College Football Week Two – Is Oklahoma next to leave the Big 12?
Lightning is striking againAnd again and again and again
Nature’s takin’ over my one-track mind.
That was the story of college football over the weekend. The line scores of many games read like the departure board at an airport: DELAYED. From Michigan to Tennessee and from Indiana to West Virginia games were delayed and delayed and eventually played, postponed or called. Some were delayed not once, but twice.
The weather played havoc with several games. Saturday in Iowa City, the Tennessee Tech-Iowa game was stopped due to lightning. Eventually, the game resumed and finished. In Knoxville, the Montana-Tennessee game had a delayed start due to lightning. Following a lengthy delay, the game finally began.
In Michigan, two games were altered. First in Ann Arbor, the Western Michigan-Michigan game was halted late in the third quarter with the Wolverines up, 34-10. The stadium was cleared. After an endless delay, the athletic directors of the two schools agreed to call the game with Michigan the declared winner, 34-10.
Down the road from Ann Arbor in Ypsilanti, Michigan, the start of the Howard-Eastern Michigan game was delayed. Finally, after a long wait, officials from the two schools agreed to postpone the game to the next day – Sunday.
Not far away in South Bend, Indiana, the South Florida-Notre Dame game was interrupted not once, but twice by lightning. All was well until halftime when the storms began moving through the South Bend area. Notre Dame’s stadium was evacuated and the halftime break ended up lasting two hours and 10 minutes before the second half began. Then with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter, the game was halted again due to lightning. The second delay lasted 43 minutes before the game resumed.
And if that wasn’t enough, the next day in Morgantown, West Virginia, the intrastate game between Marshall and West Virginia lasted almost seven hours due to delays caused by lightning. The game kicked off at 3:37 p.m. and was finally called at 10:24 p.m. with 14:36 remaining in the final quarter and West Virginia leading, 34-13.
The first stoppage occurred at 5:47 p.m. with 4:59 left in the third quarter and WVU up 27-13. After a three hour and three minute delay, the game resumed at 8:50 p.m. The resumption lasted five minutes and 23 seconds, long enough for West Virginia to score again, before the game was stopped a second time due to lightning. The second delay lasted one hour and 19 minutes before officials from both Marshall and West Virginia agreed to call the game, with WVU the winner, 34-13.
And speaking of storms in South Bend, thunder only happens when it’s raining. It was the Bulls from South Florida, not Notre Dame, who were shaking down the thunder from the sky on Saturday. South Florida went into South Bend and knocked off Brian Kelly’s Irish, 23-20. A sweet victory it was for USF coach Skip Holtz, son of former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz.
In the first of the weekend’s two marquee games, LSU took advantage of Oregon’s miscues and the Tigers went on to overpower the Ducks, 40-27. The game was played before 87,711 fans in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. In the other high-powered game, Boise State dominated Georgia, beating the Bulldogs, 35-21. That game was played before 73,614 fans in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Georgia and Ole Miss were the only two SEC teams to lose. Ole Miss lost to BYU, 14-13. The other 10 SEC teams won, including Auburn who had to frantically rally in the closing minutes, scoring two touchdowns, to beat Utah State, 42-38. South Carolina got a serious scare from East Carolina, before downing the Pirates, 56-37.
Like the SEC, the Big Ten only had two losers over the weekend – Minnesota and Indiana. The Gophers played better than expected, but fell to USC, 19-17. Indiana was upended by Ball State, 27-20. The other 10 Big Ten teams all won, including Purdue, who like Auburn, had to rally at the end to beat Middle Tennessee, 27-24.
None of the Big 12 teams lost, but Baylor took its fans on a roller coaster ride, before kicking a field goal to beat TCU, 50-48. The Bears led the Frogs 47-23 going into the fourth quarter. TCU proceeded to score 25 unanswered points to take the lead 48-47. Baylor kicked the winning field goal and then held the Frogs on a final drive, intercepting a TCU pass.
