CFW Week 7 Results - Army and Navy are ranked in the Top 25

 CFW Week 7 Results – Army and Navy are ranked in the Top 25

Four overtimes and a funeral

 

For the ultimate in game ending thrills, chills, angst and excitement, Saturday was full of it. No less than 24 games were decided by eight points or less. Most of those were decided in the closing seconds of the game. Four of the games ended in overtime – two in the Big Ten and two in the SEC. Another game in the Big Ten was settled by one point. That was the funeral. Another game in the SEC was settled by two points. It was almost a funeral.

 

The four overtimes occurred in Los Angeles, California; Champaign, Illinois; Knoxville, Tennessee, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

 

In Los Angeles, Penn State and USC met in the Coliseum. The Nittany Lions trailed the Trojans throughout most of the game. Penn State rallied from a 20-6 deficit at halftime to tie the score 20-20 late in the third quarter. The Lions rallied again from a 30-23 deficit to tie the score at 30-30 with 2:53 remaining in the game. At the end of regulation, the score hadn’t changed – 30-30. In overtime, USC missed a 45-yard field goal attempt. Penn State made a 36-yard field goal. The Nittany Lions beat the Trojans, 33-30 (OT).

 

In Champaign, Purdue trailed Illinois 27-3 midway through the third quarter. The Boilers rallied to trail the Banned Indians by just 12 points – 40-28 – with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Then, Purdue scored back-to-back touchdowns in the final 1:35 of the fourth quarter – the second touchdown coming with 0:46 on the clock. The Boilers led the Banned Indians for the first time in the game – 43-40. However, as time expired, Illinois kicked a 38-yard field goal – 43-43. In overtime, Illinois scored first and led 50-43. Purdue scored and made a decision to go for two. The attempt failed. Illinois, a 22-point favorite over Purdue, beat the Boilers, 50-49 (OT).

 

In Knoxville, The Vols were 14-point favorites over the Gators. Late in the third quarter, Florida led Tennessee, 10-0. Then, in an eight-minute span, the Vols scored 17 unanswered points. With 9:42 to go in the fourth quarter. Tennessee led Florida, 17-10. But, with just 0:29 remaining in the game, Florida scored a touchdown. Florida coach Billy Napier considered going for two points. But he didn’t. As time expired, Tennessee and Florida were tied, 17-17. In overtime, the Gators failed to score, while the Vols had a touchdown. Game over – Tennessee 23, Florida 17 (OT).

 

In Baton Rouge, Ole Miss and LSU fought hard in a game that Ole Miss never trailed and LSU never led. The Magnolias took a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter and led 23-16 late in the fourth quarter. But with 0:27 remaining in the game, LSU scored a touchdown. At the end of regulation, LSU 23, Ole Miss 23. In overtime, Ole Miss kicked a field goal and LSU scored a touchdown. Game over – LSU 29, Ole Miss 26 (OT).

 

The funeral service took place in Eugene, Oregon. The Ducks buried the Buckeyes on the banks of the Willamette River. The tombstone was engraved 32-31. No. 2 ranked and undefeated Ohio State lost to No. 3 ranked and undefeated Oregon, 32-31. The lead in the game changed hands no less than eight times. As the fourth quarter began, Ohio State led Oregon 28-22. One minute and forty seconds into the fourth quarter, Oregon went up 29-28. At the six-minute mark in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes retook the lead, 31-29, on a 40-yard field goal. With 1:47 remaining in the game, Oregon kicked a 19-yard field goal. The Ducks held on in the final 1:47 to silence the Buckeyes, 32-31. R.I.P. Brutus.

 

There was almost another funeral service in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Crimson Tide were struggling to stay alive against South Carolina. In the first half, Alabama never trailed. But at the break, the Tide only led by two points, 14-12. Midway through the third quarter, the Gamecocks went up 19-14. In the fourth quarter, Alabama retook the lead 20-19. With 1:54 remaining, the Tide increased their lead to 27-19. However, with 0:43 on the clock, South Carolina scored a touchdown. The Gamecocks went for two and failed. The Tide led, 27-25. The angst for Alabama fans wasn’t over. South Carolina recovered its onside kick. All the Gamecocks needed was a field goal. But the Alabama defense held, intercepting a South Carolina pass as time expired. The Crimson Tide escaped a second-straight loss – 27-25.

 

Alabama doesn’t have an offensive line, doesn’t have a running back and doesn’t have a defense. All the Tide have is a quarterback and some receivers.

 

Those were the six big ones – the four overtimes and a funeral. And almost another funeral. But those weren’t the only thrill and chill-filled games. Here’s a sampling of some others from Saturday.

 

Georgia Tech (5-2) scored a touchdown with 0:16 remaining in the game to break a tie and beat North Carolina, 31-24.

