Thanksgiving and Football

College Football Week 15 – Rutgers-Schiano are back on again

Thanksgiving and football go

together like winter and snowfall 

What’s winter without snowfall? What’s Thanksgiving without football? The two go hand-in-hand.

I don’t think we’ll get much snowfall in Florida this winter. But we sure had plenty of football over Thanksgiving. Football combined with family and friends. That’s how Thanksgiving should be.

Football began early – Ohio-Akron and Western Michigan-Northern Illinois – on Tuesday night during Thanksgiving Week and it ended late – Army-Hawaii – during the wee hours of Sunday morning.

In between, we had a “pisser” in Starkville on Thanksgiving Night, a first in 15 years on the day after and two bombs and a classic on Saturday.

Let’s begin with the classic – Auburn 48, Alabama 45.

And what a classic it was. For only the fourth time in the last 12 games, the Tigers were victorious over the Crimson Tide. But the outcome of the game, in a series that Alabama leads 46-37-1, was a cliff hanger until the very end.

Auburn led Alabama, 7-3, at the end of the first quarter. The Crimson Tide led the Tigers, 31-27, at halftime. Auburn led Alabama, 40-38, at the end of three. Early in the fourth quarter, the Tide went back up 45-40. With 8:08 to go in the game, the Tigers retook the lead, 48-45. Then it was a nail biter for the final eight minutes.

In all, the lead changed hands no fewer than nine times during the game. But in the end, Auburn came out on top. Auburn’s 48 points were the most scored on Alabama since the 2003 season when the Tide lost to Tennessee, 51-43 (5OT). Yes, the game was a classic.

Then the two bombs. The three top games on Saturday were Ohio State-Michigan, Wisconsin-Minnesota and Alabama-Auburn. We know that Alabama-Auburn was a classic. Ohio State-Michigan and Wisconsin-Minnesota were bombs.

In Ann Arbor, some so-called experts thought Michigan would hand Ohio State its first loss of the season. Not to be. The Buckeyes not only beat the Wolverines, they totally humiliated Michigan, 56-27.

The game was close for one quarter. Ohio State led at the end of one, 14-13. But in the final 45 minutes of the game, the Buckeyes outscored Michigan, 42-14 – 28-6 in the second and third quarters. Yes, the game was a bomb.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields passed for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Buckeyes running back J.K. Dobbins rushed for 211 yards and four touchdowns.

It was Ohio State’s eighth-straight win over Michigan. It was Jim Harbaugh’s fifth-straight loss to Ohio State. The Buckeyes are 17-2 in the last 19 games with the Wolverines. Michigan does lead the overall series, 58-51-6.

The second bomb, another Big Ten game, occurred in Minneapolis. It’s been a great season for Minnesota. Coming into Saturday’s game against Wisconsin, all the one-loss Gophers had to do was beat the Badgers to win the Big Ten West Division and play Ohio State in the Big Ten title game.

The game was expected to be close. Minnesota was favored. Well, forget that. The game wasn’t close and Minnesota didn’t win. Wisconsin shattered the Gophers’ hopes, 38-17. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Badgers had a 28-point lead over Minnesota – 38-10. Yes, the game was a bomb.

In the most-played rivalry in FBS college football, Saturday’s victory gave Wisconsin a one-game lead in the overall series. Wisconsin leads the rivalry, 61-60-8. The Badgers have dominated in recent years, winning 22 of the last 25 games.

There were several bombs on Saturday, including all four of the annual post-Thanksgiving battles between the ACC and the SEC – all rivalry games. Georgia toppled Georgia Tech, 52-7. Kentucky disgraced Louisville, 45-13. Florida dismissed Florida State, 40-17. And in the only win for the ACC, Clemson spanked South Carolina, 38-3.

As mentioned, we had two early weeknight MAC games prior to Thanksgiving. On Tuesday night, Ohio insured that Akron finished its season without a win. The Bobcats clobbered the Zips, 52-3. Akron was the only FBS team that didn’t win a game this season. In the other MAC game, Northern Illinois upset Western Michigan, 17-14.

