CFW Week 19 Results/Forecast - Chip Kelly is back

 CFW Week 19 Results/Forecast – Chip Kelly is back

Josh Heupel and Lincoln Riley were losers;

Arch Manning looked like a Heisman

Winner; and how about those Canes?

 

“Another year over

A new one just begun”

 

And how about those Dookies too!

 

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel and USC coach Lincoln Riley are going down instead of up. Did you see Arch Manning run 23 yards and 60 yards for touchdowns? Well, he did. Miami’s win over Ohio State may be the upset of the season. And ACC champion Duke can add the Sun Bowl championship to its laurels.

 

The bowl action resumed on Monday with one game. In a rematch between two teams from the same conference, Georgia Southern beat Appalachian State for the second time this season. The Eagles downed App State, 29-10, in the Birmingham Bowl.

 

Tuesday was a busier day with three games. The first game was a sloppily played, forgettable contest. Louisiana Tech beat Coastal Carolina, 23-14, in the Independence Bowl.

 

Following a dull and boring start with the Birmingham and Independence Bowls, the activity got better and more interesting in the next two games.

 

Illinois and Tennessee gave us a game of thrills and chills in the Music City Bowl. It came down to a game ending field goal. As time expired, Illinois kicked a 29-yard field goal to beat Tennessee, 30-28. Tennessee fans may be having second thoughts about coach Josh Heupel. Last year, the Vols were blown out of the playoff, 42-17, by Ohio State. This season, the Vols (8-5) only played five good teams. They lost to all five of those teams. Except for East Tennessee State, Tennessee’s wins came against teams with a losing record. This was Heupel’s fifth season with the Vols.

 

The final game on Tuesday was a good one too. It also involved a clock-expiring field goal. TCU kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired in regulation to tie USC, 24-24. In overtime, TCU beat USC 30-24 (OT).

 

New Year’s Eve Day began with the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa. Although Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia had a good game, his Commodores didn’t. Iowa got the best of Vanderbilt, 34-27.

 

Duke had an unbelievable ending to its season. Four weeks ago, the Dookies surprised everyone, winning the ACC championship game, beating Virginia. Yesterday, the Dookies won the Sun Bowl. In a wild game, Duke scored late to beat Arizona State, 42-39.

 

At preseason, Texas quarterback Arch Manning was listed as a strong candidate to win the Heisman Trophy. That turned out to be hyperbole. Yesterday, in the Citrus Bowl, Manning played like a Heisman Trophy winner. Perhaps that is an omen for next year. After struggling with Michigan for three quarters, Texas pulled away from the Wolverines in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns beat Michigan, 41-27.

 

Princess Gator and Gator Babe attended the Citrus bowl in Orlando. They were cheering for the Longhorns.

 

Michigan’s interim coach was Biff Poggi. He looked like Biff Piggy. I called him Miff Piggy.

 

I think Nebraska coach Matt Rhule has a lot of work to do during the offseason. In the Las Vegas Bowl, Utah shattered Nebraska, 44-22. Let’s face it, Nebraska is a volleyball and basketball school, not a football school.

 

In the first of four CFP quarterfinal games, the unexpected happened. Miami defied all odds. The Canes upset Ohio State, 24-14, in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Miami took the lead in the first quarter and never trailed for the remainder of the game. But it got oh so close in the second half.

 

Until today, the CFP quarterfinals consisted of three SEC teams, three Big Ten teams, one Big 12 team and one ACC team. Now there are only two Big Ten teams. The one ACC team – Miami – is on its way to the semifinals. Who will join Miami in the semifinals – Texas Tech or Oregon? Alabama or Indiana? Ole Miss or Georgia? You don’t have to stay tuned for long. We’ll know tonight.

 

Through the bowl season, speculation had been circulating that Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman might be leaving college football for the NFL. Apparently several NFL teams were interested in him. Freeman had been rather coy and quiet about the rumors, creating speculation as to what he might do. The rumors were shut down on Monday, when Freeman made it official that he was staying at Notre Dame.

 

He’s been just about everywhere – here, there and back again. Bobby Petrino has nothing on him. Veteran coach and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly was hired by Northwestern to be the school’s new offensive coordinator. Kelly is a two-time head coach with Oregon (2009-2012) and UCLA (2018-2023), a two-time NFL head coach with Philadelphia (2013-2015) and San Francisco (2016). He won a national championship as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2024. He was New Hampshire’s offensive coordinator from 1999-2006. Kelly was Oregon’s offensive coordinator from 2007-2008. Kelly spent this past season as the offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders until he was fired on November 23.

 

“And a Happy New Year

Let’s hope it’s a good one

Without any fear”

 

Happy New Year!

 

Touchdown Tom

January 1, 2026

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Review of the Previous Eight Bowl Games

 

The App was hacked – (in the Birmingham Bowl) – Georgia Southern 29, Appalachian State 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Southern 28, Appalachian State 27). Georgia Southern went up 7-0 at the 8:23 mark in the first quarter. The Eagles never relinquished their lead for the remainder of the game. By the 8:50 mark in the third quarter, the Eagles were winning 26-7. Georgia Southern running back O.J. Arnold ran for 152 yards. Georgia Southern won the game on its running (242 yards) and App State’s turnovers (4). During the regular season, Georgia Southern beat App State, 25-23. Attendance in Birmingham: 12,092

 

Bulldogs do the coasting – (in the Independence Bowl) – Louisiana Tech 23, Coastal Carolina 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Louisiana Tech 31, Coastal Carolina 24). Coastal Carolina got off to a good start. The Chanticleers led Louisiana Tech, 14-3, at halftime. Then it was all La Tech in the second half. The Bulldogs scored 20 points. The Chanticleers scored no points. La Tech quarterback Trey Kukuk only passed for 114 yards, but he ran for 121 yards. Kukuk had one touchdown passing. The game was marred with turnovers and penalties. There were seven turnovers and 25 penalties. A lot of Group of Five teams seem to lack discipline and character. Attendance in Shreveport: 30,298.

