College Football Week 6 recap

This was the funnest weekend college football has seen in my memory. With five teams in the top 8 dropping games, it was also the most upset filled week in the history of the AP poll. Now that the dust has settled, we are left with a slim group of unbeatens left standing, and plenty of amazing games and moments to charge into the next half of the season. I've provided my personal three takeaways from this weekend, in vaguely ranked importance.

Dak Prescott had a day for himself, with 5 TD's in a
rout of the Aggies. 

Most importantly, this will not be a season where being undefeated is a necessary qualification for playoff football. Thank God in his heaven. Perhaps one of the happier states outside of Mississippi on Saturday night was actually Oregon. After a disappointing egg laying by the Ducks (sorry) against an unranked Arizona team (again?!) Mariota and co. must have counted themselves out for yet another season. Another season where they don't run the table, another season where they don't contend for a national championship, another season… oh wait. With Oregon, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M all in the playoff conversation before this weekend, can we really cross them all off the list after losses? We can't, is the answer. Thankfully then, this year we'll have some outstanding one loss teams. I truly believe that those four top 6 teams that lost this weekend should remain in the playoff conversation as the season progresses, which is good for college football. So many strong teams dropped good games that we can eliminate exactly no one from the conversation, especially by the end of the season.

We're still talking about the Ducks, who enjoyed watching
Saturday: The Pac 12's last hope. 

Which brings me to my next important point; This weekend, while providing some fun highlight reel moments, (and some ridiculous stats, including a D1 game passing record from Washington St's Connor Halliday with 734 yards through the air… in a loss) also set up some humongous games in the upcoming weeks. Of particular note are Auburn at Miss St. (next weekend), then Auburn at Ole Miss, Notre Dame at Florida St, another matchup which will cull the ranks of the unvanquished. At this point, there won't be all too many. Baylor at Oklahoma on November 8th will decide the Big 12, and as of yesterday Baylor is in the fourth playoff spot. But again, what's so great about this weekend is that so many good teams lost that none of them are out of the conversation. These are some great match ups.

How many Division one records are set in a loss? 

and Auburn vs Texas A&M. A season ending Auburn at Alabama Iron Bowl could well be for all the marbles, depending on how this season unfolds. Here's hoping... After those first two games for Auburn, there will by necessity only be one undefeated team left of those three SEC teams, unless Auburn loses both games, in which case we have an amazing rivalry game on our hands. The perennial Miss St. Ole Miss at the end of the season would then become without a doubt the most important game in the history of the rivalry. The two teams from Mississippi have never been ranked in the top ten simultaneously, which is going to change in this week's AP poll. A non SEC game to keep on the radar will be

None of which are in the Pac 12. Oh, Pac 12. My once and future king, my favorite conference, my personal preseason pick, how you have let me down. You string me along, telling me this will be the season, a strong conference full of players who can read! I should have known then as I know now, it's simply too good to be true. I did in fact rank the Pac 12 as the strongest conference in college football before this season began, and boy do I look stupid now. In my defense, the computers agreed with me, and the SEC had lost just about every good quarterback it had (Prescott, you've taught me better by now, not to mention a little Nick Marshall laying a whupping on LSU). But the Pac 12 just isn't the conference it wants to be. Oregon can score and always has been able to, but they seem to be more effective at dropping 70 on FCS teams than winning important conference games. They talk a lot about making the next step, about contending for a national title, but they have to deal with upstart Wildcats run amok in their own conference first. Stanford is always a fundamentally coached football team with a top 5 defense, but quarterback play holds the Cardinal back, until Kevin Hogan learns to move his eyes a little for the love of God. (see below, they dropped a great game in Southbend, again.) 8th ranked UCLA lost an ugly game to the Utah Utes, and there's yet another Pac 12 team that talks a big national scene game but loses bad match ups. All these up and coming teams made me pick the Pac 12. I drank the koolaid. I figured this would be the year at least one of those three elite teams delivered on their promises. I can still remember UCLA coach Jim Mora, after good losses against great teams last year, angry as anything and going on about "there has to be a point where we start winning these big games, I don't care about looking good in a loss." Well, the Bruins haven't reached that point. Oh, and not to forget the fourth Pac 12 team we care about, the 16th Trojans coming in hot with a loss to Arizona State on a legendary Hail Mary. So not this year, for the conference. I was rooting for the West, I really, really was, but again they have disappointed their fans, which includes me. All told, top 25 Pac 12 teams went 0-4 this weekend, and that includes two top ten teams losing to unranked opponents. Not a good weekend, and because of it the conference probably won't send a team to the playoff.  

Destined to be a physical football game

(That was a great game against the Irish, by the way. In 35 degrees and pouring rain, it felt a lot like the battle of Helm's Deep, and Golson won it on 4th and 11 with under a minute remaining with a perfect touchdown pass to a wide open Ben Koyack, 17-14. Wet conditions (neither team ever really passed effectively) and great defense were the story in a physical and important football game, that has now gone a little overlooked in such a tumultuous weekend.)

