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College Football Rankings Check: Week 7

After each week of the college football season, a fresh set of rankings drop, highlighting the Top 25 teams in the nation. There are two major polls used in the college football, the AP Poll voted on by members of the media, and the Coaches Poll voted on by, well you can probably figure that one out. In October, the College Football Playoff rankings join the other two and take over as the base rankings for the rest of the season.

Conference play is starting to heat up which means we will see more and more movement in the rankings as more Top 25 matchups appear on the schedule. In Week 6, both Alabama and Clemson were on byes keeping the top two sides in place for at least one more week. Further down the rankings though, teams shuffled around after Saturday’s results.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-10-08 at 11.49.51 AM.png — via ESPN

Dropped from rankings: Washington 15, UCF 18, Oklahoma State 21, Michigan State 25

Others receiving votes: Minnesota 80, Missouri 64, Appalachian State 61, Washington 54, Tulane 25, California 20, Michigan State 17, Arizona 11, UCF 9, USC 5, Iowa State 5, Pittsburgh 2

Ohio State defeated a ranked Michigan State team at home, helping them garner a few more first place votes and enough to send them into a tie with Georgia for the No. 3 spot. Florida jumped up to No. 7 with a big time victory over SEC rival Auburn, and Penn State slides into the Top 10 for the first time this season.

With the loss to Florida, Auburn tumbles out of the Top 10, down to No. 12 and faces an uphill battle should they hope to make the College Football Playoffs. Michigan and Iowa both saw three spots of movement after the Wolverines slugged their way to a 10-3 victory over the Hawkeyes in Ann Arbor.

Washington, Central Florida, Oklahoma State, and Michigan State all tumbled from the rankings while Baylor, Memphis, and Cincinnati all hopped into the Top 25.

Sitting at No. 14 and No. 21 respectively, Boise State and Southern Methodist are the highest ranked Group of Five teams, positioning themselves for a shot at a New Year’s Six bowl game.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-10-08 at 11.50.12 AM.png — via ESPN

Dropped from rankings: Washington 16, UCF 19, Michigan State 23, Oklahoma State 25

Others receiving votes: Cincinnati 74, Washington 72, Appalachian State 49, Michigan State 41, Tulane 36, California 17, Hawai’i 13, Arizona 13, UCF 11, Washington State 9, Navy 8, TCU 5, Mississippi State 3, San Diego State 2, Army 1, Temple 1

Ohio State accumulated enough points to jump over Oklahoma on the Coaches side, making the Top 4 the same in both the AP and Coaches polls. Florida, Wisconsin, and Penn State all improve their positioning with wins.

Like the AP Poll, Auburn sits at the No. 12 spot after a their setback against Florida on Saturday. Iowa joined Auburn in sliding down the standings after falling to Michigan, a result which saw the Wolverines continue their climb back up the rankings.

Like the AP Poll, Washington, Central Florida, Michigan State, and Oklahoma State all fell from the rankings following losses. Replacing them are South Methodist, Baylor, Arizona State, and Minnesota.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 7

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 7

Screen Shot 2019-10-08 at 11.55.29 AM.png — via NCAA

There are four ranked matchups on the docket for Week 7, and a few other games you should keep an eye on. Alabama will play its first game as the No. 1 ranked team this season when they take on No. 24 Texas A&M in College Station.

Coming off their big win over Auburn, No. 7 Florida travels to Death Valley to meet up with No. 5 Louisiana State in what could be a playoff elimination game. It will be interesting to see what the Gators have left in the tank to take on a proven Tigers team on the road.

It’s Red River Rivalry week where No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 11 Texas go head-to-head at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Oklahoma has looked unstoppable through five games and the Longhorns cannot afford another loss if they hope to make the College Football Playoff.

Penn State heads on the road for their first real test of the season against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Kinnick Stadium has not always been kind to the Nittany Lions, so expect a tough road test coming for the No. 10 side in primetime.

Some other non-ranked matchups to keep an eye on that could change the landscape of the college football season. A rivalry showdown between No. 9 Notre Dame and Southern California does not carry its usual luster, but the Trojans have upset two ranked sides already this season and will be playing for pride against the Irish.

In the Mountain West, current Group of Five leader Boise State looks to keep their New Year’s Six hopes on track when they host a talented Hawaii side on the famous blue turf in the Idaho capital.

Each and every week throughout the college football season we will be checking in with the latest rankings and Top 25 schedule so make sure you are checking back to keep up to date on the latest from the college football world.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 6

Due to North Carolina pushing No. 1 Clemson to the brink of an upset on Saturday, we have a change atop the polls for the first time this season. Alabama takes over the top spot from Clemson as four teams get first place votes from the media and the coaches.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-10-01 at 3.46.11 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: California 141, Memphis 71, Appalachian State 50, Army 44, Missouri 26, Baylor 19, Colorado 19, Minnesota 15, USC 7, Kansas State 1, Tulane 1

Dropped from rankings: California 15, USC 21, Kansas State 24

Alabama jumps to No. 1 for the first time this season while Clemson, Georgia, and Ohio State all receive first place votes. The Buckeyes hop over Louisiana State into the No. 4 spot after crushing Nebraska in Lincoln on Saturday night.

Most of the major movement in this week’s AP Poll came in the bottom half of the rankings where Washington, Utah, Central Florida, and Michigan all moved up with victories.

Virginia and Texas A&M both took a tumble but remained ranked, while California, Southern California, and Kansas State all rejoined the unranked party following losses over the weekend.

Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Wake Forest, and Southern Methodist all came away from Week 5 with big wins that were enough to help propel them into the Top 25 heading into another weekend slate of games.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-10-01 at 3.46.33 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: California 125, SMU 118, Arizona State 96, Army 47, Minnesota 34, Baylor 34, Appalachian State 28, Colorado 18, Duke 17, Tulane 16, Utah State 15, Kansas State 13, Hawai’i 10, USC 9, TCU 6, Mississippi State 3, Air Force 3, Washington State 3, Wyoming 2

Dropped from rankings: California 16, Kansas State 22, USC 25

Like the AP Poll, Alabama jumps Clemson to take over the No. 1 spot, but they do so with less first place votes. Georgia and Ohio State also snag first place votes but sit third and fifth respectively.

Again, like the AP poll, most of the notable movement takes place in the bottom half of the rankings. Central Florida and Wake Forest are the big movers while Washington, Utah, and Michigan climb marginally. Virginia is the biggest loser, tumbling for spots after its loss to Notre Dame.