Princess Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe arrived Wednesday to spend Thanksgiving with Swamp Mama and me. They had a pleasant drive down from the panhandle. Their color-coded GPS indicated traffic tie-ups and problems on I-75 and the Florida Turnpike. So heading East, they remained on I-10 to Jacksonville and then took I-95 South to Brevard County. Traffic was not an issue on I-95.

Our daughter and grandchildren were accompanied by two special guests – a soon-to-be nine-year-old black Lab named Bo and a three-year-old yellow Lab named Honey. I needed some pals to watch football with.

Wednesday night, we watched West Virginia win the Cancun Classic basketball tournament, beating Wichita State, 75-63.

Thanksgiving Day, eight friends joined the five of us for a festive day of comradery, fun, food and thanks. Our guests included Jane Sharpe and her son Jack. Jack just finished two years at Eastern Florida State College and enters Florida State in January as a junior.

Stephanie Stein and her son David. David is a freshman at Florida State. Too many Seminoles around for Swamp Mama’s comfort. Also, we had next-door neighbors Deb and Dieter Gum – both Florida Tech grads.

Our new friend Jill DeSantis joined us. Jill brought the most delicious brownies I have ever tasted. And finally, we were fortunate to have Alex Vamosi. A Canadian from Edmonton, Alex has his Masters and PhD in Economics from North Carolina. He was Swamp Mama’s boss at Florida Tech.

Thanksgiving Night, Mississippi State beat Ole Miss, 21-20, in the Egg Bowl. Actually, it turned out to be the Tinkle Bowl or whatever. Trailing 21-14, Ole Miss scored with 0:04 left in the game on a two-yard touchdown pass from Matt Corral to Elijah Moore.

Moore caught the ball and fell into the end zone, scoring the six points. Ole Miss trailed 21-20. Then the Ole Miss receiver proceeded to get on all fours like a dog. Moore crawled – doggie style – to the back of the endzone where he lifted his hind leg to the Mississippi State fans.

The penalty flags were flying – unsportsmanlike conduct. Instead of going for 2 points or kicking the extra point from the three-yard line, Ole Miss was penalized 15 yards. They had  to kick the extra point – a 35-yarder – from the 18 yard line. The kick was wide right.

So while Ole Miss took a leak, Mississippi State won the game, 21-20. The Bulldogs Kylin Hill rushed for 132 yards.

Friday, Virginia beat Virginia Tech for the first time in 15 games. The Cavs won, 39-30. The win sends Virginia to the ACC championship game as winners of the ACC Coastal Division.

West Virginia and Nebraska have had tough times this season. The Mountaineers finished on a high note, beating TCU in Fort Worth, 20-17. The Huskers finished on a low note, losing at home to Iowa, 27-24. Both WVU and Nebraska finished the season with 5-7 records.

Memphis claimed the AAC West Division title, beating Cincinnati, 34-24. Ironically, Memphis and Cincinnati will meet again this week on the same field in the AAC championship game. Cincinnati will be representing the AAC East Division.

Appalachian State beat Troy, 48-13. The Little Mountaineers finished their regular season with an impressive 11-1 record that included wins over North Carolina and South Carolina.

In the MAC, Central Michigan won the conference’s West Division, beating Toledo, 49-7. It was Jim McElwain’s first season coaching the Chippewas. CMU had an 8-4 season under McElwain, the former Florida coach.

Out West, Washington won the Apple Cup. The Huskies beat Washington State, 31-13. Friday night concluded with the War on I-4. UCF topped South Florida, 34-7.

In addition to the two bombs, the classic and the four ACC-SEC encounters, Saturday had its share of other interesting games.

Oklahoma kept its hopes for a playoff spot alive. The Sooners downed Oklahoma State, 34-16. Jalen Hurts passed for 163 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 61 yards and another touchdown. The Sooners held Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard to 104 yards rushing.

Also in the Big 12, Baylor made a statement to the playoff committee. The Bears pounded Kansas, 61-6. Baylor and Oklahoma meet for the Big 12 title this week. The winner has a good shot at making the playoff.

Likewise, Utah remained alive as a playoff contender. The Utes beat Colorado, 45-15. The win puts Utah in this week’s Pac-12 title game against Oregon. Also in the Pac-12, Chip Kelly lost again. California beat UCLA, 28-18. The Bruins finished at 4-8. In two seasons, Kelly is 7-17 at UCLA.

