College Football Week 19 – Alabama-Clemson rematch
The bowls confirmed 2 things: Deshaun
Watson should have won the Heisman, and
Ohio State had no business in the playoffs

And while we’re at it, how ’bout those Orange Bowl and Rose Bowl games? It doesn’t get any better than that.

Yeah, Holiday Week 2 was both revealing and exciting. After a poor performance for a third-straight game it became more and more apparent that Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson should not have won the Heisman Trophy. Runner-up, okay, but not the winner.

After leading his team to four-straight wins at the end of the season and a spot in the national championship game, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson should have won the Heisman Trophy. But then Christian McCaffrey should have won the Heisman Trophy last year.

And after Ohio State’s dismal performance in the Fiesta Bowl, it was obvious that the Buckeyes had no business being in the playoffs. Talk about overrated. More later.

Of the 20 bowl games played during the past seven days, some were exciting and some weren’t. Some were okay, some were so-so and some were dull. But the best and the most exciting of all were the Orange and Rose Bowls. Nothing else came close. The final quarter in those two games was about as thrilling as it gets in football.

Holiday Week 2 began with news that former Connecticut coach Randy Edsall is the top candidate to become the Huskies’ coach – again. Edsall coached Connecticut for 12 seasons from 1999 to 2010. Then, after the 2010 season, he ran out on the Huskies for the job at Maryland. Edsall coached the Terrapins from 2011 to 2015. He was fired after a few games into the 2015 season. Edsall was 74-70 at UConn and 22-34 at Maryland.

The first game of Holiday Week 2 was the Pinstripe Bowl between Northwestern and Pitt. Played in Yankee Stadium, the Wildcats beat the Panthers, 31-24. Pitt couldn’t stop the running of Northwestern’s Justin Jackson. He rushed for 224 yards.

Later the same day, West Virginia lost to Miami (Florida) in Orlando’s Russell Athletic Bowl, 31-14. WVU finished its season at 10-3. The Mountaineers beat 10 teams who were mediocre to bad. They lost to three teams who were good. Dana Holgorsen has problems beating good teams.

Also on December 28, Utah slipped by Indiana in the Foster Farms Bowl, 26-24. The Hoosiers couldn’t stop the running of Joe Williams. He rushed for 222 yards. After the game, one of Utah’s assistant coaches announced his retirement. His name is Dennis Erickson. Remember him? He coached the Miami Hurricanes to two national championships.

Erickson may have been the head coach of more teams than anybody else. From 1982 to 2011, he was the coach of Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, Miami, Oregon State, Arizona State, the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers. Most recently, Erickson was an assistant at Utah, helping the Utes with their offense.

In the nightcap, Kansas State surprised Texas A&M, 33-28, in the Texas Bowl. Kevin Sumlin will definitely enter the 2017 season on the hot seat. Stay tuned!

So, who says you can’t go home again? Obviously, Randy Edsall can. On December 29, Edsall was named the new head coach at Connecticut. Les Miles was shunned again. Maybe next year, Les.

Would you believe there is talk about creating a playoff for the Group of 5 schools? Well, believe it. The Group of 5 is made up of the American Athletic, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt conferences, along with Independents Army, BYU and Massachusetts.

Northern Illinois athletic director Sean Frazier is pushing for the playoff. Frazier envisions an 8-team playoff, consisting of the five conference champions and three at-large teams or Independents. He has allies.

But some Group of 5 conference commissioners and athletic directors are opposed to the playoff. AAC commissioner Mike Aresco is one. He and others have no interest. Currently, the highest-ranked champion from a Group of 5 conference is automatically placed in one of the New Year’s 6 bowls.

South Florida beat South Carolina in overtime, 46-39, in the Birmingham Bowl. The Bulls had a big lead over the Gamecocks, but the Cocks rallied to tie the game at the end of regulation. South Carolina has a promising freshman quarterback. His name is Jake Bentley. Stay tuned!

There is talk that the 2017 season will be the year of the quarterback in the SEC. Stay tuned!

Virginia Tech beat Arkansas, 35-24, in the Belk Bowl. The win for the Hokies was pretty amazing, considering they were trailing the Hogs 24-0 at halftime. I think Tech coach Justin Fuente is pretty amazing.

