College Football Week 1 – Many Quarterback battles still unsettled
Play on, play on autumn game

In the stadium
I ain’t had no football
Since January, February, June or July

But that’s about to change. In just three days’ time, it’s the beginning of a new season – four-plus months of football. Hallelujah!

However, for Tim Beckman, the season ended before it began. Can you believe it? The season hasn’t even started and already the first coach has been fired. Late last week, Illinois fired Beckman for alleged mistreatment of players.

Frankly, I think Illinois was just getting a head-start on finding a new coach. Beckman, in all likelihood, was going to get fired at the end of the season anyway. He was on the hot seat – 12-25 in three years with the Banned Indians.

And the prospects for this season weren’t bright – picked to finish 6th in the Big Ten West. Maybe the alleged mistreatment of players made it opportune for Illinois to go ahead and get rid of Beckman now. Why wait for the inevitable?

Bill Cubit, Beckman’s offensive coordinator, was named the interim coach for the season at Illinois. Cubit is a former head coach at Western Michigan. Ironically, one of the two names that have been mentioned as Beckman’s replacement is the current coach at Western Michigan – P.J. Fleck. The other name is Greg Schiano, the former Rutgers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach.

Yeah, the season hasn’t even begun and already the fireworks are popping. Or in Steve Sarkisian’s case, the beer cans (or was it champagne bottles) are popping. Play on, play on autumn game.

Before we can play on, there are a few rules changes in college football this season you need to know about:

1. An eight-person officiating crew will be allowed if a conference or school chooses.

2. A 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty will be called on players who push or pull opponents off piles, typically seen after fumbles.

3. Instant replay reviews will be allowed to see if a kicking team player blocked the receiving team before the ball traveled 10 yards on onside kick plays.

4. Non-standard/overbuilt facemasks will be prohibited.

I ain’t had no football since January, February, June or July. Yeah, but there’s going to be more football this year – one more bowl game, that is. What?

Can you believe it? The last thing we need is another bowl game, but we got one. The Cure Bowl will be played December 19 in Orlando, Florida, matching an American Athletic Conference team against a team from the Sun Belt Conference. That’s three bowl games (Cure, Russell Athletic and Citrus) in Orlando.

So the Cure Bowl gives us a total of 40 bowls (39 plus the championship bowl) for the 2015 season – 78 of the 128 FBS teams will be going bowling at the end of the season. And speaking of the championship bowl, it will be played in Glendale, Arizona, on January 12, 2016.

The two bowls serving as the semi-final games in the playoffs this season are the Cotton and Orange Bowls, both played on December 31. In addition to the four playoff teams, the participants in the Sugar, Rose, Fiesta and Peach bowls also will be chosen by the playoff selection committee.

Speaking of the playoffs, the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season will be announced at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 3 on ESPN. Then, the rankings will be announced weekly, every Tuesday evening through December 1. The final rankings and bowl pairings will be announced on Sunday, December 6.

There are no membership changes in the Power Five conferences this season. The Power Five consists of 65 teams – the ACC (14), Big 12 (10), Big Ten (14), Pac-12 (12), SEC (14) and independent Notre Dame.

There are three changes in the Group of Five conferences. The Group of Five consists of 63 teams – the AAC (12), C-USA (13), MAC (13), MWC (12), Sun Belt (11) and independents BYU and Army.

The changes in the Group of Five are in the AAC (one) and C-USA (two). For the first time in history, Navy gives up its status as an Independent in football. The Middies begin competing in the AAC this season. Meanwhile, in C-USA, UAB is out and Charlotte is in. UAB terminated its football program, while Charlotte moved up from FCS to FBS. Note: Since terminating football, UAB has since announced that it will revive the program in 2017, resuming play in C-USA.

Here’s a rundown of the conferences, revealing the favorites, the contenders and the dark horses.

Among the Power Five conferences:

In the ACC, it’s a tossup between Florida State and Clemson for the conference championship. Both will have to first battle it out for the Atlantic Division title. Also in the Atlantic, Louisville is a contender and NC State the dark horse. In the Coastal Division, it’s a tossup between Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. Duke and North Carolina are contenders, while Miami and Pitt dark horses. Wake Forest and Virginia are picked to finish last in the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions respectively.

