“There is nothing that can be done to stop it.” – Brett McMurphy, Oct. 4, 2023.
Why my doom and gloom? What am I referencing? Global warming? Taylor Swift sightings on NFL broadcasts? Commercials featuring Deion Sanders? James Franklin running up the score in the final minute to cover the point spread?
Nope, none of that. I’m talking about stopping college fans from rushing the field after a big win — or in some instances, any win period. It can’t be stopped.
Saturday was the latest example when Ole Miss fans stormed the field after beating LSU. One dude managed to climb the goalpost and proceeded to make out with it. He finished by doing a front flip off it — he missed the landing, so I’d only give him a 7.7 (which, ironically, is probably what he blew on the breathalyzer).
This Ole Miss fan really relished beating LSU. 😂 pic.twitter.com/JL20YNdkbb
— College Sports Only (@CollegeSportsO) October 1, 2023
The on-field carnage resembled the disastrous homecoming parade from Animal House — if you’re young enough that you've never seen Animal House, please, please go stream it.
There was massive chaos after the Ole Miss game between players, fans and security guards as evidenced by several social media posts.
Per the SEC’s new policy, Ole Miss was fined $100,000 for the field storming. The SEC fines increase to $250,000 for a second offense and $500,000 for a third offense. The SEC — or other conferences — could fine these schools a billion dollars and it won’t stop students from rushing the field because (a) they’re students, (b) alcohol, (c) A+B = bedlam.
Earlier this year, the SEC considered drastic (i.e. unrealistic) penalties for field storming, including penalizing the school by forfeiting games or moving future home games on the road.
Last year, Tennessee fans not only tore down the goalposts after beating Alabama but removed them from Neyland Stadium and tossed them in the Tennessee River. Do you really think fans will stop these celebrations because of the threat of a forfeit or moving a future home game?
Absolutely not. The answer — like everything else involved with college athletics — revolves around money. Instead of fining the schools, how about rewarding (paying off?) the students who don’t rush the field?
That is the brilliant idea by Tim Allen, a former Big 12 senior associate commissioner. Reward specific campus student groups financially — not the schools’ athletic departments — for fan bases that don’t rush the field.
Each conference office could establish a fund of $100,000 per school, so the SEC’s fund would be $1.6 million starting next year. After the season is done, all schools that didn’t have a field storming incident would split the $1.6 million, so they would receive a minimum of $100,000. For example, if three schools stormed the field, the $1.6 million would be divided equally among the remaining 13 schools ($123,000 each). And yes, if a team doesn’t win any home games and never storms the field, they would benefit financially.
What’s important, in Allen’s opinion, is that these funds go to non-athletic student organizations and are distributed in a manner that the school’s student government decides. It could go to student groups, reduce student fees or they could even hold a massive $100,000 party. But the students decide — not the school president or athletic director — and determine what to do with the funds.
This would provide the students incentive to police themselves. The commissioner can make the rounds to each campus to talk to student leaders and let them have a voice. After the season, the conference commissioner returns with a gigantic-sized check presentation that will look much better on social media than a security guard leveling a co-ed running on the field.
The bottom line, Allen says, is if you storm the field, it costs the athletic department hundreds of thousands of dollars and, more importantly, prevents campus student groups from getting at least $100,000.
You’re right — Allen’s proposal makes too much sense. It will never happen. It cannot be stopped.
Stat of the Week 📈
If you’re wondering why the SEC and Big Ten are the clear-cut Power 2, here’s why: of the 26 highest-paid coaches at public schools in 2023, the SEC had 12 and the Big Ten had eight.
The ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 had two each based on USA Today’s comprehensive annual coaches salary survey.
Here’s the average head-coaching salary of public schools by current conference affiliation:
- SEC: $7.610 million
- Big Ten: $6.744 million
- ACC: $5.179 million
- Pac-12: $4.767 million
- Big 12: $4.674 million
- American: $1.720 million
- Mountain West: $1.483 million
- Conference USA: $820,000
- Sun Belt: $800,000
- Mid-American: $713,000
Here’s the average head-coaching salary of public schools based on 2024 conference affiliation:
- SEC: $7.453 million
- Big Ten: $6.529 million
- ACC: $5.119 million
- Big 12: $4.451 million
Private schools coaching salaries not included in the survey: Air Force, Army, BYU, Duke, Liberty, Miami, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Stanford, SMU, TCU, Temple, Tulsa and USC.
