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Hamilton: Preseason experts are worse than Monday morning QBs

AnyFans 2025-09-22

By By Scott Hamilton

Anything can happen. Pay-for-play and the transfer portal have created an environment that’s as unstable as the San Andreas Fault. Things tilt, teeter and shift almost daily.

In other words, when it comes to college football, we don’t know until we know.

This was to be a get-right season for Florida; instead Billy Napier is probably going to face the fate he avoided last year. Texas quarterback Arch Manning was all but handed the Heisman Trophy in July; he’s 81st nationally in passing efficiency and first in being scrutinized.

Mississippi State is 3-0, Kansas State is 1-3, and the best player in the country could be the quarterback at Texas A&M.

Or at Utah. We also might not have even fully identified him. Once more, anything is possible now.

So throw up a hand if you saw all or any of this coming. Anyone? Anyone?

The lesson: No preseason prediction is a lock. No preseason prediction is crazy, either.

JUMPING ON: The ACC and ESPN said it was going to provide behind-the-scenes access for replay decisions, and they delivered.

Viewers got to hear real-time talks between the on-field refs, replay officials in the press box and the ones at ACC headquarters in Charlotte. That included breaking down the play in question, going over the appropriate call and ensuring both the game clock and play clock were squared away.

Lifting the veil provided reams of insight and could presumably alleviate some of the ire directed at officiating in recent seasons.

SEATS GOING FAST: The Calgorithm is back! Cal beat Minnesota 27-14 behind three touchdown passes from Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. The Bears are 3-0 for the second straight season and fifth time in the last nine years under coach Justin Wilcox.