Arkansas totally self-destructed in the second half. Like Kevin Sumlin, Bret Bielema will enter the 2017 season on the hot seat. Some are already predicting that Bielema won’t be at Arkansas after next season. Maybe Jennifer will come to his rescue. Stay tuned!

Talk about stupid, before the game, Arkansas tight end Jeremy Sprinkle was suspended from playing in the Belk Bowl. Now get this – Sprinkle was suspended for shoplifting at a Belk’s department store. And even more stupid, as one of the bowl perks, Sprinkle and each his teammates had been given a $450 gift card to spend at Belk’s. Sprinkle, it turns out, attempted to shoplift eight items worth $260.

In the nightcap on December 29, Oklahoma State looked good, walloping Colorado, 38-8, in the Alamo Bowl. It was a disappointing ending to a sensational season for Colorado.

In the first of five games on December 30, Georgia beat TCU, 31-23, in Liberty Bowl. They say watch out for the Dawgs next season.

In an exciting finish, Stanford got by North Carolina, 25-23, in the Sun Bowl. The Tar Heels failed on a two-point conversion at the end of the game. Christian McCaffrey did not play for Stanford.

Back in Tennessee – Memphis to Nashville – Tennessee beat Nebraska, 38-24, in the Music City Bowl. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs was a one-man show for Vols offense.

In the least-known of all the bowls, Air Force flew by South Alabama, 45-21, in the Arizona Bowl. Least-known because it wasn’t on national television – the only bowl game that wasn’t.

They definitely saved the best for last on December 30. In a donnybrook, Florida State beat Michigan, 33-32 in the thrilla from Manila…..I mean…..the thrilly from Miami – actually, Miami Gardens. In the Orange Bowl, three touchdowns were scored in the final five minutes of the game. And to add to the thrilla…..I mean…..the thrilly, an additional two 2-points were scored in that final five minutes off of a missed PAT return. What an ending!

Fortunately, for Florida State, what happened before the game turned out not to be a bad omen for the Seminoles. When mascot Chief Osceola rode out to plant his flaming spear in the ground, Renegade, the horse, fell down. I thought maybe Renegade had too much to drink. After all, it was the holidays. As the horse fell, the ole Chief fell off Renegade. Maybe he’s the one who had too much to drink. But, just like in most movies, there was a happy ending. Both Renegade and the Chief got up. And the flaming spear made its way into the ground.

Speaking of movies, Saturday morning, December 31, Swamp Mama and I took a break from football and went to see “La La Land.” It was a winner – good story and very entertaining.

First up on New Year’s Eve, Georgia Tech downed Kentucky, 33-18, in the TaxSlayer Bowl from Jacksonville, Florida. You used to know it as the Gator Bowl.

About the same time that Kentucky was being slayed, the other team from Kentucky – Louisville – was being picked apart in Orlando. LSU beat Louisville, 29-9, in the Citrus Bowl. The Cardinals never scored a touchdown. Louisville ended its season, losing its last three games. Two of the three losses were to Houston and Kentucky who both lost their bowl games. Lamar Jackson had no business winning the Heisman Trophy. Against mostly bad teams, Jackson was good early in the season. But he was worthless late in the season.

Then, in the first of the two playoff games, Alabama blasted Washington, 24-7, in the Peach Bowl. The Huskies stayed in the game for all of one quarter. After that, Bama running back Bo Scarbrough had his way with the Dogs. Scarbrough rushed for 180 yards. It was good that he did, because quarterback Jalen Hurts only passed for 57 yards.

In the second playoff game, well, need we say it, Clemson pulverized Ohio State, 31-0, in the Fiesta Bowl. The game was a great showing for Clemson and an awful performance by Ohio State. So awful, that the Buckeyes really had no business being in the playoffs. To make matters worse, Ohio state coach Urban Meyer was shutout for the first time in his head coaching career. Goodbye Columbus!

New Year’s Day, I took a break from college football and went to the Carolina Panthers-Tampa Bay Bucs game in Tampa with Ron Hoke, an ole Navy buddy. That morning, I drove over to Ron’s house in Lakeland. From there, the two of us proceeded to Raymond James Stadium for the Bucs game.

