Merklinger joined the Vols in 2024. Over the course of the past two seasons, Merklinger has thrown 33 passes and completed 19 of them, totaling 221 yards and 2 touchdowns. His best game came this season against East Tennessee State, as he completed 9 of his 14 passing attempts for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound QB will be looking for a new home come next season.

Merklinger was a part of the 2024 class coming out of high school. He was ranked as a 4-star and the No. 11 QB in the entire class on the 247Sports Composite. After being the backup the past 2 seasons, Merklinger will likely look to shine somewhere he can be the starter.

Tennessee was the only school Merklinger officially visited coming out of high school. He held offers from numerous schools such as Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Miami.

Tennessee will look to finish its season on a high note as it takes on Illinois in the Music City Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 30.

The post Tennessee QB, former 4-star recruit, reportedly plans to enter transfer portal appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Baugh will be one of the sought-after OL in the transfer portal. He’s 6-foot-4 with a 337-pound frame and 11 games started this past season in the SEC. With those numbers, one would expect many teams will have interest.

Baugh is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, where he came out of high school as a 3-star ranked as the 49th interior offensive lineman according to 247Sports.

Baugh will join Mac Walters and Nick Sharpe as the other Gamecock offensive linemen that have entered the portal. South Carolina currently has 8 outgoing transfers, with 3 of those being from the offensive line.

Considering quarterback LaNorris Sellers was the most sacked QB in the SEC this season, there’s clearly some dysfunction in that unit up front. In 12 games played this season, Sellers was sacked 42 times. This means that, on average, Sellers was being sacked 3.5 times per game.

Rebuilding the line up front will be crucial for a South Carolina team that will be looking to bounce back. With Sellers electing to return, keeping their quarterback upright should be the Gamecocks’ biggest priority.

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Smith spent 4 seasons at Louisville before being drafted in the fifth round by the Kansas City Chiefs. In college, Smith totaled over 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns. His best season came as a senior when he rushed for 862 yards and 7 touchdowns. He had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage that season and averaged 5.6 yards a carry.

Smith started his coaching career in 2012 as a graduate assistant for Arkansas. He then proceeded to join Western Kentucky, Louisville, and Rutgers, all as the running backs coach. He spent 3 years coaching with the Dolphins as an offensive quality control coach and an offensive assistant before he returned to Arkansas in 2024.

The Razorbacks had two running backs this past year who averaged over 5 yards per carry with at least 100 total carries. The Razorbacks as a team rushed for over 2,300 yards during the 2025-2026 college football season.

Will Stein has found his new coach for running backs, who have been a huge part of his offensive scheme with Oregon the past couple of seasons.

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The Mizzou Tigers are slated to face Virginia on Dec. 27 in the Gator Bowl. Ahead of their matchup, Drinkwitz was asked about the current state of college football and if coaches are discussing it or keeping to themselves about everything. Drinkwitz proceeded to say that college football is sick right now and that there are signs pointing to the sport cracking soon.

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He continued talking about tampering in the sport and how every single one of his players on his roster has been called. Some have been given dollar amounts to transfer, and Mizzou still has another game left on its schedule.

“I had a dad call me and say that, and I’ve called the head coaches at their schools, this school, and this school, and this school called, and they are offering this much money,” Drinkwitz said. “We’ve worked around the system and then tried to create that as the system.”

Drinkwitz went on to say that his job is to ensure that the kids are in a better position after playing football than they were before. He stated that he’s not sure that’s happening anymore with kids transferring 4 times in their college careers.

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The Music City Bowl takes place in Nashville, Tennessee, and we’re likely to see some stars sit out for both sides in this contest. Tennessee is expected to be without star wide receiver Chris Brazell II, who posted his intentions of entering the 2026 NFL Draft. Illinois will likely be without star linebacker Gabe Jacas, who will also begin prepping for the NFL Draft.

Star left tackle JC Davis will also likely miss the Music City Bowl for Illinois, as he is also prepping for his NFL career.

ESPN’s SP+ predicts that we will have a close one, with Tennessee projected to win 32-28.

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However, both quarterbacks will suit up and play in the Music City Bowl. Illinois’ Luke Altmyer will look to finish his career on a high note, and Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar will look to do the same.

The Vols took a step back from their 2024 campaign, which saw them end their season in the College Football Playoff. Hype has already started for next year as Tennessee brought in Jim Knowles to help turn around the Vols’ defense.

Kickoff against Illinois is set for 5:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 30.

The post ESPN’s SP+ predicts final score of Tennessee-Illinois bowl game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This game is one of a kind. Not only are Ole Miss and Tulane facing each other for the second time this season, but both teams also have coaches who have already left or are planning to leave. For Ole Miss, this is the first time all season that Lane Kiffin won’t be their head coach on the sidelines. Pete Golding is now the new head coach for the Rebels.

For Tulane, while Jon Sumrall is still there and will coach through the playoffs, he’s also leaving to become the next head coach at Florida. The new head coach of Ole Miss will be facing the new head coach of Florida in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

ESPN’s SP+ predicts that Ole Miss will come out victorious by a score of 39-21. Most sports betting apps have Ole Miss favored by 17.5 points as of this writing.

Ole Miss and Tulane met earlier this season in a game the Rebels won 45-10. Trinidad Chambliss had a huge game as he threw for 307 yards on 27 attempts and also added more than 100 rushing yards in a winning effort.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon.

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ESPN’s SP+ is predicting a close game a narrow 29-26 win for Texas A&M.

Miami’s 3-point victory over Notre Dame in the season opener is a significant reason why the Hurricanes are in this position.

Texas A&M’s story couldn’t be any different than Miami’s. A&M held on to an undefeated season all the way till the last game, where they lost to their rival, Texas. Instead of being one of the four teams with a bye, the Aggies are lacing it up this weekend, hoping to keep their season alive.

Both teams are playing for something similar, to send a message.

For Miami, it’s about proving that they belong. It’s about showing that they were one of the 12 best CFB teams the entire season despite the intense debate with Notre Dame down the stretch.