 

California’s two-point conversion attempt failed, as Pitt (6-0) held on to beat the Golden ears, 17-15.

 

Trailing Virginia 20-17, Louisville (4-2) scored a touchdown with 1:55 remaining in the game to beat Virginia, 24-20.

 

Trailing Florida Atlantic 37-27, North Texas (5-1) scored two touchdowns in the final 2:38 of the game to down FAU, 41-37. North Texas’ second touchdown came with 0:58 on the clock.

 

Trailing UTSA 27-23, Rice (2-4) scored a touchdown with 0:04 left in the game to beat the Roadrunners, 29-27.

 

With less than seven minutes to go in the game, Marshall (3-3) led Georgia Southern 23-3. The Eagles (4-2) scored a safety and three touchdowns in the final 6:45 of the game to beat Marshall 24-23. Georgia Southern’s final touchdown came with 1:00 left on the clock.

 

Trailing UCLA 17-14, Minnesota (4-3) scored a touchdown with 0:27 remaining to beat the Bruins, 21-17.

 

And Vanderbilt? The Commodores are on a roll. Vanderbilt (4-2) beat Kentucky, 20-13. Vandy isn’t candy anymore.

 

College football Week 7 began early – Tuesday night. In Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty beat FIU, 31-24 (OT). Liberty running back Quinton Cooley rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns.

 

College football Week 7 resumed Wednesday night in Alabama. Jacksonville State crushed New Mexico State, 54-13. Jax State quarterback Tyler Huff passed for 196 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Thursday, the week got busier with three games. And all three contests were routs. In Virginia, James Madison improved to 5-1. The Dukes smacked Coastal Carolina, 39-7. Then in two C-USA games, Louisiana Tech pounded Middle Tennessee, 48-21, while Western Kentucky slammed UTEP, 44-17. Louisiana Tech quarterback Evan Bullock passed for 290 yards and five touchdowns. Western Kentucky quarterback Caden Veltkamp passed for 264 yards and three touchdowns.

 

Friday night, Week 7 continued to be busy with three more games. Under the Friday night lights, Northwestern stunned Maryland, 30-10. The Wildcats jumped out to a 7-0 first-quarter lead and never trailed for the rest of the game. Maryland had four turnovers; Northwestern had none. I would think Maryland coach Mike Locksley is in serious trouble.

 

In the first of four marquee Big 12 games this weekend, Arizona State surprised Utah, 27-19. Utah quarterback Cam Rising only completed 43% of his passes and threw three interceptions. Arizona State is 5-1. The third game Friday night was a Mountain West Conference affair. UNLV improved to 5-1, defeating Utah State, 50-34. The teams combined for 1,130 total yards. UNLV running back Jai’Den Thomas rushed for 139 yards and one touchdown.

 

On Saturday, Clemson (5-1) won its fifth-straight game. The Tigers roared past Wake Forest, 49-14. Cade Klubnik passed for 309 yards and three touchdowns.

 

In two key Big Ten games, Iowa (4-2) downed Washington, 40-16 and Wisconsin (4-2) rattled Rutgers, 42-7.  

 

Army is 6-0. The Black Knights pelted UAB, 44-10. Army quarterback Bryson Daily passed for 102 yards and one touchdown. Daily also rushed for 136 yards and four more touchdowns.

 

Texas (6-0) established itself as the team to beat in the SEC. The Longhorns smashed Oklahoma, 34-3. It was a good return for Quinn Ewers.

 

Notre Dame (5-1) remained in contention for the CFP. The Irish topped Stanford, 49-7. Riley Leonard passed for 229 yards and three touchdowns.

 

UCF (3-3) is going in the wrong direction. The Knights lost their third-straight game. Cincinnati (4-2) downed UCF, 19-13.  

 

Syracuse improved to 5-1. The Orange crushed NC State, 24-17. Kyle McCord passed for 346 yards and two touchdowns.

 

And after you went to bed Saturday night, Kansas State (5-1) beat Colorado, 31-28. It was yet another thriller. Trailing Colorado 28-24, K-State scored a touchdown with 2:14 left in the game. The Wildcats’ defense held on in the final 2:14 for the 31-28 victory.

 

The season is half over.

 

In this week’s AP Poll, Texas (6-0) is No. 1, followed by 2. Oregon (6-0). 3. Penn State (6-0), 4. Ohio State (5-1), 5. Georgia (5-1) and 6. Miami (6-0). The highest-ranked Group of Five team is Boise State at 15. Interestingly, Army (6-0) is 23^rd and Navy (5-0) is 25^th in the AP Poll.