 

Heupel’s folly – (in the Music City Bowl) – Illinois 30, Tennessee 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Tennessee 33, Illinois 29). Tennessee scored first and went up 7-0 in the first quarter. Then Illinois scored 17 unanswered points. Early in the third quarter, the Banned Indian led the Vols, 17-7. Tennessee closed the gap to three points – 17-14. Five minutes later, Illinois extended its lead to 24-14. With about five minutes to go in the fourth quarter and following an Illinois field goal that put the Banned Indians up 27-21, Tennessee’s Joakim Dodson returned the kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. The Vols led 28-27. But the fat lady hadn’t sung. As time expired, Illinois kicked a field goal to win the game. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer passed for 196 yards and one touchdown. Illinois dominated the game – more first downs (27-18), more total yards (417 to 278), more passing yards (196 to 121), more rushing yards (221 to 157), and an 11-minute edge in time of possession. Attendance in Nashville: 52,815

 

Riley flops again – (in the Alamo Bowl) – TCU 30, USC 27 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: USC 33, TCU 26). USC coach Lincoln Riley is a lot like Tennessee’s Josh Heupel. He never can get the job done or complete the job. After three quarters, the lead in the game had changed hands four times. USC led , 21-14. The Trojans extended their lead to 24-14. Then USC’s defense totally collapsed. TCU scored 10 points in the final four minutes. At the end of regulation, the score was tied 24-24. In the overtime, USC kicked a field goal, but TCU scored a touchdown. TCU backup quarterback Ken Seals passed for 258 yards and one touchdown. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava threw two interceptions. USC receiver Tanook Hines had six catches for 163 yards. The two teams were pretty even in the stats. There were 17 penalties in the game – 10 on USC. Attendance in San Antonio: 54,751

 

Commodores tossed overboard – (in the ReliaQuest Bowl) – Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Vanderbilt 27, Iowa 23). Vanderbilt began its descent with Diego Pavia’s post Heisman ceremony comment on social media. The Commodores descent continued at the ReliaQuest Bowl. I suppose it was justice. Iowa took a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead for the remainder of the game. Iowa’s biggest lead was 21-3 in the middle of the third quarter. Vandy could get no closer than seven points. Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski was 16-22-1, passing for 212 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for 54 yards and another touchdown. Iowa receiver D.J. Vonnahme had 7 catches for 146 yards. Pavia was 25-38-0, passing for 347 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 36 yards and another touchdown. Vandy was limited to 51 yards rushing. Attendance in Tampa: 35,382

 

Unbelievable Dookies – (in the Sun Bowl) – Duke 42, Arizona State 39 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona State 27, Duke 25). In the first half, there were three ties – 7-7, 14-14 and 21-21. It was that kind of game. In the second half, Duke led, Arizona State led, then Duke won. Duke’s winning touchdown came with 2:10 on the clock in the fourth quarter. It was a 17-yard pass from Darian Mensah to Que Sean Brown. Mensah passed for 327 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Nate Sheppard rushed for 170 yards and one touchdown. Receiver Brown had 10 receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Arizona State quarterback Jeff Sims passed for 375 yards and three touchdowns. Sims rushed for 70 yards and two more touchdowns. The teams combined for 1,158 total yards. Arizona State dominated the stats but suffered three turnovers. Duke had a 7-minute edge in time of possession. Attendance in El Paso: 44,975

 

Bevo was happy – (in the Citrus Bowl) – Texas 41, Michigan 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 27, Michigan 24). Michigan took a 10-3 lead at the 3:15 mark in the first quarter. The Wolverines held the lead until the 5:38 mark of the third quarter when Texas went up 24-20. It was Texas’ first lead since early in the first quarter when the Longhorns led 3-0. Michigan retook the lead 27-24 early in the fourth quarter. Four minutes later, Texas went back up 31-27 and the Longhorns went on a run. Texas quarterback Arh Manning passed for 221 yards and two touchdowns. More impressively, Manning ran for 155 yards and two more touchdowns. Texas dominated with more first downs (24 to 19), more total yards (456 to 373), more passing yards (221 to 199), more rushing yards (235 to 174). Michigan had a 7-minute edge in time of possession. Michigan also had three turnovers. All three were interceptions thrown by Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood. Attendance in Orlando: 47,316

 

The Corn wasn’t popping – (in the Las Vegas Bowl) – Utah 44, Nebraska 22 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 30, Nebraska 24). For the first 20 minutes of the game, this was a tossup. The score was 7-7 midway through the first quarter and 14-14 early in the second quarter. Then Utah turned it on and led 24-14 at halftime. The Utes really turned it on in the second half, scoring 20 unanswered points. Utah led 44-14 at the 8:16 mark in the fourth quarter. It was all over but the shouting. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier passed for 310 yards and two touchdowns. Dampier also ran for 148 yards, scoring three more touchdowns. Utah receiver Dallen Bentley had 6 catches for 106 yards. The Utes dominated the game with more first downs (26 to 17), more total yards (535 to 343), more passing yards (310 to 182) and more rushing yards (225 to 161). Attendance in Las Vegas: 38,879

 

