College Football Week 10 – First playoff rankings out Tuesday

In the State of Florida,

it was a sad state of affairs

Yes, it was a sad and a bad weekend in the State of Florida. Florida, Florida State, Miami, South Florida and Florida Atlantic all lost. Only FIU won. UCF didn’t play. But, then again,  UCF doesn’t play anybody to begin with.

The carnage began Friday night – not once, but twice. First, Miami fell to Boston College, 27-14. The loss dropped the Canes to 5-3 on the season. When the season began, Miami was the overwhelming favorite to win the Coastal Division of the ACC. Currently the Canes are sitting in fourth place in the  division.

Immediately after the game, Canes fans flooded social media, calling for Mark Richt’s job.  “Fire Mark Richt” comments were prevalent. Miami is 2-4 in its last six ACC games – 5-6 in its last 11 games overall.

And then there’s Lane Kiffin. Kiffin was one of the hottest coaches in the country last year when he coached Florida Atlantic to an 11-3 record in his debut season with the Owls. FAU entered this season on a 10-game winning streak. Friday night, Florida Atlantic lost to Louisiana Tech, 21-13, dropping the Owls to 3-5 on the season.

All of a sudden, Kiffin isn’t so hot anymore. And this was supposed to be a great season for Florida Atlantic. At preseason, FAU was picked to win the C-USA championship. Today, the Owls are in fifth place in the East Division of C-USA.

Saturday, the carnage continued – not once, but three times. In Tallahassee, Florida State suffered its worst-ever home loss, falling to Clemson, 59-10. Beating the Noles, Clemson became the first ACC team to beat FSU four-straight years. Florida State’s previous worst loss in Doak Campbell Stadium was 58-14 to Southern Miss in 1981. And 59 points is the most ever allowed by FSU at home.

Clemson’s lopsided win could have been worse. Late in the fourth quarter, the Tigers led the Noles, 59-3. Florida State scored its sole touchdown with 4:43 left on the clock. The loss drops FSU to 4-4. At preseason, the Noles were picked to finish second in the Atlantic Division of the ACC. Today, FSU is in fifth place in the division.

Then, at the Cocktail Party in Jacksonville, Florida lost to Georgia, 36-17. The loss dropped Florida to 4-2 in SEC play and virtually eliminated the Gators from winning the East Division of the SEC. Georgia and Kentucky are each 5-1 in SEC play and both have wins over Florida.

It’s obvious that Florida has no pass defense. That’s Todd Grantham’s problem. Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm picked apart the Gators secondary. It’s also obvious that Florida doesn’t have a quarterback. That’s Dan Mullen’s problem. Feleipe Franks is a boob. He’s careless. Florida had three turnovers in the game and Franks was responsible for two of them. He also only passed for a measly 105 yards.

Finally, on Saturday, unbeaten South Florida lost to Houston, 57-36. The Bulls were actually in the game until the fourth quarter. But in the final 15 minutes, South Florida was outscored 14-0 by Houston.

The lone bright spot for Florida’s FBS (Division IA) teams over the weekend was Florida International. FIU beat Western Kentucky, 38-17. The win improved the Panthers’ record to 6-2. Picked to finish fourth in the East Division of C-USA, today FIU is in first place in the division with a 4-0 conference record.

FIU is coached by former Miami (Florida) and North Carolina coach Butch Davis. In his second season with the Panthers, Davis is 14-7. FIU and FAU clash this week – Davis against Kiffin.

Undefeated UCF (7-0) was off. The Knights resume play this week at home against Temple.

Yes, Saturday was a sad state of affairs in the State of Florida.

Week 9 of college football began early. Tuesday night, Troy beat South Alabama, 38-17.

Thursday night, West Virginia and Georgia Tech rolled to victories. West Virginia’s offense and defense put together two good halves, as the Mountaineers vented their frustrations on Baylor, 58-14. Will Grier passed for 353 yards in just three quarters. Backup quarterback sophomore Jack Allison played the entire fourth quarter for the Mounties and threw a 36-yard touchdown pass.

Meanwhile, in Blacksburg, Georgia Tech failed to complete a pass (0-for-1) the entire game, but the Yellow Jackets racked up 465 yards rushing, as they pounded Virginia Tech, 49-28. Jackets quarterback Tobias Oliver rushed for 215 of those yards. Georgia Tech led 49-21 until late in the fourth quarter.

Appalachian State’s appearance in the Top 25 will be brief. Also on Thursday night, Georgia Southern smacked Appalachian State, 34-14. App State entered the game ranked 25^th in the AP Poll.

Chip Kelly’s two-game winning streak came to an end. Utah plastered UCLA, 41-10. Kelly is now 2-6 for the season. In the Big Ten, Minnesota scored a touchdown with 1:34 left in the game and then held on to beat Indiana, 38-31. Entering the fourth quarter, the Gophers had a 31-9 lead on the Hoosiers.

Herm Edwards and Kevin Sumlin both won Saturday. On the road, Arizona State downed USC, 38-35, improving Edwards’ Sun Devils to 4-4. Then, at home, Arizona surprised Oregon big time. The Wildcats beat the Ducks, 44-15, improving Sumlin’s Wildcats to 4-5.

Elsewhere in the Pac-12, there were some interesting outcomes. With 19 seconds left on the clock, Washington State kicked a 42-yard field goal and beat Stanford in Palo Alton, 41-38. California surprised Washington. The Bears upset the Huskies, 12-10, in Berkeley. But the biggest surprise of all occurred in Boulder. Oregon State, losers of their last 13 Pac-12 games, stunned Colorado, 41-34 (OT). Trailing Colorado 31-3 in the third quarter, the Beavers scored 28 unanswered points to tie the score 31-31 at the end of regulation. Oregon State last won a Pac-12 game in November 2016.

The most exciting game in the SEC took place in Columbia, Missouri. Trailing Missouri 14-3 with less than six minutes to go in the game, Kentucky rallied to knock off the Tigers, 15-14. Kentucky’s winning touchdown came as time expired in the game. Actually, it came after time had expired in the game.

On what would have been the final play of the game as time expired, Kentucky threw a pass into the end zone. The pass was incomplete, but defensive pass interference was called on the play. That penalty gave Kentucky a second chance. And the second time was a charm for the Wildcats. Kentucky was successful on a 2-yard pass into the end zone.

In the other Columbia, South Carolina rallied and held on to edge Tennessee, 27-24. Will Muschamp is now 6-0 against Tennessee – 3-0 at Florida and 3-0 at South Carolina. Meanwhile, Mississippi State spoiled Texas A&M’s visit to Starkville. The Bulldogs beat the Aggies, 28-13.

In the Big 12, it was a big day for the Oklahoma’s. In Norman, the Sooners, as expected, rolled past Kansas State, 51-14. In Stillwater, Oklahoma State blew a 31-14 halftime lead over Texas, but ultimately held on to beat the Longhorns, 38-35. The big surprise in the Big 12, and it was a big one, occurred in Lawrence, Kansas. The Jayhawks, losers of their last 14 Big 12 games, shocked TCU, 27-26. Kansas last won a Big 12 game in November 2016.

In the Big Ten, Penn State, Michigan State and Northwestern all won. In University Park, Penn State edged Iowa, 30-24. In East Lansing, Michigan State stymied Purdue, 23-13, and in Evanston, Northwestern surprised Wisconsin, 31-17.

Syracuse and Pitt had big wins in the ACC. In the Carrier Dome, Syracuse won a thriller over NC State, 41-31. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Duke and Pitt were tied 45-45 with less than a minute to go in the game. Pitt got a touchdown and a safety, all in the final 5 seconds of the game, to beat Duke, 54-45.

UTEP extended its losing streak to 19 games – the nation’s longest. The Miners lost to UAB, 19-0. But San Jose State ended its 6-game losing streak. The Spartans beat UNLV, 50-37. Also, in the MWC, Nevada upset San Diego State, 28-24.

Massachusetts knocked off Connecticut, 22-17. And Army improved to 6-2, with a 37-22 win over Eastern Michigan.

For the third week, no one joined the “70s Club.” But Maryland and Utah State came close. The Terps beat Illinois, 63-33, and Utah State downed New Mexico, 61-19.

In addition to Oregon State-Colorado, the only one other overtime game – Cincinnati 26, SMU 20 (OT). Cincinnati not only won the game in overtime, but the Bearcats won it on a “kick-6” in overtime.

In 2015, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino pulled Matt Colburn’s scholarship offer just 48 hours before national signing day. Colburn went on to sign with Wake Forest. Saturday, Colburn got his paybacks. The Wake Forest running back ran for 243 yards and three touchdowns, as Wake Forest beat Louisville, 56-35. Justice!

So, after nine weeks of football, four teams remain undefeated – Alabama (8-0), Clemson (8-0), Notre Dame (8-0) and UCF (7-0). South Florida (7-1) lost for the first time. Like UCF, Alabama was off Saturday. Clemson, as mentioned, took care of Florida State and Notre Dame rocked Navy,  44-22.

This week, Alabama visits LSU (7-1) and Notre Dame travels to Northwestern (5-3). Clemson hosts Louisville (2-6) and UCF entertains Temple (5-3). Stay tuned!

The first college football playoff rankings will be released at 7 pm, Tuesday, on ESPN.

