CFW Week 6 Forecast – Red River Showdown
Undefeated teams do battle in
the Big 12, SEC and Big Ten
Between Oklahoma (5-0)-Texas (5-0), Kentucky (5-0)-Georgia (5-0) and Maryland (5-0)-Ohio State (4-0) somebody has to lose. And it will be the first loss for whoever does. Three of those teams – Georgia, Texas and Ohio State – are ranked in the Top 5. Two – Oklahoma and Kentucky – are ranked in the Top 20. Maryland is 26th.
The game of the week in the ACC is Notre Dame (5-1)-Louisville (5-0). I know, Notre Dame is not in the ACC in football. But Notre Dame-Louisville is still the game of the week in the ACC. In the Pac-12, the game of the week is Washington State (4-0) at UCLA (3-1). In the MWC it is Fresno State (5-0)-Wyoming (4-1). Along with Kentucky-Georgia, another good game in the SEC is Alabama (4-1)-Texas A&M (4-1). Then throw in LSU (3-2)-Missouri (5-0) for an appetizer.
Fasten your seat belt, it's shaping up to be a good weekend.
First played in 1900, the Red River Showdown takes place this weekend – Oklahoma vs. Texas. This will be the 119th meeting of the two teams. The rivalry has been renewed annually and uninterrupted since 1929. Texas leads the series 63-50-5. But Oklahoma has won 9 of the last 13 games in the Showdown. And OU has won 10 of the last 14 meetings between the two teams. In 2018, the Sooners and the Longhorns met twice. The second meeting in the Big 12 Championship game.
Texas won the first game in 1900 – 28-2. Oklahoma has the largest victory in the series – 65-13. That was in 2003. The Longhorns have the longest winning streak in the series – 8 games (twice). Texas won every game from 1940 to 1947 and again from 1958 to 1965. Texas won last year – 49-0.
The trophy awarded to winning team is the Golden Hat – a gold ten-gallon hat. Since 1932, the game has been played in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The game has basically been played on the second Saturday in October since 1934, during the running of the Texas State Fair. The Cotton Bowl is located on the State Fair grounds.
The Showdown was originally and for years known as the Red River Shootout. But just as Florida-Georgia officials no longer wanted their rivalry to be known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, Oklahoma and Texas officials no longer wanted their series to be known as the Red River Shootout. So, it became the Red River Showdown. However, just as many fans still call the Georgia-Florida game the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, many Oklahoma-Texas fans still call their series the Red River Shootout.
And for those of you who need a geography lesson, the Red River runs along much of the border between Oklahoma and Texas. Dallas is halfway between Norman, Oklahoma, and Austin, Texas. About 192 miles each way.
The Top 5 teams in this week’s AP Poll are: 1. Georgia (5-0), 2. Michigan (5-0), 3. Texas (5-0), 4. Ohio State (5-0), and 5. Florida State (4-0). Georgia got 35 of the 62 first-place votes. Michigan got 12, Texas got 10, Ohio State got 1 and Florida State got 4 of the first-place votes. Duke (4-1) is 19th in the AP Poll.
The Top 5 teams in this week’s Coaches Poll are: 1. Georgia (5-0), 2. Michigan (5-0), 3. Ohio State (5-0), 4. Texas (5-0), and 5. Florida State (4-0). Georgia got 59 of the 64 first-place votes. Michigan got 1, Ohio State got 2, Texas got 1 and Washington got 1 of the first-place votes. Duke (4-1) is 21st in the Coaches Poll.
This week, Georgia hosts Kentucky, and Michigan visits Minnesota. Texas plays Oklahoma in Dallas, Ohio State entertains Maryland, and Florida State hosts Virginia Tech.
In the FCS Coaches Poll, the Top 5 teams are: 1. South Dakota State (4-0), 2. Montana State (4-1), 3. Idaho (4-1), 4. Furman (3-1), and 5. Southern Illinois (4-0). South Dakota State got all 26 of the first-place votes. Harvard (3-0) is 19th in the FCS Poll.
College football Week 6 got an early start this week. Two games were played last night – both Conference USA tilts. In the first game, Jacksonville State rallied in the second half to beat Middle Tennessee, 45-30. Jax State trailed at halftime, 23-7. Middle Tennessee had four turnovers. In the second game, New Mexico State downed FIU, 34-17. Tied 14-14 at the break, New Mexico State outscored FIU 20-3 in the second half.
The college football transfer portal window is shrinking from 60 days – two 30-day windows – to 45 days – a 30-day window and a 15-day window. Players will continue to have 30 days to enter the portal at the end of the season – early December to early January. That window remains the same. Now, the players will only have 15 days to enter the portal in April. Previously, they had the entire month of April (30 days) to enter the portal.
