College Football Week 1 – Five-straight days of football!
Happy Days Are Here Again

Yes, college football fans, after seven months….

“The skies above are clear again,
Let us sing a song of cheer again,
Happy days are here again.”

Although five games were played Saturday, this is the week we have been waiting for. This week is the official start of the college football season. From the first kickoff on Thursday evening to the final game Monday night, this is the week we have been waiting for – five-straight days of football. It doesn’t get any better than this. Happy days are here again!

The skies above are clear again for the Stanford band. After being suspended last September, college football’s most controversial marching band was reinstated from suspension in January. The Stanford band is cleared to perform for the 2017 football season. The band, however, remains on probation.

The band was placed on indefinite suspension last year for continuing to be an embarrassment to the school’s image. The Stanford band was deemed to have a systemic cultural problem that carried over to the field with its halftime performances designed to poke fun at opposing schools.

Word is the university has been working to restructure the band with the intent of developing a more respected organization. So we may never again see the Stanford band as we once knew it. Darn it!

“Altogether shout it now,
There’s no one who can doubt it now,
So let’s tell the world about it now,
Happy days are here again.”

And just so there is no doubt about it now, let’s tell the world about the new rules that are in effect for the 2017 college football season. After all, if you are going to watch and follow the games, then you need t know the rules.

Overall, there are eight new rules this year, but only two that impact action on the field during a game. They are:

1. Players are now prohibited from jumping over offensive lineman to block a kick. The NFL also implemented this rule starting with the 2017 season.
2. The nameplate is now included in the horse-collar tackle 15-yard penalty. The horse-collar tackle penalty has been around for more than a decade now and it continues to expand. Grabbing a player by the nameplate on the back of his jersey will be considered a horse-collar tackle.

The other six new rules are coaching and recruiting regulations. They are:

1. Early signing day – Football recruits can now sign their letters of intent during a three-day period in December near Christmas. In 2017, the dates will be December 20-23. Players who do not sign early must wait until the second Wednesday in February to sign their letters.
2. No more two-a-days – Full contact practices held twice in the same day are now banned.
3. Official visits moved up – Coaches may now begin visiting a recruit as early as April 1 of the recruit’s junior year. The visiting period ends the Sunday before the last Wednesday in June of that year. Official visits cannot occur in conjunction with a recruit’s participation in a school’s summer camp or clinic.
4. The 10th assistant rule – College football teams can now have up to 10 assistant coaches instead of nine.
5. Making college football like college basketball – Schools are no longer allowed to hire people close to the recruit (i.e. parents, coaches, trainers, etc.) for coaching jobs in the two-year period before or after the recruit’s enrollment at a prospective college. This rule has been in effect in basketball for a few years now.
6. Camp reform – This requires camps and clinics conducted by the schools to hold educational sessions detailing initial eligibility standards, gambling rules and drug regulations. It also limits the time for FBS coaches to participate in camps and clinics to 10 days in June and July and requires that the camps take place on a school’s campus or in facilities regularly used by the school for practice and/or competition.

Now that you are up to date on the rules, you can sing a song of cheer again as you watch these games over the five days of opening weekend. Florida International at UCF kicks off the weekend at 6 pm ET, Thursday, on CBSSN. All you Nebraska fans out there can check out Scott Frost’s offense and see what kind of progress the former Husker quarterback has made in his second season coaching UCF.

At 7:30 pm ET, most may want to switch over to the Tulsa at Oklahoma State game on FS1. Oklahoma State is No. 10 in the country and has one of the best quarterbacks in the country – Mason Rudolph. But Tulsa counters with one of the best running backs in the country – D’Angelo Brewer.

Then at 8 pm ET, Thursday, some of you may want to watch the No. 2 team in the country – Ohio State. The Buckeyes, with quarterback J.T. Barrett, open on the road at Indiana. The game is on ESPN.

For your Friday viewing, we have Lane Kiffin, and the No. 8 and No. 9 teams in the country. At 8 pm ET, on ESPNU, you can catch Navy at Florida Atlantic. After stints coaching the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee and USC, the often controversial Kiffin is back in the head coaching role again this season at Florida Atlantic.

Also at 8 pm ET, on FS1, No, 8 Washington plays at Rutgers. The Huskies are loaded with quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin. An hour later, 9 pm ET, you can catch No. 9 Wisconsin hosting Utah State. The game is on ESPN.

You have lots of options on Saturday, but here are some of the games we suggest. Start out at 12 noon ET with Maryland at Texas on FS1. This is Tom Herman’s debut, coaching the Longhorns.

Then at 3 pm ET switch over to ESPN to watch NC State vs. South Carolina from Charlotte. There are two potentially good quarterbacks in this encounter – the Wolfpacks Ryan Finley and the Gamecocks Jake Bentley. Is this the year NC State coach Dave Doeren turns the corner for the Wolfpack? Does South Carolina coach Will Muschamp keep his moniker – Will Mustake?

Thirty minutes later – 3:30 pm ET – the second-biggest game of the weekend commences on ABC. That would be Florida vs. Michigan from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Wolverines are the No. 11 team in the country, while the Gators come in at No. 17. Who will start at quarterback for Florida? Could an Eddy Pineiro field goal pull out the game for the Gators?

At the same time, 3:30 pm ET, a few of you might want to check on Temple at Notre Dame on NBC. Irish coach Brian Kelly is on the hot seat – big time. Temple is a feisty little team.

Then at 3:45 pm ET there is a curious game on ESPNU – Troy at Boise State. Both of these teams are two of the better Group of 5 teams in the country. The Broncos have a top-notch quarterback in Brett Rypien, while the Trojans have both an exciting quarterback and running back – Brandon Silvers and Jordan Chunn. But can Troy handle the Blue Carpet?

At 6:15 pm ET the Little Mountaineers attempt to knock off a biggie on ESPN – Appalachian State at Georgia. The Dawgs are No. 15 in the country. A few years back, Appalachian State opened the season with an upset over Michigan. Last year, the Little Mountaineers forced Tennessee into overtime before they fell to the Vols, 20-13. On the Georgia side you want to check out quarterback Jacob Eason and running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Appalachian State is no slouch with quarterback Taylor Lamb and running back Jalin Moore.

Drum roll, please…..The No. 1 game in the nation comes on at 8 pm ET, Saturday, on ABC, featuring the No. 1 team in the country against the No. 3 team – Alabama vs. Florida State from the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. This contest matches the two sophomore quarterbacks who both started as freshman last year – Alabama’s Jalen Hurts and Florida State’s Deondre Francois. Add to that Bama’s two running backs – Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris.

If the Alabama-Florida State game is a dud, then your backup is the BYU vs. LSU game from Houston. It’s a 9:30 pm ET start on ESPN. LSU enters the game at No. 13. Can BYU quarterback Tanner Mangum engineer an upset here? Note: This game most likely will be relocated to New Orleans or Baton Rouge due to the flooding in Houston.

There are two good games on the television on Sunday. But I’m partial to the one that starts at 7:30 pm ET on ABC from FedEx Stadium in Landover, Maryland. That would be the third-biggest game of the weekend – No. 21 Virginia Tech vs. No. 22 West Virginia. Former Florida quarterback Will Grier makes his debut for the Mountaineers.

Now if, by chance, West Virginia is performing poorly, you can switch over to the other game that starts at 7:30 pm ET. This contest features Texas A&M at UCLA, also known as the “Hot Seat” Bowl. Both coaches – A&M’s Kevin Sumlin and the Bruins Jim Mora – are big time hot seaters. The future won’t look promising for the losing coach. Check out UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen in this encounter. The game is on FOX.

The five day viewing all comes to an end on Monday – Labor Day night. From the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, it’s Georgia Tech vs. Tennessee. The game starts at 8 pm ET, on ESPN. Vols’ coach Butch Jones enters the season on shaky ground and really needs a win here.

