No. 1 is a Dangerous Position

College Football Week 9 – Ducks, Mizzou and Spartans Face Challenge

No. 1 is a Dangerous Position

Remember that old television commercial for Chiffon Margarine? “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” Well, let me tell you, it’s not nice being No. 1 in college football. It’s downright dangerous. Just ask Alabama, Ohio State and Oklahoma.

You don’t even want to be ranked No. 1 this early in the season. At the end of the season, yes. But not at this point and time. It’s too dangerous.

For six weeks, Alabama was the No. 1 ranked team in the country. That is until the Crimson Tide went on the road to Columbia, South Carolina, to play the Gamecocks. Steve Spurrier’s team had a surprise waiting for the Tide. South Carolina put a 35-21 whopping on Alabama and the Tide was no longer No. 1.

Enter Ohio State. The Buckeyes became No. 1. But only for a week. Ohio State went on the road to Madison, Wisconsin, to play the Badgers. Bret Bielema’s team was waiting for the Buckeyes. Not only waiting, but prepared. Wisconsin handed Ohio State a 31-18 whipping.

Entree vous Oklahoma. The Sooners became No. 1 in the season’s first BCS Standings. But not for long. Oklahoma went on the road to Columbia (must be something about Columbia), Missouri, to play the Tigers. Gary Pinkel’s team had a trap set. And the Sooners got caught. Missouri showed Oklahoma how it’s done, tripping up the Sooners, 36-27.

Three No. 1 teams went on the road. Three No. 1 teams lost.

This week Oregon remains No. 1 in the AP and Coaches Polls. And guess what the Ducks are doing this week? They are going on the road. Oregon is headed to the Coliseum in Los Angeles to face USC. Will Lane Kiffin’s Trojans stuff the Ducks? Will USC be eating foie gras next week? Not if Tennessee fans have anything to do with it.

But unfortunately for Vols’ fans, they don’t have anything to do with it. It’s a dangerous game for Oregon. We may have a new No. 1 team next week. Stay tuned!

Oregon remained in the No. 1 spot in the AP and Coaches Polls, following its impressive 60-13 win over UCLA last Thursday night. Elsewhere in the Pac-10 over the weekend, Arizona throttled Washington, 44-14; Stanford beat Washington State, 38-28, and California pounded Arizona State, 50-17. Will Dennis Erickson still be coaching the Sun Devils next year?

In the Big Ten, Michigan State survived a scare from Northwestern. Trailing 17-0, the Spartans rallied to beat the Wildcats, 35-27. State coach Mark Dantonio was on the sidelines for the first time since his heart attack after the Notre Dame game on September 18. Also in the Big Ten, Wisconsin edged Iowa, 31-30, and Illinois beat Indiana, 43-13.

Auburn’s Cam Newton put on a Heisman performance Saturday. The Tiger quarterback rushed for 217 yards, as Auburn edged LSU, 24-17. Newton’s 49-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter was a quintessential Heisman-winning play. And speaking of Auburn, the Tigers have a target on them too. Auburn is No. 1 in the BCS Standings. Also in the SEC, Arkansas spanked Ole Miss, 38-24; Georgia downed Kentucky, 44-31, and Alabama blasted Tennessee, 41-10.

Oklahoma wasn’t the only undefeated Big 12 team to lose Saturday. Nebraska knocked off previously undefeated Oklahoma State, 51-41. Husker quarterback Taylor Martinez revived his Heisman hopes, passing for 323 yards and rushing for another 112. Baylor outlasted Kansas State, 47-42, and Texas Tech beat Colorado, 27-24. The biggest surprise in the Big 12 occurred in Austin, Texas. Iowa State upset heavily favored Texas, 28-21.

There was a big upset in the Big East too. Syracuse came into Morgantown and stymied West Virginia, 19-14. Improving Pitt stomped Rutgers, 41-21, and Louisville skunked Connecticut, 26-0. On Friday night, South Florida surprised Cincinnati, 38-30.

Miami got back on the winning track in the ACC. The Canes spanked North Carolina, 33-10. In another ACC game, Clemson bested Georgia Tech, 27-13.

