Category: College Football

Nov. 26—PULLMAN — A sneaky play, a what-could-have-been thing happened with under a minute to go in Saturday’s Apple Cup.

Washington was at the WSU 16, facing a second-and-long with 20 seconds to play. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. dropped back, which is when WSU edge Brennan Jackson bull-rushed through for a sack. He looked fired up.

Afterward, though, Jackson revealed something that might not have been obvious at first blush: He had a chance to jar the ball loose.

“On the last one, like I said, it’s a good sack,” Jackson said. “But the ball was out there, wanted to make a play, and that’s one that’s gonna haunt me for a long time.”

Turns out, Jackson was right. Check out a replay and it looks like Penix didn’t exactly tuck the ball in his chest when he went down. The ball was out there. It wouldn’t have been Jackson’s first time making a play like that this season — not even in the last two weeks.

Instead, we all know what happened next. UW kicker Grady Gross came out for a game-winning field goal and the Huskies celebrated with their fans on the field, ending the Cougars’ season without a bowl game.

“There’s just a couple moments that we gave them something,” WSU coach Jake Dickert said. “I thought we slowed down a really good offense. Defense was flying around, offense made some timely plays, and it just didn’t go our way.”

Thing is, though, the Cougs’ offense will lament a lot more about this one than their defense. That unit missed several opportunities, too many to expect to beat the No. 4 team (now No. 3 after the new rankings came out) on the road.

On so many occasions, this game was Washington State’s for the taking. For example: On UW’s first drive of the second half, WSU safety Jaden Hicks leaped and made an incredible interception, a one-handed snag on a jump ball. The Cougars’ sideline erupted. Their…

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The 2023 regular season is over, which means that college football’s “silly season” is fully upon us. Now is the time where programs looking to fire their coach will finally make a call — if they haven’t already — creating a domino effect that will see big names move around the country. 

There’s already plenty in motion. Michigan State and Mississippi State made big hires, while other major vacancies like Texas A&M seem to be closing in on a top target. There will be plenty more schools that join the hunt for a new coach over the next week. 

Speaking of, a pair of Big 12 schools — Baylor and Houston — finished dismal seasons with a whimper in Week 13. The Bears were shredded through the air in a 34-31 loss to West Virginia, while Houston lost 27-13 to fellow conference newcomer UCF. With a combined record of 7-17 and coaches that are deep into their tenures, it could be time to make a move. 

The same could be said for a program like Indiana. The Hoosiers just suffered their third straight losing season under coach Tom Allen, who has been with the program for eight years now. The list of potential vacancies will likely grow with each passing day as athletic departments evaluate a full season of work. Chaos is the only guarantee for this time of year.

Florida State is a CFP team until proven otherwise

By that I mean Florida State should be in the College Football Playoff unless it loses a game. The only chance for that to happen between now and the committee’s final rankings is in the ACC Championship Game against Louisville. 

While the Cardinals are a formidable opponent, they’re reeling after a regular-season loss to a Kentucky team that entered the game 6-5. So if Florida State finishes the year 13-0, with non-conference wins…

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There’s no telling what Notre Dame running back Audric Estime will do after the game against Stanford. Will he sit out the bowl game in preparation for the NFL draft? Is he somehow coming back for another season, thus making that question irrelevant? We’ll get the answer to that later, but for now, here he is running 39 yards for the game’s first touchdown, giving the Irish a 7-3 lead:

Appreciate Estime while you still can, Irish fans. He has had a special season and probably should be honored more than he will be. Even with a barren trophy case for this season though, he has been one heck of a bright spot for an offense that always has come out very prepared or not prepared at all.

People took to social media after the touchdown to express their thoughts about it. Here is some of the best of what was tweeted:

Tyler Horka

Audric Estimé is running like a mad man tonight.

Touchdown Notre Dame.

— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) November 26, 2023

One Foot Down

Drew Mentock

Audric Estime scores a 39-yard rushing touchdown.

He’s well on his way to his sixth 100-yard game of the season.

