CFW Week 8 Forecast – The Dookies invade Tallahassee
Will Penn State-Ohio State
live up to the hype?
Two weeks ago, it was Oklahoma-Texas. Last week, it was Oregon-Washington. This week, it is undefeated and 7th-ranked Penn State against undefeated and 3rd-ranked Ohio State. Will the game live up to its hype? If it is anything like OU-Texas and Oregon-Washington, then we have another classic on our hands. Kickoff at 12 noon ET, Saturday in Columbus.
You just know the minds of Penn State coach James Franklin and Ohio State coach Ryan Day have been working hard this week. One of the two will come up with the better strategy. One of the two will make the better decisions. If not, Lady Luck may enter the picture and determine the outcome – interceptions, fumbles, dropped passes, missed field goals, etc.
Ohio State leads the series 23-14. The Buckeyes have won 17 of the last 21 games. They are currently riding a 6-game winning streak against the Nittany Lions. You would think Penn State is due for a win.
In the ACC, Duke is at undefeated and 4th-ranked Florida State. Can Duke’s defense stop FSU’s offense? The Dookies are playing some serious football. Another big game in the ACC has Clemson at Miami. Neither the Tigers nor the Canes can afford another loss at this point in the season. But somebody has to lose.
It must be the third Saturday in October. The game of the week in the SEC is Tennessee at Alabama. Remember last year’s thriller in Knoxville? How can you forget? Tennessee won at the end, 52-49. Can the Vols make it two in a row over the Tide? They haven’t done that since 2003-2004. And while we are in the SEC, keep your eye on Ole Miss at Auburn. Can the Tigers stop Jaxson Dart and Quinshon Judkins? Is an upset looming?
The Pac-12 will keep up the excitement with Utah at USC – defensive-minded Utah against offensive-minded USC. That makes for an interesting contest. Caleb Williams is in need of a good game. He could be due. Another good contest in the PAC-12 has Washington State at Oregon. Will the Ducks be up or down, following the loss to Washington? Will the Cougars be up or down, following the unexpected pasting from Arizona?
It’s a low-key week in the Big 12. The best game has Oklahoma State at West Virginia. The Cowboys have been coming on strong lately with two-straight wins over Kansas State and Kansas. The Mountaineers have to get that Hail-Mary loss out of their heads.
The two division leaders in the MAC face off on Saturday. Toledo (6-1), on top in the West Division, visits Miami (6-1), leaders of the East Division. Both are undefeated in MAC play. Who knows, they could meet again in the MAC Championship game.
And finally, undefeated and 26th-ranked James Madison plays at Marshall tonight. The Dukes have their eyes on a spot in the Top 25. The Herd has their eyes on an upset.
Those are your 10 biggest games this week. Hang onto your hat.
Can you believe the season is half over? Six more weeks to go.
College football Week 8 began Tuesday night in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty improved to 7-0, beating Middle Tennessee, 42-35. The score was 14-14 at the end of one, 21-21 at halftime and 35-35, entering the 4th quarter. The teams combined for 969 total yards.
Middle Tennessee-Liberty was the first of three games on Tuesday night. In the second game, Jacksonville State downed Western Kentucky, 20-17. Jax State kicked a 41-yard field goal as time expired to win the game. WKU was scoreless in the second half.
In the final game of the night, South Alabama demolished Southern Miss, 55-3. South Alabama quarterback Carter Bradley was 21-27-0, passing for 319 yards. The Jaguars had 34 first downs to 12 for the Eagles, and 647 total yards to 149 for Southern Miss.
The two games last night both took place in Texas – Huntsville and El Paso. First in Huntsville, FIU beat Sam Houston, 33-27 (2OT). Sam Houston is still looking for its first win of the season. In El Paso, New Mexico State downed UTEP, 28-7. The Aggies outscored the Miners, 21-0 in the second half. New Mexico State racked up 439 total yards.
