Andy Staples

Notre Dame will eventually be forced to join a conference for playoff access

If Notre Dame loses, you know, has their vote diluted for the playoff, they're going to join a conference... The second this happened the other day with the Big Ten adding USC and UCLA, I was like, okay, now this is it. This is when Notre Dame has to join a conference.

College football governance will eventually separate from the NCAA to handle revenue sports specifically

I think the governance is going to change. Instead of there being one organization that handles all sports, there will be an organization that handles football and the NCAA might handle all the other sports... it basically, you could be licensing the name of the university.

North Carolina is the biggest 'tug of war' school for future conference realignment

North Carolina would be the biggest tug of war because the Big Ten and the SEC both want them badly. That's the one... North Carolina has long been coveted by the Big Ten and the SEC.

Lincoln Riley and Brian Kelly moved because it's easier to win a national title at USC and LSU

I really do think both of these moves were about finding a place where it's easier to win the national title than where you're at. ... This is more about winning the playoff than getting in the playoff because you have two guys who could get in the playoff, but couldn't win it.

Will Anderson is the best player in the country and should win the Heisman

If a player isn't the best player in his own county, he cannot possibly be the best player in the country. So Bryce Young, not the best player in Tuscaloosa county, that person's name is Will Anderson. Will Anderson has 30 and a half tackles for loss. He has saved the Alabama defense this season. He's the best player in the country. It's not close.

The U.S. obesity map matches perfectly with the hotbeds for elite defensive lineman recruiting

I overlayed the U.S. obesity map. There you go. Yup. And it matched completely. It was perfect. So look at the obesity map. That's where the defensive linemen live, which should not be that hard to figure out—the big people live where the big people are.

Stetson Bennett is a better choice for Georgia's offense than JT Daniels because of his mobility

I think Stetson Bennett's actually the right choice of quarterback in this situation because he can move and everybody keeps assuming, oh, they're going to bring in JT Daniels and he'll save the day. No, no, no, no. Stetson Bennett probably is better for what they're trying to do right now.

Oklahoma State will beat Baylor and make the college football playoff

I think Oklahoma State just has played so well. The last few weeks they've really hit their groove. So I think they're gonna win. And I think they're gonna make the playoff.

Chip Kelly has UCLA rolling and they can beat anyone in the Pac-12

I think [Chip Kelly] does. I mean, if they can do that to LSU, where the talent gap is pretty big between UCLA and LSU, there's nobody UCLA is going to play in the Pac-12 that has that kind of talent. UCLA can beat anybody in the Pac-12.

Coach O could face a Gene Chizik-style quick firing if LSU doesn't improve

Let me remind you of a name, Gene Chizik. Gene Chizik won a national title in 2010, went undefeated, was fired in 2012. So it is possible that this happens [to Ed Orgeron]. And what was disturbing about LSU was the defense... They're either going to get this worked out... or we're having the Gene Chizik conversation midseason.

Iowa is going into Ames and beating Iowa State because they're legit

I got a feeling Iowa is going into Ames and beating Iowa State. And that's not a knock on Iowa State. I just think Iowa is going to be really good. Iowa certainly crushed Indiana [in Week 1].

Florida is using the USF game to decide if Anthony Richardson should start over Emory Jones

Anthony Richardson... he's massive. He looks like Cam Newton and he runs like Cam Newton. They have to figure out which of those two gives them the best chance to beat Alabama. I wonder if they were trying to figure out, all right, how well can [Richardson] throw? Because we need to know this and decide before Alabama week starts.

Mayonnaise makes the most moist chocolate cake

I had this chocolate cake once in Mississippi... Mayo. It's mayo. It makes the most moist chocolate cake you've ever had in your life.

A College Football Playoff matchup between Alabama and USC would be a bloodbath

I watched every USC game... I just, I can't see this team playing its Alabama. It would be a bloodbath. If you're going to make a contingency plan, at least make it that one, not a team [Oklahoma] that's lost to Iowa State and K-State already.

The best path for Texas A&M into the playoffs is an Alabama blowout of Florida and a Notre Dame win over Clemson

I think A&M has one path and one path only, and that is Alabama clobbers Florida and Notre Dame beats Clemson. But the thing is if Notre Dame does beat Clemson, I think they're gonna be in, I think A&M would be in because I just can't picture who else they put in.

Hugh Freeze would jump at the Tennessee head coaching job

I think he'd like to be the next coach at the University of Tennessee. I think that's the job he's wanted for quite some time, probably since before he became a college coach... if that opportunity came available, he would jump at it.

Alabama will beat Florida by 40 points in the SEC Championship

I actually think they'll win by 40. A lot better game out of Florida than we saw last week. I just don't know that they are talented enough to beat Alabama.

LSU's roster depth will prevent them from falling off a map despite losing starters

They do have some really good players coming back because they recruited well... You'll be able to see how deep their recruiting has been in the last few years because they're going to roll out a 2D defensive line that they feel very comfortable with. I mean they've got talent, it's not like they're going to fall off the map.

