No Longer Mascotless at Ole Miss

College Football Week Five – Florida-Alabama; Stanford-Oregon

No Longer Mascotless at Ole Miss

At the recent Ohio U.-Ohio State football game in Columbus, the battle between the mascots was as rough, if not rougher, than the play on the field. On at least two occasions during the contest, Ohio U.’s Rufus Bobcat mugged Ohio State’s Brutus Buckeye. The individual dressed up as Rufus has been defrocked of his Rufus duties and banned from attending all future Ohio U. athletic events.

But at least Ohio U. and Ohio State have mascots, even though Ohio U. will have someone else in the role of Rufus for the rest of the season. Just think how bad Ole Miss and Illinois have it – no mascots at all.

Ole Miss hasn’t had a mascot since 2003. That’s when the school decided to dump Col. Sanders. And not because of the fried chicken thing – Ole Miss and fried chicken go hand-in-hand – but because Col. Sanders is a Kentucky thing. It makes you wonder why a school in Mississippi had a mascot associated with Kentucky. At least they finally figured it out. Give them credit for that, though it sure took them long enough. I know, he was really Col. Reb. But to everyone else he was and looked like Col. Sanders.

Well, we learned last week that Ole Miss will officially name its new mascot in about seven days. Five creatures have made the finals in Oxford. The new Ole Miss mascot will be – a Land Shark, a Bear, a Horse, a Lion or a Hotty Toddy.

The Ole Miss Land Sharks? How do you dress up a mascot to look like a sleazy real estate developer? Or will it be dressed up like a bottle of beer. (Did anyone tell Ole Miss that Jimmy Buffett went to Southern Miss?)

The Ole Miss Bears? I suppose they could have Mama Bear, Papa Bear and Baby Bear dressed in red and blue outfits. Cute!

The Ole Miss Horses? Give me a break. Besides, that’s a Kentucky thing again.

The Ole Miss Lions? Roar Lion Roar. I don’t think so.

The Ole Miss Hotty Toddies? I assume the mascot would dress up like a cocktail? What better than a cocktail at a football game? Get you Hotty Toddies here!

Personally, I always thought that Ole Miss should be the Magnolias. After all, Mississippi is the Magnolia State. The Ole Miss Magnolias. Why not? Stanford has a Tree for a mascot. Ole Miss could have a mascot in a Magnolia Tree costume. Or, if they didn’t want to go the Tree route, they could go the Blossom route. The mascot could be a Magnolia Blossom – a luscious Ole Miss coed dressed up like a Magnolia Blossom. She’d make all the ESPN highlight films.

Well, at least Ole Miss will have something in a few days (but let’s hope it’s not Horsey). That’s better than Illinois. I don’t know when the Big Ten school is going to have a mascot. Illinois used to have this mascot that no one could pronounce his name – Chief Illiniwek. He was the chief of an Indian tribe that went extinct. No wonder Illinois can’t win any games – the team goes extinct before the final buzzer.

Just as the tribe went extinct, Chief Illiniwek went extinct a few years ago – a forced extinction. He was banned – never to be seen at Illinois games again. Since then, Illinois has been known as the Banned Indians – not the Band of Indians, but Banned Indians. Similar to Stanford’s banned band – the Best Banned Band in the land. I’m rambling.

But mascot or not, it could be a lot worse for Ole Miss and Illinois. They could be stuck with Otto Orange. And that’s a fate worse than Dr. Lou.

Wednesday was a sad day. My N.C. State neighbor of nine plus years, Brent Stancil, moved away. Brent, wife Angela and their 17-month old son A.J. moved to Maryland. I’ll miss my street-side conversations with Brent, often discussing sports – usually college football and basketball. Brent will still be a reader of this blog. I wish him well!

Thursday night, Miami (Florida) blew past Pitt, 31-3. Will Dave Wannstedt ever get the Panthers going? The patience of Pitt fans could be wearing thin.

After my radio show Friday morning, Swamp Mama and I packed the car and hit the road to Gainesville. West of Melbourne, we ran into love bugs. I didn’t even know they were around this season. Isn’t it kind of late for them? It was a mostly cloudy drive with patches of light rain.

We hooked up with Princess Gator, Bama Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe at the hotel. After resting up from the drive, the six of us headed out to Texas Roadhouse for an evening meal. Back at the hotel, I watched TCU dismantle SMU, 41-24. I think someone will beat TCU before the season is over.

Saturday morning, Bama Gator and I headed out to Publix to buy the tailgating supplies. Then we made our way to the UF campus to stake out our tailgating spot. We secured one off of Newell Drive. It was going to be a long day for us as the Kentucky-Florida game was a 7 p.m. start.

Swamp Mama, Princess Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe joined us shortly before noon for lunch. After lunch, the four of them went back to the hotel to nap and rest – lucky them. It was a muggy day and still several hours till kickoff. Bama Gator and I mingled with other tailgaters. We checked out the afternoon football games at a couple of nearby tailgating spots that had direct TV set up.

The girls and Gator Gabe returned late in the afternoon for our tailgate dinner. Then we walked over to The Swamp. Inside the stadium, we joined up with Kris and Gayna Hansen who were sitting with us at the game. They were celebrating their 11th anniversary.

Kris and Gayna spent the previous night at a bed and breakfast in St. Augustine then drove over to Gainesville. We were hoping they could join us for tailgating, but we got our signals crossed. John and Karlene (KY Kip) Tuttle were also sitting with us at the game. Unfortunately, John and Karlene were cheering for the wrong team.

One of the four games involving eight undefeated (3-0) teams (Alabama-Arkansas) was about to end. Two of the games (Kentucky-Florida and South Carolina-Auburn) were about to start. The fourth (West Virginia-LSU) was starting later.

When we left our tailgating spot and headed for The Swamp, Arkansas was beating Alabama late in the game. Bama Gator and I watched much of it on Direct TV at a nearby tailgating spot. Not long after we took our seats in the stadium, we learned that the Crimson Tide rallied and beat the Razorbacks, 24-20.

Florida got its offense in gear and proceeded to tame the Wildcats, 48-14. It was still a contest at the half, with the Gators winning, 21-7. But Florida outscored Kentucky 27-7 in the second half to put the game away. When Florida led 41-14, Swamp Mama commented that the score was a palindrome. How clever!

As we left The Swamp, South Carolina was beating Auburn 27-21, and LSU led West Virginia, 10-0. Back at the hotel we learned that Auburn scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and beat the Gamecocks, 35-27.

Then we turned our attention to the West Virginia-LSU game on TV. When we turned on the game, LSU was up 17-7. Then West Virginia scored and closed the gap to 17-14. LSU eventually got another field goal and the Tiger defense went to work, keeping the Mountaineers out of the end zone. LSU won 20-14. In the wee hour of Sunday morning, we turned off the TV and hit the sack. It had been a long day in Gainesville.

Four more undefeated (3-0) teams (Stanford, Temple, N.C. State and Nevada) stood a good chance of losing Saturday. Only one did – Temple. Penn State handed the Owls their first loss of the season, 22-13. Temple led 13-9 at the half, but the Nittany Lions scored 13 unanswered points in the second half to win.

Stanford, N.C. State and Nevada all withstood their tests. Stanford blasted Notre Dame, 37-14. N.C. State led Georgia Tech 31-14 at the end of the third quarter. But the Yellow Jackets came roaring back, scoring two-straight touchdowns. The Wolfpack lead was only 31-28. State then put the game away, scoring two-straight touchdowns of its own to win 45-28. The other Wolf Pack – Nevada – remained undefeated, beating BYU, 27-13.

Of the six undefeated teams (3-0) who weren’t likely to lose, one did – Texas. The Longhorns suffered five turnovers (one interception and four fumbles), losing to UCLA, 34-12. Four of the six teams barely escaped to remain undefeated. Oklahoma held on to beat Cincinnati, 31-29. Arizona scored with 1:11 remaining in the game to beat California, 10-9. Oregon outdistanced Arizona State, 42-31. And Kansas State scored with 0:11 remaining to edge UCF, 17-13. Only TCU, mentioned earlier, won handily, beating SMU, 41-24.

Among two 2-0 teams, one won and one lost. Boise State took care of Oregon State, beating the Beavers, 37-24. But Boston College lost its first game. The Eagles fell to Virginia Tech, 19-0.

North Carolina got its first win of the season. The Tar Heels beat previously undefeated Rutgers, 17-13. Georgia fell to 0-3 in the SEC. The Bulldogs lost to Mississippi State, 24-12. Air Force had a close call at Wyoming. The Falcons beat the Cowboys, 20-13.

It took Tennessee two overtimes to put away UAB, 32-29 (2OT). Florida State remained on the winning track for the second-straight week. The Seminoles beat Wake Forest, 31-0.

Poor Duke was rattled by lowly Army, 35-21. Two Big Ten teams each lost to Mid-American Conference teams. Northern Illinois beat Minnesota, 34-23; while Toledo dumped Purdue, 31-20.

And finally, one of the strangest teams in the country – Ole Miss – bounced back to beat Fresno State, 55-38. Ole Miss had previously suffered losses to Jacksonville State and Vanderbilt.

Let’s see, the last time I had a hotty toddy was on a cold winter’s night in Oslo, Norway. It was at the hotel bar. That was 1981. As I recall, it sure tasted good. And, most importantly, it accomplished its mission – it warmed my bones. So I had a second one.

Bootsie has a mascot – Rockledge Gator.

Touchdown Tom
September 27, 2010


Weekend Review

GAME OF THE WEEK: The Razorbacks were Baby Backs – Alabama 24, Arkansas 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 30, Arkansas 28). More than halfway through the third quarter, Arkansas led Alabama, 20-7. Then the Tide scored 17 unanswered points – the final score a touchdown with 3:18 remaining. Ryan Mallett’s Heisman stock fell, as the Razorback quarterback threw three interceptions. Bama’s Mark Ingram rushed for 157 yards. A crowd of 76,808 attended the game in Fayetteville.

RUNNER UP: Toothless in Boise – Boise State 37, Oregon State 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Boise State 35, Oregon State 32). Some say Oregon State was Boise State’s last test for an undefeated season. Maybe Nevada can trip up the Broncos. A crowd of 34,137 attended the game in Boise.

REST OF THE BEST: Tigers growl – LSU 20, West Virginia 14 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 23, West Virginia 20). A 60-yard punt return by LSU’s Patrick Peterson was the difference in the game. Both teams’ defenses played well. A crowd of 92,575 attended the game in Baton Rouge.

Grilled Chicken – Auburn 35, South Carolina 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 24, South Carolina 22). Second big win in a row for Auburn. Tiger quarterback Cam Newton was too much for the Gamecocks. Wait till next year South Carolina fans. A crowd of 87,237 attended the game in Auburn.

Trey bon – Florida 48, Kentucky 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 33, Kentucky 15). Florida backup quarterback, receiver, etc, etc Trey Burton scored all six of the Gators’ offensive touchdowns. One Florida touchdown was on a 52-yard pass interception by Jeremy Brown. Burton threw passes, caught passes, carried the ball. He was Mr. Everything. Kentucky lost to Florida for the 24th-straight time. A crowd of 90,547 attended the game in Gainesville.

Canes spit on Pitt – Miami (Florida) 31, Pitt 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 30, Pitt 25). Miami’s Jacory Harris threw two interceptions (four in his last outing), but it didn’t matter as Pitt was no Ohio State. The Panthers were hapless. Look for Pitt to make a change at quarterback – Pat Bostick for Tino Sunseri. A crowd of 58,115 attended the game in Pittsburgh.

Sooners escape again – Oklahoma 31, Cincinnati 29 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 31, Cincinnati 22). Undefeated Oklahoma has had three close calls in four games. The Sooners and Bearcats combined for more than 900 yards of offense. A crowd of 58,253 attended the game in Cincinnati.

Gabriel blew his horn – UCLA 34, Texas 12 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, UCLA 14). Might the Longhorns have been overrated at preseason? Something tells me this isn’t going to be Texas’ year. And UCLA? The Bruins are a different team after an 0-2 start. A crowd of 101,437 attended the game in Austin.

Eagles basted – Virginia Tech 19, Boston College 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 27, Boston College 22). After a rough start, Tech is getting its act together. A crowd of 42,317 attended the game in Chestnut Hill.

