College Football Week 14 – UNC fires Fedora; Texas Tech fires Kingsbury

Family, friends, food and

football – that’s Thanksgiving

Yes, it’s the best time of the year – being together with family, friends, food and football. Even if your team loses, you can take out your frustrations by eating some more food. I know, because I did.

This time of the year I am most thankful for the four Fs – family, friends, food and football.

Family: Princess Gator, Bama Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe arrived Wednesday to spend the next four days with Swamp Mama and me.

Friends: Deb and Dieter Gum, Stephanie Stein and her son David and Jane Sharpe and her son Jack all joined our family for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday.

Food: From the turkey and dressing and all the delicious sides to my cold pizza and chili dogs, what more can I say. It was great.

Football: How about 59-56, 62-39, 41-14, 52-21, 38-13, 56-35 and most of all, 74-72. Recognize those sets of numbers? More on them later.

Last week was a full week of family, friends, food and football.

The full week of football began as early as Tuesday night in the Mid-American Conference where Miami (Ohio) beat Ball State, 42-21, and Western Michigan downed Northern Illinois 28-21. Miami of Ohio’s Alonzo Smith rushed for 207 yards, while Western Michigan’s Kaleb Eleby passed for 285 yards.

Wednesday, Massachusetts announced the firing of football coach Mark Whipple. No, he wasn’t caught squeezing the Charmin. Whipple, 61, had just 16 victories (4-8 this season) in six seasons (2013-2018) at UMass – his second stint at the school. He previously coached the Minutemen from 1998 to 2003, when UMass was competing at the FCS level. He went 49-26 during that stint, including a national championship.

And, as mentioned above, the family arrived Wednesday afternoon. Traffic was so bad coming south on I-75, they exited the Interstate at Ocala and took State Road 40 east to I-95. They came the rest of the way on I-95. They said I-95 was busy but moving – nothing like I-75. Bama Gator said I-75 was a “parking lot.”

Thursday, our friends gathered with our family for Thanksgiving dinner. I made Irish Mules for everyone. Well, everyone that is, except Gator Gabe and Gator Babe. We not only celebrated Thanksgiving, but also David Stein’s 18^th birthday.

Also present during the Thanksgiving meal was Lucy Gum – Deb and Dieter’s Weimaraner. In addition to providing entertainment and enjoyment to all, Lucy was an excellent vacuum cleaner. She kept the floors spotless – I mean, foodless.

Late Thursday afternoon, Air Force knocked off Colorado State, 27-19. The Falcons Cole Fagan rushed for 260 yards. That evening, Mississippi State won the Egg Bowl. The Bulldogs beat Ole Miss, 35-3. Miss State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who suffered a severe ankle injury in last year’s game, passed for 111 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 117 yards and two more touchdowns.

The sparse games on Tuesday and Thursday were just the appetizers to get you warmed up for the entrees. While everyone was eating Thanksgiving leftovers on Friday and Saturday, college football was serving up its entrees. 

First up Friday – Nebraska at Iowa. Nebraska came into its meeting with Iowa on a two-game winning streak. The Huskers were definitely showing improvement. However, Iowa took command of the game early. As the fourth quarter began, the Hawkeyes led the Huskers, 28-13. But Nebraska rallied. With less than four minutes remaining in the game, the Huskers tied the score at 28-28.

Iowa had not scored since the 9:13 mark in the third quarter. With 3:22 on the clock, what would the Hawkeyes do? Iowa made the best of the situation. As time expired, the Hawkeyes Miguel Recinos kicked a 41-yard field goal. Iowa beat Nebraska, 31-28.

In Tampa, UCF put its 23-game winning streak on the line against South Florida. The Bulls came into the game on a four-game losing streak. The Knights extended their winning streak to 24 games and extended South Florida’s losing streak to five games, beating the Bulls, 38-10. Along the way, UCF lost quarterback McKenzie Milton to a knee injury. Unfortunately, Milton’s playing days for the Knights are over. He will miss the AAC championship game and UCF’s subsequent bowl game.

59-56. That was the score of the Oklahoma-West Virginia game. The winner would play Texas for the Big 12 championship one week later. The Longhorns beat Kansas, 24-17, earlier in the day Friday, to qualify for the Big 12 title game.

59-56. Oklahoma had eight touchdowns and a field goal. West Virginia had eight touchdowns and no field goals. The Sooners beat the Mountaineers, 59-56. WVU had its opportunities. As bad as the Mountie defense looked, it was the WVU offense that suffered two fumbles that were scooped up by Oklahoma and returned for scores. And it was the WVU offense that made a critical, stupid error that resulted in a Mountaineer touchdown being called back.

Earlier Friday, Memphis earned the right to play UCF in the AAC championship game. The Tigers captured the West Division title, beating Houston, 52-31. In the Pac-12, Washington State lost its opportunity to be a contender for the playoff and lost its opportunity to play for the Pac-12 championship. The Cougars lost to cross-state rival Washington, 28-15. The Huskies stymied Gardner Minshew and the WSU offense. It wasn’t the day of the mustache in Pullman.  

On to the Saturday entrees.

62-39. Will Jim Harbaugh ever learn to beat Ohio State? Or will he be fired before he ever beats the Buckeyes? Yes, Urban Meyer is alive and well in Columbus. Ohio State beat Michigan, 62-39. As one Wolverine football player put it, “They devastated us.”

41-14. Florida had lost to Florida State for five-straight years. That streak came to an end Saturday in Tallahassee. The Gators got their revenge, beating the Noles, 41-14. The loss eliminated FSU from being bowl eligible. The win most likely boosted the Gators into a New Year’s Six bowl.

52-21. I really don’t understand why any Auburn fans even bothered to show up for the game. Maybe they are masochists. Alabama remained undefeated, beating Auburn 52-21.

38-13. The winner of the Tennessee-Vanderbilt game would be bowl eligible. The loser wouldn’t. Guess what? Vanderbilt is bowl eligible. Tennessee isn’t. The Commodores not only beat the Vols, 38-13, but they beat the Vols for the third-straight year. Jeremy Pruitt has an anchor around his neck.

56-35. Well, you have to admit, South Carolina put up a fight against Clemson. Thirty-five points is the most any team scored on the Clemson defense all season. But in the end, it wasn’t really close. Clemson beat South Carolina, 56-35. Are we looking at an Alabama-Clemson national championship game?

74-72. They saved the best for last. Or maybe I should say, they saved the longest for last. I started watching this game at 7:30 pm ET and I was still watching it at midnight ET. It took seven overtimes, but after about four and a half hours, Texas A&M beat LSU, 74-72 (7OT). What a game! I really didn’t think it was going to end.

Yes, the Tigers-Aggies game was the ultimate culmination to a Thanksgiving weekend. Well, I guess it wasn’t so ultimate to LSU fans.

LSU-Texas A&M was one of only three overtime games during Thanksgiving week. But it only took the other two games one overtime to settle the outcome. And both occurred in the ACC. Friday night, Virginia Tech beat Virginia for the 15^th-straight year, 34-31 (OT). Saturday, NC State downed North Carolina, 34-28 (OT).

Also in the ACC, somebody lit a fire under Cade Carney and Wake Forest. Carney rushed for 223 yards as the Deacons pulverized Duke, 59-7. The Dookies must have final exams this week.

What’s happened to Wisconsin? In the Big Ten, Minnesota stunned the Badgers in Madison, 37-15. Purdue became bowl eligible and Indiana didn’t. The Boilers beat the Hoosiers, 28-21.

In the Heartland, Iowa State rallied to edge Kansas State, 42-38.

As usual, the Pac-12 had its share of wild games. Down 40-20 at the end of three quarters, Arizona State rallied, scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth, to beat Arizona, 41-40. Herm beat Kevin. Stanford outlasted UCLA. The Trees beat the Bruins, 49-42.

In the annual end-of-the-season confrontation, the SEC was 3-1 against the ACC. Florida beat Florida State, Georgia beat Georgia Tech, 45-21 and Kentucky downed Louisville, 56-10. Clemson was the lone ACC winner, beating South Carolina.

In a crucial game in the MWC, Boise State beat Utah State, 33-24. The win gave Boise State the Mountain Division title of the MWC. Likewise, in the Sun Belt, Appalachian State downed Troy, 21-10. The win gave App State the East Division title in the Sun Belt.

Buffalo and Ohio finished on a strong note in the MAC. Buffalo beat Bowling Green, 44-14, while Ohio downed Akron, 49-28.

In their annual non-conference battle, Notre Dame defeated USC, 24-17.

So, seven teams remain alive as contenders for the playoff – Alabama (12-0), Clemson (12-0), Notre Dame (12-0), Oklahoma (11-1), Ohio State (11-1), Georgia (11-1) and UCF (11-0). This week, Alabama and Georgia meet for the SEC championship. Clemson plays Pitt for the ACC title. Oklahoma tangles with Texas for the Big 12 championship. Ohio State meets Northwestern for the Big Ten title. UCF plays Memphis for the AAC championship. Notre Dame has completed its regular season. Stay tuned!

Two coaches were fired Sunday and one coach who was on the bubble got an extension to his contract.

North Carolina fired coach Larry Fedora. Fedora was 45-43 in seven seasons with the Tar Heels. This season, UNC was 2-9 – 1-7 in ACC play. Fedora’s current contract runs through the 2022 season. His buyout is just over $12 million. It’s subject to reduction should Fedora take another coaching job.

Following the Fedora announcement, former North Carolina and Texas coach Mack Brown said he would like to have the North Carolina job. Stay tuned.

Texas Tech fired Kliff Kingsbury. Swamp Mama has gone into mourning. I don’t know what she will do. Kingsbury was 35-40 in six seasons with the Red Raiders. His current contract runs through the 2020 season. Kingsbury’s buyout is $4.2 million. Texas Tech was 5-7 this season and 3-6 in Big 12 play. This was Kingsbury’s third-straight losing season.

Surprisingly, Illinois extended Lovie Smith’s contract for two more years, through the 2023 season. Speculation had Smith being fired. He is 9-27 in three years at Illinois. The Banned Indians were 4-8 this season – 2-7 in Big Ten play.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, USC announced that coach Clay Helton will remain as the Trojans coach for the 2019 season. USC was 5-7 this season – 4-5 in Pac-12 play.

Bowl projection: UCF vs. Florida in the Peach Bowl.

So, all-in-all, Thanksgiving week had its ups-and-downs. The family, friends and food was definitely up. The football was mostly up, except for 59-56.

I have to tell you, I am so sleep deprived during football season. One of these days soon, I’m going to crash for 24 hours.

I hope you had a good Turkey Day!  

Touchdown Tom

November 26, 2018

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK: Hardly Harbaugh – Ohio State 62, Michigan 39 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 26, Ohio State 21). With a halftime score of 24-19, in favor of Ohio State, you thought this game could go either way. But the Buckeyes outscored the Wolverines 17-0 in the third quarter and you realized it wasn’t going Michigan’s way. Ohio State went on to outscore Michigan, 21-20 in the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes had 573 total yards. Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins passed for 318 yards and five touchdowns. Attendance in Columbus: 106,588

RUNNER UP: Must be the carpet – Boise State 33, Utah State 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah State 26, Boise State 22). A spot in the MWC championship game was up for grabs in this encounter. Boise State grabbed the spot. But it was a battle. The Bulldogs just led the Aggies 20-17 with less than eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter and 26-24 with 3:12 left in the game. While Utah State’s Jordan Love passed for 363 yards, the Aggies only had 62 yards rushing. Boise State’s Alexander Mattison rushed for 200 yards. The Bulldogs controlled time of possession for more than 38 minutes. Attendance in Boise: 35,960

BEST OF THE REST: Boom – Oklahoma 59, West Virginia 56 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 47, Oklahoma 45). Oklahoma had a balanced attack – 308 yards rushing and 364 yards passing. WVU had an unbalanced attack – 165 yards rushing and 539 yards passing. That, two Will Grier fumbles and some stupid mistakes was the difference in the game. Yes, the teams combined for 1,382 total yards. Attendance in Morgantown: 60,713

Huskies get the apples – Washington 28, Washington State 15 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington State 32, Washington 30). Washington played one hell of a defensive game. The Huskies held WSU to 15 points, held WSU to 237 total yards, held WSU to 85 yards rushing and held Gardiner Minshew to only 152 yards passing. Twice they intercepted Minshew. Washington had 487 total yards and Myles Gaskin rushed for 170 of those yards. Attendance in Pullman: 32,952

Aubie was seeing red – Alabama 52, Auburn 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 34, Auburn 17). Auburn showed some fight early but lost its air before long. The Tide outscored the Tigers in the second half 35-7. Bama only rushed for 123 yards but passed for 377 yards. Attendance in Tuscaloosa: 101,821

A lot of offense – Clemson 56, South Carolina 35 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 33, South Carolina 16). Clemson only led 28-21 at the half, but 42-21 at the end of three. The teams combined for 1,344 total yards, but 744 of those yards belonged to Clemson. South Carolina only had 90 yards rushing, but 510 yards passing. Time of possession favored Clemson – more than 34 minutes. Clemson running back Travis Etienne rushed for 150 yards. Attendance in Clemson: 81,436

Bulls were a bunch of bull – UCF 38, South Florida 10 (Touchdown Tom said: UCF 32, South Florida 19). South Florida briefly made the game close when the Bulls pulled within 7 points (17-10) with 1:15 left in the third quarter. But just one minute later, UCF scored to go up 24-10 and it was all Knights from that point on. UCF had 566 total yards to 334 for USF. UCF running back Greg McRae rushed for 182 yards, averaging 11.4 yards per carry. Attendance in Tampa: 57,626

On to the conference title game – Appalachian State 21, Troy 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Troy 27, Appalachian State 24). This game was mostly a defensive battle, especially in the second half. Only 7 of the game’s 31 points were scored in the second half. Troy only had 62 yards rushing. App State running back Darrynton Evans rushed for 108 yards. Attendance in Boone: 20,410

Uga has teeth – Georgia 45, Georgia Tech 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 28, Georgia Tech 21). Georgia led 38-7 at the break and went into cruise control for the second half. The Dawgs had 448 total yards to just 219 for Tech. Georgia running back D’Andre Swift rushed for 105 yards, but Georgia spread the running game around several runners. Attendance in Athens: 92,746

Dungey returns – Syracuse 42, Boston College 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Boston College 30, Syracuse 27). BC tried to play catch up but the Eagles couldn’t. Syracuse racked up 564 total yards. With his passing Ed Dungey was responsible for 362 of those yards. Syracuse running back Dontae Strickland rushed for 129 yards. Attendance in Chestnut Hill: 34,959

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

Forever and ever – Texas A&M 74, LSU 72 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 25, LSU 23). This game tied the record for the most overtimes in an FBS game – 7. It set the record for the most points scored in an FBS game. Texas A&M running back Trayveon Williams was the difference in the game. Williams rushed for 198 yards. The score at the end of regulation was 31-31. The Aggies scored the tying touchdown as time expired. Attendance in College Station: 101,501

Perfect finish – Notre Dame 24, USC 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 33, USC 21). Up until 2:20 to go in the first half, USC led 10-0. But the Irish got their act together and scored 24 unanswered points. The teams were reasonably even in the stats. ND quarterback Ian Book passed for 352 yards. Trojans quarterback J.T. Daniels passed for 349 yards. Attendance in Los Angeles: 59,821

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

New streak – Florida 41, Florida State 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 27, Florida State 23). After five years of frustration, Florida had revenge on its mind. It was a close game at the half. The Gators led 13-7. But Florida opened it up in the second half, outscoring FSU, 28-7. Florida had 536 total yards to 293 for FSU. Gators running back Lamical Perine rushed for 129 yards. Attendance in Tallahassee: 71,953

Hawkeyes get some Corn – Iowa 31, Nebraska 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 27, Nebraska 24). The teams were pretty even in the stats. But Iowa possessed the ball for more than 34 minutes. The difference maker was Iowa running back Mekhi Sargent. Sargent rushed for 173 yards. The Hawkeyes shut down Nebraska’s running game. Attendance in Iowa City: 65,299

Blow out – Wake Forest 59, Duke 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 31, Wake Forest 26). The Deacons came out steaming and went off and left the Dookies at the starting blocks. Wake Forest had 517 total yards to 251 for the Dookies. The Deacons also dictated time of possession for more than 37 minutes. Wake Forest running back Cade Carney rushed for 223 yards. Attendance in Durham: 20,782

Taking care of business – Texas 24, Kansas 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Kansas 23). Texas basically came out and took care of business – didn’t so any more than it had to. The Longhorns led 21-0 at the end of three quarters. Combined the teams had less than 600 total yards. Attendance in Lawrence: 15,219

Bowl game for the Boilers – Purdue 28, Indiana 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 33, Indiana 28). Purdue scored a touchdown in every quarter and Indiana didn’t. It was a passing game for both teams. Neither had a running game. Hoosier quarterback Peyton Ramsey passed for 345 yards. Boilers quarterback David Blough passed for 310 yards. Attendance in Bloomington: 48,247

Week 13 Results: 10 correct picks, 7 fumbles (58.8 percent)

For the Season:    138 correct picks, 60 fumbles (69.9 percent)

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA 

Miami 24, Pitt 3 – Attendance in Miami Gardens: 59,606

Marshall 28, FIU 25 – Attendance in Miami: 14,862

Charlotte 27, Florida Atlantic 24 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 11,638

Superlatives

Impressive Passers:  

West Virginia’s Will Grier – 32-49-0 for 539 yards (4TDs); South Carolina’s Jake Brantley – 32-50-1-510 (5TDs); UCLA’s Wilton Speight – 29-47-1-466; Hawaii’s Cole McDonald – 29-46-0-452 (3TDs); Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence – 27-36-0-393 (1TD), and Vanderbilt’s Kyle Shurmur – 31-35-0-367 (3TDs).

Also, Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray – 20-27-1 for 364 yards (3TDs); Utah State’s Jordan Love – 29-47-1-363 (3TDs); Syracuse’s Ed Dungey – 21-34-1-362 (3TDs); Akron’s Kato Nelson – 24-41-1-356 (4TDs); Notre Dame’s Ian Book – 22-39-1-352 (2TDs); USC’s J.T. Daniels – 37-51-0-349 (1TD), and Stanford’s K.J. Costello – 23-37-1-344 (5TDs).

Impressive Rushers:  

Air Force’s Cole Fagan – 260 yards (1TD); Rice’s Juma Otoviano – 224 yards (2TDs); Wake Forest’s Cade Carney – 223 yards (2TDs); Miami of Ohio’s Alonzo Smith – 207 yards (3TDs); South Alabama’s Tra Minter – 203 yards; Boise State’s Alexander Mattison – 200 yards (3TDs), and Texas A&M’s Trayveon Williams – 198 yards (2TDs).

