Football Week 6 – Sooners-Longhorns butt heads in Dallas
Five weeks down, nine to go
The fun is just beginning.
When I left you last week, Swamp Mama and I were leaving Valley Head, West Virginia, on Monday morning, heading back to Florida.
We drove South on Highway 219 to Princeton, West Virginia, where we picked up I-77 South. From Princeton, we retraced our trip up, going back through Charlotte and Columbia. Just across the South Carolina-Georgia border, we stopped for the night at an Embassy Suites off I-95 near Savannah.
As I went to bed Monday night, I could only imagine what the overhead digital message boards on I-95 in Georgia might be saying this time, as we headed South. Maybe something like: “Avoid Florida. All major roads are covered with love bugs. Take Highway 82 or Highway 84 West to Mississippi.” Or some such.
But to my surprise on Tuesday morning, Georgia wasn’t trying to mislead travelers, heading to Florida. Not this time, at least. Swamp Mama and I arrived home shortly after noon, with plenty of time to start thinking about and preparing for the week’s upcoming football games. Yes, I have a one-track mind this time of the year.
At mid-week, Clemson took center stage when Tigers coach Dabo Swinney announced the demotion of his starting quarterback Kelly Bryant. In spite of leading Clemson to a 4-0 start this season and 16 victories in the Tigers last 18 games, Swinney decided to bench Bryant, a senior, for freshman Trevor Lawrence. As expected, Bryant announced he would transfer from Clemson. A handful of SEC schools were mentioned as possibilities for Bryant’s future home. Stay tuned.
Thursday night, Miami (Florida) plastered North Carolina, 47-10. Add Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora to the “out of here” list with Lovie Smith and Chris Ash.
Friday night, Tulane upset Memphis, 40-24, while Colorado (4-0) remained undefeated and UCLA (0-4) remained winless. The Buffaloes beat the Bruins, 38-16. Chip Kelly is 0-4.
Saturday, the “game of the week” lived up to its hype. That is until the last play call in the game. Ohio State (5-0) edged Penn State (4-1), 27-26, in a back-and-forth thriller in University Park.
The first half belonged to Penn State, for the most part. Late in the second quarter, the Nittany Lions led the Buckeyes, 13-0. Then, with less than two minutes to go before the half, Ohio State scored to pull within six. The Buckeyes trailed the Nittany Lions 13-7 at the break.
Ohio State maintained its momentum as the second half began. The Buckeyes scored early in the third quarter to grab a one-point lead, 14-13. The third quarter belonged to Ohio State as the Buckeyes kept Penn State scoreless.
But, as the fourth quarter began, the momentum switched back to Penn State. Early in the final quarter, the Nittany Lions scored not one, but two touchdowns to take a commanding, and what appeared to be secure, 26-14 lead over Ohio State, with eight minutes to go in the game.
Then the momentum changed, yet again. In the latter half of the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes scored not one, but two touchdowns to take a one-point lead, 27-26. The second of the two touchdowns, the result of a 96-yard drive, came with 2:03 remaining in the game.
With one chance left, Penn State advanced the ball to the Ohio State 43-yard line, where the Nittany Lions were faced with a fourth-and-5. Penn State coach James Franklyn called not one, but two timeouts, deliberating over the play to run on fourth-and-5.
He ended up with a strange and questionable call, as quarterback Trace McSorley handed off to running back Miles Sanders on an off-tackle option read. Sanders was smothered by Ohio State defenders way short of the first down. One would have thought that McSorley would have been given the option to run or pass. The Nittany Lions quarterback was having a sensational game with 286 yards passing and 175 yards rushing. One would have thought.
Franklyn made a couple other weird calls earlier in the game which didn’t make sense. That’s why many are saying today that Franklyn is a better recruiter than he is a coach.
Now, as luck would have it, Clemson’s new starting quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, was knocked out of the Tigers game against Syracuse late in the second quarter with a concussion. Lawrence was replaced by former third-string quarterback Chase Brice. Trailing the Orange 16-7 at the half and 23-13 early in the fourth quarter, Clemson (5-0) rallied to beat Syracuse (4-1), 27-23, scoring two touchdowns in the final 11 minutes of the game.
The Stanford-Notre Dame game was basically a bust. It was good in the first half and okay through three quarters. But in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame (5-0) poured it on, beating Stanford (4-1), 38-17. The Irish had 550 total yards to only 229 for Stanford. The Trees only managed 55 yards rushing, as running back Bryce Love left the game with an injury.
