CFW Week 10 Forecast - A tough season for quarterbacks

 CFW Week 10 Forecast – A tough season for quarterbacks

Ohio State at Penn State: Will the

Lions win for the first time since 2016?

 

Or will the Buckeyes make it eight straight?

 

Happy Halloween college football fans! Maybe your team will be ghoulish this weekend.

 

Speaking of Halloween, it has been a scary season for quarterbacks – downright spooky.

 

Two quarterbacks have retired from the game of football for health reasons – North Carolina State’s Grayson McCall and Michigan’s Jack Tuttle. Three more quarterbacks were knocked out for the remainder of the season due to injuries – Mississippi State’s Bake Shapen, Florida’s Graham Mertz and Utah’s Cam Rising.

 

Two weeks ago, Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke left the game against Nebraska with a hand injury. Rourke missed last week’s game against Washington. He is expected to return to action this week, as Indiana plays Michigan State.

 

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers missed a couple of games earlier this season due to an injury. West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene missed last week’s game against Arizona with an upper body injury.

 

Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara and Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King are both out with undisclosed injuries. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook is out with a leg injury.

 

Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton received a shoulder injury in last week’s game against TCU. He exited the game in the third quarter. However, Morton is expected to play this week against Iowa State.

 

Undefeated Pitt plays one-loss SMU this weekend and the quarterbacks for both teams are questionable starts. Pitt’s Eli Holstein and SMU’s Kevin Jennings both have undisclosed injuries.

 

Another game-time call this week is Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. Allar left last week’s game against Wisconsin with a left knee injury.  

 

To take the cake, there was UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka. Sluka wasn’t injured. But he walked away and quit the team. He said he wasn’t being paid the NIL money he was promised.

 

So, there have not been many treats for several quarterbacks this season.

 

Speaking of Penn State, the Nittany Lions are involved in this week’s “Game of the Week” – No. 4 Ohio State (6-1) at No. 3 Penn State (7-0). There was a time when Penn State dominated this series. But for the past 20 years or so, it has been pretty much all Ohio State. The Nittany Lions haven’t won since 2016. After the close call with Nebraska, I’m sure Ryan Day hasn’t been a happy camper this week. What treats will James Franklin have for the Buckeyes?

 

The other two undefeated teams in the Big Ten have some stiff competition this week. And both are playing in the state of Michigan. First, there is No. 1 Oregon (8-0) at Michigan (5-3). Ann Arbor is never an easy place to play. Then No. 13 Indiana (8-0) travels to Michigan State (4-4). The Hoosiers better beware.

 

I’m anxious to see how two other Big Ten games turn out. Minnesota (5-3) at No. 24 Illinois (6-2). The Gophers found an offense last week, while the Banned Indians lost a defense. Will Illinois bounce back? Finally, Wisconsin (5-3) at Iowa (5-3). This one could be a doozy.

 

The ACC has a few good contests Saturday. For starters – No. 18 Pitt (7-0) at No. 20 SMU (7-1). Both teams may be using backup quarterbacks. Both teams are having unbelievable seasons. Next, we have Duke (6-2) at No. 5 Miami (8-0). Duke’s two losses are by a combined 11 points – one an overtime loss. Miami has had its share of close calls. Will the Dookies make it close?

 

Also on the ACC platter is Louisville (5-3) at No. 11 Clemson (6-1). No one has beaten Louisville by more than seven points. Only one team has beat Clemson. Tyler Shough vs. Cade Klubnik. Then we have Virginia Tech (5-3) at Syracuse (6-2). The Hokies have been getting better and better each week. But if Kyle McCord is on, watch out for the Orange.

 

In the Big 12, another undefeated team puts its record on the line – Texas Tech (5-3) at No. 11 Iowa State (7-0). Tech knows how to score. But the Red Raiders can’t keep the other team from scoring. Sounds like a shootout to me.

 

The SEC is always good for some enticing games and this week has three of them. How about No. 10 Texas A&M (7-1) at South Carolina (4-3). That should stir your grits. Can Cocky pull off the upset?

 

Everybody loves a cocktail party and there is a big one in Jacksonville. It’s an outdoor cocktail party – Florida (4-3) vs. No. 2 Georgia (6-1). Does Billy Napier have some tricks up his sleeve? He better. He’ll need them. Lastly, we wind up with No. 19 Ole Miss (6-2) at Arkansas (5-3). Lane Kiffin wallows with the Pigs. Sam Pittman says nothing like getting a little muddy. It could be down and dirty for the Magnolias.

