RALPH D. RUSSO
Penn State Juwan Johnson (84) pats cornerback Amani Oruwariye after a loss to Michigan State in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, in State College, Pa. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times via AP)
AP Top 25 Takeaways: Is anybody good? Contenders flail

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 13, 2018 10:37 PM EDT
Some Saturdays it just sort of feels as if no one knows anything about college

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott speaks during the Pac-12 NCAA college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Pac-12 commissioner: Errors made in replay review procedure

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 11, 2018 02:02 PM EDT
The Pac-12 will make immediate changes to how video replay reviews are handled after

FILE - In this Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, file photo, Washington head coach Chris Petersen walks off the field following an NCAA college football game against Arizona State in Seattle. If the Pac-12 wants to maximize its already damaged hopes of playing for a national championship No. 7 Washington needs to beat No. 17 Oregon on Saturday. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
College Football Picks: Why Pac-12 needs Washington to win

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 10, 2018 03:19 PM EDT
If the Pac-12 wants to maximize its damaged hopes of placing a team in the College

AP Top 25 Podcast: The wild rise and fall of the USFL

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 10, 2018 02:26 PM EDT
The USFL helped change professional football in just three years of existence.

Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat (9) forces Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) to fumble as he attempts to pass during the second half of their NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. Mississippi State won 23-9. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
AP Top 25 Heat Check: Too much SEC? 8 is more than enough

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 08, 2018 03:18 AM EDT
The college football fans who are convinced there is bias for the Southeastern

Texas defensive back Josh Thompson (29) celebrates with fans while wearing the Golden Hat following Texas' 48-45 win over Oklahoma in an NCAA college football game at the Cotton Bowl, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018, in Dallas. (Nick Wagner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
AP Top 25: Notre Dame into top 5; Texas top 10; 8 SEC teams

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 07, 2018 02:03 PM EDT
Notre Dame moved into the top five, Texas and UCF reached the top 10 and the
Settling it on field: Bowls, role of AP poll change in 1990s

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 07, 2018 11:20 AM EDT
Florida State moved into the Atlantic Coast Conference and Penn State joined the Big Ten. South
Larger than life coaches, predictable powers dominate 1970s

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 07, 2018 10:45 AM EDT
In the 1970s, college football was pretty predictable and coaches were larger than life. The Bear
ND-Michigan St tie, controversial vote is 1960s centerpiece

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 07, 2018 10:37 AM EDT
There are big college football games and then there are those that rise to the level of being called

North Carolina State head coach Dave Doeren reacts during the second half an NCAA college football game against Boston College in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. North Carolina State won 28-23. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
AP Top 25 Takeaways: Texas tops Big 12; SEC East revival

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 06, 2018 09:27 PM EDT
Texas has been losing the type of game it won on Saturday for nearly a decade.

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2018, file photo, Virginia Tech quarterback Ryan Willis (5) passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Duke, in Durham, N.C. The Hokies have made a change behind center, with Kansas transfer Ryan Willis stepping in last week after sophomore co-captain Josh Jackson broke a bone in his leg in a stunning loss at Old Dominion. No. 24 Virginia Tech hosts No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
Week 6: A ranked Red River matchup, road test for Irish

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 05, 2018 06:13 PM EDT
The first weekend of October features three games matching ranked teams, with an

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2018, file photo, Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger (11) runs for a two-yard touchdown against TCU during the second half of an NCAA college football game, in Austin, Texas. To see the progress in Texas, look no further than quarterback Sam Ehlinger. The sophomore is quietly putting together the kind of season that earns a spot in the record book and wins a lot of games. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
AP Top 25 Podcast: Red River back; 'unintended consequences'

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 03, 2018 03:56 PM EDT
The Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma has not been this significant in

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2018, file photo, Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert (10) looks for a receiver against Portland State during an NCAA college football game in Eugene, Ore. A couple of Pac-12 stars have a chance to put themselves into the Heisman mix on Saturday night when No. 7 Stanford visits No. 20 Oregon. Herbert has put up nice numbers in the first three weeks of the season, with 10 touchdown passes, no interceptions and 10.4 yards per attempt. He is not quite at the Tua level, but he’s not that far off. (AP Photo/Thomas Boyd, File)
College Football Picks: Stanford-Oregon, Heisman showcase

By Ralph D. Russo Sep. 19, 2018 05:11 PM EDT
Heisman Trophy winners need Heisman moments and at least a few big-stage games to

Oklahoma State running back Justice Hill (5) runs past Boise State defensive end Durrant Miles, center, and teammate Marcus Keyes (75) and into the endzone with a touchdown in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
AP Top 25 Heat Check: Should LSU be No. 1 in rankings?

By Ralph D. Russo Sep. 17, 2018 06:12 AM EDT
LSU should be No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll. Yes,

LSU players celebrate after they defeated Auburn on a last second field goal during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Auburn, Ala. LSU won 22-21. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
AP Top 25: LSU jumps to No. 6; Wisconsin tumbles from top 10

By Ralph D. Russo Sep. 16, 2018 06:15 PM EDT
LSU surged to No. 6 in The Associated Press college football poll after its second

Boise State wide receiver Akilian Butler (81) looks up from under the pile of players he dragged in to the end zone for a touchdown against Connecticut in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, in Boise, Idaho. Boise State won 62-7. (AP Photo/Steve Conner)
College Football Picks: No. 17 Boise State gets a big chance

By Ralph D. Russo Sep. 12, 2018 07:45 AM EDT
The ceiling for teams outside the Power Five in the College Football Playoff race

Georgia wide receiver Mecole Hardman (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Solomon Kindley (66) after scoring a touchdown against South Carolina during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, in Columbia, S.C. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP)
AP Top 25 Heat Check: Up with UGA; Down on Notre Dame

By Ralph D. Russo Sep. 09, 2018 10:32 PM EDT
Fooled you. There is a lot of that at the beginning of the college

Maryland players celebrate in front of Texas wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey (84) after Maryland linebacker Tre Watson, second from right, intercepted a pass intended for Humphrey in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Landover, Md. Maryland won 34-29. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP Top 25 Heat Check: Auburn, Boise State are under-ranked

By Ralph D. Russo Sep. 05, 2018 07:20 AM EDT
The worst part of college football's week one overreactions is that they

NCAA goes back to court, defending its amateurism rules

By Ralph D. Russo Sep. 03, 2018 09:45 AM EDT
The NCAA will be back in court Tuesday in California, defending its

Washington quarterback Jake Browning (3) is stopped by Auburn's Darrell Williams (49) and Jeremiah Dinson (20) after running for a first down during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Atlanta. Auburn won 21-16. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
AP Top 25 Takeaways: Pac-12 down not out after UW loss

By Ralph D. Russo Sep. 01, 2018 03:30 PM EDT
Washington lost the game the Pac-12 needed to win. At least that's how