College Football
Week 19 – TCU vs. Georgia
Big Ten denied
again, Sark trashed,
During the final week of bowl games, we went from running the heater to running the air conditioner. Those college football playoff games were classics, and I don’t want to hear any more talk about mayonnaise.
The seven days after Christmas (eight when January 1 falls on Sunday) are generally one of my most favorite times of the year. Seven days of college football games. Some of the most exciting games of the season. Games between teams who rarely ever play each other. Plus, all the leftover Holiday goodies to snack on. It just doesn’t get any better. This year was no exception.
The morning after Christmas Day, in the Florida panhandle, we woke up to a 20° temp for the second-straight day. But it warmed up to the mid-40s during the afternoon. That was an improvement over Christmas Day when it only warmed to 34°.
The final eight days of the Holiday bowl season began the day after Christmas in Detroit, Michigan. Ford Field was the location of the Quick Lane Bowl. It was a good location for the Aggies of New Mexico State. Up 24-7, New Mexico State held off Bowling Green in the fourth quarter to beat the Falcons, 24-19.
This was just New Mexico State’s third bowl appearance in 62 years. The Aggies last appeared in a bowl game in 2017, and before that, in 1960. Under first-year coach Jerry Kill, New Mexico State finished at an unexpected 7-6. That’s a good start for the 2023 season.
During the afternoon, news broke that backup Texas quarterback Hudson Card is transferring to Purdue. That’s a good move for Card in more ways than one. Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell announced he is entering the NFL draft. And Texas will not only have Quinn Ewers back next season, but also, Arch Manning who will be joining the Longhorns.
Monday evening, Swamp Mama, Princess Gator and I drove around some of the neighborhoods, taking in the Christmas lights and decorations. At one street, all the homes on both sides of the street were lighted and decorated. You could tune in to a FM radio spot to hear Christmas music that was in synchronization with the blinking lights in the yards and on the houses. Clever.
Back at Princess Gator’s house we made hot chocolate and watched the movie “Where the Crawdads Sing” on Netflix. Swamp Mama and Princess Gator had read the book. They thought the movie did a good job of sticking to the story. It was a good movie.
Tuesday, it was time for Swamp Mama and me to leave the panhandle and drive back to the coast of east-central, Florida. It was warmer when we woke on Tuesday morning – 28°. When we pulled out of the driveway, it had warmed to 30°. When we pulled into our driveway, about seven hours later, it was 66°.
Driving home, I listened to ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM. You see, Swamp Mama had made a deal with me. She said if we listened to Christmas music driving up to the panhandle, she would let me listen to college football during the drive home. What a deal! What a bargain!
First, I listened to “Dusty and Danny in the Morning” – Dusty Dvoracek and Danny Kanell. Actually, I can’t stand the show. Danny Kanell is an immature, obnoxious loudmouth. I think Dusty got hit in the head too many times playing football. The show is really bad. You can listen to it for three hours and learn absolutely nothing. But hey, it was better than listening to Christmas music after Christmas.
“Full Ride” with Chris Childers and Rick Neuheisel came on next. This show I like. You can learn a lot about college football listening to Chris and Rick. And they are entertaining without being obnoxious.
Following “Full Ride,” the Camellia Bowl with Georgia Southern playing Buffalo came on ESPNU Radio next. I listened to the first half of the game. Swamp Mama and I arrived home during the third quarter of the Camellia Bowl. I turned on the TV. After unpacking I sat down, relaxed and watched the remainder of the game.
Late in the fourth quarter, Buffalo led Georgia Southern, 23-14. The Eagles scored a touchdown with 3:38 remaining. But that was the best Georgia Southern could do. Buffalo won, 23-21. Now, the interesting angle of the game: Georgia Southern quarterback Kyle Vantrease played for Buffalo last year. He transferred to Georgia Southern during the off season. In a losing effort, Vantrease was 28-45-1, passing for 352 yards and two touchdowns.
The First Responder Bowl came on next – Memphis vs. Utah State. Except for the first half of the first quarter, Utah State was never ever in the game. Memphis downed Utah State, 38-10. The First Responder Bowl was like the Fenway and Armed Forces Bowls. The stadium was so empty, bowl officials refused to provide the attendance. Basically, there was no attendance.
Late Tuesday afternoon, news broke that Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman had entered the transfer portal. Speculation is that Hartman will transfer to Notre Dame. Stay tuned!
Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell wasn’t on the sideline at the Birmingham Bowl. Chanticleers quarterback Grayson McCall, who has entered the transfer portal, was playing. McCall was looking sharp, however an injury midway through the second quarter took him out of the game. Coastal Carolina led 14-10 at that point. But East Carolina went on to rout the Chanticleers, 53-29.
