College Football
Week 9 – Battle between the undefeated: UM vs. MSU
Nine Overtimes!
Are you kidding me?
Ten consecutive failed two-point conversion attempts! Eleven failed attempts all totaled!
Are you kidding me?
No! I’m not kidding you.
In a nine-overtime game, in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, Illinois upset Penn State, 20-18. It was the first nine-overtime game in college football history. The previous high was seven overtimes.
Coming into the game, Penn State was a 24-point favorite over Illinois. During regulation, Illinois totally outplayed Penn State. The Banned Indians outrushed the Nittany Lions 357 yards to 62 yards. Illinois’ Chase Brown rushed for 223 yards and Josh McCray added another 142 yards rushing.
Illinois had 25 first downs to 12 for Penn State. The Banned Indians possessed the ball for 36:25 minutes. Illinois should have won the game in regulation, but the Banned Indians suffered three turnovers to none for Penn State. At the end of regulation, the score was 10-10.
In the first two overtimes, failing to score a touchdown, each team kicked field goals. The score was 13-13 after the first overtime and 16-16 after the second.
Enter the two-point conversion shootout. In the 2019 season, the two-point conversion shootout was introduced. Instead of starting with the ball on the 25-yard line and attempting to score a touchdown or kick a field goal, each team would get one chance from the three-yard line. In 2019, the two-point conversion shootout began with the fifth overtime. The rule was tweaked this season to begin with the third overtime.
So at 16-16, Illinois and Penn State began their two-point conversion shootout. For the next five overtimes, neither team could convert. Neither team could get the ball over the goal line. There were 10-consecutive failed two-point conversion attempts.
After seven overtimes, the score remained 16-16. And then success. In the eighth overtime, Illinois converted and went up 18-16. But not to be outdone, Penn State countered and tied the game at 18-18. On to the ninth overtime.
Penn State went first in the ninth overtime. Quarterback Sean Clifford’s pass was broken up and fell incomplete. That was the 11th failed attempt. But there wasn’t a 12th failed attempt. Illinois backup quarterback Brandon Peters, who had replaced injured quarterback Artur Sitkowski in the sixth overtime, connected with receiver Casey Washington. Game over. Illinois 20, Penn State 18 (9OT).
The game lasted four hours and 11 minutes. And to think the two-point conversion shootout was introduced in 2019 and tweaked in 2021 to reduce the number of overtimes.
With Penn State’s game coming up this week against Ohio State, you have to wonder if Penn State coach James Franklin was taking Illinois for granted. Penn State, after all, was a 24-point favorite. The Illinois victory will go down as Bret Bielema’s signature win in his first season coaching the Banned Indians.
Illinois-Penn State wasn’t the only wild game Saturday. How about Wake Forest 70, Army 56? No, that wasn’t a basketball game. That was a football game. A football game that saw 18 touchdowns – 10 for Wake Forest and eight for Army.
For two and a half quarters, Wake Forest would score and then Army would score. The game was tied four times – 7-7, 14-14, 21-21 and 28-28. Finally, in the third quarter, Wake Forest scored two-straight touchdowns and the Demon Deacons, little-by-little, began to run away from Army. I should say, “pass away.” Wake Forest had 458 yards passing. The two teams combined for 1,237 total yards and 53 first downs. And get this: Wake Forest scored all 10 of its touchdowns in 17 minutes and 17 seconds. That’s the total time the Deacons possessed the ball.
Syracuse and Virginia Tech gave us a thriller in Blacksburg. Although the Hokies never led by more than seven points, they maintained the lead from the first quarter to early in the third quarter. At halftime, Tech led Syracuse, 19-13.
Early in the third quarter, Syracuse took its first lead in the game. The Orange went up 20-19. Later in the third, Virginia Tech went back up 26-20. Early in the fourth quarter, Syracuse went up 27-26. Two and a half minutes later, the Hokies went back up, 29-27. With 5:36 to go in the game, the Hokies increased their lead to 36-27.
