Tag: CFP National Championship

History says this could be year of Brian Kelly at LSU

It will be an uphill battle for the Bayou Bengals in 2024, but history says that victory is on the horizon.

In a recent interview with Blake Toppmeyer of USA TODAY Sports, current LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly discussed the national championship aspirations on the Bayou.

“I think the program is now built on a foundation that they can go compete for a championship,” Kelly stated. Should that come to fruition at LSU, he would become the fourth straight Tigers head coach to bring a title to the Bayou. That is unheard of consistency for a program with multiple head coaches since 2003.

How soon could this happen? To answer that question we need to look at the history of LSU under the previous three head coaches.

Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Ed Orgeron

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Saban

Wins Losses Bowl Game Season Result
8 4 Peach (Win)
10 3 Sugar (Win) SEC Title
8 5 Cotton (Loss)
13 1 Sugar (Win) National Championship

Les Miles

Wins Losses Bowl Game Season Result
11 2 Peach (Win)
11 2 Sugar (Win)
12 2 BCS Title (Win) National Championship
8 5 Sugar (Win)

Ed Orgeron

Wins Losses Bowl Game Season Result
6 2 Citrus (Win) Interim Year
9 4 Citrus (Loss)
10 3 Fiesta (Win)
15 0 Peach/CFP Title (Win) National Championship

The last two LSU coaches won their titles in the third year, while it took Saban an extra year to bring the Tigers their first national championship since 1958.

Related: Brian Kelly among 10 highest-paid coaches

Brian Kelly took over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program in 2010 and led the Golden Domers to a title game appearance in 2012. Given the history of the LSU program and even what Kelly himself accomplished in South Bend, this just might be the year for him.

Kelly understands that it will be an uphill battle replacing the reigning Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback with a guy who hasn’t seen much action in three seasons with the team. Garrett Nussmeier showed flashes of what he could be in the SEC title game two seasons ago and his performance in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Outside of the quarterback situation, the defense needs to be better in 2024. Kelly stated, “if we could’ve played any semblance of defense (last season), we’re in the playoffs.”

Kelly fired his defensive coordinator following the season and brought back Blake Baker to run the unit. He served as the linebackers coach during the 2021 season. The past two seasons he was the defensive coordinator with Missouri, who is coming off an 11-2 capped off with a Cotton Bowl victory over Ohio State.

How Baker uses Harold Perkins could determine how good this defense can be in 2024.

Paul Finebaum’s notorious feud with Jim Harbaugh is seemingly over after national championship win

This kind of backpedal is truly impressive. Foot, meet mouth.

Paul Finebaum and Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh have the strangest (and most entertaining) feud, but after Michigan won the CFP National Championship, Finebaum is walking back previous words.

Finebaum has been hypercritical of Harbaugh for years, as in WELL OVER five years. From Michigan’s schedule to a separate feud with Ric Flair, Finebaum has made it publicly known that he’s not a fan.

His disdain for Harbaugh oozed into the 2023 season so much that he proclaimed that he wouldn’t recognize a Michigan championship in November. (Yeah, it was THAT serious.)

But, apparently, things have changed after Michigan’s title win. Not only did Finebaum admit that he was wrong about Jim Harbaugh, he was rooting for him.

Washington’s Ja’Lynn Polk stayed and watched Michigan’s championship trophy ceremony creating a heartbreaking photo

This is gut-wrenching.

The Washington Huskies tried to take down the Michigan Wolverines, but Michigan’s defense was just too much for Washington to overcome. After the game, Ja’Lynn Polk was found watching Michigan’s championship trophy post-game, creating a painful sight.

Losing at any level is awful, but losing at the championship level is the worst and sometimes it helps to be around others to help ease the pain. Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. put it all on the line for his team but was unable to help deliver what he so deeply coveted. Michigan’s Jaylen Harrell was there to comfort him after it was all over.

However, there was one player who chose to be by himself after the loss. Wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk went full Stefon Diggs and sat on the field as Michigan celebrated. Maybe it motivates him next season, but for now, this is one of the saddest photos from the game.

