Predicting this week's CFP games as 'free agency' about to kick off
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
If you’re a real good player on a team not in a Group of Four league or real angry because you’re not playing enough, you’re probably thinking of entering the transfer portal. Perhaps, you might just want a fresh start, feel underappreciated or see yourself as a modern day mercenary and want more NIL money. You, too will probably enter the transfer portal.
The college version of free agency doesn’t open up until Jan. 2, 2026 but players are already sending out signals they’re leaving because spots get filled early and money can dry up. This year’s top likely candidates include five-star quarterbacks Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola, Florida’s DJ Lagway and ASU’s Sam Leavitt. Players in that category will likely command huge NIL money and while that may be a good thing for them, the system is a bad one for the sport. There’s no limit to this madness and it forces schools at the bottom of the food chain to literally start their roster from scratch every year.
The coaching carousel also contributes to the deterioration of the foundation of teams whose head coach leaves because, inevitably, players follow their coaches to the new school leaving a dearth of talent left. While that appears to be the right thing to allow, imagine what the new head coach is left to build from? One of those coaches, Indiana’s Curt Cignetti, parlayed his success at James Madison into tens of millions of dollars at Indiana two years ago and after winning coach of the year, Indiana gave him a significant raise to retain him as a Hoosier or risk him leaving for greener pastures. When teams came after him again this year, Cignetti was elevated to one of the highest paid coaches in the game to again, retain him at Indiana.
Cignetti was just named coach of the year for a second straight season. He’s changed Indiana from a nobody to a national championship contender. He deserves everything he gets and more. But what happens if Michigan takes a run at him for even bigger money? Bob Chesney was hired to replace Cignetti at Jane’s Madison in 3023 from FCS Holy Cross, where he had tremendous success. He’s managed to continue Cignetti’s success at James Madison and has them in the CFP this year. Of course, he’s leaving for UCLA. By the way, Holy Cross was 3-9 this year.
Having said that, schools should force their coaches to honor their contracts and not allow a buyout or let them just walk. That’s the way it used to be when there was loyalty and longevity in the coaching profession. After all, when they’re fired, they’re still paid the balance of their contract. Now there’s nothing. Just a system which rewards winners and losers and creates disloyalty no matter what the contract states. We have lost our way and with it, the sanctity of our word.
ACC's schedule makes little sense
The ACC, which has no clue what it’s doing, again reaffirmed that by modifying its 2026 schedule with some teams playing nine league games and others eight. Makes sense, right? Are you kidding me? They have an unbalanced schedule as it is with 17 conference members and 17 different agendas. They keep moving the goalposts to appease certain schools but don’t realize they are only creating further distance between their members. The whole Notre Dame issue (playing as an ACC member in every sport except football but guaranteeing five games to the ACC annually) has turned upside down on them with the Irish declaring their relationship with the league “permanently damaged” due to the conference’s support for full member Miami over the Irish in the CFP. If you’re a committed member, you’re either all in or all out. There’s nothing in the middle and I say, let the Irish move on because they need the ACC more than the ACC needs the Irish. If their leaders are listening and we believe they are, an immediate, no expense consultation is in order with yours truly because the clock is ticking on this conference’s viability to actually exist unless drastic changes are made forthwith. Good luck.
Welcome to bowl season!
While bowl season has started, who knows what players are sitting out because of their NFL aspirations and risk of injury, as well as desires to enter the transfer portal. As for Michigan, the question is who is even going to play against Texas on Dec. 31 based on the uncertain coaching status of the program.
The CFP tournament starts Friday, Dec. 19 and while Notre Dame is out, there will likely be competitive games to decide the champion as there is no clear favorite. The bias in me wants Ole Miss (who lost their head coach) and Texas Tech (who everybody is ignoring). Forget about Tulane or James Madison who are only in the field because of possible anti-trust lawsuits against the CFP. The reality is these are not the best 12 teams and that’s intentional. Heck, 5-7 Auburn or 4-8 Florida would be favorites over both of these teams. This isn’t the NCAA basketball tournament where No. 16 defeats No. 1. Plus, they’re both playing on the road. Yet there are two intriguing games to start the CFP’s first round.
My Top 12 picks
No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma (+2): Bama’s favored. Forget about Oklahoma‘s No. 7 ranked defense which yields just 14.9 ppg. Factor in their schedule, which was top three and they are simply the best. They also force turnovers. They win ugly because their quarterback John Mateer has not been the same since he had hand surgery during the season. If they don’t turn the ball over, they blow out Bama. Bama’s coach Kalen Debour says he’s happy at Alabama but you couldn’t garner that from his facial expressions. At times, the Tide has looked very good this year with Tyler Simpson as their quarterback. But Bama fans have never adopted Deboer into their family and a loss here says Deboer may leave to get away from the daily criticism. A rematch of Oklahoma’s win 23-21 win at Bama turns into a rout!
No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon (-21): See above and Forgettaboudit! Ducks roll!
No. 12 Tulane (+17.5) at No. 6 Ole Miss: Another rematch. Tulane lost 45-10 and another mismatch. There’s nothing to like about this game to watch it except that Lane Kiffin won’t be featured in it. Rebels roll!
No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M (-3): The only expected competitive game on Saturday is being played at noon because the NFL has a game at four and at eight so the television executives did not want their most attractive game to conflict with the NFL. The Canes have the horses starting with quarterback Carsten Beck. But this is a different environment than they’ve experienced this year at Kyle Field, home of the twelfth man. The other thing going against them is the Canes do not play great on the road and Beck has been prone to turnovers when pressured. If the Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed plays well and i think he will, change the channel in the third quarter to an Andy Griffith rerun. Good night Canes!
followtheschreib61@gmail.com
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Predicting this week's CFP games as 'free agency' about to kick off
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos