CFW Week 2 Forecast –Texas-Alabama highlights the weekend
Georgia will lick the icing
off another cupcake
It’s Texas-Alabama week in Tuscaloosa. Steve Sarkisian vs. Nick Saban. Sarkisian was Saban’s offensive coordinator in 2019 and 2020. Is Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers for real?
Coach Prime and his Colorado Buffaloes host Nebraska this week. Can the Buffaloes maintain the high-energy level performance they exhibited against TCU last week? If so, it should be a wild time in Boulder.
Yes, it is going to be another good weekend for college football.
Tulane has the opportunity to be a giant killer this week. The Green Wave host Ole Miss in New Orleans. Tulane’s Yulman Stadium will be electric. Lane Kiffin will be tested.
Sam Hartman goes up against old ACC foe NC State, as ND gets its first test of the season. Meanwhile, Jimbo Fisher and Mario Cristobal go head-to-head in Miami Gardens. The loser will be shredded on social media.
Luke Fickell ventures into Pullman, Washington – always a dangerous place for the visiting team. The gambling Hawkeyes and the gambling Cyclones face off in Ames. Wonder if any of the players have placed bets on the game.
The Sun Belt ventures into the ACC – James Madison at Virginia and Appalachian State at North Carolina. Remember the UNC-App State game in Boone last year?
Hugh Freeze heads out to Berkeley. Can War Eagle fly high? Troy could pose a challenge for Kansas State. The Trojans and the Wildcats hook up in the Little Apple.
Baylor quarterback Blake Sheldon is out for two-to-three weeks with an MCL (knee) injury. Sheldon suffered the injury during Baylor’s upset loss to Texas State last week. The Bears are hosting Utah this week. Yeah, the Pac-12 invades the Big 12 this week, as Utah goes to Baylor and Oregon plays at Texas Tech.
The Top 5 in this week’s AP Poll are 1. Georgia, 2. Michigan, 3. Alabama, 4. Florida State, and 5. Ohio State. Georgia got 58 of the 63 first place votes. Michigan got 2 and Florida State got 3. Duke is 21 and Colorado is 22.
The Top 5 in this week’s Coaches Poll are 1. Georgia, 2. Michigan, 3. Alabama, 4. Ohio State, and 5. Florida State. Georgia got 63 of the 66 first place votes. Michigan got 1 and Alabama got 2. Duke is 24 and Colorado is 25.
Interesting to note that in the Consensus Preseason Poll, Duke was 43 and Colorado was 82. Of course, there is a lot of the season to play yet. But it is apparent that the press, analysts and coaches didn’t give much credence to Colorado at preseason.
Georgia hosts Ball State this week, while Michigan entertains UNLV. Ohio State is home against Youngstown State and Florida State hosts Southern Miss.
In the FCS Coaches Poll, the Top 5 teams are 1. South Dakota State, 2. North Dakota State, 3. Montana State, 4. William & Mary, and 5. Holy Cross. South Dakota State got all 25 of the first-place votes.
“Ooh dream weaver. I believe you can get me through the night….” Singer, songwriter and musician Gary Wright died on September 4. Wright was best known for his two 1976 hit songs “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive.” Both peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. “Dream Weaver” spent 20 weeks on the chart in the winter and spring of 1976. “Love Is Alive” spent 27 weeks on the chart in the summer and fall of 1976. A third hit, “Really Wanna Know You” was a Top 20 hit, spending 17 weeks on the chart in the summer and fall of 1981. Wright played the keyboards on George Harrison’s 1970 album “All Things Must Pass.” His musical association with the Beatle endured until Harrison’s death in 2001, playing on all of Harrison’s solo albums. Wright played the keyboards on recordings by B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, Ronnie Spector and others. As a child, Wright performed on Broadway in the musical “Fanny.” A native of Cresskill, New Jersey, Gary Malcolm Wright was 80. “….Ooh dream weaver. I believe we can reach the morning light.”
Enjoy Week 2 of college football. It’s going to be a good one!
Touchdown Tom
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
September 7, 2023
Note: CFW Week 2 Results will be posted Monday morning, September 11.
Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
Week Two’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games….and then some
GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Texas (1-0) at Alabama (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Last year, in Austin, Alabama scored late to beat Texas, 20-19. The Horns will be out for revenge. But revenge, if they get it, won’t be easy. Against much weaker competition, both teams looked good last week. Both were holding back too. So, it is still difficult to get a good read on the two teams. This game will tell us what they have – and what they don’t. The Tide squeezes by again – Alabama 28, Texas 27.
RUNNER-UP: 2. Ole Miss (1-0) at Tulane (1-0) – (SEC vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Ole Miss has a battle on its hands. Tulane is one feisty team. And the Green Wave will be fired up for the Magnolias. Last year Tulane knocked off Kansas State and USC. The Wave are looking to get another notch on their belt. Lane Kiffin, undoubtedly, will have a few tricks up his sleeve. He’ll need them. The Magnolias Dart past the Wave – Ole Miss 30, Tulane 29.
REST OF THE BEST: 3. Notre Dame (2-0) at NC State (1-0) – (Ind. vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Notre Dame’s offense is looking good. Its defense doesn’t look bad either. In a win, NC State’s offense wasn’t very sharp against UConn last week. State’s defense looked better. While at Wake Forest, Sam Hartman lost to NC State last year. Now he has the chance to avenge that loss. The Irish get out the shillelagh – Notre Dame 27, NC State 18.
4. Texas A&M (1-0) at Miami (Florida) (1-0) – (SEC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Last year, Texas A&M beat Miami in College Station. That game was a defensive battle. The Aggies won 17-9. This year, it could be an offensive battle. Both offenses were strong in their openers. This will be another chance for the ACC to put down the SEC. Both coaches are under pressure. This game will be a cooker. Jimbo beams, while Cristobal steams – Texas A&M 31, Miami 30.
5. Wisconsin (1-0) at Washington State (1-0) – (Big Ten vs. Pac-12) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Wisconsin has the running back power. Last week Chez Mellusi rushed for 157 yards, while Braelon Allen added 141 yards on the ground. The Cougars will have to stop that attack. The Badgers will have to stop Washington State’s passing attack. Cameron Ward passed for 451 yards last week. This could be a high-scoring affair. The Cougars spoil the cheese – Washington State 29, Wisconsin 28.
6. Oregon (1-0) at Texas Tech (0-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Big 12) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Last week, Oregon looked good, and Texas Tech didn’t. But Oregon was playing a cupcake. Was the Texas Tech loss to Wyoming a fluke? The Red Raiders will definitely be a tougher opponent for the Ducks this week. But, most likely, not tough enough. Oregon has too many guns. Puddles is quacking – Oregon 40, Texas Tech 25.
7. SMU (1-0) at Oklahoma (1-0) – (AAC vs. Big 12) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+ – Oklahoma scored 73 points and had 642 total yards last week. But SMU won’t be as easy as Arkansas State. The Mustangs can score too. They just won’t score as much as the Sooners. Boomer tames a Mustang – Oklahoma 35, SMU 26.
8. Nebraska (0-1) at Colorado (1-0) – (Big Ten vs. Pac-12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – If Nebraska wants to keep up with Colorado, the Huskers offense is going to have to play better than they did against Minnesota. Nebraska had no offense against the Gophers. Colorado put on an offensive show against TCU last week. However, I think the Buffs will find that the Huskers have a stronger defense than TCU. This will be interesting. Deion will want to make a big splash in the home opener. Ralphie lives on Corn – Colorado 30, Nebraska 28.
9. Iowa (1-0) at Iowa State (1-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Frankly, I’m surprised either of these teams have enough players to compete. It seems like a ton of their players were dismissed for gambling. Iowa had an atrocious offense last year and it didn’t look much better last week against Utah State. Still, the Hawkeyes play good defense. The Cyclones are an unknown. The Hawkeyes take a gamble and win – Iowa 23, Iowa State 17.
10. Arizona (1-0) at Mississippi State (1-0) – (Pac-12 vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – These are two interesting teams who could be good or could be bad. We’ll find out this week. Both looked good last week, but they were playing cupcakes. They will be taking a step up this week. Bully is too slow for the Wildcat – Arizona 27, Mississippi State 26.
Nine other interesting and intriguing games to keep an eye on this weekend are: Illinois (1-0) at Kansas (1-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big 12) – 7:30 pm ET, Friday, ESPN2….. James Madison (1-0) at Virginia (0-1) – (Sun Belt vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPNU….. Utah (1-0) at Baylor (0-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Big12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN….. and Appalachian State (1-0) at North Carolina (1-0) – (Sun Belt vs. ACC) – 5:15 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN.