Potato famine in South Bend – Stanford 37, Notre Dame 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 28, Notre Dame 27). Stanford is looking more impressive every week. The Irish are looking more unimpressive every week. Charlie Weis obviously left the cupboard bare in South Bend. A crowd of 80,795 attended the game in South Bend.

Bears iced – Arizona 10, California 9 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona 37, California 26). Whoever thought that two Pac-10 teams could play defense? And against each other? A crowd of 51,906 attended the game in Tucson.

Frogs wreck the Mustangs – TCU 41, SMU 24 (Touchdown Tom said: TCU 37, SMU 20). TCU avoids the upset and jumps to 4-0. For the second night in a row, the winning quarterback throws two INTs. A crowd of 35,481 attended the game in Dallas.

Lions sack the Temple – Penn State 22, Temple 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 29, Temple 20). Penn State’s Evan Royster finally makes an appearance – 187 yards rushing. Where has he been? But Temple gave the Lions a scare. A crowd of 104,846 attended the game in State College.

Ducks quack the Sun Devil defense – Oregon 42, Arizona State 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 38, Arizona State 23). Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas passes for 260 yards. A crowd of 60,326 attended the game in Tempe.

Wolfpack steals the Bees’ honey – N.C. State 45, Georgia Tech 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 27, N.C. State 22). Looks like State is for real. Wolfpack quarterback Russell Wilson passed for 368 yards. A crowd of 48,828 attended the game in Atlanta.

Knights lose their armor – North Carolina 17, Rutgers 13 (Touchdown Tom said: North Carolina 24, Rutgers 22). Tar Heels get their first win. Scarlet Knights get their first loss. A crowd of 52,038 attended the game in Piscataway.

Bye, bye Marky, Marky goodbye – Mississippi State 24, Georgia 12 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 22, Mississippi State 19). It has to be over for Mark Richt. There is no way Georgia can keep him. A crowd of 56,721 attended the game in Starkville.

Howl’s that – Nevada 27, BYU 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Nevada 32, BYU 28). Nevada is 4-0 with two good wins under its belt. The Wolf Pack even cracked the Top 25. A crowd of 61,471 attended the game in Provo.

Dreary for O’Leary – Kansas State 17, UCF 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Kansas State 30, UCF 20). UCF won the statistics battle. The Knight just couldn’t win the war. A crowd of 50,586 attended the game in Manhattan.

We don’t need no stinkin’ mascot – Ole Miss 55, Fresno State 38 (Touchdown Tom said: Fresno State 27, Ole Miss 24). Ole Miss’ Brandon Bolden rushed for 228 yards. A crowd of 55,267 attended the game in Oxford.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Ground Birds – Air Force 20, Wyoming 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Air Force 39, Wyoming 22). The Falcons’ Jared Tew rushed for 136 yards. A crowd of 22,413 attended the game in Laramie.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Rabbit stew – Nebraska 17, South Dakota State 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 48, South Dakota State 6). I said it would be difficult to get inspired after the big win over Washington. Tell me that the Nebraska cheerleaders were playing against South Dakota State. A crowd of 85,573 attended the game in Lincoln.

20 Mule Team – Army 35, Duke 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 35, Army 26). If Duke can’t beat Army, I don’t know who the Dookies can beat. Is it basketball season yet? A crowd of 27,289 attended the game in Durham.

Steamless in West Lafayette – Toledo 31, Purdue 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 23, Toledo 19). It’s not going to be a pretty season for the Boilers. A crowd of 42,068 attended the game in West Lafayette.

Comment: A so-so 18-6 for the week, brings my season total to 78-21 (78.8 percent).


AROUND FLORIDA:

Florida State slammed Wake Forest, 31-0. A crowd of 61,647 attended the game in Tallahassee…. South Florida downed Western Kentucky, 24-12. A crowd of 40,206 attended the game in Tampa…. Florida Atlantic lost to North Texas, 21-17. A crowd of 15,143 attended the game in Fort Lauderdale.

Florida International fell to Maryland, 42-28. A crowd of 33,254 attended the game in College Park…. Florida A&M lost to Tennessee State, 29-18. A crowd of 54,202 attended the game in Atlanta…. Bethune-Cookman beat Norfolk State, 21-7. A crowd of 5,371 attended the game in Daytona Beach…. Jacksonville U. flattened Davidson, 42-15. A crowd of 2,362 attended the game in Davidson.


Superlatives

Impressive Passers: Hawaii’s Bryant Moniz – 19-27-2 for 395 yards; Fresno State’s Ryan Colburn – 32-42-0 for 390; Colorado State’s Pete Thomas – 29-37-1 for 386; UAB’s Bryan Ellis – 29-55-1 for 373; Minnesota’s Adam Weber – 31-46-1 for 373; Oklahoma’s Landry Jones – 36-51-1 for 370; N.C. State’s Russell Wilson – 28-41-1 for 368, and San Diego State’s Ryan Lindley – 17-24-1 for 362.

Also, Florida International’s Wes Carroll – 35-58-2 for 355 yards; Idaho’s Nathan Enderle – 25-30-0 for 347; Central Michigan’s Ryan Radcliff – 29-43-2 for 347; Indiana’s Ben Chappell – 23-33-0 for 342; Cincinnati’s Zach Collaros – 23-38-1 for 305; Notre Dame’s Dayne Crist – 25-44-1 for 304; Marshall’s Brian Anderson – 21-30-0 for 295; Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins – 16-20-0 for 290, and USC’s Matt Barkley – 16-25-2 for 290.

Also, Iowa’s Ricky Stanzi – 19-25-0 for 288 yards; Boise State’s Kellen Moore – 19-27-0 for 288; Northwestern’s Dan Persa – 23-30-1 for 280; Georgia’s Aaron Murray – 18-31-0 for 274; Florida Atlantic’s Jeff Van Camp – 20-31-1 for 273; Baylor’s Robert Griffin – 20-28-1 for 268; Texas’ Garrett Gilbert – 30-45-1 for 264; Louisiana Tech’s Tarik Hakmi – 22-35-2 for 262; Duke’s Sean Renfree – 17-30-0 for 261, and Oregon’s Darron Thomas – 19-33-1 for 260.


Impressive Rushers: Ole Miss’ Brandon Bolden – 228 yards; Northern Illinois’ Chad Spann – 223 yards; Penn State’s Evan Royster – 187 yards; Auburn’s Cam Newton – 176 yards; Syracuse’s Delone Carter – 172 yards; Cincinnati’s Isaiah Pead – 169 yards; Alabama’s Mark Ingram – 157 yards; Wisconsin’s James White – 145 yards; SMU’s Zach Line – 139 yards; Boise State’s Doug Martin – 138 yards; Air Force’s Jared Tew – 136 yards;


Quotes of the Week

“Rainey will be back,” Florida center Mike Pouncey, on his teammate Chris Rainey.

“Georgia opened this week as an underdog to Mississippi State, which is somewhat like the Ukraine opening as an underdog to Lichtenstein. These Dogs haven’t lost to those Dogs since 1974 (1951 in Starkville, when bread was 16 cents. Starkville looked the same, though.),” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“It will also be the best party in all of college football this weekend. Both sides win the party. LSU wins the game,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Tony Barnhart, on the West Virginia-LSU game.

“There’s no other way to say it: Mark Richt is in trouble at UGA,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Mark Bradley.


The 20 Hottest and Most Intriguing Games of the Week…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Florida (4-0) at Alabama (4-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – I don’t think this will be as bad as Florida’s last trip to Tuscaloosa (Urban Meyer’s first year). But it may not be pretty for the Gators. Still, Arkansas has shown us that Bama is vulnerable. Can Florida’s new secret weapon – Trey Burton – harm the Tide? Actually, Burton isn’t a secret anymore. But he is deceptive. Gator defense will get a test – big time exam. Albert seeing red – Alabama 26, Florida 17.

RUNNER UP: 2. Stanford (4-0) at Oregon (4-0) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – You can’t ask for a better matchup than this one. Both teams seem to be playing at their peak. It’s hard to figure how one can stop the other. The Duck may be doing a lot of pushups – Oregon 33, Stanford 28.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Oklahoma (4-0) at Texas (3-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – Wonder which Oklahoma team will show up? The one that clobbered Florida State? Or the one that almost lost to Utah State, Air Force and Cincinnati? The way Texas is playing this year, it may not matter. Any Sooner team can show up. Bevo loses his horns – Oklahoma 35, Texas 33.

4. Wisconsin (4-0) at Michigan State (4-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Both teams have played three cupcakes and one toughie. State’s toughie was Notre Dame; Wisconsin’s was Arizona State. Both had the tough game at home. So this will be the Badgers’ first test on the road. It’s a tossup. Cheese attack – Wisconsin 28, Michigan State 24.

5. Penn State (3-1) at Iowa (3-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Penn State owes Iowa paybacks. Last year, the Hawkeyes slipped into State College and surprised the Lions. Paterno suffers a salmonella attack – Iowa 23, Penn State 19.

6. Miami (Florida) (2-1) at Clemson (2-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – And Miami owes Clemson paybacks. Last year the Tigers spanked the Canes in Miami. Jacory Harris has to stop throwing the interceptions if the Canes want to win. No sugar in these Canes – Clemson 26, Miami 23.

7. Tennessee (2-2) at LSU (4-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Now it is LSU’s turn to have fun with Tennessee. The Vols appear to be a lab team this season – one that everybody can experiment with. But it will be interesting to see if Tennessee’s defense can stymie LSU’s offense. Tiger Top – LSU 27, Tennessee 13.

8. Michigan (4-0) at Indiana (3-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – I’m thinking there is a possibility of an upset here. Granted Indiana hasn’t been tested. But the Hoosiers have an outstanding quarterback in Ben Chappell. Robinson returns – Michigan 36, Indiana 28.

9. Washington (1-2) at USC (4-0) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – Washington is falling short of its preseason expectations. The Huskies and quarterback Jake Locker have been one big disappointment. A win against the Trojans can change that. The Huskies knocked off USC last year. Can they do it again? Huskies penned – USC 30, Washington 22.

10. Virginia Tech (2-2) at N.C. State (4-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – The Wolf Pack are off to a great start. There is no reason the Hokies should spoil it. State just needs to get over the celebration from the win against Georgia Tech. O’Brien drives a Beamer – N.C. State 28, Virginia Tech 20.

11. Navy (2-1) at Air Force (3-1) – (Ind. vs. MWC) – The first battle this season between two service academies – and these two are the best. Navy has been winning the Commander in Chief’s Trophy all too much lately. Air Force will be out to change that. Navy isn’t the team everyone thought they would be. And Air Force is better than everyone thought they would be. Fly Boys tattoo the Sailors – Air Force 34, Navy 29.

12. Florida State (3-1) at Virginia (2-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – Since the Oklahoma debacle, the Seminoles seem to have their act together. Virginia is a real unknown. Two wins over cupcakes and then the surprisingly close loss to USC. You never know. Cavaliers scalped – Florida State 27, Virginia 12.

13. Arizona State (2-2) at Oregon State (1-2) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – Arizona State has had some close losses. The Devils are due to win a close one. But it won’t happen in Corvallis. Leave it to Beaver – Oregon State 32, Arizona State 27.

14. East Carolina (2-1) at North Carolina (1-2) – (C-USA vs. ACC) – North Carolina has suffered its share of problems. But it looks like the Tar Heels may have their act together. Pirates can’t tutor the Tar Heels – North Carolina 30, East Carolina 14.

15. Georgia Tech (2-2) at Wake Forest (2-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – It’s obvious that Georgia Tech isn’t as good as everyone thought they would be. But the Jackets sure are better than the Demon Deacons. Bees sting the Deacons – Georgia Tech 29, Wake Forest 16.

16. Notre Dame (1-3) at Boston College (2-1) – (Ind. vs. ACC) – If Brian Kelly falls to 1-4, Irish fans may start to wonder if they have the right coach – or not. They are going to have to be patient this season. BC will be starting a new quarterback against the Irish. Dave Shinskie has been demoted. No leprechauns in Boston – Boston College 22, Notre Dame 20.

17. Northwestern (4-0) at Minnesota (1-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – The Wildcats are 4-0. But have they been tested? Probably not. They are getting better though. Minnesota won’t be much of a test either. Wildcats take the hops out of the Brew-ster – Northwestern 32, Minnesota 23.

