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. The Vols should have received bowl bans.
Farrell’s take: FICTION
It’s a new world, people. The NCAA has changed its stance on punishing the innocent with bowl bans for one reason — money. Why slap the Vols, a cash cow, with a two-year bowl ban for Jeremy Pruitt’s awful cheating attempts when everyone from that regime is gone? It would simply hurt the program now and trust me, an 11-win Tennessee team is good for the SEC and college football. And with NIL now where players are getting paid to pick a school legally (it’s happening, let’s not be naive), the Chick-fil-A bag of money nonsense seems trivial. So let’s move on, the NCAA did the right thing here.
2. West Virginia picked last is “lazy reporting.”
Farrell’s take: FICTION
Neal Brown was pissed. His team was picked last in the Big 12 pre-season poll, and he calls it “lazy reporting”. Is he right? Nope. WVU was 5-7 last season and didn’t scare anyone, and Brown is lucky to have a job. So the assumption that they could be a train wreck this season isn’t a bad one at all. Iowa State was the only team worse last season, but they at least have coaching stability, while the West Virginia team could lose focus very early if Brown is fired. They could start 1-4 with potential losses to Penn State, Pitt, Texas Tech, and TCU, and that could be the end for Brown. If that happens, a 4-8 season is quite possible.
3. Bedlam matters to the Sooners.
Farrell’s take: FICTION
91-19-7. That’s the Sooners’ record over Oklahoma in Bedlam, the annual rivalry game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. That’s not fair, honestly. And the Sooners don’t care it’s over as they head off to the SEC. Mike Gundy was asked about it, so of course he has to answer and he said at Big 12 media day that Oklahoma left the conference and ended the rivalry. But is it a rivalry? You’d be hard-pressed to find another “rivalry” that is so lopsided in one way. OU is off to face bigger and better opponents, and they could care less about this game.
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