Cheering Against the Mountaineers

Week 13 – Thanksgiving Week and the games are big!

Cheering Against the Mountaineers

Not long after I posted last week’s CFW blog (CFW 12), I received an e-mail from my friend Greg Walker of Crossville, Tennessee.

“Tom, Tom, Tom,” Greg wrote. “Tennessee scores over 50 two weeks in a row (I know the competition was not that good) and they don’t even get a mention in your newsletter?? I believe your “bias” is showing!!

I responded to Greg, saying I would give mention to Tennessee this week.

Greg replied, “You don’t have to mention them if they get beat!!”

Well, the Vols didn’t get beat. Tennessee beat Vanderbilt, 24-10. I honored my promise, Greg. Not only that, but I have the Kentucky-Tennessee game this week as the “One To Keep An Eye On” in my predictions below.

The arrival of Greg’s e-mail was ironic. It arrived just as I was watching and listening to former Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler on TV. Shuler, a U.S. Congressman from Tennessee, was on the “Morning Joe” show.

The following morning, my N.C. State friend and former neighbor Brent Stancil e-mailed. “Here’s a quote for you,” he wrote. The quote was from an article that appeared in The News & Observer. The story was an interview with N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien on the upcoming N.C. State-North Carolina game, among other things.

“That’s the carrot to win the game, to get to the ACC championship,” O’Brien said. “As I said Saturday, the road to Charlotte goes through Chapel Hill. You have to get through Chapel Hill.”

Brent added his own personal comment to the quote, and in boldface.

“Well, if you’re at N.C. State and you’re part of this football program, you have to win in Chapel Hill anyway.”

This was followed with the link to the article in The News & Observer.

Brent should be happier with O’Brien this morning. N.C. State beat North Carolina, 29-25. Actually, Brent shouldn’t have been worried. At N.C. State, O’Brien is 4-0 against North Carolina. He has the Tar Heels’ number.

I was surprised Brent sent me a link to and quote from The News & Observer. He’s always told me the sportswriters in The News & Observer are no good because they are all North Carolina grads.

The next day, I received an e-mail from my friend Barry LeBlanc of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. With the message, “It’s heating up down here,” Barry sent me the link to an article that appeared in The Advocate.

The article raises the point that if Cam Newton or his father took money for Cam to play at Auburn, then the Auburn quarterback has not only hijacked college football’s regular season, but also he is hijacking the SEC championship and potentially the Heisman Trophy and BCS championship.

The article’s author, Advocate sportswriter Scott Rabalais writes, “I hope the Newton investigation is being put on the fastest track possible, because there are deadlines. We need to know whether or not Newton is eligible and whether or not Auburn is guilty of playing an ineligible player before they compete for SEC and BCS titles.”

As you can imagine, LSU fans are particularly anxious for the NCAA to get to the bottom of the Cam Newton investigation as fast as possible. If it’s determined that Newton’s father received financial reward for Cam’s services at Auburn, then in all likelihood LSU would play South Carolina in the SEC championship game. But as Rabalais points out, the finding could impact Boise State or TCU, as well as Kellen Moore, Andrew Luck or LaMichael James. But time is running out.

So much for some of last week’s mail. Friday couldn’t get here soon enough. Bootsie, Rockledge Gator, Swamp Mama and I were headed to Gainesville for a Florida football weekend. And we were staying at our favorite hang out in Gainesville – The Laurel Oak Inn (www.laureloakinn.com).

Surprisingly, we departed Brevard County on time early Friday afternoon. No one forgot anything – the tickets were in hand. We made good time scooting across the Bee Line and up the Turnpike and I-75 to Gainesville. On the Turnpike, Rockledge Gator saw an alligator several yards from the road, lying near a pool of water. We figured that was a good omen for the weekend.

Once in Gainesville, we went straight to our home away from home. It was good to see innkeepers Monta and Peggy Burt again and catch up on the football talk in Gainesville. Monta and Peggy have heard some interesting conversations around the breakfast table on Sunday mornings after Gator games – “What’s wrong with the offense?” “Is something wrong with Urban?” “What’s the offensive line’s problem?” “Why won’t Urban get rid of Addazio?”

Over a few glasses of wine, we pondered those and other questions with Monta, Peggy and some of the other guests. It’s common talk and discussion among Gator fans this season.

Later in the evening, the four of us strolled down the street a few blocks to Harry’s for dinner. Our waitresses’ name was Diana. That got Rockledge Gator started on Paul Anka. Our waitress said she remembered his TV show. We were convinced that Paul Anka never had a TV show. We also decided that our waitress was too young to know if Paul Anka had a TV show. Walking back to the Laurel Oak Inn after dinner, we made a pit stop at Starbucks.

