Monday, November 27, 2017


College Football Week 14 – Gators hire Mullen; Aggies fire Sumlin

I just love Thanksgiving –

family, friends, food and football


Did I say football? What a football weekend it was! Two big upsets – No. 1 and No. 2 both go down. Other teams suffered from the sting of an upset. Some teams waited until the final weekend to become bowl eligible. Six coaches were fired; three were hired. And the pairings for this week’s conference championship games were finalized.

Thanksgiving Week got off to a dizzy start with all the coaching carousel rumors flying around. Where would Chip Kelly land – Florida or UCLA? Some speculated Florida, saying the Gators would pay more for his services. But others said UCLA – claiming Kelly prefers the west coast.

Meanwhile, reports had Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen leaving Starkville to fill the vacancy at Tennessee. Speaking of leaving, reports said Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin would be fired, following the Aggies final game against LSU, regardless of the outcome. Furthermore, Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher would leave Tallahassee to replace Sumlin in College Station.   

Man, it was non-stop. And it got wilder. How about Gus Malzahn leaving Auburn to replace Bret Bielema at Arkansas? Yeah, that was out there. Still is.

By Wednesday, a couple firings were announced. South Alabama of the Sun Belt Conference terminated coach Joey Jones and Kent State of the Mid-American Conference fired Paul Haynes.

In his ninth season with the Jaguars, Jones was 52-49 – 4-7 this season, with one game remaining. Meanwhile, Haynes didn’t fare as well at Kent State. In five years with the Golden Flashes, he was 14-45 – 2-10 this season. Just the night before, Kent State lost to Akron, 24-14.

Speaking of the Mid-American Conference, you always know it’s the end of the season when the MAC starts playing games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, especially during Thanksgiving Week. This year was no exception. In addition to Akron beating Kent State, Eastern Michigan edged Bowling Green, 34-31, and Miami (Ohio) downed Ball State, 28-7. It’s good TV exposure for the MAC teams, but not a lot of fans in the stands when the games are played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.      

Turkey Day was almost upon us. Swamp Mama and I were looking forward to the arrival of Princess Gator, Bama Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe to make the holiday week complete.  

Thanksgiving Day isn’t Thanksgiving Day without the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year was the 91st annual parade. Now I haven’t been around for all 91 of them, but after watching this year’s event, I do think the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has passed me by.

Every float in the parade, and there were a lot of them, had a so-called popular singer, singing one of their hits. I say “so-called” because I wouldn’t know. I didn’t know or recognize any of the singers nor did I know any of the songs they were singing.

That is until near the end of the parade when I did recognize Smokey Robinson and, oh yes, the Goo Goo Dolls. Now I get it? They put the older singers at the end of the parade. Smokey looked good, but, I have to tell you, the Goo Goo Dolls looked like death warmed over.

Someone said Patti LaBelle was in the parade, but I missed her. I would have known her. I must have been dozing when Patti paraded by. I have a habit of doing that every now and then.       

All of this reminds me of someone who recently told me they knew they were getting old and out of touch after watching the American Music Awards on television the other night. They said they didn’t know any of the singers or songs.

Thanksgiving dinner was a special occasion at our house this year. Swamp Mama and I hosted 19 guests for the meal. Now we have been known to do big Thanksgiving dinners before, but 17 guests was our previous high – 19 was a record.

I made a lot of Irish Mules on Thursday.

Along with our children and grandchildren Princess Gator, Bama Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe, our guests included next-door neighbors and friends Deb and Dieter Gum – both Florida Tech graduates. Long-time friends Stephanie and Neal Stein and their children Julia and David Stein. Julia is a freshman this year at South Florida. David is a junior in high school and a star lacrosse player.

Neighbor and friend Jane Sharpe and her sons Michael and Jack Sharpe. Michael graduates from Florida State – his mother’s alma mater – next month. Jack is a freshman at Eastern Florida State College. New friends Becky and Wes Kilgore. Wes is from Barboursville, West Virginia and went to Marshall and Ohio State. Becky is from Ohio.

Recent neighbors and new friends Amy Bond and her daughter Jess Bond. Amy’s father is from Hurricane, West Virginia – my mother’s hometown. Her father went to West Virginia University. Amy was born in Marietta, Ohio, and recently moved here from Dayton, Ohio. And last but not least Donna and Marc Snyder. Donna is Sharon’s cousin. Marc is a retired career Army officer.

The dinner group included three nurses – Deb, Jane and Becky, and three engineers – Bama Gator, Dieter and Wes. We were well prepared if we ran into any heath issues or mechanical problems during the meal. But all went well and everybody had a good time. I think it was the Irish Mules.     

Thursday evening, our family, along with Donna and Mark, gathered around the television and watched the Ole Miss-Mississippi State game. Early in the game, Miss State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald dislocated his ankle. It was so gross they wouldn’t show it on TV. In an upset, although it’s a rivalry, Ole Miss beat Miss State 31-28.

It was a strange game. Miss State dominated the stats, but was plagued by five turnovers. The game wasn’t as close as the score indicates. Early in the fourth quarter, Ole Miss led Miss State, 31-13. The Bulldogs scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game. But Miss State had 27 first downs to 11 for Ole Miss, 501 total yards to 335 for Ole Miss, and the Bulldogs controlled the ball for more than 37 minutes.

Being Thanksgiving Week, there were a fair number of games on Friday – 15 in all.

We didn’t have to wait long for one the stunners of the weekend. It was one of the day’s early games. Unranked Pitt upset No. 2 and undefeated Miami (Florida), 24-14. Yes, 4-7 Pitt beat 10-0 Miami.

Following the Miami-Pitt game, two of the top-ranked and best Group of Five teams met in Orlando. One-loss South Florida played undefeated UCF for the AAC East Division title and the right to meet Memphis next week for the AAC championship.

The game lived up to its billing. It was a thriller. It was more than a thriller. UCF scored a touchdown on a 95-yard kickoff return with 1:28 left in the game to beat South Florida, 49-42. The Knights finished their season 11-0. They went from winless in 2015 to undefeated in 2017.

Missouri beat Arkansas, 48-45, and Razorback coach Bret Bielema was fired as he walked off the field after the game. The Tigers kicked a 19-yard field goal with 0:05 on the clock to win the game. Missouri finished its season 7-5 after starting out 1-5. What a turnaround.

Iowa embarrassed Nebraska, 56-14, and Huskers coach Mike Riley was pleading to retain his job after the game.

In some other games on Friday, Texas Tech upset Texas, 27-23. The win by Tech saved Kliff Kingsbury’s job for another year. TCU improved to 10-2, beating Baylor, 45-22. Houston knocked off Navy, 24-14, and Toledo improved to 10-2, beating Western Michigan 37-10.   

Friday night, Swamp Mama, the children, the grandchildren and I went to a party at Stephanie and Neal Stein’s house. In the late, late show, UCLA beat California, 30-27.

Saturday, the speculation about Chip Kelly was over. UCLA announced that Kelly was the Bruins new coach. He was a west coast man after all. Florida has to go after No. 2.

Then we learned that Nebraska fired Mike Riley. That wasn’t a surprise. It was only a matter of when. Now will Scott Frost be the Huskers coach next year?

In some of the early games Saturday, Florida State shattered Florida, 38-22. Gators quarterback Feleipe Franks threw three interceptions. There was a reason Miami fired Randy Shannon. He couldn’t coach. Not sure why Florida chose to make Shannon its interim coach.

In the “mules fighting over a turnip” bowl – thank you Lewis Grizard – the old gray mule, Ohio State, beat Michigan, 31-20. Jim Harbaugh is 0-3 against the Buckeyes. Also in the Big Ten, Purdue downed Indiana, 31-24. The Boilers became bowl eligible.

