College Football Week 5 – UCLA at ASU; Mizzou visits Spurrier
Those Friday night lights

“Let’s walk faster, dad.”

“Let’s walk a little faster, mother.”

That’s what I would say after we walked around the corner onto Huntington Avenue. That’s when the excitement hit me. Once we got onto Huntington Avenue, I could see the stadium. I could see the lights – those Friday night lights.

We moved into the house on Neel Street in the spring of 1951. I was four and my brother was eight. The house was located about three and a half blocks west-southwest of Fairfield Stadium. Fairfield was the stadium where the two big high schools in town played football. It’s also where Marshall University (Marshall College back then) played football.

I don’t know if it was my parents’ love of football, the close location to the stadium or a combination of the two. But in the fall of 1951, we started a family ritual that lasted for many autumns.

Every Friday night in the fall from 1951 through 1955 my parents, brother and I would walk to Fairfield Stadium for a high school football game. Friday evening dinner was always soup and a sandwich. Then off to the stadium. If Huntington High was playing, we walked into the west side of the stadium. If Huntington East was playing we walked around the stadium and entered the east side. We never missed a game.

When the two schools played each other, we alternated sides from year-to-year. Back in the early-to-mid-1950s, they often played each other on a Saturday afternoon. My father went to Huntington High and my brother and I would eventually go there. Our mother taught at Huntington East. She always cheered for East, except for the two years my brother played center for Huntington High. And even then, we questioned her.

On Saturdays during those years, we never missed a Marshall game. Some weekends, we walked to the stadium on Friday nights and turned around and walked back to the stadium on Saturday afternoons. It was the routine.

By 1956, my brother was in the ninth grade at Cammack Junior High. That was the first year he no longer went to the games with us. He would go with his friends to the Huntington High games. He no longer went to Huntington East’s games. Once you were in the ninth grade at Cammack, it was a sin, a downright sacrilege, to go to East’s games.

In 1958 and 1959, my brother was the starting center on Huntington High’s football team. We didn’t go to many of Huntington East’s games those two years. Instead, we would get in the car and drive to Huntington High’s away games.

By 1960, I no longer went to the Friday night high school games with my parents. I was now in the ninth grade at Cammack. I went to the Huntington High games with my friends. And, of course, I no longer attended Huntington East’s games.

In high school, I played on the football team – well, I attempted to play. I was on the 10th-grade team my sophomore year. My junior year I was on the varsity, but I only dressed for the home games. I wasn’t on the traveling squad for the away games. My brother was the athlete in our family.

I got into two games my junior year. In both games, it was mid-to-late in the fourth quarter when the coach sent me in. We were already winning big.

My senior year, I experienced one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. It was August and preseason practice had begun. It was one of those blistering, hot August days about two or three weeks before the start of school and the first game.

Midway during practice, we were going through a drill. At some point, one of the guys on the team made a funny statement – loud enough for us to hear him but not the coach. We all started laughing. The coach stopped what he was doing and stared at us – his eyes slowly moving from player to player.

When his eyes got to mine, he stopped. He said, “Carnohan, get out of here. You’re off the team.”

I was stupefied. I was frozen in my stance.

He said, “You heard me. Go on, get out of here now. Go back to the locker room, turn in your equipment and go home.”

As I walked off Prindle Field back towards the stadium – the stadium whose lights got my adrenaline flowing on Friday nights when I was much younger – I was so hurt. I was so embarrassed. It was all I could do to hold up my head as I walked off the practice field with my back to the players.

That night, one of my friends on the team called me and said that he told the coach after practice that it wasn’t me who uttered the funny statement. The coach said, “I know that. But somebody had to take the blame.”

Three or four weeks later, I was directing the card section. Fairfield Stadium was high enough with enough rows to support a card section. I don’t remember if our class revived the card section or if we continued it from the previous year.

But there I was, sitting at a desk, plotting out the card formations on graph paper and recording the instructions on the cheat sheets. We’d sometimes hold practice sessions in the school auditorium.

Before the home games, we’d place the cards (red on one side, blue on the other) and corresponding instruction sheets on the seats in the student section. Then I prayed that no one would sabotage the arrangement by moving the instruction sheets.