Meanwhile, back to Chadwell – he is off to Liberty where he will be coaching next year. That move really surprised me. I always thought when Chadwell left Coastal Carolina it would be for a Power Five school. The jump to Liberty not only isn’t a move up, but also, it isn’t even a lateral move. It’s a downward move. Liberty has always been a school that no other FBS conference would accept for membership. Conference USA only accepted them out of desperation when nine schools pulled out of the conference – leaving C-USA with only five members.
As the Guaranteed Rate Bowl was beginning, Swamp Mama told me she had texted Bootsie. She actually told Bootsie that I was going to watch bowl games till the end of time.
I said, “What did Bootsie say?
Swamp Mama replied, “She hasn’t responded, but she understands.”
I said, “Well, that’s like you watching Hallmark movies till the end of time.”
Wisconsin and Oklahoma State were underway in Phoenix. They were borrowing the Diamondbacks stadium – Chase Field. This was a good game. The Badgers beat the Cowboys, 24-17. New Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell was on the sideline. He had the headsets on – listening but not coaching. Interim Wisconsin coach Jim Leonhard was coaching the Badgers for the last time.
Briefly, switching to basketball, did you see what Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks did on Tuesday night? How about 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists. That’s never been done before. Doncic is something else, isn’t he? The guy is simply amazing. Is there anything Doncic can’t do? He would probably make a good football player. But we’ll never know. Oh yes, the Mavericks beat the New York Knicks, 126-121.
In Florida, the grass doesn’t grow as fast in the winter as it does in the summer. I don’t have to mow, edge and trim as frequently. That gives me time to watch football, without having a guilty conscience. Life is good during bowl season.
Four games were on tap for Wednesday. The first of the four was the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland. First-year Duke coach Mike Elko did a fabulous job with the Dookies this season – 8-4. He did a fabulous job again in the bowl game. Duke beat UCF, 30-13. Duke quarterback Riley Leonard did a fabulous job too. Riley passed for 173 yards (no interceptions) and rushed for 63 yards. He scored two touchdowns rushing.
One hundred and eight points scored. Three overtimes. The Liberty Bowl, without a doubt, was the most amazing and the most exciting contest of the post-season bowl games played so far. It may end up being the most amazing and exciting of all the bowls. Most amazing because trailing Arkansas 38-13 with less than four minutes to go in the third quarter, Kansas rallied to tie the score with 0:41 on the clock. To tie the score, Kansas was successful on a two-point conversion on its final touchdown. The Jayhawks scored 25 unanswered points in the final 18:15 of the game. Most exciting because the game went to three overtimes before Arkansas won 55-53 (3OT).
It came in pairs. The Holiday Bowl was icing on the cake to the Liberty Bowl. As if you weren’t high enough from the Liberty Bowl, Oregon scored with 0:19 on the clock to beat North Carolina, 28-27 in the Holiday Bowl. To make it edgier, when Oregon kicker Camden Lewis kicked the extra point to win the game, the ball hit and bounced off the upright before falling over the crossbar for a successful conversion. We almost had another overtime game.
In the finale on Wednesday night, Texas Tech took the Sip outta Kiff. Texas Tech topped Ole Miss, 42-25, in the Texas Bowl in Houston. Lane Kiffin has to be the most overrated coach in FBS football. I don’t understand why Ole Miss fans are so giddy over Kiffey. I never understood why Auburn so badly wanted Kiffin to be their coach.
A Touch of Class….On its first play from scrimmage at the start of the Texas Bowl, Texas Tech lined up in an “Air Raid” formation to honor its former coach Mike Leach. Ole Miss declined the delay of game penalty.
Just prior to the first kickoff on Thursday, we learned that soccer legend Pele died. Regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, soccer players of all time, Pele played for the Brazilian national team from 1957 to 1971, which included three World Cup winners in 1958, 1962 and 1970. He is the only player to play on three World Cup winning teams. Pele began playing professional soccer at the age of 15 when he joined the Brazilian team Santos. He was 16 when he joined the Brazilian national team. Pele played for Santos from 1956 to 1974. He played for the New York Cosmos from 1975 to 1977. During his soccer career, he scored 1,279 goals and played in 1,363 matches. Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pele) was 82.
Aaron Judge wasn’t on the field, but there was a game in Yankee Stadium. It was the Pinstripe Bowl – football not baseball. Syracuse had all the first downs, total yards, passing yards, rushing yards and time of possession, but Minnesota had all the points. Minnesota beat Syracuse, 28-20, in “The House that Ruth Built.” Syracuse was great at moving the ball between the 20s, but getting inside the 20, the Orange were hopeless.
We learned that SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai has entered the transfer portal. Speculation has Mordecai transferring to Wisconsin. Stay tuned!
They’re back! After several years of problems and several years of frustrations, Florida State has returned to the stage. And the Noles were ready for prime time. FSU finished its season at 11-3, beating Oklahoma, 35-32, in the Cheez-It Bowl. First-year Oklahoma coach Bent Venables must be suffering from memory problems because he sure has forgotten what defense is.
