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Which recruits will surprise at The Opening Finals 2017?
What SB Nation’s experts want to see at the recruiting showcase.With Nike’s The Opening Finals showcase taking place this weekend, I return with an episode of the SB Nation College Football Recruiting...
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5-star QBs Justin Fields, Matt Corral hope visits clear up recruiting picture
Trips to FSU, Miami, and SEC schools are in the future.BEAVERTON, Ore. — Quarterback recruiting moves fast. Almost every top prospect commits to his school before his senior season begins. But at...
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Podcast: The recruits who shined at The Opening 2017
Bud Elliott and Alex Kirshner discuss some of their favorite recruits from The Opening 2017.BEAVERTON, Ore. — One-hundred-sixty-six of the nation’s best players just finished competing at Nike’s The...
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'Dead period?' 'Quiet period?' Explaining the NCAA's football recruiting...
The NCAA has a complicated set of rules for coaches and prospects to follow, which affects recruiting.National Signing Day is February 3, and over the next two months, college football fans will hear...
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Stay sleeping: These 2018 football recruits won't be unrated for long
These guys remind us that early football recruit rankings are incomplete at best.I’ve espoused many times in this space that while college football recruiting rankings are excellent, they don't...
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Why ACC football will look more like the SEC in 2017
Almost all of the league’s good QBs leaving, plus tons of returning defensive talent, could make points hard to come by.In recent years, the ACC has been an exceptional league for offenses. With Jameis...
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College football recruiting notebook: Tennessee has a top-5 class
Welcome to the Crootletter, a college football recruiting newsletter. College football recruiting never stops. And with the calendar turning to the quiet period, new offers and visits are...
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Why Ole Miss’ next head coach can win, even if the Rebels suck for a while
Hugh Freeze’s exit and the NCAA cloud mean a few bad years are coming, but now Ole Miss knows what it takes.So what now? Hugh Freeze is out as Ole Miss’ head football coach due to a “pattern of...
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Texas and Florida football are on a roll in recruiting
Welcome to the Crootletter, a college football recruiting newsletter by Bud Elliott.The University of Texas is on quite a recruiting tear under coach Tom Herman, and specifically in Houston. In recent...
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Where will IMG’s top 2018 college football recruits sign? Ask their teammates.
We’re keeping score of recruits making recruit predictions.BRADENTON, Fla. — IMG Academy is the most talented high school team in the country. A private boarding school where almost half of its roster...
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Tom Herman’s Texas Longhorns are dominating recruiting in Houston
The Crootletter profiles how Tom Herman is taking Texas recruiting to the next level.I’m back from my vacation and ready to resume sending the Crootletter. There is a new No. 2 recruiting class in the...
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Oddsmakers weigh in: Will an elite recruiter win college football’s national...
Casinos seem to side with the recruiting rankings.The national champions over the last decade-plus have all signed more four- and five-star recruits over the previous four classes than two- and...
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The 28 most talented college football games of 2017 per the recruiting rankings
The Crootletter focuses on recruiting-related college football coverage for SB Nation.Last week as part of our college football preview, I debuted the 2017 edition of the Blue-Chip Ratio, which...
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19 college football bets for Week 1 of 2017, including Michigan over Florida
Picking Alabama vs. FSU, Michigan vs. Florida, and more.All wagers at -110 odds unless otherwise noted. My picks are in bold, with that team’s spread margin attached. Visit Odds Shark for updated lines...
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This is how Florida State is daring Alabama to throw
FSU has to load up against the run and free up its athletes.The narrative out of Alabama’s camp is that Jalen Hurts is much improved as a passer. That may be true, but based on how Florida State’s...
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Trey Smith is wrecking people in his first game for Tennessee
Mean and beefy, Trey Smith is wasting no time making an impact for the Vols.Tennessee’s offense got off to a bit of a slow start in its opener against Georgia Tech, but it wasn’t due to true freshman...
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Botch Jones? Look closer. Tennessee’s head coach has done a good job
Unfair expectations serve to diminish the job he’s done.Botch Jones. I’m guilty of calling Tennessee head coach Butch Jones that on social media. Anecdotally, it feels like he gets less from...
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The 21 best bets for Week 2 college football, including Notre Dame over Georgia
Nearly two dozen spread picks for a loaded weekend.All wagers at -110 odds unless otherwise noted. My picks are in bold, with that team’s spread attached. Visit Odds Shark for updated lines throughout...
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4 quick things I learned from Auburn vs. Clemson
Defensive lines like Clemson’s just don’t exist in the Big 12.Hurricane Irma forced my evacuation from my home in Fort Myers, Fla. so I watched the Auburn at Clemson game from Orlando. Here’s what I...
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3 quick things I learned from Clemson pushing Louisville around
Clemson was too physical for Louisville, and Lamar Jackson too inaccurate until the game was already decided.Let’s empty the notebook from the games I watched on Saturday in Week 3 of college football....
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