TCU is the solid favorite in the Big 12. Baylor is a serious contender and Oklahoma is the dark horse. Iowa State and Kansas are forecast to finish at the bottom.

It’s all Ohio State in the Big Ten – hands down. In the Buckeyes’ division – East – Michigan State is a contender and Penn State and Michigan are the dark horses. Indiana will finish last. In the Big Ten’s West Division, Wisconsin is the solid favorite. Nebraska is the contender, while Minnesota and Iowa are the dark horses. Purdue should finish at the bottom.

In the Pac-12, it’s a tossup between Oregon and USC, as both are picked to win their divisions – Oregon in the North and USC in the South. Elsewhere in the North, Stanford is the contender and California and Washington are dark horses. Arizona State and UCLA are the contenders in the South and Arizona is the dark horse. Oregon State and Colorado should be the last place finishers in the North and South respectively.

Alabama is the pick to beat Georgia for the SEC championship. But the SEC West will be the wild, wild west again – crazy. Auburn and LSU are contenders and Arkansas, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, all three, are dark horses. There’s not much hope for Miss State. In the East, Tennessee and Missouri could challenge Georgia, while South Carolina and Florida are weak dark horses. Vanderbilt is the bottom feeder.

Among the Group of Five conferences:

Cincinnati is the favorite to win its division – East – and the conference title in the AAC. Temple and UCF could challenge the Bearcats and East Carolina is the dark horse. In the AAC West, Memphis is the general favorite and Houston is a serious contender. Navy is the dark horse. Connecticut will be the big loser in the East, and in the West, it’s a tossup between SMU and Tulsa for the worst team.

Western Kentucky is forecast to beat Louisiana Tech for the C-USA championship. Challenging the Hilltoppers in the East will be Marshall and Middle Tennessee is the dark horse. Newcomer Charlotte will finish at the bottom. In the West, Rice is the contender, while UTEP and Southern Miss are weak dark horses. UT-San Antonio will sit at the bottom.

In the MAC, Toledo and Northern Illinois are equally favored to win the conference title. But first, they must battle one another to win their division – the West. Western Michigan is a contender, while Ball State and Central Michigan are dark horses in the West. Bowling Green is the solid favorite to win the MAC East crown. Ohio and Akron will contend. Massachusetts and Buffalo are dark horses. Miami in the East and Eastern Michigan in the West are the bottom feeders.

Boise State is the clear favorite to win its division – Mountain – and take the MWC championship. Utah State is the contender and Colorado State is the dark horse in the Mountain Division. New Mexico is the loser. In the MWC West, San Diego State is the favorite for the division crown. Fresno State is the contender and Nevada and San Jose State are dark horses. It’s a tossup between Hawaii and UNLV for the worst of the West.

And finally, in the Sun Belt, Appalachian State and Georgia Southern are expected to battle it out for the conference crown. Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette are serious challengers. Texas State and South Alabama are dark horses. Georgia State will finish at the bottom.

That’s the conference rundown. You have everything you need to know. Now you can sit back and see if the forecasters are right. Perhaps, you hope they are wrong. It’s going to be fun.

As the Rolling Stones sang, “Wild horses couldn’t drag me away. Wild, wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”

Five-straight days of football begin Thursday evening. North Carolina-South Carolina from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte kicks off the season. The game is basically a tossup. Before the night is over, there are two more games worth viewing – Michigan at Utah and TCU at Minnesota. Jim Harbaugh makes his debut with the Wolverines. Can TCU run the table this season?

The best game Friday night is Washington at Boise State. Huskies coach Chris Petersen returns to his old stomping grounds.

Five games top the fare on Saturday – Louisville-Auburn from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, BYU at Nebraska (Mike Riley’s debut with the Huskers), Arizona State-Texas A&M from NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas at Notre Dame (Charlie Strong’s second season with the Longhorns) and Wisconsin-Alabama from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Sunday, check out Purdue at Marshall. Marshall’s offense is never dull.