 

Of the two remaining undefeated teams, one is off this week and the other should have an easy time of it. No. 9 BYU (8-0) has the weekend off. No. 21 Army (7-0) should have no problem grounding Air Force (1-6).  

 

Enjoy the games but watch out for those ghosts and goblins!

 

Both ESPN’s College GameDay and FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff are in State College, Pennsylvania, for the Ohio State-Penn State game. The SEC Network’s SEC Nation is in Jacksonville, Florida, for the Georgia-Florida game – the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

 

Amid a five-game losing streak, UCF coach Gus Malzahn fired his defensive coordinator Ted Roof on Monday. Assistant defensive coordinator Addison Williams will take over the DC responsibilities for the remainder of the season. The Knights’ defense has given up 166 points during the five-game losing span. Malzahn also announced that he will no longer be handling the offensive play calling. He is turning that duty over to his offensive coordinator Tim Harris.  

 

Firing defensive coordinators in the Big 12 must be contagious. A day after Ted Roof was fired at UCF, West Virginia coach Neal Brown fired his defensive coordinator, Jordan Lesley. Brown replaced Lesley with linebackers and special teams coach Jeff Koontz. WVU is giving up 28 points a game this season (33 points a game in its last three games) and the Mountaineers are 114^th in the country in pass defense.

 

By the way, the Florida-Georgia game won’t be played in Jacksonville in 2026 and 2027. EverBank Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, is being partially torn down and rebuilt. The stadium’s capacity will be severely reduced in 2026 and closed entirely in 2027. The 2026 Florida-Georgia game will be played in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and the 2027 game will be played in Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

 

Florida and Georgia have met 102 times since 1915 and 92 of those meetings took place in Jacksonville. All but two of the meetings since 1932 have been played in Jacksonville. The teams played on-campus games in 1994 and 1995 when the old Gator Bowl Stadium was torn down and rebuilt for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Interestingly, since the stadium was rebuilt for the Jaguars in the mid-1990s at a smaller capacity than the old Gator Bowl Stadium, they have always added temporary seating each year for the Florida-Georgia game. The Jaguars draw between 40,000 and 60,000 a game. The Florida-Georgia game typically draws more than 80,000 a game.

 

Florida outdraws the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Georgia outdraws the Atlanta Falcons, LSU outdraws the New Orleans Saints, Tennessee outdraws the Tennessee Titans, Penn State outdraws the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ohio State outdraws the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals, Michigan and Michigan State outdraw the Detroit Lions, Wisconsin outdraws the Green Bay Packers, Washington outdraws the Seattle Seahawks and Texas and Texas A&M outdraw the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans. College football rules!

 

In this week’s FCS Coaches Poll, North Dakota State (8-1) is No. 1, followed by 2. Montana State (8-0), 3. South Dakota State (6-2), 4. UC Davis (7-1), 5. South Dakota (6-2), and 6. Southeast Missouri State (8-1). Dartmouth (6-0) is 22.

 

Touchdown Tom

October 31, 2024

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

(The next CFW – Week 10 Results – will be posted Monday morning, November 4.)

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Ohio State (6-1) at Penn State (7-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – Will Penn State quarterback Drew Allar play or not? Allar left last week’s game against Wisconsin at halftime with a knee injury. He didn’t return. As it turned out, Penn State didn’t miss Allar. Backup Beau Pribula was 11-13-0, passing for 98 yards and one touchdown. With or without Allar, Penn State’s offense is good, but not the best. The best at Penn State is its defense, holding opponents to 14 points a game. Nebraska’s defense found a way to stop Ohio State’s offense. Perhaps Penn State’s defense can too. The Buckeyes are averaging 40 points a game. Like the Nittany Lions, Ohio State’s defense is better than its offense. And that is saying something because the Ohio State offense is good. Overall, Ohio State is 24-14 against Penn State. The Buckeye’s and Nittany Lions first met in 1912. They played intermittently until 1993 and have played annually since 1993. Ohio State is 17-4 against Penn State in the last 21 games (since 2002). The Buckeyes have won the last seven games, and the last 11 out of 12. Well, the seven-game win streak comes to an end – Penn State 21, Ohio State 20.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. Pitt (7-0) at SMU (7-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – SMU was lucky to beat Duke last week in overtime. The Mustangs had six turnovers. They may be lucky to win again this week. Quarterback Kevin Jennings is out with an injury, and it is unknown if he will play. The Mustangs are averaging 39 points a game. Pitt is in the same boat as SMU. Quarterback Eli Holstein is injured and may or may not play. The Panthers are averaging 41 points a game. Both teams are a bit weak on defense, but Pitt is the weaker of the two. The Panthers can’t pin the tail on the Pony – SMU 30, Pitt 24.

