AAC Football

Urban Meyer has remained out of college football since announcing his retirement in December 2018, but his son is carrying on the family legacy.

Nate Meyer joined the Cincinnati football team as a walk-on wide receiver, head coach Luke Fickell confirmed to Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel on Wednesday.

Fickell added that he projects Nate to be a special teams player after the 21-year-old sophomore had been a scholarship baseball player at Cincinnati, while Thamel noted that Nate's decision to switch stems from wanting "to better prepare himself for his goal of becoming a college football coach, as he's hoping to follow in his father's footsteps."

Nate was an outfielder for the Bearcats baseball team. He earned AAC All-Academic Team honors and played 22 games as a freshman in 2019. He announced his commitment to Cincinnati in January 2017:

Honored and humbled to say that I have committed to further my academic and athletic career at The University of Cincinnati. Go Bearcats! pic.twitter.com/Bp4kL1XYFp

— Nate Meyer (@nxmeyer15) January 24, 2017

Per Thamel, Nate was inspired to pursue a career in football coaching after he trained with the Ohio State football team prior to his freshman year.

Urban relayed to Thamel what his son told him in fall 2018: "Dad, I made a decision. I changed my major to psychology like you were and I want to be a football coach. I thought, 'Oh boy.'"

Nate won't be like most walk-ons, as he has known Fickell since he was 12 years old. Fickell is entering his fourth year as Cincinnati's head coach. The program went 4-8 in 2017 before vastly improving to 11-2 in 2018 and 11-3 last season.

Alec Pierce's 652 yards and Josiah Deguara's seven touchdowns led the Bearcats' receiving corps. Pierce will be a junior in 2020, while the Green Bay Packers selected Deguara in the third round of April's NFL draft.

University of Connecticut President Thomas Katsouleas issued a statement clarifying he has no "inside knowledge" that fall sports will be canceled.

The statement, which Yahoo Sports shared, begins with Katsouleas explaining he was speaking to a journalism class at the school and suggested fall sports will likely be canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, he clarified "This was not based on any inside knowledge or discussions of the subject, and was nothing more than speculation. No decisions have been made about fall sports and when they are made, we will look to the NCAA and our conference to take the lead on those choices."

Katsouleas also said the "hope" is games will be played.

UConn's president has released a statement about his comments regarding fall college sports in 2020 pic.twitter.com/07RkZbwtfB

— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) April 22, 2020

The sports world has largely been on hold for more than a month amid COVID-19 concerns, but one of the most jarring developments in March was when the NCAA canceled all remaining winter and spring championships.

In addition to spring regular seasons, headlining events such as the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments and the College World Series were canceled.

There have been no official announcements regarding plans to cancel or postpone football, which is the marquee fall sport across much of the country. College Football Playoff director Bill Hancock told ESPN's Heather Dinich earlier this month, "We're planning on a CFP. That's what our staff is doing as we speak. Planning for it on time."

He also said it was "premature" to speculate about the fate of the season since it starts in the fall and it is only April.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported April 9 that there is "strong conviction" among people "in and around college football" that there will be a 2020 season. However, there is "uncertainty" regarding when that season would happen with "multiple scenarios being debated."

That could mean shortening the season, changing the timeline or perhaps even pushing it back until the beginning of the 2021 calendar year and playing more of a spring season.

College football's immediate future, like much of sports, is still up in the air, but Katsouleas made sure to clarify he does not have any inside information at this time.

David Forney, a senior offensive lineman at Navy, died Thursday at the age of 22.

Per an official statement from Navy, Forney was found unresponsive in the Bancroft Hall dormitory.

"Words cannot express our pain and sorrow," Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "First and foremost, our deepest condolences to the Forney family. The Navy Football Brotherhood is not a team, we are a family. We are devastated to have lost one of our brothers. We all loved⁠—and will always love⁠—David. We pray for strength during this most difficult time."

No official cause of death has been determined at this point.

