College Football Week 14 – The firings have begun
I’ve got everything I need
and nothing that I don’t

Thanksgiving Week is always one of my favorite times during the college football season. The week is not only full of football games played out across three or four days, but also it is typically a week full of the season ending news and gossip – playoff projections, bowl projections, Heisman projections, coaches fired, coaches hired. You name it, there’s something to talk about.

Along with football, Thanksgiving Week is also a time when family and friends come together to be thankful, share good times, share good memories and yes, talk football. For me, Thanksgiving Week is always a week when, as the Zac Brown Band sings, “I got everything I need and nothing that I don’t.”

“I got some good friends that live down the street
Got a good lookin’ woman with her arms around me
Here in a small town where it feels like home
I got everything I need and nothing that I don’t”

Swamp Mama and I were running around like crazy at the beginning of the week. We had 11 people coming to dinner on Thursday. Three of them were good friends that live down the street. We hadn’t done anything like this in several years.

A few years ago, we had 18 people for Thanksgiving dinner, including six good friends that live down the street. And we were both working then. We’re retired now and it’s only 11 people. We must be out of condition. We are, because the past two years we went away for Thanksgiving.

And I’m cooking the turkey. Stay tuned!

But there’s nothing like watching some football for relaxation – to calm you down and settle your nerves. Well, that is as long as it’s not West Virginia or Florida. Watching West Virginia and Florida is not always relaxing. Often it doesn’t calm me down or settle my nerves.

Watching Auburn on TV can have the same affect on Bootsie. Rockledge Gator says you wouldn’t believe some of the words that come out of Bootsie’s mouth when she’s watching Auburn on television. Not that he should talk, because Rockledge is famous for speaking French and throwing various objects when Florida is on television.

Tuesday night, however, was a relaxing evening. Two Mid-American Conference games were on television. MAC games are rarely the type to raise your blood pressure. After running around like a mad dog on Monday and Tuesday, I needed some relaxation Tuesday evening.

In one game, Akron played Ohio. Ohio needed to beat Akron to win the MAC East Division and play for the conference title. It wasn’t an exciting game, but it was a close game. Actually, it was a game of four field goals. Or as my father would have said, “It was a good soccer game.”

Ohio beat Akron 9-3. Until late in the fourth quarter, Ohio led 6-3. Then with 2:59 on the clock, Ohio kicked the game’s fourth field goal – a 23-yarder. The Bobcats got everything they need and nothing they don’t.

The other MAC game on TV was close and exciting. Eastern Michigan beat Central Michigan 26-21. Early in the fourth quarter, EMU led 20-7. Then CMU scored back-to-back touchdowns to take a 21-20 lead with 2:34 left in the game. But EMU put together a final drive. With just 21 seconds on the clock, the Eagles scored the winning touchdown on a 24-yard pass from Brogan Roback to Sergio Bailey.

The win capped a successful season for Eastern Michigan. The Eagles finished 7-5. That’s quite an accomplishment for EMU, considering the Eagles won a total of 7 games during the past four seasons. They were 1-11 last year. The Eagles got everything they need.

There was a third MAC game Tuesday night. Miami (Ohio) beat Ball State, 21-20. Had Ohio lost to Akron, then Miami would have won the MAC East. Still, the RedHawks capped a good season at 6-6. They only won a total of five games the past three seasons and were predicted to finish last in the MAC East this year. Instead, Miami finished tied for first.

Thanksgiving Day, Princess Gator, Bama Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe arrived. They drove down from the panhandle on Thanksgiving Day, figuring the traffic would be light. They figured right.

Earlier in the day, I cooked my turkey – a 19 pounder. It was my first turkey in three years. Swamp Mama and I also watched the appearance of “The Pride of West Virginia” – The Mountaineer Marching Band in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They looked sharp.

Late that afternoon, friends Neal and Stephanie Stein and their children Julia and David, and neighbors Dieter and Deb Gum and Betty ‘The Duchess of Indialantic’ Pappas joined the six of us for good times and Thanksgiving dinner. I introduced Princess Gator, Bama Gator, Stephanie and Dieter to their first Irish Mule. I think they liked it.

The turkey was a success. Everyone said it was good and juicy. Dieter reminded me of the time I cooked the turkey upside down – breasts down. That was a few years ago. But that one turned out good too.

Before dinner, we watched much of the Illinois-West Virginia basketball game. West Virginia won, 89-57.

That evening, we watched the LSU-Texas A&M football game. We sort of lost interest in the game during the third quarter when LSU scored and went up 34-10. After that, the defenses went to sleep, as LSU ultimately won, 54-39. Forty-nine points in the final 20 minutes of the game.