Duke surprised Wake Forest and in doing so became bowl eligible. The Dookies beat the Deacs, 31-23. Louisville blasted Kentucky, 44-17, to win the Governor’s Cup. Have you seen the Governor of Kentucky? I wouldn’t want his cup.

The weekend’s second big stunner was a mid-afternoon start on Saturday. No. 6 Auburn beat No. 1 Alabama, 26-14. This wasn’t as shocking as Pitt beating Miami, but it was a stunner. Depending on what happens this weekend, the loss most likely has knocked Bama out of the playoff. For sure the Tide will drop out of the Top 4 when the CFP Poll is released Tuesday night. But can Bama jump back in the Top 4 without playing a game this week?     

Elsewhere Saturday, Wisconsin finished the season undefeated. The Badgers pummeled Minnesota, 31-0. NC State beat intrastate rival North Carolina, 33-21. Vanderbilt added more insult to Tennessee’s injury. The Dores downed the Vols, 42-24.

In the big game Saturday night, Stanford handed Notre Dame its third loss. The Trees beat the Irish, 38-20. Also in the Pac-12, Washington won the Apple Cup. The Huskies downed Washington State, 41-14. Arizona State beat Arizona, 42-30.

In an ACC-SEC affair, Clemson shutdown South Carolina, 34-10. In an all-SEC encounter, LSU added to Kevin Sumlin’s misery. The Tigers took care of the Aggies, 45-21.

In the “no mercy” games – Oregon webbed Oregon State, 69-10. Penn State smashed Maryland, 66-3. Memphis rubbed East Carolina, 70-13, and Troy creamed Texas State, 62-9.

In the only “basketball” game – Arkansas State outscored Louisiana-Monroe, 67-50.

There were no overtime games over the Thanksgiving Weekend.

Wisconsin (12-0) and UCF (11-0) were the only two teams to finish the regular season undefeated. UTEP (0-12) was the only team to finish the regular season winless.

Sunday morning, the coaching news was coming down – and coming down big and fast. First, Arizona State fired Todd Graham and Texas A&M fired Kevin Sumlin. In six seasons with the Sun Devils, Graham was 46-31 – 7-5 this season. Six years in college Station, Sumlin was 51-26 – 7-5 this season. But Graham never won the Pac-12 South Division and Sumlin never won the SEC West Division.

Then the Florida coaching chat got hot. First we were told that upon losing Chip Kelly, Florida went after UCF’s Scott Frost. But Frost refused to talk to Florida. Obviously a sign that if Frost goes anywhere, he is going to Nebraska.

Next we learned Florida was working hard on its third choice – Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen. Before long the announcement came – Dan Mullen is the new coach of the Florida Gators. I guess Megan Mullen is going to have to do her grocery shopping in Orlando again.   

Tim Tebow will be happy. Dan Mullen was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Florida under Urban Meyer from 2005 to 2008. However, during his stint in Gainesville, his wife Megan had some run-ins with Gators fans and wasn’t wild about Gainesville. Recently, when all the coaching carousel talk began, she spoke out, trashing Gators fans, Gainesville. Megan said when she lived in Gainesville she had to do her grocery shopping in Orlando. Well, apparently, she got tired of doing her grocery shopping in Starkville. Obviously, Megan had a change of heart. Money talks. 

Next, word broke that Tennessee had chosen Greg Schiano to be the Vols new coach. Tennessee was said to be finalizing a deal to hire Schiano. Schiano, 51, is currently the defensive coordinator at Ohio State. Previously, he coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL and Rutgers.

However, when Tennessee fans and students learned that Schiano was being hired, they began protesting the decision. Schiano had alleged connections with Jerry Sandusky at Penn State. At a rock on the Tennessee campus where students often paint messages, the words “Schiano covered up child rape at Penn State” were painted. Tennessee officials, who had planned to introduce Schiano as the Vols new coach at a press conference last night, backed off hiring Schiano.

Scratch Greg Schiano from ever being a head coach in college again.

Sunday evening, Ole Miss announced that interim coach Matt Luke had been named the full-time head coach in Oxford. Luke coached the Landsharks to a 6-6 record this season in an interim role. This is the most logical and best decision for Ole Miss. I can’t imagine anybody else wanting this job – not with the sanctions looming over the program. 

Meanwhile, the Jimbo Fisher to Texas A&M rumors are getting stronger. Stay tuned!

Anticipating Tuesday night, my College Football Playoff Top 25 Poll looks like this: (1) Clemson, (2) Oklahoma, (3) Auburn, (4) Wisconsin, (5) Georgia, (6) Alabama, (7) Miami (Florida), (8) TCU, (9) USC, (10) Stanford, (11) Ohio State and (12) Washington.

Continuing – (13) Penn State, (14) UCF, (15) Notre Dame, (16) Oklahoma State, (17) Memphis, (18) LSU, (19) Michigan State, (20) South Florida, (21) Virginia Tech, (22) Northwestern, (23) Washington State, (24) NC State and (25) Louisville.  

My best of the Group of Five are UCF (11-0), Memphis (10-1), South Florida (9-2), Florida Atlantic (9-3), Toledo (10-2), Fresno State (9-3), Boise State (9-3), San Diego State (10-2), Troy (9-2) and North Texas (9-3).

This is championship week. Seven of the nine conference title games are rematches. The teams met during the regular season. Only the ACC title game (Clemson-Miami) and the Big Ten title game (Ohio State-Wisconsin) are not rematches.

It was good to hear from Ken Burger and Tim Muth last week.

So wonder where Megan will do her grocery shopping? Have a good week!

Touchdown Tom
November 27, 2017

 

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK: Roy Moore Bowl – Auburn 26, Alabama 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 27, Alabama 26). Auburn won both halves – 10-7 in the first half and 16-7 in the second half. Alabama was 3-for-11 in third-down efficiency; Auburn was 9-for-18. Bama’s running game didn’t show up. Auburn controlled the ball for more than 36 minutes. Attendance in Auburn: 87,451

RUNNER UP: Frosty the coach man – UCF 49, South Florida 42 (Touchdown Tom said: UCF 30, South Florida 24). Talk about excitement, this game was full of it. Trailing UCF 42-34, South Florida evened the score at 42-42 with 1:41 left in the game on an 83-yard touchdown pass and a successful two-point conversion. On the ensuing kickoff, UCF’s Mike Hughes returned the ball 95 yards to put the Knights back on top 49-42 with 1:28 left on the clock. UCF held on to win. The teams combined for 60 first downs and 1,214 total yards. The quarterbacks passed for 876 of those yards. South Florida receiver Tyre McCants had had nine receptions for 227 yards. Attendance in Orlando: 47,129

BEST OF THE REST: Applicious – Washington 41, Washington State 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 32, Washington State 30). Washington State scored its 14 points in the fourth quarter – when the game was over. Washington’s defense held the Cougars to -24 yards rushing. Huskies running back Myles Gaskin rushed for 192 yards. Wazzu quarterback Luke Falk threw three interceptions. Attendance in Seattle: 71,265

How do you Mustake me now? – Clemson 34, South Carolina 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 26, South Carolina 23). South Carolina was shutout until the fourth quarter. The Gamecocks scored all 10 of their points in the final quarter. Clemson had 27 first downs to 10 for South Carolina and 469 total yards to 207 for the Gamecocks. South Carolina only had 81 yards rushing. Attendance in Columbia: 82,908

