College Football Week 10 – The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party

Down go the Sooners and Irish;

Up go the Tigers and Buckeyes 

Up go the Nittany Lions, Ducks and Utes. Down go the Badgers, etc. Yes, Week 9 had its ups and downs. Saturday was a topsy-turvy day.

“Jalen, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

You just wonder if Lincoln Riley didn’t say something like that to Jalen Hurts when Kansas State, after trailing Oklahoma, came back to not only take the lead but build up a 24-point lead over the Sooners. I mean, Kansas State just doesn’t do things like that to Oklahoma. Riley must have thought he was in Alabama or Louisiana or somewhere else. But surely not in Kansas.

Yeah, it was a sad Saturday for Oklahoma, Auburn, Notre Dame and others. But it was a great Saturday, for LSU, Ohio State, Penn State and others.

Oklahoma’s totally unexpected 48-41 loss to Kansas Sate has seriously damaged the Sooners playoff hopes. Early in the second quarter, OU led K-State, 17-7. Then, the Wildcats went on an incredible and unbelievable run, outscoring the Sooners 41-7 in a 30-minute span. With 12:54 to go in the fourth quarter, K-State led OU, 48-23.

Granted, Oklahoma put on a frantic and desperate rally in the final 12 minutes of the game – scoring 18 unanswered points. OU came darn close to recovering an onside kick that would have given them a shot at winning or at least tying the game in regulation. But in the end the Sooners came up seven points short.

Oklahoma is not totally eliminated from playoff contention. If the Sooners win-out, including a win in the Big 12 championship game, they still have a shot at making the playoff at 12-1. But their chances aren’t as strong as they once were. It will take a lot of luck and the perfect set of losses among the teams above them. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, down the road from Manhattan, in Lawrence, Kansas, another coach must have wondered if he was still in Kansas too. Texas Tech coach Matt Wells must have shared Dorothy’s feelings when his Red Raiders lost to Kansas, 37-34. I mean, you just don’t lose to Kansas.

Late in the fourth quarter, Kansas trailed Texas Tech, 34-27. With 5:12 remaining, the Jayhawks tied the game at 34-34. Then, as time expired, Kansas kicked a 32-yard field goal to upset the Red Raiders. And it was the Jayhawks second attempt at the field goal. On the first try, the kick was blocked. A Texas Tech player picked up the ball and began running with it. But, lo and behold, he fumbled and Kansas recovered. So the Jayhawks got their second shot at a field goal. The second time was a charm.

Eight games into the season, under first-year coach Les Miles, Kansas has already won three games. The Jayhawks have not won more than three games in a season since 2009 when they won five. In nine-plus seasons, Kansas has only won 21 games.

Down went Notre Dame, Saturday night. The Irish not only lost, they were swept off the field by Michigan, 45-14. Entering the game at 5-1, Notre Dame still had a chance of making the playoff. But now with two losses, the Irish have no chance. At 8-for-25 passing, Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book only completed 32% of his passes.

It was an up day for LSU, as the Tigers knocked off Auburn, 23-20. Even though the score was close – Auburn led on three occasions – throughout the game you never had the feeling Auburn was going to win. At least I didn’t. LSU was outrushing and outpassing Auburn. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow looked confident; Auburn quarterback Bo Nix didn’t. Like I said when Auburn lost to Florida, you live by a freshman quarterback; you die by a freshman quarterback. Against LSU, Auburn died – again.

It was a rainy day in Columbus, Ohio, but it was an up day for Ohio State. The Buckeyes flattened Wisconsin, 38-7. The Ohio State defense held vaunted Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor to just 52 yards rushing on 20 attempts. Meanwhile, Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins rushed for 163 yards on 20 attempts. I must say Ohio State looks like a complete team in all aspects of the game. There are no weaknesses.

Penn State is looking more and more impressive each week. The Nittany Lions are improving with age. Saturday, in East Lansing, they shook down Michigan State, 28-7. Early in the third quarter, the Nitts led the Spartans, 28-0. That’s back-to-back wins over Michigan teams for Penn State.

