Ty's 2024 College Football Playoff Preview

The College Football Playoff starts tomorrow night and I cannot wait. Even without Michigan playing in the CFP this year, I'll still be tuning in. I will watch Michigan's bowl game, as always. But, with the new format, I'm pretty stoked to see how it all plays out. I love that the first round is being played in college stadiums, I love that the games are on in primetime and I cannot wait to watch it all unfold. With all that, I'm going to do a preview and prediction. The games will be here before we know it, so on with it.

The first playoff game is tomorrow night, with Indiana traveling to South Bend to face Notre Dame. I have seen Indiana play this year, and while a deserving playoff team, I don't think they have much of a chance tomorrow night. Their offense has stalled as of late. I know they scored 66 points in their rivalry game, but Purdue is not a very good football team right now. Indiana's two previous games, Michigan and the university of Ohio State, weren't so great. The university of Ohio State ran roughshod over them, and Michigan, who was not very good this year, had a shot to win that game in Bloomington. Notre Dame has a very stout defense, a great running game and a passing attack capable of taking advantage of a weak Indiana secondary. I'll be rooting for the Big 10 here, but Notre Dame is the better team and they have home field advantage.

The first game to kickoff Saturday morning features SMU traveling to Penn State. Penn State should win this game and win it relatively easily. They have a better defense, better run game and a QB that rarely makes mistakes. SMU can run the ball okay, but I don't trust much more from them, especially after watching them in the ACC title game. But, we have the whole James Franklin of it all here. He is a poor big game coach. It doesn't matter if he has home field advantage, if he has the refs and media on his side or if he even has the better roster. He seems to flub this stuff way more often than not. But, I'm going to go with Penn State in a low scoring, ugly game. What SMU did in the ACC title game has been hard for me to shake.

The 3pm central game has Clemson facing Texas. Texas is going to win and going to win convincingly in my opinion. Clemson is not the Clemson of old. They barely made the playoff. Their QB is wildly inefficient. The defense isn't as feared as they used to be. Texas, on the other hand, has an elite defense. Their run game is effective. And the duo of Quin Ewers and Arch Manning is going to give defenses tons of headaches in these playoffs. Texas should win this one going away, and I fully expect that. I wouldn't be surprised if they win by three or more scores.

The final first round playoff game is the best first round game. Tennessee faces off with the university of Ohio State. In years past this would've been an easy university of Ohio State pick for me. They have the best roster money can buy. They have weapons all over the field. They have one of the top defenses in the country. They have a highly effective run game. What worries me, their QB and coaching staff. Tennessee is kind of playing with house money here. Their defense is also legit, except on the outside. Their offense isn't as elite as in the past, and that is what worries me most with this team. This game is going to be a slug fest. And, as much as I'd love to see Tennessee win and plant their flag at the 50 yard line, I have this weird feeling that the university of Ohio State is going to get a break and win this on a last minute field goal.

The second round games, the elite 8 if you will, have Texas facing Arizona State, Penn State playing Boise State, Notre Dame facing Georgia and the university of Ohio State playing Oregon. Again, Texas got a great draw and they are going to walk over Arizona State. ASU is a nice story and it's rad that they made this big of a leap in year two of Kenny Dillingham's leadership. Their running back is also damn good. But Texas is so much better in every facet except running back. And Texas has a deep group of backs they can rotate. ASU may keep it close for a half, but then Texas should have an easy path to the final four.

I am going with Boise State, in a minor upset, to beat Penn State. Boise State has one of the greatest college running backs ever. Ashton Jeanty is a force of nature and I love watching him play. He's fierce and fast. He is not afraid of anyone. He will run you over and run by you. The rest of the offense is capable and the defense is fine. This is where James Franklin will find some way to blow it and all the PSU fans will be in agony once again. I really like this Boise State team.

Notre Dame-Georgia is going to be a fun game. If Carson Beck were healthy, I'd pick Georgia. But, Georgia's defense hasn't been nearly as dominant as in the past. The run game is hit or miss. The passing game, especially with Gunner Stockton running the show, is going to be nearly nonexistent. This all plays into Notre Dame's favor. They can slow this game down, make it a slugfest and they have the much better defense. I'm going with Notre Dame beating my preseason pick to win it all.

Finally, for the second round, we have the university of Ohio State facing Oregon. Oregon won this game once this season, by one, but that was earlier in the year. This version of Oregon is better and hungrier. They seem angrier too. They easily handled PSU in the Big Ten title game, and they don't want the accolades to stop there. This offense is one of the better balanced offenses in the country. They're fast everywhere. The defense is as good as Oregon has ever had. I just don't see a world where Oregon doesn't win this game.

That leaves me with a final four of Oregon, Notre Dame, Boise State and Texas. I think Notre Dame is going to beat Boise State. I think this is where the Cinderella run ends for BSU and Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty will have a good game, but Notre Dame can match their energy and I think they have an advantage with their defense.

The real title game for me is Oregon and Texas. These are, in my opinion, the two best teams in college football by a quarter mile. This game will be fast, exciting and an absolute feast for college football fans, In the end, in a minor shootout, I have Oregon winning this game and going to the championship.

This game, featuring Notre Dame and Oregon, will be a coronation for Oregon. It has all led to this for them, and I don't think they'll let their fans down this year. Oregon has all the tools they need to win it all, and I think they do just that this January. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Vick as a College Coach Makes Sense

I read earlier in the week that some smaller schools were looking at Mike Vick as a candidate at head coach for them. I didn't know he was actively looking and interviewing for a job, but I like it. Let’s discuss.

I have been a lifelong Mike Vick fan. From his time at Virginia Tech to his stops in the NFL, most memorably with the Falcons, I always enjoyed watching him play football. He reminded me so much of Randall Cunningham, who I also was a big fan of. But, he had a better arm and was so much faster than Cunningham ever was when he was in the NFL. Mike Vick didn't disappoint either. He was as good as advertised. He went to the title game with VT, and almost single handedly won it for them. He was the first pick and was awesome from the start. He made the Falcons fun to watch. He made them a playoff team. When he came back from his suspension, he was a star again with the Eagles. That Monday night game, you know what I'm talking about, was a sight to behold. He then ventured off to the Jets to be a backup and finished up his career as a backup once again with the Steelers. There is the prison sentence for his involvement in a dog fighting ring that slowed his career down significantly. What Vick did was wrong, but for him to be locked up was wild. There are things going on with current players that are much, much worse and they barely even get suspended from playing any games. They get to live their lives freely after doing some heinous things. Vick went to jail. He was a prisoner. He served time. He is well past the point of being a "bad guy" anymore. He did what he did, was punished for it and he came back to play at the highest level, and play very well. Now, he is going to be the head coach at Norfolk State.

I don't know much about Norfolk State. I know the university is in Virginia, Vick's home state. I know they're a lower level division 1-AA school. They haven't made a ton of noise lately, but I feel like that's going to change here very soon. I knew of Jackson State prior to Deion Sanders taking the job there. My knowledge of Jackson State while Deion was there and now is much greater because I wanted to know about where he was coaching. I get very similar vibes with Vick at Norfolk State. Kids with parents around my age or even a little younger are going to want their kids to play for Mike Vick. I would absolutely love for my kid to be recruited by him. I'd love to meet him as the parent. I think it would be a true highlight. Just based off that one fact, Norfolk State is going to improve. The school will put money behind him to help with the NIL collective. Vick is going to get kids in the door on name recognition alone. He and his staff will have to develop that talent. and I'm sure they'll be able to do that with no problem at all. Vick knows this game. He has learned from some of the game's smartest pro coaches. He was an electric athlete, and sometimes that works when transitioning to coaching. I have full faith that Vick will do just fine.

Hearing this news today made me so very happy for him. I want more guys like Vick coaching college football. These are the dudes I watched and I want to see them succeed and thrive. I will be more focused on Norfolk State moving forward from here on out. I love this hire and I cannot wait to see what Vick does now that he's a head coach. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on Bill Belichick Going to UNC

I was on vacation with my wife last week and my son texted me something that truly shocked me. I was hanging out by a pool and I audibly gasped when I read what he sent. I also didn't fully believe him at first. The text read, "Bill Belichick just signed to be the next head coach for UNC!".

I was floored. I had to check some reputable sites, nothing against my kid, but he's 12, he has said lots of stuff that wasn't true. But he was correct. Bill Belichick is returning to coach football, and he isn't doing it in the NFL or at a big time power 5 school. He is going to coach UNC, who was like 6-6 or 7-5 this season. They gave up 70 plus points to James Madison. The entire staff is going to be new. I'm sure a good portion of the kids will transfer. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a season not too dissimilar to this past Michigan season.

I don't know how Bill Belichick is going to deal with or like coaching college football. I don't know that he has coached in college before. I only remember him as an NFL head coach, and a quite successful one at that. Bill Belichick knows football. There's no denying that fact. He has won multiple Super Bowls. He has helped to guide stifling defenses. He knows how to use what he has in the best possible way. He knows when to cut the fat and he doesn't let feelings get involved. He knows this sport inside and out. But college is a whole other animal. I mean, recruiting is a year round thing. Bill Belichick is going to have to go into an 18 year olds living room and sell this kid on UNC football. That is tough for anyone.

Also, Belichick is 72 years old. I mean, I cannot imagine traveling all over the country trying to sell your program is fun for anyone. College football coaches are getting younger too. I had a conversation with my son recently about that very topic. Jim Harbaugh left because he wanted to coach in the NFL. He was also sick and tired of dealing with the NCAA and all their nonsense. Nick Saban left Alabama last year and made a statement along the lines of he disliked how much the college game had changed. When you look at most college coaches, they seem to be not much older than 50. University of Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz is 41. Florida coach Billy Napier is 44. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel is 46. Georgia coach Kirby Smart is 48. Ryan Day is 45. PJ Fleck is 44. Lincoln Riley is 41. Sherrone Moore is 39. Dan Lanning is 38. In the ACC Cal coach Justin Wilcox is 48. Dabo Swinney is 58. Manny Diaz is 50. Mario Cristobal is 54. And Fran Brown is 42. Bill Belichick is nearly 30 years older than some of these guys. Hell, he is getting close to being 40 years older than some of these guys. College football, as far as recruiting and dealing with the NIL, is becoming a young guys game.

