Could Lane Kiffin be the first former assistant to beat Nick Saban?
Nick Saban’s coaching tree is formidable, and his former assistants have experienced a wide variety of success. But they still have yet to figure out how to beat their old boss.
After Alabama beat South Carolina’s Will Muschamp, Jimbo Fisher’s Texas A&M team and Jeremy Pruitt’s Tennessee team this season, Saban advanced to 19-0 against his former assistants who have become head coaches. Joining Fisher and Pruitt, others with multiple losses to Saban include Georgia coach Kirby Smart, former Florida coach Jim McElwain and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio.
But with Lane Kiffin, who was an offensive coordinator at Alabama for three years, taking the Ole Miss coaching job, Saban has another former assistant to regularly face.
And ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum thinks Kiffin is the one to snap the streak.
I firmly believe that … Lane Kiffin is going to be the first Saban disciple to be beat the GOAT."
Kiffin spent the last three seasons at Florida Atlantic and just coached the Owls to their second conference championship under him. About his return to the SEC, Finebaum said Tuesday on ESPN’s Get Up to Mike Greenberg and Laura Rutledge:
“Lane Kiffin is obsessed with Nick Saban, and I think Nick Saban is obsessed with him. And Greeny, I firmly believe that of all these disciples — and we’ve talked about them ad nauseam between Kirby Smart and Jimbo and so many others — that Lane Kiffin is going to be the first Saban disciple to beat the GOAT. I’m not saying it will happen next year, but it’s going to happen because he will spent every moment — he will lose 11 games to prepare for that one.
“And I think Saban’s not intimitaed by people, but he’s going to look over there and go, ‘I don’t want to play Lane Kiffin.'”
Saban’s Crimson Tide will play several former assistants in 2020 with Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M on their schedule.
Sam Pittman was overcome with emotion during his introductory press conference at Arkansas.
Sam Pittman was officially introduced as Arkansas’ new football coach Monday, and he replaces Chad Morris, who was fired in November after going just 4-18 in less than two seasons and earning zero SEC wins.
Most recently, Pittman was the associate head coach and offensive line coach at Georgia, where he spent four seasons, and before that, he held the same positions, along with recruiting coordinator, at Arkansas from 2013-15. Former Razorback players so strongly supported their school hiring Pittman back that they wrote an open letter to the school supporting him, following Morris’ firing.
Judging by Pittman’s introductory press conference, this job clearly means the world to him. While speaking about recruiting and attracting coaches to join the program, he was overcome with emotion and met with applause from those in attendance.
“As you can tell, this means a lot,” Pittman said while getting choked up. “I’m a wreck,” he later added.
Arkansas finished this season 2-10 with its only wins coming against Portland State and Colorado State. It’s also on a 19-game losing streak in the SEC that goes all the way back to the end of the 2017 season, when Bret Bielema was still the coach.
Pittman signed a five-year contract worth about $3 million annually that also emphasizes performance bonuses, ESPN reported. He is also eligible for two one-year extensions if the team makes it to a bowl game, which it hasn’t done since 2016.
“I want to earn your trust, and the only way I know how to do it is to be loyal to you, be honest with you and go work hard,” Pittman said during the press conference. “And that’s what we’re going to do.”
Here’s a longer clip from his emotional introduction:
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Why You Should Bet On Oregon: It has more talent on both sides of the ball. Utah – as good as it has been – has yet to beat a team ranked in the College Football Playoff top 25, beating up on a whole slew of mediocre teams and struggling over the second half of the season against the one team – Washington – at its level. The Utes played the 92nd-best schedule in college football, and now they have to deal with Justin Herbert and the best offense they’ve faced so far.
Why You Should Bet On Utah: The weather isn’t going to be pretty. It’s supposed to be cold, rainy, and it should fit what Utah likes to do a little bit better. The defensive front is the real deal, and the offensive line has the ability to pound away better than Oregon can. This has to be the Zack Moss game – the ground attack needs to take over.
Prediction: The weather and Oregon’s talent will keep this close, but Utah is fighting for a playoff spot and will do what it can to pile on if there’s a chance. As long as the line stays at 6.5, expect the Utes to win this, cover, and then hope the CFP will give them a break for the fourth spot.
– CFN Full Oregon vs. Utah Game Preview & Prediction
Why You Should Bet On Virginia: There’s enough of a pass rush to knock Trevor Lawrence off of his rhythm just a bit. Virginia is second in the ACC in sacks helped by six against Virginia Tech last week, and now it’s going to throw everything at the Tigers backfield. Add in QB Bryce Perkins and his ability to control games, and the Cavaliers should be able to do enough on third downs to stay in this.
