College Football
Week 18 – Uiagalelei to Oregon State, Slovis to BYU
Top of the pops to
bottom of the flops,
When it comes to winning and losing, first-year coaches were a mixed bag in 2022. Of the 29 debut coaches, nine finished at the top of their game. Their records were chart toppers. They were the top of the pops.
Topping the charts was none other than TCU coach Sonny Dykes. With at least one, possibly two, playoff games remaining, Dykes’ first-year record currently stands at 12-1. He will end up either 14-1, 13-2 or at worst case, 12-2. All three are records to be proud of.
Trailing Dykes with outstanding premier seasons at their schools are Troy coach John Sumrall (12-2), USC coach Lincoln Riley (11-2) and Washington coach Kalen DeBoer (10-2). Sumrall’s season is over. Troy won its bowl game over UTSA. Riley, however, can improve upon his record. If USC beats Tulane in the Cotton Bowl, Riley will finish at 12-2. Conceivably, Dykes, Sumrall and Riley could all end up at 12-2. DeBoer can be no better than 11-2, assuming Washington wins its bowl game against Texas. Otherwise, he finishes at 10-3. Still not bad.
Next on the charts with excellent first seasons are Oregon coach Dan Lanning (9-3) and Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford (10-4). Tedford’s season is over, as Fresno State won its bowl game. Oregon’s Lanning can improve to 10-3, if the Ducks beat North Carolina in their bowl game.
The last three coaches of the nine at the top of the pops are LSU coach Brian Kelly (9-4), Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman (8-4) and Duke coach Mike Elko (8-4). All three coaches have a bowl game remaining. Kelly could finish with a 10-win season.
Those nine coaches were the most successful first-year coaches of the 2022 season. All appear to have a bright future ahead of them. It had to be particularly pleasing for John Sumrall, Dan Lanning, Marcus Freeman and Mike Elko, as they were truly head coaches for the first time ever. Sonny Dykes, Lincoln Riley, Kalen DeBoer, Jeff Tedford and Brian Kelly were coaching for the first time at their respective schools in 2022. All five of them previously were head coaches at other schools.
Then there is the bottom of the chart. Ten first-year coaches that flopped in 2022. They made the chart for the first time but failed to climb. They were the flops at the bottom.
Most, but not all, were at schools where it can be difficult to find success – where it can be tough to be at the top of the pops. The biggest flop in 2022 was Massachusetts coach Dan Brown (1-11). Just above Brown were Akron coach Joe Moorhead (2-10) and Nevada coach Ken Wilson (2-10).
Hawaii coach Timmy Chang had a tough start at 3-10. Not much better than Chang were Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Cumbie (3-9), Temple coach Stan Drayton (3-9) and Colorado State coach Jay Norvell (3-9).
Finishing out the 10 flops at the bottom are Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry (3-9), Virginia coach Tony Elliott (3-7) and FIU coach Mike MacIntyre (4-8). All 10 of those coaches need to come out with a new and better release in order to climb the charts in 2023. Otherwise, their warm seat will quickly become a hot seat.
Eleven first-year coaches were so-so, fair-to-midland, hot-and-cold in 2022. They weren’t at the top and they weren’t at the bottom. They were somewhere in between. This group consists of Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire (7-5), SMU coach Rhett Lashlee (7-6), Washington State coach Jack Dickert (7-6). McGuire can actually improve to 8-5 if Texas Tech beats Ole Miss in its bowl game. That could move him up to the top of the pops list.
Also, floundering in the middle are Oklahoma coach Brent Venables (6-6), Georgia Southern coach Clay Helton (6-6) and New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill (6-6). Venables, Helton and Kill all have bowl games this week. They can finish at 7-6 or 6-7.
The final four middle of the road first-year coaches are Connecticut coach Jim Mora (6-7), Florida coach Billy Napier (6-7), Louisiana coach Michael Desormeaux (6-7) and Miami coach Mario Cristobal (5-7). Mora’s 6-7 was actually considered to be a bright spot at UConn, whereas Napier’s and Cristobal’s records were definitely disappointments.
The jury is still out on those 10 first-year coaches. But it would help to show improvement in 2023 – especially, Venables, Napier and Cristobal. All three had Top 10 recruiting classes last week. That’s a good start.
Eight bowl games were on the agenda last week. Some hot, some cold. Some good, some not so good.
Week two of the Holiday bowl season began six days before Christmas at the Myrtle Beach Bowl in Conway, South Carolina. On a sunny but cool day, Marshall built up a 28-0 lead and then held on to beat Connecticut, 28-14. UConn’s three-game winning streak came to an end, while Marshall extended its winning streak to five games.
The next day, Boise, Idaho, set the scene for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. The scene was set for Eastern Michigan and San Jose State on a cold, gray day in Boise. San Jose State had more first downs, more total yards, more passing yards and more rushing yards. But Eastern Michigan had more points – a lot more. EMU beat San Jose State 41-27. The Spartans must have been cold.
An hour later, in the rain in Florida, Toledo took on Liberty. In the Boca Raton Bowl, the Rockets beat the Flames, 21-19. The Liberty football team turned into a disaster at the end of the season, losing four-straight games. This after beginning the season at 8-1. That’s the legacy Hugh Freeze left at Liberty. Good luck Auburn.
Wednesday night in the Crescent City, weather wasn’t a factor. The New Orleans Bowl was played indoors in Caesars Superdome. South Alabama was overheard saying “Et tu Brute,” as Western Kentucky silenced the Jaguars, 44-23. It was not a pretty night, or a pretty sight, for the South Alabama defense.
The coldest bowl ever! December 23 will go down in history in Fort Worth, Texas. The temperature at kickoff of the Armed Forces Bowl was 13°. “Brrr.” That’s what Baylor said, “Brrr.” Baylor was cold. But Air Force wasn’t. The Falcons were hot. Air Force stunned Baylor, 30-15.