In what may have been the strangest game of the day on Saturday, West Virginia led Texas Tech 35-10 at halftime. Then the Mountaineers went into a coma. The Red Raiders outscored WVU 24-7 in the second half, as West Virginia (4-0) held on to win, 42-34. After throwing three touchdown passes in the first half, Will Grier and the Mountie offense failed to reach the end zone in the second half. WVU’s only second half touchdown was scored by its defense on a pass interception.
As Week 5 began, 21 teams stood undefeated. When the action was over on Sunday morning, only 14 teams remained unbeaten. The seven who suffered their first loss were Penn State, Syracuse, Stanford, Duke, California, Buffalo and North Texas.
Virginia Tech bounced back from its embarrassing loss to Old Dominion last week. Saturday, the Hokies ended Duke’s undefeated run, 31-14.
Bouncing back from its first loss last week, Oregon tarnished Cal’s perfect record, beating the Bears, 42-28. Army vanquished Buffalo, 42-13, and Louisiana Tech burst North Texas’ bubble, 29-27. North Texas actually led La Tech, 21-6, at the end of the first quarter. But the Mean Green couldn’t overcome a 20-0 outburst by the Bulldogs in the second quarter.
Of the 14 undefeated teams, 11 are Power Five teams and three are Group of Five teams. The three Group of Five teams – Cincinnati (5-0), South Florida (4-0) and UCF (4-0) – are all from the same conference – the AAC.
UCF continued to roll, flattening Pitt, 45-13. Cincinnati was impressive too, downing Connecticut, 49-7. UCF, by the way, continues to have the longest winning streak in the nation at 17 games. Ohio State is second with 10-straight wins.
Kentucky just ain’t a basketball school anymore. The Wildcats (5-0) took care of South Carolina, 24-10. But Kentucky has a tough encounter this week. The Wildcats play Texas A&M in College Station.
As expected, undefeated Alabama, Georgia and LSU all won big. The Crimson Tide (5-0) pelted Louisiana, 56-14. Georgia (5-0) conquered Tennessee, 38-12, and LSU (5-0) throttled Ole Miss, 45-16.
NC State kept its record spotless. The Wolfpack (4-0) downed Virginia, 35-21.
The suffering continues in Lincoln. Nebraska (0-4) lost to Purdue, 42-28. The Huskers have now lost eight-straight games – the nation’s second-longest losing streak. UTEP continues to hold the longest-losing streak at 16 games. Saturday, the Miners lost to UTSA, 30-21.
No one made the “70s Club” in Week 5, but three teams came close. SMU beat Houston Baptist, 63-27, while Georgia Tech downed Bowling Green, 63-17. Coming the closest was Oklahoma (5-0). The Sooners creamed Baylor, 66-33.
Also in the Big 12, TCU needed a late-game field goal to beat Iowa State, 17-14. Meanwhile, since its season opening loss to Maryland, Texas has now won four straight. Saturday, the Longhorns beat Kansas State, 1914.
Two teams from Utah both went to the State of Washington and both lost. BYU lost to Washington in Seattle, 35-7, and Utah lost to Washington State in Pullman, 28-24.
In what, perhaps, was the wildest game of the week, Hawaii beat San Jose State, 44-41, in no less than five overtimes. In the only other overtime game of the weekend, a multiple OT one too, Northern Illinois beat Eastern Michigan, 26-23, in three overtimes. In regulation, Eastern Michigan kicked a 28-yard field goal with 3 seconds on the clock to put the game into overtime.
And finally, Florida coach Dan Mullen went back to his old stomping grounds over the weekend. The Gators played Mullen’s former team Mississippi State in Starkville. It was a victorious return for Mullen. Florida beat Miss State, 13-6.
This weekend, Bootsie, Rockledge Gator, Swamp Mama and I will be partying in Gainesville. We’re headed up to The Swamp for the LSU-Florida game and staying at the Laurel Oak Inn. I’ll try not to forget the tickets.