Also, Oregon’s Travis Dye – 197 yards (2TDs); Wyoming’s Xazavian Valladay – 192 yards (2TDs); Kansas State’s Alex Barnes – 184 yards (1TD); Oklahoma’s Kennedy Brooks – 182 yards (1TD); UCF’s Greg McRae – 182 yards (3TDs); Memphis’ Darrell Henderson – 178 yards (2TDs), and Iowa’s Mekhi Sargent – 173 yards (1TD).

Also. Charlotte’s Benny LeMay – 173 yards (1TD); Washington’s Myles Gaskin – 170 yards (3TDs); Ohio’s A.J. Ouellette – 169 yards (2TDs); Miami of Florida’s Travis Homer – 168 yards (1TD); Northwestern’s Isaiah Bowser – 166 yards; Kent State’s Joel Shaw – 159 yards (1TD); San Diego State’s Juwan Washington – 158 yards (2TDs), and North Texas’ DeAndre Torrey – 155 yards (1TD).

Quotes of the Week

“I want Louisville to do what’s best for them. But right now, I’m the coach at Purdue. This is where I want to be and I like it here,” Purdue coach Jeff Brohm, on the Louisville rumors.

  

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Alabama (12-0) vs. Georgia (11-1) – (SEC Championship – Atlanta) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, CBS –  Georgia is capable of beating Alabama. If anybody knows Nick Saban’s mind, it’s Kirby Smart. The Dawgs gave Bama a good fight last year, before finally losing in the national championship game. Georgia should have more incentive to win this year. The Dawgs should be able to score on Bama. But can Georgia’s defense stop Alabama. Bama could lose and still make the playoff. I doubt that is true for Georgia. Tua Tagovailoa has a Heisman performance – Alabama 28, Georgia 22. 

RUNNER UP:  2. Oklahoma (11-1) vs. Texas (9-3) – (Big 12 Championship – Arlington, Texas) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – These two met during the season and Texas won a thriller, 48-45. It was Oklahoma’s only loss. Since then I think Oklahoma has gotten better – well, maybe not OU’s defense. But the offense is better. I’m not sure Texas has improved much, if any. Win and the Sooners should be in the playoff. But it will be close. OU quarterback Kyler Murray is in the same league as Tua Tagovailoa. The Sooners may have worn themselves out in the win over West Virginia; while Texas was in relax mode in its win over Kansas. Bevo is too relaxed, as the Sooners take the rematch – Oklahoma 35, Texas 33.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Northwestern (8-4) vs. Ohio State (11-1) – (Big Ten Championship – Indianapolis) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Can Northwestern pull off the big upset? I doubt it, but it’s possible. It’s hard to figure a team losing to Akron, beating Ohio State. But stranger things have happened. The Buckeyes are used to these games. The Wildcats aren’t. Northwestern could be star struck. If Urban Meyer is going to retire at the end of the season, you better believe he wants to go out a winner. The Wildcats are overwhelmed – Ohio State 34, Northwestern 22.

4. Clemson (12-0) vs. Pitt (7-5) – (ACC Championship – Charlotte) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – This has to be the most certain of all the title games. There is no way Pitt can beat Clemson – no way. Travis Etienne and Trevor Lawrence will run and pass the Panthers silly. Clemson can punch its ticket to the playoff before this game even starts. This will be like a home game for the Tigers. Can you say “EASY?” Dabo Swinney can – Clemson 34, Pitt 15.

5. Washington (9-3) vs. Utah (9-3) – (Pac-12 Championship – Santa Clara, California) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FOX – Both teams have three losses, but Utah’s three losses are to Pac-12 teams. Washington only lost two games in Pac-12 play. Both teams are on a three-game winning streak. Both teams have talent, but Utah has injuries. The Huskies are more solid. Both teams have astute coaches. The huskies have teeth – Washington 30, Utah 26.

6. Fresno State (10-2) vs. Boise State (10-2) – (MWC Championship – Boise, Idaho) – 7:45 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – During the season, Boise State beat Fresno State, 24-17, on the Blue Carpet in Boise. The Broncos had to rally in the fourth quarter to win that game. Boise State is riding a seven-game winning streak. The Broncos last lost on October 6. Fresno State was on a seven-game winning streak when the Bulldogs lost to Boise State a few weeks ago. In a rematch, they lose to the Broncos again – Boise State 29, Fresno State 23.

7. Memphis (8-4) vs. UCF (11-0) – (AAC Championship – Orlando) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Yet another rematch. In the first encounter on October 13, UCF had to rally in the second half to beat Memphis by one point – 31-30. That game was in Memphis. This one is in Orlando. These two also played for the AAC championship last year. The Knights won. Even without McKenzie Milton, the Knights can win. Twenty-five in a row – UCF 30, Memphis 24.

8. Buffalo (10-2) vs. Northern Illinois (7-5) – (MAC Championship – Detroit) – 7 pm ET, Friday, ESPN2 – Buffalo has the better overall record, but both teams lost two games in conference play. Problem is NIU’s two MAC losses were its last two games. The Huskies definitely aren’t peaking right now. Buffalo is playing well. The Bulls are strong on offense and defense. They are too strong for NIU – Buffalo 32, Northern Illinois 21.

9. UAB (9-3) vs. Middle Tennessee (8-4) – (C-USA Championship – Murfreesboro, Tennessee) – 1:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN – Talk about a rematch, these two just played last week. And in Murfreesboro. Middle Tennessee beat UAB, 27-3. But you know what they say. It’s hard to beat a team the second time. UAB may have rolled over and played possum in that game. The Blazers didn’t need the win. Middle Tennessee did. The Blue Raiders are overconfident. The Blazers aren’t – UAB 23, Middle Tennessee 19.

10. Louisiana (7-5) vs. Appalachian State (9-2) – (Sun Belt Championship – Boone, North Carolina) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – This is the first time the Sun Belt has had a championship game. And App State will be the first conference championship team. This encounter is like Clemson-Pitt. Louisiana doesn’t have a chance, especially not on App State’s home field. This is another rematch. App State won the first encounter, 27-17. The Rajin’ Cajuns are a better team than they were then. But the Little Mountaineers can celebrate early – Appalachian State 31, Louisiana 19.

….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. Stanford (7-4) at California (7-4) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 3 pm ET, Saturday, PAC-12N – This game was postponed from its original scheduled date of November 17. The game was postponed due to poor air quality caused by the wildfires in northern California. Cal has become a dangerous team. The Bears are vastly improved. They beat Washington and barely lost to Washington State. The Bears can play good defense. Stanford is the more experienced and solid team. But anything can happen in a rivalry. And the Trees make it happen – Stanford 28, California 24.

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

West Virginia (8-3), Florida (9-3), Nebraska (4-8), Duke (7-5) and Purdue (6-6) have completed their seasons.

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Florida State (5-7), Miami (7-5), Florida Atlantic (5-7), FIU (8-4) and South Florida (7-5) have completed their schedules.

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S.

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

Willie Naulls, a four-time All Star forward with the New York Knicks and a member of three consecutive NBA championship teams with the Boston Celtics, died last week at his home in Laguna Niguel, California. He was 84. A fine outside shooter and a rugged rebounder at 6 feet 6 inches and 225 pounds, Naulls was an All-American at UCLA in 1955, his senior season, playing for coach John Wooden. He was a second-round draft pick of the St. Louis Hawks but was distraught over the city’s racial climate. The Hawks traded Naulls to the Knicks in December 1956 after he played 19 games for them. He became the Knicks’ captain in the early 1960s, the first black athlete to hold such a post for any team in a major American sport. In 1963, Naulls joined the Celtics after a brief stint with the San Francisco Warriors. He played for the Celtics’ teams that won the NBA championships in 1964, 1965 and 1966. William Dean Naulls was born on October 7, 1934, in Dallas, Texas. His family moved to Los Angeles during World War II. He averaged more than 15 points and 11 rebounds a game in three seasons at UCLA. He retired after three seasons with the Boston Celtics.

College Football Week 13 – Kansas hires Miles; Colorado fires MacIntyre

Who will be the fourth?

With two weeks remaining, four teams remain undefeated – Alabama (11-0), Clemson (11-0), Notre Dame (11-0) and UCF (10-0). I think it is fairly safe to say all four of those teams will still be undefeated come December 2.

And I think it is fairly safe to say three of those four teams will be in the playoff. Sorry UCF. You won’t be. For the second-straight year the Knights will finish the season undefeated and won’t be in the playoff. Not that I’m saying they should be.

So that begs the question: Who will be the fourth team in the playoff?

Well, it’s going to be one of the following five teams – Michigan (10-1), Oklahoma (10-1), Ohio State (10-1), Washington State (10-1) or Georgia (10-1). Let’s take a look.

If Michigan wins out, beats Ohio State and Northwestern, the Wolverines will be the fourth team. But, if Michigan should lose one of those games, then the Wolverines are out. If Michigan loses, that could open the door for Oklahoma, assuming the Sooners beat West Virginia and win the Big 12 championship game.

Or, it could open the door for Ohio State, assuming the Buckeyes beat Michigan and Northwestern. Or, it could open the door for Washington State, assuming the Cougars beat Washington and Utah.

The only way Georgia could become the fourth team is if the Dawgs beat Georgia Tech and then beat Alabama in the SEC championship game. And if that happens, then it begs the question: Will Alabama be knocked out of the playoff if the Tide loses to Georgia?

