CFW Week 2 Forecast - Manning, Texas looking for revenge

 CFW Week 2 Forecast – Manning, Texas looking for revenge

The week of conference challenges:

Big Ten vs. SEC and Big 12 vs. SEC

 

One week down, already four coaches are in trouble

 

Just one week into the season and already three coaches have established they are going to get fired this season – Rutgers’ Greg Schiano, Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell and Florida State’s Mike Norvell. And a fourth – Michigan’s Kyle Whittingham – had fans chanting for his firing during his debut game with the Wolverines. There are three Big Ten coaches in that group. Last year, the SEC had a kettle full of firings. Looks like it could be the Big Ten this year.

 

Speaking of the Big Ten and SEC, this is the week of the Big Ten-SEC challenge – Ohio State at Texas, Oklahoma at Michigan and Mississippi State at Minnesota.

 

Ohio State at Texas is the Game of the Week. The Longhorns will be out for revenge. Ohio State has defeated Texas twice in the last 21 months. Arch Manning will be out for revenge. Will Bevo go on a Buckeye diet?

 

Oklahoma at Michigan is the Runner-Up to the Game of the Week. Will we hear, “Fire Kyle, fire Kyle” from the fans in the stands this week? Oklahoma better take its own clock keeper to the game. The Big 12 better take its own referees too. Mississippi State at Minnesota is under the radar, but one or both of these teams could be better than expected. And this could be one heck of a ball game.

 

It’s also the week of the Big 12-SEC challenge – Arizona State at Texas A&M, Arkansas at Utah and Missouri at Kansas. Arizona State at Texas A&M could be a slaughter for the Aggies. But there is no guarantee of that. Arizona State fans must be wondering, “Why did we ever let Sam Leavitt go?”

 

Arkansas at Utah should answer the question, “Are the Razorbacks really as bad as everyone thinks they are.” Conversely, it should answer the question, “Is Utah as good as everyone thinks the Utes are.” Tune in and find out. Missouri at Kansas revives an old, old rivalry from the Big Eight and original Big 12 days. The Tigers and the Jayhawks don’t care for each other. Let me rephrase that – the Tigers and the Jayhawks don’t like each other.

 

We’ve got two excellent intra-conference affairs this week. Arizona at BYU in the Big 12 and Alabama at Kentucky in the SEC. BYU is a co-favorite to win the Big 12. Arizona is considered a dangerous dark horse. This contest has the potential to be an exciting game.

 

Alabama at Kentucky is one of those curious games. The Crimson Tide are favored, but first-year Kentucky coach Will Stein supposedly has the Wildcats fired up – big time. At the SEC Media Days when Stein was asked why Kentucky will win this season, he quickly and boldly responded, “Because of me.” Who knows? Kentucky may surprise Alabama on offense.

 

And last but not least, we’ve got a good SEC-ACC battle, along with an ACC-Big Ten encounter. Tennessee travels to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech. After losing a game they should have won last week, the Yellow Jackets should be fired up. But the Vols showed lots of potential in their opener last week.

 

Last year, Illinois cleaned Duke’s clock. So, the Dookies will be out for revenge – big time. However, will that revenge have enough force behind it? At the least, Duke at Illinois should be an interesting affair.

 

There is an eleventh game that almost made the Top 10 – UCF at Pitt. UCF put 73 points on the board last week. Pitt quarterback Mason Heintschel put seven touchdown passes and 453 yards in the record books last week. In his second year coaching UCF, does Scott Frost have the Knights ready to compete? UCF at Pitt could turn out to be one of the better games of the week.

 

Two of those four troubled coaches – Mike Norvell and Luke Fickell – get a break this week. Florida State has the week off and Wisconsin hosts Western Illinois. But two of the four – Kyle Whittingham and Greg Schiano – will be sweating bullets. Michigan hosts Oklahoma and Rutgers plays at Boston College.

 

In the wake of Michigan’s controversial win over Western Michigan last week, the NCAA has established a new and standardized protocol for clock timing across all conferences. The new policy mandates that the clock embedded in the broadcast feed serve as the official clock for replay reviews. Under the new policy, Western Michigan would have won the game against Michigan last Saturday. There would not have been a second Hail Mary pass. Last week, the clock embedded in the broadcast feed showed 0:00 remaining when the Western Michigan defender touched the ball from the back of the end zone on the Hail Mary pass attempt. However, when the Big Ten officials viewed the replay, they used their own clock to determine that there was still one second left.

 

NBC rules expert and former NFL official Terry McAulay didn’t understand how Big Ten officials found enough evidence to put one second back on the clock. “The ball isn’t even close to touching the player when the clock goes to zero,” McAulay said. “Their system either had a different sync, or whatever, and they came up with one second. I don’t see that happen. The ball was clearly still in the air when the embedded broadcast clock went to zero. The Big Ten is going to have to tell us how they got one second left on this play.”

 

Personally, I don’t understand why Big Ten officials, instead of MAC officials, were being used in the game. The visiting team is supposed to have the choice of using their officials or the home team’s officials. Certainly, as the visiting team, Western Michigan would have chosen MAC officials.