The undefeated list is down to 11 teams this week. The unblemished teams are Florida State, North Carolina (ACC), Oklahoma (Big 12), Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State (Big Ten), Liberty (C-USA), Air Force (MWC), Washington (Pac-12), Georgia (SEC) and James Madison (Sun Belt).
Nevada (MWC) and Sam Houston (C-USA) are still seeking their first win.
The Top 5 teams in this week’s AP Poll are 1. Georgia (7-0), 2. Michigan (7-0), 3. Ohio State (6-0), 4. Florida State (6-0), and 5. Washington (6-0). Georgia got 43 of the 63 first-place votes. Michigan got 16, Ohio State got 1, Florida State got 1 and Washington got 2 first-place votes. Duke (5-1) is 16th, Air Force (6-0) is 22nd and Tulane (5-1) is 23rd in the AP Poll.
The Top 5 teams in this week’s Coaches Poll are 1. Georgia (7-0), 2. Michigan (7-0), 3. Ohio State (6-0), 4. Florida State (6-0), and 5. Washington (6-0). Georgia got 58 of the 64 first-place votes. Michigan got 4, Ohio State got 1 and Oklahoma got 1 of the first-place votes. Duke (5-1) is 17th, Air Force (6-0) is 22nd and Tulane (5-1) is 24th in the Coaches Poll.
This week, Georgia is off, and Michigan is at Michigan State. Ohio State hosts Penn State and Florida State entertains Duke. Washington is home, playing Arizona State.
There are two Group of Five teams in each of the AP and Coaches Polls – Air Force and Tulane. James Madison is knocking on the door.
In the FCS Coaches Poll, the Top 5 teams are 1. South Dakota State (6-0), 2. Montana State (5-1), 3. Furman (5-1), Sacramento State (5-1), and 5. Incarnate Word (5-1). South Dakota State got all 26 of the first-place votes. Harvard is 17th and Florida A&M is 18th in the Coaches Poll.
In the Division II Coaches Poll, West Florida (5-2) is 18th.
It’s been a tough week for tight ends. Georgia’s Brock Bowers underwent surgery Monday to repair a high ankle sprain he suffered in the Vanderbilt game. Bowers will be out at least four weeks and possibly six weeks. Iowa tight end Erick All will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL. All received the injury in last weekend’s Wisconsin game.
Speaking of injuries, South Carolina coach Shane Beamer broke a bone in his right foot in the Gamecocks game against Florida last weekend. Beamer is expected to start this Saturday against Missouri. Actually, he injured the foot after the game. Out of frustration, following the loss to Florida, Beamer kicked something he shouldn’t have kicked.
The International Olympic Committee approved flag football for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Already, several NFL players have said they would like to play on the USA’s flag football team.
At the grocery store Tuesday morning, I saw a young lady wearing a Duke Football t-shirt. I almost fell over. How often do you see someone wearing a Duke Football t-shirt? Basketball, yes. But football? The times, they are a changing.
Touchdown Tom
October 19, 2023
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
This Week’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games….and then some
GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Penn State (6-0) at Ohio State (6-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – By all odds, Penn State should win this game. Overall, the Nitts have a better offense and defense than Ohio State. Penn State basically has the best defense in the country – No. 1 in total yards allowed. Plus, the Lions are holding their opponents to 8 points a game. But the game is in Columbus. The Buckeyes always play well at home. Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord has passed for 1,651 yards. The Buckeyes are great passing, but lousy running. On defense, the Buckeyes are holding opponents to 9.7 points a game. Assuming both defenses play well, this could boil down to Penn State’s running against Ohio State’s passing. The best part of Penn State’s defense is defending the pass. The Nitts are No. 1 in the country in passing yards allowed. The worst part of Ohio State’s defense is defending the run. Again, the odds favor Penn State. But the location favors the Buckeyes. Brutus is brutal – Ohio State 28, Penn State 24.
