All Access Football Report: Week 15
All Access Football dissects the College Football Playoffs, Heisman Trophy Race and NFL Draft Watch. Plus, NFL Power Rankings and the latest buzz from the world of football.
Volume XXIV Edition LXXXI || All Access Football Report: Week 15
Welcome to the December 11, 2024, All Access Football Newsletter, Presented By Sports Management Worldwide.
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FINAL NCAA POWER RANKINGS
(Pictured Above: College Football Playoffs Bracket)
Our final NCAA rankings differ significantly from the College Football Playoffs bracket. In the future, we can only hope that the committee re-evaluates the selection process, finds new voters, or both. When ranking the top college football programs, one should account for the level of competition. Seems rather simplistic but here we are. For example based on the good old eye test, any avid observer of the game would be able to inform you that South Carolina, right now, is as good as any team in the nation. The Gamecocks rattled off six straight victories to end the season with wins over Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Wofford and Clemson!
Meanwhile, Boise State gained their only victory over a ranked opponent last weekend with a win over No.25 UNLV, against a team whose head coach, Barry Odom, already had one foot out the door on his way to Purdue. Why does Clemson get to compete for a national championship but South Carolina does not? Expanded College Football Playoffs only created a more flawed system and exposed the voters for having little awareness of what is really transpiring across college football on a weekly basis.
It should also be accounted for when a team such as Colorado, who brought in nearly 60 transfers from the portal and possess arguably the top two players in the nation (Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter), begin to gel at the end of the season the way they did. The Buffs finished the year playing at a level capable of beating anyone in the nation. Yet, no entry.
Those who claim Miami didn’t have a ‘tough’ schedule, or didn’t blow out opponents, should re-check the resume because they have what is called the ultimate trump card in Cameron Ward. The potential number one overall pick was the top quarterback performer in college football this season and did not have the opportunity to play in the ACC Championship. Ward provides the Hurricanes with a chance to win any game they’re in, as evidenced this past season. SMU had their shot last week. Miami should have been the next team up.
It’s a tough job but leaving these teams out, just feels off.
Below is the All Access Football final rankings, a baker’s dozen edition:
RK | SCHOOL | RECORD | CONFERENCE
Oregon Ducks (13-0) [B1G]
Georgia Bulldogs (11-2) [SEC]
Texas Longhorns (11-2) [SEC]
Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2) [B1G]
Penn State Nittany Lions (11-2) [B1G]
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-1) [IND]
South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3) [SEC]
Clemson Tigers (10-3) [ACC]
SMU Mustangs (11-2) [ACC]
Arizona State (11-2) [Big 12]
Miami Hurricanes (10-2) [ACC]
Colorado Buffaloes (9-3) [BIG 12]
Boise State (12-1) [MWEST]
HEISMAN TROPHY BALLOT
The 90th Annual Heisman Trophy presentation will air this Saturday, December 14, at 8p ET on ESPN. It’s widely anticipated that we will see a non-quarterback win the award for just the third time in the past 15 years; the others being Alabama alumni DeVonta Smith (2020) and Derrick Henry (2015).
Our vote has remained rock-steady with receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. The two-way star averaged nearly 120 snaps per game on offense and defense, rarely coming off the field as a special teams contributor also. On the season, Hunter has racked up 92 receptions, for 1,152 yards and 15 touchdowns on offense, plus 31 tackles, 11 pass breakups and four interceptions on defense. More impressive is the fact that he allowed only 22 receptions on 39 targets, with just six first downs and one touchdown. It is one of the finest college football seasons in the history of college football and arguably the most impressive individual performance we have seen in our 23 years covering the game.
In any other season, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty would stand a strong chance at taking home the hardware. The Broncos back busted moves like Jagger, pulverizing defenses with his combination of speed, vision, explosiveness, along with his ability to stop on a dime and change direction. With 2,497 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns, Jeanty averaged a whopping 191 rushing yards per game, averaging an eye-gauging 7.3 yards per carry! He needs 131 more yards to set the NCAA single-season rushing mark, set by Barry Sanders in 1988, who did it in 11 games, as opposed to Jeanty who will be playing in his 14th contest of the year.
