The Browns biggest deficiency this season was their secondary. Greedy Williams, the second year corner out of LSU, missed nearly the entire season because of a freak shoulder injury. Andrew Sendejo was about as good at the free safety spot as my seven month old cousin. He took horrible pursuit angles, and was lost in coverage multiple times this year. Denzel Ward is a top-five cover corner in the NFL, but he has yet to play a full season. He has been hampered by groin, head, and hamstring injuries. The lone bright spot on the defense, other than the defensive line, was Ronnie Harrison Jr., who only managed to start for eight games at the strong safety position.

On top of the secondary’s poor play, the line backing crew for the Browns was just as bad. In two seasons, Mack Wilson has failed to hold down a defensive spot, so that looks like a draft bust. On top of that, B.J. Goodson was your middle linebacker, and he was not fit for that. The only two bright spots for the Browns at the linebacker position were Sione Takitaki and Jacob Phillips, who both got better by the year’s end.

The Browns defensive line was solid all year. However, you could see the defensive pressure would take it a notch down if Myles Garrett wasn’t on the field. J.J. Watt would be a great help in that scenario, as he drew more double teams that Myles Garrett last year. However, the Browns will most likely let defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi walk, so they need to snag a interior defensive lineman, whether it be in the draft or in free agency.

J.J. Watt was double-teamed 30% of the snaps he played this year, so in theory a defensive line of Myles Garrett, J.J. Watt, and Sheldon Richardson would be incredibly effective. However, the Browns need to make some real plays in free agency to guys like Justin Simmons and Anthony Harris, because they need a lot of help in the secondary.

We will see what the NFL has in store for us this coming off-season. Right now is a great time to be a Browns fan. NFL superstars are seriously considering coming to a city that is covered in snow 45% of the year. Say what you will about Jimmy and Dee Haslam, and General Manager Andrew Berry, but this past off-season they did a fantastic job. Hopefully this summer will be another great off-season for Browns players, fans, and workers.

Browns Top Five Plays of 2020-2021

5. Nick Chubb Game-Clinching 47 Yard Run Vs. Texans in Week 10. Bettors, obviously, were not happy with the running back out of Georgia.

4. Sione Takitaki Pick Six in the Second Quarter Vs. Eagles

3. Nick Chubb Puts the Game On Ice Vs. Steelers in the Wild Card Round

2. Baker Mayfield Game-Winning Touchdown Pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones to Beat the Bengals (Really Just the Whole Drive)

1. Baker Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski go Single-Wing to Clinch the Browns First Playoff Appearance Since 2002! (Bonus Video of Long-Time Cleveland Browns Play-by-Play Legend Jim Donovan Calling the Play!)

Well, what a season it was. 12-6, first playoff win since 1994, and a true franchise quarterback for the first time since the team came back from Baltimore in 2000. The future is bright in Cleveland, and the Browns have their captain in Mayfield, who will battle against Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Herbert for years to come, for dominance in the AFC. Go Browns!

*Oh Yeah, Still not happy about this. Unbelievable

Follow Me on Twitter: @BrownlojCLE

The post Dawg Pound Report: J.J. Watt &Top Five Plays of the 2020-2021 Season appeared first on Back Sports Page.

This is about the time in the off-season where we learn who will be forgoing their senior or junior campaigns to enter the NFL Draft, and those who decide to stay and pursue a national championship. So far, 247Sports has a list of all players that have entered the 2021 NFL Draft officially, and can be found here. However, instead of going over all the players that declared, we will just look at some of the best prospects declaring and those players who will play another year at their respective university.

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: Lawrence had people confused in the middle of the season, when there were rumors going around that he would come back to Clemson so he didn’t have to play for the New York Jets, who had the number one pick at the time. However, Lawrence made the smart move and declared, and will be drafted first overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Lawrence is the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, and I have him graded even higher than Lawrence. Going back to Clemson would have been a waste, no matter when he came out, Lawrence was going to be the number one pick. It’s easier to name the one thing Lawrence didn’t achieve while at Clemson, and that is the Heisman Trophy. He was a finalist only once, this year, and that in itself is surprising.

Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: Fields officially declared for the draft yesterday, and posted the announcement on his social media platforms.

This came as no surprise. Fields has immense talent, but his draft stock took a bit of a tumble after an inconsistent 2020-2021 season. Fields will likely be drafted in the top 7, barring an injury.

Wyatt Davis, G, Ohio State: Wyatt Davis was looked at as the top guard in the 2021 draft class. However, after injuring himself in the National Championship, he may have fallen behind USC interior lineman, Alijah Vera-Tucker. Davis will still be a first round pick, but he won’t go as high as he once thought.

Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida: Kyle Pitts also decided to declare for the 2021 NFL Draft, and that is a smart move. Pitts is almost a lock to go in the top 15. He possesses a unique skill set. He can line up as a receiver, or put his hand in the dirt and block as a tight end. Pitts is too fast for linebackers to cover, and he’s too big for corners and most safeties. He presents a major match-up problem for opposing defenses.

Ja’Marr Chase, Penei Sewell, and Micah Parsons all skipped this past college football season to get ready for the NFL draft. All three of those players should go in the top 10 in this year’s draft.

In some surprising news out of Columbus, wide receiver Chris Olave and defensive tackle Haskell Garrett decided to return to Ohio State next year to compete for a national championship. The only question for the Buckeyes, is who will be throwing the ball to Olave? However, that’s for another time. The NFL Draft is only a couple of months away, and it will sneak up on your pretty fast. I will get more and more into the 2021 NFL Draft as it looms nearer. For now though, it’s time to just sit back and see who might be playing for your favorite NFL team next year!

Follow Me on Twitter: @BrownlojCLE

The post Fourth & Long: News & Notes From Around the College Football Landscape appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Back Sports Page Presents a new episode of The Fourth & long Podcast with your hosts JB & Jake. Well the College Football Season has finally ended, and Alabama & Nick Saban have another Title. We talk about the National Championship, and then head into some topics for next year including recruiting, head coaching changes, and Heisman Odds for 2021-22. We will still be doing a weekly podcast about college football, because we all know football never sleeps. Oh and yes, we will have Trivia!

*We had some technical difficulties, being that my internet cut out at the very end. Sorry For the Inconvenience!