That’s your recommended viewing over the five-day weekend. Enjoy!

“Your cares and troubles are gone,
There will be no more from now on,
Happy Days are here again.”

Now that you know the rules and you know what games to watch, let’s find out if your cares and troubles are gone. What do the forecasters have to say about your favorite team or teams? Let’s take a look at the 10 FBS conferences (five Power 5 conferences and five Group of 5 conferences) to see who the forecasters like and who they don’t like for 2017.

Starting in the ACC (Atlantic Division), the favorite: Florida State; the challengers: Clemson and Louisville; the dark horse/sleeper: NC State; the bottom feeders: Boston College, Syracuse and Wake Forest.

Over in the ACC (Coastal Division), the favorite: Miami; the challenger: Virginia Tech; the dark horse/sleepers: Georgia Tech and Pitt; the bottom feeders: Duke, North Carolina and Virginia.

The ACC champion: Florida State

In the Big 12 Conference, the favorite: Oklahoma; the challenger: Oklahoma State; the dark horse/sleepers: Kansas State, Texas, TCU and West Virginia; the bottom feeders: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas and Texas Tech.

The Big 12 champion: Oklahoma

For the Big Ten (East Division), the favorite: Ohio State; the challengers: Michigan and Penn State; the dark horse/sleepers: Indiana and Michigan State; the bottom feeders: Maryland and Rutgers.

Then in the Big Ten (West Division), the favorite: Wisconsin; the challengers: Nebraska and Northwestern; the dark horse/sleepers: Iowa and Minnesota; the bottom feeders: Illinois and Purdue.

The Big Ten champion: Ohio State

Out in the Pac-12 (North Division), the favorite: Washington; the challenger: Stanford; the dark horse/sleepers: Oregon and Washington State; the bottom feeders: California and Oregon State.

Down in the Pac-12 (South Division), the favorite: USC; the challengers: UCLA and Utah; the dark horse/sleeper: Colorado; the bottom feeders: Arizona and Arizona State.

The Pac-12 champion: USC

Summing up the SEC (East Division), the favorite: Georgia; the challengers: Florida and Tennessee; the dark horse/sleepers: Kentucky and South Carolina; the bottom feeders: Missouri and Vanderbilt.

Then in the SEC (West Division), the favorite: Alabama; the challengers: Auburn and LSU; the dark horse/sleepers: Arkansas, Mississippi State and Texas A&M; the bottom feeder: Ole Miss.

The SEC champion: Alabama

In the AAC (East Division), the favorite: South Florida; the challengers: Temple and UCF; the dark horse/sleeper: Cincinnati; the bottom feeders: Connecticut and East Carolina.

While in the AAC (West Division), the favorites: Houston, Memphis and Navy; the challenger: Tulsa; the dark horse/sleeper: None; the bottom feeders: SMU and Tulane.

The AAC champion: South Florida

Jumping to the C-USA (East Division), the favorite: Western Kentucky; the challengers: Middle Tennessee and Old Dominion; the dark horse/sleepers: Florida Atlantic and Marshall; the bottom feeders: Charlotte and Florida International.

Over in the C-USA (West Division), the favorite: Louisiana Tech; the challengers: Southern Miss and UT-San Antonio; the dark horse/sleeper: North Texas; the bottom feeders: Rice and UTEP.

The C-USA champion: Western Kentucky

In the MAC (East Division), the favorites: Miami and Ohio; the challenger: Bowling Green; the dark horse/sleeper: Akron; the bottom feeders: Buffalo and Kent State.

Moving to the MAC (West Division), the favorite: Toledo; the challenger: Western Michigan; the dark horse/sleeper: Northern Illinois; the bottom feeders: Ball State, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan.

The MAC champion: Toledo

Out in the MWC (Mountain Division), the favorite: Boise State; the challengers: Colorado State and Wyoming; the dark horse/sleepers: Air Force and New Mexico; the loser: Utah State.

