Cock-a-doodle-doo! What a wild and crazy day

College Football Week Seven – Buckeyes, Auburn to be Tested

Cock-a-doodle-doo!
What a wild and crazy day 

The roosters are still crowing in South Carolina. They’ve been crowing since the final second ticked off the clock in Williams-Brice Stadium Saturday evening. The scoreboard read: South Carolina 35, Alabama 21.

Except for a brief Alabama lead early in the first quarter, the Gamecocks led throughout the contest. The Tide’s 3-0 lead soon turned into an 18-point South Carolina lead by early in the second quarter – 21-3.

Still you had the feeling in the back of your mind that Alabama would come back – just as the Tide did against Arkansas. In that game, the Razorbacks led Alabama 20-7 in the waning seconds of the third quarter, but Bama rallied and won, 24-20. Tide running backs Mark Ingram (157 yards rushing) and Trent Richardson (85 yards rushing) wore down and rolled over the Arkansas defense.

South Carolina’s 21-3 lead soon became a leery 21-14 lead. Then the Gamecocks 28-14 lead was cut to an uncomfortable 28-21 lead. Bama quarterback Greg McElroy was having a good day. McElroy completed 79 percent of his passes for 315 yards and no interceptions.

But unlike the Alabama-Arkansas game, Tide running backs Ingram and Richardson were no shows against South Carolina – they were MIA. South Carolina ignored McElroy. The Gamecocks keyed on Ingram and Richardson and stopped the Alabama running attack. Ingram rushed for a mere 41 yards and Richardson only had 23 yards rushing.

South Carolina added an insurance touchdown with 7:01 remaining and the Cocks led 35-21. That’s when you had the feeling that the Tide was going out. That’s when the roosters started tuning up their vocal chords. It was a great finish to a week for South Carolina – a week that began on a downer for the Gamecocks.

Have you ever wondered who the real SC is – Southern California or South Carolina? Well, last Monday, the Supreme Court said it didn’t care. And with that snub, South Carolina lost its trademark battle with the other SC – Southern California. The nation’s highest court refused to take up the case. The Supreme Court refused to hear South Carolina’s appeal.

Previously, lower federal courts had ruled that only Southern California has the right to use SC. South Carolina cannot use the interlocking “SC” on its merchandise. So, since the lower courts ruled that the SC in Los Angeles is the real SC, the Supreme Court’s snub left the SC in Columbia sucking a hot toddy. Oh wait, I’ve got the wrong school. It left the one in Columbia sucking an egg – a chicken egg. Fortunately, they didn’t get salmonella. Alabama can testify to that.

Speaking of the other SC, the Supreme Court’s action was the high point of its week. Saturday night in Palo Alton, the Trojans lost to Stanford, 37-35. Actually, USC appeared to have the game in hand. The Trojans scored with 1:12 remaining to take a 35-34 lead over Stanford. But in the final minute, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck drove the Cardinal down the field to the Trojan’s 13 yard line. Stanford kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired to win the game.

Three other teams won in the waning seconds Saturday. In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Navy scored on a six-yard pass from Ricky Dobbs to Greg Jones with 0:26 remaining to beat Wake Forest, 28-27. In Lexington, Kentucky, Auburn’s Wes Byrum kicked a 24-yard field goal as time expired and the Tigers beat Kentucky, 37-34.

Then there was the contest in Gainesville, Florida. With 14:17 remaining in the fourth quarter, LSU scored to take, what appeared to be, a commanding 26-14 lead over the Gators. But Florida’s Andre Debose scored on the ensuing kickoff and Florida cut the Tigers’ lead to five – 26-21. Then, with 3:21 left in the game, Florida’s Mike Gillislee scored on a five-yard run. The Gators were successful on a two-point conversion and Florida led LSU, 29-26.

All the Gators had to do now was hold LSU in the final 3:21. It appeared that Florida had succeeded in its task. With 0:35 left, the Gators held and LSU lined up to kick a 53-yard field goal for the tie. But it was a fake. Tiger holder Derek Helton flipped a no-look toss over his head to placekicker Josh Jasper. The ball hit the ground, but took a LSU bounce, as Jasper scooped it up and ran for the first down. A few plays later, LSU scored a touchdown and won the game, 33-29.

