College Football Week 12 – Dooley out; Is Chizik next? 
‘We sang in the sunshine,
You know we laughed every day’
“We sang in the sunshine,
Then she went on her way” 

What year was it?

It was a year of protests, and a year of riots.  It was the year The Band, The Birds, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Moody Blues and The Who performed for the first time, while “Sing Along With Mitch” and “Hootenanny” aired on television for the last time.  And it was the year Touchdown Tom and Rockledge Gator graduated from high school.

As the year began, “Top of the Pops” aired on BBC television for the first time, while in the States “That Was the Week That Was” premiered on NBC TV.  Still in January, the United States government announced for the first time that smoking may be hazardous to your health, and “Hello Dolly” opened on Broadway at New York City’s St. James Theater.

John Glenn resigned from the space program to enter politics, and plans to build New York City’s World Trade Center were announced.    

On the first day of February, the Beatles vaulted into the No. 1 spot on U.S. music charts for the first time with “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”  On the very same day, Indiana governor Mathew E. Welsh declared the song “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen pornographic.  Meanwhile, the U.S. Government authorized the 24th amendment, outlawing poll tax.

The Beatles arrived in the U.S. from England at New York City’s JFK International Airport.  Two days later, the Beatles made their first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”  The show broke television ratings records.  Before February ended, the Beatles made two more appearances on the show. 

In Miami Beach, Florida, Muhammad Ali beat Sonny Liston.  Ali was crowned the heavyweight champion of the world.   

In early March, Elvis Presley’s 14th movie “Kissin’ Cousins” opened in theaters around the U.S., and the first Ford Mustang rolled off the assembly line.  About a week later, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were married for the first time in Montreal, Quebec, while disc jockey Alan Freed was charged with tax evasion.

UCLA won the NCAA basketball title, beating Duke 97-83 in the championship game.

In late March, the great Alaskan earthquake struck south-central Alaska, killing 125 people and inflicting massive damage on the city of Anchorage.  At a magnitude of 9.2, it was the second most powerful earthquake in the world and the most powerful in the U.S.  Spring football practice was underway on the campuses of many colleges around the country.  Football season couldn’t be far off.  

Radio Caroline became England’s first pirate radio station, from a ship anchored just outside U.K. territorial waters.  As the month came to a close, Jeopardy debuted on NBC TV, with Art Fleming as host.  In Brazil, the military overthrew President Joao Goulart, beginning 21 years of military dictatorship in the South American country.  

Early April was a busy time.  The Beatles held the Top 5 positions on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart with “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Twist and Shout,” “She Loves You,” “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and Please Please Me.”  Meanwhile, three high school friends in Hoboken, New Jersey, opened the first Blimpie.

IBM announced System/360.  Gemini I, the first unmanned test of the two-man spacecraft, was launched, and “From Russia with Love” premiered in U.S. movie theaters.

“We’ll sing in the sunshine,
We’ll laugh every day,
We’ll sing in the sunshine
Then I’ll be on my way.”

Demolition of the Polo Grounds sports stadium commenced in New York City.  Sydney Poitier became the first black to win an Academy Award for Best Actor.  Poitier won for his role in the movie “Lilies of the Field.”  Arnold Palmer won the Masters Golf Championship

Still in April, The Rolling Stones released their debut album “The Rolling Stones.”  Shea Stadium opened in Flushing, New York, with the New York Mets playing their first game in the facility.  The Mets lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3.  During the game, the Pirates’ Willie Stargell hit the first home run in the stadium’s history.

As April was nearing an end, BBC2 began broadcasting for the first time in the U.K.  In Scandinavia, the Swedish warship VASA, sunk in 1628, was raised from the waters in Stockholm’s harbor, while thieves stole the head of the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark.  In Africa, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the country of Tanzania.

The Boston Celtics won the NBA championship, 4 games to 1 over the San Francisco Warriors.

On the first of May, two computer engineers ran the first program written in BASIC, an easy to learn high-level program language.  The next day, one-thousand students marched through Times Square in New York City, while another 700 students marched in San Francisco.  These, along with smaller marches in Boston, Seattle and Madison, Wisconsin, were the first major demonstrations against the Vietnam War.

Hitchhiking in Meadville, Mississippi, Henry Dee and Charles Moore were kidnapped and beaten to death by members of the Ku Klux Klan.  The U.S. Congress officially recognized bourbon whiskey as a distinctive product of the United States.

Northern Dancer became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby.  In California, Pacific Airlines flight 773 crashed near San Ramon.  It was later learned from the cockpit recorder tape that the pilot and co-pilot had been shot by a suicidal passenger.  In New York City, 12 young men burned their draft cards to protest the Vietnam War.  It was the first such act of war resistance.       

In the FA Cup final in England, West Ham United downed Preston North End, 3-2, and India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru died. 
   
As May came to a close, Touchdown Tom graduated from Huntington High School in Huntington, West Virginia, and Rockledge Gator graduated from Cocoa High School in Cocoa, Florida.  The two would not meet for another 13 years. 

June arrived as The Rolling Stones began their first U.S. tour.  In South Africa, Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment.  Ken Venturi won the U.S. Open Golf Championship.  U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, 32, was seriously injured in a private plane crash at Southampton, Massachusetts.  The pilot was killed.

“I will never love you,
The cost of love’s too dear,
But though I’ll never love you,
I’ll stay with you one year.”

Summer was underway and while not yet able to listen to the games on the radio, college football fans were listening to “My Guy” by Mary Wells; “People” by Barbra Streisand; “Ronnie” by The 4 Seasons; “It’s Over” by Roy Orbison; “Cotton Candy” by Al Hirt; “(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet” by The Reflections; “Love Me Do” by The Beatles; “Love Me With All Your Heart (Cuando Calienta El Sol)” by The Ray Charles Singers, and “Diane” by The Bachelors.

Also, “Today” by The New Christy Minstrels; “Little Children” by Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas; “I Don’t Want To Be Hurt Anymore” by Nat King Cole; “Walk On By” by Dionne Warwick; “Once Upon A Time” by Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells; “Every Little Bit Hurts” by Brenda Holloway; “Do You Love Me” by The Dave Clark Five; “Not Fade Away” by The Rolling Stones, and “Chapel Of Love” by The Dixie Cups.

The preseason college football magazines were out and that could only mean one thing:  The start of college football was just around the corner. 

Near the end of June, three civil rights workers, Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney were murdered near Philadelphia, Mississippi, by local Klansmen, cops and a sheriff.  Their bodies were not found until almost two months later.  Jim Bunning pitched a perfect game for the Philadelphia Phillies in a 6-0 win over the New York Mets.

