Monday, November 9, 2026

CFW Week 10 Results - Nebraska, Purdue, Michigan fire coordinators

 CFW Week 10 Results – Nebraska, Purdue, Michigan fire coordinators 

Blockbuster Saturday

became Statement Saturday

 

Six of the games played Saturday were touted in advance as “blockbuster games.” The competing teams in each of the six games were both ranked. Indeed, those games were blockbusters in their own right.

 

After the games were played, it became clear that at least one of the teams in each of the six games was making a statement. In some cases, both teams were making a statement. The blockbuster games became “statement games.” And did they ever!

 

Perhaps the biggest, loudest and clearest statement was made in the Georgia-Ole Miss, Alabama-LSU and Tennessee-Kentucky games. Georgia not only beat Ole Miss, but the Dawgs also beat Ole Miss, 42-7. Ole Miss didn’t score its lone touchdown until the fourth quarter. And the Dawgs beat Ole Miss 42-7 in Oxford, on the Magnolias’ home field. Undoubtedly, Georgia will become the No. 1 team in the CFP rankings this week. The Dawgs are the only one-loss team in the SEC. Georgia was making a statement!

 

Not to be outdone, Alabama made it loud and clear the Tide has its act together. Alabama not only beat LSU, the Tide beat LSU, 31-13. Bama shut out the Tigers 14-0 in the fourth quarter. And Bama beat LSU, 31-13 in Baton Rouge, on LSU’s home field. Fifth-ranked Alabama will move up in this week’s CFP rankings. Alabama was making a statement!

 

And then there was Tennessee. Unlike Georgia and Alabama, the Vols were playing at home. But Kentucky came into Knoxville riding a six-game winning streak. No more. Tennessee not only beat Kentucky, the Vols beat Kentucky 34-6. Tennessee shut out Kentucky 24-0 in the second half. In the CFP rankings last week, Tennessee, ranked 13th, was on the outside looking in. The Vols were not one of the 12 playoff teams. This week, Tennessee will be one of the playoff teams. Tennessee was making a statement!

 

In the two biggest games on Saturday – Miami-Notre Dame and BYU-Utah – both teams in each game were making a statement. In last week’s CFP rankings, Miami was No. 1 and Notre Dame was No. 11. Saturday, Notre Dame beat Miami, 31-24. Early in the third quarter, Notre Dame led Miami, 24-3. But, playing on Notre Dame’s home field in South Bend, the Canes rallied, outscoring the Irish 21-7. Miami lost by seven points. The Canes made it close. Had the game been played in Miami, the Canes would have won. The game was played in South Bend and Notre Dame won. On a neutral field, who would win? Both Notre Dame and Miami made a statement!

 

In last week’s CFP rankings, Utah was No.3 and BYU was No. 9. Saturday, Utah beat BYU, 28-20. Utah jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead. But playing on Utah’s home field in Salt Lake City, the Cougars rallied, outscoring the Utes, 20-0. At halftime, BYU led Utah, 20-14. In the second half, Utah shut out BYU, 14-0. BYU lost by eight points. The Cougars made it close. Had the game been played in Provo, BYU would have won. The game was played in Salt Lake City and Utah won. On a neutral field, who would win? Remaining undefeated at 9-0, Utah made the bigger statement. But both Utah and BYU made a statement!

 

How about Arch Manning? Seventh-ranked Texas played 18th-ranked Missouri. The Longhorns were on the road, playing on Missouri’s home field in Columbia. Texas beat Missouri, 34-20. Trailing the Tigers, 20-13, late in the third quarter, Manning rallied the Longhorns. Texas scored 21 unanswered points. Two of those three scores were touchdown passes thrown by Manning. Last year, Manning had a shaky season until the final three games. In Texas’ final three games, Manning was near perfect. Texas went from 7-3 to finish the season at 10-3. This year, Manning has had a shaky season. Saturday, Manning was near perfect, completing 74% of his passes. He passed for 297 yards and three touchdowns. And no interceptions. Maybe Manning will finish this season like he did last season. Texas will move up in the CFP rankings. Arch Manning and Texas made a statement!

 

Saturday, 23rd-ranked Oregon played 12th-ranked Ohio State on the road in Columbus. At 5-3, the Ducks season was all but over. It has been a season of disappointment for Oregon. However Saturday, Oregon beat Ohio State. The Ducks not only beat the Buckeyes, but they also beat Ohio State 41-28. All of a sudden, Oregon is a contender again. Oregon made a statement!

 

The games may not have been blockbusters, but there were other statements made on Saturday. Eighth-ranked UCLA played Minnesota on Minnesota’s home field in Minneapolis. Several pundits said that UCLA would get knocked off by the Gophers. Not so. UCLA remained undefeated, beating Minnesota, 34-20. The Bruins are 9-0. UCLA was making a statement!