Reading The Gainesville Sun Saturday morning, I realized that Appalachian State (Florida’s opponent) is the Mountaineers. I said, “I can’t cheer against the Mountaineers. That’s sacrilegious.”

Studying the pre-game special section in The Gainesville Sun, we learned that Appy State’s Mountaineer is named Yosef. He looks more like a mountain man than a mountaineer – Mennonite Mike or Taliban Timmy or Andy Amish. I give Appalachian State credit for that. At least they didn’t copy the West Virginia Mountaineer like Tennessee did.

While we were discussing the Mountaineers, Monta, in good humor, informed me that when he was a student at Penn State, the popular sign when they were playing West Virginia said, “Muck the Fountaineers.” Rockledge Gator, Bootsie and Swamp Mama thought that was funny. I didn’t see any humor in it.

The Appalachian State-Florida game was a 12:30 start. After a big breakfast at the Inn, we had no plans to tailgate Saturday. The early start wasn’t compatible with tailgating. But we did head over to the campus early to get a good parking spot. Near where we parked, a number of people were tailgating. But not nearly as many tailgaters as you see when the games start at 3:30 or later.

We walked around campus, visited the bookstore and returned to the car where we spread a blanket on the ground and set up a couple of chairs. We chatted with some people who were tailgating next to us. They were playing a very early Fleetwood Mac CD – from the early 1970s.

At the stadium, I looked across the field and saw Yosef. At that moment, I convinced myself that Appalachian State is the “other” Mountaineers. They aren’t “the” Mountaineers like West Virginia. That made it easier to cheer against “those” Mountaineers. Still, when the stadium game announcer said, “Mountaineers fumble,” or “No gain for the Mountaineers,” or “4th-and-10 for the Mountaineers,” it made me cringe, hearing that.

It’s a shame Alabama, LSU, Mississippi State and South Carolina didn’t play like Appalachian State when they played the Gators. Florida scored at will on the “other” Mountaineers, beating Appy State, 48-10. It was a relaxing game – unlike so many other Gator games this season.

On the scoreboard at Florida Field, we monitored the scores of some of the other games in progress around the country. Eventually, some final scores were posted – Georgia Tech 30, Duke 20, and Clemson 30, Wake Forest 10. In the Big Ten – Penn State 41, Indiana 24, Wisconsin 48, Michigan 28 and Michigan State 35, Purdue 31. In the Big 12 – Oklahoma State 48, Kansas 14.

Back at the Laurel Oak Inn, it was post-game wine and beer time. And time to watch some of the other games on TV. We watched Iowa collapse in the fourth quarter, losing to Ohio State, 20-17. Then we watched LSU outgun Ole Miss, 43-36. We also caught some of Virginia Tech’s 31-17 win over Miami (Florida).

We ordered a large pizza from Satchel’s. Rockledge Gator and I drove over and picked it up. Satchel’s was packed with people waiting to get in. It was a good thing we were just there to pick up our pizza. Back at the Inn, we devoured the pizza while we watched the first half of the Arkansas-Mississippi State game.

We called it a night at halftime and retired to our rooms. Somewhere in the second half of the Arkansas-Miss State game, I fell asleep with the TV on. The next morning I learned that the Hogs won, 38-31 in two overtimes.

Sunday morning, the headline in The Gainesville Sun read, “APP-ETIZER.” Speaking of appetizer, the four of us had breakfast on the porch. It was more than an appetizer – much more. And so good too!

After breakfast, we said farewell to Monta and Peggy, with hopes of seeing them again soon. Rockledge Gator and I are thinking about a possible Florida basketball-game weekend this winter. Bootsie and Swamp Mama love how we plan these things without consulting them.

The drive back to Brevard County was just as smooth as the drive up. Even smoother, because on the way back, we stopped at the German Bakery in Yalaha (near Howey-in-the-Hills). We were just going to look, but the pastries were too tempting.

Finally, with this being Florida-Florida State week, here’s a quiz for you old, old Gator fans (like Rockledge Gator).

1. What year did Florida and Florida State first play?
2. Who called for the annual matchup to begin?
3. Who were the head coaches at Florida and Florida State when the schools first played?
4. In what two bowl games were Florida and Florida State awarded a post-season rematch?
5. In 1961, when the Southeastern Conference voted 8-4 to deny inviting Florida State to join, what SEC school sponsored Florida State’s bid?
6. What year was the annual matchup called the “Lane Fenner Memorial Bowl” thanks to an official’s controversial call?
7. Who was Florida’s quarterback during the “Lane Fenner Memorial Bowl?”
8. Who was the Florida Alumni Association president the year of the “Lane Fenner Bowl?”