In less than 10 minutes of game time, the junior running back has four carries for 61 yards and a score.

— Drew Mentock (@AndrewMentock) November 26, 2023

John Reeves

Maddie Hartley

What a joy it is to watch Audric Estime play football

— Maddie Hartley (@madelynnhartley) November 26, 2023

Liam Farrell

Yeah…

Audric Estime is running like a man possessed tonight. He’s here to make a statement tonight☘️

39-yard touchdown run makes it

7-3 Irish

— Liam Farrell (@LiamFarrell_IT) November 26, 2023

Angelo Di Carlo

A 39 yard burst up the middle for Audric Estime puts Notre Dame ahead 7-3 at Stanford with 5:37 left in the 1st quarter.

— Angelo Di Carlo (@angdicarlo) November 26, 2023

Jeff Herschberger

If Estime doesn’t have 300 yards and 7 TDs by the end of…

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USATSI

No. 7 Texas will make its first appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game since 2018 after securing its spot with an 57-7 win over Texas Tech on Friday night. The outcome avenged Texas Tech’s upset victory over the Longhorns from a year ago and kept UT’s College Football Playoff aspirations alive for another week.

The Longhorns will play either Oklahoma State or Oklahoma at noon ET next Saturday inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as they seek their first Big 12 title since 2009. If Oklahoma State beats BYU on Saturday, the Longhorns will face the Cowboys for the first time this season. But if Oklahoma State loses, then Texas will get a rematch with rival Oklahoma after the Sooners bested UT 34-30 on Oct. 7.

Either way, it will be a chance for the Longhorns to leave the Big 12 on a triumphant note as they prepare to join the SEC for the 2024 season. Amid conference realignment, Friday night’s victory marked the end of Texas’ annual series with the Red Raiders after the two met for 64 consecutive years. 

The in-state affair featured little drama as Texas led 26-7 at halftime and continued pouring on points in the third quarter, making a statement to the CFP Selection Committee. Sophomore running back Jaydon Blue enjoyed a breakout performance with a career-high 127 rushing yards as the Longhorns continue to adjust to life without leading rusher Jonathon Brooks, who was lost for the season during a win at TCU on Nov. 11.

Texas scored in all three phases of the game during the third quarter…

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Four-star class of 2024 athlete Kamron Mikell has committed to the Colorado Buffaloes. Mikell committed to Colorado over Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Texas A&M.

Kamron Mikell is Colorado’s No. 10 commitment in the class of 2024. The Buffaloes and head coach Deion Sanders, who primarily lean on the transfer portal, have the nation’s No. 60 recruiting class.

Mikell is a senior at Statesboro High School in Statesboro, Georgia. The four-star prospect is the No. 104 recruit in the country and the No. 14 player in Georgia. Mikell is the No. 6 athlete in the country.

Kamron Mikell plays primarily quarterback and defensive back for Statesboro. The elite athlete has excellent speed and acceleration on tape. Mikell is a lefty and makes some good throws, but really flashes as a ball carrier. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound athlete does a good job of maintaining balance through contact.

Mikell is a well-rounded, three-sport athlete. He plays basketball at a high level. Mikell also runs track, where he shows off his elite speed. He has the potential to continue his track career in college.

The Statesboro standout was projected to commit to the Georgia Bulldogs, but surprised quite a few folks with his decision to commit to Colorado. Mikell took an official visit to Athens, Georgia, back in May.

The Georgia Bulldogs offered a scholarship to the class of 2024 prospect after he had an impressive camp back at Georgia in July 2022.

BREAKING: Four-Star CB Kam Mikell tells me he has Committed to Colorado!