Follow Us on Twitter: JB: @BrownlojCLE – Jake: @PiccuitoJacob

The post The Fourth & Long Podcast Episode 23: Alabama is Too Fast, Too Strong, and Too Good appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Before we get into the players from that class that played in the national championship, we will take a look at the players from that class that are already in the NFL.

Jerry Jeudy was the 3rd best receiver in the country and fifth best player in Florida. Jeudy won the Biletnikoff Award, as the nation’s best receiver, during his sophomore year at Alabama in 2018. He was selected by the Broncos with the 15th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Jeudy mad quite an impact on the Denver offense, catching 52 passes for 856 yards and three touchdowns.

Sitting right behind Jeudy in the 2017 rankings was Tua Tagovailoa, the 32nd ranked player in the country, and the best quarterback in the country coming out of high school. Tagovailoa had a great career at Alabama, which began when he threw the game winning touchdown pass to Devonta Smith in the 2018 National Championship. Tagovailoa is also in the NFL, after he was drafted fifth overall in the 2020 draft to the Miami Dolphins.

Jedrick Wills, Xavier McKinney, and Henry Ruggs III were all part of the 2017 recruiting class, and were drafted last year in the 2020 NFL Draft. Wills and Ruggs III were both selected in the first round to the Browns and Raiders. McKinney was viewed as a first round pick by most experts, but he was drafted with the fourth pick in the draft to the New York Giants. Wills Jr. had a great rookie season for the Browns. He started in all but one game, and was one of the highest graded rookie pass blockers. Ruggs III also had a solid rookie season for the Raiders. He caught 26 passes for 452 yards and two touchdowns, while playing in 13 games. Ruggs III is also a true speedster, and will get better with more experience. Mckinney didn’t really see the field until week 12. However, he did have 25 tackles in the six games he played in.

Now that we’ve got through the NFL players from the 2017 recruiting class, it’s time to look at the players from that 2017 recruiting class that helped Alabama win the national championship this year. Najee Harris, Dylan Moses, and Alex Leatherwood were all top 15 prospects coming out of high school. Harris was the number two prospect in the country in 2017, and this year he had a break out season. Harris carried the ball 251 times this year for 1,466 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also tacked on four receiving touchdowns and the Doak Walker Award this season. Leatherwood, one of Alabama’s offensive tackles, won the Outland Trophy this year, which goes to the nation’s best offensive lineman. On top of that, a lot of mock drafts, including this one from USA Today, Leatherwood is projected to be a first round pick. Finally, Moses was the nation’s 13th best prospect coming out of high school. He started every game for the Tide as a sophomore and as a senior. He suffered a season-ending injury during his junior year. Moses had 80 total tackles this season to go along with 1.5 sacks and one interception. He was also a first-team all-SEC player along with a third-team all-American selection.

Finally, people forget that Devonta Smith, the 2020 Heisman winner, started his career catching the game winning touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa in the 2018 National Championship against Georgia. Coming out of high school, Smith was the 62nd best prospect in the nation. Not only did Smith win the Heisman this year, he had 117 catches for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns. Smith also won the Biletnikoff Award, given to college football’s best wide receiver. Who benefited the most from Smith’s incredible season? Obviously his quarterback, Mac Jones. Jones was also a member of the 2017 recruiting class, but had nowhere near the hype the other players from that class got. Mac Jones was a three-star prospect coming out of high school, and was ranked as the nation’s 399th best player. Jones threw for exactly 4,500 yards this year with 41 touchdowns to only four interceptions. Jones had a lot of help from Smith this season. Smith accounted for 41% of Jones’ passing yards and 56% of his touchdowns.

All in all, the 2017 Alabama recruiting class was probably the best in the history of college football. They rival the 2001 Miami Hurricanes for the most NFL talent on one college football roster. With that, there is one question that remains. Which team was better, 2019 LSU or 2020 Alabama? Last year LSU and Joe Burrow put on a clinic offensively with stars like Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Many experts and fans alike thought last year’s LSU team was the best team in the history of college football. Little did they know, that claim would be challenged the next year. Both teams were incredible, and had Heisman winners on their roster, but we’ll leave it up to the reader to vote for who was better. I will give my opinion after the voting closes on Sunday night. So we end with this, who was better, 2019 LSU or 2020 Alabama?

Follow Me on Twitter: @BrownlojCLE

*Voting Ends Sunday at 7 PM ET

The post Who Wins: Alabama’s 2017 Recruiting Class or the Winless 2017 Browns? appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Back Sports Page presents a episode 22 of the Fourth & Long Podcast with your hosts JB and Jake. Well, the time is finally here ladies and gentlemen. On Monday night (1) Alabama will take on (3) Ohio State in Miami for the college football national championship. We will give our commentary and predictions on the game, plus we reveal our way too early top 5 for 2021-2022, and give our final predictions for the game. After a long and confusing season, it’s only fitting that two of college football’s most prestigious programs will meet for the title.

Follow Me on Twitter: @BrownlojCLE

The post The Fourth & Long Podcast Episode 22: National Championship Preview appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Jones was many peoples favorite to win the award until Smith had a huge game in the SEC Championship. On top of those two, Tide running back Najee Harris will join them in the huddle on Monday night in Miami Gardens, Florida. He carried the ball only fifteen times versus Notre Dame, but he racked up 125 yards rushing.

How is it possible to stop an Alabama offense that could also be adding in previously injured receiver Jaylen Waddle? Well, you can’t stop it, really, but you can slow it down. Haskell Garrett, Ohio State interior defensive lineman, will be tasked with playing great run defense, while also getting inside pressure on Tide quarterback Mac Jones. The funny thing is, Garrett is just happy he’s alive to be able to play in this game.

Haskell Garrett arrived in Columbus in via Nevada powerhouse Bishop Gorman. Garrett, who is originally from Vermont, moved to Hawaii, and then ultimately ended up in Nevada after his father died when he was only 13. Garrett had a quiet career at Ohio State before his senior year. From 2017-2019, Garrett managed to get only 20 tackles and one pass defended. However, this year in has been an entirely different year for Garrett, and the Buckeyes are benefiting from his great play.