18. Vanderbilt (1-2) at Connecticut (2-2) – (SEC vs. Big East) – This isn’t a conference game, but both teams need to win. It’s all for pride and an indication of how their seasons will play out. Edsall gives Caldwell a tip – Connecticut 26, Vanderbilt 22.

19. Georgia (1-3) at Colorado (2-1) – (SEC vs. Big 12) – Two coaches on the hot seat – Georgia’s Mark Richt and Colorado’s Dan Hawkins. One will definitely be gone next year – maybe both. But Richt gets the better of this one. Uga’s on a Rocky Mountain high – Georgia 25, Colorado 22.

20. Kentucky (3-1) at Ole Miss (2-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Kentucky looked awful against Florida; while Ole Miss seemed to find itself against Fresno State. But can the Mascot boys win an SEC game? Will the real Col. Sanders please stand up – Kentucky 29, Ole Miss 26.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

21. Kansas (2-2) at Baylor (2-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – If Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin is on, it could be curtains for the Jayhawks. But that’s a big if. Kansas coach Turner Gill used to be an assistant at Baylor. Jayhawks send the Bears into hibernation – Kansas 23, Baylor 20.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Duke (1-3) at Maryland (3-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – Duke may not win an ACC game this season. The Dookies certainly won’t beat Maryland. The Fridge freezes the Devils – Maryland 38, Duke 25.

West Virginia (3-1), Nebraska (4-0) and Purdue (2-2) have the week off.


Comment: Two biggies in the Big Ten (Wisconsin at Michigan and Penn State at Iowa) and one biggie each in the SEC (Florida at Alabama), Pac-10 (Stanford at Oregon), Big 12 (Oklahoma vs. Texas) and ACC (Miami at Clemson). And, could an upset be looming in Bloomington, Indiana?


AROUND FLORIDA:

South Florida (2-1) entertains Florida Atlantic (1-2)…. Florida International (0-3) travels to Pitt (1-2)…. Florida A&M (2-2) hosts South Carolina State (2-1)…. Bethune-Cookman (3-0) visits Morgan State (1-2)…. Jacksonville U. (3-1) is home against San Diego (1-3).  UCF (2-2) is off this week.


Thursday’s Television Schedule – September 30

Hampton at Delaware State – 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Texas A&M at Oklahoma State – 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPN


Friday’s Television Schedule – October 1

BYU at Utah State – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN


Saturday’s Television Schedule – October 2

Kansas at Baylor – 12:00 noon ET – Fox Sports Network
Miami (Florida) at Clemson – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN2
Louisiana-Monroe at Auburn – 12:00 noon ET – ESPNU
Northwestern at Minnesota – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN
Temple at Army – 12:00 noon ET – CBS-CSN
Alcorn State at Mississippi State – 12:00 noon ET – SUN Sports Network
Kentucky at Ole Miss – 12:20 p.m. ET – SEC Game of the Week
Navy at Air Force – 2:30 p.m. ET – Versus
Cornell at Bucknell – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Oklahoma at Texas – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
Wisconsin at Michigan State – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
Virginia Tech at N.C. State – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC
Tennessee at LSU – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS
Michigan at Indiana – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Georgia at Colorado – 7:00 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Georgia Tech at Wake Forest – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Florida at Alabama – 8:00 p.m. ET – CBS
Stanford at Oregon – 8:00 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN2
Notre Dame at Boston College – 8:00 p.m. ET – ABC
Penn State at Iowa – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN
Washington at USC – 8:00 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN2
Marshall at Southern Miss – 8:00 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . The 2012 game between Navy and Notre Dame will take place September 1, 2012 in Dublin, Ireland. The two teams previously played in Dublin in 1996.

Colorado will now leave the Big 12 for the Pac-10 at the end of this academic year in the summer of 2011. Originally, the Buffaloes were not going to leave the big 12 until the summer of 2012. Nebraska will still leave the Big 12 for the Big Ten in 2011 as planned…. West Virginia and BYU have signed up to a game at Fed Ex Field in Landover, Maryland, set for September 24, 2016…. Texas and Maryland have announced a home-and-home series to be played in 2017 and 2018.


Extra Points

Blue Grass – To prepare for its game at Boise State, Oregon State spray-painted its practice field blue.


AP Poll – 1. Alabama, 2. Ohio State, 3. Boise State, 4. Oregon, 5. TCU

Coaches Poll – 1. Alabama, 2. Ohio State, 3. Boise State, 4. Oregon, 5. TCU


On the Internet – College Football Week now has a Website and can be found at www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com.

On the Radio – Listen live to Touchdown Tom every Friday morning from 8:05 to 8:40 ET on the Bill Mick Live show, talking college football with Bill Mick on NEWS TALK 1240 and 1350 WMMB AM. The show streams on http://www.wmmbam.com/. To listen, go to the Web site and click on “Listen Live.”

Touchdown Tom


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but at the end of September as the college football season was about to move into its second month, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1935 was “Cheek To Cheek” by Fred Astaire

…70 years ago this week in 1940 was “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Tommy Dorsey

…65 years ago this week in 1945 was “Till The End Of Time” by Perry Como

…60 years ago this week in 1950 was “Goodnight Irene” by Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers

…55 years ago this week in 1955 was “The Yellow Rose Of Texas” by Mitch Miller

…50 years ago this week in 1960 was “My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own” by Connie Francis

…45 years ago this week in 1965 was “Hang On Sloopy” by The McCoys

…40 years ago this week in 1970 was “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Diana Ross

…35 years ago this week in 1975 was “I’m Sorry/Calypso” by John Denver

…30 years ago this week in 1980 was “Upside Down” by Diana Ross

…25 years ago this week in 1985 was “Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits

…20 years ago this week in 1990 was “Release Me” by Wilson Phillips


Not directly college football related, but the first preseason college basketball magazine is out – Athlon Sports. The magazine predicts the 2011 Final Four to be – Duke, Kansas, Michigan State and Purdue. Jay Shifflette, Steve Waite, Kim Mallory, Steve Klingberg and Roger Schenk are chomping at the bit.

Not directly college football related, but on a sad note, there were two passings of note last week – Leonard Skinner, and Eddie Fisher.

Leonard Skinner, the basketball coach and gym teacher who inspired the name of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, died last week in a nursing home in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 77. Skinner, born Forby Leonard Skinner, was a teacher at Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville in the late 1960s when he sent a group of students to the principal’s office because their hair was too long. The students, including Ronnie Van Zant, later formed the band Lynyrd Skynyrd as a variation of Skinner’s name.

Pop singer Eddie Fisher, whose clear voice brought him a devoted following of teenage girls in the early 1950s before marriage scandals overshadowed his fame, died last week at his home in Berkeley, California. He was 82. In the early 1950s, Fisher sold millions of records with 32 hit songs. Three of his five marriages were to Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor and Connie Stevens. Fisher and Reynolds had two children, one of whom is Carrie Fisher. Fisher also had two children with Stevens. Edwin Jack Fisher was born August 10, 1928, in Philadelphia. It was the comedian Eddie Cantor, who helped the young singer become a star in radio, television and records.

A Week of One Liners and Some Excellent Football Too

College Football Week 4 – Mark Dantonio suffers a mild heart attack

A Week of One Liners, and
Some Excellent Football Too

It was the week of one liners – from “Home of the Sooners,” to “Jeter’s a cheater,” to “Jeter’s not a cheater,” to “Time to Die,” to “Enough’s enough,” to “53 men’s packages.” We also had some excellent football games.

Two weeks ago, Tennessee coach Derek Dooley was playing the team hygienist, teaching Volunteer players how to take showers and apply soap. Well, last week, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was playing Mitch Miller, teaching Sooners’ fans how to follow the bouncing ball.

At OU football games, when the National Anthem is played prior to the start of the game, Sooner fans sing – in a raised voice – “home of the Sooners” instead of “home of the brave” at the conclusion of the song. Interestingly, that has never bothered Stoops in the past. But Saturday, OU played Air Force and Stoops finally felt that OU fans should sing the National Anthem correctly.

Talk about following the bouncing ball, during one of my preseason blogs, I wrote how badly soccer needs instant replay. Well, baseball needs replay too – badly. The calls of the Major League Baseball umpires this summer have been atrocious – about as bad, if not worse, than those of the officials during World Cup.

If you saw the New York Yankees-Tampa Bay Rays game last Wednesday night you know what I’m talking about. The Yankees’ Derek Jeter put on quite an act pretending that the ball hit him, instead of the bat. Jeter should get an Oscar nomination for his performance. He fooled the umpire. The next couple of days, the print and Web site media said, “Jeter’s a cheater” or “Jeter’s not a cheater.” Your call.

Baseball does need instant replay. But the problem is baseball commissioner Bud Selig is like soccer’s FIFA. He lives in the 19th century. Baseball may never see replay as long as Selig is around.

And speaking of baseball, to prove it is almost as boring as soccer, I saw fans blowing Vuvuzelas at a Tampa Bay Rays-Oakland Athletics game in Oakland on TV a few weeks ago. Granted they were Athletics’ fans – why am I not surprised. But Major League Baseball should have the sense to ban Vuvuzelas at its games.

Speaking of banned, Florida receiver Chris Rainey was arrested in Gainesville last week for aggravated stalking of his girlfriend. According to Gainesville police, Rainey sent a text message to the girl, reading “Time to die.”

Naturally, with Florida about to play Tennessee, that prompted folks up in Knoxville to sell “Time to Die” t-shirts for the Tennessee fans to wear to the game. The t-shirts were orange with “Time to Die” in white.

Rainey, as it turns out, was the 30th Gator football player to be arrested since Urban Meyer has been the coach at Florida. After Rainey’s arrest, Meyer addressed the issue and the number of Gator football players who have been arrested by saying, “Enough’s enough.”

Meyer used to blame the problem on Ron Zook. But now that he is in his sixth season coaching the Gators, Meyer really can’t use the Zook excuse anymore. Regarding Rainey, several columnists around the state of Florida and outside of the state wrote that Meyer must dismiss Rainey from the team. We’ll see what happens.

And finally, I learned a new meaning for the word “packages” last week. Washington Redskins’ running back Clinton Portis provided the definition. Commenting on the much discussed appearance of female Mexican TV (Azteca Network) reporter Ines Sainz in the New York Jets locker room, Portis said, “If you go to look at 53 men’s packages, somebody got to spark her interest.”

After the NFL came down on Portis, he apologized for his comments. But it sounds to me like the guy was only speaking the truth. Why else would Ms. Sainz be in the locker room? It wasn’t Cinco de Mayo.

Did we have a full moon last week? Thursday night, the N.C. State Wolfpack beat Cincinnati, 30-19. Then on Friday night, the Nevada Wolf Pack pummeled California, 52-31. It was a great week, or should I say two nights, to be a Wolf. And speaking of the Wolves, both N.C. State and Nevada are off to 3-0 starts. That’s a howler.

There was a lot of good football on Saturday, but three of the best games were that night – Clemson at Auburn, Notre Dame at Michigan State and Iowa at Arizona. The Tigers vs. Tigers game began at 7 p.m. Clemson jumped out to a 17-0 lead over Auburn in the first half. Auburn kicked a field goal as the half expired to pull within, 17-3.

Auburn caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 21 points and taking a 24-17 lead. In the fourth quarter, Clemson scored to tie the game at 24 all. The contest went into overtime with Auburn winning on a field goal, 27-24.

The Notre Dame-Michigan State game kicked off at 8 p.m. The game remained even throughout. The score was tied 7-7 at the half and 21-21 at the end of the third quarter. Irish quarterback Dayne Crist and Spartan quarterback Kirk Cousins were having good games. At the end of regulation, what else, the score was tied 28-28.

In overtime, Notre Dame kicked a field goal and led 31-28. The Irish held the Spartans for three plays and Michigan State lined up to kick a field goal. But the Spartans faked the field goal attempt and threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to win the game, 34-31. Early Sunday morning after the game, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio was hospitalized, suffering from a mild heart attack. A full recovery is expected.

