PRESS PICKS: Forbidden zone not so much now for Cincinnati
STAFF REPORT
Round and ‘round we go and we find ourselves watching the playoff scenario works its way to the finale we expect.
All the hollering about the “dissing” of Cincinnati or how Alabama does not belong in the first four will soon be a distant memory if everything works out the way the experts have predicted. Bama will lose to Georgia in the SEC Championship game, paving the way for the Bearcats to enter the “forbidden” zone for Group of 5 teams. They will not need a light saber to navigate the swampy area in order to get there.
Just win. And may the Force be with you.
With the Big 12 basically out of the way and Notre Dame moving up the charts, the Big 12 falling back, there is no way an undefeated Cincinnati can be kept out…. Is there?
Well, maybe not. But the fact that the leader of the American Athletic Conference has looked rather pedestrian the last few weeks and still managed to keep its ranking says the committee isn’t worried about style points. The Bearcats haven’t registered any of late but is hanging around waiting for the fruit of Power 5 conferences to fall.
And it will. Ohio State will either take care of business or be taken care of by Michigan State or Michigan.
The aforementioned SEC Championship will more than likely drop the Tide to a two-loss team while Oregon may also be topped before the season ends, including this weekend at Utah.
There are ample opportunities for the Bearcats to break into the top 4. But will they? This week’s opponent – SMU - is not a pushover but it might be just the right team to get Cincy’s attention.
Do the Bearcats need to be impressive in a win? It wouldn’t hurt but for whatever reason, it hasn’t mattered to this point.
If SMU pulls off the upset, all you-know-what breaks loose and we are having a fun two weeks heading into the final poll.
Don’t sheath that sword yet.
Doug Amos continues to lead the standings heading to the final two weeks of the regular season in college football and the championships in high school.
2021 Standings (Week)
1. Doug Amos 128-57 (8-7) .691
2. Mike Peacock 126-59 (9-6) .681
Tim Gayle 126-59 (10-5) .681
4. Graham Dunn 124-61 (9-6) .670
5. Michael Butler 123-62 (11-4) .665
6. Barry McKnight 121-64 (9-6) .654
7. Rick Hendrick 120-65 9 (10-5) .648
8. Dylan Hurst 114-69 (10-5) .616
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket & Troy Trojans Network)
120-50 (11-4) .706
T.R. Miller at Montgomery Academy – MA
Hillcrest-Evergreen at Catholic – Catholic
Pike Road at Faith Academy – Pike Road
Escambia Academy vs. Autauga Academy – Autauga Academy
Lowndes Academy vs. Jackson Academy – Lowndes Academy
Arkansas at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at South Carolina – Auburn
Appalachian St at Troy – Troy
Florida at Missouri – Florida
Wake Forest at Clemson – Clemson
Iowa St at Oklahoma – Oklahoma
Michigan St at Ohio St – Ohio St
Southern Methodist at Cincinnati – Cincinnati
UCLA at Southern Cal – USC
Oregon at Utah – Utah
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
117-53 (8-7) .688
T.R. Miller at Montgomery Academy – T.R. Miller
Hillcrest-Evergreen at Catholic – Catholic
Pike Road at Faith Academy – Pike Road
Escambia Academy vs. Autauga Academy – Autauga Academy
Lowndes Academy vs. Jackson Academy – Lowndes Academy
Arkansas at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at South Carolina – Auburn
Appalachian St at Troy – App St
Florida at Missouri – Missouri
Wake Forest at Clemson – Wake Forest
Iowa St at Oklahoma – Oklahoma
Michigan St at Ohio St – Ohio St
Southern Methodist at Cincinnati – Cincinnati
UCLA at Southern Cal – UCLA
Oregon at Utah – Utah
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports & Montgomery Independent)
116-54 (9-6) .682
T.R. Miller at Montgomery Academy – MA
Hillcrest-Evergreen at Catholic – Catholic