In the late shows Saturday night, two Pac-12 teams were looking up – keeping their chances alive for a playoff berth. But one of the teams was lucky to escape. Trailing Washington State, 35-34, Oregon kicked a 26-yard field goal as time expired to come away with a 37-35 victory. The lead changed hands four times in the thrilling game. Neither team ever led by more than seven points. Oregon couldn’t stop Washington State’s passing attack – 406 yards. And Washington State couldn’t stop Oregon’s ground attack – 306 yards.

In the other game, Utah’s defense looked solid, as the Utes downed California, 35-0. The Bears couldn’t penetrate the Utah defense. Cal finished the game with only 85 total yards. The Bears only maintained possession for 22 minutes. Cal’s leading rusher only had 24 yards. The Bears’ quarterback only completed 36.8% of his passes.

Oregon and Utah could be headed for a confrontation in the Pac-12 championship game.

Week 9 began Thursday night, with SMU beating Houston, 34-31. SMU is undefeated at 8-0. But I have to tell you, I wasn’t impressed with the Mustangs at all. Not against Houston, I wasn’t. Maybe SMU was looking ahead to Memphis. Right now, I’m thinking Memphis will beat the Mustangs. Stay tuned! 

In a good game Friday night, USC rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Colorado, 35-31. USC’s freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis passed for 406 yards and four touchdowns.

Oklahoma and Texas Tech weren’t the only Big 12 teams upset on Saturday. In fact, all four Big 12 games were upsets (Baylor and West Virginia were off). Iowa State and Texas were upset victims too.

In Ames, Oklahoma State took advantage of three interceptions thrown by Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy. The Cowboys ended the Cyclones three-game winning streak. Iowa State fell to Oklahoma State, 34-27. Then in Fort Worth, TCU took advantage of four interceptions thrown by Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger. The Horned Frogs upset the Longhorns, 37-27.

In the ACC, Miami and Florida State tuned up, in a positive way, in preparation for their encounter this week. The Hurricanes, in a defensive battle, edged Pitt, 16-12. Meanwhile, in Tallahassee, the Seminoles put aside Syracuse, 35-17. Both Miami and FSU upped their records to 4-4.

Poor ole Nebraska – the Huskers just can’t win for losing. Saturday, Nebraska led at halftime, 21-16, but ultimately fell to Indiana, 38-31. Of interest, Huskers’ backup quarterback Luke McCaffrey saw action when starting quarterback Noah Vedral was injured. McCaffrey is the younger brother of former Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey and current Michigan backup quarterback Dylan McCaffrey. Luke was 5-for-6, passing for 71 yards and one touchdown.

Elsewhere in the Big Ten, Minnesota remained undefeated. The Gophers blasted Maryland, 52-10. Minnesota hosts Penn State on November 9. The two teams are off this week.

When Stanford is good, the Trees are really, really good. When Stanford is bad, the Tree are really, really bad. Saturday the Trees were good. Stanford downed Arizona, 41-31. Stanford quarterback K.J. Costello was 30-for-43, passing for 312 yards and three touchdowns.

And what do you know – Chip Kelly got a win. UCLA surprised Arizona State, 42-32. The Bruins pulled off the win in spite of three turnovers – all fumbles.

In the SEC, Alabama didn’t need Tua Tagovailoa to beat Arkansas. The Tide put down the Razorbacks, 48-7. Backup quarterback Mac Jones handled the duties for Tua. Jones was 18-for-22, passing for 235 yards and three touchdowns. In the second half, Jones was replaced by Tua’s younger brother – freshman Taulia Tagovailoa.

Also, in the SEC, South Carolina led Tennessee, 21-17, at halftime but lost to the Vols, 41-21. Tennessee shutout the Gamecocks 24-0 in the second half. And Kentucky added to Missouri’s woes. After losing to Vanderbilt last week, Saturday, Missouri lost to Kentucky 29-7.

There were some good games in the AAC. UCF continues to get back on track. The Knights toppled Temple, 63-21. Navy and Tulane put on a thriller in Annapolis. The Middies beat the Green Wave on a 48-yard, time expiring field goal, 41-38. And finally, Memphis scored a touchdown with 4:26 on the clock to beat Tulsa, 42-41. I’m thinking the Tigers were looking ahead to this week’s encounter with SMU.

