PRESS PICKS: College football arrives but no one is paying attention, thanks to the lawyers
STAFF REPORT
College football finally arrives.
If only it did so without any controversy hanging over its head.
This week’s “Week 0” schedule is light and full of FCA and Division II games but that’s OK. Some of them will be a lot better than about 13 of the 16 games featuring SEC teams the following week. Cupcake Central will arrive early this season.
But it does give LSU a chance to clean up its roster. Same for a few other teams who recently ran out to NFL practices and started shopping while hoping no one would notice.
Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken said he received a call a couple of weeks ago from LSU coach Lane Kiffin, asking him about his former tight end at Ole Miss, Dae’Quan Wright. Kiffin said he never made the call.
There is an imposter lurking among the shadows of all of this craziness. (Or Kiffin is a really good liar.)
Nothing is too far fetched at this point. The Big 10 and Southeastern Conferences made a statement earlier this week that no player would be eligible to play in their leagues said player had signed a professional contract. LSU (and the lawyers representing those involved) said that would not fly and would appeal.
Fact is, Wright or any other former NFL player that still has eligibility in college can appeal to play somewhere else, but not in the SEC or Big 10. That will have an affect on everybody but Texas Tech and any other school that’s willing to pay out the big bucks for him to make a roster.
Is there an answer to all this bravado that keeps the college game(s) stirred up? Yeah, a new league formed by the said conference so they can enforce their own rules and not have lawyers muck it up. it’s a long shot and probably a long way from happening. Congress is supposed to take up that College Fairness Act or whatever its called when it comes back from recess.
In the meantime we watch the daily edition of Judge Wapner make rules that fits a narrative shared by the adjacent university.
Oh yeah…. Happy College Football time, y’all.
2026 Standings (Last week)
1. Rosie Langello 9-1 (9-1) .900
2. Lindsey Bonner 8-2 (8-2) .800
Michael Butler 8-2 (8-2) .800
Doug Amos 8-2 (8-2) .800
Tim Gayle 8-2 (8-2) .800
6. Rick Hendrick 7-3 (7-3) .700
Graham Dunn 7-3 (7-3) .700
Wesley Lyle 7-3 (7-3) .700
9. Barry McKnight 6-4 (6-4) .600
Mike Peacock 6-4 (6-4) .600
Mike Tankersley 6-4 (6-4) .600
Rosie Langello (WSFA Ch. 12 New and Sports)
9-1 (9-1) .900
Southern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Alabama St
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - TCU
NC State at Virginia - Virginia
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - UNLV
Carver at Daphne - Daphne
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - P Julian
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Prattville
Murphy at Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Wetumpka
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Central-Clay Co
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Montgomery Aca
Reeltown at Trinity - Reeltown
Jemison at St. James -Jemison
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
8-2 (8-2) .800
Southern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Alabama St
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - NC State
NC State at Virginia - Virginia
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - UNLV
Carver at Daphne - Carver
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - Smiths Station
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Prattville
Murphy at Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Wetumpka
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Elmore Co
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Montgomery Aca
Reeltown at Trinity - Reeltown
Jemison at St. James - St. James
Michael Butler (WTLS 101.1&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
8-2 (8-2) .800
Southern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Alabama St
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - TCU
NC State at Virginia - Virginia
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - UNLV
Carver at Daphne - Daphne
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - Smiths Station
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Prattville
Murphy at Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Wetumpka
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Clay-Central
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Montgomery Aca
Reeltown at Trinity - Reeltown
Jemison at St. James - St. James
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
8-2 (8-2) .800
PSouthern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Alabama St
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - TCU
NC State at Virginia - Virginia
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - UNLV
Carver at Daphne - Carver
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - P Julian
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Prattville
Murphy at Park Crossing - Murphy
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Wetumpka
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Central-Clay Co
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Montgomery Aca
Reeltown at Trinity - Trinity
Jemison at St. James - St. James
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
8-2 (8-2) .800
Southern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Alabama St
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - TCU
NC State at Virginia - Virginia
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - UNLV
Carver at Daphne - Daphne
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - Smiths Station
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Prattville
Murphy at Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Wetumpka
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Central-Clay Co
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Montgomery Aca
Reeltown at Trinity - Trinity
Jemison at St. James - St. James
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
7-3 (7-3) .700
Southern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Alabama St
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - TCU
NC State at Virginia - Virginia
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - UNLV
Carver at Daphne - Carver
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - Smiths Station
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Prattville
Murphy at Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Wetumpka
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Clay-Central
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Montgomery Aca
Reeltown at Trinity - Reeltown
Jemison at St. James - St. James
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports)
7-3 (7-3) .700
Southern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Alabama St
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - TCU
NC State at Virginia - Virginia
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - UNLV
Carver at Daphne - Daphne
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - Smiths Station
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Prattville
Murphy at Park Crossing - Murphy
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Wetumpka
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Elmore Co
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Catholic
Reeltown at Trinity - Reeltown
Jemison at St. James - St. James
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
7-3 (7-3) .700
PSouthern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Alabama St
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - North Carolina
NC State at Virginia - NC State
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - UNLV
Carver at Daphne - Carver
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - Smiths Station
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Prattville
Murphy at Park Crossing - Murphy
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Wetumpka
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Central-Clay Co
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Catholic
Reeltown at Trinity - Trinity
Jemison at St. James - St. James
Mike Tankersley (River Region Sports/WTLS contributor)
6-4 (6-4) .600
Southern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Southern
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - North Carolina
NC State at Virginia - NC State
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - UNLV
Carver at Daphne - Daphne
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - P. Julian
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Murphy at Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Tallassee
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Elmore Co
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Montgomery Aca
Reeltown at Trinity - Trinity
Jemison at St. James - St. James
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
6-4 (6-4) .600
Southern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Alabama St
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - TCU
NC State at Virginia - Virginia
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - UNLV
Carver at Daphne - Daphne
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - Smiths Station
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Prattville
Murphy at Park Crossing - Murphy
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Wetumpka
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Elmore Co
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Catholic
Reeltown at Trinity - Reeltown
Jemison at St. James - St. James
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports/ASU Hornets Radio analyst )
6-4 (6-4) .600
Southern vs Alabama St (Birmingham) - Alabama St
TCU vs North Carolina (Dublin, IRE) - TCU
NC State at Virginia - Virginia
Hawaii at Stanford - Stanford
Memphis at UNLV - Memphis
Carver at Daphne - Carver
Smiths Station at Percy Julian (Thur) - Smiths Station
Hueytown at Pike Road - PIke Road
Prattville at Stanhope Elmore - Prattville
Murphy at Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Wetumpka at Tallassee - Wetumpka
Central-Clay Co at Elmore County - Central- Clay Co
Montgomery Academy at Catholic - Montgomery Aca
Reeltown at Trinity - Reeltown
Jemison at St. James - St. James