In the Mountain West, TCU and Utah remained undefeated. The Horned Frogs grounded Air Force, 38-7, and the Utes dumped Colorado State, 59-6. In the WAC, Boise State had the week off, but improving Hawaii squashed Utah State, 45-7. Fresno State downed San Jose State, 33-18, and Idaho beat New Mexico State, 37-14.

Navy beat Notre Dame for the third time in four years. The Middies stunned the Irish, 35-17. Navy’s Alexander Teich rushed for 210 yards. In the MAC, Temple and Ohio continue to be the best in the East Division. The Owls beat Buffalo, 42-0, while the Bobcats thumped Miami (Ohio), 34-13. The two best of the West Division both won. Northern Illinois downed Central Michigan, 33-7, and Toledo edged Ball State, 31-24.

Three teams lost for the first time Saturday – LSU, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Only seven teams remain undefeated – Oregon, Auburn, Boise State, TCU, Utah, Michigan State and Missouri. Oregon, Michigan State and Missouri all have tough games Saturday. And all three tough games are on the road – Oregon at USC, Michigan State at Iowa and Missouri at Nebraska.

Auburn, TCU and Utah are also all on the road Saturday. But all three face weaker competition – Auburn at Ole Miss, TCU at UNLV and Utah at Air Force. The Falcons could provide some angst for the Utes, while Auburn can’t afford to go to sleep. Boise State has a home game Tuesday night against Louisiana Tech.

Meanwhile, only two teams remain winless – Akron (0-8) and New Mexico (0-7). And the remainder of the season does not look promising for the Zips and Lobos. They may well finish winless. Western Kentucky won for the first time Saturday. The Hilltoppers beat Louisiana-Lafayette, 54-21. Hard to believe that Rickey Bustle will be back coaching the Cajuns next year.

Speaking of not returning for the 2011 season, North Texas fired head coach Todd Dodge last week. Dodge was in his fourth season coaching the Mean Green. He had a record of 6-37 (1-6 this season). Dodge was a high school coach when he was hired by North Texas. That was about as smart a move as when Notre Dame, several years ago, hired Jerry Faust, the Holy Roller from Moeller. North Texas offensive coordinator Mike Canales was named the interim coach for the remainder of the Mean Green’s season.

The Pac-10 which will be the Pac-12 next season announced its division setup last week. There will be a North and South Division. The North will include Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford and California. The South will include USC, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado.

Each team will play every team in its division and four teams from the other division – nine conference games. There will be a conference championship game played at the end of the season between the two division champions. The title game will be played on the home field of the team with the best conference record. I assume the Pac-10 is hoping that Washington State never wins its division with the best overall conference record. Pullman in December?

So, as I see it, moving up on the Heisman list: Auburn’s Cam Newton, Oregon’s LaMichael James, Stanford’s Andrew Luck, Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez, Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert and TCU’s Andy Dalton. No movement – up or down: Boise State’s Kellen Moore and Michigan’s Denard Robinson. Moving down on the Heisman list: Alabama’s Mark Ingram, Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor and Oklahoma’s DeMarco Murray. Waiting in the wings: Wisconsin’s John Clay.

Then, you have to figure, if Michigan State and Utah continue to go undefeated shouldn’t Spartan quarterback Kirk Cousins and Ute quarterback Jordan Wynn receive Heisman consideration? Cousins and Wynn are both having good seasons. And they’re both a significant reason for their respective teams being undefeated.

So, the target’s on Oregon. The target’s on Auburn. Who will be the next No. 1 team to fall?

Friday night, Swamp Mama and I attended the Melbourne Central Catholic-Holy Trinity football game at MCC with Tom and Jane Sharpe. Tom and Jane’s son Michael is a star player for MCC. Michael didn’t let us down. On MCC’s first offensive play of the game, he caught a touchdown pass. Michael went on to score two more touchdowns before the game was over. MCC won, 49-14.