Friday, Shreveport, Louisiana, was only about 10° warmer than Fort Worth. You had to be a real fan of Houston or Louisiana to sit through the Independence Bowl. If you were a Houston fan, you got some warmth from the Cougars 23-16 win over Louisiana.
Early Friday evening the climate in Tampa was pleasant football weather for the Gasparilla Bowl. But the game wasn’t pleasant for Missouri. Wake Forest downed Mizzou, 27-17.
In the final bowl game before Christmas, Middle Tennessee wasn’t stuck in the middle with San Diego State. The Blue Raiders beat the Aztecs, 25-23, in the Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu. San Diego State quarterback Jalen Mayden was voted Middle Tennessee’s Most Valuable Player. The Aztec quarterback threw three interceptions, all deep in his own territory.
During the game, Eric Griggs texted, “Watching the Hawaii Bowl. It looks like you could count the spectators on one hand. No crowd noise. Terrible announcers.” I responded that he would see more spectators at the Alamo Bowl between Texas and Washington. (Eric is a Texas grad.) But I reminded him that Bijan Robinson had opted out of the game. Eric informed me that the other Texas running back, Roschon Johnson, had opted out, along with linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.
Speaking of opting out, I recently read where bowls are probably going to start offering NIL bonuses to keep players from opting out of the games. Where does it end?
Eric’s “no crowd noise” comment reminded me of something Swamp Mama said a day or two earlier. We were watching one of those poorly attended bowl games between two mediocre Group of Five teams and Swamp Mama said, “The crowd noise sounds like we are watching a high school game.”
So, after a second week at 4-4, that leaves me at 9-7 in my bowl game predictions. Yes, 16 games have been played, 25 bowls to go. It’s early with 25 games to be played, but the best conference so far is the ACC at 2-0 – followed by the MAC at 2-1, the Sun Belt at 3-2 and the MWC at 3-2. The worst conference is the SEC at 0-2 – followed by the Big 12 at 0-1, the AAC at 1-2 and the Independents at 1-2.
The bowl activity resumes today with the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit, between New Mexico State (6-6) and Bowling Green (6-6). It continues every day this week, except Sunday, through to Monday of next week.
Anchors Aweigh….Navy has its new coach. Brian Newberry was promoted from the defensive coordinator position to become the head coach at the Naval Academy. Newberry has been Navy’s DC for the past four seasons. Prior to Navy, Newberry was the DC at Kennesaw State from 2015 to 2018.
Navy was the last of the 24 schools looking for a new coach. Unless we have a coach or two leave for the NFL, there should be no more vacancies to fill.
J.T. Daniels, who quarterbacked West Virginia most of the season, is transferring to Rice. Rice will be Daniels’ fourth school after USC, Georgia and West Virginia. Ex-NC State star quarterback Devin Leary, who entered the transfer portal at the end of the season, announced he is transferring to Kentucky. Chalk Leary from Billy Napier’s list.
But don’t chalk Graham Mertz off. Mertz, who quarterbacked Wisconsin most of the season, is transferring to Florida. Mertz becomes the second Big Ten quarterback to transfer to Florida under Billy Napier. Last year, Ohio State quarterback Jack Miller transferred to Gainesville at the end of the season.
Former Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei is transferring to Oregon State, and former USC and Pitt quarterback Kedon Slovis is transferring to BYU. With the open-door policy of the transfer portal, players are transferring like crazy. There is no end to it.
ESPN Staff Writer Tom VanHaaren reported last week that more than 1,600 college football players have entered the transfer portal since the doors opened on December 5.
Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien is most likely returning to the New England Patriots to resume the OC position he held there in 2011. In between, O’Brien was the head coach at Penn State (2012-2013) and the coach of the Houston Texans in the NFL (2014-2020). He has been the OC at Alabama for the past two seasons.
Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim and UCLA linebacker Laiatu Latu were named college football’s comeback players of the year. Penix transferred to Washington after four years at Indiana, each ending in injury. With the Huskies, Penix played all 12 games and heads into the postseason leading the nation in passing with 363 yards per game. Washington finished the season 10-2.
Ibrahim played only one game in 2021, rupturing his left Achilles tendon in the opener. He returned in 2022 to lead the Big Ten in rushing with 145 yards per game – second in the nation. Minnesota finished the season 8-4. Latu suffered a neck injury during preseason practice in 2020 when he was at Washington. He was recuperating last season. Hoping to play again, Latu transferred to UCLA. He became one of the top pass rushers in the Pac-12 in 2022, with 10 sacks and three forced fumbles. UCLA finished the season 9-3.
Starship sang “We built this city on rock and roll.” Music talks. On national signing day last week, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney said, “We built this program on NIL.” Hey, money talks too.
Former Pittsburgh Steeler running back Franco Harris, who caught the “Immaculate Reception” against the Oakland Raiders, died last week. Harris played 13 seasons in the NFL from 1972 to 1984, 12 with the Steelers. In college, Harris was a running back at Penn State. He was drafted in the first round by the Steelers in 1972. Harris played on four Super Bowl Championship teams, was a Super Bowl MVP, was a first-team All-Pro, and played in 9 Pro Bowls. A native of Fort Dix, New Jersey, Franco Harris was 72.
Swamp Mama and I drove up to the Florida panhandle on December 22 to spend Christmas with Princess Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe. The drive was uneventful. That evening, we went to a Gator Gabe basketball game. His team won.
Christmas Eve morning, we woke up in the Florida panhandle to 17°. That’s the coldest temp I have experienced since I can’t remember when.