 

Nineteenth-ranked Iowa played a good Northwestern team at Northwestern. Both teams were 6-2. Iowa is now 7-2. The Hawkeyes beat the Wildcats, 24-10. Iowa was making a statement. Seventeenth-ranked Houston should move up in the rankings. Houston (7-2) beat Cincinnati, 31-24. Houston was making a statement.

 

The 21st-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks extended their winning streak to four games. South Carolina beat Texas A&M, 17-9. Trailing the Aggies, 9-7 in the fourth quarter, the Gamecocks scored 10 points in the final 8:14 of the game. The Gamecocks have gone from 2-3 to 6-3. South Carolina is making a statement!

 

College football Week 10 began with a Tuesday night kickoff. The MAC provided the action this week, replacing C-USA. In the first of the two Tuesday games, Ohio downed Akron, 28-20. Ohio quarterback Nick Poulos passed for 197 yards and one touchdown. Poulos also rushed for 45 yards and another touchdown. Ohio improved to 7-2.

 

In the other encounter, Buffalo beat Miami, 34-31 (OT). Early in the fourth quarter, Miami led Buffalo 31-16. The Bulls rallied with 15 unanswered points in the final nine minutes of the game to tie the score at 31-31. In the overtime, Buffalo scored with a 27-yard field goal. Miami failed to score. Buffalo receiver Chance Morrow had 12 catches for 199 yards and 2 touchdowns.

 

MAC-action continued on Wednesday night with three games. UMass beat Ball State, 31-30 (OT). Minutemen quarterback William Watson passed for 302 yards and one touchdown. Watson also rushed for 40 yards and two more touchdowns. Ball State running back Jalen Binds rushed for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns.

 

Toledo improved to 7-2. The Rockets downed Sacramento State, 20-17. Toledo running back C.J. Miller rushed for 135 yards. The Rockets defense held Sac State to 8 yards rushing. In the nightcap, Central Michigan beat Eastern Michigan, 35-7. CMU quarterback Jadyn Glasser passed for 175 yards and one touchdown. CMU’s defense held EMU to 177 total yards.

 

Thursday night consisted of an AC game and a Sun Belt encounter. In the AC game, Florida Atlantic walloped UTSA, 60-29. FAU quarterback Caden Veltkamp passed for 210 yards and 4 touchdowns. The two teams combined for 988 total yards. James Madison won the Sun Belt encounter. JMU beat Southern Miss, 54-23. JMU quarterback J.C. Evans passed for 251 yards and one touchdown. Southern Miss quarterback John White passed for 266 yards and one touchdown.

 

Friday night lights was a busy night in Week 10. There were five games played on Friday night. In the opening act, SMU clobbered Virginia Tech, 51-28. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings passed for 350 yards and 4 touchdowns. The teams combined for 986 total yards. Next, East Carolina kicked a 55-yard field goal as time expired to beat South Florida, 20-17.

 

Illinois only had 84 rushing yards, but the Banned Indians beat Nebraska, 24-13. In Friday’s fourth game, New Mexico improved to 8-1, as the Lobos downed Nevada, 3a1-3. New Mexico quarterback Toa Fa’avae passed for 150 yards and one touchdown. New Mexico’s defense held Nevada to 97 total yards, including -9 yards rushing.

 

The nightcap Friday saw Arizona edge TCU, 29-28. Trailing TCU 28-26, Arizona recovered its onside kick with 1:45 to go in the game and kicked a 37-yard field goal with 0:37 remaining in the game to win. The Wildcats had 441 total yards and held TCU to 49 yards rushing.

 

In some other games on Saturday, Michigan State downed Michigan, 15-6, and Penn State beat Washington, 28-25.

 

Clemson edged Syracuse 18-13 in the ACC, and Vanderbilt surprised Mississippi State, 25-23, in the SEC.

 

In the Big 12, Oklahoma State walloped Kansas State, 66-28. Okie State’s quarterback Drew Mestemaker passed for 313 yards and four touchdowns. The Cowboys’ running back Caleb Hawkins rushed for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Also in the Big 12, UCF slipped by Kansas, 33-32.

 

In a service academy battle, Air Force beat Army 24-21. Also Navy downed Temple, 42-35.

 

While you were asleep Saturday night, Texas State beat Oregon State, 42-21, and Wyoming downed UNLV, 41-35. Texas State running back Torrance Burgess rushed for 196 yards and one touchdown.

 

It’s been a bad weekend for Big Ten coordinators. The day after Nebraska lost to Illinois, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule fired his offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Purdue Barry Odom fired his defensive coordinator Kevin Kane. The firing came a day after the Boilers lost to Maryland, 34-29. Sunday afternoon, Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham fired his offensive coordinator Jason Beck. Beck’s firing came a day after the Wolverines lost to Michigan State, 15-6.

 

Reports say that Phillip Rivers will become the new head coach at NC State. Rivers is a former NC State quarterback.