The answers are provided in the Extra Points section below.

Touchdown Tom
November 22, 2010


Weekend Review

GAME OF THE WEEK: Fourth and out – Ohio State 20, Iowa 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 28, Iowa 23). This is the third game this season where Iowa simply ran out of steam in the fourth quarter. The other two were the Wisconsin and Northwestern games. Iowa lost both and lost them in the fourth quarter. Ohio State shut down Iowa’s running game. A crowd of 70,585 attended the game in Iowa City.

RUNNER UP: Balls – Texas A&M 9, Nebraska 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Texas A&M 25). Nebraska had 16 penalties for 145 yards, while A&M only had two penalties for 10 yards. The Huskers had two turnovers, while the Aggies had none. The two teams were basically equal in passing and rushing yards. Nebraska coach Bo Pelini was not pleased with the officiating and he didn’t hold back. Pelini let it be known how he felt. A crowd of 90,079 attended the game in College Station.

REST OF THE BEST: Badgers run the Big House – Wisconsin 48, Michigan 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 38, Michigan 26). Wisconsin’s James White and Montee Ball combined for 354 yards rushing. Michigan’s Denard Robinson rushed for 121 yards and passed for 239 yards, but one man can’t beat the Badgers. A crowd of 112,276 attended the game in Ann Arbor.

Dogs hit with a Mallett – Arkansas 38, Mississippi State 31 (2OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Arkansas 28, Mississippi State 16). Neither team was playing defense. A crowd of 56,406 attended the game in Starkville.

Hokies play beach ball – Virginia Tech 31, Miami (Florida) 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 27, Miami 20). You can’t have six turnovers and win a ball game. Miami had six turnovers. A crowd of 40,101 attended the game in Miami Gardens.

Stuffed Bears – Oklahoma 53, Baylor 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 45, Baylor 27). This game was 34-7 at the half and 53-10 at the end of three. Baylor was never in the game. A crowd of 36,034 attended the game in Waco.

Are you sure you want Friedgen back? – Florida State 30, Maryland 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida State 29, Maryland 26). This was anybody’s ball game until the fourth quarter. Four turnovers didn’t help Maryland any. A crowd of 48,115 attended the game in College Park.

Boise State 51, Fresno State 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Boise State 39, Fresno State 20). The Bronco defense held Fresno State to 125 yards of total offense. The Bulldogs were only 6-of-24 passing. A crowd of 33,454 attended the game in Boise.

It was a good road through Chapel Hill – N.C. State 29, North Carolina 25 (Touchdown Tom said: N.C. State 28, North Carolina 24). The Tar Heels passed for 411 yards, but only had -7 yards rushing. A crowd of 60,000 attended the game in Chapel Hill.

No hoot in the Owls – Ohio 31, Temple 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Temple 29, Ohio 25). Ohio has won seven straight. A crowd of 16,433 attended the game in Philadelphia.

The Jordan flows – Utah 38, San Diego State 34 (Touchdown Tom said: San Diego State 30, Utah 28). San Diego State has come so close in so many games this year, only to lose. It happened again. The Aztecs also had three turnovers. Utah bounces back after two-straight losses. Jordan Wynn passed for 362 yards. A crowd of 34,951 attended the game in San Diego.

Some teams have all the Luck – Stanford 48, California 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 28, California 21). This one was 45-0 at the end of three. The same Cal team that only lost to Oregon, 15-13. And Cal was home too. A crowd of 67,793 attended the game in Berkeley.

No mama grizzlies in these Rebel Bears – LSU 43, Ole Miss 36 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 30, Ole Miss 18). I thought LSU knew how to play defense. Ole Miss is really a strange team. A crowd of 92,915 attended the game in Baton Rouge.

Panthers by a whisker – Pitt 17, South Florida 10 (Touchdown Tom said: South Florida 19, Pitt 17). A real defensive struggle. A crowd of 43,844 attended the game in Tampa.

Miners are minor – Tulsa 31, UTEP 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Tulsa 34, UTEP 17). The Golden Hurricane are moving closer to a C-USA West title. A crowd of 16,547 attended the game in Tulsa.

Rotten Oranges – Connecticut 23, Syracuse 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Syracuse 23, Connecticut 22). Neither team had much offense. A crowd of 41,465 attended the game in Syracuse.

Mounties stack the Cards – West Virginia 17, Louisville 10 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 27, Louisville 17). Neither of these teams had much offense either. And WVU still can’t score a touchdown in the second half. What is Jeff Mullen’s problem? Mountie defense did hold Louisville to 26 yards rushing. A crowd of 51,772 attended the game in Louisville.