California, Kansas State, and Southern California all drop out of the rankings to be replaced by Memphis, Michigan State, and Oklahoma State.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 6

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 6

Screen Shot 2019-10-01 at 4.15.40 PM.png — via NCAA

Three Top 25 matchups on the docket this week, all with potential long term playoff implications depending on how things shake out. No. 4 Ohio State has been perhaps the most impressive team in the country through five weeks, but they will be facing their first ranked matchup against Michigan State on Saturday.

No. 7 Auburn takes a trip to the swamp to face No. 10 Florida in what could serve as a playoff elimination game. Both sides are undefeated, but a win will propel one side up the standings while the other may see their playoff hopes shattered.

Kicking off this week’s slate of ranked matchups is No. 14 Iowa traveling to Ann Arbor for a Big Ten showdown with No. 19 Michigan. Michigan rebounded from their drubbing against Wisconsin with a win over Rutgers, but another loss likely ends any hope of a conference title let alone any future playoff hopes. Iowa needs to remain undefeated as long as possible and pick up wins against any ranked opponents along the way to keep their name in the playoff discussion.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 5

Following a week of relative calm among the college football rankings, Week 4 injected a little chaos into the mix and some teams paid a high price for their performances. Upsets in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh along with a curb stomping in Madison reshaped the polls and possibly the entire outlook of the college football season.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-25 at 1.20.30 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Wake Forest 73, Oklahoma State 57, SMU 55, Army 46, Memphis 42, Iowa State 31, Appalachian State 24, Washington State 21, Mississippi State 14, Missouri 14, Pittsburgh 6, Minnesota 5, Arizona State 5, Colorado 5, Tulane 1

Dropped from rankings: Washington State 19, Arizona State 24, TCU 25

No change among the leading four teams besides Georgia snagging a single first place vote after its big victory over Notre Dame. Speaking of the Fighting Irish, they put up a good fight in Athens, but ultimately, the loss pushes them down to No. 10.

Wisconsin bursts into the Top 10 for the first time this season after a commanding and dominating performance over Michigan. In turn, the Wolverines, who were already on thin ice, take a major tumble to No. 20.

Utah matched the nine spot tumble of Michigan with a nine spot fall of their own to No. 19 after losing ugly to Southern California on Friday night. Central Florida dropped its first regular season game in nearly three years in a shock upset to Pitt at Heinz Field and paid the price. Washington State, Arizona State, and Texas Christian all lost and dropped out of the rankings.

With the victory over Utah, Southern Cal jumped back into the Top 25 after a week unranked. Joining the Trojans among the newly ranked are Kansas State and Michigan State.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-25 at 1.20.43 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Memphis 109, Washington State 83, Michigan State 82, SMU 63, Oklahoma State 51, Army 45, Mississippi State 34, Appalachian State 27, Colorado 12, Minnesota 9, Utah State 9, Tulane 8, Iowa State 7, Nebraska 7, Arizona State 6, TCU 5, Navy 4, Duke 3, Arizona 1, Hawai’i 1

Dropped from rankings: Washington State 19, Arizona State 24

A lot of similarities between the Coaches Poll and the AP Poll, especially in the Top 10. Georgia grabs a first place vote, but other than that the top six all remain the same from last week. Wisconsin is the big mover, jumping five spots and landing safely in the Top 10.

Notre Dame takes a minor hit after its loss to Georgia, while Utah, Michigan, and Central Florida were the big losers on the week. Those drops helped a handful of teams pick up a few spots, especially undefeated sides Virginia, California, Boise State, and Iowa, all of which now sit inside the Top 20.

Undefeated Wake Forest did not make the rankings on the AP side, but the coaches like what they have seen from the Demon Deacons through four games and rewarded them with a Top 25 spot. Southern Cal jumps back into the poll after upsetting Utah.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 5

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 5.

Screen Shot 2019-09-25 at 2.09.21 PM.png — via NCAA

Twenty of the AP Top 25 are in action this week as conference play starts to hit full stride. A pair of ranked matchups highlight the schedule, with No. 10 Notre Dame hosting No. 18 Virginia and No. 21 Southern Cal heading to Seattle to face No. 17 Washington.

Even with the lack of ranked matchups on the docket, there are a few ‘prove it’ games for ranked teams that will be facing their first real test of the season. Several teams are also facing a make or break game that could eliminate them from any playoff discussion should they lose.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 4

No ranked matchups and no major upsets means we saw very little movement in the polls this week, especially in the Top 10. There was some minor shuffling in the bottom half of the polls but nothing overly significant that should have any major impact on the playoff race. Here’s how everything stands as the college football season rolls into Week 4.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-18 at 7.30.30 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Kansas State 91, Oklahoma State 51, Army 50, Michigan State 37, Memphis 26, Wake Forest 14, BYU 12, Temple 7, Iowa State 7, Mississippi State 4, Appalachian State 2, Minnesota 1

Dropped from rankings: Michigan State 18, Maryland 21, USC 24

It was a quiet week mostly for AP Top 10 teams with one minor standout. Utah’s win was enough to push them past idle Michigan and into the Top 10 for the first time this season. As it stands, it looks like the Utes will be the best bet for the PAC-12 to reach the College Football Playoff, something the conference has not done since Washington in 2016.

There was more shuffling in the bottom half of this week’s AP Poll, with Central Florida cracking the Top 15 after schlakcing Stanford at home. Boise State and Virginia continue to be rewarded for their strong starts.

Upsets dropped Michigan State, Maryland, and Southern California from the Top 25, to be replaced by California, Arizona State, and Texas Christian.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-18 at 7.30.42 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Oklahoma State 100, Memphis 68, TCU 55, Michigan State 40, Wake Forest 33, Army 31, BYU 28, Kentucky 14, Appalachian State 12, Temple 7, Mississippi State 6, Minnesota 5, Duke 4, Nebraska 4, Navy 4, Tulane 3, Iowa State 3, Arizona 1, Wyoming 1, SMU 1

Dropped from rankings: Michigan State 19, Mississippi State 23, USC 24, Maryland 25

The only major changes from last week to this week in the Coaches Poll was the teams moving out and who replaced them. Once again, it was Michigan State, Southern California, and Maryland all dropping out, with Mississippi State joining them. Jumping into the Coaches Top 25 is Virginia, California, Arizona State, and Kansas State.

In the top half of the new Coaches Poll, the Top 10 all remains steady, while Utah and Penn State simply flip places while both remaining undefeated through three games.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 4

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 4.

Screen Shot 2019-09-18 at 7.50.38 PM.png — via NCAA

After a week of no Top 25 matchups, we are rewarded with three this week, two of which could serve as College Football Playoff elimination games.

First we have No. 11 Michigan traveling to Madison to take on No. 13 Wisconsin. Michigan entered the season as the Big Ten favorite but looked anything other than convincing through their opening two games. One loss would not necessarily end playoff hopes for either side, but a win will go a long way towards helping.

