Three-Point Stance: Contenders, pretenders, indisputable takes
Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell’s Three-Point Stance is here with thoughts on true playoff contenders, some indisputable facts from the college football season so far and some recruiting notes.
FACT OR FICTION: Ohio State is better off under Ryan Day
1. CONTENDERS AND PRETENDERS
Who are the contenders and the pretenders with the first full month of the season in the books? It’s not as clear as it was at the beginning of the season.
CONTENDERS
Alabama – Even though the Crimson Tide haven't played a tough schedule, it’s clear that their offense will keep them in the hunt for the national title. The question mark? The defense, which hasn’t looked amazing so far and is a bit thin due to injuries. But anyone who doesn’t think Alabama will be right there in the end is fooling themselves.
Ohio State – Ryan Day has the Buckeyes rolling and they are very well balanced on offense and defense. J.K. Dobbins is a problem, Justin Fields looks great and Chase Young and Jeffrey Okudah lead a star-studded defense. But the offensive line could be the strength of the team and that’s scary.
Clemson – Yes, the Tigers have struggled a bit and almost lost to North Carolina, but the roster talent is still off the charts. If they can fix some offensive line issues they will be right there for a third national title.
Oklahoma – The defense looks a little better and the offense is still unstoppable so I don’t see a way the Sooners lose the Big 12. The question is, will they be left out for two SEC teams?
Georgia – The Bulldogs should win all of their games heading into an SEC title game matchup against Alabama and if they win they’re in. Heck, even if Georgia loses, Kirby Smart's team could still be in.
PRETENDERS
LSU – I still don’t believe in the Tigers. The offense looks great and the defense is nasty but I still think they’ll pull a dud against Alabama until they prove me wrong.
Wisconsin – I love the defense and the running game but Jack Coan will have to be better than the game manager many feel he is for them to break through and get past Ohio State.
Penn State – I love the defense and Sean Clifford is a leader with some weapons on offense, but a loss or two is coming down the road.
Auburn – The defense is nasty but quarterback Bo Nix is still a freshman. I know freshmen quarterbacks have done some amazing things in recent years, but can Nix be the next one? I’m not sure. He’s good but is he that good this early?
Florida – The Gators are loaded on defense, but I worry about the offensive line and the quarterback play. Even if they beat Auburn this weekend, I can’t see them winning their division.
2. INDISPUTABLE COLLEGE FOOTBALL TAKES
While watching college football so far this season, a few things have look indisputable to me.
Chase Young is the best defender in the country. And it’s not even close. Young, the Ohio State defensive end, is head and shoulders above everyone else in the country as a defensive player and he can dominate games like no one else. He’s better than either Bosa brother.
Tua Tagovailoa has the Heisman wrapped up. How could I say this with Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and others out there putting up huge numbers? After all, Tua was a lock last year before he wasn’t a lock and lost to Kyler Murray. The reason is the receiving group he has, which make him look amazing. These guys get separation, they turn slants and screens into long touchdowns and his numbers are going to be off-the-charts because of it. Mark it down, this is the year he wins.
Tylan Wallace is the best wide receiver in the country. I’m a huge fan of Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb and some others and this crop of wide receivers will have a huge impact on the NFL, but I love Wallace. He catches everything and just produces monster numbers despite being the passing focal point of the Oklahoma State offense. With 28 catches and 618 yards with six scores already, he’s off to a monster start
Justin Fields was used foolishly at Georgia. Yes, I know Jake Fromm was the starter and leader of that team, but whenever Kirby Smart put Fields in the game it seems like there was some special offensive package they were running. Ohio State has shown Fields can run any offense and can’t be stopped when used the right way. The best thing Fields ever did for his career was transfer.
Trevor Lawrence is just fine. The offensive line at Clemson looks awful so that’s a problem and Lawrence hasn’t had the time he had last year. But he’s still the tall, rifle-armed guy we saw as a freshman with great accuracy, surprising mobility and a great feel for the game. Lawrence will start to pile up numbers soon enough, but the most important number is zero – the number of losses he’s suffered.
Penei Sewell is the best OL in the country. Watch this kid if you get a chance, he’s special. The Oregon sophomore isn’t draft eligible yet so others are getting more attention, but he’s the best of all of them and is so young that he’s just going to get that much better.
3. RECRUITING OBSERVATIONS
Some recruiting observations…
... Ohio State should land defensive lineman Jacolbe Cowan this Friday and if previous history is any indicator, he’ll end up being a good one. Why? Larry Johnson, the Ohio State defensive line coach, is the best in the business and just continues to churn out great linemen.
... The Friday commitment of five-star defensive end/linebacker Sav’ell Smalls is a huge deal for Washington. There was some talk of Smalls heading across the country to Florida State or others, but Chris Petersen kept him home and Washington gives him the best chance to be a star. This will only boost recruiting further and he is the rare Washington state five-star who decided to stick home.
... Nebraska may have been waxed on Saturday night by Ohio State but landing 2021 Rivals100 offensive tackle Teddy Prochazka is a big deal. The home state product was mainly recruited regionally but you know some of the big boys in the Southeast and Mid-South were going to jump on board with offers. Locking him up early can help their 2021 national recruiting efforts.
... Clemson continues to recruit at a high level and landed another standout out of Florida in 2021 offensive tackle Marcus Tate who is a Rivals250 prospect. Aside from Alabama, Clemson has been the biggest thorn in the side of the big three in Florida over the last decade and they continue to be on the minds of numerous big-name recruits.
... Four-star quarterback Caleb Williams, a 2021 standout, visited Oklahoma despite the commitment of five-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff. Why? Because it’s Oklahoma and Lincoln Riley that’s why. I’m not saying Williams will end up at Oklahoma but no school can sell better quarterback results than the Sooners. It wouldn’t be a stunner to see a four-star join Vandagriff in the class if Oklahoma wants one.