Oct 16, 20236 min read

Ruthless Aggression

The leaves are in full color and the air is getting colder. Which means that October is mid way to completion, moving us to the time of the football season that the comp' on the collegiate gridiron gets legit. Blowouts get reduced; the vibes are gritty as people use more noise and buzz to stay warm; and the schedule is loaded to full appeasement. Gotta love spooky season.

It truly does get spooky as we are handed Power-Conference play amongst the top programs; yearly rivalries ready for another installment; and the official fight for the playoff. No more unfair matchups (to a point), now its time for those in the top 25 to buckle up. This weekend gives us a full slate of noise. The one quality that will be possessed in WK-8: ruthless aggression.

Finally the silly matchups are done. The SEC; Big-Ten; ACC; and Big-12 now have to prove themselves within the trenches. The race for the playoff is underway and we have a slew of games this week to not only kickstart the race but also possibly shake the top 25 up midway into the season.

The slate is steamin' on the stove with four top 25 matchups; three versus seven; and a list of marquee rivalry games. Hot action from the east to the west; south to north. We have UCLA/Stanford and Utah/USC bringin' noise out west; Duke/Florida State and Ole Miss/Auburn flamin' down south; topped with a northern bliss of inner Big-Ten warfare. A much better list of games that creates a surefire Saturday of noise.

Third Saturday in October rivalry between Alabama & Tennessee is set to import an electric installment as the 2023 version sees the 17th ranked Vols travel to Tuscaloosa to face the 11th ranked Crimson Tide.

Under the Saban era in Alabama, this rivalry hasn't held much of any weight as it has been lopsided to Alabama with the Crimson Tide winning 15 in a row from 2007-2021. That changed last year when the Vols won a STUNNER 52-49 in Tennessee. I think we get similar noise in this year's battle as the two teams are very evenly matched in all fashions of the game.

The Vols have been angry since their loss to the Gators in the swamp and look at the Crimson Tide as a major opportunity to climb back into the top 12 of the poll. I'm sure Tennessee also believe that last year's dub in the rivalry wasn't enough to look past the 15 losses prior. They will be hungry to beat the Tide again to announce this as a top rivalry again.

Alabama also had a thumping loss in the early shade of the season from the hands of the Longhorns. Despite not losing a game since, Bama hasn't made things easy on themselves the way Tennessee has. The Tide barely survived non-ranks South Florida; Arkansas; and Texas A&M. Certainly not the dominating team they usually are as they lack consistency at the QB position and all around as a team. They look to secure a big win at home against the Vols as they finish their schedule versus ranked teams (as of today). Alabama has one of the easiest schedules in their recent memory, they can't afford to lose to Tennessee.

This game should be electric. I won't guarantee a sequel from 2022, that game was nuts. However, I am confident this year's bout will bring similar thrill. Two squads in the teens of the ranks ready to spark a rivalry that had been stale for over a decade? Yes, please!

The battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy and state braggin' rights is upon us and unlike the Third Saturday in October- this rivalry isn't stale and continues to be one of the most anticipated games yearly across the board. The 2023 installment should add more thrill despite a huge mismatch on paper.

The Spartans are not an elite program right now in 2023 and have experienced an awfully inconsistent season that makes sense with all the debacles going on off the field. Michigan State has been brutal to watch at times and on paper: look to be an easy whoopin' for the Wolverines, just like 2022 was. It's spooky season though, and this is one rivalry that can see a game prediction be altered strictly from the atmosphere.

For the first time ever, the Wolverines will travel to East Lansing for a primetime war with the Spartans. Just the fourth time the rivalry has had a primetime battle. The first primetimer was in Ann Arbor in 2015... we remember how that one ended. This game could be a close; firework settin' fist fight simply due to the theme. The crowd will be raucous and the lights will be bright. Can the Spartans somehow stun the undefeated Wolverines or will Michigan start their Playoff trot? All of College Football would love for this to be a close game!

The Big-Ten is active this week; let me tell ya. Michigan and Michigan State may be the main-event but, the Penn State/Ohio State noon kickoff duel is the main entree. Seventh ranked Nittany Lions travel to the 'Shoe to challenge the third ranked Buckeyes... that gets the appetite roaring. Can Penn State actually win? In Ohio!?

Ohio State have won 12 of the last 14 matchups against Penn State and are currently ridin' 6 game win streak against the Nittany Lions. It hasn't really been a rivalry, Penn State just hates Ohio State. You know, because they break their hearts and season every year! Now we set it up for them to do it again with Penn State flyin' in with a goose egg and top ten rank. Will the narrative change?

That's the big question, and a question that has us in all kinds of intrigue. Drew Allar will have to be on his A-game and then some to give the Nittany Lions a shot on Saturday. I am selfish and would love for this to end by one point again like the '17 & '18 games. Please, please, please don't be a blowout!

The slate of games this week is just what the doctor ordered for college football fans. We have it all and then some. More importantly, now we get to really see guys try and throw down some legitimate Heisman cases as the candidates see their comp' rise. The Heisman race is completely in the air and up for anyone to join at this point. Caleb Williams' bad game against the Irish and Cameron Ward fallin' out has reshaped the race.

I have reduced my race to just three candidates as I feel there isn't a long list of cats who currently have a case. Caleb Williams and Shedeur Sanders have declined to my "outside looking in" sector, with Cameron Ward falling out of the race (as of now). Here are my three candiates going into week eight:

Michael Penix Jr. continues to be stellar and now is the flat out favorite for the Heisman with his amazing performance to lead Washington past 8th ranked Oregon and into the top 5 of the poll. MPJ havin' his case be this strong at this point is big and puts the Heisman in his hands to lose as Washington is top five and have an intense schedule left against top programs.

Penix's case may be the strongest but, he has two guys still on his hip in the race with both guys joining the race just in the past week: LSU's Jayden Daniels and Oklahoma's Dillon Gabriel. A full twist in the Heisman race as they take the spots of Sanders and Williams.

Gabriel has been superb as he has the Sooners undefeated and ranked 6th in the poll. Gabriel has entered the race after an electric display to elevate the Sooners past Texas in an epic Red River showdown. Gabriel's 91.2 QBR ranks third in the nation along with his 178.2 passer rating being 7th ranked in the nation. He has been superb leadin' the Sooners' ship, makin' impact with both his legs and his arm.

Making impact with the legs and the arm relates to Jayden Daniels as well, and in a higher degree. Daniels ranks third in the nation in passing yards; second in passing tuddys; and 4th in QBR. His decision making has been superb as he has limited turnovers and posses the best passer rating in the country. Still a bit behind Penix, he wants to stat pad and hope for the Huskies to lose to get closer to that Heisman.

Nothing beats college football rivalries. The pre-games; the crowd; and the on-field competitiveness is a beautiful mix and creates unforgettable memories. We dive in the pool of many rivalries this weekend. Will Nittany Lions and Volunteers rip up campuses after major road upsets? Will couches be burned in East Lansing?

I am ready to find out. The only thing to look forward to with cold air and spooky weather. Football season is in full gear. Get those colors on; those drinks spiced; and the lungs prepared. Rejoice for ruthless aggression!

Ruthless Aggression

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