 

The drama is over in Baton Rouge. The LSU roster will be locked for the season after adding two players, but not the two ex-NFL players who were attempting to play for Lane Kiffin. The two former NFL players will not be added to LSU’s final 105-man roster. The roster is now locked for the 2006 season. Apparently, the suits and threats from the SEC and its commissioner Greg Sankey worked.

 

The pregame shows on Saturday morning: ESPN’s College GameDay is in Austin, Texas, for the Ohio State-Texas game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff is in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the Oklahoma-Michigan game. SECN’s SEC Nation is in Lexington, Kentucky, for the Alabama-Kentucky game. ACCN’s ACC Huddle is in Atlanta, Georgia, for the Tennessee-Georgia Tech game.

 

My primary viewing this weekend will be Missouri-Kansas on Friday night. Then on Saturday, a 12 noon split between Arizona State-Texas A&M and Oklahoma-Michigan. Alabama-Kentucky and Arizona-BYU split at 3:30 pm. Ohio State-Texas at 7:30 pm. When Ohio State-Texas ends, I’ll join the Arkansas-Utah game in progress to finish out the night.

 

September 10, 2026

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. #1 Ohio State (1-0) at #4 Texas (1-0) – (Big Ten vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Ohio State won last year in Columbus in a low-scoring affair – 14-7. I think the offenses will open it up more this year. Both offenses are stronger. Both offenses have almost everyone back from last year. They are loaded with experience. Texas has a more experienced defense. Ohio State has a rebuilt defense. But the talent is there. Neither team can afford to make a mistake. Mistakes could determine who wins, who loses. The attention will be on Texas quarterback Arch Manning and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin. Their receivers have to help them out. Texas has Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo. The Buckeyes counter with Jeremiah Smith. The running backs have to help out too. Ohio State has Bo Jackson. The Longhorns counter with Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers. From a coaching perspective, the pressure will be on Texas’ Steve Sarkisian. He lost last year. Ohio State coach Ryan Day should be more relaxed. This game is a classic. Bevo spits out Buckeyes – Texas 23, Ohio State 21.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. #11 Oklahoma (1-0) at #28 Michigan (1-0) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – Michigan’s performance last week took some of the glam out of this game. Still, it should be a good one. Against Western Michigan, the Wolverines obviously had Oklahoma on their minds. Michigan could lose this game because the poor performance against WMU may still be wearing on their minds. This is a game of psychology and emotions. It’s mental. But coaches have a way of dealing with those things. The good ones do. And we’re dealing with two good coaches here. The concern for Michigan has to be its offense. It was non-existent against Western Michigan. The defense was there but the offense wasn’t. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood needs to step up. OU quarterback John Mateer is the better of the two. Oklahoma won this game in Norman last year – 24-13. The Sooners will do it in Ann Arbor this year. The Sooners clock the Wolverines – Oklahoma 21, Michigan 13.

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3. #29 Arizona (1-0) at #15 BYU (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – BYU is loaded on offense and defense. Arizona is good, but the Wildcats aren’t loaded. BYU’s offense stands out with quarterback Bear Bachmeier and running back L.J. Martin. Martin was on several preseason All-American teams. Arizona’s only hope is quarterback Noah Fifita. He’s good. But he doesn’t have the talent around him that Bachmeier does. BYU also has the home field advantage. Arizona could keep it close. It’s a Cougar day in Provo – BYU 24, Arizona 23.

 

4. #41 Arizona State (1-0) at #10 Texas A&M (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Texas A&M is heavily favored. But Arizona State is capable of keeping this game close. The Aggies have quarterback Marcel Reed and receiver Mario Craver. They are good – very good. ASU has a totally new and totally rebuilt offense. But the Sun Devils have a good coach in Kenny Dillingham. Mike Elko is a good coach too. The Aggies are out to prove something because they feel like they are underrated in the polls. Aggies take the Sun out of the Devils – Texas A&M 28, Arizona State 23.

 

5. #12 Alabama (1-0) at Kentucky (1-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – In the series history, Alabama is 39-2-1 against Kentucky. The last time the Wildcats beat the Crimson Tide was in 1997. In the last five meetings between the schools, Alabama has won by scores like 63-3, 48-7, 34-6, 49-21 and 38-20. So not only does Kentucky almost always lose to Alabama, but Kentucky almost always gets clobbered by Alabama. Most likely this year, Kentucky will lose to Alabama. Whether the score will be close or not remains to be seen. Alabama’s offense may not be all that better than Kentucky’s offense. But Alabama’s defense is far superior to Kentucky’s defense. Still, Kentucky will put up a fight. New coach Will Stein has inspired the Wildcats. He was an offensive coordinator at Oregon. However, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer wants to make a statement this year. The Tide turns the blue grass red – Alabama 28, Kentucky 15.

