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The Army-Navy Game was everything it promised to be! The atmosphere and pageantry of this game is like no other, and the game more than lived up to its billing.
Let's get to the recap!
FBS vs FBS Games
Army edged Navy 2017 in 2 overtimes in a thrilling contest that went back and forth. The Midshipmen drove to a FG early in the 2nd quarter, and it looked like that may stand up going into halftime, but Army blocked a punt deep in Navy territory and just barely recovered in the end zone for a TD with just over a minute left before the half to lead 7-3. The Black Knights looked like they would take control of the game when they scored a TD early in the 3rd quarter, but the score was called back due to a penalty, and Army ended up punting. On the ensuing series, Navy broke off a 77-yard run to take a 10-7 lead. As time was winding down in the 4th quarter, Army drove the length of the field to kick a FG with just under 2 minutes remaining to tie the score at 10. In the 1st OT, the Black Knights scored on their 1st play, a 25-yard run off tackle. On Navy's 1st play, the Midshipmen completed their only pass all day for a 25-yd score to tie the game at 17. In the 2nd OT, Navy drove inside the 3, but on 3rd and goal, fumbled the ball away. Army then played conservatively and kicked the game-winning 39-yd FG to win 20-17. Statistically, Navy led in 1st downs, 11-10, led in rushing yards 259-125, and in total yards 284-153, and had a slight edge in TOP. Both teams were 4-17 on 3rd downs, with each converting one 4th down, Navy on 1 attempt, Army on 2. There were 19 combined punts, and just the 1 turnover. Navy ends their season at 4-8, while Army is 6-6, but ineligible for a bowl due to 2 wins being over FCS teams, although they did end their season on a 3-game winning streak.
NOTE: Navy has fired HC Ken Niumatalolo, the winningest coach in Navy history, with a 109-83 record.
With only 1 game this past week, I thought it might be fun, or at least interesting, to revisit my preseason conference narratives. Here is what I had to say about each conference. (Please excuse the differences in fonts as I had to manipulate the cutting and pasting so that you don't have to scroll left and right, and Blogger refuses to make everything the same font when I do that.)
MAC
Chances to make the playoff: Zero. There is no chance any team in the MAC makes it through their season undefeated, as every team plays at least 1 P5 team, most play 2, and 1 team (Kent State) plays 3. They also play several of the top G5 teams.
Don’t be surprised if… the MAC gets at least 2 wins over P5 teams this year. Also, I suspect EMU may finish higher than 5th in the West.
I’m not convinced… any team in the MAC will finish the regular season with more than 8 wins, as the entire conference seems to have a lot of parity this year; I just don’t see any 1 or 2 teams dominating. Predicting games in the MAC has always been difficult, but may be even more so this year.
Verdict: Spot on, as no team made the playoff, the MAC got 2 wins against P5 teams, EMU finished tied for 1st in the MAC West, and only Ohio finished with more than 8 wins, going 9-4.
CUSA
Chances to make the playoff: Zero. None of the CUSA teams have a schedule strong enough to warrant consideration in a 4-team playoff.
Don’t be surprised if… at least 2 CUSA teams pull off non-conference wins the week of 9/17.
I’m not convinced… UTSA will be able to repeat as conference champions, but with HC Bill Clark retiring from UAB, they seem like the logical choice here.
Verdict: Spot on, as no teams made the CFP, CUSA did get 2 wins on 9/17 (actually 3), and UTSA did repeat as champions, though I was skeptical.
Sun Belt
Chances to make the playoff: Virtually impossible. An SBC team would have to go undefeated and defeat several P5 teams to have a chance. App State could have a pretty strong case if they defeat UNC and Texas A&M in their 1st 2 games, and then run the table, especially with the enhanced reputation of the SBC, but even that may not be enough. Like last year, Ga State really has the schedule to pull it off- South Carolina, UNC, and Army, but they don’t have their crossover game with Louisiana like they did last year. UL’s schedule is much easier this year, and so though they have the reputation, they don’t have the schedule.
