CFW Week 15 Results – Army makes it two in a row over Navy
We have answers to the questions
In the 124th meeting between the two schools, Army hung on with a goal-line stand in the closing seconds to beat Navy, 17-11. For three and a half quarters, the game was worse than the Florida State-Louisville game, if you can imagine that. Army led 10-0 at halftime. The score was still 10-0 early in the fourth quarter. Late in the fourth quarter the score was 10-3.
Fifteen of the game’s 28 points were scored in the final 4:49 of the game. In the end, trailing 17-9, Navy stalled on the goal line. Army gave Navy a safety as time expired.
Army finished its season with a 6-6 record. Navy was 5-7.
So, Navy now leads the series 62-55-7. Army’s win was its second-straight over Navy and sixth win in the last eight games. The game was played in Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Next year’s game will be played in Landover, Maryland.
The Army-Navy game brings the 2023 regular season to a close. Only the bowl games and the national championship game remain. When the season began, we were full of questions. There were a lot of unknowns.
Back on August 31 – CFW Week 1 Forecast – I posted several questions. Unknowns then that are known now. I wrote:
“And what a bunch of questions we have for the 2023 season. Will Georgia three-peat? Will Caleb Williams repeat? Who will be last year’s TCU and Tulane? Is this the last year we have a PAC conference? Is this the last year California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State compete as Power Five teams? Will Alabama fail to play in the SEC championship game for the second-straight year? Can Penn State get over that Michigan-Ohio State hurdle? Under first-year coaches, will Auburn, Colorado and Nebraska have winning seasons? Will Steve Sarkisian and Texas win the Big 12? Is Florida State back?”
Here are the answers.
Will Georgia three-peat? No. Georgia lost to Alabama, 27-24, in the SEC title game. The Dawgs failed to make the playoff, finishing 6th in the final CFP rankings. So, Georgia won’t win a third-straight national championship. Minnesota (1934 to 1936) remains the only team that has accomplished a three-peat.
Will Caleb Williams repeat? No. Caleb Williams not only failed to win a second-straight Heisman Trophy, but also, he failed to finish among the Top 10 Heisman finalists. Ohio State running back Archie Griffin remains the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner (1974 and 1975).
Among the Power Five teams this season, who will be last year’s TCU? We didn’t really have a “TCU” this season. Perhaps the closest was Missouri. The Tigers went from 6-7 in 2022 to 11-2 and a New Year’s Six bowl spot. Missouri finished 9th in the final CFP rankings. Oklahoma went from 6-7 in 2022 to 10-2 this season and the only team to beat Texas. (TCU went from a 5-7 record and a fired coach in 2021 to an undefeated regular season, Big 12 title game, national championship game and a 13-2 record in 2022. This year, TCU was back to being 5-7.)
Among the Group of Five teams this season, who will be last year’s Tulane? We really didn’t have a “Tulane” this season either. The closest had to be Liberty. The Flames went from 8-5 in 2022 to 13-0 this season and a New Year’s Six bowl spot as the highest-ranked Group of Five team. Miami (Ohio) went from 6-7 in 2022 to 11-2 this season and the MAC championship. SMU went from 7-6 to 11-2 and the AAC championship. UNLV went from 5-7 to 9-4 and the MWC championship game. (Tulane went from a 2-10 record in 2021 to an AAC championship, Cotton Bowl victory and 12-2 record in 2022. This year, Tulane was 11-2.)
Is this the last year we have a PAC conference? No. We still have a Pac Conference, but not as we have known it. The Pac-12 is no more in college football, and soon to be no more (June 30, 2024) in all sports. It has become the Pac-2 – Oregon State and Washington State. In the summer of 2024, Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington will join the Big Ten. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah will join the Big 12, and California and Stanford will join the ACC. The NCAA says a conference has to have eight or more members to be a legitimate (valid) conference. However, if a conference falls below 8 members, the conference then has two years to get back to eight or more teams. So, the Pac-2 will at least be around until June 30, 2026, as a legitimate conference.
Is this the last year California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State compete as Power Five teams? No. By joining the ACC, California and Stanford will remain Power Five teams. Oregon State and Washington State will remain Power Five teams for at least two more years, until June 30, 2026. After that, who knows.
Will Alabama fail to play in the SEC championship game for the second-straight year? No. Alabama won the SEC West Division and beat Georgia, 27-24, in the SEC title game.
Can Penn State get over that Michigan-Ohio State hurdle? No. On October 21, Penn State lost to Ohio State, 20-12. On November 11, Penn State lost to Michigan, 24-15.
Under first-year coaches, will Auburn, Colorado and Nebraska have winning seasons? No. Although at 6-6, Auburn can finish with a winning season if the Tigers win their bowl game against Maryland. Nebraska was 5-7 and Colorado was 4-8.
Will Steve Sarkisian and Texas win the Big 12? Yes. Texas won both the Big 12 regular season (8-1) and the Big 12 championship game – 49-21 over Oklahoma State.
Is Florida State back? Yes. At 13-0 and an ACC championship, Florida State is back. Unfortunately, the Noles didn’t make the playoff.
Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz has been named the new head coach at Duke. Prior to Penn Stte, Diaz was the head coach at Miami (Florida) for three seasons from 2019 to 2021. His record was 21-15. He previously was the defensive coordinator at Miami. Before Miami, Diaz was the DC at Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech, Texas and Middle Tennessee. Diaz replaces Mike Elko at Duke.
Holy Cross head coach Bob Chesney is the new head coach at James Madison. Chesney has coached Holy Cross for six seasons, with a 44-21 record. His best season was 2021 when the Crusaders went 12-1. A native of Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, Chesney graduated from Dickinson College where he was a defensive back on the football team.
Boise State defensive coordinator and interim head coach Spencer Danielson has been named the new head coach of the Broncos. Danielson became the interim coach at Boise State when Andy Avelos was fired in November. He was 3-0 in the Broncos last games of the season. Danielson has been Boise State’s defensive coordinator for the past five seasons – 2019-2023.
He’s been on the Boise State staff since 2017.
New Mexico offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent has been named the ULM’s new head coach. Vincent replaces Terry Bowden who was fired a few weeks ago. He was the OC at New Mexico for one season – 2023. Prior to that, Vincent was the offensive coordinator at UAB and South Alabama. He was the interim head coach of UAB during the 2022 season, finishing 7-6. But he wasn’t retained as the full-time head coach.
Troy coach Jon Sumrall has been named the new head coach at Tulane. The 41-year-old Sumrall was 23-4 in two seasons coaching Troy. He won back-to-back Sun Belt Conference championships. Before Troy, Sumrall was the co-defensive coordinator at Kentucky for one season. Previously, he had been a co-defensive coordinator at Tulane for three seasons. A, native of Huntsville, Alabama, Sumrall played college football at Kentucky.
Wyoming defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel has been promoted to the head coach position at Wyoming, replacing Craig Bohl. Bohl will officially step down after Wyoming’s bowl game against Toledo on December 30. Sawvel has been the Cowboy’s defensive coordinator for the past three seasons.
So, as it stands right now, 19 teams will begin the 2024 season with a new head coach. Thirteen schools fired their coach, one coach retired, and five schools lost their coach to an opening at a higher profile school. One of the 19 teams – Troy – is still looking for its new coach.
Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel is transferring to Oregon. Gabriel will play for the Ducks in 2024. He played for Oklahoma the past two seasons. Before the Sooners, Gabriel played one year at UCF.
“Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Actor Ryan O’Neal died on December 8. O’Neal first became famous in 1964 playing the role of Rodney Harrington in the ABC nighttime soap opera “Peyton Place.” He later found success in films, most notably “Love Story.” Additional films included “What’s Up, Doc?,” “Paper Moon” and “A Bridge Too Far,” among others. O’Neal appeared in numerous TV shows as well. A native of Los Angeles, Patrick Ryan O’Neal was 82.
Thursday, I’ll provide my predictions for the first six bowl games, along with other news and comments.
Happy Holidays……Merry Christmas……Happy Hanukkah……Season’s Greetings
Touchdown Tom
December 11, 2023
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
Weekend Recap
Cadets drydock Navy – Army 17, Navy 11 (Touchdown Tom said: Army 26, Navy 19). Army led Navy, 17-3 with less than three minutes to go in the game. The Middies scored a touchdown with 2:47 to play. I thought Navy coach Brian Newberry made a poor decision to go for a two-point conversion at that point. Navy failed on its attempt and trailed Army 17-9. Navy then attempted an onside kick and it failed. However, the Middies held Army and got the ball back with a little more than a minute to play. Navy moved the ball to the Army goal line. But the Middies couldn’t punch it in. Army got the ball back with 0:01 on the clock. The Cadets gave Navy a safety to run out the clock. Army quarterback Bryson Daily passed for 54 yards and one touchdown. He rushed for 84 yards. Navy quarterback Tai Lavatai passed for 179 yards and one touchdown. He rushed for 74 yards. Navy had 309 total yards; Army had 259 yards. Navy had two turnovers, Army had none. Attendance in Foxborough: 65,878
Week 15 Result: 1 winner, 0 fumbles (100 percent)
Final Season Results: 143 Winners, 53 fumbles (73 percent)
Heisman Trophy Presentation
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy. In order, Daniels beat out Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Oregon quarterback Bo Nix and Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison. Daniels received 503 first-place votes and 2,029 points. Penix had 293 first-place votes and 1,701 points. Nix came in third – 51 first-place votes and 885 points. Harrison was fourth – 20 first-place votes and 252 points.
Daniels was the second-straight transfer quarterback and fifth in the last seven years to win the Hesman Trophy. He transferred to LSU from Arizona State in 2022. Daniels is the third LSU player to win the Heisman. The other two were Billy Cannon (1959) and Joe Burrow (2019).
FCS (Division I-AA) Quarterfinals
Montana 35, Furman 28 (OT)
South Dakota State 23, Villanova 12
North Dakota State 45, South Dakota 17
UAlbany 30, Idaho 22
Division II Semifinals
Harding 55, Lenoir-Rhyne 14
Colorado Mines 35, Kutztown 7
Division III Semifinals
Cortland 49, Randolph-Macon 14
North Central 34, Wartburg 27
Quotes of the Week
Sign of the Week
Army Swims In The Shallow End
Nuke Army
Eat Squid
Touchdown Tom
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
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