 

So, Hurricane Milton made landfall at 8:35 p.m. ET, Wednesday, over Lido Key, Sarasota, as a Cat 3 storm, with winds of 120 miles per hour. Milton diminished to a Cat 1 storm as it moved across the state of Florida. The hurricane remained a Cat 1 storm as it exited Florida over Cape Canaveral at 4:40 a.m. ET, Thursday. 

 

Between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, we experienced a huge amount of rain – nearly four inches in an hour. Then, strangely enough, there was no more rain for the rest of the night. We began experiencing the strong winds from Milton around midnight. They continued to 6:00 a.m. Thursday. Fortunately, we never lost power. However, the lights flickered off and on several times. Over in Polk County, between Tampa and Orlando, more than 170,000 people lost power. In the state of Florida – 3.1 million people lost power.

 

By 11:00 a.m. Thursday, the sun made an appearance. Florida was back to being Florida – the Sunshine State.

 

I think Milton must have read my Wednesday morning blog last week. I wrote Milton was a slow mover and he was forecast to take 12 hours to cross the state of Florida. Guess what? Milton got across Florida in eight hours. He got it on.

 

Touchdown Tom

October 14, 2024

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Weekend Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: Classic – Oregon 32, Ohio State 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 30, Ohio State 28). Like the Georgia-Alabama game three weeks ago, this game lived up to its billing. It was a classic. The teams were almost even in total yards, passing yards and rushing yards. They combined for 965 total yards. Ironically, Oregon led by one point – 22-21 – at halftime. Each team added 10 points in the second half. The most productive quarter was the second when Oregon scored 16 points and Ohio State scored 14 points. Oregon’s Jordan James rushed for 115 yards. Oregon receiver Evan Stewart had seven receptions for 149 yards and one touchdown. Ohio State’s biggest lead was eight points – 14-6 early in the second quarter. Oregon’s biggest lead was one point – 22-21 at halftime and 29-28 and 32-31 in the fourth quarter. Attendance in Eugene: 60,129

 

RUNNER-UP: Voodoo – LSU 29, Ole Miss 26 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Ole Miss 31, LSU 27). Ole Miss had a big first half but seemed to wear out of steam in the second half. The Magnolias had no touchdowns after halftime. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had some key completions when he needed them. Otherwise, he threw two interceptions and only completed 43% of his passes. Ole Miss receiver Cayden Lee had nine receptions for 132 yards. LSU receiver Kyren Lacy had five receptions for 111 yards and one touchdown. Ole Miss has two losses and still has to play Oklahoma, Georgia and Arkansas. Attendance in Baton Rouge: 102,212

 

REST OF THE BEST: A Bevo day in Dallas – Texas 34, Oklahoma 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 30, Oklahoma 19). Oklahoma kicked a field goal in the first quarter and that was all she wrote for the Sooners. They never scored again. Texas held OU to 237 total yards and 89 rushing. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was 20-29-1, passing for 199 yards and one touchdown. Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner rushed for 118 yards. Attendance in Dallas: 92,100

 

The Wildcats were prime – Kansas State 31, Colorado 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Kansas State 27, Colorado 21). Kansas State led 21-7 midway through the third quarter. Colorado fought back and took a 28-24 lead late in the fourth quarter. K-State dominated ball possession: 35:00 to 25:00. The Wildcats defense held Colorado to 29 yards rushing. Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders was 34-40-1, passing for 388 yards and three touchdowns. Colorado receiver Omarion Miller had eight receptions for 145 yards. K-State receiver Jayce Brown had six receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Attendance in Boulder: 53,972

 

Surprising Devils – Arizona State 27, Utah 19 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 24, Arizona State 17). Utah took an early 6-0 lead in the first quarter off of two field goals. By midway through the second quarter, Arizona Starte went up 13-6 off of back-to-back touchdowns. Utah retook the lead at 16-13 late in the third quarter. But that was the Utes last lead. With 1:32 remaining in the third quarter Arizona State was back up 20-16. The Sun Devils went on to win by eight points. Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Attendance in Tempe: 45,310

 

Drew made the Trojans blue – Penn State 33, USC 30 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 30, USC 24). USC led 20-6 at halftime, but it was all Penn State in the second half. There were seven field goals kicked in the game – four by Penn State. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar was 30-for-43, passing for 391 yards and two touchdowns. But Allar also threw three interceptions. Penn State receiver Tyler Warren had 17 receptions for 224 yards and one touchdown. The Nittany Lions had 518 total yards and 28 first downs. With USC falling to 3-3, head coach Lincoln Riley has to be in serious trouble. Attendance in Los Angeles: 75,250

 