Forney was set to graduate from the United States Naval Academy in May. The Walkersville, Maryland, native played four seasons with the Midshipmen after graduating from Georgetown Preparatory School. He was one of three Navy players named to the American Athletic Conference first-team in 2019.    

Congratulations to Malcolm Perry, Diego Fagot (@diegofagot54), and David Forney (@_DavidForney) on making the AAC First Team All-Conference! #NavyFB | #BuiltDifferent pic.twitter.com/TNy40h6etc

— Navy Football (@NavyFB) December 4, 2019

After not appearing in a game as a freshman, Forney played his way into the lineup on special teams in 2017 and started the final two games at guard.

He appeared in all 39 of Navy's games over the past three seasons and became a full-time starter on the offensive line as a senior.

Houston has dismissed linebacker Eyabi Anoma from the program due to a violation of team rules, according to Sam Khan Jr. of ESPN. 

The sophomore didn't play a game for the Cougars, sitting out the 2019 season as a transfer after beginning his career with Alabama.

Anoma entered college with huge expectations as a 5-star recruit and No. 4 overall player in the 2018 class by 247Sports' composite rankings. He saw action early in his career with the Crimson Tide, earning All-SEC Freshman Team honors after totaling nine tackles including two for a loss.

However, he entered the transfer portal last July due to off-field problems.

According to Matt Zenitz of AL.com, Anoma left the school after a "university level issue" arose ahead of his freshman season.

Though he got a second chance with Houston, he's now been dismissed from a second program. The 6'5", 235-pound Baltimore native could now have a difficult time finding a new destination regardless of his football talent.

It's also a significant loss for the Cougars, who were likely expecting a significant impact from the pass-rusher in 2020.

Houston finished last season 4-8 in the first year under Dana Holgorsen and already saw projected starting quarterback D'Eriq King transfer to Miami. After losing another key player, the squad could struggle to turn things around next season.

Connecticut head coach Randy Edsall doesn't sound like he will spend a lot of time recruiting players in the NCAA transfer portal. 

Per Alex Putterman of the Hartford Courant, Edsall called players who use the transfer portal "enabled and entitled."

"I'd rather go with high school kids or junior college guys," he said. "Guys going into the portal, they've got issues. That's why they're going into the portal." 

Here are Edsall's full remarks about why he's more or less swearing off transfers pic.twitter.com/hO0PJH7pdI

— Alex Putterman (@AlexPutterman) February 5, 2020

The NCAA established the transfer portal in Oct. 2018 as a way of organizing the list of student-athletes who were considering changing schools. 

Student-athletes are required to tell their current school's compliance department about their desire to transfer, which gives the school 48 hours to put their name into the portal. 

The process has drawn scrutiny from a number of coaches across the country. Penn State's James Franklin criticized it for enabling student-athletes to make decisions "driven by football" because "the college athletics that I grew up with was driven based on academics."

Former Washington head coach Chris Petersen told reporters last summer the transfer portal was bad for student-athletes because it “allows them to tap out” at one school and go to another. 

Use of the transfer portal has become common across the country in all sports, especially football. Last year, for instance, Heisman finalists Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma) and Justin Fields (Ohio State) were among the student-athletes who switched schools. 

Edsall did note Connecticut would consider players in the transfer portal if his staff had a pre-established relationship recruiting them out of high school or junior college.

Since returning to UConn in 2017, Edsall has a 6-30 record with no bowl appearances. The 61-year-old has a 98-127 career record as a head coach at Connecticut and Maryland. 

Houston quarterback D'Eriq King announced Monday he was entering the NCAA's transfer portal. 

King wrote he thought the decision was "best for me and my family":

https://twitter.com/DeriqKing_/status/1216933519471120395

The senior entered 2019 as the Cougars' starting quarterback before announcing in September he was sitting out the year in order to preserve his final year of eligibility for 2020.

The Athletic's Andy Staples explained at the time how the move benefited Houston. 

The Cougars, who had started 1-3 and would win four games, were effectively rebuilding in Dana Holgorsen's first season as head coach. They were particularly porous on defense, finishing 113th in points allowed (34.0) and 118th in yards allowed (467.5).

