College Football Week 15 – The firings have begun
Thanksgiving Week was lively,
and oh, by the way,
Are they still partying in Auburn?

They should be.  And in Durham too?  Oh, I forgot.  They don’t party in Durham; they study.  Only lacrosse players party in Durham.  And in Columbia, Missouri, they still should be partying.  In Columbus, Ohio, they should be breathing a sigh of relief. 

Post-Thanksgiving Saturday had to be one of the most, if not the most, exciting Saturdays in the history of college football.  Hollywood couldn’t have scripted it any better – the drama, the excitement. 

Little did we know at the time that the Friday after Thanksgiving was a warm up for Saturday.  Friday had its own share of excitement and drama too, beginning with LSU’s 31-27 come-from-behind win over hapless Arkansas.

Entering the fourth quarter in Baton Rouge, LSU trailed Arkansas, 27-21.  This an Arkansas team that was winless in SEC play and 3-8 on the season entering the game.  Eight minutes into the quarter LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger suffered a game-ending leg injury.  The Razorbacks still led, 27-21. 

With 04:56 left in the final period, LSU’s Colby Delahoussaye kicked a 37-yard field goal.  The Tigers closed the gap to three, 27-24.  Then with only 01:15 on the clock, backup quarterback Anthony Jennings hit Travin Dural on a 49-yard pass for a touchdown.  The Tigers held on to win, 31-27.

Out in the Mountain West Conference, San Jose State outscored Fresno State, 62-52, to hand the Bulldogs their first loss of the season.  The loss also knocked Fresno State out of a potential BCS bowl bid.  The Spartans and the Bulldogs combined for 1,382 total yards, with the two quarterbacks – David Fales and Derek Carr – passing for 1,096 of those yards.

Washington won the Apple Cup, rallying in the second half to beat Washington State, 27-17.  The Huskies trailed the Cougars 10-3 at the half.  UCF, hoping to keep its AAC championship and BCS bowl hopes alive, was trailing woeful South Florida, 20-16 late in the fourth quarter.  This a South Florida team that was 2-8, entering the game.  Then with 04:50 remaining in the game, UCF quarterback Blake Bortles connected with Breshad Perriman on a 52-yard touchdown pass.  The Knights held on to win, 23-20. 

Perhaps the best and most exciting game of all on Friday took place in Eugene, Oregon, where heavily favored Oregon struggled with intrastate rival Oregon State in the Civil War.  The score was tied 17-17 at the half.  After the third quarter, Oregon led by four, 24-20. 

Early in the fourth quarter, the Beavers went up 29-24.  Midway through the final period, the Ducks came back and grabbed a 30-29 lead.  With only 01:38 left in the game, Oregon State scored on a 25-yard touchdown run by Victor Bolden.  The Beavers went for two and failed.  Oregon State led 35-30.

The commentators said that Oregon State may have scored too soon.  Sure enough, they were right.  Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota hit Josh Huff on a 12-yard touchdown pass with just 00:29 on the clock.  The Ducks won, 36-35.

In a few other games Friday, Terry Bowden’s Akron Zips finished the season on a high note, upsetting Toledo, 31-29.  Bowling Green won the MAC East Division title, beating Buffalo, 24-7.

Nebraska took a smacking from Iowa, losing to the Hawkeyes, 38-17.  After the game, Husker coach Bo Pelini dared the Nebraska athletic director to fire him.  And finally, in Huntington, West Virginia, Marshall claimed its spot in the C-USA championship game, downing East Carolina, 59-28.  The win gave the Herd the C-USA West Division title – its first.

Then there was Saturday.  Little did we know that Friday was a precursor for what was about to come.  The rollercoaster rides began at 12 noon ET in Columbus and Chapel Hill.  First in Columbus, Ohio State and Michigan traded touchdowns back and forth for four quarters.

The two were tied, 21-21, at the half.  In the third quarter, the Buckeyes took control, going up 35-21.  By midway through the fourth quarter, the Wolverines were back in the game at 35-35.  With 02:20 left in the game, Ohio State scored and went up 42-35.  But the contest wasn’t over.

