Welcome to Glass Slipper! I’m forever a Kiki Rice superfan; please enjoy the show.

- Jacob Rhee

Here are my 10 biggest takeaways from Round 1 of the College Football Playoff.

1. It really happened again.

Look, a part of me appreciates Curt Cignetti’s uber-arrogance. You can’t change the culture at a place with no history of success unless there’s total buy-in from everyone. But why is it always you, Curt? Why is it always you who shuts his eyes, plugs his ears, and curls into a ball when the spotlight arrives? You got the whole campus to believe in this Indiana team, and you evidently never convinced yourself.

Against Ohio State, Cignetti literally told Jenny Taft at halftime that the goal was for his 10-0 group to just keep the game close. On Friday night, he punted from Notre Dame territory while trailing by three possessions with under 11 minutes left. Does that sound like a man with real confidence?

Curt enjoys the sound of his own voice more than winning; he’s the Mike McDaniel of college football. Until that changes, the Hoosiers will remain firmly below the sport’s elite class.

2. Marcus Freeman’s moment.

Appreciate this dude, Notre Dame fans. In three years, he’s taken your program into a realm that Brian Kelly could never access. This is the best Irish squad of my lifetime.

3. Give Jeremiyah Love his flowers.

Since 2021, how many collegiate running backs have averaged at least 7.36 yards per carry and tallied at least 16 rushing touchdowns in the same campaign? Let me check here. And… oh. It’s zero. Love will be alone in the club if he keeps that average up. Show the kid some respect.

4. The Mustangs crumble.

Here are all eight of SMU’s first-half drives against Penn State.

• Turnover on Downs

• Interception

• Punt

• Interception

• Punt

• Interception

• Turnover on Downs

• Punt

Yep, that’ll end a season.

5. Rhett Lashlee, also scared.

If I’m going to criticize Curt Cignetti for punting, I have to call out Rhett for those field goal attempts in the third quarter. Come on, dude. The opportunity to shave a 28-point lead down to 25 is that enticing to you? You can’t give your team a pep talk in the locker room and then turn around and wave the white flag.

6. Happy Valley heroes.

The Nittany Lions emphatically buried their big-game woes, and are now one Group of Five victory away from the semifinals.

Penn State’s game-by-game point totals since losing to my Buckeyes? 35, 49, 26, 44, 37, and 38. Andy Kotelnicki deserves a statue if Penn State wins it all.

7. Clemson’s quarterback situation.

We better get a leaked video in the coming days that shows Dabo Swinney begging on his hands and knees for Cade Klubnik to return for a fourth year. The former five-star was the best player on the field in a road playoff contest, and ate up a fantastic Texas defense.

If Cade is out, what’s the plan? Are you really giving the keys to Christopher Vizzina? Dabo has seemingly swallowed his pride in regards to the transfer portal, but there’s no trustworthy answer available on the current market. In any scenario, Swinney - coming off back-to-back four-loss campaigns - would be tying his future to a question-mark QB. That’s a rather dangerous proposition.

8. Eating crow.

I questioned Ohio State’s offensive line, pass rush, and playcaller. I said that Buckeye Nation would be silent. My official pick was a four-point Tennessee victory.

I was wrong on all accounts. Like, my predictions actually couldn’t have looked dumber.

Was OSU’s sole mission to put clown shoes on me? If so, that gameplan was executed to perfection.

9. Ryan Day’s first offseason task.

Get a kicker. Please. I don’t care if Jayden Fielding buries an 80-yarder to win the national title. He cannot trot out there in the 2025 opener.

10. Time to peek ahead.

To the quarterfinals we go. Penn State and Boise State get the spotlight on December 31. Then, it should be an extremely fun New Year’s Day. Texas and Arizona State head to Atlanta. Ohio State and Oregon will clash again, as the sun sets in Pasadena. Notre Dame and Georgia cap off the evening. Three wins away.

Pressroom

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“Have You Ever Seen The Rain” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Enjoy.