Possession Arrow 1/11/2018: Five Storylines of the Season (So Far)

By Pat Tregoning, @PatNShaker


Welcome back to another edition of the Possession Arrow.

If you are coming down from the adrenaline of the CFP National Championship and you are looking for another sport to occupy your time? Welcome to College Basketball. This season has had a lot of compelling storylines as we are 60 days until Selection Sunday. In this edition of Possession Arrow, we give you the storylines to get you up to speed, four national headlines and one local headline.

1. There is no "favorite" for the National Championship so far. There are just a bunch of "good teams".

We are approaching 60 days to the NCAA Selection Show, and no one team has solidified themselves as THE favorite heading into March. We have had three different teams hold the top spot in the polls at some point or another this season (Duke, Michigan State, Villanova) and the teams we commonly find in the top 10-15, have all lost their fair share of games heading down the stretch this season, most recently Michigan State getting thumped by Ohio State in Columbus this past weekend. We have a case where 8-12 teams could all make a case to win the National Title in April, which team will seize the opportunity?

2. Kansas' Big 12 regular season title streak is in serious jeopardy

Jayhawk fans will tell you they are underachieving this year, and they are partially right. Coming into this season, Bill Self has only lost ten games at Allen Fieldhouse in his lengthy career. Kansas started the second week of January with TWO losses at home already. Depth is a big concern for the Jayhawks as they continue to limp to the end of the season, which is putting thei consecutive regular season title streak in serious jeopardy. The other half of that argument is that the Big 12 has risen up and become a tough conference this year. Outside of Kansas, you have West Virginia, Oklahoma and Trae Young (more on him later), Texas and Mo Bamba (more coming up), TCU is not an easy out and Texas Tech is a scary team to face this season. I'm not saying its a guarantee; but it is an intriguing situation to monitor.

3. Trae Young has taken the College Basketball world by storm

If you don't know who Trae Young is? You need to take the time to watch Oklahoma basketball. In one season, he has become THE National Player of The Year favorite and a skyrocketing lottery pick. With his play being compared to Steph Curry and his passing ability compared to some of the best dimers in the Association today, NBA scouts are flocking to Norman, Oklahoma to see Trae play. He is averaging a 56 percent assist rate while averaging 29.5 PPG. If you need someone to watch this season? Trae Young is a great player to watch (*cough cough* Cavs fans re: Brooklyn pick)

4. This is the year of the Big Man

No big man has won the Most Outstanding Player since 2012 (Anthony Davis). The men in the middle are dominating this season from the big time players like Marvin Bagley III (Duke) is solidifying himself as a top 3 pick, Mo Bamba (above, Texas) is a freak 6-11 brick wall averaging 5 blocks a game. DeAndre Ayton is 7-1, 250 pounds and has surged to the top of draft boards in Arizona, averaging 20 PPG and 11 RPG. If you want a big man outside of the big schools? Look to Jock Landale of Saint Mary's in California averaging 21 PPG and 10 RPG. Seton Hall's Angel Delgado has also had a double-double in 13 of 16 games this season. The big men are dominating this season, and they will all be players to watch in the NBA next season.

5. Ohio State Basketball is not officially "back".....but the future is very bright

If you read my article on the keys to a successful Chris Holtmann era in Columbus, you know what they needed. They needed the players to buy in to the Chris Holtmann system and for Holtmann to win the recruiting battle in Ohio. It's safe to say the Buckeyes are buying in to Holtmann's system. Coming into this season, Ohio State was picked by most to finish at the bottom of the Big Ten. They have silenced those critics with a 13-4 start, with wins at Wisconsin, Iowa and against then number one Michigan State by 16 at home. We have seen a renaissance from Keita Bates-Diop from potential Buckeye bust, to a bright NBA future. Obviously, we have two months of basketball left to play, so lets not crown them yet (RIP Dennis Green), but the future is VERY bright for the Buckeyes in Columbus.

Podcast 1/3/18: On College Bowl Games, Browns Offseason, NFL Playoffs & Coaching Moves and Movies Of 2018

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

You can now download the latest episodes of "TripleThreatCLE.com's Podcast"!

Subscribe to us, on New Cleveland Radio iTunes here!

DOWNLOAD: On College Bowl Games, Browns Offseason, NFL Playoffs & Coaching Moves and Movies Of 2018 (1318).mp3

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Spread Offense 11/17/17: College Football Playoff Breakdown

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta


So I'm here to switch up things a bit in my weekly college football article. Due to lack of marquee games this week, I'll be breaking down the college football playoff picture instead of doing a week 12 preview. But before I get to that, here's MY current top 10 ballot.


WEEK 12 TOP TEN

10. USC (last week: NR)
9. Notre Dame (last week: 4)
8. Ohio State (last week: NR)
7. Wisconsin (last week: 9)
6. Georgia (last week: 2)
5. Auburn (last week: 8)
4. Oklahoma (last week: 5)
3. Clemson (last week: 3)
2. Miami (last week: 6)
1. Alabama (last week: 1)


PLAYOFF PICTURE BREAKDOWN

There is currently only one team that has locked in a playoff spot, the Alabama Crimson Tide(barring a crazy upset by Mercer this weekend.) Alabama plays Auburn to end their regular season, if they win then they go on to the SEC championship game to face Georgia. If they lose, then Auburn goes to the SEC championship game. So there’s 3 scenarios for the Crimson Tide, they either win out, beat Auburn and lose to Georgia in SEC title game, or lose to Auburn and not qualify for the SEC title game. All 3 situations give Alabama a max of 1 loss, and they aren’t dropping them from #1 to out of playoffs over a loss to either Auburn or Georgia.
So Alabama is in, so where does that leave us as far as the other 3 playoff spots are concerned?