Undefeated Cougars – BYU 41, Arizona 19 (Touchdown Tom said: BYU 31, Arizona 27). BYU was scoreless in the first quarter. From the second quarter on, the Cougars outscored the Wildcats 41-12. In spite of the score, the teams were very even in the stats – total yards, passing yards, rushing yards and first downs. The difference – Arizona had four turnovers. BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff was 18-32-0, passing for 218 yards and two touchdowns. BYU is 6-0. Attendance in Provo: 65,420

 

The Bears weren’t so golden – Pitt 17, California 15 (Touchdown Tom said: Pitt 24, California 20). Pitt scored all 17 of its points in the first half. Cal dominated most of the stats, including ball control – 38:29 to 21:31. Pitt had four turnovers. Pitt running back Desmond Reid rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza was 27-37-0, passing for 272 yards and one touchdown. Cal receiver Jack Endries had eight receptions for 119 yards and one touchdown. Attendance in Pittsburgh: 49,773

 

Inconsistent – Iowa State 28, West Virginia 16 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 24, Iowa State 23). If there is anything consistent about the Mountaineers, it is their inconsistency. Both the offense and defense looked bad against the Cyclones. Quarterback Garrett Greene threw two interceptions. Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht was 18-26-0, passing for 265 yards and one touchdown. The Cyclones are 6-0. WVU coach Neal Brown has to be in serious trouble. Attendance in Morgantown: 55,202

 

The Dukes silence the Chants – James Madison 39, Coastal Carolina 7 (Touchdown Tom said: James Madison 41, Coastal Carolina 30). Coastal Carolina was only in this game for the first quarter. After the first 15 minutes, it was all James Madison. With the score 7-7 at the end of the first quarter, JMU scored another 22 points before halftime. The Chanticleers scored zero. The Dukes led 29-7 at the break. In the second half, JMU’s offense cooled its heels. The Dukes only scored 10 points. Coastal Carolina never got its heels warmed up. The Chanticleers scored zero again. JMU’s defense held Coastal to only 79 yards rushing and only 102 yards passing. The Dukes controlled time of possession 38:54 to 21:06. JMU quarterback Alonza Barnett passed for 199 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Harrisonburg: 25,622

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

Rocky was on Top – Tennessee 23, Florida 17 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Tennessee 30, Florida 17). Had Florida quarterback Graham Mertz not suffered a leg injury in the third quarter, this game may have had a different outcome. Up until Mertz left the game, the Gators were playing inspired football. Mertz suffered a non-contact lower leg injury after throwing a touchdown pass. When Mertz left the game, Florida was up 10-0. Florida dominated ball possession 34:56 to 25:04. Tennessee played good defense. So did the Gators. But, similar to the Arkansas game, the Vols offense was looking so-so. Tennessee is 5-1. Attendance in Knoxville: 101,915

 

Texas on our mind – Georgia 41, Mississippi State 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 38, Mississippi State 10). What’s with Georgia? The Dawgs aren’t looking sharp, especially the defense. Georgia won the first half 27-10. Miss State won the second half 21-14. The Dawgs offense racked up 605 total yards, mainly on the passing of Connor Beck. Beck was 36-for-48, passing for 459 yards and three touchdowns. However, Beck did throw two interceptions. The Dawgs held the Bulldogs to 79 yards rushing. Georgia receiver Arian Smith had five receptions for 134 yards and one touchdown. Attendance in Athens: 93,033

 

Where did these Boilers come from? – Illinois 50, Purdue 49 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Illinois 31, Purdue 14). Illinois had a big lead in the game but gave up 23 points to Purdue in the fourth quarter alone. In all, 39 points were scored in the fourth quarter. The teams combined for 1,092 total yards. With Hudson Card injured, Purdue went with Ryan Browne at quarterback. It was the Boilers best offensive output of the season. Browne was 18-26-0, passing for 297 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 118 yards. I’d say Purdue has found a new quarterback. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer wasn’t bad either. Altmyer was 20-34-0, passing for 379 yards and three touchdowns. Purdue receiver Max Clare had six receptions for 133 yards. Attendance in Champaign-Urbana: 55,815

 

Week 7 Results:  10 winners, 3 fumbles (77 percent)

For the Season:  69 winners, 32 fumbles (68.3 percent)

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUBND FLORIDA:

 

Liberty 31, FIU 24 (OT) – Attendance in Lynchburg: 16,343

Valparaiso at Stetson – Postponed

 

Alabama A&M 56, Bethune-Cookman 12 – Attendance in Huntsville: 19,727

Memphis 21, USF 3 – Attendance in Tampa: 3,365

Cincinnati 19, UCF 13 – Attendance in Orlando: 42,611

 

West Florida 40, Delta State 28 – Attendance in Pensacola: 4,552

North Texas 41, Florida Atlantic 37 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 14,576

 

 

Superlatives

 

Impressive Passers:

 

Georgia’s Connor Beck – 36-48-2 for 459 yards (3TDs); Akron’s Ben Finley – 24-36-1-395; Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders – 34-40-1-388 (3TDs); Illinois’ Luke Altmyer – 20-34-0-379 (3TDs), and Florida Atlantic’s Cam Fancher – 22-30-1-351 (3TDs).

