Mike's weekly column.
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The week started with five undefeated teams in FBS. It ended with just two. Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Houston were all beaten. Clemson and our very own Iowa Hawkeyes are the last two standing. And boy, does it feel good!
Good does not describe the feeling Iowa State fans have right now after the announcement on Sunday that Paul Rhoads has been fired and will be gone right after the last game of the season. Of course, the writing was pretty clearly on the wall after blowing big leads in games the last two weeks. I know this: If I'm So Proud, my pride wouldn't allow me to coach another week as a lame duck head coach. I would have just told Mr. Wonderful that if that's the way he wanted it, he could coach the team himself against West Virginia. But, I guess his pride is probably what kept him from doing that. Why burn a bridge? I'm certain his Iowa roots probably had something to say about the kind of man and coach he has become. Loyal, caring and above all else, thinks about the kids that he recruited and has invested so much emotion in over the last seven years. Good for you Paul Rhoads. I know your resume will land you another job soon enough if you want one. But with a $4.5M buyout, he won't have to do anything any time soon if he so chooses.
With the announcement of Rhoads firing, that brings the total number of programs looking for coaches now, or at years end, to 13. My guess is that number will rise before it begins to fall. I mentioned a couple weeks back that I thought the luster has worn off at Georgia and that the seat may be getting pretty warm for Mark Richt. Georgia, in case you missed it, survived in OT vs Georgia Southern. There will be more dominoes falling before all is said and done.
Done…………..the season is waning, but it isn't done, not quite yet. Watching Baylor beat Okie State, TCU running with Oklahoma, BC nearly beating Notre Dame and Florida going to OT with Florida Atlantic, it made me realize that on any given Saturday, anything can happen, and usually does. With this upcoming weekend being called Rivalry Week, you can count on seeing a whole lot more of the same. Who gets who this weekend? Does Nebraska knock off Iowa? Does Auburn get Alabama? Does S. Carolina catch Clemson napping? Lets hope not, I doubt it and probably not, in that order. But it will make for some interesting games and story lines if the underdogs can manage to find a way these last couple weeks.
Finding a way……that's what Iowa has done, over and over. 11 times over to be exact. They have found a way to be the victors! They did so on the road, at home, with and without some of their best players. As I said before, it still doesn't seem quite real. NO ONE knew this would play out the way it has for the Hawkeyes. No one. And while I'm certain that someone, somewhere probably publicly said it, there wasn't a shred of doubt anywhere that that person was a completely whacked out, black and gold glasses wearing, completely out of touch, individual. After all, Iowa was replacing their QB, two offensive tackles, two defensive tackles and a small handful of others. Generally speaking, no one knew how these new players would perform, which is why there were so many question marks in general. They have not only stepped in and performed, they have, unquestionable, done so in a manner as to help the Hawkeyes to an 11-0 record. Say it with me…..11-0.
You know how something happens and you feel like you've seen it or done it or lived it already? Well, for the last three weeks, all I've heard on College Sports Radio is how the Pac 12 and Big 12 are likely on the outside looking in when it comes to the College Football Playoffs. Not once has anyone laid out this scenario for you. Try and stay with me, because it involves the Big 10. MSU just beat OSU. Let us say Penn State does the same to MSU this coming weekend. And Nebraska does it to Iowa and Michigan does it to OSU. That leaves Iowa and Michigan in the Big 10 Championship game. Iowa has one loss, Michigan has two. No matter who wins, the Big 10 will be one of the conferences without a representative in the playoff picture. And really, there isn't even a good argument that one could make to allow a one loss Iowa in. A whole lot of other little black dominoes would have to fall just right to allow it to happen if in fact Iowa wins the Big 10 Championship game. My guess is the ACC, Big 12, SEC and Notre Dame would be the four fighting it out. Yeah, I know, Stanford is going to beat Notre Dame, Okie State is going to beat Oklahoma, Florida is going to lose to FSU and beat Alabama in the title game…..it goes on and on and on. Bottom line is pretty simple. If the Big 10 happens to play out the way I just said, they are out.
