A Prominent Program Raising Eyebrows

The Men of Troy are coming back for their spot as a “top dog” in college football. Thanks to the transfer portal, USC was able to load up on talent. They brought in an offensive mastermind and showed the college football world what they’re capable of.

 A new face in charge

After a few up-and-down years, Lincoln Riley was hired to revive USC football. He spent five years in Oklahoma before bringing his talents to the West Coast and didn’t come alone.

He brought weapons like Caleb Williams, Jordan Addison, and Travis Dye to Southern Cal to bring some juice. The question is can he lead USC to the promised land? In year one, he proved he was the right choice. The Trojans finished with an 11-3 record, competed for the PAC-12 Championship and Cotton Bowl, and had their first Heisman Trophy winner in 17 years.

With Riley at the helm, the program is headed in the right direction, especially if the goal is the College Football Playoff. At Oklahoma, he led the Sooners to three consecutive College Football Playoff appearances and coached two consecutive Heisman winners.

Offense vs. Defense

Offensive explosiveness was on full display for USC. The duo of Williams and Riley led a unit that ranked third in total offense and had the least turnovers among FBS teams (seven). Williams, who won the Heisman, had the best season of any USC quarterback that won the award. The offense is expected to take another leap in year two but the defense remains a question mark.

Although they forced 29 turnovers, defensive inconsistency shattered their CFP hopes. In their last two games, they saw double-digit leads vanish and finished the year ranked 103rd in scoring defense.

Ghost of Riley’s Past

Although Riley has a 1-3 record in the CFP, numbers can be misleading. In the CFP, the offense has answered the call. Averaging 41 PPG, the offense has been electric but the defense has struggled.

In the four CFP appearances, the defense is allowing 52 PPG. Multiple shots at the national title have been hindered by the defense but 2023 is an opportunity for Riley to get over the hump.

2023 Opponents

The Trojans come into the year favored to win the PAC-12, but their schedule isn’t a cakewalk. USC will face Utah, Washington, and UCLA in the Coliseum and have road trips to Oregon and Notre Dame. Utah, who defeated USC twice last year, will be the biggest challenge coming into the year. A sleeper matchup for the Trojans will be the Colorado Buffaloes.

Hype Around Next Year

In the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams is likely to be the No.1 pick. He will be the first USC player selected as No.1 since Carson Palmer in 2005. Riley can add the “Quarterback guru” to his list of accomplishments. This will be the third time in six years Riley has coached the No.1 pick.

Before going to the NFL, Williams could make history once again. If he wins the Heisman this season, it will be the first time in 48 years a player has won the award in back-to-back years. It would be the third time a school had a consecutive Heisman winner (Oklahoma ’17 & ’18, Alabama ’19 & ’20).

Expectations are high for the 2023 season and national championship aspirations are escalating. USC has the opportunity to win its 12th national championship and its last PAC-12 title before heading to the Big Ten in 2024.

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Every school has had its fair share of allegations throughout the years, but the allegations that have emerged about the Georgia football program under Kirby Smart are very disturbing. 

Under Coach Smart, there has been a plethora of players that have been reported doing activities such as driving under the influence, excessive speeding, bar fights, having illegal weapons on campus, domestic violence, sexual assault, and most notably street racing. This is nasty stuff coming out of Athens and it seems like the more allegations that are reported, the worse it gets.

Georgia Football is Out of Control

Recent Run-Ins With The Law

Since Kirby Smart took over as head coach, there have been 300 plus driving-related incidents. It is silly that in just seven seasons, there have been that many incidents, but driving incidents alone.

In January, Georgia staff member Chandler LeCroy and offensive lineman Devin Willock were killed in a car accident while racing Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter. Carter was issued an arrest warrant but was still drafted ninth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. This incident was the first of many to be reported involving Georgia Football in 2023 and this began a long list of allegations that began to come out. 

Kirby Smart had this to say after the warrants were taken out, “The charges announced today are deeply concerning, especially as we are still struggling to cope with the devastating loss of two beloved members of our community,” he said. “We will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities while supporting these families and assessing what we can learn from this horrible tragedy.”

Running back James Cook was arrested and charged with driving without a valid license and possessing an open alcoholic-beverage container in his passenger area and was driving recklessly when he crashed into a nearby parking lot hitting multiple cars. Cook remained on the Georgia football roster and never faced any suspension by the NCAA or Coach Smart.

In 2022, running back Kenny McIntosh hit an Uber driver’s SUV while speeding, sending the Uber driver to the hospital. McIntosh was never suspended and played in all 15 games in 2022 and got drafted by the Seahawks in the 2023 NFL Draft.

According to Athens Banner-Herald, Star defensive tackle Jalen Carter became at least the third member of Georgia football’s 2022 National Championship team to be charged with reckless driving, a fourth was charged with DUI, and a fifth was alleged to have gone 34 miles over the speed limit when he was arrested.

In total, nine Georgia players have been arrested in the last 13-and-a-half months. 

From Bad to Worse

The most recent allegation involving a Georgia football player is very concerning for the program as a whole. Georgia defensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett faced sexual assault and underage drinking allegations as a recruit. While on The University of Georgia campus during a recruiting visit, Jarrett allegedly broke curfew, drank alcohol with prospective teammates at an Athens bar, and was taken to a police station under investigation for sexual assault while he was 16 years old. Some gruesome details have been released about the incident, including Jarrett forcing a female into oral sex. 

The more news that comes out about this story the worse it looks on Kirby Smart. Even after all of that, Smart still pursued and signed Jarrett in 2023. Kirby Smart is the only one to blame in this situation. The University released many statements regarding the arrest of Jamaal Jarrett, however as of now, Jamaal Jarrett is still on the 2023 Georgia Football roster. 