Jim Harbaugh’s dad Jack gave a fired-up message after Michigan won the national title

Jack Harbaugh celebrated his son’s first national championship on the field with the team Monday night.

The Michigan Wolverines ended nearly three decades of futility on Monday night, capturing the College Football Playoff national championship with a 34-13 win over Washington that got the program back to the mountaintop for the first time since 1997.

Coach Jim Harbaugh became a national champion for the first time in his career, and his father, Jack — a former college coach himself — shared an emotional message with the crowd.

Given the microphone by ESPN’s Rece Davis during the postgame celebration, the elder Harbaugh posed a simple question to the horde of Michigan fans.

“Who has it better than us?” Harbaugh asked as the mic cut out. “Nobody!”

Jim Harbaugh also shared an emotional moment with both his parents after securing the win.

Jack Harbaugh has been a major cheerleader for the Wolverines during this title run, and he even donned the headset, coming out of retirement this season to serve as the team’s assistant head coach during his son’s three-game suspension to begin the season.

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Oregon fans react to Washington Huskies’ loss to Michigan in national championship game

Oregon Duck fans celebrated as their rival Washington Huskies lost in the national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines.

The Oregon Ducks could not end the 2023 season with a national championship. It turns out the next best thing is watching your biggest rival lose in the national championship game.

The Washington Huskies’ 34-13 loss to the Michigan Wolverines on Monday night gave Oregon Duck fans a reason to celebrate on social media. With Michael Penix trying to lead the Huskies to a championship, many Duck fans found themselves rooting hard for Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines from the very start.

Early on, it looked like a blow out was on tap: Michigan accomplished anything it wanted offensively in the first quarter. However, Washington made it a game by halftime, and it was relatively close into the fourth quarter until Michigan put the game away with a late interception of Penix.

Once the game was out of reach, Duck fans celebrated on social media as their rival mourned the loss. Here are some of the best reactions from the night:

Washington’s leaky run defense has no clue against Michigan’s dominant ground game

The Washington Huskies’ leaky run defense is getting itself demolished by the Michigan Wolverines’ dominant rushing attack.

Well, the Washington Huskies had to know this would be a problem. Coming into the CFP National Championship game against the Michigan Wolverines, the Huskies had allowed 2,048 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns on 414 opponent carries, and that nightmare is reliving itself against the Wolverines and their amazing run game.

In the first quarter alone, Michigan ran nine times for 174 yards and two touchdowns — both by Donovan Edwards. Michigan’s runs of 46 and 59 yards were the two longest runs Washington had allowed all season long, and when you see the absent gap responsibilities and communication issues that are readily apparent, it’s clear that if the Huskies want to win this game, they’ll simply have to outscore their opponent. It was already 14-3 in Michigan’s favor at the end of the first quarter.

Washington had no answer for Blake Corum, either.

Michael Penix Jr. raves about Penn State’s new DC at CFP National Championship media day

Michael Penix Jr. raves about Tom Allen at CFP National Championship Media Day.

The College Football Playoff National Championship game kicks off Monday night from Houston’s NRG Stadium, but before then, we had media day throughout the day on Saturday.

Both head coaches Jim Harbaugh and Kalen DeBoer spoke to the media and players from both Michigan and Washington, respectively. When Huskies’ star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. took the podium, he was asked about his path to the title game, and one man in particular stood out: [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag].

The newly hired Penn State defensive coordinator and ex-Indiana Hoosiers head coach recruited Penix to Bloomington. He believed in the future Heisman runner-up after Tennessee’s new staff under Jeremy Pruitt didn’t see a future with Penix. Although Penix’s career in Indiana was riddled with several season-ending injuries, there was no love lost between Penix and his former head coach.