Don’t be surprised if… Georgia State defeats at least one of their 3 tough OOC games- @ S Carolina, UNC and @ Army- and wins 8 or 9 games overall with a finish in the top 2 in the SBC East .
I’m not convinced… Georgia Southern will struggle as much as everyone seems to think they will. They may get off to a 1-5 or 2-4 start, but I think they’ll end up around 5 or 6 wins.
Verdict: Pretty good, as no teams made the CFP, Ga State did beat Army (and almost beat UNC), though the rest of that prediction was nowhere close, and Ga Southern finished with 6 wins.
Mountain West
Chances to make the playoff: Pretty slim. If Utah State went undefeated, that would include victories over Alabama, BYU, and Boise State, all on the road, and I would think they would have a strong case. Colorado State would have a similar case, as they would have wins over Michigan, Wash St, Boise St, and Air Force on the road. Fresno St and SDSU could claim road victories over USC and Utah respectively, as well as Boise State, but they wouldn’t have as strong of a case as they face Oregon St and Arizona in home games as their additional P5 opponents. Again, all would depend on going undefeated and the strength of the teams they beat. Each of these teams will have a strong case for the NY6 spot, if they can win the MWC with a 12-1 or 11-2 record.
Don’t be surprised if… the MWC wins 3 or more of their 8 games against PAC 12 teams, and 2 or more against the other P5 teams they face.
I’m not convinced… UNLV and New Mexico are going to end up in the basement again. Both teams seem poised to move up, but I’m just not sure at whose expense it will be. Perhaps Hawaii in the West, and Colorado State and/or Wyoming in the Mountain, as it may take Norvell a year or so to get the Rams really going in the right direction.
Verdict: Meh, as no teams made the CFP, they only won 1 against the Pac 12 and none against any other P5 teams, and while UNLV did not finish last in the West, UNM was last in the Mountain Division.
AAC
Chances to make the playoff: If Cincinnati again goes undefeated, they may have built up enough of a reputation to be included, even if their strength of schedule isn’t as strong as last year’s. A lot would depend on how well their OOC opponents- Arkansas, Miami, Oh, and Indiana- do within their own conferences and in their own OOC games. Houston and UCF also play two P5 teams, but they don’t have the cachet to merit serious consideration, yet. I think it’s more likely that one of these 3 claims the NY6 spot reserved for the G5 teams.
Don’t be surprised if… East Carolina finishes higher than I have them here. Remember, these are based on a formula and not my opinion, and my gut is telling me they may be better than expected.
I’m not convinced… Temple will finish last. I think they may pull an upset or 2 and get out of the basement.
Verdict: Spot on, as the AAC did claim the NY6 spot, ECU did technically finish higher than 7th (tied for 6th), and Temple did not finish last.
Independents
Chances to make the playoff: Notre Dame offers the only realistic chance to make the playoff, but they would need to go undefeated, or lose only to an undefeated conference champ, such as Ohio State or Clemson.
Don’t be surprised if… New Mexico State, UConn, and UMass combine to double their combined 4 wins from last year.
I’m not convinced… Liberty will continue to win 8 games, like they have for the last 3 years. They play three P5 opponents (2 on the road), and host BYU, and they also have to travel to Southern Miss and ODU, and host UAB. While they should get to a bowl, it will probably be a 6-6 or 7-5 regular season, and so they would need a bowl win to get to 8 wins (like last year).
Verdict: Pretty good, as none made the CFP, NMSU, UConn, and UMass combined for 13 wins, which is more than 3 times their combined 4 wins from last year, but I was off on Liberty, as they did get to 8 wins.
Pac 12
Chances to make the playoff: An undefeated PAC 12 champion would have an excellent chance to make the playoff, but only if there are less than 3 other undefeated teams. Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Stanford play a good enough OOC schedule to warrant serious consideration if they were to run the table and win the PAC 12 CG, but there is so much parity that I don’t see that happening. Utah appears to have the best chance, but they always seem to stumble at least twice every season.
