We’ve finally made it, everyone! Week nine of this college football season is in the books and the College Football Playoff committee have convened for the first time, our annual reminder Condoleeza Rice has a cruical role in shaping college football. And topping the inaugural 2017 CFP rankings are none other than the Geo-hrk. The Geo-whrrrgrbl. The Geo-urghhhhh I can’t take this let’s move on to the far superior rankings

Duff’d It! Rankings, Week 9

5. Penn State. JT Barrett heard all the terrible things you said about him. Yes, even you, Michael. He heard you talking about how he’s overrated and how Ohio State keeps winning in spite of him, and he said, “fine, I’ll beat Penn State all by myself while looking as nondescript as possible. You’ll all see!”

Meanwhile, James Franklin and Penn State had to travel through Akron on the way to Columbus. Gonna guess they took an alternate route back.

4. Wazzu. I think I’ve finally figured out what a pirate’s worst enemy is – it’s Khalil Tate! He’s darting all over the place, scoring touchdowns, stealing your treasure, and leaving you to die in the desert. Pirates hate the desert! There’s no water to sail on, and drinking rum will just dehydrate you and make you die quicker.

3. Michigan State. On the one hand, Spartans, you lost to Northwestern in triple overtime, making Medill graduate and brand robot Darren Rovell happy; on the other, at least your L was against a football team and not $130 worth of fast food.

2. TCU. You don’t just walk into Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa and expect a win. Not anymore; after taking down OU in Norman, the Cyclones have been out for blood, and the last thing you want to see on the horizon is a bloodthirsty Cyclone, especially when that Cyclone is coached by a literal god.

1. Florida. When you travel to Jacksonville, it’s almost a guarantee it’ll take something from you. Fortunately for the Gators, it seems like they were already angling to get rid of their coach, so when the piper came calling they took one last look at Jim McElwain and tossed him into St. John’s River. Nothing left for the Gators now but to quietly finish a disappointing season with an unknown interim coach – OH DANG IT’S RANDY SHANNON Y’ALL TIME TO RENT THE PARTY BOAT

Honorable mention: Tennessee. After Saturday’s defeat to Kentucky, Butch Jones has lost what feels like his fifth “must-win” game of the season, which just goes to show that if every game is a must-win, none of them are.

Georgia Tech lost to this team and I’m still mad about it.

SEC Conference Plays of the Week

Several calls late in the UNC-Miami game might have led you to wonder if the officials had it in for the Heels. But just look at that block. That was early in the game. They weren’t being subtle about it at all!

That’s Arkansas, once again illustrating the best kind of trick play: the one that tricks yourself.

There ain’t no such thing as a free ride in the real world…. but this is the NCAA, and so Rashaad Penny can’t charge for any jersey sled rides.

Employee of the Month of the Week

Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

John Wolford, QB, Wake Forest

You can keep telling yourself Lamar Jackson is always the best player on whatever field he’s on, but that doesn’t make it true, and it wasn’t Saturday when Jackson and his supporting cast lost to Wake Forest. John Wolford’s is much better, and that helped him spread the love and earn the Deacons the victory, with 28 completed passes (with just 6 misses) for 461 yards and five touchdowns, and another touchdown and 14 yards on four carries. That’ll earn you an EotMotW award, even if that pesky Khalil Tate is trying his best to win all of them.

Another week, another hype trailer released. This time, the creative minds at Ohio State gave us a refresher of Saturday’s big win against Penn State.

Highlights of fans storming onto the field, as well as the locker room speech from coach Mick Marotti on how the team will prevail against the Nittany Lions made the final cut for the trailer.

Additionally, this week’s trailer focused on the game-changing plays against PSU. Denzel Ward’s blocked punt, J.T. Barrett’s touchdown passes in the closing minutes of the game, and Sam Hubbard’s double tackle of Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley and running back Saquon Barkley were shown, before the phrase “This is Ohio State” splashes onto the screen in-between more highlight clips.

Ohio State takes on Iowa at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

When the Oklahoma Sooners throw down against the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday, two of the nation’s premier passing attacks will be on full display. These passing attacks are each manned by prolific veteran quarterbacks and feature formidable weapons at the skill positions. Stopping either of these units is nearly impossible, but containing them will be the key to victory. So how can the Sooners go about limiting the Cowboys’ aerial assault?

For starters, Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph owns nearly every major school passing record and currently leads the nation in total passing yards. That being said, a couple of teams have already provided the blueprint on how to limit his effectiveness.

Against TCU, Rudolph struggled going through his progressions if his first target was not open. Part of this was how well the Horned Frogs’ secondary was covering, but the other essential factor to this was the pressure TCU’s defensive front was able to get against OSU’s weak and depleted offensive line, as seen here:

If Oklahoma’s front seven can apply consistent pressure either on the edges or up the middle, giving Mason little time to go through his reads, the Cowboys should have a difficult time creating big plays in the passing game. It’ll be easier said than done this time around, as that offensive line is in much better shape health-wise than it was at that point.

In the game against Texas, Rudolph’s completion percentage was 12 percent higher than it was against TCU, but his 7.4 yards per attempt was the lowest it’s been all season. This is primarily because Rudolph opted for the shorter passing routes over the deep bombs that typically define the Cowboys’ offense. Oklahoma State wants to throw it down the field often, but this strategy is rendered quite ineffective if that part of their game is suppressed.

Now, it’s been one of the more discussed concerns among Sooner fans, so I won’t pile on too much, but the defense needs to put together a more complete game across the board. If OU isn’t going to position its corners at the line, then they cannot let OSU’s receivers get behind them. Stout coverage is the obvious key, but underneath tackling can make all the difference.