During the home games, I was still on the field. Only instead of sitting on the bench, I was standing in front of the student section, hollering the commands for the card section stunts through a battery-powered megaphone.

My parents continued to go to the Huntington High and Huntington East games while I was in high school. But after I went off to college, they all but stopped going to the games. For a few years, they still went to one high school game a season – when Huntington High played Huntington East. I never asked them whose side of the field they sat on. And for a few years they went to one Marshall game a season.

Fairfield Stadium was torn down in 2004. A Marshall medical school complex stands on the grounds now. The two high schools – Huntington High and Huntington East were consolidated into one school in the 1990s.

As you walk east on Huntington Avenue today there are no Friday night lights to be seen. They are located elsewhere now. But I’ll always have a picture of them in my mind. And the excitement will get the adrenaline flowing in my body.

“Let’s walk a little faster, dad. Let’s walk faster, mother. I don’t want to be late for the game.”

I was back in Huntington over the weekend for my 50th high school class reunion. Swamp Mama was with me – her first time meeting my classmates. It was a grand and glorious occasion. We forgot the bad times and remembered the good times.

Several years ago when I read Dostoyevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov,” a passage from the book made an impact on me. It has remained etched on my memory ever since. Thursday night I shared and dedicated it with my classmates on our class Facebook page.

“And even if we are all occupied with more important things,
Even if we attain honor or fall into misfortune,
Still, let us remember how good it was once here,
When we were all together, united by a good and kind feeling
That made us better, perhaps, than we were.”

Still, let us remember those Friday night lights and how good it was once here.

It was a damn good card section.

Touchdown Tom
September 22, 2014
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK: Signal stealers? – Auburn 20, Kansas State 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 30, Kansas State 27). Three turnovers and only 40 yards rushing killed the Wildcats. Auburn’s defense came to play. What a difference between last year’s Auburn defense and this year’s. Otherwise, the teams were pretty evenly matched. K-State coach Bill Snyder accused Auburn of stealing their signals. Attendance: 53,046

RUNNER UP: What a Mustake – Alabama 42, Florida 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 28, Florida 17). Only 93 yards passing, only 107 yards rushing, 2-for-13 on third-down efficiency, 9-for-28 passing (32 percent), only 11 first downs and a defense that gives up 42 points. The only reason the Gator offense scored 21 points was because of Bama turnovers. Tell me Will is not a Mustake. Attendance: 101,821

REST OF THE BEST: Fournette who? – Mississippi State 34, LSU 29 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 33, Mississippi State 26). Miss State held a 34-10 lead over the Tigers with less than 13 minutes left in the game. LSU rallied, but not enough this time. State’s Dak Prescott passed for 268 yards and rushed for 105. The Bulldogs’ Josh Robinson rushed for 197 yards, as State racked up 570 total yards on LSU. The Tigers Leonard Fournette was another no-show again – 38 yards rushing. Attendance: 102,321

What a finish – Arizona 49, California 45 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona 33, California 24). With less than four minutes to go in the game and trailing 45-30, Arizona scored three touchdowns to beat Cal. The Wildcats final TD came as time expired. The teams combined for 1,200 total yards – 520 of those yards on the passing of Arizona’s Anu Solomon. Attendance: 45,595

Not a second-half team – Oklahoma 45, West Virginia 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 29, West Virginia 23). West Virginia had the passing game – 376 yards. Oklahoma had the running game – 301 yards. But for the third time this year (against Alabama, Maryland and Oklahoma) WVU played poorly in the second half. Tied at halftime, OU outscored WVU 21-9 in the second half. The Sooners Samaje Perine rushed for 242 yards. Attendance: 61,902

Brewer brews a catastrophe – Georgia Tech 27, Virginia Tech 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 27, Georgia Tech 21). The Hokies Michael Brewer threw three interceptions, as Virginia Tech suffered its second-straight loss at home. The Jackets Justin Thomas rushed for 165 yards. Attendance: 62,318

The Corn was poppin’ – Nebraska 41, Miami (Florida) 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 34, Miami 24). Miami had the passing game (359 yards); Nebraska had the running game (343 yards). The running game won. Ameer Abdullah accounted for 229 of the Huskers rushing yards. Attendance: 91,585

