All 4 Downs: Recent Episodes
Ovi Muniz
The XFL is still in hibernation mode as we await for the rebirth of XFL 3.0. However, the podcast covers college football with great details and information on each game, rankings and predictions.
Mel Tucker in his own HOT SEAT, UNC player not eligible to play; and Week 3 top 10 games to pick for {{sports}}{{betting}}
Michigan Head Coach suspended. Joe has the final whistle on his conduct. Top ten game picks and is Sam Hartman the next Heisman winner? Much more on the show. Tune in.
Harbaugh suspended, Top 10 QB transfers to watch out for, Three games to choose, and gambling.
Eight weeks remaining and it is time to talk about playoffs. Find out week 11 picks and much more.
NFL #NFLPicks #playoffs
CFB mourns the tragedy in Virginia; Top 25 reactions; Week 12 top games of the week.
predictions #cfb #cfbplayoffs
Top 6 games predictions and what may happen in the top 25. Plus, Joe disappointed with Alabama.
Nine teams in the top 25 lost this weekend. Upset losses include Alabama, Clemson, and Tennessee. Who will be ranked number 1 #cfbplayoff #top25 #sportsbetting #football Follow me on twitter: https://twitter.com/ovi_hhwshow
Subscribe to the CMG Central YouTube Channel.
CFB Committee announced the top 25, Heisman favorite, coach firing, and the top games for predictions.
Ovi announced his Top 25 leading into week 8. Which teams are in the top 4? Which two teams are outside looking in? And the rest of the top 25 list.
Ovi and Joe make their predictions of the top 10 games. Who are the favorites in the Heisman and teams leading their conference.
Ovi makes his picks of Week 6 NFL games. Plus, who is in the lead in the standings and MVP candidates.
Ovi announced his Top 25 college football rankings. Shake up in the Top ten, five new teams added in the top 25. Find out who they are.
Scott Frost is fired, Marcus Freeman starting at an 0-3 record, What's wrong with these high paid coaches? Top Ten rankings and college picks for Week 3.
NFL Week 2 Picks, Thursday game, Sundays, and two Monday Night Football. Find out which teams will persevere from week 1 to 2.
NFL Week 1 picks: Spreads, Over and Under. Get ready to make your bets with Ovi and Hector.
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Intro
This is the "all four downs podcast" where we talk about college football, NFL, XFL, and other related football chatter. Hit that subscribe-button and share the show with your friends and football fans. Welcome everyone; I am your host Ovi Muniz.
1st Down
The Big Ten announced its completion of a 7-year deal worth $7 billion media rights agreement with FOX, CBS, and NBC. The deal will begin July 1, 2023, through the 2030 playoffs. The goal is to improve its revenue by the second year as USC and UCLA enter the conference.
Urban Meyer is back on the news again. This time, Meyer will return to television to Fox's Big Noon Saturday" college football pregame show. Meyer was fired as the head coach of the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars in only 13 games. However, he did lead the University of Florida to two national titles and one with Ohio State.
Also, former Florida coach Dan Mullen was hired by ESPN as a studio analyst.
Lastly, the NCAA is probing how to get involved with the NIL investigation. There are substantial concerns about the NIL transaction and the alleged concerns about tampering, recruiting violations, impermissible benefits, and more. My co-host is very fond of jumping onto the NCAA for failing to find a resolution to all this.
2nd Down Heisman candidates
A Heisman winner is a player who demonstrates outstanding performance and the pursuit of excellence with integrity. The winner epitomizes excellent ability, diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The six premature Heisman candidates I am selecting meet those prerequisites. And I start with my first pick CJ Stroud. As a freshman, he should have won last season. Like Bryce Young, who won the Heisman Trophy, he put up similar numbers. Next, Bryce Young seeks his second consecutive win. The only player to win back-to-back trophies was Archie Griffin in 1974 and 1975, Running Back from Ohio State.
Caleb Williams and Spencer Rattler are both transfers that left Oklahoma. Williams followed Head Coach Lincoln Riley. Williams replaced Rattler for the starting role midseason. Now, he competes at USC, a school that was once a powerhouse under then-head coach Pete Carroll from 2001 to 2009.
Rattler should be the starting QB for the gamecocks. He has a more arduous task than Williams and the time spent in Oklahoma. Should he surpass Georgia, Texas A&M, Kentucky, and Kentucky, Rattler can shock the world.
Will Anderson, Jr from Alabama, is a linebacker. He sacked 17.5 Quarterbacks last season. There has never been a linebacker position to win the Heisman. Anderson can be the first should he reach over 24 sacks this season. Terrell Suggs, Arizona State, sacked 24 QBs. Before the sacks were calculated, Derrick Thomas, Alabama, had 27 sacks.
Lastly, Bijan Robinson is a running back from Texas. Should he have a successful season under Head Coach Steve Sarkisian's pro spread offense, Robinson can run the ball more and protect his colleague, starting Freshman QB Quinn Ewers, who transferred from Ohio State.
3rd down
College Football national championship
The season has not begun, but it is not too late to mention early predictions on which teams will take center stage for the national championship. The odd favorites to win the national title are;
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Clemson
- USC
- Texas A&M
I stated that Alabama and Ohio State will play for the national title if you heard my previous episode in this podcast. However, I did not pick the winner. The one team I am curious about is Clemson. If Dabo Swinney pieced together a formula to get back into their championship ways, I could see an upset in all categories. Clemson has defeated Alabama and Ohio State. It will all depend on how valuable starting QB DJ Uiagalelei plays.
Alabama hosts Texas A&M on October 8. The loser may not reach the college football playoffs.
Georgia is a concern because many starting defensive players left for the NFL. They still have the talent, which is questionable if the Bulldogs can repeat.
USC is a long shot. I understand Lincoln Riley is the head coach, and Williams will be the starting quarterback. There will be six new transfer players on offense and three on defense. USC has the depth to support the starters but I am having a hard time believing they can beat the Utah Utes or even a PAC-12 team reaching the playoffs.
4th Down
College football starts next week, August 27, and there are plenty of games to watch, especially all those sports bettors. The Big Ten Conference begins with Nebraska visiting Northwestern. This is an awesome game to watch on the FOX channel. Both schools will attempt to bounce back from a disappointing three wins and nine loss season.
In their last meeting, the Cornhuskers crushed the Wildcats 56 to 7. Adrian Martinez, now a Kansas State transfer, was responsible for scoring 4 of many touchdowns, with one of the touchdowns a 25-yard run to the endzone.
Nebraska head Coach Scott Frost will have former Texas Longhorn Graduate Transfer Casey Thompson as the starting QB.
On the other side, Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald is entering his 17th season and will have Ryan Hilinski as the starting QB. He is the youngest brother of three, and all were starting QBs. However, his second oldest, Tyler, who played at Washington State, died by suicide.
Nebraska is favored by 13 points in the game line spread. Now, I want to warn you that this game will not be easy for the Cornhuskers. Nebraska's last victory in Evanston, Illinois, was on September 24, 2016. Therefore, I am taking Northwestern with the points regardless of who wins this game.
Charlotte 49ers and Florida Atlantic Owls - a Conference USA showdown in Boca Raton, Florida. Seven points favor the Owls. However, neither game in Florida has ever been more significant than 5 point win. I am picking Charlotte with the points.
Nevada vs. New Mexico State. The over-under in the game is 51.5. I am picking this game to go over—each game resulted in 58 points or more in the last eight meetings.