I feel like Belichick, with all of his knowledge, is going to find that coaching college football is way tougher than he thinks. And, as I said above, he is coaching at UNC. UNC is a basketball school through and through. It always has been, probably always will be. They have had some seasons that are solid, but they haven't been a CFP contender yet. They have a ton of preseason hype usually, but that doesn't seem to translate on the field. Belichek is also very old school. He's going to assume that he is the man in charge and the leader. That may have been the case in the 80's and 90's, but not anymore. As it should be, player empowerment is a real and viable thing. These kids know their worth and they aren't shy about letting everyone know. Kids aren't going to go play for Bill Belichick just because he is Bill Belichick. They are going to want playing time and solid NIL deals. They are going to want tv coverage. They are going to want awards. The coach is just a dude now. They teach the game and help mold these kids into pros in some cases. But, the coach doesn't have the power that they used to. Again, not many people know more about football than Bill Belichick. He has a wealth of knowledge. Teaching the game to his players won't be the issue. I think he will find it much more difficult to recruit and have to be on 365 days a year.

Time will tell, but this is a weird move from him. We will see how it turns out. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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2024 Year in Review: Top Sports Moments

Welcome to day four of my best of 2024 lists. Today is sports. This is probably my favorite one to write, especially when Michigan football is doing good things. It’s not all Michigan football, but my top two moments definitely revolve around them. Sports is a way of life for me, and I truly love watching, writing and talking about them. On to my list.

At number 5 I
have the Paris Olympics. The Olympics were fun this year. The basketball, more on that in a minute, was excellent as always. But, I found myself watching more and more of the games. I always say I’m not going to do that, but this year was different for me. I got really into badminton for a day. I was watching it for fun, but then I found myself rooting for certain teams. I was making wild claims about what the teams should be doing. I was all in. It was rad. I got into the skateboarding. I was enjoying a good portion of track and field. I extensively watched hoops. These Olympics were probably the most I’ve ever tuned in and really enjoyed the games. They were a blast.

At number 4, I have the men’s gold medal basketball game between France and team USA. This was one of the better basketball games I’ve seen in a long time. I almost put the Serbia-USA game here, but that didn’t have the stakes this game had. This was back and forth. This game was France announcing themselves as a true threat in 2028. This was Victor Webanyama letting the world know how good he truly can be. This was Garschon Yabusele letting everyone know he was NBA ready. This was LeBron James reminding the world his greatness. This was Devin Booker shoehorning his way into superstar conversations. But, this was all about Stephen Curry showing the world what makes him so great. He seemingly couldn’t miss. When he hit his fourth three in a row, my son and I both audibly gasped. We couldn’t believe what we were watching. It was amazing. It was also the last time, in my opinion, that we will see the USA as the basketball favorite in the Olympics. This game was amazing, and it was even better to watch in real time.

At number 3 I have the rise of Victor Webanyama. He was the presumed number 1 pick in his NBA draft, and he went number 1. His defense was supposed to be ahead of his offense, and it was, only for a bit. His offensive game got better and better as the year went on. He’s a 7’4 unicorn. He can play in the paint, but he’s also a legit three point shooter. His defense is incredible. His limbs are so long that he can get faked and still make a block or contest a shot. It’s amazing to see. He can dribble the ball up the court. He’s getting an edge that’s only going to make him better. He’s getting bigger. And he’s very young. The NBA is in a good spot for post LeBron games, because Victor Webanyama seems to be as advertised. I implore you to watch him play if you haven’t yet. There’s no one else like him in basketball.

Now for my Michigan football love.

At number 2 is my most recent 2024 event, a 6-5 Michigan team, as a 20 point underdog, going into Columbus and beating the second ranked university of Ohio State. This was so unexpected and so glorious. Michigan had a bad year. They looked over their heads and confused most of the season. I saw them live and it was just as bad in person. Outside of a few dudes from last year’s title team, this was an entire new team with limited reps as starters. The university of Ohio State, on the other hand was great. They were 10-1. They had the best roster money could buy. They dug deep into their NIL budget to make this team unbeatable. And they held onto to that, minus the Oregon game, which they still almost won. This was supposed to be a blowout. In 2019 Ryan Day said he was “going to hang 100” on Michigan, and I thought this may be the year it happens. But, much to my delight, Day and Chip Kelly decided they had to show how “tough” their team can be. They kept trying to run the ball up the middle, the strength of Michigan’s defense. It was bottled up all afternoon. When they would throw, they gashed Michigan's secondary. But, they had some score to fill, so they went away from that and back to running, which only helped Michigan stay in this game.  As the game progressed I couldn’t believe it was close. Late in the fourth quarter, tied at 10-10, I looked at my dad and said, “imagine if this Michigan team wins today”. Michigan QB Davis Warren proceeded to throw a terrible goal line interception after that. But the university of Ohio State decided to try and prove their toughness yet again and Michigan got the ball back with solid field position. They then kept getting first downs, only by running the ball, and marched down near the goal line again. They bled the clock down to 40 seconds and Dominic Zvada kicked a chip shot field goal for a 13-10 lead. Michigan kicked off, and four plays and one yard gained later, Michigan did it. They won this game. As improbable as it seemed that morning, they pulled off the victory. There was the melee with the flag at the end of the game, but even that didn’t deter my excitement. As frustrating as this season was, this team showed grit and determination and toughness and beat a much better team by playing hungrier, angrier and tougher. This season was a success due to this one win. It was glorious.

Nothing will top my number 1 sports moment of 2024, unless they do it again in my lifetime. That’s last year’s Michigan football team beating Alabama in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day and then winning the title a little over a week later. The 23-24 Michigan football team season was tremendous to watch. That defense was incredible. It may be one of the best defenses college football has ever seen. They had studs everywhere and they had great coaches teaching them the game. The offense was rough, rugged and nasty. They could also throw the ball around if the needed to. The O line was stout. JJ McCarthy was a good game manager who had the tools to improvise. Blake Corum is one of the greatest running backs Michigan has ever had. Colston Loveland and AJ Barner were a great tight end duo. And Roman Wilson was consistent and dependable and Cornelius Johnson was a great deep threat. This team was loaded and locked in all year. Even with the nonsensical sign stealing allegations, this team never stopped winning games and blowing opponents out. If an opposing coach called them out, they beat that team even worse. This team rode for each other and the coaches and it showed on and off the field. Their closest game was the university of Ohio State game, but the Rose Bowl versus Alabama was much more nerve wracking. They then went into National Title game and beat Washington, the only other undefeated team last season, and beat them by 21 points. This was a “team of destiny”. I didn’t fully appreciate them until after the title, but now I’m so grateful for everything the 23-24 Michigan team gave the fans. They won every game and won them all in style. They took on the villain role. They embraced and reveled in the hate. And as a fan it was wonderful to see. I always want Michigan to blow everyone out so I can relax during the games, and that’s what they did all the way to the title. I will always remember this and savor it. It is my proudest moment as a sports fan and that Michigan team will go down in history. Go Blue.

That’s it for sports moments. Come back tomorrow for my final top five list of 2024, podcasts.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on Who Should, and Will, Win the Heisman Trophy

The Heisman trophy will be awarded to the winner next week. There seem to be about four or five dudes up for consideration. If you want the names, Travis Hunter, Ashton Jeanty, Cam Ward and Dillon Gabriel are the four I'd invite to New York. But, in all reality this is down to two dudes.

The Heisman will be given to either Jeanty or Hunter. My son has pleaded his case for Cam Ward, who has had a great season. But, I just don't see it. He hasn't been as good as Hunter or Jeanty. Dillon Gabriel, my preseason pick for the award, has also been good. But, of the four guys I mentioned for invites, he'd finish fourth overall in my voting. He has been great too, but not out of this world. Hunter and Jeanty are crushing it this season. They're the focal points of two teams that have had a resurgent season.

Ashton Jeanty is the main threat for Boise State, who will, most likely, be in the playoffs this season. Jeanty has also been putting up video game numbers. He has carried the ball 312 times for 2,288 yards and 28 tds. He also has 18 catches for 102 yards and a td. Those numbers are good for 26 carries a game, 190 rushing yards a game and over 2 rushing tds a game. That is insane. He is cruising his way through the Mountain West Conference. In BSU's lone defeat this season, against number 1 Oregon, Jeanty went for 192 rush yards and 3 tds. That is pretty amazing against a solid defense. He has gone over 200 yards rushing four times this season, all wins. He ran for six tds in their opening win over Georgia Southern. The only game he didn't score in, a big time win over Portland State, he only played one half, where he carried the ball 11 times for 127 times. That's an average of 11.2 per carry. A first down per each carry. That is wild. Jeanty has all the stats, the playoff appearance and a good portion of the media behind him right now, and I wouldn't be upset at all if he won.

Travis Hunter is doing things that seem impossible in modern college football. He is the Shohei Ohtani of college football. Travis Hunter starts on both sides of the ball. And it isn't like some cutesy offensive packages, he is one of Colorado's top receiving options. He is a legit number 1 or number 2 option for their offense. He is also, quite possibly, the best corner in all of college football. He is lockdown. We don't hear his name too much and that is the biggest compliment you can give a corner. That means he is covering his guy so well that the opposing QB will not throw his way. And when they do, he seems to make incredible interceptions. On the season Hunter, as a wideout, has 92 catches for 1,152 receiving yards and 14 tds. That's good for 7 catches a game, 96 receiving yards and game and just over 1 receiving td a game. That is top notch for any power 5 wideout. He also has 31 tackles, 4 interceptions and 1 forced fumble as a corner. Again, that would be great stats for a guy that just plays defense. Hunter averages 114 plays per game. That is the amount of plays in most college football games. That means he never comes off the field. Hunter is always there and he is always producing. He is putting up crazy good numbers on both sides of the ball. Those stats, had he been a one way player, wouldn't be good enough for Heisman consideration, but he would be up for other postseason awards. The fact that he is doing this, in high level division 1 college football, is unheard of.

Hunter is going to be the first overall pick in next season's NFL draft. He may damn well play both sides of the ball in the NFL too. I also believe he should, and will, win the Heisman next weekend. Travis Hunter is an amazing football player, playing both sides of the ball, and he has done more than enough to win the Heisman. Hunter is my pick. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Greatest The Game

Let’s talk about last Saturday’s Michigan Ohio State game.

