PRESS PICKS (Week 14): College football becomes a chaotic mess
STAFF REPORT
Last Saturday’s crazy college football results were a dichotomy of what the game has become. Nearly every team in the Top 10 struggled to beat their opponent, and a few weren’t able to pull it off.
We didn’t get chaos but we got to the edge.
Michigan squeaked past Illinois. Georgia had its issues against Kentucky. TCU needed a field goal at the buzzer to keep its record perfect.
And then, there’s Tennessee. Who saw that one coming (no one but Shane Beamer, of course).
The research is still ongoing but the 63-38 loss is the worst suffered by a College Football Playoff contender in the short history. No team has been in the situation that the Volunteers were in and lost so brilliantly.
There is a trend this season yet there is no real explanation other than kids are getting “soft” and not handling pressure very well.
But it shouldn’t be a surprise considering this has been happening all season (although not to this degree).
Start with Alabama, which opened as the top team in the country. The Crimson Tide struggled in a come-from-behind win over Texas in the second week of the season. They would lose at Tennessee and later at LSU.
This is supposed to be one of Nick Saban’s most talented teams. Yet, it hasn’t materialized.
Teams have struggled to win on the road. Statistically, home teams are winning close to 66 percent of the time. If that holds, it would be a record in college football.
Funny, though, that the rankings may not reflect the issues at hand, at least that’s what the experts think.
When the CFP poll came out Tuesday, Alabama was ranked seventh, a spot ahead of one-loss Clemson. The committee must have some sort of respect for Alabama’s two losses, each on the last play of the game.
ESPN put out its FPI rankings and the Tide is fourth in that poll.
Realistically, Alabama has very little shot at a berth in the playoffs. A lot has to happen for a two-loss non-conference winner to make it.
Chances are, if the chips fall right, the loser in the Ohio State-Michigan game gets in with one loss.
But the issue is apparent and leads to the question - who has been the most consistent team? It’s hard to say which also means the playoffs are wide open for who might be the favorite.
Yes, Georgia, that means you will have some work to do to win a second-straight title.
After 13 weeks, Doug Amos maintains a lead of one game with only a few sets of picks left in the season.
2022 Overall Standings (Last Week)
1. Doug Amos 144-56 (11-4) .720
2. Tim Gayle 143-57 (12-3) .715
3. Graham Dunn 142-58 (11-4) .710
4. Michael Butler 141-59 (10-5).705
Wesley Lyle 141–59 (11-4) .705
6. Mike Peacock 137-63 (8-7) .685
7. Rosie Langello 132-68 (10-5) .660
8. Rick Hendrick 131-69 (8-7) .655
9. Barry McKnight 124-76 (8-7) .620
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket & Fox 20)
144-56 (11-4) .720
St. James at Mobile Christian - St. James
Andalusia at Catholic - Catholic
Auburn at Alabama– Alabama
Troy at Arkansas St- Troy
Miss St at Ole Miss (Thur) - Ole Miss
Arkansas at Missouri (Fri)- Arkansas
Florida at Florida St (Fri) - Florida St
Tennessee at Vanderbilt – Tennessee
LSU at Texas A&M- LSU
South Carolina at Clemson- Clemson
Louisville at Kentucky - Kentucky
Michigan at Ohio St - Ohio St
Kansas at Kansas St - Kansas St
Notre Dame at Southern Cal - USC
Oregon at Oregon St. - Oregon St
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports & Montgomery Independent)
143-57 (12-3) .715
St. James at Mobile Christian - St. James
Andalusia at Catholic - Catholic
Auburn at Alabama– Alabama
Troy at Arkansas St- Troy
Miss St at Ole Miss (Thur) - Ole Miss
Arkansas at Missouri (Fri)- Arkansas
Florida at Florida St (Fri) - Florida St
Tennessee at Vanderbilt – Tennessee
LSU at Texas A&M- LSU
South Carolina at Clemson- Clemson
Louisville at Kentucky - Kentucky
Michigan at Ohio St - Ohio St
Kansas at Kansas St - Kansas St
Notre Dame at Southern Cal - USC
Oregon at Oregon St. - Oregon St
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports)