 

6. Arkansas (1-0) at #20 Utah (1-0) – (SEC vs. Big 12) – 10:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Arkansas is under a new coach – Ryan Silverfield. And the Razorbacks are supposed to be the worst team in the SEC this season. Utah is under a new coach too – Morgan Scalley. But the Utes are supposed to be one of the better teams in the Big 12 this season. We’ll find out Saturday just how good Utah is and how bad Arkansas is. Utah’s threat is quarterback Devon Dampier. Also, his backup Byrd Ficklin. Arkansas doesn’t have any known threats. But the unknown can be dangerous sometimes. The Utes lead the Pigs to the slaughter – Utah 28, Arkansas 18.

  

7. #23 Missouri (1-0) at Kansas (1-0) – (SEC vs. Big 12) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FOX – This game is called the “Border War.” The teams first met in 1891. Missouri leads the series 57-55-9. That’s a pretty close series. Missouri and Kansas stopped playing each other in 2012. This is the second of a two-game series that began last year. In last year’s game, Missouri won 42-31. So this is the Jayhawks last chance to get back at the Tigers until 2031 when they are next scheduled to meet for a two-game series. Missouri All-American running back Ahmad Hardy, who suffered a leg injury during the offseason, will not be back for the Kansas game. That gives the Jayhawks an advantage. However, Missouri has the upper hand at quarterback with Austin Simmons. Missouri’s defense is considered a weak spot for the Tigers. So many unknowns in this contest. Truman rocks – Missouri 30, Kansas 27.

  

8. Duke (1-0) at #37 Illinois (1-0) – (ACC vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – Last year, Illinois beat Duke big time – 45-19. It was an embarrassing loss for the Dookies. Both teams have transfer quarterbacks. Illinois goes with East Carolina transfer Katin Houser. Duke has San Jose State transfer Walker Eget. Houser is probably the better of the two. The Dookies hope to make amends for last year’s loss. That’s a tough assignment. The Devil can’t find his blue dress – Illinois 21, Duke 11.

  

9. Mississippi State (1-0) at #38 Minnesota (1-0) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – These may not be two of the better teams playing this weekend, but this could be one of the better and/or more exciting games. In Week 1, both teams showed signs of improvement over last year. Miss State has an intriguing quarterback in Kamario Taylor. He could be a surprise this season. Minnesota has experience with quarterback Drake Lindsey and running back Darius Taylor. Goldie holes Bully – Minnesota 20, Mississippi State 19.

 

10. #18 Tennessee (1-0) at Georgia Tech (0-1) – (SEC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Georgia Tech’s loss to Colorado took some of the luster off this game. However, that loss should have the Yellow Jackets inspired and fired up to play better this week. Tennessee could have their hands full. At least for a while. Ultimately, the strength of Tennessee should prevail. Tennessee’s freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon looked good in the Vols opener. So did running back DeSean Bishop. Granted the competition wasn’t the toughest, but Brandon and Bishop played well. Tennessee offers more on offense than does Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets had no running game against Colorado. The Vols take the sting out of Buzz – Tennessee 27, Georgia Tech 14.

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

Wake Forest (1-0) at Purdue (1-0) – (ACC vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FS1 – Purdue looked like an improved football team in its opener. The passing game of quarterback Ryan Browne looked good. The defense looked good. But Wake Forest will be tougher than Indiana State. The Demon Deacons looked good passing and running in their opener. This game will be a good test for both teams. It should be a close and exciting game. Neither team should run away from the other. The Deacons get steamed – Purdue 27, Wake Forest 26.

 

Western Kentucky (0-1) at #2 Georgia (1-0) – (C-USA vs. SEC) – 12:45 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Georgia had it easy in its opener. The Dawgs won’t have it any tougher this week. Well maybe a smidgeon tougher. So Western Kentucky will basically be another scrimmage game for Georgia. The Dawgs played four quarterbacks in their opener. They should play at least three, if not four, quarterbacks this week. They might even play the cheerleaders. WKU was blown off the field by Nevada in its opener. Uga pops the Toppers – Georgia 52, Western Kentucky 10.

 

UT Martin (1-1) at West Virginia (1-0) – (OVC vs. Big 12) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+ – The test for WVU this week is to see if the Mountaineers can play two halves instead of just one half. Last week, WVU’s offense and defense were invincible in the first half. They were invisible in the second half – non-existent. UT Martin should be an easier opponent than Coastal Carolina. Quarterback Michael Watkins and running back Cam Cook should shine against the Skyhawks. Mountaineers knock the Hawks out of the sky – West Virginia 42, UT Martin 14.

 

Campbell (2-0) at #27 Florida (1-0) – (CAA vs. SEC) – 5:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+ – Florida was awesome last week, especially the offense. The Gators’ offense hasn’t looked that good in a long, long time. They racked up 624 total yards. Quarterback Aaron Philo came through and running back Jadan Baugh was amazing. Baugh rushed for 160 yards. Campbell will be an easier opponent than Florida Atlantic. So this one should be another romp in The Swamp. Albert goes for a Camel ride – Florida 49, Campbell 12.