And if Alabama is knocked out, that keeps the door open for either Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio State or Washington State. But, should Alabama lose to Georgia, would the Tide just fall three spots to No. 4 and remain in the playoff? There are so many possibilities.

So, this week, keep your eyes on these games: Auburn-Alabama, South Carolina-Clemson, Notre Dame-USC, Michigan-Ohio State, Oklahoma-West Virginia, Washington-Washington State and Georgia Tech-Georgia. And yes, even UCF-South Florida. There’s got to be at least one upset in that bunch – maybe two. It’s going to be interesting. Stay tuned.

And, by the way, if UCF wins its New Year’s Six bowl game and finishes the season 13-0, will the Knights finish in the Top 4 of the AP and/or Coaches Polls? Stay tuned!

Going into the weekend, the only other team that had a chance of being that fourth team in the playoff was West Virginia. But the Mountaineers blew their chances. WVU (8-2) suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Oklahoma State (6-5). After leading the Cowboys 31-14 at the halftime break, West Virginia collapsed in the second half and lost to Oklahoma State, 45-41.

Three other teams, none of which were playoff hopefuls, ceased to be one-loss teams over the weekend. In the MAC, Buffalo (9-2) was stunned by a fired-up Ohio, 52-17. The Bobcats A.J. Ouellette rushed for 196 yards.

In the AAC, Cincinnati (9-2) became UCF’s tenth victim. In ESPN GameDay’s “Game of the Week,” the Bearcats fell to the Knights, 38-13. And in a non-conference affair, UAB (9-2) lost to Texas A&M, 41-20.

One team made the “70s Club.” Old Dominion (4-7) demolished VMI, 77-14. Four other teams came close, especially Washington State. The Cougars (10-1) crushed Arizona, 69-28. Also, Georgia (10-1) downed Massachusetts, 66-27, Florida (8-3) beat Idaho, 63-10, and Iowa (7-4) blasted Illinois, 63-0.

There were five overtime games during the weekend, but the two most exciting OTs occurred in the Big Ten. Wisconsin (7-4) outlasted Purdue (5-6) in three overtimes, 47-44 (3OT). Then, Ohio State (10-1) got by Maryland, 52-51 (OT). The Terrapins went for a two-point conversion in OT and failed. In the other three overtimes, Georgia Tech (7-4) beat Virginia, 30-27 (OT), Vanderbilt (5-6) downed Ole Miss, 36-29 (OT) and Ball State (4-7) tripped Western Michigan, 42-41 (OT). Like Maryland, WMU failed on a two-point conversion attempt.

Looking around the country, Florida State still has a pulse after all. FSU (5-6) edged Boston College, 22-21. Trailing BC, 21-13, early in the fourth quarter, the Noles kicked a 37-yard field goal with 12:04 on the clock to pull within 5 – 21-16. Then with 1:29 on the clock, FSU scored the winning touchdown. Also in the ACC, Miami (6-5) toppled Virginia Tech (4-6) in Blacksburg, 38-14.

In an all field goal game – five in total – Nebraska (4-7) beat Michigan State, 9-6. Trailing the Spartans 6-0 early in the fourth quarter, the Huskers got all three of their field goals in the final 11 minutes of the game. Also, in the Big Ten, Northwestern (7-4) downed Minnesota, 24-14.

In the Big 12, Texas (8-3) ended Iowa State’s five-game winning streak. The Longhorns beat the Cyclones, 24-10. Oklahoma (10-1) outscored Kansas, 55-40. The Sooners Kennedy Brooks rushed for 171 yards.

Mississippi State (7-4) pounded Arkansas, 52-6. Also, in the SEC, Missouri (7-4) thumped Tennessee, 50-17.

Out west in the Pac-12, Chip Kelly was looking good. UCLA (3-8) beat cross-town rival USC, 34-27. Elsewhere in the Pac-12, Utah (8-3) beat Colorado, 30-7, and Oregon (7-4) edged Arizona State, 31-29.

After starting the season 7-0, South Florida lost its fourth-straight game. The Bulls fell to Temple, 27-17. Also in the AAC, Houston (8-3) beat Tulane, 48-17.

In the MWC, Utah State improved to 10-1. The Aggies beat Colorado State, 29-24. Utah State faces Boise State (9-2) this week. And in the Sun Belt, Appalachian State (8-2) and Troy (9-2) both won, setting up their division-title showdown this week. App State beat Georgia State, 45-17, and Troy downed Texas State, 12-7.

Independent Army improved to an impressive 9-2. The Cadets downed Colgate, 28-14. Army is ranked in the AP (23^rd) and Coaches (24^th) Polls for the first time since 1996.

With its win over Cincinnati, UCF extended its winning streak to 23 games – the nation’s longest. Alabama is second with a 13-game winning streak. The Tide is followed by Notre Dame (12), Clemson (11) and Michigan and Utah State, both with a 10-game streak.

Conversely, Rice has the nation’s longest losing streak at 11 games. The Owls are followed by Rutgers (10) and Central Michigan (8).

The hat is back. Yes, the Mad Hatter is back in college football. After a two-season absence, former LSU coach Les Miles will be back on the sidelines in 2019. Kansas announced the hiring of Miles yesterday. Miles has been the front-runner for the job since the Jayhawks fired David Beatty a few weeks ago. But recently it appeared that Miles was losing ground to Todd Graham. Graham, the former Rice (2006), Tulsa (2007-2010), Pitt (2011) and Arizona State (2012-2017) head coach, was also having communications with Kansas, seeking the job in Lawrence.

The Miles – who turned 65 on November 10 – hiring was reminiscent of Kansas hiring Charlie Weis in 2012. At that time, Weis was returning to a head coaching position for the first time in three years. We all know how well that hiring turned out.

While Kansas was announcing the hiring of Miles, Colorado was announcing the firing of Mike MacIntyre. MacIntyre, in his sixth season with the Buffaloes, was 30-44 at Colorado. After beginning this season 5-0, the Buffs lost their sixth-straight game Saturday. They were 2-6 in Pac-12 play.

Also Sunday, Texas State fired coach Everett Withers. In three seasons with the Bobcats, Withers was 7-28. Texas State is 3-8 this season with one game remaining. Prior to Texas State, Withers was the head coach at James Madison for two seasons. In 2011, he was briefly the interim coach of North Carolina after Butch Davis was fired.

Déjà vu. It seems that South Florida coach Charlie Strong is a candidate for the Louisville job. Strong previously coached the Cardinals for four seasons – 2010 to 2013 – before leaving for Texas. Should Strong get the job, that would be reminiscent of Louisville hiring Bobby Petrino for the second time. Petrino coached the Cardinals from 2003 to 2006 and more recently from 2014 to 2018.

In spite of the potential interest in Strong, Louisville’s first choice still remains Purdue coach Jeff Brohm. But reportedly, Brohm is very happy at Purdue. It may take some doing to lure him back to Louisville, his alma mater.

Also in the running for the Louisville job are Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell, Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long, Ohio State offensive coordinator Ryan Day, former Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Tennessee coach Butch Jones and UAB coach Bill Clark.

Not that we don’t have too many bowl games as it is, but yet another bowl has been added to the list. When will it end? The Myrtle Beach Bowl will commence, following the 2020 season. The new bowl brings to 40 the number of bowl games, assuming none are canceled after this season. The Myrtle Beach Bowl will be contested by teams to be selected from two of three conferences – C-USA, MAC and Sun Belt. The bowl will be played at Coastal Carolina’s stadium in Conway, South Carolina – 10 miles inland from Myrtle Beach.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Touchdown Tom

November 19, 2018

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Pin striped – Notre Dame 36. Syracuse 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 30, Syracuse 26). The Orange were no match for the Irish. Trailing 36-0, Syracuse kicked a field goal with 10 seconds left in the game to keep from being skunked. ND had 463 total yards while holding the Orange to 234 yards. Irish quarterback Ian Book passed for 292 yards. Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey left the game in the first quarter to injury. Attendance in The Bronx: 48,104

RUNNER UP:  We want Bama! – UCF 38, Cincinnati 13 (Touchdown Tom said: UCF 32, Cincinnati 28). The Bearcats were no match for the Knights. Cincinnati fell behind 21-6 at the half and 35-13 early in the fourth quarter. UCF was the better passing team, while Cincinnati was the better running team. Knights quarterback McKenzie Milton passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Orlando: 47,795

REST OF THE BEST:  Ham – Clemson 35, Duke 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 34, Duke 15). The Dookies scored the first 6 points in the game and were never heard from again. Clemson had 459 total yards to 262 for Duke. Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence passed for 251 yards. Attendance in Clemson: 81,313

Gabriel was quiet – Texas 24, Iowa State 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Iowa State 27). Texas led 24-3 at the end of three quarters and cruised to victory in the fourth. The Longhorns had 405 total yards to 210 for Iowa State. The Horns held the Cyclones to just 62 yards rushing. Attendance in Austin: 102,498

Almost basketball – Washington State 69, Arizona 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington State 30, Arizona 24). Fifty-five points in the first half. That’s what Washington State had. In spite of the humiliation, Arizona outscored the Cougars 14-0 in the third quarter. But they awoke the sleeping giant. Washington State had 605 total yards. Combined the teams had 1,036 total yards. The Cougars Gardner Minshew passed for 473 yards and seven touchdowns. Attendance in Pullman: 22,400

Saddled – Oklahoma State 45, West Virginia 41 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 40, Oklahoma State 34). There was no excuse for West Virginia to lose this game. But they did. Leading 31-14 at halftime, WVU was outscored 31-10 by Okie State in the second half. The team combined for 1,157 total yards. The Cowboys never led in the game until there were only 42 seconds left. West Virginia’s Will Grier passed for 364 yards and the Mounties Kennedy McCoy ran for 148 yards. Attendance in Stillwater: 52,842

Give that Dog a biscuit – Fresno State 23, San Diego State 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Fresno State 27, San Diego State 18). San Diego State scored all 14 of its points in the first half. Fresno State shut them out in the second half. The Bulldogs defense held the Aztecs to only 64 yards rushing. Fresno State controlled the ball for more than 36 minutes. Fresno State quarterback Marcus McMaryion passed for 267 yards. Attendance in Fresno: 36,123

Tray day – Texas A&M 41, UAB 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 35, UAB 19). UAB controlled the clock for more than 34 minutes. But A&M controlled the score. Blazers quarterback Tyler Johnston passed for 306 yards. Aggies running back Trayveon Williams rushed for 167 yards. A&M led 34-7 at the end of three quarters. Attendance in College Station: 97,584

Wrecked – Georgia Tech 30, Virginia 27 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 23, Virginia 20). Virginia led 14-13 after one and 21-16 at the half. But Tech evened the score by the end of the second half. The Jackets held the Cavs scoreless in overtime. Virginia dominated the stats, including time of possession for more than 43 minutes. Attendance in Atlanta: 37,543

Stanford at California was postponed to December 1 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 28, California 26).

