Pre-Christmas Happenings, While Decking the Halls

College Football Week 17 – Is Mike Leach headed to Maryland?

Pre-Christmas Happenings,
While Decking the Halls

Leaders and Legends? Sounds like the name of a PGA golf tournament or an ESPN special.

Leaders and Legends are the names the Big Ten Conference came up with recently for its two divisions. The Leaders are Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin. The Legends are Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern.

Now Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany says the conference is thinking about scrubbing those names. There has been considerable negative reaction to them. It appears a number of folks have rebuked the names.

I couldn’t agree more. To me it says that the teams in the Leaders Division are the “top dogs” in the conference – the marquee teams; while the teams in the Legends Division are history – the “has beens.”

At the beginning of the season, I wrote that the Big Ten divisions should be called the Brats and the Wursts. While clever, I suppose that isn’t good either. The teams in the Wurst Division might feel a bit inferior.

How about the Sauers and Krauts? No, the Kraut Division kinda has a bad connotation. Then I thought the Leders and the Hosens. But Leders would make the teams in the Leder Division sound too much like Leaders. And Hosens would make the teams in the Hosen Division sound like they got hosed. And that brings us back to where we started with Leaders and Legends.

Oh there are lots of potential names for the Big Ten. The divisions could be the Jaegers and the Meisters, or the Wieners and the Schnitzels. Those are two good possibilities. But after poring over the matter and giving it lots of thought, I have finally decided what the names of the Big Ten divisions should be – the Noodles and the Strudels.

Speaking of the Big Ten, Nebraska’s conference games for its inaugural season in the Big Ten were announced last week. And believe me, the Huskers will have one heck of an initiation in 2011. They were not given any breaks. Along with Iowa, Michigan and Michigan State from their own division, the Huskers are slated to play the three toughest teams from the other division – Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin. It can’t get any wurst….I mean….worse than that. Nebraska also plays Minnesota and Northwestern from its own division. For the first two seasons, the Huskers will not play Illinois, Indiana and Purdue.

Three days after Urban Meyer resigned, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley announced Meyer’s replacement – Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. The announcement of Muschamp drew mixed reviews from Gator fans. But most were upbeat, supportive and excited about the selection. A few believe that Muschamp is just another Ron Zook hire. Only time will tell, but I think Muschamp was a good choice.

With the selection of Muschamp coming at this time of the year I couldn’t help but think of some lyrics from John and Yoko’s “Happy Christmas” for Gator fans.

“A very Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear”

In addition to being the defensive coordinator at Texas, Muschamp was also the designated head-coach-in-waiting. But for Muschamp, I think that head-coach-in-waiting at Texas was in-waiting long enough – like Prince Charles waiting to be King. When will the Queen step down? Who knows when Mack Brown will retire? He may become another Paterno.

Another head-coach-in-waiting got tired of waiting too. Maryland offensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting James Franklin was named the new coach at Vanderbilt. And what a relief it was for Vanderbilt. The previous week, Vanderbilt thought it had secured Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn as its new coach. Some media outlets went so far to announce it as a done deal. But Malzahn backed out at the last minute.

When Franklin surfaced as the likely coach at Vanderbilt, the media outlets were more reticent about announcing it. And, indeed, Franklin appeared to linger on the decision for a few days. But then it became official – Franklin was the new coach at Vanderbilt.

Meanwhile, back in College Park, some interesting things were going on at Maryland. A few weeks ago, Maryland announced that “hot-seat” coach Ralph Friedgen would return for the 2011 season. That announcement was most certainly an influence on Franklin’s decision to leave.

But, after Franklin resigned to take the Vanderbilt job, Maryland reneged on its commitment to Friedgen for next year. Instead, Maryland decided to force Friedgen out. This after Friedgen finished 8-4 this season, is taking the Terps to a bowl game and was named the ACC Coach of the Year.

Speculation is that Maryland will name former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach as the new head coach of the Terrapins. Wonder if Donald Trump had a hand in this decision? The Donald couldn’t convince Miami to hire Leach, but, who knows, maybe he used his persuasive tactics on Maryland. Stay tuned!

Speaking of Miami, the Hurricanes hired Temple coach Al Golden as their new head coach. Golden was 27-34 in five seasons at Temple, but is credited with turning around the program. The Owls had winning seasons each of the past two years. Still, in five years, Golden never won the MAC East Division title.

And speaking of Temple, Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio is a candidate to become the Owls new coach. Hopefully, Temple isn’t that dumb. Along with Addazio, a lot of offensive coordinators were under attack this year. Texas coach Mack Brown fired his offensive coordinator Greg Davis. By season’s end, Alabama, Georgia, Nebraska and West Virginia fans were complaining about their offensive coordinators.

Obviously, Auburn and Oregon are happy with their offensive coordinators – Gus Malzahn and Mark Helfrich respectively. Oklahoma State was happy with its offensive coordinator too – Dana Holgorsen. The Pokes had the No. 1 offense in the country this season.

Holgorsen’s work at Okie State and previously at Houston (as offensive coordinator) obviously made an impression on West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck. Last week, Luck named Holgrosen the new offensive coordinator at WVU and the head-coach-in-waiting.

But unlike Will Muschamp and James Franklin, Holgorsen won’t have to wait long to become head coach. He is guaranteed to have the top coaching job at West Virginia in 2012. Current WVU coach Bill Stewart has one more year to coach and then Stewart will move to the front door at Wal-Mart. No, no, no – just kidding. Stewart will take another position in the WVU athletic department.

Had West Virginia not moved and grabbed Holgorsen when it did, the Okie State offensive coordinator would most likely be the new coach at Pitt. Pitt was on the verge of hiring Holgorsen to replace the fired Dave Wannstedt when WVU made its move. Mountaineers beat Pitt again.

Since then, Pitt named Miami (Ohio) coach Mike Haywood as its new coach. Haywood, in his second year with the RedHawks, went from 1-11 last season to 9-4 this year and the Mid-American Conference championship. Miami plays Middle Tennessee in the Go Daddy Bowl on January 6.

Colorado named former Buffalo Jon Embree as its new coach. Embree is currently the tight ends coach for the Washington Redskins. The last time a team hired a tight ends coach from the NFL to be a head coach was Minnesota in 2007. The Gophers hired Denver Broncos tight ends coach Tim Brewster. Brewster was fired this season. I hope Colorado has better luck.

Northern Illinois hired Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Doeren as its new coach. Elon coach Pete Lembo is the new head coach at Ball State. So, as I have it, 12 schools – Arkansas State, Ball State, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana-Lafayette, Miami (Florida), Minnesota, North Texas, Northern Illinois, Pitt and Vanderbilt – have named their new coaches. Four schools – Kent State, Maryland, Miami (Ohio) and Temple – are still looking. Jeff Mullen, the current offensive coordinator at West Virginia, is a candidate at Kent State. But word has it that the Golden Flashes will name Ohio State assistant coach Darrell Hazell as their new coach later today.

Texas coach Mack Brown hired Florida defensive coordinator Teryl Austin as his new defensive coordinator, replacing the departed Will Muschamp. Conversely, UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel fired his defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough. Neuheisel also fired his receivers coach. Neuheisel will enter the 2011 season on a very hot seat.

I’m surprised that New Mexico, UAB and Washington State did not fire their coaches. Maybe those schools need to fire their athletic directors. Word has it that Georgia coach Mark Richt must win the SEC East Division next year or he is a goner.

Massachusetts gave notice that it may elevate its football program from Division I-AA to Division I-A. And, if it does, UMass may join the Mid-American Conference as a football only member like Temple. UMass is expected to announce its decision by the end of the year. And, we’re still waiting for Villanova’s decision on a possible move to Division I-A. That decision is also expected by January 1.

You may have read where Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants to take the lead and bankroll a playoff for Division I-A college football. There are pros and cons to a playoff. But believe me, Cuban would be a con.

One thing was apparent from the first three bowl games played Saturday. UTEP’s Mike Price, Fresno State’s Pat Hill and Ohio’s Frank Solich should think about retiring soon. All three are past their prime. Certainly Price and Solich know its Miller time.

Much has been written and said about Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Newton was definitely the best player in college football this season. As long as he was cleared by the NCAA, he deserved the Heisman Trophy. I only have three questions and three comments to the questions:

1. Why would Cecil Newton only sell his son Cam to Mississippi State and not to the other school or schools? Common sense tells me that the senior Newton would have been selling Cam’s services to all schools involved.

2. Why would Cam Newton not know what his father Cecil was doing? After all, didn’t one of the Mississippi State coaches say that when Cam called to notify them he wasn’t coming to Starkville, it was because the money was better at Auburn? Common sense tells me Cam knew what his father was doing.

3. And then there is still the question about Cecil Newton’s church in Newnan, Georgia. But I won’t go there.


A former acquaintance of my family – Sally Kirk Adkins – sent me a book – “The Wisdom of Southern Football.” It’s full of humorous and clever quotes and advice from former players, coaches, sportswriters and broadcasters – all from the South. It’s a dandy. I will provide some of the quotes in my last three blogs of the season. Sally, by the way, is married to a former West Virginia football player.

I don’t know why he is doing it, but I am convinced Rockledge Gator is trying to make me fat. He gave me three large Italian salami sausages (peppered, dry and sopressata), a brick of dark chocolate and a can of olives stuffed with anchovies for Christmas. The only thing missing was a partridge in a pear tree. But I will have lots to snack on during the bowl games.

And, I changed my mind again about the Big Ten divisions. I finally decided that the teams in the Big Ten Conference should be divided up geographically and that the divisions should be called the Corn Belt and the Rust Belt. Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern and Wisconsin would be in the Corn Belt. Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue would be in the Rust Belt.

Merry Christmas!
Touchdown Tom

December 20, 2010


Review of the Bowls (so far)

The Price is not right (in the New Mexico Bowl) – BYU 52, UTEP 24 (Touchdown Tom said: BYU 30, UTEP 17). It’s hard to believe that Mike Price once coached Washington State to the Rose Bowl and was briefly the coach at Alabama. Price ain’t what he used to be. Granted the UTEP team is young, but so is BYU. The Cougars may have an up-and-coming quarterback in Jake Heaps. BYU totaled 514 yards of offense and held UTEP to -12 yards rushing. BYU played its last football game as a member of the Mountain West Conference. A crowd of 32,424 attended the game in Albuquerque.

Harnish harnesses the Bulldogs (in the Humanitarian Bowl) – Northern Illinois 40, Fresno State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Fresno State 35, Northern Illinois 32). Northern Illinois wasn’t bad considering it was playing under an interim coach. The Huskies are a young team and should be strong again next season, especially with the return of quarterback Chandler Harnish. Harnish threw for 300 yards, completing 66 percent of his passes. NIU amassed 503 yards of offense and held Fresno State to 74 yards rushing. A crowd of 25,449 attended the game in Boise.

Bobcat gumbo (in the New Orleans Bowl) – Troy 48, Ohio 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Troy 27, Ohio 21). Troy quarterback Corey Robinson, a redshirt freshman, is an amazing player. He’s downright exciting to watch. Robinson threw for 387 yards, completing 76 percent of his lobs. Troy racked up 602 yards of offense. A crowd of 29,159 attended the game in New Orleans.