Staples noted Houston is getting some defensive help in 2020, so Houston stood to gain from King turning his focus to next year:

"By coming back when Houston will have the services of some notable currently-sitting-out-per-NCAA rules transfers (linebacker Eyabi Anoma, receiver Bryson Jackson, safety Hasaan Hypolite, cornerback Kelvin Clemmons, cornerback Marcus Jones and safety Thabo Mwaniki), King will join a more complete team. Notice which side of the ball most of those guys play on?"

Of course, the plan unravels in the event King leaves the team. Entering the transfer portal doesn't guarantee his departure, but he's bound to have interest from Power Five schools looking for an immediate fix at quarterback.

D’Eriq King entering the transfer portal makes Houston’s 2019 season even more bizarre. If he’d stayed, you could say they were saving him for a more favorable 2020. Now? 🤷‍♂️

— Greg Tepper (@Tepper) January 14, 2020

As a junior in 2018, King threw for 2,982 yards and 36 touchdowns while running for 674 yards and 14 scores. He began 2019 by throwing for 663 yards and six touchdowns through Houston's first four games. He showed off his running ability on a 35-yard touchdown run against Tulane:

.@UHCougarFB's D'Eriq King now has a pass TD and rush TD in 15 straight games, breaking Tim Tebow's previous record (14) for the longest streak in FBS history.

No other player has an active streak longer than 3 games. pic.twitter.com/gDhbXaPmjj

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 20, 2019

Losing King would be a huge blow to Holgorsen. Clayton Tune was the team's leading passer (1,533 yards, 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions) and will likely remain the starter with no quarterbacks committed to the Cougars in 2020.

ESPN's Sam Khan reported Arkansas is a "potential landing spot" for King. The Razorbacks hired Kendal Briles as their offensive coordinator, and Briles served in the same role for Houston in 2018.

Khan added that "multiple Power 5 conference programs are interested in King and have been anticipating the day he would enter the transfer portal."

Cincinnati ended its season on a high note after a 38-6 victory over Boston College in the 2020 Birmingham Bowl.

Desmond Ridder carried the offense with four total touchdowns on a rainy day at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, helping the team bounce back after consecutive losses to Memphis. The squad jumped out to a 24-0 lead and never looked back while rushing for 343 yards in a blowout victory.

Cincinnati (11-2) ends the year with its second straight 11-win season under Luke Fickell after the head coach took over a 4-8 squad in 2017.

Boston College (6-7) was trying to rally around interim coach Rich Gunnell, who was filling in for the fired Steve Addazio. However, the staff turnaround and the absence of star running back AJ Dillon was too much for the team to overcome.

     

Notable Stats

• Desmond Ridder, QB, CIN: 14-of-24, 95 passing yards, 1 TD, 105 rushing yards, 3 TDs
• Michael Warren II, RB, CIN: 21 carries, 105 rushing yards
• Malick Mbodj, WR, CIN: 3 catches, 17 receiving yards, 1 TD
• Dennis Grosel, QB, BC: 8-of-17, 87 passing yards
• David Bailey, RB, BC: 8 carries, 28 rushing yards
• Hunter Long, WR, BC: 2 catches, 45 receiving yards

             

Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati Thrive in Ugly Weather

The weather was a problem for both teams (and included a 92-minute lightning delay), but Cincinnati did the things necessary to take advantage.

The defense and special teams were as good as we have seen all year, making impact plays to change the game.

ADD ANOTHER BLOCK TO THE STATS!!

Elijah Ponder busts through the line to give the #Bearcats their SIXTH block of the year‼️#Bearcats: 7 | Boston College: 0
14:51 left in the half.

— Cincinnati Football (@GoBearcatsFB) January 2, 2020

Incredible timing by Bryan Wright to break through the line at the snap and force a fumble. BC recovered, but that was the senior linebacker's team-leading 11.5 TFL this season.

— Fletcher Page (@FletcherPage) January 2, 2020

Hell of a finale so far for Bryan Wright. He recovers his second fumble of the season, sets the Bearcats up just 19 yards from the end zone.