Tony Lema won the British Open Golf Championship on the same day that the Beatles returned to Liverpool in triumph after their successful U.S. tour.  They arrived just in time for the premier of their film “A Hard Day’s Night.”

As the summer air grew warmer and thicker, the DJs were playing and college football fans were listening to “P.S. I Love You” by The Beatles; “Viva Las Vegas” by Elvis Presley; “A World Without Love” by Peter and Gordon; “Tears And Roses” by Al Martino; “What’s The Matter With You Baby” by Marvin Gaye & Mary Wells; “What’d I Say” by Elvis Presley; “Tell Me Why” by Bobby Vinton, and “I’ll Touch A Star” by Terry Stafford.

Also, “Beans In My Ears” by The Serendipity Singers; “Yesterday’s Gone” by Chad & Jeremy; “No Particular Place To Go” by Chuck Berry; “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” by Gerry and The Pacemakers; “I Get Around” by The Beach Boys; “Bad To Me” by Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas; “Don’t Worry Baby” by The Beach Boys; “Don’t Throw Your Love Away” by The Searchers, and “Memphis” by Johnny Rivers. 

On July 18, race riots lasting for six days broke out in Harlem.  On the last day of the month, Ranger 7 sent back the first close-up photographs of the moon. 

“And we can sing in the sunshine,
We’ll laugh every day,
We’ll sing in the sunshine,
Then I’ll be on my way.”

Just two days into August, the wreckage of a private plane, piloted by singer Jim Reeves, was found near Brentwood, Tennessee.  There were no survivors.  Five days later, the U.S. Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving President Lyndon B. Johnson broad war powers to deal with the North Vietnamese. 

Summer was coming to an end and football fans couldn’t wait for another season to begin.  Ole Miss was the No. 1 team in the country at preseason.  On the eve of the first kickoffs, college football fans were grillin’ and chillin’ to “Remember Me” by Rita Pavone; “Good Times” by Sam Cooke; “Try It Baby” by Marvin Gaye; “Keep On Pushing” by The Impressions; “The Girl From Ipanema” by Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto, and “Can’t You See That She’s Mine” by The Dave Clark Five.

Also, “Dang Me” by Roger Miller; “Do I Love You?” by The Ronettes; “I Wanna Love Him So Bad” by The Jelly Beans; “Steal Away” by Jimmy Hughes; “Rag Doll” by The 4 Seasons; “Wishin’ And Hopin’” by Dusty Springfield; “I Believe” by The Bachelors; “Nobody I Know” by Peter & Gordon; “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am” by Nancy Wilson; “Under The Boardwalk” by The Drifters; “The Little Ole Lady (From Pasadena)” by Jan & Dean, and “Everybody Loves Somebody” by Dean Martin.
 
Later in the month, Bobby Nichols won the PGA Championship, and the movie “Mary Poppins” had its world premier in Los Angeles.  During the last week of August, three days of race riots broke out in Philadelphia.

In September, Touchdown Tom began his freshman year at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia.  On television, “Shindig,” “Peyton Place,” “The Addams Family,” “Flipper,” “The Munsters,” “Gilligan’s Island” and Bewitched” premiered. 

Meanwhile, the college football season was underway and fans were tailgating to “You’re My World” by Cilla Black; “Tell Me (You’re Coming Back)” by The Rolling Stones; “Al-Di-La” by The Ray Charles Singers; “Sugar Lips” by Al Hirt; “Little Latin Lupe Lu” by The Kingsmen; “Walk Don’t Run (Part II)” by The Ventures, and “How Do You Do It?” by Gerry and The Pacemakers.

Also, “C’mon And Swim” by Bobby Freeman; “Where Did Our Love Go” by The Supremes; “Just Be True” by Gene Chandler; “People Say” by The Dixie Cups; “A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles; “It Hurts To Be In Love” by Gene Pitney; “Such A Night” by Elvis Presley; “And I Love Her” by The Beatles; “Maybe I Know” by Lesley Gore, and “It’s All Over Now” by The Rolling Stones.

A first class U.S. postage stamp was 5 cents, while a gallon of gas cost 30 cents.  The average price of a new car was $3,500 and a loaf of bread was 21 cents.

“I’ll sing to you each morning,
I’ll kiss you every night,
But darlin’ don’t cling to me,
I’ll soon be out of sight.”

In Athens, King Constantine of Greece married Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark.  She became Europe’s youngest queen at age 18.  Also, in the Mediterranean, the Island of Malta obtained its independence from Great Britain.

College football fans were celebrating their wins and mourning their losses “You Never Can Tell” by Chuck Berry; “Because” by The Dave Clark Five; “Selfish One” by Jackie Ross; “G.T.O.” by Ronny and The Daytonas; “Clinging Vine” by Bobby Vinton; “Haunted House” by Gene Simmons; “The House Of The Rising Sun” by The Animals; “We’ll Sing In The Sunshine” by Gale Garnett; “Maybeline” by Johnny Rivers, and “Bread And Butter” by The Newbeats.

Also, “Funny” by Joe Hinton; “Baby I Need Your Loving” by The Four Tops; “A Summer Song” by Chad & Jeremy; “I’m On The Outside (Looking In)” by Little Anthony and The Imperials; “Rhythm” by Major Lance; “From A Window” by Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas; “Remember (Walkin’ In The Sand)” by The Shangri-Las, and “Dancing In The Street” by Martha and The Vandellas.

By month’s end, “Fiddler on the Roof” opened on Broadway, and Pete Townshend of The Who destroyed his first guitar.  Kentucky scored a late touchdown, upsetting No. 1 Ole Miss, 27-21.  Texas became the No. 1 team in the country.

October began with three-thousand students marching and protesting at the University of California in Berkeley in what became the Berkeley Free Speech Movement.  The Kinks released their first album, and 23 men and 31 women escaped to West Berlin through a narrow tunnel under the Berlin Wall. 

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip began an eight-day visit to Canada, and American civil rights movement leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was named the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.  He became the youngest recipient of the award.

On October 15, Nikita Khrushchev was deposed as the leader of the Soviet Union.  Leonid Brezhnev and Alexi Kosygin assumed power.  The same day, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the New York Yankees, 7-5, to win the World Series in seven games.

The next day, Harold Wilson became the new British prime minister, the Peoples Republic of China exploded an atomic bomb and Arkansas beat No. 1 Texas, 14-13. 

