Before we get going I just want to invite you to our 6 Rings Bowl pickem. I have no idea how many people will join but the winner will get my respect and a congratulatory email sent to them. This email may or may not contain pictures of me jumping in puddles while shirtless. (Now I know no one will sign up.)
Anyway, this weekend was the first without D-1 football in four months and I dealt with it by crying in the morning, watching some college hoops which included a Michigan loss (shocking) and drowning myself in Smaug and popcorn butter. (Good movie, sets the table for the third one.)
It wasn’t a quiet weekend though as Jameis Winston won the Heisman and Mack Brown stepped down at Texas after Saban reupped at Alabama. Neither was shocking but the situation at Texas will be the big story moving forward.
I am in the camp that Texas is the best head coaching jobs in college football. It has all of the facilities and recruiting to be successful plus a monster budget for assistant coaches and their own freaking network. The most underrated part of the job is that it is in the Big 12 which is a good conference but is not as deep as the SEC or Pac 12. A fully loaded Texas team with a great coach will contended for the college football playoff every year moving forward. Assuming they hire the right guy.
1. Mack Brown: Gone then back then gone: It was a weird week in terms of reporting as Chip Brown said Mack was gone and then Saban signed to stay at Bama and Friday night it was reported Mack was staying. Then on Saturday night Mack Brown said he was resigning, stating Texas needed a “fresh start.” (Yes I have linked that horrible quality video multiple times now.) Either way he is gone and for how ugly that week seemed the majority of big name coaches leave on not very good terms. Mack actually left when comparing to others. (Woody Hayes, Bobby Bowden, and of course Joe Pa.) The majority of coaches try and hang on way past their due date and eventually get run off. (Michigan has had both with Bo and Lloyd leaving on good terms and Moeller and Rich Rod leaving on bad terms.)
2. Now what does Texas do?: With Nick Saban off the board Texas will open up its search and their AD has made it clear he wants a coach with extensive college experience. Texas has set their sights on Jim Harbaugh who would cover the college coach part with his coaching stints at San Diego and Stanford. I am not really sure if that is realistic but he did turn down an extension in the offseason as he hopes to win a Super Bowl and raise his price. Either way he would be a slam dunk hire. Lots of other names will be thrown out but I my early guess is James Franklin of Vanderbilt. If you have seen or heard this guy then you know he is a salesman who will have no problem selling to recruits and all of the media appearances that comes with the Longhorn Network. I assume they will surround him with big time coordinators and will attack the recruiting trail. The ripple effect of this hire will be felt across the country regardless of who it is.
3. Winston won, no surprise there: After Winston was cleared of any charges it was a forgone conclusion that he would win. His stats were phenomenal and he had two big time “Heisman moments.” Plus he had a sweet pregame speech. He will be back next season and will have Manziel level hype and will have a big time schedule with many big games. I assume from there he will be off to the NFL and be the first pick. We must cherish our time with him before he heads off to some horrible franchise and is lost forever. (Either that or he is just that good and makes that horrible franchise good.)
4. The Moral Police: 115 Heisman voters kept Winston off their ballot which I understand more than anyone who ranked him 2nd or 3rd because of his rape allegations. If you think that knocks him down one or two spots then you are an idiot. Either put him 1 or keep him off altogether. I would have voted him #1 because I am of the belief that it is a dark territory to make judgments on people you don’t know. If Joe Pa, Tiger Woods and Manti Te’o have taught us anything it is you really don’t know these people. They might exude some moral superiority but you don’t know what they are like or what choices they make off the field. So I don’t know what Winston did or did not do last year but according to the law he is clear. If you need to say he shouldn’t get it because of those allegations then please do. I have learned arguing with people on the internet about their view on morality is about as a big of waste of time as watching old Michigan games on YouTube. (At least when I do that I get to have some feeling of Nostalgia.)
Bowl Ranking: Here is my rankings based upon watch-ability
1. The Nati: FSU vs Auburn: There will be points. Either Malzahn will have one of the best coaching jobs ever topped off with a title or FSU will cap off one of the most dominant football seasons we have ever seen.
