7.2.23 Football Articles

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Biggest trap games for 2023 college football title contenders

Raymond Lucas Jr.

12–15 minutes

The season is filled with potential upsets ahead for some of the nation's top programs.

When looking ahead at the college football schedule, rivalry games and high-level clashes draw the most attention. Not to be ignored are the potential trap games that lie ahead. The 2023 campaign features many of them. Regardless of whether a team has national championship expectations, those considered dark-horse candidates to win their conference or squads merely competing for a bowl game, there’s always a weekend where it could get caught in a web.

Typically, a trap game is on the road against an overlooked foe. That isn’t always the case, though. What’s consistent is that trap games are dependent on the favored team falling victim to a perfect storm.

The upcoming season will be unique in many ways. The Big 12 conference added four new members as it prepares for the loss of Texas and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 enters its final season with USC and UCLA as members. Wanting to send a departing conference foe out with a loss creates a potential trap game as well.

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Keep scrolling to view college football's biggest potential trap games that could unfold during the 2023 campaign. 

Clemson: at Duke, Sept. 4

(Photo: Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

Opening the season on the road against a conference foe isn’t fun, but Clemson doesn’t have a choice. It’s looking to get back to the CFP in 2023 and begins the journey against a Blue Devils squad that went 9-4 last season after a 3-9 mark in 2021. After a highly successful opening act, Duke head coach Mike Elko enters his second season with an opportunity to secure a signature victory. Clemson reclaimed its status as the top team in the ACC last season but did so without reaching the CFP. The Tigers revamped their offense by hiring offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, who served in the same role at TCU en route to a national championship game appearance while producing a Heisman candidate in Max Duggan. 

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Wisconsin: at Washington State, Sept. 9

(Photo: John Fisher, Getty)

Wisconsin fell to Washington State at home last season. It was a surprising defeat then and would be shocking if it happened again in 2023. The Badgers have heightened expectations after the hiring of Luke Fickell. He used the transfer portal to add to a talented roster. As for Washington State, hosting Wisconsin represents one one of its biggest non-conference home games in recent memory and head coach Jake Dickert has a shot at going 2-0 against his childhood team. Wazzu quarterback Cameron Ward could be trouble for the Badgers.

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LSU: at Mississippi State, Sept. 16

(Photo: Stephen Lew, Getty)

LSU's first true road game of the 2023 season is against Mississippi State, which returns star quarterback Will Rogers. As for the Bulldogs, they open the season at home against Southeastern Louisiana and Arizona. The battle with LSU will be the program's biggest home game since the tragic passing of college football legend Mike Leach and it could be an emotional game for Mississippi State, which would love to honor its former head coach with a victory.

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Tennesse: at Florida, Sept. 16

(Photo: Jasen Vinlove, USA TODAY Sports)

Tennessee and Florida are in two very different places as the upcoming season approaches. The Volunteers come off a breakout campaign in 2022 and have a quarterback garnering immense praise in Joe Milton. Florida is in the second season of a rebuild under Billy Napier. On paper, Tennessee should blast the Gators out of The Swamp when it travels to Gainesville, but history says otherwise. The Vols haven't toppled Florida on the road since 2003. Regardless of the lack of expectations, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will be rocking when Florida hosts Tennessee in Week 3.

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Alabama: vs. Ole Miss, Sept. 23

(Photo: Courtesy of Alabama Athletics)

There are a handful of teams that could disrupt the 2023 season for Alabama and Ole Miss is arguably the best of the bunch. The Rebels might be viewed as a top contender to reach the CFP if they weren’t in the SEC, and that could spell trouble for Alabama. Ole Miss has three intriguing options at quarterback and boasts running back Quinshon Judkins, who is one of the nation’s best. Alabama plays host to Ole Miss, which makes life easier. 

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Washington: at Arizona, Sept. 30

(Photo: Joe Nicholson, USA TODAY Sports)

Washington has better luck playing at Arizona than Arizona State, but trips to the desert have been heartbreaking for the Huskies. Washington outdueled the Wildcats in a high-scoring affair last season but fell victim in the desert when suffering an ugly loss to Arizona State. Avoiding bad losses is essential if Washington is to reach its goals and the battle with the Wildcats has potential to be trouble. The Huskies are aware of Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura's talent; they're 1-1 against him, with the defeat suffered in 2021 against Washington State in the Apple Cup.