Then the five-day weekend comes to an end on Labor Day night – Ohio State at Virginia Tech. Can the Hokies beat the Buckeyes again?

Bootsie and Rockledge Gator will be at the Louisville-Auburn game, along with grandson Connor Yawn. Everybody has at least one vice. For Bootsie, it’s cheering for Auburn – her only weakness. I’m not sure where she went wrong. But we’ll let it pass for this game.

After the game, Bootsie and Rockledge will meander their way up to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for Bootsie’s high school reunion. I won’t say which one, Bootsie.

Our friend Tim Muth wanted to take Swamp Mama to a Florida State kickoff party. But there was one stipulation. Swamp Mama had to dress up like a Seminole. There are some things Swamp Mama won’t do – ever. Tim has a strange sense of humor. Don’t all Noles?

Yeah, play on, play on autumn game.

As the Rolling Stones sang, “I’m just waiting on a friend.”

Touchdown Tom
August 31, 2015
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


Quotes of the Week

“I don’t think Pat Haden has a clue about being an athletic director,” Paul Finebaum, on the USC athletic director.

“The way I acted was irresponsible. There are things we are going to work on for me, moving forward,” USC football coach Steve Sarkisian, on his behavior and inappropriate language at a kickoff event for USC boosters.

“You’re not going to change my heart to make me love Michigan, are you?,” 10-year-old Ivan Applin to the doctors at the University of Michigan Hospital before surgery to repair his heart. Ivan is a big Ohio State fan.

“Beckman’s firing was a long time coming. His antics might have been entertaining to outsiders, but he was simply an embarrassment for the Fighting Illini,” ESPN Staff Writer Josh Moyer, on the firing of Illinois coach Tim Beckman.

“Probably doesn’t need to be said how much I hate Auburn,” Arkansas coach Bret Bielema.

“Football is different. It’s not like Fortune 500 companies that don’t tell their secrets. We share ideas, probably too much,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez, on college coaches discussing offenses and defenses with each other.

“When I hear ‘spread offense’ I kind of chuckle a little bit. It means evolving. To me, that’s what ‘spread offense’ means. The days of the spread offense 100% of the time are long, long gone,” West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen.

“The spread offense in college, which is one back and four receivers, and the pro-style offense, that you used to see in the NFL, have merged,” West Virginia coach Dan Holgorsen.

“Good news was I didn’t pull a Sark after dark,” Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin, tweeting with a reference to USC coach Steve Sarkisian’s intoxicated behavior.


Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
Opening Weekend’s 12 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games.…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Wisconsin vs. Alabama – (Big Ten vs. SEC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – The last time Alabama went up against a Big Ten team, you know what happened. It wasn’t pretty. Not for Alabama, it wasn’t. So the Tide will be out to make amends for that game. There will be a sort of revenge factor against the Big Ten. That says Wisconsin could be in trouble. And the Badgers have a brand new coach too. It may not be a pretty debut for Paul Chryst. In fact, it could be a downright ugly debut. The game is being played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. If there is any battle at all, it could be between the two running backs – Alabama’s Derrick Henry and Wisconsin’s Corey Clement. Alabama finished last season against a Big Ten team. The Tide opens this season against a Big Ten team. Instead of On Wisconsin, it will be Poor Wisconsin – Alabama 28, Wisconsin 20.