For the Aggies, it’s about proving that they are one of the top teams in college football despite their Week 14 loss to Texas.

We’ll find out whose message rings true on Dec. 20 at 12 p.m. ET.

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ESPN’s SP+ predicts that this game will be a close one, with Oklahoma coming out victorious 24-21.

It wasn’t long ago that Oklahoma traveled to Bryant-Denny Stadium and knocked off the Crimson Tide 23-21. At the time, Alabama was rolling. They hadn’t lost since the season opener and had picked up wins against Georgia, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee.

The Sooners proved to be too much for the Crimson Tide in their November showdown, and ESPN’s SP+ thinks the same will ring true again.

Oklahoma’s offense has really struggled as of late. After putting up 23 in a win against Alabama, Oklahoma finished the season scoring 17 in each of its last two contests against Missouri and LSU. Against Missouri, quarterback John Mateer was Oklahoma’s leading rusher with 60 yards. Against LSU, Oklahoma running back Tory Blaylock led the way with 42 yards on the ground.

On the other hand, Alabama has also struggled with running the football. In the SEC Championship, Alabama totaled -3 yards on the ground, and its leading rushers totaled 11 and 10 yards. The health of running back Jam Miller will be crucial for Alabama.

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Richardson has only thrown 2 passes all year, and both came against the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 5. With the injury to starting quarterback Daniel Jones and the reliance on 44-year-old Philip Rivers, Richardson’s return is something Colts fans will be looking forward to.

Last year, Richardson totaled 1,814 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in just 11 games. His completion percentage dropped below 50%, and many fans were questioning whether he was the future of the Colts or not. In the offseason, the Colts brought in quarterback Daniel Jones from the Giants and made it clear that the QB position was up for grabs.

Jones took the starting job from Richardson and played very well until he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 14.

It’s unclear at this time whether or not Richardson will be in contention to start for the Colts in Week 16 against the 49ers on Monday Night Football. If he can’t go, Rivers or rookie quarterback Riley Leonard are slated to be the top options at quarterback for Indianapolis.

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Walters appeared in 13 games over his career at South Carolina. In 2023, Walters earned the co-Scout Team Award for the offense. He won the same award in 2024 and was on the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

He appeared in 3 games this season and posted a 76.3 PFF grade.

Walters is the seventh player from South Carolina to announce intentions to enter the transfer portal. He joins Nick Sharpe as the only other offensive lineman to join the portal, which will officially open on Jan. 2.

The Gamecocks finished the 2025 season in second-to-last place in the SEC. They were 1-7 in SEC conference matchups and won a total of 4 games on the season. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers took a massive step backward in his development at the position. He was also the most sacked quarterback in the SEC last year. It was a year that most South Carolina fans want to forget.

Sellers is expected to return to South Carolina as the Gamecocks hope to contend for a CFP berth in 2026.

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Last week, it was made official that Buster Faulkner, the offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, would be leaving and joining Sumrall’s staff as the OC at Florida. Some familiar faces will also join him. Offensive analyst and former Alabama offensive lineman Emil Ekiyor, H-backs coach Dylan Dockery, and assistant offensive line coach Mike Polly are all expected to join the staff at Florida, following Faulkner.

That’s according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz:

Ekiyor joined the Georgia Tech staff this past year after the conclusion of his playing career. Ekiyor was a starter at Alabama from 2020 to 2022. In 2022, he was awarded first-team All-SEC honors.

Dockery has been with Georgia Tech since 2023, where he served as an offensive analyst. In 2024, he was named H-backs coach, a position he served in for the past two seasons.

Polly is similar to Ekiyor in the fact that he joined the Yellow Jackets in 2025. He spent the previous 10 years at Middle Tennessee, where he coached several different position groups on the offensive end in addition to being the special teams coordinator.

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The 44-year-old quarterback made his NFL return after nearly five years away from the game. With under a minute left, Rivers had the Colts positioned to pick up the win in his return. Unfortunately for Rivers, Sam Darnold and the Seahawks responded with a game-winning field goal drive of their own.

In the postgame, Rivers had time to reflect on what this return meant for him and those around him.

“Hopefully, my sons and those ballplayers that I’m in charge of at the school, they’ll say, like, “Crap, coach wasn’t scared,'” Rivers said. “The guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens.'”

Rivers finished the game completing 18 of his 27 passing attempts for 120 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. It’s unclear if Rivers will continue to be the starter going forward.

Next week, the Colts host the 49ers on Monday Night Football.

The post Philip Rivers shares inspirational message after return to NFL appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Chief among them? Freddie Kitchens will not return as UNC’s offensive coordinator in 2026.

The news was first reported by InsideCarolina on Friday. Kitchens had Carolina’s offense ranked 120th in yards per play, 121st in scoring offense, and 129th in total offense. The Tar Heels could not run the ball efficiently, only gaining 3.7 yards per rush. They could not push the ball down the field. Quarterback Gio Lopez’s highest yardage through the air was 216 against Syracuse. The Tar Heels needed a shake-up on the offense.

InsideCarolina also reported on Friday that Belichick has parted ways with Mike Priefer, the team’s special teams coordinator. Priefer had been with the Tar Heels since 2023 and helped coach the team in their Fenway Bowl loss in 2024.

UNC had multiple special teams issues down the stretch. The Tar Heels let Duke run a fake field goal to help set up a late winning touchdown. They also let NC State run a fake punt for a first down the following week.

Many eyes will be on Belichick as he enters his second season as the head coach of the Tar Heels.

The post Bill Belichick reportedly makes major staff changes after disappointing North Carolina debut appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Michigan fired head coach Sherrone Moore for cause earlier this week, and the program quickly became the latest college football power with a head coaching vacancy. While names like Kalen DeBoer and Marcus Freeman have been floated around, Pate believes another great option for the Wolverines is Dillingham.

“I feel kind of strongly about this. That job looks tailor-made for a guy like Kenny Dillingham,” Pate said. “Kenny Dillingham has the right mix to me of, like, freshness but also really, really intense.”