Herm Edwards beat Kevin Sumlin for the second-straight year. Arizona State downed Arizona, 24-14. The Wildcats finished 4-8. In two seasons, Sumlin is 9-15 at Arizona. Edwards is 14-11 at Arizona State. And in the Civil War, Oregon bested Oregon State, 24-10.

In the ACC, Boston College surprised Pitt. The Eagles beat the Panthers, 28-17. Boston College running back A.J. Dillon rushed for 178 yards. The BC win may have saved Steve Addazio’s job. Also, in the ACC, first-year coach Manny Diaz finished on a down note. Miami lost to Duke 27-17. The Hurricanes finished their season at 6-6.

It took an overtime for Syracuse to silence Wake Forest. The Orange beat the Demon Deacons, 39-30 (OT).

In a wild one in the Big Ten, Indiana outlasted Purdue. The Hoosiers beat the Boilers, 44-41 (2OT). In the loss, Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell passed for 408 yards and three touchdowns. Boilers running back Alexander Horvath rushed for 164 yards. On the winning side, Indiana quarterback Peyton Ramsey passed for 337 yards and three touchdowns. Indiana finished its season with an impressive 8-4 record.

In the AAC, SMU finished its season with a 10-2 record. The Mustangs downed Tulane, 37-20. With one game remaining, Navy is sitting at 9-2. The Middies beat Houston, 56-41. Navy running back Jamale Carothers had 188 yards rushing, while Middies quarterback Malcolm Perry had 146 yards rushing in the game. Navy plays Army on December 14.

And speaking of Service Academies, Air Force finished an impressive season at 10-2. The Falcons topped Wyoming, 20-6.

Florida Atlantic and UAB won their respective divisions of C-USA. FAU won the C-USA East Division, beating Southern Miss, 34-17, while UAB won the West Division of C-USA, dropping North Texas, 26-21. FAU and UAB will meet this week in the C-USA championship game.

All three undefeated Power Five teams – Clemson (12-0), Ohio State (12-0) and LSU (12-0) – won over the weekend. LSU, by the way, clobbered Texas A&M, 50-7. Ohio State and LSU are a lock for the playoff, even if they lose their conference championship games. As long as Clemson beats Virginia in the ACC title game, and I have no doubt that they will, the Tigers are in the playoff. But if Clemson loses, they are out.

The four one-loss Power Five teams – Georgia (11-1), Utah (11-1), Oklahoma (11-1) and Baylor (11-1) – remain as possibilities for the playoff. Georgia must beat LSU in the SEC title game to get in. Otherwise, the Dawgs are out. Utah has to beat Oregon in the Pac-12 title game and then hope for the best. Likewise, Oklahoma or Baylor have to win the Big 12 title game and then hope for the best. But something has to give between Oklahoma and Baylor, as they play each other. Obviously, both can’t win.

In the race for the Group of Five spot in the New Year’s Six bowl, Memphis (11-1), Boise State (11-1) and Appalachian State (11-1), in that order, are in the running.

My Top 10 teams are 1. Ohio State, 2. LSU, 3. Clemson, 4. Utah, 5. Georgia, 6. Oklahoma, 7. Baylor, 8. Alabama, 9. Florida and 10, Wisconsin.

My Top 4 for the Heisman are 1. Joe Burrow (LSU), 2. Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma), 3. Justin Fields (Ohio State) and 4. Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin).

Three schools – New Mexico, UNLV and Missouri – fired their coaches last week. And three more – UTSA, South Florida and Ole Miss – fired their coaches yesterday. After eight seasons with the Lobos, Bob Davie is out. Davie, the former Notre Dame coach, was 35-63 in Albuquerque. The Lobos were 2-10 this season.

UNLV terminated its relationship with Tony Sanchez. In five seasons with the Rebels, Sanchez had a 19-40 record – 4-8 this season. Missouri said farewell to Barry Odom. After four seasons, Odom was 25-25 in Columbia. The Tigers were 6-6 this year. I think many of Odom’s problems were caused by having Derek Dooley (alias Derek Fooley) as his offensive coordinator.