Then in the MWC (West Division), the favorite: San Diego State; the challenger: Hawaii; the dark horse/sleepers: Nevada and UNLV; the bottom feeders: Fresno State and San Jose State.

The MWC champion: Boise State

And finally, in the Sun Belt Conference, the favorite: Appalachian State; the challengers: Arkansas State and Troy; the dark horse/sleepers: Georgia Southern, Idaho, South Alabama and UL-Lafayette; the bottom feeders: Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, New Mexico State, Texas State and UL-Monroe.

The Sun Belt is the only conference that doesn’t have a championship game.

“Happy days are here again,
The skies above are clear again,
Let us sing a song of cheer again,
Happy days are here again.”

Now some happy facts to complete everything you need to know about the 2017 season. Let us sing a song of cheer for first-year Western Kentucky coach Mike Sanford. At age 35 years-6 months, Sanford becomes this season’s youngest coach in FBS football.

The other baby coaches, those under 40, from youngest to oldest are Memphis’ Mike Norvell, 35 years-10 months; Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck, 36 years-9 months; Georgia Southern’s Tyson Summers, 37 years-4 months; Troy’s Neal Brown, 37 years-5 months, Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, 37 years-9 months, and Toledo’s Jason Candle, 37 years-9 months.

Texas Tech’s Kliff Kingsbury, 38 years-0 months; Hawaii’s Nick Rolovich, 38 years-6 months; North Texas’ Seth Littrell, 39 years-2 months; East Carolina’s Scottie Montgomery, 39 years-3 months, and Maryland’s D.J. Durkin, 37 years-7 months. Come December will Kingsbury be the youngest coach to be fired this season? Stay tuned!

The number of FBS teams increased by two this season, while the number of bowl games decreased by one.

Coastal Carolina and UAB join the FBS ranks this season. Coastal Carolina – college baseball’s World Series Champions in 2016 – will be competing in the Sun Belt Conference as a full-fledged member. The Chanticleers were a transition team last year, moving up from FCS to FBS.

Instead of joining, UAB actually rejoins the FBS ranks this season. UAB, you might remember, discontinued its football program a few years ago. Then, two years ago, the school reinstated the program. The Blazers are back for the 2017 season ready to compete in Conference USA. The addition of Coastal Carolina and UAB makes for 130 FBS football teams.

Meantime, there will be one less bowl game this season – 39 instead of 40. The Poinsettia Bowl, the first of two bowl games held annually in San Diego, is kaput. San Diego’s other bowl, the Holiday Bowl, remains active. However, the Holiday Bowl will move from Qualcomm Stadium to Petco Park. Qualcomm Stadium, former home of the San Diego Chargers, is being torn down. Petco Park is home to the San Diego Padres. By the way, BYU won last year’s final Poinsettia Bowl. The Cougars beat Wyoming, 24-21.

Although it doesn’t have two divisions, the Big 12 Conference will conduct a championship game this year at the end of the regular season. The regular season champion will play the second-place team for the conference championship. The game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The semifinal games of the college football playoff will be hosted this season by the Rose and Sugar Bowls on January 1. The national championship game will be played on January 8 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Saturday was a happy day for Colorado State, BYU, Hawaii, South Florida and Stanford. All five won.

Oregon State scored the first touchdown of the 2017 college football season, but Colorado State won the first game of the season. The Rams beat the Beavers, 58-27. Oregon State coach Gary Andersen is in trouble. His third season in Corvallis and Andersen loses to a Group of 5 school by 31 points. Not good.

Colorado State quarterback Nick Stevens was 26-39-1 for 334 yards passing, with three touchdowns. Leading Oregon State by only four points at the break – 24-20 – CSU outscored the Beavers 34-7 in the second half. Not long after the game, the rumors started. Will Colorado State coach Mike Bobo be coaching Tennessee or Ole Miss next year?

In the next game, BYU downed Portland State, 20-6. BYU had to be holding back for this week’s game against LSU. Either that or LSU is going to have a heyday against the Cougars.