Well, Rockledge Gator and Bootsie have returned from their sabbatical in Alabama and Georgia. Rockledge Gator had to get back before the Florida-Georgia game. But I’ll let you Dawg fans in on a little secret – Rockledge Gator was born in Georgia. But he never learned to say, “Woof, woof.”

Touchdown Tom
October 25, 2010


Weekend Review

GAME OF THE WEEK: Cam-shaft – Auburn 24, LSU 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 24, LSU 17). It takes an outstanding performance in a game like this to establish yourself as the leading Heisman contender. That’s exactly what Cam Newton did. His 49-yard touchdown run is in all the highlight films. Auburn racked up 526 yards of offense on the highly-touted LSU defense. A crowd of 87,451 attended the game in Auburn.

RUNNER UP: Sooners can’t show ’em – Missouri 36, Oklahoma 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 31, Missouri 24). Missouri coach Gary Pinkel gets his first ever win over Oklahoma. Tiger quarterback Blaine Gabbert was flawless. A crowd of 71,004 attended the game in Columbia.

REST OF THE BEST: Cowboys stuck in Corn syrup – Nebraska 51, Oklahoma State 41 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Oklahoma State 25). The Huskers found their offense which was so missing against Texas. Taylor Martinez can spell Heisman again. But the Nebraska defense was a no show. Granted, Okie State has a powerful passing attack. A crowd of 55,935 attended the game in Stillwater.

Hickory-dickory dock, the Badgers ran out the clock – Wisconsin 31, Iowa 30 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 27, Wisconsin 22). Well, this week’s “time mismanagement at the end of the game” trophy goes to Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes could have won the game with a field goal had Ferentz not mishandled the remaining time at the end of the game. Deep in its own territory, Wisconsin kept its final winning drive alive with a fake punt. Iowa’s defense was pooped after that play. A crowd of 70,585 attended the game in Iowa City.

Wildcats miss the Mark – Michigan State 35, Northwestern 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan State 30, Northwestern 20). Spartan quarterback Kirk Cousins passed for 329 yards. A crowd of 41,114 attended the game in Evanston.

Frogs glide – TCU 38, Air Force 7 (Touchdown Tom said: TCU 29, Air Force 19). Tight first quarter, then it was all TCU after that. A crowd of 46,096 attended the game in Fort Worth.

Bears hug the Wildcats – Baylor 47, Kansas State 42 (Touchdown Tom said: Baylor 34, Kansas State 33). Baylor’s duo of Robert Griffin and Jay Finley put on quite a show. Griffin passed for 404 yards and Finley rushed for 250 yards. A crowd of 40,057 attended the game in Waco.

Locker’s no rocker – Arizona 44, Washington 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona 24, Washington 16). And Arizona was playing with a backup quarterback. The Wildcats are still alive in the Pac-10. What a disappointing season for the Huskies. A crowd of 56,244 attended the game in Tucson.

Tutorless in Miami – Miami (Florida) 33, North Carolina 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 23, North Carolina 19). The Tar Heels’ four-game winning streak comes to an end. A crowd of 43,584 attended the game in Miami Gardens.

No Buzz in Clemson – Clemson 27, Georgia Tech 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 30, Georgia Tech 23). Let’s face it, Georgia Tech is not really a very good team this year. A crowd of 77,000 attended the game in Clemson.

Sailors swab the Irish – Navy 35, Notre Dame 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 27, Navy 25). Brian Kelly has a rebuilding job on his hands. The Irish are not out of the woods yet – facing a 6-6 season. A crowd of 75,614 attended the game in East Rutherford.

Bruins drown in the Duck Pond – Oregon 60, UCLA 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 42, UCLA 14). Ducks’ offense is awesome. So in its remaining games, whose defense is going to stop Oregon’s powerful offense – USC? Washington? Cal? Arizona? Oregon State? Maybe Arizona? Otherwise, you can pencil in the Ducks for the national championship game. Meanwhile, Rick Neuheisel has major problems. Will he survive in Westwood? A crowd of 59,372 attended the game in Eugene.