With just 32 seconds on the clock, Michigan scored a touchdown.  Wolverine coach Brady Hoke decided to go for a two-point conversion.  Ohio State’s 11-0 record was on the line.  The conversion attempt failed.  The Buckeyes beat Michigan, 42-41.

Meanwhile, in Chapel Hill, Duke needed a win over North Carolina to claim its first ACC Coastal Division title.  It was looking good for the Blue Devils.  Duke took a 17-15 halftime lead and increased its lead to 24-15 early in the third quarter.

But the Tar Heels came roaring back.  Midway through the fourth quarter, North Carolina led, 25-24.  After neither team could move the ball, Duke took over for another chance.  With only 02:22 on the clock, Ross Martin kicked a 27-yard field goal for the Blue Devils.  Duke held on and beat the Tar Heels, 27-25.  The win gave Duke its first 10-win season in school history. 

And the best was yet to come – undefeated Alabama against one-loss Auburn.  The SEC West Division title was on the line.  But it didn’t start out exciting.  After trailing 7-0, Alabama scored 21 unanswered points and led Auburn, 21-7.  The rout was on.  Or was it?  Just before the first half ended, Auburn scored to pull within seven, 21-14.

Then the fun began.  The Tigers held Bama scoreless in the third quarter, while scoring another seven points themselves.  At the end of the third quarter it was 21-21.  Early in the fourth quarter and on their one-yard line, the Tide surprised Auburn with a 99-yard touchdown pass from A.J. McCarron to Amari Cooper.  Bama went up 28-21.                          
 
The Alabama lead held up through most of the rest of the fourth quarter.  It didn’t look good for Auburn.  But if you know anything about Jordan-Hare Stadium, you know it can be dangerous to have a close lead over Auburn in the closing minutes and/or seconds of the game.  With the clock showing 00:32, Nick Marshall connected with Sammie Coates on a 39-yard pass for a touchdown.

The score was tied 28-28.  With only 32 seconds left, overtime was inevitable.  But this was Jordan-Hare.  As time expired, Alabama attempted a 56-yard field goal.  The kick was long, but wide.  Overtime.  No.  Standing in the end zone, Auburn’s Chris Davis caught the ball.  He took off down the sideline, escaping the Alabama players who were caught by surprise – some too stunned to react – and ran 109 yards for a touchdown.  Auburn 34, Alabama 28.  Game over.  Somewhere in Columbia, South Carolina, Steve Spurrier must have said, “God was smiling on the Tigers today.”

Speaking of Spurrier, his Gamecocks hosted Clemson Saturday evening.  At the end of the third quarter, South Carolina and Clemson were all tied up – 17-17.  Another good game.  But in the fourth quarter it was all Gamecocks as South Carolina scored 14 unanswered points, held the Tigers scoreless, and won, 31-17.

But for the Gamecocks, the drama moved from their Columbia to the one in Missouri.  Texas A&M and Missouri were tied, 21-21.  South Carolina needed the Aggies to win.  An A&M win would send the Gamecocks to Atlanta to play Auburn for the SEC championship.  An A&M loss and Missouri would meet Auburn for the SEC title.  Simple as that.

After beating Clemson, many South Carolina fans remained in Williams-Brice Stadium to watch the Texas A&M-Missouri game play out on the Jumbotron.  With 03:34 remaining, Mizzou’s Henry Josey broke loose for a 57-yard touchdown.  The Tigers held on to beat Texas A&M, 28-21.  Missouri-Auburn for the SEC title.      

In other Thanksgiving Week drama on Saturday, Corey Spear kicked a 38-yard field goal with 00:39 on the clock, and Vanderbilt held on to beat Wake Forest, 23-21.  Rice fought off a fourth quarter Tulane rally to beat the Green Wave, 17-13, and win the C-USA West Division title.       

Georgia rallied in the second half to tie Georgia Tech, 27-27 in regulation.  In the second overtime, the Dawgs beat the Jackets, 41-34.  Northwestern ended a seven-game losing streak, edging Illinois, 37-34.  Syracuse scored on a six-yard pass from Terrel Hunt to Josh Parris with only six seconds left in the game to beat Boston College, 34-31.