Why You Should Bet On Clemson: Lawrence has been awesome. After a rough start, he has thrown 16 touchdown passes with no interceptions while averaging close to 12 yards per throw over his last five games. He’ll keep bombing away for a team that wants to continue to make a statement – Dabo Swinney is serious; he wants the College Football Playoff committee to love this team.
Prediction: Clemson will get out fast and put this away with an impressive performance, but Virginia will come up with just enough points in the fourth quarter – Perkins and the O will keep on trying – to barely cover the 28.5.
Why You Should Bet On Baylor: Turnover margin. Baylor doesn’t have the firepower to keep up in any sort of a shootout, but it’s efficient enough offensively to stay in the game. The defense has to continue to do what it does and make big plays. Oklahoma is minus-8 in turnover margin in its last eight games, and Baylor’s D has generated two takeaways or more in eight of the last nine games.
Why You Should Bet On Oklahoma: There’s a defense here, too. QB Jalen Hurts might be the star of the show with an offense leading the nation in yards per play, but it’s the D making the biggest difference. The Sooners lead the Big 12 in total defense with the big key being third-down stops – there are lots of them this season. Baylor struggles in pass protection, and OU should be able to get to QB Charlie Brewer just enough to be a problem.
Prediction: It’s Oklahoma in a Big 12 Championship – it’ll win. However, Baylor will get just enough takeaways and control the clock just enough to cover the nine points and make this a fight.
– CFN Full Baylor vs. Oklahoma Game Preview & Prediction
Why You Should Bet On Wisconsin: The Badgers might have been whacked around in the first meeting, but the defense got into the backfield and knocked around QB Justin Fields a bit. The UW lines got manhandled and shoved around – that never happens to this team. They’re going to blast away for RB Jonathan Taylor, who was held to just 52 yards by the Buckeyes – the line he’s working behind is playing better. But …
Why You Should Bet On Ohio State: The Buckeyes’ lines really are dominating. The O line blasted a Michigan run defense that came into last week’s game on a roll, and Chase Young and the defensive front isn’t going to slow down. OSU needs this game for the No. 1 seed, and it’s going to try making a statement. It starts with a D topping in the nation in total defense, and second in pass defense, sacks and tackles for loss.
Prediction:Â Wisconsin keeps this close for a half, and then the Buckeyes turn it on. This won’t be a total wipeout, but Ohio State will get the passing game going to pull away and win by more than the 16.
– CFN Full Wisconsin vs. Ohio State Game Preview & Prediction
Why You Should Bet On Georgia: The Georgia lines are good enough to keep this from getting out of hand – Bulldogs games don’t become shootouts. This isn’t a sexy team offensively, but QB Jake Fromm hasn’t thrown an interception outside of the three given away against South Carolina. The defense takes care of the rest – the Gamecocks were the only team to score more than 17.
Why You Should Bet On LSU: Get up quickly, and it might be over. All QB Joe Burrow has to do is score early and all should be fine – Georgia doesn’t have the firepower to keep up. RB D’Andre Swift has a shoulder injury to play through, WR Lawrence Cager is done for the year with an ankle injury, and WR George Pickens is suspended for the first half. This isn’t an O that can keep up in a firefight.
Prediction: Georgia’s defense will be just good enough to keep this from getting out of hand, but Burrow wins the SEC Championship – and the Heisman – with two big scoring plays in the second half to finally get a little breathing room as LSU wins and covers the seven.
– CFN Full LSU vs. Georgia Game Preview & Prediction
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Which teams’ College Football Playoff hopes will be crushed?
Three college football teams survived their regular-season schedules and enter conference championship weekend undefeated: Ohio State, LSU and Clemson. If they all win, the College Football Playoff will have three undefeated teams for the second straight year.
Regardless of what the top-3 teams do this weekend, their conference title games certainly aren’t the only ones that could impact the playoff picture. And there’s potential for some phenomenal chaos.
So here are our predictions for all 10 conference championship games this weekend. They’re based on how the teams have played up to this point, the College Football Playoff rankings and ESPN’s Football Power Index projections.
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Big Ten championship game: No. 1 Ohio State (12-0) vs. No. 8 Wisconsin (10-2)
When: Saturday, December 7, 8 p.m. ET (FOX) Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
We were very wrong earlier this season when we picked the Badgers to upset the Buckeyes — Ohio State won, 38-7 — so we won’t make that mistake twice. As a 16.5-point favorite here, Ohio State is the most complete team in the country with the No. 1 defense (232.3 yards/game) and the No. 5 offense (534.3 yards/game), and coming off back-to-back wins against ranked opponents, it’s obvious why the Buckeyes are in a fight for the top seed in the College Football Playoff.