Speaking of receivers, there was talk about how deep and talented the Cowboys’ receiving unit is all off-season, and by all accounts they have backed up those claims with some tremendous performances. Take the Pitt game for an example of what they’re capable of:

Headlined by the big-play threat wearing 28, James Washington is really an all-around great receiver. He has excellent control of his body and his top-end speed in the open field is highlight material. The Cowboys also feature the big bodied Marcell Ateman, who uses his size to snatch the ball over the top of defenders and is a difficult matchup for undersized corners. The quick and agile Jalen McClesky is heavily used in the slot but does appear on the outside as well. Tackling McClesky is easier said than done, but it will be crucial. Finally, Dillon Stoner is young but has a knack for getting open and uses his hands well like a seasoned vet. Defending this bunch is a tall task, but the Sooners mustn’t be passive in their defensive approach. OU has to be smart, yet aggressive.

Against Texas Tech, Oklahoma switched from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense after the first quarter and saw results almost immediately. Utilizing a four-man front will be something the Sooners should go to once again this weekend because the increased front helps stymie the opposing run game. OSU will want to establish the run to open up the passing attack. If OU can dictate the game defensively by forcing Oklahoma State to shy away from the run, this should help the defensive backs in a big way, especially on longer conversion attempts.

Lastly, many times a good offense can be the best defense. In this case, the best kind of offense for the Sooners could be the kind that drains clock in bunches. TCU nearly doubled its time of possession against Oklahoma State, which not only kept OSU’s offense on the sideline, it also kept Mason Rudolph and company out of rhythm. It is highly conceivable for this Oklahoma team to execute such a game plan. Combining OU’s deep and powerful offensive line with its plethora of capable running backs should go a long way towards containing the offensive counterparts.

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Isaiah Oliver might be too good to stay in Boulder.

The Colorado Buffaloes junior cornerback has been rising up draft boards and he’s now projected as a first round pick by Pro Football Focus. PFF, which uses a blend of advanced stats and experience scouting to measure draft prospects, has Oliver going 22nd overall to the Cleveland Browns in their 2018 mock draft.

On Oliver, PFF writes:

There is still work to be done on the defensive side of the ball in Cleveland and Oliver’s size and athleticism will be coveted at draft time. He has excellent balls skills, leading to 21 pass breakups on only 134 career targets and he’s only allowed 44.8 percent of his targets to be completed in his two-plus years of action.

In this mock draft, Oliver is the 3rd highest defensive back. He’s behind only Florida State safety Derwin James (2nd) and Alabama cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick (17th). Cornerbacks Joshua Jackson of Iowa (24th) and Denzel Ward of Ohio State (32nd) both show up at the end of the mock.

Rumor has it that Oliver is ranked 21st on Mel Kiper’s Big Board, but I’m not boujee enough to verify.

As you may recall from a Ralphie Report preseason article titled “Isaiah Oliver will be a star in 2017,” Oliver is an athletic freak with great size at the position, and he’s able to leverage his physical traits with polished skill and a high football IQ. Thanks to his elite coverage ability and his ball skills, opposing quarterbacks have practically avoided throwing to Oliver’s half of the field.

You can see why NFL teams are paying attention to him in this video, where he shuts down Colorado State receiver Michael Gallup, who’s projected to be drafted 21st overall in the NFL Draft:

Let’s not forget to include what could be Oliver’s signature play:

As incredible as Oliver is, the Buffs just need him to get healthy from an injury he suffered against Washington State. He’s expected to be 100% against Arizona State and Colorado needs him to play like a first round prospect if they’re going to clinch bowl eligibility in a tough environment on Saturday night.

Little has gone right for Iowa this season.

The 5-3 Hawkeyes are fourth in the Big Ten West and have already dropped three conference matchups. They had a chance to make an early statement against Penn State in Week 4, but lost on the final play. Since then, the floodgates have opened up.

Three years after appearing in the Big Ten title game, Iowa’s now in danger of missing postseason action entirely.

But for all that’s gone wrong, it’s star running back Akrum Wadley that continues to be the Hawkeyes consummate bright spot.

The senior out of New Jersey is coming off a breakout year that saw him compile nearly 1,400 total yards of offense and 13 touchdowns. While he probably won’t surpass those numbers at his current pace, that says more about the team than it does of his abilities.

Take a look at how Wadley’s fared thus far.

The production of a year ago may not be there, but Wadley’s impact is still felt.

Iowa’s offensive line hasn’t been able to get a consistent push this season. They’re routinely beat off the ball and it’s affected their standout tailback’s play. It’s why he’ll likely set a career-high in receiving yardage in his final go ‘round in college.

Regardless, Wadley’s averaged a solid four yards per carry, has found the end zone almost 10 times, and comes up big when Iowa needs him to.

With Penn State in town, Wadley put on a show alongside fellow stud back Saquon Barkley. He racked up 155 yards and a pair of scores, not to mention a jaw-dropping catch-and-run that kept the Hawkeyes in the game.

Part of what makes No. 25 so special is his versatility.

Similarly to Barkley, Wadley can be the workhorse or he can split out of the backfield as a receiver. His size and innate ability to make something out of nothing are why he’s indispensable in Iowa City.

And Wadley proved as much during his best outing of the year to date, courtesy of in-state rival Iowa State.

Not only did Wadley turn into a video game single-handedly tie things up in the waning moments, he literally ran over or around half of Iowa State’s defense.

This has been the theme throughout Iowa’s up-and-down season.

Wadley can’t always rescue the Hawkeyes, and that’s the main problem. They’re just not a well-rounded group and a porous offensive line doesn’t do them any favors.

So count on Wadley making more plays on Saturday. It’s what he does and it’s what he’ll continue to do.

How much will he impact the final score? That’s a different story.

Previous editions: April, May, June, July, August, September, October

Welcome to the eighth edition of the column I like to call “The Freshman 15”. If you’re a first time reader, this will be a focus on the rankings and the order of the top 15 recruits the coaching staff are pursuing. At this time, players without offers will not be considered for the board. How do we rank the players, you ask?

Well, the order will be based mainly on:

• How likely a recruit is to commit to Miami at the time
• Skill level
• Miami’s need at their position

This column will be updated throughout the cycle each month and will show movement up or down for each recruit as the list is updated, ie. who is starting to become more/less important and prioritized by the staff.