Baylor bounced back from its first loss of the season to slip by TCU, 41-38.  Iowa State recovered from a 17-point fourth quarter deficit to go on and beat West Virginia in three overtimes, 52-44.  Stanford let a 21-6 third quarter lead slip through their fingers, but held on to beat Notre Dame, 27-20.  Penn State held on to a 31-14 early fourth quarter lead over Wisconsin, beating the Badgers 31-24.

Temple won its first AAC game of the season, beating Memphis, 41-21, while Southern Miss won its first game of the season, downing UAB, 62-27.

It was a lively Thanksgiving Week off the field too.  Former Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons coach Jerry Glanville announced he is applying for the Eastern Michigan job.  At 72, Glanville may be a little old for the job.  I’m thinking EMU wants someone young and innovative – not that Glanville lacks innovation.  Regardless, he’ll have to pass the “Potty Mouth” test.  After Ron English, all applicants for the EMU job must pass the “Potty Mouth” test.

Tuesday night, Northern Illinois got the Turkey week football action started with a 33-14 win over Western Michigan.  The Huskies improved to 12-0 and kept their BCS Bowl hopes alive.  NIU quarterback Jordan Lynch rushed for 321 yards.

During the week for being thankful, Nick Saban’s wife Terry told the Wall Street Journal that Alabama fans weren’t thankful for Nick.  Maybe she should have waited until after the Auburn game before she made that statement.  Actually, Terry said that Alabama fans don’t appreciate Nick.  But she added, “We’re staying in Tuscaloosa.”  Terry told WSJ that Nick wasn’t going to Texas or anywhere for that matter.

By the way, on the day before Thanksgiving, the price of a ticket to the Alabama-Auburn game was running anywhere from $300 to $360.

Florida’s and Michigan’s athletic directors emphasized that their respective coaches Will Muschamp and Brady Hoke would be back next season.  But rumors were strong that Florida offensive coordinator Brent Pease and offensive line coach Tim Davis would be fired.

Swamp Mama’s cousin Donna Snyder and her husband Marc Snyder visited with us for a few days over Thanksgiving.  Along with Donna and Marc and our next-door neighbors Deb and Dieter Gum, the six of us had an excellent Thanksgiving meal and pleasant time together on Thursday.  I cooked the turkey this year – my first time.

That evening, the Snyders, Swamp Mama and I watched the Egg Bowl – Ole Miss-Mississippi State.  Donna and Marc’s son Erich is a graduate of Miss State, where he was “Bully” the Miss State mascot.  In a mild upset, Miss State beat Ole Miss, 17-10 (OT).  It was the Bulldogs second-straight overtime game. 

Ole Miss had to be one of the most disappointing teams in the country this season.  Hugh Freeze better watch out.  The way Ole Miss fires coaches, he could be in trouble. 

After Nebraska lost to Iowa Friday, Huskers coach Bo Pelini dared the school to fire him.  He’s such a jerk.  He should be fired because Nebraska is a class act.  Pelini isn’t.

Watching the Oregon State-Oregon game Friday night was like watching Halloween vs. Easter. 

The rumors about Brent Pease and Tim Davis were true.  Sunday, Florida fired the two assistant coaches.  Meanwhile, Wyoming fired head coach Dave Christensen.  After five seasons with the Cowboys, Christensen was 27-34 – 5-7 this season.  Then Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads announced the firing of his offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham and his running backs coach Kenith Pope. 

Well, we now know who has the bigger balls in Nebraska.  In spite of being dared, Husker athletic director Shawn Eichorst backed down and announced Sunday that Bo Pelini would return next year to coach the Huskers. 

So, Florida State (12-0) and Ohio State (12-0) are first and second respectively in the latest BCS poll.  Auburn (11-1) is No. 3, followed by No. 4 Alabama (11-1) and No. 5 Missouri (11-1).  Auburn and Missouri meet for the SEC championship Saturday.  

I’m here to tell you that Florida’s loss to Georgia Southern last week caused Rockledge Gator to get sicker than a dog early last week.  Fortunately, his condition improved by Thanksgiving.  And then after Auburn beat Alabama, he fully recovered.  He was healthier than he has ever been.

Bootsie and Rockledge Gator were in Milan, Georgia, for Thanksgiving.  When the Alabama-Auburn game ended Saturday, you could hear Bootsie yelling “War Eagle” all the way from Milan, Georgia, to Indialantic, Florida. 