— Fletcher Page (@FletcherPage) January 2, 2020

Bryan Wright was all over the field for the Bearcats defense and was one of the best players on either side of the ball.

Offensively, the passing game wasn't always working, but the team found ways to move the football thanks to the offensive line.

Another touchdown run for Ridder, this one from 14 yards out. #Bearcats immediately capitalize on the turnover, are completely dominating the line of scrimmage.

UC up 17-0 with 7:05 left in the half.

— Justin Williams (@Williams_Justin) January 2, 2020

Desmond Ridder took advantage, rushing for two first-half touchdowns and finishing with 105 yards on the ground. He also got more comfortable as a passer in the second half and ended up leading four total scoring drives of at least 10 plays.

Once Michael Warren II got going alongside him, there was nothing Boston College could do to stop this offense.

The weather could've been enough to slow some teams down, but the Bearcats didn't have any problems Thursday.

      

Boston College Can't Generate Offense Without AJ Dillon

With 1,880 yards from scrimmage this season, AJ Dillon has twice as many as anyone else on the Eagles. The running back's 15 touchdowns were also seven more than runner-up David Bailey.

This made it an especially big loss when the junior announced last month he wouldn't compete in the bowl game in preparation for the NFL draft. It's not easy to replace 4,382 career rushing yards, especially after first-string quarterback Anthony Brown went down for the year with a torn ACL in October.

It left the Eagles unable to move the chains and overmatched against Cincinnati.

Cincinnati has looked like a 10-win team that figures if it has to play in a third-tier bowl game it might as well win the damn thing.

BC has looked like a 6-6 team with an interim coach and without its star RB, who decided to sit this one out.

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoATH) January 2, 2020

Would've been cool to see UC play someone other than another mediocre ACC opponent in a bowl game...

It's early 4th and Desmond Ridder is already on the bench. #Bearcats @fox19

— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) January 3, 2020

Bailey has a chance to be a key player in 2020, but he was held to just 28 rushing yards in the loss.

Dennis Grosel also found little success while completing 47 percent of his passes, with 40 of his 87 yards coming on one play to Hunter Long.

The only excitement from Boston College's perspective came on a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown.

https://twitter.com/accnetwork/status/1212883507292332040

It was a disappointing overall showing as the squad clinched just its second losing season in the last seven years.

South Florida has fired head coach Charlie Strong, the school announced Sunday.

"I would like to thank Coach Strong and his staff for their hard work and contributions to our program," USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly said in a statement. "I have tremendous respect for Coach Strong and his dedication to recruiting and developing young men of talent and character and leading them with integrity. He has represented USF with dignity and class and we wish Coach and his family the very best."

Strong wrapped up his third season as the Bulls' coach with a 34-7 loss to UCF on Friday. They went 21-16 under his watch but finished 4-8 in 2019.

The Strong era started off brightly as USF won 10 games, beat Texas Tech in the Birmingham Bowl and finished 21st in the AP Top 25 and Coaches polls.

Things quickly took a turn for the worse. Alabama transfer Blake Barnett struggled as the starting quarterback after succeeding Quinton Flowers. Barnett threw for 2,705 yards, 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2018 and then made four appearances in 2019 before undergoing season-ending ankle surgery.

The USF defense was also a mess despite Strong initially building his reputation as a defensive coordinator. The Bulls finished last year 80th in Football Outsiders' S&P+ defense rating. They entered Week 14 sitting in 51st in SP+ defense, per ESPN's Bill Connelly.

Hiring Strong appeared to be a smart move, but few can argue with USF's decision on Sunday.

https://twitter.com/alex_kirshner/status/1201237721345380352

Bringing Strong aboard was a signal of intent by the program. He had just come off stints at Louisville and Texas, and he was the 16th highest-paid coach in FBS ($5 million), per USA Today.