Then at night, No. 7 Notre Dame heads between the hedges for a primetime showdown with No. 3 Georgia in Athens. General consensus is Notre Dame must run the table to qualify for the playoffs so any loss could sink their season. There is a very real chance Georgia could lose this game and still be in the running for the playoff, but their margin for error would be razor thin.

Our final ranked matchup of the week features No. 8 Auburn going on the road to face No. 17 Texas A&M. Auburn started the season with a win over Oregon, so another victory over a Top 25 side will do wonder for their playoff hopes.

Other than that, it’s a rather run of the mill week for the Top 25, with 22 ranked teams in action throughout the weekend.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 3

Two weeks of college football are in the books and for the first time this season, there was some significant movement in the polls after a busy slate of games. Let’s take a peak at how the teams stack up heading into Week 3.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-11 at 8.13.58 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Iowa State 96, California 95, Mississippi State 73, TCU 66, North Carolina 48, Army 42, Colorado 21, Oklahoma State 20, Memphis 12, Arizona State 4, Appalachian State 2, Syracuse 2, Kentucky 2, Boston College 2, Minnesota 1

Dropped from rankings: Syracuse 21, Stanford 23, Iowa State 25, Nebraska 25

No change in the Top 3 as Clemson, Alabama, and Georgia all won decisively. Louisiana State is the big mover after their victory over Texas to vault all the way up to No. 4 and put three SEC teams in the Top 4.

Michigan scrapes by Army in overtime and falls three spots while Florida jumps into the Top 10. Texas put up a battle against LSU but the loss ultimately sends them down three spots. Same case for Texas A&M after falling to Clemson. Washington is the big loser on the week, dropping nine places after an ugly loss to California.

Maryland makes its Top 25 debut after thrashing previously ranked Syracuse by 43 points on Saturday. Southern California and Virginia join the Terrapins in climbing from the depths of the unranked.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-11 at 8.14.07 PM.png — via @ESPN

Others receiving votes: Virginia 64, Kentucky 62, California 51, Iowa State 48, Memphis 46, Oklahoma State 45, North Carolina 42, Army 31, Boston College 31, NC State 28, TCU 28, Colorado 16, Stanford 8, Hawai’i 7, Appalachian State 6, Minnesota 5, Wyoming 3, Troy 2, Arizona State 2, Wake Forest 2, Nebraska 1, Navy 1, Tulane 1

Dropped from rankings: Syracuse 22, Stanford 23, Nebraska 25

On the coaches side, the Top 4 remains steady as LSU only jumps a single spot to No. 5 in the poll. Michigan once again pays for its struggles with a three spot drop while rivals Texas and Texas A&M are both docked four places in the standings.

Mimicking the AP poll, Washington takes a nine spot tumble for their inexplicable loss to California at home. On the flip side, Auburn, Penn State, and Utah were the big winners in the voting, moving upwards multiple spots.

Mississippi State, Southern Cal, and Maryland are the three new sides joining the party with the Bulldogs being the one difference between the Coaches and the AP.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 3

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 3.

Screen Shot 2019-09-11 at 8.27.28 PM.png — via NCAA

That is a pretty grim schedule with no AP Top 25 sides facing-off in Week 3. We came close to the first ever ranked showdown between Iowa and Iowa State, but the Cyclones were on a bye and fell out of the Top 25.

There are still some attractive matchups to watch this weekend with Pitt and Penn State meeting for the 100th time in their history while 2017 National Champions Central Florida play host to former ranked squad Stanford in Orlando.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 1

With the college football season underway and the first week of game complete, a new set of national polls have been released, ranking the Top 25 teams in the country. Let’s see how the teams stack up after Week 1.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-05 at 12.30.03 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Virginia 73, TCU 61, Mississippi State 50, Cincinnati 48, Army 31, Miami 10, Oklahoma State 8, Memphis 6, Appalachian State 4, Arizona State 4, Minnesota 2, North Carolina 1, USC 1, Boston College 1

Auburn and Oregon are the biggest movers after their thriller in Dallas on Saturday night. Auburn jumps into the Top 10 after their last second victory while the Ducks slide down to #16. Iowa State and Florida both fall even with victories. Boise State joins the rankings with their come from behind victory over Florida State. Clemson and Alabama hold onto the top two spots, picking up all 62 first place between themselves.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-05 at 12.30.40 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Mississippi State 92, Cincinnati 49, Iowa State 41, Kentucky 40, Memphis 34, Oklahoma State 32, Virginia 28, TCU 26, Army 24, NC State 18, Miami 11, Boston College 10, USC 10, Northwestern 7, Appalachian State 4, Arizona State 4, Tulane 4, Fresno State 3, Hawai’i 3, Minnesota 3, North Carolina 2, Troy 2, Wyoming 1, Navy 1

Less movement in the Coaches Poll compared to the AP with Auburn being the biggest gainer and Oregon the biggest slider. Boise State and Nebraska make their first appearance in the coaches poll with victories. Iowa State and Northwestern both fell out of the Top 25 after Week 1.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 2

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 2.

Screen Shot 2019-09-05 at 1.13.31 PM — via NCAA

Nearly all of the AP Top 25 teams are in action this weekend, with No. 25 Iowa State being the only outlier. There will be two games featuring Top 25 teams squaring off with No. 1 Clemson hosting No. 12 Texas A&M and No. 6 LSU heading to Austin to take on No. 9 Texas.

It’s Time for the Best Dressed Game in Football

Each season, college football saves its final weekend of regular season football for one of the game’s most iconic rivalries. Dating back to 1890, the Army/Navy game has been a staple of the college football calendar, with the two sides meeting a total of 118 times. Navy leads the all-time series, but recently, Army has been the one celebrating victory between the United States most prestigious military academies.

There are several traditions surrounding the contest, many dating back decades that highlight this fierce rivalry. One of the most iconic traditions is following the conclusion of the game when both teams remain on the field to sing their respective alma maters. What makes this tradition noteworthy is the winning school always sings second, while the losing side goes first.

One of the more recent traditions that has become a staple of this century long rivalry has been the uniform battle between the sides. Every year, both Army and Navy release a special uniform set to be worn for the game, with the new threads honoring the history of the respective service academies. For example, last season Army honored the historic 10th Mountain Division while Navy paid tribute to the legendary Blue Angels flight team.

Today, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Army and Navy will meet on the gridiron for the 199th time. Those decades long traditions will all be on display from pregame to the alma maters at the end. Included in those traditions once again is the fashion matchup between the two prestigious institutions with each side bringing the goods for fans to enjoy.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at what both Army and Navy have to offer when they meet on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia.