Don’t be surprised if… the former PAC 12 North Division teams perform better this year than former South teams. OSU and WSU seem to be improving, and I expect rebounds from Stanford and Washington, while Cal could also be improved enough to reach a bowl. Meanwhile, no one is really sure what to expect from USC, UCLA, Arizona St, Arizona, or Colorado. Each of those teams is as likely to go 11-1 (some more than others) as 1-11 (again, some more than others).
I’m not convinced… Lincoln Riley will experience immediate success at USC. Don’t get me wrong, he’s done a fantastic job luring talent, but his trajectory may be closer to the “Kirby Smart at UGA” or “Nick Saban at Alabama” growth plans, who each took a year to turn around sluggish programs.
Verdict: Meh, as I was pretty accurate on the CFP prediction, but the North teams and South teams were fairly balanced, and I was way off on USC needing a year to show big improvement. Way off...
Big 12
Chances to make the playoff: An undefeated or one-loss champion will almost always make the playoff. Oklahoma State has the defense, but does it have the offense? OU is an unknown commodity with the change in leadership. Texas can’t be depended on. Baylor may be the wildcard here; can they be outstanding for 2 seasons in a row?
Don’t be surprised if… Kansas wins at least 2 conference games for the 1st time since going 4-4 in 2008.
I’m not convinced… Kansas State will finish in the bottom half. I have a feeling they may sneak into the top 3 or 4.
Verdict: Spot on, as an undefeated TCU champion (in the regular season, at least) did make the playoff, Kansas did win at least 2 conference games (they won 3), and Kansas State most definitely did not finish in the bottom half, though they did better than the 3rd or 4th I thought they might.
ACC
Chances to make the playoff: Pretty good, as any ACC team that is undefeated or has just 1 loss will probably make it. However, that may not be the case for the 2nd year in a row, as I'm not sure there will be any undefeated or one-loss ACC teams this year.
Don’t be surprised if… Clemson once again struggles on offense and doesn’t win the division.
I’m not convinced… there is a clear-cut favorite in the Coastal Division, as each of the 7 teams has advantages, and each has fatal flaws. Whoever wins the Atlantic will win the title.
Verdict: Pretty good, as the ACC champion did not make the CFP, Clemson did struggle on offense (though they won the division- I was wrong there), and the Coastal champion lost in the AACCG.
Big Ten
Chances to make the playoff: Excellent, as Ohio State is projected to be one of the best teams in the nation. If they stumble, an undefeated or one-loss Big Ten team is almost assured to be included. Wisconsin, Michigan, or Iowa would be the next best bets to be included.
Don’t be surprised if… Minnesota or Purdue wins the West Division.
I’m not convinced… Penn State will finish as high as 3rd in the East. I have a feeling that Michigan State may challenge for 3rd, and at least one of the other 3- Maryland, Indiana, or Rutgers- may pass them up.
Verdict: Pretty good, as not one, but 2 Big Ten teams made the CFP, Purdue won the West Division, but I was wrong about Penn State not finishing 3rd in the East.
SEC
Chances to make the playoff: Excellent, and the SEC may even be able to get 2 teams in, depending on how Georgia does against Oregon and in the SECCG, assuming they make it.
Don’t be surprised if… Kentucky finishes higher than expected yet again. Why does everyone continue to underestimate the Wildcats?.
I’m not convinced… LSU will finish as high as they are listed here. I think the Bayou Bengals and Arkansas may be switched.
Verdict: Meh, as Georgia did make the CFP, but Kentucky finished 4th, and as we all know, LSU finished atop the SEC West.
That's all the games from this past weekend. Let me know what you think in the comments. Come back tomorrow for my Power Rankings!
Until next time, may you and your loved ones be blessed!
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