College Football Week 11 – Child sex abuse scandal rocks Penn State
A Morning Tailgate calls for Bloody Mary’s and Mimosa’s“Do you have the tickets? Do you have the tickets?”
Swamp Mama couldn’t stop asking me, as we pulled out for Gainesville.
“I want to see them. I want to see them,” she said.
The night before, Bootsie messaged, “Have you packed the tickets?”
I guess they have reason for their madness. One time we got half way to Bootsie’s and Rockledge Gator’s house before it dawned on me that I had left our tickets at home – all four of them. Back we went to get them.
Another time, Rockledge Gator did leave his and Bootsie’s tickets at home. He bought two more on the street in Gainesville.
This time there were eight of us coming together in Gainesville for the Vanderbilt-Florida game and I was the holder of all eight tickets. And I had them in my possession. Swamp Mama made sure of that.
It was an interesting week prior to our departure for Gainesville on Friday. On Monday, West Virginia announced it was suing the Big East Conference. WVU wants to begin play in the Big 12 next year. The Big East says WVU must wait 27 months before the Mountaineers can leave the Big East for the Big 12.
West Virginia’s suit says the Big East and its commissioner John Marinatto have breached their commitment to and contract with WVU. This breach, according to the WVU suit, nullifies the conference bylaws that state a member school must give a 27-month notice before it can leave the Big East.
West Virginia contends that nothing was done to protect the remaining six schools when Pitt, Syracuse and TCU said they were leaving. Further, WVU says that Marinatto put the conference in jeopardy of losing its BCS affiliation. The next day, the Big East countered by suing West Virginia. Marinatto says that WVU’s claims are inaccurate and false. Stay tuned!
The Pac-12 didn’t sue USC coach Lane Kiffin, but the conference reprimanded the Trojan coach and fined him $10,000. Kiffin was fined for his comments criticizing the Pac-12 officials in the Stanford-USC game. USC lost to Stanford, 56-48 in three overtimes.
Meanwhile, in Mississippi, Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt hasn’t been criticizing anyone, but the Mississippi fans have been criticizing Nutt. He is definitely on the hot seat.
Early last week, my Michigan State friend and Mississippi resident Steven Waite sent me a picture of someone trick or treating on Halloween in Mississippi. The trick or treater, dressed as the walking dead, carried a sign that said “Houston Nutt sucked the life out of me.”
It’s not getting any easier for Nutt. Saturday, Ole Miss lost to Kentucky, 30-13. The Rebels are 2-7 and 0-6 in SEC play. Stay tuned! Ole Miss may or may not be looking for a new coach come December, but four schools are already in the hunt – Arizona, New Mexico and Tulane have already fired their coaches and Florida Atlantic’s Howard Schnellenberger is retiring December 31.
Former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach and former West Virginia and Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez have both been mentioned as potential candidates at all four of those openings. Former Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski interviewed for the Tulane position last week.
Tim Allen had a classic line last week on his new TV show “Last Man Standing.” In a conversation with one of his daughters on the show, Allen said, “College is important. Without college, there would be no college football.”
And without tickets, there would be no college football. That’s what Swamp Mama said to me. She’s persistent.
Swamp Mama and I arrived in Gainesville first. Swamp Mama, of course, had some shopping to do. I was her chauffeur. Bootsie and Rockledge Gator arrived later. The four of us had dinner Friday evening at the Texas Roadhouse.
Then Princess Gator, Bama Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe arrived from the Panhandle. The eight of us were secure at our hotel and settled in for a good night’s sleep – tickets and all.
The Vanderbilt-Florida game had a 12:20 p.m. kickoff. We were up early Saturday morning ready to go stake out our tailgating spot on the UF campus, just off Newell Drive. It was a chilly morning – high 40s, low 50s. We could have used a fire to keep warm.
With a morning tailgate, we weren’t doing any grilling. Our menu consisted of brunch food – all prepared in advance. But Bootsie was serving up Mimosa’s and I was making Bloody Mary’s. The libations helped to take our minds off the chilly weather.