Comment: So, I’m off to a 2-1 start in my bowl picks. Thirty-two to go. Stay tuned!


Superlatives

Impressive Passers: Troy’s Corey Robinson – 32-42-0 for 387 yards; Northern Illinois’ Chandler Harnish – 17-26-0 for 300; Fresno State’s Ryan Colburn – 28-38-0 for 288, and BYU’s Jake Heaps – 25-34-1 for 264.


Weekend Review

Division I-AA Semifinals

Eastern Washington 41, Villanova 31
Delaware 27, Georgia Southern 10


Division II Championship

UM-Duluth 20, Delta State 17


Division III Championship

UW-Whitewater 31, Mount Union 21


Quotes of the Week

“Anyone with the word ‘Champ’ in their name has to be a winner, right?,” former Florida and current Buffalo Bill wide receiver David Nelson, on Will Muschamp, the Gators’ new coach.

“This is sort of a strange set up, don’t you think? The new coach (Will Muschamp) takes over and makes it sound like his highly successful predecessor (Urban Meyer) is still going to be a major part of the program,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi, wondering if Muschamp and Meyer are going to be the co-head coaches of Florida.


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn turned down Vanderbilt’s offer to become the new coach of the Commodores…. The Big Ten Conference has named its two divisions – the Leaders and the Legends. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin will be in the Leaders Division. Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern will be in the Legends Division. Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Doeren is the new coach of Northern Illinois.

Fresno State and California will play their scheduled game next season in San Francisco’s Candlestick Park…. Arizona State and San Diego State have scheduled a two-game home-and-home series for 2017 and 2018.


Extra Points

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 will take next week off for the Holidays. CFW will return on the morning of January 3, 2010.

“And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
Another year over
A new one just begun
A Very Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year!”

Touchdown Tom


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but during the pre-Christmas days of December as college football fans were drinking eggnog and eating fruitcake with visions of what ifs, bowl games and Santa Claus dancing in their heads, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1935 was “On Treasure Island” by Tommy Dorsey

…70 years ago this week in 1940 was “Frenesi” by Artie Shaw

…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 “The Thing” by Phil Harris

…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 “Over and Over” by The Dave Clark Five

…40 years ago this week in 1970 was “My Sweet Lord”/”Isn’t It a Pity” by George Harrison

…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 “Say You, Say Me” by Lionel Ritchie

…20 years ago this week in 1990 was “Because I Love You (The Postman Song) by Stevie B


Not directly college football related, but on a sad note, there were six passings of mention last week – Richard Holbrooke, Bob Feller, Blake Edwards, Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart), Walt Dropo and Phil Cavarretta.

Richard C. Holbrooke, the Obama administration’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan since 2009 and a diplomatic troubleshooter who worked for every Democratic president since the late 1960s and oversaw the negotiations that ended the war in Bosnia, died last week in Washington, DC. He was 69. Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke was born in New York City on April 24, 1941. At Brown University, he majored in history and was editor of the student newspaper.

Bob Feller, who came off an Iowa farm with a dazzling fastball that made him a national celebrity at 17 and propelled him to the Hall of Fame as one of baseball’s greatest pitchers, died last week in Cleveland, where he had played for the Indians for 18 years. He was 92. Joining the Indians in 1936, Feller became baseball’s biggest draw since Babe Ruth, throwing pitches that batters could barely see. Robert William Feller was born on November 3, 1918, in Van Meter, Iowa – population 300 – and grew up nearby on a farm. Two days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy. Feller retired after the 1956 season with a career record of 266-162.

Blake Edwards, a writer and director who became a Hollywood master of movies like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “The Days of Wine and Roses,” “Victor/Victoria” and the “Pink Panther” movies, died last week in Santa Monica, California. He was 88. Edwards’ wife Julie Andrews was at his side when he died. Blake Edwards was born William Blake Crump on July 26, 1922, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Having joined the Coast Guard after high school, Edwards was seriously injured when, after a night of alcohol-fueled partying, he drunkenly dived into a shallow swimming pool. He spent five months in traction at the Long Beach Naval Hospital.

Don Van Vliet, an artist who was known as Captain Beefheart during his days as an influential rock musician and who later led a reclusive life as a painter, died last week. He was 69 and lived in Trinidad, California. Captain Beefheart’s music career stretched from 1966 to 1982. The band’s music ranged from straight rhythm and blues by way of the early Rolling Stones to music that sounded like post-punk. Captain Beefheart is probably best known for “Trout Mask Replica,” a double album from 1969 with his Magic Band. He was born on Jan. 15, 1941, in Glendale, California, as Don Vliet. He added the “Van” in 1965. His family moved to the Mojave Desert town of Lancaster, California, where one of Don’s best high school friends was Frank Zappa. By 1965 a quintet called Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band (the “his” was later changed to “the”) was born and included Zappa and well-known guitarist Ry Cooder. Zappa and Cooder later left the band.

Walt Dropo, one of the University of Connecticut’s greatest athletes, who broke into the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox, won the American League rookie of the year award in 1950 and became a reliable hitter and first baseman for 13 years, died last week. He was 87 and lived in Peabody, Massachusetts. At Connecticut, Dropo, at 6 feet 5 and 220 pounds, was the first baseman in baseball, the center in basketball and an offensive and defensive end in football. After he graduated in 1947, the Providence Steamrollers of the Basketball Association of America tried to sign him. So did the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. The Red Sox won out. A right-handed slugger, Dropo played for the Red Sox from 1949 to 1952, then the Detroit Tigers (1952-1954), the Chicago White Sox (1955-1958), the Cincinnati Reds (1958-59) and the Baltimore Orioles (1959-61).

Phil Cavarretta, who played 20 seasons for the Chicago Cubs and won the National League’s most valuable player award and batting championship in 1945, the last time the Cubs captured a pennant, died last week in Lilburn, Georgia. He was 94. Playing first base and outfield at Wrigley Field from 1934 to 1953, and serving as the Cubs’ player-manager for two and a half seasons, Cavarretta was one of the most popular figures in the team’s history. His Cubs teams never won a World Series – they lost to the Detroit Tigers in 1935, the New York Yankees in 1938 and the Tigers again in 1945 – but Cavarretta was usually a star at the plate. He batted .462 in the 1938 World Series and .423 in the 1945 Series. After Cavarretta was let go from the Cubs organization, he was signed by the Chicago White Sox and played the 1955 season for the White Sox. Cavarretta was a native of Chicago’s North Side and grew up not far from Wrigley Field.

Rockin' Around the Crystal Ball

College Football Week 16 – Florida gets Muschamp; Miami gets Golden

Rockin’ Around the Crystal Ball
At the Football Party Hop

Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl Rock
Bowl Games Swing and Bowl Games Ring
Predicting and forecasting is bushels of fun
Now that Touchdown Tom’s picks are done


Touchdown Tom’s Annual Bowl Game Forecast:

New Mexico Bowl – Albuquerque, New Mexico
(University Stadium)
2:00 p.m. ET, December 18 – ESPN
The Canary Dies
BYU 30, UTEP 17


Humanitarian – Boise, Idaho
(Bronco Stadium)
5:30 p.m. ET, December 18 – ESPN
The Huskies are all Mush
Fresno State 35, Northern Illinois 32


New Orleans Bowl – New Orleans, Louisiana
(Louisiana Superdome)
9:00 p.m. ET, December 18 – ESPN
The Trojans Go Marching In
Troy 27, Ohio 21


St. Petersburg Bowl – St. Petersburg, Florida
(Tropicana Field)
8:00 p.m. ET, December 21 – ESPN
The Cardinals are too Strong
Louisville 27, Southern Miss 16


Las Vegas Bowl – Las Vegas, Nevada
(Sam Boyd Stadium)
8:00 p.m. ET, December 22 – ESPN
Broncos Mute the Ute
Boise State 31, Utah 28


Poinsettia Bowl – San Diego, California
(Qualcomm Stadium)
8:00 p.m. ET, December 23 – ESPN
Aztecs Sacrifice the Sailors
San Diego State 33, Navy 25


Hawaii Bowl – Honolulu, Hawaii
(Aloha Stadium)
8:00 p.m. ET, December 24 – ESPN
Warriors Seed the Hurricane
Hawaii 47, Tulsa 40


Little Caesars Bowl – Detroit, Michigan
(Ford Field)
8:30 p.m. ET, December 26 – ESPN
The Rockets’ Red Glare
As the Panthers Burst in Air
Toledo 31, Florida International 29


Independence Bowl – Shreveport, Louisiana
(Independence Stadium)
5:00 p.m. ET, December 27 – ESPN2
Falcons take the Jackets on a Hayride
Air Force 29, Georgia Tech 27


Champs Sports Bowl – Orlando, Florida
(Florida Citrus Bowl)
6:30 p.m. ET, December 28 – ESPN
Wolf Stew
West Virginia 27, N.C. State 18


Insight Bowl – Tempe, Arizona
(Sun Devil Stadium)
10:00 p.m. ET, December 28 – ESPN
Hawkeyes make Pinkel Tinkle
Iowa 27, Missouri 24


Military Bowl – Washington, DC
(RFK Stadium)
2:30 a.m. ET, December 29 – ESPN
Pirates are Shell Shocked
Maryland 34, East Carolina 24


Texas Bowl – Houston, Texas
(Reliant Stadium)
6:00 p.m. ET, December 29 – ESPN
Zook can’t Bear It
Baylor 27, Illinois 25


Alamo Bowl – San Antonio, Texas
(Alamodome)
9:15 p.m. ET, December 29 – ESPN
Puss gets Kicked by Boots
Oklahoma State 31, Arizona 24


Armed Forces Bowl – Dallas, Texas
(Gerald J. Ford Stadium)
12:00 noon ET, December 30 – ESPN
G.I. Joe went to Town
Riding on a Pony
Army 26, SMU 20


Pinstripe Bowl – Bronx, New York
(Yankee Stadium)
3:20 noon ET, December 30 – ESPN
Orange Juice the Wildcats
Syracuse 18, Kansas State 17


Music City Bowl – Nashville, Tennessee
(LP Field)
6:40 p.m. ET, December 30 – ESPN
Rocky Tops the High Heels
Tennessee 24, North Carolina 20


Holiday Bowl – San Diego, California
(Qualcomm Stadium)
10:00 p.m. ET, December 30 – ESPN
Corn Dogs better than Huskies
Nebraska 33, Washington 19


Meineke Car Care Bowl – Charlotte, North Carolina
(Bank of America Stadium)
12:00 noon ET, December 31 – ESPN
Tigers Feast on Criadillas
Clemson 22, South Florida 15


Sun Bowl – El Paso, Texas
(Sun Bowl)
2:00 p.m. ET, December 31 – CBS
Irish Suffer a Caning
Miami (Florida) 24, Notre Dame 23


Liberty Bowl – Memphis, Tennessee
(Liberty Bowl)
3:30 p.m. ET, December 31 – ESPN
O’Leary gets Dawg Collared
Georgia 30, UCF 22


Chick-fil-A Bowl – Atlanta, Georgia
(Georgia Dome)
7:30 p.m. ET, December 31 – ESPN
Noles Eat More Chickin’
Florida State 33, South Carolina 26