Two Big 12 teams barely beat FCS teams. Kansas State escaped Eastern Kentucky, 10-7, and Iowa State slipped by Northern Iowa, 20-19. And speaking of the Big 12, Texas A&M made its impending departure from the conference official. The school announced it was withdrawing from the Big 12, effective July 1, 2012. Texas A&M said it was submitting its application to join the SEC. The Aggies admittance to the SEC is a foregone conclusion.
That announcement by Texas A&M prompted Oklahoma president David Boren to say the Sooners may be ready to leave the Big 12 as well. Boren said he would have an official announcement on the matter within the next three weeks. That statement by Boren prompted Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel to verbally blast Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe. Pinkel said that Beebe was directly responsible for the conference’s problems.
Also since Boren’s comment, speculation has been growing that Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State would join Oklahoma in departing from the Big 12. Rumors have the four schools joining the Pac-12, making it the Pac-16. Some Big 12 followers say the conference will be all but dissolved by the end of October.
The departure of those four schools along with Texas A&M would leave Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri out in the cold. Although Missouri has often been mentioned as an expansion team for the SEC. A&M and Mizzou would join the SEC West and the conference would pick up two more teams to join the SEC East. Stay tuned.
Before the news about the potential departures of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech from the Big 12 broke, BYU acknowledged it was in talks with the Big 12 about replacing Texas A&M in the conference. But depending on what happens, those talks may be all for naught.
The Pac-12 went 8-4 over the weekend. Along with Oregon, the other losses were UCLA to Houston, 38-34; Colorado to Hawaii, 34-17, and most embarrassingly, Oregon State to FCS Sacramento State, 29-28 in overtime. The ACC finished at 7-3. The losses were Boston College to Northwestern, 24-17; Duke to Richmond, 23-21, and Wake Forest to Syracuse, 36-29 in overtime. The eight Big East teams finished the opening weekend unscathed – 8-0. But only South Florida and Syracuse had formidable opponents.
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier drew attention last week when he announced that sophomore quarterback Connor Shaw would start the East Carolina game over senior quarterback Stephen Garcia. As it turned out, that move almost cost South Carolina the game. But I’m sure there was method behind Spurrier’s madness.
Speaking of quarterbacks, Tim Tebow’s NFL jersey sales have fallen from first (this time last year) to tenth. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ jersey is currently the No. 1 seller. Tebow has also fallen to third or fourth on the Broncos depth chart. More on quarterbacks, former Florida State QB Danny Kanell was one of the ESPNU broadcasters, calling the Murray State-Louisville game Thursday night.
While TCU and Baylor were doing battle Friday night on ESPN, it was Nebraska vs. Nebraska doing battle on ESPN2. That being Andy Roddick and Jack Sock going at one another in the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament. Both players were wearing their Cornhusker red tennis shoes. Roddick beat Sock, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
Rockledge Gator and I had lunch with Eric Griggs and Ralph Masker last week. Naturally, college football dominated the conversation. I can’t believe Eric (Mr. Longhorn) was worried about Rice. But, then again, with the season Texas had last year.
And finally, my favorite quarterbacks over the weekend were Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson, Baylor’s Robert Griffin, Boise State’s Kellen Moore and Oklahoma’s Landry Jones. Each of those guys put on Heisman performances. Arizona’s Nick Foles had a phenomenal game too, but against much weaker competition. My favorite running backs were Mississippi State’s Vick Ballard and Navy’s Kriss Proctor. San Diego State’s Ronnie Hillman and Virginia Tech’s David Wilson weren’t bad either.
Touchdown Tom
September 6, 2011GAME OF THE WEEK: We don’t need no Jordan Jefferson – LSU 40, Oregon 27 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 17, Oregon 14). Were the Tigers that good? Or was Oregon that bad? The Ducks had a lot of miscues. But I’d say LSU made a pretty big statement on opening day. A crowd of 87,711 attended the game in Arlington, Texas.
RUNNER-UP: The moving van is on its way to Mark Richt’s house – Boise State 35, Georgia 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 28, Boise State 25). And the only thing that can slow it down is a Georgia win over South Carolina this week. It can’t be pleasant in Athens. Georgia’s uniforms weren’t pleasant on the eyes either. A crowd of 73,614 attended the game in Atlanta.