Two friends of mine were in attendance at the game – two friends who I worked with for many, many years – Jamie Fuller and Frank Grey.
My Washington & Lee friend Jamie was at the game with two of his three sons – Liam and Colin. Liam, the oldest, got his bachelor’s degree from Florida State in 2019 and his Master’s in 2022. Colin, the middle son, graduates from FSU this spring.
My Florida State friend Frank was at the game with his son and daughter. Frank said it was a very exciting game. The Greys and the Fullers were happy campers at the end.
Meanwhile, in San Antonio, it was practically a home game for the Longhorns. But that didn’t bother the Huskies. Washington beat Texas, 27-20, in the Alamo Bowl in River Walk City. Trailing the Huskies, 27-10, the Horns scored a touchdown and a field goal in the final 9:50 of the game. The field goal came with 1:40 on the clock. After the game, Texas fans trashed Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian on social media. A few examples:
“In two years at Texas, Sarkisian has a 13-12 record. Once again, how does he get so many five-star recruits? He can’t coach,” Scott Reichel.
“Steve Sarkisian’s record before Texas: 46-37 (.554). Steve Sarkisian’s record at Texas: 13-12 (.520). What did they expect?” James Leopold.
“When will people realize that Steve Sarkisian is not a good coach?” Mikey Scarbrough.
“Tom Herman was a significantly better coach than Steve Sarkisian,” Timothy Bailey.
“Tom Herman never had a losing season and never lost a bowl game,” CFB Ho.
The Washington-Texas game closed out a long afternoon and night of football on Thursday, and into Friday morning.
Friday, however, was even a longer afternoon and night – five games instead of three. And a 12 noon start instead of a 2 p.m. start. But if Friday’s games were as good as Thursday’s games, we were in for an exciting day. All three of the games on Thursday were decided by 8 points or less – 8, 7 and 3.
First up Friday was the Olive Oil, Egg Yolk and Vinegar Bowl – otherwise known as the Mayonnaise Bowl – Duke’s Mayonnaise to be specific. This game was hurting for touchdowns – seriously. After 60 minutes there was only one touchdown in the game – one touchdown and seven field goals. Maryland beat NC State, 16-12, in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. The Terps got the one touchdown. The Wolfpack must have sent their soccer team.
Not only was the game bad, but also the ESPN broadcasters calling the game were bad – even worse. All they could talk about was mayonnaise. They knew everything about mayonnaise and little to nothing about football. Throughout the game, Brock Osweiler (analyst), Anish Shroff (play-by-play) and Andraya Carter (sideline) talked about all the things they like to do with mayonnaise. It didn’t get too kinky, but one of the guys said he likes to put mayonnaise on his peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Not only were the game and the broadcasters sad, but also, the attendance was sad – only 37,000. And the weather was good. Oh well, Maryland never could draw ants to a picnic, and NC State fans must be boycotting coach Dave Doeren.
SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai made it official on Friday afternoon. He is transferring to Wisconsin for his final season of eligibility. Looks like new Badgers coach Luke Fickell has his quarterback in place for next season.
Go West, young man. Go West. That’s what that famous football coach Horace Greeley once said. (I’m being facetious). Pitt took Greeley’s advice and went to the West Texas town of El Paso. The Panthers didn’t find Rosa’s Cantina, but they did find victory over UCLA. The Panthers beat the Bruins in the Sun Bowl, 37-35. Pitt’s Ben Sauls kicked a 47-yard field goal with 0:04 left on the clock to win the game for the Panthers.
With victories over Tennessee and Clemson at the end of the regular season, South Carolina was on an incredible high. That high continued through the first half of the Gator Bowl on Friday. But it came crumbling down in the second half. With 5:18 to go in the second quarter, the Gamecocks led Notre Dame, 24-10. During the remaining 35 minutes of the game, Notre Dame outscored South Carolina, 35-14. The Gamecocks didn’t look like the same team. Beamer Ball was dead. South Carolina’s offense struggled. So did its defense. Notre Dame beat South Carolina, 45-38.
Out in Tucson, Ohio and Wyoming put on quite a battle in the Arizona Bowl. The lead changed hands no less than five times. At no point did either team lead by more than six points. It was the second game of the day in which a defining 40-plus yard field goal was kicked with just 0:04 on the clock. That field goal enabled Ohio to tie Wyoming – 24-24 – at the end of regulation. In overtime, the Bobcats went on to beat the Cowboys, 30-27.
That’s seven straight bowl games, nine of the last 10, where the difference in the final score was 8 points or less. Those nine games were decided by a combined 37 points – 4 points a game. The seven-game streak was by a combined 34 points – 4.8 points a game. Two of the games went into overtime. That’s some exciting football.