MORE: The most important games of the 2023 season

Is Kirby Smart’s Program in Trouble?

Kirby Smart has lost control of his program and it is only getting worse.

Coach Smart is losing his program and it is all because of his lack of punishment. With all the allegations and arrests that are involving Georgia football players, none of those players are missing games and learning from their mistakes.

Coach Smarts addressed this by saying, “Everybody wants to know what the punishment is. Well, the players know what the punishment is,” Smart said while attending SEC spring meetings. “And that’s important for our guys to acknowledge that and understand it. But I want to educate further, I want to make sure they understand.” If the players are truly getting punished, then why are more and more players getting arrested?

During Smart’s tenure, 11 players have remained on the team despite women reporting violent encounters to the police or the university. This is further proof that the Georgia football program is out of control and needs to be punished or at least addressed by the NCAA. 

This is very concerning for the University and the football program as a whole. It makes me wonder about how parents of recruits view the program and how they will view Coach Smart moving forward. 

Will this hurt the Georgia Program? 

Will this hurt recruiting? 

Does this hurt the team’s success? 

If the Georgia culture does not change, we will continue to see more allegations pop up and more people will get hurt.

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College Football is great for a number of reasons. While not everyone could beat anyone on any given Saturday (or Tuesday if you love #MACtion…as you should), when massive underdogs do well, it’s great for the sport. The history of Group of 5 quarterbacks is a storied one but not everyone remembers each one.

Everyone knows how Derek Carr hails from Fresno State and that Case Keenum was ridiculous at Houston, but what about a few others who balled out in college and that’s it? The best thing about the Group of 5 (AAC, Conference-USA, MAC, Sun Belt, and Mountain West as of today) is when it has stars that garner national attention, it’s incredibly fun.

Hopefully, your mind is a steel trap. In any case that it isn’t, let’s remember a few MORE exciting quarterbacks who tore it up.

If it seems like a quarterback was forgotten on this list, perhaps he was covered before.

More Group of 5 Quarterbacks You May Have Forgot

Rakeem Cato, Marshall (2011-2014)

If you are a staunch supporter of the National Arena League, you don’t need any reminder of how much of a dog Rakeem Cato was at Marshall. If not, buckle up.

Cato came to Marshall as an underrated quarterback but immediately made an impact. As a true freshman, Cato appeared in all 13 games for The Herd and threw for 2,059 yards and 15 touchdowns. Even as inexperienced as he was, he completed nearly 60% of his passes. Safe to say, he was just getting started.

In his second year in 2012, Cato took off. Marshall finished just 5-7 on the year, but that didn’t stop the nation from taking note of what The Herd had at quarterback. Cato took off for a career-best 4,201 yards and 37 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions. He led the nation in pass attempts and completions. Those 37 touchdowns were fourth in the nation whereas he threw for the fifth-most. Cato’s season ended with CUSA MVP honors.

As a junior, Cato took a massive step, figuratively and literally. In addition to his 3,916 yards and 39 touchdowns through the air, Cato added 294 yards and six scores on the ground. He led Marshall to its first 10-win season since 2002. What’s even more impressive is he managed to win CUSA Offensive Player of the Year…but only earned Second-Team All-Conference USA honors?

Finally, Cato led Marshall to rarified air in 2014. The Herd finished with a 13-1 mark and was ranked as high as 18th in the CFP rankings. Cato threw for 3,903 yards and 40 touchdowns with 482 yards and eight scores on the ground. When he graduated, Cato threw for at least one touchdown in 46 consecutive games. 46.

That lone loss on the year was a 67-66 absolute slobberknocker of a game against Western Kentucky where Cato threw for a career-best seven touchdowns.

Regardless, Cato finished with program-best 14,079 yards and 131 touchdowns. He led the Herd to three bowl wins, a Conference USA title, and plenty of national respect.

Cato ended up undrafted with concerns with his size. It’s interesting how perspectives have changed because Cato very well could have been a first-rounder this past year since a player like Anthony Richardson went top-four. Richardson may have four inches on Cato but Cato had one thing Richardson didn’t: the ability to play football well.

Ryan Dinwiddie (Boise State, 2000-2003)

Boise State has been at the FBS level for 27 years and they won fewer than 10 games just nine times. Ryan Dinwiddie was among the first signal-callers at the FBS level and achieved the 10-win feat in three out of his four years (two of his three seasons where he started).

In his first season as the full-time starter, Dinwiddie started off strong by passing for 3,043 yards and 29 touchdowns. Despite winning eight games (two of their losses were to AQ/Power 5 teams), Boise State was not invited to a bowl game. That had to have motivated the Broncos because they went on a tear.

In 2002, Dinwiddie suffered a broken ankle and was severely limited in his action. Even then, he threw for 2,283 yards and 20 touchdowns to just three interceptions. Boise State went on to win 12 games and dropped just one to Arkansas.

In his senior season, Dinwiddie and the Broncos kicked it into another gear, going 13-1 and etching their names in history. Statistically, Dinwiddie had his best year, tossing for 4,356 yards and 31 touchdowns. On seven occasions, he threw for more than 300 yards; that includes the two games where he amassed over 500. That lone loss on the season was a 26-24 game against Oregon State where they nearly won if not for a missed field goal in the fourth…and then the Beavers went on a game-ending, 17-play, 66-yard drive that bled out the final 6:42 left.

Dinwiddie was the leader of the Bronco program that was just getting started. He is often regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in program history and is still one of the most efficient passers the college game has seen. He finished his career completing 62.7% of his passes with a career efficiency rating of 168.9. That mark is 16th all-time in college football history.