“But we can sing in the sunshine,
We’ll laugh every day,
We’ll sing in the sunshine,
Then I’ll be on my way.”

The movie “My Fair Lady” premiered in New York City, and a federal committee in Canada selected a maple leaf design to become the new official flag of Canada.  Northern Rhodesia, a former British protectorate, became the independent Republic of Zambia, ending 73 years of British rule.  And Ohio State became the new No. 1 team in the country.

The Rolling Stones began their second U.S. tour on October 24.  The next day, they appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” for the first time.  As the month ended, a collection of irreplaceable gemstones, including the 565 carat Star of India, were stolen from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. 

At Halloween, college football fans were being tricked or treated, while listening to “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison; “Matchbox” by The Beatles; “When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)” by The Beach Boys; “You Must Believe Me” by The Impressions; “Softly, As I Leave You” by Frank Sinatra; “Chug-A-Lug” by Roger Miller, and “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” by Manfred Mann.

Also, “Let It Be Me” by Betty Everett & Jerry Butler; “On The Street Where You Live” by Andy Williams; “Tobacco Road” by The Nashville Teens; “Little Honda” by The Hondells; “Come a Little Bit Closer” by Jay & The Americans; “Ride The Wild Surf” by Jan & Dean; “Baby Don’t You Do It” by Marvin Gaye, and “Have I The Right?” by The Honeycombs.

Several days into November, the British House of Commons voted t abolish the death penalty for murder in Britain.  Bob Pettit of the St. Louis Hawks became the first NBA player to score 20,000 points.  Then unranked Penn State upset No. 1 Ohio State, 27-0, and Notre Dame became the new No. 1 team in the country.

“My daddy he once told me,
‘Hey don’t you love you any man,
Just take what they may give you,
And give what you can.’”

On November 19, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the closing of 95 military bases and facilities, including the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  Two days later, the Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened to traffic.  At Thanksgiving, college football fans were stuffing themselves on turkey and pumpkin pie, while listening to “I Got Sand In My Shoes” by The Drifters; “I’m Crying” by The Animals; “I Like It” by Gerry and The Pacemakers, and “The Door Is Still Open To My Heart” by Dean Martin.

Also, “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks; “Everybody Knows (I Still Love You)” by The Dave Clark Five; “I Don’t Want To See You Again” by Peter & Gordon; “Baby Love” by The Supremes; “Ain’t That Loving You Baby” by Elvis Presley; “Leader Of The Pack” by The Shangri-Las; “Ask Me” by Elvis Presley; “Is It True” by Brenda Lee; “Time Is On My Side” by The Rolling Stones; “I’m Into Something Good” by Herman’s Hermits, and “She’s Not There” by The Zombies.

At the end of the month, USC beat No. 1 Notre Dame, 20-17, and NASA launched the Mariner 4 space probe from Kennedy Space Center to Mars to take pictures of that planet.  France performed an underground nuclear test in Algeria, while Alabama, Arkansas and Princeton all finished the regular season undefeated.

At the beginning of December Gustavo Diaz Ordaz took office as the President of Mexico, and Alabama became the No. 1 team in the country.  Two days later, police arrested about 800 students at the University of California in Berkeley, following their takeover and sit-in at the Sproul Hall administration building.

The consensus All-American first-team consisted of end Jack Snow – Notre Dame, (6-2, 210) Long Beach, CA; end Fred Biletnikoff – Florida State, (6-1, 186) Erie, PA; tackle Larry Kramer – Nebraska, (6-2, 240) Austin, MN; tackle Ralph Neely – Oklahoma, (6-5, 243) Farmington, NM; guard Rick Redman – Washington, (5-11, 215) Seattle, WA; guard Glenn Ressler – Penn State, (6-2, 230) Dornsife, PA; center Dick Butkus – Illinois, (6-3, 237) Chicago, IL; quarterback John Huarte – Notre Dame, (6-0, 180) Anaheim, CA; running back Gale Sayers – Kansas, (6-0, 194, Omaha, NE; running back Lawrence Elkins – Baylor, (6-1, 187) Brownwood, TX, and running back Tucker Frederickson – Auburn, (6-2, 210) Hollywood, FL.

It was the last year that there was not a separate All-American team for offense and defense.  Up through this year, most players played both ways.

Notre Dame quarterback John Huarte won the Heisman Trophy.  Following Huarte in the balloting were Tulsa quarterback Jerry Rhome, Illinois center Dick Butkus, and Michigan quarterback Bob Timberlake.

The Maxwell Award for college football’s most outstanding player went to Penn State center/guard Glenn Ressler.  Tennessee tackle Steve DeLong won the Outland Trophy, awarded to college football’s most outstanding interior lineman. 

“And you can sing in the sunshine,
You’ll laugh every day,
You’ll sing in the sunshine,
Then be on your way.”

The one-hour special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” premiered on NBC.  On December 11, Che Guevara addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York, and singer Sam Cooke was killed under mysterious circumstances in Los Angeles.

Seven days later, the deadly Pacific Northwest Christmas flood began, affecting northern California, southern Washington, southwest Idaho and much of Oregon.  Considered a 100-year flood, it was one of the worst to affect the Willamette River Valley in Oregon.  Northern California and Oregon were the hardest hits areas in the flood.

The best albums of the year were “A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles, “Beatles For Sale” by The Beatles, “Little Deuce Coup” by The Beach Boys, “All Summer Long” by The Beach Boys, “Surfer Girl” by The Beach Boys, “Another Side of Dylan” by Bob Dylan, “Times They Are A-Changin’ ” by Bob Dylan, “Where Did Our Love Go” by The Supremes, “I Hear a Symphony” by The Supremes, “Together” by Marvin Gaye, “Take Two” by Marvin Gaye, “When I’m Alone I Cry” by Marvin Gaye, and “Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook” by Ella Fitzgerald.

Also, “Where Love Has Gone” by Jack Jones, “My Kind of Town” by Jack Jones, “A Girl Called Dusty” by Dusty Springfield, “Stay Awhile/I Only Want To Be With You” by Dusty Springfield, “Wednesday Morning 3 AM” by Simon & Garfunkel, “Kinks” by The Kinks, “My Guy” by Mary Wells, “Meet the Temptations” by The Temptations, “A Love Supreme” by John Coltrane, “I Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash, “Ain’t That Good News” by Sam Cooke, and “The Kingsmen in Person” by The Kingsmen.