Pate went on to highlight what Dillingham has been able to do with players at the quarterback position, suggesting his pedigree there can help Michigan in an area it has not had much success in lately.

Dillingham has been praised for his work with former Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis and former Auburn/Oregon quarterback Bo Nix.

“I don’t think Kenny Dillingham’s name should be too far down that list (for Michigan), and he’s done a whole lot more with a whole lot less,” Pate said. “He’s actually the name I’d circle.

In his 3 seasons as the head coach at Arizona State, Dillingham has led the Sun Devils to a 22-16 record. After a rocky debut season, Dillingham led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 title and the College Football Playoff in 2024.

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Pitts ended the night with 11 receptions for 166 yards and 3 touchdowns. It’s the first time all season that Pitts has surpassed the 100-yard receiving mark and his first multi-touchdown game of the season.

According to ESPN Research, Pitts is the first tight end with at least 150 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in a game since 1996, and he is one of only 5 tight ends to reach these numbers since 1970.

This is Pitts’s first game surpassing 100 yards receiving since December 26, 2021, when he totaled 6 receptions for 102 yards against the Detroit Lions. This is also his second multi-touchdown game since entering the NFL in 2021. The other game came last year against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well. Pitts ended that game with 4 receptions for 91 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Bucs just couldn’t seem to find an answer for stopping Pitts.

Coming out of Florida, Pitts was regarded as a unicorn at the tight end position and was selected 4th overall by the Atlanta Falcons. Up until this point, Pitts has had a fairly disappointing start to his NFL career. Hopefully, a performance like Thursday night’s can help flip the script.

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As SVP called it, this is a general principle game, or GPG. Every year, SVP takes the underdog plus the points and rides with them for the Army-Navy game. It keeps things clean and simple for one of the greatest games of the college football season.

“We take the dog in Army-Navy pretty much every year,” Van Pelt said during Thursday night’s Winners segment on SportsCenter.

SVP is 3-4 against the spread when picking the Army-Navy game, so his system, while not complicated, has not produced the best results if you enjoy winning.

This year’s game will take place in Baltimore, Maryland, at the M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Ravens. Army and Navy have not played in Baltimore since 2016, when Army defeated Navy 21-17. There have been 4 total games played at M&T Bank Stadium between these two teams, and Navy has won 3 of them.

Navy still leads the all-time series 63-55-7, but Army has won 6 of the last 9 matchups between the teams. Navy did knock off No. 19 Army last year in an upset.

Kickoff for America’s Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on Dec. 13. Navy is a 6-point favorite, per the latest odds from DraftKings.

The post Scott Van Pelt gives prediction for 2025 Army-Navy game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Banks was mentioned as a “name to watch” along with several other coaches in a recent story from the Toledo Blade’s David Briggs.

Banks, who has been with Tennessee since 2021, has strong ties to the MAC. He played for Central Michigan from 1991 to 1994 as a cornerback. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Chippewas and was a two-time All-MAC second team selection at cornerback. He was also a co-captain on the Chippewas’ 1994 MAC Championship team.

Banks, 53, has also had coaching stops at Bowling Green and Central Michigan.

In the 2024 season, Banks helped lead one of the country’s top defenses. His defense held 11 of its 13 opponents under 20 points, and they finished fifth nationally in yards per play allowed (4.56). However, Tennessee struggled on defense in 2025 and finished 64th nationally in yards per play allowed.

The Rockets’ past coach, Jason Candle, has accepted the head football coaching job at the University of Connecticut. He signed a six-year deal with the Huskies. During his time with Toledo, he led the Rockets to an 81-44 overall record and captured 2 MAC titles. Candle was also named the MAC Coach of the Year two times in 2017 and 2023.

Toledo went 6-2 in conference and 8-4 overall this year. They finished tied for second in the conference.

The post Tennessee DC Tim Banks linked to head coaching vacancy appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Sharpe transferred from Wake Forest after nearly 4 years with the program. He entered the transfer portal on December 5, 2024, and committed to South Carolina on December 14, 2024. A year later, Sharpe is back in the portal and will be searching for a new team.

Sharpe becomes the fifth South Carolina player with reported intentions to enter the transfer portal this year. He joins tight end Michael Smith, defensive lineman Zavion Hardy, wide receiver Emazon Littlejohn and linebacker Jaron Willis.

South Carolina will presumably be looking to add talent in the transfer portal this offseason as well. The Gamecocks endured a disappointing campaign in 2025 as they went just 4-8 and will not play in the postseason.

However, South Carolina is expected to return numerous key players in 2026 and could be in position to have a much better season next fall.

The post South Carolina to lose former starter to transfer portal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The episode starts off with a hilarious jab at Alabama as they try to board the train, but they’re forced to wait to see if they’ve earned a spot.

It quickly transitions to asking if they have any priority passengers, to which the camera snaps to Georgia walking on the red carpet onto the train. Teams continue to board the train until one passenger is stopped due to their faulty ticket. The camera pans up to see Texas, who storms the train, only to be thrown off by Georgia.

The episode then takes a clever jab at preseason favorites as it transitions to Penn State and references the Nittany Lions’ failed attempt to hire Kalani Sitake away from BYU.

The episode wraps up with a heartfelt moment for Ole Miss as they are the last to board the train. Right before they enter, a voice calls out to wait for them, and it is Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. The two shake hands and exchange one last moment before they board the train together and take on the CFP.

Check out the full episode here:

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As he did every week of SEC play, SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic shared his Sunday SEC takeaways on X. First starting with the Crimson Tide and then moving on to the Bulldogs.

Cubelic started off the post with what most understood after watching that game: Alabama‘s offense had a rough showing. Cubleic went on to say that the drops from the receivers hurt and that they weren’t getting a ton of separation. He did mentioned that star receiver Ryan Williams was great early in the game.

In his Georgia takeaways, Cubelic noted that the Bulldogs had a strong showing and that the defense was dominant. Cubelic went down the line listing defensive players and the things they did that he liked.

Cubelic also praised the Georgia offense and Gunnar Stockton’s decision-making.