He went undrafted and made a name for himself in the Canadian Football League…as a coach. After retiring after getting cut by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, he picked up coaching. He was a quality control coach for the Montreal Alouettes from 2013-2015, then a quarterbacks coach with the Calgary Stampeders from 2016-2019. He worked with former SMU standout, Bo Levi Mitchell, and won the Grey Cup in 2018.

Now, he’s been the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts since 2020. He led his squad to a Gray Cup victory this past season.

Shaun King (Tulane, 1995-1998)

If you could not remember the Tulane starting quarterback during the mid-to-late 90s, that’s understandable. However, you’d be missing out on quite the story.

Shaun King came to Tulane in 1995 and played right away. As a freshman, King threw for just 1,046 yards and two touchdowns on an offense that struggled all around. To put it into perspective, that Tulane offense finished as the 10th-worst unit in all of college football that year.

As a sophomore, it was not much better. He finished with 1,574 yards and eight scores. In those first two years, Tulane posted a paltry record of 4-18. Then, they hired Tommy Bowden and it all took off.

The 1997 season was the most successful season Tulsa had had since 1980. They finished 7-4 with no bowl invite. Bowden and King improved the offense from 86th in the nation to 14th in scoring. King, himself, took a massive step forward, tossing for 2,567 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was the only player on the team to attempt a pass.

1998 is the season that is to be remembered. If you know who Shaun King was, it was thanks to his efforts in the 1998 season. King’s year was special. At the time, King finished as the most efficient passer in history with his single-season mark of 183.3. It has since been tweaked to 178.7, which is still impressive.

King finished the year throwing for 3,508 yards and 38 touchdowns. With his efforts, Tulane finished as the second most prolific offense in the nation. In the win over Army, King threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns and added 133 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. He was the first Tulane quarterback to achieve the feat as he led his team to its first Conference USA title since 1949.

On the year, Tulane finished a perfect 12-0 after taking down BYU in the Liberty Bowl. King earned a 10th-place finish in Heisman voting and went on to be drafted in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He spent some time in Tampa Bay, was the primary starter for the franchise’s 2001 NFC South championship year where they nearly made it to the Super Bowl, and was a backup for the Super Bowl XXXVII victory. After bouncing around the NFL and CFL after that, King has coached at the high school level in Florida and is currently the running backs coach for USF.

Paul Smith (Tulsa, 2003-2007)

Finally, from Tulane to Tulsa. If you were a fan of one of the teams Paul Smith went nuclear on during the 2007 season, maybe it’s best you look away.

In his first season on campus, Smith was primarily a backup where he passed for just 197 yards and a touchdown. 2004 came and went and Smith did not appear in any games for the Golden Hurricanes in order to preserve his redshirt. That was the calm before the storm.

Smith started off the 2005 season rough with a less-than-stellar outing against Minnesota. After that, it seemed like Smith was good for at least 200 yards and a score on any given day. He averaged 232 yards a game over the next 12, including the bowl win over Florida State. Smith went on a run of scoring at least once in each of the last 11 games. In total, he ended up with 2,835 yards and 20 touchdowns in his first year as the starter.

It was more of the same in 2006 for Smith. He ended up amassing 2,727 yards and 15 touchdowns. On one hand, he was held to fewer than 200 yards five times, but he did have his first-career 300-yard game in a loss to Rice. He was impressively efficient in ’06, completing 66.6% of his passes on the year.

2007 was legendary. Smith was nearly unstoppable and he helped his team end up with three 1,000+ yard receivers. No seriously, look it up! Smit tore up defenses left and right and had his way with every defense. He scored at least twice in every single game. In total, Smith finished with a whopping 5,065 yards (13th-most in a single season in FBS history) and 47 touchdowns. On four occasions, he threw for five touchdowns, including the 63-7 absolute beatdown of Bowling Green in the GMAC Bowl.

Smith won the Conference USA Player of the Year award after that fantastic season. He finished his career with 14 straight 300+ yard passing games, all of which were in the 2007 season.

After Tulsa, Smith went undrafted and was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was later cut to make room for Todd Boeckman. If you’re an Ohio State fan, you’ll remember that name…and shiver. After Jacksonville, he signed with the Montreal Alouettes but was cut shortly after. He has since retired from the game.

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2023 College Football Transfer Portal: Players to Watch

Travis Hunter

Travis Hunter has high expectations coming into the 2023 campaign as he was ranked the number one player in the transfer portal by ON3. Playing both sides of the ball last season, Hunter recorded two interceptions and four touchdowns for the Jackson State Tigers.

In the offseason, he transferred to Colorado, following head coach Deion Sanders who coached Hunter at Jackson State in 2022. This was a no-brainer for Hunter who has said in the past that he models his game after Sanders which is evident in his ball-hawking abilities on both ends of the field.

Hunter and Sanders will look to revitalize the Colorado football program, which finished just 1-11 in 2022.

Sam Hartman

After a storied career at Wake Forest, Sam Hartman decided to take his talents to South Bend for his final collegiate season.

This is a huge addition for the Fighting Irish quarterback room which lost Drew Pyne (Arizona State) and Tyler Buchner (Alabama) to the Transfer Portal earlier this offseason. In 45 games for Wake Forest, Hartman threw for over 13,000 yards and 110 touchdowns and was a two-time member of the All-ACC team. He is joining a Notre Dame squad that is loaded with talent on the offensive side of the ball with an elite line and experienced weapons including Jayden Thomas, Audric Estime, and Tobias Merriweather.

Hartman and company will be tasked with leading the Fighting Irish to their first National Championship appearance since 2012.

Fentrell Cypress II

Cornerback Fentrell Cypress joins Florida State after a four-year career at Virginia. He led the ACC with 14 pass breakups and was named to the Second Team All-ACC team for his efforts.