In August of 2020, right before his senior season was about to start in Columbus, Garrett was shot in the face while trying to break up a fight between a man and a woman in Columbus. He was immediately transported to the hospital. If someone puts a gun anywhere near your face, any shot that is taken is likely going to kill you, however, Garrett got incredibly lucky that night. He was shot in the face, but amazingly the bullet went in and out of Garrett’s two cheeks. After the incident, Garrett spent two days in a Columbus hospital waiting to be released. At the time he also thanked first responders, the Columbus Police Department, and the numerous people in the hospital who helped him recover fully.

After losing most of their defensive line to the NFL or graduation, Garrett came into the 2020-21 season with more responsibilities on his plate. With no real superstar defensive end like they’ve had in the past, Garrett and Tommy Togiai were tasked with controlling the interior of the line of scrimmage for the Buckeyes defense this year, and boy have both of them looked good doing so. On the year, Togiai has 23 total tackles with three sacks, one forced fumble and batted down two passes. Garrett has been the quieter one this season, while still performing incredibly well. He has 11 total tackles on the year along with two sacks, and a pick six. A lineman’s dream! While both Togiai and Garrett need to play well against Alabama if Ohio State has any chance. However, this year has been a revelation for Garrett and there is not better man up for the task.

Obviously every college football fan around the country knows that Alabama’s offense is the real threat this year, where it has been there defense in the past. However, It’s possible that quarterback Mac Jones, receiver Devonta Smith, and running back Najee Harris will all be drafted in the to 20 of the 2021 NFL Draft. However, Garrett’s interior presence will be key.

Edge rushers and linebackers get a lot of the statistical credit on defense. However, the interior linemen are the ones who set those players up to make those types of plays. Togiai and Garrett are two of the best interior linemen in the country and if they can create pressure on the inside, Ohio State will have a great chance to win.

I singled out Garrett here, not only because he is the better and more athletic of the two DT’s, but he isn’t supposed to be playing in this game. Somehow when a gun was thrust in his face and he was shot, it went through both cheeks, and came out clean. That doesn’t happen very often, if ever. Garrett has been a man on a mission this year and I expect him to continue to follow that path.

There are obviously some other key match-ups that will be looked into before the National Championship Game on Monday. However, for Garrett at least, this will be the biggest game of his life, and if he can come out and play well, the Buckeyes have a great shot to come out and shock the Tide.

Follow Me on Twitter: @BrownlojCLE

The post Meet the Most Important Man for the Buckeyes on Monday, and It’s Not Who You Expect appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Trevor Lawrence was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on October 6, 1999. He later attended Cartersville High School in Georgia, which is about an hours drive to Atlanta. He played basketball and of course football for the Hurricanes. During his freshman season, Lawrence threw for 3,042 yards and 26 touchdowns. He added another great season to his resume during his sophomore season, where he passed for 3,655 yards and 43 touchdowns. During his junior year, he really started to pop up on top programs’ radar. In his third season with the Hurricanes, he threw for 3,904 yards and an astonishing 51 touchdowns. He committed to Clemson on December 16, 2016. Also during his career at Cartersville, Lawrence broke Georgia’s record for passing yards and passing touchdowns in a career, which was previously held by none other than former Clemson quarterback and now Houston Texans signal caller, Deshaun Watson.

20 Minutes from Cartersville, in Kennesaw, Georgia, Justin Fields was born on March 5, 1999. Little did these two quarterbacks know, that hey would become two of the best college quarterbacks of in Ohio State’s and Clemson’s history. Fields attended high school at Harrison High in Kennesaw, Georgia, where he played football and baseball. Fields started at quarterback for two years at Harrison. During his career he totaled 4,187 yards passing for 41 passing touchdowns. Fields was the epitome of a dual threat quarterback in high school. Along with his passing statistics, he also totaled 2,096 yards rushing for 28 touchdowns. The summer before his senior year, he attended the Elite 11 quarterback competition where he was named MVP. Towards the end of his senior season at Harrison, Fields suffered a broken finger in an ESPN nationally televised game. His finger required season-ending surgery. After his senior year he was named “Mr. Georgia Football” by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta. Fields committed to Georgia on October 6, 2017, after backing off his original commitment to Penn State.

Depending on where you get your high school prospect rankings, both Lawrence and Fields were ranked the number one recruit in the country. ESPN named Fields the number one prospect in the country, while Rivals and 247 Sports ranked him second behind the pro-style quarterback Trevor Lawrence. With both of the two budding superstars heading to powerhouse division one programs in the South, fans were excited to see the two possibly play one another in the College Football Playoff. However, these two would meet in the Playoff, but in a different way.

In Field’s freshman year at Georgia he was the backup behind incumbent starter Jake Fromm. During the 2018 season, Fields saw action in 12 games for the Bulldogs. He finished the season totaling 328 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, 266 rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns. After Georgia’s loss to Alabama in the 2018 SEC Championship, Fields announced his intent to transfer to Ohio State.

For Trevor Lawrence, his freshman year story was the total opposite. He started out 2018 as the backup behind incumbent starter Kelly Bryant. It only took four games for Clemson to realize what they had in Lawrence, and Dabo Swinney named him the starter after week four, and Bryant announced his intent to transfer. As a true freshman, Lawrence led the Tigers to an undefeated season, topping Pitt in the 2018 ACC Championship game 42-10. They entered the playoff as the second seed and took on (3) Notre Dame. They dominated the Irish in all facets of the game to easily breeze by Notre Dame 30-3. The Tigers, Lawrence, and head coach Dabo Swinney would have an opportunity to take on Alabama in the National Championship. Alabama was a slight favorite in the game, but that didn’t matter for the surging Tigers, as they swept Alabama to the side in the National Championship 44-16, giving Alabama head coach Nick Saban his worst loss during his tenure in Tuscaloosa. After the season Lawrence was named National Freshman of the Year, and won the Archie Griffin Award by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. The Archie Griffin Award is handed out to the most valuable player throughout the college football season, including bowls and post-season play. Past winners include, Ezekiel Elliott, running back from Ohio State, and Jameis Winston, quarterback for Florida State.

The summer before the 2019 football season was really when people started to realize that Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields were not the two best quarterbacks in America, but the two best players overall in the country. Lawrence was gearing up for his sophomore season calling the shots for the Tigers. For Justin Fields, his summer before the 2019 season was a bit different.

