Week 4 Forecast - Who's Choosin' Texas?

 Week 4 Forecast – Who’s Choosin’ Texas?

Knoxville takes center stage

 

After Week 1, I went out on a limb and predicted that Miami and LSU would play for the national championship in January. For the time being, I’m still sticking to that prediction. However, I may replace LSU with another team sometime in the near future.

 

I also went out on a limb and said that Miami quarterback and receiver Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney would both be in New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation in December. I’m still sticking with that prediction too. However, I’m close to adding Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss to my Heisman finalist list. Florida running back Jadan Baugh is getting hot too.

 

After three weeks, Mensah has completed 89.9% of his passes, throwing for 873 yards and 11 touchdowns, with no interceptions. Toney has 28 receptions for 444 yards and 5 touchdowns. Chambliss has thrown for 924 yards, with 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He has completed 70% of his passes. Baugh has rushed for 458 yards and 8 touchdowns. He is averaging 8.5 yards per carry.

 

A lot could change this weekend as LSU, Trinidad Chambliss and Jadan Baugh all have big games.

 

College football Week 4 definitely belongs to the SEC. The Top 3 games of the week and six of the Top 10 games are all SEC encounters. Let’s begin.

 

Two weeks ago, Texas was involved in the Game of the Week when the Longhorns hosted Ohio State. Texas is back in that spot again this week – but the Longhorns are on the road this time. Texas at Tennessee is this week’s Game of the Week. And what a game it should be too.

 

Knoxville will be wild as it is UT versus UT. It’s also Orange and White against Orange and White. Although, as someone said, Texas left its Orange on the burner a little too long. What is Ella Langley’s record-breaking No. 1 song? “Choosin’ Texas.” Is that an omen?

 

Right behind Texas-Tennessee is Ole Miss at Florida. In the AP Top 25 Poll, Ole Miss is 4^th and Florida is 21^st, yet Florida is favored to beat Ole Miss. Go figure? Well, Ole Miss is coming off a big win, running back Kewan Lacy is injured, Florida has Jadan Baugh and the Gators seem to be gaining momentum.

 

The third best game is Oklahoma at Georgia. The Sooners are desperate for a win over a big team. OU will pull out all stops to beat the Dawgs. And the Sooners do have a good defense. Can OU quarterback John Mateer snap out of his slump? Or will Gunner haul out the heavy artillery?

 

It’s always interesting when two good teams who both lost the previous week get together. One has to win and the other has to suffer its second loss. That’s what it will be when Texas A&M takes on LSU in Baton Rouge. Neither A&M’s Marcel Reed nor LSU’s Sam Leavitt were playing at their best last week. The winner will be back in the saddle again. The loser will be sitting on hard times.

 

Actually, the most exciting of the six SEC games could turn out to be Missouri at Mississippi State. Both teams are still undefeated. Everyone is fascinated with Miss State quarterback Super Kamario – Kamaio Taylor. He is an exciting quarterback. That’s for sure.

 

And finally in the SEC, South Carolina has a chance to redeem itself. But it won’t be easy. The Gamecocks play Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Bama quarterback Keelon Russell is having a good season. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is not. But Sellers is capable of pulling a rabbit out of the hat.

 

Three SEC teams are facing extinction this week – the loser of the Texas A&M-LSU game, plus Oklahoma and South Carolina.

 

The Big Ten has three outstanding games this week. It begins in the Coliseum in Los Angeles where Oregon comes down the coast to take on USC. Both teams have shined on offense, while rusting on defense. Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore should be.

 

Next up, Iowa takes on Michigan in The Big House. If you like a lot of touchdowns, you probably won’t like this game. It could end up being all field goals – if that. Neither team likes to score much, but both play outstanding defense.

 

And finally, in the Big Ten, Indiana is not playing a powder puff this week. The Hoosiers host Northwestern. The Wildcats beat Colorado last week, 41-7. Can Northwestern challenge Indiana?

 

The only non-SEC and non-Big Ten game to make the Top 10 Games of the Week is a Big 12 encounter – Oklahoma State at West Virginia. Following its opening loss to Tulsa, Okie State bounced back to beat Oregon. The Cowboys are 2-1. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker may have found his groove. West Virginia knocked off Virginia last week. The Mountaineers are 3-0. Quarterback Michael Hawkins, an Oklahoma transfer, is looking good. It could be a night full of offense in Morgantown.

 

And for various reasons, keep an eye on these following important games: Clemson at California, Wake Forest at Louisville, UCLA at Maryland, Vanderbilt at Auburn, Kansas State at Cincinnati and Boise State at Western Michigan.

 

The Top 12 teams in this week’s Top-25 FCS Coaches Poll are 1. Montana State (4-0), 2. South Dakota State (3-1), 3. Tarleton State (4-0), 4. (tie) Illinois State (4-0) and Montana (3-1), 6. Stephen F. Austin (4-0), 7. Lehigh (4-0), 8. North Dakota (3-1), 9. UC Davis (3-1), 10. Tennessee Tech (3-0), 11. Austin Peay (3-1), and 12. South Dakota (3-1).