There are a total of 6 teams that currently control their own destiny, meaning if they win out then they are in. Miami, Clemson, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Auburn and Georgia are the 6 teams vying for 3 remaining playoff spots, if they win out then they punch their ticket but if they lose than they are all but out of it, and a few teams may end up playing each other in what could amount to elimination games. Miami vs Clemson is set for the ACC title game, and there’s a possibility that Auburn vs. Georgia could meet in the SEC title game, so championship weekend could shape up to be a playoff weekend in itself.

Miami is the team that potentially has a “get out of losing a game” free card, but only if they lose to Clemson in the ACC title game. Losing to Virginia or Pitt could take destiny out of their hands, losing to either of those teams then following it up with a loss to Clemson and they are eliminated. The committee was skeptical of the Hurricanes up until the past 2 weeks, and after handily beating Virginia Tech and Notre Dame they have won their respect so Miami losing a game would not be as damaging as the other teams that control their destiny.

Clemson on the other hand, has to win out or else they are at the mercy of how other teams’ fare . They face the Citadel(haha ok then), at South Carolina in the Palmetto State rivalry and then Miami in the ACC title game, and while Tigers fans probably don’t want to hear this, Clemson’s only shot at losing a game and still making the playoffs is a loss to South Carolina. If they lose to the Citadel then they fall too far to make up the ground and if they lose to Miami in the ACC title game then the committee won’t be selecting a 2 loss team that didn’t win their conference. So Clemson needs to win out to ensure their spot, but if they lose to South Carolina then beat Miami to become ACC champs, then they still have a shot.

Georgia is somewhat in the same boat as Clemson is, but they need to tread very carefully these next two games. After their 40-17 loss to Auburn, the committee dropped them from #1 all the way to #7, so needless to say there’s now some skepticism. Another loss likely takes them out of the playoff race, but winning the SEC title might be enough to salvage their chances and get a playoff spot. The SEC championship is a must though, if Georgia beats both Kentucky and Georgia Tech but then loses to either Alabama or Auburn in the SEC title game, then they are out.

The other 3, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Auburn, are all in a win out or be out situation.
Auburn has a shot to be the first ever 2 loss team to make the playoff. If they beat Alabama then go to the SEC championship game and beat Georgia(again) then there's no way that the committee can leave them out despite the 2 losses on their schedule. But at the same time, one loss the rest of the way and they are done so they would need to run the table and beat UL-Monroe, Alabama and then Georgia in order to get in.

Oklahoma has to run the table, because the committee has tipped their hands at how they feel about the Big 12. Aside from Oklahoma, only TCU and Oklahoma State remain in the top 25 so the Big 12 is not well represented at all, which puts Oklahoma in a must win situation despite only having 1 loss currently. Fortunately, Oklahoma has 2 very winnable games left in regular season with Kansas and West Virginia on their schedule and will likely be facing either TCU or Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game, 2 teams that they've already beaten. The opportunity is right there for them to take advantage of, but they have to take care of business or no playoffs for them.

As for Wisconsin, they are currently undefeated but sitting outside the top 4 playoff rankings. Their lack of schedule strength is what is holding them back, a 7-3 Northwestern team is their best win on the season. If they lose just 1 game then do not expect the committee to show mercy on them, they'll be dropped far enough that they won't be able to climb back up in time. Only possible chance for them to sustain a loss and make the playoffs would be for them to lose to Michigan but then beat Minnesota and win the Big Ten championship against Ohio State or Penn State, but even then it's a long shot.

This is the situation with Wisconsin and why I haven't given them much credit and still have them at #7 in my top 10 ballot, it's not so much their lack of schedule strength as it is their lack of impressive wins. I don't fault Wisconsin for their schedule for the most part, they can only control their non-conference schedule so the fact that the Big Ten schedule rotation got them to avoid Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State while getting Michigan at home along with the B1G West being down right now is not on Wisconsin. The problem that I have with Wisconsin is that when they play these bad teams, they aren't really showing that dominance the other teams show when they play bad teams. 33-24 to Northwestern, 38-17 to Nebraska, 17-9 to Purdue, 38-13 to Maryland and 24-10 to Illinois doesn't jump out as a team that can take on an Alabama or Clemson and put up a fight for the national title. Their opportunity to show it is coming though, if they can run the table and end up 13-0 in a power 5 conference then there's no chance of them being left out.

Then there are a few teams that are still alive in the playoff hunt, but need to win out plus get some help in order to make the final 4. Ohio State, Notre Dame, Penn State and USC are all still in the running, but destiny is out of their hands.

Notre Dame might end up being the biggest long shot of the 4 to make the playoffs simply because they do not have a conference championship game. They play Navy this week and Stanford in the regular season finale, then they have to sit back and wait while all other playoff contending teams play the following weekend. The Fighting Irish need to hope that it goes chalk with Alabama, Miami and Oklahoma winning out, Wisconsin to lose a game and not win the Big Ten, and the B1G East winner to lose a regular season game but beat Wisconsin. That’s basically what Notre Dame is up against, so that loss to Miami last Saturday could very well have been a playoff eliminator.

Remember when I said that Notre Dame might be the biggest long shot? Well Penn State just said “hold my beer” on that statement. The Nittany Lions need to win out, but due to the Big Ten tiebreakers, they also need Ohio State to lose both of their games and Michigan State to lose at least 1 of their remaining 2 games. The Problem? Ohio State is hosting Illinois, who is currently a 41 point underdog to the Buckeyes, and Michigan State hosts Maryland and then goes to Rutgers. In that scenario, then Penn State would have 2 conference losses while OSU and MSU would end up with 3, and if then they would either have the tiebreaker with Michigan if the Wolverines beat both Wisconsin and OSU or if Michigan loses to Wisconsin then they would sit alone top the B1G East division. Even after all of that, they would need some chips to fall their way with teams that control their destiny losing. It all starts this weekend though, Penn State needs to be rooting for Illinois big time, because if the 41 point underdog can somehow pull this game off then doors begin to open, but if they lose to Ohio State then that door is slammed shut.