Navy

Starting off with the designated visiting team, the Navy Midshipmen representing the Naval Academy from Annapolis, Maryland.

As the away side Navy will be wearing the standard road white color accented with the traditional blue and gold colors of the Naval Academy. You will surely notice their logo is prominently displayed on both the helmet and shoes. The uniform is a nod to “Bill the Goat” the official mascot of the Midshipmen.

Bill the Goat is also an actual goat that is housed on the Naval Academy campus and will in all likelihood be making the trip to Philadelphia for the contest. Bill is one of the marquee symbols associated with the Navy football program and it feels right that he is finally getting his due.

While the helmet and the shoes will be the most obvious places to look if you want to see the logo during the game, Navy will also place the logo on players’ gloves. Each glove will feature a part of the logo but when put together will display it in its entirety.

This uniform set is a great tribute to one of the most iconic symbols associated with the Naval Academy but the uniform still contains several other more traditional elements of the Navy football program. Along the the traditional Navy colors, the Navy “N*” is visible on the shoulders with the globe and anchor logo being placed on the left hip.

Bill the Goat has a long history, dating back well over 100 years, outdating the rivalry itself. His story and how he came to be a symbol of the Navy is best explained by the Academy itself.

“The Navy Goat mascot came to be in 1893 when officers from the USS New York, a United States Naval transport ship, gifted a goat named El Cid to the Naval Academy. The Naval Academy appointed this goat the honorary mascot for the fourth-ever Army-Navy game, in which Navy beat Army in a momentous victory. To commemorate the win, the goat was appointed team mascot and became a valued symbol of the Navy football program.”

To find out more history about Bill the Goat or the uniforms themselves, you can head on over the Navy Athletics website where they have a good explainer on the mascot and what went into the making of this year’s uniform design.

Army

Switching sidelines, we turn our attention to the Army Black Knights representing the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Black is a traditional part of the Army football color scheme but red is most certainly not. However, there is a very good reason for it being a prominent part of this year’s Army uniforms.

Known as the Big Red One, the Army 1st Infantry Division was the first permanent division of the United States Army and played a vital role in helping end the First World War a century ago. Honoring the legacy of the 1st Infantry Division and their efforts in ending the Great War, Army will wear these special Big Red One uniforms when they take on Navy later today in Philadelphia.

The most distinguishable part signifying the Big Red One on the uniforms is the division insignia located on the crown of the helmets in the form of a red colored “1” along with the words “BIG RED ONE” on the right side of the chest.

On the both shoulders of these special Army uniforms you can see a black lion type design that is given a high gloss effect to stick out from the normal black the uniform consists of. This symbol is highly significant to the 1st Infantry Division as it pay homage to the “Black Lions of Cantigny” who were the first United States regiment to win a decisive victory during the country’s involvement World War I.

Another nod to the Division’s efforts during WWI can be seen on the back of the helmets being worn against Navy, where a WWI era flag decal will be featured. This flag features 48 stars, the number of states at the time of the conflict in 1918.

In total, seven regiments making up the 1st Infantry Division will be honored with special emblems are branch insignia worn by the players on the field. These emblems can be seen on the neckline of the Army uniforms.

It took almost three years of fighting before the United States became involved in the Great War, but when President Woodrow Wilson made the decision to send troops to Europe to fight, the Big Red One was formed.

“President Woodrow Wilson promised the Allies he would send “a division” to France immediately, but the Army had no such divisions. The United States quickly ordered four infantry and three artillery regiments from the Mexican border in Texas to Hoboken, N.J., to board transports to France. That group of seven regiments joined together to officially form the “1st Expeditionary Division,” later the 1st Infantry Division, under Brigadier General William L. Sibert on June 12, 1917. With more than 28,000 men, the “Big Red One,” as the division was later nicknamed from its shoulder sleeve insignia, was twice the size of either the allied or German divisions on the Western Front.”

To unveil the uniforms, Army dropped a slick video recreating a battle scene from the trenches of World War I in France.

To learn more about the 1st Infantry Division and the uniforms created to honor them, Army created an entire website dedicated to the Big Red One, detailing the history and significance of America’s first permanent military division.

When Army and Navy meet later this afternoon in Philadelphia, it will mean much more than just who wins and who loses. The young men playing will someday be fighting on the front lines to protect all that we hold dear as Americans.

For 60 minutes, they will do battle with one another while dressed to honor those who came before them. Someday in the near future, the battle will no longer be amongst one another, but against an enemy who wishes to bring only harm to them and their country.

These young men are the future military leaders of our great country and will be sacrificing their lives to protect our freedoms, they earned this day. That’s what makes this game so special. Consider taking even a small amount of time during your Saturday afternoon to tune in and check out one of the greatest sporting spectacles the game of football has to offer.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 PM and the game will be broadcast live on CBS.

Best of luck to both the Cadets and Midshipmen. May the best Academy win. Don’t forget, winner sings second.

College Football Preview: Big Ten

College football season is right around the corner and that means it is time to preview the year. The Bat Flip’s 2018 college football preview will feature several different conference previews along with a comprehensive preview looking at the entire season. If the past few seasons are any indication, 2018 should be filled with drama and chaos until the very end when Alabama wins another National Championship.

Check out our full college preview episode of the FlipCast right here.

Oftentimes, the Big Ten is the butt of a lot of jokes across the college football world. The conference has a long standing reputation of being more about playing hard nose, grind it out football than the splashy, fast paced modern version of the game.

For the most part, Big Ten teams have adapted to the modern game where the skill positions are more valuable than ever. On the flip side of that, the conference has done a great job at still holding on to aspects of the game that sets it apart from other conferences. While Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, and even Wisconsin (to a point) move forward, there are still teams like Iowa and others who bring that certain charm to Big Ten football.

None of that is a knock on the conference or any of its 14 teams, it’s just a character trait that makes it more endearing to many college football fans and an easy target for its detractors.

Whatever your personal thoughts are on Big Ten football, it provides more than enough excitement to keep fans tuned in and produces perhaps the most difficult division in all of college football. Entering 2018, the Big Ten East will include FOUR teams ranked in the Top 15 of the preseason AP poll and all four could make a case to make the College Football playoff.

In the West division, Wisconsin still looks the favorite to reign supreme but several teams will be improved and licking their chops to knock the Badgers off their pedestal.

This is shaping up to be an incredible season of Big Ten football. You won’t want to miss a second.