Touchdown Tom
October 1, 2018
Weekend Recap
GAME OF THE WEEK: Miscall – Ohio State 27, Penn State 26 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 28, Penn State 26). For the second-straight year, Ohio State rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Penn State. The lead changed hands three times in the game. Penn State dominated the stats, but not overwhelmingly so. James Franklin’s play calling, especially on what became Penn State’s final play, will always be questioned. Attendance in University Park: 110,889
RUNNER UP: Loveless – Notre Dame 38, Stanford 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 28, Sanford 25). Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book was 23-for-33 passing for 278 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Irish running back Dexter Williams rushed for 170 yards, averaging 7.7 yards per carry. Notre Dame outscored Stanford 14-0 in the fourth quarter. Attendance in South Bend: 77,622
REST OF THE BEST: Orange scare – Clemson 27, Syracuse 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 30, Syracuse 23). Clemson pretty much dominated this game, but the Tigers were plagued by three turnovers which helped to keep Syracuse in the game. The Orange only had 61 yards rushing. Clemson running back Travis Etienne rushed for 203 yards, mostly in the second half. Attendance in Clemson: 80,122
Karma chameleons – West Virginia 42, Texas Tech 34 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 40, Texas Tech 31). Texas Tech rallied in the second half, but WVU held on to win. It was a good road win for the Mounties, even though they looked ugly in the second half. Will Grier was 27-for-41 passing for 370 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Attendance in Lubbock: 55,283
No Shark attack – LSU 45, Ole Miss 16 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 37, Ole Miss 18). LSU put on an offensive show, racking up 573 total yards – 281 rushing and 291 passing. The Tigers defense wasn’t bad either. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow was 18-for-25 passing for 292 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Burrow also rushed for 96 yards. The Tigers controlled the clock for more than 35 minutes. Attendance in Baton Rouge: 100,224
For real – Kentucky 24, South Carolina 10 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 26, Kentucky 21). Kentucky built up a 24-3 first half lead and went into cruise control in the second half. Meanwhile, South Carolina kept shooting itself in the foot with four turnovers – one fumble and three Jake Bentley interceptions. Kentucky running back Benny Snell rushed for 124 yards. Attendance in Lexington: 63,081
Hokie High – Virginia Tech 31, Duke 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 29, Virginia Tech 27). Neither team could run the ball – only 152 rushing yards between them. But both passed well, especially Virginia Tech. The Hokies passed for 332 yards on the arm of Ryan Willis – 17-for-27 with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Attendance in Durham: 32,117
Ducks unlimited – Oregon 42, California 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 30, California 20). By the third quarter, Oregon built up a 35-10 lead and then coasted after that. Turnovers killed any opportunity Cal had. The Bears suffered five miscues – one fumble and four interceptions. Two Oregon running backs rushed for more than 100 yards each. Cal running back Brandon McIlwain rushed for 124 yards. Attendance in Berkeley: 43,448
You can go home again – Florida 13, Mississippi State 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Mississippi State 29, Florida 23). Florida’s defense was the champion of this game, holding Miss State to 104 yards rushing and 98 yards passing. Bulldogs senior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald had one of the worst games of his career. Attendance in Starkville: 61,406
Huskie power – Washington 35, BYU 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 28, BYU 22). BYU scored its only touchdown with 41 seconds to go in the game. The Huskies the Cougars to just seven first downs and only 34 yards rushing. Washington quarterback Jake Browning was 23-for-25 passing for 277 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Attendance in Seattle: 70,155
….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON:
We don’t need no running game – Washington State 28, Utah 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington State 28, Utah 26). Trailing 24-21, Washington State scored a touchdown with 4:14 to go in the game and then held on to win. The lead in the game changed hands three times. Amazingly, the Cougars only had 13 yards rushing. But they made up for it with 445 yards passing thanks to quarterback Gardner Minshew. Attendance in Pullman: 30,088
Bevo gets defensive – Texas 19, Kansas State 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 27, Kansas State 20). Texas scored all 19 of its points in the first half. K-State scored all 14 of its points in the second half. Neither team displayed much offense. Texas won on its passing game. K-State had 107 yards rushing and 110 yards passing. Attendance in Manhattan: 49,916
YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:
Steam power – Purdue 42, Nebraska 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Purdue 27). Purdue jumped out to a 27-7 third quarter lead and then the two teams proceeded to trade touchdowns back-and-forth for the rest of the game. The Boilers maintained possession of the ball for more than 36 minutes. Both quarterbacks passed for more than 300 yards. But Nebraska was clearly the better running team. Huskers running back Devine Ozigbo rushed for 170 yards. Attendance in Lincoln: 88,911
Uga was on top of ole Smokey – Georgia 38, Tennessee 12 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 35, Tennessee 17). Georgia scored in each of the four quarters, handing Tennessee its third loss of the season. The Dawgs defense held the Vols to only 209 total yards – 66 rushing and 143 passing. Georgia controlled the clock for more than 37 minutes. The Dawgs had 26 first downs to 11 for Tennessee. Attendance in Athens: 92,746
Week 5 Results: 10 correct picks, 4 fumbles (71.4 percent)
For the Season: 51 correct picks, 24 fumbles (68 percent)
ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:
Miami 47, North Carolina 10 – Attendance in Miami Gardens: 60,843
Florida State 28, Louisville 24 – Attendance in Louisville: 52,798
UCF 45, Pitt 14 – Attendance in Orlando: 44,904
Middle Tennessee 25, Florida Atlantic 24 – Attendance in Murfreesboro: 17,299
FIU 55, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 9 – Attendance in Miami: 14,937
Drake 41, Jacksonville U. 9 – Attendance in Jacksonville: 1,738
San Diego 49, Stetson 10 – Attendance in San Diego: 1,471
Florida A&M 55, North Carolina Central 14 – Attendance in Durham: 8,451
Bethune-Cookman 35, Savannah State 20 – Attendance in Savannah: 5,018
Florida Tech 26, Wingate 23 – Attendance in Wingate: 2,172
Superlatives
Impressive Passers:
San Jose State’s Josh Love – 28-49-0 for 451 yards (3TDs); Washington State’s Gardner Minshew – 31-56-1-445 (3TDs); Western Michigan’s Jon Wassink – 27-42-0-439 (5TDs); Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray – 17-21-0-432 (6TDs); Liberty’s Stephen Calvert – 24-41-1-417 (3TDs), and Ball State’s Riley Neal – 30-50-1-402 (4TDs).
Also, Baylor’s Charlie Brewer – 38-60-0 for 400 yards (2TDs); Arkansas State’s Justice Hansen – 38-50-0-376 (1TD); West Virginia’s Will Grier – 27-41-0-370 (3TDs); Fresno State’s Marcus McMaryion – 24-31-1-368 (4TDs), and Massachusetts’ Andrew Ford – 27-38-1-355 (4TDs).
Impressive Rushers:
Arizona State’s Eric Benjamin – 312 yards (3TDs); Oregon State’s Jermar Jefferson – 254 yards (2TDs); Clemson’s Travis Etienne – 203 yards (3TDs); Oklahoma State’s Justice Hill – 189 yards (1TD); Ohio’s Nathan Rourke – 189 yards (1TD), and Penn State’s Trace McSorley – 175 yards.
Also, USC’s Aca’Cedric Ware – 178 yards (2TDs); Temple’s Ryquell Armstead – 171 yards (4TDs); Nebraska’s Devine Ozigbo – 170 yards (2TDs); Rice’s Austin Walter – 165 yards (1TD); Boston College’s A.J. Dillon – 161 yards (2TDs), and Notre Dame’s Dexter Williams – 161 yards (1TD).
Quotes of the Week
“Kentucky is a football school. John Calipari, go get some shoulder pads,” CBS college football commentator Rick Neuheisel.
“I feel like I haven’t done anything to not be the starter. I’ve been here. I’ve waited my turn. I’ve done everything y’all have asked me to do, plus more. I’ve never been a distraction. I’ve never been in trouble with anything. To me it was kind of a slap in the face,” demoted Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant, on his relegation to the second team.
“He was always a great bullshitter, so none of this surprises me,” Alabama coach Nick Saban, on his former quarterback Greg McElroy becoming a successful commentator and broadcaster.
“Trace McSorley at quarterback is tougher than woodpecker piss,” ESPN college football commentator Marty Smith.
“We obviously didn’t make the right call in that situation, and that’s on me, nobody else,” Penn State coach James Franklyn, on his failed final play call in the Ohio State game.
“We look like one of the most undisciplined teams in the country. I’m tired of coaching an undisciplined team,” Nebraska coach Scott Frost.
Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
This Week’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games…and then some
GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Oklahoma (5-0) vs. Texas (4-1) – (Big12 vs, Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – This could be a high-scoring affair. Oklahoma is averaging 523 yards per game. And the Sooners are giving up 405 yards per game. Meanwhile, Texas isn’t as strong on offense. But the Longhorns are better on defense. OU hasn’t faced a team as tough as Texas this season. The Longhorns will be a challenge for OU quarterback Kyle Murray. The pressure will be on Texas coach Tom Herman. Bevo gets taken for a ride on the wagon – Oklahoma 29, Texas 23.