 

Also, Rice’s E.J. Warner – 25-39-0 for 347 yards (2TDs); Syracuse’s Kyle McCord – 31-42-0-346 (2TDs); Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel – 23-34-0-341 (2TDs); North Texas’ Chandler Morris – 27-45-1-336 (4TDs); Ohio State’s Will Howard – 28-35-0-336 (2TDs), and NC State’s C.J. Bailey – 17-24-1-329 (2TDs).

 

 

Impressive Rushers:

 

Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty – 217 yards (1TD); Wisconsin’s Tawee Walker – 198 yards (3TDs); Ohio’s Parker Navarro – 176 yards (1TD); Liberty’s Quinton Cooley – 174 yards (2TDs), and Georgia Tech’s Jamal Haynes – 170 yards (2TDs).

 

Also, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson – 166 yards (2TDs); Texas State’s Ismail Mahdi – 164 yards; Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo – 158 yards (2TDs); Oregon State’s Anthony Hankerson – 154 yards (5TDs); Nevada’s Brandon Lewis – 151 yards (1TD), and Appalachian State’s Kanye Roberts – 148 yards.

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“We found a way to get a tough win on the road. I’m going to take it and run to the airport,” Penn State coach James Franklin, after the Nittany Lions’ win over USC.

 

“Got my corn dog, y’all.” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, as he walked into the Texas-Oklahoma post-game press conference.

 

“Every time I went and looked at his eyes tonight, I saw a guy who was composed and ready for his next moment,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning, on his quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

 

“Ryan Day is the ultimate underachiever,” CBS Sports columnist Will Backus, on the Ohio State coach.

 

“I think clearly Mack Brown is leaving. He’s had a good return, but it’s over,” ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum, on the North Carolina coach.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

(The next CFW – Week 8 Forecast – will be posted Thursday morning, October 17.)

CFW Week 7 Forecast - Will the Tide and the Vols vent their frustration?

 CFW Week 7 Forecast – Will the Tide and the Vols vent their frustration?

Ohio State-Oregon, Ole Miss-LSU

and OU-Texas, what a weekend!

 

Without a doubt, Eugene, Oregon, is the epicenter of college football this weekend. No. 2 Ohio State (5-0) at No. 3 Oregon (5-0) is the “Game of the Week.” Brutus vs. The Duck. Will Howard vs. Dillon Gabriel We should be in for a classic.

 

Another good game in the Big Ten this weekend has No. 4 Penn State (5-0) at USC (3-2). The Trojans have been a bit of a disappointment this season. However, with the Nittany Lions coming to town, the Coliseum will be rocking. “Fight On” will be rolling off the tongues of the USC fans. Will Miller Moss show up?

 

The second-best game this weekend occurs in “Death Valley” – No. 9 Ole Miss (5-1) at No. 13 LSU (4-1). When the Magnolias and the Tigers get together, it’s always an exciting time. Refrains of “Hold that Tiger” will be heard throughout Tiger Stadium. Jaxson Dart vs. Garrett Nussmeier.

 

Another good game in the SEC is the third-best game of the week – No. 18 Oklahoma (4-1) vs. No. 1 Texas (5-0) in the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. Yes, it’s State Fair time in Texas. That means it’s Sooners vs. Longhorns time too. “Texas Fight” and “Boomer Sooner” will be echoing off the walls of the Cotton Bowl and throughout the Texas State Fair. And it looks like Quinn Evers will be playing.

 

The Big 12 takes the prize for having the most good games this week – four of them. And what games these should be. All four could be decided by a touchdown or less. The Big 12 excitement begins with No. 16 Utah (4-1) at Arizona State (4-1) and continues with Arizona (3-2) at No. 14 BYU (5-0). Next up is No. 11 Iowa State (5-0) at West Virginia (3-2). Night games in Morgantown are always fun. The Big 12 quartet of games ends with No. 18 Kansas State (4-1) at Colorado (4-1). Nothing like a night out with Coach Prime and Ralphie.   

 

The best game in the ACC has California (3-2) at No. 22 Pitt (5-0). Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein puts on quite a show. Cal put on quite a show last week but came up one point short.

 

The Sun Belt Conference has a game that should be very entertaining – Coastal Carolina (4-1) at James Madison (4-1). Can the scoreboard keep up with this one? It could be one of those “basketball score” football games.