All-in-all, it was a busy week for college football. Prior to Saturday’s games, there were four nights of football on TV last week – Tuesday through Friday. Tuesday night, Troy downed Middle Tennessee, 42-13. Wednesday evening, in the alphabet game, UCF beat UAB, 42-7. Message to UCF students: Leave the thunder sticks at home. Big time college football student sections don’t use thunder sticks. That’s about as hokey as bringing Vuvuzelas to a game – downright tacky.

Thursday night, college football fans who had not yet had the opportunity to see Taylor Martinez in action this season got a real treat. The Nebraska quarterback rushed for 241 yards (4 TDs) and passed for 128 yards (1 TD), as the Huskers beat Kansas State, 48-13.

A doubleheader was on the platter Friday evening. Rutgers, trailing Connecticut 24-17 since midway through the second quarter, scored 10 points (a touchdown and a field goal) in the final four minutes of the game to beat the Huskies, 27-24. In the nightcap, Oklahoma State remained undefeated (5-0), downing Louisiana-Lafayette, 54-28.

I saw LSU coach Les Miles being interviewed Friday on ESPN after the Tigers arrived in Gainesville for their upcoming game against Florida. Message to Les: Get rid of the comb over. It looks bad. You’re no Donald Trump.

Heart and Soul – Then there was the 69-year-old Detroit man who put off surgery last week to install a pacemaker in his chest so he could watch the Michigan State-Michigan game on TV Saturday. Major Hester deferred the pacemaker procedure which was scheduled for last Thursday. The surgery has been rescheduled for this week. The retired office supply clerk is a devout Spartans fan. Hester said he couldn’t risk something going wrong on the operating table that would prevent him from seeing the game.

The Spartans didn’t disappoint Hester. Michigan State shutdown the Wolverines’ Denard Robinson, beating Michigan 31-17. Robinson threw three interceptions and was held to 86 yards rushing. The Spartans’ Kirk Cousins passed for 284 yards. And speaking of heart, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio was coaching from the press box. You gotta have heart…miles and miles and miles of heart.

In other action Saturday, either Illinois is getting better, a lot better, or Penn State is getting worse – a lot worse. The Banned Indians surprised the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley to the tune of 33-13. Except for one game, Penn State’s Evan Royster has been a no show this season. Maybe the Lions were overrated at preseason. Maybe it will be Joe Paterno’s last year. Stay tuned. Betsy Barefoot and Michelle Grady attended the game.

Elsewhere in the Big Ten, Ohio State spanked Indiana, 38-10. Terrelle Pryor passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns. Wisconsin cleaned up on Minnesota, 41-23. The Gophers’ Tim Brewster will most likely be fired at season’s end. And Purdue handed Northwestern its first loss. The Boilers beat the Wildcats, 20-17.

In the ACC, Florida State won the big showdown with Miami. The Noles embarrassed the Canes, 45-17. N.C. State got back on the winning track. Russell Wilson passed for 328 yards and three touchdowns as the Wolfpack stymied Boston College, 44-17. North Carolina beat Clemson, 21-16, and Georgia Tech stopped Virginia, 33-21.

Somebody finally lit a fire under Uga. Georgia blasted Tennessee, 41-14. Two SEC teams played in Texas. Mississippi State downed Houston, 47-24 and Arkansas knocked off Texas A&M, 24-17.

In the Big 12, Missouri skunked Colorado, 26-0, and Texas Tech outlasted Baylor, 45-38. In the Big East, West Virginia trashed UNLV, 49-10, and Syracuse upset South Florida in Tampa. The Orange beat the Bulls, 13-9. Notre Dame held off Pitt, 23-17. Louisville scored big, downing Memphis, 56-0, and Cincinnati thumped Miami (Ohio), 45-3.

Out west, Oregon State scored early and held on to knock off Arizona, 29-27. It was the Wildcats first loss. Also in the Pac-10, California trounced UCLA, 35-7, Oregon blasted Washington State, 43-23, and Arizona State downed Washington, 24-14.

Utah remained undefeated. The Utes annihilated Iowa State, 68-27. TCU remained undefeated as well. The Horned Frogs blanked Wyoming, 45-0. Boise State kept its record perfect. The Broncos tossed Toledo, 57-14. And Nevada is still unbeaten. The Wolf Pack dominated San Jose State, 35-13.

In four other games, East Carolina trimmed Southern Miss, 44-43, and SMU edged Tulsa, 21-18. Also, Northern Illinois beat Temple, 31-17, and finally, Army slammed Tulane, 41-23.

After six weeks of play, 13 teams (Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Michigan State, Ohio State, TCU, Utah, Oregon, Auburn, LSU, Boise State and Nevada) remain undefeated, while four teams (Akron, Eastern Michigan, New Mexico and Western Kentucky) are still winless.

