We are already through four weeks of the college football season and there have been plenty of storylines. This week focuses on the Jameis Winston suspension, Florida State's playoff chances, and Charlie Strong.
1) Do you feel the original suspension of Jameis Winston was handled properly?
Mac Magee: No. It was reactive and not proactive. A half versus your top conference rival IS a big deal. Either way, when the original suspension was handed down that should have been it. Kind of felt like double jeopardy when the one game suspension was handed down.
Jon Fox: It was handled properly, but they did not take all the steps to make sure that Winston knew what was going on. Apparently they were fine with no suspension for Winston's actions until he lied about it to the coaches.
Stavenly Spielbrick: If there ever where a football player that exhibits a pattern of misconduct, it would be Jameis Winston, quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles. Although he has escaped convictions and expulsion, one who have to guess, it is only a matter of time. After being benched for the Clemson game, Winston still showed up for pre-game in pads. Head coach Jimbo Fisher sent him back to the locker room. As Clemson seemed to have FSU on the ropes last week, Jameis looked like he had tears in his eyes, as he watched from the sidelines. He must have been a little emotional after feeling like he let his team down. This young man seems to not have control of his emotions. I doubt any length of suspension will have the desired effect on this troubled QB.
Bryan Castillo: No I do not feel handled the Jameis Winston suspension well at all. Suspending a player for half of a football game does not really send a strong message to that player, especially when that player has had multiple incidents as Winston has had. Ultimately, I give Florida St. credit because even though half a game is not much, it is more than most teams would have done to their Heisman winning quarterback.
Evan Petzold: "FSU interim president Garnett Stokes and athletic director Stan Wilcox announced late last Friday night that the half-game suspension they levied earlier this week in response to Winston shouting an obscene and derogatory phrase about women that's become a popular meme on college campuses would be extended for the entire game." - This was not a good way to handle the situation. If they were going to suspend him one game, they should have set it in stone earlier. Giving him a half game was perfectly fine, until they changed it. Regardless, Florida State got the win and that is all that matters in the long run, but this may affect Winston's Heisman trophy canonization.
Caleb Wahlgren: Of course they mishandled it. The team can not just simply suspend someone for a half and then change it to a game and then be rumored to want to suspend him longer. It would have been better to suspend him longer and then consider a reduced suspension then to extend a suspension because of public outcry. They should have just probably started with a game or two game suspension, because it’s better to make it appear that public behavior is more important than football, then extend it because of fear.
Matthew Dixon: It was not handled properly at all. The half game suspension was ludicrous to begin with and the backlash from it, among other things. Winston needs to get a grip on his emotions and be a leader, other wise he will be the downfall. Sean Maguire showed he is not ready to lead the Seminoles.
2) Will Florida State make the College Football Playoffs? If so, will they ultimately win the Championship?
Magee: That is a long ways away, but why not? Notre Dame, Louisville, Florida, and the ACC title game are huge obstacles, yet Jameis Winston is still the best quarterback in all the land. It will not be easy, but I like their chances as much as anybody's.
Fox: Unless something crazy happens, the SEC, Pac-12 and Big 12 champs will make the playoff, so FSU has to run up the score on Notre Dame or a second SEC school will make the playoff.
Spielbrick: The #1 Florida State Seminoles barely escaped #22 Clemson last week. This week they travel to Raleigh, North Carolina to take on the Wolfpack who beat them in 2012, 17-16. The Seminoles do not look like the top ranked team at this point. Expect them to drop a few games but still make the playoffs due to their mediocre schedule. With the loss of their best D-lineman, and an unstable Quarterback, FSU doesn’t look like a National contender.
Castillo: Yes Florida St. will make it to the 4 team playoffs at the end of the year and compete for a second national championship title. I do not, however, believe they will be able to successfully defend their title. Winning back-to-back titles is very hard to do and a lot has to go right for a team to accomplish such a feat. Winston’s distractions to his team will eventually catch up to the team and cost them their title. Also, I do not think Florida St. is as good as they were last year.
Petzold: I see them making the Playoffs. I am not sure if they will win, it will be very tough that is for sure. The only reason I see them making it is because of their schedule. They play one more ranked team all season, Notre Dame. The Irish have talent, but nothing compared to Florida State.