My guess is they are still partying in Auburn.  And maybe in Columbia.  But definitely not in Durham.  Basketball still rules in Durham.

Touchdown Tom
December 2, 2013
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Appreciated – Auburn 34, Alabama 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 32, Auburn 27).  Alabama fans may not appreciate Nick Saban but I’m sure Auburn fans do.  As I mentioned earlier, Hollywood could not have scripted a better ending to this game.  They say you learn something from every loss and I’m sure Alabama learned from this one.  I’m sure every team in the country learned from this one.  Interesting, Alabama was only 4-for-13 in third down conversions.  The Tide also missed four field goals in the game.  The other three were shorter than 56 yards.  It was only the fourth time in NCAA history that a player returned a missed field goal 100 yards for a touchdown.  A crowd of 87,451 attended the game in Auburn.

RUNNER UP:  Don’t tackle until you see the fear in their eyes – South Carolina 31, Clemson 17 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 26, Clemson 24).  I guess Tajh Boyd was scared again.  I’m sure Jadeveon Clowney could see it in his eyes.  Boyd threw two interceptions and had one fumble.  In all, Clemson had six turnovers.  South Carolina had none.  The Gamecocks have now won five straight over the Tigers.  That’s not going to do you Dabo.  A crowd of 84,174 attended the game in Columbia.

BEST OF THE REST:  From worst to first – Missouri 28, Texas A&M 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Missouri 32, Texas A&M 29).  Along with Auburn, Missouri has to be the surprise team of the year.  I think you can tell Johnny Manziel is worn down this season.  He only rushed for 21 yards in the game.  Some of that was Mizzou’s defense.  But much of it was Manziel’s lack of effort.  He’s just out of steam.  Texas A&M had four big games this season and the Aggies lost all four.  A crowd of 67,124 attended the game in Columbia.

Blue collar – Michigan State 14, Minnesota 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan  State 24, Minnesota 13).  There’s nothing flashy about the Spartans.  They just get the job done, especially their defense.  But give credit to Minnesota for holding the Spartans to 14 points.  A crowd of 71,418 attended the game in East Lansing. 

The defenses took a vacation – Ohio State 42, Michigan 41 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 35, Michigan 20).  Ohio State’s defense is definitely vulnerable.  The Buckeye offense is hard to stop – maybe unstoppable.  Carlos Hyde and Braxton Miller combined for 379 yards rushing – 226 for Hyde.  The Wolverines Devin Gardner passed for 451 yards.  A crowd of 113,511 attended the game in Ann Arbor.

Orgeron’s bubble burst – UCLA 35, USC 14 (Touchdown Tom said: UCLA 34, USC 33).  Ed Orgeron’s luck finally ran out.  But he had a good run.  Jim Mora has established UCLA as the premier team in Los Angeles.  The Trojans lost to the Bruins for the second straight year.  A crowd of 86,037 attended the game in Los Angeles.

Arbor day – Stanford 27, Notre Dame 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 20, Notre Dame 16).  Stanford had 419 total yards to Notre Dame’s 263.  The Irish only had 64 yards rushing.  Both quarterbacks threw two interceptions each.  A crowd of 50,537 attended the game in Palo Alto.

The Pirates couldn’t find the bottle of rum – Marshall 59, East Carolina 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Marshall 35, East Carolina 34).  This game was supposed to be a shootout.  But Marshall did all the shooting and East Carolina did all the ducking.  The Herd jumped out to a 24-0 lead and built it up to a 59-20 lead.  ECU quarterback Shane Carden threw three interceptions.  The win gives the Herd the C-USA East title.  A crowd of 25,117 attended the game in Huntington.

Strike! – Bowling Green 24, Buffalo 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Buffalo 29, Bowling Green 26).  I wouldn’t want to win either if I were playing for the conference division title at home and only 2,622 fans showed up.  Buffalo is a sad, sad school.  The Falcons held the Bulls to only 15 yards rushing.  A crowd of 2,622 attended the game in Buffalo.

Lopsided duel – Arizona State 58, Arizona 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona State 37, Arizona 34).  ASU jumped out to a 27-0 lead and never looked back.  The Sun Devils are playing well at the end of the season – very well.  The Wildcats were disappointing after their big win over Oregon.  Maybe they were still hung over.  A crowd of 72,542 attended the game in Tempe.