Five teams (Alabama, Arizona, Kansas State, Michigan and Northwestern) lost for the first time Saturday. Two teams (New Mexico State and Florida International) won for the first time.

In the race for the Heisman, three remain high on the list – Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor, Boise State’s Kellen Moore and Auburn’s Cam Newton. Two fell off the list – Alabama’s Mark Ingram and Michigan’s Denard Robinson. One joined the list – Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez, and one returned to the list – Stanford’s Andrew Luck. Stay tuned.

And the beat goes on…. It turns out that voting for the new Mascot at Ole Miss will continue to October 12. Again, the three finalists are the Land Shark (Jimmy Buffett), the Bear (Sarah Palin) and the Hotty Toddy (?).

So far, voting turnout has been light, as most Ole Miss students, alumni, faculty and fans remain apathetic about the selection of a new mascot. Their preference is to retain the Kentucky Fried Chicken image – Col. Sanders.

After I released last week’s blog, one of my many Nebraska friends, Brian Smith, e-mailed to suggest that I start providing my personal Top 6, along with the AP and Coaches Polls. Well, I went back and added my Top 6 to the Web site version of CFW last week. Starting this week it is in both versions – e-mail and the Web site. It can be found in the “Extra Points” section. Thanks Brian – good idea.

Every year in late October, Rockledge Gator and Bootsie usually go to a few Halloween parties. This year Rockledge Gator is going to the parties as Lady Gaga. This year Bootsie isn’t going.

Touchdown Tom
October 11, 2010


Weekend Review

GAME OF THE WEEK: Spartans stall the Hot Rod – Michigan State 34, Michigan 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan State 34, Michigan 32). Well, Rich Rodriguez who had taken a few baby steps forward this season, just took one giant step backwards. Michigan fans don’t like losing to the Spartans. For Mark Dantonio, it was Valentine’s Day. He got lots of hearts from State fans. Michigan has no defense and State contained Denard Robinson. A crowd of 109,933 attended the game in Ann Arbor.

RUNNER UP: Chickens rip the Tide – South Carolina 35, Alabama 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 26, South Carolina 18). South Carolina may not be the “real” SC, but the Gamecocks were authentic enough to fool the Tide. Steve Spurrier is now 3-1 against Nick Saban. A crowd of 82,933 attended the game in Columbia.

REST OF THE BEST: Suckers – LSU 33, Florida 29 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 27, LSU 13). You can’t be critical of the Florida offense. A banged up Gator offense scored 29 points on the LSU defense – one of the best defenses in the country. Florida scored more points on LSU than any team this season. It’s the Florida defense that is bad. LSU has one of the worst offenses in the country. Yet the Tigers put 33 points on the board – the most points LSU has scored in a game this season. And to fall for the fake field goal was ridiculous. The Gators already got burned on a fake field goal by Kentucky earlier this season. Gator defenders should never have been playing to block the kick. There was no way he was going to make a 53-yarder. My complaints aren’t targeted at Steve Addazio. My complaints are targeted at Teryl Austin. There was no defense in the Alabama game, and there was no defense in the LSU game. A crowd of 90,721 attended the game in Gainesville.

Smooth as silk…Corn Silk – Nebraska 48, Kansas State 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Kansas State 19). The better the competition, the better Nebraska is. Taylor Martinez is a legitimate Heisman candidate. Martinez and Roy Helu combined for 351 yards rushing. A crowd of 51,015 attended the game in Manhattan.

Noles feel at home near the Everglades – Florida State 45, Miami (Florida) 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 26, Florida State 23). So, Jimbo Fisher is asking FSU fans, “How do you like me now?” Randy Shannon has to be embarrassed. The Canes were not even prepared for this game. A crowd of 75,115 attended the game in Miami Gardens.

Luck drives down the Lane – Stanford 37, USC 35 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 34, USC 20). Andrew Luck is “Mr. Clutch.” Luck leads Stanford down the field in the final minute for the game-winning field goal. A crowd of 51,607 attended the game in Palo Alto.

Aggies get Oinked – Arkansas 24, Texas A&M 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Arkansas 28, Texas A&M 25). Since the loss to Alabama, Ryan Mallett is making a comeback. Mike Sherman could be in trouble at A&M. A crowd of 65,622 attended the game in Arlington.