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Duke (6-2) at Miami (8-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Duke definitely relies on its defense to get through its games. The best part of the Duke offense is quarterback Maalik Murphy. He has passed for 1,795 yards. On offense, the Dookies try to take advantage of the other team’s mistakes. Unfortunately for Duke, the Miami offense doesn’t make that many mistakes. Quarterback Cam Ward has only thrown five interceptions in eight games, while passing for 2,746 yards. The Canes are averaging 47 points a game and have the best offense in the country. Miami’s defense can be had, but Duke’s offense isn’t that strong. The Dookies get caught in a Miami vice – Miami 28, Duke 21.

 

4. Oregon (8-0) at Michigan (5-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – Can Oregon keep it up? Or will the Ducks cave. No, Michigan isn’t that strong this year. But the game is in Ann Arbor. The undefeated and No. 1 Ducks have to be feeling some pressure. Oregon’s offense is a lot better than Michigan’s offense – a lot. The defenses of the two teams are about the same. Oregon’s is slightly better. The Ducks need to stay alert. They do – Oregon 27, Michigan 16.

 

5. Indiana (8-0) at Michigan State (4-4) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, Peacock – Like Oregon, Indiana has to be feeling the pressure too. It’s not easy to stay undefeated. The Hoosiers are supposed to have their starting quarterback – Kurtus Rourke – back for this game. He has been out with a thumb injury. And Indiana didn’t exactly miss him. Backup quarterback Tayven Jackson has been superb. So, now Indiana has two good quarterbacks. Michigan State is no slouch. Although the Spartans have lost four of their last five games, quarterback Aidan Chiles has shown improvement. The Hoosiers get out of East Lansing with their ninth win – Indiana 28, Michigan State 20.

 

6. Texas Tech (5-3) vs. Iowa State (7-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – There are eight undefeated teams. Six of them are facing some stiff competition this week. Iowa State is one of the six. The scary part of Texas Tech teams in recent years has been the Red Raiders’ offense. Not their defense. Texas Tech is like that again this year. The offense is scary. The defense isn’t. Tech is averaging 38 points a game. The Red Raiders defense is giving up 36 points a game. On offense, Texas Tech can run with Tahj Brooks and pass with Behren Morton. On defense, the Red Raiders can’t do anything. Iowa State has a so-so offense. But it will have no problem against Tech. The Cyclones’ defense is good.  But it will have a challenge from Tech. Cy makes the Red Raiders sigh – Iowa State 33, Texas Tech 27.

 

7. Texas A&M (7-1) at South Carolina (4-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Is this a trap game for Texas A&M? South Carolina is a deceptive team. The Aggies are coming off a tough win over LSU. But they are off next week. And after that, they play New Mexico State. So, this shouldn’t be a trap game. However, as I said the Gamecocks are deceptive. South Carolina is 4-3. But they are seven points away from being 6-1. Only Ole Miss put a licking on the Gamecocks. LSU and Alabama were lucky to beat South Carolina. The better side of South Carolina is its defense. That’s where the Gamecocks try to win their games. Texas A&M is 7-1 and 5-0 in SEC play. Yet the Aggies aren’t particularly strong on offense or defense. They just do what they have to do to get the job done. And will Marcel Reed quarterback A&M this week? He replaced Connor Weighman last week and turned a loss into a win. This is going to be an interesting game. Ags make it to 6-0 in the SEC – Texas AM 26, South Carolina 23.

 

8. Louisville (5-3) at Clemson (6-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Does Louisville have a chance in this game? For six-straight games, Clemson has been playing inspired football. The Tigers are averaging 42 points a game, with one of the best offenses in the country. Quarterback Cade Klubnik has stepped up, passing for 1,836 yards. Oddly, it is the Clemson defense that can be loosey-goosey at times. They are giving up 23 points a game. So, there is hope for Louisville. The Cardinals played Notre Dame, SMU and Miami tough, losing to all three by only seven points. Tyler Shough is a good quarterback. There is hope, but not much – Clemson 30, Louisville 17.