When: Saturday, December 7, 4 p.m. ET (CBS) Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
(Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports)
Georgia’s No. 4 defense might suppress LSU for a while, but ultimately, the Tigers will win this one as 6.5-point favorites. Led by quarterback and huge Heisman favorite Joe Burrow, LSU’s offense is No. 2 in the country with 560.4 yards per game, 390.0 of them in the air, and Burrow leads the nation with a ridiculous 78.3 completion percentage. The Tigers’ defense — which is giving up 345.9 yards and 22.1 points per game — isn’t quite what the fan base is used to, but it’s enough to hand the Bulldogs a second straight SEC title game loss.
Winner: LSU
ACC championship game: No. 23 Virginia (9-3) vs. No. 3 Clemson (12-0)
When: Saturday, December 7, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC) Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
With the No. 2 defense and No. 3 offense in the nation, Clemson is going to hang at least 40 (but maybe actually 50 or 60) points on the Cavaliers, and that’s all there is to it. The Tigers will then be an undefeated College Football Playoff team for the second straight year.
Dabo Swinney doesn’t care for the perceived bias against his team, but the Tigers are in a weak conference that can’t keep up with them. And that will continue to be obvious when they beat UVA as 28.5-point favorites.
When: Friday, December 6, 8 p.m. ET (ABC) Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
This game could go either way because these teams are fairly equally matched, though Utah is a 6.5-point favorite. Utah’s defense is incredible and only giving up 241.6 yards per game (No. 3 nationally) and 4.2 yards per play (No. 4). However, Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert, who has 31 touchdowns to give interceptions, cannot be over looked as Utah’s dominant rushing defense will likely force him to take control. But his Utah counterpart, Tyler Huntley, is having an outstanding season with a 75.5 completion percentage, ranking him second in the nation to only Burrow.
Oregon’s chance to make the College Football Playoff evaporated when the Ducks lost for a second time this season, but the consolation prize is the chance for a conference championship that’s actually a double-edged sword for the Pac-12. Should they beat Utah, the conference will probably be shut out of the playoff for the third straight season. But if Utah wins convincingly, it could have a better playoff resume than the Big 12 champ, if it comes down to that.
Winner: Oregon
Big 12 championship game: No. 7 Baylor (11-1) vs. No. 6 Oklahoma (11-1)
When: Saturday, December 7, Noon ET (ABC) Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
When these two teams played each other in November, the Sooners dug themselves into a gigantic hole and were down 28-3 at one point ion the second quarter. Quarterback Jalen Hurts had three turnovers (an interception and two fumbles), but he also led an incredible comeback run and threw for four touchdowns in his team’s 34-31 win. We’re not expecting this rematch to start the same way, but it will have the same result. Oklahoma’s prolific offense leads the nation with 564.3 yards per game and is fifth with 44.3 points per game. Baylor’s top-40 defense won’t be able to stifle it this time.
A possible trip to the College Football Playoff is on the line for the winner, depending on how some other conference championship games turn out. And the Sooners, as 9-point favorites, could earn their third straight playoff berth.
Winner: Oklahoma
American Athletic Conference championship game: No. 20 Cincinnati (10-2) vs. No. 17 Memphis (11-1)
When: Saturday, December 7, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC) Where: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, Tennessee
(Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports)
This is going to be fun because while several teams playing this weekend are getting rematches from the regular season, this is the only one where the teams have consecutive games. Last weekend, the Tigers held on for a 34-24 victory in a fairly even matchup that was also at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The Bearcats turned the ball over three times in the second half, but Memphis failed to score on its following possessions. Tigers quarterback Brady White completed 15-of-26 passes for 233 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while Bearcats passer Ben Bryant was 20-for-32 for 229 yards, one touchdown and two picks, including one with just 95 seconds left in the game.
Normally, we’d probably pick the first loser to come back and win an immediate rematch. But, in addition to Memphis looking like the better team, the Tigers also lost the AAC title game the last two seasons to UCF and surely haven’t forgotten about that. So we’re predicting Memphis will win as a 9-point favorite with a trip to New Year’s Six bowl on the line.
Winner: Memphis
Mountain West championship game: Hawaii (9-4) vs. No. 19 Boise State (11-1)
When: Saturday, December 7, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN) Where: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho
While Boise State is playing for its second conference championship in three years, Hawaii is making its conference title game debut. And although it will be nice (especially for East Coasters) to watch the Rainbow Warriors play at a time other than the middle of the night, we’re predicting the Broncos win this one as 14-point favorites. They already beat Hawaii in October, 59-37, and they should be able to do it again with senior quarterback Jaylon Henderson — who threw eight touchdowns and one interception in the last three games — now Boise State’s No. 1 passer.
