NCAAF 2023 - WEEK ZERO

[Mister TV]

Michigan has "suspended" Jim Harbaugh for three games, I'm confused why they wouldn't go with four since their fourth game is against Rutgers. Also, my word is Michigan's schedule a joke.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38234403/sources-michigan-self-imposes-3-game-jim-harbaugh-ban

[Brian Fowler]

1 hour ago, Mister TV said:

Also, my word is Michigan's schedule a joke.

Last year and this year have had particularly underwhelming non-conference games.

Next year steps up a fair amount by having Texas come to Ann Arbor and Michigan goes to Austin in 2027 (it was supposed to be the other way around, but Michigan agreed to flip them which was a key move in getting Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC next year instead of having to wait through the end of the TV deal. That way the 2024 game will still be on Fox.

[Brian Fowler]

Oh and they have a home and home with Oklahoma the two years in between the two Texas games.

[Brian Fowler]

On 4/17/2023 at 5:28 PM, Brian Fowler said:

Honestly, who was the last true freshmen to win the starting QB job at a major program?

Well we apparently have a new answer to this question, at least if you consider Arizona State a major program. Jaden Rashada is the expected starter.

[Brian Fowler]

I'm thinking a lot of the Heisman and Caleb Williams. On one hand, he has everything in place to repeat, playing for one of the greatest offensive coaches in recent history, we know he's going to get to throw the ball all over the place, etc.

But I also think it's pretty clear the only way somebody is going to join the Archie Griffin club is by having a significantly better follow up season to their first win. Nobody has gotten all that close in the twenty or so years we've seen a lot of winners returning for show which is somewhat ironic given that Griffin rushed for almost 250 less yards, 1.1 less yards per carry, and 8 less touchdowns in his second Heisman campaign.

Which we know QB is most likely where we'll find our winner, so maybe Drake Maye?

[Hail Sabin]

Don't Sleep on Jordan Travis. 

[EVA]

IT SURE WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD A WEEK ZERO THREAD TO DISCUSS ALL THIS BAWL.

[EVA]

To really answer Brian’s question now:

I think Drake Maye is gonna put up big numbers, but I don’t think UNC is gonna be good enough to have him in the conversation. Rest of the team is very mediocre, and I don’t see them getting to the conference championship in the new, division-less ACC. Not a Pickett/Pitt situation developing, I don’t think.

I definitely think Jordan Travis at FSU is the most likely candidate out of the ACC.

I think Marvin Harrison Jr is set up well to be a serious contender. Very similar to Devonta Smith in 2020, in the sense that if he’s just as productive, or even better, with a 1st year stater at QB, he’s going to overcome the QB bias and get a lot more of the credit himself.

Obviously, if JJ McCarthy shows significant improvement and Carson Beck outperforms Stetson Bennett, both of those guys could get the “QB on the best team” run if Michigan and Georgia play up to expectations.

I don’t think Blake Corum is going to make a serious run at it this year for a couple different reasons.

If Notre Dame is back in playoff contention, Sam Hartman is going to be a big factor in that story, so he’ll very naturally be in the Heisman convo. It’s basically been 20 years since ND has had a legit top-tier QB, and I don’t know if we really remember what it was like when ND had an all-caps GUY at QB. The media will go nuts.

Edited August 23, 2023 by EVA

[EVA]

THANK YOU FOR THE BAWL THREAD @RIPPA

[Brian Fowler]

I think Edwards is going to get too many carries for Corum to have another real shot at the Heisman this year. If he hadn't gotten hurt last year, he might've done it (it's impossible to say things would've gone the same way with him, etc etc, but there's at least the possibility that it would've been him throwing that jump pass and making at least one of those huge late runs against the Buckeyes, which would've certainly been Heisman moments, etc.)

But I think Michigan probably throws it a bit more often this year, and if both backs are healthy it's hard to see either getting enough touches to make a serious run at the trophy.

I also don't think Michigan has any chance at the O-line award this year just on principle of not giving it to the same school three straight years. Even though Michigan might have the most experienced top six lineman any school has ever had in NCAA history.

[EVA]

Those are my exact reasons. He’ll probably be great again but just won’t get the volume of carries needed to have Heisman numbers.

Edited August 23, 2023 by EVA

[Brian Fowler]

Anyway, let's get some football baby!

Not a lot real interesting for week zero, but I am looking forward to Utah/Florida on the 31st. The loss in the swamp last year put the Utes pretty much out of the playoff race from day one, and they need to prove they can beat a mid level SEC team ahead of trying to win the PAC on the way out. Utah should win, but we'll see.