Throughout the game, the commentators kept talking about the LSU coaching situation. They provided reports and rumors that LSU was working hard to get Houston coach Tom Herman. They almost made it sound like LSU was going to get Herman. But other reports indicated Herman hadn’t ruled out an offer from Texas. It sounds like Herman’s agent had a good thing going.

Again this year, LSU was undergoing an awkward public coaching search. Remember the Jimbo Fisher talk last year, all while Les Miles was still coaching. This year it is the Tom Herman gossip, all while interim coach Ed Orgeron is still coaching. And speaking of Jimbo Fisher, he hadn’t exactly been ruled out. Apparently, Fisher was still LSU’s first choice.

Friday contained a full slate of games – and a full-slate of upsets too. My, oh my, who would have thunk it. Memphis knocked off Houston, 48-44. Tom Herman must have been focused on Texas and LSU and not his football team. Then NC State surprised North Carolina, 28-21. Larry Fedora’s mind might have been focused elsewhere too. His name has popped up a place or two as a possibility in the coaching carousel.

The upsets weren’t over. Missouri stunned Arkansas, 28-24. Hog fans can’t be happy with Bret Bielema. But I’m sure Jennifer will patch things up. Out West, Air Force handed Boise State an unexpected loss. The Falcons beat the Broncos, 27-20. Any faint hopes Charlie Strong had of keeping his job were doused when TCU downed Texas, 31-9.

Texas Tech, after losing to Iowa State, 66-10, last week, bounced back and beat Baylor, 54-35. Arizona, who had lost eight-straight games, beat Arizona State, 56-35. Iowa, who was expected to have a struggle with Nebraska, made it look easy, beating the Huskers, 40-10.

Two favored teams won Friday and won big too. Washington downed intrastate rival Washington State, 45-17. The victory gave the Huskies the Pac-12 North title. Likewise, Western Michigan won the MAC West title and remained undefeated, beating
Toledo, 55-35. Washington and WMU have everything they need.

Friday night, the six of us went to a party at Neal and Stephanie Stein’s house. All had a good time. I ate too much cake, pie and cookies which were to die for.

The upsets continued on Saturday. Georgia Tech rallied in the fourth quarter to knock off Georgia, 28-27, and Kentucky shook up Lamar Jackson, as the Wildcats surprised Louisville, 41-38. Jackson suffered from four turnovers in the game – three interceptions and one fumble.

In the big game Saturday, the game of the week, Ohio State won as favored. But oh what a game it was. It took two overtimes for the Buckeyes to subdue Michigan, 30-27. Wolverine coach Jim Harbaugh said it took a crew of officials for the Buckeyes to subdue Michigan.

In the second half of the Michigan-Ohio State game, Harbaugh was hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his antics on the sideline. Harbaugh said to the official, “That’s a penalty?”

The official responded, “Well, it is in basketball.”

Harbaugh said, “This isn’t basketball.”

Yeah, Jim Harbaugh was right. The officiating in the Michigan-Ohio State game was atrocious. But the officiating, however bad it was, didn’t cause Michigan the game. Michigan caused its own loss – two interceptions and one fumble by Wolverine quarterback Wilton Speight. Those three things caused Michigan the game. Maybe Harbaugh should have started John O’Korn.

In another early start on Saturday, South Florida won the battle of central Florida, beating UCF, 48-31.

The second biggest game of Thanksgiving Weekend kicked off at 3:30 ET. This game went as expected, perhaps more than expected. Alabama remained undefeated, beating intrastate rival Auburn, 30-12.

Wisconsin won the Big Ten West and Penn State won the Big Ten East. The Badgers beat Minnesota, 31-17, and the Nittany Lions downed Michigan State, 45-12. Wisconsin and Penn State will meet for the Big Ten championship this week.

Notre Dame’s, Oregon’s and Ole Miss’ misery continued. USC downed the Irish, 45-27, while Oregon State beat the Ducks, 34-24, and Mississippi State blasted Ole Miss, 55-20. Notre Dame, Oregon and Ole Miss failed to qualify for a bowl game.

West Virginia bounced back from its loss to Oklahoma. The Mountaineers beat Iowa State, 49-19. And speaking of West Virginia, the WVU women’s soccer team beat Duke, 1-0, in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament. The Mountaineer ladies move on to the Final Four this week.

As the day progressed on Saturday, news broke that Texas officially fired Charlie Strong and hired Tom Herman as his replacement. Strong’s buyout is $10.6 million. Shortly afterward, LSU announced that Ed Orgeron was the new coach of the Tigers. Apparently, LSU didn’t bid high enough for Herman. After failing to land Jimbo Fisher and Tom Herman, LSU was left with Orgeron.