My record is -20° in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1979. That was the overnight low. The daytime high was 0°. I was doing some work at the Edmonton Journal. Fortunately, my hotel was directly across the street from the newspaper. I could dash out of one building, cross the street and into the other. I dashed pretty fast.
Christmas morning in the panhandle was a little better. We woke up to 22°. Obviously, it wasn’t too cold for Santa, as everyone did well in the gifts.
And so, as John and Yoko once said:
“So this is Christmas
And so this is Christmas
A very Merry Christmas
Happy New Year!
(Take note: Next week’s College Football Week – CFW - Week 19 – will be posted on Tuesday morning, January 3.)
Review of the Second
Week of Bowl Games
Marco was Beachy (in the Myrtle Beach Bowl) – Marshall 28, Connecticut 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Marshall 24, Connecticut 16). Marshall had the rushing game; Connecticut had the passing game. The ground game won. Herd running back Rasheen Ali rushed for 92 yards, while his teammate Khalan Laborn rushed for 90 yards. The teams were pretty even in first downs, total yards and time of possession. But UConn had four turnovers. Marshall finished its season at 9-4 and riding a five-game winning streak. Attendance in Conway: 12,023
The Eagles were Taters, the Spartans were Tots (in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl) – Eastern Michigan 41, San Jose State 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Eastern Michigan 24, San Jose State 23). San Jose State got off to a good start. The Spartans were up 13-0 halfway through the first quarter. But that was about all she wrote for Jose. Eastern Michigan came along and scored 33 unanswered points. The Eagles were up 33-13 midway through the third quarter. EMU quarterback Taylor Powell passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Eastern Michigan finished its season at 9-4. Attendance in Boise: 10,122
Too little too late (in the Boca Raton Bowl) – Toledo 21, Liberty 19 (Touchdown Tom said: Liberty 27, Toledo 21). Toledo totally dominated the game in first downs, total yards, passing yards, rushing yards and time of possession – 40:03. Liberty hardly ever had the ball. But the Rockets barely dominated in points. Leading 21-7, Toledo gave up two touchdowns to Liberty in the fourth quarter. But Liberty’s extra point kick was off on the first touchdown and the two-point conversion attempt failed after the second touchdown. Toledo finished its season at 9-5. Attendance in Boca Raton: 20,622
Air Raid (in the New Orleans Bowl) – Western Kentucky 44, South Alabama 23 (Touchdown Tom said: South Alabama 32, Western Kentucky 27). Mike Leach would have been proud of Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers threw 56 passes for 522 yards. That is one heck of an air raid. WKU quarterback Austin Reed passed for 497 yards of those yards – and four touchdowns too. In all, the Hilltoppers racked up 677 total yards. The WKU defense held South Alabama to just 44 yards rushing. The Hilltoppers led 31-3 at the half, then called off the dogs in the second half. Attendance in New Orleans: 13,456
Mr. Roberts (in the Armed Forces Bowl) – Air Force 30, Baylor 15 (Touchdown Tom said: Baylor 24, Air Force 21). No, not the one in the Navy. This Mr. Roberts is in the Air Force. Falcons running back Brad Roberts rushed for 116 yards and scored two touchdowns. No one for Baylor rushed for more than 25 yards. Air Force quarterback Haaziq Daniels added 81 yards rushing. Daniels also passed for 103 yards. With less than 4 minutes to go in the game, Air Force led Baylor, 30-7. The Falcons defense held Baylor to 11 first downs and 42 yards rushing. Air Force possessed the ball for 40:03. Air Force ended its season on a 5-game winning streak and a 10-3 record. Baylor ended its season on a 4-game losing streak. Attendance in Fort Worth: N/A
The Cajuns stopped Rajin’ (in the Independence Bowl) – Houston 23, Louisiana 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Houston 40, Louisiana 24). It’s funny how some defenses can play tough all game and then fall apart in the final two minutes. Louisiana held Houston to 16 points for 58 minutes of the game. Then the Rajin’ Cajuns defense collapsed. They let Houston move down the field for 90-yard drive in the final two minutes to win. Houston scored its winning touchdown with 20 seconds left on the clock. First, Louisiana jumped out to a 13-0 lead midway through the second quarter and a 16-6 lead at halftime. Then the Rajin’ Cajuns got fumble-itis and Houston outscored Louisiana, 23-3. The Cajuns had three turnovers – two fumbles and an interception. Attendance in Shreveport: N/A
No fake, the real Wake (in the Gasparilla Bowl) – Wake Forest 27, Missouri 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Wake Forest 30, Missouri 26). Wake Forest took a 7-0 lead early on in the first quarter and never trailed until the third quarter when Missouri went up 17-14 with 5:45 to go in the quarter. But Mizzou’s lead was brief. Just one minute and 16 seconds later, the Demon Deacons went back up – 20-17 – and never trailed for the rest of the game. Wake Forrest quarterback Sam Hartman was 23-36-1, passing for 280 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Tampa: 34,370
College football at its worst (in the Hawaii Bowl) – Middle Tennessee 25, San Diego State 23 (Touchdown Tom said: San Diego State 23, Middle Tennessee 20). San Diego State quarterback Jalen Mayden has to be the worst quarterback I have seen all season. He not only threw three interceptions, but he was only 19-for-43 passing – 44% completion. Neither team had a running game. Middle Tennessee had minus -66 yards rushing. How do you win a game with minus -66 yards rushing? The other team’s quarterback hands you the game on a silver platter. That’s how. Actually, the Aztecs weren’t much better. They only had 55 yards rushing. San Diego State had five turnovers. The Hawaii Bowl wasn’t exactly college football at its best. It may have been college football at its worst. The Blue Raiders’ Zeke Rankin kicked a 37-yard field goal with 2:05 remaining to win the game for MTSU. It was Rankin’s fourth field goal of the game. Attendance in Honolulu: 6,605
Last Week’s Bowl Game Picks: 4 winners, 4 fumbles (50 percent)
Superlatives
Impressive Passers:
Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed – 36-55-1-497 (4TDs).