Ticket City Bowl – Dallas, Texas
(Cotton Bowl)
12:00 noon ET, January 1 – ESPNU
Tuber Viles the Cats
Texas Tech 32, Northwestern 19


Outback Bowl – Tampa, Florida
(Raymond James Stadium)
1:00 p.m. ET, January 1 – ABC
Paterno Chokes on a Bloomin’ Gator Tail
Florida 27, Penn State 26


Capital One Bowl – Orlando, Florida
(Florida Citrus Bowl)
1:00 p.m. ET, January 1 – ESPN
Spartans Soaked in Tide
Alabama 28, Michigan State 22


Gator Bowl – Jacksonville, Florida
(Municipal Stadium)
1:30 noon ET, January 1 – ESPN2
Poor Rod
Mississippi State 31, Michigan 30


Rose Bowl – Pasadena, California
(Rose Bowl)
5:00 p.m. ET, January 1 – ESPN
Badgers Show the Frogs a Giggin’ Time
Wisconsin 28, TCU 23


Fiesta Bowl – Glendale, Arizona
(University of Phoenix Stadium)
8:30 p.m. EST, January 1 – ESPN
Sooners Turn the Huskies Fiesta into a Siesta
Oklahoma 29, Connecticut 16


Orange Bowl – Miami Gardens, Florida
(Sun Life Stadium)
8:00 p.m. ET, January 3 – ESPN
A Tree Grows in Miami
Stanford 23, Virginia Tech 20


Sugar Bowl – New Orleans, Louisiana
(Louisiana Superdome)
8:00 p.m. ET, January 4 – ESPN
Tressel can’t Belly Up to the Pork
Arkansas 33, Ohio State 31


Go Daddy Bowl – Mobile Alabama
(Ladd-Peebles Stadium)
8:00 p.m. ET, January 6 – ESPN
Raiders are Stuck in the Middle with Blue
Miami (Ohio) 28, Middle Tennessee 20


Cotton Bowl – Arlington, Texas
(Cowboys Stadium)
8:00 p.m. ET, January 7 – Fox
Aggies are Cotton Candy for the Tigers
LSU 23, Texas A&M 21


Compass Bowl – Birmingham, Alabama
(Legion Field)
12:00 noon ET, January 8 – ESPN
Kentucky Rains on the Panthers
Kentucky 25, Pitt 24


Fight Hunger Bowl – San Francisco, California
(AT&T Park)
9:00 p.m. ET, January 9 – ESPN
The Eagles Starve
Nevada 29, Boston College 18


BCS National Championship Bowl – Glendale, Arizona
(University of Phoenix Stadium)
8:00 p.m. ET, January 10 – ESPN
Eider Down
Auburn 34, Oregon 32


Touchdown Tom
December 13, 2010


Weekend Review

Navy 31, Army 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Navy 25, Army 16). Navy beat Army for the ninth-straight year. This could have been a different, certainly much closer, game had Navy not turned an Army fumble into a 98-yard touchdown. Army was trailing 17-7 and on the Navy two when the fumble occurred. Navy went up 24-7. Army scored on Navy for the first time in four years. Little-by-little, Rich Ellerson is making Army competitive gain. A crowd of 69,223 attended the game in Philadelphia.


Heisman Trophy Presentation:

Auburn junior quarterback Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy. Newton was followed in the voting by Stanford junior quarterback Andrew Luck (second), Oregon sophomore running back LaMichael James (third) and Boise State junior quarterback Kellen Moore (fourth).


FCS (Division I-AA) Quarterfinals:

Delaware 16, New Hampshire 3
Villanova 42, Appalachian State 24
Georgia Southern 23, Wofford 20
Eastern Washington 38, North Dakota State 31


Division II Semifinals:

Delta State 29, Shepherd 17
UM-Duluth 17, Northwest Missouri State 13


Division III Semifinals:

Mount Union 34, Bethel 14
UW-Whitewater 27, Wesley 7


SWAC Championship Game:

Texas Southern 11, Alabama State 6


Quotes of the Week

“Urban Meyer has done a fantastic job at the University of Florida. I think probably unmatched in college football. I think Urban is great for the college football game,” Alabama coach Nick Saban.

“Why couldn’t Urban Meyer coach and spend time with family,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Please spare me the ridiculous rhetoric about how college football coaches have it so darn tough and just can’t find the time to eat dinner at home and go to Little League games. Puh-leeze. That’s a cop-out. These coaches have plenty of opportunities – many more than most of us working stiffs do – to spend time with their families. If they don't do it, it's their own fault,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“And you’re telling me they can’t find the time to leave the office and drive a couple of miles to see their kid play in a volleyball game?,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“By the way, it’s been three days now and Meyer has not changed his mind. I guess he really means it this time,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“I’ve got a great recruiting pitch for Florida State when trying to convince prospects to sign with the Seminoles instead of the Gators or Hurricanes: ‘Come play for us – at least we have a coach!,’ ” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Newton wins Heisman Trophy, integrity loses,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.


Headline of the Week

Police find Lee Corso’s head; ESPN analyst unaware it was missing (from The Orlando Sentinel)


Friday’s Television Schedule – December 17

Villanova at Eastern Washington (Division I-AA Semifinal) – 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2


Saturday’s Television Schedule – December 18

Delta State vs. UM-Duluth (Division II Final) – 11:00 a.m. ET – ESPN2
Georgia Southern at Delaware (Division I-AA Semifinal) – 12:00 noon ET – ESPNU
BYU vs. UTEP (New Mexico Bowl) – 2:00 p.m. ET – ESPN
Mount Union vs. UW-Whitewater (Division III Final) – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Fresno State vs. Northern Illinois (Humanitarian Bowl) – 5:30 p.m. ET – ESPN
Troy vs. Ohio (New Orleans Bowl) – 9:00 p.m. ET – ESPN


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . Indiana hired Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson as its new football coach…. The Football Writers Association of America voted Oregon coach Chip Kelly the recipient of the Eddie Robinson Award as college football’s Coach of the Year…. Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn won the Broyles Award as college football’s top assistant coach.

Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers won the Bronko Nagurski Award as college football’s best defensive player…. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt was fired. Wannstedt was 42-31 in six seasons at Pitt…. Texas A&M’s Von Miller won the Butkus Award as college football’s best linebacker…. Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley won the Lombardi Award as the nation’s top collegiate lineman.

Navy and Texas State has scheduled a two-game home-and-home series to be played in 2012 and 2015…. Wyoming and Texas State have agreed to a two-game home-and-home series to be played in 2011 and 2013…. Florida’s Chas Henry won the Ray Guy Award as college football’s best punter…. Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver.

Hawaii is joining the Mountain West Conference for football and the Big West Conference for all other sports…. Temple coach Al Golden was named the new coach at Miami (Florida)…. Louisiana-Lafayette named Mississippi State wide receivers coach Mark Hudspeth as its new coach. Hudspeth is a former head coach at Division II North Alabama.

Texas defensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting Will Muschamp was named the new football coach at Florida. Muschamp was born in Rome, Georgia, but grew up in Gainesville, Florida. His family moved back to Rome when he was in high school. Muschamp played football at Georgia as a walk-on from 1991-1994. He played safety and was the defensive co-captain his senior year. After graduating from Georgia, Muschamp got his master’s degree from Auburn, while he was a graduate assistant coach for the Tigers. Eventually, Muschamp became the defensive coordinator at LSU under Nick Saban and the defensive coordinator at Auburn under Tommy Tuberville, before going to Texas.

And finally on a sad note, Don Meredith, a former star quarterback for SMU and the Dallas Cowboys who helped change the perception of professional football with the easy Texas charm and provocative wit he brought to its first prime-time telecasts on Monday nights, died last week in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was 72. Joseph Donald Meredith was born on April 10, 1938 in Mount Vernon, Texas. In high school, he acted in school plays, scored 52 points in a basketball tournament game, graduated second in his class and won a statewide contest for identifying shrubs. He was an All-American quarterback for two years at Southern Methodist, after turning down Bear Bryant’s entreaties to go to Texas A&M, where Bryant coached before he became an Alabama legend.


Extra Points

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

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

Touchdown Tom


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but on a sad note, there were three passings of mention last week – Don Meredith (mentioned above), Hank Raymonds, Elizabeth Edwards,

Hank Raymonds, who coached the Marquette University men’s basketball team for six years and took it to the NCAA tournament five times, died last week. He was 86. Raymonds, a former assistant under Al McGuire, took over after McGuire’s departure in 1977 and coached until 1983, compiling a career record of 126-50. After his coaching career, Raymonds was Marquette’s athletic director until 1987. Raymonds was born in St. Louis on March 5, 1924, and attended St. Louis University.

Elizabeth Edwards, who as the wife of former Senator John Edwards gave America an intimate look at a candidate’s marriage by sharing his quest for the 2008 presidential nomination as she struggled with incurable cancer and, secretly, with his infidelity, died last week at her home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She was 61. Edwards was born Mary Elizabeth Anania on July 3, 1949, in Jacksonville, Florida. Her father was a Navy pilot, and the family moved often in America and abroad. She attended Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia, then transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a bachelor’s degree in English. She enrolled in the university’s law school, where in 1974 she met John Edwards.

O Bowl Games of Comfort and Joy!

College Football Extra – TT’s Special Bowl Game Preview

O Bowl Games of Comfort and Joy!

Bowl Game Preview

For those of you who were disappointed with only 34 bowl games last season, you are in luck. There are 35 bowl games this season. That should make you happy. And fortunately for the NCAA, there were 72 teams that qualified for the 70 bowl slots.

Unfortunately for Temple (8-4) and Western Michigan (6-6) they aren’t going bowling. The Owls and the Broncos are the two teams of the 72 eligible that didn’t receive an invitation.

There are two new bowl games this season – the Pinstripe Bowl and the Ticket City Bowl. The Pinstripe Bowl will be played in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. The Ticket City Bowl, also known as the Dallas Sports Classic, will be played in the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. The Cotton Bowl has moved to Cowboys Stadium in nearby Arlington, Texas.

One of last season’s bowl games has fallen by the wayside. The International Bowl played in Toronto, Ontario, has gone to the bowl graveyard. Four bowls have changed their names since last season. The Eagle Bank Bowl is now the Military Bowl. The GMAC is the Go Daddy, the Papa John’s is the Compass, and the Emerald Bowl is the Fight Hunger Bowl.

The SEC has the most teams in bowl games at 10. Right behind the SEC is the ACC with nine teams playing in bowl games. The Big 12 and Big Ten are represented by eight teams each. The Big East and Conference USA come in at six teams. Next is the Mountain West with five teams in bowl games. Three conferences – The MAC, WAC and Pac-10 each placed four teams in bowls. The Sun Belt has three teams, and all three of the nation’s Independents are bowling this season.

There is a first this year in bowl games. All three service academies – Army, Navy and Air Force – are appearing in a bowl for the first time in the same season.

The 35 bowl games are spread out over a 24-day period. The parade of bowls begins on December 18 and doesn’t come to an end until January 10. Three bowls are played on opening day – the New Mexico, Humanitarian and New Orleans Bowls. The climax on January 10 is the National Championship Bowl.

The busiest of the bowl days is January 1 when six bowls will be played. Four bowls each will be played on December 30 and 31. Almost half of the 35 bowl games are played over a four-day period from December 29 to January 1. Seventeen bowls are played during that four-day span.