Panthers no longer undefeated – Iowa 24, Pitt 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Pitt 19, Iowa 17). Pitt led throughout most of the game. The Hawkeyes took the lead (24-20) for the first time with 6:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. Pitt’s James Connor rushed for 155 yards. Attendance: 48,895

Cougars remain undefeated – BYU 41, Virginia 33 (Touchdown Tom said: BYU 28, Virginia 25). The Cavs out-rushed (192 yards to 145) and out-passed (327 yards to 187). But the Cavs had two turnovers to none for BYU. The Cougars trailed until 9:02 remaining in the third quarter. Attendance: 59,023

Hog day afternoon – Arkansas 52, Northern Illinois 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Arkansas 32, Northern Illinois 25). Surprise, surprise – Arkansas actually had more yards passing than rushing (215 to 212). The Huskies were never in the game. Attendance: 67,204

The Hoosiers showed ’em – Indiana 31, Missouri 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Missouri 36, Indiana 22). With 2:20 left on the clock, Mizzou kicked a 40-yard field goal to go up 27-24. But the Hoosiers weren’t finished. Indiana scored on a 3-yard run with 0:22 remaining. Attendance: 66,455

East Carolina 70, North Carolina 41 (Touchdown Tom said: North Carolina 24, East Carolina 23). ECU racked up 789 total yards, as the Pirates dominated the Heels for the second-straight year. Last year, ECU beat UNC, 55-31. North Carolina actually led 20-14 early in the second quarter. Then the Pirates scored 28 unanswered points and never looked back. ECU’s Shane Carden passed for 438 yards. The Pirates Breon Allen rushed for 211 yards. Attendance: 51,082

Hoke has visions of pink – Utah 26, Michigan 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 26, Utah 22). Four turnovers killed the Wolverines. It may have killed Brady Hoke too. Attendance: 103,890

A bizarre night – Florida State 23, Clemson 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida State 33, Clemson 20). FSU only had 13 yards rushing, but the Noles still managed to beat Clemson. Not good for Dabo Swinney. Meanwhile, the lunatic is running the asylum in Tallahassee. Attendance: 82,316

Orange suffering from a citrus canker – Maryland 34, Syracuse 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Syracuse 27, Maryland 24). The Cuse outgained the Terps by 220 yards and still lost the game by a sizable margin. Early in the second quarter, Maryland only led the Orange by one point – 14-13. Then the Terps scored 20 unanswered points to take a 34-13 lead with 4:13 left in the game. Attendance: 40,511


.…AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Aztecs get pelted – Oregon State 28, San Diego State 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon State 33, San Diego State 28). In a switch for the Beavers, Oregon State scored all four of its touchdowns on the ground – this when Oregon State only had 97 yards rushing to 275 yards passing. The Aztecs only score came in the first four minutes of the game. Attendance: 41,339


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

These Devils are angels – Duke 47, Tulane 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 39, Tulane 19). The Dookies improve to 4-0 on the season. Tulane suffered five turnovers. Attendance: 20,197

A peachy day for the Dawgs – Georgia 66, Troy 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 36, Troy 14). Poor Troy. The Dawgs were angry after their loss to South Carolina last week and they took anger out on the Trojans. Sony Michel led the Dawgs in rushing with 155 yards. Attendance: 92,746

Boilers sizzle – Purdue 35, Southern Illinois 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 27, Southern Illinois 19). Maybe the Boilers should join the Missouri Valley Conference. Attendance: 31,434


Week 4 Pick Results: 12 correct, 7 wrong (63.2 percent)
On the Season: 59 correct, 19 wrong (75.6 percent)


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

UCF 41, Bethune-Cookman 7 – Attendance: 44,510 …. South Florida 17, Connecticut 14 – Attendance: 28,723 …. Wyoming 20, Florida Atlantic 19 – Attendance: 21,226 …. Louisville 34, Florida International 3 – Attendance: 10,826

oastal Carolina 48, Florida A&M 3 …. Jacksonville U. 34, Penn 31 – Attendance: 2,268 ….Stetson 37, Birmingham Southern 19 – Attendance: 1,235 ….Florida Tech 37, Tarleton State 31


Superlatives

Impressive Passers:

Arizona’s Anu Solomon – 47-73-2 for 520 yards; Alabama’s Blake Sims – 23-33-1-445; East Carolina’s Shane Carden – 30-48-1-438; Washington State’s Connor Halliday – 43-63-0-436; Old Dominion’s Taylor Heinicke – 27-43-0-430; California’s Jared Goff – 18-30-1-380, and West Virginia’s Clint Trickett – 25-41-2-376.