And finally Saturday night, Iowa at Arizona kicked off at 10:30 p.m. The Wildcats were hot and jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and held a 27-7 lead over Iowa at the half. Then the Hawkeyes came storming back and tied the game at 27-27 in the fourth quarter. It looked like we were headed for a third overtime game. But Arizona scored with 3:57 remaining and held on to upset Iowa, 34-27.

Earlier in the day Saturday, the other Michigan team – the Wolverines – had a crazy game with Massachusetts. UMass jumped out to a 17-7 lead in the second quarter. The Wolverines came back and took what appeared to be a commanding lead – 35-17 at the end of the third quarter and 42-24 in the fourth quarter. Then the Minutemen started to rally and pulled within 5 points. Michigan hung on to win, 42-37. Wolverine quarterback Denard Robinson had 345 yards of total offense – 241 passing and 104 rushing.

Wisconsin got a scare from Arizona State. The Badgers beat the Sun Devils 20-19 on a missed extra point by Arizona State. USC beat Minnesota, 32-21.

In Morgantown, West Virginia jumped out to a quick start and went on to beat Maryland, 31-17. Mountaineer quarterback Geno Smith passed for 268 yards. Georgia Tech handed North Carolina its second-straight 30-24 loss of the season. In Tallahassee, Florida State bounced back and took care of BYU, 34-10.

Two weeks ago, Oklahoma had a close call, beating Utah State, 31-24. Saturday the Sooners barely beat Air Force, 27-24. TCU slammed Baylor, 45-10. And in Lubbock, Texas held off Texas Tech, beating the Red Raiders, 24-14.

Nebraska made a strong statement in Seattle, beating Washington, 56-21. Husker quarterback Taylor Martinez and running back Roy Helu combined for 247 rushing yards. Stanford remained undefeated. The Cardinal blasted Wake Forest, 68-24.

The most exciting game during the day Saturday took place in Athens, Georgia, between the Dawgs and Arkansas. The Razorbacks took control early and led 17-7 at the half and 24-10 at the end of the third quarter. Georgia came back to tie the game at 24-24 with 3:55 remaining in the fourth. But Arkansas scored with 0:15 remaining on a 40-yard pass from Ryan Mallett to Greg Childs to win the game, 31-24.

Florida played well enough to beat Tennessee, 31-17. The big surprise in the SEC was Vanderbilt’s 28-14 win over Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi.

Temple served notice that it is competitive. The Owls beat Connecticut, 30-16. Alabama, Ohio State and Boise State each won, and Virginia Tech got its first win of the season. The Hokies downed East Carolina, 49-27. UCLA got its first victory, handing Houston its first loss. The Bruins beat the Cougars, 31-13. Houston quarterback Case Keenum injured his knee and is out for the season.

Swamp Mama and I are leaving Friday for a football weekend in Gainesville – the Kentucky-Florida game. We’ll be joined by Princess Gator, Bama Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe.

Bootsie and Rockledge Gator were scheduled to be with us. But Bootsie’s high school reunion – I won’t say which one – got scheduled for the same weekend. So they are off to North Carolina. Bootsie went to Griffith High School in Winston-Salem. The four of us still have a football weekend together in Gainesville coming up in November.

So, after all these years, now I know what Rockledge Gator means when he tells Bootsie that big surprises come in small packages.

Touchdown Tom
September 20, 2010


Weekend Review

GAME OF THE WEEK: Wildcats crack the Eggs – Arizona 34, Iowa 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 17, Arizona 14). Looks like the Wildcats are for real. Arizona led 27-7 at the half only to see Iowa come back and tie the game at 27-27 with 8:12 remaining in the fourth. Then the Wildcats scored with 3:57 remaining and hung on to win the game. A crowd of 57,864 attended the game in Tucson.

RUNNER UP: Mack attack – Texas 24, Texas Tech 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Texas Tech 20). This time Texas gets out of Lubbock with a win, sloppy though it was. Five interceptions were thrown in the game – three by Garrett Gilbert and by for Taylor Potts. A crowd of 60,454 attended the game in Lubbock.

REST OF THE BEST: Huskers give Locker a shocker – Nebraska 56, Washington 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 26, Washington 22). Nebraska had 533 yards of offense and quarterback Taylor Martinez was responsible for 287 of those yards. Meanwhile, it’s looking more and more like Jake Locker should have entered the NFL last spring. Locker’s NFL stock is falling fast. A crowd of 72,876 attended the game in Seattle.

Aubie moves Clemson off center – Auburn 27, Clemson 24 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 20, Clemson 16). Clemson center Dalton Freeman was the best player on Auburn’s team. Trailing by three in overtime, Freeman double-clutched the ball prior to his snap for Clemson’s field goal attempt to tie the score. The kick was good, but an illegal procedure penalty was called on Freeman. The do-over kick was no good. A crowd of 87,451 attended the game in Auburn.

Uga gets Ribbed – Arkansas 31, Georgia 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 22, Arkansas 18). Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett throws for 380 yards as Bobby Petrino has a successful return to Georgia. Meanwhile, Mark Richt’s seat rose 100 degrees. A crowd of 92,746 attended the game in Athens.

Almost Home of the Falcons – Oklahoma 27, Air Force 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 35, Air Force 25). Oklahoma led 24-10 at the beginning of the fourth quarter – shades of Utah State. Air Force outgained the Sooners 458 yards to 367. OU’s Landry Jones was 26-42-0 for 254 yards. A crowd of 84,332 attended the game in Norman.

Gators scour the Vols – Florida 31, Tennessee 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 30, Tennessee 17). Florida got its sixth consecutive win over Tennessee. But the Gators had a tough time shaking the Vols. Tennessee kept hanging on through most of the game. After three games this season, Florida has yet to score in the first quarter. Backup Gator freshman quarterback Trey Burton – the mini Tim Tebow – made his first appearance of the season, scoring a two-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. A crowd of 102,455 attended the game in Knoxville.

Noles collect Mormon scalps – Florida State 34, BYU 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida State 27, BYU 16). Will this be an up-and-down season for FSU? The Noles were up Saturday. Looks like a down season for BYU. A crowd of 68,795 attended the game in Tallahassee.

Techies shear the Sheep – Georgia Tech 30, North Carolina 24 (Touchdown Tom said: North Carolina 24, Georgia Tech 17). The Tar Heels have played two games this season and lost both by 30-24. A crowd of 58,500 attended the game in Chapel Hill.

Irish get Marked – Michigan State 34, Notre Dame 31 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan State 26, Notre Dame 23). You gotta give Mark Dantonio credit – the guy has guts. Trailing by three in overtime, the Spartans lined up to kick a 46-yard field goal to tie the score and put the game into a second overtime. But instead, Michigan State faked the field goal attempt and threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to win the game. Spartan coach Mark Dantonio suffered a mild heart attack after the game. A crowd of 78,411 attended the game in East Lansing.

Frogs wart the Wackos – TCU 45, Baylor 10 (Touchdown Tom said: TCU 27, Baylor 14). The Frogs’ Andy Dalton passes for 267 yards and Ed Wesley rushes for 165 yards. A crowd of 47,493 attended the game in Fort Worth.

Dog catchers – LSU 29, Mississippi State 7 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 24, Mississippi State 10). LSU beats Miss State for the 11th-straight time. The Bulldogs fall to 0-2 in SEC play. A crowd of 92,538 attended the game in Baton Rouge.

Devils freeze in Madison – Wisconsin 20, Arizona State 19 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 30, Arizona State 20). ASU scores with 4:09 remaining in the game, but the Badgers block the Sun Devils’ PAT kick. A crowd of 81,332 attended the game in Madison.

It was a howler – Nevada 52, California 31 (Touchdown Tom said: California 30, Nevada 25). Wow! Is Nevada for real? The Wolf Pack looked awful good to me. Vai Taua and Colin Kaepernick rushed for a combined 299 yards. Cal’s Kevin Riley threw three INTs. A crowd of 28,809 attended the game in Reno.

Mounties wax the Turtles – West Virginia 31, Maryland 17 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 27, Maryland 18). WVU started out the way it ended up against Marshall the week before – hot. The Mounties jumped out to a 28-0 lead over the Terps. Then a couple of long touchdown passes put Maryland back into the game. WVU quarterback Geno Smith passed for 268 yards. A crowd of 60,122 attended the game in Morgantown.

Deacons run into a Tree – Stanford 68, Wake Forest 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 34, Wake Forest 16). Stanford may be the surprise team of the year. But we know Wake Forest has no defense. The Deacons gave up 48 points to Duke the week before. Stanford’s Andrew Luck was 17-23-0 for 207 yards passing. A crowd of 39,061 attended the game in Palo Alto.

Bruins dismiss the Case – UCLA 31, Houston 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Houston 27, UCLA 24). Houston lost quarterback Case Keenum for the second-straight game – this week with a knee injury. Now he’s out for the season. The Bruins won their first game of the season. A crowd of 54,407 attended the game in Pasadena.

Cowboys shaken out of their boots – Boise State 51, Wyoming 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Boise State 31, Wyoming 20). Wyoming was supposed to provide a little resistance. Boise State racked up 648 yards of offense. Quarterback Kellen Moore had 370 yards passing. A crowd of 29,014 attended the game in Laramie.

The big bad Wolf – N.C. State 30, Cincinnati 19 (Touchdown Tom said: N.C. State 28, Cincinnati 22). Wolfpack quarterback Russell Wilson looked like the player he was two years ago when he was first-team All-ACC. Wilson passed for 333 yards. State moves out to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2002. The Bearcats fall to 1-2 with Oklahoma looming this week. A crowd of 55,934 attended the game in Raleigh.

The Owls were the wiser – Temple 30, Connecticut 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Connecticut 25, Temple 19). Watch out for the Owls. Temple moves out to a 3-0 start. This one was fairly easy, after close wins over Villanova and Central Michigan. A crowd of 18,702 attended the game in Philadelphia.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Jayhawks look pink in the Gills – Southern Miss 31, Kansas 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Kansas 27, Southern Miss 22). Yes, me thinks Turner Gill has a lot of work on his hands in Lawrence – big time rebuilding. Southern Miss didn’t look anything at all like the team that lost to South Carolina. A crowd of 30,211 attended the game in Hattiesburg.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Dooks were no spooks – Alabama 62, Duke 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 38, Duke 15). This one was over when Alabama got off the bus at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Crimson Tide amassed 626 yards of offense. Bama’s Greg McElroy was 14-20-1 for 258 yards passing. A crowd of 39,042 attended the game in Durham.

Birds get steamed – Purdue 24, Ball State 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 33, Ball State 18). The Boilers won, but they better get their act together before Big Ten play starts. A crowd of 54,124 attended the game in West Lafayette.

Comment: A rough 16-7 for the week brings my season total to 60-15 (80.0 percent).


AROUND FLORIDA:

UCF beat Buffalo, 24-10. A crowd of 14,312 attended the game in Buffalo…. Florida International fell to Texas A&M, 27-20. A crowd of 79,069 attended the game in College Station.

Florida A&M flattened Howard, 50-7. A crowd of 5,286 attended the game in Washington, DC…. Bethune-Cookman crushed Savannah State, 42-7. A crowd of 2,510 attended the game in Daytona Beach…. Jacksonville U. defeated Webber International, 41-0. A crowd of 4,130 attended the game in Jacksonville.


Superlatives

Impressive Passers: Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden – 23-32-0 for 409 yards; Troy’s Corey Robinson – 26-44-0 for 404; Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett – 21-33-0 for 380; Boise State’s Kellen Moore – 20-30-1 for 370; Notre Dame’s Dayne Crist – 32-55-1 for 369; Indiana’s Ben Chappell – 32-42-0 for 366; UAB’s Bryan Ellis – 23-37-2 for 360; Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert – 28-51-2 for 351; N.C. State’s Russell Wilson – 26-40-0 for 333; Hawaii’s Bryant Moniz – 27-41-1 for 330, and Cincinnati’s Zach Collaros – 19-31-0 for 310.

Also, Northwestern’s Dan Persa – 24-32-0 for 307 yards; Colorado State’s Pete Thomas – 26-40-2 for 305; Arizona’s Nick Foles – 28-39-1 for 303; Louisville’s Adam Froman – 22-38-1 for 288; Washington State’s Jeff Tuel – 18-33-0 for 284; SMU’s Kyle Padron – 19-34-0 for 280; Iowa’s Ricky Stanzi – 18-33-1 for 278; West Virginia’s Geno Smith – 19-29-0 for 268; TCU’s Andy Dalton – 21-23-0 for 267; Louisiana-Monroe’s Kolton Browning – 19-32-2 for 267, and Syracuse’s Ryan Nassib – 19-28-0 for 260.