But here come the Orange. With 2:28 to go in the game, Syracuse closed the gap to 36-34. Then with just 19 seconds on the clock, the Orange scored a touchdown. Syracuse rallied to beat Virginia Tech, 41-36.
NC State and Miami put on a donnybrook in Hard Rock Stadium in a game where the lead changed hands four times. Early in the second quarter, Miami led 14-3. At halftime, NC State led 17-14. At the end of the third quarter, the Canes led, 24-20. Early in the fourth quarter, the Wolfpack led, 27-24. Midway through the fourth, Miami went back up, 31-27. The Canes, ultimately, held on and beat NC State, 31-30.
And finally in the ACC, Clemson lost its third game of the season. Pitt beat the Tigers, 27-17.
If you were watching scores on your TV early Saturday afternoon, you may have thought you were suffering from dyslexia. Kansas 10, Oklahoma 0. That was at halftime. Kansas 17, Oklahoma 7. That was late in the third quarter. But the Sooners rallied and scored 21 unanswered points, going on to beat Kansas, 38-23.
There were two real barnburners in the Big 12. Trailing Texas Tech, 21-7, late in the second quarter and 24-12 early in the third quarter, Kansas State rallied to beat the Red Raiders, 25-24. The Wildcats took their first lead over Texas Tech – 25-24 – with 6:09 to go in the fourth quarter and then held on to win. Kansas State quarterback Skylar Thompson was 24-of-30, passing for 296 yards and one touchdown.
Oklahoma State and Iowa State played tit-for-tat for two and a half quarters. Okie State went up 7-0 and Iowa State came back and tied the game at 7-7. The Cowboys went up 14-7 and the Cyclones came back and tie the game at 14-14. Then late in the third quarter, Iowa State took its first lead at 17-14. Midway through the fourth quarter, Okie State went back up 21-17. Iowa State scored a touchdown with 5:29 to go in the game and held on to beat Oklahoma State, 24-21.
In Fort Worth, Texas, West Virginia got its first Big 12 and road win of the season. The Mountaineers beat TCU, 29-17. TCU took the early lead at 7-0, returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. WVU scored a touchdown and two field goals and went up 13-7 midway through the second quarter. The Horned Frogs went up 14-13, but at halftime, WVU led 20-17. The Mountaineers added nine points in the second half for the win.
Ed Orgeron and Lane Kiffin got together in Oxford, Mississippi. LSU took the early lead at 7-0. But it was all Ole Miss after that. Late in the third quarter, Ole Miss led LSU, 31-7. The Magnolias beat the Tigers, 31-17.
Tennessee and Alabama began as a tight game, but it didn’t end that way. As the second quarter began, the Vols led the Crimson Tide, 14-7. Midway through the third quarter, Alabama only led Tennessee, 21-17. But the Tide scored 28 of the next 35 points and beat Tennessee, 52-24.
The Pac-12 had a couple of thrillers. In Pasadena, UCLA took an early 14-0 lead over Oregon. However, early in the fourth quarter, Oregon had come back and led UCLA, 34-17. But the game wasn’t over. The Bruins rallied for two fourth quarter touchdowns. With 6:34 to go in the game, UCLA’s lead was cut to 34-31. The Ducks held on to take a 34-31 final over the Bruins.
For two and a half quarters, Utah dominated Oregon State with scores of 14-0, 17-7 and 24-14. Midway through the third quarter, Oregon State rallied and took its first lead over Utah, 28-24. But the Utes went back up 31-28, only to see the Beavers retake the lead at 35-31 late in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Oregon State increased its lead to 42-31. The Beavers went on to beat Utah, 42-34.
Week 8 was full of thrillers, barnburners and donnybrooks.
College football Week 8 began Wednesday night with an exciting game. Coastal Carolina has never won in Boone, North Carolina, and the Chanticleers still haven’t won in Boone. Chandler Staton kicked a 24-yard field goal as time expired and Appalachian State handed Coastal Carolina its first loss of the season. App State edged the Chanticleers, 30-27.