So Mississippi can celebrate for a week, and ditto for Auburn fans, all of whom are sitting pretty at the top of the Sec West. But that conference will look a whole lot different in three weeks, with only one unbeaten remaining in all likelihood. The losers this week shouldn't be too bummed either. In short, the only fans who should bail on this season are fans of Brady Hoke, who's so gone it's not even funny. Michigan dropped to 2-4 with a truly atrocious showing against Rutgers, 24-26. Michigan sucks. But beyond that, there's a lot of great things happening in this sport. Here's to an awesome weekend in college football, and many more to come. Cheers.

Heisman Watch: Week 4

With the season now well underway, talk about the Heisman race can really heat up. No surprises, really, at this point in the season. Besides of course that so far I was spot on in my preseason predictions. Here's a list of top five Heisman candidates, contingent upon not just their current performance but how I see them playing (and thus making their case) in the next couple of weeks. I also tried to spice it up a little, positionally. 

Absolute no doubter

Marcus Mariota is a no doubter at the top of this list. It was a couple of weeks ago when the to date biggest game of the year was on display in Michigan St. vs Oregon, and Mariota did not hurt his case. As I was taught when a wee lad, Heisman moments make Heisman campaigns. Well, Mariota had his moment. Down 24-18 at the half, with the world whispering of an upset in the making and the producers on sports center licking their chops at some "not so mighty ducks" puns, Mariota came out of the locker room and played one of the better halves of football we've seen in a while. He dropped a casual 28 in a half to finish with a resounding 46-27 win over the then 7th ranked Spartans. Suffice it to say this was an awesome game, in which Mariota finished with 318 yards and 3 touchdowns, against one of the better defenses in the country. To top that off, last week he missed a grand total of 4 passes against Wyoming en route to a 48-14 victory, with four total touchdowns, good for an almost perfect performance. Not hurting his chances, certainly. Watch for Mariota to make another statement this week as the Ducks travel to Washington St, a respectable Pac 12 foe. For now, he's miles ahead of the pack. 

Kenny Hill, the sophomore quarterback from Texas A&M is a surprising candidate for the award this year. In this horse race, they're coming around the far turn and he's starting to make his move on the heavy favorite. But the more you think about it, the more it looks like the Heisman is his for the taking. He absolutely has the team for it, (the Aggies are currently ranked sixth and they don't look like they want to stop any time soon) and in the SEC he certainly has the schedule, with the likes of Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Missouri. All those teams are national contenders, and if Hill and the Aggies run the table (I'm not saying that's going to happen) it will be hard to deny that he's the most valuable player in college football. He has already exhibited that uncanny penchant for dazzling, diverse displays of offensive fireworks we see from, for example, the Ducks. The only thing that separates Mariota from Hill is currently Mariota's history; we know Mariota can and will drop video game numbers, because he's been doing it for a while now. Hill, to his credit, has 11 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and 1,094 yards passing in 3 games this season, with a completion percentage nearing 70%, but the size of his sample size holds him back, for now. Still that's a trend we'd like to see continue. So watch him all season, because we'll see some great games in which he features as prominently as M&M's in trail mix. 

"Johnny Football who?"

Now we drop off a bit, but don't tell Jameis Winston that. Statistically, and unfairly, I don't think Winston has another trip to New York in him. He has of course been effective in two games so far this season, but has passed for only 3 touchdowns compared with 2 interceptions. Not a ratio that will win the award this season, with other outstanding quarterbacks in the mix. 

[Now the horses back here are gasping for breath, and we (the crowd) are vaguely aware that it is the same race, but on some level unsure if they're even viable contenders. We don't spend too much time worrying about them though, preferring the stallions who are something like 40 lengths ahead, for the moment.] 

He does that really, really well

Amari Cooper is the currently sexy Heisman pick, but he's by no one's measure the frontrunner. What he is is an outrageously athletic wideout on a great team, who made his debut a couple of years ago and has been in the back of mind ever since. He is also off to a blazing start, with 33 catches and 454 yards in three games. That's absolutely ridiculous on a team and under a coach that loves to run, against stingy SEC secondaries. He'll stay on my list of top five players until he cools off, and I can't predict when that'll happen. This guy's an animal. 

Todd Gurley is on my list as the best running back in contention. If I had my way, however, he wouldn't be up here. His sixth ranked Bulldogs just lost to rival 24 South Carolina, for starters, and that is a heavy mark against him already. He's averaging over 100 yards a game, and in the SEC that is worth watching of course, with statement performances brewing in the future, but that's a tough hit to take to your chances this early in the season. 

2015 NFL Mock Draft

1. Oakland Raiders: QB Marcus Mariota: As of right now, Matt Schaub is atop the Oakland Raiders depth chart for quarterback, a quarterback with several great seasons in the past, but has struggled to stay healthy as of late. The Raiders will likely need a new quarterback after this year, and Marcus Mariota out of Oregon will be the answer. Mariota could have potentially been the first quarterback off of the draft board this season, but has decided to stay for one more year. The dual-threat quarterback amounted 4,380 total yards with 40 total touchdowns last season, and is the favorite to take home the Heisman trophy this season.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: DE/OLB Randy Gregory: Randy Gregory and Leonard Williams are considered to be the two best defenders in this year's draft class, where both are feared pass rushers expected to be taken in the first round of the draft. Gregory recorded 10.5 sacks last season for Nebraska, including a three sack performance against Michigan, as he has the skill set that Jacksonville needs in order to improve their atrocious pass rush.

