In today’s Fact or Fiction, Mike Farrell looks at three big recent topics in college football and decides whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.
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FACT OR FICTION: Lebbeus Overton is clearly the top 2023 prospect | NC State will be looking for a new coach after next season
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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1. UNC is the biggest threat to Clemson in the ACC.
Farrell’s take: FACT
This one seems easy but I decided to go to the Clemson message board The West Zone at TigerIllustrated.com to see if Clemson fans agreed. And they did. Mack Brown has the respect of many and with Sam Howell back and what is expected to be an improved defense through recruiting, UNC is expected to win its division.
Will the Tar Heels come close to beating Clemson? No, they aren’t there yet but who else could possibly be considered a threat? Miami? Maybe. Anyone else. Nope.
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2. Oklahoma will run away with the Big 12 next season.
Farrell’s take: FACT
No point asking Oklahoma or Texas fans here so I went to The Blue Lot at WVUsports.com and checked in with West Virginia fans who certainly dislike OU but aren’t exactly a long-standing rival. And the WVU fans agreed with me that for the most part this is a fact.
Of course a few made the good point that OU tends to have one unexpected loss a year and they hope that loss is to the Mountaineers. But with Spencer Rattler back and a loaded roster most think the talent gap is still too wide for anyone else to challenge.
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3. Notre Dame will go undefeated in the regular season next year without ACC schedule.
Farrell’s take: FICTION
I went to the Rockne’s Roundtable message board at Blueandgold.com to check the pulse of the Notre Dame fans and they’re right, perhaps I set the bar too high and unfairly. But since ND went undefeated last season in the ACC regular season, I felt it was an interesting question.
Of course the answer has to be FICTION with some tough games like Wisconsin, USC and UNC on the schedule but looking at it closely it’s not out of the question. Notre Dame has to break in a new quarterback and replace some key players on the offensive line and at linebacker among other areas, but there is a lot of talent returning as well.
Most feel the floor is 10-2 next season and I tend to agree, but another run to the playoff is unlikely to me. And of course this past season was a shortened schedule as well.
