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The NFL season has surpassed its midway point and the chase to the playoffs has begun to get serious. We enter week ten of the NFL season this coming weekend and we have just about finished separating the contenders from the pretenders this season.

Week ten of the NFL season means we are just a couple weeks away from being done with bye weeks for all 32 teams and the playoff chase really hits high gear. I want to take a look at the top ten teams in the NFL as we enter week ten.

There have been surprises throughout the league, as there is every year, but this year that seems to happen on a weekly basis. In a league like the NFL where parity is so common it makes for great discussions as to who are the best teams in the league.

Here are our top ten at ten. Week ten of the season is here and this is who we see as the best ten teams in the NFL so far in 2014.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

9. Seattle Seahawks

8. Green Bay Packers

7. Dallas Cowboys

6. Indianapolis Colts

5. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Denver Broncos

2. Arizona Cardinals

1. New England Patriots

So, here is how I see the NFL’s top ten teams as we enter week ten. It is still a long way to go until we reach crunch time, but these ten teams appear to be the cream of the crop in this 2014 NFL season.

The Patriots dominant performance over the Broncos got them the top spot with the Cardinals right behind them just missing out being number one. The favorites to reach Super Bowl 49, as of now, would appear to be the Patriots and Cardinals.

It has been a great season so far and it is sure to get only better as we get closer to playoff time. The 2014 NFL season has been a mystery waiting to be solved, but these ten teams have found a way to navigate their way into our top ten NFL teams entering week ten.

Now that we know Adrian Peterson will not serve jail time and have pled to a misdemeanor charge of reckless assault, will the NFL welcome back with open arms, and more importantly, which teams will get in line to try and woo the former Minnesota Vikings running back?

A report on NFL.com starts the debate by asking whether a trip back to his former NFC North team is a good idea.

Peterson pleaded no contest to reckless assault Tuesday, avoiding jail time. But only NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can reinstate Peterson from the exempt list, and league spokesperson Brian McCarthy said the league would review the court documents before making a decision. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman would not comment on the process during his midseason news conference Tuesday.

While the Minnesota Vikings front office is mum on a potential return, it appears players in the Vikings locker room would welcome him back to the franchise.

As Ben Goessling wrote, “A handful of prominent Vikings players said Tuesday they'd be excited to have Peterson back on the roster, adding that the running back wouldn't have to do anything to regain trust in the locker room after his Sept. 12 arrest for child abuse charges led to an eight-game absence.

Peterson has stayed in contact with numerous players and coaches throughout his absence, texting a motivational speech for coach Mike Zimmer to read to the team before the Vikings' win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 28 and passing along advice to rookie running back Jerick McKinnon, who has run for 445 yards in Peterson's absence.

Those types of things, players said Tuesday, went a long way toward maintaining Peterson's status as one of the team's leaders.

He was drafted by the Vikings seventh overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma. Peterson set the NCAA freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards as a true freshman during the 2004 season. As a unanimous first-team All-American, he became the first freshman to finish as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Peterson finished his college football career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher.

Following his first pro season, in which he set an NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game (296), Peterson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was then awarded the MVP award for his performance in the Pro Bowl and became only the fifth player in NFL history to have more than 3,000 yards through his first two seasons. In 2010, he became the fifth fastest player to run for 5,000 yards, doing so in his 51st game.

Should the Vikings pass on a reunion with Peterson, here are four other teams that can use his services immediately.

NEW YORK JETS

It would certainly create more news and controversy in The Big Apple for head coach Rex Ryan. The Jets running game is just as dismal as the passing attack. Peterson gives Ryan more versatility on offense and creates a buzz – taking the focus off the head coach and more on the player. The New York media would eat this up.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Colts are a passing team – only. The Trent Richardson experiment has come and gone. The arm of Andrew Luck and a surprisingly good defense has made the Colts a prominent Super Bowl-potential team. Adding Peterson makes this team the favorite in the AFC immediately and he gives the franchise back it has lacked for years.

ATLANTA FALCONS

Somewhere in a think tank, Thomas Dimitroff and Rich McKay are trying to figure out how to land Peterson. The Falcons traded for Mike Vick in 2001 by trading draft picks with the San Diego Chargers, who took LaDanian Tomlinson. Falcons fans I’m sure would have rather had the footwork of Tomlinson. Peterson would flourish in the Falcons offense and take pressure off Matt Ryan to make it all happen through the air.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Peterson gets a Super Bowl ring and Tom Brady goes down as the greatest quarterback of all time. This makes the most logical sense if Minnesota does not bring him back. The Patriots are used to bringing in veterans who help make the team better. This may be the best move Bill Belichick has ever made.

The NFL season has surpassed its midway point and the chase to the playoffs has begun to get serious. We enter week ten of the NFL season this coming weekend and we have just about finished separating the contenders from the pretenders this season.

Week ten of the NFL season means we are just a couple weeks away from being done with bye weeks for all 32 teams and the playoff chase really hits high gear. I want to take a look at the top ten teams in the NFL as we enter week ten.

There have been surprises throughout the league, as there is every year, but this year that seems to happen on a weekly basis. In a league like the NFL where parity is so common it makes for great discussions as to who are the best teams in the league.

Here are our top ten at ten. Week ten of the season is here and this is who we see as the best ten teams in the NFL so far in 2014.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

9. Seattle Seahawks

8. Green Bay Packers

7. Dallas Cowboys

6. Indianapolis Colts

5. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Denver Broncos

2. Arizona Cardinals

1. New England Patriots

So, here is how I see the NFL’s top ten teams as we enter week ten. It is still a long way to go until we reach crunch time, but these ten teams appear to be the cream of the crop in this 2014 NFL season.

The Patriots dominant performance over the Broncos got them the top spot with the Cardinals right behind them just missing out being number one. The favorites to reach Super Bowl 49, as of now, would appear to be the Patriots and Cardinals.

It has been a great season so far and it is sure to get only better as we get closer to playoff time. The 2014 NFL season has been a mystery waiting to be solved, but these ten teams have found a way to navigate their way into our top ten NFL teams entering week ten.

Now that we know Adrian Peterson will not serve jail time and have pled to a misdemeanor charge of reckless assault, will the NFL welcome back with open arms, and more importantly, which teams will get in line to try and woo the former Minnesota Vikings running back?

A report on NFL.com starts the debate by asking whether a trip back to his former NFC North team is a good idea.

Peterson pleaded no contest to reckless assault Tuesday, avoiding jail time. But only NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can reinstate Peterson from the exempt list, and league spokesperson Brian McCarthy said the league would review the court documents before making a decision. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman would not comment on the process during his midseason news conference Tuesday.

While the Minnesota Vikings front office is mum on a potential return, it appears players in the Vikings locker room would welcome him back to the franchise.

As Ben Goessling wrote, “A handful of prominent Vikings players said Tuesday they'd be excited to have Peterson back on the roster, adding that the running back wouldn't have to do anything to regain trust in the locker room after his Sept. 12 arrest for child abuse charges led to an eight-game absence.

Peterson has stayed in contact with numerous players and coaches throughout his absence, texting a motivational speech for coach Mike Zimmer to read to the team before the Vikings' win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 28 and passing along advice to rookie running back Jerick McKinnon, who has run for 445 yards in Peterson's absence.

