In today’s Fact or Fiction, I look at three big recent topics in college football and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.
1. Sam Hartman should skip his bowl game.
Farrell’s take: FICTION
This doesn’t feel right, but I’m not sure why. After all, Notre Dame is playing in a crappy Sun Bowl against Oregon State and has little to gain with a win. And Hartman has little to gain as well after a pedestrian season where he threw for 2,689 yards and 24 touchdowns against 8 picks, but somehow, I think he should play. Maybe it’s because I see him as a very mid-level NFL prospect, or maybe because I see him as such a classy kid and sort of an ambassador of college football, but for me, he should be playing in his final college game.
2. USC defensive hiring is on point.
Farrell’s take: FACT
I like these two hires — DC D’Anton Lynn from UCLA is an up-and-coming name who did a solid job for the Bruins and should be an upgrade over Alex Grinch. And I really like luring North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz away to be the linebackers coach, that’s a huge deal. Organization and tackling are the biggest issues for the Trojans and these guys will help that. Will they be successful? I’m not sure, as Lincoln Riley doesn’t have a good track record, but on paper, these are solid additions.
3. Jayden Daniels should have won the Heisman.
Farrell’s take: FACT
This is a tough call, and many are calling it SEC bias, but in a close vote, it’s hard to argue against Daniels. Daniels led the nation in total offense, passing efficiency, points responsible for, and rushing yards per carry and tied the lead in touchdown passes (40) with Oregon’s Bo Nix. He completed 72.2% of his passes for 3,812 yards and had 1,134 rushing yards and 10 more scores on the ground, and even with his team losing three games with an epically bad defense, they would likely have been 6-6 at best without Daniels. I had Nix second and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. third, but I can’t argue with Daniels as the choice.