Also, Miami of Florida’s Brad Kaaya – 28-42-2 for 359 yards; Texas State’s Tyler Jones – 29-43-1-336; New Mexico State’s Tyler Rogers – 32-47-2-333; Oregon’s Marcus Mariota – 21-25-0-329; Missouri’s Maty Mauk – 28-47-1-326; Florida state’s Sean Maguire – 21-39-2-305, and Louisville’s Will Gardner – 16-28-0-295.


Impressive Rushers:

Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon – 253 yards; Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine – 242 yards; Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah – 229 yards; East Carolina’s Breon Allen – 211 yards; Mississippi State’s Josh Robinson – 197 yards; Illinois’ Josh Ferguson – 190 yards, and Georgia Southern’s Matt Breida – 187 yards.

Also, Western Michigan’s Jarvion Franklin – 168 yards; Georgia Tech’s Justin Thomas – 165 yards; Wisconsin’s Tanner McEvoy – 158 yards; Syracuse’s Terrel Hunt – 156 yards; Georgia’s Sony Michel – 155 yards; Pitt’s James Connor – 155 yards; Boise State’s Jay Ajayi – 150 yards, and Rice’s Jowan Davis – 150 yards.


Quotes of the Week

“Punishment proves FSU doesn’t get it. Suspending him for a half is a classic cop-out,” USA Today columnist Dan Wolken, on Jameis Winston.

“Reputation-wise, there is no coming back from this. His resume of missteps, large and small, cannot be washed away by the phony humility and contrived smile that have gotten him through all of the other predicaments in which he has found himself. Winston is what he is,” USA Today columnist Dan Wolken.

“I take little comfort in a suspension of 30 minutes from a game for shouting obscenities when this university and local law enforcement purposefully failed to investigate serious allegations of rape against this same star athlete,” Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, on Florida State, the Tallahassee Police Department and Jameis Winston.

“You’re playing Miami. That should get your attention, should get your juices flowing,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, to his team.

“He should have went to the NFL last year and got out of our league. I don’t want to play the guy! I think he’s a phenomenal athlete, a great leader, and has been one of the best players in college football every year. Not just this year but every year,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez, on Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota.


Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
This Week’s 15 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. UCLA (3-0) at Arizona State (3-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) (TV: FS1, 10 p.m. ET, Thursday) – Second week in a row that the “Game of the Week” is on Thursday night. Both teams have top-notch quarterbacks – one won’t play and the other may not. ASU’s Taylor Kelly is definitely out with a right-foot injury he suffered in the Colorado game. UCLA’s Brett Hundley may not play due to an elbow injury he suffered in the Texas game. Still, it should be a good game. Both teams have capable backup quarterbacks. ASU has senior Mike Bercovici and the Bruins will go with Jerry Neuheisel if Hundley can’t play. Bruins take the Sun out of the Devils – UCLA 34, Arizona State 33.

RUNNER UP: 2. Missouri (3-1) at South Carolina (3-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) (TV: ESPN, 7 p.m. ET, Saturday) – South Carolina still has a problem on defense. Can Missouri take advantage of this? The Tigers will be hurtin’ after the surprise loss to Indiana last week. Defense or no defense, Spurrier is on a roll – South Carolina 30, Missouri 22.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Florida State (3-0) at NC State (4-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) (TV: ABC/ESPN2, 3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday) – A battle of the undefeated, but NC State is an untested undefeated. But the Wolf Pack are in for a test this week. NC State often has a way of giving FSU problems when the two teams hook up. No problems for the Noles this year – Florida State 33, NC State 16.