And we obviously have LSU/FSU looming in week one.

[Brian Fowler]

Adding either Stanford, Cal, and SMU, just Stanford and Cal, just SMU, or none is back on the table in the ACC. Currently it's said Stanford and Cal would each only get about 30% of a Tier 1 share (a little over 7 million) and SMU still nothing. They are discussion how to split up the rest of the extra money it will bring in (a tier one share is believed to be about $24 million, so if they took all three at reported rates, it would be a decent chunk of change.)

Exactly who you expect want it to be split based on success, especially football success as opposed to evenly.

[EVA]

This Week 0 line-up is definitely a For Sickos Only affair, but god as my witness, I am that sicko.

UMass/New Mexico State in PRIMETIME on *THE* ESPN is absolutely wild, and I’ve gotta watch at least a quarter of it to be part of sicko history.

It also seems very fitting of the Last Days of the PAC-12 that they could have this Saturday all to themselves as a showcase for their Heisman candidate and potential CFP contender, but instead the game is stuck on the P12 Network no one gets.

I also think Notre Dame vs. Navy could be a bit closer than the 20-point spread suggests. As we saw in last year’s Dublin game, this can be a tricky trip to navigate and have your team prepared for to start the year, as Northwestern got their one and only win of the season, in part, by being better prepared than Nebraska. When I think “being prepared,” I like to think of a team like Navy. But if Sam Hartman really is the key to unlocking ND’s offense after all these years, it very well could be over by halftime.

[Brian Fowler]

"Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will coach against East Carolina, safeties coach/special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh (Jim's son) will coach the first half vs. UNLV, running backs coach/run game coordinator Mike Hart will coach the second half vs. UNLV and offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore will coach against Bowling Green."

 

Okay then

[Tabe]

27 minutes ago, Brian Fowler said:

"Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will coach against East Carolina, safeties coach/special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh (Jim's son) will coach the first half vs. UNLV, running backs coach/run game coordinator Mike Hart will coach the second half vs. UNLV and offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore will coach against Bowling Green."

 

Okay then

And Jack Harbaugh (Jim's dad) will be one of two assistant head coaches for all three games. 

[Brian Fowler]

1 minute ago, Tabe said:

And Jack Harbaugh (Jim's dad) will be one of two assistant head coaches for all three games. 

I believe the other one, the S&T coach, will be the Associate Head Coach while Jack will be the Assistant Head Coach.

 

Again I say... Okay then

[EVA]

I mean, it won’t matter at all, but that’s an absolutely insane system. Biff Poggi never woulda let that shit fly.

[Brian Fowler]

3 hours ago, EVA said:

I mean, it won’t matter at all, but that’s an absolutely insane system. Biff Poggi never woulda let that shit fly.

Yeah I would be much less happy if there was a team with a pulse on the schedule during this. Instead it's just kinda a half chuckle head shake.

[Log]

13 hours ago, Tabe said:

And Jack Harbaugh (Jim's dad) will be one of two assistant head coaches for all three games. 

That's like a reverse nepo baby. Nepo daddy?

(Yes, I know Jack was successful himself, just making a joke)

[Tabe]

9 hours ago, Brian Fowler said:

Yeah I would be much less happy if there was a team with a pulse on the schedule during this. Instead it's just kinda a half chuckle head shake.

Yeah, they could probably go 3-0 in this stretch with the players running the show. 

[Kuetsar]

I imagine Jim Harbaugh is going to be screaming in their earpiece like Vince. . . .

[Chaos]

3 hours ago, Tabe said:

Yeah, they could probably go 3-0 in this stretch with the players running the show. 

This just seems to be the norm with these suspensions. Even if you look at Ohio State during the Urban suspension, I believe there was one questionable game on that schedule, and that's kind of how we got to Ryan Day running the show today. 

[Brian Fowler]

Having three different writers at The Athletic pick Michigan as national champs actually makes me more nervous. (All the optimism around the Lions adds to this, btw.)

The last time Michigan entered a season riding anything close to this much hype was 2007 and those wounds have not healed.

[EVA]

Michigan needs to show some life in the passing game before I can pick them for the championship, but they’ve clearly surpassed Ohio State as #1 in the B1G, and if you’re inclined to think it’s unlikely that Georgia 3-peats…Michigan is the clearest, safest choice.
 

Conversely, this is the first year in a long while (ever?) that I see a lot of media leaving Alabama out of their CFP projections. Historically, when people start projecting that the Bama run is over, that’s the precise moment Saban gets their ass.