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CFB Insider

It's Time to Judge that AP Poll!

Who are the most underrated and overrated teams so far?

This week the first poll of the season dropped and to the surprise of absolutely no one, it features the defending champs (1) Alabama, (2) Oklahoma, (3) Clemson and (4) Ohio State in the top four spots. 

Continue reading to get our opinion on the latest AP Poll and don’t forget to comment on the @TexasBowl Twitter post with you YOU think are the most overrated or underrated teams of the season…so far.

Looking at the poll from top to bottom, there honestly aren’t a ton of surprises. A few Group of Five schools (only three to be exact) inched their way into the top 25 this year to represent the ‘underdog’ category to start the 2021 season. After three strong years Cincinnati rolls on and keeps their final rank from last season a #8. Other than Cincinnati, the next closest team from the AAC to be ranked is the Houston Cougars who received 5 votes as they prepare for their Texas Kickoff matchup vs Texas Tech at NRG Stadium to start off the season Saturday, September 4. 

Other G5 schools that appear in the top 25 are Coastal Carolina at #22 and Louisiana-Lafayette at #23 who are both coming off stellar seasons with many returning starters. 

Here’s a look at the full AP Poll:

1. Alabama (47) - The defending champs earned the most first place votes by far.

2. Oklahoma (6) - The Sooners are one of the only top teams to have a returning starting QB. 

3. Clemson (6) – The Tigers open up the season in a clash of top 10 team against Georgia. 

4. Ohio State (1) – New QB but still the same contender, as always.

5. Georgia (3) - Received two more first place votes than Ohio State but still ended up one spot lower than them. Suspect?

6. Texas A&M

7. Iowa State – Can they keep the hype train rolling along?

8. Cincinnati – Is there an AAC challenger capable of taking out the Bearcats? 

9. Notre Dame – Highly ranked once again, can they deliver?

10. North Carolina – Mack Brown has the Tar Heels soaring as they look to contend in the ACC.

11. Oregon

12. Wisconsin

13. Florida – A once promising season ended with three straight loses in 2020, can they bounce back?

14. Miami – Big Week One test coming up for the Hurricanes as they face the defending champions. 

15. USC

16. LSU – The undefeated 2019 champs fall from grace was more of a plummet and last season was a forgettable one. 

17. Indiana

18. Iowa

19. Penn State

20. Washington

21. Texas – With a move to the SEC coming up, Texas gets a just few more shots at a BIG 12 title. 

22. Coastal Carolina - The Chanticleers are coming off a historic season and now they look to prove they belong in the FBS. 

23. Louisiana-Lafayette – The Cajuns get tested to start their season at #21 Texas. 

24. Utah

25. Arizona State

Who do you think got burned in this preseason, probably way too early to predict anything poll? Tell us who you think the most underrated or overrated teams are so far this season by dropping a comment on our @TexasBowl Twitter post! 

 

CFB Insider

CFB Insider: How NIL Will Change College Football

Is College Football Living on the Edge?

With new legislation comes new challenges. Athletes can now profit from their Name, Image and Likeness according to the new NCAA bylaws. With extremely vague parameters and a LOT of money to be made, will this be a good or a bad thing for college football as a whole?

Keep reading for insight into some of the changes to be on the lookout for and tell us your opinion by responding to the CFB Insider post on @TexasBowl Twitter.

So first off—what exactly is Name, Image and Likeness? At this point, if we’re being honest, no one really knows. 

Essentially, athletes can except sponsorships from any company as long as:

  • They report it to their university.
  • They aren’t promoting anything deemed ‘inappropriate’ by the NCAA (cigarettes, alcohol, porn, etc.)
  • It doesn’t conflict with any existing university sponsorship deals.
  • They aren’t working with professional sports team in a pay for play scenario.

And that’s about it. The legislation has been in the works for years with the aim of allowing student athletes to profit from of their image while still maintaining their amateur status and NCAA eligibility. Technically the legislation as it currently stands is ‘interim’ so we can expect more changes to come as the kinks get worked out.

This could be a really positive move for student athletes, allowing them to share some of the profit that schools are making off their talent. There are also a couple of major what-ifs when it comes to implementing the legislation on a wider scale.

What does this mean for the distribution of talent?
There are two ways that we can look at this. First off, the new legislation might really help to spread out talent. Where in the past athletes may settle for playing behind major stars at big schools, that secondary school that might not be as good at football but can offer a starting spot might be a little more exciting. Think about it—would you rather play behind Alabama’s starting QB Bryce Young who is apparently making upwards of $1M this season (Sporting News) and not make a cent? Or would you rather go play at a school like Kansas State that hasn’t necessarily been producing super stars, but as a starter you could make money off half of the businesses in Kansas? Now a starting spot is not just a starting spot, developing as an athlete behind a super star with an amazing coaching staff might lose its value when playing for the little guy could mean a nice, big check.

Secondly, we know this is going to be a HUGE recruiting tool for schools now. Will we widen the gap between the big dogs and little guys as the more well-funded programs hire in-house branding teams to help promote their athletes and get them sponsorships? These student athletes—for the most part—do not have the knowledge or resources coming out of high school to be able to navigate the world of sponsorships and brand development. If a school can offer a full staff to help promote your brand, you could argue that’s more valuable than winning. 

Will this hurt athletic departments?
There are conversations going around that while this is good for the athletes, this is BAD for athletic departments. Why would their donors give them money when they could give their money directly to a kid for a few social posts and a commercial appearance? Alternatively, maybe the new legislation will do the opposite. If donors can now make money with sponsorships of the players AND sponsorship of the team, maybe they are compelled to increase their donations to help amp up recruiting efforts.

Will athletes benefit equally?
In this author’s opinion, the answer to this question is a big fat no. Student athletes with the existing support and resources to afford an agent to establish their personal brand and shop around for sponsorships are way more suited to make money than those without. The problem with this is that those students—with all the existing resources and support—need the money they could make from the new NIL legislation the least. The beauty of the athletic scholarship is that it can turn a student’s life around. If you can work hard and perfect your talent, you can gain a scholarship and make a life for yourself. What happens when schools are now looking for players that can bring in more money to their program with their existing sponsorship and well-known branding? Is a player who will sell tickets because of their TikTok following and Barstool sponsorship now more valuable than a player who is better physically but is unknown? While the new legislation is well intentioned to benefit athletes, the NCAA needs to find a balance in the regulation to help continue to move equality and avoid only benefiting those who have, rather than benefiting all based on athletic ability.