The Athletic's Bruce Feldman and Tampa Bay Times' Joey Knight speculated Willie Taggart might be a target:

With Charlie Strong being fired at #USF, would not be surprised if the school tries to bring back Willie Taggart who was well-respected by the power brokers there. He's a local guy and knows the ins-and-outs of what that place is about. Plus, he's still getting paid by FSU.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 1, 2019

Now that it's official, I'll share this: I have learned Willie Taggart is very interested in returning to #USF should the opportunity arise. Uncomfortable spot for him because he's very close with Charlie Strong, but he loves Tampa.

— Joey Knight (@TBTimes_Bulls) December 1, 2019

Florida State fired Taggart midway through this year after he had compiled a 9-12 record.

Taggart was responsible for laying the groundwork that Strong would later benefit from, however. Taggart took over at USF in 2013. The team saw its record improve over each of the next three seasons, culminating in an 11-2 campaign in 2016.

The 18th-ranked Memphis Tigers inched one step closer to a New Year's Six bowl game with a 34-24 victory over the 19th-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats on Friday.  

Chris Claybrooks got the Tigers off to a fast start by opening the game with a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Quarterback Brady White led the offense with 233 yards and two touchdowns.

Ben Bryant threw for 229 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for the Bearcats in his first career start. He was filling in for an injured Desmond Ridder (shoulder), who started the first 11 games.

Memphis (11-1) clinched the AAC West title with the victory, while Cincinnati (10-2) previously clinched the AAC East.

Notable Performances

Cincinnati

QB Ben Bryant: 20/32, 229 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions; 11 carries, one touchdown

RB Michael Warren II: 21 carries, 122 yards, one touchdown

TE Josiah Deguara: four catches, 46 yards

Memphis

QB Brady White: 15/26, 233 yards, two touchdowns, one interception

RB Kenneth Gainwell: 15 carries, 87 yards

WR Damonte Coxie: six catches, 145 yards, one touchdown

WR Kedarian Jones: two catches, 53 yards, one touchdown

Strong Start Powers Tigers to Victory

Memphis has had little trouble putting points up on the scoreboard this season, entering Friday averaging 42.2 points per game. It had been held below 30 just once in its last 10 games.

Right out of the gates, the Tigers came out ready to play.

Claybrooks set the tone for the game by taking the opening kickoff 94 yards to the house—and the Tigers were just getting started. White proceeded to lead Memphis to scores on each of its first two offensive drives, with the Cincinnati defense allowing both a 32-yard run and a 44-yard pass in the opening quarter.

Those big plays led to a touchdown and a field goal on the Tigers' first two offensive drives, resulting in a 17-3 lead in the first.

Cincinnati managed to battle back and tie the score in the second. The Bearcats held the Tigers to a total of three points over the middle two quarters, but ultimately, White made just enough plays to get the job done.

   

Bold Gamble Proves Costly for Bearcats

Trailing 20-17 late in the third quarter, Cincinnati had a chance to even the score by way of a 34-yard field goal. Luke Fickell instead opted to roll the dice and go for it on 4th-and-1.

It did not work out, as Warren was stuffed short of the sticks. That opened the door for Memphis to put the game away.

White responded by leading an 83-yard drive that put the Tigers back up by two possessions with just more than 13 minutes to play. At that point, Cincinnati had its work cut out for itself.

The Bearcats had an opportunity to get the football back down three with less than five minutes to play. However, an unsportsmanlike penalty on defensive end Myjai Sanders following an incompletion on 3rd-and-10 extended a Memphis drive. The Tigers took advantage of the mistake, driving down the field for a game-sealing touchdown.

Touchdown Memphis. Gibson from 29 out. 34-24. #Bearcats down two scores with only 3:16 remaining.

UC looked to get off the field before a personal foul by Sanders after a 3rd down stop.

— Justin Williams (@Williams_Justin) November 29, 2019

Cincinnati entered Friday's showdown having lost just once this season, which came on the road against the current No. 1 team in the nation (Ohio State) on Sept. 7. The Bearcats had been far from dominant during their nine-game winning streak, though, with three of their past four victories coming by three points or less.