Last Previous Bowl Game Picks:  4 winners, 4 fumbles (50 percent)

Total Bowl Game Picks To Date:  18 winners, 13 fumbles (58.1 percent)

 

 

Review of the College Football Playoff (Quarterfinals)

 

It was The Miami – (in the Cotton Bowl Classic) – Miami 24, Ohio State 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 26, Miami 19). Miami had all the momentum in the first half. The Canes led at halftime, 14-0. But little-by-little, the momentum began to change in the second half. At the 8:10 mark in the third quarter, the score was 14-7. At the 13:28 mark in the fourth quarter, Ohio State trailed by only 3 points – 17-14. Here come the Buckeyes. But Miami was resuscitated. The Canes still had some life left in them. Miami held off the Ohio State challenges. The Canes offense was clicking again. Finally, with just 0:55 on the clock, Miami scored its final touchdown. That was the ballgame. Miami’s Mark Fletcher ran for 90 yards. Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin passed for 287 yards and one touchdown. But Sayin threw two interceptions. Buckeyes receiver Jeremiah Smith had 7 catches for 157 yards. Ohio State was the better passing team. Miami was the better running team. Ohio State only had 51 yards rushing. Miami had a 7-minute edge in time of possession. Miami will next play the winner of the Ole Miss-Georgia game in the Fiesta Bowl on January 8. Attendance in Arlington: 71,323

 

 

Quarterfinal CFP Pick:  0 winners, 1 fumble

Total CFP Picks:         3 winners, 2 fumbles

 

 

Superlatives

 

Impressive Passers

 

Arizona State’s Jeff Sims – 27-38-1-375 (3TDs); Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia – 25-38-0-347 (2TDs);

 

Impressive Rushers

 

Duke’ Nate Sheppard – 170 yards (1TD); Texas’ Arch Manning – 155 yards (2TDs); Georgia Southern’s O.J. Arnold – 152 yards; Utah’s Devon Dampier – 148 yards (3TDs);

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for the Final Four Bowl Games

and Three College Football Playoff Games

 

Rice (5-7) vs. Texas State (6-6) – (AC vs. Sun Belt) – Armed Forces Bowl (Carter Stadium – Fort Worth, Texas) – 1 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – Rice is the next to worst passing team in the country – 98 yards per game. Yet, the Owls are the 14^th best rushing team in the country – 213 yards per game. Overall on defense, Rice is very weak. Texas State enters the contest on a three-game winning streak. The Bobcats excel on offense. That doesn’t bode well for Rice. Quarterback Brad Jackson passed for 3,050 yards. Running back Lincoln Pare rushed for 1,022 yards. Receiver Beau Sparks had 80 catches for 1,113 yards. That’s a pretty talented threesome. The Texas State offense is equally strong at passing and running. Texas State’s problem – their defense. The Bobcats are about as bad as Rice on defense. The Bobcats don’t give two hoots for the Owls – Texas State 34, Rice 25.

 

Navy (10-2) vs. Cincinnati (7-5) – (AC vs. Big 12) – Liberty Bowl (Liberty Stadium – Memphis, Tennessee) – 4:30 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – At 10-2, Navy had a great season. Navy quarterback Blake Horvath was the team’s top passer and runner. Horvath passed for 1,472 yards (that’s a lot for Navy) and rushed for 1,147 yards. As Horvath goes, so goes Navy. His favorite target was slotback Eli Heidenreich. He had 46 catches for 877 yards. Navy was the No. 1 running team in the country – 289 yards a game. The Middies generally don’t have any problem scoring. But their defense is porous. Cincinnati is hurting. The Bearcats come into the game on a four-game losing streak. Even worse for Cincinnati, quarterback Brendan Sorsby has opted out of the game. So the Bearcats’ offense is a question mark. Cincinnati’s defense is like Navy’s. It can be porous too. The Middies give up the ship – Cincinnati 30, Navy 25.

 

Arizona (9-3) vs. SMU (8-4) – (Big 12 vs. ACC) – Holiday Bowl (Snapdragon Stadium – San Diego, California) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FOX – Arizona had an amazing season. The Wildcats enter the contest on a five-game winning streak. The Arizona offense is led by quarterback Noah Fifita. He passed for 2,963 yards and 26 touchdowns. His favorite receiver is Kris Hutson. He had 57 catches for 740 yards. The Wildcats also play good defense. SMU came close to having a better season. Three of the Mustangs’ losses were by a combined 7 points. The fourth loss was by 11 points. The SMU offense is led by quarterback Kevin Jennings. He passed for 3,363 yards and 26 touchdowns. The Mustangs don’t have a strong running game. The SMU defense is generally adequate. The Wildcats pin a loss on the Ponies – Arizona 27, SMU 24.

 

Wake Forest (8-4) vs. Mississippi State (5-7) – (ACC vs. SEC) – Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, North Carolina) – 8 pm ET, Friday, ESPN) – Wake forest had a crazy season. Picked to finish at or near the bottom of the ACC, the Demon Deacons finished near the top. The Deacons had good wins over SMU and Virginia. The strength of the offense is running back Demond Claiborne. He rushed for 907 yards. Quarterback Robby Ashford isn’t bad. He passed for 2,169 yards. On offense and defense, you never know which Wake Forest will show up – the good one or the bad one. Mississippi State only won one SEC game this season. That win was against Arkansas, who didn’t win any SEC games. The Bulldogs come into this game on a three-game losing streak. Miss State has a good receiver in Brenen Thompson. He caught 53 passes for 948 yards. The Bulldogs can score, but their defense is one of the worst in the country. The Deacons baptize the Bulldogs – Wake Forest 28, Mississippi State 26.