Will this keep talent in college longer?
In the past, the goal was to make it to the league. That was the dream. To make money doing what you love, as soon as there was a chance, players were making the leap to professional sports. Now, that dream can come true at the collegiate level.  Will the draw of sponsorships at the collegiate level mean that players will stay their full four years? Develop more as an athlete to be better prepared to join the league? Stay to graduate with their degree to set themselves up better in the future? These arguments will probably affect football less than other sports like baseball where players don’t make much money until they hit the majors, but it will be interesting to see if stars are more willing to stick around with a check coming on a regular basis.

 

Press Release

Texas Bowl Gridiron Legends Class of 2021 Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, JULY 19

HOUSTON – The Texas Bowl Committee has selected the 2021 class of Gridiron Legends inductees, the committee announced today. The honorees will be introduced at the 2021 Texas Kickoff game on Sept. 4 and will be inducted into the Gridiron Legends at a special pregame ceremony during the Texas Bowl game at NRG Stadium on Jan. 4.

The class of 2021 features Lubbock, Texas native and Baylor standout Dennis Gentry, 17-time Texas state champion high school coach Keith Kilgore, Seven-time Pro Bowl and nine-time All-Pro punter Shane Lechler, Baylor All-American and eight-time NFL All-Pro Mike Singletary, the winningest coach in Texas A&M history R.C. Slocum, five-time Pro Bowl and four-time All-Pro cornerback Emmitt Thomas, Beaumont native and three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Jerry Ball, University of Houston alumna and 2011 PFWA Assistant Coach of the Year Wade Phillips, Texas High School Hall of Fame and Texas Longhorn Hall of Fame inductee Steve Worster, University of Texas All-American and 2006 Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Vince Young, and the patriarch of 7-on-7 football and co-creator of the Bayou Bowl Dick Olin.

Dennis Gentry
Dennis Gentry is a Lubbock, Texas native who went on to garner 2,230 rushing yards, 382 receiving yards and 309 kick return yards as a multi-position athlete for the Baylor Bears from 1977 to 1981. As a junior in 1980, along with fellow Class of 2021 Gridiron Legend Mike Singletary, Gentry notched 1,003 total yards from scrimmage as a major contributor to the backfield that blazed the way to Baylor’s first 10-win season in program history and its sixth conference title. After appearing in 45 games for the Baylor Bears in four seasons, Gentry was selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He spent the entirety of his 11-year NFL career with the Bears and was a part of the 1985 Bears squad that went on to trounce the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX (46-10) and earned the reputation as one of the most dominant football teams of all time. Gentry finished his NFL career with 171 receptions for 2,076 yards and seven touchdowns. He also rushed for 764 yards and five touchdowns. However, his most notable role on the team was as a kick returner. He ranks second in career kick return yards for the Bears behind Devin Hester with 4,353 yards and is tied for the team’s all-time total kick returns with 192. In 1986, Gentry led the NFL with a 28.8-yards-per-return average. After retiring from football as a player, Gentry later served as the running backs coach for the XFL’s Chicago Enforcers in 2001 before the league closed operations. In their lone season, the Enforcers bounced back from an 0-4 start to win five of their last six regular season games and fell to the Los Angeles Xtreme in the semifinals of the XFL playoffs.

Keith Kilgore
Keith Kilgore is a native of Houston and a graduate of Waltrip High School. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Abilene Christian University. Kilgore began his teaching and coaching career at Bellaire High School and, after serving his country in the U.S. Army, he returned to coach at Houston Lee High School and then at Hastings High School in Alief, Texas. He entered athletic administration as an assistant director in Alief and then moved to Fort Bend ISD (FBISD) as the director of athletics in 1992, where he spent the remaining 21 years of his career. Under his leadership in FBISD, there were 17 state championships and three national championships crowned along with numerous titles in various individual sports. Kilgore has been honored by the Greater Houston Football Coaches Association as a “Distinguished Service Award” recipient, inducted into the Texas High School Athletic Directors Hall of Honor, the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Honor and named the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Association’s Award of Merit. He has served on the board of directors of the Touchdown Club of Houston for 27 years and was president of the organization from 2016-2017. Kilgore has chaired the prestigious High School Awards Dinner since joining the board of directors for the Touchdown Club of Houston. He and his wife Sherry have been married for 47 years. They have two sons (Kerry and Kory) and 2 grandsons (Grant and Rhett).

Shane Lechler
Seven-time Pro Bowl and nine-time All-Pro punter Shane Lechler hails from East Bernard, Texas, and began his athletic career at East Bernard High School where he was a standout in football, basketball, baseball and golf. On the gridiron, Lechler played quarterback, punter and placekicker as he led East Bernard to the state quarterfinals his senior year. He finished his season having completed 87 of 101 (86.1%) of his passes and threw for 1,640 yards and 11 touchdowns. Throughout high school he averaged 41.6 yards per punt with a long of 85 yards. Lechler went on to play football for Texas A&M and proved himself to be a versatile athlete, earning snaps at punter, placekicker, holder for short field goals and PATs, and was the emergency quarterback. Due to his contributions in many different facets of the game, Aggie Head Coach R.C. Slocum called Lechler “the team’s most valuable player.” Lechler earned Freshman All-America honors in 1996 with a punting average of 42.7 yards and broke the Aggie single-season record for average yards per punt with 47.0 as a sophomore. He holds the NCAA record for career punt average with 44.7 yards per punt. Lechler finished his career at Texas A&M with three first-team All-Big 12 selections and an iconic NFL future still ahead of him. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, where he played for 13 seasons and set various NFL and Raiders records. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and was named an All-Pro in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. During his time with the Raiders, he was a three-time NFL punting yards leader (2003, 2008 and 2009) and he is the owner of the NFL record for best career gross punting average (47.6). Lechler also has the five best single-season punting averages in Raiders history, including a career-best 51.1 in 2009, which is the second-highest single season average in NFL history. He had at least one punt of 50 yards or more in 33 consecutive games from Week 13 of 2003 through Week 14 of 2005, the longest streak since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970. Lechler appeared in 158 regular season contests for the Raiders and seven playoff games, including Super Bowl XXXVII. On March 13, 2013, Lechler signed a three-year deal with the Houston Texans, where he finished his career after five seasons. In 2013, Lechler recorded 88 punts for 4,189 yards for a 47.6 average, and in Week 10 he became just the sixth player in NFL history to reach the 50,000 punting yards mark. He maintained excellent punting yard averages throughout the rest of his career and once again led the league in punting yards with 4,507 in 2017. Lechler retired in the spring of 2019 after sitting out the 2018 season as a free agent. In December 2019, Lechler became the first Texans player to be named to the NFL 100 All-Time team. He is married to the former Erin Gibson, who was an All-American volleyball player at Texas A&M.