 

The Top 12 teams in this week’s AP Top 25 Poll are 1. Georgia (8-1), 2. Utah (9-0), 3. Notre Dame (8-1), 4. UCLA (9-0), 5. Miami (8-1), 6. Indiana (8-1), 7. Alabama (7-2), 8. Texas (7-2), 9. Tennessee (7-2), 10. Texas Tech (8-1), 11. Wake Forest (8-1), and 12. BYU (7-2). At No. 17, Boise State is the highest-ranked Group of Six team.

 

Touchdown Tom

November 9, 2026

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

Weekend Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: Irish make a statement – Notre Dame 31, Miami 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 30, Miami 24). Until late in the third quarter, it looked like Notre Dame was going to run away with this game. The Irish led the Canes, 24-3. Then the Canes came alive. Miami quarterback Darian Mensah passed for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He threw one interception. Miami receiver Cooper Barkate had 10 catches for 92 yards. Elija Lofton had 7 receptions for 113 yards. Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr passed for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Irish receiver Micah Gilbert had 9 catches for 98 yards. The teams were relatively close in the stats. Although Miami had 2 turnovers and ND had none. Neither team had much of a running game. Miami suffered its first loss. Attendance in South Bend: 77,622

 

RUNNER-UP: The Utes were holier – Utah 28, BYU 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 30, BYU 24). This game went back and forth. The Utes led, the Cougars led, the Utes won. BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier threw four interceptions. BYU receiver Legend Glasker had 7 catches for 118 yards. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier passed for 117 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 89 yards and two more touchdowns. The teams were relatively close in the stats. It was a game of turnovers. BYU had 4 and Utah had 2. Attendance in Salt Lake City: 52,901

 

REST OF THE BEST: The Magnolias wilted – Georgia 42, Ole Miss 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 28, Ole Miss 24). Georgia led 28-0 at halftime. The Dawgs went into cruise control in the second half. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton passed for 186 yards and four touchdowns. Georgia receiver Talyn Taylor had 4 receptions for 140 yards. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss had no touchdown passes. He threw one interception. Georgia had 481 total yards. The Dawgs limited Ole Miss to 66 yards rushing. Ole Miss had 2 turnovers. Georgia had none. Attendance in Oxford: 68,814

 

Poor little Kiffy – Alabama 31, LSU 13 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 27, Alabama 24). Good game for three quarters. Alabama led 17-13 after three. Then the Tigers fell apart in the fourth quarter. Lane Kiffin couldn’t get the job done. Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell passed for 206 yards and three touchdowns. LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt had no touchdown passes and threw an interception. LSU receiver Jackson Harris had 11 catches for 166 yards. Actually, LSU out performed Alabama in the stats. The Tigers had 457 total yards to 285 for Bama. Neither team had a running game. LSU had two turnovers. Alabama had none. Attendance in Baton Rouge: 102,321

 

Vols rule in Knoxville – Tennessee 34, Kentucky 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Tennessee 27, Kentucky 21). Tennessee led 10-6 at halftime. The Vols ran away from the Wildcats in the second half. Tennessee outscored Kentucky 24-0 in the final two quarters. Neither quarterback had that great of a game. Kentucky killed themselves with three turnovers. Tennessee had none. Attendance in Knoxville: 101,915

 

Longhorns stampede Missouri – Texas 34, Missouri 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 27, Missouri 24). After three quarters, the game was tied 20-20. Then Texas outscored Missouri 14-0 in the fourth quarter. Texas quarterback Arch Manning was 28-38-0, passing for 297 yards and three touchdowns. Manning was in control and looked comfortable throughout the game. Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons passed for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Texas held Missouri to 84 yards rushing. The Longhorns had two turnovers. The Tigers had one. Attendance in Columbia: 63,690

 

The Buckeyes were waddled – Oregon 41, Ohio State 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 28, Oregon 17). After one quarter, Ohio State led Oregon, 14-0. At halftime, Oregon led Ohio State, 17-14. After three quarters, Oregon led 31-14. Late in the fourth quarter, Oregon led 41-22. Ohio State’s final touchdown came with 0:44 left in the game. Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola passed for 257 yards and two touchdowns. Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith had 7 receptions for 133 yards. The teams were almost dead even in the stats. However, Ohio State was the better passing team. Oregon was the better rushing team. Oregon held the Buckeyes to 53 yards rushing. Attendance in Columbus: 103,551

 

Still perfect – UCLA 34, Minnesota 20 (Touchdown Tom said: UCLA 20, Minnesota 14). The score was 10-10 at halftime. Then the Bruins outscored the Gophers 24-10 in the second half. UCLA quarterback Ty Dieffenbach passed for 303 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. UCLA had 466 total yards to 296 for Minnesota. The Gophers were held to 91 rushing yards. Attendance in  Minneapolis: 43,841

 

