CFW 2023 Season Review – Kalen DeBoer replaces Nick Saban at Alabama
Those were the days my friends
“We thought they’d never end”
It’s hard to believe that just five months ago we were about to begin a new season in college football. Unfortunately, time flies when you are having fun.
The season began with Georgia as the No. 1 team in the country. Five months later, it ended with Michigan winning the national championship. The Wolverines became the No. 1 team in the country. I think the celebrations are still going on in Ann Arbor.
Yes, on the eve of the start of the 2023 season, the Top 4 teams were Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State and Alabama, in that order. I guess you could say the preseason pollsters got two out of four about right.
Colorado dominated the preseason news and for two reasons. First, the Buffaloes were beginning the season under a new coach – and not just any new coach. Colorado moved to Primetime. Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders was premiering as the coach of the Buffaloes. Sanders’ notoriety and magnetic personality made Boulder, Colorado, for a period of time at least, the center of the college football universe.
Second, on the eve of Sanders’ premier, Colorado announced it was leaving the Pac-12 Conference for the Big 12 Conference, effective July 1, 2024. Little did we know then the ripple effect this would start.
Meanwhile in Evanston, Illinois, Northwestern fired head coach Pat Fitzgerald. Northwestern players were complaining about a culture of locker room hazing that had become prevalent under Fitzgerald. The school named defensive coordinator David Braun the interim head coach for 2023. Little did we know at the time what a boost Braun would give to the Wildcats.
Meanwhile, in Tallahassee, Florida State trustee Drew Weatherford sent shock waves into the world of college sports when he said, “It’s not a matter of if Florida State leaves the ACC, but how and when Florida State leaves.” Weatherford’s statement came after Florida State president Richard McCullough said, “Florida State at some point will consider leaving the ACC.”
The shock waves got stronger when Arizona announced it was leaving the Pac-12 and joining the Big 12, effective July 1, 20024. The ripple effect started by Colorado was underway. Next, Oregon and Washington quickly reacted, announcing they were leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. Not to be left out of the action, Arizona State and Utah joined the mass exodus, announcing their departure from the Pac-12 for the Big 12.
That left everybody wondering what would become of California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State – the only remaining members of the Pac-12. Soon, there were rumors that Cal and Stanford were trying to get into the ACC. Stay tuned!
In Week 0 (August 21-27), when a handful of teams jump the gun and start playing before everyone else, two well-known quarterbacks were back in the limelight. In Dublin, Ireland, former Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman, now playing for Notre Dame, was 19-23-0, passing for 251 yards and four touchdowns, completing 82.6 percent of his passes. Notre Dame beat Navy, 42-3.
In the Coliseum in Los Angeles, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams was 18-25-0, passing for 278 yards and four touchdowns, completing 72 percent of his passes. USC beat San Jose State, 56-28. However, USC’s defense gave Trojan fans tremors. San Jose State racked up 396 total yards in the game.
Hoping to appease the NCAA, Michigan, on its own, handed out a three-game suspension to its head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh, under investigation from the NCAA for recruiting violations during the 2020 COVID year, would not be on the sideline during the Wolverines first three contests. All three were home games against the likes of East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green.
“Once upon a time there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
And think of all the great things we would do”
Week 1 (August 28-September 3) had no sooner begun when the Pac-12 ripple effect continued. California and Stanford were admitted to the ACC, effective July 1, 2024. Not only were Cal and Stanford admitted to the ACC, but also, SMU, from the AAC, was admitted at the same time. The three schools got the minimum number of votes required for admission.
The first big surprise of the season occurred in Fort Worth, Texas. In a back-and-forth game, Colorado surprised TCU, 45-42. The lead in the game changed hands six times. Colorado and TCU combined for 1,106 total yards.
Also in Week 1, Florida State knocked off LSU, 45-24. Quarterbacks Jordan Travis and Jayden Daniels put on quite a show. Travis passed for 342 yards and Daniels passed for 346 yards. North Carolina beat South Carolina, 31-17. Drake Maye threw two interceptions, while Spencer Rattler passed for 353 yards. And Duke upset Clemson 28-7. Duke quarterback Riley Leonard passed for 175 yards and rushed for 98 yards.
In Week 2 (September 4-10), Colorado shattered Nebraska, 36-14. After just two games, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders had passed for 903 yards. Colorado receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter had 14 receptions for 192 yards and one interception.
Also, in Week 2, Texas stunned Alabama, 34-24. Quinn Ewers passed for 349 yards and three touchdowns. Jalen Milroe threw two interceptions. Miami (Florida) rattled Texas A&M, 48-33. Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke passed for 374 yards and five touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 had eight teams ranked in the Top 25. And after Week 2, the Pac-12 was 20-3 in non-conference games.
In Week 3 (September 11-17), Florida extended its home winning streak against Tennessee to 10-straight games. The Gators upset the Vols, 29-16. Florida had a 26-7 halftime lead on the Vols. Florida running back Trevor Etienne rushed for 172 yards. Pitt and West Virginia got together in Morgantown for their 106th meeting. WVU won the Backyard Brawl, 17-6.