Impressive Rushers: San Diego State’s Ronnie Hillman – 228 yards; Oregon’s LaMichael James – 227 yards; Central Michigan’s Paris Cotton – 209 yards; California’s Shane Vereen – 198 yards; Connecticut’s Jordan Todman – 192 yards; Kansas State’s Daniel Thomas – 181 yards; Illinois’ Mikel Leshoure – 180 yards; Temple’s Bernard Pierce – 169 yards; Kentucky’s Derrick Locke – 166 yards, and TCU’s Ed Wesley – 165 yards.

Also, Fresno State’s A.J. Ellis – 165 yards; UCLA’s Johnathan Franklin – 158 yards; Nevada’s Vai Taua – 151 yards; Alabama’s Mark Ingram – 151 yards; Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick – 148 yards; Clemson’s Andre Ellington – 140 yards; Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez – 137 yards; Oregon State’s Jacquizz Rodgers – 132 yards; West Virginia’s Noel Devine – 131 yards, and USC’s Allen Bradford – 131 yards.


Quotes of Last Week

“Whenever I meet people, I want to make them smile. I love to smile. I want to be nice to everybody, even people who don’t want to be nice to me,” Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett.

“The ACC should cancel its championship game. There’s not a team in the league good enough to play in it. If you thought nobody came to the ACC (Almost Competitive Conference) title game when it was held in the State of Florida, what’s it going to be like this year in Charlotte?,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Looks like we’re just going to have to play old-timey football. That’s okay. Georgia used to win a bunch of football games doing that,” South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, on his team.

“ ‘Time to die.’ Those three words should make Florida coach Urban Meyer’s decision simple. If star wide receiver Chris Rainey indeed sent that three-word death threat to a girlfriend, Meyer must boot him off the team. Meyer has said in the past that he has daughters and therefore he does not tolerate crimes against women. If he is serious about such a stance — and I believe he is — then he has no choice. Chris Rainey allegedly threatened to kill a woman. End of story. End of college career,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Question: Does Urban Meyer need to check the Gators’ schedule first to see how long he thinks they can do without one of their starting receivers? Because it seems to me when a football program is accumulating arrests and one player admits to police that he sent a text message to his (ex-)girlfriend with an assumed death threat, reading, ‘Time to Die Bitch,’ the case is fairly cut and dried. Chris Rainey should be gone,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“Even though I was not always a Tennessee Volunteer, even when I was younger, for some reason, I always rooted for Tennessee because I didn’t like Florida very much. So I guess it was just fate that I ended up here,” Tennessee quarterback Matt Simms, on his dislike of Florida.

“It’s not a dirty program,” Florida coach Urban Meyer, on the Gator football program after the 30th arrest under his tenure.

“He had a chance to apologize, look like the good guy. But in giving it back and not apologizing, he just looks like an idiot again,” Washington coach Steve Sarkisian, on Reggie Bush.

“Ultimately, a football team’s season is not defined by one player. A.J. Green will not be a cure-all when he returns, any more than his absence was the reason the Bulldogs lost in Columbia last week,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz, on the suspended Georgia receiver.

“Florida’s Urban Meyer will be coaching against Tennessee’s Derek Dooley today, which should be the biggest mismatch since ‘American Idol’ went head-to-head with ‘Better Off Ted’. Seriously, this is like pitting ‘The Little Red Caboose’ against ‘The Great Gatsby’ for the Nobel. It’s like Chef Boyardee in a cook-off against Chef Emeril. It’s like Insane Clown Posse in a Battle of the Bands with U2,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“If the Vols knew then what they know now, would they have ever fired Phil Fulmer? Certainly not. Think about it: They stupidly hired Lane Kiffin, who bolted after one season, leaving a trail of lies, hard feelings and NCAA violations behind him. And then who does Tennessee name to replace Lil Laney — none other than Derek Dooley, who was 4-8 at Luzianna Whatchamacallit last season,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“There will soon be a monument unveiled in South Carolina honoring the band Hootie and the Blowfish. Wow, they must really be hard up for monuments in South Carolina. What next – a statue commemorating Sparky Woods’ 3-6-2 season at the University of South Carolina in 1991?,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Now that Reggie Bush has given back his Heisman Trophy, what about Eric Crouch and Gino Torretta?,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said a few days ago when opening the Middle East peace talks: ‘People with a history of conflict can learn to live together.’ My question: Was she talking about Israel and Palestine or Butch Van Gundy and Pat Riley? But, seriously, I don't know about you, but I think this war of words between Van Gundy and Riley is the best thing to happen to the NBA since the Laker Girls. But Van Gundy better be careful: Riley's already run him out of one job,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“I just don’t get scared or nervous at all,” Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez, prior to the Huskers win over Washington.

“That’s the best Alabama team that I’ve seen,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe, after the Devils’ loss to the Tide.


The 20 Hottest and Most Intriguing Games of the Week…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Alabama (3-0) at Arkansas (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Alabama’s first SEC game of the young season and it’s a tough one. Both teams have been tested once – Alabama at home against Penn State and Arkansas on the road at Georgia. Both survived. Both teams have a good offense – Bama the better. We know Bama has a good defense; not sure Arkansas does. We’ll know Saturday. Bama smokes the Squealers – Alabama 30, Arkansas 28.

RUNNER UP: 2. Oregon State (1-1) at Boise State (2-0) – (Pac-10 vs. WAC) – This may be Boise State’s last test of the season, if indeed Oregon State is a test. But the Beavers should be. Pac-10 pride is on the line here. The Broncos are Oregon State’s second Top10 opponent in three weeks – both on the road. The Beavers lost to TCU. No Life of Riley for the Beavers – Boise State 35, Oregon State 32.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. West Virginia (3-0) at LSU (3-0) – (Big East vs. SEC) – Both teams have struggled on offense, but WVU seems to have found itself behind quarterback Geno Smith. This game could boil down to the defenses and the heat in Baton Rouge and the pressure in Tiger Stadium. It could be a wild night. Cajun spices give the Mounties heartburn – LSU 23, West Virginia 20.

4. South Carolina (3-0) at Auburn (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – After last week’s overtime thriller, Auburn may be too pooped for South Carolina. The Clemson game had to take a lot out of them – physically and emotionally. The winner of this game will definitely be a team to watch out for in the SEC. Aubie feasts on Wings – Auburn 24, South Carolina 22.

5. Kentucky (3-0) at Florida (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – In three games, Florida has failed to score a point in the first quarter. In three games, Florida has trailed at the end of the first quarter. Maybe the Gators should continue that streak if they want to win. It could be scary if Florida is winning at the end of the first quarter. The Gators may not know how to act for the remaining three quarters. Kentucky is 3-0, but it’s a weak 3-0. Wildcats can’t arrest the Gators – Florida 33, Kentucky 15.

6. Miami (Florida) (1-1) at Pitt (1-1) – (ACC vs. Big East) – Both of these teams have already been sidelined this season – Pitt by Utah and Miami by Ohio State. Both were on the road. Now Miami is on the road again. Both had the week off to prepare. If Jacory Harris gets his act back together, Miami has the advantage. Canes jump over the Pitt – Miami 30, Pitt 25.

7. Oklahoma (3-0) at Cincinnati (1-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big East) – Oklahoma has been a hard team to figure out this season. The Sooners looked good against Florida State – not so good against Utah State and Air Force. But still, that’s better than Cincinnati has looked. The Bearcats haven’t looked good at all. Which one will look good this week? These Cats don’t have nine lives – Oklahoma 31, Cincinnati 22.

8. UCLA (1-2) at Texas (3-0) – (Pac-10 vs. Big 12) – For a Top-10 team, Texas’ offense sure has struggled this season. Quarterback Garrett Gilbert is still looking for that breakout game. Maybe it will come against the Bruins. After an awful start, UCLA may have found itself last week. But the Bruins need to find a lot more to beat Texas. These Cows eat mor Bruins – Texas 33, UCLA 14.

9. Virginia Tech (1-2) at Boston College (2-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – BC is 2-0, but an unknown 2-0, a weak 2-0. But at least the Eagles are 2-0. That’s better than the Hokies can say. Did Tech finally find itself last week against East Carolina? I guess we’ll find out. They will too. Turkeys stuff the Eagles – Virginia Tech 27, Boston College 22.

10. Stanford (3-0) at Notre Dame (1-2) – (Pac-10 vs. Ind.) – The Irish may be 1-2, but the two losses have been by a total of seven points. Plus, the Irish are at home. You have to wonder if Stanford has been too good to be true. Is Stanford’s band still banned from Notre Dame Stadium? If Stanford has its band in South Bend, the Trees win for sure. The Irish have no Luck – Stanford 28, Notre Dame 27.

11. California (2-1) at Arizona (3-0) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – So now all eyes are on Arizona. The Wildcats looked good in their win over Iowa. Cal started out good, but then looked downright awful against Nevada. Cal hopes to catch the Wildcats still celebrating. Wildcats too wooly for the Bears – Arizona 37, California 26.

12. TCU (3-0) at SMU (2-1) – (MWC vs. C-USA) – A few years ago, a terrible SMU team knocked off a very good TCU team. No way it can happen this year. The Horned Frogs are on a mission. And they are about three positions away in the Top 10. No stoppin’ the Frogs’ hoppin’ – TCU 37, SMU 20.

13. Temple (3-0) at Penn State (2-1) – (MAC vs. Big Ten) – Wonder if Betsy Barefoot is going to be at this game? It could be a lot more exciting than last week’s game. Temple is undefeated and, let me tell you, the Owls are worth more than two hoots. They could give the Lions some trouble. After all, Penn State travels to Iowa next week and that’s what the Lions might be thinking about already. Lions take the Screech out of the Owls – Penn State 29, Temple 20.

14. Oregon (3-0) at Arizona State (2-1) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – Is anybody going to stop the Ducks? They keep waddlin’ along – big time. That poor mascot has to be in better shape than the other mascots – doing all those pushups. But Arizona State did almost beat Wisconsin in Madison – only lost by one point. And the Sun Devils are home this week. Ducks take the Sun out of the Devils – Oregon 38, Arizona State 23.

15. N.C. State (3-0) at Georgia Tech (2-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – Now we’ll find out how good N.C. State is. The Wolfpack are off to a 3-0 start, but it’s a so-so 3-0. A win over Tech in Atlanta would make it a solid 4-0. It also would most likely put the Pack in the Top 25. Pack runs into Killer Bees – Georgia Tech 27, N.C. State 22.

16. North Carolina (0-2) at Rutgers (2-0) – (ACC vs. Big East) – One team struggling to stay undefeated against another team trying to find its first win. The 0-2 team has had tough competition, while the 2-0 team has played no one. One of these two has to step up in this game. The Knights get Rammed – North Carolina 24, Rutgers 22.

17. Georgia (1-2) at Mississippi State (1-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – If Georgia falls to 0-3 in the SEC, Mark Richt can hang it up. He can retire to Acapulco and dive off the cliffs. He’s used to taking a dive. Miss State gave Auburn a battle in Starkville. You have a feeling the Bulldogs are ready to pop one. The Mutts from Georgia win the Dog fight – Georgia 22, Mississippi State 19.

18. Nevada (3-0) at BYU (1-2) – (WAC vs. MWC) – Nevada is off to a great start. The Wolf Pack are a fun team to watch too – lots of offensive fireworks. They have their teeth full this week. BYU is a wounded animal – dangerous. The Pack runs down a Cougar – Nevada 32, BYU 28.

19. UCF (2-1) at Kansas State (3-0) – (C-USA vs. Big 12) – The Wildcats are another team off to a good start. K-State has a decent offense, but a questionable defense. UCF could test that defense. The Knights are a feisty bunch. Wildcats knock the lights out of the Knights – Kansas State 30, UCF 20.

20. Fresno State (2-0) at Ole Miss (1-2) – (WAC vs. SEC) – Ole Miss was supposed to be bad this year, but not this bad – not after they heisted Jeremiah Masoli. But Mr. Masoli has been a disappointment – big time. Meanwhile, Fresno State could be a better team than expected. A road game against an SEC opponent will be a good test for the Bulldogs. Still looking for a team and a mascot in Oxford – Fresno State 27, Ole Miss 24.


…AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

21. Air Force (2-1) at Wyoming (1-2) – (MWC vs. MWC) – Air Force is four points from being 3-0. The Falcons aren’t much through the air, but they sure are tough on the ground – more like Ground Force than Air Force. Birdboys saddle the Cowboys – Air Force 39, Wyoming 22.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

South Dakota State (0-2) at Nebraska (3-0) – (MVC vs. Big 12) – After the big win over Washington, how do you get excited about South Dakota State? What do the fans do? – yell “our silos are better than your silos.” I mean, we know who has the better football team. And Nebraska is off next week. So the Huskers can’t be caught looking ahead. Herbie gets a Bunny – Nebraska 48, South Dakota State 6.

Army (2-1) at Duke (1-2) – (Ind. vs. ACC) – All right, I think we found an opponent the Dookies can beat. That is if there are any Dookies left standing after the Tide ripped through Durham. This Army has no artillery – Duke 35, Army 26.

Toledo (2-1) at Purdue (2-1) – (MAC vs. Big Ten) – Boilers could have their hands full with Toledo. The Rockets have been playing well since their opening loss. And Purdue has had a hard time building up steam. Boilers ground the Rockets – Purdue 23, Toledo 19.

Comment: Four games between eight 3-0 teams (Alabama-Arkansas, West Virginia-LSU, South Carolina-Auburn and Kentucky-Florida). Something’s gotta give. Plus four more 3-0 teams (Stanford, Temple, N.C. State and Nevada) have tough encounters. Something’s likely to give. And six more 3-0 teams (Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, TCU, Oregon and Kansas State) are upset candidates. Something could give.


AROUND FLORIDA:

Florida State (2-1) hosts Wake Forest (2-1) …. South Florida (1-1) entertains Western Kentucky (0-3)…. Florida Atlantic (1-1) is home against North Texas (0-3)…. Florida International (0-2) travels to Maryland (2-1)…. Florida A&M (2-1) plays Tennessee State (1-2) in Atlanta…. Bethune-Cookman (2-0) is home, playing Norfolk State (2-1)…. Jacksonville U. (2-1) is on the road at Davidson (1-2).


Thursday’s Television Schedule – September 23

Miami (Florida) at Pitt – 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPN


Friday’s Television Schedule – September 24

TCU at SMU – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN


Saturday’s Television Schedule – September 25

Bowling Green at Michigan – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN2
N.C. State at Georgia Tech – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN
Florida International at Maryland – 12:00 noon ET – ESPNU
UAB at Tennessee – 12:20 p.m. ET – SEC Game of the Week
UCF at Kansas State – 12:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Alabama at Arkansas – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS
Florida A&M vs. Tennessee State – 3:30 p.m. ET – Versus
Stanford at Notre Dame – 3:30 p.m. ET – NBC
Tulane at Houston – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
UCLA at Texas – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
Eastern Michigan at Ohio State – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
Wake Forest at Florida State – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC
North Carolina at Rutgers – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Oklahoma at Cincinnati – 6:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Kentucky at Florida – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Georgia at Mississippi State – 7:00 p.m. ET – SUN Sports Network
South Carolina at Auburn – 7:45 p.m. ET – ESPN
Baylor at Rice – 8:00 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Oregon State at Boise State – 8:00 p.m. ET – ABC
West Virginia at LSU – 9:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Oregon at Arizona State – 10:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football … Florida Atlantic received unanimous approval from the Florida Board of Governors to build an on-campus 30,000-seat football stadium at a cost of $69.8 million. FAU is located in Boca Raton, Florida. Construction will begin next month and the stadium is scheduled to be ready at a lower capacity for most of the 2011 season and at full capacity for the 2012 season. FAU currently plays most of its home games at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Usually one or two games a season are played at the Miami Dolphins’ Sun Life Stadium.

Oklahoma State and UT San Antonio have scheduled a three-game series to be played in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Two games will be played in Stillwater and one game in San Antonio. UTSA begins playing football for the first time in 2011. The Roadrunners will be coached by former Miami (Florida) coach Larry Coker…. Mississippi State’s non-conference games in 2011 will consist of Memphis, Louisiana Tech, UAB and UT Martin.

The University of Michigan has decided to spend $1.8 million to add permanent lights to the Big House – Michigan Stadium. The school’s board of regents approved the project last week…. South Alabama and Tulane have agreed to a three-game series for 2013, 2019 and 2020. Two games will be played in New Orleans and one game in Mobile…. Oklahoma State and Arizona have contracted to play a two-game home-and-home series in 2011 and 2012.


Extra Points

In the AP Poll – 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Boise State, 4) TCU, and 5) Oregon.

In the Coaches Poll – 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Boise State, 4) Texas, and 5) TCU.


On the Internet – College Football Week now has a Website and can be found at www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com.

On the Radio – Listen live to Touchdown Tom every Friday morning from 8:05 to 8:40 ET on the Bill Mick Live show, talking college football with Bill Mick on NEWS TALK 1240 and 1350 WMMB AM. The show streams on http://www.wmmbam.com/. To listen, go to the Web site and click on “Listen Live.”

Touchdown Tom


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but on a sad note, there were four passings of note last week – Harold Gould, Edwin Newman, James Bacon and Wallace Turner.

Harold Gould, a widely recognizable character actor in film and television who specialized, especially late in his career, in playing suave, well-dressed gentlemen in popular sitcoms and other TV shows, died last week in Woodland Hills, California. He was 86. In the 1970s, on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and later on its spinoff, “Rhoda,” he played Martin Morgenstern, the father of Rhoda Morgenstern.

Edwin Newman, the genteelly rumpled, genially grumpy NBC newsman who was equally famous as a stalwart defender of the honor of English, died in Oxford, England. He was 91. Newman began his association with NBC in the early 1950s and was variously a correspondent, anchor and critic there before retiring in 1984. He was an anchor on the “Today” show in the early 1960s and a familiar presence on the program for many years afterward. Newman also appeared regularly on “Meet the Press.” Edwin Harold Newman was born in New York City on January 25, 1919. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1940 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He was briefly a graduate student in American government at Louisiana State University before finding work in print journalism.

James Bacon, who spent six decades chronicling Hollywood’s biggest stars as a reporter, author and syndicated columnist, died last week at his home in the Northridge section of Los Angeles. He was 96. As a reporter for The Associated Press for 23 years and later as a columnist for The Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Bacon had a knack for befriending A-list celebrities. He palled around with John Wayne, shared whiskey with Frank Sinatra, was a confidant of Marilyn Monroe and met eight United States presidents. James Richard Hughes Bacon was born on May 12, 1914, in Buffalo, New York.

Wallace Turner, who shared a Pulitzer Prize for exposing corruption in Portland, Oregon, as a reporter there, and who later illuminated the inner workings of the Mormon Church while covering the American West for The New York Times, died last week in Springfield, Oregon. He was 89 and lived in Eugene, Oregon. Wallace Turner was born on March 15, 1921, in Titusville, Florida. Turner graduated from the University of Missouri in 1943 with a degree in journalism. He worked for The Springfield Daily News in Missouri before being hired by The Oregonian.

Expect the Unexpected

College Football Week Three – Iowa at Arizona, Clemson at Auburn

Expect the Unexpected

We’re only two weeks into the season and already a trend has been set. You can expect the unexpected.

The first week: Jacksonville State upsets Jeremiah Masoli and Ole Miss in double overtime, 49-48. North Dakota State surprises Kansas, 6-3. LSU, leading a severely crippled North Carolina team 30-10 at the half, struggles in the second half to hang on for a 30-24 win.

Florida stumbles, fumbles and bumbles its way to a sloppy 34-12 win over Miami (Ohio). Underdog Florida Atlantic, trailing throughout most of the game, rallies in the fourth quarter to upset UAB, 32-31. Utah State hangs with Oklahoma throughout the game barely losing to the Sooners, 31-24. And Hawaii puts up 36 points on the board against USC, losing to the Trojans by only 13 points.

The second week: Kansas, a team that lost to North Dakota State the week before, beats Georgia Tech, 28-25. South Dakota, a team that lost to UCF 38-7 the first week, beats Minnesota, 41-38. Gardner-Webb upsets Akron, 38-37.

Marshall, a team that lost to Ohio State 45-7 the week before, leads West Virginia 21-6 with 5:20 left in the game. Then loses the game to WVU in overtime, 24-21. Oklahoma, who barely beat Utah State the first week, throttles Florida State, 47-17. Oklahoma State, who beat Washington State 65-17 the week before, hangs on to barely edge Troy, 41-38.

A sophomore quarterback from Michigan – Denard Robinson – rushes for 258 yards and passes for another 244 yards, accounting for 502 yards of his team’s 532 yards of offense in a 28-24 win against Notre Dame. BYU, a team that beat Washington 23-17 the first week, was blasted by Air Force, 35-14. And perhaps the biggest of all, James Madison beats Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, 21-16. Expect the unexpected.

During the week, a totally unexpected story surfaced out of Knoxville, Tennessee. Volunteer coach Derek Dooley revealed that he and his coaching staff were spending as much time teaching his players how to take showers and wash themselves with soap as they were teaching football skills.

It seems Tennessee players were avoiding the soap and sometimes the showers after practices. The football coaches got concerned that a staph infection could get started, spread and become a major problem. So the coaches decided to teach the players the basic principles of taking a shower and washing oneself with soap. Expect the unexpected.

Following West Virginia’s come-from-behind, overtime win over Marshall Friday night, Houston smashed UTEP, 54-24. But of concern from this game is the status of Houston quarterback Case Keenum, who left the game in the third quarter with an injury.

The Houston quarterback, a Heisman candidate, took a blow to the head. Then a wobbly Keenum made his way unsteadily to the sideline. Keenum has been diagnosed with a concussion is listed as day-to-day. Stay tuned.

If there was a conference that had a rough day on Saturday, it was the ACC. Virginia Tech suffered the embarrassing loss to James Madison, as did Florida State to Oklahoma. Miami (Florida) lost a marquee game to Ohio State, 36-24. In the contest, Miami quarterback Jacory Harris threw four interceptions.

Favored Georgia Tech fell to Kansas, and Virginia lost to USC, 17-14. N.C. State won, but the Wolfpack struggled to hang on to a 28-21 win over UCF.

Alabama looked every bit the No. 1 team it is, as the Crimson Tide stuffed Penn State, 24-3. The Tide defense was exceptional. Steve Spurrier got his first win over Georgia in Columbia. The Gamecocks beat the Dawgs, 17-6. After a rough start, Florida found itself in the second quarter and went on to beat South Florida, 38-14.

On the downside in the SEC, Oregon flattened Tennessee, 48-13. We can only hope that the Tennessee players took showers after the game.

Iowa, appearing to be one of the premier teams in the Big Ten, stomped on intrastate rival Iowa State, 35-7. California had no trouble from Colorado. The Golden Bears beat the Buffalos, 52-7. Washington started slow but picked up steam to beat Syracuse, 41-20. Stanford looked good, beating UCLA, 35-0. And Nevada remained undefeated, beating Colorado State, 51-6.

Just prior to the weekend, Villanova announced that it is evaluating the possibility of elevating its football program from FCS (Division I-AA) up to FBS (Division I-A). The reason being that Villanova is thinking about becoming a football member of the Big East Conference – a conference where all of Villanova’s other sports – basketball, soccer, baseball, etc – already compete. The Wildcats’ football program is currently in the Colonial Conference.

Thursday night, Swamp Mama and I picked up four dozen wings at Coasters and went on to Bootsie and Rockledge Gator’s house where we watched the Auburn-Mississippi State game. Auburn won, 17-14. Bootsie was a happy camper.

What shocks and surprises will we have this week? Expect the unexpected.

Touchdown Tom
September 13, 2010


Weekend Review

GAME OF THE WEEK: No sugar in these Canes – Ohio State 36, Miami (Florida) 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 24, Miami 20). The best player of the game for Ohio State was Miami quarterback Jacory Harris. Harris threw four interceptions, assisting the Buckeyes to their 12-point win. Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor passed for 233 yards (no interceptions) and rushed for another 113 yards. A crowd of 105,454 attended the game in Columbus.

