The Long Road to Glory. A Ryne Scott Journey- CFB26

[Deuce2223]

Three G6 schools in the CFP with North Texas getting the fourth seed is crazy

I was a little surprised too.. Last year I went through the schedules of the teams that made the playoffs in real life and made sure they had similar results and James Madison and Tulane made it with Tulane beating North Texas in last year's American Championship. I figured Tulane would drop at least to #13 this year with the loss which would've put Oklahoma in at #12 figured FSU would go to #11. I also wonder what would have happened had Boise State won the Pac-12 title game.. They were #14 going into the game. Had they won I think they would've deserved a bump to #1`2 for sure and FSU maybe to #11 which would've knocked Tulane out but would've put the Pac-12 Champ in.. ..

[Deuce2223]

AGGIES MAKE HISTORY IN OT THRILLER!!!

Coming off a disappointing loss to UNLV in the Mountain West Championship, with rumors swirling around the future of Offensive Coordinator Ryne Scott, the Aggies came out of the gate slow yet again falling behind (14-0) to the Arizona Wildcats in the opening quarter of the LA Bowl. The Aggies also would also a major player in their offense as Oregon Transfer Jayden Limar is lost for the game.

NMSU however would rally scoring twice in the 2nd Quarter as Nate McGraw would find TJ Pride on a pair of touchdowns as the Aggies cut the lead to (24-14) with under 2 minutes to play and then a quick 3 and out by the Cats would set up the Aggies to narrow the gap even more as FR PK Vince Maze knocks down a 41 yd FG to make it (24-17) at the half.

Arizona opened up the 2nd half with the ball and quickly added to their lead as SR QB Noah Fifita (90 Ovr) throws his 3rd touchdown of the game but McGraw would lead NMSU on their own 9 play 80- yd drive that ended with a 12 yd touchdown pass to Bryan Jackson making it (31-24). For Jackson it was his first receiving touchdown of the season despite having 20 rushing scores as he fills in for Jayden Limar.

Still (31-24) entering the 4th Quarter, McGraw would manage to tie the game as he finds SR TE Gavin Harris on a 29 yd scoring strike to make it (31-31). Both teams would trade FG's midway through the 4th to make it (34-34).. Arizona had the ball with a chance to win the game in regulation but Fifita would throw a INT as SR LB Sone Aupui comes up with the ball now giving the Aggies a chance to win it in regulation but NMSU fails to get in FG range as they turn the ball over on downs with 12 seconds to play.

Arizona won the toss and elected to start on Defense. but McGraw came out firing as he hits Lamont Poutasi to set up a 1st and Goal and Bryan Jackson would do the rest as he takes it in for his 21st rushing touchdown of the season.. The Wildcats unfazed would storm back though as SR RB Kedrick Reescano (88 ovr) scores his 2nd touchdown of the game to tie it up (41-41).

Arizona would start OT #2 with the ball but this time the Aggies Defense come up big holding the Wildcats to a FG opening up the door for victory, as Nick McGraw throws TD #5 to Senior Donovan Faupel as the Aggies win their 10th game of the season for just the 3rd time in school history and end their season ranked in the Top-25 for the for just the 2nd time in school history and first since 1960.

FINAL SCORE NEW MEXICO STATE-47 ARIZONA-44

KEY PLAYERS
QB N. McGraw-19/36 (52%) 330 yds 5 TD 31 yds rushing
RB B. Jackson-24 carries 130 yds 1 TD, 5 rec 42 yds 1 TD
WR TJ Pride-4 rec 109 yds 2 TD
WR L.. Poutasi-4 rec 61 yds 1 TD
WR D. Faupel-2 rec 53 yds 1 TD
TE G. Harris-- 4 rec 65 yds 1 TD

QB N. Fifita-24/38 (63%) 270 yds 3 TD 1 INT
RB K. Reescano-15 carries 74 yds 2 TD
RB C. Warren III-12 carries 38 yds
WR B. Pagan-8 rec 117 yds 2 TD
WR I. Mizell-5 rec 64 yds
WR C. Hunter-4 rec 40 yds
TE T. Powell-5 rec 39 yds 1 TD

[redsox907]

what a crazy game in what could be your last hurrah with the Aggies

McGraw's numbers aren't always pretty, but I'll be damned if he ain't getting it done when it counts

[Deuce2223]

HOW IT ALL FINISHED

The Opening round went pretty much as expected as #7 UCLA destroyed #10 UNLV (48-14) and #6 Texas did the same to #11 Tulane (42-17) leaving many to argue about the G6 schools making the playoffs.