Those types of things, players said Tuesday, went a long way toward maintaining Peterson's status as one of the team's leaders.

He was drafted by the Vikings seventh overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma. Peterson set the NCAA freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards as a true freshman during the 2004 season. As a unanimous first-team All-American, he became the first freshman to finish as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Peterson finished his college football career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher.

Following his first pro season, in which he set an NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game (296), Peterson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was then awarded the MVP award for his performance in the Pro Bowl and became only the fifth player in NFL history to have more than 3,000 yards through his first two seasons. In 2010, he became the fifth fastest player to run for 5,000 yards, doing so in his 51st game.

Should the Vikings pass on a reunion with Peterson, here are four other teams that can use his services immediately.

NEW YORK JETS

It would certainly create more news and controversy in The Big Apple for head coach Rex Ryan. The Jets running game is just as dismal as the passing attack. Peterson gives Ryan more versatility on offense and creates a buzz – taking the focus off the head coach and more on the player. The New York media would eat this up.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Colts are a passing team – only. The Trent Richardson experiment has come and gone. The arm of Andrew Luck and a surprisingly good defense has made the Colts a prominent Super Bowl-potential team. Adding Peterson makes this team the favorite in the AFC immediately and he gives the franchise back it has lacked for years.

ATLANTA FALCONS

Somewhere in a think tank, Thomas Dimitroff and Rich McKay are trying to figure out how to land Peterson. The Falcons traded for Mike Vick in 2001 by trading draft picks with the San Diego Chargers, who took LaDanian Tomlinson. Falcons fans I’m sure would have rather had the footwork of Tomlinson. Peterson would flourish in the Falcons offense and take pressure off Matt Ryan to make it all happen through the air.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Peterson gets a Super Bowl ring and Tom Brady goes down as the greatest quarterback of all time. This makes the most logical sense if Minnesota does not bring him back. The Patriots are used to bringing in veterans who help make the team better. This may be the best move Bill Belichick has ever made.

The NFL season has surpassed its midway point and the chase to the playoffs has begun to get serious. We enter week ten of the NFL season this coming weekend and we have just about finished separating the contenders from the pretenders this season.

Week ten of the NFL season means we are just a couple weeks away from being done with bye weeks for all 32 teams and the playoff chase really hits high gear. I want to take a look at the top ten teams in the NFL as we enter week ten.

There have been surprises throughout the league, as there is every year, but this year that seems to happen on a weekly basis. In a league like the NFL where parity is so common it makes for great discussions as to who are the best teams in the league.

Here are our top ten at ten. Week ten of the season is here and this is who we see as the best ten teams in the NFL so far in 2014.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

9. Seattle Seahawks

8. Green Bay Packers

7. Dallas Cowboys

6. Indianapolis Colts

5. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Denver Broncos

2. Arizona Cardinals

1. New England Patriots

So, here is how I see the NFL’s top ten teams as we enter week ten. It is still a long way to go until we reach crunch time, but these ten teams appear to be the cream of the crop in this 2014 NFL season.

The Patriots dominant performance over the Broncos got them the top spot with the Cardinals right behind them just missing out being number one. The favorites to reach Super Bowl 49, as of now, would appear to be the Patriots and Cardinals.

It has been a great season so far and it is sure to get only better as we get closer to playoff time. The 2014 NFL season has been a mystery waiting to be solved, but these ten teams have found a way to navigate their way into our top ten NFL teams entering week ten.

The NFL season has surpassed its midway point and the chase to the playoffs has begun to get serious. We enter week ten of the NFL season this coming weekend and we have just about finished separating the contenders from the pretenders this season.

Week ten of the NFL season means we are just a couple weeks away from being done with bye weeks for all 32 teams and the playoff chase really hits high gear. I want to take a look at the top ten teams in the NFL as we enter week ten.

There have been surprises throughout the league, as there is every year, but this year that seems to happen on a weekly basis. In a league like the NFL where parity is so common it makes for great discussions as to who are the best teams in the league.

Here are our top ten at ten. Week ten of the season is here and this is who we see as the best ten teams in the NFL so far in 2014.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

9. Seattle Seahawks

8. Green Bay Packers

7. Dallas Cowboys

6. Indianapolis Colts

5. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Denver Broncos

2. Arizona Cardinals

1. New England Patriots

So, here is how I see the NFL’s top ten teams as we enter week ten. It is still a long way to go until we reach crunch time, but these ten teams appear to be the cream of the crop in this 2014 NFL season.

The Patriots dominant performance over the Broncos got them the top spot with the Cardinals right behind them just missing out being number one. The favorites to reach Super Bowl 49, as of now, would appear to be the Patriots and Cardinals.

It has been a great season so far and it is sure to get only better as we get closer to playoff time. The 2014 NFL season has been a mystery waiting to be solved, but these ten teams have found a way to navigate their way into our top ten NFL teams entering week ten.

Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina Gamecocks can’t seem to catch a break. After a devastating loss to Tennessee, the coach who had a quip about everything if you put a microphone in his face had nothing to say. After 41 seconds at the podium, Spurrier was dejected and looked like a man who was beaten.

In all of the years of covering football, I have never seen the former Gator great in this condition.

For most coaches, losing is part of the equation. For this coach, it is the exception. What it means for him and the future of the South Carolina football program remains to be seen.

Just because a team has a losing record, it does not necessarily mean the coach is as bad as the team’s record.

As we all know, college football is in many ways cyclic. Every season there are teams that fall below expectations only rise above in a season or two. Here are six teams that have great coaches but the program’s record does not reflect it.

Butch Jones – Tennessee

Sooner or later, the Volunteers are going to bring Rocky Top to a fever pitch again. Jones was the hot coach before the season who was going to bring the Tennessee program back to prominence. Jones is the hottest thing to be on campus since Phil Fulmer was winning national titles back in the early 2000s. The Volunteers are a team on the rise for sue and should be an SEC Championship contender soon.

Charlie Strong – Texas

Do you think Charlie Strong knew things might be a little tough when he left the confines of the Louisville Cardinals confines for Austin to replace a legend in Mack Brown?

It all started with the loss of quarterback David Ash and has been a roller coaster he been on since. Strong is an innovator on defense and as he settles in at Texas, things will be better. There are kinder days ahead.

Steve Spurrier – South Carolina

Spurrier? Yes, the Ol’ Ball Coach. At the beginning of the season, the Gamecocks were one of the favorites to win the SEC East and possibly an SEC title. Now, Spurrier will be happy is he earns a post season bowl game. It’s a good thing those rumors about Spurrier returning to Florida have been put to rest.

Frank Beamer – Virginia Tech

It used to be that if you put together a list of great coaches in college football, Frank Beamer’s name would be amongst the best. These days, his Hokies have fallen on hard times. Logan Thomas is gone behind center and the defensive secondary is not what it used to be.

Larry Fedora – North Carolina

At the beginning of the year, Fedora was thought to be a coach in waiting. I thought he might be the next head coach at Florida. The Tar Heels program has been solid over the years, but after the game against Miami, where the Hurricanes running back Duke Johnson tore up the defense, it looks as though this team is mediocre at best.