A massive thank you to the former New England Patriot, Tebucky Jones, as he shares his moments on his football career and an outlook on the NFL and college football.
Welcome to another edition of All 4 Downs. We are two weeks away from the start of the 2022-23 College football season and this past Monday, August 15, the AP Preseason Top 25 Poll was published. The top 5 teams mirror the coaches poll.
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Clemson
- Notre Dame
The top ten teams are the same but in different order. Sticking with the top ten teams from the AP rankings is my focus as I make a prediction of this season’s record.
Starting with number 10, The Big 12 Champions and the Allstate Sugar Bowl winner, the Baylor Bears. Head Coach Dave Aranda changed the team around in his second season and went 12-1. This season, he may have Blake Shapen as the starting QB. And that raises some concern in the offense. In the three starts, Shapen performed mediocre in the second half games against Kansas State, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State. Only three touchdowns in 6 quarters. The offense did not stay on the field much as their opponents outscored the Bears. Can the Bears improve in the second half? Former starting QB Gerry Bohanon transferred to South Florida in the offseason. I predict Baylor to finish 7-5 with Iowa State and Texas upsetting the Bears.
Number 9
The Oklahoma Sooners have first year head coach Brent Venables. He was hired after Lincoln Riley escaped to USC. Venable is a defensive minded coach that can help improve the defense, which lacks coverage like the entire Big 12 conference. Venable was part of the Clemson national championships and seeks to continue his awesome resume and lead the Sooners to the top. There are two games to watch out for and that is at Nebraska and hosting Oklahoma State. I predict the Sonners to finish 10-2.
Number 8
The Big Ten Champions, Michigan Wolverines return from the college football playoff loss hoping to repeat and head back there. But they may find it hard to accomplish that task. The Wolverines will host Penn State and Michigan State, back to back, and go on the road to their rivalry Ohio State. I predict Michigan going 9-3.
NUmber 7
Utah Utes
I do not have Utah in the top ten but many believe with so many caliber players returning this season, Utah can run the conference and win it, plus reach the college football playoffs. Cameron Rising will be the starting QB The Utes lost four games last season to BYU, San Diego State, Oregon State, and Ohio State. Utah’s season opener will be against SEC opponent Florida Gators. It is hard to tell how well the team will finish with Head Coach Kyle Whittingham never to have a perfect season. And in the PAC 12, in order to reach the playoffs, the teams need to finish perfect. Utah Utes finish the season at best, 10-2.
Number 6
Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies finally defeated Alabama last season. But, can they do it again? That is a hard task especially when they are in the same division. How can you reach the college football playoffs without playing a conference championship? Only Notre Dame has done it as they are an independent conference. Jimbo is entering his 5th season and many games in the SEC you have to watch out for. But two in particular without the Alabama game you may want to watch closely, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. The Aggies finished 10-2.
Number 5
Notre Dame
The Irish have Marcus Freeman as the new head coach of the organization. Freeman coached a loss in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State. This season, the team will start by playing against the Ohio State Buckeyes. They will also play Clemson and USC. Tyler Buckner was named the starting quarterback over Drew Pyne. This will be a tough task and the Irish are seeking to go back to back season to the college football playoffs. Being number 5 now is too high and I predict Notre Dame to finish 9-3.
Number 4
Clemson Tigers
Dabo Swinney is entering his 15th season. He has an impressive total record with 150 wins, 36 losses. Clemson has won 2 National Championships out of 4 appearances, all within the college football playoff format. Despite having a turbulence, in and out of the field last season, the Tigers are set to make a comeback. I am predicting a wild card or a Cinderella story on how the Tigers, who finished 10-3, QB DJ Uiagalelei having an underachieving season, bounce back to the finals and potentially have DJ winning the Heisman. It can be that type of season with Clemson finishing undefeated.
Also, Number 3 Georgia
Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs are the defending national champions. But there are questions concerning the team. Majority of the starters have gone on to the NFL. QB Stetson Bennett returns for his final year, and wonders if this is a rebuilding year or do the Bulldogs have enough talent to repeat. I predict Georgia to finish undefeated and a rematch with Alabama in the SEC Championship.
Number 2 is no surprise, Ohio State
Head Coach Ryan Day is entering his fifth season with a 34-4 record, 23-1 in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes fell short of the playoffs, losing to Michigan in the Big Ten Conference. There are only two key games for Ohio State that I am looking at, and that is Notre Dame and Michigan. Both games are home and I do not see the Buckeyes losing at home this season. I predict Ohio State to finish the regular season 12-0.
And finally, number one, Alabama.
The Crimson Tide lost the national championship game to the Georgia Bulldogs. Injuries prevented Alabama from repeating. This season, it's all about revenge. Nick Saban against his former assistance. Should the Crimson Tide remain healthy all season long, and with the backup talent, they should redeem themselves against A&M and Georgia. It does not look like any team in the SEC can defeat Alabama and therefore expect Alabama to be 12-0 and be the top team for the college football playoffs.
Two other college teams that the AP and Coaches Polls did not consider and should be the wild card teams this season, and they are the Texas Longhorns and Oregon Ducks.
In the next episode of All 4 Downs, I will make bold predictions on the national championship finals and Heisman Trophy winner.
This podcast is presented by CMGSports. If you are wanting to start your own podcast, visit clovercrestmedia.com to get started. Thankyou for watching All 4 Downs. Please hit the subscribe button and leave a comment about the show. I’m Ovi Muniz, on ALL 4 DOWNS.
Welcome to season 3 on the All 4 Downs Podcast, I’m your host Ovi Muniz. The USA Today Coaches’ poll released this week has Alabama at 1 and Ohio State at 2 while the defending national champions Georgia Bulldogs positioned at three. The AP preseason Top 25 will be released on August 15. However, I will be giving you a full depth of my top 25 with the focus on the top ten teams.
Here we go!
21 thru 25
Miami Hurricanes, Kentucky, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, and Utah.
Utah is ranked in the top ten in the USA Today Polls and with Brad Fowler, host of Pint Glass Football Podcast. I have them at 25. Why? I tell you that Utah Utes are never consistent. The school receives the votes but usually loses three or four games at best. Kyle Whittingham has been the head coach since 2005, in which the team played in the Mountain West Conference and transitioned to the PAC-12 in 2011. He led them to one undefeated season in 2008.
For Miami, it will be Mario Cristobal’s first season as the head coach. He left Oregon winning two PAC 12 championships in 5 seasons. With a heavy top rated underclassmen, it will be interesting to see if the team can turn things around.
Rankings 16 thru 20
Florida, Cincinnati, Baylor, Penn State, Auburn
Baylor is ranked 10th in the USA Today polls. But, former starting QB Gerry Bohanon is no longer with the Bearcats. He transferred to the University of South Florida. Blake Shapen will assume the role as the starter but in the three games he started last season, Baylor struggled to score in each game in the second half.
Florida Gators’ new head coach, Billy Napier, will debut in the SEC. He changed the culture at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Only four seasons as head coach, the last two, Napier put Louisiana on the map, ranked in the top 25. Epic games against Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State. Now, Napier will have to concentrate on new rivals like Georgia, Florida State, and Tennessee. Florida has six new transfers that may start and a higher top-rated talent than Louisiana. His big task will be to change the culture.
