Tom Fornelli

Texas A&M is the most surprising SEC team that could run the table the rest of the season

I would say Texas A&M. I do think that they're legitimately good. ... They've kind of figured things out and gotten their act together the last few weeks. ... I'm not saying that they will, I'm just saying they strike me as a team that is much better than anybody truly expected.

Arch Manning looks like an unpolished freshman and is not ready for the SEC

I thought like the last few years sitting on the bench developing behind Quinn Ewers is like we were gonna see a much more polished player than what we have seen to this point. He just looks like a freshman even though he is now in his third year on campus. So I think that is very alarming.

Ohio State's defense is definitively better than it was last year

I do think there is an argument to be made that the defense is better than last year's defense. I think [Jim Knowles] is just confusing the ever living crap out of all the quarterbacks that he has faced so far. ... Once they get to the red zone, they're just absolutely clamping down and not giving up anything.

Michigan is a better team than USC and will beat them on the money line

I think the wrong team is favorite in Los Angeles. I think Michigan's a better football team than USC. ... I'm probably just gonna be on the Michigan money line. ... I think Michigan's just much better than they are along the lines of scrimmage.

Will Howard's performance at Ohio State is a result of elite wide receivers

I think of how Will Howard looked at Kansas State and then I think of how Will Howard looked at Ohio State. Right. Looked a lot different when you have all those guys to throw to. What can really great wide receivers do to an average quarterback? They can lift him up. Right?

LSU will win the National Championship

I picked LSU to win the national title. So I I'm with you on that. I picked 'em to win the SEC too. And it's, it's kind of along with what you just said, like they're, the way that they work, it's like when you don't expect them to be anything is when they're gonna jump up and have a great year.

West Virginia is this year's Indiana and could surprise the Big 12

Everybody's looking for this year's Indiana... Rich Rod left Jacksonville State, went to West Virginia, brought the entire fucking roster with him... I look at West Virginia, like if that's a future you wanna take instead of taking Jalen Daniel... they could be in the playoff hunt.

Clemson will win the ACC

I have Clemson winning the ACC too. I do think receiver-wise they're gonna be better than they were last year... I think Dabo can win the ACC without using the portal because I don't think the ACC is that good.

No team in the Big 12 will finish with fewer than three losses

My hot take about the Big 12 is that nobody is coming outta that league with fewer than three losses. I think it's gonna be a one-bid league.

Nico Iamaleava is the best quarterback in the country

I'm telling you, Nico's [Iamaleava] the best quarterback in the country. Size-wise, talent-wise, ability-wise, fit in the offense that he's in... I already have the future on Nico's Heisman.

Oklahoma will finish with a better SEC record than Texas in their first year

Oklahoma finishes with a better SEC record than Texas. I think Jackson Arnold will be a step forward for them... my concerns about Texas are shared.

Georgia's schedule is so easy they are a lock for the CFP and a likely three-peat

Georgia's obviously won the last two national titles. They're probably gonna win a third. ... when I look at Georgia's schedule, there is absolutely no way in hell they are not making the playoffs.

LSU is better than Alabama and will win the SEC West

I really, I, I'm not gonna say that the Alabama dynasty is dead, but I feel like it's dying. ... I look at LSU... I just look at that division and I think LSU is better than Alabama this year and they're more likely to win the west.

Iowa will score 31 points per game and win the Big 10 West

I'm on record. They're gonna score 31 points per game and I think they're gonna win the west. I think they are the best team. They're the one I have the fewest questions about.

Texas is the most underrated team in the country and will beat Alabama in Week 2

I was asked for the most underrated team in the country and I chose Texas. ... I really do think this year's Longhorns team is going to be very good. ... I think Texas, if there is an elite team in that conference [Big 12] this year, it is Texas. ... Texas is gonna win that game [against Alabama].

Caleb Williams will win back-to-back Heisman trophies

Caleb Williams is the real fucking deal. ... It's why I think he's the best player in college. It's why I think he'll be the first pick in the draft and it's why I think he's gonna be the first guy to win the Heisman at consecutive years since Archie Griffin.

Texas Tech -14 against Wyoming is a Game of the Year lock

Texas Tech minus 14 against Wyoming... I went full I mean go as many as you're comfortable going, but it's Game of the Year Territory for me. I have Texas Tech minus 14. I also have Texas Tech alternate lines at minus 20. So that's, I'm feeling pretty good about this one.

Michael Penix Jr. has a stronger arm than Josh Allen

Michael Penix was convinced to come back to Washington... he's not Josh Allen as far as total overall skillset as far as the size. But as far as arm strength is concerned, this kid might have a stronger arm than Josh Allen. ... you can't believe a human is able to throw a football that hard on a line like that.

