By: Kade Padgett (@kadepadgett)
Season 21 in the CFSL was one for the ages. We saw the all-time win record for ADs broken by FSU’s Tom Pence (AKA Grin), we saw two undefeated regular season teams with Ohio State and Auburn, and we saw 5 of the 6 SEC teams make the playoffs. We all went into the playoffs expecting some wild finishes, some upsets, and some great games through and through, and we were not disappointed in Round 1.
As we move into Round 2, only 8 teams remain in the hunt for the Season 21 CFSL title. Here we will look at all four Quarterfinal matchups, and get everyone locked and loaded for some great games this coming week. Let’s dive in.
Game 1: Auburn vs. Kentucky
We all were privileged to watch Auburn against Kentucky in Week 7 of CFSL action, which saw Auburn taking home the W in a 40-35 thriller. Thomas Scally ran for 236 yards and a touchdown, and Chuy Baca set the modern-era single-game record and tied the record for Interceptions in a single game with 4. While Auburn got the leg up in Week 7, make no mistake that this is a completely different animal.
1 seed Auburn comes into the Quarterfinals off the backs of a 47-24 win against the Oklahoma Sooners. Scally and Quarterback Jay Duke combined for nearly 350 rushing yards on the night. Luke Radloff added 2 interceptions on the defensive side, and Auburn cruised to victory.
8 seed Kentucky comes in after a nail-biting victory over Michigan State 55-52. Quarterback TJ Cunnington out-dueled Cole Mantel by throwing 555 yards and 6 touchdowns with only 1 interception, while Mantel threw for 553 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Kentucky DB Teddy Legend had both interceptions for the Wildcat defense and took one of them back for a touchdown.
Kentucky and Auburn have been here before. Both of these teams are seasoned, experienced squads with ADs who have playoff success. Kentucky is seeking their 4th national title, all coming since Season 16, while Auburn is seeking their 2nd national title. It is always difficult to beat teams twice in one season, and who knows what is going to happen, but this matchup is going to be one for the ages.
Game 2: USC vs. Georgia
The reigning national champions have had a good season finishing 6-2 in the regular season. The 7-seed Trojans matched up against the 10-seed Texas Longhorns in the first round of the playoffs. A game that saw the Trojans overcome a 23-17 4th quarter deficit, ending in a 30-29 win for USC. Quarterback Jamesyn Golde threw for 444 yards and 4 touchdowns with 2 interceptions. Morgan Winters and Jamie King Jr. had 2 interceptions for the Trojan defense.
15 Seed Georgia comes into this game playing with house money. Finishing at 4-4 in the regular season, Georgia only finds themselves in this playoffs on the backs of a vote-in spot by the league. Going to undefeated Ohio State in the first round, everyone but those in Athens, Georgia believed that the Bulldogs’ season was over. Quarterback Brandon Petty had other ideas. Throwing for 467 yards and 3 touchdowns with 1 interception, Georgia never trailed in this game. The Bulldogs defensive line totaled 4 sacks, and Safety Nic Lee had the only interception for the Dawgs defense.
USC still has its eyes set on a national title. As the defending champions, anything less might feel like a letdown. As for Georgia, with nothing left to lose and everything to gain, the Bulldogs have been playing loose and free. On paper, this game may seem lopsided, but that is exactly what Ohio State thought. This game is going to be fireworks, and you are not going to want to miss it.
Game 3: Miami vs. Florida
A matchup between two Florida teams isn’t unheard of at this point in the season. What makes it interesting, is that this will be the 2nd matchup between two Florida teams this postseason alone. Round 1 saw the 14-seed Florida Gators upset the 3-seed Florida State Seminoles 51-41. Quarterback Jack Schmidt threw for 423 yards and 2 touchdowns, and the Gators ran for 172 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns in their victory. Cornerback Shelly Menchaca came up with the lone turnover for the Gators’ defense in the form of an Interception.
On the other side of this game, the 6-seed Miami Hurricanes faced off with the 11-seed North Carolina Tar Heels in round 1. In the Game of the year so far, the Miami Hurricanes prevailed 62-56 in a 5OT show-stopping game. Quarterback Leisa Pink threw for 466 yards and 6 touchdowns with 1 interception. The Hurricanes also added 160 rushing yards and a touchdown. Cornerbacks Jourdan Johnson and Alex Stone came away with two interceptions for the Hurricanes defense.
In another matchup that may seem lopsided on paper, the Gators know that they have their work cut out for them in this matchup. The Hurricanes are not overlooking the Gators either, with two of the fastest players in the league being on the offensive side of the ball for Florida. Miami is only 6 hours away from Gainsville, so I’d expect there to be a good number of Florida fans in Miami for this game. This game is going to be a very high-scoring, back-and-forth affair.
Game 4: Texas A&M vs. Alabama
This is only the second season for Texas A&M back in the CFSL since they were last here in Season 15. AD Kade Padgett has turned around the Aggies, going 2-6 in his first year to 6-2 this year, including a first-round playoff win against Penn State 37-19. In that game, Quarterback Owen Dart threw for 395 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, while adding 77 yards on the ground. It was a team effort on defense, where 3 of the 4 starting defensive linemen all had a sack, and the top 3 cornerbacks all had an interception.
Alabama comes into this matchup the same way they came into their first matchup: as an underdog. Alabama met the 4-seed Colorado Buffalos in the first round as the 13-seed in the playoffs. Alabama fought tooth and nail against Colorado and prevailed with a 38-35 victory. Quarterback Johnny Ray Davis carried the Crimson Tide with 348 passing yards and 3 touchdowns with 1 interception. Linebacker Isaac Sparks and Cornerback Roman Ware turned the tide on defense with 2 interceptions.
On paper, this matchup is going to be a nail-biter. That is likely going to be the case no matter who wins. As the lower seed, Alabama is already playing on borrowed time. They have nothing to lose. For the Aggies, as the 2nd highest remaining seed in the playoffs, there is an expectation around them and what success they may have. These two teams met in Season 20 which resulted in a 37-30 Alabama win. The Tide are hoping for a similar result, while the Aggies want to get revenge and make a name for themselves in these playoffs. Sit back and enjoy what should be another fantastic matchup.
I’m not sure if there is a bad game in this Quarterfinal round. All 8 teams have a very real chance to advance to the semifinals. Will Auburn complete the perfect season for only the 3rd time in CFSL history? Will USC repeat as national champions like Kentucky did in Seasons 18 and 19? Will a team like Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M, or Alabama win their first national title? Or will Miami get back to the mountaintop for the first time since season 9? There is potential all over these final 8 teams, and potential for Season 21 to be one of if not the best post-seasons in CFSL history. Make sure you are there in the Twitch streams when these games are live, and enjoy what is going to be an amazing final few weeks in Season 21.