RUNNER UP: 2. LSU (5-0) at Florida (4-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This could end up being a defensive struggle. Both teams have highly ranked defenses. Florida’s is good defending the pass and in points allowed – 14 per game. LSU’s defense is good defending the run and in points allowed – 15 per game. LSU has two good wins to its credit – over Miami and Auburn. Give the Tigers another good win – LSU 23, Florida 20.
REST OF THE BEST: 3. Notre Dame (5-0) at Virginia Tech (3-1) – (Ind. vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – For three games into the season, Notre Dame was just barely winning. In their last two games, the Irish have come on strong. ND has a new look with quarterback Ian Book. Virginia Tech’s quarterback Ryan Willis looked good in his first start against Duke last week. The Hokie defense is good against the run. So the Irish will pass. That’s what Old Dominion did. The Irish will have an early Thanksgiving dinner – Notre Dame 28, Virginia Tech 19.
4. Boston College (4-1) at NC State (4-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – BC will be a good test for NC State. The Eagles are averaging 42 points a game. But they are giving up 27 points a game. Neither team has faced a real tough opponent yet. NC State’s defense is good against the run and is only allowing 15 points a game. Wolfpack quarterback Ryan Finley has passed for 1,313 yards and NC State is 9th in the country in passing yards. The Eagles get passed silly – NC State 35, Boston College 26.
5. Kentucky (5-0) at Texas A&M (3-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Kentucky is for real. The Wildcats have put down Florida, Mississippi State and South Carolina. Running back Benny Snell has rushed for 664 yards. The Kentucky defense is holding opponents to 12 points a game. But Texas A&M’s defense is good against the run. The Aggies are holding opponents to 80 yards a game on the ground. It should be fun. The Wildcats aren’t for real this week – Texas A&M 26, Kentucky 20.
6. Maryland (3-1) at Michigan (4-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Michigan’s defense is ranked in the Top 10 in the country in total yards allowed, rushing yards allowed and passing yards allowed. And they are 11th in points allowed – 11. Maryland has looked good in its games, except for the Temple game. The Terps really fell apart in that one. They’ll fall apart again in Ann Arbor – Michigan 32, Maryland 18.
7. San Diego State (3-1) at Boise State (3-1) – (MWC vs. MWC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU – Boise State is 4th in the country in passing yards. Quarterback Brett Rypien has already passed for 1,389 yards this season. The Broncos are strong on offense, but a little weak on defense. San Diego State has a problem – actually two problems. The Aztecs defense against the pass is 110th in the country. Additionally, San Diego State has lost it top running back, Juwan Washington, to injury. Still, the Aztecs should give the Broncos their toughest MWC game so far this season. The Broncos won’t be sacrificed – Boise State 31, San Diego State 16.
8. Iowa (3-1) at Minnesota (3-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – Iowa plays great defense and lousy offense. On defense, the Hawkeyes are in the Top 10 in the country in total yards allowed, rushing yards allowed and points allowed. Minnesota is like Iowa on offense – lousy. The Gophers are better on defense, but not as good as the Hawkeyes. It’s going to be a long day for Goldie Gopher – Iowa 27, Minnesota 23.
9. Arizona State (3-2) at Colorado (4-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, PAC-12N – Arizona State is sloppy on defense and so-so on offense. But the Sun Devils did beat Michigan State. They are capable of beating Colorado. The Buffaloes are averaging 40 points a game and holding opponents to 18 points a game. This could be a wild one. There is no Sun in Boulder for the Devils – Colorado 30, Arizona State 27.
10. Auburn (4-1) at Mississippi State (3-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Miss State is a good, strong defensive team. But the Bulldogs are lousy on offense. Auburn’s strength is its defense too. The Tigers offense has been disappointing. This game could be a doozy. Two mules fighting over a turnip. It’s hard to believe that Miss State could lose three games in a row. But they do – Auburn 20, Mississippi State 19.
….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON:
11. Florida State (3-2) at Miami (Florida) (4-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Florida State got off to a rough start, but the Noles have won their last two games. There may be light at the end of the tunnel. The Noles defense is one of the worst in the country against the pass and one of the best against the run. The offense has been sluggish. Except for its opening game against LSU, Miami has played well. The Canes defense is one of the best in the country. They are first in passing yards allowed and 2nd in total yards allowed. Not bad. This could be a classic FSU-Miami game. It’ll be classic for the Canes – Miami 30, Florida State 23.