Elephant walk – Alabama 41, Tennessee 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 36, Tennessee 13). Close at halftime, Bama exploded in the second half, outscoring the Vols 28-0. Quarterback Greg McElroy, receiver Julio Jones and running back Trent Richardson each had a great game for the Tide. Tennessee falls to 2-5. A crowd of 102,455 attended the game in Knoxville.

Mounties can’t peel the Orange – Syracuse 19, West Virginia 14 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 33, Syracuse 12). Mountaineer quarterback Geno Smith, who only had two interceptions all season coming into the game, threw three interceptions in the first half. Syracuse beat WVU for the first time since 2001. A crowd of 58,122 attended the game in Morgantown.

Hogs rib the Rebels – Arkansas 38, Ole Miss 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Arkansas 28, Ole Miss 24). Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett made a nice recovery from his concussion last week. A crowd of 73,619 attended the game in Fayetteville.

Nighty Knight – Pitt 41, Rutgers 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Pitt 24, Rutgers 18). Pitt’s coming on strong, winning two in a row and scoring a combined 86 points in the two wins. Panther quarterback Tino Sunseri passed for 307 yards. A crowd of 50,425 attended the game in Pittsburgh.

Bears come out of hibernation – California 50, Arizona State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: California 30, Arizona State 27). Cal plays much better at home than on the road. Meanwhile, ASU’s Dennis Erickson has to be in trouble. A crowd of 51,599 attended the game in Berkeley.

Rocky Mountain low – Texas Tech 27, Colorado 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas Tech 29, Colorado 26). Curtains for Dan Hawkins. A crowd of 47,665 attended the game in Boulder.

Looking Bully – South Florida 38, Cincinnati 30 (Touchdown Tom said: Cincinnati 26, South Florida 15). Surprise, surprise – the Bulls found an offense, but lost a defense. Meanwhile, the Bearcats still have an offense and still have no defense. Cincinnati had 590 yards total offense and lost the game. A crowd of 32,670 attended the game in Cincinnati.

Strong attack – Louisville 26, Connecticut 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Louisville 27, Connecticut 24). Charlie Strong is waking up the Cardinal. A crowd of 48,591 attended the game in Louisville.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Lynch pinned – Illinois 43, Indiana 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Illinois 35, Indiana 28). Ron Zook is safe; Bill Lynch is in jeopardy. A crowd of 53,550 attended the game in Champaign.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Tyrod tie-dyes the Dookies – Virginia Tech 44, Duke 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 35, Duke 11). Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor had a great day. Meanwhile, the Dookies exhibit little-to-no improvement from week-to-week. A crowd of 66,233 attended the game in Blacksburg.

Cat bones for Uga – Georgia 44, Kentucky 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 30, Kentucky 29). After a 1-4 start, Georgia has won three straight. A crowd of 70,884 attended the game in Lexington.

Buckeyes blast the Boilers – Ohio State 49, Purdue 0(Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 34, Purdue 17). The Boilers had a measly 118 yards offense to Ohio State’s 489 yards. Terrelle Pryor threw two interceptions. A crowd of 105,387 attended the game in Columbia.

Cyclones feast on T-Bones – Iowa State 28, Texas 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Iowa State 13). Iowa State gets its first ever Big 12 win over Texas. The Longhorns are a strange team. A crowd of 100,142 attended the game in Austin.

Comment: A better week at 19-6, brings my season total to 142-51 (73.6 percent).


AROUND FLORIDA:

UCF dumped Rice, 41-14. A crowd of 38,151 attended the game in Orlando…. Florida Atlantic lost to Arkansas State, 37-16. A crowd of 13,159 attended the game in Jonesboro.

Florida A&M edged Norfolk State, 17-13. A crowd of 21,118 attended the game in Norfolk…. Bethune-Cookman beat North Carolina Central, 23-10. A crowd of 7,645 attended the game in Durham…. Jacksonville U. flattened Marist, 56-14. A crowd of 4,233 attended the game in Jacksonville.