There was a group of middle-aged gals tailgating next to us. I made one of them a Bloody Mary and she gave me a two-dollar tip. I think I’ll become a bartender. Actually, I tried to refuse her tip, but she insisted. Gator Gabe noticed her gratuity so he offered the gals some cookies, expecting to get a two-dollar tip of his own. Gator Gabe ain’t no dummy.
The previous day, Swamp Mama and I purchased the Bean-Bag Toss Cornhole game at the Gator bookstore. We set it up near our tailgating spot and began tossing the bean bags.
Finally, it was time to break camp and walk over to the stadium for the football game. It was still cool, but getting a little warmer. At some point during the game, the skies cleared as the sun burned off the cloud cover.
The first quarter ended scoreless – Florida 0, Vanderbilt 0. We weren’t feeling real good about the Gators’ chances. After all, Vandy almost beat Georgia and Arkansas. And Florida was on a four-game losing skid. But the Gator offense came alive in the second quarter. Florida scored 17 points and led Vandy 17-0 at the half.
Then it got interesting in the second half. Vandy found its offense and started scoring. With about 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter the Commodores scored their second touchdown and trailed Florida, 20-14. Too close for comfort. The score remained 20-14 for awhile. With a little more than two minutes left in the game, Jeff Demps broke loose for a 52-yard touchdown run and Florida was up 26-14. Breathing easier.
But darn, if Vandy didn’t come back and score real quick to make it 26-21. There was 1:16 remaining in the game. The Commodores tried an onside kick. Florida recovered and ran out the clock.
Back at the hotel, everyone caught a nap to rest up for the evening’s viewing of the LSU-Alabama game. Everyone that is except me. I was busy watching other games on TV. What did you expect?
We ordered pizza and were munching away as LSU kicked off to Alabama. It wasn’t long before we realized that this game was going to be a defensive battle. In last week’s newsletter, I predicted there would be no touchdowns scored in the game. I said there would be five field goals, with LSU kicking one more than Alabama – LSU 9, Alabama 6.
Final score – LSU 9, Alabama 6. All field goals.
So LSU controls its destiny in the SEC West. The Tigers have two more conference games – Ole Miss and Arkansas. Barring an upset at the hands of the Razorbacks, LSU will be in the SEC championship game where the Tigers will most likely play Georgia.
The Bulldogs control their destiny in the SEC East. They have two conference games remaining against Auburn and Kentucky. Barring an upset at the hands of Auburn, Georgia will play in the SEC championship game. But funny things can happen in college football. Stay tuned!
What was going on in the Big Ten Saturday? All sorts of crazy things were happening. Northwestern went into Lincoln and upset Nebraska, 28-25. Iowa, who lost to Minnesota the previous week, upset Michigan, 24-16. And Michigan State, trailing Minnesota, 24-21, had to rally in the fourth quarter to beat the Gophers, 31-24.
There were some wild contests in the Big 12. Oklahoma State scored late to beat Kansas State, 52-45, and Baylor held off a Missouri rally to beat the Tigers, 42-39. In the ACC, N.C. State surprised North Carolina, 13-0. Out West, Rick Neuheisel is alive and well, as UCLA hung on to upset Arizona State, 29-28.
Back to LSU and Alabama – it is not impossible for the Tigers and the Tide to meet again in the national championship game. If Oklahoma State and Stanford both lose and LSU and Alabama both win out, you could be looking at a rematch. Stay tuned!
My favorite quarterbacks Saturday were Baylor’s Robert Griffin, Rice’s Nick Fanuzzi, Louisiana Tech’s Colby Cameron and Louisiana-Lafayette’s Blaine Gautier.
My favorite running backs were Wisconsin’s Montee Ball, Texas’ Joe Bergeron, Baylor’s Terrance Ganaway and Ohio’s Donte Harden.
No rest for the weary – Bootsie and Rockledge Gator are off to the Auburn-Georgia game this week. Swamp Mama and I are off to the Panhandle to celebrate Gator Babe’s fourth birthday.
