Week 1 Preview: Big 12 Games to Watch

Which Big 12 matchups in Week 1 should you tune in for?

It is finally time to kick off the college football season in the Big 12. This will be the final year that includes the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns. However, they will add Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah in 2024.

Before we get to next season, our focus will remain on the 2023 season for the Big 12. In Week 1, there are plenty of matchups to keep an eye on. The Longhorns will host the Rice Owls, while the Sooners will take on Arkansas State.

Neither of those matchups was able to crack our list of the top games, but we begin our list of top matchups with West Virginia.

Countdown 2 Kickoff: Six storylines to follow this season

Deion Sanders, the CFP, and the Pac-12 are among the top storylines for the upcoming season.

As we continue counting down to the start of the college football season with kick-off in week 0, College Sports Wire is diving into the top storylines of the season.

The storylines for the upcoming season begin with the self-imposed penalty from Michigan, which will suspend Jim Harbaugh for the first three games of the season. This is likely to help their case for avoiding a much larger punishment for the Level I and Level II infractions committed by the football program.

Another set of storylines to monitor will be how the new hires from the past coaching carousel and the second-year coaches perform in 2023. Some coaches including Mario Cristobal and Brent Venables, are looking for better results at major programs. While Matt Rhule looks to return the Nebraska Cornhuskers to their former glory.

As the march to the season continues, we have six major storylines to follow.

Pat’s Top 10: Final power rankings of the 2022 season

Final power rankings for the 2022 college football season.

We have officially wrapped up another season of college football with the Georgia Bulldogs earning their second consecutive national championship.

Since the College Football Playoff format began in 2014, the SEC has claimed six of the nine trophies. Alabama leads the way with three followed by Georgia’s two and LSU’s 2019 crown.

The SEC once again won the title giving them four straight wins to remain the kings of college football. But how do the rankings check out now that the games are over?

We dive into the power rankings for the 2022 college football season for the final time. Where does Alabama rank, and how many SEC teams made the top 10?

Tennessee Opens Spring Practice, Bama Depth Chart, Florida’s Best Player: USA TODAY College Wire Features

The latest college football news, notes, and features from the USA TODAY college wire site publishers for Wednesday, April 14

The latest college football news, notes, and features from the USA TODAY college wire site publishers for Wednesday, April 14


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WATCH: Florida football great Trace Armstrong selects his best Gator ever

WATCH: Florida football great Trace Armstrong selects his best Gator ever

Watch: Taken ‘for granted’ by UGA, Takeo Spikes spurned Bulldogs for Auburn

Watch: Taken ‘for granted’ by UGA, Takeo Spikes spurned Bulldogs for Auburn

USA TODAY names one Ohio State player an NFL bust in its biggest 101 busts in draft history

USA TODAY names one Ohio State player an NFL bust in its biggest 101 busts in draft history

Possible candidates to replace Dane Fife as assistant coach for Michigan State basketball

Possible candidates to replace Dane Fife as assistant coach for Michigan State basketball

10 Michigan football players who could be X-factors for 2021

10 Michigan football players who could be X-factors for 2021

Wisconsin OL coach Joe Rudolph announces his unit’s spring two-deep depth chart

Wisconsin OL coach Joe Rudolph announces his unit’s spring two-deep depth chart

Ten Georgia Bulldogs go in NFL mock draft

Ten Georgia Bulldogs go in NFL mock draft

PHOTOS: Tennessee’s 2021 spring open practice

PHOTOS: Tennessee’s 2021 spring open practice

Projecting Alabama’s Offensive Depth Chart Prior To A-Day

Projecting Alabama’s Offensive Depth Chart Prior To A-Day

LSU WR Kayshon Boutte among players impressing in spring practice

LSU WR Kayshon Boutte among players impressing in spring practice

A look at the Oklahoma Sooners during spring practice

A look at the Oklahoma Sooners during spring practice

Six new potential starters for Texas football in 2021

Six new potential starters for Texas football in 2021

Five former Notre Dame assistant coaches that went on to huge things elsewhere

Five former Notre Dame assistant coaches that went on to huge things elsewhere

Clay Helton makes optimistic yet very confusing statement (again)

Clay Helton makes optimistic yet very confusing statement (again)

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Report: Indianapolis Colts interested in bringing back UGA great Justin Houston

Stephen Holder of The Athletic reports that the Indianapolis Colts are interested in resigning former Georgia linebacker Justin Houston.

