We’re One Step Closer to College Football

Photo: Football Scoop

We’ve crossed another checkpoint in getting closer to college football.

The preseason AP Top 25 is out, and we’ve got the most pressing headlines for each ranked team.

25. Iowa Hawkeyes: How bad will Brian Ferentz be rooting against this team all season?

24. North Carolina State Wolfpack: Does it suck being the second best Wolfpack we know about?

23. USC Trojans: Since we returned Reggie Bush’s Heisman, can we get some of OJ’s stuff?

22. Kansas Jayhawks: When will this senseless lack of a Mark Mangino Day end?

21. Arizona Wildcats: Have we talked enough about the fact that from 2012-2020 this program was lead by Rich Rodriguez and Kevin Sumlin?

20. Texas A&M Aggies: You guys are weird, and you know it, just own it.

19. Miami Hurricanes: Has this program lost the “Back” race to Texas?

18. Kansas State Wildcats: Has there ever been a program that more represents being ranked 18th?

17. Oklahoma State Cowboys: This ranking matches Mike Gundy’s average BAC whenever driving.

16. Oklahoma Sooners: Brent Venables just signed a six year extension; why does it feel if he gets off to a slow start Bob Stoops is going to swoop in?

15. Tennessee Volunteers: How can this team survive without a QB who can’t throw an orange 100 yards?

14. Clemson Tigers: Without a shadow of a doubt, Dabo Swinney is using this ranking as a sign from above.

13. LSU Tigers: As Brian Kelly continues his transition into a true Cajun, we received an exclusive look at where he would like to be by the end of the season.

12. Utah Utes: Cam Rising continues to shatter glass ceilings in his 17th season as a college quarterback.

11. Missouri Tigers: We need some real journalism done on if there has ever been a better AD/Head Coach name combo than Laird Veatch & Eliah Drinkwitz.

10. Florida State Seminoles: If this ranking holds all season, will the NCAA keep the Seminoles out of the playoff again?

9. Michigan Wolverines: If you think about it, no one would actually expect Sherrone Moore to use Connor Stalions again…might be the perfect time to try.

8. Penn State Nittany Lions: Will this be the first year anything exciting happens for PSU since they’ve had Saquon Barkley?

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: This season should be more successful than last, The Golden Domers will have more time to focus on football instead of arguing who’s hotter between their quarterback and head coach.

6. Ole Miss Rebels: Lane Kiffin will call this ranking rat poison, but he continues to be the best head coach on Twitter so honestly the Rebs should be ranked number one.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide: If Nick Saban retired and the team’s still ranked this high, how much of the progrum’s success can we attribute to him?

4. Texas Longhorns: If we don’t see Arch Manning throw more than five passes this season we riot.

3. Oregon Ducks: With the conference move to the Big Ten, will The Oregon Duck mascot have to do less pushups than he did in his Pac 12 days?

2. Ohio State Buckeyes: While Ryan Day was born on third, his team opens up the season ranked second.

1. Georgia Bulldogs: Sure Kirby Smart and his boys can dangerously and irresponsibly race their cars, but can they continue their growing dynasty and keep up the pace in a new SEC?

We can all taste college football at this point. The release of the preseason rankings, however meaningless, gives us another thing to argue about online…and isn’t that what sports is all about?

Sunday State of Mind: October 31st-November 6th

Photo: Wallpaper Access

We had the last sports equinox of the year this week. That and more in our latest SSM.

World Series is over, new kings have been crowned
Astros win another one, and are parade bound
No trash can drama this time, at least no rumors yet
If you were to wager though, might not be a bad bet

Some major programs going down in college football
Alabama lost again, Tennessee also did fall
Clemson also lost to an unranked Notre Dame
This part of the football season never comes up lame

We got vintage Tom Brady against the LA Rams
Still trying to beat the notion that the Bucs are shams
Come back win, fourth quarter drive, TB played the right cards
Also became the first QB with 100k yards

Other end of the spectrum, one guy just getting started
Justin Fields running the ball at a level uncharted
Broke the rushing record for a QB in a game
One hundred seventy-eight yards, left the field aflame

The biggest story of the week, what else can we say
The Nets made the right move by keeping Kyrie at bay
Terrible post, terrible week, he doesn’t seem to care
The constant act this guy gives us is starting to wear

Sunday State of Mind: August 29th-September 4th

Photo: Wallpaperup

It’s a special Labor Day edition of SSM! Take a break from the unofficial end of summer and look back at the week that was in sports.