Also, “The Animals” by The Animals, “The Beatles’ Second Album” by The Beatles, “Make Way for Dionne Warwick” by Dionne Warwick, “12 x 5” by The Rolling Stones, “Under the Boardwalk” by The Drifters, “The Manfred Mann Album” by Manfred Mann, “Rag Doll” by The 4 Seasons, “Everybody Loves Somebody” by Dean Martin, and “A World Without Love” by Peter & Gordon.

With Christmas in the air and bowl games near, college football fans were doing their shopping to “Reach Out For Me” by Dionne Warwick; “Everything’s Alright” by The Newbeats; “Right Or Wrong” by Ronnie Dove; “Walking In The Rain” by The Ronettes; “I’m Gonna Be Strong” by Gene Pitney; “My Love, Forgive Me” by Robert Goulet; “Oh No Not My Baby” by Maxine Brown; “Sidewalk Surfin’” by Jan & Dean, and “Mountain Of Love” by Johnny Rivers.

Also, “Ringo” by Lorne Greene; “Mr. Lonely” by Bobby Vinton; “Big Man In Town” by The 4 Seasons; “Dance, Dance, Dance” by The Beach Boys; “Saturday Night At The Movies” by The Drifters; “The Jerk” by The Larks; “Willow Weep For Me” by Chad & Jeremy; “Any Way You Want It” by The Dave Clark Five; “Sha La La” by Manfred Mann, and “Come See About Me” by The Supremes.

In the first bowl games of the season, East Carolina beat Massachusetts, 14-13, in the Tangerine Bowl, while Utah won the Liberty Bowl in a 32-6 win over West Virginia.

Some of the better movies of the year were “Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” “My Fair Lady,” “Goldfinger,” “Mary Poppins,” “Becket,” “The Pawnbroker,” “The Train,” “Topkapi,” “Marnie,” “A Fist Full of Dollars,” “Zorba the Greek,” “The World of Henry Orient,” “A Shot in the Dark,” and “Fail Safe.”

Also, “The Americanization of Emily,” “The Night of the Iguana,” “Sven Days in May,” “Cheyenne Autumn,” “Kiss Me, Stupid,” “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” “Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte,” “From Russia with Love,” “The Carpetbaggers,” The Pink Panther” and “Sex and the Single Girl.”

“And when a year has ended,
And I have gone away,
You’ll often speak about me,
And this is what you’ll say:”

The better novels during the year were “The Group” by Mary McCarthy, “The Shoes of the Fisherman” by Morris L. West, “The Venetian Affair” by Helen MacInnes, “Caravans” by James Michener, “The Spy Who Came In From the Cold” by John le Carre, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” by Ian Fleming, and “The Hat on the Bed” by John O’Hara.

Also, “The Living Reed” by Pearl S. Buck, “The Wapshot Scandal” by John Cheever, “Von Ryan’s Express” by David Westheimer, “The Night of the Generals” by Hans Kirst, “A Night in Lisbon” by Erich Maria Remarque, “The Martyred” by Richard E. Kim, “The Spire” by William Golding, and “Armageddon” by Leon Uris.

Also, “Julian” by Gore Vidal, “The Rector of Justin” by Louis Auchincloss, “You Only Live Twice” by Ian Fleming, “This Rough Magic” by Mary Stewart, “The Man” by Irving Wallace, “Herzog” by Saul Bellow, “The Lost City” by John Gunther, and “The Horse Knows the Way” by John O’Hara.

Well-known people who were born during the year included Nicolas Cage, Russell Crowe, Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Monica Bellucci, Clive Owen, Mary-Louise Parker, Courteney Cox, Marisa Tomei, John Leguizamo, Rob Lowe, Laura Linney, Don Cheadle, David Spade, Mariska Hargitay, and Matt Dillon.

Also, Juliette Binoche, Teri Hatcher, Janeane Garofalo, Chris Farley, Calista Flockhart, Melissa Gilbert, Rosie Perez, Courtney Love, Stephen Colbert, Elle Macpherson, Faith Ford, Robin Givens, Steve Alford, Glenn Beck, Bonnie Blair, Barry Bonds, and Jose Canseco.

Also, Will Clark, Prince Edward, Joe Girardi, Dwight Gooden, Mark Gottfried, Mark Grace, Ozzie Guillen, Lee Janzen, Wynonna Judd, Davis Love III, Urban Meyer, Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin, Chris Petersen, Bret Saberhagen, Shepard Smith, Mats Wilander, and Trisha Yearwood.

Five days before Christmas, the movie “Goldfinger” premiered in the United States.  The next day, comedian Lenny Bruce was sentenced to four months in prison for obscenity. 

“We sang in the sunshine,
You know we laughed every day,
We sang in the sunshine,
Then she went on her way” 

After Christmas, The Buffalo Bills beat the San Diego Chargers, 20-7, to win the AFL Championship, while the Cleveland Browns beat the Baltimore Colts, 27-0, to win the NFL Championship.  In another bowl game, Georgia beat Texas Tech, 7-0, to win the Sun Bowl.          

Famous people who passed away during the year were Gracie Allen, William Bendix, Eddie Cantor, Rachel Carson, Sam Cooke, Ian Fleming, Cedric Hardwicke, Herbert Hoover, Alan Ladd, Peter Lorre, Douglas MacArthur, Harpo Marx, Grace Metalious, Jawaharlal Nehru, Flannery O’Connor, Cole Porter, and Jim Reeves.

The most popular TV shows of the year were “Bonanza,” “Bewitched,” “Gomer Pyle, USMC,” “Andy Griffith Show,” “The Fugitive,” “Red Skelton,” “Dick Van Dyke Show,” “The Lucy Show,” “Combat,” “Beverly Hillbillies” and “My Three Sons.”

Also, “Petticoat Junction,” “The Munsters,” “Gilligan’s Island,” “Jackie Gleason Show,”  “Ed Sullivan Show,” “Peyton Place,” “The Virginian,” “Flipper” and “Addams Family.”

At the close of the year, the Dow Jones industrial average was 874, while the unemployment rate stood at 5.7 percent.  The average income was $6,000 and the average price of a new home was $13,050.

During the final days of the year and on New Year’s Eve, college football fans were dancing, celebrating, drinking and singing to “The Wedding” by Julie Rogers; “Thou Shalt Not Steal” by Dick and DeeDee; “Keep Searchin’ (We’ll Follow The Sun)” by Del Shannon; “How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You” by Marvin Gaye; “Amen” by The Impressions; “Do-Wacka-Do” by Roger Miller; “Walk Away” by Matt Monro, and “Hawaii Tattoo” by The Waikikis.