142-58 (11-4) .710
St. James at Mobile Christian - Mobile Christian
Andalusia at Catholic - Catholic
Auburn at Alabama– Alabama
Troy at Arkansas St- Troy
Miss St at Ole Miss (Thur) - Ole Miss
Arkansas at Missouri (Fri)- Arkansas
Florida at Florida St (Fri) - Florida St
Tennessee at Vanderbilt – Tennessee
LSU at Texas A&M- LSU
South Carolina at Clemson- Clemson
Louisville at Kentucky - Kentucky
Michigan at Ohio St - Ohio St
Kansas at Kansas St - Kansas St
Notre Dame at Southern Cal - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon St. - Oregon
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
141-59 (10-5).705
St. James at Mobile Christian - St. James
Andalusia at Catholic - Catholic
Auburn at Alabama– Alabama
Troy at Arkansas St- Troy
Miss St at Ole Miss (Thur) - Ole Miss
Arkansas at Missouri (Fri)- Arkansas
Florida at Florida St (Fri) - Florida St
Tennessee at Vanderbilt – Tennessee
LSU at Texas A&M- LSU
South Carolina at Clemson- Clemson
Louisville at Kentucky - Kentucky
Michigan at Ohio St - Ohio St
Kansas at Kansas St - Kansas St
Notre Dame at Southern Cal - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon St. - Oregon
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
141–59 (11-4) .705
St. James at Mobile Christian - St. James
Andalusia at Catholic - Catholic
Auburn at Alabama– Alabama
Troy at Arkansas St- Troy
Miss St at Ole Miss (Thur) - Ole Miss
Arkansas at Missouri (Fri)- Arkansas
Florida at Florida St (Fri) - Florida St
Tennessee at Vanderbilt – Tennessee
LSU at Texas A&M- LSU
South Carolina at Clemson- Clemson
Louisville at Kentucky - Kentucky
Michigan at Ohio St - Ohio St
Kansas at Kansas St - Kansas St
Notre Dame at Southern Cal - USC
Oregon at Oregon St. - Oregon
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
137-63 (8-7) .685
St. James at Mobile Christian - St. James
Andalusia at Catholic - Catholic
Auburn at Alabama– Alabama
Troy at Arkansas St- Troy
Miss St at Ole Miss (Thur) - Ole Miss
Arkansas at Missouri (Fri)- Arkansas
Florida at Florida St (Fri) - Florida St
Tennessee at Vanderbilt – Tennessee
LSU at Texas A&M- LSU
South Carolina at Clemson- Clemson
Louisville at Kentucky - Kentucky
Michigan at Ohio St - Ohio St
Kansas at Kansas St - Kansas
Notre Dame at Southern Cal - USC
Oregon at Oregon St. - Oregon
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
132-68 (10-5) .660
St. James at Mobile Christian - Mobile Christian
Andalusia at Catholic - Catholic
Auburn at Alabama– Alabama
Troy at Arkansas St- Troy
Miss St at Ole Miss (Thur) - Ole Miss
Arkansas at Missouri (Fri)- Arkansas
Florida at Florida St (Fri) - Florida St
Tennessee at Vanderbilt – Tennessee
LSU at Texas A&M- LSU
South Carolina at Clemson- Clemson
Louisville at Kentucky - Kentucky
Michigan at Ohio St - Michigan
Kansas at Kansas St - Kansas
Notre Dame at Southern Cal - USC
Oregon at Oregon St. - Oregon
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA for Montgomery Biscuits)
131-69 (8-7) .655
St. James at Mobile Christian - Mobile Christian
Andalusia at Catholic - Catholic
Auburn at Alabama– Alabama
Troy at Arkansas St- Troy
Miss St at Ole Miss (Thur) - Ole Miss
Arkansas at Missouri (Fri)- Missouri
Florida at Florida St (Fri) - Florida
Tennessee at Vanderbilt – Tennessee
LSU at Texas A&M- Texas A&M
South Carolina at Clemson- Clemson
Louisville at Kentucky - Kentucky
Michigan at Ohio St - Ohio St
Kansas at Kansas St - Kansas St
Notre Dame at Southern Cal - USC
Oregon at Oregon St. - Oregon
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
124-76 (8-7) .620
St. James at Mobile Christian - Mobile Christian
Andalusia at Catholic - Catholic
Auburn at Alabama– Alabama
Troy at Arkansas St- Troy
Miss St at Ole Miss (Thur) - Miss St
Arkansas at Missouri (Fri)- Missouri
Florida at Florida St (Fri) - Florida St
Tennessee at Vanderbilt – Tennessee
LSU at Texas A&M- LSU
South Carolina at Clemson- Clemson
Louisville at Kentucky - Louisville
Michigan at Ohio St - Michigan
Kansas at Kansas St - Kansas St
Notre Dame at Southern Cal - USC
Oregon at Oregon St. - Oregon St