Rankings 11 thru 15
Oregon, Ole Miss, Michigan State, USC, and Oklahoma State
I am surprised Ole Miss is ranked low in the coaches’ poll. The school finished ranked 11th last season. Although they lost at the Sugar Bowl to Baylor, Lane Kiffin gained 6 offensive player transfers to help Luke Altmyer progress in his sophomore year. However, should Altmyer not live up to the expectation, Kiffin can call on Sophomore Transfer from USC, Jaxson Dart.
And now my top ten.
At number ten, Texas A&M
Aggies finished 8-4 last season but were able to defeat Alabama for the first time since 2012. It was Nick Saban’s first time losing to any of his assistance, HC Jimbo Fisher. But the biggest question is, with all the top recruits established in the last few years, can the Aggies do it again. Can they take over the SEC? Fisher is entering his fifth year with A&M and his best record is 9-1 in 2020. The 2013 national champion head coach needs to do more and defeat top ranked teams. Fisher has 6 wins and 11 losses as Aggies head coach against top 25 teams.
At number 9, Texas
Texas at 9 is a wild card for me. Steve Sarkisian is a brilliant head coach who landed a second chance with the Longhorns. Sarkisian won 2 national championships, 3 pac-120 conferences, and 2 SEC championships as an assistant coach. Although finishing 5-7 last season, Texas are pretty excited for the dramatic improvement being that this may be the last season in the Big XII. Longhorns gained 7 transfers to include former Ohio State CB, Ryan Watts, who is among the top defensive backs in the nation. Biggest test this season will be against Alabama, Oklahoma, and Baylor.
At number 8, LSU
LSU is not in anyone’s radar. Brian Kelly left Notre Dame to become the new head coach of the LSU Tigers. He will rely on Myles Brennan, who will return for his sixth year after missing all of last season due to an off the field injury. Brennan only played three games in 2020. He was injured against Missouri that ended his season.
LSU dealt with issues on and off the field as a team. Hopefully, Kelly can change the culture.
At number 7, Notre Dame
The Irish will have Marcus Freeman as head coach. The team is excited and so are the fans as each game will be critical. One game in particular will be the matchup against Clemson.
At number 6, Oklahoma
The Sooners will have Brent Venables as their new head coach. Oklahoma has always been an explosive offensive team but lacks defense. Venable can provide that leadership and improve in those areas. Sooners have been excellent with legendary coach Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley. The program is set for success for Venables. Big test for the team will be against Baylor and Oklahoma State.
At number 5, Clemson
Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers look to bounce back after a terrible season. The school spent 6 straight seasons ranked in the top 4 and won two national championships. The team is solid and set their comeback on recapturing the ACC and a revenge game against Notre Dame.
At number 4, Michigan
The Wolverines had an outstanding season making it to the college football playoffs. Their biggest accomplishment was defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes. If they are going to repeat again, they must challenge the Buckeyes in Ohio this season.
At number 3, Ohio State
C.J. Stroud came short of winning the Heisman Trophy. He should be favorite to win it this season. Only a Red Shirt Sophomore, Stroud is ready to produce and lead the buckeyes to the promised land.
At number 2, Georgia
The national champions will not get the respect they deserve. For this reason, the Bulldogs lost the SEC championship to Alabama but won the title game in their rematch. Georgia lost a lot of key players in the NFL draft but have Stetson Bennett returning for his final year. This is why Georgia is not ranked number one.
But At number 1, Alabama
Nick Saban has appeared in 6 of the 7 national championship games. He has won 6 national championships. In 2008, Alabama finished with a 12-2 record. The following year, 14-0 winning the national championship. Again happened in 2019, finished with a 11-2 record. In 2020, Alabama went 13-0 with a national championship.
Last season, the team finished 13-2 losing the national championship to Georgia. Can Alabama reach the national championship and win this year?
Week 1 of the college football season starts August 27 thru September 5. Get your tickets, get your popcorn and prep your grills. It is going to be another exciting college football season and the All 4 Downs podcast will cover each down for you. Follow and subscribe to our YOuTube channel or wherever you listen on your favorite podcast platform.
Brad Fowler, host of Pint Glass Football podcast, joins Ovi Muniz with football talk. Which teams will lead their NFL Divisions and which teams will claim their thrown in the college football rankings.
Hector and Ovi breaks down the all-time Super Bowl games since 1985. Then, it is the AFC & NFC predictions. Which teams will make the Super Bowl? Before you bet on these games, you want to listen to this podcast.
Hector and Ovi defend their picks from preseason as to which teams will reach and win the Super Bowl.
Predictions on CFB National Championship, NFL Week 18 games, and who stays who is out at head coach.
Welcome to All 4 Downs Prediction Show. Please subscribe to our youtube channel and comment below as to who will be the two teams to reach the 2022 College Football national Championship.
The semi finals are happening on December 31 with Alabama vs Cincinnati and Georgia vs Michigan.
I'll start with the Orange Bowl:
John Harbaugh and Michigan got over the hump by defeating Ohio State and winning the Big Ten Championship over Iowa 42-3. DE Aidan Hutchinson has led the defense putting pressure on Quarterbacks. He has 14 total sacks. However, Kirby Smart and Georgia has the number one defense averaging 9.5 points allowed and 81 rushing yards allowed. The big question will be how either team will clinch their way to the National Championship.
Michigan’s offense is led by QBS Cade McNamara and a few times, J.J. McCarthy. They have been sacked together a total 10 times. RB Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum have been fascinating running the ball but may find difficulties against Georgia’s linemen. Can McNamara distribute the ball to the receivers effectively. If McNamara throws the ball over 40 times, it will not look good. The last time he did that, Michigan lost to Michigan State 37-33 on October 30th.
For Georgia, Head Coach Kirby Smart believes in Stetson Bennett. Bennett was pressured badly against the Alabama defense. He was sacked three times and threw 2 interceptions. Georgia’s offensive linemen need to protect Bennett. Smart would need to establish their run game as Bennett is not effective throwing the ball over 40 times as well.
The winner in this game favors the Georgia Bulldogs. Bulldogs 27-23.
In the Cotton Bowl:
All eyes will be at the Quarterback positions. Alabama has Heisman Winner Bryce Young who looked impressive, leading the Crimson Tide a victory over Georgia to win the SEC Championship. He went 26-of-44, 421 passing yards, and threw three touchdowns.
On the other side,
The Quarterback Desmond Ridder and the Bearcats became the only college team to remain undefeated. Their notable win this season was over Notre Dame and won the American Athletic Conference against Houston. The Bearcats are the first non-power 5 conference who have so much to prove as to why they do belong in the playoffs.
My predictions: Alabama wins 38-28
The final two teams will go head to head on January 10, a rematch between Alabama and Georgia for not only the SEC Championship, but also a rematch from the 2018 year when the Crimson Tide won the game in overtime.
This year’s national champion, I am choosing the Georgia Bulldogs.
Prediction on who wins the Heisman Trophy. And one game left of the regular season. Army vs Navy.
Hector and Ovi make their weekly picks. Game of the Week: Monday Night Football, Patriots at Bills.
CFB Playoff Ranking Prediction - Ovi Muniz predicts the order one through 25. Which teams will be in the top 4 heading into the conference championship weekend?
Week 12 Predictions. Winners and teams to pull upsets. Find out which ones in the top 25.
HECTOR AND OVI MAKE THEIR WEEK 10 PICKS. BIG SURPRISES AND POTENTIAL UPSETS. FIND OUT WHICH GAME AND FIGURE WHICH GAMES TO MAKE YOUR BEST BIDDING.