The Saturday morning pregame shows this week: ESPN's College GameDay is in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the Texas-Tennessee game. FOX's Big Noon Kickoff is in Columbus, Ohio, for the Illinois-Ohio State game. SECN's SEC Nation is in Gainesville, Florida, for the Ole Miss-Florida game. ACCN's ACC Huddle is in Louisville, Kentucky, for the Wake Forest, Louisville game. 

 

“He always loved Amarillo By Morning

I shoulda taken that as a warning”

 

“Just when I thought I got him to fall in love with Tennessee.

He’s choosin’ Texas, I can tell.”

                                                            Ella Langley

 

Touchdown Tom

September 24, 2026

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

Week Four’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games….and then some

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. #1 Texas (3-0) at #14 Tennessee (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Two weeks ago, Texas was involved in the Game of the Week. Here the Longhorns are again. Two weeks ago it was against Ohio State. Two weeks ago the Longhorns were home. This week, the Longhorns are against Tennessee. This week the Longhorns are on the road. This week has the potential to be tougher. We know Texas is good. The Longhorns proved that against Ohio State. We believe Tennessee is good. But the Vols are untested. So, don’t be surprised if Texas wins big. However, the game is in Knoxville, and we know Tennessee has talent. Texas has an experienced quarterback in Arch Manning. Tennessee has an upstart freshman quarterback in Faizon Brandon. Both teams have good running backs. Texas has good receivers. Both teams have good offensive lines. Texas has a good defense. Tennessee has an untested and unknown defense. And that could be the difference in the game. Just how good is Tennessee’s defense? Nothing Rocky about Bevo. He’s on Top – Texas 23, Tennessee 17.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. #4 Ole Miss (3-0) at #21 Florida (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Florida against Ole Miss is a little like Tennessee against Texas. We know Ole Miss is good. Florida appears to be good. Florida has some advantages in this game. The Gators are home in The Swamp. Ole Miss is coming in off a monumental win. LSU could have taken the wind out of Ole Miss’s sails. The Magnolias are prime for an upset. Did I say upset? Florida is actually favored. Not by much but the Gators are favored. Ole Miss appears to be banged up a bit. Florida counters Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy with Jadan Baugh. However, Ole Miss has the advantage at quarterback. Trinidad Chambliss is experienced; Aaron Philo is still developing. But Philo has played well. Again, this game is a little like Tennessee against Texas. The Florida defense is suspect. The Gators gave up 39 points to Auburn. But Ole Miss gave up 38 points to Louisville. So, go figure. Magnolias don’t grow in a swamp – Florida 30, Ole Miss 28.

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3. #29 Oklahoma (2-1) at #2 Georgia (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – It’s not looking good for Oklahoma. The Sooners already have a loss. The chances of beating Georgia are slim to none. So, I’m thinking the desperate Sooners will put up a good fight. They’ve got nothing to lose. OU’s offense is missing a few screws. The Sooners only scored 10 points against Michigan and only 14 points against New Mexico. So, you gotta believe OU won’t be lighting up the scoreboard against Georgia. The OU defense will be Georgia’s biggest challenge to date. The Dawgs could have some trouble lighting up the scoreboard too. “Sooner or later, Uga is gonna get you. Sooner or later, you got to give in. Sooner or later, Uga is gonna get you. Sooner or later, Uga is gonna win.” –  Georgia 20, Oklahoma 19.

 

4. #20 Oregon (2-1) at #12 USC (4-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – This is going to be an interesting contest. Both teams have been disappointing. Oregon already has a loss. The Ducks lost to Oklahoma State. Boise State almost beat Oregon. The Ducks have shown they have the ability to score. The problem is the Oregon defense. The Ducks gave up 39 points to Oklahoma State and 27 points to Boise State. No doubt, USC should score on Oregon. Offense isn’t USC’s problem. Defense is. The Trojans gave up 26 points to San Jose State, 30 points to Louisiana and 35 points to Rutgers. So, this is going to be a high-scoring game. The scoreboard may blow a fuse. Both teams have talented quarterbacks. USC has Jayden Maiava and Oregon has Dante Moore. The Ducks have too many Quackers – Oregon 34, USC 33.

 

5.  #23 Texas A&M (2-1) at #10 LSU (2-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Both teams took it on the chin last week, especially Texas A&M. The LSU-Ole Miss game was a tossup, but Texas A&M was supposed to clobber Kentucky. LSU lost the tossup and the Aggies got clobbered by Kentucky. So, the question is – which team will bounce back? The quarterbacks from both teams did not look that good last week. Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed was awful against Kentucky. LSU’s Sam Leavitt was weak against Ole Miss. This is going to be a good battle. But the Tigers bounce the Aggies –  #10 LSU 27, Texas A&M 24.