Pike Road at Faith Academy – Pike Road
Escambia Academy vs. Autauga Academy – Autauga Academy
Lowndes Academy vs. Jackson Academy – Jackson Academy
Arkansas at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at South Carolina – Auburn
Appalachian St at Troy – App St
Florida at Missouri – Florida
Wake Forest at Clemson – Wake Forest
Iowa St at Oklahoma – Oklahoma
Michigan St at Ohio St – Ohio St
Southern Methodist at Cincinnati – Cincinnati
UCLA at Southern Cal – UCLA
Oregon at Utah – Oregon
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports)
115-55 (10-5) .677
T.R. Miller at Montgomery Academy – MA
Hillcrest-Evergreen at Catholic – Catholic
Pike Road at Faith Academy – Pike Road
Escambia Academy vs. Autauga Academy – Autauga Academy
Lowndes Academy vs. Jackson Academy – Jackson Academy
Arkansas at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at South Carolina – Auburn
Appalachian St at Troy – App St
Florida at Missouri – Florida
Wake Forest at Clemson – Clemson
Iowa St at Oklahoma – Oklahoma
Michigan St at Ohio St – Ohio St
Southern Methodist at Cincinnati – Cincinnati
UCLA at Southern Cal – UCLA
Oregon at Utah – Utah
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.5 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
112-58 (9-6) .659
T.R. Miller at Montgomery Academy – T.R. Miller
Hillcrest-Evergreen at Catholic – Catholic
Pike Road at Faith Academy – Pike Road
Escambia Academy vs. Autauga Academy – Autauga Academy
Lowndes Academy vs. Jackson Academy – Jackson Academy
Arkansas at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at South Carolina – Auburn
Appalachian St at Troy – App St
Florida at Missouri – Florida
Wake Forest at Clemson – Clemson
Iowa St at Oklahoma – Oklahoma
Michigan St at Ohio St – Ohio St
Southern Methodist at Cincinnati – Cincinnati
UCLA at Southern Cal – UCLA
Oregon at Utah – Oregon
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
112-58 (12-3) .659
T.R. Miller at Montgomery Academy – T.R. Miller
Hillcrest-Evergreen at Catholic – Catholic
Pike Road at Faith Academy – Pike Road
Escambia Academy vs. Autauga Academy – Escambia Academy
Lowndes Academy vs. Jackson Academy – Lowndes Academy
Arkansas at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at South Carolina – Auburn
Appalachian St at Troy – Troy
Florida at Missouri – Missouri
Wake Forest at Clemson – Wake Forest
Iowa St at Oklahoma – Iowa St
Michigan St at Ohio St – Ohio St
Southern Methodist at Cincinnati – SMU
UCLA at Southern Cal – Southern Cal
Oregon at Utah – Oregon
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA of Montgomery Biscuits)
110-60 (8-7) .647
T.R. Miller at Montgomery Academy – T.R. Miller
Hillcrest-Evergreen at Catholic – Catholic
Pike Road at Faith Academy – Pike Road
Escambia Academy vs. Autauga Academy – Autauga Academy
Lowndes Academy vs. Jackson Academy – Lowndes Academy
Arkansas at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at South Carolina – Auburn
Appalachian St at Troy – App St
Florida at Missouri – Missouri
Wake Forest at Clemson – Wake Forest
Iowa St at Oklahoma – Iowa St
Michigan St at Ohio St – Ohio St
Southern Methodist at Cincinnati – Cincinnati
UCLA at Southern Cal – USC
Oregon at Utah – Utah
Dylan Hurst (River Region Sports)
104-64 (7-8) .612
T.R. Miller at Montgomery Academy – MA
Hillcrest-Evergreen at Catholic – Catholic
Pike Road at Faith Academy – Pike Road
Escambia Academy vs. Autauga Academy – Autauga Academy
Lowndes Academy vs. Jackson Academy – Lowndes Academy
Arkansas at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at South Carolina – Auburn
Appalachian St at Troy – App St
Florida at Missouri – Missouri
Wake Forest at Clemson – Wake Forest
Iowa St at Oklahoma – Oklahoma
Michigan St at Ohio St – Ohio St
Southern Methodist at Cincinnati – Cincinnati
UCLA at Southern Cal – UCLA
Oregon at Utah – Oregon