Georgia remains number one. However, where would Cincinnati be ranked? Find out more on the reaction and upcoming events.
Top 25 reactions; predicting the final four; and week 10 picks. Auburn vs Texas A&M game of the week.
Raiders lose another and but about the game; More COVID restriction on top QB; and the NFL picks for Week 9. Ovi Muniz won some big money. Which teams is he selecting this week for payday?
Jace and Ovi compare top 6 rankings, anticipating the CFB Playoff Committee rankings. Then, College Pick'em on games - Michigan vs Michigan State, Georgia vs Florida and more.
College Football Week 5 Picks. Big games are Ole Miss vs Alabama, Arkansas vs Georgia, Cincinnati vs Notre Dame, and more.
Which ranked team will fall? A couple of upsets have been announced. Find out which school will fall out of the rankings.
Hector and Ovi will debut September 8 and cover all the NFL games on which teams to choose for your picks.
PAC- 12, ACC, AND BIG TEN JOIN AS ONE ALLIANCE. AUBURN'S HEAD COACH TESTS POSITIVE AND WAS NOT VACCINATED. ONLY OLE MISS ARE 100% VACCINATED. AND, COLLEGE PICKS - FIVE GAMES ARE CHOSEN FOR SATURDAY. WHICH TEAMS WILL WIN? CLICK TO LISTEN AND SEE IF YOU AGREE.
Conferences taking ownership and enforcing forfeit games; AP's TOP 25, and which colleges will win their conference.
COVID is still a concern in college football, new head coaches assume their duties, and Ovi has his top 25 ranking list. Which college has a better chance winning this season?
OU and Texas make their move towards the SEC, NIL Law has its cause and effect, and the college football schedules are more competitive than past history.
Shawn Harper is a former NFL football player and is now a CEO, motivational speaker, and author of a book titled, "The Winning Edge."
Pac 12 seeks for a new commissioner; Head Coaches advantages; and which teams will meet in the PAC 12 championship.
NFL QB trade talks can affect the NFL draft; Big Ten Outlook, which teams will meet in the Championship; and the final whistle about who is the best college football player of all time.
College football 2021 schedule is posted. We start with the SEC. Which teams will meet at the championship in Atlanta? Also, quick brief on the mock draft and discuss head coaching hiring.
Urban Meyers accepted the Head Coaching job at Jacksonville Jaguars. Will he succeed? Will that affect the first round pick?
Recap of the Alabama/Ohio State game, Mac Jones breaks record but no MVP, and what is next in college football.
Devonta Smith wins the AP Player of the Year. Will he win the Heisman Trophy? Smith, Mac Jones, Kyle Trask, and Trevor Lawrence are the finalists. Joe and Sean debate as to who will win on January 5th. Lastly, the semifinals will be played on Jan 1st. Notre Dame vs Alabama and Ohio State vs Clemson. Which teams will advance to the National Championship? The All 4 Downs Podcast will make their predictions as well as more information in the college football.
Discuss and predict New Year Six Bowls, Who should win the Heisman, and Bowl Mania Challenge.
Joe, Jace, Trevor, and Ovi discuss their reaction on the selected top 4 college playoff teams.
Conference Championship Week. Predictions on games; who will finish top 4 after Sunday, and more!
Week 15 review; Ohio State favoritism continues with amended regulations; and Army vs Navy football.
Coaches fired, rankings in debatable state, and predictions for week 14 games. So much information and entertainment for all.
| 1 | Colorado State | -5.5 | Air Force | 5.5
| 2 | Alabama | -26 | Auburn | 26
| 3 | Notre Dame | -5 | North Carolina | 5
| 4 | Ohio State | -28 | Illinois | 28
| 5 | Clemson | -24 | Pittsburgh | 24
| 6 | Texas A&M | -14.5 | LSU | 14.5
| 7 | Florida | -23.5 | Kentucky | 23.5
| 8 | Oregon | -13.5 | Oregon State | 13.5
| 9 | Northwestern | -13.5 | Michigan State | 13.5
| 10 | Indiana | -11.5 | Maryland | 11.5
| 11 | Georgia | -21.5 | South Carolina | 21.5
| 12 | Oklahoma | -11 | Wests Virginia | 11
| 13 | Iowa State | 1.5 | Texas | -1.5
| 14 | Coastal Carolina | -17 | Texas State | 17
| 15 | USC | -12 | Colorado | 12
| 16 | Oklahoma State | -11 | Texas Tech | 11
| 17 | Louisiana | -28.5 | UL Monroe | 28.5
In this episode, one coach is fired. Who else is on the hot seat? We recognize the leaders in each position, rank the top 25, and college pick'ems. We have that and much more on the show.
Salute to all military members and veterans. We honor them on Veteran's day. Recap on the action of week 10, review the rankings, and select games in college pick'em. All that and much more...
Week 10 review; which school is in playoff contention; and the College'pickem - Notre Dame vs Clemson / Georgia vs Florida and much more...
Welcome to another episode of All 4 Downs with host Joe Aguiar, Jace Garcia, Sean Scanlon, and Producer, Ovi Muniz. What an unbelievable college football week as we started with the highlights of Week 8 games. We will get in with the Top 25 and all the big games. However, we start off with Breaking News in the Big Ten.
Started late but did not put in a good plan, the Wisconsin Badgers and Nebraska Cornhuskers game for this Saturday has been canceled due to increased COVID-19 cases. Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz tested positive earlier in the week and so has many more in the organization. Big Ten policy is for a player with coronavirus to sit out for 21 days.
Furthermore, Ohio State and Michigan win their respective games in their opener. Plus, a look at the top 25 and outlook of the college football playoffs.
Alabama defeated Georgia 41-24. It was another SEC showdown featuring two of the best colleges in football. Mac Jones continued to dominate with his stats outshining many QBs for the Heisman race. The Big Ten debuts this weekend with Ohio State favorite to win the conference and potentially be in the college playoffs with an 8-game schedule.
Trevor Lawrence leads the Heisman race by a small margin. The All 4 Downs rankings have Clemson, Alabama, Notre Dame, and Ohio State in the top 4 with Oklahoma State and Georgia looking outside.
Jace and Joe finished tied in week 7 college pick'em games and the picks for week 8 is more challenging; adding the Big Ten to the mix.
Breaking News:
LSU Tigers and Florida Gators Postponed
After the loss to Texas A&M, Florida Gators Head Coach Dan Mullen requested to have fans at “The Swamp” for homefield advantage. Today, SEC announced that the game will be postponed due to 19 people testing positive over the past several days. Two Florida assistance were among those that tested positive.
The Missouri and Vanderbilt game was announced early this week of their postponement related to COVID – 19.
*LSU QB Myles Brennan was doubtful to play after getting banged up during Saturday’s loss at Missouri.
**Mullen backtracks his statement on packing stadium
Other news:
Controversial call by referees that cost Arkansas the win over Auburn. Instead, Auburn kicks the winning FG.
#2 Alabama defeated Ole Miss in a shootout.
ALA. Mac Jones 28-32, 417 yards, 2 TD
ALA. Najee Harris, 23 Carries, 206 yards, 5 TDs
MISS. Kenny Yeboah 7 receptions, 181 yards, 2 TDs
The game was tied 7-7 end of 1. Tied 21-21 end of 2. In the second half, Ole Miss tied the game in the 4th QTR as they went for it 4th Down and Goal on the Alabama 1 yard line. Snoop Conner rushed for a TD to make it 42-42 game.