Impressive
Rushers:
None
Quotes of the Week
“I thought it was a disaster. I say that because there has been an expectation that Florida got the best hire,” Paul Finebaum, on Florida coach Billy Napier’s first season.
“He would be glad and proud that you’re playing in that game,” former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, speaking to the Mississippi State football players at the memorial service for Mike Leach, on their decision to play their bowl game on January 2.
“He was not the typical Power Five football coach. But as we all know, Mike Leach was anything but typical,” Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, speaking at the memorial service for Mike Leach.
“He truly did invest in other people. And it’s a great reminder for us all. Rest in peace, my friend. There will never be another one like you,” USC coach Lincoln Riley, speaking at the memorial service for Mike Leach.
“I think college football is going to turn into a mess. They’re going to have to do something,” North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, on NIL and the transfer portal.
Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for This Week’s 25 Bowl Games
New Mexico State (6-6) vs. Bowling Green (6-6) – (Ind. vs. MAC) – Quick Lane Bowl (Ford Field – Detroit, Michigan) – 2:30 pm ET, Monday, ESPNU – New Mexico State is actually a little better on defense than the team is on offense. The defense held opponents to 24 points a game. The offense averaged 26 points a game. Aggies quarterback Diego Pavia came on strong in the latter half of the season. He is a threat. New Mexico State began the season at 1-5. The Aggies finished the season at 5-1. Their best wins were over New Mexico, 21-9, and Liberty, 49-14. Bowling Green has a fair offense and a terrible defense. The defense gave up 33 points a game. The offense averaged 24 points a game. BG began the season at 2-4. The Falcons finished the season at 4-2. Quarterback Matt McDonald passed for 2,639 yards. BG’s best wins were over Marshall, Miami (Ohio) and Toledo. Aggies strike – New Mexico State 28, Bowling Green 26.
Georgia Southern (6-6) vs. Buffalo (6-6) – (Sun Belt vs. MAC) – Camellia Bowl (Cramton Bowl – Montgomery, Alabama) – 12 noon ET, Tuesday, ESPN – Georgia Southern had a great start to its season. But the Eagles ended on a down note, losing three of their final four games. The Eagles have a talented quarterback in Kyle Vantrease. Vantrease passed for 3,896 yards. As a result, Southern has a potent offense, averaging 34 points a game. Sadly, the defense is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the nation, giving up 32 points a game. The Eagles had good wins over Nebraska, James Madison and Appalachian State. Buffalo was a streaky team. The Bulls lost their first three games, won their next five games, before losing their next three games. Buffalo won its last game of the season to become bowl eligible. Buffalo’s offense and defense are generally bad – sometimes good. The Bulls have a decent quarterback in Cole Snyder. He passed for 2,765 yards. On offense, Buffalo averages 29 points a game. The defense gives up 27 points a game. The Bulls have good wins over Eastern Michigan, Miami (Ohio), Bowling Green and Toledo. No Bull – Georgia Southern 30, Buffalo 27.
Memphis (6-6) vs. Utah State (6-6) – (AAC vs. MWC) – First Responder Bowl (Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas Texas) – 3:15 pm ET, Tuesday, ESPN – The best part of Memphis is quarterback Seth Henigan. Henigan passed for 3,287 yards. The Tigers don’t really have a running game. Still, the offense averaged 35 points a game. The Memphis defense is below average. They gave up 27 points a game. Memphis began the season at 4-1, then lost five of its last seven games. Utah State is pretty sad on offense and defense. The offense only averaged 23 points a game, while the defense gave up 31 points a game. Somehow, the Aggies managed to win six games. They have a decent running back in Calvin Tyler. He rushed for 1,044 yards. Utah State did get better as they moved through the season. The Aggies began 1-4 and finished 5-2. Their best wins were over Air Force, 34-27, and San Jose State, 35-31. Aggies respond – Utah State 26, Memphis 24.
Coastal Carolina (9-3) vs. East Carolina (7-5) – (Sun Belt vs. AAC) – Birmingham Bowl (Protective Stadium – Birmingham, Alabama) – 6:45 pm ET, Tuesday, ESPN – They could call this the Carolina Bowl. Coastal Carolina has a better than average offense and a terrible defense. The offense, led by quarterback Grayson McCall, averaged 29 points a game. McCall passed for 2,633 yards. He announced that he is entering the transfer portal. The Chanticleers defense gave up 30 points a game. CC began the season at 6-0. Then the Chanticleers lost three of their final six games. McCall was injured during some of those games. Carolina’s best wins were over Georgia Southern, Marshall, Buffalo, Appalachian State and Southern Miss. East Carolina has a strong offense and a fair defense. The offense is led by quarterback Holton Ahlers. Ahlers passed for 3,408 yards. The Pirates have a good running back in Keaton Mitchell. Mitchell rushed for 1,325 yards. ECU averaged 31 points a game on offense. The defense gave up 27 points a game. The Pirates had an up-and-down season. The best wins were over UCF and BYU. Pirates invade the Coast – East Carolina 33, Coastal Carolina 24.