 

Bowling Green (0-1) at Nebraska (1-0) – (MAC vs. Big Ten) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – The Huskers will find this MAC team easier than last week’s MAC team. Bowling Green isn’t as good as Ohio. Ohio gave Nebraska a tough time of it for a while. The Huskers didn’t get their act together until the second half. Last week, Bowling Green lost to Tarleton State by 7 points. The Falcons will lose a lot worse to Nebraska this week. Last week, Nebraska displayed a good mix of running and passing. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea and running back Jamal Rule looked good. They likely will look better this week. Herbie goes bowling on the Green – Nebraska 52, Bowling Green 14.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Florida A&M (1-1) at #7 Miami (1-0) – (SWAC vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Thursday, ACCN….

South Florida (1-0) at Army (1-0) – (AC vs. AC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, CBSSN….

 

UCF (1-0) at #33 Pitt (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….

Stetson (1-1) at Bethune-Cookman (0-1) – (Pioneer vs. SWAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday….

 

Buffalo (1-0) at FIU (0-1) – (MAC vs. C-USA) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

Navy (1-0) at Florida Atlantic (0-1) – (AC vs. AC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“Thank you for staying here,” Florida coach Jon Sumrall to his running back Jadan Baugh.

 

“I love being a Gator,” running back Jadan Baugh, responding to Florida coach Jon Sumrall.

 

“He’s the best back in the country,” Florida wide receiver Bailey Stockton, on Gators running back Jadan Baugh.

 

“If I see any College GameDay signs with my name, image or likeness on them, we are kicking ESPN out of the SEC,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next CFW – Week 2 Results – will be posted Monday morning, September 14.

 

CFW Week 1 Results - Robberies in Atlanta and Ann Arbor

 CFW Week 1 Results – Robberies in Atlanta and Ann Arbor

‘Who’ll stop the Canes?’

 

“I went down Palo Alto, seeking shelter from the storm”

 

Miami 45, Stanford 6. Darian Mensah: 27-30-0 for 401 yards and 5 touchdowns. Malachi Toney: 12 receptions for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns. Cooper Barkate: 4 receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown.

 

“And I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the Canes?”

 

The best team in the country during Week 1 was without a doubt Miami.

 

Friday night, Miami dismantled Stanford with precision. The Canes were perfectionists in their victory. Miami at Notre Dame on November 7 is going to be one heck of a football game.

 

The worst team in the country during week one was without a doubt Rutgers.

 

Thursday night’s shocker took place in Piscataway, New Jersey. Hapless UMass upset Rutgers, 37-21. Rutgers was a 30-point favorite. Coming into the contest, UMass had lost 16-straight games. The Minutemen last beat an FBS team in 2023. This was the Minutemen’s first win over a Power Four team since moving up to FBS in 2012. UMass came into the game 0-9 all-time against Big Ten opponents.

You have to think Rutgers coach Greg Schiano is going to get fired this year. Stint 2 for Schiano at Rutgers has been a disaster. UMass quarterback William Watson shredded Rutgers, going 19-22-0 for 197 yards and 3 touchdowns. Rutgers only had 30 yards rushing.

 

Thursday night’s marquee game – Colorado at Georgia Tech – had an exciting finish, but before the finish, it wasn’t much of a game. Colorado scored a touchdown with 42 seconds remaining in the game to take the lead over Georgia Tech, 14-13. But the excitement wasn’t over. In the short time span remaining, the Yellow Jackets advanced the ball to the Colorado 28 yard line. Enter veteran Aidan Birr for a 45-yard field goal attempt. In his career at Tech, Birr already had two walk-off field goals to win ball games. He was going for his third walk-off field goal. However, the third time was not a charm. Birr’s kick was blocked. Colorado beat Georgia Tech, 14-13.

 

Birr not only had his walk-off kick blocked, but also, earlier in the game, he muffed a 35-yard field goal attempt. Had either one of those kicks been successful, Georgia Tech would have won the game. Had the referees not blown a call, Georgia Tech would have won the game. Earlier in the contest, Colorado fumbled and Tech returned it for a touchdown. But the refs said the Colorado runner’s forward progress had stopped before he fumbled. As a result, no touchdown. The Yellow Jackets were robbed. Replays showed the runner’s forward progress had not stopped before the ball came loose. And they were ACC refs to boot.

 

Thursday and Friday nights was a Tale of Two Nights: It was the best of times for Miami, it was the worst of times for Rutgers. Before the first game was played on Saturday, Week 1 was off to an interesting start. It left us wondering – what more could happen on Saturday, Sunday and Monday?

 

What more could happen? A lot. And I found the team who can stop the Canes.

 

“I pulled into Baton Rouge. I was feelin’ ‘bout a half past dead. I just need some place where I can lay my head.”

 

LSU 51, Clemson 10. Sam Leavitt: 343 yards and 3 touchdowns (230 yards and 1 touchdown passing, 113 yards and 2 touchdowns rushing). Dilin Jones: 113 yards and 2 touchdowns rushing. Winston Watkins: 7 receptions for 110 yards and 1 touchdown. LSU: 644 total yards. LSU: 38 first downs.