And finally, in what was supposed to be a good game in the MWC, Air Force ran over Utah State, 31-7. The Falcons improved to 6-2.

With Oklahoma’s loss, only nine teams remain undefeated – Baylor (7-0), Clemson (8-0), Minnesota (8-0), Ohio State (8-0), Penn State (8-0), Alabama (8-0) and LSU (8-0) from the Power Five, and SMU (8-0) and Appalachian State (7-0) from the Group of Five.

But there are some strong one-loss teams out there who still have a chance to make the playoff. Consider Oklahoma (7-1), Oregon (7-1), Utah (7-1), Florida (7-1) and Georgia (6-1). It all depends on how the cookie crumbles.

SMU remains the No. 1 Group of Five team for a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl. But the Mustangs are being chased by Appalachian State, Boise State (6-1), Memphis (7-1), Cincinnati (6-1) and Navy (6-1).

After Week 9, my Top 4 in alphabetical order are Alabama, LSU, Ohio State and Penn State. My Top 4 wannabes are Clemson, Minnesota and Baylor.

I’m calling this week the “Off Week” as so many of the top teams are off. But four games, at least, should be very interesting – Florida-Georgia in Jacksonville, Oregon at USC, Utah at Washington and SMU at Memphis. Stay tuned!

My Top 3 Heisman candidates dropped to a Top 2 Heisman candidates – LSU’s Joe Burrow and Ohio State’s Justin Fields.

There were reports last week that Jim Harbaugh is leaving Michigan at the end of the season, returning to a head coaching job in the NFL. At a presser, Harbaugh denied the reports.

There were also reports that Florida State is interested in hiring Urban Meyer. At a presser, Florida State athletic director David Coburn said not only is FSU not interested in Meyer, but that the Noles wouldn’t even be interested in Steve Spurrier. I’m not sure if Coburn was smoking dope or trying to flatter himself.

Coaching salaries were in the news last week. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is the highest paid coach in college football, making $9.3 million a year. Alabama coach Nick Saban is second at $8.85 million a year. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh makes $7.504 million, followed by Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher at $7.5 million. Georgia coach Kirby Smart is 5^th at $6.87 million a year.

Finishing out the Top 10 are Auburn coach Gus Malzahn at $6.83 million, Texas coach Tom Herman at $6.75 million, Purdue coach Jeff Brohm at $6.6 million, Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley at $6.3 million and Florida coach Dan Mullen at $6.1 million a year.

The SEC is the only conference where every coach makes $3 million or more.

In last week’s blog, I wrote about the trip Swamp Mama and I took to Paducah, Kentucky, to visit the National Quilt Museum. Well, I received a couple of interesting responses to the blog from long-time CFW readers.

I mentioned that on the way to Paducah, we stayed overnight at Adairsville, Georgia, north of Atlanta. Fern Musselwhite, a CFW reader and friend from Gainesville, Florida, told me there is an excellent BBQ restaurant at the Adairsville exit off I-75 – Characters BBQ. I value Fern’s recommendations, so the next time any of you all are around Adairsville at lunch or dinner time, give Characters BBQ a try.

Then I heard from long-time CFW reader and friend Chris Burnette of Columbia, South Carolina. Chris, a South Carolina graduate, told me that the University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum currently has a quilt exhibit on display. The exhibit runs to July 2020. Chris is on the board of the museum and he suggested that I bring Swamp Mama to see the quilts. We’re planning to do that in the spring.

So hats off to the state of Kansas. It’s not often that both Kansas and Kansas State win on the same day.