Mike Singletary
Mike Singletary was born as the youngest of 10 children in his family in Houston. He attended Evan E. Worthing High School where he established himself as a dominant force on the gridiron. In ninth grade, Singletary was an all-state guard and linebacker and went on to earn a football scholarship to play at Baylor University. As a linebacker for the Baylor Bears, Singletary earned All-America honors in his junior (1979) and senior (1980) seasons, when he averaged 15 tackles per game and set a team record with 232 tackles in 1978, including 35 in a game against the Houston Cougars. During his senior year in 1980, along with fellow Class of 2021 Gridiron Legend Dennis Gentry, Baylor won 10 games for the first time in school history. Singletary was the only college junior to be selected to the All-Southwest Conference Team of the 1970s. He is a two-time recipient of the Davey O’Brien Memorial Trophy, which at the time was given to the most outstanding player in the southwestern United States before it became the quarterback-centric award that it is today. Singletary notched 97 tackles as a freshman, 232 (a school record) as a sophomore, 188 as a junior and 145 as a senior. His total of 662 tackles set a program record for most career tackles. He earned All-Southwest Conference honors three times and All-America honors twice. Singletary went on to be a second-round draft pick for the Chicago Bears in the 1981 NFL Draft, the 38th player selected overall. He stepped into his role as a starter in the Bears lineup in the seventh game of his rookie season. In his third game as a starter, Singletary recorded a memorable defensive performance with 10 tackles and a forced fumble against the Kansas City Chiefs. A near unanimous all-rookie selection, he went on to start 172 games for the Bears during his 12-year career, the second-most in club history. Singletary finished each of his last 11 seasons as the Bears’ first- or second-leading tackler. He finished his career with 1,488 career tackles, including 885 solo tackles, seven interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. Selected to play in a team record 10 Pro Bowls, Singletary was All-Pro eight times and All-NFC every year from 1983 until 1991. The NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 and 1988, Singletary was the cornerstone of the Bears’ innovative 46-defense. In 1985, he led a Bears’ defense that was ranked first in the league and allowed fewer than 11 points per game. The team went 15-1 and dominated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. The Bears held the Patriots to a record low seven rushing yards, and Singletary contributed with two fumble recoveries. In 2003, Singletary began his coaching career as the linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens. Following the 2004 season, the San Francisco 49ers hired Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Nolan to be their head coach, and Singletary left the Ravens to serve under Nolan as the 49ers’ assistant head coach and linebackers coach. He became the interim head coach of the 49ers after Nolan was fired in October 2008. After a 2-5 start, Singletary was able to lead the team to finish the season 5-4 under his leadership for a final record of 7-9. In December 2008, Singletary earned the long-term head coaching position and signed a four-year contract. After a strong 3-1 start to the 2009 season, the Singletary-led 49ers failed to reach the playoffs but finished with an 8-8 record, the team’s first non-losing season since 2002. The 2009 49ers produced five Pro Bowlers under Singletary’s leadership. After a disappointing 2010 campaign, the 49ers parted ways with Coach Singletary. He landed on his feet the following season after agreeing to join the Minnesota Vikings as the linebackers coach/assistant to the head coach. After being out of the league for two years, Singletary returned to the league as an advisor for the Los Angeles Rams’ defense. Since then, Singletary has had brief stints as head coach of the Alliance of American Football’s Memphis Express and Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, Texas. Singletary and his wife, Kim, have seven children.

R.C. Slocum
R.C. Slocum was born and raised in Orange, Texas, and graduated from West Orange-Stark High School in 1963. He attended McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., where he earned a B.S. in physical education in 1967 and his M.S. in educational administration in 1968. He also played tight end for McNeese State’s football team for three seasons. Slocum began his coaching career as a football coach at Lake Charles High School in 1968. In 1970, he became a graduate assistant at Kansas State University under head coach Vance Gibson, also coaching the offensive linemen on the freshman team. In 1971, he was named head freshman coach. In 1972, Slocum was hired as receivers coach under Emory Bellard at Texas A&M. A year later he became the defensive ends coach, and in 1976, he became the linebackers coach. After a coaching change in 1978, he was named the new defensive coordinator for Texas A&M in 1979. Slocum left to serve as the defensive coordinator for the University of Southern California under John Robinson in 1981. He returned to Texas A&M in 1982 as defensive coordinator under Jackie Sherrill. In 1985, Slocum was elevated to assistant head coach. At last, in December 1988, Slocum replaced Sherrill to earn his first role as a long-term head coach. During his 14 years as head coach, he led the Aggies to a record of 123-47-2, making him the winningest coach in program history. Slocum never had a losing season and won four conference championships, including the Big 12 title in 1998 and two Big 12 South division crowns in 1997 and 1998. He reached 100 wins faster than any other active head coach and has the best winning percentage in Southwest Conference (SWC) history. Under his tenure, Slocum helped make Texas A&M’s Kyle Field one of the hardest places to play in the nation, losing just 12 home games in 14 years. Texas A&M owned the longest active home winning streak in the nation for much of 1994 and 1995. The Aggies lost just four times at Kyle Field throughout the 1990s. Slocum earned SWC Coach of the Year honors three times during his time as head coach. His “Wrecking Crew” defense led the SWC in four statistical categories from 1991 through 1993 and led the nation in total defense in 1991. Over 50 Aggies were drafted into the NFL that served under Slocum during his time as head coach. After 14 years as head coach, Slocum parted ways with Texas A&M in 2002. He immediately took a position as special adviser to Texas A&M President Robert Gates. In May 2012, Slocum was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In April 2019, he was named interim athletic director for Texas A&M. Slocum is married to the former Nel Jennings. Slocum has two sons, Shawn and John Harvey, and both are Aggie graduates.