RUNNER UP: 2. Ohio State at Virginia Tech – (Big Ten vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Monday, ESPN – What more could you ask for to top off the Labor Day weekend? It’s the perfect scenario – the reigning national champions going up against the only team that beat them 2014. Ohio State finished last season 14-1. That one loss was to Virginia Tech – 35-21 – in Columbus. This year, the game is in Blacksburg. It’s the only tough road game the Buckeyes have all season. Virginia Tech is the toughest game Ohio State will play until the Buckeyes meet Michigan State on November 21. And that game is in Columbus. Frank Beamer is in his 29th year, coaching the Hokies. Some Hokie fans think Beamer should be thinking about retirement. They’re getting impatient. Some think next year will be Beamer’s final one in Blacksburg. Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller lost to Virginia Tech last year. This year, Miller is a receiver. Quarterbacks J.T. Barrett or Cardale Jones or both will not lose to the Hokies. But it will be close – Ohio State 28, Virginia Tech 17.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Louisville vs. Auburn – (ACC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – During his first stint at Louisville, way before his Steve McQueen days in Arkansas, Bobby Petrino almost became the coach at Auburn – in a back-handed way. Remember that? Tommy Tuberville does. It was called Jetgate. Now Petrino is in his second stint at Louisville. Gus Malzahn is in his third year at Auburn. And Malzahn might finally have a defense this year. Auburn fans are giddy singing Muschamp Love. Yes, the same Will Muschamp, who was Will Mustake at Florida, is Auburn’s new defensive coordinator. That’s why Auburn fans are singing Muschamp Love. It’s been a while since Auburn knew what a defense was. The game is being played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Just as it is Petrino’s second stint at Louisville, it is Muschamp’s second stint at Auburn. Will was the defensive coordinator for the Tigers in 2006 and 2007. And, of course, Petrino was offensive coordinator at Auburn in 2002. It’s a small world, isn’t it? And it will be a smaller world for Louisville when Auburn gets through with the Cardinals – Auburn 34, Louisville 17.

4. Arizona State vs. Texas A&M – (Pac-12 vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Like Auburn, Texas A&M has been another one of those schools with a good offense and a bad defense. And like Gus Malzahn, Kevin Sumlin got himself a defensive guru. Enter John Chavis at College Station. Sumlin went out and hired Chavis away from LSU. Chavis first established himself as a defensive guru under Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee. Some say Arizona State could be one of the most underrated teams in the country. And the Sun Devils are ranked in the Top 20. The game is being played in NRG Stadium in Houston. That means it will be a home game for the Aggies. But the visitors win – Arizona State 33, Texas A&M 32.

5. TCU at Minnesota – (Big 12 vs. Big Ten) – 9 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Is this the year of the Frog? Or is TCU overrated? The Frogs ended last season (42-3 over Ole Miss) with a bang. They could get this season started with a bang against Minnesota. TCU has the nation’s premier quarterback – Trevone Boykin. He’s one of the favorites for the Heisman. Minnesota is coming off back-to-back 8-5 seasons. That’s almost unheard of in the land of lutefisk. Usually, the Gophers are coming off back-to-back 5-8 seasons. The Gophers are diggers, not giggers – TCU 27, Minnesota 13.

6. Texas at Notre Dame – (Big 12 vs. Ind.) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – This is Charlie Strong’s second season at Texas. It’s still a rebuilding one. Regardless, the pressure is already on Charlie. After all, it is Texas. In South Bend, Notre Dame is sporting a new offensive coordinator this season. Mike Sanford, the former OC at Boise State, will be running the Irish offense. And Sanford’s offense is likely to run through Texas’ defense. Sorry Charlie – Notre Dame 30, Texas 20.

7. Michigan at Utah – (Big Ten vs. Pac-12) – 8:30 pm ET, Thursday, FS1 – The wait is over for Wolverine fans. The Harbaugh era begins at Michigan. Jim Harbaugh makes his long awaited debut. This is Harbaugh’s second stint at Michigan. The first stint was at the quarterback position. This stint is at the coaching position. Harbaugh may need a stint, or two, when this one is done. Yeah, the wait is over for Wolverine fans, but they may have to wait another week before they have a win. Utah beat Michigan in Ann Arbor last year and looks to make it two in a row this year. Jim is no gem – Utah 28, Michigan 24.

8. Virginia at UCLA – (ACC vs. Pac-12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, Fox – Talk about a hot seat, that’s what Virginia coach Mike London is sitting on. And when UCLA gets done with the Cavaliers, London’s seat will be hotter. And if you notice Penn State fans cheering for the Bruins, that’s because Tom Bradley is the new defensive coordinator at UCLA this season. London’s bridge is falling down – UCLA 34, Virginia 17.

