COLLEGE FOOTBALL FRENZY: Conference shuffles Rhule ... er ...

Hello … ‘Prime Time’, quicker games and a bigger Big 12.

So long … COVID, Bryce Young and the four-team playoff.

Welcome back … Matt Rhule, Hugh Freeze and realignment talk.

Maybe it wasn’t the biggest off-season of the decade. Tough to beat those summers when COVID, portal talk and College Football Playoff expansion dominated discussion.

But don’t tell the Pac-12 that.

The last month has impacted the future greatly, with the Big 12 announcing Utah, Arizona, Colorado — with new coach Deion ‘Prime Time’ Sanders — and Arizona State all pulled from the Pac-12 to begin play in the expanding conference next season. That followed the Big Ten raid of the Pac-12 to attract USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington its way.

And now the ACC is at it, kicking around the idea of picking off a few more Pac-12 teams in Stanford and California.

If you’re counting along with us, That would leave a Pac-2 of Oregon State and Washington State — and that ain’t happening.

Yeah … it’s a mess out west.

That’s why if you’re a Pac-12 guy, embrace this season as its swan-song. No sense going out grumbling.

Plus there’s a good chance you’ll have a seat at the playoff table — the final one of four teams before a 12-team bracket sets up shop next year — with USC sporting Heisman Trophy-winner Caleb Williams at QB, Lincoln Riley as head coach and, hopefully, a much-improved defence.

SECOND DOWN

So USC in the CFP, eh? That would be A-OK to end the final four on a fresh note. Pundits are talking up Jordan Travis and Florida State, as well, but we’ve heard that before out of Tallahassee. Same goes for Quinn Ewers and Texas, but without Coach Riley at Oklahoma, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of other contender talk in the Big 12, so maybe it’s time for Texas after 13 seasons without a conference title there … Speaking of possible upswings, can coach Matt Rhule — returning from his not-quite-three years away in the NFL — find a way to lead Nebraska back from the cow crap? It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s gotta do it sooner or later, don’t they? … Look who’s back coaching in the SEC. Hugh Freeze is in at Auburn, seven years after being drummed unceremoniously out of rival Ole Miss for boatloads of recruiting and academic violations. His time with Liberty the last four seasons didn’t end without controversy, either. But Freeze can coach … Let’s hope Luke Fickell can coach Wisconsin back into contention. His move from Cincinnati hurts the Group of Five, but Wiscy back slugging it out with Michigan and Ohio State would be much welcomed.

THIRD DOWN

For his role in recruiting violations within the program, Jim Harbaugh has been suspended for three who-cares games out of the gate. Michigan did the disciplining in hopes of persuading the Big Ten not to have its coach sidelined for a longer period, which would then include Coach ‘Khaki Pants’ missing contests against strong opposition. As it stands, Harbaugh won’t be on the sidelines for games against East Carolina — on Saturday (noon ET) — UNLV and Bowling Green … The key games on the Week 1 docket — a week after Notre Dame blew Navy out of the water 42-3 during Week 0’s kickoff in Dublin, Ireland — are: No. 5 LSU (0-0) vs. No. 8 Florida State (0-0) in Orlando on Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC); and No. 9 Clemson (0-0) playing host Duke (0-0) on Monday (8 p.m. ET) … The NCAA promises games to finish in quicker fashion than we’re used to with a couple of key rule changes now in play. The college ranks are now allowing the game-clock to continue to run after a first down is gained except for during the last two minutes of either half. Also, teams won’t be able to call consecutive time-outs without a play being run between them. No more icing kickers for more than one 90-second time-out … We’re thinking it’s finally time for us to move ahead without the threat of COVID interfering with the schedule in the back of our brains. That’s a welcome thought.

FOURTH DOWN

QB Williams is in the hunt to become a consecutive Heisman winner for the first time since Ohio State RB Archie Griffin in the mid-70s. That honour won’t go to him easily, because nobody — it seems — wants a repeat Heisman guy. Remember QB Bryce Young was chasing that last year until he got hurt, but everybody was picking apart his game ahead of the shoulder injury … Where is Alabama without QB Young, who’s now with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers? Trying to pin down their starting QB. It was the same for Ohio State with QB C.J. Stroud now with the NFL’s Houston Texans until Ryan Day named junior Kyle McCord as OSU’s starter a few days ago. Those conundrums could slow those two juggernauts … Speaking of which, is Carson Beck the real deal at QB for reigning two-time champ Georgia? Or does his lack of experience kill UGA’s chances at the historic three-peat — something that hasn’t been celebrated since Minnesota 90 years ago … Georgia’s Stetson Bennett should’ve won the Heisman last year. Or TCU’s Max Duggan. Just sayin’ … And we’ll also just say this: Let’s see the final final four without Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State for once. Maybe even without Clemson, to boot. Regardless, let’s get on with the 133-team show!

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AP TOP 25

Rank Team (last year) Record

1. Georgia (1) 15-0

2. Michigan (3) 13-1

3. Ohio State (4) 11-2

4. Alabama (5) 11-2

5. LSU (16) 10-4

6. USC (12) 11-3

7. Penn State (7) 11-2

8. Florida State (11) 10-3

9. Clemson (13) 11-3

10. Washington (8) 11-2

11. Texas (25) 8-5

12. Tennessee (6) 11-2

13. Notre Dame (18) 9-4

14. Utah (10) 10-4

15. Oregon (15) 10-3

16. Kansas State (14) 10-4

17. TCU (2) 13-2

18. Oregon State (17) 10-3

19. Wisconsin (NR) 7-6

20. Oklahoma (NR) 6-7

21. North Carolina (NR) 9-5

22. Ole Miss (NR) 8-5

23. Texas A&M (NR) 5-7

24. Tulane (9) 12-2

25. Iowa (NR) 8-5

NR — not ranked

GAME TO WATCH

(-3) #5 LSU v. #8 FLORIDA STATE

Sunday, 7:30 ET, in Orlando, Fla., ABC

Brian Kelly in his second year at LSU won’t allow another Week 1 loss to FSU.

PICK: LSU

BEST BETS

NORTHERN ILLINOIS @ BOSTON COLLEGE (-7)

Saturday, noon ET

The buzz is B.C. will be better than last year’s 3-9 by a lot. Should start here.

PICK: BOSTON COLLEGE

WEST VIRGINIA @ PENN STATE (-21)

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET

PSU has the much better offence and the much better defence to rout WVU.

PICK: PENN STATE

(-2) #21 NORTH CAROLINA v. SOUTH CAROLINA

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC

South Carolina returns too few defensive holdovers to rival Carolina’s veteran ‘O’.

PICK: NORTH CAROLINA

2023 RECORD: 33-23-1