Here’s Cubelics’ full thread of takeaways from the SEC Championship game:

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Both Gene Chizik and Roman Harper have the Georgia Bulldogs knocking off Curt Cignetti’s Indiana Hoosiers to claim the National Championship.

Chris Doering also has the Bulldogs taking home their fifth National Championship, but he has them taking down John Mateer and the Oklahoma Sooners to do so.

The Bulldogs looked great in the SEC Championship game versus Alabama. Quarterback Gunnar Stockton totaled 156 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air. Georgia’s defense and special teams were the heroes of the game, coming up with an interception and a blocked punt that both led to touchdowns for the Bulldogs. The defense also forced a turnover on downs inside Alabama’s own 15, which led to another score.

The Bulldogs will now have a little under a month off before they play again. Their next game will come on Jan. 1 against the winner of Tulane or Ole Miss.

The post SEC Network analysts predict National Championship matchup, winner appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Crimson Tide’s game versus USF has been moved, and they will add Chattanooga and Marshall to their future schedules. Alabama and USF had been scheduled for the 2026 season, but will now play in 2032. UA is replacing the 2026 USF game with Chattanooga on next year’s schedule. Alabama has also added Marshall to its 2027 schedule.

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USF head coach Alex Golesh was recently hired by the Auburn Tigers, and his departure leaves the South Florida program with some uncertainty moving forward. What looked like a solid contest for the Tide is now up in the air.

For Golesh, he will still get his chance to take down the Crimson Tide, but it won’t be USF versus Alabama. It will be in the Iron Bowl when Auburn takes on Alabama next year.

The 2026 season marks the SEC’s first year with a 9-game conference schedule. Alabama went 7-1 in conference play in 2025, earning a spot in the SEC Championship Game.

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Watkins, who is also a track athlete, hasn’t done much for the Tigers this season. He’s totaled just 2 receptions for 21 yards so far on the season. Both catches came against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions back on Sept. 20. Watkins is the second LSU receiver to enter the transfer portal since the Lane Kiffin move was made final. The other was Kylan Billiot, who was a top 100 recruit in the 2024 class.

The move could be toward a more track-focused school, as Watkins ran a 10.02 100m at the NCAA Outdoor Track Finals.

As Kiffin and his staff start to evaluate the LSU roster, there are many more players expected to enter the transfer portal, either in favor of joining Kiffin at LSU or leaving. Many expect Kiffin to bring in his own receiving corps.

Watkins joined the LSU track team in January of 2025. He made an immediate impact on the track, being recognized as the SEC Freshman of the Week in just his second meet. He clocked a 6.63 in the 60m at the New Mexico Collegiate, which tied him for the seventh-fastest time in school history.

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The university released a formal announcement Monday night in which the school highlighted Stein’s connection to Kentucky and how excited the school is to bring him in. Stein’s father was a UK football player and raised Stein as a diehard Wildcat fan. Stein went on to play quarterback for the Wildcats and was also an assistant coach. UK Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart highlighted Stein’s connection to Kentucky.

“His deep connection to Kentucky, having grown up attending games in our stadium, gives him a unique passion for this program and this community,” Barnhart said.

UK President Eli Capilouto also noted that Stein’s connection to the university gives him a clear passion for the place. He also noted that Stein is an outstanding developer and coach of young talent, and that he has proven that repeatedly in his career already.

“He understands the Big Blue Nation, this university and what this team and program mean to our Commonwealth,” Capilouto said. “We are looking forward to welcoming Will and his family back home and we can’t wait to support them as they further elevate our program in a way that makes Kentucky proud.”

Stein highlighted how he was honored and excited to become the next head coach at UK. He also noted that this is a dream come true.

“Growing up in Kentucky and sitting in the stands at UK games as a kid, I could only dream of one day leading the Wildcats. This is truly a dream come true,” Stein said. “My goal is to lead with purpose and help young men grow on and off the field. I’m deeply thankful to President Capilouto, Mitch Barnhart, and Big Blue Nation for the trust they’ve placed in me. I also want to thank Coach Dan Lanning and the entire Oregon staff for their support and mentorship, they’ve been incredible. Now, I can’t wait to get stareted and make Kentucky proud.”

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Lane Kiffin, who was once the Miley Cyrus of college football, according to Finebaum, has now been renamed the Kim Kardashian of college football. However, this was only the start of Finebaum’s rant against Kiffin’s actions. He went on to highlight Kiffin’s past stops and his departures from there and how in each spot he left on bad terms. Finebaum went on to say that it’s not surprising that Kiffin walked out.

“…[A]nd on the eve of the College Football Playoff, what does Lane Kiffin do? What Lane Kiffin always does,” Finebaum said. “He burns down the house that he built to go to another school that’s better.”

According to Finebaum, fans shouldn’t be surprised by Kiffin’s actions. He’s done it at every stop so far, and it was just a matter of time before it happened to Ole Miss. Yet, that doesn’t make it any easier to swallow as Ole Miss fans. He left the team high and dry on the brink of the College Football Playoff.

LSU will take on Ole Miss next year in Oxford, a game that’s already being circled.

The post Paul Finebaum says Lane Kiffin did what he always does: ‘Burns down the house’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kiffin signed a 7-year, $91 million deal with the Tigers, according to a copy of his term sheet acquired by Wilson Alexander of The Advocate. If Kiffin wins a national championship, his annual compensation would automatically increase to make him the highest-paid coach in the country.

Currently, Kirby Smart of Georgia is the highest-paid coach with a $13.28 million salary, according to USA Today. Kiffin will join Smart and Ohio State coach Ryan Day as the only college football coaches to make more than $12 million annually before incentives.

Kiffin’s previous deal earned him $9 million before bonuses, making him the 10th highest-paid coach in the country, according to USA Today.

It wasn’t long ago that LSU was paying former head coach Brian Kelly $10.1 million this year. Kelly was then fired and awarded nearly $54 million in his buyout. A few days after Kelly was fired, Gov. Jeff Landry criticized high-priced coaching contracts that could lead to large buyouts. He went on to call Kelly’s buyout a “liability.”

Well, history repeats itself, as LSU would owe Kiffin 80% of his remaining salary if the program fires him without cause.

