Pre-Game Warm-ups: Notes: Opt Out Impact: A number of the bowl games we’ve seen have featured sloppy play in the first half followed by improved play in the second half. Why is that? Part of that is how opt-outs impact the performance of a team. These teams find out where they’re going and who they’re playing less than three weeks before they have to play the game. Then they have to navigate the slow drip of which players are opting out, which ones are entering the transfer

This year's Pinstripe Bowl Playlist: Baby, It's Cold Outside, White Christmas, Let It Snow and Jingle Bells (Dashing through the snow)...... 1st Down: Imagine Meeting You Here: The Pinstripe Bowl Penn State (6-6) vs Clemson (7-5) 12:00 ABC: There were a lot of people who thought Penn State and Clemson would meet in the postseason ---just not in New York City and not in the Pinstripe Bowl. Penn State was the preseason #2 team in the AP Poll and Clemson was #4. Penn State re

In this week’s playoff edition, we’ll discuss all the playoff games in Division I, including the FCS semifinals. We’ll start with this question: what is the most expensive playoff ticket on the market this weekend? Alabama at Oklahoma? Miami at Texas A&M? Wrong on both counts. The Most expensive playoff ticket this weekend is #3 Montana at #2 Montana State in the FCS playoffs. As of Thursday morning, these were the cheapest tickets to the 6 playoff games in Division I for thi

Army/Navy takes center stage on Saturday. But there is also this little thing called the Heisman Trophy as well as the round of 8 in the FCS playoffs. Those games shift to network TV this weekend. And then there is the small matter of Penn State hiring a new head football coach. And in the last few days we've even seen how mental health can impact people at the highest level of the game. All that is in this week’s Pigskin Stew. PRE-GAME: MENTAL HEALTH of Players and Coaches:

“You’re going where?” a friend asked when I informed him of my decision for the big college road trip for 2025.   The question was understandable given that we were among lifelong Penn State fans 2,000+ miles away from the destination of this FCS game.   “I’m going to the Brawl of The Wild…..Montana versus Montana State.” I replied.   The reaction was understandable given the list of previous trips; UCLA at USC, Ohio State at Michigan, Texas vs Oklahoma (twice), Ohio State at

It is conference championship weekend and there is serious intrigue as we head into the last days before the payoff field is set. The Friday night slate holds playoff possibilities that may not be decided until the ACC title game concludes Saturday after 11 pm. If you like sequels this is your weekend. The Mountain West, ACC, Big XII and SEC title games all feature rematches. The first round of the FCS playoffs also has two rematches.   First Down: Friday Night Action: The M

From promoting interim head coaches to macho non-conference scheduling & a big weekend of rivalry games it's all here in the Pigskin Stew Blog.

The SEC slate is filled with cupcakes this week. So, look beyond your FBS horizons and perhaps check out 3 big-time FCS rivalry games that not only represent the latest edition of these rivalries but also the conference championships of their respective leagues.   1 st Down: SEC's Grab Bag: There are a couple of worthy games among the slate non-conference scrimmages…… Arkansas (2-8) at #17 Texas (7-3) 3:30 ABC: This is a week where the Longhorns hope to clean up the droppe

Three Weeks to Go: With just three weeks to go we get into the scoreboard watching season for the conference and playoff chase. We’ve come a long way from the days waiting for the scoreboard announcer to read off “In Scores of Other Games…..” Now we can be at one game while keeping one eye watching another on the phone. Or we can be at home with a tablet, laptop, smartphone and a TV that can split screen 4 ways. You just have to know which games fall into which broadcast win

The First College Football Playoff Rankings are out and Ohio State is number one..... 1st Down: The ACC: Virginia is in the Driver’s Seat but there is a big pack in pursuit.                                                Syracuse (3-6) at #18 Miami (6-2) 3:30 ESPN: The Hurricanes had high hopes starting the season, but two ACC losses have left their conference title and playoff chances in serious jeopardy. The difference in the U’s losses to Louisville & SMU were the 6 inte