Four games were on the agenda Thursday night. In Dallas, SMU remained undefeated, rolling over Tulane, 55-26. The unstoppable Mustangs tallied 612 total yards and 31 first downs. SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai was 30-of-42, passing for 427 yards and three touchdowns. Mordecai also rushed for another touchdown. Receiver Danny Gray had eight receptions for 140 yards.
In North Carolina, Florida Atlantic trailed Charlotte, 9-7 at halftime. In the second half, FAU scored 31 unanswered points to beat Charlotte, 38-9. The FAU defense held Charlotte to 77 yards rushing.
Louisiana racked up 548 total yards – 426 of those yards rushing – in its 28-27 win over Arkansas State. Two Louisiana running backs rushed for more than 100 yards. Chris Smith had 238 yards rushing, while Montrell Johnson rushed for 150 yards. In a losing effort, Arkansas State quarterback Layne Hatcher passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns. Louisiana improved to 6-1.
And finally, in Thursday night’s late show, San Jose State rallied to beat UNLV, 27-20. San Jose State trailed throughout the game until the 7:14 mark in the fourth quarter when the Spartans went up 27-20.
In the first of four games Friday night, Middle Tennessee State added to Connecticut’s woes, pounding UConn, 44-13. MTSU quarterback Chase Cunningham passed for 297 yards and four touchdowns. The Middle Tennessee defense held UConn to 67 yards rushing. Connecticut fell to 1-8.
UCF got back on the winning track. The Knights beat Memphis, 24-7. Both teams finished with an identical 297 total yards. UCF running back Isaiah Bowser rushed for 111 yards. Out in the Rockies, Utah State improved to 5-2. The Aggies edged Colorado State, 26-24. The Rams never led in the game.
In Friday night’s late show, Washington added to Arizona’s misery with a 21-16 win over the Wildcats. Arizona’s record dropped to 0-7. Entering the fourth quarter, Arizona led Washington, 16-7. But the Huskies rallied and outscored the Wildcats 14-0 in the final quarter. The game was pretty boring on offense. Washington only had 88 yards rushing and Arizona only had 62 yards passing.
In a few other games on Saturday, the Mountain West Conference provided us with a couple of thrillers. Fresno State led Nevada throughout most of their game, but the Wolf Pack always kept it close. The Bulldogs never had a big lead. With just 0:02 left in the game, Nevada scored a touchdown. The Wolf Pack went for two points. They failed on their conversion attempt and Fresno State held on to beat Nevada, 34-32.
In Colorado Springs, San Diego State led Air Force, 20-0 early in the third quarter. But Air Force rallied, scoring two-straight touchdowns – the second touchdown coming with four minutes to go in the game. The Aztecs, however, held on. San Diego State downed Air Force, 20-14.
Navy gave undefeated Cincinnati a scare. At halftime, the Bearcats only had a 13-10 lead over the Middies. Cincinnati scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter and went up 27-10 over Navy. But the Middies rallied in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 unanswered points. At the end, Cincinnati remained undefeated, beating Navy, 27-20. The Bearcats are 7-0.
So, the undefeated were reduced by two – Coastal Carolina and Oklahoma State experienced their first loss. Remaining undefeated are Cincinnati, SMU, Wake Forest, Oklahoma, Michigan, Michigan State, UTSA, San Diego State and Georgia.
Still winless are Arizona (0-7) and UNLV (0-7).
And speaking of overtimes and failed two-point conversion attempts – In Princeton, New Jersey, Harvard and Princeton experienced their own two-point conversion shootout on Saturday. Their game went to five overtimes. There were several failed two-point conversion attempts. Ultimately, Princeton beat Harvard, 18-16 (5OT). There must have been something in the air.
Saturday was a good day for football.
The domino effect continues. In the recent round of dominoes it began with the SEC. Last summer the SEC raided the Big 12 and took Oklahoma and Texas. That reduced the Big 12 from 10 to eight teams. In order to stay viable as a conference, early in the fall, the Big 12 raided the AAC and took Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. The Big 12 also picked up Independent BYU.