Fields, who would usually have to sit out one year after transferring, sought a waiver granting him immediate eligibility for Ohio State. Fields got help from Thomas Mars, a lawyer who helped secure immediate eligibility for several players transferring from Ole Miss in 2018, including Michigan transfer, quarterback Shea Patterson. Mars and Fields argued that an incident between Fields and a Georgia baseball player, where the baseball player used a racial slur against Fields. He was granted immediate eligibility in February of 2019.

Both Lawrence and Fields had very impressive sophomore campaigns. Lawrence entered the season as a Heisman favorite but inconsistent play early on in the season saw him all but drop out of the Heisman rankings. Lawrence still led the Tigers to an undefeated season, and a college football playoff birth after defeating Virginia in the ACC Championship. The Tigers earned the three-seed in the 2019-2020 college football playoffs.

Fields, during his sophomore season, surprised some people with his great play during his first year in the Horseshoe. He completed 67% of his passes for 3,273 yards and 41 touchdowns to only three interceptions. Ohio State finished undefeated, and earned the two-seed, meaning, yes they would be taking on the undefeated Clemson Tigers in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl.

Leading up to the two semi-final games, the other being (1) LSU taking on (4) Oklahoma, the talk around the games was all centered on the two signal callers from Georgia, plus former Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow, who was the back-up in Columbus for three years. Pundits and fans alike were clamoring about a national championship between the super sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence, or Justin Fields, and the grizzled veteran from the Bayou who took his talents to Death Valley in Louisiana.

The second game of the two semi-finals, LSU smoked Oklahoma 63-28 in the other, was going to be a back and forth affair between two of the best quarterbacks the college football world has seen in a number of years. Early on the game did not play out that way. Ohio jumped out to an early 16-0 lead and then one play changed the entire outlook of the game. Ohio State slot cornerback, Shaun Wade, who is one of the best corners in the country, was called for targeting on Trevor Lawrence, getting himself ejected. After that, the Tigers seemed to come alive, and they scored fourteen straight points to go into half-time down 16-14 to the Buckeyes.

The two teams traded traded blows during the second half, exchanging leads three times. Lawrence hit tailback Travis Etienne for a 34-yard touchdown with only two minutes remaining to give Clemson a 29-23 lead after they converted the two point conversion. Fields then led Ohio State on a great drive down to the Clemson 23 yard line. On Second and seven, Fields dropped back and looked to hit receiver Chris Olave in the end-zone, but the two were on different pages, as Olave went to block because he anticipated the Fields scramble, but Fields threw it right to Clemson defensive back Nolan Turner to ice the game.

After the game, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day criticized the referees for the Wade ejection and the fumble that was called incomplete in the first half. Day had a point, the officiating in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl was well below average during the 2019 Fiesta Bowl, but in the end, Clemson just beat the Buckeyes. It would be a hard, long off-season for Justin Fields, Chris Olave, Shaun Wade, and co.

In reality, everyone around the world had a tough off-season during the summer of 2020. The Pandemic hit all parts of the world in 2020, but no one expected the college football season to be affected by the virus. However, on August 11th, following a meeting of conference presidents, the Big Ten cancelled the fall football season for 2020. The sporting world was shocked as the Big Ten became the first conference to cancel the football season in 2020. The Big Ten eyed a spring football season in 2021, however, a spring season could not be played in most SEC and ACC schools because of the heat during the late spring and early summer. Along with the Big Ten, the Pac-12 also decided to cancel their fall football season.

This led to Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields both using social media and other platforms to stand against the cancellation of the 2020 fall football season.

For Justin Fields, it was a little bit different. The Big Ten cancelling the 2020 season meant that Justin Fields would not get to play for the Buckeyes again, as he is expected to enter the NFL Draft after this season. Fields also used social media to hash out his frustration over the cancellation of Big Ten football.

Finally, and luckily, the Big Ten announced its intent to start the football season on October 23rd and 24th. The possible rematch between Lawrence and Fields was alive again. Both quarterbacks entered the 2020 season as Heisman favorites, and their respective teams were predicted to reach the 2021 College Football Playoffs. However, both of their seasons were very different from the outset.

Trevor Lawrence came out of the gates quickly in the 2020 season. During Clemson’s first four games against The Citadel, Wake Forest, Virginia, and then (7) Miami, Lawrence combined to throw for 1,140 yards and ten touchdowns to no interceptions. In the next two games, Clemson cruised past Georgia Tech and Syracuse. However, unexpectedly, Lawrence contracted the COVID-19 virus the Thursday before their match-up versus Boston College. Clemson struggled a bit against Boston College, but still escaped with a 34-28 victory. After the game during his meeting with the media, head coach Dabo Swinney announced that Lawrence would also miss the game against the then ranked number four Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Lawrence’s back-up, true freshman D.J. Uiagaleli, played well against the Fighting Irish, forcing the game into overtime in South Bend. In the end, Clemson would suffer their first loss since the national championship game last year versus LSU. When Monday’s new college football ranking were released, the Irish snagged the number two spot behind Alabama, and Clemson fell to number four, just behind the (3) Ohio State Buckeyes.

The TIgers and Buckeyes would both finish the season on different notes. Clemson was flying high after crushing Notre Dame in the ACC Championship. Ohio State, on the other hand, limped into the postseason after barely beating Indiana, and getting a comeback win over Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship. When the final rankings were revealed on Sunday, December 20th, the Buckeyes and the Tigers would be meeting in the college football playoff semi-finals for the third time.

In the week leading up to the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Dabo Swinney took shots at Ohio State whenever he could. He told the press that he ranked the Buckeyes 11th in his final poll. He then doubled down by saying he didn’t know if the Buckeyes deserved to be in the Playoff. He gave Ohio State bulletin board material all week, and the Buckeyes used that as motivation.

Let’s fast forward to New Year’s Day, 2021. After Alabama demolished Notre Dame in the first semi-final, the world waited to watch the better match-up between the Tigers and Buckeyes. Ohio State and Clemson were tied after the first quarter. However, in the second quarter, Ohio State scored 21 straight unanswered points to go into half-time with a three touchdown lead.