Bret Bielema – Arkansas

There is something about the Razorbacks that makes up feel the light will go on pretty soon in Bielema’s program. The team is much improved from last season and have played the best (Mississippi State and Alabama) close and looks to be a team opponents will certainly fear in 2015.

Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina Gamecocks can’t seem to catch a break. After a devastating loss to Tennessee, the coach who had a quip about everything if you put a microphone in his face had nothing to say. After 41 seconds at the podium, Spurrier was dejected and looked like a man who was beaten.

In all of the years of covering football, I have never seen the former Gator great in this condition.

For most coaches, losing is part of the equation. For this coach, it is the exception. What it means for him and the future of the South Carolina football program remains to be seen.

Just because a team has a losing record, it does not necessarily mean the coach is as bad as the team’s record.

As we all know, college football is in many ways cyclic. Every season there are teams that fall below expectations only rise above in a season or two. Here are six teams that have great coaches but the program’s record does not reflect it.

Butch Jones – Tennessee

Sooner or later, the Volunteers are going to bring Rocky Top to a fever pitch again. Jones was the hot coach before the season who was going to bring the Tennessee program back to prominence. Jones is the hottest thing to be on campus since Phil Fulmer was winning national titles back in the early 2000s. The Volunteers are a team on the rise for sue and should be an SEC Championship contender soon.

Charlie Strong – Texas

Do you think Charlie Strong knew things might be a little tough when he left the confines of the Louisville Cardinals confines for Austin to replace a legend in Mack Brown?

It all started with the loss of quarterback David Ash and has been a roller coaster he been on since. Strong is an innovator on defense and as he settles in at Texas, things will be better. There are kinder days ahead.

Steve Spurrier – South Carolina

Spurrier? Yes, the Ol’ Ball Coach. At the beginning of the season, the Gamecocks were one of the favorites to win the SEC East and possibly an SEC title. Now, Spurrier will be happy is he earns a post season bowl game. It’s a good thing those rumors about Spurrier returning to Florida have been put to rest.

Frank Beamer – Virginia Tech

It used to be that if you put together a list of great coaches in college football, Frank Beamer’s name would be amongst the best. These days, his Hokies have fallen on hard times. Logan Thomas is gone behind center and the defensive secondary is not what it used to be.

Larry Fedora – North Carolina

At the beginning of the year, Fedora was thought to be a coach in waiting. I thought he might be the next head coach at Florida. The Tar Heels program has been solid over the years, but after the game against Miami, where the Hurricanes running back Duke Johnson tore up the defense, it looks as though this team is mediocre at best.

Bret Bielema – Arkansas

There is something about the Razorbacks that makes up feel the light will go on pretty soon in Bielema’s program. The team is much improved from last season and have played the best (Mississippi State and Alabama) close and looks to be a team opponents will certainly fear in 2015.

Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina Gamecocks can’t seem to catch a break. After a devastating loss to Tennessee, the coach who had a quip about everything if you put a microphone in his face had nothing to say. After 41 seconds at the podium, Spurrier was dejected and looked like a man who was beaten.

In all of the years of covering football, I have never seen the former Gator great in this condition.

For most coaches, losing is part of the equation. For this coach, it is the exception. What it means for him and the future of the South Carolina football program remains to be seen.

Just because a team has a losing record, it does not necessarily mean the coach is as bad as the team’s record.

As we all know, college football is in many ways cyclic. Every season there are teams that fall below expectations only rise above in a season or two. Here are six teams that have great coaches but the program’s record does not reflect it.

Butch Jones – Tennessee

Sooner or later, the Volunteers are going to bring Rocky Top to a fever pitch again. Jones was the hot coach before the season who was going to bring the Tennessee program back to prominence. Jones is the hottest thing to be on campus since Phil Fulmer was winning national titles back in the early 2000s. The Volunteers are a team on the rise for sue and should be an SEC Championship contender soon.

Charlie Strong – Texas

Do you think Charlie Strong knew things might be a little tough when he left the confines of the Louisville Cardinals confines for Austin to replace a legend in Mack Brown?

It all started with the loss of quarterback David Ash and has been a roller coaster he been on since. Strong is an innovator on defense and as he settles in at Texas, things will be better. There are kinder days ahead.

Steve Spurrier – South Carolina

Spurrier? Yes, the Ol’ Ball Coach. At the beginning of the season, the Gamecocks were one of the favorites to win the SEC East and possibly an SEC title. Now, Spurrier will be happy is he earns a post season bowl game. It’s a good thing those rumors about Spurrier returning to Florida have been put to rest.

Frank Beamer – Virginia Tech

It used to be that if you put together a list of great coaches in college football, Frank Beamer’s name would be amongst the best. These days, his Hokies have fallen on hard times. Logan Thomas is gone behind center and the defensive secondary is not what it used to be.

Larry Fedora – North Carolina

At the beginning of the year, Fedora was thought to be a coach in waiting. I thought he might be the next head coach at Florida. The Tar Heels program has been solid over the years, but after the game against Miami, where the Hurricanes running back Duke Johnson tore up the defense, it looks as though this team is mediocre at best.

Bret Bielema – Arkansas

There is something about the Razorbacks that makes up feel the light will go on pretty soon in Bielema’s program. The team is much improved from last season and have played the best (Mississippi State and Alabama) close and looks to be a team opponents will certainly fear in 2015.

Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina Gamecocks can’t seem to catch a break. After a devastating loss to Tennessee, the coach who had a quip about everything if you put a microphone in his face had nothing to say. After 41 seconds at the podium, Spurrier was dejected and looked like a man who was beaten.

In all of the years of covering football, I have never seen the former Gator great in this condition.

For most coaches, losing is part of the equation. For this coach, it is the exception. What it means for him and the future of the South Carolina football program remains to be seen.

Just because a team has a losing record, it does not necessarily mean the coach is as bad as the team’s record.

As we all know, college football is in many ways cyclic. Every season there are teams that fall below expectations only rise above in a season or two. Here are six teams that have great coaches but the program’s record does not reflect it.

Butch Jones – Tennessee

Sooner or later, the Volunteers are going to bring Rocky Top to a fever pitch again. Jones was the hot coach before the season who was going to bring the Tennessee program back to prominence. Jones is the hottest thing to be on campus since Phil Fulmer was winning national titles back in the early 2000s. The Volunteers are a team on the rise for sue and should be an SEC Championship contender soon.

Charlie Strong – Texas

Do you think Charlie Strong knew things might be a little tough when he left the confines of the Louisville Cardinals confines for Austin to replace a legend in Mack Brown?

It all started with the loss of quarterback David Ash and has been a roller coaster he been on since. Strong is an innovator on defense and as he settles in at Texas, things will be better. There are kinder days ahead.

Steve Spurrier – South Carolina

Spurrier? Yes, the Ol’ Ball Coach. At the beginning of the season, the Gamecocks were one of the favorites to win the SEC East and possibly an SEC title. Now, Spurrier will be happy is he earns a post season bowl game. It’s a good thing those rumors about Spurrier returning to Florida have been put to rest.

