THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
MOMSSTR through the end of Week 4. Teams in RED fell a tier as a result of the games last week. As a reminder, the current tiers do not account for potential conference title game participation. Several teams still have an opportunity to play their way back up a tier by season's end.
Top Tier (Playoff Contenders) 11.5 and up
ACC: Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, NC State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
Big Ten: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Big 12: Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, West Virginia
Independent: Notre Dame
PAC 12: California, USC, Utah, Washington, Washington St
SEC: Alabama, Georgia
Tier 2 (NY6 Bowl Contenders) 8.5-11.25
ACC: Boston College, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia, Pittsburgh, Syracuse
American: Houston, Navy
Big Ten: Rutgers, Nebraska
Big 12: Kansas,
MAC: Eastern Michigan
PAC 12: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA, Stanford
SEC: Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi St, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
Tier 3 (Quality Bowl Team) 6-8.25
American: Connecticut, UCF, Memphis, SMU, USF
Big 12: Baylor
CUSA: FIU, Marshall, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Rice, Southern Mississippi, Western Kentucky, UTSA
MAC: Ball State, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo
Mountain West: Air Force, Colorado State, Hawaii, San Diego State
SEC: Missouri
Sun Belt: New Mexico State, Troy
Tier 4 (Lower Bowl Qualifiers) 3.5-5.75
American: Cincinnati, East Carolina, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa
CUSA: UAB, Charlotte, FAU, Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, UTEP
Independents: Army, BYU
MAC: Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami OH, Western Michigan
Mountain West: Boise State, Fresno State, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming
Sun Belt: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Idaho, Louisiana Lafayette, Louisiana Monroe, South Alabama, Texas State
Tier 5 (Not Bowling) 1.25-3.25
Independents: UMass
Mountain West: Nevada
Tier 6 (Basement Dwelling) 1 and lower
None
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
MOMSSTR through the end of Week 3. Teams in RED fell a tier as a result of the games last week. As a reminder, the current tiers do not account for potential conference title game participation. Several teams still have an opportunity to play their way back up a tier by season's end.
Top Tier (Playoff Contenders) 11.5 and up
ACC: Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, NC State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
Big Ten: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Big 12: Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, West Virginia
PAC 12: Arizona, California, UCLA, Colorado, Oregon, USC, Utah, Washington, Washington St
SEC: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi St, Vanderbilt
Tier 2 (NY6 Bowl Contenders) 8.5-11.25
ACC: Boston College, North Carolina, Virginia, Pittsburgh, Syracuse
Big Ten: Rutgers, Nebraska,
Big 12: Baylor, Kansas,
PAC 12: Arizona State, Oregon State, Stanford
SEC: Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Missouri, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M
American: Houston, Navy
MAC: Eastern Michigan
Tier 3 (Quality Bowl Team) 6-8.25
American: Connecticut, UCF, Cincinnati, Memphis, SMU, USF, Temple,
CUSA: UAB, FIU, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Mississippi, Western Kentucky, UTSA, UTEP
Independents: Army, BYU
MAC: Ball State, Central Michigan, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo
Mountain West: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Hawaii, San Diego State, UNLV
Sun Belt: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Louisiana Lafayette, New Mexico State, Texas State, Troy
Tier 4 (Lower Bowl Qualifiers) 3.5-5.75
American: East Carolina, Tulane, Tulsa
CUSA: Charlotte, FAU,
Independents: UMass
MAC: Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Miami OH, Western Michigan
Mountain West: Fresno State, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, Utah State, Wyoming
Sun Belt: Arkansas State, Georgia State, Idaho, Louisiana Monroe, South Alabama
Tier 5 (Not Bowling) 1.25-3.25
None
Tier 6 (Basement Dwelling) 1 and lower
None
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 (MORNING)
MOMSSTR through the end of Week 2
***Teams in RED fell a tier as a result of Week 2 outcomes
Top Tier (Playoff Contenders) 11.5 and up
ACC: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, NC State, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
Big Ten: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Big 12: Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, West Virginia