Ron is a season ticket holder to the Bucs’ games so he has all the pre-game logistics down pat. We stopped for lunch, and then drove to a parking spot near the stadium without any hiccups. The Bucs beat the Panthers, 17-16. Carolina failed on a two-point conversion at the end of the game.

We drove to a nearby restaurant after the game to get a bite to eat, while the traffic exiting Tampa settled down. Then we made our way back to Lakeland. I bid farewell to Ron and drove back to Indialantic. I was home at 9 p.m. I carried out the venture so smoothly, I’m not sure that Swamp Mama knew I was gone.

January 2 and four more bowl games to go – the last ones. But first, word broke that Alabama coach Nick Saban fired his offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. Well, he essentially fired him.

Kiffin won’t be coaching the Alabama offense in the national championship game against Clemson. That responsibility, instead, will be handled by Steve Sarkisian. Sarkisian, the former Washington and USC head coach, has been a consultant to Alabama this season.

Supposedly, Kiffin and Sarkisian are very similar in their approach to offense and Sarkisian knows the Bama offense well. Nothing should change for Alabama on offense. Well, perhaps one change – Jalen Hurts’ verbal snap count will now be “Budweiser 15,” “Coors 11” and “Miller Lite 20.”

Among the first of the final four games yesterday, Florida recovered from two-straight losses, beating Iowa, 30-3, in the Outback Bowl. Didn’t I just sit in that same stadium the day before? That’s a happy ending for the Gators and hopefully a good start for next season.

Meanwhile, does Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz ever win bowl games?

In the Cotton Bowl, Wisconsin took care of the Group of 5 team, beating Western Michigan, 24-16. After all, two Group of 5 teams – Boise State and Houston – have won the past two years.

Then, in what was the other best and most exciting bowl game, along with the Orange Bowl, USC rallied to beat Penn State, 52-49, in the granddaddy of them all – the Rose Bowl. Actually, there were two rallies in the game. After USC was dominant in the first half, Penn State rallied in the third quarter to take its first lead in the game. And the Nittany Lions built it into a good lead too – 49-35. Then the Trojans rallied to score 17 points in the final 8 minutes of the game. Their final three points came as time expired to give USC the win. What a game!

But unlike the Orange Bowl game, USC’s Traveler didn’t fall down, nor did Tommy Trojan fall off Traveler during the pregame activities at the Rose Bowl. They were sober.

In the finale last night, Oklahoma took care of business against Auburn in the Sugar Bowl. The Sooners blasted the Tigers, 35-19. The game wasn’t as close as the score would assume. Auburn, down 35-13, scored its last touchdown as time expired at the end of the game. Bob Stoops is back on the wagon, again.

That’s a wrap on Holiday Week 2. Stay tuned for the national championship game between Alabama and Clemson on January 9.

Enjoy your week, and

Happy New Year!

Touchdown Tom
January 3, 2017
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

Note: The next CFW – College Football Week 20 – will be posted on Tuesday, January 10.


Review of the Bowls

Going down to Jackson – (in the Pinstripe Bowl) – Northwestern 31, Pitt 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Pitt 32, Northwestern 30). This was a close game throughout from start to finish. At one point in the second quarter, Northwestern had an 11-point lead at 14-3. But Pitt scored less than a minute later and Northwestern’s lead was reduced to four points. From that point on, no one led by more than four points until midway through the fourth quarter when the Wildcats went up 31-24. With Northwestern’s Justin Jackson running for 224 yards, the Wildcats controlled the clock for more than 35 minutes. Northwestern finished its season with a 7-6 record. Attendance in New York City: 37,918

The Mounties weren’t very athletic – (in the Russell Athletic Bowl) – Miami (Florida) 31, West Virginia 14 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 27, Miami 26). West Virginia looked good early in the game. The Mountaineers scored midway through the first quarter and still held a 7-0 lead midway through the second quarter. Then Miami took charge and scored 21 unanswered points in the final six minutes of the second quarter to take a 21-7 halftime lead. To make matters worse for WVU, Miami scored early in the third quarter to extend its lead to 28-7. The Miami defense totally shut down the WVU’s offense – running and passing. The Hurricanes finished their season winning 5-straight games, with a record of 9-4. Attendance in Orlando: 48,625