Touchdown Tom

October 29, 2018

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Dawg party – Georgia 36, Florida 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 24, Georgia 20). With less than 9 minutes to go in the game, Georgia only had a 6-point lead – 23-17. Then the Dawgs exploded for two touchdowns. Florida had three turnovers to none for Georgia. The teams were close in rushing yards, but Georgia had 240 passing yards to only 105 for Florida. Attendance in Jacksonville: 84,463

RUNNER UP: King for a day – Houston 57, South Florida 36 (Touchdown Tom said: Houston 33, South Florida 27). This was a tight game until the fourth quarter. Houston led 43-36 at the end of three. The teams combined for 1,147 total yards, but Houston had 681 of those yards. Houston quarterback D’Eriq King had 419 yards and 5 touchdowns passing and 132 yards and two touchdowns rushing. Attendance in Houston: 31,631

REST OF THE BEST:  Mulch – Washington State 41, Stanford 38 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington State 26, Stanford 24). Washington State won the game on a field goal in the closing seconds. The Cougars won the game in spite of only 59 yards rushing. Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew passed for 438 yards. Attendance in Palo Alto: 39,596

Happy in the Valley – Penn State 30, Iowa 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 24, Penn State 22). Iowa controlled the stats, including time of possession. But the Hawkeyes couldn’t control the score. Neither quarterback – Nate Stanley of Iowa and Trace McSorley of Penn State – were impressive. Both completed less than 50% of their passes. Attendance in University Park: 105,244

Retreat – Clemson 59, Florida State 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 33, Florida State 23). The Clemson defense held FSU to just 21 yards rushing. Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence passed for 314 yards. Clemson had 25 first downs to 14 for FSU. Attendance in Tallahassee: 68,403

Richt-less – Boston College 27, Miami (Florida) 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 30, Boston College 26). A good game in the first half, BC led at the break, 17-14. Then it was all BC in the second half, as the Eagles defense kept the Canes from scoring. BC running back A.J. Dillon rushed for 149 yards, as the Eagles had 439 total yards. Attendance in Chestnut Hill: 44,514

Orange is the new Red – Syracuse 51, NC State 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Syracuse 30, NC State 28). Syracuse jumped out to a 24-7 lead. NC State rallied and the game became a barn burner. The teams combined for 1,102 total yards. But both teams had less than 90 yards rushing – 81 for Syracuse and 68 for NC State. NC State quarterback Ryan Finley passed for 473 yards and Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey passed for 411 yards. Attendance in Syracuse: 40,769

Poked – Oklahoma State 38, Texas 35 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 37, Oklahoma State 21). Okie State controlled the stats and the clock, but barely won the game. Texas came on strong at the end. Okie State quarterback Taylor Cornelius passed for 321 yards. Attendance in Stillwater: 56,790

Eagles soar – Georgia Southern 34, Appalachian State 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Southern 30, Appalachian State 29). After a scoreless first quarter, Georgia Southern took control of the game, outscoring App State, 17-7 in the second quarter and 17-7 in the second half. The Eagles led 34-7 until late in the fourth quarter. App State had five turnovers in the game, including four interceptions. Georgia Southern won the game in spite of only managing 57 yards passing. The Eagles running Shai Werts rushed for 129 yards. Georgia Southern improved its record to 7-1. Attendance in Statesboro: 19,252

It ain’t over until it’s over – Kentucky 15, Missouri 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Missouri 22, Kentucky 21). Thanks to a defensive pass interference call, Kentucky got a second chance after time had expired. The Wildcats capitalized on that chance. The game was a defensive battle. Both teams rushed for less than 100 yards – 91 yards for Kentucky and 84 for Missouri. Mizzou quarterback Drew Lock had a terrible game.  Attendance in Columbia: 53,397

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

Totality – West Virginia 58, Baylor 14 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 30, Baylor 17). West Virginia scored a touchdown on its opening drive, just 50 seconds into the game, and the Mountaineers were off and running. WVU outscored Baylor 41-0 in the first half and 17-14 in the second half. WVU racked up 568 total yards to 285 for Baylor. Mountie receiver David Sills had five receptions for 139 yards and Gary Jennings had three receptions for 100 yards. WVU’s defense held Baylor to 80 yards rushing. Attendance in Morgantown: 53,117

Where’s Don Ho when you need him? – Fresno State 50, Hawaii 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Fresno State 34, Hawaii 27). This game was all Fresno State. The Bulldogs led 50-13 early in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs had 565 total yards and held Hawaii to 88 yards rushing. Fresno State quarterback Marcus McMaryion passed for 284 yards. Bulldogs running back Ronnie Rivers ran for 125 yards. Fresno State even got a touchdown on a “kick-6.” Attendance in Fresno: 33,659

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Shucked – Nebraska 45, Bethune-Cookman 9 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 56, Bethune-Cookman 12). Nebraska just toyed with Bethune-Cookman. The Wildcats lone touchdown came as time expired. Huskers running back Devine Ozigbo rushed for 110 yards. Attendance in Lincoln: 88,735

The defenses forgot to show up – Pitt 54, Duke 45 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 25, Pitt 21). What a game! The teams combined for 1,253 total yards. Most of Pitt’s yards were rushing – 484. Most of Duke’s yards were passing – 396. Three running backs – two from Pitt and one from Duke – rushed for more than 100 yards. Attendance in Pittsburgh: 31,510

Boilers weren’t up – Michigan State 23, Purdue 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan State 26, Purdue 23). The Spartans were still mad and the Boilers were still celebrating. It was a tight game throughout. Michigan State just led 16-13 with less than 2 minutes to go in the game. The Spartans defense held Purdue to 62 yards rushing. Michigan State quarterback Rocky Lombardi passed for 318 yards. The Spartans controlled the clock for more than 38 minutes. Attendance in East Lansing: 72,657

Week 9 Results:   9 correct picks, 6 fumbles (60 percent)

For The Season:  92 correct picks, 43 fumbles (68.1 percent)

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

FIU 38, Western Kentucky 17 – Attendance in Bowling Green: 15,138

Louisiana Tech 21, Florida Atlantic 13 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 14,948

Florida A&M 38, Morgan State 3 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 14,037

Stetson 56, Davidson 53 – Attendance in Davidson: 3,992

San Diego 59, Jacksonville U. 35 – Attendance in San Diego: 1,047

West Florida 26, North Greenville 10 – Attendance in Tigerville: 2,687

West Alabama 29, Florida Tech 22 – Attendance in Livingston: 5,106

Superlatives

Impressive Passers: 

NC State’s Ryan Finley – 26-44-1-473 (3TDs); Utah State’s Jordan Love – 23-34-0 for 448 yards (4TDs); Washington State’s Gardner Minshew – 40-50-0-438 (3TDs); Houston’s D’Eriq King – 28-41-2-419 (5TDs); Syracuse’s Eric Dungey – 27-38-0-411 (3TDs); Boise State’s Brett Rypien – 20-34-0-399 (5TDs), and Duke’s Daniel Jones – 27-42-0-396 (4TDs).

Also, NC State’s Ryan Finley – 26-44-1 for 373 yards (3TDs); Louisville’s Jawon Pass – 30-54-0-358 (1TD); West Virginia’s Will Grier – 17-27-0-353 (3TDs); Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray – 19-24-0-352 (3TDs); Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder – 33-50-2-352 (2TDs), and TCU’s Michael Collins – 23-33-1-351 (1TD).

Impressive Rushers:

Wake Forest’s Matt Colburn – 243 yards (3TDs); Georgia Tech’s Tobias Oliver – 215 yards (3TDs); Utah’s Zack Moss – 211 yards (3TDs); Arizona State’s Eno Benjamin – 185 yards (2TDs); Wyoming’s Nico Evans – 176 yards (1TD), and Vanderbilt’s Ke’Shawn Vaughn – 172 yards (3TDs).

Also,  Florida Atlantic’s Devin Singletary – 171 yards (1TD); Troy’s B.J. Smith – 170 yards (1TD); Duke’s Deon Jackson – 162 yards; Georgia State’s Tra Barnett – 161 yards (2TDs); Illinois’ Reggie Corbin – 155 yards (1TD), and Minnesota’s Shannon Brooks – 154 yards (1TD).

Quotes of the Week

“This is what happens when you have Urban Meyer at the helm. Ohio State, you brought this upon yourself with how sloppy and undisciplined this team is. When you’re worried about deleting texts off your phone, when you’re sending out five different apology tweets, because of your behavior and your program’s behavior, when you’re worried about the findings of a sham internal investigation. This wasn’t a real internal investigation into Urban Meyer at Ohio State, it was an absolute sham. When you have to worry about that stuff, you’re unfocused, and that leads to your team being undisciplined,” ESPN and SEC Network college football commentator Peter Burns.

“That’s Urban Meyer’s fault, but more importantly, it’s Ohio State’s fault, and their lack of leadership has hurt those kids, because I think that team at Ohio State is as talented as any team in the country right now. But they are led by someone who is unfocused, and that’s the reason they lost that game to Purdue, and I think they’ll lose another,” ESPN and SEC Network college football commentator Peter Burns.

At some point, Ohio State has to realize what’s better for their university, and guess what, it’s not Urban Meyer being the head coach,” ESPN and SEC Network college football commentator Peter Burns.

“Urban Meyer looks anguished, emotional and erratic on the sidelines and the Buckeyes have big problems. There are issues there,” ESPN college football commentator Kirk Herbstreit.

“They need an expanded playoff system, minimum 16 teams. I haven’t quite figured out how everybody from rec league softball on down can figure out how to put together a tournament and Division I can’t,” Washington State coach Mike Leach, on an expanded college football playoff.

“It’s official. The U is dead under Mark Richt,” former Miami player Warren Sapp.

“Dear Bulldog fans, can you please take Mark Richt back? Please,” Miami fan Calvin Capone.”

“I’m not optimistic, but Kentucky being at home has momentum. This is going to be the biggest football game in Kentucky history. That’s not saying very much. It’s going to overshadow the Duke-Kentucky basketball game a couple of nights later. This place will be insane,” ESPN college football commentator Paul Finebaum, on the Georgia-Kentucky football game.

“It’s going to be a celebration. Do I think they’re going to win? Probably not,” ESPN college football commentator Paul Finebaum, on Kentucky’s chances against Georgia.