Cypress’s abilities extend beyond pass coverage, as he also showcased his strong tackling skills, accumulating a career-high 39 tackles in just nine games including eight in the season opener against Richmond. His presence in the secondary will bolster Florida State’s defense and provide a reliable cornerback option alongside Greedy Vance who had three picks and five pass deflections in 2022.

Adonai Mitchell

Arch Manning isn’t the only notable name joining the Texas Longhorns this year. Two time National Champion Adonai Mitchell is joining the team after two storied seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs.

He is perhaps best known for his go-ahead touchdown in the 2021 National Championship game against Alabama. He is joining a Longhorns receiving corps that features Jordan Whittington and Xavier Worthy who combined for over 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022. Mitchell will look to bring his winning attitude and DNA to a Texas team that hasn’t won a Bowl Game since 2020.

Dont’e Thornton

Fresh off an impressive 11-2 campaign, the Tennessee Volunteers added more firepower to their offense in 2023. Dont’e Thornton joins the receiving room as a transfer from Oregon.

The 6’5 receiver showed off his speed and athleticism last season, averaging 21.5 yards per reception for 366 yards. Joe Milton figures to take the reins at quarterback this season after an impressive stint taking over for the injured Hendon Hooker. After Hooker went down with a Torn ACL, Milton stepped in and threw for 10 touchdowns and no interceptions and took the team to the Orange Bowl where they defeated Clemson.

Thornton will be a key weapon for the Volunteers and will look to give the team their third consecutive winning season for the first time since 2016.

As the 2023 College Football season approaches, all eyes will be on these five transfers as they look to make a significant impact on their new teams.

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Everyone knows how Derek Carr hails from Fresno State and that Case Keenum was ridiculous at Houston, but what about a few others who balled out in college and that’s it? The best thing about the Group of 5 (AAC, Conference-USA, MAC, Sun Belt, and Mountain West as of today) is when it has stars that garner national attention, it’s incredibly fun.

Hopefully, your mind is a steel trap. In any case that it isn’t, let’s remember a few exciting quarterbacks who tore it up.

Remembering The Best Group of 5 Quarterbacks You May Have Forgot

To start, let’s give props to Western Kentucky. Of the top 100 single-season passing performances, the Hilltoppers are first (Bailey Zappe, 2021), 15th (Brandon Doughty, 2015), 25th (Dougherty, 2014), 27th (Austin Reed, 2022), 63rd (Mike White, 2016), and 98th (White, 2018).

Only two programs have more than WKU’s six: Texas Tech (10) and Hawai’i (seven).

Colt Brennan, Hawai’i (2005-2007)

Before #PAC12AfterDark, there was Midnight WAC Attack (okay, I just made that up). Nobody expected Colt Brennan to fill the massive shoes that Timmy Chang (the second-most career passing yards in history with 17,072) left behind. And yet, Brennan took the Rainbow Warriors to new heights.

Brennan kicked off his Hawai’i career having his worse statistical year. A year, however, plenty of Power 5 quarterbacks — and even eventual top-five draft picks — never attained. In his first year as a starter, Brennan threw for 4,301 yards and 35 touchdowns while completing 68% of his passes.

2006 was by far his greatest. Brennan threw for 5,549 yards and 58 touchdowns and finished sixth in Heisman voting. Even then, the team went 11-3 after losing by eight to Alabama, seven to 13-0 BCS Buster Boise State, and three to Oregon State. That momentum carried Hawai’i into 2007 as Brennan led the team to a 12-0 mark, eventually losing to Georgia in the BCS Sugar Bowl.

That Hawai’i team led the nation in scoring with 43.4 points per game. Despite a drop in statistical output (4,343 yards, 38 touchdowns), Brennan finished third in Heisman voting and led his team to its greatest season in program history.

If you can get over the highlights that look like they were filmed with a potato, you should check out the crazy side-arm action he had.

AFter his time was up, Brennan was drafted in the sixth round by the NFL team residing in Washington, D.C. He never appeared in an NFL game and was out of the league in two years. Brennan passed away in May of 2021

Keenan Reynolds, Navy (2012-2015)

It’s difficult to forget just how good Keenan Reynolds was for the Navy Midshipmen in his time. In his first year of action, Reynolds carried the ball just 162 times for 649 yards and 10 touchdowns. As a freshman, he was just getting started in the patented triple-option offense. Despite the team experiencing some success, the best was yet to come for Reynolds and his athletic, play-making abilities.

2013 came around and Reynolds took on the most workload in his career. In total, Reynolds kept the ball in the triple-option 300 times for 1,346 yards and a ridiculous 31 touchdowns. Those 31 scores were tied with Colorado State’s Kapri Bibbs for the most in the nation and were eight more than the next. Additionally, he threw for 1,057 yards and eight touchdowns!

2014 was a bit of a step back. With 250 attempts, Reynolds rushed for 1,191 yards and 23 touchdowns. Even if his total yardage went down, his yards per rush continued to increase (4.8 from 4.5). His time to shine came in the following year. In 2015, Reynolds led his Navy squad to an 11-2 record, losing to eventual AAC Champion, Houston, and Notre Dame. He finished with 1,373 yards and 24 touchdowns off of 265 carries and added 1,208 passing yards and eight touchdowns. His efforts earned him a fifth-place spot in Heisman voting.

His 88 career rushing touchdowns is still the most in Division I history and is 11 more than the next best. Reynolds was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round. After bouncing around NFL and only making two appearances as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, Reynolds tried his hand at the XFL in 2020.

He is currently an analyst for CBS.

Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois (2010-2013)

Quite possibly one of the more exciting, BCS-busting #MACtion quarterbacks out there, Jordan Lynch was an easy player to root for. After not doing much in his first two years, Lynch exploded onto the scene in 2012 and was the only MAC team to successfully break through. Oddly enough, the 2012 NIU squad was the final non-AQ team to participate in the BCS Bowls.