Buckeyes get the turnip – Ohio State 31, Michigan 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 28, Michigan 24). A good game for three quarters – Ohio State led 21-20 at the start of the fourth. The Wolverines fell apart in the final period. Urban Meyer owns Michigan. Attendance in Ann Arbor: 112,028

Love is the answer – Stanford 38, Notre Dame 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 28, Notre Dame 24). The stats were pretty even. But Notre Dame had three turnovers. Stanford’s Bryce Love was the difference. He rushed for 125 yards. Attendance in Palo Alto: 47,352

No contest – Oklahoma 59, West Virginia 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 35, West Virginia 20). Oklahoma racked up 646 total yards – 313 rushing and 333 passing. WVU controlled the clock for more than 35 minutes. But the Mounties couldn’t score. Baker Mayfield was 14-17-0 passing for 281 yards and three touchdowns. WVU’s Kennedy McCoy rushed for 137 yards. Attendance in Norman: 86,117

We’ll see you again – Fresno State 28, Boise State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Boise State 29, Fresno State 27). The teams played a near perfect game – no turnovers and even in the stats. Fresno State’s Marcus McMaryion passed for 332 yards. Attendance in Fresno: 31,526

Sumlin can’t win for losing – LSU 45, Texas A&M 21 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 27, Texas A&M 25). Near the end of the third quarter, LSU only led by 6 points – 27-21. But then the Tigers scored 18 unanswered points. The Tigers controlled the clock for more than 39 minutes. Danny Etling was 19-30-0 for 347 yards and three touchdowns. Derrius Guice rushed for 127 yards. Attendance in Baton Rouge:

Too much Lamar – Louisville 44, Kentucky 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Louisville 30, Kentucky 25). Just when you think Kentucky is getting better – the Wildcats aren’t. Louisville had 562 total yards. Lamar Jackson passed for 216 yards and rushed for 156. Kentucky’s Benjamin Snell rushed for 211 yards. Attendance in Lexington: 56,186

Uga, best of show – Georgia 38, Georgia Tech 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 32, Georgia Tech 19). Tech was no contest for Georgia. The Dawgs had 23 first downs to 12 for Tech and 471 total yards to 226 for Tech. Georgia shutout Tech in the second half. Georgia Tech quarterback Taquon Marshall was 2-for-9 passing for 38 yards. Attendance in Atlanta: 55,000

Rivalry? – Virginia Tech 10, Virginia 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 27, Virginia 20). I don’t think so. Virginia Tech has now 14-straight games against Virginia and 18 of the last 19. A boring game, particularly if you are a Cavaliers fan. Virginia only managed nine first downs and 191 total yards. The Hokies weren’t much better on offense. Tech did control the ball for more than 37 minutes. Attendance in Charlottesville: 48,609

 

….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

Pretzel sticks – Kansas State 20, Iowa State 19 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa State 27, Kansas State 23). Trailing Iowa State 19-14, Kansas State scored a touchdown as time expired to win the game. The game was primarily a defensive battle. Attendance in Manhattan: 49,554

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Life in The Swamp – Florida State 38, Florida 22 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 24, Florida State 23). There was not much offense in this game for either team. FSU had 280 total yards; Florida had 216. Both teams rushed for less than 100 yards each. The Gators were plagued with four turnovers. Attendance in Gainesville: 89,066

Humiliation! – Iowa 56, Nebraska 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 27, Nebraska 26). For two quarters, this was anybody’s ballgame. The score was 14-14 at halftime. Then Iowa took control and outscored the Huskers 42-0 in the second half. Iowa had 505 total yards to 267 for Nebraska. Huskers quarterback Tanner Lee threw three interceptions. But Nebraska coach Mike Riley says he knows how to fix things. Attendance in Lincoln: 90,046

Surprise – Duke 31, Wake Forest 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Wake Forest 28, Duke 21). Trailing Wake 23-17 at the end of the third quarter, the Dookies scored 14 points in the fourth quarter. Both teams committed three turnovers. The Dookies finished the season on a two-game winning streak and are bowl eligible. Attendance in Winston-Salem: 27,016

Kliff saves his job – Texas Tech 27, Texas 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Texas Tech 22). From midway through the second quarter until late in the fourth quarter, Texas controlled the game. Trailing the Longhorns 23-20, Texas Tech scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:47 left in the game. The Red Raiders hung on to win. The teams were evenly matched – Texas had 18 first downs to 17 for Tech, while Tech had 399 total yards to 388 for the Horns. The Red Raiders won in spite of only having 66 yards rushing. Attendance in Austin: 100,629

Going bowling, baby! – Purdue 31, Indiana 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Indiana 28, Purdue 27). With less than six minutes to go in the game, Purdue led 31-10. Indiana scored two touchdowns in the final 5:50. Hoosier quarterback Richard Lagow passed for 373 yards. Purdue running back Markell Jones rushed for 217 yards. The Boilers finished the season on a two-game winning streak and became bowl eligible with this win. Attendance in West Lafayette: 52,105

Week 13 Results: 12 correct picks, 6 fumbles (66.7 percent)

For the Season:    150 correct picks, 62 fumbles (70.8 percent)

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA 

Pitt 24, Miami 14 – Attendance in Pittsburgh: 35,978
Florida International 41, Western Kentucky 17 – Attendance in Miami: 16,199
Florida Atlantic 31, Charlotte 12 – Attendance in Charlotte: 8,330

 

Superlatives

Impressive Passers:  

Arkansas State’s Justin Hansen – 26-38-1 for 520 yards; South Florida’s Quinton Flowers – 24-45-1-503; Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph – 32-44-0-494; Missouri’s Drew Lock – 25-42-2-448, and Troy’s Brandon Silvers – 22-30-0-380.

Also, SMU’s Ben Hicks – 24-33-2 for 375 yards; UCF’s McKenzie Milton – 29-44-1-373; Indiana’s Richard Lagow – 32-60-1-373; Western Kentucky’s Mike White – 30-49-0-355, and LSU’s Danny Etling – 19-30-0-347.

Impressive Rushers:  

Tulsa’s D’Angelo Brewer – 255 yards; Appalachian State’s Jalin Moore – 239 yards; Purdue’s Markell Jones – 217 yards; Kentucky’s Benny Snell – 211 yards; San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny – 203 yards; NC State’s Nyheim Hines – 196 yards; Air Force’s Isaiah Sanders – 196 yards, and Utah’s Zack Moss – 196 yards.

Also, Boston College’s A.J. Dillon – 193 yards; Washington’s Myles Gaskin – 192 yards; Georgia Southern’s Wesley Fields – 186 yards; California’s Patrick Laird – 178 yards; North Texas’ Nic Smith – 173 yards; Arkansas State’s Warren Wand – 173 yards; Missouri’s Ish Witter – 170 yards, and Middle Tennessee’s Terelle West – 170 yards.

Also, Arizona State’s Demario Richard – 165 yards; Vanderbilt’s Ralph Webb – 163 yards; Iowa’s Akrum Wadley – 159 yards; Central Michigan’s Jonathan Ward – 159 yards; Ball State’s Caleb Huntley – 159 yards; Louisville’s Lamar Jackson – 156 yards; Southern Miss’ Ito Smith – 150 yards; Bowling Green’s Josh Cleveland – 150 yards, and Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor – 149 yards.

 

Quotes of the Week

“I know I get a lot of grief about some of the things I’ve said about Coach Saban, but working under him was like going back to school and getting another degree. I’ve been able to find that mix between Coach Saban and Pete Carroll, and because of that, I’m much more prepared as a head coach,” Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin.


“When I go to bed tonight, I’ll be hoping for that, because I would love to do this. I truly believe I’m exactly the right person to do this. The football parts, I’ve been doing it so long, we know how to fix, and we are also doing a good job recruiting,” Nebraska coach Mike Riley, pleading to keep his job.