Man, the scenarios are endless when it comes to looking at what may or may not happen in the next two weeks. Heck, even Navy is alive and kicking in the playoff conversation. They haven't been relevant since 1963 when Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach led the Midshipmen into the National Title game against #1 Texas. They lost, but they were still there, still had the best player in the country and were the best one loss team in 1963…period.
It's going to take a gallant effort by Iowa to steal a victory from the resurgent Nebraska team in Lincoln. They will need to execute at a very high rate. Do they have it in them? I think they do. But more important, the players think they do. It's still a "one game at a time" mentality. Hey, it's worked up to this point, no reason to stop now! Don't look ahead boys, stay focused on the present. It helps that Iowa is 19th in the country in Total defense and Nebraska is 83rd. Here's what's really telling about those numbers: Iowa ranks 8th in rushing defense. Nebraska is 11th. What does that tell you? Air Beathard? I think so. Let Smith & Smith run long all day and get them the ball. Let the TE's control the seam. Let Derrick Mitchell catch them out of the backfield as if it were his job! Let Matt and Ike scoop everything underneath. My point here is protect Beathard and let him throw it like he hasn't thrown it all year. 50 times if necessary. Take advantage of the 125th ranked pass defense in FBS. That's right, third from the end.
There's just so much more I could talk about this week, like how exciting this year has been as a college football fan in general. Folks, if you follow this game like I do, this has been one really special year………and it ain't over till the Fat Lady sings!
Time to reveal my much awaited CFP rankings. I was in Grapevine last week, and I'll be there again in the morning, but my phone still hasn't rung. Apparently, they only need to see what I'm throwing out there for all to see and don't need me in person. Here it is:
At #1, for the fourth consecutive week, the undefeated Clemson Tigers.
At #2 will be Alabama. While they are playing well right now, I really think they aren't the match-up problem that some SEC gurus would have you think.
At #3, Notre Dame. They won, and it wasn't necessarily pretty, but that is the #1 ranked overall defense in college football that they were playing.
The Iowa Hawkeyes break into the top 4 this week at #4. Pretty simple, really, win and they are in.
First two out: Oklahoma and MSU
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The week started with five undefeated teams in FBS. It ended with just two. Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Houston were all beaten. Clemson and our very own Iowa Hawkeyes are the last two standing. And boy, does it feel good!
Good does not describe the feeling Iowa State fans have right now after the announcement on Sunday that Paul Rhoads has been fired and will be gone right after the last game of the season. Of course, the writing was pretty clearly on the wall after blowing big leads in games the last two weeks. I know this: If I'm So Proud, my pride wouldn't allow me to coach another week as a lame duck head coach. I would have just told Mr. Wonderful that if that's the way he wanted it, he could coach the team himself against West Virginia. But, I guess his pride is probably what kept him from doing that. Why burn a bridge? I'm certain his Iowa roots probably had something to say about the kind of man and coach he has become. Loyal, caring and above all else, thinks about the kids that he recruited and has invested so much emotion in over the last seven years. Good for you Paul Rhoads. I know your resume will land you another job soon enough if you want one. But with a $4.5M buyout, he won't have to do anything any time soon if he so chooses.
With the announcement of Rhoads firing, that brings the total number of programs looking for coaches now, or at years end, to 13. My guess is that number will rise before it begins to fall. I mentioned a couple weeks back that I thought the luster has worn off at Georgia and that the seat may be getting pretty warm for Mark Richt. Georgia, in case you missed it, survived in OT vs Georgia Southern. There will be more dominoes falling before all is said and done.
Done…………..the season is waning, but it isn't done, not quite yet. Watching Baylor beat Okie State, TCU running with Oklahoma, BC nearly beating Notre Dame and Florida going to OT with Florida Atlantic, it made me realize that on any given Saturday, anything can happen, and usually does. With this upcoming weekend being called Rivalry Week, you can count on seeing a whole lot more of the same. Who gets who this weekend? Does Nebraska knock off Iowa? Does Auburn get Alabama? Does S. Carolina catch Clemson napping? Lets hope not, I doubt it and probably not, in that order. But it will make for some interesting games and story lines if the underdogs can manage to find a way these last couple weeks.