The post Lane Kiffin contract: LSU coach’s salary, buyout revealed appeared first on Saturday Down South.

As many college football fans know, Kiffin has left Ole Miss to become the next head coach of the LSU Tigers. While it was reported that Kiffin asked to finish the season with the Rebels and was denied that ability, Cubelic and others believe he should’ve never been negotiating with LSU until his season had ended.

“You got this team to the playoff, and you walked. It’s unforgivable in my opinion. I don’t care what jobs open. I don’t care if it’s the Dallas Cowboys. I don’t care if it’s the freaking Monstars,” Cubelic said. “Like, you don’t leave your team before you’re going to the playoffs. You can’t do it, man.”

Cubelic then went on to rip Kiffin for using his leverage against Ole Miss and not LSU. He believes Kiffin should’ve forced LSU’s hand and, if the Tigers really wanted him, made them wait for him to finish the season.

Many have turned to the college football calendar and looked to blame the Kiffin drama on that, but Cubelic shut that down quickly.

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Lane Kiffin‘s departure from Ole Miss to LSU has brought attention to how broken the college football calendar is. Kiffin, who had been the head coach of Ole Miss all year, will not finish the season with the Rebels as they embark on a quest to capture a National Championship. Instead, defensive coordinator Pete Golding will be the head coach for the Rebels through the rest of the year.

Pitino called out the college football calendar in his latest tweet:

The current problem with the college football calendar is that it crosses over semesters. With the season ending in mid-January, students are forced to transfer in the middle of the season because of the school schedule.

College basketball does not have this same problem because its season doesn’t cross over semesters.

Kiffin did state that he asked Ole Miss to let him coach the rest of the season, but the university denied his request. Kiffin claimed that he and the team asked Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter to allow him to continue coaching through the College Football Playoff, but Carter decided against it.

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The tweet is a photo of a tiger staring right back into the camera. The caption is a simple tiger emoji with nothing else. The message is simple: Geaux Tigers.

Since this post, Kiffin has tweeted two more times. One is a photo of a book excerpt with the caption, “Exhale. Have the best Monday ever.”

The other is two photos from LSU’s trophy room. The first photo is of the National Championship trophy the Tigers won in 2020. The other photo is of Jayden Daniels’ Heisman Trophy.

While Kiffin is posting about his new job, he hasn’t quite cleared his social media accounts of his past. His X bio still reads “Head Coach of @OleMissFB #ComeToTheSip,” and his pinned tweet is still a post from the Ole Miss Football account.

Kiffin’s posts are filled with heated comments. Some X users are saying these photos of the National Championship Trophy are the closest Kiffin will ever be to holding one.

As the Kiffin saga continues to unfold, there will surely be more cryptic and drama-filled tweets that come from Kiffin’s X account.

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Well, not actually. ESPN’s FPI model is giving the slight edge to the Texas Longhorns in this matchup with a 51.5% chance of winning, but you can see how close it predicts this matchup will be. The model is giving the Aggies a 48.5% chance of ending the season undefeated and coming out victorious in the Lone Star Showdown.

The Aggies will come into this matchup 11-0 on the year and 7-0 in SEC conference play. A win in this matchup guarantees the Aggies the chance to play in the SEC Championship game and seals their case for not only a College Football Playoff bid but a likely opening-round bye.

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The Aggies blew the doors off Samford after struggling with South Carolina the week before. Quarterback Marcel Reed only played about a quarter and a half before being taken out against Samford, so he comes in fresh and rested.

Texas, even with a win, is likely to still be on the outside looking in on the CFP but can still play spoiler to the Aggies’ undefeated season. Quarterback Arch Manning has progressed throughout the year, and in the Longhorns’ latest game versus Arkansas, Manning completed 18 of his 30 passing attempts for 389 yards and 4 touchdowns. He will likely need a similar performance if they hope to knock off the Aggies.

Kickoff for the Lone Star Showdown is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 28 in DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium.

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ESPN’s FPI model is giving the Georgia Bulldogs an 87.0% chance of coming out victorious versus Georgia Tech. It’s safe to say the model is not predicting an upset in this rivalry clash. On the flip side, the FPI model is giving Georgia Tech a small chance of pulling off the upset with a 13.0% chance of winning.

With an Alabama or Texas A&M loss, the Bulldogs would make the SEC Championship regardless of the outcome of their matchup with Georgia Tech.

Georgia Tech would need a lot to go its way for the Yellow Jackets to make the ACC Championship. They will likely be playing for nothing more than to spoil the Bulldogs’ season.

Georgia is firmly positioned to make the College Football Playoff. The question is, will Georgia be getting a bye at all? If the Bulldogs make the SEC Championship, they will likely be one of the four teams that are awarded a bye in the CFP. However, Georgia does have the chance to miss the SEC Championship and still be one of the four teams with a bye in the CFP with a win on Saturday.

This would allow the Bulldogs two weeks off before heading into their first CFP matchup.

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The Commodores currently sit at No. 14 in the CFP’s most recent rankings. This means that if the season were to end today, Vanderbilt would be a long shot for an at-large bid. However, the season doesn’t end today, and the Commodores have one last week to flip things around.

ESPN currently has Vanderbilt as the first team out in the SEC but outlines its potential path to the CFP:

The Commodores could stay status quo this week, which means at No. 14 they remain a long shot for an at-large bid. Punctuating their résumé with a win against a ranked Tennessee is the first step, but they would also need multiple upsets ahead of them to get serious consideration. It’s not inconceivable, as Miami can lose to Pitt, Oklahoma can suffer a third loss to LSU, Alabama can lose the Iron Bowl. None of it matters, though, without a win in Knoxville.

So, the Commodores will need help from other teams to get itself into the CFP. However, they will need to focus on what they can control heading into the final week, which is getting a win in Knoxville over Tennessee.

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ESPN’s FPI model is giving the Rebels a 78.4% chance to come out the winners of the Egg Bowl, making them the heavy favorite in the FPI model. The model still gives Mississippi State a slight chance, with a 21.6% chance it gets the win against Ole Miss.