Wahlgren: Yes they will make the playoffs. The ACC Champion is likely to make the playoffs, and that should be the Seminoles. They do not really have anyone else great in the conference. Florida State should be 13-0 going into the playoff and I think they will probably lose because they have not played enough elite talent. They will lose their first round match up in my opinion and will then miss out on an opportunity to defend their title in the first Championship game.
Dixon: Yes. There is not much in the way of Florida State from winning the ACC other than Notre Dame. That alone will be more than enough for Florida State to make the playoffs. However, they will not win the title. Winning two games will be tough for any team, but Florida State will have a target on their back, which will prevent them from winning another title.
3) Charlie Strong has dismissed his ninth player at Texas this week. Do you see his style ultimately working at Texas? Why or why not?
Magee: That is not his worry. 1-2 and a 41-7 loss at home to BYU is. This honeymoon will be short lived. He needs a bowl this year and much more next.
Fox: It only works if he wins quickly. The boosters and fans will not put up with his strict ways if it nets nothing for the program. If they are still a 5-6 win program after 2015, he will be fired.
Spielbrick: As the NFL struggles with character issues, there is a NCAA coach down in Texas doing his part to straighten out his players before they get to that level. Charlie Strong, Head Coach of the Texas Longhorns has suspended nine players for rule violations this season. If I would of heard that last season, I would have thought that coach down in Texas is nuts. College football needs more coaches like Charlie strong, which is evident from the past few months of NFL headlines.
Castillo: I commend Charlie Strong’s approach in implementing his touch coaching style at Texas. Only problem is his style will take time and time is not on his side with Longhorn fans. There is already talk about if Strong is the right fit for Texas and we have barely made it through week 4 of the college season. The schedule only gets tougher for Texas and things will not get any better this season. Also, schools like Texas A&M and Baylor seem to be dominating the recruiting ranks and the gap may just be too much for Charlie Strong to overcome.
Petzold: I love this philosophy. You have to be doing it right. The game is made to be played, especially as a fair game. It was announced yesterday that Texas is planning to "up" their drug testing. Texas has spend $8,750 this season on drug tests. Strong has shown that he cares about more than just the game. He cares about life. These are college kids who should not be doing drugs. Strong is leading this program and in the future should be able to compete for a National Title.
Wahlgren: “Keep Austin Weird.” That is the phrase that comes to my mind. According to the website Burnt Orange Nation, Charlie Strong has upped his drug testing at Texas compared to Mack Brown. Strong did not want his players to use drugs; he tested them after Spring Break and then has randomly tested others since then. He keeps kicking players off of the team for using drugs, and I think in the long run it’s going to work out. He is a man who is doing what he said he would do. That is going to speak well to recruits, and especially to parents of recruits. Texas is still a destination school for college football and sports in general. But it is going to take finding the right quarterback, which is something they have not had in order to succeed on the field. But in a conservative area like Texas, people will be happy that the team is going to be clean of drugs, and will probably give him longer to turn around the program.
Dixon: Strong will be successful. In order to install a system, you need get rid of the people (or players) holding your values back. If Strong gets enough time, he will be successful. The toughest part is getting that time. How many mediocre seasons can Longhorns fans endure before they run Strong out of town? If Strong can can get to 10 wins by his third season.
4) Which team do you feel is flying under the radar right now?
Magee: Mississippi State is 4-0 and coming off a big win versus LSU. A week off sets up perfectly for next week, as they will welcome in the #6 Texas A&M Aggies. Get past them, and the SEC world is their oyster.
Fox: Stanford is flying completely under the radar after losing to Southern Cal. I would not sleep on this team or it's chances to make the playoffs. They have vet leadership and talent that is starting to gel. They could easily beat Oregon and make it to a Pac-12 title game.
Spielbrick: UCLA is the best team that nobody talks about. They have the best quarterback that nobody talks about. If the Bruins can protect their quarterback they should win the Pac 10. They were supposed to be tested by conference rival #15 Arizona State on Thursday, but they made quick work of them. The Bruins look to be on their way to another conference title.