Finding a way……that's what Iowa has done, over and over. 11 times over to be exact. They have found a way to be the victors! They did so on the road, at home, with and without some of their best players. As I said before, it still doesn't seem quite real. NO ONE knew this would play out the way it has for the Hawkeyes. No one. And while I'm certain that someone, somewhere probably publicly said it, there wasn't a shred of doubt anywhere that that person was a completely whacked out, black and gold glasses wearing, completely out of touch, individual. After all, Iowa was replacing their QB, two offensive tackles, two defensive tackles and a small handful of others. Generally speaking, no one knew how these new players would perform, which is why there were so many question marks in general. They have not only stepped in and performed, they have, unquestionable, done so in a manner as to help the Hawkeyes to an 11-0 record. Say it with me…..11-0.
You know how something happens and you feel like you've seen it or done it or lived it already? Well, for the last three weeks, all I've heard on College Sports Radio is how the Pac 12 and Big 12 are likely on the outside looking in when it comes to the College Football Playoffs. Not once has anyone laid out this scenario for you. Try and stay with me, because it involves the Big 10. MSU just beat OSU. Let us say Penn State does the same to MSU this coming weekend. And Nebraska does it to Iowa and Michigan does it to OSU. That leaves Iowa and Michigan in the Big 10 Championship game. Iowa has one loss, Michigan has two. No matter who wins, the Big 10 will be one of the conferences without a representative in the playoff picture. And really, there isn't even a good argument that one could make to allow a one loss Iowa in. A whole lot of other little black dominoes would have to fall just right to allow it to happen if in fact Iowa wins the Big 10 Championship game. My guess is the ACC, Big 12, SEC and Notre Dame would be the four fighting it out. Yeah, I know, Stanford is going to beat Notre Dame, Okie State is going to beat Oklahoma, Florida is going to lose to FSU and beat Alabama in the title game…..it goes on and on and on. Bottom line is pretty simple. If the Big 10 happens to play out the way I just said, they are out.
Man, the scenarios are endless when it comes to looking at what may or may not happen in the next two weeks. Heck, even Navy is alive and kicking in the playoff conversation. They haven't been relevant since 1963 when Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach led the Midshipmen into the National Title game against #1 Texas. They lost, but they were still there, still had the best player in the country and were the best one loss team in 1963…period.
It's going to take a gallant effort by Iowa to steal a victory from the resurgent Nebraska team in Lincoln. They will need to execute at a very high rate. Do they have it in them? I think they do. But more important, the players think they do. It's still a "one game at a time" mentality. Hey, it's worked up to this point, no reason to stop now! Don't look ahead boys, stay focused on the present. It helps that Iowa is 19th in the country in Total defense and Nebraska is 83rd. Here's what's really telling about those numbers: Iowa ranks 8th in rushing defense. Nebraska is 11th. What does that tell you? Air Beathard? I think so. Let Smith & Smith run long all day and get them the ball. Let the TE's control the seam. Let Derrick Mitchell catch them out of the backfield as if it were his job! Let Matt and Ike scoop everything underneath. My point here is protect Beathard and let him throw it like he hasn't thrown it all year. 50 times if necessary. Take advantage of the 125th ranked pass defense in FBS. That's right, third from the end.
There's just so much more I could talk about this week, like how exciting this year has been as a college football fan in general. Folks, if you follow this game like I do, this has been one really special year………and it ain't over till the Fat Lady sings!
Time to reveal my much awaited CFP rankings. I was in Grapevine last week, and I'll be there again in the morning, but my phone still hasn't rung. Apparently, they only need to see what I'm throwing out there for all to see and don't need me in person. Here it is:
At #1, for the fourth consecutive week, the undefeated Clemson Tigers.
At #2 will be Alabama. While they are playing well right now, I really think they aren't the match-up problem that some SEC gurus would have you think.
At #3, Notre Dame. They won, and it wasn't necessarily pretty, but that is the #1 ranked overall defense in college football that they were playing.
The Iowa Hawkeyes break into the top 4 this week at #4. Pretty simple, really, win and they are in.
First two out: Oklahoma and MSU