3. Minnesota Vikings: DE Leonard Williams: Former USC coach Lane Kiffin truly believed that Leonard Williams will be one of the best defenders to go through the program, as he is one of the favorites to be the first defender taken in next year's draft. Leonard Williams' six sacks last season are nothing extraordinary, but scouts have high hopes for Williams in 2014.

4. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo): OT Cedric Ogbuehi: If Ogbuehi were to be a top-10 pick, like we predict, he would be the fifth consecutive player from Texas A&M to do so. Ogbuehi decided to stay for another year at the school, yet his name may no longer be in the spotlight now that star quarterback Johnny Manziel is gone. In order for Cleveland to protect Johnny Football, it would seem like a good idea to draft one of his many talented teammates in this year's draft class.

Keep an eye on Texas A&M OL Cedric Ogbuehi. He said after the CFA Bowl that he received a 1st Rd. grade from the draft advisory board.
— Alex Scarborough (@AlexS_ESPN) January 2, 2014

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: QB Brett Hundley: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will likely need a quarterback by the end of this season, as it seems pretty obvious that Josh McCown and Josh Glennon are not the solution on offense. Hundley, like Mariota, is a dual threat passer with 35 total touchdowns last season.

6. Tennessee Titans: QB Jameis Winston: The reigning Heisman trophy winner and National Champion is expected to leave for the NFL after this season, and some teams will be willing to take the risk, considering his recent off the field allegations. It is also possible that Jameis Winston will fall out of the top 10 if teams are unwilling to deal with the risks, similarly to what took place for Johnny Manziel in this past draft.

7. New York Jets: OT Cameron Erving: Assuming that Michael Vick and Geno Smith do well next season as the starting quarterback, Rex Ryan will need to improve his offensive line in order to protect the passer. Cameron Erving, a member of Florida State's championship winning offensive line, did a great job protecting Winston last season, and could have been a a first round pick in this past draft.

8. Cleveland Browns: RB Todd Gurley: After drafting Johnny Manziel with the 22nd overall pick, the Browns have surrounded their new quarterback with enough talent at wide receiver that he will have plenty of receivers to choose from; however, it is difficult to have a successful passing game without some sort of talent at running back. Gurley is by far the best running back of this draft class, and a solid running game will take some pressure off of their young passer.

9. Miami Dolphins: OT Andrus Peat: The Miami Dolphins gave up the most sacks of any team in the NFL last season, and in this offensive line-heavy draft class, the Dolphins can easily find an answer to this problem. Andrus Peat may even be the first offensive line off the board next April, but we have him going ninth overall.

10. St. Louis Rams: DE Shilique Calhoun: Next season, star defensive end Chris Long will be a 30-year-old free agent, and who knows if the Rams will be willing to pay for a new contract. With Kaepernick and Wilson in the same division, the Rams will need to maintain a powerful pass rush if they want to win the division title. 

Heisman Watch Week 12

I was let down this week, when I saw Marcus Mariota lay an egg for three quarters against Stanford. Of course, this makes my job easier as it clears out the top of my list a little, but I'm unwilling to banish the Hawaiian completely from the top 5, something of an overreaction. Anyways, call it unfair, but a loss for a quarterback is like a weight tied to his feet. It would be really tough for Mariota to shake it off and rise back to the top. Does he still have the best stats in college football? By a shade. But he has one important statistic that others may not: a 1 in the loss column. And so, I declare this

1) Jameis Winston's race to lose. He was previously second in my list, but now he has two huge victories this season (then 3 Clemson and then 7 Miami) he can point to, and in both of those games he stepped up big time. He has played his best football against his best opponents this season. That matters a lot in an MVP race, but more importantly his team won big, which is more than Marcus Mariota can say. Famous Jameis is simply looking like the best player in college football. While I could take some heat because everyone is saying this, Winston now controls his own destiny. If he wins out, even only semi-convincingly, he will most certainly find himself in New York, on a stage, stumbling through a speech written by a PR agent for the Seminoles. I tip my hat to the freshman, who is having a run for the ages. Although he is coming off a terrible day against Wake Forest (160 yards passing and a bad interception in a blow out victory) the only thing close to Winston in this race is his shadow, and even that he's beating by several lengths. I mean he is now 1-5 odds to win the race. For those who are confused, or simply less versed in the ways of the track, that means you'll make 1 dollar for every 5 you bet on him to win. In complete layman terms: he's such a lock that they won't give you much of a reward at all for picking him. Those are ridiculous odds. He is opening up a lead that we haven't in a long time for the Heisman: a true no doubter, like the Pats in the playoffs or Koji Uehara in the ninth. Get used to seeing his name up here.

Chances are, that ball's a completion

2) Bryce Petty is second now just because I wanted him to have a big day against a good defense, it looked like he wasn't going to, but then he pulled it out. And by pulling it out, I mean a 41-12 curb-stomping of the Sooners. Oklahoma fields a pretty darn good football team, but Petty left no doubt about the superiority of his squad. He has now passed for close to 2,700 yards in 8 games, and is at the head of a beautiful offense. It is truly a pleasure to watch the Bears march down the field. For over a quarter, they had me scared with their ineffectiveness last Thursday, but when they found their rhythm… oh boy. Petty passed for 3 touchdowns and ran for 2, and he is looking like, dare I say it, a fairly NFL ready quarterback. He just showed up in a major way, and looks to continue the magic against OSU this weekend. His odds went from 28-1 to 8-1, so he remains a long shot. Interestingly, Vegas prefers Johnny Football (at a 3-1 pick). Obviously I disagree.