With four seconds remaining in the game and the score tied 27-27, Missouri kicked a 61-yard field goal to beat Kansas State, 30-27. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook passed for 356 yards. In spite of having 18 penalties for 181 yards, Boston College came within three points of upsetting Florida State. The Noles beat the Eagles, 31-29. Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos passed for 305 yards.
South Carolina, a 27-point underdog to Georgia, was beating the Dawgs, 14-3 early in the third quarter. Georgia rallied to win, 24-14. Carson Beck passed for 269 yards. Spencer Rattler threw two interceptions. Alabama, a 35-point favorite over South Florida, was tied 3-3 with the Bulls late in the third quarter. The Tide rallied to beat South Florida, 17-3. Alabama running back Roydell Williams rushed for 129 yards.
South Alabama upset Oklahoma State big time, 33-7. South Alabama running back La’Damian Webb rushed for 151 yards. BYU upset Arkansas, 38-31.
But, perhaps the most interesting game of Week 3 took place in Boulder, Colorado. The Buffaloes were a 24-point favorite to beat intrastate rival Colorado State. With less than a minute to go in the game, the Rams led the Buffaloes, 28-20. Then, with 36 seconds remaining, Colorado scored a touchdown on a 45-yard pass play. The Buffs went on to make their two-point conversion – 28-28. After the first overtime, the score was 35-35. Colorado won in the second overtime, 43-35 (2OT). Shedeur Sanders passed for 348 yards. The Buffaloes were 3-0, but cracks were beginning to appear, especially in Colorado’s defense.
“Those were the days my friend
We thought they’d never end”
As Week 4 (September 18-24) began, no team in the country had created more excitement than Colorado. The Buffaloes were still dominating the scene, capturing the country’s conversation and attention. But that would soon come to an end. In Eugene, Oregon, Primetime became past time. The Ducks beat the Buffaloes, 42-6. Oregon led 35-0 at halftime and 42-0 midway through the third quarter. Shedeur Sanders only passed for 159 yards.
In one of the most exciting games of Week 4, Ohio State upended Notre Dame in South Bend, 17-14. Trailing 14-10, the Buckeyes scored a touchdown with 0:01 remining on the clock. Kyle McCord passed for 240 yards. Washington State and Oregon State had a wild game in Pullman, Washington. The Cougars beat the Beavers, 38-35. Cam Ward passed for 404 yards and four touchdowns.
In a thriller in Clemson, South Carolina, Florida State and Clemson were 24-24 at the end of regulation. The Seminoles beat the Tigers, 31-24 in overtime. Jordan Travis passed for 289 yards and two touchdowns. It was FSU’s first win over Clemson since 2014. Alabama downed Ole Miss, 24-10.
It took Indiana four overtimes to subdue Akron, 29-27 (4OT). Early in the fourth quarter, Minnesota led Northwestern, 31-10. When the game was over, Northwestern beat Minnesota, 37-34 (OT). Northwestern quarterback Ben Bryant passed for 396 yards and four touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Florida State, Clemson and North Carolina were making more noise about getting out of the ACC. Some reports were saying the three schools would be out of the ACC by July 1, 2025.
Touchdown Tom and Swamp Mama spent Week 5 (September 25-October 1) in Rapid City, South Dakota. I called it football in the Badlands. Or was it football in the Black Hills? Actually, we were attending my annual Navy reunion, taking in all the attractions in and around Rapid City.
Meanwhile, Michigan State spent Week 5 firing head football coach Mel Tucker. Tucker was fired for alleged inappropriate activity with a female staff member.
The Deep South’s oldest rivalry – Auburn-Georgia – took place in Week 5. The Dawgs were heavily favored. However, late in the third quarter, Auburn led Georgia 17-10. The Dawgs rallied and beat Auburn 27-20. Carson Beck passed for 313 yards. Georgia now leads the series 63-56-8.
Speaking of a late in the third quarter lead, UCF led Baylor 35-7 late in the third. Baylor rallied and UCF lost the game 36-35. Notre Dame trailed Duke, 14-13, with 0:31 remaining in the game. The Irish scored and beat Duke, 21-14.
Kentucky destroyed Florida 33-14. Kentucky running back Ray Davis rushed for 280 yards and three touchdowns.
In two high-scoring, defenseless games, USC beat Colorado 48-41. Caleb Williams passed for 403 yards and six touchdowns. Shedeur Sanders passed for 371 yards and four touchdowns. And Ole Miss beat LSU 55-49. Jaxson Dart passed for 389 yards and four touchdowns and Quinshon Judkins rushed for177 yards. Jayden Daniels passed for 414 yards and four touchdowns. Daniels also rushed for 99 yards.
