PRESS PICKS: College game is here in full, living color
STAFF REPORT
A new season of college football brings a lot of excitement, hope and ideas of national titles (for some) and the idea of bigger prospects for teams that have been on the outside looking in.
It shows up like the NBC peacock, feathers in the air, pulsating with pride.
It will provide entertainment to the masses.
It will also provide a glimpse of what the changes in transfer rules and the NIL will do to the game. Yes, even this early.
First, the transfer rule has increased a number of players changing addresses in a short time. That may have helped UCLA, which had contributions from players who played last year at Michigan and Alabama, among others. It’s sort of a hidden bonus for teams that may pick up a player or two but we really don’t know the benefit until we see it on the field.
The other interesting aspect, at least for this year, is the “super senior” rule where players were allowed to hang around dear old U another season. That may have played out in Illinois’s win over hapless Nebraska, which obviously didn’t get any help from the transfer portal.
Two Power 5 teams got help immediately last weekend from new rules. No, neither will win their conference titles or go to a major bowl game. Chances are neither one will finish above .500 but they might have enough to keep someone else from those goals.
As for the NIL, we can’t see what affect this will have in certain locker rooms but we tend to forget the youth that is involved at this level. These guys are not in the mid 20s, grown or even around 30-plus year olds who might give them pause to help them along the worldly path.
No doubt a coach will not stand at a podium and shout “we would have won had Johnny Boy hadn’t signed that big contract.” But he’ll know it and really is in a situation where he can do little about it.
The big green monster (No, not the left field wall at Fenway) will rear its head at some point (if it hasn’t already). But we’ll never really know it, unless we are paying attention to certain teams.
Graham Dunn and Mike Peacock vaulted to the top of the standings after last week’s picks. This week, the panel picks the normal round of five high school games and 10 from the college ranks.
2021 Standings (Week)
1. Graham Dunn 15-5 (8-2) .750
Mike Peacock 15-5 (8-2) .750
3. Tim Gayle 14-6 (6-4) .700
Dylan Hurst 14-6 (6-4) .700
Doug Amos 14-6 (8-2) .700
7. Michael Butler 13-7 (8-2) .650
Rick Hendrick 13-7 (8-2) .650
8. Barry McKnight 12-8 (6-4) .600
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports)
15-5 (8-2) .750
Opelika at Sidney Lanier (Thur) - Opelika
R.E. Lee at Eufaula – Eufaula
Auburn at Prattville - Prattville
St. James at Alabama Christian – St. James
Elmore County at Holtville – Holtville
Alabama vs. Miami, Fla. (Atlanta) – Alabama
Akron at Auburn – Auburn
Clemson vs. Georgia (Charlotte) - Clemson
LSU at UCLA – UCLA
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Mon/Atlanta) – Ole Miss
Ohio St at Minnesota (Thur) – Ohio St
Penn St at Wisconsin –Wisconsin
Indiana at Iowa - Iowa
Notre Dame at Florida St (Sun.) – Notre Dame
Boise St at Central Florida (Thur) – Central Fla
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
15-5 (8-2) .750
Opelika at Sidney Lanier (Thur) - Opelika
R.E. Lee at Eufaula – Lee
Auburn at Prattville - Auburn
St. James at Alabama Christian – St. James
Elmore County at Holtville – Holtville
Alabama vs. Miami, Fla. (Atlanta) – Alabama
Akron at Auburn – Auburn
Clemson vs. Georgia (Charlotte) – Georgia
LSU at UCLA – LSU
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Mon/Atlanta) – Ole Miss
Ohio St at Minnesota (Thur) – Ohio St
Penn St at Wisconsin –Penn St
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
Notre Dame at Florida St (Sun.) – Notre Dame
Boise St at Central Florida (Thur) – Central Fla
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports & Montgomery Independent)