Field goal farm – (in the Foster Farms Bowl) – Utah 26, Indiana 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 28, Indiana 20). A close game, it was tied at halftime 17-17. Then in the second half, Utah kicked three field goals, while Indiana added one touchdown. Nine points beats seven points. The Utes kicked four field goals in the game. Utah outrushed Indiana 256 yards to 117 and that was the difference in the game. The teams were even in passing. The ground attack enabled the Utes to control the clock for more than 35 minutes. Utah’s Joe Williams rushed for 222 yards. Indiana quarterback Richard Lagow only completed 36% of his passes – 14 for 39. Utah ended its season at 9-4. Attendance in Santa Clara: 27,608

Kevin didn’t bring home the bacon – (in the Texas Bowl) – Kansas State 33, Texas A&M 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 29, Kansas State 27). This game stayed pretty close throughout, until Kansas State went up 33-21 with 9 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. But just 70 seconds later, Texas A&M came back and scored to pull within 5 points at 33-28. Neither team could punch it in during the final 7:50 of the game. The Aggies dominated the passing game, while the Wildcats controlled the rushing game. A&M quarterback Trevor Knight passed for 310 yards. Attendance in Houston: 68,412

Mustake Bowl – (in the Birmingham Bowl) – South Florida 46, South Carolina 39 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: South Florida 34, South Carolina 26). South Florida outscored South Carolina 15-0 in the first quarter. South Carolina outscored South Florida 15-0 in the fourth quarter. In between, the teams tied. Near the end of the third quarter, the Bulls had a commanding 39-21 lead over the Cocks. But the Bulls never scored another point in regulation. The Cocks did. The teams were pretty even in first downs, total yards and time of possession. But South Carolina lacked a running game – only 91 yards. South Carolina freshman quarterback Jake Bentley passed for 390 yards. South Florida finished its season on a 5-game winning streak and record of 11-2. Attendance in Birmingham: 31,229

Bret, you got some splainin to do – (in the Belk Bowl) – Virginia Tech 35, Arkansas 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 32, Arkansas 26). But I’m sure Jennifer will smooth things over for you. Arkansas led Virginia Tech 24-0 at halftime. Virginia Tech outscored Arkansas 35-0 in the second half. The hogs simply disintegrated in the second half. The Hokies defense held Arkansas to just 36 yards rushing. Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen threw three interceptions. Virginia Tech finished its season at 10-4. Attendance in Charlotte: 46,902

Rhinestone Cowboys – (in the Alamo Bowl) – Oklahoma State 38, Colorado 8 (Touchdown Tom said: Colorado 30, Oklahoma State 29). Late in the third quarter, Okie State led Colorado, 31-0. The Cowboys racked up 527 total yards. Colorado only had 62 yards rushing. Okie State quarterback Mason Rudolph passed for 314 yards. Oklahoma State won 8 of its last 9 games and finished the season with a 10-3 record. Attendance in San Antonio: 59,815

Smart ball – (in the Liberty Bowl) – Georgia 31, TCU 23 (Touchdown Tom said: TCU 27, Georgia 25). A close game through three quarters, TCU gave up in the fourth quarter. Georgia outscored the Dawgs 10-0 in the final period. The running of Nick Chubb (143 yards) and Sony Michel (87 yards) made the difference for Georgia. The Frogs offense was stagnant and their defense was pooped in the fourth quarter. Georgia finished its season with a record of 8-5. Attendance in Memphis: 51,086

Tree tops – (in the Sun Bowl) – Stanford 25, North Carolina 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 26, North Carolina 24). This was a close game right to down to the wire. North Carolina failed on a two-point attempt at the end of the game. The Tar Heels dominated the stats – 26 first downs to 16 for Stanford and 398 total yards to 283 for Stanford. The Heels even dominated the turnovers – 3 for UNC and 0 for Stanford. Stanford completed its season with a 10-3 record. Attendance in El Paso: 42,166

