Championship Week. Congrats to those still alive in their leagues to compete for a title! Not much is better than leftover turkey sandwiches, sipping on egg nog, and watching your squad win the ship—food, family, and football rivalries…such a glorious week.
Prime Landing Spots
The portal opens on December 9, and things are about to get real weird again. I don’t have a clue who will actually enter the portal, but I have a few spots where I am very interested in seeing someone land. Here are some prime spots I have my eye on for CFF purposes.
Miami QB: Hot damn. I must really like Shannon Dawson as an OC because I never thought I would be interested in a Mario Cristobal QB. Someone has to fill into the Cam Ward shoes, and I think that person isn’t on campus yet. If Crypto is up, expect the Canes to be very aggressive for a portal QB again.
LSU QB: This is obviously assuming Nuss goes pro. Kelly vowed to be active in the portal, and he had better. His job security may depend on it. Don’t be surprised if they try to lure a couple of the higher profile WRs to the bayou as well.
Louisville WR: I’m also curious about what they do at QB in 2025, but WR is certainly where their portal bread has been buttered. Brohm did what I didn’t think could be done with Ja’Corey Brooks. Jamari Thrash looked to be on his way prior to the injury. And best of all, he saved Charlie Jones from Iowa and turned him into a CFF All-American named Chuck Sizzle.
TCU RB: I don’t think Sonny cares for any of his current options in that backfield. Savion Williams is an alien, no doubt, but he is getting carries out of necessity because the others have struggled. I’m a sucker for a good Dykes/Briles running back.
The Stash That Smashed
Way back in the Week 6 episode of the Pulse, I encouraged you to stash Fresno State RB Bryson Donelson. And buddy, we are feeling smart today. Prior to week 13, Anthony Hankerson was the only RB to clear 75 yards against Colorado State. Donelson went for 150 on 13 carries in just 2.5 quarters before exiting with a minor injury in the third quarter. I don’t know what the future holds for Fresno, given the coaching uncertainty, but I am confident Donelson will eventually be a household name in the CFF community.
That’s So Gundy
Of course, Coach Joe Dirt waits until Senior Day to finally bench Uncle Alan after weeks of Poke fans begging him to take the rolling walker away and force Bowman into an early retirement. There is nothing like sticking around for seven years only to watch a guy who was in elementary school when you entered college take your job.
But the true freshman looked pretty good. Please don’t ask me how to say Maealiuaki, but I have Smith down pat. Passing for 330 yards and 3 TDs in your first start is nothing to sneeze at, even if it was against Texas Tech defenders that struggle to keep up with their own shadow. I’m curious to see how this plays out next year between Smith, Rangel, and/or a transfer option.
Start/Sit Freebie
Sit/Starts aren’t really my bag. Even my season-long leagues are best ball format, so it isn’t something I think about often. I prefer to sip my Saturday morning coffee in peace without having to sweat these kinds of decisions. But a couple really stood out to me on Championship Week.
Start – Justin Marshall, Colorado State: This looked to be the Avery Morrow show, but a recent MCL sprain has changed the dynamics here. I don’t expect Morrow or Jalen Dupree to play for the Rams this week, who play a Utah State run defense that gives up 226 yards/game and 2.5 touchdowns/game on the ground.
Sit – De’Zhaun Stribling, Oklahoma State: Strib has had a hell of a year, but Trav Hunter and crew are very stingy. The only two times a boundary WR has led his team in receiving against Colorado was Tet McMillan with 38 yards and Hal Presley with 43 yards. Slots, TEs, and RBs have been more effective between the hashes against the Buffs. This has the makings of a Brennan Presley game. Weather conditions are also expected to be windy and in the upper 30s.
Coaches Be Wild Sometimes
Let’s take a look at the last FOUR STARTS for two different quarterbacks:
*TWP% = Turnover Worthy Play Rate
Both these players were in supposed quarterback battles to win the starting job this fall. Now, imagine watching Player A go 1-3 with these numbers and refusing to make a quarterback change with the backup playing well in mop-up duty. Then imagine watching Player B go 2-2 with losses by a combined nine points, benching him, and never looking back despite the team then going 2-3 after his benching while averaging just 19 PPG.
You guessed it. Player A is Anthony Colandrea, and Player B is Emmett Brown.
Good luck to everyone in their title fights. Enjoy your Thanksgiving feast with loved ones, and let’s all hope the Egg Bowl is as wacky as ever.
Cheers!