The Big 12’s raid reduced the AAC from 11 members to eight. Well, the AAC followed suit. In order to survive as a conference, last week, the AAC raided Conference-USA. This was a big raid. The AAC grabbed six teams – Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA.
The AAC thievery left C-USA with eight teams. Ironic that all these grabs always left a conference with eight teams. Unfortunately for C-USA, their troubles weren’t over. Within a matter of days, C-USA was the victim of another mugging. Enter the Sun Belt Conference. The Sun Belt announced it wanted Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss – all members of C-USA. That would leave C-USA with only five teams.
Well, there is a caveat. First of all, only Sothern Miss accepted the invitation from the Sun Belt. Marshall and Old Dominion are waiting. In order to survive, C-USA sprung up and went after Independent Liberty and James Madison. James Madison is currently an FCS school but has announced they are moving up to the FBS level. The Sun Belt is also going after James Madison.
Apparently, Marshall and Old Dominion are waiting to see what Liberty and James Madison do. If both schools join C-USA, then it looks like Marshall and Old Dominion will remain with C-USA. If James Madison joins the Sun Belt, then Marshall and Old Dominion may choose the Sun Belt as well. Liberty does not have an option, as it does not have an invitation from the Sun Belt. Supposedly, all of this will be settled by the end of this week – October 29. Stay tuned!
If Marshall and Old Dominion side with Southern Miss and join the Sun Belt, then it could be the demise of C-USA, especially if James Madison also chooses the Sun Belt. C-USA would be left with only five schools – FIU, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP and Western Kentucky. It not only could be the demise of C-USA, but also it could be the demise of the football programs at those five schools. Stay tuned!
In his first year at Arkansas State, former Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Tennessee coach Butch Jones is 1-6. Not looking good. And speaking of not looking good, Washington State coach Nick Rolovich was fired last week. Rolovich was fired for refusing to get the COVID vaccine. Stupid is as stupid does.
Rolovich and LSU’s Ed Orgeron are the latest two coaches to be fired this season. They join Connecticut’s Randy Edsall, USC’s Clay Helton and Georgia Southern’s Chad Lunsford.
Sadly, we lost former Secretary of State and former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Colin Powell last week. Powell was an American statesman, diplomat and four-star general. Colin Powell was 84.
Remember the songs “Come a Little Bit Closer” and “Let’s Lock The Door (And Throw Away The Key?” How about “Cara, Mia” and “This Magic Moment?” That was my favorite – “This Magic Moment” – Sweeter than wine, softer than the summer night…. Those and six other songs were big chart toppers for Jay & The Americans in the 1960s. Jay Black, the lead singer, with the majestic voice, of Jay & The Americans, died on Friday. He was 82. Jay Black was born David Blatt.
….Everything I want I have, whenever I hold you tight….