Touchdown Tom
November 7, 2011 GAME OF THE WEEK: Lesticles – LSU 9, Alabama 6 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 9, Alabama 6). Alabama fans will be questioning “the interception” for an eternity – LSU’s Eric Reid wrestling the ball away from Alabama’s Michael Williams at the LSU one as Williams fell to the ground with the ball. The officials ruled interception. The play was reviewed and the ruling was confirmed. For LSU fans, it was the “immaculate interception.” For Alabama fans it was “robbery.” The interception most likely changed the outcome of the game. It will be discussed, disputed, argued and talked about forever. A number of writers, pundits and analysts are blaming Alabama’s loss on poor coaching from Nick Saban. Regardless, it is said that games are won on defense and it was definitely defense that made the difference Saturday night. A crowd of 101,821 attended the game in Tuscaloosa.
RUNNER UP: Just the opposite of LSU-Alabama – Oklahoma State 52, Kansas State 45 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma State 41, Kansas State 27). The Cowboys scored with 2:16 remaining to break the tie and take a seven-point lead. Then the Okie State defense held Kansas State as time expired. Brandon Weeden threw for 502 yards, but he also tossed two interceptions. That and two fumbles by the Cowboys helped to keep the Wildcats in the game. A crowd of 58,895 attended the game in Stillwater.
REST OF THE BEST: Gamecocks take a Ribbing – Arkansas 44, South Carolina 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Arkansas 23, South Carolina 20). A close game until Arkansas scored twice within four minutes in the fourth quarter. Turnovers killed the Gamecocks. A crowd of 73,804 attended the game in Fayetteville.
Ducks quack in Seattle – Oregon 34, Washington 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 37, Washington 26). A good game until Oregon scored twice within five minutes late in the fourth quarter. LaMichael James rushed for 156 yards. A crowd of 69,407 attended the game in Seattle.
Ryan went downhill – Oklahoma 41, Texas A&M 25 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 35, Texas A&M 25). The third quarter was a disaster for the Aggies. OU scored 28 points to A&M’s 0 in the third period. Entering the second half, the Aggies only trailed the Sooners, 13-10. A&M’s Ryan Tannehill threw three interceptions. A crowd of 85,709 attended the game in Norman.
No steaks for the Red Raiders – Texas 52, Texas Tech 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Texas Tech 22). Tech’s Seth Doege passed for 381 yards, but the Longhorn defense held the Red Raiders to only 30 yards rushing. Texas Tech has not won in Austin since 1997. A crowd of 100,506 attended the game in Austin.
When the going gets tough – Iowa 24, Michigan 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 26, Iowa 17). Michigan had four shots at a potential game-tying score and the Hawkeyes’ defense stopped the Wolverines on all four attempts. Michigan had a first and goal on the Iowa three in the closing seconds but couldn’t punch it in. A crowd of 70,585 attended the game in Iowa City.
Pirates’ demise – Southern Miss 48, East Carolina 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Southern Miss 36, East Carolina 34). East Carolina won the statistics, but Southern Miss won the game. Four of the Eagles’ touchdowns came on a blocked-punt return, a punt return and two interception returns. A crowd of 50,345 attended the game in Greenville.
Eer infection – Louisville 38, West Virginia 35 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 27, Louisville 13). What….did Dana Holgorsen spend the week in Cross Lanes? Doesn’t look like he spent it with the Mountaineers. WVU football went into decline under Bill Stewart. It has continued the downward spiral under Holgorsen. Holgorsen has demonstrated that he is a good offensive coordinator. But, so far, he hasn’t demonstrated that he is a good head coach. One thing, among many, that he needs to do at the end of the season is fire the entire defensive coaching staff. A crowd of 57,287 attended the game in Morgantown.
Venting – Wisconsin 62, Purdue 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 30, Purdue 17). Wisconsin took its Michigan State and Ohio State frustrations out on Purdue. Montee Ball rushed for 223 yards. A crowd of 80,566 attended the game in Madison.
Hollywood high – UCLA 29, Arizona State 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona State 40, UCLA 24). Trailing 28-23, the Bruins scored with 00:49 remaining to take a one-point lead. Their two-point conversion attempt failed. In the closing seconds, the Sun Devils drove to the Bruins’ 29. But a 46-yard field goal attempt went awry as time expired. A crowd of 65,438 attended the game in Pasadena.