Crying in the Chappell – Ohio State 38, Indiana 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 35, Indiana 22). Indiana scored big on Michigan last week, but this week Hoosiers couldn’t move the ball against the Buckeye defense. Ben Chappell was futile. Terrelle Pryor had a Heisman performance game. A crowd of 105,291 attended the game in Columbus.

Mo shows the Buffies – Missouri 26, Colorado 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Missouri 32, Colorado 22). Just when we thought Colorado was getting better and that Dan Hawkins might save his job, along comes Missouri. A crowd of 62,965 attended the game in Columbia.

The life of Riley – Oregon State 29, Arizona 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona 24, Oregon State 18). Poor Mike Stoops just can’t quite get over that hurdle in Tucson. Still, the Wildcats will be heard from again this season. Meanwhile, Mike Riley continues to do an amazing job at Oregon State. A crowd of 56,054 attended the game in Tucson.

Pitty Pitt – Notre Dame 23, Pitt 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 30, Pitt 19). Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri had a great game, but the Panthers couldn’t pull it out. Is Dave Wannstedt in trouble yet? Notre Dame has won two in a row. A crowd of 80,795 attended the game in South Bend.

It’s all relative – Auburn 37, Kentucky 34 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 33, Kentucky 19). A lot of people picked this as their “upset of the week.” It almost was. But the Wildcats couldn’t stop Cam Newton (198 yards rushing). A crowd of 70,776 attended the game in Lexington.

Tweetie Birds – N.C. State 44, Boston College 17 (Touchdown Tom said: N.C. State 30, Boston College 16). The Wolfpack come back strong after last week’s loss. Russell Wilson has a great day. It’s going to be a long season for BC – very long. A crowd of 56,859 attended the game in Raleigh.

Dabo gets Spiked – North Carolina 21, Clemson 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 23, North Carolina 20). Considering everything the Tar Heels have been through, they are amazing. I have a feeling Dabo Swinney won’t be around very long at Clemson. He can’t seem to turn the corner. A crowd of 60,000 attended the game in Chapel Hill.

Frustrated in Madison – Wisconsin 41, Minnesota 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 30, Minnesota 17). So Tim Brewster didn’t like Bret Bielema going for the two-point conversion late in the game. I thought they were going to get in a fight with each other after the game. Oh well, Brewster won’t be around much longer. Never understood why Minnesota hired him in the first place. A crowd of 80,328 attended the game in Madison.

Turfed – Boise State 57, Toledo 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Boise State 35, Toledo 19). Another one goes by the wayside against Boise. A crowd of 33,933 attended the game in Boise.

Davey Jones Locker – Arizona State 24, Washington 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 30, Arizona State 27). Well, so much for Jake Locker. After making an appearance last week, Locker is MIA again. ASU is having a better season than expected. A crowd of 65,685 attended the game in Seattle.

Green Day – Georgia 41, Tennessee 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Tennessee 23, Georgia 22). Well, well. My, oh my. What got into these Bulldogs? I know, they have A.J. Green back. And Aaron Murray seemed to find himself. The Dawgs are so confident now they are talking about running the table. Amazing what a big win can do to your ego. We’ll see. Meanwhile, Barbara Dooley can put her red panties back on. A crowd of 92,746 attended the game in Athens.

Bees swarm – Georgia Tech 33, Virginia 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 27, Virginia 17). Tech had a good day from Anthony Allen – 195 yards rushing. A crowd of 48,016 attended the game in Atlanta.

Teddy Bears picnic – California 35, UCLA 7 (Touchdown Tom said: California 26, UCLA 24). UCLA is a strange team. Rick Neuheisel is struggling. Cal’s up-and-down too. But more up than down. A crowd of 61,664attended the game in Berkeley.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Not Chipper – Virginia Tech 45, Central Michigan 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 31, Central Michigan 16). Little-by-little the Hokies are getting their groove back. Can they run the table? A crowd of 66,233 attended the game in Blacksburg.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

The moon shines in Morgantown – West Virginia 49, UNLV 10 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 42, UNLV 9). And the Mounties only went half steam at UNLV. I think the water boy got in this game. A crowd of 58,234 attended the game in Morgantown.

Boilers erupt – Purdue 20, Northwestern 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Northwestern 32, Purdue 23). Last year, Purdue beat Ohio State. Now the Boilers hand Northwestern its first loss. Just when you don’t expect it, the Boilers play well. A crowd of 33,847 attended the game in Evanston.

Comment: A tough week at 15-8, brings my season total to 107-37 (74.3 percent).