Three weeks and three days of bowl games – almost a month. What a fix! Time to stock up on your favorite football game munchies and brew. Make sure you get enough to last you 24 days. And leave a note to be rescued on January 11.

WARNING!: After 24 days of 35 bowls, the withdrawal period could be painful.

College football’s bowl season kicks off Saturday, December 18 in the great American southwest where BYU (6-6) of the MWC meets UTEP (6-6) from C-USA in the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque. These two teams’ seasons went in opposite directions. BYU got off to a terrible start. The Cougars were 1-4 after five games and 2-5 after seven games. Then BYU’s schedule got easier. The Cougars rolled off four wins before losing their final game by one point on a last second field goal to Utah. Conversely, UTEP got off to a great start. The Miners were 5-1 after their first six games. Then UTEP proceeded to lose five out of six. But the one win was a good one over C-USA West champ SMU. This is BYU’s last bowl game representing the Mountain West Conference. Next year, the Cougars will compete as an Independent.

On the same day, the bowl scene moves northwest to Boise, Idaho, where NORTHERN ILLINOIS (10-3) from the MAC plays FRESNO STATE (8-4) of the WAC in the Humanitarian Bowl. NIU got off to a bit of a rough start. The Huskies were 1-2 after three games. Then NIU reeled off nine-straight wins, before the Huskies lost to Miami (Ohio) in the MAC championship game. NIU’s coach Jerry Kill has been hired to be the new coach at Minnesota. Kill has said he won’t coach NIU in the bowl game. The Huskies have a nifty quarterback in Chandler Harnish and tailback in Chad Spann. Fresno State ended the season on a two-game winning streak, including a good win over Illinois in the Bulldogs’ final game. Fresno State coach Pat Hill is in his 14th season coaching the Bulldogs.

Still on December 18, the bowl action moves east and south for the New Orleans Bowl where OHIO (8-4) of the MAC plays TROY (7-5) from the Sun Belt. Ohio, coached by former Nebraska coach Frank Solich, began the season a little precarious. After their first four games, the Bobcats were 1-3. Then they reeled off seven-straight wins, before losing their final game to Kent State. Had the Bobcats beaten Kent State, they would have won the MAC East Division title. Troy, under 20th-year coach Larry Blakeney, had a disappointing season by Trojan standards. Still, the Trojans finished in a two-way tie for the Sun Belt Conference championship. Troy has a feisty quarterback in Corey Robinson.

After a two-day break, the bowl action resumes in Florida on December 21 when LOUISVILLE (6-6) from the Big East tangles with SOUTHERN MISS (8-4) of C-USA in the St. Petersburg Bowl. Louisville had a better year than expected under first-year coach Charlie Strong. Southern Miss had a good season. Included in the Eagles’ eight wins was a 31-21 victory over Conference USA champ UCF. Southern Miss has a good quarterback in Austin Davis.

The next day, December 22, the bowl activity moves back out west for the Las Vegas Bowl where UTAH (10-2) of the MWC meets BOISE STATE (11-1) from the WAC. This is the first of the bowls with two Top 25 teams. Utah won its first eight games and then stumbled against TCU and Notre Dame. The Utes finished the season with two wins. Utah has an outstanding quarterback in Jordan Wynn. Had it not been for the overtime loss to Nevada on a missed field goal, Boise State would be in a BCS bowl. But the one loss knocked the Broncos all the way down to the Las Vegas Bowl. Still, the Broncos have a good and strong opponent in Utah. Boise State is led by its Heisman finalist quarterback Kellen Moore.

The bowl action remains out west in San Diego where SAN DIEGO STATE (8-4) from the MWC plays NAVY (8-3) an Independent in the Poinsettia Bowl on December 23. San Diego State is an up-and-coming team. Second-year coach Brady Hoke is doing a good job rebuilding the Aztecs. San Diego State had a good win over Air Force and barely lost to Missouri, TCU and Utah. Those three losses were by a combined 12 points. The Aztecs are led by quarterback Ryan Lindley. Navy still has a game to play tomorrow against Army. So the Middies could end up 9-3 or 8-4. Navy had another good season under third-year coach Ken Niumatalolo. The Middies have a strong quarterback in Ricky Dobbs.

On December 24, the bowl schedule moves further west to Honolulu for the Hawaii Bowl between TULSA (9-3) of C-USA and HAWAII (10-3) from the WAC. Tulsa won its last six games of the season, including a win over Notre Dame. The Golden Hurricane are led by a fine quarterback in G.J. Kinne. Hawaii had an outstanding season and finished in a three-way tie with Boise State and Nevada for the WAC title. The Warriors are the No. 1 passing team in the country, led by quarterback Bryant Moniz. Moniz threw for 4,629 yards during the season.

Following a break for Christmas Day, the bowl action continues on December 26 at the Little Caesars Bowl in Detroit between TOLEDO (8-4) from the MAC and FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL (6-6) from the Sun Belt Conference. Toledo had a better season than expected. The Rockets have a good win over Purdue too. Florida International is going to its first ever bowl game. The Panthers were co-champions of the Sun Belt Conference. FIU began the season 0-4 and then won six of its final eight games. The Panthers have a good running back in Wesley Carroll. I always thought bowl games were supposed to be a reward for a good season. Sending somebody to Detroit sounds like punishment to me – although folks from Toledo probably won’t notice any difference.

The next day we head back down south again for the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, between GEORGIA TECH (6-6) of the ACC and AIR FORCE (8-4) from the MWC. Georgia Tech was 5-2 at one point in the season. Then the Yellow Jackets proceeded to lose four of their final five games. Georgia Tech is the No. 2 rushing team in the country. The Jackets have a strong runner in Anthony Allen. Air Force had another great season. The Falcons also won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy – beating both Army and Navy. Air Force is the No. 3 rushing team in the country. Both teams run similar offenses – the triple option. There will be few passes thrown in the game. Shreveport is not my idea of a pleasant, rewarding place to send bowl teams either. But it’s not a fate worse than Detroit.

The first of two bowl games on December 28 takes place in Orlando, Florida, where N.C. STATE (8-4) from the ACC meets WEST VIRGINIA (9-3) of the Big East in the Champs Sports Bowl. N.C. State had a good season. The Wolfpack all but had the Atlantic Division of the conference sewed up until they lost to Maryland at the end of the season. N.C. State is led by its nifty quarterback Russell Wilson. West Virginia went into a mental lapse at mid-season and blew two conference games. The mental lapse cost the Mountaineers a BCS bowl. Clearly the best team in the Big East, WVU had to settle for the Champs Sports Bowl. The Mountaineers three losses on the season were by a combined total of 14 points. WVU’s defense, one of the best in the country, has been consistently good all season. The Mountaineer offense, led by quarterback Geno Smith, has been on-again, off-again. Swamp Mama and I are attending this game and I sure hope my former neighbor Brent Stancil is unhappy when it’s over.

The second bowl of the day takes place in the American southwest where MISSOURI (10-2) of the Big 12 goes up against IOWA (7-5) from the Big Ten in the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona. Mizzou went into a mid-season mental lapse of its own. The Tigers were 7-0, including a win over Oklahoma, and then the bottom fell out. Mizzou lost back-to-back games to Nebraska and Texas Tech. Then the Tigers bounced back and won their last three games. Mizzou is led by the capable quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Iowa had a very disappointing season. Before the season started, many thought the Hawkeyes would win the Big Ten. But it wasn’t meant to be. Iowa fell apart towards the end of the season, going 2-4 in its final six games. The Hawkeyes often suffered from fourth quarter collapses. Iowa is led by its quarterback Ricky Stanzi.

We head back east on December 29 for the first of three games. EAST CAROLINA (6-6) from C-USA takes on MARYLAND (8-4) of the ACC in the Military Bowl in Washington, DC. East Carolina, under first-year coach Ruffin McNeill, started off strong. The Pirates won five of their first seven games. Then life changed for ECU as the Pirates proceeded to drop four of their final five games. ECU’s best win was over N.C. State. Pirate quarterback Dominique Davis is the fourth leading passer in the country. Davis threw for 3,699 yards this season. Maryland was a surprise team in 2010. At preseason, no one gave the Terps much of a chance. Maryland’s two best wins came at the beginning of the season – over Navy – and at the end of the season – over N.C. State. Quarterback Danny O’Brien became quite a passer for the Terps towards the end of the season.

Next, we head out to Texas where we will be for the next three bowls. First up is the Texas Bowl in Houston where BAYLOR (7-5) of the Big 12 meets ILLINOIS (6-6) from the Big Ten. Baylor was all the buzz throughout much of the season. After nine games, the Bears were 7-2. Then Baylor lost its last three games. Still, the Bears had a good season and are in a bowl game for the first time in more than 10 years. Baylor has a capable quarterback in Robert Griffin. Illinois had a strange season – up and down all year. The Banned Indians opened with a loss to Missouri and ended with a loss to Fresno State. In between, Illinois was 6-4 with good wins over Penn State and Northwestern. The Banned Tribe has a good quarterback in Nathan Scheelhaase and a quality running back in Mikel LeShoure.

The final game on December 29 takes place in San Antonio, Texas, where OKLAHOMA STATE (10-2) from the Big 12 plays ARIZONA (7-5) of the Pac-10 in the Alamo Bowl. Okie State had a sensational season – much better than had been predicted for the Pokes. The Cowboys got off to a great start at 6-0. Okie State has a great combination in quarterback Brandon Weeden and receiver Justin Blackmon. Weeden is the No. 3 passer in the country with 4,037 yards. Blackmon is the No. 2 receiver. Arizona had a strange season. The Wildcats go off to a 7-1 start, including a win over Iowa. Then it all fell apart for Arizona as the Wildcats dropped their final four games. Arizona is led by quarterback Nick Foles.

Still in Texas for the first game on December 30. It’s the Armed Forces Bowl in Dallas where SMU (7-6) of C-USA meets ARMY (6-5) an Independent. SMU, under third-year coach June Jones, won the Conference USA West Division. The Mustangs lost to UCF in the C-USA title game. SMU has an exciting quarterback in Kyle Padron. Army still has one game remaining. The Cadets play Navy tomorrow and will end the season either 7-5 or 6-6. It’s been a good year for Army. The Black Knights are rebuilding under second-year coach Rich Ellerson.

From Texas we head northeast to the Big Apple where SYRACUSE (7-5) from the Big East tackles KANSAS STATE (7-5) of the Big 12 in the inaugural Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium. Syracuse was a surprise team in 2010. Late in the season, the Orange were still in the running to win the Big East. But then, everybody was in the running to win the Big East. Syracuse was 6-2, then lost four of its final five games. The Orange had good wins over South Florida and West Virginia. Kansas State also got off to a good start. At one point, the Wildcats were 5-1. K-State finished up 2-4 in its last six games. The Wildcats have a strong running back in Daniel Thomas.