Signs of the Day

Herschel Walker Didn’t Get Into UF

If you or a loved one has been exposed to Georgia football, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Call 1-800-UGA-SUCKS

Tebow Cries At Weddings

Eat Mor Bulldawg

Who Names Their Kid, Kirby?

Win Or Lose, At Least I Don’t Go To UCF

Touchdown Tom’s Picks for

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

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Alabama (8-0) at LSU (7-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This is the biggest game of the season to date and may end up being the biggest game of the season. But it won’t be big unless LSU wins or comes darn close. The Tigers have not beaten Alabama since 2011. And the Tide turned around and beat LSU in the second game (BCS Championship) that season. So it has been a tough seven years for the Tigers. Make it a tough eight years – Alabama 26, LSU 23.

RUNNER UP:  2. Georgia (7-1)  at Kentucky (7-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This is the “it” game for Kentucky. Win and Wildcats  fans will be talking about this game for 100 years – maybe more. Lose and it’s when does basketball season start? Anything could happen. But I think Wildcats fans will be talking about basketball season – Georgia 26, Kentucky 21.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Penn State (6-2) at Michigan (7-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:45 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Jim Harbaugh has the Wolverines on a roll. James Franklin has the Nitts flickering. Roll bets Flicker – Michigan 30, Penn State 20.

4. Notre Dame (8-0) at Northwestern (5-3) – (Ind. vs. Big Ten) – 7:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – You gotta figure Northwestern is capable of beating Notre Dame. Capable is the “key” word here. The Irish gotta be feeling the pressure. It’s not easy being undefeated, unless you are Alabama. Pressure survives capable – Notre Dame 24, Northwestern 19.

5. West Virginia (6-1) at Texas (6-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Both teams have one loss in Big 12 play. Neither can afford another one if they want to make the Big 12 title game. This one has the makings for an interesting contest – very interesting. Bevo steaks go good with moonshine – West Virginia 33, Texas 27.

6. Temple (5-3) at UCF (7-0) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7:30 pm Et, Thursday, ESPN – Temple has already knocked off one unbeaten team this year – Cincinnati. The Owls will be looking to make UCF its second unbeaten victim. If the game were played in Philly, it could happen. But the game is played in Orlando. Knights prevail – UCF 29, Temple 22.

7. Oklahoma (7-1) at Texas Tech (5-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – The Red Raiders are capable of giving Oklahoma’s defense a test, especially in Lubbock. But Kyler Murray should have a heyday against Tech’s defense. The Sooners win the shootout – Oklahoma 35, Texas Tech 20.

8. Stanford (5-3) at Washington (6-3) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 9 pm ET, Saturday, PAC-12N – Last week, the Trees lost to the other Washington team on a last second field goal. They could lose the same way this week. Washington lost too and the Huskies will be mad. The Trees are uprooted – Washington 26, Stanford 21.

9. Texas A&M (5-3) at Auburn (5-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – The Aggies got bounced in Starkville last week. Meanwhile, Auburn was sitting back resting up for this encounter. It’s hard to figure Jimbo Fisher losing two straight games. It’s hard to figure Gus Malzahn beating Jimbo – Texas A&M 29, Auburn 23.

10. Boston College (6-2) at Virginia Tech (4-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:45 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – Two teams going in opposite directions. BC is having a good season and coming off a good win against Miami. Va Tech is having a disappointing season and coming off a bad loss to Georgia Tech. Still, the Eagles have their weaknesses and the Hokies have their strengths. But the Hokies don’t find BC’s weaknesses in this one – Boston College 26, Virginia Tech 22. 

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. Duke (5-3) at Miami (Florida) (5-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Duke left its defense at home last week. Miami left its offense home. The Dookies may have lost their defense for good. The Canes better win or the calls for Mark Richt’s firing will get stronger. Richt breathes a little easier – Miami 30, Duke 25.

12. Iowa (6-2) at Purdue (4-4) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Both teams tripped and stumbled last week. The Boilers have some more tripping and stumbling to do – Iowa 23, Purdue 17.

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS

Missouri (4-4) at Florida (6-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Both teams are mad and frustrated. Florida coming off the loss to Georgia and Missouri coming off the beyond the last second loss to Kentucky. Florida gets its act together. Missouri discombobulates – Florida 24, Missouri 16.

Nebraska (2-6) at Ohio State (7-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – Nebraska may be getting better and Ohio State may be getting worse, but the Huskers are playing the Buckeyes at the wrong time. After the bad loss to Purdue and all the negative commentary about Urban Meyer, Ohio State is going to come out mad and fired up. And the game is in Columbus. It won’t be a pretty site for the Huskers – Ohio State 38, Nebraska 16.

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Florida State (4-4) at NC State (5-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC….

Tulane (3-5) at South Florida (7-1) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN….

Florida Atlantic (3-5) at FIU (6-2) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday….

Florida A&M (6-2) at Howard (3-4) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Bethune-Cookman (4-5) at Morgan State (2-6) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Butler (3-5) at Jacksonville U. (1-6) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3… 

Morehead State (3-5) at Stetson (6-1) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

North Greenville (4-4) at Florida Tech (6-3) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 2 pm ET, Saturday….

Valdosta State (8-0) at West Florida (6-3) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 5 pm ET, Saturday….

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but there was one passing of note last week – Tony Joe White.

Tony Joe White, the songwriter who wrote “Polk Salad Annie” and “Rainy Night in Georgia,” died last week at his home in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee, near Nashville. He was 75. White was known for his deep, growling voice and potent “swamp rock” sound, which incorporated elements of blues, rock, country and R&B. During the past 50 years, his songs have been recorded by countless greats, including Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield, Brook Benton, Ray Charles, Waylon Jennings, B.J. Thomas, Kenny Chesney, Johnny Cash and Tina Turner, among others. It was White’s 1972 record “The Train I’m On” that brought serious attention to his singing and songwriting. Tony Joe White was born on July 23, 1943, near Oak Grove, Louisiana. His debut album “Black and White” was released in 1969. The song “Soul San Francisco” was a hit in France. Nine months after the album’s release, the song “Polk Salad Annie” entered the charts and peaked at No. 8 on Billboard’s Hot 100. At the same time, Brook Benton’s recording of “Rainy Night in Georgia was zooming up the charts. It peaked at No. 4 on the Pop Charts. In the late 1980s, Tina Turner recorded four of White’s songs, including “Steamy Windows.”

College Football Week 9 – Will No. 2 lose again this week?

It’s Not Safe To Be No. 2

Not lately. That’s for sure.

Just look at what’s happened. Last week, undefeated Georgia was sitting comfortably in the No. 2 spot. That is until the Dawgs ran into LSU. The Tigers not only beat Georgia, but they blew the Dawgs off the field, 36-16.

When the rankings came out after Georgia’s loss, Ohio State was the new No. 2 team. The undefeated Buckeyes were sitting comfortably in the No. 2 spot.

Well, that is until undefeated Ohio State ran into Purdue Saturday night. Just like LSU blew Georgia off the field, Purdue literally tossed Ohio State from one side of the field to the other, beating the Buckeyes, 49-20.  

Purdue’s defense bottled up Ohio State’s running game – 76 yards rushing. Buckeyes running backs Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins were never heard from all night. Between the 20s, Ohio State moved the ball almost at will. But only through the air. However, once Ohio State hit the red zone, Purdue’s defense stepped up again. The Buckeyes were denied the end zone. Ohio State could only manage two field goals on five trips to the red zone.

Meanwhile, Purdue’s offense, with a healthy mix of running and passing, kept Ohio State’s defense guessing all night. The Buckeyes defense often appeared to be confused, not knowing what the Boilers would throw or run at them next.

At the end of three quarters, Purdue led Ohio State 21-6. The Boilers went on to outscore the Buckeyes 28-14 in the fourth quarter to cap their 49-20 win. The game was reminiscent of Ohio State’s 55-24 loss at Iowa last ear.

Ohio State was one of three unbeaten teams to lose Saturday. In a battle of unbeatens, Clemson handed NC State its first loss of the season. And it really wasn’t a battle. The Tigers had their way with the Wolfpack, beating NC State, 41-7.

In Philadelphia, unbeaten Cincinnati lost for the first time. The Bearcats fell to Temple, 24-17 (OT). Neither team acted like it wanted to win the game, as both suffered from three turnovers.

So, going into Week 9, we are down to five unbeaten teams – Alabama (8-0), Clemson (7-0), Notre Dame (7-0), UCF (7-0) and South Florida (7-0). UCF, playing without starting quarterback McKenzie Milton, downed East Carolina, 37-10, Saturday night.

Meanwhile, South Florida continued to live on the edge. The Bulls, leading Connecticut by only one point, 31-30, with less than five minutes to go in the game, scored late to hang on for a 38-30 win over UConn. Notre Dame had the week off.

Alabama and UCF are off this week. They will still be undefeated come this time next week. Notre Dame plays Navy (2-5) in San Diego. That should be a safe win for the Irish. However, South Florida definitely has a tough game and No. 2 Clemson has what could be a tricky game. South Florida plays Houston (6-1) in Houston. There’s a good chance the Bulls won’t be unbeaten after this Saturday. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, Clemson plays Florida State (4-3) in Tallahassee. The Noles have been improving and Clemson could have a let down after the Tigers big win over NC State. Just saying. Then again, Clemson could blow FSU off the field.

But if the trend continues, Clemson could be the third-straight  No. 2 team to lose. Can FSU beat Clemson? Only time will tell. Stay tuned!

With its win over East Carolina, UCF extended its winning streak to 20 games – the nation’s longest. Alabama is second with a 10-game winning streak, while South Florida is in third place with 8-straight wins.