 

Yeah, I would say Clemson was feelin’ ‘bout a half past dead. I say Clemson needed some place where they could lay their head.

 

The other best team in the country during Week 1 was without a doubt LSU.

 

Saturday night, LSU obliterated Clemson. The Tigers were awesome in their victory. LSU at Ole Miss (September 19) and home to Alabama (November 7) and Texas (November 14) are going to be wild football games.

 

And I would say if any team can stop the Canes, it’s LSU. But Miami and LSU don’t meet during the season. So, I’ll got out on a limb and say that Miami and LSU will play for the national championship on January 25, 2027.

 

“It’s just like all of us waitin’. Waitin’ for the judgment day.”

 

Thursday night, Georgia Tech was robbed by the refs in its game against Colorado. Saturday, another robbery took place. An even bigger robbery. Western Michigan was robbed by the refs in its 13-12 loss to Michigan. Michigan got not one but two chances at a Hail Mary pass at the end of the game.

 

“You should hear what they say about you. Cheat, cheat.”

 

During the first Hail Mary pass, which was incomplete, the clock expired while the ball was still in the air. Game over – Western Michigan won 12-7. But no! The Big Ten referees ruled there was still one second on the clock. Michigan was given a second chance at a Hail Mary pass. The Wolverines were successful on the second pass – Michigan 13-12. The game was stolen from WMU.

 

“They say, they say, you never, never, never been true. Cheat, cheat.

Cause, referees it’s you.”

 

There were some other amazing games and feats on Saturday.

 

Boise State was a 25-point underdog to Oregon. Late in the 2^nd quarter, the Broncos led the Ducks 17-7. Midway through the 4^th quarter, the game was tied 27-27. Eventually, Oregon prevailed, beating Boise  State, 34-27. But it was a struggle for the Ducks.

 

Pitt sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel threw not one, but seven touchdown passes, as the Panthers downed Miami (Ohio), 59-14. His shortest was a 5-yard touchdown toss. His longest was a 53-yard touchdown pass. Heintschel finished the game, passing for 453 yards.

 

Debuting Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell passed for 256 yards and rushed for 86 yards. He had one touchdown rushing. Alabama beat East Carolina, 48-10. The Tide defense held East Carolina to just 2 yards rushing. Navy quarterback Braxton Woodson rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns. The Middies downed Towson, 42-15.

 

Sunday gave us the Game of the Week. Ole Miss kicker Lucas Caneiro kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Magnolias a 41-38 win over Louisville. Also on Sunday, Notre Dame rattled Wisconsin, 41-13. A “For Sale” sign needs to be planted in front of Luke Fickell’s house. And in the  “Apple Cup” the Huskies beat the Cougars – Washington 24, Washington State 10.

 

Last night, SMU played Florida State in Tallahassee. By now, I’m sure you heard there was a major power outage, affecting Doak Campbell Stadium. The game was delayed for more than an hour. Eventually, the officials and coaches agreed to play the game under partial power operations. Among other things, the lighting was limited and the scoreboard was not functioning – which meant the scoreboard clock was not operating.

 

Now, I have figured out that FSU coach Mike Norvell wanted an advantage in this game. He’s in dire straits this season. So, after he saw what happened in Ann Arbor on Saturday, he got an idea. He fiddled with the transformers at Doak Campbell so the scoreboard clock wouldn’t function during the game.  That way, the clock would be kept on the field. And Norvell would make sure it was kept on the FSU side of the field.

 

The five-day football weekend came to an end last night, as SMU beat Florida State, 27-24. The Mustangs won in spite of four turnovers.  

 

If you like lots of scoring, there was plenty of it over the Labor Day weekend. No less than twelve teams scored 60 or more points in their victories. Five of those teams scored 70 or more points. One, Louisiana Tech, scored 80 points. La Tech beat Northwestern State, 80-6.

 

After Week 1 there is not one but two leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy – Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and Miami receiver Malachi Toney. Both will be in New York City on December 12.

 

“And I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the Canes?”

 

Touchdown Tom

September 8, 2026

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

Note: I took the liberty to borrow some lines (and modify a couple of them) from:

“Who’ll Stop the Rain” – Written by John Fogerty and recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

“The Weight” – Written by Robbie Robertson and recorded by The Band.

“Baby It’s You” – Written by Burt Bacharach, Luther Dixon and Mack David and recorded by The Shirelles, The Beatles and Smith.