Ohio State is being written off as a bad team prematurely after the Michigan loss

I think that there's been a large overreaction to Ohio State losing to Michigan. I think that Ohio State suddenly sucks in the mind of a lot of people because they lost to Michigan two years in a row. ... I think the Buckeyes are still very good. They could win this game [against Georgia].

The Tulane vs. USC game is a lock to go over the point total

My favorite bet, honestly, the over in Tulane USC. ... Way too low. They're gonna get in seventies for this one.

Georgia is better than they were last year

I think Georgia is better than last year's team. I came into this season, thinking Alabama and Ohio State, one of them is going to win the national title... After what I saw on Saturday, I suddenly think that Georgia's probably right up there with those two.

Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are the two best quarterbacks in the country

I think [C.J. Stroud] and Bryce Young are the two best quarterbacks in the country. I think that they will be Heisman finalists.

LSU and Florida State are both just mediocre 7-5 or 8-4 teams

Neither of those teams is very good. Like LSU is gonna be seven and five, Florida State's gonna be seven and five, maybe eight and four in the ACC.

Drake Maye is an upgrade over Sam Howell

I think Drake Maye, their new quarterback, is really good... I think that he's just, he's probably an upgrade over Sam Howell, no offense. I know that he's with your Commanders now, but I think that they've got a better quarterback now.

Kansas is the worst Power Five team in college football

Oh, that's a good question. But it's Kansas. [The worst power five team].

A Group of Five team will never make the College Football Playoff in the four-team format

No, a Group of Five team... as long as the playoffs stays at four teams, a Group of Five teams never get again, period. I don't care who they play or what we have to remember who put the playoff together. Yeah. The Power Five. Why did they put it together? For money. They are not going to willfully share that money with a Cincinnati or a Boise State.

James Franklin would be magnificent as the head coach at USC

I think James Franklin would be magnificent at USC because the one thing that USC, that you really need to take advantage of if your goal is to win national titles... you need a guy who's really good to try to bring that talent in like Pete Carroll was doing... I think James Franklin is one of the guys who's capable of doing it to be blunt.

Justin Fields will be the Bears starter by Week 3

And Justin Fields prediction go quick? Week three. [Week three start].

If Utah wins and Georgia loses, Utah will make the College Football Playoff

I think as long as Utah wins and Georgia loses, they're going to get the four spot... The committee has been ranking them based on being a complete team... Utah has been dominant all season long.

ACC is the worst conference ever and Clemson will make the playoff even if they lose

The ACC is the worst conference ever and yeah, Clemson makes the playoff if they lose, for sure. Clemson's biggest opponent will be boredom because the rest of the ACC sucks.

Notre Dame is the most likely top-four team to miss the CFB Playoff

[Predict one of the four teams not making it] Notre Dame. Even over Michigan? Yeah. Because Michigan's got to play Ohio State. I think if you look at Notre Dame, I don't think any of us are going to be surprised if they lose to Syracuse next weekend.

Michigan is currently a better team than Notre Dame

I honestly think Michigan, even though it lost to Notre Dame to start the year, is better than Notre Dame. At least it's playing better... I think Michigan just overall, special teams, defense, and offense has been a better team than Notre Dame.

Ben Mason is the clear number one fullback in college football

Mason's my clear number one. No, Mason, to me, is clearly the best fullback in college right now. He just destroys dudes.

Dino Babers would be the ideal hire for USC

If I'm the Trojans, I'd go after [Dino] Babers, honestly. Because I think that he runs an exciting offense. You know, in L.A., you have to sell excitement. I think Babers is a good coach.

Josh Rosen is too smart to play for the Cleveland Browns

Between him leaking out that he doesn't want to play for the Browns and between his answer about why he's sitting out and why some players do sit out, I feel like he's way too smart to end up in Cleveland.

Alabama will win the National Championship

My heart wants to say Oklahoma, but my head says Alabama, just because, like I've said, I think Alabama's the best team in the country... I just don't think anybody's beating Alabama this year... I think they're going to finish as national title champions once again.

Josh Rosen is ready for the NFL now, but Sam Darnold should stay in school

I would take Rosen right now. I think Darnold needs to go back. I mean, I never want to tell a kid to go to school again for another year when he can get paid, but I think as far as being a quarterback is concerned, Darnold would be better going back for another year, whereas I think Rosen's ready to play in the NFL now.

Georgia will beat and cover against Auburn in the SEC Championship

I think that this week in Atlanta, where it's going to be a far friendlier environment for the Bulldogs, they're going to get back to the run game... So I really like Georgia in this one, not just to cover the two and a half, but just to win.

If Ohio State beats Wisconsin, Alabama will get the 4th playoff spot

If Ohio State beats Wisconsin, I think Alabama will get that spot. As long as Clemson beats Miami, Oklahoma beats TCU, and then it probably doesn't really matter what happens in the SEC title game.