USC is already in their conference championship game, so all they can do is win out by beating UCLA then whoever they face in the Pac-12 title game. The best case scenario is for them to face Washington State, who is currently in a 3 way tie in the North division, so they can avenge one of their 2 losses on the season and make a case to the committee that to not look at the 3 point loss on the road but rather a neutral site win is more indicative of USC. From there they’ll just have to wait it out, hope for some upsets and see how it plays out. They’ll really want Ohio State and Auburn to lose, those 2 schools are ranked the highest of all 2 loss teams so USC will need them to lose in order to jump them in the rankings(Penn State is also ranked higher but a conference championship for USC will leapfrog them over PSU). Right now, all USC can do is win out and use their Pac-12 title as a bargaining chip incase some chaos were to happen.

As for the Ohio State Buckeyes, well let's just say that Ohio State fans are going to be required to do some things that will make them feel a little disgusted about. This is going to be tough for me to write since I am a Buckeyes fan but...here goes...Ohio State needs to be HUGE Alabama Crimson Tide fans the rest of the way. I know, I know, "yuck!" comes to mind here but OSU cannot afford to have 2 teams from the SEC make it so they need Alabama to first knock out Auburn in week 13 then knock out Georgia in the SEC title game. Aside from wanting Alabama to win out, and fortunately this isn't a guaranteed necessity, OSU may also want to pull for Michigan this Saturday against Wisconsin. I'm almost positive that 1 loss eliminates Wisconsin(meaning OSU beating an undefeated Wisconsin team in B1G title game knocks them out), but Wisconsin losing once before the title game and OSU handing them their 2nd loss will remove all doubt. Miami losing once before the ACC title game means that automatically either the Hurricanes or Clemson will suffer the 2nd loss, but if they are still undefeated heading into the ACC title game then they need to beat Clemson. If that happens then Alabama, Miami(or Clemson/Miami winner if Miami loses before ACC title game), Oklahoma and Ohio State are the 4 teams, that's what the Buckeyes need to get in. So Ohio State needs to run the table and win the Big Ten, and root for Alabama(big time), Michigan(possibly) and either Clemson or Miami to be a 2 loss non conference champ along the way.

So there you have it, a complete breakdown of what teams need in order to make the playoffs. The playoff picture is becoming clear, but knowing college football means knowing to expect chaos these next few weeks.

Spread Offense 11/10/17: College Football Week 11 Preview

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta


WEEK 11 TOP TEN

10. Washington (last week: NR)
9. Wisconsin (last week: 10)
8. Auburn (last week: NR)
7. TCU (last week: NR)
6. Miami (last week 7)
5. Oklahoma (last week: 6)
4. Notre Dame (last week: 5)
3. Clemson (last week: 4)
2. Georgia (last week: 2)
1. Alabama (last week:1)

Week 10 scrambled some more things around as 3 top 10 teams on my ballot lost. The most shocking being the Ohio State Buckeyes losing to Iowa, 55-24. Losing on the road in conference play happens, but for a team that was in the playoff hunt to lose by 31 to a 5-3 team is unacceptable. OSU still controls their own destiny to the Big Ten championship, but kiss all playoff hopes goodbye after that performance.

Another team that is now out of the playoff race is fellow Big Ten team, Penn State. After blowing a 35-20 4th quarter lead against Ohio State in week 9, the Nittany Lions went to Michigan State looking for a bounce back game. After a 4 hour thunderstorm delay, the game resumed and instead of getting a bounce back game, they got bounced out of playoff contention on a last second field goal to lose 27-24.

Bedlam was just that, as the Oklahoma Sooners knocked off their rival Oklahoma State Cowboys, 62-52. QB Baker Mayfield put up 598 passing yards and 5 touchdowns in this game, and Oklahoma is still alive in the playoff hunt while Oklahoma State is out.

Miami needed a "prove it" game as their undefeated record wasn't being taken seriously due to the competition they've beaten. They got that last Saturday against Virginia Tech and they passed it with flying colors, knocking off the Hokies 28-10. Both the offense and defense answered the call as they moved the ball on one of the toughest defenses in the country while shutting down one of the better offenses in the country. They are legit contenders and there should be no more questions on how good this team is.

Alabama and Clemson both notched victories over ranked teams, and I've been saying that I wouldn't move Wisconsin from the 10 spot but they do move up to #9 now as a 1 loss Washington, that might have actually played a worse schedule than Wisconsin, sits at 10.


HEISMAN WATCH

5. Khalil Tate, QB, Arizona
4. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
3. Josh Adams, RB, Notre Dame
2. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
1. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

We have a new #1 on the Heisman watch. Baker Mayfield torched the Oklahoma State Cowboys, throwing for 598 yards with 5 touchdowns and should now be the favorite to win the Heisman. What also helped Mayfield take over the #1 spot is that RB Saquon Barkley has had 2 underwhelming performances in games in which the Nittany Lions lost. The Heisman is all about being the best player in the biggest moments and Baker Mayfield has been huge for the Sooners when it matters the most while Barkley has not come through when Penn State needs him the most.

The "J.T. Barrett is a Heisman finalist" hype lasted a whole week, replacing him on the list is Arizona QB Khalil Tate. Tate doesn't throw the ball much but is a huge threat in the running game, with over 146 yard rushing in 5 straight games including a 230 and 327 yard game.

Tate might be a little late to make a charge, but any of the top 4 could end up winning the Heisman trophy.