 

6. #17 Iowa (3-0) vs. #18 Michigan (3-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This is a crucial early season battle in the Big Ten. Both teams have played well on defense. Michigan has struggled on offense. Iowa appears to be the more solid team on offense and defense. Michigan is solid on defense, but first-year coach Kyle Whittingham is still trying to get his offense going. The Hawkeyes feast on maize – Iowa 17, Michigan 14.

 

7. #19 Missouri (3-0) at #24 Mississippi State (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – What a surprise Mississippi State has been. The Bulldogs are looking more and more impressive every week. It’s all because of the play of quarterback Kamario Taylor. What a surprise he has been too. Miss State’s defense may be a little suspect. But the Bulldogs offense has its act together. Missouri is still waiting for the return of running back Ahmad Hardy. He won’t be back against Miss State. Still, Missouri has played pretty well without Hardy. But the Tigers won’t be able to contend with Taylor. Bully has Truman by the tail – 7:45 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Mississippi State 31, Missouri 30.

 

8. Northwestern (2-0) at #5 Indiana (3-0)– (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FOX – Is Northwestern as tough as the Wildcats looked against Colorado? If so, this could be an interesting ball game. Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles has played well. So has the Northwestern defense. This will be Indiana’s first real game. To date, the Hoosiers have played three powder puffs. Northwestern is capable of giving Josh Hoover a challenge. Josh vacuums the Wildcats – Indiana 28, Northwestern 22.

 

9. South Carolina (2-1) at #8 Alabama (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – South Carolina got off to a strong start last week but faltered. Alabama, for the second-straight week, got off to a slow start but snapped out of it. How will the teams start this week? South Carolina has the experienced quarterback. But LaNorris Sellers hasn’t played like an experienced quarterback. Alabama has a freshman quarterback. Keelon Russell has responded well. Alabama’s defense may be suspect. Maybe Sellers can take advantage of that. This could be a high-scoring game. Chicken cacciatore is Big Al’s favorite meal – Alabama 35, South Carolina 26.

 

10. #30 Oklahoma State (2-1) at #28 West Virginia (3-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – These two teams each have a surprise win – Oklahoma State over Oregon and West Virginia over Virginia. The Cowboys also have a surprise loss – Tulsa over Oklahoma State. So, who will surprise this week? The Mountaineers are slightly favored. The Cowboys quarterback Drew Mestemaker will be a strong test for the WVU defense. Mestemaker has the ability to perform magic. Likewise, WVU quarterback Michael Hawkins can create problems for the Oklahoma State defense. Hawkins leads WVU in rushing. Both teams have strong running backs – Cam Cook for WVU and Caleb Hawkins for Okie State. Yeah, we’ve got two Hawkins in this ball game. Who said Cowboys don’t cry – West Virginia 40, Oklahoma State 35.

 

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

#3 Notre Dame (3-0) at Purdue (1-2) – (Ind. Vs. Big Ten) – 2 pm ET, Saturday, Peacock – Purdue may be able to move the ball against the Irish. The Boilers offense seems to be getting better. Ryan Browne is a decent quarterback. But there is no way Purdue’s defense can stop Notre Dame. The Irish offense should have its way against the Boilers. The Irish have already knocked off two Big Ten teams – Wisconsin and Michigan State. Purdue will be the third. Another cake walk for Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr. The Irish step dance over the Boilers – Notre Dame 34, Purdue 20.

 

#36 (FCS) William & Mary (2-2) at #34 Duke (3-0) – (Patriot vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – Duke is off to a good start. Good things will continue this week for the Dookies. Much of Duke’s good start can be attributed to quarterback Walker Eget and running back Nate Sheppard. They have kept the offense going. And coach Manny Diaz has another good defense in Durham. Defense is his specialty. William & Mary is a competitive FCS team but not competitive enough for the Dookies. Bill & Mary have a Devil of a time – Duke 35, William & Mary 13.

 

#42 Nebraska (3-0) at Michigan State (2-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 5 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – Nebraska and Michigan State move into Big Ten action this week – against each other. The Huskers haven’t really played anyone. The Spartans have played Notre Dame. That could be a positive for the Spartans, even though they lost to the Irish. State has the experience of playing a tough opponent. Nebraska hasn’t tasted that yet. The Huskers appear to have the better offense. The Spartans may have the better defense. It’s going to be a tough game for both teams. State has the home field advantage. Nebraska could have the quarterback advantage. Anthony Colandrea has played well for the Huskers. Herbie escapes Sparta – Nebraska 20, Michigan State 17.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Central Arkansas (2-2) at Florida State (1-2) –  (UAC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN….

TCU (2-1) at UCF (2-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FS1….

 

South Florida (3-0) at Bowling Green (0-3) – (AC vs. MAC) – 5 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

Long Island (0-4) at FIU (1-2) – (NEC vs. C-USA) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

Central Michigan (2-1) at #6 Miami (3-0) – (MAC vs. ACC) – 6:30 pm ET, Saturday, CWN….