Alabama would respond in 4 plays to score a touchdown and never allowed Ole Miss to tie again. 6 Ties, 2 different lead changes.
Nick Saban is now 21-0 against his former assistant coaches. Alabama is incredibly lucky to have a resilient QB like Mac Jones. He has been accurate with his passes and has enough weapons around him to make him a Heisman Candidate. He started the game going 12 for 12 until he had a missed completion.
Ole Miss head Coach Kiffin is an offensive genius who came up short for the upset. He comes from a family of defensive coaches that allows him to be a successful offensive mind guru.
#14 Tennessee goes down to #3 Georgia
UGA. Stetson Bennett 16-27, 238 yards, 2 TDs
UGA. Kendall Milton 8 carries, 56 yards
UGA. Kearis Jackson, 4 receptions, 91 yards, 1 TD
Tennessee was hot and ready for the game. They were the most aggressive in the first half. Tenn had the lead at the half 21-17. They stopped Georgia as the Bulldogs went for it on 4th down in the goaline. In the second half, Georgia regrouped and shutout the Volunteers 27-0. Bennett was spectacular as he threw a 21-yard pass to Kearis Jackson for a touchdown to make it 30-21. QB Jarrett Guarantano sacked by Monty Rice which he forced a fumble. He would recover the ball for a touchdown to seal the deal, 44-21.
Georgia at Alabama
Alabama leads 40 wins – 25 – 4 Ties
Alabama Current Win Streak 5 (2008-2018)
During the streak, Georgia lost the College Football Playoff National Championship 26-23 in 2018. They also lost 2 SEC Championship Games. All games were played in Atlanta, GA.
The last time Georgia visited Tuscaloosa, AL, they won 26-23. They have a two-game win streak.
Biggest Take in Week 5UPSET GAMES
TCU 33 Texas 31 (Big 12)
Iowa State 37 Oklahoma 30 (Big12)
Tulsa 34 UCF 26 (American)
Arkansas 21 Mississippi State 14 (SEC)
NC State 30 Pittsburgh 29 (ACC)___
Game of the Week
Georgia 27 Auburn 6 __________input by all members
Alabama 52 Texas A&M 24______input by all members
Second Down
TOP QBs in Week 5
Mac Jones
Shane Buechele
Trevor Lawrence
Myles Brennan
ESPN Mike Greenberg’s comment on the Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin Show. “If I were Trevor Lawrence, and the Jets have the first pick in the draft, you would have to think long and hard about staying at Clemson.”
Which team will Trevor go? (Prediction)
Could Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields both end up in New York? ___all members
College Pick ‘em Standings
| | Tulane | Houston | Pick
| | Louisville | Georgia Tech | Pick
| | Tennessee | Georgia | -13
| | Florida | Texas A&M | 6.5
| | Texas | Oklahoma | -1.5
| | Virginia Tech | North Carolina | -5.5
| | Coastal Carolina | Louisiana | -7
| | UTSA | BYU | -34
| | Arkansas | Auburn | -16.5
| | Kansas State | TCU | -8
| | Miami | Clemson | -14
| | UTEP | Louisiana Tech | Pick
| | Pittsburgh | Boston College | Pick
| | Florida State | Notre Dame | -21
| choice | Mississippi State | Kentucky | (+/-)59.5
| choice | Missouri | LSU | (+/-)55.5
| choice | NC State | Virginia | (+/-)63.5
| choice | Duke | Syracuse | (+/-)48.5
Adding over/under with picking a winner. Must get both right to receive win. Each member will choose their game. Before the show, we will dice it. Jace will roll first, Sean, Joe and Ovi. Highest roller choose their game.
Mississippi State 44 LSU 34
Mississippi States HC Mike Leach and QB K.J. Costello debuts in SEC play and knocked off #6 LSU 44-34. Costello, who was a Stanford transfer, set an SEC record with 623 passing yards and five touchdowns. Costello had 10 different receivers He threw a 75-yard pass to Kylin Hill for a touchdown that allowed the team to take the lead near the end of the 3rd quarter, 27-24. Costello would connect with Osirus Mitchell in a 24-yard touchdown pass to seal the victory 44-34.
For LSU, they become the first defending national champions to lose their opening game since Michigan in 1998 lost at Notre Dame. QB Myles Brennan played well in his debut as a starter. He threw 27-of-46 for 345 yards and three touchdowns. He did throw 2 interceptions. LSU played without their star, All-American Derek Stingly, who was hospitalized Friday falling ill (not COVID related).
Kansas State 38 Oklahoma 35
Kansas State, after losing to Arkansas State, shocks the College Football Community with a 38-35 win. The Wildcats had a depleted roster due to COVID-19. Skylar Thompson went 18-of-25, 334 passing yards and had four total touchdowns (rushed three).
Oklahoma’s QB Spencer Rattler who was a Heisman hopeful, threw three interceptions in the game. He went 30-of-41 for 387 passing yards and 4 TD passes.
Texas 63 Texas State 56 OT
Texas led the half 31-21. Texas Tech scored a touchdown at the end of the 3rd quarter to take the lead for the first time 42-38. However, the shootout resulted into overtime with either team having an answer to stop the offense. Ehlinger’s pass to Joshua Moore in overtime put them 63-56. The Red Raiders would have a chance to tie the game but QB Alan Bowman threw a wild pass that resulted in an interception by DB Caden Sterns for a Longhorns win.
Cincinnati 24 Army 10
Army started the game with a TD-Fumble within 57 seconds into the game to make it 7-0. However, the Bearcats QB Desmond Ridder threw two touchdown passes and RB Jerome Ford scored a rushing TD for the win. CIN HC Luke Fickell said, “It was tough sledding in there. They have big, physical strong guys. I don’t know that we ever felt comfortable that we could establish the running game.”
Auburn 29 Kentucky 13
Auburn had the lead at the half 8-7. Kentucky missed a 2pt conversion to tie the game in the third 15-13. The Auburn Tigers led by Bo Nix passed two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win the game.
College News Update
-
Ohio State All-American candidates CB Shaun Wade and OL Wyatt Davis return after opting out.
-
FSU HC Mike Norvell returns to practice after being sidelined due to COVID-19 positive testing.
-
GA QB JT Daniels cleared and expected to play Saturday vs. Auburn. Daniels is a transfer from USC and will replace struggling D’Wan Mathis. Stetson Bennett looked sharp but is expected to remain as a back up QB.
-
University of Houston had five scheduled opponents resulting five postponement/cancelations. Next scheduled game Oct 8 vs Tulane.
| Lousisiana Tech | BYU
| Auburn | Georgia
| Texas A&M | Alabama
| North Carolina | Boston College
| Memphis | SMU
| Texas Tech | Kansas State
| Virginia | Clemson
| Oklahoma | Iowa State
| East Carolina | Georgia State
| Ole Miss | Kentucky
| Western Kentucky | Middle Tennessee
The show started with the Suicide Prevention Month. If you or anyone need help or feel you want life to expire, please call the hotline 1-800-273-TALK. Veterans call 1-800-273-TALK. Everyone's life matters.
Deion Sanders hired as Head Coach at Jackson State University.
Recap of Week 3 highlights
College football QB leaderboards
ALl 4 Downs Top 25 teams
And..College Pick'em.
Big Ten 10 Conference it will start their season the weekend of October 24.
Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (Sun Belt Conference) defeated #23 Iowa State Cyclones (Big12)
· Iowa State lead the half 14-10.
