Mike Farrell Sports

College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

The Farrell Five: Who was Overrated, Heisman Candidates, Best Coaching Jobs

Mike Farrell drops his top five most overrated teams from the preseason, what his Heisman ballot looks like…

Mike Farrell
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Everyone loves lists. The best this, the strongest that. Let’s apply that randomly to college football, shall we?

Teams that were the most overrated in the preseason

— How about a list off a list? My most overrated pre-season teams list had Texas, Florida State, Penn State, and USC on it. Ooops. Here are the truly overrated teams…

1. Alabama

Sep 10, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian talks with Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban before the game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. 

2. LSU

Florida State Seminoles defensive back Renardo Green (8) intercepts the ball during a game against the LSU Tigers at Camping World Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023.

3. Clemson

Sep 4, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) talks with head coach Dabo Swinney during the fourth quarter of the season-opening game at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C.

4. TCU

Sep 2, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes stands on the field before the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

5. Wisconsin

Sep 9, 2023; Pullman, Washington, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell looks on before a game against the Washington State Cougars at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium.

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Overview:

Alabama isn’t the same program we feared as Texas took it to them at home, and their QB situation is not good, while LSU is lacking the coaching needed for a fairly elite roster. Clemson and stubborn old Dabo Swinney look very pedestrian as a pre-season top-10 team while TCU was a flash in the pan, and Wisconsin needs a season to adjust to new coaches.

Heisman frontrunners through Week 1

— My Heisman list.

1. Caleb Williams, USC

Nov 5, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) throws a pass during the second half against the California Golden Bears at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

2. Jordan Travis, FSU

Sep 3, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis (13) runs away from Louisiana State Tigers linebacker Ovie Oghoufo (2) during the second half at Camping World Stadium.

3. Quinn Ewers, Texas

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) throws a pass during the game against Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Sep. 9, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

4. Sam Hartman, Notre Dame

Aug 26, 2023; Dublin, IRL; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, left, celebrates with quarterback Sam Hartman (10) after Notre Dame defeated the Navy Midshipmen 42-3 at Aviva Stadium. 

5. Michael Penix Jr., Washington

Sep 2, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) passes against the Boise State Broncos during the first quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY

Overview:

Williams has been exceptional against weak competition, but as the reigning champ, he gets the nod. Travis and Ewers both have massive wins under their belts and could move up, while Hartman has been seamless in his transition. Penix Jr. just keeps on amassing numbers.

Best Coaching Jobs of 2023

— The best coaching jobs so far.

1. Deion Sanders, Colorado

Sep 2, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders talks to line judge Bret bascule in the second quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

2. Mike Norvell, Florida State

Sep 3, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell is excited during the fourth quarter against the Louisiana State Tigers at Camping World Stadium.

3. Steve Sarkisian, Texas

Sep. 9, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian celebrates the 34-24 win over Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Sep. 9, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Sep 3, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis (13) runs away from Louisiana State Tigers linebacker Ovie Oghoufo (2) during the second half at Camping World Stadium.

4. Lance Leipold, Kansas

Sep 8, 2023; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold looks on from the sideline during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

5. Mario Cristobal, Miami

Sep 9, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal celebrates after a touchdown against the Texas A&M Aggies during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium.

Overview:

There is no question who’s on top here, as Sanders has been remarkable. Norvell outcoached Brian Kelly badly in the win over LSU, while Sark had his team on full swagger in Tuscaloosa. Quietly, Leipold has Kansas headed to another bowl game, and Super Mario is shutting up the critics.

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