Also, “Dear Heart” by Andy Williams; “As Tears Go By” by Marianne Faithful; “Dear Heart” by Jack Jones; “Don’t Forget I Still Love You” by Bobbi Martin; “Love Potion Number Nine” by The Searchers; “She’s A Woman” by The Beatles; “I’ll Be There” by Gerry and The Pacemakers; “I Feel Fine” by The Beatles; “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You” by Dean Martin, and “The Name Game” by Shirley Ellis.

In the final bowl games of the season, Arkansas beat Nebraska, 10-7, in the Cotton Bowl, and LSU won the Sugar Bowl, beating Syracuse 13-10.  Michigan beat Oregon State in the Rose Bowl, 34-7.

Florida State beat Oklahoma, 36-19, in the Gator Bowl, and in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Texas beat No. 1 ranked Alabama, 21-17.

In spite of the loss to Texas, Alabama (10-1), under coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, was the national champions in both the AP and UPI polls. 

“You know we laughed every day.”

“We’ll Sing in the Sunshine” – by Gale Garnett (written by Gale Garnett).
The song entered Billboard’s Hot 100 chart on August 8 where it remained for 17 weeks throughout the football season.  It peaked at No. 4.  The song also reached No. 42 on Billboard’s Country Music chart.  In later years, “We’ll Sing in the Sunshine” was recorded by Helen Reddy, Bobbi Martin, Dean Martin, The Fleetwoods, Bobby Bare, Skeeter Davis, Sonny & Cher, Wanda Jackson, Wayne Newton, Susan Maughan, Dolly Parton, Trini Lopez and The Mike Curb Congregation. 

The year (and football season) was 1964.

Touchdown Tom
November 12, 2012
(www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com)

P.S. I’ve always believed that getting married in the fall is sacrilegious, especially in the South.  Well, Swamp Mama and I are off to the Punta Vedra Inn in Punta Vedra Beach this weekend to attend a wedding.  Whatever happened to love, honor and cherish football Saturday’s?


Week 11 Review

Alabama and Louisville each suffered their first loss.  Oregon, Kansas State and Notre Dame remain undefeated.  Unbeaten Ohio State had the weekend off.  Reports say Tennessee’s Doug Dooley will be fired before the end of November, and Auburn’s Gene Chizik is on thin ice – very thin.  Stay tuned!

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Soap suds – Texas A&M 29, Alabama 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 26, Texas A&M 15).  The Tide was emotionally and physically spent after the LSU game and had little to nothing left for A&M.  Johnny Football and the Aggies came out strong in the first quarter, building up a 20-0 lead over Bama.  The Tide caught a second wind in the next two quarters and pulled within three at 20-17.  But Bama ran out of gas in the fourth quarter.  Manziel passed for 253 yards and rushed for another 92.  There are a number of candidates for “Coach of the Year,” but Kevin Sumlin has to be one.  A crowd of 101,821 attended the game in Tuscaloosa.

RUNNER UP:  Beavs sent to the dentist – Stanford 27, Oregon State 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 33, Oregon State 27).  Stanford did everything it could to hand the game to the Beavers.  The Trees suffered four turnovers.  Oregon State led 23-14 late in the third quarter.  But Stanford responded with the final 13 points.  The lack of a ground game hurt the Beavers.  A crowd of 47,127 attended the game in Palo Alto.

REST OF THE BEST:  Tigers rebound – LSU 37, Mississippi State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 27, Mississippi State 12).  Miss State dropped its third-straight after starting the season 7-0.  The Tigers held the Bulldogs to 47 yards rushing.  A crowd of 92,831 attended the game in Baton Rouge.

Toads lose their stools – Kansas State 23, TCU 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Kansas State 33, TCU 17).  Collin Klein didn’t have a Heisman-performance game.  Then again, he was coming off an injury from the week before.  The Wildcats led 23-0 at the end of the third quarter.  Bill Snyder is definitely a “Coach of the Year” candidate.  A crowd of 47,292 attended the game in Fort Worth.

Huskers wake up – Nebraska 32, Penn State 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Penn State 20).  The Nitts led 20-6 at the half.  The Huskers went to work in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter.  A crowd of 85,527 attended the game in Lincoln.

These Cats don’t have nine lives – Michigan 38, Northwestern 31 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 32, Northwestern 21).  The poor Wildcats can’t hold onto a lead late in the game and it happened to them again.  A crowd of 112,510 attended the game in Ann Arbor.

Sad, getting sadder – Oklahoma State 55, West Virginia 34 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma State 39, West Virginia 30).  By now, it is apparent that WVU – the team and coaching staff – has no leadership, no intelligence, no pride, no confidence and no smarts.  Last year the Mounties had a bad defense.  This year the defense is worse.  Last year WVU was bad at special teams play.  This year they are worse.  By now, you would have thought the team would be showing some improvement.  Instead, they are getting worse.  Geno Smith has gone from a good quarterback to a bad quarterback.  Are the players really that bad?  Or is the coaching staff really that bad?  Or is it both?  Dana Holgorsen has reduced himself to a caricature on the sideline, looking like the mad scientist whose experiments keep failing.  It’s looking more and more like the Orange Bowl win last year was a “flash-in-the-pan” experience for Holgorsen.  A crowd of 57,799 attended the game in Stillwater.

Beware of the Dome – Syracuse 45, Louisville 26 (Touchdown Tom said: Louisville 33, Syracuse 26).  Louisville suffered its first loss, getting its clock cleaned in the Carrier Dome.  The Orange held the Cardinals to 48 yards rushing.  A crowd of 40,312 attended the game in Syracuse.

Miscue matchup – USC 38, Arizona State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 40, Arizona State 30).  The Sun Devils led 17-14 early in the third quarter.  Then the Trojans scored 24 unanswered points.  The game was fraught with turnovers – five by USC and four by ASU.  A crowd of 80,154 attended the game in Los Angeles.

Low Beams – Florida State 28, Virginia Tech 22 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida State 27, Virginia Tech 19).  FSU had minus 15 yards rushing and still won the game.  E.J. Manuel made up for the difference with 326 yards passing.  The Hokies fall to 4-6.  Who would have thunk it?  A crowd of 65,632 attended the game in Blacksburg.

Dogs have some bite – Fresno State 52, Nevada 36 (Touchdown Tom said: Fresno State 37, Nevada 29).  Dumping Pat Hill after last season was a smart move by Fresno State.  New coach Tim DeRuyter has done a good job.  The Bulldogs are 8-3.  Robbie Rouse rushed for 261 yards.  A crowd of 22,104 attended the game in Reno.