The Eyes have their sights on the playoff – Iowa 24, Northwestern 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 23, Northwestern 15). Iowa held a 14-0 halftime lead. The Hawkeyes led 24-3 as the fourth quarter began. Iowa running back L.J. Phillips rushed for 128 yards. The score could have been worse, but Iowa had two turnovers. Northwestern quarterback Nicco Marchiol passed for 181 yards and one touchdown. Marchiol also rushed for 52 yards. Attendance in Evanston: 31,151

 

Cougars prevail – Houston 31, Cincinnati 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Houston 27, Cincinnati 24). At the end of the first quarter, Houston led 14-0. Cincinnati rallied. By midway through the fourth quarter, the Bearcats managed to tie the score at 24-24. A minute and a half later, Houston scored its winning touchdown. Houston quarterback Conner Weighman passed for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns. Houston racked up 468 total yards with a healthy mix of running and passing. Attendance in Houston: 32,372

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

Second half blues – Illinois 24, Nebraska 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Illinois 21). The Huskers are making improvement. They didn’t lose this game in the fourth quarter. Nebraska was already trailing Illinois as the fourth quarter began. The game was tied 7-7 at halftime. Illinois took a 14-7 lead in the third quarter. The Banned Indians expanded their lead to 21-7 early in the fourth quarter. Illinois quarterback Katin Houser passed for 292 yards and 3 touchdowns. Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea passed for 284 yards and one touchdown. The Huskers dominated the stats and held Illinois to 84 yards rushing. But the Huskers couldn’t move the ball across the goal line. Attendance in Champaign: 58,587

 

How about those Dookies! – Duke 41, NC State 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 21, NC State 20). What got into the Dookies? They must be trying to make an impression on the CFP selection committee. Duke led 31-3 at halftime. The Dookies went into cruise control in the second half. Duke quarterback Walker Eget passed for 208 yards and one touchdown. Running back Nate Sheppard rushed for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Duke had 461 total yards to 217 for NC State. The Dookies had 26 first downs to 12 for NC State. Duke held NC State to 32 rushing yards. Attendance in Raleigh: 56,919

 

Hopeless Boilers – Maryland 34, Purdue 29 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 27, Maryland 20). Purdue led 12-7 at halftime. Maryland outscored the Boilers 21-7 in the third quarter. As the fourth quarter began, the Terps led 28-19. With 3:50 remaining in the game, Purdue scored and trailed by five points. But the Boilers could get no closer. Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne passed for 296 yards but no touchdowns. Purdue controlled the stats but not the score. Each team had one turnover. Attendance in West Lafayette: 51,929

 

Hurtin’ Gators – Oklahoma 23, Florida 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 24, Oklahoma 20). Florida doesn’t have a quarterback, and Florida doesn’t have a defense. Without a quarterback and a defense, you can’t win football games. OU quarterback John Mateer may have had his best game of the season. Mateer passed for 207 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 56 yards. Florida quarterback Tramell Jones completed less than 50% of his passes. He only threw for 133 yards. Jadan Baugh only rushed for 35 yards. Florida only had 203 total yards and only 70 rushing yards. The Gators only mustered 11 first downs. Florida also had two turnovers. Attendance in Gainesville: 90,442

 

1,220 total yards – Texas Tech 53, West Virginia 48 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas Tech 35, West Virginia 27). Yes, the two teams combined for 1,220 total yards. Weird game. Texas Tech led 17-14 at the end of the first quarter, and 41-27 at halftime. Then West Virginia came out and scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter. The Mountaineers led 48-41 as the fourth quarter began. Then the Red Raiders scored 12 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. WVU had its chances but failed to score in the fourth. WVU quarterback Michael Hawkins passed for 303 yards and one touchdown. Hawkins ran for 88 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Cam Cook rushed for 149 yards and one touchdown. Tech quarterback Thomas Castellanos passed for 362 yards and 5 touchdowns. Castellanos ran for 102 yards. Running back J’Koby Williams rushed for 160 yards and one touchdown. It was a turnover free game. Attendance in Lubbock: 60,229

 

Week 10 Results:  10 winners, 5 fumbles (66.7 percent)

For the Season:     96 winners, 48 fumbles (66.7 percent)

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Florida Atlantic 60, UTSA 29 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 19,115

East Carolina 20, South Florida 17 – Attendance in Greenville: 33,708

Florida State 31, Boston College 24 – Attendance in Chestnut Hill: 37,155

 

Davidson 33, Stetson 14 – Attendance in Davidson: 2,268

Alcorn State 38, Florida A&M 20 – Attendance in Alcorn: 3,922

Southern 35, Bethune-Cookman 17 – Attendance in Baton Rouge: 18,631

 

UCF 33, Kansas 32 – Attendance in Lawrence: 31,008

FIU 23, Missouri State 20 – Attendance in Miami: 10,575

North Alabama 28, West Florida 21 – Attendance in Florence: 9,357

 

Superlatives

 

Impressive Passers:

 

Wake Forest’s Steele Pizella – 23-28-0 for 432 yards (3TDs); Delaware’s Nick Minicucci – 35-54-0-408 (2TDs); Texas Tech’s Thomas Castellanos – 18-27-0-362 (5TDs); SMU’s Kevin Jennings – 24-32-1-350 (4TDs); Tulsa’s Baylor Hayes – 26-33-0-338 (4TDs); Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr – 29-40-0-319 (3TDs); Boise State’s Max Cutforth – 16-19-0-317 (4TDs), and Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker – 22-28-1-313 (4TDs).