After I got home from my race Saturday afternoon, and my dad arrived at my house, we settled in and watched the recording of the university of Ohio State and Michigan football game. Neither of us knew the outcome, nor the score at the time, so we went in totally fresh. What my dad and I watched unfold was pretty epic and inconceivable to the both of us.

This has been an incredibly frustrating year to be a Michigan football fan. I know, they were coming off an undefeated season that ended in a national title win. It was great. This year was a year of newness and head scratching. They had no QB. Their best defender missed most of the season. The o-line was not playing to their wild expectations. The receivers couldn't get separation. Donovan Edwards was replaced by Kalel Mullings. The defense had some questionable play calling. It was a mess and a work in progress. When I saw them play live over a month ago, it looked as bad in person as it did on the tv. After that Illinois-Michigan game, I thought they may finish 6-6 at best. They played Indiana close, which was nice to see, but they went into their second bye week at 5-5. I didn't know if they'd win another game. They went into the Northwestern game and demolished them. It was such a nice surprise to see them go out and dominate a team like they're supposed to. They ran up and down the field. The QB play was sufficient. The defense was suffocating. It was a sight for sore eyes.

Going into the university of Ohio State game, I had zero expectations. The university of Ohio State, on paper, is a much better team. They played Oregon close, in Eugene, and that same Oregon squad crushed Michigan in Ann Arbor. They throttled Indiana. They kind of, outside of Oregon, made lightwork of every team that was on their schedule. Michigan, on the other hand, really struggled all season long, until the Northwestern game. Fresno State stayed with them all game. They gave up 15 fourth quarter points to Arkansas State. Texas smacked them. So did Illinois and, as previously mentioned, Oregon. Michigan looked like a team that wasn't really prepared to play all year. But, I have to bring it up again, the Northwestern game showed me something different. They did what they wanted to do when they wanted to do it and they looked good while doing it. But I still expected them to get walloped on Saturday. The university of Ohio State was supposed to unleash three years of frustration and prove that Michigan wasn't going to be able to push them around anymore. Ryan Day said, in 2019, that he was "going to hang 100 on them", and I kind of expected that type of game on Saturday.

That didn't happen at all. Michigan was able to run on this supposed vaunted defense. Kalel Mullings fully took control of Michigan's ground game after Donovan Edwards got hurt. Davis Warren, well, he looked like a walk on. He had a bad, bad game. But that didn't matter. If the offense went three and out, the defense held firm. The Michigan defense was lights out on Saturday. They played their best game of the season and looked pretty damn good doing it. Early on in the game, with Michigan down 3-0, the university of Ohio State decided to throw on third and long from their endzone. Aamir Hall read it beautifully and picked the pass off with ease, setting up Michigan's first TD and lead of the game. The defense continued to dominate, but the university of Ohio State's play calling was bizarre. They kept trying to run the ball up the gut, playing right into Michigan's strength on defense. They have been great against the run all year. But, as I said to my dad at one point of the game, it felt like the university of Ohio State offensive plan was to prove how "tough" they could be. It didn't work, but they kept trying it. Over and over again they would run it two, sometimes three times during a drive, only to have to punt or try a field goal. And the field goal kicker missed two gimmes, which was brutal for that guy. But the sheer fact that they kept trying to run the ball, to no avail, was astonishing. The passing game was working like gangbusters, but they didn't stick with it and that helped Michigan. The hubris of the university of Ohio State, to continue to try and prove their "toughness" was the absolute wrong way to go about this game. Late in the fourth, tied at 10, the university of Ohio State had to give up the ball after yet another three and out and Michigan held onto the damn thing for the majority of the quarter. They drove it down inside the 5, after a brilliant Mullings run on third and 6. They made the university of Ohio State use all its timeouts, and with about 45 seconds left, Michigan kicker Dominic Zvada kicked a 20 yarder to take the lead. The university of Ohio State got the ball back with about 30 seconds left, and proceeded to call four pass plays that gained them a total of one yard. When the fourth and 9 pass fell to the turf, and it was known that Michigan was going to win for a fourth year in a row,

I gave out a guttural yell. I couldn't believe that this Michigan team, this 6-5 team with no real QB, two of their best players out, a coaching staff still figuring it all out and their best secondary player not covering superstar wideouts was able to pull off this upset, it was incredible. I loved all the congratulatory texts I was getting. I loved reading about the game online afterward. I loved seeing those crybabies show more fight after the game, when Michigan was planting their flag, trying to fight the players planting the flag. That shows how classless those players and that staff really are. There is no institutional control. Ryan Day is a coward and the biggest crybaby of them all. Their team captain telling Michigan that their "season is over", shows how little sportsmanship they have in Columbus. I want to inject Will Howard's crying speech into my veins. This dude has been popping off at the mouth all season, and being a Michigan fanatic, seeing him crying on national tv was glorious.

I cannot stop reading about this game. I want more and more and more of this. There's no more excuses. The university of Ohio State cannot blame signs, the flu, the cold, the Michigan staff, Jim Harbaugh, the Big 10 or the NCAA. This is all on them. They have to bear the brunt of the last four seasons. Michigan has clearly broken that team and that staff. The university of Ohio State will be in the playoff and they could make a run. But, this 7-5 Michigan team went into Columbus, as a 20 point underdog, with almost every media talking head picking against them, and won. Michigan won The Game for the fourth year in a row and this one feels better than some of the past four seasons. This wasn't supposed to happen, but Michigan did it. I'm going to soak in this for a good long time. Always and forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Mack Brown is an Old School Coach Who was Not a Fit for the Reality of College Football

Mack Brown was let go by North Carolina today. I'm not that surprised.

Mack Brown has had big preseason expectations in his return to head coaching, but UNC has not been able to live up to the hype. I feel like they, starting in his second season, were always a preseason darling, then they'd inevitably go 7-5 or 8-4. They were never a real threat in the ACC. They were surpassed by Clemson and Miami. Even Duke became more of a threat during his second tenure in Chapel Hill. He's had some solid recruits come in, most recently Drake Maye, but even they couldn't get the Tar Heels over the top. I don't think Maye was the starting QB of a team that won more than eight games.

I have to believe that the tipping point this season was when the Tar Heels gave up 70 plus points in a home game to James Madison. This is no slight to James Madison, who is a very solid division one football team, but that's a game that UNC should win, and win pretty handily. They did score 50 plus points themselves, but a lot of those points came when the game was already well out of hand. They have rebounded enough from that to be a 6-5 team, and they have a good shot to finish 7-5, ending the season against a shorthanded NC State. But, UNC has already let him go, he will coach the final regular season game, but he will not be there for the bowl game. UNC will begin searching for a head coach immediately.

All of this made me look back at Mack Brown, and I have been trying to figure out what went wrong. Brown was a very good coach back in his heyday. He was at UNC before, and he was good enough there to get the head coaching job at Texas. He had great success at Texas. He won a title. His teams competed for the Big 12 title pretty much every season he was there. He coached Vince Young, who may be the greatest college QB of all time. He coached Ricky Williams, who may be the greatest college running back of all time. This was all during the BCS era and pre NIL. This was a time where the coach of a college football team was the king. No one was above them. They called the shots and everyone did what the head coach of a major college football team asked. This new era of college football may have been too much for him. Mack Brown is an older dude, and maybe his old school mentality just doesn't fit in the modern game. When he would go to the podium for post game interviews now he would look tired and frustrated. He didn't have the easy answer like he did in the early 2000's. He would try to fit in and dance in the locker room with his players after any big win and it looked uncomfortable and awkward. He would try and sound cool and hip and it came off as phony. He didn't command the respect in a recruits home like he used to. A lot of these kids don't know much about his old Texas football teams. The game, from my perspective watching him coach these past few years, has passed him by. His defense never got better. He didn't utilize all these great weapons he had. He was not so great with the transfer portal. His teams could score, which they've always been able to, but they didn't do much else that good at all. This is like a passing of the guard in a way. There's not too many older coaches out there right now, and the ones that have stuck around, the lame ass Dabo Swinney's of the world, are getting past everyday by younger, more innovative head coaches.

Mack Brown will always have his championship and the memories of coaching Vince Young and Ricky Williams, but he is a "dinosaur" in the modern college football era and his time is done. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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This is Not Last Year's Michigan Football Team

Last weekend I went to my first Michigan football game since 2019. My dad and I used to go to one game a year, but then COVID hit. We have contemplated going since 2022, but this was the first time that worked when we both felt comfortable enough. We traveled out to Champaign to see them play Illinois.

It was not great. I kind of wished we went in the last three seasons. We could've seen a legit title contending team. What we saw last Saturday was tough. I want to say at the top, I still believe in this staff, I think Michigan will be just fine very soon and they need time to recruit their guys, which they seem to be doing at the moment. I'm still all in. Give Moore and his staff three years. That's all I'm asking as a lifetime fan. But, what we saw this past weekend was bad.