Just yesterday, UTSA fired Frank Wilson and South Florida fired Charlie Strong. Wilson had a 19-29 record after four seasons in San Antonio. This year the Roadrunners finished 4-8. Strong, the former Louisville and Texas coach, was 21-16 in three seasons with the Bulls – 4-8 in 2019. Also, on Sunday, Ole Miss terminated Matt “Fat Matt” Luke. After three seasons in Oxford, Luke was 15-21 – 4-8 this season.

Texas coach Tom Herman is shaking up his staff. Herman fired his defensive coordinator Todd Orlando and reassigned his offensive coordinator Tim Beck to another position on the Longhorns staff. At 6-6, Texas had a disappointing season and the pressure is on Herman.

Lo and behold, the on-again, off-again relationship between Rutgers and Greg Schiano is on again. After the two sides failed to reach an agreement several days ago, Schiano walked away from a deal with Rutgers. Now reports say Rutgers and Schiano got back together and that Schiano will be the Scarlet Knights new coach. Stay tuned!

Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks has announced that he will either enter the NFL draft in the spring or enter the transfer portal – one or the other. Regardless, Franks will not be back at Florida next season. He began the season as the starting quarterback for the Gators before suffering a season-ending injury.

Oh yeah. I almost forgot. During the wee hours of Sunday morning, while most of us were sleeping – Hawaii beat Army, 52-31.

Princess Gator, Gator Gabe, Gator Babe, Bo and Honey left Sunday and made their way back up to the panhandle. Swamp Mama and I will see them in a few more weeks when we are up there for Christmas. I’m missing my football watching pals, Bo and Honey, already.

Bootsie and Rockledge Gator spent Thanksgiving in a cozy cabin the mountains of North Georgia. 

I saw a cute cartoon Sunday. A group of Alabama fans were facing off with a group of Auburn fans. The Alabama fans were saying, “We didn’t have Tua.”

The Auburn fans responded, “Yeah, you did. You had Tua many players on the field.”

Hope your Thanksgiving was a good one!

Touchdown Tom
December 2, 2019
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com



Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Harbaugh is 0-5 – Ohio State 56, Michigan 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 28, Michigan 24). The Wolverines were able to pass with the Buckeyes, but they couldn’t run with the Buckeyes. Ohio State had 265 yards rushing to 91 for Michigan. Ohio State controlled possession of the ball for more than 36 minutes. Michigan was only 2-for-13 on third down efficiency. Ohio State finished with 578 total yards. Attendance in Ann Arbor: 112,071

RUNNER UP:  Bucky wasn’t yucky – Wisconsin 38, Minnesota 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Minnesota 27, Wisconsin 26). But Goldy was oldy. Minnesota has a tough time with Wisconsin. Victories over the Badgers are rare these days. Wisconsin held Minnesota to 76 yards rushing. Attendance in Minneapolis: 53,756

REST OF THE BEST:  See ya again next week – Memphis 34, Cincinnati 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Memphis 30, Cincinnati 26). Memphis led throughout, but Cincinnati kept it close. Memphis led 20-17 at the halftime break. And speaking of close, the teams were very close in the stats – only that the Bearcats had three turnovers to one for the Tigers. Memphis and Cincinnati play again this week on the same field for the AAC championship. Attendance in Memphis: 36,472

Tua many players – Auburn 48, Alabama 45 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 27, Alabama 24). Don’t knock Gus Malzahn. He pulled a smart one on Nick Saban as the game was winding down. And he made sure he got his one second back at the end of the first half. Alabama quarterback Mack Jones passed for 335 yards and four touchdowns. Tide running back Najee Harris rushed for 146 yards. Auburn couldn’t pass worth a darn, but the Tigers had more points at the end. Bama controlled ball possession for more than 35 minutes. Attendance in Auburn: 87,451

Where was Chuba? – Oklahoma 34, Oklahoma State 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 34, Oklahoma State 29). Late in the third quarter, this was still a tight game. Oklahoma only led 20-16. Then the Sooners opened it up, outscoring the Pokes 14-0 in the final 18 minutes of the game. Attendance in Stillwater: 54,575