Well, the seven-game streak came to an end in the final game on Friday night in the Orange Bowl. Tennessee beat Clemson by 17 points – 31-14. Clemson suffered through problems on offense last season. Dabo Swinney still has problems on offense. Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei couldn’t get the job done during the season. Quarterback Cade Klubnik couldn’t get the job done in the Orange Bowl.
It was during the Tennessee-Clemson game that we learned of the death of Barbara Walters. She was an American broadcast journalist and television personality. Walters was known for her interviews and popularity with viewers. She appeared as a host of numerous television programs, including Today, ABC Evening News, 20/20 and The View. Walters was a working journalist from 1951 until her retirement in 2015. Barbara Jill Walters was 93.
The first two of the four games on New Year’s Eve began at the same time. Both games included an SEC team. One SEC team played well, and one didn’t. The SEC team that didn’t play well was Kentucky. The Wildcats fell to Iowa in the Music City Bowl, 21-0. Two of Iowa’s three touchdowns were pick-sixes.
Nashville must be a miserable place in the wintertime. It seems like every year the weather for the Music City Bowl is overcast, gray and dreary – often raining. I guess it makes the atmosphere ideal for writing lyrics to country music songs.
In New Orleans, Kansas State played a good game against Alabama – in the first and fourth quarters. The Wildcats outscored Alabama 10-7 in the first quarter and 7-3 in the fourth quarter. But in the second and third quarters, Alabama outscored K-State, 35-3, on its way to a 45-20 win over the Wildcats in the Sugar Bowl. Look for Alabama to finish in the Top 4 in the final AP and Coaches Polls released next week.
The second two of the four games on New Year’s Eve were the semifinals of the College Football Playoff – TCU vs. Michigan and Ohio State vs. Georgia. It was an opportunity for the Big Ten Conference to set up an all-Big Ten championship game. But the Big Ten would be denied – not once, but twice.
Little did we know what was in store for us. First of all, both were close games – one decided by 6 points and the other decided by 1 point. Two close games was a first in CFP semifinal game history. Second there were 199 points scored in the two games – 96 points in one game and 103 points in the other. This when the defenses of three of the teams – Michigan, Georgia and Ohio State – were among the upper echelons in the country. However, maybe not so surprising when the offenses of three of the teams – Georgia, Ohio State and TCU – were among the upper echelons in the country. Offense ruled.
In the first semifinal game – the Fiesta Bowl – TCU surprised Michigan, 51-45. Coming into the game, Michigan’s defense only allowed 13 points a game. However, except for Ohio State, Big Ten teams don’t have an offense. Most of Michigan’s games were against Big Ten teams. And the Wolverines non-conference games were against Colorado State, Hawaii and Connecticut. So, I guess we shouldn’t have been surprised that TCU put 51 points on the board against Michigan.
And for the record, Michigan put 51 points on the board against TCU. The extra point would have made it 52. But the SEC review official robbed Michigan of a touchdown. It was unadulterated theft.
In the second semifinal game – the Peach Bowl – Georgia outlasted Ohio State, 52-51. During the season, Ohio State only allowed 19 points a game, while Georgia only gave up 13 points a game. Using the Michigan logic above, it’s not surprising that Georgia scored 52 points on Ohio State. But it is perplexing that Ohio State put 51 points on the board against Georgia. Head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson put together a good game plan against Georgia.
Best of all, the two semifinal games were good. Even better, they were entertaining. After all the emotion and all the excitement in those two games, we needed a day of rest. As tradition has it, whenever New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday, there are no bowl games on January 1. We got our day of rest.
On New Year’s Day we learned that Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall has removed his name from the transfer portal.
The action resumed on January 2 with the final four bowl games of the 2022 season. Action? Not in the first game. You see, Illinois was playing. Illinois has one the best defenses in the country combined with one of the worst offenses. In the ReliaQuest Bowl, there were as many field goals as there were touchdowns. And one of the touchdowns was a fumble-six. Mississippi State beat Illinois, 19-10. Entering the fourth quarter, Illinois led, 10-3.
Perhaps the biggest upset of the 39 bowl games occurred in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Tulane, yes Tulane, knocked off USC and the Heisman Trophy winner, 46-45. With 0:09 to go in the game, Tulane scored the tying touchdown. The extra point kick put the Green Wave up. Lincoln Riley continues to be an offensive genius and a defensive failure.
Purdue’s recent bowl history hasn’t exactly been something to brag about – losses of 58-14 and 63-14. The Boilers added to their embarrassment yesterday. LSU decimated Purdue, 63-7, in the Citrus Bowl. The Tigers led 49-0 before the Boilers scored their first and only touchdown.
The “Granddaddy of Them All” was the final bowl game of the 2022 season. It was a close game for three quarters. Penn State led Utah, 21-14. But it was no longer close in the fourth quarter. The Nittany Lions extended their lead to 35-14. Penn State beat Utah in the Rose Bowl, 35-21.