 

 

Oregon (12-1) vs. Texas Tech (12 -1) – (Big Ten vs. Big 12) – College Football Playoff, Quarterfinal – Orange Bowl (Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, Florida) – 12 noon ET, Thursday, ESPN – It seems strange that these two western teams were assigned to the Orange Bowl. You can’t get much further East than Miami. This is Oregon’s second-straight season in the CFP. Last year, the Ducks were brutally eliminated by Ohio State. Oregon enters the game on a six-game winning streak. The Ducks’ offense is led by quarterback Dante Moore. He passed for 3,046 yards and 28 touchdowns. Oregon has a balanced passing and running attack. The Ducks are good on both offense and defense – one of the best in the country in both. Texas Tech’s one miscue during the season was a four-point loss to Arizona State that came about halfway through the season. Otherwise, the Red Raiders were perfect. Other than Arizona State, no one came close to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders won their games by an average of 32 points. The Tech offense is led by quarterback Behren Morton. He passed for 2,643 yards and 22 touchdowns. Running back Cameron Dickey rushed for 1,095 yards and 14 touchdowns. Receiver Caleb Douglas had 54 catches for 846 yards. The Raiders serve up Duck Confit – Texas Tech 29, Oregon 27.

 

Alabama (11-3) vs. Indiana (13-0) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – College Football Playoff, Quarterfinal – Rose Bowl (Rose Bowl – Pasadena, California) – 4 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – It looks like it is going to be rainy, maybe stormy, weather during the Rose Bowl. I don’t know if the wet weather will hurt Alabama or Indiana more. It’s unusual, because generally weather conditions are always ideal for the Rose Bowl. The wet weather adds to the intrigue. Alabama has a great passing game and a not so great running game. But overall, the Tide has a good offense. The defense isn’t bad either. Indiana had a perfect season. The Hoosiers averaged beating their opponents by 31 points. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza passed for 2,980 yards and 33 touchdowns. Running back Roman Hemby ran for 918 yards. Receiver Omar Cooper had 58 catches for 804 yards. The Hoosiers have a balanced attack – passing and running. Their defense is the second best in the country. Hoosiers turn the Tide – Indiana 28, Alabama 21.

 

Ole Miss (12-1) vs. Georgia (12-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – College Football Playoff, Quarterfinal – Sugar Bowl (Caesars Superdome – New Orleans, Louisiana) – 8 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Ole Miss will be playing under new head coach Pete Golding. Golding was the team’s defensive coordinator. The Magnolias come into the game on a five-game winning streak. They are the third-best passing team in the country. The Ole miss defense is good but can be leaky at times. This game is a rematch. During the season, Ole Miss lost to Georgia, 43-35. That was on October 18. Georgia enters the contest on an impressive nine-game winning streak. The Bark Boys’ offense is led by Gunner Stockton. He passed for 2,691 yards and 23 touchdowns. Georgia has a balanced attack but leans more on the passing game. The Georgia defense is one of the best. It’s a Dawg Park – Georgia 28, Ole Miss 26.

 

 

Division III Championship

 

Wisconsin-River Falls (13-1) vs. North Central (14-0) – (Hall of Fame Stadium – Canton, Ohio) – 8 pm ET, Sunday, ESPN….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“You probably know more about the mystique than they do. Our guys just know what they see on tape,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, on the Alabama mystique.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next CFW – Week 19 Results – will be posted Monday morning, January 5.

 

 

 CFW Week 18 Results/19 Forecast – Whittingham a Michigan man

Minnesota, BYU, North Texas and Houston

survive, while Army and UTSA thrive, and

the coaching carousel appears to be over  

 

Is the coaching carousel over and done with? It is unless an NFL team or two comes calling on a college coach in January.

 

The two remaining college head coaching jobs that were yet to be filled were both secured on Boxing Day – the day after Christmas. Ohio and Michigan now have coaches.

 

After last season, Ohio promoted its offensive coordinator Brian Smith to head coach when Tim Albin left to become the coach at Charlotte. A few weeks ago, Ohio fired Brian Smith for misconduct and inappropriate behavior. Again this year, Ohio stayed home and promoted its defensive coordinator John Hauser to head coach. Let’s hope Hauser avoids inappropriate behavior. Hauser has been Ohio’s interim coach since Smith was fired. He coached the Bobcats to their 17-10 Frisco Bowl win over UNLV.

 

First thing on Boxing Day, sources said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham had become the leading candidate for the Michigan head coach job. Whittingham was the preferred candidate over Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz and Washington’s Jedd Fisch.

 

By mid-day on December 26, reports were saying that Whittingham and Michigan were in talks, working on a deal.

 

That afternoon, sources were reporting that Whittingham was the new head coach at Michigan. Whittingham and the Wolverines had agreed to a five-year deal. Michigan will pay Whittingham $8.2 a year over the five-year contract.

 

Whittingham informed his team that he will not be coaching them against Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on December 31. As it was, Whittingham had already announced that he was stepping down at Utah after the bowl game. The Utes had already named their defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley to replace Whittingham.

 

So again, unless an NFL team comes after a college coach in January, that should be it for the coaching carousel in college football. Thirty-three schools will have a new head coach in 2026.

 

Friday – Boxing Day – was a pleasant and beautiful day in Julington Creek Plantation. The temperature was in the mid-70s and the humidity was low. Swamp Mama was getting antsy, so Princess Gator and I took her to a quilt shop so she could get her fix – fabric.