There are two quarterbacks who did receive the invite to New York City as finalists. Undefeated Oregon has been led by super senior signal-caller Dillon Gabriel, who has been highly efficient, completing 73% of his passes, for 3,558 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions; he has also added seven rushing touchdowns. He’ll be accompanied by Cameron Ward of Miami, who completed 67% of his passes, for 4,123 passing yards, 36 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while adding an additional four scores via the ground. Thanks for coming, fellas.
Our final ballot is as follows:
RK | PLAYER | POSITION | SCHOOL
Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado Buffaloes
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State Broncos
Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon Ducks
Cameron Ward, QB, Miami Hurricanes
*Our All-Star Game Tracker keeps you up to date on the latest player invites.
NFL POWER RANKINGS
It’s hard to disagree with Detroit head coach Dan Campbell that the Lions are destined for this. An organization who has never won a Super Bowl and last won a championship in 1957, Detroit is deservingly sitting atop the NFL standings. Despite their winning ways, there will be no room for error, as the red-hot Philadelphia Eagles sit just one game back for the No.1 seed in the NFC. Meanwhile the Los Angeles Rams showed why they shouldn’t be counted out just yet, as they ran a buzzsaw over the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills loss to the Rams was a critical one, as they now sit even with the Pittsburgh Steelers as the No.2 seed in the AFC. Remarkably, America will be treated to a Christmas Day matchup that features the Kansas City Chiefs visiting the Steelers, in a contest sure to have heavy playoff implications. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Chargers are making huge strides towards contention, as they have battled both the Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens down to the wire in recent weeks. It speaks volumes to the masterful job head coach Jim Harbaugh has done taking over a five-win team from the previous year.
It’s time to buckle up and hunker down for the final four weeks of the regular season!
RK | TEAM | RECORD
Detroit Lions (12-1)
Buffalo Bills (10-3)
Kansas City Chiefs (12-1)
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)
Philadelphia Eagles (11-2)
Los Angeles Rams (7-6)
Baltimore Ravens (8-5)
Green Bay Packers (9-4)
Los Angeles Chargers (8-5)
Minnesota Vikings (11-2)
2025 NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD
Our latest NFL Draft Top 10 Big Board features three-fourths of the above mentioned Heisman finalists. The month of December is important for NFL contenders but also for teams eliminated from playoff contention. This is the time of year when NFL coaches start paying attention to college football bowl games and playoff contests.
Every prospect must be treated on a case-by-case basis during the evaluation process. Colorado superstars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders have stated that they will participate in their bowl game, while Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham will reportedly sit out his. Likewise, Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson, who hasn’t played in two months due to a toe injury, is not expected to play.
For more college bowl game draft analysis, be sure to tune-in to Game Time Decisions on Sports Grid, airing December 27, as AAF founder Ric Serritella joins Mariah Janos to break down a slew of pro prospects!
RK | PLAYER | POSITION | SCHOOL | YEAR | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | FORTY
Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado, Jr, 6001, 181, 4.52
Mason Graham, DT, Michigan, Jr, 6024, 320, 4.95
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado, Sr, 6012, 198, 4.70
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan, Jr, 6020, 202, 4.44
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State, Jr, 5082, 217, 4.50
Kelvin Banks Jr, OT, Texas, Jr, 6036, 320, 5.21
James Pearce Jr., ER, Tennessee, Jr., 6036, 242, 4.55
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia, Jr, 6010, 205, 4.48
Cameron Ward, QB, Miami, Sr, 6020, 220, 4.65
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona, Jr, 6040, 210, 4.45
*We go DEEP for the 2025 NFL Draft With Our Top 350 Big Board, click it here!