Conversely, UTEP (0-7) is right up there with UCF, only losing instead of winning. The Miners extended their losing streak – the nation’s longest – to 18 games. UTEP is followed by San Jose State (0-7). The Spartans are riding a 7-game losing streak.

But in Lincoln, Nebraska, the Huskers ended their 10-game losing streak. Nebraska and first-year coach Scott Frost got their first win of the season Saturday, beating Minnesota, 53-28. The Huskers got off to a good start and you just knew they were going to get the monkey off their back. Late in the second quarter, Nebraska led Minnesota, 28-0.

But then the Gophers scored three-straight touchdowns. Midway through the third quarter, the Huskers lead was cut to six, as Nebraska led Minnesota, 28-22. The first win appeared to be slipping away from the Huskers. However, Nebraska went on to outscore the Gophers 25-8 to safely secure its first victory.

The weekend’s games began Thursday night. Stanford took advantage of three Arizona State turnovers, as the Trees beat the Sun Devils, 20-13. ASU quarterback Manny Wilkins passed for 353 yards. Herm Edwards is now 3-4. 

I have to tell you, I really enjoyed Saturday. No, not just because Nebraska got its first win and Ohio State and Urban Meyer got beat. Saturday was different. I was relaxed. I was cool as a cucumber.

You see, West Virginia and Florida had the day off. On the Saturdays when the Mountaineers and the Gators play, I’m on edge. Even after they win or lose, I stay on edge, especially if they lose.

Saturday, I was so relaxed. WVU and Florida weren’t playing. I sat back and used the remote to follow several games. For the 12 noon starts, I switched between Auburn-Ole Miss, Oklahoma-TCU, Michigan-Michigan State and Maryland-Iowa. Occasionally, I checked in on Cincinnati-Temple.

When the Michigan-Michigan State game went into a weather delay, that game dropped off my cycle. 

Surprisingly, Auburn dominated Ole Miss. The game was never really close. Auburn went on to beat Ole Miss, 31-16. The OU-TCU game looked like a rout for the Sooners. Oklahoma had a 28-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Then the Frogs started hopping. TCU rallied and trailed OU at the half, 28-24. But the second half was all Oklahoma. The Sooners outscored TCU, 24-3, and beat the Frogs, 52-27.

Iowa dominated Maryland, especially Iowa’s defense. The Hawkeyes beat the Terps, 23-0. And as mentioned earlier, Cincinnati lost to Temple, 24-17 (OT).

For the 3:30 p.m. starts, I switched around between  Alabama-Tennessee, NC State-Clemson and Colorado-Washington. And as the Michigan-Michigan State game resumed from its weather delay, I added that game to the 3:30 cycle. Alabama simply tore apart Tennessee. It was pathetic. The Tide beat the Vols, 58-21. And as mentioned earlier, Clemson totally dominated NC State, 41-7.

Now the Colorado-Washington game was an interesting one. In the first half, Colorado had two leads – 7-0 and 10-7. Washington led at the break, 14-13, and, 17-13, at the end of three quarters. In the fourth quarter, Colorado fell apart. The Huskies outscored the Buffs, 10-0, and Washington went on to beat Colorado, 27-13.

The Michigan-Michigan State game was tight. The score was 7-7 late in the third quarter. However, the Spartans only got a touchdown because the Wolverines fumbled on their own goal line. Michigan went on to score two more touchdowns and beat Michigan State, 21-7.

For the evening games, and what turned out to be the best games, I switched around between Mississippi State-LSU, Vanderbilt-Kentucky, Oregon-Washington State and Ohio State-Purdue.

Actually, the Miss State-LSU game wasn’t that exciting. Although it wasn’t a blowout, LSU dominated Miss State. The Bulldogs had no offense. LSU won the game, 19-3. Vanderbilt-Kentucky was a close game and a defensive battle. Halfway through the second quarter, the score was 7-7. And it remained that way until 8:04 on the clock in the fourth quarter when Kentucky went up 14-7. Vandy had its chances, but the Wildcats hung on to win – 14-7.

I think the Oregon-Washington State game was my favorite. Mike Leach is always fun to watch. The first half belonged to the Cougars. And did it ever. Washington State led Oregon, 27-0 at halftime. The rout appeared to be on. But the Cougars went silent in the second half, as Oregon came back and pulled within seven – 27-20, with 6:38 to go in the game. Washington State got a security touchdown with 3:40 on the clock and won, 34-20.

And what more can I say about Ohio State-Purdue. I think you could hear all the country cheering every time Purdue scored. Outside of the State of Ohio, the Buckeyes are one of the most, if not the most, hated teams in the country. And, outside of the State of Ohio, Urban Meyer is the most hated coach in the country.

Yeah, I was cool as a cucumber Saturday – totally relaxed. My remote got its workout.

For the second week in a row, no team made the “70s Club.” Missouri came the closest. The Tigers beat Memphis, 65-33.

There were four overtime games Saturday. In addition to Temple-Cincinnati, Syracuse beat North Carolina, 40-37 (2OT), Army outlasted Miami (Ohio), 31-30, and Akron edged Kent State, 24-23 (OT). Poor Kent State muffed the snap on the extra point kick in overtime.

In the late show, UCLA beat Arizona 31-30. After losing his first five games, Chip Kelly has won two in a row. Meanwhile, Kevin Sumlin is 3-5.

Well, it wasn’t a “kick-6” like the Auburn-Alabama game in 2013, but I guess you could call it a “kick-3.” As time expired in the Old Dominion-Western Kentucky game, and the score tied 34-34, WKU missed a field goal attempt. An Old Dominion player caught the kicked ball in the end zone and ran it back to near the WKU goal line where he was driven out of bounds.

Time had expired, but there was a face-mask penalty on Western Kentucky during the run back. You can’t end the game on a penalty. So Old Dominion lined up and kicked a 26-yard field goal to win the game, 37-34. I must say, when Old Dominion (2-6) wins, the Monarchs do it in style. First they knocked off Virginia Tech and then they win on a “kick-3”.

Freshman Rhett Rodriguez played quarterback for Arizona Saturday against UCLA. Starting quarterback Khalil Tate was out with an ankle injury. Rodriguez is the son of former Arizona, Michigan and West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. It was Rhett’s first career start. But last week, coming in for the injured Tate, Rodriguez completed 20-of-38 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown in the Wildcats 42-10 loss to Utah. Saturday, Rhett passed for 231 yards in the Wildcats 31-30 loss to UCLA.

Rob Robertson, who was in his 52^nd season on the Washington State football radio broadcast, announced his immediate retirement last week. Robertson began calling Cougars football games as the play-by-play announcer in 1964. He remained in that role until sliding over to the analyst chair in 2011. Robertson also called Washington State basketball games for 23 years. To conclude every broadcast, Robertson would say, “Always be a good sport, be a good sport all ways.”

Touchdown Tom

October 22, 2018

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Tough Tigers – Clemson 41, NC State 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 30, NC State 22). Clemson took total control of this game. The Tigers led the Wolfpack, 31-0, before NC State scored. Surprisingly, NC State shutdown Clemson’s running game (91 yards), but the Tigers had 380 yards passing. Meanwhile, NC State quarterback Ryan Finley only passed for 156 yards and threw two interceptions. Attendance in Clemson: 81.295

RUNNER UP:  Cougs like Duck – Washington State 34, Oregon 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington State 32, Oregon 30). Neither team could run – 65 yards for Oregon and 77 yards for Washington State. Washington State won in spite of suffering two turnovers to none for Oregon. Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew passed for 323 yards. It was the Cougars fourth-straight year beating the Ducks.  Attendance in Pullman: 33,152

REST OF THE BEST:  Huskies bite – Washington 27, Colorado 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 30, Colorado 20). Washington pretty much dominated the stats. The Huskies held Colorado to 263 total yards. Attendance in Seattle: 68,798

Stubborn – LSU 19, Mississippi State 3 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 27, Mississippi State 19). LSU won the game with only 239 total yards. The Tigers held the Bulldogs to just 59 yards passing. State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald was a measly 8-for-24 passing and four interceptions. But Fitzgerald did run for 131 yards. LSU was not impressive on offense, but the Tigers looked good on defense. Attendance in Baton Rouge: 101.340

Gritty – Michigan 21, Michigan State 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 26, Michigan State 24). Michigan State only had 94 total yards – 15 rushing and 79 passing. Michigan on the other had had 394 total yards. Michigan running back Karan Higdon rushed for 144 yards. Michigan maintained time of possession for more than 41 minutes. Attendance in East Lansing: 76,131

Great Horns – Temple 24, Cincinnati 17 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Cincinnati 26, Temple 25). Both teams were flat on offense. Temple only had 80 yards rushing. Cincinnati running back Michael Warren rushed for 132 yards. Each team held a lead in the game and the score was tied twice. Attendance in Philadelphia: 33,026

Captain Kirk -- Iowa 23, Maryland 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 33, Maryland 18). Iowa’s defense held Maryland to 115 total yards – 68 rushing and 47 passing. Iowa only had 84 yards passing, but 224 rushing. The Hawkeyes controlled the clock for more than 40 minutes. Attendance in Iowa City: 69,250

The Devils were cakes – Virginia 28, Duke 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia 22, Duke 21). Virginia held the Dookies to only 58 yards rushing. The Wahoos also dominated time of possession for more than 36 minutes. The Dookies suffered two turnovers, while Virginia had none. The Cavaliers improve to 5-2. Attendance in Durham: 20,277

Wings – Buffalo 31, Toledo 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Buffalo 29, Toledo 25). Buffalo never led in the game until the fourth quarter. But once the Bulls got the lead, they never relinquished it. Buffalo had 32 first downs to only 8 for Toledo. There were 8 turnovers in the game – four by each team. Buffalo maintained time of possession for more than 39 minutes. Attendance in Toledo: 18,114