A little Dobb will do ya – (in the Music City Bowl) – Tennessee 38, Nebraska 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Tennessee 30, Nebraska 28). Every time it looked like Tennessee had put Nebraska away, the Huskers came fighting back. The Vols led Nebraska 31-14 with 14:09 on the clock in the fourth quarter. But just four minutes later, Tennessee only led the Huskers 31-24. Then, less than two minutes after that, the Vols were back up 38-24. In the final 8:45 of the game, Nebraska had nothing left in its repertoire. Tennessee racked up 521 total yards, while holding the Huskers to only 61 yards rushing. The Vols quarterback Joshua Dobbs was a one-man wrecking crew for Tennessee. Dobbs passed for 291 yards and rushed for 118 yards. Tennessee ended the season with a 9-4 record. Attendance in Nashville: 68,496

Worth it – (in the Arizona Bowl) – Air Force 45, South Alabama 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Air Force 31, South Alabama 21). With 10:41 to go in the second quarter, South Alabama led Air Force, 21-3. Then the Falcons proceeded to score 42 unanswered points. Air Force had 24 first downs to 13 for South Alabama, and 460 total yards to 313 for the Jaguars. The Falcons controlled the ball for more than 40 minutes. The Air Force defense held South Alabama to 68 yards rushing. Falcons quarterback Arion Worthman passed for 207 yards and ran for 71. Air Force won its last six games and finished its season with a 10-3 record. Attendance in Tucson: 33,868

Cooked – (in the Orange Bowl) – Florida State 33, Michigan 32 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 32, Florida State 23). In what began as a rout for Florida State ended up being a game that the Noles counted their blessing that they won. Before the first quarter was over, FSU led Michigan, 17-3. With 11:38 to go in the game, The Noles were still up, 27-15. But the Wolverines came fighting back and took the lead for the first time in the game with 1:57 to go in the fourth quarter. Michigan led 30-27. Then it became frantic. Thanks to a great kickoff return, FSU scored a touchdown on a 12-yard pass. But the Noles PAT was blocked and Michigan returned it for 2 points. The Wolverines had 36 seconds and three timeouts to get within field goal range, but they couldn’t do it. In spite of only 89 yards rushing, Michigan controlled the clock for more than 34 minutes. FSU’s Dalvin Cook rushed for 145 yards and had 62 yards receiving. Florida State completed its season on a 5-game winning streak and a 10-3 record. Attendance in Miami Gardens: 67,432

Lamar who? – (in the Citrus Bowl) – LSU 29, Louisville 9 (Touchdown Tom said: Louisville 30, LSU 27). LSU’s defense held Louisville to three field goals, as the Cardinals failed to score a touchdown in the game. The Tigers had 20 first downs to 11 for Louisville and outgained the Cardinals 394 yards to 220. Louisville only had 67 yards rushing. LSU controlled the clock for more than 35 minutes. LSU’s Derrius Guice rushed for 138 yards. Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson only completed 37% of his passes. LSU finished its season at 8-4. Attendance in Orlando: 46,063

No honey for the Wildcats – (in the TaxSlayer Bowl) – Georgia Tech 33, Kentucky 18 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 27, Kentucky 25). Late in the third quarter, Georgia Tech had a 23-3 lead over Kentucky. Then the Yellow Jackets held on in a busy fourth quarter as Kentucky outscored Tech in the final period 15-10. The Jackets kicked four field goals in the game. Tech’s Dedrick Mills rushed for 169 yards. Georgia Tech finished its season on a 4-game winning streak and a final record of 9-4. Attendance in Jacksonville: 43,102

The Huskies got scrubbed – (in the Peach Bowl) – Alabama 24, Washington 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 28, Washington 26). Washington briefly looked good in the first quarter when the Huskies held a 7-0 lead over Alabama. But before the quarter was over, the Tide evened the score at 7-7 and then it was all Bama for the rest of the game. Washington couldn’t get anything going. The tide held the Huskies to 194 total yards and only 44 rushing yards. Bama’s Bo Scarbrough rushed for 180 yards. With a 14-0 record, Alabama is moving on to the national championship game. Attendance in Atlanta: 75,996