RUNNER-UP: 2. Duke (5-1) at Florida State (6-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – If Duke is to win this game, the Dookies will have to win it on defense. The Duke offense isn’t that great. Plus, quarterback Riley Leonard is still on the injured list and questionable for the game. Duke does have a top-notch defense. They are only giving up 9.8 points a game. The weakest part of the Dookie defense is defending the run. That could open up things for Florida State running back Trey Benson. FSU has a good offense. Jordan Travis has passed for 1,482 yards. The Noles are averaging 42.2 points a game. But the Noles defense is weak – very weak. Fortunately for FSU, Duke’s offense isn't real good. The smoke signals favor the Noles – Florida State 23, Duke 19.
REST OF THE BEST: 3. Tennessee (5-1) at Alabama (6-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This game could be every bit as close as last year’s game. I don’t know how you can get closer than that. One point instead of three points? Two points instead of three points? Would you believe Alabama has a weak offense? The Tide is averaging 30.1 points a game, but all their other stats on offense are poor. If Bama wins this game, it will likely be the Tide defense that wins it. Bama’s defense is not as great as recent years, but they are good. Alabama has won its last two games by a combined nine points. Tennessee has a better offense than Alabama. The Vols defense is just as good as Alabama’s. That says Tennessee should win. But the Tide doesn’t like to lose in Tuscaloosa. Aflac to the rescue – Alabama 24, Tennessee 23.
4. Utah (5-1) at USC (6-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – USC has a great offense – averaging 47.3 points a game. Caleb Williams has passed for 2,021 yards. The problem is the Trojans have a terrible defense – giving up 30 points a game. Utah is just the opposite. The Utes have a terrible offense – averaging 21.7 points a game. However, Utah has one of the best defenses in the country – holding opponents to 12.2 points a game. So can USC’s strong offense find holes in Utah’s good defense. Or can Utah’s bad offense come alive against USC’s bad defense. It should be interesting. Troy gets sabotaged – Utah 28, USC 27.
5. Washington State (4-2) at Oregon (5-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Oregon has the best offense in the country. And the Ducks have one of the better defenses in the country. Bo Nix has passed for 1,796 yards. The problem is the Ducks have to get over that loss to Washington. Washington State has a good offense and a terrible defense. On offense, Cameron Ward has passed for 1,783 yards. But the Cougars suffered a crushing loss last week. If the Ducks get their heads back on their shoulders, this game is a no brainer. But it could be a bit wild. Puddles gets his quack back – Oregon 37, Washington State 22.
6. Clemson (4-2) at Miami (Florida) (4-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – Clemson is playing pretty good offense and not half bad defense. Cade Klubnik has passed for 1,370 yards. Miami has played better offense than Clemson. Tyler Van Dyke has passed for 1,721 yards. But the Canes defense isn’t as good as Clemson’s. Both coaches have to be a little frustrated, especially Miami’s Mario Cristobal. There is a lot of season left for both teams and they already have two losses. No super Mario – Clemson 30, Miami 24.
7. Oklahoma State (4-2) at West Virginia (4-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – The Mountaineers thought they had the game won against Houston last week. Then along came Haily Mary. That was a tough pill to swallow. Going into last week’s game, the Mounties had a terrible offense and a good defense. Now those stats have evened out – one is as good as the other. Or one is as bad as the other. After a shaky first four games, Oklahoma State has come on strong in its last two games. Still, neither the offense nor the defense are particularly good. This game could come down to who gets the breaks. Cowboys lose their boots – West Virginia 24, Oklahoma State 21.
8. Toledo (6-1) at Miami (Ohio) (6-1) – (MAC vs. MAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU – Nothing like a good slobber-knocker in the MAC. Toledo is traditionally good. Miami is up and down. But the RedHawks are up this year. Toledo has a dependable quarterback in DeQuann Finn and a good running back in Peny Boone. The Rockets are good on offense. However, they are weak on defense. So, Miami will try to take advantage of Toledo’s poor defense. However, the RedHawks are not strong on offense. Brett Gabbert has passed for 1,455 yards. Miami is better on defense than Toledo. It will be the first conference loss for the loser. And we have lift off – Toledo 29, Miami 28.