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

Just Ducky – Oregon 31, Arizona State 29 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 33, Arizona State 30). Oregon scored all but 3 of its points in the first half. The Ducks offense went to sleep in the second half. In spite of its lethargic second half, Oregon dominated the stats. Four turnovers didn’t help the Ducks any. Arizona State running back Eno Benjamin rushed for 149 yards. Attendance in Eugene: 50,485

Bulls got buffed – Ohio 52, Buffalo 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Buffalo 25, Ohio 21). Buffalo was only in this game for two minutes and 18 seconds. That’s when the Bulls went up 7-0 early in the first quarter. Then Ohio scored 31 unanswered points and the rout was on. The Bobcats racked up 646 total yards and 32 first downs to only 277 total yards and 13 first downs for Buffalo. Ohio also maintained time of possession for more than 43 minutes. Five turnovers didn’t help Buffalo any. Attendance in Athens: 13,839

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Albert loves fries – Florida 63, Idaho 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 47, Idaho 9). Florida led 49-0 at halftime and went into cruise control in the second half. The Gators had 603 total yards to 227 for Idaho. The Vandals only managed 73 yards passing. Backup quarterback Emory Jones played a good bit of the game for the Gators. Jones passed for two touchdowns. Combined Jones and Feleipe Franks were 31-for-43 passing for 399 yards and five touchdowns. Attendance in Gainesville: 81,467

                                     

Soccer match – Nebraska 9, Michigan State 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Michigan State 24). Neither team had more than 290 total yards. Combined they just had 537 total yards. Both quarterback completed less than 50% of their passes. Barret Pickering’s 47-yards field goal with 5:13 left on the clock was the game winner for the Huskers. All 15 of the game’s points came off of field goals. Attendance in Lincoln: 88,793

Mass chewing by Uga – Georgia 66, Massachusetts 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 49, Massachusetts 13). Georgia racked up 701 total yards – 426 of those yards rushing. The Dawgs played three quarterbacks. UMass managed to score in each of the four quarters. Attendance in Athens: 92,746

Too much Taylor – Wisconsin 47, Purdue 44 (3OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 28, Purdue 23). After two overtimes, Purdue could only manage a field goal, while Wisconsin managed a touchdown. There was no stopping Jonathan Taylor. The Badgers running back rushed for 321 yards. The teams combined for 1,053 yards. Wisconsin accounted for 385 yards rushing, while Purdue accounted for 386 yards passing. The Boilers only had 76 yards rushing. Attendance in West Lafayette: 46,114

Week 12 Results: 13 correct picks, 2 fumbles (86.7 percent)

For the Season:    128 correct picks,  53 fumbles (70.7 percent)

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Temple 27, South Florida 17 – Attendance in Philadelphia: 21,029

Florida State 22, Boston College 21 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 57,274

Miami 38, Virginia Tech 14 – Attendance in Blacksburg: 62,379

FIU 42, Charlotte 35 – Attendance in Charlotte: 13,371

North Texas 41, Florida Atlantic 38 – Attendance in Denton: 18,338

Bethune-Cookman 33, Florida A&M 19 – Attendance in Orlando: 52,142

Stetson 45, Valparaiso 31 – Attendance in Deland: 1,961

Dayton 34, Jacksonville U. 7 – Attendance in Jacksonville: 1,492

Superlatives

Impressive Passers:  

Washington State’s Gardner Minshew – 43-55-0 for 473 yards (7TDs); Ole Miss’s Jordan Ta’amu – 32-53-2-457 (2TDs); Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor – 321 yards (3TDs), and Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins – 28-38-1-405 (3TDs).

Also, Marshall’s Isaiah Green—19-36-0 for 387 yards (2TDs); Purdue’s David Blough – 31-48-0-386 (4TDs); West Virginia’s Will Grier – 27-48-2-364 (2TDs), and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa – 18-22-0-340 (3TDs);

Impressive Rushers:  

Maryland’s Anthony McFarland – 298 yards (2TDs); UCLA’s Joshua Kelley – 289 yards (2TDs); Kansas’ Pooka Williams – 252 yards (2TDs); Western Michigan’s LeVante Bellamy – 213 yards (1TD); Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins – 203 yards (1TD), and Ohio’s A.J. Ouellette – 196 yards (2TDs).

Also, North Texas’ Deandre Torrey – 184  yards (1TD); Oklahoma’s Kennedy Brooks – 171 yards (2TDs); Texas A&M’s Trayveon Williams – 167 yards (2TDs); Charlotte’s Benny LeMay – 159 yards (4TDs), and BYU’s Lopini Katoa – 155 yards.

Quotes of the Week:

“We’re better than Notre Dame,” UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton.

“I think it’s the first time most of the people have gotten the chance to see what our university is all about, the size of it, the energy, the passion from our fan base and what a game-day atmosphere looks like inside our stadium. This is big-time football. We’ve got great players on the field. I think everybody saw that tonight, and again we’ve got an opportunity to go 13-0 and add another tally to our season, and hopefully people enjoyed what they saw,” UCF coach Josh Heupel.

“That’s a great question for Mr. Swann, and out of honor and respect to him, I’ll let you ask him that,” USC coach Clay Helton, when asked if he will be back next season. (Swann is Lynn Swann the USC athletic director.)

Signs of the Day:

Welcome To Your Worst Knightmare

After Party Is At Corso’s

Touchdown Tom’s predictions for

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

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Michigan (10-1) at Ohio State (10-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – My, my, it’s been a long time since these two teams have come into this game so highly rated and with such good records. Mainly, Michigan has been the problem in recent years. Both were looking ahead to this game last week. The Buckeyes nearly stumbled against Maryland and the Wolverines didn’t exactly roll over wimpy Indiana. Winner goes to the Big Ten title game. Michigan has the good defense. Ohio State has the better offense. Defense wins – Michigan 26, Ohio State 21.

RUNNER UP:  2. Utah State (10-1) at Boise State (9-2) – (MWC vs. MWC) – 10:15 pm Saturday, ESPN – This is a real opportunity for Utah State. If the Aggies beat Boise State and then beat Fresno State in the MWC championship game, and if UCF should stumble against South Florida or in the AAC championship game, then Utah State would most likely replace UCF as the highest rated Group of Five team. The Aggies would go to a New Year’s Six bowl. But that is a big IF. First Utah State has to beat the Broncos on the Blue Carpet. They do – Utah State 26, Boise State 22.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Oklahoma (10-1) at West Virginia (8-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 8 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – West Virginia had its chance last week and blew it. The Mounties get one more chance. Beat Oklahoma and the Eers are in the Big 12 championship game – against Oklahoma again. This will be another game like the Oklahoma State game. Lots of points. Lots of points. The Mountaineers score the most points – West Virginia 47, Oklahoma 45.

4. Washington (8-3) at Washington State (10-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 8:30 pm ET, Friday, FOX – Ah, the ole Apple Cup. The winner wins the Pac-12 North Division. Washington State is a hot team. But Chris Petersen is a crafty coach. Mike Leach can be crafty too. Gardner Minshew makes the difference – Washington State 32, Washington 30.

5. Auburn (7-4) at Alabama (11-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – I know it’s a rivalry, but I just have this feeling that Auburn isn’t much of a rival this year. The Tigers have struggled. The Tide hasn’t. Saban takes the car, not the bus – Alabama 34, Auburn 17.

6. South Carolina (6-4) at Clemson (11-0) – (SEC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – This is similar to the Auburn-Alabama game. This is a big rivalry and South Carolina isn’t much of a rival this year. I just can’t see the Gamecocks moving the ball against Clemson’s defense. And I just can’t see South Carolina’s defense stopping Clemson’s offense. Not with Mustake at the helm – Clemson 33, South Carolina 16.

7. UCF (10-0) at South Florida (7-4) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 4:15 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – South Florida used to be a hot team. Not anymore. The Bulls can’t win for losing. And besides, Charlie Strong has his eyes on the Louisville job. McKenzie Milton runs with the Bulls – UCF 32, South Florida 19. 