This is not a good football team. I knew it was going to be rough, but I thought it was going to be "rough". As many of you may have read, I predicted Michigan to finish at 11 in the polls and return to the playoff. I thought they could win 10 games. Now, after seeing them play live, I'd be stunned if they won two more games all season. This team has issues all over the field. Everyone wants to say the biggest issue is QB. And that is a big, big problem. The QB play has been atrocious all season. They have three times more interceptions than touchdowns. They've fumbled the ball as many times as they have thrown TDs. They have no confidence in their arms. Michigan has played three different QBs this year and none of them have worked. Davis Warren was too timid. Alex Orji seemingly cannot throw the ball down field. And Jack Tuttle was supposed to be a career backup in college. But the issues go much deeper than just the QB. On offense, the o line has been miserable. They cannot protect the QB like they have in the past and the holes they used to open up with ease, they're not there anymore. This was a unit on the team that was award worthy. This year they have spent more time helping their QB up than pancaking a d lineman. The receivers are small and cannot get seperation. They are often easily covered and when they need a catch, they drop the ball. The tight ends have been okay, but when the only threat from the pass game is the tight end position, it's too easy to stop that. Kalel Mullings has been a bright spot, but he is the only bright spot. Donovan Edwards has totally disappeared. Ben Hall barely sees the field. And Jordan Marshall, a prized recruit, has been injured pretty much all season. The defense, which should have been their best unit, has been up and down all year. The d line is okay. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant have been very good. Graham looks a little out of shape, but he is still producing. And Grant is swallowing double and triple teams consistently. The edge rushers seem to come and go. Josiah Stewart was unblockable against USC, but he barely did anything of note against Illinois. Derrick Moore has been hurt all year. Rayshaun Benny can't stay on the field. Cameron Brandt is committing dumb penalties. The linebackers have been okay, but I expected great things from this group. Jaishawn Barham is starting to pick it up, but it has taken too damn long. Ernest Hausmann is solid, but his coverage has been lacking. The secondary has been bad. Will Johnson is always hurt. He played one series at Illinois. He missed the Minnesota game. He may not play this weekend. Jayire Hill and Zeke Berry have made minimal strides, but they get targeted and get beat on a consistent basis. Quentin Johnson seems to have lost a step after flirting with the NFL. Makari Page coverage skills are nonexistent. And they get penalized far, far too much. There were multiple pass interference calls on Saturday. They got beat for three and long passes a few times. They miss tackles. The thing I notice most about this defense is how undisciplined they are. They have made so many mistakes this year that they haven't made in a long, long time. It is baffling to see after what we have watched for three years. This team has a ton of things to clean up. That starts with the coaching, but the players have to be held accountable at some point. And that means all players, not just the QB. Again,

I believe Michigan will be back. I hope that this season is just a bump in the road. Sherrone Moore was the right guy for the job. He earned it. But, he has got to move some things around and make some changes. I would love to see him play some young guys this season, just to see what he has on this roster moving ahead. And he needs to keep up the recruiting, especially in this new era of college football. As for this season, it's a total wash. They are a bad football team with a ton of issues. The issues are fixable, which is good. But, if they don't do something about it now, there is a very real possibility that they miss a bowl game one year after winning the championship. And that would be a bummer. Always and forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Predicts the 2024 College Football Season

Today I will wrap up my 2024 football preview with NCAA football. This is my favorite sport to watch. I loathe the NCAA, but man do I love college football. We actually get started this weekend with four games, but it all truly pops off next weekend. College football is just around the corner and I cannot wait. This year is different with conference realignment and the first year of the 12 team playoff. I'll still pick power 5 conference winners, but I'm not going to go team by team in each conference. I'm just going to pick the winners, one surprise from each conference, both good and bad, and then give you my 12 team playoff, with predictions all the way to the title game. I'll also do award predictions. And, of course, I'm going to talk about Michigan no matter what. With all that being said, let's get into the power 5 conference picks.

I'll start with the ACC. A bunch of teams have joined this conference of late, but it doesn't really matter. Clemson or FSU will win it this season, and I'll go with Clemson. They look quietly good coming into this season. As for my surprises, I think FSU is going to take a step back. Their game against Georgia Tech in Ireland this weekend will speak volumes as to how their season is going to play out. As for my good surprise, give me NC State. They got Grayson McCall to commit out of the portal and he is a good QB. I believe they will be Clemson's biggest threat. On to the Big 12 now.

The Big 12 has added a few teams in the past couple years. They are trying to remain a viable power conference, and they've had some good success over the past few years. My conference winner is Utah. It is weird that Utah is even in the Big 12, and I am counting on the QB to stay healthy, which is not a safe bet, but they have the most complete team in the conference and the best coaching staff. It wouldn't surprise me if they win the Big 12 with ease to be honest. As for my not so good surprise, I have zero faith in Oklahoma State. Their star running back was arrested for a DUI recently and their dickhead of a head coach laughed it off. Their QB is in his 7th year, and he is not Stetson Bennett. And now they are going to have QR codes on their helmets to help with NIL. This all seems like a recipe for disaster. My good surprise, give me KU. They have a great QB, who needs to stay healthy. But, they won big games without him last year. KU has a good football team. On to the skeleton of the Pac 12.

There's two teams left. Everyone else is gone. I don't know why they didn't just fold, but they didn't, and here we are. This is between two mediocre teams as well, Oregon State and Washington State. Oregon State has an entirely new coaching staff, and Washington State hasn't been a true threat in over a decade. I guess I'll go with WSU to win the Pac 12, but honestly, who cares? Moving on to the SEC.

The SEC has always been one of the best power 5 conferences, and after adding Texas and Oklahoma, the gauntlet is even tougher now. The SEC is one of two true power conferences left, the second one I'll get to next. There is some major turnover within this conference, namely Nick Saban retiring after last year. Georgia maybe should have been a playoff team last year, and they return a good portion of that team this year. They are the team to beat in this conference, and I think they are the team to beat in all of college football. They have a tremendous offense and an elite defense. Georgia is the cream of the crop in college football. My bad surprise team is LSU. I have no faith in Brian Kelly as a head coach. He has never really shined in big games. They also have to replace some excellent wideouts, and their Heisman winning QB. Regression is due with this team. My good surprise, South Carolina. I believe, though the belief is dwindling, that they have a good coaching staff. They also have the best athlete in all of college football on their team, Nyck Harbor. And he has a year of playing behind him. He knows the speed of the game and what to expect. If they can scheme him ways to get the ball as much as possible, big things are in store for him and the team.

Now to the Big 10, my conference. Before I pick my winner, let me talk about Michigan for a second. Michigan is the three time Big 10 champ and reigning national title winner. They have nothing to answer for, and for people out there who still think that they are going to get in trouble, it's not happening. Let it go. Harbaugh is gone, as expected, but they did the correct thing in hiring Sherrone Moore as the head coach. He has proven himself as a coordinator and position coach, and now it's his turn. The kids love playing for him too. A lot of important players graduated or opted for the draft. They do have to replace some important players. But they have guys that can do it, and guys that have proven they can do it. Their defense should be elite yet again. Michigan will not win the Big 10 this year, they have a brutal schedule, but they aren't going to roll over and die. They have good to great players, a wonderful defense and can grind games out by running the ball. Moore's pedigree is offensive line play, and Michigan should be elite there once again. Michigan isn't going anywhere. Now, onto my Big 10 picks.

Everyone and their mother assume the University of Ohio State is going to run away with the Big 10. They went out and purchased one of the best rosters money can buy in the NIL era. But Ryan Day is still the head coach, and while he has a pretty great record as a head coach, he is timid and afraid to go for the jugular in big, important games. That being said, give me Oregon to win the conference. They have a loaded roster, Phil Knight is dumping money into that program and they all want a title come hell or high water. My bad surprise team, Iowa. They cannot seem to figure out their offense. Their offense was historically bad last year. And by all accounts, it is as bad this season during camp and practice. Their defense should be great, but having this bad of an offense for too many seasons in a row is not a good look. My good surprise, give me Wisconsin. This is year two for Luke Fickell. He is a good head coach. He is a good recruiter. He has taken lesser programs to the playoff. Wisconsin should be on the come up, and I think we will see the first signs of it this season.

Now to my playoff teams and predictions. The playoff format is a bit different, giving four auto bids to the four major conference winners, and one from a group of 5 conference winners. So, that would mean I have Georgia representing the SEC, Utah from the Big 12, Clemson from the ACC and Oregon from the Big 10. My group of 5 playoff auto bid is Liberty. They made a big bowl game last year, hung with Oregon for a half and returned most of their key players. That doesn't mean they are the 5 seed though. For me, and most others, Liberty is the 12 seed. As for the four major conference winners, from 1-4 give me Georgia, Oregon, Clemson and then Utah. So that leaves us with spots 5-11. I believe they will be, in order, the University of Ohio State, Notre Dame, Mizzou, Ole Miss, Penn State, Texas and Michigan. That last spot was between Michigan and Bama, so I'm going to go with my heart here and take Michigan. This seems like a pretty darn good field for this expanded playoff, of which I'm a big fan. The matchups would be as follows, the top four teams get a first round bye. So, my 5-12 game features the University of Ohio State facing Liberty. The University of Ohio State wins that game going away. My 6-11 Matchup has an old time rivalry, Notre Dame and Michigan. Give me Michigan baby! They will head into South Bend and win an ugly, low scoring game. My 7-10 game has Mizzou facing Texas. Texas is going to be lethal this year and Mizzou doesn't have the rushing attack that they had last year. Texas wins here. And the 8-9 game will showcase Ole Miss and Penn State. Ole Miss is going to run up and down the field on Penn State and win going away. On to the quarterfinals. Number 1 Georgia will face off with Ole Miss. Georgia will maul this team. They are as fast and much better at almost every position. Oregon will then match up with Texas. Oregon is too good, they have a more explosive QB that is willing to run and Texas will not be able to match the Ducks speed. Clemson will get Michigan. This is where Michigan's title defense ends. This will be another ugly game, but due to more complete QB and wideout play, Clemson will win. And Utah will get the University of Ohio State. We have seen this story before and Utah cannot hang with a team that likes to run and gun up and down the field. The university of Ohio State wins a shootout. The semifinals are set with Georgia facing Oregon and Clemson facing the university of Ohio State. This has all been leading up to Georgia playing the university of Ohio State for the title. Clemson isn't ready yet, and Oregon always finds a way to blow a big game. Give me Georgia winning it all. They are the best team in college football. They will remind everyone that they are the top college football team. Ryan Day will find a way to get supremely outcoached by Kirby Smart and Georgia will win the inaugural 12 team college football playoff.

Onto awards. I am going with Dillon Gabriel to win the Heisman. Oregon will let him do anything and everything he wants. He is also playing behind one of the best o lines in college football. I have Luther Burden III of Mizzou winning the Biletnikoff. I'll take Omarion Hampton from UNC as the Daok Walker winner. Will Johnson will win the Jim Thorpe award. And Mason Graham will win the Outland Trophy. Colston Loveland will win the Mackey Award. James Pearce Jr will win both the Lombardi and Ted Hendricks award. Harold Perkins wins the Butkus award. And Travis Hunter has the Paul Hornung award almost already locked up. Finally, the coach of the year in college football will be Dan Lanning at Oregon. He will take them very far this year, they will have an elite offense and their defense has improved every season under his coaching.

That does it for everything football for the time being. I can't wait for the season to start and I can't wait to see how everything turns out. It is football season baby. Time to get excited. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Nick Saban Needed to Retire

Nick Saban gave a pretty candid interview recently about his retirement from college football. He said a lot of stuff. He didn't like how his team reacted when Michigan beat them. He said he had been seriously considering retirement since 2022. He didn't like some players' attitude. He felt recruiting was becoming more difficult. You know, pretty much what I assumed he was going to say. But one thing stuck out to me from the interview. Let’s discuss.

