Home / Sports / SEC coaches predicted playoff punishment. CFP rankings prove them spectacularly wrong Sports SEC coaches predicted playoff punishment. CFP rankings prove them spectacularly wrong Derek Halvorsen Derek Halvorsen
Sports Reporter · Bismarck, ND
Derek is a sports enthusiast and has been covering local athletics for over 8 years. He studied journalism at Minot State University and has contributed to various sports blogs and the Grand Forks Herald. His comprehensive knowledge of North Dakota's sports scene allows him to provide in-depth coverage and unique insights.
More from Derek → Sports Reporter · Friday, November 6, 2026 at 7:30 PM · 4 min read
Aa
✕ Text size A A A
Typeface Sans Serif
Line spacing Tight Normal Loose
Theme Auto Light Dark
Focus mode Off Distraction-free
A− A+
Aa Sans Save PrintPrefer us on Google
Learn More
Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Copy article link
Save
SEC coaches wailed and wailed.
kAm%96 :?:E:2= A=2J@77 C2?<:?8D @F89E E@ D@@E96 E96 $tr]k^Am
kAmp9[ H9@ 2> x <:55:?8[ 4CJ:?8 :D ;FDE H92E D@>6 4@==686 7@@E32== 4@2496D 5@[ ?@ >2EE6C E96 4:C4F>DE2?46D] $@[ E96 E62CD H:== 7C66=J 7=@H[ 6G6? 2D E96 =@G6 A@FCD :? 7C@> E96 4@>>:EE66]k^Am
kAm%96 $tr’D 4CJ323J 4@2496D D4C664965 2== @77D62D@? 23@FE E96 255:E:@? @7 2 ?:?E9 4@?76C6?46 82>6 2?5 E96 DF3EC24E:@? @7 2 4FA42<6] %96:C E96D:Di %96 A=2J@77 D6=64E:@? 4@>>:EE66 H@F=5 ?@E C6H2C5 E96 $tr’D 564:D:@? E@ G@=F?E2C:=J E@F896? :ED D4965F=6]k^Am
kAm%96C6 H2D 2=H2JD 2 AC@3=6> H:E9 E92E A2CEJ =:?6] (6 925?’E J6E D66? 9@H E96 4@>>:EE66 H@F=5 C624E E@ E96 $tr 3667:?8 FA :ED D4965F=6] |2J36[ :E H@F=5 =@G6 E96 $tr’D ?6H D4965F=6]k^Am
People are also reading…
City and state leader and legendary entertainer Bill Sorensen dies
Fargo woman pleads not guilty to Burleigh County drug, escape charges
Ballot mix-up prevents some Bismarck voters from voting in District 7 race
UPDATE: Wells County man, woman killed in crash involving semi identified
LIVE UPDATE: Tracking today's election in ND -- Fedorchak wins North Dakota U.S. House race
Bismarck school superintendent discusses teacher shortages
Bismarck woman charged after allegedly trying to hide wanted man in dirt pile
Morton County man sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to meth trafficking charges
Both North Dakota constitutional ballot measures fail on Election Night
UPDATE: Bismarck Public Schools’ $116.5M bond fails, falling short of 60% approval
LaCoe, Munson, Splonskowski win Burleigh County Commission seats
North Dakota county commission races targeted by out-of-state PAC ads
RFK Jr. in Bismarck: Indian Health Service hospitals will follow new dietary guidelines