“We’d sing and dance forever and a day
We’d live the life we choose
We’d fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way”
Week 6 (October 2-8) was the Red River Showdown between Oklahoma and Texas. Gabriel as in Dillon blew his horn. With less than two minutes left in the game, and trailing Texas, 30-27, OU quarterback Dillion Gabriel drove the Sooners down the field. Gabiel threw a touchdown pass with 0:15 on the clock and Oklahoma beat Texas, 34-30. It was the only regular season game that Texas lost in 2023.
In the closing seconds of the Georgia Tech-Miami (Florida) game, the Canes led the Yellow Jackets, 20-17. Tech recovered a fumble. Then, with 0:02 remaining in the game. Tech quarterback Haynes King threw a 44-yard touchdown pass and Georgia Tech upended Miami, 23-20. Tyler Van Dyke threw three interceptions.
USC got by Arizona, 43-41 (3OT). Louisville upset Notre Dame, 33-20. Louisville running back Jawhar Jordan rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
Trailing Arkansas, 20-17, midway through the fourth quarter, Ole Miss scored 10 points in the final 7:49 of the game and beat the Razorbacks, 27-20. Nebraska got its first conference win of the season. The Huskers beat Illinois, 20-7.
In Week 6, we learned that the NIL collective at Utah has given every player on the Utah football team a Dodge Ram 1500 Big Horn truck. The collective leases the trucks for the players and pays for the insurance.
Week 7 (October 9-15) was the Oregon-Washington game in Seattle – undefeated and 8th-ranked Oregon against undefeated and 7th-ranked Washington. In a classic game, Oregon missed a 43-yard field goal and Washington held on to beat the Ducks, 36-33. Michael Penix passed for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Bo Nix passed for 337 yards and two touchdowns.
Pitt upset Louisville 38-21. Against South Carolina, Florida scored the winning touchdown with 0:47 on the clock. The Gators beat the Gamecocks, 41-39. Graham Mertz passed for 423 yards and three touchdowns. Houston connected on a 49-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired to beat West Virginia, 41-39.
In Boulder, Stanford rallied from a 29-0 halftime deficit to beat Colorado, 46-43 (2OT). The Deion Sanders honeymoon was over. Shedeur Sanders passed for 400 yards and five touchdowns. Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels passed for 396 yards and four touchdowns.
Up the road from Boulder, Colorado State rallied from a 30-10 fourth-quarter deficit to beat Boise State, 31-30. The Rams won on a 33-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired. Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi passed for 359 yards and three touchdowns.
Alabama had a close call with Arkansas. The Tide beat the Razorbacks, 24-21.
“Then the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If by chance, I’d see you in the tavern
We’d smile at one another and we’d say”
In Week 8 (October 16-22), the Penn State-Ohio State game was a dud. It didn’t live up to its hype. The Buckeyes beat the Nittany Lions, 20-12. Penn State never scored a touchdown. Kyle McCord passed for 286 yards and one touchdown.
Utah-USC succeeded where Penn State-Ohio State failed. The outcome of the Utah-USC game wasn’t decided until time expired. With less than four minutes to go in the game, Utah led USC, 31-23. Then, in a span of 1:17, USC scored 9 unanswered points. With 1:46 on the clock, USC led Utah 32-31. It was USC’s first and only lead in the game. It took Utah 1:43 to move the ball to the USC 21. Then with 0:03 on the clock, Utah kicked a 38-yard field goal and as the time expired the Utes beat the Trojans, 34-32. It was Utah’s third-straight win over USC.
Getting revenge for last year, Alabama beat Tennessee, 34-20. Virginia stunned North Carolina, 31-27. Miami (Florida) beat Clemson, 28-20 (2OT).
Oklahoma entered the fourth quarter losing to UCF, 23-17. The Sooners rallied and beat the Knights, 31-29.
A staff member of the Michigan football team was accused of attending the games of Michigan’s upcoming opponents for the purpose of stealing offensive and defensive signs and signals. Michigan suspended the staff member while an investigation began. Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh denied any knowledge of or participation in the supposed sign stealing.
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman fired his offensive coordinator, Dan Enos.
The International Olympic Committee approved flag football for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Week 9 (October 23-29), reports continued to surface, saying that Florida State, Clemson and North Carolina would be out of the ACC on July 1, 2025. And for the first time Virginia was included with that group of schools.
Army announced it will join the AAC Conference for football only in 2024. The Black Knights are replacing SMU who is leaving for the ACC.
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party took place during Week 9 – the annual meeting between Georgia and Florida on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. All week long going into the game, analysts, commentators and bloggers were wondering how Georgia would do against Florida without its tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers was sidelined, recuperating from an operation.
Well, as it turned out, Georgia did just fine without Bowers. The Dawgs beat the Gators, 43-20. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, running back Daijun Edwards, receiver Ladd McConkey, and defenders Javon Ballard, Tykee Smith, Kamari Lassiter and Smael Mondon all stepped up to the occasion, making up for the missing Bowers. Beck passed for 315 yards and two touchdowns.