Delving into the board, you can start to see the coaching staff honing in on a few key position groups: defensive end, defensive tackle, cornerback, and fullback. The Canes will look to add one player from each group, and maybe more when it comes to the D-Line.

Let’s get into the board for the month of November.

1. Tyson Campbell, CB, Fort Lauderdale, FL (American Heritage) (Last Month: 1)

Ht 6-2 | Wt 180 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #23 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Campbell is a corner that plays just down the road at American Heritage, where his former head coach was current Canes CB coach Mike Rumph. He sports outstanding speed and length, along with incredible ball skills. Miami has been loading up on DB’s in this class, but is still making Campbell a priority. His status as a national top 25 player, high interest in Miami, and relationship with coach Rumph land him as the #1 player on this board.

In The Mix: Campbell lists his favorites as Miami, Ohio State, Alabama, and Georgia. One of Clemson, LSU, Florida, and Florida State are on the outside looking to break into Campbell’s top 5.

Latest: Campbell was on campus back in October with a few other recruits taking in a Miami practice, while Rumph and coach Kool stopped in at Heritage to see Campbell a few weeks ago and keep the pressure on. Campbell is chopping down his list to a top 5 sometime soon and has already said the Hurricanes will make that cut, along with Alabama, Ohio State, and Georgia. Campbell’s top 5 will all get official visits, which will be taken after the season to focus on his senior year. He says his decision will come down to whether he wants to play at home in front of his family, or if he feels it will be better to get away from South Florida for college. So, really, it seems to be between Miami and his preferred out of state school. That decision would likely be made at the Army All-American game in January.

2. Dennis Briggs, DT, Kissimmee, FL (Gateway) (Last Month: 2)

Ht 6-4 | Wt 255 | 247 Composite: 3-Star, #448 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Briggs is another talented prospect who has seen his recruiting stock soar as of late and it is still on the rise. He offers a great motor and his speed and athleticism will likely be amplified when he is inevitably moved inside to play tackle in college. After missing out on Rick Sandidge and Keondre Coburn, Briggs becomes much more important to the class.

In The Mix: Briggs’ has a top 6 of Miami, FSU, UF, Tennessee, Oregon, and Georgia.

Latest: Briggs says he will official to Miami, FSU, Tennessee, Oregon, and Georgia. Despite that, Florida remains still involved as he’s taken multiple unofficial visits to Gainesville and the Gators cannot be counted out. It will be interesting to see how the firing of Jim McElwain effects his recruitment. Being from the area, Briggs came out to watch Miami’s practices in Orlando when they were displaced from Hurricane Irma, a very good sign for the Canes. Heading into his visits, Briggs says UM is in his top 2, but does not name the other program tied with Miami. Briggs took an unofficial visit to FSU for their loss against NC State in September, while he set his first official to Tennessee for the weekend of December 8th.

3. Trevor Trout, DT, Saint Louis, MO (Chaminade) (Last Month: 3)

Ht 6-3 | Wt 315 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #186 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Trout is a stalwart in the middle of the defense who is at his best when he is taking on double teams and funneling runs to the linebackers. With a pretty quick first step for a big man, once Trout establishes a gap, he can be almost impossible to move. He is proficient at collapsing a pocket from the inside and opening up pass rushing lanes for his teammates.

In The Mix: Trout has a top 4 of Miami, Alabama, USC, and UCLA.

Latest: Trout is officially leaving home for college, as he surprisingly eliminated hometown favorite Missouri, as well as Georgia, from his list this past weekend. Trout now has a top 4 that includes UM, Bama, USC, and UCLA. Trout took his first official visit to UCLA in September, taking in the Bruins’ win over Colorado, and loved it. His second official will be to USC for the UCLA game on November 18th weekend. Trout’s final 2 official visits to Miami and Bama are still being planned and he anticipates making a decision on Signing Day. Coach Kool has done great work here to keep Miami around this long for an out-of-state kid who everyone in the country wants. If the official visit goes well and Miami keeps winning on the field, this could end up being one of the best pulls of the class.

4. Marcus “Tank” Jenkins, OG, Montgomery, AL (Park Crossing) (Last Month: 6)

Ht 6-4 | Wt 325 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #287 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Jenkins is a classic power guard sporting a large, compact frame. His strength comes from a low center of gravity with adequate hip bend. Jenkins shows a little bit of get-up for his size and pulls across a formation with authority. Jenkins has set an official with Miami and looks to be the new priority on the O-Line with William Barnes out of the picture.

In The Mix: Auburn, Louisville, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Miami make up Jenkins’ top 5.

Latest: Jenkins could really end up anywhere in his top 5 and it wouldn’t be a shock. He just went to Louisville on an unofficial last month and loved the campus. Jenkins has visited Auburn unofficially about 10 times by his own estimation and the Tigers are the local favorite. He’s also unofficially visited Missouri, back in the summer, and one of his teammates recently committed there. That leaves Miami and Oklahoma as the two favorites that Jenkins has never seen. He’ll change that this weekend, when he plans to be on campus in Coral Gables for an official to watch the Canes take on Virginia Tech. Obviously, this visit will make or break his UM recruitment, so stay tuned to see how that goes.

5. Patrick Joyner, LB, Homestead, FL (South Dade) (Last Month: 4)

Ht 6-2 | Wt 205 | 247 Composite: 3-Star, #894 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Joyner takes sharp, direct angles to the ball-carrier, and he throws his body around against bigger opponents with little fear. Joyner is comfortable with his hand on the ground at the line or standing up and blitzing from a linebacker spot. He has the timing, quick feet and tight hips to make the turn and get into the backfield coming off the edge. While some schools are looking at Joyner as a DE, the defensive staff at Miami sees him as a linebacker, and he’s probably now the only LB on their board.

In The Mix: Joyner is committed to FSU, but still has Miami, Florida, Auburn, and FIU in his picture.