When Saban was asked about NIL he told the journalist that kids came to him for their exit interview this year, and he claimed 70 to 80 percent either complained about playing time, or wanted more NIL money. He said that this is becoming too commonplace, and this was another push to retire from coaching. I read this and kind of brushed it off. But while I was out for a run I thought more about this NIL and playing time statement.

I am all for NIL. I think the players who are everywhere should be getting some kind of compensation. It only seems fair. I do agree with some people that it is totally out of hand, the transfer portal is like free agency and there is all kinds of tampering. But, this is the new era of college football, and I figure the new world of college football has maybe passed Nick Saban. Saban is an all time great. Hell, he is the GOAT college football coach. He was utterly dominant, prior to NIL. He got the best players, he got them to stay and he won. Then NIL and the transfer portal rules came into play and it became a little bit harder for Saban to get every player he wanted. Or, if he did get them to commit, that player would transfer out if they weren't playing. Take Tua Tagovailoa's little brother Talia. He committed to Alabama, was behind his brother and was expecting the start. When he wasn't named the starter, he went to Maryland, started for four straight years and set multiple records. I'm sure there are many other players that did the same. And now with NIL, these kids are getting massive deals before they even enter college football. They get big deals, they commit to one school, and if they don't play or their "brand" is not represented the way they want, they will transfer or ask for more. It is the new way in recruiting and dealing with modern college football players.

I don't think Saban liked that he couldn't fully control his players like he was used to doing. He had kids talking back, showing frustration or leaving if they were unhappy with playing time or their personal earnings. While that may be problematic and toxic, that is just how it is. And I think, while some may mourn Saban retiring, and those same people opining for the "good ole days' ', most will remember Saban's greatness, but we will also move on. There will be a new college football coach, that coaches modern players in the NIL era, that will be the next college football coaching GOAT. Think someone like Kirby Smart. Or maybe Dan Lanning. Hell, Saban's replacement Kalen DeBoer thrives in this era.

The other thing with Saban, he was in his 70's. He was going to retire earlier rather than later. And that is what we are seeing a lot with college football coaches. Saban retired. Jim Harbaugh, who is in his 60's, left for the NFL and Michigan replaced him with Sherrone Moore, who is in his late 30's. Mack Brown is still around, but he is not far from walking away again. Chip Kelly left for an offensive coordinator job and was replaced by a former UCLA player from the 2000's. Lincoln Riley isn't 40 yet. Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame is 37. Arizona State's head coach is only 33. Josh Heupel is in his early 40's. The game is skewing younger because these old guys are not into having full control. And these are not no name universities. These young coaches are getting a shot at major universities. And when you look at the older head coaches in college football, you have guys like Mack Brown, Kirk Ferentz, Don Brown, Jim Mora, Kyle Whittingham and Dabo Swinney. I already mentioned Mack Brown and him being near the end. Kirk Ferentz has a good squad on defense, but the offense is anemic. He still coaches his team like the Big 10 is stuck in the early 90's. Don Brown, who I like, has a mess of a team at UMASS. Jim Mora is dealing with the same at UCONN. Kyle Whittingham has a decent Utah team, but they are wildly inconsistent. And then there's the moron that is Dabo Swinney. I despise him. And he loathes the NIL and blames that for Clemson not being a title contender anymore. It is always someone else's fault.

College football is changing and most are changing with it. Some aren't, but they may not be long for coaching in college football much longer. Nick Saban is an absolute legend and will be a hall of famer, if he isn't one already. But to blame kids and their want for playing time and NIL money was a low blow and not needed. It seemed like a bit of sour grapes to me, an old man yelling at clouds. Times are changing and college football fans will find a new GOAT in the new era of college football coaches. It's only a matter of time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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R.I.P. Craig Roh

A former University of Michigan football player, one I followed closely when he played there, passed away at 33 the other day. His name was Craig Roh. I'm sure not many of you know him. I have to imagine a few people out there know the name, but most are not familiar with him. I am. I was a fan.

Back when Roh committed to Michigan, 2008, I followed recruiting heavily. I don't do it as much anymore, kids always change their minds. But back then I wanted to see who was going to be at Michigan, who may restore this team to glory. Roh committed to play at Michigan back in the Rich Rodriguez era. Michigan was not very good back then, especially on defense. So when Roh, a 6'8 260 pound defensive end committed, I was stoked. I hoped he would be one of the guys who could make that unit formidable again. He had all the tools a fan could want from an edge rusher. He was tall. He was strong. He was fast. And he played nasty. I was an instant fan. I also liked that he wore number 88. You didn't see that much back in 2008 from an edge rusher. And Roh was legit the moment he stepped on campus. He started as a true freshman. I don't think a lot of us understand how athletically advanced you have to be to start at a major division 1 football program when you are 18. He learned the defensive scheme fast and it was inevitable during early practices that he was going to start. He started and played in all 12 games as a freshman, eventually playing this hybrid linebacker role due to his speed. He finished the year with 37 tackles, 2 sacks and an interception. Big things were to come.

As a sophomore Roh got bigger and was still one of the faster hybrid defensive players on the team. He also became a vocal leader on and off the field. He defended players and coaches alike and made it known he was a leader of the defense. The defense improved thanks to Roh and he was the guy moving forward for that defense.

During his third season in Ann Arbor they moved him back to defensive end, where he faced a bit of scrutiny from new defensive coordinator, Greg Mattison. It turns out that Roh had a bad respiratory illness that slowed him down at the start of the season. He recovered and eventually led the defense with 6.5 tfl's and 2 sacks. He was also named honorable mention All Big 10 that season.

Roh’s final season at Michigan saw a coaching change. Brady Hoke took over, and while Roh could have left, he decided to stick it out. He was named second team All Big 10, Academic All Big 10 and won Michigan's best d lineman for that season.

He bounced around professionally here and there, but never really stuck. He retired and lived a relatively quiet life. He had been living such a quiet life that I had no idea he was sick. It was revealed, upon his death, that he died from colon cancer, which he had been fighting for the last year. This is a bummer for him and his family. He was only 33. That is way too young. He was in good shape. He was a college athlete. He played football at the highest level. He, from what I understand, lived a pretty clean life. But he is another person struck down far too young from cancer. This stinks. I wish it didn't end this way for him. He was a Michigan man through and through. He would have fit right in with this national title team.

Rest in Peace Craig Roh. I hope you're comfortable wherever you are now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on EA's "Gifts" to use College Athletes NIL

Now that the NCAA Football game is officially coming out this summer, I read today that every team is involved. There is also the portal, NIL, recruiting, all the good stuff that I want in this game. This is all good news. But, I did read that players have to opt in if they want their name, image and likeness involved. I get it. It makes sense. If you are to be represented in this game, I'd figure you'd want it to look as real as possible. It would also be pretty darn cool to see yourself in a video game. I know I'd go crazy over that. All this makes sense.

What I have an issue with is the kickback from the people at EA. If a player opts in they will be given a copy of the game and 600 dollars. That all sounds very good on paper. You get a nice upfront payment and a free video game. But as I sat here today with my thoughts, I went more in depth and realized this is kind of a slap to these players. I mean, most of the players that opt in are already making much, much more than 600 bucks in the NIL world. Also, I am pretty sure that is a one time payment. It is not like they will see that money time and time again. For every fan that purchases and plays this game this summer, and for future releases, 600 dollars is chump change. These players are going to have all of their info put into this game and it only costs EA 600 dollars? That is robbery. They are going to have their face on my video screen? That should be way more than 600 bucks. I am going to buy a new system to play the game when it comes out because I do not have a system that can support this game. The two separate systems I'm looking at are in the high 400, low 500 dollar range. So I'm to believe that if a college athlete opts in, gets the 600 dollars, but has to buy a new system, they are left with 100 dollars. That is asinine. I'd, at the very least, double that money. We all know that EA has way more than that to hand out. And then they are given a copy of the game? Again, sounds fine on paper, but do these athletes really care about that? If I were to guess, this game will be around 80 dollars to buy. Great, they are saving a net total of 100 dollars by not having to buy the game if they need a new console. This is like a second thought of a gift. It feels like EA was thinking, well, 600 dollars isn't quite enough, why don't we just give them a free copy of the game? And the geniuses that work in the front office must have thought that the person that came up with that idea was the ultimate genius. They are not. This is damn near the least they could do in this scenario. And I get that they could have to hand out a big, big amount of money, but they have it, and then some. And having to give out free video games may look like it will be a bunch of money on paper, but think of all the people that are going to be buying this game as long as they continue to make it.

I have all kinds of internal issues with this, but I am going to get every new version that comes out when they come out. And I'm not a gamer. I couldn't care less about video games, except this one. EA can, and should do better by these kids. They are playing a game that is incredibly dangerous. I get it is a choice, but the vast majority of these kids are going to make their money with NIL. A good portion will not be pros, and even if they do, even more of them will not see the riches that some other football players have reached during their careers. They need to give more. They need to up the pot. Six hundred dollars is a drop in the bucket. And a free video game is a total afterthought. More consideration should have been put into this decision. But, here we are. I'm interested to see the reaction from the players. It could get spicy. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Michigan Football Fans Need to Calm Down

The Michigan football team has seen their head coach leave for the NFL, hired a new head coach, the best possible candidate, and has seen coaches depart to join Jim Harbaugh's staff in LA. This is how it goes when coaches leave. Harbaugh hired these guys, he worked closely with them, they won a national championship and he wants to continue to work with them and see how they do at the highest level. That is the way.

You see this all the time. Nick Saban had to hire new people all the time. Todd Monken left Georgia three years ago for the NFL. Dan Lanning took the Oregon job and brought some Georgia assistants with him. That is two times Kirby Smart had to get new coaches. Deion Sanders brought a bunch of his staff over from Jackson State when he took the Colorado job. This is the norm. But, when I go on Michigan fan pages lately it is going in two areas, the sky is falling or Harbaugh is "screwing the team over". There is no middle ground. There is no complacency. People are mad and frustrated and they are letting it out online.