In a shootout, Hawaii outscored Massachusetts, 38-35. Trailing 35-31, Hawaii scored the winning touchdown with 0:48 left in the game. Hawaii quarterback Dru Brown was 25-38-1 for 391 yards passing, with three touchdowns.

South Florida spotted San Jose State 16 points. Then USF proceeded to score 42 points. The Charlie Strong era has begun at South Florida, as the Bulls beat San Jose State 42-22.

They don’t have a mercy rule in college football, but they should have had for the Stanford-Rice game. Early in the fourth quarter, Stanford led 55-0. The Trees ended up winning the game, 62-7. Stanford running back Bryce Love rushed for 180 yards. The Trees only punted once in the game. Stanford quarterback Keller Chryst is the nephew of Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst.

This week we go from five football games to five days of football.

So Bootsie and Rockledge Gator threw one heck of a college football kickoff party Friday night. Most of the 16 attendees were Gators fans, but Alabama, Auburn, Florida State and West Virginia were represented as well. No fights broke out in spite of Bootsie talking some pretty good trash.

College football is back! How sweet it is! Cold pizza, chili dogs and beer for breakfast on Saturday….Happy days are here again.

Touchdown Tom
August 28, 2017
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

(Note: Next week’s CFW will be posted on Tuesday morning – September 5 – the day after Labor Day.)


Quotes of the Week

“I think they (Texas A&M) will make a run at Clemson’s Dabo Swinney if things go south with (Kevin) Sumlin. I’m not saying he would leave, but they will load up. After that, it might be the man with the pearly teeth, Chris Petersen out of Washington,” SportsDayDFW.com’s Matt Mosley.

“Luke Del Rio, Feleipe Franks and Malik Zaire will play this season, maybe even in next week’s season opener against Michigan. You’re going to see a bunch of them in there playing. The three guys have done a really good job. I think there’s some things that they all bring to the table that are really good,” Florida coach Jim McElwain.

“He’s brought Alabama to further heights, to further greatness, to further awareness than Bear Bryant ever could. And that’s blasphemous in the state of Alabama, and it might be blasphemous in the SEC, but guess what people….it’s reality,” college football analyst Matt Hayes, on Nick Saban.

“I shouldn’t talk too much trash, but I think we’re gonna beat Alabama pretty bad next week. I really do,” Florida State president John Thrasher.

“Quarterbacks today have the attitude, if I’m not starting, I’m departing,” CBS Sports Network commentator Rick Neuheisel.


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

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Alabama vs. Florida State – (SEC vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Everyone has been waiting for this game for seven months – ever since Alabama lost to Clemson in the national championship game last January. The only disappointment is that Florida State isn’t ranked No. 2. Everyone was wishing for a No. 1 vs. No. 2 game. Well, No. 3 is pretty close. It’s safe to say if Florida State wins this game the Noles will be No. 1 next Monday. You gotta figure the quarterbacks are equal, but Bama has the upper hand in the running back category. The defenses seem to be pretty even. Bama’s may be down a little from last season. Nick Saban pulls a rabbit out of the hat – Alabama 20, Florida State 17.

RUNNER UP: 2. Florida vs. Michigan – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Florida owes Michigan a few paybacks. The Gators are 0-3 against the Wolverines. All three losses came in bowl games. The first two meetings were close. Florida lost by eight points or less. In the third meeting – Jim McElwain’s first season at Florida – the Wolverines beat the Gators, 41-7. So yes, I’d say Florida does owe Michigan a few paybacks. Oddly enough, this is the first time the teams have met during the regular season. And it may not happen again for a long time. Eddy Pineiro kicks a 50-yard field goal in the closing seconds – Florida 23, Michigan 20.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia – (ACC vs. Big 12) – 7:30 pm ET, Sunday, ABC – At Bootsie and Rockledge Gator’s kickoff party Friday night, the Gator fans were telling me that West Virginia is their second favorite team this season. They hope WVU goes undefeated – all because of quarterback Will Grier. When Grier was suspended at Florida in 2015, the Gators were 6-0. Grier was undefeated. Let’s hope he keeps his unblemished record going. It sure is good to see Virginia Tech and West Virginia playing again. WVU coach Dana Holgorsen needs a big win. He didn’t get one last year. In spite of a 10-3 record, Holgorsen was 0-3 in the big games. This one may come down to the defenses. Dana’s cares and troubles are gone – West Virginia 27, Virginia Tech 21.