PAC 12: Arizona, Arizona State, California, UCLA, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford, USC, Utah, Washington, Washington St
SEC: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi St, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Tier 2 (NY6 Bowl Contenders) 8.5-11.25
ACC: North Carolina, Virginia, Syracuse
Big Ten: Rutgers
Big 12: Baylor, Kansas
PAC 12: Oregon State
SEC: Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Texas A&M
American: Connecticut, Houston, Navy
CUSA: Middle Tennessee State, Rice
Independents: BYU
MAC: Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan
SEC:
Tier 3 (Quality Bowl Team) 6-8.25
American: UCF, Cincinnati, Memphis, SMU, USF, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa
CUSA: UAB, FIU, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, North Texas, Old Dominion, Southern Mississippi, Western Kentucky, UTSA, UTEP
Independents: Army
MAC: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Kent State, Miami OH, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo,
Mountain West: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, New Mexico, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming
Sun Belt: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Idaho, Louisiana Lafayette, Louisiana Monroe, New Mexico State, Texas State, Troy
Tier 4 (Lower Bowl Qualifiers) 3.5-5.75
American: East Carolina
CUSA: Charlotte, FAU
Independents: UMass
MAC: Buffalo, Western Michigan
Mountain West: Nevada
Sun Belt: Arkansas State, South Alabama
Tier 5 (Not Bowling) 1.25-3.25
None
Tier 6 (Basement Dwelling) 1 and lower
None
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
Still no Internet at March On Media headquarters after Hurricane Irma. We're lucky to have power. Many of our neighbors still do not. My hope is to update the MOMSSTR tomorrow and have a column up next week when we really should start to see some tier movement.
For my Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina based readers, I hope you've faired well in terms of avoiding Irma damage also!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
Apologies to everyone that came in search of the column and podcast this week. Preparation for Hurricane Irma to roll into Florida has been quite a distraction from paying attention to college football. The MOMSSTR has been updated and appears below. If all goes well with the weather you will see the return of additional content next week. If the storm does shift west and toward the Tampa Bay region, then additional columns and podcasts will be totally up in the air.
MOMSSTR
Top Tier (Playoff Contenders) 11.5 and up
ACC: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
Big 10: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin
Big 12: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, West Virginia
PAC 12: Arizona, Arizona State, California, UCLA, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, USC, Utah, Washington, Washington St
SEC: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi St, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Tier 2 (NY6 Bowl Contenders) 8.5-11.25
American: Connecticut, Houston, Navy
CUSA: Middle Tennessee State, Rice
Independents: BYU
MAC: Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan
Mountain West: Boise State, Fresno State, San Jose State
SEC: Florida, Texas A&M
Sun Belt: Louisiana Lafayette
Tier 3 (Quality Bowl Team) 6-8.25
American: UCF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Memphis, SMU, USF, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa
CUSA: UAB, Charlotte, FAU, FIU, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, North Texas, Old Dominion, Southern Mississippi, UTSA, UTEP
Independents: Army, UMass
MAC: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami OH, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan
Mountain West: Air Force, Colorado State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming
Sun Belt: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Idaho, Louisiana Monroe, New Mexico State, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy
Tier 4 (Lower Bowl Qualifiers) 3.5-5.75
None
Tier 5 (Not Bowling) 1.25-3.25
None
Tier 6 (Basement Dwelling) 1 and lower
None
MARCH TO THE ENDZONE PODCAST - WEEK 1
MONDAY, AUGUST 28
THE TRUE WEEK 1 PREVIEW COLUMN!
At long last the week we have long awaited has arrived! College football enters full swing with marquee matchups, compelling Thursday night games, and a behemoth can’t miss matchup out of the gate in prime time on Saturday night.
This column will provide you a way to navigate the television schedule for the week and provide you with a substantially satisfying recipe to treat your football watching friends to.