Latest: Joyner took his official to FSU a few weeks ago for the Noles’ loss against Louisville and claimed it helped to solidify him, yet still continues to flirt with the Canes. He said in an interview that Miami’s win over the Noles moved UM up a bit in his mind and showed they were ready to make the next step. He’s been pretty impressed with the Canes’ undefeated season so far and plans to take his Hurricanes’ official visit in mid-December. The Canes really need to get him to flip, otherwise they’ll need to evaluate and send out an offer to a late bloomer at LB. I think it’d be a mistake to completely pass on the position this cycle.

6. Davoan Hawkins, DT, Hollywood, FL (Chaminade-Madonna Prep) (Last Month: 5)

Ht 6-4 | Wt 270 | 247 Composite: 3-Star, #783 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Hawkins can overwhelm blockers with pure strength and explosiveness when his feet are right. He is strong enough in his lower half to play through contact and cause stress in the pocket. Hawkins shows quick, strong hands in pass rush situations and is able to attack the edge with technique. Like Briggs, Hawkins is a jumbo defensive end prospect that Miami would likely move inside to tackle.

In The Mix: The Kentucky commit is only considering one other program: Miami.

Latest: Like Joyner, Hawkins is a prospect committed to another school that has taken notice of Miami’s undefeated season this year, and especially their win over FSU. The Wildcats aren’t going to give up Hawkins without a fight though, and sent offensive coordinator Eddie Gran to visit Hawkins’ high school last month. Hawkins says UM is slightly behind Kentucky as of now and his official visits will decide where he ends up. Miami’s official is unscheduled at this point, but he will be at UK for an official during the weekend of December 15th.

7. Jayson Oweh, DE, Blairstown, NJ (Blair Academy) (Last Month: NR)

Ht 6-5 | Wt 236 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, 160 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Oweh has only been playing organized football for a season, and college coaches love someone that is a blank slate and doesn’t have learned bad habits. Oweh displays great length and quickness to frequently disrupt the flow of plays. He’s still growing and gaining muscle, but has tools to blossom into an end that can set the edge in the run game. Oweh has quality bend when rushing into the backfield. With Ronnie Perkins off the board to Oklahoma, Oweh looks to be the new top target at DE.

In The Mix: Oweh has a top 6 of Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Miami, UF, and Notre Dame.

Latest: Oweh has been a bit of a late bloomer since he is so new to football, but Miami coaches have loved his senior film so far and sent him an offer 2 weeks ago. Oweh’s gotten a lot of late interest (Michigan offered around the same time as the Canes), so his list has been constantly changing, but two big schools that have been with him for awhile now are OSU and PSU, and he considers them his leaders. Still, Miami has a chance to make up ground when Oweh visits Coral Gables on an official visit in mid-December. He officially visited OSU back in September, and will officially visit PSU and Michigan in November. UF and Notre Dame are battling for his last official visit. Oweh plans to commit at the Under Armour game in January.

8. Chris Collins, DE, Richmond, VA (Benedictine) (Last Month: NR)

Ht 6-5 | Wt 215 | 247 Composite: 3-Star, 499 Overall

Behind The Ranking: At first glance, Collins looks extremely athletic; he may actually remind you of UM DE commit Gregory Rousseau, with the two sporting similar length and wiry frames. Collins has range as tackler and can run sideline-to-sideline well, while also being fluid when asked to drop into space. He shows the appropriate foot quickness to shoot gaps and demonstrates exceptional flexibility in his hips to help him get around the edge.

In The Mix: Collins is committed to UNC and is only considering a flip to Miami.

Latest: UM actually was in on Collins early in the cycle, but contact had dropped off since the spring. Coach Kool decided to ramp up his interest in the Virginia defensive end, however, and Collins has been accepting of the overtures; he plans on setting up a UM official visit sometime in December. He’ll also officially visit UNC in December and is planning to be an early signee, so we’ll get a final decision from Collins either way next month.

9. Jared Goldwire, DT, Fort Scott, KS (Fort Scott C.C.) (Last Month: 7)

Ht 6-5 | Wt 295 | 247 Composite: 3-Star, N/A Overall

Behind The Ranking: Goldwire is a Washington native that signed with UTEP out of high school and has developed his game in JUCO to the point where he is thought of as an instant impact player in the middle of a defense. He has a powerful, college-ready frame with thick lower half and evenly displaced weight throughout. Goldwire pops opponents with a good initial punch that can push back linemen, and also shows surprising quickness at times for his size.

In The Mix: Goldwire is a Louisville commit but is still considering Miami.

Latest: Goldwire committed to Louisville back in June, but has still kept in contact with Canes coaches and there is mutual interest abound. He is planning an official visit to Coral Gables for a game weekend in the near future and is looking for a great business school and coaching that can get him to the NFL. Fortunately for UM, they have one of the top business schools in the country and coach Kool is one of the best in the game at developing his defensive linemen for the NFL. Obviously, as JUCO player with limited eligibility, Goldwire wants to go somewhere he can play right away. That might hurt the Canes due to their D-Line depth, but if RJ McIntosh leaves early for the pros, this recruitment will get more interesting.

10. Nigel Bethel, CB, Miami, FL (Northwestern) (Last Month: 8)

Ht 6-0 | Wt 165 | 247 Composite: 3-Star, #1353 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Originally a track standout, Bethel’s 4.3 speed has translated nicely to the football field. He shows necessary hip flip and foot quickness to recover from mistakes in press coverage. Bethel features closing burst and takes playmaking angles to the throw. While he’s still learning the finer points of the corner position, it’s clear Bethel has incredible upside if coached up right.

In The Mix: Bethel previously named a final 3 of Miami, Georgia, and UF, but it seems Louisville is now involved.

