Fact or Fiction: UGA can win a title without George Pickens
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. UGA can win a national title even if George Pickens can’t return in time.
Farrell’s take: FACT. I had my answer in mind, of course, but I wanted to hear what the UGA fans had to say on this one because Pickens is such a key to the offense. But at the UGASports Vault at our Georgia site UGASports.com the confidence is still there. Many pointed out the depth at WR and the TE talent as well, which is rare for UGA.
Georgia has often had a go-to guy it couldn’t afford to lose, but the way Kirby Smart has been recruiting the depth is there at most positions to still make a run. Jermaine Burton, Kearis Jackson, Darnell Washington and others provide enough weapons for JT Daniels, and the defense will be excellent. This hurts, but it’s not a death blow to the national title chances for UGA.
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2. Lincoln Riley is right to block Chandler Morris’ transfer to interconference rival TCU.
Farrell’s take: FACT. I’ve changed my mind on this a few times and the villain in this situation is not Riley, who said he is blocking Morris from an interconference transfer because he feels it's bad for college football. The villain here is the NCAA.
Riley shouldn’t be put in this situation and on our new transfer portal message board everyone seems to agree. Why let someone transfer in your conference if it’s within your power to stop it? It’s the NCAA that needs to step in and change all the transfer rules to a one-time deal and it is dragging its feet.
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3. Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns will win nine games next season.
Farrell’s take: FACT. I look at the schedule and see nine wins here. Louisiana is not an easy non-conference game at all, but Texas should win and the Longhorns should beat Arkansas and Rice to go 3-0 before the Big 12 schedule kicks in.
Texas Tech and TCU will make them 5-0, and then I have them losing to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. However, they will rebound and beat Baylor, then lose to Iowa State and then beat Kansas, West Virginia and Kansas State to finish 9-3.
I have Iowa State playing Oklahoma for the Big 12 title, but this would be a great first year for Sark. The Texas fans on Inside The 40 Acres message board at Orangebloods.com agree as well and think nine wins is the floor. I disagree with the floor part, but nine wins can be had.