3) AJ McCarron is a little overrated, to be honest, but that's just making up for 2 years of neglect, so I suppose it's fair. I have to hand it to him, he proved his quality against a good LSU team in a terrific game. If you missed it, it was tied in Tuscaloosa midway through the third when the Tide decided to win the game. They proceeded to score 21 unanswered points en route to a comfortable 38-17 victory. The latest great installment in this rivalry was not only enormously entertaining, but demonstrative of McCarron's (and his team's) ability to take over a game, even against a great opponent. This wasn't a perfect game for 'Bama, but McCarron's 3 touchdown passes proved to be the difference maker and they ended up winning big. LSU looked ready to make a statement against Alabama, but the Tide responded by playing their best half of college football this season, in the words of Nick Saban. McCarron was obviously a major factor in this, and I have to agree. As for LSU, fumbling on your first 2 processions is not how you beat a great team.

4) Johnny Manziel has now passed for 3,313 yards this season. That is flatly ridiculous, and beats other (present and former) frontrunners Mariota and Winston by several hundred yards. How then, is he not at the top of this prestigious list? Two losses (due to a now completely pathetic, floating belly-up defense) in big games this season are keeping Johnny from the trophy. Two losses to Alabama and Auburn in which he scored a combined 83 points, but two losses all the same. That, plus the general sense of somewhat sloppy play at times (11 picks) will keep Johnny Football from repeating the feat this year. To the Dallas columnists crying out that he should be the lock this year, I point out those two facts.

5) Marcus Mariota will not win the Heisman this year. He has yet to throw a pick, (for a nice 22:0 touchdown to interception ratio) a fact I have always found remarkable and repeated often, but all of a sudden he has fumbled the ball 8 times. A couple of those (including one in the red zone) proved ultimately costly against Stanford last week in a 6 point in-conference loss. Ah well, I guess Alabama Oregon wasn't the game we all wanted to see after all. Unfortunately for Mariota, a late loss in a thinning Heisman crowd will lose you the race. Manziel is above him, because his losses occurred earlier in the season. Call it what you like (unfair, perhaps?), that's college football. Oregon's offense lost that sense of otherworldliness this week, that sheen of perfection which seemed to drive them forward no matter what the opponent. They were stopped just enough times against Stanford, simply put. As the offense goes, so go Mariota's Heisman hopes. Still a great football team, still a great player, but only up here because no one else really fills the 5 hole.

And there you have my top 5 for Heisman week 12, although really only the top 1 is relevant.
Just as an interesting side note, this has been bouncing around the college football universe this week.
Player of the week:
UCLA Bruin Myles Jack: six carries for 120 yards and a touchdown, 8 tackles, a tackle for a loss, a fumble recovery and 2 passes broken up.
That's right. He played linebacker and running back last week against Arizona. My initial reaction was very "You've got to be kidding…" But there it is on the stat sheet. Good Lord. This freshman is probably destined for something special. He is won the Pac 12 offensive player of the week award… despite being a linebacker.

College Football Picks (Week 11)

The best Thursday night in the history of college football, without a doubt. I guess the NCAA doesn't like making money, because if they did one of these games would be primetime Friday night, and another couple on Saturday. But I'll be watching anyways, and so should you, because this is the best week in college football this season. Here are the 5 biggest games, and my picks.

(In terms of predictions, I repeat my philosophy that fortune favors the bold. So if you see unorthodoxy here, or strangely specific calls, I don't expect to get them all right, it's just what I see possibly happening. A fair amount of analysis and statistics go into these, but for the most part I can only hope to be close.)

Stanford defense doing what they do best

2 Oregon @ 6 Stanford: This is going to be great Thursday night football, with the Ducks excited to demolish another wanna be PAC 12 champion (ahem, UCLA) and an incredibly tough, physical Stanford front 7 looking to put a certain Heisman frontrunner on his back. These guys are a scary group, but I believe Oregon's offensive line will rise to the occasion. We all remember the Cardinal's 17-14 OT win last year, the only thing keeping Oregon from a national championship. This looks to be another great game, with a more mature Mariota leading the Duck's charge. If Stanford wins this game it will be with huge defensive play, though that goes without saying. You can't beat the Ducks without defense, because they'll drop 28 on you in a half, no sweat. Between Byron Marshall and, of course, DeAnthony Thomas at running back and everyone's favorite Hawaiian at quarterback, I don't see even Stanford stopping this squad from scoring early and often. Stanford has been great against the run all year, and in total they've allowed only 19 points per game, but that won't stop me from betting the farm on the best offense in the country. Especially when headed by Mariota, who is looking for a big Heisman moment after a bye week. You can also count on Oregon's defense (a seriously underrated group) to not miss many tackles and not to blow much coverage. Oregon 31 Stanford 10