Aztecs sacrifice a Falcon – San Diego State 28, Air Force 9 (Touchdown Tom said: San Diego State 33, Air Force 20).  The Falcons were hampered by four turnovers.  The Aztecs are 8-3 and tied for the lead of the MWC.  A crowd of 30,266 attended the game in San Diego.

No longer the Monroe we used to know – Arkansas State 45, Louisiana-Monroe 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Arkansas State 42, ULM 40).  A 17-17 contest early in the third quarter, the Red Wolves poured it on in the second half.  ULM’s early season notoriety is all but a faint memory now.  A crowd of 30,243 attended the game in Jonesboro.

No stoppin’ the Ducks – Oregon 59, California 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 43, California 20).  The Ducks got off to a slow start with only a 24-17 lead early in the third quarter.  Then they turned on the after burners, scoring 35 unanswered points.  Marcus Mariota passed for 377 yards.  A crowd of 57,672 attended the game in Berkeley.

Mercy, mercy, mercy – Georgia 38, Auburn 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 32, Auburn 17).  Could it get any worse for Gene Chizik?  Bootsie and Rockledge Gator attended the game.  Apparently, there were a number of barking mouths sitting behind them.  It was all Rockledge could do to keep Bootsie restrained.  A crowd of 86,146 attended the game in Auburn.

Pigs squeal – South Carolina 38, Arkansas 20 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 30, Arkansas 19).  It was worse than the score reflects.  The Hogs scored a touchdown with 0:39 left in the game.  Neither team had much of a running game.  A crowd of 78,722 attended the game in Columbia.

Where was the hare when the Turtles needed one? – Clemson 45, Maryland 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 34, Maryland 14).  The Terps were 6-for-12, passing for 41 yards.  I’m not sure if the water boy or the Terrapin mascot played quarterback for the Terps.  Both teams had their share of turnovers – three-a-piece.  A crowd of 76,000 attended the game in Clemson.

Sooners can’t shake the Bears – Oklahoma 42, Baylor 34 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 41, Baylor 20).  Baylor only trailed by two – 28-26 – halfway through the third quarter.  Landry Jones passed for 277 yards.  A crowd of 84,945 attended the game in Norman.

Owls screech – Cincinnati 34, Temple 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Cincinnati 32, Temple 19).  The Bearcats are still in the Big East race.  A crowd of 20,192 attended the game in Philadelphia.

No, this wasn’t the basketball teams – Georgia Tech 68, North Carolina 50 (Touchdown Tom said: North Carolina 34, Georgia Tech 21).  What a contest!  The lead changed hands five times.  But with the Tar Heels leading 36-34 in the third quarter, Tech scored 24 unanswered points.  The two teams combined for 1,085 yards of offense.  The Yellow Jackets have been like a box of chocolates this season.  From one week to the next, you never know what you’re going to get.  A crowd of 50,000 attended the game in Chapel Hill.
 

AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

Bowl eligible – NC State 37, Wake Forest 6 (Touchdown Tom said: NC State 28, Wake Forest 23).  State bounces back after the crushing loss to Virginia.  The Wolfpack held Wake to 185 yards of offense – only 16 yards rushing.  A crowd of 52,567 attended the game in Raleigh.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Muschamp was ragin’ – Florida 27, Louisiana-Lafayette 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 37, ULL 19).  You get the feeling the Gators are still down from the loss two weeks ago to Georgia.  Florida scored on a blocked punt as time expired to win the game.  The Gators only tied the game with 1:42 remaining on a three-yard touchdown pass by Jacoby Brissett.  Brissett was playing for the injured Jeff Driskel, who left the game with an ankle injury.  A crowd of 86,482 attended the game in Gainesville.

Revival – Texas 33, Iowa State 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 27, Iowa State 18).  Since losing to West Virginia and Oklahoma, the Horns have won four straight.  Texas racked up 609 yards of offense on the Cyclones, with David Ash passing for 364 yards.  A crowd of 100,018 attended the game in Austin.

There’s still life in those Boilers yet – Purdue 27, Iowa 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 27, Purdue 26).  The Boilers kicked a 46-yard field goal as time expired to win the game.  Purdue held the Hawkeyes to 74 yards rushing.  A crowd of 70,585 attended the game in Iowa City.

Week 11 Picks:    20 Correct,     4 Wrong   (83.3 percent)
On the Season:    182 Correct,   69 Wrong   (72.5 percent)


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Miami lost to Virginia, 41-40.  A crowd of 45,870 attended the game in Charlottesville….  UCF beat UTEP, 31-24.  A crowd of 25,483 attended the game in El Paso….  Florida Atlantic surprised Western Kentucky, 37-28.  A crowd of 14,185 attended the game in Bowling Green.

Florida A&M edged North Carolina Central, 22-21.  A crowd of 14,768 attended the game in Tallahassee….  Bethune-Cookman flossed Savannah State, 49-7. A crowd of 3,683 attended the game in Savannah….  Jacksonville U. thumped Campbell, 40-14.  A crowd of 3,012 attended the game in Jacksonville.


Superlatives

Impressive Passers:  Texas Tech’s Seth Doege – 45-59-1-476 yards; Miami of Ohio’s Zac Dysert – 37-50-2-455; Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater – 36-49-1-424; Tennessee’s Tyler Bray – 37-54-0-404; Mississippi’s Bo Wallace – 31-49-0-403; Oregon’s Marcus Mariota – 27-34-0-377; Wyoming’s Brett Smith – 20-32-0-374; Texas’ David Ash – 25-31-0-364, and West Virginia’s Geno Smith – 36-54-0-364.

Also, Louisiana-Monroe’s Cody Wells – 37-53-1-357 yards; North Carolina’s Bryn Renner – 24-35-1-350; Louisiana Tech’s Colby Cameron – 31-45-0-337; Arkansas State’s Ryan Alpin – 26-34-1-334; Washington State’s Connor Halliday – 26-43-1-330; Florida State’s E.J. Manuel – 25-42-1-326; Troy’s Corey Robinson – 25-28-0-322, and Alabama’s A.J. McCarron – 21-34-2-309.

Also, Pitt’s Tino Sunseri – 19-34-0-302 yards; Virginia’s Michael Rocco – 29-37-0-300; Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas – 19-34-2-298; Mississippi State’s Tyler Russell – 26-38-1-295; Oklahoma State’s Clint Chelf – 22-31-1-292; Michigan’s Devin Gardner – 16-29-1-286; Buffalo’s Joe Licata – 21-33-0-285, and Central Michigan’s Ryan Radcliff – 20-34-0-284.  


