BARNEStorming: Thoughts Around the College Football World

OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss must wait until September to start its 2022 season, but a former Rebels’ assistant will get his first opportunity as a new head coach Saturday.

Former Ole Miss offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez will make his debut as the new head man at Jacksonville (Ala.) State this week when the Gamecocks take on Stephen F. Austin in Montgomery. He was formerly the head coach at West Virginia, Michigan, and Arizona.

Jax State finished last season 5-6, but the highlight of the season was a 20-17 upset at Florida State.

RichRod will not have an opportunity against an FBS team this season and in fact, the only game scheduled for JSU against a Power Five in the future is at South Carolina next season.

SPEAKING OF ALABAMA: 

Jarret Doege recently transferred to Troy and that could give the Trojans the best quarterback room in the state of Alabama. I don’t mean in the group of five in Alabama, I mean the entire state.

Before Alabama and Auburn fans blow a gasket, let’s take a look at what they have at the position:

Auburn has Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada and LSU transfer T.J. Finley. Calzada is not very consistent. Sure, he pulled off wins against Alabama and Auburn last season, but he also was under center for losses to Arkansas, Mississippi State, LSU and Ole Miss.

Finley shows promise on the field, but can Auburn keep him on it. He has already been arrested during fall camp and seems to have problems staying out of trouble, so can the Tigers count on him being on the roster all season?

Behind those two, Auburn has a senior, a sophomore, a redshirt freshman, and a true freshman on the depth chart. None of them have ever taken a college snap.

Alabama has Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young as a starter. Should he go down, or for some reason struggle, the Tide would turn to redshirt freshman Jalen Milroe who is 3-of-7 for 41 yards in his career.

After that, Alabama must rely on four true freshmen.

Now, as for Troy, Gunnar Watson is a returning starter at quarterback, and he has thrown for 3,888 yards and 24 touchdowns as a Trojan.

Behind him is redshirt freshman Peter Costelli who was a four-star recruit and played for Utah last year, the Pac-12 champs. Now add to the mix Doege, the active leader in passing yards and touchdowns in college football.

Should the starter go down for either of these teams, I like Troy’s options better than Alabama or Auburn.

IS THE POSITION COMING BACK? 

Southeastern Conference fans might want to keep an eye on a neglected position in college football this season – the tight end. The John Mackey Award – which goes to the nation’s top tight end – released its watch list. Of the 13 players on the list, ten are from the SEC.

Georgia has three tight ends on the list: Brock Bowers, Darnell Washington, and Arik Gilbert. Reports from Athens indicate Kirby Smart is considering using a four tight end package this season at times.

South Carolina had a pair of tight ends on the list, while Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt each had one.

Also on the list is Michael Trigg of Ole Miss.

THIS YEAR’S CINCY: 

Cincinnati made history last season by being the first group of five team to make the college football playoff. Each year, the highest-ranked GOF team earns a bid to a New Year’s Six Bowl. Who could it be this year?

Well, it must be a team that goes undefeated, or has no more than one loss and that had better be to a Power Five team.

So which teams have the best shot to crash the New Year’s party?

Sorry Cincinnati. The Bearcats lost too many key players and after an opening-game loss at Arkansas, the Bearcats could take a downward spiral. In Cincy’s place in the American Conference, the best bets are Houston and SMU.

The Cougars play Texas Tech, Kansas and Texas-San Antonio out of conference and each of those games is winnable. Out of the league, SMU’s toughest game is against Maryland. Houston and SMU play Nov. 5 and that game could decide who gets that New Year’s bid.

In the Sun Belt, if Louisiana can run the table, and that includes beating FSU in Tallahassee, they could get the bid. Coastal Carolina, behind quarterback Grayson McCall, must get past Army and Virginia out of conference and the Chanticleers could do that.

Conference USA’s Alabama-Birmingham has a good shot if it doesn’t slip up during the conference season. Its non-league tough game is at LSU and no one knows how Brian Kelly’s first team in Baton Rouge will fare.

Out west, two teams standout: Boise State and Fresno State. The Broncos will have to get past Oregon State out of conference, while the Bulldogs also have Oregon State as well as USC.

Air Force could sneak into the picture, but it must win the Commander-in-Chief trophy and beat Colorado. San Diego State could also be a sleeper, but the Aztecs must upset Arizona and Utah.

No matter which team earns the New Year’s berth, the race will be fun to watch.