“Kliff has led this program the right way. We’re not where we want to be, but we’re not far off,” Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt, confirming that coach Kliff Kingsbury will be retained for the 2018 season.

“I don’t know anything. It’s just business as usual. I don’t have any scheduled meeting. That could probably change in the next couple minutes or whatever. I always think I should be retained,” Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin, after the Aggies lost to LSU.

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

This Week’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games.…and then one


GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Clemson (11-1) vs. Miami (10-1) (The ACC Championship Game – Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – If Clemson wins, the Tigers are most definitely in the playoff and Miami is out. If Miami wins, Clemson is out and the Canes may or may not be in the playoff. A Miami win makes for an intriguing picture. But there is no intrigue, the Tigers win – Clemson 26, Miami 20.

RUNNER UP:  2. Ohio State (10-2) vs. Wisconsin (12-0) (The Big Ten Championship Game – Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Wisconsin got through the Big Ten schedule without having to play Ohio State, Penn State or Michigan State. That’s why some have their doubts about the Badgers. If Wisconsin wins, the Badgers are in the playoff and Ohio State is out. If the Buckeyes win, they may or may not be in the playoff and the Badgers would be out. I have no doubts – Wisconsin 22, Ohio State 21.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Auburn (10-2) vs. Georgia (11-1) (The SEC Championship Game – Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – Can Auburn beat Georgia twice in the same season? That is the question. The winner is definitely in the playoff. The loser is definitely out. It’s going to be loud in the Mercedes-Benz. No, the Tigers can’t beat the Dawgs twice in the same season – Georgia 28, Auburn 24.

4. Oklahoma (11-1) vs. TCU (10-2) (The Big 12 Championship Game – AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas) – 12:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – During the season, Oklahoma beat TCU 38-20. Can the Sooners do it again? If the Sooners win, they are in the playoffs and TCU is out. If the Horned Frogs win, they may or may not be in the playoffs and the Sooners would be out. OU definitely has the better offense. TCU has the better defense. Offense wins – Oklahoma 31, TCU 27.

5. Stanford (9-3) vs. USC (10-2) (The Pac-12 Championship Game – Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California) – 8 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – If the Trojans win, USC has an outside chance of making the playoffs. But even with a win, Stanford has no chance. The Trees are playing for pride and the Pac-12 title. During the season, USC beat Stanford, 42-24. That was early in September. The Trojans do it again early in December – USC 27, Stanford 26.

6. Memphis (10-1) vs. UCF (11-0) (The AAC Championship Game – Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, Florida) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – If UCF wins, the Knights are in a New Year’s Six bowl. If Memphis wins, the Tigers are most likely in a New Year’s Six bowl. During the season, UCF beat Memphis, 40-13. That was in late September. You have to wonder if the Nebraska opening is having an impact on Scott Frost’s concentration. It didn’t seem to bother him against South Florida. The Knights win and Frost announces he is going to Nebraska – UCF 46, Memphis 40.

7. Boise State (9-3) vs. Fresno State (9-3) (The Mountain West Championship Game – Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho) – 7:45 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Fresno State just beat Boise State, 28-17. Now they meet again one week later. But in Boise this week. The Bulldogs do the same thing again – Fresno State 27, Boise State 21.

8. Toledo (10-2) vs. Akron (7-5) (The Mid-American Championship Game – Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Yet another rematch. During the season, Toledo beat Akron, 48-21. I don’t think it will be as bad this time. But the Rockets still win – Toledo 31, Akron 30.

9. Florida Atlantic (9-3) vs. North Texas (9-3) (The Conference-USA Championship Game – FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – This one will be interesting – or maybe not. During the season, FAU beat North Texas, 69-31. Lane Kiffin has had quite a season in Boca Raton. He has quite a win this week – Florida Atlantic 30, North Texas 22.

10. Troy (9-2) at Arkansas State (7-3) – (Sun Belt vs. Sun Belt) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – The Sun Belt Conference is the only FBS conference that doesn’t have a title game. Troy and Arkansas State are both 6-1 in conference play. So this is like a conference title game. Troy and Arkansas State both lost to South Alabama. Appalachian State is also 6-1 in Sun Belt play. App State lost to Louisiana-Monroe. The winner of this game will either tie App State for the Sun Belt title, or claim the conference title outright. Depends on how App State does Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette. The Trojans take this one – Troy 37, Arkansas State 36.

 

….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. Louisiana-Lafayette (5-6) at Appalachian State (7-4) – (Sun Belt vs. Sun Belt) – 2:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3 – If Appalachian State wins, then the Little Mountaineers will tie either Troy or Arkansas State for the Sun Belt title. The Little Mountaineers should have little problem winning this one – Appalachian State 29, Louisiana-Lafayette 19.

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

West Virginia (7-5), Florida (4-7), Nebraska (4-8), Duke (6-6), Texas (6-6) and Purdue (6-6) have completed their seasons.

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Louisiana-Monroe (4-7) at Florida State (5-6) – (Sun Belt vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday....

Massachusetts (4-7) at Florida International (7-4) – (Ind.  vs. C-USA) – 12 noon ET, Saturday....

Touchdown Tom

 

P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but sadly there were four passings of note last week – Della Reese, Jana Novotna, Ann Wedgeworth and David Cassidy.

Della Reese, the husky-voiced singer and actress who spent almost a decade on the CBS series “Touched by an Angel” and became an ordained minister in real life, died last week at her home in Encino, California. She was 86. Reese’s first big hit came in 1957 – the romantic ballad “And That Reminds Me.” Her biggest hit was “Don’t You Know,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard singles chart in 1959. The TV series “Touched by an Angel” premiered in 1994. The show lasted for nine years. Delloreese Patricia Early was born on July 6, 1931, in Detroit. She made her TV acting debut on “The Mod Squad” in 1968. Reese went on to appear in scores of other television shows, including the 1970s sitcom “Chico and the Man.” She sometimes filled in for Johnny Carson as guest host on “The Tonight Show.”

Jana Novotna, the Czech tennis star who cried when she lost the Wimbledon singles final in 1993 and then triumphed at the same tournament five years later, died last week in the Czech Republic. She was 59. Novotna won 17 Grand Slam titles over her career – 16 of them in doubles and mixed doubles. She also won three Olympic medals. Novotna turned professional in 1987. She retired from professional tennis in 1999.

Ann Wedgeworth, who won a Tony in 1978 for her performance in Neil Simon’s comedy “Chapter Two” and played an amorous divorced woman on the ABC sitcom “Three’s Company,” died last week in North Bergen, New Jersey. She was 83. Wedgeworth appeared in the films “Steel Magnolias” (1989) and “Bang the Drum Slowly” (1973). Elizabeth Ann Wedgeworth was born on January 31, 1934, in Abilene, Texas. She met fellow actor Rip Torn while studying theater at the University of Texas. They married shortly after graduation and moved to New York. Wedgeworth and Torn divorced in 1970. 

David Cassidy, the actor and singer best known as the band member on “The Partridge Family,” the 1970s television show about a family band, died last week in a hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was 67. Cassidy became a teen idol in the early 1970s. He had a No. 1 hit, “I Think I Love You.” “The Partridge Family” lasted from 1970 to 1974. Cassidy was born on April 12, 1950, in New York City, to actors Jack Cassidy and Evelyn Ward.

 

Monday, November 20, 2017


College Football Week 13 – UCLA fires Jim Mora

A weekend of Grand Guard, Cupcakes and Coaching Rumors

Swamp Mama and I left home around noon on Thursday. We were on our way to Gainesville. It was going to be a big weekend for Swamp Mama. When you reach your 50th anniversary of graduating from the University of Florida, you are invited to join the Grand Guard Society.