Former Georgia linebacker Justin Houston is one of the top remaining NFL free agents. After spending eight years with the Kansas City Chiefs, earning his way to four Pro Bowl selections and two First-Team All-Pro selections, Houston signed a two-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts in 2018.

Houston appeared in 16 games and recorded 8.0 sacks last season, good enough to rank No. 21 among sack leaders.

According to The Athletic’s Stephen Holder, the Colts are still interested in bringing the 10-year veteran back to Indianapolis in 2021.

Pro Football Focus detailed Houston’s status in their free agent rankings.

“The big question for Houston is what he has left at this point after 10 years in the league. He doesn’t have the same burst and power that made him the fifth-best pass-rushing edge defender in the NFL during the last decade, and he finished 2020 with the lowest pass-rush grade of his career. Houston still flashes his ability, as he can get offensive tackles off-balanced with his length and good technique, but the days of accumulating 50-plus pressures in a season appear to be in the past. Even in the run game, Houston took a step back in 2020. On the other hand, Houston is just one year removed from an 87.1 overall grade while playing just over 40 plays per game, and he may have something to offer in a rotational role.”

Houston was an absolute problem for SEC offenses while at Georgia. As a junior in 2010, Houston led all linebackers in sacks with 10 and was named First-Team All-American and First Team All-SEC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSGQPJ4z7HI

 

 


A new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” is here! J.C. is joined by former Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch to talk UGA football, his life as U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant and more. Listen here:

Watch: Georgia football spring practice highlights

Georgia football is in its third week of spring training leading up to G-Day. Check out some highlights from the spring here.

Spring football is here and Georgia football is hard at work. The team is in the third week of spring practice leading up to the annual G-Day spring game on April 17.

Here are a few highlights from the spring sessions so far:

What better feeling than seeing the Dawgs back in pads?

 


A new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” is here! J.C. is joined by former Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch to talk UGA football, his life as U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant and more. Listen here:

 

Les Miles Out As Kansas Head Football Coach

After two seasons and a 3-18 record, Les Miles is out as the Kansas head coach following allegations in a report from his time at LSU.

After two seasons and a 3-18 record, Les Miles is out as the Kansas head coach following allegations in a report from his time at LSU.


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Les Miles Out At Kansas

Kansas has parted ways with head coach Les Miles following a report by LSU detailing allegations of inappropriate behavior during his time as that school’s head coach. Miles was first placed on administrative leave by Kansas, but now he’s done with the announcement coming on Monday night.

Mike DeBord will be the interim head coach until the school finds a permanent replacement for Miles.

This was supposed to be the job that resurrected Miles’ career.

At LSU, Miles went 114-34 with a national championship in 2007 and another trip to the national title game in 2011, losing to Alabama but finishing second in both polls.

LSU was okay in the four years after the loss to the Tide, but he went 37-14 during the span as the team became an also-ran in the SEC West. He was fired after a 2-2 starting 2016 – helped by a last second controversial loss to Auburn – and that was it.

Kansas hired him in 2019, but he went just 3-18 in his two seasons and 1-16 in the Big 12. Last year’s team was outscored 414-142 with only one game – a 16-13 loss to Texas Tech – decided by fewer than 15 points.

The 2019 team shocked Boston College on the road and beat Texas Tech 37-34, but closed out the season with a four-game losing streak by a combined score of 171-60.

And now Kansas has to find a head coach to try turning this around in a hurry.

The Jayhawks haven’t won more than three games in a season since 2009, and they haven’t had a winning season since 2008.