 

 9. Florida (4-3) vs. Georgia (6-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Florida last beat Georgia in 2020 – the COVID season. Since then, the Dawgs have won three-straight games by a total of 72 points – 34-7, 42-20 and 43-20. That should give the Gators some incentive. Florida’s offense has found ways to score. The Gators are averaging 31 points a game. Quarterback D.J. Lagway gets better and better each week. Even the Florida defense has been playing better of late. But they are giving up 24 points a game. Georgia will take advantage of that. But the Dawgs’ offense is strange – strong on passing, weak on running. If Carson Beck is on, it will be tough to stop Georgia. Beck has passed for 1,993 yards. Georgia’s defense is a bit strange too. The Dawgs’ “D” is good, but not as good as recent Georgia teams. There are holes. But Albert can’t find them – Georgia 30, Florida 20.

 

10. Ole Miss (6-2) at Arkansas (5-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Ole Miss has to play Georgia next week. Now, who do you think the Magnolias are thinking about – Arkansas or Georgia. And Arkansas is off next week. This contest could be made in the shade for the Razorbacks. Arkansas can score. The problem is the Hogs aren’t all that good on defense. On paper, this is all Ole Miss. The Magnolias are averaging 40 points a game and their defense is only giving up 11 points a game. Ole Miss has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Jaxson Dart. He has passed for 2,695 yards. But he has those Dawgs on his mind – Arkansas 20, Ole Miss 19.

  

The outcome of three more games really has my curiosity peaked. They are Minnesota (5-3) at Illinois (6-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FS1….  Virginia Tech (5-3) at Syracuse (5-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, CWN….  and Wisconsin (5-3) at Iowa (5-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC.

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

UCLA (2-5) at Nebraska (5-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – After two tough games on the road – one a spanking and the other a close loss – the Huskers should feel good to be home this week. The opponent – UCLA – is beatable. And it could be Nebraska’s last win of the regular season. USC, Wisconsin and Iowa are on the horizon. This is a good opportunity for Nebraska’s offense to open up. UCLA’s defense is giving up 29 points a game. And for the Huskers’ defense to continue to play good. UCLA’s offense is only averaging 17 points a game. Coming off that game against Ohio State, Nebraska should be inspired. Herbie scares the Bears – Nebraska 30, UCLA 14.

 

Northwestern (3-5) at Purdue (1-6) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, BTN – Man, if there was ever a game between two woeful teams, this is it. It will be interesting, that’s for sure. It’s a game between two of the worst offenses in the country against two of the worst defenses in the country. Either there will be a lot of points scored, or there will be few points scored. Northwestern does have the better defense, while Purdue has the better offense. But that isn’t saying much. Flip a coin. The Wildcats win – Northwestern 30, Purdue 27.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

New Mexico State (2-5) at FIU (2-6) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7 pm ET, Tuesday, CBSSN….

South Florida (3-4) at Florida Atlantic (2-5) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7:30 pm ET, Friday, ESPN2….

Stetson (2-5) at Butler (6-2) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….

 

West Florida (5-2) at Erskine (1-4) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 2 pm ET, Saturday….

Grambling State (4-4) at Bethune-Cookman (1-7) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….

 

Arizona (3-5) at UCF (3-5) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FS1….

North Carolina (4-4) at Florida State (1-7) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN….

Texas Southern (3-4) at Florida A&M (4-3) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“Georgia is the best team in the country. They’re loaded. We saw what they did to Texas. They’re number one and Oregon is right behind them,” former Florida and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

CFW Week 9 Results - Rice fires Mike Bloomgren

 CFW Week 9 Results – Rice fires Mike Bloomgren

LSU and Navy knocked out

 

LSU was one of two SEC teams undefeated in conference play. Not anymore. The Tigers were knocked out of the co-lead in the SEC by the other undefeated team in SEC games – Texas A&M.

 

Navy was one of nine undefeated teams in the country. Not anymore. The Middies were knocked out of the undefeated group by Notre Dame. Now there are eight undefeated teams.

 

LSU and Navy were two of five ranked teams who lost on Saturday. The other three were Illinois, Missouri and Vanderbilt. Fifteen of the Top 25 teams won. Five had the weekend off.

 

Initially, LSU (6-2) was looking good against Texas A&M (7-1). The Tigers led the Aggies 10-0 at the 3:51 mark in the first quarter and 17-7 at halftime. But the second half belonged to Texas A&M. The Aggies took their first lead in the game – 21-17 – at the 1:00 mark in the third quarter. Texas A&M never trailed again, increasing its lead to 28-17, 35-23 and ultimately, 38-23. The Aggies now have sole possession of the SEC lead at 5-0 in conference play.