#12 Michigan State at #13 Ohio State - 12:00 PM

Two weeks ago, Michigan State lost a triple OT game against Northwestern that could have started a downward trend for the Spartans with Penn State and Ohio State next on the schedule. There's no doubting this teams mental toughness now though, as they rose up last Saturday and beat Penn State 27-24 to put themselves in position to win the Big Ten East. QB Brian Lewerke has thrown for 400 yards in each of the last 2 games, and could easily make it 3 against Ohio State's secondary. After a big win against Penn State that brought OSU back into the playoff race, the Buckeyes are back to the drawing board after a 55-24 loss to Iowa. The OSU secondary needs to improve if they want to win this game and the defense overall needs to step up. On offense, the Buckeyes will need to keep running the ball while opening up the downfield passing game, both things that they failed to do while trying to come back against Iowa. Ohio State has faced Michigan State 5 times under head coach Urban Meyer, with a total score of 121-120 in favor of OSU so expect a closely fought game that will come down to the 4th quarter.

PREDICTION: Ohio State 28-27


#1 Georgia at #10 Auburn - 3:30 PM

Fans are starting to dream of a SEC championship that features 2 undefeated teams, and the team that is capable of crushing those dreams are the Auburn Tigers. Auburn faces Georgia this week and hosts Alabama in week 13, so while we are this close from getting a battle of 12-0 teams playing for the SEC, Auburn has 2 chances to eliminate the possibility. The Tigers are led by QB Jarrett Stidham and RB Kerryon Johnson, who will be the key players in this game if they are to win this one. Auburn has scored over 40 points in 6 of their 7 wins but only 6 points and 23 points in their 2 losses, so the Tigers will need to move the ball and put up points against a tough Georgia team here. Georgia has possibly the best defensive line in the country with a good secondary to complement them, and their offense is fully capable of scoring on any team in the country, led by RB’s Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. QB Jake Fromm is the wildcard, a true freshman going into an environment like this may be too big of a moment for him. As long as he relies on his RB's though while making the necessary throws, all should be good for the young QB.

PREDICTION: Georgia 31-23


#2 Alabama at #16 Mississippi State - 7:00 PM

Alabama has this game and the Iron bowl against Auburn as the hurdles left before reaching the SEC Championship game. They come in with a run first offense, which features RB's Damien Harris and Bo Scarborough along with QB Jalen Hurts, and an efficient yet conservative passing game. Their main ingredient of success though is their defense, which shouldn't surprise anyone. The Crimson Tide only average 9.8 points allowed per game and if they can continue that success against Mississippi State then they will clear this hurdle. MSU will turn to QB Nick Fitzgerald and ask him to do it all on offense and find a crack in that Alabama defense. Fitzgerald is not only the QB but also leads the team in rushing, him finding success in both will be paramount for this team to have a chance. Their defense will need to force some turnovers and put their offense in good field position, but this one will be about the Bulldogs offense and if they can overcome Alabama's defense.

PREDICTION: Alabama 28-6


#6 TCU at #5 Oklahoma - 8:00 PM

This game has "explosive" written all over it. Oklahoma is led by QB Baker Mayfield, who has been putting up huge numbers en route to a possible Heisman trophy. The Sooners have one of the best offenses in the country and it's nearly impossible to win a shootout against them. Fortunately for TCU QB Kenny Hill and the Horned Frogs offense, they may not have to. TCU's clear advantage in this game is their defense, only giving up 13.5 points per game. This is what it will all come down to, if TCU can contain Oklahoma's offense and give their own offense a chance to score enough points to win the game or if Oklahoma can continue their offensive dominance and put too many points up for TCU to contend with. Both teams coming in 8-1 and 5-1 in conference with the winner all but wrapping up a trip to the Big 12 championship game, the stakes are very high here.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 41-26


#3 Notre Dame at #7 Miami - 8:00 PM

The classic "Catholics vs Convicts" match up reignited here on Saturday night. Notre Dame comes to Miami being just 2 points away from being undefeated, while host Miami is still undefeated and looking to keep it that way. The big thing to keep an eye on here is Notre Dame RB Josh Adams, who left last week's game under vague circumstances. If he is rested up and at his best then it will be a tough night for the Hurricanes, who have struggled stopping the run this season, but if he suffers from fatigue again and has to be removed from the game then QB Brandon Wimbush will have to pick up the slack for the Fighting Irish offense. Miami looked good against Virginia Tech last week, but again their offense will be in the hands of shaky QB Malik Rosier, who will need to keep drives alive and make big plays when available just like they did last week. This should be another great game to watch as both teams have playoff aspirations.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 27-24


Other games to watch: #9 Washington at Stanford, #15 Oklahoma State at #21 Iowa State, #20 Iowa at #8 Wisconsin

Spread Offense 11/2/17: College Football Week 10 Preview

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta


WEEK 10 TOP TEN

10. Wisconsin (last week: 10)
9. Oklahoma State (last week: NR)
8. Penn State (last week: 2)
7. Miami (last week: 6)
6. Oklahoma (last week: 9)
5. Notre Dame (last week: 8)
4. Clemson (last week: 7)
3. Ohio State (last week: 5)
2. Georgia (last week: 2)
1. Alabama (last week: 1)

Two of the top 5 teams went down last Saturday, and as the first college football playoff ranking of the season are released this week, my top 4 is who I currently would have in.

While the SEC isn’t what it used to be, the conference does account for the top 2 teams in the country now as Georgia jumps up to 2nd after a dominating win over Florida coupled with a Penn State loss. Penn State was well on their way to making a statement against Ohio State, but a big 4th quarter comeback by the Buckeyes lead to a thrilling 39-38 OSU win, catapulting the Buckeyes up to #3 while dropping Penn State to #9. And Iowa State’s victory over TCU moved the needle for 2 teams in the top 10, 1 obviously being TCU who fell out of the top 10 after the loss. The other being Oklahoma, who lost earlier in the season to Iowa State, who at the time we all thought the Cyclones were average at best. Well that Iowa State team is now 6-2 and tied for the Big 12 conference lead, so maybe that loss to them wasn’t such a terrible loss overall, although the way they lost was somewhat unacceptable(up 24-13 at halftime and at home.) Knowing what we know now about ISU, Oklahoma gets a slight bump in the rankings since they really don’t have a "bad loss" after all.