· In 3rd QTR with 2 remaining, Levi Lewis threw a 78-yard Pass to Peter LeBlanc to take the lead for the first time.
· The Ragin Cajuns scored two more touchdowns in the 4th QTR for the 31-14 win.
Arkansas State (Sun Belt Conference) defeated Kansas State (Big 12)
· In the 4th Quarter with less than a minute remaining in the game, Layne Hatcher passed to Jonathan Adams for a 17-yard TOUCHDOWN to make it a 35-31.
· Three seconds left at the Arkansas State 40-yard line and Skylar Thompson threw an incomplete pass to Phillip Brooks for the loss.
· (note) Arkansas came into the game with a loss to Memphis last week. (L37-24)
· Arkansas State head coach – Blake Anderson – one year ago, week 2, his wife Wendy passed away fighting with cancer. She fought for two years with breast cancer. She was 49. This offseason lost his Dad.
1. Could Sun Belt Conference be considered” This season” as a powerhouse conference?
2. With BIG12 suffering two losses to a non-powerhouse conference, does that put pressure on Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor or Oklahoma State to finish the season undefeated to be voted in the playoffs? ///
(Top 25)
College Pick 'em
Interview with Special Guest Anthony Miller, Credentialed XFL Reporter/Writer for XFL News Hub, ISN blognetwork. Network Brawl, Sports Gamers On, Arena Ball Talk, and host of Beyond Pigskin Podcast
1st Down: Comments on Drew Brees
2nd Down: Who is responsible
3rd Down: The Rock's message
4th Down: Final words
The NFL Draft 2020 biggest takeaways, questions, concerns, and reaction. The NFL Draft 2020 biggest takeaways, questions, concerns, and reaction. In 1st Down, the top 10 picks and what they mean for their franchises, 2nd down is an in depth look at Dave Gettleman and the New York Giants very good draft, 3rd down the winners and losers on the 2020 NFL Draft, and 4th Down Punt!
First Down…….This week, major professional sports across the nation to include the XFL have either canceled or postponed their events due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. This has shaken everyone around the globe. In our local areas, businesses, schools, and public offices have shut down temporarily.
We are deeply sad about the news but it is the safety of every person that is a priority and helps reduce the spread of the virus. Our country will overcome this virus and go back to our way of life.
Second Down….Here is a statement made by the XFL…”Currently, The XFL will not be playing its regular season games, however, all players will be paid their base pay and benefits for the 2020 regular season. All XFL ticket holders will be issued refunds or credit towards future games. The XFL is committed to playing a full season in 2021 and future years.”
The All 4 Downs Podcast will resume before the college football season starts. We will continue to support and be ready for XFL 2021.
Third Down….
All-XFL Team of 2020
A special gratitude to our followers of the All 4 Downs Podcast: Anthony Miller, XFL Reporter and Analyst; Michael Robert Tipton, the host of The TippingPoint at FOX Sports Radio 1380 in El Paso; XFL Outsider, Slingshot Vega, XFL Insider, Robert Mercado, Varsity Manager of the New Britain High school baseball team in Connecticut; Shelby Allen, XFL analyst and writer for Back Sports Page; Shed Sports; and all the followers on facebook and Twitter.
Special thanks to my colleagues and peers - Joe Aguiar, Owner of Clovercrest Media; Sean Scanlon and Tyler Bard, who all were contributors to this show.
Continue to follow us on social media and visit hhwshow.com. I am Ovi Muniz and thank you for listening to All 4 Downs.
First Down: Recap - Houston Roughnecks remain undefeated with a questionable kneel down from PJ Walker that could have given Seattle Dragons one more possession of the game. Instead the referees left the game and the higher officials did not do enough to get the game going. Houston wins 32-23.
The New York Guardians get their first road win as they routed the Renegades 30-12. Guardians QB Luis Perez threw a deep pass to Pearson that went 80 yards for a touchdown. He went 16-of-30 completions, 229 passing yards and a touchdown.
The DC Defenders snapped their two game losing streak by benching Cardale Jones after he threw an interception. Tyree Jackson took the snap and DC defeated the Battlehawks 15-9. For Saint Louis, QB Ta’am could not get the offense going. He was pressured constantly and sacked four times during the process. Kicker Russolino made two of three field goals. Battlehawks did not score a touchdown.
Lastly, the LA Wildcats erased an 18-point deficit to defeat the Tampa Bay Vipers on a 41-34 shoot out. Josh Johnson threw 20-of-36 completions, 288 passing yards, and four touchdowns.
Standings
East
DC Defenders 3-2
Saint Louis Battlehawks 3-2
New York Guardians 3-2
Tampa Bay Vipers 1-4
West
Houston Roughnecks 5-0
Dallas Renegades 2-3
Los Angeles Wildcats 2-3
Seattle Dragons 1-4
Second Down: Officiating
PJ Walker took a knee on 4th down. Replay showed two seconds left on the clock and the referees ran out of the field. The supervisor did not do enough to maintain order on the field and get the referees back in play. It resulted in the supervisor to be relieved from duty.
Here is a statement from the XFL:
"Saturday's Seattle Dragons-Houston Roughnecks game should not have ended as it did. Replays showed clearly that the knee of Houston Quarterback PJ Walker touched the field, rendering him 'down' and the fourth-down play officially completed, with approximately two seconds remaining on the clock - effectively turning the ball over to Seattle on downs. WIth a nine-point differential in the score, Seattle was denied an opportunity to tie the game. The XFL sincerely regrets this error.
In addition, Wes Booker, who served as officiating supervisor for Saturday's game, has been reassigned."
Ejections at NY/Dallas game: Issues on the field for referees to not review the entire play when the brawl took place. Dallas DE Gerald Rivers and NY LT Jarren Jones were ejected from the game. Dallas DE Frank Alexander started it and remained in the game. NY Center Ian Silberman also remained in the game as he took part of the action as well.
Third down:
First Half Awards:
MVP Hou PJ Walker 15 TDs 1338 passing yards, LA Josh Johnson 11 TDs 1076 passing yards, and STL Jordan Ta’amu 5 passing TDs, 72 completions,
RB TB DeVeon Smith leads 365 rushing yards, HOU James Butler leads 4 rushing touchdowns, STL Matt Jones 314 rushing yards.
WR HOU Cam Phillips leads 455 reception yards and 9 touchdowns, Dal Donald Parham 4TDs, LA Tre McBride 4TDs
Defensive Player of the Year
NY DT Cavon Walker 4.5 Sacks
HOU CB Deatrick Nichols 3 INT
SEA LB Steven Johnson 30 tackles 18 assists
LA S Ahmad Dixon 31 tackles 13 assists
Fourth Down
Saturday
Houston Roughnecks (5-0) at New York Guardians (3-2) 02:00pm ABC
Saint Louis BattleHawks (3-2) at Tampa Bay Vipers (1-4) 05:00pm EST (FS2)(not all networks carry FS2)
Sunday
Dallas Renegades (2-3) at DC Defenders (3-2) 04:00pm EST FS1
Los Angeles Wildcats (2-3) at Seattle Dragons (1-4) 07:00pm EST ESPN2
First down - Recap of the XFL - NY Guardians survived a close game as they defeated the LA Wildcats 17-14. Luis Perez started as Quarterback for the Guardians but Kicker Matthew McCrane helped by kicking three Field Goals for the win. St Louis Battlehawk (3-1) defeated the Seattle Dragons (1-3) 23-16 as Jordan Ta'Amu led his team with 20-of-27 pass completions, 264 passing yards, one touchdown pass. He ran 16 times for 63 rushing yards. On the defense side, Dexter McCoil (Safety) led the team with six tackles and Will Hill (Safety) had the only turnover as he caught an interception from Dragons' QB BJ Daniels. It was the first ever "Texas Throwdown" between Houston Roughnecks (4-0) and the Dallas Renegades (2-2). The outcome of the game favored the Roughnecks as their defense collectively held the Renegades to earn bragging rights and move to 4-0 in the standings. Renegades QB Landry Jones trended number one throughout the game as he threw three interceptions in the first three possessions. Houston defeats Dallas 27-20. And, Tampa Bay Vipers earn their first win of the season as they shut out their opponent, DC Defenders 25 - 0. The game was one sided from the start as the Vipers ground game was all that was needed for victory.