Game times are EST.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31
NIGHT
Game: Ohio State at Indiana
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Network: ESPN (Dave Flemming, Kirk Herbstreit, Laura Rutledge); Mini-MegaCast Available
A Big Ten matchup in Bloomington to open the season. I’ve always been open about disclosing my biases, and I married into Buckeye fandom. My wife is less than pleased that the baseball schedule will keep me away from home as the Buckeyes open the season.
College football writers and prognosticators have lauded the hiring of Kevin Wilson as offensive coordinator. Ohio State, last seen getting clobbered by Clemson 31-0, returns a veteran quarterback in JT Barrett and a stable of athletes that should be able to return some semblance of vertical threat to a conservative and frequently stagnant offense.
Wilson may provide some additional benefit in preparation for this unconventional Big Ten opener. He was head coach of the Hoosiers for the last six seasons, and his defensive coordinator Tom Allen has taken over at the helm for IU. There should be a great deal of familiarity involved with what IU will look to run, at least on the defensive side of the ball.
There are a number of options for how to view this contest, as ESPN gives the Big Ten some big time exposure with a pared down version of the MegaCast. If you decide to peruse this game on one of the digital options for viewing, it frees up your TV for a different game that I think could be a Thursday night barn burner…
Game: Tulsa at Oklahoma State
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Network: FS1 (Joe Davis, Brady Quinn, Bruce Feldman)
This one starts a half hour earlier than the Big Ten game, and it may be 14-14 by the time that game starts. If you can free up a second screen, I advise keeping tabs on both. The Golden Hurricane of Tulsa posted 10 wins last season and ought to remain potent under head coach Philip Montgomery.
Meanwhile Mike Gundy and his mullet have captured the hearts of many in search of a dark horse playoff contender. Gundy is a man, he’s now 50, and with senior quarterback Mason Rudolph back slinging the rock, the Cowboys should emerge victorious in a high-scoring opener.
This is one of two really intriguing non-conference games for OK State, which also travels to Pittsburgh in two weeks. FS1 puts an entertaining broadcast team together to kick off their season with Joe Davis taking a break from the Dodgers’ incredible season to lend his pipes to college football fans, and Bruce Feldman is onboard for sidelines even after Fox Sports yanked his pen and sent his writing services to SI.com.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
NIGHT
Game: Navy at Florida Atlantic
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Network: ESPNU
I grew up a Syracuse fan, so I’ll likely be watching the Orange on ACCNExtra, but because I just finished watching Last Chance U I’ll probably try to check out some of De’Andre Johnson’s quarterback debut at FAU. I don’t have high hopes for the Owls in Lane Kiffin’s return to head coaching. Navy is -11.5 and I think they’ll win by two touchdowns.
If you are looking to watch two Power 5 teams go at it…
Game: Washington at Rutgers
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Network: FS1
The MOMSSTR may reward Washington for the win they will acquire at Rutgers on Friday night, but don’t advise subjecting yourself to watching this. Chris Peterson may have some question marks on his Washington team after losing star receiver John Ross and stud safety Budda Baker to the pros, but the Huskies should role in, over, and out of Rutgers.
Washington isn’t the only ranked Power 5 team saying TGIGD (Thank God it’s game day)…
Game: Utah State at Wisconsin
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Network: ESPN
Utah State weathered Gary Anderson’s departure quite well five years ago, but has since dropped off. Wisconsin likewise has been doing just fine in two years since the departure of Anderson, including a division title last year and a berth in the Cotton Bowl. While Wisconsin will likely be very strong again this season, Utah State is trying to put the pieces back together after a 3-9 season. I’m not really feeling as much intrigue here as I do on that Navy-FAU tussle.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
NOON
Game: Wyoming at Iowa
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Network: BTN
There are three games featuring ranked teams in this time slot, but the nooner of choice here at March On Media has the Cowboys riding in to face the Hawkeyes. Craig Bohl took Wyoming to a bowl game last season and I have a feeling this one is going to be tight. Last year Iowa dropped an early season home game to Bohl’s former team, North Dakota State. I’m picturing a slugfest similar to that one.
Iowa does have experience on their side with eight returning starters on defense and big people movers up front on offense.