Frank Beamer – Virginia Tech

It used to be that if you put together a list of great coaches in college football, Frank Beamer’s name would be amongst the best. These days, his Hokies have fallen on hard times. Logan Thomas is gone behind center and the defensive secondary is not what it used to be.

Larry Fedora – North Carolina

At the beginning of the year, Fedora was thought to be a coach in waiting. I thought he might be the next head coach at Florida. The Tar Heels program has been solid over the years, but after the game against Miami, where the Hurricanes running back Duke Johnson tore up the defense, it looks as though this team is mediocre at best.

Bret Bielema – Arkansas

There is something about the Razorbacks that makes up feel the light will go on pretty soon in Bielema’s program. The team is much improved from last season and have played the best (Mississippi State and Alabama) close and looks to be a team opponents will certainly fear in 2015.

In the world of college football, and sports in general, it is always those handful of teams we love to hate. In the NFL it’s either the Redskins or Cowboys, in the NBA it’s the Celtics or Lakers and in the MLB it’s the New York Yankees.

Well, in the sport of college football that is no different and actually the hate that people have for certain teams in college sports may be even more so than professional sports because of the diehard passion college sports fans have.

I have decided to take a look at what I feel to be the three most hated college football teams in today’s current landscape of college football. This list seems to change over the course of time because of teams rising to an elite level and former teams that were once hated are no longer a relevant team in the grand scheme of things.

Let’s take a look at the three teams I feel are currently the most hated in college football.

Starting at number three I put the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes, I feel, had this hate really displayed on them beginning in 2006. The Buckeyes had an amazing regular season going 12-0 and defeating Michigan 42-39 on November 18, 2006 in a game for the ages.

The win sent the Buckeyes to the national title game to face the Florida Gators. The Buckeyes had one of the most impressive offenses in Big Ten history and a Heisman Trophy quarterback in Troy Smith leading the way. The Buckeyes were heavy favorites entering the game against Florida.

The Buckeyes would go on to lose to Florida 41-14 in the national title game and the dismantling of Ohio State and the Big Ten Conference began. The Buckeyes showed they were frauds in 2006 and Smith’s Heisman Trophy looked very unimpressive.

The Buckeyes would go on to once again make the national title game in 2007 and once again lose to an SEC team. Ohio State lost 38-24 to the LSU Tigers in the 2007 national title game and the Buckeye hate fest was in full force.

The Buckeyes, I feel, are hated more than anything for their reputation of being a good team, but coming up short in most big games they play in. They then had the tattoo scandal a few years later and had to do a complete rebuilding job in Columbus, Ohio.

To make matters worse, the Buckeyes then went and hired Urban Meyer which was an unpopular hire on the national stage. Meyer was accused of giving up at Florida without Tim Tebow and then said he had health issues.

He would work at ESPN for a season then took the job at Ohio State. Meyer went 24-0 in the regular season and in grand Ohio State style the first big game in Meyer’s time at Ohio State the Buckeyes lost to Michigan State in the Big Ten title game in 2013.

A win against the Spartans would have sent them to the 2013 national title game, but lucky for them they may have saved themselves yet another embarrassment on the big stage.

So, Ohio State comes in at number three on our most hated college football teams list.

Coming in at number two in our most hated college football teams currently are the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns are hated not only by rival fans, but rival teams’ administrations and boosters. The Longhorns launched Longhorn Network on August 26, 2011 and this sent the entire landscape of the NCAA into disarray.

The Longhorns launching this network led to Nebraska, Missouri and Texas A&M all leaving the Big 12 for other conferences. It was so bad that at one point the Big 12 was rumored to be in jeopardy of completely folding. The saving grace was the fact the Big 12 was able to get TCU and West Virginia.

The Big 12 now sets at ten teams, but seems to be only surviving on the business side because of Oklahoma and Texas.

To make things worse for Texas is the fact they have had little to no success at all on the field since 2009. The national title game in which Texas lost 37-21 to Alabama in 2009 was the last time Texas was considered relevant on a national level.

The struggles led to Mack Brown resigning as head coach after 16 seasons following the 2013 season. Texas then hired former Louisville Cardinals’ Head Coach Charlie Strong. His first year at Texas has been full of suspending players, injuries and losing on the field of play.

So, Texas comes in at number two in large part because of their greed, selfishness and mindset that the college football world revolves around them. Texas has the most money in the sport of college football, the best facilities and greatest recruiting pool to choose from in the state of Texas. It is a process for them to return, but as long as they struggle the country will be happy.

Last, but not least coming in at number one on our most hated teams list is the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Tide have had a run of dominance since 2008 like few other teams have had in the sport of college football. Chances are if you win you will be hated and that is surely the case for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama also has two of the most hated coaches on the same sideline in Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin, so that alone is enough to get them the number one spot on the most hated teams list.

The Tide have won three of the last five national titles and still get one of the top recruiting classes every year. The talks of Alabama’s dynasty being over has came into question this week following the Ole Miss loss, but until we can officially say it is over then Alabama will be hated for a number of reasons.

The Crimson Tide also receives hate for their mythical national titles. The Tide claim national titles that only they recognize and that really gets under the skin of most people. The Crimson Tide fan base also contributes to this hate from others nationwide, but I feel that is unfair.

The Alabama fans are just diehard to the point it can rub people wrong. I personally love the passion Alabama fans show being a diehard college football fan myself, but sometimes when they act like it’s all that matters on Earth it turns people off from liking Alabama fans.

Alabama has been the most hated team for the past several years and every time they lose it becomes a national holiday in the world of college football.

So, Alabama takes the honor of being the most hated team in college football today.

In the world of college football, and sports in general, it is always those handful of teams we love to hate. In the NFL it’s either the Redskins or Cowboys, in the NBA it’s the Celtics or Lakers and in the MLB it’s the New York Yankees.

Well, in the sport of college football that is no different and actually the hate that people have for certain teams in college sports may be even more so than professional sports because of the diehard passion college sports fans have.

I have decided to take a look at what I feel to be the three most hated college football teams in today’s current landscape of college football. This list seems to change over the course of time because of teams rising to an elite level and former teams that were once hated are no longer a relevant team in the grand scheme of things.

Let’s take a look at the three teams I feel are currently the most hated in college football.

Starting at number three I put the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes, I feel, had this hate really displayed on them beginning in 2006. The Buckeyes had an amazing regular season going 12-0 and defeating Michigan 42-39 on November 18, 2006 in a game for the ages.

The win sent the Buckeyes to the national title game to face the Florida Gators. The Buckeyes had one of the most impressive offenses in Big Ten history and a Heisman Trophy quarterback in Troy Smith leading the way. The Buckeyes were heavy favorites entering the game against Florida.

The Buckeyes would go on to lose to Florida 41-14 in the national title game and the dismantling of Ohio State and the Big Ten Conference began. The Buckeyes showed they were frauds in 2006 and Smith’s Heisman Trophy looked very unimpressive.

The Buckeyes would go on to once again make the national title game in 2007 and once again lose to an SEC team. Ohio State lost 38-24 to the LSU Tigers in the 2007 national title game and the Buckeye hate fest was in full force.