I typically hate the "pat me on the back" kind of fan, so naturally I’m going to do that here. Leading up to their game against USC, I ranked Notre Dame at #9 (AP/coaches poll had them #13) and said that it’s time to start believing in this team. Well after a beat down of USC followed by another beat down of #14 North Carolina, looks like the rest of the country is joining me in buying in to this Notre Dame team. They’re good and should definitely be a team to watch going forward this season.

Wisconsin yet again remains at #10, their 24-10 win over a 2-6 Illinois team just wasn’t enough to convince me to move them up at all.


HEISMAN WATCH

5. J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State
4. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
3. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
2. Josh Adams, RB, Notre Dame
1. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

Saquon Barkley all but had the Heisman trophy wrapped up after the 1st quarter against Ohio State. He returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and followed it soon after with a 36 yard touchdown run. After that though, he was stuffed all game and finished with just 44 yards on 21 carries in which 9 of those 21 carries went for negative yards and he also only had 4 receptions for 23 yards. His 2.1 YPC looks bad especially since OSU came back and won the game, take away his lone touchdown run and that’s 20 carries for 8 yards even so he became a non-factor in a game that his team needed him the most.

Josh Adams on the other hand, closed the gap big time with his 202 yard performance against North Carolina State. The Notre Dame RB carried the ball 27 times with a 7.4 YPC and helped the Fighting Irish overwhelm the #14 ranked Wolfpack. He’s right there in discussion now for the Heisman and may very well take over as the favorite with Wake Forest, Miami, and Stanford left on their schedule.

Bryce Love’s best case for the Heisman might have came last Thursday, in a game that he didn’t play in. Without him, the Cardinal struggled against Oregon State and needed a costly turnover by the Beavers to pull out the win, 15-14. In his absence, Stanford looks like a middle of the road team, not the #21 ranked team that could win the Pac-12 North division.

And J.T. Barrett makes his way on the list after an incredible performance against Penn State. Barrett has been playing excellent ever since the Oklahoma loss, but it was against lesser competition so he really needed to show it against a top team before he could be considered a Heisman candidate. 33-39 for 328 yards and 4 TD’s against Penn State, he completed his final 16 passes, went 13-13 with 3 TD’s in the 4th quarter alone, which included the game winning TD pass with under 2 minutes left in the game.
With Barkley’s stumbling and Adams and Barrett on the rise, this Heisman trophy is wide open for the taking now.




#7 Penn State at #24 Michigan State - 12:00 PM

A meeting between two teams coming off very emotional losses last Saturday. Penn State traveled to Columbus in attempts to put their stamp down on Big Ten dominance, got up 35-20 in the 4th and then a big comeback by the Buckeyes happened which ended in a 39-38 Penn State loss. Michigan State was at Northwestern hoping to remain unbeaten in conference play, the game went into triple OT where MSU needed a touchdown to match Northwestern but an interception sealed the deal for the Wildcats and MSU suffered it's first conference loss. This game will be about how each team bounces back from that loss, could see both teams firing on all cylinders in a rage or could see them have the "hangover" effect, or one of each which will make for a lopsided game. Penn State just needs to stick with what they have been doing, which is getting the ball to Saquon Barkley while mixing in some read option QB runs and an occasional deep pass. Michigan State needs to find some offense, they only scored 14 points on 5 turnovers against Michigan, 10 points against Indiana and 17 points in regulation against Northwestern. Their defense is stellar but even the best defense will give up 14+ points to Penn State so they'll need to be able to answer those scores if they want a shot at this.

PREDICTION: Penn State 27-14


#21 Stanford at #25 Washington State - 3:30 PM

This game has a lot of variables going into it. The main variable is Stanford RB Bryce Love and if he's playing this week. Love sat out last week with an ankle injury and the Cardinal offense looked bad without him. The Heisman candidate is their main key to success on offense, so him being able to not only play but be effective will be huge for Stanford in getting a win here. The other variable is Washington State QB Luke Falk, who was benched last week due to his poor performance as the Cougars lost 58-37 to Arizona. Falk was once a Heisman candidate as well, but has been off ever since their loss to Cal and head coach Mike Leach saw enough last week to finally bench him. This can either motivate him to get back to playing like he was earlier in the season or could rattle his confidence and make him play just as bad, if not worse. This game really is a wait and see type game, a lot of factors will be going into this one to see which team will be able to get the win.

PREDICTION: Stanford 37-20


#4 Clemson at #20 North Carolina State - 3:30 PM

Clemson had a nice bounce back game against Georgia Tech, the Tigers defeated the Yellow Jackets in their first game back since suffering their first loss of the season. Their defensive line looked as good as ever, stifling the GT triple option running attack and controlling the tempo all game. They'll need that again this week as they go up against a NC State offense that's capable of putting a lot of points up on the board. The Wolfpack have a balanced offense, led by QB Ryan Finley and RB Nyheim Hines, they'll look to chip away at the Clemson defense with sustaining drives and tiring the defense out. Also, look for NC State DE Bradley Chubb to be all over QB Kelly Bryant, getting pressure and disrupting the Clemson QB will be a priority for one of the best defensive ends in the country. This is going to be a close game, they mimic each other in a lot of ways but Clemson may just have a little more talent here. The homefield advantage could even things out though, NC State will be building momentum off of that and looking to get a big win here in front of the home crowd.