You have to wonder if the committee also got what they wanted as #12 FSU beat #5 Miami (38-32) and #8 Alabama cruised past #9 SMU to set up a rematch with Georgia in the Quarter Finals.

#4 North Texas almost pulled it off with a trip to the Semi's but fell short as FSU pulls off the (49-47) victory. well Alabama gets it's revenge on #1 Georgia with a (38-28) win setting up a #12 vs #8 in the Semi's.

On the other side. #2 Oregon showed UCLA who was boss with a (35-31) victory well #6 Texas continued it's run with a (42-21) win over #3 USC

The Ducks went on to beat the Longhorns (34-19) in the Rose Bowl well the Alabama rolled over FSU (51-13) in the Sugar Bowl to setup a Tide vs Duck Natty.

The Natty was a Defensive battle.. Scoreless at the end of the 1st, The Ducks took at (14-13) lead holding Alabama to a pair of FG's to end the half. The Ducks Defense continued to shine holding the Tide to another pair of FG's in the 2nd half as they held onto the (24-19) victory as Dan Lanning showed the nation at the Ducks are more then just a high powered Offense.

[Deuce2223]

what a crazy game in what could be your last hurrah with the Aggies

McGraw's numbers aren't always pretty, but I'll be damned if he ain't getting it done when it counts

Yeah I I feel bad for McGraw. Because he is the same class as Smith, once I leave (and I am) he will just be buried on the bench.. I am actually working on seeing if I can just recreate him as a player on my new team and bring him with me . I feel like that would fit the story line

[Deuce2223]

A CRAZY 24 HOURS

When news broke about Sherrone Moore's firing at Michigan. Rumors started swirling who would be the next Wolverine HC and Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham was one of those names that kept coming up in the discussion. The former Florida State/ Oregon Duck OC had quickly built a reputation in Tempe. In just his 2nd season at the helm, Dillingham lead the Sun Devils to a Big 12 title spot and a Top-4 seed in the the 2024 CFP Playoffs. He followed up that season with a (9-4) finish in 2025 winning the Texas Bowl and despite injuries to his star QB Sam Leavitt managed to lead the Sun Devils to another bowl victory defeating USF (35-24) in the Frisco Bowl.

Arizona State was prepared to make Dillingham one of the highest paid coaches in the nation with a average salary over 7.5 million and increase his coaching staff salary pool as well. Everything seemed locked up but the Multi-verse works in mysterious ways, and 24 hours later.. Dillingham is headed to Ann Arbor..

Arizona State needed to pivot.. Their first call was to Boise State HC Spencer Danielson, but Danielson had just accepted the HC Job at Utah replacing Kyle Whittingham who retired.. Their next call went out to USF HC Alex Golesch but he too was headed to a different Big 12 school as he signs with TCU.

Running out of options the Sun Devils reached out to a former rival as they looked to bring in former Michigan/Arizona/West Virginia HC Rich Rodriguez but like Danielson and Golesch, Rodriguez instead signed with Houston.

Arizona State President Michael Crow said it was then that the Multi-verse spoke to him and gave him a vision a different Universe where a HC named Ryne Scott was leading Texas Tech to multiple Big 12 titles and multiple National Championships... It was then that Crow knew this vision wasn't just some fluke and he made the call..

[djp73]

Arizona State?

[redsox907]

Arizona State President Michael Crow said it was then that the Multi-verse spoke to him and gave him a vision a different Universe where a HC named Ryne Scott was leading Texas Tech to multiple Big 12 titles and multiple National Championships... It was then that Crow knew this vision wasn't just some fluke and he made the call..

IYKYK...that Texas Tech run was legendary.

Arizona State is a great place. Great recruiting pipelines and a premier conference in the Big 12. Any plans on eventually recreating the old Pac?

[Deuce2223]

[/quote] IYKYK...that Texas Tech run was legendary.

Arizona State is a great place. Great recruiting pipelines and a premier conference in the Big 12. Any plans on eventually recreating the old Pac?
[/quote]

My time at Texas Tech besides my day's at FIU were probably the most fun I had with the last year's game. I am hoping ASU will bring some of that back. I really like the Big 12. I feel like right now the conference is pretty strong . I think with this Dynasty I am probably going to leave the conferences sorta where they are.. We will see.. ASU was actually a school I was interested in attending when I graduated high school. I owned quite a bit of ASU gear back in the mid 90's.

[Deuce2223]

SCOTT MAKES MAJOR IMPACT EARLY!!