 

With six turnovers, Navy (6-1) never was in the game with Notre Dame (7-1). The Irish led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and 31-7 at halftime. Notre Dame went on to beat Navy, 51-14. The Middies are no longer undefeated and no longer ranked in the Top 25.

 

Three other ranked teams lost Saturday. Like Navy, Illinois (6-2) was never in the game with Oregon (8-0). The Ducks led the Banned Indians, 35-3 at halftime, going on to beat Illinois, 38-9. Missouri (6-2) was too banged up to compete with Alabama (6-2). The Tigers lost to the Tide, 34-0. And Vanderbilt (5-3) gave Texas (7-1) a good fight. But ultimately, the Commodores fell to the Longhorns, 27-24.

 

Like Navy, Vanderbilt also dropped out of the Top 25. LSU, Illinois and Missouri remained in the Top 25 but dropped in the AP Poll. LSU fell from 8^th to 16^th. Illinois dropped from 20^th to 24^th. And Missouri fell from 21^st to 25^th.  

 

The eight remaining undefeated teams are Army (7-0), Miami (8-0), Pitt (7-0), BYU (8-0), Iowa State (7-0), Indiana (8-0), Oregon (8-0) and Penn State (7-0).

 

College football Week 9 began Tuesday night in Miami, Florida, with what was the dullest and most boring football game ever played. Sam Houston beat FIU, 10-7. Combined, the two teams had 406 total yards. Action continued Tuesday night with the second dullest and most boring game ever played. Louisiana Tech downed UTEP, 14-10. Louisiana Tech had seven yards rushing. UTEP had 85 yards passing. Football in Conference USA is really exciting – not.  

 

Wednesday night saw two more Conference USA games. The first of the two was a major upset. Winless Kennesaw State knocked off undefeated Liberty, 27-24. Kennesaw State got its first FBS victory and ended Liberty’s 17-game, regular-season win streak. In the second game, Jacksonville State racked up 577 total yards, beating Middle Tennessee, 42-20. Jax State quarterback Tyler Huff passed for 137 yards and one touchdown. Huff also rushed for 151 yards and two more touchdowns. Running back Tre Stewart rushed for 210 yards and a touchdown.

 

On Thursday night, Old Dominion played its best football of the season. The Monarchs blasted Georgia Southern, 47-19. ODU quarterback Colton Joseph was 20-26-0, passing for 304 yards and four touchdowns. Joseph also rushed for 66 yards and another touchdown. Old Dominion racked up 560 total yards.

 

In the other contest Thursday night, Syracuse couldn’t hold onto the football. The Orange had five turnovers. Their opponent had none. As a result, Pitt pummeled Syracuse, 41-13. Syracuse’s five turnovers were all interceptions thrown by quarterback Kyle McCord. You would have thought that Syracuse coach Fran Brown would have pulled McCord at some point.

 

The Friday night lights of Week 9 gave us three games. In Chestnut Hills, Massachusetts, Louisville trailed Boston College 27-17, entering the fourth quarter. However, in the final quarter, the Cardinals scored two unanswered touchdowns. With 7:12 remaining in the contest, Louisville scored its second of two touchdowns to take its first lead in the game at 31-27. The Cardinals held on to win. Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough passed for 333 yards and two touchdowns.

 

The second game Friday night was a thriller too. Trailing UNLV 24-23, Boise State scored a fourth quarter touchdown at the 12:38 mark in the quarter and then held on to beat UNLV, 29-24.

 

The nightcap wasn’t a thriller. USC built up a 28-12 halftime lead and went on to beat Rutgers, 42-20. USC running back Woody Marks rushed for 94 yards and scored three touchdowns.

 

Wow! What a turnaround for Nebraska! No, the Huskers didn’t win. But they almost did. Last week Nebraska had its cobs cleaned by Indiana, 56-7. Saturday, the Huskers (5-3) came close to beating Ohio State (6-1). Nebraska lost to the Buckeyes, 21-17. From one week to the next, the Huskers looked like two different teams. Well, not quite. The defense was a different team. Nebraska’s offense was the same ole, same ole.

 

Indiana (8-0) continues to impress. The Hoosiers beat Washington, 31-17. Minnesota (5-3) found an offense. The Gophers crushed Maryland, 48-23. Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer was 26-33-0, passing for 320 yards and four touchdowns.