REST OF THE BEST: South Bend calling Urban Meyer – South Florida 23, Notre Dame 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 24, South Florida 17). Who knows? Urban may be coaching the Irish sooner than he thought. At this rate, Brian Kelly won’t last long in South Bend. Even God was sending the Irish a message with the lightning delays. Oops, I’m sounding like Michelle Bachman. A crowd of 80,795 attended the game in South Bend.
SEC here we come – Texas A&M 46, SMU 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 31, SMU 20). SMU is not ready for prime time. June Jones still has a lot of work to do yet in Dallas. Meanwhile, Texas A&M is ready for the SEC. A crowd of 86,951 attended the game in College Station.
Gigged in Waco – Baylor 50, TCU 48 (Touchdown Tom said: Baylor 24, TCU 23). A sweet, sweet win for the Bears. A tough, tough loss for the Frogs. Robert Griffin is off to a good start. A crowd of 43,753 attended the game in Waco.
No sugar for the Canes – Maryland 32, Miami (Florida) 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Maryland 24, Miami 22). The Maryland helmets must have freaked out the Canes. Heck, I was freaked out by the Maryland helmets. A crowd of 52,875 attended the game in College Park.
We don’t need no Persa – Northwestern 24, Boston College 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Northwestern 27, Boston College 26). But BC needed Montel Harris. The Wildcats won without quarterback Dan Persa, who is still recuperating from Achilles tendon surgery. The Eagles played without running back Harris, who is still recuperating from arthroscopic surgery. A crowd of 37,561 attended the game in Chestnut Hill.
Was the Gamecocks’ defense that bad or was the Pirates’ offense that good? – South Carolina 56, East Carolina 37 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 36, East Carolina 14). Granted ECU’s Dominique Davis is pretty talented. The first half was disastrous for the Gamecocks. The second half was better. Look for Stephen Garcia to start against Georgia. A crowd of 58,272 attended the game in Charlotte, North Carolina.
It must be the new mascot – BYU 14, Ole Miss 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Ole Miss 30, BYU 28). Either that or Ole Miss has a Nutt case on its hands. Whatever, the Black Bears are pretty dismal. A crowd of 55,124 attended the game in Oxford.
Are the Trojans that bad or are the Gophers that good? – USC 19, Minnesota 17 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 33, Minnesota 13). USC was supposed to have an easy time of it with Minnesota. Matt Barkley was good, but the rest of the Trojans were not. Should Lane Kiffin be worried? Minnesota may finally have a coach in Jerry Kill. A crowd of 68,273 attended the game in Los Angeles.
Neuheisel looks good in a pink slip – Houston 38, UCLA 34 (Touchdown Tom said: UCLA 34, Houston 32). And that is exactly what Rick could be getting – a pink slip. The Bruins were sad. Houston’s Case Keenum picked up where he left off, passing for 310 yards. If Houston can plug some holes in its defense, the Cougars could be tough. A crowd of 31,144 attended the game in Houston.
Delayed, delayed and called – West Virginia 34, Marshall 13 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 34, Marshall 17). Marshall should be glad the game was called at the 14:36 mark in the fourth quarter. A crowd of 60,758 attended the game in Morgantown.
And Eric Griggs was worried – Texas 34, Rice 9 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Rice 19). Something tells me we still don’t know what Texas has…..or doesn’t have. BYU will be more of a test. A crowd of 101,624 attended the game in Austin.
The Tigers have a Tajh Mahal – Clemson 43, Troy 19 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 34, Troy 23). Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd looked good. Troy was a nuisance in the first half, but not in the second. A crowd of 74,135 attended the game in Clemson.
If you can’t play four quarters, call it after three – Michigan 34, Western Michigan 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 32, Western Michigan 16). I have to tell you…..nothing grosses me out more than Brady Hoke in a wet polo shirt. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain anymore at televised Michigan games this season. A crowd of 110,506 attended the game in Ann Arbor.