Facing their first ranked opponent in nearly two months, the Bearcats' luck finally ran out as the mistakes piled up.

    

What's Next

Memphis will host Cincinnati in the AAC championship game on Dec. 7.

How did SMU finally recover from the death penalty? Should Chase Young be the Heisman Trophy favorite? And what are November's must-see games? Adam Kramer takes on those questions and more in the third installment of his 2019 college football notebook.

          

Sonny Dykes was in high school when his favorite football program was sentenced to death. At the time, in 1987, he wasn't sure what it meant. No football program had previously received this punishment—the result of years of wide-ranging payments made to players, even after the program had been placed on probation in 1985—and none has since.    

Dykes, now 49, grew up in Big Spring, Texas, about a four-hour drive from Dallas and the SMU campus. He knew just how potent the area was when it came to producing high school talent, and knowing that, he assumed it was only a matter of time before the Pony Express resumed a run of dominance that had seen it go 41-5-1 from 1981 to '84.

The team was banned for the 1987 season—prompting an exodus of players and coaches. In 1988, it remained on ice, practicing but not participating in games. But it was after that, ironically, when the team returned to the field in 1989, that reality hit with a 2-9 season. Then 1-10. Then 1-10 again. Outside a handful of semi-successful seasons, SMU proceeded to spend the next three decades as a football doormat.

Dykes kept tabs on the school as his own football career grew—from coaching Texas high school ball to assisting at Texas Tech to heading up a rebuild at Cal.

Then after a four-year stint at Cal, Dykes was named SMU head coach in December 2017. "This is a place I had my eyes on for a long time," Dykes tells B/R. "There are so many things that are attractive about the program, and I love being able to live in Dallas. My wife and I still talk about it every day. We wake up in the morning and we talk about how happy we are to be here."

His vision for the program, at least when he took over, was to bring it back in three or four years. But even in his first season, 2018, the team went 5-7 and there were signs that the rebuild would come in ahead of schedule.

"I thought when we went and played Michigan last year, we really battled those guys—even though we ended up losing by a couple of scores," Dykes says. "We lost to a really good Cincinnati team in overtime, and we probably should have won the game. There were moments when you thought you were headed in the right direction. There were others when I thought it may take a little longer than I originally thought."

Then came this season and the 8-0 start, including a win over ranked TCU, that has the program already tied for its highest win total since 1984. Dykes' team is averaging 43.6 points per game, seventh in the nation, and had climbed as high as No. 15 in the AP rankings—after not being featured in polling since the death penalty—before finally losing a game this past Saturday.

Over the past three decades, the ritual of defeat had grown common at SMU. But this year, even the one loss didn't come quietly—a 54-48 thriller against No. 24 Memphis.

With three wins in its final four games—home against East Carolina, at No. 25 Navy, home against Tulane and then a bowl game—SMU could even tie for its highest total since 1935.

And this is just the beginning. For Dykes, the thrill of SMU's rise in 2019—one of the best stories of the college football season—is only a preview of what he hopes to build in the years ahead.

The expedited rebuild can be traced back to a few factors, he says: inherited talent that has flourished under his tenure coupled with a jolt of meaningful transfers, the most notable being former Texas quarterback Shane Buechele, whose 23 passing touchdowns this year are tied for ninth nationally.

All these years after that high schooler assumed SMU couldn't stay down long, optimism has finally returned. And others are taking notice.

For Dykes, that has made the past few months all the more satisfying.

"You walk around, and there's SMU everywhere now," Dykes says. "There are bumper stickers on cars, and people wearing it on hats and sweatshirts. There's just a general excitement around the university right now. It's just been fun to be a part of it."

         

Yes, Chase Young should be the Heisman favorite

Heisman voters, let's talk. Yes, Ohio State's Chase Young plays defense. But that doesn't mean you should follow the same archaic, maddening voting practices as usual and not truly consider him for the award.

I know you love giving this piece of bronze to quarterbacks. And if not them, then running backs. And there are some good ones in this year's group, without question. But no player has been as dominant and impactful this season as Young.