Wildcats strike out – Illinois 48, Northwestern 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Northwestern 35, Illinois 31). The Banned Indians only had 40 yards passing, but they had 519 rushing. Mikel Leshoure had 330 of those rushing yards. Northwestern played without starting quarterback Dan Persa who is injured. A crowd of 41,058 attended the game in Chicago.

Beavers chew holes in the Trojans – Oregon State 36, USC 7 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 30, Oregon State 22). Oregon State beat USC in Corvallis for the third-straight time. But USC still leads in the series 59-11-4. A crowd of 44,969 attended the game in Corvallis.

Tigers feast on fowl – Missouri 14, Iowa State 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Missouri 34, Iowa State 18). Iowa State won in the stats. Mizzou won the game. A crowd of 41,776 attended the game in Ames.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Irish ride the Mules – Notre Dame 27, Army 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 31, Army 26). Notre Dame becomes bowl eligible. A crowd of 54,251 attended the game in New York City.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Easy pickin’s for the Gators – Florida 48, Appalachian State 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 30, Appalachian State 17). Reed to Brantley? Never thought I’d see that one. On Senior Day in Gainesville, the Gators seemed to have fun. They were relaxed. It was an emotional game for Ahmad Black and Mike Pouncey. I can’t see Appalachian State winning the Division I-AA championship. A crowd of 90,119 attended the game in Gainesville.

Dookies get stung – Georgia Tech 30, Duke 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 20, Duke 19). Duke couldn’t stop the run. Georgia Tech couldn’t stop the pass. But Tech won. A crowd of 42,110 attended the game in Atlanta.

A little too Spartan until the fourth – Michigan State 35, Purdue 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan State 34, Purdue 17). Talk about living on the edge, Michigan State scores 22 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Boilers. A crowd of 71,111 attended the game in East Lansing.

Cows clean the Owls’ bowels – Texas 51, Florida Atlantic 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 27, Florida Atlantic 14). Texas can beat somebody. The Longhorns snapped a four-game losing streak. A crowd of 99,799 attended the game in Austin.

Comment: An improved 18-7 for the week, brings my season total to 209-84 (71.3 percent).


AROUND FLORIDA:

UCF clobbered Tulane, 61-14. A crowd of 19,069 attended the game in New Orleans…. Florida International downed Louisiana-Lafayette, 38-17. A crowd of 13,041 attended the game in Lafayette…. Florida AM surprised Bethune-Cookman, 38-27. A crowd of 61,712 attended the game in Orlando.


Superlatives

Impressive Passers: Hawaii’s Bryant Moniz – 32-44-2 for 560 yards; Houston’s David Piland – 28-47-1 for 467; North Carolina’s T.J. Yates – 33-44-0 for 411; Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden – 31-43-0 for 389; Cincinnati’s Zach Collaros – 23-39-1 for 366; Utah’s Jordan Wynn – 21-33-0 for 362; UAB’s Bryan Ellis – 21-38-2 for 361, and Rutgers’ Chas Dodd – 19-29-2 for 335.

Also, Duke’s Sean Renfree – 30-41-0 for 334 yards; Boise State’s Kellen Moore – 27-38-1 for 333; Oklahoma’s Landry Jones – 26-39-1 for 325; Tulsa’s G.J. Kinne – 19-34-0 for 325; Penn State’s Matt McGloin – 22-31-0 for 315; Temple’s Mike Gerardi – 28-48-2 for 311; East Carolina’s Dominique Davis – 21-39-2 for 308, and Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett – 17-26-1 for 305.

Also, Southern Miss’ Austin Davis – 24-31-0 for 293 yards; Virginia’s Marc Verica – 31-49-1 for 284; Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins – 28-37-1 for 276; Texas Tech’s Taylor Potts – 21-24-0 for 272; Kansas State’s Carson Coffman – 16-23-0 for 270; Maryland’s Danny O’Brien – 25-45-2 for 269; Wyoming’s Austyn Carta-Samuels – 23-32-0 for 267, and Texas’ Garrett Gilbert – 15-21-0 for 263.


Impressive Rushers: Illinois’ Mikel Leshoure – 330 yards; Western Kentucky’s Bobby Rainey – 248 yards; Cincinnati’s Isaiah Pead – 213 yards; Southern Miss’ Kendrick Hardy – 205 yards; SMU’s Zach Line – 202 yards; Colorado’s Rodney Stewart – 195 yards, and Eastern Michigan’s Dwayne Priest – 192 yards.