Wisconsin (6-6) vs. Oklahoma State (7-5) – (Big Ten vs. Big 12) – Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Chase Field – Phoenix, Arizona) – 10:15 pm ET, Tuesday, ESPN – Wisconsin was a big disappointment in 2022. Picked to win the Big Ten West Division, the Badgers finished fifth in the division. Their coach, Paul Chryst, was fired during the season. The Badgers were below average on offense and very good on defense. Running back Braelon Allen rushed for 1,121 yards. Wisconsin’s offense averaged 27 points a game, while the defense gave up 21 points a game. The Badgers were up-and-down all season – win one week, lose the next. By season’s end, Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz had lost his starting position. Mertz since entered the transfer portal and is transferring to Florida. The Badgers best wins were over Purdue and Maryland. Likewise, Oklahoma State was a disappointment in 2022. Cowboys were supposed to contend for the Big 12 crown. Instead, they finished fifth in the conference. Quarterback Spencer Sanders, who passed for 2,642 yards, has entered the transfer portal. The Cowboys offense is better than the defense, but neither are very good. Okie State averaged 32 points a game on offense, while giving up 29 points a game on defense. The Cowboys began the season 5-0, then went 2-5 in their final seven games. Their best wins were over Baylor, Texas and Texas Tech. Guaranteed – Wisconsin 28, Oklahoma State 21.
UCF (9-4) vs. Duke (8-4) – (AAC vs. ACC) – Military Bowl (Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium – Annapolis, Maryland) – 2 pm ET, Wednesday, ESPN – UCF lives and dies on the play of quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. When he is good, he is really, really good. But when he is bad, well you know. Plumlee passed for 2,404 yards. He was also UCF’s leading rusher with 827 yards. The Knights have a good offense with a below average defense. The offense averages 34 points a game. The defense gives up 23 points a game. The Knights have good wins over SMU, Cincinnati, Memphis and Tulane. They also lost to Tulane in the AAC title game. Under first-year coach Mike Elko, Duke played amazingly good football in 2022. The Dookies have a good quarterback in Riley Leonard. Leonard passed for 2,794 yards and was the team’s leading rusher with 635 yards. Duke is good on offense and a little better on defense. The offense averaged 33 points a game. The defense gave up 23 points a game. Duke’s best win was over Wake Forest. The Dookies are vets – Duke 31, UCF 30.
Kansas (6-6) vs. Arkansas (6-6) – (Big 12 vs. SEC) – Liberty Bowl (Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium – Memphis, Tennessee) – 5:30 pm ET, Wednesday, ESPN – Kansas was good in the first half of the season – 5-0. Bad in the second half of the season – 1-6. The Jayhawks were good when quarterback Jaylon Daniels was healthy and bad when he was injured. Devin Neal was the team’s leading rusher with 1,061 yards. Kansas could score. The Jayhawks averaged 34 points a game. But their opponents could score too – averaging 34 points a game. The Jayhawks best wins were over Houston, Duke and Oklahoma State. Arkansas was a bit of a disappointment in 2022. The Razorbacks were 3-5 in SEC play. Arkansas is led by quarterback K.J. Jefferson. He passed for 2,361 yards. The Hogs also have a good running back in Raheim Sanders. He rushed for 1,426 yards. Arkansas had a sturdy offence, but an un-sturdy defense. On offense the Hogs averaged 31 points a game. On defense, they gave up 29 points a game. Arkansas’ best wins were over Cincinnati, BYU, South Carolina and Ole Miss. There’s a crack in the Jayhawks – Arkansas 30, Kansas 27.
Oregon (9-3) vs. North Carolina (9-4) – Pac-12 vs. ACC) – Holiday Bowl (Petco Park, San Diego, California) – 8 pm ET, Wednesday, FOX – Oregon is led by quarterback Bo Nix. Nix had a great season with the Ducks, passing for 3,389 yards. Oregon’s offense was one of the best in the country – averaging 40 points a game. The Ducks generally played good defense, giving up 27 points a game. Oregon began the season 8-1, before losing 2 of their last 3 games. The Ducks had good wins over BYU, Washington State, UCLA and Utah. North Carolina comes into the game on a 3-game losing streak. But the Tar Heels were 9-1 in their first 10 games. UNC is led by a strong quarterback in Drake Maye. Maye was a Top 10 vote getter in the Heisman Trophy race. He passed for 4,115 yards and rushed for 653 yards. The Tar Heels are very good on offense – averaging 35 points a game. But they are equally as bad on defense – giving up 31 points a game. North Carolina had good wins over Appalachian State, Duke, Pitt and Wake Forest. The Ducks are a holiday – Oregon 37, North Carolina 30.
Texas Tech (7-5) vs. Ole Miss (8-4) – (Big 12 vs. SEC) – Texas Bowl (NRG Stadium – Houston, Texas) – 9 pm ET, Wednesday, ESPN – Texas Tech faired pretty well under first-year coach Joey McGuire. Better than expected. The Red Raiders have a pretty good offense but are terrible on defense. The offense averaged 34 points a game. The defense surrendered 30 points a game. Texas Tech had good wins over Houston, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma. Ole Miss was a disappointment in 2022 – 4-4 in SEC play. The Magnolias have some big hitters on offense. Quarterback Jaxon Dart passed for 2,614 yards and running back Quinshon Judkins rushed for 1,476 yards. The offense scored 34 points a game. The Ole Miss defense was below average – giving up 24 points a game. Ole Miss began the season at 7-0. Then the Magnolias were 1-4 in their final five games. The only good wins were over Troy and Kentucky. Don’t mess with Miss – Ole Miss 34, Texas Tech 29.
Syracuse (7-5) vs. Minnesota (8-4) – (ACC vs. Big Ten) – Pinstripe Bowl (Yankee Stadium – Bronx, New York) – 2 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Strange season for Syracuse. The Orange started out 6-0. Then Syracuse lost 5-straight games, before winning their last game. The Orange were a team of streaks – one good and one bad. On offense, Syracuse was led by quarterback Garrett Shrader. He passed for 2,306 yards. The Orange have a good running back in Sean Tucker. Tucker had 1,058 yards rushing. Syracuse was below average on offense and better than average on defense. The offense scored 28 points a game. The defense gave up 23 points a game. Syracuse had good wins over Louisville, Purdue and NC State. Minnesota had one of the best defenses in the country. Like several of those Big Ten West teams – Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois – the Gophers knew how to play defense. They only allowed 13 points a game. The Minnesota offense was good in the rushing game and weak elsewhere. The Gophers are driven by running back Mohamed Ibrahim. He rushed for 1,594 yards. The Gopher offense averaged 28 points a game. Minnesota was a bit streaky – won four games, lost three games, won three games, before splitting the last two. The Gophers only good win was over Wisconsin. Home run for the Orange – Syracuse 23, Minnesota 17.