And with that, the bowl season came to an end. All 41 games are history. The stage is now set for the national championship game next Monday night – TCU vs. Georgia. Stay tuned!
Happy New Year!
Touchdown Tom
(Take Note: Next week’s College Football Week – CFW Week 20 – will be posted on January 10, the morning after the national title game.)
Review of Last Week’s Bowl Games
Motown was Go-town for the Aggies (in the Quick Lane Bowl) – New Mexico State 24, Bowling Green 19 (Touchdown Tom said: New Mexico State 28, Bowling Green 26). As the fourth quarter began, New Mexico State led Bowling Green, 24-7. The Falcons rallied with a field goal, safety and touchdown. The touchdown came with 6:27 left in the game. However, the third-down running of Aggies quarterback Diego Pavia enabled New Mexico State to hold onto the ball and run out the clock. The Aggies did a good job of that all game, controlling ball possession for 38:10. Bowling Green only managed 73yards rushing. Falcons quarterback Matt McDonald left the game midway through the first quarter with an injury. Attendance in Detroit: 22,987
No Camellias for the Eagles (in the Camellia Bowl) – Buffalo 23, Georgia Southern 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Southern 30, Buffalo 27). The game got off to a slow start, especially for Georgia Southern. While the Eagles could only get two field goals, the Bulls got two touchdowns – all in the second quarter. Georgia Southern hardly ever had the ball. Buffalo maintained possession for 38:06. Attendance in Montgomery: 15,322
The Tigers responded – (in the First Responder Bowl) – Memphis 38, Utah State 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah State 26, Memphis 24). Early in the fourth quarter, Utah State showed some life. The Aggies scored to close the score to 24-10. But Memphis followed up with two more touchdowns. Memphis had 26 first downs to 15 for Utah State. Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan was 20-29-0, passing for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Dallas: N/A
The Pirates did the coasting – (in the Birmingham Bowl) – East Carolina 53, Coastal Carolina 29 (Touchdown Tom said: East Carolina 33, Coastal Carolina 24). East Carolina racked up 487 total yards. Pirates quarterback Holton Ahlers was 26-38-0, passing for 300 yards and five touchdowns. ECU’s Keaton Mitchell rushed for 127 yards and one touchdown. Attendance in Birmingham: 15,901
Bucky guaranteed it (in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl) – Wisconsin 24, Oklahoma State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 28, Oklahoma State 21). The game started out tight. Oklahoma State led Wisconsin, a7-3, at the end of the first quarter. Wisconsin scored twice in the second quarter and went up 17-7 at the break. The Badgers added to their lead in the third quarter. Wisconsin was up 24-7. The game was no longer tight. However, Okie State scored 10 points in the fourth quarter. The game was tight again. But the Badgers held on. The Cowboys only had 10 first downs and only 52 yards rushing. Wisconsin dominated ball possession for 37:58. Attendance in Phoenix: 23,187
The Gus Bus broke down (in the Military Bowl) – Duke 30, UCF 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 31, UCF 30). After trading a touchdown a piece in the first quarter, Duke score 16 unanswered points. The Dookies led 23-7 at the end of the third quarter. Like in the first quarter, the two teams traded a touchdown a piece in the fourth quarter. Duke finished at 9-4. Attendance in Annapolis:
No Pork Chop for the Jayhawk (in the Liberty Bowl) – Arkansas 55, Kansas 53 (3OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Arkansas 30, Kansas 27). A tale of two halves. Arkansas outscored Kansas in the first half, 31-13. Kansas outscored Arkansas in the second half, 27-7. Arkansas quarterback K.J. Jefferson passed for 287yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels was responsible for six touchdowns – 5 passing and1 rushing. The teams combined for 1,284 total yards and 61 first downs. The Jayhawks weakness – only 59 yards rushing. Attendance in Memphis: 52,847
Puddles quacked as Mack cracked (in the Holiday Bowl) – Oregon 28, North Carolina 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 37, North Carolina 30). The game was tied twice – 7-7 in the first quarter and 14-14 in the second quarter. Oregon first led 7-0 and then 14-7. North Carolina went up 21-14 at 0:26 before the half and never trailed again until 0:19 left in the game. With 9:13 to go in the fourth quarter, the Tar Heels went up 24-14. The Ducks’ winning touchdown came on a 6-yard pass from Bo Nix to Chase Cota. Oregon running back Bucky Irving rushed for 149 yards. Attendance in San Diego: 36,242
The Magnolias wilted (in the Texas Bowl) – Texas Tech 42, Ole Miss 25 (Touchdown Tom said: Ole Miss 34, Texas Tech 29). The teams combined for 1,042 total yards and 8 turnovers. Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough passed for 242 yards and one touchdown, and he rushed for 111 yards and two more touchdowns. Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart threw three interceptions. Ole Miss never led in the game. Attendance in Houston: 53,251
No zest in this Orange (in the Pinstripe Bowl) – Minnesota 28, Syracuse 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Syracuse 23, Minnesota 17). Minnesota never trailed in the game. Syracuse never let the game get out of hand, but the Orange could never overtake the Gophers. With less than 3 minutes to go in the game, Minnesota led Syracuse, 28-13. The Orange scored their last 7 points with 2:30 on the clock. Minnesota won with only 224 total yards. Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader passed for 330 yards. Syracuse was 1-6 in its last 7 games. Minnesota finished at 9-4. Attendance in The Bronx: 31,131