The Teams

Fourteen schools makes up the Big Ten conference with teams being split into two divisions of seven schools a piece. The divisions are as follows:

East: Indiana Hoosiers, Maryland Terrapins, Michigan State Spartans, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Rutgers Scarlet Knights

West: Illinois Fighting Illini, Iowa Hawkeyes, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers, Wisconsin Badgers

Each team will play everyone in its division along with three teams from the opposite division for a total of nine conference games during the 2018 season. Once the regular season ends, the winner of the East division will take on the winner of the West division in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

East Division

Indiana Hoosiers

Official Name: Indiana University
Head Coach: Tom Allen (2nd season)
Location: Bloomington, Indiana
2017 Recap: 5-7 (2-7 Big Ten), 6th in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: Playing in the Big Ten East is not easy for any of the seven teams in the division and it is especially difficult if you are not one of the traditional powers. That’s the case for Indiana but these are not your grandpa’s Hoosiers. Consecutive bowl trips in 2015 and 2016 should have this squad hungry to make another postseason appearance after taking a step back last season.

Schedule

Maryland Terrapins

Official Name: University of Maryland
Head Coach: D.J. Durkin (3rd season), Matt Canada (acting head coach)
Location: College Park, Maryland
2017 Recap: 4-8 (2-7 Big Ten), 7th in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: Maryland was not supposed to be this bad in 2017 but such is life in the Big Ten East. To make matters worse, the Terrapins open the 2018 season in complete disarray. Head coach D.J. Durking is still on administrative leave while the school completes its investigation into the death of a player from earlier in the summer. An upset of Texas was the highlight of last season, but it is difficult to imagine Maryland doing much of anything this year.

Schedule

Michigan State Spartans

Official Name: Michigan State University
Head Coach: Mark Dantonio (12th season)
Location: East Lansing, Michigan
2017 Recap: 10-3 (7-2 Big Ten), 2nd in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: A disastrous season in 2016 was quickly forgotten by the Spartan faithful thanks to a bounceback 2017 season that saw Sparty win 10 games, including victories over Michigan and Penn State. Now back in the national conversation, Michigan State will be a major factor in the hotly contested Big Ten East division. Anything less than another 10+ wins will be seen as a disappointment for the Spartans, especially with Ohio State and Michigan both traveling to East Lansing.

Schedule

Michigan Wolverines

Official Name: University of Michigan
Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (4th season)
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
2017 Recap: 8-5 (5-4 Big Ten), 4th in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: For all the hype Michigan receives you would expect them to have a few Big Ten titles under their belt. That has not been the case through Jim Harbaugh’s three seasons as head coach and the task is not getting any easier. An opening test against Notre Dame will be a good measuring stick for a team looking to finally break through and win the Big Ten. Should they fall flat once again, a coaching change could be in store for the Wolverines.

Schedule

Ohio State Buckeyes

Official Name: The Ohio State University
Head Coach: Urban Meyer (7th season)
Location: Columbus, Ohio
2017 Recap: 12-2 (8-1 Big Ten), 1st in Big Ten East, Big Ten Champion

2018 Outlook: Ohio State is another Big Ten program under heavy scrutiny as the 2018 season kicks off. Head coach Urban Meyer is suspended the first three games of the season for his involvement in the Zach Smith scandal and once he returns questions will still linger. As always, the Buckeyes have the talent to win a national championship but it remains to be seen how the scandal effects the players going forward.

Schedule

Penn State Nittany Lions

Official Name: The Pennsylvania State University
Head Coach: James Franklin (5th season)
Location: State College, Pennsylvania
2017 Recap: 11-2 (7-2 Big Ten), 3rd in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: Consecutive 11 win seasons have Penn State back in the upper echelon of college football and in the discussion to make the College Football Playoff. Saquon Barkley is gone along with a host of big time playmakers from past years, but Trace McSorley returns with Heisman aspirations. A turnover at the offensive coordinator position has some worried, but there is still enough talent to push the Nittany Lions to another double digit win season.

Schedule

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Official Name: Rutgers University
Head Coach: Chris Ash (3rd season)
Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
2017 Recap: 4-8 (3-6 Big Ten), 5th in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: Overall, Rutgers finished with a worse record than Indiana but ahead of them in conference. Don’t let that fool you however, Indiana blasted Rutgers 41-0 in their meeting last year and Rutgers was still badly outscored for the whole season. This year’s schedule actually works in their favor to begin the season but turns into a nightmare with the final four games being against Wisconsin, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State. Expect a return to the Big Ten East basement for the Scarlet Knights.

Schedule

West Division

Illinois Fighting Illini

Official Name: University of Illinois
Head Coach: Lovie Smith
Location: Champaign, Illinois
2017 Recap: 2-10 (0-9 Big Ten), 7th in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: The Big Ten West is much less daunting that its counterpart to the east but that won’t matter much for the Illini this year. Bowl-less since the 2014 season, the Illini are still in a full on rebuild under Lovie Smith and appear to be a year away from sniffing the post season once again. It’s a young squad who should improve and even break its conference losing streak.

Schedule

Iowa Hawkeyes

Official Name: University of Iowa
Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz (20th season)
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
2017 Recap: 8-5 (4-5 Big Ten), 3rd in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: There have been few teams as consistent as Iowa over the years but that consistency usually results in between six or eight wins every year. Twelve wins in 2015 sent the Hawkeyes to the Rose Bowl but for the most part Kirk Ferentz has delivered slightly above average performances. A relatively favorable schedule means they only face Penn State out of the East and an upset over Wisconsin could put them in the West drivers seat. You can easily conceive a scenario where Iowa wins nine or ten games this season and plays in a New Year’s Day bowl game.

Schedule

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Official Name: University of Minnesota
Head Coach: P.J. Fleck (2nd season)
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
2017 Recap: 5-7 (2-7 Big Ten), 6th in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: A 3-0 start last season quickly turned to 3-3 then worse for the Golden Gophers in P.J. Fleck’s first season as head coach. A tough three game stretch in October sees Minnesota play Iowa, Ohio State, and Nebraska but if they can walk away still in one piece a bowl could be waiting for them in December. Still young in terms of experience, the biggest goal this season will be showing positive improvement from last year.

Schedule

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Official Name: University of Nebraska
Head Coach: Scott Frost
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
2017 Recap: 4-8 (3-6 Big Ten), 5th in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: A once proud program, Nebraska has gone through some lean years since joining the conference but looked poised for a rebirth under new head coach Scott Frost. An immediate turnaround may be a little too much to ask (schedule features Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Michigan State) but fans will just be looking for any hope that the future is as bright as its past once was. Simply returning to bowl play should be the target for Frost and Co. this season.

Schedule

Northwestern Wildcats

Official Name: Northwestern University
Head Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (13th season)
Location: Evanston, Illinois
2017 Recap: 10-3 (7-2 Big Ten), 2nd in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: Northwestern ended 2017 on an eight game winning streak* that featured victories over No. 16 Michigan State and SEC foe Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. This also marked the second time in three seasons that Northwestern won 10 games in a season, quite a feat for the former basement dwelling side. The schedule will not be easy but the Wildcats are an experienced team and could be a real threat to win the West division.