Emmitt Thomas
Emmitt Thomas is an Angleton, Texas native who played just one season of high school football before attending Bishop College in Dallas. His baseball coach suggested he try out for the football team, and he emerged as a skilled wide receiver and occasional quarterback. Hailing from a small historically Black college, Thomas went undrafted in the 1966 NFL Draft but later proved to be one of the best undrafted free agents in league history. The Kansas City Chiefs signed him out of college and initially had him practicing as a wide receiver. He wound up playing cornerback, and in 1968, Thomas earned American Football League (AFL) All-Star honors. In 1969, Thomas led the AFL with nine interceptions, which he returned for 146 yards and a touchdown, helping his team win the AFL Championship and the fourth and final AFL-NFL World Championship Game. The next year, the NFL and AFL merged, and Thomas notched 12 interceptions in 1974, leading the league yet again. He also led the league with 214 interception return yards and two return touchdowns off interceptions. Thomas retired as a player after 13 seasons with the Chiefs and finished with 58 interceptions, which he returned for 937 yards and five touchdowns. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro. Thomas was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Following his 181-game playing career, Thomas began a career in coaching. After two seasons in the college ranks, he moved to the NFL in 1981 where he began a long run as an assistant coach with various teams. He was hired by the St. Louis Cardinals as a receivers coach and spent four seasons with the team. He joined the coaching staff of the Washington Redskins in 1986 in the same role and was made secondary coach a year later. Thomas spent eight seasons with the Redskins before taking a job as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator. He worked under head coach Ray Rhodes and followed Rhodes when he became head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1999, assuming the same position. In Green Bay, alongside Rhodes and Offensive Coordinator Sherman Lewis, Thomas formed the first trio of African Americans to serve in the top three coaching slots of an NFL team (head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator). Thomas served as defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings before joining the staff of the Atlanta Falcons in 2002 as the senior defensive assistant coach and secondary coach. Thomas was named interim head coach of the Falcons in December 2007 and was tasked with leading the team through the rest of the season. In 2010, Thomas accepted the position of defensive backs coach for the Chiefs, where he coached through 2018. Smith married his wife Jacqueline Heafley in 1983, and they remained married until her passing in 2017. He has a son and daughter and now lives in Las Vegas, Nev. doing various coaching duties.

Jerry Ball
Jerry Ball hails from Beaumont, Texas and attended Hebert High School, then after integration graduated from West Brook High School, where he was a two-way football star as a fullback on offense and defensive end and linebacker on defense. He rushed for 1,000 yards as a senior and helped lead his team to the 1982 5A State Championship. Ball was a first-team all-state selection on defense while earning All-District honors at three positions. He played college football at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he switched to nose tackle, became a four-year letter-winner and ranks fourth on the school’s all-time sack list. Ball was a four-year starter, three-time first-team All-SWC and two-time finalist for the Lombardi and Outland Trophies. Ball was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 1987 NFL Draft. After an outstanding first year in the league, Ball posted 68 tackles and 18.5 sacks in his second season, including the one and only safety in the 10-year career of legendary running back, Eric Dickerson. He played in the NFL for 13 seasons, amassing 32.5 sacks, most of which came during his time as a nose tackle for the Lions. Ball spent his entire career being double-teamed and often triple-teamed by opposing teams due to his dominant presence on the defensive line. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 1989, 1990 and 1991. In 1991, Ball was injured by a “chop block,” which was, at that time, legal. As a result, the NFL instituted the “Jerry Ball Rule,” which outlawed blocks of that type. Ball remained on the injured list through the end of that season and into 1992 as well. The following year, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns, and then to the Oakland Raiders. From 1997 to 1999, he played for the Minnesota Vikings. He anchored the 1998 Vikings defense when he re-emerged as a leader and dominant force on the Vikings’ record-setting team that finished with a 15-1 record. Ball has three daughters and now has his own Detroit-based clothing company licensed by the NFL, called Ice Box Sportswear.

Wade Phillips
Wade Phillips was born in Orange, Texas, and is the son of former NFL coach Bum Phillips. He attended Port Neches-Groves High School in Port Neches, Texas, and went on to play football at the University of Houston. As a Houston Cougar, Phillips was a three-year starter at linebacker from 1966-68, when he set a former school record for career assisted tackles (228). He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant to Bill Yeoman at the University of Houston in 1969. The next year, he took a job as defensive coordinator at the former Lutcher Stark High School in Orange. In 1973, Phillips took a job coaching under his father as the linebackers coach at Oklahoma State. He later coached the defensive line at Kansas under head coach Bud Moore in 1975. The next year, Phillips made the leap to coaching in the NFL, where he started as a linebackers coach for the Houston Oilers under his father, the head coach, before transitioning to coaching the defensive line from 1977 to 1980. Wade Phillips remained on his father Bum’s staff as the two of them left for the New Orleans Saints. Wade stepped in to be the interim head coach of the Saints after Bud stepped down in 1985. He spent the next three years as the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, where he oversaw defensive end Reggie White record 21 sacks in just 12 games in 1987. The Eagles went on to win the NFC East championship in 1988 under his guidance. Phillips then spent four seasons as defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos, where he helped the team reach Super Bowl XXIV. He earned his first official NFL head coaching gig for the Broncos in 1993, but was let go after the 1994 season. Phillips spent the next two seasons as defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills before stepping in to fill Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy’s shoes after his retirement. In 1998, Phillips was named the new Bills head coach. From 1998-2000, Phillips kept Buffalo in the playoff hunt and enjoyed a mostly successful coaching tenure. The team parted ways with him after the 2000 season, and he landed on his feet as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in 2002. In 2003, Phillips served a brief stint as the interim head coach of the Falcons prior to his move to the San Diego Chargers. He served as defensive coordinator for the Chargers for three seasons prior to accepting the head coaching job for the Dallas Cowboys in 2007. Chosen by Jerry Jones over candidates like Norv Turner, Ron Rivera and Jason Garrett, Phillips led the Cowboys to a 13-3 record in his first season at the helm. After a 9-7 season in 2008, Phillips and the Cowboys bounced back to a division crown and an 11-5 record in 2009. Prior to the season, Phillips took over defensive coordinator duties in addition to his role as head coach. He earned his first playoff victory with a win over the Eagles, ending Dallas’ 12-year playoff win drought. After a disappointing start to the 2010 campaign, Phillips and the Cowboys parted ways, leading him to accept the defensive coordinator position with the Houston Texans in 2011. He earned recognition as the PFWA Assistant Coach of the Year after the Texans defense finished second in the NFL with 285.7 yards allowed per game. Phillips installed a 3-4 scheme that yielded the third-largest single-year improvement since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, reversing a unit that gave up 379.6 yards per game and ranked 31st in the NFL in 2010. The Texans’ head coach at the time, Gary Kubiak, collapsed in the middle of a game in November 2013, and Phillips had to step in as the interim coach for the squad. A month later, Kubiak and the Texans parted ways, opening the door for Phillips serve as interim head coach once again. In 2015, Phillips joined Kubiak’s staff with Broncos as the defensive coordinator. In his second stint in Denver, Phillips replaced his predecessor’s complex wait-and-react scheme with a simple style of going after the ball, making Denver the top-ranked defense that season. He helped the team to a 12-4 record and the number one seed in the AFC despite the team’s offensive troubles. The 2015 Broncos, anchored by Phillips’ dominant defense, went on to defeat the Carolina Panthers, who had the league’s top-ranked offense, in Super Bowl 50. After a successful run in Denver, he left to become the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. In Super Bowl LIII, Phillips’ defense was credited with keeping the New England Patriots and Tom Brady out of the end zone until the fourth quarter. Phillips finished his tenure with the Rams after a 9-7 campaign in 2019. In total, Phillips posted an 83-69 record, including regular season and playoffs, throughout his career as a head coach. Known as one of the game’s best defensive coordinators, various players under Phillips’ scheme have won Defensive Player of the Year honors, including Reggie White, Bryce Paup, Bruce Smith, J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald. Others have won Defensive Rookie of the Year, including Mike Croel and Shawne Merriman. Phillips and his wife, Laurie, met in 1964 at Port Neches-Groves High School, where he was the quarterback of the football team and she was the head cheerleader. They have a daughter, Tracy, and a son, Wes.

