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The 2023 season has already enjoyed its share of outrage, from Ryan Day’s feud with Lou Holtz to Dabo Swinney’s lecture to a radio show caller, but Tuesday marks the official start of outrage season.

Yes, the first priority of the College Football Playoff rankings is to determine which teams are best positioned to make a run at a national championship. But only slightly less important is the giant tub of gasoline the rankings inevitably throw on the simmering fires of fan anger.

Throughout the final weeks of each season of the four-team playoff, we’ve reenacted some version of the same drama.

Step 1: Rankings are released.

Step 2: Everybody gets mad.

Step 3: The poor sap chosen to head the committee — in this case, NC State AD Boo Corrigan — has to attempt to explain the inexplicable while the nation pelts him with metaphorical tomatoes.

Well, we hear you, and we’re happy to serve as your tomato. We can’t change the committee’s mind but we can provide a soapbox to air your grievances.

With that in mind, here’s our first installment of the 2023 Anger Index, ranking the teams with the most coherent arguments against their current rankings by those fools in Dallas.

The committee rightfully rewarded Ohio State for its two marquee wins against Notre Dame and Penn State, even if the Buckeyes haven’t always looked particularly dominant — even against the likes of Indiana or Wisconsin. But if the committee was wise enough to value Ohio State’s strengths rather than focus on nitpicking, why not do the same for FSU?

Florida State has a win over No. 14 LSU by 21. Ohio State’s big wins, by the way, are by a combined 11. Florida State also has wins over SP+ top-30 teams Duke and Clemson. FSU is undefeated against the No. 49 schedule (per ESPN Stats & Information) and ranks second in strength of record.

And yet Georgia (No. 100 schedule, No. 7 strength of record) and Michigan (No. 111 schedule, No. 9 strength of record) both check in higher.

We’re open to giving Georgia the benefit of the doubt. The Bulldogs have proved they’re postseason behemoths. But Michigan? Even with a full 23andMe DNA database on every scholarship player, the Wolverines couldn’t get past TCU.

Given that FSU’s remaining schedule isn’t exactly difficult, starting at No. 4 is a potential red flag if the race for the top four gets crowded.


The Irish are behind No. 14 LSU, another two-loss team, and, honestly, it makes no sense.

Notre Dame endured a brutal four-game stretch against ranked teams. It came away with wins over Duke and USC, and if it had remembered you can play with 11 guys on defense, it might well have a win over No. 1 Ohio State. Its two losses are to two teams ranked in the top 13, and it has a dominant win over the Trojans.


Are we possibly holding K-State’s two losses against the Wildcats because they looked bad at the time? In retrospect, losing on a ridiculous late field goal to No. 12 Missouri and by eight to No. 22 Oklahoma State doesn’t seem so bad. K-State is a victim of bad vibes more than bad performances.

A quick comparison of some two-loss teams:

Team A: 3-2 vs. FPI top 40 with an average points margin of 11.4; top 25 in offensive and defensive SP+, No. 13 overall in SP+

Team B: 3-2 vs. FPI top 40 with an average points margin of 3.2; top 5 in offensive SP+ but 43 in defensive SP+, No. 12 overall in SP+

Team A, you might have guessed, is Kansas State. Team B is LSU, which checks in nine spots higher in the rankings.

And don’t even get us started on USC being ranked higher than the Wildcats, too.


Here’s a list of the unranked two-loss Power 5 teams: Rutgers, Iowa, North Carolina and Miami.

We can understand the Rutgers snub. The Knights’ best wins came early against Northwestern and Virginia Tech teams that have both vastly improved since then.

We can understand the Iowa snub. The committee members likely fell asleep during its games.

We can even understand UNC’s snub, despite its head-to-head win over Miami. The past two losses to Virginia and Georgia Tech are inexcusable. Indeed, the committee might be doing UNC a favor. The Heels don’t play well with a little number next to their name.

But Miami? With wins over Texas A&M and Clemson? Well, there should be some genuine outrage here.

Oh, not at the committee. We get its decision. We’re just still fuming over Mario Cristobal’s refusal to kneel against Georgia Tech. If he had, Miami would be 7-1 and likely in the top 15.


JMU can’t be mad at the committee for its unranked status. This is the result of the ridiculous rule that requires any team moving from FCS to FBS to serve a two-year “transition” period in which it is ineligible for postseason play. Frankly, JMU is lucky it doesn’t have to apply a “trainee” badge on every uniform and stick a “student driver” sign on the back of the team bus, too.