Both teams will be coming off byes as they head into this matchup on Friday afternoon.

Ole Miss currently leads the Egg Bowl series with a 66-46-6 record. The Rebels have won four of the last five Egg Bowl matchups, with Mississippi State’s only win in that span coming in 2022 when they upset No. 20 Ole Miss 24-22. In the past two years, the Rebels have won by a combined score of 43-21.

Mississippi State has struggled to stop the top offenses when facing them. The Bulldogs allowed Tennessee to score 41, Texas A&M to score 31, Texas to score 45, Georgia to score 41, and Missouri to score 49. MSU will have another tall task ahead, stopping Trinidad Chambliss and the Rebels’ high-powered offense.

A win for Ole Miss more than likely guarantees this team a bid to the College Football Playoff. The Bulldogs will have a chance to play spoiler on Friday.

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The 4 possible teams that can make the SEC Championship Game are the Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas A&M Aggies, Georgia Bulldogs, and Ole Miss Rebels. Each time requires something different to make the championship game. Some teams need to win, and they are in; others need some to lose to be in.

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How each team can make the SEC Championship Game and the most likely outcomes are outlined in the post below:

It’s pretty clear-cut for Alabama and Texas A&M. Both teams need to win their final game of the season, and both teams will be in the SEC Championship Game. Alabama will have to go on the road to Jordan-Hare Stadium at night to face the Auburn Tigers. Texas A&M will go on the road to face the Texas Longhorns. The Aggies could still get in with a loss if Alabama and Ole Miss also lose.

For Georgia and Ole Miss, they need Alabama and Texas A&M to lose. It’s a little easier for Georgia, who just needs one of the two teams to lose. The Bulldogs will face Georgia Tech in their final game of the regular season.

Ole Miss needs both Alabama and Texas A&M to lose and will need to win against Mississippi State to be in.

The paths have been determined; now it’s time to find out who will make the SEC Championship Game.

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According to Rapoport, he is a candidate for the injured reserve list, with the hope that Campbell can return for the playoffs. The New England Patriots are currently 10-2 and just got a win over the Cincinnati Bengals. They lead their division by 2 games in the loss column over the Buffalo Bills and currently have the best record in the AFC.

Campbell has been a standout for the Patriots in his rookie season. According to Pro Football Focus, Campbell has allowed 5 sacks and 25 total pressures.

Campbell played 3 seasons with LSU and was a consensus All-American in his junior season. There were some concerns come combine time with Campbell’s measurements, but the Patriots still selected Campbell with the 4th overall pick.

It’s safe to say the Patriots were smart not to listen to many who claimed Campbell had too short of arms to be a dominant tackle in the NFL.

New England is having quite the season and will look to steady the ship until Campbell returns to the offensive line.

The post NFL insider shares details on injury to former LSU standout Will Campbell appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kelly signed a 3-year deal worth around $6 million per season in February to become the Raiders’ OC, but after only 11 games, the Raiders are heading in a different direction. The Raiders currently have the third-worst offense in terms of yards per game, ahead of only the Tennessee Titans and the Cleveland Browns. They rank second-to-last in terms of rushing yards per game and second-to-last in terms of points scored per game.

Kelly, who left his position as OC at Ohio State for the same position with the Raiders, will now be looking for a new job.

Kelly had this to say after it was announced he was fired from the Raiders:

Kelly has bounced around quite a bit since his days as head coach of the Oregon Ducks. Kelly left in 2013 for his first NFL stint as the head coach of the Eagles. Kelly was fired before the end of his third season and became the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. This only lasted a season before Kelly was fired and went back to college football.

Kelly then took a year off before becoming the head coach of the UCLA Bruins. He was there for 6 seasons before becoming the offensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2024. In his lone season at Ohio State, the Buckeyes won the College Football Playoff National Championship.

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The Tigers turned to Van Buren when quarterback Garrett Nussmeier left LSU’s game against Alabama on Nov. 8 with an abdominal injury. As a starter, Van Buren is 2-0.

Van Buren went 21 of 31 for 221 yards and 1 touchdown in his first career start as the LSU QB against Arkansas. He followed that up by going 25 of 42 for 202 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in LSU’s most recent game against Western Kentucky. LSU won 13-10.

LSU opens up as a 9-point underdog in its matchup against Oklahoma.

This season has been one to forget for many Tigers fans. LSU had huge expectations heading into the season, and ending the year with Van Buren as their quarterback was not what many Tigers fans expected.

For many fans, this season couldn’t end any faster, but LSU does have the chance to ruin Oklahoma’s season as well. With a win, Oklahoma is likely to make the College Football Playoff and continue its season. However, with a loss to LSU, the Sooners will likely not make the CFP, and their season will be over.

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Alabama lost this past week to Oklahoma and dropped down to No. 10 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. The Tide are one spot behind Notre Dame, which is ranked No. 9. There has been a lot of talk this week about Alabama’s resume versus Notre Dame’s and their respective rankings. Pate responded to these new rankings, saying he was “pretty surprised if we’re just going on protocol.”

“Anyone can find a group of stats to throw in your face out there. Like, I got a group of my Notre Dame buddies right now, who I respect, who are making an argument for this, who I know would be on the other side if the logos were flipped,” Pate said. “So, really, if we’re just sticking to principle here, it didn’t make that much sense to me that Alabama dropped that far.”

Pate goes on to theorize that the committee only placed Notre Dame as high as they did so that they could avoid the comparisons between Miami and Notre Dame, two teams that faced each other earlier this year. Much of the talk surrounding the latest CFP rankings was about how much the committee valued head-to-head matchups and outcomes.

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In the latest College Football Playoff rankings, the Georgia Bulldogs came in at No. 4. What this means is that Georgia would be slated for a first-round bye when the postseason starts. However, Georgia is not guaranteed to play in the SEC Championship game, so the Bulldogs could get two weeks off and the “double-bye” that Neuheisel is pointing out.