AROUND FLORIDA:

South Florida was shocked by Syracuse, 13-9. A crowd of 41,917 attended the game in Tampa…. UCF clobbered UAB, 42-7. A crowd of 40,281 attended the game in Orlando…. Florida Atlantic fell to Louisiana-Monroe, 20-17. A crowd of 16,513 attended the game in Monroe.

Florida International beat Western Kentucky, 28-21. A crowd of 14,335 attended the game in Miami…. Bethune-Cookman slammed Delaware State, 47-24. A crowd of 10,151 attended the game in Daytona Beach…. Jacksonville U. edged Drake, 39-34. A crowd of 2,843 attended the game in Jacksonville.


Superlatives

Impressive Passers: Texas Tech’s Taylor Potts – 42-59-1 for 462 yards; Arizona’s Nick Foles – 35-46-1 for 440; Oregon State’s Ryan Katz – 30-42-1 for 393; USC’s Matt Barkley – 28-45-1 for 390; Baylor’s Robert Griffin – 31-42-0 for 384; SMU’s Kyle Padron – 27-40-1 for 381; Hawaii’s Bryant Moniz – 29-49-1 for 376, and Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden – 29-47-2 for 351.

Also, Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor – 24-34-0 for 334 yards; N.C. State’s Russell Wilson – 38-51-2 for 328; UTEP’s Trevor Vittatoe – 19-32-0 for 327; Wake Forest’s Tanner Price – 37-53-0 for 326; Utah’s Jordan Wynn – 23-31-1 for 325; Rutgers’ Chas Dodd – 18-29-0 for 322; Alabama’s Greg McElroy – 27-34-0 for 315, and Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett – 27-38-1 for 310.

Also, Louisiana-Lafayette’s Chris Masson – 33-55-1 for 308 yards; Northwestern’s Dan Persa – 30-41-0 for 305; Houston’s David Piland – 30-57-2 for 301; Arizona State’s Steven Threet – 21-34-1` for 288; Stanford’s Andrew Luck – 20-24-0 for 285; Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins – 18-25-0 for 284, and Louisiana-Monroe’s Kolton Browning – 25-41-1 for 282.

Also, Bowling Green’s Matt Schilz – 23-37-1 for 277 yards; Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick – 20-27-1 for 273; Pitt’s Tino Sunseri – 27-29-1 for 272; TCU’s Andy Dalton – 14-17-0 for 270; Boise State’s Kellen Moore – 16-22-0 for 267;Georgia’s Aaron Murray – 17-25-0 for 266; Western Michigan’s Alex Carder – 17-29-0 for 265, and Troy’s Corey Robinson – 26-37-0 for 259.


Impressive Rushers: Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez – 241 yards; Louisville’s Bilal Powell – 204 yards; Auburn’s Cam Newton – 198 yards; Cincinnati’s Isaiah Pead – 197 yards; Nevada’s Vai Taua – 196 yards; Georgia Tech’s Anthony Allen – 195 yards, and Florida State’s Chris Thompson – 158 yards.

Also, Florida Atlantic’s Alfred Morris – 153 yards; California’s Shane Vereen – 151 yards; Michigan State’s Edwin Baker – 147 yards; Army’s Jared Hassin – 144 yards; Ohio’s Phil Bates – 142 yards; Colorado State’s Leonard Mason – 139 yards, and Oregon’s LaMichael James – 136 yards.


Quotes of Last Week

“What’s wrong with UGA? Sad to say, it starts with Mark Richt,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Mark Bradley.

“Richt’s job should be in jeopardy. Why? Because not only are the Bulldogs not very good, but there is no sign that they are getting better,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“Richt isn’t commanding Georgia players’ respect or attention,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“John Brantley can still be a great college quarterback. As long as Urban Meyer starts allowing him to be John Brantley and stops forcing him into being a poor imitation of Tim Tebow,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“I am very sorry that all of this stuff has tainted the football program and, as the head football coach, I take a tremendous amount of responsibility for all the football-related issues. I’m the head guy, OK? I’m sorry it has affected the football program. But I’m going to tell you what I’m more sorry about: I’m sorry that I trusted John Blake,” North Carolina football coach Butch Davis.