Sour Corn – Iowa 38, Nebraska 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Iowa 27).  I think Bo was suffering withdrawal pains from his Thanksgiving cocaine dinner with brother Carl.  Three turnovers, a 3-14 third down efficiency and only 89 yards rushing didn’t help the Huskers any.  Both teams are going bowling, but one team may be getting a new coach.  Not.  A crowd of 91,260 attended the game in Lincoln.

Let’s hear it for the Hooters – Rice 17, Tulane 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Rice 31, Tulane 24).  Rice is 8-1 in its last nine games.  The Owls were playing some defense.  Tulane only had 123 total yards – 97 yards passing and 26 rushing.  Rice won its first C-USA West Division title.  A crowd of 20,048 attended the game in Houston.

Easter beat Halloween – Oregon 36, Oregon State 35 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 44, Oregon State 25).  This game was about as even as you can get.  Oregon had 568 total yards; Oregon State had 545.  Each team had three turnovers.  Each team failed twice on two-point conversion attempts.  Each team had six penalties with only a four-yard difference between the two.  A crowd of 58,330 attended the game in Eugene.

Surprise, surprise – Penn State 31, Wisconsin 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 28, Penn State 15).  Man, what got into Penn State.  Or maybe I should say, what went wrong with Wisconsin.  The Badgers only had 120 yards rushing – very uncharacteristic of them.  Of course they had three turnovers too.  Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg was near perfect – 339 yards passing and no picks.  A crowd of 78,064 attended the game in Madison.

Coastal champs – Duke 27, North Carolina 25 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 31, North Carolina 30).  Sheer willpower won this game for the Dookies.  They were a determined bunch.  Duke quarterback Anthony Boone had a great game.  Now on to the ACC title game.  A crowd of 62,000 attended the game in Chapel Hill.


….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

The Mack is back - Texas 41, Texas Tech 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Texas Tech 25).  Neither team looked particularly sharp.  There were five turnovers between them.  Texas couldn’t pass and Tech couldn’t run.  But obviously, Texas was the better of the two.  Texas Tech began the season 7-0.  The Red Raiders ended the season 0-5.  A crowd of 100,668 attended the game in Austin.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Bleak – Iowa State 52, West Virginia 44 (3OT) (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 24, Iowa State 23).  WVU led 31-7 halfway through the second quarter and 38-21 in the fourth quarter.  Explain to me how they lost.  Oh that’s right – I forgot about their coach.  I’m not sure Dana Holgorsen could inspire a colony of ants at a picnic of deserts.  West Virginia football is about as low as you can get right now.  The ball is in Holgorsen’s court and it is on his shoulders to fix the problems, if he can.  A crowd of 33,755 attended the game in Morgantown.

Sundown showdown – Florida State 37, Florida 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida State 33, Florida 17).  Frankly, I thought there would be more FSU fans at The Swamp.  Then I remembered – even though FSU is 12-0, Seminole fans never filled Doak-Campbell Stadium this year.  Gators fans made a good showing, supporting a 4-8 team.  Among many other problems, Florida was only 1 for 11 on third down efficiency.  Jameis Winston passed for 327 yards.  A crowd of 90,454 attended the game in Gainesville.

Wrecked again – Georgia 41, Georgia Tech 34 (2OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 30, Georgia Tech 23).  Tech jumped out to a 20-0 lead, but fell apart after that.  Georgia definitely had all the momentum in the second half and at the end of the game.  Couldn’t believe Tech passed for 232 yards.  That was a surprise.  A crowd of 54,914 attended the game in Atlanta.

Almost a basketball score – Indiana 56, Purdue 36 (Touchdown Tom said: Indiana 38, Purdue 27).  The teams combined for 1,208 total yards.  But Purdue only had 31 yards rushing – and there was the difference.  Indiana had three guys rush for more than 100 yards each.  A crowd of 44,882 attended the game in Bloomington.