Georgia didn’t need Bowers, but Oklahoma, North Carolina, Maryland, Oregon State and Washington State could have used Bowers. The Sooners, Tar Heels, Terrapins, Beavers and Cougars were all upset.
Kansas snapped an 18-game losing streak to Oklahoma. The Jayhawks beat the Sooners, 38-33. OU running back Tawee Walker rushed for 146 yards. Georgia Tech knocked off North Carolina. The Yellow Jackets scored two touchdowns in the final 11 minutes of the game to beat the Heels, 46-42. Georgia Tech running back Dontae Smith rushed for 178 yards. Drake Maye passed for 310 yards and two touchdowns.
Northwestern upset Maryland, 33-27. Arizona surprised Oregon State, 27-24, and Arizona State stunned Washington State, 38-27. Kentucky almost pulled off an upset. But the Wildcats fell to Tennessee, 33-27. Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary passed for 372 yards and two touchdowns. West Virginia knocked off UCF, 49-28. NC State edged Clemson, 24-17.
“Those were the days my friend
We thought they’d never end”
Week 10 (October 30-November 5) had the potential to be a bumpy weekend. But most games were smoother than expected. Georgia held off Missouri, beating the Tigers, 30-21. The win was Georgia’s 26th-straight, 36th-straight regular season win, 25th-straight SEC regular season win and 24th-straight win at home. The Dawgs became 42-1 in their last 43 games.
There was a wild game in Austin. At the end of regulation, Kansas State and Texas were tied 30-30. Texas kicked a 42-yard field goal and went up 33-30. The Wildcats took over and moved the ball to the Texas 4. With 4th-and-goal, Kansas State coach Chris Klieman chose to go for the touchdown instead of the field goal. Wildcats quarterback Will Howard was sacked. Texas beat Kansas State 33-30 (OT).
In the Coliseum in Los Angeles, Washington and USC gave us the show of shows. The score was tied six times – 7-7, 14-14, 21-21, 28-28, 35-35- and 42-42. In the end, the Huskies beat the Trojans, 52-42. The contest was so emotional that both quarterbacks – Michael Penix and Caleb Williams – cried after the game. Washington running back Dillon Johnson rushed for 256 yards and four touchdowns.
In Tuscaloosa, the LSU-Alabama game was much like the Washington-USC game at first. The score was tied 7-7, 14-14, 21-21 and 28-28. Then the Crimson Tide went on to win 42-28. Both quarterbacks – Jalen Milroe and Jayden Daniels – passed for 219 yards. Milroe rushed for 155 yards and Daniels rushed for 163 yards.
In Bedlam’s final chapter, Oklahoma State beat Oklahoma, 27-24. There was Bedlam among the officials in the game. Near the end, they failed to throw a flag on a blatant interference by an Oklahoma State defender. OU coach Brent Venables was irate. OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel passed for 344 yards. Oklahoma State quarterback Alan Bowman passed for 334 yards. Cowboys running back Ollie Gordan rushed for 138 yards.
With a 4-4 record, everyone had written Clemson’s obituary. But the Tigers rose to the occasion and beat Notre Dame, 31-23. Clemson running back Phil Mafah rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns. In the battle of the Gamecocks, South Carolina downed Jacksonville State, 38-28. Spencer Rattler passed for 399 yards and two touchdowns.
USC coach Lincoln Riley fired his defensive coordinator, Alex Grinch, after the Trojans gave up 572 yards in the loss to Washington.
And in baseball, the Texas Rangers won the World Series, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-games-to-1.
In Week 11 (November 6-12), there were a number of firings. Michigan remained undefeated, beating Penn State, 24-15. Blake Corum rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns. After the game Nittany Lions coach James Franklin fired his offensive coordinator Mike Yurich.
Ironically, after Texas A&M had a big win – 51-10 – over Mississippi State and with a $75 million buyout, the Aggies fired head coach Jimbo Fisher. And after Boise State had a big win – 42-14 – over New Mexico, the Broncos fired head coach Andy Avalos.
In a weird game in Orlando, UCF shocked Oklahoma State, 45-3. UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee passed for 299 yards and two touchdowns. UCF running back R.J. Harvey rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Arizona kicked a 24-yard field goal as time expired to beat Colorado, 34-31. Arizona running back Jonah Coleman rushed for 179 yards.
“We’d sing and dance forever and a day
We’d live the life we choose
We’d fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days”
Week 12 (November 13-19) saw coaches denying their interest in the Texas A&M job. Most were flattering themselves. The list of deniers included Dabo Swinney, Deion Sanders, Mike Norvell and Dan Lanning.
Meanwhile, two more coaches were fired – Mississippi State’s Zach Arnet and San Diego State’s Brady Hoke. Arnet failed to make one full season in Starkville.
The top contenders for the Heisman Trophy were LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy and Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
David Braun, Northwestern’s interim coach, was named the Wildcats permanent head coach. After 10 games, Braun had Northwestern at 5-5.