Clemson pushed to gain momentum back in the second half, but it was to no avail. Justin Fields picked up a rib injury in the first half, but played through the pain and had one of the best games by a quarterback in Ohio State history. Fields was 22-28 throwing for 385 yards, six touchdowns, and just one interception. Trevor Lawrence and the Tigers looked shell-shocked when Ohio State was adding to its lead. Lawrence had a good game, but not a great one like Fields. He was 33-48 passing for 400 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

In the end, the college football world got what they wanted: a rematch between Ohio State and Clemson. With the Ohio State victory, it is likely that Trevor Lawrence played his last game as a Tiger on Friday night. The consensus number one overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, will leave Clemson with only one championship and most likely no Heisman Trophies. On the other hand, the way Justin Fields played through pain, probably bumped him back into the second quarterback selected in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Its wild that two young men from Georgia, who lived just 20 miles apart, would become two of the best college quarterbacks in recent memory. However, don’t fret. Both of these two quarterbacks will likely meet again at some point in the NFL, but for now the score stands deadlocked at 1-1.

Follow Me on Twitter: @BrownlojCLE

The post The Story of Two Georgia High School Quarterbacks Who Took The College Football World by Storm appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Back Sports Page Presents a new episode of the Fourth & Long Podcast with your hosts, JB and Jake. On this new episode the guys will obviously get into the college football playoff final top 25, the semi-finals, the New Year’s Six Bowls, and some other intriguing match-ups during bowl season. Jake & Justin will also go over their first team all-Americans, Award Winners, and of course their picks and locks for bowl season. On top of that the guys will get into some way too early top tens for next year in college football, predict next year’s final four, and get into some segments, yes including trivia. You can follow Justin & Jake on Twitter at @BrownlojCLE (Justin) and @PiccuitoJacob (Jake). Also you can follow the show for updates and news around college football @4thandlongpod. The table is set, the appetizers are about to be served, so let’s get into some post-season college football!

Follow Me on Twitter: @BrownlojCLE

The post The Fourth & Long Podcast Epiosode 20: The Final Four is Set appeared first on Back Sports Page.

(1) Alabama vs (8) Cincinnati at Bryant-Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL: Well Cincinnati wanted to be in the playoff right? This is a horrible match-up for the Bearcats and head coach, soon to be coach of the year, Luke Fickell. To be fair, Alabama is a tough match-up for just about anybody in college football. Nick Saban’s three headed monster on offense, may be the best we’ve ever seen. Mac Jones, the quarterback, will most likely win the Heisman Award. Najee Harris, the running back, will be in contention for the Heisman and will most likely win the Doak Walker Award for best running back in college football. Finally Devonta Smith, is probably flat-out the best football player in America. He will win the Billetnikoff Award easily. Smith has accounted for more than half of Mac Jones’ touchdowns, and more than half of his yards through the air. In a just world, Smith would take the Heisman back to Tuscaloosa, not Jones. One question mark for Alabama is center Landon Dickerson suffered a pretty serious knee injury in the final minutes of the SEC Championship Game vs Florida. He has started every game for the Tide in the last two years. He is supposed to be out for the entirety of the CFP, and because of that their passing attack might suffer just a little bit, but probably not. Cincinnati is 9-0, and won the regular season AAC Title and beat Tulsa in the AAC Championship Game. Desmond Ridder is a very good dual-threat passer and runner, but can he do enough to keep the Tide’s offense off the field for long periods of time? I doubt it. On top of that Cincinnati’s defense has been pretty damn good this year, but they have no shot to stop Harris, Jones, and Smith. My Prediction: (1) Alabama 54 (8) Cincinnati 21

(2) Clemson vs (7) Florida at Death Valley II Clemson, South Carolina: Ah, Death Valley II, the second Death Valley in the south. The distant second Death Valley. However, I may not like it, but Clemson’s home-field advantage will be huge in this game, as Florida is one of the only teams in the country that can score with anybody. Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts, with the play-calling of Dan Mullen, is a real triple threat. Pitts is a mismatch for corners because he’s much bigger than them, and he has an advantage over linebackers and safeties because he is faster than them. This could be a real test of who can get that one stop when needed to win the game. My money is on Clemson, and future number one draft pick Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence was sensational in the ACC Championship. He threw for 322 yards on 25-36 passing for two touchdowns but an early interception. However, “Sunshine” also ran for 90 yards on the ground and another score. Kyle Trask on the Florida sideline probably wishes he had about a minute longer in the SEC Championship vs Alabama, because with another minute added on the clock, things could have gotten very serious at the end in Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday night. This will be a high scoring game, and the winner will be the one team that can get one or two stops to get their offense on the field. I’ll stick with my initial pick and ride with the Tigers. My Prediction: (2) Clemson 61 (7) Florida 50

(3) Ohio State vs (6) Oklahoma at The Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio: This is the best match-up by far of the opening round. Both teams come into this game, previously headed in different directions. Lincoln Riley’s Oklahoma team led by quarterback Spencer Rattler, has been on a tear recently and beat Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship for their sixth straight title. Now I know Oklahoma has not fared well in the college football playoffs, but this isn’t an Alabama, Clemson or Georgia they’re playing. They are playing the 2020 Buckeyes who really haven’t played a complete game all year, and the only time they came close was against Nebraska in week one. Injuries and illness has crushed Ohio State in the later weeks of the season. In the B1G Championship vs Northwestern, the Buckeyes were without punter Drue Chrisman, leading tackler Baron Browning, and leading receiver Chris Olave due to illness. Overall this should be quite the shootout , with the Buckeyes squeaking out a tough win in the end. My Prediction: (3) Ohio State 48 (6) Oklahoma 38

(4) Notre Dame vs (5) Texas A&M at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Illinois: This is the match-up that everyone really wants to see. From the people I’ve talked to about half of them said they would have put the Aggies into the final four instead of the Fighting Irish. Jimbo Fisher and signal caller Kellen Mond are on a real roll right now, having won the past seven games. Texas A&M should come into this game motivated, and ready to take it the their ACC foes. Isiah Spiller, tailback for the Aggies, has given Texas A&M it’s best running attack in years. As long as Mond can stay accurate and not get out of control, the Aggies should be in good shape. Many people don’t really know what to make of this year’s Notre Dame team. They have one of the top defenses in the country, as well as one of the best players in all of college football Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. On offense, Ian Book has shown flashes this year. However, to many people he is still a glorified game managers. He will need to be much more than that if the Irish want to advance to the semi-finals in this mock playoff. My Prediction: (5) Texas A&M 35 (4) Notre Dame 27