The Noles squeeze-it (in the Cheez-It Bowl) – Florida State 35, Oklahoma 32 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida State 33, Oklahoma 25). Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis had a spectacular game. Travis was 27-38-1, passing for 418 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 50 yards. Oklahoma was the better rushing team, while FSU was the better passing team. The teams combined for 1,083 total yards. FSU had 587 of those yards. The lead changed hands four times. FSU went up 3-0 early in the first quarter. Four minutes later, OU went up 7-3. The Sooners held onto the lead – 14-3, 14-11, 17-11 – until late in the third quarter when the Noles retook the lead at 18-17. Then OU went back up 25-18, early in the fourth quarter. Two minutes later, the game was tied at 25-25. FSU grabbed a 32-25 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Four minutes later, OU tied the score at 32-32. The Noles won the game on a 32-yard field goal with 0:55 left on the clock. Attendance in Orlando: 61,520
No tacos for Bevo (in the Alamo Bowl) – Washington 27, Texas 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 32, Texas 27). Washington took a 3-0 lead with 11:44 to go in the first quarter and never trailed for the rest of the game. The best Texas could do was tie the score at 3-3 for 4 minutes in the first quarter. The Huskies led 13-3 at the half and 27-10 early in the fourth quarter. Texas rallied, but it was too little too late. Washington kept the ball away from Texas, controlling possession for 35:46. Texas only had 51 yards rushing. Attendance in San Antonio: 62,730
World Cup match (in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl) – Maryland 16, NC State 12 (Touchdown Tom said: NC State 28, Maryland 24). Midway through the first quarter, NC State went up, 3-0. Three minutes later, Maryland evened the score at 3-3. In the second quarter, the Terrapins went up 10-3 and never trailed again for the rest of the game. But it remained close. Maryland’s lead was never by more than 7 points. In fact, it was mostly by just 1 and 4 points. Neither team could run the ball. Maryland had 76 yards rushing and NC State had 27 yards rushing. The Terps dominated the clock, possessing the ball for 35:34. Attendance in Charlotte: 37,228
Total eclipse for the Bruins (in the Sun Bowl) – Pitt 37, UCLA 35 (Touchdown Tom said: UCLA 34, Pitt 29). This was an exciting game throughout. Not decided until the final 4 seconds. Pitt took the initial lead at 3-0. Still in the first quarter, UCLA went up 7-3. Pitt evened the score – 14-14 – in the second quarter. But by halftime, UCLA was back in the lead 21-14. In the third quarter, the Bruins extended their lead to 28-14. In the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, Pitt tied the score at 28-28. Then less than three minutes later, the Panthers went up 31-28. They extended the lead to 34-28. With 0:34 to go in the game, UCLA scored a touchdown. The Bruins were up 35-34. Just 30 seconds later, Pitt kicked the field goal to win. UCLA’s problem? The Bruins had five turnovers. You can’t win a game with five turnovers. Pitt’s possession time was 37:03. Both teams ended their seasons at 9-4. Attendance in El Paso: 41,104
Cocky got plucked (in the Gator Bowl) – Notre Dame 45, South Carolina 38 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 26, Notre Dame 23). South Carolina never trailed in the first half. Notre Dame never trailed in the fourth quarter. The Gamecocks’ offense and defense struggled to find themselves. Notre Dame had 558 total yards compared to South Carolina’s 352 total yards – only 65 yards rushing. The Irish possessed the ball for 36:39 of the game. South Carolina was forced to punt on five of its first six second half possessions. Making his debut at quarterback, Notre Dame found a spark plug in Tyler Buchner. In spite of his three interceptions, Buchner passed for 274 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 61 yards and two more touchdowns. Notre Dame finished its season at 9-4. Attendance in Jacksonville: 67,383
Iced tea for the Bobcats (in the Arizona Bowl) – Ohio 30, Wyoming 27 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio 29, Wyoming 22). All in the first quarter, Wyoming led 7-0, Ohio led 8-7 and Wyoming led 14-8. At halftime, Wyoming led 17-11. At the end of three quarters, Ohio led 18-17. In the fourth quarter, Ohio led 21-17, Wyoming led 24-21 and the quarter ended with a 24-24 tie. Ohio’s only advantage over Wyoming was in the running game. The Bobcats rushed for 201 yards to 105 for the Cowboys. Otherwise, the teams were even in the stats. Ohio running back Sieh Bangura rushed for138 yards. Ohio finished its season at 10-4. Attendance in Tucson: 27,691
Dabo couldn’t find the end zone (in the Orange Bowl) – Tennessee 31, Clemson 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Tennessee 33, Clemson 30). I must say, when Tennessee scored, the Vols scored fast. They only possessed the ball for 23:37. Clemson held the ball for 36:23 but couldn’t score. Clemson dominated all the stats. But couldn’t score. Clemson didn’t score a touchdown until its 11th possession of the game. That was in the fourth quarter. The Tigers were still in the game early in the fourth quarter when they trailed the Vols, 21-14. Then Tennessee scored 10 unanswered points. The Vols ended their season at 11-2. Attendance in Miami Gardens: 63,912