Oklahoma (6-6) vs. Florida State (9-3) – (Big 12 vs. ACC) – Cheez-It Bowl (Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Florida) – 5:30 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Oklahoma was another disappointing team in 2022. Not only disappointing but odd, very odd, in the sense that Oklahoma had one of the worst defenses in the country. A bad defense under one of the best defensive coaches in the country – Brent Venables. In his first year coaching the Sooners, Venables had to be embarrassed by the Oklahoma defense. The Sooners gave up 30 points a game. Oklahoma’s offense was much better – averaging 33 points a game. The offense was led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel. He passed for 2,925 yards. Also a good running back in Eric Gray. Gray rushed for 1,364 yards. OU’s best wins were over Kansas and Oklahoma State. Once Florida State got past mid-season, the Seminoles got better and better. Of course the schedule got easier and easier. But the Noles did improve. FSU comes into the bowl on a 5-game winning streak. The Noles are led by quarterback Jordan Travis. He passed for 2,796 yards. FSU has a strong offense and a good defense. The offense averaged 36 points a game. The defense only allowed 20 points a game. FSU had good wins over LSU, Louisville, Syracuse and Florida. The Sooners are crumbs – Florida State 33, Oklahoma 25.
Texas (8-4) vs. Washington (10-2) – (Big 12 vs. Pac-12) – Alamo Bowl (Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas) – 9 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Texas finished about where the Horns were expected to finish in 2022 – 8-4 overall and third in the Big 12. Texas had a good offense and a fair defense. The offense averaged 36 points a game. Star running back Bijan Robinson has opted out of the bowl game. Quarterback Quinn Ewers will be playing. Ewers was out with injury during part of the season. The Texas defense gave up 21 points a game. Texas had good wins over UTSA, Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma and Kansas State. Washington had one of the best quarterbacks in the country – Michael Penix Jr. Penix led the nation in passing with 363 yards a game. He passed for 4,354 yards. Except for rushing, Washington’s offense was one of the best in the country – averaging 41 points a game. The Washington defense was below average – giving up 26 points a game. The Huskies had good wins over Oregon State, Oregon and Washington State. Remember the Huskies – Washington 32, Texas 27.
Maryland (7-5) vs. NC State (8-4) – (Big Ten vs. ACC) – Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, North Carolina) – 12 noon ET, Friday, ESPN – Maryland had a strange team in 2022. The Terps offense was average, and the defense was average. Maryland was average. They averaged 29 points a game and gave up 24 points a game. Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa passed for 2,787 yards. The Terps were 6-2 at one point. Then lost 3 of their last 4 games. Their best wins were all outside the Big Ten, over Buffalo and SMU. Maryland had no good wins in Big Ten play. Some thought NC State would contend for the ACC Atlantic Division title. They didn’t. Quarterback Devin Leary suffered from injury problems. He’s entered the transfer portal and has been picked up by Kentucky. The Wolfpack were sad on offense. But pretty good on defense. The offense averaged 25 points a game. The defense only allowed 19 points a game. NC State had good wins over East Carolina, Texas Tech, Florida State, Wake Forest and North Carolina. Aioli – NC State 28, Maryland 24.
Pitt (8-4) vs. UCLA (9-3) – (ACC vs. Pac-12) – Sun Bowl (Sun Bowl – El Paso, Texas) – 2 pm ET, Friday, CBS – Pitt’s offense was average. Its defense was generally good. Quarterback Kedon Slovis was disappointing but running back Israel Abanikanda wasn’t. Abanikanda rushed for 1,431 yards. Slovis has entered the transfer portal. Pitt averaged 31 points on offense. The defense gave up 23 points. Pitt’s two good wins were over Syracuse and Duke. Head coach Chip Kelly had a good season at UCLA. The Bruins have a good quarterback – Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and a good running back – Zach Charbonnet. Thompson-Robinson passed for 2,883 yards and Charbonnet rushed for 1,359 yards. The Bruins offense averaged 40 points a game. The defense was definitely the weaker side of the ball – giving up 28 points a game. UCLA began the season 6-0 and finished the season 3-3. The Bruins had good wins over South Alabama, Washington and Utah. Here comes the Bruins – UCLA 34, Pitt 29.
Notre Dame (8-4) vs. South Carolina (8-4) – (Ind. vs. SEC) – Gator Bowl (TIAA Bank Field – Jacksonville, Florida) – 3:30 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – Notre Dame got off to a shaky start, going 0-2, including a loss to Marshall. Then the Irish won 8 of their final 10 games. The Irish were generally good on offense. Very good on defense. The offense averaged 31 points a game. The defense gave up 22 points a game. Quarterback Drew Pyne has entered the transfer portal. ND had good wins over North Carolina, BYU, Syracuse and Clemson. South Carolina had an amazing season – better than everyone expected. The Gamecocks were 5-2, then ran into some problems, but won their final two games – great wins over Tennessee and Clemson. The Gamecocks were good on offense, except for rushing. They were good on defense, except for defending the run. Quarterback Spencer Rattler passed for 2,765 yards. Along with Tennessee and Clemson, the Gamecocks had a good win over Kentucky. Gamecocks growl – South Carolina 26, Notre Dame 23.