The 2020 Heisman Finalists: I held back from posting this article until the final Heisman Finalists were announced. On Christmas Eve, the four finalists were announced and their were really no surprised. Alabama is taking over where Ohio State left off last year and sending two to the virtual ceremony: QB Mac Jones, and WR Devonta Smith. The other two finalists are Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, and Florida QB Kyle Trask. This should be one of the closest Heisman votes since Kyler Murray won the award over Tua Tagovaiola in 2018. My Predicted Finish: 1. Mac Jones 2. Trevor Lawrence 3. Devonta Smith 4. Kyle Trask. Trask may have been the best quarterback of the three finalists, but his team lost three games this season, and the Heisman Committee has never been very kind to teams with more than two losses lately. When Johnny Manziel won the award, not only was he the clear choice for the award, but his Aggies that year only lost two games, and demolished Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl 41-13. If I had a vote for the Heisman, no question it would go to Devonta Smith, the Wide Receiver out of Alabama. His stats this year are incredible. He caught 98 passes for 1,511 yards and 17 touchdowns! If Mac Jones is the winner of the Heisman, the first person he should thank is Smith. His receiving yards account for 40% of Jones’ total on the year of 3,739 yards. Smith’s 17 touchdowns make up an astonishing 53% of Jones’ touchdowns on the year of 32. We haven’t seen a skill player dominate as much as Smith since Manziel himself in 2012 or Christian McCaffery in 2015. In 2015, McCaffery’s sophomore year, he had 2,019 rushing with eight touchdowns, and caught 45 passes for 645 yards and 5 touchdowns. If you add in McCaffery’s return yardage, in 2015 he broke Barry Sanders’ 26 year record of all-purpose yards in a season with 3,864 all-purpose yards when the season ended. Sanders finished his 1988 season with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, with 3,250 all-purpose yards, and McCaffery easily surpassed him. Derrick Henry, tractorcito now a days, won the Heisman that year with 395 rushing attempts for 2,219 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns. A great season, no doubt, but the award should have gone to the running back out of Stanford. Henry ended up edging out McCaffery by just under 300 votes. I could see a similar result when the winner is announced on Tuesday January 5, 2021. Right now the odds for the Heisman are as follows: Devonta Smith (-180) as the favorite, Mac Jones (+155), Trevor Lawrence (+1600) and, Kyle Trask (+2700). It is very likely the Heisman is headed back to Tuscaloosa on Wednesday January 6, 2021, but Trevor Lawrence at (+1600) is a good value play, considering there is no real odds-on favorite, the committee might feel that Lawrence deserves it as a sort-of career award. It would be pretty ironic if the two best college quarterbacks of the last 4-6 years did not win the Heisman (Tua Tagovaiola).

The closest Heisman vote in history was in 2009, involving another Alabama player. That year Mark Ingram, tailback from Alabama, edged out Toby Gerhard, running back from Stanford, by only 28 votes. Surprisingly the award in 2015 between Henry and McCaffery was not that close. There have only been two receivers to win the Heisman, Tim Brown from Notre Dame in 1987, and Michigan’s Desmond Howard in 1991. Since then the highest a receiver has finished is second, which Larry Fitzgerald accomplished at Pitt in 2003. That year the award went to quarterback Jason White out of Oklahoma who squeaked past Fitzgerald by only 128 votes. I still think Mac Jones will win the award, even though the favorite right now is his teammate Smith. The Heisman Committee usually views the receiver as the benefactor of a great quarterback. However, I disagree. Devonta Smith is the best player in college football this year. Offense or defense and special teams. The rest of college football’s coveted awards will be handed out January 7, 2021 at the Home Depot College Football Award Ceremony, that will be held virtually. It should be an interesting couple of weeks. We have the Heisman, other awards, and of course the two semi-finals on New Year’s Day next Friday the 1st.

Make sure you vote in the alternative playoff. Also follow me or Jake on Twitter to find out when we will be recording the Fourth & Long Podcast next week. It will most likely be Tuesday, and we will cover the semi-final match-ups, get into some segments, and of course finish the whole show with trivia! I hope everyone had a happy holidays, but now we turn our focus to New Year’s Day and the semi-final match-ups.

Follow the Fourth & Long Crew on Twitter:

Justin – @BrownlojCle

Jake – @PiccuitoJacob

The Show – @4thandlongpod

The post Fourth & Long: New Alternative Playoff appeared first on Back Sports Page.

In possibly the biggest match-up of the day, Clemson blew Notre Dame out of the water in the ACC Championship 34-10. Clemson Quarterback Trevor Lawrence did his best to sway Heisman Voters, throwing for 322 yards and two touchdowns, on 25-36 passes.

UPDATE: IT”S NOON ET HERE, SO HERE’S FOURTH & LONG’S OFFICIAL PREDICTION OF THE TOP 10:

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Ohio State
4. Notre Dame
5. Texas A&M
6. Oklahoma
7. Florida
8. Cincinnati
9. Georgia
10. Coastal Carolina

Also in the Noon ET time slot on Saturday was the Big 12 Championship between Iowa State and Oklahoma. The Sooners held off a come-back attempt from the Cyclones to win the Big 12 for the sixth straight year. Lincoln Riley’s talented offense was led by quarterback Spencer Rattler, who threw for 272 yard and a touchdown. He also added a rushing touchdown. Sooner running back Rhamondre Stevenson pitched in 97 yards rushing on 18 carries.

In the later games, it was all chalk. In the SEC Championship, Florida gave Alabama all they could handle, but in the end the Crimson Tide squeaked past the Gators 52-46. Alabama’s offense was lethal all night. Mac Jones solidified his Heisman Candidacy throwing for five touchdowns. Devonta Smith may join Jones in the Heisman Race, as he caught 15 balls for 184 yards and two touchdowns. The third head on the offensive three-headed monster that is Alabama, running back Najee Harris, totaled five touchdowns in the game.