PREDICTION: Clemson 27-21


#5 Oklahoma at #11 Oklahoma State - 4:00 PM

Get ready, because it is time for the Bedlam game. This matchup here is as even as it gets, both teams averaging close to the same amount of points, total yards, rushing yards and passing yards while on defense they are similar in points allowed and passing yards allowed (Oklahoma State has a slightly bigger edge in rushing defense.) The Sooners put together a complete game last week after struggling the previous 4 weeks and beat Texas Tech 49-27. If that teams shows up then it could be bad news for Oklahoma State, but the Sooners also struggled to beat Baylor, Texas and Kansas State while losing to Iowa State so it's a toss up on how the Sooners will play. Oklahoma State has also been up and down this season, they are capable of putting up a lot of points but also have some games where their offense just isn't clicking. 2 weeks ago against Texas for example, after beating Texas Tech 41-34 they were barely able to score on the Longhorns and squeaked out a 13-10 victory. So both teams are a bit of a wildcard here, we could have a shootout on our hands or see a defensive game while the offenses struggle. Both teams have the Big 12 championship and a playoff spot well within reach, the loser of this game though will all but be eliminated from playoff contention and will need help reaching the Big 12 championship game.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 38-33


#13 Virginia Tech at #10 Miami - 8:00 PM

The battle for the top spot in the ACC Coastal division is right here. Miami has struggled to score points in their last 4 games, escaping with a win in every one of those 4 games. Their struggle started right around the time that RB Mark Walton went down with a season ending injury and the offense shifted to QB Malik Rosier. While Rosier throws for a lot of yards, his inaccuracy tends to kill drives, as he is over 50% completion percentage in just 2 of his last 4 games and is just 56% on the season. He'll need to be a lot more fluid and sustain drives if Miami wants to win this one, that may be a tough task though as the Hurricanes face a Virginia Tech team that only allows 11.5 points per game. If Virginia Tech can continue their dominance on defense and get their normal offensive output then that should be enough to take this win back home. The offense, led by QB Josh Jackson, loves spreading it out and playing fast so expect them to put up 24+ points in this game, leaving the onus on Miami to score with them. The Hokies have bounced back after losing to Clemson, they've won their last 3 and look to build off that here to take over the division lead.

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 31-17


#19 LSU at #2 Alabama - 8:00 PM

Here's a game that always tends to be a big time defensive slugfest. Alabama may be playing with a chip on their shoulder now that the college football playoff rankings were revealed and they came in at #2 instead of their assumed spot at #1. The main thing for the Crimson Tide in this is to control the line of scrimmage and not turn the ball over, if they accomplish both of those things they should cruise to a victory. LSU needs to find some offense here, RB Derrius Guice will be keyed on so the Tigers will need QB Danny Etling to get the passing game going in order to open things up on offense. LSU's front 4, which includes projected top 10 pick Arden Key, will need to win the battle in the trenches and not let RB's Damien Harris and Bo Scarborough run all over them. If they can stop the run and put it in the arm of QB Jalen Hurts then they have a chance at forcing some turnovers and controlling time of possession.

PREDICTION: Alabama 27-6

Spread Offense 10/13/17: College Football Week 7 Preview

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta

Week 6 provided us with some serious shake-ups to the top 10, I'll go straight to my top 10 ballot here.


WEEK 7 TOP TEN

10.Wisconsin (last week: NR)
9. Miami ( last week: NR)
8. Washington State (last week: 10)
7. Ohio State (last week: 8)
6. Washington (last week: 6)
5. TCU (last week: 8)
4. Georgia (last week: 4)
3. Penn State (last week: 3)
2. Alabama (last week: 2)
1. Clemson (last week: 1)

The top 4 remained the same from last week, but the rest all got jumbled around as we have 2 new teams to the top 10. I've been severely reluctant to rank Wisconsin in the top 10 because they have an incredibly soft schedule until November, but they come in at 10 which is where they'll top out at until they get themselves a big win on the resume. The Miami Hurricanes kept their undefeated season alive with a last second win against Florida State, and make their debut in my top 10 by coming in at #9. They are currently 5-0 and have a few big games coming up in November that will truly show if this team is a playoff contending team.

With 2 debuts in the top 10 means that 2 teams are out of the top 10. First, the Michigan Wolverines dropped a tough game to in-state rival Michigan State, 14-10. The defense did what they could but the offense turned the ball over 5 times and it's practically impossible to win under those circumstances. The Oklahoma Sooners lost a game at home to an Iowa State team that was just 2-2 on the season. The Sooners were 31 point favorites in this game and had a 24-10 lead before squandering the lead and eventually losing 38-31. They nearly coughed up a game the week before to a winless Baylor team and now this loss, Oklahoma needs to get it together soon with Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and TCU looming.


HEISMAN WATCH

5. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
4. Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
3. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
2. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
1. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

A little movement in the Heisman watch this week, Baker Mayfield slides down to 5 after an Oklahoma loss in which he did not perform very well. Stanford RB Bryce Love continues to climb up the watch list, he has 1240 yards and 9 TD's in 6 games this season putting him on an incredible pace to be well over 2,000 yards.

Saquon Barkley holds down the #1 spot, as he accounts for nearly 40% of Penn State's offense. A bye week this week then back to back tests against Michigan and Ohio State will be a huge proving ground for his Heisman campaign.