“Butch Davis apologized this week for “trusting” his excommunicated assistant, John Blake, who’s accused of running for an agent, which suggests he knew nothing about the actions of his assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator. Let me translate: “I’ve never seen my left arm before. My right arm and I were over here sipping a latte during that bank holdup,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“Mark Richt can use a sedative. His team has lost four straight and he’s so lost for ideas that he had the Dogs practice in pads this week, and is taking the advice of a caller to his weekly radio show who suggested he lead his players onto the field. I’m thinking of that scene in Animal House when the Delta House crashes the Homecoming Parade and leads the band into an alley and a brick wall,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“Lunch at Georgia State: Savannah State is 0-5 and has been outscored 211-48. I know it’s only year one for Bill Curry but you can always tell a former SEC coach by his scheduling,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

"Les Miles is that guy who could walk across the freeway, stop to pick up a nickel, continue, stop to admire a crow on a power line, continue, turn around and go back home because he forgot he left his glasses, cross the freeway again while humming, “Tie A Yellow Ribbon” and somehow not get touched as drivers swerve into a 37-car pileup,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“What do sandcastles and the Gators have in common? They both look great until the Tide rolls in,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“And can you believe the NFL is investigating whether Brett Favre sent racy voice mails and pornographic pictures to a former sideline reporter? Somewhere, Tiger Woods is saying, ‘I hope his pre-nup is better than mine!,’” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“The Gators signed John Brantley, the most prolific passer in Florida high school history, to run the option? Isn’t that like hiring Penelope Cruz to clean your house?,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Urban Meyer being outcoached by Les Miles is like Britney Spears outscoring Einstein on the physics quiz. It’s like the church ukulele player beating Eddie Van Halen in Guitar Hero,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.


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

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Ohio State (6-0) at Wisconsin (5-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – After a platter of mostly cupcakes, the Buckeyes may have some competition this week. The Badgers have the Bucks where they want them – in Madison. Now the Badgers have to step up to the plate if they want to be in the game. Otherwise, the Bucks will roll. Pryor melts the Cheese – Ohio State 26, Wisconsin 20.

RUNNER UP: 2. Arkansas (4-1) at Auburn (6-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – The Hogs have already stumbled to one team from Alabama this season. Bobby Petrino knows that Arkansas fans will be frustrated if the Hogs lose this one. Auburn better hope it got a wakeup call against Kentucky. Could be a breakout game for Ryan Mallett or Cam Newton. The Ribs are Spare – Auburn 27, Arkansas 24.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Iowa (4-1) at Michigan (5-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – The easy part of the schedule ended last week for Rich Rod. They are all hard games now. But, can Iowa handle Denard Robinson? Hawkeyes make Michigan look like a Yoke – Iowa 27, Michigan 22.

4. Texas (3-2) at Nebraska (5-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – Nebraska fans have been waiting for this game since last December. Texas has been dreading this game since last December. The Longhorns are lacking in offensive weapons. That’s where the Huskers are loaded. Nebraska has a good defense too. Herbie gets Bevo in the T-Bone – Nebraska 28, Texas 23.

5. Oklahoma State (5-0) at Texas Tech (3-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – The Cowboys must stop the passing attack of Taylor Potts if they hope to win. Both teams can score points and both can give up points as well. Cowboys pan the Potts – Oklahoma State 31, Texas Tech 29.

6. California (3-2) at USC (4-2) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – Will Lane Kiffin and USC suffer a third-straight loss? The Bears bowl on the Lane – California 30, USC 28.

7. Missouri (5-0) at Texas A&M (3-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – The Aggies are seriously wounded. They have lost two in a row. That means they could be dangerous. Mo will be defending its undefeated streak. Tigers are Mo mean – Missouri 22, Texas A&M 21.

8. Air Force (5-1) at San Diego State (3-2) – (MWC vs. MWC) – Little-by-little, Brady Hoke is making improvements at San Diego State. You get the feeling the Aztecs are going to pop one soon. They almost got Missouri. Fly Boys on auto pilot – Air Force 31, San Diego State 23.

9. Mississippi State (4-2) at Florida (4-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – For three quarters, Dan Mullen and his Bulldogs gave the Gators fits last year in Starkville. Big question here is how the Gators will respond to back-to-back losses. Bulldogs could be catching Florida at the best time or the worst time. Albert walks a Dog – Florida 27, Mississippi State 19.

10. South Carolina (4-1) at Kentucky (3-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – I’d say the Gamecocks are ripe for plucking this week. I can smell an upset. The Gamecocks will be so high after the win over Alabama. Kentucky is feeling its oats after the close loss to Auburn. But remember, Steve Spurrier has never lost to Kentucky – never ever. Roosters in the Cat house – South Carolina 26, Kentucky 25.