The Buckeyes, I feel, are hated more than anything for their reputation of being a good team, but coming up short in most big games they play in. They then had the tattoo scandal a few years later and had to do a complete rebuilding job in Columbus, Ohio.

To make matters worse, the Buckeyes then went and hired Urban Meyer which was an unpopular hire on the national stage. Meyer was accused of giving up at Florida without Tim Tebow and then said he had health issues.

He would work at ESPN for a season then took the job at Ohio State. Meyer went 24-0 in the regular season and in grand Ohio State style the first big game in Meyer’s time at Ohio State the Buckeyes lost to Michigan State in the Big Ten title game in 2013.

A win against the Spartans would have sent them to the 2013 national title game, but lucky for them they may have saved themselves yet another embarrassment on the big stage.

So, Ohio State comes in at number three on our most hated college football teams list.

Coming in at number two in our most hated college football teams currently are the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns are hated not only by rival fans, but rival teams’ administrations and boosters. The Longhorns launched Longhorn Network on August 26, 2011 and this sent the entire landscape of the NCAA into disarray.

The Longhorns launching this network led to Nebraska, Missouri and Texas A&M all leaving the Big 12 for other conferences. It was so bad that at one point the Big 12 was rumored to be in jeopardy of completely folding. The saving grace was the fact the Big 12 was able to get TCU and West Virginia.

The Big 12 now sets at ten teams, but seems to be only surviving on the business side because of Oklahoma and Texas.

To make things worse for Texas is the fact they have had little to no success at all on the field since 2009. The national title game in which Texas lost 37-21 to Alabama in 2009 was the last time Texas was considered relevant on a national level.

The struggles led to Mack Brown resigning as head coach after 16 seasons following the 2013 season. Texas then hired former Louisville Cardinals’ Head Coach Charlie Strong. His first year at Texas has been full of suspending players, injuries and losing on the field of play.

So, Texas comes in at number two in large part because of their greed, selfishness and mindset that the college football world revolves around them. Texas has the most money in the sport of college football, the best facilities and greatest recruiting pool to choose from in the state of Texas. It is a process for them to return, but as long as they struggle the country will be happy.

Last, but not least coming in at number one on our most hated teams list is the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Tide have had a run of dominance since 2008 like few other teams have had in the sport of college football. Chances are if you win you will be hated and that is surely the case for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama also has two of the most hated coaches on the same sideline in Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin, so that alone is enough to get them the number one spot on the most hated teams list.

The Tide have won three of the last five national titles and still get one of the top recruiting classes every year. The talks of Alabama’s dynasty being over has came into question this week following the Ole Miss loss, but until we can officially say it is over then Alabama will be hated for a number of reasons.

The Crimson Tide also receives hate for their mythical national titles. The Tide claim national titles that only they recognize and that really gets under the skin of most people. The Crimson Tide fan base also contributes to this hate from others nationwide, but I feel that is unfair.

The Alabama fans are just diehard to the point it can rub people wrong. I personally love the passion Alabama fans show being a diehard college football fan myself, but sometimes when they act like it’s all that matters on Earth it turns people off from liking Alabama fans.

Alabama has been the most hated team for the past several years and every time they lose it becomes a national holiday in the world of college football.

So, Alabama takes the honor of being the most hated team in college football today.

As we begin Week Six of the 2014 college football season we find ourselves having six matchups between ranked opponents. The first month of the season did not offer many battles of ranked teams against one another, but that all changes this first week in October.

Conference schedules throughout the country begin to hit full gear and no other week may be as intriguing as Week Six will be in the world of college football. Sure there will be bigger games down the road later in the season, but the amount of big games this week will be hard to beat the rest of the season.

We will take a look at the six battles between ranked teams. I will give a short thought on each game and predict who I see winning each of these six games between ranked opponents. Week Six will go a long ways in determining who will eventually be those final four teams at the end of the season.

#6 Texas A&M @ #12 Mississippi State- The Bulldogs are coming off a huge win in Death Valley against LSU. They will have to follow that up against an A&M team that had to survive a scare from Arkansas. I feel the A&M passing game will be the difference in a very exciting game. Texas A&M wins 38-35.

#4 Oklahoma @ #25 TCU- The Sooners appear to be one of the best teams in the country and are well on their way to the first annual College Football Playoff. They have to travel to Fort Worth, Texas to face a TCU team that is quietly one of the best defensive teams in the nation. The Horned Frogs haven’t faced nearly the type of offense Oklahoma has and they will find that out the hard way on Saturday. Oklahoma wins 38-26.

#14 Stanford @ #9 Notre Dame- The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame seem to be back to their 2012 ways. Led by outstanding quarterback Everett Golson Notre Dame find themselves in the midst of what could be another magical season like they had in 2012. The Cardinals still have hopes of winning the PAC 12, but a loss to Notre Dame all but ends their final four hopes. I believe Notre Dame end those thoughts for Stanford and Notre Dame continues their magical ride. Notre Dame wins 31-17.

#3 Alabama @ #11 Ole Miss- The Rebels are set to host Alabama in the biggest game in Ole Miss’ football history. The Rebels must attack the Crimson Tide downfield to have a shot. The Crimson Tide will look to use the run game more than their first four games and will wear down the Rebels. Alabama wins 34-27.

#15 LSU @ #5 Auburn- The Auburn Tigers are quietly one of the best teams in the nation. Their offense appears to be even better this year and a defense that is one of the nation’s best. The Tigers of LSU will start freshman Brandon Harris in this contest. It will be Harris’ first career start and he will have to play a mistake free game to lead the LSU Tigers to victory. I feel Auburn’s run game will be too much for LSU. Auburn wins 41-27.

#19 Nebraska @ #10 Michigan State- The Spartans of Michigan State have the most impressive loss at Oregon in week two. Michigan State still appears to be the best team in the Big Ten, but their biggest challenger will come to East Lansing this Saturday. The Nebraska Cornhuskers will have to run the ball in order to have a shot in this game and I don’t see that happening against this Spartans’ defense. Michigan State wins 30-24.

With Adrian Peterson’s off-field issues, some believe he may have played his last game as a Minnesota Vikings.  This got us thinking: What teams could use Adrian Peterson the most?

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta is using four Running Backs in some type of rotation this season and while averaging 121.3 rushing yards a game, a running back like Peterson would give them a running game that defenses would have to focus on.  Atlanta can air it out with the best of them, but down the stretch you need a strong running game to make that play-off push.  Peterson would single handedly change the Falcons from play-off contender to the favorite to unseat Seattle as NFC Champions.

Carolina Panthers 

The NFC South is wide open for the taking with 2-2 being good enough for first place at the moment.  In the off-season, Carolina was criticized for not addressing their passing game.  However, Carolina is averaging 280.3 passing yards a game and Kelvin Benjamin has been spectacular.  On the flip side, their rushing game has been very, very bad averaging 72.3 rushing yards a game.  On top of that Carolina has had to deal with injuries to their top four running threats; DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton.  Adding Peterson is a no-brainer; he is durable and could carry the load for the team.  Carolina has already shown that it is willing to pay more than one Running Back so the contract would not be an issue.  Most importantly, adding Peterson would take some pressure off of Cam Newton and give him more time in the pocket to pass the ball, take fewer hits, and heal up from his injuries.