*Northwestern defeated Purdue 31-27 on Thursday night to extend its winning streak to nine games.

Schedule

Purdue Boilermakers

Official Name: Purdue University
Head Coach: Jeff Brohm (2nd season)
Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
2017 Recap: 7-6 (4-5 Big Ten), 4th in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: Back in the postseason after four years away, Purdue exceeded expectations under first year coach Jeff Brohm in 2017. They may find the road back to the postseason a little more difficult in 2018 with a difficult schedule but most major matchups will on their home turf. If the Boilermakers can pull a few upsets like last season, a second straight bowl trip may be on the horizon.

Schedule

Wisconsin Badgers

Official Name: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Head Coach: Paul Chryst (4th season)
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
2017 Recap: 13-1 (9-0 Big Ten), 1st in Big Ten West, Big Ten runner-up

2018 Outlook: No team better encapsulates Big Ten football than the Wisconsin Badgers and they make it work in a way that produces results. A loss in the Big Ten Championship game kept them out of the playoff but they took their frustrations out on Miami in the Orange Bowl. The schedule is a little more difficult for the Badgers this season but they are a safe bet to notch a fifth consecutive double-digit win season and book a return trip to Indianapolis for the third time in four years.

Schedule

All schedules courtesy fbschedules.com

Five Games to Watch

Michigan v. Notre Dame (September 1st): If Michigan wants to be considered a national contender then they will need to make a statement on opening weekend with a victory in primetime against the Fighting Irish.

Penn State v. Ohio State (September 29th): A game that could very well decide the Big Ten East division and it will be a White Out night in Happy Valley. This will mark Urban Meyer’s first road game/Big Ten game following his three game suspension.

Michigan State v. Michigan (October 20th): This game is always a fun inter-state rivalry but it carries more importance than ever given the national implications at play. This matchup is a sandwich game between a showdown with Penn State for both sides.

Penn State v. Wisconsin (November 10th): By the time this game rolls around, the Big Ten picture should be taking shape. Depending on how things fall as the season progresses, this showdown could very well be a preview of the Big Ten Championship scheduled to take place just three weeks later.

Ohio State v. Michigan (November 24th): Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany would love nothing more than for this game to have conference and national implications riding on it. One of the biggest rivalries in all of college football could decide much more than just bragging rights.

2018 Big Ten Predictions

It would not be a preview post without making some season predictions that will surely be wrong before the calendar hits October. Here is the Bat Flip’s official 2018 Big Ten football predictions.

Projected Order of Finish

East: Penn State, Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana, Maryland, Rutgers

West: Wisconsin, Northwestern, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois

Big Ten Championship Game

Penn State def. Wisconsin, 38-30

Individual Awards

Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year: Trace McSorley, QB, Penn State

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bosa, DL, Ohio State

Big Ten Coach of the Year: James Franklin, Penn State

That’s a wrap on our 2018 Big Ten football preview. Stay tuned for more college football coverage throughout the 2018 season and you can check out our full college football preview episode of the FlipCast right here.

College Football Preview: Pac-12

Our college football preview continues with the Pac-12 taking its turn through the preview lineup. Shutout of the College Football Playoff last season, the Pac-12 features a trio of teams looking to represent the conference on the game’s biggest stage at the end of the season. Based on the preseason polls, Washington is the early favorite to win the conference and potentially make the playoff but Stanford and USC also have title aspirations.

Based strictly on the eye test, the North division of the Pac-12 looks to be the stronger of the two divisions especially if Oregon continues to rebuild its program. Down in the South division, defending conference champion USC will be the preseason favorite but all told the division appears to be wide open for the taking. If a team like Utah or Arizona can put it all together it is entirely possible we see a non-traditional power playing for the title.

Everything you could possibly want to know about the Pac-12 in 2018 is included in our conference preview, beginning with a breakdown of all twelve schools.

The Teams

Twelve schools makes up the Pac-12 conference with teams being split into two divisions of six schools a piece. The divisions are as follows:

North: California Golden Bears, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, Stanford Cardinal, Washington Huskies, Washington State Cougars.

South: Arizona State Sun Devils, Arizona Wildcats, Colorado Buffaloes, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, Utah Utes.

Each team will play everyone in its division along with four sides from the opposite division for a total of nine conference games during the 2018 season. Once the regular season ends, the winner of the North division and the South division will face off at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara for the Pac-12 Championship.

North Division

California Golden Bears

Official Name: University of California, Berkeley
Head Coach: Justin Wilcox (2nd season)
Location: Berkeley, California
2017 Recap: 5-7 (2-7 Pac-12), 5th in Pac-12 North

2018 Outlook: A solid start last season had California dreaming of a bowl appearance but a bad showing in conference play derailed its season and left them on the outside looking in. Justin Wilcox now enters his second season with 18 starters returning and eyes on taking the Golden Bears bowling for only the third time this decade.

Schedule

Oregon Ducks

Official Name: University of Oregon
Head Coach: Mario Cristobal (1st season)
Location: Eugene, Oregon
2017 Recap: 7-6 (4-5 Pac-12), 4th in Pac-12 North

2018 Outlook: A few lean seasons may be a thing of the past for the Ducks as they look primed for a breakout season under first year head coach Mario Cristobal. Starting quarterback Justin Herbert is healthy and ready to lead a potent offense that averaged over 50 points with him behind center. Washington and Stanford will be the preseason favorites, but this Oregon side could turn a few heads in 2018.

Schedule

Oregon State Beaver

Official Name: Oregon State University
Head Coach: Jonathan Smith (1st season)
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
2017 Recap: 1-11 (0-9 Pac-12) 6th in Pac-12 North

2018 Outlook: Safe to say things could not have gone much worse for the Beavers last season as bowl dreams quickly evaporated following a 1-5 start. First year head coach Jonathan Smith faces some hurdles in taking over the Beavers but expectations will be low so he has time to rebuild the program without too much pressure on his shoulders.

Schedule

Stanford Cardinal

Official Name: Stanford University
Head Coach: David Shaw (8th season)
Location: Stanford, California
2017 Recap: 9-5 (7-2 Pac-12), 1st in Pac-12 North, Pac-12 Runner-up

2018 Outlook: One of the most consistent teams in college football is back and has another 10 win season, and perhaps more, on its mind in 2018. Heisman favorite Bryce Love returned for his senior season and should put up massive numbers on the ground once again. The schedule does Stanford no favors (away to Oregon, Notre Dame, and Washington), but The Cardinal have the talent to get the job done on any given Saturday.