Touchdown Tom
Weekend Recap
GAME OF THE WEEK: Cy made the Cowboys cry – Iowa State 24, Oklahoma State 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma State 31, Iowa State 27). Iowa State only had 67 yards rushing but Brock Purdy had 307 yards passing and that was enough to beat Okie State. Purdy was 27-of-33, passing for two touchdowns. The Cowboys had leads but couldn’t hold onto them. Attendance in Ames: 61,500
RUNNER-UP: Just Duckie – Oregon 34, UCLA 31 (Touchdown Tom said: UCLA 30, Oregon 27). Both teams suffered three turnovers. Oregon quarterback Anthony Brown was 29-of-39, passing for 296 yards. But he also threw two interceptions. Attendance in Pasadena: 55,675
REST OF THE BEST: Clipped – San Diego State 20, Air Force 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Air Force 24, San Diego State 18). This was a defensive struggle. Neither team had much offense. San Diego State only passed for 72 yards. The Aztecs improved to 7-0. Attendance in Colorado Springs: 23,887
The Rooster didn’t get his booster – Appalachian State 30, Coastal Carolina 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Coastal Carolina 30, Appalachian State 23). Undefeated Coastal Carolina is no longer undefeated. App State surprised the Chanticleers. App State racked up 575 total yards to only 346 for Coastal Carolina. App State quarterback Chase Brice was 18-of-28, passing for 347 yards. App State receiver Malik Williams had 10 receptions for 206 yards. App State’s defense limited the Chanticleers to only 55 yards rushing. Coastal Carolina’s defense was pathetic and its offense was anemic. Attendance in Boone: 31,061
March madness? – Wake Forest 70, Army 56 (Touchdown Tom said: Wake Forest 30, Army 21). Army had 418 yards rushing and Wake Forest had 458 yards passing. Deacons quarterback Sam Hartman was 23-of-29, passing for five touchdowns. Three Army running backs had impressive rushing yards – Tyhier Tyler (104 yards), Tyrell Robinson (98 yards) and Anthony Adkins (93 yards). Attendance in West Point: 38,019
Saban is on a mission – Alabama 52, Tennessee 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 38, Tennessee 20). Alabama exploded in the fourth quarter with 28 points. The Tide had 574 total yards. Bryce Young passed for 371 yards and Brian Robinson rushed for 107 yards. Young passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more. Robinson had three touchdowns. Tennessee only had 64 yards rushing. Attendance in Tuscaloosa: 100,077
The Dogs scattered the Pack – Fresno State 34, Nevada 32 (Touchdown Tom said: Fresno State 27, Nevada 22). Nevada’s fourth quarter rally came up two points short. Nevada had 523 total yards, but only 47 yards rushing. Fresno State had a more balanced attack. Nevada’s Carson Strong was 49-of-61, passing for 476 yards and four touchdowns. Fresno State running back Jordan Mims had 134 yards rushing and one touchdown. Attendance in Fresno: 33,012
The Tigers were enclosed in Pickett fences – Pitt 27, Clemson 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Pitt 19, Clemson 16). Clemson took an early 7-0 lead, but it was all Pitt after that. The Panthers grabbed the lead and never trailed. Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett was 25-of-39, passing for 302 yards and two touchdowns. Attendance in Pittsburgh: 60,594
Hop on the Lane train – Ole Miss 31, LSU 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Ole Miss 40, LSU 37). LSU scored first and last, but it was all Ole Miss in between. Matt Corral took it easy. He only passed for 185 yards and rushed for 24 yards. Ole Miss running back Snoop Conner rushed for 117 yards. Attendance in Oxford: 64,523
The Trojans were Blarney stoned – Notre Dame 31, USC 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 34, USC 23). Notre Dame took command early and basically held on. USC quarterback Kedon Slovis was 27-of-37, passing for 299 yards. The Trojans running back Keaontay Ingram rushed for 138 yards. Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams also rushed for 138 yards. Attendance in South Bend: 77,622
In the four games I said to keep a very close eye on: Oregon State outscored Utah, 42-34…. Minnesota took care of Maryland, 34-16…. BYU edged Washington State, 21-19…. and Kansas State slipped by Texas Tech, 25-24.
YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:
How sweet it is – West Virginia 29, TCU 17 (Touchdown Tom said: TCU 33, West Virginia 20). When TCU returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, I’m sure WVU fans were thinking, “Here we go again.” Fortunately, WVU outscored TCU 29 -10 after that opening kickoff. The Mountaineers had 487 total yards – 229 rushing and 258 passing. WVU running back Leddie Brown scored all three of the Mounties touchdowns. He ended up with 111 rushing yards. The outcome marked WVU’s fourth-straight win over TCU. Attendance in Fort Worth: 32,288
Where was the big bass drum when you need it? – Wisconsin 30, Purdue 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin “ 22, Purdue 17). This game was 13-13 at halftime. Then it was “On Wisconsin” in the second half. Purdue only had 206 total yards – -13 rushing. Wisconsin got by with only 52 yards passing. But the Badgers had two strong running backs – Chez Mellusi (149 yards rushing) and Braelon Allen (140 yards rushing). Purdue had five turnovers. Attendance in West Lafayette: 61,320
Week 8 Results: 7 winners, 5 fumbles (58.3 percent)
ELSEWHERE AROUBD FLORUDA:
Florida Atlantic 38, Charlotte 9 – Attendance in Charlotte: 13,017
Stetson at Drake – Canceled
South Florida 34, Temple 14 – Attendance in Tampa: 25,430
Superlatives
Impressive Passers:
Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman – 20-26-0 for 426 yards (5TDs); Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong – 29-43-0-396 (4TDs); Miss State’s Will Rogers – 41-57-2-384 (4TDs); Nevada’s Carson Strong – 49-61-1-476 (4TDs); Alabama’s Bryce Young – 31-43-1-371 (2TDs), ULM’s Chandler Rogers – 25-35-0-369 (4TDs); Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe – 39-49-0-368 (3TDs); and Appalachian State’s Chase Brice – 18-28-0-347 (2TDs).