Also, Arkansas’ Knile Davis – 187 yards; Wisconsin’s James White – 181 yards; Wisconsin’s Montee Ball – 173 yards; Georgia Tech’s Anthony Allen – 165 yards; Toledo’s Adonis Thomas – 163 yards; Miami of Florida’s Lamar Miller – 163 yards; UTEP’s Joe Banyard – 155 yards; Navy’s Ricky Dobbs – 154 yards, and Mississippi State’s Vick Ballard – 150 yards.

Also, Wyoming’s Alvester Alexander – 147 yards; UCF’s Latavius Murray – 146 yards; Rice’s Jeremy Eddington – 143 yards; Virginia Tech’s Ryan Williams – 142 yards; Clemson’s Jamie Harper – 142 yards; Miami of Ohio’s Thomas Merriweather – 141 yards; Washington’s Chris Polk – 138 yards, and Texas A&M’s Cyrus Gray – 137 yards.


Quotes of the Week

“Georgia State at Alabama: The Crimson Tide has been ducking the Panthers for years. But not anymore! Bill Curry’s coming back to Tuscaloosa and he’s bringing a whole bag of bricks! OK, maybe just some of those little Styrofoam balls. But I’ve got to think after a short week following the Mississippi State game and with Auburn ahead, Nick Saban will not want to risk his starters in this for too long. And he kinda likes Bill Curry. I mean, the school’s giving State $400,000 for this; they must like the Panthers, right? I’m feeling frisky. Panther frisky! No, not an upset. I’m not that stupid,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“LSU coach Les Miles is shameless for suggesting that a team from the Southeastern Conference should play for the national championship no matter what. What a pandering, politicking, condescending, elitist SEC snob he is,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Can you believe CBS is developing a sitcom based on national sports talk radio host Colin Cowherd? Let’s just hope this doesn’t start a trend. I mean do we really want to see Paul Finebaum on Dancing With the Stars?,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Are we supposed to be excited that Tiger Woods is now on Twitter? Come on, the man hasn’t said anything interesting in 14 years; why would you think he’s going to say anything interesting in 140 characters?,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.


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

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Auburn (11-0) at Alabama (9-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – In Auburn’s run for the BCS championship game the Tigers have two obstacles to clear. Alabama is the first of the two. Alabama may be the worst of the two. I’ve read that Nick Saban will have his defense totally focused on stopping the running of Cam Newton. Supposedly, Saban is taking the approach that if Newton is going to beat Alabama, it will have to be through the air. The pressure on Auburn has to be intense. While with two losses, Alabama should not be feeling any pressure at all. Tigers get Rolled – Alabama 36, Auburn 34.

RUNNER UP: 2. Oklahoma (9-2) at Oklahoma State (10-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – If Oklahoma has had a weakness this year it is playing on the road. Saturday, the Sooners are on the road. The Cowboys are facing a challenge. Okie State has never won the Big 12 South. You figure both quarterbacks – Landry Jones and Brandon Weeden – are going to do well. This could come down to the team with the better running game. Nothing pokey about the Pokes – Oklahoma State 34, Oklahoma 31.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. LSU (10-1) at Arkansas (9-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – The Razorbacks have been a thorn in LSU’s side before. They could be again. Ryan Mallett had some problems earlier in the season, but he’s going out a winner. He doesn’t want the Tigers to stop him. What a squealer – Arkansas 28, LSU 27.

4. Arizona (7-3) at Oregon (10-0) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – Arizona is the first of two remaining obstacles for Oregon. That is if the Wildcats are an obstacle at all. Arizona can be, but it will take a 101% effort from the Wildcats’ offense and defense. Both teams had the week off to prepare. Web feet rule – Oregon 33, Arizona 19.

5. Boise State (10-0) at Nevada (10-1) – (WAC vs. WAC) – This is Nevada’s big opportunity. The Wolf Pack could put themselves on the map with a win over the Broncos. Nevada has the offense that can score on Boise State. Unfortunately for the Wolf Pack, they do not have the defense that can stop Boise State. And the Broncos defense can stop the Wolf Pack. Broncos break up the Pack – Boise State 37, Nevada 22.

6. Florida (7-4) at Florida State (8-3) – (SEC vs. ACC) – Wonder what Florida team will show up in Tallahassee? Wonder if a Gator offense will show up at all? At 7-4, the Gators still have something to prove this year. They have not beaten a good team on their schedule. All seven wins have come against bad to mediocre teams. All four losses have come against good teams. FSU is a good team. Do the Gators have it in them? Albert hollers Bingo! – Florida 30, Florida State 27.

7. N.C. State (8-3) at Maryland (7-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – Not only all roads, but the only road left between N.C. State and Charlotte goes through College Park. A win here and the Wolfpack are in the ACC championship game – an opportunity to get revenge on Virginia Tech. But the Wolfpack must beat Maryland first. It shouldn’t be hard. Maryland’s seven wins have been against losers. Packing for Charlotte – N.C. State 28, Maryland 18.