Bearcat rally – Cincinnati 26, Pitt 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Cincinnati 28, Pitt 19). Trailing 23-13 with about 4:00 to go in the third quarter, the Bearcats scored the final 13 points of the game. Cincinnati sits atop the Big East standings. A crowd of 49,362 attended the game in Pittsburgh.
Heel and Mouth disease – N.C. State 13, North Carolina 0 (Touchdown Tom said: North Carolina 29, N.C. State 22). That will teach Everett Withers to shoot off his mouth. I bet he won’t do it again. I bet North Carolina won’t give him the chance to do it again. Withers mouthed-off about N.C. State during the week prior to the game. State held the Heels to three yards rushing and 165 yards total. A crowd of 57,583 attended the game in Raleigh.
Irish smoke the Deacons – Notre Dame 24, Wake Forest 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 33, Wake Forest 23). Wake led 17-10 at the half. It was all Notre Dame in the second half. A crowd of 36,307 attended the game in Winston-Salem.
Bears get Mo – Baylor 42, Missouri 39 (Touchdown Tom said: Baylor 30, Missouri 29). The two teams combined for 1,275 yards of offense. Mizzou scored 25 of its 39 points in the fourth quarter. A crowd of 40,194 attended the game in Waco.
The Lonely Bulls – Rutgers 20, South Florida 17 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Rutgers 28, South Florida 20). Rutgers snapped a two-game losing streak, kicking a 37-yard field goal in overtime to beat the Bulls. The Scarlet Knights won the game in spite of being held to -7 yards rushing. A crowd of 36,911 attended the game in Piscataway.
Tulsa turns the Knights’ lights out – Tulsa 24, UCF 17 (Touchdown Tom said: UCF 26, Tulsa 25). Tulsa continues its march towards a November 25 encounter against Houston. Meanwhile, UCF should have dumped George O’Leary years ago. A crowd of 36,712 attended the game in Orlando.
Re-Demps-tion – Florida 26, Vanderbilt 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Vanderbilt 29, Florida 24). A scoreless tie at the end of the first quarter, Florida scored 17 unanswered points in the second quarter. And that was the only quarter all game that the Gators’ offense looked good. All except for Jeff Demps who saved the game for Florida in the second half. Vanderbilt definitely came to life after the intermission. The Dores outscored the Gators 21-9 in the second half. A crowd of 90,144 attended the game in Gainesville.
Purple rain – Northwestern 28, Nebraska 25 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 34, Northwestern 19). It’s a good thing Nebraska doesn’t have Victoria’s Secret Lingerie team on its schedule. The gals would fox the Huskers out of their panties. Northwestern scored first and never trailed. A crowd of 85,115 attended the game in Lincoln.
These Beavers have no teeth – Stanford 38, Oregon State 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 31, Oregon State 13). The Stanford defense held the Beavers to 33 yards rushing, as the Cardinal put another nail in Mike Riley’s coffin. A crowd of 42,835 attended the game in Corvallis.
Orange juiced – Connecticut 28, Syracuse 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Syracuse 23, Connecticut 16). Trailing 21-14 at the end of the third quarter, UConn scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth. A crowd of 38,769 attended the game in East Hartford.
Miami vice – Miami (Florida) 49, Duke 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 30, Duke 19). The Dookies were looking more like themselves against the Canes. They were flattened like a Cuban sandwich. A crowd of 62,053 attended the game in Miami Gardens.
Uga has no mercy – Georgia 63, New Mexico State 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 39, New Mexico State 18). A pleasant breather for the Dawgs. Chris, Susan and John Eaton attended the game. Heck, Georgia’s basketball team doesn’t score this many points. A crowd of 92,746 attended the game in Athens.
I’ll take the 15-8 week, as bad as it is, since I was dead-on my LSU-Alabama pick, even down to my comment that it would be all field goals and no touchdowns. My season total now stands at 168-66 (71.8 percent).