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Michigan: at Nebraska, Sept. 30

(Photo: Aaron J. Thornton, Getty)

A Michigan regular-season loss has not happened since the midway point of the 2021 season, which speaks to the job Jim Harbaugh has done in Ann Arbor of late. Michigan's first road game of the 2023 campaign -- at Nebraska -- could have upset potential. The Cornhuskers loaded up in the transfer portal and could find success in the passing game with Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims seemingly entrenched as the new starting quarterback.

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Ohio State: at Purdue, Oct. 14

(Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty)

Purdue's defensive woes in 2022 have it being overlooked as we head into the summer months, especially considering the progress the rest of the division made through the transfer portal. On the other side of the ball, potential Boilermakers starting quarterback Hudson Card is familiar with high-pressure situations after playing at Texas and could have an outing that leads to an upset over the Buckeyes. As mentioned, it all starts on the defensive side of the ball.

Ohio State still needs to determine QB1, but the consensus is that Kyle McCord will fill the role. If so, he'll lead a star-studded offense that features two of the best wide receivers in the country in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. He'll also have a great stable of running backs to alleviate pressure off his shoulders. The Buckeyes have potential to be great on the defensive side of the ball as well with linebacker Tommy Eichenberg returning for another season. EDGE J.T. Tuimoloau is back as well and looks to build off a solid sophomore campaign.

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USC: at California, Oct. 28

(Photo: (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images), Getty)

Colorado is growing more dangerous by the day, Arizona State is a tough place to play and the other top contenders in the Pac-12 are scattered throughout the schedule, but we know that already. Unknown is the quality of football California will bring to the table, which could lead to trouble for USC after it escaped disaster against the Golden Bears last season. California has immense turnaround potential due to the return of running back Jaydn Ott and wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter along with the arrival of quarterback Sam Jackson (TCU), running back Byron Cardwell (Oregon) and receiver Taj Davis (Washington).

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Florida State: at Pittsburgh, Nov. 4

(Photo: Greg Oyster, Getty)

Pittsburgh went 9-4 last season, doing so with a far-from-ideal situation at quarterback. Kedon Slovis was crowned as QB1, the replacement for Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett. The fit wasn’t quite right for either party as Slovis threw 10 touchdowns and nine touchdowns. He transferred to BYU and Pittsburgh brought in former Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec.  To topple the Seminoles, Pittsburgh would have to do what only three teams were able to do last season. The Seminoles went 10-3, with their three losses coming consecutively. The 2022 season was a success and 2023 could be even better after a wave of players spurned the NFL Draft, including quarterback Jordan Travis and EDGE Jared Verse. 

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Penn State: at Maryland, Nov. 4

(Photo: Rich Janzaruk, USA TODAY Sports)

Penn State's toughest stretch of the season begins in late October and consists of consecutive games against Ohio State, Indiana, Maryland and Michigan. Indiana is amid a steep rebuild and likely won't pose a threat to the Nittany Lions, but Maryland might. The Terrapins not only have a quarterback capable of excellence in Taulia Tagovailoa, but the bout takes place at Maryland's SECU Stadium.

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Georgia: vs. Ole Miss, Nov. 11

 (Photo: Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire, Getty)

Georgia’s schedule is expected to heat up in 2024 but there aren’t many threats to the reigning national champions in 2023. The Bulldogs are expected by many to win a third consecutive title and stunning it in the regular season would take a great head coach, a raucous environment, and a talented team flying under the radar. Enter: Ole Miss. Tennessee figures to have the best shot of any team on Georgia's schedule, but last season's battle featured the top two ranked teams in the nation, so it would be tough to categorize that as an upset this season.

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Oregon: at Arizona State, Nov. 18

(Photo: Tom Hauck, Getty)

Oregon and Washington fans don't agree on many things, but both probably share an uneasiness when watching their teams play in the desert. Tempe hasn't been kind to the Ducks over the years and there are still nightmares among Oregon fans about the Jayden Daniels-led upset that crashed the Ducks' playoff hopes a couple of years ago. Tempe should be charged up when Oregon comes to town as Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham attempts to topple his former employer.