Coach Ryne Scott went into the off-season looking to replace his Top-3 QB's his starting RB who finished with over 1000 yds and 9 TD and a starting WR who finished just shy of 1000 yds (991) with 8 TD"s.

Scott took over a Recruiting Class with 10 signings (3-4*,5-3*,2-2*) ranked #3 in the Big 12 and ranked #32 Overall at the time of Kenny D's departure and added to those #'s landing 21 more players including 9 players from the transfer portal ending the season with 31 signings (6-4*,23-3*,2*) still ranked #3 in the Big 12 and #26 Overall (Nebraska was #1/#9 Overall, Colorado was #2/#19 Overall).

Arizona State fans are very familiar with 4 of those players because they were Sun Devils last year and Scott is very familiar with 3 more because they are former Aggies.

QB
Coach Dillingham had already landed 3* Recruit Ben Fong and 2* Malik Thompkins but that didn't stop Scott from trying to lock up his future starter in the portal, as he brings back 3* Michael Tollefson a RS SO who appeared in 6 games for the Sun Devils last season. and former Aggie QB Nick McGraw who took over for the Aggies in Week 10 leading NMSU to the Bowl win over Arizona with 5 TD's.

*I didn't really land McGraw who is still buried on NMSU's depth chart but I did land a 3* QB from the Transfer portal who was also a RS FR and is a 69 Overall like McGraw was.. My plan is to edit his name..

RB
Scott knew that finding a RB in the portal wouldn't be very tough but finding the right one to duplicate the type of season Bryan Jackson had last year for the Aggies could be, but Scott hit a homerun as he lands former Boise State Bronco Dylan Riley. Riley a complete back who can make plays on all 3 downs was displaced in Boise by the Broncos adding Missouri transfer Ahmad Hardy last season and was looking for a new place to call home. Scott also landed his potential replacement as he finds 4* LaMichael Cummings #377 Overall/#35 CA/#57 RB) unsigned in Week 3.

WR
Coach Dillingham had already landed a pair of 4* WR in Rand Belcher (#257 Overall/#26CA/#48 WR) and Devante Carney (#277 Overall/#28CA/#55 WR), but that didn't stop Scott from adding 4* Brian Azur (#263 Overall/#10 OH/#51 WR) and 3* Bryson Jones a Transfer from Texas Tech.

TE
Sun Devil fans should be excited as Scott brings in another former Aggie landing backup TE Caden Jenson.. Listed at 6'6 266lbs Jensen spent last season as the backup to Gavin Harris but still shined in the #2 role. Scott also landed 3* Athlete Carlos Stead (#943 Overall/#44 OH/#43 TE) who is expected to transition to FB.

0-Line
Coach D had already landed 3* Chad Adibi (#565 Overall/#61 CA/#40 OT) and 2* RJ Russo (#2858 Overall/#253 CA/#178 OT) as well as 3* Center Kenan Carmona (#1265/#129/#36) but the Sun Devils had some huge shoes to fill at Guard with both of their starters and top reserve hitting the portal but instead of chasing after players unfamiliar with the team Scott went hard and landed all 3 players back as Terrell Kim, Joey Su'a and Maki Stewart resign

D-Line

Coach D had already laid the ground work for 5 players on the D-Line but Scott was the one who came in and closed the deal landing all 5.

3* DE Nelson Umodu (#466 Overall/#45 CA/#50 DE
3* DE Enrique Long (#807 Overall/#88 CA/#78 DE
3* Derek Baity (#1420 Overall/#195 TX/#128 DE
3* Blair Durbin (#992 Overall/#18 AZ/#47 DT
3* Rahim Ebiketie (#751 Overall/#39 OH/#35 DT

Linebacker
Coach D had already locked up 4* Kevin Meinerz (#294 Overall/#29 CA/#20 LB) who appears to be a potential Day 1 starter, but that didn't stop Scott from adding 3* Steve Ventura (#1447 Overall/#203 TX/#129 OLB) to provide depth.

Secondary
With the bulk of the secondary returning next season, Coach Scott looked to add depth to a CB core that has 6 Juniors as he lands a trio of 3* late in the process hopefully finding some future starters in well also landing a instant starter that Coach Scott is very familiar with as he lands 3* SS Quentin Reddish from New Mexico State.


3* CB Darrelle Wells (#1128 Overall/#54 OH/#84 CB)
3* CB Jason Abraham (#1723 Overall/#244 TX/#130 CB)
3* Ahmad Hawkins (#1342 Overall/#20 NV/#100 CB)