8. Oregon State (5-5) at Stanford (10-1) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – If the Beavers play like they did against USC, the Cardinal could be in trouble. But that is not likely to happen. Stanford has its eyes set on the Rose Bowl. Beavers can’t fell these Trees – Stanford 34, Oregon State 17.

9. Michigan State (10-1) at Penn State (7-4) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Against the Lions, will the Spartans need to rally late in the game to win – like they did against Northwestern and Purdue? And if the Spartans need to, will they be able to – against Penn State? Lots of incentive riding on this game. The Spartans want to go to the Rose Bowl. Penn State wants to finish better than 7-5. And Penn State wants to beat somebody decent. Nitts have their wits – Penn State 25, Michigan State 23.

10. Northwestern (7-4) at Wisconsin (10-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Wisconsin is also eyeing the Rose Bowl. The Badgers have scored 131 points in their last two games. With Northwestern’s porous defense, the Badger could be doing a lot of pushups. Wildcats choke on Cheese – Wisconsin 40, Northwestern 15.

11. Michigan (7-4) at Ohio State (10-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Little by little, this game is getting closer to being what it once was. But the Wolverines still have a ways to go, especially on defense. The Buckeyes’ offense should have a field day. The Rod isn’t Rich – Ohio State 35, Michigan 16.

12. South Florida (6-4) at Miami (Florida) (7-4) – (Big East vs. ACC) – Tough year for both teams, but more so for Miami. This was supposed to be a big year for the Canes and it wasn’t. The Bulls were expected to have a rebuilding year under first-year coach Skip Holtz. But this day belongs to the Canes. No ring in these Bulls – Miami 30, South Florida 15.

13. Temple (8-3) at Miami (Ohio) (7-4) – (MAC vs. MAC) – The RedHawks would still like to finish the season with only one loss in MAC play. They can, providing they beat Temple. But that won’t be easy. Owls give the Birds a bath – Temple 27, Miami 22.

14. Southern Miss (8-3) at Tulsa (8-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – Tulsa has a five-game winning streak on the line. Southern Miss has won three straight. This has the makings of a good contest and a high-scoring affair. Hurricane Gold better than Eagle Gold – Tulsa 34, Southern Miss 32.

15. West Virginia (7-3) at Pitt (6-4) – (Big East vs. Big East) – Another Backyard Brawl and a lot riding on the outcome. Both teams are in contention for the Big East title. WVU has to win to remain in contention. Pitt doesn’t exactly have to, but it would help. The outcome of the game could come down to the second half, where WVU has had trouble finding the end zone in recent contests. Mounties shave the arm Pitts – West Virginia 23, Pitt 19.

16. BYU (6-5) at Utah (9-2) – (MWC vs. MWC) – Last game between these two rivals as members of the Mountain West Conference. Each are going their separate ways next year, but they will continue to play each other. BYU is on a roll. The Cougars have won four straight. But the competition hasn’t been the strongest. Meanwhile, the Utes have struggled lately against strong competition. Utes get some Cougar fur for the winter – Utah 30, BYU 24.

17. South Carolina (8-3) at Clemson (6-5) – (SEC vs. ACC) – After that embarrassing loss to Arkansas, the Gamecocks have been on a roll, scoring 105 points in their last two games. Something tells me the Cocks will run into a defense this week. But the Tigers don’t have much of an offense. Still, you gotta figure at this point, Steve Spurrier is more focused on Auburn than he is on Clemson. But we’ll see. Chickens put Dabo in the coop – South Carolina 26, Clemson 23.

18. Notre Dame (6-5) at USC (7-4) – (Ind. vs. Pac-10) – After showing signs of revival the last two weeks, life at Notre Dame will cease this week. But at 6-6, the Irish still get in a bowl game. This is the Trojans bowl game. There are no more games for USC until next season. Irish have problems with Trojans – USC 29, Notre Dame 23.

19. Mississippi State (7-4) at Ole Miss (4-7) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Five more points and Miss State could be coming into this contest 9-2. The Bulldogs have had a couple of tough losses. But still it has been a good year for the Starkvillians. You never know what Ole Miss is going to show up with. Heck, for several years, we didn’t even know what mascot Ole Miss would show up with. Bully shows up – Mississippi State 26, Ole Miss 20.