I can’t tell you how many years Swamp Mama has been waiting for this. She has talked about it for a long time. Finally, her time was here.

The weather was perfect as we drove to Gainesville – pleasant, sunny skies. That’s the way it remained all weekend – pleasant days, cool nights and sunny skies.

Once we were in Gainesville, we headed straight for our hotel. The first item on the itinerary of the Grand Guard weekend was a reception and cocktail party Thursday evening. It was being hosted by the College of Veterinary Medicine.

As I was checking us into our hotel, there was a lady to the right of me checking in with another hotel desk clerk.

She kept looking over at me. Finally, as she was looking at me again, the lady said, “Are you 72?”

I looked at her and replied, “I beg your pardon. I’m still 70.”

The lady said, “Oh, I thought you were checking in for the Grand Guard weekend like me.”

I said, “My companion is. I’m just her cabana boy.”

The lady said, “How much do you charge?”

I said, “I’m expensive. I also cook the meals.”

The lady said, “I can pay for that.”

About that time, a hand came from out of nowhere, grabbed me by the arm and jerked me away so fast my feet almost came off the floor.

And so the Grand Guard weekend began.

That evening at the reception and cocktail party, I saw the lady again. She was standing about 15-20 feet away. As I saw her, I said to Swamp Mama, “Oh there’s the lady who was checking into the hotel when we were. I’m going over and say hello.”

I mean to tell you Swamp Mama’s fingers wrapped around the upper part of my arm so fast. She dragged me away in the opposite direction from the lady. For the rest of the evening, whenever I saw the lady, I never opened my mouth. I was tempted to. But I knew better.

Friday morning, the Grand Guard crew and spouses gathered at the Emerson Alumni Hall for an awesome buffet breakfast. No, there weren’t any chili dogs, cold pizza and beer, but it was an outstanding breakfast all the same.

During breakfast, Swamp Mama’s classmates took turns standing and telling stories – mostly humorous – from their days at UF. One guy reminisced about having a date to a football game, but being so broke, he had to first go give blood to get money to buy a bottle of gin. But he said he learned a lesson. Never give a pint of blood just before you drink a pint of gin.

Following breakfast, several speakers addressed the group, including Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin. As Stricklin began, he said, “I apologize, but I don’t have the news you’re waiting to hear.”

I felt like yelling out, “Oh, we know it’s Chip Kelly.”

But I didn’t.

We also heard from Ilaria Capua (Google her) an internationally known virologist from Italy who is currently a professor at Florida. She is an amazing woman.  

The day continued with a tour of the College of Journalism and Communications – Swamp Mama’s school – followed by lunch at the school. The afternoon culminated with a bus tour of the campus. 

Friday night was the feature occasion – the induction of the 1967 grads into the Grand Guard Society. It was preceded by a cocktail party and dinner. The program was impressive. The induction was followed by a dance. The music for the dance was a tape of songs that were on the charts from 1963 to 1967 – good dancing music.  

Saturday morning, Swamp Mama had to get her fix. We drove over to Trenton, Florida, to the Suwannee Valley Quilt Shoppe. Once she bought some fabric, she was good to go. Yes, the shop had a husband chair.

From Trenton, we drove back to Gainesville to the Emerson Alumni Hall for the group tailgate party – barbecue. We shared lively conversation, while watching a number of college football games – the 12 noon starts – on several large screens. From the balcony of the alumni hall, we watched the Florida football players take part in the pregame “Gator Walk.”

Before long, it was game time – UAB and Florida, a 4 p.m. start. The stadium was a short walk from the alumni hall. The Grand Guard had a block of seats. Coming into the game, the Gators were riding a four-game losing streak. We didn’t know what to expect – not even against a cupcake like UAB.

Florida won, 36-7. The losing streak was over. The Grand Guard brought the Gators luck.

Yes, the media labeled it “cupcake week.” That week before Thanksgiving every year when so many of the big teams play cupcakes.  Saturday was definitely a cupcake day. Who were the cupcakes? There were a variety of them – Mercer, The Citadel, Kansas, Louisiana-Monroe, Illinois, Wofford, Delaware State, UAB and Western Carolina. And they all tasted good.

Who devoured the cupcakes? Who licked the icing? How about Alabama 56, Mercer 0, or Clemson 61, The Citadel 3. Then there were Oklahoma 41, Kansas 3, and Auburn 42, Louisiana-Monroe 14. The cupcake games continued with Ohio State 52, Illinois 14, and South Carolina 31, Wofford 10.  It finally ended with Florida State 77, Delaware State 6, and North Carolina 65, Western Carolina 10. Does that satisfy your appetite? It doesn’t mine.

It’s okay for the Power Five teams to play a cupcake team the first or second weekend of the season – but not the next to last weekend of the season. We could get rid of a lot of these cupcake games if only the ACC and the SEC would play a nine-game conference schedule, like the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12 do. Come on ACC and SEC – start playing a nine-game conference schedule. Get on par with the rest of the Power Five conferences.

In spite of the cupcake games, there were a lot of big boy games and a lot of them were good too. The Big Ten had four amazing games. Wisconsin remained undefeated, beating Michigan, 24-10. Northwestern won its sixth-straight game, beating Minnesota, 39-0. The Wildcats improved to 8-3.

Purdue stunned Iowa in Iowa City. The Boilermakers beat the Hawkeyes, 24-15. And finally, in a shootout in University Park, Penn State held off Tanner Lee and Nebraska. The Nittany Lions downed the Cornhuskers, 56-44. Huskers’ quarterback – Lee – passed for 399 yards.    

In the Big 12, Kansas State surprised Oklahoma State. The Wildcats beat the Cowboys, 45-40. Will Grier broke his finger and West Virginia proceeded to lose to Texas, 28-14.

Down south, Mississippi State rallied to come from behind and beat Arkansas, 28-21.

In the ACC, Virginia gave Miami a scare. But the Hurricanes held on and beat the Cavaliers 44-28. Wake Forest gave NC State more than a scare. The Demon Deacons downed the Wolfpack, 30-24.

Out west, USC defeated cross-town rival UCLA. The Trojans won, 28-23. In the MWC, Fresno State took care of Wyoming, 13-7.

Among the AAC teams, UCF remained undefeated. The Knights beat Temple, 45-19. Memphis outscored SMU, as the Tigers beat the Mustangs, 66-45. Navy lost a close one to Notre Dame. The Irish beat the Middies, 24-17.

And finally, the little-big game in Florida, Lane Kiffin’s Florida Atlantic squad beat Butch Davis’ Florida International squad, 52-24. FAU improved to 8-3, winning its seventh-straight game.

The coaching carousel heated up more during the week. Florida AD Scott Stricklin told the Grand Guard group that he didn’t have the news they wanted to hear, but there was a lot of news coming out of Gainesville. First there were reports that Stricklin had made a decision to hire Chip Kelly. Further reports said that Kelly had agreed in principle to become the Florida coach.

The Stricklin-Kelly romance was followed by reports that Steve Spurrier and former Florida AD Jeremy Foley had intervened to stop Stricklin from hiring Kelly. Apparently Spurrier and Foley want Scott Frost, or so the reports claim. I still think if Frost goes anywhere, he’ll go to Nebraska.

Meanwhile, in Knoxville, reports say that Tennessee is headed towards hiring Jon Gruden. And like Kelly at Florida, Gruden has agreed in principle to become the coach of the Vols.