Impressive Rushers:  Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey – 366 yards; Fresno State’s Robbie Rouse – 261 yards; Kansas’ Tony Pierson – 202 yards; Toledo’s David Fluellen – 200 yards; Wisconsin’s Montee Ball – 198 yards; UAB’s Darrin Reaves – 184 yards; Bowling Green’s Anthon Samuel – 181 yards; UTEP’s Nathan Jeffery – 174 yards, and Kent State’s Trayion Durham – 172 yards.

Also, USC’s Curtis McNeal – 163 yards; Washington’s Bishop Sankey – 162 yards; Eastern Michigan’s Alex Gillett – 162 yards; Wisconsin’s James White – 161 yards; Missouri’s Kendial Lawrence – 153 yards;  Minnesota’s Donnell Kirkwood – 152 yards; Kent State’s Dri Archer – 151 yards; Miami of Florida’s Duke Johnson – 150 yards, and Navy’s Gee Gee Greene – 150 yards. 


Quotes of the Week

“Bama-Oregon: The game that just has to happen,” Wall Street Journal writer Rachel Bachman, on the potential national championship game.

“Too bad.  It would have been amusing seeing John Calipari and Bobby Petrino trying to co-exist in the same athletic department,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz, on word that Petrino is not a candidate for the Kentucky job.

“Jimmy Johnson actually said Arkansas should rehire Bobby Petrino.  Question: Is he willing to bankroll the university for all future sexual-harassment lawsuits?,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz. 

“Back to Gene Chizik.  I’m generally not a proponent of firing coaches two years after winning national championships.  But this guy is now 9-29 in SEC and Big 12 conference games in which he didn’t have the luxury of telling Cam Newton, ‘Here’s the ball.  Go do anything you want’,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“The disingenuous Nick Saban says no-huddle, spread offenses like Texas A&M’s are a danger to player safety.  Let me translate: ‘If they go too fast and I can’t rotate my three-deep, five-star, winded front seven, there’s a chance I might lose’,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“Les Miles is a great coach when he’s not trying to pull a moose out of a hat,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“In 23 years of living in Atlanta, I’ve never seen a home crowd for a major college football team – let alone a team that won a national championship just two years ago – bolt from a game so quickly,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz, on the Auburn crowd at the Georgia-Auburn game in Auburn.

“Boos started to rain down in the second quarter when Georgia built its lead to 21-0.  When Keith Marshall ran 62 yards for a score to make it 31-0 in the third quarter, it was like somebody yelled, ‘Fire,’ in the stadium and thousands of fans streamed out.  Georgia had more fans in the stadium than Auburn in the fourth quarter.  That might be the worst sign of all for coach Gene Chizik,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.


The 20 Hottest and Most Intriguing Games of Week 12…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Stanford (8-2) at Oregon (10-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) (TV: Fox, 8 pm ET, Saturday) – Only Stanford can beat out Oregon for the Pac-12 North title.  But to do that, the Cardinal has to beat the Ducks and then beat UCLA next week.  Not impossible, but not likely – Oregon 33, Stanford 22.

RUNNER UP:  2. USC (7-3) at UCLA (8-2) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) (TV: Fox, 3 pm ET, Saturday) – It has been a while since the Bruins have entered this game with this good of a record.  The Trojans must beat UCLA to win the Pac-12 South.  Otherwise, the Division title goes to the Bruins.  Kiffin throws a tantrum – UCLA 34, USC 33.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Ohio State (10-0) at Wisconsin (7-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) (TV: ABC/ESPN2, 3:30 pm ET, Saturday) – Regardless of the outcome, the Badgers have won the Big Ten Leaders Division, even with a 4-4 conference record.  Wisconsin sure has been a strange team this season.  The pressure gets to the Buckeyes – Wisconsin 28, Ohio State 26.

4. Kansas State (10-0) at Baylor (4-5) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) (TV: ESPN, 8 pm ET, Saturday) – Collin Klein and the Boys from Manhattan continue their roll through the Big 12.  The Bears won’t stop them – Kansas State 37, Baylor 24.

5. Toledo (8-2) at Northern Illinois (9-1) – (MAC vs. MAC) (TV: ESPN2, 9 pm ET, Wednesday) – This one is for the title of the MAC West Division.  Give it to the home team – Northern Illinois 35, Toledo 29.

6. Oklahoma (7-2) at West Virginia (5-4) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) (TV: Fox, 7 pm ET, Saturday) – This week WVU will make Landry Jones look like the Heisman Trophy winner.  And OU will make Dana Holgorsen look like Hal Mumme.  Is there any hope for the Eers?  Not this week – Oklahoma 40, West Virginia 30.

7. Rutgers (8-1) at Cincinnati (7-2) – (Big East vs. Big East) (TV: BEN, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – Four teams are still in the race for the Big East title.  The Scarlet Knights and the Bearcats are two of them.  The Knights get closer – Rutgers 28, Cincinnati 22.

8. Utah State (8-2) at Louisiana Tech (9-1) – (WAC vs. WAC) (TV: None, 4 pm ET, Saturday) – Both teams are undefeated in WAC play.  The Aggies won’t be after this one – Louisiana Tech 35, Utah State 26.

9. NC State (6-4) at Clemson (9-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) (TV: ABC/ESPN2, 3:30 pm ET, Saturday) – Talk about revenge, you are going to see it at Clemson.  After what the Wolfpack did to the Tigers last year, it won’t be pretty.  The Tigers will take names and kick ass – Clemson 34, NC State 23.

10. Texas Tech (7-3) at Oklahoma State (6-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) (TV: FSN, 3:30 pm ET, Saturday) – You don’t want to be one of Tommy Tuberville’s assistant coaches.  You may take a harder hit than the players do in the game.  This week, the Cowboys do the hitting – Oklahoma State 35, Texas Tech 31.

11. Ole Miss (5-5) at LSU (8-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) (TV: CBS, 3:30 pm ET, Saturday) – Ole Miss is still trying to get bowl eligible.  It won’t happen this week – LSU 30, Ole Miss 16.

12. Minnesota (6-4) at Nebraska (8-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) (TV: BTN, 3:30 pm ET, Saturday) – Poor Minnesota.  Even Garrison Keillor sings songs, lamenting the Gophers luck against the Huskers.  The folks in Lake Wobegon won’t like the results this year either – Nebraska 32, Minnesota 17.

13. Northwestern (7-3) at Michigan State (5-5) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) (TV: ESPN2, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – Logic says the Wildcats will blow another lead this week and lose the game.  And the Spartans have the incentive.  They need one more win to become bowl eligible.  Cats defy logic – Northwestern 22, Michigan State 21.