Latest: Bethel hasn’t given an interview since the summer and has been mum on when and where he’s going to be taking his officials. This is another Miami target that will be significantly effected by Jim McElwain’s firing, but what it actually means for the future of Bethel’s recruitment is unclear. However, Bethel has been tweeting out pro-Louisville posts recently, and the Cardinals look to be involved here now. It’s unknown if Bethel is a true take for the staff with Campbell still on the board at CB, and being a “Plan B” could cause the Canes to lose this talent from their backyard.

11. Jordan Davis, DT, Charlotte, NC (Mallard Creek) (Last Month: 9)

Ht 6-6 | Wt 320 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #312 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Davis has massive size with long arms. He initiates well at the point of attack and drives offensive lineman back consistently. Davis has shown the ability to beat double teams, while still playing with disciplined gap integrity.

In The Mix: Davis has an open list at this point, naming North Carolina, N.C. State, Michigan, Georgia, Miami, South Carolina, and Florida State as those pursuing him the hardest.

Latest: Davis has kept a pretty low profile and is another that hasn’t been interviewed since the summer. However, he is close to narrowing down his options to 5 official visits. And, of those potential visits, Davis claims to want to see Miami and Michigan the most. So, as of now, we feel pretty comfortable saying Miami will get an official, but there is still a long way to go to get Davis’ signature.

12. Devonta Jason, WR, New Orleans, LA (Landry-Walker) (Last Month: 12)

Ht 6-3 | Wt 190 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #111 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Jason has great body control in mid-air to be able contort for difficult catches. He has the prototypical frame of a #1 receiver with great hands that don’t drop much. Elite straight-line speed allows Jason to blow the top off a defense.

In The Mix: While still being committed to Kansas, Jason has a named top 7 including Kansas, Miami, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tennessee, and WVU.

Latest: Jason has been committed to Kansas since February, but is still being pushed to flip by everyone in his top 7. Of those, he says LSU is the school gunning for him the hardest. Jason hasn’t bothered to shut down the rumors of his eventual flip to LSU, instead wearing Tigers gloves during his most recent game. It sure seems like he’s stirring the pot just for attention, which is not a good sign for him ending up at Miami knowing coach Mark Richt. Jason is one of two players on this board (Davis being the other) that hasn’t explicitly tried to nail down plans for an official visit with this staff, and if that talk doesn’t happen soon, it’ll implicitly tell us he’s not really interested in UM.

13. Kayode Oladele, DE, Hialeah, FL (Champagnat Catholic) (Last Month: NR)

Ht 6-4 | Wt 235 | 247 Composite: 3-Star, #382 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Oladele plays hard, he is violent, his hands stay active, and he has speed to the ball. He can improve his pad level, and work leverage more, but you always see his hands flying around, you always see him working to get to the ball, and when he gets that window, he closes in a blur. As a Nigerian native that is new to football, Oladele is the type of raw athlete that Coach Kul has had success with many times in the past.

In The Mix: UM, Auburn, FSU, and Florida are the main programs involved with Oladele.

Latest: After originally being told the Canes did not have room for another defensive end in the class, Oladele was surprised to hear from Miami 2 months later asking if he was still interested. As it turns out, his love for Miami hasn’t died, and Oladele attended the Georgia Tech game as an invited recruit. As the once-leaders in this recruitment, the Canes have some making up to do here after the slight, and are now playing catch-up to Auburn and FSU. Also, his official visits have yet to be ironed out. If Miami truly makes an all-out push here, there’s a very good chance he ends up in the orange and green.

14. Abraham Alce, FB, Immokalee, FL (Immokalee) (Last Month: 15)

Ht 6-0 | Wt 230 | 247 Composite: 3-Star, #1232 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Alce is a physical, downhill runner that also doubles at inside linebacker for Heritage. Alce shows aggression on tape and has experience as a jack-of-all-trades ball carrier, pass catcher, pass protector, and lead blocker.

In The Mix: Alce is high on Miami, USF, Kentucky, Boston College, and Wisconsin at this stage.

Latest: After previously listing Wisconsin as his frontrunner, the Canes have made up ground here and are now co-leaders with the Badgers for Alce. He really enjoyed his experience in the UM recruiting section for the Toledo game and the staff made him feel wanted. While Alce hasn’t formally set any official visit dates, UM will get one at some point. He’ll have to speed up his process, though; Alce is graduating early and will have to make his decision by December, and the Canes are now pursuing another fullback target as well.

15. Realus George, FB, Atlanta, GA (Pace Academy) (Last Month: NR)

Ht 6-2 | Wt 245 | 247 Composite: 3-Star, #1368 Overall

Behind The Ranking: George accelerates and explodes into contact as a blocker. He does what all great fullbacks do: takes a crease and makes it a lane. George is adept at reading a defense and chooses his targets carefully. Once George locks onto a defender, they don’t have much hope of re-entering the play.

In The Mix: Colorado State, Navy, and Memphis are others besides Miami that are involved with George.

Latest: The Canes offered George last week, and have immediately shot to the top of his list. He’ll be visiting UM unofficially for the Notre Dame game in 2 weeks, and indicates he’ll return for an official in December or January. In terms of other official visits, George has been to Colorado State, and will visit Navy this weekend. However, as long as he commits before Alce, we see no reason that George is not a part of this class.

Falling Off

10. DT Tyler Friday: Things could pick back up with him later, but Friday feels to be staying up north as of now.

11. DE Ronnie Perkins: Committed to Oklahoma on his official visit to Norman last weekend.

13. OT Nicholas Petit-Frere: While Miami sets up more and more official visits with other prospects, Petit-Frere has been quiet. Too quiet. He’s got the talent, but there’s just too much unknown with his recruitment and, regardless, he’s a longshot.

14. OT Daniel Faalele: Behind the scenes sources are indicating Miami is no longer pursuing Faalele.

Corn Nation staffers took to the streets of Gretna over the past week to survey what Nebraska fans will be wearing for Halloween costumes this season.

The result?

Out of 345 interviewees*, not a single person would admit their willingness to dress up as a Husker football player this year. This is down quite significantly from every other year Corn Nation has done this sort of polling, and we mean to tell you, we’ve been doing this sort of thing for years.