Florida and Tennessee are two of several SEC schools looking for coaches or soon to be looking for coaches. Ole Miss is still looking for a coach to take over from interim coach Matt Luke. Arkansas and Texas A&M are still expected to fire Bret Bielema and Kevin Sumlin respectively.

Some Auburn people believe that if Auburn loses to Alabama either Gus Malzahn will be fired or he will leave Auburn on his own for employment elsewhere. And where might that be – Arkansas so they say.

Once in trouble, Missouri’s Barry Odom appears to have saved his job in Columbia. The Tigers have gone from 1-5 to 6-5. Missouri has a five-game winning streak going and is bowl eligible. Who knows what Vanderbilt will or won’t do with Derek Mason? They should get rid of him, but does Vanderbilt really care?

In the Pac-12, UCLA fired Jim Mora yesterday. In six seasons with the Bruins, Mora was 46-30 – 5-6 this season, with one game remaining. And who knows what Arizona State may or may not do with Todd Graham? 

In the Big Ten, Nebraska is sure to fire Mike Riley next week. Texas Tech’s Kliff Kingsbury and Kansas’ David Beaty are on thin ice in the Big 12.

Like Missouri’s Barry Odom, Boston College’s Steve Addazio appears to have saved his job. The Eagles began the season 2-4, but have improved to 6-5. Addazio was the only ACC coach in trouble, that is, unless North Carolina and Larry Fedora have a falling out.  

The third edition of this season’s college football playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday evening. My Top 10 this week – no change from last week – are: (1) Alabama, (2) Clemson, (3) Oklahoma, (4) Miami (Florida), (5) Auburn, (6) Wisconsin, (7) Georgia, (8) Notre Dame, (9) USC, (10) Ohio State.

But with Alabama-Auburn, Clemson-South Carolina, Ohio State-Michigan and Notre Dame-Stanford on tap this week, there will be some changes and potential changes next week.

Oklahoma, Miami (Florida), Wisconsin and Georgia have easy games this week. USC has completed its regular season. The Trojans are waiting for either Stanford or Washington State in the Pac-12 title game.

My best of the Group of Five are UCF (10-0), Memphis (9-1), South Florida (9-1), Boise State (9-2) Florida Atlantic (8-3), Toledo (9-2), North Texas (8-3), San Diego State (9-2), Northern Illinois (8-3) and Fresno State (8-3).

Good games in the Group of Five this week are South Florida-UCF, Boise State-Fresno State, Northern Illinois-Central Michigan and Western Michigan-Toledo.

It was good to hear from Fern Musselwhite last week.  

Happy Thanksgiving, college football fans. Have a good week!

Yeah, I’m expensive. I also do the cooking.

Touchdown Tom
November 20, 2017

 

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Badgers for real – Wisconsin 24, Michigan 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 28, Michigan 22). The Wolverines kept it close for most of three quarters. Wisconsin only led by four points – 14-10 – with less than a minute to go in the third. Neither team had a lot of offense, but Wisconsin did have 182 yards rushing to only 58 for Michigan. The Badgers Jonathan Taylor rushed for 132 yards. Attendance in Madison: 81,216

RUNNER UP:  Back in the saddle again – Georgia 42, Kentucky 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 30 Kentucky 21). Georgia bounced back from its loss to Auburn to a big win over Kentucky. The Dawgs racked up 504 total yards. Nick Chubb rushed for 151 yards. Attendance in Athens: 92,746

REST OF THE BEST:  Still perfect – UCF 45, Temple 19 (Touchdown Tom said: UCF 32, Temple 25). After a bit of a shaky start – Temple led 10-7 in the second quarter – UCF pulled away, holding the Owls to 6 points in the second half. Temple was pretty even with the Knights in the stats, except for turnovers. Temple had 5 and UCF had none. Attendance in Philadelphia: 25,877

Kings of L.A. – USC 28, UCLA 23 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 33, UCLA 24). UCLA kept the game close throughout, but USC was always in control. The Bruins Josh Rosen passed for 421 yards. The Trojans Ronald Jones rushed for 122 yards. Attendance in Los Angeles: 82,407

North Texas 52, Army 49 (Touchdown Tom said: Army 30, North Texas 22). It was a shame anybody had to lose this contest. The game was tied 5 times. Army had 534 rushing yards. Ahmad Bradshaw was responsible for 244 of those yards. North Texas’ Mason Fine passed for 386 yards. Attendance in Denton: 26,392

So close – Notre Dame 24, Navy 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 34, Navy 21). Touch and go game – 10-10 at the break, 17-17 at the end of three. Amazingly, Navy controlled the clock for more than 42 minutes. Attendance in South Bend: 77,622

Basketball game – Memphis 66, SMU 45 (Touchdown Tom said: Memphis 32, SMU 26). Close for three quarters, Memphis ran away from SMU in the fourth – outscoring the Mustangs, 21-7. The teams combined for 1,141 total yards. Memphis’ Riley Ferguson passed for 320 yards and the Tigers Darrell Henderson rushed for 147 yards. SMU’s Xavier Jones rushed for 175 yards.  Attendance in Memphis: 35,329

Deacon power – Wake Forest 30, NC State 24 (Touchdown Tom said: NC State 38, Wake Forest 33). Another close contest throughout – the game was tied 4 times. State dominated the stats. The Wolfpack even dominated the clock for more than 41 minutes. But State also dominated the turnovers – 3-1. State’s Ryan Finley passed for 327 yards. Attendance in Winston-Salem: 31,803

Surprise – Kansas State 45, Oklahoma State 40 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma State 35, Kansas State 27). K-State led 45-20 early in the fourth quarter. Then the Cowboys went on a rampage, scoring 20 points – 3 touchdowns – in less than nine minutes. Okie State’s Mason Rudolph passed for 425 yards. Attendance in Stillwater: 56,790

Frog defense – TCU 27, Texas Tech 3 (Touchdown Tom said: TCU 29, Texas Tech 25). TCU has the best defense in the Big 12. When was the last time Texas Tech was held to 3 points?  Attendance in Lubbock: 51,278

Jake the Snake – Washington 33, Utah 30 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 30, Utah 18). Close throughout, neither team led by more than 7 points. Washington kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired to win. Washington’s Jake Browning passed for 354 yards. Attendance in Seattle: 65,767

Fingerless in Mo’town – Texas 28, West Virginia 14 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 31, Texas 23). Will Grier broke his finger and that was all she wrote for WVU. The Mounties only had 56 yards rushing. Texas balanced its rushing and passing. Attendance in Morgantown: 53,133

 

….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

Devin is heaven – Florida Atlantic 52, Florida International 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida Atlantic 40, Florida International 31). FAU took control from the start and never trailed in the game. The Owls had 572 total yards. FAU’s Devin Singletary rushed for 164 yards. Attendance in Boca Raton: 24,116

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Eddy! Eddy! – Florida 36, UAB 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 27, UAB 23). Florida had 25 first downs to eight for UAB, 409 total yards to 180 for UAB and 257 yards rushing to 3 for UAB. The Gators also controlled the clock for more than 42 minutes. Florida’s placekicker Eddy Pineiro was responsible for 18 of the Gators 36 points – 5 field goals and 3 extra points. Pineiro kicked two 50-yard field goals. The Blazers were plagued by 4 turnovers. Attendance in Gainesville: 84,649

Too little, too late – Penn State 56, Nebraska 44 (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 39, Nebraska 18). Penn State outscored Nebraska, 42-10, in the first half. Then Nebraska outscored Penn State, 34-14, in the second half. Early in the fourth quarter, the Lions led the Huskers 56-24. Nebraska scored three touchdowns – 20 points – in the final 6:32 of the game. The teams combined for 1,075 total yards – 609 total yards belonged to Penn State. Nebraska’s Tanner Lee passed for 399 yards. Penn State’s Trace McSorley passed for 325 yards. The Lions Saquon Barkley rushed for 158 yards. Attendance in University Park: 106,722