Among the seven undefeated teams going into Week 12, four thrived (one with a setback), two survived and one took a dive.
Georgia beat Tennessee, 38-10. Carson Beck passed for 298 yards and three touchdowns. Ohio State disposed of Minnesota, 37-3. TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Florida State crushed North Alabama, 58-13, but the Noles lost their quarterback Jordan Travis for the remainder of the season due to a leg injury. Liberty thumped Massachusetts, 49-25.
Michigan struggled to beat Maryland, 31-24. Washington was pushed to the brink, but prevailed, beating Oregon State, 22-20.
James Madison lost its first game of the season. The Dukes fell to Appalachian State, 26-23 (OT). Appalachian State quarterback Joey Aguilar passed for 318 yards and three touchdowns.
In a stunner on The Plains, Auburn lost to New Mexico State, 31-10. South Carolina beat Kentucky, 17-14. UCLA stunned crosstown rival USC. The Bruins beat the Trojans, 38-20. Caleb Williams passed for 384 yards. UCLA running back T.J. Harden rushed for 142 yards. USC finished the season losing five of its last six games.
In “Big Game,” before 52,971 fans in Palo Alto, California beat Stanford, 27-15. Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza passed for 294 yards and three touchdowns. Cal running back Jaydn Ott rushed for 166 yards.
In “The Game,” before 51,127 fans in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale upset Harvard, 23-18. And finally, in “The Rivalry,” the longest played rivalry in college football, Lafayette beat Lehigh, 49-21.
Syracuse fired head coach Dino Babers.
“Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
Was that lonely person really me”
Week 13 (November 20-26) – Thanksgiving Week, the final week of the regular season. For Thanksgiving dinner, I made my apple pie baked in a cast iron skillet – two of them.
Michigan beat Ohio State for the third-straight year. The Wolverines downed the Buckeyes, 30-24.
Oregon showed Oregon State no mercy. The Ducks spanked the Beavers, 31-7. Bo Nix passed for 367 yards and two touchdowns. A day after the game, Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith was named the new coach at Michigan State. Washington kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired to beat Washington State, 24-21.
Alabama-Auburn games played at Auburn have a tendency to end in miracles. This season was no exception. With a fourth-and-goal in the closing seconds, and trailing Auburn, 24-20, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe threw a 31-yard touchdown pass into the end zone to win the game for the Tide. Alabama beat Auburn, 27-24. Jalen Milroe passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns.
At Texas, Arch Manning made his season debut. Manning entered the game in the third quarter, as Texas downed Texas Tech, 57-7.
Missouri had Arkansas fans thinking twice about holding onto Sam Pittman. The Tigers trounced the Razorbacks, 48-14. Cody Schrader rushed for 217 yards. Ole Miss won the Egg Bowl. The Magnolias beat Mississippi State, 17-7.
Nebraska continued to be plagued by turnovers. In the closing seconds, Iowa intercepted a Nebraska pass and kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Huskers, 13-10.
Five more coaches were fired – New Mexico’s Danny Gonzales, Indiana’s Tom Allen, UTEP’s Dana Dimel, Houston’s Dana Holgorsen and ULM’s Terry Bowden.
Texas A&M hired Duke coach Mike Elko to replace Jimbo Fisher and Mississippi State hired Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby to replace Zach Arnet.
“Those were the days my friend
We thought they’d never end”
Week 14 (November 27-December 3) – Conference Championship Week.
The Pac-12 and the SEC had the best and most exciting title games. The Big 12 and the Big Ten games were blowouts. The ACC title game was the worst college football game I have ever seen.
In the Pac-12, Washington beat Oregon by three points for the second time this season. The Huskies beat the Ducks, 34-31. Michael Penix passed for 319 yards and Dillon Johnson rushed for 152 yards.
In the SEC, Alabama and Georgia put on a show, with the Tide coming out the winner, 27-24.
In the Big 12, Texas destroyed Oklahoma State, 49-21. Quinn Ewers passed for 452 yards and four touchdowns.
In the Big Ten, Michigan put down stubborn Iowa, 26-0.
In the ACC, Florida State managed to be less boring than Louisville. The Seminoles won, 16-6.
The following day, the College Football Playoff selection committee picked 1. Michigan (13-0), 2. Washington (13-0), 3. Texas (12-1) and 4. Alabama (12-1) for the playoff. Florida State (13-0) failed to make the playoff.
Florida State fans were angered. How could the committee omit an undefeated Power 5 conference champion. Easy. When Jordan Travis was quarterbacking the Seminoles, FSU was a Top 4 team. After the Noles lost Travis to a season ending injury, they were no longer a Top 4 team. On December 3, 2023, the committee was supposed to pick the Top 4 teams in the country. They did. When you watched FSU play against Florida and Louisville without Jordan Travis, it was obvious the Noles had no offense. So, again, on December 3, Florida State was not a Top 4 team in the country. The committee got it right.