 

#20 (FCS) West Florida (2-1) at #42 (FCS) SE Missouri (2-2) – (UAC vs. OVC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

#14 (FCS) South Carolina State (4-0) at Bethune-Cookman (2-1) – (MEAC vs. SWAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….

 

Alabama A&M (3-1) at Florida A&M (1-3) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….

Florida Atlantic (2-1) at ULM (0-3) – (AC vs. Sun Belt) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“Western Michigan is an undefeated football team. Period. End of story. They absolutely beat Michigan at Michigan,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson.

 

“Lot of good drugs out there,” Florida coach Jon Sumrall, when he learned that the Gators are favored over Ole Miss.

 

“Lincoln Riley is facing a now or never moment,” USA Today sports columnist Matt Hayes, on the USC coach going into the Oregon game.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next CFW – Week 4 Results – will be posted Monday morning, September 28.

CFW Week 3 Results - Ending of NC State-Vandy game was unreal

 CFW Week 3 Results – Ending of NC State-Vandy game was unreal

Wild, wacky weekend in the SEC

 

The Power Four conference gave us a real smorgasbord of games. From recovering a fumble in the end zone to win the game to losing a game where you were a 17-point favorite. From a game where the teams scored a combined 83 points to having the guts to go for a two-point conversion at a crucial time of the game.

 

For the third week in a row, the SEC was involved in the Game of the Week. In Week 1, it was Louisville-Ole Miss. Last week it was Ohio State-Texas. Saturday, it was LSU-Ole Miss. The LSU-Ole followed a similar pattern to the Ohio State-Texas game.

 

Last week, Ohio State dominated early and led 23-3 as the fourth quarter began. Saturday, Ole Miss dominated early. The Magnolias led 17-0 until late in the second quarter. Ole Miss led 24-7 at halftime.

The LSU-Ole Miss game was a game of 17-point spurts. From midway through the first quarter to early in the second quarter, Ole Miss scored 17 unanswered points. From early in the third quarter to early in the fourth quarter, LSU scored 17 unanswered points.

 

For five minutes in the fourth quarter, the LSU-Ole Miss score was tied 24-24. Finally, with 6:14 remaining in the game, Ole Miss scored and went up 30-24. Then, Ole Miss coach Pete Golding made the bold decision to go for two points. Following back-to-back penalties on LSU before they could get the play off, it was no longer a bold decision. Ole Miss easily converted on a quick burst across the goal line from less than a yard out. The Magnolias were up 32-24.

 

In the final 6:14, LSU drove down the field into the Ole Miss red zone. But the Tigers failed to score. Ole Miss beat LSU, 32-24.

 

Kentucky entered its game on the road at Texas A&M as a 17-point underdog. The previous week, the Wildcats lost at home by 28 points to Alabama. At halftime, Kentucky and Texas A&M were tied 7-7. Then, something strange happened in the third quarter. Kentucky scored 21 unanswered points. At the end of the third quarter, the Wildcats led the Aggies, 28-7.

 

The teams traded scores in the fourth quarter. The Aggies scored a touchdown. The Wildcats kicked a field goal. And A&M scored a touchdown with 3:45 remaining in the game. When the game was over, Kentucky beat Texas A&M, 31-21.

 

Only two SEC coaches were on the hot seat when the season began – Mississippi State’s Jeff Lebby and South Carolina’s Shane Beamer. Saturday, Miss State met South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Both teams were 2-0.

 

Almost midway through the second quarter, South Carolia led Miss State, 16-0. Then upstart Miss State quarterback Kamario Taylor went to work. In the next three and a half minutes, Taylor threw two touchdown passes of 30 and 43 yards each. The Gamecocks’ lead was cut to two points 16-14. Before the second quarter ended, South Carolina scored. At halftime, the Gamecocks led the Bulldogs, 23-14.

 

In the third quarter, Miss State scored 17 unanswered points. Taylor threw two touchdown passes of 23 and 5 yards each. After three, the Bulldogs led the Gamecocks, 31-23. In the fourth quarter, Miss State continued its scoring, making it 27 unanswered points. The Bulldogs built up a 41-23 lead. In the final 3:50 of the game, South Carolina got hot, scoring 11 points. At the end, Miss State beat South Carolina, 41-34.

 

And at the end of the game, Shane Beamer remained on the hot seat, while Jeff Lebby is off the hot seat.

 

Florida and Auburn are old SEC rivals who used to play about every year. Thanks to SEC expansion, the two teams haven’t played so much in recent years. But they got together Saturday night – and did they ever.

 

Florida never trailed in the game, but the Gators couldn’t quite shake the Tigers. Florida led 7-3 after one quarter of play. At halftime, the Gators led Auburn 20-17. The teams were briefly tied 17-17 in the second quarter.

