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.