Week 14 Picks:   15 Correct, 5 Wrong (75.0 percent)
On the Season:    199 Correct, 67 Wrong (74.8 percent)


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA 

Miami beat Pitt, 41-31.  A crowd of 40,003 attended the game in Pittsburgh….  UCF edged South Florida, 23-20….  A crowd of 45,952 attended the game in Orlando….  Florida Atlantic downed Florida International, 21-6.  A crowd of 10,428 attended the game in Boca Raton….  Bethune-Cookman lost to Coastal Carolina, 48-24.  A crowd of 3,007 attended the game in Conway.


Superlatives

Impressive Passers:  San Jose State’s David Fales – 37-45-0 for 547 yards; Fresno State’s Derek Carr – 38-50-1-519; Purdue’s Danny Etling – 33-49-0-485; Michigan’s Devin Gardner – 32-45-0-451; Ball State’s Keith Wenning – 27-33-0-445; Northwestern’s Trevor Siemian – 31-44-0-414, and Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson – 26-34-0-395.

Also, Southern Miss’ Nick Mullens – 24-39-1 for 370 yards; West Virginia’s Clint Trickett – 21-37-2-356; Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg – 21-30-0-339; Iowa State’s Grant Rohach – 25-39-1-331; Temple’s P.J. Walker – 20-32-1-328; Florida State’s Jameis Winston – 19-31-1-327, and Middle Tennessee’s Logan Kilgore – 19-27-1-325.

Also, Hawaii’s Sean Schroeder – 23-33-1 for 322 yards; Georgia State’s Ronnie Bell – 17-34-1-321; Oregon State’s Sean Mannion – 29-47-1-314; Connecticut’s Casey Cochran – 25-33-0-311; Illinois’ Nate Scheelhaase – 31-45-1-307; Georgia’s Hutson Mason – 22-36-1-299, and Miami of Florida’s Stephen Morris – 17-28-0-296.


Impressive Rushers:  Northern Illinois’ Jordan Lynch – 321 yards; North Texas’ Brandin Byrd – 251 yards; Ohio State’s Carlos Hyde – 226 yards; Kansas State’s John Hubert – 220 yards; BYU’s Jamaal Williams – 219 yards; Central Michigan’s Zurlon Tipton – 216 yards, and Washington’s Bishop Sankey – 200 yards.

Also, Stanford’s Tyler Gaffney – 189 yards; Eastern Michigan’s Bronson Hill – 166 yards; Auburn’s Tre Mason – 164 yards; Marshall’s Essray Taliaferro – 161 yards; Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey – 157 yards; Indiana’s Tre Roberson – 154 yards; BYU’s Taysom Hill – 154 yards, and Ohio State’s Braxton Miller – 153 yards.  


Quotes of the Week

“We’re staying.  We’re not going anywhere,” Terry Saban (wife of Nick), dispelling rumors that Nick is leaving Alabama.

“You come to a crossroads and the expectations get so great, people get spoiled by success and there gets to be a lack of appreciation,” Terry Saban (wife of Nick), on what she sees as a lack of appreciation for the job her husband has done.

“Unranked Georgia plays unranked Georgia Tech for unranked bragging rights.  Call it Black Saturday.  Mark Richt is 11-1 in this game.  Paul Johnson is 1-4.  If Richt wins, Georgia fans will love him for a week.  If Johnson wins, Tech fans will love him for a year,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“If they want to fire me, go ahead,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, after the loss to Iowa.

“I would say it’s pretty cool to be a Duke football player now.  It’s just awesome.  We’re literally writing history every week,” Duke senior defensive end Kenny Anunike.


Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
This Week’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games…and then one

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. – Ohio State (12-0) vs. Michigan State (11-1) – (Big Ten Championship) (TV: Fox, 8 pm ET, Saturday) – I know Michigan almost beat the Buckeyes, but if there is any team in the Big Ten, and that’s an if, that can beat Ohio State, it’s Michigan State.  The Spartans have the defense that can stop the Buckeyes offense.  I think the question is:  What Michigan State offense will show up?  Therein could be the difference in the game.  Urban’s in the BCS championship game again – Ohio State 28, Michigan State 20.