Smacker Miles? Well, her real name is Kathryn, but she goes by Smacker – Smacker Miles. And yes, she is the daughter of former football coach Les Miles. Rockledge Gator found this bit of news and sent it along to me. Smacker is a sideline reporter for college football games on ESPN+. A graduate of Texas, Smacker was a swimmer for the Longhorns. How do people keep from laughing when they address her as Smacker?
Touchdown Tom
October 5, 2023
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
Note: CFW Week 6 Results will be posted Monday morning, October 9.
Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
This week’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games….and then some
GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Oklahoma (5-0) vs. Texas (5-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – This has the makings of one heck of a Red River Rivalry game. Both teams are good on offense and defense. On offense, OU is averaging 47.4 points a game. Dillon Gabriel has passed for 1,593 yards this season. OU’s only weakness on offense is its running game. On the defensive side, the Sooners are only giving up 10.8 points a game. Texas has a good offense – not great – but good. Quinn Ewers has passed for 1,358 yards this season. The Longhorns are better on defense – giving up 12.8 points a game. They are 17th in the country in total yards allowed and 17th in rushing yards allowed. Basically, it is going to be the Oklahoma offense against the Texas defense. Bevo holds ’em , the Sooner folds ’em.– Texas 37, Oklahoma 25.
RUNNER-UP: 2. Kentucky (5-0) at Georgia (5-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Can Kentucky pull an Auburn and scare the daylights outta Uga. The Wildcats up and gave Florida a whippin’ last week. The Gators are still trying to figure out what hit them. On offense, Kentucky is really just average – not bad, not good. The Wildcats do play good defense. They are 10th in the country in rushing yards allowed and 19th in total yards allowed. That’s pretty good. Meanwhile, Georgia is scoring 38.6 points a game, while only giving up 13 points a game. The Dawgs are 10th in the country in passing yards. Carson Beck has been solid. Georgia’s defense is good. But it's not great like recent Georgia defenses. Uga’s barking, “Here kitty, kitty. Here kitty, kitty” – Georgia 28, Kentucky 15.
REST OF THE BEST: 3. Maryland (5-0) at Ohio State (4-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – I think Maryland’s bubble is about to burst. The Terps have been on a good ride, but it is about to end. Overall, the Terps are a little better on offense than they are on defense. Taulia Tagovailoa has passed for 1,464 yards this season. Not bad. Not bad at all. On defense Maryland is a little better than average. Ohio State is good on offense, and outstanding on defense. The defense is giving up just 8.5 points a game. They are 5th in passing yards allowed and 6th in total yards allowed. That will be a challenge for Taulia. Buckeyes are harder than Turtle shells – Ohio State 28, Maryland 19.
4. Notre Dame (5-1) at Louisville (5-0) – (Ind. vs. ACC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Louisville has a good-sized task facing them. Notre Dame is a talented team. The Irish are good on offense, excellent on defense. Quarterback Sam Hartman has passed for 1,458 yards this season. On defense, the Irish are 4th in the country in passing yards allowed. ND is only giving up 13 points a game. Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer has passed for 1,406 yards this season. The Cardinals are good but not great on offense and defense. The Irish slip by again – Notre Dame 24, Louisville 23.
5. Washington State (4-0) at UCLA (3-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 2 pm ET, Saturday, PAC12N – Except for its running game, Washington State is outstanding on offense. The Cougars are averaging 45.8 points a game. Quarterback Cameron Ward is something else. He could be in New York when the Heisman Trophy is handed out. Unfortunately for Washington State, its defense is weak. UCLA’s offense is better than average. The Bruins’ defense is pretty good. They are just giving up 11 points a game. UCLA’s defense is 8th in the country in total yards allowed. The Cougars are on a mission – Washington State 26, UCLA 24.
6. Fresno State (5-0) at Wyoming (4-1) – (MWC vs. MWC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – This should be a classic MWC game. Wyoming’s only loss was to Texas. The Cowboys play with grit. They are not great on offense or defense. Meanwhile, Fresno State is good on offense, better on defense. Quarterback Mikey Keene has passed for 1,474 yards this season. He’s good. Overall, the Bulldogs’ defense is pretty good. The Cowboys find a way – Wyoming 27, Fresno State 25.
7. Alabama (4-1) at Texas A&M (4-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – If Texas A&M loses, Jimbo Fisher might as well start writing his obituary. It’s not looking good for Fisher, as Alabama seems to have found itself. The Tide, however, are just average on offense. They are better on defense and may be getting better. Unfortunately for the Aggies, their quarterback Conner Weigman, is out for the season – ankle injury. The Aggies have been better than average on offense; better on defense. A&M’s defense is 5th in total yards allowed and 9th in passing yards allowed. The Aggies’ defense will be A&M’s only hope on Saturday. Jimbo starts writing – Alabama 28, Texas A&M 20.