11. N.C. State (5-1) at East Carolina (3-2) – (ACC vs. C-USA) – Virginia Tech and North Carolina have already clobbered East Carolina. Now it’s the Wolfpack’s turn. But if the Pack isn’t careful, the Pirates can put some points on the board. Problem for the Pirates is they can’t keep their opponents from putting points on the board. Could be a high scorer. Wolfpack puts the Pirates in chains – N.C. State 38, East Carolina 23.

12. South Florida (3-2) at West Virginia (4-1) – (Big East vs. Big East) – After five non-conference games, the Mounties begin their seven-game conference run. First up, the Bulls. USF has a history of giving the Eers some trouble. This year, it should be the Mounties giving all the trouble. Eers hold a barbecue – West Virginia 30, South Florida 15.

13. BYU (2-4) at TCU (6-0) – (MWC vs. MWC) – TCU may stumble before the season is over, but it won’t be against BYU. Not in Fort Worth. Frogs too horny for the Cougars – TCU 33, BYU 17.

14. Kansas State (4-1) at Kansas (2-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – So far, Turner Gill is having a rough first year at Kansas. A win over the intrastate rivals would be a feather in his cap. And Bill Snyder is trying to rebuild the Wildcat program. The outcome of this game should be an indication of his progress. Turner is blue in the Gills – Kansas State 25, Kansas 23.

15. Oregon State (3-2) at Washington (2-3) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – What, if anything, will Jake Locker do this week. He has to be one of the big disappointments of the 2010 season. If the Huskies are going to turn things around, they need to get it done this week. Mike Riley has the Beavers playing well. Beavers get the Huskies all Lockered up – Oregon State 32, Washington 26.

16. Rutgers (3-2) at Army (4-2) – (Big East vs. Ind.) – Rich Ellerson is in his second season at West Point and he has the Cadets playing well. They are now competitive with Navy and Air Force. The Knights could get upset. Knights disband the Army – Rutgers 28, Army 26.

17. Maryland (4-1) at Clemson (2-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – Dabo Swinney needs this win badly. Clemson has dropped three in a row. Maryland is a dangerous team this year. The Terps could give the Tigers some problems. Dabo gets a Terp-in-time – Clemson 28, Maryland 20.

18. Utah (5-0) at Wyoming (2-4) – (MWC vs. MWC) – The Utes have an awesome offense and the Cowboys have a pathetic defense. Doesn’t sound good for Wyoming. Utes boot-scoot the Cowboys – Utah 36, Wyoming 12.

19. Boston College (2-3) at Florida State (5-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – The Noles have the ACC championship game in their sights and Boston College isn’t going to stop them. In fact, BC may not stop an ACC team this season. Noles make the Eagles look like Dodo Birds – Florida State 39, Boston College 10.

20. North Carolina (3-2) at Virginia (2-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – Never under estimate the Tar Heels. But sometimes the Heels get up for the big games and don’t play well in the smaller ones. Virginia is a rival but it’s not a big game. High heels – North Carolina 24, Virginia 19.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

21. Baylor (4-2) at Colorado (3-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – Robert Griffin’s passing may be too much for the Buffalo defense. Ralphie can’t Bear to watch – Baylor 30, Colorado 26.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Miami (Florida) (3-2) at Duke (1-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – Well, the Canes had it tough last week. They have it easy this week. It’s like having the week off. The Dookies had some promise at preseason, but that promise has dissipated faster than Hootie and the Blowfish. Canes blow through Durham – Miami 33, Duke 19.

Vanderbilt (2-3) at Georgia (2-4) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Now here is a team Georgia can beat. This is what the Dawgs were reading on the schedule when they said they were going to run the table. That was after the Tennessee win. Unfortunately for the Dawgs, they can’t spell Florida. Uga feels like a Pit Bull – Georgia 28, Vanderbilt 19.

Minnesota (1-5) at Purdue (3-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Fancy this, Purdue has a chance for a two-game winning streak. Party time in West Lafayette. Brewster boils over – Purdue 27, Minnesota 23.

Comment: Two good matchups in the Big Ten (Ohio State-Wisconsin and Iowa-Michigan) and a good one in the SEC (Arkansas-Auburn). Then there’s that little affair in Lincoln (Texas-Nebraska). It’s going to be a fun weekend.