Winner: Boise State
Sun Belt championship game: Louisiana (10-2) vs. No. 21 Appalachian State (11-1)
When: Saturday, December 7, Noon ET (ESPN) Where: Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, North Carolina
(AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Our motto all seasonhas been don’t everpick against Appalachian State, and we’re not about to change that now. The Mountaineers have the Sun Belt’s best defense, which allows 321.2 yards per game and averages 18.8 points against, while the Ragin’ Cajuns lead the conference on offense with 500.3 yards per game and are eighth nationally. But App State is on a roll this season with the best 12-game record in conference history. And after beating Louisiana, 17-7, in the regular season, we’re picking the 6.5-point favorites to complete the sweep and advance to 8-0 overall in this series.
Winner: Appalachian State
Conference USA championship game: UAB (9-3) vs. Florida Atlantic (9-3)
When: Saturday, December 7, 1:30 p.m. ET (CBSSN) Where: FAU Football Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida
Statistically, UAB has the fifth best defense in country, giving up an average of just 269.8 yards per game, but that won’t be able to compensate for what it’s lacking on offense. The Blazers might be able to slow down Lane Kiffin’s offense a little, but that won’t matter much if their offense, which ranks 10th in the conference, can’t produce. Especially as a 7.5-point favorite at home, FAU should be able to get the win.
Winner: FAU
MAC championship game: Miami (Ohio) (7-5) vs. Central Michigan (8-4)
When: Saturday, December 7, Noon ET (ESPN2) Where: Ford Field, Detroit
This one feels like it will start off close, but Jim McElwain and his Central Michigan team will ultimately pull away. Both teams have two of the conference’s best defenses, but Miami’s crumbled in its 41-27 loss last week to Ball State and gave up 578 yards (317 passing) and three fourth-quarter touchdowns. Central Michigan is only a slight 6.5-point favorite, and with maybe a little home-field advantage, we’re picking the Chippewas to get it done with some good ol’ #MACtion fun in there.
The Washington State head coach just signed a contract extension to keep him in Pullman, Wash. through the 2024 season.
Mike Leach is not leaving the Pacific Northwest for the SEC or any other football job this season, or for a while. The Washington State head coach just signed a contract extension to keep him in Pullman, Wash. through the 2024 season.
Leach is the first coach to lead the Cougars to five consecutive bowl games and has an overall record of 55-46 in eight seasons leading the program.
The new contract will pay Leach $4 million per season. The 58-year-old coach has been discussed in conversations around the Arkansas, Ole Miss and Missouri head coach openings.
Leach interviewed for the Tennessee opening ahead of the 2018 season but was not hired after negotiations fell apart when AD John Currie was fired and replaced by Philip Fulmer.
Welcome to Before The Snap, For The Win’s college football show where we’ll break down the sport’s trending storylines, examine each week’s biggest matchups and track the College Football Playoff and Heisman Trophy races.
After months of speculation, analyzing stats and endlessly examining different scenarios, we’re finally days away from learning which four teams will be in the College Football Playoff. The four teams competing for a national championship will be announced Sunday at noon ET on ESPN, and the teams invited to play could be determined by the results of the conference championship games this weekend.
Now, one of the best things about college football is its total unpredictability, and we here at For The Win are all about chaos and potential upsets. So rather than breaking down what seems most likely to happen in the conference championship games, we’re looking at a scenario we think could create the most chaos for the CFP committee in the final days leading up to selection Sunday.
Before we go any further, here are the College Football Playoff rankings’ top-8 teams, all of which are playing for a conference title this weekend:
Let’s say Clemson locks up its playoff spot by cruising past Virginia in the ACC championship game, Utah beats No. 13 Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game and the Big 12 game is a one-score game between Oklahoma and Baylor. What happens if Georgia takes down LSU in the SEC title game and Wisconsin upsets Ohio State in the Big Ten title game?
Chaos! And not just for the selection committee but also among fan bases as they angrily debate why their team deserved a spot/was snubbed/gets no respect.
If Georgia beats LSU, the SEC is probably getting two teams in the playoff. Both teams played and beat multiple ranked opponents this season, the committee has repeatedly shown how highly it views them and it would be hard to deny they’re two of the best teams.