Steve Worster
Steve Worster was born in Wyoming, but his family settled in Orange County, Texas, when he was a young boy. He attended Bridge City High School in Bridge City, Texas, where he played fullback on the football team and catcher in baseball. He earned All-District honors all four years, All-State honors for three years, and accumulated 5,422 yards during his high school career, including 38 100-yard games, which is second in Texas prep history. Worster led his high school team to a 13-1 season and the Class 3A state football championship in 1966, rushing for 2,210 yards and being named a High School All-American. He was later inducted into the Texas High School Hall of Fame. Worster accepted a scholarship to play football at the University of Texas under head coach Darrell Royal. As a halfback, he became the cornerstone of Royal’s legendary wishbone formation. Nicknamed “Big Woo”, Worster ran for 2,353 with 36 touchdowns at Texas. He was a part of three Southwest Conference titles and two national championships. He was a two-time All-American and three-time All-Southwest Conference selection, and he finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1970. Worster has also been inducted into the Texas Longhorn Hall of Fame and the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. Worster was selected by the Los Angeles Rams as the 12th pick in the fourth round of the 1971 NFL Draft, but he did not play in the league. Worster spent one year in the Canadian Football League with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats prior to pursuing a career in sales. He has two children, Scott and Erin, as well as four grandchildren: Evan, Morgan, Noah and Lukas.

Vince Young
Vince Young grew up in the Hiram Clarke neighborhood of Houston, Texas, where he attended Madison High School. He started at quarterback for three years and garnered 12,987 yards of total offense during his high school career. As a senior, he led his team to the Class 5A state semifinals where he threw for 400 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown in a hard-fought loss to Austin Westlake. Young was named Parade’s and Student Sports’ National Player of the Year after compiling 3,819 yards and 59 touchdowns as a senior. He was named the 2001 Texas 5A Offensive Player of the Year, was designated as The Sporting News’s top high school prospect and was awarded the Pete Dawkins Trophy in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Young attended the University of Texas and played quarterback under Head Coach Mack Brown. As a redshirt freshman, he earned snaps halfway through the season after initially being second on the depth chart. As a redshirt sophomore, Young started every game and led the Longhorns to an 11-1 record and the school’s first-ever appearance in the Rose Bowl, in which they defeated Michigan. As a redshirt junior in 2005, Young led the Longhorns to an 11-0 regular season record, a Big 12 championship and a national championship. Young led the Longhorns to defeat the favored USC Trojans in the 2006 Rose Bowl, in which he accounted for 467 of total offense and three rushing touchdowns. He finished the season with 3,036 yards passing and 1,050 yards rushing, earning him the Davey O’Brien Award as well as All-American honors. Young finished his career at Texas with a 30-2 record as a starter and a .938 winning percentage as a starting quarterback, which ranks sixth best in Division I history. During his career at Texas, Young passed for 6,040 yards (No. 5 in Texas history) and 44 touchdowns (No. 4 in Texas history) while rushing for 3,127 yards (No. 1 on the school’s all-time QB rushing list/No. 7 on Texas’ all-time list) and 37 touchdowns. He was also No. 10 on ESPN/IBM’s list of the greatest college football players ever. Young entered the 2006 NFL Draft and was selected third overall by the Tennessee Titans. As a rookie, he set the former record for rushing yards by a rookie quarterback with 552. After a plethora of come-from-behind victories throughout the 2006 season, Young won the Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and replaced Philip Rivers in the 2007 Pro Bowl. In 2007, Young passed for 2,459 yards with nine touchdowns and rushed for 395 yards with three touchdowns, leading the Titans team to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth. The following year, Young suffered a knee injury and later assumed the backup role to Kerry Collins for the remainder of the 2008 season. After not starting for the first six games of the 2009 season, Young won eight of his 10 starts in fourth season in the league. The Titans began the year 0-6 and became the first team in NFL history to win five straight after losing their first six games. Young finished third in the bidding for NFL Comeback Player of the Year and was announced as the Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year. Young appeared in his second Pro Bowl after taking a roster spot from an injured Philip Rivers yet again. After leading the Titans to a 4-5 record in nine of their first 10 games in 2010, Young suffered a thumb injury and played his last snap for the organization. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011 and started three games. Young spent the final years of his NFL career with brief stints for the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns. Young re-enrolled at Texas for the 2008 spring semester, and in 2013, he graduated with a degree in youth and community studies. He continues to live in Houston’s Hiram Clarke neighborhood. 