If you are looking for that matchup of two Power Five foes…
Game: Maryland at Texas
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Network: FS1
DJ Durkin may get things rolling at Maryland at some point, but I think the coaching debut of Tom Herman with the Longhorns will be too much for the Terrapins to overcome. The Longhorns have the edge in overall roster talent and Herman has shown again and again that with time to prepare, he’s a game planner to be feared. The honeymoon period will still be going in Texas for Herman when this one ends I predict.
MID-AFTERNOON
Game: Florida vs. Michigan (at Arlington)
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Network: ABC
Time to start chomping on the big games of the weekend. I don’t know what Antonio Calloway’s absence will mean for the Gators, but with or without him it always felt like this game would be a defensive struggle. I still suspect that will be the case.
Michigan doesn’t bring a lot back in terms of guys that were actually on the field last year, but Jim Harbaugh won’t lack for talented athletes on the roster to try and plug and play. Alas, the Wolverines have been ultra-secretive about their roster and UF’s quarterback situation heads into the opening week in a very unsettled state, so we’re left with far more questions than answers in terms of who the key players will be.
EARLY EVENING
Game: Appalachian State at Georgia
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Network: ESPN
It has been 10 years since Appalachian State, then a 1-AA team, shocked the world and humbled the last of the Chad Henne/Mike Hart Michigan team in the Big House. The Mountaineers now play at the FBS level and after how close they came to knocking off Tennessee to open the season last year, it would be hard to fault any Georgia fan for feeling some trepidation.
The Bulldogs gave Jacob Eason a year of learning experience last year, and that should pay dividends for Kirby Smart’s squad. Efficient quarterback play allowed Miami to ransack Boone, NC in a true road game last season, and I could imagine a scenario where Georgia mixes passing and a healthy dose of Nick Chubb for a handy home win. While I can imagine it, I wouldn’t bet on it with that -13.5 line in the Bulldogs favor.
This is really a perfect game for this time slot too. Watch the first half or so, get a feel for whether there may be a worthwhile finish. Maybe you come back during halftime of the next game to watch the end. Because the next game is the one you really don’t want to miss.
PRIME TIME
Game: Florida State vs. Alabama (at Atlanta)
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Network: ABC
Number one and number three in the nation butt heads to open the season. This game almost certainly won’t live up to the hype, but my goodness is there a lot on the line for these teams just by playing it. Plenty of prognosticators see both of these teams as playoff bound, and there seems to be a groundswell of opining that the loser of this game can qualify with two losses. That may be true but is certainly not guaranteed, and the fan base of the losing team will be sweating bullets over their lack of margin for error.
There is a good chance this game features awful, or at least conservative, quarterback play on both sides. Both teams should have stellar defenses and will likely play to that strength. IF Deondre Francois has taken a large step forward since last season, this game is there for the taking for FSU. How the Seminoles’ offensive front holds up will be a major item to watch for as well.
One thing that I can’t get out of my head is how frequently recent FSU teams have been prone to falling into large holes out of the gate. It was very true of the 2014 team especially, and the 2016 opener against Ole Miss comes to the forefront of those memories as well. If the Noles have breakdowns that lead to two or three quick Crimson Tide touchdowns, the Tide could prove to be too tough of an adversary to stage one of those table-turning comebacks against.
All eyes will be on Atlanta for the duration of this clash of titans.
LATE GAME
Game: BYU vs. LSU (at Houston)
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Network: ESPN
***The status of this game is somewhat up in the air. Prayers for the City of Houston and Texas at large are in order from the Hurricane Harvey wrought wounds this past weekend.
Normally I consider the late time slot to be anything kicking off after 10:00 p.m., so I’m cheating a little here. It’s also my site, my rules. BYU and LSU will take us late into the night and may even provide a fun finish after the prime time game wraps up.