 

Also, Middle Tennessee’s Roman Gagliano – 30-41-0 for 312 yards (4TDs); North Texas’ Tayven Jackson – 18-31-0-303 (1TD); West Virginia’s Michael Hawkins – 11-16-0-303 ()1TD); UMass’s William Watson – 17-25-0-302 (1TD); Illinois’ Katin Houser – 22-36-0-292 (3TDs); Nebraska’s Anthony Colandrea – 32-43-0-284 (1TD); Georgia Southern’s Max Johnson – 19-26-0-271 (4TDs), and Southern Miss’s John White – 22-25-0-266 (1TD).

 

Also, Oregon’s Dylan Raiola – 25-40-0 for 257 yards (2TDs); North Carolina’s Billy Edwards – 29-38-1-255 (3TDs); Liberty’s Deshawn Purdie – 19-28-0-252 (1TD); South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers – 2031-0-251 (1TD); James Madison’s J.C. Evans – 19-26-0-251 (1TD); Jacksonville State’s Caden Creel – 18-28-0-246 (2TDs); Wisconsin’s Ryan Hopkins – 18-24-0-241 (3TDs); San Jose State’s Daniel Rolovich – 16-27-0-231 (1TD), and Houston’s Conner Weighman – 17-24-0-227 (2TDs).

 

Also, Florida Atlantic’s Caden Veltkamp – 17-25-0 for 210 yards (4TDs); Alabama’s Keelon Russell – 17-24-0-206 (3TDs); Arizona State’s Jake Fette – 13-19-0-187 (1TD); Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz – 17-25-0-182 (2TDs); Auburn’s Byrum Brown – 23-34-0-180 (2TDs); South Florida’s Luke Kromenhoek – 17-21-0-179 (1TD); Louisiana Tech’s Blake Baker – 177 yards (1TD); East Carolina’s Emory Williams – 19-27-0-175 (2TDs); Central Michigan’s Jadyn Glasser – 14-19-0-175 (1TD), and New Mexico’s Toa Fa’avae – 14-20-0-150 (1TD).

 

 

Impressive Runners:

 

Duke’s Nate Sheppard – 217 yards (3TDs); FIU’s Devonte Lyons – 216 yards (2TDs); Texas State’s Torrance Burgess – 196 yards (1TD); Navy’s Jackson Gutierrez – 180 yards (5TDs); Oklahoma State’s Caleb Hawkins – 175 yards (3TDs); Texas Tech’s J’Koby Williams – 160 yards (1TD); West Virginia’s Cam Cook – 149 yards (1TD); North Texas’ Jahiem White – 139 yards (3TDs), and Louisiana’s J.J. Garner – 136 yards (1TD).

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“Lane Kiffin brought hype to LSU. Now his first season is swirling the drain,” USA Today sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer.

 

“The boos say it all. Ryan Day has burned through Ohio State’s goodwill,” USA Today sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

P.S.

 

Not exactly college football related, but in early November, as the college football season began its final stretch, the number one song in the country…

 

…85 years ago, this week in 1941, was “Piano Concerto In B Flat” by Freddy Martin and His Orchestra

 

…80 years ago, this week in 1946, was “Rumors Are Flying” by Frankie Carle and His Orchestra

 

…75 years ago, this week in 1951, was “Cold, Cold Heart” by Tony Bennett

 

…70 years ago, this week in 1956, was “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley and “Green Door” by Jim Lowe

 

…65 years ago, this week in 1961, was “Big Bad John” by Jimmy Dean

 

…60 years ago, this week in 1966, was “Last Train To Clarksville” by The Monkees and “Poor Side Of Town” by Johnny Rivers

 

…55 years ago, this week in 1971, was “Gypsys, Tramps And Thieves” by Cher

 

…50 years ago, this week in 1976, was “Rockin’ Me” by The Steve Miller Band

 

…45 years ago, this week in 1981, was “Private Eyes” by Daryl Hall and John Oates

 

…40 years ago, this week in 1986, was “Amanda” by Boston

 

…35 years ago, this week in 1991, was “Cream” by Prince

 

The next CFW – Week 11 Forecast – will be posted on Thursday morning, November 12.