Dick Olin
Dick Olin, the patriarch of 7-on-7 football in Texas, was the head coach for Clinton High School in Clinton, Iowa, for 12 seasons (1971-1982), the longest tenure in school history. He led Clinton to its first state championship in 1975. Later, Olin went on to take the head coaching job at Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, Texas, for 17 seasons (1992-2008). At Lee, Olin had a successful run in which he posted a 106-78 total record with 11 playoff appearances and helped produce star quarterback talents like Jermain Alfred, Ell Roberson, Clint Stoerner, Brian Johnson and his stepson, Drew Tate. After his time at Lee High School, Olin accepted a position as head coach and athletic director for Lewisville High School in Lewisville, Texas. After three years of leading the athletic programs at Lewisville, he moved on to accept the role as offensive coordinator at Stephen F. Austin College in 2012. Olin is one of the founders of the state 7-on-7 summer football tournament and is a co-creator of the Bayou Bowl, the annual all-star game that airs on ABC13.

The 2021 Texas Bowl will feature teams from the Big 12 and SEC and will kick off in primetime on Tuesday, Jan. 4. The game, which has ranked fifth in bowl game attendance in the country behind only the Rose, Cotton, Sugar and Peach Bowls since 2014, will air nationally on ESPN and ESPN Radio with a local radio broadcast on SportsRadio 610 (KILT-AM). 

Tickets remain for the 2021 Texas Kickoff game featuring the Texas Tech University Red Raiders and the University of Houston Cougars on Saturday, September 4 and can be purchased through the website at www.texaskickoff.com.

 

CONTACTS:

Omar Majzoub
(832) 667-2241
omar.majzoub@houstontexans.com

Carly Klanac
(832) 667-2164
carly.boatwright@lsse.net

 

CFB Insider

Who's Winning the 2021 College QB Race?

After a season of uncertainty, many teams are looking at big question marks at the QB position. Read on to see which newbies have big shoes to fill and which veterans have big expectations to live up to.

Alabama
The defending champions are more than likely going with sophomore Bryce Young as their starter. Young, a 5-star recruit coming out of high school has very little play time with only 22 passes for 156 yards and one touchdown on his resume. 

Georgia
J.T. Daniels is the undisputed starter and like many of the top teams, expectations for the Bulldogs QB is nothing short of a National Championship. With all the talent around him, Daniels must prove that he’s the guy that can lead Georgia back to the ‘Ship.

Houston
As the returning starter for the Cougars, it’s time for Clayton Tune to show what he’s capable of under Dana Holgorsen’s system. After a few down seasons, the Cougars are hopeful they will contend for the AAC title this season. 

Iowa State
Coach Matt Campbell and returning QB Brock Purdy are looking to continue their success from last season that resulted in a New Year’s Six Bowl win. Campbell and Purdy have worked together for a few years and with Purdy’s impending graduation, this will be his last shot to make a splash as a Cyclone.

Oklahoma
OU keeps the Spencer Rattler show going as he looks to cement his status as the top QB of the 2022 draft over North Carolina’s Sam Howell. Going into his third season there’s a lot of expectations for Rattler. Only question is, will he be able to deliver?

Oklahoma State
After earning the Cheez-it Bowl MVP the expectations are that QB Spencer Sanders will continue his success from last season. Oklahoma State added Gunnar Gundy to the roster but even as the coach’s son it will be an uphill battle for playtime for the freshman QB. 

Texas
After showing out in relief of the injured Sam Ehlinger against Colorado, Casey Thompson is the likely starter for Texas. With a new coach and new QB Texas is looking at a fresh start and to finally be able to claim that Texas is back. 

Texas A&M
After narrowly missing the College Football Playoff last year the expectations for A&M this season are sky high. For the moment Haynes King is the presumed starter as he ended the season as Kellen Mond’s backup, but he has yet to prove anything. He still needs to perform on the field to show he belongs so this QB battle will be one to keep an eye on.

Texas Tech
The QB battle is still wide open for the Red Raiders with five potential candidates to start the season off at the Texas Kickoff at NRG Stadium. The most likely starter will be Oregon transfer Tyler Shough who’s an NFL hopeful looking to improve his draft stock while in Lubbock. 

 

 

Press Release

TEXAS BOWL RETURNS TO NRG STADIUM IN PRIMETIME ON JANUARY 4TH

HOUSTONThe 2021 Texas Bowl will be played on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022 in primetime at NRG Stadium in Houston. The 15th edition of the game will air on ESPN and ESPN Radio, with a local radio broadcast on Sports Radio 610 (KILT-AM) and will once again feature a matchup of Big 12 and SEC schools as it has since 2014. An announcement on the game time will be made on a later date. 

 

The Texas Bowl is one of the top-five most attended bowl games in the country, and the most attended non-New Year’s Six game since 2016, trailing only the Rose, Peach, Fiesta and Orange Bowls.  The Texas Bowl and its sister event, the Texas Kickoff, have grown to become two of the most popular annual college football games in the country, combining to create an economic impact of close to $80 million annually for the city of Houston while raising over $2 million in financial support and millions more in promotional support to DePelchin Children’s Center, Houston’s oldest children’s charity and the bowl’s official charitable beneficiary.

 

In 2019, the Texas Bowl featured the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas A&M Aggies, marking the sixth year of the Bowl’s affiliation with the Big 12 and the SEC. With an Aggies 24-21 victory over the Cowboys, then Texas A&M quarterback and current Minnesota Vikings’s quarterback Kellen Mond was named the 2019 Texas Bowl MVP.  Last year’s Texas Bowl was scheduled to feature TCU and Arkansas but was cancelled due to the pandemic. 

 

The Texas Bowl is one of 17 bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, and managed locally by Lone Star Sports & Entertainment.  Ticket information for the event will be shared in the near future.  To be the first to get these updates and for more information around the game, fans can sign up for the Texas Bowl wait list at http://www.thetexasbowl.com/.

 

About the Texas Bowl
The Texas Bowl is owned and operated by ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN, and managed locally by Lone Star Sports & Entertainment. The Texas Bowl has showcased teams from the Big 12 and the SEC, two of the country’s premier conferences since 2014. The Texas Bowl has been a tremendous success both on and off the field over its first 14 years as it is the fifth most-attended bowl in the country since 2016. The bowl generates nearly $40 million annually for the Houston economy and has donated over $2 million in financial support and millions more in promotional support to DePelchin Children’s Center, the bowl’s official charitable beneficiary.

ESPN Events 
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of 34 collegiate sporting events nationwide. The roster includes five early-season college football games, 17 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events and a college softball event, which accounts for approximately 400 hours of live programming, reaches nearly 64 million viewers and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in more than 10 markets across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.

For more information, visit the official websiteFacebookTwitter or YouTube pages.

-LONE STAR SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT-

CFB Insider

2021 NFL Draft Predictions

Who will win the 2021 NFL Draft?

