Fact or Fiction: Clemson is most likely team to return to playoff
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. Clemson is the most likely team to return to the playoff.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. Think about the teams that didn’t make the playoff this past season that have been there often recently. Clemson, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Ohio State come to mind. One might be tempted to pick Clemson as the most likely to return as bad as the ACC is and with as much talent as the Tigers have, but I don’t trust DJ Uiagalelei just yet.
And I can’t see any way that Ohio State doesn’t make the playoff with that offensive firepower. Yes, I know Michigan took the Buckeyes down last season, but that won’t happen again. CJ Stroud and company will be back.
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2. Mack Brown needs a bounce-back year more than anyone.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. UNC was on fire in 2020 as far as recruiting and the excitement around the potential for the program. But let’s be real. The Tar Heels were also losing a lot of offensive firepower and the defense was going to be young. As a result, they limped to a 6-7 season with a 3-5 conference record.
But I have a couple of Texas teams on my mind for bounce-back needs: Texas A&M and Texas. The Aggies were 8-4 last season and 4-4 in conference despite a load of NFL talent on defense and some big playmakers on offense. The roster talent speaks of misuse and a less-than-stellar coaching job from Jimbo Fisher. Much more will be expected this season, based on his amazing salary and a No. 1 recruiting class.
And Texas? The Longhorns should never have a losing record or lose to Kansas at home, so they better bounce back or Steve Sarkisian could be in hot water.
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3. George Takacs can be a standout at Boston College.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Michael Mayer is the receiving threat at Notre Dame and Takacs was the blocking tight end. But now at Boston College Takacs is reunited with former ND quarterback Phil Jurkovec and former tight end coach Jim McNulty, who is now BC’s offensive coordinator.
Takacs has shown flashes of pass-catching ability, and BC did a good job with Trae Barry last season when he caught 21 passes and four touchdowns. Takacs will be utilized differently at BC and 20 catches and four touchdowns could be in his future.