Florida State dumped Boston College, 38-7. A crowd of 38,729 attended the game in Chestnut Hill…. Florida International lost to Western Kentucky, 10-9. A crowd of 15,293 attended the game in Bowling Green…. Florida Atlantic fell to Arkansas State, 39-21. A crowd of 15,162 attended the game in Boca Raton.
Bethune-Cookman downed Morgan State, 49-23. A crowd of 9,649 attended the game in Daytona Beach…. Florida A&M beat North Carolina A&T, 26-20. A crowd of 16,415 attended the game in Tallahassee…. Jacksonville U. lost to Drake, 31-24. A crowd of 1,867 attended the game in Des Moines.
Impressive Passers: Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden – 36-46-2 for 502 yards; West Virginia’s Geno Smith – 31-44-0-410; Houston’s Case Keenum – 39-44-0-407; Baylor’s Robert Griffin – 27-41-0-406; Rice’s Nick Fanuzzi – 30-43-0-405; Texas Tech’s Seth Doege – 40-55-0-381; Louisiana Tech’s Colby Cameron – 18-32-0-358; Louisiana-Lafayette’s Blaine Gautier – 30-47-0-355, and Arizona’s Nick Foles – 25-42-2-326.
Also, Missouri’s James Franklin – 33-46-0 for 325 yards; ; SMU’s J.J. McDermott – 29-40-0-322; Toledo’s Austin Dantin – 20-33-0-322; USC’s Matt Barkley – 25-39-1-318; Central Michigan’s Ryan Radcliff – 26-42-2-316; Virginia’s Michael Rocco – 23-35-0-307; Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson – 20-37-1-299; Vanderbilt’s Jordan Rogers – 19-28-0-297; Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins – 23-34-0-296, and Minnesota’s MarQueis Gray – 19-32-2-295.
Also, UTEP’s Nick Lamaison – 16-29-2 for 294 yards; Tennessee’s Justin Worley – 23-32-1-291; Fresno State’s Derek Carr – 39-49-2-290; Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez – 28-37-0-289; San Jose State’s Matt Faulkner – 29-41-0-289; Ball State’s – Keith Wenning – 20-35-1-284; Kentucky’s Maxwell Smith – 19-36-0-283; Kent State’s Spencer Keith – 17-31-0-281; Syracuse’s Ryan Nassib – 24-39-2-275, and San Diego State’s Ryan Lindley – 16-24-0-271.
Also, Florida’s Jeffrey Demps – 158 yards; Oregon’s LaMichael James – 156 yards; Western Kentucky’s Bobby Rainey – 155 yards; Connecticut’s Lyle McCombs – 152 yards; Miami of Florida’s Lamar Miller – 147 yards; Kansas State’s Collin Klein – 144 yards; SMU’s Zach Line – 143 yards; Ohio State’s Dan Herron – 141 yards, and San Diego State’s Ronnie Hillman – 141 yards.
Quotes of the Week
“The conference believes these claims to be wholly without merit and will explore all its legal options to protect its interests and to ensure that West Virginia lives up to its obligations,” Big East commissioner John Marinatto, on West Virginia’s suit against the conference.
“I think you would compare the NCAA to Al Capone and the Mafia,” Illinois (D) congressman Bobby Rush, on how the NCAA handles student athletes.
“College is important. Without college there would be no college football,” Tim Allen, on Last Man Standing.
“LSU-Alabama: Snarky Nick Saban vs. ‘Mad Hatter’ Les Miles. And the really cool thing is that we don’t have to worry about either team holding a halftime news conference to announce they’re headed to another league,” USA Today writer Tom Weir.
“The reason Tony Larussa retired? He wanted to spend more time with Urban Meyer’s family,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.
“You want to talk about a scary Halloween costume? One kid in my neighborhood came to my door the other night dressed as Tim Tebow’s throwing motion,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.
GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Oregon (8-1) at Stanford (9-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – A win over Oregon would boost Stanford ahead of Alabama in the BCS standings. A win over Oregon would make Andrew Luck the solid frontrunner for the Heisman. But that is asking for a lot. The Cardinal has some injuries. GameDay will be in Palo Alto. The Duck will need Aflac – Stanford 28, Oregon 27.