A quick survey done by driving through neighborhoods in and around Omaha observed only a smattering of carved pumpkins done with a design of anything related to Cornhusker sports.

A call to Crazy Carl’s Costume House at the Outlet Mall found a surprising number of requests for “moose outfits”, even though the employee we spoke to at Carl’s, Larry Benson, admitted that they’d had only three or four requests for anything related to moose over the past five years he’d worked there.

“Everyone wants to be a moose. I don’t get it,” said Larry, who admitted he wasn’t much of a Husker fan. Larry said the second most common request was for a “Rick and Morty” combination and he didn’t understand what that was all about either.

“It’s sad that nobody wants to dress up as a Husker football player, though. It’s been one of our most popular outfits throughout the years. All these costumes going to waste.”

Asked what he would do about the unused Husker player outfits, Larry stated, “Probably ship them all to our Milwaukee store. They’re not that much different than Wisconsin outfits, and most of the time those people are too drunk to notice the difference.”

*All lies. We’re certainly too lazy to attempt anything as energetic as this.

Football:

No. 10 TCU vs. Texas: What to know about the Horned Frogs and Longhorns | The Star-Telegram

It doesn’t matter how good or bad the Horns are, this game always means a little more to TCU because of how many kids got passed over by the flagship university of the state. Recently, it’s been all Horned Frogs, though.

Texas leads 62-24-1. TCU has won the last three, one shy of its longest win streak from 1935 to 1938. The teams have been playing since 1897 and played every year from 1927 to 1995, the last season of the Southwest Conference. They played a non-conference game in 2007 in Austin, won 34-13 by Texas. In Big 12 meetings, TCU is 4-1. TCU’s 50-7 victory two years ago in Fort Worth marked its series-high point total. In the last three meetings, TCU has outscored Texas 129-26.

TCU’s Patterson: Blame goes around in Iowa State loss | The Star-Telegram

Sounds like we will have a re-focused TCU team Saturday, including the coaching staff.

“Well, No. 1, everybody’s struggled throwing the football against Iowa State,” Patterson said Monday during the Big 12 coaches conference call with reporters. “Bottom line to it, we need to put him in better situations. You can’t get inside the 5-yard line and — we probably needed to run the football. We turned the ball (over) down there. We didn’t find ways to win. It wasn’t so much Kenny’s deal as everybody’s. I think you can put the load on everybody.”

Iowa State has given up the second-fewest passing yards in the league, trailing only TCU’s league-leading defense. The Cyclones’ 10 interceptions are second-most in the league, tied with Texas and Texas Tech.

Hill entered the game not having thrown an interception in 100 pass attempts covering three games, his best stretch at TCU.

“Kenny’s fine,” Patterson said. “He probably took it as hard as anybody with the loss. It was a very quiet bus ride and plane ride home.”

Herman keeping QB situation under wraps with wicked TCU defense up next | San Antonio Express News

Who will start under center Saturday for UT? Sounds like we might not know until game time.

Herman would love to stick with one quarterback for the remainder of the year beginning with this matchup. He also understands that type of permanence might not be in the cards this season given the glut of injuries not only at quarterback but on the offensive line. Luck is a considerable factor when it comes to continuity, and right now Herman is in desperate need of a rabbit’s foot swathed in four-leaf clovers.

“It has been hard. It’d be foolish of me to say otherwise,” Herman confessed. “I do think there is a rhythm, there is a continuity factor especially in the throw game with the receivers and timing and all of that.

“To say that we’d like one to ride out the next four games, yeah, I think that’s pretty accurate. Now is that realistic? I don’t know. Recent history tells me it’s not. But I think that would be ideal.”

Iowa State climbs into 4-way tie atop Big 12 | USA Today

There is a lot at stake Saturday for TCU, as they have a chance to take sole possession of first place in the conference with a win. Iowa State has a tricky game against WVU and OU and OSU play their annual bedlam game, where a Cowboys’ W could put TCU atop the leaderboard with just three games to play.

That leaves the one-loss Horned Frogs, Sooners and Cowboys desperate to win out and hope for some outside chaos that would open the door for a team from the Big 12 — which missed the playoff a year ago — to nab one of the four coveted postseason spots.

Things should clear up fairly quickly.

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State square off next week in Stillwater in what essentially will be an elimination game for each program’s playoff hopes.

Should the Cowboys survive and then topple Iowa State on the road, they’ll be in a strong position to reach the conference title game. Oklahoma State finishes with Kansas State and Kansas at home.

Bud Elliott and Ingram Smith return with another episode of The Nolecast, the No 1 Florida State Seminoles show. FSU fans have a lot of questions, and we try to provide answers. Listen in the player below the article, or at this direct link.

But first, we discuss ramifications of the Boston College game and Jimbo Fisher’s latest press conference.

Listener questions

Due to time constraints, we do not edit listener questions.

Thinking for the next 2-4 years would you rather keep Jimbo as coach or go after someone like willie Taggart? I like Jimbo but I don’t see him getting the program back on track to compete for a title.

-Was there a fight between the coaches after the Boston College game?

-Did a coach really have to take a commercial flight back the next day?

-Have coaches already told Jimbo they are resigning?

-Which coaches aren’t speaking to each other?

-Did coaches actually walk out during practice?

-How does the Florida situation impact FSU? Timetable? Battling for coaches? Poaching coaches?

-What is the importance of having a football only facility? Is there some quantifiable benefit to having a football only facility or is this just a situation where coaches just want a shiny new toy? What is the possibility we end up losing two of our dynamo assistant coaches (Tino and Addison)? Any possibility we hire them to be full time coaches? Thanks guys keep up the good work.

-Here is a question for your next mailbag. Hypothetically, if Jimbo does jump to another job (Texas A&M), do you really have confidence that the AD can make a good hire? I don’t with how he handled the contract for Jimbo.

-Did Jimbo consciously hire average coaches after big 2012 turnover to ensure continuity?

