Offsides Top 25+5: Championship Chaos & Playoff Showdowns!

Welcome to Offsides College Football's Top 25+5! Your hosts, John and Kalen, dive into the last week of conference play, predicting the outcomes that will finalize the CFP rankings and set the stage for the highly anticipated playoffs. After a weekend of major rivalry games, the focus shifts to championship hardware and the chaos of the coaching carousel!

Top 25 & Playoff Debate

The hosts break down the latest rankings with a heavy dose of skepticism regarding the traditional Power Five superiority:

• The Unbeatens: Why is single-loss Georgia ranked ahead of undefeated Indiana? The perennial debate of strength of schedule versus an undefeated record is back, fueled by questionable SEC non-conference scheduling.

• The Beatable SEC: A vigorous argument that the SEC is not as dominant as claimed, citing Alabama's embarrassing loss and the overall lack of undefeated teams in the conference.

• Playoff Structure: The hosts discuss the need for a definitive playoff format, advocating for a Top 16 tournament to eliminate ambiguity and allow "Giant Slayers" to compete, rather than relying on negotiated picks.

Conference Championship Picks

John and Kalen lay out their predictions for the final major games, including the "Group of Five" championships:

• Big Ten Championship: Ohio State vs. Indiana

  • Prediction: Ohio State takes the win by 10 points, solidifying their position as an "elite" team.

• SEC Championship: Georgia vs. Alabama

  • Prediction: Georgia prevails by 3 points, aided by the home-field advantage in Atlanta.

• Group of Five Showdowns: Picks for Texas Tech vs. BYU (for the horseshoe), North Texas vs. Tulane (minus their coach), and UNLV vs. Boise State.

• The Commander-in-Chief's Trophy: A preview of the Army-Navy Game and the host's prediction for the ultimate service academy showdown.

  • Prediction: Navy wins by 14 points.

Heisman Hopefuls & The Coaching Carousel

The second half of the show covers individual performances and the volatile nature of the coaching business:

• Heisman Watch: Analyzing the statistics of top quarterbacks like Julian Sayin (Ohio State) and Arch Manning (Texas), and top running backs. A special shout-out is given to Owen Long (Colorado State), a defensive "demolition machine" leading the nation in tackles.

• The Kiffin Quits: The dramatic decision by Lane Kiffin to leave Ole Miss for LSU mid-playoff run, replacing him with his assistant. The hosts debate the ethics of the move and its impact on the players.

• Who's Going Where?: Tracking the major coaching hires and firings, including Summerall to Florida, Fitzgerald to Michigan State, and Hartline to South Florida.

You've got until tomorrow at 7:00 PM EST to get your picks in! Tune in next week as the guys break down the final CFP selections and the entire slate of upcoming Bowl Games!