Heading south and west, the bowl parade stops in Nashville, Tennessee, for the Music City Bowl between NORTH CAROLINA (7-5) of the ACC and TENNESSEE (6-6) from the SEC. North Carolina’s season held a lot of promise until several players were declared ineligible and/or held out of early games for various improprieties. In spite of the problems, the Tar Heels played well and were in most of the games they lost. UNC had a good win over Florida State. The Heels are led by quarterback T.J. Yates. Tennessee was a different story. No one knew what to expect from the Vols under first-year coach Derek Dooley. At one point, UT was 2-6. Then the Vols won their final four games. Tennessee’s best win was a 52-14 victory over Ole Miss. The Vols’ play improved when Dooley changed quarterbacks, benching Matt Simms and starting Tyler Bray.

Finally on December 30, we wrap up out west at the Holiday Bowl in San Diego where NEBRASKA (10-3) from the Big 12 plays WASHINGTON (6-6) of the Pac-10. This is a rematch of a game played earlier in the season. Nebraska beat Washington, 56-21. The Huskers had a phenomenal season. At one point, Nebraska was 9-1, with wins over Oklahoma State and Missouri. The Huskers also had a strange season with an unexpected loss to Texas – and at home no less. Nebraska won the Big 12 North Division, but lost to Oklahoma in the conference title game by three points. When healthy, Nebraska is good with quarterback Taylor Martinez and running back Roy Helu. After nine games the season was looking bleak for Washington. The Huskies were 3-6. But Washington put it together and won its final three games. The Huskies’ success depends on the play of quarterback Jake Locker. When he’s on, he’s on. When he’s not, he’s not.

New Year’s Eve and we begin in Charlotte, North Carolina, where CLEMSON (6-6) of the ACC meets SOUTH FLORIDA (7-5) from the Big East in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Something tells me Clemson better win this football game. Otherwise, Dabo Swinney won’t be able to sit down. Clemson was up-and-down and all over the map this season. When you thought the Tigers would win – they’d lose. When you thought the Tigers would lose – they’d win. Regardless, it was a disappointing year for Clemson. The only Tiger who wasn’t disappointing was defensive end Da’Quan Bowers. South Florida, under first-year coach Skip Holtz, had a pretty good year – especially for a team that had no offense. It was the defense that kept the Bulls in games. USF’s best win was an overtime victory over Miami (Florida).

Next, we head out to Texas again for the Sun Bowl where NOTRE DAME (7-5) an Independent plays MIAMI (FLORIDA) (7-5) of the ACC in El Paso, Texas. It didn’t look like Notre Dame was going to make it to a bowl this year. After nine games, the Irish were sitting at 4-5. With two of their final three games against Utah and USC, no one gave the Irish much of a chance. But Notre Dame beat Utah and USC and Army along the way to finish 7-5. The Irish are under first-year coach Brian Kelly. Miami had a strange season – winning games they weren’t supposed to win and losing games they were supposed to win. The Canes were sitting at 7-3 after ten games, but dropped their final two contests. Miami coach Randy Shannon was fired at the end of the season and will not be coaching the Canes in the Sun Bowl. This game pits two old rivals who haven’t played in a while. And both aren’t the teams they used to be when they were last playing each other.

From west Texas, we move east to Memphis, Tennessee, for the Liberty Bowl between UCF (10-3) from C-USA and GEORGIA (6-6) of the SEC. UCF had a great season. Its three losses were only by a total of 21 points. The Knights lost to N.C. State by a touchdown and to Kansas State by four points. Freshman Jeff Godfrey settled into the quarterback position for UCF and played well. Georgia did not have a great season. It was a disaster for the Dawgs. Receiver A.J. Green was suspended for the first four games. Georgia was actually 1-4 after five games. Then the Dawgs started getting their act together and were 5-2 in their final seven games. Freshman quarterback Aaron Murray got into his groove towards the latter part of the season.

The final game on New Year’s Eve takes place in Atlanta where FLORIDA STATE (9-4) of the ACC meets SOUTH CAROLINA (9-4) from the SEC in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Chick-fil-A Bowl is traditionally the last game of the year. Florida State, under first-year coach Jimbo Fisher, won the Atlantic Division of the ACC. The Noles then lost to Virginia Tech in the conference title game. FSU was 6-1 after seven games, then dropped two-straight games to N.C. State and North Carolina. The Noles have been consistently good all season in the passing game regardless of who is quarterbacking – Christian Ponder or E.J. Manuel. FSU’s problem has been the running game – it doesn’t exist. South Carolina suffers from an identity crisis. You never know what Gamecock team will show up – the really good one, or the really bad one. South Carolina had some good wins this season over Alabama, Florida and Clemson. But the Gamecocks had some bad losses to Kentucky, Arkansas and Auburn. FSU is Steve Spurrier’s old nemesis.

The first of six games on New Year’s Day is the inaugural Ticket City Bowl in Dallas, Texas, between TEXAS TECH (7-5) from the Big 12 and NORTHWESTERN (7-5) of the Big Ten. Texas Tech, under first-year coach Tommy Tuberville, began the season so-so. The Red Raiders were 4-4 after eight games. Then Texas Tech won three of its final four contests. The Red Raiders best win was a 24-17 victory over Missouri. Tech is led by quarterback Taylor Potts. When Potts is cooking, the Raiders are usually good. Northwestern generally always plays inspired football under fifth-year coach Pat Fitzgerald. The Wildcats began the season 5-0, but then stumbled in their final seven games – 2-5 – as their ranks wore thin. But among those two wins was a good one over Iowa. However, in that contest, Wildcat quarterback Dan Persa was injured near the end of the game. He ruptured his Achilles tendon. Persa will miss the bowl game.

From Dallas, the bowl action travels to Florida for the next three bowls on January 1. The first of the three is the Outback Bowl in Tampa between PENN STATE (7-5) of the Big Ten and FLORIDA (7-5) from the SEC. Penn State was a young team this year. It started the season with a freshman quarterback and then changed horses in mid-stream to a walk-on quarterback Matt McGloin. The Nittany Lions two best wins were over Michigan and Northwestern. Against Northwestern, Penn State rallied from a 21-0 second-quarter deficit to win 35-21. Florida had a disastrous year for the Gators. Ranked in the consensus Top 5 at preseason, the Gators failed to finish in the Top 25. Florida’s offense was consistently unsettled and confused throughout most of the season. And the Gator defense wasn’t anything to write home about. With Florida coach Urban Meyer’s announced resignation at age 46 and Joe Paterno in his 45th season (at age 84) with the Nittany Lions, this makes for a most interesting game.

Then we move up I-4 to Orlando where MICHIGAN STATE (11-1) of the Big Ten plays ALABAMA (9-3) from the SEC in the Capital One Bowl. Michigan State came darn close to receiving a BCS bowl bid. The Spartans, led by quarterback Kirk Cousins, had a spectacular season. Even more so when you consider that State coach Mark Dantonio suffered a mild heart attack after the third game of the season against Notre Dame – a game the Spartans won in overtime. Michigan State’s only slip up all season was a 37-6 beating from Iowa. Aside from that miscue, the Spartans were perfect. Alabama, the reigning national champs, was the consensus No. 1 team at preseason. The Tide started off like gang busters, winning their first five games, including wins over Penn State, Arkansas and Florida. Then the bottom fell out against South Carolina and Alabama lost three of its final seven games. Tide quarterback Greg McElroy had a good season. But Alabama’s running game, expected to be strong with Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, was often a no show. Alabama coach Nick Saban is a former head coach at Michigan State. He coached the Spartans before leaving for LSU.

On up I-4 and then up I-75, the bowl activity moves to Jacksonville for the Gator Bowl between MISSISSIPPI STATE (8-4) from the SEC and MICHIGAN (7-5) of the Big Ten. Mississippi State had a great season for a team that finished fifth in the SEC West Division. The Bulldogs were 1-4 against SEC teams in their division, but 3-0 against SEC teams from the East Division. It was tough goings in the SEC West. Five teams finished in the Top 25. The Bulldogs, under second-year coach Dan Mullen, are a running team and play good defense. The question is: Will Mullen still be the coach at Miss State when the Bulldogs play their bowl game? Michigan had an interesting season. The Wolverines started off with a 5-0 record. Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson was the leading candidate for the Heisman. Then the Wolverines lost five of their last seven games. Robinson was no longer a Heisman candidate. He still finished the season as the No. 3 leading rusher in the country with 1,643 yards. Michigan can play some offense, but the Wolverines have no defense whatsoever. The question is: Will Rich Rodriguez be fired after the bowl game?

For the final two games on January 1, the bowl parade moves out west. The first stop is the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, between TCU (12-0) of the MWC and WISCONSIN (11-1) from the Big Ten. TCU has some skeptics, but the Horned Frogs will be out to prove they are one of the two best teams, if not the best, team in the country. If they beat Wisconsin, I think the Frogs will have convinced most people. TCU plays tough defense and is led on offense by a solid quarterback in Andy Dalton. Wisconsin came close to going undefeated. The Badgers fell to Michigan State by 10 points in the fifth game of the season. They also had a couple of scares along the way – beating Arizona State and Iowa by one point each. Other than that, the Badgers were solid – especially on the ground. Wisconsin has a strong running game. The Badgers scored 70 or more points in two games – 70 against Northwestern and 83 against Indiana. They will definitely test TCU’s defense.

And finally, the bowl action comes to an end on January 1 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, where OKLAHOMA (11-2) from the Big 12 tangles with CONNECTICUT (8-4) of the Big East. Oklahoma’s recent trips to the Fiesta Bowl haven’t been good – losses to Boise State and West Virginia. The Sooners won their first six games this season. Then OU stubbed its toe a couple of times against Missouri and Texas A&M. The Sooners finished strong with a four-game winning streak, including the Big 12 championship. OU quarterback Landry Jones was the No. 2 passer in the country, throwing for 4,289 yards this season. No one expected Connecticut to be where they are at the beginning of the season. The Huskies were 3-4 with losses to Temple, Rutgers and Louisville. Then UConn got hot and won its final five games. The Huskies went through a bundle of quarterbacks during the season. The team is led by running back Jordan Todman. Todman is the fourth leading rusher in the country with 1,574 yards. UConn coach Randy Edsall is a hot commodity for some of the openings around the country.

Following a day of rest, we return to action on January 3 in Miami Gardens, Florida, at the Orange Bowl between VIRGINIA TECH (11-2) of the ACC and STANFORD (11-1) from the Pac-10. After the first two games of the season, I don’t think anyone thought Virginia Tech would be going to a bowl – much less a BCS bowl. The Hokies were 0-2 and one of the losses was to Division I-AA James Madison. But back they came to win 11 straight games, climaxing with a win over Florida State in the ACC championship game. The Hokies strength is their quarterback Tyrod Taylor. He is a good one. Stanford had a heck of a season. The Cardinal are coming into this game with a nice winning streak of their own – seven straight to cap a superb season. It is more amazing when you consider that Stanford was a consensus pick at preseason to finish sixth in the Pac-10. Everyone knew the Cardinal would have an offense. Nobody thought Stanford could play defense. But the defense hasn’t been bad. Of course on offense, Stanford is led by quarterback and Heisman finalist Andrew Luck. Now, will Stanford still have its coach – Jim Harbaugh – after the bowl game?