-With Jimbo Fisher always talking about the college football arms race, do you think it’s wise of him to consider hiring an analytics person to his support staff this offseason? Think this may help him in areas such as better understanding 4th down math. If so, Bud you’d be a perfect fit for the job. Looking forward to your response and Go Noles!

-Bud and Ingram – great podcast product. Love it – hope you won’t quite on us. Got this q for the next mailbag – obvious question but begs to be asked – why can’t JF not get his freshman QB ready to play? Week in and out we see teams with True Fr. (i.e. VT) and showing out. Why the hell is JF trying to boil the damn ocean? Bigger question- Why do we even have a kid whose been on campus less than 5 mos playing? When will JJ “where’s the beer at” going to free up roster spot? And At this point is JF just really playing not to get blown out in every game remaining? As opposed to actually trying to game plan to win?

-A little podcast overlap here. A question for y’all inspired partly by something they discussed recently on PAPN. Anyway. Godfrey recently noted (and I’ve heard it before) that every AD — every single one — has a short list for HC if it came to that. So who do you think would be on Wilcox’s? I know things change. I know Jimbo is not likely to leave, all things being equal. I know there could be candidates who wouldn’t be foreseeable. But just, right now, who would you think would be on that list he has in his back pocket? Neal Brown? Scott Frost? Fedora (I know, but before this year it wouldn’t have seemed ridiculous)? Kiffin?

-I’ve followed FSU closely since ~ 07 and have been a listener of your podcast since 2014 and look forward to each one every week. I have a few questions after watching the BC game. Will Jimbo ever adopt an up-tempo offense? It seems that his offense operates better at a faster, no-huddle pace. I know it’s a small sample size but his 2 minute offense (no-huddle) before the half has gotten points up for them quite a bit. How does he not see that his slow offense isn’t working? Will he ever run the QB more? This is embarrassing to watch. Especially when he takes all this pride in calling his own plays. He needs to take a look at some spread offenses like Clemson or even an OK State type of offense and incorporate that into his scheme. It would show the talent gap against most opponents and wouldn’t be as complex as his current system so we could get 4 & 5 star receivers on the field before their junior year. Do you think he’ll bring in a better “co-coordinator” that would incorporate these changes or do you think he FSU won’t have a spread offense under Jimbo? Love your podcast and gave it 5 stars on iTunes. Keep up the good work guys.

-Went to our first game of the season this weekend in Tally. Just wanted to say thank you to our sponsors at MadSo/Township for helping my friends and I forget the sorry excuse of a coaching staff we have in Tallahassee for one night. — Via Stephen Cline

-Hi guys- Great job on everything you do in covering FSU. You always give it to us straight, which is appreciated. My question (several questions) is….do you think that Jimbo will potentially hire a DC who is LB oriented, or will he be more likely to stay with what he has historically done and pursue a DC who is a secondary coach? Also do you think the extra coaching slot will be used for the offensive side of the ball, or defensive side? Would it be prudent to hire a DC who is just a DC and have actual position coaches specific for each level of the defense?

-If FSU does not make a bowl game, would Fisher be able to begin the fire/hire process sooner? And if so, is that an advantage?

-Just watching the mindset that Georgia’s defense plays and how every player on defense wants to destroy anything that moves. When FSU hires a new DC is that something that a new defensive coordinator could bring? Or is Jimbos message and system/process is what yields the teams mindset?

-Love the show – I listen to every episode. Also, I’ve made everyone I know buy Louisiana Hot Sauce. My question is for Bud. Bud – On November 26, 2012, you wrote the following article. Jimbo planned to hand off play calling duties as part of a 5-year plan. Jimbo went on to say he had a 10-year plan. Any thoughts on how this is going? Has anyone mentioned anything about handing off play calling duties in the future? 2017-2012 = 5 years. Thanks again and keep up the great work guys!

-Having 9 assistants in college football, and Jimbo being a hands on offensive guy, it’s never made sense to me that he’s structured the coaching staff with 5 offensive assistants, and 4 defensive assistants. With changing multiple coaches seeming likely, wouldn’t it make more sense to go with 4 offensive assistants and 5 defensive?

-Also assuming Patrick returns for his Sr. year and Cam Ackers more than likely being the feature back moving forward how confident do you all feel about Laborn/and White both sticking around when touches will be minimal going off the history of Jimbo and how he distributes carries?

-I’m growing addicted to the podcasts, in spite of the terrible team results. If SharkMac gets canned, and Jimbo could replace any of our staff with any of the current UF staff, would any Gator coach be an automatic upgrade? If so, how likely would it be for Jimbo to actually pursue these folks?

Michigan State University

Location: East Lansing, Michigan
Enrollment: 50,543 (39,143 undergraduates)
Home Stadium: Spartan Stadium
Head Coach: Mark Dantonio, 11th season, 92-42 (.687)
Conference: Big Ten (East Division)

Series History

First Game: November 13, 1914 (Michigan State won, 6-3)
Last Game: November 26, 2016 (Penn State won, 45-12)
Overall: Tied at 15 wins each and one tie
Current Win Streak: Penn State, 1

Last Season (3-9 overall, 1-8 Big Ten Conference)

It was a brutal year for the Spartans in 2016, going 3-9 in the regular season (1-8 Big Ten), with their first losing season under Dantonio and a year where Michigan State was not bowl eligible. The Spartans started the year off strong, ranked No. 12, defeating Furman and No. 18 Notre Dame. Then Michigan State dropped their next seven games in a row to No. 11 Wisconsin, Indiana, BYU, Northwestern, Maryland, No. 2 Michigan and Illinois. Ouch. The Spartans defeated Rutgers 49-0, their most decisive win of the season, only to lose to then No. 2 Ohio State and No. 8 Penn State in the following two games.

Last Week

The 6-2 (4-1 Big Ten) Spartans are having a much better year but unfortunately, this Saturday they snapped a four-game winning streak, losing in a three-overtime heartbreaker to the Northwestern Wildcats, 39-31.