But while they are not allowed to compete in the postseason quite yet, the Dukes’ on-field performance would suggest otherwise. Indeed, JMU has a good case as the best team from the so-called Group of 5 and, therefore, would otherwise be in position for a New Year’s Six Bowl — a bid that would net about $4 million for the Sun Belt, by the way.

Indeed, there are only three Group of 5 teams that currently own multiple victories over FPI top-60 opponents: Tulane, Wyoming and JMU. Only one of those teams is undefeated.

JMU also owns a road win over a Power 5 opponent (Virginia), has the No. 10 strength of record in the country (ahead of Oregon, Penn State or Notre Dame) and has won 11 straight games dating to last year.

But hey, if the NCAA says JMU should be ineligible, who are we to argue? It’s not like the NCAA has ever gotten something like that wrong before.

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Ex-QB McCarron running for Alabama Lt. Gov.

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Ex-QB McCarron running for Alabama Lt. Gov.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Former University of Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, who helped lead the team to back-to-back national championships, announced Thursday that he is running for lieutenant governor of Alabama.

McCarron made the announcement in a video posted to YouTube on Thursday. McCarron, a first-time candidate, described himself as a political outsider. He cited conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September, as his inspiration to “get off the sidelines.” McCarron, who is running as a Republican, also stressed his 2016 endorsement of President Donald Trump.

“Today, Alabama’s conservative and cultural values are under attack from every direction. That’s why Charlie Kirk’s assassination affected so many of us so deeply,” McCarron said in the video.

McCarron is seeking to be the latest figure to channel sports fame into a political win. Former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020 and is running for governor of Alabama. Former Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl had considered a run for Senate but decided against it.

“The Montgomery insiders and career politicians have had their chance. It’s time for political newcomers and outsider candidates like me to lead the battle,” McCarron said.

McCarron joins a crowded GOP field that includes Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate, pastor Dean Odle and businessperson Nicole Jones Wadsworth.

McCarron was the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback and led the team to national championship wins in the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy and went on to play for the Cincinnati Bengals and other NFL teams.

The state primaries are May 19, 2026.

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Source: Texas Tech to again start QB Hammond

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Source: Texas Tech to again start QB Hammond

Texas Tech redshirt freshman Will Hammond will start at quarterback against Oklahoma State on Saturday, a source told ESPN, marking his second straight start for the No. 14 Red Raiders.

Starting quarterback Behren Morton is recovering from a leg injury and will be available for the game, the source added, as he continues to improve. The Red Raiders have a bye after this week’s matchup with the Cowboys that will afford Morton more time to get healthy, with growing optimism he’ll return after the bye.

Hammond started last week’s 26-22 loss to Arizona State, finishing 22-for-37 for 167 yards and two touchdowns, along with 47 yards rushing and a rushing score for the Red Raiders.

Texas Tech’s offense struggled for three quarters against ASU, but Hammond led two late scoring drives that he capped with a 1-yard touchdown run and a 12-yard touchdown pass.

He also ran in a two-point conversion to give Texas Tech a late lead, only to have the comeback foiled by a late ASU touchdown drive led by quarterback Sam Leavitt in the final minute of play.

Morton has put together a dominant season for the Red Raiders. Prior to the injury, he completed 68.4 percent of his passes, throwing for 1,501 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Morton’s improved health will be crucial for Texas Tech’s finishing stretch. They play at Kansas State on Nov. 1 and host No. 11 BYU on Nov. 8.

Oklahoma State has lost six consecutive games, including a 49-17 loss to Cincinnati on Saturday night.

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OU installing padding on walls, weeks after injury

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OU installing padding on walls, weeks after injury

Oklahoma is installing padding around Owen Field after receiver Keontez Lewis ran headfirst into a brick wall three weeks ago.

A school spokesman confirmed padding will be added to both end-zone walls and the sideline walls outside the team bench areas in time for Saturday’s game between No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 8 Ole Miss. The OU Daily, the school’s student newspaper, was first to report the change.

Lewis was injured in the first quarter of Oklahoma’s 44-0 win over Kent State on Oct. 4. A pass by Michael Hawkins Jr. was a bit overthrown, and Lewis’ momentum took him into an unpadded section of the wall behind the end zone. He was carted off, prompting concerns from fans.

Most of the wall was not padded, and it is close to the field boundaries. Oklahoma coach Brent Venables had said the plans for the change were in the works within days of the injury.

Lewis played the next week against Texas, but missed Saturday’s 26-7 victory over South Carolina. He is listed on the SEC injury report as doubtful for this Saturday’s game.

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