The next day, we mosey over to New Orleans where OHIO STATE (11-1) from the Big Ten meets ARKANSAS (10-2) of the SEC in the Sugar Bowl. Ohio State, favored to win the Big Ten at preseason, had some competition from Michigan State and Wisconsin. The three tied for the Big Ten title. The Buckeyes reeled off six-straight wins to start the season before losing to Wisconsin. Then Ohio State wrapped up with a five-game winning streak. The Buckeyes are led by quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Since Ohio State is playing a team from the SEC, the Buckeye marching band will change its pre-game routine. Instead of forming the famous script Ohio, the band will form the script OShit. Ohio State is 0-8 against SEC teams in bowl games. Arkansas may have been the best team in the SEC at the end of the season. The Razorbacks finished the season on a six-game winning streak, including the season finale win over LSU. The Hogs’ two losses came earlier in the season to Alabama and Auburn. Arkansas lost to Alabama in the fourth quarter, and lost to Auburn in the second half after quarterback Ryan Mallett was injured and left the game. Mallett finished the season as the fifth leading passer in the country with 3,592 yards.

After skipping a day, the bowl marathon continues on January 6 when MIDDLE TENNESSEE (6-6) of the Sun Belt tangles with MIAMI (OHIO) (9-4) from the MAC in the Go Daddy Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Actually it was a disappointing year for Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders were picked to win the Sun Belt Conference and finished in third place behind Florida International and Troy. The Raiders were a shaky 3-6 after nine games, but won their final three contests. Miami, under second-year coach Mike Haywood, had a real turnaround this season, going from 1-11 last year to 9-4 this year. The RedHawks won the MAC East Division and beat Northern Illinois in the MAC title game. After eight games, Miami stood at 4-4. Then the RedHawks reeled off five-straight wins to finish the season. Miami is led by quarterback Zac Dysert and running back Thomas Merriweather.

On January 7, we head into Arlington, Texas, for the Cotton Bowl between LSU (10-2) from the SEC and TEXAS A&M (9-3) of the Big 12. LSU was somewhat of an unknown commodity at the beginning of the season. Tiger fans were hoping for the best, but weren’t real sure. But the Tigers went out and won their first seven games. Everybody was a believer. Well, almost. There was a bit of luck in a couple of the wins. Then the Tigers suffered their first loss – a close one to Auburn, 24-17. They won three more, including a victory over Alabama. But the season came to a close with a loss to Arkansas. Still, al-in-all, 10-2 was very good. Texas A&M was a Cinderella story. The Aggies won their first three games and then lost three straight. The Aggies changed quarterbacks from Jerrod Johnson to Ryan Tannehill and proceeded to win six straight games. A&M had good wins over Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

The next day, the action picks up in Birmingham, Alabama, where PITT (7-5) of the Big East plays KENTUCKY (6-6) from the SEC in the Compass Bowl. Pitt was supposed to win the Big East hands down. Instead, the Panthers finished in a three-way tie for the Big East title. The Panthers got off to a bad start at 2-3 and never really recovered – although they won five of their last seven games. Pitt’s final loss was a 35-10 pounding from their arch rival West Virginia. That was enough for the school to fire head coach Dave Wannstedt who was in his sixth year with the Panthers. Kentucky, under first-year coach Joker Phillips, was on-again, off-again during the season. The Wildcats had a great win over South Carolina and darn near beat Auburn. Conversely, they were blown off the field by Florida. Actually, Kentucky was only 2-6 in SEC play.

January 9 we jump out west for the Fight Hunger Bowl in Boise, Idaho, between BOSTON COLLEGE (7-5) from the ACC and NEVADA (12-1) of the WAC. Boston College was another surprise team in 2010. Not a lot was expected of the Eagles. And that’s just how the season began for BC. The Eagles were 2-5 after seven games. Then they got hot and won their final five games, including a win over Clemson. For their strong finish, the ACC stuck Boston College as far away as possible. Nevada may be the best one-loss team in the country that nobody knows about. The Wolf Pack are good and fun to watch too. They beat Boise State. Nevada’s one loss was on the road at Hawaii. Since the Hawaii loss, the Wolf Pack reeled off six-straight wins. Nevada, the No. 1 rushing team in the country, is led by quarterback Colin Kaepernick and running back Val Taua.

And finally, it all comes to an end on January 10 in Glendale, Arizona, where AUBURN (13-0) of the SEC meets OREGON (12-0) from the Pac-10 for the National Championship. Auburn, led by sensational quarterback and Heisman finalist Cam Newton, had an unbelievable season. A consensus pick to finish third in the SEC West, the Tigers went through the season unscathed. But they did have some close calls along the way – to Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina, Kentucky, LSU and Alabama – often coming from behind to win. Auburn crushed its opponents in its other seven wins. Oregon did pretty much what it was expected to do. The Ducks were the favorites in the Pac-10. But I don’t think anyone thought they would finish undefeated – not at preseason. But the Ducks went out and scored 50 or more points in six of their first nine games. The Duck mascot was worn out doing pushups. Finally, and strangely, Oregon was held to 15 points by California. And the Ducks might have lost that game if Cal hadn’t committed a penalty on a field goal attempt. On the second try, with the ball moved back, Cal missed the field goal. Oregon is led by running back and Heisman finalist LaMichael James and quarterback Darron Thomas. The Ducks are a fast moving team on offense. Earlier in the season I wrote that an Auburn-Oregon championship game would be the best. Both teams are similar. They are hard to stop on offense. Their defenses are porous, but they did improve as the season went along. Earlier in the season, I would have said that was Oregon’s advantage over Auburn – a better defense. But that is not necessarily the case now. Fasten your seat belts.

So, that’s your college football lineup for the Holidays and then some. The four days from December 29 to January 1 (17 games) should be awesome. I hope my pecan pie, bourbon balls, buckeyes (the peanut butter and chocolate kind), cherry peppers (stuffed with prosciutto and provolone) hold out. I’d hate to be running on empty come January 10.

Have a good weekend college football fans! Enjoy the Army-Navy game and the Heisman Trophy presentation. See you Monday with my annual forecast for all 35 bowl games.

Touchdown Tom
December 10, 2010

http://www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com/

Big Day for Auburn, Oregon, Sooners, Hokies and Connecticut

College Football Week 15 – It’s Auburn-Oregon for the Marbles

Big Day for Auburn, Oregon,
Sooners, Hokies and Connecticut

Saturday was a big day for Auburn in the SEC and Oregon in the Pac-10. Both won their respective conferences, both finished the season undefeated and most importantly for the Tigers and the Ducks, they are headed to the national championship game.

Saturday was a big day for Oklahoma of the Big 12 and Virginia Tech of the ACC. After both suffered a couple of loses during the season, they came back and won their respective conferences and the Sooners and the Hokies are headed for a BCS bowl.

And, Saturday was a big day for the Huskies of Connecticut. After a 3-4 start, UConn came back and won five straight games to finish the season at 8-4, win a piece of the Big East crown, and most importantly for the Huskies, they are headed to their first ever BCS bowl.

But more about Auburn, Oregon, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech and Connecticut later.

We had no sooner come off Thanksgiving Week and rumors were swirling like crazy on Monday morning about the status of Rich Rodriguez at Michigan. Was he about to be canned? Or would he be retained for another year in Ann Arbor?

“Everyone needs to take a deep breath,” Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said, when asked about Rodriguez’s status.

And the rumors were just as strong about his potential replacement. Would it be LSU’s Les Miles? Would it be Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh? Or would it be someone else.

Rodriguez has three years remaining on his six-year contract that pays him about $2.5 million per season. If Brandon and school officials decide to fire Rodriguez before 2011, it would cost $4 million. On January 1, the buyout drops to $2.5 million.

One school announced a new coach, while another lost its coach. It’s official in Denton, Texas. Dan McCarney, a former head coach at Iowa State and most recently the defensive line coach at Florida, is the new head coach at North Texas. It’s interesting who McCarney beat out for the position. The other two finalists for the job at North Texas were former TCU, Alabama and Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione and former Tulsa and Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe.

Meanwhile, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Arkansas State football coach Steve Roberts resigned after back-to-back 4-8 seasons. It was an obvious forced resignation. Roberts was 45-63 in nine seasons at the school. Arkansas State became the 10th school that will have a new head coach next season. Most likely there will be more. Stay tuned!

Perhaps the biggest news last Monday came out of Fort Worth, Texas. TCU announced it had accepted an invitation to join the Big East Conference. And, the Horned Frogs are joining the Big East as an all-sports member – not just for football. TCU becomes a member of the Big East on July 1, 2012.

Some have commented on the distances TCU will be traveling for games, meets and contests. But people don’t realize that Cincinnati, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Hartford, Tampa, etc. are no further from Fort Worth than San Diego, Fresno, Boise, Reno, Las Vegas, Laramie, etc. And, on away trips, TCU will be playing in the earlier Eastern Time Zone as opposed to the later Mountain and Pacific Time Zones. It makes life a little easier when traveling home after the games.

TCU becomes the third school within the year to announce its departure from the Mountain West Conference. Last summer BYU and Utah announced they are leaving the MWC. Utah is headed to the Pac-12 and BYU is becoming an Independent in football and joining the West Coast Conference for its other sports.

Like the old gray mare, the MWC ain’t what she used to be. TCU, Utah and BYU were the conference’s best football programs. With Boise State, Fresno State and Nevada joining the remains of the MWC, and Hawaii and Utah State knocking on the door, the conference is becoming a blend of the MWC and WAC.

Speaking of old and gray, The Donald got involved in Miami’s search for a new coach. And I’m not talking about The Duck; I’m talking about The Trump. Donald Trump sent a note to Miami president Donna Shalala last week, suggesting the Hurricanes hire former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach to lead their football program. Trump wrote the note on a copy of The Palm Beach Post’s sports section, scrawling it over the newspaper’s story about Randy Shannon’s firing.

“You made a big mistake when you did not take my advice and hire Mike Leach of Texas Tech ... and you can now get him for the right price,” Trump wrote to Shalala.

Trump lobbied Miami to hire Leach in 2006, when they ultimately chose Shannon.

Reports have six potential candidates for the Miami job. They are are Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, former NFL coach Jon Gruden, former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, Arizona coach Mike Stoops, Houston coach Kevin Sumlin and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen. Of the six, Mullen may be the top candidate.

While we’re on the topic of candidates, Temple coach Al Golden and fired Miami coach Randy Shannon are candidates for the Vanderbilt job.

Thursday morning, The Denver Post reported that former Colorado tight end Jon Embree has been offered the head coaching job at CU. Embree is currently the tight ends coach for the Washington Redskins. According to the Post, if Embree accepts, Colorado hopes he will hire former Buffaloes running back Eric Bieniemy as his offensive coordinator. A few hours later, the Colorado athletic department denied this report.

Speaking of offensive coordinators, Texas coach Mack Brown fired his offensive coordinator – Greg Davis. Brown and Davis have coached together for 16 years at three schools – Texas, North Carolina and Tulane.

Arkansas State announced that Hugh Freeze, the school’s offensive coordinator under former and fired coach Steve Roberts, is the new head coach of the Red Wolves.

Thursday afternoon, Jon Gruden officially bowed out as a candidate for the Miami job. Gruden said he is happy as a broadcaster for ESPN.

This is definitely not the best time of the year to be a placekicker. Last week, Boise State kicker Kyle Brotzman missed a short field goal as time expired that would have won the game for the Broncos. Then, to add insult to injury, Brotzman missed a short field goal in the first overtime that would have tied the score and forced a second overtime. Boise State lost to Nevada, 34-31.