Jimbo is in limbo – LSU 50, Texas A&M 7 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 27, Texas A&M 22). Texas A&M had less than 100 yards passing and running – only 169 yards total. LSU had 564 total yards. The Aggies were 2-for-13 on third down efficiency. A&M also had four turnovers. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow passed for 352 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Baton Rouge: 102,218

At last – Virginia 39, Virginia Tech 30 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 27, Virginia 25). Bud was a dud, Bryce was nice and after 15 years, the Cavs finally beat the Hokies. Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, who is retiring at the end of this season, finished the regular season giving up 39 points. Meanwhile, Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins passed for 311 yards (1TD) and rushed for another 164 yards (2TDs). Virginia Tech had a big third quarter, outscoring the Cavs, 21-7. Virginia had a bigger fourth quarter, outscoring the Hokies, 19-3. Both teams had 311 passing yards. Attendance in Charlottesville: 52,619

Off we go – Air Force 20, Wyoming 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Air Force 31, Wyoming 27). Neither team had much offense – least of all Wyoming. The Cowboys only had 225 total yards. Wyoming was guilty of three turnovers. Wyoming was held scoreless until there was 2:23 left on the fourth quarter. Attendance in Colorado Springs: 21,425

The bingo parlor got raided – Florida 40, Florida State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 33, Florida State 15). Florida beat Florida State in The Swamp for the first time since 2009. The Gator defense held FSU to 69 yards rushing. The Noles weren’t much better passing. Florida quarterback Kyle Trask passed for 343 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Gainesville: 89,409

Green Wave couldn’t pin the tail – SMU 37, Tulane 20 (Touchdown Tom said: SMU 33, Tulane 27). At the end of the third quarter, SMU only led 21-17. Then the Mustangs outscored the Green Wave 16-3 in the fourth quarter. Tulane actually dominated the stats – first downs, passing yards, rushing yards and time of possession. Tulane had the ball for more than 36 minutes. SMU’s Xavier Jones rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Attendance in Dallas: 20,761



….AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Heartland headache for the Cyclones – Kansas State 27, Iowa State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa State 33, Kansas State 30). What a disappointing year it was for Iowa State (7-5). And what a surprisingly good year it was for Kansas State (8-4). No one expected that. Entering the fourth quarter this game was tied 17-17. Then K-State outscored the Cyclones 10-0 in the fourth quarter. Iowa State only had 56 yards rushing. K-State only had 57 yards passing. Iowa State was 1-for-13 on third down efficiency. Attendance in Manhattan: 48,990



YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Great finish! – West Virginia 20, TCU 17 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 23, TCU 20). Trailing 17-13, West Virginia scored the winning touchdown on a 35-yard pass from Jarret Doege to Isaiah Esdale with 2:10 on the clock. The game was a defensive battle. The score was tied 10-10 at the half. With the loss, TCU failed to become bowl eligible. Attendance in Fort Worth: 40,126

Shucked – Iowa 27, Nebraska 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 23, Nebraska 21). Iowa jumped out to first half leads of 17-3 and 24-10. Nebraska came roaring back to tie the game at 24-24 in the third quarter. The fourth quarter was a defensive struggle that ended with Iowa kicking a 48-yard field goal with 0:01 left on the clock. There wasn’t much offense in the game. Neither team was successful passing. Nebraska had 100 yards passing and Iowa had 99. Iowa running back Tyler Goodson rushed for 116 yards. Attendance in Lincoln: 89,039

Manny blue – Duke 27, Miami (Florida) 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 32, Duke 21). At the end of three, Miami led 17-13. Then the Dookies outscored Miami 14-0 in the fourth quarter. Neither team had much offense. Miami only had 98 yards rushing. The Canes were 4-for-20 in third down efficiency. Attendance in Durham: 15,913

Not a hell of a football player – Georgia 52, Georgia Tech 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 32, Georgia Tech 13). What dominance! Georgia had 26 first downs to seven for Tech, 500 total yards to 139 for Tech. The Dawgs even had three turnovers and still won big. Jake Fromm is still completing less than 50% of his passes. Attendance in Atlanta: 55,000