Impressive Rushers:
Illinois’ Chase Brown – 223 yards (1TD); BYU’s Tyler Algeier – 191 yards (2TDs); Central Michigan’s Lew Nichols – 187 yards (2TDs); Northern Illinois’ Jay Ducker – 183 yards; Syracuse’s Garrett Shrader – 174 yards (3TDs); Hawaii’s Dedrick Parson – 161 yards (3TDs); New Mexico State’s Juwaun Price – 159 yards (2TDs); Colorado State’s David Bailey – 159 yards (2TDs); Akron’s Jonzell Norris – 155 yards (1TD), and Texas A&M’s Devon Achane – 154 yards (1TD).
Also, Oregon State’s B.J. Baylor – 152 yards (1TD); South Florida’s Jaren Mangham – 152 yards (2TDs); Virginia Tech’s Malachi Thomas – 151 yards (3TDs); Wisconsin’s Chez Mellusi – 149 yards (1TD); Illinois’ Josh McCray – 142 yards; Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen – 140 yards (2TDs); Minnesota’s Ky Thomas – 139 yards (1TD); Notre Dame’s Kyren Williams – 138 yards (2TDs), and USC’s Keaontay Ingram – 138 yards (1TD).
Quotes of the Week
“Dan Mullen is the most overrated coach in the country,” Legend from Alabama on “The Paul Finebaum Show”
“I thought it was classless and unconscionable behavior. It was an absolute disgrace. It’s hard to wrap your arms around what a bad and ugly l that was for Tennessee,” SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum, on the Tennessee fans near the end of the Ole Miss game.
“I actually cried. It just felt good,” Illinois receiver Casey Washington, who came down with the winning catch in the ninth overtime against Penn State.
Touchdown Tom’s
Predictions for
GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Michigan (7-0) at Michigan State (7-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – Both teams play good defense, but I’m thinking Michigan State has the better defense. On the other hand, I think Michigan has the stronger offense. Although we know the Spartans Kenneth Walker can be explosive. But he is all State has on offense. I’m expecting a classic game. The Maize are amazing – Michigan 24, Michigan State 21.
RUNNER-UP: 2. Penn State (5-2) at Ohio State (6-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Not expecting much of a contest here. Although Penn State’s defense could pose some problems for the Buckeyes. But the Nitts have no offense. And Ohio State does. And it seems to get better each week. Buckeyes are a tough nut to chew – Ohio State 28, Penn State 14.
REST OF THE BEST: 3. SMU (7-0) at Houston (6-1) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESNP2 – This has the potential for a wild, high-scoring game. Both teams are a little lax on defense. SMU has the better offense. These Mustangs are too wild for the Cougars – SMU 34, Houston 31.
4. Fresno State (6-2) at San Diego State (7-0) – (MWC vs. MWC) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN – Both teams had tough contests last week and survived. One obviously won’t survive this week. The Aztecs don’t have much on offense, but their defense is good. Fresno State is all offense. The defense wins – San Diego State 26, Fresno State 23,
5. Georgia (7-0) vs. Florida (4-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – It’s just hard to pick against Georgia. Not that I don’t want to. But, man, that defense is too much. They say Dan Mullen is an offensive genius. We’ll see how much of a genius he is. Maybe closer than expected. But Uga bites – Georgia 30, Florida 20.