Buckeyes didn’t belong – (in the Fiesta Bowl) – Clemson 31, Ohio State 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 31, Clemson 27). Clemson jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter lead over Ohio State. Then the Tigers proceeded to add a little more pain to the Buckeyes wound, adding 7 more points each quarter for the remainder of the game. The Clemson defense totally shutdown the Ohio State offense, holding the Buckeyes to 215 total yards – only 88 rushing yards. Meanwhile, the Tigers racked up 470 total yards, equally balanced between the passing and the running. Clemson went on to dominate the stats with 24 first downs to 9 for the Buckeyes, and controlling the ball for 36 minutes. With a record of 13-1, Clemson is moving on to the national championship game. Attendance in Glendale: 71,279

Albert gets the bloomin’ onion – (in the Outback Bowl) – Florida 30, Iowa 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 23, Florida 20). Iowa kicked a field goal with 8:56 to go in the first quarter and never scored another point for the rest of the game. Neither team was particularly strong on offense. Together, they only managed 557 total yards. Florida took advantage of three interceptions thrown by Iowa. The Hawkeyes only had 55 yards passing. The Gators finished their season with a 9-4 record. Attendance in Tampa: 51,119

Badgers stop the MAC attack – (in the Cotton Bowl) – Wisconsin 24, Western Michigan 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 28, Western Michigan 26). Wisconsin took a 14-0 first quarter lead and then basically held on to subdue Western Michigan. Neither team generated much offense. Combined, they only had 642 total yards. The Badgers didn’t pass a lot, but when they did they were good, completing 13 of their 14 throws. Wisconsin ended its season with an 11-3 record. Attendance in Arlington: 59,615

What a game! – (in the Rose Bowl) – USC 52, Penn State 49 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 30, Penn State 29). USC led throughout the entire first half, but never by more than two touchdowns. The Trojans were up 27-20 at the break. Penn State came roaring back in the third quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points to take a 42-27 lead, with 10:26 to go in the quarter. The Lions scored the three touchdowns in less than three minutes. With 1:55 to go in the third quarter, Penn State led 49-35. Then USC scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The final three points came on a 46-yards field goal by Matt Boermeester as time expired. The Trojans dominated the game – 33 first downs to 23 for Penn State, and 575 total yards to 465 for the Nittany Lions. USC also controlled the clock for more than 33 minutes. Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold passed for 453 yards. Penn State running back Saquon Barkley rushed for 194 yards. Lions quarterback Trace McSorley threw three interceptions. USC ended its season with a 9-game winning streak and a 10-3 record. Attendance in Pasadena: 95,128

Bob was on bass and Gus was on fiddle – (in the Sugar Bowl) – Oklahoma 35, Auburn 19 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 31, Auburn 30). A close game at halftime, Oklahoma only led Auburn by one point – 14-13. Then the Sooners came out in the second half and dominated the Tigers, building up a 35-13 lead. Oklahoma controlled the stats – 28 to 22 in first downs and 524 to 339 in total yards. The Sooners dominated both passing and rushing, and controlled the clock for more than 33 minutes. OU quarterback Baker Mayfield passed for 296 yards. Oklahoma finished its season on a 10-game winning streak a final record of 11-2. Attendance in New Orleans: 54,077

Last 20 Bowl Game Picks: 11 correct picks, 9 fumbles (55 percent)
Total Bowl Game Picks: 22 correct picks, 18 fumbles (55 percent)


Superlatives

Impressive Passers:

USC’s Sam Darnold – 33-53-1-453; South Carolina’s Jake Bentley – 32-43-2-390; Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph – 22-32-0-314, and Texas A&M’s Trevor Knight – 30-48-1-310.


Impressive Rushers:

Northwestern’s Justin Jackson – 224 yards; Utah’s Joe Williams – 222 yards; Penn State’s Saquon Barkley – 194 yards, and Alabama’s Bo Scarbrough – 180 yards.

Georgia Tech’s Dedrick Mills – 169 yards; Florida State’s Dalvin Cook – 145 yards; Georgia’s Nick Chubb – 142 yards, and LSU’s Derrius Guice – 138 yards.


Quotes of the Week

“It’s time to have a realistic conversation about creating a playoff for the Group of 5 schools,” Northern Illinois athletic director Sean Frazier.