But apparently LSU is willing to bid high for Orgeron’s new offensive coordinator. News broke that LSU is willing to make Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin the highest paid offensive coordinator in the country, if he’ll come to Baton Rouge. Stay tuned!

Saturday night, Colorado, one of the hottest teams in the country, beat Utah, 27-22. It was the Buffs’ sixth-straight win. The victory gives Colorado the Pac-12 South title. In Tallahassee, Florida State downed Florida for the fourth year in a row. The Noles beat the Gators, 31-13. Florida didn’t score an offensive touchdown in the game.

Clemson clobbered South Carolina, 56-7, giving the ACC a 3-to-1 advantage over the SEC for the day. Tennessee coach Butch Jones is under fire. Vanderbilt upset the Vols, 45-34.

In two strange outcomes in the MWC, the conference’s division champions were both upset – and big time too. Colorado State pounded San Diego State, 63-31, and New Mexico dumped Wyoming, 56-35. Go figure.

In the battle for the Silver State, Nevada beat UNLV, 45-10. Stanford downed Rice, 41-17, as Christian McCaffrey rushed for 204 yards. In the only other overtime game besides Michigan-Ohio State, Tulsa beat Cincinnati, 40-37 in OT.

In the most outrageous game of the weekend, Pitt outlasted Syracuse, 76-61. No, that wasn’t a basketball score. And while we are talking about 70s, Navy beat SMU, 75-31, and Middle Tennessee downed Florida Atlantic, 77-56. You know, looking at these scores and others, I have to believe that by the end of the season an awful lot of defenses are simply beat down – wiped out, riddled with injuries.

The coaching carousel continued on Sunday. Florida Atlantic fired head coach Charlie Partridge. In three seasons with the Owls, Partridge was 9-27. Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell is rumored to be the next coach at Florida Atlantic.

Additionally, San Jose State fired Ron Caragher and Nevada fired Brian Polian. In four years at San Jose State, Caragher was 19-30. The Spartans were 4-8 this season. In four years with Nevada, Polian was 23-27. The Wolf Pack were 5-7 this season.

Oregon officials announced they will meet with Mark Helfrich this week about his returning to coach the Ducks next season – or not. If Helfrich is fired, and rumor is he will be, his buyout is $11.7 million. Reports and rumors have Notre Dame thinking about letting Brian Kelly go. Conversely, there are reports that Kelly already had his agent looking into opportunities for him to coach elsewhere next year.

In the midst of a bad season, Notre Dame got more bad news last week. The NCAA has ordered Notre Dame to vacate wins from the 2012 and 2013 seasons for academic fraud. The NCAA has also vacated Notre Dame’s appearance in the 2012 national championship game. With all the problems, issues and infractions that have occurred under Brian Kelly’s watch, combined with this year’s 4-8 season, maybe Notre Dame should just go ahead and ditch Kelly.

Les Miles name continues to be connected to the Purdue opening.

So when the College Football Playoff Poll comes out this week, I figure it will be (1) Alabama, (2) Ohio State, (3) Clemson and (4) Washington, with Wisconsin, Penn State, Colorado and Oklahoma knocking on the door.

With Boise State and Houston losing, Western Michigan should be in good shape as the highest-ranked Group of 5 team. But the Broncos have to be wary of Navy. The Middies have good wins over Houston, Memphis and Notre Dame. WMU’s best wins are over Northwestern and Toledo. Stay tuned!

Right now there are 76 bowl eligible teams for 80 bowl spots. Two five-win teams, Louisiana-Lafayette and South Alabama have games this week that could improve them to 6-6, depending on the outcome. ULL plays at Louisiana-Monroe and South Alabama hosts New Mexico State. Both teams are favored. But, depending on how those games come out, there will be 2, 3 or 4 teams with 5-7 records eligible for a bowl spot. The NCAA awards those spots based on the school’s APR rating (graduation rate). The 2, 3 or 4 teams with the highest APR rating will get a bowl spot.

It was good hearing from Bob Willey, Dave Brolhorst and Tim Muth last week. I reminded Tim, an FSU grad, that I picked his Noles to beat Florida. Tim said, “Yeah, but you were way off on the point spread.” Tim likes to rub it in.

And also, it was good to hear from Ken Burger. Thanks for the heads up Ken. Yes, that was a typo last week when I had Alabama at 12-1. I corrected it on the blog site.

Yeah, it was another good Thanksgiving Week.

“I got everything I need and nothing that I don’t”

Enjoy your week – championship week!

