Ohio State's first 3 plays gained 61 yards. Since then, the Buckeyes are averaging 2.4 yards per play (48 for 115)... And yet, they lead 10-7 going into halftime.

Last week, @TomFornelli suggested a stat called “not points” that tallies all the times teams blow good chances to score. I tried to actually calculate it in this week’s newsletter… davidhale.substack.com/p/bigger-and...

Newsletter: 24 team playoff is happening. Big Q for me: How will committee eval a lot of mediocre teams? My guess is it’s going to look a lot different than history suggests… but prob helps the SEC. davidhale.substack.com/p/bigger-and-n…

We've got a great Inside ACCess coming up for a mini-rivalry week show... 5 pm ACCN with... * Louisville coach Jeff Brohm * Duke RB Nate Sheppard * Former FSU K Roberto Aguayo Plus me & AA breaking down Duke-UNC, Miami-FSU... and why last week killed the ACC's narrative.

Kramer's Iconic Thumbs Up in Seinfeld

ALT: Kramer's Iconic Thumbs Up in Seinfeld

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Previewing the QB matchup in ND-BYU this week... (Thank you for allowing me to make this dad joke.)

From 2014-2025, no team had more than 18 takeaways through 5 games. This year, New Mexico and UCLA both have 19. New Mexico is +18 in turnover margin, which is +4 better than any other playoff-era team through 5 games and its +72 points off turnovers margin is the third-best since 2004.

The FBS leaders in yards-per-dropback both play for Miami... Darian Mensah at Miami (Florida) - 10.5 David McComb at Miami (Ohio) - 9.9

I recently resigned from the Herald-Leader as a result of McClatchy’s continued attacks on quality journalism. I’m launching an independent website dedicated to objective Kentucky basketball coverage. And I’d appreciate your support! Here’s more: www.insidekentuckybasketball.com/welcome-to-i...

Inside Kentucky Basketball: A new site for Wildcats coverage

Introducing a new website dedicated to independent coverage of the UK men's basketball team from former Herald-Leader beat writer Ben Roberts.

insidekentuckybasketball.com

Just as I'm sure I predicted before the season, the best explosive play rate differentials in the country belong to... Northwestern and Wake Forest. Explosives vs. success + offense and defense splits...

Strength of Record through Week 6 1. UGA 2. Indiana 3. UCLA 4. UK 5. Bama 6. ND 7. Texas 8. Miami 9. Texas Tech 10. Miss St 11. BYU 12. Wake 13. Iowa 14. Ole Miss 15. Ohio State 16. Wisconsin 17. USC 18. Utah 19. Hou 20. Mizz 21. Tenn 22. Okla 23. Northwestern 24. Boise 25. JMU 26. Clemson (!)

Per FPI, Miami now has a 82.6% chance to win the ACC. Wake - 8.6% SMU - 2.7% Pitt - 1.9% Lville - 1.8% Clemson actually has the sixth-best odds to make the ACCCG (4%).

The last 3 JMU coaches -- Curt Cignetti, Bob Chesney and Billy Napier -- are a combined 17-0 so far this season.

UNC is 1st team to win a P4 game w/20 yards or less rushing since 2023 (Wash over AzSt). Those are the only 2 FBS games in playoff era where a team won w/20 or fewer rush yards, 300 or fewer total yards, 3 or fewer third-down conversions and didn't win the turnover battle.

Jeremy Hecklinski is the first Iowa QB to throw for 3 TDs in a Big Ten game since 2021... and that was just the 7th time in the playoff era an Iowa QB had 200 pass yards & 3 pass TD in a conference win.

ICYMI: For Inside ACCess, we talked to Ashton Daniels about FSU living up to its potential vs UVA… and needing to keep doing that moving forward.

Newsletter: I wrote about Sturgill Simpson and making art that defies expectations, challenges preconceptions and, often, doesn’t make a lick of sense, and why we need that stuff now more than ever. davidhale.substack.com/p/make-art-n...

Make art not friends

Taking lessons from Sturgill Simpson plus interviews with CJ Bailey and Ashton Daniels, weekly ACC picks, and more.

davidhale.substack.com

Great Inside ACCess tonight... Ashton Daniels joins to talk FSU-Lou... @aadelsonESPN & I adjust our preseason expectations for UVA, VT, Lou & more... Why the OC-QB relationship matters so much... and a can't miss interview with CJ Bailey! 5 pm tonight ACCN.

Kool Aid Man Oh Yeah

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In 2024 and 2025 -- the 1st 2 years of the 12-team playoff -- 23 P4 teams opened the year 5-0. 13 of 23 made the playoff. 5 others ranked between Nos. 12-18 in the final playoff rankings. The only non-contenders: 2024 Duke and Pitt; 2025 Iowa State, GT and Missouri.

EPA/Drive 1. Miami, 1.47 2. Ohio State, 1.46 3. Indiana, 1.34 7. Wake, 1.21 13. UGA, 1.14 17. Pitt, 1.04 20. SMU, 1.01 63. Texas, 0.37 64. UNC, 0.36 113. Okla, -0.17 121. Maryland, -0.25 138. Clemson, -0.71

Ousmane Kromah had 15 forced missed tackles vs. Virginia. He's got an FBS-best 41 on the year on just 81 carries. 2. Michael Hawkins, 37 3. Nate Sheppard, 33 3. Justice Haynes, 33 5. Fame Ijeboi, 32 5. Adam Mohammed, 32 7. Jaheim White, 31 8. Wayshawn Parker, 30

Success Differential vs Explosive Differential through Week 5 (vs FBS only)... Duke is No. 1 in P4 in explosives differential. Stanford is... not. And Kansas? Skewed a bit w/a 55-0 win over MTSU.

🎵Baby on board Something something Burt Ward..,🎵 This thing writes itself.

Sitcom People@sitcompeople.bsky.social · 2w ago

Sacks allowed this year: Kansas State - 0 Duke - 1 Notre Dame - 2 - Mich St - 17 Clemson - 17 Auburn - 18 Virginia - 19

Most losses by 3 points or less in a 2-year span, playoff era (total losses): Boston College, 8 - 2014-15 (15) Louisville, 7 - 2025-present (8) Nebraska, 7 - 2022-23 (15) Virginia, 7 - 2022-23 (16) Notre Dame, 6 - 2015-16 (11) BC, 6 - 2015-16 (15)

It’s all QBs

Suz@suz13.bsky.social · 2w ago

Mensah's had an interception?

Man, tough year for Arkansas just keeps getting worse.

FBS yards after catch leaders: Carlos Hernandez, Wake - 312 Vernell Brown, UF - 278 Que'Sean Brown, VT - 276 Malachi Toney, Miami - 254 Anthony Evans, MsSt - 231 Mario Sanders, USM - 230 Adam Mohammed, Cal - 224

Miami QB play through 4 FBS games each of the last 3 seasons with 3 different QBs... Shannon Dawson knows what he's doing.

Best Aug/Sept/Oct records since start of 2024: Indiana, 21-0 BYU, 20-0 Miami, 19-1 Oregon, 18-2 Pitt, 18-2 UGA, 17-2 Ohio State, 17-2

In the past decade -- including the 2020 season as a league member -- Notre Dame is 47-6 vs. ACC opponents. Miami and Clemson are 5-2 vs. the Irish. Everyone else is a combined 1-45. Irish have won by an average of 18.1 points per game.