9. BYU at Nebraska – (Ind. vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, ABC – The Mike Riley era begins in Lincoln. Believe me, it won’t be anything like the Bo Pelini era. Not that Mike will necessarily win, or lose, any more games than Bo. That remains to be seen. It’s just that Mike’s disposition is somewhat different than Bo’s – completely different. Mike is more like Clark Kent – mild mannered. I’m not sure that you could label Bo as mild mannered. Mike will be more like Tom Osborne in that respect. Regardless, Mike still has to win games if he wants to reside in Lincoln for any length of time. BYU is a dangerous opener for Mike. The Cougar duo of quarterback Taysom Hill and running back Jamaal Williams can be scary. But the Huskers Riley….I mean….rally – Nebraska 32, BYU 30.

10. Washington at Boise State – (Pac-12 vs. MWC) – 10:15 pm ET, Friday, ESPN –
Washington coach Chris Petersen returns to his old stomping grounds. At Boise State, Petersen would have looked forward to this game with great anticipation. At Washington, Petersen is dreading this game. And rightfully so. The Broncos are loaded. The Huskies aren’t. Petersen gets no respect on his return. The Broncos are rude to him – Boise State 29, Washington 22.

11. Stanford at Northwestern – (Pac-12 vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – So, I’m wondering. When the Northwestern players take the field, will they be singing, “Look for the union label?” Or maybe the Strawbs’ “I’m a Union Man.” But alas, the Wildcats weren’t awarded the right to unionize by the NLRB. The players aren’t employees of Northwestern. Still, when Justin Jackson is running with the ball, he may be singing to the Stanford defenders, “Oh, you don’t get me, I’m part of the union….you don’t get me, I’m part of the union.” Stanford is a right to work team – Stanford 28, Northwestern 16.

12. North Carolina vs. South Carolina – (ACC vs. SEC) – 6 p.m. ET, Thursday, ESPN – So Steve Spurrier has a Twitter account now and come this time next year, North Carolina may have a probation account – big time. Yeah, Spurrier got on Twitter and then got upset when everyone referred to him as the “Old Ball Coach.” He quickly reminded everyone that he is the “Head Ball Coach” – not the “Old Ball Coach.” Spurrier even related that at his recent physical, the doctor said he was a 70-year-old man in a 55-year-old body. Fifty-five….that’s how many years probation North Carolina might get. No….it won’t be that bad. The game is being played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Both teams are question marks. Tar Heel coach Larry Fedora is on the hot seat. North Carolina has a potentially hot quarterback – Marquise Williams. But if Williams is going to have a breakout season, this is the game where he needs to breakout. Never underestimate the Old….I mean….Head Ball Coach – South Carolina 26, North Carolina 24.


…AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

13. Penn State at Temple – (Big Ten vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – This is always a curious little affair. Temple never beats Penn State. Where is Rocky when they need him? But the Owls often come pretty damn close. And this is one of those times the Owls could come close again. Or they could come more than close. They could win. Penn State is still technically rebuilding. And Temple is a challenger for the East Division title in the American Athletic Conference. But with Christian Hackenberg quarterbacking the Nittany Lions, it is hard to see Penn State losing. The Lions put the cheese on the steaks – Penn State 30, Temple 20.

14. Purdue at Marshall – (Big Ten vs. C-USA) – 3 pm ET, Sunday, FS1 –
Last year, Marshall was one loss away from an undefeated season. The Herd was also one loss away from representing the Group of Five conferences in the Selection Committee’s New Year’s Day bowls. Boise State got that spot when Marshall lost to Western Kentucky 67-66 (OT) in the final game of the regular season. A win over Purdue would get Marshall back on track for that goal this season. Purdue coach Darrell Hazell is on the hot seat. A season opening loss at Marshall would be devastating for Hazell. The Boilers are considered to be the worst team in the Big Ten. That means they are 14th out of 14. Where are Bob Griese and Drew Brees when they need them? – Marshall 24, Purdue 17.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Georgia Southern at West Virginia – (Sun Belt vs. Big 12) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, FSN – Yes, I know….Georgia Southern is supposed to be a patsy. This is supposed to be a cupcake game for WVU. Well last year, Georgia Southern darn near beat NC State and Georgia Tech. The Wolfpack had to stage a fourth quarter rally to win 24-23. The Yellow Jackets had to stage a fourth quarter rally to win 42-38. And that was the Eagles only two losses all season. Two years ago, Georgia Southern beat Florida. Yeah, I know….everybody beat Will Muschamp – everybody that is except Tennessee and Kentucky. But I digress. The danger of Georgia Southern lies in its offense. The Eagles run a spread-option. WVU’s defense will be challenged. The Eagles have a crafty little running back in Matt Breida. He can drive a defense crazy. So what was supposed to be a cupcake could spread icing all over Dana Holgorsen’s face. On the upside, WVU’s offense should have no trouble scoring on Georgia Southern. So this could be a high-scoring game. We’ll see how improved the WVU defense is. Mountaineers do better than a birdie; they get an Eagle – West Virginia 41, Georgia Southern 25.