6. Ole Miss (6-1) at Auburn (5-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Ole Miss has another tough battle this week. Auburn won’t be easy. Bryan Harsin is having a great first year with the Tigers. But Lane Kiffin is having a good year too. This may be a battle between Matt Corral and Bo Nix. Nix gets Corraled – Ole Miss 30, Auburn 24.
7. Texas Tech (5-3) at Oklahoma (8-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – You just never know what to expect from Oklahoma each week. One thing is for sure. The Sooners are slow to get started. But once they do get started they are hard to stop. Riley does the raiding – Oklahoma 35, Texas Tech 25.
8. Virginia (6-2) at BYU (6-2) – (ACC vs. Ind.) – 10:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Classic battle. Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall goes back to his old stomping grounds. But it’s the Cougars who do the stomping – BYU 32, Virginia 30.
9. Iowa (6-1) at Wisconsin (4-3) – Big Ten vs. Big Ten – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Iowa lost to Purdue because of turnovers. Wisconsin beat Purdue because of turnovers. This one could come down to turnovers. Bucky gets turned over – Iowa 17, Wisconsin 13.
10. North Carolina (4-3) at Notre Dame (6-1) – (ACC vs. Ind.) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – If North Carolina shows up, the Tar Heels could turn this game into a contest. But you never know if the Tar Heels are going to show up or not. The Irish generally do – Notre Dame 37, North Carolina 34.
I recommend you keep a very close eye on these six games:
YE OLDE STOMPING
GROUNDS:
Iowa State (5-2) at West Virginia (3-4) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 2 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+ – Before the season started, everyone seemed to predict that the Mountaineers would upset Iowa State. Of course, everyone thought the Cyclones would be better than 5-2 at this point. Cy doesn’t want another loss. WVU showed some life against TCU. But not enough life to beat the Cyclones – Iowa State 27, West Virginia 24.
Purdue (4-3) at Nebraska (3-5) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Nebraska had the week off. Scott Frost should have his Huskers well rested. And ready to pull a few surprises. The Boilers are meeting the Huskers at the wrong time – Nebraska 31, Purdue 19.
Duke (3-4) at Wake Forest (7-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – Wake is on a roll and Duke is not. The Deacons pick up more momentum each week. The momentum keeps rolling – Wake Forest 33, Duke 19.
ELSEWHERE AROUND
FLORUDA:
South Florida (2-5) at East Carolina (3-4) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7:30 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN….
UCF (4-3) at Temple (3-4) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
FIU (1-6) at Marshall (4-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….
UTEP (6-1) at Florida Atlantic (4-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
Touchdown Tom
P.S.
Not exactly college football related, but as the days were getting shorter, the nights were getting cooler, the leaves were falling, the frost was on the pumpkins and Halloween was just around the corner, the number one song in the country…
…80 years ago this week in 1941 was “Piano Concerto In B Flat” by Freddy Martin
…75 years ago this week in 1946 was “Rumors Are Flying” by Frankie Carle and His Orchestra
…70 years ago this week in 1951 was “Because Of You” by Tony Bennett, and “Cold, Cold Heart” by Tony Bennett
…65 years ago this week in 1956 was “Hound Dog”/“Don’t Be Cruel” by Elvis Presley
…60 years ago this week in 1961 was “Runaround Sue” by Dion
…55 years ago this week in 1966 was “96 Tears” by ? and The Mysterians
…50 years ago this week in 1971 was “Maggie May”/“Reason To Believe” by Rod Stewart
…45 years ago this week in 1976 was “If You Leave Me Now” by Chicago
…40 years ago this week in 1981 was “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” by Christopher Cross
…35 years ago this week in 1986 was “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper
…30 years ago this week in 1991 was “Emotions” by Mariah Carey