Fun game – Indiana 44, Purdue 41 (2OT) – (Touchdown Tom said: Indiana 38, Purdue 33). For the Hoosiers. Indiana led 28-17 at the end of three. Purdue rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Hoosiers, 14-3. The teams combined for 1,111 total yards – 745 yards of that passing. Amazingly, during regulation, Indiana controlled the ball for more than 38 minutes. Attendance in West Lafayette: 55,338

Horns tumble the Weeds – Texas 49, Texas Tech 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Texas Tech 25). Texas Tech jumped out to 14-0 lead, but it was all Texas after that. The Horns outscored the Red Raiders, 49-10. The two teams combined for 1,080 yards of offense. But Tech only had 71 rushing yards. Tech quarterback Jett Duffey passed for 399 yards, while Texas’ Sam Ehlinger passed for 348 yards.  Attendance in Austin: 93,747

Week 14 Results:  13 winners, 4 fumbles (76.5 percent)
For the Season:    152 winners, 52 fumbles (74.5 percent)



ELSEWHERE IN FLORIDA:

UCF 34, South Florida 7 – Attendance in Orlando: 45,216
Marshall 30, FIU 27 (OT) – Attendance in Huntington: 18,596
West Florida 38, Valdosta State 35 (Division II Playoff) – Attendance in Valdosta: 4,261



Superlatives

Impressive Passers: 

Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell – 28-49-1 for 408 yards (3TDs); North Carolina’s Sam Howell – 23-33-1-401 (3TDs); Texas Tech’s Jett Duffey – 36-58-0-399 (2TDs); Eastern Michigan’s Mike Glass – 29-37-2-386 (3TDs), and LSU’s Joe Burrow – 23-32-0-352 (3TDs). 

Also, Nevada’s Carson Strong – 33-54-0 for 351 yards (1TD); Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman – 25-42-2-350 (2TDs); Texas’ Sam Ehlinger – 19-27-0-348 (2TDs); Florida’s Kyle Trask – 30-41-0-343 (3TDs); Michigan State’s Brian Lewerke – 30-41-2-342, and Arkansas State’s Layne Hatcher – 23-38-0-342 (2TDs). 

Also, Indiana’s Peyton Ramsey – 23-39-0 for 337 yards (3TDs); Alabama’s Mack Jones – 26-39-2-335 (4TDs); Tulsa’s Zach Smith – 21-30-1-331 (5TDs); ULM’s Caleb Evans – 22-37-1-330 (2TDs), and Appalachian State’s Zac Thomas – 28-34-1-326 (4TDs). 

Impressive Rushers:

Buffalo’s Jaret Patterson – 298 yards (6TDs); Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden – 284 yards (4TDs); Tennessee’s Eric Gray – 246 yards (3TDs); Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins – 211 yards (4TDs), and Liberty’s Frankie Hickson – 196 yards (4TDs).

Also, Navy’s Jamale Carothers – 188 yards (5TDs); Boston College’s A.J. Dillon – 178 yards (1TD); Fresno State’s Ronnie Rivers – 177 yards (1TD); Arizona State’s Eno Benjamin – 168 yards (2TDs), and Virginia’s Bryce Perkins – 164 yards (2TDs).

Also,  Purdue’s Zander Horvath – 164 yards (2TDs); Oklahoma’s Kennedy Brooks – 160 yards (1TD); Rice’s Aston Walter – 149 yards (1TD); Navy’s Malcolm Perry – 146 yards (1TD); Marshall’s Brenden Knox – 146 yards, and Alabama’s Najee Harris – 146 yards (1TD).



Quotes of the Week

“I’ll answer your questions, not your insults,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh at his presser after the Ohio State game. 

“Obviously, if we are going to lose this game, they are going to kick us out. They don’t want us there anyway. We’d drop to 20 had Clemson lost to South Carolina. Georgia loses to this very same team and it’s, ‘How do we keep Georgia in,’” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, on the playoff committee. 