Superlatives

Impressive Passers: Cincinnati’s Zach Collaros – 30-53-1 for 463 yards; Baylor’s Robert Griffin – 26-38-1 for 404; Hawaii’s Bryant Moniz – 25-41-2 for 389; Western Michigan’s Alex Carder – 17-24-0 for 372; South Carolina’s Stephen Garcia – 31-39-1 for 355; Kentucky’s Mike Hartline – 27-43-1 for 353; Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins – 29-43-0 for 329, and Ole Miss’ – Jeremiah Masoli – 21-36-0 for 327.

Also, Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez – 23-35-0 for 323 yards; Utah’s Jordan Wynn – 23-29-0 for 321; SMU’s Kyle Padron – 26-46-2 for 318; Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert – 30-42-0 for 308; Oregon’s Darron Thomas – 22-31-0 for 308; Pitt’s Tino Sunseri – 21-27-1 for 307; Oklahoma’s Landry Jones – 32-50-2 for 303; Minnesota’s Adam Weber – 26-49-1 for 299; Washington State’s Jeff Tuel – 21-28-2 for 298, and San Jose State’s Jordan La Secla – 19-31-2 for 292.

Also, Idaho’s Nathan Enderle – 25-47-0 for 291 yards; South Florida’s B.J. Daniels – 13-16-0 for 286; Texas Tech’s Taylor Potts – 24-38-1 for 286; Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden – 18-35-1 for 283; Virginia Tech’s Tyrod Taylor – 13-17-0 for 280; Colorado’s Cody Hawkins – 22-43-0 for 274; Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor – 16-22-2 for 270; Alabama’s Greg McElroy – 21-32-0 for 264, and Western Kentucky’s Kawaun Jakes – 18-22-0 for 262.


Impressive Rushers: Baylor’s Jay Finley – 250 yards; Auburn’s Cam Newton – 217 yards; Navy’s Alexander Teich – 210 yards; TCU’s Ed Wesley – 209 yards; Oklahoma State’s Kendall Hunter – 201 yards, and Arkansas’ Knile Davis – 176 yards.

Also, Hawaii’s Alex Green – 172 yards; Clemson’s Andre Ellington – 166 yards; Georgia’s Washaun Ealey – 157 yards; Eastern Michigan’s Javonti Green – 155 yards; South Carolina’s Brian Maddox – 146 yards, and Stanford’s Stepfan Taylor – 142 yards.


Quotes of Last Week

“He’s a coward, he ruined a bunch of people’s lives, a bunch of families, kids, because he didn’t have enough guts to stay there and finish the job. And that’s the truth. Most people in football have enough courage about them and enough fight to stick it out and not quit halfway through the year. It’s cowardly. He’s a gutless bastard. You can quote that,” Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, on Bobby Petrino, his former boss at the Atlanta Falcons.

“If 1-2 Vanderbilt wins out, it’s in the SEC title game. OK, not going to happen. But after South Carolina beat Alabama one week and lost to Kentucky the next, is anybody issuing guarantees? On a related note, Steve Spurrier is rooming with Cheswick and Martini but is said to be doing very well with finger paints this week,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“Hey, just think, if Auburn Heisman Trophy candidate Cam Newton had sent a threatening text message to his girlfriend instead of throwing a stolen laptop out the window, he might be the quarterback of the Gators right now,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

"They’re big, they’re fast and they’re bold,” Air Force coach Troy Calhoun, on TCU.


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

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Oregon (7-0) at USC (5-2) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – They say this is USC’s bowl game. Since the Trojans can’t go to a real bowl game, they have been pointing to the Oregon game as their “bowl game.” USC’s defense must play better than it has all year if the Trojans want to stay in this contest. The Ducks move and they move fast. Little Kiffy needs Aflac – Oregon 35, USC 27.

RUNNER UP: 2. Missouri (7-0) at Nebraska (6-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – This could be another shoot out like the Nebraska-Okie State game last week. Mizzou is very similar to the Cowboys. Only the Tigers are lacking a strong running game. But Blaine Gabbert’s passing can open up some gains on the ground. Mizzou’s defense will be heavily tested by Nebraska. Tigers get lost in the Maize – Nebraska 28, Missouri 26.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Michigan State (8-0) at Iowa (5-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – After stubbing their toes against Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes will be out to spoil Michigan State’s party. The Spartans seem to be a second half team. Iowa was worn out against Wisconsin in the final quarter. The Hawkeyes better be in better shape against the Spartans or Kirk Cousins will pick them to pieces in the fourth quarter. Hawkeyes are no yokes – Iowa 33, Michigan State 32.