8. Troy (9-2) at Appalachian State (8-2) – (Sun Belt vs. Sun Belt) – 2:30 pm ET, Saturday – Two excellent Group of Five teams. Most Power Five teams wouldn’t want to play these two. Winner goes to the Sun Belt championship game. App State has the home field, but Troy has the better team. The better team wins – Troy 27, Appalachian State 24.

9. Georgia Tech (7-4) at Georgia (10-1) – (ACC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, SECN – Georgia needs this win to keep its hopes alive for the college football playoff. The game means nothing to Tech, except for pride. And that could be a problem for Georgia. The pressure is on the Dawgs. Pride comes close, but doesn’t win – Georgia 28, Georgia Tech 21.

10. Syracuse (8-3) at Boston College (9-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Both of these teams fell flat on their faces last week. They looked awful. But one will recover this week. It’s the Eagles – Boston College 30, Syracuse 27.

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. LSU (9-2) at Texas A&M (7-4) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – These teams are jockeying for pride in the SEC West and a better bowl come the holidays. It’s been a better than expected year for LSU. It’s been a disappointing year for A&M. This week the Aggies disappoint the Tigers – Texas A&M 25, LSU 23.

12. Notre Dame (11-0) at USC (5-6) – (Ind. vs. Pac-12) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Notre Dame doesn’t have a conference championship game. This is it for the Irish. This is their conference championship game. This is their last chance to stake their spot in the playoffs. Will Clay Helton be fired after the game? – Notre Dame 33, USC 21.

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Florida (8-3) at Florida State (5-6) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – This looked like a runaway for Florida. Then Florida State up and showed some signs of life last week. Could be problems for the Gators. But Mullen takes the Noles off life support – Florida 27, Florida State 23.

Nebraska (4-7) at Iowa (7-4) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Friday, FOX – You have to admit, Nebraska has showed signs of brilliance in some recent games, after showing signs of futility in some earlier games. Yes, the Huskers are a better team than they were in September. But so are the Hawkeyes – Iowa 27, Nebraska 24.

Wake Forest (5-6) at Duke (7-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – Wake Forest needs the win to qualify for a bowl game. Duke needs the win to go to a better bowl game. No bowl for the Deacons – Duke 31, Wake Forest 26.

Texas (8-3) at Kansas (3-8) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Friday, FS1 – If Texas wins and West Virginia loses to Oklahoma, the Longhorns are in the Big 12 title game. Well, we all know nobody loses to Kansas. Well, maybe TCU does. But the Horns are no TCU – Texas 33, Kansas 23.

Purdue(5-6) at Indiana (5-6) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Purdue has had some big wins this year. Then again, the Boilers have had some big losses too. The records are the same but Indiana hasn’t really had any big wins. The Hoosiers still don’t have any big wins – Purdue 33, Indiana 28.

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Pitt (7-4) at Miami (6-5) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN….

Marshall (7-3) at FIU (8-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 12 noon ET, Saturday…  

Charlotte (4-7) at Florida Atlantic (5-6) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 6 pm ET, Saturday…. 

Florida A&M (6-5), Bethune-Cookman (7-5), Jacksonville U. (2-8) and Stetson (8-2)  have completed their seasons.

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com 

P.S.

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

…75 years ago this week in 1943 was “Paper Doll” by The Mills Brothers

…70 years ago this week in 1948 was “Buttons And Bows” by Dinah Shore

…65 years ago this week in 1953 was “Rags To Riches” by Tony Bennett, and “You, You, You” by The Ames Brothers

…60 years ago this week in 1958 was “Tom Dooley” by The Kingston Trio, and “It’s Only Make Believe” by Conway Twitty.

…55 years ago this week in 1963 was “Deep Purple” by Nino Temple and April Stevens

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

…45 years ago this week in 1973 was “Keep On Truckin’ (Part 1) by Eddie Kendricks, and “Photograph” by Ringo Star

…40 years ago this week in 1978 was “MacArthur Park” by Donna Summer

…35 years ago this week in 1983 was “All Night Long (All Night)” by Lionel Richie

…30 years ago this week in 1988 was “Bad Medicine” by Bon Jovi

…25 years ago this week in 1993 was “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meat Loaf

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

Roy Clark, the country singer and multi-instrumentalist best known as a longtime host of the television show “Hee Haw,” died last week at his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was 85. Clark was a genial banjo-wielding presence on “Hee Haw” for the show’s entire run of more than two decades. “Hee Haw” aired on CBS for two seasons – 1969 to 1971 – before being canceled. Then the show became a syndicated hit, running from 1971 to 1992. At the peak of its popularity, the show reached 30 million viewers a week. Clark was a regular guest and occasional guest host on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” He also appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and on sitcoms like “The Beverly Hillbillies” and “The Odd Couple.” Clark also had a long-running stage act in Las Vegas. In August 1983, he played a pivotal roll in establishing Branson, Missouri, as a tourist destination when he became the first major country star to open a music venue there – the 1,500 seat Roy Clark Celebrity Theater. In the 1950s, Clark played in the bands of singers Jimmy Dean and George Hamilton IV. In 1960, he joined Wanda Jackson’s band. During the 1960s and 1970s, he placed a total of 24 singles in the Country Top 40 – nine of them in the Top 10. Roy Linwood Clark was born on April 15, 1933, in Meherrin, Virginia. By the time he was 14 he had won two national banjo championships. In 1969, Clark’s version of Charles Aznavour’s “Yesterday When I Was Young” made the Top 10 on the Country charts and the Top 20 on the Pop charts. Clark was the Country Music Association’s entertainer of the year in 1973, and the musician of the year in 1977, 1978 and 1980. In 1983, his “Alabama Jubilee” won a Grammy Award for best country instrumental performance. Clark became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1987 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2009.   

College Football Week 12 – Louisville fires Bobby Petrino

Muschamp is still a Mustake

Or maybe I should have said: Mustake is still a mistake.

Whatever, but Mustake mistook Florida for a passing team on Saturday. As a result, the Gators put up 367 rushing yards, as they ran the ball down the Gamecocks throats.

When Will Mustake was at Florida, he used to know something about defense. It was the offense Mustake didn’t know anything about. He became known as a quarterback destroyer. He destroyed more quarterbacks than Lee Corso has mascot heads.

Yes, Will Muschamp was back in The Swamp Saturday. But he ended up losing, just like he did when he was the coach at Florida. It took the Gators about three and a half years to realize Muschamp was a Mustake. I don’t know how long it will take South Carolina.

Bootsie, Rockledge Gator, Swamp Mama and I were in Gainesville for the South Carolina-Florida game. We set up headquarters in Ocala for the weekend. The four of us got out of Dodge on Friday morning and drove up to Ocala. Our first stop was the Horse and Hounds Pub where we had lunch. The Horse and Hounds is located by some of the horse farms on U.S. 27, a few miles northwest of Ocala.

After lunch, the good husbands that we are, Rockledge Gator and I took the gals to one of their favorite quilt shops located in Trenton, Florida – the Suwanee Valley Quilt Shoppe. In addition to fabric, this quilt shop also has an old fashion soda fountain and ice cream parlor. While the girls shopped for fabric, Rockledge Gator and I partook in a few scoops of ice cream. Now you know why we are the good husbands that we are.

From Trenton, we returned to Ocala, passing through Newberry, Archer (home of Bo Didley) and Williston. Back in Ocala, we checked into our hotel for the weekend.

Saturday morning, we made the quick and pleasant drive to Gainesville, up U.S. 441, to see the Gators play South Carolina. And to see our old bud Will Mustake.

But Mustake started out like a Champ – a Muschamp. Halfway through the first quarter, South Carolina was up on the Gators, 14-0. This can’t be right. It was really bad late in the third quarter when the Gamecocks were winning by 17 points – 31-14.

Just before the third quarter ended, Florida scored a touchdown and trailed by 10 points – 31-21. Still, it looked desperate for the Gators. However, in the fourth quarter, Muschamp became Mustake. The Gamecocks offense floundered, as South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley played like another one of Mustake’s destroyed quarterbacks.

South Carolina’s defense floundered too. The Gamecocks couldn’t stop Florida’s running game. They were confused. They were worn down. The Gators scored two touchdowns in the final quarter and South Carolina scored zilch. After trailing by 17 points late in the third quarter, Florida rallied and beat the Gamecocks 35-31. Florida running backs Jordan Scarlett and Lamical Perine each rushed for more than 100 yards – 159 for Scarlett and 107 for Perine.

Actually, Florida easily could have beaten South Carolina, 42-31. But, with the ball on the South Carolina goal line with 1:50 to play, the Gators chose to take a knee for three plays. In four games this season, Mustake’s defense has given up 35 or more points. In all games, the Gamecocks are giving up 29 points a game.

Muschamp hasn’t changed. He’s still a Mustake.

Again this week, the football action began early. Tuesday night, Buffalo improved to 9-1, beating Kent State 48-14. Buffalo running back Jaret Patterson rushed for 185 yards. Two nights later, in Raleigh, Wake Forest shocked NC State, 27-23. The Wolfpack’s Ryan Finley passed for 374 yards, but NC State only rushed for 47 yards.

Friday night, Syracuse destroyed Louisville, 54-23. Moe Neal rushed for 159 yards for the Orange. Syracuse is now 8-2, while Louisville is 2-8. Out West, Boise State put together a balanced attack, as the Broncos beat Fresno State, 24-17. 