I have always been a pessimist when it comes to Michigan. It was always the worst case scenario for me. I could not be satisfied with what they did. Until this past season. They won the national title 22 days ago. I am still living on that high. I have seen two national titles in my lifetime, but this most recent one is way, way more satisfying. They did everything I have always wanted them to do. They won all 15 games they played. Most of them weren't close. They were blowing most teams out weekly. It was a dream. This was the first season in forever where I could relax while watching almost every game. I have never been happier to be a Michigan fan. I feel like some people on these message boards have already forgotten this news. They are more obsessed with the transfer haul the university of Ohio State brought in. They want to fight with people online about the ongoing investigation. They want to yell and scream at Harbaugh. They aren't as happy as they should be with the Sherron Moore hire. It hasn't even been a month since they won it all, but if you read the message boards it sounds more like they just went through a rebuilding season. I don't get it.

Harbaugh and these players gave us fans anything and everything we ever wanted but it doesn't seem good enough for some. I fully understand not being satisfied with just one title these past two decades, but can we fans just celebrate a little longer before bitching about every little thing? As for the staffing stuff, Michigan kept the job in house. They hired Moore, who more than earned this job. The university promoted from within. And while losing Jesse Minter and Ben Herbert is tough, they have already replaced Herbert with his assistant, and they have people on staff that they can hire to be the new defensive coordinator. They can also look to an outside hire, possibly someone on the Ravens staff. I also do not believe Harbaugh is going to leave Moore in the cold. I don't think he will shut him out. I definitely think he will help him anyway he can, just like his brother helped him when he needed coordinators. Moore is also currently putting together a staff. We need to give Moore a chance. It seems like a bunch of so-called fans aren't prepared to do this. It is all doom and gloom. Fans are more worried about kids transferring and the coaches that are no longer on the staff. It is always tough when very good coaches leave, but that is a good thing. Coaches in demand means your team is doing something right. If they just stuck around forever I don't think they'd be happy. I don't believe that most coaches who reach the collegiate level want to be assistants forever. I think most want to be head coaches at some point.

I just want it to all calm down. I want people to remember what just happened. They won it all. They haven't done that since 1997. It has been a long, long time. Michigan is relevant again. They are a power. Moore should be given a chance to continue that with the people that he wants to work with. Just relax and enjoy the title and this team. They were incredibly elite. And Moore is going to do just fine. Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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An Ode to the Careers of Two Football College Legends

Two titans of the coaching world in football are moving on/retiring. Let’s discuss.

I first heard that Nick Saban was retiring when I was scrolling through Facebook last night. A friend of mine posted something about it, but I thought he was just screwing around. I went and tried to find something on a reputable website, but nothing came up right away. So I gave it about ten minutes and checked again. It was EVERYWHERE that Saban was walking away. I was stunned. He took the team he had this season to the playoff. He has won six titles since he took over as the head coach at Alabama. He won another title when he was the head coach at LSU. He had minimal success with the Dolphins before leaving like a coward when the Alabama job opened up. But, for me as a true college football fan, he has been the face of Alabama and their dominance since his second season. His team's have been wildly impressive since he took over. He coached guys like DJ Fluker, Julio Jones, Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts, Devonta Smith, Derrick Henry, Alex Leatherwood, Quinnen Williams, CJ Mosley, Dont'a Hightower, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Mark Barron, just to name a few. Oh, he recently just coached Heisman winner Bryce Young. Jalen Milroe is a stud. Jahmyr Gibbs transferred in and became a first round pick. Jaylen Waddle is a budding star. The list could go on and on. These are just some of the players he coached at Alabama mind you. He has had other stars at his other stops. But what made him so dominant at the college level was not only the talent, but his passion. Nick Saban is a maniac. This is the same dude that, after winning a national title, he complained that he had to start recruiting again. He was never satisfied with the product. Once he got a ring, he wanted more. It was that drive and grit that made him the greatest college football coach of time. I don't think there is a better one out there. He has played against all of the other greats, and gotten the best of all of them. Look at his coaching tree and all those guys he beat during his tenure. It took Kirby Smart a long while before he beat Saban. Jimbo Fisher only has a few wins against him. I don't know that Lane Kiffin has a win over him. Steve Sarkisian got his first this past season. Butch Jones had a melt down after taking the Tennessee job just trying to beat him. Billy Napier never got Florida over the hump. Jeremy Pruitt and Mel Tucker had to leave their head coaching jobs due to scandal. He has also produced pro coaches. Guys like Brian Daboll, Joe Judge and Bill O'Brien have all spent time under Nick Saban. What Saban did for the college football game and Alabama may never be matched. Alabama was always a threat. When Michigan drew them in the playoff this season I wasn't thrilled because of Alabama's past and potential. He struck fear in opponents. He had the best recruiting pitch. He hired the best coaches. And he always found ways to win. The NFL was never for Nick Saban. He was always destined to be a college football head coach and he became the best the game has seen to this point. It will be odd to not see him on the sideline next season, but congrats on a coaching career that may never be matched. Nick Saban is an all timer.

As for the NFL, well, Bill Belichek and the Patriots have "mutually" parted ways. This felt like a long time coming, but when this news hit this morning, I was still a little taken aback. Bill Belichek turned himself into one of the greatest head coaches the NFL has ever seen. The things he did with the Patriots starting in the early 2000's is the stuff of legend in the coaching world. The guy had an eye for talent when it came to players and assistant coaches. He had this odd sense that he could get the most of people that not many saw much potential. Drew Bledsoe, their star QB and former number one overall pick gets hurt and they turn to some 6th round backup named Tom Brady. We all know what happened then. It was a decade plus of dominance with that pairing as QB and coach. The Patriots always seemed to win and always seemed to be in the thick of the playoff race. Even the season Brady went down in week one, the Patriots still managed to win ten games with Matt Cassell as their starting QB. That has a lot to do with Belichek. This guy also took chances on players. He brought in Randy Moss and had that electric offense. The best years of Laurence Maroney's NFL career were in New England. Ty Law was an all pro under Belichek's tutelage. Lawyer Milloy became one of the best safeties in the league. Benjarvus Green Ellis had a career because of him. The same could be said for Wes Welker, Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman. Richard Seymour made a name for himself in the league because of Belichek. The guy had an eye for these "diamonds in the rough". He also knew how to hire good assistants that figured out how to work with him. Josh McDaniels isn't much of a head coach or person, but the dude can coach a Bill Belichek offense. Matt Patricia only got a head coaching job because he ran Belichek's defense to perfection. Joe Judge was a special teams coach under Belichek, after working for Saban, and that reputation of working with Belichek got him the head job with the Giants. Brian Flores is an amazing defensive coordinator and he more than deserves another shot at being a head coach. Romeo Crennel had a few good years with the Browns. Charlie Weiss parlayed his coordinating job into a few head coaching jobs, namely Notre Dame and Kansas. Hell, even Nick Saban spent time working under Belichek when he was the head coach of the Browns. While a good amount of these guys never reached the heights Belichek has, they had massive success working from, and learning from, Bill Belichek. I don't know what the future holds for him, but I would be a little stunned if he isn't hired by one of the seven teams with a current opening very soon.

As it stands on January 11th, both Bill Belichek and Nick Saban are no longer football coaches. That seems wild to say, but here we are. Crazy. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Go Blue

Michigan football did it. They won the national title last night.

The game was close until about seven minutes left. That was when Blake Corum ran it in, and then Mike Sainristil took a pick 81 yards to the redzone, and then Corum punched it in one more time to seal it, 34-13.

Michigan finished the season 15-0. That is the most wins in Big Ten history. That is tied for the most wins with four other teams. Jim Harbaugh revamped his coaching staff, got younger, adjusted and brought a national championship to his alma mater. He accomplished the goal he had when he took this job nine years ago. He has restored the Michigan football program back to being a perennial threat. This is their third playoff appearance in a row. The third time was the charm for this team. They exorcised all of their demons. The people who said Harbaugh couldn't win a big game were proven wrong. He beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and then went on to dominate Washington, the only other undefeated team in division 1, in the title game. He has also beaten the university of Ohio State three times in a row. Harbaugh has proven the doubters wrong. Blake Corum came back from a tough injury last year to lead this team, and become one of the best running backs in the history of Michigan football. JJ McCarthy took over as the starter last season and hasn't looked back. He is now 27-1 as the starting QB. The defense has become this boa constrictor. They just squeeze and squeeze and squeeze until their opponent can't take it anymore. Thank you to former Indiana coach Tom Allen for the boa constrictor comparison. The defense is also full of talent. There isn't one guy, this is a collection of super talented players that do what is best for the team. But what I love most about this team is the fact that they are just that, a team. They may have a few players that the media focuses on, but make no mistake, this is a team. They play for one another. Their individual success is the team's success. They don't care who the "star" player is, they just care about each other achieving the team goal of winning it all. Which is what they just did last night.

