Tag: 2022 college football

Notre Dame-Stanford preview: Pac-12 expert talks Cardinal

Should Notre Dame be on upset alert this week and would Stanford really fire David Shaw? Our Pac 12 expert shares his knowledge.

You don’t have to flip the pages of your scrapbook back all that far to find a time that Notre Dame’s annual clash with Stanford was significant in the major college football landscape.

The Cardinal went to a bowl game each year from 2009, which was Jim Harbaugh’s third year on campus, to 2018, which was David Shaw’s eighth as head coach.  Since then things haven’t gone as desired for the Cardinal as they’re just 1-4 overall this year and just 13-25 since the start of the 2019 season.

So what has gone wrong with Stanford, is there any hope in Palo Alto that they’ll be turning things around anytime soon, and would they really force Shaw, a coach who NFL teams were said to be kicking the tires on a few years back, out after what he’s accomplished?

Matt Zemek is the managing editor of our sister-site Trojans Wire where they cover all things USC.  He also follows the Pac 12 incredibly closely and has insights to the rest of the league, not just USC.

Zemek was kind enough to take a few minutes away from his currently unbeaten football team to discuss how Stanford has fallen like they have and what to expect this Saturday.

Which two Alabama players are poised to have a breakout season in 2022?

These two Crimson Tide players may be new to the starting roster, but 2022 should be HUGE for them!

Alabama’s season is set to begin in just a few weeks when the Crimson Tide takes on Utah State at home. The 2022 roster returns Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young and defensive standout Will Anderson Jr. off the edge.

Plenty of new names joined the program over the offseason via the transfer portal and will have an instant impact on the field. Others that will likely affect the program are young players that are being elevated to a starting role in 2022.

Athlon Sports put together a list of 50 players that are poised to have breakout seasons in 2022 and explained why. Two of those players are current members of the Crimson Tide.

Here’s who they are and why 2022 will be their year.

First … Jermaine Burton

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Alabama WR JoJo Earle to miss significant time due to fractured foot

Alabama football loses a key member of the receiving corps for at least six weeks due to a foot injury.

Alabama football will be without rising sophomore wide receiver JoJo Earle for the first six weeks at the very least due to a foot injury.

Earle was one of few young wide receivers to see significant playing time in his true freshman season due to injuries sustained by the Crimson Tide receiving corps in 2021. He appeared in 10 games where he reeled in 12 passes for 148 yards. He also was utilized on special teams where he returned 16 punts for an average of 5.5 yards per return.

The injury Earle suffered is a jones fracture, which is a fracture of the fifth metatarsal on the pinky toe side of the foot.

He is expected to be out between six to eight weeks.

Earle was not expected to begin the season as a starting receiver but was supposed to be a regular on the field in rotation with others.

The Crimson Tide has plenty of depth heading in 2022, with plenty of young talent returning such as Ja’Corey Brooks, Traeshon Holden and Christian Leary. Two additions to the receiving corps can via the transfer portal in Jermaine Burton, formerly of Georgia and Tyler Harrell, formerly of Louisville.

Roll tide Wire will continue to share updates and reports regarding Alabama football as the 2022 season rapidly approaches.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Power ranking the most fullback names in college football by how fullback they are

This list is pure grit.

As football teams move further and further toward a spread passing attack, the fullback is becoming an endangered species.

This is especially true at the college level, and it’s why whenever you see a great fullback, it’s important to appreciate it like you would a wild bald eagle.

With that being said, the fullback hasn’t completely disappeared from the college game, with a handful of programs still opting to use one. Phil Steele recently ranked the nation’s top-15 fullbacks entering the 2022 season, and folks, I’m happy to inform you that the names on the list could not be more stereotypically fullback if they tried.

Just incredible stuff.

With the first college football action still nearly a month away, there isn’t a ton to talk about just yet. So, why not take a deep dive into the wondrous world of fullback names?

Here’s our power ranking of the top-15 fullbacks in college football based on name alone:

A look at superlatives as the season inches closer

Who has the toughest schedule in college football?

When it comes to the superlatives for the 2022 college football season, the one that stands out most is the toughest schedule in the nation. According to ESPN’s Chris Low, that honor was actually bestowed to the Arkansas Razorbacks.

It is really splitting hairs as far as who truly has the toughest schedule in college football. You can argue Auburn, Arkansas, or even Texas Tech according to Low. One thing is for sure, the Tigers will face a rough road slate that includes trips to Athens and Tuscaloosa.