20. Boston College (6-5) at Syracuse (7-4) – (ACC vs. Big East) – Sitting at 2-5, BC has won four-straight games. The Eagles have found something at season’s end. The Orange thought they had found something, but the bottom fell out last week. Mostly pride on the line in this one. Faded Orange – Boston College 18, Syracuse 17.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

21. Kentucky (6-5) at Tennessee (5-6) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Now if there was ever a year for Kentucky to beat Tennessee, this is it. But Kentucky never beats Tennessee. And the Vols have won three straight. Just ask Greg Walker. Of course Kentucky has won two straight. Somebody has to lose. Wildcats skinned on Rocky Top – Tennessee 34, Kentucky 31.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Colorado (5-6) at Nebraska (9-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – A victory for Nebraska gives the Huskers the Big 12 North title – a chance to go back to the Big 12 championship game. An opportunity for the Huskers to make amends for last year. But first things first. They have to beat Colorado. Is that a chore? Herbie hangs some Buffalo hide – Nebraska 28, Colorado 16.

North Carolina (6-5) at Duke (3-8) – (ACC vs. ACC) – The Dookies won one conference game this year. Can they win two? Not if the Tar Heels have anything to say about it. Carolina moons the Devils – North Carolina 24, Duke 21.

Georgia Tech (6-5) at Georgia (5-6) – (ACC vs. SEC) – These two almost came into this game with the exact same record. They could go out with the exact same record. Uga licks the honey – Georgia 32, Georgia Tech 22.

Indiana (4-7) at Purdue (4-7) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Take your pick. The only thing worse than these two is Minnesota. Then again, I’m not sure Minnesota is worse than Indiana. Will the Hoosiers have a new coach next year? Hoosiers sent to the Boiler room – Purdue 33, Indiana 32.

Texas A&M (8-3) at Texas (5-6) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – About the only thing these two have in common is that both beat Nebraska. Other than that, it has been all downhill for the Horns. Do they have one blast left in them? Will Texas qualify for a bowl game? Aggies grab Bevo by the balls – Texas A&M 21, Texas 20.

Comment: The Big Ten comes down to Michigan-Ohio State, Northwestern-Wisconsin and Michigan State-Penn State. The Big 12 comes down to Oklahoma-Oklahoma-State and Colorado-Nebraska. The WAC comes down to Boise State-Nevada. Throw in LSU-Arkansas, Arizona-Oregon and N.C. State-Maryland and it’s quite a Thanksgiving week.


AROUND FLORIDA:

UCF (8-3) plays at Memphis (1-10)…. Florida Atlantic (4-6) visits Middle Tennessee (4-6)…. Florida International (5-5) hosts Arkansas State (4-7). Florida A&M (8-3), Bethune-Cookman (10-1) and Jacksonville U. (10-1) have completed their seasons.  Bethune-Cookman was selected to play in the Division I-AA playoffs.  B-CU will play New Hampshire (7-4) on December 4


Tuesday’s Television Schedule – November 23

Temple at Miami (Ohio) – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2


Thursday’s Television Schedule – November 25

Tuskegee at Alabama State – 4:00 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Texas A&M at Texas – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN


Friday’s Television Schedule – November 26

West Virginia at Pitt – 12:00 noon ET – ABC
Louisville at Rutgers – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN2
Ohio at Kent State – 12:00 noon ET – ESPNU
SMU at East Carolina – 2:00 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Auburn at Alabama – 2:30 p.m. ET – CBS

Colorado at Nebraska – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC
UCLA at Arizona State – 3:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Southern Miss at Tulsa – 6:30 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Arizona at Oregon – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPN
Boise State at Nevada – 10:15 p.m. ET – ESPN


Saturday’s Television Schedule – November 27

Boston College at Syracuse – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN/ESPN2
Cincinnati at Connecticut – 12:00 noon ET – Big East Game of the Week
Michigan at Ohio State – 12:00 noon ET – ABC
Michigan State at Penn state – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN/ESPN2
South Florida at Miami (Florida) – 12:00 noon ET – ESPNU
Tulane at Marshall – 12:00 noon ET – CBS-CSN
Virginia at Virginia Tech – 12:00 noon ET – ACC Game of the Week
Kentucky at Tennessee – 12:20 p.m. ET – SEC Game of the Week
Kansas at Missouri – 12:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Grambling vs. Southern – 2:00 p.m. ET – NBC
LSU at Arkansas – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS
Florida at Florida State – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
N.C. State at Maryland – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Northwestern at Wisconsin – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
North Carolina at Duke – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
TCU at New Mexico – 4:00 p.m. ET – Versus
Houston at Texas Tech – 7:00 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
South Carolina at Clemson – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Mississippi State at Ole Miss – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Oregon State at Stanford – 7:30 p.m. ET – Versus
Georgia Tech at Georgia – 7:45 p.m. ET – ESPN
Notre Dame at USC – 8:00 p.m. ET – ABC
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State – 8:00 p.m. ET – ABC


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football … Fox Sports has signed a six-year agreement with the Big Ten Conference to televise the Big Ten’s championship game 2011 through 2016…. The University of Washington Board of Regents have given approval to a $250 million renovation of Husky Stadium. Plans for the remodeling include complete demolition of the lower bowl and the south upper deck. The field will be lowered and seats brought closer, and a football operations facility will also be constructed. Seating capacity is expected to stay close to its current total of 72,500.