Of all the seasons to win it all, it is kind of perfect that it was this season. Michigan started with their head coach suspended for the first three games due to "burgergate". Apparently Jim Harbaugh bought some recruits hamburgers during the 2020 recruiting dead period, and also watched workouts during the same time. It is small fries compared to some other infractions, but he was still suspended. Michigan easily won those games as they were against inferior opponents. Then Harbaugh came back. Michigan continued to win, but during the Rutgers game, Greg Schiano made some odd comments. He seemed to allude that Michigan may have had some intel as to what signals Rutgers was using. It was of no mind the following week when Michigan traveled to Nebraska and absolutely smashed them in their first road game. They were 5-0 at this point and riding high. They proceeded to cruise over Minnesota in a nationally televised night game, and I was starting to believe in this team's potential. Then they proceeded to demolish Indiana, and this was when Tom Allen gave us the boa constrictor line. Then they had a bye week. Then all these stories came out, mainly from ESPN, that Michigan was involved in some kind of espionage sign stealing enterprise. It was the talk of every sports channel. I even saw some reputable news sources talking about it. The way it was reported, you would have thought Michigan was breaking some kind of law. They were the villains. Everyone, outside of their fanbase, painted them as cheaters. They were called despicable. Talking heads on sports shows said they wouldn't recognize them as champs if they won it all. People on message boards were saying hateful, awful things about their coach, the players and us fans. Michigan took this all in stride and came back from the bye week facing rival Michigan State, whose coach was fired for having an affair with a speaker, which everyone seemed to forget about, and beat them 49-0. I started to buy in even more. They had Purdue next, and Purdue's coach acted holier than thou, calling Jim Harbaugh a spade. Michigan beat them 41-13, and it wasn't even that close. Then the calls from Big 10 coaches came about suspending Harbaugh immediately for the sign stealing allegations. Remember that these have always been, and still are, allegations. The new Big 10 commissioner did something unprecedented and suspended Harbaugh immediately for the rest of the regular season. These were Michigan's three most important games. This was going to define their season. These games would determine if they would win the Big 10 again, and make the playoff again. Harbaugh and Michigan took the suspension and gave the interim head coaching job to offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Sherrone Moore. He proceeded to lead Michigan to a win over Penn State, in Happy Valley. And that game wasn't close. This was a gratifying win because Penn State's coach was acting all high and mighty all week leading up to the game. And Moore outcoached him, ran the ball down his defense's throat and won. They then beat Maryland in a game that was way too close for comfort. But I feel like every championship team needs one of these games to keep them honest. They then had the university of Ohio State. Ryan Day got everything he wanted in this game. Harbaugh was suspended, the media was on his side, the refs were on his side, all of his players were healthy and ready to go. And guess what, he still couldn't beat Michigan. Moore outcoached Day's punkass and led this team to a third straight win over their biggest rival and a shot at a third straight Big 10 title.  Harbaugh served his second suspension and came back. And you all know how this season ended. They throttled Iowa, then won a thriller over Alabama and closed it out with a runaway win in last night's title game. It was awesome.

As I said up top, it was a euphoric feeling at the end of the game last night. I remember when they won in 1997, but I was only 15. This time I'm an adult. I will remember this as long as I live. This team is going to go down as one of the best teams in the history of college football. If Harbaugh does leave for the NFL, I have no ill will. I think it is going to happen to be honest with you. If he does leave, I'd give the job to Moore without a second thought. And, along with Harbaugh, I want to thank Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, the entire o and d line, all the wideouts, the tight ends, Will Johnson, Makari Page, Rod Moore, Junior Colson, all the other secondary and linebackers, and Jesse Minter and Sherrone Moore. As well as Jay Harbaugh, Mike Hart, Mike Elston and Stev Clinkscale. And every other player and coach I did not mention. This was a team's team and they accomplished the ultimate goal. They did it with tough interior play, elite tackling and one of the best college football defenses in history.

Thank you Michigan football. Thank you so much for this wonderful title. I am forever grateful and will never forget this as long as I live. I'm on cloud nine right now. This is one of the best things I've seen in sports in my life. This is euphoria. Always and forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Why is There A Giant Pop Tart All Over the College Football Bowl Scene

During the college football bowl season, outside of the playoff, the bowl games are kind of useless. We have opt outs, the transfer portal opens before the games start, coaches take new job, players graduate, there are so many outside distractions, it makes these games nearly unwatchable.

Oklahoma played without Dillon Gabriel last night. Miami was down to their third string QB, who redshirted this season. Tulane had four or five key guys sit or transfer. Notre Dame is down to a third string QB today. Florida State had upwards of 20 players transfer or opt out. You see what I mean? But, what these bowl games tend to do well is market themselves. I know who wins the Duke's Mayo Bowl every year now because the coach gets doused in mayonnaise, which is gross. The Pinstripe Bowl really goes hard into the Yankees and playing at Yankee stadium angle. It seems to be the same thing with the bowl game at Fenway. The Sun Bowl has a big sun, with a smile on its face, as its mascot. A good amount of these games, or the sponsors of these games that is, have mascots. It is all in good fun. I get it. But the mascot that I am already done with, and ready for it to be retired is the pop tart from whatever bowl game Pop Tarts is the sponsor of this year.

Anytime I went to check scores of the games last night, that damn mascot was there. Anytime I read a story, that damn mascot was featured. Hell, even when I checked on stuff from the games today, the Pop Tarts mascot was front and center. I like pop tarts. I do think they are a viable, quick breakfast option. I know they don't offer much in the way of nutrition, but they taste good. They give you the boost you need to start the day. But putting actual pop tarts in the trophy, what the hell is that nonsense? Why do that? Is the whole team, of damn near 100 players, supposed to share two pop tarts? I know these are pointless questions, and I'm sure that the Pop Tart company gave the players and coaches some nice swag. But still, to make this a whole ass story, come on. I read today that the mascot was made of real Pop Tarts. That is nuts. That is stupid. That is gross. And again, who is supposed to eat this thing? I would guess the winning team is supposed to consume the mascot, but why? Also, I have to imagine the person inside the costume is sweaty and gross. I bet they have a protective layer on, hopefully covering up the pop tart, but still, sweat can leak through. I wear wicking undershirts when I run in the winter to keep me warm and protect the sweat from making me chafe. But guess what, it still finds its way through the layers. I still get sweat on my outer most layer. I would think that the same thing is happening within the mascot suit and the edible part of the mascot suit. That is vile. Also, a pop tart seems like the last thing an athlete would want to eat after playing a four hour football game. I don't know.

I know this is a stupid complaint, but it is a complaint nonetheless, and I have a platform to gripe about these half baked ideas. I get that you have to keep your bowl games, outside the New Years six and the CFP, but this is a bridge too far for me. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Predicts the 2023 Heisman Trophy

The Heisman trophy will be awarded to the best college football player tomorrow night. The finalists are Marvin Harrison Jr, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr and Jayden Daniels. All four of these players are worthy of being finalists. Honestly, I do not know who I would replace our add on the list. I'd love to see a Michigan player there, but no one of them was individually outstanding. They are a collection of good players. I thought Jalen Milroe might get an invite after his last two games, but it was a little too late in the game for that. I even tried to pry some defensive players who were otherworldly, but that was nonexistent this season.

So, as this award has almost always been, there are four offensive players, three of which are QB's. I want to make a case for each of them and then pick a winner. I'll start with Bo Nix.

Look, the dude is 26 years old and he should be able to feast on some of the Pac 12 defenses out there. He did that and much more. Nix put up incredible numbers. He threw for over 4,000 yards. He had 40 passing touchdowns to only three interceptions. He ran for 200 plus yards and six more TD's. The dude crushed it. He never really struggled in any games, but he could not beat Washington. That is his achilles heel. He would have a great year, but when he had to produce a big win, it just never happened for him. He is more than deserving of his invite to NYC, but I do not think he will be leaving with the trophy. There will be no repeat of Chris Weinke for Nix tomorrow night.

Michael Penix Jr looked like the front runner to me about seven or eight weeks into the season. He was absolutely obliterating every team he played against. He was putting up wild numbers too. Penix Jr finished the season with over 4,000 passing yards as well. He threw for 33 touchdowns to only nine interceptions. He rushed for negative yards, but he did score three more TD's on the ground. The best thing Penix Jr did this year was win every single game on the schedule. Penix Jr led the Huskies to an undefeated season and the number two spot in the CFP. He also played great against ranked opponents. He threw for 319 in the Pac 12 title game against Oregon. He had 332 against a ranked Utah team. He went for 256 against USC. Penix Jr played best when the lights were brightest. That is a big testament to his ability. But, due the tiniest little slip at the end of the season, I do not see him bringing the trophy home either.

Then we have Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison Jr is the best player in college football. Full stop. That does not mean he will bring home the Heisman. But, he is, by far, the most feared and most dominant offensive player in the game. I like to act like he didn't perform well against Michigan. That is false. He had five catches for 118 yards and a score. Michigan won, so it is easier for me to swallow his excellent performance. Harrison, not unlike his fellow finalists, put up crazy stats. He had 67 catches for over 1,200 yards and 14 scores. In only 12 games. That is mind boggling. That is nearly six catches a game. That is 100 yards a game. That is over one touchdown a game. As a receiver. That hasn't been done since Randy Moss, and Harrison Jr plays in the Big 10. Looking back at some of the games he had this year, it is amazing his stat line. I mentioned the Michigan game. He also torched Michigan State with seven catches for 149 yards and 2 TD's. He had eleven catches for 162 yards and a score against Penn State. He had six catches for 123 yards and two scores against Wisconsin. The guy produces big time being the focal point of the defense. His stats are incredible, but I think he is going to finish a distant second tomorrow night.

That leaves us with Jayden Daniels, the most electric QB in college football in 2023. Daniels was the do it all guy for a solid LSU team. While I loathe Brian Kelly, he did put Daniels in a great position every week to showcase his incredible talent. Daniels threw for over 3,800 yards. He added 40 TD passes to only four interceptions. He ran the ball 135 times for over 1,100 yards and 10 scores. He torched Texas A&M for 235 passing yards and four TD passes. He also ran 11 times for 120 yards in that game. When LSU beat Florida, Daniels threw for 372 yards and three scores. He added, and this is not a misprint, 234 yards rushing on 12 carries and two more scores. When Alabama beat LSU, Daniels still impressed with 219 passing yards and two TD passes. He also ran for 163 and a score. Against Mizzou, one of the better SEC defenses, Daniels passed for 259 yards, threw three TD's and added 130 rushing yards and another score. I could go on and on with his insane video game stats, but I figured showing how well he played against the better teams on his schedule is proof enough of his wonderful season. And I fully believe he is more than deserving of the Heisman this year. The other players have had a great season as well, but not compared to Daniels. He is on a whole other level.

That is my pick, and I would be stunned if he didn't win the Heisman tomorrow night. Jayden Daniels should bring home the award in an easy victory. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Florida State Got Robbed

The College Football Playoff is all set. Michigan is the 1 seed, Washington 2, Texas 3 and Alabama 4.

I do think all four teams had some good reasons for being picked. Michigan won every game and the Big 10. Washington won every game and the Pac 12. Texas won 12 games, won the Big 12 and beat Bama. They did get beat by Oklahoma, who is very good, but that was early and they more than made up for it. And Bama ended Georgia's 29 game win streak, lost to Texas early on in the season, but won every other game. So, do I think these teams are deserving of a playoff spot? Yes. But, do I think the committee got it right? Absolutely not.