Touchdown Tom
October 28, 2019
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com



Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Frustration for Gus – LSU 23, Auburn 20 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 30, Auburn 24). The score was close but the stats weren’t. LSU totally dominated Auburn in first downs, total yards, passing yards, rushing yards, third down efficiency, pass completion percentage  and time of possession. LSU’s Joe Burrow completed 76% of his passes. Auburn’s Bo Nix completed 43% of his passes. Attendance in Baton Rouge: 102,180 

RUNNER UP: Rockin’ Dobbins – Ohio State 38, Wisconsin 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 28, Wisconsin 16). Ohio State not only dominated the score but also the stats – first downs, total yards, passing yards, rushing yards, third down efficiency and time of possession. Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins rushed for 163 yards. Attendance in Columbus: 102,998

REST OF THE BEST:  Potato famine – Michigan 45, Notre Dame 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 27, Michigan 24). Michigan’s defense was awesome – holding Notre Dame to only 180 total yards and just 47 yards rushing. The Wolverines held the Irish scoreless in the first half and outscored Notre Dame 21-7 in the fourth quarter. Michigan’s Hassan Haskins rushed for 149 yards. Attendance in Ann Arbor: 111,909

Boomer bust – Kansas State 48, Oklahoma 41 – (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 35, Kansas State 17). Oklahoma won the first quarter (17-7) and the fourth quarter (18-7). Kansas State won the second quarter (17-6) and the third quarter (17-0). Early in the fourth quarter, K-State led 48-23. Then OU scored 18 unanswered points. It was a game of spurts. From early in the third quarter to early in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats scored 24 unanswered points. Key for K-State was time of possession. The Wildcats controlled the ball for more than 38 minutes. OU’s Jalen Hurts was 19-for-26, passing for 395 yards. K-State quarterback Skylar Thompson rushed for four touchdowns. Attendance in Manhattan: 50,394

Dantonio in danger – Penn State 28, Michigan State 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 20, Michigan State 14). The stats were reasonably close but Michigan State suffered from four turnovers. Penn State’s Sean Clifford had four touchdown passes. Attendance in East Lansing: 70,298

Thriller – Oregon 37, Washington State 35 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 37, Washington State 30). Oregon kicked a 25-yard field goal as time expired to win the game. The game was close throughout – tied 17-17 at the halftime break. The Ducks had a balanced attack, while the Cougars only had 40 yards rushing. Washington State made up for it with 406 yards passing. But the Cougars’ Anthony Gordon threw two interceptions. Oregon’s C.J. Verdell rushed for 257 yards. Attendance in Eugene: 59,361

Sailors delight – Navy 41, Tulane 38 (Touchdown Tom said: Navy 29, Tulane 24). Navy jumped out to a 24-0 lead but Tulane came roaring back to tie the game at 31-31 early in the fourth quarter. The rest of the fourth quarter was a battle. Navy kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired to win. The teams were pretty evenly matched in the stats, with Tulane the better passing team and Navy the better rushing team. Navy’s Jamale Carothers rushed for 154 yards and Malcolm Perry rushed for 142 yards. Attendance in Annapolis: 31,118

Unleashed – UCF 63, Temple 21 (Touchdown Tom said: UCF 30, Temple 27). A close game at the halftime break, UCF outscored Temple 35-0 in the second half. The Knights had 614 total yards to 266 for the Owls. Temple only had 45 yards rushing. The Knights’ Otis Anderson rushed for 205 yards. Attendance in Philadelphia: 29,949

Defense – Utah 35, California 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 26, California 14). Utah’s defense held Cal to 85 total yards – just 25 rushing and 60 passing. The Utes had 23 first downs to 6 for Cal. Utah maintained time of possession for more than 37 minutes. Attendance in Salt Lake City: 46,626

It wasn’t a Purdy party – Oklahoma State 34, Iowa State 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa State 33, Oklahoma State 29). The game stayed close throughout but Oklahoma State never trailed. The Cyclones had 30 first downs to 14 for Okie State. Iowa State maintained time of possession for more than 34 minutes. But the Cyclones also had three turnovers – all interceptions thrown by Brock Purdy. The Cowboys’ Chuba Hubbard rushed for 116 yards.  Attendance in Ames: 61,500



….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Peyton’s Place – Indiana 38, Nebraska 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 32, Indiana 28). The third quarter was the downfall for Nebraska. That’s when Indiana outscored the Huskers 15-3.Nebraska was the better rushing team. The Hoosiers were the better passing team. Indiana’s Peyton Ramsey passed for 351 yards and two touchdowns. Attendance in Lincoln: 89,317



YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Tarred – North Carolina 20, Duke 17 (Touchdown Tom said: North Carolina 30, Duke 25). North Carolina broke the 17-17 tie with a 40-yard field goal with seven minutes left in the game. Both teams suffered three turnovers – one fumble and two interceptions each. Attendance in Chapel Hill: 50,500

Warts – TCU 37, Texas 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, TCU 23). The game was always close and was tied on three separate occasions. Texas suffered from four turnovers – all interceptions thrown by Sam Ehlinger. Attendance in Fort Worth: 47,660

Boilers need repair – Illinois 24, Purdue 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 30, Illinois 29). Neither team mustered much of an offense. Illinois only had 26 yards passing. The Banned Indians’ strength was its rushing game with 242 yards on the ground. Illinois’ Dre Brown rushed for 131 yards. Attendance in West Lafayette: 58,735

Week 9 Results:   8 winners, 6 fumbles (57.1 percent)
For The Season:  97 winners, 34 fumbles (74.1 percent)



ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

Miami 16, Pitt 12 – Attendance in Pittsburgh: 47,918
West Florida 38, Florida Tech 14 – Attendance in Melbourne: 2,215
Valparaiso 19, Stetson 10 – Attendance in Valparaiso: 878 

Butler 24, Jacksonville U. 14 – Attendance in Indianapolis: 3,484
Florida A&M 24, Morgan State 12 – Attendance in Baltimore: 2,786
Florida State 35, Syracuse 17 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 50,517
Florida Atlantic 41, Old Dominion 3 – Attendance in Norfolk: 17,744 

Middle Tennessee 50, FIU 17 – Attendance in Murfreesboro: 9,512
South Florida 45, East Carolina 20 – Attendance in Greenville: 30,088
South Carolina State 27, Bethune-Cookman 19 – Attendance in Daytona Beach: 12,204 



Superlatives

Impressive Passers:

Troy’s Kaleb Barker – 34-45-0 for 421 yards (2TDs); Kansas’ Carter Stanley – 26-37-1-415 (3TDs); Houston’s Clayton Tune – 18-35-1-407 (2TDs); USC’s Kedon Slovis – 30-44-1-406 (4TDs); Washington State’s Anthony Gordon – 32-50-2-406 (3TDs), and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts – 19-26-0-395 (1TD).

Also, North Texas’ Mason Fine – 26-38-0 for 394 yards (5TDs); Indiana’s Peyton Ramsey – 27-40-1-351 (2TDs); Louisiana Tech’s J’Mar Smith – 29-35-0-338 (3TDs); Charlotte’s Chris Reynolds – 24-32-0-336 (3TDs); Colorado’s Steven Montez – 27-43-0-324 (3TDs); Colorado State’s Patrick O’Brien – 23-42-1-322 (2TDs), and LSU’s Joe Burrow – 32-42-1-321 (1TD).

Impressive Rushers:

Toledo’s Bryant Koback – 259 yards (2TDs); Oregon’s C.J. Verdell – 257 yards (3TDs); Georgia State’s Tra Barnett – 242 yards (2TDs); Wyoming’s Xazavian Valladay – 206 yards; UCF’s Otis Anderson – 205 yards (1TD); Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden – 204 yards (2TDs); New Mexico’s Ahmari Davis – 200 yards (2TDs), and Western Michigan’s LeVante Bellamy – 178 yards (4TDs).

Also, UCLA’s Joshua Kelley – 164 yards (4TDs); Connecticut’s Kevin Mensah – 164 yards (5TDs); Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins – 163 yards (2TDs); Navy’s Jamale Carothers – 159 yards (3TDs); Middle Tennessee’s Asher O’Hara – 159 yards (2TDs); Massachusetts’ Bilal Ally – 159 yards (2TDs); Northern Illinois’ Tre Harbison – 158 yards (2TDs), and Ball State’s Walter Fletcher – 156 yards (1TD).