4. Arkansas (3-1) vs. Texas A&M (4-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) (TV: CBS, 3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas) – Arkansas is improving since their opening loss to Auburn, no doubt about that. But have the Hogs improved enough to hang with the Aggies. A&M’s defense must stop the Arkansas running game. Aggies make the Hogs look like Pigly Wigglies – Texas A&M 28, Arkansas 24,

5. Stanford (2-1) at Washington (4-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) (TV: Fox, 4 p.m. ET, Saturday) – The Cardinal already have one loss in Pac-12 play. Another one this early in the season will be costly. But the Huskies will be tough in Seattle. The Trees shed – Washington 19, Stanford 18.

6. Cincinnati (2-0) at Ohio State (2-1) – (AAC vs. Big Ten) (TV: BTN, 6 p.m. ET, Saturday) – The Bearcats are undefeated, but the competition hasn’t been that tough. Still Cincy would love nothing better than to beat the Buckeyes, especially in Columbus. It won’t happen – Ohio State 32, Cincinnati 18.

7. Oregon State (3-0) at USC (2-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) (TV: ESPN 10:30 p.m. ET, Saturday) – The Beavers are off to a good start, but things are about to change. The Trojans will be angry after the upset loss to Boston College. They will take that anger out on the Beavers – USC 34, Oregon State 27.

8. Notre Dame (3-0) vs. Syracuse (2-1) – (Ind. vs. ACC) (TV: ABC, 8 p.m. ET, Saturday, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey) – Syracuse was looking pretty good until Maryland came along last week. The Irish come along this week. They will be tougher than Maryland – Notre Dame 30, Syracuse 13.

9. Memphis (2-1) at Ole Miss (3-0) – (AAC vs. SEC) (TV: FSN, 7:30 p.m. ET, Saturday) – Memphis is a much improved team this year. The Tigers gave UCLA a scare. But they won’t give the Rebel Bears a scare – Ole Miss 34, Memphis 21.

10. Tennessee (2-1) at Georgia (2-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) (TV: ESPN, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – The Vols are tougher, but they still have a way to go. The Dawgs sure don’t want a second loss in SEC play. It could be interesting for a quarter or two. Then Uga gets his drool going – Georgia 28, Tennessee 19.

11. Illinois (3-1) at Nebraska (4-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) (TV: BTN, 9 p.m. ET, Saturday) – Illinois doesn’t have the manpower to hang in with the Huskers in Lincoln. It may not be pretty for the Banned Indians. Huskers get off to a good start in Big Ten play – Nebraska 36, Illinois 15.

12. Texas Tech (2-1) at Oklahoma State (2-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) (TV: ESPN, 7:30 p.m. ET, Thursday) – Another big Thursday night game. It’s the first conference matchup for both teams. Okie State’s lone loss was a close, respectable loss to Florida State. Tech was blown away by Arkansas in its lone loss. And Tech was not impressive in its two wins. Kliff Kingsbury definitely has a problem on defense. His defensive coordinator, Matt Wallerstedt, resigned last week. Then again, maybe Kingsbury no longer has a problem on defense. Kliff gets lassoed – Oklahoma State 31, Texas Tech 25.

13. Duke (4-0) at Miami (Florida) (2-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) (TV: ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. ET, Saturday) – The Dookies are 4-0, but this is their first big test. Miami definitely has some problems, but the Canes can be dangerous. Not dangerous enough though – Duke 31, Miami 30.

14. Colorado State (2-1) at Boston College (3-1) – (MWC vs. ACC) (TV: FSN, 12:30 p.m. ET, Saturday) – Both teams are off to a pretty good start. The home field will be a big advantage for the Eagles. BC comes out on top – Boston College 32, Colorado State 22.

15. North Carolina (2-1) at Clemson (1-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) (TV: ESPNU, 7 p.m. ET, Saturday) – Clemson will be looking to bounce back after the frustrating loss to Florida State. North Carolina will be looking for some respect after the shellacking from East Carolina. The Tigers don’t give the Tar Heels any respect – Clemson 33, North Carolina 19.


.…AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

16. Maryland (3-1) at Indiana (2-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) (TV: BTN, 1:30 p.m. ET, Saturday) – The Hoosiers were a real surprise last week, beating Missouri. Maryland looked good too, knocking off Syracuse. The Terps continue to look good – Maryland 32, Indiana 28.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Texas (1-2) at Kansas (2-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) (TV: FS1, 4 p.m. ET, Saturday) – Charlie Strong definitely has some issues with the Horns, but the other Charlie – Weis – definitely has some problems with the Jayhawks. Weis’ problems are bigger – Texas 27, Kansas 9.