 

In the Sports Bowl in Detroit, Northwestern beat Central Michigan, 34-7. The Chippewas had four turnovers, and Northwestern turned all four of them into touchdowns.

 

Next up, Minnesota and New Mexico met in the Rate Bowl in Phoenix. The Gophers beat the Lobos, 20-17 (OT). Minnesota won its ninth-straight bowl game.

 

In the night cap on December 26, UTSA obliterated FIU, 57-20, in the First Responder Bowl in Dallas. FIU definitely needed some first responders after that game.

 

Saturday morning Swamp Mama and I bid farewell to the kids. We made our way east to I-95 and headed south. It turned out to be a good day for travel. The skies were mostly sunny and the traffic was moderate.

 

We arrived home in time for me to catch the first of eight bowl games. Saturday was the busiest day of the bowl season. No other day had as many as eight games being played. The first game – the Military Bowl – began at 11:00 a.m. ET. The final game of the day – the Texas Bowl – commenced at 9:15 p.m. ET.

 

They saved the best until the last. The best of the eight bowls on Saturday was the last of the eight bowls – the Texas Bowl between LSU and Houston. The Tigers beat the Cougars, 38-35, in a wild and entertaining game. It was a game of swings in the first half. LSU swung first, then Houston. It was a toss up in the second half.

 

The worst game of the day was the Arizona Bowl – Fresno State outkicked Miami (Ohio), 18-3. If you like field goals, then it was your kind of game. At the end, there were five field goals and only one touchdown.

 

Aside from the Houston-LSU game, the best of the bunch was the Pop-Tarts Bowl, featuring Georgia Tech and BYU. The Cougars survived a closing-seconds drive by the Yellow Jackets. BYU edged Georgia Tech, 25-21.

 

A close third, behind BYU and Georgia Tech was the New Mexico Bowl. North Texas outlasted and outscored San Diego State, 49-47. The two teams combined for 1,150 total yards. North Texas had 618 of those total yards – 368 from rushing.

 

A few teams were missing their quarterbacks – all opt-outs – and it showed. One of the teams barely survived, while the other two lost. Playing without starting quarterback Beau Pribula, Missouri fell to Virginia in the Gator Bowl, 13-7. The lack of a passing attack all but shut down Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy.

 

UConn was severely missing quarterback Joe Fagnano. In the Fenway Bowl, the Huskies had no offense, losing to Army, 41-16. Army more than made up for its loss to Navy. Plows had to remove snow from the field at Fenway Park before the game.

 

In the Military Bowl, East Carolina, playing without quarterback Katin Houser, managed to slip by Pitt, 23-17. The Pirates got a boost from Pitt’s five turnovers.

 

Playing in his seventh start since Drew Allar was lost to an injury, Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkenmeyer, made a big impression in the Pinstripe Bowl. Grunkenmeyer passed for 262 yards and two touchdowns, as the Nittany Lions subdued Clemson, 22-10. The Pinstripe Bowl was played in frigid conditions. The temperature at kickoff was 28°. Before the game, plows had to remove the snow from the field. After the game, Clemson fans took to social media to torch Dabo Swinney.

 

Saturday was a long day, but the excitement of the Houston-LSU game at the end of the day made it all worthwhile. Needless to say, I slept good – very good – Saturday night.

 

Sunday was truly a day of rest – a lull between games.

 

French actress, singer, model and activist Brigitte Bardot died yesterday. She was famous for portraying characters with hedonistic lives. Bardot was one of the best-known symbols of the sexual revolution. She acted in 47 films and recorded more than 60 songs. A native of Paris, France, Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot was 91.

 

Happy New Year!

 

Touchdown Tom

December 29, 2025

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Review of the Last 11 Bowl Games

 

Wooly Wildcats – (in the Sports Bowl) – Northwestern 34, Central Michigan 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Northwestern 24, Central Michigan 22). This game started off slow. It was 0-0 at the end of the first quarter. Then Northwestern got hot, mostly taking advantage of Central Michigan miscues. Northwestern led 21-0 at halftime. The Wildcats continued their run in the third quarter, adding 13 more points. With the score 34-7, CMU finally scored a touchdown with 6:11 remaining in the game. Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone passed for 226 yards and three touchdowns. Wildcats receiver Griffin Wilde had 10 catches for 97 yards. Neither team had a running game. CMU actually had a 5-minute edge in time of possession. Attendance in Detroit: 27,857

 

Holey Gophers – (in the Rate Bowl) – Minnesota 20, New Mexico 17 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Minnesota 23, New Mexico 20). A low-scoring game. Minnesota led 7-6 at halftime. No one scored in the third quarter. Each team got a touchdown in the fourth quarter. The score was 14-14 at the end of regulation. In the overtime, the Lobos got a field goal; the Gophers got a touchdown. Combined, the two teams only had 454 total yards. New Mexico couldn’t pass – only 88 passing yards. There were 15 penalties in the game. Attendance in Phoenix: 27,439

 

The Panther couldn’t catch the Roadrunner – (in the First Responder Bowl) – UTSA 57, FIU 20 (Touchdown Tom said: UTSA 31, FIU 30). Would you believe UTSA spotted FIU 14 points? Five and a half minutes into the first quarter, FIU led 14-0. Then UTSA scored 38 unanswered points. The rout was on. It was an embarrassing game for FIU. UTSA quarterback Owen McKown passed for 295 yards and three touchdowns. FIU quarterback Joe Pesansky only completed 35% of his passes. He was 11-for-31, with one interception. UTSA had 481 total yards. FIU only had 79 yards rushing. There were 15 penalties in the game – 11 on UTSA. Attendance in Dallas: 8,671