14. UCF (8-2) at Tulsa (8-2) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) (TV: FSN, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – These two most likely will meet again in the C-USA championship game.  Tulsa has already won the C-USA West title.  UCF still needs one more win to take the East Division title.  The Golden Hurricane win this one – Tulsa 34, UCF 32.

15. Kent State (9-1) at Bowling Green (7-3) – (MAC vs. MAC) (TV: Local Cable, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – It’s not in the bag yet, but the winner of this one takes a giant step towards the MAC East title.  The Falcons get Flashed – Kent State 27, Bowling Green 26.

16. Ohio (8-2) at Ball State (7-3) – (MAC vs. MAC) (TV: ESPNU, 8 pm ET, Wednesday) – Ohio, the preseason favorite, is out of the running for the MAC East title.  But the Bobcats still have a shot at a bowl game.  Bobcats take the air out of the Ball – Ohio 24, Ball State 22.

17. Arkansas (4-6) at Mississippi State (7-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) (TV: SECN, 12:20 pm ET, Saturday) – Miss State is on a three-game losing skid.  That should end this week – Mississippi State 26, Arkansas 24.

18. Iowa (4-6) at Michigan (7-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) (TV: ESPN, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – You have to wonder if Kirk Ferentz is in trouble at Iowa.  The Hawkeyes have been sad this year.  The Wolverines make them sadder – Michigan 32, Iowa 14.

19. Indiana (4-6) at Penn State (6-4) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) (TV: BTN, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – Bill O’Brien still has a shot at some “Coach of the Year” awards.  But the Lions need to win their remaining two games.  They win this one – Penn State 32, Indiana 16.

20. Arizona (6-4) at Utah (4-6) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) (TV: ESPNU, 10 pm ET, Saturday) – First year at Arizona and Rich Rod has the Wildcats going to a bowl.  He also has them beating the Utes – Arizona 34, Utah 28.


AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

21. BYU (6-4) at San Jose State (8-2) – (Ind. vs. WAC) (TV: ESPN2, 10:30 pm ET, Saturday) – This one could be a barnburner.  The Spartans have been surprisingly good this season.  And it helps to have the Cougars on their home turf in San Jose.  But it doesn’t help enough – BYU 34, San Jose State 27.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Jacksonville State (6-4) at Florida (9-1) – (Ohio Valley vs. SEC) (TV: PPV, 1 pm ET, Saturday) – After losing to Georgia, the Gators have struggled against Missouri and Louisiana-Lafayette.  They should take out their frustrations on Jack.  Gators put Jack in the John – Florida 44, Jacksonville State 13.

Duke (6-4) at Georgia Tech (5-5) – (ACC vs. ACC) (TV: ESPNU, 3:30 pm ET, Saturday) – Yeah, the Dookies could beat the Jackets.  Tech was spot on last week.  So that means they should be spot off this week.  But the Bees want to go bowling – Georgia Tech 37, Duke 25.

Georgia Southern (8-2) at Georgia (9-1) – (Southern vs. SEC) (TV: PPV, 1:30 pm ET, Saturday) – The Dawgs have the SEC East title for the second year in a row.  Now they get to take it easy this week.  Puppy love – Georgia 36, Georgia Southern 12.

Purdue (4-6) at Illinois (2-8) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) (TV: BTN, 3:30 pm ET, Saturday) – Believe it or not, a win this week over Illinois and next week over Indiana and the Boilers are going bowling.  Can you believe it?  You better believe it this week – Purdue 24, Illinois 15.


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Florida State (9-1) visits Maryland (4-6) (TV: ESPNU, 12 noon ET, Saturday)….  Miami (5-5) entertains South Florida (3-6) (TV: FSN, 3 pm ET, Saturday)….  Florida Atlantic (3-7) hosts Florida International (2-8) (TV: ESPNU, 8 pm ET, Friday).

Florida A&M (4-6) vs. Bethune-Cookman (8-2) in Orlando (TV: ESPN Classic, 2 pm ET, Saturday) ….  Jacksonville U. (7-3) plays host to Drake (7-3) (TV: None, 12 noon ET, Saturday).


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . Nebraska and Oklahoma have agreed to a two-game home-and-home series to be played in 2021 and 2022.

Touchdown Tom
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but on a sad comment, there were four passings of note last week – Milt Campbell, Carmen Basilio, Darrell Royal and Lee MacPhail. 

Milt Campbell, the first African-American to become an Olympic decathlon champion, died last week at his home in Gainesville, Florida.  He was 78.  Campbell won the decathlon at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.  He also played professional football.  Campbell played one year for the Cleveland Browns (1957) and seven years in the Canadian Football League (1958-64).  Milton Gray Campbell was born on December 9, 1933, in Plainfield, New Jersey.  He played football and ran track for Indiana University.  His college career was interrupted by service in the Navy during World War II.  

Carmen Basilio, 85, the welterweight and middle weight boxing champion of the 1950s who fought two brutal bouts with Sugar Ray Robinson, winning his middleweight title and then losing it to him, died last week in Rochester, New York.  He was 85.  Carmen Basilio was born on April 2, 1927, in Canastota, New York, about 25 miles east of Syracuse.  He boxed in the Marine Corps in World War II and made his pro debut in 1948. 

Darrell Royal, a former All-American player who became one of college football’s most acclaimed and innovative coaches, leading the University of Texas Longhorns to three national championships, died last week in Austin, Texas.  He was 88.  He became the Texas coach in 1957 and held the job for 20 seasons.  He coached Texas to 11 Southwest Conference championships and 16 bowl games.  Royal never had a losing season and was named national coach of the year five times.  His squads pioneered a wishbone offense running game.  Royal was an All-American player at Oklahoma.  Darrell K. Royal was born in Hollis, Oklahoma, on July 6, 1924.  He was an outstanding quarterback and defensive back at OU, playing for Bud Wilkinson.  He coached Mississippi State for two years and Washington for one before coming to Texas in 1957.  He retired as coach after the 1976 season, but stayed on as athletic director until 1980.  

Lee MacPhail, a former president of the American League, a general manager of the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles, and the oldest member of the baseball Hall of Fame, died last week at his home in Delray Beach, Florida.  He was 95.  Leland Stanford MacPhail Jr. was born on October 25, 1917, in Nashville, Tennessee.  He graduated from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where he played baseball and football.  Except for serving in the Navy during World War II, his whole working life was in baseball.