So if it’s Clemson, Georgia and LSU, which team gets that last spot if the Badgers emerge as a two-loss Big Ten champ? Does Wisconsin get the nod for taking down the No. 1 team and become the first two-loss team invited to the playoff? Can the committee overlook one loss for the Buckeyes, even if it is in the conference championship game, and let them in based on their whole body of work? The latter happening would decrease the importance of conference title games, which have been emphasized as a key component of a team’s playoff resume.
And what about the Pac-12 and Big 12 champs? Could an Ohio State loss be enough to keep the Buckeyes and Big Ten out of the playoff altogether in favor of Utah, Oklahoma or Baylor?
We’ll have so many questions, should this unlikely scenario play out. But chaos leads to interesting debates and questionable decisions, and it’s just too much fun to root against — unless, of course, you cheer for one of these legitimate playoff contenders.
After a season-ending hip injury, Tua Tagovailoa isn’t sure what he’ll do next.
In an interview with ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit on Tuesday, Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said he’s “not too sure” about what’s next for his football career.
The junior, whose season ended with a hip dislocation against Mississippi State on Nov. 16, shared that he is thinking from a financial perspective, not an emotional one when weighing whether he should declare for the NFL draft or return to Alabama for his senior season.
“You think of risk-reward on coming back, you think of risk-reward on leaving,” Tagovailoa told Herbstreit. “Now is not the time to be making emotional decisions. Now, you have to change into thinking as a businessman. You have to make business decisions.”
Tagovailoa entered the 2019 season as a lock for the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft, but injuries to his ankle and hip have dropped his stock.
The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft is Jan. 20.
Can any team lose and still make the College Football Playoff?
Welcome to Before The Snap, For The Win’s college football show where we’ll break down the sport’s trending storylines, examine each week’s biggest matchups and track the College Football Playoff and Heisman Trophy races.
It’s conference championship weekend, and there are huge College Football Playoff implications for these matchups, particularly regarding the Big 12 and Pac-12 title games.
If the top-3 teams, Ohio State, LSU and Clemson, all win, who gets the last spot? Could one of the top teams lose and still get in?
Here’s what you need to know about the Power Five conference championship games and what they could mean for the four-team playoff, which will be announced Sunday.
When: Friday, December 6, 8 p.m. ET Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California Channel: ABC Spread:Utah (-6.5)
With two losses, Oregon is out of the playoff picture, but Utah is very much in it. The best thing it can do to enhance its playoff resume is not just beat the Ducks but beat them by a lot. Utah has to do everything it can to separate itself from the eventual Big 12 winner, assuming the top-3 teams also win.
Big 12 championship game: No. 7 Baylor (11-1) vs. No. 6 Oklahoma (11-1)
When: Saturday, December 7, Noon ET Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas Channel: ABC Spread:Oklahoma (-9)
Oklahoma and Baylor are in a similar situation with Utah. The champion needs to find a way to elevate its resume enough to jump Utah in the rankings, and, again, that means having a convincing win. In this rematch, one team needs to grab a big lead and hang onto it, unlike the last game when Baylor blew a 28-3 lead and Oklahoma ultimately won, 34-31. But the best thing for the winner’s playoff argument is if Utah loses, while Ohio State and LSU win.
When: Saturday, December 7, 4 p.m. ET Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Channel: CBS Spread:LSU (-7)
With the way LSU has been playing leading up to its first conference title game since 2011, it might be the only team that could lose this weekend and still make the playoff. However, even though Georgia has one of the best defenses in the nation, it will take a lot to slow the Tigers down. For the Bulldogs, they need to win to make the playoff because what would be their second loss would knock them out of contention against one-loss conference champs. But if Georgia wins, then the SEC might get two teams in.
ACC championship game: No. 23 Virginia (9-3) vs. No. 3 Clemson (12-0)
When: Saturday, December 7, 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina Channel: ABC Spread:Clemson (-28.5)
While it irks Dabo Swinney, he’s right when he says Clemson can’t lose and still make the playoff. Its strength of schedule is just too weak to go 12-1 and still get in. But there’s no way Virginia is beating the Tigers, who might put up 50 points in this game.
Big Ten championship game: No. 1 Ohio State (12-0) vs. No. 8 Wisconsin (10-2)
When: Saturday, December 7, 8 p.m. ET Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis Channel: FOX Spread:Ohio State (-16.5)
If Wisconsin can pull off the upset there, there’s a chance the College Football Playoff will have its first two-loss team. The alternative would be to ignore the Big Ten entirely, but that doesn’t seem likely this year. But when these two teams met earlier this season, it was hardly a contest with Ohio State winning, 38-7, and a second win against the Badgers this season would hand the Buckeyes their third consecutive conference championship.