“He’s a great coach. He’s a coach that it’s easy to love him because of the guy he is, the person he is. I feel like he cares about his players. He cares about the person more than the player. I feel like he’s a guy that will definitely do great things at Penn State (as DC). He’s going to bring great leadership. He’s going to bring great energy, intensity each & every day. He was always the same guy every day & always had that same energy, same spark, trying to help the team be better in any way that he could. I feel like they’re definitely getting a good coach” – via @Brett_McMurphy

Now preparing to start his final collegiate game in the National Championship, Penix will get the chance to go out with a bang if he can deliver a title for the Huskies. Allen is a big reason why he is in this position. After all, he is the one who hired Kalen DeBoer, his offensive coordinator, to work with Penix in 2019.

It sure sounds like [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] made a homerun hire with Allen as his new defensive coordinator. Former players raving about their coaches is always a good sign, and Penix’s quote sure makes it seem that Penn State has a tremendous leader to coach its defense.

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The College 12-Pack: Previewing the CFP National Championship, does CFB need a commish?

Time for a new podcast episode from Patrick Conn and Tyler Nettuno.

It all comes down to just one game. All of the practices in the spring, the games in the fall, and now we have two teams remaining. So who will rise and cement themselves into college football history? College Wire senior editor Patrick Conn and Tyler Nettuno of LSU Tigers Wire and For The Win are here to get you ready for the big game.

Rose Bowl Recap—It was a close game but the Michigan Wolverines needed a late-game comeback to tie the game and eventually send it to overtime. Was this more of Michigan being a team of destiny or did Alabama fumble the bag?

Sugar Bowl Recap–The Texas Longhorns and Washington Huskies met for the second straight postseason. The result was the same, a win for UW. Michael Penix Jr. and the trio of receivers were just too much for the Longhorns, although they had a chance to win the game late. The win came at a cost for the Huskies, they are likely without running back Dillon Johnson for the title game.

College Football National Championship–The matchup is set. The Michigan Wolverines vs. the Washington Huskies. Two teams that are 14-0 and will share a conference in 2024. Can the Huskies repeat history and claim a national championship after defeating the Wolverines just as they did in 1991?

Reviewing the Crimson Tide–There is no reason for the Tide to hang their heads. You could argue that they played well above the expectations for this season. Still, there is plenty of work to do before they make another run in 2024. Alabama needs a serious upgrade on the offensive line.

Reviewing the Longhorns–It was quite the year for UT, they went from 8-5 and third place in 2022 to Big 12 champions in 2023. They leave the conference they called home since 1996 for the high-powered SEC in 2024. Can Sark do the unthinkable and take claim of the Horns’ new conference home in year one? Easier said than done.

Changes needed in CFB–The entire college football landscape is an absolute mess at this point. Teams were trying to finalize their early signing recruiting class in mid-December while simultaneously trying to manage their roster with so many transfers and getting ready for bowl season. The calendar needs work and if you ask Patrick, we need an FBS commissioner.

You can watch this week’s ‘College 12-Pack’ right here:

You can also listen and subscribe to the ‘College 12-Pack’ on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

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Social media reacts to CFP field being set without Florida State

Social media reacted to undefeated Florida State being left out of the CFP

The four schools in the CFP field are Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama.

Michigan and Alabama are in the Rose Bowl, and Washington and Texas meet in the Sugar Bowl.

The winners play for the championship on Sept. 8.

That left undefeated Florida State on the outside in fifth spot.

Social media reacted to the committee’s selections.

247Sports lists 10 college football teams with National Championship potential

Texas enters 2023 with national championship potential.

National Signing Day wrapped up an eventful 2023 recruiting cycle with tons of intriguing storylines.

2023 featured one of the most talented quarterback classes in recent memory led by Arch Manning and Nico Iamaleava, Alabama reclaiming the No. 1 spot atop the rankings and Deion Sanders pulling another blue chip player with him to Colorado.

While TCU turned some heads with its remarkable season, most recent history shows that recruiting success directly translates to competing for championships.

The Georgia and Alabama of the world stay on top by consistently having the elite talent to develop. The players signing in the cycle are the future of college football.

247Sports put together a list of 10 college football teams with “National Championship potential” following National Signing Day. The list features the usual suspects, such as Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State along with a few teams hoping to crash the playoff party, like Texas, USC and Penn State.