Touchdown Tom
November 28, 2016
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK: Harbaugh wants a recount – Ohio State 30, Michigan 27 (2OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 21, Michigan 20). The game lived up to its hype. You can’t get much closer or more exciting than two overtimes. Jim Harbaugh’s sideline antics made the game exciting too – or at least, interesting. The teams were pretty closely matched in the stats. The Buckeyes were the better running team. The Wolverines were the better passing team. Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett rushed for 125 yards. And, oh yes, Michigan had 7 penalties for 59 yards, while Ohio State was penalized twice for a total of six yards. Attendance in Columbus: 110,045

RUNNER UP: Beat down – Alabama 30, Auburn 12 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 28, Auburn 13). This game didn’t live up to its hype. But then, on the other hand, there was no hype. Everyone knew Alabama would beat Auburn. The only question was: by how much? The Tide dominated the Tigers from top to bottom – 26 first downs to 7; 501 total yards to 182, and controlling the clock for more than 40 minutes. Auburn only had 66 yards rushing. You can’t get much more brutal than that. Well, it could have been worse, if Jalen Hurts hadn’t thrown two interceptions. Attendance in Auburn: 101,821

BEST OF THE REST: Mush on the Palouse – Washington 45, Washington State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 32, Washington State 26). In the battle of the quarterbacks, Washington’s Jake Browning threw for 292 yards (21-for-29) and three touchdowns, while Washington State’s Luke Falk threw for 269 yards (33-for-50) and three interceptions. The Huskies also outrushed the Cougars 168 yards to 65. Attendance in Pullman: 33,773

Party time in Boulder – Colorado 27, Utah 22 (Touchdown Tom said: Colorado 26, Utah 22). After Washington easily won the Pac-12 North, Colorado had a fight on its hands to take the Pac-12 South. Although the game was close throughout, Utah’s only lead was early in the game. The Utes led 7-0 in the first quarter. Colorado went up 10-7 in the second quarter. The score was tied 13-13 late in the third quarter. Utah had four turnovers to two for the Buffs. Attendance in Boulder: 53,301

Slow start, fast finish – Wisconsin 31, Minnesota 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 26, Minnesota 17). Minnesota had a 17-7 halftime lead and held the lead until early in the fourth quarter. Commencing in the third quarter, Wisconsin scored 24 unanswered points. Gopher quarterback Mitch Leidner threw four interceptions. Attendance in Madison: 77,216

Undefeated – Western Michigan 55, Toledo 35 (Touchdown Tom said: Western Michigan 30, Toledo 25). Midway through the third quarter, Western Michigan led 45-14. Then it was tit-for-tat until the finish. Oddly enough, the teams were pretty closely matched in the stats. But WMU controlled the ball for more than 39 minutes. Toledo’s Kareem Hunt rushed for 200 yards, and WMU’s Jamauri Bogan rushed for 198 yards. Attendance in Kalamazoo: 24,191

Flyboys like the ground – Air Force 27, Boise State 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Boise State 31, Air Force 29). Boise State’s passing couldn’t outdo Air Force’s running. The Broncos had 316 yards passing (Brett Rypien) to 45 for the Falcons. And Air Force had 314 yards rushing to 84 for Boise State. The Falcons’ running allowed Air Force to control the clock for more than 41 minutes. The game was tight throughout. Attendance in Colorado Springs: 23,556

Too much wampum – Florida State 31, Florida 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida State 23, Florida 20). With 10:45 to go in the game, Florida State’s lead was just 24-13. But the Gators couldn’t close the gap anymore. The Noles put the game away with a late fourth quarter touchdown. FSU held Florida to only 58 yards rushing and just 207 total yards. FSU’s Dalvin Cook rushed for 153 yards. Attendance in Tallahassee: 78,342

The Eyes have it – Iowa 40, Nebraska 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Iowa 17). Nebraska began the season 7-0, only to lose 3 of its final 5 games. Two of the three loses were bad and this was one of them. Iowa dominated the game, out-rushing and out-passing the Huskers. Two Hawkeyes rushed for more than 100 yards – LeShun Daniels (158) and Akrum Wadley (105). There were no turnovers in the game. Iowa finished the season with three-straight wins, including a win over Michigan. Attendance in Iowa City: 69,814

Typical Mustake – Clemson 56, South Carolina 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 26, South Carolina 13). This game was over in the first quarter. Actually, it was over before it began. Clemson led 21-0 at the end of the first quarter and 35-0 at halftime. The Tigers plucked the Gamecocks with 41 first downs to 14 for South Carolina and 622 total yards to 218 for the Cocks. Tiger quarterback Deshaun Watson passed for 347 yards and six touchdowns. Attendance in Clemson: 81,542