The Buckeyes' do-everything defensive end has 13.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in eight games. And it's not just the numbers; it's the impact on seemingly every play Young is on the field.

He should be the favorite to win the Heisman.

He isn't and he won't, because the award has shown no signs of evolving—just ask Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald, defensive linemen who unleashed magical seasons that were Heisman-worthy. But Young has the stats and the traits and the team to change that. Now it's up to the voters to acknowledge him.

                     

Welcome to the Silly Season, college football's most exciting, deflating yearly ritual

Yes, the high-profile coaches fired each year are mostly millionaires. Willie Taggart will reportedly take home more than $18 million in buyout money to not coach Florida State anymore. USC will eventually fire head coach Clay Helton. It's inevitable.

Other schools will join in the trend—paying coaches small fortunes to go away. The excitement that builds from this across social media and message boards will create tidal waves, especially at schools with strong histories and large pocketbooks. And it's hard not to get swept up in the madness of it all.

It is exciting. And optimism for fanbases will and should run wild. But there is an underbelly of this that often goes ignored. Full coaching staffs will have to scramble to find new work. Their kids will be asked to change schools.

This doesn't mean we shouldn't all have fun with the rumors that will commence immediately. But be mindful of what's taking place for so many others.

              

Yes, the College Football Playoff release show is unnecessary, and, yes, you should watch every minute of it

From this point forward, your Tuesday nights are taken. The CFP release show is back, which means the rage and anger and disappointment that stems from the selection committee's snubbing your team has returned.

There will be five Tuesday night shows, all of which are utterly excessive. The Sunday show December 8 is the only one that matters—the day the playoff is officially decided. (These shows are meant to increase interest and sell advertisements, and they do an excellent job of both.)

But while ranking teams at this juncture may seem unnecessary, it's also entertaining. Excess isn't always a bad thing, and the rankings allow us to dive deep into the mindset of a group of human beings given the impossible task.

I will be watching, and if you're reading this column, you should be too. Let the anger flow through us each Tuesday night in November. 

                 

Cancel your plans for these five games this month

1. No. 1 LSU at No. 2 Alabama, Nov. 9 (Week 11): We called it the "Game of the Century" a while back. Then we did it again. And sure, let's do it once more: No. 1 vs. No. 2.

The storylines are endless. LSU's rapid offensive evolution. Tua Tagovailoa's ankle injury. Playoff implications. SEC bragging rights. You could write 5,000 words on this game without breaking a sweat.

No, it's not an elimination game. But that doesn't make it any less significant. This is why you watch college football, for games like this.

2. No. 5 Penn State at No. 3 Ohio State, Nov. 23 (Week 13): It may not carry the same weight as LSU-Alabama, but the significance and general intrigue between Penn State and Ohio State will be enormous.

Both teams are 5-0 in the Big Ten East—two fewer losses than the next-best team—so, barring something weird happening in the next few weeks, the winner here will be bound for the Big Ten Championship Game.

Penn State does have a bit of work to do beforehand—and we'll get to that. But regardless, this will be a spectacular matchup.

3. No. 6 Georgia at No. 12 Auburn, Nov. 16 (Week 12): When I think of SEC football in mid-November, I think of games like this: Two teams with enormous expectations that have experienced remarkable highs and violent lows during the year.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Georgia-Auburn, though, is we're not quite sure what it'll mean come playoff time.

Georgia controls its fate in the SEC East, sitting a loss ahead of Florida, while Auburn closes out the season with games against the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide after enduring a schedule that has been anything but favorable.

Time will tell what exactly this game means, but it could impact teams well outside the SEC.

4. No. 2 Alabama at No. 12 Auburn, Nov. 30 (Week 14): Of course, the Iron Bowl is on here. It's the Iron Bowl.

The fact that the game is being played at Auburn is certainly relevant. What it means for both teams—particularly Alabama—will likely be dictated by what happens Saturday against LSU.

Still, this is one of the greatest rivalries in a sport celebrated for these types of games. It will still crack this list if Auburn loses to Georgia. This is a game you should always cancel all plans for and consume without interruption.