Washington State has moved its 2011 matchup against Oregon State from its home field in Pullman to Seattle’s Qwest Field…. Georgia and Boise State have agreed to play next season. The two teams will open the 2011 season against each other on September 3 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta…. Ole Miss and Boise State will meet in the Georgia Dome in 2014. Ole Miss has added BYU to its 2011 schedule. The game will be played in Oxford…. North Carolina and Louisville have signed up for a two-game home-and-home series for 2011 and 2012.


Extra Points

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

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

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

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


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.”


Answers to the Florida-Florida State quiz:

1. What year did Florida and Florida State first play? 1958
2. Who called for the annual matchup to begin? Board of Control chairman Fred Kent told Florida’s and Florida State’s athletic directors to schedule the game or be demoted.
3. Who were the head coaches at Florida and Florida State when the two schools first played? Bob Woodruff at Florida and Tom Nugent at Florida State
4. In what two bowl games were Florida and Florida State awarded a post-season rematch? The 1995 Sugar Bowl and the 1997 Sugar Bowl
5. In 1961, when the Southeastern Conference voted 8-4 to deny inviting Florida State to join, what SEC school sponsored Florida State’s bid? Florida
6. What year was the annual matchup called the “Lane Fenner Memorial Bowl” thanks to an official’s controversial call? 1966
7. Who was Florida’s quarterback during the “Lane Fenner Memorial Bowl?” Steve Spurrier
8. Who was the Florida Alumni Association president the year of the “Lane Fenner Bowl?” Stephen C. O’Connell

Happy Thanksgiving!

Touchdown Tom


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but as the regular season was coming to a climax and Thanksgiving turkeys and pumpkin pies were almost in the oven, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1935 was “You Are My Lucky Star” by Eddy Duchin

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

…65 years ago this week in 1945 was “It’s Been a Long, Long Time” by Harry James

…60 years ago this week in 1950 was “Harbor Lights” by Sammy Kaye

…55 years ago this week in 1955 was “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford

…50 years ago this week in 1960 was “Are You Lonesome Tonight” by Elvis Presley

…45 years ago this week in 1965 was “I Hear a Symphony” by The Supremes

…40 years ago this week in 1970 was “I Think I Love You” by The Partridge Family

…35 years ago this week in 1975 was “That’s the Way (I Like It)” by K.C. & The Sunshine Band

…30 years ago this week in 1980 was “Lady” by Kenny Rogers

…25 years ago this week in 1985 was “We Built This City” by Starship

…20 years ago this week in 1990 was “Love Takes Time” by Mariah Carey


Not directly college football related, but on a sad note, there were three passings of mention last week – William Self, Pat Burns, and Rob Lytle.

William Self, a prolific producer who brought a long list of successful shows to television – “Daniel Boone,” “Peyton Place,” “Batman” and “M*A*S*H” among many others – transforming 20th Century-Fox Television into a leading supplier of programming to the networks in the 1960s and ’70s, died on Monday in Los Angeles. He was 89. William Edwin Self was born on June 21, 1921, in Dayton, Ohio. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of Chicago in 1943, he worked briefly as an advertising copywriter and then went to Los Angeles to try his luck as an actor.

Pat Burns, a tough-minded, tight-lipped coach of four National Hockey League teams who led the New Jersey Devils to a Stanley Cup title in 2003, his first season with the team, died last week in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He was 58. Burns led the Devils to their third Stanley Cup championship when they beat the Anaheim Ducks in seven games. He also coached the Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins, twice leading the Bruins to the Stanley Cup finals. Patrick Burns was born April 4, 1952, in the St. Henri section of Montreal.

Rob Lytle, an All-American running back at Michigan who scored a touchdown in the 1978 Super Bowl as a Denver Broncos rookie, died last week in Fremont, Ohio. He was 56. Lytle was drafted by the Broncos in the second round in 1977. He scored on a 1-yard run in Denver’s 27-10 loss to Dallas in the Super Bowl. He played seven seasons with the Broncos and scored 14 times in the regular season. Lytle finished third in voting for the Heisman Trophy – behind Pittsburgh’s Tony Dorsett and USC’s Ricky Bell – in 1976 when he was the Big Ten’s MVP and an All-American. Lytle grew up in Ross, Ohio.