RUNNER UP: Paterno Nitts while Penn State burns – Alabama 24, Penn State 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 24, Penn State 21). Alabama’s defense swarmed all over the Nittany Lions. Penn State never found a running or passing game as hard as it tried. A crowd of 101,821 attended the game in Tuscaloosa.

REST OF THE BEST: Sooners push out the Noles – Oklahoma 47, Florida State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 29, Florida State 27). Bring back Bobby! Bring back Bobby! Do you suppose that is what Noles’ fans are chanting? Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones picked apart the FSU defense. Jones threw for 380 yards. A crowd of 85,630 attended the game in Norman.

Uga chokes on Chicken – South Carolina 17, Georgia 6 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 22, Georgia 16). Steve Spurrier gets his first win over Georgia in Columbia. Dawg fans were selling their Georgia jerseys after the game – autographed or not. A crowd of 80,974 attended the game in Columbia.

B.J. is no Jack – Florida 38, South Florida 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 33, South Florida 14). For the first quarter, Florida looked like the Florida of last week against Miami (Ohio). Fortunately for the Gators, they looked more like the team they should be for the rest of the game. South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels, who wasn’t at all daunted by Doak Campbell Stadium last year, played like a deer caught in the headlights in The Swamp. A crowd of 90,612 attended the game in Gainesville.

Ducks waddle over Rocky Top – Oregon 48, Tennessee 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 27, Tennessee 14). Tennessee played a decent first half. But it was all Oregon after that. It may be a long season for the Vols. But then, that was predicted. No rest for the Duck mascot. Oregon has scored 120 points in its first two games. A crowd of 102,035 attended the game in Knoxville.

Irish looking green – Michigan 28, Notre Dame 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 24, Notre Dame 23). This was more like Denard Robinson 28, Notre Dame 24. Robinson was responsible for 502 of Michigan’s 532 yards of offense. Can you spell Heisman? Brian Kelly is now 0-2 against Rich Rodriguez. A crowd of 80,795 attended the game in South Bend.

Fly Boys strafe the Cougars – Air Force 35, BYU 14 (Touchdown Tom said: BYU 30, Air Force 29). Now we know why BYU wants to get out of the Mountain West Conference. The Cougars can’t compete. Watch out for the Falcons. A crowd of 46,692 attended the game in Colorado Springs.

Hawkeyes egg the Cyclones – Iowa 35, Iowa State 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 27, Iowa State 17). Hawkeyes win the Salmonella Trophy. Iowa’s Adam Robinson rushed for 154 yards, as the Hawkeyes cruised. A crowd of 70,585 attended the game in Iowa City.

Tigers silence the cowbells – Auburn 17, Mississippi State 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 24, Mississippi State 22). In a lack luster game, Auburn held on with just enough to get by the Bulldogs. Something tells me this could be typical of Miss State this season – losing a lot of close games. A crowd of 54,806 attended the game in Starkville.

Joshua couldn’t tear down the walls of Lawrence – Kansas 28, Georgia Tech 25 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 27, Kansas 9). Where was this Kansas team last week? A crowd of 46,907 attended the game in Lawrence.

Bruins had no Luck – Stanford 35, UCLA 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 38, UCLA 24). Rick Neuheisel has to be in some kind of trouble in Westwood. Stanford’s defense is playing better than expected. A crowd of 56,931 attended the game in Pasadena.

You bet your sweet Kiffy – USC 17, Virginia 14 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 30, Virginia 20). Surprisingly close game for the Trojans. A crowd of 81,375 attended the game in Los Angeles.

No music for the Commodores – LSU 27, Vanderbilt 3 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 33, Vanderbilt 19). Tigers came alive in the second half. A crowd of 36,940 attended the game in Nashville.

Bears put Ralphie out to pasture – California 52, Colorado 7 (Touchdown Tom said: California 30, Colorado 19). The Golden Bears are off to an impressive start. Wonder if Dan Hawkins is still asking for a contract extension? I would believe Colorado is thinking about contract extinction. A crowd of 55,440 attended the game in Berkeley.

The big bad Wolf – N.C. State 28, UCF 21 (Touchdown Tom said: N.C. State 28, UCF 26). Bozo O’Brien holds off Clarabell O’Leary in the battle of the Irish clowns. A crowd of 43,020 attended the game in Orlando.

Revenge – Houston 54, UTEP 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Houston 37, UTEP 23). The Cougars poured it on as Case Keenum passed for 279 yards and Bryce Beall rushed for 195. Keenum left the game with an injury. A crowd of 32,119 attended the game in Houston.

It’s not over till it’s over – West Virginia 24, Marshall 21 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 30, Marshall 14). Doc Holliday really did want to beat WVU – perhaps more so than we thought. Holliday feels he should be the coach in Morgantown instead of Bill Stewart. Up until 12 seconds to go in the game Marshall was beating WVU. Trailing 21-6 with about eight minutes left in the 4th quarter – it didn’t look promising for the Mounties. But then WVU decided to play. A crowd of 41,382 attended the game in Huntington.

Locker juices the Orange – Washington 41, Syracuse 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 32, Syracuse 13). Jake Locker had a heck of a game, passing for 289 yards. A crowd of 62,418 attended the game in Seattle.

Night of the Hunter – Oklahoma State 41, Troy 38 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma State 35, Troy 17). What a difference from last week when the Cowboys beat Washington State, 65-17. Okie State’s Brandon Weeden passed for 348 yards and Kendall Hunter rushed for 157. A crowd of 48,820 attended the game in Stillwater.


…AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Wolf Pack jams the Rams – Nevada 51, Colorado State 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Nevada 29, Colorado State 13). Wolf Pack quarterback Colin Kaepernick was responsible for 402 of Nevada’s 631 yards of offense – 161 rushing and 241 passing. A crowd of 18,098 attended the game in Reno.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Herbie scallops the Potatoes – Nebraska 38, Idaho 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 38, Idaho 15). Together, Husker quarterback Taylor Martinez and running back Roy Helu were too much for the Vandals. A crowd of 85,732 attended the game in Lincoln.

Deacons outshoot the Dookies – Wake Forest 54, Duke 48 (Touchdown Tom said: Wake Forest 27, Duke 25). I’m not sure but what Wake Forest’s Jeff Bzdelik and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski were coaching this game. If not, they had to be happy with the points produced. But I know Krzyzewski is in Turkey, coaching the USA in the world championships. Still? Four turnovers killed the Doookies’ chances. A crowd of 31,673 attended the game in Winston-Salem.

Bevo fences in the Cowboys – Texas 34, Wyoming 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Wyoming 15). Texas’ defense smothered the Cowboys, holding Wyoming to 58 yards on the ground. A crowd of 101,339 attended the game in Austin.

Boilers turn up the steam – Purdue 31, Western Illinois 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 27, Western Illinois 18). Boilers found the going a little more to their liking this week. Still, the Leathernecks were no pushover. A crowd of 47,301 attended the game in West Lafayette.

Comment: A very good week at 23-2 on the predictions, which brings my season total to 44-8 (84.6 percent).


AROUND FLORIDA:

Florida Atlantic fell to Michigan State, 30-17. A crowd of 36,124 attended the game in Detroit…. Florida International lost to Rutgers, 19-14. A crowd of 19,872 attended the game in Miami.

Florida A&M slipped by Delaware State, 17-14. A crowd of 3,867 attended the game in Dover…. Jacksonville U. lost to Appalachian State, 45-14. A crowd of 28,708 attended the game in Boone.


Superlatives

Weekend’s Best Passers: Arkansas State’s Ryan Aplin – 25-45-1 for 438 yards; Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett – 28-43-1 for 400; Arizona State’s Steven Threet – 33-49-2 for 391; Oklahoma’s Landry Jones – 30-40-0 for 379; Tulsa’s G.J. Kinne – 27-47-1 for 356; Texas A&M’s Jerrod Johnson – 25-38-0 for 349; Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden – 29-39-2 for 348, and Hawaii’s Bryant Moniz – 25-36-0 for 343.

UTEP’s Trevor Vittatoe – 30-54-0 for 340 yards; New Mexico’s B.R. Holbrook – 30-50-2 for 323; West Virginia’s Geno Smith – 32-45-0 for 316; Middle Tennessee’s Jeff Murphy – 23-36-1 for 301; Central Michigan’s Ryan Radcliff – 25-35-2 for 299; Western Michigan’s Alex Carder – 24-33-1 for 298; Baylor’s Robert Griffin – 20-35-1 for 297, and Texas Tech’s Taylor Potts – 22-34-0 for 293.

Memphis’ Ryan Williams – 18-25-0 for 293 yards; Washington’s Jake Locker – 22-33-0 for 289; North Texas’ Nathan Tune – 20-37-1 for 285; Ole Miss’ Jeremiah Masoli – 14-20-1 for 281; Houston’s Case Keenum – 15-24-1 for 279; Notre Dame’s Dayne Crist – 13-25-1 for 277; Pitt’s Tino Sunseri – 24-34-1 for 275; Troy’s Corey Robinson – 28-38-0 for 272; Minnesota’s Adam Weber – 21-31-0 for 258, and Utah State’s Diondre Borel – 21-26-0 for 255.


Weekend’s Best Rushers: Michigan’s Denard Robinson – 258 yards; Houston’s Bryce Beall – 195 yards; Western Kentucky’s Bobby Rainey – 184 yards; Michigan State’s Edwin Baker – 183 yards; South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore – 182 yards; Northern Illinois’ Chandler Harnish – 178 yards; Tennessee’s Tauren Poole – 162 yards; Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick – 161 yards, and LSU’s Stevan Ridley – 159 yards.

Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez – 157 yards; Oklahoma State’s Kendall Hunter – 157 yards; Iowa’s Adam Robinson – 154 yards; Connecticut’s Jordan Todman – 151 yards; San Diego State’s Ronnie Hillman – 150 yards; Alabama’s Trent Richardson – 144 yards; Florida’s Jeff Demps – 139 yards, and Wisconsin’s John Clay – 137 yards.


Quotes of Last Week

“Don’t burn the Quran, burn Steve Addazio’s playbook,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi, on Florida’s offensive coordinator.

“The last time Florida State played for a national title was against Oklahoma (2001 Orange Bowl). The last time Miami played for a national title was against Ohio State (2003 Fiesta Bowl). Both programs lost those games and haven’t been the same since,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi, before Saturday’s games.

“FSU coach Jimbo Fisher says he doesn’t like playing non-conference games like the one today against Oklahoma and says he wants to soften the schedule in the future by adding more Division I-AA creampuffs and patty cakes. Who does this guy think he is – Urban Meyer?,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“And speaking of Meyer, what was that Keystone Cops routine last week against Miami of Low-hio? It looked like the Gators’ entire offense was suffering from esophageal spasms,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“With Daytona International Speedway in the process of being repaved, track officials buried a time capsule at the start-finish line the other day. Here are the three mementos I would have put in the capsule to remind future generations of what NASCAR used to be like: (1) A naked-lady mud flap, (2) A Confederate flag halter top and (3) A framed photograph of Dale Earnhardt Jr. crossing the finish line in 14th place,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Tim Tebow’s NFL debut: Two yards and a cloud of lust,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“There won’t be any smiling faces around here until we get another win,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly.


The 20 Hottest and Most Intriguing Games of the Week…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Iowa (2-0) at Arizona (2-0) – (Big Ten vs. Pac-10) – Good showdown between two teams off to a good start. Hawkeyes will have a tough time in Tucson. Wildcats get their claws clipped – Iowa 17, Arizona 14.

RUNNER UP: 2. Texas (2-0) at Texas Tech (2-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – Last time the Longhorns went into Lubbock they came out on the short end of the stick. The Red Raiders stuck it to ’em. This time it will be the Horns who do the stickin’. Tuberville can’t stay on the steer – Texas 33, Texas Tech 20.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Nebraska (2-0) at Washington (1-1) – (Big 12 vs. Pac-10) – Huskers face their stiffest competition to date. And a road trip at that. Huskies already have one blemish on their record and they don’t want another one this early in the season. It could be a fight to the finish. Herbie shuts the Locker – Nebraska 26, Washington 22.