San Diego Chargers 

The Chargers haven’t had much luck with the Running Back position this season.  Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead have both missed time with injuries and Donald Brown only hit 100 yards this week, for the season.  The Chargers came into Week 3 averaging only 78.7 yards per game, and with 42 rushing yards in Week 4 that number did not improve.  Philip Rivers had some great years with LaDainian Tomlinson, so he knows what the addition of someone like Peterson could do for his team.  San Diego is playing very well and the addition of Peterson could help them not only challenge the Broncos for the AFC West, but make them a real threat to win it all.

Denver Broncos 

While we are talking about Denver, Peyton Manning could use a workhorse like Peterson to accompany him in the backfield.  Monte Ball hasn’t played poorly this season, but Manning’s window for Super Bowls is closing and having Peterson would cause defenses even more fits than Denver already does today.  Denver is only averaging 75.3 rushing yards a game and if that continues, it would mean that they would be heavily relying on Manning’s arm to carry them through the season and into the play-offs yet again.  Denver has improved its defense, if it improved its running game, this team could be completely unstoppable.

New England Patriots 

The Patriots rushing attack has been lackluster this season, averaging only 105 rushing yards per game.  Shane Vereen has been effective at times catching passes out of the backfield and Stevan Ridley has yet to show that he can be consistent enough to be the premiere back.  Peterson would give the Patriots an every down back that they haven’t had since Corey Dillon.  Adding Peterson would be a great addition to help prolong Brady’s career and more importantly, help ignite a struggling Patriots’ offense.

Two weeks into conference play, some surprises have emerged in both the north and south divisions. Let's take a look and decide who is legit, and who is going to fade down the stretch.

We know about the Oregon Ducks already, as well as the Stanford Cardinal, USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins, fresh off their shellacking of the rival Arizona State Sun Devils. And we have already seen some teams fold up revealing themselves as a year(or more) away. The aforementioned Sun Devils would be one team, with the perennially terrible Colorado Buffaloes and Washington State Cougars. The Oregon State Beavers, who just got bludgeoned by the Trojans, are another team we can be comfortable dismissing. 

That leaves four teams we are unsure of, the Arizona Wildcats, Utah Utes, Washington Huskies, and California Golden Bears. Let's break them down one at a time, rendering a verdict for each team, starting with the least promising and moving on to the most promising. 

We start with the Utes of Utah. Watching the game on Saturday was agonizing. This Utah team is tough, they have an underrated defense, and a strong running game. They have a good non-conference win over Michigan, but are coming off a dissapointing loss to Washington State. In the game against the Huskies they jumped out to a 21-0 lead, and seemingly had the game won until late in the fourth quarter. Looking more closely, you see that of those 21 points, the first touchdown came on an interception return, and the second came from a punt return. The final touchdown came from a long run by Devontae Booker. There was not the long, sustained drive you expect to see from a legit offense. The quarterback play was atrocious, with starter Travis Wilson averaging a pathetic 4.3 yards per pass attempt. Combine that with timid, unimaginative coaching, and I am afraid I do not see many PAC-12 wins coming this year. Verdict: Pretender. 

Next, lets look at the California Golden Bears. The Bears have been a bottom feeding laughingstock of a program for the last several years. No one expected anything from them this year, so when you see that they are 3-1 on the season, including a quality non-conference win at Northwestern, you are a little surprised. Even their one loss came on a last second hail-mary against Arizona, after leading for most of the Game. Cal has a dynamic offense, fifth in the nation in points scored, with quarterback Jared Goff playing out of his mind. It is clear this is a program headed in the right direction, although I think a difficult schedule down the stretch combined with a underperforming defense will make it tough for the Bears of Berkeley to compete for a top-three spot in the conference. Verdict: Pretender. 

Now we examing the Washington Huskies, who are also 3-1 after being handed their first loss by the Stanford Cardinal in a close game. Washington is a team that is tough to figure out. One week they are squeaking by a Hawaii squad 17-16, the next they are fighting for their lives against Eastern Washington, 59-52. It is clear that against top competition, Husky quarterback Cyler Miles just is not good enough to consistently move the ball. He was abysmal against the Cardinal, and while he has yet to throw an interception, its clear that his poor play will be holding this team back. Nevertheless, its possible the Husky defense and running game, combined with a lack of turnovers by Miles, will be enough to surprise a few teams, although not enough to seriously contend for a top bowl berth. Verdict: Pretender. 

Finally, lets look at the Arizona Wildcats. Arizona is another team that is tough to figure out. At times, this team plays like a juggernaut, and then there are stretches where they sleepwalk through entire quarters. Much of that has to do with the play of quarterback Anu Solomon, who has seemed to play only as good as the situation demands. When down big, or in a big moment, he come through again and again. However, when there is nothing on the line, he fades away, and you almost forget he is on the field. Still, they have a consistent rushing attack, and have the ability to score points seemingly at will. The defense has not been great, but it has stiffened when needed. Overall, this feels like a team that needs just one more big win before their confidence carries them into contention. And wouldn't you know it, the Oregon Ducks just happen to be up next on the schedule. Coach Rich Rodriguez has shown what his teams can do in big games, and Solomon seems like someone who relishes the prime time stage. Call me crazy, but I think this team is legit. The PAC-12 south is full of overrated and overhyped pretenders, so maybe, just maybe the Wildcats can seize the opportunity and claim their first south division title. Verdict: Contender. 

With Adrian Peterson’s off-field issues, some believe he may have played his last game as a Minnesota Vikings.  This got us thinking: What teams could use Adrian Peterson the most?

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta is using four Running Backs in some type of rotation this season and while averaging 121.3 rushing yards a game, a running back like Peterson would give them a running game that defenses would have to focus on.  Atlanta can air it out with the best of them, but down the stretch you need a strong running game to make that play-off push.  Peterson would single handedly change the Falcons from play-off contender to the favorite to unseat Seattle as NFC Champions.

Carolina Panthers 

The NFC South is wide open for the taking with 2-2 being good enough for first place at the moment.  In the off-season, Carolina was criticized for not addressing their passing game.  However, Carolina is averaging 280.3 passing yards a game and Kelvin Benjamin has been spectacular.  On the flip side, their rushing game has been very, very bad averaging 72.3 rushing yards a game.  On top of that Carolina has had to deal with injuries to their top four running threats; DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton.  Adding Peterson is a no-brainer; he is durable and could carry the load for the team.  Carolina has already shown that it is willing to pay more than one Running Back so the contract would not be an issue.  Most importantly, adding Peterson would take some pressure off of Cam Newton and give him more time in the pocket to pass the ball, take fewer hits, and heal up from his injuries.

San Diego Chargers 

The Chargers haven’t had much luck with the Running Back position this season.  Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead have both missed time with injuries and Donald Brown only hit 100 yards this week, for the season.  The Chargers came into Week 3 averaging only 78.7 yards per game, and with 42 rushing yards in Week 4 that number did not improve.  Philip Rivers had some great years with LaDainian Tomlinson, so he knows what the addition of someone like Peterson could do for his team.  San Diego is playing very well and the addition of Peterson could help them not only challenge the Broncos for the AFC West, but make them a real threat to win it all.