That is the recap of Week 4 on the XFL
Second down: HOT or NOT
(HOT) Guardians QB Luis Perez first start with a 96.6 QBR
DE Jarrell Owens two sacks in the game...continues to dominate
(HOT) St Louis Battlehawks ground game with QB Jordan Ta’amu, RB Christine Michael, and RB Matt Jones combined 43 rushes for 133 yards. ¾ rushing ¼ passing
(COLD)
Landry Jones picked three times. Knee injury that will sideline him two weeks or more.
(COLD)
Back to Back weeks, QB Cardale Jones has lost his edge as a starter. His QBR is 30.9 and the entire offense has struggled under head Coach Pep Hamilton and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand.
Third Down - Viewership for the XFL fell for the third straight week. According to Showbuzz Daily, the league’s four games drew an average of 1.4 million viewers over the weeknd with a large drop from Saturday to Sunday.
Highest ratings were Battlehawks vs Dragons.
Are the attitudes of the players reflecting the change in the game? Are the plays a differential on getting the excitement on the game? What is causing a decrease in attendance and viewership?
Fourth Down -
SAT
Seattle Dragons (1-3)
Houston Roughnecks (4-0)
NY Guardians (2-2)
Dallas Renegades (2-2)
SUN
St Louis Battlehawks (3-1)
DC Defenders (2-2)
Tampa Bay Vipers (1-3)
LA Wildcats (1-3)
Professional football is back in a big way in St. Louis, as the BattleHawks hosted the New York Guardians at The Dome at America's Center in front of an XFL record 29,554 fans, the highest mark in an XFL game this year.
In the first game in St. Louis since the Rams left for Los Angeles after the 2015 season, fans were treated to a 29-9 BattleHawks victory that included an exciting kick return for a touchdown.
TV ratings across the board took a hit from Week 2, this week’s total attendance was a season high.
Parity also appears to be setting into the league. Only one of eight teams remain undefeated, as the Houston Roughnecks beat the 0-3 Tamp Bay Vipers 34-27 behind 4 TDs from PJ Walker
In the most surprising result of the weekend, the Los Angeles Wildcats (1-2) handed the previously undefeated DC Defenders their first loss of the season by scoring an XFL-record 39 points.
The XFL plays a 10-week regular season, and four-team playoff format leading into the championship game on April 26 from TDECU Stadium in Houston on ESPN.
XFL has a big Week 4 ahead
Just because the XFL’s ratings are doing well compared to other sports doesn’t mean the league can continue to leak viewers.
Week 4 will be important. The NFL has taken back the news cycle with the scouting combine happening this week. The XFL is getting to the point of the season in which the novelty has worn off, yet it’s too early to hype up a stretch drive for the postseason. It will be a real test to reverse the ratings decline.
The XFL is doing better than expected through three weeks. The numbers still compare favorably to other options on the sports menu.
First Down - Week 3 Recap
Starting with Saturday’s games...Houston Roughnecks defeated Tampa Bay Vipers 34-27. Vipers’ QB Cornelius attempted to drive the offense at the end but threw an interception for the second straight week. Roughneck’s QB PJ Walker and WR Camp Phillips continue to dominate in the air.
The Dallas Renegades came back from a 12-6 deficit at halftime and scored 18 unanswered points to defeat the Seattle Dragons 24-12.
On Sunday, the St Louis Battlehawks made history. They ended a total of 1,529 days with no football in the city, set an XFL record by having over 29,000 in attendance for the home opener, the first to return a kickoff touchdown, and have their kicker hit an XFL record 58-yard field goal. Battlehawks defeated the New York Guardians 29-9.
And the Los Angeles WildCats earned their first win by crushing the first place D.C. Defenders 39-9.
That is the recap of week 3 in the XFL
Second Down
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The Ugly - The New York Guardians
They were terrible---Memes display the trio of Jets, Giants, and Guardians
Head Coach/GM Kevin Gilbride upset with team performance. He talked to Mekale Mckay (WR) and said to him “Played your ass off. I give you the ball you made some plays. I may need you to be a leader here because there are guys who I thought were gonna be better than what we are at doing are not. Don't be surprised if I lean on you.”
Difference between QBs McGloin and Williams as they lead the offense
QB McGloin outbreak cry on offense in week 2; Center Silberman frustrated in week 3.
New York is killing any chances it may have with stupid penalties
Standard and Discipline are not enforced throughout the game.
The Bad
Cardale Jones 13-of-26 (50% completion) 103 passing yards, sacked three times, threw four interceptions. 2/13 third down conversion and ⅓ fourth down conversions. 0/1 red zone.
The Good
Be Frederickson (Twitter): I know the XFL is not the NFL, and I know NFL owners are motivated by greed above all, but I’m not sure how some powerful NFL people don’t see what is happening in St. Louis--relocation lawsuit plus Battlehawks success--and not feel like they picked the wrong side of divorce.
Houston Roughnecks are undefeated
PJ Walker 24-36 306 yards 3 TDs and 1 Rushing TD
Cam Phillips 10 targets 8 receptions 194 yards 84 long, 3 TDs (Back to Back weeks with 3 TDs
Average viewers - 1,704,000 ABC/ESPN
Third Down
Notable Players
HOU RB James Butler 7 carries 72 Rushing Yards; responsible for 3 First Downs and scored a 2 point conversion
DAL TE Donald Parham 5 receptions 101 yards 2 TDs. He is Landry Jones primary target.
STL RBs Matt Jones and Christine Michael (former SB Champion XLVIII Seattle Seahawks over Denver) combined 28 carries, 139 yards. Each had one TD
LA RB Martez Carter 2 rushing TDs and 1 passing TD
PJ Walker 24-36 306 yards 3 TDs and 1 Rushing TD
Option: “Each member can pick their outstanding player”
Cam Phillips 10 targets 8 receptions 194 yards 84 long and 3 TDs for the second straight week! MVP NFL
Fourth Down
LA (1-2) at New York (1-2)
SAT FEB 29 2PM EST ABC
19-9 LA
Seattle (1-2) at St. Louis (2-1)
SAT FEB 29 5PM EST FOX
26-12 STL
Houston (3-0) at Dallas (2-1)
SUN, MAR 1, 4PM EST FS1
Dal 34-22
DC (2-1) at Tampa Bay (0-3)
SUN, MAR 1, 7PM EST ESPN2
DC 38-12
--Picks--
First down - Recap of the XFL - The DC Defenders defeated the New York Guardians 27-0 becoming the first team to shut out an opponent. Cardale Jones led the team throwing 23-of-37 completions, 276 passing yards, and two touchdown passes. The Defenders defense held the Guardians with only 137 total yards. <<< Seattle Dragons trailed 3-0 at halftime. In the fourth quarter, Silver had thrown a Pick 6. On the next possession, first play, he threw a 78 yard pass for a touchdown and continued his success as the Dragons defeated the Tampa Bay Vipers 17-9<<
Houston Roughnecks quarterback P.J. Walker has been named the first ever Star of the Week after his strong Week 1 performance.