 

 

Week One Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: What a show! – Ole Miss 41, Louisville 38 (Touchdown Tom said: Ole Miss 30, Louisville 22). This game went from a stubborn defensive battle in the first half with only 16 points scored to a wild offensive frenzy in the second half with 63 points scored. There was only one touchdown in the first half. There were eight touchdowns in the second half. And it all came down to a 48-yard field goal as time expired. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss passed for 336 yards and rushed for 61 yards. He threw 3 touchdown passes and rushed for a fourth touchdown. Ole Miss receiver Deuce Alexander had 5 receptions for 159 yards. Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz was impressive too. He passed for 307 yards and rushed for 69 yards. He threw 2 touchdown passes and rushed for a third touchdown. The teams were all but even in first downs, total yards, passing yards, rushing yards and time of possession. Attendance in Nashville: 57,390

 

RUNNER-UP: A scare from the Broncos – Oregon 34, Boise State 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 27, Boise State 15). Boise State played Oregon on even terms throughout much of the game. The Broncos led the Ducks throughout most of the first half. Finally, with 7:51 remaining in the game, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to receiver Dak Moore. Oregon took a 34-27 lead and that’s how the game ended. And no, Dante and Dak are not related. Both teams had 18 first down each, but Oregon dominated the total yardage – 497 yards to 274 yards. The Oregon defense held Boise State to 93 yards rushing. Attendance in Eugene: 57,652

 

REST OF THE BEST: What a beat down! – LSU 51, Clemson 10 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 27, Clemson 14). LSU led Clemson 31-3 at halftime, and it was all over but the shouting. Late in the 4^th quarter, the score was 51-3. LSU had 38 first downs to 8 for Clemson. LSU had 644 total yards to 145 yards for Clemson. Clemson was 1-for-13 in third down efficiency. The LSU defense held Clemson to 40 yards rushing. You almost have to believe now that this will be Dabo Swinney’s last season at Clemson. Attendance in Baton Rouge: 102,321

 

Was Lambeau an Irishman? – Notre Dame 41, Wisconsin 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 28, Wisconsin 16). Believe it or not, this was a tight game in the first half. Notre Dame led at the break 13-10. Then all hell broke loose in the second half – for Notre Dame, not Wisconsin. The Irish outscored the Badgers 28-3 in the second half. The Irish defense limited Wisconsin to 63 yards rushing. Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns. Irish running back Aneyas Williams rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell needs to update his resume. Attendance in Green Bay: 75,939

 

We don’t need no power – SMU 27, Florida State 24 (Touchdown Tom said: SMU 30, Florida State 23). After a one hour and forty-minute delay, the game finally got underway. SMU scored first and set the pace. Florida State kept it close in the first half. SMU led at halftime 17-10. SMU stepped on its toes in the third quarter with two turnovers and a dumb penalty. FSU took advantage of the Mustangs’ mistakes. At the end of three, the score was 17-17. SMU took a 24-17 lead early in the 4^th quarter. FSU came back and tied it up at 24-24. Then with 0:21 remaining in the game, SMU kicked a 20-yard field goal. The Mustangs hung on to win 27-24. SMU finished with 585 total yards. Attendance in Tallahassee: N/A

 

Down to the wire – Auburn 17, Baylor 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 24, Baylor 23). All the SEC teams won by big margins over the weekend, except Auburn. The Tigers won by one point. They were lucky they didn’t lose by one point. Of course Auburn probably had the toughest opponent of all the SEC teams. Trailing Auburn 17-10, Baylor scored a touchdown with 0:09 remaining in the game. Bears coach Dave Aranda made a decision to go for two points. On the conversion attempt, Baylor quarterback D.J. Lagway connected with tight end Matt Klopfenstein. But Klopfenstein was stopped inches short of the goal line by Auburn safety Eric Winters. Had Lagway led Klopfenstein on the pass, Baylor would have converted and won the game. But the pass was slightly behind Klopfenstein, causing him to pause to catch it. That pause was enough for Winters to tackle him short of the goal line. Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown threw three interceptions. Baylor suffered two turnovers – a fumble and an interception. Baylor led in first downs, total yards and time of possession. Attendance in Atlanta: 55,068

 

The Canes trimmed the Trees – Miami 45, Stanford 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 30, Stanford 18). Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney connected for touchdowns on the Canes’ first two drives of the game. And it continued from there with a third touchdown for Toney. Toney set a Miami record for the most receiving yards – 234 – in a game. On Miami’s first snap of the game, Mensah threw a 48-yard pass to Toney. When it was all over and done, Toney had 12 receptions. And if Mensah couldn’t find Toney, he connected with receiver Cooper Barkate. Barkate had four receptions and one touchdown. Toney and Barkate are a dangerous combination. Miami finished the game with 549 total yards – 428 of them passing. The Canes finished with 27 first downs and were 8-for-11 in third down efficiency. Attendance in Palo Alto: 37,648

 

Baby Bruin beats Mama Bear – UCLA 45, California 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Cal 24, UCLA 20). Bob Chesney is a winner. The first-year UCLA coach wins wherever he goes. Last year, he coached James Madison to the College Football Playoff. Saturday, UCLA was a three-point underdog to California. The Bruins won by 21 points. The game was close for three quarters, with the score tied 24-24 at the end of three. In the 4^th quarter, UCLA ran away from Cal, scoring 21 unanswered points. UCLA running back Anthony Woods ran for 118 yards, scoring two touchdowns. Cal running back Adam Mohammed ran for 120 yards, scoring a touchdown. Cal quarterback Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele was disappointing, throwing two interceptions. Cal dominated the passing game 291 yards to 184 yards. UCLA dominated the rushing game 277 yards to 119 yards. Cal suffered three turnovers. Attendance in Berkeley: 54,283