 

Pirates prevail – (in the Military Bowl) – East Carolina 23, Pitt 17 (Touchdown Tom said: East Carolina 30, Pitt 27). The lead in this game changed hands four times. However, when East Carolina retook the lead at 17-14 with 3:58 to go in the third quarter, the Pirates never relinquished it for the remainder of the game. The Pirates increased their lead to 23-14 and held on to beat the Panthers. East Carolina receiver Anthoiny Smith had four catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Pitt receiver Justin Holmes had six receptions for 100 yards. Pitt dominated all the stats. The Panthers had more first downs (24 to 11), more total yards (376 to 249), more passing yards (256 to 177), more rushing yards (120 to 72), fewer penalties (3 to 5) and a 7-minute edge in time of possession. But the Panthers had more turnovers (5 to 1). Attendance in Annapolis: 17,016

 

Dabo doesn’t do it – (in the Pinstripe Bowl) – Penn State 22, Clemson 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 26, Clemson 24). Penn State never trailed throughout the game. It was briefly tied at 3-3 in the second quarter. The Nittany Lions built their lead to 15-3 and held off Clemson. Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkenmeyer passed for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Penn State had more first downs (20-16), more total yards (397 to 236), more passing yards (262 to 193), more rushing yards (135 to 43), more penalties (3 to 1) and a 7-minute edge in time of possession. You gotta love Penn State interim coach Terry Smith. Attendance in The Bronx: 41,101

 

The Cassons were rolling – (in the Fenway Bowl) – Army 41, Connecticut 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Connecticut 30, Army 24). UConn scored first and led 7-0 at the 9:17 mark in the first quarter. But it was all Army after that. At one point in the second quarter, Army scored 20 consecutive points. Army running back Godspower Nwawuihe almost single-handedly beat the Huskies. Nwawuihe rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Army quarterback Cale Hellums was 7-8-0, passing for 108 yards and one touchdown. Hellums also rushed for 45 yards and scored two more touchdowns. Army slotback Noah Short caught all seven of Hellum’s completions, scoring one touchdown. Army had more first downs (23 to 14), more total yards (476 to 267), more passing yards (108 to 84), more rushing yards (368 to 183) and a 13-minute edge in time of possession. UConn had more penalties (5 to 0). Attendance in Boston: 22,461

 

Down to the closing seconds – (in the Pop-Tarts Bowl) – BYU 25, Georgia Tech 21 (Touchdown Tom said: BYU 28, Georgia Tech 25). This game went back-and-forth, with BYU leading 10-7 at the 9:49 mark in the second quarter. Then Georgia Tech scored 14 unanswered points before halftime. The Jackets led at the break, 21-10. There was no scoring in the third quarter. BYU countered Tech, plus one. The Cougars scored 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to go up, 25-21. BYU’s winning touchdown came with 2 minutes remaining in the game. The game remained tense. Tech mounted a drive deep into BYU territory. But on a fourth down play in the waning seconds, the Cougars intercepted a Georgia Tech pass in the end zone. Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King passed for 270 yards and two touchdowns. BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier passed for 325 yards and one touchdown. Both quarterbacks threw an interception. Georgia Tech receiver Malik Rutherford had 8 catches for 105 yards. BYU receiver Carsen Ryan had 8 catches for 120 yards. Both teams suffered two turnovers. Attendance in Orlando: 34,126

 

The Bulldogs can kick – (in the Arizona Bowl) – Fresno State 18, Miami (Ohio) 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Fresno State 23, Miami 21). Miami’s best and only effort came early in the first quarter when the RedHawks led 3-0. It was all Fresno State after that. But in small doses. The first half was all field goals. Fresno State led at the break, 9-3. Fresno Stat got the game’s only touchdown at the 11:12 mark in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs led, 15-3. Late in the game, Fresno State added yet another field goal. Fresno State quarterback E.J. Warner was 16-23-0, passing for 214 yards and one touchdown. Fresno State receiver Josiah Freeman had 7 catches for 143 yards. Fresno State had more first downs (18 to 12), more total yards (391 to 192), more passing yards (214 to 72), more rushing yards (177 to 120), more penalties (8-4) and a 17-minute edge in time of possession. Attendance in Tucson: 37,232

 

The Mean Green were enchanted – (in the New Mexico Bowl) – North Texas 49, San Diego State 47 (Touchdown Tom said: North Texas 28, San Diego State 27). The game wasn’t quite as close as it looks. Trailing North Texas 49-40, San Diego State scored its final touchdown with 0:01 remaining in the game. Still it was an exciting game with lots of touchdowns. North Texas never trailed in the game. Leading 42-20 as the fourth quarter began, it looked like North Texas was going to blow San Diego State out of the stadium. But the Aztecs scored two back-to-back touchdowns. Just like that, the Aztecs trailed the Mean Green 42-34. Four minutes later, North Texas added to its lead, 49-34. It was that type of game. The teams scored in spurts. North Texas running back Caleb Hawkins rushed for 198 yards and two touchdowns. North Texas running back Ashton Gray ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns. San Diego State running back Bert Emanuel rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns. There were five turnovers in the game – three by the Aztecs. Attendance in Albuquerque: 18,867

 