Dookies go wild – Duke 43, Georgia Tech 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 31, Duke 19). The Dookies could do no wrong. They held Georgia Tech scoreless in the second half. The Dookies had 500 total yards.  They had 30 first downs to 15 for Tech. Attendance in Durham: 20,141

Well, look here – Purdue 24, Iowa 15 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 27, Purdue 17). Iowa led 9-7 at the break. It was all Purdue in the second half. Iowa never scored again until 1:04 left in the game. Neither team could run the ball – 82 yards rushing for the Boilers and 65 yards rushing for the Hawkeyes. Attendance in Iowa City: 60,554

Week 12 Results:  11 correct picks, 6 fumbles (64.7 percent)
For the Season:    138 correct picks, 56 fumbles (71.1 percent)

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

South Florida 27, Tulsa 20 – Attendance in Tampa: 26,195
Florida State 77, Delaware State 6 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 70,599

Miami 44, Virginia 28 – Attendance in Miami Gardens: 63,415
Bethune-Cookman 29, Florida A&M 24 – Attendance in Orlando: 47,819
Drake 52, Jacksonville U. 7 – Attendance in Des Moines: 1,487

 

Superlatives

Impressive Passers:  

Western Kentucky’s Mike White – 39-54-0 for 485 yards; East Carolina’s Gardner Minshew – 31-45-0-444; Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph – 32-53-2-425; UCLA’s Josh Rosen – 32-52-1-421, and Nebraska’s Tanner Lee – 26-41-0-399.

Also, North Texas’ Mason Fine – 24-36-1 for 386 yards; Virginia’s Kurt Benkert – 28-37-1-384; Washington’s Jake Browning – 26-35-0-354, and Buffalo’s Tyree Jackson – 16-28-1-350.

Impressive Rushers:  

Army’s Ahmad Bradshaw – 244 yards; San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny – 222 yards; Boston College’s A.J. Dillon – 200 yards; UNLV’s Armani Rogers – 193 yards; Toledo’s Terry Swanson – 192 yards; Northern Illinois’ Jordan Huff – 185 yards, and Louisville’s Malik Williams – 180 yards.

Also, SMU’s Xavier Jones – 175 yards; Northwestern’s Justin Jackson – 166 yards; Ohio’s Nathan Rourke – 165 yards; Florida Atlantic’s Devin Singletary – 164 yards; New Mexico’s Tyrone Owens – 164 yards; Tulsa’s D’Angelo Brewer – 163 yards; Penn State’s Saquon Barkley – 158 yards, and Southern Miss’ Ito Smith – 153 yards.

Also, California’s Patrick Laird – 153 yards; Georgia’s Nick Chubb – 151 yards; Indiana’s Morgan Ellison – 149 yards; Memphis’ Darrell Henderson – 147 yards; Michigan State’s L.J. Scott – 147 yards; Ole Miss’ Jordan Wilkins – 147 yards; Arkansas State’s Warren Wand – 145 yards, and New Mexico’s Daryl Chestnut – 145 yards.

 

Quotes of the Week:

“That’s just totally false. I haven’t paid any attention to all these whirlwind rumors and everything, and I’m not going to. I’ve got an unbelievable team I’m coaching and I can promise you that no decision has been made,” UCF coach Scott Frost, on reports that he was nearing a seven-year, $35 million deal with Nebraska. 

 

Touchdown Tom’s predictions for

This Week’s 12 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Alabama (11-0) at Auburn (9-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This one is for all the marbles in China – well, for all the marbles somewhere. The winner wins the SEC West, remains in the playoff picture and goes on to the SEC title game to play Georgia. The loser is out of the playoff picture. The loser will hope to land a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl. Auburn last beat Alabama in 2013. Since then, the Tide has won three straight. It won’t be four straight – Auburn 27, Alabama 26.

RUNNER UP:  2. South Florida (9-1) at UCF (10-0) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Friday, ABC – This one is for all the marbles in Florida. Do they have marbles in Florida? With Florida at 4-6 and Florida State at 4-6, UCF and South Florida have been the two premier teams in the Sunshine State this season. The winner of this game wins the AAC East Division, remains in contention for a New Year’s Six bowl and goes on to play Memphis in the AAC title game. South Florida has won the last two games in the series. UCF won the two games before that. The Knights get the marbles – UCF 30, South Florida 24.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Washington State (9-2) at Washington (9-2) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – This is the Super Bowl of the Northwest. Washington State still has a slight chance of making the playoffs. The Cougars would have to beat Washington, then beat USC in the Pac-12 title game and then hope for the best. If Washington wins, the Huskies would get the Apple Cup, but that’s about all. Washington can’t win the Pac-12 North Division. The North Division title goes to Stanford if Washington wins. Stanford beat Washington, but lost to Washington State. The Cougars last beat Washington in 2012. The Huskies have won the last four games in the series. Make if five – Washington 32, Washington State 30.

4. Clemson (10-1) at South Carolina (8-3) – (ACC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Regardless of the outcome, Clemson is the ACC Atlantic division champion with a date to meet Miami for the ACC championship. However, if Clemson loses, the Tigers are out of the playoff picture. Regardless of the outcome, South Carolina can still say it is the second-best team in the SEC East. If the Gamecocks win, they can say they are champions of the Watermelon State. Clemson has won three straight in this series. South Carolina won five straight before that. Make it four straight for the Tigers – Clemson 26, South Carolina 23.

5. Ohio State (9-2) at Michigan (8-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – First of all, there is nothing in this game for Michigan, except pride. The Wolverines can’t win the Big Ten East Division. Ohio State has already won the Big Ten East and has a date with Wisconsin for the Big Ten championship. However, the Buckeyes must win to remain in contention for the playoffs, remote as their chances are. Ohio State has won 12 of the last 13 games against Michigan and 14 of the last 16 games. The Wolverines last won in 2011. Make is six straight for the Buckeyes – Ohio State 28, Michigan 24.

6. Notre Dame (9-2) at Stanford (8-3) – (Ind. vs. Pac-12) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – This is the last regular season game for Notre Dame. The Irish are out of the playoff picture and just have to hope for the best bowl they can get. Beat Stanford and ND will get a darn good bowl. This may or may not be Stanford’s last game before a bowl. If Washington beats Washington State, then Stanford will play USC for the Pac-12 championship. The Trees flourish – Stanford 28, Notre Dame 24.

7. West Virginia (7-4) at Oklahoma (10-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) 3:45 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – After West Virginia, Oklahoma will most likely play TCU in a rematch for the Big 12 championship. Win out and OU is in the playoffs. WVU’s chances of knocking off the Sooners went down the drain when Will Grier broke his finger early in the Texas game. Grier is out for 4-6 weeks. Mayfield has a heyday – Oklahoma 35, West Virginia 20.

8. Boise State (9-2) at Fresno State (8-3) – (MWC vs. MWC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN – Well this is interesting. Boise State has won the MWC Mountain Division and Fresno State has won the MWC West Division. These two teams will meet again next week in the MWC championship game. So this is a warm-up game. The game is important for the Broncos because Boise State still has a shot at finishing the season as the highest-ranked Group of Five team. That would put them in a New Year’s Six bowl. Fresno State has been a surprise team this season under first-year coach Jeff Tedford. At preseason, the Bulldogs were picked to finish at or near the bottom of their Division in the MWC. Broncos toss the Bulldogs – Boise State 29, Fresno State 27.