This has been a topic of much debate since the four playoff teams were announced yesterday. People have had takes either way, supporting the decision or disagreeing with the decision. I wanted to sit on my thoughts for a day before I made up my mind. And I absolutely believe that Florida State was snubbed big time. This may be the biggest snub in the history of college football bowl games. That may sound like a bit much, but to the players, coaches and that university, this is a big deal. Florida State won the ACC. They won it going away in fact. They beat three top 25 teams. They beat LSU, who will most likely have the Heisman winner this weekend, in a humongous prime time matchup this season. The main thing that FSU did this season though, they won every game. Texas did not win every game. Alabama did not win every game. But FSU did. They had their schedule set, they played the teams on that schedule and when those games were over, FSU was the winner of each and every one of them. That is their job as a power 5 football team. That has been the unwritten rule of the college football playoff committee. They have said time and time again that if you play in a power 5 conference, win the conference title game, and win every other game on your schedule, that should be more than enough to get you in the playoff. But for some reason this season the committee decided to change things up.

Now, I fully understand, as does the committee, that the playoff is a television event. They want to get as many viewers as possible. And putting Michigan up against Alabama is going to bring a ton of viewers. But it is not like FSU is some also ran. They are blue bloods themselves. They have won multiple national titles. They have had multiple first round picks. They have a storied history. So to pass over them for Alabama, that shows the bias that the committee and ESPN, where all the playoff games will be broadcast, have. This is clearly ESPN and the committee cowtailing to the SEC and Bama. They want them in these games to get the talking heads and fans all riled up. During the SEC title game they kept showing a placard on the screen saying that the winner of the SEC title game has never missed the CFP. No one on ESPN, CBS, Fox or NBA were talking up FSU at all Saturday night, even as they were winning the ACC title game. And when ESPN premiered the final playoff game reveal and rankings, of course most of their talking heads were saying this was the correct choice, to leave FSU out in favor of Bama. Rece Davis, a Bama grad, loved it. Kirk Herbstreit, who I like, said weeks ago that if FSU finished undefeated, they'd be a shoe in. He immediately disregarded that statement and praised the committee for their choice. Paul Finebaum basically said he could care less about FSU and that Bama deserved the spot. He hosts a show on ESPN's SEC network. The only analyst that seemed to be bothered by this was Booger McFarland. He made some real good points I thought too. If anyone that is a college football fan is on the fence about this choice, go watch what McFarland had to say yesterday. It was the best argument for FSU being in the playoff that I saw. But after yesterday it is more apparent than ever that this committee and ESPN could care less about what occurs on the field. They are going to bend over backwards to get a team from the SEC in this field if there is the slightest possibility.

I do not like FSU, not one bit, but they were snubbed, and snubbed hard by the CFP committee yesterday. This is not what is supposed to happen when you win every game and win your conference as a power 5. This is clearly a move motivated by viewers, not players. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Jimbo Fisher Got Paid A Lot to Be an Average Football Coach

Texas A&M has relieved Jimbo Fisher of his head coaching duties. Let’s discuss.

I have to say, I am kind of shocked by this news. It wasn't as if Fisher was lighting the coaching world on fire, but it felt like he kind of had carte blanche since taking over the job. I guess I was wrong to assume such. They did just give him an extension, and he seemed to pull in top ten recruiting classes with ease, but here we are. The recruiting may have been gang busters, but the results were not coming in the form of as many wins as the boosters and AD's wanted. When Fisher left Florida State to take this job I thought it was a bad move on his part. If anything it felt like a lateral move. FSU and TAMU are kind of similar in the college football world. In fact, FSU may be a better football school. But after winning a national title and having a couple of ten win seasons, Fisher turned that into a humongous payday and left to go coach the Aggies. But he was never really able to turn the Aggies into a national title contender like they all hoped when they hired him.

Since taking over in 2018 the Aggies never won more than nine games under Fisher. They always had the hype. They always had the next big star in college football. They always had a high preseason ranking. They always have had a major home field advantage. But it never fully seemed to come together. The best player on his 2018 team was tight end Jace Sternberger. Sternberger was fine, but not the game changer they hoped for. They also beat the teams they were supposed to, but could not get over the hump. They played number two Clemson close, but couldn't pull off the win. They got smoked by Alabama that season. And Mississippi State and Auburn beat them back to back. They did win their bowl game to get that 9th win against NC State. The season was off to a good start, but they never really built off that.

In 2019 they ended up 8-5, taking a step back. They were beaten by Clemson again. Auburn also beat them. Alabama smoked them again. Georgia took it to them and LSU throttled them. Their best player that year was a defensive tackle.

The COVID shortened 2020 season was Fisher's best. The Aggies finished 9-1 and finally beat some good teams. They still got smoked by Alabama. But, they did beat number 4 Florida. They also beat LSU and Auburn. And they took down UNC in their bowl game. Their best player that season was QB Kellen Mond. He had a very, very good year that turned him into a 3rd round draft pick. Then the regression came on strong.

They followed up their nine win season returning to 8-5. Arkansas beat them. Unranked Mississippi State beat them. They finally beat Alabama. But they were beaten by Ole Miss and LSU. They had an amazing recruiting class, but it never really panned out. Zach Caldaza was the QB. De'Von Achane was their running back. DeMarvin Leal seemed ready for a breakout. None of that happened. They never really put it together.

Last season was their worst though. They had all kinds of preseason hype. They were picked to finish second in the SEC. They had preseason all conference picks. They had an elite recruiting class. It just never worked out the way they planned it. App State beat them in week 2. TAMU was ranked 6th overall at this point. They did win two straight, over ranked opponents. But then they got beat in six straight games. Mississippi State smoked them. Alabama beat them in a close game. South Carolina won by six. Ole Miss beat them by a field goal. Florida smashed them. And Auburn beat them by three. The bleeding stopped, but barely, when they beat a very bad UMASS team by a field goal. And they closed out the season by upsetting number 5 LSU. But they never really looked all that good in 2022. Haynes King and Max Johnson split time at QB and neither was great. De'Von Achane was the lead back, but he never really got going. The wideouts never got much of a chance. The defense spent too much time on the field. It was a blown season. I do think the LSU win gave the fans and front office hope, but it was false hope.

A&M came into this year with less hype, but still predicted to be better. They had another very good recruiting class. They brought in solid transfers. They had some returning talent. But it didn't work. Miami beat them in week two by 15. Alabama beat them again. Tennessee shut them down. And Ole Miss took them down by a field goal. Sure, they have six wins, but the wins are kind of hollow. They did win their last game, 51-10, thus making the firing even crazier, but here we are.

Fisher was never able to find the success he achieved at FSU with TAMU. They hype was there, they had all the preseason love,  but it never fully came together. I think hiring people like DJ Durkin never helped as well. Jimbo Fisher tried to surround himself with elite coaches, he just picked the wrong ones. He could get elite recruits, but they either transferred or never panned out. They probably deserved better coaching.

I am curious to see where Fisher goes from here. I wonder if he will stay out of coaching for awhile, he has an extremely high payout, and I wouldn't blame him. But if he does come back to coaching I will have to think he will have to go to a mid-major style school, or become a coordinator at a power 5 school. Fisher got paid, big time, by TAMU. He took a chance on himself when he left FSU, it just didn't work out. Now we wait to see the next move. It should be interesting. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Let's Talk About the Michigan Football Controversy

Okay, I have to weigh in on the Michigan sign stealing allegations. It has been long enough. I am bummed. Right off the bat, I do not like when the only team that I love is doing shady stuff. It makes me feel bad. I hate it, and that is a word I hardly ever use. It stinks.

I went through all the emotions when the news broke last week. I was very scared at first. I thought of all the worst things that could happen. Then I started to find excuses. The NCAA is fully out to get Harbaugh. That much I fully believe. I do not think that anyone could truly disagree with me on that. Then the video stuff came out and I figured that all teams do this. I still think that as well. But with this staffer buying tickets seemingly all over the country, that seems weird. I also saw the main video being passed around. The one where the Michigan staff changes things up after an audible. I don't see anything truly wrong with this, I see it every Saturday from a bunch of other teams. But, still weird with the accusations out there. Then I saw what other coaches have said and I agree with some and think others, Kirby Smart and Mike Norvell, are being a little holier than thou. And now the staffers' text messages have been revealed and they are damning.

So, taking all of this in, I am still feeling things, but I feel like I will be on the other side after I talk about it on the site today. As stated above, this stinks. I was very against the Astros when they were accused, and then found guilty, of stealing signs. Baseball is a different sport, and what the Astros did was wild, but still, stealing signs is stealing signs. It is definitely a gray area within college football, but if I'm going to chastise the Astros, I need to chastise Michigan football. This is shady. I don't like it.

I was wearing a Michigan shirt today, I will never stop loving this team, and I went to a sporting goods store. A worker told me that they were having a good season and I smiled and said thanks. But as I walked away, I thought maybe he was trolling me. I have felt like sports fans have seen me out with Michigan gear since the story leaked, and they are all judging me. I am sure that is not the case, and most people probably don't care, but that is how my brain works. I feel like I am going to be judged for writing about it today.

What hurts most though, Michigan has simply been accused and an investigation is currently going on. Michigan has not been found guilty of anything. I also do not think they are going to get in much trouble if they are found to have done this. But in the public perception, on the horrific message boards and on major sporting networks, Michigan is guilty. According to a bunch of people, they did the crime and they should do the time. Most people don't care what the outcome will be. And that is the problem with this internet age. The big time sports writers want as many clicks as possible, so if they have a story, they are going to put it out there with little to no credible sources. If you read the original story, the writer mentions "anonymous sources" and "credible big ten sources". He never mentions a name. He wanted to get this story out before anyone, he did, and he is now getting massive clicks on his stuff. I even looked him up the other day.

What else bums me out about this scandal is the whole gray area of it all. Sign stealing is not illegal, but it is gross. I know a ton of teams do this, some much better than others obviously. That doesn't make it any less gross. I get it that teams change signs all the time as well. But some people know how to decipher this stuff, and changing it up a bit does next to nothing.

All in all, this stinks. I hate that it is Michigan being targeted in the investigation. This football team is the one thing I love that I have no affiliation with at all. But I also truly believe that Michigan will get what equates to a slap on the wrist. The public will always have their opinion of them, and that will be that they are college football's Astros. And I think that is what hurts me, as a fan, the most. Michigan's football program, regardless of how long Harbaugh sticks around, will be mentioned as the team investigated as the sign stealers. That hurts me the most. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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