Also, Cincinnati (1-0) at Pitt (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. ACC) – 6:30 pm ET, Saturday, CWN….. UCLA (1-0) at San Diego State (2-0) – (Pac-12 vs. MWC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS….. Auburn (1-0) at California (1-0) – (SEC vs. Pac-12) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN….. Stanford (1-0) at USC (2-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX…. and Oklahoma State (1-0) at Arizona State (0-1) – (Big 12 vs. Pac-12) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, FS1.
YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:
Duquesne (1-0) at West Virginia (0-1) – (Northeast vs. Big 12) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+ – WVU is playing teams from Pennsylvania in its first three games. Last week it was Penn State, this week Duquesne and next week it will be Pitt. Duquesne will undoubtedly be the weakest of the three – by far. Still, the Dukes can be feisty. They won their opener, 49-0, against Edinboro. Regardless, this game should be one of the few wins that Neal Brown has this season. So he better enjoy it. Mountaineers take the Dukes on a hayride – West Virginia 45, Duquesne 17.
McNeese State (0-1) at Florida (0-1) – (Southland vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU – Last week, Florida couldn’t do anything right. Hopefully, the Gators get their act together this week. Hopefully, they find a running game. Only 13 yards rushing last week. The Gators can afford to experiment against McNeese. This is one of those breathers on the schedule. McNeese are the Cowboys, and their mascot is named “Rowdy.” Albert gets Rowdy – Florida 31, McNeese State 13.
Lafayette (1-0) at Duke (1-0) – (Patriot vs. ACC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+ – It’s a good thing Duke is playing Lafayette this week. After the big win over Clemson, the Dookies could have a letdown this week. They’ll still be sky high over that Clemson game. But I’m sure coach Mike Elko will settle his players down. He may even play the cheerleaders and band members this week. Lafayette, we are here – Duke 31, Lafayette 9.
Ball State (0-1) at Georgia (1-0) – (MAC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, SECN – From UT Martin to Ball State, I don’t know if Georgia is taking a step up or a step down this week. With Uga around, the Cardinals just have to make sure they don’t step in it. Such powerhouse teams – I don’t know how Georgia can cope. The Dawg days of summer – Georgia 49, Ball State 10.
Purdue (0-1) at Virginia Tech (1-0) – (Big Ten vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Purdue lost a tough game last week. The Boilers are either going to win or lose a tough game this week. Neither team is that good, but against each other, it should be an interesting affair. The Hokies take the steam out of the Boilers – Virginia Tech 29, Purdue 27.
ELSEWHERE AROUBND FLORIDA:
West Florida (1-0) at McKendree (0-1) – (Gulf South vs. Great Lakes Valley) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….
Savannah State (1-0) at Bethune-Cookman (0-1) – (SIAC vs. SWAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday….
Ohio (1-1) at Florida Atlantic (1-0) – (MAC vs. AAC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
North Texas (0-1) at FIU (1-1) – (AAC vs. C-USA) – 6:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
UCF (1-0) at Boise State (0-1) – (Big 12 vs. MWC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, FS1….
Florida A&M (1-0) at South Florida (0-1) – (SWAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
Southern Miss (1-0) at Florida State (1-0) – (Sun Belt vs. ACC) – 8:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN….
Quotes of the Week
“Dabo’s dynasty is done. It’s really been teetering for a couple years,” Paul Finebaum, on Dabo Swinney, after Clemson’s loss to Duke.
“They didn’t lose to a Florida State or an Alabama or a Notre Dame or a Georgia. They lost to Duke. The program is flatlining right now,” Paul Finebaum, on Clemson.
“At the moment, Coach Prime owns college football. He is the biggest name in college football today. That could change down the road. But he’s bigger than Nick Saban, he’s bigger than Kirby Smart. We’re talking about him more than Caleb Williams and Lincoln Riley,” Paul Finebaum, on Colorado coach Deion Sanders.
“I know a lot of people think Texas-Alabama is big, but, to me, I think Nebraska-Colorado is the biggest game in the nation this week,” Steve Spurrier.
Touchdown Tom
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