RUNNER UP: 2. Nebraska (7-2) at Penn State (8-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Surely the Huskers were looking ahead to this game when they lost to Northwestern last week. And how will the Nittany Lions’ players respond to the sex scandals that broke over the weekend? There goes Paterno’s legacy. Already, the Penn State jokes are circulating on the Internet. Huskers shun the Nittany Lions’ advances – Nebraska 23, Penn State 19.
REST OF THE BEST: 3. TCU (7-2) at Boise State (8-0) – (MWC vs. MWC) – They say if the Broncos are going to lose, this is the game where it will happen. But that’s a pretty big if. If the game was being played in Fort Worth, it might happen. But the game is in Idaho – Boise State 31, TCU 20.
4. Virginia Tech (8-1) at Georgia Tech (7-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – A couple weeks ago, the Yellow Jackets spoiled Clemson’s fun. Now, will the Jackets spoil the Hokies’ fun? They will if the Hokies can’t stop the run. Killer Bees – Georgia Tech 21, Virginia Tech 20.
5. Oklahoma State (9-0) at Texas Tech (5-4) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – Somehow, the Red Raiders beat the other Oklahoma team. But they won’t beat this one. Not even in Lubbock – Oklahoma State 45, Texas Tech 29.
6. West Virginia (6-3) at Cincinnati (7-1) – (Big East vs. Big East) – Geno Smith and the WVU offense may score a lot of points. But the Cincinnati offense will score more points. The Mountaineers have no defense. They have given up 118 points in their last three games. The Bearcats find lots of holes to run through and lots of open receivers to pass to – Cincinnati 30, West Virginia 27.
7. Louisiana-Lafayette (8-2) at Arkansas State (7-2) – (Sun Belt vs. Sun Belt) – It’s not often the Sun Belt has a big game, but this one should be donnybrook. Arkansas State is riding a six-game winning streak. ULL has won seven of its last eight. Both teams are putting lots of points on the board. But the home field is at Ark State – Arkansas State 28, Louisiana-Lafayette 25.
8. Auburn (6-3) at Georgia (7-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – The Dawgs are in the driver’s seat. Beat Auburn this week and Kentucky next week, and the Dawgs win the SEC East. Georgia has won seven straight. Auburn has been up and down. It won’t be easy, but Uga catches a Cat – a Tiger Cat – Georgia 26, Auburn 24.
9. Michigan (7-2) at Illinois (6-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big 12) – The Wolverines aren’t going to lose two in a row. The Banned Indians are facing their fourth-straight loss, after a 6-0 start. That’s some fall from grace. The Banned Indians fall some more – Michigan 26, Illinois 19.
10. Michigan State (7-2) at Iowa (6-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Iowa’s going for the duo-fecta – Michigan last week, Michigan State this week. It’s possible. The Hawkeyes are tough at home. But this week the Spartans are tougher – Michigan State 24, Iowa 23.
11. Washington (6-3) at USC (7-2) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – The Trojans are having a fun season. They can’t go anywhere when it’s over. They just want to be the best team that can’t go to a bowl. Most likely they will succeed – USC 28, Washington 22.
12. Alabama (8-1) at Mississippi State (5-4) – (SEC vs. SEC) – The Tide can’t let the loss to LSU get them down. After all, a Stanford loss and an Oklahoma State loss and the Tide are right back in the thick of things – a rematch against LSU in the title game. Yes, it could happen. But Bama has to win out. First things, first – Alabama 28, Mississippi State 10.
13. Wake Forest (5-4) at Clemson (8-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – Wake may have played Notre Dame close, but the Deacs had some bad losses to Virginia Tech and North Carolina. They are about to suffer another bad loss – Clemson 33, Wake Forest 18.
14. Florida (5-4) at South Carolina (7-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – South Carolina has to beat Florida and hope that Auburn beats Georgia. That’s the only way the Gamecocks can win the SEC East. The Cocks take care of their end of the bargain – South Carolina 26, Florida 14.