Denver Broncos 

While we are talking about Denver, Peyton Manning could use a workhorse like Peterson to accompany him in the backfield.  Monte Ball hasn’t played poorly this season, but Manning’s window for Super Bowls is closing and having Peterson would cause defenses even more fits than Denver already does today.  Denver is only averaging 75.3 rushing yards a game and if that continues, it would mean that they would be heavily relying on Manning’s arm to carry them through the season and into the play-offs yet again.  Denver has improved its defense, if it improved its running game, this team could be completely unstoppable.

New England Patriots 

The Patriots rushing attack has been lackluster this season, averaging only 105 rushing yards per game.  Shane Vereen has been effective at times catching passes out of the backfield and Stevan Ridley has yet to show that he can be consistent enough to be the premiere back.  Peterson would give the Patriots an every down back that they haven’t had since Corey Dillon.  Adding Peterson would be a great addition to help prolong Brady’s career and more importantly, help ignite a struggling Patriots’ offense.

Two weeks into conference play, some surprises have emerged in both the north and south divisions. Let's take a look and decide who is legit, and who is going to fade down the stretch.

We know about the Oregon Ducks already, as well as the Stanford Cardinal, USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins, fresh off their shellacking of the rival Arizona State Sun Devils. And we have already seen some teams fold up revealing themselves as a year(or more) away. The aforementioned Sun Devils would be one team, with the perennially terrible Colorado Buffaloes and Washington State Cougars. The Oregon State Beavers, who just got bludgeoned by the Trojans, are another team we can be comfortable dismissing. 

That leaves four teams we are unsure of, the Arizona Wildcats, Utah Utes, Washington Huskies, and California Golden Bears. Let's break them down one at a time, rendering a verdict for each team, starting with the least promising and moving on to the most promising. 

We start with the Utes of Utah. Watching the game on Saturday was agonizing. This Utah team is tough, they have an underrated defense, and a strong running game. They have a good non-conference win over Michigan, but are coming off a dissapointing loss to Washington State. In the game against the Huskies they jumped out to a 21-0 lead, and seemingly had the game won until late in the fourth quarter. Looking more closely, you see that of those 21 points, the first touchdown came on an interception return, and the second came from a punt return. The final touchdown came from a long run by Devontae Booker. There was not the long, sustained drive you expect to see from a legit offense. The quarterback play was atrocious, with starter Travis Wilson averaging a pathetic 4.3 yards per pass attempt. Combine that with timid, unimaginative coaching, and I am afraid I do not see many PAC-12 wins coming this year. Verdict: Pretender. 

Next, lets look at the California Golden Bears. The Bears have been a bottom feeding laughingstock of a program for the last several years. No one expected anything from them this year, so when you see that they are 3-1 on the season, including a quality non-conference win at Northwestern, you are a little surprised. Even their one loss came on a last second hail-mary against Arizona, after leading for most of the Game. Cal has a dynamic offense, fifth in the nation in points scored, with quarterback Jared Goff playing out of his mind. It is clear this is a program headed in the right direction, although I think a difficult schedule down the stretch combined with a underperforming defense will make it tough for the Bears of Berkeley to compete for a top-three spot in the conference. Verdict: Pretender. 

Now we examing the Washington Huskies, who are also 3-1 after being handed their first loss by the Stanford Cardinal in a close game. Washington is a team that is tough to figure out. One week they are squeaking by a Hawaii squad 17-16, the next they are fighting for their lives against Eastern Washington, 59-52. It is clear that against top competition, Husky quarterback Cyler Miles just is not good enough to consistently move the ball. He was abysmal against the Cardinal, and while he has yet to throw an interception, its clear that his poor play will be holding this team back. Nevertheless, its possible the Husky defense and running game, combined with a lack of turnovers by Miles, will be enough to surprise a few teams, although not enough to seriously contend for a top bowl berth. Verdict: Pretender. 

Finally, lets look at the Arizona Wildcats. Arizona is another team that is tough to figure out. At times, this team plays like a juggernaut, and then there are stretches where they sleepwalk through entire quarters. Much of that has to do with the play of quarterback Anu Solomon, who has seemed to play only as good as the situation demands. When down big, or in a big moment, he come through again and again. However, when there is nothing on the line, he fades away, and you almost forget he is on the field. Still, they have a consistent rushing attack, and have the ability to score points seemingly at will. The defense has not been great, but it has stiffened when needed. Overall, this feels like a team that needs just one more big win before their confidence carries them into contention. And wouldn't you know it, the Oregon Ducks just happen to be up next on the schedule. Coach Rich Rodriguez has shown what his teams can do in big games, and Solomon seems like someone who relishes the prime time stage. Call me crazy, but I think this team is legit. The PAC-12 south is full of overrated and overhyped pretenders, so maybe, just maybe the Wildcats can seize the opportunity and claim their first south division title. Verdict: Contender. 

With Adrian Peterson’s off-field issues, some believe he may have played his last game as a Minnesota Vikings.  This got us thinking: What teams could use Adrian Peterson the most?

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta is using four Running Backs in some type of rotation this season and while averaging 121.3 rushing yards a game, a running back like Peterson would give them a running game that defenses would have to focus on.  Atlanta can air it out with the best of them, but down the stretch you need a strong running game to make that play-off push.  Peterson would single handedly change the Falcons from play-off contender to the favorite to unseat Seattle as NFC Champions.

Carolina Panthers 

The NFC South is wide open for the taking with 2-2 being good enough for first place at the moment.  In the off-season, Carolina was criticized for not addressing their passing game.  However, Carolina is averaging 280.3 passing yards a game and Kelvin Benjamin has been spectacular.  On the flip side, their rushing game has been very, very bad averaging 72.3 rushing yards a game.  On top of that Carolina has had to deal with injuries to their top four running threats; DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton.  Adding Peterson is a no-brainer; he is durable and could carry the load for the team.  Carolina has already shown that it is willing to pay more than one Running Back so the contract would not be an issue.  Most importantly, adding Peterson would take some pressure off of Cam Newton and give him more time in the pocket to pass the ball, take fewer hits, and heal up from his injuries.

San Diego Chargers 

The Chargers haven’t had much luck with the Running Back position this season.  Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead have both missed time with injuries and Donald Brown only hit 100 yards this week, for the season.  The Chargers came into Week 3 averaging only 78.7 yards per game, and with 42 rushing yards in Week 4 that number did not improve.  Philip Rivers had some great years with LaDainian Tomlinson, so he knows what the addition of someone like Peterson could do for his team.  San Diego is playing very well and the addition of Peterson could help them not only challenge the Broncos for the AFC West, but make them a real threat to win it all.

Denver Broncos 

While we are talking about Denver, Peyton Manning could use a workhorse like Peterson to accompany him in the backfield.  Monte Ball hasn’t played poorly this season, but Manning’s window for Super Bowls is closing and having Peterson would cause defenses even more fits than Denver already does today.  Denver is only averaging 75.3 rushing yards a game and if that continues, it would mean that they would be heavily relying on Manning’s arm to carry them through the season and into the play-offs yet again.  Denver has improved its defense, if it improved its running game, this team could be completely unstoppable.