Speaking of out West, California (6-4) knocked off USC, 15-14. The Trojans are no better than 5-5 (4-4 in conference play). Clay Helton has to be sweating. Also in the Pac-12, Washington State(9-1)  keeps marching along. The Cougars beat Colorado, 31-7. Utah (7-3) got by Oregon, 32-25, and Herm Edwards beat Chip Kelly, as Arizona State (6-4) downed UCLA, 31-28.

In the Big Ten, Nebraska (3-7) exploded for a 54-35 victory over Illinois. Minnesota (5-5) also exploded. The Gophers shelled Purdue, 41-10. Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor rushed for 185 yards, but the Badgers lost to Penn State, 22-10. And Northwestern (6-4) claimed its first West Division title, as the Wildcats downed Iowa, 14-10.

The Big 12 had its usual share of donnybrooks. First, Oklahoma (9-2) outlasted Oklahoma State, 48-47. Then Texas (7-3) got by Texas Tech, 41-34. Iowa State (6-3) continued to win. The Cyclones beat Baylor, 28-14, and West Virginia (8-1) won again. The Mountaineers pounded TCU, 47-10.

Pitt (6-4) and Georgia Tech (6-4) are stepping up in the Coastal Division of the ACC. Pitt slammed Virginia Tech, 52-22, while Georgia Tech edged Miami (Florida), 27-21. More pressure on Mark Richt. Duke (7-3) took care of North Carolina (1-8), beating the Tar Heels, 42-35.

In the SEC, Kentucky (7-3) fell again – this time to Tennessee (4-6). The Vols beat the Wildcats, 24-7. Texas A&M (6-4) quieted Ole Miss, 38-24, and Georgia (9-1) bested Auburn, 27-10.

In a couple other games of interest, Cincinnati improved to 9-1. The Bearcats beat South Florida, 35-23. Also in the AAC, Temple (6-4) downed Houston 59-49, and UCF remained undefeated, beating Navy, 35-24.

No one joined the “70s Club” but Utah State (9-1) and SMU (5-5) came close. Utah State pummeled San Jose State, 62-24, and SMU out slugged Connecticut, 62-50.

There were no overtime games in Week 11.

Four teams remain unbeaten – Alabama (10-0), Clemson (10-0), Notre Dame (10-0) and UCF (9-0). Alabama and Clemson will skate this week, but Notre Dame and UCF could have a fight on their hands. The Irish play Syracuse (8-2) and UCF plays Cincinnati (9-1). Those two games could be interesting.

Ten teams just have one loss – Oklahoma (9-1), Michigan (9-1), Ohio State (9-1), Georgia (9-1), Washington State (9-1), West Virginia (8-1), Cincinnati (9-1), UAB (9-1), Utah State (9-1) and Buffalo (9-1).

This week is “Cupcake Week” in the SEC. Alabama plays The Citadel, Auburn entertains Liberty, Florida hosts Idaho, Georgia plays Massachusetts, Kentucky entertains Middle Tennessee, LSU hosts Rice, South Carolina plays Chattanooga and Texas A&M entertains UAB. They ought to be ashamed. Although UAB could give the Aggies some trouble.

Last week, I reported the news about Aurora, the Air Force Academy falcon mascot who was injured by West Point cadets in a prank gone wrong. It was thought the injuries may require Aurora to be euthanized. Well, I have good news. The outlook for Aurora is optimistic for a recovery. The 22-year-old bird is improving and expected to recover.

Reportedly, candidates high on the list for the opening at Kansas are former LSU coach Les Miles, NC State coach Dave Doeren, Troy coach Neal Brown, Appalachian State coach Scott Satterfield, Toledo coach Jason Candle, Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley, Army coach Jeff Monken, Tulane coach Willie Fritz and Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton. Kansas athletic director Jeff Long and Miles have already met and talked. There appears to be mutual interest between the two.

Apparently Louisville’s 54-23 loss to Syracuse was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Sunday, Louisville fired coach Bobby Petrino. The Cardinals are 2-8 this season – 0-7 in ACC play. Petrino is the fourth coach to be fired this season. Reports say that Louisville will go after Purdue coach Jeff Brohm. Brohm is a former Louisville player. Stay tuned!

Yeah, I had coffee ice cream and Rockledge Gator had butter pecan. Will Mustake must have had rocky road.

Touchdown Tom

November 12, 2018

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Beanless – Clemson 27, Boston College 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 30, Boston College 22). Boston College briefly led 7-3 for about one minute in the first quarter. Other than that, it was all Clemson. The Eagles never scored again. Clemson’s defense totally shutdown BC, holding them to 113 total yards – just 9 yards rushing. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence passed for 295 yards. Attendance in Chestnut Hill: 44,500

RUNNER UP:  B-O-R-I-N-G – Alabama 24, Mississippi State 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 34, Mississippi State 12). This game was downright boring. That’s about all you can say. Miss State was useless against Alabama. The Tide defense held State to 169 total yards – just 44 yards rushing. Bama had 23 first downs to a mere 6 for Miss State. Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw his second interception of the season – not that it bothered Bama any. Attendance in Tuscaloosa: 101,824

REST OF THE BEST:  Stubborn as a mule – Ohio State 26, Michigan State 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 21, Michigan State 20). This game stayed tight for three quarters. Ohio State led 9-6 at the end of three. But the Buckeyes poured it on in the fourth quarter, outscoring Michigan State 17-0. Ohio State held the Spartans to 54 yards rushing. Attendance in East Lansing: 74,633

Tigers got on the wrong bus – Georgia 27, Auburn 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 28, Auburn 20). This game was pretty much settled in the first half. Georgia led 20-10. There wasn’t much action in the second half – all defense. Georgia’s D’Andre Swift rushed for 186 yards. Attendance in Athens: 92,746

Bulls stop running – Cincinnati 35, South Florida 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Cincinnati 28, South Florida 24). South Florida led 16-14 at halftime. But Cincinnati outscored the Bulls 21-7 in the third quarter. The teams were scoreless in the fourth. Cincy held the Bulls to 81 yards rushing. The Bearcats Michael Warren rushed for 151 yards. Attendance in Cincinnati: 29,310

Broncos kick the Dogs – Boise State 24, Fresno State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Fresno State 27, Boise State 25). Fresno State led 10-3 at the half and 17-10 at the end of three. But Boise State outscored the Bulldogs 14-0 in the fourth quarter. Fresno State only had a passing game. The Broncos had both a ground and air attack. Boise State controlled time of possession for more than 34 minutes. Attendance in Boise: 33,118

Wow! – Oklahoma 48, Oklahoma State 47 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 39, Oklahoma State 19). The lead changed hands four times and the score was tied on three occasions. The teams combined for 1,342 total yards. Okie State quarterback Taylor Cornelius passed for 501 yards. Oklahoma running back Kennedy Brooks rushed for 165 yards. Attendance in Norman: 87,635

Watch out for those Cougs – Washington State 31, Colorado 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington State 26, Colorado 21). Colorado scored 7 points in the first quarter and that was it for the Buffs. Washington State then proceeded to score 31 unanswered points. The Cougars had 26 first downs to 12 for Colorado. The Buffs only had 75 yards rushing. Attendance in Boulder: 45,587

Happy in the Valley – Penn State 22, Wisconsin 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 22, Penn State 21). Penn State let Jonathan Taylor run all he wanted to (185 yards), but the Nitts shutdown Wisconsin’s passing game. The Badgers had 60 yards passing. Penn State’s Miles Sanders rushed for 159 yards. Attendance in University Park: 105,396

Utes Shyne – Utah 32, Oregon 25 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 32, Oregon 30). Oregon led 25-22 halfway through the fourth quarter. Utah scored 10 points in the final 6:48 of the game. Utah running back Armand Shyne rushed for 175 yards. Attendance in Salt Lake City: 46,275

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

No Achilles heel – Troy 35, Georgia Southern 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Troy 27, Georgia Southern 20). Troy only led 17-14 at the half. Then the Trojans outscored the Eagles 11-0 in the third quarter. Troy had 454 total yards to 291 for Georgia Southern, and 24 first downs to 13 for the Eagles. Attendance in Statesboro: 16,289

Rally – Florida 35, South Carolina 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 24, South Carolina 22). Florida had 528 total yards – 367 yards rushing. South Carolina played the better first half. Florida was better in the second half. Attendance in Gainesville: 82,096

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Eventually – West Virginia 40, TCU 10 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 34, TCU 17). It took WVU a while to wake up. Trailing TCU 3-0 in the second quarter, the Mountaineers outscored the Frogs 47-7. WVU had 535 total yards, holding TCU to 222 total yards. The Frogs were -7 yards rushing. Will Grier passed for 343 yards. Attendance in Morgantown: 60,007

The Corn was popping – Nebraska 54, Illinois 35 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Illinois 21). Illinois had 509 total yards, but the Banned Indians had 5 turnovers. Nebraska was better with 606 total yards, and only two turnovers. Illinois quarterback A.J. Bush rushed for 205 yards. Nebraska running back Devine Ozigbo rushed for 162 yards. Attendance in Lincoln: 88,316

Big one for the Dookies – Duke 42, North Carolina 35 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 29, North Carolina 20). The score was tied on four occasions. The teams combined for 1,165 total yards. Duke quarterback Daniel Jones was a one-man show for the Dookies. Jones passed for 361 yards and rushed for 186 yards. Attendance in Durham: 35,493

Bevo has some Horns – Texas 41, Texas Tech 34 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas Tech 35, Texas 33). Texas Tech rallied in the fourth quarter, but fell short. The Red Raiders outscored the Horns 24-14 in the final quarter. But Texas outscored Tech 27-3 in the second and third quarters. The teams combined for 1,064 total yards. Attendance in Lubbock: 60,454