Thursday night, Arizona placekicker Alex Zendejas had his extra point attempt blocked by James Brooks of Arizona State. Had Zendejas made the kick, Arizona would have won the game, 21-20. Then, to add insult to injury, Zendejas had his extra point attempt blocked in the second overtime, again by Brooks. Had Zendejas made the kick, Arizona would have tied the score and forced a third overtime. Arizona lost to Arizona State, 30-29.

Speaking of Arizona, I would think by now that Wildcat fans would have lost their patience with Mike Stoops. Stoops just finished his seventh season at Arizona and all seven of his teams have been bad to mediocre at best. Stoops has never produced a good team in seven years. This year, Arizona started out 7-1 but then proceeded to lose its final four games to finish 7-5.

Friday night, Miami (Ohio) stunned Northern Illinois, 26-21 to win the Mid-American Conference championship game. A sparse crowd of only 12,031 attended the game at Ford Field in Detroit. It makes no sense to me why a conference would have its championship game in Detroit. I can’t imagine anybody having anything in Detroit. I can’t imagine anybody going to Detroit and obviously nobody did.

Later that night, Fresno State beat Illinois, 25-23. Ron Zook finishes his sixth season at Illinois with a 6-6 record. He is 27-45 overall with the Banned Indians. Zook had a young team this year which has a lot of promise for next season.

Championship Saturday arrived and first up were a couple of Big East games. Both had implications on who could be representing the Big East in a BCS bowl. In a snowstorm in Cincinnati, Pitt knocked off the Bearcats, 28-10. The win gave the Panthers a piece of the Big East title.

Perhaps most memorable from the Pitt-Cincinnati game was the Cincinnati mascot. The Bearcat was tossed out of the game and arrested for throwing snowballs. The second string Bearcat mascot was brought in for the remainder of the game.

Then West Virginia, in spite of three fumbles, beat Rutgers, 35-14. WVU’s win gave the Mountaineers a piece of the Big East title. The win also knocked Pitt out of a BCS bowl possibility. But the Mountaineers were in the running.

In Orlando, UCF beat SMU, 17-7, to win the Conference USA championship. The win put the Knights in the Liberty Bowl.

Time for two of the country’s three undefeated teams to play – Oregon and Auburn. In the Civil War in Corvallis, Oregon, the Ducks culminated an undefeated season, beating Oregon State, 37-20.

In the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, the Auburn-South Carolina game for the SEC championship looked like it was going to be a good one – and a high-scoring affair. Both teams scored on their opening drives. But by the end of the first quarter, Auburn led 21-7.

With 0:16 left in the second quarter, South Carolina scored and was back in the game. The Gamecocks trailed the Tigers, 21-14. It looked like it was going to be a good game again. But that “looked-like” was short lived. As time expired in the first half, Auburn’s Darvin Adams caught a 51-yard “Hail-Mary” pass from Cam Newton. Just like that, in 16 seconds, Auburn went from what appeared to be a 21-14 halftime lead to a 28-14 halftime lead.

That score took the wind out of Cocky’s feathers. South Carolina was never in the game after that. The Gamecocks were literally a no-show in the second half. What started out in the opening minutes to be a high-scoring game ended up only being a high-scoring affair for Auburn. The Tigers beat the Gamecocks 56-17.

Five games down, three to go. Three games Saturday night would determine the ACC and Big 12 conference champions and the Big East’s representative to a BCS bowl. In Charlotte, North Carolina, Florida State and Virginia Tech fought for the ACC title. It was a good game for two quarters. The Hokies led 14-10 at the end of the first quarter and 21-17 at the half.

In the third quarter, the superiority of the Hokies began to show. Virginia Tech scored twice and led 35-17. The Hokies pretty much maintained an 18-point lead after that and went on to win, 44-33. FSU scored a “who cares” touchdown with 0:06 left in the game.

In Tampa, Connecticut kicked a 52-yard field goal with 0:17 left in the game and beat South Florida for the first time in Tampa, 19-16. The win sends UConn to the BCS bowl from the Big East. Had the Huskies lost, West Virginia would have represented the Big East in a BCS bowl. Connecticut, Pitt and West Virginia finished in a three-way tie for the Big East championship. But UConn beat both Pitt and WVU during the season.

Finally, in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Nebraska and Oklahoma provided the most exciting contest of the conference championship games. But at first, it looked like Nebraska was going to run away with the game. The Huskers led 17-0 early in the second quarter.

Then the Sooners came roaring back, scoring 17 unanswered points. Nebraska kicked a field goal with 0:06 remaining in the second quarter and led at the half, 20-17. After all the scoring in the first half, the second half was a defensive battle. Oklahoma added a field goal in each of the third and fourth quarters for the second half’s only scores. The Sooners skunked the Huskers, holding Nebraska scoreless in the second half. OU won the game, 23-20.

Compared to recent years, this was one of the dullest championship Saturday’s. There were no upsets. Everything pretty much played out as predicted.

In some other games Saturday, Boise State, Hawaii and Nevada all won, finishing in a three-way tie for the WAC championship. Boise State beat Utah State, 50-14, Hawaii downed UNLV, 59-21, and Nevada defeated Louisiana Tech, 35-17.

In the Pac-10, USC won the cross-town rivalry, beating UCLA, 28-14, and Washington won the Apple Cup, beating Washington State, 35-28.

Late Saturday, it was confirmed Jon Embree is the new head coach at Colorado and Eric Bieniemy will be the offensive coordinator. News also broke that Miami (Florida) may come after Nebraska coach Bo Pelini to fill the Hurricane’s vacancy.

Then word leaked that Boise State’s Chris Petersen is a strong candidate for the Minnesota job. Petersen better look before he leaps. The two previous Boise State coaches – Dirk Koetler and Dan Hawkins, who did well with the Broncos, left for greener fields and flopped. Koetler was a failure at Arizona State, as was Hawkins at Colorado.

Shortly after the news on Petersen was released, news came out that Minnesota had hired Northern Illinois coach Jerry Kill as the new head coach of the Gophers. In three seasons at NIU, Kill went 6-7, 7-6 and 10-3 – a combined record of 23-16. Prior to NIU, Kill was the head coach at Division I-AA Southern Illinois.

Auburn-Oregon will be a great championship game – the two most exciting offenses in the country. You’ll need a seat belt to watch the game.

Rockledge Gator has been incognito recently. That may have something to do with his posing for a photographer in the bathtub with bubble bath. Sounds like a great idea for a 2011 calendar.

Touchdown Tom
December 6, 2010


Weekend Review

GAME OF THE WEEK: Chicken Little – Auburn 56, South Carolina 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 34, South Carolina 33). When South Carolina is good, the Gamecocks are very, very good. When South Carolina is bad, the Gamecocks are very, very bad. Saturday in Atlanta, the Gamecocks were very, very bad. Vanderbilt would have made a better showing against Auburn. But, I guess the Gamecocks were just happy to be there. South Carolina probably will not make it to another SEC title game for a good 20 years or so. Pure and simple, it came down to the fact that the Gamecocks couldn’t stop Cam Newton. Newton had a hand in six of Auburn’s eight scores – passing for four touchdowns and running for two more. Auburn’s defense is improving and South Carolina’s defense didn’t show up. A crowd of 75,802 attended the game in Atlanta.

RUNNER UP: Ducks dam the Beavers – Oregon 37, Oregon State 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 32, Oregon State 19). It’s called the Civil War and some thought the intensity of the rivalry would give Oregon State a chance for the upset. But it wasn’t to be. It’s hard to stop Oregon. A crowd of 46,469 attended the game in Corvallis.

BEST OF THE REST: Sooners pop the Corn – Oklahoma 23, Nebraska 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 29, Nebraska 28). Four turnovers and very poor play by the Nebraska offense in the second half were the Huskers downfall. Landry Jones passed for 342 yards as Oklahoma won its seventh Big 12 title game. A crowd of 78,802 attended the game in Arlington.

No Turkey feathers for the Noles – Virginia Tech 44, Florida State 33 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 27, Florida State 17). Pure and simple, Florida State had no running game. The Hokies held the Noles to 53 yards rushing. An injured Christian Ponder was held out of the game, as E.J. Manuel quarterbacked for the Noles. A crowd of 72,379 attended the game in Charlotte.

Huskies grab the Bulls by the horns – Connecticut 19, South Florida 16 (Touchdown Tom said: South Florida 19, Connecticut 16). UConn’s only touchdown was scored on a pass interception. Aside from that, the Huskies kicked four field goals. The game was mostly a defensive battle. A crowd of 41,809 attended the game in Tampa.

Mounties dew Guido – West Virginia 35, Rutgers 14 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 28, Rutgers 13). WVU held Rutgers to 11 first downs and 63 yards rushing. Mountie quarterback Geno Smith had his best game passing, completing 82 percent of his passes for 352 yards. WVU finished the season with a four-game winning streak. A crowd of 48,386 attended the game in Morgantown.

Panthers snow ’em over – Pitt 28, Cincinnati 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Pitt 31, Cincinnati 26). Pitt’s Dion Lewis rushed for 261 yards. The game was played in a snowstorm. A crowd of 27,496 attended the game in Cincinnati.

Knights pin the tail on the Pony – UCF 17, SMU 7 (Touchdown Tom said: UCF 32, SMU 28). I thought this game would be a high-scoring affair. UCF led SMU 17-0 at the end of three quarters. The Knights defense stymied the Mustang attack. A crowd of 41,045 attended the game in Orlando.

RedHawks make NIU RedFaced – Miami (Ohio) 26, Northern Illinois 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Northern Illinois 25, Miami 18). In a wild finish, the RedHawks upset the Huskies in the MAC Championship Game. After a so-so 4-4 start, Miami won its last five games to finish the season 9-4. A crowd of 12,031 attended the game in Detroit.

Sun Blocker – Arizona State 30, Arizona 29 (2OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona 31, Arizona State 30). ASU’s win gives the Sun Devils a 6-6 record, but they are not bowl eligible because ASU played two Division I-AA teams. Is Mike Stoops ever going to have a good team at Arizona? Seven years and Stoops is still not getting the job done. A crowd of 56,253 attended the game in Tucson.

Life’s a holiday on… – USC 28, UCLA 14 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 24, UCLA 23). After sitting out with an injury last week, USC quarterbacked Matt Barkley returned to lead the Trojans. USC running back Allen Bradford rushed for 212 yards. The Trojans led 28-7 near the end of the game. UCLA scored a “who cares” touchdown with 0:23 left in the game. It was a tough year for Rick Neuheisel. The Bruins were 4-8. A crowd of 71,105 attended the game in Pasadena.

Bulldogs beat the Boys in the Banned – Fresno State 25, Illinois 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Fresno State 35, Illinois 34). Fresno State jumped out to a quick 16-0 start and held on to beat the Banned Indians. The Bulldogs finish 8-4, while the Zookers end up 6-6. A crowd of 30,625 attended the game in Fresno.

Pack attack – Nevada 35, Louisiana Tech 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Nevada 32, Louisiana Tech 25). Nevada’s Val Taua and Colin Kaepernick combined for 317 yards rushing. The Wolf Pack completed a great season at 12-1. A crowd of 18,562 attended the game in Ruston.