 

Trailing Wisconsin 10-7 at halftime, Penn State (7-0) came to life in the second half to defeat the Badgers, 28-13. Michigan (5-3) downed its intrastate rival. The Wolverines beat Michigan State, 24-17. The Spartans lost despite totally dominating the statistics.

 

Oklahoma (4-4) had yet another setback. The Sooners led Ole Miss 14-10 at halftime. But the Magnolias outscored Oklahoma 16-0 in the second half. Ole Miss (6-2) beat the Sooners, 26-14.

 

Virginia Tech (5-3) won its third straight game. The Hokies topped Georgia Tech, 21-6. All the Yellow Jackets could muster was two field goals in the first half. Florida State (1-7) continues to lose. Saturday, Miami (8-0) speared the Noles, 36-14. FSU had 14 first downs; Miami had 31 first downs.

 

In the most exciting game in the ACC, SMU (7-1) and Duke (6-2) went to overtime, before the Mustangs beat the Dookies, 28-27 (OT).

 

In the Big 12, BYU (8-0) remained undefeated. The Cougars added to UCF’s problems, beating the Knights, 37-24. BYU dominated time of possession 40:28 to 19:45. UCF (3-5) lost its fifth-straight game. TCU (5-3) and Texas Tech (5-3) were in a shootout. Late in the third quarter, Texas Tech led TCU, 31-14. In the fourth quarter, Tech led the Frogs, 34-21. TCU scored two touchdowns in the final 8:42 of the game to rally and beat Texas Tech, 35-34.

 

In another thriller in the Big 12, Kansas State (7-1) kicker Chris Tennant kicked a 51-yard field goal with 1:42 remaining to beat Kansas, 29-27. After being on the skids for two weeks, West Virginia (4-4) got back on track, beating Arizona, 31-26.

 

Colorado (6-2) improved to 4-1 in Big 12 play. The Buffaloes roamed past Cincinnati, 34-23. Shedeur Sanders passed for 323 yards and two touchdowns.

 

The AAC had two thrilling games. Tulane (6-2) edged North Texas, 45-37. North Texas quarterback Chandler Morris passed for 449 yards and three touchdowns. The two teams combined for 997 total yards. And if that wasn’t enough, Tulsa (3-5) scored two touchdowns in the final 2:26 of the fourth quarter to beat UTSA, 46-45. UTSA quarterback Owen McCown passed for 434 yards and four touchdowns. The two teams combined for 983 total yards.

 

After you went you went to bed Saturday night, Fresno State (5-3) beat San Jose State, 33-10, and Washington State downed San Diego State, 29-26. Washington State is 7-1.

 

The first of six weekly CFP rankings will be announced next week – at 7:00 p.m. ET, Tuesday, November 5 on ESPN. The CFP rankings will determine the 12 teams making the playoff and the seeding for all 12 teams in the playoff. Remember, five of the 12 teams will be the highest-ranked conference champions. The other seven teams will be the highest-ranked at-large teams. The final rankings will be announced on ESPN at 12 noon ET on Selection Sunday, December 8.

 

In this week’s AP Poll, Oregon (8-0) remains No. 1, followed by 2. Georgia (6-1), 3. Penn State 7-0), 4. Ohio State (6-1), 5. Miami (8-0) and 6. Texas (7-1). The highest-ranked Group of Five team is Boise State (6-1) at 15. Army (7-0) is 21.

 

Rice fired head coach Mike Bloomgren yesterday. Bloomgren was 24-52 in six-plus years with the Owls. Assistant head coach Pete Alamar was named the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Rice (2-6) has four games remaining.

 

College basketball season starts two weeks from today. The Top 6 teams at preseason are 1. Kansas, 2. Alabama, 3. Connecticut, 4. Houston, 5. Iowa State and 6. Gonzaga. Florida is 21^st. There are five Big 12 teams in the Top 10 and six Big 12 teams in the Top 20. The SEC has nine teams in the Top 24. There are no Big Ten teams in the Top 12. Stay tuned!

 

Singer and actor Jack Jones died last week. Jones won two Grammy Awards and received a total of five nominations. His recordings included “Wives and Lovers” (his biggest hit), “The Race is On,” “Dear Heart,” “The Impossible Dream” and “Call Me Irresponsible,” among others. Jones also sang the opening theme for the television series “The Love Boat.” He frequently did shows in Las Vegas, performed in night clubs and at concerts around the world. Jones appeared in several television shows, specials and films. A native of Los Angeles, California, John Alan Jones was 86.