 

Looking throughout the rest of Saturday’s lineup, there are three contests that stick out. All three have signs of interest and intrigue. Keep your eyes on Washington (4-2) at Iowa (3-2), Wisconsin (3-2) at Rutgers (4-1) and Louisville (3-2) at Virginia (4-1).

 

Then there are the two “vent your frustrations” games – South Carolina (3-2) at Alabama (4-1) and Florida (3-2) at Tennessee (4-1). It could be ugly for the Gamecocks and the Gators. I can’t imagine anybody playing Alabama and Tennessee this week. After getting embarrassed last week, will the Tide and the Vols show any mercy?

 

And finally, what is the “giant killer” up to this weekend. The giant killer is looming in Lexington, Kentucky on Saturday – Vanderbilt (3-2) at Kentucky (3-2). Vandy isn’t candy anymore.

 

Enjoy your weekend!

 

The No. 1 team in the FCS Coaches Poll this week is South Dakota State (4-1), followed by 2. North Dakota State (5-1), 3. Montana State (6-0), 4. South Dakota (4-1), 5. Villanova (5-1) and 6. UC Davis 5-1.

 

Monday, I reported the SEC made $200,000 from Arkansas and Vanderbilt fans rushing the field. That figure was incorrect. The SEC made $350,000. It was a second offense for Arkansas and second-offense fines in the SEC are $250,000.

 

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy says these five coaches are in danger of being fired by the end of the season: Auburn’s Hugh Freeze, TCU’s Sonny Dykes, Baylor’s Dave Aranda, Florida State’s Mike Norvell and UAB’s Trent Dilfer.

 

Luis Tiant nicknamed “El Tiante,” was a Cuban Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Tiant died on Tuesday. He pitched in MLB for 19 years (1964 to 1982), primarily for the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Red Sox. Tiant pitched for the Cleveland Indians from 1964 to 1969, and the Boston Red Sox from 1971 to 1978. He had a 229-172 win-loss record, with a 3.30 ERA and 2,416 strikeouts. Tiant was an avid cigar smoker. A native of Marianao, Cuba, Luis Clemente Tiant Vega was 83.

 

So, this is the calm before the storm. It’s 6:00 ET, Wednesday morning. Hurricane Milton is still in the Gulf headed this way. Right now, there is no rain, no wind and no noise. But that will change soon. The rain should start this morning. The wind will pick up this afternoon.

 

Hurricane Milton is a slow mover. I prefer my hurricanes to be fast movers. With the slow movers, the rain and wind last longer. It’s going to take the storm 12 hours to move across the state of Florida. You can bicycle across Florida in less than 12 hours.

 

Currently, Hurricane Milton is scheduled to make landfall on the west coast of Florida, somewhere around the Bradenton/Sarasota area, as a Category 4 storm. Landfall is predicted to be at 2:00 ET, Thursday morning. Twelve hours later, Milton is scheduled to exit Florida into the Atlantic Ocean at 2:00 ET, Thursday afternoon, as a Category 1 storm.

 

Up until late yesterday, the projected path of Milton had the storm exiting Florida somewhere north of us, near the county line of Brevard and Volusia Counties. However, Milton wobbled. He wobbled to the south. Now the projected path of Milton has the storm exiting Florida right over top of us – Indialantic, Florida. That means we will be in the center of the eye. Hopefully, Milton wobbles again, preferably to the north. Stay tuned!

 

Touchdown Tom

October 9, 2024

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

Week Seven’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games….and then some

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Ohio State (5-0) at Oregon (5-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – If this game is anything at all like the Georgia-Alabama game, we are in for a thrill. I don’t know if it will live up to those expectations, but it has the potential. The stats lean towards Ohio State. But not by a lot. The Buckeyes are beating their opponents, 46-7. The Ducks are winning their games on an average of 35-17. Ohio State averages 510 yards a game on offense. Oregon is averaging 294 yards a game passing. The Buckeyes are holding their opponents to 303 yards a game. The Ducks opponents are averaging 263 yards a game. In five games, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard has passed for 1,248 yards, completing 72% of his passes. Also, in five games, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel has passed for 1,449 yards, completing 78% of his throws. The Buckeyes' leading rusher is Quinshon Judkins with 468 yards in five games. The Ducks counter with Jordan James who has 552 yards in five games. Behind Judkins is TreVeyon Henderson who has 337 yards. Behind Jordan is Noah Whittington who has 165 yards. Combined, Judkins and Henderson give Ohio State 805 rushing yards. Combined, James and Whittington give Oregon 717 yards. The Buckeyes had the weaker non-conference schedule – playing Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall (combined record 6-10). The Ducks non-conference games were against Idaho, Boise State and Oregon State (combined record 12-4). Both Ohio State and Oregon have played Michigan State. The Buckeyes beat the Spartans 38-7 on the road. The Ducks beat the Spartans 31-10 at home. I’m casting my fate with Dylan Gabriel – Oregon 30, Ohio State 28.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. Ole Miss (5-1) at LSU (4-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Here’s another potential thriller for you – the Magnolias and the Tigers. Ole Miss has the second-best offense in the country, averaging 577 yards a game. Quarterback Jaxson Dart is passing for 373 yards a game. Ole Miss is winning games at the clip of 44 to 8. However, against SEC competition (Kentucky and South Carolina) the Magnolias are just winning 22-12. On defense Ole Miss is just giving up 64 yards a game rushing. The only area where LSU comes close to Ole Miss is passing. Garrett Nussmeier is averaging 337 yards a game passing. LSU has no running game (one of the worst in the country), where Ole Miss does (24^th in the country). On defense, LSU is giving up 22 points a game. The Tigers are one of the worst teams in the country defending the pass. The Magnolias turn Baton Rouge into Baton Blue – Ole Miss 31, LSU 27.