I will not pick Florida to beat Georgia until I actually see them do it on the field because of the recruiting gap

Florida is the favorite... I'm still a little surprised by that because I keep saying I'm not picking them against Georgia until I see them beat Georgia, just because of the recruiting gap. Recruiting rankings matter in the aggregate. If you just sign a bunch more five-stars than somebody else, you're probably going to win most of those games.

Mike Leach will have the most talented roster of his career at Mississippi State

This is still a better roster than from a talent standpoint than Mike Leach has ever had either at Texas Tech or at Washington State... smart quarterback [Costello] can come in and learn the Air Raid. I do think they're going to come along pretty fast.

Wisconsin has hit their ceiling and will never win a national title

I think they have got Wisconsin at about as close to the ceiling as you can be. I just don't know with Wisconsin. When they were rolling 10-11 wins every year, I think that's the ceiling right there.

Clemson will win the national title

I have Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State [in the Final Four]. With Clemson winning a national title.

I have very little faith in Ohio State winning the rest of their games

Ohio State, I have very little faith in them to win the rest of their games. Because they give up so many big plays on defense... They have like one of those [Purdue losses] a year now.

The 2018 College Football Playoff will include Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson, and Michigan

The Final Four, if I'm projecting it out at the end of the season, would be Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson, in some order... And then Michigan. My top four now are Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson, LSU. But I'm projecting, obviously, that Alabama beats LSU.

Clemson is the only team that can go toe-to-toe with Alabama

Clemson feels like the only team that could go toe to toe with Alabama. And I'm not sure. Cause if you get Clemson, when they hit kill mode, I don't think Notre Dame or Michigan or LSU would be able to hang with him.

Georgia is becoming the new Alabama

I think Georgia is becoming the new Alabama. And I actually filmed a video where I say, I think Georgia's going to win the SEC this year. Because I think Georgia, by the end of this season, they have to replace so many guys that you know. But the thing is... the guys they have coming in might eventually be better.

Clemson will win the National Championship

National champion, Clemson. I think they wind up going with [Trevor] Lawrence... if the guys are equal again, you're going to go with the higher ceiling guy.

LSU finally has a legitimate starting quarterback in Joe Burrow

I think LSU has a quarterback now. Because the Ohio State coaches and Ohio State players, I don't think they were blowing smoke when they said Burrow was fairly close to Haskins... This dude could start most places. And if Burrow is pretty good, well, guess what? It's a totally different end.

LSU will beat Miami in the season opener

I still, with the pass rush that LSU should be able to generate, I like LSU in that game [against Miami].

The over on West Virginia's 7.5 win total is a lock

West Virginia, their over-under is 7.5. Oh, wow. I want to hammer that... Will Grier is maybe the best quarterback in the country... They're going to put up sick numbers on offense.

FAU has the most talented roster ever seen at the Group of Five level

Lane Kiffin... this is as talented a team at that level [FAU] that you're ever going to see. Now, chemistry-wise, it'll be a miracle if he can get everybody to play together.

My 2018 College Football Playoff field is Washington, Wisconsin, Clemson, and Georgia

All right, Final Four. Wisconsin, Washington, Clemson, Georgia.

The National Championship TV ratings are going to suck

The ratings are going to suck. There's no question the ratings are going to suck. Because outside of this quarter of the country, people just don't care.

Alabama will beat Georgia 17-13

I picked Alabama to win 17-13, and I have absolutely zero confidence in that pick. I am always wrong on these things.

Georgia is the best coaching job in America

For the last five or six years, I've said Georgia's the best job in America. And the person who convinced me of that is Nick Saban. He always thought that Georgia was the best job in America if you really got it rolling because there's so much talent in the state.

Willie Taggart will be a recruiting monster at Florida State

I will go Willie Taggart because I don't think people understand how well Willie Taggart is going to be able to recruit in the state of Florida. That dude comes in with an FSU logo on his polo shirt. There are going to be guys jumping to sign with him.

Baker Mayfield is the best quarterback in the draft

Baker Mayfield. I take Baker Mayfield over any of them. I was the same way with Deshaun Watson last year. ... That dude, he operates as quick as the good NFL quarterbacks when you watch the guys you watch on Sunday.

Lamar Jackson has a similar skill set to Michael Vick

his skill set is actually kind of similar to Michael Vick's. And it's funny because other than Josh Allen, he's the only other one who's run in kind of a pro-style offense.

Wisconsin will win a national title in Big Cat's lifetime

Wisconsin will win a national title in your lifetime. It will happen. ... I actually think football is a better chance probably, because basketball is a real lightning bolt.

The College Football Playoff won't expand to eight teams for another eight years

There's eight more years of this TV contract right after that. ... the old guard, the old guys, are going to try to keep the Rose Bowl relevant. ... I think in eight years you'll have that.