 

Musician, singer and songwriter Phil Lesh died last week. Lesh was a founding member of the Grateful Dead. He sang and played bass guitar for the band. A native of Berkeley, California, Philip Chapman Lesh was 84.

 

Touchdown Tom

October 28, 2024

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

(The next CFW – Week 10 Forecast – will be posted on Halloween morning.)

 

 

Weekend Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: Looking Ducky – Oregon 38, Illinois 9 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 27, Illinois 15). Normally, Illinois plays pretty good defense. But the Banned Indians were missing their defense against Oregon. The Ducks racked up 527 total yards on Illinois. It was a balanced attack too – 229 yards rushing and 298 yards passing. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel was 18-26-1, passing for 291 yards and three touchdowns. Ducks receiver Tez Johnson had six receptions for 102 yards. Attendance in Eugene: 59,830

 

RUNNER-UP: Never underestimate the Irish Navy – Notre Dame 51, Navy 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 30, Navy 21). It’s hard to win a ballgame when you have six turnovers – five fumbles and one interception. Maybe Navy needed to salt the ball. Notre Dame didn’t have any turnovers, but the Irish did have 466 total yards – 265 rushing and 201 passing. Attendance in East Rutherford: 76,112

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3-Pick-6 – Pitt 41, Syracuse 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Pitt 31, Syracuse 30).  Syracuse all but handed the victory to Pitt on a silver platter. The Cuse had five turnovers. Pitt had none. All five of Syracuse’s turnovers were interceptions and Pitt returned three of them for touchdowns. The Orange dominated ball possession 41:12 to 18:48. Neither team had a ground game. Syracuse had six yards rushing, while Pitt had 73. Pitt led 31-0 at halftime. Attendance in Pittsburgh: 47,266

 

Must have been the 12^th man – Texas A&M 38, LSU 23 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 23, Texas A&M 21). The first half belonged to LSU. But the Tigers went to sleep at halftime and the second half was all Aggies. A&M outscored LSU in the second half, 31-6. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko benched starting quarterback Conner Weighman and turned the game over to backup quarterback Marcel Reed. The Aggies’ defense held LSU to 24 yards rushing. LSU fans need to buy Garrett Nussmeier a pair of glasses. Nussmeier threw three interceptions. Texas A&M running back Amari Daniels rushed for 91 yards. Attendance in College Station: 108,852

 

The Dookies never could ride horses – SMU 28, Duke 27 (Touchdown Tom said: SMU 30, Duke 19). Duke scored first and led 7-0. Then SMU scored three unanswered touchdowns and led 21-7 late in the third quarter. Then the Dookies scored two unanswered touchdowns. The score was tied 21-21 with 9:02 to go in the fourth quarter. Neither team could score after that, and the game went to overtime. In the overtime, SMU scored first and led 28-21. Duke scored and went for two. The Dookies failed. SMU had six turnovers – three fumbles and three interceptions – and still managed to win the game. Duke had no turnovers. Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy was 27-48-0, passing for 295 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Durham: 30,241

 

We don’t need no Allar – Penn State 28, Wisconsin 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 24, Wisconsin 18). Penn State all but shut down Wisconsin in the second half. The Nitts outscored the Badgers 21-3 after the halftime break. And that was with their second-string quarterback. First-string quarterback Drew Allar suffered a lower body injury in the first half and didn’t play the second half. Backup quarterback Beau Pribula was 11-13-0, passing for 98 yards and one touchdown. Wisconsin only had 81 yards rushing. Attendance in Madison: 76,403

 

Close call – Texas 27, Vanderbilt 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 35, Vanderbilt 22). Both quarterbacks – Quinn Ewers and Diego Pavia – threw two interceptions. Ewers passed for 288 yards and Pavia had 143 yards passing. Vandy took the initial lead at 7-0 in the first quarter. Before the quarter was over, Texas went up 14-7 and never trailed for the remainder of the game. Attendance in Nashville: 28,934

 

Broncos knew when to hold ’em – Boise State 29, UNLV 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Boise State 31, UNLV 29). This game went back and forth. At the end of the first quarter, UNLV led, 10-3. At halftime, Boise State led, 20-10. At the end of the third quarter, UNLV led again, 24-23. In a losing effort, UNLV quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams passed for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Williams rushed for 105 yards and another touchdown. Both teams rushed for 189 yards. Boise State had 30 more yards passing. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty was held to 128 yards rushing. Jeanty is averaging 197 yards a game. Attendance in Las Vegas: 42,228

 

The Tigers were rolled – Alabama 34, Missouri 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 28, Missouri 26). Instead of arriving at the stadium on a bus, I think the Missouri team arrived in ambulances. The Tigers had their share of injuries. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook began the game with an ankle injury and left the game in the first half with a hand injury. The Tigers only had 72 yards passing. Mizzou kept things reasonably close in the first half – trailing 13-0 at the break. But Bama wore the Tigers down in the second half. Alabama had 486 total yards – 271 rushing and 215 passing. Attendance in Tuscaloosa: 100,077

 

Ralphie rules – Colorado 34, Cincinnati 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Colorado 30, Cincinnati 20). AT the 9:31 mark in the second quarter, the score was 14-14. Then Colorado scored three unanswered touchdowns. At the 5:41 mark in the third quarter, the Buffs led 31-14. There were no turnovers in the game. Colorado receiver Travis Hunter had nine receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Attendance in Boulder: 53,202

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

Redemption in the desert – West Virginia 31, Arizona 26 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 24, Arizona 23) . West Virginia had leads of 24-7 at the 7:59 mark in the third quarter and 31-13 at the 13:31 mark in the fourth quarter. Then Arizona got hot and scored two touchdowns in the final 8:52 of the game. Arizona only had 78 yards rushing. WVU controlled the clock 35:04 to 24:56. WVU played the entire game with backup quarterback Nico Marchiol. Marchiol is from Arizona. He was 18-22-0, passing for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita passed for 294 yards. Wildcats' receiver Tetairoa McMillan had 10 receptions for 202 yards. Attendance in Tucson: 49,888

 

Shell shocked – Ohio State 21, Nebraska 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 35, Nebraska 16). Ohio State took the initial lead at 7-0 in the first quarter. The Buckeyes never trailed until the 10:47 mark in the fourth quarter. That’s when Nebraska went up 17-14. The Buckeyes scored their winning touchdown with 6:04 remaining in the game and then held on to win. Both teams had less than 290 total yards each. Ohio State only had 64 yards rushing. Nebraska dominated control of the ball 35:07 to 24:53. Nebraska held Ohio State to its lowest scoring output of the season. The Buckeyes’ previous low was 31 points against Oregon. Attendance in Columbus: 104,830

 

Week 9 Results:  11 winners, 1 fumble (91.7 percent)

For the Season:  90 winners, 37 fumbles (70.9 percent)

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Sam Houston 10, FIU 7 – Attendance in Miami: 10,625

Presbyterian 42, Stetson 14 – Attendance in Deland: 1,777

 

Jackson State 37, Bethune-Cookman 17 – Attendance in Daytona Beach: 10,877

BYU 37, UCF 24 – Attendance in Orlando: 42,144

West Florida 35, Shorter 16 – Attendance in Pensacola: 3,779

 

Florida A&M 24, Southern 6 – Attendance in Tallahassee: N/A

Miami 36, Florida State 14 – Attendance in Miami Gardens: 66,200

 

 

Superlatives

 

Impressive Passers:

 

North Texas’ Chandler Morris – 38-57-0 for 449 yards (3TDs); UTSA’s Owen McCown – 30-40-0-434 (4TDs); California’s Fernando Mendoza – 27-36-0-364 (2TDs); Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman – 28-42-1-359 (1TD), and Arkansas State’s Jaylen Raynor – 25-41-0-349.

 

Also, Eastern Michigan’s Cole Snyder – 28-47-0 for 346 yards (2TDs); TCU’s Josh Hoover – 21-32-2-344 (3TDs); Louisville’s Tyler Shough – 28-38-2-333 (2TDs); Tulsa’s Cooper Legas – 16-31-0-333 (5TDs), and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders – 25-30-0-323 (2TDs).

 

 

Impressive Rushers:

 

Auburn’s Jarquez Hunter – 278 yards (2TDs); Tulane’s Makhi Hughes – 195 yards (1TD), and Arkansas’ Braylen Russell – 175 yards.

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“Travis is the best football player in the country. We all know that. Why are we even deliberating over that,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders, on his receiver Travis Hunter.

 

“It was a litany of issues, and we just felt like we needed a spark and we pulled the trigger and went with Marcel and what a spark he gave us,” Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, on replacing quarterback Conner Weighman with Marcel Reed in the third quarter against LSU.

 

Touchdown Tom

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