 

Thursday, November 5, 2026

CFW Week 19 Forecast - Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson seek NC State job

 CFW Week 10 Forecast – Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson seek NC State job

Weekend full of blockbuster games

 

Man, are we in store for a blockbuster weekend! No less than six blockbuster games. Playoff buster games too.

 

It all begins with the biggest of the blockbusters – No. 1 Miami (8-0) at No. 4 Notre Dame (7-1). If this game lives up to its hype, it should be a doozy. It could be a Heisman maker game too between Miami’s Darian Mensah and Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr. Will defense play a part in this game?

 

Right behind the Canes-Irish encounter is the second biggest of the blockbusters – No. 7 BYU (7-1) at No. 3 Utah (8-0). This game will match the running-passing quarterbacks Bear Bachmeier of BYU against Devon Dampier of Utah. And will defense play a part in this game too? These two could actually meet again in the Big 12 title game.

 

The remaining four of the six blockbusters are all SEC encounters – big encounters too. We begin with No. 2 Georgia (7-1) and No. 12 Ole Miss (6-2). The Dawgs will be out to shut down Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy. That’s a big assignment. Ole Miss will be out to remain in contention for the CFP.

 

Next, we have No. 9 Alabama (6-2) at No. 15 LSU (6-2). But instead of Baton Rouge at nighttime, it’s Baton Rouge in the afternoon. Lane Kiffin isn’t happy about that. The Tigers will just have to learn to play in the daylight. I imagine Sam Leavitt can do that. How about Keelon Russell?

 

Then we have No. 8 Kentucky (7-1) at No. 16 Tennessee (6-2). USA Today’s Blake Toppmeyer says, “Football winning has become intoxicating at Kentucky.” The heck with basketball season. It can wait. No doubt, Tennessee will have its hands full. Which team will step up?

 

The last of the six blockbusters is a goodie – No. 10 Texas (6-2) at No. 19 Missouri (6-2). Arch Manning needs a breakout game, and this could be it. But never overlook Eli Drinkwitz. The Missouri coach is a mastermind of surprises.

 

The next three games may not be blockbusters, but they are quality games in their own right. They are all playoff busters. And all three are Big Ten encounters. How about No. 27 Oregon (5-3) at No. 11 Ohio State (6-2)? Neither team is playing with the quarterback it began the season with. Oregon has Dylan Raiola and Ohio State has Luke Fahey. May the best quarterback win.

 

I like this next encounter – No. 5 UCLA (8-0) at No. 32 Minnesota (5-3). Like Kentucky, UCLA has been a surprise team this season – a real surprise. But the longer you remain undefeated, the more tense and stressful the games get. Minnesota is a tricky team. The Gophers tricked Washington, Michigan and Iowa. They darn near tricked Indiana. Can they ruin UCLA’s perfect record?

 

The third of the three Big Ten playoff busters is No. 21 Iowa (6-2) at No. 26 Northwestern (6-2). Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz has always had good defenses. Now he has the Hawkeyes playing good offense. But Northwestern is sitting there waiting to knock off Iowa. It’s going to be hot times in Evanston.

 

The last of our Top 10 Games of the Week can’t be overlooked – Cincinnati (5-3) at No. 17 Houston (6-2). We know the Bearcats are capable. They knocked off Texas Tech a couple weeks ago. Meanwhile, Houston is looking to climb up in the rankings.

 

How’s that for a group of Top 10 games? If ever there was a weekend to be a couch potato, this is it – all those blockbuster and playoff buster games. It doesn’t get much better than this. You better have lots of cold pizza and chili dogs on hand.

 

There are three other games to keep an eye on this week. They are UTSA (7-1) at Florida Atlantic (5-3), Virginia Tech (6-2) at SMU (6-2) and Air Force (6-2) at Army (5-3).

 

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables fired his offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.

 

Two former NC State quarterbacks – Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson – are seeking to become the head coach of the Wolfpack. Meanwhile, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz denies that he is a candidate for the Florida State job.

 

The Top 12 teams in the first College Football Playoff Rankings of the season are 1. Miami (8-0), 2. Georgia (7-1), 3. Utah (8-0), 4. Indiana (8-1), 5. Alabama (6-2), 6. Kentucky (7-1) 7. Texas (6-2), 8. UCLA (8-0), 9. BYU (7-1), 10. Ole Miss (6-2), 11. Notre Dame (7-1) and 12. Ohio State (6-2).

 

At No. 25, Boise State is the highest-ranked Group of Six team. If the playoff was to begin today, Ohio State would be removed and Boise State would take the Buckeyes’ place as the 12th-seed team.

 

The Top 12 teams in this week’s FCS Coaches Poll are 1. Tarleton State (9-0), 2. Stephen F. Austin (9-0), 3. Montana State (8-1), 4. Youngstown State (7-2), 5. South Dakota State (7-2), 6. Northern Arizona (7-2), 7. Austin Peay (7-2), 8. Illinois State (7-2), 9. Tennessee Tech (8-1), 10. South Dakota (7-3), 11. Mercer (7-2), and 12. Lamar (7-2).