2. Rose Bowl: MSU vs Stanford: The 100th Rose Bowl will be a slugfest. Each team is built the same way with defense and a power run game. It will be weird seeing Sparty there.
3. Orange Bowl: OSU vs Clemson: There will be points and one of these fanbase will feel pretty good moving forward. Loser will have no real “signature win.”
4. Fiesta Bowl: Baylor vs UCF: This is the Sharknado of bowls. Neither school has any tradition and lacks the big names but I guarantee you will enjoy yourself.
5. Cotton Ok State vs Missouri: Old Big 12 rivals get together in the Jerry Dome. Same thing as the Orange as one team will feel good entering the offseason
6. Capital One Bowl Wisconsin vs South Carolina: A quality matchup between similar teams. A good start to New Years
7. Chick-fil-A Duke vs Texas A&M: While you are crushing free drinks at your wristband NTE party watch the last of Manziel in an A&M uniform. Soon he will be in Cleveland and all of the joy will be gone.
8. Alamo Bowl Texas vs Oregon: The Mack Brown farewell party
9. Russell Athletic Louisville vs Miami: Battle of future ACC Rivals. Word is they will play opening weekend next year.
10. Vegas Bowl Fresno St vs USC: Same thing here as each of these two teams play each other next year on opening week. USC will be on its third head coach this season.
11. Sugar Bowl Alabama vs Oklahoma: This is a big bowl game in theory but I assume Bama will smoke them
12. Outback Bowl LSU vs Iowa: A replay of the 2004 classic. LSU is starting a frosh at QB that will make this a game
13. BELK BOWL Cincinnati vs UNC: BELK BOWL BELK BOWL BELK BOWL BELK BOWL BELK BOWL BELK BOWL BELK BOWL (This should be #1)
14. Advocare Bowl: Arizona vs BC: Ka’deem Carey vs Andre Williams
15. Holiday ASU vs Texas Tech: Baker Mayfield won frosh of the year in the Big 12 and is now transferring. No idea
16. Sun Bowl Va Tech vs UCLA: Offense vs Defense even though the UCLA defensive players play offense.
17. Compass Bowl Houston vs Vanderbilt: Pitt isnt here which is sad
18. Little Caesars Bowl Pitt vs Bowling Green: But they are here. Pizza Pizza
19. New Mexico Bowl Colorado St vs Wazzu: Rammies vs the Pirate
20. Idaho Potato Bowl Buffalo vs San Diego State: Make sure to make potato skins
21. BWWs Bowl KSU vs Michigan: It is basically Michigan vs Iowa again. Don’t watch this
22. Pinstripe Bowl Rutgers vs ND: Rutgers will ring in their B1G status by pissing off ND. It is a B1G birthright.
23. Liberty Bowl Mississippi St vs Rice: I just like Rice
24. Heart of Dallas North Texas vs UNLV: I am running out of things to say.
25. GoDaddy Arkansas St vs Ball St: I wonder if Danica Patrick will be here
26. Music City Ga Tech vs Ole Miss: If you don’t have to work, watch this game
27. Texas Syracuse vs Minnesota: VOSE
28. Fight Hunger BYU vs Washington: Would have been better if Sark was coaching
29. Military Marshall vs Maryland: I have no idea what conference Marshall is in
30. Hawaii Bowl Oregon St vs Boise St: If you are watching this on Xmas eve you are lonely. Want a hug?
31. Poinsettia Bowl Northern Illinois vs Utah St: Too bad Chuckie Keeton got hurt
32. Armed Forces Navy vs Middle Tennessee: Come for the helicopters, stay for the triple option.
33. New Orleans Bowl Tulane vs UL Lafayette: This is basically the Single A championship of Louisiana.
34. Beef O Brady’s East Carolina vs Ohio: Yum
35. Gator UGA vs Nebraska: Watch the Winter Classic over this