5. No. 5 Penn State at No. 13 Minnesota, Nov. 9 (Week 11), and No. 3 Ohio State at No. 14 Michigan, Nov. 30 (Week 14): Let's bundle two Big Ten games for the final spot. While no one envisioned that Penn State and Minnesota would meet in mid-November as undefeateds, that's precisely what will happen Saturday.

Minnesota scrapped through some ugly close calls early on, although its play has vastly improved. Penn State, meanwhile, is seemingly crisper and more dominant every week.

As for Ohio State and Michigan, the narrative is pretty established by now: Can Jim Harbaugh finally beat the Buckeyes?

A month ago, the thought would've seemed outrageous. But the Wolverines have quietly, steadily improved. Can they can finally conquer this specific demon? For now, let's just say this game could end up a lot closer than we originally thought.

(Or not.)

               

Final takeaways: More must-see TV and CFB

1. Don't let the College Football Playoff blind you from other great things that are taking place around the sport. I love the playoff, and I believe it's necessary. But I don't love that it outshines most everything in CFB come November. There is so much more to celebrate than that. Expand your palate if you haven't already.

2. The Curse of Oak Island is back on television this week. If you enjoy treasure-hunting shows that are speculative, normally without treasure and occasionally fascinating, you should check out this History Channel production. I love it. I hate it. Nothing seems to actually happen. They pretty much only find old buttons and coins. And I refuse to quit.

3. Speaking of television, I thought El Camino, Breaking Bad's Netflix follow-up, was perfectly fine. Not brilliant. Certainly not bad. Beautifully shot. Wonderfully acted. And while it didn't move things all that far in the story, they sure know how to make great television. Also, Jesse Pinkman is an all-time character.

4. Yes, I want players to be able to profit off their likeness at the collegiate level. And yes, I want them to profit off their likeness so EA Sports' NCAA Football franchise can return and we can throw our arms around it with a warm embrace. I wrote about the CFB video game franchise this past summer—exploring the joy in the creation and the cult-like following it has garnered. It feels like we're getting closer thanks to the movement the NCAA can no longer run from. For those who loved this game—and for someone, like myself, who used to simulate the season and then post results on blogs and even this website—I yearn for the moment the childish tradition will return.

5. Have you watched Memphis running back Kenneth Gainwell yet? I didn't think it was possible to upgrade from Darrell Henderson, who was brilliant last season for the Tigers. But they might have. The freshman is one of the brightest young stars in the sport. As a whole, that Memphis team is all sorts of fun.

6. I will be at Alabama-LSU on Saturday. While covering college football at Bleacher Report is indeed a "job," being able to attend games of this stature is still something I appreciate beyond words. Deep down, I'm a football junkie. I love the sport. Look for all sorts of content from the game this weekend.

7. It snowed in my hometown on Halloween. A few thoughts and observations about that: A) My children still trick-or-treated for two hours; B) Dad found ways to stay warm; and C) Might be time to move.

8. The Urban Meyer-to-USC rumors are unsurprising and still fascinating. The former Florida and Ohio State coach could very well become the first head coach in college football to make more than $10 million per season. But will he leave his television gig? He's quite good at it, but maybe the USC job is intriguing enough to come out of retirement again? Or Florida State? At this point, it's hard to say. But the story will consume the sport in the weeks to follow.

9. The season-ending ACL injury to Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State's star junior wideout, is such a bummer. Over the past two seasons, few offensive players have been more impactful. Just a massive loss for the Pokes.

10. In July, former Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen died at age 38. The QB, known in college as the Hefty Lefty, struggled with obesity during and after football—the root cause of his passing. Last week, I wrote a story on Lorenzen, his life, his death and his legacy. Quite honestly, I don't think I'll ever forget this one. The heartbreak of having to write about a life gone too soon and the love that so many had for him was truly challenging. These types of stories stay with you when you write them and long after. But they are also why I do what I do. It was a privilege to report and publish.

         

Adam Kramer covers college football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @KegsnEggs.