Boilers stepped in a hole – Minnesota 41, Purdue 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 27, Minnesota 23). Minnesota had a big second quarter and a big third quarter, outscoring Purdue 10-0 and 21-0 respectively. Other than that, the teams were even. The Gophers held the Boilers to 88 yards rushing. Attendance in Minneapolis: 31,068

Week 11 Results: 13 correct picks, 4 fumbles (76.5 percent)

For the Season:    115 correct picks, 51 (69.3 percent)

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

UCF 35, Navy 24 – Attendance in Orlando: 44,738

Georgia Tech 27, Miami 21 – Attendance in Atlanta: 48,217

Notre Dame 42, Florida State 13 – Attendance in South Bend: 76,622

Florida Atlantic 34, Western Kentucky 15 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 14,400

FIU 45, UTSA 7 – Attendance in San Antonio: 16,874

Bethune-Cookman 28, North Carolina Central 25 (2OT) – Attendance in Daytona Beach: 3,145

South Carolina State 44, Florida A&M 21 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 12,608

Butler 28, Stetson 23 – Attendance in Indianapolis: 2,345

Valparaiso 48, Jacksonville U. 30 – Attendance in Valparaiso: 1,150

Florida Tech 55, Shorter 7 – Attendance in Rome: 1,575

West Alabama 45, West Florida 7 – Attendance in Livingston: 4,303

Superlatives

Impressive Passers: 

Oklahoma State’s Taylor Cornelius – 34-53-0 for 501 yards (3TDs); Utah State’s Jordan Love – 32-42-0-491 (5TDs); Texas Tech’s Jett Duffey – 37-47-1-444 (4TDs); Nevada’s Ty Gangi – 28-35-0-404 (4TDs); NC State’s Ryan Finley – 35-52-1-374 (1TD), and Ole Miss’s Jordan Ta’amu 22-35-0-373 (1TD).

Also, ULM’s Caleb Evans – 27-32-0 for 367 yards (2TDs); Duke’s Daniel Jones – 31-54-1-361 (3TDs); Middle Tennessee’s Brent Stockstill – 31-40-0-352 (4TDs); Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray – 21-29-0-349 (1TD); West Virginia’s Will Grier – 25-39-1-343 (3TDs), and Stanford’s K.J. Costello – 23-33-1-342 (4TDs)/

Impressive Rushers: 

Pitt’s Qadree Ollison – 235 yards (3TDs); Texas A&M’s Trayveon Williams – 228 yards (1TD); Temple’s Ryquell Armstead – 210 yards (6TDs); Maryland’s Anthony McFarland – 210 yards; Notre Dame’s Dexter Williams – 202 yards (2TDs)Illinois’ A.J. Bush – 187 yards (3TDs); Pitt’s Darin Hall – 186 yards (1TD); Duke’s Daniel Jones – 186 yards (1TD), and Georgia’s D’Andre Swift – 186 yards (1TD).

Also, Louisiana’s Raymond Calais – 186 yards (3TDs); Buffalo’s Jaret Patterson – 185 yards (2TDs); Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor – 185 yards (1TD); Connecticut’s Kevin Mensah – 184 yards (1TD); Arizona State’s Eno Benjamin – 182 yards (1TD); Vanderbilt’s Ke’Shawn Vaughn – 182 yards (1TD); Florida Atlantic’s Kerrith Whyte – 179 yards (2TDs), and Utah’s Armand Shyne – 174 yards.

Also, Ohio’s A.J. Ouellette – 168 yards; Memphis’ Darrell Henderson – 166 yards (2TDs); Oklahoma’s Kennedy Brooks – 165 yards (3TDs); Northwestern’s Isaiah Bowser – 165 yards (1TD); Nebraska’s Devine Ozigbo – 162 yards (3TDs); Syracuse’s Moe Neal – 159 yards (2TDs); Florida’s Jordan Scarlett – 159 yards; Penn State’s Miles Sanders – 159 yards (1TD), and Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim – 155 yards.

Quotes of the Week

“I prefer to hire an experienced head coach. I want to hire him sooner rather than later,” Kansas athletic director Jeff Long, on replacing David Beaty.

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

The 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games this Week…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Notre Dame (10-0) vs. Syracuse (8-2) – (Ind.  vs. ACC) – 2:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – Syracuse may be the one team that can keep Notre Dame from having a perfect season. The Orange are capable. The game is being played in Yankee Stadium. Irish survive – Notre Dame 30, Syracuse 26.

RUNNER UP:  2. Cincinnati (9-1) at UCF (9-0) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – UCF hasn’t played but one team with a winning record this season. Cincinnati will be the second team. The Bearcats could ruin UCF’s perfect season. It’s a Knight night – UCF 32, Cincinnati 28.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Duke (7-3) at Clemson (10-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – The Dookies have a good record. But they aren’t good enough to beat Clemson. The Tigers defense is too tough. Not to mention their offense. Tigers dunk the Dookies – Clemson 34, Duke 15.

4. Iowa State (6-3) at Texas (7-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, LHN – Iowa State is a hot team. The Cyclones began the season 1-3 and have won 5 straight. But the Longhorns are no slouch. Bevo takes Cy for a spin – Texas 33, Iowa State 27.

5. Arizona (5-5) at Washington State (9-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Arizona is getting hot, but Washington State is hotter. The Cougars are on a roll. They can’t be stopped – Washington State 30, Arizona 24.

6. West Virginia (8-1) at Oklahoma State (5-5) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – This is going to be a wild one in Stillwater. I just have that feeling. Both teams know how to score. Mounties score more – West Virginia 40, Oklahoma State 34.

7. San Diego State (7-3) at Fresno State (8-2) – (MWC vs. MWC) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN – Both teams took a tumble last week. The Bulldogs bounce back – Fresno State 27, San Diego State 18.

8. UAB (9-1) vs. Texas A&M (6-4) – (C-USA vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – This should be an easy game for the Aggies, but UAB has been playing good football. It will still be an easy game for the Aggies – Texas A&M 35, UAB 19.

9. Virginia (7-3) at Georgia Tech (6-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – Both teams are playing well in the ACC. Both have a shot of winning the Coastal Division. The Jackets play better in this one – Georgia Tech 23, Virginia 20.

10. Stanford (6-4) at California (6-4) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, PAC-12N – Always a fun game. Both teams are good – not great – but good. The Bears can’t climb this Tree – Stanford 28, California 26.

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. Arizona State (6-4) at Oregon (6-4) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, PAC-12N  – Herm Edwards is looking for his 7^th win. He doesn’t get it – Oregon 33, Arizona State 30.

12. Buffalo (9-1) at Ohio (6-4) – (MAC vs. MAC) – 7 pm ET, Wednesday, ESPN2 – Buffalo is the best team in the MAC. Ohio will attempt to disprove that. A tough night for the Bobcats – Buffalo 25, Ohio 21.

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Idaho (4-6) at Florida (7-3) – (Big Sky vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPNU – The Gators can relax this week. Prepare for next week. The Vandals get vandalized – Florida 47, Idaho 9.

Michigan State (6-4) at Nebraska (3-7) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET. Saturday, FOX – Nebraska has found something. And the Huskers are going to keep it. They are going to keep winning – Nebraska 28, Michigan State 24.

Massachusetts (4-7) at Georgia (9-1) – (Ind. vs. SEC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – A cake walk for the Dawgs. And they love the icing – Georgia 49, Massachusetts 13.

Wisconsin (6-4) at Purdue (5-5) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – Which one of these teams will show up. You never know. But it won’t be the Boilers – Wisconsin 28, Purdue 23.

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

South Florida (7-3) at Temple (6-4) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN.... 

Boston College (7-3) at Florida State (4-6) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2....

Miami (5-5) at Virginia Tech (4-5) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN.... 

FIU (7-3) at Charlotte (4-6) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 2 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Florida Atlantic (5-5) at North Texas (7-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 9:30 pm ET, Thursday, CBSSN….

Bethune-Cookman (6-5) vs. Florida A&M (6-4) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 2 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN Classic and ESPN3….

Valparaiso (2-8) at Stetson (7-2) – (Pioneer vs, Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….

Dayton (5-5) at Jacksonville U. (2-7) – (Pioneer vs, Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….

Florida Tech (8-3) and West Florida (6-5) have completed their seasons.

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but there were two passings of note last week – Wally Triplett and Ron Johnson.

Wally Triplett, one of the first African-Americans to be drafted and play for an NFL team and the first African-American to start for Penn State, died last week. He was 92. Triplett was drafted in the 1949 draft by the Detroit Lions, as a running back and returner. The 5-foot-11, 173-pound Triplett played two years for the Lions and two years for the Chicago Cardinals. At Penn State, he was one of two black players to play for the Nittany Lions in the 1948 Cotton Bowl against SMU. Wally Triplett was born in La Mott, Pennsylvania, on April 18, 1926. He played football, basketball and baseball in high school.

Ron Johnson, the All-Pro running back who became the first player in the New York Giants history to gain at least 1,000 rushing yards in a season, achieving the milestone twice in the 1970s, died Saturday at an assisted living home in Madison, New Jersey. He was 71. Johnson was an All-American halfback at Michigan. He was the first black player to be named a captain of the football team at Michigan. Johnson was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1969. The Browns traded him to the Giants in 1970. Johnson has six seasons with the Giants. Ronald Adolphus Johnson was born on October 17, 1947, in Detroit. He ran for 4,308 yards and 40 touchdowns as a pro.