New Mexico State at Florida – (Sun Belt vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Last year, Florida’s opener was a washout – literally. And Florida was opening then against a Sun Belt Conference team from the West – Idaho. After two failed attempts to get the game going and what seemed like several inches of rain, the game was eventually called around midnight. So Florida and Idaho never got to play. Let’s hope this one doesn’t get rained out. After all, it’s Jim McElwain’s debut. And McElwain needs to see who performs better at quarterback – Will Grier or Treon Harris. Problem is – they’ll both look good against a team like New Mexico State. It may take another week for McElwain to decide. Albert gives the Aggies a bath – Florida 49, New Mexico State 3.

Duke at Tulane – (ACC vs. AAC) – 9:30 pm ET, Thursday, CBSSN – The days of making fun of the Dookies are over. It has been for a few years now. David Cutcliffe has turned the Dookies into a legitimate and competitive team. Now Tulane is a different story. The Green Wave haven’t seen a decent season since Tommy Bowden and Rich Rodriguez left Tulane for Clemson several years ago. The Dookies are on a streetcar named Desire – Duke 31, Tulane 17.

Louisiana-Monroe at Georgia – (Sun Belt vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, SECN – A few years ago, ULM was scaring big teams right and left. The Warhawks beat Arkansas and darn near beat Auburn. But that was a few years ago. The Warhawks haven’t done that in a while. They aren’t about to start it again either. Not against Georgia, they’re not. The Dawgs will score at will on the Warhawks. Uga will be bored. He may not even bother to come out of the doghouse. After all, isn’t the doghouse air conditioned? Chubb feasts on Warhawk grub – Georgia 52, Louisiana-Monroe 10.


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

Florida International at UCF – (C-USA vs. AAC) – 6 pm ET, Thursday, CBSSN....
Florida Atlantic at Tulsa – (C-USA vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN....
Bethune-Cookman at Miami – (MEAC vs. ACC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3....
Florida A&M at South Florida – (MEAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3
Texas State at Florida State – (Sun Belt vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNEWS….

Jacksonville U. at Delaware – (Pioneer vs. Colonial) – 7 pm ET, Friday....
Webber International at Stetson – (Sun vs. Pioneer) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3....
Newberry at Florida Tech – (South Atlantic vs. Gulf South) – 7 pm ET, Saturday


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . Louisville announced a $55 million stadium expansion that will add 10,000 seats to 17-year-old Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. The expansion will bring the stadium’s capacity to approximately 65,000…. Colorado State and Florida have contracted for a game to be played in Gainesville in 2018…. LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron revealed last week that he was treated for prostate cancer but plans to coach this season….