Could we call ourselves college football fans if we didn’t make everything a competition? Of course not. Here at LSSE we are obsessed with competition, especially between the Big 12 and SEC. 

So, who will win the 2021 Draft? Read on for everything you need to know for 2021 Big 12 and SEC hopefuls.

BIG 12 VS SEC
The SEC West is winning the draft competition overall with a total of 47 eligible alumni, with 17 predicted to go in the Top 100*. The West is followed by the SEC East with 41 eligible players and the Big 12 with 34, both the SEC East and Big 12 have 9 players predicted to go in the Top 100.

Overall, the SEC West averages 7 eligible players per team. Alabama is leading the chase with 12 players followed closely by Texas A&M with 10. In the SEC East teams average 6 players in the Draft per team. The Georgia Bulldogs have taken the lead, tying the SEC West top team with 12 eligible players. The Big 12 averages only 3 eligible players per team and is lead by Texas and Oklahoma both with 7 players apiece.

TOP 100
LSSE College Football Insider, host of the Football with Friends podcast and overall college football master Johnny Harris has published his famous Harris 100, predicting the Top 100 picks in the NFL Draft. Here are the highlights you can expect from each Big 12 and SEC team.

Click each player name to check out the full Harris 100 breakdown.

BIG 12 - Predicted to go in the Top 100

Harris 100 Ranking School Name Pos. Year

58

Oklahoma

Ronnie Perkins

EDGE

Junior

61

Oklahoma

Creed Humphrey

IOL

RS Junior

83

Oklahoma

Rhamondre Stevenson

RB

Senior

34

Oklahoma State

Teven Jenkins

OT

RS Senior

72

Oklahoma State

Tylan Wallace

WR

Senior

81

Oklahoma State

Chuba Hubbard

RB

RS Junior

32

TCU

Trevon Moehrig

S

Junior

26

Texas

Joseph Ossai

EDGE

Junior

49

Texas

Samuel Cosmi

OT

RS Junior

 

SEC East - Predicted to go in the Top 100

Harris 100 Ranking School Name Pos. Year

4

Florida

Kyle Pitts

TE

Junior

19

Florida

Kadarius Toney

WR

Senior

92

Florida

Kyle Trask

QB

RS Senior

16

Georgia

Azeez Ojulari

EDGE

RS Soph.

54

Georgia

Tyson Campbell

CB

Junior

56

Georgia

Eric Stokes

CB

RS Junior

42

Missouri

Nick Bolton

LB

Junior

21

South Carolina

Jaycee Horn

CB

Junior

73

Tennessee

Trey Smith

IOL

Senior

 

SEC West - Predicted to go in the Top 100

Harris 100 Ranking School Name Pos. Year

3

Alabama

DeVonta Smith

WR

Senior

8

Alabama

Jaylen Waddle

WR

Junior

14

Alabama

Patrick Surtain II

CB

Junior

22

Alabama

Najee Harris

RB

Senior

28

Alabama

Landon Dickerson

IOL

RS Senior

30

Alabama

Christian Barmore

IDL

RS Soph.

40

Alabama

Mac Jones

QB

RS Junior

47

Alabama

Alex Leatherwood

OT

Senior

71

Alabama

Deonte Brown

IOL

RS Senior

78

Alabama

Dylan Moses

LB

Senior

91

Auburn

Seth Williams

WR

Junior

2

LSU

Ja'Marr Chase

WR

Junior

51

LSU

Terrace Marshall Jr.

WR

Junior

66

LSU

Jabril Cox

LB

RS Senior

75

LSU

Tyler Shelvin

IDL

RS Junior

69

Texas A&M

Bobby Brown III

IDL

RS Junior

94

Texas A&M

Kellen Mond

QB

Senior

 

*Predictions based on the Harris 100.

CFB Insider

The Battle for the Starting Spot Starts Now

Who will be leading your team’s offense in 2021?

 

We’ve already been witness to a long list of transfers, opt-outs and draft declarations this spring. Now that schools are gearing up for spring practice, we’re anxious to see who will be leading some of the key offenses in the Big 12 and SEC.

A little competition can push teams to new heights or fracture a program’s moral. Check out some of the Big 12 and SEC teams with their starting QB spot on the line this spring.

BIG 12

TEXAS
Top Contenders: Casey Thompson vs Hudson Card
Thompson surprised the entirety of the Longhorn fan base with his unbelievable coming out party vs Colorado in the Valero Bowl this past winter. While some are quick to tab Thompson as the front runner based on his performance in 2020, don’t sleep on Hudson Card. The sophomore ranked fourth in the 247Sports Composite rankings for the 2020 class, rubbing elbows with the likes of Alabama’s Bryce Young, Clemson’s DJ Uiagalelei and Ohio State’s CJ Stroud. With a new coaching staff leading the Longhorns this year, the starting spot is up for grabs. Will they gravitate toward Thompson and his Valero Bowl highlight reel or get behind the raw, young talent of Card?

TCU
Top Contenders: Max Duggan vs Matthew Downing
Max Duggan won the hearts of the TCU fan base with a solid comeback from being sidelined for a heart condition in 2020. While Duggan impressed with his rushing ability, his accuracy was less than consistent. The Horned Frogs return Red Shirt Junior Matthew Downing to the quarterback race along with a hole host of new potential in Oklahoma transfer Chandler Morris, German commit Alexander Honig and incoming freshmen in Sam Jackson and Trent Battle.

TEXAS TECH
Top Contenders: Tyler Shough vs Henry Colombi
Wildcard: Maverick McIvor
It’s the battle of the transfers for the Red Raiders starting spot this spring. Utah State transfer Colombi earned the starting spot during what was a less than productive 2020 season for Texas Tech. Colombi put up decent numbers in 2020 but Red Raiders fans have high hopes for the recent Oregon transfer Tyler Shough. The on again, off again Ducks starter comes to Lubbock with a ton of potential. The wildcard in the battle—Red Shirt Freshman Maverick McIvor. Either way, coach Matt Wells is hoping for a QB to lead his team to an exciting start to the 2021 season vs Houston at the Texas Kickoff in Houston this Labor Day.