LSU starts their first full season with Coach O at the helm, but with Tigers fans want to see is the same as they hoped for last season. That is a more dynamic offense to take advantage of the explosive players at new offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s disposal. Canada really showed himself to be the master of misdirection while running his multiple offense with Pitt last year.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
NIGHT
Game: West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech (at Landover)
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Network: ABC
There are two options in this time slot and my preference pits two former Big East foes against one another in an ACC-Big 12 matchup. West Virginia must replace a lot from last year, but theoretically upgrades at quarterback with Will Grier having completed his suspension incurred while playing for Florida.
Virginia Tech surprisingly lost Jerod Evans to the ranks of undrafted free agency, so Justin Fuente also finds himself replacing his signal caller in season two at the helm. A neutral site win in this game would be a real nice jumping off point for either team’s season.
If your taste is to consume a game at a campus site on Sunday night instead…
Game: Texas A&M at UCLA
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Network: FOX
Bruins quarterback Josh Rosen has perception on the line. His star has dimmed after a 2016 season marred by injury and ineffectiveness. Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin needs a win to keep his seat from reaching a scorching temperature right out of the gate. The loser of this game is going to feel worse than the loser of the Va. Tech-WVU matchup.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
NIGHT
Game: Georgia Tech at Tennessee (at Atlanta)
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Network: ESPN
Labor Day delivers an interesting ACC-SEC matchup. Tennessee, fresh off a championship of life in 2016, takes on the always hard to predict option attached of Georgia Tech. Running back Dedrick Mills is out for Georgia Tech in what stands to be an interesting matchup to wrap up a tremendous first full weekend of football offerings.
GAME MOST LIKELY TO OVERSHOOT ITS TIME SLOT
Tulsa at Oklahoma State. I predict this game will start 30 minutes prior to Ohio State-Indiana and end at least 20 minutes after it.
Last week’s pick: USF at San Jose featured a 4:03 time of game, but CBSSN gets credit for budgeting 3:30 instead of 3:00 for the programming. I’m still claiming victory on this one.
RADIO CALLS OF THE WEEK
Greg Wrubell – BYU IMG Radio Network – Offensive Highlights
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Source: Buzzfeed/Tasty
You are going to probably watch football from start to finish today. You may have friends over. You may consume cold beverages in quantities greater than one. That means you need something warm, hearty, and substantial, but still something you can corral with your hands.
This recipe is delicious and not nearly as complicated or messy as you might think. Don’t forget to serve with some warm marinara for dipping!
MOMSSTR (Red are teams moving down)
Top Tier (Playoff Contenders) 11.5 and up
ACC: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
Big 10: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin
Big 12: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, West Virginia
PAC 12: Arizona, Arizona State, California, UCLA, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, USC, Utah, Washington, Washington St
Tier 2 (NY6 Bowl Contenders) 8.5-11.25
American: Connecticut, Houston, Navy
CUSA: Middle Tennessee State, Rice, UTEP
Independents: BYU
MAC: Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Western Michigan
Mountain West: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, San Jose State, Utah State
Sun Belt: Georgia Southern, Louisiana Lafayette, Louisiana Monroe, New Mexico State, South Alabama
Tier 3 (Quality Bowl Team) 6-8.25
American: UCF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Memphis, SMU, USF, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa
CUSA: UAB, Charlotte, FAU, FIU, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, North Texas, Old Dominion, Southern Mississippi, UTSA
Independents: Army, UMass
MAC: Ball State, Buffalo, Miami OH, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo
Mountain West: Air Force, Hawaii, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Wyoming
Sun Belt: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia State, Texas State, Troy
Tier 4 (Lower Bowl Qualifiers) 3.5-5.75
None
Tier 5 (Not Bowling) 1.25-3.25
None
Tier 6 (Basement Dwelling) 1 and lower
None
SUNDAY, AUGUST 20
FOOTBALL IS UPON US
Welcome to the first game week column for the March On Media college football blog! Sort of…
This abbreviated column will only cover Saturday, August 26. The full column, in all its glory, will start next Monday, August 28. That will feature our first game day recipe, radio calls of the week from this weekend’s games, and a refresh of the MOMSSTR based on what we know so far. Face it; you are not throwing a watch party this weekend unless you are a fan of one of the team’s anyway.