That 2012 season was insane for Lynch. In his first season as starter, he racked up 3,138 yards and 25 touchdowns through the air en route to MAC MVP, MAC Offensive Player of the Year, and Second-Team All-American Honors. The fact that he also added 1,815 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground helped him finish seventh in Heisman voting. On 11 occasions, Lynch threw and ran for well over 100 yards.

The hype train kept a-rollin’ into 2013. And, it was for good reason. Lynch finished the 2013 season with 2,892 yards and 24 touchdowns through the air and tacked on a bonkers 1,920 yards and 23 scores on the ground. While he only managed the 100/100 feat seven times, he did something even more impressive: he ran for over 315 yards…twice!

His impressive 2013 resulted in another round of MAC MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards to go with a First-Team All-American selection. All in all, Lynch finished third in Heisman voting.

Lynch went undrafted and signed as a running back with the Chicago Bears. After getting cut, he went on to score the game-winning touchdown in The Grey Cup for the Edmonton Eskimos. He has since retired and is now the head coach for his alma mater, Mount Carmel in Chicago, Illinois. In five seasons at the helm, Lynch has won two state titles, most recently in 2022.

Zac Dysert, Miami (OH) (2009-2012)

After elevating a small school in rural Ohio to elite heights, Zac Dysert turned his attention to the MAC. At Ada High School, Dysert finished his career with 11,174 yards (second-most in Ohio High School history) and 100 touchdowns. Dysert then went to Miami (OH) where he redshirted his first year in 2008.

Then, he took over as full-time starter. In 2009, Dysert beat out incumbent senior Daniel Raudabaugh and finished with 2,611 yards and 12 touchdowns. To say that team struggled would be a massive understatement. The Redhawks finished the year just 1-11 and was fifth-worst in terms of scoring. Might’ve been because Dysert’s offensive line allowed nearly five sacks per game and forced Dysert to lead the team with 149 rushing attempts. He finished with 258 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

In his second year at the helm, Dysert and the Redhawks took a big step forward. In 10 games, Dysert threw for 2,406 yards and 13 touchdowns. Out of necessity, he became more of a pocket passer. Even then, he ended up battling an injury and ultimately missed four games (including the MAC Championship and GoDaddy.com Bowl) with a lacerated spleen that he suffered in a win at Bowling Green in the infamous Fog Game.

After missing those games, there was an enhanced pressure for Dysert because the quarterback who won them Austin Boucher, looked like a youngster worth giving a shot. Dysert kicked it into another gear in 2011. Statistically, Dysert had a career year. In total, he threw for 3,513 yards (second-best in the MAC) and 23 touchdowns. Despite having to put the offense on his back and throwing for over 300 yards seven times, the Redhawks finished 4-10.

For his final year at Miami (OH), Dysert had to kick it into another gear again. It really looked like 2012 was going to be a big year after he threw for 303 yards and a score at Ohio State, the second-most passing yardage the eventual 12-0 Buckeyes would allow to a quarterback. On the year, Dysert would go on to lead the MAC in passing with 3,483 yards and 25 touchdowns. His efforts earned him Third-Team All-MAC.

At the end of his career, Dysert finished with 12,013 yards passing and 73 touchdowns. He ended up breaking Ben Roethlisberger‘s passing mark (10,829) and finished second behind Roethlisberger’s 84 touchdowns. Considering how legendary Roethlisberger’s Miami (OH) career was, finishing atop the leader board is notable in itself.

Dysert was drafted in the seventh round by the Denver Broncos to back up Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler. After spending two years as QB3, Dysert bounced around the league before ultimately suffering a herniated disc as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. After being waived due to injury, Dysert did not appear in the NFL.

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The Big 10 East has multiple games with both Big 10 and College Football Playoff aspirations on the line. Between Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State, all three have enough talent to win the Big 10 and/or make the College Football Playoff. And, even better, they all three play each other.

The SEC is a battle every single week, but some games have more on the line than others. There is so much parity in college football right now that there are so many good games week after week.

Here are the Top 10 most important games of the 2023 season:

The Most Important Games in the 2023 College Football Season

10. South Carolina vs North Carolina (In Charlotte)

There has been so much hype surrounding South Carolina this offseason and it is very important for the Gamecocks to start off the season on the right foot. North Carolina, on the other hand, has one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football and the Tar Heels will be no picnic.

These two teams met in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl just two years ago when the Gamecocks took down UNC, 38-21. This game could be one to keep an eye on because there is still some bad blood between these two even though they are not in the same conference anymore.

9. Tennessee at Alabama

The “Third Saturday in October” was a forgotten rivalry to most, but after last season’s instant classic, this rivalry is as amped-up as it’s ever been. This game means so much to so many people in both states and the college football world got a taste of what this rivalry means to people a year ago in Knoxville.

The Vols finally ended the long losing streak to Alabama in 2022 and are looking to win in back-to-back years for the first time since 2003-2004 seasons. With Alabama having a question mark at quarterback — and Tennessee continuing to get better under Josh Heupel — can the Vols beat Nick Saban in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever? The question is, who will be smoking cigars on the Third Saturday in October this season?

8. LSU at Alabama

LSU was not given much of a chance last season when they took down the Crimson Tide and ultimately took control of the SEC West and went on to play in the SEC Championship Game. This year’s game between LSU and Alabama will be much of the same with a lot more on the line.

The winner will definitely control their own destiny in the SEC West, but also in the College Football Playoff race as well. Both Alabama and LSU have National Championship aspirations and this game could make or break one another’s season.