Schedule

Washington Huskies

Official Name: University of Washington
Head Coach: Chris Petersen
Location: Seattle, Washington
2017 Recap: 10-3 (7-2 Pac-12), 2nd in Pac-12 North

2018 Outlook: Coming off a slight backwards slide following a playoff appearance in 2016, Chris Petersen and the Huskies are ready for a return to national prominence. They will enter the 2018 season as co-favorites with Stanford to win the North. If things go plan, Washington should be playing in its third straight major bowl game with hopes of playing for much more come the new year.

Schedule

Washington State Cougars

Official Name: Washington State University
Head Coach: Mike Leach (7th season)
Location: Pullman, Washington
2017 Recap: 9-4 (6-3 Pac-12), 3rd in Pac-12 North

2018 Outlook: A lot of talent left the Cougars program in the offseason so Mike Leach will have his hands full trying to replicate the success of 2017. Pac-12 career passing leader Luke Falk has moved on but expect more Air Raid from the Cougars regardless of who replaces him. If you want to watch some enjoyable late-night college football, Washington State is a pretty safe bet.

Schedule

South Division

Arizona State Sun Devils

Official Name: Arizona State University
Head Coach: Herm Edwards (1st season)
Location: Tempe, Arizona
2017 Recap: 7-6 (6-3 Pac-12), 2nd in Pac-12 South

2018 Outlook: Don’t let their Pac-12 South finish fool you, the Sun Devils were a very much flawed team who just so happened to play in a very week conference division last season. First year head coach Herm Edwards was one of the most interesting college hires in a long time. It will be worth keeping an eye on Tempe to see what he has cooking for his first college coaching stint.

Schedule

Arizona Wildcats

Official Name: University of Arizona
Head Coach: Kevin Sumlin
Location: Tucson, Arizona
2017 Recap: 7-6 (5-4 Pac-12), 3rd in Pac-12 South

2018 Outlook: Arizona will be worth watching just to see what quarterback Khalili Tate does for an encore after bursting onto the scene last year. Tate is a potential Heisman finalist and playing in new head coach Kevin Sumlin’s system should help him put up some major numbers. The South division could be a wide open race and the Wildcats have a chance to make some noise in 2018.

Schedule

Colorado Buffaloes

Official Name: University of Colorado Boulder
Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (6th season)
Location: Boulder, Colorado
2017 Recap: 5-7 (2-7 Pac-12), 6th in Pac-12 South

2018 Outlook: A rebuilding year in 2017 saw the Buffaloes fall just a win shy of bowl eligibility. With a year of experience under their belt, Colorado will look to return to bowl play this season. Playing in a wide open division should play to their advantage where a few minor upsets could see them making a return trip to the Pac-12 championship game.

Schedule

UCLA Bruins

Official Name: University of California, Los Angeles
Head Coach: Chip Kelly (1st season)
Location: Los Angeles, California
2017 Recap: 6-7 (4-5 Pac-12), 4th in Pac-12 South

2018 Outlook: Chip Kelly makes his long awaited return to the college game as head coach of the UCLA Bruins. Kelly’s glory days from his time at Oregon are hard to forget but don’t expect an immediate return to glory for the Bruins under the new boss. The schedule is brutal and the team is adjusting to an entirely new system on both sides of the ball.

Schedule

USC Trojans

Official Name: University of Southern California
Head Coach: Clay Helton (3rd season)
Location: Los Angeles, California
2017 Recap: 11-3 (8-1 Pac-12), 1st in Pac-12 South, Pac-12 Champion

2018 Outlook: Replacing Sam Darnold will be a major factor is how much success the Trojans have in 2018. They will enter the season as the South division favorites but back-to-back road games against Stanford and Texas in September will show just how serious of a national threat this side really is. If they can survive to October, the schedule lightens up considerably and anything is possible.

Schedule

Utah Utes

Official Name: University of Utah
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham (14th season)
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
2017 Recap: 7-6 (3-6 Pac-12), 5th in Pac-12 South

2018 Outlook: Drawing Washington, Stanford, and Oregon from the North almost seems unfair for Utah but they will have the talent to keep up with the heavyweights of the Pac-12 after a struggle last season. Pulling a few upsets along the way could put the Utes into their first Pac-12 title game in history.

Schedule

Five Games to Watch

Washington v. Auburn (September 1st): A meeting of two national title contenders on the opening week of the season in Atlanta. You cannot ask for much more than that.

Stanford v. USC (September 8th): This will be the first real test for either of these sides and very well could be a Pac-12 Championship preview regardless of the result.

Washington v. Oregon (October 22nd): If Oregon hopes to reign supreme in the North then this will be a game they have to win in order to do so.

Washington v. Stanford (November 3rd): This matchup could very likely be a Pac-12 Championship semi-final to determine which side wins the North and which side has to settle for second.

USC v. Notre Dame (November 24th): One of the oldest rivalries in college football has delivered some spectacular games in the past. If things break right, this contest could have national implications.

2018 Pac-12 Predictions

It would not be a preview post without making some season predictions that will surely be wrong before the calendar hits October. Here is the Bat Flip’s official 2018 Pac-12 football predictions.

Projected Order of Finish

North: Washington, Stanford, Oregon, Washington State, California, Oregon State

South: USC, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, UCLA, Arizona State

Pac-12 Championship Game

Washington def. USC, 38-20

Individual Awards

Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year: Bryce Love, RB, Stanford

Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year: Cameron Smith, LB, USC

Pac-12 Coach of the Year: Chris Petersen, Washington

That’s a wrap on our 2018 Pac-12 football preview. Stay tuned throughout the week for more conference recaps along with a special college football preview episode of The FlipCast coming later in the week.

March Madness Recap: Opening Weekend

If you are a functioning human being and have even the slightest knowledge of sports you are probably aware the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament kicked off this past weekend across the United States.

Known simply as March Madness, the month long tournament pits 68 college basketball teams against each other and the last one standing is crowned the national champion of the sport.

If the first weekend of action is any precursor of what is to come then we are in for one heck of a ride over the next few weeks. Through two rounds of play, the tournament has lived up to its name and brought the madness we all crave when tuning in.

Let’s break it down and recap what happened in a crazy weekend of hoops.

An Upset for the Ages

Coming into the 2018 NCAA Tournament, No. 1 seeds had an all time record of 132-0 over No. 16 seeds. When top overall seed University of Virginia tipped off against University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) in their 1 vs. 16 matchup, that record had expanded to 135-0. When the final horn sounded in Charlotte that record stood at 135 AND 1.

