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X's and O's

The synergies of the optimal college football offense

What are the five elements of the optimal college offense? Catch up here.

On street fighters, land sharks, and fat Cowboys

College football needs more undersized Randy White types at defensive tackle.

Back to the Future: The 1945 Army Cadets

The world went to war, and Army won titles

“I’m not sure that such schools take full advantage of the game’s rules.”

Talent advantages: great. Scheme: also great.

How do we better measure when his’n beats your’n?

You win by either creating numbers advantages or having numbers that are better than your opponents’. We’re a lot better at measuring the former.

How Clemson shut down the Ohio St run game

Is TCU in trouble on defense?

Anatomy of an upset: How Houston beat down Oklahoma

Game changing storylines to watch in 2016

Texas A&M’s secret weapon on defense

How Armani Watts allows the Aggies to unleash the freakish Myles Garrett.

Simple vs. complex, part 1

What's better in college football, a simple well-executed playbook or a complex strategy that confuses defenses?

2013's most popular play

Last season saw the proliferation of a jet sweep concept across what felt like all of college football. By mid-October almost any game on ESPN would probably feature the jet sweep/inside zone combination.

How FSU's team effort brought down the SEC

Florida State's title-game win over Auburn was a true effort, with defense and special teams buying time for an offense that eventually came through.

Bottling up Jordan Lynch

Jordan Lynch was undoubtedly one of the most productive quarterbacks in NCAA history, but was denied becoming the NCAA’s first single season 2,000 yard rusher and 2,000 yard passer on Boxing Day’s Poinsettia Bowl.

Stacking receivers

Discussing the merits of running stacked-receiver formations.

Unsung heroes of 2013: The Wisconsin DL

Ranked seventh in Defensive S&P with dominant victories over much of the B1G, Wisconsin has trucked along this season, but arguably the Badgers' strongest unit, the defensive line, has labored in relative obscurity.

What's wrong with WVU's offense?

Not even two years removed from the "West Virginia scored again!" Orange Bowl and the anointment of Dana Holgorsen as Chief Air Raid Genius, his Mountaineers presented Charlie Weis and the Kansas Jayhawks their first Big 12 win in three years.

Unsung heroes: Jace Amaro

Jace Amaro is the foundation of Kliff Kingsbury's Red Raider offense.

The Gurley Effect

A look at how Todd Gurley's presence in the Georgia lineup affects both opposing defenses and Georgia's play-calling.

Hot Gates: MSU's defense squeezes college offenses

Mark Dantonio and Pat Narduzzi have a system designed to take away everything college offensive coordinators love.

Snyder-ball vs Baylor

How the KSU Wildcats overachieved in trying to stop Baylor.

Oklahoma unleashes the Yeti

How Blake Bell's unique size, strength, and skills open up possibilities for the Oklahoma offense.

LSU vs Georgia: Who pounds the longest?

Will Gurley or Hills find the end zone more often?

Saban vs. Johnny Football, Round 2 scorecard

What did Saban change and do to control the legend of Johnny Football

Michigan-Notre Dame: Made for each other

Michigan and Notre Dame are each rebuilding rosters from opposing approaches while battling for heartland supremacy.

How can TCU beat LSU?

The Cowboy Classic presents an opportunity for a major symbolic victory for Gary Patterson's Horned Frogs.

Tajh Boyd and the new QB prototype

The skills offensive coaches are looking for in their quarterbacks are changing.

The value of a lockdown corner

How do collegiate defenses maximize the value of elite cornerbacks?

Oregon's underrated 46 D

Oregon's defensive tactics are quietly as cutting edge as their approach to offense.

Are Urban's Buckeyes fully weaponized?

Ian Boyd scouts the latest intelligence on the weapons program in Columbus.

Ole Miss' undersized D

Ole Miss is doubling down on their undersized but disruptive defense in 2013.

The fullback and the run game renaissance

How the fullback is making a comeback in modern football.