Fact or Fiction: Tennessee's loss, Jalen Hurt's Heisman chances
With recruiting picking back up and the college football season starting, Rivals is introducing a new feature called Fact or Fiction. National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney will tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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1. The Tennessee loss will kill the Vols' season
Farrell's take: FICTION. I never thought the Vols would make a bowl game this year. At best, I thought they would go .500 in year two under Jeremy Pruitt, so this loss doesn't really change my expectations.
Is it bad? Yes, it's bad and embarrassing since Georgia State could be the worst FBS team in the country. However, my goal for the Vols this year was roster improvement and to teach this team how to respond to adversity - something Butch Jones could never do. This is a great opportunity for Pruitt to weed out the weak and teach this team to respond in a positive manner.
I'm not saying this loss wasn't a bad thing because it certainly was, but it could be a good thing down the road.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. One game does not make a season and there is a lot of football left to be played, but Tennessee has to show serious improvement here in the coming weeks or it’s going to be brutal in Knoxville this season.
Georgia State rushed for 213 yards and three touchdowns last weekend. That’s inexcusable. I actually think the Vols win their next two games against BYU and Chattanooga, but then the real tests start with Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Alabama and others. There are a lot of major issues that Tennessee needs to address in the coming weeks, but there is talent on this team and the season is certainly not ruined.
2. More than one current five star will de-commit from his current school.
Farrell's take: FACT. There are a few candidates such as Elias Ricks (LSU), Rakim Jarrett (LSU), Justin Rogers (Kentucky) and Antoine Sampah (LSU), and we all know there could be a shocker here or there. Clemson has a lot of the five-stars committed and they never seem to lose commitments, so you know those appear safe, but the rest you never know. At least one current five star will de-commit, but I have a feeling it could be two or more.
Gorney’s take: FACT. If history is any indication, there will be plenty of de-commitments coming from the five-star ranks in the coming months, especially before the Early Signing Period. Last year, for example, Derek Stingley and Theo Wease both de-committed and then re-committed to the same school. Bru McCoy committed to USC, then left shortly thereafter for Texas, only to return to USC a few weeks later. Daxton Hill committed to Michigan, de-committed and picked Alabama and then de-committed and re-committed to Michigan. It’s the Wild West out there, and there will assuredly be plenty of players backing off their pledges.
3. Jalen Hurts will win the Heisman
Farrell's take: FICTION. I love the start Hurts has had so far this season (well, one game) and I think he puts up monster numbers in the Oklahoma offense, but as long as Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Lawrence are leading Alabama and Clemson I think he gets overlooked.
Yes, I know Tua was beaten out by Kyler Murray last year despite leading Alabama to a great season, but I doubt they snub Tagovailoa again if he has a massive year. And Lawrence struggled statistically in his opener, but he will put up crazy numbers this season and I can't see Clemson losing to anyone. Hurts will likely be a finalist but right now I don't think he wins the Heisman despite the amazing start.
Gorney’s take: FACT. I came into this weekend thinking there was little chance Hurts could win the Heisman, but I’m exiting it thinking he’s probably the front-runner and it could be one of the best storylines in college football: Three Oklahoma transfer quarterbacks could win back-to-back-to-back Heismans.
Hurts put up insane numbers against Houston and he proved he’s still one of the best quarterbacks in college football. Tagovailoa and maybe Lawrence will be right there as well, but if Hurts keeps posting four, five or six touchdowns a weekend, nobody can keep pace with that and he has a legitimate shot at doing it.