12 Oklahoma @ 5 Baylor: I have had Bryce Petty in my Heisman rankings for 3 weeks now, and it's getting kind of boring to see him score 60 points a game against 9 year old girl flag football teams. I am very excited to see if he can do it (and by "it" I mean score at least 35) against a team that can play some serious football, and Oklahoma is fielding just that. After an "out-of-nowhere-but-didn't-we-kinda-expect-that"loss in the crazy Red River rivalry to an unranked Longhorn team, Oklahoma has looked really, really good. I pick the Bears here because I'm Petty's biggest fan, but not by much. They win this one in a squeaker and a shootout. If both teams score their average points, this game will end with almost 100 points on the board. Of course that won't happen, but it'd be nice to see Baylor actually play some defense, and though this will be a high scoring game it will be the Bear's defense who wins it late, in their first big stand of a high scoring game. I'll be watching this during Oregon Stanford commercials, and I expect to see Baylor 42 Oklahoma 38

Jarvis Landry has almost 900 yards this season

10 LSU @ 1 Alabama: Could it be? Could this be the week we see the Tide tumble? No, it won't be. But I think this week many people will learn that this is not a perfect football team, by any stretch of the imagination. People always assume that without question Alabama's defense is flawless, but they have looked bad at times this season. Remember, they let Manziel score 42 against them earlier this season, and their secondary in particular has been at times suspect. This is a match made in heaven, then, because Zach Mettenberger (a good SEC quarterback who is always forgotten, somehow) has two explosive threats on the outside; Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. These two are his top targets, and I see both of them, especially Landry, teaming up with Metts to expose 'Bama's at times unexperienced secondary. Obviously this is a huge rivalry game, and the atmosphere alone should be reason enough to watch. In the end, however, this one will again be about AJ McCarron and his talented receiving core, TJ Yeldon and his money sign double throat slash, and Nick Saban and his creepy ability to outcoach anyone, even Les Miles. Tune in Saturday night to see an incredible football game. Alabama 31 LSU 24

Virginia Tech @ 14 Miami: Now three weeks ago this could easily have been a top 10 matchup, but just because both teams (in particular the Hokies) have gotten spanked recently doesn't mean this one won't be worth watching. I also just like the ACC, and like the idea of their being a relevant conference in college football. Between the 'Noles, Tigers, and 'Canes, even the SEC fans have to admit that some teams here can play. Logan Thomas has looked terrible in two losses to Duke and BC, but here's hoping he steps up against a humbled Miami team. 7 was the highest ranking in a long time for the Hurricanes, but an second half egg laying against FSU (they were down 21-14 after the first half, but ended up losing 41-14) banished them way down the rankings. This will be a better game than people expect, and a quarterback desperate to improve his spiraling draft stock in Logan Thomas will make some big plays, leading the Hokies to a big upset win, their first in 3 weeks. Virginia Tech 23 Miami 17

Nebraska @ Michigan: Two perennial Pac 10 powerhouses go at it Saturday afternoon, but it must be said that I hate to put a game between two unranked teams in my top 5. However these squads started the season ranked 18th and 17th, respectively, which shows the type of talent that will be on display this week. Nebraska is coming off a Hail Mary win against Northwestern, while Michigan looks to beat a conference rival. Both teams are limping into this game, as Nebraska's season was declared a wash after a loss to Minnesota and Michigan has lost twice this season, while barely beating Akron and UConn. Each squad has their fair share of injuries as well. Although things haven't gone as planned this season for either team, both are looking for defining moments here, and for both teams this would be one of the biggest wins of the season. This is a rematch of a great Sugar Bowl from a couple of years back, and this time around I see Devin Gardner coming back after a 7 sack day (not fun) against MSU and having a big game. Both teams are resilient, both will respond, making this fun to watch. Michigan 28 Nebraska 20

Heisman Watch Week 11

Unless you like Army-Air Force (and trust me, you don't) this past week was intensely boring, and this coming from a dedicated college football fan. There were two games of big ranked opponents, but as it turned out neither one was very close; OSU beat Texas Tech big, and the 'Noles dropped 41 on an angry Miami team. Does Jameis Winston now deserve the 1 spot? That remains to be seen, but personally I think he'll lose it after Mariota's humongous day against Stanford this coming Thursday night. So remember, these are subject to change. I think the Duck will win the Heisman race. Plus, I like saying that. The Duck for Heisman! Just a thought, but for a team that's all about swagger, sick uniforms, recruits, and being the coolest team on the field, a duck is kinda a lame mascot. You have to embrace it, I guess.

1) Jameis Winston created quite the conundrum for those of us trying to put together a Heisman watch list. On an off week for frontrunner Marcus Mariota, Winston threw for 325 yards (good) but also 2 picks (bad) and only 1 touchdown (also bad). However his squad came up with a statement win, and so he's batting leadoff this week. I had to give it to him. Again, I believe that a team's success is essential in determining the value of a quarterback candidate. Not to mention he has now broken the 2500 yards passing mark, in 8 games, as a freshman. The one misgiving I have about Winston up here (it's getting pretty lonely) is his 6 picks on the season. This doesn't sound like a problem, until you realize...