WEEK 7 PREVIEW



#12 Oklahoma vs Texas - 3:30 PM

The Red River Rivalry kicks off at 3:30 in the Cotton Bowl, one of the biggest rivalries in the entire country. Oklahoma has not looked very good these past 2 games, a narrow win against Baylor followed by a home loss to unranked Iowa State. They will need QB Baker Mayfield to be the true leader of the team and right this ship, they still can make the playoffs if they win out so this is the beginning of "must win" games for the Sooners. Texas' new Head Coach, Tom Herman, started out last season with a win over the Oklahoma Sonners when he was coaching the Houston Cougars. He'll need more of that success here as this would be a signature win for him and also keep Texas in the Big 12 title game picture. As it goes for any rivalry, this one has proven to be wildly unpredictable and with the way both teams have been playing, do not be surprised at any outcome.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 37-27


#10 Auburn at LSU - 3:30 PM

SEC West foes collide right here. Auburn is starting to climb their way back up the polls and are making people believe that they are a contender still. They lost a lopsided game in week 2 at Clemson and have been on a roll ever since, winning 4 straight which includes a 49-10 drubbing of then #24 Mississippi State. QB Jarrett Stidham has been leading this team on offense as they've put up at least 44 points in each of the last 3 games. LSU has been their kryptonite though as they've lost their last 8 trips to Baton Rouge, and LSU is looking to make it 9 here. LSU had high expectations this season, but a conference loss to Mississippi State and then an upset loss against Troy 2 weeks later really derailed those expectations. They had a bounce back game last week though against Florida, defeating the #21 ranked Gators 17-16. They have a tough defensive front that will look to shut down Stidham, much like Clemson did. They'll ride their running attack on offense, led by Darrius Guice, in order to move the ball and pull off the upset.

PREDICTION: LSU 19-17


Utah at #13 USC - 8:00 PM

This game lost a bit of it's luster after Utah, ranked #20 at the time, lost a close game to Stanford which dropped them out of the top 25. Physicality will be the name of the game for Utah, they'll look to control the trenches on both sides of the ball in order to dictate the flow of the game. Their defense was gashed by Stanford RB Bryce Love last week, but their run defense still is #1 in the Pac-12 with only giving up 108 rushing yards a game. They should also get a boost if QB Tyler Hunley is back for this game, he injured his shoulder in a game against Arizona two weeks ago and missed last week's game against Stanford. If he cannot go then Utah will turn to QB Troy Williams, who started for the Utes last season.

For USC, it will be controlling Utah's pass rush and not turning the ball over. Turnovers have haunted the Trojans this season, QB Sam Darnold has thrown 9 INT's and lost a fumble this season and they've been their own worst enemy in games this season. They are one of the most talented teams in the country, but always seem to either play down to competition or make crucial mistakes that keep opposing teams in the game and it's bit them once(Washington State) and could bite them again here.

PREDICTION: USC 30-14

Buckeyes Preview 9/8/17: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Oklahoma Sooners

By Jason Disantis, @JasonInCLE

It took Ohio State a half of football to find their rhythm against Indiana and put the Hoosiers to bed in week one. After looking out-of-sync for the first thirty minutes the Buckeyes came out and lit the field on fire in the second half. Ohio State won’t have the luxury of a half to work out the kinks against the #5 ranked Oklahoma Sooners as they head to Columbus Saturday night.

This time last year Ohio State went in to Norman and put a beating on Oklahoma, 45-24.

Baker Mayfield was a Heisman hopeful and went on to throw two interceptions, including a pick-six. Mayfield hasn’t forgotten what happened.

“Everybody that was here for last year’s huge loss definitely remembers that. And we talked about it during camp,” said Mayfield. “We’ve never been here for a team to sing their fight song on our field. Quite frankly it’s just embarrassing. It’s embarrassing.”

Mayfield understands the magnitude of this top-five matchup, and thinks that these two teams could meet up again at the end of this season.

“If you want a sneak peek at who’s going to be playing for a national title… you want to tune in to the one,” Mayfield said.

Ohio State understands that Oklahoma is coming in looking for revenge.

“Our approach to this game is it’s the biggest game of the year,” said wide receiver Parris Campbell, whose 74-yard touchdown catch helped the Buckeye offense get on track. It’s a big-time opponent, a top-10 matchup. We have to prepare that way. These guys are probably going to come in here with a chip on their shoulder from last year’s game.”

Oklahoma will have their hands full with Campbell and the rest of the Ohio State offense. But despite the second half offensive explosion, new offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson knows there is a lot of work to be done.

“Early we sputtered,” Wilson said. “I thought several times we called some plays that got us behind chains, and we left some points on the board. Sever third-down and manageables, we didn’t manage.”

Behind true freshman J.K. Dobbins 181 yards on the ground and three touchdowns and 304 yards through the air from J.T. Barrett, the new look offense of Kevin Wilson showed just how lethal it could be. Add the Buckeyes leading rusher from last season, Mike Weber, back into the mix and Ohio State will be ready to give a repeat performance from last year and put themselves on the path to another shot at a national championship.



What: Ohio State Buckeyes vs Oklahoma Sooners
When: September 9, 2017, 7:30 PM ET
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus Ohio
Watch: ABC
Spread: OSU -7
Money Line: OSU -300, OK +240
O/U: 65

Podcast 9/6/17: Browns & NFL Week 1 Preview, College Football & guest Zac Jackson

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

You can now download the latest episodes of "TripleThreatCLE.com's Podcast"!

Subscribe to us, on New Cleveland Radio iTunes here!

DOWNLOAD: On the Browns & NFL Week 1, College Football and special guest Zac Jackson (9/6/17)

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Spread Offense 9/6/17: College Football Week 2 Preview

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta


WEEK 2 TOP TEN

10.Louisville
9. Michigan
8. Georgia
7. Oklahoma
6. Clemson
5. Washington
4. Penn State
3. USC
2. Ohio State
1. Alabama

Probably the first question upon reading this is where did Florida State go? I know that a loss to Alabama normally wouldn’t drop the #3 team in the country out of the top 10, but due to the QB position now up in the air, I’m taking a cautious approach to the Seminoles. QB Deondre Francois is out for the year, and freshman James Blackman now takes over as the starting QB, so FSU will have to earn back the trust before they are considered a top 10 team again.