Rub down – Memphis 48, Houston 44 (Touchdown Tom said: Houston 32, Memphis 22). Memphis jumped out to a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter and never trailed in the game until the fourth quarter when the Tigers trailed twice. With 7:02 to go in the game, Houston led 37-34. Then with 1:29 on the clock, Houston led 44-41. But each time, Memphis came back. The Tigers scored their winning touchdown with 19 seconds left in the game. The teams combined for 1,179 total yards – 896 of it from passing. Houston’s Greg Ward threw for 487 yards and four touchdowns. Memphis’ Riley Ferguson threw for 409 yards and four touchdowns. Attendance in Memphis: 36,527

Not a Heisman performance – Kentucky 41, Louisville 38 (Touchdown Tom said: Louisville 32, Kentucky 30). Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson threw three interceptions and lost the ball on a fumble. But Jackson did have 352 yards running and passing. There was a lot of offense in the game. The teams combined for 1,142 total yards. The score was close throughout. Louisville led 24-21 at the half. The score was tied 31-31 at the end of three. Kentucky quarterback Stephen Johnson passed for 338 yards. Attendance in Louisville: 54,075


….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Bulls win the Battle of I-4 – South Florida 48, UCF 31 (Touchdown Tom said: South Florida 30, UCF 20). South Florida jumped out to leads of 24-7 in the second quarter and 31-14 in the third quarter. But late in the third quarter, UCF pulled within 7 points, trailing 31-24. Then the Bulls outscored the Knights 17-7. UCF lacked a running game with only 64 yards rushing. Two USF players rushed for more than 100 yards – running back Marlon Mack (155) and quarterback Quinton Flowers (152). Attendance in Tampa: 36,056

Hot seat bowl – LSU 54, Texas A&M 39 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 19, LSU 17). In the battle of the hot seats, Ed Orgeron saved his job, while Kevin Sumlin may have lost his. It was an embarrassing loss for the Aggies. After a 6-0 start, A&M lost 4 of its last 6 games. The teams combined for 1,094 total yards. LSU quarterback Danny Etling passed for 324 yards, and Tiger running back Derrius Guice rushed for 285 yards. Attendance in College Station: 102,961


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Shoot down – West Virginia 49, Iowa State 19 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 34, Iowa State 18). Iowa State took a 3-0 lead early in the first quarter. Two minutes later, WVU went up 7-3 and the Mountaineers never trailed for the rest of the game. The teams combined for 1,174 total yards, but the Cyclones couldn’t turn their yards into points. WVU freshman Martell Pettaway rushed for 181 yards. Iowa State had four turnovers – 3 fumbles and 1 interception. Attendance in Ames: 51,365

Cane party – Miami (Florida) 40, Duke 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 30, Duke 19). Close at the break, Miami led 16-14 at halftime. Then the Canes outscored the Dookies 24-7 in the second half. Miami held Duke to just 79 yards rushing. Canes quarterback Brad Kaaya passed for 396 yards (22-for-35) and four touchdowns. The game was turnover free. Attendance in Miami Gardens: 57,396

Not so Smart – Georgia Tech 28, Georgia 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 26, Georgia Tech 21). The game was tied 14-14 at the half. But Georgia appeared to take command of the game in the third quarter. The Dawgs led 27-14 at the end of three. But the Jackets came back and skunked Uga in the fourth quarter, 14-0. Tech scored its winning touchdown with 30 seconds left in the game. Neither team was a success passing the ball, but both had a strong ground game. Georgia’s Sonny Michel rushed for 170 yards. Attendance in Athens: 92,746

The camel breaks his back – TCU 31, Texas 9 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 27, TCU 20). If there was any hope for Charlie Strong before the game, it was all but wiped out after the game. The Horns were just down by one at halftime – 7-6. But TCU outscored Texas 24-3 in the second half. The Horns D’Onta Foreman rushed for 165 yards. As a team, TCU had 309 yards rushing. Attendance in Austin: 99,065

Fitting – Indiana 26, Purdue 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Indiana 32, Purdue 23). This game went back and forth from start to finish. But when Indiana went up 26-22 with 4:59 left, the Hoosiers never relinquished their lead. Neither team showed much offense. Purdue only had 42 yards rushing, and Indiana only had 117 yards passing. Between them, the two teams had eight turnovers – 4 each. Attendance in Bloomington: 43,103

Week 13 Results: 12 correct picks, 7 fumbles (63.2 percent)
For the Season: 146 correct picks, 83 fumbles (63.8 percent)


