Bohls, Golden: Expanded CFP means extra helpings of football for hungry fans
We've got plenty of topics to debate involving college football, the NFL draft, the NBA playoffs, college baseball and MLB, but we also want to pay tribute to a Longhorn legend as we somberly note his passing:
1. CFP and NFL go head-to-head
Do you like or dislike the new College Football Playoff schedule beginning in 2024?
Bohls: Love more football, first of all. I like the first-round games on campuses but am a little leery about going head-to-head against NFL regular-season games, which usually does not go well. Not wild about a CFP semifinal on a Thursday night. Still, those Thursday-Friday semis leading into the NFL’s wild-card rounds should be insanely popular. And finally, college football will reclaim New Year’s Day with three games Jan. 1 and one New Year’s Eve.
Golden: To steal a line from the great Rick James, “Give it to me, baby.” I’ll take all the football I can get, even if there’s going to be some overlap with the NFL on Saturday, Dec. 21, which happens to be my birthday. The playoff will be the gift that keeps on giving. College football ratings will never be NFL ratings, but more football is good for living.
2. Doubling up on Longhorns in 2024
Todd McShay's early 2024 NFL mock draft has Ja'Tavion Sanders at No. 18 and Xavier Worthy at No. 22. Too high, too low or just right?
Bohls: I’m good with Sanders going that high. I’m president of his fan club, but that spot seems a little steep for the slightly built, quirky X-Man. Sanders will be a prime tight end in the next league with terrific hands and athleticism. Worthy is too undersized and has to show this fall that he’s not a head case.
Golden: I can see Sanders going even earlier than No. 18 because there aren’t too may linebackers or safeties on the planet who can shut him down. He has the intelligence and athleticism to be a 10-year player with Pro Bowl rings. I’m not sold on Worthy as a first or second rounder because he’s bone thin and will have problems getting off the line of the scrimmage against this new breed of big cornerbacks.
3. Remembering the drive of Texas' BMW
What will you remember the most about Lance Blanks?
Bohls: I loved his passion as a player and his down-to-earth populism as a person. One of the most colorful, personable Longhorn basketball players ever, he was always one of my favorites, never too big for his britches and always accommodating to a fault. I actually talked to Lance the day before he died, and he bragged to me about how good Max Abmas will be for the Longhorns. I just can’t come to grips with the fact that this gentle spirit of a man is gone.
Golden: I just loved how he played the game. He talked a lot trash and was a fan favorite because he wore the game on his sleeve. Later in life, he was one of the go-to people in Longhorn Nation, and I went to him when I needed an expert opinion on what was going on with the basketball program personnelwise. It’s devastating to know he is no longer with us. Lance always had a smile on his face, and I never left a conversation with him without smiling myself. Such a nice man. My condolences go out to his family and close friends.
More: Former Texas basketball star Lance Blanks dead at 56
4. Cupcakes or challenges? Bring ’em on
Would Texas be smart to keep scheduling high-profile nonconference games after it joins the SEC?
Bohls: Yes. With the advent of the 12-team CFP, which almost certainly will grow to 24, the Longhorns will have a much better chance of landing a berth. Steve Sarkisian says he likes these early-season tests as prep for SEC wars. Plus, games against the likes of Michigan and Ohio State help Texas’ RPI, and a loss in September isn’t as punitive as a defeat by a lesser opponent.
Golden: I don’t think the Horns can keep scheduling teams like Michigan and Ohio State while the other SEC teams are fattening up on FCS schools. It would put the Horns behind the eight ball in most seasons because a loss to a Power Five school is still a loss. So welcome Prairie View and UMass to Austin. It’s necessary if this program has serious championship aspirations.
5. Odds are, gambling is an issue
In light of the Alabama baseball coach's firing, does this suggest college betting is a problem?
Bohls: Not sure it’s out of control, but if gamblers are laying bets on regular-season college baseball, it’s a clear sign that this could be a huge money-maker for states, and Texas should get in line to keep money from wagering and casinos within its borders and legalize gambling.
Golden: Technically, it’s always been out of control because players, coaches and administrators have always gambled on sports. The difference nowadays is it’s much easier to get caught. With the advent of online gambling, the powers that be are much more adept at catching those who break the rules. Gamblers gamble. The smart athletes are probably still dealing with bookies and avoiding the online traps.
6. Etch it in stone: LeBron is elite
Stephen A. Smith suggested LeBron James might get knocked off the NBA's Mount Rushmore by Steph Curry if the Dubs win the series. Crazy talk or correct?