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Oklahoma: at BYU, Nov. 18

 (Photo: Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports)

Provo, Utah, is a tough place to play a football game as crowd noise and high elevation support a BYU team that's been consistent in recent years. Oklahoma enters the 2023 campaign and attempts to win one last Big 12 title before departing for the SEC. Meanwhile, BYU enters a conference that's in a new era and could stake its claim as the figurative flag-bearer. This could be a dangerous outing for Oklahoma. 

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Texas: vs. Texas Tech, Nov. 24

(Photo: Scott Wachter, USA TODAY Sports)

Avoiding rivalry games was a point of emphasis when building this list, but Texas battles Alabama and Oklahoma in 2023, which has left little attention on the regular-season finale against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders downed the Longhorns last season and could be on its way to doing so again. Texas Tech looks to become the new sheriff in town when Texas and Oklahoma depart for the SEC and sending the Longhorns out of the Big 12 with a loss would be a step toward earning that badge. Quinn Ewers flashed immense potential last season in his first year as a starting quarterback and the leap he takes this offseason could be enough to bolster Texas' shot at the Playoff. The Longhorns' defense could be better than last season and their offense boasts speedster Xavier Worthy, who is healthy after playing through a hand injury in 2022.

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Alabama: at Auburn, Nov. 25

(Photo: Stuart McNair, 247Sports)

Alabama has won three straight meetings against Auburn in the Iron Bowl, but Auburn has won two of the last three at home. College football has reached a point where Alabama's demise is a frequent topic, despite it winning the national championship in 2020 and competing for it against Georgia in 2021. With that said, Alabama does have a difficult journey ahead. Auburn fans are itching to see if Hugh Freeze is the answer to turning the rivalry in their favor as he boasts two wins over Nick Saban and is 2-3 overall against Alabama, with a near victory in 2016.

Where the Ohio State Buckeyes are with their 2024 safety recruiting

Bucknuts looks at where the Buckeyes currently are with their 2024 safety recruiting.

The goal for the Buckeyes when it comes to 2024 safety recruiting has been to land three outstanding prospects at the position. Today one of the safeties they had made a strong pitch for, Jordon Johnson-Rubell from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG, announced he has committed to Texas. Johnson-Rubell’s decision was not a surprise. He had great official visits to Texas and Ohio State and it came down to those two, but he is from Texas and will be headed back home to play his college football.

The Buckeyes have a commitment from one pure safety in their 2024 class, Jaylen McClain. Garrett Stover has also committed to Ohio State as a hybrid linebacker/safety, but I see him as a linebacker for the Buckeyes.

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Where Auburn lands in Lindy's Sports preseason SEC outlook

Taylor Jones

4–5 minutes

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There is plenty of optimism surrounding Auburn football ahead of the 2023 season, but there are still plenty of questions.

Auburn brings in Hugh Freeze to lead the program and has already generated buzz that has Auburn fans filled with hope and excitement. Maybe the fans will return the gift of patience to Freeze as he has been tasked to rebuild the program back to expectations.

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As Auburn prepares to enter the season with unique circumstances, how does Lindy’s Sports project the Tigers to finish in the SEC West? The preseason publication has submitted its picks and has projected that Auburn will finish 6th in the division.

Lindy’s Sports says that Freeze will “breathe life into the offense”, and is optimistic about the future of running back Jarquez Hunter. However, uncertainty regarding quarterback play is one of Auburn’s biggest questions says Jimmy Hyams.

It was unclear after spring if Robby Ashford could run Hugh Freeze’s offense at Auburn, so Freeze added Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne in early May. The Tigers do have an elite rusher in Jarquez Hunter.

Here’s a look at what the outlook of the SEC West according to Lindy’s Sports’ projections.

Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Lindy’s Sports is high on Bulldogs’ quarterback Will Rogers, and says that the defense is better than most give them credit for. However, it will be a challenging transition season for Mississippi State, as they prepare for a new era under Zach Arnett.

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Lindy’s favors Auburn more than several other preseason publications by prediciting a 6th place finish in the SEC West. Lindy’s predicts that Auburn’s rebuild will last several seasons.

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Texas A&M has plenty of hype, but can they live up to it? Bobby Petrino joining the staff could be a great thing for the Aggies offense, but they will need to find talent to replace those lost to the transfer portal.