2026 General Election results
‘Burleigh County showed up’: LaCoe, Munson, Splonskowski react to election wins
kAm%96 7:CDE 3:E @7 6G:56?46 6>6C865 E9:D H66<[ 2?5 :E’D ?6G6C 366? 4=62C6Ci %96 A=2J@77 4@>>:EE66 92D C28:?8 27764E:@? 2?5 >25 C6DA64E 7@C E96 $tr 2?5 :ED D4965F=6]k^Am
kAmsCJ E9@D6 E62CD[ $tr 4@2496D]k^Am
kAm%96 4@>>:EE66 56=:G6C65 2 9F>3=:?8 D6E @7 C2?<:?8D 7@C E96 q:8 %6?[ H9:49 7246D E96 D9@4<:?8=J C62= A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 BF2=:7J:?8 @?=J EH@ @C >2J36 6G6? ;FDE @?6 E62>]k^Am
kAm%96 4@>>:EE66 96=5 }@EC6 s2>6 244@F?E23=6 7@C :ED DBF:D9J D4965F=6]k^Am
kAmpD:56 7C@> }@] b &E29[ E96 q:8 `a 5:5?’E >@G6 E96 4@>>:EE66’D ?665=6]k^Am
kAm%96 4@>>:EE66 EC62E65 E96 prr 2D :7 :E 32C6=J 6I:DE65]k^Am
kAm%96D6 ru! C2?<:?8D 2>@F?E E@ 2? $tr D=@336C\76DE[ 2?5 2?J@?6 DE:== 8CF>3=:?8 23@FE E96 ?:?6\82>6 4@?76C6?46 D4965F=6 ?665D E@ 496H @? 2 A24:7:6C]k^Am
kAm$tr 5@6D?’E ?665 ac\E62> 3C24<6E] xE ?665D 36EE6C A=2J@77 A6C7@C>2?46k^Am
kAmx7 E96 A=2J@77 DE2CE65 E@>@CC@H[ E96 $tr H@F=5 BF2=:7J 7:G6 E62>D[ 4@>A2C65 E@ E96 q:8 %6?’D EH@] %96 $tr ?665D E@ H2<6 FA 2?5 C62=:K6 E96 `a\E62> A=2J@77 :D 2 8:7E]k^Am
kAmp?J@?6 :?D:56 E96 $tr H9@ G:6HD E96D6 C2?<:?8D 2?5 DE:== 4C2G6D 2 ac\E62> 3C24<6E :D D:>A=J 3=:?565 3J 2 56D:C6 7@C A2CE:4:A2E:@? C:33@?D]k^Am
kAm%CFE9 :D[ 3C24<6E 2446DD ?6G6C 3FC56?65 E96 $tr :? E96 `a\E62> A=2J@77 6C2] !=2J@77 A6C7@C>2?46 3642>6 E96 4@?76C6?46VD :DDF6 E96 A2DE EH@ D62D@?D] %92E 42? @?=J 36 D@=G65 @? E96 7:6=5[ ?@E 3J 5@F3=:?8 E96 D:K6 @7 E96 3C24<6E]k^Am
kAmxE’D E@F89 E@ 6?G:D:@? 2 D46?2C:@ :? H9:49 E96 C:G2= q:8 %6? H@F=5 BF2=:7J 2D >2?J @C >@C6 E62>D 2D E96 $tr[ :? H92E 4@F=5 36 E96 7:?2= :?DE2==>6?E @7 E96 `a\E62> A=2J@77[ :7 E96 $tr 2==@HD :ED6=7 E@ 36 9@@5H:?<65 3J E96 q:8 %6?’D ac\E62> A=2?]k^Am
kAm%96 q:8 %6? H:== 86E =:EE=6 C2?<:?8D DJ>A2E9J 96C6 — 2?5 ?@?6 7C@> E96 4@>>:EE66 — 27E6C :E 7:KK=65 :? E9C@F89@FE E96 ?@?4@?76C6?46 D4965F=6[ 2?5 AC6D62D@? 7C@?ECF??6C ~C68@? 7=@AA65 92C5]k^Am
kAmpD C646?E=J 2D =2DE H66<[ %6I2D 4@249 $E6G6 $2C<:D:2? D>62C65 E96 $trVD D4965F=:?8 DEC2E68J 2?5 C6277:C>65 9:D D<6AE:4:D> @7 E96 D6=64E:@? 4@>>:EE66]k^Am
kAm“p?J H2J J@F D=:46 :E[ :EVD 6:89E >@C6 =@DD6D” 7@C E96 $tr’D 4F>F=2E:G6 C64@C5[ $2C<:D:2? D2:5] “$@[ :7 J@F 2C6 7@CEF?2E6 6?@F89 E@ 36 A2CE @7 E92E 5:D4FDD:@? 7C@> E96 4@>>:EE66[ 9@H >F49 :D E96 4@>>:EE66 8@:?8 E@ G2=F6 @?6 >@C6 4@?76C6?46 82>6n”k^Am
kAmpAA2C6?E=J[ BF:E6 2 3:E]k^Am
kAm%6I2D ;@:?D p=232>2 2?5 |:DD:DD:AA: 2D E96 @?=J EH@\=@DD E62>D C2?<65 H:E9:? E96 E@A `_]k^Am
kAm{$& 4@249 {2?6 z:77:? D2:5 ;FDE =2DE >@?E9 E96 6IEC2 4@?76C6?46 82>6 H2D “2 A@@C 564:D:@? 2?5 C62==J ?@E E9@F89E @FE]”k^Am