4. Clemson (2-0) at Auburn (2-0) – (ACC vs. SEC) – Well, if Miss State is Auburn with a Wal-Mart, Clemson is Auburn with a lake. The latter one according to Lewis Grizard. Another good battle between two undefeated teams. And of course, Clemson’s coach (Dabo Swinney) is an Alabama graduate. More reason for Auburn to want to win. More reason for Dabo to want to win. Auburn has been tested. Clemson hasn’t. Aubie puts Dab in the lab – Auburn 20, Clemson 16.

5. Arkansas (2-0) at Georgia (1-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – The Dawgs come into this encounter, smarting from their loss to South Carolina. The pressure mounts on Mark Richt. But the pressure is on Bobby Petrino too. Hogs’ fans say it’s time they start winning. But winning is never easy in the SEC. Uga licks his chops on baby back ribs – Georgia 22, Arkansas 18.

6. Air Force (2-0) at Oklahoma (2-0) – (MWC vs. Big 12) – The Falcons hope to catch the Sooners celebrating their big win over Florida State. The Sooners will find the Falcons more than they bargained for. But in the end, the Sooners outman the Falcons. Sooners force the air out of the Falcons – Oklahoma 35, Air Force 25.

7. Florida (2-0) at Tennessee (1-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – It’s Gator time on Rocky Top. Time for the Gators to do some chomping in Tennessee. Time for Urban and his boys to silence the Vols. Time for Rocky Top to be turned into Dooley Bottom. Let’s see, how long has it been since Tennessee beat Florida? Well, it’s going to be even longer now. Instead of Rocky Top, the Vols will think they are in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Albert gives the Vols a bath – Florida 30, Tennessee 17.

8. BYU (1-1) at Florida State (1-1) – (MWC vs. ACC) – Both teams got a spanking last week – big time. But only one can bounce back this week. Noles have a better bounce in their step. Seminoles on the warpath – Florida State 27, BYU 16.

9. Georgia Tech (1-1) at North Carolina (0-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – We don’t know which Georgia Tech team will show up. And we don’t know which North Carolina players will show up. We just know somebody will show up. And the Tar Heels will show up better. Tar Heels spray the Bees – North Carolina 24, Georgia Tech 17.

10. Notre Dame (1-1) at Michigan State (2-0) – (Ind. vs. Big Ten) – Brian Kelly goes from one Michigan team to another and it may not be pretty. This one’s on the road. And the Spartans have a score to settle. Although, the Irish are tested and State hasn’t been. Dantonio puts a mark on the Irish – Michigan State 26, Notre Dame 23.

11. Baylor (2-0) at TCU (2-0) – (Big 12 vs. MWC) – TCU only plays two BCS teams all season. The Horned Frogs already beat the first one – Oregon State. Now they face the second one. It’s a must win for the Frogs in their struggle to reach a BCS bowl and possibly the national championship game. The Bears will provide some resistance. Froggies trap a Bear – TCU 27, Baylor 14.

12. Mississippi State (1-1) at LSU (2-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – In Starkville, Miss State could cause some problems. But in Baton Rouge, the Tigers should find the Bulldogs more to their liking. Mikey eats anything – LSU 24, Mississippi State 10.

13. Arizona State (2-0) at Wisconsin (2-0) – (Pac-10 vs. Big Ten) – Second interesting encounter this week between the Pac-10 and Big Ten – both involving Arizona teams. And both games involving undefeated teams. Unless ASU has something we don’t know about, it doesn’t look good for the Sun Devils. The Badgers Clay with the Devils – Wisconsin 30, Arizona State 20.

14. California (2-0) at Nevada (2-0) – (Pac-10 vs. WAC) – Both teams are off to a good start. But Nevada hasn’t really been tested. Still, this could be an exciting game and a high-scoring one too. Bears pack the Wolves – California 30, Nevada 25.

15. Maryland (2-0) at West Virginia (2-0) – (ACC vs. Big East) – If last week wasn’t a wakeup call for the Mounties, I don’t know what is. They better get out of the gate faster this week. Mounties ice up the Fridge – West Virginia 27, Maryland 18.

16. Wake Forest (2-0) at Stanford (2-0) – (ACC vs. Pac-10) – We know the Deacons can score, but we don’t think the Deacons’ defense can stop Andrew Luck and Stanford, especially not in Palo Alto. The Cardinal is looking good. The Deacons have no Luck – Stanford 34, Wake Forest 16.

17. Houston (2-0) at UCLA (0-2) – (C-USA vs. Pac-10) – The big question here is the status of Houston quarterback Case Keenum. He is suffering from a concussion and is listed as day-to-day. And obviously if Keenum doesn’t play it could make a big difference in the game. UCLA sure is off to a rough start. Case settled – Houston 27, UCLA 24.

18. Boise State (1-0) at Wyoming (1-1) – (WAC vs. MWC) – After a week off, the Broncos return to action. It does not look like a pretty scene for Wyoming. The only hope for the Cowboys is the home-field advantage. But that’s little hope. Broncos toss the Cowboys – Boise State 31, Wyoming 20.

19. Cincinnati (1-1) at N.C. State (2-0) – (Big East vs. ACC) – This is the second tough road trip for the Bearcats in three weeks. They didn’t survive the first one and this one may not turn out any better. The Wolfpack are off to a good start and will be looking to keep it going. If the Wolfpack can contain Cincy quarterback Zach Collaros, they can contain the Bearcats. Bearcats can’t hack the Pack – N.C. State 28, Cincinnati 22.

20. Connecticut (1-1) at Temple (2-0) – (Big East vs. MAC) – Possible upset brewing here. Temple would love to knockoff the Huskies and the Owls are capable of doing it. UConn better be on its toes. Owls lose their hoots – Connecticut 25, Temple 19.


…AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

21. Kansas (1-1) at Southern Miss (1-1) – (Big 12 vs. C-USA) – If the Kansas team that beat Georgia Tech shows up, then the Jayhawks should win. But, if the Kansas team that lost to North Dakota State shows up, the Jayhawks will lose. Anybody’s guess. Jayhawks are rude to the Miss – Kansas 27, Southern Miss 22.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Alabama (2-0) at Duke (1-1) – (SEC vs. ACC) – Now you know why Duke sold out its season tickets this year. Alabama fans probably account for half of them. This could be a case of how long can the Dookies hang with the Tide – five minutes, one quarter, two quarters? You gotta figure David Cutcliffe will try every trick in the books. Elephants trample the Dookies – Alabama 38, Duke 15.

Ball State (1-1) at Purdue (1-1) – (MAC vs. Big Ten) – Since the opening loss to Notre Dame, Purdue has taken the easy road out. Boilers deflate the Ball – Purdue 33, Ball State 18.

Comment: A lot of good games this week without any real marquee contests.


AROUND FLORIDA:

UCF (1-1) travels to Buffalo (1-1)…. Florida International (0-1) is on the road at Texas A&M (2-0)…. Florida A&M (1-1) plays at Howard (0-2)…. Bethune-Cookman (1-0) hosts Savannah State (0-2)…. Jacksonville U. (1-1) entertains Weber International (0-1)…. Miami, South Florida (1-1) and Florida Atlantic (1-1) have the week off.


Thursday’s Television Schedule – September 16

Cincinnati at N.C. State – 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPN


Friday’s Television Schedule – September 17

Kansas at Southern Miss – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN
California at Nevada – 10:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2


Saturday’s Television Schedule – September 18

Arkansas at Georgia – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN/ESPN2
Georgia Tech at North Carolina – 12:00 noon ET – Raycom (ACC Game of the Week)
Iowa State vs. Kansas State – 12:00 noon ET – Fox Sports Network
Kent State at Penn State – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN/ESPN2
Maryland at West Virginia – 12:00 noon ET – ESPNU
North Texas at Army – 12:00 noon ET – CBS-CSN
Vanderbilt at Ole Miss – 12:20 p.m. ET – SEC Game of the Week
Air Force at Oklahoma – 3:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Alabama at Duke – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC
Arizona State at Wisconsin – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN2
BYU at Florida State – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Florida at Tennessee – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS
Nebraska at Washington – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN2
USC at Minnesota – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPN
Washington State at SMU – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Baylor at TCU – 4:30 p.m. ET – Versus
Clemson at Auburn – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPN
Mississippi State at LSU – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Boise State at Wyoming – 8:00 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Notre Dame at Michigan State – 8:00 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN2
Texas at Texas Tech – 8:00 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN2
Houston at UCLA – 10:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Iowa at Arizona – 10:30 p.m. ET – ESPN
UNLV at Idaho – 10:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Wake Forest at Stanford – 11:15 p.m. ET – ESPN2


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football … Hawaii has added Tulane to its 2011 schedule. The game will be played in Honolulu…. South Alabama and Oklahoma State have agreed to a three-game series to be played in 2017 and then in 2019 and 2020. Two games will be played in Stillwater and one game in Mobile.

South Alabama and Southern Miss have signed up to a home-and-home series to be played in 2020 and 2021…. UCF has added BYU to its 2011 and 2014 schedules and Connecticut to its 2014 and 2015 schedules. Both series are home-and-home agreements.


Extra Points

In the latest AP Poll: 1) Alabama; 2) Ohio State; 3) Boise State; 4) TCU; 5) Oregon

In the latest Coaches Poll: 1) Alabama; 2) Ohio State; 3) Boise State; 4) Texas; 5) TCU

On the Internet – College Football Week now has a Website and can be found at www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com.

On the Radio – Listen live to Touchdown Tom every Friday morning from 8:05 to 8:40 ET on the Bill Mick Live show, talking college football with Bill Mick on NEWS TALK 1240 and 1350 WMMB AM. The show streams on http://www.wmmbam.com/. To listen, go to the Web site and click on “Listen Live.”

Touchdown Tom


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but in mid-September as the college football season was finally underway, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1935 was “I’m In The Mood For Love” by Little Jack Little

…70 years ago this week in 1940 was “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Tommy Dorsey

…65 years ago this week in 1945 was “Till The End Of Time” by Perry Como

…60 years ago this week in 1950 was “Goodnight Irene” by Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers

…55 years ago this week in 1955 was “The Yellow Rose Of Texas” by Mitch Miller

…50 years ago this week in 1960 was “The Twist” by Chubby Checker

…45 years ago this week in 1965 was “Help” by The Beatles

…40 years ago this week in 1970 was “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Diana Ross

…35 years ago this week in 1975 was “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell

…30 years ago this week in 1980 was “Upside Down” by Diana Ross

…25 years ago this week in 1985 was “St. Elmo’s Fire” by John Parr

…20 years ago this week in 1990 was “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love And Affection” by Nelson


Not directly college football related, but on a sad note, there were two passings of note last week – Ron Kramer and Kevin McCarthy.

Ron Kramer, a two-time All-American at the University of Michigan who became one of the first outstanding tight ends in the National Football League, playing for Coach Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers championship teams of the early 1960s, died last week at his home in Fenton, Michigan. He was 75. Ronald John Kramer was born on June 24, 1935, in Girard, Kansas, but moved with his family to the Detroit area as a youngster. He was an All-American at Michigan in 1955 and 1956, playing end on offense and defense. He was also captain of the basketball team as a senior, when he set Michigan’s career scoring record, which has since been broken, and he was a high jumper for the track team. Kramer joined the Packers as a first-round draft pick in 1957, taken fourth overall, with Paul Hornung having been the No. 1 choice.

Kevin McCarthy, the suave, square-jawed actor who earned accolades in stage and screen productions of “Death of a Salesman” but will always be best known as the star of the 1956 science fiction movie “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” died last week at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Massachusetts. He was 96 and lived in Sherman Oaks, California. McCarthy, whose sister was the celebrated author Mary McCarthy, was 35 and a veteran of seven Broadway plays when Elia Kazan cast him as Biff, the shallow, elder son of Willy Loman, in the London stage production of “Death of a Salesman.” His portrayal of Biff in the 1951 film version earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. Kevin McCarthy was born on February 15, 1914, in Seattle. Both of his parents died in the influenza epidemic of 1918, and he and his brothers and sisters were sent to live with relatives in Minneapolis. After graduating from high school in Wisconsin, McCarthy studied at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, with an eye toward a diplomatic career. He changed his mind, however, and transferred to the University of Minnesota, where he became interested in acting.