Pat is over the Hill – California 36, Fresno State 21 (Touchdown Tom said: California 26, Fresno State 25). Cal may be better than we thought. Fresno State may be worse than we thought. A crowd of 31,563 attended the game in San Francisco.
This isn’t the 2010 Hokies – Virginia Tech 66, Appalachian State 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 29, Appalachian State 14). No FCS team was going to upset Virginia Tech this season. David Wilson and the Hokies’ defense made sure of that. A crowd of 66,233 attended the game in Blacksburg.
Surprise, surprise, the Warriors have a running game – Hawaii 34, Colorado 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Hawaii 40, Colorado 36). When was the last time Hawaii passed for less than 180 yards in a game? And when was the last time the Warriors rushed for more than 160 yards in a game? This could be a good season for the Poi Boys. This could be a bad season for the Buffs. A crowd of 37,001 attended the game in Honolulu.
It’s not over until it’s overtime – Syracuse 36, Wake Forest 29 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Syracuse 26, Wake Forest 20). Wake Forest quarterback Tanner Price had a heck of a game. But it was all for naught. The Deacons went to sleep in the fourth quarter, while the Orange woke up from their nap. A crowd of 40,833 attended the game in Syracuse
Huskies by a pant – Washington 30, Eastern Washington 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 30, Eastern Washington 16). Eastern Washington may win the FCS national championship again this season. I’m not sure yet what Washington may or may not do this season. A crowd of 58,088 attended the game in Seattle.
Maybe the Cavs should play Harry & Alice next week – Virginia 40, William & Mary 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia 24, William & Mary 20). Or maybe Virginia is vastly improved this year. A crowd of 51,956 attended the game in Charlottesville.
Not bad for a Georgia grad – Florida 41, Florida Atlantic 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 38, Florida Atlantic 10). Good start for Will Muschamp. A few kinks to get worked out, but that’s to be expected in a first game under a new coach and a new system. A crowd of 88,708 attended the game in Gainesville.
Herbie rocks the Mocs – Nebraska 40, Chattanooga 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 48, Chattanooga 6). The Shoes, or is it the Snakes, weren’t much of a test for the Huskers. A crowd of 84,883 attended the game in Lincoln.
No fire in the Boilers until the fourth quarter – Purdue 27, Middle Tennessee 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 30, Middle Tennessee 20). Purdue has lots of work to do before the Notre Dame game on October 1. A crowd of 42,110 attended the game in West Lafayette.
This was no itsy-bitsy Spider – Richmond 23, Duke 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 25, Richmond 14). The Dookies are still living up to their reputation. What reputation? Oh, that one. A crowd of 32,741 attended the game in Durham.
Comment: One word: DELAYED! And, the weather looks rosy in Baton Rouge and thorny in Athens.
I finished 20-5 (80 percent) on my picks. My miscues were picking Georgia over Boise State, Notre Dame over South Florida, Ole Miss over BYU, UCLA over Houston and Duke over Richmond.
Florida State downed Louisiana-Monroe, 34-0. A crowd of 72,226 attended the game in Tallahassee…. UCF clobbered Charleston Southern, 62-0. A crowd of 39,752 attended the game in Orlando…. Florida International dumped North Texas, 41-16. A crowd of 17,568 attended the game in Miami.
Florida A&M tamed Fort Valley State, 28-22. A crowd of 21,162 attended the game in Tallahassee…. Bethune-Cookman pounded Prairie View A&M, 63-14. A crowd of 17,337 attended the game in Orlando…. Jacksonville U. lost to The Citadel, 31-9. A crowd of 12,099 attended the game in Charleston.
Weekend’s Best Passers: Arizona’s Nick Foles – 34-42-0 for 412 yards; Oklahoma’s Landry Jones – 35-47-0-375; Boston College’s Chase Rettig – 24-44-1-375; UTEP’s Nick Lamaison – 24-38-2-365; New Mexico State’s Andrew Manley – 22-41-1-362; Baylor’s Robert Griffin – 21-27-0-359; Maryland’s Danny O’Brien – 31-44-1-348; Middle Tennessee’s Logan Kilgore – 27-45-1-330; Texas Tech’s Sean Doege – 23-33-0-326, and Houston’s Case Keenum – 30-40-0-310.