4. BYU (1-0) vs. LSU – (Ind. vs. SEC) – 9:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – After watching BYU beat Portland State, 20-6, LSU may come into this game overconfident. Maybe that’s what BYU wants. The Cougars may have been playing possum against Portland State. Then again, BYU might be overrated. This might be a romp for LSU. Generally, BYU is very competitive against the bigger teams. But Ed Orgeron is competitive too. Derrius Guice makes the difference – LSU 30, BYU 17.

5. Georgia Tech vs. Tennessee – (ACC vs. SEC) – 8 pm ET, Monday, ESPN – The pressure is on Tennessee coach Butch Jones this season. This is his fifth season in Knoxville. There have been no SEC titles, much less no SEC East titles, under Jones. Georgia Tech is not a conference game, but this is an important game. Jones doesn’t want to start the season at 0-1 with Florida in Gainesville coming up in two weeks. Well, Tech made it easy for Jones. A few weeks ago, Dedrick Mills, the Yellow Jackets most important and best player, was dismissed from the team. Mills was Tech’s leading rusher last season and Tech is a running team. Butch sweats it out – Tennessee 27, Georgia Tech 17.

6. Texas A&M at UCLA – (SEC vs. Pac-12) – 7:30 pm ET, Sunday, FOX – Yeah, this contest is being dubbed the “hot seat” bowl. Both coaches have been disappointments at their respective schools. Neither can survive another disappointing season. A&M seems to be pretty well loaded at all the positions except quarterback. Ironically, quarterback may be the only position where UCLA is loaded. Both teams are expected to be good. The question is: how good? Both teams are a bit of a mystery. The Aggies won this game last year in College Station. The Bruins win this year in Pasadena – UCLA 30, Texas A&M 25.

7. Ohio State at Indiana – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Ohio State is the No. 2 team in the country. The Buckeyes are expected to roll through the Big Ten. Indiana will attempt to be the first obstacle for Ohio State. The Hoosiers have their act together on offense. But defense is a different story. There are no different stories for the Buckeyes – Ohio State 28, Indiana 16.

8. Tulsa at Oklahoma State – (AAC vs. Big 12) – 7:30 pm ET, Thursday, FS1 – Oklahoma State could be a surprise team in 2017. The Cowboys are good. Some think they are better than good. Some think Okie State will make the playoff. Well, they better not pull a Central Michigan against Tulsa. That was an embarrassment last year. Most likely it won’t happen again, but Tulsa may not be a pushover. Then again they may – Oklahoma State 35, Tulsa 20.

9. Appalachian State at Georgia – (Sun Belt vs. SEC) – 6:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – You are always taking a chance when you open against Appalachian State. The Little Mountaineers like to be giant slayers. The problem is: Georgia has too many giants. And Appalachian State has no Jacks – Georgia 28, Appalachian State 15.

10. NC State vs. South Carolina – (ACC vs. SEC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – There are a lot of high expectations this year for both of these teams. That’s why it’s going to be a big disappointment for the fans of the losing team. And one of these teams has to lose. There can only be one winner. There are no more ties. Either Will Muschamp remains a Mustake. Or Dave Doeren’s seat gets a little warmer. It’s Fahrenheit 400 for Doeren – South Carolina 26, NC State 22.

11. Maryland at Texas – (Big Ten vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FS1 – A new era begins for Texas. Tom Herman hopes it’s a long era. The Longhorns have been through some frustrating times. But talk about frustrating, you can’t get any more frustrating than Maryland. The Terps should be better this year. But not much – Texas 30, Maryland 18.