Toughest Road Schedule

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Bryan Harsin has had smoother offseasons. He resolutely survived as Auburn’s coach following an internal inquiry by the school that left him dangling. Surviving the Tigers’ road schedule will be equally daunting. Auburn is the only SEC West team that has to visit both No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia. There’s also a trip to No. 21 Ole Miss the week after the Georgia game and a Nov. 5 trip to Mississippi State, which rallied from a 28-3 deficit to win on the Plains last season. The good news for the Tigers is that they have eight home games, including their first five, at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

While Auburn has the toughest road schedule, they will face the team with the easiest road schedule when the Tigers head to Athens, Georgia for the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.”

Easiest Road Schedule

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Looking to repeat as national champion, Georgia has the home schedule to do so. The opener against No. 16 Oregon isn’t a true home game, even though it’s at nearby Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. But after that, only one top-25 team (No. 24 Tennessee) comes to Athens.

On top of having the toughest road slates in college football, Auburn will also feature one of the best nonconference matchups of the year when they host the Penn State Nittany Lions in the return matchup.

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Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Patrick on Twitter @PatrickConnCFB.

Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Alabama picked by media as favorite to win SEC

Alabama football is projected to win the SEC in 2022!

Alabama football had an odd season in 2021. Though most Crimson Tide fans would consider it a down year, the team still claimed a conference title and made an appearance in the national championship game.

Now, heading into 2022, there seems to be a sense of confidence within the program. A desire for a revenge tour, similar to what the program did in 2020 after missing the College Football Playoff altogether.

Recently, media members from all across the nation gathered in Atlanta for the 2022 SEC media days event. Members of the media had the opportunity to speak with players and coaches about the upcoming season. They also had the opportunity to submit their projections for the season.

Alabama is the projected winner of the SEC West and members of the media predict the Crimson Tide will defeat Georgia in the SEC championship.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football as the 2022 offseason continues.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Everything Nick Saban said at 2022 SEC media days

Alabama head coach Nick Saban spoke about some important topics relating to the Crimson Tide and college football as a whole.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban took to the podium at 2022 SEC media days and spoke about the state of Crimson Tide football, what he thinks about college football as a whole, and answered questions about some topics he’d probably wish to stay away from.

It is a well-known fact that Saban is not a fan of speaking with the media, unless he’s attempting to send a message to his team. Today, though, he stated that he looks forward to media days because it signifies the beginning of a new college football season.

See what else Nick Saban had to say during his time in the spotlight at 2022 SEC media days in Atlanta.

Sneak peak of new turf at Notre Dame Stadium tweeted

Think you’ll like this?

The 2022 season is coming, but not fast enough. We know you want to see the field at Notre Dame Stadium sooner rather than later, either in person or on TV. Well, when the season does arrive, the field might look a little different than it has recently. If this tweet from Matt Freeman of Irish Sports Daily is to be believed, new turf has been put down:

If there is anyone out there who somehow believed that Notre Dame Stadium has had the exact same playing surface since [autotag]Knute Rockne[/autotag] coached there, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.

All joking aside, it’s nice to see this happen and also appropriate given that [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] is about to coach his first full season. There’s just something about symbolism in sports that makes all of it more romantic. If you can’t find the beauty in that, maybe it’s time to find a new hobby.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

7 college football games in 2022 that could be weird as hell

Let’s get weird, y’all.

If you’re like me (i.e., a huge nerd), this is the time of year you start poring over the upcoming college football schedule and giving yourself something to look forward to in the dog days of the offseason.

And that’s when you start to find them. No, not the primetime network television clashes of titans. Not the conference-title-deciding rivalry games. I’m talking about the true gems that make college football the beautiful little freak of a sport that we love so much. The games that affect nothing other than the two teams involved. The games that shatter pride, create memories, and remind us of how hard it is to predict the behavior of 18- to 22-year-old college students.

Here are seven games from the upcoming college football season that we think have the best chance of getting weird in the best possible way.

97 days until Notre Dame football returns

What is your favorite long run in the history of Notre Dame football?

The countdown until Notre Dame football returns to the field is officially under way. We started our countdown by looking back at Lou Holtz in honor of his 100 wins as Notre Dame’s head coach and will have various ways to count down the days and numbers.

Related – 99 days until Notre Dame football returns

98 days until Notre Dame football returns

Today we are 14 weeks from the first full Saturday of college football in 2022, and we note it by looking back at the second longest run in the history of Notre Dame football.

The 2018 Fighting Irish wound up going 12-0 in the regular season and qualifying for the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.  That season didn’t come without battles however and one such game was at No. 24 Virginia Tech in early October in the season’s sixth game.

Leading 17-16 but facing a 2nd and 12 from their own three yard line early in the second half, Notre Dame put the ball in the hands of one of its playmakers and the top-25 contest was never the same after.

Enter Dexter Williams.

Exit light.

Check out the best photos from Notre Dame’s ultimate 45-23 victory from that memorable first trip to Blacksburg that evening.