Dull Horns – Oklahoma 52, TCU 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 31, TCU 17). Oklahoma dominated the stats and the game. The Sooners had 536 total yards to 275 for TCU and 26 first downs to 12 for the Frogs. OU controlled the ball for more than 37 minutes. Oklahoma running backs Kennedy Brooks and Trey Sermon rushed for 168 and 110 yards respectively. Attendance in Fort Worth: 45,055

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

Blazing Blazers – UAB 29, North Texas 21 (Touchdown Tom said: UAB 30, North Texas 27). UAB never led in the game until the fourth quarter. But once the Blazers got the lead, they never gave it up. North Texas only had 64 yards rushing, but North Texas quarterback Mason Fine passed for 336 yards. Attendance in Birmingham: 28,014

Hurtin’ Herm – Stanford 20, Arizona State 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona State 33, Stanford 28). A close game in the first half, Stanford took control in the third quarter, jumping out to a 20-6 lead. Still, Arizona State cut the gap to 7 halfway through the fourth quarter. The Sun Devils only had 84 yards rushing, but 353 passing. ASU also was plagued with three turnovers. Stanford maintained time of possession for more than 38 minutes. Attendance in Tempe: 42,946

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

At last – Nebraska 53, Minnesota 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Minnesota 27). Nebraska’s offense was fired up – amassing 659 total yards. Huskers quarterback Adrian Martinez was 25-329-0 passing for 276 yards and three touchdowns. Martinez also ran for 125 yards. Nebraska running backs Devine Ozigbo and Maurice Washington rushed for 152 and 109 yards respectively. Attendance in Lincoln: 89,272

Miracle – Purdue 49, Ohio State 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 29, Purdue 17). The two teams combined for 1,085 total yards – 546 for Ohio State and 539 for Purdue. But the Buckeyes only had 76 yards rushing. Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins passed for 470 yards. Purdue quarterback David Blough passed for 378 yards. Boilers running back D.J. Knox rushed for 128 yards. Attendance in West Lafayette: 60,716

Week 8 Results:  11 correct picks, 3 fumbles (78.6 percent)

For the Season:  83 correct picks, 37 fumbles (69.2 percent)

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Florida State 38, Wake Forest 17 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 67,274

UCF 37, East Carolina 10 – Attendance in Greenville: 31,159

South Florida 38, Connecticut 30 – Attendance in Tampa: 42,127

Marshall 31, Florida Atlantic 7 – Attendance in Huntington: 23,825

FIU 36, Rice 17 – Attendance in Miami: 13,741

North Carolina A&T 35, Bethune-Cookman 10 – Attendance in Daytona Beach: 6,225

Florida Tech 30, West Florida 28 – Attendance in Pensacola: 5,191

Stetson 38, Jacksonville U. 35 – Attendance in Deland: 2,427

Superlatives

Impressive Passers:  

Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins – 49-73-1 for 470 yards (2TDs); Houston’s D’Eriq King – 25-38-0-413 (3TDs); Texas Tech’s Alan Bowman – 36-46-1-408 (3TDs); East Carolina’s Holton Ahlers – 29-52-1-406 (1TD); Purdue’s David Blough – 25-43-0-378 (3TDs), and Liberty’s Stephen Calvert – 32-48-2-362 (2TDs).

Also, Florida State’s Deondre Francois – 29-40-0-353 (2TDs); Arizona State’s Manny Wilkins 26-43-1-353; Missouri’s Drew Lock – 23-29-0-350 (4TDs); Utah’s Tyler Huntley – 22-29-0-341 (4TDs), and North Texas’ Mason Fine – 29-40-0-336 (3TDs).

Impressive Rushers:  

Connecticut’s David Pindell – 197 yards (2TDs); California’s Patrick Laird – 193 yards (2TDs); Air Force’s Isaiah Sanders – 173 yards (3TDs); Auburn’s JaTarvious Whitlow – 170 yards, and Kentucky’s Benny Snell – 169 yards (1TD).

Also, Oklahoma’s Kennedy Brooks – 168 yards (1TD); South Florida’s Johnny Ford – 164 yards (3TDs); Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor – 159 yards; Arizona’s J.J. Taylor – 154 yards (1TD), and Nebraska’s Devine Ozigbo – 152 yards (2TDs).

Quotes of the Week

“His problem is self-evident. The fans don’t like him. They have no faith in him. They’re not eager to support him, and I really don’t know where this program goes now. Gus Malzahn doesn’t have a plan going forward. If a coach has no support from the fan base, and there’s no enthusiasm and there’s no where to go, it starts to effect other things like recruiting,” ESPN college football commentator Paul Finebaum, on Auburn coach Gus Malzahn.

“Alabama is taking the fun out of college football,” ESPN college football commentator Paul Finebaum.

“It’s long overdue,” first-year Nebraska coach Scott Frost, after the Huskers won their first game of the season.

Signs of the Day

We Skipped Our Kid’s Wedding For GameDay

It Looks Like Woodstock, Except Corso Has His Clothes On

Touchdown Tom’s predictions for

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

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Florida (6-1) vs. Georgia (6-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – It’s always fun when these two teams hook up. Well, fun for the winner. Florida has had the most fun during the past 25 or so years. The world’s largest annual outdoor cocktail party comes together again on the banks of the St. Johns in Jacksonville. Well, I guess the Oktoberfest could challenge that claim, but they don’t serve cocktails at the Oktoberfest. Both teams have had the week off to prepare. Uga hopes to win its second in a row, but Albert spoils that – Florida 24, Georgia 20.

RUNNER UP:  2. South Florida (7-0) at Houston (6-1) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC/ESPN – South Florida is undefeated but has been living on the edge all season. The Bulls might fall off the edge this weekend. Houston is a formidable opponent. The Cougars are the only respectable team in the AAC West Division. A good battle looms between the two quarterbacks – South Florida’s Blake Barnett and Houston’s D’Eriq King. The Cougars hit the Bullseye – Houston 33, South Florida 27.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Washington State (6-1) at Stanford (5-2) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, PAC-12N – The Cougars looked good in their win against Oregon last week – very good. Again, Stanford took advantage of the other team’s miscues. The Cougars won’t make any miscues – Washington State 26, Stanford 24.

4. Iowa (6-1) at Penn State (5-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – The Hawkeyes have been looking good, except for their loss to Wisconsin. Iowa has been playing good defense. The Nitts have been disappointing. The Lions continue to disappoint – Iowa 24, Penn State 22.

5. Clemson (7-0) at Florida State (4-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Clemson is in the precarious seat – No. 2. The Tigers are on the road this week and a letdown is possible. After all, the Noles don’t look like a strong opponent this season. But the Noles are getting. Just not better enough for the Tigers – Clemson 33, Florida State 23.

6. Miami (Florida) (5-2) at Boston College (5-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – The Canes are playing a little worse than people thought. The Eagles are playing a litter better than people thought. BC has a close loss to NC State and a bad loss to Purdue. Both teams just have one loss in ACC play. Make it two losses for BC – Miami 30, Boston College 26.

7. NC State (5-1) at Syracuse (5-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Trap game for NC State. The Wolfpack suffered a bad loss to Clemson. They need to recover fast. Syracuse is no pushover, especially not in the Dome. This one could be a donnybrook. Orange covers Red – Syracuse 30, NC State 28.

8. Texas (6-1) at Oklahoma State (4-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Okie State has been playing some pretty bad football lately. At preseason, a few thought the Cowpokes could win the Big 12. Obviously, they were wrong. Now Mike Gundy has to figure out what’s wrong with his team. And Texas isn’t exactly the team to figure that out against. The Longhorns appear to be going nowhere but up. They’re riding a six-game winning streak. Make it seven – Texas 37, Oklahoma State 21.

9. Appalachian State (5-1) at Georgia Southern (6-1) – (Sun Belt vs. Sun Belt) – 7:30 pm ET, Thursday, ESPNU – A big game in the Sun Belt Conference. And in the East Division of the conference. All the good teams are in the Sun Belt East. App State is favored, but that will inspire the Eagles even more. A sad night in Georgia for the Little Mountaineers – Georgia Southern 30, Appalachian State 29.

10. Kentucky (6-1) at Missouri (4-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – The Wildcats barely got by Vanderbilt. Mizzou in Columbia won’t be an easy task. The Tigers need a quality win in SEC play. They get it – Missouri 22, Kentucky 21.

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. Baylor (4-3) at West Virginia (5-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7 pm ET, Thursday, FS1 – Both teams are coming off a loss. Baylor’s was expected. WVU’s wasn’t. Playing at home and at night, the Eers should have the better chance of bouncing back. The Mounties get their act together – West Virginia 30, Baylor 17.

12. Hawaii (6-3) at Fresno State (6-1) – (MWC vs. MWC) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – An interesting game in the MWC. Both teams have been playing well this season. The Bulldogs have the home field advantage. They play better in this one – Fresno State 34, Hawaii 27.

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Bethune-Cookman (4-4) at Nebraska (1-6) – (MEAC vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, BTN – The Huskers got their first win under Scott Frost last week. This will be their second win. Bethune-Cookman was added to the schedule after the season opening game against Akron was called off due to weather. Herbie weathers Beth – Nebraska 56, Bethune-Cookman 12.

Duke (5-2) at Pitt (3-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – You never know which Duke team will show up. But then you can say that about Pitt too. The Dookies show up this week – Duke 25, Pitt 21.

Purdue (4-3) at Michigan State (4-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Something tells me Purdue is going to have a big-time letdown. But after beating Ohio State last week. The Boilers deserve a letdown. Something tells me the Spartans are pissed after that loss to Michigan. They take out their frustrations on the Boilers – Michigan State 26, Purdue 23.

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

FIU (5-2) at Western Kentucky (1-6) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday….