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA

Old Dominion 42, Florida International 28 – Attendance in Norfolk: 20,118
Middle Tennessee 77, Florida Atlantic 56 – Attendance in Murfreesboro: 10,227
South Carolina State 28, Bethune-Cookman 7 – Attendance in Orangeburg: 4,086


Superlatives

Impressive Passers:

Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes – 30-46-0 for 586 yards; Houston’s Greg Ward – 47-67-1-487; Syracuse’s Zack Mahoney – 43-61-1-440; Vanderbilt’s Kyle Shurmur – 21-34-1-416; Memphis’ Riley Ferguson – 30-45-0-405; Miami of Florida’s Brad Kaaya – 22-35-0-396, and Arkansas State’s Justice Hansen – 35-57-1-393.

Miami of Ohio’s Gus Ragland – 26-35-0 for 380 yards; Illinois’ Wes Lunt – 28-54-1-377; Baylor’s Zach Smith – 30-46-1-377; Penn State’s Trace McSorley – 17-23-0-376; Arizona State’s Manny Wilkins – 43-58-1-372; Iowa State’s Jacob Park – 23-44-1-371; Cincinnati’s Hayden Moore – 20-37-0-371; Eastern Michigan’s Brogan Roback – 26-37-1-355, and Arkansas’ Austin Allen – 24-39-2-348.

Clemson’s Deshaun Watson – 26-32-1 for 347 yards; Southern Miss’ Nick Mullens – 29-33-0-342; Massachusetts’ Andrew Ford – 24-38-0-342Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs – 31-34-0-340; Kentucky’s Stephen Johnson – 16-27-1-338; Buffalo’s Grant Rohach – 20-35-0-334; SMU’s Ben Hicks – 31-44-2-331; West Virginia’s Skyler Howard – 12-21-0-330, and LSU’s Danny Etling – 20-28-0-324.


Impressive Rushers:

UTEP’s Aaron Jones – 301 yards; LSU’s Derrius Guice – 285 yards; Mississippi State’s Nick Fitzgerald – 258 yards; Wyoming’s Josh Allen – 18-28-0-248; Florida Atlantic’s Devin Singeltary – 235 yards; New Mexico’s Teriyon Gipson – 217 yards, and Middle Tennessee’s I’Tavius Mathers – 213 yards.

Middle Tennessee’s Richie James – 207 yards; Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey – 204 yards; Toledo’s Kareem Hunt – 200 yards; Western Michigan’s Jamauri Bogan – 198 yards; Tulsa’s James Flanders – 197 yards; Nevada’s James Butler – 196 yards, and Old Dominion’s Ray Lawry – 194 yards.

Mississippi State’s Aeris Williams – 191 yards; Arizona’s Brandon Dawkins – 183 yards; Notre Dame’s Josh Adams – 180 yards; Arizona’s Samajie Grant – 176 yards; New Mexico’s Lamar Jordan – 176 yards, and Northwestern’s Justin Jackson – 173 yards.

Louisville’s Lamar Jackson – 171 yards; Georgia’s Sony Michel – 170 yards; Maryland’s Ty Johnson – 168 yards; Connecticut’s Arkeel Newsome – 166 yards; Texas’ D’Onta Foreman – 165 yards; Bowling Green’s Fred Coppet – 160 yards, and Iowa’s LeShun Daniels – 158 yards.


Quotes of the Week

“We will do whatever it takes to keep Tom Herman at the University of Houston. We’re not going to lose Tom Herman because of money. He’s not going to leave because of money,” chairman of the University of Houston Board of Regents Tilman Fertitta.

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen,” LSU interim coach Ed Orgeron, after the Texas A&M game.

“I’m bitterly disappointed in the officiating today. I can’t make that anymore clear,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, after the Wolverine’s loss to Ohio State.

“I’ll be back, absolutely,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, after Notre Dame’s loss to USC, when asked if he would be coaching the Irish next year.

“Nobody’s job is safe in college football,” Oregon coach Mark Helfrich, after the Ducks loss to Oregon State.

“He’s the best I’ve ever been around. Ever,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, on his quarterback Deshaun Watson.

“I believed in Kliff Kingsbury when I hired him. I believe in him today,” Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt, on Kingsbury’s status.

“We will win championships. We will build men of character. We will graduate our players, and we will do it all with integrity and with class,” new Texas coach Tom Herman.

“I think pressure is that uneasy feeling that you feel when you are unprepared. Pressure is self-inflicted. Pressure is self-doubt when you are unprepared. We’re prepared for this job. We’re prepared for success at this job. We’re prepared for adversity in this job. So I don’t feel any sense of pressure at all,” new Texas coach Tom Herman.