Michigan State scored first in the first with a touchdown pass from quarterback Brian Lewerke to Cody White, then hit a field goal in the second quarter for a 10-0 lead. Northwestern responded by scoring 10 unanswered points in the second quarter to tie the game 10-10 at the half. In the fourth quarter, both teams scored touchdowns, leading to the 17-17 tie going into the first overtime, then made it 24-24 going into the second overtime, then 31-31 going into the third overtime.

In the final overtime, Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Flynn Nagel. But on the next Spartan possession, Wildcat Nate Hall intercepted Lewerke in the end zone sealing the Northwestern win.

Lewerke threw for a school record 445 yards and four touchdowns and Cody White had 165 yards receiving (the most by a Spartan freshman in a single game in school history) and two touchdowns. Michigan State’s defense held Northwestern to just 64 yards rushing. Joe Bachie led the Spartans in tackles for the sixth time this season with eight stops.

Recruiting and Offseason

The Michigan State 2017 class is ranked as the nation’s 36th recruiting class (sixth in the Big Ten), as compared to Penn State’s 2017 class ranked at 16th in the nation and third in the Big10.

This year, the Spartans lost graduating quarterback Tyler O’Connor and saw defensive lineman Malik McDowell and safety Montae Nicholson drafted in the 2017 NFL draft. Wide receiver R.J. Shelton later signed with the Vikings and safety Demetrious Cox signed with the Panthers.

In April, Michigan State dismissed a total of four players due to sexual assault investigations. Wide receiver Donnie Corley, defensive end Josh King, and wide receiver Demetric Vance were charged with criminal sexual conduct, and in a separate incident, defensive end Auston Robertson, was charged with sexual misconduct. Linebacker Jon Reschke also left the program, deciding to transfer.

Offense

Michigan State’s offense struggled last year, continues to struggle this year but has seen a few improvements, statistically speaking . They are 71^st in total offense in 2017 (75^th last year), 64th in rush offense (65^th last year), 67^th in passing offense (74th last year).

However, they’ve gone from 3-9 to being 6-2 overall, and have seen quarterback Brian Lewerke steadily improve.

As a freshman in four games in 2016, Lewerke was 31 of 57 (54.5%). In 2017, Lewerke is 159 for 259 (61.4%) for 1,807 yards with 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. Lewerke ranks third in the Big Ten in points responsible for per game (behind Trace McSorley). He set several school records against Northwestern last week, including a school record 445 yards and four touchdowns. Lewerke also has 75 rush attempts for 343 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns.

The Spartan offensive line is young, made up of sophomores, with the exception of center and captain, senior Brian Allen and junior right guard David Beedle (uncertain for this week with an injury). The unit allowed 27 sacks, averaging 2.3 sacks per game last year, tied for the fifth-highest rate per game in the Big Ten. This year they’ve improved that stat, allowing 10 sacks (1.25 per game) of quarterback Lewerke.

Michigan State has a number of talented running backs, with LJ Scott leading the Spartans with 113 attempts for 511 yards and four touchdowns (and 11 receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown). Gerald Holmes and Madre London also split time rushing, but Holmes may not see play this week after an ankle injury earlier in the season.

Top targets in the air include wide receiver Felton Davis who is second in the team in scoring with 42 points – and the top receiver with 33 receptions for 405 yards and seven touchdowns. Darrell Stewart has 35 receptions for 362 yards and one touchdown. Cody White and Hunter Rison also see time at receiver.

Defense

Michigan State’s defense had a rough 2016. First, the losing season, then losing key defensive players including linebacker Jon Reschke, who transferred, and defensive ends Auston Robertson and Josh King, dismissed for sexual assault cases. Even so, they’ve improved their defense over last year, and fast.

Last year, the Spartans were 32^nd in total defense, 51^st in rush defense, 14^th in first down defense, and 84^th in pass efficiency defense. This year, improvements include 8^th in total defense (3rd in Big Ten), 4^th in rush defense with 89.8 yards allowed (top in the Big Ten), 14^th in first down defense, and 17^th in team passing efficiency defense.

Senior defensive end Demetrious Cooper returns as the veteran along with (all sophomores) defensive end Kenny Willekes, defensive tackle Mike Panasiuk and nose tackle Raequan Williams. Willekes has 43 tackles total for the year (fourth for the Spartans) along with three sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery.

Michigan State boasts some talented linebackers, especially in sophomore Joe Bachie, who leads the Spartans in defense with 71 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery and two fumbles forced. Bachie is fourth in the Big Ten averaging 8.9 tackles per game.

Other starting linebackers include junior Andrew Dowell and senior Chris Frey. Andrew Dowell has 29 tackles this year and two interceptions for 35 yards. Frey led the linebacker unit last year with 96 tackles and so far has 34 this year along with four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

The Spartans do have depth at safety with juniors Khari Willis and starter David Dowell (yep, that’s Andrew Dowell’s twin brother). Willis is third for Michigan State in tackles with 49 while David Dowell is second on the team with tackles with 55.

The cornerback position is young, with sophomore Justin Layne returning after starting five games in 2016, making him the veteran. Freshman Josiah Scott is also starting as cornerback with backups filling in – sophomore Josh Butler and junior Tyson Smith (who thankfully battled back from a stroke last season).

Special Teams

The Spartans’ redshirt freshman kicker Matt Coghlin, the leading scorer for the Spartans with 44 points, is 23 of 23 for extra points but he’s 7 of 11 (63.6%) for field goals this season. Punter Jake Hartbarger has 45 punts for 1,905 yards and an average punt of 42.3, and had a career-best 62-yard punt against Indiana, pinning them at their own 1-yard line.

Connor Heyward and Darrell Stewart have handled most kick return duties and have been the most successful, with Heyward catching six returns for 171 yards and Stewart with six returns for 152 yards.

Blog

Check out more on Michigan State Spartans football at their SB Nation blog, The Only Colors.