgracing” the Tennessee program. Outkick the Coverage’s Clay Travis even tweeted out Currie’s cell phone number so that Vol fans could voice their displeasure (Side Note: I like Clay, and I think he’s typically a smart guy. I agree with most everything he says, but this move was juvenile to say the least). Now, this is where we are:

This is a disaster. Tennessee has to regroup, and they have to do so very, very quickly. The real loser today is John Currie. I’m not sure which coach will say yes to an offer after seeing how deranged the entire Tennessee fanbase acted this afternoon simply because Currie was hiring a coach who “wasn’t big enough.” Now, lots of Tennessee fans are up in arms about this situation because of Schiano’s connection to the Sandusky Scandal from Penn State. I’m no expert on the situation, so I’ll turn things over to USA Today‘s Dan Wolken, who knows the case inside and out. Here’s what Wolken had to say about Schiano’s involvement with the Sandusky case:

“The purported reason behind Tennessee fans’ anger has to do with his time as a 25-year old assistant just starting his career at Penn State. Schiano’s alleged involvement in the Jerry Sandusky scandal is laughably thin. In a 2015 deposition of former Penn State assistant Mike McQueary, he said that he had “briefly” spoken with former Penn State assistant Tom Bradley about rape allegations involving Sandusky.”

“McQueary went on to say that Bradley had told him another assistant — purported to be Schiano, who had left Penn State nine years before McQueary started there — had once claimed to see Sandusky doing something inappropriate, a claim Schiano and Bradley both denied.”

“So, in other words, a non-specific claim based on third-hand hearsay that was never followed up on or investigated by prospectors in the case is literally Schiano’s only connection to the Sandusky case — and it allegedly happened when he was a low-level staffer just starting out in the business.”

Here’s what I think: Tennessee fans didn’t get the guy they wanted and tried to find an excuse to make the hire fall through. Again, I’ll say it–what kind of coach wants to work in an environment like that? Vols fans need to tone it down before they’re stuck with making a desperate move.

Florida: Also this morning, Florida finalized a deal with Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen. This was after Scott Frost reportedly turned down the Florida job. I think Mullen is an excellent hire, and I stated why in The Hangover a few weeks ago:

So who will Scott Stricklin go after? Certainly a man that will be rumored is Dan Mullen. Stricklin was Mullen’s boss at Mississippi State for years, plus Mullen was the offensive coordinator for the Gators back in the Tebow years. The current Mississippi State coach is also known for developing quarterbacks, something that Florida desperately needs to happen with so much turnover under center the last few seasons.

Mullen won at Mississippi State consistently, and that’s not something a lot of coaches could do. He’s 5-2 in bowl games there as well, with a 69-46 record overall in Starkville. He was below .500 in conference play, sure, but he was mostly coaching against the SEC West back when that division was far and away the best in college football. This hire is a slam dunk, which leads us to…

Mississippi State: Now, the Bulldogs are looking for a new head man. I’m still working my sources in Starkville, but I’ve heard two names come up: current Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and, you guessed it, Florida Atlantic head coach Lane Kiffin. Diaz was defensive coordinator at Mississippi State years ago and did a great job. Kiffin has led Florida Atlantic to the Conference USA Championship Game in his first season. Either one is a great option, and it’ll be interesting to see what name pops up in this search. Mississippi State has a good team coming back next year, so whoever comes in gets a solid roster.

Texas A&M: The Aggies let go of Kevin Sumlin today in a move that wasn’t surprising at all. The people I talked to in College Station at the beginning of the year told me that it was “10-wins or bust” for Sumlin. It also shows the reports before the LSU game that was “win or lose” were accurate. Now, A&M turns its eyes to Jimbo Fisher. One report out today said this:

I’ve been working to confirm it, but haven’t been able to thus far. If Fisher doesn’t work out, one prominent former Texas A&M figure suggested someone like Chris Peterson at Washington. I’ve also heard Kyle Willingham from Utah might be in the mix. What’s next for Sumlin? Well, how about…

Arizona State: The job in Tempe is open after Todd Graham was fired earlier today. While I don’t really agree with the move, the deed is done now. Rumors this morning about Sumlin being hired by Arizona State already have been proven false, but Sumlin is certainly still in the mix. I’ve also heard Derek Mason at Vanderbilt could get a look. This job is interesting and should be made carefully, especially considering that Chip Kelly is now in the same division at UCLA.

South Alabama: Not a huge program name, but one that could become a story. South Alabama is reportedly looking into Auburn offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who has done a great job this year on the Plains. If he goes to USA, would he coach in the playoff should Auburn make it? That question alone makes this a search worth watching.

Arkansas: Bret Bielema was let go on Friday, so this is another SEC West job that’s open. Names I’ve heard for this one include Lane Kiffin, Memphis head coach Mike Norvell, and Fresno State head coach Jeff Tedford. Today, this search was pretty quiet, but I’m sure more reports will come out over the next few days.

Silly season is upon us, so we’ll see red herrings, rumors, and stories from “sources.” I find it all very fascinating, and we’ll see what actually comes to fruition.

SEC Power Rankings

I’m an SEC guy through and through, so I have to include my SEC Power Rankings. Auburn is the new top dog, with Alabama and Georgia right behind. The bottom of the league is a hot mess, especially Tennessee. Seriously, this is the worst season EVER in Knoxville, and it isn’t close.

  1. Auburn (2)
  2. Alabama (1)
  3. Georgia (3)
  4. LSU (5)
  5. Mississippi State (4)
  6. Missouri (6)
  7. South Carolina (7)
  8. Kentucky (9)
  9. Ole Miss (10)
  10. Texas A&M (8)
  11. Arkansas (13)
  12. Vanderbilt (14)
  13. Florida (11)
  14. Tennessee (12)

Who’s Ready for Championship Saturday?

Questions will be answered, champions will be crowned, and drama will commence. It’s going to be fun. Here’s what is in store:

Pac-12 Championship Game: #21 Stanford vs. #11 USC

AAC Championship Game: #20 Memphis vs. #15 UCF

Big 12 Championship Game: #12 TCU vs. #4 Oklahoma

SEC Championship Game: #6 Auburn vs. #7 Georgia

ACC Championship Game: #2 Miami vs. #3 Clemson

Big Ten Championship Game: #9 Ohio State vs. #5 Wisconsin

 

I’m off to Atlanta this weekend for my 20th SEC Championship Game. Should be a fun playoff play-in. Enjoy Championship Saturday!