7. USC at Oregon

The Pac-12 is as deep as it has been a long time with both Oregon and USC being at the top of the league. There is a ton of star power in this game with the main focus being the quarterback battle. Both Caleb Williams and Bo Nix are near the front in the 2023 Heisman race, and the two will be going head to head for the inside track at the Pac-12 Championship game and for both teams’ College Football Playoff hopes.

6. Penn State at Ohio State

With all due respect, this game could very well be a second-place game in the Big 10 East. Michigan is still the top dog of the Big 10 until dethroned. However, both of these teams could beat the Wolverines, so this game is very important.

The winner of this game still has hope of a Big 10 Championship berth and maybe even College Football Playoff berth, but the loser of this game will put themselves in a big hole for the rest of the season. Of course, do not rule out the obvious that all three teams (Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State) could all beat each other.

5. Florida State at Clemson

In my opinion, this is by far the best ACC game of the 2023 season. Clemson will be good as always. However, the Tigers have not played to their standard over the past couple years and we will see if Dabo Swinney can get them back on track.

If Clemson wins this game, they could very easily be on their way to another College Football Playoff berth. Florida State, on the other hand, is on the come-up and very quickly progressing under Mike Norvell. This would be a huge win for the Seminoles who have struggled mightily with Clemson for years now. Clemson is still the standard in the ACC, but Florida State is looking to make a run at the ACC Championship.

4. Michigan at Penn State

Michigan is usually worried about playing bitter rival Ohio State, but I believe Penn State is the Wolverines’ toughest test in 2023.

Penn State is a serious threat to Michigan to win the Big 10 East. The winner of this game will definitely have the inside track at the Big 10 Championship, but obviously, both teams have to play Ohio State as well.

3. LSU vs Florida State (In Orlando)

The hype around both of these teams this offseason makes this game even more meaningful than it already is. Both fanbases believe they can win a national championship and it starts in Week 1. This was one of the most entertaining games of the year a season ago and hopefully, it will be another classic this season.

2. Ohio State at Michigan

All eyes will be on “The Game” yet again in 2023. Both teams are coming off of College Football Playoff appearances. This rivalry was always bitter, but Ohio State always had the last laugh, until recently. As of late, the Wolverines have not just beat, but dominated the Buckeyes.

Michigan is looking like they will be right back in the National Championship discussion with a ton of talent returning. Meanwhile, Ohio State has some things to figure out including the quarterback position. This game is always insanely intense, but when National Championships are on the line, this rivalry gets even better.

Can the Buckeyes get the bad taste out of their mouth and beat the Wolverines in the Big House?

1. Georgia at Tennessee

Georgia has won back-to-back National Championships, but many Georgia fans believe that the 2023 version of the Bulldogs could be the best yet. With a pretty manageable schedule for Georgia, I believe that this will be the one game that can give them problems.

Tennessee will be very good again this season and, with the game being played in Neyland Stadium, anything can happen. This game was underwhelming a year ago when No.3 Georgia took down No. 1 Tennessee 27-13, and Tennessee is looking to get revenge on their home field. I think if Georgia were to lose a game in 2023, it would be to Tennessee.

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Led by coach Marcus Freeman — who took over for longtime leader Brian Kelly — Notre Dame finished with a 9-4 record, which was capped off with a narrow victory against South Carolina in the Gator Bowl. This was the Fighting Irish’s first bowl win since 2019 when they defeated Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl by a final score of 33-9. The team overcame struggles early in the season, winning seven of their last eight games to gain momentum heading into 2023.

Here are three storylines to watch for this fall in South Bend:

Notre Dame 2023 Preview: Storylines to Watch

Lots of Turnover Heading Into the 2023 Season

The team will look a lot different this fall as many coaches and players have moved on from the program since they last took the field in January. Assistant coaches Tommy Rees (offensive coordinator) and Harry Hiestand (offensive line) have left the fold with Gerald Parker and Joe Rudolph taking their places respectively.

Some of the big names to graduate and make their way to the NFL from the program include tight end Michael Mayer (Las Vegas Raiders), defensive end Isaiah Foskey (New Orleans Saints), offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson (Houston Texans), and defensive tackle Chris Smith (Seattle Seahawks).

Despite the changes, Freeman’s philosophy will likely stay the same as he looks to lead the Fighting Irish to their first National Championship appearance since 2012, and first victory since 1988.

Tough Road Ahead

The journey back to the National Championship will not be an easy one for the Fighting Irish.

Looking at their schedule, Notre Dame will open up the campaign with a matchup against Navy on August 26th in Dublin, Ireland. This is the third time the teams are playing in Ireland, with the last meeting coming in 2012 in a 50-10 blowout for the Fighting Irish. They will face three teams that finished the 2022 season in the final AP Top 25 rankings including Ohio State (#3), Clemson (#13), and Pittsburgh (#22).

Along with these matchups, they will renew their hotly-contested rivalries with USC and Stanford late in the year and will look to avenge losses to both teams last season. Sports Illustrated reports that the Fighting Irish have the 18th most difficult schedule in the NCAA based on 2022 records. Their opponents won a combined 90 games, compared to just 63 losses for an overall win percentage of 58.8%.  

The Fighting Irish’s Roster Depth

The roster is deep and filled with talent and the team has only gotten better with a strong second recruiting class for Freeman.

The quarterback room will be led by Sam Hartman, who transferred from Wake Forest after a storied career for the Black and Gold. In 45 games for Wake Forest, Hartman threw for over 13,000 yards and 110 touchdowns and was a two-time member of the All-ACC team.

Despite losing tight end Michael Mayer to the NFL, Hartman will have plenty of weapons to throw to including Jayden Thomas and Tobias Merriweather. Thomas finished third on the team with 362 receiving yards last season, while Merriweather impressed in limited action and figures to be a deep threat that will be a tough assignment for opposing defenses to cover.

