Fact or Fiction: LSU-Florida is the biggest game this weekend
National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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1. The LSU-Florida game is the most important this weekend for the College Football Playoff.
Farrell's take: FICTION. It's a great game and could eliminate the loser (or at least make it really difficult), but give me Oklahoma and Texas. If the Longhorns lose, they are out and have no chance at the playoff with two losses and if the Sooners lose, they will have to run the table and hope to play Texas again in the Big 12 title game for any hope to get in. To me, this is almost an elimination game, at least more so than the LSU-Florida game. Both Texas and Oklahoma have the ability to get to the playoff, but Florida and LSU are the second-best teams in their own divisions.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Even if Texas runs the table, there’s a chance the Longhorns won’t be in the playoff, that’s how good and cutthroat the SEC is this season. I legitimately believe the conference could - and should - get two teams in if things play out the right way.
Oklahoma is maybe the Big 12’s last hope, so a win is definitely huge and important for the conference. But Florida-LSU is definitely the biggest game. LSU can really make a statement with an impressive win over the Gators, especially if the Tigers can run up the score a little bit. If Florida can go to LSU and win a night game, then it can beat anybody, and Georgia better be on watch. There are so many more interesting storylines in the Florida-LSU game.
2. For recruiting purposes, Oklahoma needs the win more than Texas this weekend.
Farrell's take: FACT. The Sooners obviously need to recruit the state of Texas well to be a power program, so any win over Texas is a big deal in that respect. But with Tom Herman recruiting so well in the Lone Star State and Jimbo Fisher getting his share, Oklahoma needs to continue to show the Longhorns who is boss in this rivalry or recruiting could be impacted. If the Longhorns lose - as long as the score stays close - they will still get their share of in-state prospects regardless.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. I actually think Texas needs this game much more. Oklahoma came into the state last recruiting cycle and landed two of the top four players, both five-star receivers, in Theo Wease and Trejan Bridges. The Longhorns didn’t have any signees in the top seven. This cycle, there’s a decent chance Texas A&M gets the top-three players in the state and the Sooners have a pledge from the No. 4 player in the state in four-star RB Jase McClellan.
Everybody and their mother knows Oklahoma is already an elite program that can be in the playoff every year. There is still some guarded optimism about Texas and so a big win over Oklahoma could be huge for recruiting.
3. Notre Dame will seal Clay Helton's fate.
Farrell's take: FACT. USC won't fire him after the loss - if USC loses to Notre Dame - but he will effectively be a dead man walking. And let's be clear: I think Notre Dame will beat the Trojans. The watch will begin with interest in L.A., especially the Urban Meyer watch, if Helton's team drops to 3-3, and we'll see if he lasts the rest of the season.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. After the Lynn Swann fiasco, USC now has an interim athletic director and it seems unlikely he will make the call to keep or fire Helton. I definitely expect the new AD to come in and want his own guy in the job - especially if it’s someone as high-profile as Meyer - but I don’t think there’s any rush to make any decisions right now. I actually think USC can make the game interesting at Notre Dame this weekend, so Helton will be fine at least for a few more weeks.