kAmz:77:? AC65:4E65 :? E96 @77D62D@? E92E F?E:= E96 A=2J@77 6IA2?5D @C E96 D6=64E:@? AC@46DD 492?86D[ “`_\a :D :?[ 2?5 h\b :D @FE[” D@ H9J E@F896? FA E96 D4965F=6nk^Am
kAm“x 5@?’E E9:?< E92E 2?J3@5J ?@H[ ?@H E92E E96J’G6 D66? 9@H D6=64E:@?D 92G6 8@?6[ E9:?6[ z:77:? D2:5 :? E96 @77D62D@?]k^Am
kAmz:77:? 6>6C865 2D E96 49:67 4C:E:4 @7 E96 ?:?E9 $tr 82>6[ 3FE 5@?’E 7@C 2 D64@?5 36=:6G6 96 H2D E96 @?=J @?6 4CJ:?8]k^Am
kAmpD |:DD@FC:’D t=: sC:?@CD6 23@FE 2 ?:?E9 4@?76C6?46 82>6]k^Am
kAm$@ >F49 AC6D62D@? 4CJ:?8 7C@> E96 $tr A6?E9@FD6[ 2?5 DE:== E96 4@>>:EE66 82G6 ?@E9:?8 3FE =@G6 :? C6EFC?]k^Am
kAm}6HD 7=2D9i %96 A=2J@77 4@>>:EE66 2=H2JD 92D C6DA64E65 E96 $tr’D DEC6?8E9 @7 D4965F=6[ 2?5 ?@E D6=64E65 E62>D DEC:4E=J @77 C64@C5] w@H 6=D6 E@ 6IA=2:? `_\b p=232>2 BF2=:7J:?8 =2DE J62C @G6C ``\a qC:892> *@F?8nk^Am
kAm}@H[ H:E9 E96 6IEC2 D4965F=:?8 3667[ E96 4@>>:EE66 7@2>D H:E9 27764E:@? 7@C E96 $tr =@8@] xE 96=AD E96 $tr[ E@@[ E92E :E 5@>:?2E65 E9C@F89@FE $6AE6>36C 282:?DE E62>D 7C@> E96 @E96C !@H6C u@FC 4@?76C6?46D]k^Am
kAm{6E’D C6G:6H E96 $\t\r[ $\t\r 25@C2E:@? :? E96D6 C2?<:?8Dik^Am
kAm• pE }@] d[ p=232>2 :D E96 ?2E:@?’D E@A\C2?<65 EH@\=@DD E62>] %96 rC:>D@? %:56 2C6 FA 7@FC DA@ED :? E96D6 C2?<:?8D 4@>A2C65 E@ E96:C DA@E :? E96 &$ {q| r@2496D !@==] %96 %:56 C2?< E9C66 DA@ED 29625 @7 }@] g &r{p] $EC6?8E9 @7 D4965F=6 >2EE6CD]k^Am
kAm• pE }@] f[ %6I2D 8@E 3:8\E:>6 C6DA64E 7@C :ED 3F?5=6 @7 D:8?2EFC6 H:?D[ 56DA:E6 2=D@ =@D:?8 EH:46 :? E96 7246 @7 2 ;F886C?2FE D4965F=6] %9:D C2?<:?8 D:8?2=65 E96 4@>>:EE66VD 2AA6E:E6 7@C %6I2D] %96 {@?89@C?D AC@323=J H@F=5 92G6 2 A2E9 E@ BF2=:7:42E:@? 2E h\b] {:<6 p=232>2[ E96 ru! 82G6 %6I2D 2 7@FC\DA@E 3@@DE[ 4@>A2C65 E@ E96 r@2496D !@==]k^Am
kAm• %6? $tr E62>D 2C6 C2?<65 :? E96D6 A=2J@77 C2?<:?8D[ 2?5 ?:?6 @7 E96 `_ 2C6 C2?<65 9:896C 3J E96 ru! E92? :? E96 r@2496D !@==] v6@C8:2 :D E96 =@?6 6I46AE:@?] xE C2?<65 }@] a :? 6249 C2?<:?8]k^Am
kAm~?6 >@C6 $tr 82>6[ 2?5 @?6 76H6C 4FA42<6] 5:5?VE 8@ F??@E:465]k^Am
kAm%96 DFC6DE A2E9 E@ E96 A=2J@77 :D E@ ?6G6C =@D6[ 3FE :7 J@F >FDE =@D6 @?46 @C EH:46 @C E9C:46[ 5@ :E 282:?DE 2 E@F89 D4965F=6[ H9:=6 DA@CE:?8 2? $tr =@8@ @? E96 F?:7@C>D]k^Am
Tennessee embarrassed Alabama. CFP committee embarrassed itself
We’ve seen some memorable selection committee crazy in the College Football Playoff era, some absolutely unimaginable contradictions.
0
Comments
Love
0
Funny
0
Wow
0
Sad
0
Angry
0
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Sign up!
* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and
privacy policy
.
Up next Area Scores: Nov. 7 Sports · 2 min read Also covering North Dakota