 

In the third quarter, Florida built up a 17-point lead at 34-17. Before the third quarter ended, Auburn cut Florida’s lead to 34-24. In the fourth quarter, Florida went back up by 17 points, 41-24. With less than three minutes remaining, Florida led 44-32. But Auburn had one more touchdown up its sleeve. With 0:24 on the clock, the Tigers added a final touchdown. The Gators beat Auburn 44-39. The star of the game was Florida running back Jadan Baugh. Baugh rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns.

 

In a non-conference game involving an SEC team, Alabama hosted Florida State. Alabama was favored by 19 points. Much of the game looked like déjà vu FSU. Remember last year’s contest between Florida State and Alabama. Alabama was heavily favored, but FSU won, 31-17.

 

Well, late in the second quarter of Saturday’s game, Florida State led Alabama, 21-6. Then, Alabama scored 20 points in the final 2:36 of the second quarter. The Tide went up 26-21. But FSU wasn’t dead. The Noles came back in the third quarter to take a 28-26 lead. But a brief lead it was. Alabama went on a 17-point run to take a 43-28 lead.

 

Florida State still wasn’t dead. The Noles scored a touchdown with 7:27 to go in the fourth quarter. FSU trailed Alabama, 43-36. The Tide then got a security touchdown at the 2:15 mark. Alabama beat Florida State 50-36.

 

Another non-conference game involving a SEC team had the wildest and craziest ending of the day. NC State met Vanderbilt in Nashville. Almost midway through the second quarter, NC State led Vandy, 17-0. Almost midway through the third quarter, the Wolfpack led the Commodores, 24-7. Then Vandy came alive and scored back-to-back touchdowns. Early in the fourth quarter NC State led Vandy, 24-21.

 

Still early in the fourth, the Wolfpack scored a touchdown and increased their lead to 31-21. Halfway through the quarter, Vandy got a touchdown and trailed 31-28. In the closing minute of the game, Vandy went on a final drive. The Commodores moved the ball into the NC State red zone. They at least were assured of a field goal to put the game into overtime.

 

However, with 1:24 on the clock, Vanderbilt freshman quarterback Jared Curtis threw an interception. NC State had the ball on their own one yard line. The game was surely over for Vanderbilt. In three downs, NC State moved the ball to their five-yard line. It was 4^th down with 0:06 left in the game. NC State quarterback C.J. Bailey took the snap and appeared to be running out the clock or maybe he was going to take a knee in the end zone for a safety. Whatever, the ball was stripped out of his hands. Vandy fell on the fumble in the endzone and won the game as time expired, 35-31.

 

But wait. The refs put one second back on the clock. It must have been the same crew who worked the Western Michigan-Michigan game. So after the ensuing kickoff, NC State got to try a Hail Mary from their own 25-yard line. The Wolfpack went through a series of laterals before they eventually fumbled and Vandy recovered. Vanderbilt beat NC State, 35-31.

 

The SEC used to be known as “The Defense” conference. SEC teams had the best defenses in the country. Saturday, Kentucky-Texas A&M combined for 52 points (831 total yards), Ole Miss-LSU combined for 56 points (756 total yards), Mississippi State-South Carolina combined for 75 points (824 total yards), Florida-Auburn combined for 83 points (868 total yards) and Alabama gave up 36 points (471 total yards) to Florida State. Looks like times have changed.

 

And finally, the SEC took possession of the “fire (coach’s name)” chant. On Saturday of Week 1, it was the Michigan fans chanting “Fire Kyle, fire Kyle,” as it appeared the Wolverines were losing to Western Michigan, 12-7. On Labor Day night, Florida State took possession of the chant, with “Fire Norvell, fire Norvell,” as the Seminoles lost to SMU, 27-24. In Week 3, South Carolina fans became the possessors of the chant, with “Fire Beamer, fire Beamer,” as the Gamecocks lost to Mississippi State, 41-34.

 

Expect the unexpected this season – especially in the SEC.

 

Week 3 college football began Thursday night in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt Panthers beat Syracuse, 27-13. Pitt running back Damon Ferguson rushed for 102 yards. The Panthers improved to 3-0.

 

Friday night, four Top 25 teams played – three won and one lost. No. 5 Miami defeated Wake Forest, 33-20. The Canes were unstoppable in the first half, building up a 24-7 lead. The Hurricane stalled in the second half. In the first half, Canes quarterback Darian Mensah was 26-for-26 passing. In the second half, he was 4-for-8 passing. In the first half, Canes receiver Malachi Toney had 10 receptions for 111 yards. In the second half, he had two 2 receptions for 3 yards.

 

In the next game No. 13 Texas Tech edged No. 22 Houston, 28-26. In the nightcap, it was the beatdown of the week. No. 21 Oregon pulverized Portland State, 84-0. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore passed for 280 yards and four touchdowns. The Ducks played four quarterbacks. Former Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola got into the game for Oregon. Raiola was 11-for-11, passing for 124 yards and three touchdowns.

