In today’s Fact or Fiction national columnist Mike Farrell looks at three big recent topics in college football and decides whether each statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.
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1. Bailey Zappe should have been invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
Farrell's Take: FACT. Bailey Zappe finished this season as the FBS record holder for touchdowns and passing yards and, at the very least, should have been invited to appear at the Heisman Trophy ceremony over CJ Stroud, whose numbers were not as impressive. Zappe finished with 5,967 yards passing -- he would have had 6,000 yards if he hadn't been taken out in Western Kentucky's bowl game -- and 62 touchdowns against 11 picks. That’s worthy of an invitation to New York in my book.
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2. Elias Ricks gives Alabama the best defense in the country next season.Â
Farrell's Take: FACT. Think about it. Alabama returns a ton of elite defensive players next season depending on who decides to stay, and we know Will Anderson, Dallas Turner, Kool Aid McKinstry and Malachi Moore will surely be back, so add a lockdown cornerbck like Elias Ricks and the Crimson Tide will have the top defense around.
With Georgia losing Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean and a few other key defenders you’d have to assume Alabama will be tops on that side of the ball in the conference and country next season.
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3. Bo Nix can win the Pac-12 at Oregon.
Farrell's Take: FICTION. Bo Nix is a solid get for Dan Lanning at Oregon and I’m sure the Ducks will try to play to his strengths but until he gets a true clock in his head and understands when he needs to check down or save it for the next play, he’s bound to make too many mistakes. I’m not betting against Utah next year when it comes to the Pac-12 title.