4. Florida State (6-1) at N.C. State (5-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – The Noles are undefeated in ACC play. The Wolfpack would like to change that. These two teams have had some good encounters in recent years. Looks like another good one. Noles bingo the Wolves – Florida State 27, N.C. State 26.

5. Oklahoma State (6-1) at Kansas State (5-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – Both teams need to bounce back from tough losses last week. Okie State bounces better. Cowboys boot the Wildcats – Oklahoma State 39, Kansas State 27.

6. Utah (7-0) at Air Force (5-3) – (MWC vs. MWC) – Air Force is hurting – two-straight losses. Three-straight losses is not typical of a Troy Calhoun team. Utes could have some problems on their hands. Fly Boys lose their wings – Utah 28, Air Force 14.

7. East Carolina (5-2) at UCF (5-2) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – The two best teams in the C-USA East. UCF is lucky to have the home field advantage in this one. It should be quite a contest. Knights rum the Pirates – UCF 32, East Carolina 30.

8. Michigan (5-2) at Penn State (4-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Will either team be able to stop the other team? Michigan has suffered two-straight losses. The natives are getting restless again in Ann Arbor. Rich Rod really needs this one. It wouldn’t hurt for Paterno to get a win too. I’m sure the natives are getting restless in Happy Valley as well. The Rod is too Rich for the Lions – Michigan 36, Penn State 29.

9. Stanford (6-1) at Washington (3-4) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is trying to keep his Heisman stock trading high. The Huskies can be a different team at home. They beat USC. Trees bark – Stanford 34, Washington 26.

10. Florida (4-3) vs. Georgia (4-4) – (SEC vs. SEC) – This game presents an interesting scenario. After winning its first game, Georgia lost four in a row, dropping to 1-4. Then the Dawgs won three straight. Georgia comes into this game on a high. The Dawgs are hot and talking about running the table. Then there’s Florida. The Gators won their first four games, although not always looking pretty in their wins. But in their last win, the Gators beat Kentucky, 48-14. It was their best game. Then Florida’s fate turned. The Gators lost three in a row. Fortunately for the Gators, they had a week off – a much needed week off. So the Dawgs who started in a funk, seemingly have turned things around; while the Gators, who were 4-0, have fallen into a funk. And Urban Meyer is so desperate for a win, he reinstated Chris Rainey. What will Mark Richt do this year to fire up the Dawgs? Recently, in this game, he’s had them storm the field after their first touchdown and wear black helmets for the first time in history. Maybe Saturday, he’ll have the Dawgs wear red panties under their team pants. After all, what happens in Athens doesn’t stay in Athens. Just ask Damon Evans. Red panty raid – Florida 27, Georgia 26.

11. Auburn (8-0) at Ole Miss (3-4) – (SEC vs. SEC) – After the big wins over Kentucky, Arkansas and LSU, the Tigers can’t afford a letdown in Oxford. Given a few breaks, Ole Miss can be tough. Aubie snags a Bear – Auburn 33, Ole Miss 16.

12. California (4-3) at Oregon State (3-3) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – This could be the turning point for these two teams. A win here is key for both teams. Little Beaver – California 30, Oregon State 29.

13. Baylor (6-2) at Texas (4-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – Well, if Iowa State can beat Texas, surely Baylor can. The Bears are a better team than the Cyclones. Baylor is ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1993. But if Texas lost last week, that means the Horns will probably win this week. Go figure. Bears can’t tip the Cows – Texas 27, Baylor 24.

14. Louisville (4-3) at Pitt (4-3) – (Big East vs. Big East) – Both teams looked good last week. Louisville is still young. Pitt has the experience. Plus Pitt has the home field. Bird shot – Pitt 35, Louisville 27.