The Tigers weren’t great – (in the Gator Bowl) – Virginia 13, Missouri 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Missouri 26, Virginia 25). Missouri didn’t have its starting quarterback Beau Pribula. Pribula opted out of the game. That made a big difference for Mizzou’s offense. Without Pribula, the Tigers were hurting on offense. Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy started out strong. Then it looked like he was being held out. Don’t know what that was about. Missouri scored three minutes into the game and took a 7-0 lead. The Tigers never scored again for the rest of the game. Virginia didn’t score much more than that. Just enough to win. In the closing seconds, Mizzou drove deep into Virginia territory. But the Tigers couldn’t get the job done. Virginia’s best effort in the game was controlling the clock. The Cavaliers did an excellent job at that. They had a 17-minute edge in time of possession over Mizzou. Attendance in Jacksonville: 31,802

 

Cat fight – (in the Texas Bowl) – Houston 38, LSU 35 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 24, Houston 20). Playing without Garrett Nussmeier, LSU seemed to have a better offense. But the Tigers’ defense was a no show. Actually, just four minutes into the game, LSU had a 14-0 lead. This one looked like it could be a rout for the Tigers. Then Houston scored the next 21 points. The game was on. There were two more ties at 21-21 and 28-28. With 2:23 remaining on the clock, Houston went up 38-28 and the game was all but over. But it had a frenetic second half. LSU quarterback Michael Van Buren passed for 267 yards and three touchdowns. Houston quarterback Conner Weighman passed for 236 yards and four touchdowns. Houston had 32 first downs to 17 for LSU. The Cougars also had a 17-minute edge in time of possession. Attendance in Houston: 63,867

 

Last 11 Bowl Game Picks:         8 winners, 3 fumbles (72.7 percent)

Total Bowl Game Picks To Date:  14 winners, 9 fumbles (60.9 percent)

 

 

Superlatives

 

Impressive Passers

 

BYU’s Bear Bachmeier – 27-38-1-325 (1TD).

 

Impressive Rushers

 

North Texas’ Caleb Hawkins – 198 yards (2TDs); Army’s Godspower Nwawuihe – 171 yards (2TDs); San Diego State’s Bert Emanuel – 170 yards (2TDs), and North Texas’ Ashton Gray – 152 yards (2TDs).

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for the Next Eight Bowl Games

and One College Football Playoff Game

 

Georgia Southern (6-6) vs. Appalachian State (5-7) – (Sun Belt vs. Sun Belt) – Birmingham Bowl (Protective Stadium – Birmingham, Alabama) – 2 pm ET, Monday, ESPN – This is a rematch. The teams met during the season, with Georgia Southern winning, 25-23. When the Eagles are good, they are a pretty good football team. But when they are bad, they are really bad. The Eagles are led by quarterback J.C. French. He passed for 2,758 yards. He has a good receiver in Camden Brown. Brown caught 63 passes for 1,049 yards. Defensively, Georgia Southern is one of the worst teams in the country. Appalachian State finished the season poorly. They lost five of their last six games. The time off before the bowl may do them some good. The Eagles by a feather – Georgia Southern 28, Appalachian State 27.

 

Coastal Carolina (6-6) vs. Louisiana Tech (7-5) – (Sun Belt vs. C-USA) – Independence Bowl (Independence Stadium – Shreveport, Louisiana) – 2 pm ET, Tuesday, ESPN – Coastal Carolina made it to a bowl game, but the Chanticleers fired their coach. Coastal enters the game riding a three-game losing streak. There is nothing impressive about the Chanticleers. They have one of the worst defenses in the country. The offense has no stars. Next season, Louisiana Tech will be in the same conference as Coastal Carolina. This is the Bulldogs last game as a member of C-USA. The best part of La Tech is its defense. They aren’t bad. The offense isn’t good. But they generally get the job done. The Bulldogs can bark and bite – Louisiana Tech 31, Coastal Carolina 24.

 

Tennessee (8-4) vs. Illinois (8-4) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – Music City Bowl (Nissan Stadium – Nashville, Tennessee) – 5:30 pm ET, Tuesday, ESPN – Tennessee has one of the best offenses in the country – primarily from passing, but the Vols can run too. The team is led by quarterback Joey Aguilar. He passed for 3,444 yards and threw 24 touchdown passes. That’s impressive. The weakness is the Vols defense. They generally are not good. The offense always hopes to outscore the opponents. Aguilar’s favorite target is receiver Chris Brazzell. He caught 62 passes for 1,017 yards. Overall, Illinois is a generally good football team. Nothing splashy about the Banned Indians. But they play basically good offense and defense. They are led by quarterback Luke Altmyer. He passed for 2,811 yards and threw 21 touchdown passes. His favorite target is receiver Hank Beatty. Beatty had 64 catches for 826 yards. The Vols play the music – Tennessee 33, Illinois 29.

 

USC (9-3) vs. TCU (8-4) – (Big Ten vs. Big 12) – Alamo Bowl (Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas) – 9 pm ET, Tuesday, ESPN – Both teams are hurting from opt-outs. USC star receiver Makai Lemon won’t be playing. TCU starting quarterback Josh Hoover won’t be playing. USC has a strong offense. They can get the job done in a lot of ways. The defense is so-so, but not bad. TCU has a good offense. The Horned Frogs can score. The defense, like USC’s, is so-so. It can be pretty good. Then again, it can be pretty bad. This game will come down to attitude, and which coach has his team better prepared. The Frogs aren’t leaping – USC 33, TCU 26.