15. Texas A&M (5-4) at Kansas State (7-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – The Aggies are having a rough ride in their final season in the Big 12. The Wildcats make it rougher – Kansas State 33, Texas A&M 26.
16. Miami (Florida) (5-4) at Florida State (6-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – Jimbo has six wins, but the pundits say FSU hasn’t beaten anybody. If he doesn’t beat Miami, Jimbo will be Dumbo again. Jimbo doesn’t like peanuts – Florida State 27, Miami 24.
17. Tennessee (4-5) at Arkansas (8-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – If the Hogs mind their P’s and Q’s, they could be in the thick of things. This week, they have to mind their T’s. They do – Arkansas 24, Tennessee 11.
18. UCF (4-5) at Southern Miss (8-1) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – A loss here and UCF could be out of the bowl picture. It doesn’t look good for the Knights. The Eagles are on a roll – Southern Miss 30, UCF 19.
19. Texas (6-2) at Missouri (4-5) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – Like Texas A&M, Mizzou, the other Big 12 team going to the SEC, has had a rough time of it. But it is about time for the Tigers to pop somebody. Bevo doesn’t duck – Missouri 32, Texas 29.
20. Ohio State (6-3) at Purdue (4-5) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – The Boilers took a shellacking from Wisconsin last week. But that was on the road. Purdue seems to play better at home. But they don’t play good enough to beat the Buckeyes – Ohio State 31, Purdue 21.
21. Wyoming (5-3) at Air Force (5-4) – (MWC vs. MWC) – Interesting game in the MWC. It’s been a better than expected year for the Cowboys. A worse than expected year for Air Force. Both teams are trying to become bowl eligible. The Falcons will – Air Force 29, Wyoming 22.
Duke (3-6) at Virginia (6-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – The Dookies are running out of chances to win another game. The odds aren’t good against the Cavs. But maybe they can make it decent. Close but no cigar in Charlottesville? – Virginia 28, Duke 14.
AROUND FLORIDA:
South Florida travels to Syracuse.... Florida International (5-4) plays host to Florida Atlantic (0-8)…. Bethune-Cookman (6-3) entertains Savannah State (1-8)…. Florida A&M (6-3) travels to North Carolina Central (2-7)…. Jacksonville U. (6-3) hosts Butler (5-4).
Northern Illinois at Bowling Green – 8 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Western Michigan at Toledo – 8 p.m. ET – ESPNUMiami (Ohio) at Temple – 8 p.m. ET – ESPN
Ohio at Central Michigan – 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Houston at Tulane – 8 p.m. ET – CBS College Sports NetworkVirginia Tech at Georgia Tech – 8 p.m. ET – ESPN
South Florida at Syracuse -- 8 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Florida at South Carolina – 12 noon ET – CBS
Michigan State at Iowa – 12 noon ET – ESPN2Nebraska at Penn State – 12 noon ET – ESPN
West Virginia at Cincinnati – 12 noon ET – ABC
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech – 12 noon ET – ABC
Penn at Harvard – 12 noon ET – Versus
Pitt at Louisville – 12 noon ET – Big East Game of the Week
Texas at Missouri – 12 noon ET – FX
Wake Forest at Clemson – 12 noon ET – ESPNU
Kentucky at Vanderbilt – 12:20 p.m. ET – SEC Game of the Week
N.C. State at Boston College – 12:30 p.m. ET – ACC Game of the Week
Army vs. Rutgers – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS College Sports Network
Auburn at Georgia – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS
Miami (Florida) at Florida State – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
Michigan at Illinois – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
Texas A&M at Kansas State – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN
TCU at Boise State – 3:30 p.m. ET – Versus
Washington at USC – 3:30 p.m. ET – FX
Tennessee at Arkansas – 6 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Western Kentucky at LSU – 7 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Maryland vs. Notre Dame – 7:30 p.m. ET – NBC
Alabama at Mississippi State – 7:45 p.m. ET – ESPN
Oregon at Stanford – 8 p.m. ET – ABC
UCF at Southern Miss – 8 p.m. ET – CBS College Sports Network
Idaho at BYU – 9:15 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Arizona State at Washington State – 10:30 p.m. ET – Versus
Hawaii at Nevada – 10:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Elsewhere around college football . . . Ohio State has replaced Cincinnati with UCF on its 2012 football schedule. UCF in turn canceled Pitt from its 2012 schedule to make room for the Buckeyes…. Former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, once considered Joe Paterno’s heir apparent, has been charged with 40 counts of child sexual abuse – sexually assaulting eight boys over a 15-year period. Sandusky retired in 1999, but continued to use the school’s facilities where the alleged assaults took place. Perjury charges have also been filed against Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, a Penn State finance official. The two officials are accused of failing to alert the police and attempting to cover up the scandal.