Ohio (9-4) vs. Wyoming (7-5) – (MAC vs. MWC) – Arizona Bowl (Arizona Stadium – Tucson, Arizona) – 4:30 pm ET, Friday – The best part of Ohio – Kurtis Rourke – is no longer the best part of Ohio. Rourke is out with an injury. That leaves the Bobcats offense in a precarious situation. Even with Rourke, the offense was just fairly good. Now it might not be that good. The offense averaged 32 points a game. The defense was not so good – giving up 28 points a game. Ohio’s best wins were over Buffalo, Miami (Ohio) and Bowling Green. Wyoming finished 7-5, but it was a very fragile 7-5. The Cowboys only averaged 21 points a game on offense. It was not a strong offense. The defense was better – giving up only 23 points a game. Wyoming has a decent running back in Titus Swen. He rushed for 1,039 yards. Wyoming’s best wins were over Air Force and Utah State. Bobcats kick sand – Ohio 29, Wyoming 22.
Tennessee (10-2) vs. Clemson (11-2) – (SEC vs. ACC) – Orange Bowl (Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, Florida) – 8 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – Tennessee was a great team in 2022. The best part of Tennessee was quarterback Hendon Hooker. Unfortunately, Hooker is out with a torn ACL. Still, the Vols are strong enough all around to keep winning games. Tennessee has one of the best offenses in the country – averaging 47 points a game. That’s impressive. The Vols defense is not as good, but it is not bad either – giving up 24 points a game. Tennessee’s best wins were over Pitt, Florida, LSU, Alabama, Kentucky and Missouri. Clemson is a worthy opponent for Tennessee. The Tigers quietly managed 11 wins in 2022, along with an ACC championship. Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei struggled throughout the season – struggled but won. By the end of the season, backup quarterback Cade Klubnik appeared to be Uiagalelei’s replacement. Uiagalelei announced he is entering the transfer portal. In spite of their offensive struggles, the Tigers averaged 35 points a game on offense. The Clemson defense remained strong, only giving up 20 points a game. Clemson running back Will Shipley rushed for 1,110 yards. Clemson’s best wins were over Wake Forest, NC State, Florida State, Syracuse, Louisville and North Carolina. The Vols do the squeezing – Tennessee 33, Clemson 30.
Alabama (10-2) vs. Kansas State (10-3) – (SEC vs. Big 12) – Sugar Bowl (Caesars Superdome – New Orleans, Louisiana) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Alabama lost two games in 2022 by a total of three points – 2 points to Tennessee and 1 point to LSU in overtime. You can’t get much closer to a perfect season than that. The Tide was led by quarterback Bryce Young who passed for 3,007. The Bama offense averaged 41 points a game. The defense was strong – giving up 18 points a game. Bama’s linebacker Will Anderson, along with Young, have announced they will play in the game. Alabama’s best wins were over Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Kansas State is a feisty team on offense and defense. The offense was led by quarterback Adrian Martinez. When Martinez was injured, Will Howard took over. Wildcats running back Deuce Vaughn rushed for 1,425 yards. The K-State offense averaged 33 points a game. K-State was good on defense too – giving up only 20 points a game. K-State had good wins over Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Kansas and TCU. The Wildcats are riding a four-game winning streak. Bama is sweet – Alabama 30, Kansas State 23.
Iowa (7-5) vs. Kentucky (7-5) – (Big Ten vs. SEC) – Music City Bowl (Nissan Stadium – Nashville, Tennessee) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Iowa was a strange team in 2022. The Hawkeyes struggled all season to find an offense. The Hawkeyes seemed to find a bit of one in the latter part of the season but lost their final game to Nebraska. A win would have sent Iowa to the Big Ten title game. The offense only averaged 17 points a game. Fortunately, for the Hawkeyes, the defense was very strong – one of the best in the nation. The defense only surrendered 14 points a game. Iowa’s best wins were over Purdue, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Kentucky was a disappointment in 2022. So much more was expected of the Wildcats. Basically, Kentucky struggled on offense – only averaging 22 points a game. The leader on offense was quarterback Will Levis. Levis passed for 2,406 yards. Fortunately, for Kentucky, their defense was good. The defense kept them in many games. Kentucky’s defense gave up 19 points a game. The Wildcats’ best wins were over Florida, Mississippi State, Missouri and Louisville. The Hawkeyes can strum – Iowa 17, Kentucky 14.
TCU (12-1) vs. Michigan (13-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big Ten) – Fiesta Bowl (State Farm Stadium – Glendale, Arizona) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – TCU remained undefeated all season, up until the Big 12 championship game. That’s when the Frogs suffered their only loss to Kansas State – a team TCU beat during the season. TCU was led by Heisman contender quarterback Max Duggan and running back Kendre Miller. Duggan passed for 3,221 yards. Miller rushed for 1,342 yards. TCU’s powerful offense averaged 41 points a game. If there is a weakness, and there is, it’s the Frogs’ defense. The TCU defense gave up 25 points a game. With an undefeated regular season, TCU had a lot of good wins. The Frogs beat 9 bowl-bound teams. Unlike TCU, Michigan won its conference title game and was one of only two teams to finish the season undefeated. The Wolverines are led by quarterback J.J. McCarthy. He passed for 2,376 yards. Star running back Blake Corum suffered a knee injury near the end of the season and is out. But running back Donovan Edwards picked up where Corum left off. Michigan is powerful on offense and defense. The offense averaged 40 points a game, while the defense held opponents to 13 points a game. Being undefeated, Michigan had a lot of good wins. Michigan beat 7 bowl-bound teams. Wolverines party – Michigan 32, TCU 23.