12. Colorado vs. Colorado State (1-0) – (Pac-12 vs. MWC) – 8 pm ET, Friday, PAC12N – Colorado State got off to a great start Saturday. Mike Bobo is being hailed as the next coach at Tennessee or Ole Miss. But Colorado is no Oregon State – Colorado 29, Colorado State 26.


…AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

13. Temple at Notre Dame – (AAC vs. Ind.) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – So Brian Kelly says he “f***ed up” last year. Wonder what he will do this year? One thing is for sure. It will be his last year if he “f***s up” again. Temple is capable of giving the Irish a little trouble. But “little” is the definitive word – Notre Dame 30, Temple 20.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Arkansas State at Nebraska – (Sun Belt vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – Mike Riley begins his third year in Lincoln. It could be his last year. Quarterback Tanner Lee may hold the key. Riley starts off on the right foot – Nebraska 32, Arkansas State 16.

North Carolina Central at Duke – (MEAC vs. ACC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday – The Dookies will win this game, but I’m not sure what, if anything, it proves. I suppose it’s nice to have one more scrimmage before your real season starts. I hope the Dookies enjoy it while it lasts – Duke 31, North Carolina Central 14.

Louisville vs. Purdue – (ACC vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, could have a field day in this game. Purdue’s defense is not likely to provide much of an obstacle for Jackson. He may run through them and run around them, and pass through them and pass over them. Jackson takes the steam out of the Boilers – Louisville 37, Purdue 16.


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

Florida International at UCF – (C-USA vs. AAC) – 6 pm ET, Thursday, CBSSN….
Jacksonville U. at Mercer – (Pioneer vs. Southern) – 7 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN3….
Florida A&M at Arkansas – (MEAC vs. SEC) – 8 pm ET, Thursday, SECN….

Navy at Florida Atlantic – (AAC vs. C-USA) – 8 pm ET, Friday, ESPNU….

Bethune-Cookman at Miami – (MEAC vs. ACC) – 12:30 pm ET, Saturday, FSN….
Stony Brook at South Florida – (Colonial vs. AAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….
Stetson at Sacred Heart – (Pioneer vs. Northeast) – 6 pm ET, Saturday….
Virginia-Lynchburg at Florida Tech – (Independent vs. Gulf South) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….

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 1942 was “Jingle Jangle Jingle” by Kay Keyser and His Orchestra

…70 years ago this week in 1947 was “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)” by Tex Williams

…65 years ago this week in 1952 was “Auf Wiedersehen Sweetheart” by Vera Lynn

…60 years ago this week in 1957 was “Tammy” by Debbie Reynolds

…55 years ago this week in 1962 was “The Loco-Motion” by Little Eva

…50 years ago this week in 1967 was “Ode To Billie Joe” by Bobbie Gentry

…45 years ago this week in 1972 was “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass

…40 years ago this week in 1977 was “Best Of My Love” by The Emotions

…35 years ago this week in 1982 was “Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor

…30 years ago this week in 1987 was “La Bamba” by Los Lobos

…25 years ago this week in 1992 was “End Of The Road” by Boyz II Men


Not exactly college football related, but there was one passing of note last week – Jay Thomas.

Jay Thomas, an actor and radio personality whose work on the television series “Murphy Brown” won him two Emmy Awards in the early 1990s, died last week in Santa Barbara, California. He was 69. In 1979, Thomas was cast in a recurring role on “Mork & Mindy.” He appeared on the show until it ended in 1982. Thomas also made an occasional movie appearance, most notably in “Mr. Holland’s Opus” in 1995. Between “Mork and Mindy” and “Murphy Brown” his most prominent role was a recurring spot on “Cheers” in the 1980s. Thomas was one of the main characters in “Love & War,” a CBS sitcom that ran for three seasons beginning in 1992. Jon Thomas Terrell was born in Kermit, Texas, on July 12, 1948, and grew up in New Orleans.