RUNNER UP:  2. Auburn (11-1) vs. Missouri (11-1) (SEC Championship) (TV: CBS, 4 pm ET, Saturday) – These two teams matchup pretty good.  But Mizzou probably plays better defense.  Auburn may be a little stronger on offense.  The biggest problem Auburn has:  Can they get the Alabama win out of their heads by Saturday.  That’s the problem and the challenge for Gus Malzahn this week.  Either way, a Tiger is going to win.  It’s the Mo Tiger – Missouri 26, Auburn 24.

BEST OF THE REST:  3. Florida State (12-0) vs. Duke (10-2) – (ACC Championship) (TV: ABC, 8 pm ET, Saturday) – Everyone assumes this is going to be the most lopsided of all the conference title games.  David Cutcliffe definitely has a challenge on his hands.  Duke may score some on the Noles, but there is no way the Duke defense can handle the FSU offense.  Seminoles go on the warpath in Charlotte – Florida State 33, Duke 19.

4. Stanford (10-2) at Arizona State (10-2) – (Pac-12 Championship) (TV: ESPN, 7:45 pm ET, Saturday) – Stanford wins on its defense.  ASU wins on its offense.  On the other side, Stanford probably plays better offense than ASU does defense.  Something’s got to give, but it may not give much.  We’re looking at a potential barn burner.  The Cardinal heads to the Rose Bowl again – Stanford 28, Arizona State 27.

5. Northern Illinois (12-0) vs. Bowling Green (9-3) – (MAC Championship) (TV: ESPN2, 8 pm ET, Friday) – NIU’s Jordan Lynch is a contender for the Heisman.  He can make a case for finishing in the Top 3 Heisman of the voting in this game.  The Huskies tend to start out slow and finish strong.  They better not start out too slow against the Falcons.  Another BCS bowl for the Huskies – Northern Illinois 31, Bowling Green 28.

6. Oklahoma (9-2) at Oklahoma State (10-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) (TV: ABC, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – Right now, Okie State is in a three-way tie with Baylor and Texas for the Big 12 championship.  All the Cowboys have to do is win and the title is theirs.  Oklahoma can’t win the conference.  The Sooners will be playing for pride.  And to ruin it for the Cowboys.  It’s Bedlam but the Pokes have more incentive – Oklahoma State 29, Oklahoma 25.

7. Louisville (10-1) at Cincinnati (9-2) – (AAC vs. AAC) (TV: ESPN, 7:30 pm ET, Thursday) – Cincinnati has to be one of the most improved teams as this season has played out.  The Bearcats are definitely tough.  Both teams have good quarterbacks.  It’s all up to Teddy Bridgewater for the Cardinals.  He has the potential to dominate the game.  But the Bearcats have potential too – Cincinnati 28, Louisville 26.

8. Texas (8-3) at Baylor (10-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) (TV: Fox, 3:30 pm ET, Saturday) – If Okie State loses to Oklahoma, then the winner of this game wins the Big 12 conference and goes to the BCS bowl.  Mack Brown could be on the hot seat again if the Horns lose.  Baylor hasn’t been the same team lately that it was earlier in the season.  But the Bears are good enough to beat the Longhorns – Baylor 34, Texas 33.

9. Utah State (8-4) at Fresno State (10-1) – (MWC Championship) (TV: CBS, 10 pm ET, Saturday) – This could be a real high-scoring game.  Utah State found itself late in the season and came on strong.  Fresno State definitely has some problems on defense.   But not on offense.  Look for Derek Carr to star – Fresno State 40, Utah State 32.

10. Marshall (9-3) at Rice (9-3) – (C-USA Championship) (TV: ESPN2, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – These two are playing in their first ever C-USA title game.  Marshall definitely has the better offense.  Rice may have the better defense.  The better offense wins – Marshall 29, Rice 24.


….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. UCF (10-1) at SMU (5-6) – (AAC vs. AAC) (TV: ESPN, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – If the Knights win, they are the AAC champions.  If they lose, they may still be the champions.  SMU isn’t the team it was earlier.  The Mustangs have suffered a lot of injuries.  UCF can’t play like it did against Temple and South Florida.  The Knights have to take command of the game early on.  They do – UCF 26, SMU 14.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

West Virginia (4-8), Florida (4-8), Nebraska (8-4), Georgia (8-4) and Purdue (1-11) have completed their regular seasons. 