Mariota has thrown for 20 touchdowns in 8 games this season

2) Marcus Mariota has 0. That's right, he hasn't thrown an interception yet this season. That, along with his 29 total touchdowns, put him in a prime position to seize the top spot next week. Life must be pretty good for the Ducks. They are looking forward to a thrashing of another wanna be PAC 12 champ this week in the Cardinal, and they are set on cruising to an undefeated season. I'm a little too confident they'll win, but see my next article for predictions in that and other games this upcoming week. Meanwhile Mariota can look forward to his Heisman moment, feasting on the Stanford secondary. If, of course, his offensive line can keep him off his back, because a very scary Stanford front 7 needs to be contained if Mariota wants to win big, on the field and in my rankings.

3) Bryce Petty is also coming off a bye (this week really, really sucked) but other 2nd tier candidates had byes as well, and so here he is. A schedule of pathetic caliber cannot negate entirely what the junior QB has done down in Waco this season. His Bear squad are averaging 63.9 points a game, and in 7 games so far he has passed for 2453 yards. Thank God he has 3 ranked opponents in the next three weeks. Baylor vs Oklahoma, also on Thursday night, will be a great game during Oregon-Stanford commercials, but again see the next article folks. Petty is about to force himself into the elite conversation or entirely eliminate himself from it, but we'll see if his ridiculous numbers translate against an actual football team.

4) AJ McCarron is the lucky candidate this week, as he moves up after a bye, but more and more people are talking about him simply because Alabama has looked so, so good. We also can't forget that for the most part, an SEC schedule is really tough on a quarterback. That being said, I will never subscribe to the "an average quarterback in the SEC would dominate in any other conference" school of thought. I disagree with this because, although the SEC is the best conference in college football, the PAC 12 and Big 12 can now kinda contest that, and although McCarron has had some nasty defenses to play this year, he has also had the opportunity to feast on the likes of Colorado St, Georgia St, and Kentucky. So strength of schedule balances out in the end, and McCarron does not deserve the Heisman this year, yet. Sorry, college football trend setters.

5) Johnny Manziel wins the award for strangest 57 point performance by a quarterback this week.  Obviously he could relax a little, but his seasonal numbers may have taken a hit as he passed for only 273 yards against UTEP. In less than 3 quarters however, he scored 6 touchdowns. Go figure. Manziel remains out of the true contending conversation, and barring huge conference performances against LSU and Missouri, he doesn't have the numbers or the record to repeat the feat this year. He still remains behind Bryce Petty at least, if Mariota and Winston ever stop being awesome. This is unfair, as he has had some great moments and some great games, but still 2 losses condemn him. Manziel's defense is floating belly-up at this point, and seems to have given up on the whole "don't let them score" philosophy against any ranked opponent. It is bad in College Station, but Manziel keeps me watching Aggie games when I can.

Heisman Watch (Week 10)

A shallow foray into the plethora of college football coverage out there (googling "Heisman watch") quickly reveals the flavor of our Heisman week after last Saturday, a day where the top 5 or so prospects shined, some on bigger stages than others. AJ McCarron is finally making some noise, proving my point that for a quarterback candidate (so, any candidate) team success is almost as important as the numbers. There's a new guy who's cracked my list here, hello Bryce Petty, and though he has yet to prove himself in a big game he'll shortly be getting the call, which should be fun to watch. Without further ado…

1) Marcus Mariota had an off week, I'll be the first to admit. I had him pegged for 400 yards through the air against the Bruins last Saturday, but he fell back to earth with a mediocre 21-28 for 230 yards passing yards, with 1 TD and nothing really going on the ground. That being said, you don't lose Heisman races with average performances, and we can look at what Mariota didn't do: He didn't turn the ball over in a big game, and he didn't lose. In fact, he won big, a 42-14 stomping over the much lauded Bruin defense. Without a bad performance, I can't bring myself to drop the Hawaiian from my one spot, keeping my eye on his so far video-game like numbers. Numbers like 2281 yards through the air, 20 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions through 8 games. Oregon remains unbeaten, and two studly running backs (DeAnthony Thomas and Byron Marshall, who combined for five TD's last week) will keep the pressure off Mariota, allowing him to go deep for big plays and run the ball a fair amount (we know Heisman voters love their dual threat QB's) As long as Oregon is winning big, (and they don't look like they're planning on stopping)  Mariota will reign supreme. Back to my theory that a winning team will keep it's quarterback in the Heisman picture, even after an off day.

2) Jameis Winston had a 35 point first quarter against the Wolfpack. Now had NCST looked like anything but a half decent middle school flag football team out there, Winston would be getting more praise and we would be hearing more about his deserving the #1 ranking. However the Wolfpack could have run their cheerleaders out there to show some proper tackling technique, and so this week, tough luck Jameis, but you stay in the two hole. Winston gets the opportunity this week in a huge game against #7 Miami (almost everyone else will be at home, watching during a bye week, including Mariota) so check next week to see if these two have traded places. Winston has already stepped up big against Clemson, but this game is, if possible, as important. An in state traditional rival, a top 10 team, a big conference matchup… Keep in mind as well that almost every other team in the top 10 has a bye week, and so all eyes on famous Jameis this Saturday. He could very well have his (second) Heisman moment.