New Orleans was a sweet home for Alabama (in the Sugar Bowl) – Alabama 45, Kansas State 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 30, Kansas State 23). Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was 15-21-0, passing for 321 yards and five touchdowns. Ball possession favored Kansas State (35:04), but Alabama scored quickly when the Tide had the ball. Bama racked up 496 total yards. Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn rushed for 133 yards. Attendance in New Orleans: 60,437
Defense was your cup of tea (in the Music City Bowl) – Iowa 21, Kentucky 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 17, Kentucky 14). What else would you expect from two of the best defenses in and two of the worst offenses in the country? That describes Iowa and Kentucky. Iowa’s leading rusher in the game only had 23 yards rushing. Kentucky’s leading rusher only had 40 yards. Iowa had 206 total yards. Kentucky had 185 total yards. Each team only had 10 first downs. I think you get the picture. If you love defense, this was your game. Attendance in Nashville: 42,312
Harbaugh takes a siesta in the Fiesta (in the Fiesta Bowl) – TCU 51, Michigan 45 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 32, TCU 23). Michigan never led in the game and fell behind by as many as 19 points. But with 3:18 to go in the game, there was only a 6-point difference. The teams combined for 1,016 total yards – 528 of those yards belonged to Michigan. But the Michigan running game was a disappointment. It was lacking. TCU running back Emari Demercado rushed for 150 yards. Some of Jim Harbaugh’s play calling left you scratching your head, Attendance in Glendale: 71,723
Uga put on his Stetson (in the Peach Bowl) – Georgia 52, Ohio State 51 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 28, Ohio State 21). Until the final 0:54 of the game, when Georgia scored to go up 52-51, the Dawgs only led one other time during the game. And that was for only 55 seconds. Late in the second quarter, Georgia went up 24-21. But just 55 seconds later, Ohio State retook the lead at 28-24. The game was tied twice – 7-7 in the first quarter and 21-21 in the second quarter. Ohio State’s biggest leads were by 14 points – 21-7 in the second quarter and 38-24 in the third quarter. The teams combined for 1,000 total yards – 533 of those yards belonged to Georgia. Neither team had a strong running game. Both had strong passing games. Stetson Bennett and C.J. Stroud gave us a show. Ironically, both quarterbacks were an identical 23-for-34 passing. Ohio State missed a 50-yard field goal with 3 seconds left. Attendance in Atlanta: 79,330
This one was for Mike (in the ReliaQuest Bowl) – Mississippi State 19, Illinois 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Mississippi State 22, Illinois 21). As time expired, Mississippi State returned a fumble for a touchdown on the final play of the game. It didn’t change the outcome, as Miss State was already up 13-10. The Bulldogs never led in the game until the final four seconds when they kicked a 27-yard field goal to go up 13-10. Illinois only had 35 rushing yards – only 288 total yards. Miss State finished at 9-4. Attendance in Tampa: 35,797
The Green Weevils (in the Cotton Bowl Classic) – Tulane 46, USC 45 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 33, Tulane 30). Tulane never led in the game until the very end. But the Green Wave never trailed by more than 15 points. USC had its biggest lead at 45-30 with only 4:30 to go in the game. You would think that would be a safe lead at that point in the game. But it wasn’t. Tulane scored 16 points in three minutes and 58 seconds. The teams combined for 1,133 total yards. USC had the passing yards (462), while Tulane had the rushing yards (305). Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams was 37-52-1, passing for 462 yards and five touchdowns. Green Wave running back Tyjae Spears rushed for 205 yards and four touchdowns. Even stranger, USC possessed the ball for 39:49. USC hasn’t won a bowl game since 2016. Tulane went from 2-10 last season to 12-2 this season. Attendance in Arlington: 55,329
Kelly’s heroes (in the Citrus Bowl) – LSU 63, Purdue 7 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 33, Purdue 27). Needless to say, Purdue was never in the game – trailing 35-0 at halftime and 49-0 after three quarters. The Tigers racked up 594 yards of offense. Purdue only had 94 yards rushing. LSU finished at 10-4. Attendance in Orlando: 42,791
Lions turn the roses Blue (in the Rose Bowl) – Penn State 35, Utah 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 28, Penn State 21). Last year, Utah lost a close game to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, 48-45. This year, Utah lost again, and it wasn’t close. The Utes only touchdown in the second half came with just 0:25 left in the game. Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford was sharp and precise – 16-22-0, passing for 279 yards and two touchdowns. The Lions Nicholas Singleton added 120 yards rushing and two more touchdowns. Penn State controlled ball possession for 35:13. Penn State ended its season at 11-2. Attendance in Pasadena: 94,873
Last Week’s Bowl Game Picks: 15 winners, 10 fumbles (60 percent)
Superlatives
Impressive Passers:
Kansas’ Jalon Daniels – 37-55-2 for 544 yards (5TDs); USC’s Caleb Williams – 37-52-1-462 (5TDs); Florida State’s Jordan Travis – 27-38-1-418 (2TDs); Georgia’s Stetson Bennett – 23-34-1-398 (3TDs); Texas’ Quinn Ewers – 31-47-0-369 (1TD), and Georgia Southern’s Kyle Vantrease – 28-45-1-352 (2TDs).