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Vol Coaching Staff, Urban Meyer Talks Ohio State & Alabama: USA TODAY College Wire Features

The latest college football news, notes, and features from the USA TODAY college wire site publishers for Tuesday, February 9

The latest college football news, notes, and features from the USA TODAY college wire site publishers for Tuesday, February 9


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LOOK. Urban Meyer discusses gap between Ohio State and Alabama

LOOK. Urban Meyer discusses gap between Ohio State and Alabama

Josh Heupel’s Tennessee staff: Defensive coaching options

Josh Heupel’s Tennessee staff: Defensive coaching options

PHOTOS: Peyton Manning through the years

PHOTOS: Peyton Manning through the years

Jim Leonhard’s words from December ring even more true today, the Monday after he decided to stay at Wisconsin

Jim Leonhard’s words from December ring even more true today, the Monday after he decided to stay at Wisconsin

Six Texas football players that could be on early award watch lists

Six Texas football players that could be on early award watch lists

Ultimate SEC Boxing Showdown! Pitting the 14 football coaches in winner-take-all fan vote

Ultimate SEC Boxing Showdown! Pitting the 14 football coaches in winner-take-all fan vote

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Tennessee Hires Josh Heupel: College Football News Wednesday, January 27

The latest college football news, notes, and happenings for Wednesday, January 27th

The latest college football news, notes, and happenings for Wednesday, January 27th
Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

5 Biggest Off-Field Things That Matter: College Football Cavalcade

If you thought the 2020 offseason was wild, welcome to 2021. Here are five key things happening that will shape your college football life.

If you thought the 2020 offseason was wild, wait until you get a load of your 2021. Here are five key off-field things happening that will shape your college football life.


College Football Cavalcade: 5 Biggest Off-Field Things That Matter

Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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Sorry if this take sucks, it’s not my fault …

This is the one column that doesn’t return just about everyone on both sides of the ball.


If you thought the 2020 offseason was weird, just you wait for what you’re about to get in 2021.

Will we get spring ball again? Will we be able to plan on fans being in the stands? How will the protocols continue to work?

And – oh yeah – sorry to have to go here, but when it comes to mass gatherings, no one wants to spend the next seven months having to care about the words “soft target” unless it’s referencing some mediocre receiver.

This will likely be done again later on this offseason – yeah, that whole Name Image and Likeness thing just got conveniently blown off – but for now, here are 5 big off-field things this offseason that matter.

5. Oh you COVID, you …

You best believe that we’re getting a 2021 college football season that’s going to be much better than the 2020 version.

The offseason, though …

If college football was able to play last year when everyone was guessing about the right and wrong ways to do this, there’s no chance we’re not getting at least what we had last season …

But with fans.

It was ugly at times, it was unscrupulous, it was occasionally unseemly, and it was all totally hypocritical considering the bullmess that college administrator types and athletic directors pushed, but we got our college football.

Now all these colleges want to start making money again, and that means they’re going to want fans giving them their money. Oh yeah, and they’re also going to want regular schedules and contracted games they can rely on so they can start collecting that ticket revenue as soon as humanly possible.

The desperation for some semblance of normalcy is everything for college football programs, especially for coaches who live on routine, predictability, and … The Process. Unfortunately, it’s doubtful that everything snaps back right away.

Coaches want their spring ball back, they want to know what and who they’re dealing with, and they want to worry about football and not testing, protocols, and distancing. However, they might still have to still live with all of that and more for a little while longer.

Outside of a new sheriff in town up at the very top, it’s not like anything has changed or improved COVID-wise over the last few months. Maybe the vaccinations will trickle down to the fittest people in our country – 18-to-23-year-old athletes – at some point this summer, but will it happen by March?

Nah, but that doesn’t mean teams aren’t going to be practicing. It just might not be like normal again quite yet.

On the plus side, the predictions for a season aren’t dire, unlike they were last season. However, expect spring football to be weird to non-existent depending on the school.

And with that …

NEXT: Schedules are likely going to return to near-normal