Touchdown Tom
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but as the Labor Day weekend approached and college football fans were stoked for the start of another great season, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1940 was “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

…70 years ago this week in 1945 was “On The Atchison, Topeka and The Santa Fe” by Johnny Mercer

…65 years ago this week in 1950 was “Goodnight, Irene” by Gordon Jenkins and The Weavers

…60 years ago this week in 1955 was “Rock Around The Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets

…55 years ago this week in 1960 was “It’s Now Or Never” by Elvis Presley

…50 years ago this week in 1965 was “I Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher

…45 years ago this week in 1970 was “War” by Edwin Star

…40 years ago this week in 1975 was “Get Down Tonight” by KC and The Sunshine Band

…35 years ago this week in 1980 was “Sailing” by Christopher Cross

…30 years ago this week in 1985 was “The Power Of Love” by Huey Lewis and The News

…25 years ago this week in 1990 was “If Wishes Came True” by Sweet Sensation


Not exactly college football related, but there were six passings of note last week – Charlie Coffey, Justin Wilson, Melody Patterson, Daryl Dawkins, Lou Tsioropoulos and Marvin Mandell.

Charlie Coffey, who brought a potent passing attack to Virginia Tech during his three seasons as the Hokies’ coach in the early 1970s (1971-73), died last week. He was 81. In the three years guiding the Hokies, Coffey led them to a 12-20-1 record. His 1972 team was quarterbacked by Don Strock. Prior to Virginia Tech, Coffey was the defensive coordinator at Arkansas for five seasons and was an assistant coach at Tennessee from 1963 to 1965. Coffey played football at Tennessee where he was an offensive guard and a defensive tackle. Following his last year at Virginia Tech, Coffey entered the trucking industry. In 1981 he founded Nationwide Express, a trucking company his two sons run today.

Justin Wilson, an Indy Car driver died last week after he sustained a head injury during a crash at the Pocono Raceway. He was 37. Known as the “Gentle Giant” of racing (he was 6ft-4), Wilson got his start racing Go-Karts at the age of nine at his home in England. He raced in the European Formula One series in 2003 and then moved to the United States, where he raced in the Champ Car and Indy Car circuits. Wilson was born in Sheffield, England, and brought up in Woodall, a village in South Yorkshire.

Melody Patterson, an actress best-known for playing Wrangler Jane on the sitcom “F Troop” in the 1960s, died last week in Hollister, Missouri. She was 66. “F Troop,” a comedy set in the Old West that was seen on ABC from 1965 to 1967, Patterson played a feisty postmistress and storekeeper at Fort Courage. Her character was the love interest of the fort’s captain, played by Ken Berry. “F Troop” also starred Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch. After “F Troop” ended, Patterson appeared on “The Monkees,” “Green Acres” and other TV shows. She met actor James MacArthur when they were cast in the movie “The Angry Breed” and they later married. She appeared in a few episodes of the CBS crime drama “Hawaii 5-0,” on which MacArthur played detective Danny Williams. Melody Patricia Patterson was born on April 16, 1949, in Inglewood, California.

Daryl Dawkins, who arrived in the NBA as a teenager and became one of the games fiercest dunkers known to fans as Chocolate Thunder from Lovetron, died last week in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He was 58. In the 1975 NBA draft, Dawkins was selected 5th in the first round and first by the Philadelphia 76ers. He became the first NBA player drafted straight out of high school. Dawkins played a total of 15 years in the NBA – the first seven with the 76ers. He also played for the New Jersey Nets, the Utah Jazz and the Detroit Pistons. Daryl Dawkins was born in Orlando, Florida, on January 11, 1957. After his NBA career ended, Dawkins played professionally Italy and spent a year with the Harlem Globetrotters.

Lou Tsioropoulos, who played on Kentucky’s 1951 NCAA basketball championship team and two Boston Celtics squads that went on to win NBA titles, died last week in Louisville, Kentucky. He was 84. Tsioropoulos played three seasons at Kentucky under Adolph Rupp. The 1951 team included Frank Ramsey and Cliff Hagan. After graduating from Kentucky in 1953, Tsioropoulos spent three years in the Air Force before joining the Celtics in 1956, where he played for three seasons. Louis Charles Tsioropoulos was born on August 30, 1930, in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Marvin Mandel, a former governor of Maryland whose record of modernizing the state’s government was overshadowed by a messy divorce and a fraud conviction for helping associates profit from a racetrack deal, died yesterday in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. He was 95. Mandell was born in Baltimore on April 19, 1920 and grew up in the city. He served in the U.S. Army after graduating from the University of Maryland Law School in 1942.