Fact or Fiction: Texas A&M Last in the West, Proposed Rule Changes, Jackson Arnold

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. Texas A&M will finish last in the SEC West.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

Dumb question right? It’s not. They finished last in 2022 didn’t they? They tied in record with Auburn at 2-6, but an awful Auburn team won the tiebreaker with a 13-10 win. So this season? We know Alabama and LSU will finish well ahead of the Aggies. And we can assume Ole Miss will also finish ahead of them which leaves Mississippi State, Arkansas and Auburn. I think they’ll be better than a rebuilding Auburn and a fading Arkansas but it wouldn’t shock me if they finished last as well.

Oct 8, 2022; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher shakes hands with Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

2. The new proposed rule changes to lessen game times are smart.

Farrell’s take: FACT

Let’s speed things up, so NFL rules are needed in some aspects. No clock stoppage after a first down is a must and allowing stoppages in the final two minutes of each half for a first down is cool. I’m not so sure about running the clock after an incomplete pass, but if it will speed things up then let’s do it. College football games are great but they are also endless at times with the amount of replay used right now.

Nov 19, 2022; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears head coach Justin Wilcox gestures while talking to the referees during the second quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium.

3. Jackson Arnold plays quality minutes for Oklahoma this season.

Farrell’s take: FACT

Dillon Gabriel is the man for the Sooners but he’s also injury prone and Arnold, the 5-star QB in the 2023 class, is way too talented to sit. Not only will he see quality minutes this season but I think he becomes the full time starter at some point either due to injury or poor play from Gabriel.