Fourth BCS Standings: 1. LSU, 2. Oklahoma State, 3. Alabama, 4. Stanford,
5. Boise State, 6. Oklahoma, 7. Oregon, 8. Arkansas, 9. Clemson, 10. Virginia TechOn 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 in early November as the college football season began its final stretch, the number one song in the country…
…75 years ago this week in 1936 was “The Way You Look Tonight” by Fred Astaire
…70 years ago this week in 1941 was “Piano Concerto in B Flat” by Freddy Martin
…65 years ago this week in 1946 was “Rumors Are Flying” by Frankie Carle
…60 years ago this week in 1951 was “Cold, Cold Heart” by Tony Bennett
…55 years ago this week in 1956 was “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley
…50 years ago this week in 1961 was “Big Bad John” by Jimmy Dean
…45 years ago this week in 1966 was “Poor Side of Town” by Johnny Rivers
…40 years ago this week in 1971 was “Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves” by Cher
…35 years ago this week in 1976 was “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” by Rod Stewart
…30 years ago this week in 1981 was “Private Eyes” by Daryl Hall & John Oates
…25 years ago this week in 1986 was “Amanda” by Boston
…20 years ago this week in 1991 was “Cream” by Prince & the N.P.G.
Liz Anderson, who wrote breakthrough hits for Merle Haggard and other country singers and recorded songs of her own, died last week in Nashville. She was 81. The cause was complications of heart and lung disease. Beginning in the early 1960s, Anderson wrote Top 20 country hits for Haggard, Del Reeves, Roy Drusky, Jerry Lee Lewis, Waylon Jennings and her daughter, Lynn Anderson. Liz Anderson also had seven Top 40 country hits of her own. Elizabeth Jane Haaby was born on March 13, 1930, in Roseau, Minnesota. Her family moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1943. Anderson began her songwriting career in California, then moved to Nashville in 1966.
Matty Alou, a left-handed, slap-hitting outfielder who won a batting championship as a Pittsburgh Pirate and who as a San Francisco Giant once shared an outfield with his brothers Felipe and Jesus, died last week in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He was 72. The cause was complications of diabetes. Alou played for six major league teams. His .307 average of a 15-year career was higher than that of Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle. His best seasons were 1966 to 1969. Mateo Rojas Alou was born on December 22, 1938, in Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic.
Bob Forsch, who threw two no-hitters and won 163 games for the St. Louis Cardinals, died last week at his home near Tampa, Florida. He was 61. His death came less than a week after he threw a ceremonial first pitch before the seventh game of the World Series. Forsch’s career won-lost record was 168-136. His older brother, Ken Forsch, pitched for the Houston Astros and California Angels. Robert Herbert Forsch was born in Sacramento, California, on January 13, 1950.
Andy Rooney, whose prickly wit was long a mainstay of CBS News and whose homespun commentary on “60 Minutes,” delivered every week from 1978 to 2011, made him a household name, died last week in New York City. He was 92. Andrew Aitken Rooney was born on January 14, 1919, in Albany, New York. He attended Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, where he played left guard on the football team. In 1941, three months before Pearl Harbor, he was drafted into the Army and got himself assigned to Stars & Stripes. He became a sergeant, flew on some bombing missions, covered the invasion of France in 1944 and won a Bronze Star for reporting under fire during the battle of Saint-Lo in Normandy.
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