Delaware announced it will transition from FCS to FBS football and join Conference USA.
Middle Tennessee fired Rick Stockstill. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman announced that Bobby Petrino will be his new offensive coordinator.
“We’d sing and dance forever and a day
We’d live the life we choose
We’d fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days”
Week 15 (December 4-10) was Army-Navy Week and Heisman Trophy Week.
Florida State fans continued to express their anger over not being selected for the playoff. Their anger was growing into an uproar. Paul Finebaum called it “fake outrage.” Alabama coach Nick Saban was bombarded with abusive phone calls from Florida State fans.
You know, when you think about it, Georgia and Ohio State each had a stronger case for making the playoff. Buckeye and Bulldog fans weren’t creating an uproar.
Former BYU and Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall was named the new head coach at New Mexico.
In the annual Army-Navy game, Army beat Navy, 17-11. It was the Black Knights second-straight win over the Middies. The game was played this year in Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy. In order, Daniels beat out Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Oregon quarterback Bo Nix and Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison. Daniels received 503 first-place votes and 2,029 points. Penix had 293 first-place votes and 1,701 points. Nix came in third – 51 first-place votes and 885 points. Harrison was fourth – 20 first-place votes and 252 points.
Daniels was the second-straight transfer quarterback and fifth in the last seven years to win the Heisman Trophy. He transferred to LSU from Arizona State in 2022. Daniels is the third LSU player to win the Heisman. The other two were Billy Cannon (1959) and Joe Burrow (2019).
The bowl games began during Week 16 (December 11-17).
There were six bowl games on the first day – December 16. Ohio and Georgia Southern had the honor of playing in the first bowl of the 2023 season – the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The Bobcats beat the Eagles, 41-21. The best and most exciting game on December 16 was the New Orleans Bowl. Jacksonville State beat Louisiana, 34-31 (OT).
“Through the door came the familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh, my friend, we’re older, but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same
During Week 17 (December 18-24), Swamp Mama and I joined Princess Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe for a few pre-Christmas days of fun in Jacksonville and St. Augustine. We stayed in a hotel overlooking the St. Johns River in downtown Jacksonville. Our final evening included dinner at the St. Augustine Fish Camp.
From Jacksonville, we headed over to the Panhandle to spend Christmas together at the grandkid’s house.
Georgia quarterback Connor Beck announced he was returning to the Dawgs in 2024. Beck will enter the season a Heisman Trophy candidate.
Florida State shocked the college football world. FSU announced it was suing the ACC. Their suit challenges the legality of the league’s grant of rights and withdrawal fee. It seeks a judgment against the ACC to void the grant of rights and withdrawal fee. If Florida State were to leave the ACC now, the school would have to pay $130 million in withdrawal fees and another $442 million to free itself from the ACC’s grant of rights contract. That’s $572 million in fees.
Oregon State and Washington State announced they will compete in the West Coast Conference for at least the next two years in all sports except football and baseball.
Northwestern upset Utah, 14-7, in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Wildcats had an amazing season. Northwestern finished 8-5 under first-year coach David Braun.
“Those were the days my friend
We thought they’d never end”
Week 18 (December 25-31), Swamp Mama and I returned home to the coast of east-central Florida. Along the way, Interstates 10 and 95 were very busy – lots of traffic.
The bowl games continued. Kansas beat UNLV, 49-36, in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix. Kansas quarterback Jason Bean passed for 449 yards and six touchdowns. West Virginia downed North Carolina, 30-10, in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte. WVU quarterback Garrett Greene passed for 228 yards and rushed for 64 yards.
USC, led by next season’s quarterback Miller Moss, beat Louisville, 42-28, in the Holiday Bowl. Moss passed for 372 yards and six touchdowns. And Oklahoma State got by Texas A&M, 31-23, in the Texas Bowl in Houston. Oklahoma State quarterback Alan Bowman passed for 402 yards. Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed passed for 361 yards.
Rutgers got its first win ever over Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium, 31-24. Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai rushed for 163 yards. Clemson and Kentucky gave us a wild fourth quarter, scoring 42 points in 15 minutes. Clemson beat Kentucky, 38-35, in the Gator Bowl.
Missouri running back Cody Schrader and quarterback Brady Cook gave us a performance we won’t forget in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Missouri downed Ohio State, 14-3. And speaking of performances we won’t forget, how about Ole Miss tight end Caden Prieskorn in the Peach Bowl. He caught everything thrown near him – high, low, wherever. Ole Miss beat Penn State, 38-25. Jaxson Dart passed for 379 yards and three touchdowns.
And then there was the ill-fated Orange Bowl. Georgia demolished Florida State, 63-3. What else did you expect? The CFP selection committee must have been thinking, “We told you so.”
“We’d sing and dance forever and a day
We’d live the life we choose
We’d fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days”
On New Year’s Day during Week 19 (January 1-7), we learned that Iowa really didn’t have a defense after all. Tennessee shut down the Hawkeyes, 35-0, in the Citrus Bowl. Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson rushed for 133 yards. We knew Iowa didn’t have an offense. And remember what Steve Spurrier used to say? “You can’t spell Citrus without UT.
