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. Nebraska is making the right move by giving Scott Frost another season. Â
Farrell’s take: FACT. At first I was surprised by the decision to give Frost more time, but why not give him another season? Nebraska has been close in every game this season, including narrow losses to four teams among the top eight in the College Football Playoffs ranking: Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Oklahoma.
Firing Frost would mean just giving up on any progress from the last few seasons and starting over. Maybe the Huskers are close to breaking through and winning some of these big games and just need another season to learn how to play in close games?
It’s worth a chance, and if it doesn’t happen next season then they can move on. With his record (15-27 overall) I thought for sure they’d move on, especially staring a 3-9 season in the face, but it makes sense to give this one more chance.
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2. The Joshua Moore situation is a bad sign for Texas.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. The leading receiver for the Longhorns in 2020 is headed to the transfer portal after an apparent argument with head coach Steve Sarkisian as the Longhorns are struggling with a 4-5 record. But this doesn’t bother me.
A first-year coach is always going to have issues with players who don’t buy in and weren’t recruited by his staff, so I simply call these growing pains in year one. Moore is a talented kid and his frustration this season – when he hasn’t been the focal point – is understandable, but Sarkisian has to stand his ground. This is an example to the rest of the team.
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3. Mel Tucker and Mario Cristobal will both be at new schools next season.Â
Farrell’s take: FICTION. I can tell you this: It’s not going to happen. Maybe LSU makes a strong run at Tucker, but that doesn’t mean Michigan State will just sit back and let him leave. And of course Miami will be tied to Cristobal if the Hurricanes move on from Manny Diaz, but I can’t see a way the Hurricanes could afford him after Auburn and others made an expensive run last year.
In fact, next season both could be right where they are now — at Michigan State and Oregon, respectively.