For more news on Texas A&M football, visit Aggies Wire.

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Arkansas has arguably the top QB/RB combo in the SEC, which will put them in position to win plenty of games in 2023. There are questions on defense and overall depth, though. How far can KJ Jefferson and Rocket Sanders carry the Hogs?

For more news on Arkansas football, visit Razorbacks Wire.

Justin Ford/Getty Images

There’s plenty of depth at quarterback, and Lindy’s Sports predicts that running back Quinshon Judkins will win SEC Offensive Player of the Year. The only question that the Rebels face in 2023 is defense. Ole Miss finished with an 8-5 record last season, and went 1-4 after defeating Auburn on Oct. 15, with the defense taking the most heat for those losses.

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

The only team in the west to knock off Alabama last season is poised for a repeat performance of 2022, when they represented the SEC West in Atlanta. The Bayou Bengals, however, will open with an improved Florida State team and will travel to Tuscaloosa to face an upset and revenge-minded Alabama team. Jayden Daniels returns to quarterback, a player that Lindy’s predicts will be the SEC’s most valuable player.

For more LSU football news, visit LSU Tigers Wire.

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

No one knows who the starting quarterback will be for Alabama, but that appears to not be a concern as Lindy’s predicts that Alabama will represent the SEC West at the SEC Championship Game in December. Outside of quarterback concerns, Alabama has improved at wide receiver and on defense.

For more Alabama news, visit Roll Tide Wire.

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

2024 RB Caden Durham picks up Auburn offer

Daniel Locke

1–2 minutes

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Hugh Freeze  has not been messing around on the recruiting trail since taking over the Auburn Football program.

Auburn has offered 2024 running back Caden Durham, a four-star recruit from Duncanville, Texas.

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According to 247Sports, Durham is the No. 98 ranked player nationally, the No. 10 ranked running back and the No. 19 ranked player in the state of Texas. He has a 0.9540 composite rating.

Cadillac Williams has earned a reputation as one of the best running backs coaches in all of college football and is an effective recruiter at the position.

Other notable offers held by Durham include Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M.

As a junior in 2022, Durham rushed for 1,960 yards and 36 touchdowns off of 210 carries while also catching nine passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.

Durham has not set a commitment date yet.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Daniel on Twitter

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Auburn football has SEC’s fifth-toughest schedule according to CBS Sports

Taylor Jones

2–3 minutes

Auburn football and challenging schedules are a perfect match for each other. That will not change as the Tigers get set to take on the 2023 slate.

Auburn will host Alabama and Georgia this season and will pay a visit to Texas A&M and LSU. Those four games alone would be considered a brutal draw for any team, but it seems to be the norm for Auburn.

How challenging is Auburn’s 2023 schedule? CBS Sports’ Barrett Sallee ranked each SEC team’s schedule and has declared Auburn’s slate to be the 5th toughest within the conference.

Sallee says that Auburn will undoubtedly play a tough schedule, but there are several games that make the 2023 slate manageable.

The Tigers’ schedule is always difficult with rivals Alabama and Georgia on the docket, and there’s nothing first-year coach Hugh Freeze can do about that. However, both of those games are at least at home. The Tigers draw Vanderbilt as their rotating cross-division game, and their Power Five nonconference game is at California. Those games don’t move the meter at all. This is a relatively manageable slate by Auburn’s wildly high scheduling standard.

According to Sallee’s rankings, Florida holds the SEC’s toughest schedule while Georgia will play the easiest schedule.

Auburn football’s 2023 schedule

Sept. 2

UMass

Sept. 9

at Cal

Sept. 16

Samford

Sept. 23

at Texas A&M

Sept. 30

Georgia

Oct. 14

at LSU

Oct. 21

Ole Miss

Oct. 28

Mississippi State

Nov. 4

at Vanderbilt

Nov. 11

at Arkansas

Nov. 18

New Mexico State

Nov. 25

Alabama

More Football!

Jordan-Hare Stadium among top environments for 2023 season

Where Auburn lands in Lindy's Sports preseason SEC outlook

Four-star CB Jalyn Crawford is trending towards Auburn

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

[Gowebb11 9,882]

Good work, @aubiefifty Thanks for taking time to do these articles.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

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12 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

Good work, @aubiefifty Thanks for taking time to do these articles.