                                                   

In other action on Saturday, Arizona State won the inaugural Union Jack Classic. In Wembley Stadium in London, England, the Sun Devils downed Kansas, 24-17. North Carolina jumped out to a 17-3 lead over Clemson, but the Tigers came back to beat the Tar Heels, 28-20.

 

USC struggled to beat Rutgers, 42-35. Virginia Tech downed Maryland, 35-26, and Northwestern beat Deion Sanders and Colorado, 41-7. While you were asleep Saturday night, UCLA beat Purdue, 52-38, and Oregon State downed Montana, 52-17.

 

The Ivy League teams went 5-3 during opening weekend. Brown beat New Haven, 17-10; Columbia downed Lafayette, 40-34; Harvard beat New Hampshire, 31-7; Penn defeated Bucknell, 20-7, and Yale downed Holy Cross, 38-28.

 

On the losing side, Dartmouth fell to Lehigh, 24-20; Cornell lost to Colgate, 20-7, and Princeton fell to Bryant, 21-14. Looks like Harvard, Yale and maybe Penn will be the top teams in the Ivy League this year.

 

The Top 12 teams in this week’s AP Top-25 Poll are 1. Texas, 2. Georgia, 3. Notre Dame, 4. Ole Miss, 5. Indiana, 6. Miami, 7. Ohio State, 8. Alabama, 9. BYU, 10. LSU, 11. Texas Tech, and 12. USC.

 

Touchdown Tom

September 21, 2026

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Week Three Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: Lane missed the train – Ole Miss 32 LSU 24 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 27, Ole Miss 24). This was a close game, but I thought, for some reason, it seemed to lack the emotion and excitement of the Ohio State-Texas game. Still, it was a good one. Ole Miss dominated the first half. LSU dominated the third quarter. Basically, Trinidad Chambliss outplayed Sam Leavitt. The star for LSU was running back Dilin Jones. Jones rushed for 106 yards and one touchdown. Ole Miss receiver Traylon Ray had 7 receptions for 115 yards. Ole Miss had 426 total yards, but only 63 yards rushing. Attendance in Oxford: 70,033

 

RUNNER-UP: Raiders were lucky – Texas Tech 28, Houston 26 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas Tech 31, Houston 27). This was a game of spurts. Houston had the first spurt, taking a 10-0 first quarter lead. Texas Tech had the second spurt, scoring two touchdowns in the second quarter to go up 14-10. Then the teams traded scores for the remainder of the game. Just before the half, Houston scored a touchdown to go up 17-14. Early in the second quarter, Texas Tech went back up – 21-17. Still in the third quarter, Houston kicked a field goal and trailed 21-20. In the fourth quarter, Texas Tech scored to extend its lead to 28-20. But with 0:49 on the clock, Houston scored and trailed 28-26. The Cougars went for two and failed to convert. Houston quarterback Connor Weighman had a great game, passing for 282 yards. Houston had the better stats – more first downs (27-22), more total yards (458-455), more passing yards (282-257) and more rushing yards (176-168). But Tech had more points. Attendance in Lubbock: 60,229

 

REST OF THE BEST: Looking Birdy – Louisville 41, SMU 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Louisville 30, SMU 24). Close game throughout. Ten-point lead at the end was the largest lead of the game by either team. Generally there was no more than a 3 or 4-point lead. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings threw two interceptions which hurt the Mustangs. Both teams had strong running games. SMU running back Kendrick Raphael rushed for 197 yards and three touchdowns. Louisville running back Keyjuan Brown rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns. SMU was severely hampered by three turnovers. Louisville had no turnovers. Attendance in Louisville: 50,199

 

Albert growls – Florida 44, Auburn 39 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 28, Auburn 21). Florida’s running game was awesome. It was a big difference in the game. Except for quarterback Byrum Brown, Auburn had no running game. Brown had 65 yards rushing. Florida was hit with 16 penalties. The Auburn refs were definitely out Saturday night. That’s always a problem when playing at Auburn for any team. Florida’s offense is looking good. The defense has some issues. Attendance in Auburn: 88,043

 

Somebody turned off the Beamer – Mississippi State 41, South Carolina 34 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 30, Mississippi State 21). South Carolina got a good head start but couldn’t hold onto it. If the Gamecocks lose badly to Alabama this week, Shane Beamer could lose the fan base, if he hasn’t already. The Gamecocks also had a strong finish, but it wasn’t enough. Kamario Taylor is an amazing quarterback. He may keep Miss State afloat this season. Gamecock quarterback LaNorris Sellers threw two interceptions. That didn’t help. South Carolina dominated the stats – first downs, total yards, passing yards and rushing yards. Attendance in Columbia: 78,360

 