Also, Tulsa’s Shamari Brooks – 156 yards (1TD); Charlotte’s Benny LeMay – 155 yards (2TDs); Mississippi State’s Kylin Hill – 151 yards; Michigan’s Hassan Haskins – 149 yards; Memphis’ Kenneth Gainwell – 149 yards (3TDS); Buffalo’s Jaret Patterson – 149 yards (1TD); Air Force’s Timothy Jackson – 148 yards (1TD); Miami of Ohio’s Tyre Shelton – 148 yards, and Fresno State’s Ronnie Rivers – 146 yards (2TDs).



Quotes of the Week

“If Willie Taggart was hit by a bus tomorrow, we would not target Urban Meyer, period. I say that with all due respect to coach Meyer. We would not target Steve Spurrier either,” Florida State athletic director David Coburn, denying rumors that FSU was going to hire Urban Meyer.

“Total crap. Fabricated to hurt recruiting. This is a choreographed message that comes up at this time every year before signing day. It’s people spreading messages to further their own personal agenda. But I’m on record right here, right now: I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying at Michigan. We have big plans here and there’s a lot we want to accomplish,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, on rumors he wants to leave for the NFL.

“It wasn’t quite as loud as it was at Florida,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, saying The Swamp was louder than Death Valley.

Signs of the Day

Last Time Corso Was In South Dakota Was With Lewis & Clark

I Only Drink Three Days A Week: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow



Touchdown Tom’s Picks for
This Week’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Florida (7-1) vs. Georgia (6-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – Here we go again – the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. This year it has more meaning than it has for a while. Both teams are in the Top 10. Both teams are still candidates for the playoff. The loser will be out. The winner will still be in the running. Interesting note: Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has been the defensive coordinator for both teams in this game. Not all that long ago, Grantham was the DC at Georgia. Georgia’s offense has been non-existent in the Dawgs’ last two games. But they have had the week to get that problem corrected. The Gators’ offense has been like wine – improving with age. Pop the cork – Florida 27, Georgia 22.

RUNNER UP:  2. SMU (8-0) at Memphis (7-1) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – SMU is good but the pressure is mounting on the Mustangs. Key to SMU is how well quarterback Shane Buechele plays. Likewise for Memphis – how well Scott Brady plays. This could be a high-scoring affair. And a fun game. Tigers give the Ponies the Blues – Memphis 34, SMU 28.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Utah (7-1) at Washington (5-3) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – With one conference loss, the Utes are tied with USC for the Pac-12 South Division lead. Utah can’t afford another loss. The Huskies are just playing for respectability and a good bowl. But they have the home field. Utes defense should hold the Huskies’ offense. Harry sits – Utah 28, Washington 26. 

4. Oregon (7-1) at USC (5-3) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Both of these teams can score. Both have leaky defenses. USC coach Clay Helton is fighting for his job. Win and he’s in. One more loss and he’s out. Ducks put Helton on quacky ground – Oregon 33, USC 27. 

5. Virginia Tech (5-2) at Notre Dame (5-2) – (ACC vs. Ind.) – 2:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – While Notre Dame was getting smacked by Michigan, Virginia Tech had the week off. The Hokies will be rested. The Irish will be tired. Notre Dame bounced back after the Georgia loss. The Irish bounce back again – Notre Dame 28, Virginia Tech 19.

6. NC State (4-3) at Wake Forest (6-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – What if Wake Forest were to win-out – beating Clemson and winning the ACC title? Does that put them in the playoff? First they have to beat the Wolfpack. They do – Wake Forest 30, NC State 21.

7. TCU (4-3) at Oklahoma State (5-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Both teams pulled off big upsets last week. Only one can win this week. This could be a “u-pick ’em.” I pick the Cowboys – Oklahoma State 29, TCU 27.

8. Virginia (5-3) at North Carolina (4-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – Virginia was picked to win the ACC Coastal Division. They still can. But the Cavs have been disappointing. North Carolina has been all over the place. The Cavs put them in their place – Virginia 27, North Carolina 24.