Walker was 23-for-29 for 298 total yards (272 passing) and four touchdowns.
Pro Football Focus slates DC Defenders quarterback Cardale Jones as the highest rated quarterback in the XFL following Week 1 with a 92.2 rating. Jones was 16-26 for 235 yards while throwing for 2 TDs in the Defenders' 31-19 win over the Seattle Dragons.
https://www.xfl.com/en-US/articles/pro-football-focus-xfl-week-1-stats
TEAM NOTES
Pro Football Focus also highlights five big takeaways for each of the eight XFL teams.
Dallas Renegades
OT Willie Beavers tied for the most tackle pass blocking snaps played (45) without giving up a pressure this week.
OG Salesi Uhatafe played the most guard pass blocking snaps (48) without giving up a pressure this week.
DE Gelen Robinson tied for the most run stops (4) of any XFL player this week.
LB Reshard Cliett made 3 tackles of no gain, leading the XFL.
Dallas’ offensive line led the XFL with 2.4 yards before contact per rush attempt.
DC Defenders
QB Cardale Jones led the XFL (minimum 10 attempts) in adjusted completion percentage with 87.5%.
RB Jhurell Pressley forced the second-most missed tackles (5) as a runner this week.
TE Khari Lee led the XFL tight ends in yards per route run (minimum 10 attempts) with 2.05 this week.
WR Eli Rogers tied the XFL lead in explosive receptions (3) this week.
LB Jonathan Massaquoi tied for the most pass stops (3) in the XFL.
Houston Roughnecks
OT Terry Poole tied for the most tackle pass blocking snaps played (45) without giving up a pressure this week.
WR Sam Mobley finished with the most yards per route run (minimum 10 routes) in the XFL this week with3.00.
WR Cam Phillips was one of two receivers to make multiple contested catches (2) this week.
LB Kaelin Burnett, LB LaTroy Lewis, DL Gabe Wright and ED Kony Ealy were 4 of the 5 XFL players to record 5 pressures in Week 1.
CB Jeremiah Johnson played the most coverage snaps (54) without giving up a yard in the XFL.
LA Wildcats
RB Elijah Hood forced the second-most missed tackles (5) as a runner this week.
WR Nelson Spruce was one of two receivers to make multiple contested catches (2) this week.
DE Shawn Oakman finished second in the XFL in quarterback hits this week with 2.
CB Jaylen Dunlap played the most press corner snaps (33) of anyone in Week 1.
CB Harlan Miller tied for the most forced incompletions (3) in the XFL.
NY Guardians
QB Matt McGloin led the XFL (minimum 10 attempts) with an average depth of target of 12.5 yards.
RB Darius Victor led the XFL running backs in yards per route run (minimum 10 routes) with 2.08 this week.
CB Jamar Summers played the second-most coverage snaps (43) for a cornerback without giving up a first down.
WR Colby Pearson led the XFL in average depth of target (minimum 3 targets) with a 26.8 yard average this week.
New York finished second in the XFL defensively with 20 pressures recorded in Week 1.
Stl Battlehawks
OC Brian Folkerts played the most center pass blocking snaps (34) without giving up a pressure this week.
WR De’Mornay Pierson-El finished with the most yards after catch (68) this week.
St. Louis led XFL offenses with just 7 total pressures allowed.
St. Louis allowed the fewest explosive completions defensively with just 1.
WR L’Damian Washington played the most snaps (74) without a negatively graded play.
Seattle Dragons
DE Marcell Frazier finished second on the week in pressure percentage (36.4%) among players with 10 or more pass-rushing attempts.
DT Will Sutton tied for the most total pressures by an interior defensive lineman this week with 5.
LB Steven Johnson led XFL linebackers with 4 run stops this week.
Seattle led XFL defenses with just 2.0 yards after contact allowed per rush attempt.
Seattle pressured quarterbacks on 48.5% of dropbacks, the second-best defensive number in the XFL.
TB Vipers
RB De’Veon Smith had the most yards after contact (68) as a rusher this week.
WR Daniel Williams finished with the second-most yards per route run (minimum 10 routes) with 2.86 this week.
Tampa Bay’s backfield led the XFL with 3.5 yards after contact per rush attempt.
Tampa Bay hurried quarterbacks on 36.4% of dropbacks, the second-best defensive number in the XFL.
CB Anthoula Kelly tied for the most forced incompletions (3) in the XFL.
- A kickoff designed to discourage touchbacks and increase the likelihood of a return: The ball will be kicked off from the 30-yard line, but the coverage and blocking teams will line up at the receiving team's 35- and 30-yard lines, respectively. Only the kicker and returner can move until the ball is caught, or three seconds after it hits the ground. A touchback will be spotted at the 35-yard line. Kicks out of bounds will go to the 45-yard line.
- Players can't leave the line of scrimmage on punts until after the kick. Any kicks that go into the end zone or out of bounds will be marked at the 35-yard line or wherever the ball went out of bounds, whichever is better for the receiving team. The idea is to discourage fair catches and "coffin corner" kicks, while providing more incentive to go for it on fourth down.
- Three options after scoring a touchdown: a 1-point play from the 2-yard line, a 2-point play from the 3-yard line or a 3-point play from the 10-yard line. There is no option to kick an extra point.
- A shootout-style overtime: Each team will get five single-play possessions from the 5-yard line. If the game is still tied at that point, the rotating possessions will continue until there is a winner. The XFL hopes that overtimes will be rare, in part because of the multiple options for points after touchdowns.
- A rule that allows two forward passes on one play, providing the first doesn't go past the line of scrimmage. The purpose is to encourage creative trick plays without the risk of losing possession of a lateral or backward pass, which is a live ball if it hits the ground.
- A requirement for only one foot to be in bounds for possession. XFL director of football operations Sam Schwartzstein said the change is easier to officiate quickly. It also is better for player safety, Schwartzstein said, because players take more unbraced falls while trying to place both feet in bounds.
- A total of nine officials on the field, one of whom will be dedicated solely to spotting the ball to minimize downtime between plays. XFL head of officiating Dean Blandino said most XFL officials have experience at the Division I college level. Blandino, the former NFL officiating chief, has been consulting with the XFL for more than a year. He performed a similar function for the Alliance of American Football (AAF) last spring.
- A video official who can intervene on significant non-reviewable plays when involving player safety, or on any calls inside of five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. There will also be booth-initiated reviews of traditionally reviewable plays using Hawk-Eye technology that ingests video directly from the broadcast truck.
- Allowing offensive linemen to be up to 2 yards downfield when a pass is thrown, with the hope of minimizing flags on run-pass option plays.
- A series of tweaks that the XFL hopes will cap game times at 2 hours, 45 minutes. (NFL games typically run about 3:06.) The tweaks include a running game clock that won't stop after incomplete passes or when players go out of bounds, except inside of two minutes in each half. Additionally, there will be a 10-minute halftime, two timeouts per team per half and no coin tosses. The home team will always make the choice to kick, receive or defer to start the game. The visitors will make that choice to start overtime.