Best Virginia – West Virginia 38, Virginia 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia 30, West Virginia 23). WVU trailed 7-0 and 14-7. Then the Mountaineers outscored the Cavs 31-7. The Cavs then got a touchdown with 0:21 on the clock at the end. That was the best WVU’s defense has looked in the early season. WVU quarterback Michael Hawkins passed for 190 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 123 yards and three more touchdowns. Running back Cam Cook also had 123 yards rushing. Virginia quarterback Beau Pribula passed for 197 yards. WVU had 437 total yards. It was a turnover free game. Attendance in Charlotte: 39,377

 

The Spartan was smartin’ – Notre Dame 27, Michigan State 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 34, Michigan State 16). Michigan State played a good first half. The Spartans ran out of steam in the second half. Irish quarterback C.J. Carr passed for 234 yards but no touchdowns. Irish running back Nolan James rushed for 121 yards and one touchdown. ND receiver Micah Gilbert had 8 receptions for 170 yards. ND had 395 total yards. The Irish defense held Spartans to 167 total yards and only 44 yards rushing. The Spartans also had two turnovers. Attendance in South Bend: 77,622

 

Was this a basketball game? – Alabama 50, Florida State 36 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 40, Florida State 17). Alabama sure has its problems getting started. It was a problem last week against Kentucky. Again this week against Florida State. The way the game began, I was thinking Florida State ought to schedule Alabama every year. Forty-seven of Bama’s 50 points were scored after the first quarter. The Tide took control, but they couldn’t quite shake the Noles. FSU quarterback Ashton Daniels passed for 377 yards, but he threw three interceptions. Bama quarterback Keelon Russell passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns. Bama receiver Lotzeir Brooks had 8 catches for 101 yards. The Tide racked up 567 total yards. FSU had 471 total yards. Three turnovers hurt the Noles. Tide defense held FSU to 97 yards rushing. Attendance in Tuscaloosa: 100,077

 

Where was the 12^th Man? – Kentucky 31, Texas A&M 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 40, Kentucky 21). In the 3^rd and 4^th quarters, those true, blue and loyal Aggies fans couldn’t get out of Kyle Field fast enough. They were stumbling over themselves. I don’t think anyone was expecting this. Definitely not the A&M fans. Entering the 4^th quarter, A&M only had 7 points. Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey passed for 252 yards and 2 touchdowns. Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed threw two interceptions. The Aggies had 2 turnovers. Kentucky had none. Will Stein is doing a good job coaching Kentucky. Attendance in College Station: 105,186

 

Uga slopped the Pigs – Georgia 45, Arkansas 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 42, Arkansas 16). Seems like there was hardly anyone in the stadium at the start of the game. Seems like Arkansas has some problems. I’m not sure coach Ryan Silverfield has the backing from the fans. Razorback fans are already looking ahead to basketball season. A lot of signs at the game reflected that. Fourteen of Arkansas’ 17 points were scored in the fourth quarter. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton rushed for 97 yards. Georgia defense held Arkansas to 17 yards rushing. The Dawgs had 464 total yards. Attendance in Fayetteville: 66,123

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

The Dookies had higher SAT scores – Duke 35, Stanford 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 31, Stanford 28). Duke running back Nate Sheppard had 154 yards rushing with 2 touchdowns. The Dookies had 470 total yards – well balanced between running and passing. Stanford only had 73 yards rushing. Duke is off to a 3-0 start. Attendance in Durham: 19,139

 

Last of the cupcakes – Nebraska 34, North Dakota 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 42, North Dakota 20). Nebraska scored in every quarter. Huskers quarterback Anthony Colandrea passed for 195 yards and one touchdown. Jamal Rule rushed for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Huskers had 22 first downs and 493 total yards. No more cupcakes for the Huskers. Big Ten action begins this week. Attendance in Lincoln: 86,217

 

Warmup for Tennessee – Texas 30, UTSA 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, UTSA 17). After the big win over Ohio State last week, I’m not sure Texas really had its mind in this game. But they handled it okay. The Texas defense shutdown UTSA quarterback Owen McCown. Arch Manning passed for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns. Texas defense held UTSA to 9 first downs, 70 yards passing and 72 yards rushing. Texas offense just went through the paces. Attendance in Austin: 103,753

 

Another basketball game – UCLA 52, Purdue 38 (Touchdown Tom said: UCLA 34, Purdue 17). I watched the first half of this game. I was surprised at how well Purdue was playing. The Boilers hung in there. They were only down 24-21 at halftime. The Boilers had no running game – 63 yards. But they had a decent passing game. Ryan Browne passed for 378 yards and 3 touchdowns. UCLA had both a running and passing game. Wayne Knight rushed for 177 yards and 2 touchdowns. Nico Iamaleava passed for 276 yards and 3 touchdowns. The teams combined for 1,133 total yards. UCLA had 645 of those yards. Three turnovers  killed Purdue’s chances. Coach Bob Chesney has the Bruins off to a 3-0 start. Attendance in Pasadena: 30,916

 

Week 3 Results:  10 winners, 4 fumbles (71.4percent)

For the Season:   37 winners, 12 fumbles (75.5 percent)