Bohls: More than crazy. There’s no chance in hell that the all-time leading scorer in the game could be left out of that elite group. Just stop it. James is the second-best of all time, right behind MJ.
Golden: Even if Golden State wins this series, nothing will change the fact that LeBron is on the short list of greatest players ever. His 4-6 Finals record precludes him from being on my personal Mount Rushmore, but he remains the greatest small forward/point forward ever. I don’t consider Steph top four either, but he has presented a case for being the second-greatest point guard ever after Magic, though the position has changed to more of an offensive job.
7. Throwing him into the Texans' fire
If you ran the Houston Texans, would you start C.J. Stroud on Day 1?
Bohls: Why not? In this day and age, rookies don’t wait on the bench the way Aaron Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre for three seasons. Get him the experience with meaningful snaps early and shorten the maturation period for the raw quarterback. Sure, there’s a chance he’ll get beat up and become the second David Carr, but the Texans should rip off the Band-Aid immediately. It’s not as if Stroud’s backing up Favre.
Golden: Start the kid now. When you think enough of a player to take him with the second overall pick, then sticking a ballcap on his head and a clipboard in his hand isn’t going to help nearly as much as playing him. Stroud has a Pro Bowl tackle in Laremy Tunsil guarding his blind side and an offense that caters to his skill set. In this day and age, coaches are throwing quarterbacks out of the nest much earlier. Let’s see if Stroud can fly.
Bohls: Cowboys' pick of Michigan's Mazi Smith a nod to its run defense struggles
8. Props for Powell; he's the real deal
What are the biggest pleasant surprise and disappointment on the Texas baseball team?
Bohls: You got to love third baseman Peyton Powell, who has come on like wildfire and given David Pierce his best bat. He’s the real deal and should be All-Big 12 as the Longhorns’ top hitter and the seventh-best in the league at .357. For disappointment, I’d look first at shortstop Jalin Flores, the young, talented phenom-in-waiting who hasn’t been able to adjust to college pitching yet and couldn’t crack the everyday lineup. He’s hitting a paltry .145, has struck out 21 times in 62 at-bats and couldn’t beat out Mitchell Daly, who is hitting only .233.
Golden: How can you not love what Powell is doing for this team? He is slugging .586 and has committed only four errors in 105 chances. He is easily the most reliable of the everyday players. I thought we’d get more from Mitchell Daly this season. He’s hitting .233 and has only 13 extra-base hits in 150 at bats. He’s pretty much the same player he was last season offensively, though he has settled in nicely at shortstop with only one error in his last 31 games.
9. Are Riley, Sanders NFL-bound?
Who will be the next college football coach to jump to the NFL?
Bohls: Seriously? It has to be Lincoln Riley, who at 39 figures to be the second coming of 37-year-old Sean McVay, who won Super Bowl 56. Riley’s an offensive genius, and the former Oklahoma head coach will be out the door soon if he can first win a national championship at USC. He’s already produced three Heisman Trophy winners — Jalen Hurts was a runner-up — and a pair of No. 1 overall draft picks.
Golden: I agree with Duck on Riley, but keep your eyes on new Colorado coach Deion Sanders. Prime is running the program like an NFL organization, and while that might be getting him wolf points with an overexcited Buffs fan base, I can see him getting out of there after two or three seasons and taking an NFL head coaching job. His act could wear thin in college soon rather than later.
10. It's early, but ...
Which early MLB division leader or second-place team will be a serious contender later?
Bohls: Against all odds, I’ll take the surprising Pirates. The NL Central leaders were just swept by the rampaging Rays — no blame there — but Pittsburgh has shocked the world with a major league-leading 44 stolen bases and surprisingly strong pitching. Now, Vince Velasquez just went on the IL with elbow discomfort, but he and Mitch Keller have been anchoring a stable rotation. The Bucs might not be able to hold off the Brewers and Cubs, especially without injured shortstop phenom Oneil Cruz (broken leg). But maybe the magic will continue.
Golden: Tampa Bay is as good as advertised, even if the Rays have gone only 12-6 since that 14-0 start. Baseball’s good book says pitching and defense win championships, and entering the weekend, the Rays led the league in batting average (.278) and ERA (2.87) while ranking eighth in fielding (.990). Kevin Cash’s crew is motivated after winning only 86 games last season. And don’t overlook the hurt that some of the players from that 2021 team — outfielder Randy Arozarena and second baseman Brandon Lowe come to mind — are still feeling about that 3-1 ALDS loss to Boston after winning 100 games.
Bohls: Texas basketball is down, then it's up, then it's down again, then it's up again
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Expanded CFP offers extra helpings of football for fans