3) AJ McCarron: I am not a huge fan of McCarron, but at this point you have to hand it to the guy. He's the leader of what is really looking like an unstoppable team. Alabama will play in the national championship this year, and chances are McCarron will win his third national title. No wonder his girlfriend's… well… 3 national titles! Just the sound of that makes you imagine sports center exploding. Here come the dynasty montages, here comes the historical perspective, here come the interviews, and more interviews, and more montages, the "Best Ever?" tab on the left hand side of the screen...but I digress. McCarron has looked like an NFL quarterback this year, simply put, against for the most part very impressive SEC defenses. With a great receiving core at his disposal (see an earlier article) and every quarterback's best friend in TJ Yeldon (money sign double throat slash), McCarron has clawed himself into this race. He's still about 400 passing yards short of making my top spot, but as the big no doubter wins pile up, we have to ask "how much longer can he not be in the conversation?"

4) Johnny Manziel had some choice words last Saturday on the Jumbotron down in College Station this week, (really? Tiger Woods? Did anyone else find that kind of strange?) but Heisman voters will grudgingly give him this: the kid can play. No matter what he does off the field, short of second degree murder, he will remain on the field, and when he's on the field there's a sense that anything can happen. This is why he's so much fun to watch. He dazzled again against Vanderbilt this week, a nice 53 spot which featured 4 touchdowns.  However with 2 losses, (in which he scored a combined 83 points against Alabama and Auburn defenses) his team has dragged him almost out of the race. Some people still love the kid for number one, but for me you need to be leading your team to undefeated greatness. Many would disagree with that standard, but when there are Marcus Mariota's and Jameis Winston's out there, I know who goes in my top spots.

5) Bryce Petty: Here's an easy way to drag yourself into the national conversation: Score an average 63.7 points a game. The junior quarterback down in Baylor has long had reason to quietly raise his hand and ask why he isn't being talked about, but apparently one Heisman quarterback from Baylor is enough for the next several years. Petty had big shoes (or big socks) to fill after RGIII's Heisman career at Baylor, but he has proved he's more than up to the task. For now, this guy still isn't in the elite category simply because his schedule has been softer than mashed potatoes, but he must be licking his chops: The next 3 weeks (after a bye this time around) bring Baylor some real football teams, in #13 Oklahoma, #15 Texas Tech, and #18 Oklahoma State. The entire Bears team has been waiting for these three games, to put on an offensive show like they are capable of, but in particular this is Petty's time to step up. If he does, I don't know what will do in the BCS or the Heisman conversation.

2014 NFL Mock Draft 3.0

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Teddy Bridgewater: Even though Teddy Bridgewater is no longer the favorite to win the Heisman, his incredible skill set makes him the favorite to be drafted first overall, probably by the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2013, Bridgewater has completed 72.0% of his passes as of  October 23rd, with 2,213 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and just 2 interceptions. Bridgewater is the real deal.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: QB Marcus Mariota: Marcus Mariota, the starting quarterback for Oregon, has quickly become the front runner in the race for the Heisman Trophy. Marcus Mariota is a dual threat quarterbacks, who is just as talented at running the ball as he is at passing it. Mariota is incredibly quick, and his ability to make big plays earns him the second overall pick in the draft.

3. Oakland Raiders: OT Jake Matthews: The Oakland Raiders are ranked last in the league in sacks allowed with 28. Young quarterback Terrelle Pryor has the potential to be an above-average quarterback in the league, but before that happens, the Oakland Raiders must protect him the pocket. Jake Matthews is the best offensive lineman in the draft, so it makes sense for him to be drafted by Oakland.

4. Buffalo Bills: OT Taylor Lewan: Ever since the Bills lost Andy Levitre at tackle, they have been searching desperately for a solid replacement. Enter Taylor Lewan. After injuring his leg against Penn State earlier in the season, Lewan returned to play a week later against Indiana, and his performance was impeccable as usual. Lewan is still a solid pick behind Jake Matthews.

5. New York Giants: DE Jadeveon Clowney: Jadeveon Clowney's stock value has rapidly decreased over the course of a season due to injuries and inconsistent play. In 5 games, Clowney has recorded just two sacks with no forced fumbles. Clowney is still a very talented defensive end with size, speed, and power. The New York Giants would be thrilled to have Clowney resurrect their struggling pass rush.

6. Minnesota Vikings: DT Louis Nix III: Three of Minnesota's four offensive linemen will be free agents at the end of the 2013 season. The Vikings may have drafted defensive tackle Shariff Floyd in the 2012 draft, but there is no guarantee that fellow defensive tackle Kevin Williams will be re-signed. Louis Nix III is the best tackle in this draft, and is definitely worth a top 10 pick by the Vikings.

7. Arizona Cardinals: WR Sammy Watkins: We still believe that the Arizona Cardinals will select wide receiver Sammy Watkins with their seventh pick in the draft. Larry Fitzgerald turned 30 years old last August, so his days as one of the best receivers in the league are over. With Tajh Boyd as quarterback, Sammy Watkins has been averaging 14.8 yards per catch with 5 receiving touchdowns in 2013. Watkins is one of the most talented offensive weapons in this year's draft class.