8. LSU (3-2) at Missouri (5-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Can you imagine those LSU fans if the Tigers have three losses after six games? I wouldn’t want to be in Brian Kelly’s shoes. The Tigers go from one extreme to the other on offense and defense. The offense is outstanding – averaging 44 points a game. It’s among the nation’s best in total yards and passing. Jayden Daniels has passed for 1,711 yards in five games. The LSU defense is awful. One of the worst in the country in all categories. The Tigers are giving up 31 points a game. Missouri has been a bit of a surprise. The Tigers are kind of average on offense and defense. Maybe a little better than average. Quarterback Brady Cook has passed for 1,468 yards in five games. Kelly breathes a little easier, as Mizzou’s luck runs out – LSU 30, Missouri 26.
9. Michigan (5-0) at Minnesota (3-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – Strangely enough, Michigan’s offense is just better than average. And with all that talent. The Wolverines’ strength is defense. First in the country in points allowed – 6 points a game. The defense is in the Top 14 in the country in all other categories. No team has scored more than one touchdown on Michigan this season. The Gophers are poor on offense and better than average on defense. But the defense seems to have gotten worse in the last three games. P.J. Fleck isn’t getting the job done in Minneapolis. The Maize grows in the Land of Lakes – Michigan 30, Minnesota 17.
10. Oregon State (4-1) at California (3-2) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 10 pm ET, Saturday, PAC12N – Oregon State’s defense has been outplaying its offense. The Beavers’ offense has scored a lot of points. But a lot of the points have come from turnovers. California is an improving football team. The Bears have been getting better each week. Cal’s offense has been pretty good. The Bears’ defense has been pretty bad. They are giving up 26.4 points a game. It’s no picnic time for the Bears – Oregon State 27, California 20.
Five other interesting and intriguing games to keep an eye on this weekend are Syracuse (4-1) at North Carolina (4-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN….. and Arizona (3-2) at USC (5-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN.
Also, Rutgers (4-1) at Wisconsin (3-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, Peacock….. Marshall (4-0) at NC State (3-2) – (Sun Belt vs. ACC) – 2 pm ET, Saturday, CWN….. and Texas State (4-1) at Louisiana (3-2) – (Sun Belt vs. Sun Belt) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU.
YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:
Vanderbilt (2-4) at Florida (3-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Last year, Vandy surprised Florida. It better not happen this year. Not for Billy Napier’s sake. Florida just downright sucks on offense. From below average to bad in all categories. There is nothing good you can say about the Gators’ offense. Defense has been a different story. The Gators have been pretty decent on defense. Florida is 3rd in the country in passing yards allowed and 13th in total yards allowed. At 2-4, Vanderbilt is off to a disappointing start. The Commodores showed some improvement last year. But not this year. They’ve gone backwards. Vandy’s offense is below average, and the defense is terrible. One of the worst in the country. They are giving up 33.3 points a game. On the bright side, Vandy quarterback A.J. Swann has passed for 1,290 yards. The Commodore ditches his boat in The Swamp – Florida 27, Vanderbilt 19.
Nebraska (2-3) at Illinois (2-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FS1 – Two teams – both off to disappointing starts. Both searching for an offense. Both at the bottom of the Big Ten West at 0-2. Well, something’s got to give this week. Except for rushing, Nebraska’s offense is pathetic. Although, there has been some improvement with new quarterback Heinrich Haarberg. Nebraska’s defense isn’t much better. But it’s not as bad as the offense. Illinois is in a similar situation, only reversed. The Banned Indians have a pathetic defense. It’s simply bad. Nothing good about it. Illinois’ offense is better, but it’s not great either. This game could be like the blind leading the blind. Some light for Herbie – Nebraska 28, Illinois 21.
Purdue (2-3) at Iowa (4-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, Peacock – How many years now has it been that Iowa has had a bad offense? I mean bad. And now quarterback Cade McNamara is out for the season – torn ACL. Maybe that will be a good thing. Who knows. With Iowa’s offense, anything would be an improvement. The Hawkeyes do play pretty good defense. They are weak against the rush. Still, the Hawkeyes find a way to win. Purdue, on the other hand, generally finds a way to lose. The offense is below average. The defense is bad. The Boilers are giving up 29.6 points a game. The Hawkeyes figure it out – Iowa 23, Purdue 17.
ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:
FIU (3-2) at New Mexico State (2-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 8 pm ET, Wednesday, ESPNU….
Stetson (2-3) at Presbyterian (2-2) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
Bethune-Cookman (1-3) at Alabama State (1-3) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….
Virginia Tech (2-3) at Florida State (4-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC….
UCF (3-2) at Kansas (4-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, FOX….
South Florida (3-2) at UAB (1-4) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….
Shorter (2-3) at West Florida (4-1) – (Gulf Coast vs. Gulf Coast) – 5 pm ET, Saturday….
Tulsa (3-2) at Florida Atlantic (1-3) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
Florida A&M (4-1) at Southern (2-2) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU….
Georgia Tech (2-3) at Miami (4-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN….
Touchdown Tom
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