Also, USC’s Matt Barkley – 34-45-0 for 304 yards; Notre Dame’s Tommy Rees – 24-34-2-294; Wyoming’s Brett Smith – 27-41-1-294; Tennessee’s Tyler Bray – 17-24-0-293; Bowling Green’s Matt Schliz – 19-31-0-291; Wake Forest’s Tanner Price – 18-31-0-289; North Carolina’s Bryn Renner – 22-23-1-277; Buffalo’s Chazz Anderson – 32-49-1-276, and Indiana’s Edward Wright-Baker – 20-32-0-272.
Also, Georgia Tech’s Tevin Washington – 8-13-0 for 271 yards; Illinois’ Nathan Scheelhaase – 16-23-0-267; Tulane’s Ryan Griffin – 14-24-0-267; Clemson’s Tajh Boyd – 20-30-1-264; Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler – 19-26-1-262; Auburn’s Barrett Trotter – 17-23-0-261; Boise State’s Kellen Moore – 28-34-1-261; Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson – 18-24-0-260, and East Carolina’s Dominique Davis – 37-56-1-260.
“The most important thing about September 3 is that for a few hours, we’re able to take our minds off of what happened April 27,” Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter Maddox.
“After much thought and consideration, and pursuant to the action of the Board of Regents authorizing me to take action related to Texas A&M University’s athletic conference alignment, I have determined it is in the best interest of Texas A&M to make application to join another athletic conference on behalf of all the remaining members. We appreciate the Big 12’s willingness to engage in a dialogue to end our relationship through a mutually agreeable settlement. We, too, desire that this process be as amicable and prompt as possible and result in a resolution of all outstanding issues, including mutual waivers by Texas A&M and the conference on behalf of all the remaining members,” Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin.
“They think they run the whole world. Certainly they think they run the state, and all of college football. I just wish OU would go too and teach Texas a lesson,” Fort Worth-based writer and author Dan Jenkins, on the arrogance of Texas destroying the Big 12 Conference.
“I think they’re jealous of Texas’ money,” former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, on Texas A&M pulling out of the Big 12.
“One thing is pretty clear: very few people will shed a tear if the Big 12 falls apart,” Fort Worth-based writer and author Dan Jenkins.
“Utah State at Auburn: Cam Newton is gone, the trees are dying and Cecil Newton has been forced to close up his business, ‘The Huggy Bear Church of Ticket and Offspring Scalping.’ Welcome back to reality, Gene Chizik. Then again, Utah State lost to Idaho last year,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.
“How ‘bout that Orlando City Soccer Club playing for the league championship tonight in the Citrus Bowl? Are you ready for some futbol!,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.
“During Thursday night’s 14-3 Kentucky victory over Western Kentucky, ESPN cameras showed Western linebacker Andrew Jackson asking incredulously about the Wildcats, ‘They supposed to be SEC?’ Gator fans have been asking the same question about Kentucky for years,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.
“Georgia’s defense looked as bad in its second season under Todd Grantham as it did in the first,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.
“If you can’t fix the Big 12, you might as well go west,” Oklahoma State booster T. Boone Pickens, on the Cowboys joining the Pac-12.
“No Sooner player cast a longer shadow over its rich tradition than Lee Roy. Beyond his many and great accomplishments, I believe the true legacy of Lee Roy Selmon lies within the kind of man he was. Lee Roy possessed a combination of grace, humility and dignity that is rare. His engaging smile and gentleness left you feeling blessed to be in his presence. Best of all, he was all genuine. One would be blessed to have a father, son, uncle, brother or friend like Lee Roy Selmon,” former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer, on the death of Lee Roy Selmon.
GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Alabama (1-0) at Penn State (1-0) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – Both teams won big last week, but neither looked impressive. Still a lot of quarterback questions to be settled for both – A.J. McCarron and Philip Sims at Alabama and Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden at Penn State. Bama paints Paterno’s booth Crimson – Alabama 22, Penn State 19.