It all comes down to Week 14. There will be plenty of scoreboard watching. An Alabama loss to Auburn would put UGA ahead of the Tide. A Texas A&M loss to Texas could create a 4-way tie scenario that puts Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. The Bulldogs may get in based on strength of schedule in a tiebreaker scenario.

If you are Georgia, the idea of having a double bye sounds nice. After losing Carson Beck last year in the SEC Championship Game, the Bulldogs don’t need to run a similar risk for a game that ultimately means nothing in the CFP.

There isn’t a team in the country that wants to face Kirby Smart with two weeks to prepare.

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“The junior is sideline to sideline, and in this game he was blitzing like a wild man…,” Dvoracek said. “He was fabulous against Alabama.”

He went on to describe the play in which Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson threw a pick-six and credited Lewis for causing the interception with his pressure. Claiming he followed the motion and timed it up perfectly, allowing him to get home.

Lewis finished the game with 7 total tackles and 2 sacks. He helped lead Oklahoma to a 23-21 win over the Crimson Tide.

Lewis has had a great season for the Sooners so far. He’s totaled 60 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 passes defended. He’s on track to record his highest number of tackles ever in a season, passing his 2023 season, where he totaled 66 tackles.

Oklahoma will finish its season with two home games against No. 22 Missouri and LSU. After their win against Alabama, the Sooners have solidified themselves as a College Football Playoff team. Winning out is a must, though, if the Sooners want to remain in the bracket.

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Since the LSU and Florida jobs became available, there has been much talk about whether Kiffin would leave to become the head coach of one of those programs. Well, it seems that Aaron Taylor and Rick Nehueisel believe it is more than speculation, as both of them believe he will be the head coach at the University of Florida next year.

Brian Jones wasn’t sure which spot Kiffin would land at, but he’s sure it is “not Ole Miss.” Randy Cross stands alone as the lone CBS Sports analyst who believes he will return to the Rebels as their head coach in 2026.

Kiffin has been the head coach at Ole Miss since 2020. In 6 years, Kiffin has led the Rebels to a 54-19 record and consecutive bowl wins in their last two seasons. Ole Miss reached their highest AP ranking under Kiffin this year at No. 4.

Ole Miss has been a great home for Kiffin, but will it be enough to keep him in Oxford?

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Georgia took down the Texas Longhorns this past weekend by a score of 35-10. The Bulldogs ran away with this game in the second half and won their 6th game in a row since dropping to Alabama on Sept. 27. Quarterback Gunnar Stockton was spectacular with 5 total touchdowns and 258 total yards.

Here’s what McElroy had to say about Stockton and the Bulldogs:

“Gunnar Stockton was again outstanding. Counts for five touchdowns. He’s one of the most efficient I’ve seen in quite some time,” McElroy said. “With what he does with his arm, with what he does with his legs, with how smart he is when delivering the football, where he’s throwing it, the windows that he hits, the guy just doesn’t miss throws.

“As far as their defense is concerned, they really squeezed things down there in the second half. They really did a good job there, especially in the fourth quarter. Just bottling up the run, squeezing the pocket, making Arch Manning uncomfortable.”

Georgia will finish its season up with a game at home against Charlotte this weekend, and then next weekend, go and face Georgia Tech in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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“They [Notre Dame] have the best player in college football. I’m going to say that right now. Jeremiyah Love, their star running back. He’s the most versatile player in college football,” Tessitore said. “Every down and distance, everything you need. The game-breaking plays, the short-yardage gritty plays.”

Tessitore went on to say that Notre Dame is playing better each and every week as they head toward the CFP.

.@JoeTessESPN says Notre Dame has the best player in CFB in Jeremiyah Love pic.twitter.com/xpiuKwX7dd

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) November 18, 2025

Love has had quite the season so far. He totals 1,135 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. He’s also added 274 yards receiving and 3 touchdowns through the air. This brings his totals to 1,409 yards and 17 total touchdowns so far this season.

In 10 games so far, Love has rushed for over 100 yards in 5 of those. In the game against USC on Oct. 18, Love rushed the ball 24 times for 228 yards and a touchdown. He absolutely dominated the game for Notre Dame and helped lead them to a 34-24 victory.

Another important note about Love is that he’s yet to lose a fumble so far this season. He’s only had 1 fumble, and it was recovered by Notre Dame, highlighting Love’s ability to take care of the ball even when his team is leaning on him throughout the game.

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In this scenario, ESPN has deemed that Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, and Tennessee are all out of the CFP. That leaves us with Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M.

ESPN believes the first team out is the Texas Longhorns.

The Longhorns still have one of best remaining opportunities in the country to impress the selection committee when they face Texas A&M in the regular-season finale. If the committee drops Texas to the No. 13 spot Tuesday night just ahead of No. 14 Vandy, a playoff spot becomes a more realistic scenario. But if the committee drops the Longhorns out of the top 13, it could need more than a win against the Aggies to secure an at-large bid.

The last team in according to ESPN, is the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The loss to Oklahoma didn’t knock the Tide out in the latest projection, but it put Alabama in must-win mode and will keep them ranked behind the Sooners. The Tide have only one SEC loss and still have the best chance of any team to reach the conference championship game (71.9%), according to ESPN Analytics.

This means that Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M would all make it to the CFP in this scenario. The SEC would make up 5 of the 12 total teams in the CFP.

ESPN also has another title, “Still in the mix.” ESPN believes this team still has a shot but will need help from other SEC teams. This team is the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Vandy could still be stuck behind Texas because of its loss to the Longhorns, so the Commodores will need to beat both Kentucky and Tennessee and get some help to have a shot.

The new CFP Top 25 will be revealed Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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The bowl game gained its popularity in 2023 when it included a live ritual where the winning team ate a giant, edible Pop-Tarts mascot that had been lowered into a toaster. The Pop-Tart held a sign that read, “Dreams Really Do Come True.” Kansas State won the game over NC State in 2023, and they were the team that enjoyed the Pop-Tarts.

Now in 2025, we will see six mascots at the Pop-Tarts Bowl. It makes you wonder what flavors will be at the bowl game this year.