Without further preamble, let’s get to it. As always, game times are EST.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 26
LATE AFTERNOON
Game: BYU vs. Portland State
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Network: ESPN
Yes this is a game featuring an FCS team, and no it isn’t the very first kickoff of the season (Oregon State at Colorado State, 2:30 p.m. on CBSSN), but an early look at the Cougars is a good place to start the season. BYU heads into its second season under Kalani Sitake with Taylor Mangum back at quarterback and a truly premiere matchup with LSU in the first full Saturday of the season. If BYU is going to make an upset bid next weekend, sifting through any potential early season kinks while staying healthy against Portland State is a good start.
EVENING
Game: USF at San Jose State
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Network: CBSSN
I spurned the CBSSN offering in the afternoon time slot, but it will come up clutch in a week lacking a strong early evening option or a prime time kickoff. Check out Charlie Strong’s Bulls debut. Expectations are through the roof for Strong at USF as he inherits the remains of a double-digit win team and a schedule ready made to be gored.
Are you looking for a Group of Five Heisman candidate? If Quinton Flowers could establish a strong statistical baseline for himself in this opener. That is, as long as his body clock can handle the trip west.
LATE NIGHT
Game: Stanford vs. Rice (Australia)
Time: 10:00 p.m.
Network: ESPN
The idea behind the Australia opener for a PAC 12 team isn’t one that made much sense to me last year, but it’s back. This year Stanford takes on a Rice team that should be sufficiently overmatched at the task of taking on the Cardinal.
Last season the broadcast was called off monitor in Bristol. The presentation frequently turned into something of a studio show-esque season preview, but OH LOOK, there is a game going on too. That said, this is your only chance to see Stanford before they play USC in two weeks, so you probably don’t want to miss it.
GAME MOST LIKELY TO OVERSHOOT ITS TIME SLOT
With such a limited schedule, this one is a hard choice this week. I can’t see either of the ESPN games heading toward the four-hour mark. That USF-San Jose State could be a shootout if the Bulls defense doesn’t see improvement under the new regime though, so that’s my pick.
RADIO CALLS OF THE WEEK
Since the season hasn’t started yet, instead here are too great calls on two of the most meaningful plays of last football season.
Paul Keels, Ohio State IMG Network – Ohio State beats Michigan in 2OT
Don Munson, Clemson Tigers Sports Network (Learfield) – Watson to Renfrow
MOMSSTR
Check out the August 6 post with the full preseason breakdown.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
I’ve got something hearty planned for the true first full week of the season because you’re going to have a long day of watching football September 2. Check back next Monday to see it!
SUNDAY, AUGUST 6
PRESEASON MARCH ON MEDIA SCIENTIFICALLY SUBJECTIVE TIER RANKINGS
If debating preseason rankings is your thing, you are going to despise the MOMSSTR prior to games starting. The preseason edition positions every team where they would finish if they enjoyed their best possible regular season. Every last one of the Power 5 and Notre Dame would land in the top tier if they completed a 12-0 run through their schedule. As teams lose games and their potential end-of-season score sinks, teams will slide down into lower tiers.
How did the Group of 5 fare? Tier 2 contains 25 teams whose 12-0 season would score between 8.5 and 10 points. BYU is the lone team in this group to reach double digits with a score of exactly 10. An additional 27 teams in Tier 3 (the teams in bold below) could play their way into Tier 2 with a 13-0 season resulting from a conference championship game victory.
The preliminary rankings naturally carry a small bias toward conferences that play nine conference game. Only one SEC team reached a preseason score of 13 (Georgia), while scores of 13+ were the norm for the Big 10 and Big 12. Only one Power 5 team, Mississippi State, has a preseason score under 12 and carries a high risk of falling permanently out of Tier 1 after a single loss.