Without Jayden Daniels, LSU beat Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl. But it was a good game. The Tigers outlasted the Badgers, 35-31. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier passed for 395 yards and three touchdowns. Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai passed for 378 yards and three touchdowns. Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl was much like Florida State in the Orange Bowl. Oregon put out the Flames, 45-6. Bo Nix passed for 363 yards and five touchdowns.
Both semifinal games in the playoff were classics. Both came down to the final play of the game. Michigan beat Alabama, 27-20 (OT) in the Rose Bowl. J.J. McCarthy passed for 221 yards and three touchdowns. Washington slipped by Texas, 37-31, in the Sugar Bowl. Michael Penix passed for 430 yards and two touchdowns. Quinn Ewers passed for 318 yards.
LSU coach Brian Kelly fired four members of his defensive staff. North Carolina coach Mack Brown fired two members of his defensive staff. And Oklahoma coach Brent Venables fired his defensive coordinator. Not a good week for defensive coaches.
South Dakota State won the FCS national championship, beating Montana, 23-3, in the title game.
Week 20 (January 8-14) was the final week of the 2023 college football season. That meant it was the week of the national championship game. After two good semifinal games, the title game wasn’t very exciting. Michigan dominated. The Wolverines put down Washington, 34-13. Michigan’s running game and Michigan’s defense were too much for the Huskies. Blake Corum rushed for 134 yards and Donovan Edwards rushed for 104 yards.
Auburn coach Hugh Freeze fired his offensive coordinator.
Bill Hancock, the director of the college football playoff, revealed that he and members of the selection committee received death threats. Hancock said due to the serious nature of the threats, he informed the FBI.
Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter withdrew his name from the transfer portal. He said he was going to remain at Liberty.
Florida coach Billy Napier hired Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts.
Former Washington State quarterback Cam Ward changed his mind again. Ward initially entered the transfer portal. Then he withdrew and entered the NFL draft. Now Ward says he will play for Miami (Florida) next season. The Canes came up with the money.
Alabama coach Nick Saban retired. His replacement, former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer, was announced two days later. Saban’s retirement announcement was reported early to mid-afternoon on January 10. DeBoer’s hiring announcement was reported early to mid-afternoon on January 12 – just 48 hours from Saban’s retirement to DeBoer’s hiring. That’s unprecedented for a big-time school to find a replacement that fast. I’m thinking Saban must have informed his athletic director Greg Byrne in advance that he was retiring. That was an awfully fast and smooth transition.
At 68, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz is now the elder statesman among the FBS coaches. Ferentz will turn 69 on August 1, 2024.
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum entered the NFL draft.
Washington hired Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch to replace Kalen DeBoer. A strong candidate to replace Fisch at Arizona is former UCF and Nebraska coach Scott Frost.
So, at preseason, the Top 4 teams were Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State and Alabama. At the end of the 2023 season, the Top 4 teams are Michigan, Washington, Texas and Georgia. At preseason, Washington was 10th and Texas was 11th. While at the end of the season Ohio State finished 10th and Alabama finished 5th.
Already, Georgia is the odds-on-favorite to be the No. 1 team next season. Stay tuned!
In fact, you can stay tuned for 222 days. That’s how many days we have until the first games are played next season. Those first games will be played on August 24, 2024, in Week 0. One of those games will be Florida State vs. Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland. The other two are Montana State at New Mexico and Eastern Illinois at Illinois.
The traditional and real start to the season will be the following weekend – Labor Day Weekend. That’s when we have five days of college football from August 29 to September 2. Some of the big games during Labor Day Weekend will be North Carolina at Minnesota; Clemson vs. Georgia (in Atlanta); North Dakota State at Colorado; Notre Dame at Texas A&M; Penn State at West Virginia; Miami (Florida) at Florida; South Dakota State at Oklahoma State, and LSU vs. USC (in Las Vegas).
Week 2, September 5-7, has some interesting encounters – Appalachian State at Clemson; Arkansas at Oklahoma State; Colorado at Nebraska; Texas at Michigan; NC State vs. Tennessee (in Charlotte), and Boise State at Oregon.
And finally, in Week 3 (September 12-14), we have Arizona at Kansas State; Alabama at Wisconsin; Troy at Iowa; West Virginia at Pitt; Washington State at Washington; Texas A&M at Florida; Oregon at Oregon State, and LSU at South Carolina.
Those games should get us off to a good start. They should get your mouth watering.
In 2024, there will be 14 weeks in the regular season. Normally, the teams play their 12 games in 13 weeks, with one open week during the season. In 2024, the teams will have 14 weeks to play 12 games, giving them two open weeks during the season. This occurs every four years – leap year. The closing weekend for the regular season will be Saturday, November 30. Labor Day comes early this year (September 2) and Thanksgiving comes late (November 28).