UMBC DID IT pic.twitter.com/F3VUPg8wbp

— SB Nation (@SBNation) March 17, 2018

For the first time ever, a No. 16 seed defeated a No. 1 in the NCAA tournament. This was an upset so massive most brackets were set ablaze the moment the game went final. Nobody picks 16 seeds unless they are family, alumni, or simply messing around.

Just to show how big this is, Seth Davis of CBS was so confident in a Virginia victory he tweeted this a minute into the game.

Virginia. Sharpie.

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 17, 2018

Even more to the credit of UMBC this was not simply just a massive upset, it was a full throttle beat down of the TOP OVERALL SEED in the tournament. A 74-54 dismantling of one of the best teams in college basketball.

People loved the upset so much, they just started randomly tweeting pictures of their own dogs at the official UMBC Athletic Twitter account.

Sadly, UMBC’s run ended in the next round at the hands of No. 9 seed Kansas St. but they will forever live on in the hearts of millions who watched them do the impossible.

(It probably didn’t hurt that their mascot is a very lovable doggo.)

It’s hard to say when (if?) we will ever see this happen again but one thing is for sure, no No. 1 seed will ever take a No. 16 lightly again. They are all on watch now for the rest of history. It’s happened once and it can happen again.

Really There Were Upsets Galore

UMBC was the biggest upset of opening weekend but it was in no way the only upset that went down. Top seeds were dropping left and right all weekend and as a result, the average seed moving onto the Sweet 16 is 5.13.

Here are the upsets that took place in the first two rounds:

No. 13 Buffalo over No. 4 Arizona
No. 11 Loyola-Chicago over No. 6 Miami
No. 16 UMBC over No. 1 Virginia
No. 13 Marshall over No. 4 Wichita State
No. 10 Butler over No. 7 Arkansas
No. 11 Syracuse over No. 6 TCU
No. 11 Loyola-Chicago over No. 3 Tennessee
No. 9 Florida State over No. 1 Xavier
No. 11 Syracuse over No. 3 Michigan State
No. 7 Nevada over No. 2 Cincinnati (Nevada trailed by 22 in the second half)
No. 7 Texas A&M over No. 2 North Carolina
No. 5 Clemson over No. 4 Auburn (Yes, it is only a one seed difference but Clemson won by 31)

(Note: No. 9 over No. 8 does not count as an upset)

Loyola-Chicago and Syracuse are the only teams to appear here twice meaning as 11 seeds they pulled off two upsets and will be playing in the Sweet 16 next weekend.

There Was Still Some Chalk

With all the talk about upsets we would be remiss if we did not discuss the title favorites who navigated the carnage and took care of business during the opening weekend to book a spot in the Sweet 16:

While Virginia and Xavier fell, fellow No. 1 seeds Villanova and Kansas fared much better. Villanova won by an average of 26 points over Radford and Alabama in the East region. Kansas cruised in their first game but had to survive a scare in the Round of 32, defeating No. 8 seed Seton Hall 83-79.
Same scenario for the No. 2 seeds took place. North Carolina and Cincinnati were both bounced in the Round of 32 but Duke and Purdue both advanced to the Sweet 16. Duke rolled in both of their games while Purdue had to overcome the loss of big man Isaac Haas to squeak past Butler.
Matching up against the Boilermakers in the Sweet 16 will be No. 3 seed Texas Tech who knocked off Stephen F. Austin and a strong Florida team to make it through.
Big Ten champion Michigan knocked off Montana in the first round then survived an upset bid by Houston in the Round of 32 thanks to a buzzer beating three pointer from freshman Jordan Poole.

THE SHOT, via @JordanPoole_2 #GoBlue | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/GkiURQLyTM

— Michigan Men’s Basketball (@umichbball) March 18, 2018

2017 national runner-up Gonzaga survived two close calls over the weekend with wins against UNC Greensboro and Ohio State.
Nobody had any idea what to make of a streaky West Virginia team coming into the tournament but comfortable victories over Murray State and in-state rival Marshall give the Mountaineers a date with No. 1 Villanova in the Sweet 16.

Looking Ahead: Sweet 16 and Elite 8

Now that the Sweet 16 is set, let’s look ahead to the Regional Finals set to get underway on Thursday night.

(Winners of Sweet 16 matchups play in Elite 8 to determine regional champions and Final Four participants)

East Region (Boston)

No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 5 West Virginia
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 3 Texas Tech

This is by far the chalkiest region remaining after the opening weekend. Villanova and West Virginia both rolled in their opening games and should make up for a tasty matchup. Purdue will not rule out Isaac Haas but it’s hard to see him playing going forward with a fractured elbow.

Outlook: Villanova is the slight favorite to win the East region but you can make a case for any of the four teams to book a spot in San Antonio.

Midwest Region (Omaha)

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 5 Clemson
No. 2 Duke vs. No. 11 Syracuse

A lot of marquee names in the Midwest region with Kansas, Duke, and Syracuse all in play. The Orange used stifling defense to upset Michigan State but it’s hard to imagine they can score enough to keep up with Duke. Kansas will be a favorite over Clemson but the Tigers are coming off a mauling of a very good Auburn team.

Outlook: The smart money is on either Kansas or Duke to advance to the Final Four but considering how this tournament has played out so far there may not be a safe pick here.

South Region (Atlanta)

No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 9 Kansas State
No. 7 Nevada vs. No. 11 Loyola-Chicago

UMBC’s victory over Virginia turned this region on its head. Further upsets by Loyola and Nevada sent it into complete chaos. For the first time in tournament history a region will not send one of its top four seeds to the regional finals. It’s historic powerhouse Kentucky and three cinderellas.

Outlook: Kentucky’s path to the Final Four went from Arizona, Virgina, Cincinnati/Tennessee to Buffalo, Kansas State, Nevada/Loyola. Pretty good luck for Calipari’s squad but this is a mediocre Wildcats teams that could easily be toppled.

West Region (Los Angeles)

No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 7 Texas A&M
No. 4 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Florida State

This is a very underrated Sweet 16 scenario. Michigan came into the tournament on a roll and it has continued. Texas A&M laid waste to the defending national champs in the Round of 32. Gonzaga is quietly playing good basketball. Florida State is a true wild card after upsetting No. 1 Xavier.

Outlook: Michigan and Gonzaga are the two favorites to represent the region in the Final Four but Texas A&M is healthy and playing to their potential. Florida State could crash the party and play cinderella.

Final Thoughts

The opening weekend of the tournament was complete chaos that saw brackets busting left and right due to countless upsets. That leaves us with the matchups above and as a basketball fan you should be excited. you have your annual favorites like Duke and Villanova mixed in with cinderella stories like Loyola and Nevada.

This upcoming weekend of basketball should be a great show as the field narrows down to its Final Four by Sunday night.