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

South Florida (2-9) travels to Rutgers (5-6) – (AAC vs. AAC) (TV: ESPN2, 7:30 pm ET, Saturday) –

Miami (9-3), Florida Atlantic (6-6), Florida International (1-11), Florida A&M (3-9), Bethune-Cookman (10-3), Jacksonville U. (5-6), Stetson (2-9) and Florida Tech (5-7) have completed their regular seasons.  


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football … James Madison coach Mickey Matthews was fired.  Matthews had been at JMU for 15 seasons where he compiled a record of 109-71.  The Dukes were 6-6 this season….  Weber State head coach, Jody Sears, was fired after only two seasons with the school.  Weber State was 4-19 under Sears.

Northern Illinois is retiring its husky mascot after nine seasons on the sidelines.  Ten-year-old Diesel will become the school’s “mascot emeritus” after NIU’s bowl game later this season.  Diesel will be replaced by a husky named Mission….  California announced that its 2014 home game against Oregon will be played in the San Francisco 49ers new stadium….  Utah and San Jose State have scheduled a two-game home-and-home series to be played in 2016 and 2017. 

Touchdown Tom
(www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com)


P.S.

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

…70 years ago this week in 1943 was “Paper Doll” by The Mills Brothers

…65 years ago this week in 1948 was “Buttons And Bows” by Dinah Shore

…60 years ago this week in 1953 was “Rags To Riches” by Tony Bennett

…55 years ago this week in 1958 was “To Know Him Is To Love Him” by The Teddy Bears

…50 years ago this week in 1963 was “I’m Leaving It Up To You” by Dale & Grace

…45 years ago this week in 1968 was “Love Child” by Diana Ross & The Supremes

…40 years ago this week in 1973 was “Top Of The World” by The Carpenters

…35 years ago this week in 1978 was “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” by Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond

…30 years ago this week in 1983 was “All Night Long (All Night)” by Lionel Richie

…25 years ago this week in 1988 was “Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley” by Will To Power

…20 years ago this week in 1993 was “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meat Loaf


Not directly college football related, but sadly there were four passings of note last week – Lou Brissie, Jane Kean, Tony Musante and Paul Walker.

Lou Brissie, who suffered severe leg wounds in World War II but went on to become an All-Star pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics, died last week in Augusta, Georgia.  He was 89.  Brissie entered the Army in December 1942 after playing one year for Presbyterian College in South Carolina.  In northern Italy, he was injured by a German shell that exploded beside him.  In the spring of 1947, Brissie played for the Athletics’ minor league team in Savannah, Georgia.  That fall – September – he made his major league debut for the Athletics, starting for them at Yankee Stadium.  Brissie had a 14-10 record in 1948 and went 16-11 in 1949 and pitched three innings in the All-Star game that season.  Leland Victor Brissie was born on June 5, 1924, in Anderson, South Carolina.  After three years with the Athletics, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 1951 and appeared with them mostly in relief.  He retired after the 1953 season.   

Jane Kean, who was best-known for playing Trixie alongside of Jackie Gleason on the television revival of “The Honeymooners,” died last week in Burbank, California.  She was 90.  Kean first started working with Jackie Gleason in the 1940s when they were both on the vaudeville circuit.  Her big break came in 1966 when CBS revived the hit show “The Honeymooners” in Miami, Florida, expanding it to an hour and adding musical numbers.  Kean starred on the show for five years as Ed Norton’s beleaguered wife.  She was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on April 10, 1923.     

Tony Musante, an actor of television, stage and movies for more than 50 years who was probably best known for “Toma,” a TV series he left after one year, died last week in New York City.  He was 77.  He had the starring role in the 1973-1974 ABC detective drama “Toma,” but left after one season to take the role of Lt. William Calley in Stanley Kramer’s 1975 television movie “Judgement: The Court Martial of Lt. William Calley.”  Toma was renamed “Baretta” with Robert Blake in the starring role.  Anthony Peter Musante was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on June 30, 1936.  He graduated from Oberlin College in Ohio.   

Paul Walker, an actor best known for his role in the “Fast and the Furious” movies, died Saturday in Valencia, California.  He was 40.  Paul William Walker IV was born in Glendale, California, on September 12, 1973.  He started acting at a young age.