New England Patriots 

The Patriots rushing attack has been lackluster this season, averaging only 105 rushing yards per game.  Shane Vereen has been effective at times catching passes out of the backfield and Stevan Ridley has yet to show that he can be consistent enough to be the premiere back.  Peterson would give the Patriots an every down back that they haven’t had since Corey Dillon.  Adding Peterson would be a great addition to help prolong Brady’s career and more importantly, help ignite a struggling Patriots’ offense.

Two weeks into conference play, some surprises have emerged in both the north and south divisions. Let's take a look and decide who is legit, and who is going to fade down the stretch.

We know about the Oregon Ducks already, as well as the Stanford Cardinal, USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins, fresh off their shellacking of the rival Arizona State Sun Devils. And we have already seen some teams fold up revealing themselves as a year(or more) away. The aforementioned Sun Devils would be one team, with the perennially terrible Colorado Buffaloes and Washington State Cougars. The Oregon State Beavers, who just got bludgeoned by the Trojans, are another team we can be comfortable dismissing. 

That leaves four teams we are unsure of, the Arizona Wildcats, Utah Utes, Washington Huskies, and California Golden Bears. Let's break them down one at a time, rendering a verdict for each team, starting with the least promising and moving on to the most promising. 

We start with the Utes of Utah. Watching the game on Saturday was agonizing. This Utah team is tough, they have an underrated defense, and a strong running game. They have a good non-conference win over Michigan, but are coming off a dissapointing loss to Washington State. In the game against the Huskies they jumped out to a 21-0 lead, and seemingly had the game won until late in the fourth quarter. Looking more closely, you see that of those 21 points, the first touchdown came on an interception return, and the second came from a punt return. The final touchdown came from a long run by Devontae Booker. There was not the long, sustained drive you expect to see from a legit offense. The quarterback play was atrocious, with starter Travis Wilson averaging a pathetic 4.3 yards per pass attempt. Combine that with timid, unimaginative coaching, and I am afraid I do not see many PAC-12 wins coming this year. Verdict: Pretender. 

Next, lets look at the California Golden Bears. The Bears have been a bottom feeding laughingstock of a program for the last several years. No one expected anything from them this year, so when you see that they are 3-1 on the season, including a quality non-conference win at Northwestern, you are a little surprised. Even their one loss came on a last second hail-mary against Arizona, after leading for most of the Game. Cal has a dynamic offense, fifth in the nation in points scored, with quarterback Jared Goff playing out of his mind. It is clear this is a program headed in the right direction, although I think a difficult schedule down the stretch combined with a underperforming defense will make it tough for the Bears of Berkeley to compete for a top-three spot in the conference. Verdict: Pretender. 

Now we examing the Washington Huskies, who are also 3-1 after being handed their first loss by the Stanford Cardinal in a close game. Washington is a team that is tough to figure out. One week they are squeaking by a Hawaii squad 17-16, the next they are fighting for their lives against Eastern Washington, 59-52. It is clear that against top competition, Husky quarterback Cyler Miles just is not good enough to consistently move the ball. He was abysmal against the Cardinal, and while he has yet to throw an interception, its clear that his poor play will be holding this team back. Nevertheless, its possible the Husky defense and running game, combined with a lack of turnovers by Miles, will be enough to surprise a few teams, although not enough to seriously contend for a top bowl berth. Verdict: Pretender. 

Finally, lets look at the Arizona Wildcats. Arizona is another team that is tough to figure out. At times, this team plays like a juggernaut, and then there are stretches where they sleepwalk through entire quarters. Much of that has to do with the play of quarterback Anu Solomon, who has seemed to play only as good as the situation demands. When down big, or in a big moment, he come through again and again. However, when there is nothing on the line, he fades away, and you almost forget he is on the field. Still, they have a consistent rushing attack, and have the ability to score points seemingly at will. The defense has not been great, but it has stiffened when needed. Overall, this feels like a team that needs just one more big win before their confidence carries them into contention. And wouldn't you know it, the Oregon Ducks just happen to be up next on the schedule. Coach Rich Rodriguez has shown what his teams can do in big games, and Solomon seems like someone who relishes the prime time stage. Call me crazy, but I think this team is legit. The PAC-12 south is full of overrated and overhyped pretenders, so maybe, just maybe the Wildcats can seize the opportunity and claim their first south division title. Verdict: Contender. 

With Adrian Peterson’s off-field issues, some believe he may have played his last game as a Minnesota Vikings.  This got us thinking: What teams could use Adrian Peterson the most?

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta is using four Running Backs in some type of rotation this season and while averaging 121.3 rushing yards a game, a running back like Peterson would give them a running game that defenses would have to focus on.  Atlanta can air it out with the best of them, but down the stretch you need a strong running game to make that play-off push.  Peterson would single handedly change the Falcons from play-off contender to the favorite to unseat Seattle as NFC Champions.

Carolina Panthers 

The NFC South is wide open for the taking with 2-2 being good enough for first place at the moment.  In the off-season, Carolina was criticized for not addressing their passing game.  However, Carolina is averaging 280.3 passing yards a game and Kelvin Benjamin has been spectacular.  On the flip side, their rushing game has been very, very bad averaging 72.3 rushing yards a game.  On top of that Carolina has had to deal with injuries to their top four running threats; DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton.  Adding Peterson is a no-brainer; he is durable and could carry the load for the team.  Carolina has already shown that it is willing to pay more than one Running Back so the contract would not be an issue.  Most importantly, adding Peterson would take some pressure off of Cam Newton and give him more time in the pocket to pass the ball, take fewer hits, and heal up from his injuries.

San Diego Chargers 

The Chargers haven’t had much luck with the Running Back position this season.  Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead have both missed time with injuries and Donald Brown only hit 100 yards this week, for the season.  The Chargers came into Week 3 averaging only 78.7 yards per game, and with 42 rushing yards in Week 4 that number did not improve.  Philip Rivers had some great years with LaDainian Tomlinson, so he knows what the addition of someone like Peterson could do for his team.  San Diego is playing very well and the addition of Peterson could help them not only challenge the Broncos for the AFC West, but make them a real threat to win it all.

Denver Broncos 

While we are talking about Denver, Peyton Manning could use a workhorse like Peterson to accompany him in the backfield.  Monte Ball hasn’t played poorly this season, but Manning’s window for Super Bowls is closing and having Peterson would cause defenses even more fits than Denver already does today.  Denver is only averaging 75.3 rushing yards a game and if that continues, it would mean that they would be heavily relying on Manning’s arm to carry them through the season and into the play-offs yet again.  Denver has improved its defense, if it improved its running game, this team could be completely unstoppable.

New England Patriots 

The Patriots rushing attack has been lackluster this season, averaging only 105 rushing yards per game.  Shane Vereen has been effective at times catching passes out of the backfield and Stevan Ridley has yet to show that he can be consistent enough to be the premiere back.  Peterson would give the Patriots an every down back that they haven’t had since Corey Dillon.  Adding Peterson would be a great addition to help prolong Brady’s career and more importantly, help ignite a struggling Patriots’ offense.