🏈 🔵 Why I Think LSU Will Give Alabama A Scare
Jedd Fisch continues to give Arizona confidence, an update on Michigan's sign-stealing probe, and Ollie Gordon II's rapid ascension into the Heisman Trophy race.
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:
Jordan McCloud
Despite James Madison not being eligible for the College Football Playoff rankings or a bowl game due to the two-year integration window into the FBS, quarterback Jordan McCloud has carried the Dukes to a dominant 8-0 clip.
The Tampa, Florida native has thrown for at least 240 yards in each of his five last outings, including a 340-yard, three-touchdown display in last weekend’s victory over Old Dominion.
With 18 touchdowns compared to just six interceptions on the campaign, McCloud ranks No. 24 nationally in total QBR with a 74 rating.
Jedd Fisch
In week four, Arizona ousted then 1-3 Stanford by just one point on the road. However, the slugfest appeared to light a fire under Jedd Fisch’s bunch as the Pac-12’s most feared trap team.
Since then, the Wildcats kept it within a score against Washington and USC, while emphatically taking down No. 19 Washington State 44-6 and knocking off No. 11 Oregon State 27-24.
With new No. 19 UCLA looming, Fisch’s unit has the opportunity to become bowl-eligible and likely take its rightful place in the second unveiling of the College Football Playoff rankings.
Treveyon Henderson
After a 14-carry, 104-yard showing against Notre Dame in September, Ohio State running back Treveyon Henderson was sidelined for the next three matchups with a lower-body injury.
In his return against Wisconsin on Saturday, Henderson compiled 162 yards on the ground as the Buckeyes’ main source of offense.
On the campaign, Henderson is averaging 6.8 yards per carry as a complement to Kyle McCord’s connection with Marvin Harrison Jr. through the air.
Trending Downwards:
Michigan’s Coaching Staff
The Wolverines’ sign-stealing probe is continuing to catch more steam after new findings surfaced from staffer Connor Stalions’ misconduct.
Stalions, a member of Michigan’s recruiting department with a specialization in analytics, purchased tickets to over 30 games at 11 schools over the past three seasons in an elaborate effort to capture opposing signals with technological assistance.
On Wednesday, a cohort of Big Ten coaches virtually met with conference commissioner Tony Petitti, urging the first-year leader to “act now,” according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
“Collectively, the Big Ten coaches want the Big Ten to act,” according to Thamel’s report.
College Football Playoff Committee
Since the College Football Playoff’s inception in 2014, the selection committee has created several key buzzwords signaling what criteria are most important when weighing rankings.
From strength of schedule, the eye test, head-to-head results, and game control, a bevy of metrics aided the 13-member committee in putting together the first poll.
However, the criteria presented itself as far from consistent. No. 1 Ohio State took the top spot for its unparalleled resume, however, No. 11 Penn State sat behind five other one-loss teams after falling to the nation’s top unit.
Moreover, Oklahoma was ranked below Texas despite beating the Longhorns head-to-head, and USC was slotted at No. 20 while boasting a -25 scoring differential in its last three showings.
Kentucky’s Front Seven
The Wildcats warranted a spot in the AP Top 25 following a program-defining win over Florida last month, but have since dropped three straight bouts largely due to discrepancies along its defensive front.
Mark Stoops’ defense was gashed for 253 rushing yards in a 33-27 loss to Tennessee, giving up 5.4 yards per rush on 47 attempts to Dylan Sampson and Jaylen Wright.
On the campaign, Kentucky is giving up just 115 yards per contest on the ground, but its presence has slid as of late.
My Week 10 Top 25:
Moods Across Fanbases:
Syracuse | Unsurprised
Following a promising, 4-0 start on the season behind heroics from quarterback Garrett Shrader against Purdue, the Orange have since dropped each of their last four matchups.
Through the dismal span, Dino Babers’ bunch scored just 34 combined points after scoring 46.75 per game through the opening stretch.
However, the story isn’t new for the Syracuse faithful. The Orange jumped out to a hot, 6-0 start last season, but dropped five games in a row to end the promising start in 7-6 fashion.
South Carolina | Perplexed
When Shane Beamer took over for South Carolina ahead of the 2021 go-around, the Gamecocks went just 2-8, compiling six wins in two years before Will Muschamp’s firing.
After an eight-win campaign with victories over Tennessee and Clemson sparked hope into Beamer’s vision, his consistency has since slipped.
The Gamecocks are now 1-5 in SEC play, and with the 22nd highest-graded roster in college football, their current output isn’t up to Beamer’s standard.
Let’s see if we can finish this thing the right way because our kids care, and they hurt in that locker room,” Beamer said after falling to Texas A&M last weekend.
“…We as coaches need to do an even better job of helping our guys make enough plays to win this game, when you are on the road in the SEC. We didn't do enough today, but back to work tomorrow.”
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
Ollie Gordon II vs. Oklahoma’s Front Seven
Darkhorse Heisman Trophy contender Ollie Gordon II became the first Big 12 running back to eclipse 1,000 yards on the season last weekend with a 271-yard showing on the ground against Cincinnati.
Since taking over as Oklahoma State’s top backfield option in late September, Gordon’s rushing low equates to 121 yards. Now, the Euless, Texas native is averaging over 135 yards per performance with 10 total touchdowns on the campaign.
Despite Brent Venables’ specialty in constantly adjusting his front seven, the Sooners’ rush defense ranks No. 52 nationally, giving up 132 yards per game.
However, the matchup between linebacker Danny Stutsman and Gordon should provide weekend fireworks. Stutsman currently resides at No. 3 in the Big 12 in tackles for loss, posting 11.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage in eight showings.
Hot Prediction Heading Into Week 10
LSU Knocks Off Alabama On The Road
Despite LSU’s defensive struggles, highlighted by a 33-missed tackle output during its second falter against Ole Miss, the looming primetime matchup with Alabama presents a strength-on-strength scenario for Brian Kelly’s group.
Alabama currently sits at No. 10 in total offense among all SEC squads. Moreover, LSU’s faulty secondary will be tasked with defending the conference’s fifth-worst passing attack, marked by 219 yards through the air per game.
Conversely, Jayden Daniels is leading the SEC in passing with over 321 yards per game with pass-catcher Malik Nabers standing No. 1 in receiving throughout the league’s ranks.
If Kelly’s defense is able to garner enough stops to wear down Alabama’s methodical, balanced playstyle, the Tigers could find themselves atop of the SEC West at the weekend’s conclusion.
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.