“The answer is an emphatic no. We compete for national championships like anyone else in FBS, including the Power 5, and have no interest in any kind of separate championship,” American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco.


Quote from the Past

“I make my practices real hard because if a player is a quitter, I want him to quit in practice, not in a game,” Alabama coach Bear Bryant.

Touchdown Tom
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but as college football fans were discussing the results of the bowl games and celebrating the New Year, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1942 was “Chattanooga Choo Choo” by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra

…70 years ago this week in 1947 was “The Old Lamplighter” by Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra

…65 years ago this week in 1952 was “Cry” by Johnnie Ray and The Four Lads

…60 years ago this week in 1957 was “Singing the Blues” by Guy Mitchell

…55 years ago this week in 1962 was “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens

…50 years ago this week in 1967 was “I’m a Believer” by The Monkees

…45 years ago this week in 1972 was “Brand New Key” by Melanie

…40 years ago this week in 1977 was “You Don’t Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)” by Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.

…35 years ago this week in 1982 was “Physical” by Olivia Newton-John

…30 years ago this week in 1987 was “Walk Like an Egyptian” by The Bangles

…25 years ago this week in 1992 was “Black or White” by Michael Jackson


Not exactly college football related, but sadly there were three passings of note last week – Debbie Reynolds, LaVell Edwards and William Christopher.

Debbie Reynolds, the wholesome star of 1950s films like “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Tammy and the Bachelor,” died last week, a day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher. She was 84. She was just 19 when the movie “Singin’ in the Rain,” with Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor, was filmed in 1952. She made “Tammy and the Bachelor” five years later in 1957. She married pop singing star Eddie Fisher in 1955. The marriage ended in 1959 when Fisher left Reynolds for Elizabeth Taylor. Mary Frances Reynolds was born on April 1, 1932, in El Paso, Texas. Her family moved to California when Reynolds was seven. She appeared in her first movie in 1950. In 1955, Reynolds was in “The Tender Trap” opposite Frank Sinatra. In 1956, she starred with her husband Fisher in “Bundle of Joy.” After her divorce from Fisher, Reynolds movies included “The Gazebo” (1959), “How the West Was Won” (1963), “The Singing Nun” (1966) and “Divorce American Style” (1967). Reynolds best role in the 1960s was in “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” (1964) for which she received a best-actress Oscar nomination. In 1969, she had a television sitcom “The Debbie Reynolds Show.” She made her Broadway debut in 1973 in “Irene.” Reynolds made her last Broadway appearance in 1983 in “Woman of the Year.” She became a fixture in Las Vegas in the 1970s and 1980s. Reynolds made two movies in the 1990s – “Mother” (1996) and “In & Out” (1997). In 1999, she made appearances on the NBC sitcom “Will & Grace.”

LaVell Edwards, who took over a lackluster BYU football program in 1972 and coached the Cougars to the 1984 national championship, died last week at his home in Provo, Utah. He was 86. Edwards, who was BYU’s defensive coordinator before 1972, coached the Cougars for 29 seasons. He coached a string of strong quarterbacks, including Gary Sheide, Gifford Nielsen, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Robbie Bosco, Ty Detmer and Steve Sarkisian. Detmer won the Heisman Trophy in 1990. Edwards compiled a record at BYU of 257 victories, 101 losses and 3 ties. He was a two-time national coach of the year. Reuben LaVell Edwards was born on October 11, 1930, in Orem, Utah. He played college football at Utah State.

William Christopher, the actor best known for his role as Father Francis Mulcahy on the hit 1970s-1980s sitcom “M*A*S*H,” died at his home in Pasadena, California. He was 84. Christopher began his acting career on Broadway and then moved to television. He appeared on a number of popular TV shows, including “The Andy Griffith Show,” “The Patty Duke Show,” “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.,” “Hogan’s Heroes” and “The Love Boat.” But he will always be known for his Father Mulcahy role. “M*A*S*H” ran from 1972 to 1983 on CBS. Christopher reprised the Father Mulcahy role in “After M*A*S*H,” a spinoff that ran from 1983 to 1985. William Christopher was born on October 20, 1932, in Evanston, Illinois. He graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, with a bachelor’s degree in drama.