RUNNER-UP: 2. South Carolina (1-0) at Georgia (0-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Was Steve Spurrier playing mind games with Stephen Garcia last week? You better believe Garcia will start this week. Meanwhile, it’s not hopeless yet for the Dawgs. After all, Georgia is still undefeated in SEC play. Not any more – South Carolina 26, Georgia 22.
REST OF THE BEST: 3. Mississippi State (1-0) at Auburn (1-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Something tells me Auburn can’t wait until the final two minutes this week to pull out a victory. The Bulldogs are no Utah State. Dan Mullen has turned around the program in Starkville. Miss State will be turning the Tigers around on Saturday. Bulldogs win the Cam Newton Bowl – Mississippi State 25, Auburn 23.
4. Missouri (1-0) at Arizona State (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. Pac-12) – Are either of these two teams for real? Both looked sloppy in their openers. Mizzou may have been sloppier. And actually, ASU quarterback Brock Osweiler looked pretty good. Home field helps the Sun Devils – Arizona State 27, Missouri 20. 5. Arizona (1-0) at Oklahoma State (1-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Big 12) – These two teams may be in the same conference in a couple of years. But for now, it’s a non-conference affair for both. Brandon Weeden can’t throw three interceptions this week. If he does, the Cowboys won’t win. He doesn’t – Oklahoma State 29, Arizona 24.
6. Notre Dame (0-1) at Michigan (1-0) – (Ind. vs. Big Ten) – A meeting between two of last week’s lightning delayed teams. At least the Irish got to finish their game. But not on a happy note. Pray for sunshine. I couldn’t stand to see Brady Hoke in a wet polo shirt again. No happy notes for the Irish this week either – Michigan 26, Notre Dame 24.
7. TCU (0-1) at Air Force (1-0) – (MWC vs. MWC) – The Frogs just may be vulnerable. Baylor exposed their weaknesses last week. But they aren’t vulnerable enough for the Falcons – TCU 27, Air Force 24.
8. BYU (1-0) at Texas (1-0) – (Ind. vs. Big 12) – BYU survived Oxford. Can the Cougars survive Austin? Not likely. Unlike Ole Miss, the Longhorns have no Nutts – Texas 23, BYU 16.
9. Nevada (0-0) at Oregon (0-1) – (WAC vs. Pac-12) – This is a case of Nevada opening its season in the wrong place, at the wrong time. The Ducks will be quacking mad after their dismal performance against LSU. They’ll take their frustrations out on the Wolf Pack – Oregon 32, Nevada 16.
10. Utah (1-0) at USC (1-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – Utah is playing fellow Pac-12 member USC, but this doesn’t count as a conference game. Both Utah and USC still have the regular nine conference games to play. This game was scheduled a few years back when Utah was a MWC team. Still, the Trojans initiate the Utes – USC 27, Utah 18.
11. Oregon State (0-1) at Wisconsin (1-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Big Ten) – Russell Wilson and the Badgers looked awful good in their opener last week. Oregon State looked awful bad, losing to a FCS school. The Beavers always get off to a slow start. The Badgers make them look slower – Wisconsin 34, Oregon State 19.
12. Virginia Tech (1-0) at East Carolina (0-1) – (ACC vs. C-USA) – East Carolina surprised the Hokies a couple years ago. Heck, the Pirates almost surprised South Carolina last week. They did in the first half. Dominique Davis can be tricky. But no surprises this week – Virginia Tech 40, East Carolina 24.
13. Toledo (1-0) at Ohio State (1-0) – (MAC vs. Big Ten) – Last week, the Buckeyes opened against the worst team in the MAC. This week, they may be playing the best team in the MAC. A little tougher, but the Bucks still win – Ohio State 31, Toledo 19.
14. Boston College (0-1) at UCF (1-0) – (ACC vs. C-USA) – Now we find out how tough UCF is this year. So does BC. When the going gets rough, the Knights get tough – UCF 30, Boston College 26.
15. Cincinnati (1-0) at Tennessee (1-0) – (Big East vs. SEC) – This is a big opportunity for the Bearcats to go into Knoxville and knock off the Vols. It’s not impossible, but it’s not likely – Tennessee 29, Cincinnati 19.