15. Syracuse (5-2) at Cincinnati (4-3) – (Big East vs. Big East) – Could Syracuse be the surprise team in the Big East this year. Guess we’ll find out. The Bearcats will be mad after the loss to South Florida. Pulp – Cincinnati 26, Syracuse 18.

16. Arizona (6-1) at UCLA (3-4) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – Arizona is not out of the Pac-10 race yet. The Wildcats don’t want to stumble on a team like UCLA. Wildcats ruin the Bruin – Arizona 30, UCLA 17.

17. Kentucky (4-4) at Mississippi State (6-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Wow! Look at Miss State. Six-two. Who would have thunk it? The Bulldogs almost drowned in their success against UAB. They should be up for the Wildcats. Dapper Dan – Mississippi State 32, Kentucky 29.

18. West Virginia (5-2) at Connecticut (3-4) – (Big East vs. Big East) – WVU’s offense is snake bit. The Eers better get the problem fixed before the UConn game. I suspect if WVU loses this week, Mountie fans will be calling for Bill Stewart’s hide. Some are already. Mounties give the Dogs a bath – West Virginia 30, Connecticut 19.

19. Texas Tech (4-3) at Texas A&M (4-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – Aggie coach Mike Sherman really needs a win here. He’s definitely in jeopardy. This is Tech’s second-straight game on the road. The Raiders could be a little tired. Sherman’s march to the TD – Texas A&M 28, Texas Tech 25.

20. Idaho (4-3) at Hawaii (6-2) – (WAC vs. WAC) – The Hula Hula Warriors are coming on strong behind the passing of quarterback Bryant Moniz. The Vandals’ Nathan Enderle has a strong arm. Potatoes don’t go well with Pineapples – Hawaii 37, Idaho 29.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

21. Northwestern (5-2) at Indiana (4-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Indiana’s Bill Lynch is hanging on for his life in Bloomington. Northwestern plans to make his grip a little more precarious. But the Wildcats often play their worst games against the weaker teams. Wildcats pin Lynch – Northwestern 29, Indiana 28.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Duke (1-6) at Navy (5-2) – (ACC vs. Ind.) – Ah, the Dookies get to put on their bellbottoms and go up to Annapolis. Believe me, the Middies will have the Dookies swabbing the decks when this one is over. Sailors Shanghai the Devils – Navy 29, Duke 19.

Purdue (4-3) at Illinois (4-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – A cat has nine lives and so does Ron Zook. On the brink of extinction, it looks like Zook will be back for yet another year with the Banned Indians. Of course, he has to beat Purdue and another team or two. But a 4-3 start is better than expected. Banned Indians sabotage the Boilers – Illinois 31, Purdue 17.


Comment: Three undefeated teams (Oregon, Missouri and Michigan State) have very stiff challenges this week and all on the road: Oregon-USC, Missouri-Nebraska and Michigan State-Iowa). The winner of East Carolina at UCF may determine the C-USA East Division champion. Will Baylor beat Texas?


AROUND FLORIDA:

Miami (5-2) plays at Virginia (3-4)…. Florida Atlantic (1-5) hosts Florida International (2-4)…. Florida A&M (4-3) entertains Morgan State (4-3)…. Bethune-Cookman (7-0) is home against North Carolina A&T (1-7)…. Jacksonville U. (7-1) travels to Morehead State (3-4)…. South Florida (3-4) is off.


Tuesday’s Television Schedule – October 26

Louisiana Tech at Boise State – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2


Thursday’s Television Schedule – October 28

Florida State at N.C. State – 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPN
North Carolina A&T at Bethune-Cookman – 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU


Friday’s Television Schedule – October 29

West Virginia at Connecticut – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2