Castillo: It is hard to call Mississippi State a sleeper after their impressive win over LSU last week, but there is still some skepticism if they are a legit team. The answer to that is without a doubt, yes. Mississippi State was deemed as a team on the rise in the pre-season by those in the SEC only thing is they’re doing it at a faster rate than expected. Their schedule is tough down the line but if they’re able to keep up their level of play there is reason to believe they could have a 9 win season which would be a big step of for their program.
Petzold: North Carolina State Wolfpack, their quarterback has led the way for the Wolfpack. Brisset has passed for 1,005 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has shown that this team can pass the ball through the air. However, the run game is there too. Thornton and Dayes have ran for 283 and 267 yards. They have both combined for eight touchdowns. NC State is 55th in passing yards per game, 25th in rushing yards per game, 32nd in points for per game, and 23rd in points against per game. They are flying way under the radar. They may even have a chance to upset Florida State this week or Clemson next week.
Wahlgren: I believe that the Ole Miss Rebels are flying under the radar. They are in the SEC and are ranked 10th in the country, but they are a team that literally no one is talking about. They have a strong passing game with senior quarterback Bo Wallace throwing over 300 yards in every game so far. They also have the third best defense in the country in points per game allowed with an average of 10.3 per game. Offense and defense are both clicking, and it will not be long before their toughest tests of the season, Alabama at home on October 4th and heading to College Station, Texas to face the Aggies the following week.
Dixon: Georgia Southern. They are 3-2 with those two losses to North Carolina State and Georgia Tech by a combined 5 points. They have been dominating in the three wins with a combined score of 145-29. They were expected to be decent this year, but they have done very well with two near upsets of ACC opponents. They have a legitimate chance at reaching 8 or 9 wins this year.
5) Which game is most likely to produce an upset in Week 5?
Magee: A noon kick-off between the hedges, and a Tennessee team that showed spurts of promise is what lies ahead for the Georgia Bulldogs. The Vols played Oklahoma very competitively in Norman under the bright lights of ABC. This one will be a nail biter and the end of Mark Richt's reign, if Tennessee pulls this off.
Fox: Cincinnati could beat Ohio State on Saturday. The Bearcats have the offense to force Ohio State out of their rushing offense and no one is afraid of the Buckeyes this year.
Spielbrick: Cincinnati has not beat Ohio State since they beat them 2 years in a row, way back in 1896 & 1897. The Buckeyes lead the series 12-2. Six weeks ago everyone had OSU taking Cincinnati in week 5. That was before Ohio State’s quarterback went down, for the season. OSU beat hapless Kent State and Navy, but got handled by Virginia Tech. Now they host 2-0 Cincinnati, who has the best Sophomore QB in the nation. Look for the first upset in this cross state rivalry in 117 years.
Castillo: I am going with the Missouri Tigers to upset the South Carolina Gamecocks in what will be a classic SEC clash. Both teams have been inconsistent this year with some close call games to under the radar opponents. Both teams have shown vulnerability on any given gameday, which is why I am going with Missouri’s offense to be able to control the flow of the game and upset South Carolina.
Petzold: Missouri looks promising against #13 South Carolina. Currently, the Gamecocks are projected to win by six points. South Carolina have really struggled defensively, they have allowed 36 points per game. They Tigers have shown that they can put up points and play some defense. 38 points per game for the Tigers and they are giving up 20 points per game. It will be tough though, the game is in South Carolina, but the 1-0 on the road this season. If Mauk can keep his interception rate down, the Tigers have a huge chance to take this battle between two SEC teams.
Wahlgren: I failed in my pick of only one upset game last week, so I am going back to two upset picks again this week. First, I am picking Stanford to lose on the road as they go to face the Washington Huskies. Washington hasn’t been great by any means this season, but they are undefeated and they keep finding ways to win games. My other upset of the week is going to be a Big 10 special; I am picking the Wolverines to lose back to back games as the Minnesota Golden Gophers come to town. This is the 101st meeting for the Little Brown Jug, and Minnesota has only won once since 1987, coming at the Big House in 2005. Michigan went 7-5 that year and clearly don’t look like they are upper level quality in the rough and tumble Big 10.
Dixon: It is slim pickings this week, but let's go with Duke at +7 over Miami (FL). Duke has looked good this year and while the Hurricanes have looked suspect this year. Duke has not faced the same caliber of teams as Miami, but Duke is full of confidence and will go into Miami and pull the upset.