🏈 🔵 Why Florida State Could Be In Trouble Entering The Swamp
Lane Kiffin secures his second 10-win campaign in four years, Northwestern promotes interim head coach David Braun to its permanent leader, and "The Game" highlights all rivalry weekend showdowns.
Welcome to Blue Chip Journal by Adam Breneman — a 2x per-week newsletter with analysis, hot takes, and news on all things college football, NIL, and recruiting. Subscribe now and join nearly 13,000 other sports fans, and share this newsletter with all the college football fans you know!
Blue Chip Journal is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
My College Football Stock Report
Trending Upwards:
Lane Kiffin
For the second time in four years at the helm in The Grove, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin firmly secured a 10-win regular season after knocking off bitter rival Mississippi State on Thanksgiving.
The Rebels’ offensive methodically grinded out interim head coach Greg Knox’s bunch, resulting in a narrow 3-0 lead at the break.
However, 119 yards on the ground from Quinshon Judkins and a late 26-yard touchdown strike to Cade Prieskorn from Jaxson Dart helped secure Ole Miss’ rightful spot in New Year’s Six Bowl contention.
Michael Pratt
In a 24-8 victory over Florida Atlantic, the Tulane gunslinger tallied 252 yards, completing 75% of his throws in the turnover-free effort.
Moreover, the savvy upperclassman accumulated three touchdowns for a 186 quarterback rating. The performance added to Pratt’s historic season, likely leading the Green Wave to the best Group of Five finish among all potential New Year’s Six suitors.
Bryce Gallagher
Former Northwestern defensive coordinator and interim head coach David Braun received the program’s permanent head coaching title last week, and the feat was earned largely from his defense’s year-long showing.
Braun’s most important component, 6’2”, 235-pound linebacker Bryce Gallagher, continued to help the Wildcats stack underdog feats last weekend in a 23-15 win over Purdue.
The Massachusets native picked up 14 stops in the win, including six solo takedowns, eight assisted hits, and a half-tackle for loss in the backfield.
This newsletter is presented by... PrizePicks
PrizePicks is the easiest way to play daily fantasy. Getting started is very simple — register for an account, make a deposit, and pick more or less on 2-6 player stats to win payouts of up to 25x!
Aside from offering an initial deposit match of up to $100, fans can now use my promo code AdamB for an even BIGGER discount upon downloading the app. Click on the link below to get started today!
Trending Downwards:
Mario Cristobal
Despite taking No. 10 Louisville to the wire in a 31-38 home loss, Miami’s heralded roster is now on the brink of finishing .500 after entering the campaign with conference championship aspirations.
Head coach Mario Cristobal’s group resides as the 12th-most talented roster among all teams, including a 1.27 blue chip ratio with 46 former four or five-star recruits.
After the game, Cristobal echoed a sentiment shared by most onlookers who expect Miami to return to its championship pedigree — “Close isn’t good enough,” he said.
Utah
While former walk-on gunslinger Bryson Barnes has captured the soul of Utah’s fanbase, the renowned pig farmer likely won’t be able to suit up against Colorado in the season finale due to a nagging injury.
Last week, the Utes fell victim to Arizona’s air-raid attack, as quarterback Noah Fifita found his rhythm for a 22-for-30 performance for 253 yards and two scores.
Now, Kyle Whittingham’s bunch needs a victory of Deion Sanders’ reeling Colorado bunch to secure an eight-win season, its lowest victory total since 2017 not including the COVID-19 hindered slate.
Dino Babers
After eight seasons at the helm of the Orange, head coach Dino Babers was relieved of his duties at Syracuse on Sunday.
While the players and fanbase rallied around Babers throughout his time navigating the program through the ACC’s depths, he finished his tenure with a 41-55 record, including a 20-45 clip in conference play.
My Week 13 Top 25:
Moods Across Fanbases:
Ohio State | Chippy
The Buckeyes’ faithful feel as though its group should possess a chip on its shoulder heading into an undefeated bout in the Big House, and for good reason.
Despite trailing Michigan in scoring offense and defense, Ryan Day’s crew is currently posting the most production among all Big Ten teams, picking up nearly 430 yards per matchup.
And, with Michigan’s sign-stealing probe still hanging in the balance, Ohio State has another added element of an ever-growing underdog mentality on its side, furthering the squad’s “Ohio Against the World” sentiment.
Florida State | Uneasy
In a routine quarterback scramble between the tackles last Saturday, Florida State gunslinger and Heisman Trophy contender Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending leg injury on a gruesome first-quarter hit against North Alabama.
Travis’ left leg was placed in an air cast, and he was subsequently carted off the field for further evaluation shortly thereafter.
Now, the Seminoles must rely on junior signal caller Tate Rodemaker in two crucial matchups with Florida and Louisville in the ACC Championship to keep Mike Norvell’s top-five unit’s College Football Playoff hopes alive.
This newsletter is presented by... 1st Phorm
I’ve been struggling for years trying to find the best protein powder. Well, I finally did it. It's Phormula 1 from 1st Phorm.
1st Phorm’s mint chocolate chip flavor tastes exactly like a girl scout cookie, and the best part is that it doesn’t give me digestive issues like other protein powders do. Check out 1st Phorm products today!
My Top Battle Of The Weekend
Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Michigan’s Secondary
In Ohio State’s last resume-building victory over Penn State in late October, its offensive line struggled to consistently protect Kyle McCord in the passing game.
As a result, offensive coordinator Brian Hartline turned to Marvin Harrison Jr. in consistent one-on-one coverage, proving to be a tall task for the Nittany Lions’ top cornerback in Kalen King.
Harrison produced 162 yards on 11 catches and a touchdown, as Ryan Day’s offensive staff will search for a similar level of involvement for the future first-round talent against the Wolverines.
However, Michigan’s secondary ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten against the pass. Through 11 matchups, the Wolverines allow just 144 yards to opposing quarterbacks, shaping up the matchup to be one of the regular season’s best.
Hot Prediction Heading Into Week 13
Florida Upends Florida State In The Swamp
Despite entering rivalry week with just five wins fighting for bowl eligibility, Billy Napier’s bunch has proven to be a tough out for several high-caliber opponents through the regular season.
Last week, the group took No. 9 Missouri to the wire, falling 33-31 in Columbia, despite allowing 331 yards through the air from opposing quarterback Brady Cook.
Florida State signal caller Tate Rodemaker is prepped to make his first start of the season in primetime at The Swamp, and with the Gators consistently knocking on the door, its vicious defensive line should get to the pocket passer early and often.
With the combination of Florida’s game plan against an inexperienced passer and the night-game rivalry atmosphere, I predict the Seminoles’ playoff hopes to be placed on standby come Sunday morning.
If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by email at adam@brenemanmedia.com.
You can also find me on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or Facebook.
Shoutout to Connor Krause for helping to write this newsletter and putting it together!
Interested in advertising with Blue Chip Journal? Email me.