Signs of the Day 

Hey Bucky, Kiss My Axe 

I Could Gopher Some Beers 

Bucky Is Yucky 

Headlines of the Day 

Ole Miss pisses away Egg Bowl 

This year’s Egg Bowl put the “p” in “penalty” 

Egg bowl chances leak away for Ole Miss 

Ole Miss flushed away a golden chance 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

This Week’s Ten Biggest and Most Intriguing Games…and then none 

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Georgia (11-1) vs. LSU (12-0) (SEC Championship – Atlanta, Georgia) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – To remain in the playoff picture, this is a must win for Georgia. A loss and the Dawgs are out. LSU can afford to lose this game. A loss and the Tigers will remain a Top 4 team, though not a one or two cede. In most games towards the end of the season, Georgia’s defense won the games for the Dawgs. Georgia offense was dragging. Quarterback Jake Fromm failed to complete 50% of his passes in many of the games. It will be interesting to see how LSU’s potent offense does against Georgia’s potent defense. LSU has a weak defense but, against the Dawgs, that might not be a problem. This will be Joe Burrow’s final performance before he most likely wins the Heisman Trophy. Coach “O” gets his first SEC title – LSU 27, Georgia 18. 

2. Ohio State (12-0) vs. Wisconsin (10-2) (Big Ten Championship – Indianapolis, Indiana) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – These two teams met in October. Ohio State won that game in Columbus, 38-7. It wasn’t close. The Buckeyes defense totally shutdown the running of Jonathan Taylor. Wisconsin will again have trouble scoring on Ohio State. The Badger defense will again have a tough time stopping Ohio State. You almost feel that Ohio State in the Big Ten is like a man amongst boys. Like LSU, Ohio State can lose this game and still be in the playoff. Not so with Wisconsin. In fact, Wisconsin may have trouble making the playoff, even if the Badgers beat Ohio State. This game may be closer than the first meeting, but the Buckeyes still win – Ohio State 28, Wisconsin 19. 

3. Baylor (11-1) vs. Oklahoma (11-1) (Big 12 Championship – Arlington, Texas) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – There’s no guarantee the winner of this contest gets in the playoff. But they can hope. Some people thought that Auburn would never beat Alabama. Baylor has been like wine this season. The Bears have become better with age. Oklahoma has been pretty consistent all season – a strong offense and a weak defense. Some things never change. This contest is a rematch. The Sooners beat Baylor about three weeks ago, 34-31. Jalen Hurts holds the key to an OU victory. The locks haven’t been changed – Oklahoma 31, Baylor 27. 

4. Oregon (10-2) vs. Utah (11-1) (Pac-12 Championship – Santa Clara, California) – 8 pm ET, Friday, ABC – Oregon took some of the glamor out of this game when the Ducks lost to Arizona State two weeks ago. They will be out to prove that the loss to ASU was an anomaly. No one seems to really know much about Utah. But the Utes are for real with a potent offense and a strong defense. The question is have the Utes been challenged. If Utah wins, the Utes stand a good chance of getting in the playoff. Lose and forget it. Oregon has no chance – win or lose. Utah has an eight-game winning streak going. After Friday night, America will know more about the Utes – Utah 30, Oregon 24. 

5. Cincinnati (10-2) vs. Memphis (11-1) (AAC Championship – Memphis, Tennessee) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – These two teams just played. Memphis won, 34-24. One week later and they play again. That could make it tougher on Memphis. Cincinnati has something to prove. Memphis could be looking beyond Cincinnati. If the Tigers win, they will play in a New Year’s Six bowl. Cincinnati may or may not if it wins. Both of these coaches are going to be coaching at a Power Five school – if not next year, then the year after. They are that good. Mike Norvell is better in this one – Memphis 32, Cincinnati 26. 

6. Clemson (12-0) vs. Virginia (9-3) (ACC Championship – Charlotte, North Carolina) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – No one is expecting this game to be a contest. Clemson cruised over South Carolina last week, while Virginia struggled to beat Virginia Tech. It will be interesting to see how well Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins does against the Clemson defense. Perkins is the Cavs only hope. There is no way the Virginia defense can stop Clemson’s offense. This could be a rout in the making – Clemson 34, Virginia 20. 