Morgan State (2-5) at Florida A&M (5-2) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Stetson (5-1) at Davidson (5-3) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….

Jacksonville U. (1-5) at San Diego (5-2) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 4 pm ET, Saturday….

West Florida (5-3) at North Greenville (4-3) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 1 pm ET, Saturday…..

Florida Tech (6-2) at West Alabama (5-3) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 5 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

UCF (7-0) is off this week.

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but as the days were getting shorter, the nights were getting colder, the leaves were falling, the frost was on the pumpkins, and Halloween was just around the corner, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1943 was “Pistol Packin’ Mama” by Al Dexter and His Troopers

…70 years ago this week in 1948 was “Twelfth Street Rag” by Pee Wee Hunt and His Orchestra

…65 years ago this week in 1953 was “St. George And The Dragonet” by Stan Freberg

…60 years ago this week in 1958 was “It’s All In The Game” by Tommy Edwards

…55 years ago this week in 1963 was “Sugar Shack” by Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs

…50 years ago this week in 1968 was “Hey Jude” by The Beatles

…45 years ago this week in 1973 was “Angie” by The Rolling Stones

…40 years ago this week in 1978 was “Kiss You All Over” by Exile, and “Hot Child In The City” by Nick Gilder

…35 years ago this week in 1983 was “Tell Her About It” by Billy Joel

…30 years ago this week in 1988 was “Red Red Wine” by UB40, and “A Groovy Kind Of Love” by Phil Collins

…25 years ago this week in 1993 was “Dreamlover” by Mariah Carey

Not exactly college football related, but there were two passings of note last week – Paul Allen and Dick Modzelewski.

Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft and a prominent leader of both business and philanthropy in the Seattle area, died last week. He was 65. Allen co-founded Microsoft with childhood friend Bill Gates in 1975. He left Microsoft in 1983 and turned his attention to a wide-range of other businesses and scientific pursuits. Allen was known for his generosity to social services and a deep love of sports and the arts. He owned the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL and the Portland Trailblazers of the NBA. Allen was an accomplished rock guitarist. Paul Gardner Allen was born in Seattle on January 21, 1953. His mother was a school teacher and his father was a librarian at the University of Washington library.

Dick Modzelewski, a star defensive tackle who appeared in eight NFL title games with the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns during the 1950s and 1960s, died last week at his home in Eastlake, Ohio – outside of Cleveland. He was 87. Modzelewski spent 14 years in the NFL, eight seasons with the Giants. He also played for the Browns, Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers. He never missed a game. Modzelewski appeared in six NFL title games with the Giants and two with the Browns. After playing, he coached in the NFL for 22 years. Modzelewski was an All-American at Maryland in 1951 and 1952. He won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best lineman in 1952. Richard Blair Modzelewski was born on February 16, 1931, in West Natrona, Pennsylvania.

College Football Week 8 - First coach fired

And then there were eight

My how the mighty have fallen.

Well, I’m not so sure how mighty some of them were, but the unbeaten list was reduced from 11 to eight over the weekend. Three teams took a tumble for the first time – Georgia, West Virginia and Colorado.

Yes, three unbeatens went down, eight unbeatens remain. The nation’s longest winning streak was extended to 19 games, but it was in serious jeopardy for a while. Alabama and Ohio State kept rolling along. Chip Kelly won for the first time, Scott Frost almost did and Jeremy Pruitt notched his first SEC win, as college football experienced another interesting weekend. Never a dull moment.

The action began early last week. Tuesday night, Appalachian State (4-1), the cream of the crop in the Sun Belt Conference, polished off Arkansas State, 35-9. But Appalachian State’s star running back Jalen Moore, suffered a broken and dislocated ankle in the game. Moore will be out for the rest of the season.

Wednesday, Hurricane Michael struck Florida’s eastern Gulf Coast, moved across Georgia and continued up the East Coast. With 155mph winds and a 10 to 14-foot storm surge, Michael devastated a quaint and beautiful stretch of Florida’s Gulf Coast from St. Marks on the east to Panama City on the west. The area is known as the Forgotten Coast.

Football resumed Thursday night. In a mild upset in Fort Worth, the Red Raiders of Texas Tech (4-2) downed TCU, 17-14. There’s life in Kliff yet.

Friday night, it was déjà vu for South Florida, as the Bulls rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Tulsa, 25-24. Trailing Tulsa, 24-10, with less than 8 minutes to go in the game, South Florida scored two touchdowns and a field goal in 7 minutes and 8 seconds to beat Tulsa by one point. Rallying in the fourth quarter to win games has been commonplace for South Florida this season. The Bulls remained unbeaten, improving their record to 6-0.

I always thought Tulsa was a strange school. I mean, any school that calls itself the Golden Hurricanes has to be strange – maybe sick. Believe me, there is nothing golden about a hurricane. And besides, based on Tulsa’s location, if the school really wants to go down that path, then they should be the Golden Tornadoes. Tulsa is a strange school.

In another game Friday night, Utah (4-2) pounded Arizona, 42-10. The Utes have scored 82 points in their last two games.

Then it was Saturday. Georgia was the first of the three unbeatens to fall. And a hard fall it was. LSU (6-1), losers for the first time last week, regrouped. The Tigers whipped the Dawgs, 36-16.

The game wasn’t close. LSU held Georgia scoreless in the first half, as the Tigers took a commanding 16-0 lead. The Dawgs challenged in the third quarter and trailed LSU 19-9 at the start of the fourth quarter. But the game only became worse for Georgia in the final quarter, as the Dawgs were outscored by the Tigers, 17-7.

Down went the No. 2 team in the country.

West Virginia was the second unbeaten to fall. And the Mountaineers fell hard, too – 30-14 to Iowa State (3-3). WVU has been in a funk since the second half of the Texas Tech game on September 29. In that game, the Mountie offense failed to score a point in the second half, while the defense gave up 24 points.

Last week, WVU’s offense and defense stumbled through a win over hapless Kansas. The Mountie offense suffered four turnovers.

Except for a brief moment, early in the game Saturday, when WVU scored the opening touchdown on an 18-yard pass, the Mountaineers were flat – offense and defense. Iowa State went on to outscore WVU, 30-7. WVU’s only other score was the return of a blocked field goal for a touchdown.

That’s 10-straight quarters the West Virginia offense and defense has failed to produce. Who knows if and when the Mountaineers will snap out of their funk.

Down went the No. 6 team in the country.

Colorado was the third and final unbeaten team to lose Saturday. The Buffaloes lost to USC, 31-20. Like West Virginia, Colorado scored first and took a 7-0 lead over the Trojans. But that was the last we would hear from Colorado until late in the fourth quarter. Trailing 7-0, USC scored four unanswered touchdowns and took a commanding 28-7 lead late in the third quarter.

Down went the No. 18 team in the country.

The nation’s longest winning streak was in jeopardy Saturday. UCF, winners of 18-straight games, was trailing Memphis 30-14, with less than 3 minutes to go in the second quarter. Just before the half, UCF kicked a 44-yard field goal to close the gap to 13 points – 30-17.

In the second half the Knights offense scored two touchdowns while their defense held Memphis scoreless. UCF pulled out a 31-30 win to extend their winning streak to 19 games.

Meanwhile, Alabama and Ohio State continued their winning ways. The Crimson Tide put down Missouri, 39-10. For one quarter, at least, it looked like Missouri might make it a game. Alabama led the Tigers, 13-10, at the end of one. But then the Tide proceeded to score 26 unanswered points.

It took Ohio State a half, but eventually the Buckeyes pulled away to beat Minnesota, 30-14. Nearing the end of the second quarter, Minnesota was leading Ohio State, 14-10. The Buckeyes got a late first half touchdown and led the Gophers, 17-14 at the break.

In the second half, Ohio State outscored Minnesota, 13-0.  

Ohio State has the nation’s second-longest winning streak at 12 games followed by Alabama with a 9-game winning streak

Last week, UCLA played its best game of the season, losing to Washington, 31-24. That loss extended the Bruins record to 0-5, but there was light at the end of the tunnel. Saturday, UCLA found that light. The Bruins beat California, and did they ever, 37-7.

Yes, Chip Kelly got the monkey off his back. UCLA’s debut coach got his first win. But another winless coach didn’t get the monkey off his back. Scott Frost came close, but no banana, as Nebraska lost to Northwestern 34-31 (OT).

Not that Nebraska didn’t have its chances. The Huskers led the Wildcats, 28-14 early in the fourth quarter, and 31-21 late in the fourth quarter. Northwestern scored 10 points in the final 2:27 of the game and won in overtime.

Nebraska extended the nation’s second-longest losing streak to 10 games. Ouch!

In the day’s only other overtime game, Oregon slipped by Washington, 30-27 (OT). The Huskies had a chance to win. But Washington missed a 37-yard field goal attempt, as time expired at the end of regulation.

Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt found happiness Saturday. The Vols’ debut coach won his first SEC contest of the season, as Tennessee surprised Auburn, 30-24.

No team made the “70s Club” over the weekend, but Louisiana came close. The Rajin’ Cajuns thrashed New Mexico State, 66-38.

Saturday was a big day for the Michigan teams in the Big Ten. The Wolverines plastered Wisconsin, 38-13, while the Spartans upset Penn State, 21-17. Elsewhere in the Big Ten, Purdue, Iowa and Maryland all romped to victories. The Boilermakers blasted Illinois, 46-7, the Hawkeyes pummeled Indiana, 42-16 and the Terps shelled Rutgers, 34-7. The Scarlet Knights were a tragic 2-for-17 passing for 8 yards.

In the ACC, Virginia upset Miami, 16-13. In the Big 12, Texas survived Baylor, 23-17, while Kansas State came out of nowhere and beat Oklahoma State, 31-12. It was the Wildcats first Big 12 win of the season.