8. Tennessee Titans: OLB Anthony Barr: Outside linebacker Zach Brown will likely leave Tennessee at the end of this season once his contract expires, so the Titans will look to fill this void in the draft. Anthony Barr is by far the best linebacker of this entire draft class, and is worth a first round draft pick by the Titans.

9. St. Louis Rams: QB Brett Hundley: In last Sunday's game, Sam Bradford tore his ACL, and sadly, he will be out for the rest of the season. In a draft class loaded with above-average quarterbacks, Brett Hundley may be their best option in the first round.

10. Houston Texans: QB AJ McCarron: McCarron, the starting quarterback for Alabama, has already won three National Championships, proving he is capable of winning big games. Sure, McCarron's supporting cast is the best of any football team in the nation, but I would say this senior is the most NFL-ready of any quarterback in the NFL.

Heisman Watch (Week 9)

Well, it's that time of the year again. When Mark May and Lou Holtz finally stop pretending to like each other and we see all out warfare on our TV screens, when the air gets cold and 2nd string quarterbacks get colder, when, finally, teams with one loss are allowed to be in the top 5. In short, college football is past the halfway mark, and we're closing in on the game we've all been waiting for, but more on that later. After a week 8 which saw 5 top 10 teams fall, the crowd is thin at the top, and the Heisman race is thinner. However, although it may seem like a 2, maybe a 3 pony race for now, one mediocre performance can see the latest flavor of the week tumble. In short, the fact that this is pretty boring right now does not mean that it will finish that way. Keep that in mind as you read these rankings.

1) Marcus Mariota: A couple of fun facts about the young lad who hails from Honolulu. Well, there's one already. He can only hope his Heisman candidacy (and his draft stock) will fare better than that of another famous Hawaiian born college football player. Anyways, Mariota was offered 2 scholarships coming out of high school (a team on which he did not start as QB until his senior year). He wisely chose Oregon over the University of Memphis, and at Oregon he became the first freshman to start the season opener for the Ducks in 22 years. To cut a long story short, as an athletic 18 year old (what have I done with my life?) he led the Ducks to a 11-1 season and a #2 final season ranking in the AP poll. But the Heisman is, of course, about production during this season. Mariota has improved by leaps and bounds this season. He has scored 403 points in 7 games this season, a tidy 57.6 for those of you keeping score at home. He has thrown for 2051 yards, 19 TD's, and no picks, though he has fumbled the ball twice. He has rushed for 493 yards and 9 TD's, averaging 10.1 yards a carry. These are not stats from a video game, or from the end of the season. He has accounted for 4 TD's a game. Admittedly, he has done this against for the most part cupcake opposition, but 2 big games against #12 UCLA and #6 Stanford should give the guy a chance to prove his mettle on the big stage. I have no doubt that he will, and thus, I proclaim this still his race to lose.

2) I know, bold words, especially after Jameis Winston's 51 points against Clemson, the most ever dropped on the Tigers in Death Valley. If you watch any respectable amount of ESPN, you know this about their college football coverage: Boy, do they love them a "Heisman moment." In fact, it seems at times that all they care about is getting a good "Heisman moment." Well Jimmy boy undoubtedly had his last week; In a top 5 matchup within his conference, as a freshman, he embarrassed a very good football team. But a closer look at the numbers reveals a case for the Heisman way beyond one game. He has a 71.3% completion rate, 1885 yards through the air, and 20 TD's. Notice, as impressive as these statistics are, they fall short of Mariota's, against a schedule with a little more spine.

3) Teddy Bridgewater started the season as a favorite to win this year's Heisman, and his stats have held up remarkably. 2213 yards through the air and 20 TD's through 7 games will never eliminate you from a Heisman race, but when a quarterback candidate has a soft schedule, he absolutely has to run the table to lead the pack. It is unfair to pin last weeks 38-35 loss against UCF on Bridgewater, but that's just how it goes. The tough luck candidate this year, but you sympathize less when you hear that, of every opponent he has played so far, only Rutgers has received a vote in an AP poll this year. 2, in fact.

4) We of course can't forget about last year's winner. No amount of off field shenanigans will permanently taint what Johnny Manziel has going on down in College Station, and despite two losses now (2 losses, by the way, in which he scored a combined 83 points against SEC defenses) Manziel has to be in the race.  Impressively, his "Heisman moment" probably came in a loss to Alabam
a (which may well have been the game of the year). He threw for 5 TD's, and had one 30 yard scramble in which he escaped the clutches of several large, scary Alabama defensive linemen and ended up throwing for the 1st down. If you haven't seen this play yet, do.

5) AJ McCarron: Well here we get to the "if he goes down, he starts tanking, and he gets injured, this guy's a frontrunner" part of the list. AJ has been a great quarterback this season, especially against big bad SEC defenses, but Manziel has been better, and the other two fellas at the top of the list have completely outplayed him. We probably go with the game winning drive against the Aggies for the "Heisman moment" here, and it was impressive. If there was an award for most NFL-ready quarterback (some call it the first overall pick) it may go to McCarron. His sparkling resumé will probably include 3 national championships after this year, but with under 1600 yards so far, only 14 TD's, and no dual threat capability (which the Heisman voters love, for good reason) he seems like a long shot right now.

There you have my top 5, and thanks for reading!