Dream Bowl Projection of the Week 😋
I can say with 100% certainty the dreamiest bowl matchup for fans and TV execs alike would be a matchup between USC and Oklahoma. A College Football Playoff pairing would be the ultimate matchup, pitting USC coach and former OU coach Lincoln Riley against the Sooners.
However, I’m not confident enough that both teams will make the playoff, so I’m projecting a Trojans-Sooners Alamo Bowl. By the way, there’s no way USC would ever allow this bowl matchup to happen outside the playoff, but we can always dream.
TV Eyeball Watch 📺👀
Colorado … again! For the fourth time in five weeks, Colorado’s game on Saturday was the nation’s most-watched college football matchup.
Last week’s loss to USC averaged 7.24 million viewers, down nearly three million from the previous week when Colorado lost to Oregon. But still, the Buffs were on top.
The Buffaloes' top billing will end this week. Forget about my pick below — this is my Lock of the Millennium.
It’s because Colorado faces Arizona State on the Pac-12 Network (cue the cricket noises). Anyway, it was an incredible run by the Buffs and something we’ve never seen in college football ratings in a five-week span.
Last week’s top five (all times ET):
- USC at Colorado, 7.24 million (FOX, noon)
- Georgia at Auburn, 6.4 million (CBS, 3:30 p.m.)
- Notre Dame at Duke, 5.32 million (ABC, 7:30 p.m.)
- Michigan at Nebraska, 4.48 million (FOX, 3:30 p.m.)
- LSU at Ole Miss, 3.72 million (ESPN, 6 p.m.)
Good Teams Win, Great Teams Cover 🏈
The good: Penn State hasn’t lost a game yet and remains a perfect 5-0 against the spread, thanks to some late-game aggressive play-calling by the Nittany Lions.
With the game comfortably decided, Penn State has twice opted not to run out the clock. Instead, it scored touchdowns with 2:20 remaining against Northwestern — on a 30-yard touchdown pass to increase a 34-13 lead — and with six seconds remaining against West Virginia — a five-yard touchdown run to pad a 31-15 lead.
In both games, Penn State scored late (piled it on) to cover point spreads of at least 3 touchdowns. If you’ve been on the wrong end of those bad beats, there’s some good news: you’re safe this week. Penn State is off.
Besides Penn State, Oklahoma, Oregon and UNLV also are a perfect 5-0 against the spread, while Liberty is 4-0 and Rutgers is 4-0-1.
The bad: Illinois is 0-5 against the spread, UTSA is 0-4, and Georgia and NC State are each 0-4-1.
The ugly: Take a bow, Vanderbilt. The Commodores are a perfectly awful 0-6 against the spread.
Maybe Significant (Or Not) 🤘
When No. 3 Texas faces No. 12 Oklahoma Saturday, it will mark only the fifth time in the last 18 years Texas has been favored in the Red River Rivalry. As of writing, Texas is a 6.5-point favorite.
In a series where upsets are the norm, Texas has actually thrived in this role. In the previous four games Texas was favored against OU, the Longhorns won all four, including three lopsided victories.
Texas as favorites vs. OU since 2005:
- 2023 Texas (-6.5)
- 2022 Texas (-7) 49, OU 0
- 2009 Texas (-3) 16, OU 13
- 2006 Texas (-3.5) 28, OU 10
- 2005 Texas (-14) 45, OU 12
100% Guaranteed Pick* 💸
*Will Likely Lose 50% of the Time
UCF vs. Kansas Over 62
I’m not sure who will be the starting quarterback for UCF (John Rhys Plumlee or Timmy McClain) or Kansas (Jalon Daniels or Jason Bean).
What I am sure about is that both schools will put up big numbers on offense. UCF leads the Big 12 in yards per play, while Kansas ranks fourth. And both teams have had some recent issues defensively, which is also preferred when taking an over.
In the Future in 2024* 🔮
*This Has Not Actually Happened
In one year from now on Oct. 4, 2024: In response to Georgia coach Kirby Smart saying last year that “every SEC team should be ranked,” the Associated Press ditches its long-time AP Top 25 poll for its new AP Top 133 poll.
All 133 FBS teams will be ranked, so every SEC team — no matter where — is now ranked.