Quote from the Past

“Football is not a contact sport, it is a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport,” Michigan State coach Duffy Daugherty.


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

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Washington (11-1) vs. Colorado (10-2) (The Pac-12 Championship Game – Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara) – 9:30 pm ET, Friday, Fox – These are two first-timers in the Pac-12 title game. In the six-year history of the game, it has always been Oregon or Stanford from the North and UCLA, USC, Arizona or Arizona State from the South. Washington was supposed to be here. Colorado wasn’t. The Buffaloes are the surprise team of 2016. Both teams are solid. Both play good defense and both play good offense. This should be some battle, but the edge on offense goes to the Huskies – Washington 26, Colorado 21.

RUNNER UP: 2. Alabama (12-0) vs. Florida (8-3) – (The SEC Championship Game – The Georgia Dome in Atlanta) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This could be a laugher. Florida is capable of playing good defense. But the Gators defense is injury riddled. On the other side of the ball, Florida has no offense whatsoever. And against Alabama, it could be worse than that. Maybe Eddy Pineiro will get a few field goals for the Gators. Don’t expect any touchdowns. But Nick Saban will take this game seriously. The Tide gets a serious win – Alabama 28, Florida 12.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Penn State (10-2) vs. Wisconsin (10-2) (Big Ten Championship Game – Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, Fox – I’m expecting a good contest here. Penn State has to be one of the most improved teams in the country since the first of the season. But Wisconsin is no slouch. The Badgers only two losses are to Ohio State and Michigan. The Ohio State game was an overtime loss. And Michigan only won by 7 points. The Badgers are riding a six-game winning streak. Penn State has an eight-game winning streak. The Badgers’ streak is broken – Penn State 24, Wisconsin 21.

4. Clemson (11-1) vs. Virginia Tech (9-3) (The ACC Championship Game – Camping World Stadium in Orlando) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – If there is an upset in a conference championship game, this is where it will occur. I don’t think Virginia Tech will beat Clemson, but if the Hokies do, I won’t be surprised. Both teams can be up and down. It’s just a matter of how one catches the other. With Deshaun Watson, the advantage has to go to Clemson. But it’ll be close – Clemson 33, Virginia Tech 27.

5. Ohio (8-4) vs. Western Michigan (12-0) (The MAC Championship Game – Ford Field in Detroit) – 7 pm ET, Friday, ESPN2 – Western Michigan has been an amazing team this season. It will be more amazing if the Broncos end up in a New Year’s Six bowl. They most likely will if the Broncs beat Ohio. And they most likely will. The Bobcats don’t have much of an offense. They play good defense. WMU has an overwhelming offense. The Bobcats are overwhelmed – Western Michigan 29, Ohio 19.

6. Oklahoma State (9-2) at Oklahoma (9-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12:30 pm ET, Saturday, Fox – It’s not officially, but it is like a conference championship game. Heck, it is a conference championship game. These are the two best teams in the Big 12. Oklahoma is sitting on an 8-game winning streak. Okie State is riding a 7-game winning streak. OU is 8-0 in Big 12 play. The Cowboys are 7-1. Since its early season slip ups, the Sooners are playing like one of the best teams in the country. At least the offense is. OU’s defense is shaky – very shaky. This is going to be a high-scoring game. The Sooners score higher – Oklahoma 39, Oklahoma State 30.

7. Temple (9-3) at Navy (9-2) (The AAC Championship Game – Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Navy is the favorite in this game. Temple is a very deceptive team. The Owls are better than they appear, especially on defense. But can Temple defend the Navy offense? The Middies do score a lot, but they also can give up a lot on defense. Temple’s offense is so-so. The Owls spring a leak – Navy 29, Temple 27.

8. San Diego State (9-3) at Wyoming (8-4) (The MWC Championship Game – War Memorial Stadium in Laramie) – 7:45 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – The winner of this game is anybody’s guess. Wyoming has the better wins. But the Cowboys have some bad losses. So does San Diego State. Something tells me the Aztecs won’t like Wyoming in December. The Cowboys like the elements – Wyoming 32, San Diego State 28.

9. Louisiana Tech (8-4) at Western Kentucky (9-3) (The C-USA Championship Game – Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Western Kentucky has to be heavily favored. Home field advantage and a much better offense spells trouble for Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs just hope to keep it close – Western Kentucky 37, Louisiana Tech 25.

10. Baylor (6-5) at West Virginia (9-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – Last time WVU was playing at home, the Mounties were a disappointment. That was against Oklahoma. I would think the Eers will make amends for that game. And Baylor is in a funk – big time. After winning their first six games, the Bears have dropped five straight. The news coming out of Baylor hasn’t been good. The Mountaineers should roll. Almost Heaven – West Virginia 40, Baylor 24.


