College Football Rivalry Week: Open Thread

Intro:

Greetings Faithful! Welcome to Rivalry Week in college football! Just like that, we have reached the regular-season finale of the 2019 College Football season. It has certainly been a season with its twists and turns. We still have one week to go, with plenty of games that have major implications on the College Football Playoff. For LSU, Ohio State, Clemson, and Georgia…it’s very simple…WIN to stay IN the top four. Will it be as simple as it sounds? Only one way to find out.

Photo by Lon Horwedel/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The San Francisco 49ers enter week 13 at 10-1. This week they travel cross country and have a date with the hottest team in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens. This should be the game of the week and a possible Super Bowl preview. For now, the 49ers remain in the 32^nd draft slot, and a win on Sunday may keep them there for good. This is the toughest stretch of the 49ers schedule. Let’s see how the team responds to it.

Troy Dye, LB, No. 35 – Oregon
Height: 6’4” – Weight: 226 lbs.
Oregon State at #14 Oregon – 1:00 p.m. Kickoff Time (PT) – Saturday, November 30 – PAC 12 Network
2019 Stats: 63 Tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 Interception.

Troy Dye is a linebacker with speed, who can shift and change direction on a dime to put himself in position to make an impact. I particularly am intrigued by his downhill, straight-line speed. Dye has been productive both against the run and the pass. He has the speed and lateral movement to be effective against the pass. He has an impressive tackle radius, and finishes them quickly, wrapping his arms around his opponent and forcing the play dead. Shifts his body well in a position to shoot by blockers and finds gaps into the opponents’ backfield. On tape, Dye has demonstrated his ability to defend well in coverage against tight ends and running backs. Rarely have I seen Dye give up yards after the reception. Dye has good football instincts and will watch and follow the quarterbacks’ eyes to anticipate where the play is going to occur. In film and the Duck’s defensive scheme, Dye is often utilized as a cover linebacker and can be looked at as a potential three-down linebacker. I really appreciate Dye’s leadership skills and his ability to communicate and make sure his teammates are in a position to succeed. I am concerned about his frame and size. I feel he will need to bulk up and add some more weight to his frame as he transitions to the next level. Where he makes up for this, as mentioned earlier, is his speed and shiftiness. Dye isn’t the most physical linebacker in this upcoming class. However, he often puts himself in a position to make a play, and finishes his tackles, while covering multiple assignments throughout the course of a game.

Kristian Fulton, CB, No. 22 – LSU
Height: 6’0” – Weight: 201
Texas A&M at #1 LSU – 1:00 p.m. Kickoff (PT) – Saturday, November 30 - ESPN

The former 5-star recruit plays an aggressive and physical brand of football, and his style fits the demand of the competitive SEC conference. Fulton has good height and measurables for the position, and his straight-line speed can keep him on pace with receivers at all three levels on the field running fluidly through his hips. Most importantly, Fulton has developed the instincts, intangibles, and football IQ needed for the next level. This season Fulton has 27 tackles and one interception. I know the stats are not eye-popping. However his presence has left a positive impact on the Tigers’ defense. Fulton is a fringe, first-round prospect. He could end up being a steal in the second round, and with a strong combine and leadup to the draft…Fulton could be that physical corner that can be an instant contributor for the 49ers.

Heisman Watch:

Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

I still think the Heisman has Burrow’s name written on it, however Chase Young is giving voters every reason to think twice about their votes. Young has been an unstoppable force. Another dominating performance against arch rival Michigan will only add more noise to the debate. This could get interesting…

Joe Burrow, QB – LSU

Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

Justin Fields, QB – Ohio State

Jalen Hurts, QB – Oklahoma

Travis Etienne, RB – Clemson

College Football Playoff Projection (Week 14): Rivalry Week

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl – (1) LSU (SEC) vs (4) Alabama (PAC 12)

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl – (2) Ohio State (BIG10) vs (3) Clemson (ACC)

National Championship Game – (1) LSU (SEC) vs (3) Clemson (ACC)

Top 25 Schedule – Week 14: Rivalry Week!

Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

• No. 1 Ohio State at No. 13 Michigan | 12 p.m. Saturday | FOX
• No. 2 LSU vs. Texas A&M | 7 p.m. Saturday | ESPN
• No. 3 Clemson at South Carolina | 12 p.m. Saturday | ESPN
• No. 4 Georgia at Georgia Tech | 12 p.m. Saturday | ABC
• No. 5 Alabama at No. 15 Auburn | 3:30 p.m. Saturday | CBS
• No. 6 Utah vs. Colorado | 7:30 p.m. Saturday | ABC
• No. 7 Oklahoma at No. 21 Oklahoma State | 8 p.m. Saturday | FOX
• No. 8 Minnesota vs. No. 12 Wisconsin | 3:30 p.m. Saturday | ABC
• No. 9 Baylor at Kansas | 3:30 p.m. Saturday | ABC
• No. 10 Penn State vs. Rutgers | 3:30 p.m. Saturday | Big Ten Network
• No. 11 Florida at Florida State | 7:30 p.m. Saturday | SEC Network
• No. 14 Oregon vs. Oregon State | 4 p.m. Saturday | Pac-12 Network
• No. 16 Notre Dame at Stanford | 4 p.m. Saturday | FOX
• No. 17 Iowa 27, Nebraska 24
• No. 18 Memphis 34, No. 19 Cincinnati 24
• No. 20 Boise State 31, Colorado State 24
• No. 22 Southern California: OFF
• No. 23 Iowa State at Kansas State | 7 p.m. Saturday | FS1
• Virginia 39, No. 24 Virginia Tech 30
• No. 25 Appalachian State 48, Troy 13

Who are YOU excited to see in action during rivalry week? Please share in the comments below!