16. Hawaii (1-0) at Washington (1-0) – (WAC vs. Pac-12) – Last week, Hawaii clobbered the Pac-12’s Colorado, while Washington barely escaped FCS Eastern Washington. But the Warriors were home last week. They aren’t this week – Washington 30, Hawaii 27.
17. Rutgers (1-0) at North Carolina (1-0) – (Big East vs. ACC) – Something tells me Everett Withers wants to be the head coach at North Carolina next year – not the interim coach. The Tar Heels are talented – North Carolina 27, Rutgers 18.
18. N.C. State (1-0) at Wake Forest (0-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – Wake blew it last week. The Deacons ran out of steam in the fourth quarter. State won, but against weaker competition. Wake may not be the worst team in the ACC, but the Deacons are next to the worst – N.C. State 28, Wake Forest 20.
19. Connecticut (1-0) at Vanderbilt (1-0) – (Big East vs. SEC) – Vandy scored 45 points last week. Of course, the Commodores were playing Elon. But that’s saying something when Vandy scores 45 points against anybody. They won’t score 45 this week, but the Commodores win – Vanderbilt 27, Connecticut 22.
20. California (1-0) at Colorado (0-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – Like Utah, Colorado is playing a fellow Pac-12 team – California. And like Utah, this does not count as a conference game for Colorado or California. Like Utah-USC, this game was scheduled a few years back when Colorado was a Big 12 team. Confused yet? Unlike Utah, the Buffs are home. Like Utah, the Buffs lose – California 30, Colorado 22.
21. Florida International (1-0) at Louisville (1-0) – (Sun Belt vs. Big East) – Watch out Cardinals. FIU is coming to Louisville to make a statement. This is the Panthers year. Well, it may be their year in the Sun Belt, but not in the Big East – Louisville 27, Florida International 21.
UAB (0-0) at Florida (1-0) – (C-USA vs. SEC) – UAB has its season opener in The Swamp. Not the most pleasant place to open your season. Still, the Blazers should give the Gators a tougher time of it than Florida Atlantic did. But not that tough – Florida 34, UAB 11.
Norfolk State (1-0) at West Virginia (1-0) – (MEAC vs. Big East) – You must ask Rockledge Gator about my Norfolk State joke. He loves it. Norfolk State won’t love it Saturday, as the Mountaineers should make a joke out of the Spartans – West Virginia 42, Norfolk State 10.
Fresno State (0-1) at Nebraska (1-0) – (WAC vs. Big Ten) – No choo-choo’s or shoe shines for Herbie this week. The Bulldogs come to Lincoln. But these Dogs are all bark and no bite – Nebraska 38, Fresno State 15.
Stanford (1-0) at Duke (0-1) – (Pac-12 vs. ACC) – Talk about jumping out of the frying pan into the fire – from Richmond to Stanford. The Dookies really have their work cut out for them this week. Unfortunately for the Devils, the Cardinal does all the cutting. Andrew Luck makes ham out of the Devils – Stanford 48, Duke 10.
Purdue (1-0) at Rice (0-1) – (Big Ten vs. C-USA) – The Boilers better start steaming earlier this week. They do – Purdue 23, Rice 19.
Comment: Three big games this week involving SEC teams – Alabama at Penn State, South Carolina at Georgia and Mississippi State at Auburn. Then there are two big games between the Pac-12 and the Big 12 – Missouri at Arizona State and Arizona at Oklahoma State. Those five games alone make for an exciting weekend.
But wait….there’s more. Can TCU bounce back from the loss to Baylor and beat Air Force? And how ‘bout the annual battle between Notre Dame and Michigan? This year it’s in Ann Arbor and at night. It all makes for another exciting college football weekend. Let’s hope there are no lightning delays this week.
Florida State (1-0) is home, hosting Charleston Southern (0-1)…. South Florida (1-0) entertains Ball State (1-0)…. Florida Atlantic (0-1) visits Michigan State (1-0)…. Florida A&M (1-0) travels to Hampton (1-0)…. Bethune-Cookman (1-0) hosts South Carolina State (0-1)…. Jacksonville U. (0-1) is on the road at Western Illinois (0-1)…. Miami (0-1) is off this week.