Whenever, Arkansas and Ole Miss play, it’s always a wild and crazy game. Last year Arkansas won a dilly, 38-37. Saturday, Ole Miss beat the Hogs, 37-33. Trailing 33-31, Ole Miss scored a touchdown with 42 seconds left in the game.

There were two escapes in the SEC. First, Florida escaped Nashville, beating Vanderbilt, 37-27. Then Texas A&M got out of Columbia alive. The Aggies beat South Carolina, 26-23.  

Notre Dame is back to playing like the Irish did in their first three games of the season – winning by a touchdown or less. Saturday, Notre Dame got by Pitt, 19-14.

Utah State and Fresno State were the big winners in the MWC. Utah State toppled UNLV, 59-28, while Fresno State beat Wyoming, 27-3.

So, with seven weeks down and seven weeks to go, eight teams remain unbeaten – Alabama (7-0), Clemson (6-0), NC State (5-0), Ohio State (7-0), Notre Dame (7-0), and the three Group of Five teams UCF (6-0), Cincinnati (6-0) and South Florida (6-0).

At least one of those eight teams will lose this week, possibly two. Clemson and NC State clash at Clemson. Someone has to come out a loser. Cincinnati makes a dangerous trip to Temple (4-3).

The remaining teams should be safe. Ohio State visits Purdue (3-3) and Alabama travels to Tennessee (3-3). UCF has an easy road trip to East Carolina (2-4), and South Florida has an easy home encounter against Connecticut (1-5). Notre Dame has the week off.

Former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze has been named to be the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Hotshots of the new Alliance of America Football League. The AAFL will debut in February, with eight teams playing a 12-game schedule. The Hotshots are coached by Rick Neuheisel.

The Kansas Jayhawks fired offensive coordinator Doug Meacham on Wednesday. Meacham was previously offensive coordinator at TCU. Kind of strange cause Kansas head coach David Beaty will most likely be fired at the end of the season if not sooner.

Former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant took a recruiting visit to North Carolina over the weekend. Stay tuned!

Sunday, Bowling Green fired head coach Mike Jinks, following a 1-6 start to the season. Jinks, in his third season with Falcons, was 7-24. He was 5-14 in MAC play. BG’s defensive coordinator Carl Pelini will be the Falcons interim coach for the rest of the season. Jinks becomes the first head coach fired this season.

It was good to see and visit with Alex Vamosi, Tim Muth and others Thursday night. Swamp Mama and I attended Florida Tech’s homecoming party at Meg O’Malley’s in downtown Melbourne. A good time was had by all. 

Touchdown Tom

October 15, 2018

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK: Fired up – LSU 36, Georgia 16 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 23, Georgia 20). Quite simply, LSU was fired up and Georgia wasn’t. The Tigers amassed 475 total yards, while holding the Dawgs to 113 yards rushing. Four turnovers – two fumbles and two interceptions – didn’t help Georgia any. Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm completed less than 50% of his passes. LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 145 yards. Attendance in Baton Rouge: 102,321

RUNNER UP:  No contest – Michigan 38, Wisconsin 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 30, Wisconsin 22). Close at the half – Michigan led 13-7 – the Wolverines ran away from Wisconsin in the second half – outscoring the Badgers 25-6. Wisconsin had no passing game – 7-for-20 and two interceptions. Michigan had 320 yards rushing. Attendance in Ann Arbor: 111,360

REST OF THE BEST:  Quack, quack! – Oregon 30, Washington 27 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 32, Oregon 27). Washington missed a field goal attempt at the end of regulation and Oregon won in overtime. The teams were very even in the stats. Oregon running back C.J. Verdell rushed for 111 yards. Attendance in Eugene: 58,691

No blues for the Knights – UCF 31, Memphis 30 (Touchdown Tom said: UCF 36, Memphis 26). The UCF defense stepped up in the second half and held Memphis scoreless. The teams were pretty even in the stats, but Memphis controlled time of possession – more than 35 minutes. UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton passed for 296 yards. Memphis running back Darrell Henderson rushed for 199 yards. Attendance in Memphis: 38,831

Another day at the office – Alabama 39, Missouri 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 45, Missouri 22). It was just another day at the office for the Tide. Alabama had 564 total yards to 212 for Missouri, and 25 first downs to 13 for Missouri. The Tide defense held the Tigers to 70 yards rushing. Missouri quarterback Drew Lock threw two interceptions. Attendance in Tuscaloosa: 101,821

Trojans rule – USC 31, Colorado 20 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 28, Colorado 26). Neither team could run the ball and Colorado wasn’t much better passing. Colorado controlled the clock, but the Buffs couldn’t control the score. Colorado suffered its first loss of the season. Attendance in Los Angeles: 57,615

Let down – Texas 23, Baylor 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 27, Baylor 24). Texas had a big first half, scoring all 23 of its points in the first two quarters. Then the Horns held on to win. Actually Baylor only scored 7 of its points in the second half. Texas held Baylor to 88 yards rushing. Texas running back Keaontay Ingram rushed for 110 yards. Attendance in Austin: 93,882

Downgraded – Virginia 16, Miami (Florida) 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 30, Virginia 25). All the scoring by both teams was in the second and fourth quarters. Virginia only had 231 total yards and only 92 yards passing. Both teams threw three interceptions. With less than 4 minutes left in the game, Virginia led 16-6. Attendance in Charlottesville: 42,393

Surprise – Michigan State 21, Penn State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 32, Michigan State 14). Michigan State came to play, and Penn State didn’t. Trailing the Nitts 17-14, the Spartans scored a touchdown on a 25-yard pass play with 19 seconds left in the game to win. Penn State running back Miles Sanders had 162 yards rushing. Attendance in University Park: 106,685

Closer than the stats – Texas A&M 26, South Carolina 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 31, South Carolina 28). Texas A&M jumped out to a 13-0 halftime lead. The Aggies led 16-0 late in the third quarter. Then South Carolina woke up. Before the third quarter was over the score was 16-16. Then the Aggies scored 10 unanswered points. The Aggies dominated the stats and controlled the clock for more than 41 minutes. The Gamecocks only had 76 yards rushing. A&M quarterback Kellen Mond passed for 353 yards. Attendance in Columbia: 76,871

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

Kliff-hanger – Texas Tech 17, TCU 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas Tech 29, TCU 27). Trailing TCU, 14-10, halfway through the fourth quarter, Texas Tech scored a touchdown with 7:02 on the clock and held on to win. The lead changed hands four times in the game, with neither team holding more than a four-point lead. TCU suffered three turnovers in the game. Texas Tech quarterback Jett Duffey passed for 190 yards and rushed for 83 more. Attendance in Fort Worth: 44,387

Failure – Iowa State 30, West Virginia 14 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 37, Iowa State 28). Except for its opening touchdown, the game was a disaster for West Virginia. Iowa State had 498 total yards to 152 for WVU. The Cyclones had 25 first downs to nine for WVU. The Mounties only had 52 yards rushing. And Will Grier only had 100 yards passing. Iowa State running back David Montgomery had 189 yards rushing. The Cyclones maintained the clock for more than 37 minutes. Attendance in Ames: 56,629

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Late wake up – Florida 37, Vanderbilt 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 33, Vanderbilt 15). The Gators definitely got off to a rough start. Vanderbilt led 21-3 late in the second quarter. Florida took its first lead at 27-21 early in the fourth quarter. The Gators never looked back. But Vandy cut it to 27-24 just two minutes later. Florida had 576 total yards and a strong running game with 292 rushing yards. Gator running back Lamical Perine had 121 yards rushing and running back Jordan Scarlett had 113 yards. Three turnovers – two by Feleipe Franks – hurt the Gators. Attendance in Nashville: 40,350

So close – Northwestern 34, Nebraska 31 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Northwestern 26, Nebraska 18). Trailing Nebraska 31-24, Northwestern scored a touchdown on a 12-yard pass play with 12 seconds left of the clock to tie the game at 31-31. In total yards, first downs and time of possession, the teams were roughly even. But Northwestern had 455 yards passing and only 32 yards rushing. The Huskers were balanced in their rushing and passing. Nebraska running back Devine Ozigbo rushed for 159 yards. Attendance in Evanston: 47,330

Dookies can engineer – Duke 28, Georgia Tech 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 33, Duke 25). From week to week, you never know what Georgia Tech team is going to show up. Obviously, the wrong one showed up against the Dookies. Tied 7-7 at halftime, the Dookies scored three unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter. Both teams suffered three turnovers. Duke only had 98 yards rushing. The Jackets maintained possession for more than 36 minutes. Attendance in Atlanta: 41,709

Pour it on – Purdue 46, Illinois 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 33, Illinois 21). Illinois scored first and never again. Purdue had 611 total yards to 250 for Illinois, and 29 first downs to 14 for the Banned Indians. The Boilers maintained time of possession for almost 38 minutes. Illinois just had 69 yards rushing. Purdue quarterback David Blough passed for 377 yards. Boiler running back D.J. Knox rushed for 150 yards. Attendance in Champaign: 41,996

Week 7 Results:  11 correct picks, 5 fumbles (68.8 percent)

For the Season:   72 correct picks, 34 fumbles (67.9 percent)

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

South Florida 25, Tulsa 24 – Attendance in Tulsa: 16,142

FIU 24, Middle Tennessee 21 – Attendance in Miami: 16,002

Florida A&M 22, North Carolina 21 – Attendance in Greensboro: 15,418

Bethune-Cookman 28, South Carolina State 26 – Attendance in Orangeburg: 12,213

Marist 20, Jacksonville U. 17 – Attendance in Jacksonville: 2,533

Stetson 23, Drake 21 – Attendance in Des Moines: 1,439

Valdosta State 51, Florida Tech 21 – Attendance in Melbourne: 3,679

West Georgia 27, West Florida 7 – Attendance in Pensacola: 6,838

Superlatives

Impressive Passers: 

Northwestern’s Clayton Thorson – 41-64-2 for 455 yards (3TDs); Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins – 33-44-0-412 (3TDs); Ole Miss’s Jordan Ta’amu – 26-35-1-387 (2TDs); Bowling Green’s Jarret Doege – 21-34-1-379 (3TDs); Purdue’s David Blough – 25-36-1-377 (3TDs), and Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond – 25-37-0-353 (1TD).