9. James Madison (6-0) at Marshall (4-2) – (Sun Belt at Sun Belt) – 7 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – James Madison has been rolling. Quarterback Jordan McCloud has been stable – passing for 1,419 yards. JMU’s offense is better than average. JMU’s defense is very good, except for defending the pass. So maybe Marshall should come out with a planned passing attack against the Dukes. Quarterback Cam Fancher has passed for 1,506 yards. Running back Rasheen Ali has rushed for 641 yards. The Herd is weak on defense. This is a biggie in the Sun Belt East Division. The Dukes duke it out – James Madison 31, Marshall 24.
10. Ole Miss (5-1) at Auburn (3-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Thinking this could be a fun game in the SEC. Hugh Freeze going up against his old team. He has done well in his first year at Auburn. The Tigers have held their own on offense and defense – not good, but not bad either. The quarterback Payton Thorne is the leading rusher. But that isn’t saying much – 225 yards. Auburn has lost its last three games. The first two losses were close. The last loss was a blowout – LSU beat Auburn by 30 points. Ole Miss enters the game with a very good offense and a not so good defense. Quarterback Jaxson Dart has passed for 1,638 yards. Running back Quinshon Judkins has rushed for 443 yards. Ole Miss is averaging 41.7 points a game. But they are giving up 23.8 points a game. So there is an opening for Auburn. But not much of an opening – Ole Miss 26, Auburn 20.
Two other interesting and intriguing games to keep an eye on this weekend are TCU (4-3) at Kansas State (4-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….. and Georgia State (5-1) at Louisiana (4-2) – (Sun Belt vs. Sun Belt) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU.
YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:
Northwestern (3-3) at Nebraska (3-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – The Huskers shouldn’t take Northwestern for granted. But in the other hand, this should be a win for the Corn men. Northwestern has, without a doubt, the worst offense in the country. The Wildcats couldn’t fight their way out of a wet paper bag. The NW defense is better, but not much. It’s definitely a rebuilding year for the Wildcats. Nebraska doesn’t have the best offense or defense either. But they are a step above Northwestern – maybe two steps. Huskers quarterback Heinrich Haarberg is the leading rusher on the team. Haarberg has more than half as many yards rushing as he does passing. Nebraska’s defense is tough against the run. Huskers stalk the Wildcats – Nebraska 28, Northwestern 20.
Texas (5-1) at Houston (3-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Quinn Ewers and Jonathon Brooks should have a field day. Ewers has passed for 1,704 yards and Brooks has rushed for 726 yards. The Longhorns play good defense too. Houston will be overwhelmed. The Cougars are giving up 31.3 points a game on defense. Houston quarterback Donovan Smith has passed for 1,600 yards. But the Texas defense may give him some serious problems. Don’t look for any Hail-Mary passes in Houston this week. Bevo tames a Cougar – Texas 40, Houston 15.
ELSEWHERE AROUBND FLORIDA:
FIU (3-4) at Sam Houston (0-6) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7 pm ET, Wednesday, CBSSN….
UCF (3-3) at Oklahoma (6-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC….
St. Thomas (Minnesota) (4-3) at Stetson (3-3) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
South Florida (3-4) at Connecticut (1-5) – (AAC vs. Ind.) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN….
Southern (3-3) at Bethune-Cookman (1-5) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday….
West Florida (5-2) at Delta State (7-0) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 4 pm ET, Saturday….
UTSA (3-3) at Florida Atlantic (3-3) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
Florida A&M (5-1) at Texas Southern (2-4) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….
Quotes of the Week
“I was frustrated and kicked something I shouldn’t have kicked,” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer, on breaking a bone in his foot after the Florida game.
“Jimbo Fisher isn’t getting fired, and I’ve got 76.8 million reasons why he isn’t getting fired,” Saturday Down South’s Connor O’Gara. (Fisher’s buyout is $76.8 million.)
“It’s hard to root for the kids when they are multi-millionaires as freshmen and sophomores.” West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin.
Touchdown Tom
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
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