9. Miami (Florida) (4-4) at Florida State (4-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – It’s always fun when these two get together. Although the game hasn’t been very important in recent years. Only pride comes into play. The Noles have more pride – Florida State 23, Miami 20. 

10. West Virginia (3-4) at Baylor (7-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 8 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Both teams have had a week and a half to prepare for this one. Baylor probably doesn’t have to prepare as much as WVU does. The Bears have been playing well. The Mounties have barely been playing. This Bear escapes the hunt – Baylor 34, West Virginia 17. 



….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. Houston (3-5) at UCF (6-2) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – UCF has lost two games by a total of four points. That’s all that separates them from an undefeated season. Dillon Gabriel has been performing well as UCF’s quarterback. The Knights are loaded with good running backs. Houston will be overwhelmed. The Knights redshirt Dana – UCF 36, Houston 17. 



YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS

Nebraska (4-4) at Purdue (2-6) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – What does Nebraska need to do to win? Play Purdue. That’s what they need to do. It’s hard to believe Purdue coach Jeff Brohm is the highest paid coach in the Big Ten. But he is. He must have fed a good line to the Boilers. The Huskers feed off Brohm’s line –   Nebraska 30, Purdue 27.

Duke (4-4) and Texas (5-3) are off.



ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

Old Dominion (1-7) at FIU (4-4) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
Stetson (5-2) at Jacksonville U. (2-6) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….
West Alabama (4-4) at Florida Tech (3-5) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 2 pm ET, Saturday…. 

Delaware State (1-7) at Florida A&M (7-1) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….
Florida Atlantic (5-3) at Western Kentucky (5-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
North Greenville (3-5) at West Florida (6-1) – ( vs. Gulf South) – 5 pm ET, Saturday….

Bethune-Cookman (6-2) and South Florida (4-4) are off.



Touchdown Tom
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com



P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but there were three passings of note last week – Willie Brown, Bernie Parrish and John Conyers.

Willie Brown, a Hall of Fame defensive back for the Oakland Raiders in the 1960s and 70s, died last week in Tracy, California. He was 78. Brown joined the Raiders in a trade in 1967. He played on the Raiders’ team that won the Super Bowl in 1977. William Ferdie Brown was born on December 2, 1040, in Yazoo City, Mississippi. He attended Grambling State, where he played split end and linebacker for Eddie Robinson. Brown went undrafted in 1963 by both the National Football League and the American Football League. Eventually, he was signed by the Denver Broncos of the AFL. The Broncos traded Brown to Oakland in 1967. After retiring from football, he became the Raiders’ defensive backfield coach from 1979 to 1988. During that time, Oakland won two more Super Bowls in 1981 and 1984. In 1991, Brown was the head coach of Long Beach State. The school dropped its football program at the end of the season. Brown got his master’s degree at Long Beach State. In 1994, he coached a high school team in Los Angeles. Brown returned to the Raiders in 1995 as director of staff development.

Bernie Parrish, a former college and professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League and American Football League for eight seasons during the 1950s and 1960s, died last week in Springfield, Missouri. He was 83. Bernard Paul Parrish was born on April 29, 1936, in Long Beach, California. He grew up in Gainesville, Florida, where he graduated from P.K. Yonge High School and the University of Florida. In the NFL, Parrish played for the Cleveland Browns 1964 NFL championship team. He was indicted into both the University of Florida’s and Cleveland Browns’ Hall of Fames. In 1971, Parrish wrote the bestseller “They Call It A Game.” He was an early advocate of retired NFL players receiving redress for their football-related traumatic brain injuries. In the NFL, Parrish played seven years for the Browns (1959-1965) and one season for the Houston Oilers (1966). He played halfback and defensive back for the Gators.

John Conyers, a Korean War veteran who was the longest serving African-American member of Congress in U.S. history, died yesterday. He was 90. During his 53 years in the U.S. House, Conyers built a reputation as a champion for civil and human rights. The Detroit Democrat was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1969. Conyers resigned from Congress in December 1917 amid allegations of sexual harassment. He was first elected to Congress in 1964. Conyers had bachelor’s and a law degrees from Wayne State University.