Mr. Ed puts the Aggies to bed – Boise State 50, Utah State 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Boise State 41, Utah State 18). Boise State held Utah State to 41 yards passing. The Broncos finish 11-1. A crowd of 32,101 attended the game in Boise.

A Husky crown in Cougar town – Washington 35, Washington State 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 26, Washington State 19). Washington scored with 0:44 remaining to win the game. With the win, the Huskies became bowl eligible. In spite of the loss, Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel passed for 298 yards. A crowd of 30,157 attended the game in Pullman.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Punched – Hawaii 59, UNLV 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Hawaii 47, UNLV 21). Hawaii passed for 423 yards and UNLV only had 295 yards total offense. The Warriors – 10-3 – had their best season since June Jones left for SMU. It was a tough year for UNLV at 2-11. A crowd of 37,820 attended the game in Honolulu.

Comment: A good final week at 13-3, which brings my season total to 238-97 (71.1 percent).


AROUND FLORIDA:

Florida Atlantic lost to Troy, 44-7. A crowd of 11,368 attended the game Fort Lauderdale…. Florida International fell to Middle Tennessee, 28-27. A crowd of 16,628 attended the game in Miami…. Bethune-Cookman stumbled to New Hampshire, 45-20, in the Division I-AA playoffs. A crowd of 5,738 attended the game in Daytona Beach.

In the only other Division I-A game played over the weekend, Idaho beat San Jose State, 26-23 (OT). A crowd of 8,011 attended the game in Moscow.


Superlatives

Impressive Passers: Hawaii’s Bryant Moniz – 29-43-1 for 380 yards; West Virginia’s Geno Smith – 23-28-0 for 352; Oklahoma’s Landry Jones – 23-41-1- for 342; Auburn’s Cam Newton – 16-27-0 for 330; Miami of Ohio’s Austin Boucher – 27-46-0 for 321; San Jose State’s Jordan La Secla – 30-41-2 for 309, and Troy’s Corey Robinson – 22-31-0 for 305.

Also, Fresno State’s Ryan Colburn – 18-26-0 for 304 yards; Florida Atlantic’s Jeff Van Camp – 21-41-1 for 302; Washington State’s Jeff Tuel – 25-35-1 for 298; Florida State’s E.J. Manuel – 23-31-2 for 288; Northern Illinois’ Chandler Harnish – 15-29-0 for 280; Virginia Tech’s Tyrod Taylor – 18-28-0 for 263, and Arizona’s Nick Foles – 22-36-0 for 262.


Impressive Rushers: Washington’s Chris Polk – 284 yards; Pitt’s Dion Lewis – 261 yards; USC’s Allen Bradford – 212 yards; Nevada’s Val Taua – 186 yards; Utah State’s Kerwynn Williams – 147 yards; Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick – 142 yards; Illinois’ Mikel LeShoure – 142 yards, and Hawaii’s Alex Green – 136 yards.


TT’s Annual Picks

My choice for coach of the year from each of the Division I-A Conferences.

ACC: Ralph Friedgen – Maryland; Runner-up: Tom O’Brien – N.C. State
Big East: Randy Edsall – Connecticut; Runner-up: (tie) Doug Marrone – Syracuse and Charlie Strong – Louisville
Big Ten: Mark Dantonio – Michigan State; Runner-up: Bret Bielema – Wisconsin
Big 12: Mike Gundy – Oklahoma State; Runner-up: Mike Sherman – Texas A&M
C-USA: George O’Leary – UCF; Runner-up: June Jones – SMU
MAC: Mike Haywood – Miami (Ohio); Runner-up: Jerry Kill – Northern Illinois
MWC: Brady Hoke – San Diego State; Runner-up: Troy Calhoun – Air Force
Pac-10: Jim Harbaugh – Stanford; Runner-up: Chip Kelly – Oregon
SEC: Gene Chizik – Auburn; Runner-up: (tie) Steve Spurrier – South Carolina and Dan Mullen – Mississippi State
Sun Belt: Mario Cristobal – Florida International; Runner-up: Larry Blakeney – Troy
WAC: Chris Ault – Nevada; Runner-up: Greg McMackin – Hawaii
Independents: Kim Niumatalolo – Navy; Runner-up: Rich Ellerson – Army


If I had a vote for the Heisman, my ballot would be cast as follows:

1. Cam Newton – Auburn
2. Andrew Luck – Stanford
3. Kellen Moore – Boise State


My choice for the most disappointing team of the year in each of the FBS (Division I-A) conferences:

ACC: (tie) Clemson and Miami
Big East: (tie) Cincinnati and Rutgers
Big Ten: Iowa
Big 12: Texas
C-USA: Houston
MAC: Central Michigan
MWC: Wyoming
Pac-10: Oregon State
SEC: (tie) Alabama and Florida
Sun Belt: Middle Tennessee
WAC: Idaho
Independents: Notre Dame


Quotes of the Week

“It’s a two-headed thing now for coaches. The schools, they want you to do all the right things, the kids not getting in trouble, the kids doing well in the classroom. And Randy was doing those things. But if you don’t win enough games, well, I guess that’s what matters most,” Bobby Bowden, on the firing of Randy Shannon at Miami (Florida).

“So Nebraska plays in a conference title game, then bolts for the Big Ten when it’s over. That makes for an interesting trophy ceremony with the conference commissioner if the Cornhuskers win. But they won’t,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“Florida State was impressive last week against Florida, but who wasn’t impressive this year against Florida, except, well, you know. Arf,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“In the Reggie Bush case, when the parent did something inappropriate the kid and the school suffered,” USC athletic director Pat Haden, on the NCAA’s decision regarding Cam Newton.

“Auburn fans love their team. Almost nobody else does,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Mark Bradley.

“If Cam Newton wins the Heisman, the trophy should be recast in honor of Cam’s dad. The guy on top of trophy shouldn’t have his arm out; he should have his hand out,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“The United States gets beaten out for the 2022 World Cup by Qatar? This might be the lowest point in American sports since the inception of the Motor City Bowl,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.


Hottest Game of the Week

Army (6-5) vs. Navy (8-3) – (Ind. vs. Ind.) – It’s the annual battle between the two service academies. This year the game is in Philadelphia. And this year, for the first time in many years, Army should be competitive in the game. Rich Ellerson is turning around the Black Knights’ program – in a positive way. The Goat has a chew of a day – Navy 25, Army 16.


Saturday’s Television Schedule – December 11

Alabama State vs. Texas Southern – 2:00 p.m. ET – ESPN Classic
Army vs. Navy – 2:30 p.m. ET – CBS


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football … North Texas is opening a new $78 million stadium next season…. Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, TCU defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas, Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst, Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen and Stanford offensive coordinator Greg Roman are the five finalists for the Broyles Award. The Broyles Award is presented annually to the best assistant coach in the country. The award will be presented tonight in Little Rock, Arkansas. Last year’s winner was Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart.

Georgia has added Florida Atlantic to its 2012 schedule. The game will be played in Athens…. The three finalists for the Walter Camp Award are Stanford quarterback Oliver Luck, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and Oregon running back LaMichael James. The award is presented to the player of the year in college football.

Tulane and Syracuse have signed a contract for a two-game home-and-home series to be played in 2011 and 2012…. Louisiana Tech and South Alabama have agreed to a two-game home-and-home series to be played in 2017 and 2018…. Delaware State fired football coach Al Lavan…. Gardner-Webb fired football coach Steve Patton.

And on a sad note, Marvin Bass, a former head football coach at South Carolina who posted three wins in five seasons against Clemson, died last week. He was 91. Nicknamed “Moose,” Bass was an All-American at William & Mary. He served in the Navy during World War II. During his stint at South Carolina from 1961-1965, Bass had a record of 17-29-4.


2010 Conference Champions

ACC: Virginia Tech
Big East: Connecticut, Pitt and West Virginia
Big Ten: Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin
Big 12: Oklahoma
C-USA: UCF
MAC: Miami (Ohio)
MWC: TCU
Pac-10: Oregon
SEC: Auburn
Sun Belt: Florida International and Troy
WAC: Boise State, Hawaii and Nevada


Extra Points

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

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

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

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


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 HUwww.wmmbam.comUH. To listen, go to the Web site and click on “Listen Live.”

Touchdown Tom’s annual preview of the bowl games will be posted Friday morning, December 10. Stay tuned!

Touchdown Tom


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but with the gray skies of early December upon us, the college football season was fading fast. As the fans were talking about new coaches, bowl games and the Heisman Trophy, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1935 was “Red Sails in the Sunset” by Guy Lombardo

…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 Bing Crosby with Les Paul

…60 years ago this week in 1950 was “The Thing” by Phil Harris

…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 “Turn! Turn! Turn! By The Byrds

…40 years ago this week in 1970 was “The Tears of a Clown” by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

…35 years ago this week in 1975 was “Fly, Robin Fly” by Silver Convention

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

…25 years ago this week in 1985 was “Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister

…20 years ago this week in 1990 was “Because I Love You (The Postman Song) by Stevie B


Not directly college football related, but on a sad note, there were three passings of mention last week – Gil McDougald, Ron Santo and Marvin Bass (mentioned above).

Gil McDougald, the New York Yankees’ versatile All-Star infielder who played on five World Series championship teams but was remembered as well for a single at-bat resulting in one of baseball’s most frightening moments, died last week at his home in Wall Township, New Jersey. He was 82. McDougald was the American League’s rookie of the year in 1951, playing third base and second base and hitting .306. Playing with the Yankees for 10 seasons, McDougald was a five-time All-Star and a gifted fielder, appearing mostly at second and third but also at shortstop. On the night of May 7, 1957, at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium, McDougald drilled a line drive off a pitch from the Indians’ brilliant young left-hander Herb Score that struck Score in the face. Score was carried off the field, having sustained a severe injury to his right eye and a broken nose. A native of San Francisco, Gilbert James McDougald was born on May 19, 1928, and played on eight pennant-winning Yankees teams. A timely hitter, he twice hit better than .300 in a season and had a career batting average of .276. He retired after the 1960 season. McDougald coached baseball at Fordham University from 1970 to 1976.

Ron Santo, a star third baseman of the Chicago Cubs and their longtime broadcaster who became a revered figure for his exploits on the field and his battle against juvenile diabetes, died last week in a hospital in Arizona. He was 70. Playing for the Chicago Cubs from 1960 to 1973, then for a final season with the Chicago White Sox, Santo hit 342 career home runs, won five Gold Glove awards for fielding and was named an All-Star nine times. When he took a routine physical in 1959, on the brink of making his Cubs debut, Santo was found to have juvenile diabetes. He began taking insulin within two years, but kept his diabetes a secret from the Cubs until being named to his first All-Star team in 1963. After his playing days ended, Santo raised millions of dollars for diabetes research, and for more than two decades he sponsored an annual walk-a-thon to help seek a cure. The disease took a heavy toll on him. He had heart attacks, went through quadruple-bypass surgery, then underwent amputation of his legs, in 2001 and 2002, but continued as a Cubs color commentator with WGN, using prostheses. He also underwent surgery for the bladder cancer. Santo was a native of Seattle.