Saturday’s Television Schedule – October 30

Clemson at Boston College – 12:00 noon ET – ACC Game of the Week
Louisville at Pitt – 12:00 noon ET – Big East Game of the Week
Miami (Florida) at Virginia – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN
Oklahoma State at Kansas State – 12:00 noon ET – Fox Sports Network
Purdue at Illinois – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN2
Syracuse at Cincinnati – 12:00 noon ET – ESPNU
VMI at Army – 12:00 noon ET – CBS-CSN
Tennessee at South Carolina – 12:20 p.m. ET – SEC Game of the Week
Tulsa at Notre Dame – 2:30 p.m. ET – NBC
Arizona at UCLA – 3:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Duke at Navy – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Florida vs. Georgia – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS
Michigan State at Iowa – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
Missouri at Nebraska – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
Wake Forest at Maryland – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Auburn at Ole Miss – 6:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Baylor at Texas – 7:00 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Kentucky at Mississippi State – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Stanford at Washington – 7:00 p.m. ET – Versus
Vanderbilt at Arkansas – 7:00 p.m. ET – Sun Sports Network
Utah at Air Force – 7:30 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Michigan at Penn State – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN
Ohio State at Minnesota – 8:00 p.m. ET – ABC
Oregon at USC – 8:00 p.m. ET – ABC
Colorado at Oklahoma – 9:15 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Utah State at Nevada – 10:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
TCU at UNLV – 11:00 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . BYU and Georgia Tech have scheduled a four-game home-and-home series. The Cougars will play in Atlanta in 2012 and 2014. The Yellow Jackets will play in Provo in 2013 and 2017…. South Florida has added UTEP and Florida A&M to its future schedules. The Bulls will host UTEP in 2011 and will host FAMU in 2011 and 2015.

Alabama will open the 2011 season at home against Kent State. Kent State is the alma mater of Alabama coach Nick Saban…. Michigan State and Miami (Florida) have scheduled a two-game home-and-home series for 2020 and 2021.


Extra Points

AP Poll – 1. Oregon, 2. Boise State, 3. Auburn, 4. TCU, 5. Michigan State, 6. Alabama

Coaches Poll – 1. Oregon, 2. Boise State, 3. Auburn, 4. TCU, 5. Michigan State, 6. Alabama

TT’s Poll – 1. Oregon, 2. Auburn, 3. Boise State, 4. TCU, 5. Michigan State, 6. Missouri

BCS Rank – 1. Auburn, 2. Oregon, 3. Boise State, 4. TCU, 5. Michigan State, 6. Missouri


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 as the days were getting shorter, the nights were getting colder, the leaves were on the ground, the frost was on the pumpkins, and Halloween was just around the corner, the number one song in the country…

... 15 years ago this week in 1935 was “Truckin’” by Fats Waller

…70 years ago this week in 1940 was “Only Forever” by Bing Crosby

…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 “Autumn Leaves” by Roger Williams

…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 “Woman in Love” by Barbra Streisand

…25 years ago this week in 1985 was “Saving All My Love for You” by Whitney Houston

…20 years ago this week in 1990 was “Black Cat” by Janet Jackson


Not directly college football related, but on a sad note, there were two passings of mention last week – Tom Bosley, and Johnny Sheffield.

Tom Bosley, a warm-voiced, round-bodied actor who personified paternal authority on television as a Middle American dad in the hit comedy “Happy Days,” died last week in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 83. He also had significant roles on popular crime-solving television dramas, including the title character in “The Father Dowling Mysteries” and Sheriff Amos Tupper, an ally of the sleuth and mystery writer Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), in “Murder, She Wrote.” Thomas Edward Bosley was born in Chicago on October 1, 1927. He also occasionally appeared as a character actor in movies, including “Love With the Proper Stranger” (1963) with Natalie Wood and Steve McQueen and “The World of Henry Orient” (1964) with Peter Sellers, among others. Bosley also made appearances in myriad television series, including “Ben Casey,” “Dr. Kildare,” “Get Smart,” “Mission: Impossible,” “The Mod Squad,” “Bonanza” and “Bewitched.”

Johnny Sheffield, who played the character Boy in the Tarzan movies of the 1930s and 1940s, died last week at his home in Chula Vista, California. He was 79. Sheffield beat out more than 300 youngsters for the role. He later played another jungle boy, Bomba, in a dozen low-budget movies but quit the business after the last one in 1955. He went on to earn a business degree at UCLA, and worked for various companies in contracting and real estate. Johnny Sheffield was born on April 11, 1931, in Pasadena, California.