Michigan is the lone newcomer to the top 10. After a sound beating of the Florida Gators, the Wolverines make their debut at #9. All other teams just slid up 1 spot due to Florida State’s exit except for Louisville, who was dropped from #9 to #10. The Cardinals won an unflattering game against Purdue, so they slid just a little bit here but with 2 big contests in a row(at North Carolina, vs Clemson), they can easily make their way up the rankings.


WEEK 2 HESIMAN WATCH

5. Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
4. Saquan Barkley, RB, Penn State
3. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
2. Sam Darnold, QB, USC
1. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

I kept this ranking the same mainly because it was week 1 and some Heisman candidates had an underwhelming performance so I gave them a pass for it. After week 2 we are bound to see some shake-ups though, some big games involving these players are slated for week 2.


WEEK 2 PREVIEW

Week 1 is in the books and while Saturday was rather lackluster in great games(the 2 biggest games, Michigan-Florida and Alabama-Florida State turned out to be no contests in the 2nd half), the games on Sunday and Monday made up for it. UCLA’s 34 point comeback against Texas A&M in the final 18 minutes of the game, Virginia Tech’s win over West Virginia in a back and forth battle and Tennessee’s thrilling OT victory by stopping Georgia Tech on a 2 point conversion in OT were the highlights of the weekend.

Week 2 is now here and we have some big time games coming up, every college football fan should be ready for what’s in store come Saturday night when we have 4 big games all kicking off within an hour and half of each other.


#13 Auburn Tigers at #3 Clemson Tigers - 7:00 PM

The big action of the night starts in Clemson as the defending national champs welcome the Auburn Tigers to Death Valley. Both teams looked very good last Saturday, although they played more of a tune-up game against 2 lesser opponents but got the practice they desired while coasting to a win. Auburn defeated Georgia Southern 41-7 as QB Jarrett Stidham was impressive for the Tigers while RB Kam Martin added 136 yards on 14 carries. Their defense was even more impressive, holding Georgia Southern to only 78 total yards and they look to bring that kind of tenacity this weekend. Clemson rolled over Kent State, 56-3 and many people are not hesitating to crown new Clemson QB Kelly Bryant as the next Deshaun Watson. That will be tested here big time, we will see if Bryant is picking up right where Watson left off or if he struggles in his first primetime game against a stout defense. Clemson's home crowd will definitely play a factor in this though as they are known to have one of the loudest stadiums in all of college football, could give them the big swing that's needed.

PREDICTION: AUBURN 24-20 - This will be a good, close game but the Tigers get it done on the road.


#15 Georgia Bulldogs at #24 Notre Dame Fighting Irish - 7:30 PM

The big news coming out of Georgia is that QB Nick Eason will not be playing in this game due to an injury. That means that freshman Jake Fromm will make the start for the Bulldogs as they travel to South Bend. The good news for Jake Fromm is that a lot of his duty as QB should be turning around and handing the ball off the RB Nick Chubb, who went for 96 yards on 18 carries with 2 TD's in UGA's 31-10 win over Appalachian State. Coming off a disastrous 4-8 season, the Fighting Irish started their season on a positive note as they rolled over Temple, 49-16. New ND QB Brandon Wimbush looked impressive and RB Josh Adams looked even better, if those two keep it up then Notre Dame could find themselves victorious in this game. Georgia is more battle tested and looks to have the better team, but the newcomers from Notre Dame and homefield advantage could keep them in the game, possibly even steal this one.

PREDICTION: Georgia 34-17 - Nick Chubb should wear the ND defense down and while the ND's offense looked good last week, this may be too tall of a task for them.


#5 Oklahoma Sooners at #2 Ohio State Buckeyes - 7:30 PM

Last season, Ohio State went to Oklahoma and brought home a 45-24 victory, and the Sooners are now looking to return the favor here. Ohio State's young secondary was tested last week against the passing attack of Indiana, and they will be tested again here against Heisman candidate QB Baker Mayfield. Mayfield brings the experience and talent needed to play against a defense like OSU's, and while they looked good last week against UTEP, the losses of Samaje Perine, Joe Mixon and Dede Westbrook is a lot to make up. They will need to be made up for though if Oklahoma wants to have a shot at this, because Ohio State will be putting up points as they have one of the more electric offenses in the country. The Buckeyes had a rough first half last Thursday against Indiana, but made some adjustments and got it rolling and beat Indiana 49-21. OSU will be led by QB J.T. Barrett and freshman RB J.K. Dobbins as the team hopes to have similar success as they did last season against Oklahoma.

PREDICTION: Ohio State 42-31 - The score may end up closer than the actual game, but Ohio State's ability to get to the QB will stop the Sooners from being able to score with the Buckeyes.


#14 Stanford at #6 USC - 8:30 PM

Pac-12 powerhouses clash in this primetime game here, with USC hosting Stanford. Stanford currently has a 3 game winning streak over the Trojans but USC has national championship hopes, and will need to get over the roadblock here for people really buy into them. USC has playmakers everywhere, Heisman candidate QB Sam Darnold, RB Ronald Jones II and Deontay Burnett gives this team a ton of firepower. Stanford had last weekend off as they played the weekend before, and dominated Rice 62-7. QB Keller Chryst is the Stanford QB once again and looked very good in that first game, and got a lot of help from RB Bryce Love, who had 180 yards on just 13 carries. Stanford's defense will be the difference maker in this, they are typically known for a strong, stringent defense and if they can hold USC in check then this game could be theirs. That is a tough task though, USC is looking to rebound after struggling to beat Western Michigan and should be coming out firing on all cylinders.

PREDICTION: STANFORD 20-17 - This one should come down to the wire, Stanford's defense will rise to the occasion at the end though and halt a USC drive to end the game.