ACC Championship” #2 NOTRE DAME (9-0) vs #3 CLEMSON (8-1); 4 PM ET; Charlotte, ABC … Call it ‘Round II’; call it ‘The Rematch!’ Call it whatever you’d like but the college football folks really lucked with the second-ranked Irish playing #3 Clemson in the ACC title game in Charlotte. And if it comes even close to the teams’ spell-binding regular season game in South Bend in which the Irish prevailed 47-40 in a real slugfest college football fans will be in for a real treat. Of course, Clemson will claim that the result from the first game shouldn’t really count because star Tigers’ QB Trevor Lawrence (#16, 6-6, 220) didn’t play as he was recovering from a covid infection. Lawrence, though, will be there tomorrow hoping to solidify his status as the presumptive #1 pick at the 2021 draft. Notre Dame QB Ian Book (#12, 6-1, 210), on the other hand, is more of a third-day type pro prospect, but he’s still a terrific college QB who is getting plenty of attention from Heisman voters; Book isn’t tall but just makes plays with both his arm and legs. Should be a great dual!
Lawrence will be joined in the Clemson backfield by star RB Travis Etienne (#9, 5-10, 205), one of the top-rated backs for this year’s draft who has some late first round potential of his own, while CB Derion Kendrick (#1, 6-0, 190), LT Jackson Carman (#79, 6-5, 335) and veteran WR Amari Rodgers (#3, 5-10, 210) have later second-day grades. In fact, the top prospect in this game other than Lawrence could be Notre Dame rover Jeremiah Owusu-Koramorah (#6, 6-2, 215) who isn’t all that big but finds the ball all over the field. He’s got mid-to-late first round potential. Meanwhile, other Irish prospects to watch include LT Liam Eichenberg (#74, 6-6, 305), DEs Adetokunbo Ogundeji (#91, 6-5, 270) and Daelin Hayes (#9, 6-4, 260) and veteran WRs Javon McKinley (#88, 6-2, 215) and Ben Skowronek (#11, 6-3, 225).
SEC Championship: #1 ALABAMA (10-0) vs #7 FLORIDA (8-2); 8 PM ET; Atlanta; CBS … Hard to imagine the Gators hanging with top-rated Alabama for the full 60 minutes, but this one should be a treat for fans, not to mention pro scouts, as this game will feature arguably the two top pass-catch combos in college football. In fact, both QBs -Alabama’s Mac Jones (#10, 6-3, 215) and Kyle Trask of Florida (#11, 6-5, 240), have legit top ten potential for this year’s draft. Jones, for example, has completed a remarkable 76% of his pass attempts this fall for over 3,300 yards and 27 TDs versus just 3 picks after taking over for Tua Tagovailoa, the 5th player taken at last April’s draft. In many ways, Trask has perhaps been even better completing 70% of his throws for over 3,700 yards and 40 TDs against 5 picks.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that they each throw to one of the most productive receivers in the country, both of whom are also flirting with a top ten draft grade of their own. DeVonta Smith (#6, 6-1, 175), Jones’ go-to guy at Alabama, for example, already has 83 catches for over 1,300 yards and 15 TDs in just 10 games. Smith’s kind of spindly, but incredibly quick and explosive with the ball in his hands; indeed, he’s also averaging over 25 yards per punt return this fall so don’t blink. At the same, there is more than one pro scout out there that will tell you that Florida TE Kyle Pitts (#84, 6-6, 240) may actually be the best non-QB prospect in this year’s draft. He likely won’t go that high because of the position, but he’s been a match-nightmare in the SEC this fall where he has averaged almost 18 yards per catch and scored 11 TDs in just 7 games.