Iowa (3-1) at Purdue (2-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) (TV: BTN, 12 noon ET, Saturday) – The Boilers are catching Iowa at the wrong time. The Hawkeyes are mad. Boilers losing steam – Iowa 27, Purdue 17.

West Virginia (2-2) and Florida (2-1) are off.


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

South Florida (2-2) at Wisconsin (2-1) – (AAC vs. Big Ten) (TV: ESPNU, 12 noon ET, Saturday) …. UTSA (1-2) at Florida Atlantic (1-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) (TV: None, 5 p.m. ET, Saturday) …. Florida International (1-3) at UAB (2-1) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) (TV: None, 3:30 p.m. ET).

Florida A&M (0-3) at Tennessee State (3-1) – (MEAC vs. Ohio Valley) (TV: None, 7 p.m. ET, Saturday) …. Florida Tech (3-0) at Bethune-Cookman (2-1) – (Gulf South vs. MEAC) (TV: None, 4 p.m. ET, Saturday) …. Jacksonville U. (2-1) at Butler (2-1) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) (TV: None, 1 p.m. ET, Saturday) ….

UCF (1-2) and Stetson (2-2) are off.

In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . Michigan and Texas have agreed to a home-and-home series to be played in 2024 and 2027…. Texas quarterback David Ash announced he is giving up football. Ash, who missed much of last season with a concussion, suffered another concussion in the Longhorns opener this season against North Texas.

Touchdown Tom
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but near the end of September as the college football season was about to move into its second month, the number one song in the country…

…70 years ago this week in 1944 was “Swinging on a Star” by Bing Crosby

…65 years ago this week in 1949 was “You’re Breaking My Heart” by Vic Damone

…60 years ago this week in 1954 was “Sh-Boom” by The Crew-Cuts

…55 years ago this week in 1959 was “Sleep Walk” by Santo & Johnny

…50 years ago this week in 1964 was “The House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals

…45 years ago this week in 1969 was “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies

…40 years ago this week in 1974 was “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe” by Barry White

…35 years ago this week in 1979 was “My Sharona” by The Knack

…30 years ago this week in 1984 was “Missing You” by John Waite

…25 years ago this week in 1989 was “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You” by Milli Vanilli

…20 years ago this week in 1994 was “I’ll Make Love to You” by Boyz II Men


Not directly college football related, but sadly there were two passings of note last week – George Hamilton IV and Polly Bergen.

George Hamilton IV, a clean-cut country singer whose string of wholesome hits in the 1960s, including “Abilene” and “Before This Day Ends,” helped him become an enduring star, died last week in Nashville. He was 77. In 1956, Hamilton was a teenager in a rock ‘n’ roll band in North Carolina when he had his first hit, “A Rose and a Baby Ruth,” written by John D. Loudermilk. It reached No. 6 on Billboard’s pop chart. Hamilton had several more hits, but none as big as his first. That’s when he decided to become a country singer. He went to Nashville in 1959 and by the next year he was a member of the Opry, where he appeared dozens of times over the next 50 years. He was also popular in Canada, Europe and around the world. “Abilene” was his biggest hit, reaching No. 1 on the Country charts and No. 20 on the Pop charts in 1963. “Steel Rail Rain” and “Early Morning Rain” were two other of his country hits. His last big hit was in 1970 – “She’s a Little Bit Country” – went to No. 3 on the Country charts. Hamilton was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on July 19, 1937. He was a freshman at the University of North Carolina when he recorded “A Rose and a Baby Ruth.”

Polly Bergen, an actress, singer and businesswoman who won an Emmy in 1958 and was nominated for another 50 years later, died Saturday in Southbury, Connecticut. She was 84. Bergen was in the 1962 film “Cape Fear” and she was a panelist for five years on the CBS game show “To Tell The Truth.” She was also nominated for a Tony in 2001 for her performance in “Follies.” Bergen began her career singing hillbilly songs on the radio and quickly made the move to movies. She made a number of popular recordings, beginning with “Little Girl Blue” in 1955. Nellie Paulina Burgin was born on July 14, 1930, in Knoxville, Tennessee.