Audric Estime will be the featured back for the Fighting Irish, and will undoubtedly benefit from the team’s excellent exterior line depth. Estime had a solid 2022 campaign, rushing for 920 yards and 11 touchdowns, and averaging an impressive 5.9 yards per carry. 

On the defensive end, Notre Dame will look to bounce back from a shaky 2022 campaign. While the unit was not terrible, they took a step back from years prior allowing 23 points per game including four games with over 30 points.

Benjamin Morrison will be the x-factor of this defense. Morrison had a standout freshman season, finishing with six interceptions to go along with four pass deflections, and was named a freshman All-American by multiple publications. Add in a healthy Cam Hart who showed signs of potential with four pass deflections before going down with injuries, and this creates a dynamic duo on the back end of the defense. This cornerback tandem can only thrive with the help of the defensive line, which is led by graduate student transfer, Javontae Jean-Baptiste from Ohio State.

During his time at Ohio State, he accumulated ten tackles for loss, with four coming last year. He has taken tremendous strides and has tough shoes to fill as he is taking the place of Isaiah Foskey, who was the anchor of the line last season before leaving for the NFL. Overall, this unit has a lot of potential to make big plays and will need to be sharp if this team wants a shot at playing in January.

Overall Analysis

With all this being said, Notre Dame has a great chance of having a very successful 2023 campaign. While teams like Ohio State, Pittsburgh, USC, and Clemson will undoubtedly give the Fighting Irish a run for their money, they have the depth and the talent to win ball games if they put it all together.

As the countdown to the college football season begins, all eyes are on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, as they embark on their journey to achieve greatness under Coach Marcus Freeman and aim to leave a lasting mark on the field in pursuit of their championship dreams.

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College Football Coaches Under the Most Pressure in 2023

5. Brent Pry, Virginia Tech

Brent Pry did not have high expectations for his first year in Blacksburg. However, Pry did not give the Hokie fans anything to be excited about in 2023. Virginia Tech has a manageable ACC slate, but their tricky non-conference schedule will be the determining factor on whether or not the Hokies make a bowl game in 2023. Many, including myself, believe Pry will figure things out in 2023. But, if not, things will not be looking good in Blacksburg.

4. Mel Tucker, Michigan State

In 2021, Mel Tucker was one of the most sought-after coaches in the country and led Michigan State to a New Year’s Six bowl. But in 2022, the Spartans failed to even make a bowl game and might have put Mel Tucker on the hot seat. With Michigan State losing a ton of production and having to play what might be the toughest schedule in the country, things could go downhill very quickly in East Lansing if Mel Tucker does not turn his program around. 

3. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M

The expectations for Texas A&M heading into the 2022 season were very high and understandably so. Jimbo Fisher brought in what most believe was the greatest recruiting class of all time and could not wait for the 2022 season. The Aggies season came to a halting stop in early September after a loss to Appalachian State and could never figure it out after that.

Many believe that Jimbo Fisher would have been fired in 2022 if not for his massive buyout, so saying Jimbo is on the hot seat might be an understatement. The vibe in College Station still is not great, but Aggies fans still believe in Jimbo and his staff to figure things out in 2023.

READ MORE: Who will take the Heisman this year?

2. Billy Napier, Florida

Billy Napier’s Florida Gators had a very bizarre year in 2022 and did not perform the way that many expected. In Napier’s first season at Florida, he lost to bitter rivals Tennessee, Georgia, and LSU, as well as losing to Kentucky in the Swamp and at Vanderbilt.

Florida fans are not happy at all with Napier and the direction of their program. There is no hiding the fact that Florida’s program is rapidly declining and many believe that the 2023 Florida Gators will be one of the worst in the SEC. I do not believe that Florida will be that bad in 2023, but their incredibly tough schedule is doing them no favors. If Billy Napier has another bad year in Florida, fans might just run him out of town.

1. Brent Venables, Oklahoma

Brent Venables was thrown into a very interesting situation, so I will cut him a little slack. However, Venables had a terrible first impression for Sooners fans in his first year. Oklahoma had its worst season since 1998 in Venables’ first season as head coach.

I thought that this was a home run hire for Oklahoma because of Venables coaching over the years with Clemson’s defense, but the Oklahoma defense in 2022 was one of the worst in the Big 12. The worst part of Venable’s first season was an embarrassing 49-0 loss to bitter rival Texas, which was the largest defeat in Oklahoma and Texas’ long rivalry. A loss like that to Texas, a game that means so much to so many people, is unacceptable and Sooner fans will never get over it.

With the Sooners moving into the SEC very soon, Venables has to have a good year in 2023 or things could get ugly for such a legendary program. 

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In the 86-year history of the trophy, 39 trophies have been won by quarterbacks. Since Chris Weinke won it in 2000, a quarterback has taken it home in 19 out of 23 years. It makes sense that the most important position would be played by the best players.

Last year, it looked like a wide-open race between Caleb Williams, Max Duggan, and C.J. Stroud. Recency bias is a hellova drug and Williams ended the season stronger than the latter two, he took home the award for USC’s eighth award (well, seventh, but Reggie Bush‘s 2005 award was vacated). Of course, that’s not to say he did not deserve the honor; Williams was certainly the best overall player in college football in 2022.

2023 Heisman Trophy Odds

Caleb Williams, Quarterback, USC (+500)

As the reigning award winner, it’s only natural that Williams would be the favorite for the 2023 Heisman Trophy odds. Williams showed how dynamic of a player he was at Oklahoma in his first year on campus. He threw for 1,912 yards and 21 touchdowns in 11 games as a true freshman. When Lincoln Riley jumped ship for USC, Williams followed and the rest is history.