 

This week’s Saturday morning pregame shows: ESPN’s College GameDay is in South Bend, Indiana, for the Miami-Notre Dame game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff is in West Point, New York, for the Air Force-Army game. SECN’s SEC Nation is in Oxford, Mississippi, for the Georgia-Ole Miss game. ACCN’s ACC Huddle is in Syracuse, New York, for the Clemson-Syracuse game.

 

What a weekend!

 

Touchdown Tom

November 5, 2026

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Weekend Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. #1 Miami (8-0) at #4 Notre Dame (7-1) – (ACC vs. Ind.) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – Last year, Miami beat Notre Dame. However, Notre Dame cried “no fair” when Miami was selected for the CFP and Notre Dame wasn’t. I never did understand ND’s logic on that one. Well Irish, guess what? This is your year. Beat Miami, win the rest of your games and you are a shoo in for the CFP. Neither team has had a tough schedule. ND’s only tough opponent was BYU. The Irish lost that one. Miami’s only tough opponent was Wake Forest. The Canes won that one. Miami has the better key players. However, Canes receiver Malachi Toney will not play. Toney has a high ankle sprain that requires surgery. Notre Dame has the better team. Miami’s defense has become a joke. Break out the Jameson – Notre Dame 30, Miami 24.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. #7 BYU (7-1) at #3 Utah (8-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – This is a lot like the Miami-Notre Dame game. Same records. Interesting that Notre Dame’s one loss was to BYU. More interesting that BYU’s one loss was to UCF. Utah is deceptively good – on offense and defense. Nothing deceptive about BYU. The Cougars are obvious – on offense and defense. They are also more vulnerable – on offense and defense. Utes remain perfect – Utah 30, BYU 24.

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3. #2 Georgia (7-1) at #12 Ole Miss (6-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC –  Ole Miss is on the verge of suffering its third loss. That would put the Magnolias in a precarious position for making the CFP. Ole Miss is currently in the playoff, but on the edge.  One more loss could move them outside the edge. Like Miami, Ole Miss has the key players. But Georgia, like Notre Dame, has the team. The Dawgs are solid. They have few vulnerabilities. But obviously, Auburn found them. The Magnolias won’t find them – Georgia 28, Ole Miss 24.

 

4. #9 Alabama (6-2) at #15 LSU (6-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – If Alabama wins, then the Tide will finish the season at 10-2. The Tigers are Bama’s last obstacle. If Alabama wins, the Tide will be in the CFP. If Bama loses, the Tide could drop to the bubble. After Alabama, LSU still has to play Texas and Tennessee. The Tigers have it tougher. Should LSU lose to Alabama, most likely the Tigers won’t be in the CFP. Lane Kiffin was hired to have LSU in the CFP every year. Kiffin survives this one. But he may not survive Texas and/or Tennessee. Tigers have a successful Elephant hunt – LSU 27, Alabama 24.

 

5. #8 Kentucky (7-1) at #16 Tennessee (6-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 6:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Right now, Tennessee is on the outside of the CFP, looking in. Lose and the Vols will remain looking in. Win and they have a good shot at making the playoff. Right now, Kentucky is in the playoff. But the Wildcats need to keep winning. Kentucky has been an amazing team for playing under a first-year coach. Can the Wildcats keep it up? Tennessee 27, Kentucky 21.

 

6. #10 Texas (6-2) at #19 Missouri (6-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Missouri can’t afford to lose. If Mizzou wins out, the Tigers are in the playoff. However, one more loss and the Tigers are out. Texas could lose and still get in as a 9-3 team. Both teams are similar. Their offenses are good. Both have capable quarterbacks – Arch Manning at Texas and Austin Simmons at Mizzou. Both defenses are up and down. Truman can’t do the Two Step – Texas 27, Missouri 24.

 

7. #27 Oregon (5-3) at #11 Ohio State (6-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – After losing quarterback Dante Moore for the season, Oregon seems to be improving with Dylan Raiola. The Ducks came through last week against Northwestern. But that was in Eugene. Against Ohio State, the Ducks are in Columbus. The Buckeyes have to be careful too, or they won’t make the playoff. Oregon may give the Buckeyes a good battle for a while. But overall, Ohio State has more than the Ducks can handle. Ohio State will stick with freshman Luke Fahey as the Buckeyes quarterback. Bucks grill the Ducks – Ohio State 28, Oregon 17.

 

8. #5 UCLA (8-0) at #32 Minnesota (5-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – UCLA has been incredible this season. Who in their right mind would have thought the Bruins would be undefeated at this point in the season. But each game from here on out is a land mine. UCLA has to be careful. Minnesota is an up-and-down team. At times this year, the Gophers have been brilliant. Then at times, Minnesota has been a disaster. The Bruins avoid the holes – UCLA 20, Minnesota 14.