 

Iowa (8-4) vs. Vanderbilt (10-2) – (Big Ten vs. SEC) – ReliaQuest Bowl (Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, Florida) – 12 noon ET, Wednesday, ESPN – This will be Diego Pavia’s first public appearance since he mouthed off on social media after the Heisman Trophy ceremony. Iowa fans could come up with some cruel, but funny, signs at the game. Maybe they will. Maybe they won’t. Iowa’s defense will be challenged to stop Pavia. Iowa’s offense is not explosive. It’s just methodical. But the Hawkeyes defense is awesome. Vandy comes into the game riding a three-game winning streak. Pavia passed for 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns. His favorite target is Eli Stowers. Stowers caught 62 passes for 769 yards. Pavia is also the leading rusher with 826 yards and nine touchdowns. Vandy’s offense is better than Iowa’s. But the Commodores defense is not as good as Iowa’s defense. Fair winds and following seas for the Commodores – Vanderbilt 27, Iowa 23.

 

Arizona State (8-4) vs. Duke (8-5) – (Big 12 vs. ACC) – Sun Bowl (Sun Bowl – El Paso, Texas) – 2 pm ET, Wednesday, CBS – The best thing about Arizona State is usually running back Raleek Brown. Brown rushed for 1,141 yards. The Sun Devils have a sound offense. The defense can be porous at times. Michigan tried to get ASU coach Kenny Dillingham. But he stayed put. Duke enters the game on a three-game winning streak. The Dookies are led by quarterback Darian Mensah. He passed for 3,646 yards and 30 touchdowns. His favorite target is receiver Cooper Barkate. Barkate had 68 catches for 1,069 yards. The Duke defense is poor. The Blue Devils don’t get enough sun – Arizona State 27, Duke 25.

 

Michigan (9-3) vs. Texas (9-3) – (Big Ten vs. SEC) – Citrus Bowl (Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Florida) – 3 pm ET, Wednesday, ABC – Michigan will be playing under an interim coach. The Wolverines have a fair offense with a good defense. The offense is led by quarterback Bryce Underwood. He passed for 2,229 yards. Michigan’s running game is generally better than the passing game. Texas, being Texas, will get the Wolverines fired up. The Longhorns have a good offense and defense. The offense relies on passing more than running. The Horns offense is led by quarterback Arch Manning. He passed for 2,942 yards and 24 touchdowns. Texas came close to making the CFP. The Longhorns miff Biff – Texas 27, Michigan 24

 

Nebraska (7-5) vs. Utah (10-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big 12) – (Las Vegas Bowl (Allegiant Stadium – Las Vegas, Nevada) – 3:30 pm ET, Wednesday, ESPN – Nebraska won’t have the fire power that got them here – quarterback Dylan Raiola and running back Emmett Johnson are off to the portal. That leaves the Nebraska offense questionable – especially against a good Utah defense. Utah enters the game on a five-game winning streak. But the coach who got them here won’t be around. Kyle Whittingham is no longer a Ute. He is a Wolverine. The Utes have a darn good offense and a pretty decent defense. The offense is led by Devon Dampier. He can be tricky. Herbie swallows the corn – Utah 30, Nebraska 24.

 

 

Miami (10-2) vs. Ohio State (12-1) – (ACC vs. Big Ten) – College Football Playoff, Quarterfinal – Cotton Bowl Classic (AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas) – 7:30 pm ET, Wednesday, ESPN – Okay, the first of the four quarterfinal games is upon us. Urban Meyer says that Miami doesn’t have the speed to stay with Ohio State. The Canes enter the contest on a four-game winning streak. The Miami offense is led by Carson Beck. He’s seen it all. Beck passed for 3,175 yards and 26 touchdowns. His favorite target is receiver Malachi Toney. Toney is a good one. He had 89 receptions for 992 yards. Also good is running back Mark Fletcher. He ran for 857 yards. The Canes have a good offense and a better defense. The Buckeyes are loaded and going for their second-straight national championship. They only lost one game and that was just by 3 points. The Buckeyes offense is led by Julian Sayin. He passed for 3.323 yards and 31 touchdowns. His favorite target is none other than Jeremiah Smith. Smith had 80 catches for 1,086 yards. Running back Bo Jackson racked up 1,035 yards rushing. The Buckeyes look awesome compared to the Canes. But Miami is deceptively good. The Canes run out of wind – Ohio State 26, Miami 19.

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“This is the greatest moment of my life,” Penn State interim coach Terry Smith, after the win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.

 

“Michigan stumbles into the one coach who can eliminate years of shame,” USA Today sports writer Matt Hayes, on Kyle Whittingham.

 

“Kyle Whittingham is an upgrade for Michigan, just not a home run,” USA Today sports writer Blake Toppmeyer.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

P.S.

 

Not exactly college football related, but as the year was about to come to an end and college football fans, still in the midst of bowl games, were about to celebrate New Year’s Eve, the number one song in the country…

 

…85 years ago, this week in 1940, was “Frenesi” by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra

 

…80 years ago, this week in 1945, was “It’s Been A Long, Long Time” by Henry James and His Orchestra, and “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby

 

…75 years ago, this week in 1950, was “The Tennessee Waltz” by Patti Page, and “The Thing” by Phil Harris

 

…70 years ago, this week in 1955, was “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford

 

…65 years ago, this week in 1960, was “Are You Lonesome Tonight” by Elvis Presley

 

…60 years ago, this week in 1965, was “Over And Over” by The Dave Clark Five

 

…55 years ago, this week in 1970, was “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison

 

…50 years ago, this week in 1975, was “Let’s Do It Again” by The Staple Singers

 

…45 years ago, this week in 1980, was “(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon

 

…40 years ago, this week in 1985, was “Say You, Say Me” by Lionel Richie

 

…35 years ago, this week in 1990, was “Because I Love You” by Stevie B

 

The next CFW – Week 19 Results/Forecast – will be posted Thursday morning, New Year’s Day.