….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

11. Kansas State (7-4) at TCU (6-5) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FS1 – This is a tough pick. Both teams can score. K-State has a slightly better defense. TCU has the home field advantage. But never underestimate Bill Snyder. He always has a trick up his sleeve. And a Frog in his hand – Kansas State 27, TCU 26.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Nebraska (9-3), Duke (4-8), Georgia (7-5), Texas (5-7) and Purdue (3-9) have completed their seasons.


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA

Florida State (9-3), Miami (8-4), UCF (6-6), Florida Atlantic (3-9) and Florida International (4-8) have completed their seasons.

Touchdown Tom
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but sadly there were five passings of note last week – Ralph Branca, Al Cailoa, Florence Henderson, Fidel Castro and Ron Glass.

Ralph Branca, who had three consecutive All-Star seasons pitching for the Brooklyn Dodgers, died last week in Rye Brook, New York. He was 90. Branca is known for one unforgivable offense to Dodger fans. On October 3, 1951, in a final game with the New York Giants to determine the National League championship, he served up Bobby Thomson’s pennant-winning home run – the “Shot Heard Round the World.” Ralph Theodore Joseph Branca was born on January 6, 1926, in Mount Vernon, New York. After pitching for New York University as a freshman in the spring of 1944, he made his debut for the Dodgers in June. An accident at the Dodgers spring training camp in 1952 resulted in Branca injuring his back and pelvis that affected his leg motion. He never regained his form. He later pitched for the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees, finishing his career in 1956.

Al Caiola, a guitarist who recorded hit versions of the themes from the westerns “The Magnificent Seven” and “Bonanza” and worked with artists ranging from Buddy Holly to Tony Bennett, died last week in Allendale, New Jersey. He was 96. His version of “Bonanza” reached No. 19 on the Billboard singles chart in 1961. His rendition of “The Magnificent Seven” reached No. 35 on the charts, also in 1961. Along with Holly and Bennett, Caiola also recorded and performed with Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Johnny Mathis, Simon and Garfunkel, Sarah Vaughn, Glen Campbell and Rosemary Clooney. He also played in orchestras led by Percy Faith, Morton Gould and Andre Kostelanetz, and on radio and television with Steve Allen, Jackie Gleason, Arthur Godfrey and Ed Sullivan. Alexander Emil Caiola was born on September 7, 1920, in Jersey City. He was in the Marines in World War II.

Florence Henderson, who began her career as a soprano in stage musicals but made a more lasting impression on television as the 1970s sitcom mom on “The Brady Bunch,” died last week in Los Angeles. She was 82. “The Brady Bunch” ran from September 1969 to March 1974. Henderson starred in “Fanny” on Broadway in the mid-1950s. In the 1950s and 1960s, she appeared on television in music-driven series like “The Bell Telephone Hour,” “Oldsmobile Music Theater” and “The Dean Martin Show.” Henderson was a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show,” and she was the first woman to be the show’s guest host. Henderson also made appearances on NBC’s “Today.” After “The Brady Bunch,” she made guest appearances on “Medical Center,” “Ally McBeal,” “30 Rock,” “The Love Boat” and “Fantasy Island.” Henderson was the host of “Country Kitchen,” a cooking show on TNN. In 2010, she appeared on “Dancing With the Stars.” Florence Agnes Henderson was born on February 14, 1934, in Dale, Indiana.

Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary and leader who defied the United States, died last week. He was 90. Castro dominated his country with strength and symbolism from the day he triumphantly entered Havana on January 8, 1959. Falling ill in 2006, Castro turned his power over to his brother Raul Castro. Fidel Alejandro Castro was born on August 13, 1926, in the eastern Cuban province of Oriente. As a law school student at the University of Havana in 1945, he became obsessed with Cuban politics and led student protests and demonstrations.

Ron Glass, the character actor best known for his role as the detective Ron Harris on the cop comedy “Barney Miller,” died last week. He was 71. Although best known for “Barney Miller,” Glass appeared in other shows and movies dating to the early 1970s. He was Felix Unger in “The New Odd Couple” in the 1980s. Glass also made appearances on “Friends,” “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Designing Women.” Early credits included “All in the Family,” “Maude,” “Sanford and Son” and “Hawaii Five-0.” “Barney Miller” aired from 1975 to 1982. Raised in Evansville, Indiana, Glass received a bachelor of arts degree in drama and literature from the University of Evansville. After graduation, he moved to Minneapolis before coming to Los Angeles.