AROUND FLORIDA:

UCF (3-2) visits Marshall (1-4)…. Florida International (1-4) travels to North Texas (1-5)…. Florida A&M (2-3) hosts Savannah State (0-6)…. Bethune-Cookman (5-0) plays at South Carolina State (4-1)…. Jacksonville U. (5-1) is at Valparaiso (0-6)…. Florida Atlantic (1-4) is off.


Wednesday’s Television Schedule – October 13

UCF at Marshall – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN


Thursday’s Television Schedule – October 14

Kansas State at Kansas – 7:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
South Florida at West Virginia – 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPN


Friday’s Television Schedule – October 15

Cincinnati at Louisville – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN


Saturday’s Television Schedule – October 16

Minnesota at Purdue – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN2
Boston College at Florida State – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN
Missouri at Texas A&M – 12:00 noon ET – Fox Sports Network
N.C. State at East Carolina – 12:00 noon ET – CBS-CSN
Pitt at Syracuse – 12:00 noon ET – Big East Game of the Week
Maryland at Clemson – 12:00 noon ET – ACC Game of the Week
Arkansas State at Indiana – 12:00 noon ET – ESPNU
Vanderbilt at Georgia – 12:20 p.m. ET – SEC Game of the Week
Western Michigan at Notre Dame – 2:30 p.m. ET – NBC
Arkansas at Auburn – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS
California at USC – 3:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Iowa at Michigan – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
Texas at Nebraska – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC
Wake Forest at Virginia Tech – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
SMU at Navy – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
BYU at TCU – 4:00 p.m. ET – Versus
South Carolina at Kentucky – 6:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Ohio State at Wisconsin – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPN
Mississippi State at Florida – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Iowa State at Oklahoma – 7:00 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
McNeese State at LSU – 7:00 p.m. ET – Sun Sports Network
Arizona at Washington State – 7:30 p.m. ET – Versus
Air Force at San Diego State – 8:00 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Ole Miss at Alabama – 9:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Oregon State at Washington – 10:30 p.m. ET – ESPN
New Mexico State at Fresno State – 10:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . BYU and Utah have agreed to continue playing each other after they both leave the Mountain West Conference next summer. Utah is joining the Pac-10 Conference and BYU is going the Independent route.

Doctors, last week, amputated the right foot of Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker, who is battling complications from diabetes…. Nebraska unveiled a $56 million expansion plan to its football stadium that would boost capacity to about 90,000. Memorial Stadium’s current capacity is 81,607.


Extra Points

Hottest Ticket – According to Stubhub, the hottest ticket in college football last week was for the Michigan State-Michigan game. Rounding out the Top 5 were Alabama-South Carolina, Florida State-Miami (Florida), Arkansas-Texas A&M and LSU-Florida in that order.


AP Poll – 1. Ohio State, 2. Oregon, 3. Boise state, 4. TCU, 5. Nebraska, 6. Oklahoma

Coaches Poll – 1. Ohio State, 2. Oregon, 3. Boise State, 4. Nebraska, 5. TCU, 6. Oklahoma

TT’s Poll – 1. Oregon, 2. Ohio State, 3. Boise State, 4. TCU, 5. Nebraska, 6. Oklahoma


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 the autumn of October as the college football season approached its halfway point, 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 “Save the Last Dance for Me” by The Drifters

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

…40 years ago this week in 1970 was “I’ll Be There” by The Jackson 5

…35 years ago this week in 1975 was “Bad Blood” by Neil Sedaka

…30 years ago this week in 1980 was “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen

…25 years ago this week in 1985 was “Oh Sheila” by Ready For The World

…20 years ago this week in 1990 was “Praying for Time” by George Michael


Not directly college football related, but on a sad note, there were two passings of mention last week – Norman Wisdom and Solomon Burke.

Norman Wisdom, one of Britain’s best-loved cinematic clowns, who also earned a Tony nomination on Broadway, died last week on the Isle of Man. He was 95 and had continued performing until he was 90. His films included “Trouble in Store” (1953), “Follow a Star” (1959) and “The Night They Raided Minsky’s” (1968). Norman Wisden was born in London on February 4, 1915.

Solomon Burke, a singer whose smooth, powerful articulation and mingling of sacred and profane themes helped define soul music in the early 1960s, died yesterday at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. He was 70 and lived in Los Angeles. Drawing on gospel, country and gritty rhythm and blues in songs like “Cry to Me” (1962), “You Can Make It if You Try” (1963) and “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” (1964), Burke developed a vocal style of his own. Solomon Burke was born on March 21, 1940, in Philadelphia.