12. Utah (2-2) at Stanford (4-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Stanford is lucky to be 4-1. The Trees are just average on offense and defense. And running back Bryce Love has not been healthy this season. He may or may play against Utah. The Utes are lousy on offense but have one of the best defenses in the country – 4th in total yards allowed. If the Utah loses to Stanford, the Utes will be 0-3 in Pac-12 play. A tough season for the Utes get tougher – Stanford 26, Utah 22.
YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:
Kansas (2-3) at West Virginia (4-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – West Virginia quarterback Will Grier has passed for 1,487 yards in four games this season. The Mountaineer offense is unbalanced. Very strong in the passing game; not so strong in the running game. WVU’s defense is good, not great, but good. Kansas is weak on both offense and defense. This is probably coach David Beaty’s last year with the Jayhawks. His departure papers may already have been drawn up. WVU’s offense has fallen asleep in the second half for two straight games. Coach Dana Holgorsen needs to give them some No Doz at halftime. Eers perk up – West Virginia 49, Kansas 17.
Nebraska (0-4) at Wisconsin (3-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – Wisconsin has a good defense, allowing opponent sonly 14.5 points a game. The Badgers have an awesome running game on offense, averaging 266 yards per game. Nebraska’s defense has lots of problems. The offense isn’t much better. It’s going to be a long season for the Huskers. It’s a good thing Bethune-Cookman is on the schedule. This one could hurt, for the Huskers – Wisconsin 30, Nebraska 13.
Vanderbilt (3-2) at Georgia (5-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Georgia doesn’t have a weak spot anywhere on its defense. The Dawgs are 6th in the nation in points allowed – 13. Georgia is good on offense but not the best. There is room for improvement. Vandy on the other hand is hurting on both offense and defense. I suspect this will be Derek Mason’s last season in Nashville. The Dawgs offense doesn’t need any improvement for Vandy – Georgia 35, Vanderbilt 12.
Duke (4-1) and Purdue (2-3) are off.
ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:
South Florida (4-0) at Massachusetts (2-4) – (AAC vs. Ind.) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday….
SMU (2-3) at UCF (4-0) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU….
Old Dominion (1-4) at Florida Atlantic (2-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 5 pm ET, Saturday….
Norfolk State (3-1) at Florida A&M (3-2) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….
Mississippi Valley State (0-3) at Bethune-Cookman (2-3) – (SWC vs. MEAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….
Jacksonville U. (1-2) at Davidson (4-1) – (Pioneer vs, Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….
Mississippi College (2-2) at Florida Tech (4-1) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….
FIU (3-2) and Stetson (3-1) are off.
Touchdown Tom
P.S.
Not exactly college football related, but there were two passings of note last week – Tommy McDonald and Marty Balin.
Tommy McDonald, a small, speedy receiver who teamed with quarterback Norm Van Brocklin to help the Philadelphia Eagles win the 1960 NFL championship, died last week. He was 84. McDonald was a two-time All-American from Oklahoma who played 12 NFL seasons for five teams. He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection. McDonald was traded to Dallas in 1964 and dealt the next season to the Los Angeles Rams. Thomas Franklin McDonald was born in Roy, New Mexico, on July 26, 1934. He graduated from high school in Albuquerque. At the University of Oklahoma, where he played under Hall of Fame coach Bud Wilkinson, McDonald was an All-American in 1955 and 1956. He never experienced a loss with the Sooners, winning 31 straight games. In 1956, McDonald finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Paul Horning of Notre Dame and Johnny Majors of Tennessee. But he won the Maxwell Award for college football’s most outstanding player. McDonald was drafted by the Eagles in 1957.
Marty Balin, a patron of the 1960s “San Francisco Sound” both as founder and a lead singer of Jefferson Airplane and co-owner of the club where the Airplane and other Bay Area bands performed, died last week in Tampa, Florida. He was 76. Balin formed the Airplane in 1965. In the mid-1970s, Airplane regrouped as the more mainstream Jefferson Starship. Balin sang lead on such hits as “Miracles,” “With Your Love” and “Count on Me.” Airplane was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Balin was born Martin Jerel Buchwald in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1942. His family later moved to the San Francisco area. He dropped out of San Francisco State University to pursue his music career. Later in life, Balin acknowledged that he was jealous of Gracie Slick, Airplane’s other lead singer.
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