 

It wasn’t over until it was over – Colorado 14, Georgia Tech 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 27, Colorado 22). With less than a minute to go in the game, Colorado trailed Georgia Tech 13-7. The Buffaloes had the ball and were moving. There were 42 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter when Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis hit his tight end Charlie Williams for a 20-yard touchdown. With the extra point, Colorado went up 14-13. It wasn’t looking good for the Yellow Jackets until quarterback Alberto Mendoza connected with receiver Dalen Penson for a 42-yard gain. The play put Georgia Tech in field goal range. But Aidan Birr’s 45-yard attempt was blocked. It was Birr’s second flub of the game. Earlier, he missed a 35-yard field goal. To Birr’s credit, he converted on field goals of 22 yards and 29 yards in the game. He was 2-for-4 on the night. The best player for the Yellow Jackets was receiver Jordan Allen. Allen had 8 receptions for 113 yards. Tech suffered from the lack of a running game. The Jackets only had 51 yards rushing. Attendance in Atlanta: 52,113

 

Taking care of business – Duke 17, Tulane 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 21, Tulane 14). Duke lost quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Cooper Barkate to Miami, but the Devils held onto running back Nate Sheppard. Saturday, Sheppard rushed for 227 yards and two touchdowns. The Duke defense held Tulane to 10 first downs and 54 yards rushing. Between the teams, there were 23 penalties – 15 on Tulane. The Dookies jumped out to a 10-0 first half lead and then didn’t score again until midway through the 4^th quarter. Attendance in Durham: 16,113

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

Looking better – Purdue 44, Indiana State 19 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 27, Indiana State 12). I don’t know how Purdue will finish the season and I know it was Indiana State, but Friday night Purdue sure looked a lot better than last year’s Boilermakers who finished 2-10 (0-9 in Big Ten play). Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne was 23-29-0, passing for 317 yards and three touchdowns. Purdue got off to a slow start, leading 16-6 at halftime. But the Boilers finished strong, building their lead to 44-6. Purdue had 28 first downs and 523 total yards. Barry Odom definitely has Purdue looking better in his second season coaching the Boilermakers. Attendance in West Lafayette: 49,019

 

Couldn’t sustain the first half – West Virginia 31, Coastal Carolina 24 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 34, Coastal Carolina 14). This was like two different games for the Mountaineers. WVU could do no wrong in the first half. They could do nothing right in the second half. The Mounties won the first half 24-0. They lost the second half 24-7. WVU should be better than last year, but I’m not sure how much better. Coastal quarterback Deuce Bailey passed for 373 yards and three touchdowns. The Chanticleers had no rushing game. They were held to 52 yards rushing. WVU running back Cam Cook rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Michael Hawkins passed for 132 yards and ran for 103 yards. He had two touchdowns – one passing and one rushing. Attendance in Morgantown: 54,158

 

One MAC team down and one to go – Nebraska 49, Ohio 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 30, Ohio 14). It was a slow start for Nebraska. Ohio led 10-7 after one quarter. The Huskers led 14-13 at the half. The second half was all Nebraska – 31-8. Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea passed for 275 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed for another touchdown. Huskers running back Jamal Rule rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Nebraska racked up 523 total yards, with a nice balance of 275 yards passing and 248 yards rushing. The Huskers had 28 first downs. Attendance in Lincoln: 85,577

 

No surprise here – Georgia 63, Tennessee State 3(Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 48, Tennessee State 3). Georgia did what the Dawgs were expected to do – nothing more, nothing less. The offense was strong. The defense was strong. On offense quarterback Gunner Stockton passed for 202 yards and three touchdowns. In all, four Georgia quarterbacks played in the game. Running back Nate Frazier had three touchdowns rushing. Georgia literally played everybody on the team. The managers may have gotten in. Georgia’s defense held Tennessee State to just 10 yards rushing. Georgia’s offense racked up 660 total yards, including 31 first downs. Attendance in Athens: 93,033

 

Bring on the Buckeyes – Texas 59, Texas State 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Texas State 17). This was the warm up game for Ohio State and the Longhorns looked good on offense and defense. Texas led 28-7 at the half and outscored the Bobcats 31-0 in the second half. Quarterback Arch Manning passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver Ryan Wingo had 7 receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown. Texas rolled up 516 total yards – more passing than rushing. Texas State suffered from three turnovers. Attendance in Austin: 102,738

 

Looking good in The Swamp – Florida 66, Florida Atlantic 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 38, Florida Atlantic 14). Man, Florida hasn’t looked like this in a long time – not ever against the weaker teams. The Gators came to play. The Gators were up 38-14 at halftime and added 29 more points in the second half. FAU quarterback Caden Veltkamp put up a fight, passing for 276 yards. Florida quarterback Aaron Philo passed for 275 yards and three touchdowns. The main man was running back Jadan Baugh. Baugh rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Vernell Brown had 6 receptions for 117 yards. Florida racked up 624 total yards with a good balance between passing and rushing. FAU had three turnovers. Attendance in Gainesville: 90,295