The 6’1 187 CB from Statesboro, GA chose the Buffaloes over Tennessee, Georgia, & Texas A&M

Plans to play on both sides of the ball

“We Here Now, LETS UP THE SKO.”https://t.co/TBygkmfvst pic.twitter.com/rzL895giTz

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 23, 2023

Georgia and head coach Kirby Smart have 28 commitments in…

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Starkville, Miss., will be the center of the college football world on Thanksgiving with the No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels and the Mississippi State Bulldogs set to square off in the 2023 Egg Bowl. The Bulldogs can become bowl-eligible with a victory and enter Thursday’s matchup coming off a 41-20 win over Southern Miss. The Rebels have their sights set on a New Year’s Six bowl game and a win on Thursday would make that a near certainty. Ole Miss beat Louisiana-Monroe 35-3 in its last outing. Ole Miss leads the all-time series 64–46–6, but the bitter in-state rivals have split the last 10 games.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. The Rebels are 10-point favorites in the latest Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 54. Before you make any Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine football expert Jimmie Kaylor. 

Kaylor is a NFL, college football and DFS expert for SportsLine, who has covered the NFL and college football for close to a decade as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. His background as a former college football All-American and NFL player gives him a unique perspective when building his fantasy lineups and locking in his betting picks. He has his finger on the pulse of the college football landscape and has been cashing in big for the last two years. 

Kaylor has been red-hot all season, going 69-28-2 overall on his college football best bets for SportsLine this season so far. He is up over 42.05 units, returning a profit of $4,205 for $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed his picks this season is way up.

Now, he has set…

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It’s been an unusual football season in the Mountain West with some traditional powers struggling and new teams taking center stage. With the conference standings looking a little different, how does the Mountain West stack up with the rest of the country? Well, we decided to put together a ranking of the top 10 mid-major teams in the country this season. Let’s see how many Mountain West teams made it onto our list.

10. Troy

Even with a couple of weeks left in the regular season, the Trojans know they’ll be playing for a Sun Belt title. In that game, Troy will have a chance to avenge a two-point loss to James Madison early in the season. Other than a loss to Kansas State, that’s the only blemish on Troy’s resume, as the Trojans have been perfect since late September and boast one of the top-10 defenses in the country, giving up 10 points or less four times this year.

9. Air Force

What can you say about Air Force in 2023? The Falcons started the season with eight consecutive wins before being tripped up against Army. Time will tell if they’re able to finish strong, but the way they’ve run the ball and played defense deserves some recognition.

8. Miami (Ohio)

Somewhat quietly, Chuck Martin has built a stable and consistent program at Ohio. The RedHawks have already clinched their fourth bowl appearance in the last five games. They also have a shot to return to the MAC Championship Game for the first time since 2016 and win 10 games. Miami’s defense is for real, holding all MAC opponents to 21 points or less, which is why they stand out amongst the top mid-major programs.

7. UNLV

Out of nowhere, the Rebels have burst onto the season in Barry Odom’s first season. Keep in mind that UNLV’s last winning season came in 2013, so it’s a big deal what the Rebels have done this year, giving themselves a chance to…

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James Madison announced it will back off the threat of taking legal action against the NCAA in regards to its eligibility for the college football postseason. The NCAA denied JMU’s pursuit of a bowl eligibility waiver last week as the Dukes stood at 10-0 and No. 18 in the AP Top 25 poll entering a home showdown with Appalachian State.

Following the denial, Virginia attorney general Jason Miyares suggested in a letter obtained by ESPN that James Madison was prepared to file a lawsuit claiming the bowl ban is in violation of antitrust of laws. Ultimately, JMU’s heartbreaking 26-23 loss to Appalachian State diminished its chances of qualifying for a New Year’s Six game, and the program’s announcement cited the outcome in its rationale for standing down. 

“Based on consultation with and advice of our outside counsel, the loss to Appalachian State University on Saturday changed the landscape in terms of the nature and timing of our legal options, including the diminished viability of a lawsuit against the NCAA,” the statement said.

James Madison is in Year 2 of of the NCAA-mandated FCS-to-FBS transition, which entails two years of postseason ineligibility. The Dukes are off to a strong start with an 18-4 mark (12-3 Sun Belt) over their first two seasons. They could still play in a bowl game, too, if there are not enough enough 6-6 teams to fill up the bowl spots.

However, making a New Year’s Six game would have required JMU to be among teams listed in the College Football Playoff Rankings. As a…

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