Impressive Rushers: 

Memphis’ Darrell Henderson – 199 yards (1TD); Marshall’s Tyler King – 195 yards (2TDs); Iowa State’s David Montgomery – 189 yards (1TD); Kansas State’s Alex Barnes – 181 yards (4TDs), and Northern Illinois’ Marcus Childers – 169 yards (1TD).

Also, North Carolina’s Michael Carter – 165 yards; Penn State’s Miles Sanders – 162 yards (1TD); Nebraska’s Devine Ozigbo – 159 yards (2TDs); Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim – 158 yards (2TDs), and UCLA’s Joshua Kelley – 157 yards (3TDs).

Quotes of the Week

“Tua is okay. He got the same injury as he had before. We just didn’t put him back in the game,” Alabama coach Nick Saban, on the status of his quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

“I would like to apologize to Kevin Pendleton, the Missouri Tigers, their fans, Alabama fans and my teammates and coaches for my actions during tonight’s game. I allowed my emotions to get the best of me and that’s unacceptable. Again, I’m sorry and it will never happen again,” Alabama defensive lineman Raekwon Davis, on throwing a series of punches at Kevin Pendleton in the fourth quarter of the Missouri game. 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. NC State (5-0) at Clemson (6-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Both teams took a pause last week to prepare for this game. NC State will hang its hopes on quarterback Ryan Finley and its defense. Clemson will hang its hopes on running back Terry Etienne and its defense. The Tigers have the best hopes, especially with the home field advantage. Dabo does them – Clemson 30, NC State 22.

RUNNER UP:  2. Oregon (5-1) at Washington State (5-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Last week Oregon got by the other Washington team in overtime at home. This week, the Ducks are on the road. It can be tough for a visitor to win in Pullman. The Ducks don’t like the puddles in Pullman – Washington State 32, Oregon 30.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Colorado (5-1) at Washington (5-2) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Both teams lost last week. The Huskies lost a heartbreaker. It’s back to back road games for the Buffs. The Huskies will be prepared for this one – Washington 30, Colorado 20.

4. Mississippi State (4-2) at LSU (6-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Let down? That could happen to LSU after the big win over Georgia. Look for the Tigers to get off to a slow start. Then they put the boosters on – LSU 27, Mississippi State 19.

5. Michigan (6-1) at Michigan State (4-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – Both teams had big wins last week. Something tells me Jim Harbaugh is on a roll. This is one of those rivalry games where anything can happen. The Wolverines win, that’s what happens – Michigan 26, Michigan State 24.

6. Cincinnati (6-0) at Temple (4-3) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPNU – Cincinnati is undefeated, but I’m not sure the Bearcats have been tested. Temple will give them a proper test. The Bearcats pass – Cincinnati 26, Temple 25.

                                                        

7. Maryland (4-2) at Iowa (5-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Iowa is playing very well this season. Maryland isn’t bad. Both teams can explode on offense. The Hawkeyes play better defense – Iowa 33, Maryland 18.

8. Virginia (4-2) at Duke (5-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – This could be a letdown for Virginia, following the big win over Miami. Duke is not a team you want to play when you have a letdown. This will be a tricky game. But the Cavs say, “tricks are for kids.” They  get a treat – Virginia 22, Duke 21.

9. Buffalo (6-1) at Toledo (3-3) – (MAC vs. MAC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday – First big game of the year in the MAC between two of the conference’s better teams. Buffalo may be the best team. Toledo is better than its 3-3 record. But the Rockets have been disappointing. They disappoint again – Buffalo 29, Toledo 25.

10. Oklahoma (5-1) at TCU (3-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – This is Oklahoma’s first game since the Sooners 48-45 loss to Texas. It’s also OU’s first game since defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was fired. TCU has been struggling this season, mostly on offense. But the Frogs’ defense has been up and down too. Something tells me Oklahoma is rejuvenated. Boomer plows through Cowtown – Oklahoma 31, TCU 17.

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. North Texas (6-1) at UAB (5-1) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday – It’s not often a C-USA game makes the Top 12 picks. But this one merits a spot among the 12 best games. Both teams are having good seasons. North Texas has a top-notch quarterback – Mason Fine. But the Blazers are all-around good – UAB 30, North Texas 27.

12. Stanford (4-2) at Arizona State (3-3) – (Pac-12 vs, Pac-12) – 9 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Both teams are coming off losses – Stanford, a bad one, to Utah, and Arizona State, a close one, to Colorado. Stanford running back Bryce Love is questionable. The Trees are headed in the wrong direction. The Sun Devils are headed in the right direction. The Devils do some chopping – Arizona State 33, Stanford 28.

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Minnesota (3-3) at Nebraska (0-6) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – All right, okay. The drought comes to an end this week. I feel it in my bones. Scott Frost will be feeling it in his bones too if Nebraska loses. After a long absence, victory comes to Lincoln – Nebraska 28, Minnesota 27.

Ohio State (7-0) at Purdue (3-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – After a slow start to the season, Purdue has been playing fired-up football lately. Question is are the Boilers fired up enough to knock off the Buckeyes? Not this year – Ohio State 29, Purdue 17.

West Virginia (5-1), Florida (6-1), Georgia (6-1) and Texas (6-1) are off this week.

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Wake Forest (3-3) at Florida State (3-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2…. 

UCF (6-0) at East Carolina (2-4) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….

Connecticut (1-5) at South Florida (6-0) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN….

Florida Atlantic (3-3) at Marshall (4-2) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 2:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN....

Rice (1-6) at FIU (4-2) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday….

North Carolina A&T (5-2) at Bethune-Cookman (4-3) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Florida Tech (5-2) at West Florida (5-2) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 5 pm ET, Saturday….

Jacksonville U. (1-4) at Stetson (4-1) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Miami (5-2) and Florida A&M (5-2) are off this week.

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but there were four passings of note last week – Scott Wilson, Tex Winter, George Taliaferro and Jim Taylor.

Scott Wilson, who played criminals in films like “In Cold Blood” and more recently played a figure of kindness in the hit AMC series “The Walking Dead,” died last week in Los Angeles. He was 76. Wilson’s breakout role was the murderer in “In Cold Blood,” a 1967 adaptation of Truman Capote’s book. More recent audiences know Wilson as a veterinarian and farmer on “The Walking Dead.” Scott Wilson was born in Atlanta on March 29, 1942. He studied architecture at Georgia Tech but dropped out before completing his degree. Wilson hitchhiked to California where he studied to become an actor. His first movie role was in “In the Heat of the Night” (1967). He played a murder suspect. Wilson appeared in several more films, including “The Great Gatsby” (1974), “The Right Stuff” (1983), “Dead Man Walking” (1995) and “The Last Samurai” (2003). He also had recurring parts on the CBS show “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

Tex Winter, the innovator of the “triangle” offense used by teams that won 10 of the last 19 NBA championships, died last week. He was 96. Winter spent nine seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers as an assistant coach and consultant. After compiling a resume as a college basketball coach, Winter joined the Chicago Bulls in 1985 as an assistant coach and began a decades-long partnership with head coach Phil Jackson. Winter followed Jackson to the Lakers in 1999. He gained a reputation as a basketball whiz – a professor with a clipboard. Morice Fredrick Winter was born on February 25, 1922, in Wellington, Texas. After his father died, his mother moved the family to Huntington Park, California. After high school, Winter went to Oregon State University on a track scholarship. He left school and served in the Army during World War II. After the war, he enrolled in the University of Southern California where he played basketball alongside future Lakers coach Bill Sharman and learned the triangle offense under USC coach Sam Barry. Winter took his first coaching job as an assistant at Kansas State and eventually became the Wildcats’ head coach from 1954 to 1968. He took Kansas State to the Final Four in 1958. He still holds a school record with a .691 winning percentage. Winter also coached college basketball at Northwestern, Marquette, Washington, Long Beach State and LSU, and in the NBA for the Houston Rockets.

George Taliaferro, an All-American football player at Indiana and a trailblazer for African-Americans in football, died last week. He was 91. A cornerstone of the 1945 Indiana football team, the only team in program history to go undefeated, Taliaferro starred at running back for the Hoosiers. He was the first African-American ever drafted by an NFL team. The Chicago Bears picked him in the 13^th-round of the 1949 draft. Taliaferro played for the Bears from 1949 to 1955. George Taliaferro was born on January 8, 1927, in Gates, Tennessee, but grew up in Gary, Indiana.  

Jim Taylor, the Hall-of-Fame fullback who embodied the Green Bay Packers’ unstoppable ground game during the Vince Lombardi era and helped the team win four NFL titles and the first Super Bowl, died last week at a hospital in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was 83. Taylor was the NFL’s most valuable player in 1962. He scored the first rushing touchdown in Super Bowl history. Taylor spent 10 seasons in the NFL after being drafted in the second round out of LSU in 1958. He joined the backfield that featured Paul Hornung. Taylor finished his Green Bay career after the 1966 season. He played his final season in 1967 with the expansion New Orleans Saints. James Charles Taylor was born on September 20, 1935, in Baton Rouge. At LSU, he was an All-American in 1957, when he shared the backfield with Billy Cannon, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1959. After his NFL career, Taylor retired to Baton Rouge where he remained close to the LSU football program.