The biggest story of the week, college football is back
Full slate of games during week one, games we did not lack
We’ll dive in more below, but are just glad to see
Tailgates, school bands and football all over our TVs

Weirdest and most on brand game, the Iowa Hawkeyes
Worst offense of the week, they surely won the prize
A final score of 7-3, a close game with no ease
Even stranger, no touchdowns, one field goal two safeties

Biggest matchup of the week, Irish and the Buckeyes
Game was closer than we thought, ND a nice surprise
Ohio State overwhelmed, finally pulled away
Won 21-10, but both teams came to play

Poor Virginia Tech, upset city in week one
Old Dominion hosted them and got the job done
The Hokies may have overlooked and thought it’d be a breeze
The Monarchs took advantage, brought them to their knees

Our final note this week, we saved the best for last
Serena Williams is now done, her career in the past
She lost the US Open, made it to the third round
Even without a tourney win, she still deserves a crown

Sunday State of Mind: August 30th-September 5th

What a long holiday weekend. So long that SSM was delayed until the following week. Let’s look back at the week that was in last week’s Sunday State of Mind.

College football’s back, a fact you can’t deny
America’s favorite sport’s existence is no longer dry
Had some big time matchups, more on that below
We won’t be without football until we all see snow

Biggest matchup of the week was Georgia and Clemson
Number three and number five, pregame sounded fun
A battle of attrition, final score was 10-3
Georgia with the “upset,” week one victory

The other name brand matchup, ‘Bama and The U
Crimson Tide and Miami, Bama’s lead just grew and grew
Coach Saban and the boys took it to the Canes
A 30+ point win, all that’s left were The U’s remains

Our final review of Week 1, FSU and Notre Dame
Just another one of this debut week’s big time games
The Irish got the dub, that’s the result that’s built in
Best story from the game though, the returning McKenzie Milton

Sunday State of Mind: November 2nd-November 8th

Photo: Matthew Smith on Unsplash

It’s Sunday. The weekend is slipping away from us. Let’s enjoy this week’s SSM while we still can.

Dalvin Cook just keeps going and going
Last week and this week, after his injured groin
He’s topped 200 yards two games in a row
What a gift for the Vikings, wrap that man in a bow

Notre Dame bested Clemson in a top five battle
The Golden Domers now sit in college football’s saddle
Students rushed the field, said “we can’t stop” like Miley Cyrus
Here’s hoping this scene doesn’t lead to a spread of the Coronavirus

Not a sports topic, but what the heck
We want to pay tribute to Alex Trebek
The GOAT game show host, his memory won’t cease
All the best to his loves ones, may he rest in peace

Sunday State of Mind: October 26th-November 1st

Photo: Annie Nyle on Unsplash

Fall is here, friends. The leaves have changed, the sweaters have been donned, and the clocks have moved back. Let’s all get comfortable and enjoy this week’s SSM.

Tua Time in Miami, the rookie made his debut
A surprise win over the Rams, the Dolphins feel anew
Tua didn’t have a big game, or put up many stats
But if the Dolphins keep winning, they’ll no longer be AFC East cellar rats

We crowned a new World Series champ this week, the Dodgers from LA
Emerged victorious over the Rays of Tampa Bay
A lot of talk on the internet on the decisions of Kevin Cash
If he kept Blake Snell in longer, it could be the Rays throwing the championship bash

Trevor Lawrence, Clemson’s long-haired quarterback
Tested positive for COVID, by the disease he’s been sacked
The best QB in the NCAA missed this week’s game
It was also announced he’ll miss Clemson’s next contest against Notre Dame

This week the Chicago Cubs declined Jon Lester’s option for 2021
Unless he’s brought back on a cheaper deal, his time with the Cubs is done
Big Jon did something very cool this weekend, something very dear
He’s buying the entire city of Chicago their first rounds of beer