Finally, in maybe the best game all day, Cincinnati needed a 34-yard field goal by kicker Cole Smith as the clock hit zero, to beat the Golden Hurricanes 27-24. Bearcat Quarterback Desmond Ridder passed for 269 yards and a touchdown. Ridder also scrambled into the end zone for a rushing touchdown. Bearcats Wide Receiver Alec Pierce had a career day catching five passes for 146 yards.

Well, all the teams can do now is wait. Will the committee view Notre Dame’s win over Clemson without Trevor Lawrence as a good win, or a coincidence because the Heisman Contender Lawrence didn’t play. Does the committee think Texas A&M’s 8-1 SEC record, with its only loss to (1) Alabama when they had Jaylen Waddle, is better than the ACC slate Notre Dame played. The Buckeyes only played six games, but won them all. Is it enough to earn a chance to play for a championship. The only two locks seem to be (1) Alabama and (2) Clemson. All the Aggies, Buckeyes, Bearcats, and Sooners can do is wait.

UPDATE: WE’RE AT A COMMERCIAL BREAK. RANKINGS REVEALED IN MINUTES. FINAL RANKINGS:

1.Alabama 2. Clemson 3. Ohio State

Waiting on 4, 5, 6. No surprises here, everyone kind of expected Ohio State to be in the fold after they stayed in the Top-4 last week without playing a game. Alabama and Clemson as 1 and 2 is also no surprise. Alabama finished undefeated again in the toughest conference in America. Clemson was fully healthy yesterday when they played Notre Dame and crushed them. UPDATE: 4. Notre Dame.

Notre Dame becomes the first team to lose on championship Saturday to go on and still make the playoffs.

UPDATE: 5. Texas A&M

The Aggies did everything they could, but still needed help to get in on Sunday, and they did not get that help. Great season for Jimbo Fisher, and a great senior campaign for Aggie gun-slinger Kellen Mond.

UPDATE: 6. Oklahoma

The Committee LOVES Oklahoma and I don’t know why. They had two bad losses this year versus Kansas State and Iowa State. This will continue to bother me throughout the bowl season and the off-season. What is the committee’s infatuation with Lincoln Riley and the Sooners. Cincinnati did everything they could and finished with a conference championship, and undefeated, only to be ignored by the money-hungry Playoff Committee.

Well, there you have it! In the Rose Bowl* , two legendary programs will meet for a spot in the title game. (1) Alabama and (4) Notre Dame are two of the top five programs in the country, ranking 3rd and 5th respectively. This year’s “Rose Bowl” will not be played in the legendary “Rose Bowl” Stadium this year. With California not allowing crowds at the semi-final match-up, this game will be played in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, or better known as Jerry’s World.

In the Sugar Bowl, we have a re-match of last year’s Playstation Fiesta Bowl. (2) Clemson will take on (3) Ohio State again this year. The Buckeyes led at one point last year 16-0 before cornerback Shaun Wade was ejected for targetting, and the whole game swung in Clemson’s direction. Clemson ended up going on to win the game 29-23, with Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields throwing an ill-timed interception with 40 seconds remaining in the game. Clemson would go on to lose badly to LSU in the National Title 42-25.

Make sure you tune in this week on Tuesday afternoon as the Fourth & Long fellas discuss these final rankings, do a quick preview of the match-ups, and just recap a crazy college football season. The results are in, folks, it’s (1) Alabama, (2) Clemson, (3) Ohio State, and (4) Notre Dame who will compete for the title in 2021!

Players of Championship Weekend:

1. Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio State: The Sooner-transfer sure picked the right time to have the biggest game of his life. Sermon rushed for an Ohio State single-game rushing record 331 yards and two touchdowns. His 331 rushing yards are also the most of any player in any conference championship game in FBS History.
2. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: Sunshine is back folks! After missing the first meeting against Notre Dame because of the virus, Lawrence came out for vengeance on the Fighting Irish. He was 25-36 for 322 yards and two touchdowns. The Heisman Candidate also rushed 14 times for 90 yards and another score.
3. The Alabama Three-Headed Monster (Harris, Jones, and Smith): It is going to be tough to beat Alabama this year, as this might be the most talented team Nick Saban has had in years. Najee Harris rushed 31 times for 178 yards and two scores. He also caught five passes for 67 yards and three more touchdowns. Mac Jones solidified his Heisman Case going 33-43 for 418 yards, five touchdowns and just one interception. Many thought that when the Tide lost star receiver Jaylen Waddle early in the season, their passing game would take a hit. Not a chance, folks. Devonta Smith has been a monster. He caught fifteen passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns. He’s now caught 98 passes for 1,511 yards and 17 (!) touchdowns. You could have a Heisman Ceremony with just these three and most people would be okay with it.
4. Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M: What a ride it’s been for Kellen Mond and the Aggies. After losing their second game of the season to a fully healthy Alabama team, they now go into bowl season on an 8-game winning streak. Mond has started for four years at A&M and every year he’s gotten better. From his freshman year until this season his completion percentage went from 51% to 64% and his quarterback rating has gone from 108.8 all the way to 148 this year. On Saturday, in his final SEC game, Mond was 26-32 for 281 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball 12 times for 59 yards and another score. Texas A&M and Jimbo Fisher will definitely miss Mond next year, as he was a true four-year player. I mean without a doubt, Mond’s career at Texas A&m surpasses Johnny Manziel’s.
5. Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati: What a year for Ridder and Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell. Last night in the AAC Championship, Ridder was 19-29 for 269 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 16 times for 83 yards and another touchdown. Ridder’s stats this year are very good, throwing 17 touchdowns, rushing for 12, and throwing just 6 interceptions. People will look back in a few years and wonder how this Cincinnati team didn’t even crack the top-6. Thanks, Oklahoma.
6. Kyle Trask, QB, Florida: Trask left it all out on the field Saturday Night versus Alabama. He was 26-40 for 408 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for a score on a quarterback sneak. Trask definitely proved his case as a Heisman Contender after last night’s game. The 6-foot-5 senior signal caller will take his talents to the NFL next year. Some team will be lucky to scoop up Trask late in the first round or early second. Last week’s loss to LSU really hurt the Gators, and Texas A&M for that matter.