Top Tier (Playoff Contenders) 11.5 and up
ACC: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
Big 10: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin
Big 12: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, West Virginia
PAC 12: Arizona, Arizona State, California, UCLA, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, USC, Utah, Washington, Washington St
Tier 2 (NY6 Bowl Contenders) 8.5-11.25
American: Connecticut, Houston, Navy
CUSA: Middle Tennessee State, Rice, UTEP
Independents: BYU, UMass
MAC: Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Western Michigan
Mountain West: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, San Jose State, Utah State
Sun Belt: Georgia Southern, Louisiana Lafayette, Louisiana Monroe, New Mexico State, South Alabama
Tier 3 (Quality Bowl Team) 6-8.25
American: UCF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Memphis, SMU, USF, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa
CUSA: UAB, Charlotte, FAU, FIU, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, North Texas, Old Dominion, Southern Mississippi, UTSA
Independents: Army
MAC: Ball State, Buffalo, Miami OH, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo
Mountain West: Air Force, Hawaii, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Wyoming
Sun Belt: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia State, Texas State, Troy
Tier 4 (Lower Bowl Qualifiers) 3.5-5.75
None
Tier 5 (Not Bowling) 1.25-3.25
None
Tier 6 (Basement Dwelling) 1 and lower
None
FRIDAY, AUGUST 4
TABULATION METHOD OF THE MARCH ON MEDIA SCIENTIFICALLY SUBJECTIVE TIER RANKINGS
“They ain’t played nobody.”
“Sure they’re undefeated, but who have they beat really.”
These are all too familiar refrains that do more to derail discussion of college football during the season. One of the easiest things to do is nitpick perceived or actual flaws in schedule construction or the sometimes less than dominant outcomes of a highly ranked team. A win over a ranked team is trashed when the opponent ceases to be ranked two weeks later, or a home conference win is labeled a walk in the park due to a lackluster division-based schedule.
For the vast majority of teams, the question of WHO you played will almost never matter. The committee has mentioned numerous considerations in their rankings that most would consider abstract, be it “body clocks” and “game control,” as well as more concrete and quantifiable numbers like victory margins and yardage differentials. None of those really matter for anyone though until the Sunday after conference championship games, and for teams outside of New Year’s Six bowl game consideration, these measures are rendered largely meaningless.
The March On Media Scientifically Subjective Tier Rankings will establish a far more basic and progressive basis on which to track and assess the seasons of all teams. It is a system that starts by placing every team in a tier based on the best possible outcome, and is adjusted weekly as teams slide up and down the scale based on wins and losses.
My ranking system seeks to take the name off the jersey as often as possible. It is a system based on rewarding wins first and foremost. Not all losses are punished, but there are no moral victories here. There is no positive point accumulation in these rankings for a close road loss to a great opponent.
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Home win vs. Power 5 opponent = 1 point
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Neutral site win vs. Power 5 opponent = 1.25 points
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True road win vs. Power 5 opponent = 1.5 points
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Home win vs. Group of 5 opponent = 0.5 points
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Road/Neutral win vs. Group of 5 opponent = 0.75 points
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Win vs. FCS opponent = Neutral
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Loss vs. FCS opponent = -1 point
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Road/Neutral loss vs. Power 5 opponent = Neutral
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Home loss vs. Power 5 opponent = -0.5
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Home loss vs. Group of 5 opponent = -.75
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Road/Neutral loss vs. Group of 5 opponent = -.25
For the purposes of this ranking, Notre Dame will count as a Power 5 team, Army, UMass, and BYU as Group of 5 teams.
By applying this scoring system to the entire 2016 season and select upper echelon teams from the 2014 and 2015 seasons, I’ve determined the bare minimum baseline to be considered a top-tier playoff contender is 11.5. None of the 12 teams that have participated in the college football playoff have scored lower than 12.0 following the conclusion of conference championship games.
Last year’s two-loss Big 10 champion Penn State team pulled in an 11.75 score. The 2014 TCU (11.25) and Baylor (10.75) teams also fell short by this measurement.