The National Championship game will be at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. Twelve teams will be in the college football playoff next season. I hope the selection committee doesn’t rank Florida State 13th.
At least 23 schools will have a new head coach in 2024. Some of the interesting and big-name hires are Kalen DeBoer at Alabama, Manny Diaz at Duke, Willie Fritz at Houston, Curt Cignetti at Indiana, Bronco Mendenhall at New Mexico, Mike Elko at Texas A&M and Jonathan Smith at Michigan State.
The big change next season will be the results of conference realignment, mostly of which was maneuvered during 2023. The ACC gains three teams – California, SMU and Stanford.
The Big 12 loses two teams – Oklahoma and Texas – but gains four teams – Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah.
The Big Ten gains four teams – Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.
The SEC gains two teams – Oklahoma and Texas.
The Pac-12 becomes the Pac-2.
The AAC loses one team – SMU – and gains one team – Army. C-USA gains two teams – Delaware and Kennesaw State.
The MAC, MWC and Sun Belt Conferences remain unchanged.
All of the above changes are effective on July 1, 2024.
With the conference changes and the expanded 12-team playoff, 2024 promises to be an interesting, intriguing and exciting season.
Enjoy the college basketball and baseball seasons. Have a good summer. With a tear in my eye, I say goodbye. See you in August.
“For we were young and sure to have our way”
During the 2023 season, we lost several good friends – some related to football, some not. Each of them left us with good memories. We won’t forget former Georgia Tech and NFL linebacker Maxie Baughan, 85; TV personality and game show host Bob Barker, 99; Paul of the duo Paul & Paula Ray Hildebrand, 82; singer, songwriter, musician, author and entrepreneur Jimmy Buffett, 76; singer, songwriter and musician Gary Wright, 80; college football coach Buddy Teevens, 66; singer, songwriter and musician Roger Whittaker, 97, and actor David McCallum, 90.
Also, Baltimore Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson, 86; MLB pitcher Tim Wakefield, 57; Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus, 80; singer, songwriter and Isley Brothers founding member Rudolph Isley, 84; Dallas Cowboys fullback Walt Garrison, 79; actress Piper Laurie, 91; actress and entertainer Suzanne Somers, 76; actor Richard Roundtree, 81; Purdue and NBA basketball player Terry Dischinger, 82; actor and comedian Mathew Perry, 54; MLB first baseman and outfielder Frank Howard, 87, and Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight, 83.
Also, singer, songwriter and musician Dwight Twilley, 72; basketball player Walter Davis, 69; college basketball coach Gary Colson, 89; astronaut Ken Mattingly, 87; astronaut Frank Borman, 90; screenwriter and producer Norman Lear, 101; actor Ryan O’Neal, 82; comedian, musician, composer and actor Tom Smothers, 86; race car driver Cale Yarborough, 84; NFL quarterback Frank Ryan, 87; actor and singer David Soul, 80; soccer player Franz Beckenbauer, 78, and MLB shortstop Bud Harrelson,79.
“Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days”
Touchdown Tom
January 15, 2024
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
“Those Were the Days” is a song credited to Gene Raskin, who put new English lyrics to the Russian folk song. The Welsh singer Mary Hopkin recorded “Those Were the Days” as her debut single in 1968. It was produced by Paul McCartney of the Beatles and arranged by Richard Hewson. Hopkin’s recording became a number one hit in the U.K. and Canada. It reached No. 2 in the U.S. on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart behind “Hey Jude” by the Beatles. “Those Were the Days” entered the Hot 100 on September 14, 1968 and remained on the chart for 14 weeks to the end of the year.
P.S.
Not exactly college football related, but in mid-January, as college football fans were putting the lid on another great season and shifting their attention to college basketball, the number one song in the country…
…80 years ago, this week in 1944, was “My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?)” by Glen Gray and The Loma Orchestra with Eugenie Baird, and “Shoo-Shoo Baby” by The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra
…75 years ago, this week in 1949, was “A Little Bird Told Me” by Evelyn Knight
…70 years ago, this week in 1954, was “Oh! My Pa-Pa (O Mein Papa) by Eddie Fisher, and “Secret Love” by Doris Day
…65 years ago, this week in 1959, was “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” by The Platters
…60 years ago, this week in 1964, was “I Want To Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles
…55 years ago, this week in 1969, was “Crimson And Clover” by Tommy James and The Shondells
…50 years ago, this week in 1974, was “The Joker” by The Steve Miller Band, and “Show And Tell” by Al Wilson
…45 years ago, this week in 1979, was “Le Freak” by Chic, and “Do You Think I’m Sexy” by Rod Stewart
…40 years ago, this week in 1984, was “Owner Of A Lonely Heart” by Yes, and “Karma Chameleon” by Culture Club
…35 years ago, this week in 1989, was “Two Hearts” by Phil Collins
…30 years ago, this week in 1994, was “All For Love” by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting