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Texas (5-0) vs. Oklahoma (4-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Texas is the No. 1 team in the country. But so were Georgia and Alabama at one time or another this season. It’s the season for knocking teams out of the top position. The Longhorns have it all over the Sooners in the stats. Texas is winning games on an average of 45 to 7. Oklahoma is winning 29-16. Big difference. Texas is averaging 513 yards a game. Oklahoma has one of the worst offenses in the country. The Sooners have no quarterback. The Longhorns have a topnotch defense. Oklahoma’s defense is mediocre. Of course, the big question will Quinn Ewers return from the injured list? Or will Arch Manning quarterback Texas? If Manning quarterbacks, there could be a nerve factor. It’s looking like Ewers will be playing. Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins has nothing to lose. It doesn’t look good for the Sooners. Horns up – Texas 30, Oklahoma 19.

 

4. Kansas State (4-1) at Colorado (4-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 10:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Coach Prime has the Buffaloes on a roll. They have won three-straight games. Colorado has an outstanding passing game. Shedeur Sanders has passed for 1,630 yards. The Buffs have no running game. And Colorado’s defense is not so good. On offense, K-State is just the opposite of Colorado. The Wildcats have a running game (D.J. Giddens), but no passing game. Both teams are averaging 31 points a game. In general, K-State’s defense is better than the Colorado defense. On defense, both are giving up 21 or 22 points a game. Ralphie is afraid of Cats – Kansas State 27, Colorado 21.

 

5. Utah (4-1) at Arizona State (4-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 10:30 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – Utah has a weak offense and a pretty good defense. Against three Big 12 teams, the Utes are averaging 18-18. Nobody scores a lot on Utah. Then again, the Utes don’t score much either. Looking at the Sun Devils, Arizona State is better on offense (33 points a game) and weaker on defense (24 points a game). The best part of the ASU offense is running back Cameron Skattebo. But he can be up and down. Skattebo rushed for 262 yards in a win against Mississippi State and only 60 yards in a loss to Texas Tech. The Utes create clouds over the Sun – Utah 24, Arizona State 17.

 

6. Penn State (5-0) at USC (3-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – USC is a strange team. But then again, the Trojans are coached by Lincoln Riley, and he is a strange coach. Wouldn’t be surprised if this is Riley’s last year at USC. In his third season, he is not doing well. But I have no idea what his buyout is. The Trojans are so-so on offense and so-so on defense. They have a good quarterback in Miller Moss. However, he just isn’t getting the job done. There is nothing splashy about Penn State’s offense. It’s the defense that shines at Penn State. It is one of the best in the country, holding opponents to 11 points a game. The Trojans will put up a fight in the Coliseum. But in the end, it will be all Nittany Lion – Penn State 30, USC 24.

 

7. Arizona (3-2) at BYU (5-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Arizona is hurting on offense and defense. The Wildcats average score is 27-24. They barely have their heads above water. However, they did manage to surprise Utah, 23-10. The best part of Arizona is quarterback Noah Fifita. He has passed for 1,361 yards, completing 62% of his tosses. BYU is the surprise team in the Big 12 – at least so far. There is nothing spectacular about the Cougars offense. Quarterback Jeff Retzlaff just seems to get the job done. BYU does have a pretty good defense. Opponents are being held to 16 points a game. BYU is the only team that SMU has lost to. The Cougars beat the Mustangs 18-15 in Dallas. Cougars win this cat fight – BYU 31, Arizona 27.

 

8. California (3-2) at Pitt (5-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – I don’t know how California will react to that fourth quarter loss to Miami last week. I suspect the Bears are pretty dejected. It will be a challenge for coach Justin Wilcox to get them up for Pitt. Cal’s two losses have been by a total of six points. The Bears aren’t particularly great on offense or defense. They just get the job done. They are winning game by an average of 26-18. Pitt is all about quarterback Eli Holstein. As Holstein goes, so goes the Pitt offense. He is averaging 340 yards a game passing. Pitt is averaging 46 points a game. If there is a weakness to Pitt, it is the defense. The Panthers’ defense is giving up 25 points a game. The Panthers remain undefeated – Pitt 24, California 20.

 

9. Iowa State (5-0) at West Virginia (3-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Following West Virginia is like riding a rollercoaster. Up one week, down the next. Although the Mountaineers have won two-straight games – both Big 12 contests. WVU’s offense is not bad and getting better. The defense has been bad but played its best game against Oklahoma State last week. So, there is hope. Like WVU, Iowa State has won two-straight Big 12 games. The Cyclones are average on offense and decent on defense. They average winning games, 31-10. That’s impressive. The ironic part of this game is Iowa State’s quarterback – Rocco Becht. Becht is the son of former WVU tight end Anthony Becht. Anthony played at WVU from 1995-1999. Make it three-straight wins for the Mountaineers – West Virginia 24, Iowa State 23.

 

10. Coastal Carolina (4-1) at James Madison (4-1) – (Sun Belt vs. Sun Belt) – 7:30 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN2 – James Madison really stubbed its toe last week. Then again, so did Alabama, Tennessee and Missouri. There must have been something in the air last Saturday. JMU had scored 133 points in its previous two games. The Dukes scored 19 points last week, losing to ULM, 21-19. JMU is good on offense, averaging 39 points a game. The offensive leader is quarterback Alonza Barnett. The JMU defense is not necessarily all that good. They are giving up 18 points a game. Coastal Carolina has been a surprise. The Chanticleers’ offense is not that good, but they get the job done, averaging 38 point a game. The defense is definitely weak, giving up 30 points a game. Sounds like a high-scoring affair. The Dukes have Chanticacciatore for dinner – James Madison 41, Coastal Carolina 30.

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

Florida (3-2) at Tennessee (4-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – The good news for Florida: The Gators have won two-straight games, and the defense played their best game of the season last week. But the Florida offense is still inconsistent. Who knows? Things may be coming together little-by-little. The bad news for Florida: The Gators are playing Tennessee in the wrong place at the wrong time. The game is in Knoxville and after last week’s loss to Arkansas, the Vols are going to be angry – I mean, really angry. They have to take out their frustrations on somebody and the Gators are that somebody. The Tennessee offense is averaging 46 points a game. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava and running back Dylan Sampson had subpar games last week. That’s incentive for them to be above par this week. On defense, The Vols are holding opponents to nine points a game. There aren’t any swamps on Rocky Top – Tennessee 30, Florida 17.

 

Mississippi State (1-4) at Georgia (4-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 4:15 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – After losing to Alabama, Georgia has been on R&R. Last week Auburn. This week Mississippi State. That’s a good thing because next week it’s Texas in Austin. Georgia is a good team, but the offense lacks a running game. And Connor Beck hasn’t always been at his best. The Georgia defense is good but not the best. Anything, however, is better than Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are the worst team in the SEC. Their offense is bad, and their defense is worse. Miss State’s defense is giving up 32 points a game. Uga is enjoying his R&R – Georgia 38, Mississippi State 10.

 

Purdue (1-4) at Illinois (4-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – What can you say about Purdue? Nothing good. The Boilers have the worst offense and defense in the country. They lost to Notre Dame, 66-7 and to Wisconsin, 52-6. The Purdue offense is 120^th out of 134 FBS teams. The defense is 117^th out of 134 FBS teams. Illinois is a better team on defense than on offense. The offense isn’t much better than Purdue’s. The Banned Indians are 100^th in offense. The Illinois defense is ranked 28^th in the country. Illinois is coming off an open week. They should be raring to go. The Boilers fizzle – Illinois 31, Purdue 14.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

FIU (2-3) at Liberty (4-0) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7 pm ET, Tuesday, CBSSN….

Valparaiso (2-4) at Stetson (2-3) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….

 

Bethune-Cookman (0-5) at Alabama A&M (2-3) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….

Memphis (4-1) at South Florida (2-3) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday….

Cincinnati (3-2) at UCF (3-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….

 

Delta State (4-1) at West Florida (2-2) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 4 pm ET, Saturday….

North Texas (4-1) at Florida Atlantic (2-3) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“Miami is playing on very thin ice right now. They need to be better. They need to be more consistent on both sides of the ball. Their performance on the defensive end has left something to be desired,” ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

(The next CFW – Week 7 Results – will be posted Monday morning, October 14.)