SEC

TEXAS A&M
Top Contenders: Zach Calzada vs Haynes King
After four years with 2019 Texas Bowl MVP Kellen Mond at the helm, the Aggies are in need of a new leading man on offense. They return key weapons that should make for a deadly offense in 2021 if they can find the right fit for QB. Frontrunners for the job are Red Shirt Sophomore Zach Calzada and Sophomore Haynes King. The two hopefuls present two very different styles. Calzada has built a reputation as a pocket passer with a powerful arm while King presents as a dual-threat, long and athletic with success playing both basketball and track in high school.

ALABAMA
Top Contenders: Bryce Young vs Paul Tyson
Wildcard: Jalen Milroe
Mac Jones stole the show in Tuscaloosa in 2020, leaving the Crimson Tide with a perfect record and high hopes for a new quarterback to come in and continue the streak. The battle for the starting spot this spring will feature 2020 back up Sophomore Bryce Young, who put up solid numbers in the few snaps he took during the 2020 season and Red Shirt Sophomore Paul Tyson. Young was able to show his accuracy and comfort throwing outside of the pocket in 2020 but has proven reluctant thus far to really make a difference rushing. His competitor, on the other hand, is a powerful pro-style quarterback who has some eyebrow-raising film from high school we’re waiting to see translate to the college level after a few years under Saban’s wing. The wildcard for the starting spot with the Crimson Tide? Highly rated incoming freshman Jalen Milroe out of Katy, Texas.

 LSU
Top Contenders: Max Johnson vs TJ Finley
Wildcard: Garrett Nussmeier
The Tigers return Max Johnson and TJ Finely after a lackluster season in 2020. LSU struggled all year to find their identity after losing an insane level of talent after winning their National Championship in 2019. For two freshmen thrown into an unprecedented season in the SEC West, their performance was pretty solid but not enough to push the Tigers past a 5-5 conference record. Both revealed good fundamentals and the ability to move well in and out of the pocket their freshmen year. However, for LSU to return to their previous glory, we will need to see one of these solid, full-of-potential quarterbacks step up and really lead the offense this spring. But the spring may bring more than just a battel between Johnson and Finley. Wildcard freshman Garrett Nussmeier comes in with a reputation for success, extremely impressive film and a true competitors spirit.

 

 

CFB Insider

National Signing Day 2021

The future is looking bright for college football.

An unprecedented year means an unprecedented signing day. While major announcements were a little more social distanced than normal, there was no shortage of drama over National Signing Day this week—but not necessarily the same type of drama that we’re used to seeing.

On top of the normal pressure facing high school hopefuls and recruiting coordinators this year, we saw two new factors affecting the 2021 recruiting class in a major way:

Virtual Recruiting: With limited to no campus visit opportunities, established coaching staffs had the edge over organizations with new faces. Not only were recruiting opportunities limited for these coaches to see players, we’re seeing that a virtual meet and greet truly does not hold the same weight as an in-person meeting. As a result, none of the organizations with a staff hired in 2020 (or later) broke the top 15 in recruiting class rankings after Wednesday.

The Transfer Portal: The new NCAA guidelines make it easier for players to enter the transfer portal this year, meaning the recruiting pool in these unprecedented times just got a whole lot more experienced. Data is still not complete for the year but it looks like we will see a couple hundred fewer high school players signing to scholarships at the FBS level in 2021.

So, with the limitations of last year, who won National Signing Day 2021? Check out the 2021 recruiting class ranks plus a few exciting new players to watch:

1. Alabama—We can’t wait to watch five-star running back Camar Wheaton, who signed yesterday, make his mark as a part of the Crimson Tide!

2. Ohio State

3. Clemson

4. Georgia

5. LSU

6. Texas A&M—The Aggies edged their rivals to secure four-star running back LJ Johnson yesterday and the rumor mill tells us that they will be adding a transfer in the No. 1 Junior college offensive tackle Jordan Moko on Friday.

7. Oregon

8. Notre Dame

9. USC

10. Michigan

11. Miami

12. Oklahoma

13. Ole Miss—the Rebels secured a steel in the highest ranked signee on Wednesday in Tywone Malone. We’re excited to see how this four-star DT makes an impact.

14. Florida

15. North Carolina

16. Texas—The Longhorns swooped up former Nortre Dame committed defensive lineman David Abiara who will arguably be poised to make an impact immediately upon arrival in Austin. We are also excited about our 2021 Mr. Texas Football winner and Texas commit Johnathan Brooks.

17. Maryland

18. Wisconsin

19. Washington

20. Arkansas—The Hogs didn’t add any new signees during this wave of commits, but were able to wrap up with a top 20 class in Sam Pittman’s first year.

21. Tennessee

22. Iowa

23. Nebraska

24. NC State

25. Penn State

 

CFB Insider

Who Ya Got: 2021 CFP Championship Edition

The tumultuous 2020 college football season is coming to an end with one of the most anticipated games of the year, (1) Alabama vs (3) Ohio State. Both teams are coming off of impressive wins. Alabama (not so surprisingly—Irish fans don’t hate) slammed Notre Dame 31-14 in the Rose Bowl presented by Capital One and Ohio State (a little more surprisingly) ran away with the Allstate Sugar Bowl with a 49-28 victory over Clemson.

Who will remain undefeated after the Buckeyes and the Crimson Tide battle at National Championship? Read on to see what the experts say.

College Football News
Prediction: Ohio State

ESPN Football Power Index
Prediction: Alabama

CBS Sports
Prediction: Alabama

Sporting News
Prediction: Alabama

Sports Illustrated
Prediction: Alabama

Think you know better than the experts?? Make your prediction for a chance to win a Karbach Brewing Co. giftcard and Love Street branded can speaker. Must be 21 or over to enter!

ENTER TO WIN

 

Press Release

ESPN Events and Lone Star Sports & Entertainment Cancel Mercari Texas Bowl

Due to an increased number of positive COVID-19 tests and other circumstances within the TCU football program, the 2020 Mercari Texas Bowl has been canceled.

“While we are disappointed in canceling this year’s game, we look forward to hosting both the Texas Kickoff and Texas Bowl next season,” said David Fletcher, executive director. “We appreciate everyone’s support, including our new title sponsor, Mercari.” 

Tickets that were purchased for the game originally scheduled to take place at NRG Stadium in Houston will be refunded and processed by the outlet it was purchased through, including Lone Star Sports & Entertainment and Ticketmaster.

-30-

Media contacts:

Mercari Texas Bowl: Allie LeClair, (832) 667-2050 or allie.leclair@houstontexans.com 

ESPN: Anna Negron, (860) 766-2233 or anna.m.negron@espn.com; @ItsAnnaNegron