The 2015 Iowa team that started 12-0 scored 13 points but were bumped into the Rose Bowl by three lower scoring conference champion playoff qualifiers. At the end of the season we will be able to add a layer of evaluation by gauging how many wins a team accumulated against varying tiers of opponents. Rather than a hard ranking, in which we would consider Iowa ahead of Alabama (12), Oklahoma (12), and Michigan State (12.5), the MOMSSTR merely establish that Iowa belonged in that upper crust of contenders based upon their body of work.
The tiers for the inaugural season of tracking the MOMSSTR will be as follows:
Top Tier (Playoff Contenders) 11.5 and up
Tier 2 (NY6 Bowl Contenders) 8.5-11.25
Tier 3 (Quality Bowl Team) 6-8.25
Tier 4 (Lower Bowl Qualifiers) 3.5-5.75
Tier 5 (Not Bowling) 1.25-3.25
Tier 6 (Basement Dwelling) 1 and lower
The next post on the March On Media Blog will contain the pre-season tiering and analysis of which teams have the most margin for error thanks to premiere OOC schedule construction, a la 2016 Ohio State, versus which teams will absolutely need their conference title game to get across the finish line to playoff contention.
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TUESDAY, JULY 26
COMING SOON: MARCH ON MEDIA COLLEGE FOOTBALL CONTENT
When I started www.MarchOnMedia.com, it was always my plan to have it serve as more than just a host platform for my resume, demo, and job application materials. It serves admirably for those purposes, but I have always wanted to expand to include some real unique written and audio content. This fall, those plans will commence.
I have been a baseball broadcaster and communications man for the better part of six years, with a mix of commercial radio news, college and high school sports play-by-play, and a sip of coffee as an NFL copywriter mixed in. That is all part of the Nate March career identity, and my ultimate goal of growing my career in play-by-play remains. Anyone who talks sports with me on a personal level knows as a fan and spectator, I devour content and drive conversations toward college football all year long.
With that in mind, this renewal of the March On Media blog will feature regular college football based columns and a podcast this fall.
Each Monday of college football season you can expect to see the following list of content:
1. Watching your way through the week - the games, networks, broadcasters, and betting lines of note
a. College football is ruled by television. This segment will break down the best viewing options for each time slot throughout the week, including week nights, Saturday early afternoon, late afternoon, early evening, prime time, and late night.
b. This is not an Xs and Os preview, but more of a why to watch. Why should this game be on your viewing itinerary.
2. The game most likely to overshoot its viewing window by a full hour
a. Pretty self explanatory, right? No nationally televised game ever fits in a three hour window any more, but here you will find the most likely game to hit the four hour mark.
3. The gameday recipe of the week
a. Food is a huge part of the football experience! Whether hosting a party or watching alone or with the family, I'll identify a recipe every week, what it's best suited for, and why you should try it. I will NEVER recommend you make something that I or my wonderful wife Rachel haven't already whipped up to enhance football viewing pleasure.
4. Radio Calls of the Week
a. This is a column about football viewership, but if you ever make it this far in a real March On Media college football column, there will be a sampling of my favorite 3-5 calls of the week from IMG College, Learfield Sports, Westwood One, and independent entities.
5. The Scientifically Subjective Tier Rankings
a. This is very experimental, but the gist will be a self-created formula so basic anyone can understand it. I am in the process of testing and tweaking the formula by applying it across last season. Again, this will be so basic that advanced stats disciples will hate it, but it will create a baseline from which to evaluate one individual year of both team and conference success. There will be a separate preseason post breaking down the formula.
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THE MARCH TO THE END ZONE PODCAST
The other item that the website of a professional broadcaster should certainly feature is a podcast. There will be one coming this fall to further the discussion started in the column with "watchability" grades for the slate of games, a recap of the tier rankings and recipe, point spread picks of the week (including the unlocked, wide open backdoor cover pick of the week), and taking the temperature of select teams each week (from robustly healthy to high grade fever). This will be fast paced, fun, and ready to roll by Thursday most weeks.
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This is all an experiment. Plans can and will likely change as the fall rolls along. This will be a fun project and I hope you will be along for the ride with me.
All the best,
Nate