What Every College Football Fan Wants for Christmas in 2014
Ho, ho, ho, college football fans. It's your pal, Ben Claus. And I've noticed you all have been very, very good this year.
Well, with the exception of all of those hateful emails you've been sending me. And those nasty message board rumors. And those unnecessary tweets toward recruits. And the vitriol you all have been spewing toward your rival fans because of the classless program they support.
But for the most part, y'all have been swell.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
So since it's the season of giving, we're feeling extra charitable and have decided to give fans everything for which they've asked. It wasn't easy. We had to work the elves overtime and do some favors for some shady people we hadn't met before.
But here's betting you'll be happier than the Nintendo 64 kid on Christmas morning.
1. An Eight-Team Playoff
We are nothing if impatiently awaiting the best thing before we have the first thing in front of us. Not one full year into the four-team College Football Playoff, ACC Commissioner John Swofford made the case to double the size of the postseason field once again.
"In terms of the number of teams, [eight] would probably be ideal," Swofford said in November.
There are two teams that would like to see that format take place sooner rather than later: Baylor and TCU. Both were left out of the playoff field this season while Ohio State, which lost to Virginia Tech in September, got the fourth and final spot.
How soon until some folks get their wish? Who can tell, but for now, let's enjoy a four-team playoff and how it has enhanced the regular season.
2. Jim Harbaugh to Michigan
If Fox Sports' Jay Glazer is correct, the San Francisco 49ers and head coach Jim Harbaugh will "cut ties within 24-48 hours after the regular season ends."
That shouldn't come as much of a surprise, as Harbaugh's days with San Francisco have appeared numbered for some time. However, Michigan has also reportedly been courting Harbaugh to come back to his alma mater. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, Harbaugh is "conflicted" about what to do: stay in the NFL or go back to college.
If Harbaugh did decide to return to Michigan, it would be a huge hire for the Wolverines. The program is looking for a new coach and athletic director after Brady Hoke and Dave Brandon were let go.
3. A Rose Bowl Quarterback Duel
The most compelling quarterback matchup in recent memory will take place in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Oregon's Marcus Mariota, this year's Heisman Trophy winner, will face off against Florida State's Jameis Winston, last year's Heisman winner.
Additionally, the two should be the first two quarterbacks selected in the upcoming NFL draft.
Given that it's the "Granddaddy of Them All" and a playoff semifinal, you can bet fans want nothing less than an all-time classic. Just imagine Mariota and Winston playing brilliantly, combining for 600 passing yards and 10 touchdowns.
A shootout that comes down to the last possession would be the perfect way to start 2015.
4. An Autographed Copy of Bo Pelini's Greatest Audio Hits
It still feels odd to type the phrase "former Nebraska coach Bo Pelini," but here we are anyway. Pelini, now the head coach at Youngstown State, didn't leave Lincoln after being fired without dropping some verbal coal into the stocking of Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst.
"He's a f-----g lawyer who makes policies," Pelini said in a meeting with players that was recorded and submitted to the Omaha World-Herald.
This, of course, came one year after Pelini was busted for dropping somewhere along the line of 1,000 F-bombs in a private moment of frustration in 2011 that was also recorded.
A compilation of Pelini's greatest profane tirades would be the perfect soundtrack to this warm and fuzzy holiday season.
5. True Detective Season 2: Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin
Alabama coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin have been college football's odd couple, as described by Bleacher Report's Lars Anderson, but it's been fun to watch.
The combination of Saban's "I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed" look with Kiffin's shoulder shrugs has made for first-class entertainment. However, the acquisition has been wildly successful. The Tide have the SEC's most explosive offense and arguably the best offensive weapon in the country: wide receiver Amari Cooper.
The two coaches are polarizing figures, and sometimes, that doesn't work under the same roof. It has in this case, however, and here's hoping for another season of Kiffin and Saban together before Kiffin inevitably leaves for another head coaching gig.
6. Another Cinderella
What college football has truly missed over the past couple of years is a legitimate underdog. Sure, Houston had a great year in 2011, and Marshall came oh-so-close to being undefeated this year. However, those teams didn't present the same threat to the sport's big boys like the Boise State and TCU teams from 2009-11. Even Utah got in on the fun in 2008 by beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl for an undefeated season.
It wasn't just that those teams won 12 or 13 games; it's that they were legitimately well-coached—Chris Petersen (Boise State) and Gary Patterson (TCU) were roaming the sidelines—and had some future NFL players. That's what made them compelling.
Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Oregon and Georgia were just some of the teams that fell against the Broncos and Horned Frogs during that span.
College football just hasn't had that type of Cinderella team lately from start to finish. The four-team playoff doesn't guarantee a spot for a mid-major, but it would be fun to see one in the conversation next year.
7. The Return of College Football's Blue Bloods
Who ever thought he'd live in a world where Texas, Michigan and Florida have to rebuild, while Baylor and Arizona take the game by force?
Not that there's anything wrong with that. There's more parity now in college football than there has ever been, and that's made the sport more interesting.
Still, it's amazing to think that Texas has to take back its own backyard on the recruiting trail or that Michigan isn't the best program in its own state.
However, the right hire can make all the difference, and head coach Charlie Strong appears to be doing great things for the Longhorns. On Friday, Texas got verbal commitments from 5-star linebacker Malik Jefferson, the No. 1 player in Texas, and 4-star athlete DeAndre McNeal. The turnaround appears to be underway for the Horns.
Can others—Michigan, Florida and Miami—follow?
8. A Healthy Ohio State Quarterback
Ohio State is in the College Football Playoff with a 12-1 record despite losing two quarterbacks—Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett—to season-ending injuries.
That's coaching. And recruiting.
Miller, of course, missed the entire season with a shoulder injury, and Barrett, his replacement, suffered a fractured ankle in a win last month against Michigan. That means Cardale Jones is all that remains in the Buckeyes' quest for another national title—assuming Jones doesn't get hurt as well.
Ohio State could have an interesting situation this spring with three quarterbacks who could start for just about anyone in the country. However it all shakes out, though, here's hoping the Buckeyes have better injury luck in 2015.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
