REVIEWING WEEK ONE OF THE 2020 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON

The good news is that we finally kicked off the 2020 college football season, which is the 151st season of college football being played. The bad news is that not every team, including teams from the Big Ten and the Pac-12, will be playing this season. I wish this CO-VID 19 crisis would be over by now-especially before this season kicked off. We had a lot of players deciding to sit out and prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

RICH’S WEEKLY HEISMAN TROPHY BALLOT

1. Brady White, QB, Memphis(Passed 26-36, 275 yards, 4 TDs, and 1 INT in the Tigers’ 37-24 home win over Arkansas State.)

2. Grant Wells, QB, Marshall(First career start. 337 total offensive yards in the Thundering Herd’s 59-0 home win over Eastern Kentucky. Passed 16-23, 307 yards, and 4 TDs. Rushed 6 carries for 30 yards, including a 25-yard carry.)

3. Zach Wilson, QB, BYU(Passed 13-18, 232 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT in the BYU Cougars’ 55-3 upset road win over BYU).


RICH’S PRESEASON TOP TEN

1, Alabama

2. Clemson

3. Texas

4. Notre Dame

5. Georgia

6. Florida

7. LSU

8. Oklahoma

9. UCF

10. North Carolina

OTHER TEAMS TO MENTION (OTM):
Auburn, Cincinnati, Memphis, and Oklahoma State

RANKINGS ANALYSIS:

As you can see my other teams on the OTM are happened to be in alphabetical order. TRUE!  i just don’t know how to place them. I always put them in alphabetical order before the first big week (actually after all conferences, such as the ACC, the Big 12, and the SEC, start playing) where every team is playing and see where we go from there. After that labor day weekend, then I will put them in a particular order of how good they are. Keep that one in mind… I have Alabama, who is ranked #3 in the polls, ranked #1 in my top rankings. I can’t see ‘Bama losing a game prior to the SEC Championship Game. When the ball is in the hands of RB Najee Harris and WR/RS Jaylen Waddle, something will happen. Don’t sleep on QB Mac Jones, who enters his junior season with a 3-1 mark (all from last season) as a starting QB for this Crimson Tide offense. The Crimson Tide comes into this season with a chip on their shoulder because they lost the SEC West Division, blew an opportunity to have a sixth straight season with a berth in the college football playoffs, and were shafted out of a berth in another New Year’s Six major bowl game…I have Clemson, who is #1 in the polls, ranked #2 in my top ten rankings. IF the Tigers play ‘Bama in the playoffs, I could see the Crimson TIde defeat the Tigers. Clemson can reload but lost a lot of key players, such as Butkus Award-winning LB Isiah Simmons. QB Trevor Lawrence needs a new pair of reliable passing targets in the receiving corp The only thing that could stand in the way for these Tigers is a Nov.7 road game against Notre Dame… Speaking of Notre Dame, I have the Fighting Irish ranked #4 in my top rankings. I think N-D could be playing Clemson in a rematch in the ACC Championship Game. The Irish will have tough games against Louisville (Oct.17) and (at) North Carolina (Nov.27) on their ACC schedule… A lot of people have Oklahoma ranked ahead of Texas in the polls and winning the Big 12 Championship. I think #3 Texas will beat #8 Oklahoma, who is ranked #5 in the AP sportswritters’ poll, in either the annual Red River Showdown (at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX) OR in the Big 12 Championship Game. As long as QB Sam Ehlinger makes big plays with his arms and legs, I know the Longhorns will do better than a disappointing 8-5 mark from last season. Unless Oklahoma State, who are among my OTMs, can do anything, I could see Texas playing a rematch against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game. I don’t see the Sooners being apart of the college football playoffs for a fourth straight season…I have Georgia ranked ahead of rival Florida because the Bulldogs currently own the Gators. Georgia is on a current three-game winning streak against Florida. These rivals will clash on Nov.7 in Jacksonville, FL. The winner of that game will play Alabama in the SEC Championship Game…The defending National Champions LSU, who are ranked #7 in my top ten rankings, will have a great team but won’t repeat as national champions. I don’t see the Tigers getting a home win over Alabama on Nov.14. LSU will have tough road games against Florida (Oct.17), Auburn (Oct.31), and Texas A&M (Nov.28) this season. If the Tigers go 8-2, a third straight season with playing in a New Year’s Six major bowl game could be in the cards…I have UCF ranked #9 in my top ten rankings because they are loaded with talent in the backfield on offense and the DB corp on defense. Whoever wins the QB job between Dillon Gabriel (Gasparilla Bowl MVP) and McKenzie Milton (2017-18 AAC Offensive Player of the Year), that QB will have a good pair of WRs to pass that ball to. Home or Away, I could see UCF playing Cincinnati or Memphis in the AAC Championship Game… I could see Auburn surprising people this season. The Tigers will have road games against top rivals, such as Georgia (Oct.3) and Alabama (Nov.28) but also have home games against LSU (Oct.31), and Texas A&M (Dec.5) that are winnable….

GAMEBALLS and HELMET STICKERS

SMU S Chevin Calloway- Produced 7 tackles (co-led team; 4 solo), 1 TFL, and 1 fumble recovery in the Mustangs’ 31-24 road win over Texas State.

SMU CB Brandon Stephens- Produced 6 tackles (4 solo), 2 PBUs, and 1 QB hurry in the Mustangs’ road win over Texas State.

Texas State CB Jarron Morris- Produced 8 tackles (led team; all solo), 1 TFL, 1 forced fumble, 1 PBU, and 1 QB hurry in the Bobcats’ home loss against SMU. 

Memphis WR Sean Dykes- Received 10 catches, 137 yards, and 2 TDs (12 and 7) in the Tigers’ 37-24 home win over Arkansas State.

Memphis LB Xaiver Cullens- Produced 7 tackles (4 solo), 1 TFL/sack, and 1 INT in the Tigers’ home win over Arkansas State.

South Alabama WR Jalen Tolbert- Received 6 catches, 169 yards, and 2 TDs (73 and 31) in the Jaguars’ 32-21 road win over Southern Miss.

UAB LB Kristopher Moll- Produced 8 tackles (5 solo), 2 PBUs, and 2 QB hurries in the UAB Blazers’ 45-35 home win over Central Arkansas.

Army S Cedrick Cunningham- Produced 7 tackles (led team; 5 solo), 2 TFLs, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble in the Black Knights’ 42-0 home win over MTSU.

Army LB Jon Rhattigan- Produced 6 tackles (all assisted), 1 INT (43-yard TD), and 1 fumble recovery in the Black Knights’ home win over MTSU.

North Texas RB Oscar Adaway- Rushed 5 carries, 118 yards, and 2 TDs (35 and 47) in the Mean Green’s 57-31 home win over Houston Baptist.

The BYU defense- Held the Navy offense to 149 total yards (including 119 rushing yards) and 7 1st downs in the BYU Cougars’ 55-3 upset road win over BYU.

BYU LB Isaiah Kaufusi- Produced 5 tackles (all solo), 2 TFLs/sacks, and 1 forced fumble in the Cougars’ road win over BYU.

BYU RB Tyler Allegeir- Rushed 14 carries, 137 yards, and 2 TDs (34 and 17) in the Cougars’ road win over BYU.

BYU WR Gunner Romney- Received 4 catches, 134 yards, and 1 TD (45 yards) in the Cougars’ road win over BYU.