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Miami 33, Wake Forest 20 – Attendance in Winston-Salem: 32,147

Bethune-Cookman 62, Virginia Lynchburg 3 – Attendance in Daytona Beach: 10,513

 

Florida Atlantic 16, FIU 10 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 20,714

UCF 44, Georgia State 30 – Attendance in Orlando: 44,620

 

South Florida 59, Delaware State 17 – Attendance in Tampa: 32,345

Austin Peay 38, West Florida 16 – Attendance in Pensacola: 5,712

 

Tennessee State 29, Florida A&M 36 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 12,399

UC Davis 45, Stetson 7 – Attendance in Davis: 15,270

 

 

Superlatives

 

Week Three’s Impressive Passers:

 

North Texas’ Tayven Jackson – 43-57-1 for 483 yards (3TDs); California’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele – 27-33-0-413 (3TDs); Purdue’s Ryan Browne – 19-30-1-378 (3TDs);  Washington’s Demond Williams – 27-33-1-373 (4TDs); Wisconsin’s Colton Joseph – 23-33-1-362 (3TDs); Oregon State’s Braden Atkinson – 22-30-0-333 (5TDs); Arizona’s Noah Fifita – 31-34-0-325 (4TDs), And Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker – 20-22-0-324 (5TDs).

 

Also, Sam Houston’s Landyn Locke – 19-28-0 for 322 yards (4TDs); Alabama’s Keelon Russell – 23-30-0-320 (3TDs); Cincinnati’s J.C. French – 31-43-0-309 (2TDs); Delaware’s Nick Minicucci – 24-32-0-302 (2TDs); South Florida’s Michael Van Buren – 23-32-0-300 (1TD); Houston’s Connor Weighman – 27-38-0-282 (3TDs); USC’s Jayden Maiava – 20-32-0-277 (2TDs), and UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava – 19-31-0-276 (3TDs).

 

Also, Indiana’s Josh Hoover – 18-24-0 for 273 yards (2TDs); Texas State’s Brad Jackson – 16-22-0-268 (4TDs); NC State’s C.J. Bailey – 24-36-1-262 (3TDs); Maryland’s Malik Washington – 30-43-0-359 (3TDs); Memphis’ Marcus Stokes – 26-32-0-258 (4TDs); Utah’s Devon Dampier – 22-32-0-253 (2TDs); Baylor’s Nate Bennett – 21-24-0-253 (3TDs); TCU’s Jaden Craig – 21-29-1-337 (3TDs), and Virginia Tech’s Ethan Grunkemeyer – 31-39-0-314 (3TDs).

 

Also, Kentucky’s Kenny Minchey – 14-18-0 for 252 yards (2TDs); Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor – 18-26-1-251 (4TDs); Georgia Tech’s Alberto Mendoza – 15-21-0-249 (3TDs); Ohio State’s Julian Sayin – 18-22-0-244 (2TDs); Northwestern’s Aidan Chiles – 17-22-0-241 (3TDs), and Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr – 18-24-0-234.

 

Also, Michigan’s Bryce Underwood – 19-25-0 for 223 yards (2TDs); Miami’s Darian Mensah – 30-34-0-220 (3TDs); UConn’s Kalieb Osborne – 16-22-0-214 (2TDs); Virginia’s Beau Pribula – 21-33-0-197 (2TDs); Nebraska’s Anthony Colandrea – 15-21-0-195 (1TD); Jacksonville State’s Caden Creel – 17-24-0-194 (2TDs), and Iowa’s Hank Brown – 12-12-0-153 (2TDs).

 

Week Three’s Impressive Rushers:

 

Texas State’s Torrance Burgess – 214 yards; Boise State’s Dylan Riley – 198 yards (2TDs); SMU’s Kendrick Raphael – 197 yards (3TDs); Iowa State’s Aiden Flora – 194 yards (2TDs); San Diego State’s Javion Kinnard – 181 yards (1TD); UCLA’s Wayne Knight – 177 yards (2TDs); BYU’s L.J. Martin – 176 yards (3TDs), and Louisville’s Keyjuan Brown – 163 yards (2TDs).

 

Also, Central Michigan’s Angel Flores – 163 yards (2TDs); Florida’s Jadan Baugh – 162 yards (3TDs); Duke’s Nate Sheppard – 154 yards (2TDs); Kansas State’s Avery Johnson – 152 yards (2TDs); Iowa’s Xavier Williams – 151 yards (3TDs); Indiana’s Turbo Richard – 149 yards (1TD), and Georgia Tech’s Justice Haynes – 145 yards (2TDs).

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“I believe in this team. I believe in who we are. I believe in what we can do and what we can accomplish,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell, after the loss to Alabama.

 

“Beating LSU is sweet, but it wasn’t our Super Bowl. And we didn’t make it out to be our Super Bowl,” Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, after the win over LSU.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next CFW – Week 4 Forecast – will be posted Thursday morning, September 24.