Florida A&M at Hampton – 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Arizona at Oklahoma State – 8 p.m. ET – ESPNCentral Washington at Humboldt State – 8 p.m. ET – CBS College Sports Network
Florida International at Louisville – 7 p.m. ET – ESPN
Missouri at Arizona State – 10:30 p.m. ET – ESPNCentral Michigan at Kentucky – 12 noon ET – ESPNU
Florida Atlantic at Michigan State – 12 noon ET – ESPN2Oregon State at Wisconsin – 12 noon ET – ESPN
Iowa at Iowa State – 12 noon ET – Fox Sports Network
San Diego State at Army – 12 noon ET – CBS College Sports Network
Mississippi State at Auburn – 12:20 p.m. ET – SEC Game of the Week
Rutgers at North Carolina – 12:30 p.m. ET – ACC Game of the Week
Alabama at Penn State – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC
Cincinnati at Tennessee – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Nevada at Oregon – 3:30 p.m. ET – FX
Purdue at Rice – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS College Sports Network
Stanford at Duke – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
TCU at Air Force – 3:30 p.m. ET – Versus
Virginia Tech at East Carolina – 3:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
South Carolina at Georgia – 4:30 p.m. ET – ESPN
BYU at Texas – 7 p.m. ET – ESPN2
New Mexico at Arkansas – 7 p.m. ET – ESPNU
UAB at Florida – 7 p.m. ET – Fox Sports South
UTEP at SMU – 7 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Utah at USC – 7:30 p.m. ET – Versus
Boston College at UCF – 8 p.m. ET – CBS College Sports Network
Notre Dame at Michigan – 8 p.m. ET – ESPN
Elsewhere around college football . . . The NFL’s Indianapolis Colts hired former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel to be the Colts’ game-day consultant. Tressel will determine and advise when the Colts should challenge plays…. The Cotton Bowl announced last week that the 76th edition of the bowl game to be played January 6, 2012 is already a sellout. The Cotton Bowl is played in Cowboys Stadium.
Where It Stops, Nobody Knows – The New York Post is reporting that if Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech leave the Big 12 for the Pac-12, then Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri will leave the Big 12 for the Big East. The Post also reports that expansion is back on the burner at the Big Ten.
On the Internet – College Football Week now has a Website and can be found at www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com.
Touchdown Tom
Not directly college football related, but on a sad comment, there were two passings of note last week – David Honeyboy Edwards and Lee Roy Selmon.
David Honeyboy Edwards, the oldest surviving member of the first generation of Delta blues singers and musicians, died last week at his home in Chicago. He was 96. Edwards’ career spanned the entire recorded history of the blues, from its early years in the Mississippi Delta to its migration to the nightclubs of Chicago. Over eight decades, Edwards knew, played and sang with virtually every major blues figure, including Charley Patton, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Robert Johnson. Johnson, known as the King of the Blues, traveled with Edwards in the 1930s. The two performed on street corners and at picnics, dances and fish fries. David Edwards was born June 28, 1915, in Shaw, Mississippi.
Lee Roy Selmon, the Hall of Fame defensive end who teamed with his brothers at Oklahoma to create a dominant defensive front that helped lead the Sooners to consecutive national championships, died Sunday – two days after being hospitalized for a stroke. He was 56. In nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had more than 78 sacks and earned six-consecutive Pro Bowl selections. He retired after the 1984 season. Selmon and his brother, Dewey, were both chosen as All-Americans in 1975 when the Sooners won their second-straight national championship under Barry Switzer. They followed older brother Lucious to Oklahoma, and the three played together during the 1973 season. Selmon became the associate athletic director at the University of South Florida in 1993, then athletic director from May 2001 to February 2004 when he stepped down due to health reasons. During that time, he was influential in the creation of the football program at South Florida. Lee Roy Selmon was born October 20, 1954, in Eufaula, Oklahoma. He was raised on a farm and with eight siblings.
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