 

9. #21 Iowa (6-2) at #27 Northwestern (6-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Both teams are still in contention for the playoff. However, neither one can afford to lose another game. That means the winner is still in the running and the loser is out. Northwestern stubbed its toe last week at Oregon. The Wildcats looked good at first, but the Ducks rallied to win. Meanwhile, Iowa looked spectacular, shutting out Wisconsin. Northwestern’s luck may have run out. The Eyes have it – Iowa 23, Northwestern 15.

 

10. Cincinnati (5-3) at #17 Houston (6-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Cincinnati may have peaked when the Bearcats beat Texas Tech. They looked awful last week, losing to Utah. Most everyone does look awful against Utah. But the Bearcats may have played themselves out. Houston, on the other hand, still has a lot to prove. The Cougars hope to be doing good things at the end of the season. They may be. First they have to get by Cincinnati. Cougar Cats are better than Bearcats – Houston 27, Cincinnati 24.

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

Nebraska (5-3) at Illinois (5-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FOX – So, what is Nebraska going to do in the fourth quarter this week? If the Huskers follow recent precedent, and if they are winning when the fourth quarter begins, Nebraska will lose the game. If Illinois follows what the Banned Indians did last week, they’ll do just that. Last week the Banned Indians were trailing Maryland when the fourth quarter began. Behold! Illinois came from behind in the fourth quarter and beat Maryland. That’s all Nebraska needs. But the Huskers are not Maryland. They are better than Maryland. Herbie reverses the trend – Nebraska 28, Illinois 21.

 

Duke (6-2) at NC State (4-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12:30 pm ET, Saturday, CWN – Duke began the season 4-0, lost two-straight games and then won two-straight games. Two weeks ago, sitting at 3-4, NC State fired its coach. Then the Wolfpack goes out and plays like they have never played before. Thet beat California, 31-10. This makes for an interesting game. Can the Dookies extend their winning streak to 3 games? Or will NC State continue to play better without their old coach? And what’s with these rumors about Duke coach Manny Diaz becoming the new head coach at Florida State? Lots of things to ponder. The Dookies prevail – Duke 21, NC State 20.

 

Maryland (2-6) at Purdue (3-5) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – It’s about time for Purdue to get back on the winning track. After beating Minnesota and Illinois, the Boilers have lost to Washington and Penn State. This week the Boilers return home. Purdue may not be the best team, but Maryland is a far worse team. Purdue Pete steams the turtles – Purdue 27, Maryland 20.

 

Oklahoma (4-4) at #25 Florida (5-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:45 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Oklahoma fans are upset. This was supposed to be a good year for the Sooners. OU coach Brent Venables is under fire. If he didn’t have such a big buyout, Venables would be fired. This week he took his frustrations out on his offensive coordinator and fired him. OU quarterback John Mateer is not popular either. The Sooners’ fans are not happy with him. Florida fans are frustrated too. No one was expecting a great season from the Gators. But after wins over Ole Miss and Texas, no one could understand the losses to Missouri and South Carolina. No one expected the Gators to beat Georgia. But everyone thought the Gators would play a better game against Georgia. Granted, Georgia was tough, but Florida just went out and all but gave the game to the Dawgs. One of these frustrated teams will turn things around this week. Albert comes out on top – Florida 24, Oklahoma 20.

 

West Virginia (5-3) at #13 Texas Tech (7-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 9:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Can the Mountaineers keep it close against Texas Tech? The WVU offense should be able to score on the Red Raiders. But can the defense stop the Red Raiders? It’s doubtful. Still, it might be an interesting game. Then again, it might not. Texas has too much Tech for the Mountaineers – Texas Tech 35, West Virginia 27.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

#28 UTSA (7-1) at Florida Atlantic (5-3) – (AC vs. AC) – 7:30 pm ET, Thursday, 7:30 pm….

South Florida (6-2) at East Carolina (4-4) – (AC vs. AC) – 7 pm ET, Friday, ESPN2….

Florida State (3-5) at Boston College (4-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ACCN….

 

Stetson (1-8) at Davidson (3-6) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

Florida A&M (2-7) at Alcorn State (5-4) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….

Bethune-Cookman (5-4) at Southern (4-5) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….

 

UCF (4-4) at Kansas (3-5) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:45 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….

Missouri State (3-5) at FIU (3-5) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

West Florida (4-3) at North Alabama (5-4) – (UAC vs. UAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“Do you work for a tabloid now? I’ll keep my personal comments and my relationships to myself if that’s alright with you?” North Carolina coach Bill Belichick to a reporter when asked at a Tar Heels’ press conference about his breakup with Jordon Hudson.

 

“Will Stein has Kentucky drunk on football. Basketball season can wait,” USA Today sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next CFW – Week 10 Results – will be posted Monday morning, November 9.