14-6 (6-4) .700
Opelika at Sidney Lanier (Thur) - Opelika
R.E. Lee at Eufaula – Eufaula
Auburn at Prattville - Auburn
St. James at Alabama Christian – St. James
Elmore County at Holtville – Holtville
Alabama vs. Miami, Fla. (Atlanta) – Alabama
Akron at Auburn – Auburn
Clemson vs. Georgia (Charlotte) - Georgia
LSU at UCLA – LSU
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Mon/Atlanta) – Ole Miss
Ohio St at Minnesota (Thur) – Ohio St
Penn St at Wisconsin –Wisconsin
Indiana at Iowa - Iowa
Notre Dame at Florida St (Sun.) – Notre Dame
Boise St at Central Florida (Thur) – Central Fla
Dylan Hurst (River Region Sports)
14-6 (6-4) .700
Opelika at Sidney Lanier (Thur) - Lanier
R.E. Lee at Eufaula – Lee
Auburn at Prattville - Auburn
St. James at Alabama Christian – ACA
Elmore County at Holtville – Holtville
Alabama vs. Miami, Fla. (Atlanta) – Alabama
Akron at Auburn – Auburn
Clemson vs. Georgia (Charlotte) - Clemson
LSU at UCLA – LSU
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Mon/Atlanta) – Ole Miss
Ohio St at Minnesota (Thur) – Ohio St
Penn St at Wisconsin –Wisconsin
Indiana at Iowa - Iowa
Notre Dame at Florida St (Sun.) – Notre Dame
Boise St at Central Florida (Thur) – Boise St
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket & Troy Trojans Network)
14-6 (8-2) .700
Opelika at Sidney Lanier (Thur) - Opelika
R.E. Lee at Eufaula – Eufaula
Auburn at Prattville - Auburn
St. James at Alabama Christian – Alabama Christian
Elmore County at Holtville – Holtville
Alabama vs. Miami, Fla. (Atlanta) – Alabama
Akron at Auburn – Auburn
Clemson vs. Georgia (Charlotte) - Clemson
LSU at UCLA – UCLA
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Mon/Atlanta) – Ole Miss
Ohio St at Minnesota (Thur) – Ohio St
Penn St at Wisconsin –Wisconsin
Indiana at Iowa - Iowa
Notre Dame at Florida St (Sun.) – Florida St
Boise St at Central Florida (Thur) – Central Fla
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.5 FM/1300 AM & Tallassee Times)
13-7 (8-2) .650
Opelika at Sidney Lanier (Thur) - Opelika
R.E. Lee at Eufaula – Lee
Auburn at Prattville - Auburn
St. James at Alabama Christian – St. James
Elmore County at Holtville – Holtville
Alabama vs. Miami, Fla. (Atlanta) – Alabama
Akron at Auburn – Auburn
Clemson vs. Georgia (Charlotte) - Clemson
LSU at UCLA – LSU
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Mon/Atlanta) – Ole Miss
Ohio St at Minnesota (Thur) – Ohio St
Penn St at Wisconsin –Wisconsin
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
Notre Dame at Florida St (Sun.) – Notre Dame
Boise St at Central Florida (Thur) – Central Fla
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA of Montgomery Biscuits)
13-7 (8-2) .650
Opelika at Sidney Lanier (Thur) - Opelika
R.E. Lee at Eufaula – Lee
Auburn at Prattville - Auburn
St. James at Alabama Christian – ACA
Elmore County at Holtville – Holtville
Alabama vs. Miami, Fla. (Atlanta) – Alabama
Akron at Auburn – Auburn
Clemson vs. Georgia (Charlotte) - Georgia
LSU at UCLA – LSU
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Mon/Atlanta) – Ole Miss
Ohio St at Minnesota (Thur) – Ohio St
Penn St at Wisconsin –Penn St
Indiana at Iowa - Iowa
Notre Dame at Florida St (Sun.) – Notre Dame
Boise St at Central Florida (Thur) – Central Fla
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
12-8 (6-4) .600
Opelika at Sidney Lanier (Thur) - Opelika
R.E. Lee at Eufaula – Lee
Auburn at Prattville - Auburn
St. James at Alabama Christian – Alabama Christian
Elmore County at Holtville – Holtville
Alabama vs. Miami, Fla. (Atlanta) – Alabama
Akron at Auburn – Auburn
Clemson vs. Georgia (Charlotte) - Georgia
LSU at UCLA – UCLA
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Mon/Atlanta) – Ole Miss
Ohio St at Minnesota (Thur) – Ohio St
Penn St at Wisconsin –Wisconsin
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
Notre Dame at Florida St (Sun.) – Notre Dame
Boise St at Central Florida (Thur) – Central Fla