Also, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud – 23-34-0 for 348 yards (4TDs); Alabama’s Bryce Young – 15-21-0-321 (5TDs); East Carolina’s Holton Ahlers – 26-38-0-300 (5TDs); Arkansas’ K.J. Jefferson – 19-29-1-287 (2TDs); Washington’s Michael Penix – 32-55-1-287 (2TDs); Memphis’ Seth Henigan – 20-29-0-284 (3TDs), and Penn State’s Sean Clifford – 16-22-0-279 (2TDs).
Impressive Rushers:
Tulane’s Tyjae Spears – 205 yards (4TDs); TCU’s Emari Demercado – 150 yards (1TD); Oregon’s Bucky Irving – 149 yards (2TDs); Ohio’s Sieh Bangura – 138 yards (1TD), and Kansas State’s Deuce Vaughn – 133 yards (1TD).
Quotes of the Week
“This group is special, and this program is special. I couldn’t be more proud of this team,” Duke coach Mike Elko, after the win over UCF.
“Down among all the illegal aliens in El Paso, it’s UCLA 14, Pittsburgh 6,” NC State radio broadcaster Gary Hahn, giving an update on the Sun Bowl, during his broadcast of the NC State-Maryland game. (Note: Hahn has been suspended from his job.)
“I trust myself. I trust my coaching, and I just let it happen,” Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton, after the Orange Bowl game.
“You don’t get any points for yards. The name of the game is points,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, after the Orange Bowl game.
“Ohio State probably deserved to win the game, but we never quit. We didn’t play our best game. Maybe they didn’t either,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart, after the Peach Bowl.
“It doesn’t mean anything if you don’t win. That’s what hurts the most. When you put in that much work and time, and you’re right there and you don’t get the victory. It hurts to our core. We’re here to win and it didn’t happen,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day, after the Peach Bowl.
Touchdown Tom’s
Prediction for This Week’s National Championship Game
TCU (13-1) vs. Georgia (14-0) – (Big 12 vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Monday, ESPN – TCU went from 5-7 last year to 13-1 this season. Georgia went from 14-1 to 14-0. The Frogs weren’t supposed to be here. The Dawgs were. In fact, the Dawgs were here last year. Has a dynasty begun in Athens? Just as the Georgia-Ohio State game had two of the Top 4 Heisman finalists, TCU-Georgia will also have two of the Top 4 Heiman finalists – Max Duggan vs. Stetson Bennett. On offense, both teams average around 40 points a game. The difference is on defense. TCU gives up 26 points a game. Georgia gives up 15 points a game. Uga gigs a Frog – Georgia 31, TCU 27.
Touchdown Tom
P.S.
Not exactly college football related, but on the 3rd day of the New Year, as college football fans were still celebrating bowl wins, commiserating over bowl losses, worrying about New Year’s resolutions and going back to work or school, the number one song in the country…
…80 years ago, this week, in 1943 was “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby
…75 years ago, this week, in 1948 was “Ballerina” by Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra
…70 years ago, this week, in 1953 was “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” by Jimmy Boyd
....65 years ago, this week, in 1958 was “At The Hop” by Danny & The Juniors
…60 years ago, this week, in 1963 was “Telstar” by The Tornados
…55 years ago, this week, in 1968 was “Hello, Goodbye” by The Beatles
…50 years ago, this week, in 1973 was “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon
…45 years ago, this week, in 1978 was “How Deep Is Your Love” by The Bee Gees
…40 years ago, this week, in 1983 was “Maneater” by Daryl Hall and John Oates
…35 years ago, this week, in 1988 was “Faith” by George Michael
…30 years ago, this week ,in 1993 was “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston
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