The difference in this game, though, is that while Trask and Pitts are as good as it gets in college football, they are pretty much it at Florida. Indeed, WR Kadarius Toney (#1, 6-0, 195) is the Gators’ only other top 100 prospect for 2021. In contrast, Alabama has a small army of top prospects for the upcoming draft including CB Patrick Surtain (#2, 6-2, 205), yet another top ten candidate, RB Najee Harris (#22, 6-2, 230), G/T Alex Leatherwood (#70, 6-6, 315), C Landon Dickerson (#69, 6-6, 325), OG Deonte Brown (#65, 6-5, 350), MLB Dylan Moses (#32, 6-3, 240) and DT Christian Barmore (#58, 6-5, 310).
BIG TEN Championship: #4 OHIO STATE (5-0) vs #14 NORTHWESTERN (6-1); NOON ET; Indianapolis; FOX … The Buckeyes needed a special dispensation from the conference just to play in Saturday’s championship game as Ohio State has played only 5 games, one less than what was supposed to be the minimum to qualify for the post-season. Saner minds prevailed, though, as the Buckeyes were far and away the best team in the conference this fall. Ohio State, of course, is lead by junior QB Justin Fields (#1, 6-3, 230) who is reportedly nipping at Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence heels to be the first player selected this year. And if he doesn’t ultimately go first overall this coming April, Fields is the on odds-on-favorite to be the second guy off the board. For the record, Fields has completed 78% of his passes thru 5 games this fall, including 15 for TDs against just three picks. Fields could be joined in this year’s opening round by OG Wyatt Davis (#52, 6-4, 315) and CB Shaun Wade (#24, 6-1, 195). Meanwhile, WR Chris Olave (#2, 6-1, 190) and C Josh Myers (#71, 6-5, 312) are second-day types while ILB Tuf Borland (#32, 6-1, 235) and TE Luke Farrell are among several OSU third-day prospects.
Needless to say, Northwestern lacks the overall talent of Ohio State, although under normal circumstances the Wildcats would feature a rising offensive lineman in G/T Rashawn Slater (#70, 6-4, 315), a late first, early second round prospect. Slater, though, who is likely the Wildcats only top 100 candidate, opted out prior to the season. Northwester, though, does have a number of solid third-day candidates including tough veteran LBs Paddy Fisher (#42, 6-4, 240) and Blake Gallagher (#51, 6-0, 230) and QB Peyton Ramsey (#12, 6-2, 220). Also keep an eye on CB Brandon Joseph (#16, 6-1, 195), one of the best young corners in the country and a potential early pick next year.
BIG XII Championship: #6 IOWA STATE (8-2) vs #10 OKLAHOMA (7-2); NOON ET; Arlington, ABC … Hands up everyone who figured Iowa State would be a bubble CFP team on college football’s championship weekend, especially after they lost their season opener – badly – to Louisiana. Yeah, well it’s been that kind of year. Indeed, ISU rebounded from that early loss to go 8-1 in the conference, including a 37-30 win over Oklahoma, to earn the conference’s top seed. And while the Cyclones don’t have many top draft prospects – well any to be truthful – but they do have a lot of good college players who can make plays including LB Mike Rose (#23, 64, 245), DE JaQuan Bailey (#3, 6-2, 260), DT Eyioma Uwazurike (#58, 6-5, 310), safety Greg Eisworth (#12, 6-0, 200), junior QB Brock Purdy (#15, 6-1, 210), and junior TE Charlie Kolar (#88, 6-5, 260). In fact, the Cyclones’ best player is sophomore RB Breece Hall (#28, 6-0, 215) who ran for over 1,300 yards and 17 TDs in ten games so far this fall.
Oklahoma also had to bounce back this year after starting out 1-2; however, the Sooners have won 6 in a row to at least get back in the conference picture. Don’t be confused, though; this is not a particularly talented OU squad. The Sooners do have one player with at least some first-round potential in C Creed Humphrey (#56, 6-5, 320), although he’s no lock. Meanwhile, undersized DE Ronnie Perkins (#7, 6-3, 250) could get some late second-day consideration. The Sooners hopes against the Cyclones, though, likely will be squarely on the shoulders of redshirt freshman QB Spencer Rattler (#7, 6-1, 205) who has had his growing pains, but still has completed almost 70% of his pass attempts including 24 for scores.