In 14 games, Williams led the Trojans to 11 wins with appearances in the PAC-12 Title Game as well as the Cotton Bowl vs Tulane. On the year, he threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns while completing 66.6% of his passes. He threw for over 400 yards three times and at least four touchdowns five times.

Williams is looking like the early favorite to go first overall and he’s got all the tools NFL teams are looking for. He’s made himself into a sort of villain, however, with his painted nails from the PAC-12 Title Game.

Nails or not, Williams is a ridiculously talented quarterback and he has a legit shot to be the first two-time winner since Archie Griffin.

Michael Penix, Jr., Quarterback, Washington (+1200)

There won’t be many players in college football with more experience than Michael Penix, Jr. in 2023. This year will be his sixth at the collegiate level. Assuming he is able to stay healthy as he did last year, it makes sense that he has the second-best 2023 Heisman Trophy odds.

The issue thus far is that he has struggled to stay healthy. As a true freshman in 2018 at Indiana, Penix tore his ACL. He missed time in 2019 due to injury after being named the starter prior to the year. 2020 was his breakout season and he led Indiana to its most relevant season in years. Again, however, he tore his ACL at the end of the season.

After a less-than-good 2021, Penix elected to transfer to Washington for a fresh start. All he did in his first season as a Huskie was break the Washington single-season passing mark with 4,641 yards and added 31 touchdowns through the air. He’s also able to run, though he does not overdo it. He scored a career-best four times on the ground in 2022.

For 2023, Penix is expected to take another step forward and lead Washington back to the CFP.

Bo Nix, Quarterback, Oregon (+1200)

Sensing a pattern? Bo Nix, just like the two ahead of him, played well in one place and took another step after hitting the Transfer Portal.

2023 will be the fifth season where Nix is the starter. He started out at Auburn where he started for three years, throwing for 7,251 yards and 39 touchdowns. He was impressive and was already getting NFL looks as a freshman. Then, as it always seems, the hype caught up with the young quarterback, and his play grew tiring.

Then, he took a step forward in his development at Oregon. In just one year, Nix threw for 3,593 yards and a career-best 29 touchdowns. Even with a greater workload, his yards per attempt was at a career-best at 8.8. Without the 49-3 beatdown to the eventual back-to-back CFP Champion Georgia, that number increases to 9.2 yards per attempt.

With USC jumping ship after the season, Oregon is in a prime position to spoil the party. Each of the top three 2023 Heisman Trophy odds are Pac-12 players. Say what you want about the conference as a whole, there is going to be some exciting quarterback play.

Jordan Travis, Quarterback, Florida State (+1200)

Age, wisdom, and travel seem to be a theme here. In addition to Nix and Penix, Jordan Travis is an older quarterback who will finish his career in a different place than where he began.

Initially, Travis was a Louisville Cardinal. After one redshirt season, he transferred within the ACC to Florida State. After scarcely appearing in 2019, Travis got his chance as the starter in 2020 where he threw for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns in eight games.

He took a small step forward in 2021, but it wasn’t until 2022 that people started to take notice. He started all 13 games for the ‘Noles and threw for 3,214 yards and 24 touchdowns and only five interceptions.

If Travis can take another step forward in his development, Florida State can improve upon its 10-3 mark from 2022.

Jayden Daniels, Quarterback, LSU (+1500)

There were not many true freshmen on the scene who made such an immediate impact as Jayden Daniels did at Arizona State. In 2019, he threw for a career-best in passing yards (2,943) and touchdowns (17). From the jump, Daniels took over.

He only played in four games in the COVID-shortened 2020 season and took a slight step back in 2021, only throwing for 10 touchdowns while turning it over just as many times.

Then, he transferred to LSU to be Brian Kelly‘s starter. In Baton Rouge, he passed for 2,913 yards and 17 touchdowns, almost identical to his freshman year.

What makes him dynamic is his rushing ability. His legs earned him 885 yards and 11 touchdowns last year alone. He elected to come back to LSU to win a championship. He has the ability to do so, that’s for sure.

Drake Maye, Quarterback, North Carolina (+1500)

The best 2023 Heisman Trophy odds among players who have never transferred, Drake Maye exploded onto the scene last year for Mack Brown‘s squad at Chapel Hill.

The Redshirt Sophmore looks like he is primed to take another step forward in his development and compete with Williams to be the top quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Last year, Maye threw for a ridiculous 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns. The hype train for Maye has been off the tracks for a long time and another elite season will have UNC wondering if it’s suddenly become a football school.

Sam Hartman, Quarterback, Notre Dame (+1500)

From Power 5 to Independent, Sam Hartman is quite the story. He goes into 2023 with five years of starting experience. unfortunately for him, he hasn’t been completely healthy. He missed time as a freshman, was Jamie Newman’s backup in 2019, was seemingly okay through 2020 and 2021, then a serious medical procedure left his 2022 season in question. Thankfully, he appeared in 12 games.

Most of the hype surrounding Hartman is thanks to his 2021 season where he threw for 4,228 yards and 39 touchdowns. He followed that up in 2022 by passing for 3,701 yards and 38 touchdowns in two fewer games.

The thing that Notre Dame seemed to lack last year was competent quarterback play. Hartman absolutely has the ability to become the best signal-caller the gold domes have had in a long time. Perhaps jumping to a larger college football market in Notre Dame will help him get the attention and hype he deserves.

Next Men Up

Quinn Ewers, Quarterback, Texas (+2000)
Kyle McCord, Quarterback, Ohio State (+2000)
Drew Allar, Quarterback, Penn State (+2500)
Joe Milton, Quarterback, Tennessee (+2500)
Carson Beck, Quarterback, Georgia (+2500)
Cade Klubnik, Quarterback, Clemson (+2500)
Marvin Harrison, Jr., Wide Receiver, Ohio State (+3000)

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