The birth of the Pop-Tarts Bowl is an interesting story. After being named the Cheez-It Bowl, the name changed to the Pop-Tarts Bowl in 2023 after Kellogg’s had acquired the naming rights to the Citrus Bowl and moved the Cheez-It sponsorship to that game.

The new trophy for the Pop-Tarts Bowl was unveiled in December 2023, and it featured a football with two slots for Pop-Tarts. As mentioned earlier, the mascot “Strawberry” was lowered into a toaster and replaced with an edible replica for the winning team to eat.

In 2024, the Pop-Tarts Bowl left it up to fans to decide on the flavor that would serve as the mascot. The fans chose Cinnamon Roll, but Strawberry once again stole the show as he was resurrected following a tribute during the first half.

The Pop-Tarts Bowl has been a fan favorite for a couple of years now, and it appears that in 2025, they will bring the laughs to fans again.

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It’s finally a week where you can smile if you’re an LSU football fan. The Tigers beat the Razorbacks 23-22 over the weekend, and backup quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. played a solid game with 221 passing yards and 1 touchdown. With this being his first win as a starting quarterback for LSU, it was only right that he got the game ball.

However, Van Buren Jr. wasn’t the only Tiger to get their first win. Interim head coach Frank Wilson was also given a game ball from the players, as it was his first win as the interim head coach of the Tigers.

Much of this season has been one to forget, and with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier sidelined with an abdominal injury, it couldn’t end any faster for Tigers fans. However, this moment is one that Tigers fans all around can smile about.

LSU will finish its season with a home game versus Western Kentucky this weekend and then a road game versus Oklahoma on the following weekend. Things have not been pretty for LSU this season, but they still have a chance to ruin one team’s season.

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The Sooners knocked off the Crimson Tide this weekend by a score of 23-21. While Alabama outgained Oklahoma in both passing yards and rushing yards, it was the turnovers that were key to an Oklahoma win. Alabama lost 2 fumbles, and quarterback Ty Simpson threw 1 interception, while Oklahoma played clean football and did not turn the ball over.

This performance was enough for the Sooners to climb 4 spots and land at No. 8 in ESPN’s updated power rankings. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg had this to say about the Oklahoma Sooners:

Who expected Oklahoma’s biggest win in years to come in a game in which it had its lowest yardage total (212) in years? The Sooners shined on special teams and defense against Alabama and avoided the big mistakes on offense that normally doom teams on the road. The key now is to get John Mateer and the offense on a similar trajectory for home games against Missouri and LSU that could propel OU into the CFP. Mateer has only two touchdown passes in his past five starts and has eclipsed 200 passing yards only once in the past four games. Although Mateer had a magical 20-yard touchdown run at Alabama, Oklahoma averaged just 2.6 yards per carry. A stronger offensive performance is needed to finish off a 10-2 regular season.

Rittenberg is right about Oklahoma’s offense needing to click down the stretch. If the Sooners want any chance at a College Football Playoff berth, winning out against LSU and Missouri is a must.

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The Aggies found themselves down 30-3 entering halftime. Reed played his worst half of football so far this season. He had 141 passing yards, 2 interceptions, and a fumble that was returned for a touchdown in the first half. The second half was a completely different story for Reed and the Aggies.

McElroy commented on Reed’s mental toughness on his Always College Football show, stating, “I thought Reed really bounced back. Showed a lot of mental toughness in this game, by the way… His bad is bad. No doubt about it. But his good is like, ‘Woo. This guy’s ridiculous.'”

Texas A&M came out in the third quarter and outscored South Carolina 21-0. Reed led the Aggies on an 8-play drive, a 7-play drive, and a 2-play drive, all of which resulted in touchdowns. The Aggies scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 10-play drive to start the fourth and took the lead 31-30. South Carolina could not score in the second half, and the Aggies won 31-30.

The Aggies have two games left in their quest to be undefeated. They will host Samford this Saturday, on Nov. 22, and then will turn their attention towards Texas whom they will play on the road on Nov. 28.

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It took 6 minutes and only one catch for 11 yards this Sunday for Andrews to become the Ravens’ all-time leader in receiving yards with 5,784 yards. Andrews passed former Michigan State wide receiver Derrick Mason as the all-time leader.

However, this was not the end of the day for Andrews, who later rushed in a touchdown that gave the Ravens a 23-16 lead over the Cleveland Browns.

Andrews took a 4th and 1 run 35 yards to the house to break the tie between the Ravens and the Browns with just a little over 2:30 left in the game.

Andrews would finish the day with 3 receptions for 32 yards and 1 rush for 35 yards and a touchdown. Andrews’ rushing touchdown would give the Ravens the lead, and they would not lose it as they beat the Browns 23-16.

Andrews was a tight end for Oklahoma from 2014 to 2017. In his 2017 season, Andrews totaled 62 receptions for 958 yards and 8 touchdowns. He was a consensus All-American and was a big reason why Baker Mayfield was able to win the Heisman.

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The 11th-ranked Sooners travel to Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday to take on the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide. With a win over Alabama, Oklahoma would climb in the CFP rankings and move much closer to safety in the chase for an at-large bid.

“So, I think if that were to go down, Notre Dame would be jumped immediately by Texas and Oklahoma, and I could also see a scenario where they jump Oregon as well,” McElroy said on his show, Always College Football, on Wednesday.

Notre Dame is currently ranked No. 9 in the CFP rankings, and Oregon is ranked No. 8. This means that McElroy believes a win this weekend would jump Oklahoma into the top 8 and give the Sooners a chance to host a home playoff game.

But what would such a result mean for Alabama?

“They [the selection committee] are not all in on head-to-head,” McElroy said. “It’s not the end-all, be-all. In this scenario where Oklahoma beats Alabama, does it mean that Oklahoma, absolutely with 100% certainty has to be in front of Alabama? Perhaps in previous committees that would have been the No. 1 differentiator.

“This committee, with what we’ve been shown, it’s not necessarily a guarantee that that’s the case.”

McElroy said Alabama is still “comfortably” in the field if it loses, but a win would put the Tide in a great spot to host a first-round game or bypass the first round entirely.

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