Fact or Fiction: Texas A&M is second best team in SEC
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. Texas A&M is the second best team in the SEC.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. A debate can be had as they have beaten Florida and Georgia has struggled, but let’s remember how badly Texas A&M got thumped by Alabama and keep in mind that this is traditionally a team that blunders through a few games. I have Florida as the second best team in the SEC after they beat Georgia this weekend. I know, makes no sense since the Aggies beat them, but when do I make sense?
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Texas A&M is way better at quarterback and has more threats in the passing game, but Georgia’s defense is far superior and so I come to this conclusion: If Georgia and Texas A&M played on a neutral field, the Bulldogs win the game.
It is not cut and dry for Georgia, though, since it showed this past weekend that its offense has a lot of problems moving the ball and the Bulldogs have almost no quick-strike capability. QB Stetson Bennett is average at best, but I keep coming back to Georgia’s defense and just how dominant that group has been. This is close though.
2. Justin Fields is the best QB in college football
Farrell’s take: FICTION. But it’s close. Justin Fields has improved as a passer from last season and it’s clear and that’s not easy to do as a guy who threw one interception in the regular season last year. He’s fluid and smooth, he can run and he sees the field so well. The problem? Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence does all of that as well and a little better.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Lawrence is a generational quarterback and will probably be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and I’ll have no problem supporting that because he has been phenomenal on and off the field since I first met him years ago. But through only two games, Fields has been amazing for Ohio State - he’s completing more than 87 percent of his passes. That is just astronomically good - compared to Lawrence’s 70.7 percent, which is also outstanding.
If Fields keeps on this current pace, six games into the season (that’s how many games Lawrence has played), Fields would have 18 touchdowns and no picks while Lawrence has 17 TDs and two interceptions. Lawrence is awesome, there’s no doubt about it. But on almost every single throw from Fields, it’s a perfect pass right in the hands of his receivers and he’s just playing out of this world. It’s nearly impossible to keep playing this well, but if Fields does, he deserves the credit and no one is playing better right now.
3. Michigan State leads for Rayshaun Benny
Farrell’s take: FACT. This changed quickly, huh? At one point it looked like Kentucky was the biggest threat to Michigan because of the Justin Rogers connection, but Mel Tucker and his staff have done a great job selling the program and opportunity at Michigan State. And this will be another massive in-state blow to Jim Harbaugh and Michigan if it happens and it appears like it will.
Gorney’s take: FACT. I’m going to say fact here, but I would caution those who think Benny is an absolute lock to the Spartans now. It seems like a lot of people believe Michigan State cannot be beaten for his commitment and I do believe it’s likely he picks the Spartans over the Wolverines, but there is still some wiggle room here.
Benny told Rivals that his decision was made before Michigan State upset Michigan this past weekend, so I don’t think that one game is going to play a factor. Michigan was the early leader and looked like it was going to get Benny, but things are definitely trending Michigan State’s way heading into his decision although I wouldn’t say anything is certain yet.