 

Week 1 Results:   14 winners, 2 fumbles (88 percent)

For the Season:   16 winners, 4 fumbles (80 percent)

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

UCF 73, Bethune-Cookman 6 – Attendance in Orlando: 43,127

Stetson 45, Webber International 10 – Attendance in Deland: 2,064

 

West Florida 42, Central Arkansas 14 – Attendance in Conway: 5,138

 

South Florida 19, FIU 9 – Attendance in Tampa: 41,847

South Carolina State 31, Florida A&M 13 – Attendance in Miami Gardens: 23,188

 

 

Superlatives

 

Week One’s Best Passers:

 

Pitt’s Mason Heintschel – 31-41-0 for 453 yards (7TDs); Arizona State’s Cotter Boley – 21-27-0-387 (6TDs); Oregon’s Dante Moore – 28-37-0-378 (3TDs); Oregon State’s Braden Atkinson – 29-48-0-376 (1TD); Coastal Carolina’s Deuce Bailey – 21-37-0-374 (3TDs); Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor – 22-34-0-354 (4TDs); Wake Forest’s Gio Lopez – 21-32-0-350 (3TDs); Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss – 21-36-1-336 (3TDs), and Troy’s Landyn Locke – 30-46-1-335 (3TDs).

 

Also, Jacksonville State’s Caden Creel – 21-28-1 for 327 yards (5TDs); Ohio State’s Julian Sayin – 21-25-0-320 (3TDs); Purdue’s Ryan Browne – 23-29-0-317 (3TDs); San Jose State’s Luke Weaver – 23-39-1-316 (3TDs); Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz – 18-29-0-307 (2TDs); Texas’ Arch Manning – 20-27-1-305 (4TDs); Kentucky’s Kenny Minchey – 18-27-0-301 (4TDs); Appalachian State’s Malachi Singleton – 22-24-0-291 (3TDs), and Nebraska’s Anthony Colandrea – 18-32-0-275 (3TDs).

 

Also, UT SA’s Owen McCown – 22-27-0 for 275 yards (3TDs); Florida’s Aaron Philo – 16-21-1-273 (3TDs); Penn State’s Rocco Becht – 13-18-0-271 (4TDs); South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers – 19-23-0-270 (3TDs); Washington’s Demond Williams – 24-35-0-268 (1TD); Syracuse’s Steve Angeli – 20-29-0-263 (3TDs); Arizona’s Noah Fifita – 22-29-0-262 (2); Missouri’s Austin Simmons – 17-19-0-252 (4TDs); Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr – 19-29-0-239 (2TDs), and Louisiana Tech’s Blake Baker – 10-14-0-232 (3TDs).

 

Also, Indiana’s Josh Hoover – 13-16-0 for 231 yards (4TDs); Tennessee’s Faizon Brandon – 13-17-0-226 (3TDs); Colorado State’s Hauss Hejny – 23-33-0-214 (5TDs); North Dakota State’s Nathan Hayes – 18-23-0-210 (2TDs); Georgia’s Gunner Stockton – 15-16-0-202 (3TDs); Middle Tennessee’s Roman Gagliano – 20-26-0-200 (2TDs); Kansas State’s Avery Johnson – 15-21-0-199 (3TDs); BYU’s Bear Bachmeier – 16-20-0-198 (3TDs); Massachusetts’ William Watson – 19-22-0-197 (3TDs); Georgia State’s Cameron Brown – 15-20-0-190 (2RDs);, and Illinois’ Katin Houser – 13-17-0-182 (3TDs).

 

Week One’s Best Rushers:

 

Duke’s Nate Sheppard – 227 yards (2TDs); Navy’s Braxton Woodson – 200 yards (3TDs); Iowa’s Kamari Moulton – 183 yards (2TDs); Memphis’ Jaylin Carter – 183 yards (4TDs); Florida’s Jadan Baugh – 160 yards (3TDs); Temple’s Keveun Mason – 158 yards (2TDs); Nevada’s Dominic Kelley – 152 yards (2TDs); UNLV’s Jai’Den Thomas – 143 yards (1TD), and West Virginia’s Cam Cook – 142 yards (2TDs).

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“If your DoorDash delivery guy delivered your food naked, would you eat it?” Tim Tebow.

 

“The most rigged ending ever,” USA Today sports columnist Jordan Mendoza, on the end of the Western Michigan-Michigan game.

 

“I didn’t know they’d be that dysfunctional on offense,” LSU coach Lane Kiffin on Clemson.

 

“A Saturday without college football might as well be a Wednesday,” Television ad.

 

“Fire Kyle, fire Kyle, fire Kyle,” the crowd chanted in Michigan Stadium late in the game with Western Michigan.

 

Touchdown Tom

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