7. Louisiana (10-2) vs. Appalachian State (11-1) (Sun Belt Championship – Boone, North Carolina) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – These two teams met earlier in the season in Lafayette. App State won that game but it was fairly close. Louisiana’s defense held App State to 17 points – it’s lowest output all season. App State won the game 17-7. Louisiana just has to figure out how to score against the Little Mountaineers. Since that loss, Louisiana has won six-straight games. App State has a slim chance of making the Group of Five spot in the New Year’s Six bowl. Boise State needs to lose and Cincinnati has to knock off Memphis. The Mountaineers play better at home than on the road. They are at home in this one – Appalachian State 23, Louisiana 14. 

8. Hawaii (9-4) vs. Boise State (11-1) (MWC Championship – Boise, Idaho) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Another rematch. Earlier in the season Boise State downed Hawaii, 59-37. The game was in Boise. This game is in Boise. Hawaii is a better team now – but how much better? The Broncos have a good shot at the New Year’s Six bowl spot. That’s a goal to play for. Hawaii will only be playing for the MWC crown. The momentum is with the Broncos – Boise State 37, Hawaii 24. 

9. UAB (9-3) vs. Florida Atlantic (9-3) (C-USA Championship – Boca Raton, Florida) – 1:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN – Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin is still hoping to get back into Power Five coaching. A win in this game will be a plug in his resume. But never underestimate UAB coach Bill Clark. The guy is amazing. He gets the most out of so little. Sometimes Kiffin doesn’t pay attention to the details. The lack of attention often comes back to haunt him. UAB could haunt Florida Atlantic. But FAU comes into the game on a five game winning streak. Make it six – Florida Atlantic 27, UAB 20. 

10. Miami (7-5) vs. Central Michigan (8-4) (MAC Championship – Detroit, Michigan) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – The MAC really didn’t have one or two super outstanding teams this season. Often, the conference does – Northern Illinois, Toledo, and Western Michigan to mention a few from recent years. The conference teams spent a lot of time this season beating each other up. CMU is coached by Jim McElwain in his inaugural season with the Chippewas. After a rough start, CMU has won six of its last seven games. Make it seven out of eight – Central Michigan 30, Miami 20. 



ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

West Florida (10-2) vs. Lenoir-Rhyne (13-0) (Division II Playoff) – 2 pm ET, Saturday….

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S. 

Not exactly college football related, but with the gray skies of early December upon us, the college football season was fading fast.  As the fans were talking about new coaches, bowl games and the Heisman Trophy, the number one song in the country… 

…75 years ago this week in 1944 was “You Always Hurt The One You Love” by The Mills Brothers, and “Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall” by The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald

…70 years ago this week in 1949 was “Mule Train” by Frankie Laine

…65 years ago this week in 1954 was “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes, and “I Need You Now” by Eddie Fisher

…60 years ago this week in 1959 was “Mack The Knife” by Bobby Darin

…55 years ago this week in 1964 was “Leader Of The Pack” by The Shangri-Las, and “Ringo” by Lorne Greene

“…50 years ago this week in 1969 was “Come Together”/“Something” by The Beatles, and “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” by Steam

…45 years ago this week in 1974 was “I Can Help” by Billy Swan, and “King Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas

…40 years ago this week in 1979 was “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) by Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer

…35 years ago this week in 1984 was “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham

…30 years ago this week in 1989 was “Blame It On The Rain” by Milli Vanilli

…25 years ago this week in 1994 was “On Bended Knee” by Boyz II Men 



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

Pat Sullivan, the former Auburn quarterback and 1971 Heisman Trophy winner and later the head coach at TCU and Samford University, died yesterday. He was 69. Sullivan was a three-year starting quarterback at Auburn from 1969 to 1971. He led the Tigers to a 27-6 record. Sullivan and receiver Terry Beasley became one of the most celebrated duos in college football. “Sullivan to Beasley” became a famous moniker. Sullivan broke 24 Auburn records during his career and was a two-time All-American. As a junior in 1970, he was the SEC Player of the Year. Sullivan was a second-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in the 1972 draft and played five seasons in the NFL. In 1986, Pat Dye hired Sullivan as Auburn’s quarterback coach. In 1992, TCU hired Sullivan as its head coach. His teams had a 24-42 record in six seasons. He was fired after the 1997 season and returned to Alabama where he became UAB’s offensive coordinator for six seasons. In 2007, Sullivan was named the head coach at Samford, an FCS school. His teams had a 47-43 record in seven seasons.