Awards Finalists Predictions (Predicted Winners In Bold):

Heisman: Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama – Kyle Trask, QB, Florida – Mac Jones, QB, Alabama – Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

Coach of the Year: Tom Allen, Indiana – Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina – Luke Fickell, Cincinnati – Brian Kelly, Notre Dame – Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern

Doak Walker (Best RB): Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State – Najee Harris, RB, Alabama – Jaret Patterson, RB, Buffalo

Biletnikoff Award (Best WR): Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss – Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State – Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama

John Mackey (Best TE): Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida – Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State – Austin Stogner, TE, Oklahoma

Outland Trophy (Best Interior Lineman): Brady Christenten, OL, BYU – Christian Darrisaw, LT, Virginia Tech – Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa

Rimington Trophy (Best C): Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa – Landon Dickerson, C, Alabama – Mike Novitsky, C, Buffalo

Dick Butkus Award (Best LB): Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame – Jon Rhattigan, LB, Army

Ted Hendricks Award (Best DE): Rashad Weaver, DE, Pitt – Zion Tupuola-Fetui, DE, Washington – Tarron Jackson, DE, Coastal Carolina

Jim Thorpe Award (Best DB): Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama – Elijah Molden, Slot, Washington – Shemar Jean-Charles, CB, Appalachian State

Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award: Gabe Brkic, K, Oklahoma – Nick Sciba, K, Wake Forest – Brandon Talton, K, Nevada – Sarah Fuller, K, Vanderbilt*

KEY: (*) – Honorary Finalist

Maxwell Award (Best Player): Najee Harris, RB, Alabama – Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State – Kyle Trask, QB, Florida – Zach Wilson, QB, BYU – Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

Chuck Bednarik Award (Best Defensive Player): Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, EDGE, Notre Dame – Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa – Jon Rhattigan, LB, Army – Tarron Jackson, DE, Coastal Carolina – Myjai Sanders, DE, Cincinnati

Ray Guy Award (Best P): Porter Wilson, P, Duke – Zach Von Rosenberg, P, LSU – Presley Harvin III, P, Georgia Tech

Davey O’Brien (Best QB): Mac Jones, QB, Alabama – Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson – Zach Wilson, QB, BYU – Kyle Trask, QB, Florida – Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas

Disney Spirit Award (Most Inspirational): Darien Rencher, RB, Clemson*

KEY: (*) – Winner

Walter Camp All-America Team (First Team In BOLD)

Offense

QB: Zach Wilson, BYU

QB: Kyle Trask, Florida

RB: Breece Hall, Iowa State

RB: Najee Harris, Alabama

TE: Kyle Pitts, Florida

TE: Charlie Kolar, Iowa State

WR: Devonta Smith, Alabama

WR: Elijah Moore, Ole Miss

WR: Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

WR: Amari Rodgers, Clemson

FB: Tyrell Robinson, Army

FB: Nelson Smith, Navy

OL: Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech

OL: Brady Christensen, BYU

OL: Cain Madden, Marshall

OL: Jacob Gall, Buffalo

OL: Nolan Laufenberg, Air Force

OL: Wyatt Davis, Ohio State

OL: Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State

OL: Darian Kinnard, Kentucky

C: Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa

C: Mike Novitsky, Buffalo

PK: Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma

PK: Nick Sciba, Wake Forest

PK: Sarah Fuller, Vanderbilt*

KEY: (*) – Honorary All American

Defense

DL: Raymond Johnson III, Georgia Southern

DL: Ronnie Perkins, Oklahoma

DL: Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma

DL: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame

DT: Haskell Garrett, Ohio State

DT: Milton Williams, Louisiana Tech

DT: Keenan Stewart, UTEP

DT: Tyler Davis, Clemson

LB: Zaven Collins, Tulsa

LB: Kadofi Wright, Buffalo

LB: Nick Bolton, Missouri

LB: Dylan Moses, Alabama

LB: Paddy Fisher, Northwestern

LB: Joseph Ossai, Texas

CB: Patrick Surtain II, Alabama

CB: Shemar Jean-Charles, Appalachian State

CB: Marcus Jones, Houston

CB: Elijah Molden, Washington

S: Trevon Moehrig, TCU

S: Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame

S: Keith Gallman, South Alabama

S: Jaquan Brisker, Penn State

P: Zach Von Rosenberg, LSU

P: Porter Wilson, Duke

PR: Marcus Jones, Houston

PR: Phillip Brooks, Kansas State

KR: Trestan Ebner, Baylor

KR: D’Shawn Jamison, Texas

Coaches:

Head Coach: Luke Fickell, Cincinnati

Head Coach: Tom Allen, Indiana

Offensive Coordinator: Steve Sarkisian, Alabama

Offensive Coordinator: Phil Longo, North Carolina

Defensive Coordinator: Brent Venables, Clemson

Defensive Coordinator: Mike Hankwitz, Northwestern

Special Mentions:

QB: Justin Fields, Ohio State – Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

RB: Jaret Patterson, Buffalo – Travis Etienne, Clemson

FB: Jax Dineen, Kansas State

WR: Jaquarii Roberson, Wake Forest – Chris Olave, Ohio State – Jaelon Dardon, North Texas

OL: Landon Dickerson, Alabama – Jackson Carman, Clemson – Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma – Trey Smith Tennessee

C: Drake Jackson, Kentucky – Josh Myers, Ohio State

DL: Kwity Paye, Michigan – Ali Fayad, Western Michigan – Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon – Christian Barrimore, Alabama

LB: Baron Browning, Ohio State – Garrett Wallow, TCU – Nate Landman, Colorado

CB: Kaiir Elam, Florida – Eric Stokes, Georgia

S: Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State – Brandon Joseph, Northwestern

Final CFP Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Ohio State
4. Notre Dame
5. Texas A&M
6. Oklahoma
7. Florida
8. Cincinnati
9. Georgia
10. Iowa State
11. Indiana
12. Coastal Carolina
13. North Carolina
14. Northwestern
15. Iowa
16. BYU
17. USC
18. Miami (FL)
19. Louisiana
20. Texas
21. Oklahoma State
22. San Jose State
23. NC State
24. Tulsa
25. Oregon

Follow Me on Twitter: @BrownlojCLE

The post Fourth & Long: The Time Has Come, Let’s See Who Will be Competing for A National Title in 2021 appeared first on Back Sports Page.