9. Texas A&M (7-4) at LSU (8-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – In all likelihood, Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin is going to get fired after this game. But if the Aggies can manage to win, who knows, that could save his job. LSU coach Ed Orgeron was on the hot seat earlier in the season, but he seems to have turned that situation around. A Tiger win will give LSU sole position of third place in the SEC West. Mike bids Kevin farewell –  LSU 27, Texas A&M 25.

10. Louisville (7-4) at Kentucky (7-4) – (ACC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, SECN – This one is for the Governor’s Cup. The rivalry has been a series of streaks. Louisville won five straight. Then Kentucky won four straight, followed by Louisville winning five straight. Kentucky won last year. Was that the beginning of a new streak? No – Louisville 30, Kentucky 25.

11. Georgia (10-1) at Georgia Tech (5-5) – (SEC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Georgia has either Alabama or Auburn coming up in the SEC title game. So the Dawgs can’t overlook the Yellow Jackets. That would put a big damper in their playoff plans. Tech has won two of the last three games in this series. But let’s make it two of the last four – Georgia 32, Georgia Tech 19.

12. Virginia Tech (8-3) at Virginia (6-5) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – This has been an embarrassing series for Virginia. Tech has won the last 13 games in this series and 17 of the last 18 games. You can’t even call this a rivalry. The Cavaliers have improved throughout this season. They’ll give the Hokies a few headaches. But not migraines – Virginia Tech 27, Virginia 20.

 

….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

13. Iowa State (7-4) at Kansas State (6-5) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – K-State is on its third quarterback. He found himself last week against Oklahoma State. Iowa State is an improving team too. This could end up being one of the most exciting games of the weekend. The Wildcats enjoy the excitement – Kansas State 27, Iowa State 23.

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Florida State (4-6) at Florida (4-6) – (ACC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – One thing is for sure – the loser of this game won’t be playing in a bowl game. The Gators may not be playing in a bowl even if they win. Who, in their wildest mind, would have thought at preseason that these two teams would have losing records in November? The Noles have won the last four games in the series and six of the last seven games. Before that, the Gators won six straight. The Noles don’t make it five straight. Shannon finds a spark – Florida 24, Florida State 23. 

Iowa (6-5) at Nebraska (4-7) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 4 pm ET, Friday, FS1 – Iowa is going to a bowl game and Nebraska isn’t. That’s about all you can say about this game. The Hawkeyes have won three of the last four games in this series. Before that, the Huskers won five in a row over the Hawkeyes. Sometime after this game is over, Nebraska will announce that Mike Riley is stepping down. Will Scott Frost be Nebraska’s next coach? The Hawkeyes don’t care, not this year – Iowa 27, Nebraska 26.

Duke (5-6) at Wake Forest (7-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FSN/ACCN – Both teams are coming off big wins. Duke over Georgia Tech and Wake over NC State. This has been an interesting year for the two teams. Both began the season 4-0. Then Duke lost six –straight games, before beating Georgia Tech. Wake has been up and down, but the Deacons are currently on a two-game winning streak. Make it a three-game streak – Wake Forest 28, Duke 21.

Texas Tech (5-6) at Texas (6-5) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FOX – Tech ain’t A&M, but the Raiders will have to do for Thanksgiving. Actually, they have done very well for Texas. The Longhorns have won 14 of the last 17 games in this series. Tech needs the win for a bowl bid, but the Raiders don’t get it – Texas 33, Texas Tech 22.

Indiana (5-6) at Purdue (5-6) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Indiana is riding a four-game winning streak in this series. Purdue last won in 2012. Both teams have had some bright moments this season. They also have had some bad moments too. The winner gets a bowl bid. The Hoosiers are going bowling – Indiana 28, Purdue 27.

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Miami (10-0) at Pitt (4-7) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Friday, ABC….
Western Kentucky (6-5) at Florida International (6-4) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7 pm ET, Friday….

Florida Atlantic (8-3) at Charlotte (1-10) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 2 pm ET, Saturday
.
Jacksonville U. (7-4), Bethune-Cookman (7-4) and Florida A&M (3-8) have completed their seasons.

Touchdown Tom

P.S.

Not directly college football related, but as the regular season was coming to a climax and Thanksgiving turkeys and pumpkin pies were almost in the oven, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1942 was “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby

…70 years ago this week in 1947 was “Near You” by Francis Craig and His Orchestra

…65 years ago this week in 1952 was “It’s In The Book (Parts 1 & 2) – by Johnny Standley

…60 years ago this week in 1957 was “Jailhouse Rock”/”Treat Me Nice” by Elvis Presley and “Wake Up Little Susie” by The Everly Brothers

…55 years ago this week in 1962 was “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by The Four Seasons

…50 years ago this week in 1967 was “Incense And Peppermints” by Strawberry Alarm Clock

…45 years ago this week in 1972 was “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash

…40 years ago this week in 1977 was “You Light Up My Life” by Debby Boone

…35 years ago this week in 1982 was “Up Where We Belong” by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes

…30 years ago this week in 1987 was “I’ve Has The Time Of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

…25 years ago this week in 1992 was “How Do You Talk To An Angel” – by The Heights

 

Not exactly college football related, but sadly there were four passings of note last week – Bobby Doerr, Paul Buckmaster, Mel Tillis and Pancho Segura.

Bobby Doerr, the Hall of Fame second baseman who was an immensely popular player through 14 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, died last week in Junction City, Oregon. He was 99 and was the oldest living former major league baseball player. He began his career with the Red Sox in 1937. Playing in Fenway Park into the early 1950s, except for one year in the Army during World War II, Doerr was a nine-time American League All-Star. Robert Pershing Doerr was born in Los Angeles on April 7, 1918.

Paul Buckmaster, whose orchestral arrangements brought power and poignancy to signature songs by David Bowie, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Carly Simon and countless other rock, pop, country and jazz stars, died last week at his home in Los Angeles. He was 71. Buckmaster established himself early in his career when he arranged “Space Oddity,” the eerie 1969 Bowie song that begins with the lyric “Ground control to Major Tom.” He did the arrangements on Elton John’s second album “Elton John” in 1970. It contained the hit “Your Song.” Over the next 47 years, Buckmaster worked with rockers like Guns N’ Roses and country stars like Faith Hill. Paul Buckmaster was born on June 13, 1946, in London, England. His arrangements, often heavily reliant on strings, can be heard on songs as different as the Rolling Stones’ “Moonlight Mile” and Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain.”

Mel Tillis, whose career as a country singer and the writer of songs like “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” and who was equally well-known for his stutter, died yesterday in Ocala, Florida. He was 85. Tillis stuttered only when he spoke, not when he sang. He had upward of 70 Top 40 country hits – six No. 1 hits. He also wrote songs for Patsy Cline and Bobby Bare. Lonnie Melvin Tillis was born on August 8, 1932, in Tampa, Florida. He served in the Air Force from 1951 to 1955. He had minor roles in films like “Smokey and the Bandit II” (1980) and “The Cannonball Run” (1981).  

Pancho Segura, who rose up from Ecuador to become one of the world’s leading tennis players in the mid-20th century, died Saturday at his home in Carlsbad, California. He was 96. Segura was a mentor to and coach of Jimmy Connors in the 1970s. He played tennis for the University of Miami and won the NCAA singles tennis championship from 1943 to 1945. Segura turned pro in 1947. He barnstormed around the world with players like Jack Kramer, Pancho Gonzalez, Bobby Riggs, Tony Trabert and Ken Rosewall. Francisco Olegario Segura was born on June 20, 1921 in Ecuador.

On another note, Charles Manson died yesterday. He was 83. Nuff said.