Ohio State (11-1) vs. Georgia (13-0) – (Big Ten vs. SEC) – Peach Bowl (Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta, Georgia) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Thanks to USC, losing to Utah, Ohio State made it into the playoff. The Buckeyes are led by Heisman finalist quarterback C.J. Stroud. Stroud passed for 3,340 yards. The Buckeyes will be without running back TreVeyon Henderson. Henderson is out with a foot injury. Still, Ohio State’s offense will be potent. They averaged 45 points a game. The defense is good too – holding opponents to 19 points a game. Ohio State was 11-0 and then lost the last game to Michigan. Ohio State beat six bowl-bound teams during the season. Georgia remains the team to beat. The Bulldogs appear to be unstoppable. Along with Michigan, the Dawgs were the only other undefeated team this season. On offense, Georgia is led by quarterback Stetson Bennett. Bennett passed for 3,420 yards. He is unflappable. On offense, the Dawgs average 39 points a game. The defense is even better – holding opponents to 13 points a game. Georgia is 1st in the nation against the rush. Georgia beat eight bowl-bound teams this season. The Buckeyes are the pits – Georgia 28, Ohio State 21.
Mississippi State (8-4) vs. Illinois (8-4) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – ReliaQuest Bowl (Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, Florida) – 12 noon ET, Monday, ESPN2 – Mike Leach’s memorial service was held in Starkville last week. This game will be the final memorial service to Leach. No speakers. Just the game itself and the cheering fans will be a memorial service. Miss State is led by quarterback Will Rogers. As Will goes, so go the Bulldogs. Sometimes Will doesn’t go so good. But usually, he does. Rogers passed for 3,702 yards. Miss State’s offense is all passing and no running. The Bulldogs were the worst team in the country in rushing offense – 79 yards a game. Miss State averaged 33 points a game. The defense is actually pretty decent – holding opponents to 24 points a game. Miss State had good wins over Memphis, Arkansas and Ole Miss. Illinois is not much on offense, but the Banned Indians have a hell of a defense – first in points allowed. Opponents only averaged 12 points a game against Illinois. The Illinois offense averaged 25 points a game. The Banned Indians are led by quarterback Tommy Devito. He passed for 2,394 yards. Illinois began the season 7-1. Then they lost 3 of their last 4 games. Illinois has good wins over Wyoming, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. Bully’s reliable – Mississippi State 22, Illinois 21.
Tulane (11-2) vs. USC (11-2) – (AAC vs. Pac-12) – Cotton Bowl Classic (AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas) – 1 pm ET, Monday, ESPN – Tulane was a surprise team in 2022. The fun team of 2022. It was a joy to watch them play. Almost always exceeding their expectations. The Green Wave not only play good offense, but also, they play good defense. The offense is led by quarterback Michael Pratt and running back Tyjae Spears. Pratt passed for 2,776 yards. Spears rushed for 1,373 yards. The offense averaged 35 points a game. The defense was solid – holding opponents to 21 points a game. Tulane defeated 7 bowl-bound teams during the season. USC is a mixed bag – great on offense, weak on defense. The offense averaged 41 points a game. They were led by quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams. Williams passed for 4,075 yards. The weakness on offense is the running game. There isn’t much of one. The defense gave up 28 points a game. The Trojans two losses were to the same team – Utah. Otherwise, USC beat six bowl-bound teams. The Trojans are boll weevils – USC 33, Tulane 30.
LSU (9-4) vs. Purdue (7-5) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – Citrus Bowl (Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Florida) – 1 pm ET, Monday, ABC – LSU exceeded expectations in 2022. However, the Tigers lost their last two games. Quarterback Jayden Daniels leads the Tigers in both passing and rushing. He passed for 2,774 yards and rushed for 818 yards. An ankle injury may or may not keep him out of the bowl game. LSU’s offense was good but not great. They averaged 32 points a game. The defense was the same – good but not great. They held opponents to 24 points a game. The Tigers had good wins over Florida, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Alabama and Ole Miss. Surprisingly, Purdue won the Big Ten West Division. That was quite a shock. Unfortunately for the Boilermakers, their quarterback Aidan O’Connell has opted out of the bowl game. Already an underdog, that makes Purdue a bigger underdog. And to make matters worse, Purdue coach Jeff Brohm has left for Louisville. Enter Drew Brees. The former Purdue and New Orleans Saints quarterback has joined the coaching staff to help prepare Purdue for the bowl game. Purdue’s offense averaged 28 points a game. The defense, however, gave up 25 points a game. Purdue had good wins over Minnesota, Maryland and Illinois. Tigers are juiced – LSU 33, Purdue 27.
Penn State (10-2) vs. Utah (10-3) – (Big Ten vs. Pc-12) – Rose Bowl (Rose Bowl – Pasadena, California) – 5 pm ET, Monday, ESPN – Utah and Penn State have the privilege of playing in the final bowl game of the season. Coming in third place in the Big Ten East Division and yet playing in the Rose Bowl is not bad. The Nittany Lions are good on offense, even better on defense. The offense is driven by quarterback Sean Clifford. Clifford passed for 2,543 yards. They averaged 36 points a game. Not bad. The defense held opponents to 18 points a game. Not bad, either. In fact, very good. Penn State began the season at 5-0 and ended the season at 4-0. In between, the Nitts were 1-2. Penn State had good wins over Purdue, Ohio, Maryland and Minnesota. Utah is in the Rose Bowl for the second-straight year. Last year, the Utes lost to Ohio State in the game. It was a tough loss. Utah is led by quarterback Cameron Rising. He passed for 2,939 yards. The offense is strong and the Utes’ defense is good. The offense averages 40 points a game. The defense only gives up 20 points a game. Utah had good wins over San Diego State, Oregon State, Washington State and USC (twice). Everything’s coming up Utes – Utah 28, Penn State 21.
Touchdown Tom
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